Fine structure of hepatic sinusoids and their development in human embryos and fetuses

The fine structure of the hepatic sinusoids of 81 human embryos and fetuses and their development from 5 to 12 weeks gestation were studied. At 5 weeks gestation, sinusoid-like structures and Kupffer-like cells were observed between liver cell cords. Between 6 and 8 weeks gestation the sinusoids were completely developed. Definite Kupffer cells appear at this developmental stage, when the bone marrow has not yet formed. Floating macrophages form cell aggregates in the sinusoids which contact endothelial cells and settle as Kupffer cells. Erythroblastophagia is observed in Kupffer cells and macrophages. The endothelial linings are closed, with the attenuated cell processes and intercellular junctions between the adjoining endothelial cells. No transition was observed between Kupffer cells and endothelial cells. The findings suggest that Kupffer cells in the human embryo are extrahepatic in origin and that they reach the sinusoids via the circulatory system. Ito cells, which store fat, originate from mesenchymal cells in the septum transversum.     

Different corticostriatal projections from two parts of the cortical masticatory area in the rabbit

The cortical masticatory area (CMA) elicits rhythmic jaw movements in response to repetitive stimulation and is involved in the control of mastication. Based on jaw movement patterns, the CMA is divided into two parts. One is the part of the CMA in which a T-pattern similar to jaw movements during food transport in natural mastication is evoked by electrical stimulation. The other is more dorsomedially located, and during chewing a C-pattern similar to jaw movements can be induced. However, it is still not known which region of the putamen receives projections from the CMA and whether projections originate from both parts of the CMA. In this study, electrophysiological and histological experiments were undertaken in rabbits to investigate projections from the CMA to the putamen. Both experiments showed that the ventral region of the putamen received projections from the CMA. The density of the projections from the CMA area inducing the T-pattern seemed to be higher than that from the area inducing the C-pattern. Furthermore, the peak latency of the evoked potentials from stimulation of the CMA area inducing the T-pattern was shorter than that from stimulation of the area inducing the C-pattern. The data obtained from the present study indicate the functional role of the ventral region of the putamen in the regulation of mastication, and further suggest that the corticostriatal pathway is involved in the transition between behavioral jaw movement patterns.     

Cytopathic astrovirus isolated from porcine acute gastroenteritis in an established cell line derived from porcine embryonic kidney.

A cytopathic astrovirus was isolated from pigs with acute diarrhea in an established cell line that was derived from porcine embryonic kidneys with the aid of trypsin. The virus showed a distinct cytopathic effect characterized by an enlargement of cells and the appearance of fine granules in the cytoplasm. Porcine astrovirus was shown to have an RNA genome, as determined by the effect of 5-iodo-2'-deoxyuridine on its replication, and five polypeptides with molecular masses of 13,000, 30,000, 31,000, 36,000, and 39,000 daltons; and it was shown to be stable to lipid solvents and heating at 50 degrees C for 30 min but somewhat labile to acid (pH 3.0). The buoyant density of the isolate determined in CsCl was 1.35 g/ml. Seroconversion to the virus was evident in the paired serum specimens obtained from pigs with diarrhea that were housed at the farm where the disease occurred. The neutralization test on serum specimens collected randomly from 128 adult pigs of eight herds revealed that 50 of the serum specimens were positive for antibody to porcine astrovirus, although there was considerable variation in the prevalence among herds, ranging from 0 to 83%. Hysterectomy-produced, colostrum-deprived, 4-day-old pigs developed mild diarrhea after oral exposure to porcine astrovirus propagated in the cell culture; and the virus was isolated again from diarrheal stool specimens.     

Diversity of Hepatitis G Virus within a Single Infected Individual

The extent of population diversity among GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) within a persistently infected individual (Iw) was investigated by sequence analysis of multiple clones generated from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified products of cDNA analogous to fragments of 5 non-coding region (5NC), envelope region 1/2 (E1/E2) and non-structural region 3 (NS3) of viral genome. Although nucleotide substitutions were more common in coding regions than in the 5NC region, there was no region corresponding to the hypervariable region of hepatitis C virus in the E1/E2 region. Transition substitution exceeded transversion by 7 to 12-fold, and 79.4% of substitutions were synonymous. This bias against substitutions producing amino acid replacements and the use of Pfu DNA polymerase with an error rate 10 times lower than the observed frequency of substitution, suggests that most substitutions were not artefactual. This data suggests that individual genomes of HGV within an infected individual may differ from each other at 0.23–0.84% nucleotide position and at 0.42–0.61% amino acid position.     

Total hematological analysis system as a screening test for hematological malignancy

Measurement of complete blood cell count and white blood cell differentiation is an essential laboratory test and the most important screening test for hematological malignancy. Recently, several automated blood cell analyzers have been developed to improve accuracy and precision. When flag messages generated in the presence of morphological abnormalities of the samples are displayed, manual revision is necessary. In our laboratory, the manual revision rate has been 35-40%. Therefore blood cell analyzers are useful in screening for abnormalities as well as greatly reducing expensive and time-consuming manual differential procedures. In addition, automated blood cell analyzers can provide several types of useful information including the leukocyte distribution scattergram. However, most such information is not utilized in the clinical field. In the future, a total hematological analysis system will be constructed so that all information provided by automated blood cell analyzer and by manual methods are available.     

Intravesical chemotherapy with 4′-epi-Adriamycin in patients with superficial bladder tumors

Summary We evaluated the effects of 4-epi-Adriamycin (EPI), a derivative of Adriamycin (ADR), in intravesical instillation chemotherapy. The patients received two courses of three daily instillations of 50–80 mg EPI dissolved in 30 ml physiological saline on 3 consecutive days, with an interval of 4 days between courses. Full evaluation was possible in 33 of 35 patients with superficial bladder tumors treated with EPI. Complete response was observed in 4 cases and partial response in 14 cases, giving a response rate of 55%. Side effects such as pollakiuria and pain on micturition occurred in 9 cases. EPI appears to be an effective agent for intravesical instillation chemotherapy in patients with superficial bladder tumors.     

Microscopic carcinoma of the breast--report of a case

Microscopic cancer is extremely rare even among "occult breast cancers". We treated a 70 year old woman with complaints of serosanguineous nipple discharge which yielded cytologically Class V cancer cells. Microdochectomy was performed and intraductal carcinoma was verified histologically in serially cut sections. Following a simple mastectomy, she has been well with no evidence of recurrence or metastasis, at this time.     

Indigenous Culture-as-Health: A Systematized Literature Review

Journal of Prevention - This paper has two goals regarding cultural rigor, defined as privileging cultural ways of knowing and being as a means to achieving health and well-being for future...     

Habitual Dietary Intake Affects the Altered Pattern of Gut Microbiome by Acarbose in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

The aim of this research was to reveal the characteristics of gut microbiome altered by acarbose intervention in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its possible association with habitual dietary intake. Eighteen patients with T2D were administered acarbose for four weeks. The abundances of two major phyla, namely Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes, were reciprocally changed accompanied by the acarbose intervention. There were also significant changes in the abundances of ten genera, including the greater abundance of Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium, and Lactobacillus and the lower abundance of Bacteroides in the group after the intervention than that before the intervention. Hierarchical clustering of habitual dietary intake was performed based on the pattern of changes in the gut microbiota and were classified into distinct three clusters. Cluster I consisted of sucrose, cluster II mainly included fat intake, and cluster III mainly included carbohydrate intake. Moreover, the amount of change in Faecalibacterium was positively correlated with the intake of rice, but negatively correlated with the intake of bread. The intake of potato was negatively correlated with the amount of change in Akkermansia and Subdoligranulum. Acarbose altered the composition of gut microbiome in Japanese patients with T2D, which might be linked to the habitual dietary intake.