A dose-finding approach for genomic patterns in phase I trials.

Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that accounts for individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle. Cancer is a genomic disease; therefore, the dose-efficacy and dose-toxicity relationships for molecularly targeted agents in cancer most likely differ, based on the genomic mutation pattern. The individualized optimal dose - the maximal efficacious dose with a clinically acceptable safety profile - may vary depending on the genomic mutation patterns and should be determined prior to the use of these agents in precision medicine. In addition, genes that influence the individualized optimal doses should be identified in early-phase development. In this study, we propose a novel dose-finding approach to identify the individualized optimal dose for molecularly targeted agents in phase I cancer trials. Individualized optimal dose determination and gene selection were conducted simultaneously based on L1 and L2 penalized regression. Similar to most reported dose-finding approaches, this study considers non-monotonic patterns for dose-efficacy and dose-toxicity relationships, as well as correlations between efficacy and toxicity outcomes based on multinomial distribution. Our dose-finding algorithm is based on the predictive probability calculated with an estimated penalized regression model. We compare the operating characteristics between the proposed and existing methods by simulation studies under various scenarios.

Neutropenia and survival outcomes in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with trifluridine/tipiracil in the RECOURSE and J003 trials.

BACKGROUND: The phase II J003 (N = 169) and phase III RECOURSE (N = 800) trials demonstrated a significant improvement in survival with trifluridine (FTD)/tipiracil (TPI) versus placebo in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer. This post hoc analysis investigated pharmacokinetic data of FTD/TPI exposure and pharmacodynamic markers, such as chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN) and clinical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 210 patients from RECOURSE were enrolled in this substudy. A limited sampling approach was used, with three pharmacokinetic samples drawn on day 12 of cycle 1. Patients were categorized as being above or below the median area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) for FTD and TPI. We conducted a post hoc analysis using the entire RECOURSE population to determine the correlations between CIN and clinical outcome. We then carried out a similar analysis on the J003 trial to validate the results. RESULTS: In the RECOURSE subset, patients in the high FTD AUC group had a significantly increased CIN risk. Analyses of the entire population demonstrated that FTD/TPI-treated patients with CIN of any grade in cycles 1 and 2 had significantly longer median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) than patients who did not develop CIN and patients in the placebo group. Patients who required an FTD/TPI treatment delay had increased OS and PFS versus those in the placebo group and those who did not develop CIN. Similar results were obtained in the J003 cohort. CONCLUSIONS: In RECOURSE, patients with higher FTD drug exposure had an increased CIN risk. FTD/TPI-treated patients who developed CIN had improved OS and PFS versus those in the placebo group and those who did not develop CIN. Similar findings were reported in the J003 cohort, thus validating the RECOURSE results. The occurrence of CIN may be a useful predictor of treatment outcomes for FTD/TPI-treated patients. CLINICALTRIALS. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT01607957 (RECOURSE). JAPAN PHARMACEUTICAL INFORMATION CENTER NUMBER: JapicCTI-090880 (J003).

Evaluación del estado nutricional y comportamientos de salud en escolares de San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina / Evaluation of nutritional status and health behaviors in schoolchildren from San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina

INTRODUCCIÓN: La infancia y adolescencia son etapas cruciales de la vida en los cuales comienzan a formarse y adquirirse los hábitos que se van a sostener en el desarrollo hacia la adultez. OBJETIVOS: Determinar el estado nutricional y comportamientos de salud de los alumnos en escuelas y jardines municipales de San Miguel de Tucumán. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal. La muestra estuvo conformada por escolares de 3 a 18 años de edad de ambos sexos (1239). Las variables estudiadas fueron edad, sexo, hábitos alimentarios, sedentarismo, peso, talla e índice de masa corporal. Se pesaron y midieron a los alumnos y los datos fueron tomados a partir de una encuesta estructurada. En el nivel inicial y primario se realizó una entrevista personal, los niños menores de 6 años fueron encuestados junto a sus padres o cuidadores, quienes colaboraron en las respuestas. En el nivel secundario el cuestionario fue autoadministrado. Se solicitó autorización a los alumnos más grandes y en el caso de menores de edad se pidió consentimiento informado a los padres. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad fue del 25,6 % y el 22,2 % respectivamente. Durante el último mes el 85,6 % de los estudiantes consumió 1 o más veces al día bebidas azucaradas, el 19,8% consumió verduras en almuerzo y cena, el 57,9% incluyó menos de dos frutas al día. El 73% consumió menos de 3 porciones al día de lácteos y el 14% incluyó 8 vasos diarios de agua. CONCLUSIONES: Se observó sedentarismo, exceso de peso y hábitos alimentarios inadecuados en relación a las recomendaciones de las nuevas "Guías Alimentarias para la población Argentina", lo que puede llevar a la aparición de Enfermedades Crónicas no Transmisibles de manera más acelerada

INTRODUCTION: Childhood and adolescence are crucial stages of life in which the habits that will be sustained in the development towards adulthood begin to form and acquire. OBJECTIVES: To determine the nutritional status and health behaviors of students in schools and municipal gardens of San Miguel de Tucumán. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out. The sample was made up of schoolchildren from 3 to 18 years of age of both sexes (1239). The variables studied were age, sex, eating habits, sedentary lifestyle, weight, height, and body mass index. The students were weighed and measured and the data was taken from a structured survey. At the initial and primary level, a personal interview was carried out. Children under 6 years of age were surveyed together with their parents or caregivers, who collaborated in the responses. At the secondary level, the questionnaire was selfadministered. Authorization was requested from older students and in the case of minors, informed consent was requested from parents. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 25.6% and 22.2% respectively. During the last month 85.6% of the students consumed sugary drinks 1 or more times a day, 19.8% consumed vegetables at lunch and dinner, 57.9% included less than two fruits a day. 73% consumed less than 3 servings a day of dairy and 14% included 8 glasses of water daily. CONCLUSIONS: Sedentary lifestyle, excess weight and inadequate eating habits were observed in relation to the recommendations of the new "Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine population", which can lead to the appearance of Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases more rapidly. This information is useful for knowing the current situation of municipal schools and executing health promotion policies in the school environment

An interpretation of the neonatal period definition obtained with echocardiographic examination by using change point regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: We had reported on the left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVDd) in normal children from the premature/neonatal period to the adolescence period by using two-dimensional echocardiography, and formulated equations to evaluate normal LVDd values by using body height as an index. There was an inflection point at around birth that seemed relevant to the fetal and neonatal periods for the relation of LVDd and body height. METHODS: We aimed to reveal the true inflection point and its meaning by using change point regression analysis. The study group consisted of 421 neonates and infants. The ages at examination ranged from 24 weeks' gestation to 1 year after birth. The subjects' body heights at examination were between 31 and 75 cm. RESULTS: The analysis showed no definite inflection point in height, and a flat bottom was observed between body heights of 48 and 55 cm. The inflection range seemed to mean the duration of the neonatal period, which connects the fetal and infantile periods. CONCLUSION: The results revealed that neonates reach the infantile period slower than usually imagined, and the end of the neonatal period may be at the age when the body height is around 55 cm- in other words, at 2 months after birth. This manuscript might be the first one to consider the definition of the neonatal period using cardiovascular methods.

Randomised phase II trial of irinotecan plus S-1 in patients with gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of irinotecan/S-1 (IRIS) therapy with S-1 monotherapy in patients with gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Patients were treated with oral S-1 (80-120 mg for 14 days every 4 weeks) plus intravenous irinotecan (100 mg m-2 on days 1 and 15 every 4 weeks; IRIS group) or oral S-1 group (80-120 mg daily for 28 days every 6 weeks). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: Of 137 patients enrolled, 127 were eligible for efficacy. The median PFS in the IRIS group and S-1 monotherapy group were 3.5 and 1.9 months, respectively (hazard ratio (HR)=0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.53-1.11; P=0.18), while the median overall survival (OS) were 6.8 and 5.8 months, respectively (HR=0.75; 95% CI, 0.51-1.09; P=0.13). Response rate was significantly higher in the IRIS group than in the S-1 monotherapy group (18.3% vs 6.0%, P=0.03). Grade 3 or higher neutropenia and anorexia occurred more frequently in the IRIS group. CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend for better PFS and OS in the IRIS group that could be a treatment arm in the clinical trials for gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer.

A randomized phase III trial comparing S-1 versus UFT as adjuvant chemotherapy for stage II/III rectal cancer (JFMC35-C1: ACTS-RC).

BACKGROUNDS: Preventing distant recurrence and achieving local control are important challenges in rectal cancer treatment, and use of adjuvant chemotherapy has been studied. However, no phase III study comparing adjuvant chemotherapy regimens for rectal cancer has demonstrated superiority of a specific regimen. We therefore conducted a phase III study to evaluate the superiority of S-1 to tegafur-uracil (UFT), a standard adjuvant chemotherapy regimen for curatively resected stage II/III rectal cancer in Japan, in the adjuvant setting for rectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The ACTS-RC trial was an open-label, randomized, phase III superiority trial conducted at 222 sites in Japan. Patients aged 20-80 with stage II/III rectal cancer undergoing curative surgery without preoperative therapy were randomly assigned to receive UFT (500-600 mg/day on days 1-5, followed by 2 days rest) or S-1 (80-120 mg/day on days 1-28, followed by 14 days rest) for 1 year. The primary end point was relapse-free survival (RFS), and the secondary end points were overall survival and adverse events. RESULTS: In total, 961 patients were enrolled from April 2006 to March 2009. The primary analysis was conducted in 480 assigned to receive UFT and 479 assigned to receive S-1. Five-year RFS was 61.7% [95% confidence interval (CI) 57.1% to 65.9%] for UFT and 66.4% (95% CI 61.9% to 70.5%) for S-1 [P = 0.0165, hazard ratio (HR): 0.77, 95% CI 0.63-0.96]. Five-year survival was 80.2% (95% CI 76.3% to 83.5%) for UFT and 82.0% (95% CI 78.3% to 85.2%) for S-1. The main grade 3 or higher adverse events were increased alanine aminotransferase and diarrhea (each 2.3%) in the UFT arm and anorexia, diarrhea (each 2.6%), and fatigue (2.1%) in the S-1 arm. CONCLUSION: One-year S-1 treatment is superior to UFT with respect to RFS and has therefore become a standard adjuvant chemotherapy regimen for stage II/III rectal cancer following curative resection.

Improvement of androgenetic alopecia with topical Sophora flavescens Aiton extract, and identification of the two active compounds in the extract that stimulate proliferation of human hair keratinocytes.

BACKGROUND: Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a hair loss disorder that commonly affects middle-aged men. To date, the properties of a number of natural or synthetic substances have been investigated for their ability to improve the condition. AIM: To evaluate the hair growth-promoting activities of an extract from the root of Sophora flavescens Aiton. METHODS: We used a human hair keratinocyte proliferation assay and ex vivo organ cultures of human hair follicle to examine the potential of the extract to stimulate hair growth via anagen elongation. We isolated the compounds promoting the growth of epithelial cells, and determined their chemical structures. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study for S. flavescens extract was carried out for 6 months with patients with AGA. RESULTS: The extract stimulated the proliferation of hair keratinocytes at a concentration of 0.1 ng/mL, while 100 ng/mL of the extract had a marked effect on hair shaft elongation in an organ culture of human hair follicle. Cell proliferation assay-directed fractionation led to the identification of two pterocarpan derivatives, L-maackiain and medicarpin, as active compounds that promote the proliferation of human hair keratinocytes. Studies in human subjects showed that improvement in the inspected alopecia scores in the lotion plus extract group were significant over a period of 6 months (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: S. flavescens root extract is effective for the treatment of AGA. The isolated two pterocarpans might have important role in this effect.

Randomized phase III trial of treatment duration for oral uracil and tegafur plus leucovorin as adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with stage IIB/III colon cancer: final results of JFMC33-0502.

BACKGROUND: While adjuvant chemotherapy is preferable for high-risk colon cancer, treatment duration is controversial. Oral uracil and tegafur (UFT)/leucovorin (LV) is widely used as a standard adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer in Japan. We conducted a phase III trial to investigate the optimal duration of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IIB/III colon cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with curatively resected stage IIB/III colon cancer were eligible for enrollment in this trial. Patients were registered within 6 weeks after surgery and were randomly assigned to receive UFT/LV for 28 of 35 days for 6 months in the control group or for 5 consecutive days per week for 18 months in the study group. The primary end point was the disease-free survival (DFS), and the secondary end points were overall survival (OS) and safety. RESULT: A total of 1071 patients were registered from 233 centers. A statistically significant difference in DFS was not observed between the study group and the control group; the 5-year DFS was 69% in the study group and 69% in the control group. The 5-year OS was 85% in the study group and 85% in the control group. CONCLUSION: Eighteen-month treatment with UFT/LV did not improve DFS or OS compared with 6-month UFT/LV treatment in patients with stage IIB/III colon cancer. The important finding from this study is that not 18 months but 6 months of treatment is enough for postoperative UFT/LV for stage IIB/III colon cancer. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: UMIN-CTR C000000245.

Randomised phase II trial of S-1 plus oxaliplatin vs S-1 in patients with gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: This randomised, open-label, multicenter phase II study compared progression-free survival (PFS) of S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) with that of S-1 alone in patients with gemcitabine-refractory pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Patients with confirmed progressive disease following the first-line treatment with a gemcitabine-based regimen were randomised to receive either S-1 (80/100/120 mg day(-1) based on body surface area (BSA), orally, days 1-28, every 6 weeks) or SOX (S-1 80/100/120 mg day(-1) based on BSA, orally, days 1-14, plus oxaliplatin 100 mg m(-2), intravenously, day 1, every 3 weeks). The primary end point was PFS. RESULTS: Between January 2009 and July 2010, 271 patients were randomly allocated to either S-1 (n=135) or SOX (n=136). Median PFS for S-1 and SOX were 2.8 and 3.0 months, respectively (hazard ratio (HR)=0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.65-1.08; stratified log-rank test P=0.18). Median overall survival (OS) was 6.9 vs 7.4 months (HR=1.03; 95% CI, 0.79-1.34; stratified log-rank test P=0.82). The response rate (RR) was 11.5% vs 20.9% (P=0.04). The major grade 3/4 toxicities (S-1 and SOX) were neutropenia (11.4% and 8.1%), thrombocytopenia (4.5% and 10.3%) and anorexia (12.9% and 14.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Although SOX showed an advantage in RR, it provided no significant improvement in PFS or OS compared with S-1 alone.

Phase III study comparing oxaliplatin plus S-1 with cisplatin plus S-1 in chemotherapy-naïve patients with advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the efficacy and safety of S-1 plus oxaliplatin (SOX) as an alternative to cisplatin plus S-1 (CS) in first-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer (AGC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized, open-label, multicenter phase III study, patients were randomly assigned to receive SOX (80-120 mg/day S-1 for 2 weeks with 100 mg/m(2) oxaliplatin on day 1, every 3 weeks) or CS (S-1 for 3 weeks with 60 mg/m(2) cisplatin on day 8, every 5 weeks). The primary end points were noninferiority in progression-free survival (PFS) and relative efficacy in overall survival (OS) for SOX using adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) with stratification factors; performance status and unresectable or recurrent (+adjuvant chemotherapy) disease. RESULTS: Overall, 685 patients were randomized from January 2010 to October 2011. In per-protocol population, SOX (n = 318) was noninferior to CS (n = 324) in PFS [median, 5.5 versus 5.4 months; HR 1.004, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.840-1.199; predefined noninferiority margin 1.30]. The median OS for SOX and CS were 14.1 and 13.1 months, respectively (HR 0.958 with 95% CI 0.803-1.142). In the intention-to-treat population (SOX, n = 339; CS, n = 337), the HRs in PFS and OS were 0.979 (95% CI 0.821-1.167) and 0.934 (95% CI 0.786-1.108), respectively. The most common ≥grade 3 adverse events (SOX versus CS) were neutropenia (19.5% versus 41.8%), anemia (15.1% versus 32.5%), hyponatremia (4.4% versus 13.4%), febrile neutropenia (0.9% versus 6.9%), and sensory neuropathy (4.7% versus 0%). CONCLUSION: SOX is as effective as CS for AGC with favorable safety profile, therefore SOX can replace CS. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: JapicCTI-101021.

Long-term effects of the oral adsorbent, AST-120, in patients with chronic renal failure.

The oral adsorbent AST-120 has been widely used in Japan to delay the initiation of dialysis therapy in patients with chronic renal failure. This study evaluated the long-term effects of AST-120 in patients with chronic renal failure who had not previously undergone dialysis. One hundred out-patients were prospectively enrolled and prescribed 6 g/day oral AST-120 for >or= 1 year. The clinical effectiveness of AST-120 was evaluated by comparing changes in the slope of the reciprocal serum creatinine-time plot (1/sCr slope) before and after AST-120 administration. The 1/sCr slope improved significantly after >or= 1 year of AST-120 treatment and greatest improvement was observed in patients with the longest AST-120 administration period (> 30 months). The results suggest that long-term treatment with AST-120 may be beneficial for chronic renal failure patients in the pre-dialysis stage.

Efficacy, toxicity and cost analysis for non-platinum triplet (gemcitabine and vinorelbine, followed by docetaxel) vs. platinum-based chemotherapy in IIIB/IV non-small-cell lung cancer: single-institution experience.

A new non-platinum sequential triplet combination chemotherapy regimen, comprising gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2)) and vinorelbine (25 mg/m(2)), followed by docetaxel (60 mg/m(2)), was compared in terms of efficacy, toxicity and cost with platinum-based chemotherapy regimens (comprising cisplatin plus one or more other anti-tumour drugs) for the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in a matched, small-sample size, case-control study. Patients were selected from a single institution. Patients in the platinum and non-platinum groups were matched for clinical stage (IIIB/IV), performance status (0/1), age and sex. For the non-platinum and platinum groups, the overall response rates were 40% and 47%, and the median survival times were 14 and 14.5 months respectively. The most common grade 3-4 toxicity was neutropenia (27%) in the non-platinum group and nausea/vomiting (67%) in the platinum group. The total treatment cost did not differ significantly between the two groups. The non-platinum sequential triplet combination chemotherapy regimen studied was shown to be as effective as the traditional cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy regimen, and was associated with less toxicity.

Improvement of peritoneal calcification after parathyroidectomy in a peritoneal dialysis patient.

Peritoneal calcification is one of the complications of peritoneal dialysis (PD). It can become serious, leading to severe abdominal pain and even death. Possible mediators of peritoneal calcification in PD patients are assumed to include acetate buffer, overdosage of vitamin D, repeated peritonitis, hypertonic dialysate, calciphylaxis and secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). However, the mechanism and treatment of peritoneal calcification are controversial. Few reports have appeared on improvement of peritoneal calcification after parathyroidectomy (PTX) for SHPT of long duration. We report herein the case of a 48-year-old man on dialysis for 17 years including PD for 14 years. In 1989, he was admitted to hospital because of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and started treatment with PD. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) first showed peritoneal calcification in August 2002. Peritoneal calcification did not improve despite conventional treatment including discontinuation of PD, control of calcium phosphate product to less than 55 mg2/dl2, removal of the peritoneal catheter and empirical prednisolone (PSL) usage. The intact parathyroid hormone (i-PTH) level was increased over 1,000 pg/ml and extra-osseous calcification occurred. Total PTX was performed in November 2004. Postoperatively, the i-PTH level decreased immediately and calcium phosphate product was maintained in the reference range. Abdominal CT after PTX showed improvement of peritoneal calcification in September 2005. It appeared that PTX could be used to treat patients with persistent peritoneal calcification not responding to conventional treatment. It was postulated that SHPT might play a crucial role in accelerating peritoneal calcification in PD patients.

An individual patient data meta-analysis of adjuvant therapy with uracil-tegafur (UFT) in patients with curatively resected rectal cancer.

Uracil-Tegafur (UFT), an oral fluorinated pyrimidine chemotherapeutic agent, has been used for adjuvant chemotherapy in curatively resected colorectal cancer patients. Past trials and meta-analyses indicate that it is somewhat effective in extending survival of patients with rectal cancer. The objective of this study was to perform a reappraisal of randomised clinical trials conducted in this field. We designed an individual patient-based meta-analysis of relevant clinical trials to examine the benefit of UFT for curatively resected rectal cancer in terms of overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS), and local relapse-free survival (LRFS). We analysed individual patient data of five adjuvant therapy randomised clinical trials for rectal cancer, which met the predetermined inclusion criteria. These five trials had a combined total of 2091 patients, UFT as adjuvant chemotherapy compared to surgery-alone, 5-year follow-up, intention-to-treat-based analytic strategy, and similar endpoints (OS and DFS). In a pooled analysis, UFT had significant advantage over surgery-alone in terms of both OS (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.70-0.97; P=0.02) and DFS (hazard ratio, 0.73; 95%CI, 0.63-0.84; P<0.0001). This individual patient-based meta-analysis demonstrated that oral UFT significantly improves both OS and DFS in patients with curatively resected rectal cancer.

Dose-response to a jelly preparation of calcium polystyrene sulfonate in patients with hyperkalemia--changes in serum potassium levels with or without a RAAS inhibitor.

AIMS: In this study, dose-response of the serum potassium-lowering effect of a calcium polystyrene sulfonate (PS) preparation was investigated. Changes in the serum potassium level were also examined with or without application of a RAAS inhibitor, which is said to increase the serum potassium level. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 23 patients diagnosed to have hyperkalemia associated with chronic renal failure were enrolled in this study. The study drug, a PS-Ca jelly preparation (Argamate jelly), was started at a daily dose of 1 preparation (5 g as PS-Ca), and the dose was increased by 1 preparation every month to finally reach 3 preparations per day. Blood samples were collected once a month and serum levels of creatinine and electrolytes were measured. RESULTS: PS-Ca jelly decreased serum potassium levels in a dose-dependent manner. Decreases were 0.67 mEq/l at 5 g of PS-Ca/day, 1.06 mEq/l at 10 g/d, and 1.33 mEq/l at 15 g/d. Irrespective of the use of the RAAS inhibitor, serum potassium levels decreased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, no major change in serum creatinine levels occurred in subjects in which the RAAS inhibitor was used, although in subjects in which the RAAS inhibitor was not used, serum creatinine level tended to gradually increase. CONCLUSION: Serum potassium levels were reduced in a dose-dependent manner by administration of 5-15 g/d of PS-Ca, and it appeared that together with control of serum potassium levels, renal function should be maintained by continuous administration of RAAS inhibitor.

Near infrared spectroscopy assessment of the glucose solution processed by ultrasonic cavitation.

The near infrared (NIR) absorption was investigated on the glucose aqueous solutions with various optical pathlengths (PLs) and processed by ultrasonic cavitation. In water, the strong absorption peak at a wavelength of 1430 nm, appeared in the case of short PL, was separated into several peaks in the case of wide PL due to increasing the number of H(2)O clusters. In a d(+) glucose solution, it was seen that NIR absorption was reduced at peculiar wavelengths of 970 nm and 1130 nm and its profile changed in a capricious manner in the region from 1300 nm to 1600 nm. The cavitation generated lots of OH(-) ion in water and made the capricious absorption profile regularly graded with the cavitation time toward less-absorptive direction. These effects are supposed to be caused by the dipole moments of H(2)O clusters arranged by the interaction between them and generated basic OH ions. The statistical principal component regression (PCR) and partial least-squares (PLS) regression demonstrated that the treatment of UC was helpful to enhance the glucose sensitivity.

Evidence of Qi-gong energy and its biological effect on the enhancement of the phagocytic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

In order to test for an effect of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) treated externally with Qi energy ("Qi-treated" PBS) on the phagocytic activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), rigorously controlled experiments employing masking and randomized procedures were carried out under independent monitoring. In all experiments, Qi treatment was externally applied under monitoring to newly purchased unopened 100 ml bottles of PBS, and the PMN phagocytic activity was assayed by one experimenter in masked, randomized and monitored conditions using a highly sensitive chemiluminescence method. Phagocytic activity data were obtained in triplicate for each sample and then statistically analyzed. The PBS samples Qi-treated by the Qi-gong master and by one of the Qi-gong trainees showed clear stimulation of PMN phagocytic activity which was significant statistically, and this phenomenon was highly reproducible. Out of 10 experiments by the Qi-gong master, only twice did Qi-treatment fail to influence the PBS. The activity of Qi-treated PBS decayed over days or weeks. Furthermore, it was found that Qi-treated PBS had decreased phagocytic stimulatory activity after microwave treatment, but not after autoclave treatment. We also demonstrated that microwave irradiation and infrared laser pulse irradiation have similar effects on PBS as Qi-treatment. The results obtained in this experiment provide evidence of the existence of Qi energy, its ability to influence an electrolyte solution and its biological effect. Furthermore, microwave or infrared laser pulse treatment was found to partly mimic the Qi-treatment of PBS.

Pilot study of prescription-event monitoring in Japan comparing troglitazone with alternative oral hypoglycemics.

OBJECTIVE: To examine adverse events reported in a pilot study of the prescription-event monitoring in Japan (J-PEM) scheme, comparing troglitazone with other oral hypoglycemics. METHODS: We used a cohort study with a concurrent control in which information was gathered from both doctors and pharmacists. Crude event rates were calculated and compared between troglitazone (T) and alternative oral hypoglycemics (control drugs, C) using the likelihood ratio test. When the difference was statistically significant, possible confounding mechanisms were examined using Poisson regression analysis. RESULTS: Of 3,115 patient codes registered, pharmacists were sent 2,078 questionnaires and returned 1,814 (87%), while doctors were sent 1,858 questionnaires and returned 671 (36%). The difference in crude rates was statistically significant in 11 events (seven where T > C and four where C > T) reported by pharmacists and ten events (three where T > C and seven where C > T) reported by doctors. Among those, in two events, "weight increased" (T > C) and "abnormal hepatic function" (T > C), significant differences were observed in data from both doctors and pharmacists. Regression analysis revealed that the difference in crude rates for "nausea" (T > C) was possibly due to an uneven distribution of genders and that for "weight increased" (T >C) was possibly due to an uneven distribution of compliance. Patients with hepatic function abnormalities associated with troglitazone could be divided into two subtypes: one with a slight increase in serum lactate dehydrogenase concentration only and the other with elevated serum alanine aminotransferase. CONCLUSIONS: Comparison of the event rates between troglitazone and control drugs, followed by regression analysis, revealed several features of adverse events associated with drugs, including possible confounding mechanisms. Troglitazone-induced hepatic function abnormalities may be divided into two subtypes.