Execution of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1)-induced apoptosis by the mitochondria-dependent caspase activation.

ASK1 activates JNK and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases and constitutes a pivotal signaling pathway in cytokine- and stress-induced apoptosis. However, little is known about the mechanism of how ASK1 executes apoptosis. Here we investigated the roles of caspases and mitochondria in ASK1-induced apoptosis.

Influence of stability and mechanical properties of a spinal fixation device on production of wear debris particles in vivo.

A prospective and quantitative animal study was performed to evaluate the production of wear particles from a spinal fixation device, and to test the hypothesis that the concentration of wear debris particles adjacent to spinal fixation hardware is correlated with the stiffness of the spinal fusion construct and local bone formation at the fusion site. An established canine segmental spinal fusion model with three interfacet fusions was used in this study. Several bone substitute materials were grafted to the area of the interfacet fusion.

Sorbitol as an arrester of embryonic development in diapausing eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

Recently, it was confirmed that embryos derived from diapausing eggs of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, begin their development and reach larval maturity on mulberry leaves, when the naked eggs are cultured in vitro. In this study, we found that the method of embryo culture is useful for determining the physiological regulation of diapause. We show that the development of embryos derived from diapausing eggs was strongly inhibited by the addition of either sorbitol or trehalose to the culture medium.

New electrocardiographic criteria for predicting the site of coronary artery occlusion in inferior wall acute myocardial infarction.

In patients with inferior wall acute myocardial infarction (AMI), the site of the culprit lesion is an important determinant of outcome. Patients with right ventricular infarction have a poor prognosis, whereas those with occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery (LCx) have a good prognosis. Therefore, we assessed whether standard 12-lead electrocardiograms obtained on admission could identify the site of coronary artery occlusion, (i.

ASK1 is essential for JNK/SAPK activation by TRAF2.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced activation of the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK, also known as SAPK; stress-activated protein kinase) requires TNF receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2). The apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is activated by TNF and stimulates JNK activation. Here we show that ASK1 interacts with members of the TRAF family and is activated by TRAF2, TRAF5, and TRAF6 overexpression.

Identification of a novel bone morphogenetic protein-responsive gene that may function as a noncoding RNA.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs)/osteogenic proteins (OPs), members of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, have a wide variety of effects on many cell types including osteoblasts and chondroblasts, and play critical roles in embryonic development. BMPs transduce their effects through binding to two different types of serine/threonine kinase receptors, type I and type II. Signaling by these receptors is mediated by the recently identified Smad proteins.

Primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma growing rapidly and causing right ventricular outflow obstruction.

Leiomyosarcomas are extremely rare primary cardiac tumors. We report a rapidly growing primary leiomyosarcoma of the right ventricle, which obstructed the right ventricular outflow tract within one month after symptom onset in a 68-year-old man. Two-dimensional echocardiography was useful in diagnosing the extent and progression of the tumor.

[Optimal reperfusion therapy in acute myocardial infarction: time to reperfusion and recanalization rate].

Rapid and complete reperfusion is important for the reduction of infarct size and mortality in acute myocardial infarction. The optimum reperfusion therapy with regard to the recanalization rate and the time elapsing between onset and complete reperfusion was evaluated. One hundred fifty-four patients with total occlusion of the infarct-related artery within 6 hours of the onset were classified into four therapy groups: PTCA group (n = 58) undergoing primary percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), t-PA-IC group (n = 44) receiving tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) intracoronary infusion, t-PA-IV group (n = 14) receiving intravenous t-PA infusion, and mt-PA-IV group (n = 38) receiving intravenous mutant t-PA infusion.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism adds risk for the severity of coronary atherosclerosis in smokers.

To investigate the relation between the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and acute coronary syndromes with respect to environmental factors, we analyzed the association of genotype with the coronary angiographic findings of patients with acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris, and we examined the linkage of each genotype with established risk factors for coronary artery disease. We determined the ACE genotype in 152 Japanese patients with acute coronary syndromes and 399 healthy individuals. The genotype distributions were not different between the two groups (P=.

Comparison of cytomegalovirus (CMV) antigenemia and CMV in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid for diagnosis of CMV pulmonary infection after bone marrow transplantation.

A comparative cytomegalovirus (CMV) diagnostic study was carried out on 30 bone marrow transplant patients. Forty-three bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples from these patients were examined for CMV by viral culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), shell vial and cytology. In parallel, peripheral blood samples were subjected to CMV antigenemia assay.

[Estimation of the length of coronary thrombi and prediction of the result of coronary thrombolytic therapy based on the angiographic findings].

The optimal approach for the treatment of occluded coronary arteries in patients with acute myocardial infarction is still controversial. This study correlated the results of coronary thrombolytic therapy and the clinical course with angiographic findings of infarct related coronary arteries in 111 patients with first attack of acute myocardial infarction and complete coronary occlusion (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Class 0) of the infarct-related arteries confirmed on coronary angiography followed by thrombolytic therapy within 12 hours after the onset of acute myocardial infarction. The length of the coronary thrombi (proximal thrombi) was estimated by comparing the initial angiographic finding with that obtained approximately 2 weeks later.

[Clinical significance of additional ST segment elevation immediately after successful reperfusion in patients with anterior wall acute myocardial infarction].

The clinical significance of additional ST segment elevation immediately after reperfusion in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is still unclear. The influence of additional ST elevation on myocardial damage was examined in 62 patients with first anterior AMI. All patients had coronary reflow (thrombolysis in myocardial infarction: TIMI grade III) within 6 hours after the onset of infarction and no subsequent reocclusion for at least 14 days.

Protection against oxidative damage by dihydroflavonols in Engelhardtia chrysolepis.

Dihydroflavonol taxifolin and its glycoside, astilbin, from Engelhardtia chrysolepis were evaluated as antioxidants and radical scavengers. These dihydroflavonols inhibited superoxide anion production in the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. Microsomal lipid peroxidation induced by NADPH-cytochrome P-450 reductase was also inhibited by these flavonoids.

Rapid detection cytomegalovirus pneumonia in recipients of bone marrow transplant: evaluation and comparison of five survey methods for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

To detect cytomegalovirus-associated interstitial pneumonia (CMV-IP) in recipients of BMT in its earliest stage, five CMV methods were assessed for their usefulness using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as the test specimen. Of the 43 cases enrolled in the study, PCR was positive in 12 cases, shell vial in eight, culture in eight and cytology in three. There were no positive cases in in situ hybridization.

[Clinical significance of late peak formation of creatine kinase in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction after successful reperfusion].

Generally, the time from the onset of acute myocardial infarction (MI) to peak serum creatine kinase (CK) activity is short in patients with acute MI after successful reperfusion. However, in some patients peak CK is observed more than 16 hours after the onset of acute MI despite successful reperfusion. To elucidate the clinical characteristics of patients with late peak CK, CK activity was examined in 55 patients (mean age: 57.

[Clinical significance of inverted T-waves during the acute phase of myocardial infarction in patients with myocardial reperfusion].

The relationship between the time course of inverted T-waves during the acute phase and infarct size and left ventricular (LV) function was studied in 46 patients (mean age: 57.3 +/- 9.7 years) with reperfused first anterior wall acute myocardial infarction (MI).

Investigation of melena and hematochezia as the chief complaint of gastrointestinal bleeding in pediatric surgical patients.

The causes of melena or hematochezia in 48 pediatric patients were examined. Malrotation with volvulus was an important cause of hemorrhage during the newborn period, and intussusception was very typical in patients aged from 1 month to 1 year. Polyps of the rectum and colon were the most common causes of melena or hematochezia in patients older than 1 year.

Ultrasonic exploration of contralateral side in pediatric patients with inguinal hernia.

The width of low echoic region at the internal ring (WLIR) of an inguinal canal demonstrated by ultrasonography was applied in the preoperative diagnosis of the contralateral side in pediatric patients with inguinal hernia. The ultrasonic diagnosis of 39 pediatric patients with inguinal hernia and 38 children without inguinal hernia under 15 years of age were conducted at Hamamatsu University Hospital from April 1988 to January 1989. The WLIR of children without inguinal hernia were within 6 mm in boys under 15 years of age and within 3 mm in girls under 5 years of age.

Phylogenetically different strains of a variant of coxsackievirus A 24 were repeatedly introduced but discontinued circulating in Japan.

Variations in the nucleotide sequence of 3 C proteinase of coxsackievirus A 24 variant (CA 24 v) were analyzed to define the route of transmission and spread of the virus which was introduced to Japan on three separate occasions, 1985-86, 1988, and 1989. The nucleotide sequences of isolates from the same year's outbreak in Japan were identical or closely related, while the isolates from different outbreaks were less closely related to one another than to those from other countries in the same year. All Japanese isolates from Okinawa and other prefectures in 1985 and 1986 were closely related to the Taiwan strains in those same years, indicating common-source outbreaks.

Difficulties of molecular dissociation of Clostridium botulinum type G progenitor toxin.

Clostridium botulinum type G progenitor toxin was chromatographed on DEAE-Sephadex and Q-Sepharose equilibrated with 0.05 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.0, containing 0.

[The effect of long-term group education for obese women in a public health center].

In order to improve maintenance of weight reduction, a long-term (5 month) weight reduction class for obese women consisting of repeated group learning three times a month in areas of dietary regimen and practice of physical exercise, and self-help group activities was conducted at a health center. Maintenance of achieved weight reduction was studied six months and one year after completion of the class. The results are as follows.

Characterization of a radioimmunoassay to determine plasma total renin.

The determination of plasma total renin is useful not only as a tool to investigate the physiology of hypertension but also as a marker for Wilms' tumor. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) system to determine plasma total renin was newly developed using monoclonal antibodies specific for both inactive and active renin (inactive + active = total); in this study, an effort was made to confirm that this RIA system truly determines plasma total renin concentrations. First, it was found that this monoclonal antibody stains only the juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney.

Treatment of disseminated hepatoblastoma involving bilateral lobes.

A 30-month-old boy was investigated because of a huge abdominal mass in the right upper abdomen. A computed tomography scan and celiac angiography showed that the tumor involved bilateral lobes of the liver. At first, for this disseminated and "unresectable" tumor we did liver biopsy and hepatic arterial catheterization.