Identification of Cancer Stem Cells Derived From a Canine Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Line

Accumulating evidence supporting the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis is based on the finding that tumors contain a small population of self-renewing cells that generate differentiated progeny and thereby contribute to tumor heterogeneity. CSCs are reported to exist in several human cancers, yet only a few reports demonstrate the existence of CSCs in primary lung cancer in dogs. In this study, the authors established a cancer cell line derived from a canine primary lung adenocarcinoma and identified a side population (SP) of cells that displayed drug-resistant features. To confirm the characteristics of these SP cells, the authors investigated the tumorigenicity of the cells in vivo by using a nude mouse xenograft model. Only 100 SP cells were able to give rise to new tumors, giving a 10-fold enrichment over the main population (MP) of cells, suggesting that these cells have the cancer-initiating ability of CSCs. Further studies characterizing CSCs in canine lung adenocarcinoma might contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and to the establishment of novel therapeutic strategies.

Increased circulating cell signalling phosphoproteins in sera are useful for the detection of pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND

Intracellular phosphoprotein activation significantly regulates cancer progression. However, the significance of circulating phosphoproteins in the blood remains unknown. We investigated the serum phosphoprotein profile involved in pancreatic cancer (PaCa) by a novel approach that comprehensively measured serum phosphoproteins levels, and clinically applied this method to the detection of PaCa.

METHODS

We analysed the serum phosphoproteins that comprised cancer cellular signal pathways by comparing sera from PaCa patients and benign controls including healthy volunteers (HVs) and pancreatitis patients.

RESULTS

Hierarchical clustering analysis between PaCa patients and HVs revealed differential pathway-specific profiles. In particular, the components of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway were significantly increased in the sera of PaCa patients compared with HVs. The positive rate of p-ERK1/2 (82%) was found to be superior to that of CA19-9 (53%) for early stage PaCa. For the combination of these serum levels, the area under the receiver-operator characteristics curves was showing significant ability to distinguish between the two populations in independent validation set, and between cancer and non-cancer populations in another validation set.

CONCLUSION

The comprehensive measurement of serum cell signal phosphoproteins is useful for the detection of PaCa. Further investigations will lead to the implementation of tailor-made molecular-targeted therapeutics.

Inhibition of Allergic Bronchoconstriction in Guinea Pigs and in Asthmatics by the Leukotriene Antagonist ONO-1078

The effect of the leukotriene receptor antagonist ONO-1078 on experimental and clinical bronchial asthma was evaluated. It was found that this compound could inhibit antigen-induced bronchoconstriction in passively sensitized guinea pigs and leukotriene D4- and allergen-induced bronchial responses in normal and in asthmatic subjects. Clinical trials in patients with chronic bronchial asthma demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing hazardous symptoms like wheezing and dyspneic attacks.

Large granular lymphocytic leukaemia complicated with histiocytic sarcoma in a dog : clinical communication

A 10-year-old castrated male Golden retriever, weighing 36.3 kg was referred for evaluation owing to a decline in general condition. Findings from the complete blood count revealed a marked lymphocytosis (113 000/µℓ). Examination of Wright-Giemsa-stained films of peripheral blood revealed the presence of large granular lymphocytes (LGL). Seventy-two per cent (81 360/µℓ) of the lymphocytes were found to be 12-17 µm in diameter, containing nuclei with mature clumped chromatin and abundant lightly basophilic cytoplasm with a variable number of fine azurophilic granules. Based on these findings this case was diagnosed as LGL leukaemia. As a result of multiple-agent chemotherapy, the markedly elevated levels of lymphocytes gradually decreased to 7500/µℓ on day 122 and the patient maintained a good quality of life for the following 3 months. However, on around day 237, a soft, raised, bosselated mass on the labial region was noted. The dog was diagnosed as having histiocytic sarcoma based on cytological and histological examination of the mass. Shortly after diagnosis, the dog developed sudden onset of central nervous system signs and died on day 270. A common outcome of canine LGL is the development of acute blast crisis or lymphoma. However, this case was notable for complication with histiocytic sarcoma from another origin.

Two adult cases of coronary artery aneurysms secondary to Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limiting vasculitis that occurs in children of all ages, which was first described by Kawasaki in 1967. The fatal complication of KD is coronary artery involvement resulting in coronary artery aneurysms. We report on two adult cases with coronary artery aneurysms secondary to childhood KD who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using multiple arterial grafts. There have been few reports of cardiovascular surgery in adult survivors of KD.

Endovascular Stent-graft Repair for Spontaneous Rupture of the Nonaneurysmal Thoracic Aorta in a Patient with Takayasu's Arteritis

Takayasu's arteritis is a disease of unknown etiology with a constellation of clinical findings primarily resulting from stenotic lesions on the aorta and its branches. Although aneurysmal degeneration is observed frequently in patients with Takayasu's arteritis, non-aneurysmal spontaneous aortic rupture is extremely rare. We report a case of endovascular stent grafting for spontaneous rupture of a non-aneurysmal thoracic aorta in Takayasu's arteritis.

Slug expression is an independent prognostic parameter for poor survival in colorectal carcinoma patients

Slug, a member of the Snail family of transcription factors, plays a crucial role in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by suppressing several epithelial markers and adhesion molecules including E-cadherin. Recently, several studies have reported Slug to be expressed in breast carcinoma, oesophageal carcinoma accompanied with shorter survival. In this study, we first investigated expression of Slug mRNA in five colorectal carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, we investigated Slug and E-cadherin expression by immunohistochemistry in 138 patients with colorectal carcinoma. Slug mRNA was clearly expressed in four out of five colorectal carcinoma cell lines. Positive expression of Slug and E-cadherin was observed in 37 and 58% of cases, respectively. The positive expression of Slug was significantly associated with Dukes stage and distant metastasis (P = 0.0027 and 0.0007), and the positive expression of Slug had a significant impact on patient overall survival (P < 0.0001, log-rank test). Moreover, patients with positive expression of Slug and reduced expression of E-cadherin showed the worst prognosis (P < 0.0001, log-rank test). Multivariate analysis indicated that Slug expression was an independent prognostic factor. These results suggest that positive Slug expression in colorectal carcinoma patients may become a significant parameter of poor prognosis.

Cardiac Lipoma in the Ventricular Septum - A Case Report

We report a case of a cardiac lipoma in the interventricular septum complicated with mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation in a 74-year-old woman. Surgical excision of the tumor was performed with mitral annuloplasty and a Maze III procedure. She continues to do well 7 months postoperatively.

Superficial and deep layer muscle fibre properties of the mouse masseter before and after weaning

To clarify changes in the properties of the masseter muscle superficial and deep layer muscle fibres, which initiate masticatory movement, myosin heavy chain isoforms were evaluated based on immunohistochemistry at the transcription level in male mice both before and after weaning. In the results, MHC-2b isoforms, the isoforms with the fastest contraction speed, were observed in the superficial layer after weaning. However, MHC-2a isoforms with slower contraction speeds were not apparent. By contrast, in the deep layer, MHC-2a isoforms were present, as were MHC-2b isoforms, however, there were fewer MHC-2b isoforms present than in the superficial layer. The most rapid movement in the mouse mandible was observed anteroposteriorly during mastication. As the superficial layer of the masseter muscle runs parallel to the direction of mandibular movement, the presence of MHC-2b isoforms in it is consistent. The presence of MHC-2a isoforms in the deep layer, lying at right angles to the direction of mastication movement, is consistent with the positional adjustment of the mandible contributed by the deep layer muscle fibres during masticatory movement. We therefore conclude that complicated masticatory movement is achieved by the presence of various muscle bundles within the masseter, each carrying out different roles.

Surgical correction of pseudoaneurysm of the extracranial carotid artery: the usefulness of retrograde cerebral perfusion--a case report

Although a pseudoaneurysm of the common carotid artery is not encountered frequently, its surgical treatment is technically challenging. A case is reported of a large pseudoaneurysm of the right common carotid artery in a 45-year-old woman, presenting with respiratory distress, following a wound infection 3 months after tracheoplasty. Instead of a vascular shunt, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion was used for protection of the brain against hypoxia during the arterial reconstruction. The pseudoaneurysm was easily corrected with an autologous saphenous vein, without any hazardous dissection through the dense fibrosis around the fragile pseudoaneurysm, under circulatory arrest.

Expression of mRNA of chemokine receptor CXCR4 in feline mammary adenocarcinoma

The expression of mRNA of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in 65 surgically resected mammary adenocarcinomas from cats was investigated by in situ hybridisation. No expression of the receptor's mRNA was detectable in the mammary tissue of healthy cats, but it was expressed in areas adjacent to necrosis, surrounding blood vessels and cells infiltrating the lymphatics of 47 (72.3 per cent) of the 65 samples. There was a significant relationship between lymphatic infiltration by neoplastic cells and the expression of the receptor's mRNA (P < 0.005), but there was no significant relationship between its expression and the one-year survival of the cats.

Mitral valve replacement through right thoracotomy after coronary arterial bypass grafting with functioning conduits

A 67-year-old man who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting 3 years previously suffered from severe mitral regurgitation associated with Streptococcal infective endocarditis. He was placed in New York Heart Association functional class III. Preoperative angiography demonstrated good opacification of all 3 conduits implanted in the previous operation. We replaced the mitral valve through an anterolateral right thoracotomy, approaching the mitral valve as an alternative to redoing sternotomy to minimize potential injury to patent grafts. His postoperative course was uneventful. After a 1-month course of antibiotics, the patient was discharged as New York Heart Association class II and at present, 3 months after discharge, is doing well. This approach is an effective alternative to redoing sternotomy for mitral valve operation, especially in patients undergoing a previous coronary arterial bypass grafting via median sternotomy.

Mutational analysis of catalytic sites of the cell wall lytic N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidases CwlC and CwlV

The Bacillus subtilis CwlC and the Bacillus polymyxa var. colistinus CwlV are the cell wall lytic N-acetylmuramoyl-l-alanine amidases in the CwlB (LytC) family. Deletion in the CwlC amidase from the C terminus to residue 177 did not change the amidase activity. However, when the deletion was extended slightly toward the N terminus, the amidase activity was entirely lost. Further, the N-terminal deletion mutant without the first 19 amino acids did not have the amidase activity. These results indicate that the N-terminal half (residues 1-176) of the CwlC amidase, the region homologous to the truncated CwlV (CwlVt), is a catalytic domain. Site-directed mutagenesis was performed on 20 highly conserved amino acid residues within the catalytic domain of CwlC. The amidase activity was lost completely on single amino acid substitutions at two residues (Glu-24 and Glu-141). Similarly, the substitution of the two glutamic acid residues (E26Q and E142Q) of the truncated CwlV (CwlV1), which corresponded to Glu-24 and Glu-141 of CwlC, was critical to the amidase activity. The EDTA-treated CwlV1 did not have amidase activity. The amidase activity of the EDTA-treated CwlV1 was restored by the addition of Zn2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ but not by the addition of Mg2+ and Ca2+. These results suggest that the amidases in the CwlB family are zinc amidases containing two glutamic acids as catalytic residues.

Early results of coronary grafting using ultrasonically skeletonized internal thoracic arteries

BACKGROUND

We have developed an ultrasonic complete skeletonization technique for obtaining internal thoracic artery (ITA) grafts and have used this method clinically since January 1998. In this report, we discuss the early results of bilateral ITA grafts obtained with our method.

METHODS

We studied 200 consecutive patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using ITAs obtained by this technique. Angiography of the grafts was performed in 188 patients (94%) within 1 month after coronary artery bypass grafting.

RESULTS

The ITA grafts were about 4 cm longer than pedicled ITA grafts. The free flow through the grafts was at least 30% higher than through pedicled ITAs. The early patency rate determined by postoperative angiography of the grafts was 99.7% for left ITAs and 100% for right ITAs. No patient required postoperative intervention or repeated surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasonic complete skeletonization increases the effective length of ITA bypasses, improves free flow through the bypasses, and it is less invasive than conventional pedicled harvesting. These excellent early results indicate that this technique is a straightforward, safe, less invasive, and optimal method for obtaining ITA bypass grafts.

Histologic and physiologic evaluation of skeletonized internal thoracic artery harvesting with an ultrasonic scalpel

OBJECTIVES

The safety and reliability of a method of skeletonized internal thoracic artery harvesting with an ultrasonic scalpel (Harmonic Scalpel; Ethicon Endo-Surgery, CVG, Cincinnati, Ohio) were evaluated.

METHODS

The mural branches of the internal thoracic artery were cut by means of 3 methods, differentiated by distance from the site of application of the Harmonic Scalpel blade to the internal thoracic artery. A total of 15 branches were cut from the internal thoracic artery at (0 mm) the origin (group I) or at 1 mm (group II) or 2 mm (group III) distal to the origin. Tissue preparations were examined for successful vessel closure and severity of tissue damage. The length of stump (L) and the length of tissue damage from the stump (D) were determined by a computer image analysis system, and pressure testing was performed to evaluate the physical strength of vessel closure.

RESULTS

In group I, 8 of the 15 branches exhibited discontinuity of the vascular wall structure, probably because of insufficient sealing of the divided section, and 12 of the 15 branches exhibited tissue denaturation on the internal thoracic artery wall adjacent to areas of origin, which was probably caused by the heat transferred from the branches during the process of coagulation. In groups II and III, continuity of wall structure of stumps suggestive of stable closure of branches was confirmed. The lengths of tissue damage from the stump (D) were 0.96, 0.58, and 0.63 mm in groups I, II, and III, respectively, and the lengths of intact area (L - D) in the corresponding groups were -0.78, 0.61, and 1.51 mm. The negative figure in group I indicates the presence of tissue damage in the internal thoracic artery itself. By contrast, in groups II and III the internal thoracic arteries were intact, with a safety margin of greater than 0.5 mm. On physiologic evaluation of vessel closure, 2 of the 24 (8.3%) branches burst under a pressure lower than 350 mm Hg because of insufficient vessel coagulation, but the remaining 22 branches (91.7%) remained intact under pressures up to 350 mm Hg.

CONCLUSION

The internal thoracic artery skeletonization method with an ultrasonic scalpel (Harmonic Scalpel: output level 2) appears to be a safe and reliable method of skeletonized internal thoracic artery harvesting when branches are sectioned at least 1 mm distal to their origin at a sufficiently slow speed.

[Change in skin reactivity to common allergens in allergic patients over a 30-year period. Association with aeroallergen load]

Five-year changes in the percentage of positive intradermal test to allergens in patients with bronchial asthma (BA) and allergic rhinitis (AR) over a period of 30 years from 1969 to 1998 were analyzed, with consideration of their association with the yearly changes in the levels of airborne pollens and molds over 30 years. Allergens used throughout the period were house dust, pollens from various plants (Japanese cedar, pine, oak, Japanese alder, Zelkova, orchard grass, ragweed, mugwort and Japanese hop) and molds (Alternaria, Cladosporium, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Candida). Overall percentages to house dust were higher in BA patients than in AR patients, but those to pollens were distinctly higher in the latter. Those to molds were higher in BA patients, except that those to Alternaria were about the same in both BA and AR patients. Therefore, the clinical expression of allergy may differ according to the type of allergen to which subjects are sensitized. Over the course of 30 years, the increase in the percentage of positive intradermal test to all of the allergens used was noted in both BA and AR patients, although this did not always reflect the aeroallergen load. This includes the two extremes to pollens from Japanese cedar and pine, either of which is the most common source of allergen in Japan. Significant increases in the percentages to Japanese cedar pollen (from 12.5% to 54.4% in BA patients, and from 35.1% to 81.5% in AR patients) appeared to be roughly correlated to marked increases in pollen count. In contrast, that to pine pollen was kept low at about 2%, because of their weak allergenicity, but abruptly increased to 5-6% in the last decade, despite the almost invariable pollen count over the last 30 years. Therefore, the increased sensitivity to aeroallergens may also be associated with other factors besides their load in the air.

Primary osteosarcoma of heart with severe congestive heart failure

We present a case report on a 54-year-old woman with extraskeletal osteosarcoma of the left atrium featuring severe congestive heart failure. We resected the tumor, which occupied the left atrium and had widely infiltrated the atrial wall, but the patients died of the tumor 9 months after surgery. This is to our knowledge the 32nd case of cardiac osteosarcoma ever reported.

A canine case of partial heterotaxia detected by radiography and ultrasound

With radiography and ultrasound, reversed positioning of the fundus ventriculi and pylorus, a duodenum running on the left side, transposition of the kidneys, and normal thoracic organs were found in a 5-month-old miniature dachshund that presented with anorexia and weight loss. The case was diagnosed as partial heterotaxia. Gross observation revealed partial heterotaxia, polysplenia, abnormal lobulation of the liver, and absence of the greater omentum. These findings were consistent with those observed in asplenia-polysplenia syndrome in humans.

Accumulation of an artificial cell wall-binding lipase by Bacillus subtilis wprA and/or sigD mutants

A recombinant lipase, CWB-LipB, localized on the Bacillus subtilis cell surface and retaining lipase activity was unstable and not accumulated in a high yield. To improve the accumulation, we examined cell wall binding protease (wprA)- and/or sigma D (sigD)-deficient mutants, and also a NprE and AprA protease-deficient mutant as host strains. The nprE aprA mutation did not lead to a significant increase in the CWB-LipB accumulation. The wprA mutant accumulated a greater amount than the wild-type only in the stationary phase, but the sigD mutant accumulated a greater amount in both the exponential and stationary phases. The double mutant exhibited great accumulation of CWB-LipB, the amount being 36% of the total proteins extracted from the cell surface.

Abasic site recognition mechanism by the Escherichia coli exonuclease III

In order to elucidate the mechanism of AP site recognition by Echerichia coli exonuclease III (exoIII), site-directed mutagenesis of the Tyr109, the Trp212, and the Phe213 residues, which were conserved in the type II AP endonuclease from various organisms and located in the vicinity of the catalytic site, was performed. The exoIII-W212S mutant lacked any detectable AP endonuclease activity and binding ability to the duplex DNA containing an AP site, while the exoIII-Y109S and exoIII-F213W mutants retained a low level of activities (13% and 83%, respectively, compared with wild-type exoIII). This study suggests that the Trp212 is an important component for abasic site recognition by the E. coli exonuclease III.

[Management of coronary artery disease combined with aortic stenosis: how to do with mild aortic stenosis]

A total of fourteen patients with combined operation of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) for coronary artery disease (CAD) and aortic stenosis (AS) were reviewed to evaluate the indication of the combined operation. Preoperative pressure gradient across the valve and effective orifice area were 21-89 mmHg (mean 64 mmHg), 0.5-1.9 cm2 (mean 0.92 cm2), respectively. The extent of CAD was 1-3 (mean 2.0). Fractional shortening (%FS) ranged from 13% to 43% with mean value of 28%. All patients underwent CABG and AVR. The number of grafts was 1-4 (mean 2.3) with internal thoracic artery used in 7 cases. Mechanical valves were employed for all patients except 1 case with cerebral aneurysm. There was no operative death, although low output syndrome developed in 2 cases. One had poor left ventricular function preoperatively, and the other was emergency case. Fractional shortening improved postoperatively even in two cases with preoperative %FS less than 20%, and all grafts were patent on postoperative coronary angiography. The event-free survival was 100% during 32 months of mean follow-up. Combined AVR with CABG is recommended to avoid risky secondary operation in patients of CAD and AS, even if one of which is relatively mild, because of the fact that operative and late results of the combined surgery are satisfactory.

Skeletonization and harvest of the internal thoracic artery with an ultrasonic scalpel

A new method to skeletonize and harvest the internal thoracic artery using an ultrasonic scalpel is presented. The technique is simple, safe, and minimally invasive. It is possible to obtain sufficient vessel length for anastomosis to most coronary arteries for bypass grafting.

Overexpression, purification, and characterization of Bacillus subtilis N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase CwlC

N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase CwlC of Bacillus subtilis was overproduced in Escherichia coli and purified 21-fold. The amidase hydrolyzed type A cell walls such as B. subtilis. The amidase bound slightly to the Microbacterium lacticum cell wall (type B), but did not entirely hydrolyze it. The presence of calcium or magnesium ion increased the resistance of the amidase to heat denaturation.

Coronary artery bypass grafting using the "Super Pulse" dynamic pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass device in patients with cerebrovascular occlusive disease

Patients with coronary disease complicated by severe carotid or intracranial arterial stenosis underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) using a novel method of dynamic pulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (Super Pulse CPB). The Super Pulse technique can maintain the systolic pressure and systolic-diastolic amplitude in such a way that they mimic the physiologic circulation. Forty-five patients (33 males and 12 females, mean age 65.1 years) with coronary disease who had a greater than 75% stenosis of the carotid or intracranial arteries were evaluated. Evaluation was performed for the following 3 groups: 8 patients with conventional pulsatile CPB (Group I), 8 patients with conventional pulsatile CPB plus intraaortic balloon pumping (Group II), and 29 patients with Super Pulse CPB. Maximum, minimum, and mean perfusion pressures during CPB were 112.7, 53.6, and 76.9 mmHg (integrated mean), respectively, in Group III. The systolic-diastolic amplitude was significantly better than for Group I and similar to baseline pressures. No patients in Group II or Group III developed perioperative cerebral disorders or myocardial infarction, while in Group I perioperative cerebral disorders developed in 3 patients, myocardial infarction occurred in 2 patients, and 2 patients died during hospitalization. The initial performance of the Super Pulse CPB indicates excellent safety, and is useful for patients with co-morbid cerebral arterial disease.

Accumulation of a recombinant Aspergillus oryzae lipase artificially localized on the Bacillus subtilis cell surface

cutL cDNA encoding an extracellular lipase, L1, from Aspergillus oryzae was fused to the cell wall-binding domain (CWB) region of a plasmid, pHCB3R. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and zymography of proteins extracted from the cell surface of Bacillus subtilis 168 harboring a fused lipase plasmid (pHCB3RCL) revealed that the fused gene product, CWB-CutL, was localized in the B. subtilis cell wall and retained lipase activity. B. subtilis WASD (wprA sigD), recently used for the accumulation of CWB-LipB (the CWB protein fused with B. subtilis lipase B), was also a suitable host for the accumulation of CWB-CutL, the amount being 10% of the total proteins extracted from the cell surface.

Vinylamycin, a new depsipeptide antibiotic, from Streptomyces sp

A new depsipeptide antibiotic, vinylamycin, was isolated from the culture broth of an actinomycete strain. The producing organism, designated MI982-63F1, was identified as a member of Streptomyces. Vinylamycin was isolated from the culture broth by extraction with EtOAc and purified by crystallization from EtOAc. The structure of vinylamycin was determined by spectroscopic analysis and degradation studies. Vinylamycin showed antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive bacteria including MRSA.

Characterization of Bacillus subtilis ExoA protein: a multifunctional DNA-repair enzyme similar to the Escherichia coli exonuclease III

To discover the physiological role of the Bacillus subtilis ExoA protein, which is similar in amino acid sequence to Escherichia coli exonuclease III, an exoA::Cm disruption was constructed in the chromosomal DNA of B. subtilis. There was no clear difference in tolerance to hydrogen peroxide and alkylating agents between the disruptant and the wild type strain. An expression plasmid of the ExoA in E. coli was constructed by inserting the exoA gene into the expression vector pKP1500. The purified ExoA was used to clarify enzymatic characterizations using synthetic DNA oligomers as substrates. A DNA oligomer containing a 1', 2'-dideoxyribose residue as an AP site, a DNA-RNA chimera oligomer, and a 3' end 32P-labeled oligomer were synthesized. It has been shown that the ExoA has AP endonuclease, 3'-5' exonuclease, ribonuclease H, and 3'-phosphomonoesterase activities. Thus, it has been confirmed that ExoA is a multifunctional DNA-repair enzyme in B. subtilis that is very similar to E. coli exonuclease III except that ExoA has lower 3'-5' exonuclease activity than that of E. coli exonuclease III.

[Predonation and transfusion in open heart surgery]

The efficacy of predonation of autologous blood in reducing the use homologous blood during open heart surgery was investigated. Between January 1997, and February 1998, predonation and transfusion was studied in 100 consecutive open heart operations (CABG, 77; valve surgery, 17; ASD, 5; myxoma, 1). The guidelines for autologous predonation were as follows: an age < 70 years, a weight > 40 kg and a hemoglobin > 12 g/dl. Patients in NYHA class IV or undergoing emergency operation were excluded. The blood loss during operation ranged from 195 to 1,850 ml (mean; 670 ml), being from 305 to 1,850 ml (723 ml) for CABG, from 260 to 1,020 ml (493.5 ml) for valve surgery and from 195 to 570 ml (342 ml) for ASD. The blood loss was not significantly dependent on sex or age and did not differ elective and emergent operations. Only 36.6% of patients with autologous predonation needed homologous transfusion versus 63.4% of those without predonation. Homologous transfusion was done in only 5% of the those with predonation of 800 ml versus 69% at 400 ml and 71% at 200 ml. In conclusion, autologous blood transfusion is effective for reducing the homologous blood requirement. It also seems that predonation of 800 ml may be sufficient to allow open heart surgery without blood transfusion.

Serum alpha-fetoprotein values in dogs with various hepatic diseases

Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) values were measured in hepatic diseased dogs with or without tumor and non-hepatic tumor bearing dogs by a sandwich ELISA using anti-dog AFP antiserum. Serum AFP values were less than 70 ng/ml in clinically healthy dogs. The values in dogs with hepatocellular carcinoma were higher than 1,400 ng/ml in 7 of 9 dogs, wherever those in two dogs with cholangiocarcinoma were in the normal range. Serum AFP values in hepatic diseased dogs without tumor were also high, however, the values were below 500 ng/ml in 90% of the dogs. In non-hepatic tumor dogs, serum AFP values were less than 500 ng/ml in 76% of the dogs. In the surgically removal cases with hepatocellular carcinoma, serum AFP values rapidly decreased. These results suggested that the sandwich ELISA using anti-dog AFP antiserum was an available method for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in dogs.

Evidence of apoptosis induced by myocardial ischemia: A case of ventricular septal rupture following acute myocardial infarction

Recent studies have reported that apoptosis may be induced by reperfusion injury following ischemia in cardiomyocytes. We present a case with evidence of apoptosis induced by myocardial ischemia without reperfusion. DNA fragmentation was demonstrated in the nuclei of the myocardial cells surrounding the ventricular septal rupture following acute myocardial infarction without reperfusion in the infarct-related left anterior descending coronary artery. This finding suggests that ischemia without reperfusion may induce apoptosis in myocardial cells.

[A case of advanced gastric carcinoma with disappearance of cancer cells by neoadjuvant chemotherapy]

A 74-year-old man was diagnosed by preoperative X-ray and endoscopy with biopsy as having type 2 advanced gastric carcinoma (poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) in the antrum. CT scan revealed swelling of the paraaortic lymph nodes, which was considered to be metastasis from the gastric carcinoma. As the cancer was judged to be stage IV and too advanced for a curative surgical resection, a neoadjuvant chemotherapy was initiated. One course of the regimen consisted of 10 mg of CDDP (day 1-5, drip) and 300 mg of UFT (day 1-7, oral), and the patient underwent the regimen three times in succession. After the chemotherapy, the swelling of para-aortic lymph nodes disappeared on CT scan. A distal gastrectomy with D2 lymph nodes dissection and sampling of the para-aortic lymph nodes was performed. Histopathological examination revealed that the cancer cells had completely vanished both in the primary tumor and lymph nodes. The effect of this neoadjuvant chemotherapy was judged to be Grade 3 histopathologically.

Nitric oxide donors enhance rectal absorption of macromolecules in rabbits

PURPOSE

The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the potential of nitric oxide (NO) donors as a new class of absorption enhancers which may act on intestinal epithelial cells through epithelial actions of the chemical mediator, NO.

METHODS

Suppositories containing NO donors and insulin were administered into the rabbit rectum. After administration of the suppository, blood samples were collected from the auricular vein. The plasma insulin and glucose concentrations were determined.

RESULTS

The NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP, 4 mg) induced a significant increase in the rate of insulin absorption from the rectum. Administration of a suppository containing SNAP without insulin affected neither the plasma insulin nor the plasma glucose concentration. Other NO donors, NOR1 and NOR4, also induced increases in the insulin absorption. The absorption enhancement effect of SNAP was inhibited by coadministration of the NO scavenger carboxy-PTIO. SNAP also enhanced FITC-dextran (MW 4,000) absorption. Little cytotoxicity of SNAP (3.0 mg/ml) as assessed in terms of the rate of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from Caco-2 cells was detected for 2 h of incubation.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that NO enhanced macromolecular absorption from the rectum without mucosal cell damage, and that NO donors can act as potent absorption enhancers.

A spectrometric method for determining the capability of intermolecular interaction: mono- and dideoxynucleotides

A method for detecting the dimer of mono- and oligodeoxynucleotides is presented by using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS). The mass spectrum of a mononucleotide dpC showed an intense peak of the dimeric ion dpC:::dpC, compared with those of dpA, dpG and dpT. The mass spectrum of an equimolar mixture of dpC and dpG showed the highest peak of the dimeric ion dpC:::dpG, compared with all other combinations. The dimeric ion peaks in the mass spectra of dinucleotides d(ApT) and d(CpG) were relatively high and it may reflect the base-pairing energy due to hydrogen bonding. The degradation patterns of each dimers for d(ApT) and d(CpG) obtained by using the collision-induced dissociation (CID) technique which reflected the strength of each base-pairing.

Quadruplex formation of oligonucleotides containing G clusters and their nuclease resistance

Oligoribonucleotides containing four G clusters, (UGnU)4 (n = 3-5), were synthesized and characterized by electrophoretic analysis and resistance to nucleases. Electrophoretic analyses indicate that the oligomers except for (UG3U)4 can form antiparallel-stranded monomeric quadruplexes in the presence of potassium cation. The oligomers used in this study are protected from endonuclease P1 and venom phosphodiesterase degradation. In addition, the oligomers indicate resistance to nucleases in human serum and E. coli S-100 fraction.

Mitral valve replacement in a patient with an extensively calcified mitral anulus: report of a case

We report herein the case of a patient with chronic renal failure in whom mitral valve stenosis with extensive mitral anular calcification involving the entire anulus and leaflets was successfully treated surgically. Excision of both leaflets and partial resection of the anular calcification enabled the insertion of a 23-mm St. Jude Medical prosthetic valve. The technical difficulties involved with inserting the appropriate-sized prosthetic valve in a narrowed mitral anulus with heavy calcification are discussed following this case report.

Immunological determination of faecal haemoglobin concentrations in dogs

Faecal haemoglobin (Hb) concentrations in apparently healthy experimental Beagle dogs and in dogs of various breeds kept in private households or at breeders were measured by reversed passive latex agglutination (RPLA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in an effort to define the physiological concentrations of faecal Hb in the dog. In 88% (53) of 60 experimental Beagle dogs (30 males and 30 females), the RPLA titres were 1:2 and 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations ranged from 40.0 to 431.5 (mean 184.1 +/- 92.6) micrograms/g faeces by ELISA. No significant difference was found in Hb levels or RPLA titres between males and females. Seven dogs (12%) had significantly greater RPLA titres and Hb concentrations by ELISA than the remaining dogs. In 84% (45) of the 53 dogs kept in private households or at breeders, the RPLA titres were < 1:1 to 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations ranged from 7.1 to 456.7 (mean 137.5 +/- 128.7) micrograms/g faeces in ELISA. Eight of these dogs (15.1% of 53 dogs) had significantly greater RPLA titres and Hb concentrations by ELISA than the remaining dogs. There were no significant differences between the Beagles and dogs kept in private households or at breeders. In conclusion, in 98 (86.7% of 113) dogs the physiological concentrations of RPLA titres were < 1:1 to 1:8 and the faecal Hb concentrations were 143.5-185.1 micrograms/g (95% confidence level). Approximately 13.3% of apparently healthy dogs had higher faecal Hb concentrations, suggesting the presence of subclinical haemorrhages. Four dogs suffering from colorectal cancer also had high faecal Hb concentrations.

Surgical treatment for transvenous tumor extension into the heart: four cases

From 1984 to 1996, four patients with transvenous intracardiac tumor extension underwent operations in the Kobe University Hospital. The primary tumors of two were intravenous leiomyomatoses originating from the uterus; a third patient had invasive thymoma, and the fourth patient had clear cell sarcoma of the kidney. In 1985, one patient had a curative, staged resection. One-stage operations were carried out in three patients, and all intracardiac tumors were successfully resected en bloc with the primary tumors under conditions of electrical ventricular fibrillation and mild hypothermia. Combined venous reconstructions were necessary for en bloc resection in three cases. Two patients with malignancy received postoperative chemoradiotherapy, and all four patients were discharged uneventfully from our hospital. We consider radical resection with curative intent only for patients with tumors extending into the heart. In these cases, a one-stage operation is preferable, and electrical ventricular fibrillation with mild hypothermia is a recommended method of circulatory assist because of its simplicity.

Assay for detecting IgE and IgG antibodies against Candida albicans cell-wall mannan

In the present study, we assayed mannan-specific IgE and IgG antibodies in samples of serum isolated from blood collected from adult patients with bronchial asthma, using a liquid-phase method with a polysaccharide, mannan (Mn), purified from Candida albicans (C. alb), and investigated the relationships of allergenicity among a crude extract of C. alb, purified Mn, and acid protease (AP), The correlations between the titers of anti-Mn A and anti-Mn B IgE and IgG were very strong, and the levels of inhibition of anti-Mn A IgE and IgG reactions by Mn A and Mn B were almost identical. Although no common allergenicity was observed between Mn A and AP because there was no correlation between the titers of anti-Mn A and anti-AP IgE, and no inhibition of the anti-Mn A IgE reaction by AP, both antigens were found to exist in crude C. alb. The level of inhibition of anti-crude C. alb IgG reaction by Mn A or Mn B was about 60%. Approximately 70% inhibition of the anti-Mn A IgE reaction was observed for eight different fungal allergen extracts, but no inhibition was observed for 11 of the other fungal allergen extracts tested. The above results indicate that common antigenicity was observed between Mn A and Mn B in the human IgE and IgG antibody production system, and the cross-allergenicity observed among some fungi was considered to be the result of the common antigenicity of Mn isoforms.

[CarboMedics "Top Hat" supraannular prosthesis in the small aortic root with severe calcification: a case report]

A 71-year-old man with aortic stenosis due to calcification successfully underwent aortic valve replacement with a 21-mm CarboMedics "Top Hat" supraannular prosthesis. We were able to implant a "Top Hat" valve one size larger than would have been possible using a standard bileaflet valve. The postoperative recovery was uneventful, and echocardiography showed a peak gradient of 23 mmHg for this prosthesis. The CarboMedics supraannular valve allowed a gain in size over standard prostheses, resulting in favorable hemodynamics. This valve may be useful in difficult or unsuitable cases to enlarge the narrow aortic valve ring, such as patients with severe calcification of aortic root, elderly patients with less activity, or patients who can tolerate only short cardiopulmonary bypass time due to cardiac dysfunction.

Characterization of telomeric oligonucleotides: fidelity of repetitive nucleotide sequences

To clarify the reasons for the high fidelity of repetitive telomeric sequences, a series of d(TTXGGG)4 (X: A, G, C, and T) were synthesized and characterized by UV absorption, CD, chemical modification, and resistance to nucleases. d(TTCGGG)4, which is lacking in nature, has similar structural stability and resistance to nucleases, compared with d(TTAGGG)4, which is widely present at the telomeres of many organisms. d(TTGGGG)4 is the most stable as a result of formation of the four G-quartet layers in the presence of potassium ion.

Hepatoblastoma in a dog

A hepatoblastoma was found in a 13-year-old female Maltese dog. Histologically, the tumor showed a wide trabecular pattern and was frequently accompanied with vascular lake formation. Tumor cells were positive for cytokeratin and neuron specific enolase, but negative for chromogranin. Electronmicroscopically, tumor cells were accompanied with continuous basement membrane and had poorly developed desmosomes. Sinusoidal endothelia had fenestration and were surrounded by myofibroblast-like cells. To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first report of morphological studies on canine hepatoblastoma.