Fetal umbilical cord cyst may evolve to omphalocele during pregnancy

Omphalocele is rarely complicated by umbilical cord cysts. In our case, an umbilical cord cyst and fetal ascites were detected at 26 weeks' gestation in a fetus with trisomy 13. This changed to omphalocele with subsequently absorbed fetal ascites at 35 weeks' gestation. We propose two hypotheses. The abdominal wall may have been physically pierced or an omphalocele might have preexisted, and the intestinal tract in the hernia sac was pushed by fetal ascites.     

C677T mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene and neural tube defects: Should Japanese women undergo gene screening before pregnancy?

We analyzed the role of maternal C677T mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene on spina bifida development in newborns. A total of 115 mothers who had given birth to a spina bifida child (SB mothers) gave 10 mL of blood together with written informed consent. The genotype distribution of C677T mutation was assessed and compared with that of the 4517 control individuals. The prevalence of the homozygous genotype (TT) among SB mothers was not significantly different from that among the controls (odds ratio [OR] = 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.31–1.25; P = 0.182), suggesting that MTHFR 677TT genotype in Japan is not associated with spina bifida development in newborns. The T allele frequency was not increased in SB mothers (34.8%) as compared to that of the control individuals (38.2%). Further, the internationally reported association between the two groups was found to be similar in all 15 countries studied except the Netherlands, where the TT genotype was found to be a genetic risk factor for spina bifida. For the prevention of affected pregnancy every woman planning to conceive has to take folic acid supplements 400 μg a day and the government is asked to take action in implementing food fortification with folic acid in the near future. In conclusion, it is not necessary for Japanese women to undergo genetic screening C677T mutation of the MTHFR gene as a predictive marker for spina bifida prior to pregnancy, because the TT genotype is not a risk factor for having an affected infant.     

Regioselective Approach to Characterizing Increased Edge Availability in Layered Crystal Materials following Layer Expansion: Reaction of Kaolinite with Octadecyltrimethylammonium Salts

In this paper, the regioselective reactions of kaolinite and methoxy-modified kaolinite (MeO-Kaol), methanol-expanded kaolinite, with octadecyltrimethylammonium salts are compared. This study mainly concerns the reactions of kaolinite or MeO-Kaol with octadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (C18TAC) in methanol and the subsequent exhaustive washing of the resultant products with ethanol. X-ray diffraction patterns of the products reveal no intercalation of C18TAC between pristine kaolinite layers. Additionally, intercalation and subsequent deintercalation of C18TAC proceed in the product using MeO-Kaol. In the Fourier-transform infrared spectra, the intensities of CH₂ stretching bands of the product prepared using MeO-Kaol drastically increase compared to those using kaolinite. In addition, CH₂ stretching bands of the product using kaolinite are hardly observed without enlarging the spectrum. The product using MeO-Kaol also displays mass loss in the range of 200–300 °C in the thermogravimetric curve and a nitrogen content with 0.15 mass% estimated using the CHN analysis. These results therefore demonstrate an increase in the available reactive edges in the layered crystal material following an expansion of the stacked layers.     

SNARE mediates autophagosome–lysosome fusion

Autophagy is an intracellular bulk degradation/recycling system that turns over cellular constituents. This system has also been shown to play a crucial role in host defense, termed antimicrobial autophagy (xenophagy), in which it functions to degrade intracellular foreign microbial invaders. Xenophagosomes undergo a stepwise maturation process that consists of fusion with lysosomes, after which the cargo undergoes degradation. We have previously shown that intracellular group A Streptococcus (GAS) is captured by xenophagosomes termed GAS-containing autophagosome-like vacuoles (GcAVs), where GAS organisms are degraded following fusion with lysosomes. Our recent investigations have shown that endocytic soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) are involved in the fusion of xenophagosomes and lysosomes. Confocal microscopic analysis has shown that SNAREs, including VAMP8 and Vti1b, colocalize with GFP-LC3 in GcAVs. Our findings also suggested that Vti1b is derived from autophagic compartments, whereas VAMP8 originates from lysosomes. Knockdown of the combinational SNARE proteins VAMP8 and Vti1b with siRNAs disturbed the autophagic fusion of xenophagosomes with lysosomes, and cellular bactericidal efficiency significantly diminished. Furthermore, knockdown of these SNAREs inhibited the fusion of canonical autophagosomes with lysosomes. These findings strongly suggest that a combinatorial SNARE complex with VAMP8 and Vti1b mediates the fusion of antimicrobial and canonical autophagosomes with lysosomes, an essential event for autophagic degradation.