Chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 detection in the serum of persons exposed to asbestos: A patient-based study.

Exposure to asbestos results in serious risk of developing lung and mesothelial diseases. Currently, there are no biomarkers that can be used to diagnose asbestos exposure. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the levels or detection rate of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3) in the serum are elevated in persons exposed to asbestos. The primary study group consisted of 76 healthy subjects not exposed to asbestos and 172 healthy subjects possibly exposed to asbestos. The secondary study group consisted of 535 subjects possibly exposed to asbestos and diagnosed with pleural plaque (412), benign hydrothorax (10), asbestosis (86), lung cancer (17), and malignant mesothelioma (10). All study subjects who were possibly exposed to asbestos had a certificate of asbestos exposure issued by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. For the primary study group, levels of serum CCL3 did not differ between the two groups. However, the detection rate of CCL3 in the serum of healthy subjects possibly exposed to asbestos (30.2%) was significantly higher (P < 0.001) than for the control group (6.6%). The pleural plaque, benign hydrothorax, asbestosis, and lung cancer groups had serum CCL3 levels and detection rates similar to that of healthy subjects possibly exposed to asbestos. The CCL3 chemokine was detected in the serum of 9 of the 10 patients diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma. Three of the patients with malignant mesothelioma had exceptionally high CCL3 levels. Malignant mesothelioma cells from four biopsy cases and an autopsy case were positive for CCL3, possibly identifying the source of the CCL3 in the three malignant mesothelioma patients with exceptionally high serum CCL3 levels. In conclusion, a significantly higher percentage of healthy persons possibly exposed to asbestos had detectable levels of serum CCL3 compared to healthy unexposed control subjects.

Inversion of the stereochemistry around the sulfur atom of the axial methionine side chain through alteration of amino acid side chain packing in Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome C552 and its functional consequences.

In cytochrome c, the coordination of the axial Met Sδ atom to the heme Fe atom occurs in one of two distinctly different stereochemical manners, i.e., R and S configurations, depending upon which of the two lone pairs of the Sδ atom is involved in the bond; hence, the Fe-coordinated Sδ atom becomes a chiral center. In this study, we demonstrated that an alteration of amino acid side chain packing induced by the mutation of a single amino acid residue, i.e., the A73V mutation, in Hydrogenobacter thermophilus cytochrome c552 (HT) forces the inversion of the stereochemistry around the Sδ atom from the R configuration [Travaglini-Allocatelli, C., et al. (2005) J. Biol. Chem. 280, 25729-25734] to the S configuration. Functional comparison between the wild-type HT and the A73V mutant possessing the R and S configurations as to the stereochemistry around the Sδ atom, respectively, demonstrated that the redox potential (Em) of the mutant at pH 6.00 and 25 °C exhibited a positive shift of ∼20 mV relative to that of the wild-type HT, i.e., 245 mV, in an entropic manner. Because these two proteins have similar enthalpically stabilizing interactions, the difference in the entropic contribution to the Em value between them is likely to be due to the effect of the conformational alteration of the axial Met side chain associated with the inversion of the stereochemistry around the Sδ atom due to the effect of mutation on the internal mobility of the loop bearing the axial Met. Thus, the present study demonstrated that the internal mobility of the loop bearing the axial Met, relevant to entropic control of the redox function of the protein, is affected quite sensitively by the contextual stereochemical packing of amino acid side chains in the proximity of the axial Met.

[Studies of influenza vaccination among elderly nursing home residents].

We conducted a questionnaire survey of influenza vaccination among elderly nursing home residents, and investigated the actual condition and the view of vaccination of elderly people. There was 272 elderly residents in Nagoya-shi, Kouseiin Medical Welfare Center, they were classified into the bed ridden group; 195cases (71.7%) according to the independence in activities of daily living, and 132cases (48.5%) were evaluated as the disturbance of community ability group. The number of vaccination in 2002/2003 was 163 residents (59.9%). When the vaccination group (163cases) was compared with the non-vaccination group (109cases), it becomes clear that the later has much bedridden or dementia. The reply of questionnaire was obtained from 139 cases (51.1%) among 272 residents. As a reason of the residents who received vaccine, a prevention was 70.2%, mostly over whelmingly. The following were 17.0% of a custom of annual vaccination, and the recommendation by doctor and family were 5.3% and 3.2%, respectively. The main reasons for having not received a vaccine was inability of recoganization 22.2%. The afraid of adverse reaction or allergy, the ache of a injection was following 17.8%, respectively. In order to raise the rate of the vaccination in elderly nursing home residents, we should make into consideration that the educational campaign of the safety of vaccine and how to develop motivation for vaccination to the elderly with cognitive decline.

Combined effects of panipenem and aminoglycosides on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are the main causes of refractory infections that are often resistant to antimicrobial agents. In these cases, combination of agents with antimicrobial activity is being examined. However, few studies have investigated combined effects with antimicrobial agents including carbapenem and aminoglycosides. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of panipenem (PAPM) combined with 3 aminoglycosides, arbekacin, amikacin, and netilmicin, and vancomicin (VCM) with an agar dilution checkerboard technique and the fractional inhibitory concentration index against 47 strains of MRSA and 56 strains of P. aeruginosa. RESULTS: PAPM combined with VCM achieved a synergic effect against MRSA in 80.9%. PAPM combined with aminoglycosides showed only additive effects against MRSA and P. aeruginosa. When comparing the activity of Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) medium with MHA medium diluted 40-fold (1/40 MHA) against P. aeruginosa, the mean minimum inhibitory concentration of PAPM was decreased to 1/16. CONCLUSIONS: Combination of PAPM and VCM is effective against MRSA. Combinations of PAPM and aminoglycosides showed additive effects against MRSA and P. aeruginosa.

Bronchoscopic intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide treated against bronchial obstruction caused by peanut aspiration.

We encountered a case of obstructive pneumonia 1 month after peanut aspiration. Bronchoscopic examination revealed obstruction of the right basal bronchus with immature granulation tissue due to the peanut aspiration. Despite antibiotic treatment, the obstruction had not been resolved. To relieve the bronchial obstruction, bronchoscopic intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide was performed without any complications. Seven days after injection, the bronchial obstruction had resolve. In conclusion, intralesional injection of triamcinolone acetonide may play a role in one of the non-surgical repairs against obstruction due to foreign body aspiration.

[A case of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis diagnosed using percutaneous intracavitary endoscopy].

A 65-year-old man with pneumoconiosis visited our hospital for dyspnea on effort. Chest radiography and computed tomography on admission showed cavities with an air-fluid level, consolidation in the right lower lung, and right pleural effusion. The thoracic cavity and an infected cyst were drained, and antibiotics were administered. On detection of molds like Aspergillus species and of aspergillus antigen from the sputum, aspergillosis was suspected and amphotericin B was administered intravenously. Renal dysfunction caused by amphotericin B led to its withdrawal. Abnormal shadows in the chest radiographs and computed tomograms did not improve. To aid in diagnosis, percutaneous intracavitary endoscopy was performed. Yellow-white mural nodules resembling cauliflower were found on endoscopic examination, and a biopsy specimen of the nodules showed hyphae of Aspergillus. Aspergillus fumigatus was cultured from the intracavity fluid. Pulmonary aspergillosis was diagnosed and amphotericin B was administered via the drainage catheter in order to protect renal function. The abnormal shadows then disappeared and the subsequent clinical course was good. In this case, percutaneous intracavitary endoscopy was useful in diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis.

Restriction of amino acid change in influenza A virus H3HA: comparison of amino acid changes observed in nature and in vitro.

We introduced 248 single-point amino acid changes into hemagglutinin (HA) protein of the A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) strain by a PCR random mutation method. These changes were classified as positive or negative according to their effect on hemadsorption activity. We observed following results. (i) The percentage of surviving amino acid changes on the HA1 domain that did not abrogate hemadsorption activity was calculated to be ca. 44%. In nature, it is estimated to be ca. 39.6%. This difference in surviving amino acid changes on the HA protein between natural isolates and in vitro mutants might be due to the immune pressure against the former. (ii) A total of 26 amino acid changes in the in vitro mutants matched those at which mainstream amino acid changes had occurred in the H3HA1 polypeptide from 1968 to 2000. Of these, 25 were positive. We suggest that the majority of amino acid changes on the HA protein during evolution might be restricted to those that were positive on the HA of A/Aichi/2/68. (iii) We constructed two-point amino acid changes on the HA protein by using positive mutants. These two-point amino acid changes with a random combination did not inhibit hemadsorption activity. It is possible that an accumulation of amino acid change might occur without order. (iv) From the analysis of amino acids participating in mainstream amino acid change, each antigenic site could be further divided into smaller sites. The amino acid substitutions in the gaps between these smaller sites resulted in mostly hemadsorption-negative changes. These gap positions may play an important role in maintaining the function of the HA protein, and therefore amino acid changes are restricted at these locations.

Analysis of epitope recognition of antibodies induced by DNA immunization against hemagglutinin protein of influenza A virus.

In an effort to find efficient DNA vaccine candidates, cDNA of influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) gene and several derived mutants were injected into mice using a gene gun. Mice immunized with HA1 DNA, with or without a membrane domain, showed a humoral immune response and the survival rate against homologous virus challenge was comparable to that of mice injected with HA DNA. In order to analyze epitopes recognized by antibodies induced by gene gun immunization, we used a binding assay employing the chimeric HA protein method. Serum antibodies of mice immunized with HA DNA recognized the HA1 domain but not the HA2 domain. In addition, antisera obtained from mice immunized with HA1 DNA reacted with each of the known antigenic sites on the HA1 domain, similar to the results obtained with HA DNA immunization.

An adult case of Bochdalek hernia complicated with hemothorax.

A 53-year-old female with mild shock due to vomiting and abdominal pain visited the emergency room of our hospital. Chest X-ray on admission showed a large amount of left pleural effusion. Thoracentesis revealed hemorrhagic pleural effusion. An upper gastrointestinal series showed interruption of the upper gastric body, but the anal side was not visualized. Contrast X-ray examination of the thoracic cavity via the drainage tube demonstrated intrathoracic herniation through the diaphragm. These findings suggested gastric impaction in the foramen of Bochdalek, and thoracotomy was immediately performed. A black-colored stomach and greater omentum, suggesting necrotic changes, were observed in the thoracic cavity, and there was bleeding from the greater omentum. Resection of the necrotic organs and closure of the hernial orifice were followed by good recovery.