Characterization of inter-tissue and inter-strain variability of TCE glutathione conjugation metabolites DCVG,DCVC, and NAcDCVC in the mouse

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a ubiquitous environmental toxicant that is a liver and kidney carcinogen. Conjugation of TCE with glutathione (GSH) leads to formation of nepthrotoxic and mutagenic metabolites postulated to be critical for kidney cancerdevelopment; however, relatively little is known regarding their tissue levels as previous analytical methods for their detection lacked sensitivity. Here, an LC-MS/MS-based method for simultaneous detection of S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-glutathione (DCVG), S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC), and N-acetyl-S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (NAcDCVC) in multiple mouse tissues was developed. This analytical method is rapid, sensitive (limits of detection (LOD) 3–30 fmol across metabolites and tissues), and robust to quantify all three metabolites in liver, kidneys, and serum. The method was used to characterize inter-tissue and inter-strain variability in formation of conjugative metabolites of TCE. Single oral dose of TCE (24, 240 or 800 mg/kg) was administered to male mice from 20 inbred strains of Collaborative Cross. Inter-strain variability in the levels of DCVG, DCVC, and NAcDCVC (GSD = 1.6–2.9) was observed. Whereas NAcDCVC was distributed equally among analyzed tissues, highest levels of DCVG were detected in liver and DCVC in kidneys. Evidence indicated that inter-strain variability in conjugative metabolite formation of TCE might affect susceptibility to adverse health effects and that this method might aid in filling data gaps in human health assessment of TCE.     

Traumatic unilateral temporomandibular joint dislocation overlooked for more than two decades

Forward dislocation of the temporomandibular joint commonly can be easily diagnosed and successfully reduced by manual repositioning. In this report, we discuss a rare case of prolonged temporomandibular dislocation that had persisted for more than 20 years because the otolaryngologist and dentist had missed the dislocation. This patient underwent open reduction and mandibular joint plasty with preoperative orthodontic therapy. It is possible that strong pain and mouth-closing disability may gradually remit and only deviated mandibular prognathism like malocclusion may persist. Therefore, abnormal occlusion warrants careful attention to temporomandibular joint dislocation.     

Prognostic Significance of Hiatal Hernia in Patients with Gastric Cancer Located within the Upper-Third of the Stomach

World Journal of Surgery - Gastric cancers located within the upper-third of the stomach (UGC), especially the esophagogastric junction GC (EGJGC), have distinct clinicopathological features due to...     

A patient with seminal vesiculitis prior to acute chlamydial epididymitis

This is the first report of a case of seminal vesiculitis prior to acute chlamydial epididymitis. At the first visit to the clinic, the patient wished to check whether he had Chlamydia trachomatis in his genital tract, because his wife had been diagnosed as having chlamydial cervicitis. He had no specific symptoms at that time; however, transrectal ultrasonograpy (TRUS) revealed swelling of seminal vesicles, which suggested the presence of seminal vesiculitis. Two days after the first visit, he had high-grade fever and was diagnosed as having acute epididymitis caused by C. trachomatis. We had previously reported that seminal vesiculitis was always complicated with acute epididymitis, so this case could provide important evidence that seminal vesiculitis might precede acute epididymitis. It suggested that acute epididymitis could be affected by seminal vesiculitis via the retrograde transmission route.     

Long-Term Results of Seton Placement for Fistula-in-ano in Infants

Background

The present study aimed to assess the long-term results of seton placement for fistula-in-ano (FIA) in infants.

Methods

Data of patients aged <1 year who presented to our department with perianal abscess (PA) between January 2006 and February 2010 were retrospectively reviewed. Our standard initial treatment for PA was incision and drainage. Patients with systemic diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases were excluded.

Results

Ninety-five patients were treated for PA and/or FIA during the 5-year period, and follow-up data were available for 90 patients. The mean follow-up duration in these patients was 49.8?±?11.4 months, and mean age at presentation was 3.1?±?2.7 months. Of the 90 patients, 36 (40 %) developed FIA (39 lesions) and underwent seton placement. The condition healed in a mean period of 6.3?±?4.0 weeks after the placement of a cutting seton. Healing of the fistula was achieved in 35 (97.2 %) of 36 patients after the initial seton procedure, and one patient who showed recurrence underwent a second seton placement, resulting in successful healing of the FIA after 5 weeks.

Conclusions

The long-term success of seton placement indicates that this procedure should be a treatment option for FIA in infants.     

Action spectra for phytochrome A- and B-specific photoinduction of seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana.

We have examined the seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana of wild type (wt), and phytochrome A (PhyA)- and B (PhyB)-mutants in terms of incubation time and environmental light effects. Seed germination of the wt and PhyA-null mutant (phyA) was photoreversibly regulated by red and far-red lights of 10-1,000 micromol m-2 when incubated in darkness for 1-14 hr, but no germination occurred in PhyB-null mutant (phyB). When wt seeds and the phyB mutant seeds were incubated in darkness for 48 hr, they synthesized PhyA during dark incubation and germinated upon exposure to red light of 1-100 nmol m-2 and far-red light of 0.5-10 micromol m-2, whereas the phyA mutant showed no such response. The results indicate that the seed germination is regulated by PhyA and PhyB but not by other phytochromes, and the effects of PhyA and PhyB are separable in this assay. We determined action spectra separately for PhyA- and PhyB-specific induction of seed germination at Okazaki large spectrograph. Action spectra for the PhyA response show that monochromatic 300-780 nm lights of very low fluence induced the germination, and this induction was not photoreversible in the range examined. Action spectra for the PhyB response show that germination was photoreversibly regulated by alternate irradiations with light of 0.01-1 mmol m-2 at wavelengths of 540-690 nm and 695-780 nm. The present work clearly demonstrated that PhyA photoirreversibly triggers the germination upon irradiations with ultraviolet, visible and far-red light of very low fluence, while PhyB controls the photoreversible effects of low fluence.     

Cockroach diuretic hormones: characterization of a calcitonin-like peptide in insects

Insect diuretic hormones are crucial for control of water balance. We isolated from the cockroach Diploptera punctata two diuretic hormones (DH), Dippu-DH(31) and Dippu-DH(46), which increase cAMP production and fluid secretion in Malpighian tubules of several insect species. Dippu-DH(31) and -DH(46) contain 31 and 46 amino acids, respectively. Dippu-DH(46) belongs to the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-like insect DH family, whereas Dippu-DH(31) has little sequence similarity to the CRF-like DH, but is similar to the calcitonin family. Dippu-DH(46) and -DH(31) have synergistic effects in D. punctata but have only additive effects in Locusta migratoria. Dippu-DH(31) represents a distinct type of insect DH with actions that differ from those of previously identified insect peptides with diuretic activity.     

Successful treatment by voliconazole for pulmonary and adductor magnus muscle aspergillosis induced by immunosuppressive therapy for hypersensitivity pneumonia]

A 74-year-old woman was treated with steroid and cyclosporine A for hypersensitivity pneumonia. To examine the causes of general fatigue and increased levels of beta-D glucan in serum, she was admitted to our hospital. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed nodular opacity with a well-defined margin in the right S1. 67Ga scintigraphy image showed high uptake in the left thigh and CT showed circularly enhanced lesions in the thigh. An ultrasonography-guided needle aspiration and biopsy of the muscle abscess allowed isolation of Aspergillus fumigatus and evidence of necrotic tissues around the granuloma formation. We therefore diagnosed invasive aspergillosis. Because of the poor response to initial therapy with micafungin and itraconazole for 4 weeks, we treated her with voliconazole (VCZ). Spectacular regression of lung lesions and muscle abscesses was rapidly achieved. Furthermore, the high level of beta-D glucan in serum decreased gradually. This case suggests that administration of VCZ can be recommended for deep seated mycoses.