Takashi Hirama

The plasma membrane is uniquely enriched in phosphatidylserine (PtdSer). This anionic phospholipid is restricted almost exclusively to the inner leaflet of the plasmalemma. Because of their high density, the headgroups of anionic lipids experience electrostatic repulsion that, being exerted asymmetrically, is predicted to favor membrane curvature. We demonstrate that cholesterol limits this repulsion and tendency to curve. Removal of cholesterol or insertion of excess PtdSer increases the charge

Caveolae are bulb-shaped nanodomains of the plasma membrane that are enriched in cholesterol and sphingolipids. They have many physiological functions, including endocytic transport, mechanosensing, and regulation of membrane and lipid transport. Caveola formation relies on integral membrane proteins termed caveolins (Cavs) and the cavin family of peripheral proteins. Both protein families bind anionic phospholipids, but the precise roles of these lipids are unknown. Here, we studied the effects

Even patients with post-transplant sarcopenia have a chance to recover physical function to levels close to those without sarcopenia several years post LTX.

The initiation of CRRT posttransplant may be a useful strategy to preserve cardiac and optimize volume management among critically ill patients.

Commensal organisms are frequent causes of pneumonia. However, the detection of these organisms in the airway does not mean that they are the causative pathogens; they may exist merely as colonizers. In up to 50% cases of pneumonia, the causative pathogens remain unidentified, thereby hampering targeting therapies. In speculating on the role of a commensal organism in pneumonia, we devised the battlefield hypothesis. In the "pneumonia battlefield," the organism-to-human cell number ratio may be

In Japan, the waiting time is extremely long and candidates with Fibrosis have high mortality. There is a need to document outcomes based on the underlying disease for listed LTX candidates to help determine the optimal timing for listing patients based on the estimated local waiting time.

Despite high prevalence of pre- and post-transplant Pseudomonas colonization, the outcome in LTX recipients with bronchiectasis other than CF was comparable to those without bronchiectasis.

LUNG TRANSPLANTATION IN JAPAN Lung transplantation has dramatically evolved in recent decades and has become the preferred treatment procedure for end-stage pulmonary disease. Despite the worldwide transplant success, Japan is lagging behind in achieving a social consensus on brain death. The Japanese Organ Transplantation Act has been issued in October 1997, legalizing the transplantation of organs from brain-dead donors.1 Yet, the number of organ donations has remained very small as the Act re

To the Editor:

Membrane curvature is a property of biological membranes essential for organelle morphology and the formation of tubulovesicular carriers. Curvature generation is influenced by the lipid composition of the membrane and protein-mediated processes. Lipids with small headgroups, such as phosphatidic acid, are conical and impose negative curvature on a monolayer. Conversely, lipids with large headgroups relative to the hydrophobic tail(s), such as lysophosphatidylcholine, have an inverted conical sh

These findings may be of use to TB clinicians in the province by informing the initial empiric antibiotic regimen prescribed while awaiting phenotypic drug susceptibility testing and assisting in decisions regarding whether to request rapid molecular drug susceptibility testing.

The nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) cause miscellaneous disorders in humans, especially in the lungs, which present with a variety of radiological features. To date, knowledge of the pathogenic role of the Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) in the human lung and the definitive criteria for initiating multidrug therapy are still lacking. However, there is little doubt that clarithromycin is the most efficacious drug among the various treatment regimens for lung NTM. In this study,

Because EBV-SMT is a rare tumor, its incidence, risk factors, and optimal management have not been well-defined and further study is needed.