Regional random mutagenesis driven by multiple sgRNAs and diverse on-target genome editing events to identify functionally important elements in non-coding regions

Functional regions that regulate biological phenomena are interspersed throughout eukaryotic genomes. The most definitive approach for identifying such regions is to confirm the phenotype of cells or organisms in which specific regions have been mutated or removed from the genome. This approach is invaluable for the functional analysis of genes with a defined functional element, the protein-coding sequence. By contrast, no functional analysis platforms have been established for the study of cis-elements or microRNA cluster regions consisting of multiple microRNAs with functional overlap. Whole-genome mutagenesis approaches, such as via N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea and gene trapping, have greatly contributed to elucidating the function of coding genes. These methods almost never induce deletions of genomic regions or multiple mutations within a narrow region. In other words, cis-elements and microRNA clusters cannot be effectively targeted in such a manner. Herein, we established a novel region-specific random mutagenesis method named CRISPR- and transposase-based regional mutagenesis (CTRL-mutagenesis). We demonstrate that CTRL-mutagenesis randomly induces diverse mutations within target regions in murine embryonic stem cells. Comparative analysis of mutants harbouring subtly different mutations within the same region would facilitate the further study of cis-element and microRNA clusters.

Deletion of Exoc7, but not Exoc3, in male germ cells causes severe spermatogenesis failure with spermatocyte aggregation in mice

Vesicular trafficking is essential for the transport of intracellularly produced functional molecules to the plasma membrane and extracellular space. The exocyst complex, composed of eight different proteins, is an important functional machinery for "tethering" in vesicular trafficking. Functional studies have been conducted in laboratory mice to identify the mechanisms by which the deletion of each exocyst factor affect various biological phenomena. Interestingly, each exocyst factor-deficient mutant exhibits a different phenotype. This discrepancy may be due to the function of the exocyst factor beyond its role as a component of the exocyst complex. Male germline-specific conditional knockout (cKO) mice of the Exoc1 gene, which encodes one of the exocyst factors EXOC1 (SEC3), exhibit severe spermatogenesis defects; however, whether this abnormality also occurs in mutants lacking other exocyst factors remains unknown. In this study, we found that exocyst factor EXOC3 (SEC6) was not required for spermatogenesis, but depletion of EXOC7 (EXO70) led to severe spermatogenesis defects. In addition to being a component of the exocyst complex, EXOC1 has other functions. Notably, male germ cell-specific Exoc7 cKO and Exoc1 cKO mice exhibited phenotypic similarities, suggesting the importance of the exocyst complex for spermatogenesis. The results of this study will contribute to further understanding of spermatogenesis from the aspect of vesicular trafficking.

A universal method for generating knockout mice in multiple genetic backgrounds using zygote electroporation

Genetically engineered mouse models are essential tools for understanding mammalian gene functions and disease pathogenesis. Genome editing allows the generation of these models in multiple inbred strains of mice without backcrossing. Zygote electroporation dramatically removed the barrier for introducing the CRISPR-Cas9 complex in terms of cost and labour. Here, we demonstrate that the generalised zygote electroporation method is also effective for generating knockout mice in multiple inbred strains. By combining in vitro fertilisation and electroporation, we obtained founders for knockout alleles in eight common inbred strains. Long-read sequencing analysis detected not only intended mutant alleles but also differences in read frequency of intended and unintended alleles among strains. Successful germline transmission of knockout alleles demonstrated that our approach can establish mutant mice targeting the same locus in multiple inbred strains for phenotyping analysis, contributing to reverse genetics and human disease research.

Discovery of New Isotope ^{241}U and Systematic High-Precision Atomic Mass Measurements of Neutron-Rich Pa-Pu Nuclei Produced via Multinucleon Transfer Reactions

The new isotope ^{241}U was synthesized and systematic atomic mass measurements of nineteen neutron-rich Pa-Pu isotopes were performed in the multinucleon transfer reactions of the ^{238}U+^{198}Pt system at the KISS facility. The present experimental results demonstrate the crucial role of the multinucleon transfer reactions for accessing unexplored neutron-rich actinide isotopes toward the N=152 shell gap in this region of nuclides.

Use of Anti-Glycopeptidolipid-Core Antibodies Serology for Diagnosis and Monitoring of Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease in the United States

Background

There is an unmet need for rapid, accurate, and noninvasive assays for diagnosis and monitoring of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD). We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of an anti-glycopeptidolipid (GPL)-core immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody test in a US cohort of MAC patients, and we described serial serology changes during antimicrobial therapy.

Methods

We identified serum samples from MAC patients starting treatment at enrollment and control subjects with or without bronchiectasis within OHSU's NTM Biobank. We conducted diagnostic test accuracy. Changes in mean levels of anti-GPL-core IgA antibodies between 0 and 3, 6, or 12 months after treatment start were assessed using the Student's paired t test. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for IgA antibody levels and Student paired t test measures.

Results

We included 25 MAC patients and 18 controls. At baseline, IgA antibody concentrations in MAC patients (3.40 ± 6.77 U/mL) were significantly higher than in controls without bronchiectasis (0.14 ± 0.03 U/mL, P = .02). Sensitivity and specificity for MAC-PD in this population was 48% and 89% (cutoff point 0.7 U/mL), respectively. Among MAC patients starting antimicrobial therapy, mean IgA levels decreased 0.3202 U/mL (P = .86) at month 3, 0.8678 U/mL (P = .47) at month 6, and 1.9816 U/mL (P = .41) at 1 year. Quality of Life-Bronchiectasis Respiratory Symptom Scale improvement correlated with decreasing IgA titers after 12 months of treatment in MAC patients (r = −0.50, P = .06).

Conclusions

Anti-GPL-core IgA antibody levels are relatively specific for MAC-PD and decrease with treatment. Larger studies are warranted to evaluate the role of IgA serology in monitoring treatment response or for disease relapse/reinfection.

Prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms in non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND: The presence of depressive symptoms in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is an important research topic; however, the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the factors that influence their development are unclear.OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) scores and clinical parameters such as age, disease duration, pulmonary function, imaging findings, blood data, physical functions, sleep disturbances, respiratory symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study of 114 patients with NTM-PD at a single centre from March 2016 to January 2021 to evaluate the relationship between CES-D scores and clinical parameters.RESULTS: Participants had a median age of 64 years; 32.5% of them had depressive symptoms. Disease duration, albumin, C-reactive protein, pulmonary function, dyspnoea, exercise capacity, respiratory symptoms, cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbances were associated with depressive symptoms. Binomial logistic regression analyses indicated that the CES-D score was significantly associated with cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbances.CONCLUSION: A high percentage of NTM-PD patients in this study experienced depressive symptoms, and these patients had abnormalities of various clinical parameters. Cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbance had a strong influence on the development of depressive symptoms.

Air pollution and airborne infection with mycobacterial bioaerosols: a potential attribution of soot

Atmospheric pollutants are hypothesized to enhance the viability of airborne microbes by preventing them from degradation processes, thereby enhancing their atmospheric survival. In this study, Mycobacterium smegmatis is used as a model airborne bacteria, and different amounts of soot particles are employed as model air pollutants. The toxic effects of soot on aerosolized M. smegmatis are first evaluated and excluded by introducing them separately into a chamber, being sampled on a filter, and then cultured and counted. Secondly, the bacteria-soot mixture is exposed to UV with different durations and then cultured for bacterial viability evaluations. The results show that under UV exposure, the survival rates of the low-, medium-, and high-soot groups are 1.1 (±0.8) %, 70.9 (±4.3) %, and 61.0 (±17.6) %, respectively. This evidence significantly enhanced survival rates by soot at all UV exposures, though the combinations of UV exposure and soot amounts revealed a changing pattern of survival rates. The possible influence by direct and indirect effects of UV-damaging mechanisms is proposed. This study indicates the soot-induced survival rate enhancements of M. smegmatis under UV stress conditions, representing the possible relations between air pollution and the extended pathogenic viability and, therefore, increased airborne infection probability.

DAJIN enables multiplex genotyping to simultaneously validate intended and unintended target genome editing outcomes

Genome editing can introduce designed mutations into a target genomic site. Recent research has revealed that it can also induce various unintended events such as structural variations, small indels, and substitutions at, and in some cases, away from the target site. These rearrangements may result in confounding phenotypes in biomedical research samples and cause a concern in clinical or agricultural applications. However, current genotyping methods do not allow a comprehensive analysis of diverse mutations for phasing and mosaic variant detection. Here, we developed a genotyping method with an on-target site analysis software named Determine Allele mutations and Judge Intended genotype by Nanopore sequencer (DAJIN) that can automatically identify and classify both intended and unintended diverse mutations, including point mutations, deletions, inversions, and cis double knock-in at single-nucleotide resolution. Our approach with DAJIN can handle approximately 100 samples under different editing conditions in a single run. With its high versatility, scalability, and convenience, DAJIN-assisted multiplex genotyping may become a new standard for validating genome editing outcomes.

Pre-operative endovascular coil embolisation for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical outcomes of pre-operative endovascular coil embolisation (ECE) for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA).METHODS: We evaluated surgical patients with CPA between November 2016 and April 2020. Pre-operative ECE for CPA with severe adhesions was selectively performed to reduce intra-operative blood loss. ECE procedures, operative procedures, intra-operative blood loss and complications were evaluated.RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (21 males and 7 females; median age: 55 years) were included in the study. Of the 28 patients, 8 (28.6%) underwent pre-operative ECE. Technical success rate in pre-operative ECE was 100%. The median time required for ECE procedures was 123 min. The median number of vessels embolised per procedure was 2.5. The median period between embolisation and surgery was 5 days. Major complications were observed in three patients (10.7%). There were no significant differences between patients with and without pre-operative ECE in operative time (284 vs. 365 min, respectively, P = 0.7602) and intra-operative blood loss (294 vs. 228 mL, respectively, P = 0.8987).CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative ECE for CPA appears to be feasible and safe; however, its role in reducing intra-operative blood loss needs further investigation.

Health-related quality of life associates with clinical parameters in patients with NTM pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). However, the causes of this decline and the factors that contribute to it are unknown. This study was conducted to analyse the association between the St George´s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and clinical parameters, including age, disease duration, body composition, pulmonary function, chest X-ray findings, blood data and physical function.METHODS: We performed a single-centre, cross-sectional, retrospective study of 101 patients with NTM-PD from December 2016 to October 2019. The relationship between the SGRQ scores and clinical parameters was evaluated.RESULTS: The median patient age was 67.0 years. Pulmonary function, radiological score, albumin levels, C-reactive protein levels and incremental shuttle walk test distance (ISWD) were significantly correlated with the total and component scores on the SGRQ. Multiple regression analysis showed that the SGRQ score was significantly associated with radiological score, pulmonary function and ISWD.CONCLUSION: This study was the first to assess the effect of clinical parameters on the SGRQ in patients with NTM-PD. HRQoL as determined using the SGRQ was associated with the radiological score, pulmonary function and ISWD in patients with NTM-PD.

EXOC1 plays an integral role in spermatogonia pseudopod elongation and spermatocyte stable syncytium formation in mice

The male germ cells must adopt the correct morphology at each differentiation stage for proper spermatogenesis. The spermatogonia regulates its differentiation state by its own migration. The male germ cells differentiate and mature with the formation of syncytia, failure of forming the appropriate syncytia results in the arrest at the spermatocyte stage. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of male germ cell morphological regulation are unknown. Here, we found that EXOC1, a member of the Exocyst complex, is important for the pseudopod formation of spermatogonia and spermatocyte syncytia in mice. EXOC1 contributes to the pseudopod formation of spermatogonia by inactivating the Rho family small GTPase Rac1 and also functions in the spermatocyte syncytia with the SNARE proteins STX2 and SNAP23. Since EXOC1 is known to bind to several cell morphogenesis factors, this study is expected to be the starting point for the discovery of many morphological regulators of male germ cells.

Renal arteriolar hyalinosis, not intimal thickening in large arteries, is associated with cardiovascular events in people with biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy

AIMS

Diabetic nephropathy, a pathologically diagnosed microvascular complication of diabetes, is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular events, which mainly involve arteries larger than those affected in diabetic nephropathy. However, the association between diabetic nephropathy pathological findings and cardiovascular events has not been well studied. We aimed to investigate whether the pathological findings in diabetic nephropathy are closely associated with cardiovascular event development.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study analysed 377 people with type 2 diabetes and biopsy-proven diabetic nephropathy, with a median follow-up of 5.9 years (interquartile range 2.0 to 13.5). We investigated how cardiovascular events were impacted by two vascular diabetic nephropathy lesions, namely arteriolar hyalinosis and arterial intimal thickening, and by glomerular and interstitial lesions.

RESULTS

Of the 377 people with diabetic nephropathy, 331 (88%) and 295 (78%) had arteriolar hyalinosis and arterial intimal thickening, respectively. During the entire follow-up period, those with arteriolar hyalinosis had higher cardiovascular event rates in the crude Kaplan-Meier analysis than those without these lesions (P = 0.005, log-rank test). When fully adjusted for clinically relevant confounders, arteriolar hyalinosis independently predicted cardiovascular events [hazard ratio (HR) 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12, 3.86], but we did not find any relationship between arterial intimal thickening and cardiovascular events (HR 0.89; 95% CI 0.60, 1.37). Additionally, neither glomerular nor interstitial lesions were independently associated with cardiovascular events in the fully adjusted model.

CONCLUSIONS

Arteriolar hyalinosis, but not intimal thickening of large arteries, was strongly associated with cardiovascular events in people with diabetic nephropathy.

Reverse genetics reveals single gene of every candidate on Hybrid sterility, X Chromosome QTL 2 (Hstx2) are dispensable for spermatogenesis

F1 hybrid progenies between related subspecies often show hybrid sterility (HS) or inviability. HS is caused by failure of meiotic chromosome synapsis and sex body formation in house mouse. Previous studies identified two HS critical genomic regions named Hstx2 on Chr X and Hst1 on Chr 17 by murine forward genetic approaches. HS gene on Hst1 was reported to be Prdm9. Intersubspecific polymorphisms of Prdm9 induce HS in hybrids, and Prdm9 null mutation leads to sterility in the inbred strain. However, HS gene on Hstx2 remains unknown. Here, using knock-out studies, we showed that HS candidate genes on Hstx2 are not individually essential for spermatogenesis in B6 strain. We examined 12 genes on Hstx2: Ctag2, 4930447F04Rik, Mir743, Mir465d, Mir465c-2, Mir465b-1, Mir465c-1, Mir465, Gm1140, Gm14692, 4933436I01Rik, and Gm6812. These genes were expressed in adult testes, and showed intersubspecific polymorphisms on expressed regions. This first reverse genetic approach to identify HS gene on Hstx2 suggested that the loss of function of any one HS candidate gene does not cause complete sterility, unlike Prdm9. Thus, the mechanism(s) of HS by the HS gene on Hstx2 might be different from that of Prdm9.

Generation of B6-Ddx4em1(CreERT2)Utr , a novel CreERT2 knock-in line, for germ cell lineage by CRISPR/Cas9

Germ cell development is essential for maintaining reproduction in animals. In postpubertal females, oogenesis is a highly complicated event for producing fertilizable oocytes. It starts when dormant primordial oocytes undergo activation to become growing oocytes. In postpubertal males, spermatogenesis is a differentiation process for producing sperm from spermatogonial stem cells. To obtain full understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying germ cell development, the Cre/loxP system has been widely applied for conditional knock-out mouse studies. In this study, we established a novel knock-in mouse line, B6-Ddx4 ^{em1(CreERT2)Utr} , which expresses CreERT2 recombinase under the control of the endogenous DEAD-box helicase 4 (Ddx4) gene promoter. Ddx4 was specifically expressed in both female and male germ cell lineages. We mated the CreERT2 mice with R26GRR mice, expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and tDsRed before and after Cre recombination. We found tDsRed signals in the testes and ovaries of tamoxifen-treated B6-Ddx4 ^{em1(CreERT2)Utr} ::R26GRR mice, but not in untreated mice. Immunostaining of their ovaries clearly showed that Cre recombination occurred in all oocytes at every follicle stage. We also found 100% Cre recombination efficiency in male germ cells via the progeny test. In summary, our results indicate that B6-Ddx4 ^{em1(CreERT2)Utr} is beneficial for studying female and male germ cell development.

Study of Quasielastic Barrier Distributions as a Step towards the Synthesis of Superheavy Elements with Hot Fusion Reactions

The excitation functions for quasielastic scattering of ^{22}Ne+^{248}Cm, ^{26}Mg+^{248}Cm, and ^{48}Ca+^{238}U are measured using a gas-filled recoil ion separator. The quasielastic barrier distributions are extracted for these systems and are compared with coupled-channel calculations. The results indicate that the barrier distribution is affected dominantly by deformation of the actinide target nuclei, but also by vibrational or rotational excitations of the projectile nuclei, as well as neutron transfer processes before capture. From a comparison between the experimental barrier distributions and the evaporation residue cross sections for Sg (Z=106), Hs (108), Cn (112), and Lv (116), it is suggested that the hot fusion reactions take advantage of a compact collision, where the projectile approaches along the short axis of a prolately deformed nucleus. A new method is proposed to estimate the optimum incident energy to synthesize unknown superheavy nuclei using the barrier distribution.

MOLECULAR TYPING OF MYCOBACTERIUM KANSASII — A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE

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First Direct Mass Measurements of Nuclides around Z=100 with a Multireflection Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrograph

The masses of ^{246}Es, ^{251}Fm, and the transfermium nuclei ^{249-252}Md and ^{254}No, produced by hot- and cold-fusion reactions, in the vicinity of the deformed N=152 neutron shell closure, have been directly measured using a multireflection time-of-flight mass spectrograph. The masses of ^{246}Es and ^{249,250,252}Md were measured for the first time. Using the masses of ^{249,250}Md as anchor points for α decay chains, the masses of heavier nuclei, up to ^{261}Bh and ^{266}Mt, were determined. These new masses were compared with theoretical global mass models and demonstrated to be in good agreement with macroscopic-microscopic models in this region. The empirical shell gap parameter δ_{2n} derived from three isotopic masses was updated with the new masses and corroborates the existence of the deformed N=152 neutron shell closure for Md and Lr.

Signatures of Hyperfine, Spin-Orbit, and Decoherence Effects in a Pauli Spin Blockade

We detect in real time interdot tunneling events in a weakly coupled two-electron double quantum dot in GaAs. At finite magnetic fields, we observe two characteristic tunneling times T_{d} and T_{b}, belonging to, respectively, a direct and a blocked (spin-flip-assisted) tunneling. The latter corresponds to the lifting of a Pauli spin blockade, and the tunneling times ratio η=T_{b}/T_{d} characterizes the blockade efficiency. We find pronounced changes in the behavior of η upon increasing the magnetic field, with η increasing, saturating, and increasing again. We explain this behavior as due to the crossover of the dominant blockade-lifting mechanism from the hyperfine to spin-orbit interactions and due to a change in the contribution of the charge decoherence.

Zero ODP, Zero GWP, Halogen-Free, and Low K-factor Azeotropes as Blowing Agents for Isocyanate-Based Foams

Due to the ozone depletion potential (ODP) problem of CFCs and HCFCs, a number of alternative physical blowing agents for isocyanate-based foams are being investigated. Among them, two representative candidates are HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons) and halogen-free, aliphatic hydrocarbons in which the major hydrocarbons are n-pentane and cyclopentane. Another accompanying problem of CFCs and HCFCs is global warming potential (GWP).

This paper describes azeotropic blowing agents (hereinafter referred to as AZBs [32,33]) having no halogens. The AZBs employed in this study comprise a C5-C7 hydrocarbon and a compound selected from the group consisting of C2-C4 carboxylic acid esters, C3-C4 ketones, and C4 ethers. These halogen-free azeotropes have advantages of zero ODP, zero GWP, and lower K-factor.

The AZBs have the following advantages over HFCs and hydrocarbons: (a) they have a minimum boiling point and thus give more efficient blowing action than that of the respective individual components, resulting in lower density foams; (b) the AZBs-blown foams have lower K-factor than that of the foams blown with the respective individual blowing agents; (c) the adequate polarity of the AZBs exhibits better compatibility with foaming ingredients and results in finer celled foams than by the use of a single hydrocarbon blowing agent, e.g., cyclopentane; (d) due to the similarity of boiling points and polarity of the AZBs with those of CFC-11, the AZBs are a direct replacement for CFC-11 without any change of CFC-11-based formulations and without the use of special raw materials; (e) in general, the foam density is roughly proportional to the number of moles of blowing agent; the AZBs have lower molecular weights than CFC-11 and therefore, smaller amounts can be used. Also their costs are far less than that of CFCs or HCFCs; (f) the AZBs have zero ODP, zero GWP, and are halogen-free; therefore, there are no environmental problems.

A number of the AZBs can be used as blowing agents, for example a blend of n-pentane/methyl formate at a weight ratio of 47/53. The blend has a boiling point of 21.8°C, which is almost equal to that of CFC-11.

The AZBs can be used for various isocyanate-based foams, eg., flexible and rigid urethane foams, modified isocyanurate foams, urea foams, flexible and rigid integral skin foams.

Correlation between Serum IgE and Salivary Cortisol Levels in Subjects with Type I Allergic Disorders

This study compares the relationship between serum IgE and salivary Cortisol levels in 42 normal and in 18 type I allergic subjects. Levels of serum total IgE and salivary Cortisol were determined with the UniCAP system and ELISA respectively. In the type I allergic subjects, there was a significant correlation between serum IgE and salivary Cortisol levels ( p < 0.01). In the normal subjects, on the other hand, no correlation was found. These findings suggest that there may be an association between stress and allergic disorders.

Relationship between, Lifestyle, Mold and Sick Building Syndromes in Newly Built Dwellings in Japan

To investigate the relationships among Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) symptoms, we conducted a questionnaire and an indoor environment mold survey in a sample of newly built dwellings in Japan. The questionnaire included questions on SBS symptoms and lifestyle and a mold survey conducted in the living room of each dwelling. The odds ratios (OR) for insufficient sleep were 3.58 in males and 2.57 (weighted for SBS symptoms; W) in females, 0.38 (W) for alcohol consumption in males, and 0.10 (W) for working hours in females. The ORs for total molds were 2.90 and 2.90 (W): 2.25 (W) for Cladosporium cladosporioides, 3.60 and 7.69 (W) for Penicillium sp. in females, and 4.08 and 8.82 (W) for Alternaria alternata in males. These results suggest that the presence of Penicillium sp. in females and Alternaria alternata in males increases the risk of SBS, whereas sufficient sleep, moderate alcohol consumption for males, and fewer working hours for females might alleviate SBS symptoms.

Secretory Ig a in Saliva and Academic Stress

Several reports have proposed that the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) in saliva is an indicator of psychological stress. With this in mind, we decided to examine it in 10 second year medical student volunteers at Kawasaki Medical School course between May 4 and July 13, 2000 and discussed the relationship between S-IgA and the stress from academic examinations. Saliva was collected three times (on rising, at forenoon, and at bedtime) every Thursday. During this period, sporadic academic examinations were held twice and term-end examinations occurred during the last two weeks. Results showed the concentration of S-IgA significantly higher at the on rising time-point than at the other two time-points. There was also a tendency for the S-IgA level in saliva to be higher on the day before academic examinations and during them and lower on the days between these examinations. In addition, daily variations in the S-IgA concentration sometimes seemed to be disturbed by other academic stress. Therefore, it may be possible to use this measurement to monitor psychological stress in students and workers.

Damage control interventional radiology (DCIR) in prompt and rapid endovascular strategies in trauma occasions (PRESTO): A new paradigm

This article proposes an innovative concept of interventional radiology for hemodynamically unstable trauma patients. Damage control interventional radiology (DCIR) is an aggressive and time-conscious algorithm that prioritizes saving life of the hemorrhaging patient in extremis which conventional emergency interventional radiology (CEIR) cannot efficiently do. Briefly, DCIR aims to save life while CEIR aims to control bleeding with a constant concern to time-awareness. This article also presents the concept of "Prompt and Rapid Endovascular Strategies in Traumatic Occasions" (PRESTO) that entirely oversees and manages trauma patients from arrival to the trauma bay until initial completion of hemostasis with endovascular techniques. PRESTO's "Start soon and finish sooner" relies on the earlier activation of interventional radiology team but also emphasizes on a rapid completion of hemostasis in which DCIR has been specifically tailored. Both DCIR and PRESTO expand the role of IR and represent a paradigm shift in the realm of trauma care.

Prediction of reversibility of intestinal mucosal damage after ischemia-reperfusion injury by plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein levels in pigs

Objective:

The aims of this study were to elucidate the association between plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) level and actual pathological damage of intestinal mucosa and its reversibility.

Methods:

An intestinal ischemia-reperfusion model was created by temporary occlusion of the descending aorta in 9 pigs which were divided into 3 groups according to the duration of visceral ischemic insult: 15-minute ischemia (n=3), 30-minute ischemia (n=3) and 60-minute ischemia (n=3). Blood samples and short segments of the jejunum for pathological examinations, including immunohistochemical staining of I-FABP, Ki-67 and E-cadherin, were taken at the beginning of the operation (T1) and 15 minutes (T2), 30 minutes (T3), 45 minutes (T4) and 60 minutes (T5) after reperfusion.

Results:

Plasma I-FABP after 15 minutes of ischemia reached a peak of 1859±1089 pg/ml at T3, while the level after 30 minutes of ischemia achieved a peak level of 5053±1717 pg/ml at T5. The level after 60 minutes of ischemia demonstrated a rapid increment up to 10734±93 pg/ml at T3. There was a significant difference in the trend of plasma I-FABP levels between 30 minutes and 60 minutes of ischemia (p=0.01). The strongest immunohistochemical staining of the intestinal epithelium for I-FABP was observed at T4 after 30 minutes of ischemia, with the shedding of injured epithelium followed by re-epithelialisation, with sequential up-regulation of Ki67 and E-cadherin. However, the intestinal epithelium after 60 minutes of ischemia demonstrated the lack of I-FABP expression with irreversible damage.

Conclusion:

Plasma I-FABP levels may be a crucial marker to recognize the reversibility of damage of the intestinal epithelium after an ischemic insult and the level of 5000 pg/ml is considered to be the critical borderline for irreversibility, which might prevent diagnostic delay in the clinical setting.

Nuclear chemistry. Synthesis and detection of a seaborgium carbonyl complex

Experimental investigations of transactinoide elements provide benchmark results for chemical theory and probe the predictive power of trends in the periodic table. So far, in gas-phase chemical reactions, simple inorganic compounds with the transactinoide in its highest oxidation state have been synthesized. Single-atom production rates, short half-lives, and harsh experimental conditions limited the number of experimentally accessible compounds. We applied a gas-phase carbonylation technique previously tested on short-lived molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W) isotopes to the preparation of a carbonyl complex of seaborgium, the 106th element. The volatile seaborgium complex showed the same volatility and reactivity with a silicon dioxide surface as those of the hexacarbonyl complexes of the lighter homologs Mo and W. Comparison of the product's adsorption enthalpy with theoretical predictions and data for the lighter congeners supported a Sg(CO)6 formulation.

Phosphorus flame retardants in indoor dust and their relation to asthma and allergies of inhabitants

Organophosphate esters are used as additives in flame retardants and plasticizers, and they are ubiquitous in the indoor environment. Phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs) are present in residential dust, but few epidemiological studies have assessed their impact on human health. We measured the levels of 11 PFRs in indoor floor dust and multi-surface dust in 182 single-family dwellings in Japan. We evaluated their correlations with asthma and allergies of the inhabitants. Tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate was detected in all samples (median value: 580 μg/g in floor dust, 111 μg/g in multi-surface dust). Tris(2-chloro-iso-propyl) phosphate (TCIPP) was detected at 8.69 μg/g in floor dust and 25.8 μg/g in multi-surface dust. After adjustment for potential confounders, significant associations were found between the prevalence of atopic dermatitis and the presence of TCIPP and tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate in floor dust [per log10 -unit, odds ratio (OR): 2.43 and 1.84, respectively]. Tributyl phosphate was significantly associated with the prevalence of asthma (OR: 2.85 in floor dust, 5.34 in multi-surface dust) and allergic rhinitis (OR: 2.55 in multi-surface dust). PFR levels in Japan were high compared with values reported previously for Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the USA. Higher levels of PFRs in house dust were related to the inhabitants' health status.

Absorption and bioavailability of diclofenac after rectal administration of diclofenac-na gel preparation in rat and man

In order to evaluate diclofenac-Na (DC-Na) micro-enema, DC-Na gel preparations were administered to rats and man. When DC-Na gel preparations were rectally administered at various pH (pH 5- 8) to rats, their bioavailability increased at higher pH. The bioavailability of DC-Na gel preparations (pH 8.0) in rats was significantly higher than that with conventional suppository bases, Witepsol H-15 and polyethylene glycol 1000 (PEG 1000). In man, the DC-Na gel preparation showed higher Cmax and higher bioavailability than commercial suppository made with an oily base. DC-Na gel preparations containing 10% v/v oleic acid showed a prolonged action. The irritative effect of DC-Na gel preparation on rectal mucosa in rats was weaker than that of PEG 1000, but similar to that of Witepsol H-15. Therefore, the present results suggest that gel preparation is a favorable form for rectal administration of diclofenac-Na.

Nondestructive real-time measurement of charge and spin dynamics of photoelectrons in a double quantum dot

We demonstrate one and two photoelectron trapping and the subsequent dynamics associated with interdot transfer in double quantum dots over a time scale much shorter than the typical spin lifetime. Identification of photoelectron trapping is achieved via resonant interdot tunneling of the photoelectrons in the excited states. The interdot transfer enables detection of single photoelectrons in a nondestructive manner. When two photoelectrons are trapped at almost the same time we observed that the interdot resonant tunneling is strongly affected by the Coulomb interaction between the electrons. Finally the influence of the two-electron singlet-triplet state hybridization has been detected using the interdot tunneling of a photoelectron.

Secretory IgA in saliva can be a useful stress marker

To evaluate secretory immunoglobulin A (slgA) in saliva as an immunological stress marker, we reviewed the literature on slgA and its variation caused by psychosocial factors. Among the studies on the effect of academic stress on slgA secretion, we could distinguish two kinds of stress effects: the immediate stress effect which increases slgA secretion immediately after stress, and the delayed stress effect which decreases slgA secretion several days after stress. On the basis of production and secretion mechanisms of slgA, we also speculated on possible mechanisms that underlie the variations of slgA caused by stress. Eventually, we concluded diat slgA in saliva can be a useful stress marker if we analyze the delayed stress effect on slgA separately from the immediate stress effect on slgA.

The relationship of lifestyle factors, personal character, and mental health status of employees of a major Japanese electrical manufacturer

To examine the relationship lifestyle factors, personal character, mental health status, and job strain a self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted among employees of a leading electrical manufacturing company in Japan. A total of 2,327 workers (Male=1,668, Female=659) responded to the survey. We analyzed the relationships of health practices based on such factors as: Free child (FC) from the Egogram, the Working-life satisfaction, and the General Health Questionnaire-28 through Path-analysis techniques.The following results were obtained: The mental health status was significantly affected by such factors as health practices, Working-life satisfaction, personal character (FC), life satisfaction, and age. Health practices and personal character (FC) showed a direct relationship to the mental health status and an indirect relationship to the Working-life satisfaction and life satisfaction. The variances accounting for mental health status were 41.8% in male workers and 43.8% in female workers.Path-analysis data suggested that mental health status was affected about 40% by lifestyle, personal character, Working-life satisfaction, and life satisfaction. It was suggested that there might be important factors affecting mental health status but which are unknown to us by as much as 60% in the present day. These findings suggested the necessity of further investigation of the relationship among lifestyle factors, mental health status, and job strain among employees of a reputable company in the present day.

Effects of mental arithmetic stress on blood cell counts and the immune system

To determine whether acute mental stress alters the composition of peripheral blood cells or components of the immune system, we determined blood cell counts and leukocyte differential counts, and examined lymphocyte subsets, before, during, and after 10 min. of mental arithmetic in 20 healthy female students. During mental stress the absolute number of leukocytes, lymphocytes, CD8+ cells, and CD16+ cells increased significantly, and the rate of CD8+ cell increase was higher than CD4+ cell increase. Therefore the CD4+/CD8+ ratio decreased significantly during mental stress. Erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin concentrations and packed cell volumes remained unchanged during and after mental stress. These results demonstrate that acute mental stress is associated mainly with rapid peripheral blood lymphocyte changes, including the release of CD8+ and CD 16+ cells into circulation. The absence of significant increases in erythrocyte counts, hemoglobin concentrations, and packed cell volumes during stress indicates that changes in lymphocyte composition cannot be explained by the hemoconcentration. Thus, acute mental stress has a detectable influence on peripheral blood cell counts and the immune system.

The unique correlation between anti-mutagenicity of human saliva and change in body weight

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of weight reduction on the anti-mutagenicity of human saliva. Subjects were 16 male college judo players. The anti-mutagenicity of the saliva was measured using the umu test. There was an inhibiting effect of the saliva on the mutagenicity of AF-2. However, a modifying effect of the saliva on Trp-P-1 was not observed. On the day before a competition and 7 days after the competition, the inhibiting capacity of the saliva for the mutagenicity of AF-2 decreased and increased in two non-weight reduction and two weight reduction groups, respectively.However, on the day before the competition, the changed body weights (r=-0.77, p<0.01) and BMI (r=-0.77, p<0.01) were significantly correlated with that of the inhibiting capacity of the saliva for the mutagenicity of AF-2. In addition, the BMI at 20 days before the competition was not significantly but markedly correlated with it (r=0.50, p=0.057). At 7 days after the competition, however, these correlations were not found.These findings suggest a unique correlation between the anti-mutagenicity of human saliva and body weight or BMI.

Cigarette smoking is associated with the reduction of lymphokine-activated killer cell and natural killer cell activities

Lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell and natural killer (NK) cell activities were determined in a group of healthy individuals with differing smoking habits. The study population consisted of 54 Japanese males, including 23 smokers, 8 ex-smokers and 23 non-smokers. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated and used as effector cells. LAK cells were generated by incubation of PBMC with interleukin-2 for 72 h. LAK cell activity against NK-resistant Raji cells and NK cell activity against NK-sensitive K562 cells were examined by 4-h51Cr-release assay. LAK cell activity in the smokers was significantly lower than that in the nonsmokers. The smokers showed significantly lower NK cell activity than the nonsmokers, whereas NK cell activity of the ex-smokers was comparable to that of the non-smokers. The proportion of NK cells (CD3-16+56-, CD3-16-56+, or CD3-16+56+ cells) in the smokers was significantly lower than that in the nonsmokers. The present study demonstrates for the first time that cigarette smokers have lower LAK cell activity than nonsmokers.

The association between annually-repeated health screening and health behavior among company employees

Although several studies have been undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of health screening in causing changes in health-related behavior, there are few findings with respect to the efficacy of annually repeated health screening.Using cross-sectional data drawn from a population consisting of white-collar workers in Osaka, Japan, the relation between the results of annually repeated health screening and individual health behavior was examined.Several diseases were related to diet and alcohol consumption, but not to physical exercise habits. High γ-GTP or alcoholic liver damage and hypertension were related to moderate alcohol consumption (p<0.001 and 0.05). A high cholesterol level was related to a nutritionally balanced diet (p<0.05). However, there were no diseases related to increased physical exercise.Findings in the present study, in combination with the literature indicate the possibility that annually repeated health screening intervention has been effective in promoting positive lifestyle changes in diet and alcohol consumption among participants. However, to conclusively evaluate the effucacy of the annually repeated health screening, further study is necessary.

Single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCG)-A review and discussion

Single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCG) is a simple, sensitive and effective technique. Being able to reflect quantitatively the genotoxicity of many hazardous agents, it is promising for application in environmental genotoxic monitoring and the study of carcinogenesis. In clinics, it can be used to evaluate the DNA repair ability and monitor DNA breaks during cancer therapy. As a biomarker, it has its own merits and limitations, being different from other biomarkers such as sister chromatid exchange (SCE) test and micronuclei (MN) assay. In many studies, it is more sensitive than SCE or MN. Combination studies with other biomarkers like SCE, MN, chromosomal aberration, bcl-2 and genetic polymorphisms have begun to demonstrate its great importance for the understanding of carcinogenesis and the genotoxicities of environmental factors.

Effects of (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) on DNA strand breaks as evaluated by single-cell gel electrophoresis (SCG) in human lymphocytes

(-)-Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a catechin polyphenol component, is the main ingredient of green tea extract. Although the anti-carcinogenic and cancer inhibitory effects of EGCG have been widely reported, its genotoxicity is not clear and seldom reported. In this study, we examined the effects of EGCG on DNA strand breaks in the isolated lymphocytes and whole blood lymphocytes obtained from two smoking subjects and a nonsmoking healthy subject using a single cell gel electrophoresis (SCG) assay. The results showed that after 2 hrs of treating the isolated lymphocytes from the smokers, EGCG induced a significant, increase in DNA strand breaks at concentrations from 2.5×10(-5) M to 2.0×10(-4) M, while after 2 hrs of treating the whole blood obtained from the same smokers, EGCG suppressed the DNA strand breaks in the lymphocytes at concentrations of 1.0×10(-4) M and 2.0×10(-4) M. A similar suppressive result was also shown in the whole blood lymphocytes from the nonsmoker at nearly the same concentrations, while at concentrations of 1.0×10(-3) M or 2.0×10(-3) M, EGCG induced a significant increase in DNA strand breaks in the whole blood lymphocytes from the nonsmoker. This result suggests that EGCG is not only inhibitory against DNA strand breaks in whole blood, but also genotoxic to the isolated or whole blood lymphocytes at high concentrations. Thus, more research is needed to comprehensively assess the effects of EGCG on genetic materials.

Life events and posttraumatic stress in Hanshin-Awaji earthquake victims

Stress induced by disaster is experienced to varying degrees by all respondents, and is known to evoke psychophysiological reactions. In this study, we investigated the relationships between earthquake-related life events and posttraumatic stress symptoms. A total of 380 adults were surveyed one year after the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in Japan. The questionnaire included items concerning earthquake-related life events, emotional support and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms.As a result, after controlling for demographic variables, earthquake-related life events were significantly related to the grade of posttraumatic stress and its three components: re-experience, avoidance and arousal, in both male and female subjects. Male subjects who currently had lower emotional support showed higher scores of posttraumatic stress and arousal. In conclusion, a higher experience of earthquake-related life events appears to be an important risk factor for development of poor mental health status following an earthquake disaster.

Lifestyle, stress and cortisol response: Review I : Mental stress

The incidences of diseases related to mental stress are increasing in Japan. Mental stress, unacknowledged for long periods, has been shown to lead to the development of a number of diseases. Thus, an index for mental stress is important to induce awareness of its presence. We focused on the relationship between cortisol and mental stress in this review. We will discuss both the usefulness and problems of cortisol as a mental stress index by summarizing the relationship between cortisol and mental stress. The present findings suggested that cortisol appears to be an adequate index for mental stress. However, there are several problems; the present group clarifies these problems and builds the comprehensive mental stress assessment systems by using saliva samples.

Transport characteristics of clarithromycin, azithromycin and telithromycin, antibiotics applied for treatment of respiratory infections, in Calu-3 cell monolayers as model lung epithelial cells

We have shown that clarithromycin (CAM), a macrolide antibiotic, more highly distributes from plasma to lung epithelium lining fluid (ELF), the infection site of pathogens, than azithromycin (AZM) and telithromycin (TEL). Transporter(s) expressed on lung epithelial cells may contribute to the distribution of the compiunds to the ELF. However, distribution mechanisms are not well known. In this study, their transport characteristics in Calu-3 cell monolayers as model lung epithelial cells were examined. The basolateral-to-apical transport of CAM through Calu-3 cell monolayers was greater than that of AZM and TEL. Although verapamil and cyclosporine A as MDR1 substrates completely inhibited the basolateral-to-apical transport, probenecid as MRP1 inhibitor did not show an effect. These results suggest that the antibiotics are transported from plasma to ELF by MDR1 of lung epithelial cells. In addition, their affinity and binding rate to MDR1 was examined by ATP activity assay. The affinity and binding rate of CAM was greater than those of AZM and TEL. These corresponded with the distributions from plasma to ELF as described above. The present study suggests that the more highly distribution of CAM from plasma to ELF is due to the high affinity and binding rate to MDR1 of lung epithelial cells.