Prospective longitudinal comparative study of health-related quality of life in patients treated with radical prostatectomy or permanent brachytherapy for prostate cancer

To determine health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) or permanent prostate brachytherapy (BT), third party-conducted QOL surveys were prospectively compared. Between 2004 and 2005, 37 patients underwent RRP and 36 were treated with BT. A QOL survey consisting of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form (SF-36), the University of California, Los Angeles, Prostate Cancer Index (UCLA-PCI) and the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) was completed prospectively by a research coordinator at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after treatment. The RRP patients scored well in general QOL except at 1 month after surgery, with their mental health better than at baseline by 6 months after surgery. Disease-specific QOL in RRP patients received a low score at 1 month for both urinary and sexual function, though urinary function rapidly recovered to baseline levels. BT patient QOL was not affected by the therapy except in the IPSS score. However, general and mental health scores in BT patients were inferior to those in RRP patients. This prospective study revealed differences in QOL after RRP and BT. These results will be helpful in making treatment decisions.</p

Nationwide study of pediatric B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia with chromosome 8q24/MYC rearrangement in Japan

Background Rearrangements of chromosome 8q24/MYC (8q24/MYC-r), resulting from t(8;14)(q24;q32), t(2;8)(p11;q24), or t(8;22)(q24;q11), are mainly associated with Burkitt lymphoma/leukemia (BL) and rarely observed in patients with B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). The characteristics of BCP-ALL with 8q24/MYC-r are poorly understood. Procedure A retrospective nationwide study of data from patients with pediatric BCP-ALL with 8q24/MYC-r in Japan was conducted to clarify the clinical and biological characteristics associated with 8q24/MYC-r BCP-ALL. Results Ten patients with BCP-ALL with 8q24/MYC-r, including three with double-hit leukemia (DHL) (two with t(8;14)(q24;q32) and t(14;18)(q32;q21), and one with t(8;14) and t(3;22)(q27;q11)), were identified. Patients with BCP-ALL with 8q24/MYC-r had higher median age, and uric acid (UA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels, than those without 8q24/MYC-r. All patients were initially treated with ALL-type chemotherapy; however, four, including one with DHL, were switched to BL-type chemotherapy, based on cytogenetic findings. One patient relapsed after standard-risk ALL-type chemotherapy, and two patients with DHL did not attain complete remission with chemotherapy; all three died within 11 months. The other seven patients treated with BL-type or high-risk ALL type chemotherapy are alive without disease. Conclusions The clinical and laboratory features of BL with IG-MYC rearrangement, displaying a BCP immunophenotype (Wagener et al. and Herbrueggen et al. termed it as preBLL), are similar to those of BCP-ALL with 8q24/MYC-r. Low-risk ALL-type chemotherapy may not be appropriate for them, and further studies are required to establish an adequate therapeutic strategy. Further studies of DHL to identify new treatment strategies are also needed.journal articl

Depletion of CD206+ M2-Like Macrophages Induces Fibro-Adipogenic Progenitors Activation and Muscle Regeneration

Muscle regeneration requires the coordination of muscle stem cells, mesenchymal fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), and macrophages. How macrophages regulate the paracrine secretion of FAPs during the recovery process remains elusive. Herein, we systemically investigated the communication between CD206+ M2-like macrophages and FAPs during the recovery process using a transgenic mouse model. Depletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages or deletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages-specific TGF-β1 gene induces myogenesis and muscle regeneration. We show that depletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages activates FAPs and activated FAPs secrete follistatin, a promyogenic factor, thereby boosting the recovery process. Conversely, deletion of the FAP-specific follistatin gene results in impaired muscle stem cell function, enhanced fibrosis, and delayed muscle regeneration. Mechanistically, CD206+ M2-like macrophages inhibit the secretion of FAP-derived follistatin via TGF-β signaling. Here we show that CD206+ M2-like macrophages constitute a microenvironment for FAPs and may regulate the myogenic potential of muscle stem/satellite cells

Depletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages induces fibro-adipogenic progenitors activation and muscle regeneration

Muscle regeneration requires the coordination of muscle stem cells, mesenchymal fibro-adipogenic progenitors (FAPs), and macrophages. How macrophages regulate the paracrine secretion of FAPs during the recovery process remains elusive. Herein, we systemically investigated the communication between CD206+ M2-like macrophages and FAPs during the recovery process using a transgenic mouse model. Depletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages or deletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages-specific TGF-β1 gene induces myogenesis and muscle regeneration. We show that depletion of CD206+ M2-like macrophages activates FAPs and activated FAPs secrete follistatin, a promyogenic factor, thereby boosting the recovery process. Conversely, deletion of the FAP-specific follistatin gene results in impaired muscle stem cell function, enhanced fibrosis, and delayed muscle regeneration. Mechanistically, CD206+ M2-like macrophages inhibit the secretion of FAP-derived follistatin via TGF-β signaling. Here we show that CD206+ M2-like macrophages constitute a microenvironment for FAPs and may regulate the myogenic potential of muscle stem/satellite cells

Genetic and chemical inhibition of IRF5 suppresses pre-existing mouse lupus-like disease

The transcription factor IRF5 has been implicated as a therapeutic target for the autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, IRF5 activation status during the disease course and the effects of IRF5 inhibition after disease onset are unclear. Here, we show that SLE patients in both the active and remission phase have aberrant activation of IRF5 and interferon-stimulated genes. Partial inhibition of IRF5 is superior to full inhibition of type I interferon signaling in suppressing disease in a mouse model of SLE, possibly due to the function of IRF5 in oxidative phosphorylation. We further demonstrate that inhibition of IRF5 via conditional Irf5 deletion and a newly developed small-molecule inhibitor of IRF5 after disease onset suppresses disease progression and is effective for maintenance of remission in mice. These results suggest that IRF5 inhibition might overcome the limitations of current SLE therapies, thus promoting drug discovery research on IRF5 inhibitors

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青年期女子1047人(高校生 : 226人,専門学校生 : 93人,短期大学生 : 409人,大学生 : 319人)を対象として,これらの対象者を在学校別・体重観別・体格別に区分けし,ダイエットの経験・食生活状況・日常の生活態度について検討し,「やせ志向」がもたらす問題点について検討した。1.痩身への憧れは在学校では高校生,体格別ではるいそう者,および適正体格を逸脱した痩身願望の者に強かった。2.「体型を引き締めたい」・「やせている方が美しい」という意識は調査対象者の約半数に認められた。3.「自分は肥満だからやせたい」と思っている者は,高校生や短大生で多く,また,体格的には肥満者に多かった。4.対象者の77.1%がダイエットの経験をもち,特に肥満体格者で高率であった。5.ダイエットの実施方法は,「間食をやめるまたは減らす」が最も多かった。また,肥満体格者や適正体格を逸脱した痩身願望のある者では「食事の量を減らす」などの好ましくない方法で実施する者も目立った。6.食事量が少ない・朝食欠食・間食の頻度が高い・食品の摂取状況に栄養的偏りがあるという食生活上の欠陥は,高校生や適正体格を逸脱した痩身願望を持つ者に多く認められた。7.生活活動時間が長くかつ夜型の者は,大学生やるいそう体格者に多かった。8.喫煙者は短大生や適正体格を逸脱した痩身願望の者で,飲酒は大学生で多かった