Genetic changes in localized prostate cancer of Japanese patients shown by comparative genomic hybridization

To search for additional amplification and deletion sites that may serve as a starting point for the discovery of new oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes, 30 Japanese localized prostate cancers were analyzed by comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) in this study. CGH was used to search for changes in DNA sequence copy-number in a series of 30 primary prostate adenocarcinomas, consisting of 22 cases of pT2N0 (organ confined; without capsular invasion) and 8 cases of pT3N0 (with capsular invasion), removed by radical prostatectomy. CGH revealed that the shortest regions of overlap (SRO) of gains in pT2N0 were at 8q22.2 approximately q24.2, 11q13.1 approximately q14.1, and 12q23 approximately q24.2, whereas the SRO of losses were seen at 8p23.3 approximately p22, 13q21.2 approximately p22, and 18q21 approximately q22. The SRO of gains in pT3N0 were noted at 5q32 approximately q34, 8q22.3 approximately q24.1, 11q14.1 approximately q22.3, and 12q22 approximately q24.2, whereas the SRO of losses were seen at 18q21.2 approximately q23. These results suggest that gains or losses of DNA in these regions are important for prostate cancer progression. The detection of the SRO may serve as a starting point to discover novel oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes involved in prostate cancer progression.     

Functional evaluation of an artificial anal sphincter using shape memory alloys

This article describes an implantable artificial anal sphincter using shape memory alloys and its in vivo assessment in porcine models. The new design was developed as a low invasive prosthesis with a simple structure to solve the problem of severe fecal incontinence in patients with hypoplastic sphincters or without anal sphincters and especially for ostomates. The artificial anal sphincter consists of two shape memory alloy (SMA) plates as the main functional parts to perform two basic functions when the SMA artificial sphincter is fitted around intestines (i.e., an occlusion at body temperature and an opening function on heating). Our previous assessments with short-term animal experiments revealed promising properties with the occlusion function of the device, although some complications, such as overpressure induced ischemia, heat burn, and infections, remained. This article addresses the concerns related to the practical use of the device, the power supplement to drive the actuator, and overheating protection of the device inside bodies. Results of chronic animal experiments of up to 4 weeks suggested great potential for the improved device.     

Shift of motor activation areas during recovery from hemiparesis after cerebral infarction: a longitudinal study with near-infrared spectroscopy

Motor functional recovery after stroke may be attributable to cerebral reorganization. We used near-infrared spectroscopy, which measures non-invasively the changes in oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations in response to neural activation, for monitoring cerebral activation in stroke patients, and investigated the longitudinal changes in functional laterality of activations in the primary sensorimotor cortex during unilateral audio-paced (1 Hz) hand movement. We examined five ischemic stroke patients (4 females and 1 male, 52-67 years old) with mild to moderate hemiparesis at acute stages and chronic stages at least 1 month later. Normal subjects (3 females and 2 males, 47-63 years old) were also included. Unilateral hand movement activated predominantly the contralateral primary sensorimotor cortex in the normal subjects and the stroke patients when they moved unaffected hand. Affected hand movements activated bilateral sensorimotor cortices early after stroke (< 25 days of stroke onset), whereas the activation pattern returned toward normal at later periods (> 35 days). The contralaterality index (0.34 +/- 0.12 in normal control) was reduced at early periods (0.00 +/- 0.03, p < 0.01) after stroke, and returned to normal (0.35 +/- 0.24) as motor function recovered. These findings suggest that a transient increase in motor activation in the ipsilateral intact hemisphere within 1 month may play an important role in the recovery from motor dysfunction after stroke.     

BPOZ-2 directly binds to eEF1A1 to promote eEF1A1 ubiquitylation and degradation and prevent translation

Bood POZ containing gene type 2 (BPOZ-2), which contains ankyrin repeats, NLS, BTB/POZ domains and LXXLL motifs, is an adaptor protein for the E3 ubiquitin ligase scaffold protein CUL3. We isolated a cDNA encoding eukaryotic elongation factor 1A1 (eEF1A1) as a BPOZ-2 binding protein by screening a human thymus cDNA library using a yeast two-hybrid system. eEF1A1 is essential for translation and is also involved in the 26S proteasome-dependent degradation of misfolded or unfolded proteins. The binding between BPOZ-2 and eEF1A1 was confirmed by pull-down and immunoprecipitation assays in vitro and in vivo , respectively. BPOZ-2 binds to eEF1A1 through the ankyrin repeats and both BTB/POZ domains in BPOZ-2 and Domains I and III in eEF1A1. BPOZ-2 and eEF1A1 over-expressed in HEK 293T cells co-localized as speckles within the cytoplasm. BPOZ-2 promoted eEF1A1 ubiquitylation and degradation, suggesting that eEF1A1 is a substrate of BPOZ-2. BPOZ-2 inhibited GTP binding to eEF1A1 and prevented translation in in vitro translation assay using rabbit reticulocytes.     

Bone turnover markers correlate with implant fixation in a rat model using LPS-doped particles to induced implant loosening

Revision surgery for particle-induced implant loosening in total joint replacement is expected to increase dramatically over the next few decades. This study was designed to investigate if local tissue and serum markers of bone remodeling reflect implant fixation following administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-doped polyethylene (PE) particles in a rat model. Twenty-four rats received bilateral implantation of intramedullary titanium rods in the distal femur, followed by weekly bilateral intra-articular injection of either LPS-doped PE particles (n = 12) or vehicle that contained no particles (n = 12) for 12 weeks. The group in which the particles were injected had increased serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), decreased serum osteocalcin (OC), increased peri-implant eroded surface, decreased peri-implant bone volume, and decreased mechanical pull-out strength compared to the controls. Implant fixation strength was positively correlated with peri-implant bone volume and serum OC and inversely correlated with serum CTX-I, while energy to yield was positively correlated with serum OC and inversely correlated with the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase positive cells at the interface and the amount of peri-implant eroded surface. There was no effect on trabecular bone volume at a remote site. Thus, the particle-induced impaired fixation in this rat model was directly associated with local and serum markers of elevated bone resorption and depressed bone formation, supporting the rationale of exploring both anticatabolic and anabolic strategies to treat and prevent particle-related implant osteolysis and loosening, and indicating that serum markers may prove useful in tracking implant fixation.     

Phenotype Analysis and Quantification of Proliferating Cells in the Cortical Gray Matter of the Adult Rat

In intact adult mammalian brains, there are two neurogenic regions: the subependymal zone and the subgranular layer of the hippocampus. Even outside these regions, small numbers of proliferating precursors do exist. Many studies suggest that the majority of these are oligodendrocyte precursors that express NG2, a chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, and most of the residual proliferating cells seem to be endothelial cells. However, it is still unclear whether NG2-immunonegative proliferating precursors are present, because previous studies have neglected their possible existence. In this study, we systematically analyzed the phenotypes of the proliferating cells in the intact adult rat cortical gray matter. We improved our techniques and carefully characterized the proliferating cells, because there were several problems with identifying and quantifying the proliferating cells: the detection of NG2-expressing cells was dependent on the fixation condition; there were residual proliferating leukocytes in the blood vessels; and two anti-NG2 antibodies gave rise to different staining patterns. Moreover, we used two methods, BrdU and Ki67 immunostaining, to quantify the proliferating cells. Our results strongly suggest that in the intact adult cerebral cortical gray matter, there were only two types of proliferating cells: the majority were NG2-expressing cells, including pericytes, and the rest were endothelial cells.     

Stercoral perforation of the colon during pregnancy

A 39-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital for severe abdominal pain at 22 weeks and 2 days of gestation. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) suggested perforation of the gastrointestinal tract and emergency surgery was conducted. There was a fibrous adhesion between an enlarged uterus and the sigmoid colon. There was a 5.0-cm perforation near the adhesion in the posterior wall of the sigmoid colon. We performed a partial resection of the sigmoid colon and Hartmann's procedure with copious intraperitoneal lavage. Five hours following the laparotomy, uterine contractions could not be controlled and the patient delivered vaginally. The neonate died almost immediately after delivery. We conclude that although stercoral bowel perforation is rare, poor prognosis after perforation emphasizes the need to carry out a CT scan for patients who present with undiagnosed severe abdominal pain and compatible medical history, even if the patient is pregnant.     

The suprascapular notch narrows with aging: a preliminary solution of the old conjecture based on a 3D-CT evaluation

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe the morphology of the suprascapular notch in terms of age distribution. We hypothesized that the notch narrows with aging.

Methods

Seven hundred and sixty consecutive patients (465 men and 295 women) scheduled for a shoulder surgery were retrospectively reviewed. A 3D-CT of the shoulder was taken to evaluate the shape of the notch according to the Rengachary classification. The six types of Rengachary classification were arranged into three major categories according to transverse scapular ligament ossification and notch size as follows: the wide notch (type 1 and type 2); the narrow notch (type 3 and type 4); and the ossified notch (type 5 and type 6). Comparisons between categories were done with a one-way analysis of variance.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference among the three categories (P < .01): the narrow notch group (n = 442, 63.4 ± 12.8 years) and the ossified notch group (n = 66, 65.9 ± 10.6 years) were significantly older than the wide notch group (n = 252, 57.5 ± 17.8 years), respectively. In patients with Rengachary type 5 shoulders, ossification was dominant on the medial side of the notch in 37 of 39 shoulders (92.3 %).

Conclusion

The current study showed that morphological changes of the scapular notch are related to aging. The narrow notch and the ossified notch are seemed to be developed from the wide notch in terms of the ossification starting from the medial side.