The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), a small New World monkey, has the potential for use in human drug development due to its evolutionary closeness to humans. Four novel cDNAs, encoding ...cytochrome P450 (P450) 2C18, 2C19, 2C58, and 2C76, were cloned from marmoset livers to characterize P450 2C molecular properties, including previously reported P450 2C8. The deduced amino acid sequence showed high sequence identities (>86%) with those of human P450 2Cs, except for marmoset P450 2C76, which has a low sequence identity (∼70%) with any human P450 2Cs. Phylogenetic analysis showed that marmoset P450 2Cs were more closely clustered with those of humans and macaques than other species investigated. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that all of the marmoset P450 2C mRNAs were predominantly expressed in liver as opposed to the other tissues tested. Marmoset P450 2C proteins were detected in liver by immunoblotting using antibodies against human P450 2Cs. Among marmoset P450 2Cs heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli, marmoset P450 2C19 efficiently catalyzed human P450 2C substrates, S-warfarin, diclofenac, tolbutamide, flurbiprofen, and omeprazole. Marmoset P450 2C19 had high Vmax and low Km values for S-warfarin 7-hydroxylation that were comparable to those in human liver microsomes, indicating warfarin stereoselectivity similar to findings in humans. Faster in vivo S-warfarin clearance than R-warfarin after intravenous administration of racemic warfarin (0.2 mg/kg) to marmosets was consistent with the in vitro kinetic parameters. These results indicated that marmoset P450 2C enzymes had functional characteristics similar to those of humans, and that P450 2C-dependent metabolic properties are likewise similar between marmosets and humans.
Summary Background & aims Several epidemiological studies have shown that circulating antioxidant levels are inversely associated with metabolic syndrome status. The purpose of this study was to ...examine the association of serum carotenoid levels, which have potent antioxidant effects, with metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome components in Japanese subjects. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study of 931 subjects (318 men and 613 women), aged 39–70 years, who attended a health examination. Metabolic syndrome was defined according to the diagnostic definition from the Japanese Examination Committee of Criteria for Metabolic Syndrome, which was released in 2005. Serum carotenoids were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Results A significantly lower odds ratio (OR) for metabolic syndrome was observed in the highest tertile of serum β-cryptoxanthin (OR:0.45; 95% CI:0.22–0.93 in men and 0.41; 0.17–0.93 in women) and β-carotene (OR:0.45; 95% CI:0.21–0.95 in men and 0.37; 0.15–0.83 in women) compared to the lowest tertiles, in both sexes, but no significant association was found in male smokers. In women, moreover, OR for metabolic syndrome in the highest tertile of serum zeaxanthin/lutein (OR:0.37; 95% CI:0.16–0.84) was significantly lower than in the lowest tertile. Serum levels of β-cryptoxanthin, α-carotene, and β-carotene were significantly decreased with an increasing number of metabolic syndrome components in both sexes. Conclusions These findings indicate that carotenoids may be important factors in the prevention of metabolic syndrome in nonsmokers, but further studies are required in smokers.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of mucinous adenocarcinoma associated with perianal fistulas (MAF), to assess the importance of preoperative MRI analysis, ...and to determine the optimal surgery.
We performed a retrospective analysis of the data from seven patients with MAF treated at our hospital between 2000 and 2013, and herein discuss the importance of preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and of radical surgery.
The male to female ratio was 5:2, and the mean age of the patients was 63 years old (28-70). The median duration of chronic fistulation was 16 years (5-40). The tumor extension was classified as II+III+IV in five patients and as II+III in 2 patients according to the Sumikoshi classification, as determned by pelvic MRI. The performed surgeries were 3 abdominoperineal resections with sacral resection and 4 pelvic exenterations with sacral resection. Two local recurrences developed in patients with R1 resection, and 1 distant metastasis occurred in 1 patient with R0 resection.
For patients with MAF, a curative surgical resection is the only definitive treatment that can be expected to provide a good prognosis. The application of the Sumikoshi classification using MRI may provide a precise assessment of the extension of MAF, which can allow the appropriate surgery to be selected for the patients with MAF.
We investigate properties of the N(nucleon)–Ω(Omega) interaction in lattice QCD to seek for possible dibaryon states in the strangeness −3 channel. We calculate the NΩ potential through the ...equal-time Nambu–Bethe–Salpeter wave function in 2+1 flavor lattice QCD with the renormalization group improved Iwasaki gauge action and the nonperturbatively O(a) improved Wilson quark action at the lattice spacing a≃0.12 fm on a (1.9 fm)3× 3.8 fm lattice. The ud and s quark masses in our study correspond to mπ=875(1) MeV and mK=916(1) MeV. At these parameter values, the central potential in the S-wave with the spin 2 shows attractions at all distances. By solving the Schrödinger equation with this potential, we find one bound state whose binding energy is 18.9(5.0)(−1.8+12.1) MeV, where the first error is the statistical one, while the second represents the systematic error.
This article describes the perioperative complications, perioperative risk assessment, and perioperative management of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung ...disease, especially idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis( IPF), which are the leading diseases in respiratory dysfunction. In COPD, testing for forced expiratory volume during the first second and pulmonary diffusing capacity is important and an algorithm for testing has been presented by the Japanese Association for Chest Surgery. Acute exacerbation of IPF is the leading cause of postoperative mortality in Japan, and risk factors are being analyzed. To reduce the occurrence of postoperative complications, it is important to carry out a risk assessment, select appropriate surgical strategy, and implement a well-planned perioperative management.
BACKGROUND:Intracranial aneurysms can have atherosclerotic wall properties that may be important in predicting aneurysm history or estimating the potential risks of surgical treatments.
OBJECTIVE:To ...investigate hemodynamic characteristics of atherosclerotic lesions in intracranial aneurysms using computational fluid dynamics.
METHODS:Intraoperative video recordings of 30 consecutive patients with an unruptured middle cerebral artery aneurysm were examined to identify atherosclerotic lesions on an aneurysm wall. For computational fluid dynamics analyses, geometries of aneurysms and adjacent arteries were reconstructed from 3-dimensional rotational angiography. Transient simulations were conducted under patient-specific pulsatile inlet conditions measured by phase-contrast magnetic resonance velocimetry. Three hemodynamic wall parameters were calculatedtime-averaged wall shear stress, oscillatory shear index, and relative residence time (RRT). Statistical analyses were performed to discriminate the risk factors of atherosclerotic lesion formation.
RESULTS:Among 30 aneurysms, 7 atherosclerotic lesions with remarkable yellow lipid deposition were identified in 5 aneurysms. All 7 atherosclerotic lesions spatially agreed with the area with prolonged RRT. Univariate analysis revealed that male sex (P = .03), cigarette smoking (P = .047), and maximum RRT (P = .02) are significantly related to atherosclerotic lesion on the intracranial aneurysmal wall. Of those variables that influenced atherosclerotic lesion of the intracranial aneurysmal wall, male sex (P = .005) and maximum RRT (P = .004) remained significant in the multivariate regression model.
CONCLUSION:The area with prolonged RRT colocalized with atherosclerotic change on the aneurysm wall. Male sex and maximum RRT were independent risk factors for atherogenesis in intracranial aneurysms.
ABBREVIATIONS:CFD, computational fluid dynamicsMCA, middle cerebral arteryOSI, oscillatory shear indexRRT, relative residence timeWSS, wall shear stress
Indoor free space optical (FSO) communication technology that provides high-speed connectivity to edge users is expected to be introduced in the near future mobile communication system, where the ...silicon photonics solid-state beam scanning device is a promising tool because of its low cost, long-term reliability, and other beneficial properties. However, the current two-dimensional beam scanning devices using grating coupler arrays have difficulty in increasing the transmission capacity because of bandwidth regulation. To solve the problem, we have introduced a broadband surface optical coupler, “elephant coupler,” which has great potential for combining wavelength and spatial division multiplexing technologies into the beam scanning device, as an alternative to grating couplers. The prototype port-selective silicon beam scanning device fabricated using a 300 mm CMOS pilot line achieved broadband optical beam emission with a 1 dB-loss bandwidth of 40 nm and demonstrated beam scanning using an imaging lens. The device has also exhibited free-space signal transmission of non-return-to-zero on-off-keying signals at 10 Gbps over a wide wavelength range of 60 nm. In this paper, we present an overview of the developed beam scanning device. Furthermore, the theoretical design guidelines for indoor mobile FSO communication are discussed.
In veterinary medicine, blood transfusion is commonly performed on companion animals. The common marmoset is a small nonhuman primate with increasing popularity as an animal model in biomedical ...research. Because of its small whole blood volume, the marmoset is at high risk of exsanguination, and blood transfusion is required to care for life-threatening bleeding. However, few clinical evaluations exist on transfusions for marmosets. This study performed whole blood transfusion with cross-matching on nine marmosets and surveyed the therapeutic effects. Recipients included clinical cases with persistent bleeding, anemia, and coma, as well as animals subjected to postoperative bleeding prophylaxis. Donors were selected from healthy marmosets, including littermates. Cross-match assay before transfusion were all negative, and recipients showed no visible signs of transfusion-related adverse reactions. Whole blood transfusions caused hemostasis and successful recovery in bleeding marmosets, including long-term improvement of anemia cases. Our results indicated that blood transfusion is effective for marmosets with severe anemia and persistent hemorrhage from both non-experimental and surgical causes. Furthermore, DNA sequencing for blood-group classification revealed that all subject marmosets were type A, suggesting that the risk of blood type mismatch may be low in this species.
SYNOPSIS Surface modification of titanium (Ti) influences cell behavior, and immobilization of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 on a Ti surface cells to differentiate into osteogenic cells. This ...study aimed to evaluate the effect of an artificial fusion protein (AFP) comprising a modified BMP-2 and Ti-binding peptide (TBP) motif (AFP-TBP-BMP-2) on osteogenesis of rat abdominal cells on Ti surface in vivo. Ti plates were dipped in three different mixtures of collagen gel : collagen gel only, collagen gel with BMP-2, and collagen gel with AFP-TBP-BMP-2. The treated Ti plates were then implanted into rat abdominal muscles. One and 2 weeks after implantation, these plates were histologically observed. The Ti plate with collagen gel and AFP-TBP-BMP-2 produced cartilage in the muscle at 1 week, and bone-like hard tissue was observed at 2 weeks. These results suggest that the application of collagen gel with AFP-TBP-BMP-2 accelerates osteogenesis in vivo.
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