Accumulation of cyanide and thiocyanate in haemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND: Cyanide is a toxic agent, and its detoxification product, thiocyanate, may be a major pathogenetic substance in uraemia. Recent studies examining the myeloperoxidase(MPO)/thiocyanate system have suggested a link between thiocyanate and atherosclerosis. However, inaccuracies in conventional assays for cyanide and thiocyanate have limited the understanding of their metabolism in haemodialysis (HD) patients. METHODS: We used high-performance liquid chromatography to measure cyanide in erythrocytes and thiocyanate in plasma in 43 HD patients and in a group of 46 healthy controls that included 15 current smokers. To clarify the metabolic conversion of cyanide to thiocyanate in uraemic patients, we also measured cysteine and sulfate. We then used stepwise regression analysis to analyse factors that determine erythrocyte cyanide and plasma thiocyanate. RESULTS: Mean cyanide and thiocyanate were significantly greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls. However, cyanide was far below lethal concentrations in dialysis patients. Thiocyanate was six to seven times greater in HD patients than in non-smoking controls, and decreases in thiocyanate following dialysis were only 19.3+/-3.5%. Multiple regression analysis showed a positive correlation between cyanide and thiocyanate in controls, but a negative correlation in HD patients. In patients, an inverse relationship between thiocyanate and BUN was also observed. CONCLUSIONS: The elevation of thiocyanate in patients undergoing dialysis probably is secondary to both limited efficiency of HD and deranged metabolism of cyanide and thiocyanate. Because thiocyanate is a preferred substrate for MPO, it may play a role in uraemic complications including cardiovascular events.     

Mediastinal lipoma: Report of a case

We experienced a case of mediastinal lipoma, which is considered to be a relatively rare disease. A 3-year-old girl was referred to Gifu University hospital because of fever and an abnormal shadow on her chest X-ray. The chest X-ray clearly showed a well-delineated tumor shadow which seemed to oppress the diaphragm and the right atrium in the right lower lung area. A computed tomogram (CT) of the chest showed a homogeneous mass localized on the right diaphragm and adjoining the right anterior chest wall and heart. The mass showed a fat density measuring about-100 HU. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a high-intensity mass which was almost the same level as the subcutaneous fat on both the T₁-weighted and T₂-weighted images. Thoracotomy was performed and a fatty tumor was found. It arose from the right side of the pericardium and adjoined the diaphragm, the anterior chest wall, and the thymus. There was no adhesion between the tumor and the surrounding organs. It was resected easily and its contents were yellowish and homogeneous. The patient made an uneventful recovery and was discharged 10 days after the operation. Light microscopy showed a lipoma consisting of mature adipose tissue and no malignancy was found.     

Genomic structure around joining segments and constant regions of swine T-cell receptor alpha/delta (TRA/TRD) locus

A complete genomic region of 131.2 kb including the swine T-cell receptor alpha/delta constant region (TRAC/TRDC) and joining segments (TRAJ/TRDJ) was sequenced. The structure of this region was strikingly conserved in comparison to that of human or mouse. All of the 61 TRAJ segments detected in the human genomic sequence were detected in the swine sequence and the sequence of the protein binding site of T early alpha, the sequence of the alpha enhancer element and the conserved sequence block between TRAJ3 and TRAJ4 are highly conserved. Insertion of the repetitive sequences that interspersed after the differentiation of the species in mammals such as short interspersed nucleotide elements is markedly suppressed in comparison to other genomic regions, while the composition of the mammalian-wide interspersed sequences is relatively conserved in human and swine. This observation indicates the existence of a highly selective pressure to conserve this genomic region around TRAJ throughout the evolution of mammals.     

Porcine TCR CD3zeta-chain and eta-chain

Complete porcine CD3ζ-chain cDNA sequence was obtained for the first time, and its genomic nucleotide sequence was investigated from exon 2 down to CD3η-chain exon 8. The sequence of porcine CD3ζ-chain showed homologous amino acid sequence with human and murine counterparts, in contrast to CD3η-chain exon 8 with diversity among animals previously investigated. CD3η-chain peptide is an alternative splice form of CD3ζ-chain exon 7 splicing to CD3η-chain exon 8 instead of CD3ζ-chain exon 8. The genomic sequences revealed that the splice acceptor sequences of CD3η-chain exon 8 of all animals investigated to be completely uniform. Further, CD3η-chain exon 8 amino acid sequences retained the unique characters of having high proline (Pro) and positively charged amino acid content except for rats and mice. Although the biological role of CD3η-chain remains to be enigmatic, these evidences suggests the evolutional pressure to maintain its sequence.     

骨骼肌介电行为的理论模型仿真

在 10 0 Hz～ 10 0 MHz范围内 ,应用椭圆壳介电理论模型 ,经过模拟仿真蛙骨骼肌细胞的介电行为 ,确定了蛙骨骼肌细胞的椭圆壳模型各相参数。为将来对骨骼肌疲劳、肌营养不良和肌肉萎缩等病症的模型分析奠定理论基础。     

Peroxyl radical scavenging capability of fish sauces measured by the chemiluminescence method

Oxygen-related free radicals have been suggested as a cause of aging and various diseases, for example, various cancers and rheumatoid arthritis. A radical scavenger as an antioxidant has been sought in foods. Fish sauces are traditional Asian fermented seasonings. Using the luminol chemiluminescence method, the peroxyl radical scavenging capability of fish sauces was examined. From the IC50 values, many fish sauces have been shown to have a strong scavenging capability as well as soy sauces. A scavenging mechanism is also proposed.     

Characterization of host-range and temperature-sensitive mutants of adenovirus type 5 with particular regard to transformation of a hamster embryo cell line (Nil)

Seventeen conditional lethal mutants (7 host-range and 10 temperature-sensitive) of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) were classified by complementation test and characterized physiologically in viral-DNA synthesis, induction of cell DNA synthesis (in hamster kidney cells), capsid polypeptides production, and transformation of Nil cells (a hamster embryo cell line) under the restrictive conditions.Seven host-range (hr) mutants were divided into six groups by complementation test and into three classes by phenotypic characterization. Mutants assigned to class III (complementation groups D, E, F) were positive in viral-DNA synthesis and capsid polypeptides (hexon, penton base, fiber) production, and showed some degree of leakiness. Class II mutants (complementation groups B, C) were positive in viral-DNA synthesis with a small amount of capsid polypeptides production. Class I mutant (complementation group A) was an early mutant defective in viral-DNA synthesis but positive in induction of host-DNA synthesis. Transformation of Nil cells was observed with classes I and II mutants and not with class III mutants.Ten temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants were divided into seven complementation groups and into five classes by the available phenotypic criteria. Class V mutant (complementation group G) was positive in viral-DNA synthesis and capsid polypeptides production with extreme leakiness. Class IV mutants (complementation groups E, F) were positive in viral-DNA synthesis and capsid polypeptides production. Class III mutants (complementation groups C, D) were quite similar to class IV except for reduced hexon production. Class II mutants (complementation group B) were early mutants defective in viral-DNA synthesis but positive in induction of host-DNA synthesis. Class I mutants (complementation group A) were similar to class II but with a reduced degree of induction of host-DNA synthesis. Transformation of Nil cells was observed with classes II, III, and IV mutants and not with I and V mutants.In brief, the phenotypic characterization of hr and ts mutants in infection of hamster cells showed a good correlation between complementation grouping and the defective function. Transformation of Nil cells was observed with most groups of the mutants except for the apparently leaky late groups and one group of early mutants under the restrictive conditions.