Live imaging of apoptosis in a novel transgenic mouse highlights its role in neural tube closure.

Many cells die during development, tissue homeostasis, and disease. Dysregulation of apoptosis leads to cranial neural tube closure (NTC) defects like exencephaly, although the mechanism is unclear. Observing cells undergoing apoptosis in a living context could help elucidate their origin, behavior, and influence on surrounding tissues, but few tools are available for this purpose, especially in mammals.

Does hyperuricemia affect mortality? A prospective cohort study of Japanese male workers.

A positive association between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular disease has been reported, but no study has evidenced yet the precise role of serum uric acid in the development of cardiovascular disease. In addition, no epidemiological studies have so far documented a decreased risk of cancer among people with hyperuricemia, even though the antioxidant action of uric acid has recently been stressed to inhibit DNA damage. The present prospective cohort study investigates the relationship between hyperuricemia and health hazards in a Japanese working population.

Left sleeve pneumonectomy performed through a clamshell incision with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for bronchogenic carcinoma: report of two cases.

We report herein the cases of two patients with bronchial gland carcinomas in the left main bronchus who were successfully treated by left sleeve pneumonectomy performed through a clamshell incision. Adequate oxygenation during pathological examination of tumor invasion at the bronchial stumps and the tracheobronchial anastomoses was achieved by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in both patients. Tracheobronchial anastomosis was relatively easy to perform in the excellent operative field achieved by this method.

[Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung].

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the lung was diagnosed in a 39-year-old Chinese woman. In situ hybridization of Epstein Barr virus-encoded small nuclear RNA 1 (EBER 1) detected strong EBER 1 signals in the nuclei of tumor cell specimens from the patient. After polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, electrophoresis identified the IR-1 region in this tumor as a positive sharp band, closely resembling Raji cells (Burkitt's cell line).