Interaction between poly(L-lysine) and sulfated poly(vinyl alcohol)

Ionic polymer-polymer interaction was studied in aqueous solution for poly(L -lysine) (PLL) and sulfated poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVS) as functions of pH, the degree of sulfation, the functional unit mole ratio of the two polymers and temperature by means of circular dichroism and viscosity measurements. In all the cases studied, strong inter-polymer complexes were formed at the functional unit mole ratio (VS)/(LL) higher than 1. Although PLL itself is well known to take the α-helical conformation at such a high pH as 11, the PLL conformation in the PLL/PVS complexes did not depend on pH but on the degree of sulfation: at room temperature, PLL took random coil conformation in PLL/PVS-25 (25: degree of sulfation in mole-%) and PLL/PVS-30, and the α-helical conformation (helicity of 70%) in PLL/PVS-46 and PLL/PVS-95. Models for the complex structures are postulated. Methanesulfonic acid did not influence the conformational transition of PLL, supporting that a polymer effect took place in the complex formation between PLL and PVS. Thermal effect on the PLL conformation in the complex is also discussed.     

Acute effect of inhaled beta(2)-agonists with different type of intrinsic activity on airway resistance in healthy volunteers]

Inhaled beta(2)-agonists (long-acting as well as short acting) are used world-wide for the relief of asthma symptoms. However, there are few reports which have evaluated the additive effect of short-acting beta(2)-agonists to long-acting beta(2)-agonists on airway resistance measured by a plethysmography. This study was designed to evaluate the additive effect of inhaled short-acting beta(2)-agonists (protecarol) to long-acting beta(2)-agonists (salmeterol) on airway resistance in normal healthy volunteers (S+P group). In addition, to compare the effects of beta(2)-agonists which have different types of intrinsic activities, acute effect of inhaled procaterol adding to procaterol was also evaluated (P+P group). Seven healthy volunteers (all male and all non-smokers) were entered in this study. Pulmonary function was measured by a body plethysmography. Forced expiratory volume per 1 second (FEV1), the maximum flow rate at 25% (V(.) 25), the maximum flow rate at 50% of forced vital capacity (V(.) 50), and airway resistance were measured before and after inhalation of salmeterol (1 dry powder, 50 microg) or procaterol (2 puffs, 20 microg). Sixty minutes after inhalation of salmeterol, or 15 minutes after inhalation of procaterol, inhalation of procaterol (2 puffs, 20 microg) was added, and then pulmonary function was monitored. FEV1, V(.) 25, and V(.) 50 were significantly increased after inhalation of salmeterol as well as procaterol. In addition, airway resistance decreased significantly after inhalation of salmeterol as well as procaterol. In the S+P group, additional decrease of airway resistance after inhalation of procaterol was relatively small compared with the P+P group. In conclusion, although additional bronchodilatoric effects were observed in the S+P and P+P group, the effects seemed to be different based on the intrinsic activity of each beta(2)-agonist.     

Physical parameters in Japanese newborns

Summary A total of 19 physical parameters of the head, face, chest, and the fingers were examined in Japanese 50 male and 50 female newborns, measured 8 to 64 hr after birth. Exceptional values were excluded referring to the estimated mean and standard deviations. Normal values are presented as mean ±2 S.D. for each sex. As compared with Caucasian newborns, the Japanese newborns showed longer inner canthal and shorter outer canthal distances, shorter ear lengths, and longer palm and middle finger lengths.     

Peripheral hepatolithiasis incidentally found at autopsy

Summary Hepatolithiasis is a common disease in East Asia though very rare in the West. Four cases of hepatolithiasis in which calculi were incidentally found in the peripheral branches of the intrahepatic biliary tree at autopsy are described and compared with hepatolithiasis involving the major branches of the intrahepatic biliary tree. These four cases were all elderly, three patients were male and one female. The calculi were brown pigment stones in each case, as seen in the major branch type. The stone-containing ducts showed mild fibrosis and glandular proliferation with inflammatory changes in three cases; these changes were marked in the fourth case. The hepatic parenchyma around the stone-containing ducts was atrophic or collapsed in all four cases. The major branches of the intrahepatic biliary tree as well as the extrahepatic tree failed to show findings suggestive of bacterial infections or biliary anomalies. These data suggest that brown pigment stones develop primarily in the peripheral ducts in the liver. It remains uncertain whether the peripheral type eventually progresses to the major type or not.     

Evaluation of the clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy and simulation of short-term hospitalization.

The effectiveness of the clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was evaluated, and the efficiency of medical care was analyzed. The duration of hospitalization and the number of National Health Insurance (NHI) points for medical service fees were compared between 86 patients treated after introduction of the clinical pathway (pathway group) and 56 patients treated before introduction of the clinical pathway (pre-pathway group). In the pathway group, variance from the pathway occurred in 24 patients (27.9%) due to postponement of discharge in 7 patients, to earlier discharge in 5 patients, and to insertion of a bile duct catheter in 5 patients. Total and postoperative hospitalization times were significantly shorter in the pathway group than in the pre-pathway group (8.0 +/- 1.6 vs 13.7 +/- 9.0 days, p<0.0001, 5.4 +/- 1.1 vs 6.5 +/- 2.2 days, p<0.0001, respectively). In the pathway group, the total number of NHI points was lower and the number of points per day was higher. By simulation, the total number of NHI points for the 5-day pathway (discharge on postoperative day 3 or earlier) was significantly lower than that for the current 7-day pathway. Moreover, the weekly profit per bed with the 3-day pathway (discharge on postoperative day 1) was more than twice that with the current pathway. The results suggest that the clinical pathway for laparoscopic cholecystectomy is beneficial for patients and useful for the introduction of diagnosis procedure combination in our hospital.     

Accreditation of clinical laboratories based on ISO standards

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) have published two international standards (IS) to be used for accreditation of clinical laboratories; ISO/IEC 17025:1999 and ISO 15189:2003. Any laboratory accreditation body must satisfy the requirements stated in ISO/IEC Guide 58. In order to maintain the quality of the laboratory accreditation bodies worldwide, the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) has established the mutual recognition arrangement (MRA). In Japan, the International Accreditation Japan (IAJapan) and the Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment (JAB) are the members of the ILAC/MRA group. In 2003, the Japanese Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (JCCLS) and the JAB have established the Development Committee of Clinical Laboratory Accreditation Program (CLAP), in order to establish the CLAP, probably starting in 2005.     

Long‐term observation of a Japanese mucolipidosis IV patient with a novel homozygous p.F313del variant of MCOLN1

Mucolipidosis type IV (MLIV) is an autosomal recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive psychomotor delay and retinal degeneration that is associated with biallelic variants in the MCOLN1 gene. The gene, which is expressed in late endosomes and lysosomes of various tissue cells, encodes the transient receptor potential channel mucolipin 1 consisting of six transmembrane domains. Here, we described 14‐year follow‐up observation of a 4‐year‐old Japanese male MLIV patient with a novel homozygous in‐frame deletion variant p.(F313del), which was identified by whole‐exome sequencing analysis. Neurological examination revealed progressive psychomotor delay, and atrophy of the corpus callosum and cerebellum was observed on brain magnetic resonance images. Ophthalmologically, corneal clouding has remained unchanged during the follow‐up period, whereas optic nerve pallor and retinal degenerative changes exhibited progressive disease courses. Light‐adapted electroretinography was non‐recordable. Transmission electron microscopy of granulocytes revealed characteristic concentric multiple lamellar structures and an electron‐dense inclusion in lysosomes. The in‐frame deletion variant was located within the second transmembrane domain, which is of putative functional importance for channel properties.