Analysis of the presence of cutaneous and mucosal papillomavirus types in ductal lavage fluid, milk and colostrum to evaluate its role in breast carcinogenesis.

Several independent studies have presented evidence for the involvement of human papillomaviruses (HPV) in the aetiology of human breast cancer, while others have reported the opposite findings. Here, we have analysed by a high sensitive multiplex PCR-based method the prevalence of alpha mucosal and beta cutaneous HPV DNA in 90 ductal lavages, colostrum and milk. Ten of the 70 DLs analyzed (14%) contained a single or multiple beta HPV types, while DNA from mucosal high-risk HPV types was detected in only one sample (1/70). A strong reduction of HPV positivity in DL fluids was observed in 45 specimens collected after removal of the superficial layers of the nipple epidermis. All DLs were negative for the mucosal low-risk HPV types 6 and 11. Finally, HPV positivity was low in colostrum and milk. Our data show that DNA of alpha mucosa and beta cutaneous HPV types are rarely present in the breast fluids and suggest that a direct role of HPV in breast carcinogenesis is unlikely.

Toenail selenium levels and gastric cancer risk in Cali, Colombia.

To examine an association between selenium level and gastric cancer (GC) risk, a hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Cali, Colombia. Selenium concentrations in toenails were compared between 142 GC patients and 244 controls selected from hospitalized non-cancer patients. GC risk was lowest in the lowest quartile of selenium level and highest in the second highest quartile (age-, sex-, hospital-, and sampling-season-adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 5.9, 95% confidence interval: 2.8, 12.4). This association was not modified by either tumor location or Lauren's histological type. The magnitude of ORs was not affected by other diets that were significantly associated with GC risk. Since selenium levels were relatively high in cases and in controls, our results indicate that an inverse association between selenium level and GC risk may exist only among populations with low selenium levels.

Scalp hair mercury concentrations in Pakistan.

The presence of mercury in the environment is widespread and persistent, but the extent of exposure of Pakistanis to mercury is virtually unknown. We collected toenail and scalp hair samples from 158 subjects (83 males and 75 females) residing in Lahore and its suburbs. We also conducted a questionnaire survey and personal interviews to obtain information on demographic factors, lifestyles, and socioeconomic factors, among others. Mercury concentration in hair samples was measured by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CVAAS). In addition, the concentration of selenium in the toenail and hair samples was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The mean hair mercury concentration was 0.45 ppm (95% CI = 0.34-0.60) and did not show correlation with fish consumption, age, area of origin, or present residence. Mercury concentration was higher (p = 0.021) in females than in males, and was also higher in subjects with 11 or more years of education (p for trend = 0.013). There were 13 subjects with mercury concentration higher than 10 ppm. Most of them were young females and a few were middle-aged males. When the analysis was confined to subjects with mercury concentrations lower than 0.6 ppm, the amount of fish consumed showed correlation with hair mercury concentration with a marginal statistical significance (p = 0.065). The geometric means of selenium in hair and toenails were 0.87 and 1.01 ppm, respectively. Mercury and selenium concentrations in hair showed no correlation (correlation coefficient = 0.057, p = 0.478). This study shows that mercury exposure levels among residents in Lahore and its suburban areas are relatively low, except among outliers, wherein mercury exposure might be brought about by the use of mercury-containing soaps.

Effects of repeated sauna treatment on ventricular arrhythmias in patients with chronic heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to determine whether repeated 60 degrees C sauna treatment improves cardiac arrhythmias in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients, because ventricular arrhythmias are an important therapeutic target in CHF. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty patients (59+/-3 years) with New York Heart Association functional class II or III CHF and at least 200 premature ventricular contractions (PVCs)/24 h assessed by 24-h Holter recordings were studied. They were randomized into sauna-treated (n=20) or non-treated (n=10) groups. The sauna-treated group underwent a 2-week program of a daily 60 degrees C far infrared-ray dry sauna for 15 min, followed by 30 min bed rest with blankets, for 5 days per week. Patients in the non-treated group had bed rest in a temperature-controlled room (24 degrees C) for 45 min. The total numbers of PVCs/24 h in the sauna-treated group decreased compared with the non-treated group [848+/-415 vs 3,097+/-1,033/24 h, p<0.01]. Heart rate variability (SDNN, standard deviation of normal-to-normal beat interval) increased [142+/-10 (n=16) vs 112+/-11 ms (n=8), p<0.05] and plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentrations decreased [229+/-54 vs 419+/-110 pg/ml, p<0.05] in the sauna-treated group compared with the non-treated group. CONCLUSION: Repeated sauna treatment improves ventricular arrhythmias in patients with CHF.

HTLV-1 provirus load in peripheral blood lymphocytes of HTLV-1 carriers is diminished by green tea drinking.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is causatively associated with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Since a high level of HTLV-1 provirus load in circulating lymphocytes is thought to be a risk for ATL and HAM/TSP, diminution of HTLV-1 provirus load in the circulation may prevent these intractable diseases. Our previous study (Jpn J Cancer Res 2000; 91: 34-40) demonstrated that green tea polyphenols inhibit in vitro growth of ATL cells, as well as HTLV-1-infected T-cells. The present study aimed to investigate the in vivo effect of green tea polyphenols on HTLV-1 provirus load in peripheral blood lymphocytes on HTLV-1 carriers. We recruited 83 asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers to examine HTLV-1 provirus DNA with or without administration of capsulated green tea extract powder. Thirty-seven subjects were followed up for 5 months by measuring HTLV-1 provirus load after daily intake of 9 capsules of green tea extract powder per day (equivalent to 10 cups of regular green tea), and 46 subjects lived ad libitum without intake of any green tea capsule. The real-time PCR quantification of HTLV-1 DNA revealed a wide range of variation of HTLV-1 provirus load among asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (0.2-200.2 copies of HTLV-1 provirus load per 1000 peripheral blood lymphocytes). Daily intake of the capsulated green tea for 5 months significantly diminished the HTLV-1 provirus load as compared with the controls (P = 0.031). These results suggest that green tea drinking suppresses proliferation of HTLV-1-infected lymphocytes in vivo.