Quantitative Determination of Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase Metabolites in Human Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes by Reverse-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Quantitative analysis system of leukotriene B4, C4, D4 (LTB4, LTC4, LTD4), and 5-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE) by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography was developed. The lower limit of detection was 1 ng of each compound with a very close correlation between the amount of each compound and its peak height. Normal peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) stimulated with Ca ionophore A23187, produced detectable amounts of LTB4, LTC4, and 5-HETE, but no LTD4 was produced in this condition. This analysis system was useful for measuring LTB4, LTC4, LTD4, and HETEs from the biological samples

Ex vivo hepatic venography for hepatocellular carcinoma in livers explanted for liver transplantation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is supposed to have a venous drainage system to a portal vein, which makes intrahepatic metastasis possible. However, the mechanism of extrahepatic recurrence, including the possibility of a direct route to the systemic circulation from the HCC nodules, remains unclear. Therefore, we performed retrograde hepatic venography for HCC in livers that had been explanted for liver transplantation in order to explore the possible direct connection between the hepatic vein and HCC nodules.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Of 105 living-donor liver transplantations (LDLT) performed up to July, 2009 at the Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University Hospital, dynamic hepatic venography was performed with contrast media under fluoroscopy for the most recent 13 cases with HCC. The presence of a tumor stain for each HCC case was evaluated and compared with the histological findings of HCC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Hepatic venography revealed a tumor stain in 2 of 13 cases (15%). Neither showed any microscopic tumor invasion of HCC into the hepatic vein. In the other 11 cases, there were 4 microscopic portal venous invasions and 2 microscopic hepatic venous invasions. No patients have shown HCC recurrence in follow-up (median period, 13 months).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Using <it>ex vivo </it>hepatic venography, a direct connection to the hepatic vein from HCC in whole liver was revealed in 2 cases without demonstrated histopathological invasion to hepatic vein for the first time in the literature. The finding suggests that there is direct spillage of HCC cells into the systemic circulation via hepatic vein.</p

Cryo-Electron Microscopy Three-Dimensional Structure of the Jumbo Phage ΦRSL1 Infecting the Phytopathogen Ralstonia solanacearum

SummaryϕRSL1 jumbo phage belongs to a new class of viruses within the Myoviridae family. Here, we report its three-dimensional structure determined by electron cryo microscopy. The icosahedral capsid, the tail helical portion, and the complete tail appendage were reconstructed separately to resolutions of 9 Å, 9 Å, and 28 Å, respectively. The head is rather complex and formed by at least five different proteins, whereas the major capsid proteins resemble those from HK97, despite low sequence conservation. The helical tail structure demonstrates its close relationship to T4 sheath proteins and provides evidence for an evolutionary link of the inner tail tube to the bacterial type VI secretion apparatus. Long fibers extend from the collar region, and their length is consistent with reaching the host cell surface upon tail contraction. Our structural analyses indicate that ϕRSL1 is an unusual member of the Myoviridae that employs conserved protein machines related to different phages and bacteria

Control of hexagonal Modular Multilevel Converter for 3-phase BTB system

The Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) with cascaded full bridge cells is available for AC/AC transmission system without transformers in high voltage line. This research applied a Hexagonal MMC (H-MMC) to 3-phase AC-AC back-to-back (BTB) system. The H-MMC has six arm modules with floating capacitors and is required to regulate the input-output power and capacitor voltages by controlling currents in arm modules. Theory of the power flow of H-MMC is analyzed and the control scheme of the power flow and capacitor voltage regulation is proposed. Currents in the arm modules are controlled by the internal model principle and H-MMC can operate appropriately. Effectiveness of the proposed control method is presented in simulation and experiment.7th International Power Electronics Conference, IPEC-Hiroshima - ECCE Asia 2014; Hiroshima; Japan; 18 May 2014 through 21 May 201

SnRK1 Kinase and the NAC Transcription Factor SOG1 Are Components of a Novel Signaling Pathway Mediating the Low Energy Response Triggered by ATP Depletion

Plant growth is strictly controlled by cell division, elongation, and differentiation for which adequate supplies of intracellular ATP are required. However, it is unclear how changes in the amount of intracellular ATP affect cell division and growth. To reveal the specific pathway dependent on ATP concentration, we performed analyses on the Arabidopsis mitochondria mutation sd3. The mutant is tiny, a result of a low amount of ATP caused by the disruption of Tim21, a subunit of the TIM23 protein complex localized in the inner membrane of the mitochondria. Loss of function of suppressor of gamma response 1 (SOG1) also restored the dwarf phenotype of wild type treated with antimycin A, a blocker of ATP synthesis in mitochondria. The sd3 phenotype is partially restored by the introduction of sog1, suppressor of gamma response 1, and kin10/kin11, subunits of Snf1-related kinase 1 (SnRK1). Additionally, SOG1 interacted with SnRK1, and was modified by phosphorylation in planta only after treatment with antimycin A. Transcripts of several negative regulators of the endocycle were up-regulated in the sd3 mutant, and this high expression was not observed in sd3sog1 and sd3kin11. We suggest that there is a novel regulatory mechanism for the control of plant cell cycle involving SnRK1 and SOG1, which is induced by low amounts of intracellular ATP, and controls plant development

A new equation to estimate basal energy expenditure of patients with diabetes

[Background & aims]Predictive equations for basal energy expenditure (BEE) derived from Caucasians tend to overestimate BEE in non-Caucasians. The aim of this study was to develop a more suitable method to estimate BEE in Japanese patients with diabetes using indices readily measured in clinical practice. [Methods]BEE was measured by indirect calorimetry under a strict basal condition in 68 Japanese patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The best fitting equation was investigated by multiple regression analysis using of age, sex, and anthropometric indices. The resultant new equation was tested in a separate group of 60 Japanese patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, and the accuracy compared with existing equations. [Results]The best-fit equation was BEE [kcal/day] = 10 × (body weight)[kg] – 3 × (age)[y] + 125 (if male) + 750. Adjusted coefficient of determination was 81.0%. Root mean squared errors and accurate prediction in the validation set were 103 kcal/day and 78% for the new equation; 184 and 50 for Harris-Benedict; 209 and 38 for Oxford; 205 and 42 for Liu; and 140 and 63 for Ganpule. [Conclusions]This new equation is simpler and estimates BEE more accurately in Japanese patients with diabetes than the presently used equations do

Risk factors for excessive postoperative exo-drift after unilateral lateral rectus muscle recession and medial rectus muscle resection for intermittent exotropia

Background: To detect significant factors associated with excessive postoperative exo-drift in young patients with intermittent exotropia who had undergone unilateral lateral rectus muscle recession and medial rectus muscle resection. Methods: We retrospectively examined the records of 64 consecutive patients Results: Younger patients (P = 0.007), and those with larger preoperative exo-deviation at distance (P = 0.033), a lower incidence of peripheral fusion at distance (P = 0.021) or a greater postoperative initial eso-deviation (P = 0.001), were significantly more likely to have an excessive postoperative exo-drift (> 20 prism diopters). Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between excessive postoperative exo-drift and age at surgery (P = 0.004), preoperative exo-deviation at distance (P = 0.017) and postoperative initial eso-deviation at distance (P Conclusions: Postoperative exodrift in unilateral RR is predicted by the initial postoperative eso-deviation, which may offset the overcorrection. However, the exo-drift is greater in cases with a large preoperative exo-deviation and/or at a younger age, and should be followed carefully

Quantitative Analysis of the Effects of a Bangerter Filter on Gross Stereopsis in Experimental Models of Reduced Visual Acuity

Although a 0.3 Bangerter filter, which reduces visual acuity, is frequently used for treating moderate amblyopia, the effects on gross stereopsis are not well known. This study quantitatively evaluated whether gross stereopsis is degraded by a Bangerter filter. Seven healthy subjects (median age: 29 years) participated in this psychophysical study. Targets with crossed disparities of 1°, 2°, 3°, 4°, and 5° were randomly presented on a three-dimensional television display. The subjects indicated the point at which the targets popped out from the television screen (matching method). The distance from the screen to the point was defined as the degree of stereopsis. This experiment was performed with and without a 0.3 Bangerter filter. The corrected monocular visual acuities were decreased to about 20/63 by the filter in all subjects. No significant difference was observed for any of the disparities (1°-5°), between the degree of stereopsis visualized with and without filters for either the dominant or the non-dominant eye. The degree of stereopsis was not degraded by the reduced visual acuity induced by the use of 0.3 Bangerter filters. In this regard, the use of 0.3 Bangerter filters may be considered safer than occlusion eye patches for the patients with normal binocular vision

Formulas to Estimate Appropriate Surgical Amounts of Unilateral Recession-Resection in Intermittent Exotropia with Distance-Near Disparity

The purpose of this study was to derive new formulas to provide an optimal surgical procedure and optimal amount of recession-resection (RR) surgery in intermittent exotropia (IXT) with a disparity in angle of deviation depending on the fixation distance. The records of 117 consecutive patients with IXT who underwent RR surgery between March 2008 and December 2011 at Okayama University Hospital were retrospectively examined. Multivariable linear regression analysis was performed using the observed corrective angle of deviation at distance or near fixation as the dependent variable, and amounts of lateral rectus muscle (LR) recession (mm) and medial rectus muscle (MR) resection, and age at surgery (years) as independent variables. Two simultaneous formulas were derived: corrective angle of deviation at distance fixation (°)=1.8×recession (mm)+1.6× resection (mm)+0.15×age (years)–6.6, and corrective angle at near fixation (°)=1.5×recession (mm)+1.7× resection (mm)+0.18×age (years)–3.8. Comparisons of coefficient values of the formulas between distance and near fixation revealed that LR recession was more affected by the corrective angle in distance than near fixation. MR resection was more affected at near than distance fixation. We found that our new formulas estimated the appropriate amount of unilateral RR surgery