Relationship between immediate hypersensitive reactions by buckwheat ingestion and specific IgE for rice in subject with positive IgE-RAST for buckwheat]

IgE-mediated mechanisms are important in immediate hypersensitive reactions (IHR) to buckwheat. However, a part of subjects with high IgE for buckwheat show no IHR to buckwheat ingestion. Inspite of cross-allergenicity between buckwheat and rice, rice ingestion rarely induces IHR even in subjects with high IgE for rice unlike buckwheat-induced IHR. We speculated that there were some relationships between the presence of IHR to buckwheat and recognition of cross-allergenic determinants on buckwheat components with rice components. We examined IgE-RAST for rice in 58 subjects with positive IgE-RAST for buckwheat. IgE-RAST for Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp), egg white and cow's milk as unrelated antigens with rice were also assessed for a comparison. Subjects (n = 33) without IHR to buckwheat showed higher IgE-RAST values for rice than those (n = 25) with IHR, whereas there were no differences in IgE-RAST values for Dp, egg white and cow's milk between two groups with and without IHR. IgE-RAST values for buckwheat showed significant close correlations to those for rice in subjects without IHR to buckwheat but not in those with IHR. There were no significant correlations between IgE-RAST values for buckwheat and for Dp, egg white or cow's milk in both groups with and without IHR. These results suggested that the IgE from subjects without IHR to buckwheat recognized cross-allergenic determinants with rice on the buckwheat components.     

Restriction site polymorphism at the LPA (Lp(a) apoliprotein; apoliprotein(a)) locus

A restriction site polymorphism in the Lp(a) apolipoprotein gene (the LPA gene) is reported. The basis for the polymorphism is presence or absence of an MspI restriction site that appears to be 3' to the last kringle IV structure of the gene. The "1" gene (presence of the restriction site) has a frequency of 0.316 and the "2" gene (absence of the restriction site) has a frequency of 0.684. Both members of each of 67 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs had the same genotype and there was Mendelian segregation of the DNA variants in 40 families with a total of 75 children. There was a lower proportion of people with genotype 1-1 in the top quartile than in the 3 bottom quartiles of the population distribution of Lp(a) lipoprotein levels but the difference did not reach statistical significance.     

Ras homolog gene family H (RhoH) deficiency induces psoriasis-like chronic dermatitis by promoting TH17 cell polarization

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Modulation of the control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity during severe orthostatic stress

We tested the hypothesis that arterial baroreflex (ABR)-mediated beat-to-beat control over muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is progressively modulated as orthostatic stress increases in humans, but that this control becomes impaired just before the onset of orthostatic syncope. In 17 healthy subjects, the ABR control over MSNA (burst incidence, burst strength and total MSNA) was evaluated by analysing the relationship between beat-to-beat spontaneous variations in diastolic blood pressure (DAP) and MSNA during supine rest (control) and during progressive, stepwise increases in lower body negative pressure (LBNP) that were incremented by −10 mmHg every 5 min until presyncope (nine subjects) or −60 mmHg was reached. (1) The linear relationships between DAP and burst strength and between DAP and total MSNA were shifted progressively upward as LBNP increased until the level at which syncope occurred. The relationship between DAP and burst incidence, however, gradually shifted upward from control only to LBNP =−30 mmHg; there was no further upward shift at higher LBNPs. (2) Although the slope of the relationship between DAP and burst strength and between DAP and total MSNA remained constant at all LBNPs tested, except at the level where syncope occurred, the slope of the relationship between DAP and burst incidence was reduced at LBNPs of −40 mmHg and higher ( versus control). (3) In syncopal subjects, the slopes of the relationships between DAP and burst incidence, burst strength, and total MSNA were all substantially reduced during the 1–2 min period prior to the onset of syncope. Taken together, these results suggest baroreflex control over MSNA is progressively modulated as orthostatic stress increases, so that its sensitivity is substantially reduced during the period immediately preceding the severe hypotension associated with orthostatic syncope.     

Transformation of Trichoderma viride using the Neurospora crassa pyr4 gene and its use in the expression of a Taka-amylase A gene from Aspergillus oryzae

Summary A pyrG mutant of Trichoderma viride, a very efficient cellulase producer, was isolated from among 5-fluoroorotic acid-resistant mutants. The mutation was complemented with the pyr4 gene of Neurospora crassa and used as a selection marker for the transformation of T. viride. A plasmid vector, pDJB1-Taa, carrying both the pyr4 gene and a gene encoding Taka-amylase A from Aspergillus oryzae, was constructed and introduced into protoplasts of T. viride pyrG^-. The transformation frequency was 1–10 transformants (3 on average) per g DNA. One transformant showed highly elevated -amylase production (about 17 times higher than the recipient level) and the integration of more than one copy of the Taka-amylase gene.     

C-reactive protein levels in the serum of asthmatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease caused by immune cells such as T lymphocytes and eosinophils. Recently, highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assays have become available for detecting small changes in CRP levels within the reference range, allowing for the evaluation of clinical inflammation. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between hs-CRP levels and bronchial asthma. METHODS: We collected blood samples from 109 patients with bronchial asthma, with or without attacks, and measured serum eosinophil cationic protein levels, pulmonary function, and serum CRP levels using an hs-CRP assay. RESULTS: Mean serum hs-CRP levels were significantly higher in patients without attacks (0.473 mg/L) and with attacks (0.908 mg/L) (P < .001 for both) than in controls (0.262 mg/L). Serum hs-CRP levels were inversely correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced vital capacity in asthmatic patients (r = -0.4915; P < .01). CONCLUSION: Serum hs-CRP levels may be related to the state of asthma exacerbation and allergic inflammation.     

Cross education of muscular strength during unilateral resistance training and detraining

Abstract. The purpose of the present study was to examine the changes in maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) in the contralateral untrained limb during unilateral resistance training and detraining, and to examine the factors inducing these changes by means of electrophysiological techniques. Nine healthy males trained their plantar flexor muscles unilaterally 4 days·week^–1 for 6 weeks using 3 sets of 10–12 repetitions at 70–75% of one-repetition maximum a day, and detrained for 6 weeks. Progressive unilateral resistance training significantly (P<0.05) increased MVC, integrated electromyogram (iEMG), and voluntary activation in the trained and contralateral untrained limbs. The changes in MVC after training were significantly correlated with the changes in iEMG in both limbs. No significant changes occurred in MVC, voluntary activation, and iEMG in the contralateral limb after detraining. The changes in MVC after detraining did not correlate with the changes in voluntary activation or iEMG in either limb. Training and detraining did not alter twitch and tetanic peak torques in either limb. These results suggest that the mechanisms underlying cross education of muscular strength may be explained by central neural factors during training, but not solely so during detraining. Electronic Publication     

Education of medical technologists in North America

The increasing complexity of diseases and advancing medical technologies have recently raised the number of test items and their use. This has caused each department to ask for clinical support by medical technologists, including consultation services on clinical laboratory tests in Japan. Under these circumstances, we think it is necessary to consider a Japanese education system for medical technologists to foster people with advanced ability capable in providing adequate clinical support. It is important that we study medical technologist systems and education systems superior to than ours. Therefore, to investigate the state of the Japanese education system for medical technologists, we conducted a comparison between the medical technologist systems and education systems in foreign countries and those of Japan. The social background in which medical technologists are positioned, their scope of work, and the education systems overseas are different from Japan on many points and we were given many suggestions for what a system in Japan should be like.