Predictive factors for inadequate colon preparation before colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: It could be helpful to ascertain which patients are at risk of poor bowel preparation prior to performing sedated colonoscopy. The aim of the present study was to identify the predictive factors for poor colon preparation prior to colonoscopy. METHODS: A prospective study was performed at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, from September 2011 to May 2013. Patient characteristics, food consumed within 2 days of colonoscopy, volume of polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution, interval between completing PEG and examination, number of bowel movements, and character of the last stool were evaluated. RESULTS: Seven hundred and three patients were enrolled (mean age 50.3 ± 11.6 years, 43 % female). In univariate analysis, character of the last stool (<0.001), body weight (p = 0.007), body mass index (p = 0.047), waist circumference (p = 0.008), buttock girth (p = 0.016), meal residue score (<0.001), and interval between end of PEG and colonoscopy (p = 0.01) were related to inadequate colon preparation. In multivariate analysis, waist circumference (p < 0.001), meal residue score (p < 0.001), and characteristics of last stool (p < 0.001) were variables that predicted poor colon preparation. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who have consumed a high residue diet and/or who report that their last stool is semisolid are likely to have poor bowel preparation, and consideration could be given to rescheduling the examination.

Analysis of TP53 gene expression and p53 level of human hypopharyngeal FaDu (HTB-43) head and neck cancer cell line after microRNA-181a inhibition.

The identification of new biomarkers for early detection of highly recurrent head and neck cancer is urgently needed. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and non-coding RNAs that regulate cancer-related gene expression, such as tumor protein 53 (TP53) gene expression. This study was carried out to analyze TP53 gene expression using real-time PCR and to determine changes in intracellular p53 level by flow cytometry after downregulation of miRNA-181a miRNA inhibitor in the FaDu cell line. TP53 gene expression showed a 3-fold increment and the p53 protein level was also increased in the miRNA-181a-treated cells. In conclusion, miRNA-181a binds to the TP53 gene and inhibits its expression, decreasing the synthesis of p53.

Plasma levels of estrone, estrone sulfate, and estradiol and the percentage of unbound estradiol in postmenopausal women with and without breast disease.

To investigate the possibility of increased tissue exposure to estrogen in breast cancer patients, plasma levels of estrogens and the percentage of unbound estradiol were measured in postmenopausal women with benign or malignant breast disease and compared with levels in normal postmenopausal women. The percentage of unbound estradiol in breast cancer patients [1.85 +/- 0.35% (S.D.)] was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) than in normal postmenopausal women [1.52 +/- 0.33%] and was still significantly higher when patients were matched with control subjects for weight (p less than 0.001) or ideal body weight (p less than 0.001). The binding capacity of sex hormone binding globulin was similar in both groups of women. No significant differences in the plasma levels of estrone, estradiol, or estrone sulfate were detected between breast cancer and normal subjects. It is concluded that, given similar concentrations of estradiol in plasma of normal and breast cancer subjects, the significant increase found in the unbound estradiol fraction may result in a very small increment in tissue exposure to estrogens in breast cancer subjects. However, even such a small increase in tissue exposure to estradiol may be significant, given the length of time required for breast tumor development.

Dietary lipids: an additional regulator of plasma levels of sex hormone binding globulin.

The effect of dietary lipid consumption on plasma levels of sex-hormone binding globulin (SHBG), free testosterone and cholesterol was studied in 6 normal men. After consuming a diet with a high fat content (greater than 100 g fat/day) for two weeks, the mean plasma cholesterol level increased (p less than 0.02) while the mean SHBG level decreased (p less than 0.02). Changing the diet from one with a high fat to low fat content (less than 20 g fat/day) for a further two week period resulted in a significant reduction in mean plasma cholesterol level (p less than 0.001) while the mean SHBG level increased (p less than 0.01). The increase in plasma SHBG was associated with a significant decrease in the free testosterone fraction and free testosterone concentration. No significant changes were detected in plasma samples obtained from the same men during a control period. The results from this study demonstrate that dietary lipid intake is an additional factor involved in the regulation of plasma levels of SHBG.

The effect of cortisol or ACTH on plasma concentrations of free fatty acids.

The effect of infusion of cortisol (14 mumol) or ACTH (Synacthen, 250 micrograms) injection on plasma levels of free fatty acids has been examined in normal men. The increment in plasma cortisol levels after infusion of cortisol (+182%) was much less than after ACTH injection (up to 262%). Mean plasma levels of free fatty acids were only significantly increased after ACTH injection. However, some inter-subject variation occurred and a small but significant increment in plasma levels of free fatty acids was seen for one control subject and for a subject who received an infusion of cortisol. It is possible that the reported diurnal variations in plasma levels of free fatty acids may be related to changes in plasma levels of ACTH or cortisol throughout a 24h period.

Cross-reactions between crude antigens of larval Taenia solium (Cysticercus cellulosae) and other helminths of pigs.

A crude antigen extract of larval Taenia solium was shown by immunodiffusion (ID) and immunoelectrophoresis (IEP) to cross-react with rabbit antisera against pig serum proteins and larval T. hydatigena, and by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with antisera against pig serum proteins, Fasciolopsis buski, larval T. hydatigena, hydatid cyst, Hymenolepis diminuta and Dipylidium caninum. Immunoblotting demonstrated that the crude antigens extract contained epitopes of pig serum proteins of 48 and 66 kDa. The crude extract also contained a subunit of antigen B (95 kDa) which was also found in T. hydatigena and H. diminuta. Immunoperoxidase and indirect immunofluorescence studies showed that cross-reacting antigens were distributed mainly on the tegument of T. solium.

Purification of larval Taenia solium antigens by gel filtration.

Crude larval Taenia solium extracts were fractionated by Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration into four fractions (W1-W4). The sensitivities of the fractions to rabbit and pig antiserum against Taenia solium were tested by double immunodiffusion, immunoelectrophoresis, and ELISA. Fraction W2 which was highly sensitive to antisera was shown by immunoblotting to contain antigen B (95 and 105 kDa). The four fractions were shown to contain antigenic determinants common with pig serum proteins and crude extracts of other Platyhelminthes (especially Taenia hydatigena). Fraction W2 has the potential to be used as a serodiagnostic antigen.

Reliability of an efficient MRI-based method for estimation of knee cartilage volume using surface registration.

OBJECTIVE: To aid in detection of osteoarthritis (OA) progression in serial magnetic resonance (MR) scans, we assessed feasibility and accuracy of rapid 3D image registration of the tibial plateau in normal and arthritic subjects, and inter-scan reliability of semi-automated cartilage volume measurement from these images. DESIGN: Two T1 fat-suppressed knee MR scans were obtained 2 weeks apart in healthy adults (n = 9, age 23-48 years). Four scans of each of three patients with established OA were obtained over 2 years. At baseline, the tibial surface was digitized by semi-automated edge detection and medial tibial plateau cartilage volume was calculated from high-intensity voxels within a manually drawn region of interest (ROI). In subsequent scans, the digitized tibial surface was registered to the baseline location by photogrammetric 3D coordinate transformation, and cartilage volume was automatically recalculated by reuse of the ROI. We measured registration accuracy by root mean square (RMS) distance between registered tibial surfaces. RESULTS: In normals, RMS distance between tibial surfaces in baseline and subsequent scans was 1/3 voxel length (0.121 mm), and medial tibial plateau cartilage volumes varied by 1.4+/-3.2%. Despite change in cartilage volumes by up to 20% over 2 years in arthritic patients, surface registration accuracy was unaffected (0.122 mm). User-supervised processing time was 15 min at baseline and 7 min in subsequent scans. CONCLUSION: Tibial surfaces on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be rapidly and accurately co-registered, even in arthritic knees, allowing direct visualization of changes over time. Compared to most current methods, cartilage volume measurement in registered images is faster and has equivalent inter-scan reliability in initially normal subjects.

Free fatty acids: a possible regulator of the available oestradiol fractions in plasma.

Consumption of dietary fats has been linked to the high incidence of breast cancer found in Western women. In vitro studies we have carried out show that unsaturated free fatty acids can increase the biologically available oestradiol fractions in plasma. It is possible therefore that the increased risk for breast cancer associated with a diet high in fats may be related to an elevation in the biologically available oestradiol fractions in plasma.

The distribution of oestradiol in plasma in relation to uterine cross-sectional area in women with polycystic or multifollicular ovaries.

The uterine cross-sectional area (UXA) of women with polycystic (PCO) or multifollicular ovaries (MFO) is significantly larger and smaller, respectively, than those of normal women during the early-mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. In the present study the distribution of oestradiol in plasma from normal women and women with PCO or MFO was measured to determine if differences in the available fractions of oestradiol could account for the differences in UXA of women with PCO or MFO. No differences in plasma levels of oestradiol were detected and the concentrations of oestradiol present in a free state or bound to albumin were similar in normal women and women with PCO or MFO. The concentration of oestrone was significantly higher in plasma from women with PCO (516 +/- 120 pmol/l, mean +/- SD) than in plasma from women with MFO (389 +/- 91 pmol/l) or normal women (376 +/- 89 pmol/l). Differences in UXA for women with PCO or MFO as compared with normal women cannot therefore be attributed to differences in available oestradiol concentrations. It is possible that abnormalities in oestrogen metabolism within uterine or other tissues may account for the UXA of women with PCO or MFO. Increased plasma oestrone levels in women with PCO may provide more substrate for conversion to oestradiol within the uterus whilst the smaller UXA of women with MFO may reflect both lack of normal cyclical increases of oestradiol and formation of biologically inactive oestradiol metabolites.

Peripheral oestrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer: the role of dietary lipids and growth factors.

Studies we have carried out have revealed significant differences in oestrogen production and metabolism between normal women and postmenopausal women with breast cancer. The free, biologically available fraction of oestradiol is elevated in plasma from women with breast cancer and we have found that metabolic clearance rates and production rates of oestradiol are also increased. In vitro studies have suggested that lipids can influence the distribution of sex steroids in plasma and we have therefore examined the effect of dietary lipids on the distribution of sex steroids in plasma in vivo. Consumption of a meal with a high saturated fat content or the oral or i.v. administration of "Intralipid", a stabilised emulsion of soya bean oil that is high in unsaturated free fatty acids, had little effect on the available fractions of oestradiol in plasma. However, results from a preliminary study suggest that long-term changes in dietary fat intake can alter the distribution of steroids in plasma. It is concluded that dietary lipids may influence the availability of sex steroids to tissues. Such a mechanism could account for the significant correlation that has been found between dietary fat consumption and the incidence of breast cancer on a world-wide basis.

The measurement of steroid hormones in endometrial tissue: a comparison between two methods of extraction.

Concentrations of oestrone, oestradiol, 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol (androstenediol) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHA) were measured in human endometrium by radioimmunoassay following extraction with either diethyl ether or ethanol-acetone. Our results demonstrate that there is no difference between values obtained using these methods of extraction.

The distribution of oestradiol in plasma from postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer: relationships with metabolic clearance rates of oestradiol.

The distribution of oestradiol in plasma from postmenopausal women with or without breast cancer has been measured and related to the metabolic clearance rates of oestradiol (MCR-E2). All measurements were carried out preoperatively. No difference in the free fraction of oestradiol was found between women with breast cancer (1.8 +/- 0.4%, mean +/- SD) and normal women (1.6 +/- 0.3%). Approximately 40% of oestradiol in plasma was bound to albumin with 60% bound to sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), but values were similar for women with or without breast cancer. Concentrations of total unconjugated oestradiol and free oestradiol (2.4 +/- 0.5 ng/100 ml and 44 +/- 12 pg/100 ml respectively, mean +/- SD, n = 9) were significantly higher in plasma from postmenopausal women with breast cancer compared with levels in plasma from normal postmenopausal women (1.8 +/- 0.5 ng/100 ml and 27 +/- 10 pg/100 ml, n = 8). A significant correlation was found between the free oestradiol fraction and MCR-E2 (r = 0.53, p less than 0.05). Correlations were also found between the fractions of oestradiol bound to albumin and MCR-E2 (r = 0.45). From correlations between the binding capacity of SHBG and MCR-E2 it appears that, for a given level of SHBG, MCR-E2 may be higher in women with breast cancer.

The regulation of the biologically available fractions of oestradiol and testosterone in plasma.

The albumin bound fractions of oestradiol and testosterone have been measured in samples of plasma obtained over a 24 h period from women with breast cancer or polycystic ovarian disease and from pre- and postmenopausal control subjects and related to plasma levels of free fatty acids. For most subjects changes in the fraction of oestradiol bound to albumin were related to changes in plasma levels of free fatty acids. A significant decrease in the albumin bound testosterone fraction during the night was associated with increased plasma levels of cortisol.