Semi-automatic counting of connexin 32s immunolocalized in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes using image processing.

Connexin 32s (Cx32s) were immunolocalized in fetal rat hepatocytes and their distribution was determined qualitatively. We used image analysis using a quantitative index (QI) of Cx32 (QI Cx32) defined as the area of Cx32s/number of cells in cultured fetal rat hepatocytes. Hepatocytes from livers of fetal rats were separated by collagenase digestion and low centrifugation on gestational day 17. Cells were cultured for 3 days in dexamethasone (DEX)-supplemented medium (Dex0). The medium was replaced with fresh medium and cells were continuously cultured for 3 days with DEX or epidermal growth factor supplemented medium (Dex3 or EGF3). After culture termination, cells were fixed and stained using the fluorescein-labeled antibody method for Cx32s and diaminophenylindole staining for nuclei. Thirty pairs of histological images for Cx32s and nuclei, 180 images in total, were obtained from each condition. The QI Cx32 significantly increased from 284.1 ± 102.0 (mean and SD, n=26) of Dex0 to 428.9 ± 101.0 of Dex3 (n=28) (P<0.05, Kruskal-Wallis test, then Steel-Dwass test). The increase of QI Cx32 was compatible with the morphological observations. The image analysis processing time after preparation for 180 images was reduced from 8h needed for manual operations to 1 min using ImageJ software with our macro routine.

Non-cladding optical fiber is available for detecting blood or liquids.

OBJECTIVES: Serious accidents during hemodialysis such as an undetected large amount of blood loss are often caused by venous needle dislodgement. A special plastic optical fiber with a low refractive index was developed for monitoring leakage in oil pipelines and in other industrial fields. To apply optical fiber as a bleeding sensor, we studied optical effects of soaking the fiber with liquids and blood in light-loss experimental settings. METHODS: The non-cladding optical fiber that was used was the fluoropolymer, PFA fiber, JUNFLON™, 1 mm in diameter and 2 m in length. Light intensity was studied with an ordinary basic circuit with a light emitting source (880 nm) and photodiode set at both terminals of the fiber under certain conditions: bending the fiber, soaking with various mediums, or fixing the fiber with surgical tape. The soaking mediums were reverse osmosis (RO) water, physiological saline, glucose, porcine plasma, and porcine blood. The light intensities regressed to a decaying exponential function with the soaked length. RESULTS: The light intensity was not decreased at bending from 20 to 1 cm in diameter. The more the soaked length increased in all mediums, the more the light intensity decreased exponentially. The means of five estimated exponential decay constants were 0.050±0.006 standard deviation in RO water, 0.485±0.016 in physiological saline, 0.404±0.022 in 5% glucose, 0.503±0.038 in blood (Hct 40%), and 0.573±0.067 in plasma. The light intensity decreased from 5 V to about 1.5 V above 5 cm in the soaked length in mediums except for RO water and fixing with surgical tape. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed that light intensity significantly and exponentially decreased with the increased length of the soaked fiber. This phenomena could ideally, clinically be applied to a bleed sensor.

Time-lag estimate between dietary intake and breast cancer mortality in Japan.

This study examines the relationship between the nutrient intake, including total dietary fiber (TDF) and fat, and the age-adjusted mortality from breast cancer (MBC) in Japanese females during the period from 1948 to 2000. The information for MBC in females was based on the data in Vital Statistics of Japan. Nutritional data were collected from the National Nutrition Survey reports. The data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation and a partial correlation, adjusting for the effect of reproductive factors. The time lag was estimated by measuring the strength of the linear relationship set up for a 0-35-year delay in mortality and statistically evaluated by comparing the correlation coefficients. The partial correlation analysis indicated that the individual intakes of total fat (r=0.688), animal protein (r=0.657), carbohydrate (r=-0.886), and plant protein (r=-0.770) were significantly (p<0.01) correlated with MBC. Each of these coefficients of correlation changed and reached a maximum value with increasing time lag. The estimated time lag values for the influence of fat, animal protein and TDF were 20-32 years, 19-31 years and 9-35 years, respectively. It is deduced from the results that the increased MBC in Japanese women is related to the long-term effect from the intake of a high-fat, high-animal protein and low-fiber diet typical in the western world.

Oral rehydration solution for providing water and electrolytes following laparoscopic cholecystectomy and recovery of intestinal function.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Oral rehydration solution (OS-1: Na+ 50mEq/L, K+ 20mEq/L, Cl- 50mEq/L, and glucose 1.8%) was administered orally to patients from the early phase following laparoscopic cholecystectomy to assess its effects on water and electrolyte supplementation and recovery from postoperative intestinal paralysis. METHODOLOGY: OS-1 group (n = 22) received OS-1 orally and KN3B group (n = 22) received KN3B (an intravenous maintenance solution) intravenously. The OS-1 group was instructed to consume approximately 1000-1500mL of OS-1 postoperatively from as soon as oral intake was possible up to before lunch on postoperative day 1. RESULTS: The average dose in the OS-1 group (1178 +/- 319 mL) was significantly lower than that in the KN3B group (1371 +/- 196 mL), but within the target dose. The two solutions were equally effective and safe for water and electrolyte supplementation. The time for 50% of patients to pass bowel gas after surgery (indicating recovery from intestinal paralysis) was significantly shorter in the OS-1 group (14.00 hours) than in the KN3B group (23.75 hours). CONCLUSIONS: Oral rehydration solution (OS-1), administered from the early postoperative phase, is safe and effective for the provision of water and electrolytes and promotes early recovery from intestinal paralysis as assessed by the passage of bowel gas following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Porphyrias in Japan: compilation of all cases reported through 2002.

The first case of porphyria on record in Japan was a patient with congenital erythropoietic porphyria (CEP) reported by Sato and Takahashi in 1920. Since then until the end of December 2002, 827 cases of porphyrias have been diagnosed from characteristic clinical and/or laboratory findings (463 males, 358 females, and 6 of unknown sex). Essentially all inherited porphyrias have been found in Japan, with the incidences and clinical symptoms generally being similar to those reported for other countries. The male-female ratio was approximately 1:1 for CEP, whereas it was higher for erythropoietic protoporphyria. In contrast, preponderances of female patients exist with acute hepatic porphyrias, such as acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), variegate porphyria (VP), and hereditary coproporphyria (HCP), and with undefined acute porphyria. Although porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is believed to be increasing recently in women in other countries because of smoking and the use of contraceptives, it is still by far more prominent in males in Japan than in females. The recent increasing contribution of hepatitis C virus infection to PCT in Japan has also been recognized. but there have been no PCT cases in Japan with HFE gene mutations. Familial occurrence and consanguinity were high for CEP, as expected; however, significant consanguinity was also noted in families where CEP, AIP, HCP, VP, or PCT occurred as a single isolated case without a family history of disease. This survey also revealed that as many as 71% of acute hepatic porphyria cases were initially diagnosed as nonporphyria and later revised or corrected to porphyria, indicating the difficulty of diagnosing porphyria in the absence of specific laboratory testing for porphyrins and their precursors in urine, stool, plasma, and erythrocyte samples.