Fatal interactions of albatrosses with weather radiosondes/balloons on the Southern and Southeastern coasts of Brazil

Weather radiosondes play a crucial role in gathering atmospheric data for weather modeling and forecasting. However, their impact on marine wildlife, particularly seabirds, has raised concerns regarding the potential threats posed by these instruments. This study aims to assess the adverse effects of weather balloons on albatrosses, with a focus on the Southwest Atlantic region. The research reveals seven cases of entanglement of radiosonde equipment, leading to severe injuries and mortality along the Southern and Southeastern coasts of Brazil. Recommendations for mitigating the environmental impact of weather balloons include the adoption of biodegradable materials in their design and the implementation of improved retrieval protocols. Furthermore, the study stresses the importance of continued monitoring and research to address the interaction of weather radiosondes with marine animals. This approach is vital for ensuring the sustainable collection of scientific data while minimizing harm to marine life and ecosystems.

Unfractionated heparin versus nafamostat mesylate for anticoagulation during continuous kidney replacement therapy: an observational study

BACKGROUND

Unfractionated heparin sodium and nafamostat mesylate have long been used as anticoagulants in continuous kidney replacement therapy (CKRT) where citrate is unavailable. This study aimed to determine whether heparin or nafamostat mesylate used during CKRT was associated with a longer filter life.

METHODS

In this single-centre observational study, we included adult patients who required CKRT and used heparin or nafamostat mesylate for their first CKRT in the intensive care unit from September 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020. The primary outcome was filter life (from the start to the end of using the first filter). We used propensity score matching to adjust for the imbalance in patients' characteristics and laboratory data at the start of CKRT and compared the outcomes between the two groups. We also performed restricted mean survival time analysis to compare the filter survival times.

RESULTS

We included 286 patients, 157 patients on heparin and 129 patients on nafamostat mesylate. After propensity score matching, the mean filter life with heparin was 1.58 days (N = 91, Standard deviation [SD], 1.52) and with nafamostat mesylate was 1.06 days (N = 91, SD, 0.94, p = 0.006). Multivariable regression analysis adjusted for confounding factors supported that heparin was associated with a longer filter life compared with nafamostat mesylate (regression coefficient, days, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.15, 0.89]). The between group difference of the restricted mean filter survival time in the matched cohort was 0.29 (95% CI, 0.07-0.50, p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

Compared to nafamostat mesylate, heparin was associated with one-third to one-half a day longer filter life.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Not applicable.

[A case of systemic amyloidosis presenting with gastric emphysema]

The patient was an elderly woman in her 80s. Upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopies were conducted as a thorough analysis for cardiac amyloidosis, revealing no abnormal findings. A mucosal biopsy, however, resulted in an amyloid AA-type amyloidosis diagnosis. About 2 months later, she visited our department with sudden vomiting and epigastric pain onset. Plain abdominal radiography and computed tomography demonstrated gastric emphysema, and thus, she was admitted to our department. The gastric emphysema was alleviated with conservative treatment. Herein, we report a valuable case in which gastric emphysema manifested as a gastrointestinal tract lesion of amyloidosis.

[Hepatic echinococcosis that required 11 years for a definitive diagnosis: a case report]

A woman in her 80s underwent computed tomography that revealed a 22-mm-sized unilocular mass in segment 4 of her liver. The mass grew to 26mm at the 4-year follow-up and to 36mm at the 11-year follow-up, becoming a multilocular mass that invaded the bile duct. At this point, the patient was diagnosed with hepatic echinococcosis based on a serological examination and oral albendazole treatment was initiated. The patient developed cholangitis and underwent endoscopic biliary stenting 12 years after her initial diagnosis. We consider this case valuable as it allowed us to follow the natural course of hepatic echinococcosis.

Nasal breathing is superior to oral breathing when performing and undergoing transnasal endoscopy: a randomized trial

BACKGROUND : Transnasal endoscopy presents a technical difficulty when inserting the flexible endoscope. It is unclear whether a particular breathing method is useful for transnasal endoscopy. Therefore, we conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial to compare endoscopic operability and patient tolerance between patients assigned to nasal breathing or oral breathing groups. METHODS : 198 eligible patients were randomly assigned to undergo transnasal endoscopy with nasal breathing or with oral breathing. Endoscopists and patients answered questionnaires on the endoscopic operability and patient tolerance using a 100-mm visual analog scale ranging from 0 (non-existent) to 100 (most difficult/unbearable). The visibility of the upper-middle pharynx was recorded. RESULTS : Patient characteristics did not differ significantly between the groups. Nasal breathing showed a higher rate of good visibility of the upper-middle pharynx than oral breathing (91.9 % vs. 27.6 %; P < 0.001). Nasal breathing showed lower mean [SD] scores than oral breathing in terms of overall technical difficulty (21.0 [11.4] vs. 35.4 [15.0]; P < 0.001). Regarding patient tolerance, nasal breathing showed lower scores than oral breathing for overall discomfort (22.1 [18.8] vs. 30.5 [20.9]; P = 0.004) and other symptoms, including nasal and throat pain, choking, suffocating, gagging, belching, and bloating (all P < 0.05). The pharyngeal bleeding rate was lower in the nasal breathing group than in the oral breathing group (0 % vs. 9.2 %; P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS : Nasal breathing is superior to oral breathing for those performing and undergoing transnasal endoscopy. Nasal breathing led to good visibility of the upper-middle pharynx, improved endoscopic operability, and better patient tolerance, and was safer owing to decreased pharyngeal bleeding.

Non-invasive oxygenation strategies for respiratory failure with COVID-19: A concise narrative review of literature in pre and mid-COVID-19 era

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally and can cause a shortage of medical resources, in particular, mechanical ventilators. High-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) and non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) are frequently used for acute respiratory failure patients as alternatives to invasive mechanical ventilation. They are drawing attention because of a potential role to save mechanical ventilators. However, their effectiveness and risk of viral spread are unclear. The latest network meta-analysis of pre-COVID-19 trials reported that treatment with non-invasive oxygenation strategies was associated with improved survival when compared with conventional oxygen therapy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a lot of clinical research on COVID-19 related acute respiratory failure has been reported. Several observational studies and small trials have suggested HFNC or NPPV as an alternative of standard oxygen therapy to manage COVID-19 related acute respiratory failure, provided that appropriate infection prevention is applied by health care workers to avoid risks of the virus transmission. Awake proning is an emerging strategy to optimise the management of patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory failure. However, the benefits of awake proning have yet to be assessed in properly designed clinical research. Although HFNC and NPPV are probably effective for acute respiratory failure, the safety data are mostly based on observational and experimental reports. As such, they should be implemented carefully if adequate personal protective equipment and negative pressure rooms are available.

Giant magneto-optical responses in magnetic Weyl semimetal Co3Sn2S2

The Weyl semimetal (WSM), which hosts pairs of Weyl points and accompanying Berry curvature in momentum space near Fermi level, is expected to exhibit novel electromagnetic phenomena. Although the large optical/electronic responses such as nonlinear optical effects and intrinsic anomalous Hall effect (AHE) have recently been demonstrated indeed, the conclusive evidence for their topological origins has remained elusive. Here, we report the gigantic magneto-optical (MO) response arising from the topological electronic structure with intense Berry curvature in magnetic WSM Co₃Sn₂S₂. The low-energy MO spectroscopy and the first-principles calculation reveal that the interband transitions on the nodal rings connected to the Weyl points show the resonance of the optical Hall conductivity and give rise to the giant intrinsic AHE in dc limit. The terahertz Faraday and infrared Kerr rotations are found to be remarkably enhanced by these resonances with topological electronic structures, demonstrating the novel low-energy optical response inherent to the magnetic WSM.

Changes in Bradykinin and Prostaglandins Plasma Levels during Dextran-sulfate Low-density-lipoprotein Apheresis

The negative charges of dextran-sulfate (DS) used for low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis initiate the intrinsic coagulation pathway in which plasma kallikrein acts on the high-molecular-weight kininogen to produce large amounts of bradykinin. This study was undertaken to assess whether bradykinin generated during DS LDL apheresis has any physiologic effects in vivo. The plasma levels of bradykinin, prostaglandins and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) were compared, when either of two anticoagulants, heparin or nafamostat mesilate (NM), was used during DS LDL apheresis. Although anticoagulative action by NM depends on the inhibition of thrombin activity, this substance also inhibits the activity of plasma kallikrein. During apheresis using heparin, the plasma levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) increased significantly (5.6 ± 1.2 (mean ± SE, n=4) pg/ml before apheresis and 33.4 ± 13.2 after apheresis, p < 0.05) in association with an increase in bradykinin levels (17.9 ± 2.6 pg/ml before apheresis and 470 ± 135 after apheresis, p < 0.01). Interestingly, these changes were suppressed during apheresis using NM. There were no appreciable changes in cGMP during DS LDL apheresis with either of the anticoagulants. This finding suggests that bradykinin generated during apheresis has some pathophysiological effects via activation of the prostaglandin system. Our results support the view that in patients taking angiotensin-convertingenzyme inhibitors, the anaphylactoid reaction occurring during apheresis may be caused by an excessive rise in the bradykinin levels.

A novel genotyping technique for distinguishing between Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates virulent and avirulent to ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (Temminck & Schlegel)

We developed a simple genotyping method for Flavobacterium psychrophilum for analysing two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the gyrA gene and to distinguish between isolates that are virulent and avirulent to ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (Temminck & Schlegel). The genotyping method is an on/off switch assay and is based on the polymerase chain reaction technique with phosphorothioated primers. We classified 232 isolates from four families of fish (i.e. Plecoglossidae, Osmeridae, Cyprinidae and Salmonidae) into four genotypes (G-C, A-T, A-C and G-T). The G-C type isolates exhibited strong pathogenicity to ayu, whereas the A-T and G-T types did not show any pathogenicity to this species. The A-C type exhibited no or weak pathogenicity to ayu. These results indicate that genotyping F. psychrophilum isolates with two SNPs from gyrA can clearly distinguish between isolates potentially harmful to ayu (G-C type) and those that are potentially not harmful or less harmful (A-C, A-T and G-T type). The on/off switch assay provides a quick, simple, and very powerful DNA genotyping technique for F. psychrophilum isolates.

MicroRNA-mediated downregulation of mTOR/FGFR3 controls tumor growth induced by Src-related oncogenic pathways

The tyrosine kinase c-Src is upregulated in various human cancers, but the molecular mechanisms underlying c-Src-mediated tumor growth remain unclear. Here we examined the involvement of microRNAs in the c-Src-mediated tumor growth. Microarray profiling revealed that c-Src activation downregulates a limited set of microRNAs, including miR-99a, which targets oncogenic mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). Re-expression of miR-99a suppressed tumor growth of c-Src-transformed cells, and this effect was restored by the overexpression of mTOR. The downregulation of miR-99a was also observed in epidermal growth factor- and Ras-transformed cells, and it was suppressed by inhibiting the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Furthermore, miR-99a downregulation is associated with mTOR/FGFR3 upregulation in various human lung cancer cells/tissues. The tumorigenicity of these cells was suppressed by the introduction of miR-99a. These findings suggest that the miR-99a-mTOR/FGFR3 pathway is crucial for controlling tumor growth in a wide range of human cancers that harbor upregulation of the Src-related oncogenic pathways.

Progression-free survival and time to progression as surrogate markers of overall survival in patients with advanced gastric cancer: Literature-based analysis of 36 randomized trials

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Background: We evaluated the potential of progression-free survival (PFS) and time to progression (TTP) to act as surrogates of overall survival (OS) in clinical trial settings by a comprehensive literature-based analysis.

Methods: Randomized trials of systemic chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer were identified by comprehensive electronic and manual search. Correlations between PFS/TTP and OS were evaluated.

Results: Thirty-six trials with a total of 83 treatment arms and 10,484 patients were selected for analysis. The nonparametric Spearman rank correlation coefficient (p) between median PFS/TTP and OS was 0.70 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.82) and the correlation coefficient between hazard ratios in PFS/TTP and OS was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.92). Correlation tended to be higher in non-Asian (p = 0.80; 0.61-0.98) than Asian trials (p = 0.67; 0.39-0.94), higher in trials reporting PFS (p = 0.85; 0.72-0.97) than in those reporting TTP (p = 0.60; 0.24-0.97), and higher in trials in patients with measurable lesions only (p = 0.91; 0.77-1.00) than in those including non-measurable lesions (p = 0.71; 0.50-0.93), albeit that none of these differences was significant.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that improvements in PFS/TTP in advanced gastric cancer strongly correlate with improvements in OS. PFS/TTP may be an appropriate surrogate for OS in clinical trials for advanced gastric cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Selective occlusion with fibrin glue under fistuloscopy: seven cases of postoperative management for intractable complex fistulas

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIM

Fistula occlusion is not achieved in some fistulas with complex branches. To obtain early fistula closure in such cases, we insert a double-lumen catheter into each fistula branch, with the aid of a guide wire positioned using a small-caliber endoscope, and attempt selective infusion of fibrin glue.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Following removal of foreign bodies and necrotic granulation, we applied the selective occlusion method under fistuloscopic control to seven intractable external fistulas with complex branches, in which fistula closure had not been obtained by a simple occlusion method (SOM). All the fistulas were complex with more than two branches.

RESULTS

Fistula occlusion was obtained within 2 weeks in six of the seven patients, and there has been no sign of recurrence over a follow-up period of 4 - 59 months (average 29.8 months).

CONCLUSION

Selective occlusion under fistuloscopy is highly effective for intractable external fistulas with complex branches.

Effect of oxatomide, an antiallergic agent, on QT interval in dogs

Oxatomide (CAS 60607-34-3, KW-4354) is an effective antiallergic agent for allergic rhinitis, urticaria, pruritus cutaneous, and eczema/dermatitis, etc. Terfenadine (CAS 50679-08-8) and astemizole (CAS 68844-77-9), antiallergic agents, have been reported to induce QT prolongation leading to serious ventricular arrhythmia (torsades de pointes) as cardiovascular adverse effects. The present study was carried out to determine whether oxatomide and terfenadine have effects on QT interval as a single drug or in combination with itraconazole (CAS 84625-61-6), an antifungal agent with a CYP3A4 inhibitory effect, in conscious dogs. Terfenadine alone induced QT prolongation at the dose of 30 mg/kg p.o. When itraconazole was administered at the dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. 1 h before terfenadine administration, terfenadine induced QT prolongation at the dose of 10 mg/kg p.o. On the other hand, oxatomide did not induce QT prolongation either as a single agent at the dose of 30 mg/kg p.o. or in combination with itraconazole at the dose of 10 mg/kg p.o. The results present no evidence that oxatomide has the potential to provoke ventricular arrhythmia.

A VSV-G pseudotyped HIV vector mediates efficient transduction of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells

Attempts were made to infect human vascular smooth muscle cells derived from the pulmonary artery (hPASMC) with two different human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vector systems. ADA/Luc or HXB2/Luc were generated by cotransfection of luciferase reporter gene vector, pNL4-3-Luc-E- R-, and one of two envelope expressing vectors, pSMADA (R5) or pSMHXB2 (X4). The VSV-G/Luc or VSV-G/GFP were produced by a three-plasmid expression system which consisted of vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G) expressing vector, packaging plasmid, and one of two reporter genes (pHR'-CMV-Luc or pHR'-CMV-GFP). We used hPASMC, U87.CD4.CCR5 and U87.CD4.CXCR4 for infection. Neither ADA/Luc nor HXB2/Luc could infect hPASMC, though they could infect U87.CD4 with corresponding coreceptors. On the other hand, the transduction of both VSV-G/Luc and VSV-G/GFP to hPASMC was remarkable. At day 3, the relative proportion of positive cells of hPASMC infected with VSV-G/GFP was 15%. The above finding indicates a direct role of HIV-1 infection in pulmonary hypertension 'a rare complication of HIV-1 infection' and HIV-based vectors could introduce foreign genes into hPASMC for gene therapy of pulmonary hypertension.

[Effect of olopatadine hydrochloride, a novel antiallergic agent, on the QT interval in dogs]

Olopatadine hydrochloride (olopatadine), a novel antiallergic agent, is effective in the treatment of allergic rhinitis, chronic urticaria, eczema and dermatitis. It has been reported that terfenadine and astemizole cause side effects on the circulatory system such as QT prolongation followed by serious ventricular arrhythmias (torsades de pointes). To investigate the possibility of QT prolongation, we used both conscious normal dogs and hypokalemia-anesthetized dogs under two conditions: 1) olopatadine used alone and 2) olopatadine used in combination with itraconazole, the CYP3A4-inhibiting antifungal agent, in the present investigation. The group treated with terfenadine alone (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and the group treated with a combination of terfenadine (10 mg/kg, p.o.) and itraconazole (100 mg/kg, p.o.) had a significantly prolonged QT interval. On the other hand, the group treated with olopatadine alone (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and the group treated with a combination of olopatadine (30 mg/kg, p.o.) and itraconazole (100 mg/kg, p.o.) did not show any significant changes in QT interval. Moreover, olopatadine (1 and 5 mg/kg, i.v.) did not influence the QT interval in hypokalemia-anesthetized dogs. These results suggest that there is very little possibility of QT prolongation as a result of clinically used olopatadine.

A narrow window for rescuing cells by the inhibition of calcium influx and the importance of influx route in rat cortical neuronal cell death induced by glutamate

A rescue window for glutamate-insulted cells with regard to Ca(2+) influx was first investigated. The addition of EGTA, an impermeable calcium chelator to the culture within 5 min after the beginning of glutamate stimulation potently suppressed the neuronal cell death examined at 22 h. The effect of EGTA on rescuing cells decreased with the time delay of its addition to the system. MK-801, an antagonist of N-methyl-D-asparate (NMDA) receptor channels also inhibited the neuronal cell death in a similar manner to EGTA, suggesting Ca(2+) influx up to 5 min after the insult determined the fate of cells. But we also demonstrated that the elevated intracellular Ca(2+) did not always induce neurotoxicity. High concentration of potassium chloride plus FPL64176, an agonist of L-type Ca(2+) channels did not induce neuronal cell death, even though their combination elicited equal elevation of intracellular Ca(2+) to that by toxic concentration of glutamate, demonstrating that locally elevated intracellular Ca(2+) around NMDA receptors is important in the induction of neuronal cell death.

KF19418, a new compound for hair growth promotion in vitro and in vivo mouse models

KF19418, a newly synthesized compound, stimulated proliferation of cultured hair bulb cells from new born mice in concentration-dependent manner in the range under 10 microM. In the culture system of whole skin pieces from 4-week-old mice which we earlier established, KF19418 promoted hair follicle elongation as in the case of minoxidil. After topical application for 2 weeks of KF19418 or minoxidil to dorsal skin of hair-clipped mouse alopecia model, KF19418 at 1% suspension accelerated hair regrowth at a rate comparable to 1% minoxidil solution. Thus, it was shown that KF19418 directly stimulated hair follicle in vitro and had hair growth promoting activities in vivo.

Cloning and characterization of three novel genes, ALS2CR1, ALS2CR2, and ALS2CR3, in the juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS2) critical region at chromosome 2q33-q34: candidate genes for ALS2

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that manifests as selective upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. The autosomal recessive form of juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS2) has previously been mapped to the 1.7-cM interval flanked by D2S116 and D2S2237 on human chromosome 2q33-q34. We identified three novel full-length transcripts encoded by three distinct genes (HGMW-approved symbols ALS2CR1, ALS2CR2, and ALS2CR3) within the ALS2 critical region. The intron-exon organizations of these genes as well as those of CFLAR, CASP10, and CASP8, which were previously mapped to this region, were defined. These genes were evaluated for mutations in ALS2 patients, and no disease-associated sequence alterations in either exons or intron-exon boundaries were observed. Sequence analysis of overlapping RT-PCR products covering the whole coding sequence for each transcript revealed no aberrant mRNA sequences. These data strongly indicate that ALS2CR1, ALS2CR2, ALS2CR3, CFLAR, CASP10, and CASP8 are not causative genes for ALS2.

[A system of health education using dietary assessment]

We decided to focus attention on healthy young people, and to conduct a survey of their diet, as well as their physical activity and health condition, so that we made diagnoses and also give instructions on each subject using a computer program to promote their health. We carried out this experiment using this method with 836 young female subjects in order to find out whether it can be applied as a useful health education approach. 1. According to the survey, when the subjects made efforts in making the instructions as convenient as possible, the percentage of subjects who could carry out advice even 4 months later was seen to be higher. 2. The advice for which a significantly high percentage of subjects said "want to improve their daily action" and could actually carry out and improve them, was as follows: they should eat vegetables, have a substantial breakfast, drink milk every day, refrain from too much salt, not go without meals, increase the frequency of eating seaweed, and refrain from snacks. 3. The two kinds of scores used to evaluate diets showed that assessment after nine months gave lower values than those obtained when this survey started. Using these two evaluating scores, changes in diets were divided into five patterns, and their relation to the question "whether they used the advice or not" was examined. As a result, the percentage showing favorable diet changes in subjects who "took advice" was showed to be significantly high. 4. Subjects who received advice on physical activity exhibited improvement in carrying out routine exercises as well as making their daily life more active. 5. With subjects who took advice on both diet and physical activity, the number who complained about fatigue was significantly reduced. Although it is difficult to improve diet and exercise habits, the results of the survey suggest that our approach should be useful for improving health.

Elevation of serum soluble E-selectin and antisulfoglucuronyl paragloboside antibodies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Immunological abnormality is often found in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Antibodies to sulfoglucuronyl paragloboside (SGPG) were reported in ALS, although the pathogenetic significance of the antibodies is still unknown. We have already demonstrated that SGPG, a unique glycolipid, is present in both peripheral nerve and vascular endothelial cells. To investigate whether serum anti-SGPG antibodies would participate in activation and/or injury of endothelial cells in ALS, we examined serum anti-SGPG antibodies in association with serum soluble E- and P-selectins, which are markers of activated endothelial cells, in 25 patients with ALS and 14 age-matched patients with other neurological diseases (ONDs) using the microtiter-ELISA method. Seven out of 25 ALS patients had anti-SGPG antibodies. Levels of sE-selectin were significantly higher in patients with ALS (48.5 +/- 23.4 ng/ml) compared with ONDs (24.0 +/- 11.8 ng/ml) (P < 0.005). Four out of seven ALS patients with anti-SGPG antibodies had concomitantly high sE-selectin levels. The mean sE-selectin levels were higher in patients with anti-SGPG antibodies (61.9 +/- 25.2 ng/ml) than in those without anti-SGPG antibodies (43.3 +/- 21.1 ng/ml). Anti-SGPG antibodies may take part in the activation and/or injury of endothelial cells. The increased expression of E-selectin may be related to an immunological process in some ALS patients.

[Roles of p53 in chemotherapy of glioblastoma]

LN382, a glioblastoma cell line, has a temperature-sensitive mutant p53. At the permissive temperature (34 degrees C), arrest of cell growth at the G1 phase occurred with recovered p53's transcriptional activity, and restored p53 protein turnover. In order to understand the influence of the functional status of p53 on the sensitivity to anticancer agents in glioblastoma cells, I analyzed responses of LN382 cells and U251MG cells with a mutant p53 as a control at 34 degrees C and 37 degrees C to etoposide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin, and 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU). Restoration of p53 protein function in LN382 cells at 34 degrees C reduced the cytotoxicity of etoposide and paclitaxel, whereas that of cisplatin and ACNU was not affected. In contrast, the temperature shift to 34 degrees C did not alter the cytotoxicity of etoposide, paclitaxel, cisplatin, or ACNU in U251MG cells. Transduction of wild-type p53 in LN382 cells also reduced the sensitivity of the cells to etoposide. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry revealed that this decrease in sensitivity was associated with an impaired transition to the G2M phase subsequent to the addition of etoposide or paclitaxel. These results indicate that cell cycle arrest induced by wild-type p53 function may abrogate the cytotoxic effects of etoposide and paclitaxel, which are dependent on G2M-associated apoptosis.

[Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy using totally implantable port system]

Because of low grade of response rate and high grade of toxicity, arterial infusion chemotherapy (AIC) is not the first choice therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Only far advanced HCC patients, who have no indication of surgical, transcatheter arterial embolization nor ablation therapy, are able to accept AIC. The AIC using totally implantable port system has an advantage for patient's quality of life in the long term. We recommend new intensive EEP regimen which has the response rate of 43% although its severe toxicity.

[Change in maternal bone mineral density during pregnancy and relationship between the density and foetus growth--a prospective study]

In order to study change in maternal bone mineral density during pregnancy and its relationships with bone metabolism and maternal perinatal factors including foetus growth, bone mineral density and bone metabolic markers were measured in 45 pregnant women aged 26-35 years. Specifically, bone mineral density was measured twice, first at 8-20 weeks of gestation and secondly within two weeks postpartum by ultrasonic bone densitometry, while bone metabolic markers were assessed at 8-20 and 26-30 weeks of gestation and at one week postpartum. Bone mineral density and metabolic markers were also examined in 35 non-pregnant controls, twice with a six-month interval. The results of the measurements and subsequent examinations based thereon were as follows: 1. Stiffness as an index of bone density decreased significantly during pregnancy (mean: -4.3%), with wide variation among individuals (-20%-(+)11%). Stiffness in controls did not show any significant change within the 6 months. 2. During pregnancy, bone alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin levels were significantly lower while urinary hydroxyproline levels (H.P/Cre) were significantly higher than in controls. Significant negative correlations were found between change rate in stiffness and HP/Cre measured at second trimester and postpartum. These results indicate that bone formation is reduced while bone resorption is increased during pregnancy, and that stiffness index reflects the extent of bone resorption. 3. Pre-pregnancy BMI and weight gain during pregnancy could not be linked with change in bone mineral density. 4. The women with greater bone density demonstrated a greater extent of loss postpartum. 5. Postpartum bone mineral density showed a significant, positive correlation with baby birth weight and height. Higher preservation of maternal bone mass is important not only for the mother's health but also for the baby's. Ultrasonic bone densitometry was found to be useful for measuring bone mineral density because it could detect small changes during pregnancy reflecting bone metabolism.

Dependence of efficient adenoviral gene delivery in malignant glioma cells on the expression levels of the Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor

OBJECT

Recombinant adenovirus is used as a competent vector in a wide spectrum of cancer gene therapies because of its high efficiency in gene delivery. To study the feasibility of gene therapy in malignant gliomas, the authors examined the antiproliferative effect of the adenovirally transduced wild-type p53 tumor suppressor gene by using 15 different high-grade glioma cell lines.

METHODS

Although growth suppression in association with a high adenoviral p53 transduction efficiency was seen in five of 15 cell lines, it was not observed in the remaining 10 cell lines. To clarify the underlying mechanism, we examined the expression levels of the Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR), which is the primary receptor for adenovirus, and of the integrins alpha vbeta3 and alpha vbeta5, which promote adenoviral internalization. The expression level of the CAR gene showed a close correlation to adenoviral gene transduction efficiency in the tested cell lines, whereas the expression levels of the integrins did not. The CAR expression was decreased by wild-type p53 transduction in U251MG cells harboring mutant p53 and increased by antisense inhibition of p53 in LN443 cells with endogenous wild-type p53.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study indicate that CAR expression is a critical determinant of transduction efficiencies in adenovirus-based gene therapy for human malignant gliomas.

Long-term right ventricular volume overload increases myocardial fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the interventricular septum in patients with atrial septal defect

BACKGROUND

Several studies have shown that long-term right ventricular (RV) overload in animal models alters myocardial energy substrate metabolism. However, whether long-term RV volume overload alters this metabolism in the human is unclear.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We performed positron emission tomography with [(18)F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) and single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) with [(201)Tl]TlCl (Tl) and [(123)I]15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-R,S-methylpentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) in 11 patients with atrial septal defect (ASD) and 11 control subjects. In the FDG study, we calculated myocardial metabolic rate of glucose (MMR) in interventricular septum (IVS) and left ventricular (LV) free wall. MMR was significantly increased in IVS compared with LV free wall in the ASD patients (420+/-35 versus 333+/-32 mol x kg(-1) x min(-1); P<0.05) but not in the control group (347+/-27 versus 357+/-25 mol x kg(-1) x min(-1)). In both ASD and control groups, SPECT count was not significantly different between IVS and LV free wall in Tl (ASD, 160+/-11 versus 177+/-12; control, 141+/-12 versus 157+/-14 counts per 15 minutes) and BMIPP studies (ASD, 203+/-14 versus 212+/-18; control, 162+/-16 versus 176+/-16 counts per 15 minutes). MMR in the IVS/LV free wall ratio in the ASD group significantly correlated with indices related to RV volume overload.

CONCLUSIONS

Given the assumption that long-term RV volume overload did not affect the lumped constant, the present study suggests that, unlike myocardial perfusion or fatty acid analogue uptake, myocardial glucose utilization in IVS relative to LV free wall is increased in relation to long-term RV volume overload in patients with ASD.

[Regional differences of in vivo proton MR spectroscopy in developing human brain]

The purpose of this study was to clarify regional differences in proton MR spectroscopy (1H-MRS) in the developing human brain. Proton MR spectra were obtained from 24 infants aged 0 to 24 months old. Proton MR spectroscopy was performed on a 1.5 Tesla clinical MR unit using a 3D-chemical shift imaging sequence (3D-CSI). MR spectra obtained from voxels in frontal white matter and those in parietal white matter were compared. The NAA/Cho ratios of the frontal region were lower than those of the parietal region at birth but increased rapidly during the first six months of life. The rate of increase was reduced in the second year of life. In contrast, NAA/Cho ratios in paracentral areas were already high at birth but increased slowly through the first two years of life. Cho/Cr ratios of the frontal region were stable during the first year of life and started to decrease in the second year of life. In the parietal region, Cho/Cr ratios were decreased throughout infancy. Regional differences in 1H-MRS spectra were apparent during infancy, and these differences were suggested to reflect regional differences in the maturation of the developing human brain.

[Cognitive dysfunction among the elderly evaluated by the cognitive abilities screening instrument (CASI)]

The Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) was developed by Japanese and American researchers, including the authors, to examine cognitive functions, based on previous neuropsychological tests, such as Hasegawa's Dementia Scale and the MMSE. From the Adult Health Study (AHS) population of the Radiation Effects Research Foundation, 2052 men and women aged 60 or over and living in Hiroshima were evaluated for their cognitive functions using the CASI. Dementia was diagnosed in 93 and 1,959 were considered not to suffer from dementia based on the DSM-III-R criteria using neurological examination and the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE) completed by caregivers. Multivariate regression analysis not only indicated that total score was higher with lower age and higher education but that the slope of its decrease is steeper with higher age and fewer years of education. The slope of score decrease with increase of age was steeper for women than for men. Furthermore, CASI items were categorized by domains of cognitive function. Multivariate regression analysis for each cognitive domain showed clear effects of age and level of education. The effect of age for the nondementia subjects was large in cognitive domains dealing with temporal orientation, short-term memory, and list-generating fluency. The most useful cognitive domains for diagnosing dementia were temporal orientation, short-term memory, and list-generating fluency, as was indicated by high sensitivity and specificity.

Overexpression of insulin-like growth factor-I in hearts of rats with isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy

Increased levels of plasma catecholamine lead to cardiac hypertrophy via the alpha-, beta-adrenergic receptors, and partially, type 1 angiotensin II (AT1) receptor. However, it remains unclear whether other factors are involved in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We investigated the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in hearts of male Wistar rats infused with a beta-adrenergic agent, isoproterenol (ISO) (3 mg/kg/day), with or without an AT1-receptor antagonist, TCV-116 (10 mg/kg/day). Cardiac myocytes became hypertrophied 1 day after the beginning of ISO administration. ISO induced a biphasic increase of cardiac myocytes positive for IGF-I protein in the early and late phases of the study period, whereas IGF-I gene expression was upregulated only in the late phase by ISO. TCV- 116 abolished the upregulation of IGF-I gene and protein expression in the late phase in association with the regression of cardiac hypertrophy. These results suggest that ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy is mediated, at least in part, by IGF-I, the expression of which is upregulated through the activation of AT1 receptor.

Differential expression of alpha 1, alpha 3 and alpha 5 integrin subunits in acute and chronic stages of myocardial infarction in rats

OBJECTIVE

Anchoring cardiac myocytes to extracellular matrix, which is mediated mainly by integrins on their surfaces, is important for maintaining the architecture of myocardial tissues and transmitting mechanical force. We evaluated the expression of alpha integrin subunits on myocytes and the accumulation of interstitial collagen and fibronectin at acute and chronic stages after myocardial infarction.

METHODS

Myocardial infarction was induced by ligation of left coronary arteries in rats. The expression of alpha 1, alpha 3 and alpha 5 integrin subunits, and accumulation of collagen and fibronectin were analyzed with immunohistochemistry or sirius-red staining.

RESULTS

In hearts without infarction, moderate expression of the alpha 3 subunit and only slight expression of the alpha 5 subunit were observed on myocytes. In the first week after infarction, the alpha 1 subunit, collagen and fibronectin were increased only in the peri-infarcted area, while the alpha 5 subunit was increased both in peri-infarcted and non-infarcted areas. At day 42, the expression of the alpha 1 subunit and collagen were still increased, although the alpha 5 subunit and fibronectin were decreased. The expression of the alpha 3 subunit was not altered throughout the experimental period.

CONCLUSION

These data suggest that integrin subunits play an important role in healing and remodeling processes after myocardial infarction.

Immunohistochemical analysis of platelet-derived growth factor-B expression in myocardial tissues in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Intimal and/or medial hyperplasia of intramyocardial small vessels is thought to be one of the causes of myocardial ischemia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, the pathogenesis of such vascular lesions in HCM is not yet known. To evaluate the pathogenic role of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF-B) and basic fibroblast growth factor (b-FGF), which have a potential to induce cellular and molecular changes observed in the vessels in HCM, we examined the expression of these molecules and PDGF receptors in cardiac tissues from six patients with HCM and seven controls using immunohistochemistry. The percentage of PDGF-B positive cells in the myocyte population in HCM was significantly higher than that in controls (52.6 +/- 16.2 (mean +/- SD) vs. 21.6 +/- 9.6, p < 0.01). PDGF-B was also observed in vascular regions in HCM (61.1 +/- 25.5% of arterioles) but not in controls. There were no significant differences in the expression of b-FGF and PDGF receptors in the myocyte and non-myocyte populations and the vascular regions between the HCM and control groups. Our study revealed that the expression of PDGF-B protein was up-regulated in HCM, suggesting the contribution of this molecule to the development of intramyocardial vasculopathy.