An African pygmy hedgehog adenovirus 1 (AhAdV-1) outbreak in an African pygmy hedgehog (Atelerix albiventris) colony in Japan.

An African pygmy hedgehog adenovirus 1 (AhAdV-1) outbreak in a colony of 24 African pygmy hedgehogs (APHs) with a case of fatal pneumonia occurred in Japan. Thirteen out of a colony of 15 APHs with respiratory symptoms were diagnosed with AhAdV-1 infection based on the detection of AhAdV-1 genome in throat/nasal swabs and further one APH was diagnosed on isolation of the virus. Five infected APHs died during the outbreak and AhAdV-1 caused severe pneumonia and death in one case. After the outbreak, persistent AhAdV-1 infection was suggested in one surviving APH. AhAdV-1 is a novel adenovirus and is suspected to be an emerging pathogen.

Expression of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) receptor and its isoforms in the bovine corpus luteum during the estrous cycle and PGF2α-induced luteolysis.

Prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) induces luteolysis via a specific receptor, PTGFR. Although PTGFR mRNA expression in the bovine corpus luteum (CL) has been studied previously, changes in PTGFR protein and its localization are not fully understood during the life span of the CL. In addition to full-length PTGFR, several types of PTGFR isoforms, such as PTGFRα (type I) and PTGFRζ (type II), were reported in the bovine CL, suggesting isoform-specific luteal action. Full-length PTGFR mRNA in the bovine CL increased from the early to the mid-luteal phase and decreased during luteolysis, whereas PTGFR protein remained stable. PTGFR protein was localized to both luteal and endothelial cells and was expressed similarly during the life span of the CL. Like full-length PTGFR mRNA, PTGFRα and PTGFRζ mRNA also increased from the early to mid-luteal phases, and mRNA of PTGFRζ, but not PTGFRα, decreased in the regressing CL. During PGF2α-induced luteolysis, the mRNAs of full-length PTGFR, PTGFR,α and PTGFRζ decreased rapidly (from 5 or 15 min after PGF2α injection), but PTGFR protein decreased only 12 h later. Silencing full-length PTGFR using small interfering RNA prevented PGF2α-stimulated cyclooxygenase-2 (PTGS2) mRNA induction. By contrast, PGF2α could stimulate vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) mRNA even when full-length PTGFR was knocked down, thus suggesting that PGF2α may stimulate PTGS2 via full-length PTGFR, whereas VEGFA is stimulated via other PTGFR isoforms. Collectively, PTGFR protein was expressed continually in the bovine CL during the estrous cycle, implying that PGF2α could function throughout this period. Additionally, the bovine CL expresses different PTGFR isoforms, and thus PGF2α may have different effects when acting via full-length PTGFR or via PTGFR isoforms.

Segmental high intensity on T1-weighted hepatic MR images.

BACKGROUND: We investigated the diagnostic importance of segmental high-intensity (SHI) areas not corresponding to mass lesions on T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective investigation of hepatic MR images obtained from 634 patients during a 4-year period at our institution. Images were compared with findings reported in the patients' medical records. There were 16 patients (2.5%) with SHI areas not corresponding to a mass lesion. We compared MR images with plain computed tomographic (CT) scans (n = 16), angiograms (n = 12), and histologic findings (n = 10). RESULTS: The segments with intrahepatic bile duct dilatation showed hyperintensity on T1-weighted images. In six of 16 patients, the biliary duct was more dilated in the area of hyperintensity than in areas without hyperintensity. The SHI areas appeared as areas of low attenuation (n = 13), high attenuation (n = 1), or isoattenuation (n = 2) on plain CT scans. Histologically, these areas showed ductular proliferation and deposition of bile pigment within the hepatocytes. CONCLUSION: Segmental areas of increased signal intensity on T1-weighted images were probably due to intrahepatic cholestasis.

Ewing's sarcoma of the sacrum.

Radiological findings in a case of spinal Ewing' s sarcoma are reported. A lytic lesion with soft tissue component in the sacrum was identified. Ewing's sarcoma should be included in the differential diagnosis, especially when a child has a lytic lesion with soft tissue extension in the spine.

Isolation of prokaryotic V0V1-ATPase from a thermophilic eubacterium Thermus thermophilus.

The soluble ATPase purified from an aerobic thermophilic eubacterium, Thermus thermophilus, was not a usual F1-ATPase but a V1-ATPase, a peripheral section of plasma membrane V-type ATPase (Yokoyama, K., Oshima, T., and Yoshida, M. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 21946-21950). Here, we report the purification of V-type ATPase from the same bacterium (V0V1-ATPase) which consists of V1-ATPase and a membrane-integrated section, V0. The V0V1-ATPase, either in the Triton X-100-solubilized membrane fraction or in the purified state, migrates as a single band in a non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for membrane protein complexes, and eight kinds of polypeptides are found when this band is developed in a second dimension denaturing gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. The 66-, 56-, 30-, and 12-kDa polypeptides are the subunits of V1-ATPase and the 100-, 38-, 24-, and 13-kDa polypeptides are candidates for V0 (or V0-associated) subunits. The amino-terminal amino acid sequences of the 38- and 24-kDa subunits do not show obvious similarity to any subunits of eukaryotic V0V1-ATPases. The kinetic properties of the purified V0V1-ATPase are very similar to those of V1-ATPase: a very low ATPase activity, stimulation by bisulfite, inhibition by nitrate, and resistance against inhibitors of eukaryotic V-type ATPases, Bafilomycin A1 and N-ethylmaleimide. The V0 vesicles prepared from reconstituted V0V1-ATPase vesicles by 6 M urea treatment show the H+ channel activity. This H+ channel activity is abolished either by treatment of vesicles with dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or by the back addition of V1-ATPase. These results indicate that the coupling ion of this V0V1-ATPase is H+.

Complete remission of liver metastases from colorectal cancer by treatment with a hepatic artery infusion (HAI) of interleukin-2-based immunochemotherapy: reports of three cases.

In an attempt to improve the therapeutic efficacy against liver metastases, a hepatic arterial infusion (HAI) of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-based immunochemotherapy for anticipating the regional potentiation of hepatic lymphokine-activated killer (LAK)/tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) was initiated. We present herein the cases of three patients with multiple liver metastases from colorectal cancer in whom complete remission was achieved by treatment with an HAI of IL-2 in combination with mitomycin C (MMC) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). These patients received an HAI of IL-2 at 8 x 10(5) JRU, 5-FU at 250 mg daily, and MMC at 4 mg once weekly for 3 weeks, being the induction regimen, after which they were discharged on maintenance therapy consisting of IL-2 at 2 x 10(6) JRU, 5-FU at 250 mg twice weekly, and MMC at 4 mg once weekly. It was evident from the liver CT scan taken after 2-3 months that the metastatic foci seen before therapy had clearly disappeared, while the serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) had decreased to normal levels in all three patients. Pancytopenia was seen in one patient, but other laboratory studies of the hepatic and renal parameters were normal. The total lymphocyte count in the peripheral blood showed a mild decrease, while the lymphocyte phenotype study showed a notable increase in CD4+ cells and a decrease in CD8+ cells, with an elevation of a 4/8 ratio, in all cases during therapy. One patient relapsed with pelvic recurrence 14 months after the initiation of therapy, but the other two patients are still in remission 25 and 22 months after the initiation of therapy.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of the membrane-bound protein complexes, including photosystem I, of thylakoid membranes in the presence of sodium oligooxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate/dimethyl dodecylamine oxide and sodium dodecyl sulfate.

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), using a mixture of sodium oligooxyethylene alkyl ether sulfate and dimethyl dodecylamine oxide as detergents (AES-DDAO mixture) in the first dimension and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) in the second dimension, was developed and applied to an analysis of the photosystem I (PS I) complex in thylakoid membranes prepared from spinach chloroplasts. When thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts were solubilized directly in the AES-DDAO mixture and subjected to PAGE in the presence of these detergents as the first dimension, some protein complexes containing chlorophyll were observed. The protein components in these complexes separated into an array of polypeptide spots when the strip of gel after PAGE in the first dimension was subjected to PAGE in the presence of SDS as the second dimension. The main band of protein which separated in the first dimension was demonstrated to be the PS I complex. This complex retained the intrinsic photochemical activity of P700 even after it was subjected to one-dimensional PAGE. These results suggest that certain protein complexes can be separated, with the maintenance of their original structures, by electrophoresis in the presence of the AES-DDAO mixture, and this method appears to have valuable potential for analysis of the components of membrane-bound protein complexes.

[Management and prognosis of patients with early colorectal cancer].

The controversy remains as to the management of patients with early colorectal cancer, especially criteria for subsequent surgical resection. However, all authors agree that residual carcinoma and lymph node metastasis closely affect survival of the patients. In this paper, we estimated the risk factor for local residual carcinoma or lymph node metastasis in early cancer, and wish to report the experience with particular reference to the management and prognosis of patients with invasive carcinoma. Subsequent surgery was indicated when the removed material showed at least one of the following findings: carcinoma near the surgical margin, massive invasion, vessel invasion and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Patients without risk factors were adequately treated by polypectomy alone. Thirty-three percent of the patients with risk factors had residual carcinoma. We decided that massive invasion and carcinoma near the surgical margin were true risk factors for residual carcinoma. Only one patient with risk factors had lymph node metastasis. It is difficult to estimate the true risk of lymph node metastasis and further study is needed.