Thrombocytopenia in Preterm Infants with Intrauterine Growth Restriction

Sick preterm infants often have thrombocytopenia at birth, and this is often associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), or birth weights less than the 10th percentile. The pathogenesis of the thrombocytopenia and its importance in IUGR are still unclear. We studied the characteristics of preterm IUGR infants with thrombocytopenia. Twenty-seven singleton Japanese preterm IUGR infants were born between January 2002 and June 2007 at Okayama University Hospital. Infants with malformation, chromosomal abnormalities, alloimmune thrombocytopenia, sepsis, and maternal aspirin ingestion were excluded. The infants were divided into group A (n&#65309;8), which had thrombocytopenia within 72h after birth, and group B (n&#65309;19), which did not. There were significant differences in birth weight, head circumference, umbilical artery (UA)-pulsatility index (PI), middle cerebral artery-PI, UA-pH, UA-pO2, and UA-pCO2. The infants in group A were smaller, had abnormal blood flow patterns, and were hypoxic at birth. We speculate that the infants with thrombocytopenia were more severely growth-restricted by chronic hypoxia. Thrombocytopenia is an important parameter for chronic hypoxia in the uterine.</p

Structural Analysis of the mde Operon lnvolved in L-Methionine Degradative Metabolism of Pseudomonas putida

The mde operon and an upstream regulatory gene (mdeR) have been cloned and sequenced from Pseudomonas putida chromosomal DNA. The mde operon contains two structural genes involved in L-methionine degradative metabolism, which are mdeA (L-methionine γ-lyase gene) and mdeB (a gene encoding a homologous protein to the E1 component of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex). A rho-independent terminator was present just downstream of mdeB and open reading frames corresponding to other components of α-keto acid dehydrogenase complex were not found. When the mdeB gene product was overproduced in Escherichia coli, the E1 activity of the cell extract showed high specificity for α-ketobutyrate rather than pyruvate. these results suggest that mdeB encodes a novel E1 component, α-ketobutyrate dehydrogenase E1 component, and plays an important role in the metabolism of α-ketobutyrate produced by L-methionine γ-lyase from L-methionine. In addition,we found that mdeR gene was located on the opposite strand and began at 127 bp from the translational start site of mdeA. The mdeR gene product has been idetified as a member of the leucine responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) family and revealed to act as an essential positive regulator allowing the expression of the mdeAB operon.mdeオペロン及びその上流調節遺伝子(mdeR)がPseudomonas putida染色体DNAからクローニングされ、これらの遺伝子の塩基配列が決定された。mdeオペロンは、L-メチオニン分解代謝に伴われる2つの構造遺伝子mdeA (L-メチオニン　γ-リアーゼ遺伝子)及び、mdeB(ピルビン酸デヒドロゲナーゼ複合体のE1成分に相同性のあるタンパク質をコードする遺伝子)を含んでいた。ロー因子非依存型のターミネーター構造がmdeBのすぐ下流に存在し、α-ケト酸デヒドロゲナーゼ複合体の他の成分に相当するオープンリーディングフレームは見られなかった。mdeB産物が大腸菌中で過剰発現されたとき、その細胞抽出液は、ピルビン酸よりもむしろα-ケト酪酸に対し高い特異性を持つE1活性を示した。すなわちmdeB遺伝子は新規のE1成分であるα-ケト酪酸デヒドロゲナーゼE1成分をコードしており、L-メチオニンからL-メチオニンγ-リアーゼによって生産されたα-ケト酪酸の代謝に、mdeBが重要な役割を果たすことが示唆された。さらに我々は、mdeA遺伝子の翻訳開始点から127bp上流反対方向にコードされるmdeR遺伝子を見い出した。mdeR産物は、ロイシン応答調節タンパク質(Lrp)ファミリーの一つとして同定され、mdeABオペロンの発現に必須な正の調整因子として作用することが明らかとなった

Magnetic Properties of Al-Si-MTM ( Magnetic Transition Metal) Melt Quenched Amorphous Ribbons

Al-Si-MTM( Magnetic Transition Metal) amorphous ribbons were prepared from the melts in order to investigate the magnetic properties. These samples have no magnetic moment, except for Al-Si-Mn amorphous alloys, showing no Curie-Weiss type temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility. Al-Si-Mn amorphous alloys exhibit a spin-glass like behavior such as a magnetic cooling effect. The very high electrical resistivity of Al-Si-Mn amorphous alloys is correlated to the magnetic and resonant scatterings. No microcrystalline precipitate was confirmed by electron microscope observation

Soft Magnetic Properties of Bulk Nanocrystalline Fe-(Zr, Hf)-B Alloys Produced by Extruding Amorphous Powders

The Bulk Fe_Zr_7B_3 and Fe_Hf_7B_4 alloys were prepared by extruding amorphous powders through utilizing a softening phenomenon of an amorphous alloy near the crystallization temperature. The extruded bulk alloys are composed of an amorphous phase containing a small amount of bcc phase in an as-extruded state and the structure changes to a mostly single bcc phase with grain sizes from 10 to 25 nm by annealing at 923 K. The soft magnetic properties of the bulk alloys are better for the alloys containing a smaller volume fraction of bcc phase in as-extruded state. The Fe_Zr_7B_3 alloy extruded at pressure of 860 MPa and temperature of 673 K has a high relative density above 99 %, and exhibits the permeabilities (μ_e) of 2350, flux density (B_) of 1.59 T and the coercivity (H_c) of 26 A/m

ラット凍結肩モデルを用いた経カテーテル的動脈塞栓術の効果に関する検討

Purpose: To assess the angiographic findings and the effects of transcatheter arterial embolization on physical activity and histopathology using a frozen shoulder rat model. Materials and methods: First, the angiographic and histopathologic findings of rats in which the shoulder was immobilized with molding plaster for 6 weeks (n = 4) were compared to control rats with normal non-immobilized shoulders (n = 4). Next, a total of 16 frozen shoulder rats were divided into 2 groups. In the transcatheter arterial embolization group (n = 8), imipenem/cilastatin was injected into the left thoracoacromial artery. The changes of physical activity before and after procedures were evaluated and compared with a saline-injected control group (n = 8). Histopathologic findings were also compared between the 2 groups. Results: Angiography revealed abnormal shoulder staining in all of the rats with a frozen shoulder. On histopathology, the numbers of microvessels and mononuclear inflammatory cells in the synovial membrane of the joint capsule were significantly higher compared with the control rats (both P = .03). In the transcatheter arterial embolization group, the running distance and speed were improved (P = .03 and P = .01, respectively), whereas there were no significant differences in the control group. The number of microvessels and mononuclear inflammatory cells in the transcatheter arterial embolization group were significantly lower than the control group (P = .002 and P = .001, respectively). Conclusions: The rat frozen shoulder model revealed the development of neovascularization. Transcatheter arterial embolization decreased the number of blood vessels and inflammatory changes in the frozen shoulder and increased the moving distance and speed of the rats.博士（医学）・甲第789号・令和3年3月15日Copyright © 2020 SIR(Society of Interventional Radiology). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Discrepancies in perception of fall risk between patients with subacute stroke and physical therapists in a rehabilitation hospital: a retrospective cohort study

Objective: Falls are one of the most common complications of a stroke. This study aimed to clarify the discrepancy between the perceived fall risk of hospitalized patients with stroke and the clinical judgment of physical therapists and to examine the changes in discrepancy during hospitalization.Design: Retrospective cohort study.Patients: This study included 426 patients with stroke admitted to a Japanese convalescent rehabilitation hospital between January 2019 and December 2020.Methods: The Falls Efficacy Scale-International was used to assess both patients’ and physical therapists’ perception of fall risk. The difference in Falls Efficacy Scale-International scores assessed by patients and physical therapists was defined as the discrepancy in fall risk, and its association with the incidence of falls during hospitalization was investigated.Results: Patients had a lower perception of fall risk than physical therapists at admission (p &lt; 0.001), and this trend continued at discharge (p &lt; 0.001). The discrepancy in fall risk perception was reduced at discharge for non-fallers and single fallers (p &lt; 0.001), whereas the difference remained in multiple fallers.Conclusion: Unlike physical therapists, patients underestimated their fall risk, especially patients who experienced multiple falls. These results may be useful for planning measures to prevent falls during hospitalization

Dynamics of rheumatoid joint

In the present communication the recent works done by the Rheumatism Research Group of Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University, are described. The principal findings may briefly be summarized as follows. 1. Pathohistological pictures of the synovial membrane are classified into six types. Among them, Fibrinoid type and Follicular-Fibrosis type are the representative ones of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. 2. For the evaluation of the systemic as well as the local activities in rheumatoid arthritis and for judging the therapeutic effect, some indices have been established. 3. Injection of steroid hormones into the local joints fails to give satisfactory results in advanced, chronic rheumatoid arthritis. In such instances the flushing of the joint with physiological saline solution is effective. 4. In the case of chronic rheumatoid arthritis where the inflammation of hand and phalangeal joints is marked, RA-test gives rapid and more intense reaction, and most of such cases are of Follicular-Fibrosis type. 5. When lymph follicles appearing in the synovial membrane are stained when methyl green pyronine, the arrangement of lymphoid cells and plasma cells becomes distinctly clear. By micro-autoradiographic observations it can be seen that ³H-thymindine injected into the joint cavity is mostly ingested by the lymphoid cells in lymph follicles. 6. In the observation by the fluorescent antibody method multinuclear leucocytes found in the joint fluid and in the peripheral blood react with 19S and 7S-gamma-globulins. 7. When the serum and the joint fluid of the patient with rheumatoid arthritis are fractionated, they separate into three peaks at 19S, 7S, and 4S. Both S. S. C. A.-test and L. F. T. tests reveal the peak at 19S. The serum of chronic hepatitis positive to RA-test and the serum of rheumatoid arthritis are found to react immunologically the same to anti-&#946;2 M globulin sheep serum. 8. When the reticulo-endothelial system of rat is blocked by 900,000 molecules of poly-vinyl-pyrroridon, the ability of antibody production is diminished. 9. Chemical synovectomy of injecting osmic acid is effective to FibrinoidCoating type. Its action mechanism lies in the complete cleaning of the surface of synovial membrane. 10. By radiating synovectomy with 193Au a fairly good result can be expected. 198Au is ingested by those cells in the surface layer of the synovial membrane and also by histiocytes in the synovial membrane. When 5 mc of 198Au are injected into the knee joint, a marked necrosis of the synovial membrane occurs. When 198Au is added to the ascites cells of rabbit during the tissue culture, in the concentration of over 14 &#956;C degeneration of these cells can be recognized. 11. From the examination results of prognosis on those 25 cases with 41 rheumatoid knee joints after surgical synovectomy, it is considered that this method is indicated for Follicular-Fibrosis type. Ones with rheumatoid knee joint of Fibrinoid-Coating type gold sol treatment should be resorted to. In the cases of hand joints, surgical synovectemy is to be recommended at a relatively early stage.</p

Clinical significance in the number of involved lymph nodes in patients that underwent surgery for pathological stage III-N2 non-small cell lung cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Purpose</p> <p>This study investigated whether the number of involved lymph nodes is associated with the prognosis in patients that underwent surgery for pathological stage (p-stage) III/N2 NSCLC.</p> <p>Subjects</p> <p>This study evaluated 121 patients with p-stage III/N2 NSCLC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The histological types included 65 adenocarcinomas, 39 squamous cell carcinomas and 17 others. The average number of dissected lymph nodes was 23.8 (range: 6-55). The average number of involved lymph nodes was 5.9 (range: 1-23). The 5-year survival rate of the patients was 51.0% for single lymph node positive, 58.9% for 2 lymph nodes positive, 34.2% for 3 lymph nodes positive, and 30.0% for 4 lymph nodes positive, and 20.4% for more than 5 lymph nodes positive. The patients with either single or 2 lymph nodes positive had a significantly more favorable prognosis than the patients with more than 5 lymph nodes positive. A multivariate analysis revealed that the number of involved lymph nodes was a significant independent prognostic factor.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Surgery appears to be preferable as a one arm of multimodality therapy in p-stage III/N2 patients with single or 2 involved lymph nodes. The optimal incorporation of surgery into the multimodality approach therefore requires further clinical investigation.</p