Evaluation of circadian phenotypes utilizing fibroblasts from patients with circadian rhythm sleep disorders

We evaluated the circadian phenotypes of patients with delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD) and non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder (N24SWD), two different circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSDs) by measuring clock gene expression rhythms in fibroblast cells derived from individual patients. Bmal1-luciferase (Bmal1-luc) expression rhythms were measured in the primary fibroblast cells derived from skin biopsy samples of patients with DSWPD and N24SWD, as well as control subjects. The period length of the Bmal1-luc rhythm (in vitro period) was distributed normally and was 22.80±0.47 (mean±s.d.) h in control-derived fibroblasts. The in vitro periods in DSWPD-derived fibroblasts and N24SWD-derived fibroblasts were 22.67±0.67 h and 23.18±0.70 h, respectively. The N24SWD group showed a significantly longer in vitro period than did the control or DSWPD group. Furthermore, in vitro period was associated with response to chronotherapy in the N24SWD group. Longer in vitro periods were observed in the non-responders (mean±s.d.: 23.59±0.89 h) compared with the responders (mean±s.d.: 22.97±0.47 h) in the N24SWD group. Our results indicate that prolonged circadian periods contribute to the onset and poor treatment outcome of N24SWD. In vitro rhythm assays could be useful for predicting circadian phenotypes and clinical prognosis in patients with CRSDs.

Comparison of TachoSil and TachoComb in patients undergoing liver resection-a randomized, double-blind, non-inferiority trial

Background

This study aimed to demonstrate the noninferior efficacy of TachoSil vs. TachoComb in Japanese patients undergoing liver resection and to assess the safety of TachoSil vs. TachoComb in these patients.

Methods

This randomized, double-blind, noninferiority study (JapicCTI-090684) involved participants scheduled for liver resection/living donors (age ≥ 20 years). TachoSil or TachoComb (1:1 allocation ratio) was applied to control persistent exudative bleeding after primary hemostasis during liver resection/removal for donation. The primary outcome was hemostasis 5 min after study treatment application. The 95% confidence interval (CI) for the difference in the proportion of participants with hemostasis 5 min after application of TachoSil/TachoComb was determined; noninferiority of TachoSil was indicated if the lower limit of the CI was ≥−14%. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

Results

All participants in the efficacy analysis (TachoSil: 54/54, 100%; TachoComb: 54/54, 100%) achieved hemostasis 5 min after study treatment application. Therefore, TachoSil was noninferior to TachoComb. All participants experienced ≥1 AE; however, none discontinued because of an AE. Most (≥97.8%) AEs were mild or moderate in severity.

Conclusions

These findings confirm the safety profile and noninferior hemostatic efficacy of TachoSil compared with TachoComb.

Role of prostatic fluid in cooled canine epididymal sperm

In this study, sperms collected from the right and left cauda epididymis were grouped into having canine prostatic fluid (PF) sensitization or not diluted with egg yolk Tris-fructose citrate extender, and stored at 4°C. The necessity of canine PF in cooled preservation was determined by elucidating the sperm quality after the storage. As a result, while there was no difference among all groups up to 48 hr of storage, after storage for 96 hr and more, a significantly lower sperm motility was observed in the group without being sensitized to PF than the groups with being sensitized to PF (p < .05, p < .01). Although sperm abnormality increased in all groups with increased storage time, the group without being sensitized to PF showed significantly higher sperm abnormality than did the groups with being sensitized to PF after storage for 24 hr and more (p < .01). From these findings, we concluded that PF was necessary for the cooled preservation of the canine sperm because these sperms were protected from any effects of low temperatures by being sensitized to PF.

Evaluation of cellular purine transport and metabolism in the Caco-2 cell using comprehensive high-performance liquid chromatography method for analysis of purines

Using Caco-2 cells and our previously developed high-performance liquid chromatography method for quantification of purine bases, nucleosides, and nucleotides, we evaluated cellular purine transport and uptake. The analytes were separated using YMC-Triart C18 column with gradient elution. We used Caco-2 cells as intestinal model cells and monitored purine transport across a monolayer for 2 h. The degree of change of purine concentrations in the permeate was very slight; however, it was possible to simultaneously determine these parameters for all purines because of our method's high sensitivity. In the present study, the purine bases (adenine, guanine, hypoxanthine, and xanthine) showed a relatively high permeability as compared with the nucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, inosine, and xanthosine). Increased concentration of metabolites in the permeate was also observed following the addition of purines. In a cell uptake assay, both the cell culture medium (extracellular) and the cells extracted from Caco-2 with acetonitrile:water (7:3) (intracellular) were measured. The additional nucleoside did not increase significantly within the cells. On the other hand, we observed that nucleotide, such as ATP, increased in the cell in a time-dependent manner following the addition of nucleoside. The additional nucleosides were considered to be rather recycled via the salvage pathway than metabolized to purine bases and/or uric acid in the cell. Such differences might have affected the increase in the serum uric acid levels depending on purine form.

Wash or wipe? A comparative study of skin physiological changes between water washing and wiping after skin cleaning

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE

Presently, skin-cleaning agents that claim to be removed by water or wiping alone are commercially available and have been used for the purpose of bed baths. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how water washing and wiping differently affect skin physiological functions or ceramide content. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of water washing and wiping on skin physiological functions and ceramide content.

METHODS

Three kinds of the cleaning agents with different removal techniques (ie, water washing and wiping) were used in this study. Skin physiological functions (ie, transepidermal water loss, skin hydration, and skin pH) and skin ceramide content were measured before and after seven consecutive days of the application of each cleaning agent.

RESULTS

No significant differences in skin physiological functions or ceramide content were observed between water washing and wiping.

CONCLUSION

Cleaning agents that claim to be removed by water washing or wiping do not affect skin physiological functions or ceramide content by either removal method.

Space-resolved visible spectroscopy for two-dimensional measurement of hydrogen and impurity emission spectra and of plasma flow in the edge stochastic layer of LHD

A space-resolved visible spectrometer system has been developed for two-dimensional (2D) distribution measurements of hydrogen and impurity emission spectra and of plasma flow in the edge stochastic layer of Large Helical Device (LHD). Astigmatism of the spectrometer has been suppressed by introducing additional toroidal and spherical mirrors. A good focal image at the exit slit is realized in a wide wavelength range (75 nm) as well as in a wide slit height direction (26 mm) with a 300 grooves/mm grating. The capability of the spectrometer optical system for the 2D measurement and further possible improvements are discussed in detail. An optical fiber array of 130 channels with a lens unit is used to spatially resolve the edge plasma into different magnetic field structure components: divertor strike points, divertor legs, X-point of the legs, the stochastic layer, and the last closed flux surface. With a 300 grooves/mm grating, the 2D distributions of several hydrogen and impurity line emissions are simultaneously obtained with absolute intensities. A clear correlation is obtained between the magnetic field structure and the emission intensity. With a 2400 grooves/mm grating with a good spectral resolution (0.03 nm/pixel), the 2D distributions of impurity flow velocity are obtained from the Doppler shift measurement. The wavelength position is accurately calibrated by investigating the wavelength dispersion as well as by correcting a mechanical error of the optical setting in the spectrometer. The uncertainty in the velocity is reduced to less than 10% of a typical impurity velocity ∼10⁴ m/s. A temporal change in the flow directions is observed at different spatial locations in divertor detachment plasma.

Costal cartilage transplantation for treatment of growth plate injury in a rabbit model

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of allogenic costal cartilage transplantation on preventing bony bridge formation and angular deformities for the treatment of partial growth plate injury using a rabbit model.

METHODS

An experimental model of partial growth injury was created by resecting the medial part of the proximal tibial growth plate in male six-week-old New Zealand White rabbits. The rabbits were divided into four groups: no surgery; no transplantation; bone wax transplantation; and allogenic costal cartilage transplantation. The angular deformities of the tibia and bony bridge were analysed using radiographs and microcomputed tomography, and the repair of the injured growth plate cartilage and bony bridge formation rate were histologically evaluated.

RESULTS

On radiographic evaluation, the varus deformities in the costal cartilage group were significantly improved compared with the no transplantation group at four and eight weeks after operation and with the bone wax group at eight weeks after operation. Micro-computed tomography showed that the bony bridge formation was prevented in the bone wax and costal cartilage groups. Histological findings showed that the bony bridge formation in the bone wax and costal cartilage group was decreased. In addition, the growth plate was continuous and stained with safranin O and immunohistochemically stained for type II collagen.

CONCLUSION

Transplantation of costal cartilage improved angular deformities and decreased bony bridge formation in the partial growth plate injury. Costal cartilage might be a suitable graft for the treatment of growth plate injury.

Pertussis outbreak among patients and healthcare workers in a provincial dialysis facility in Japan

BACKGROUND

Sixteen pertussis cases in haemodialysis patients and healthcare workers were detected in a 25-bed outpatient haemodialysis facility in Japan between October 2013 and April 2014.

AIM

To describe an outbreak of pertussis among patients and healthcare workers, and to identify risk factors for pertussis infection.

METHODS

Sputum cultures, loop-mediated isothermal amplification assays performed on nasopharyngeal swabs to detect respiratory pathogens including Bordetella pertussis, and serum anti-pertussis toxin immunoglobulin G measurements were performed for all haemodialysis patients and healthcare workers. A retrospective case-control study was performed to identify the risk factors for pertussis infection in the clinic.

FINDINGS

Only six of the 16 pertussis patients (37.5%) had respiratory symptoms. Recent exposure to an unmasked individual with a cough was associated with pertussis infection (odds ratio 6.25, P<0.05). The outbreak was terminated successfully after enforcing the use of surgical masks among both patients and healthcare workers.

CONCLUSION

This report demonstrates the risk of pertussis transmission in a haemodialysis facility, and underscores the importance of wearing surgical masks to control a pertussis outbreak.

Observation of π^{-}K^{+} and π^{+}K^{-} Atoms

The observation of hydrogenlike πK atoms, consisting of π^{-}K^{+} or π^{+}K^{-} mesons, is presented. The atoms are produced by 24  GeV/c protons from the CERN PS accelerator, interacting with platinum or nickel foil targets. The breakup (ionization) of πK atoms in the same targets yields characteristic πK pairs, called "atomic pairs," with small relative momenta Q in the pair center-of-mass system. The upgraded DIRAC experiment observed 349±62 such atomic πK pairs, corresponding to a signal of 5.6 standard deviations. This is the first statistically significant observation of the strange dimesonic πK atom.

Computed Tomographic Percutaneous Transsplenic Portography

The diagnosis of liver tumors should be utilized for determination of not only the number of lesions, but also their size, segmental location and extent, and the relationship of the mass or masses to the hepatic vasculature. CT during arterial portography (CTAP) is the most sensitive imaging modality for precise diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (1–3, 5). CTAP is thus widely used as a diagnostic imaging technique, particularly for the detection of small hepatocellular carcinomas (4, 6, 8).

Conventional splenic portography has been carried out for many years using a wide diameter needle, a large amount of contrast medium and a film-screen system (7). Since the development of arterial portography, fewer splenoportograms have been performed due to the high incidence of bleeding and other complications (7). In this study a 0.6-mm (23 gauge) thin needle was used for splenic puncture and CT was used as a detector instead of a film-screen system. With this technique CT during percutaneous transsplenic portography may be performed on an outpatient basis.

Application of Expandable Metallic Stents to the Venous System

Expandable metallic stents were successfully introduced in 12 patients; 6 with superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction due to tumor invasion or lymph node metastases, 3 with inferior vena cava (IVC) obstruction or stenosis due to lymph node metastases or hepatic tumor, one with common iliac vein (CIV) obstruction due to lymph node metastases, one with idiopathic obstruction of the hepatic IVC and Budd-Chiari syndrome, and one with CIV obstruction following a dialysis shunt. The length of the lesions was between 2 and 15 cm. Multiple (2–7) stents in tandem were inserted percutaneously from a femoral venous approach through a 12 to 16 F (4.0–5.3 mm) Teflon sheath. Postoperatively, all 12 patients became free from symptoms such as SVC syndrome or IVC syndrome. In 11 patients, the symptoms did not recur during the follow-up periods of 1 to 21 months.

Endotracheal Expandable Metallic Stent Placement in Dogs

Various types of Gianturco zig-zag wire stent were implanted into the tracheas of 4 dogs to define the suitable characteristics of the endotracheal wire stent in these animals. The stents were constructed of 0.45, 0.40, and 0.33 mm stainless steel wire. The diameter of the fully expanded stents was 3 cm and their lengths were 2, 3, and 4 cm. The 2 cm stent constructed of 0.33 mm wire showed minimum pathologic changes of the trachea of the dog compared to the other stents, and at the same time had a complete covering of ciliated columnar epithelium over the stent surface.

Intraarterial Occlusion by Radiofrequency

Arterial occlusion using radiofrequency energy was performed. The length of the noninsulated part of the guidewire was 10 mm and the duration of radiofrequency supply was 20 s. Animal experiments were carried out in 17 canine arteries; 4 out of 6 arteries less than 2.3 mm in diameter were completely occluded during the 20 s radiofrequency supply. A clinical application was also successfully performed without any complications. Arterial occlusion with radiofrequency can be applied to vessels less than about 2 mm in diameter.

Treatment of Tuberculous Bronchial Stenosis with Expandable Metallic Stents

Gianturco expandable metallic stents were placed in 5 patients with dyspnea on exercise due to tuberculous bronchial stenosis. The stents were placed after dilatation with a 10-mm diameter high pressure balloon catheter. In all 5 patients, obstructive changes disappeared following the procedure, and dyspnea on exercise improved markedly. No complications related to the procedure were encountered. At follow-up during a period of up to 38 months, 2 patients showed bronchial restenosis at 11 and 17 months, respectively, after stent placement. Restenosis by granulomatous tissue was successfully treated by laser ablation. One patient showed slight one-day hemoptysis 26 months after stent placement.

An Effective New Cryopreservation Procedure for Pancreatic Islets Using Hollow Fiber Vitrification

The present study aimed at establishing a new cryopreservation method for mouse pancreatic islets by vitrification using hollow fibers as a container. A unique feature of the hollow fiber vitrification (HFV) method is that this method achieves stable vitrification using a minimum volume of cryoprotectant (CPA) solution, thereby ensuring high viability of the islets. The cytotoxicity, optimum composition, and concentration of the CPAs for vitrifying islets were examined. The viability, functional-integrity of vitrified islets were evaluated in comparison with those vitrified by conventional methods. Insulin secretion was measured in vitro by a static incubation assay and the metabolic functions was tested after transplantation into Streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The combination of 15% dimethyl sulfoxide+15% ethylene glycol resulted in the best CPA solution for the HFV of islets. HFV showed the highest viability in comparison to 2 vitrification methods, open pulled straws and vitrification with EDT324 solution. The vitrified islets stably expressed β-cells markers NeuroD, Pancreatic and duodenal homeobox-1, and MafA. Transplantation of the vitrified islets achieved euglycemia of the host diabetic mice and response to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test to a similar extent as non-vitrified transplanted islets. The HFV method allows for efficient long-term cryopreservation of islets.

Identification and functional activity of a staphylocoagulase type XI variant originating from staphylococcal food poisoning isolates

Staphylocoagulase, an extracellular protein secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, has been used as an epidemiological marker. At least 12 serotypes and 24 genotypes subdivided on the basis of nucleotide sequence have been reported to date. In this study, we identified a novel staphylocoagulase nucleotide sequence, coa310, from staphylococcal food poisoning isolates that had the ability to coagulate plasma, but could not be typed using the conventional method. The protein encoded by coa310 contained the six fundamental conserved domains of staphylocoagulase. The full-length nucleotide sequence of coa310 shared the highest similarity (77·5%) with that of staphylocoagulase-type (SCT) XIa. The sequence of the D1 region, which would be responsible for the determination of SCT, shared the highest similarity (91·8%) with that of SCT XIa. These results suggest that coa310 is a novel variant of SCT XI. Moreover, we demonstrated that coa310 encodes a functioning coagulase, by confirming the coagulating activity of the recombinant protein expressed from coa310. This is the first study to directly demonstrate that Coa310, a putative SCT XI, has coagulating activity. These findings may be useful for the improvement of the staphylocoagulase-typing method, including serotyping and genotyping.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This is the first study to identify a novel variant of staphylocoagulase type XI based on its nucleotide sequence and to demonstrate coagulating activity in the variant using a recombinant protein. Elucidation of the variety of staphylocoagulases will provide suggestions for further improvement of the staphylocoagulase-typing method and contribute to our understanding of the epidemiologic characterization of Staphylococcus aureus.

Selective growth inhibition by suppression of F1Fo ATPase in canine malignant melanoma cell lines

Canine malignant melanoma (CMM) is a highly aggressive and fatal neoplasm. To identify potential therapeutic compounds and/or targets, 320 compounds were screened for their growth inhibitory activity in a CMM line (CMM-1) using a chemical library known to target specific signaling pathways/cell growth-related molecules. Among the compounds screened, the F1Fo ATPase inhibitor oligomycin showed potent growth inhibitory effects in CMM-1 cells, while exhibiting less toxic effects in a non-neoplastic control cell line (MDCK cells). The growth inhibitory effect of oligomycin A was then examined using six CMM lines and MDCK cells. Three CMM lines were highly sensitive to oligomycin A, with around 3000-20 000 times lower IC₅₀ compared with oligomycin A-resistant CMM lines and MDCK cells. Oligomycin A-sensitive CMM-1 cells exhibited much greater oligomycin A-induced decreases in cellular ATP compared to oligomycin A-resistant cell lines. Although the oligomycins are clinically unsuitable because of its in vivo toxicity, these findings implicate the potential of F1Fo ATPase as a therapeutic target in a subset of CMM.

Survey of patient exposure from general radiography and mammography in Japan in 2014

With the objective of reducing patient exposure to radiation, we conducted a questionnaire survey regarding radiographic conditions in 2014. Here we report estimates of dose exposure in general radiography and mammography through an investigation and comparison of present patient exposure conditions. Questionnaires were sent to 3000 facilities nationwide in Japan. Surveys asked questions on a total of 16 items related to general radiography, including the chest, abdomen, and breast. Output data from x-ray tubes measured in the Chubu area of Japan were used as the mean in these estimates. The index of patient exposure was adopted as the entrance skin dose (ESD) for general radiography and as the mean glandular dose (MGD) for mammography. The response rate for this survey was 21.9%. Our results showed that doses received through the use of flat-panel detector (FPD) devices were lower than those received through computed radiography devices, except for the ankle joint (e.g. in chest examination, the dose from FPD and CR was 0.24 mGy, 0.31 mGy on the average, respectively). These results suggest that more widespread use of FPD devices could lead to decreases in the ESD and MGD, thereby reducing patient exposure.