Active dispersal in loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) during the 'lost years'.

Highly migratory marine species can travel long distances and across entire ocean basins to reach foraging and breeding grounds, yet gaps persist in our knowledge of oceanic dispersal and habitat use. This is especially true for sea turtles, whose complex life history and lengthy pelagic stage present unique conservation challenges. Few studies have explored how these young at-sea turtles navigate their environment, but advancements in satellite technology and numerical models have shown that active and passive movements are used in relation to open ocean features. Here, we provide the first study, to the best of our knowledge, to simultaneously combine a high-resolution physical forcing ocean circulation model with long-term multi-year tracking data of young, trans-oceanic North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles during their 'lost years' at sea. From 2010 to 2014, we compare simulated trajectories of passive transport with empirical data of 1-3 year old turtles released off Japan (29.7-37.5 straight carapace length cm). After several years, the at-sea distribution of simulated current-driven trajectories significantly differed from that of the observed turtle tracks. These results underscore current theories on active dispersal by young oceanic-stage sea turtles and give further weight to hypotheses of juvenile foraging strategies for this species. Such information can also provide critical geographical information for spatially explicit conservation approaches to this endangered population.

Extravascular injection of sclerotic agents does not affect vessels in the rat: experimental implications for percutaneous sclerotherapy of arteriovenous malformations.

OBJECTIVES: Sclerotherapy is useful for the treatment of arteriovenous vascular malformations. However, intravascular administration of sclerotic agents into small arteriovenous niduses is often difficult. Extravascular administration of sclerotic agents causes reduction of vascular flow on Doppler echo during clinical sclerotherapy. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether the extravascular injection of sclerotic agents affects tiny vessels. DESIGN: Animal study. MATERIALS: The effect of extravascular injection of sclerotic agents on vessels was investigated using rat femoral and superficial inferior epigastric vessels. METHODS: After surgical exposure of vessels, absolute ethanol, 5% ethanolamine oleate and 3% polidocanol were injected into perivascular surrounding tissues, and their effect on vessels was evaluated after 14 days using histology and coloured silicone rubber injection. RESULTS: The integrity of the vascular lumen, endothelial cells and vascular patency were not affected by injection of sclerotic agents. CONCLUSIONS: Attenuation of vascular flow of an arteriovenous shunt after extravascular injection of sclerotic agents is transient and/or trivial and does not cause disruption of vessels. Therefore, sclerotic agents should be delivered to obtain sufficient destruction of arteriovenous malformation lesions and blood flow.

Fermi surface and superconductivity in low-density high-mobility δ-doped SrTiO3.

The electronic structure of low-density n-type SrTiO3 δ-doped heterostructures is investigated by angular dependent Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations. In addition to a controllable crossover from a three- to two-dimensional Fermi surface, clear beating patterns for decreasing dopant layer thicknesses are found. These indicate the lifting of the degeneracy of the conduction band due to subband quantization in the two-dimensional limit. Analysis of the temperature-dependent oscillations shows that similar effective masses are found for all components, associated with the splitting of the light electron pocket. The dimensionality crossover in the superconducting state is found to be distinct from the normal state, resulting in a rich phase diagram as a function of dopant layer thickness.

Multi-year tracking reveals extensive pelagic phase of juvenile loggerhead sea turtles in the North Pacific.

BACKGROUND: The juvenile stage of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) can last for decades. In the North Pacific Ocean, much is known about their seasonal movements in relation to pelagic habitat, yet understanding their multi-year, basin-scale movements has proven more difficult. Here, we categorize the large-scale movements of 231 turtles satellite tracked from 1997 to 2013 and explore the influence of biological and environmental drivers on basin-scale movement. RESULTS: Results show high residency of juvenile loggerheads within the Central North Pacific and a moderate influence of the Earth's magnetic field, but no real-time environmental driver to explain migratory behavior. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest the Central North Pacific acts as important developmental foraging grounds for young juvenile loggerhead sea turtles, rather than just a migratory corridor. We propose several hypotheses that may influence the connectivity between western and eastern juvenile loggerhead foraging grounds in the North Pacific Ocean.

A novel binding site for bile acids on human serum albumin.

Binding sites of bile acids on human serum albumin were studied using various probes: dansylsarcosine (site I probe), 7-anilinocoumarin-4-acetic acid (ACAA, site II probe), 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonamide (DNSA, site III probe), cis-parinaric acid (probe for fatty acid binding site) and bilirubin. Bile acids competitively inhibited the binding of dansylsarcosine to human serum albumin whereas bile acids enhanced the binding of ACAA, DNSA, cis-parinaric acid and bilirubin. Considering the concentrations of bile acids required to inhibit the binding of dansylsarcosine to human serum albumin, the secondary binding site of bile acids may correspond to site I. Dissociation constants (Kd) of the primary binding sites of lithocholic and chenodeoxycholic acid to human serum albumin were approximately 0.2 and 4 microM, respectively, which was measured by equilibrium dialysis at 37 degrees C. All the bile acids and their sulfates and glucuronides inhibited the binding of chenodeoxycholic acid to human serum albumin. Lithocholic and chenodeoxycholic acid and their sulfates and glucuronides exhibited more inhibition than cholic acid and its conjugates. In conclusion, bile acids may bind to a novel binding site on human serum albumin.

Bronchodilator activity of xanthine derivatives substituted with functional groups at the 1- or 7-position.

Xanthine derivatives with several functional groups at the 1- or 7-position were synthesized, and their pharmacological activities in guinea pigs were studied. In general, the in vitro tracheal relaxant action and positive chronotropic action of 3-propylxanthines were increased by substitutions with nonpolar functional groups at the 1-position, but decreased by any substitution at the 7-position. On the other hand, because positive chronotropic actions of substituents with allyl, aminoalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, and normal alkyl groups were much less than tracheal muscle became very high with substitutions of 3'-butenyl, (dimethylamino)ethyl, 2'-ethoxyethyl, 3'-methoxypropyl, and n-propyl groups at the 1-position and of 2'-ethoxyethyl, 2'-oxopropyl, and n-propyl groups at the 7-position, compared with theophylline and the corresponding unsubstituted xanthines, 3-propylxanthine and 1-methyl-3-propylxanthine. When compounds were intraduodenally administered to the guinea pig, 1-(2'-ethoxyethyl)-, 1-(3'-methoxypropyl)-, 1-(3'-butenyl)-, and 1-[(dimethylamino)-ethyl]-3-propylxanthines, 1-methyl-7-(2'-oxopropyl)-3-propylxanthine, and denbufylline (1,3-di-n-butyl-7-(2'-oxopropyl)xanthine) effectively inhibited the acetylcholine-induced bronchospasm without heart stimulation or central nervous system-stimulation at the effective dosage range. Particularly, the bronchodilatory effect of 1-(2'-ethoxyethyl)-3-propylxanthine was much stronger and more continuous than those of theophylline and pentoxifylline. On the other hand, there were certain relationships among the in vitro tracheal relaxant activities of these compounds, their affinities for adenosine (A1) receptors in the brain membrane, and their inhibition of cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase (PDE) in the tracheal muscle. The affinity for A2 receptors of these compounds was very low or negligible. This suggests that both the action on A1 receptors or interaction with adenosine and the cyclic AMP-PDE inhibitory activity contribute to the bronchodilator action of 1- and 7-substituted xanthines. This study indicates that the substitutions with none or low polar functional groups at the 1-position could improve the selectivity and duration of the bronchodilator effects of xanthines.

Human lymphocytes are more susceptible to measles virus than granulocytes, which is attributable to the phenotypic differences of their membrane cofactor protein (CD46).

Membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46) of the complement system is a measles virus (MV) receptor. Human lymphocytes express a heavily glycosylated (H) and a lightly glycosylated (L) form of MCP, which confers a two-band profile on SDS-PAGE the ratio of which is controlled genetically and organ-specifically. In contrast, granulocytes express a single heavily glycosylated form regardless of lymphocyte MCP phenotype. We investigated susceptibility to MV of granulocytes and lymphocytes from individuals with different lymphocyte MCP phenotypes. In any individual, granulocytes were > 10-fold less susceptible to MV than lymphocytes, and the lymphocytes with predominant H form were generally less susceptible to those with an increasing amount of L form. Thus, lymphocytes always exhibit high susceptibility to MV compared to granulocytes in all individuals. This finding may explain the lymphopenia and immunosuppression observed secondary to MV infection.

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isoenzymes in guinea-pig tracheal muscle and bronchorelaxation by alkylxanthines.

In this study the phosphodiesterase (PDE) isoenzymes in guinea-pig trachealis smooth muscle were separated by DEAE-Sepharose anion exchange chromatography, identified, and characterized. Furthermore the effect of theophylline and 1-n-butyl-3-n-propylxanthine (BPX) on the isolated PDE isoenzymes and on their tracheal relaxant effect were investigated and compared with the nonxanthine PDE inhibitors amrinone and Ro 20-1724. We identified five distinct isoenzymes in guinea-pig tracheal muscle; calcium/calmodulin-stimulated cyclic AMP PDE (PDE I), cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic AMP PDE (PDE II), cyclic GMP-inhibited and amrinone-sensitive cyclic AMP PDE (PDE III), cyclic AMP-specific and Ro 20-1724-sensitive PDE (PDE IV), and cyclic GMP-specific PDE (PDE V). BPX strongly inhibited the PDE IV isoenzyme with high selectivity, while the inhibitory effect of theophylline was weak. The PDE IV inhibitors BPX and Ro 20-1724 synergistically increased the relaxant effect of the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist salbutamol in carbachol-contracted trachea much more strongly than theophylline. In contrast, amrinone, a PDE III inhibitor, hardly influenced the relaxant effect of salbutamol, suggesting that the PDE IV isoenzyme is functionally associated with beta 2-adrenoceptors in guinea-pig trachea and that inhibition of this enzyme potentiates the ability of salbutamol to increase the intracellular cyclic AMP content. These results indicate that the PDE IV isoenzyme plays a significant role in alkylxanthine-mediated relaxation of guinea-pig trachea.

Decrease in the number of receptors for epidermal growth factor in the liver of D-galactosamine-intoxicated rats.

Hepatic transport of epidermal growth factor (EGF) was studied in D-galactosamine-intoxicated rats by the multiple-indicator dilution (MID) method. The extraction ratio of 125I-labeled EGF in the intoxicated rats, obtained from a model-independent analysis of the dilution curves, decreased to 45% of the control values. A distributed two-compartment model was fitted to the dilution data by nonlinear least-squares regression, and the kinetic parameters, kon.PT (product of on-rate constant and receptor density), koff (off-rate constant) and ks (sequestration rate constant) were determined. The values of kon.PT and ks in the intoxicated rats decreased to approximately one-half and one-third of those in the control rats respectively. Similar decreases in the kon.PT and ks values in the intoxicated rats were also observed for the transport of 125I-labeled insulin, a positive control, into the liver. The 125I-labeled EGF binding experiment at equilibrium using liver homogenates revealed that the intoxication reduced the receptor density (PT) to one-third of the control values, whereas the equilibrium dissociation constant (kd) did not change significantly. The activities of Na+,K+-ATPase, cytochrome P-450 and glutathione S-transferase decreased in the intoxicated rats to 70-80% of the control values. The number of nuclei per unit area of tissue slices was also reduced to 70% of the control. Thus, the extent to which the enzyme activities and the number of nuclei decreased in the intoxicated liver was smaller than that of the number of EGF receptors. It is concluded that the reduction of EGF receptors cannot be explained by the "intact hepatocyte hypothesis" but rather by the functional change of hepatocytes induced by the administration of D-galactosamine.

The masculinization of the fetus during pregnancy due to inhalation of diesel exhaust.

This study was conducted to determine the impact of diesel exhaust inhalation on the fetus. Seventy-two pregnant rats and 18 nonpregnant rats were divided into three groups: a group exposed to total diesel engine exhaust containing 5.63 mg/m(3) particulate matter, 4.10 ppm nitrogen dioxide, and 8.10 ppm nitrogen oxide; a group exposed to filtered exhaust without particulate matter; and a group exposed to clean air. The exposure period was from day 7 until day 20 of pregnancy. In addition, 15 pregnant rats were treated with aromatase inhibitors or testosterone to clarify the process by which diesel exhaust exerts its toxicity. The anogenital distance was significantly longer in male and female fetuses from both exhaust-exposed groups than in those of the control. Differentiation of the testis, ovary, and thymus was delayed and disturbed. Maternal testosterone and progesterone levels, which increased due to pregnancy whether or not the rats were exposed, were significantly higher and lower, respectively, in the pregnant rats exposed to total exhaust and filtered exhaust. The serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level and urinary excretion of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids (OHCS) did not differ among the pregnant groups. These results indicate that elevated testosterone did not result from elevated maternal adrenal function. The feto-placental-ovarian unit and inhibition of aromatase activity and synthesis caused by diesel exhaust inhalation might have played an essential role in the accumulation of testosterone. Since both exhaust-exposed groups showed almost the same reactions toward the inhalation, the gaseous phase must have included the relevant toxicants.

Ultrasound-guided percutaneous injection of ethanolamine oleate for hypersplenism. An experimental study in dogs.

In order to evaluate a possible therapy for hypersplenism, an experiment with animals was done. In nine dogs, 0.6 ml/kg body weight of 5% ethanolamine oleate was injected percutaneously into the spleen under ultrasound guidance. The injection was repeated three times at intervals of 1 week. Three dogs each were killed at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the final injection. All dogs tolerated the procedure well and lived until they were killed. The platelet count and leukocyte count increased after the injections, and remained higher than the pretreatment level until death. This effect probably is due to depressed splenic function. The autopsy showed 40% of the spleen to be infarcted with complete destruction of the normal structure. No serious complications occurred. In addition, injection of ethanolamine oleate in six fully heparinized dogs showed that there was little risk of hemorrhage. Ultrasound-guided percutaneous injection of ethanolamine oleate might be a simple and effective therapy for hypersplenism.

The presence of thromboxane A2 receptors in cultured astrocytes from rabbit brain.

We have previously shown that human astrocytoma cells (1321N1) express thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptors, of which stimulation activates phosphoinositide hydrolysis (Nakahata et al., Eur. J. Pharmacol. 162 (1989) 407). In order to examine whether TXA2 receptors exist in native astrocytes or not, rabbit cultured astrocytes were used. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes were obtained three weeks after culture of brain. [3H]ONO NT-126, a TXA2 antagonist, bound to the membranes derived from cultured rabbit astrocytes with the dissociation constant (Kd) of 0.23 nM and the maximum binding site (Bmax) of 69.5 fmol/mg protein. STA2, a stable TXA2 receptor agonist, activates phosphoinositide hydrolysis in a concentration-dependent manner, and S-145, a TXA2 antagonist, inhibited STA2-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis. The results indicate that TXA2 receptors exist in cultured rabbit astrocytes and the activation of TXA2 receptors results in phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Trifluoperazine inhibits phosphoinositide hydrolysis as a histamine H1-receptor antagonist.

In human astrocytoma cells (1321N1), trifluoperazine potently inhibited histamine-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis, while it slightly inhibited carbachol-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis. Trifluoperazine as well as diphenhydramine inhibited [3H]mepyramine binding in astrocytoma cell membranes with Ki values of 0.052 microM and 0.005 microM, respectively. However, trifluoperazine only slightly inhibited [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate binding with a Ki value of 3 microM. These results indicate that trifluoperazine specifically inhibits histamine-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis as a histamine H1-receptor antagonist in human astrocytoma cells.

Selective tracheal relaxation and phosphodiesterase-IV inhibition by xanthine derivatives.

The effects of substitutions in the xanthine nucleus on tracheal relaxant activity, atrium chronotropic activity, adenosine A1 affinity, and inhibitory activities on cyclic AMP-phosphodiesterase isoenzymes in guinea pigs were studied. Substitution with a long alkyl chain at the N1-position of xanthine nucleus increased the tracheal relaxant activity without leading to positive chronotropic action, and long alkyl chains at the N3-position increased both activities. N7-substitutions with n-propyl and 2'-oxopropyl groups, such as in denbufylline, increased bronchoselectivity. N7-substitution decreased the adenosine A1 affinity, but substitution at either the N1- or N3-position increased it. The bronchorelaxant activity of xanthine derivatives was closely correlated with their inhibition of phosphodiesterase-IV, but not with their adenosine A1 affinity; the positive chronotropic effects were related to their inhibition of phosphodiesterase-III. This study confirms that the bronchorelaxation of xanthine derivatives is mediated by inhibition of the isoenzyme phosphodiesterase-IV. The results of structure-activity analysis suggest that substitutions at the N1- and N7-positions should be tried in the development of xanthine derivatives that are selective bronchodilators and phosphodiesterase-IV inhibitors.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei due to adenocarcinoma of the lung: case report.

A rare case of pseudomyxoma peritonei whose primary site was presumed to be the lung is reported. A 76-year-old woman was admitted to Hospital presenting with progressive abdominal distention. She had been admitted twice, 2 and 1 year previously for the evaluation of high plasma carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level, of 11.6 ng/ml. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan and chest X-ray film on the third admission revealed a nodular lesion in the left lower lung field, and transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) revealed mucus-producing tall columnar epithelial carcinoma. Paracentesis revealed gelatinous ascitic fluid. At laparotomy, appendix and ovary were normal, and there were many small cystic tumors on the peritoneal surface and omentum. The patient died 2 years later, after repeated episodes of dynamic ileus. The lung and abdominal tumors gradually increased in size during the 2-year period, but she developed no respiratory symptoms. Based on both the clinical and pathophysiological findings, the final diagnosis made was pseudomyxoma peritonei whose origin was a lung adenocarcinoma.

Churg-Strauss syndrome (allergic granulomatous angiitis) with multiple perforating ulcers of the small intestine, multiple ulcers of the colon, and mononeuritis multiplex.

A case of Churg-Strauss syndrome with multiple perforations of the small intestine is described. A 31-year-old woman was admitted with a complaint of epigastric pain. She had a history of bronchial asthma. One week before admission, white blood cell count was 20,800/mm3 with 59% eosinophils. Neurological examination on admission disclosed mononeuritis multiplex with paresthesia in both the lower and upper extremities. At colonoscopy, there were scattered aphthous ulcers in the colon. Ophthalmological examination revealed allergic conjunctivitis. After admission, hypereosinophilia increased to as high as 36,000/mm3. Oral administration of prednisolone (60 mg/day) was begun. On the 3rd day of the treatment, the eosinophil count decreased dramatically, to 400/mm3, while severe abdominal pain developed. Since abdominal X-ray film revealed free air in the abdominal cavity, emergency laparotomy was performed and multiple intestinal ulcers with perforations were found. Partial ileectomy was performed. Pathological findings of the resected specimen were interpreted as a necrotizing angiitis with extravascular granuloma. Since the operation, the patient has been asymptomatic, except for neurological symptoms. Hypereosinophilia has decreased without treatment to counts averaging 270/mm3, within 3 months. On the basis of the clinical features and histopathological findings, a diagnosis of Churg-Strauss syndrome was established.

A case of primary gastric choriocarcinoma and a review of the Japanese literature.

A 63-year old woman who had experienced melena for 2 weeks was admitted to Tokyo University Hospital. Gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed endoscopically and histologically, and a total gastrectomy was performed soon thereafter. Pathological examination of the resected stomach revealed choriocarcinoma of the stomach. Although chemotherapy was administered after surgery, she died 3 months after admission. Autopsy confirmed the diagnosis of primary gastric choriocarcinoma, a rare, but highly malignant tumor. It is characteristic; macroscopically it forms a necrotic mass with bleeding, and microscopically it often consists of adenocarcinoma and choriocarcinoma. Since its prognosis is extremely poor, we must take into account the possibility of primary gastric choriocarcinoma when a hemorrhagic gastric tumor with necrosis is found.

HTLV-I associated uveitis in central Japan.

AIMS/BACKGROUND: Recently HTLV-I has been shown to cause a kind of endogenous uveitis in south west Japan, where HTLV-I infection is highly endemic. To investigate further the association of HTLV-I infection with the incidence of this uveitis, HTLV-I seroprevalence in central Japan, where HTLV-I infection is not endemic, was studied. METHODS: HTLV-I seroprevalence was investigated in 1579 patients with various ocular diseases and 1251 normal volunteers as a younger control group. Then HTLV-I seroprevalence was compared in each group. RESULTS: Of 1579 patients with various ocular diseases, 38 (2.41%) were seropositive. There was a statistically significant difference in HTLV-I seroprevalence between the undefined uveitis group and non-uveitic ocular diseases group (p < 0.05, Yates's correction). However, the seroprevalence in younger patients with undefined uveitis did not differ significantly from that in other groups. As regards the incidence of this type of uveitis, six of 12 (50%) seropositive patients, who were born in south west Japan and had lived in this area for 35 years, developed this undefined uveitis whereas only two of 26 (7.69%) seropositive patients in the other areas in Japan developed this uveitis. The difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05, Fisher's exact probability test). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the incidence of this type of endogenous uveitis could be greatly influenced by environmental or hereditary factors including HLA.

Micronucleus induction in mouse peripheral reticulocytes by 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene.

Micronucleus assays using mouse peripheral blood stained vitally on acridine orange (AO)-coated slides were evaluated at two laboratories with 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and compared with the standard bone marrow assay. DMBA was administered by single intraperitoneal injection to CD-1 mice at doses ranging from 5 to 80 mg/kg, then 5 microliters of peripheral blood was sampled from a tail vein at 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h after treatment. Similar incidences of micronucleated young erythrocytes were observed in peripheral blood reticulocytes and bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes. The dose response of micronucleated reticulocytes was delayed compared to that of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes. The dose-response curves after treatment with DMBA differed depending on the sampling times, which revealed the difficulty of obtaining accurate dose-response relations in the micronucleus assay. The present result demonstrated that the simple and rapid AO supravital staining method is a valuable and easier method for obtaining dose- and time-response data for quantification of micronucleus induction by chemicals.

HTLV-I seroprevalence in patients with undefined uveitis in central Japan.

Recently, human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) has been shown to cause endogenous uveitis, HTLV-I associated uveitis. To investigate the association of hereditary or environmental factors with the incidence of this uveitis, HTLV-I seroprevalence was studied in patients with undefined uveitis in central Japan, where HTLV-I infection has not been considered highly endemic. Of 129 patients with undefined uveitis, 6 (4.6%) were seropositive, and 4 of these 6 seropositive cases with undefined uveitis were born in southwestern Japan, where HTLV-I infection is highly endemic. As regards the incidence rate of uveitis, 4 of 9 (44.4%) seropositive cases from southwestern Japan developed uveitis, whereas only 2 of 21 (9.5%) seropositive cases from central Japan developed uveitis. The difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). This results suggests that the incidence of HTLV-I associated uveitis could be influenced by environmental or hereditary factors including HLA.