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Aim: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the preoperative cachexia index (CXI) and long‐term outcomes in patients who have undergone radical resection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: In total, 144 patients who underwent pancreatic resection for treatment of PDAC were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between the CXI and the patients' long‐term outcomes after PDAC resection was investigated. The CXI was calculated based on the preoperative skeletal muscle index, serum albumin level, and neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio. After propensity‐score matching, we compared clinicopathological features and outcomes. Results: The multivariate analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (hazard ratio [HR], 1.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16–3.23; P = 0.0118), R1 resection (HR, 57.20; 95% CI, 9.39–348.30; P < 0.0001), and a low CXI (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.27–3.46; P = 0.0038) were independent and significant predictors of disease‐free survival (DFS) after PDAC resection. Moreover, a low CXI (HR, 3.14; 95% CI, 1.71–5.75; P = 0.0002) was an independent and significant predictor of overall survival (OS) after PDAC resection. After propensity‐score matching, the low CXI group had a significantly worse prognosis than the high CXI group for both DFS and OS. Conclusion: The CXI can be a useful prognostic factor for DFS and OS after pancreatic resection for treatment of PDAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The clinical features of postoperative primary tracheobronchial necrosis (P‐TBN; the necrosis without anastomotic leakage or other cervical and mediastinal abscess) remains unclear. This nationwide multicenter retrospective study first investigated the clinical features of P‐TBN after esophagectomy for upper aerodigestive tract cancer with a large cohort. Methods: As a study of the Japan Broncho‐Esophagological Society, a nationwide questionnaire survey was conducted in 67 institutions. The clinical data of 6370 patients who underwent esophagectomy for laryngeal, pharyngeal, and esophageal cancer between 2010 and 2019 were collected. Grades of P‐TBN were defined as follows: Grade 1, mucosal necrosis; Grade 2, transmural bronchial wall necrosis without fistula or perforation; Grade 3, transmural bronchial wall necrosis with fistula or perforation. Results: P‐TBN was observed in 48 (0.75%) of 6370 patients. The incidences of P‐TBN for pharyngo‐laryngo‐cervical esophagectomy (PLCE; n = 1650), total pharyngo‐laryngo‐esophagectomy (TPLE; n = 205), and subtotal esophagectomy (SE; n = 4515) were 2.0%, 5.4%, and 0.1%, respectively. The upper mediastinal LN dissection (P = 0.016) and the higher level of the tracheal resection (P = 0.039) were significantly associated with a higher grade of necrosis in PLCE and TPLE. Overall survival rates were significantly lower in patients with Grade 2 (P = 0.009) and Grade 3 (P = 0.004) than in those with Grade 1. Conclusion: The incidence of TBN restricted to P‐TBN was lower than previously reported. Maintaining the tracheal blood flow is essential to prevent worsening P‐TBN, especially in PLCE and TPLE. Our new P‐TBN severity grade may predict the outcome of patients with P‐TBN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Current guidelines recommend a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) for the management of older adults with cancer. We evaluated the effect of CGA conducted by a geriatric oncology service (GOS) on the management of older adults with cancer. We also queried patients about their perceptions of the value of this process. Methods: This was a prospective quality assessment study of 498 consecutive older adults with cancer who were referred to the GOS from May 2020 through December 2021. Treating physicians requested a consultation and the GOS conducted a CGA and assessed patient preferences. The GOS provided recommendations on cancer treatment and geriatric interventions. Patient perspectives on the consultation were evaluated using collaboRATE and modified Patient Assessment of Care for Chronic Conditions (PACIC) subscales. Results: A 10‐item frailty index based on a CGA (FI‐CGA‐10) [Oncologist, 26, e1751 (2021)] in the 498 patients showed that 19% of patients were fit, 40% pre‐frail, and 41% frail. Prior to CGA the intent of the proposed cancer treatment was curative in 56% (n = 280), life‐extending in 40% (n = 201), and palliative in 3.4% (n = 17). After a CGA consultation, a cancer treatment decision was changed in 45% of patients. The intent of treatment after the CGA consultation was curative in 45%, life‐extending in 34%, and palliative in 21%. At least one referral to relevant disciplines was recommended for 88% of patients and was implemented in 43%. As part of the GOS consultation educational support was provided to 97% of patients. Based on the collaboRATE and PACIC tools, patients perceived the GOS consultation positively and helpful for facilitating shared decision‐making and patient‐centered care. Conclusion: Our institutional experience demonstrated the valuable effect of the CGA consultation on oncologic decision‐making and geriatric interventions in a patient‐centered manner. See related Editorial by Fernandes Dos Santos Hughes et al. in this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: The risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) persists in a condition of sustained virologic response (SVR) after hepatitis C virus (HCV) eradication. Comprehensive molecular analyses were performed to test the hypothesis that epigenetic abnormalities present after an SVR play a role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Methods: Whole‐genome methylome and RNA sequencing were performed on HCV, SVR, and healthy liver tissue. Integrated analysis of the sequencing data focused on expression changes in transcription factors and their target genes, commonly found in HCV and SVR. Identified expression changes were validated in demethylated cultured HCC cell lines and an independent validation cohort. Results: The coincidence rates of the differentially methylated regions between the HCV and SVR groups were 91% in the hypomethylated and 71% in the hypermethylated regions in tumorous tissues, and 37% in the hypomethylated and 36% in the hypermethylated regions in non‐tumorous tissues. These results indicate that many epigenomic abnormalities persist even after an SVR was achieved. Integrated analysis identified 61 transcription factors and 379 other genes that had methylation abnormalities and gene expression changes in both groups. Validation cohort specified gene expression changes for 14 genes, and gene ontology pathway analysis revealed apoptotic signaling and inflammatory response were associated with these genes. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that DNA methylation abnormalities, retained after HCV eradication, affect the expression of transcription factors and their target genes. These findings suggest that DNA methylation in SVR patients may be functionally important in carcinogenesis, and could serve as biomarkers to predict HCC occurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Oxaliplatin, an anticancer drug for advanced colorectal cancer, causes liver sinusoidal damage, sometimes with portal hypertension. We conducted a retrospective comparative study of the relationship of liver sinusoidal disorders and liver function with the prognosis in patients who underwent hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM). Methods: In total, 158 patients who underwent hepatectomy for CRLM were included in the study, and the effect of chemotherapy‐associated liver damage on the prognosis was examined. Results: Preoperative oxaliplatin was used in 75 of 158 patients; of these 75 patients, 26 had intraoperative blue liver (BL). In a comparison of the BL group (n = 26) and non‐BL group (n = 132), patients in the BL group had a significantly lower serum albumin concentration and a significantly higher indocyanine green test result, aspartate aminotransferase‐to‐platelet ratio index (APRI), and FIB‐4 score. Operative morbidities were not significantly different between the two groups. The overall survival rate after hepatectomy was significantly worse in the BL group than in the non‐BL group. In the univariate analysis, the serum albumin concentration, indocyanine green test, a high tumor burden score (TBS), and the APRI were statistically significant poor prognostic factors. In the multivariate analysis, the APRI and a high TBS were independent poor prognostic factors. Conclusion: The APRI and TBS in patients with CRLM are prognostic predictors after hepatectomy for metastatic liver cancer. This study indicated that liver damage in patients treated with preoperative oxaliplatin has an effect on the prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We undertook genomic analyses of Japanese patients with stage I esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) to investigate the frequency of genomic alterations and the association with survival outcomes. Biomarker analysis was carried out for patients with clinical stage T1bN0M0 ESCC enrolled in JCOG0502 (UMIN000000551). Whole‐exome sequencing (WES) was performed using DNA extracted from formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tissue of ESCC and normal tissue or blood sample. Single nucleotide variants (SNVs), insertions/deletions (indels), and copy number alterations (CNAs) were identified. We then evaluated the associations between each gene alteration with a frequency of 10% or more and progression‐free survival (PFS) using a Cox regression model. We controlled for family‐wise errors at 0.05 using the Bonferroni method. Among the 379 patients who were enrolled in JCOG0502, 127 patients were successfully analyzed using WES. The median patient age was 63 years (interquartile range, 57‐67 years), and 78.0% of the patients ultimately underwent surgery. The 3‐year PFS probability was 76.3%. We detected 20 genes with SNVs, indels, or amplifications with a frequency of 10% or more. Genomic alterations in FGF19 showed the strongest association with PFS with a borderline level of statistical significance of P =.00252 (Bonferroni‐adjusted significance level is.0025). Genomic alterations in FGF4, MYEOV, CTTN, and ORAOV1 showed a marginal association with PFS (P <.05). These genomic alterations were all CNAs at chromosome 11q13.3. We have identified new genomic alterations associated with the poor efficacy of ESCC (T1bN0M0). These findings open avenues for the development of new potential treatments for patients with ESCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Digestive reconstruction after pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy (PLTE) remains challenging, with the optimal method remaining unclear. The current study aimed to clarify the short‐term outcomes after PLTE and determine the optimal digestive reconstruction method. Methods: Based on a nationwide survey of 151 patients who underwent PLTE, outcomes of digestive reconstruction methods are described. Results: Among digestive reconstruction methods, a simple gastric tube was most frequently used (37.1%), followed by gastric tube combined with free graft transfer (FGT) (35.1%), gastric tube with microvascular anastomosis (22.5%), and other procedures (5.3%). Intraoperative evaluation of microcirculation (IOEM) was utilized in 29 patients (19.2%). Among the included patients, 66.9% developed any‐grade complications, 41.0% developed severe complications, and 23.8% developed digestive reconstruction‐related complications (DRRCs; leakage or necrosis). Reoperation within 30 days for any complications and DRRCs was required in 13.9% and 8.6% of the patients, respectively. Mortality within 90 days was observed in 4.6%. Among the three major methods, gastric tube combined with FGT promoted the least DRRCs in the gastric tube (P =.005), although the overall incidence of DRRCs was comparable. The use of IOEM was significantly associated with a reduction of severe DRRCs (P =.005). Conclusions: Pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy is a high‐risk surgery significantly associated with the occurrence of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, the addition of FGT can help prevent gastric tip complications, while IOEM can be an effective method for improving outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is unclear to what extent a board certification system and implementation of clinical guidelines improves the quality of hepatectomy. Methods: A web‐based questionnaire survey was administered to departments registered with the National Clinical Database (NCD) in Japan between 1 October 2014 and 31 January 2015. Quality indicators (QIs), including affiliations with academic societies, numbers of board‐certified doctors affiliated with each institute, and adherence to clinical practice guidelines for hepatocellular carcinoma, were evaluated by calculating risk‐adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for 90‐day postoperative mortality of patients who had undergone hepatectomy in 2013 and 2014. Results: Of 1255 departments that had registered at least one hepatectomy in NCD, 592 departments, performing 8601 hepatectomies in total, responded to the questionnaire. AORs were significantly lower in departments that were certified as training hospitals by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Society, Japanese Society of Hepato‐Biliary‐Pancreatic Surgery (JSHBPS), and Japan Society of Hepatology than in non‐certified departments. Affiliation of three or more JSHBPS‐certified experts or instructors with an institution also contributed to low AORs. None of the QIs regarding implementation of guidelines significantly impacted on the AOR. Conclusions: Quality indicator measurements may improve quality of post‐hepatectomy outcomes in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate the effectiveness of the institutional medical structure and of the implemented clinical practice guidelines for improving colon cancer surgical outcomes. Methods: We conducted a web‐based questionnaire survey among departments registered at the National Clinical Database in Japan from October 2014 to January 2015 to assess the association between quality indicators (QIs), including structure and process indicators (clinical practice guideline adherence), and the risk‐adjusted odds ratio for operative mortality (AOR) after right hemicolectomy for colorectal cancer during the study period. Results: Among the 2064 departments registering at least one colorectal surgery during the study period, we obtained responses from 814 departments (39.4%). Our analysis on data from 22 816 patients with right hemicolectomy demonstrated that three structural QIs (certification of training hospitals by the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery and the presences of board‐certified gastroenterological and colorectal surgeons) were associated with significantly lower AOR (P <.001, P =.02, and P =.05, respectively). The "performed at the doctor's discretion" answer was associated with poorer short‐term outcomes in six process QIs than other answers. Conclusion: The board certification system for gastroenterological and colorectal surgeons and the adherence to the clinical guidelines improve the operative mortality after right hemicolectomy. It is desired to clarify the most suitable QIs to reduce the operative mortality after colorectal surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anatomical esophageal position may affect the short-term outcomes after minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). A previous single-institutional retrospective study suggested that the presence of a left-sided esophagus (LSE) made MIE more difficult and increased the incidence of postoperative complications. Methods: The current study was a multicenter retrospective study of 303 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent MIE at six esophageal cancer high-volume centers in Kyushu, Japan, between April 2011 and August 2016. The patients were divided into the LSE (66 patients) and non-LSE groups (237 patients) based on the esophageal position on computed tomography images obtained with the patients in the supine position. Results: Univariate analysis showed that patients with LSE were significantly older than those with non-LSE (69 ± 8 vs. 65 ± 9 years; P = 0.002), had a significantly greater incidence of cardiovascular comorbidity (65.2% vs. 47.7%; P = 0.013), and a significantly longer operating time (612 ± 112 vs. 579 ± 102 min; P = 0.025). Logistic regression analysis verified that LSE was an independent risk factor for the incidence of pneumonia (odds ratio 3.3, 95% confidence interval 1.254–8.695; P = 0.016). Conclusions: The presence of a LSE can increase the procedural difficulty of MIE and the incidence of morbidity after MIE. Thus, careful attention must be paid to anatomical esophageal position before performing MIE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phase II study of S-1 plus leucovorin ( LV) given in a 4-week schedule (2 weeks' administration followed by 2 weeks' rest) for patients with untreated metastatic colorectal cancer ( mCRC) showed that the combination was effective, but grade 3 toxicities (diarrhea, stomatitis and anorexia) occurred at a relatively high rate. In this phase II study, we evaluated the efficacy and safety of a 2-week schedule of S-1 plus LV. Patients with mCRC received oral S-1 (40-60 mg) and LV (25 mg) twice daily for 1 week, followed by 1 week's rest. Treatment was repeated until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was response rate. The pharmacokinetics of S-1 and LV in Chinese patients were evaluated on day 1 of the first cycle. Seventy-three patients were enrolled in Japan and China. Of 71 eligible patients, the response rate was 53.5%, and the disease control rate was 83.1%. Median progression-free survival and median overall survival were 6.5 and 24.3 months, respectively. The incidences of grade 3 toxicities were diarrhea 8.3%, stomatitis 8.3%, anorexia 2.8% and neutropenia 9.7%. There were no treatment-related deaths. The pharmacokinetics profiles of S-1 plus LV in Chinese patients were similar to those in Japanese patients. This 2-week schedule of S-1 plus LV showed good efficacy and better tolerability than the 4-week schedule. This therapy will be the base regimen for mCRC to be added by other cytotoxic or molecular-targeted drugs. The optimized treatment schedule for S-1 plus LV was 1 week on and 1 week off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message We encountered a patient with a large retroperitoneal solitary fibrous tumor, in whom we could preserve approximately 150 cm of the ileum even after pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with resection of the superior mesenteric artery, thus preventing short bowel syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the widespread use of proton beam therapy (PBT) as locoregional therapy, there is currently a lack of histological evidence about the therapeutic effect of PBT for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We present a case of hepatectomy and histological examination of HCC initially treated by PBT. A 76-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C underwent routine ultrasound surveillance, which revealed a 22-mm HCC in segment 4 of the liver. His hepatic reserve was adequate for surgical resection of the tumor; however, he chose to undergo PBT because of his cardiac disease. The patient received 66 Gy in 10 fractions with no toxicity exceeding grade 1. Six months after completion of PBT, contrast computed tomography showed that the tumor had increased in size to 27 mm, and the marginal part of the tumor, but not the central region, was enhanced. Additionally, two new hypervascular nodules were present in segments 5 and 6. The patient underwent surgical treatment 7 months after PBT. The operation and postoperative clinical course were uneventful. Nine months later, however, computed tomography demonstrated new, small, enhanced nodules in the remnant liver (segments 3, 5 and 6) and sacrum. In conclusion, PBT is a valuable treatment for HCC; however, it is difficult to evaluate therapeutic effect of HCC during the early post-irradiation period and provide an alternative treatment if PBT is not effective, especially in HCC cases with good liver function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a case report on a 49-year-old woman who had a gastrectomy and lymphadenectomy for pStage IIIa gastric cancer. Shortly after a 12-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy, CT showed a nodule adjacent to the gallbladder. High 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose accumulation was detected, with a standardized uptake value of 10. Therefore, laparoscopic excision was performed for diagnosis and treatment. The histopathological finding was suture granuloma. Suture granulomas with high standardized uptake values on PET scans are uncommon and often cause surgeons to provide an inaccurate diagnosis. Our study suggests that suture granuloma should be included in the differential diagnosis of a new or recurrent mass detected in patients with a history of prior surgery; however, surgeons must bear in mind that false-positive fluorodeoxyglucose- PET results can be observed in suture granuloma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (LDPF) chemotherapy with daily radiotherapy (RT) is used as an alternative chemoradiotherapy regimen for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma. We evaluated whether RT plus LDPF chemotherapy had an advantage in terms of survival and/or toxicity over RT plus standard-dose cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (SDPF) chemotherapy in this study. This multicenter trial included esophageal cancer patients with clinical T4 disease and/or unresectable regional lymph node metastasis. Patients were randomly assigned to receive RT (2 Gy/fraction, total dose of 60 Gy) with SDPF (arm A) or LDPF (arm B) chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). A total of 142 patients (arm A/B, 71/71) from 41 institutions were enrolled between April 2004 and September 2009. The OS hazard ratio in arm B versus arm A was 1.05 (80% confidence interval, 0.78-1.41). There were no differences in toxicities in either arm. Arm B was judged as not promising for further evaluation in the phase III setting. Thus, the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee recommended that the study be terminated. In the updated analyses, median OS and 3-year OS were 13.1 months and 25.9%, respectively, for arm A and 14.4 months and 25.7%, respectively, for arm B. Daily RT plus LDPF chemotherapy did not qualify for further evaluation as a new treatment option for patients with locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer. This study was registered at the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry as UMIN000000861. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 55-year-old man had laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis and unexpected gallbladder cancer, followed by a liver bed resection and lymph node dissection. Eleven years later, he had a port-site recurrence of gallbladder cancer requiring resection; at that time, no other site of recurrence was observed. The patient has survived for 20 months without another recurrence. Although a rare finding, clinicians should be alert to the possibility of such a recurrence even 11 years after complete cure of the primary tumor, particularly in patients who have undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy for unexpected gallbladder cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This multicenter phase II study first investigated the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle albumin-bound paclitaxel ( nab-paclitaxel) when given every 3 weeks to patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer who had received a prior round of fluoropyrimidine-containing chemotherapy. Patients with unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer who experienced progression despite fluoropyrimidine-containing treatment were studied. Nab-paclitaxel was given i.v. at 260 mg/m2 on day 1 of each 21-day cycle without anti-allergic premedication until disease progression or study discontinuation. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate. The secondary endpoints were the disease control rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety. From April 2008 to July 2010, 56 patients were enrolled, 55 patients received the study treatment, and 54 patients were evaluable for responses. According to an independent review committee, the overall response rate was 27.8% (15/54; 95% confidence interval [ CI], 16.5-41.6) and the disease control rate was 59.3% (32/54; 95% CI, 45.0-72.4). One patient had a complete response. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 2.9 months (95% CI, 2.4-3.6) and 9.2 months (95% CI, 6.9-11.4), respectively. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (49.1%), leucopenia (20.0%), lymphopenia (10.9%), and peripheral sensory neuropathy (23.6%). There were no treatment-related deaths. Nab-paclitaxel, given every 3 weeks, showed promising activity against previously treated unresectable or recurrent gastric cancers, with well-tolerated toxicities. (Trial registration, ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00661167). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy and the indications of resection of synchronous or metachronous hepatic and pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer (CRC) are controversial. This study retrospectively reviewed the cases of CRC patients who underwent both liver and lung resection to define the appropriate indications for surgical resection in patients with hepatic and pulmonary metastases. Methods: A total of 39 patients with both hepatic and pulmonary metastases from CRC underwent both liver and lung resection from January 1987 to December 2009. The relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) from the resection for the first metastasis were evaluated by a Kaplan-Meyer analysis. Prognostic factors were analyzed using the log-rank test and a Cox proportional hazards model. Results: The median RFS and the 5-year RFS rate of all patients were 12 months and 2.6 %, respectively. The median survival time (MST) and 5-year OS rate of all patients were 66 months and 48.3 %, respectively. The MST of the patients with a long (>1 year) disease-free interval (DFI) could not be calculated, but their 5-year OS rate was 73.7 %. In contrast, the MST and 5-year OS rate of the patients with a short (<1 year) DFI were 29 months and 37.5 %, respectively. The short DFI was the only prognostic factor in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Aggressive surgical resection of both hepatic and pulmonary metastases from CRC should be undertaken in selective patients, including those with a long DFI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to clarify the surgical indications for gastrectomy combined with distal or partial pancreatectomy (GP) in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: From January 1994 to December 2009, 29 patients with primary gastric cancer surgically invading the pancreas without distant organ metastasis underwent GP for R0 resection. The patients' characteristics, surgical data, and clinicopathological features were used for the analysis of survival and prognostic factors. Results: The median disease-free survival and median survival time (MST) of all patients were 15 and 30 months, respectively. Only pN3 status (characterized by 7 or more pathologically metastatic lymph nodes) according to the Japanese Classification of Gastric Carcinoma, 14th edition, was shown to be a prognostic factor in a multivariate analysis. The MST of the patients with pN3 and the other patients were 12 and 51 months, respectively ( p < 0.001). Conclusions: We suggest that pancreas invasion should not be considered a contraindication for gastrectomy and that patients with a small number of lymph node metastases (six or fewer) might be candidates for GP in the case of gastric cancer that requires pancreatectomy for R0 resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The yeast two-hybrid system was used to search for partners of mouse metastasis-associated protein 1 (Mta1). Screening of a cDNA library prepared from mouse embryo yielded positive clones coding for endophilin 3. The site of interaction was suggested to be the SH-3-binding domain of Mta1 and SH-3 domain of endophilin 3. This interaction was confirmed by GST pull-down assay in vitro and immunoprecipitation in vivo. The Mta1 and endophilin 3 transcripts were highly expressed in testis and brain. But, Mta1 localized mainly in nucleus and to a lesser extent in cytoplasm while endophilin 3 localized mainly in cytoplasm. If Mta1 functions in cytoplasm, it might be involved in the regulation of endocytosis mediated by endophilin 3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) was detected by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 47 (4.7%) out of 1,000 saliva samples from the outpatients of an oral and maxillofacial surgery department compared with 27 (2.7%) by conventional virus isolation. There were 20 PCR-positive, culture-negative cases but no culture-positive, PCR-negative cases. Patients younger than 10 years or older than 60 years secreted HSV more frequently than the others. Those with inflammatory diseases showed higher positivity for HSV than those with malignancy, trauma or other complaints. All 27 virus isolates were typed as HSV type 1 and none were resistant to acyclovir, arabinofuranosyl-adenine, iododeoxyuridine or phosphonoacetic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural analysis of 55 nearly full-length cDNA clones revealed heterogeneity in the 5'-untranslated regions of rat liver alkaline phosphatase mRNAs. The 5' extremities diverged into two totally unrelated sequence stretches at the position 88 nucleotides upstream of the initiation codon ATG. These two sequences, referred to as E1 and E2, were assigned on the genome about 36 000 base pairs (36 kbp) and 10 kbp upstream, respectively, of the exon coding for the 5'-most part of the common region. The gene consisted of 13 exons, including E1 and E2, and spanned about 56 kbp. The 11 exons (E3 to E13) following E1 and E2 were shared in common by the El-type and the E2-type mRNAs. Analyses by SI nuclease mapping and primer extension revealed the presence of two independent transcription-initiation sites specific to each of the El and E2 sequences. These results are interpreted as indicating a possible alternative usage of two leader exons, hence the presence of two independent promoters. Structural features of these putative promoters are described in the context of transcriptional fundamental and regulatory cis-elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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