Encephalomyelitis associated with akabane virus infection in adult cows

Between August and September 2000, five 2-7-year-old cows in Korea exhibited neurologic signs and were diagnosed as infected with Akabane virus based on the results of histopathology, immunohistochemistry, serology, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were equally effective and sensitive for diagnosing Akabane virus infection during the early stage of infection. Typical lymphohistiocytic inflammation characterized by perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration, gliosis, neuronophagia, and neuronal loss was noted in the brain and the ventral horn gray matter of the spinal cord. The lesions in the brain were most prominent in the pons and medulla oblongata. Akabane virus antigen was detected in the brain and spinal cord, mainly in degenerating neurons and glial cells. RT-PCR analysis revealed a target band of expected size in four cows. This is the first report on an outbreak of natural Akabane virus infection in adult cattle.

Spontaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and multiple bronchioloalveolar carcinomas in a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Two primary tumours, squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and multiple bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, were diagnosed in a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Two oral masses were located in the right ventrolateral surface of the tongue, near the frenulum, and the lungs contained multiple, widely distributed, nodular masses. Microscopically, the oral masses were composed of invasive cords of pleomorphic, polyhedral cells, typical of squamous cells. The multiple pulmonary masses consisted of non-ciliated, cuboidal, columnar, or occasionally polyhedral cells arranged in an alveolar pattern with multifocal areas of necrosis. This is the first report of spontaneous oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the Virginia opossum. However, multiple pulmonary adenomas have been reported previously in this species, the lesions being similar to those in sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (jaagsiekte). In the present study, immunohistochemical examination of the pulmonary tumours with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to jaagsiekte retroviral capsid protein proved negative.

Search for CP violation in the decays D+--> K(S)pi+ and D+-->K(S)K+

A high-statistics sample of photoproduced charm from the FOCUS experiment has been used to search for direct CP violation in the decay rates for D+-->K(S)pi+ and D+-->K(S)K+. We have measured the following asymmetry parameters relative to D+-->K-pi+pi+: A(CP)(K(S)pi+) = (-1.6+/-1.5+/-0.9)%, A(CP)(K(S)K+) = (+6.9+/-6.0+/-1.5)%, and A(CP)(K(S)K+) = (+7.1+/-6.1+/-1.2)% relative to D+-->K(S)pi+. We have also measured the relative branching ratios and found Gamma(D+-->K(0)pi+)/Gamma(D+-->K-pi+pi+) = (30.60+/-0.46+/-0.32)%, Gamma(D+-->K(0)K+)/Gamma(D+-->K-pi+pi+) = (6.04+/-0.35+/-0.30)%, and Gamma(D+-->K(0)K+)/Gamma(D+-->K(0)pi+) = (19.96+/-1.19+/-0.96)%.

Preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy for stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer

Thirty-one patients with stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were treated with preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) followed by surgery. The treatment protocol could not be completed in eight patients. The acute hematologic toxicities of grade III or IV occurred in 48.4%, (15/31) after the first chemotherapy cycle, and in 39.1% (9/23) after the second cycle. The most common non-hematologic toxicity was radiation esophagitis. Surgery was attempted in 23 patients and successful in 22 patients (resection rate = 71.0%. Pathologic complete response and down-staging were achieved in 13.6% (3/22) and 68.2% (15/22). The median survival period, 2-year overall survival, local control and disease-free survival rates of all 31 patients and of 22 patients who underwent surgery were 19 months, 37.2%, 49.1%, 35.5%, and 19 months, 43.2%, 51.8%, 25.6%, respectively. On the basis of our observations, preoperative CCRT followed by surgery for stage IIIA NSCLC has resulted in outcomes comparable with those in previous reports.

Morganelliasis pneumonia in a captive jaguar

Suppurative bronchopneumonia was discovered in a 6-yr-old male jaguar (Panthera onca onca) that died after a 1 wk history of anorexia, depression, and respiratory difficulty. Morganella morganii was isolated as a pure culture from the lung, spleen, and heart blood. This is the first record of M. morganii induced pneumonia in a jaguar.

Thermoluminescence characteristics of teflon embedded CaSO4:Dy TLD

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) is manufacturing CaSO4:Dy Teflon TL pellets which have more sensitivity and stability than commercial TLD. A method is presented of preparing the CaSO4:Dy phosphor-embedded Teflon powder, which is then compressed to a thin pellet form used as the TLD element. Investigations are made to determine optimum preparation conditions and dosimetric characteristics of the CaSO4:Dy Teflon pellet such as the sensitivity, energy response, dose response, fading, re-usability, and lowest level of detection. The results show that the sensitivity of the CaSO4:Dy pellet is 2 times higher than that of the commercial Teledyne CaSO4:Dy pellet. A dose-response was observed to be linear in the range from 10(-5) to 10 Gy. The relative energy response in the low energy region was 9.6 (normalised to the 137Cs gamma source), and the fading rate was about 10% for five months. The re-usability was estimated to be more than 60 cycles, and the low level of detection dose was 22 microGy. From the results, the CaSO4:Dy pellet developed in KAERI can be successfully used in personal dosemeters through appropriate filter design for compensating the energy response.

Search for the familon via B(+/-) --> pi+/-X(0), B(+/-) --> K(+/-)X(0), and B(0) --> K(0)(S)X(0) decays

We have searched for the two-body decay of the B meson to a light pseudoscalar meson h = pi(+/-),K+/-,K(0)(S) and a massless neutral feebly interacting particle X(0) such as the familon, the Nambu-Goldstone boson associated with a spontaneously broken global family symmetry. We find no significant signal by analyzing a data sample containing 9.7x10(6) BBbar mesons collected with the CLEO detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, and set 90% C.L. upper limits italicB(B(+/-) --> h(+/-)X(0)) = 4.9x10(-5) and italicB(B(0) --> K(0)(S)X(0)) = 5.3x10(-5). These limits correspond to a lower bound of approximately 10(8) GeV on the family symmetry breaking scale with vector coupling involving the third generation of quarks.

Hadronic mass moments in inclusive semileptonic B meson decays

We have measured the first and second moments of the hadronic mass-squared distribution in B-->X(c)l nu, for P(lepton)>1.5 GeV/c. We find <M(2)(X)-M macro(2)(D)> = 0.251+/-0.066 GeV(2), <(M(2)(X)-<M(2)(X)>)(2)> = 0.576+/-0.170 GeV(4), where M macro(D) is the spin-averaged D meson mass. From that first moment and the first moment of the photon energy spectrum in b-->s gamma, we find the heavy quark effective theory parameter lambda(1) (in the modified minimal subtraction renormalization scheme, to order 1/M(3)(B) and beta(0)alpha(2)(s)) to be -0.24+/-0.11 GeV(2). Using these first moments and the B semileptonic width, and assuming parton-hadron duality, we obtain absolute value of V(cb) = 0.0404+/-0.0013.

Branching fraction and photon energy spectrum for b --> s gamma

We have measured the branching fraction and photon energy spectrum for the radiative penguin process b-->s gamma. We find Beta(b-->s gamma) = (3.21+/-0.43+/-0.27(+0.18)(-0.10))x10(-4), where the errors are statistical, systematic, and from theory corrections. We obtain first and second moments of the photon energy spectrum above 2.0 GeV, <E( gamma)> = 2.346+/-0.032+/-0.011 GeV, and <E(2)(gamma)>-<E(gamma)>(2) = 0.0226+/-0.0066+/-0.0020 GeV(2), where the errors are statistical and systematic. From the first moment, we obtain (in the modified minimal subtraction renormalization scheme, to order 1/M(3)(B) and beta(0)alpha(2)(s)) the heavy quark effective theory parameter Lambda = 0.35+/-0.08+/-0.10 GeV.

First measurement of gamma(D*(+))

We present the first measurement of the D*(+) width using 9/fb of e(+)e(-) data collected near the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the CLEO II.V detector. Our method uses advanced tracking techniques and a reconstruction method that takes advantage of the small vertical size of the Cornell Electron-positron Storage Ring beam spot to measure the energy release distribution from the D*(+)-->D(0)pi(+) decay. We find gamma(D*(+)) = 96+/-4 (stat)+/-22 (syst) keV. We also measure the energy release in the decay and compute Delta m identical with m(D*(+))-m(D(0)) = 145.412+/-0.002 (stat)+/-0.012 (syst) MeV/c(2).

Differential effects of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibition on intracellular signals regulating GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase is required for insulin-stimulated translocation of GLUT4 to the surface of muscle and fat cells. Recent evidence suggests that the full stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin also requires activation of GLUT4, possibly via a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK)-dependent pathway. Here we used L6 myotubes expressing Myc-tagged GLUT4 to examine at what level the signals regulating GLUT4 translocation and activation bifurcate. We compared the sensitivity of each process, as well as of signals leading to GLUT4 translocation (Akt and atypical protein kinase C) to PI 3-kinase inhibition. Wortmannin inhibited insulin-stimulated glucose uptake with an IC(50) of 3 nm. In contrast, GLUT4myc appearance at the cell surface was less sensitive to inhibition (IC(50) = 43 nm). This dissociation between insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and GLUT4myc translocation was not observed with LY294002 (IC(50) = 8 and 10 microm, respectively). The sensitivity of insulin-stimulated activation of PKC zeta/lambda, Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3 to wortmannin (IC(50) = 24, 30, 35, and 60 nm, respectively) correlated closely with inhibition of GLUT4 translocation. In contrast, insulin-dependent p38 MAPK phosphorylation was efficiently reduced in cells pretreated with wortmannin, with an IC(50) of 7 nm. Insulin-dependent p38 alpha and p38 beta MAPK activities were also markedly reduced by wortmannin (IC(50) = 6 and 2 nm, respectively). LY294002 or transient expression of a dominant inhibitory PI 3-kinase construct (Delta p85), however, did not affect p38 MAPK phosphorylation. These results uncover a striking correlation between PI 3-kinase, Akt, PKC zeta/lambda, and GLUT4 translocation on one hand and their segregation from glucose uptake and p38 MAPK activation on the other, based on their wortmannin sensitivity. We propose that a distinct, high affinity target of wortmannin, other than PI 3-kinase, may be necessary for activation of p38 MAPK and GLUT4 in response to insulin.

Validation of a stable isotope gastric emptying test for normal, accelerated or delayed gastric emptying

To validate a 13C-Spirulina platensis breath test for measurement of accelerated or delayed gastric emptying, we measured gastric emptying of egg containing 13C-S. platensis and 99mTc-sulphur colloid by breath 13 CO2 every 15 min over 3 h and scintigraphy every 15-30 min over 5 h in 57 healthy volunteers. Thirty-three received no treatment, 10 received erythromycin, and 14 atropine. A generalized linear regression model predicted half-emptying time by scintigraphy (t1/2S) from breath 13CO2 (t1/2B) data. Accuracy was assessed by standard deviation (SD) of differences between t1/2S and t1/2B and by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Regression models using breath samples at baseline, and 45, 90, 105 and 120 min, predicted t1/2B (mean +/- SD) at 118 +/- 59 min, similar to t1/2S (118 +/- 67 min). Correlation between t1/2B and t1/2S was significant (r=0.88; P < 0.0001). Differences between t1/2S and t1/2B were: 18-19.2 min for t1/2 < 70-150 min, and 68.3 min for t1/2 > 150 min. Breath test detected abnormal emptying with a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 80%. Thus, the 13C-S. platensis test measures gastric emptying t1/2 for solids, which is accelerated or delayed to mimic a range of conditions from dumping syndrome to severe gastroparesis, with high sensitivity and specificity. Additional breath samples are needed to increase sensitivity in detecting accelerated gastric emptying.

Pharmacological modulation of human gastric volumes demonstrated noninvasively using SPECT imaging

Three-dimensional single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging allows noninvasive measurement of human postprandial gastric accommodation. The aim of this study was to determine whether 99mTCO4-SPECT demonstrates effects on pre- and postprandial gastric volumes of intravenous (i.v.) erythromycin lactobionate and sublingual isosorbide dinitrate, as predicted from previous literature. Twenty volunteers received no medication (controls), while 12 were randomized to either i.v. erythromycin 2 mg kg-1 over 20 min, or 10 mg sublingual isosorbide. After a 10-min preprandial SPECT measurement, a standard 300-mL, 300-kcal liquid meal was ingested, followed by a 20-min postprandial measurement. Gastric images were reconstructed from transaxial images and total volume was measured using the Analyseeth software system. Fasting gastric volume was greater with isosorbide [223 +/- 14 (SE) mL vs. 174 +/- 9 mL, control; P < 0.05], and postprandial volume was lower with erythromycin [393 +/- 27 mL vs. 582 +/- 17 mL, control; P < 0.05]. The ratio of postprandial over fasting volume and mean difference between pre- and postprandial volumes were significantly lower in both drug groups compared to controls. We conclude that 99mTCO4-SPECT imaging is able to semiquantitatively demonstrate pharmacological modulation of fasting gastric volume and postprandial accommodation in humans.

Expression profile of histone deacetylase 1 in gastric cancer tissues

Although histone deacetylases (HDACs) appear to play a crucial role in carcinogenesis, the expression status of HDACs in primary human cancer tissues has not yet been reported. In this study, we investigated the expression level of HDAC1 in 25 paired primary human gastric cancer (GC) tissues and corresponding normal tissues through semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblot analysis. The HDAC1 expression pattern was also topologically examined through immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of HDAC1 mRNA was detected in 68% of GC tissues (17 of 25), and the relative density of HDAC1 mRNA in GC tissue was increased 1.8-fold versus the normal counterpart (P < 0.01). Elevated expression of HDAC1 protein was also detected in 61% of GC samples (11 of 18), which also showed an increased mRNA level of HDAC. Immunohistochemically, overexpression of HDAC1 was predominantly localized in the nuclei of most neoplastic cells, including embolic tumor cells, whereas normal glandular epithelial cells revealed only weak HDAC1 expression that was focal in distribution. Thus, the present study clearly demonstrates that HDAC1 is overexpressed in GC and probably plays a significant role in gastric carcinogenesis.

Thymoglobulin induction decreases rejection in solitary pancreas transplantation

BACKGROUND

Solitary pancreas transplants, both pancreas transplant alone (PTA) and pancreas after kidney (PAK), have higher rejection rates and lower graft survivals than simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplants (SPK). The aim of this study is to compare three different antibody induction regimens in solitary pancreas transplant recipients and to assess the role of surveillance pancreas biopsies in the management of these patients.

METHODS

Solitary pancreas transplant recipients between 01/98 to 02/00 (n=29) received induction with either daclizumab (1 mg/kg on day 0, 7, 14), OKT 3 (5 mg/day x0-7), or thymoglobulin (1.5 mg/kg/day x0-10). Maintenance immunosuppression was similar for the three groups. All rejections were biopsy-proven either by surveillance/protocol or when clinically indicated.

RESULTS

The 1-year graft survival was 89.3% overall and 91.7% in the thymoglobulin group. Thymoglobulin significantly decreased rejection in the first 6 months when compared with OKT3 or daclizumab (7.7 vs. 60 vs. 50%). Acute rejections were seen on surveillance biopsies in the absence of biochemical abnormalities in 40% of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Thymoglobulin induction regimen led to a low incidence of acute rejection and a high rate of graft survival in solitary pancreas transplants. In addition, surveillance biopsies were useful in the detection of early acute rejection in the absence of biochemical abnormalities.

The role of PDR13 in tolerance to high copper stress in budding yeast

PDR13 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae contributes to drug resistance via sequential activation of PDR1 and PDR5. In this study, we found that a PDR13 deletion mutant was hypersensitive to Cu(2+) compared to the wild-type counterpart. The Cu(2+) tolerance mechanism mediated by Pdr13 does not seem to involve Pdr1 or Pdr5, since mutants harboring a deletion of either the PDR1 or PDR5 gene did not show elevated Cu(2+) sensitivity. Instead, we found that the PDR13 null mutant could not express CUP1 or CRS5 metallothionein at wild-type levels when subjected to high Cu(2+) stress. These results suggest that Pdr13 contributes to high Cu(2+) tolerance of S. cerevisiae, at least in part, via a mechanism involving metallothionein expression.

Noninvasive measurement of gastric accommodation in patients with idiopathic nonulcer dyspepsia

OBJECTIVES

Postprandial symptoms are associated with impaired postprandial gastric accommodation. The aims of this study were to apply a noninvasive method to measure accommodation of the entire stomach in healthy subjects and in patients with idiopathic dyspeptic symptoms, and to assess the frequency of abnormal gastric accommodation and emptying of solids in these patients.

METHODS

In 20 healthy volunteers and 32 tertiary referral patients, we used i.v. 99mTc-single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) to measure fasting and postprandial gastric volumes; we expressed the volume response to feeding ("accommodation") as the change in gastric volume and the ratio of postprandial/fasting volumes. The stomach was identified in transaxial SPECT tomographic images using a semiautomated, intensity-based extraction algorithm. Whole gastric volumes were measured using AnalyzeAVW software. Gastric emptying in patients was measured by scintigraphy. We also assessed dyspeptic symptoms and the association with normal or reduced accommodation.

RESULTS

SPECT imaging detects the postprandial change in gastric volume ("accommodation") in health and disease. Among healthy subjects (eight men, 12 women), the postprandial/fasting gastric volume ratio was 4.9+/-1.7 (mean +/- SD; fifth through 95th percentiles 3-8, median 4.6). Thirteen (41%) patients with idiopathic nonulcer dyspepsia had reduced postprandial "accommodation." Gastric emptying was fast in four (13%), normal in 25 (78%), and slow in three (9%) patients. Both tests were normal in 50% of patients. Weight loss of >10 pounds tended to be more frequently observed in those with reduced "accommodation" (62% vs 32%, p = 0.09).

CONCLUSIONS

SPECT imaging noninvasively measures fasting and postprandial gastric volumes in humans. Half the patients with idiopathic nonulcer dyspepsia had impaired gastric accommodation or emptying. Reduced gastric "accommodation" was observed in 41% of a group with idiopathic nonulcer dyspepsia. Abnormal gastric emptying is less frequent (22%).

GLUT4 translocation precedes the stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin in muscle cells: potential activation of GLUT4 via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

We previously reported that SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), attenuates insulin-stimulated glucose uptake without altering GLUT4 translocation. These results suggested that insulin might activate GLUT4 via a p38 MAPK-dependent pathway. Here we explore this hypothesis by temporal and kinetic analyses of the stimulation of GLUT4 translocation, glucose uptake and activation of p38 MAPK isoforms by insulin. In L6 myotubes stably expressing GLUT4 with an exofacial Myc epitope, we found that GLUT4 translocation (t(1/2)=2.5 min) preceded the stimulation of 2-deoxyglucose uptake (t(1/2)=6 min). This segregation of glucose uptake from GLUT4 translocation became more apparent when the two parameters were measured at 22 degrees C. Preincubation with the p38 MAPK inhibitors SB202190 and SB203580 reduced insulin-stimulated transport of either 2-deoxyglucose or 3-O-methylglucose by 40-60%. Pretreatment with SB203580 lowered the apparent transport V(max) of insulin-mediated 2-deoxyglucose and 3-O-methylglucose without any significant change in the apparent K(m) for either hexose. The IC(50) values for the partial inhibition of 2-deoxyglucose uptake by SB202190 and SB203580 were 1 and 2 microM respectively, and correlated with the IC(50) for full inhibition of p38 MAPK by the two inhibitors in myotubes (2 and 1.4 microM, respectively). Insulin caused a dose- (EC(50)=15 nM) and time- (t(1/2)=3 min) dependent increase in p38 MAPK phosphorylation, which peaked at 10 min (2.3+/-0.3-fold). In vitro kinase assay of immunoprecipitates from insulin-stimulated myotubes showed activation of p38 alpha (2.6+/-0.3-fold) and p38 beta (2.3+/-0.2-fold) MAPK. These results suggest that activation of GLUT4 follows GLUT4 translocation and that both mechanisms contribute to the full stimulation of glucose uptake by insulin. Furthermore, activation of GLUT4 may occur via an SB203580-sensitive pathway, possibly involving p38 MAPK.

Combinatorial array-based enzymatic polyester synthesis

A combinatorial strategy for biocatalytic polymer synthesis is demonstrated. A library of polymers was synthesized in 96 deep-well plates using AA-BB polycondensations of acyl donors and acceptors. The library was based on four straight-chain diesters as acyl donors (C(3)-C(10)) with aliphatic/aromatic diols as well as more diverse structures including carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and a natural steroid diol used as acyl acceptors. The lipase from Candida antarctica was active in acetonitrile and was capable of catalyzing the polycondensation of the aforementioned monomers to polymers with M(w)'s reaching as high as 20,000 Da, including the preparation of novel sugar-containing polyesters. The combinatorial approach to biocatalytic polymer synthesis described herein serves as a foundation for polymeric materials discovery by demonstrating that polymer arrays can be produced from structurally complex monomers.

Mammary gland adenocarcinoma in a mandrill (Mandrillus sphinix)

A 22-year-old female mandrill (Mandrillus sphinix) with continuously growing mass at the right mammary gland area was found dead, and a postmortem examination was performed. At necropsy, an elevated firm subcutaneous mass about 5 cm in diameter was present at the right mammary gland area. Axillary, mediastinal, and tracheobronchial lymph nodes were enlarged 2 to 4 times their normal sizes. Numerous metastatic foci 2 to 5 mm in diameter were scattered in the lung. Histologically, the tumor was diagnosed as mammary gland adenocarcinoma. Metastasis to the regional lymph nodes and lung was also confirmed. This is the first reported case of a mammary gland tumor in mandrill in Asia.

Residual stress relaxation in the core of optical fiber by CO(2) laser irradiation

We observed residual stress relaxation by CO(2) laser irradiation in the cores of optical fibers by direct stress measurement. It was demonstrated that the mechanical stress was fully relaxed by CO(2) laser irradiation and that the remaining stress in the core was thermal stress that was due to a mismatch of the thermal expansion coefficients of the fiber core and cladding. The net core stresses after relaxation were 17, 68, and 203 MPa in Ge-B-codoped fibers drawn at 0.53, 1.38, and 3.48 N, respectively. Changes in the refractive indices of the cores as a result of residual stress relaxation were also estimated.

Dietary hematein ameliorates fatty streak lesions in the rabbit by the possible mechanism of reducing VCAM-1 and MCP-1 expression

Hematein is a compound isolated from Caesalpinia sappan that has been used in oriental medicine as both an analgesic and an anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, we examined the anti-atherogenic potential of hematein using cholesterol-fed New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. NZW rabbits were divided into a hematein-supplemented (0.05% in diet) group (n=6), a probucol-supplemented (0.25% in diet) group (n=6), and a control group (n=6). After 8 weeks of treatments, the extent of the atherosclerotic lesions was significantly reduced in the hematein-supplemented group and the probucol-supplemented group without changing plasma lipoprotein levels. Hematein and probucol prevented the up-regulation of the vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression on the descending aorta induced by cholesterol diet. In culture, hematein also significantly inhibited the secretion of soluble VCAM-1 and of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) respectively induced by tumor necrotic factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and mildly oxidized low density lipoprotein in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) culture. Also, hematein inhibited monocyte adhesion to endothelial cell and the activation of NF-kappaB in HUVECs stimulated with TNF-alpha. The results of the present study suggest that the anti-atherogenic effect of hematein is not related to control of the plasma lipid profile but probably related to the inhibition of VCAM-1 and MCP-1 expression resulting in an amelioration of lesion development in the rabbit.

Is there a role for gastric accommodation and satiety in asymptomatic obese people?

OBJECTIVE

The relationships of gastric accommodation and satiety in moderately obese individuals are unclear. We hypothesized that obese people had increased gastric accommodation and reduced postprandial satiety. The objective of this study was to compare gastric accommodation and satiety between obese and non-obese asymptomatic subjects.

RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES

In 13 obese (body mass index [BMI] > or = 30 kg/m(2); mean BMI, 37.0 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2)) and 19 non-obese control subjects (BMI < 30 kg/m(2); mean BMI, 26.2 +/- 2.9 kg/m(2)), we used single photon emission computed tomography to measure fasting and postprandial gastric volumes and expressed the accommodation response as the ratio of postprandial/fasting volumes. The satiety test measured maximum tolerable volume of ingestion of liquid nutrient meal (Ensure) and symptoms 30 minutes after cessation of ingestion.

RESULTS

Total fasting and postprandial gastric volumes and the ratio of postprandial/fasting gastric volume were not different between asymptomatic obese and control subjects. However, the fasting volume of the distal stomach was greater in obese than in control subjects. Maximum tolerable volume of ingested Ensure and aggregate symptom score 30 minutes later were also not different between obese and control subjects.

DISCUSSION

Asymptomatic obese individuals (within the BMI range of 32.6 to 48 kg/m(2)) did not show either increased postprandial gastric accommodation or reduced satiety. These data suggest that gastric accommodation is unlikely to provide an important contribution to development of moderate obesity.

Biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoate copolyester containing cyclohexyl groups by Pseudomonas oleovorans

Production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) substituted with cyclohexyl groups by Pseudomonas oleovorans grown with 4-cyclohexylbutyric acid (4-CHB) and its mixtures with nonanoic acid (NA) was investigated. Addition of NA to medium gave rise to an increase in the total concentration of 3-hydroxy-4-cyclohexylbutyrate repeating unit in the PHAs, indicating that the bioconversion rate of 4-CHB to polyester was significantly improved by the cometabolic effect. Increasing the proportion of NA from 1.0 to 7.5 mM at a concentration of 10 mM total carbon substrate also accelerated the uptake speed of 4-CHB by the organism and resulted in an increase of the ratio of 3-hydroxynonanoate to 3-hydroxyheptanoate from 1.28 to 2.05. Differential scanning calorimetric analysis of the PHAs bearing the corresponding functional groups showed one melting transition and one glass transition temperature varying according to the composition. These results indicated that random copolyesters were obtained from the carbon substrates used in this study.