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Obesity and physical inactivity are important risk factors for cancers, especially for postmenopausal breast cancer. However, potential mechanisms of exercise in reducing obesity and preventing postmenopausal breast cancer are poorly understood. The animal models in this area are very limited. In the present study, we used a postmenopausal obese mouse model inoculated with mouse breast cancer (E0771) cells to examine the potential effects of long-term exercise in reducing fat mass and breast cancer progression. Ovariectomy (OVX) was performed in 12 sixty week-old female mice (C57BL/6J), then followed by a high-fat (60%) diet for 12 weeks. In the eighth week of the dietary program, the body weight (BW) was significantly increased from 32.1±1.8 to 42.5±2.3 g; P Citation Format: Shelby A. Cole, Jian-Wei Gu. Exercise inhibits the growth of breast cancer and reduces fat mass in postmenopausal obese mice associated with a circulating angiostatic phenotype and the inhibition of angiogenesis in those tissues. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 898. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-898

The paper discussed the use of convolutional code to implement single fault tolerant finite state machines (FSMs) in VLSI circuits. In order to correct the fault, the authors propose a novel scheme which can simultaneously detect and correct errors occurred in FSM states. A key decoder behind the checker was designed. The error state was corrected and sent back to the FSM, so that the concurrent error in the current state is detected and corrected. Moreover, the IP core of the fault tolerant module was realized by SMIC 0.25 mum CMOS technology and also simulated its function in FPGA

Physical inactivity increases the risk of cancer and atherosclerosis; the impaired regulation of angiogenesis is often associated with the development of these diseases. We hypothesize that exercise increases circulating sFlt-1, an endogenous VEGF inhibitor, which may functionally decrease plasma levels of free VEGF.5 healthy male adults were assigned to a treadmill exercise study. The peak speed and the time spent at peak speed on the treadmill were 4.8+/-1.0 miles/h and 6.8+/-2.6 minutes, respectively. Plasma levels of sFlt-1 and VEGF were determined using ELISA (RD Systems).Basal plasma levels of sFlt-1 (before exercise) were 48.8+/-9.0 pg/ml. Plasma levels of sFlt-1 increased to 72.9+/-14.6 pg/ml at 0.5 h after exercise, compared to the basal levels (49% higher, P=0.0048). The plasma levels then returned to 47.5+/-14.3 and 43.3+/-10.2 pg/ml, at 2 and 6 h after exercise, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between % increase in plasma levels of sFlt-1 and total peak oxygen consumption during exercise (R2=0.8244; P0.01). Basal plasma levels of unbound VEGF were 37.3+/-7.7 pg/ml, then decreased to 28.2+/-6.3, 17.5+/-2.5, and 26.6+/-6.4 pg/ml, at 0.5, 2, and 6 h, respectively, after exercise. There was a significant increase in basal plasma levels of sFlt-1 after repeated exercise for 2 weeks.We have demonstrated that circulating sFlt-1 is significantly increased by exercise in healthy volunteers, which is functionally associated with a transient decrease in circulating free VEGF. This data may provide new insight into the molecular links between physical inactivity and risk of cancer and atherosclerosis.

Background Many in vitro studies have shown that adenosine (Ado) can induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA and protein expression and stimulate endothelial proliferation. In the present study, we seek to determine whether Ado can increase circulating levels of VEGF protein in the intact human. Methods Five outpatients 49.3 ± 6.7 years of age and weighing 88.2 ± 8.5 kg were selected. They were given a 6 min intravenous infusion of Ado (0.14 mg kg-1 min-1) in conjunction with sestamibi myocardial perfusion scans. Mean blood pressure (MBP, calculated from systolic and diastolic values) and heart rate (HR) were determined before Ado infusion and every 2 min for the next 10 min. Plasma VEGF concentrations (ELISA) were determined immediately before Ado infusion and 1 h, 2 h, and 8 h after the infusion. Results Plasma VEGF concentration averaged 20.3 ± 2.0 pg ml-1 prior to Ado infusion, and increased to 62.7 ± 18.1 pg ml-1 at 1 h post- infusion (p < 0.01). VEGF plasma concentration returned to basal levels 2 h after infusion (23.3 ± 3.4 pg ml-1). MBP averaged 116 ± 7 mmHg and heart rate averaged 70 ± 7 prior to Ado infusion. MBP decreased by a maximum of ~22% and HR increased by a maximum of ~17% during the infusion. Conclusion We conclude from these preliminary findings that intravenous infusion of adenosine can increase plasma levels of VEGF in humans.

The role of VEGF in vascular remodeling of target organs exposed to chronic hypertension is poorly understood. The authors compared capillary density (CD), capillary-to-fiber ratio (C/F), and VEGF mRNA expression in the hearts (left ventricle [LV]), and skeletal muscles (soleus and anterior tibialis [AT]) of 18-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched male Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.CD or C/F in LV, soleus, and AT of SHR, WKY, and SD rats was determined by analysis of randomly acquired digital images of cryosections stained with FITC-conjugated GS-I lectin. VEGF mRNA expressions in the tissues were determined by Northern blot.VEGF mRNA expressions in LV of SHR were 3.84- and 5.05-fold higher, compared to SD and WKY rats, respectively (n = 6; p.01). There were no significant differences in VEGF mRNA expression in soleus or AT among SHR, WKY, and SD rats (p.05). CD in LV of SHR (4975 +/- 167) was significantly higher than WKY or SD rats, 4151 +/- 169 and 3807 +/- 187 mm(-2), respectively (p.05). In LV of SHR, C/F increased (35%) more significantly than CD (increased 20%), compared to WKY rats. CD, or C/F in soleus or AT of SHR was similar to that observed in WKY or 8D rats.VEGF expression, CD, and C/F in the heart (LV) of SHR are significantly increased, compared to WKY and SD rats. The data are consistent with the possibility that VEGF may contribute to capillary growth as a compensatory response to hypertension.

BACKGROUND The mechanisms by which alcohol consumption causes cancer have not been established due to a lack of experimental studies. METHODS A chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model that bore human fibrosarcoma (HT1080) was used to determine whether the administration of physiologically relevant doses of ethanol could stimulate tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in tumors. HT1080 cells were inoculated onto the “upper CAM” on Day 8, saline or ethanol was administrated at a dose of 0.25g/kg per day on the CAM, and the tumors were harvested on Day 17. VEGF mRNA and protein were determined by Northern blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Intratumoral vascular volume density (IVVD) was determined by point counting on periodic acid–Schiff-stained sections. Intravasation of HT1080 cells was determined using human-Alu polymerase chain reaction analysis. The effects of ethanol on VEGF expression and cell proliferation were examined in cultured HT1080 cells. RESULTS Ethanol treatment for 9 days caused a 2.2-fold increase in tumor volume (867 ± 138 mm3 vs. 402 ± 28 mm3), a 2.1-fold increase in IVVD (0.021 ± 0.004 mm3/mm3 vs. 0.010 mm3/mm3 ± 0.002 mm3/mm3), and a significant increase in VEGF mRNA or protein expression in tumors compared with a group of control embryos (n = 6 embryos; P 8-fold in the intravasated HT1080 cells in the CAM group compared with the control group (n = 6 embryos; P < 0.01). Physiologically relevant levels of ethanol (10 mM and 20 mM) caused a dose-related increase in VEGF mRNA and protein expression in cultured HT1080 cells. The ethanol–HT1080-conditioned media increased the proliferation of endothelial cells, but not of HT1080 cells. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that the induction of angiogenesis and VEGF expression by ethanol represents an important mechanism of cancer progression associated with alcoholic beverage consumption. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.

S hortly after Kono and associates1 reported their findings concerning the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression in the development of cardiac myxomas, we had the opportunity to assay plasma VEGF before and after surgery in a 31-year-old black woman with multicentric recurring myxomas. At the age of 10 years, she had undergone excision of a left atrial myxoma. In the following decade, she had 4 more operations with excision of 19 myxomas. The tumors (9 on the right side and 10 on the left side), occurring at widely separated and random sites within both atria and on the tricuspid and mitral valves, appeared to develop de novo without invasion of surrounding tissue. The sizes ranged from a “nodule” to 3 × 4 cm, and the histologic features, by both light and electron microscopy, were typical for myxoma. Now, 12 years after her fifth heart operation, the tumor recurred and she underwent a sixth operation. We report our observations.

Alcohol abuse has a negative impact on human health; however, epidemiological studies show that moderate consumption of ethanol (EtOH) reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, sudden cardiac death, and ischemic stroke. The mechanisms for these reductions in cardiovascular disease are not well established. Using cultured coronary artery vascular smooth muscle cells, we found that moderate levels of EtOH (10 and 20 mM) caused dose-related increases in both vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) mRNA (Northern blot) expression (1.9- and 2.6-fold) and VEGF protein (ELISA) expression (19 and 68%) compared with control ( P < 0.05). EtOH at 0.25 g · kg−1· day−1(7 days) increased VEGF mRNA expression by 1.48-fold over control, and increased vessel length density from 3.9 ± 0.7 (control) to 6.0 ± 0.3 mm/mm2( P < 0.05) in chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM). We conclude that moderate levels of ethanol can induce VEGF expression and stimulate angiogenesis in chick CAM. Therefore, the results provide a theoretical basis for speculating that the cardiovascular-protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption may be partly mediated through VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

We tested whether increased endogenous adenosine produced by the adenosine kinase inhibitor GP-515 (Metabasis Therapeutics) can induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in cultured rat myocardial myoblasts (RMMs). RMMs were cultured for 18 h in the absence (control) and presence of GP-515, adenosine (Ado), adenosine deaminase (ADA), or GP-515 + ADA. GP-515 (0.2–200 μM) caused a dose-related increase in VEGF protein expression (1.99–2.84 ng/mg total cell protein); control VEGF was 1.84 ± 0.05 ng/mg. GP-515 at 2 and 20 μM also increased VEGF mRNA by 1.67- and 1.82-fold, respectively. ADA (10 U/ml) decreased baseline VEGF protein levels by 60% and completely blocked GP-515 induction of VEGF. Ado (20 μM) and GP-515 (20 μM) caused a 59 and 39% increase in VEGF protein expression and a 98 and 33% increase in human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation, respectively, after 24 h of exposure. GP-515 (20 μM) had no effect on VEGF protein expression during severe hypoxia (1% O2) but increased VEGF by an additional 27% during mild hypoxia (10% O2). These results indicate that raising endogenous levels of Ado through inhibition of adenosine kinase can increase the expression of VEGF and stimulate endothelial cell proliferation during normoxic and hypoxic conditions.

We tested whether adenosine has differential effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, and whether A1or A2receptors (A1R; A2R) mediate these effects. Myocardial vascular smooth muscle cells (MVSMCs) from dog coronary artery were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) or normoxia (20% O2) in the absence and presence of adenosine agonists or antagonists for 18 h. VEGF protein levels were measured in media with ELISA. VEGF mRNA expression was determined with Northern blot analysis. Under normoxic conditions, the adenosine A1R agonists, N6-cyclopentyladenosine and R(-)- N6-(2-phenylisopropyl)adenosine did not increase VEGF protein levels at A1R stimulatory concentrations. However, adenosine (5 μM) and the adenosine A2R agonist N6-[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(2-methylphenyl)]ethyl adenosine (DPMA; 100 nM) increased VEGF protein levels by 51 and 132% and increased VEGF mRNA expression by 44 and 90%, respectively, in cultured MVSMCs under normoxic conditions. Hypoxia caused an approximately fourfold increase in VEGF protein and mRNA expression, which could not be augmented with exogenous adenosine, A2R agonist (DPMA), or A1R agonist [1,3-diethyl-8-phenylxanthine (DPX)]. The A2R antagonist 8-(3-chlorostyryl)-caffeine completely blocked adenosine-induced VEGF protein and mRNA expression and decreased baseline VEGF protein levels by up to ∼60% under normoxic conditions but only by ∼25% under hypoxic conditions. The A1R antagonist DPX had no effect. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that 1) adenosine increases VEGF protein and mRNA expression by way of A2R. 2) Adenosine plays a major role as an autocrine factor regulating VEGF expression during normoxic conditions but has a relatively minor role during hypoxic conditions. 3) Endogenous adenosine can account for the majority of basal VEGF secretion by MVSMCs under normoxic conditions and could therefore be a maintenance factor for the vasculature.

We determined whether hypoxia-induced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) can be reversed by a normoxic environment. Dog myocardial vascular smooth muscle cells (MVSMCs) were exposed to hypoxia (1% O2) for 24 h and then returned to normoxia (20% O2). VEGF protein levels increased by more than fivefold after 24 h of hypoxia and returned to baseline within 24 h of the return of the cells to normoxia. Northern blot analysis showed that hypoxia caused a 5.5-fold increase in VEGF mRNA, and, again, the expression was reversed after reinstitution of normoxia. Additional measurements showed that basic fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor protein levels were not induced by hypoxia and that hypoxia caused a fourfold decrease in transforming growth factor-beta 1 protein levels. Hypoxia conditioned media from MVSMCs caused human umbilical vein endothelial cells to increase [3H]thymidine incorporation by twofold, an effect that was blocked in a dose-dependent manner by anti-human VEGF antibody. The hypoxia conditioned media had no effect on MVSMC proliferation. These findings suggest that VEGF expression can be bidirectionally controlled by tissue oxygenation, and thus support the hypothesis that VEGF is a physiological regulator of angiogenesis.

We previously reported the anti-tumor efficacy of sunitinib (VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor) in murine ER-positive breast cancer xenograft model, in which sunitinib suppressed both autocrine and paracrine effects in breast cancer progression. The investigations of sunitinib on triple-negative breast cancer are very limited. The clinical utility of sunitinib is less understood in the setting of breast cancer. The present study determines: 1) whether VEGF is highly expressed in MDA-MB-468 cells, compared to MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells; 2) whether sunitinib inhibits the proliferation, migration, apoptosis resistance of cultured MDA-MB-468 cells; 3) whether oral sunitinib treatment suppresses tumor angiogenesis and growth in MDA-MB-468 xenografts; and 4) whether sunitinib changes % of breast cancer stem cells in the xenografts. MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7 cells were cultured using RPMI 1640 media with 10% FBS. VEGF protein levels were detected using ELISA (R&D Systams). MDA-MB-468 cells were exposed to sunitinib for 18 hours for measuring proliferation (3H-thymidine incorporation), migration (BD BioCoat Matrigel Invasion Chamber), and apoptosis (Millipore ApopTag). 10ˆ6 MDA-MB-468 cells inoculated into the left fourth mammary gland fat pad in athymic nude-foxn1 mice. When the tumor volume reached 100 mmˆ3, sunitinib was given by gavage at 80 mg/kg/2 days for 4 weeks. Tumor angiogenesis was determined by CD31 immunohistochemistry. Breast cancer stem cells were determined by flow cytometry analysis using CD44+/CD24- or low. VEGF protein levels in MDA-MB-468 cells were 10257±292 pg/ml that are 3-folds higher than those (3428±74 pg/ml) in MDA-MB-231 cells and 31-folds higher than those (335±4 pg/ml) in MCF-7 cells (P Citation Format: Edmund Chinchar, Kristina L. Makey, John Gibson, Lucio Miele, Jian-Wei Gu. Sunitinib suppresses the proliferation, migration, apoptosis resistance, tumor angiogenesis and growth in MDA-MB-468 cell cultures and xenografts . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2093. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2093

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF; also called vascular permeability factor) is a secreted mitogen with distinct target cell specificity for vascular endothelial cells. Hypoxia upregulates VEGF expression, making it a likely mediator of the angiogenesis that occurs in poorly perfused tissues. The purpose of this study was to determine whether VEGF gene expression is upregulated in chronically stimulated skeletal muscles, where hypoxia is thought to trigger the growth of blood vessels. The right anterior tibialis and extensor digitorum longus muscles of 12 rats were stimulated electrically (10 Hz, 300 microseconds pulses) for up to 21 days by way of the peroneal motor nerve. The contralateral muscles served as control. Northern analysis showed that VEGF mRNA levels increased by approximately sixfold after 4 days of stimulation and then decreased gradually over the next several days. VEGF mRNA levels were still elevated by two- to threefold after 21 days of stimulation. Higher VEGF mRNA levels in the early stages of muscle stimulation and gradually decreasing levels in later stages are consistent with a metabolic hypothesis in which tissue oxygenation controls VEGF expression. These studies support the hypothesis that VEGF has a physiological role in promoting angiogenesis in stimulated skeletal muscle.

Anti-angiogenesis agents and the identification of cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are opening new avenues for targeted cancer therapy. Recent evidence indicates that angiogenesis regulatory pathways and developmental pathways that control CSC fate are intimately connected, and that endothelial cells are a key component of the CSC niche. Numerous anti-angiogenic therapies developed so far target the VEGF pathway. However, VEGF-targeted therapy is hindered by clinical resistance and side effects, and new approaches are needed. One such approach may be direct targeting of tumor endothelial cell fate determination. Interfering with tumor endothelial cells growth and survival could inhibit not only angiogenesis but also the self-replication of CSC, which relies on signals from surrounding endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment. The Notch pathway is central to controlling cell fate both during angiogenesis and in CSC from several tumors. A number of investigational Notch inhibitors are being developed. Understanding how Notch interacts with other factors that control endothelial cell functions and angiogenesis in cancers could pave the way to innovative therapeutic strategies that simultaneously target angiogenesis and CSC.

The plasma bactericidal activity of a new C-5 methyl fluoroquinolone, OPC-17116, was determined after once-daily oral ingestion of 400 mg and 800 mg in normal, healthy volunteers. OPC-17116 at a 400-mg dose produced plasma bactericidal titers greater than or equal to 1:16 at 12 hours against Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis. OPC-17116 bactericidal titers against Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 1:2 or 1:4 at 6 and 12 hours. The plasma bactericidal titers against Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae were 1:4 or greater, but bactericidal titers against Staphylococcus aureus were 1:2 at 12 hours and less than 1:2 at 24 hours. The 800-mg dose of OPC-17116 produced bactericidal titers of at least 1:32 at 12 hours for the Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus, and Moraxella, and 1:4 for S. pyogenes and S. pneumoniae, but bactericidal titers against S. aureus were 1:2. These data would suggest that an 800-mg dose of OPC-17116 taken orally once daily would provide adequate concentrations to treat infections due to the pathogens examined in this study.

The in vitro activity of LJC 10,627, a new carbapenem, was compared with those of imipenem, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, and gentamicin. LJC 10,627 inhibited 90% of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter agglomerans, Enterobacter cloacae, Hafnia alvei, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter diversus, Proteus mirabilis, Morganella morganii, Proteus rettgeri, Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas cepacia, salmonellae, shigellae, aeromonas, and yersiniae at less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml. Haemophilus influenzae was inhibited by 0.5 microgram/ml, and moraxellae were inhibited by 0.12 microgram/ml. LJC 10,627 was twofold more active than imipenem against aerobic gram-negative organisms and inhibited ceftazidime-, cefotaxime-, and gentamicin-resistant members of the genera Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, and Serratia at less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml. Xanthomonas maltophilia strains were resistant to the drug. Imipenem was two- to fourfold more active than LJC 10,627 against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. LJC 10,627 did not inhibit most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. LJC 10,627 inhibited Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae at 0.06 and 0.12 microgram/ml, respectively. Bacteroides fragilis and other Bacteroides spp. were inhibited by 0.5 microgram of LJC 10,627 per ml. Serum (50%) did not affect the MICs. LJC 10,627 was not hydrolyzed by plasmid-mediated beta-lactamases of Bush types 2b, 2b', TEM-1, TEM-2, TEM-3, TEM-5, TEM-7, TEM-9, and SHV-1; the chromosomal beta-lactamases of Bush type 1; P-99; a Morganella enzyme; or a Citrobacter freundii enzyme. The Bush type 2c and 2d enzymes OXA-1, OXA-2, PSE-1, PSE-2, and PSE-4 did not hydrolyze LJC 10,627, nor did the beta-lactamases of Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella spp., Bacteroides fragilis, and Proteus vulgaris. The beta-lactamase of Xanthomonas hydrolyzed LJC 10,627, albeit at approximately one-third the rate that imipenem was hydrolyzed.

The in vitro activity of OPC-17116, a new C-5 methyl fluoroquinolone, was compared with the activities of other fluoroquinolones. OPC-17116 inhibited 50% of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae tested and 90% of Haemophilus influenzae, Neisseria species, and Moraxella catarrhalis isolates at less than or equal to 0.25 microgram/ml. At less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml, 90% of the Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited, which was comparable to or better than the activities of fleroxacin, ofloxacin, and lomefloxacin but less than the activity of ciprofloxacin. OPC-17116 inhibited 90% of the staphylococci tested at less than or equal to 0.25 micrograms/ml, but it did not inhibit methicillin-resistant, ciprofloxacin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis. Group A, B, C, F, and G streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae were inhibited by less than or equal to 0.5 microgram/ml, being four-fold more active than ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin. Tosufloxacin was the most active agent tested against gram-positive cocci. OPC-17116 inhibited Bacteroides fragilis at 4 micrograms/ml. There was a minimal effect of inoculum size on MIC, and the MBCs were within 1 dilution of the MICs. The activity of OPC-17116 was decreased at pH 6 and in the presence of high Mg2+ concentrations, but it was unaffected by human serum. OPC-17116 showed a postantibiotic effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus similar to the postantibiotic effects reported for other fluoroquinolones. The frequency of spontaneous single-step resistance was low (less than 10(-9)), but repeated passage of organisms in the presence of OPC-17116 resulted in the selection of resistant isolates.

The in vitro activity of S-1006, the active component of a new orally absorbed cephalosporin, S-1108, inhibited 90% of Staphylococcus aureus isolates at less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml, 90% of group A, B, C, F, and G streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae isolates at less than or equal to 0.12 microgram/ml, and all Haemophilus influenzae isolates at less than or equal to 0.06 microgram/ml. Although 50% of the members of the family Enterobacteriaceae were inhibited by less than or equal to 2 micrograms of S-1006 per ml, Enterobacter spp. and Citrobacter freundii resistant to ceftriaxone were resistant to S-1006. The MICs of S-1006 for approximately 20% of Providencia, Proteus vulgaris, and Serratia isolates were 4 micrograms/ml. S-1006 was hydrolyzed by the plasmid TEM-3, TEM-5, PSE-1, and PSE-4 beta-lactamases and by the chromosomal beta-lactamase of Enterobacter and Morganella spp. and P. vulgaris.

The in vitro activity of Ro 23-9424, which is desacetyl-cefotaxime linked to fleroxacin, was compared with the activities of cefotaxime, desacetyl-cefotaxime, fleroxacin, ofloxacin, and ciprofloxacin. It inhibited the majority of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, except for some Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter freundii, and Enterobacter cloacae strains, at less than or equal to 0.25 microgram/ml and had an MIC for 90% of strains tested (MIC90) of 8 micrograms/ml against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Most group A, B, C, and G streptococci and Streptococcus pneumoniae were inhibited at less than or equal to 0.25 microgram/ml. Ninety percent of the staphylococci were inhibited at less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml, except for some methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates. The MIC90S of Ro 23-9424 for Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes were greater than or equal to 16 micrograms/ml. Ninety percent of Clostridium perfringens isolates were inhibited by less than or equal to 2 micrograms/ml, whereas Bacteroides fragilis had an MIC90 of 32 micrograms/ml. There was a minimal inoculum size effect. The MICs and MBCs were either identical or within a twofold dilution. The MICs of Ro 23-9424 for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Enterobacter cloacae, Citrobacter freundii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus increased 16- to 128-fold after 2 weeks of transfer in the presence of Ro 23-9424, showing that the presence of two agents does not prevent resistance.

Physical inactivity increases the risk of atherosclerosis. However, the molecular mechanisms of this relation are poorly understood. A recent report indicates that endostatin, an endogenous angiostatic factor, inhibits the progression of atherosclerosis, and suggests that reducing intimal and atherosclerotic plaque tissue neovascularization can inhibit the progression atherosclerosis in animal models. We hypothesize that exercise can elevate the circulatory endostatin level. Hence, exercise can protect against one of the mechanisms of atherosclerosis. We examined treadmill exercise tests in healthy volunteers to determine the effect of exercise on plasma levels of endostatin and other angiogenic regulators. Oxygen consumption (VO2) was calculated. Plasma levels of endostatin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were determined using ELISA. The total peak VO2 (L) in 7 male subjects was 29.5 ± 17.8 over a 4–10 minute interval of exercise. Basal plasma levels of endostatin (immediately before exercise) were 20.3 ± 3.2 pg/ml, the plasma levels increased to 29.3 ± 4.2, 35.2 ± 1.8, and 27.1 ± 2.2 ng/ml, at 0.5, 2, and 6 h, respectively, after exercise. There was a strong linear correlation between increased plasma levels of endostatin (%) and the total peak VO2 (L) related to exercise (R2 = 0.9388; P < 0.01). Concurrently, VEGF levels decreased to 28.3 ± 6.4, 17.6 ± 2.4, and 26.5 ± 12.5 pg/ml, at 0.5, 2, and 6 h, respectively, after exercise. There were no significant changes in plasma bFGF levels in those subjects before and after exercise. The results suggest that circulating endostatin can be significantly increased by exercise in proportion to the peak oxygen consumption under physiological conditions in healthy volunteers. These findings may provide new insights into the molecular links between physical inactivity and the risk of angiogenesis dependent diseases such as atherosclerosis.

The effectiveness and safety of mupirocin calcium ointment applied to the anterior part of the nares for 5 days in the eradication of nasal carriage ofStaphylococcus aureuswas investigated in a placebo-controlled, double-blind study. Subjects were healthy medical center staff who had two positive cultures of the anterior nares forS aureus. Antimicrobial susceptibility, phage typing, and restriction endonuclease analysis of plasmid DNA were used to monitor the identity of relapsing and persisting strains. Mupirocin eliminated 74% ofS aureusat early follow-up and 91% of original strains. At 4 weeks, 78% of the original strains were eradicated, whereas all of the placebo group remained colonized. Recolonization with mupirocin-resistant strains occurred in six patients, but these were of different phage and plasmid types from the original isolates. None of the subjects had serious adverse effects. Applied intranasally for 5 days, a calcium preparation of mupirocin in a paraffin base is effective in eliminatingS aureusnasal carriage and is well tolerated. (Arch Intern Med.1992;152:353-356)

The in vitro activity of dactimicin, a new pseudodisaccharide aminoglycoside which possesses a formimidoyl group, was compared with those of gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin against 500 isolates. Dactimicin inhibited 90% of isolates from the family Enterobacteriaceae at a concentration of less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml. It was more active than amikacin against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens, Citrobacter diversus, Enterobacter agglomerans, Yersinia species, and Salmonella species, with an MIC for 90% of the strains (MIC90) of less than or equal to 4 micrograms/ml. The MIC90s for the Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates were greater than 128 micrograms/ml. Dactimicin did not inhibit most methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates and coagulase-negative staphylococci but had an MIC50 (MIC for 50% of strains tested) of 2 micrograms/ml against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus isolates and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Dactimicin in combination with piperacillin acted synergistically against 75% of Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae, S. marcescens, and S. aureus isolates. It exhibited an excellent postantibiotic suppressive effect on E. coli. Dactimicin was active against organisms possessing aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes including AAC(2')-b, AAC(3)-III, -IV, and -V, and AAC(6')-Ia, -Ib, Ic, -II, and -IV but was not active against isolates which contained AAC(3)-I and the bifunctional APH(2")-AAC(6')-I. Its lack of activity against P. aeruginosa appeared to be permeability related since in the presence of EDTA P. aeruginosa was susceptible, as were mutant isolates resistant because of permeability barriers.