A one-generation reproduction toxicity study in rats treated orally with a novel galacto-oligosaccharide

Galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) is a naturally occurring prebiotic that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating growth and/or activity of one or a limited number of colon bacteria to improve host health. A novel GOS was administered by gavage to male and female Sprague Dawley rats at 0, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg/day for 10 weeks. In males, administration of GOS was initiated prior to mating and continued for 91 days. Females received GOS beginning 2 weeks prior to mating through day 20 of lactation. Parents were observed daily, and body weight (BW) and feed consumption were measured. Vaginal smears, mating behavior, and observation of delivery/lactation were evaluated in parents. Effects on the reproductive function of parents including gonad function, estrous cycle, mating performance, fertility, delivery and lactation, and effects on the growth and development of pups were examined. No deaths occurred, and no general toxicological effects or abnormal reproductive functions were observed in any dose group. Pups were observed at birth and the following measurements were undertaken: BW, external differentiations, sensory functions, and reflex reactions during lactation and just prior to necropsy. No external malformations or differences in the number of pups, in the sex ratio, or BW at birth occurred in any dose group. Growth and development of pups were normal. The No Observed Effect Level for reproductive function of male and female parent animals and for the growth and development of their offspring was at least 2000 mg/kg/day.

Radial incision and cutting method for refractory stricture after nonsurgical treatment of esophageal cancer

Strictures remaining after nonsurgical treatment for esophageal cancer are generally more refractory to endoscopic balloon dilation (EBD) when compared with anastomotic strictures. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a radial incision and cutting (RIC) method for the treatment of refractory strictures after nonsurgical treatment of esophageal cancer. All subjects complained of grade 2 or worse dysphagia, even after at least 10 sessions of EBD. Between August 2009 and May 2012, eight consecutive patients with refractory esophageal stricture after nonsurgical treatments, including chemoradiotherapy (CRT) alone (n = 3), CRT followed by salvage endoscopic treatment (n = 3), or endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD; n = 2), underwent the RIC procedure. After the RIC procedure, dysphagia in all the patients dramatically improved to grade 1 or 0 without any major complications; however, the long-term efficacy was unfavorable as only 37.5 % (3 /8) demonstrated adequate lumen patency at 3 months, and re-intervention was necessary in six patients (75 %).

CD133 is a positive marker for a distinct class of primitive human cord blood-derived CD34-negative hematopoietic stem cells

The identification of human CD34-negative (CD34(-)) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provides a new concept for the hierarchy in the human HSC compartment. Previous studies demonstrated that CD34(-) severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-repopulating cells (SRCs) are a distinct class of primitive HSCs in comparison to the well-characterized CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs. However, the purification level of rare CD34(-) SRCs in 18 lineage marker-negative (Lin(-)) CD34(-) cells (1/1000) is still very low compared with that of CD34(+)CD38(-) SRCs (1/40). As in the mouse, it will be necessary to identify useful positive markers for a high degree of purification of rare human CD34(-) SRCs. Using 18Lin(-)CD34(-) cells, we analyzed the expression of candidate positive markers by flow cytometric analysis. We finally identified CD133 as a reliable positive marker of human CB-derived CD34(-) SRCs and succeeded in highly purifying primitive human CD34(-) HSCs. The limiting dilution analysis demonstrated that the incidence of CD34(-) SRCs in 18Lin(-)CD34(-)CD133(+) cells was 1/142, which is the highest level of purification of these unique CD34(-) HSCs to date. Furthermore, CD133 expression clearly segregated the SRC activities of 18Lin(-)CD34(-) cells, as well as 18Lin(-)CD34(+) cells, in their positive fractions, indicating its functional significance as a common cell surface maker to isolate effectively both CD34(+) and CD34(-) SRCs.

A 6-week oral gavage toxicity study of a novel galacto-oligosaccharide in juvenile rats

A novel galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) was administered by gavage to groups (10 males and 10 females) of Sprague-Dawley specific pathogen-free rats for 6 weeks from day 4 after birth at doses of 0, 500, 1000, or 2000 mg/kg/day. Each pup was subjected to a variety of observations to examine for development effects/changes after birth: general condition, clinical signs, functional examinations, grip strength and spontaneous movement, body weight and feed consumption, external differentiation, ophthalmological examination, urinalysis (including water consumption), hematology, blood chemistry, necropsy, organ weight, and histopathology. During the study period, no deaths occurred in any group and there were no observed effects from administration of GOS. Therefore, it was concluded that GOS had no effects on the development of animals 4 days after birth. Since, there were no abnormalities due to administration of GOS in the macroscopic examination, organ weight or histopathology of the reproductive organs or differentiation (incisor eruption and eyelid opening) of males or females, it was concluded that repeated oral administration of GOS at 2000 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks from day 4 after birth hadno effects on postnatal development. The no observed effect level of GOS by repeated oral administration for 6 weeks from day 4 after birth was 2000 mg/kg/day for both males and females under the conditions of this study.

The factors associated with pain severity in patients with knee osteoarthritis vary according to the radiographic disease severity: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) pain is suggested to be associated with inflammation and detrimental mechanical loading across the joint. In this cross-sectional study, we simultaneously examined the inflammation and alignment of the lower limb and examined how the pain components varied depending on the disease progression.

DESIGN

One-hundred sixty female medial type of early- [n = 74 in Kellgren-Lawrence (K/L) 2] to advanced-stage (n = 96 in K/L >2) knee OA subjects (70.5 years on average) were enrolled. Knee pain was evaluated using a pain visual analog scale (VAS) and the pain-related subcategory of the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM-pain). The serum interleukin (sIL)-6 level reflecting synovitis, and the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level were measured to evaluate the severity of inflammation. The anatomical axis angle (AAA) was measured as an alignment index. The β-coefficient was estimated after adjusting for age and the body mass index (BMI) using a multiple linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

Multiple linear regression analyses showed that the sIL-6 levels, but not AAA, associated with the pain VAS [β = 10.77 (95% confidence interval (CI): 4.14-17.40), P < 0.01] and JKOM-pain scores [β = 3.19 (95% CI: 1.93-4.44), P < 0.001] in the early stage. Conversely, AAA, but not the sIL-6 levels, was found to be associated with the pain VAS [β = -1.29 (95% CI: -2.51 to -0.08), P < 0.05] and JKOM-pain scores [β = -0.49 (95% CI: -0.82 to -0.16), P < 0.01] in the advanced stage.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of a higher level of sIL-6 and the varus alignment of the joint is associated with pain in early- and advanced-stage knee OA patients, respectively.

Semen collection and polymerase chain reaction-based sex determination of black-headed and straw-necked ibis

This study aimed to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based sexing and effective semen collection methods for black-headed and straw-necked ibis species. However, most birds are not sexually dimorphic, that is, the sexes appear similar. Therefore, the gender should be determined before semen collection. DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 11 black-headed and 4 straw-necked ibis. The sex was determined after PCR amplification of the EE0.6 region of W-chromosome. The PCR products were separated using gel electrophoresis. A single band indicated the presence of the EE0.6 region and that the individual was a female, while no band indicated that the individual was a male. Further, the single bands from seven specimens were amplified. Semen collection was performed by massage or a combination of massage with electro-ejaculation and was attempted during all four seasons. The semen was successfully collected in March from male straw-necked ibis using the massage method. Limited motility, viability and concentration of straw-necked ibis sperm were observed. The sperm length was 180 μm and that of the nucleus was 30 μm with acrosome located at the tip of the nucleus. Thus, the PCR-based sexing proved to be an accurate molecular sexing method for black-headed and straw-necked ibis. Furthermore, we successfully collected semen and observed the stained sperm nucleus and acrosome of the straw-necked ibis sperm. We propose that the use of this PCR methodology can be applied as a routine method for sex determination and semen collection in ibis species for future ecological research. However, considering our limited success, further studies on semen collection method are required.

Variation in displacement energies due to isospin-nonconserving forces

For mirror nuclei with masses A=42-95, the effects of isospin-nonconserving nuclear forces are studied with the nuclear shell model using the Coulomb displacement energy and triplet displacement energy as probes. It is shown that the characteristic behavior of the displacement energies can be well reproduced if the isovector and isotensor nuclear interactions with J=0 and T=1 are introduced into the f(7/2) shell. These forces, with their strengths being found consistent with the nucleon-nucleon scattering data, tend to modify nuclear binding energies near the N=Z line. At present, no evidence is found that these forces are needed for the upper fp shell. Theoretical one- and two-proton separation energies are predicted accordingly, and locations of the proton drip line are thereby suggested.

Kinetic origin of heredity in a replicating system with a catalytic network

The origin of heredity is studied as a recursive state in a replicatingprotocell consisting of many molecule species in mutually catalyzingreaction networks. Protocells divide when the number of molecules, increasing due to replication, exceeds a certain threshold. We study how the chemicals in a catalytic network can form recursive production states in the presence of errors in the replication process. Depending on the balance between the total number of molecules in a cell and the number of molecule species, we have found three phases; a phase without a recursive production state, a phase with itinerancy over a few recursive states, and a phase with fixedrecursive production states. Heredity is realized in the latter two phaseswhere molecule species that are population-wise in the minority are preserved and control the phenotype of the cell. It is shown that evolvability is realized in the itinerancy phase, where a change in the number of minority molecules controls a change of the chemical state.

Abstract P1-14-08: A prospective multicenter randomized phase II neo-adjuvant study of 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide (FEC) followed by docetaxel, cyclophosphamide and trastuzumab (TCH) versus TCH followed by FEC versus TCH alone, in patients (pts) with operable HER2 positive breast cancer: JBCRG-10 study

Background: The current standard treatment of primary systemic therapy (PST) in HER2 positive breast cancer is anthracyclines (A) and/or taxanes combined with trastuzumab (H) which demonstrates high pathological complete response (pCR). The pCR is considered as a predictive marker of prognosis although results are slightly different depending on the hormone receptor status. We conducted a randomized phase II study to examine sequence of treatments and necessity of A in the treatments using TCH to improve outcome and reduce cardiac toxicity in Japanese HER2 positive pts.

Methods: Pts were treated with FEC (5FU 500 mg/m2, epirubicin 100 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 500 mg/m2) and/or TCH (docetaxel 75 mg/m2, cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, H 6 mg/kg, loading by 8 mg) in 3 groups: 4 cycles of FEC followed by 4 cycles of TCH (A-TCH); 4 cycles of TCH followed by 4 cycles of FEC (TCH-A) or 6 cycles of TCH. An unplanned interim analysis was conducted due to one death by interstitial lung disease (ILD) in the A-TCH after completion of 8 cycles. The pCR results suggested A containing regimens did not exceed benefit from the current standard regimen. The study was continued by limiting allocation only to the TCH group considering efficacy and safety. The primary endpoint was pCR and secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR) and safety.

Results: A total of 103 pts were enrolled between Sep. 2009 and Sep. 2011; 21 pts in the A-TCH, 22 pts in the TCH-A and 60 pts in the TCH including pts enrolled after termination of random allocation. Characteristics of the 103 pts were; median age of 54 (range, 33–70), median tumor size of 35 mm (range, 12–80), 42 pts with N(+) (40.8%) and 62 ER positive pts (60.2%). Characteristics of pts in the TCH were; median age of 54.5 (range, 33–67), median tumor size of 35.5 mm (range, 12–80), 25 pts with N(+) (41.7%) and 34 ER positive pts (56.7%). No major difference was reported between groups treated with or without A. Per protocol population was 59 pts in the TCH and its pCR rate was 45.8% (95% CI, 32.2–59.3: ER negative, 61.5%; ER positive, 33.3%). ORR was 86.4% assessed by MRI or CT. Although it is an exploratory analysis, the pCR rate of A containing regimens was 39.0% (ER negative, 57.1%; ER positive, 29.6%). Adverse events ≥grade 3 were reported in 50 pts (48.5%). Reported ILD was in 5 pts (A-TCH, 1; TCH-A, 1; TCH, 3). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) decreased from 70.0% to 69.0% after treatment (A-TCH, 65.9%; TCH-A, 70.4%; TCH, 69.0%). Decrease of LVEF in the A-TCH was significant (p &lt; 0.01).

Conclusion: The pCR rate of the TCH group was similar to previous reports on A including regimens. Although ILD had been occurred during the treatment containing the TCH, no other new safety issues were reported. We were not able to conclude preferable sequence of A and T since statistical power was not sufficient. However, the result of LVEF suggested TCH followed by A or TCH were preferable. Six cycles of TCH could be one of treatment options as a PST in HER2 positive breast cancer to exclude A. (UMIN000002365)

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-14-08.

Evidence for three fluctuation channels in the spin resonance of the unconventional superconductor CeCoIn5

Polarized inelastic neutron scattering under a magnetic field is used to get a microscopic insight into the spin resonance of the heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn(5). The resonance line shape is found to depend on the neutron polarization: Some of the spectral weight is common to the two polarization channels while the remaining part is distributed equally between them. This is evidence for the spin resonance being a degenerate mode with three fluctuation channels: A Zeeman split contribution and an additional longitudinal mode.

Determination of an iron suspension in water by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with two sequential laser pulses

We have applied laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy to quantitative analysis of colloidal and particulate iron in water. A coaxial sample flow apparatus developed in our previous work, which allowed us to control the atmosphere of laser-induced plasma, was used. Using sequential laser pulses from two Q-switched Nd:YAG lasers as excitation sources, the FeO(OH) concentration in the tens of ppb range was determined with an optimum interval between two laser pulses and an optimum delay time of a detector gate from the second pulse. The detection limit of Fe decreased substantially using two sequential laser pulse excitations:  the 0.6 ppm limit of single pulse excitation to 16 ppb with sequential pulse excitation. The effects of the second laser pulse on the plasma emission were studied. The concentration of iron in fine particles in boiler water sampled from a commercially operated thermal power plant has been determined successfully by this method. The results show the capability of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy in determining suspended colloidal and particulate impurities in a simple and quick way.

Coulomb energy difference as a probe of isospin-symmetry breaking in the upper f p-shell nuclei

The anomaly in Coulomb energy differences (CEDs) between the isospin T=1 states in the odd-odd N=Z nucleus 70Br and the analogue states in its even-even partner 70Se has remained a puzzle. This is a direct manifestation of isospin-symmetry breaking in effective nuclear interactions. Here, we perform large-scale shell-model calculations for nuclei with A=66 to 78 using the new filter diagonalization method based on the Sakurai-Sugiura algorithm. The calculations reproduce well the experimental CED. The observed negative CED for A=70 are accounted for by the cross-shell neutron excitations from the fp shell to the g(9/2) intruder orbit with the enhanced electromagnetic spin-orbit contribution at this special nucleon number.

Arginine 485 of human serum albumin interacts with the benzophenone moiety of ketoprofen in the binding pocket of subdomain III A and III B

Arylpropionic acid nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drusg (NSAIDs) primarily bind to subdomain III A (site II) of human serum albumin (HSA). Ketoprofen (KP), an arylpropionic acid that contains a photoreactive benzophenone moiety, was used to photolabel the binding region of site II. LC/Q-TOF mass spectrometry determination revealed that R485 was the amino acid residue that formed covalent adduct with the benzophenone moiety of KP. Point mutation of arginine 485 to alanine showed a slight decrease in the overall binding percentage of KP when compared to that of native HSA. The induced circular dichroism spectral data of KP with both R485A and native albumin confirmed the photolabeling findings. Interestingly, an increase in the extent of [14C]KP covalent adduct formation with the 11.6 kDa peptide derived from subdomain IIB-IIIA was observed for R485A. In contrast, mutation of arginine 410 caused a significant reduction of binding percentage, confirming the importance of this residue in high affinity binding of arylpropionic acid derivatives. This may indicate that while KP's carboxylate interacts electrostatically with arginine 410, the benzophenone moiety may have swung away from helix 6 in the absence of arginine 485. In this study, photolabeling of native and mutants albumins, R485A and R410C with [14C]KP confirmed that R485 involved in the non-electrostatic interaction with the benzophenone moiety of KP, but not vital to hold KP in the binding pocket of subdomain IIIA.

Hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) mutations in the Asian population

Mutation of hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) gives rise to Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, which is characterized by hyperuricemia, severe motor disability, and self-injurious behavior, or HPRT-related gout (Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome). The marked heterogeneity of HPRT deficiency is well known, with more than 300 mutations at the HPRT gene locus having been reported (deletions, insertions, duplications, abnormal splicing, and point mutations at different sites of the coding region from exons 1 to 9). We have identified mutations in Asian families with patients manifesting different clinical phenotypes, including rare cases of female subjects, by analyzing all nine exons of the HPRT gene (HPRT1) from genomic DNA and reverse-transcribed mRNA using the polymerase chain reaction technique coupled with direct sequencing. We developed suitable methods to detect the mutations identified from respective families with HPRT deficiency. Then, prenatal genetic diagnoses in HPRT-deficient families were carried out using both mRNA and genomic DNA from chorionic villi or amniotic fluid cells. As shown here in the heterogeneity of HPRT mutations, the spectrum of 70 mutations identified in the Asian population fits the four main conclusions that emerged previously from worldwide analysis.

Simultaneous determination of purine and pyrimidine metabolites in HPRT-deficient cell lines

Genetic mutations in the purine salvage enzyme, hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), are known to cause Lesch-Nyhan syndrome and Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome. In patients, purine metabolism is different from that of normal persons. We have previously developed a method for simultaneously determining the concentration of purine and pyrimidine nucleosides and nucleotides. This system was applied to determine the concentrations of nucleosides and nucleotides in HPRT-deficient cell lines. The amount of inosine 5'-monophosphate (IMP) was different in Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome, and control cell lines. The difference in the amount of IMP confirmed the mutation of the enzyme.

Valproic acid improves the tolerance for the stress in learned helplessness rats

In this study, we investigated whether previously stressed rats with learned helplessness (LH) paradigm could recover from depressive-like behavior four weeks after the exposure, and also whether chronic treatment with valproic acid (VPA) could prevent behavioral despair due to the second stress on days 54 in these animals. Four weeks after induction of LH, we confirmed behavioral remission in the previously stressed rats. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) performed with two factors, pretreatment (LH or Control) and drug (VPA or Saline), revealed a significant main effect of the drug on immobility time in forced swimming test. Post hoc test showed a shorter immobility time in the LH+VPA group than in the LH+Saline group. Immunohistochemical study of synapsin I showed a significant effect of drug by pretreatment interaction on immunoreactivity of synapsin I in the hippocampus: its expression levels in the regions were higher in the LH+VPA group than in the LH+Saline group. These results suggest that VPA could prevent the reappearance of stress-induced depressive-like behaviors in the rats recovering from prior stress, and that the drug-induced presynaptic changes in the expression of synapsin I in the hippocampus of LH animals might be related to improved tolerance toward the stress.

Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ) can suppress tumour necrosis factor-α production in lipopolysaccharide-injected mice, resulting in rescuing mice from death in vivo

Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ), a new nuclear factor (NF)-κB inhibitor, has several beneficial effects, including the suppression of tumour growth and anti-inflammatory effects. DHMEQ can also suppress the production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro. In the present study, we examine the effects of DHMEQ on TNF-α production in vivo and on the survival of mice injected with LPS. When DHMEQ was injected into mice 2 h before LPS injection, the survival of the LPS-injected mice was prolonged. When DHMEQ was injected twice (2 h before LPS injection and the day after LPS injection), all the mice were rescued. The injection of DHMEQ 1 h after LPS injection and the day after LPS injection also resulted in the rescue of all mice. The serum levels of TNF-α in the mice that received both LPS and DHMEQ were suppressed compared to the mice that received only LPS. These results suggest that DHMEQ can be utilized for the prevention and treatment of endotoxin shock.