Reactivity of Blood Samples Spotted onto Filter Papers in the WST-8 Method for Screening of G6PD Deficiency.

Deficiency of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) causes acute hemolytic anemia triggered by oxidative drugs such as primaquine. It is therefore essential in malaria-endemic areas for malaria patients to be confirmed for their G6PD activity before taking primaquine. The WST-8 method, a newly established screening method for G6PD deficiency, has been demonstrated to be suitable for field conditions, particularly for on-site malaria surveys. Here we report a laboratory evaluation by this method of the reactivity of blood-spotted filters. A time-course experiment was conducted to evaluate the reactivity of blood samples spotted onto 4 types of filter paper, Whatman 31ET Chr (ET), 3MM Chr (3MM), P81, and Advantec No. 2 (AD2). The rank of the relative reaction intensity was ET &#62; 3MM = AD2 &#62; P81. Blood-spotted filters stored at 4 degrees centigrade gradually decreased G6PD reactivity with the passage of storage time, whereas those stored at room temperature rapidly reduced their reactivity. Unexpectedly, saponin supplementation reduced the reactivity of blood-spotted filters. In conclusion, 1) ET is the most suitable filter for the WST-8 method ; 2) blood-spotted filters stored in cold condition can be assayed within 14 days, or those stored at room temperature should be tested within 3 days ; and 3) reaction mixtures should not contain saponin.</p

A high-fat diet aggravates tubulointerstitial but not glomerular lesions in obese Zucker rats

A high-fat diet aggravates tubulointerstitial but not glomerular lesions in obese Zucker ratsBackgroundDespite a large body of evidence that manipulation of dietary fat alters glomerular lesions, reports regarding the effects of dietary fat on tubulointerstitial lesions are limited. Obese Zucker rats (OZR) spontaneously develop glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions in association with hyperlipidemia. We sought to elucidate the effects of dietary fat on glomerular and tubulointerstitial lesions in OZR versus lean Zucker rats (LZR) and to assess the involvement of macrophages in the development of these lesions.MethodsWe fed LZR and OZR either a low- (1%) or high-fat (20%) diet. After 30 weeks of the specified diet, the creatinine clearance (CCr) and renal histology as well as plasma lipid concentrations were examined. For morphological evaluation, glomerular sclerosis (GSI) and tubulointerstitial indices (TII) were each determined by a point-counting method. Infiltrating macrophages were stained immunohistochemically using an avidin-biotin complex technique.ResultsThe high-fat diet increased the plasma low-density lipoprotein concentration in OZR. Both low- and high-fat OZR groups had higher GSI and TII than LZR receiving either diet. The high-fat diet aggravated TII but not GSI or CCr in OZR; conversely, high fat intake worsened GSI and CCr but not TII in LZR. Tubulointerstitial macrophages were most prominent in the high-fat OZR group, followed by the low-fat OZR group. Glomerular macrophages were similar in number in all groups.ConclusionsThe manipulation of dietary fat has diverse effects on the kidney. A high-fat diet aggravated macrophage-mediated tubulointerstitial lesions in OZR, whereas in LZR, the diet induced glomerulosclerosis

通塾が中学生の就寝時間や疲労感に与える影響に関する研究

To investigate the influence of attending juku on bedtime and cumulative fatigue symptoms, questionnaires were administered to 163 students in a junior high school in Aichi Prefecture. Cumulative fatigue were assessed by using the Cumulative Fatigue Symptoms Index (CFSI). The results were as follows : 1) Approximately 70 percent of students attended some kind of juku, 40 percent of which changed bedtime when attending juku. No tendency was found between the change in supper time and the change in bedtime. 2) As a result, in the group whose bedtime got late when attending juku, the average rates of those who complained of symptoms within chronic tiredness rose. On the other hand, in the group without attending juku the average rates of those who complained of symptoms within physical disorders, decreased vitality, decreased willingness to study, irritability were higher than those in the group attending juku. 3) The complaint rates of load and tiredness were high in the group who usually goes to bed after 0 a. m.. 4) Average rates of those who complained of symptoms within many categories were high in the group without attending juku and usually going to bed from 11 p. m. to 0 a. m. On the other hand, average rates of those who complained of symptoms within irritability were a little high in the group who usually goes to bed from 11 p. m. to 0 a. m. and got late bedtime with attending juku

A Predictive Factor of the Quality of Microarray Comparative Genomic Hybridization Analysis for Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Archival Tissue

Utilizing formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) archival tissue, the most common form of tissue preservation in routine practice, for cytogenetic analysis using microarray comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) remains challenging. We searched for a predictive factor of the performance of FFPE DNA in aCGH analysis. DNA was extracted from 63 FFPE archival tissue samples of various tissue types (31 breast cancers, 24 lung cancers, and 8 thyroid tumors), followed by aCGH analysis using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays. Tumor DNA from matched frozen samples and from FFPE samples after whole-genome amplification were also analyzed in 2 and 4 case, respectively. The derivative log ratio spread (DLRSpread) was used to assess the overall quality of each aCGH result. The DLRSpread correlated significantly with the double-stranded DNA ratio of tumor DNA, storage time, and the degree of labeling with Cy5 (P<0.0001; correlation coefficients=-0.796, 0.551, -0.481, respectively). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the double-stranded DNA ratio of tumor DNA is the most significant predictive factor of DLRSpread (regression coefficient=-0.4798; P=<0.0001). The cytogenetic profiles of FFPE and matched frozen samples showed good concordance. Although the double-stranded DNA ratios were increased after whole-genome amplification, the DLRSpread was not improved. The double-stranded DNA ratio can be used to predict the performance of aCGH analysis for DNA from FFPE samples. Using this quality metric, valuable FFPE archival tissue samples can be utilized for aCGH analysis

Cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine as a novel biomarker for predicting prognosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: a prospective observational study

[Background] Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrotic lung disease that leads to respiratory failure and death. Although there is a greater understanding of the etiology of this disease, accurately predicting the disease course in individual patients is still not possible. This study aimed to evaluate serum cytokines/chemokines as potential biomarkers that can predict outcomes in IPF patients. [Methods] A multi-institutional prospective two-stage discovery and validation design using two independent cohorts was adopted. For the discovery analysis, serum samples from 100 IPF patients and 32 healthy controls were examined using an unbiased, multiplex immunoassay of 48 cytokines/chemokines. The serum cytokine/chemokine values were compared between IPF patients and controls; the association between multiplex measurements and survival time was evaluated in IPF patients. In the validation analysis, the cytokines/chemokines identified in the discovery analysis were examined in serum samples from another 81 IPF patients to verify the ability of these cytokines/chemokines to predict survival. Immunohistochemical assessment of IPF-derived lung samples was also performed to determine where this novel biomarker is expressed. [Results] In the discovery cohort, 18 cytokines/chemokines were significantly elevated in sera from IPF patients compared with those from controls. Interleukin-1 receptor alpha (IL-1Rα), interleukin-8 (IL-8), macrophage inflammatory protein 1 alpha (MIP-1α), and cutaneous T-cell-attracting chemokine (CTACK) were associated with survival: IL-1Rα, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04 per 10 units, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.01–1.07; IL-8, HR = 1.04, 95% CI 1.01–1.08; MIP-1α, HR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.00–1.36; and CTACK, HR = 1.12 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.02–1.21. A replication analysis was performed only for CTACK because others were previously reported to be potential biomarkers of interstitial lung diseases. In the validation cohort, CTACK was associated with survival: HR = 1.14 per 100 units, 95% CI 1.01–1.28. Immunohistochemistry revealed the expression of CTACK and CC chemokine receptor 10 (a ligand of CTACK) in airway and type II alveolar epithelial cells of IPF patients but not in those of controls. [Conclusions] CTACK is a novel prognostic biomarker of IPF

¹³⁷Csで汚染された廃棄物の減容化で生じた濃縮Csを固定化する材料としてのメタカオリン由来ジオポリマー

Cs-loaded geopolymer, cation exchangeable amorphous aluminosilicate prepared by mixing metakaolin, water glass and water-soluble CsCl at ambient temperature, was found to immobilize Cs strongly and to release it bery slowly into sea water. The leaching test of geopolymer containing 9.1% by mass of Cs showed that geopolymer prepared from 10 : 15 weight ratio of metakaolin and water glass held more than 97% of Cs after prolonged immersion in deionized water. The leaching restarted in seawater, though the effective diffusion coefficient for Cs leaching was as low as 1.96×10⁻⁵cm²/h. The theoretical analysis of the leaching process including ionic diffusion and ion exchanging revealed that the slow release was due to the high selectivity coefficient of cation exchange sites for Cs+ adsorption and much higher concentration of adsorbed cations in the pore solution of geopolymer than that of cations penetrated from sea water. The low leaching ratio in deionized water and the slow leaching rate in seawater indicate that geopolymer is possible to be used as an immobilizer-solidifier for concentrated Cs generated by volume reduction of ¹³⁷Cs-contaminated waste.メタカオリンと水ガラスや苛性ソーダなどのアルカリ源に水溶性のCsCl を加えて室温で固化したカチオン交換性非晶質アルミノケイ酸塩であるCs担持ジオポリマーは、Csを固定化するとともに、海水中でも非常にゆっくりとしかCs放出をしないことが分かった。メタカオリンと水ガラスの混合比が10:15でCs を9.1重量%含むジオポリマーは脱イオン水中で97%以上のCsを永続的に保持する。海水中でのCs漏出は非常に遅く、漏出の実効拡散係数は1.96×10⁻⁵ cm²/h だった。漏出が非常に遅いのは、ジオポリマー細孔中での吸着カチオンの実効濃度が海水濃度に比べて非常に高く、かつジオポリマーのカチオン交換基のCsイオン選択係数が非常に高いので、海水イオン－吸着Csイオン間のイオン交換が非常に遅くなるためであることが分かった。 漏出が非常に遅いため、ジオポリマーは¹³⁷Cs汚染廃棄物の減容処理で生じたCs濃縮物の固定化材として使用できることが判明した

What do Japanese residents learn from treating dying patients? The implications for training in end-of-life care

Abstract Background How medical residents’ experiences with care for dying patients affect their emotional well-being, their learning outcomes, and the formation of their professional identities is not fully understood. We examine residents’ emotional states and learning occurring during the provision of care to dying patients and specifically discuss the impact of providing end-of-life (EOL) care on professional identity formation. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 residents who had graduated in the last 3 to 5 years. Thematic theoretical analysis was applied, and key themes were developed based on Kolb’s experiential learning cycle. Results Eight key themes emerged from the analysis. The residents experienced dilemmas in confronting the reality of medical uncertainty as well as a disruption of emotional state and self-efficacy. Although the residents felt a sense of helplessness and guilt, they were able to reflect on strategies for handling medical care that focused on patients and that required a truly sincere attitude. They also contemplated the importance of palliative care and communication with patients, patients’ family members and medical staff. Building on these experiences, the residents rebuilt a sense of awareness that allowed them to directly engage with the type of medical care that they are likely to be called upon to perform in the future as the population continues to age. Conclusions This study revealed Japanese residents’ perceptions, emotions and learning processes in caring for dying patients by applying Kolb’s experiential learning theory. The findings of this study may illuminate valuable pieces of knowledge for future education in EOL care