Report of the meeting for researchers in charge of tuberculosis molecular epidemiology in Japan, China and Korea

The meeting for the researchers who are in charge of tuberculosis (TB) molecular epidemiology in Japan, China and Korea was held. When the databases of IS6110 RFLP in each country were analyzed, the unique K-strain, which constitutes ca. 4% among total TB cases in Korea, was also found in the TB clinical isolates in Japan. Thus, it is very likely that the Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is characteristic in each country, have already spread out into surrounding nations. It is expected that each country should facilitate the molecular epidemiological research in a concerted way.     

Subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head in younger adults

We report two cases of subchondral insufficiency fracture of the femoral head observed in younger adults without any history of overexertion. In both cases, MRI revealed an irregular, discontinuous low-intensity band on the T1-weighted images. Both patients were treated operatively, and histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of subchondral fracture. A diagnosis of subchondral insufficiency fracture needs to be put in as one of the diagnoses in younger patients with a hip pain.     

ALS-associated mutations in TDP-43 increase its stability and promote TDP-43 complexes with FUS/TLS

Dominant mutations in two functionally related DNA/RNA-binding proteins, trans-activating response region (TAR) DNA-binding protein with a molecular mass of 43 KDa (TDP-43) and fused in sarcoma/translocation in liposarcoma (FUS/TLS), cause an inherited form of ALS that is accompanied by nuclear and cytoplasmic aggregates containing TDP-43 or FUS/TLS. Using isogenic cell lines expressing wild-type or ALS-linked TDP-43 mutants and fibroblasts from a human patient, pulse-chase radiolabeling of newly synthesized proteins is used to determine, surprisingly, that ALS-linked TDP-43 mutant polypeptides are more stable than wild-type TDP-43. Tandem-affinity purification and quantitative mass spectrometry are used to identify TDP-43 complexes not only with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins family proteins, as expected, but also with components of Drosha microprocessor complexes, consistent with roles for TDP-43 in both mRNA processing and microRNA biogenesis. A fraction of TDP-43 is shown to be complexed with FUS/TLS, an interaction substantially enhanced by TDP-43 mutants. Taken together, abnormal stability of mutant TDP-43 and its enhanced binding to normal FUS/TLS imply a convergence of pathogenic pathways from mutant TDP-43 and FUS/TLS in ALS.     

Transplacental Transmission of Bluetongue Virus 8 in Cattle, UK

To determine whether transplacental transmission could explain overwintering of bluetongue virus in the United Kingdom, we studied calves born to dams naturally infected during pregnancy in 2007–08. Approximately 33% were infected transplacentally; some had compromised health. In all infected calves, viral load decreased after birth; no evidence of persistent infection was found.     

Pancreatic schwannoma: Report of a case

Among pancreatic neoplasms, pancreatic schwannoma is quite rare. We report a case of solitary pancreatic schwannoma, plus a literature review of this tumor. A 71-year-old woman was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography as having a pancreatic tumor and was hospitalized in our department at Kumamoto University Hospital on January 26, 2006. Abdominal computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and endoscopic ultrasonography all showed this tumor, which was located in the body of the pancreas, to have cystic and solid components, and with a septum in the cystic part of the lesion. The tumor, preoperatively identified as a mucinous cystic neoplasm, was clearly separated from the normal pancreatic parenchyma. We performed a spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy with a lymph node dissection on February 7, 2006. A histopathological examination of the resected specimen by means of hematoxylin and eosin revealed the tumor to consist of two parts: one with a compact spindle cell pattern (Antoni type A), and the other showing degeneration of fat (Antoni type B). We also found positive results for immunohistochemical staining for S-100 and vimentin. These findings confirmed the tumor’s classification as a pancreatic schwannoma.     

Pitavastatin may Reduce Risk of Steroid-induced Osteonecrosis in Rabbits: A Preliminary Histological Study

Several animal and human studies suggest pharmacological approaches may prevent steroid-induced osteonecrosis (ON). We asked whether the newly developed 3-hydroxymethyl-3-glutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor, pitavastatin, could prevent steroid-induced ON in rabbits. We injected 65 adult male Japanese white rabbits once with 20 mg/kg of methylprednisolone acetate into the right gluteus medius muscle. The rabbits were divided into two groups; one group of 35 rabbits received pitavastatins (PS), and the other group of 30 rabbits received no prophylaxis (CTR). Hematological examinations were performed just before the steroid injection (0 weeks) and at 1 and 2 weeks after steroid injection; both the femora and the humeri were histologically examined 2 weeks postinjection. The incidence of histologic changes consistent with early ON in the PS group (13 of 35; 37%) was lower in comparison to the CTR group (21 of 30; 70%). The size of the bone marrow fat cells in the PS group (56.6 +/- 10 microm) was smaller than those in the CTR group (60 +/- 4 microm). The data suggest pitavastatin has the potential to lower the incidence of steroid-induced ON in rabbits.