Usefulness of the Preoperative Images Supporting Mechanical Thrombectomy Based on Susceptibility-Weighted Image for Stroke

Objective

This is a report on the usefulness of 3D fusion imaging with susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) as preoperative imaging for mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Case Presentations

Among 17 cases of patients who underwent MT in AIS between March 2021 and April 2022, 14 patients who underwent MRI with SWI (shortened SWI for stroke) and 3D T2-weighted sampling perfection with application-optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolution were targeted in the study. Three cases with motion artifacts due to body movement were excluded from the images.After imaging, 3D fusion images were constructed to visualize thrombi and occluded vessels. SWI for stroke obtained thrombus information in 11 of the 14 cases (78.5%) and 3D images of the thrombi could be created in all 11 cases. 3D fusion images could be created in nine of the 14 cases (64.2%).

Conclusion

3D fusion images, using SWI for stroke, can visualize thrombi and occluded vessels and may be effectively used as preoperative images for MT.

Evolution and Diversity of the Wild Rice Oryza officinalis Complex, across Continents, Genome Types, and Ploidy Levels

The Oryza officinalis complex is the largest species group in Oryza, with more than nine species from four continents, and is a tertiary gene pool that can be exploited in breeding programs for the improvement of cultivated rice. Most diploid and tetraploid members of this group have a C genome. Using a new reference C genome for the diploid species O. officinalis, and draft genomes for two other C genome diploid species Oryza eichingeri and Oryza rhizomatis, we examine the influence of transposable elements on genome structure and provide a detailed phylogeny and evolutionary history of the Oryza C genomes. The O. officinalis genome is 1.6 times larger than the A genome of cultivated Oryza sativa, mostly due to proliferation of Gypsy type long-terminal repeat transposable elements, but overall syntenic relationships are maintained with other Oryza genomes (A, B, and F). Draft genome assemblies of the two other C genome diploid species, Oryza eichingeri and Oryza rhizomatis, and short-read resequencing of a series of other C genome species and accessions reveal that after the divergence of the C genome progenitor, there was still a substantial degree of variation within the C genome species through proliferation and loss of both DNA and long-terminal repeat transposable elements. We provide a detailed phylogeny and evolutionary history of the Oryza C genomes and a genomic resource for the exploitation of the Oryza tertiary gene pool.

Changes in the computed tomography (pixel) value of mandibular ramus bone and fixation screws after sagittal split ramus osteotomy

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the changes in computed tomography (CT) values of ramus bone and screws after sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) setback surgery. The subjects were 64 patients (128 sides) who underwent bilateral SSRO setback surgery. They were divided into six groups according to the fixation plate type used and the use or not of self-setting α-tricalcium phosphate (Biopex): group 1: titanium plate and screws; group 2: titanium plate and screws with Biopex; group 3: poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) plate and screws; group 4: PLLA plate and screws with Biopex; group 5: uncalcined and unsintered hydroxyapatite particles and poly-l-lactic acid (uHA/PLLA) plate and screws; group 6: PLLA/uHA plate and screws with Biopex. CT values (pixel values) of the lateral cortex, medial cortex, osteotomy site, and screws were measured preoperatively, immediately after surgery, and 1 year postoperatively using horizontal CT images at the mandibular foramen taken parallel to the Frankfort horizontal plane. There were significant differences in the time-course change of pixel values for the lateral cortex (P<0.0001) and the osteotomy site (P<0.0001) among the six groups. This study suggests that the fixation plate type and use of bone alternative material may affect bone quality during the process of bone healing after SSRO.

The radish genome and comprehensive gene expression profile of tuberous root formation and development

Understanding the processes that regulate plant sink formation and development at the molecular level will contribute to the areas of crop breeding, food production and plant evolutionary studies. We report the annotation and analysis of the draft genome sequence of the radish Raphanus sativus var. hortensis (long and thick root radish) and transcriptome analysis during root development. Based on the hybrid assembly approach of next-generation sequencing, a total of 383 Mb (N50 scaffold: 138.17 kb) of sequences of the radish genome was constructed containing 54,357 genes. Syntenic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that divergence between Raphanus and Brassica coincide with the time of whole genome triplication (WGT), suggesting that WGT triggered diversification of Brassiceae crop plants. Further transcriptome analysis showed that the gene functions and pathways related to carbohydrate metabolism were prominently activated in thickening roots, particularly in cell proliferating tissues. Notably, the expression levels of sucrose synthase 1 (SUS1) were correlated with root thickening rates. We also identified the genes involved in pungency synthesis and their transcription factors.

Changes in occlusal function after orthognathic surgery in mandibular prognathism with and without asymmetry

This study aimed to evaluate the postoperative changes in masticatory function in patients with jaw deformities with or without asymmetry treated by orthognathic surgery. Thirty female patients who underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy with sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) were enrolled. The patients were divided into symmetry and asymmetry groups. The bite force, occlusal contact area, and bite force balance were measured before and at 1, 3, and 6 months and 1 year after surgery; these measurements were compared statistically within and between the two groups. In the symmetry group, there was a significant difference in the preoperative bite force and the 1 month postoperative bite force (P=0.0033). In the asymmetry group, the bite force before surgery was significantly different from that at 1 month (P=0.0375) and at 1 year (P=0.0353) after surgery. Significant differences in the bite force were also observed between the following time points: 1 month and 1 year (P=0.0003), 3 months and 1 year (P=0.0034), and 1 month and 6 months (P=0.0486). The occlusal contact area, bite force, and occlusal balance tended to change after Le Fort I osteotomy with SSRO, with a significantly improved bite force in patients with asymmetry before surgery.

RiceFREND: a platform for retrieving coexpressed gene networks in rice

Similarity of gene expression across a wide range of biological conditions can be efficiently used in characterization of gene function. We have constructed a rice gene coexpression database, RiceFREND (http://ricefrend.dna.affrc.go.jp/), to identify gene modules with similar expression profiles and provide a platform for more accurate prediction of gene functions. Coexpression analysis of 27 201 genes was performed against 815 microarray data derived from expression profiling of various organs and tissues at different developmental stages, mature organs throughout the growth from transplanting until harvesting in the field and plant hormone treatment conditions, using a single microarray platform. The database is provided with two search options, namely, 'single guide gene search' and 'multiple guide gene search' to efficiently retrieve information on coexpressed genes. A user-friendly web interface facilitates visualization and interpretation of gene coexpression networks in HyperTree, Cytoscape Web and Graphviz formats. In addition, analysis tools for identification of enriched Gene Ontology terms and cis-elements provide clue for better prediction of biological functions associated with the coexpressed genes. These features allow users to clarify gene functions and gene regulatory networks that could lead to a more thorough understanding of many complex agronomic traits.

RiceXPro version 3.0: expanding the informatics resource for rice transcriptome

A wide range of resources on gene expression profiling enhance various strategies in plant molecular biology particularly in characterization of gene function. We have updated our gene expression profile database, RiceXPro (http://ricexpro.dna.affrc.go.jp/), to provide more comprehensive information on the transcriptome of rice encompassing the entire growth cycle and various experimental conditions. The gene expression profiles are currently grouped into three categories, namely, ‘field/development’ with 572 data corresponding to 12 data sets, ‘plant hormone’ with 143 data corresponding to 13 data sets and ‘cell- and tissue-type’ comprising of 38 microarray data. In addition to the interface for retrieving expression information of a gene/genes in each data set, we have incorporated an interface for a global approach in searching an overall view of the gene expression profiles from multiple data sets within each category. Furthermore, we have also added a BLAST search function that enables users to explore expression profile of a gene/genes with similarity to a query sequence. Therefore, the updated version of RiceXPro can be used more efficiently to survey the gene expression signature of rice in sufficient depth and may also provide clues on gene function of other cereal crops.

Treatment of high-risk solid tumors of childhood with myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplantation

Sixteen consecutive stem cell transplantations (SCT) were performed after myeloablative chemotherapy in patients with high-risk solid tumors of childhood. Seven patients received autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT), seven received peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) and two received ABMT + PBSCT. The progression-free survival was similar in three types of transplants (57% ABMT, 43% PBSCT vs. 50% ABMT + PBSCT). The rate of relapse in site of distant organs was also similar (57% ABMT, 57% PBSCT vs. 50% ABMT + PBSCT). There was no statistically significant difference in the hematopoietic recovery time between each group. PBSCT group had a significantly fewer days of food intolerance and a lower morbidity than ABMT group. The disease-free survival was 71% for neuroblastoma, 50% for small round cell tumors and 25% for rhabdomyosarcoma. Post-SCT therapy for possible reinfused tumor cells should be mandatory to decrease the frequency of relapse.

DaizuBase, an integrated soybean genome database including BAC-based physical maps

Soybean [Glycine max (L) Merrill] is one of the most important leguminous crops and ranks fourth after to rice, wheat and maize in terms of world crop production. Soybean contains abundant protein and oil, which makes it a major source of nutritious food, livestock feed and industrial products. In Japan, soybean is also an important source of traditional staples such as tofu, natto, miso and soy sauce. The soybean genome was determined in 2010. With its enormous size, physical mapping and genome sequencing are the most effective approaches towards understanding the structure and function of the soybean genome. We constructed bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries from the Japanese soybean cultivar, Enrei. The end-sequences of approximately 100,000 BAC clones were analyzed and used for construction of a BAC-based physical map of the genome. BLAST analysis between Enrei BAC-end sequences and the Williams82 genome was carried out to increase the saturation of the map. This physical map will be used to characterize the genome structure of Japanese soybean cultivars, to develop methods for the isolation of agronomically important genes and to facilitate comparative soybean genome research. The current status of physical mapping of the soybean genome and construction of database are presented.

Retrogenes in rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica) exhibit correlated expression with their source genes

Gene duplication occurs by either DNA- or RNA-based processes; the latter duplicates single genes via retroposition of messenger RNA. The expression of a retroposed gene copy (retrocopy) is expected to be uncorrelated with its source gene because upstream promoter regions are usually not part of the retroposition process. In contrast, DNA-based duplication often encompasses both the coding and the intergenic (promoter) regions; hence, expression is often correlated, at least initially, between DNA-based duplicates. In this study, we identified 150 retrocopies in rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp japonica), most of which represent ancient retroposition events. We measured their expression from high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data generated from seven tissues. At least 66% of the retrocopies were expressed but at lower levels than their source genes. However, the tissue specificity of retrogenes was similar to their source genes, and expression between retrocopies and source genes was correlated across tissues. The level of correlation was similar between RNA- and DNA-based duplicates, and they decreased over time at statistically indistinguishable rates. We extended these observations to previously identified retrocopies in Arabidopsis thaliana, suggesting they may be general features of the process of retention of plant retrogenes.

Asymmetric distribution of gene expression in the centromeric region of rice chromosome 5

There is controversy as to whether gene expression is silenced in the functional centromere. The complete genomic sequences of the centromeric regions in higher eukaryotes have not been fully elucidated, because the presence of highly repetitive sequences complicates many aspects of genomic sequencing. We performed resequencing, assembly, and sequence finishing of two P1-derived artificial chromosome clones in the centromeric region of rice (Oryza sativa L.) chromosome 5 (Cen5). The pericentromeric region, where meiotic recombination is silenced, is located at the center of chromosome 5 and is 2.14 Mb long; a total of six restriction-fragment-length polymorphism markers (R448, C1388, S20487S, E3103S, C53260S, and R2059) genetically mapped at 54.6 cM were located in this region. In the pericentromeric region, 28 genes were annotated on the short arm and 45 genes on the long arm. To quantify all transcripts in this region, we performed massive parallel sequencing of mRNA. Transcriptional density (total length of transcribed region/length of the genomic region) and expression level (number of uniquely mapped reads/length of transcribed region) were calculated on the basis of the mapped reads on the rice genome. Transcriptional density and expression level were significantly lower in Cen5 than in the average of the other chromosomal regions. Moreover, transcriptional density in Cen5 was significantly lower on the short arm than on the long arm; the distribution of transcriptional density was asymmetric. The genomic sequence of Cen5 has been integrated into the most updated reference rice genome sequence constructed by the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project.

Distinct evolutionary patterns of Oryza glaberrima deciphered by genome sequencing and comparative analysis

Here we present the genomic sequence of the African cultivated rice, Oryza glaberrima, and compare these data with the genome sequence of Asian cultivated rice, Oryza sativa. We obtained gene-enriched sequences of O. glaberrima that correspond to about 25% of the gene regions of the O. sativa (japonica) genome by methylation filtration and subtractive hybridization of repetitive sequences. While patterns of amino acid changes did not differ between the two species in terms of the biochemical properties, genes of O. glaberrima generally showed a larger synonymous-nonsynonymous substitution ratio, suggesting that O. glaberrima has undergone a genome-wide relaxation of purifying selection. We further investigated nucleotide substitutions around splice sites and found that eight genes of O. sativa experienced changes at splice sites after the divergence from O. glaberrima. These changes produced novel introns that partially truncated functional domains, suggesting that these newly emerged introns affect gene function. We also identified 2451 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) from the genomes of O. glaberrima and O. sativa. Although tri-nucleotide repeats were most common among the SSRs and were overrepresented in the protein-coding sequences, we found that selection against indels of tri-nucleotide repeats was relatively weak in both African and Asian rice. Our genome-wide sequencing of O. glaberrima and in-depth analyses provide rice researchers not only with useful genomic resources for future breeding but also with new insights into the genomic evolution of the African and Asian rice species.

Comprehensive sequence analysis of 24,783 barley full-length cDNAs derived from 12 clone libraries

Full-length cDNA (FLcDNA) libraries consisting of 172,000 clones were constructed from a two-row malting barley cultivar (Hordeum vulgare 'Haruna Nijo') under normal and stressed conditions. After sequencing the clones from both ends and clustering the sequences, a total of 24,783 complete sequences were produced. By removing duplicates between these and publicly available sequences, 22,651 representative sequences were obtained: 17,773 were novel barley FLcDNAs, and 1,699 were barley specific. Highly conserved genes were found in the barley FLcDNA sequences for 721 of 881 rice (Oryza sativa) trait genes with 50% or greater identity. These FLcDNA resources from our Haruna Nijo cDNA libraries and the full-length sequences of representative clones will improve our understanding of the biological functions of genes in barley, which is the cereal crop with the fourth highest production in the world, and will provide a powerful tool for annotating the barley genome sequences that will become available in the near future.

Multifunctional Ferroic Nanocomposites

As trends towards miniaturized components and systems continue in many fields, there has been a rapid development in similarly scaled-down composites. In the electronics industry, these nanocomposites (and especially active nanocomposites based on ferroic elements) form a basis for many of the recent advances in both information and charge storage. While the overall properties of some of these composites can be explained as straightforward extrapolations from the bulk properties, in other instances the small size of the ferroic phase has important consequences on the macroscopic behavior of the composite. This paper reviews some of the recent developments in small-scale ferroic nanocomposites and details the relation between component size and the resultant properties.

Massive parallel sequencing of mRNA in identification of unannotated salinity stress-inducible transcripts in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Background

Microarray technology is limited to monitoring the expression of previously annotated genes that have corresponding probes on the array. Computationally annotated genes have not fully been validated, because ESTs and full-length cDNAs cannot cover entire transcribed regions. Here, mRNA-Seq (an Illumina cDNA sequencing application) was used to monitor whole mRNAs of salinity stress-treated rice tissues.

Results

Thirty-six-base-pair reads from whole mRNAs were mapped to the rice genomic sequence: 72.0% to 75.2% were mapped uniquely to the genome, and 5.0% to 5.7% bridged exons. From the piling up of short reads mapped on the genome, a series of programs (Bowtie, TopHat, and Cufflinks) comprehensively predicted 51,301 (shoot) and 54,491 (root) transcripts, including 2,795 (shoot) and 3,082 (root) currently unannotated in the Rice Annotation Project database. Of these unannotated transcripts, 995 (shoot) and 1,052 (root) had ORFs similar to those encoding the amino acid sequences of functional proteins in a BLASTX search against UniProt and RefSeq databases. Among the unannotated genes, 213 (shoot) and 436 (root) were differentially expressed in response to salinity stress. Sequence-based and array-based measurements of the expression ratios of previously annotated genes were highly correlated.

Conclusion

Unannotated transcripts were identified on the basis of the piling up of mapped reads derived from mRNAs in rice. Some of these unannotated transcripts encoding putative functional proteins were expressed differentially in response to salinity stress.

Desensitization treatment with cisplatin after carboplatin hypersensitivity reaction in gynecologic cancer

Platinum-based chemotherapy is the standard regimen for the treatment of gynecologic cancers; however, hypersensitivity reactions (HR) to platinum often lead to discontinuation of this effective treatment. Here we performed a desensitization protocol for platinum infusion in 3 patients who required platinum re-administration after developing HR. Two patients (Case 1 and 2) were treated with the desensitization protocol successfully without developing HR during the subsequent 3 courses. Case 3 tolerated desensitization well for 2 courses, but in the 3(rd) course, she developed severe HR immediately after the initiation of cisplatin infusion because the desensitization protocol was unintentionally omitted. These cases show the usefulness and effectiveness of the desensitization protocol for the continuation of platinum treatment in patients who have undergone an extended number of treatments.

A huge ovarian smooth muscle tumor: a case report

Ovarian smooth muscle tumors are a very rare type of ovarian tumor. In this paper, we report the case of a 62-year-old woman who had a huge smooth muscle tumor of the right ovary. The values of all the serum tumor markers were within normal limit. The tumor measured 25 cm in diameter and weighed 6,200 g. Histological examination revealed that coagulative cellular atypia was moderate to severe, necrosis was not present and mitotic index was low. According to the criteria for the evaluation of the uterine smooth muscle tumors, this huge tumor was diagnosed as atypical leiomyoma. However, we finally made a diagnosis of this tumor as a smooth muscle tumor of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP) because of its huge size. Further information is required regarding the characteristics of ovarian smooth muscle tumor and the propriety to introduce uterine tumor histological criteria to ovarian tumors.

[Secondary myelodysplasia and leukemia following carboplatin and paclitaxel-containing chemotherapy for ovarian cancer]

Platinum is the key drug in current treatment of ovarian cancer. The overall survival rate of patients with advanced ovarian cancer has improved. Recently, therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome(T-MDS)and therapy-related leukemia( TRL)have been reported with increasing frequency in the literature. In this paper, we report two cases of TMDS followed by TRL after chemotherapy(TC therapy consisting of carboplatin and paclitaxel)with ovarian cancer stageIIIc. The interval from the primary chemotherapy to TMDS was 23 months or 90 months. The abnormal karyotype was observed in chromosomal analysis. Neither cases were given chemotherapy for TMDS, and died of the immunodeficiency. TRL and T-MDS are the most serious complications of chemotherapy. If pancytopenia is detected, bone marrow and cytogenetic examinations should be performed to rule out TMDS.

The Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB): 2008 update

The Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB) was created to provide the genome sequence assembly of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP), manually curated annotation of the sequence, and other genomics information that could be useful for comprehensive understanding of the rice biology. Since the last publication of the RAP-DB, the IRGSP genome has been revised and reassembled. In addition, a large number of rice-expressed sequence tags have been released, and functional genomics resources have been produced worldwide. Thus, we have thoroughly updated our genome annotation by manual curation of all the functional descriptions of rice genes. The latest version of the RAP-DB contains a variety of annotation data as follows: clone positions, structures and functions of 31 439 genes validated by cDNAs, RNA genes detected by massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS) technology and sequence similarity, flanking sequences of mutant lines, transposable elements, etc. Other annotation data such as Gnomon can be displayed along with those of RAP for comparison. We have also developed a new keyword search system to allow the user to access useful information. The RAP-DB is available at: http://rapdb.dna.affrc.go.jp/ and http://rapdb.lab.nig.ac.jp/.

Curated genome annotation of Oryza sativa ssp. japonica and comparative genome analysis with Arabidopsis thaliana

We present here the annotation of the complete genome of rice Oryza sativa L. ssp. japonica cultivar Nipponbare. All functional annotations for proteins and non-protein-coding RNA (npRNA) candidates were manually curated. Functions were identified or inferred in 19,969 (70%) of the proteins, and 131 possible npRNAs (including 58 antisense transcripts) were found. Almost 5000 annotated protein-coding genes were found to be disrupted in insertional mutant lines, which will accelerate future experimental validation of the annotations. The rice loci were determined by using cDNA sequences obtained from rice and other representative cereals. Our conservative estimate based on these loci and an extrapolation suggested that the gene number of rice is approximately 32,000, which is smaller than previous estimates. We conducted comparative analyses between rice and Arabidopsis thaliana and found that both genomes possessed several lineage-specific genes, which might account for the observed differences between these species, while they had similar sets of predicted functional domains among the protein sequences. A system to control translational efficiency seems to be conserved across large evolutionary distances. Moreover, the evolutionary process of protein-coding genes was examined. Our results suggest that natural selection may have played a role for duplicated genes in both species, so that duplication was suppressed or favored in a manner that depended on the function of a gene.

Structural analysis of epolactaene derivatives as DNA polymerase inhibitors and anti-inflammatory compounds

Epolactaene (compound 1), a neuritogenic compound found in human neuroblastoma cells, was found to show anti-inflammatory activity in vivo in this study. DNA polymerases and DNA topoisomerase II (topo II) were some of the major molecular targets of compound 1. Since the agent seems to be a potential pharmaceutical medicine, we synthesized derivatives chemically and obtained seven compounds, 1 to 7 to screen clinically more efficient epolactaene derivatives. A comparison of its structural derivatives revealed that the long alkyl side chain seemed to have an important role in the inhibitory effect. Notably, C18-alkyl chain conjugated epolactaene (compound 5) was the strongest inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha, beta, lambda (pol alpha, beta, lambda) and topo II, with IC50 values of 13, 135, 4.4 and 5 microM, respectively, and 500 microg of compound 5 caused a marked reduction in TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-induced inflammation (inhibitory effect, 65.0%). Compound 5 did not influence the activities of plant or prokaryotic DNA polymerases, or of other DNA metabolic enzymes such as telomerase, RNA polymerase and deoxyribonuclease I. Based on these results, the relationship among the three-dimensional structure of epolactaene derivatives and the inhibition of polymerases and topo II, and anti-inflammation is discussed.

Inhibitory effect of conjugated eicosapentaenoic acid on human DNA topoisomerases I and II

DNA topoisomerases (topos) and DNA polymerases (pols) are involved in many aspects of DNA metabolism such as replication reactions. We reported previously that long chain unsaturated fatty acids such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (i.e., eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA)) inhibited the activities of eukaryotic pols in vitro. In the present study, we found that PUFA also inhibited human topos I and II activities, and the inhibitory effect of conjugated fatty acids converted from EPA and DHA (cEPA and cDHA) on pols and topos was stronger than that of normal EPA and DHA. cEPA and cDHA inhibited the activities of mammalian pols and human topos, but did not affect the activities of plant and prokaryotic pols or other DNA metabolic enzymes tested. cEPA was a stronger inhibitor than cDHA with IC(50) values for mammalian pols and human topos of 11.0-31.8 and 0.5-2.5 microM, respectively. Therefore, the inhibitory effect of cEPA on topos was stronger than that on pols. Preincubation analysis suggested that cEPA directly bound both topos I and II, but did not bind or interact with substrate DNA. This is the first report that conjugated PUFA such as cEPA act as inhibitors of pols and topos. The results support the therapeutic potential of cEPA as a leading anti-cancer compound that poisons pols and topos.

Systematic synthesis of galloyl-substituted procyanidin B1 and B2, and their ability of DPPH radical scavenging activity and inhibitory activity of DNA polymerases

Six galloyl-substituted procyanidin B1 and B2, 3-O-gallate, 3''-O-gallate, and 3,3''-di-O-gallate, were systematically synthesized with the condensation method using TMSOTf as a catalyst. Their ability of DPPH radical scavenging activity and DNA polymerase inhibitory activity were also investigated. The results indicated that the galloyl group of these compounds is very important for both activities. 3,3''-Di-O-gallate dimers acted as strong inhibitor against DNA polymerase alpha and beta, whereas the desgalloyl and monogalloyl compounds did not exhibit any appreciable inhibitory activity against the DNA polymerase beta.

Inhibitory action of conjugated C18-fatty acids on DNA polymerases and DNA topoisomerases

We reported previously that unsaturated linear-chain FA of the cis-configuration with a C18-hydrocarbon chain such as linoleic acid (18:2delta9c,12c) could potently inhibit the activities of mammalian DNA polymerases and DNA topoisomerases, but their saturated forms could not. There are chemically two classes of unsaturated FA, normal and conjugated, but only the conjugated forms show potent antitumor activity. In this report, we study the inhibitory effects of chemically synthesized conjugated C18-FA on mammalian DNA polymerases and DNA topoisomerases as compared with normal unsaturated FA. The conjugated alpha-eleostearic acid (18:3delta9c,11t, 13t) was the strongest of all the FA tested. For the inhibition, the conjugated form is crucially important. The energy-minimized 3-D structures of the FA were calculated, and both a length of less than 20 A and a width of 8.13-9.24 A in the C18-FA structure were found to be important for enzyme inhibition. The 3-D structure of the active site of both DNA polymerases and topoisomerases must have had a pocket to join alpha-eleostearic acid, and this pocket was 12.03 A long and 9.24 A wide.

Diagnosis of ischemic heart disease with exercise echocardiography: Comparison of images obtained at peak- and post-exercise

Peak-and post-exercise stress echocardiography were compared with respect to ability to detect coronary artery disease in 138 consecutive patients undergoing supine bicycle stress echocardiography. Sixty of these patients had single-vessel disease; 37, double-vessel disease; and 19, triple-vessel disease. Exercise was performed in the 20- to 30-degree left decubitus position on an echo-bed with an ergometer. Exercise started at 50 watts and was increased in 25-watt every 3 minutes and to a maximum of 150 watts. Two-dimensional echocardiographic images were digitized and assigned in a quad-screen format for nonbiased interpretation. Total wall motion score (TWMS) was the sum of the wall motion score, from normokinesis (0) to dyskinesis (4), of 16 segments. Image quality score index (IQSI) was the mean of the image quality scores in all views. All of the patients underwent coronary arteriography. Significant coronary stenosis was defined as≧75% stenosis of the large coronary arteries. Two-dimensional echocardiographic studies were adequate for analysis in 133 patients during the peak-exercise stage (peak-exercise) and in 137 patients 30 to 60 seconds after the end of exercise (post-exercise). TWMS at peak-exercise was higher than at post-exercise, while IQSI at peak-exercise was lower than at post-exercise. Sensitivity at peak-exercise versus that at post-exercise was 91% versus 79% (p<0.05); specificity, 76% versus 85%; and diagnostic accuracy, 88% versus 80% (p<0.05), respectively. We conclude that despite poor image quality on exercise echocardiography, better diagnostic accuracy was attained by assessing wall motion changes at peak-exercise than at post-exercise.

Characterization of gene expression profiles in early bovine pregnancy using a custom cDNA microarray

Gene expression analysis comparing nonpregnant with pregnant bovine uteri, including placenta, was performed with a custom cDNA microarray containing 1,933 independent genes. These genes were classified into six categories according to biological function, as follows: cell and tissue structural dynamics (108 genes), intercellular communication (221), intracellular metabolism (265), cell cycle and apoptosis (26), regulation of gene expression (113), expressed sequence tag (EST) and function unknown (617), and uncomplemented genes (583 clones). This array possessed bovine placental/endometrial specificity, as it included many pregnancy-specific molecules, such as pregnancy-associated glycoprotein-1 (PAGs), placental lactogen (PLs), and prolactin-related protein-1 (PRPs). A total of 77 genes were induced and 12 repressed in the placenta/endometrium. Our results point to a fundamental role for bovine placental-specific genes such as PAGs, PLs, and PRPs, in implantation and placentogenesis, and document that cDNA microarray analysis from bovine placenta/endometrium is possible and is a specific tool for monitoring genome-wide gene expression during the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy.

The herbal medicine Unkei-to stimulates the secretion of a cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant, CINC/gro, in the rat ovarian cell culture

PROBLEM AND METHOD OF STUDY

We investigated the ovulation-inducing effects of Unkei-to, a Japanese herbal medicine, in relation to the production of sex steroid hormones (17beta-estradiol and progesterone), cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC/gro), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the rat ovarian cell culture.

RESULTS

Unkei-to at a concentration of 100 microg/mL significantly stimulated the secretions of 17beta-estradiol and progesterone (P < 0.01) in cultured whole ovarian dispersates. Unkei-to also enhanced the secretion of CINC/gro in a dose-dependent manner, and the secretions of CINC/gro increased significantly at concentrations of 10 and 100 microg/mL (P < 0.01). These stimulatory effects of Unkei-to on steroidgenesis and CINC/gro production are very similar to those of another Japanese herbal medicine, Toki-Shakuyaku-san. In addition, Unkei-to significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the secretions of both IL-1beta and TNF-alpha, which are known to stimulate the secretion of CINC/gro in the ovulatory process, at concentrations of 10 and 100 microg/mL. The stimulatory effect of Unkei-to at a concentration of 100 microg/mL on IL-1beta/was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than that of Toki-Shakuyaku-san, while the stimulatory effects of these two herbal medicines at a concentration of 100 microg/mL on TNF-alpha were similar.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that Unkei-to can stimulate ovarian steroidgenesis and the ovulatory process by inducing the secretion of CINC/gro with IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in vitro. Unkei-to has stimulatory effects on both steroidgenesis and the ovulatory process in the ovary as well as a stimulatory effect on the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, and it may be useful for treating patients with ovulatory disorders.

Serum osteoprotegerin/osteoclastogenesis-inhibitory factor during pregnancy and lactation and the relationship with calcium-regulating hormones and bone turnover markers

Pregnancy and lactation induce dynamic changes in maternal bone and calcium metabolism. A novel cytokine termed osteoprotegerin (OPG)/osteoclastogenesis-inhibitory factor (OCIF) was recently isolated; this cytokine inhibits osteoclast maturation. To define the effects of pregnancy and lactation on circulating OPG/OCIF in mothers, we studied the changes in the levels of OPG/ OCIF as well as those of calcium-regulating hormones and biochemical markers of bone turnover in the maternal circulation during pregnancy (at 8-11 weeks, at 22-30 weeks, at 35-36 weeks and immediately before delivery) and lactation (at 4 days and at 1 month postpartum). Serum intact parathyroid hormone levels did not change and were almost within the normal range in this period. In contrast, serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D levels increased with gestational age and were above the normal range during pregnancy. After delivery, they fell rapidly and significantly (P<0.01) to the normal range. The levels of serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, one of the markers of bone formation, increased with gestational age. After delivery, these levels were further increased at 1 month postpartum. The levels at 1 month postpartum were significantly higher than those at 8-11 and 22-30 weeks of pregnancy (P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively). The levels of serum C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen, one of the markers of bone resorption, did not change during pregnancy. After delivery, they rapidly and significantly (P<0.01) rose at 4 days postpartum, and had then fallen by 1 month postpartum. Circulating OPG/OCIF levels gradually increased with gestational age and significantly (P<0.01) increased immediately before delivery to 1.40+/-0.53 ng/ml (means+/-S.D.) compared with those in the non-pregnant, non-lactating controls (0.58+/-0.11 ng/ml). After delivery, they fell rapidly to 0.87+/-0.27 ng/ml at 4 days postpartum and had fallen further by 1 month postpartum. These results suggest that the fall in OPG/OCIF levels may be partially connected with the marked acceleration of bone resorption after delivery.

[Quadricuspid pulmonary valve with valvular stenosis and regurgitation identified by transthoracic echocardiography: a case report]

A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea. Parasternal transthoracic echocardiography showed a quadricuspid pulmonary valve above the aortic valve and a hypoplastic accessory cusp between the right and left cusps of the pulmonary valve. The pulmonary valve ring diameter was normal (26 mm) but the transvalvular peak velocity was 3.5 m/sec, suggesting a pressure gradient of 49 mmHg across the pulmonary valve. The pulmonary valve had thickening and decrease in mobility of the leaflets without complete closure during diastole, and severe pulmonary regurgitation was present. Heart failure was treated successfully with digitalis and diuretics. Quadricuspid pulmonary valve is difficult to identify using transthoracic echocardiography because of the anatomical features. In this case, the dilated main pulmonary artery caused the pulmonary valve orifice to shift anteriorly, allowing visualization of the short-axis view of the pulmonary valve.

Diagnosis of vasospastic angina by hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography: comparison to I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the usefulness of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography in the diagnosis of vasospastic angina compared with that of iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) myocardial scintigraphy.

BACKGROUND

Various noninvasive methods have been used to detect vasospastic angina, but they are not very sensitive in the diagnosis of vasospastic angina. 123I-MIBG images and stress echocardiography have recently been proposed as a useful tool for detecting vasospastic angina.

METHOD

Thirty patients (21 males and 9 females, mean age: 52 +/- 14 years) who complained of rest angina were enrolled for this study. The hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography test consisted of hyperventilation for 6 minutes, followed by cold water pressor for 2 minutes under continuous electrocardiographic and echocardiographic monitoring. Left ventricular regional wall motion by echocardiogram was analyzed by using the 16-segment model, and wall motion ranging from normokinesis to dyskinesis was evaluated visually in each segment. Single-photon emission computed tomography images of 123I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy were divided into 26 segments. Defect scores were established using the 4 grades. The echocardiographic criteria for coronary spasm was worsening wall motion and the scintigraphic criteria was defect score more than moderately reduced. Acetylcholine was selectively injected into the right coronary artery (20 microg and 50 microg) and left coronary artery (20 microg, 50 microg, and 100 microg).

RESULTS

Of 30 patients, 20 patients had coronary spasm on coronary angiography with an intracoronary injection of acetylcholine, whereas 10 patients showed no spasm. Multivessel spasms were observed in 15 patients. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography for diagnosing in patients with vasospastic angina were 90%, 90%, 95%, 82%, and 90%, respectively. However, those of 123I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy for diagnosing in patients with vasospastic angina were 90%, 40%, 75%, 67%, and 73%, respectively. The specificity of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography was significantly higher than that of 123I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy (P <.05).

CONCLUSION

The specificity of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography in diagnosing coronary spasm were higher than that shown by 201I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy.

Arachidonic and linoleic acid metabolism in mouse intestinal tissue: evidence for novel lipoxygenase activity

Previous studies in our laboratory revealed a high expression of 15-lipoxygenase-1 in human colorectal carcinomas, suggesting the importance of lipoxygenase in colorectal tumor development. In this report, we have investigated the metabolism of arachidonic and linoleic acid by intestinal tissues of Min mice, an animal model for intestinal neoplasia. The polyp and normal tissues from Min mice intestine were homogenized, incubated with arachidonic or linoleic acid, and analyzed by reverse-, straight-, and chiral-phase HPLC. Arachidonic acid was converted to prostaglandins E2 and F2alpha. Little 12- or 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid was detected. Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 was detected in polyps and the adjacent normal tissues by Western immunoblotting, but neither COX-1 nor leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase, the murine ortholog to human 15-lipoxygenase-1, was detected. These tissue homogenates converted linoleic acid to an equal mixture of 9(S)- and 13(S)-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acid (HODE). Inhibition of lipoxygenase activity with nordihydroguaiaretic acid blocked HODEs formation, but the COX inhibitor indomethacin did not. Degenerative-nested PCR analyses using primers encoded by highly conserved sequences in lipoxygenases detected 5-lipoxygenase, leukocyte-type 12-lipoxygenase, platelet-type 12-lipoxygenase, 8-lipoxygenase, and epidermis-type lipoxygenase-3 in mouse intestinal tissue. All of these PCR products represent known lipoxygenase that are not reported to utilize linoleic acid preferentially as substrate and do not metabolize linoleic acid to an equal mixture of 9(S)- and 13(S)-HODE. This somewhat unique profile of linoleate product formation in Min mice intestinal tissue suggests the presence of an uncharacterized and potentially novel lipoxygenase(s) that may play a role in intestinal epithelial cell differentiation and tumor development.

Molecular monitoring of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by cDNA microarray-based gene expression profiling

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive disorder whose molecular pathology is poorly understood. Here we developed an in-house cDNA microarray ("lung chip") originating from a lung-normalized cDNA library. By using this lung chip, we analyzed global gene expression in a murine model of bleomycin-induced fibrosis and selected 82 genes that differed by more than twofold intensity in at least one pairwise comparison with controls. Cluster analysis of these selected genes showed that the expression of genes associated with inflammation reached maximum levels at 5 days after bleomycin administration, while genes involved in the development of fibrosis increased gradually up to 14 days after bleomycin treatment. These changes in gene expression signature were well correlated with observed histopathological changes. The results show that microarray analysis of animal disease models is a powerful approach to understanding the gene expression programs that underlie these disorders.

Various scoring systems evaluating histologic features of chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon

Various scoring systems for chronic hepatitis have been proposed; however, there is no standard scoring system for studies of interferon (IFN) therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. The aims of this study were to determine the most useful system reflecting histologic changes in biopsy specimens from complete responders and predicting the efficacy of IFN therapy. Patients with chronic hepatitis C were administered IFN-alpha for 6 months. Forty-six patients were included in this study and categorized as complete responders (n = 15), partial responders (n = 24), and nonresponders (n = 7) according to viral and biochemical responses to the therapy. Biopsy specimens obtained from each patient before and after treatment were evaluated under 3 different systems: Histological Activity Index (HAI), modified HAI, and Scheuer classification. Complete responders showed considerable improvement in both grade and stage on the modified HAI and Scheuer classifications. On the HAI, a considerable improvement was observed in grade but not in stage. No significant change was observed in partial responders or nonresponders on any system. Prediction of complete response was not possible under any system, but the pretreatment score reflecting piecemeal necrosis on any 1 of the 3 classifications and the fibrosis score on Scheuer classification were predictors of nonresponse. The modified HAI system and Scheuer classification were amply useful in evaluating histologic changes in complete responders. Scores higher than 4 of the categories reflecting piecemeal necrosis on any system and fibrosis scores of 3 or 4 on Scheuer classification predicted nonresponse to IFN therapy.

Autopsy case of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis treated with corticosteroids and affected by Pneumocystis carinii and cytomegalovirus pneumonia

A case of the very early phase of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative man with alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis treated with steroids is presented. A 40-year-old man with a 10-year history of alcohol abuse was admitted to hospital with jaundice, fever and macrohematuria. Laboratory examinations revealed neutrophilic leukocytosis and a serum bilirubin level of 13.9 mg/dL. The serum bilirubin level rose to 28.5 mg/dL over 1 month. Prednisolone administered orally for 10 days produced a slight improvement in the jaundice and fever. After an interval of a week, it was resumed and maintained for 22 days (total dose, 1555 mg) until the patient died of a massive hemorrhage from ruptured vessels of a gastric ulcer. An autopsy disclosed P. carinii pneumonia in the lower lobe of the left lung, cytomegalovirus infection in both lungs and the esophagus, and esophageal candidiasis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of P. carinii pneumonia together with cytomegalovirus infection in an HIV-negative alcoholic patient. The present case suggests that a rare opportunistic infection such as P. carinii pneumonia might be caused by treating cirrhosis and alcoholic hepatitis with corticosteroids, even if only for a relatively short period.

[Complications of stress echocardiography]

BACKGROUND

Stress echocardiography is an established clinical testing method and is accurate for the detection of coronary artery disease. Despite its widespread use, the safety of stress echocardiography has not been sufficiently documented in Japanese laboratories.

OBJECTIVES

The feasibility, safety, complications and side effects of stress echocardiography were assessed for detecting myocardial ischemia in patients with suspected coronary artery disease.

METHODS

1,866 patients who underwent dobutamine echocardiography(n = 897), exercise echocardiography(n = 722), and dipyridamole echocardiography(n = 247) were prospectively studied from November 1990 to April 2000. Dobutamine was administered intravenously at 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 micrograms/kg/min in 3-minute intervals. Exercise echocardiography used the supine ergometer, starting at 50 W and increasing gradually by 25 W at 3-minute intervals to the maximum of 150 W. Dipyridamole was administered intravenously at 0.14 mg/kg/min for 4 min. After a 4-minute observation period, the drug was re-administered at the same dose for 2 min.

RESULTS

The most common side effects under each stress were ventricular premature beats in 34.1% (dobutamine echocardiography), ventricular premature beats in 14.4%(exercise), and headache in 24.3% (dipyridamole). Serious side effects occurred in one patient(0.05%). The case of acute myocardial infarction was caused by dipyridamole echocardiography, and the patient needed emergency coronary angioplasty. Seven patients needed other drug therapy for nonsustained ventricular tachycardia(one), paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia(two), sinus bradycardia(three), and bronchial asthma(one). There was no incidence of death, shock, or ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia or other conditions requiring inpatient observation during stress echocardiography.

CONCLUSIONS

Stress echocardiography is a reasonable, safe method for determining myocardial ischemia, but may be associated with minor, self-limiting side effects.

Effect of PPAR activators on cytokine-stimulated cyclooxygenase-2 expression in human colorectal carcinoma cells

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression is up-regulated in colorectal cancer tissue. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are expressed in human colorectal tissue and activation of PPARs can alter COX-2 expression. In macrophages, activation of PPARs down-regulates COX-2 expression. We examined the effect of PPARalpha and PPARgamma ligands on untreated and TNF-alpha-induced COX-2 expression in the human colorectal epithelial cell line HT-29. The expression of PPARalpha and PPARgamma was confirmed in these cells. TNF-alpha, an inflammatory cytokine, increased COX-2 expression via the NFkappaB pathway. In the absence of TNF-alpha, WY14643 (PPARalpha activator) caused an increase, while BRL49653 (PPARgamma activator) did not alter COX-2 expression. When HT-29 cells were incubated with TNF-alpha and WY14643, a further increase in COX-2 expression was detected. Incubation with TNF-alpha and BRL49653 caused an additional twofold increase in COX-2 expression. Our results suggest that both PPARalpha signaling and TNF-alpha signaling increase COX-2 expression by independent pathways, while PPARgamma stimulates COX-2 expression by up-regulation of the TNF-alpha pathway.

Hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography for noninvasive diagnosis of coronary artery spasm

We report the usefulness of 2-dimensional echocardiography during the cold-pressor test immediately after hyperventilation for noninvasive diagnosis of coronary vasospasm in 43 patients with suspected vasospastic angina. The stress test consisted of hyperventilation for 6 minutes, followed by cold water pressor stress for 2 minutes under continuous electrocardiographic and echocardiographic monitoring. Coronary angiography with an intracoronary injection of acetylcholine was performed within 2 weeks after the stress test. Coronary spasm was observed in 33 patients by angiography. Multivessel spasm was diagnosed in 26 patients by stress echocardiography and in 23 patients by angiography. The stress-induced wall motion abnormalities occurred earlier than the ST-segment changes and chest pain. The wall motion abnormalities shown on the echocardiogram correlated well with the vascular territories of the coronary artery that had the spasm. The sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography for detecting vasospastic angina against coronary angiography with an intracoronary injection of acetylcholine were 91%, 90%, and 91%, respectively. However, the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress electrocardiography for detecting vasospastic angina were 48%, 100%, and 60%, respectively. No major side effects were observed during or after the stress test. Echocardiographic monitoring during the stress test detected spasm unaccompanied by either ST- segment changes or chest pain and revealed the location of multivessel coronary spasm. Hyperventilation and cold-pressor stress echocardiography is thus a noninvasive and useful tool for the diagnosis of vasospastic angina.

[Contrast agent improves diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography]

OBJECTIVES

Suboptimal endocardial definition reduces the diagnostic value of stress echocardiography for coronary artery disease, but intravenous infusion of a left ventricular contrast agent (Albunex) may enhance endocardial border delineation and improve the diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography.

METHODS

Fifty-six patients, 38 with myocardial infarction, 16 with angina pectoris and two normal subjects, were enrolled in this study. Dobutamine was infused in scalar doses of 5 to 40 micrograms/kg/min. Intravenous infusion of Albunex (0.15 ml/kg) was administered at rest and during peak dobutamine stress during monitoring of the apical four-chamber view. The left ventricle in the apical four-chamber view was divided into six segments and an endocardial delineation score of 0 to 3 (none to excellent visualization) was given to each segment.

RESULTS

Endocardial delineation score was increased after Albunex infusion from 2.0 to 2.3 in the basal-septal, 2.0 to 2.4 in the mid-septal, 1.1 to 1.8 in the apical-septal, 0.7 to 1.2 in the apical-lateral, 0.9 to 1.6 in the mid-lateral, and 1.2 to 1.9 in the basal-lateral segments during peak dobutamine administration. Endocardial border resolution in the lateral wall showed greater improvement than in the septal wall after Albunex infusion. Diagnostic values in the left anterior descending artery territory failed to improve with Albunex infusion (sensitivity 82% to 89%, specificity 94% to 89%, and accuracy 86% to 89%), whereas a higher diagnostic accuracy was noted in the left circumflex artery territory with Albunex compared to without Albunex (sensitivity 63% to 81%, specificity 88% to 98%, and accuracy 80% to 93%, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Contrast agent improves the diagnostic accuracy of dobutamine stress echocardiography in the left circumflex artery territory.