コンバラトキシンによる凝固亢進における単球由来組織因子陽性細胞外小胞の関与

Objectives: Convallatoxin (CNT) is a natural cardiac glycoside extracted from lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis). Although it is empirically known to cause blood coagulation disorders, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. CNT exerts cytotoxicity and increases tissue factor (TF) expression in endothelial cells. However, the direct action of CNT on blood coagulation remains unclear. Therefore, herein, we investigated the effects of CNT on whole blood coagulation system and TF expression in monocytes. Methods: Blood samples were collected from healthy volunteers to measure plasma thrombin–antithrombin complex (TAT) concentration using ELISA and to perform rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) and whole-blood extracellular vesicle (EV)-associated TF (EV-TF) analysis. The effects of CNT were also investigated using the monocytic human cell line THP-1. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blotting were performed, and PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitor, was used to elucidate the action mechanism of CNT-mediated TF production. Results: CNT treatment increased EV-TF activity, shortened the whole blood clotting time in rotational thromboelastometry analysis, and increased TAT levels, which is an index of thrombin generation. Furthermore, CNT increased TF mRNA expression in THP-1 cells and EV-TF activity in the cell culture supernatant. Therefore, CNT may induce a hypercoagulable state with thrombin generation, in which elevated EV-TF activity derived from monocytes might be involved. These procoagulant effects of CNT were reversed by PD98059, suggesting that CNT-induced TF production in monocytes might be mediated by the MAPK pathway. Conclusions: The findings of the present study have further clarified the procoagulant properties of CNT.本文は発行元が定める公開猶予期間終了後に公開

Age control of the first appearance datum for Javanese Homo erectus in the Sangiran area

The chronology of the World Heritage Site of Sangiran in Indonesia is crucial for the understanding of human dispersals and settlement in Asia in the Early Pleistocene (before 780,000 years ago). It has been controversial, however, especially regarding the timing of the earliest hominin migration into the Sangiran region. We use a method of combining fission-track and uranium-lead dating and present key ages to calibrate the lower (older) Sangiran hominin-bearing horizons. We conclude that the first appearance datum for the Sangiran hominins is most likely ~1.3 million years ago and less than 1.5 million years ago, which is markedly later than the dates that have been widely accepted for the past two decades

Comparison between endoscopic findings and FDG-PET/CT that shows diffuse gastric uptakes in cancer screening

Purpose: FDG uptakes in the stomach, especially diffuse uptakes often pester nuclear medicine physicians with the interpretation as to whether The purpose of this study is to investigate the necessity of endoscopy after FDG-PET/CT that shows diffuse gastric uptakes in cancer screening. Materials and methods: We studied 50 people who had a check-up for cancer using FDG-PET/CT. All people showed diffuse uptakes in the stomach. Fifteen people were female and thirty-five people were male, and mean age was 57.3pm10.1 (36 to 80). The uptakes of the stomach were higher than of the liver in 32 people, similar to the liver in 12 people, and lower than of the liver in 6 people. Thirty-two people underwent biopsy from the stomach. Pathological findings were categorized into five groups according to the following scale: Group 1: normal tissue or benign lesion without atypical cell; Group 2: benign lesion with atypical cell ; Group 3: borderline lesion; Group 4: suspicion of cancer; Group5: cancer. Results: All people had no gastric cancer. Gastritis was detected in 35 people, ulcer in 2 people, hyperplastic polyp in 2 people, metaplasia in one. Ten people had normal findings. On the value of SUV, there was no significant difference between gastritis (3.65pm0.60SD) and normal findings (3.55pm0.33SD, p=0.619). The specimens from biopsy were Group 1 in 27 people and Group 2 in 8 people. No specimens showed Group 3, Group4, and Group 5. No significant difference was found between Group 1 (3.55pm0.59SD) and Group 2 (3.68pm0.60SD). Helicobacter.pylori was detected in 17 people. No significant difference was found between H.pylori positive group (3.70pm0.46SD) and negative group (3.43pm0.71SD, p=0.198). Conclusion: Our results indicate that an additional endoscopy for detecting gastric cancer does not seem to be necessary after FDG-PET/CT that shows diffuse uptakes in the stomach.The 2009 EANM Congres