Expression and distribution of OCTN2 in mouse epididymis and its association with obstructive azoospermia in juvenile visceral steatosis mice.

Aim: L-carnitine, an essential cofactor for mitochondrial, beta-oxidation of long-chain fatty acids, is known to play important roles in sperm maturation and metabolism when spermatozoa pass and acquire motility in the epididymis. We reported that obstructive azoospermia occurred in the epididymis in the juvenile visceral steatosis (JVS) mice, which are OCTN2 dysfunction mice caused by mutations in the gene encoding OCTN2, have been used for animal models of primary systemic carnitine deficiency. The aim of present study is to investigate the expression of OCTN2 protein in the mouse epididymis and its relation between the localization of OCTN2 and obstructive azoospermia in JVS mice as animal models for human male infertility.

Expression of novel organic cation/carnitine transporter (OCTN2) in the mouse pancreas.

Among the organic cation transporters, OCTN2 is identified as the most important carnitine transporter owing to the ability to transport carnitine. Although the OCTN2 is previously found in various tissues, there have been no reports showing the OCTN2 in the pancreas. In this study, we examined the expression and localization of OCTN2 in the mouse pancreas by the aid of an in situ hybridization technique and immunohistochemistry with anti-OCTN2 antibody.

Bacteria of preoperative urinary tract infections contaminate the surgical fields and develop surgical site infections in urological operations.

Background: The risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following urological operations have not been clearly identified, although the presence of a preoperative urinary tract infection (UTI) is thought to be one risk factor. We studied potential risk factors to clarify when and how bacteria contaminate wounds and SSI develop.

Methods: Objects of the present study were patients with SSI after open urological operations that were performed at the Department of Urology, Miyazaki Medical College Hospital, University of Miyazaki, Kiyotake, Miyazaki, Japan, during the period between June 1999 and December 2000.