RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The hybrid assistive limb (HAL) is the world's first cyborg-type robot suit that provides motion assistance to physically challenged patients. HAL is expected to expand the possibilities of exercise therapy for severe cardiac patients who have difficulty in moving on their own legs. As a first step, we examined whether or not the motion assistance provided by HAL during exercise could effectively reduce the cardiopulmonary burden in healthy subjects. METHODS: A total of ten healthy male adults (35 ± 12 years) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) on a cycle ergometer with or without assistance from HAL. The CPX protocol consisted of four 3-min stages performed in a continuous sequence: rest, 0 W, 40 W, and 80 W. The heart rate (HR), blood pressure, oxygen uptake (VO2), minute ventilation (VE), and gas exchange ratio (R) were monitored during the CPX. RESULTS: At 0 W, the HR, VO2, and VE were significantly higher when HAL was used. At 80 W, however, the HR (107 ± 14 vs 114 ± 14 beats/min, p < 0.01), systolic blood pressure (141 ± 15 vs 155 ± 20 mmHg, p < 0.01), VO2 (17.6 ± 2.4 vs 19.0 ± 2.5 mL/min/kg, p < 0.05), and R (0.88 ± 0.04 vs 0.95 ± 0.09, p < 0.05) were significantly lower when HAL was used. CONCLUSIONS: HAL has the potential to reduce cardiopulmonary burden during moderate-intensity exercise and can, therefore, be used as a support for exercise therapy. Further studies on cardiac patients are expected to contribute to the establishment of a new exercise therapy program using HAL.

Asunto(s)

Tolerancia al Ejercicio/fisiología , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Dispositivo Exoesqueleto , Robótica , Adulto , Prueba de Esfuerzo , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Consumo de Oxígeno/fisiología

RESUMEN

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a tumor consisting of myeloid blasts that occurs at an anatomical site other than the bone marrow. We report the case of a 38-year-old man with duodenal MS who underwent an allogeneic bone marrow transplant in a non-complete remission (CR) state. After the transplant, residual disease was suspected on a fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)/CT scan, and additional radiotherapy resulted in CR, which has been maintained for 21 months. FDG-PET/CT scanning is useful for evaluating residual myeloid sarcoma during the peritransplant period.

Asunto(s)

Neoplasias Duodenales/radioterapia , Neoplasias Duodenales/terapia , Sarcoma Mieloide/radioterapia , Sarcoma Mieloide/terapia , Adulto , Trasplante de Médula Ósea , Neoplasias Duodenales/diagnóstico por imagen , Fluorodesoxiglucosa F18 , Humanos , Masculino , Imagen Multimodal , Neoplasia Residual/diagnóstico por imagen , Neoplasia Residual/radioterapia , Tomografía de Emisión de Positrones , Radiofármacos , Inducción de Remisión , Sarcoma Mieloide/diagnóstico por imagen , Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos X , Trasplante Homólogo

RESUMEN

Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is expressed in various tissues, including cancer lesions. However, the functional consequences of PAR-2 expression in cancer cells, especially in pancreatic cancer cells, are poorly understood. To clarify the biological significance of PAR-2 signaling in pancreatic cancer, we examined the production of growth factors and cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-8, bFGF, TGF-beta1, and VEGF, by specific ELISAs. Two human pancreatic cancer cell lines, SUIT2 and MiaPaCa2, which have been shown to express PAR-2, were stimulated by trypsin and PAR-2 activating peptide (PAR-2AP: SLIGKV-NH2). After 24 h, the culture supernatants were collected and specific ELISAs were performed. Although no significant changes were observed in the release of IL-6, bFGF, TGF-beta1, or VEGF, that of IL-8 was significantly up-regulated by PAR-2 agonists in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, IL-8 receptor expression was found in pancreatic cancer cells and fibroblasts. These results suggest that the PAR-2 signal up-regulates IL-8 release from pancreatic cancer cells. This up-regulated IL-8 has an effect on the pancreatic cancer cells in an autocrine manner and on the fibroblasts in a paracrine manner. Thus, this signal might contribute to tumor progression and characteristic fibrosis in pancreatic cancer.

Asunto(s)

Interleucina-8/metabolismo , Receptor PAR-2/metabolismo , Transducción de Señal , Secuencia de Aminoácidos , Western Blotting , Línea Celular Tumoral , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Ensayo de Inmunoadsorción Enzimática , Factor 2 de Crecimiento de Fibroblastos/metabolismo , Regulación Neoplásica de la Expresión Génica/efectos de los fármacos , Humanos , Inmunohistoquímica , Interleucina-6/metabolismo , Modelos Biológicos , Oligopéptidos/farmacología , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/genética , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/metabolismo , Neoplasias Pancreáticas/patología , ARN Mensajero/genética , ARN Mensajero/metabolismo , Receptor PAR-2/agonistas , Receptor PAR-2/genética , Receptores de Interleucina-8A/genética , Receptores de Interleucina-8B/genética , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa , Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta/metabolismo , Factor de Crecimiento Transformador beta1 , Tripsina/farmacología , Regulación hacia Arriba/efectos de los fármacos , Factor A de Crecimiento Endotelial Vascular/metabolismo

Asunto(s)

Trasplante de Órganos/instrumentación , Trasplante de Órganos/métodos , Suturas , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Vasculares/instrumentación , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Vasculares/métodos , Animales , Procedimientos de Cirugía Plástica/instrumentación , Procedimientos de Cirugía Plástica/métodos