Shauh-Der Yeh

Effects of 6-Hydroxyflavone on Osteoblast Differentiation in MC3T3-E1 Cells.

Osteoblast differentiation plays an essential role in bone integrity. Isoflavones and some flavonoids are reported to have osteogenic activity and potentially possess the ability to treat osteoporosis. However, limited information concerning the osteogenic characteristics of hydroxyflavones is available. This study investigates the effects of various hydroxyflavones on osteoblast differentiation in MC3T3-E1 cells. The results showed that 6-hydroxyflavone (6-OH-F) and 7-hydroxyflavone (7-OH-F) stimulated ALP activity. However, baicalein and luteolin inhibited ALP activity and flavone showed no effect. Up to 50u2009μM of each compound was used for cytotoxic effects study; flavone, 6-OH-F, and 7-OH-F had no cytotoxicity on MC3T3-E1 cells. Moreover, 6-OH-F activated AKT and serine/threonine kinases (also known as protein kinase B or PKB), extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK 1/2), and the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathways. On the other hand, 7-OH-F promoted osteoblast differentiation mainly by activating ERK 1/ 2 signaling pathways. Finally, after 5 weeks of 6-OH-F induction, MC3T3-E1 cells showed a significant increase in the calcein staining intensity relative to merely visible mineralization observed in cells cultured in the osteogenic medium only. These results suggested that 6-OH-F could activate AKT, ERK 1/2, and JNK signaling pathways to effectively promote osteoblastic differentiation.

18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography for the initial evaluation and monitoring of therapeutic response in bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis

(18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) of a 74-year-old man showed high FDG uptake in bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis. Four months after the administration of an appropriate antifungal treatment, we observed a significant decrease in FDG uptake into the lesions, with a 40% reduction in activity (maximal standardized uptake value). This imaging result indicated partial resolution of the disease and was consistent with clinical outcome. Our study results suggest that FDG-PET is a useful modality for initial whole-body evaluation, selection of an appropriate antifungal treatment regimen, and monitoring of therapeutic response in bilateral adrenal histoplasmosis.

Does Aging Affect the Efficiency of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) on Ureter Stones

Objective Current evidence concerning the effect of aging on the treatment outcome of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is still conflicting. We performed a retrospective analysis to investigate the effect of age on the treatment outcome of ESWL for ureteric stones. Materials and Methods Our study was a pair-matched analysis comparing the three month stone free rate (SFR) after primary ESWL. Between March 1st, 2013 and December 31st, 2015, a total of 1204 patients received ESWL in our facility. We recruited 131 patients who were above or equal to 65 years old, 72 of whom met our inclusion criteria. These patients were stratified into Group A. To compare differences in treatment outcome between age groups, patients in Group A were matched 1:1 to patients aged less than 65 years by their stone size, stone location and gender. These matched patients were sorted into Group B. We compared the three-month SFR and the effect of co-morbidities on the three-month SFR between the two groups using the Pearson’s chi-square test and multivariate analysis. Results Seventy-two patients were included with a male-to-female ratio of 1:1 in each group. The average stone size was 6.74 mm (95% confidence interval, CI: 7.51-5.96) and 6.61 mm (95% CI: 7.25-5.96) in Group A and B, respectively (p=0.799). There were no differences in the three month SFR between Group A and B (63.9% vs. 66.7%, p=0.726). Univariate analysis suggested that stone location and diameter were related to SFR. However, multivariate analysis failed to show any statistically significant factors affecting SFR, including age. Conclusion In our study, age did not affect the three month SFR of ESWL. Therefore, ESWL could be an effective treatment modality for older patients. However, prospective studies with detailed data collection are required to validate these findings.

Testicular Adult Type Granulosa Cell Tumor: A Very Rare Case Report and Review of Literature

Granulosa Cell Tumors (GrCT) are rare sex cord-stromal neoplasms of the gonads and can be classified into adult and juvenile types. GrCT arise more commonly from the ovary than the testis; and juvenile type Granulosa Cell Tumors (jGrCT) are more prevalent among male than female. A review of the literature shows less than 50 reported cases of adult Granulosa Cell Tumor (aGrCT) and it is still an extremely rare type of testis tumors. We report an elderly male diagnosed of aGrCT in the left testis. Radical orchiectomy was performed and no further treatment. Pathology report confirmed GrCT. Immunoprofile of the tumor was vimentin (+), inhibin-alpha (+), Bcl-2 (+), calretinin (-), CLA (-), S-100 (-) and CD99 (-).

Trends in Urodynamic Procedures, Surgical Procedures, and Overall Health Resource Utilization in the Adult Taiwanese Population With Urinary Incontinence: A Secondary Data Analysis

Background: The prevalence and incidence of the main risk factors for urinary incontinence (UI) have both increased over time. In addition, official statistics indicate that Taiwan is on course to evolve from an aging society into an aged society within the next decade. However, most of the studies in the literature that address the natural history of UI target Western and other non-Asian populations. Taiwan lacks knowledge of the natural history of UI. Purpose: The aims of this research were to study the trends in the use of urodynamic and surgical procedures for various subtypes of UI and to investigate the relationship between UI and healthcare resource utilization. Methods: The data on 1 million, randomly selected people who were enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance program between 2000 and 2008 were extracted from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database. The population and all procedures were identified based on the International Classification of Disease, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes. Annual incidence of UI was calculated on an annual basis, and trend analysis was performed using logistic regression models. The association between UI and healthcare utilization was examined using generalized linear models in a gamma distribution with a log link function. Results: Overall, the trend in the annual incidence for all types of UI increased significantly (p < .01). Significantly increasing trends in the use of urodynamic procedures over time were observed for mixed and other types of UI (p < .01). In addition, a significantly increasing trend was observed in the annual rates of surgical procedures that were received by patients with urge or stress UI (p < .05). Patients with UI showed significantly higher healthcare resource utilization, including number of ambulatory visits, number of hospitalizations, average ambulatory care expenditures, and average days of hospitalization, than those without UI. However, limited information is available on the conservative treatment of UI in the database. Conclusions: UI symptoms may lead to increased healthcare resource utilization in patients with UI.

Abstract 2126: Androgen receptor regulates lung cancer progress through modulation of OCT-4 expression

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FLnnLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide with unclear pathogenesis. The annual age-adjusted cancer incidence rates of lung cancer in male is higher than female in the U.S. But the role of androgen/AR in lung cancer has not been demonstrated. Immunohistochemical stain and RT Q-PCR studies demonstrated the overexpression pattern of AR in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) especially in male. Then we focused on the role of AR in lung cancer progression. Knockdown AR by lentivirus infection in NSCLC cell lines significantly suppressed cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in soft agar assay through the down-regulation of cyclin D1 expression. Besides, knockdown AR could also suppress the migration and invasion ability in CL1-5 and H1299 cells. In immunodeficient mice, AR-knockdown NSCLC cells showed dramatically decreased tumorigenesis and metastasis ability compared with control cells. Interestingly, we also found that the down-regulation of OCT-4 protein expression in AR knockdown CL1-5 and H1299 lung cancer cells. In conclusion, our data suggest that AR may play important roles in tumor growth and metastasis through its interaction with stemness pathway and it also implies AR pathway may become one of novel therapeutic targets in NSCLC patients.nnCitation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2126. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2126

Abstract 4694: Genetic variants of GSTO1, GSTO2, SULT1A1 and ALDH2, environmental exposures and risk of urothelial cancer in Taiwan

Introduction: Cigarette smoking, arsenic and occupational exposures are known risk factors of urothelial cancer (UC). Some studies also found that alcohol consumption may be associated with bladder cancer. Phase II enzymes including Glutathione S- transferases (GSTs) or Sulfotransferase (SULT) are responsible to metabolize these environmental carcinogens as well as aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) is an alcohol- metabolized enzyme. To investigate the gene-gene and gene-environment interactions on UC risk, this study included environmental exposures of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, arsenic and risk-occupations, and genetic variants of GSTO1, GSTO2, SULT1A1 and ALDH2 in combined analyses. Materials and Methods: A total of 540 pathologically-confirmed UC cases and 540 cancer-free controls, frequency-matched on age, were recruited from individuals who admitted to the same hospitals with UC cases for a health examination. Genetic variants of these enzymes were determined by PCR-RFLP method. A goodness-of-fit X 2 test was performed to examine Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium (HWE). We used an unconditional multivariate logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Haplotype analysis was calculated by Haploview 3.2. Results: Cigarette smoking, arsenic and risk occupational exposures are significantly associated with UC risk. Study subjects with both of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption have a significantly higher UC risk of 3.0. Significantly increased UC risks of 1.6, 2.5 and 1.8 were found for those carrying GSTO2 A424G-G/G, GSTO2 A-183G -G/G and SULT1A1 G638A-G/G genotypes, respectively. Individuals with risk diplotypes of GSTO1/2 also have a significantly higher UC risk of 1.8. Those carrying one or more risk genotypes/diplotypes of these enzymes have a significantly increased UC risk (OR=2.3). Subjects with cigarette smoking/alcohol consumption and occupational exposures (≥1), arsenic exposure (high), and risk genotypes/ diplotypes of these enzymes (≥1) have a significantly increased UC risk of 6.8. Conclusion: In addition to significant effects from exposures of environmental risk factors and risk genotypes/diplotypes of these enzymes on UC risk, the effects on the development of UC will be more predominant especially under the existence of gene-environment interactions. Therefore, a larger sample size and other functional polymorphisms of candidate genes should be took into consideration to provide a more comprehensive understanding of UC. Keywords: Glutathione S- transferases; Sulfotransferase; Aldehyde dehydrogenase; Urothelial cancer Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4694.