Field Efficacy and Transmission of Fast- and Slow-Killing Nucleopolyhedroviruses that Are Infectious to Adoxophyes honmai (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)

The smaller tea tortrix, Adoxophyes honmai (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is an economically important pest of tea in Japan. Previous work showed that a fast-killing nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) isolated from A. orana (AdorNPV) and a slow-killing NPV isolated from A. honmai (AdhoNPV) are both infectious to A. honmai larvae. Field application of these different NPVs was conducted against an A. honmai larval population in tea plants, and the control efficacy and transmission rate of the two NPVs were compared. The slow-killing AdhoNPV showed lower field efficacy, in terms of preventing damage caused by A. honmai larvae against the tea plants, than the fast-killing AdorNPV. However, AdhoNPV had a significantly higher horizontal transmission rate than AdorNPV. These results show that AdorNPV is suitable as an inundative agent, while AdhoNPV is an appropriate inoculative agent.     

Glycosidase activities in alveolar macrophages from guinea pigs stimulated with a glyco-proteic complex extracted from Klebsiella pneumoniae

An increased resistance of laboratory animals to pulmonary infections following per os administration of a glyco-proteic complex extracted from Klebsiella pneumoniae has been reported. This was associated with an increased phagocytic capacity of alveolar macrophages (AM). In this report, the effect of treating guinea pigs with this extract on the alveolar macrophage (AM) glycosidase machinery has been studied. AM were collected by bronchoalveolar lavage, the cells were pelleted by centrifugation and AM were purified by adherence on plastic dishes. Sialidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-glucuronidase and N-acetyl-beta-D glucosaminidase activities were measured in the AM homogenate. In order to evaluate an extracellular release of these enzymes, they were also assayed in the cell free lavage fluid. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was assayed as a control for cell lysis. In treated animals, the total number of cells as well as the number of AM increased by 25% (ns). The protein concentration was slightly reduced in the cell homogenate and unchanged in the lavage fluid. The only significant change was a decreased sialidase activity, in AM homogenate (p less than or equal to 0.01) and in lavage fluids (ns). The LDH activity was not increased in the lavage fluids.     

Radionuclide angiography in two cases of hepatic actinomycosis

Primary hepatic actinomycosis is rare, and there have been few reports concerning its nuclear imaging findings. Two cases of actinomycosis, in which hypervascular hepatic masses were observed in the arterial phase of radionuclide angiography are reported. To the authors' knowledge, this finding has not been reported in the literature. In one of the two cases, intense Ga-67 uptake also was noted. Although the preoperative diagnosis based on the findings of nuclear imaging (liver scan, liver flow study, Ga-67 scan), ultrasound, CT, and angiography was hepatoma, hepatic masses in our cases proved to be hepatic actinomycosis. Because hepatic actinomycosis is rare, this disease is neglected often in the differential diagnosis of hepatic mass lesions. It should be included in the gamut of hypervascular hepatic mass lesions.     

Relationship between compensatory hypertrophy of the remnant kidney after donor nephrectomy and albuminuria

Clinical and Experimental Nephrology -     

High serum level of methylglyoxal-derived AGE, <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>δ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolone-2-yl)-ornithine,independently relates to renal dysfunction

Background

The dicarbonyl methylglyoxal reacts primarily with arginine residues to form advanced glycation end products, including Nδ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4 -imidazolone-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1), which are risk factors for not only diabetic complications but also lifestyle-related disease including renal dysfunction. However, the data on serum level and clinical significance of this substance in chronic kidney disease are limited.

Methods

Serum levels of MG-H1 and Nε-(carboxymethyl) lysine (CML) in 50 patients with renal dysfunction were measured by liquid chromatography/triple-quadruple mass spectrometry.

Results

The median serum MG-H1 levels in patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of ≥30, 15–30, and <15 ml/min/1.73 m² was 4.16, 12.58, and 14.66 mmol/mol Lys, respectively (p > 0.05). On the other hand, MG-H1 levels in patients with HbA1c of <6 and ≥6 % was 12.85 and 10.45 mmol/mol Lys, respectively, the difference between which is not significant. In logistic regression analysis, decreased renal function (eGFR <15 ml/min/1.73 m²) significantly associated with high serum levels of MG-H1 [odds ratio: 9.39 (95 % confidence interval 1.528–57.76), p = 0.015; Spearman rank correlation: MG-H1 vs. eGFR, r = ?0.691, p < 0.01]. In contrast, the serum level of CML did not correlate with eGFR, but correlated with systolic blood pressure [odds ratio 16.17 (95 % confidence interval 1.973–132.5), p = 0.010; Spearman rank correlation coefficient: CML vs. eGFR, r = 0.454, p < 0.01].

Conclusion

These results showed that the serum concentration of MG-H1 was strongly related to renal function rather than to DM.

     

Population Semiphysiologic Kinetic Modeling and Simulation of Plasma Triglyceride Levels After Soybean Oil–Based Intravenous Lipid Emulsion Administration in Rats

Background: Soybean oil–based intravenous lipid emulsion (SO‐ILE) has clinical utility as an energy source and in lipid rescue therapy. However, an excessive infusion rate of SO‐ILE in routine use and in lipid rescue therapy may cause serious side effects. There is little information about plasma triglyceride (TG) kinetics following SO‐ILE administration. The present study aimed to develop a population semiphysiologic kinetic model of TG and to predict the TG kinetics even at extremely high concentrations in rats. Materials and Methods: TG concentration profiles after intravenous bolus (0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 g/kg) or infusion (3.0 g/kg/h for 1 hour) of SO‐ILE to rats were analyzed by a kinetic model constructed with 4 pathways: apolipoprotein acquisitions, zero‐order catabolism, first‐order uptake to storage sites, and zero‐order secretion from storage sites. The developed model was subjected to internal and external validation. Results: Plasma TG concentrations appeared to decline in a biphasic manner with nonlinear TG kinetics. The developed kinetic model was well validated and found to accurately predict the external validation data. Conclusions: The proposed kinetic model accurately described TG concentrations after SO‐ILE administration at various infusion rates, including a lipid rescue regimen. The maximum acceptable infusion rate of SO‐ILE in routine use should correspond to the maximum velocity of the apolipoprotein acquisition: 0.619 g/kg/h in rats. The prediction of TG kinetics at extremely high concentrations will provide useful information for lipid rescue therapy.     

High-fat, high-sucrose, and high-cholesterol diets accelerate tumor growth and metastasis in tumor-bearing mice

Epidemiological studies indicate that the risk factors for the development of various cancers are closely associated with metabolic symptoms such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance caused by the excess consumption of high-calorie diets. However, the mechanisms of tumor growth and metastasis caused by feeding a high-calorie diet have not been clarified yet in tumor-bearing mice. In this study, we examined the effects of a high-fat (HF), a high-sucrose (HS), a high-cholesterol (HC) or a low-fat/low-sucrose (LF/LS) diet on tumor growth and metastasis in tumor-bearing mice. Angiogenic factors such as plasma leptin and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) were increased after the implantation of tumors, whereas conversely, an antiangiogenic factor, adiponectin, was reduced after the implantation of tumors in mice fed the HF, the HS, or the HC diet compared to LF/LS diet. Furthermore, we found that vascular endothelial growth factor, hypoxia inducible factor-1alpha and MCP-1 expression levels in tumors of mice fed the HF, the HS, or the HC diet were increased compared to those of mice fed the LF/LS diet. These findings suggest that the acceleration of tumor growth and metastasis by feeding the 3 diets may be due to the increase of angiogenic factors and the reduction of antiangiogenic factors.