Bronchial Branching Abnormalities and Emphysema-like Changes in Mutant Rats Having Congenital Lobation Anomalies in the Lung

ABSTRACT The present study aimed at investigating in fpl/fpl mutant rats survived to adulthood 1) whether bronchial branching abnormalities were the primary defects of pulmonary lobation anomalies, and if this was the case, 2) whether these anomalies could lead to respiratory dysfunction. Examination of corrosion casts made from the malformed lungs of adult fpl/fpl rats revealed a variety of branching abnormalities in the right bronchial tree, such as ventral ramification of the middle lobar bronchus, abnormal curvature of the intermediate lobar bronchus, and positional abnormalities of the middle lobar bronchus and first segmental bronchus of the intermediate lobar bronchus, while reduction in the number of segmental bronchi was the only minor abnormality found in the left lung. These results conformed to our previous observations in which the main manifestation of the fpl mutation was restricted to the right lung lobes, and indicated that the primary defect of this malformation was bronchial branching abnormalities. In these rats, stenosis of the trachea, right and left principal bronchi, and some lobar and segmental bronchi also became evident by calipering their circumference. Histopathological examination of the lungs revealed abnormally expanded airspaces accompanied by destruction of alveolar walls and macrophage infiltration in aged fpl/fpl rats. These observations suggest that fpl/fpl rats suffer emphysema-like respiratory dysfunction with advancing age from pulmonary lobation anomalies conforming to tracheal and bronchial malformations.     

Rapid,sensitive and specific diagnosis of Bordetella pertussis using the polymerase chain reaction

Use of a repetitive DNA sequence of Bordetella pertussis allowed successful detection of the organism by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The method was highly sensitive, being able to detect B. pertussis in specimens containing only a few cells. It was also highly specific, with no amplification of specimens containing other organisms, for example Haemophilus influenzae or Neisseria, being observed. A diagnosis could be made within 1 day. The PCR assay was also evaluated in clinical specimens. Among 47 nasopharyngeal specimens obtained from 24 patients with laboratory-confirmed pertussis, 27 were positive by PCR and 19 by culture. In particular, all three bronchial aspirates from one patient with pertussis were positive by PCR, but only one showed positive on culture. Eleven specimens from parapertussis patients and 65 specimens from patients without pertussis tested negative. It was concluded that this newly developed PCR method for the diagnosis of pertussis was more rapid and sensitive than the usual culture method. Polymerase chain reaction could have a major impact on the treatment and control of this infection and would be a useful tool for studying the pathogenesis of B. pertussis infection.     

Cytochrome P450 isozymes responsible for the metabolism of toluene and styrene in human liver microsomes

1. Cytochrome P450 isozymes from Asian (31 Chinese subjects) and Caucasian (14 Finnish subjects) livers were examined for their roles in the metabolism of toluene (rates of benzyl alcohol, o- and p-cresol formation) and styrene (rates of styrene glycol formation). 2. For toluene, the overall rate of metabolism was higher in samples from Finnish than from Chinese subjects. At 0·20 mM toluene, the rate of o-cresol formation was significantly higher in Finnish microsomes than in Chinese ones. The formation rates of benzyl alcohol and p-cresol in Finnish samples were also higher than those of Chinese samples, but only at a high substrate concentration (5·0 mM). For styrene metabolism, the Chinese liver microsomes showed higher metabolic rates than the Finnish ones at 0·085 mM styrene, but not at the higher substrate concentration. 3. Mean expression levels of immunochemically detected CYP1A2 1 and CYP2B6 were almost 3-fold higher in Finnish microsomes, whereas CYP2E1 was 1 7-fold higher in Chinese samples. 4. Correlation analysis showed that CYP2E1 (benzyl alcohol formation) and CYP1A2/1 (o-cresol formation) contributed to the metabolism of toluene at the low substrate concentration, whereas CYP2C8 was the form more actively involved at the higher toluene concentrations. At the higher concentration (1·8 mM) of styrene, CYP2B6 was most active isozyme to catalyse the formation of styrene oxide from styrene. 5. These results suggest that CYP2E1 and CYP1A2/1 are the main isoforms responsible for the metabolism of toluene at low substrate concentrations in human liver microsomes, CYP2E1 at low styrene concentration, and CYP2C8 and CYP2B6 at high concentrations of toluene and styrene respectively.     

p120 catenin is associated with desmogleins when desmosomes are assembled in high-Ca2+ medium but not when disassembled in low-Ca2+ medium in DJM-1 cells

We recently showed that p120 catenin (p120ctn), which is an armadillo family protein member that binds to E-cadherin (E-cad), is also localized to desmosomes by directly or indirectly binding to desmogleins (Dsg). We examined whether p120ctn is associated with Dsg1 and Dsg3, as compared with E-cad and plakoglobin (PG), in keratinocytes grown in high or low Ca²⁺, using a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line, DJM-1 cells. The cell lysate of DJM-1 cells grown in high- or low-Ca²⁺ media was immunoprecipitated with anti-Dsg1/2 and Dsg3 antibodies, and we examined whether p120ctn is associated with Dsg1 and Dsg3. Then, we observed the co-localization between Dsg3 and p120ctn in cells grown in high- or low-Ca²⁺ medium on double-staining immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-p120ctn and anti-Dsg3 antibodies. Immunoprecipitates with anti-Dsg1/2 and Dsg3 antibodies in cells grown in high-Ca²⁺ medium contained p120ctn. In contrast, in low-Ca²⁺ medium, p120ctn was co-immunoprecipitated with neither Dsg1 nor Dsg3, but was co-immunoprecipitated with E-cad in cells grown in both high- and low-Ca²⁺ media. Dsg3 was associated with PG in cells grown in both low- and high-Ca²⁺ media. On immunofluorescence microscopy, p120ctn and Dsg3 were independently observed in cells grown in low-Ca²⁺ medium; p120ctn, but not Dsg3, was observed in a linear pattern at the cell–cell boundary. However, they were co-localized at cell–cell contacts in cells grown in high-Ca²⁺ medium. Thus, these proteins are not co-localized in low Ca²⁺ medium. These results suggest that p120ctn plays an important role in Ca²⁺-induced desmosome formation.     

Argon plasma coagulation for treatment of hemorrhagic radiation gastroduodenitis

A 79‐year‐old man who had received radiotherapy for portal vein thrombosis due to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 5 months earlier, showed progressive anemia and melena. Endoscopy on admission revealed diffuse bleeding from multiple telangiectasias on the anterior wall of the antrum and bulbus. We treated this patient with a new non‐contact hemostatic method: the argon plasma coagulator (APC). The melena stopped after the first session and the hemoglobin level remained stable for 7 months. No delayed complications have been observed. Gastrointestinal bleeding from chronic radiation gastroduodenitis is rarely reported compared with radiation proctitis. This case demonstrates that APC is effective for hemostasis of diffuse bleeding from radiation gastroduodenitis, just as for radiation proctitis.     

Multicentre population‐based dementia prevalence survey in Japan: a preliminary report

Community‐based surveys were performed in seven rural areas in Japan to investigate the prevalence of dementia and illnesses causing dementia. A total of 5431 elderly subjects were selected based on census data from 1 October 2009. In total, 3394 participants were examined (participation rate: 62.5%), and 768 dementia cases and 529 mild cognitive impairment cases were identified. Of the illnesses causing dementia, Alzheimer's disease was the most frequent (67.4%), followed by vascular dementia (18.9%), dementia with Lewy body disease (4.6%), mixed dementia (4.2%) and other illnesses. The prevalence of dementia according to 5‐year age strata between 65 and 99 years was 5.8–77.7% among the participants. The prevalence of dementia in this study was higher than in previous reports in Japan and other countries. To verify the upward trend of dementia prevalence and its background factors, we have scheduled surveys for three other urban areas in 2011–2012.     

Quantitative Measurement of Fluorescent Intensity of the Rat Liver Surface Using Video Fluorescence Laparoscopy Following Intravenous Fluorescein Injection

Abstract: A new method for the quantitative measurement of fluorescent intensity of the rat's liver surface after fluorescein injection is described. The measuring system of fluorescent intensity on the rat liver surface consisted of a video laparoscopy with a video densitometer. An excitation filter was placed in the light source and an absorbing filter was attached to the eyepiece of the magnifying scope in this fluorescence video laparoscopy system. Fluorescein was injected intravenously into the inferior vena cava. Video fluorescence images of the liver surface were recorded with a CCD TV camera which was connected to the scope. In measuring the mean intensity of video images, a region of interest was designated on the TV monitor. The fluorescent intensity in this region was measured by a video densitometer and expressed in volts. The time-intensity curve was graphically presented using a pen recorder. In this way, the time course of the liver surface fluorescent intensity could be analyzed with data expressed in volts. In normal livers, the fluorescent intensity began to rise 4.0 ± 0.5 seconds after fluorescein injection and reached a peak at 14.4 ± 1.5 seconds. Thereafter, the intensity fell slightly but then rose again to a second peak 170±50 seconds after injection.     

Respiratory failure caused by dual infection with Bordetella pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus

Two infants with pneumonia caused by both Bordetella pertussis and respiratory syncytial virus (RS virus) suffered respiratory failure preceded by convulsion. Detection of respiratory pathogens with polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was crucial in the management of dually infected infants.