Multislice helical computed tomography for minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
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Heart Diseases↗
Biomedical subjects
T Ito
Publications and source records attributed to T Ito.
Left atrial appendage insertion for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction.
BACKGROUND: The left atrial appendage (LAA) may serve as an alternative to the pulmonary arterial wall for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction without an extracardiac conduit. METHODS: Five consecutive patients with pulmonary atresia or severe stenosis underwent corrective (n = 4) or palliative (n = 1) RVOT reconstruction using an LAA insertion. Surgery was performed to treat tetralogy of Fallot, double-outlet right ventricle, or transposition of the great arteries. By inserting the LAA into the obstructed portion, the width of the posterior wall of the RVOT was 20 mm or more. The anterior half of the RVOT was then augmented with pericardial patch. RESULTS: There were no early or late postoperative deaths, and no major complications (arrhythmias, thrombo-embolic episodes, infective endocarditis, need for reoperation). The postrepair systolic right ventricular-to-systemic arterial pressure ratio was 0.61 +/- 0.26. Color Doppler flow mapping revealed that the reconstructed RVOT was nonobstructive and had nonturbulent flow. No thrombus or pseudoneointimal formation was observed in the RVOT. CONCLUSIONS: LAA insertion in the RVOT is an effective alternative to, or adjunct of, direct anastomosis. It offers several advantages, including fewer early and midterm complications and avoiding the use of an extracardiac conduit.
Atrial Appendage↗
Intra-day variations in urinary pyrimidines in ornithine carbamoyltransferase deficiency and healthy individuals.
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Adult↗
Cerebral atherosclerosis occurs spontaneously in homozygous WHHL rabbits.
We demonstrated that selectively bred homozygous WHHL rabbits known to show hypercholesterolemia and severe coronary atherosclerosis also spontaneously develop cerebral atherosclerosis beginning at 9 months of age. These intracranial lesions occurred in the absence of hypertension in 24 of 25 animals at various sites, mainly along arteries at the base of the brain. No lesions were observed in penetrating arteries. Lesions were rich in smooth muscle cells and fibrous tissue, showing only rare fragmentation or disappearance of the internal elastic lamina, and only limited lipid deposition. Few macrophages were observed in these lesions. No significant correlation was seen between severity of cerebral atherosclerosis and age, systolic blood pressure (BP), serum total cholesterol, or triglyceride concentration. Xanthomas of the pia mater were observed in all 25 rabbits. Arterial findings were similar to those in human cerebral atherosclerosis, indicating that the coronary atherosclerosis-prone homozygous WHHL rabbit represents the first animal model for spontaneous cerebral atherosclerosis.
Aging↗
Fibromuscular cap composition is important for the stability of established atherosclerotic plaques in mature WHHL rabbits treated with statins.
We examined the relationship between plaque vulnerability and fibromuscular cap composition using hydrophilic pravastatin and lipophilic fluvastatin. WHHL rabbits aged 10 months were given pravastatin (50 mg/kg) or fluvastatin (20 mg/kg) for 52 weeks. The atherosclerotic lesions were immunohistochemically or conventionally stained and the components were analyzed with a color image analyzer. Compared with the control group, the plasma cholesterol levels were decreased by about 25% in both statin groups. Pravastatin decreased the lipid components (macrophages+extracellular lipids) in whole aortic plaques by 34% and the fibrous caps of coronary plaques by 55%. Fluvastatin decreased the fibromuscular components (smooth muscle cells+collagen fibers) in whole aortic plaques and in the fibromuscular caps of the aortic and coronary plaques. In the pravastatin group, the vulnerability index, the ratio of (lipid components)/(fibromuscular components), was decreased in whole aortic plaques by 28% and in the fibromuscular caps of coronary lesions by 61%, while the indexes were increased in the fluvastatin group. The incidence of vulnerable plaques was decreased by 74% in the coronary plaques of the pravastatin group. Our results suggest that the stability of atheromatous plaques was improved due to a decrease of the lipid components and vulnerability index of the fibromuscular cap by pravastatin.
Animals↗
Exploring the protein interactome using comprehensive two-hybrid projects.
Large-scale two-hybrid projects were used in an approach to examine protein-protein interactions. Despite the various limitations of this approach, these projects revealed a wealth of novel interactions, and the protein interactome may be much larger than expected.
Computational Biology↗
High cyclin E and low p27/Kip1 expressions are potentially poor prognostic factors in lung adenocarcinoma patients.
Cyclin E is an important regulator of entry into the S phase of the cell cycle. p27/Kip1 (p27) binds to cyclin E/Cdk2 complex and negatively regulates cell proliferation. We immunohistochemically examined the expression of cyclin E and p27 in 98 cases of resected lung adenocarcinoma to evaluate the prognostic significance of cyclin E and p27. Cyclin E was expressed in 16 cases (16%), and p27 was expressed in 41 cases (42%). Using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, patients with cyclin E positive (P=0.0017) and p27 negative (P=0.011), both individually and in combination (P<0.0001), had a worse prognosis. We also analyzed the relationship of these findings to clinicopathological parameters, which revealed that cyclin E-positive, p27-negative cases had a higher Ki67 expression (P=0.012) and a higher rate of lymph node metastasis (P=0.0078) than other groups. Our results suggested that cyclin E over expression, in association with p27 reduction in particular, may potentially be a poor prognostic factor in lung adenocarcinoma patients. However, to verify the prognostic significance of these factors, a multivariate analysis of a larger number of patients should be undertaken.
Adenocarcinoma↗
GI side-effects of a possible therapeutic GRF analogue in monkeys are likely due to VIP receptor agonist activity.
Growth hormone (GH) is used or is being evaluated for efficacy in treatment of short stature, aspects of aging, cardiac disorders, Crohn's disease, and short bowel syndrome. Therefore, we synthesized several stable growth hormone-releasing factor (GRF) analogues that could be therapeutically useful. One potent analog, [D-Ala(2),Aib(8, 18,)Ala(9, 15, 16, 22, 24-26,)Gab(27)]hGRF(1-27)NH(2) (GRF-6), with prolonged infusion caused severe diarrhea in monkeys; however, it had no side-effects in rats. Because GRF has similarity to VIP/PACAP and VIPomas cause diarrhea, this study investigated the ability of this and other GRF analogues to interact with the VIP/PACAP receptors. Rat VPAC(1)-R (rVPAC(1)-R), human VPAC(1)-R (hVPAC(1)-R), rVPAC(2)-R and hVPAC(2)-R stably transfected CHO and PANC 1 cells were made and T47D breast cancer cells containing native human VPAC(1)-R and AR4-2J cells containing PAC(1)-R were used. hGRF(1-29)NH(2) had low affinity for both rVPAC(1)-R and rVPAC(2)-R while VIP had a high affinity for both receptors. GRF-6 had a low affinity for both rVPAC(1)-R and rVPAC(2)-R and very low affinity for the rPAC(1)-R. VIP had a high affinity, whereas hGRF(1-29)NH(2) had a low affinity for both hVPAC(1)-R and hVPAC(2)-R. In contrast GRF-6, while having a low affinity for hVPAC(2)-R, had relatively higher affinity for the hVPAC(1)-R. In guinea pig pancreatic acini, all GRF analogues were full agonists at the VPAC(1)-R causing enzyme secretion. These results demonstrate that in contrast to native hGRF(1-29)NH(2,) GRF-6 has a relatively high affinity for the human VPAC(1)-R but not for the human VPAC(2)-R, rat VPAC(1)-R, rat VPAC(2)-R or rat PAC(1)-R. These results suggest that the substituted GRF analog, GRF-6, likely causes the diarrheal side-effects in monkeys by interacting with the VPAC(1)-R. Furthermore, they demonstrate significant species differences can exist for possible therapeutic peptide agonists of the VIP/PACAP/GRF receptor family and that it is essential that receptor affinity assessments be performed in human cells or from a closely related species.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Significance of elevated serum interleukin-8 in patients resuscitated after cardiopulmonary arrest.
The objectives of this study were to analyze changes in serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) levels in patients that restored spontaneous circulation after cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA), and to clarify the cause and significance of elevated serum cytokines after resuscitation. Twenty-eight patients who were admitted to our hospital after out of hospital CPA were studied. Patients' IL-8 levels and TNF-alpha levels in serum increased to a peak within 12 h and within 6 h after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), respectively. Serum IL-8 levels in patients who died or became brain dead within 1 week after ROSC were significantly higher than those in other patients. In stepwise multiple regression analysis, maximum IL-8 values were significantly correlated with maximum TNF-alpha values within post-ROSC 24 h, with the total dose of administered epinephrine and with peripheral neutrophil counts. It is especially noteworthy that the total dose of epinephrine administered during and after resuscitation markedly influenced the elevation of serum IL-8 after ROSC. The increases in serum IL-8 induced by excessive administration of epinephrine might be harmful in the ROSC-patients resuscitated after CPA.
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗
Effects of single and repeated phencyclidine administration on the expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype mRNAs in rat brain.
Recent animal studies regarding phencyclidine (PCP), which induces psychotic symptoms in humans, have suggested that group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) represent a novel target for the treatment of PCP psychosis. In the present study, we used in situ hybridization to investigate the gene expressions of the mGluR 1-5 subtypes following single and repeated administration of PCP in rats. A single administration of PCP (7.5mg/kg, i.p.,) resulted in a significant decrease in the mGluR5 mRNA expression of group I mGluR in the subcortical regions (thalamus (-15%), central gray (-23%), inferior colliculus (-23%), and nucleus accumbens (-10%)) and hippocampal formation (CA1 (-14%), CA2 (-15%), CA3 (-18%), and dentate gyrus (-18%)). After repeated PCP administration for 14 days, the mGluR2 mRNA expression of group II mGluR in the anterior cingulate cortex (-23%) and the mGluR4 mRNA expression of group III mGluR in the cortical regions (parietal (-11%), temporal (-13%) and entorhinal cortices (-18%)), the caudate putamen (-12%), thalamus (-17%), and subiculum (-25%) were significantly decreased. These results indicate that PCP affects not only group II mGluR but also group I and III of mGluR, and it is of particular interest that mGluR2 subtype is involved in a development of behavioral abnormality following repeated PCP administration. Single and repeated administrations of PCP independently regulate the expression of mGluR subtypes of mRNA in the brain.
Animals↗
Lipolytic effect of BRL 35 135, a beta3 agonist, and its interaction with dietary lipids on the accumulation of fats in rat body.
The type of intaked fat and fat uptake mechanisms such as adrenergic-induced lipolysis affect patterns of fat accumulation in animal body. In this study, in vitro lipolytic effect of BRL 35135, a selectivebeta3 agonist, and its interaction with different dietary fats on fat accumulation in animal body (in vivo) were studied. For in vitro study, adipocytes isolated from epididymal fat were incubated with 10(-5) M -10(-9) M of either BRL 35135 or isoproterenol, a non-selectivebeta-agonist. In animal study, two groups of SD-rats, i.e., BRL35135-intaked (dosed at 0.5 mg/kg/day in diet) and control, were divided into 4 sub-groups and fed diets containing 12% of either beef tallow (BT), canola oil (CO), olive oil (OO) or safflower oil(SO) for 6 weeks. In vitro study showed that BRL 35135 was 10 times more potent than isoproterenol in increasing the lipolysis in rat adipocytes. In animal study, inclusion of BRL35135 reduced daily weight gain in CO and SO groups (P < 0.05). Abdominal fat weight in BRL35135-intaked group was significantly lower than control in all dietary sub-groups (CO, OO and SO) except BT (P < 0.05). In BT group, abdominal fat contained significantly higher amount of total saturated fatty acids (SFAs) compared to CO, OO or SO. It was concluded that, although BRL 35135 was very potent in increasing lipolysis in the isolated adipocytes of rat, its preventive effect on lipid accumulation in animal body through the lipolysis could be affected by the type of dietary fat and was lesser when rats fed fats rich in SFAs.
Journal Article↗
The emergence and evolution of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
Significant advances have been made in recent years in our understanding of how methicillin resistance is acquired by Staphylococcus aureus. Integration of a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) element into the chromosome converts drug-sensitive S. aureus into the notorious hospital pathogen methicilin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), which is resistant to practically all beta-lactam antibiotics. SCCmec is a novel class of mobile genetic element that is composed of the mec gene complex encoding methicillin resistance and the ccr gene complex that encodes recombinases responsible for its mobility. These elements also carry various resistance genes for non-beta-lactam antibiotics. After acquiring an SCCmec element, MRSA undergoes several mutational events and evolves into the most difficult-to-treat pathogen in hospitals, against which all extant antibiotics including vancomycin are ineffective. Recent epidemiological data imply that MRSA has embarked on another evolutionary path as a community pathogen, as at least one novel SCCmec element seems to have been successful in converting S. aureus strains from the normal human flora into MRSA.
Bacterial Proteins↗
S-myotrophin promotes the hypertrophy of myotube as insulin-like growth factor-I does.
We have reported previously that a novel muscle cell growth factor, having a structure of a peptide with sugar chains, was successfully purified from porcine skeletal muscle. It was named s-myotrophin. To determine the role of s-myotrophin in skeletal muscle growth, the effect of s-myotrophin on primary cultured chick skeletal muscle cells (composed almost totally of multinucleated myotubes) was investigated by comparing s-myotrophin with Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I). Both s-myotrophin and IGF-I significantly increased creatine kinase activity of the cultures; both substances gave similar responses. Intracellar protein content was also increased by the addition of these factors. The content of myosin and actin in s-myotrophin treated culture in the differentiation medium was significantly higher than that of the control (unstimulated). The content of those proteins in IGF-I treated culture was also higher than that of control, but the differences were not statistically significant. Immunoblot analysis confirmed that the amounts of myosin and actin in the myocytes were greatly increased by s-myotrophin stimulation and also by IGF-I stimulation. Morphological observations using an anti-desmin antibody staining procedure demonstrated that the size of both s-myotrophin and IGF-I treated myotubes was appreciably larger than that of control myotubes. These results suggest that s-myotrophin is a potent mediator of skeletal muscle cell hypertrophy thorough the accumulations of muscle structural proteins.
Actins↗
Environmental survey of salmonella and comparison of genotypic character with human isolates in Western Japan.
To estimate the prevalence and distribution of salmonellae, especially Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis), in Western Japan, an investigation was conducted of the chicken industry and environmental sources between 1995 and 1998. Salmonellae were isolated from 34 of 90 samples (37.8%) of raw chicken parts, 34 of 98 faecal samples (34.7%) at 35 broiler farms, 11 of 59 samples (18.6%) of liquid eggs, and from 71 of 272 samples (26.1%) of swab specimens from equipment and cracked or faecally soiled shell eggs at the processing facilities. Salmonellae, including S. Enteritidis, were also isolated from swab samples of henhouses associated with one of the shell-egg processing facilities (11 samples out of 55, 20%). In the broiler meat production environment, S. Infantis was dominant. Twenty-two of 36 sewage samples (61.1%) and 16 of 72 samples (22.2%) taken from 5 rivers contained salmonellae including S. Enteritidis. S. Enteritidis isolates were analysed with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using enzyme Bln I. Thirty-four isolates from shell-egg processing facilities and henhouses, obtained over several years, had the same pulsed-field profile as isolates obtained from four individual outbreaks that occurred in this location in 1997. One of the clonal lines of S. Enteritidis, among multiple serovars of salmonellae in the environment, was thought to have distributed in reservoirs, laying hens, for several years, and continued to cause outbreaks in this area.
Animals↗
Pressure-induced denaturation of monomer beta-lactoglobulin is partially irreversible: comparison of monomer form (highly acidic pH) with dimer form (neutral pH).
This study was conducted to assess the effect of high hydrostatic pressure on monomer beta-lactoglobulin (BLg) at acid pH by fluorescence spectroscopy under pressure and by circular dichroism (CD) and (1)H NMR spectroscopies after release of pressure. The intrinsic (tryptophan) fluorescence measurement and the study of 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate (ANS) binding to BLg indicated that at pH 2.0 the recovery of center of spectral mass or ANS fluorescence was almost complete upon pressure release. No difference in (1)H NMR spectra was observed between pressurized and unpressurized BLg. In addition, NMR detection of the H/D exchange of aromatic protein indicated that the conformation of the vicinity of tryptophan residues could be refolded almost completely after release of pressure. These results seemingly confirm that the pressure-induced denaturation of BLg at pH 2.0 is reversible. However, cis-parinaric acid binding ability of pressurized BLg was largely lost, although its retinol binding ability was the same as its unpressurized one. Furthermore, CD spectra of the far-UV region and 2D NMR spectra evidently revealed the difference in the conformation of the molecule between unpressurized and pressurized BLg. These results are interpreted as an existence of partially fragile structure in the BLg molecule by high pressure.
Circular Dichroism↗
Ion chromatographic analysis of selected free amino acids and cations to investigate the change of nitrogen metabolism by herbicide stress in soybean (glycine max).
A simple and reliable method for the determination of NH4+, K+, Na+, aspartic acid, asparagine, glutamine, and alanine by ion chromatography has been developed. It is suitable for monitoring changes of nitrogen metabolism in soybean because it can accurately measure concentrations o asparagine and NH4+, two key substances for nitrogen storage and transport in this plant species Analysis of asparagine distribution in soybean indicated that higher levels (up to 18.4 micromol g(-1) of fresh mass) occur in stems and lower levels in roots (2.0 micromol g(-1) of fresh mass) and leaves (1.6 micromol g(-1) of fresh mass). When the herbicide metsulfuron-methyl (0.5, 5, and 50 ppb) was applied via the nutrient solution to the root system, asparagine concentrations increased 3-6 times in stems roots, and leaves. Metsulfuron-methyl is known to impair the synthesis of branched amino acids and, in consequence, protein synthesis. Thus, nitrogen consumption was limited, leading to ar accumulation of asparagine. The possible use of this physiological response in agricultural practice to identify herbicide stress in soybean and to detect low-level residues of sulfonylurea herbicides ir the soil is discussed.
Alanine↗
Partial characterization of genes whose transcripts accumulate preferentially in cell clusters at the earliest stage of carrot somatic embryogenesis.
We attempted to identify genes that are preferentially expressed immediately after somatic cells divide to form cell clusters at the earliest stage of carrot somatic embryogenesis when they are not or barely expressed in non-embryogenic suspension-cultured cells in the presence of 2,4-D. Using the differential display technique, we isolated three cDNA clones, designated No. 43, No. 87 and No. 93. The No. 43 transcript was preferentially expressed in the earliest cell clusters, its level decreased drastically at the globular and heart-shaped and torpedo-shaped stages, and it was not detected in non-embryogenic suspension-cultured cells. No. 43 cDNA encoded a protein with homology to thaumatin-like proteins and the deduced positions of seven cysteine residues in the 63 amino acid sequence from the carboxyl terminus were identical to those in thaumatin-like proteins. The full-length nucleotide sequence of No. 93 cDNA was determined and its product was about 80% homologous to precursor of the 14 kDa proline-rich DC 2.15 protein of carrot at the amino acid level. However, the deduced amino acid sequence lacked the characteristic core of repeating Pro-X motifs found in DC 2.15. The No. 93 transcript accumulated preferentially in the earliest cell clusters but it was also detected at a low level in non-embryogenic suspension-cultured cells, unlike DC 2.15 transcripts that begin to accumulate in heart-shaped embryos before their level falls in torpedo-shaped embryos. No. 87 transcripts were expressed preferentially in the earliest cell clusters that has been incubated with 2,4-D but were also detected at a low level in suspension-cultured cells subcultured in the continued presence of 2,4-D. The No. 87 cDNA exhibited no significant homology to any sequences in databases.
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid↗
p21WAF1/CTP1 expression and hepatitis virus type.
Since p21WAF1/CIP1 (p21) is a universal inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinases and is regulated transcriptionally by p53, which is activated by DNA stress, its expression reflects DNA stress in chronic hepatitis. Recently an association with both hepatitis B and C virus and the expression of p53 or p21 was reported. We analyzed p21 expression in 18 cases of HBV-associated chronic liver diseases and 32 cases of HCV-associated chronic liver diseases by immunohistochemical analysis, and investigated the possible association between hepatocyte p21 expression and hepatic inflammation, fibrosis, and especially hepatitis virus type. The p21-positive hepatocytes were more numerous in areas of intense inflammation and spotty necrosis and areas close to fibrosis, and they increased according to the degrees of grading and staging. The p21 labeling index (LI) in patients with liver cirrhosis was significantly higher than that in patients with chronic hepatitis of both hepatitis viral types (5.84 +/- 0.61 vs 12.0 +/- 0.83, P < 0.0001 in hepatitis B, 10.28 +/- 0.80 vs 15.6 +/- 1.09, P = 0.0004 in hepatitis C), Furthermore, the p21 LI was significantly higher in HCV-associated liver disease than in HBV-associated liver disease in every group (4.02 +/- 0.48 vs 7.74 +/- 0.96, P = 0.021 in low grade group, 7.35 +/- 0.46 vs 12.8 +/- 0.57, P < 0.0001 in high grade, 12.0 +/- 0.83 vs 15.6 +/- 1.09, P = 0.034 in liver cirrhosis). In, conclusion, p21 expression was up-regulated by the stress of inflammation and fibrosis and might be influenced by viral proteins in human chronic liver disease.
Adult↗