Interleukin-1 beta gene polymorphism related with allergic pathogenesis in Iris constitution

Iridological constitution has a strong familial aggregation and is implicated in heredity. The aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease is still unknown. However, from genetic epidemiological studies there is considerable evidence that genetic factors are associated with both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. We investigated the relationships between Iridological constitution and interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) gene polymorphism. IL-1β is a major proinflammatiry cytokine, and the polymorphisms of this gene have been shown to be of importance in a number of diseases. Especially, IL-1 has been suspected of involvement in allergic pathogenesis. Also, IL-1β genotype is one of the genetic markers of gastric cancer. Therefore, we classified 166 individuals according to Iris constitution, and determined IL-1β genotype. The frequencies of Iris constitutions as follows: neurogenic type, 41 (24.7%); abdominal connective tissue weakness type, 53 (31.9%); cardio-renal connective tissue weakness type, 50 (30.1%); the others type, 22 (13.3%). Especially, the frequency of abdominal connective tissue weakness type was higher in C/T genotype than in the remaining constitutions although the statistical power was very weak. Furthermore, we first attempted to explore possible involvement of the IL-1β polymorphism and the Iris constitution.     

Aperture maneuver with compelled breath (AMC) for moving tumors: a feasibility study with a moving phantom

Respiration causes target motion, which is known to be one of the technical bottlenecks in radiotherapy, especially for stereotactic radio-surgery and intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). To overcome this problem, aperture maneuver with compelled breath (AMC) has been developed. In order to simulate compelled respiratory motion, a moving phantom using a ventilator was designed. As the air flow was forced to the bellows, which simulates the lungs, by a ventilator, a film connected to the ventilator moved like the respiratory target motion. A software was developed to transfer multileaf collimator motion from breathless to actual periodic breathing conditions. Static fields as well as step-and-shoot IMRT fields were modified in accordance with moving shapes to follow the target position, using the software with the controlled breathing information. Film dosimetry for a small field and for IMRT fields with a moving phantom was performed. To evaluate clinical implementation, five healthy volunteers were tested to breathe through a ventilator, and all of them could adapt the compelled breath without any difficulties. Additive margins for a moving target with AMC were not larger than 3 mm for respiratory organ motions up to 18 mm, while those with the static beam were 9 mm. For IMRT fields, large discrepancies were present between a static target and a moving target with the static beam, while they coincided well with AMC. Clinical acceptable differences between the dose distributions from a static target with the static beam and from a moving target with AMC revealed that this technique could be applied clinically.     

Methods for derivation of human embryonic stem cells

The expanded blastocysts, developed from 2PN-stage embryos, are generally divided into three categories: a good blastocyst containing a large and distinguishable inner cell mass (ICM), a blastocyst with a small and distinct ICM, and a blastocyst with a poorly defined ICM. In this study, we introduce methods for the derivation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) depending on the quality of the blastocysts. An immunosurgical method was used for the good expanded blastocysts. This method, however, raises the probability of ICM loss in cases of hESC derivation from blastocysts with smaller or indistinct ICMs. Furthermore, this method is also associated with a risk of the contamination of the hESCs with animal pathogens. To overcome these shortcomings, the partial- or whole-embryo culture method was used. For blastocysts with no visible ICM, the whole-embryo culture method was used to establish hESCs via the seeding of the entire blastocyst without its zona pellucida directly on a STO feeder layer. However, trophectodermal overgrowth tends to hinder the expansion of the ICM during the initial steps of hESC derivation. Therefore, the partial-embryo culture method was developed to establish hESCs from blastocysts with smaller ICMs. The surgical isolation of the region containing the ICM with an ultra-fine glass pipette alleviates trophectoderm overgrowth. This method is also applicable to blastocysts with large and distinct ICMs, and the efficiency of this method is comparable to that of the immunosurgical method.     

Extralobar pulmonary sequestration with an associated cyst of mixed bronchogenic and esophageal type--a case report.

We report an unusual case of extralobar pulmonary sequestration (ELS) with an associated cyst of mixed bronchogenic and esophageal type. A 58-year-old woman was incidentally found to have a 6 x 6 x 5 cm sized mass in the right superior mediastinum. The mass consisted of sequestrated pulmonary tissue and an unilocular cyst with a direct communication. The cyst could not be easily classified because it was lined by squamous or respiratory epithelium with two distinct muscle layers and bronchial glands. Bronchial cartilage was present in close proximity to the ELS. This unusual combination of ELS with a foregut cyst might be a part of bronchopulmonary foregut malformation, attributed to a common embryologic pathogenesis.     

Identification, characterization, and expression pattern of the chicken EKLF gene.

EKLF/KLF1 was the first of the Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) to be identified in mammals and plays an important role in primitive and definitive erythropoiesis. Here, we identify and characterize EKLF in the chicken (cEKLF). The predicted amino acid sequence of the zinc finger region of cEKLF is at least 87.7% similar to mammalian EKLF proteins and is 98.8% and 95% similar to the EKLF orthologues in Xenopus and zebrafish, respectively. During early embryonic development, cEKLF expression is seen in the posterior primitive streak, which gives rise to hematopoietic cells, and then in the blood islands and in circulating blood cells. cEKLF mRNA is expressed in blood cells but not in brain later in chicken embryonic development. cEKLF mRNA is increased in definitive compared with primitive erythropoiesis. The conserved sequence and expression pattern of cEKLF suggests that its function is similar to its orthologues in mammals, Xenopus, and zebrafish.     

The locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE)-encoded regulator controls expression of both LEE- and non-LEE-encoded virulence factors in enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Regulation of virulence gene expression in enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) is incompletely understood. In EPEC, the plasmid-encoded regulator Per is required for maximal expression of proteins encoded on the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), and a LEE-encoded regulator (Ler) is part of the Per-mediated regulatory cascade upregulating the LEE2, LEE3, and LEE4 promoters. We now report that Ler is essential for the expression of multiple LEE-located genes in both EPEC and EHEC, including those encoding the type III secretion pathway, the secreted Esp proteins, Tir, and intimin. Ler is therefore central to the process of attaching and effacing (AE) lesion formation. Ler also regulates the expression of LEE-located genes not required for AE-lesion formation, including rorf2, orf10, rorf10, orf19, and espF, indicating that Ler regulates additional virulence properties. In addition, Ler regulates the expression of proteins encoded outside the LEE that are not essential for AE lesion formation, including TagA in EHEC and EspC in EPEC. delta ler mutants of both EPEC and EHEC show altered adherence to epithelial cells and express novel fimbriae. Ler is therefore a global regulator of virulence gene expression in EPEC and EHEC.     

Development of hatching blastocysts from immature human oocytes following in-vitro maturation and fertilization using a co-culture system

Recently, in-vitro maturation (IVM) of immature human oocytes recovered from non-stimulated follicles has been applied in the treatment of infertility. However, in previous reports, very few embryos cultured in conventional medium have reached the expanded blastocyst stage following in-vitro maturation and fertilization (IVM/IVF). The objective of this study was to investigate whether the developmental competence of human embryos following IVM/IVF could be enhanced by the use of a human ampullary cell co-culture system. Immature human oocytes were aspirated from small follicles at Caesarean section and then cultured in medium containing human menopausal gonadotrophin for 36 to 48 h, followed by insemination. Zygotes were randomly cultured either in conventional culture medium alone or in the co-culture system. Of 48 embryos cultured in conventional medium alone, all arrested at the 2-16- cell stage on day 3 after insemination. Of 46 embryos cultured in the co-culture system, 26 embryos (56.5%) arrested at the 2-16-cell stage. Six embryos (13%) developed to the morula stage. Fourteen embryos (30.4%) developed to expanded blastocysts and two blastocysts were hatching on day 7 after insemination. We conclude that co-culture significantly enhances the development of blastocysts in embryos resulting from IVM/IVF.      

Energy metabolism of the contagious equine metritis bacterium.

The energy metabolism of the English E-CMO strain of contagious equine metritis bacterium was studied in whole cells and cell extracts. This bacterium appears to have an active Krebs cycle and probably obtains energy by oxidative phosphorylation since glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate pathways appear to be absent. These conclusions are based on the findings that [U-14C]glucose incorporation by this bacterium is below the level of detection, and that respiration is stimulated by Krebs cycle intermediates (i.e., malate, citrate, and succinate), but not by glucose, fructose, maltose, or sucrose. Furthermore, support comes from the fact that enzymes generally associated with the Krebs cycle and electron transport (i.e., malate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, fumarate hydratase, malate dehydrogenase [decarboxylating], cytochrome oxidase, superoxide dismutase, NADH dehydrogenase, and catalase) were detected. Those enzymes normally associated with glycolysis and the hexose monophosphate pathways (i.e., hexokinase, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, fructose biphosphate aldolase, glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, pyruvate kinase, phosphate acetyl transferase, acetate kinase, alcohol dehydrogenase, and lactate dehydrogenase) were below the level of detection.