Although an increased level of serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) has been reported in children in the acute phase of Kawasaki disease (KD), no precise relation was documented between the serum BNP level and left ventricular (LV) systolic function. We hypothesized that the increased BNP levels may be explained by diastolic abnormalities in those with KD. We prospectively studied 25 patients in the acute phase of KD. Patients with abnormal systolic function were excluded. Pediatric cardiologists making the assessment of LV diastolic function were blinded to the BNP levels. Doppler interrogation was applied to measure LV inflow velocities, which were transformed to z scores using control measurements obtained from 83 healthy subjects. In the patients, the BNP levels ranged from 2.0 to 450.0 pg/ml, with a mean of 54.0 +/- 102.8 pg/ml. Six patients with abnormal velocities (> 2 SD in z score) showed significantly higher levels of BNP (152 +/- 173 pg/ml) than those in the remaining patients (p < 0.01). The BNP levels correlated positively with diastolic atrial velocity in z score (r = 0.51, p < 0.05), and negatively with diastolic early velocity to atrial velocity ratio in z score (r = -0.75, p < 0.01). This study suggests that LV diastolic dysfunction may occur in some children in the acute phase of KD, causing an increased level of BNP.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hair mercury concentrations in cats and dogs in central Japan.

Hair mercury concentrations were measured in 41 cats and 34 dogs living in Kanagawa, Saitama and Tokyo Prefectures. Total mercury concentrations measured by atomic absorption spectrometry were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in cats [7.40 parts per million (ppm) in males and 7.45 ppm in females] than in dogs (0.99 ppm in males and 0.66 ppm in females). Mercury in cat hair was correlated with age (P < 0.01) and higher in cats fed with foods prepared by the owners than in those fed with commercial pet foods. Mercury concentrations in the animals' foods were markedly higher in fresh tuna (0.153 ppm) than in commercial pet foods (0.008-0.014 ppm).

Animal Feed↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Crystallization behavior and thermal properties of melt-crystallized poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-6-hydroxyhexanoic acid] films.

Melt-crystallized films of poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid-co-10mol% 6-hydroxyhexanoic acid] (P[(R)-3HB-co-6HH]) were prepared by isothermal crystallization at various temperatures for 3 days, and subsequently stored at room temperature after the films formed well-developed and volume-filled spherulites. The lamellar morphologies and properties of melt-crystallized films were characterized by means of wide-angle X-ray diffraction, small-angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, transmission electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The melting endotherm of P[(R)-3HB-co-6HH] films was composed of a broad peak starting around room temperature and of a sharper peak starting above the isothermal crystallization temperature. The stacking of flat-on lamellae with lamellar periodicity of 8-10 nm was detected on the surface of P[(R)-3HB-co6HH] films after the primary crystallization at 110 degrees C. On storage at room temperature above the Tg (-5 degrees C) of copolyester, thin crystals of 1-4 nm thickness appeared on the surface of P[(R)-3HB-co-6HH] films crystallized at 110 degrees C. These results suggest that long sequences of (R)-3HB units in a random copolyester form relatively thick P[(R)-3HB] crystalline lamellae during the primary crystallization process at a given crystallization temperature, while shorter sequences of (R)-3HB units, which are incapable of crystallizing at a given crystallization temperature, form relatively thin crystalline lamellae during the subsequent crystallization process at room temperature.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Novel mechanical assistance in the treatment of endotoxic and septicemic shock.

Systemic sepsis is a frequent and fatal complication of postoperative patients. More recently, therapeutic trials of plasma or blood exchange are performed in septic patients for the purpose of reducing both endotoxins and albumin-bound toxins. As an alternate approach such as this for the removal of endotoxin directly from the blood, the authors recently developed polymyxin B immobilized fiber (PMX-F) as a biomaterial for selectively detoxifying endotoxin. That this newly invented PMX-F neutralizes a sufficient amount of endotoxin in vitro was reported previously. In ex vivo experiments, direct hemoperfusion by PMX-F was performed on purified endotoxin injected canine and on live Escherichia coli induced septic dogs. Only 5% (1/20) survived in the control group, but 75% (30/40) survived in the treated group. Septic dogs died within 18 hours after bacteria infusion in the control group. But all in the treated group survived 3 days. Forty percent of them survived permanently. These observations indicate that PMX-F treatment, namely selective removal of endotoxin in the endotoxic and septicaemic dogs prolongs or increases the chances of survival. Blood compatibility of PMX-F was also evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. With platelets it was shown to be fairly good and with red blood cells, white blood cells, and proteins, extremely good. A preclinical study on the efficacy and safety of PMX-F throughout widespread experiments has just ended.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The efficiency of new leukocyte removal filters. CF-1 and CF-2.

Two new leukocyte removal filters, Nipro CF-1 and CF-2 (Nipo Medical Industries, Osaka, Japan), were evaluated. These non-woven polyester filters, which are gravity flow devices that require no priming and no rinsing after use, were developed for preparing 400 ml of whole blood or red cell concentrates from 400 ml of whole blood. A flow cytometric technique was developed to measure extremely low white blood cell (WBC) counts. To evaluate the efficiency of these filters, leukocyte counts were measured by three techniques: 1) electronic, 2) visual, and 3) flow cytometry. Flow cytometric counting was done using a Coulter EPICS-C cytometer (Coulter Corp., Hialeah, FL). Nipro CF-1 removed 99.97 +/- 0.01% (mean +/- SD, n = 14) of leukocytes measured by flow cytometry, and CF-1 recovered 90.7 +/- 4.47% (n = 21) of red blood cells. After filtration through CF-2, more than a 6 log10 (> 99.9999%) depletion of WBCs was detected in six samples, a 6 log10 (99.9999%) depletion of WBCs was detected in two samples, a 5 log10 (99.999%) depletion was detected in five samples, and a 4 log10 (99.99%) depletion was detected in one sample. CF-1, in which size and priming volume was smaller than other commercial leukocyte removal filters, accomplished a 3 log10 reduction in WBC count, compared with other commercial filters. CF-2 achieved a 4-6 log10 depletion of WBCs assayed by flow cytometry.

Blood Transfusion↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical study on recurrent intracranial aneurysms.

The authors report 11 cases who underwent reoperations upon for recurrent aneurysms. The initial operations were performed on average 10.1 years earlier for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The patients' mean age at the first surgery was 39.7 years. The locations were 9 internal carotid (IC)-posterior communicating artery (PC) and 2 anterior communicating artery (A-com) aneurysms. A residual aneurysmal neck after the first operation was observed in 3 of 10 cases confirmed by postoperative angiography. The primitive-type PC artery was seen in 8 of 9 recurrent IC-PC aneurysms. The recurrent manifestations were SAH in 9 cases. Clipping operations were conducted in 10 and ligation of the IC artery together with extracranial-intracranial bypass in 1 large IC-PC aneurysm. The present study demonstrated two risk factors for aneurysm recurrence, namely, young age and IC-PC aneurysms with a primitive-type PC. Furthermore, direct operation for recurrent aneurysm is often embarrassing due to adhesions to the surrounding tissue as a sequela of the previous operation, hence understanding of the anatomical correlation between the old clip and the recurrent portion is important.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors reduce matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity in human varicose veins.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been implicated in tissue degradation in varicose veins. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) on the activity of MMPs in varicose veins. MMP-9 was present at significantly higher levels in varicose veins than in controls and was localized mainly in smooth muscle cells at the tunica media, where marked degradation of the extracellular matrix was observed. Both simvastatin and pravastatin strikingly suppressed MMP-9 activity in ex vivo culture of varicose veins. Simvastatin suppressed MMP-9 at both the mRNA and protein levels as well as at the urokinase-type plasminogen activator protein level, resulting in the dramatic suppression of MMP-9 activity induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Therefore, statins suppress MMP-9 activity by multiple mechanisms in varicose veins, suggesting they may have clinical potential for the treatment of this disease.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha upregulates transferrin receptors in K 562 cells.

The effects of tumour necrosis factor-alpha on transferrin receptor expression in a human chronic myelocytic leukaemia cell line, K 562 cells, were studied. Cytofluorometry studies showed that the numbers of transferrin receptors in exponentially growing K 562 cells were increased when the cells were incubated with tumour necrosis factor-alpha for 24 h. The induction of transferrin receptors by tumour necrosis factor-alpha may be mediated by a mechanism that is independent of growth since cell growth in treated cultures did not differ from that in the controls. The DNA contents of K 562 cells treated with tumour necrosis factor-alpha showed that after 24 h there were less cells in the G1 and S phases and more cells in the G2/M phase than in the control group. The phase of upregulation of transferrin receptors induced by tumour necrosis factor-alpha may be dependent on the cell cycle. This new evidence that tumour necrosis factor-alpha upregulates transferrin receptors suggests a cancer-anaemia cascade in which the cancer burden state activates macrophage release of tumour necrosis factor-alpha as a result of transferrin receptor expression.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Osteoarthritic articular chondrocytes stimulate autologous T cell responses in vitro.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the presence of specific T cell immune response to autologous chondrocytes in patients with osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from OA or post-traumatic patients were co-cultured with irradiated autologous chondrocytes, and their proliferative response was assessed using 3H-thymidine incorporation. Expression of HLA-class II molecules was also assessed on chondrocytes by immunohistochemistry or flow cytometry. RESULTS: T cell responses to autologous chondrocytes in OA yielded a significantly greater mean stimulation index (6.35 +/- 1.63) compared to controls (1.21 +/- 0.09, p < 0.01). This response was partially blocked by antibodies against HLA class I, class II, CD4 or CD8. Increased expression of HLA-DP, -DQ, and -DR was observed. CONCLUSION: This study showed the autologous T cell-stimulating property of OA chondrocytes in vitro. The elucidation of the autoimmune responses may contribute to the understanding of immune-mediated mechanisms in OA.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Meningioma with extensive vacuolization--a contribution to the pathogenesis of intratumoral cyst formation.

Seven cases of meningioma with extensive vacuolization are reported. Upon plain CT, two cases appeared as diffuse hypodense masses, while two cases were mixed-density masses consisting of iso-dense and low-density components. A diffuse marked enhancement effect was seen in three cases and a thin ring enhancement effect appeared in one case. In four of these cases, macroscopic cysts were observed. It is suggested that the formation of macroscopic cysts or microscopic vacuoles mimics the developmental process of the subarachnoid space in the embryo. A review of the literature on this phenomenon is presented.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Postsurgical intrahepatic portal thromboembolism: a possible cause of perfusion defects on CT during arterial portography.

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to investigate unexplained nontumorous perfusion defects on CT arterial portography (CTAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The CTAP images of 35 patients who underwent partial hepatectomy or open biopsy were analyzed. Hepatic tumors consisted of hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 18) and colorectal carcinoma metastases (n = 17). Nontumorous perfusion defects were categorized into those previously explained and those unexplained. We investigated unexplained ones and their relationship with the underlying conditions. RESULTS: Eight unexplained nontumorous perfusion defects were found in four patients with colorectal metastases. Statistical analysis showed that the defects occurred with significantly higher incidence in patients with colorectal metastases than in those with hepatocellular carcinoma (p = 0.046, Fisher test). All four patients with defects underwent CTAP within 1 month after colorectal surgery. A significant difference was seen in the distribution of surgery-CTAP time intervals between those patients with and those without defects (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test). Intrahepatic portal thrombi were pathologically proven in one of the four patients. CONCLUSION: Unexplained nontumorous hepatic perfusion defects may represent postsurgical portal thromboemboli.

Adult↗