We investigated the effect of clot activators carried over from the serum tube on major coagulation tests during phlebotomy. First, blood specimens from 30 normal subjects were mixed with small amounts of fluid containing clot activators, and their effects on various coagulation tests were determined. Only the value of fibrin monomer complex displayed a remarkable change when thrombin-containing fluid was added to the blood specimens. Subsequently, 100 paired blood specimens (taken from 75 healthy volunteers and 25 patients taking warfarin) were collected in coagulation tubes before and after the serum tube using standard phlebotomy procedures. Various coagulation tests were performed to determine the effect of contamination of thrombin-containing blood on coagulation parameters. Differences between the 2 tubes were minimal but significant for some of the coagulation tests. Therefore, we conclude that the effect of clot activators in the serum tube on coagulation tests is minimal when standard phlebotomy procedures are used.

G protein-coupled receptors are critical regulators of diverse developmental processes such as oocyte maturation, fertilization, gastrulation, and organogenesis. To further study the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, we cloned and characterized the orphan leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 6 (LGR6), a stem cell marker in mammalian hair follicles, in medaka fish, Oryzias latipes. To examine the expression pattern of lgr6, we performed whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) during embryogenesis. The expression of lgr6 was first detected as a band in the anterior part of the posterior brain vesicle in 0.5-1 day post fertilization (dpf) embryos. This band disappeared by 2 dpf, but new signals appeared in the otic vesicles bordering the original band and also detected in the nasal placode and posterior lateral line primordia. At later stages (3-5 dpf), lgr6 was widely expressed in the brain, otic vesicle, neuromasts, root of the pectoral fin, cranial cartilage, and gut. Then, we conducted more detailed expression analysis of lgr6 in adult gut using WISH and immunohistochemical staining. Lgr6-positive cells were detected in the crypt-like proliferative zone and in parts of the villus. We also performed RT-PCR of mRNAs from different tissues. The lgr6 mRNA was found highest in the kidney and gill. The transcript was also present in the brain, heart, liver, spleen, intestine, skeletal muscle, testis, and ovary, similar to that of mammalian LGR6. These results suggest that medaka lgr6 plays an important role in organ development during embryogenesis and serves as a good molecular marker for future studies of postembryonic organ-specific development in mammals.

The first isolation of Mycobacterium kyorinense specimens in Brazil is described. M. kyorinense is a recently identified species, with few strains only reported in Japan. The Brazilian isolates were initially identified as M. celatum by PRA-hsp65. However, biochemical tests indicated the same profile of M. kyorinense and distinguished them from M. celatum and M. branderi. The sequencing of genes hsp65, rpoB and 16S rRNA allowed the accurate identification of isolates as M. kyorinense.

This study describes a direct inoculation method using the automated BacT/ALERT 3D and the BD Phoenix System in combination for identification and susceptibility testing of isolates from positive blood cultures. Organism identification and susceptibility results were compared with the conventional method for 211 positive aerobic blood cultures. Of 110 Gram-positive cocci (GPCs), 98 (89.1%) isolates were correctly identified to the species level. Of 101 Gram-negative rods (GNRs), 98 (97.0%) isolates were correctly identified to the species level. The overall categorical agreement in antimicrobial susceptibility testing among the 110 GPCs was 92.7%, with 0.04% very major and 0.7% major error rates. The overall categorical agreement among 78 isolates of enterobacteria and 23 isolates of nonfermenters in GNRs was 99.5% and 91.1%, respectively, with no major errors identified. We conclude that, compared with previously reported direct inoculation methods, our method is superior in identification and susceptibility testing of GPCs.

Loss or decreased expression of runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3), a tumor suppressor gene involved in gastric and other cancers, has been frequently observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The objective of this study was to identify the regulatory mechanism of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by RUNX3 in HCC. Human HCC cell lines, Hep3B, Huh7, HLF, and SK-Hep1, were divided into low- and high-EMT lines, based on their expression of TWIST1 and SNAI2, and were used in this in vitro study. Ectopic RUNX3 expression had an anti-EMT effect in low-EMT HCC cell lines characterized by increased E-cadherin expression and decreased N-cadherin and vimentin expression. RUNX3 expression has previously been reported to reduce JAG1 expression; therefore, JAG1 ligand peptide was employed to re-induce EMT in RUNX3-expressing low-EMT HCC cells. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed for RUNX3, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and TWIST1 in 33 human HCC tissues, also divided into low- and high-EMT HCC, based on TWIST1 expression. E-cadherin expression was correlated positively and N-cadherin expression was correlated negatively with RUNX3 expression in low-EMT HCC tissues. Correlations between EMT markers and RUNX3 mRNA expression were analyzed using Oncomine datasets. Similarly, mRNA expression of E-cadherin was also significantly correlated with that of RUNX3 in low-EMT HCC, while mRNA expression of JAG1 was negatively correlated with that of RUNX3. These results suggest a novel mechanism by which loss or decreased expression of RUNX3 induces EMT via induction of JAG1 expression in low-EMT HCC. © 2012 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Linezolid (LZD) is the first oxazolidinone antibiotic that is effective against drug-resistant gram-positive organisms. Hematological toxicities such as thrombocytopenia, anemia, and leukocytopenia are common in LZD therapy. However, LZD-induced pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is very rare. A 56-year-old man with myelodysplastic syndrome underwent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from a human leukocyte antigen-matched and ABO blood type-matched unrelated male donor. He had bacteremia caused by Staphylococcus epidermidis after engraftment of neutrophils and red blood cells. We first administered vancomycin, but then changed to intravenous LZD because of kidney damage. Two weeks after LZD therapy, the patient's hemoglobin and reticulocyte levels were 6.8 g/dL and 0.3%, respectively. Bone marrow examination revealed red blood cell aplasia (myeloid/erythroid ratio was 402). The patient showed rapid recovery of normal erythropoiesis within 2 weeks of LZD cessation. It is important to be aware of the hematological effects associated with LZD in the setting of stem cell transplantation,particularly for those with pre-existing myelosuppression, renal insufficiency, and those receiving concomitant drugs that produce bone marrow suppression. We advocate that a reticulocyte count be performed periodically for detecting bone marrow suppression, including PRCA, during LZD therapy.

Inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver is a hallmark of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The chemokine-chemokine receptor interaction induces inflammatory cell recruitment. CC-chemokine receptor CCR2 is expressed on hepatic macrophages and hepatic stellate cells. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of CCR2 to NASH. Twenty-two weeks on a choline-deficient amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet induced steatosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and liver fibrosis with increased CCR2 and MCP-1 expression in the WT livers. The infiltrated macrophages expressed CD68, CCR2 and a marker of bone marrow-derived monocytes Ly6C. CCR2(-/-) mice had less steatosis, inflammatory cell infiltration and fibrosis, and hepatic macrophages expressing CD68 and Ly6C were decreased. TLR4(-/-), TLR9(-/-) and MyD88(-/-) mice had reduced hepatic macrophage infiltration with decreased MCP-1 and CCR2 expression because Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling is a potent inducer of MCP-1. To assess the role of Kupffer cells at the onset of NASH, Kupffer cells were depleted by liposomal clodronate. The Kupffer cell depletion ameliorated steatohepatitis with a decrease in the MCP-1 expression and recruitment of Ly6C-expressing macrophages at the onset of NASH. Finally, to test the therapeutic potential of targeting CCR2, a CCR2 inhibitor was administered to mice on a CDAA diet. The pharmaceutical inhibition of CCR2 prevented infiltration of the Ly6C positive macrophages, resulting in an inhibition of liver inflammation and fibrosis. Conclusions. CCR2 and Kupffer cells contribute to the progression of NASH by recruiting bone marrow-derived monocytes.