40 research outputs found

    Anderson's disease/chylomicron retention disease in a Japanese patient with uniparental disomy 7 and a normal SAR1B gene protein coding sequence

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Anderson's Disease (AD)/Chylomicron Retention Disease (CMRD) is a rare hereditary hypocholesterolemic disorder characterized by a malabsorption syndrome with steatorrhea, failure to thrive and the absence of chylomicrons and apolipoprotein B48 post-prandially. All patients studied to date exhibit a mutation in the <it>SAR1B </it>gene, which codes for an essential component of the vesicular coat protein complex II (COPII) necessary for endoplasmic reticulum to Golgi transport. We describe here a patient with AD/CMRD, a normal <it>SAR1B </it>gene protein coding sequence and maternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 7 (matUPD7).</p> <p>Methods and Results</p> <p>The patient, one of two siblings of a Japanese family, had diarrhea and steatorrhea beginning at five months of age. There was a white duodenal mucosa upon endoscopy. Light and electron microscopy showed that the intestinal villi were normal but that they had lipid laden enterocytes containing accumulations of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm and lipoprotein-size particles in membrane bound structures. Although there were decreased amounts in plasma of total- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins AI and B and vitamin E levels, the triglycerides were normal, typical of AD/CMRD. The presence of low density lipoproteins and apolipoprotein B in the plasma, although in decreased amounts, ruled out abetalipoproteinemia. The parents were asymptomatic with normal plasma cholesterol levels suggesting a recessive disorder and ruling out familial hypobetalipoproteinemia. Sequencing of genomic DNA showed that the 8 exons of the <it>SAR1B </it>gene were normal. Whole genome SNP analysis and karyotyping revealed matUPD7 with a normal karyotype. In contrast to other cases of AD/CMRD which have shown catch-up growth following vitamin supplementation and a fat restricted diet, our patient exhibits continued growth delay and other aspects of the matUPD7 and Silver-Russell Syndrome phenotypes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This patient with AD/CMRD has a normal <it>SAR1B </it>gene protein coding sequence which suggests that factors other than the SAR1B protein may be crucial for chylomicron secretion. Further, this patient exhibits matUPD7 with regions of homozygosity which might be useful for elucidating the molecular basis of the defect(s) in this individual. The results provide novel insights into the relation between phenotype and genotype in these diseases and for the mechanisms of secretion in the intestine.</p

    Development of a novel automatic ascites filtration and concentration equipment with multi‐ring‐type roller pump units for cell‐free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy

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    Cell‐free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy (CART) is an effective therapy for refractory ascites. However, CART is difficult to perform as ascites filtration and concentration is a complicated procedure. Moreover, the procedure requires the constant assistance of a clinical engineer or/and the use of an expensive equipment for the multi‐purpose blood processing. Therefore, we developed a CART specialized equipment (mobility CART [M‐CART]) that could be used safely with various safety measures and automatic functions such as automatic washing of clogged filtration filter and self‐regulation of the concentration ratio. Downsizing, lightning of the weight, and automatic processing in M‐CART required the use of newly developed multi‐ring‐type roller pump units. This equipment was approved under Japanese regulations in 2018. In performing 41 sessions of CART (for malignant ascites, 22 sessions; and hepatic ascites, 19 sessions) using this equipment in 17 patients, no serious adverse event occurred. An average of 4494 g of ascites was collected and the total amount of ascites was processed in all the sessions without any trouble. The mean weight of the processed ascites was 560 g and the mean concentration ratio was 8.0. The ascites were processed at a flow rate of 50 mL/min. The mean ascites processing time was 112.5 minutes and a 106.5‐minutes (95.2%) ascites processing was performed automatically. The operator responded to alarms or support information 3.2 times on average (3.1 minutes, 2.1% of ascites processing time). Human errors related to ascites processing were detected by M‐CART at 0.4 times per session on average and were appropriately addressed by the operator. The frequencies of automatic washing of clogged filtration filter and self‐regulation of the concentration ratio were 31.7% and 53.7%, respectively. The mean recovery rates (recovery dose) of protein, albumin, and immunoglobulin G were 72.9%, 72.9%, and 71.2% (65.9 g, 34.9 g, and 13.2 g), respectively. Steroids were administered in 92.7% of the sessions to prevent fever and the mean increase in body temperature was 0.53°C. M‐CART is a compact and lightweight automatic CART specialized equipment that can safely and easily process a large quantity of ascites without the constant assistance of an operator

    Preferences of young physicians at community hospitals regarding academic research training through graduate school: a cross-sectional research.

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    [Background] Desire to attend graduate school for academic research training following the mandatory two-year clinical internship is unknown among young Japanese physicians who work at community hospitals after their internship. The aim of this study is to determine opinions and factors regarding pursuing higher education through graduate school among young physicians who work at community hospitals after their two-year internship. [Methods] This cross-sectional survey was conducted among young physicians working at community hospitals after their two-year internship. We examined the percentage of young physicians considering higher education through graduate school, the planned timing and field of enrollment among those wanting to enroll, and reasons for not continuing their education among those with no such plans. The association between desire to enroll in graduate school and background characteristics was examined using modified least-squares regression to estimate proportion difference. [Results] Among 127 (73.2 % internal medicine specialists, median age 30 years) physicians in 33 hospitals, 71 (55.9 %) stated that they wished to enroll in graduate school. The most frequently reported timing was 7–8 years after graduation from medical school. Those who stated no desire to attend graduate school cited concerns about the quality of training or not having enough knowledge to choose an appropriate laboratory or field, among other reasons. Increased number of years since graduating medical school [adjusted proportion difference (PD) −6.0 %, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) −9.8 to −2.3 %], being a woman with children [adjusted PD −53.4 %, 95 % CI −87.3 to −19.5 % (vs. a man not having children)], and completing their two-year internship at both university and community hospitals [adjusted PD −40.3 %, 95 % CI −72.5 to −8.0 % (vs. internship only at community hospitals)] were associated with a reduction in desire to enroll in graduate school. [Conclusions] We identified a growing trend in desire among young physicians to attend graduate school. Attracting those young physicians who express no desire to attend graduate school, however, will require establishment of more flexible graduate school programs which address their concerns

    Aleukemic leukemia cutis in a patient with Philadelphia chromosome-positive biphenotypic leukemia.

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    Aleukemic leukemia cutis is a rare condition characterized by the invasion of leukemic blasts into the skin before their appearance in the peripheral blood. Leukemia cutis usually occurs in patients with myeloid leukemia, especially the myelomonocytic and monocytic types of acute myeloblastic leukemia. We describe the case of a 62-year-old woman with aleukemic leukemia cutis who developed Philadelphia-positive acute leukemia 1 month after skin involvement. Leukemic cells expressed both myeloid and B-cell lineage surface markers, and monoclonal rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain was detected by Southern blot analysis. This report is the first of a case of aleukemic leukemia cutis preceding Philadelphia-positive biphenotypic leukemia
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