Impaired insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase translocation to the plasma membrane in adipocytes of Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty rats

Insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase (IRAP) translocates to the plasma membrane with glucose transporter-4 (GLUT4) on insulin stimulation. However, this may be impaired in patients at risk of diabetes. Recently a novel technique has been developed to assess cell surface IRAP activity dynamically using a fluorogenic membrane impermeable substrate. In this study we measured the cell surface IRAP activity and 3-O-[methyl-14C]-D-Glucose uptake in adipocytes isolated from Otsuka Long Evans Tokushima Fatty rats (OLETF), developed as a model of type 2 diabetes mellitus, to evaluate whether the translocation of GLUT4/IRAP vesicles is affected. On the addition of insulin, the cell surface IRAP activity promptly increased to reach equilibrium in a hormone dose-dependent manner. OLETF rats showed significantly lower equilibrium activity than control rats (P<0.01). Time to reach the equilibrium was also significantly longer in the OLETF case, and adipocytes isolated from OLETF rats demonstrated both a delay and a reduction in 3-O-[methyl-14C]-D-Glucose uptake. This impairment in all parameters was alleviated by treatment with pioglitazone. Continuous measurement of cell surface IRAP activity allowed accurate evaluations of GLUT4/IRAP vesicle translocation and of the establishment of defects in OLETF rats.     

The Screening of Patients with Extrahepatic Biliary Atresia by Measuring Total Bile Acids Absoredin Dried Blood Spots

The efficency was assessed of the screening for extrahepatic biliary atresia by measuring total bile acids absorbed in dried blood spots at around 5 days of age. When the cut-off level was 54.0 μmol/l, the sensitivity, the specificty and the efficiency of the screening test were 87.9%, 93.9% and 93.9% respectively. The case-finding rate was 0.009% in this type of screening which was three times as many as an early case-finding rate by population screening. These results suggest that teh efficiency of this screening is acceptable.     

A study on measles epidemic in Sukagawa area, Fukushima Prefecture from 2002 to 2003

Measles epidemic occurred in southern part of Fukushima Prefecture from April 2002 to July 2003. Public Iwase hospital in Sukagawa City was the central hospital in the measles epidemic area and 382 patients with measles were admitted to the hospital during the epidemic. Based on clinical records, age distribution, vaccination history, familiar infection and complications were retrospectively investigated. Moreover, the vaccination rates and their calculating methods in the area were compared and the problems on immunization against measles were discussed. As the result, we found that 1) measles epidemic centered on unvaccinated infants, 2) measles was still serious disease with many complications and sometimes fatal, 3) measles was highly infectious and there was no way for prevention except vaccination, 4) the actual condition of measles vaccination was not reflected exactly by the current calculating methods used for the local health reports by the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare. For the prevention of measles epidemic, it is necessary to know the exact numbers of patients infected with measles and patients deceased due to measles, to calculate precise vaccination rate, and to form the consensus among parents, physicians and administrators to control measles epidemic by the vaccination.     

Carrier Detection in Agammaglobulinemia by X Chromosome Inactivation Analysis

Using a recently developed strategy to analyze patterns of X chromosome inactivation in cell populations, we found that two mothers and a sister were carriers in three atypical or sporadic cases of patients with agammaglobulinemia, two of whom were brothers. In this study, a phosphogiycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) gene probe was used to detect patterns of methylation of X-chromosome genes. A random pattern of X inactivation was observed in isolated peripheral blood granulocytes. In contrast, one of the two X chromosomes was preferentially active in the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed peripheral B cells of the family members of these patients. The volume of the blood specimen could be significantly reduced using EBV-transfomed B cell lines which contained multiple clones. The analysis described here can be used to distinguish between X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA) and other forms of a- or hypogammaglobulinemia as well as to detect the carrier state.     

AGE-ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN THE SYMPTOMATOLOGY OF GUILLAIN-BARRÉ SYNDROME IN CHILDREN

The medical records were reviewed of 83 children with Guillain-Barré syndrome, with reference to the age-associated changes found in the initial symptoms, the intervals between the preceding illness and the onset of disease, and the patterns of affected cranial nerves. A close correlation was observed between cranial nerve involvement and respiratory complications. The findings suggest the involvement of nervous system maturation in the clinical manifestations of Guillain-Barré syndrome in children.