Thermal crystal phase transition in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks induced by nanosizing the crystal.

An unusual crystal phase transition was demonstrated in a zeolitic imidazolate framework with a rigid coordination network. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction revealed that nanosizing the crystal structure was crucial for the phase transition at low temperature. The thermodynamic parameters of the phase transition were determined by calorimetry.

Changes in serum iodine concentration, urinary iodine excretion and thyroid function after hysterosalpingography using an oil-soluble iodinated contrast medium (lipiodol).

Objective: Reports of hypothyroidism after hysterosalpingography (HSG) using lipiodol are emerging. The present study was designed to investigate the changes in serum iodine concentration (SIC), urinary iodine concentration/creatinine excretion (UI/Cr), and thyroid function before and after HSG using lipiodol.

Methods: The prospective observation study included 22 infertile euthyroid women with no previous history of thyroid disease.

Soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 as an early biomarker for ST elevation myocardial infarction: time-dependent comparison with other biomarkers: time-dependent comparison with other biomarkers.

Background: The diagnostic sensitivity of myocardial necrosis markers, such as creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), cardiac troponins, myoglobin and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) for the earliest stage of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), remains insufficient. We compared a new biomarker of plaque vulnerability (soluble lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1, sLOX-1) with other biomarkers at the earliest stage of STEMI.

Methods And Results: Plasma sLOX-1 levels were measured in 125 STEMI, 44 non-STEMI (NSTEMI) and 125 non-acute myocardial infarction (non-AMI) patients and were significantly (P < 0.

Siderophore receptor IroN is an important protective antigen against Salmonella infection in chickens.

In iron-limiting environments, Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium synthesize and secrete several types of siderophore to trap trivalent ferric ions; these bacteria then express siderophore receptors called iron-regulated outer membrane proteins (IROMPs). In this study, we experimentally reproduced iron-limiting environments using a divalent metal chelator. IroN, one of the IROMPs, was purified by affinity chromatography with an anti-IroN-MAb-immobilized column.

Generation of monoclonal antibodies against a soluble form of lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 and development of a sensitive chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1), expressed prominently in atherosclerotic lesions, is cleaved and released as a soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1), which is a specific biomarker to diagnose acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at an early stage. Although sLOX-1 levels in patient's blood were successfully measured with our previously established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the assay was not sensitive enough to detect normal serum levels of sLOX-1 in healthy human subjects. We therefore developed sensitive and specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against sLOX-1 in order to establish a more sensitive immunoassay.

Vaccination of chickens with liposomal inactivated avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) vaccine by eye drop or coarse spray administration.

One hundred and twenty 30-day-old specific-pathogen-free chickens were inoculated with the liposomal inactivated avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) vaccine by eye drop or coarse spraying. All of the chickens produced anti-lipopolysaccharide antibodies of the IgG subclass in their sera as well as IgA antibodies in their oral mucus. The results demonstrated a rise in antibodies in the serum of chickens administered the APEC vaccine through nonparenteral mucosal routes.

Identification and characterization of haemagglutinin epitopes of Avibacterium paragallinarum serovar C.

The objectives of this study were to identify haemagglutinin (HA) epitopes of Avibacterium paragallinarum serovar C that are capable of eliciting haemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody, and to investigate their immunogenic role. Three conformational epitopes were detected on HA by blocking ELISA and immuno-dot blot analysis using a panel of five monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) with HI activity, designated 8C1C, 4G8B, 24E4D, 11E11B, and 10D1A. The minimum DNA regions coding these three epitopes were 3195, 2862, and 807bp in size, and mapped within a gene with 6117bp.

Effect of long-term administration of a prostacyclin analogue (beraprost sodium) on myocardial fibrosis in Dahl rats.

Beraprost sodium (BPS) is an orally active prostacyclin analogue. The effects of BPS on the heart, including coronary circulation improvement, myocardial and vascular protection and anti-fibrosis effect on myocardium interstitium, have previously been demonstrated. However, the effects of BPS on hemodynamics, cardiac function and myocardial contractility in patients in the hypertrophic phase have not been clarified.

Virulence factors of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strains isolated from chickens with colisepticemia in Japan.

The virulence factors of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC) isolated in Japan were investigated. Serogroups O, serotypes K1 and K5, and genes cva C, iss, iutA, papA, tsh, and usp, which have been thought to be related to virulence, were examined for their association with E. coli strains isolated from diseased and healthy chickens.

Complete atrioventricular block associated with lymphocytic myocarditis of the atrioventricular node in two young adult dogs.

A histological investigation of the atrioventricular (AV) conduction system was performed in two young adult dogs with complete AV block. In both cases, infiltration of lymphocytes and plasma cells into the AV node and loss and disappearance of the conduction fibres were observed. Such inflammatory lesions of the AV conduction system were associated with complete AV block.

A histological study of the cardiac conduction system in canine cases of mitral valve endocardiosis with complete atrioventricular block.

The cardiac conduction system was examined histologically in four canine cases of endocardiosis of the mitral valve (MV) with complete atrioventricular (AV) block. In all cases, moderate to severe reduction of the conduction fibres due to fibrous or fibro-fatty replacement was observed in the penetrating and branching portions of the AV bundle. In addition, degenerative and fibrotic lesions were commonly seen at the upper portions of the left and right bundle branches.

The anatomical basis of complete atrioventricular block in cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

The cardiac conduction system was examined histologically in 13 feline cases of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with complete atrioventricular (AV) block. Marked degeneration and fibrous replacement of the AV conduction system were consistently observed in the combined regions of the branching portion of the AV bundle and the upper portion of the left bundle branch. These changes were associated with extensive fibrosis of the central fibrous body and endocardial and myocardial fibrosis in the upper border of the ventricular septum.

Extensive biopsy using a combined transperineal and transrectal approach to improve prostate cancer detection.

Purpose: Previous studies have indicated that 6-core transrectal prostate biopsy misses a considerable number of cancers. We performed an extensive biopsy protocol of 12-core sampling using both transperineal and transrectal approaches to determine the impact on the cancer detection rate.

Materials And Methods: We prospectively evaluated 402 men who underwent 6-core transperineal and 6-core transrectal biopsies simultaneously due to abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) and/or elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 4.

[A clinical study of renal pelvic and ureteral cancer: prognosis and frequency of subsequent bladder cancer following surgical treatment].

Purpose: A retrospective investigation of patients presenting with renal pelvic and ureteral cancer was performed. This study focused on the prognostic factors and frequency of subsequent bladder cancer following surgical treatment.

Materials And Methods: Forty-five patients presenting with transitional cell carcinoma, who had undergone nephroureterectomy at the Department of Urology, Okayama Central Hospital, from March 1990 to November 2000, were reviewed.

HLA class II haplotype and quantitation of WT1 RNA in Japanese patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

It is unclear how a paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) clone expands in bone marrow, although immune mechanisms involving cytotoxic T lymphocytes, autosomal proliferation, and apoptosis resistance have been hypothesized. To clarify aspects of immune mechanisms and proliferation of PNH cells, we investigated HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, and -DQB1 alleles by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping and expression of the Wilms' tumor gene, WT1, by real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) in 21 PNH and 21 aplastic anemia (AA) patients. HLA genotyping indicated that the frequency of DRB1*1501, DQA1*0102, and DQB1*0602 alleles in PNH patients and of DQB1*0602 allele in AA patients was significantly higher than in 916 Japanese controls, and that the HLA-DRB1*1501-DQA1*0102-DQB1*0602 haplotype, found in 13 of 21 PNH patients, 5 of 7 AA-PNH syndrome patients, and 7 of 21 AA patients showed significant differences compared with healthy individuals.

Rapid and simultaneous HLA class I (-A, -B and -C loci) DNA typing using the microtitre plate-reverse hybridization assay (MRHA).

We have established a precise, rapid, simple and practical HLA class I DNA typing method using the microtitre plate-reverse hybridization assay (MRHA), which enables us to perform simultaneous DNA typing of the HLA-A, -B and -C loci using the same PCR parameters and hybridization conditions. PCR-amplified products for the HLA-A, -B and -C loci were hybridized, respectively, with sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) probes, which were immobilized covalently onto a microtitre plate, in hybridization buffer containing formamide at 37 degrees C. After washing at room temperature, the bound PCR products were detected by peroxidase-conjugate streptavidine followed by colour development such as enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

Genotyping for HLA-A, B and C alleles in Japanese patients with pemphigus: prevalence of Asian alleles of the HLA-B15 family.

Background: There have been only limited reports on major histocompatibility complex class I antigens in pemphigus.

Objectives: To characterize HLA-A, B and C class I alleles by genotyping in Japanese patients with pemphigus, and to analyse the possible association of class I alleles with disease susceptibility within a relatively homogeneous ethnic population.

Methods: Alleles of HLA-A, B and C, and DRB1 and DQB1 loci were fully determined in 51 Japanese patients with pemphigus.

Tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses against chondrosarcoma with HLA haplotype loss restricted by the remaining HLA class I allele.

Although loss of HLA expression by malignant cells has also been demonstrated, it has not been clarified how the loss of HLA expression observed in vitro actually results in immune escape. We demonstrated two major findings: (i) a part of chromosome 6 coding for HLA haplotypes was deleted from the genome of chondrosarcoma cell line, OUMS-27; furthermore, immunohistostaining for HLA-A11 showed that the original chondrosarcoma tissue lost the expression of HLA-A11, implicating that HLA haplotype loss was already present in the original tumor tissue and (2) HLA class I-restricted and autologous tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells (CTL) were generated from peripheral blood lymphocytes of the patient with chondrosarcoma, from whom OUMS-27 originated. This CTL line was maintained by weekly stimulation with OUMS-27, and lysed OUMS-27 in an HLA-A24 dependent manner but did not either K562 or autologous (EBV)-transformed B cells.

Hypercholesterolemia in Shetland sheepdogs.

Plasma lipoprotein cholesterol in 64 clinically healthy Shetland sheepdogs was evaluated to assess whether the breed is more susceptible to hypercholesterolemia. The incidence of hypercholesterolemia was clearly higher in Shetland sheepdogs and mean plasma cholesterol level was significantly higher in Shetland sheepdogs than in control dogs. Blood biochemical examinations did not evidence the abnormalities, which imply the causative disorders, and thyroid hormone levels were not significantly different from the controls.

Genetic risk factors for coronary artery spasm: significance of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene T-786-->C and missense Glu298Asp variants.

Background: We recently identified two endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene polymorphisms, Glu298Asp and T-786-->C, which are independently associated with coronary spasm. eNOS gene intron 4b/a polymorphism is also reported to be involved in smoking-dependent coronary artery disease. The genetic linkage among these polymorphisms remains unknown.

Neonatal lupus erythematosus: analysis of HLA class I genes in Japanese child/mother pairs.

Neonatal lupus erythematosus (NLE), characterized by two major symptoms of congenital heart block (CHB) and transient cutaneous lesions, is an antibody mediated disorder due to placentally transmitted maternal autoantibodies to Ro/SSA and/or La/SSB. We genotyped 14 mothers, 9 children with CHB, 8 with cutaneous NLE only and 5 asymptomatic siblings at HLA class I loci, by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) combined with sequence-specific amplification. Mothers of children with NLE exhibited a very high polymorphism of HLA class I genes.

HLA-DRB1 polymorphisms and autoimmune responses to desmogleins in Japanese patients with pemphigus.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) and pemphigus foliaceus (PF) are caused by autoantibodies against keratinocyte adhesion molecules desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) and desmoglein 1 (Dsg1), respectively. To determine possible major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II associations with autoantibody responses to desmogleins, haplotype and allele distributions, along with molecular polymorphisms of HLA-DR and -DQ genes were analyzed based on the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) results in 85 Japanese patients with pemphigus. Each of 55 PV patients carried at least one allele of HLA-DRB1*04 and DRB1*14 subtypes, with significant increases of HLA-DRB1*0406/DQA1*0301/DQB1*0302, DRB1*14/DQA1*0104/DQB1*05 and DRB1*1406/DQA1*0503/ DQB1*0301 haplotypes compared to normal controls.