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TheSCO2299gene fromStreptomyces coelicolorencodes a single peptide consisting of 497 amino acid residues. Its N-terminal region shows high amino acid sequence similarity to RNase HI, whereas its C-terminal region bears similarity to the CobC protein, which is involved in the synthesis of cobalamin. TheSCO2299gene suppressed a temperature-sensitive growth defect of anEscherichia coliRNase H-deficient strain, and the recombinant SCO2299 protein cleaved an RNA strand of RNA·DNA hybridin vitro. The N-terminal domain of the SCO2299 protein, when overproduced independently, exhibited RNase H activity at a similar level to the full length protein. On the other hand, the C-terminal domain showed no CobC-like activity but an acid phosphatase activity. The full length protein also exhibited acid phosphatase activity at almost the same level as the C-terminal domain alone. These results indicate that RNase H and acid phosphatase activities of the full length SCO2299 protein depend on its N-terminal and C-terminal domains, respectively. The physiological functions of theSCO2299gene and the relation between RNase H and acid phosphatase remain to be determined. However, the bifunctional enzyme examined here is a novel style in the Type 1 RNase H family. Additionally,S. coelicoloris the first example of an organism whose genome contains three active RNase H genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycinamicin, composed of a branched lactone and two sugars, desosamine and mycinose, at the C-5 and C-21 positions, is a 16-membered macrolide antibiotic produced by Micromonospora griseorubida A11725, which shows strong antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. The nucleotide sequence (62 kb) of the mycinamicin biosynthetic gene cluster, in which there were 22 open reading frames (ORFs), was completely determined. All of the products from the 22 ORFs are responsible for the biosynthesis of mycinamicin II and self-protection against the compounds synthesized. Central to the cluster is a polyketide synthase locus (mycA), which encodes a seven-module system comprised of five multifunctional proteins. Immediately downstream of mycA, there is a set of genes for desosamine biosynthesis (mydA–G and mycB). Moreover, mydH, whose product is responsible for the biosynthesis of mycinose, lies between mydA and B. On the other hand, eight ORFs were detected upstream of the mycinamicin PKS gene. The myrB, mycG, and mycF genes had already been characterized by Inouye et al. The other five ORFs (mycCI, mycCII, mydI, mycE, and mycD) lie between mycA1 and mycF, and these five genes and mycF are responsible for the biosynthesis of mycinose. In the PKS gene, four regions of KS and AT domains in modules 1, 4, 5, and 6 indicated that it does not show the high GC content typical for Streptomyces genes, nor the unusual frame plot patterns for Streptomyces genes. Methylmalonyl-CoA was used as substrate in the functional units of those four modules. The relationship between the substrate and the unusual frame plot pattern of the KS and AT domains was observed in the other PKS genes, and it is suggested that the KS-AT original region was horizontally transferred into the PKS genes on the chromosomal DNA of several actinomycetes strains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Context: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a chronic disorder in which minimal but sustained exposure to particular chemicals causes headaches, vertigo, and multiple other symptoms. Up to 10% of cases are clinically unresponsive to treatment. Kampo medicines include multiple crude components with many applications for organ disorders.Objective: The research team aimed to assess the efficacy of goreisan, a Japanese Kampo medicine, for 2 patients diagnosed with intractable cases of MCS.Design: The research team conducted case studies with 2 female patients.Setting: The study took place at the Kampo clinic in the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Japanese Red Cross Maebashi Hospital in Maebashi, Gunma, Japan.Participants: The participants were patients at the clinic.Intervention: The first participant received the Kampo formula goreisan for her headaches and keigairengyoto for her mucosal discomfort; the second received goreisan for her headaches and kakkonto to reduce her shoulder-muscle stiffness. The participants received Kampo treatments for one month.Outcome Measures: The first participant's MCS symptoms were evaluated with the Quick Environment Exposure Sensitivity Inventory questionnaire (QEESI); the second using a numeric rating scale (NRS).Results: After the Kampo treatments, the first participant's QEESI scores for chemical intolerance, symptom severity, and life impact were reduced from 47, 92, and 76 to 37, 39, and 55 points, respectively. The second participant's NRS scores were likewise reduced from 6, 8, and 8 out of 10 to 1, 2, and 1 out of 10. Symptoms were relieved in both patients, and didn't recur.Conclusions: These results highlight the potential benefits of Kampo medicine for the treatment of intractable MCS. Further investigations will be needed to confirm the mechanism of action, thereby improving the understanding of the effectiveness of Kampo medicine for MCS therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is focused on the involvement of the unusual nucleotide (p)ppGpp during the morphological and physiological differentiation of Streptornyces clavuligerus. In particular, the functional and structural elements of two genes encoding the proteins RelA and Rsh were identified. The relA gene encodes an 843 aa protein (RelA), while the rsh gene encodes a 738 aa protein (Rsh). The relA and rsh genes were disrupted by the insertion of a hygromycin resistance gene and an apramycin resistance gene, respectively. The synthesis of ppGpp in the relA gene-disrupted mutant was completely eliminated under conditions of starvation for amino acids, whereas synthesis persisted, but was greatly reduced in the rsh gene-disrupted mutant. The relA gene-disrupted mutant had a bald appearance on agar plate cultures and retarded growth in submerged culture, while the rsh-disrupted mutant was unchanged in growth characteristics relative to the wild-type culture. The production of both clavulanic acid and cephamycin C were completely abolished in the relA-disrupted mutant. Thus, it is concluded that the relA gene rather than rsh is essential for morphological and physiological differentiation in S. clavuligerus and that RelA primarily governs the stringent response of S. clavuligerus to starvation for amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Streptomyces are Gram-positive bacteria typically found in the soil, with very large genomes and high GC content, and are known to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites. We isolated and sequenced the genomes of three Streptomyces bacteria from the soil of soybean field in Tsuruoka, Japan., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: Radiation therapies are often associated with permanent devitalization in the surrounding tissue. The authors hypothesized that stem cells are damaged depending on each irradiation dose and frequency of fractionated radiotherapies, which results in impaired tissue function, including wound-healing capacity., Methods: Susceptibility of human adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) to a single irradiation (0 to 10 Gy) was assessed in vitro. In vivo chronic radiation effects were also assessed on mouse dorsal skin ( n = 4 to 5) for 6 months after a total of 40 Gy irradiation (0 Gy as control) using 1 of 3 fractionated protocols (2 Gy daily for 20 days, 10 Gy weekly for 4 weeks, or 10 Gy monthly for 4 months). Oxygen partial pressure, oxygen saturation of hemoglobin, and dorsal skin viscoelasticity were measured periodically, and wound healing and tissue immunohistology were compared at 6 months., Results: A single irradiation of cultured human ASCs resulted in a dose-dependent increase in cell death up to 2 Gy but with no further increases between 2 and 10 Gy. Most of the apoptotic ASCs were in the proliferation phase. Among the 3 in vivo irradiation protocols, the 2 Gy×20 group had the most severe chronic tissue damage (ie, skin dysfunction, subcutaneous atrophy, depletion of CD34 + stem cells) 6 months after the irradiation. Wound healing was also impaired most significantly in the 2 Gy×20 group., Conclusion: These results have important clinical implications for surgeons and radiotherapists in the timing of surgical interventions and the optimization of fractionation protocols., Clinical Relevance Statement: Irradiation damages stem cells depending on the radiation dose and frequency. Using the ultimately optimized protocol, surgeons can minimize the long-term functional deficits of radiated tissue without losing the anticancer efficacy of radiation therapy., (Copyright © 2023 by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.)

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract harbors trillions of microorganisms known to influence human health and disease, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) now enables the in-depth analysis of their diversity and functions. Although a significant amount of research has been conducted on the GI microbiome, comprehensive metagenomic datasets covering the entire tract are scarce due to cost and technical challenges. Despite the widespread use of fecal samples, integrated datasets encompassing the entire digestive process, beginning at the mouth and ending with feces, are lacking. With this study, we aimed to fill this gap by analyzing the complete metagenome of the GI tract, providing insights into the dynamics of the microbiota and potential therapeutic avenues. In this study, we delved into the complex world of the GI microbiota, which we examined in five healthy Japanese subjects. While samples from the whole GI flora and fecal samples provided sufficient bacteria, samples obtained from the stomach and duodenum posed a challenge. Using a principal coordinate analysis (PCoA), clear clustering patterns were identified; these revealed significant diversity in the duodenum. Although this study was limited by its small sample size, the flora in the overall GI tract showed unwavering consistency, while the duodenum exhibited unprecedented phylogenetic diversity. A visual heat map illustrates the discrepancy in abundance, with Fusobacteria and Bacilli dominating the upper GI tract and Clostridia and Bacteroidia dominating the fecal samples. Negativicutes and Actinobacteria were found throughout the digestive tract. This study demonstrates that it is possible to continuously collect microbiome samples throughout the human digestive tract. These findings not only shed light on the complexity of GI microbiota but also provide a basis for future research.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of diabetes care on periodontal inflammation., Materials and Methods: This prospective cohort study included 51 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent intensive diabetes care including educational hospitalization and regular outpatient treatment for 6 months. Dental prophylaxis without subgingival scaling was provided three times during the observational period. Associations between changes in periodontal parameters and glycaemic control levels were evaluated using multiple regression analysis., Results: Overall, 33 participants (mean age: 58.7 ± 12.9) were followed up for 6 months. At baseline examination, 82% were diagnosed with Stage III or IV periodontitis. Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level changed from 9.6 ± 1.8% at baseline to 7.4 ± 1.3% at 6 months. The ratio of probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥4 mm, bleeding on probing (BOP), full-mouth plaque control record (PCR), periodontal epithelial surface area (PESA) and periodontal inflamed surface area (PISA) also significantly improved. The reduction in PPD and PESA was significantly associated with changes in both HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels, and the reduction in PISA was significantly associated with an improvement in FPG after adjusting for smoking, change in body mass index and full-mouth PCR., Conclusions: This is the first study to report a significant improvement in PPD and BOP after intensive diabetes care and dental prophylaxis without subgingival scaling., Clinical Trial Registration Number: UMIN000040218., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

We previously reported the finding of symptom relief in a randomized controlled trial with the combined use of kakkonto and shosaikotokakikyosekko added to conventional treatment in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For further evaluation, we performed post hoc analysis focused on symptom disappearance without recurrence, to determine a clearer effect of Kampo medicine. Patients with mild and moderate COVID-19 were randomly allocated to a control group receiving symptomatic therapy or a Kampo group receiving kakkonto (2.5 g) with shosaikotokakikyosekko (2.5 g) three times daily in addition to symptomatic therapy. The data of 161 patients (Kampo group, n = 81; control group, n = 80) were analyzed post hoc for the time to symptom disappearance. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard estimates of disappearance of symptoms showed that all and each symptom targeted in this study disappeared faster in the Kampo group than in the control group, although not statistically significant (all symptomatic cases; hazard ratio [HR] 3.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-29.98, log-rank p = 0.1763). In a supplemental assessment using covariate adjustment and competing risk analysis, fever disappeared faster in the Kampo group than in the control group (all symptomatic cases, HR 1.62, 95% CI 0.99-2.64, p = 0.0557; unvaccinated cases, HR 1.68, 95% CI 1.00-2.83, p = 0.0498) and shortness of breath disappeared significantly faster in Kampo group than in control group (all symptomatic cases, HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.07-3.42, p = 0.0278; unvaccinated cases, HR 2.15, 95% CI 1.17-3.96, p = 0.0141). These results demonstrate the advantages of Kampo treatment for acute COVID-19., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest ST, RA, AK, MO, and TI belong to the Department of Kampo and Integrative Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, which is a joint research course with TSUMURA and Co. TSUMURA and Co. is a pharmaceutical company that produces Kampo medicine in Japan. ST and MO received lecture fees from TSUMURA and Co. TY was employed in the joint research program at Keio University. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

We report a 73-year-old woman who started developing recurrent transient aphasia at the age of 66 years. During the attacks, she was aware she could not understand what was being said and both her spoken and written speech were meaningless. The attacks usually lasted for a few days, following which she could explain what had happened. Anti-epileptics did not improve her symptoms. She also noticed tremor of her right hand and gait disturbance at the age of 71 years. The recurrent transient aphasia was followed by drop attacks. At the time of her admission to our hospital, she showed paraplegia, phonological paraphasia, and difficulty in understanding complex sentences. Her language disturbance resembled a logopenic variant of primary progressive aphasia. However, the symptoms fluctuated for a few days and subsequently improved. Electroencephalography showed no abnormalities. Gadolinium-enhanced brain and spinal MRI showed diffuse leptomeningeal enhancement over the surface of the spinal cord, brain stem, and cerebrum on T 1 -weighed imaging. Surgical biopsy of a varicose vein in the subarachnoid space at the level of the Th11 spinal cord was performed. Pathological evaluation of the biopsied specimens revealed TTR-immunolabeled amyloid deposits in the subarachnoid vessel walls and on the arachnoid membrane. Gene analysis revealed c.265T>C, p.Y89H (Y69H) TTR mutation, which is known as one of the causative mutations of familial leptomeningeal amyloidosis. Leptomeningeal forms of transthyretin amyloidosis might present transient focal neurological episodes.

Malnutrition-inflammation-atherosclerosis (MIA) syndrome is a significant risk factor for mortality in patients undergoing hemodialysis. This study aimed to investigate the association between MIA syndrome and oral health status in hemodialysis patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 254 hemodialysis patients. Comprehensive medical and dental examinations were performed. Three components were included to define MIA syndrome: Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and history of cardiovascular events as indicators of malnutrition, inflammation, and atherosclerosis, respectively. The association of MIA syndrome components with periodontitis and occlusal support was examined by multiple-ordered logistic regression analysis. Of 254 participants, 188 (74.0%) had at least one component of MIA syndrome. After adjusting for possible confounding factors, severe periodontitis was significantly associated with presence of more components of MIA syndrome (odds ratio [OR]: 2.64, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44-4.84, p = 0.002) and inflammation and malnutrition components (OR: 2.47 and 3.46, 95% CI 1.16-5.28 and 1.70-7.05, p = 0.020 and 0.001). On the other hand, occlusal support, evaluated by Eichner index, was not significantly associated with MIA syndrome or any of its components. In conclusion, periodontitis is associated with MIA syndrome, particularly with inflammation and malnutrition in hemodialysis patients, independent of occlusal support., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Objective: Socio-economic status (SES) and smoking are risk factors for periodontitis; however, their interaction has not been determined. We investigated the effect of modification of SES and smoking with periodontal conditions., Materials and Methods: Data on the social background, smoking status, and dental examination of 1033 individuals residing in the Tokyo Metropolitan District were analyzed. The outcomes were the number of remaining teeth and the proportion of teeth with probing pocket depth (PPD) ≥ 4 mm and ≥ 6 mm. Multilevel linear and Poisson regression analyses were performed after adjusting for possible confounding factors, including SES, assessed by the average income of the residential area., Results: The mean number of remaining teeth was 24.6 ± 4.8, and the proportion of teeth with PPD ≥ 4 mm and ≥ 6 mm was 31.2 ± 28.5% and 12.2 ± 18.1%, respectively. After adjusting for confounding factors, the lowest-income population had significantly lesser teeth (coefficient: - 0.46, 95% CI - 0.89, 0.02, p = 0.039) and a higher proportion of teeth with PPD ≥ 4 mm than the highest-income population (ratio of means: 1.22, 95% CI 1.03-1.44, p = 0.013). Significant interactions were observed; income inequalities in periodontitis were significant only among current smokers., Conclusion: Inequality in socio-economic status is associated with oral health inequalities. The adverse effects of smoking on periodontitis might be greater in the low-income population., Clinical Relevance: The low-income population, especially current smokers, had significantly more compromised oral health than the high-income population. In addition to the emphasis on smoking cessation, the promotion of universal health coverage for dental care is necessary to reduce oral health inequalities., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Human adipose tissue is a rich source of adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) and vascular endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). However, no standardized method has been established for the isolation and purification of adipose-derived EPCs (AEPCs). The aim of this study was to establish a method for the isolation and purification of AEPCs. The stromal vascular fraction (SVF) was extracted from human lipoaspirates, and the CD45 - CD31 + fraction of the SVF was collected by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS). The CD45 - CD31 + fraction was cultured for 4.5 days, followed by a second MACS separation to collect the CD31 + fraction. Purified AEPCs were expanded without being overwhelmed by proliferating ASCs, indicating that a high level (> 95%) of AEPC purification is a key factor for their successful isolation and expansion. AEPCs exhibited typical endothelial markers, including CD31, von Willebrand factor, and the isolectin-B4 binding capacity. AEPCs formed colonies, comparable to cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Both AEPCs and HUVECs formed capillary-like networks in the tube formation assay, with no significant difference in network lengths. We are the first to establish a purification and expansion method to isolate these cells. Because adipose tissue is a clinically accessible and abundant tissue, AEPCs may have potential advantages as a therapeutic tool for regenerative medicine., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Rhinovirus species C (RV-C) causes more severe asthma attacks than other rhinovirus species. However, the modulation of RV-C replication by drugs has not been well studied. Primary human nasal epithelial (HNE) cells cultured on filter membranes with air-liquid interface methods were infected with RV-C03, and the levels of RV-C03 RNA collected from the airway surface liquid (ASL) of HNE cells were measured with a SYBR Green assay. Pretreatment of HNE cells with the specific vacuolar H + -ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A 1 reduced the RV-C03 RNA levels in the ASL; inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and IL-8, in the supernatant; the mRNA expression of the RV-C receptor cadherin-related family member 3 (CDHR3) in the cells; and the number of acidic endosomes where RV-B RNA enters the cytoplasm. The levels of RV-C03 RNA in the ASL obtained from HNE cells with the CDHR3 rs6967,330 G/A genotype tended to be higher than those obtained from HNE cells with the G/G genotype. Pretreatment with the Na + /H + exchanger inhibitor ethyl-isopropyl amiloride or either of the macrolides clarithromycin or EM900 also reduced RV-C03 RNA levels in the ASL and the number of acidic endosomes in HNE cells. In addition, significant levels of RV-A16, RV-B14 and RV-C25 RNA were detected in the ASL, and bafilomycin A 1 also decreased the RV-C25 RNA levels. These findings suggest that bafilomycin A 1 may reduce the release of RV-Cs and inflammatory cytokines from human airway epithelial cells. RV-Cs may be sensitive to drugs, including bafilomycin A 1 , that increase endosomal pH, and CDHR3 may mediate virus entry through receptor-mediated endocytosis in human airway epithelial cells., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The pentose phosphate (PP) pathway is one of the major sources of cellular NADPH. A B. subtilis zwf mutant that lacks glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (the enzyme that catalyzes the first step of the PP pathway) showed inoculum-dose-dependent growth. This growth defect was suppressed by glcP disruption, which causes the upregulation of an autoinducer neotrehalosadiamine (NTD)/kanosamine biosynthetic pathway. A metabolome analysis showed that the stimulation of NTD/kanosamine biosynthesis caused significant accumulation of TCA cycle intermediates and NADPH. Because the major malic enzyme YtsJ concomitantly generates NADPH through malate-to-pyruvate conversion, de novo NTD/kanosamine biosynthesis can result in an increase in the intracellular NADPH pool via the accumulation of malate. In fact, a zwf mutant grew in malate-supplemented medium. Artificial induction of glcP in the zwf mutant caused a reduction in the intracellular NADPH pool. Moreover, the correlation between the expression level of the NTD/kanosamine biosynthesis operon ntdABC and the intracellular NADPH pool was confirmed. Our results suggest that NTD/kanosamine has the potential to modulate the carbon-energy metabolism through an autoinduction mechanism. Importance Autoinducers enable bacteria to sense cell density and to coordinate collective behavior. NTD/kanosamine is an autoinducer produced by B. subtilis and several close relatives, although its physiological function remains unknown. The most important finding of this study was the significance of de novo NTD/kanosamine biosynthesis in the modulation of the central carbon metabolism in B. subtilis We showed that NTD/kanosamine biosynthesis caused an increase in the NADPH pool via the accumulation of TCA cycle intermediates. These results suggest a possible role for NTD/kanosamine in the carbon-energy metabolism. As Bacillus species are widely used for the industrial production of various useful enzymes and compounds, the NTD/kanosamine biosynthetic pathway might be utilized to control metabolic pathways in these industrial strains., (Copyright © 2021 American Society for Microbiology.)

The gene ybhA of Escherichia coli encodes a phosphatase that has an in vitro specificity to dephosphorylate pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP or vitamin B 6 ), a co-factor for aminotransferases and other enzymes. In this study, we found that excess pyridoxal (PL) in a minimal medium resulted in excess PLP in vivo and growth inhibition, which was alleviated by YbhA overproduction. Conversely, the YbhA overproduction resulted in PLP shortage in vivo and the correlated reduction in growth rate, which was significantly negated by PL in the medium. In addition, the overproduction of a PL kinase, PdxK or PdxY, was inhibitory to cell growth only in the absence of the functional ybhA gene, and the growth defects were alleviated by casamino acids in the medium, which suggested that both the shortage of, and excess, PLP resulted in the disturbance of amino acid metabolism and cell growth, as revealed by a metabolome analysis.

Mixed micelles formed in a ternary-solute aqueous solution of NaOH, iron (III)-ethylenediamine-N, N, N', N'-tetraacetic acid complex (Fe-EDTA) and 1,2-diheptanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidyl choline (DHPC) were studied and compared with the mixed adsorbed film reported in Part I of this series to clarify the effect of the curvature of molecular assemblies on the interactions between their Fe-EDTA and DHPC constituents. The critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), surface tension at the CMC, and solution pH were measured as functions of the mole fractions of NaOH and DHPC. Rigorous thermodynamic equations were derived, in which the overall proton dissociation equilibria of Fe-EDTA and DHPC were taken into consideration, and applied to experimental data to obtain phase diagrams of micelle formation and the micelle-adsorbed film equilibrium. It was found that when the bulk solution was strongly acidic, Fe-EDTA was incorporated in the micelles. However, the adsorbed film was more Fe-EDTA-enriched than the micelle. These findings imply that a flat cell membrane is more permeable to an iron complex than a cell membrane with positive curvature., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We studied a ternary solutes aqueous solution of NaOH, iron (III)-ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid complex (Fe-edta), and 1,2-diheptanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DHPC)/air interface system to clarify the interactions between iron complexes and lipids with a phosphatidylcholine head group. The solution surface tension and pH were measured as functions of the total molality of NaOH, Fe-edta and DHPC, and the mole fractions of NaOH and DHPC. Rigorous thermodynamic equations were derived, in which the overall proton dissociation equilibria of Fe-edta and DHPC were taken into consideration, and applied to experimental data to obtain phase diagram of adsorption. It was found that (1) adsorption of Fe-edta at the solution/air interface with a DHPC monolayer was about 50-130 times higher than that without a DHPC monolayer and (2) when the bulk mole fraction of NaOH was high, Fe-edta tended to be expelled from the adsorbed film. The last finding suggests that the ambient pH significantly affects passive transport of the iron complex through a phospholipid-containing membrane into the cell interior., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Aims: Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by airway inflammation; it is sometimes difficult to diagnose. For clinical diagnosis, forced oscillation technique (FOT) measures airway reactance and resistance. By FOT, we investigated respiratory resistance and ventilation perfusion ratio inequality in adults with mild asthma., Methods: We examined 58 adult patients with mild asthma having no inhaled corticosteroid treatment, and 10 adult patients with post-infectious prolonged cough. Using a MostGraph-01 FOT instrument, we evaluated these patients before and after bronchial hyperresponsiveness to acetylcholine (ACh) or histamine (Hist). We measured the following conditions: change of resistance at 5Hz (R5) and 20Hz (R20), R5-R20, reactance at 5Hz, frequency of resonance (Fres), low-frequency reactance area (ALX), and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)., Results: There were significant changes of R5, R20, R5-R20, X5, Fres, ALX after provocations for ACh or Hist in all patients with asthma, but not in patients with post-infectious prolonged cough. We calculated the percent decrease in FEV1 after provocation with ACh or Hist. For Ach, this decrease in FEV1 correlated with changes in R20 and Fres for all patients. For Hist, the percent decrease in FEV1 correlated with changes in R5, R20, Fres, and ALX for all patients. Furthermore, we investigated these correlations in patients with normalized bronchial hyperresponsiveness to ACh or Hist. For Ach, the percent decrease in FEV1 correlated with changes in Fres or R5-R20. For Hist, this decrease in FEV1 correlated with changes in R5, R20, and Fres. ROC analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic value of the ratio of change of Fres in BHR to Hist. The area under the curve was 0.7808 (95% CI=0.657-0.904). A reasonably high specificity (100.0%) and a high sensitivity (53.8%) with a cut-off point of 1.5 in the ratio before and after of Fres were obtained., Conclusion: The changes in FOT parameters (before and after bronchial airway responses) may detect airway resistance and ventilation perfusion ratio inequality even in adult patients with asthma having normalized bronchial hyperresponsiveness to ACh or Hist. That results may be useful for an early diagnosis of asthma.