Distribution and significance of epithelial types in columnar-lined esophagus.

An abnormal columnar-lined esophagus (CLE) is characterized by the presence of cardiac mucosa (CM) oxynto-cardiac mucosa (OCM), and intestinal metaplastic epithelium (IM) between gastric oxyntic mucosa and esophageal squamous epithelium. Thirty-two patients with CLE measuring 2-16 cm long had 5-37 biopsies per patient that showed CM, OCM, or IM for a total of 424 biopsies. Detailed mapping of the distribution of epithelial types within the CLE showed a distinct zonation of epithelial types; CM was present throughout the CLE, whereas OCM and IM tended to occur in the distal and proximal part of the CLE, respectively.

[Clinical efficacy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis of biliary tract diseases].

This study was carried out to clarify the efficacy of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the diagnosis of biliary tract diseases, Three hundred and eleven patients who underwent MRCP and ERCP during the period from January 1999 to December 1999 at our institution were included in the study. Two gastroenterologists who were blinded to results of direct cholangiography and final diagnoses interpreted MRCP images prospectively. The biliary duct was visualized by MRCP and ERCP in 99.

Differential diagnosis of large-sized pedunculated polypoid lesions of the gallbladder by endoscopic ultrasonography: a prospective study.

Purpose: We have previously reported the effectiveness of endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for the differential diagnosis of pedunculated polypoid lesions of the gallbladder, based on retrospective studies using resected specimens. We proposed the following diagnostic criteria for EUS findings: when the contour of a lesion is nodular or smooth, the lesion is diagnosed as a neoplasm, and when a lesion has a granular contour, it is diagnosed as a nonneoplasm. The present study was designed to verify the clinical utility of our EUS ctiteria prospectively.

Deficiency of essential GTP-binding protein ObgE in Escherichia coli inhibits chromosome partition.

GTP-binding proteins are involved in cell proliferation, development, signal transduction, protein elongation, etc. and construct the GTPase superfamily, whose structures and sequence motifs (G-1 to G-5) are highly conserved from prokaryote to eukaryote. Obg of Bacillus subtilis and Obg homologues of other bacteria belong to the GTPase superfamily and have been suggested as being essential for cell growth, development and monitoring of intracellular levels of GTP.

[The significance of magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in acute cholecystitis].

To clarify the significance of magnetic renonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) in the acute phase of acute cholecystitis, MRCP was carried out in forty-five patients with acute cholecystitis in their acute phase. The MR pericholecystic high signal was observed in 38 of the 45 patients (84%). Enlargement of the gallbladder, presence of gallstones, and impacted stones was seen in 71%, 53%, and 18%, respectively.

Cloning and sequencing of the triacylglycerol lipase gene of Aspergillus oryzae and its expression in Escherichia coli.

Aspergillus oryzae produces at least three extracellular lipolytic enzymes, L1, L2 and L3 (cutinase, mono- and diacylglycerol lipase, and triacylglycerol lipase, respectively). We cloned the triacylglycerol lipase gene (provisionally designated tglA) by screening a genomic library using a PCR product obtained with two degenerate oligonucleotide primers corresponding to amino acid sequences of L3 as probes. Nucleotide sequencing of the genomic DNA and cDNA revealed that the L3 gene (tglA) has an open reading frame comprising 954 nucleotides, which contains three introns of 47, 83 and 62 bp.

DNA phase transition promoted by replication initiator.

DNA is flexible and easily subjected to bending and wrapping via DNA/protein interaction. DNA supercoiling is known to play an important role in a variety of cellular events, such as transcription, replication, and recombination. It is, however, not well understood how the superhelical strain is efficiently redistributed during these reactions.

Accumulation of an artificial cell wall-binding lipase by Bacillus subtilis wprA and/or sigD mutants.

A recombinant lipase, CWB-LipB, localized on the Bacillus subtilis cell surface and retaining lipase activity was unstable and not accumulated in a high yield. To improve the accumulation, we examined cell wall binding protease (wprA)- and/or sigma D (sigD)-deficient mutants, and also a NprE and AprA protease-deficient mutant as host strains. The nprE aprA mutation did not lead to a significant increase in the CWB-LipB accumulation.

[IFOBT-positive gastric cancer].

Among 888 patients who underwent operation or endoscopic resection for gastric cancer (1994-1998), 75 patients, who had no colorectal disease or only small polyps 5 mm or less in diameter, were positive on the immunologic fecal occult blood test (IFOBT) (the positive group). They are compared with the other 813 patients (the negative group) as to the following 6 points: symptoms, presence of anemia, depth of invasion including macroscopic appearance, location, maximum diameter of lesions, and microscopic findings. The rate of positive-IFOBT gastric cancer was 8.

A case of amelanotic spindle-cell melanoma presenting as metastases to breast and axillary lymph node: diagnosis by FNA cytology.

Metastatic neoplasms to the breast are relatively rare. Spindle-cell lesions of the breast are also uncommon. Here we present a case of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) of an amelanotic, spindle-cell melanoma metastatic to the breast and axillary lymph node.

A phase II study of combined chemoradiotherapy for limited disease-small-cell lung cancer.

A study to evaluate the efficacy of cisplatin, doxorubicin, and etoposide chemotherapy with combined radiotherapy was undertaken in 26 patients with limited disease-small-cell lung cancer. Patients were treated with cisplatin (80 mg/m2) intravenously (i.v.

[Pulmonary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy associated with primary lung cancer].

The patient was a 61-year-old man admitted with the complaints of cough, arthralgia, and swelling of the legs. A chest roentgenogram and chest computed tomographic scan revealed a giant mass in the right upper lobe. Transperitoneal lung biopsy was performed, and a diagnosis of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma was made.

Molecular cloning of two (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase genes from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their use for polyhydroxyalkanoate synthesis.

Two Pseudomonas aeruginosa genes, termed phaJ1(Pa) and phaJ2(Pa), homologous to the Aeromonas caviae (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase gene (phaJ(Ac)) were cloned using a PCR technique to investigate the monomer-supplying ability for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthesis from beta-oxidation cycle. Two expression plasmids for phaJ1(Pa) and phaJ2(Pa) were constructed and introduced into Escherichia coli DH5alpha strain. The recombinants harboring phaJ1(Pa) or phaJ2(Pa) showed high (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase activity with different substrate specificities, that is, specific for short chain-length enoyl-CoA or medium chain-length enoyl-CoA, respectively.

Deuterium NMR investigation of an amphotericin B derivative in mechanically aligned lipid bilayers.

The methyl-d(3) amide derivative of the polyene antibiotic amphotericin B was synthesized, assayed for biological activity, incorporated into mechanically aligned bilayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), and examined by deuterium and phosphorus NMR. The amide derivative has a lesser, but qualitatively similar, biological activity relative to amphotericin B. Incorporation of the amide derivative and ergosterol into aligned DPPC bilayers resulted in a single, stable bilayer phase, as shown by phosphorus NMR of the DPPC headgroups.

Diagnosis of the depth of invasion of gallbladder carcinoma by EUS.

Background: The prognosis of gallbladder carcinoma is dismal and relates to the depth of invasion as expressed by the T factor in TNM staging. We evaluated the utility of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) in the diagnosis of the depth of invasion of gallbladder cancer.

Methods: Thirty-nine patients who underwent both EUS and surgery were included in this study.

Stress proteins in fungal diseases.

Heat shock proteins (hsps) are ubiquitous families of proteins, found in all organisms studied so far. They are highly conserved across the species barrier and serve fundamental functions in cell physiology. The term 'heat shock' was adopted because of the early observation of the heat-inducible nature of these proteins, although, as it is now realized that they can be induced by a variety of stressful stimuli, it is probably more appropriate to call them 'stress proteins'.

An homologue of the human 100-kDa protein (p100) is differentially expressed by Histoplasma capsulatum during infection of murine macrophages.

Using differential display reverse transcription-PCR (DDRT-PCR) we have identified several sequences that are specifically expressed by Histoplasma capsulatum during infection of murine macrophages (MPhi). Here, we report the characterization of a clone, pHc12, identified as a differentially expressed gene 1 hour after infection of MPhi. Screening of a cDNA library of H.

Co-expression of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase and (R)-enoyl-CoA hydratase genes of Aeromonas caviae establishes copolyester biosynthesis pathway in Escherichia coli.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis genes of Aeromonas caviae were expressed in Escherichia coli LS5218 (fadR atoC(Con)), and the polyhydroxyalkanoate-producing ability of the recombinants was investigated. A LS5218 strain harboring only phaCAc (polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase gene) did not accumulate any polyhydroxyalkanoate from dodecanoate in spite of the existence of translated polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase protein, whereas co-expression phaCAc and phaJAc ((R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase gene) resulted in the accumulation of P(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) copolymer up to 7-11 wt% of dry cell weight from octanoate and dodecanoate. These results indicated that both phaCAc and phaJAc are essential for E.

Gradual loss of IgG antibodies against GB virus C/hepatitis G virus in a patient with AIDS.

GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (GBV-C/HGV) is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Flaviviridae and is distantly related to hepatitis C virus (HCV). GBV-C/HGV can be transmitted by the parenteral and the sexual route. Among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) by the sexual route, we and others have demonstrated a high prevalence of GBV-C/HGV infection.

ERCP for intradiverticular papilla: two-devices-in-one-channel method. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography.

Background: The prevalence of biliopancreatic disorders is high in patients with periampullary diverticula. However, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with the papilla deep inside duodenal diverticula is difficult.

Methods: Two patients were included in this study, each with the papilla deep inside a diverticulum and in whom an initial ERCP was unsuccessful.

Characterization of a single group I intron in the 18S rRNA gene of the pathogenic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum.

A 425-bp insertion in Histoplasma capsulatum strain G186B, denoted as Hc.SSU.1, was identified as a group I intron, based on the presence of the conserved sequence elements P, Q, R and S and a predicted secondary structure consistent for group I introns.