Is Adenosine Deaminase in Pleural Fluid a Useful Marker for Differentiating Tuberculosis from Lung Cancer or Mesothelioma in Japan, a Country with Intermediate Incidence of Tuberculosis?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the determination of adenosine deaminase (ADA) level in pleural fluid for the differential diagnosis between tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE) in Japan, a country with intermediate incidence of tuberculosis (TB). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 435 patients with pleural effusion and investigated their pleural ADA levels as determined by an auto analyzer. ROC analysis was also performed. The study included patients with MPE (n＝188), TPE (n＝124), benign nontuberculous pleural effusion (n＝94), and pleural effusion of unknown etiology (n＝29). The median ADA level in the TPE group was 70.8U/L, which was significantly higher than that in any other groups (p＜0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) in ROC analysis was 0.895. With a cut-off level for ADA of 36U/L, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 85.5%, 86.5%, 69.7%, and 93.6%, respectively. As many as 9% of patients with lung cancer and 15% of those with mesothelioma were false-positive with this ADA cutoff setting. Although the ADA activity in pleural fluid can help in the diagnosis of TPE, it should be noted that some cases of lung cancer or mesothelioma show high ADA activity in geographical regions with intermediate incidence of TB, in contrast to high prevalence areas

Über den Einfluss der Gallensäure auf die Glykogenbildung in Geweben. (II)

Durch die Untersuchung von Misaki, Fuzita und S. Okamura wurde bewiesen, dass die Glykogenbildung in der Leber des Kaninchens durch die Zufuhr von Gallensäure stark gefördert wird. Auf Grund dieser Daten kann man wohl vermuten, dass die Glykogenbildung der Gewebe von dem Gehalt an Gallensäure im Organismus abhängig sein dürfte. In diesem Sinne habe ich den Einfluss des Gallenverlustes und der Wiederzufuhr von Gallensäure auf die Glykogenbildung in den Geweben histologisch untersucht. Eine Anzahl von Kaninchen wurde in 3 Gruppen geteilt, die in allen Versuchsreihen mit der gleichen Nahrung gefüttert wurden. Die erste Gruppe wurde als Kontrolle für die Versuche verwendet. In der zweiten Gruppe wurde den Kaninchen eine Gallenbläsenfistel angelegt und man liess 1-4 Tage lang die eigene Galle der Tiere unter Verhinderung jedes Ableckens nach aussen ruhig abfliessen und die Gallensäure aus. dem Kärper abgehen. Die so behandelten Kaninchen wurden unter Verblutung getätet. Es wurde der Glykogengehalt der Leber, der Niere, des Muskels und des Fettgewebes histologisch untersucht und gefunden, dass das Glykogen der Leber im Laufe der Tage stark vermindert oder sogar verschwunden, das der Niere und des Muskels dagegen nicht merklich beeinflusst war. In der dritten Gruppe der Kaninchen wurden nach Anlegung der Gallenblasenfistel und 1-4 tägigem Gallenverlust die Tiere 3 Stunden vor der Tötung mit Cholat gefüttert. Es wurde dann in genau der gleichen Weise das Glykogen in den Geweben untersucht und gefunden, dass das Glykogen der Leber sich am 1-4 ten Tage nach Ableitung der Galle durch die Zufuhr der Cholsäure nicht vermindert. In den Fettgeweben sowohl des normalen als auch des behandelten Kaninchens wurde Glykogen nicht nachgewiesen. Somit ist bewiesen, dass die Glykogenbildung in der Leber von dem Gallensäuregehalt im Organismus abhängig ist

トポイソメラーゼIIβの発現抑制は骨髄性白血病細胞株においてオールトランスレチノイン酸(ATRA)による分化誘導あるいは増殖停止に引き続いてアポトーシスを誘導する

Among the topoisomerase (topo) II isozymes (alpha and beta), topo IIbeta has been suggested to regulate differentiation. In this study, we examined the role of topo IIbeta in all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced differentiation of myeloid leukemia cell lines. Inhibition of topo IIbeta activity or downregulation of protein expression enhanced ATRA-induced differentiation/growth arrest and apoptosis. ATRA-induced apoptosis in topo IIbeta-deficient cells involved activation of the caspase cascade and was rescued by ectopic expression of topo IIbeta. Gene expression profiling led to the identification of peroxiredoxin 2 (PRDX2) as a candidate gene that was downregulated in topo IIbeta-deficient cells. Reduced expression of PRDX2 validated at the mRNA and protein level, in topo IIbeta-deficient cells correlated with increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) following ATRA-induced differentiation. Overexpression of PRDX2 in topo IIbeta-deficient cells led to reduced accumulation of ROS and partially reversed ATRA-induced apoptosis. These results support a role for topo IIbeta in survival of ATRA-differentiated myeloid leukemia cells. Reduced expression of topo IIbeta induces apoptosis in part by impairing the anti-oxidant capacity of the cell owing to downregulation of PRDX2. Thus, suppression of topo IIbeta and/or PRDX2 levels in myeloid leukemia cells provides a novel approach for improving ATRA-based differentiation therapy

ウスグロアザミウマ（総翅目 : アザミウマ科）の生存, 発育および翅型決定に食餌植物が及ぼす影響

Effects of food plants on survival, developmental rate, and wing form determination in females of Frankliniella fusca were investigated using rearing trials under two temperature conditions at 15L-9D. At 18°C, leaf pieces of seven plant species were provided as food for larvae. Individuals fed on strawberry died in the larval stage. On the other hand, individuals reared on green bean leaf pieces showed the highest rate of survival and development, suggesting that green bean leaves are the most suitable food among the seven plant species tested. All females molted into brachypters at 18°C. In trials using leaves of green bean, broad bean, and narcissus at 25°C, individuals reared on leaf pieces of broad bean showed the highest mortality and longest developmental time, suggesting that broad bean leaves are the most unsuitable food among the three plants. The proportions of wing forms in females reared on the different kinds of food at 25°C differed. The proportion of macropters in females reared on broad bean germinated seeds was higher than that of females reared on broad bean leaf pieces. In females provided narcissus, the proportion of macropters was higher in females reared on leaf pieces than bulbs. The body size of adult females was smallest when they were fed narcissus bulbs in the larval stage, suggesting that these bulbs are not an adequate food. Results suggest that the proportion of macropterous females decreases when they feed on unsuitable foods such as broad bean leaves and narcissus bulbs above a certain temperature. All males molted into brachypters, irrespective of food plants.食餌植物がウスグロアザミウマの生存と発育期間に及ぼす影響を明らかにするため，18°C 長日（15L-9D）条件下で幼虫に5 科7 属7 種の植物葉を与えて飼育したところ，イチゴの葉上では発育を完了できなかった。インゲンマメの葉では生存率が高く，発育期間が雌雄ともに最も短かったことから，7 種の葉の中では最も適性が高いと考えられた。さらに25°C 長日条件下で幼虫にインゲン，ソラマメおよびスイセンの3 種の葉を与えて飼育したところ，ソラマメの葉では生存率が著しく低く，発育期間が雌雄ともに最も長かったことから，3 種の葉の中では適性が最も低いと考えられた。次に，食餌物が雌の翅型決定に及ぼす影響を明らかにするため，25°C 長日条件で3 種の植物葉を餌として発育した個体の翅型を調査した。さらに，同条件下でソラマメ催芽種子とスイセン鱗茎を摂食して羽化した個体の翅型を調査した。その結果，5 種の食餌物を摂食した雌の翅型構成比率に有意差が認あり，ソラマメでの長翅型率は葉よりも種子を与えた場合に高く，スイセンでは鱗茎よりも葉を与えた場合に長翅型率が高かった。雄の翅型はすべて短翅型であった。成虫の体サイズはスイセン鱗茎で発育した際に最小であった。一定以上の温度条件では，適性が低い食餌物は雌の長翅型率を低下させる可能性が高いと考えられた

Distribution of catecholamine fibers in the cochlear nucleus of horseshoe bats and mustache bats

The glyoxylic-acid-induced fluorescence technique was applied to demonstrate patterns of catecholaminergic innervation within the auditory brainstem of echolocating bats and the house mouse. In the cochlear nucleus of the rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus rouxi) and the mustache bat (Pteronotus parnelli), species-specific catecholaminergic innervation patterns are found that contrast with the relatively homogeneous innervation in the rodent. In both bats the subnuclei of the cochlear nucleus receive a differentially dense supply of catecholaminergic fibers, and within the subnuclei, the catecholamine innervation densities can be correlated with the tonotopic frequency representation. The areas devoted to the high-frequency echolocation calls are less densely innervated than those regions which are responsive to lower frequencies. Apart from this common scheme, there are noteworthy distinctions between the two bats which correlate with specialized cytoarchitectural features of the cochlear nucleus. The marginal cell group, located medially to the anteroventral cochlear nucleus of Pteronotus, receives the densest supply of catecholaminergic fibers of all auditory nuclei. This plexus is formed by a morphologically distinct population of catecholaminergic fibers