[en] In the last decade or so the numbers of cancers attributable to radiation among the Japanese A-bomb survivors have become large enough to permit quantitative estimates of risk and to encourage quantitative investigation of the many factors other than dose that appear to govern the appearance of radiation-induced cancer. The size and demographic complexity of the A-bomb survivor population are such that future studies should go far to provide the descriptive information on which our understanding of radiation carcinogenesis in man must ultimately depend. 60 references

[en] Polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis, are myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) with distinct clinical features and are associated with the JAK2V617F mutation. To identify genomic anomalies involved in the pathogenesis of these disorders, we profiled 87 MPN patients using Affymetrix 250K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays. Aberrations affecting chr9 were the most frequently observed and included 9pLOH (n=16), trisomy 9 (n=6) and amplifications of 9p13.3–23.3 (n=1), 9q33.1–34.13 (n=1) and 9q34.13 (n=6). Patients with trisomy 9 were associated with elevated JAK2V617F mutant allele burden, suggesting that gain of chr9 represents an alternative mechanism for increasing JAK2V617F dosage. Gene expression profiling of patients with and without chr9 abnormalities (+9, 9pLOH), identified genes potentially involved in disease pathogenesis including JAK2, STAT5B and MAPK14. We also observed recurrent gains of 1p36.31–36.33 (n=6), 17q21.2–q21.31 (n=5) and 17q25.1–25.3 (n=5) and deletions affecting 18p11.31–11.32 (n=8). Combined SNP and gene expression analysis identified aberrations affecting components of a non-canonical PRC2 complex (EZH1, SUZ12 and JARID2) and genes comprising a ‘HSC signature' (MLLT3, SMARCA2 and PBX1). We show that NFIB, which is amplified in 7/87 MPN patients and upregulated in PV CD34+ cells, protects cells from apoptosis induced by cytokine withdrawal

[en] The radiation sensitivity of leukemic progenitor cells in 12 cases of acute nonlymphocytic leukemia was compared with that of normal myeloid progenitor cells (colony-forming units in culture), using in vitro cloning techniques. The D0 value for normal colony-forming units in culture was almost constant (130 +/- 14 rads). On the other hand, marked patient-to-patient variations were observed in the radiosensitivity of leukemic progenitor cells; namely, the D0 values in the present cases ranged from 30 to 210 rads. These variations seemed to be partly due to different cell cycle status and partly due to the intrinsic nature of leukemic progenitor cells. Moreover, in six of seven clinically drug-sensitive cases, the leukemic progenitor cells were proved to be relatively radiosensitive. Similar to in vitro drug sensitivity tests, this test may serve to predict the clinical response to chemoradiotherapy

[en] In order to specify the clinical features in the sudden crisis of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML), clinical laboratory data, which were obtained one month and two months before the crisis and at the time of the crisis from CML patients listed in leukemic data bank in Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine and Biology, Hiroshima University, were analyzed. Discriminant analyses were done using those explanatory parameters based on the logistic model, whereby a formula to calculate the pathogenic index was obtained. Clinically judged features were regarded as external standards. Rapid and slow types of pathogenesis in the sudden crisis of CML, which were classified by the pathogenic index, were in accordance with those judged by clinical features in 83.3% of the patients. (Namekawa, K.)

[en] In view of its prevalence in the Far East area, a more detailed knowledge on the hookworm infection is one of the very important medical problem. The present study was aimed to determine the infectivity of the artificially hatched ancylosotma duodenale larvae in man after its oral administration, evaluate the clinical symptomatology of such infection, determine the date of first appearance of ova in the stool, calculate the blood loss per worm per day, assess the relation-ships between the ova count, infectivity (worm load), blood loss and severity of anemia. An erythrokinetic study was also done to analyse the characteristics of hookworm anemia by means of ⁵⁹Fe and ⁵¹Cr.

[en] Generalized linear modelling procedures have been used to study the rates of radiation-induced cancer mortality among atomic bomb survivors with doses of at least 100 rads and patients with ankylosing spondylitis given x-ray therapy. Changes in the relative risk with age at exposure, time since exposure and age at observation have been modelled and compared. There was good agreement between the two data sets and no inconsistencies were found. For a group of solid tumors selected from sites that were heavily irradiated in the spondylitis series, relative risk decreased with age at exposure but did not vary with time since exposure between about 5 and at least 30 years following exposure. For leukemia relative risk decreased with time since exposure and, for atomic bomb survivors, the inclusion of those aged under 15 at exposure caused a significant decrease in relative risk with increasing age at exposure. Diagnoses from the leukemia registry were used to study mortality from acute leukemia in atomic bomb survivors. Age at observation was a useful variable in describing the pattern of acute leukemia risk. 18 references, 2 figures, 1 table

No abstract available

[en] To explore the relationship between psychopathological tendencies and Quality of Life (QoL) among patients with Thalassemia major. Methodology: In this correlational study, data were collected from the blood transfusion dependent patients of beta-thalassemia major in Rawalpindi and Islamabad hospitals from September to December 2014. Urdu version of Worlds Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) and Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) methods were administered on 74 patients of thalassemia major. Pearson Product Correlation, Independent Sample t-test, One-way ANOVA and Post Hoc analysis were used. Results: There was higher levels of somatization, hostility and obsessive compulsive (OC) and lower levels of psychoticism. There was negatively affected social and psychological domains of life while comparatively better QoL related to environmental conditions of the patients. There was negative relationship between psychopathological tendencies and QoL among patients. Moreover, mother's education level negatively related with psychopathological tendencies among patients. Males scored high on depression and interpersonal sensitivity, whereas females scored high on anxiety, paranoid ideation and somatization. Female patients experienced better QoL as compared to male counterparts. Conclusion: There were higher degrees of psychopathological tendencies among patients with thalassemia major which affected their QoL mainly on social and psychological domains. (author)

[en] By means of new techniques for time series it is shown that periodic chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is in fact not periodic but rather chaotic. (author)

[en] To evaluate the presence of intrinsic factor antibody in vitamin B12 deficient patients. Study Design: Cross-sectional, observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Fauji Foundation Hospital, Foundation University Medical College and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, from January 2011 to June 2012. Methodology: A total of 120 patients of megaloblastic anaemia were selected on the basis of low serum vitamin B12 level. The intrinsic factor antibody tests were performed by ELISA method. The patients were considered positive or negative on the basis of presence or absence of intrinsic factor antibody respectively. The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 14. Results: Pernicious anaemia with intrinsic factor deficiency was found in 13.3% in 120 vitamin B12 deficient patients. The mean age of patients of pernicious anaemia was 41.5 years, with a male to female ratio of 1:2.5. It was relatively more common in older age (17% in age more than 60 years) as compared to other age groups. Conclusion: Frequency of pernicious anaemia in megaloblastic anaemia was 13.3%. The male to female ratio was 1:2.5 and it was relatively more common in age group of more than 60 years. (author)