Sympathetic Nerve Fibers in Human Cervical and Thoracic Vagus Nerves

Background Vagus nerve stimulation therapy (VNS) has been used for chronic heart failure (CHF), and is believed to improve imbalance of autonomic control by increasing parasympathetic activity. Although it is known that there is neural communication between the VN and the cervical sympathetic trunk, there are few data regarding the quantity and/or distribution of the sympathetic components within the VN. Objective To examine the sympathetic component within human VN and correlate these with the presence of cardiac and neurologic diseases. Methods We performed immunohistochemistry on 31 human cervical and thoracic VNs (total 104 VNs) from autopsies and we reviewed the patients’ records. We correlated the quantity of sympathetic nerve fibers within the VNs with cardiovascular and neurologic disease states. Results All 104 VNs contain TH positive (sympathetic) nerve fibers; the mean TH positive areas were 5.47% in right cervical, 3.97% in left cervical, 5.11% in right thoracic, and 4.20% in left thoracic VN. The distribution of TH positive nerve fibers varied from case to case: central, peripheral, or scattered throughout nerve bundles. No statistically significant differences in nerve morphology were seen between diseases in which VNS is considered effective (depression and CHF), and other cardiovascular diseases, or neurodegenerative disease. Conclusion Human VNs contain sympathetic nerve fibers. The sympathetic component within the VN could play a role in physiologic effects reported with VNS. The recognition of sympathetic nerve fibers in the VNs may lead to better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of VNS

LKB1 Inactivation Dictates Therapeutic Response of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer to the Metabolism Drug Phenformin

SummaryThe LKB1 (also called STK11) tumor suppressor is mutationally inactivated in ∼20% of non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC). LKB1 is the major upstream kinase activating the energy-sensing kinase AMPK, making LKB1-deficient cells unable to appropriately sense metabolic stress. We tested the therapeutic potential of metabolic drugs in NSCLC and identified phenformin, a mitochondrial inhibitor and analog of the diabetes therapeutic metformin, as selectively inducing apoptosis in LKB1-deficient NSCLC cells. Therapeutic trials in Kras-dependent mouse models of NSCLC revealed that tumors with Kras and Lkb1 mutations, but not those with Kras and p53 mutations, showed selective response to phenformin as a single agent, resulting in prolonged survival. This study suggests phenformin as a cancer metabolism-based therapeutic to selectively target LKB1-deficient tumors

A novel transgenic chimaeric mouse system for the rapid functional evaluation of genes encoding secreted proteins

A major challenge of the post-genomic era is the functional characterization of anonymous open reading frames (ORFs) identified by the Human Genome Project. In this context, there is a strong requirement for the development of technologies that enhance our ability to analyze gene functions at the level of the whole organism. Here, we describe a rapid and efficient procedure to generate transgenic chimaeric mice that continuously secrete a foreign protein into the systemic circulation. The transgene units were inserted into the genomic site adjacent to the endogenous immunoglobulin (Ig) κ locus by homologous recombination, using a modified mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell line that exhibits a high frequency of homologous recombination at the Igκ region. The resultant ES clones were injected into embryos derived from a B-cell-deficient host strain, thus producing chimaerism-independent, B-cell-specific transgene expression. This feature of the system eliminates the time-consuming breeding typically implemented in standard transgenic strategies and allows for evaluating the effect of ectopic transgene expression directly in the resulting chimaeric mice. To demonstrate the utility of this system we showed high-level protein expression in the sera and severe phenotypes in human EPO (hEPO) and murine thrombopoietin (mTPO) transgenic chimaeras

タンキ ダイガク ツウシンセイ カテイ ２ネンセイ ノ ガクセイ ガ シュウギョウ スル シセツ ニ オケル ヒヤリ ハット タイケン ノ ジッタイ チョウサ

目的:本学通信制課程の学生が就業する施設で体験するヒヤリ・ハット事例を全国300床以上の病院と比較し特徴を明らかにし、事故報告のしくみや意識についての実態を知る。方法:対象は1年次生188名。2013年質問紙調査を実施。調査内容は背景、事故報告のしくみ、意識、ヒヤリ・ハット体験で、印象的な体験や気持ちは自由記載とした。結果:回収率52%。就業する施設は200床以下の病院、施設が約7割を占めた。ヒヤリ・ハット体験は「療養上の世話」で、熱傷・暴力・誤嚥・入浴・離院、「観察情報」が高率で、自由記載からは注射・与薬・転倒転落が上位を占めた。事故報告の仕組みは約90%が保有し、意識では約30%が報告に消極的であった。結論:学生が就業する施設でのヒヤリ・ハット体験の特徴は、療養上の世話と医師、患者・家族に関する項目が全国調査より高い比率を占めた。事故報告のしくみは有るものの運用実態や事故報告の意識の解明は今後の課題である。Objective: To reveal characteristics and perception of near-miss errors and its reporting system of hospitals where the students are employed, comparing with a national data of larger scale hospitals over 300 beds.Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in 2013 on 188 first-year working students in a correspondence course. Main question items were consisted of the background information, experience, perception, and the system of reporting near-miss errors. Significant events were asked in the form of an open question. Results: The response rate was 52%. Around 70% of the hospitals had less than 200 beds. There was an increase of the near-miss errors of burns, violence, aspirations, bathing, leaving hospitals, and observation on patient care. Also, increased cases at injection, medication, and falls were observed in open questions. Ninety percent of the facilities had a system of reporting near-miss cases but 30% of nurses were passive about the reporting. Conclusion:Features of near-miss errors at targeted hospitals were revealed as there were increased cases at patient care, and items related to doctors, patients or their families. Although most facilities have the system of incident report, analysis of the perception on near-miss errors and actual implementation of the system is further needed

Study on Water Science

In this study, we intended to clarify the effect of various treatments such as magnetism, ultraviolet light irradiation and ultrasonic wave treatment on the acidic electrolyzed aqueous solutions and alkali halide aqueous solutions. The results have indicated that the available chloride concentration of acidic electrolyzed aqueous solution was decreased by these treatments. It was proved that these treatments increased hydroxyl radicals and bound water in the alkali halide aqueous solution

Rate Constant and Anti-oxidative Activity toward Hydroxyl Radicals; UV Irradiation

The anti-oxidative activity toward hydroxyl radicals was expressed by the reaction rate constant. Rate constants were presented for basic organic substances and reducing reagents. Hydroxyl radicals were generated by UV-irradiation of hydrogen peroxide. The pH was controlled through the reaction in the range 6.5-7.0. The dependence on the concentration of anti-oxidative substances was so small that the validity of the theoretical analysis was guaranteed

Study on Water Science

In this study, we intended to clarify the effect of various treatments such as magnetic and ultraviolet light irradiation on acidic electrolyzed aqueous solutions and alkali halide aqueous solutions. The results indicated that the available chloride concentration of acidic electrolyzed aqueous solution was decreased by these treatments. It was proved that hydroxyl radicals and bound water varied by these treatments in the alkali halide aqueous solution. It was proved that the most effective treatment in aqueous solutions relates to the salt concentration in both the acidic electrolyzed aqueous solution and the alkali halide aqueous solution

Capillary Proliferation in Systemic-Sclerosis-Related Pulmonary Fibrosis: Association with Pulmonary Hypertension

We sought to determine if any histopathologic component of the pulmonary microcirculation can distinguish systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related pulmonary fibrosis (PF) with and without pulmonary hypertension (PH)