Genetic structure and diversity of Japanese kokanee Oncorhynchus nerka stocks as revealed by microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers

Genetic structure and diversity of nine Japanese kokanee (landlocked) Oncorhynchus nerka stocks and anadromous O. nerka from the North Pacific and the Canadian Lake Cultus population were examined using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA. Sequence analyses of the cytochrome b region of mtDNA for Japanese kokanee O. nerka stocks on Honshu and Hokkaido islands revealed that most Japanese stocks were monomorphic of one major haplotype, which was also dominant in the Lake Cultus population and anadromous O. nerka in the North Pacific. Assignment tests using microsatellite DNA revealed that there was no clear-cut population structure in Japanese kokanee O. nerka stocks.

[Pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung; report of a case]

A 83-year-old male was referred to our hospital for further examination of abnormal shadow on chest radiography. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed a tumor mass in his right lung. Bronchoscopy brushing cytology revealed non-small cell lung carcinoma and right middle lobectomy was performed. Histological findings showed large cell carcinoma comprised of spindle cell component, finally diagnosing as pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung. Although he was diagnosed as pT2N0M0 (stage IA) after the operation, massive liver metastasis was found 7 months later. We report this case with references to the literatures on pleomorphic carcinoma of the lung.

Tem Specimen Preparation of Tial Alloy Powders Produced by Plasma Rotating Electrode Process

TEM specimens of PREPed Ti -48 at.% Al powders can be prepared reproducibly in a straight-forward manner. There are two kinds of powders with respect to surface and crosssectional morphologies. One is with an Widmanstitten-like structure and or a surface relief of martensitic phase and the other is with a dendritic structure. The primary phase during solidification and relative cooling rate in both the powders are discussed by comparing the macroscopic and microscopic features.

Two cases of variceal haemorrhage during living-donor liver transplantation

Some patients with cirrhosis experience rupture of venous varices before operation, and liver transplantation is a therapy of last resort for these patients. However, we have experienced two cases of intraoperative rupture in whom no abnormalities of the venous varices were seen on endoscopy before operation. One patient with ruptured gastrointestinal varices was treated by direct surgical ligation and the other with ruptured oesophageal gastric varices, spontaneously recovered with a Sengstaken-Blakemore tube. These cases suggest that acute variceal haemorrhage should always be considered as a possibility during living-donor liver transplantation in patients with a history of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Careful observation of the nasogastic tube is important during clamping of the hepatic portal vein.

Creep deformation in a 3mol% Y2O3-Stabilized Tetragonal Zirconia

The high temperature deformation behavior of a 3mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia (3Y-TZP) is examined. The analysis of creep strain rate, which was monitored directly with an optical extensometer and corrected for the current grain size, reveals a sigmoidal feature in the true stress-creep rate relationship. At lower stresses, a stress exponent n of ∼1.6 incorporated with a grain size exponent of 2.0 suggests the intervention of a lattice diffusion creep mechanism. For higher stresses where n ∼2.7, evidence of intragranular dislocation activities suggests that dislocations may play an important role in the accommodation process for grain boundary sliding in 3Y-TZP.

Blood flow changes caused by distal filter protection and catheter aspiration in the internal carotid artery during carotid stenting: evaluation using carotid Doppler sonography

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

If blood flow in the ICA is reduced by the use of a distal filter during CAS, flow stagnation proximal to the filter occurs and this increases the probability of floating debris. The floating debris that remains after filter retrieval may cause cerebral embolism. However, if blood flow is increased by aspiration of blood from the ICA through an aspiration catheter, debris could be removed while the filter is still in place. The purpose of this study was to investigate blood flow changes in the ICA induced by filter use and aspiration.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A filter-protection device (AngioGuard XP) was used during CAS in 13 consecutive patients with carotid stenosis. Blood flow velocity in the ICA was measured by carotid Doppler sonography during filter deployment, filter retrieval, and catheter aspiration.

RESULTS

Blood flow velocity significantly decreased with filter placement and significantly increased with filter retrieval in patients with normal angiographic flow (P < .05). Aspiration of a 20-mL blood sample from the proximal ICA column significantly increased the blood flow velocity (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

The blood flow changes in the ICA induced by the use of a distal filter may cause cerebral embolism in filter-protected CAS. A routine aspiration method can potentially reduce the amount of migrating debris during CAS, even in cases with angiographic normal flow.

Age-related thermal habitat use by Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp

Age-related thermal habitat use by sockeye Oncorhynchus nerka, chum Oncorhynchus keta and pink Oncorhynchus gorbuscha salmon was examined using trawl data obtained in spring in the North Pacific Ocean. Thermal habitat use differed by species and age. Larger and older fishes inhabited cooler areas, whereas smaller and younger fishes inhabited warmer areas.

Small-amplitude dynamic force microscopy using a quartz cantilever with an optical interferometer

We propose dynamic force microscopy (DFM) that employs a quartz cantilever in combination with an interferometric deflection sensor. The high stiffness of the quartz cantilever allows DFM to be performed at oscillation amplitudes as small as 1 A. DFM topographic images can be obtained for a Si(111)-(7 x 7) surface even when a blunt tip is used at room temperature. The low-noise interferometer with a deflection noise floor of n = 15 fm Hz(-1/2) exhibits a high force sensitivity in force spectroscopy. By subtracting the huge van der Waals force contribution, we obtain a short-range force curve that is in good agreement with the theoretical curve of the covalent bonding force. Simultaneous measurement of the tunneling current during DFM imaging is also demonstrated.

Enhanced initial bone regeneration with inorganic polyphosphate-adsorbed hydroxyapatite

Inorganic polyphosphate (poly(P)) can promote binding between fibroblast growth factors and their receptors and enhance osteoblastic cell differentiation and calcification. This study evaluated the possibilities for poly(P) adsorbed onto interconnected porous calcium hydroxyapatite (IP-CHA) as a new bone regeneration material. Prepared 1%, 5%, 25% and 50% poly(P)/IP-CHA composites showed the elution peak of poly(P) between 15 and 20 min, respectively, with the highest value from 50% poly(P)/IP-CHA in vitro. Histologically, at 1 week of placement into the femur of rabbits, granulation tissue had penetrated into the pores in all composites and IP-CHA as a control. In contrast, at 2 weeks of placement, newly formed lamellar bone was found in all groups, although a higher amount of bone regeneration was obviously formed in the 25% and 50% poly(P)/IP-CHA with a significantly higher value of bone regeneration ratio of 50% poly(P)/IP-CHA. These results indicate that 25% and 50% poly(P)/IP-CHA composites may enhance initial bone regeneration.

Deposits on the intraluminal surface and bacterial growth in central venous catheters

Central venous catheter (CVC) tip and blood cultures are generally used to diagnose a catheter-related infection. Such methodology does not confirm the presence of bacterial colonisation on parts of CVCs other than the CVC tip. In order to assess the extent of bacterial colonisation, 10 catheters were examined in detail from patients admitted to intensive care unit. Swabs from the lumen at several sites (hub, indwelling and non-indwelling) were cultured and the intraluminal surface of the device subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Bacteria were detected on five out of 10 catheters (50%), and bacterial contamination of CVCs was common in the hub area of the device. Deposits (crystallisation) that differed from bacterial colonisation or biofilm were observed on the intraluminal surface of used CVCs. SEM showed bacteria firmly anchored to the deposits. Experimental flow studies demonstrated that deposits were more likely to appear after exposure to solutions such as total parenteral nutrition rather than distilled water. These deposits facilitated bacterial colonisation 30 times more than CVCs free from deposits.

Random number generation evaluation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus indicates a heterogeneous nature of central nervous system vulnerability

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the vulnerability of the central nervous system (CNS) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

METHODS

Forty-eight patients with SLE, 58 with schizophrenia in remission and 39 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Patients vocally generated 100 numbers in a random fashion, using numbers 0 to 9, and were evaluated with seriality scores. Patients with SLE were subgrouped according to differences in the presence of Raynaud's phenomenon, anti-phospholipid antibody, lupus activity, and a history of neuropsychiatric (NP) lupus, and these patients were also evaluated by comparison with their counterparts.

RESULTS

In general, patients with SLE showed lower seriality scores than patients with schizophrenia, and higher seriality scores than normal controls. The scores of the patients with a history of NP lupus matched those with schizophrenia, and the scores of never having NP lupus matched those of the healthy controls.

CONCLUSIONS

CNS vulnerability may be prolonged in patients who have a history of NP lupus even when they appear to be in normal NP status. The damage in random number generation (RNG) observed in patients with a history of NP lupus seemed equal to that found in those with schizophrenia, whereas those patients never having NP lupus appeared to be equal to the controls. The current study suggests a heterogeneous nature of SLE and prolonged damage, especially in CNS vulnerability, when evaluating with RNG.

Effect of combined application of bFGF and inorganic polyphosphate on bioactivities of osteoblasts and initial bone regeneration

Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and inorganic polyphosphate (poly(P)) have been recognized as therapeutic agents that enhance bone regeneration. It has also been shown that poly(P) may enhance the mitogenic activity of bFGF. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the combined effect of bFGF and poly(P) on bioactivities of osteoblasts and initial bone regeneration in vitro and in vivo. MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with bFGF, poly(P) or bFGF+poly(P), then subjected to cell proliferation assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity measurement, quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Alizarin S Red staining. In an in vivo study, bFGF-, poly(P)- and bFGF+poly(P)-modified interconnected porous hydroxyapatite (IPHA) complexes were fabricated, and placed into the femurs of rabbits to evaluate new bone formation histologically and histomorphometrically. The highest enhancement of cell proliferation were observed in those treated with bFGF+poly(P) on days 5 and 7. Cells treated with bFGF+poly(P) also exhibited increased ALP activity on days 5 and 10, up-regulated mRNA levels of osteocalcin and osteopontin, and enhanced calcification when compared to the non-treated cells. In vivo, the highest bone formation ratio was observed in bFGF+poly(P)-modified IPHA complexes. This study indicated that co-application of bFGF and poly(P) may provide enhanced bone formation by modulating cell proliferation and the mineralization process. It is anticipated that a combined application of bFGF and poly(P) can provide a novel method for bone regeneration in clinical use.

Serological study of dengue virus infection in Terai region, Nepal

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine dengue virus IgM-positive rate in Terai region, Nepal from August to December 2007. Serum samples were collected from 183 symptomatic cases. The samples were examined for dengue virus specific IgM using particle agglutination test. Of 183 serum samples, 55 (30.0%) had positive for dengue IgM antibody. The positive rate was highest (50.0%) in Biratnagar, and lowest (19.6%) in Chitwan male to female ratio was 2:1 in IgM-positive populations. IgM-positive rate was 29.0% at ages 21-30, 25.4% at ages 11-20 and 23.6% at ages 0-10, but 10.9% at ages 31-40, and ages over 40. There was not significant association between occupation of the patients and positive rate among farmer, labour, service, business and student.

Pediatric kidney transplantation is safe and available for patients with urological anomalies as well as those with primary renal diseases

The aim of the current study was to evaluate long-term outcomes of pediatric live kidney transplantation in patients with genitourinary anomalies relative to those with primary kidney diseases. The study included 35 pediatric patients who received a live kidney transplantation during the last 25 yr (28 males, six females). Median age at the time of transplantation was nine yr (range 1-15 yr), and the median follow-up period was 151 months (range 6-239 month). The patients were divided into two groups. The urological group (n = 14) included patients with primary obstructive/reflux nephropathy. The renal group (n = 20) included patients with primary renal disorders. Differences between groups in graft survival, clinical course, and final graft function were evaluated. Original diseases represented in the urological group included five cases with primary VUR and eight cases with secondary VUR. Diseases in the renal group included eight cases with bilateral hypo-dysplastic kidney, three cases with focal/segmental glomerular sclerosis, two cases with membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis, two cases with congenital nephrotic syndrome and five cases with other forms of chronic nephritis. Ten of 14 cases in the urological group, relative to six of 20 in the renal group, were preemptive. Median age at transplantation was 7.5 or 10 yr old, respectively, in the urological or renal group. Twelve kidney recipients in the urological group had also undergone other urinary surgeries, including upper urinary tract drainage, ureteroneocystostomy, augmentation cystoplasty, endoscopic incision of posterior-urethral valve, urethroplasty, etc. Cumulative post-operative complications occurred in nine or 16, respectively, in the urological or renal group. The acute rejection free and overall graft survival were similar in both groups. One patient in the urological group lost his graft while six patients in the renal group lost their grafts. Thus, the post-transplant clinical outcome of pediatric transplantation in patients with urological anomalies is comparable to that of recipients with primary renal disease. Appropriate urinary tract reconstruction and management is essential to reduce the risk of graft dysfunction because of urinary problems.