SummaryThe effects of sulfur-containing amino acids (SAA) and potassium (K) on urinary excretion and retention of calcium (Ca) of 27 young Japanese women were studied. A basal diet low in protein level (50g per day) was fortified by meat or soy protein isolate (SPI) to a protein level of 100g per day, and effects of addition of apple to these high protein diets, and addition of SAA and/or potassium (K) to the high SPI diet, especially on urinary Ca excretion, were studied. The addition of meat which increased protein intake to 100g caused the increase in apparent absorption and urinary excretion of Ca with increased excretion of urinary sulfur (S), phosphate, ammonia, and titratable acids (TA), whereas addition of SPI did not. The addition of apple to high meat diet decreased absorption and urinary excretion of Ca. Urinary Ca, S, K, ammonia, and TA excretion increased by the addition of SAA to high SPI diet in a manner similar to the meat diet. Consequently, SAA-supplemented diet had a significantly negative effect on Ca retention. In SPI+SAA, K diet period, urinary K excretion markedly increased, and increments in urinary Ca, ammonia, and TA excretion were reversed. These changes observed in SPI+SAA, K diet period were similar to those by adding apple to meat diet without any effect on Ca absorption. The results suggest that the hypercalciuria induced by high meat diet is mainly caused by high content of SAA and may be reversed by the ingestion of K-rich foodstuffs, and soy protein does not induce hypercalciuria because of it contains less SAA than animal protein.

Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a novel prognostic biomarker for Ewing's sarcoma. To evaluate the prognostic utility of NPM, we conducted an interactomic approach to characterize the NPM protein complex in Ewing's sarcoma cells. A gene suppression assay revealed that NPM promoted cell proliferation and the invasive properties of Ewing's sarcoma cells. FLAG-tag-based affinity purification coupled with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified 106 proteins in the NPM protein complex. The functional classification suggested that the NPM complex participates in critical biological events, including ribosome biogenesis, regulation of transcription and translation, and protein folding, that are mediated by these proteins. In addition to JAK1, a candidate prognostic biomarker for Ewing's sarcoma, the NPM complex, includes 11 proteins known as prognostic biomarkers for other malignancies. Meta-analysis of gene expression profiles of 32 patients with Ewing's sarcoma revealed that 6 of 106 were significantly and independently associated with survival period. These observations suggest a functional role as well as prognostic value of these NPM complex proteins in Ewing's sarcoma. Further, our study suggests the potential applications of interactomics in conjunction with meta-analysis for biomarker discovery.

Ultrasound-guided central venous catheterization via distal femoral vein (a case report)Joho Tokumine, Kenichi Nitta, Koji Teruya, Tatsuya Higa, Ayako Haga, Junichi Okubo, Shunsuke Izumi, Kazuhiro SugaharaIntensive Care Unit, Ryukyu University Hospital 207 Aza-Uehara, Nishihara-cho, Nakagami-gun, Okinawa 903-0125, JapanWe encountered a patient with ulcerative colitis, in whom central venous catheterization was restricted by aerodermectasia of the neck and chest. By using ultrasound-guidance, central venous catheterization of the distal femoral vein was successfully performed. In patients in whom venous catheterization is limited for some reasons, an ultrasound-guided approach could prove valuable in overcoming these limitations.