Certified Reference Material for Analytical Quality Assurance of Minor and Trace Elements in Food and Related Matrixes Based on a Typical Japanese Diet: Interlaboratory Study

A Certified Reference Material (CRM) was prepared at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), Japan, in collaboration with the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS), Japan, for the analytical quality assurance of minor and trace elements in food and related matrixes. The starting material for the CRM was all food served in 29 households in Japan over two 3-day periods in 1997–1998, and thus the CRM represented a typical Japanese diet. All foods (meals, snacks, and beverages) were homogenized, freeze-dried, pulverized, blended, dispensed into 1100 bottles, and sterilized. The within- and between-bottle homogeneity of the prepared CRM was satisfactory for most of the elements. The concentrations of 14 elements (Na, Mg, K, Ca, Mn, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Sr, Cd, Sn, Ba, and U) were certified based on a collaborative analysis involving NIES, NIRS, and 20 other laboratories. Reference values were given for the concentrations of 12 additional elements (P, Cl, Fe, Co, Ni, Br, Rb, Mo, I, Cs, Pb, and Th). The elements certified and those given reference values include minerals, essential trace elements, contaminant elements, and long-lived radionuclides. Thus, this CRM is of practical value in the quality assurance of element analysis of foods and diets in nutritional, environmental, and radiological research.

MULTI-SITE AEROSOL MONITORING USING MINI STEP SAMPLER

We developed mini step samplers with low manufacturing and running costs for application in multi-site air-pollution monitoring. The miniaturization of the sampler was achieved by reducing the suction nozzle size. We tested the samplers with suction nozzle diameters of 2 and 4 mm through simultaneous exposure in the same site. Elemental concentrations of aerosol collected by these samplers were consistent within ±20% during comparison and the sample uniformity did not differ significantly. Sampling with small suction nozzle did not adversely affect aerosol collection. Aerosol samples were collected simultaneously at two sites in our laboratory and in the hall outside for 3 days and analyzed subsequently by PIXE. The time variation of elemental concentrations was high during daytime and low at night time and also during the weekend. Elemental concentrations in the hall were always higher than those in the laboratory. In our laboratory, we change shoes at the entrance and therefore, elemental concentrations inside the lab are lower than in the hall. In a second field experiment, we carried out simultaneous multi-site aerosol sampling during two periods in correlation with meteorological data (wind direction and velocity). It was observed that elemental concentrations of some soil origin elements changed periodically. On the other hand, the concentration of Cu and Zn showed irregular concentration spikes whose pattern showed a variation with the sites. Analysis using the data of wind directions showed that Cu had been transported to the sites from northeasterly direction and that the concentration of Zn was influenced by two big factories nearby. In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that the multi-site sampling system combined with meteorological data is well suited to identify sources of pollution.

AN ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE POSITIONS OF AEROSOL SOURCE BY THE PIXE ANALYSIS

Aerosols were continuously collected for 2 or 3 hours during the periods of 4-27 August 1997 and of 23 March-2 April 1998 at a suburb of Sendai City (east 10 km from Sendai), and meteorological data such as wind directions, wind velocities, etc were measured at the same time. The collected aerosol samples were analyzed by the particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method. Fourteen elements (S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Hg and Pb) were contained in these samples. The elemental concentrations increased in the daytime and decreased at night. It coincided with the time variation of people movement. The concentrations of Mn, Fe, Zn and Pb elements depended strongly on the direction of wind and their distributions for wind directions reflected to the position of aerosol sources. This result suggests that the position of aerosol source can be determined by measuring aerosols and wind directions at the many positions.

Evaluation of the malignancy of glioma using 11C-methionine positron emission tomography and proliferating cell nuclear antigen staining

11C-methionine positron emission tomography (PET) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) staining were performed in 13 cases of glioma to investigate the relationship between the uptake of L-[methyl]-11C-methionine and the degree of malignancy and proliferative potential. The 11C-methionine uptake was significantly greater in high-grade gliomas compared to low-grade gliomas (P<0.05). The PCNA indexes were also significantly higher in the high-grade cases (P<0.05). Moreover, a strong positive correlation was found between the 11C-methionine values and the PCNA indexes (P<0.005), demonstrating that higher 11C-methionine uptake was associated with greater proliferative potential and greater malignancy. 11C-methionine PET is a potentially useful preoperative method to discriminate the malignancy of glioma.

A Fe(3+)/DNA complex induces an anti-human immunodeficiency virus factor(s) in CD4+ lymphocyte cell lines

Numerous cytokines and chemokines are involved in inflammatory and immune response. Whereas some of them inhibit virus replication in vitro directly or increase the patients' T4-lymphocyte level, others effects are not so clear. Using human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and cell cultures we have studied the antiviral effect of complexes of salmon DNA with metals and of a new factor(s) (antiviral factor, AVF) induced in cells by the complexes. The Fe3+/DNA complex possessed the highest antiviral activity. It was found that MT-2, MT-4, CEM and Jurkat cells treated with the complexes secreted AVF which inhibited the replication of nine HIV-1 isolates, was noncytotoxic and stimulated cell proliferation. AVF did not inactivate HIV. The molecular mass analysis of AVF showed that its antiviral activity is associated with its fraction of M(r) of 3 K. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of mRNA from MT-4 cells treated with the complexes showed an increase in the the expression of genes for interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and TNF-beta while expression of genes for IL-1-beta, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8. IL-10, IL-12; 35p, 40p, IL-13, GMCSF, GSF and RANTES was not detected at all. However, the anti-HIV activity of the cell culture supernatant in vitro cannot be explained by mere presence of the inflammatory substances mentioned above, because they do not possess such activity and their M(r) is higher than that of AVF. Our findings raise the possibility that AVF(s) may be involved in the mechanism of cell resistance against HIV.

[Trace elements analysis of serum and cerebrospinal fluid with PIXE--effect of age and changes in parkinsonian patients]

The concentrations of Br, Cu, Fe, Se, Zn, Mg were determined by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 13 untreated, 7 L-dopa treated parkinsonian patients and 25 controls. There were significant positive correlations between serum concentrations and CSF concentrations of Br, Cu, Fe. The Cu/Zn ratio in the serum and the CSF/serum ratio of Br were significantly increased with age in normal controls. The mean CSF concentration of Mg in both treated and untreated parkinsonian patients was lower than in controls. PIXE is a valuable method for multielemental analysis of the serum and CSF.

Effect of gentamicin on vestibular ganglion

The morphological changes of the vestibular ganglion induced by gentamicin (GM) were investigated using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The guinea pigs were injected 4 mg of GM into the middle ear for 5 days. The vestibular ganglion was observed up to 4 weeks after the treatment. Three days after the treatment the degenerative change was first noted in the vestibular ganglion. The degenerative process started from the destruction of mitochondrial cristae and vacuolization of the cytoplasm of the Schwann cell. The cytoplasmic organelles in the ganglion cell gradually deteriorated with swelling of the endoplasmic cisterns as well as Golgi apparatus. At the later stage, the myelin sheath around the ganglion cell disappeared and the number of the cells reduced. These changes of the ganglion cell may be due to the direct action of GM.

Evaluation with equilibrium radionuclide angiography of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic pulmonary diseases

To evaluate left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to chronic pulmonary diseases, 86 patients were studied using equilibrium radionuclide angiography with forward and reverse gating from the R wave. At rest left ventricular function, both in systolic and diastolic properties, in patients with pulmonary hypertension was significantly lower than in normal subjects (LVEF; P less than 0.05, PER; p less than 0.05, PFR; P less than 0.025, FF; P less than 0.025). During exercise left ventricular systolic function did not increase as much as in normals (LVEF; N.S., PER; N.S.). Left ventricular diastolic function during exercise was significantly lower than at rest (PFR; P less than 0.05, FF; P less than 0.001). The indices of left ventricular function obtained from radionuclide angiography had no close correlation with pulmonary hemodynamics or with blood gases. These results demonstrated that left ventricular dysfunction in patients with pulmonary hypertension was observed both at rest and during exercise, and might play an important role in reduced exercise tolerance.

[Clinical study on the effect of adjuvant immunochemotherapy using OK-432 and 5-FU in pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers]

A randomized controlled trial was carried out on 38 pharyngeal and 59 laryngeal previously untreated cancers to evaluate the effects of adjuvant immunochemotherapy using 5-FU with and without OK-432. After each fundamental therapy, 5-FU was given orally at a dose of 200-300 mg/day for more than a year. OK-432 was intracutaneously administered at a dose of 5KE once a week for more than a year. Three-year survival rates and disease-free intervals were estimated for the two groups. In cases of pharyngeal cancer, the 3-year survival rate was 58% in both groups and the disease-free interval rates for up to 3 years after the fundamental therapy was 49% in the OK-432 + 5-FU group and 52% in the 5-FU group. These results showed no statistically significant difference. In laryngeal cancers, the 3-year survival rate was 96% in the OK-432 + 5-FU group and 82% in the 5-FU group. These results also showed no statistically significant difference. The disease-free interval rates were 87% in the OK-432 + 5-FU group and 64% in the 5-FU group, revealing a statistically significant difference (p less than 0.1). This suggests that OK-432 is more effective in producing a higher survival rate in cases of laryngeal cancer.

Morphological changes in the vestibular epithelia and ganglion induced by ototoxic drug

The morphological changes of the vestibular sensory epithelia and the vestibular ganglions induced by Gentamicin(GM) were investigated using scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope and light microscope. The guinea pigs were injected with a single application of 4 mg (0.1ml) of GM into the middle ear through the tympanic membrane. The vestibular organs and the ganglions were observed up to 6 months after the treatment. Four days after the injection, fused, ballooned and missing cilia were observed in the vestibular sensory epithelia. These changes progressed and extended toward the periphery of the crista and the macula. The changes of the vestibular ganglions were first observed one month after the treatment. The degenerative process started from destruction of the mitochondrial cristae and vacuolization of the cytoplasm in the Schwann cell. The next step of the change was dissociation of the myelin sheath around the ganglion cell. The cytoplasmic organelles in the ganglion cell gradually deteriorated. At the later stage, the myelin sheath around the ganglion cell disappeared and the number of the cell reduced. Furthermore, the myelin sheath of the nerve fiber was dissociated. In this study the signs of the vestibular ganglion damage were later than that of the vestibular organ. However, we thought the changes in the ganglion are probably due to direct influence of GM, since the degeneration was found to develop in a relatively short period.

Simultaneous pleomorphic adenomas of the right parotid and ipsilateral submandibular glands

A case of simultaneous pleomorphic adenomas of the right parotid and ipsilateral submandibular glands was reported. The patient was a 68-year-old woman who had a ten-year history of an otherwise asymptomatic non-enlarging mass in the parotid gland and a slowly enlarging mass in the submandibular gland. Microscopically, the parotid tumor consisted of predominant spindle-shaped cell proliferations with myxoid stroma in places. The submandibular gland tumor showed tubular and trabecular formations with stroma consisting of hyalinized fibrous connective tissues. Simultaneous pleomorphic adenomas in the salivary glands are so rare that only 23 cases can be found in the literature. Additionally, only five tumors occurring simultaneously in the parotid and submandibular glands are reported in the literature. Our case seems to be the sixth of simultaneous pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid and submandibular glands.

Compton soft-tissue imaging and its capability expanded by direct magnification and Shinozaki color TV system

To improve the spatial and density resolution of Compton radiography, the authors utilized direct magnification with a pin-hole collimator and contrast magnification with the Shinozaki color TV system, a digital color display. Great improvement was attained in spatial resolution. Contrast magnification resulted in sharp delineation of soft-tissue lesions including cancer and its infiltrations into normal surrounding breast tissue. It is expected that in the future, Compton radiography will have wide raiological application with reduced radiation dosage.

Pulsatile uptake of CO in the human lung

The instantaneous uptake of CO in the lungs was measured with a water-filled body plethysmograph in normal man. First, control measurements of plethysmograph pressure were made while the subject held his breath for 7 sec after breathing gas mixtures prepared to bring his alveolar P(O2) and P(CO2) close to mixed venous levels. Then, CO uptake measurements were made while he held his breath after inhaling the same gas mixtures with added CO (2.0%). The change in lung volume on CO minus the change in lung volume during the control measurement was a measure of the CO uptake in the lungs. Cardiopneumatic changes in lung gas volume were subtracted electrically. All of five subjects showed pulsatile CO uptake. The mean CO uptake was 103 ml/min. A peak uptake of 2.0 (range 1.6-2.3) times the mean uptake occurred 0.3-0.4 sec after the R wave of the EKG and a minimum uptake of 0.4 (range 0.2-0.5) times the mean uptake occurred during the tenth of a second before the R wave of the EKG. These results suggest that pulmonary capillary blood volume is pulsatile during the cardiac cycle.