Metyrapone single administration, as a possible predictive tool of its dosage and timing in Cushing's syndrome.

Metyrapone is commonly used in the initial management of Cushing's syndrome to reduce hypercortisolemia, but its optimal dosage and timing can vary significantly between patients. Currently, there are limited guidelines on adjustment methods for its administration to individual needs. This study aimed to evaluate responsiveness of each patient to metyrapone and identify the patient characteristics associated with the indices of cortisol responsiveness following a low-dose metyrapone.

Long-term metabolic effectiveness and safety of growth hormone replacement therapy in patients with adult growth hormone deficiency: a single-institution study in Japan.

Purpose: To elucidate the long-term efficacy and safety of growth hormone replacement therapy (GHRT) in Japanese patients with adult growth hormone deficiency (AGHD).

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study. A total of 110 patients with AGHD receiving GHRT were enrolled.

Influence of Age on Leukemia Mortality Associated with Exposure to γ rays and 2-MeV Fast Neutrons in Male C3H Mice.

The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of densely ionizing radiation can depend on the biological context. From a radiological perspective, age is an important factor affecting health risks of radiation exposure, but little is known about the modifying impact of age on the effects of densely ionizing radiation. Herein, we addressed the influence of age on leukemogenesis induced by accelerator-generated fast neutrons (mean energy, ∼2 MeV).

Fluctuations in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone concentration may predict the onset of immune checkpoint inhibitor-related hypophysitis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)-related hypophysitis (RH) is a common immune-related adverse event. The early detection of ICI-RH prevents life-threatening adrenal insufficiency. However, good predictors of secondary adrenal insufficiency in ICI-RH have not yet been reported.

The combination of doxazosin and metyrosine as a preoperative treatment for pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas.

Purpose: Preoperative medical management is critical to prevent intraoperative cardiovascular complications in patients with pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas (PPGLs). Initial treatment involves α-adrenergic receptor blockers. However, while the routine use of metyrosine alongside these blockers is not strongly recommended due to a lack of evidence supporting its efficacy and associated safety concerns, there are previous studies on combination therapy with phenoxybenzamine and metyrosine.

Case report: Late middle-aged features of variant, Kenny-Caffey syndrome type 2-suggestive symptoms during a long follow-up.

Kenny-Caffey syndrome type 2 (KCS2) is an extremely rare skeletal disorder involving hypoparathyroidism and short stature. It has an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance and is caused by variants in the FAM111 trypsin-like peptidase A () gene. This disease is often difficult to diagnose due to a wide range of more common diseases manifesting hypoparathyroidism and short stature.

[Determination of Chlorothalonil Metabolite I in Livestock Products by LC-MS/MS].

An analytical method based on LC-MS/MS was developed for the determination of chlorothalonil metabolite I in livestock products. Chlorothalonil metabolite I in livestock products was extracted with acetone. The crude extracts were defatted by acetonitrile and n-hexane partitioning.

Analysis of thyroid function in Japanese patients with coronavirus disease 2019.

Thyroid dysfunction that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is becoming increasingly recognized. However, only a few reports in Japan have addressed this issue to date. In this study, we sought to clarify whether infection with SARS-CoV-2 affected thyroid hormone levels and whether these hormones could be better predictors of prognosis in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

[Determination of Asulam in Livestock Products by LC-MS/MS].

An analytical method based on LC-MS/MS was developed for the determination of asulam in livestock products. Asulam in livestock products was extracted with acetone. The crude extracts were defatted by acetonitrile and n-hexane partitioning.

Estimating Annual Individual Doses for Evacuees Returning Home to Areas Affected by the Fukushima Nuclear Accident.

To contribute to the reconstruction and revitalization of Fukushima Prefecture following the 2011 nuclear power disaster, annual individual doses were estimated for evacuees who will return home to Tamura City, Kawauchi Village, and Iitate Village in Fukushima. Ambient external dose rates and individual doses obtained with personal dosimeters were measured at many residential and occupational sites throughout the study areas to obtain fundamental data needed for the estimation. The measurement results indicated that the ratio of individual dose based on a personal dosimeter to the ambient external dose measurement was 0.

Sodium bicarbonate protects uranium-induced acute nephrotoxicity through uranium-decorporation by urinary alkalinization in rats.

To evaluate the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate (SB) in removing uranium and protecting animals from uranium toxicity, we intramuscularly administered 1 mg/kg of uranyl nitrate to 8-wk-old male SD rats, and 20 min after administration of uranyl nitrate, the animals were given a single oral administration of SB at 0.1, 0.3 or 1 g/kg.

Intake ratio of 131I to 137Cs derived from thyroid and whole-body doses to Fukushima residents.

This study deals with the intake ratio of (131)I to (137)Cs that allows for the utilisation of late whole-body measurements to reconstruct the internal thyroid doses to Fukushima residents. The ratio was derived from the thyroid dose distribution of children and the effective dose distribution of adults based on the assumption that various age groups of persons inhaled the two nuclides at the same activity ratio and at around the same time, while taking into account age-dependent ventilation rates. The two dose distributions were obtained from residents of Iitate village and Kawamata town, located northwest of Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (FDNPP).

[Decorporation agents for internal radioactive contamination].

When radionuclides are accidentally ingested or inhaled, blood circulation or tissue/organ deposition of the radionuclides causes systemic or local radiation effects. In such cases, decorporation therapy is used to reduce the health risks due to their intake. Decorporation therapy includes reduction and/or inhibition of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract, isotopic dilution, and the use of diuretics, adsorbents, and chelating agents.

Tumor induction in mice after local irradiation with single doses of either carbon-ion beams or gamma rays.

Purpose: To determine the dose-dependent relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for tumor prevalence in mice receiving single localized doses to their right leg of either carbon ions (15, 45 or 75 keV/μm) or 137Cs gamma rays.

Methods And Materials: A total of 1647 female C3H mice were irradiated to their hind legs with a localized dose of either reference gamma rays or 15, 45 or 75 keV/μm carbon-ion beams. Irradiated mice were evaluated for tumors twice a month during their three-year life span, and the dimensions of any tumors found were measured with a caliper.

Two Cases of Metastatic Parathyroid Carcinoma in Male C3H Mice Following Irradiation.

White nodules were observed in the thyroid in two male C3H mice (at 99 and 122 weeks of age) exposed to fast neutrons at the age of 8 weeks. Histopathologically, in both cases, tumors were developed in the region corresponding to the parathyroid gland, and the tumor cells were arranged in a solid sheet or nest-like structures. Necrosis, cell debris and/or hemorrhage were sometimes seen in the center of the tumor structures.

Histopathological studies on cases of chronic mouse hepatitis by natural Helicobacter infections.

It is known that Helicobacter hepaticus or Helicobacter bilis infection causes chronic inflammation of the colon and liver. Chronic active hepatitis was found in radiation exposure experiments using male C3H/HeNrs mice at our institute. Histopathologically, 103 cases among 978 mice (64-91 weeks of age at autopsy) had hepatic lesions regardless of irradiation exposure.

Selective down-regulation of Th2 cell-mediated airway inflammation in mice by pharmacological intervention of CCR4.

Background: The chemokine receptor CCR4 has been implicated in Th2 cell-mediated immune responses. However, other T cell subsets are also known to participate in allergic inflammation.

Objective: The role of CCR4 in Th1, Th2, and Th17 cell-mediated allergic airway inflammation was investigated.

Prevention of allergic asthma by vaccination with transgenic rice seed expressing mite allergen: induction of allergen-specific oral tolerance without bystander suppression.

This study tested the feasibility of oral immunotherapy for bronchial asthma using a newly developed subunit vaccine in which a fragment (p45-145) of mite allergen (Der p 1) containing immunodominant human and mouse T cell epitopes was encapsulated in endoplasmic reticulum-derived protein bodies of transgenic (Tg) rice seed. Allergen-specific serum immunoglobulin responses, T cell proliferation, Th1/Th2 cytokine production, airway inflammatory cell infiltration, bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) and lung histology were investigated in allergen-immunized and -challenged mice. Prophylactic oral vaccination with the Tg rice seeds clearly reduced the serum levels of allergen-specific IgE and IgG.

Neurobehavioral changes in mice exposed to fast neutrons in utero.

Epidemiological studies have revealed that radiation causes brain development abnormalities in atomic bomb survivors exposed in utero. Rat and mouse studies have also shown that prenatal exposure to low-linear energy transfer radiation induces developmental brain anomalies. Because the effects of prenatal irradiation on adult behavior patterns remain largely unknown, the present study investigated the effects of neutron exposure in utero on postnatal behavior patterns in mice.

Pre- and postpubertal irradiation induces mammary cancers with distinct expression of hormone receptors, ErbB ligands, and developmental genes in rats.

Childhood exposure to carcinogens renders a higher risk of breast cancer. The molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development after such exposure are not, however, well understood. Here we examined how the mechanism of cancer development relates to the age at exposure to ionizing radiation (IR) or the carcinogen 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea (MNU).

Rapid and reliable diagnosis of murine myeloid leukemia (ML) by FISH of peripheral blood smear using probe of PU. 1, a candidate ML tumor suppressor.

Background: Murine myeloid leukemia (ML) provides a good animal model to study the mechanisms of radiation-induced leukemia in humans. This disease has been cytogenetically characterized by a partial deletion of chromosome 2 with G-banding. For the rapid diagnosis of ML, this study reports a FISH method using spleen cells and peripheral blood smears from ML mice exposed to gamma rays and neutrons with PU.

Calculation of dose contributions of electron and charged heavy particles inside phantoms irradiated by monoenergetic neutron.

The radiation-transport code PHITS with an event generator mode has been applied to analyze energy depositions of electrons and charged heavy particles in two spherical phantoms and a voxel-based mouse phantom upon neutron irradiation. The calculations using the spherical phantoms quantitatively clarified the type and energy of charged particles which are released through interactions of neutrons with the phantom elements and contribute to the radiation dose. The relative contribution of electrons increased with an increase in the size of the phantom and with a decrease in the energy of the incident neutrons.

Defect of the cerebellar vermis induced by prenatal gamma-ray irradiation in radiosensitive BALB/c mice.

The developing fetal brain is one of the most susceptible organs to irradiation insult. Prenatal irradiation-induced abnormalities in the cerebrum have been well examined in mouse fetuses. However, little information on abnormalities in the cerebellum caused by irradiation is available.

Microarray-based global mapping of integration sites for the retrotransposon, intracisternal A-particle, in the mouse genome.

Mammalian genomes contain numerous evolutionary harbored mobile elements, a part of which are still active and may cause genomic instability. Their movement and positional diversity occasionally result in phenotypic changes and variation by causing altered expression or disruption of neighboring host genes. Here, we describe a novel microarray-based method by which dispersed genomic locations of a type of retrotransposon in a mammalian genome can be identified.

High relative biologic effectiveness of carbon ion radiation on induction of rat mammary carcinoma and its lack of H-ras and Tp53 mutations.

Purpose: The high relative biologic effectiveness (RBE) of high-linear energy transfer (LET) heavy-ion radiation has enabled powerful radiotherapy. The potential risk of later onset of secondary cancers, however, has not been adequately studied. We undertook the present study to clarify the RBE of therapeutic carbon ion radiation and molecular changes that occur in the rat mammary cancer model.