Development of Severe Hyponatremia due to Salt-Losing Nephropathy after Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer

A 72-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for esophagectomy for esophageal cancer. On the third postoperative day, she developed polyuria (3.8 L/day), massive natriuresis, hyponatremia (112 mEq/L), hyperkalemia (5.6 mEq/L), and decreased central venous pressure, which was refractory to isotonic saline infusion. Laboratory findings indicated proximal tubular injury (high urinary β2-microglobulin, coexistence of hypouricemia) together with reduced aldosterone action at the cortical collecting duct. A diagnosis of salt-losing nephropathy was made and sodium correction was done with 3% saline and fludrocortisone. She responded well to therapy. The cause of hyponatremia was considered renal tubular dysfunction together with elevated antidiuretic hormone level. Postoperatively, it is important to look for the development of salt-losing nephropathy

Dual induction of caspase 3- and transglutaminase-dependent apoptosis by acyclic retinoid in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma has a high mortality rate due to its rate of recurrence. Acyclic retinoid prevents recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients after surgical removal of their primary tumors by inducing apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, although the molecular mechanisms of action are not understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in culture, as well as nude mice transplanted with hepatocellular carcinoma cells and rats given with <it>N</it>-diethylnitrosamine were treated with acyclic retinoid. Changes in activated caspase 3 and transglutaminase 2 (TG2) levels, Sp1 cross-linking and its activities, expression of epidermal growth factor receptor, and apoptotic levels were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Acyclic retinoid simultaneously stimulated the activation of caspase 3, and the expression, nuclear localization and crosslinking activity of TG2, resulting in crosslinking and inactivation of the transcription factor, Sp1, thereby reducing expression of epidermal growth factor receptor and cell death in three hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. These effects were partially restored by a caspase inhibitor, transfection of antisense TG2, restoration of functional Sp1, or an excess of epidermal growth factor. Nuclear expression of TG2 and crosslinked Sp1, as also activated caspase 3 were found in both hepatocellular carcinoma cells transplanted into nude mice and cancerous regions within the liver in <it>N</it>-diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis model in rats, following treatment of animals with acyclic retinoid.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Treatment with acyclic retinoid produces a dual activation of caspase 3 and TG2 induced apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells via modification and inactivation of Sp1, resulting in reduced expression of epidermal growth factor receptor.</p

Glutathione adducts induced by ischemia and deletion of glutaredoxin-1 stabilize HIF-1α and improve limb revascularization

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are increased in ischemic tissues and necessary for revascularization; however, the mechanism remains unclear. Exposure of cysteine residues to ROS in the presence of glutathione (GSH) generates GSH-protein adducts that are specifically reversed by the cytosolic thioltransferase, glutaredoxin-1 (Glrx). Here, we show that a key angiogenic transcriptional factor hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α is stabilized by GSH adducts, and the genetic deletion of Glrx improves ischemic revascularization. In mouse muscle C2C12 cells, HIF-1α protein levels are increased by increasing GSH adducts with cell-permeable oxidized GSH (GSSG-ethyl ester) or 2-acetylamino-3-[4-(2-acetylamino-2-carboxyethylsulfanyl thiocarbonylamino) phenylthiocarbamoylsulfanyl] propionic acid (2-AAPA), an inhibitor of glutathione reductase. A biotin switch assay shows that GSSG-ester-induced HIF-1α contains reversibly modified thiols, and MS confirms GSH adducts on Cys520 (mouse Cys533). In addition, an HIF-1α Cys520 serine mutant is resistant to 2-AAPA–induced HIF-1α stabilization. Furthermore, Glrx overexpression prevents HIF-1α stabilization, whereas Glrx ablation by siRNA increases HIF-1α protein and expression of downstream angiogenic genes. Blood flow recovery after femoral artery ligation is significantly improved in Glrx KO mice, associated with increased levels of GSH-protein adducts, capillary density, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A, and HIF-1α in the ischemic muscles. Therefore, Glrx ablation stabilizes HIF-1α by increasing GSH adducts on Cys520 promoting in vivo HIF-1α stabilization, VEGF-A production, and revascularization in the ischemic muscle

Production and crystallization of lobster muscle tropomyosin expressed in Sf9 cells

AbstractA new form of muscle tropomyosin crystal has been obtained, by employing new strategies in protein preparation and crystallization. Non-polymerizable tropomyosin was prepared by removing 11 amino acids at the C-terminus. The truncated tropomyosin was expressed in Sf9 insect cells by use of the baculovirus-based expression system, to obtain highly homogeneous protein preparations. By routinely monitoring homogeneity by mass spectrometry, we found that the homogeneity played a key role in obtaining good crystals. The crystal quality was also dependent on isoforms; the crystals raised from a slow muscle-specific isoform diffracted to a higher resolution, compared with a fast muscle-specific counterpart. For crystallization, a high concentration of organic solvent was used as the precipitant; in the presence of 35% DMSO, tetragonal crystals were formed, which belong to space group P43(1)212 with cell constants of a = b = 105.6 Å, c = 506.9 Å. The crystals gave rise to reflections the intensities of which were characteristically determined by the transform of α-helical coiled-coil. Thus in the region of 10-5.5 Å resolution along the c∗-axis, the reflections were weak. For accurate measurement of these reflection intensities, beam-line ID2 in ESRF Grenoble was advantageous owing to the high brilliance and a low background. There the crystals diffracted to beyond 3.0 Å along the c∗-axis, whereas along the a∗–b∗-plane reflections were limited to 6.6 Å. Data analysis is under way on a data set from a PtCl4 derivative

市町村有林野ならびに財産区有林野の成立事情と現況

1)市町村有林野ならびに財産区有林野成立の沿革は, 旧部落有林野の収奪の歴史である。2)今次の町村合併に伴い旧市町村有林野の移動状況は, 全国移動市町村数延5,640のうち, 無条件新市町村移管45.7%, 財産区設定18.9%, 条件付新市町村移管16.9%, 残りの18.5%は旧市町村間の部落, 個人, 会社などの所有となつた。3)市町村有林野の現況は, 全国で林野所有市町村数3,610,その所有面積2,107千町, うち立木地81.3%, 無立木地18.7%, 一市町村あたり584町となつている。4)財産区有林野の現況は, 財産区のある市町村数は全国で656,その財産区数2,049,一市町村あたり3となる。所有面積646千町, うち立木地82.5%, 無立木地17.5%, 一財産区あたり315町となつている。1) History of the formation of municipal management forest and property ward management forest is a history of deprivation of hamlet forest. 2) As a result of recent merger of municipalties (cities, towns or villages), there has been a change in forest ownership as under; of 5,640 municipalties all over the country, unconditional transfer to the new municipalties 45.7%, establishment of property ward 18.9%, conditional transfer to the new municipalties 16.9% and remaining 18.5% fell into possession of hamlets, individuals, companies, etc. in the former municipalties. 3) Number of municipal ties own forests at present amount to 3,610 all ove the country, covering total area of 2,090,000 hectare. Of this, 81.3% is non-stocked land and 18.7% stocked land. Each municipalty has average 579 hectare. 4) All over the country, 656 municipalties have property ward which amount to 2,049 in number, averaging 3 per municipalty. Total area owned is 641,000 hectare, including stocked land 82.5% and non-stocked land 17.5%. Each property ward has average 313 hectare

The utility and limitations of an ultrasonic miniprobe in the staging of gastric cancer

To determine the utility and limitations of an ultrasonic miniprobe (UMP) in the staging of gastric cancer, we evaluated 46 patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) using an UMP and who were histologically determined to have gastric cancers. In every case, UMP findings were compared with histopathological findings after treatment. The total accuracy of UMP relative to the depth of tumor invasion was71.7% (33/46 cases). Accuracy with respect to T1-m tumor diagnosis was 75.7% (22/29cases), and for T1-sm, 76.9% (10/13 cases), but accuracy for T2 tumor diagnosis was low, due to ultrasound attenuation. When the analysis was carried out based on the size of tumor, the accuracy for UMP was 50.0% (9/18cases) for all tumors over 20mm and 85.7%(24/28 cases) for all tumors smaller than 20mm. We conclude that UMP is suitable for investigation of tumor extension when the lesion is superficial and / or small gastric cancers which do not cause ultrasonic attenuation, but not when the tumor is large or located in certain sites, although conventional EUS is useful in some of these cases

三重県における地域別食生活実態の公衆栄養学的考察(第4報) : 三重県下鈴鹿市立庄野小学校および阿山郡大山田村立東小学校児童の家庭における栄養摂取状態と学校給食のあり方についての検討

A nutrition survey was made of children\u27s household foods with all sixth graders (36 pupils in 1978; 25 pupils in 1979) at Suzuka Municipal Shono Primary School, Suzuka City, Mie prefecture and all fifth and sixth graders (17 pupils in 1978 ; 22 pupils in 1979) at Ohyamada Village Higashi Primary School, Ayama County, Awa District over a period of three consecutive days in May in 1978 and 1979 each. (1) Regarding the children\u27s nutritional intake from their household foods, nutrients of which the quantities did not differ significantly from or significantly exceeded the standard quantities in common at each of the schools and in each of the years were energy, proteins and animal proteins, whereas those of which the quanties differed significantly from and were significantly below the standard quantities were calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C. Especially at Ohyamada Village Higashi Primary School, which is situated among mountains, fat, vitamin B_1 and vitamin C tended to be deficient in each of the years. Even in the case of the foregoing nutrients of which the intake quantities exceeded the standard quantities, however, in terms of individuals, there were none-theless pretty large number of children whose nutritional intake of the nutrients was below the standard quantities. (2) It was found that those deficient nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B_1, vitamin B_2 and so forth, that were confirmed in this survey of the children\u27s nutritional intake from their household foods, were all complemented by those bread, milk, subsidiary articles of died, and vitamins added to them for fortification that were provided by school lunch services. The nutrients lacking in the home meals of the children were found to be supplied by the school lunches. Thus, if school lunches are not provided, many of the children can be assumed to become undernourished