Pulmonary and systemic responses of highly pure and well-dispersed single-wall carbon nanotubes after intratracheal instillation in rats

The present study was conducted to assess the pulmonary and systemic responses in rats after intratracheal instillation of highly pure, well-dispersed, and well-characterized SWCNTs. Exposure to SWCNTs up to 2mg/kg did not produce mortality, changes in clinical signs, or body weights during the observation period. Dose-dependent changes were observed in the lung weight, BALF inflammatory cells, and biochemical parameters such as LDH value, protein content, IL-1β and IL-6 activity, and histopathology. In the 0.04 mg/kg SWCNT-exposed group, almost no changes were observed during the observation period. In the 0.2 mg/kg SWCNT-exposed group, pulmonary inflammatory responses were observed after instillation. In the 1 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg SWCNT-exposed group, acute lung inflammation and subsequent granuloma accompanied by increased lung weights were observed. Furthermore, the histopathological findings in the lungs of rats exposed to SWCNTs showed inflammatory responses related with the vital reaction to the foreign substance that was instilled intratracheally, and there were no fibrosis, atypical lesion, or tumor-related findings even at the highest dose (2 mg/kg) of SWCNT-exposed groups up to 6 months after instillation. For all groups, histopathological changes due to the instillation exposure of SWCNTs were observed only in the lungs and lung-associated lymph nodes and not in the other tissues examined (i.e. the liver, kidney, spleen, and cerebrum)

Effects of L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate, a Cysteine Pro-drug, on Teratogenicity of 5-fluorouracil in Mice

Embryotoxicity and teratogenicity of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and modulation of its effect by L-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate (OTC), a cysteine pro-drug, were evaluated in mice. Pregnant ICR mice were intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected with 25 mg/kg of 5-FU on day 11 of gestation (vaginal plug = day 0). Mice were pretreated i.p. with 950 mg/kg of OTC 4 hours before dosing with 5-FU. Dams were killed on day 17 of gestation. Fetuses were examined for external malformations, especially limb malformations. Pretreatment with OTC decreased the frequency and severity of oligodactyly induced by 5-FU, although the differences were not significant statistically. There was little difference in either liver glutathione levels, or body weight gain during gestation of dams between the 5-FU group and the 5-FU plus OTC group. Fetal mortality and fetal weight of the group treated with 5-FU alone were comparable with those of the group pretreated with OTC. In the present study, teratogenicity of 5-FU seemed to be slightly mitigated with OTC pretreatment

Prognostic value of phase analysis on gated single photon emission computed tomography in patients with cardiac sarcoidosis

Background We aimed to determine the correlation between phase analysis, reflecting the heterogeneity of perfusion defects, and the dyssynchrony of the left ventricle wall motion, and adverse cardiac events in cardiac sarcoidosis (CS) patients. Methods Fifty-seven consecutive patients with diagnosed CS (64 [IQR 55-71] years old, 14 males), who underwent F-18-FDG PET/CT and ECG-gated SPECT, were studied. FDG PET was analysed to measure cardiac metabolic volume (CMV), and total lesion glycolysis (TLG). The SPECT findings, such as LVEF, Summed Rest Score (SRS), bandwidth (BW) were evaluated. Results The median of BW was 56 degrees (IQR 40-95). BW showed a strong inverse correlation with LVEF (r = - 0.60, P 56 degrees) than the low BW group (BW <= 56 degrees) (15.1%/years vs. 4.4%/years, P = 0.025). In multivariable analysis, BW was a significant independent predictor of MACE (P = 0.015). Conclusion Phase analysis on gated SPECT was a significant and independent predictor of MACE in patients with CS

シリンジポンプのバッテリーの点検方法と動作時間

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電気メスの高周波漏れ電流測定について

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