Latitudinal variation and coevolutionary diversification of sexually dimorphic traits in the false blister beetle Oedemera sexualis.

Sexual traits are subject to evolutionary forces that maximize reproductive benefits and minimize survival costs, both of which can depend on environmental conditions. Latitude explains substantial variation in environmental conditions. However, little is known about the relationship between sexual trait variation and latitude, although body size often correlates with latitude. We examined latitudinal variation in male and female sexual traits in 22 populations of the false blister beetle Oedemera sexualis in the Japanese Archipelago. Males possess massive hind legs that function as a female-grasping apparatus, while females possess slender hind legs that are used to dislodge mounting males. Morphometric analyses revealed that male and female body size (elytron length), length and width of the hind femur and tibia, and allometric slopes of these four hind leg dimensions differed significantly among populations. Of these, three traits showed latitudinal variation, namely, male hind femur was stouter; female hind tibia was slenderer, and female body was smaller at lower latitudes than at higher latitudes. Hind leg sizes and shapes, as measured by principal component analysis of these four hind leg dimensions in each sex, covaried significantly between sexes, suggesting coevolutionary diversification in sexual traits. Covariation between sexes was weaker when variation in these traits with latitude was removed. These results suggest that coevolutionary diversification between male and female sexual traits is mediated by environmental conditions that vary with latitude.

[A case of successful control for primary duodenal cancer with combined CPT-11, CDDP and DOC chemotherapy].

We have experienced a rare case of primary duodenal carcinoma with perforation of the duodenum. Combined CPT- 11, CDDP and DOC chemotherapy achieved a partial response. A 54-year-old man with serious abdominal pain visited our hospital with a diagnosis of acute peritonitis due to perforation of digestive tract on CT scan. An emergency operation was performed with patch for perforation of the duodenum. Endoscopic examination and biopsy after surgery showed duodenal adenocarcinoma. Abdominal CT scan revealed metastasis to the periaortic lymph nodes. Therefore, we diagnosed primary duodenal carcinoma with metastasis to the periaortic lymph nodes. Combined CPT-11, CDDP and DOC chemotherapy were performed. After two courses, endoscopic examination and biopsy showed primary lesion of the duodenum had disappeared. Metastatic lymph nodes were reduced from CT scan after three courses, and successfully controlled until nine courses. Then regimen was changed to S-1 alone and S-1/CPT-11. The patient remained alive for two years after the operation without tumor progression.

[A case of long survival of unresected gastric cancer with excellent QOL administered by S-1 alone].

We report a case of unresectable gastric cancer, who had been treated with S-1 alone for 3 years without cancerous symptoms. The patient was a 66-year-old male. His diagnosis was advanced gastric cancer based on gastrofiberscopy. He underwent surgery on April 15, 2003. The tumor proved to be unresectable due to direct invasion of the pancreatic head, so only gastrojejunostomy was performed. On day 14 after surgery, the administration of S-1 alone was commenced at a dose of 100 mg per day in a 4-week course of medication at 2-week intervals. No side effects were noted. Moreover, his quality of life (QOL) was not disturbed, and he led an active social life throughout the course. Long survival was achieved by S-1 alone.

Value of expression of p21WAF1/CIP1 as a prognostic factor in advanced middle and lower rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative radio-chemotherapy.

Recent molecular biological studies suggested certain molecular markers might be useful as prognostic factors in patients with colorectal cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether cyclin dependent inhibitor kinase p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21), p53 expression, and/or the presence of apoptosis had prognostic value in predicting survival in patients with advanced middle and lower rectal cancer who were treated with preoperative radio-chemotherapy. We examined the immunohistochemical expression of p21 and p53, and determined the degree of apoptosis in resected middle and lower rectal cancers from patients who received preoperative radio-chemotherapy (irradiation group, n=40) and from those who did not receive treatment (control group, n=35). The preoperative total radiotherapy dose was 42.6 Gy and the chemotherapy tegafur suppository dose was 750 mg/day. Clinicopathological features, and tumor expression of p53 and p21 and degree of apoptosis were analyzed by means of multivariate analysis. In the irradiation group, tumors were positive for p53, p21 and apoptosis in 34 of 40 (85.0%), 23 of 40 (57.5%) and 25 of 40 (62.5%) cases, respectively. The expression of p21 and the apoptotic index were significantly higher in the irradiated group compared to controls (2.0 versus 1.2%, p=0.05; 8 versus 3%, p=0.03, respectively). There was a significant correlation between p21 immunoreactivity and the degree of muscularis propria invasion (p=0.004), as well as between p21 immunoreactivity and survival rate (p=0.03). Multivariate analysis revealed that p21 expression (RR, 0.09; 95% CI, 0.01-0.78; p=0.03) and lymph node metastasis (RR, 3.63; 95% CI, 1.06-12.37; p=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for patient survival. These data suggested that p21 expression has prognostic value in predicting patient survival in advanced middle and lower rectal cancer.

Apoptosis and apoptosis-associated gene products related to the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer.

To evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on gastric cancer, we examined the correlation between induction of apoptosis and expression of p53, Bcl-2, and Bax. Eighty-five patients with advanced gastric cancer were retrospectively divided into the following two groups: 54 patients received 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) at 300 mg/body/day for 14 days and cisplatin (CDDP) at 15 mg/body/day for 2 days as group A; 31 patients without any preoperative chemotherapy as group B. According to histological changes in tumors due to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the therapeutic effects on tumors were evaluated. The apoptotic index (AI) of group A was significantly higher than that of group B (1.12+/-0.40 vs. 0.67+/-0.24; p<0.01). In group A, the AI of p53-positive cases was significantly lower than that of negative cases (0.92+/-0.32 vs. 1.39+/-0.32; p<0.01). The AI of histological responders was significantly higher than that of non-responders (1.34+/-0.35 vs. 1.02+/-0.38; p<0.01). There was no significant correlation between AI and expression of Bcl-2 or Bax. In group A, histological responders, Bcl-2 positive, and high AI patients had better prognosis, respectively. In conclusion, neoadjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer enhanced induction of apoptosis, and AI might be useful to evaluate the effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy.