Search

Samples of Polygonum alpinum and Alcea rosea infected by powdery mildews collected from Azerbai- jan were analyzed by using morphological and molecular methods. 28S rRNA gene including D1/D2 domains and ITS1/5.8S/ITS2 regions were determined for each specimen. Consequently, Golovinomy- ces spadiceus on P. alpinum and G. magnicellulatus on A. rosea were identified. Comprehensive mor- phological descriptions, illustrations of species and the results of molecular-phylogenetic analysis were given in the present article.

Background Trans-radial access (TRA) has been established as a safe and established approach for invasive coronary catheter procedures. However, protocols for post-procedural hemostasis varies depending on institutes and an evidence-based protocol is lacking. Purpose The objective of this study was to investigate the clinical implications of procedural hemostasis. Methods Consecutive patients who were referred to outpatient catheter examination before and after April 2018 were treated with an old and a new protocol, respectively. In both protocols, we used the same commercially available hemostasis band with injecting an air of 16 ml for hemostasis. In the old protocol, the amount and timing of deflation were fixed, whereas the air was removed as much as possible for every 30 minutes in the new protocol. Time to complete hemostasis, the rate of major bleeding, and the rate of radial artery occlusion (RAO) at 6 months after the catheter examination were compared between the protocols. Results Total of 1,843 (71±10 years old, 77% male) patients was included in the study. Between patients in the old and the new protocol group (n=1,000 and 843, respectively), there was no significant difference in age, gender, body size, or systolic blood pressure. The new group had significantly higher prevalence of diabetes (47% vs 39%, p=0.002), slightly larger sheath size (4.1±0.3 vs 4.0±0.2 Fr, p Conclusions Our new protocol for hemostasis after TRA was strongly associated with shorter hemostasis time and a lower rate of radial artery occlusion. This approach will decrease the post-procedural hospital time with even fewer complication rates. Study outline Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

The phylogeny and taxonomy of powdery mildews, belonging to the genus Erysiphe, on Lonicera species throughout the world are examined and discussed. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that sequences retrieved from Erysiphe lonicerae, a widespread powdery mildew species distributed in the Northern Hemisphere on a wide range of Lonicera spp., constitutes a complex of two separate species, viz., E. lonicerae (s. str.) and Erysiphe ehrenbergii comb. nov. Erysiphe lonicerae occurs on Lonicera spp. belonging to Lonicera subgen. Lonicera (= subgen. Caprifolium and subgen. Periclymenum), as well as L. japonica. Erysiphe ehrenbergii comb. nov. occurs on Lonicera spp. of Lonicera subgen. Chamaecerasus. Phylogenetic and morphological analyses have also revealed that Microsphaera caprifoliacearum (≡ Erysiphe caprifoliacearum) should be reduced to synonymy with E. lonicerae (s. str.). Additionally, Erysiphe lonicerina sp. nov. on Lonicera japonica in Japan is described and the new name Erysiphe flexibilis, based on Microsphaera lonicerae var. flexuosa, is introduced. The phylogeny of Erysiphe ehrenbergii and E. lonicerae as well as other Erysiphe species on honeysuckle is discussed, and a survey of all species, including a key to the species concerned, is provided. Citation: Bradshaw M, Braun U, Götz M, Takamatsu S (2020). Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Erysiphe lonicerae complex (Helotiales, Erysiphaceae) on Lonicera spp. Fungal Systematics and Evolution 7: 49–65. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2021.07.03

We have fabricated ultra-thin piezoelectric strain sensors 5×5 array on polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) flexible printed circuit (FPC) with Cu wiring. Ultra-thin PZT(2 μm)/Si(3 μm) plates (5 mm-long and 1 mm-wide) were fabricated by MEMS microfabrication technique. The fabricated ultra-thin PZT/Si plates were transferred onto the FPCs by a chip mounter with a specially designed rubber collet, where an adhesive layer is screen-printed on the FPCs. Twenty five of ultra-thin PZT/Si plates were arrayed by the transferring process. After that, the electrode pads on the PZT and the Cu wiring on FPCs were connected with Ag paste by screen printing. The fabricated piezoelectric dynamic strain sensors shows 0.16 mV/μe of sensitivity, which is similar to that of conventional strain gauges.

The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity of detection of lung nodules on low-dose screening CT images between radiologists and technologists.11 radiologists and 10 technologists read the low-dose screening CT images of 78 subjects. On images with a slice thickness of 5 mm, there were 60 lung nodules that were ≥5 mm in diameter: 26 nodules with pure ground-glass opacity (GGO), 7 nodules with mixed ground-glass opacity (GGO with a solid component) and 27 solid nodules. On images with a slice thickness of 2 mm, 69 lung nodules were ≥5 mm in diameter: 35 pure GGOs, 7 mixed GGOs and 27 solid nodules. The 21 observers read screening CT images of 5-mm slice thickness at first; then, 6 months later, they read screening CT images of 2-mm slice thickness from the 78 subjects.The differences in the mean sensitivities of detection of the pure GGOs, mixed GGOs and solid nodules between radiologists and technologists were not statistically significant, except for the case of solid nodules; the p-values of the differences for pure GGOs, mixed GGOs and solid nodules on the CT images with 5-mm slice thickness were 0.095, 0.461 and 0.005, respectively, and the corresponding p-values on CT images of 2-mm slice thickness were 0.971, 0.722 and 0.0037, respectively.Well-trained technologists may contribute to the detection of pure and mixed GGOs ≥5 mm in diameter on low-dose screening CT images.

A multi-slice depth-of-interaction (DOI) MR-compatible PET system for imaging small animals such as mice or rats was developed and tested It employs DOI block detectors made of mixed lutetium silicates (MLSs), optical fibers, and multi-channel position sensitive photo-multiplier tubes (PSPMTs). The size of a single MLS was 2.5 mm times 3.5 mm times 3.5 mm and eight MLSs were combined to form a DOI block detector using the Anger principle and connected to four optical fibers with light guides. Thirty-two sets of block detectors were arranged in a 51 mm diameter circular ring. The scintillation light signals from the DOI detectors are read from the side of the detector ring. The configuration makes the diameter of the detector ring small and easy to use in the small imaging area of the MRI. Position histograms showed good separation for all block detectors. The timing resolution was 6 ns FWHM. The measured transaxial spatial resolution was 2.8 mm FWHM at the center of the image and the axial resolution was 3 mm FWHM. Sensitivity was around 0.23% at the center of the axial field of view (FOV). Simultaneous imaging of PET and MRI was also tested using a 0.15 T permanent magnet system with a 30-mm FOV. The detector part of the PET system was set inside the gradient coil of the MRI system and the RF coil was positioned inside the FOV of the PET system. No difference was found in the PET images among outside MRI, inside MRI without gradient and RF, and inside MRI with the gradient and the RF sequences. Also there is no noticeable change of the MRI images with and without the detector ring of the PET system. We also successfully obtained simultaneously measured rat brain with the PET and MRI. These results indicate that the developed MR-compatible PET system can be used for simultaneous measurements with an MRI system.

The growth of sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) and filamentous sulfur bacteria was monitored on a laboratory scale in activated sludge reactors using acetate and peptone as the artificial wastewater. When the artificial wastewater contained acetate and peptone, filamentous bacteria increased in the sludge and the SVI values increased. There was a good correlation between sulfate reducing activity and sulfur oxidation activity in the produced sludge. The microbial community change of filamentous sulfur bacteria and sulfate reducing bacteria was analyzed using the fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) method. The tendency for the growth of filamentous sulfur bacteria Thiothrix eikelboomii following the growth of SRB was observed. The percentage of SRB385- hybridized cells and DNMA657-hybridized cells found in the total cell area increased from 2–3% to 7–10% when the filamentous bulking occurred.

We proposed and tested the a block detector for a multislice, depth-of-interaction (DOI) MR-compatible positron emission tomography (PET). The detector consists of a block detector, four optical fibers and photo-multiplier tubes (PMTs). The block detector is a lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) DOI detector comprising eight LSOs arranged in a 2/spl times/2/spl times/2 matrix based on the concept proposed by Murayama et al. The size of a single scintillator of a prototype block detector was 2/spl times/2/spl times/2 mm. The scintillation photons are collected from the side of the scintillator block detector and are transferred to four channels of the position-sensitive PMT (PSPMT) using four optical fibers several meters long. The outputs of the PSPMT signals are calculated to determine the position of gamma interaction in the block detector. Results show that although the light loss from using the fiber was around 90%, there were sufficient transferred scintillation photons to obtain the photo-peak and to calculate the position of gamma interaction in the block detector with reasonable separation. We also modified the block detector to improve the performance of the detector. The size of a single scintillator of the modified block detector was enlarged to be 2.5 mm (transaxial) /spl times/ 3.5 mm (axial) /spl times/ 3.5 mm (depth) to improve the sensitivity. Good position responses as well as time resolution of 5.6-ns full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) were obtained for the modified block detector. With these results, we conclude that a two-rings, two-layer DOI-MR-compatible PET can be realized using the proposed block detector.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the role of histamine in regulation of IL-6 and M-CSF gene expression in bone marrow stromal cells. Total cellular synthesis was also estimated for IL-6.¶Materials: The effects of the amine were evaluated using the stromal cell line, MC3T3-G2/PA6 (PA6).¶Results: Histamine caused a distinct accumulation of IL-6 mRNA in the cells, whereas it decreased M-CSF transcripts. Both pyridylethylamine, a H1 agonist, and dimaprit, a H2 agonist, caused a large increase in the level of IL-6 mRNA in PA6 cells. The histamine-induced expression of IL-6 mRNA was associated with enhanced secretion of IL-6, as determined by ELISA.¶Conclusions: These results, together with the results of our previous studies, suggest that histamine produced by stromal macrophages differentially regulates the production of IL-6 and M-CSF in other kinds of stromal cells and hence promotes differentiation and/or proliferation of hematopoietic progenitor cells.

This paper reports a novel fabrication process of an all polymer piezoelectric film which consists of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film substrate, conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electrodes, and ferroelectric polymer poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) (P(VDF-TrFE) using reel-to-reel continuous fiber processing systems. Existing piezoelectric films have been deposited on rigid silicon or inorganic materials which lead to high resonance frequency and low efficiency of energy generating under low frequency of human or animal motions. Therefore, we developed all polymeric piezoelectric films on very soft PET films. To deposit P(VDF-TrFE) film on PEDOT:PSS coated PET, low temperature coating process using low boiling temperature solvent (acetone) and annealing method (under 150 °C) was developed.

The aim of this study was to examine the roles of various cytokines in histamine synthesis by macrophages in bone marrow. Pure (> 99% nonspecific esterase-, CD14-, and Mac-1-positive) macrophage populations were obtained after long term culture of bone marrow cells (bone marrow-derived macrophages). Culture of the cells in the presence of Escherichia coli LPS caused a slight, but dose-dependent, increase in histidine decarboxylase-associated histamine synthesis with a concomitant increase in the expression of CD14, a LPS receptor, as well as the Mac-1 Ag on their surface. Granulocyte/macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) or IL-3 strongly enhanced LPS-induced histamine formation and expression of CD14 on bone marrow-derived macrophages, without affecting the expression of Mac-1 Ag. GM-CSF and IL-3 also caused a marked accumulation of both histidine decarboxylase and IL-6 mRNAs in the cells. Macrophage CSF and IL-1-alpha also potentiated LPS-dependent histamine formation when it was stimulated with GM-CSF or IL-3. In contrast to these cytokines, IFN-gamma suppressed LPS-induced histamine production regardless of whether it was stimulated by GM-CSF or IL-3, and inhibited CD14 expression. Neither IL-6 nor granulocyte CSF had any appreciable effect on LPS-induced histamine production even in combination with GM-CSF or IL-3. These results suggest that GM-CSF and IL-3 enhance LPS-induced histamine production in bone marrow-derived macrophages and that macrophage CSF and IL-1 alpha augment the actions of GM-CSF and IL-3. Possible implication of CD14 molecule in the reactions is discussed.

We reports on a new patterning technique of conjugated polymer (i.e., PEDOT:PSS) with high conductivity which consists of UV-nanoimprinted surface modified substrate and second doping with ethylene glycol. Generally, organic conjugated polymers are very weak to standard photolithography because alcohol or high temperature treatment decreases conductivity of the polymers. Therefore, we proposed new fabrication process where firstly hydrophilic surface is patterned on plastic substrates with UV nano-imprint, PEDOT:PSS water-dispersion is patterned only on the hydrophilic area, then PEDOT:PSS is doped with ethylene glycol for increasing its conductivity. This process is just operated under room temperature and without alcohol and second doping is also produced, which lead to high conductivity of PEDOT:PSS.

A method of semiautomatic specification refinement and program generation using library modules, is described. Users write their specifications and modify and rearrange them so that they can be refined with the aid of the library modules. When a specification is given, a refinement system, called MAPS (module-aided program construction system) searches for library modules applicable to the given specification, replaces the specification with a more detailed description written in the operation part of the modules, and converts the refined specification into a program written in a programming language designated by the user. Case-like expressions or pseudo-natural language expressions are used for describing user's specifications and specifications for library modules. >

We have proposed a pulse compression method using an optical interferometer, which is effective for gain-switched pulses from multimode laser diodes. Features of the method were examined numerically. Using this method, a picosecond pulse from a gain-switched 830-nm Fabry-Perot laser diode was compressed from 30 to 22 ps.

We are now developing a multi-slice depth-of interaction (DOI) MR-compatible PET system (K-PET I). The PET is for imaging small animals such as mouse or rat. It employs DOI block detectors made of MLSs, optical fibers, and multi-channel position sensitive photo-multiplier tubes (PSPMTs). The size of a single MLS was 2.5mm × 3.5mm × 3.5mm and eight MLSs were combined to form a DOI block detector proposed by Murayama [1] and connected to four optical fibers via light guides. Thirty two sets of block detectors were arranged in a circular ring of which diameter is 51mm. Position histograms showed good separations for all block detectors. Timing resolution of 6ns FWHM was obtained with the compact PCI based coincidence system. The PET has 3 imaging slice, two layers DOI detection capability, and spatial resolutions of around 2mm FWHM in transaxial and axial directions. The K-PET I will be combined with an animal MRI system for molecular imaging research using small animals.

In this paper, a new current control method for the utility interactive inverter based on deadbeat control with FPGA based hardware controller is proposed. Deadbeat control is one method to ensure the output voltage or current matches to the references at the sampling instant, so adopting this control law to the utility interactive inverter, the response of the system is much improved with small LC filter component compared with the conventional PI control, which results in the improvement of the cost performance of the inverter. Sinusoid based modeling approach was applied to derive the discrete model to the utility voltage and the inverter voltage, precise control accuracy can be derived. All the control circuit for the proposed current control method using voltage deadbeat control and PLL control with quasi-dq transformation are implemented in FPGA based hardware controller. The advantages and the disadvantage are discussed through simulations and experiments.

A new current control method for the utility interactive inverter based on deadbeat control with FPGA based hardware controller is proposed. In the utility interactive system, the utility line voltage should be included in the system model, so the procedure to derive the discrete time system model is the key point to achieve the accurate control characteristics. In the proposed method, different approaches were applied to derive the discrete model to the utility voltage and the inverter voltage. As a result, superior characteristics were derived with very small LC filter component. Also to utilize the capability of FPGA based hardware controller, all the control circuit for the proposed current control method using voltage deadbeat control and PLL control with quasi-dq transformation are implemented in FPGA based hardware controller. The design concept of the controller is also described, and the advantages and the disadvantage are discussed through simulations and experiments.

We are now developing a multi-slice depth-of interaction (DOI) MR-compatible PET system The MR compatible PET system is for imaging small animals such as mouse or rat. The PET system employs previously reported concept of the DOI block detectors made of scintillators, optical fibers, and multi-channel position sensitive photo-multiplier tubes (PSPMTs). The scintillator was changed from LSO to MLS. The size of a single MLS was enlarged to 2.5 mm/spl times/3.5 mm/spl times/3.5 mm to increase the system sensitivity. Eight MLSs were combined to form a DOI block detector and connected to four optical fibers via light guides. Thirty two sets of block detectors were arranged in a circular ring of which diameter is 51 mm. Full sets of the DOI block detectors were fabricated and arranged in the ring. Position histograms showed reasonable separations for all block detectors. The MR compatible PET system will have 3 imaging slice, two layers DOI detection capability, and spatial resolutions of around 2 mm FWHM in transaxail and axial directions.

In this paper, we propose a new measuring system using a "stereo image scanner" to measure a 3D colored object shape from its scanned image. This image scanner has two CCD image sensors and three color (red, green, and blue) light sources. We also propose the shape measuring method combining the binocular stereo and photometric stereo methods. An object shape can be primarily measured by photometric stereo method using three color light sources. Under these light sources, however, the object surface color varies with its shape, hence the object which has some color regions on its surface could not be measured by only a photometric stereo method. In order to measure a various colored object shape, first, we divide the scanned image into color regions using edge information. Next we measure the depth of edge points by a binocular stereo method using two CCD sensors, and estimate precise color (albedo) parameters at each region using depth data. Finally, by using albedo parameters we apply a photometric stereo method to measure the object shape precisely. In experiments, we demonstrate the measuring of a cylindrical object shape whose surface has many color regions, and show the effectiveness of our proposed method.

Micro sonic sensors with a high quality factor (Q-value) using piezoelectric diaphragm and cantilever have been developed for detecting a specific sonic wave which is emitted due to anomalous behavior of rotary machines such as turbines, motors and engines. A piezoelectric PbZr/sub 0.52/Ti/sub 0.48/O/sub 3/ thin film was prepared on a micromachined SOI wafer by sol-gel method. The dependence of the output voltage of the both diaphragm- and cantilever-sensors on the sonic frequency was examined. The both sensors were found to have resonant peaks in the frequency region over 5 kHz with a high Q-value (>100), and the typical sensitivity for the sonic wave at the resonant frequency was estimated to be 10 mV/Pa, which is comparable to that of a commercial bulk ceramics sensor.

This article analyzes dynamics of the chaotic neural network and its minimum searching principle. First, it is indicated that the dynamics of the chaotic neural network is described as a gradient descent method, and it is clarified that the behavior of the chaotic neural network can not only catch a local minimum of the energy but also escape from a local minimum without using any special technique. The performance of the chaotic behavior is then evaluated experimentally. In order to compare the chaotic behavior, a random minimum searching algorithm is provide. It is confirmed that chaos is more effective than random behavior from experimental results.

To reveal the function of the carbohydrate portion of glycopeptides and glycoproteins, we chemo-enzymatically synthesized artificially N-glycosylated derivatives of eel calcitonin and studied their three-dimensional structure and biological activity. The CD and NMR spectra in trifluoroethanol-H(2)O solution showed that the glycosylation did not change the three-dimensional structure. All the derivatives retained the strong in vivo hypocalcemic activity of calcitonin. However, the relative activity was dependent on the structure of the attached carbohydrate. The single GlcNAc attachment best enhanced the activity, while larger carbohydrates decreased the activity. This relative activity order of compounds could be partly explained by their calcitonin-receptor binding affinity, though the affinity of the GlcNAc derivative did not exceed that of calcitonin. The enhanced hypocalcemic activity of the GlcNAc derivative was explained by its altered biodistribution. The GlcNAc attachment caused calcitonin to escape from the trap at the liver during the early circulation. Thus, the glycosylation was shown to modulate the biological activity of calcitonin depending on the carbohydrate structure without a change in the peptide backbone conformation.

Percutaneous local treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma is minimally invasive. Moreover, since local radical cure may be possible, the procedure has become widely performed. Percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (PRFA) was recently introduced in Japan. Excellent results are expected. PRFA was conducted on 244 tumor nodules found in 177 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (a total of 349 procedures), and the usefulness was examined. 1. Tumor markers significantly decreased after PRFA and a favorable necrotic effect was obtained on CT images. 2. Mild post-operative inflammatory reaction and exacerbation of liver dysfunction was noted, but recovery was achieved in one week. There were no major complications. 3. The cumulative local recurrence in 1 year was 5.4%, which is lower than that with percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy. 4. PRFA is a safe and handy procedure for hepatocellular carcinoma, which promises the favorable effect of coagulation necrosis. PRFA will likely become a key method among local ablation therapies.

We devised a removable hepatoarterial catheter which we then implanted in patients during colorectal operations, after first making sure this system worked well in an experiment with rabbits. We have applied this devise in 21 advanced colorectal cancer patients. The procedure to place the hepatoarterial catheter followed the resection of the colorectal cancer. A 16 G 30 cm TPN catheter was inserted into the gastroduodenal artery. This artery was ligated at two points with a double loop of elastic rubber threads (Elastik, Matsuda Suture, Tokyo). The catheter was fixed with Vicryl RAIDE (4-0). After the operation, 5-FU was continuously infused through the catheter for 2 weeks. We could remove the arterial catheter without any complications or bleeding after the chemotherapy was completed.

Macrophages (M phi) produce histamine (Hm) when activated by bacterial endotoxin (LPS) through induced histidine decarboxylase (HDC). Among the cytokines tested, GM-CSF or IL-3 specifically augmented the LPS-dependent HDC induction by M phi. Hm formed by M phi regulates synthesis of cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, G-CSF and M-CSF by the cells per se and may modulate immune reactions and division and differentiation of various hematopoietic cells. Kupffer cells, M phi-like cells in the liver, also synthesize Hm in mice injected with hepatotoxins such as tetradecanoylphorbol acetate or LPS. Hm thus produced by Kupffer cells may participate in the regeneration of the injured liver through induction of hepatocyte growth factor. Concanavalin A (Con A) enhanced Hm formation by T lymphocytes. GM-CSF or IL-3 also enhanced the Hm synthesis by CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Hm formed by T cells regulates immune reactions such as lymphocyte blastogenesis. In animals infected with gram(-) bacteria Hm is produced by the M phi-T cell system and may regulate immune competence to the bacteria. In addition, Hm may act as a signal transducer between the peripheral immune system and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal system, leading to GC secretion, in order to prevent occurrence of tissue injury caused by excess immune reactions.

We often experience hepatic metastases after resections for advanced gastrointestinal cancers. Various methods such as resection and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy are used when a metastatic tumor is detected on imagings. We have considered postoperative prophylactic hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy for the prevention of heterochronous hepatic metastases. For this purpose, we conducted experimental trials of temporary insertion of a catheter, which we would be able to remove safely in the near future, into an artery. Laparotomy was done on rabbits under general anesthesia, and a 16 G catheter was inserted into the left renal artery. The proximal site of the artery and the catheter were ligated together with Elastik, and the catheter was fixed with coated VICRYL RAPIDE distal of the insertion point. Upon insertion of the catheters, there was no bleeding, and neither occlusion nor dislocation of the catheter occurred. Two weeks later, the catheters were easily removed without bleeding under laparotomy. At a second-look laparotomy after 2 more weeks, there were no abnormal findings such as hematomas. Therefore, we concluded that our method would be acceptable for the temporary catheter insertion into an artery which could be removed safely and easily when the chemotherapy was finished.

Structural analysis of the sugar chains of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) has revealed that abnormal biantennary structures appear specifically on hCG in the urine of choriocarcinoma patients. However, the enzymatic and molecular mechanisms of the biosynthesis of abnormal biantennary sugar chains have not yet been elucidated. In this report, the enzyme activities and the expression levels of mRNAs of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferases (GnT)-I to -V, beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase, and alpha-mannosidase II in normal human placentae and three human choriocarcinoma cell lines were investigated. GnT-IV activities in choriocarcinoma cell lines were increased from 16- to 66-fold and GnT-III activity was increased from 15- to 25-fold as compared with those in human placentae, whereas other enzyme activities were not increased significantly. The mRNA expression levels generally correlated with their enzyme activities. Among the two GnT-IV genes found in human tissues only GnT-IVa gene was strongly expressed in the cancer cells: from three to seven times as much as in the normal tissue, whereas that of GnT-IVb remained constant. On the basis of these results, we proposed that ectopic expression of GnT-IVa gene should occur along with the malignancy of trophoblastic tissues, and that the increased GnT-IV activity should be the main cause of the formation of abnormal biantennary sugar chains in choriocarcinoma. A possible enzymatic basis of the biosynthesis of abnormal biantennary sugar chains is discussed.

We isolated a novel cDNA encoding a second isoenzyme of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine:alpha1,3-D-mannoside beta1,4-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (GnT-IV; EC 2.4.1.145). The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the cDNA were homologous to those of the previously cloned human GnT-IV cDNA (63% and 62% identity, respectively). The new cDNA is also confirmed to express GnT-IV activity, suggesting that two isoenzymes of human GnT-IV exist. Although genomic Southern analysis suggested that both genes exist in many mammalian species and the chicken, northern analysis revealed that both genes are expressed in different ways in human tissues. This is the first report concerning the gene family of an N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase in mammals.

Sequential MTX/5-FU therapy (intravenous route) is powerful chemotherapy especially for poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the stomach and its peritoneal metastases. The authors had proposed the idea of intraperitoneal sequential MTX/5-FU chemotherapy for potential peritoneal metastases and micrometastases from advanced gastric carcinoma. This experimental study was planned to confirm this experimentally. Peritoneal seeding model of nude mice was made by the intraperitoneal inoculation of human gastric cancer cell line MKN-45. Control group (n = 5) had no treatment. The intraperitoneal (i.p.) group and intravenous (i.v.) group underwent the treatments on the 7th, 14th, and 21st day after cell implantation. Experimental chemotherapies consisted of intraperitoneal injection of MTX (15 mg/kg, 1.5 ml saline) and 5-FU (50 mg/kg, 1.0 ml saline) for i.p. group and intravenous injection of MTX (15 mg/kg, 0.2 ml saline) and 5-FU (50 mg/kg, 0.2 ml saline) for i.v. group. Interval time between MTX and 5-FU administration was 2 hours. On the 35th day after the cell implantation necropsies were performed. Counting of peritoneal metastatic nodules revealed the number of nodules of control group. (14.2 +/- 6.7)i.v. group (5.3 +/- 4.1)i.p. group (0.41 +/- 0.7) (p0.05). Weight of omental tumors showed Control group (0.246 +/- 0.136 g)i.v. group (0.140 +/- 0.068 g)i.p. group (0.051 +/- 0.017 g) (i.v.-i.p., p0.01). The mouse body weight decrease less in the i.p. group than in the i.v. group (p0.05) throughout this experiment. The results of this experiment demonstrated intraperitoneal sequential MTX/5-FU therapy was more effective than intravenous sequential MTX/5-FU therapy for potential peritoneal seeding and peritoneal micrometastases from the gastric cancer. Moreover, the side effect of intraperitoneal administration was milder than by the intravenous route.

A 28-year-old female underwent sigmoidectomy for sigmoid colon cancer with peritoneal seeding. One month later, a solitary metastasis was found in S3 of the liver. After CDDP/5-FU intravenous chemotherapy, another metastasis appeared in S7. Intravenous administration showed PD. But the metastatic tumors shrank and became inobservable by CT after the 1st round of CDDP/5-FU intraperitoneal chemotherapy, and S7 tumor could not be identified after the 2nd round. Many previous reports demonstrated the concentration of cytotoxic drug in intraperitoneal administration was much higher than in intravenous administration. Theoretically, intraperitoneal chemotherapy is superior to intravenous chemotherapy for the prevention and treatment of liver metastases. This case demonstrated this hypothesis was right. We think adjuvant intraperitoneal chemotherapy should be re-considered for the prevention of the liver metastases of gastrointestinal cancers.

Promyelocytic HL-60 cells differentiated into mature cells when they were cultured in the presence of dimaprit (10(-4) M), a histamine H2 agonist. An injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide increased the activity of histidine decarboxylase in bone marrow cells in C3H/HeN mice to a much greater extent than in C3H/HeJ mice, which are resistant to various effects of lipopolysaccharide. Histamine production increased concomitantly. In WBB6/F1 (W/W(v)) mice, which are genetically deficient in mast cells, histidine decarboxylase activity increased more than in C3H/HeN mice. Pure (99% nonspecific esterase, CD14 and Mac-1 positive) macrophage populations were obtained from long-term culture of the bone marrow cells (bone marrow-derived macrophages, BMDM). Culture of the cells in the presence of lipopolysaccharide caused a slight, but dose-dependent increase in histidine decarboxylase-associated histamine synthesis. Granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rmGM-CSF) or interleukin 3 (rmIL-3) potently increased lipopolysaccharide-induced histamine formation.

We administered methotrexate (MTX) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) into the peritoneal cavity as chemotherapy after operation for advanced gastric cancer from a port implanted subcutaneously during the operation, every or every other week. It has been said that MTX tends to be kept in the peritoneal cavity, so the kinetics of MTX is important when it was administered there in. We investigated the concentrations of MTX in the peritoneal cavity and serum with infusion into the peritoneal cavity (IP), and compared it with intraarterial (IA) and intravenous (IV) administration. The results were the lower serum concentration of MTX in IP than in both IA and IV at 1-2 hours after infusion, but thereafter it was the same level in each group. The intraperitoneal concentration of MTX was lower than the detectable level at 24-48 hours after infusion. On the other hand, we investigated the side effects of this therapy, and only one of 20 cases given therapy many times had nausea and vomiting. So the intraperitoneal infusion therapy of MTX and 5-FU seemed to be safe.

We measured serum levels of a basement membrane-associated collagen(BMC) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay using two recently produced monoclonal antibodies (named JK-199 and JK-135) to evaluate that's clinical significance. JK-199 reacted with alpha 1 (IV) chain in triple helical region of type IV collagen and JK-132 is considered to react with an unidentified alpha (IV) related collagen chain. BMC was determined in sera of patients with chronic liver diseases (n = 27), healthy volunteers (n = 30) and in random serum samples of in- or outpatients of our hospital (n = 1125). The degree of fibrosis of the chronic liver diseases was estimated by computed image analysis for the biopsy specimens. BMC levels in sera of healthy volunteers as 0-40ng/ml. Serum BMC levels were significantly higher than that in healthy volunteers in chronic active hepatitis 2A (56.9 +/- 27.9ng/ml; mean +/- SD), 2B (80.9 +/- 39.1ng/ml) and liver cirrhosis (114.5 +/- 26.6ng/ml). Serum BMC levels showed positive correlation with fibrosis area/total area(%) in biopsy specimens of chronic liver diseases (r = 0.678; p0.001). Total 149 samples (from 127 patients) of 1125 random serum samples (13.2%) showed increased BMC and 70 of 127 patients with abnormal high BMC (55.1%) had liver diseases. These results suggest that serum BMC increases mainly in patients with liver diseases, especially with progression of chronic liver diseases.

Serum monoamine oxidase (MAO) was separated electrophoretically into three bands. These bands were termed as Fraction I, II and III in that order from anode to cathode. Elevation of serum MAO activity in Fraction I was observed in patients with organ fibrosis particularly in liver cirrhosis and acromegaly. On the other hand, elevation of MAO activity in Fraction II was observed in patients with massive hepatic necrosis. MAO activities partially purified from aortic vessel and from rat liver mitochondria had electrophoretically in the same position as Fraction I and II respectively. Both of Fraction I and aortic extract were inhibited by aminoacetonitrile but not by pargyline. On the contrary, both of Fraction II and mitochondria were inhibited by pargyline but not by aminoacetonitrile. These findings suggested that the elevation of serum MAO in patients with organ fibrosis correlates with the enhancement of connective tissue metabolism and the increment of serum MAO in fulminant hepatitis correlates with the breakaway of MAO from damaged liver mitochondria.

In hepatic resection, it is important to control intrahepatic blood flow to minimize blood loss. Intermittent and selective vascular occlusion, if possible, are advisable.For this purpose, we created the double balloon catheter, which when introduced into a lobar or a smaller branch of the intrahepatic portal vein through a branch of the ileocolic vein, made it possible to occlude these branches temporarily during hepatic resection. The small balloon located at the tip of the catheter made it easy to introduce the catheter to the portal branch selectively, under the guidance of ultrasonography. Another balloon was inflated intermittently to occlude selective portal blood flow. Using this technique, hepatic resection was achieved in 18 consecutive patients: 13 with hepatocellular carcinomas (11 with cirrhosis, two with chronic hepatitis), one with cholangiocellular carcinoma, three with metastatic carcinomas, and one with intrahepatic calculi.In these cases, 19 hepatic resections were performed; two left hepatectomies, one extended right hepatectomy, one right hepatectomy, six segmentectomies, eight subsegmentectomies, and one partial hepatectomy. In each case, well demarcated hepatic tissue delineated by ischemic change was removed with minimal bleeding and little impairment to the residual hepatic tissue, resulting in a good postoperative course.This double balloon catheter can replace the dissection of the hepatoduodenal ligament for hepatic resection, which causes bleeding, especially in patients with cirrhosis, and results in less cell injury of the residual hepatic parenchyma.

Interactions of Escherichia coli RecA protein with ATP and its analogues in the absence of DNA were studied by circular dichroic (CD) spectroscopy. The binding of RecA protein to ATP increased the CD band of ATP at around 260 nm. The positive CD band of the RecA protein-ATP complex suggested that the bound ATP was in the anti conformation, in accord with X-ray crystallographic data [Story, R.M. and Steitz, T.A. (1992) Nature 355, 374-376]. At pH 7.5 and at 25 degrees C the dissociation constant (Kd) and thermodynamic parameters for the binding of ATP to RecA protein were 18 microM (delta G = -6.5 kcal.mol-1), delta H = 0 kcal.mol-1, and delta S = 22 cal.mol-1.K-1. A non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue, adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP gamma S), gave a spectral change similar to that of ATP. The Kd for this analogue, 22 microM, was very close to the Km of ATP. These results in the absence of single-stranded DNA were different from those obtained by kinetic analysis [Weinstock, G.M. et al. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 8850-8855], which indicated that the inhibition constant of ATP gamma S was much smaller than the Km of ATP in the presence of DNA. For other ATP analogues (dATP, ADP, and dADP), similar spectral changes were observed, and their Kd values ranged from 19 to 54 microM. UTP, dUTP, and TTP also gave CD spectral changes, but not AMP, GTP, dGTP, CTP, and dCTP.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)