A 27-year-old woman presented with epigastric pain. Abdominal computed tomography revealed an irregular ulcer with circumferential thickening of the gastric antral wall. An endoscopy suggested advanced gastric cancer or gastric lymphoma. Biopsy of the lesion showed an inclusion body of the cytomegalovirus and positive immunohistochemical staining of the infected cell for cytomegalovirus. A thorough evaluation of her immune system revealed no abnormality. General supportive treatment for gastric ulcer did not relieve her symptoms. Intravenous infusion of ganciclovir improved her symptoms and healed the ulcer. We report a case of cytomegalovirus-associated gastric ulcer mimicking malignancy in an immunocompetent woman.
Adult ; Biopsy ; Cytomegalovirus* ; Endoscopy ; Female ; Ganciclovir ; Humans ; Immune System ; Inclusion Bodies ; Infusions, Intravenous ; Lymphoma ; Stomach Neoplasms* ; Stomach Ulcer* ; Ulcer

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and aggressive form of brain tumors. GBMs, like other tumors, rely relatively less on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and utilize more aerobic glycolysis, and this metabolic shift becomes augmented under hypoxia. In the present study, we investigated the physiological significance of altered glucose metabolism and hypoxic adaptation in the GBM cell line U251 and two newly established primary GBMs (GBM28 and GBM37). We found that these three GBMs exhibited differential growth rates under hypoxia compared to those under normoxia. Under normoxia, the basal expressions of HIF1α and the glycolysis-associated genes, PDK1, PDK3, and GLUT1, were relatively low in U251 and GBM28, while their basal expressions were high in GBM37. Under hypoxia, the expressions of these genes were enhanced further in all three GBMs. Treatment with dichloroacetate (DCA), an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), induced cell death in GBM28 and GBM37 maintained under normoxia, whereas DCA effects disappeared under hypoxia, suggesting that hypoxic adaptation dominated DCA effects in these GBMs. In contrast, the inhibition of HIF1α with chrysin suppressed the expression of PDK1, PDK3, and GLUT1 and markedly promoted cell death of all GBMs under both normoxia and hypoxia. Interestingly, however, GBMs treated with chrysin under hypoxia still sustained higher viability than those under normoxia, and chrysin and DCA co-treatment was unable to eliminate this hypoxia-dependent resistance. Together, these results suggest that hypoxic adaptation is critical for maintaining viability of GBMs, and targeting hypoxic adaptation can be an important treatment option for GBMs.
Anoxia ; Brain Neoplasms ; Cell Death* ; Cell Line ; Dichloroacetic Acid ; Glioblastoma* ; Glucose ; Glycolysis ; Metabolism ; Oxidative Phosphorylation ; Oxidoreductases ; Phosphotransferases ; Pyruvic Acid

OBJECTIVE: Measurement of kidney size by ultrasonography is an important parameter in the renal evaluation of patients. This study aims to establish the average size of kidneys of healthy adult Filipinos and examine the factors that influence it.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional, observational study
SETTING: Section of Nephrology, Department of Medicine and Department of Radiology, UP-PGH Medical Center, a tertiary government hospital
PARTICIPANTS: 264 healthy Filipino adults underwent kidney ultrasound after preliminary screening by history, physical examination, urinalysis, and serum creatinine
RESULTS: Renal sizes and volume were measured by ultrasound in 105 males and 159 females, with ages ranging from 18 to 75 years old. The left kidney was significantly larger than the right for mean length but not for width or thickness. Except for cortical thickness, renal length (L=98 mm, R=96mm vs. L=95mm, R=93mm), width (L=48mm, R=49mmvs. L=46mm,R=46mm), and thickness (L=43mm, R=42 mm vs. L=39 mm, R=39 mm) were significantly larger in males compared to females. While the gender differences persisted when corrected for age and body mass index, this disappeared when corrected for total body area. With advancing age, there was minimal shortening but significant increases in width and thickness (renal shape index)
CONCLUSION: Our study provides estimates of the average kidney size for normal adult Filipinos. The average kidney size of Filipinos is smaller than that of Caucasians for length (L=96mm vs. 112 mm, R=94mm vs. 109mm) and for width (L=47mm vs. 58mm, R=48mm vs. 57mm). Males have larger kidneys than females but the gender difference disappeared when corrected for total body area. Height but not weight has a significant influence on kidney size. With advancing age, kidneys tend to increase in width and thickness with no significant decrease in length or volume.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Kidney ; Radiology ; Adult ; Ultrasonography ; Patients

INTRODUCTIONLittle is known about the sociodemographic and clinical profile of older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Singapore. We studied the sociodemographic and clinical profile of older adults with ID and investigated factors associated with caregiver availability and identity in this population.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe study population involved all adults with ID aged ≥40 years receiving services from the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS), the largest such provider in Singapore. Information on sociodemographic and clinical profiles, functional status, and availability of caregivers were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires from guardians of older adults with ID. Descriptive characteristics were computed and chi-square and logistic regression identifi ed predictors of caregiver availability and identity.

RESULTSParticipation was 95% (227/239). There were differences in client age, gender, and caregiver availability between recipients of residential and non-residential services (all P <0.05). Common comorbidities included hyperlipidaemia (17.6%), hypertension (15.9%), psychiatric diagnoses (16.3%) and epilepsy (10.6%). The majority were fully independent in basic activities of daily living, but only 21.1% were fully communicative. Only a small minority (9.4%) were exercising regularly. The majority (73.5%) of clients had a primary caregiver; almost equal proportions relied on either parents or siblings. Older client age was associated independently with the lack of a primary caregiver, independent of greater functional dependence and presence of medical comorbidities in the client.

CONCLUSIONOlder adults with ID have multiple medical, functional, and social issues. More can be done to support the care of this unique group of adults with special needs.

Activities of Daily Living ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Caregivers ; classification ; statistics & numerical data ; supply & distribution ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Comorbidity ; Demography ; Epilepsy ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias ; epidemiology ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; Intellectual Disability ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; psychology ; therapy ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Mental Disorders ; epidemiology ; Quality of Life ; Singapore ; epidemiology ; Social Support ; Socioeconomic Factors

Objective: To evaluate the quality of Arnebiae Radix (AR) and Dictamni Cortex (DC) and study the efficacy of herbal extracts of these two herbs on the treatment of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Methods: Qualitative and quantitative analysis of effective components was performed using High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC), High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), and HPLC-Quadrupole Time of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-QTOF-MS). In vitro allergic ACD 3D model was established by incubating 3D reconstructed human epidermis (RHE) with skin sensitizer, potassium dichromate. A total of 65 gene expression that were associated with ACD, which included 24 antioxidant responsive element (ARE) and 41 SENS-IS genes were quantified by qRT-PCR. More than or equal to 10 ARE genes and 18 SENN-IS genes were induced by 1.3-fold, demonstrating the successful establishment of in vitro ACD model. Oil extracts of AR and DC were applied on the in vitro ACD model to study the efficacy. Results: Batch 3 of AR and batch 2 of DC showed presence of all active ingredients with the highest concentrations. Active ingredients of the herbs were extracted using a special oil and formulated into herbal oil extracts. The herbal oil extracts were able to down regulate the induced genes in the in-vitro ACD skin model, bringing the tissue back to homeostatic status. Conclusion: The oil extracts showed the potent efficacy of using AR and DC in ACD treatment. The combination study will be done to optimize the formulation ratio which will be developed into a topical cream.