Biological effects of static magnetic fields on the microcirculatory blood flowin vivo: a preliminary report

There have been few studies of the effect of static magnetic fields on microcirculatory haemodynamics in vivo. The rat skinfold transparent chamber technique was used, which provides an excellent means of observing and quantifying direct in vivo microvascular haemodynamic responses to static magnetic fields up to 8 T. An intravital videomicroscope was used to measure the changes in blood flow before and after exposure to a magnetic field for 20 min in a horizontal type superconducting magnet with a bore 100 mm in diameter and 700 mm long. After exposure, microcirculatory blood flow showed an initial increase for about 5 min followed by a gradual decrease and a return to the control value. It is hypothesised that these changes represent rebound hyperaemia following reduced blood flow during exposure.     

Infusion of a Glucose Solution Reduces Autophagy in the Liver after LPS-induced Systemic Inflammation

Autophagy is a natural process by which a cell maintains homeostasis, usually taking place unnoticed by adjacent cells. Glucose is involved in a negative feedback loop in autophagy. Autophagy is characterized by the induction and secretion of HMGB1, yet the nature of the inflammatory response during and the effect of glucose administration on autophagy are not well understood. Systemic inflammation was induced in experimental animals by LPS injection (7.5 mg/kg) followed by a continuous infusion of either 1%, 5%, or 25% glucose. Autophagy was visualized by immunohistochemistry 12 h after LPS injection. Likewise, protein levels of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3)-II, autophagy-related protein 7 (Atg7), and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were assayed by western blot analysis. We found that autophagy increased in liver tissue in response to LPS-induced systemic inflammation. However, protein levels decreased in rats receiving LPS and a 5% glucose solution. Our results suggest that LPS-induced systemic inflammation increases autophagy in liver cells, potentially involving the upregulation of LC3-II, Atg7, and HMGB1. We also show that a 5% glucose infusion reduces autophagy. We propose that maintaining serum glucose levels with an adequate glucose dose improves systemic inflammation by reducing autophagy.     

Changes in cell culture temperature alter release of inflammatory mediators in murine macrophagic RAW264.7 cells

Objectives: To examine whether moderate changes in cell culture temperature influence the production of various cytokines and associated mediators of inflammation. Methods: We performed lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of the murine macrophagic RAW264.7 cell line under hyperthermic (40 °C), normothermic (37 °C) and hypothermic (34 °C) conditions. We then measured the levels of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), heat shock factor protein (HSF) and nuclear factor–kB (NF-kB) dimers (p50 and p65) in the cells, and the levels of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and the cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the culture supernatants. Results: Levels of HMGB1, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as NF-kB dimers (p50 and p65), were all reduced following LPS stimulation at 40 °C and 34 °C compared with those at 37 °C. Levels of HSP70 and HSF increased at 40 °C and 34 °C. Conclusions: The application of moderate hyperthermia and hypothermia after LPS-induced cell activation attenuated the inflammatory response and reduced the likelihood of cell damage. These findings suggest that moderate temperature changes modulate the inflammatory response and could be a useful therapy against sepsis. Received 1 October 2006; returned for revision 16 November 2006; returned for final revision 23 January 2007; accepted by M. Katori 14 March 2007     

AT1R基因A1166C多态性与非酒精性脂肪性肝炎关系的研究

目的：研究血管紧张素1型受体（angiotensin type 1 receptor,AT1R）基因A1166C多态性与日本高知地区非酒精性脂肪性肝炎（NASH）易感性的相关性,从基因学角度探讨NASH的发生发展机制,为NASH的预防、诊断和治疗提供一定的理论依据。方法：应用聚合酶链反应-限制性片段长度多态性（PCR-PFLP）方法对日本高知地区96例NASH患者和150例正常人AT1R-A1166C基因多态性进行分析。结果：NASH病例组A等位基因频率与正常对照组相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。NASH病例组AA基因型频率与正常对照组相比差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论：AT1R-A1166C基因多态性与NASH的发生发展尚未显示相关。     

Antitumor effects of human recombinant interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor on five cervical adenocarcinoma cell lines, in vivo and in vitro

We examined the antitumor effects of recombinant interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on cervical adenocarcinoma cell lines, in vitro and in vivo. Four of five cell lines showed a high sensitivity to IFN-gamma, in vitro. One of five cell lines showed a remarkable sensitivity to TNF, in vitro. Only one cell line resistant to both IFN and TNF was derived from a well-differentiated adenocarcinoma of endocervical type. Experiments using nude mice bearing transplanted tumors revealed that these cytokines were also effective against tumors in vivo. All these observations suggest that IFN-gamma or TNF can have positive effects in the treatment of patients with adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix.     

Treatment of advanced cervical cancer by a combination of peplomycin, vincristine, mitomycin-C, and cisplatin

Eighteen patients with advanced or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix were treated with a combination of peplomycin, vincristine, mitomycin-C, and cisplatin (POMP). Ten of the 16 evaluable patients (63%) responded, including 4 with a complete response. Median duration of the response was 7 months. Two of 6 with intrapelvic recurrent tumors responded to some extent following intraarterial infusion. The subcutaneous infusion of peplomycin was well accepted by the patients. Toxicity was tolerable. This regimen seemed to be one of the regimens which should be considered for the advanced or recurrent cervical cancer.     

Detection of Epstein-Barr virus DNA from a lymphoma-like lesion of the uterine cervix.

The case of a 60-year-old woman in whom a lymphoma-like lesion of the cervix was found during an episode of silent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is presented. Fractional curettage was performed because of abnormal endometrial smear. The endocervical curettage specimens were diagnosed as highly suggestive of malignant lymphoma, but microscopic examination of a subsequent hysterectomy specimen revealed a benign lymphoid hyperplasia. Those were retrospectively interpreted as a lymphoma-like lesion of the cervix. In the absence of clinical symptoms of infectious mononucleosis, the results of serologic tests for EBV revealed an active EBV infection. EBV DNA was demonstrated in nuclei of large lymphoid cells in endocervical curettage specimens by in situ hybridization. She is alive and well 32 months postoperatively. When female patients with lymphoma-like lesions of the lower genital tract are encountered, examinations for EBV are recommended.     

Association between minor physical anomalies and lateral ventricular enlargement in childhood and adolescent onset schizophrenia

OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the association between morphological abnormalities of brain and minor physical anomalies (MPAs) in childhood and adolescent onset schizophrenia. METHOD: Twenty-seven patients who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV criteria before 18 years of age were included in the study. MPAs were evaluated with the modified version of Waldrop scale (WS) by Green et al. Morphological abnormalities of brain was evaluated with ventricular-brain ratio (VBR) by using cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination. RESULTS: A significant positive correlation was observed between WS scores and VBRs. CONCLUSION: This result indicates a relationship between MPAs and lateral ventricular enlargement, and supports neurodevelopmental etiology in childhood or adolescent onset schizophrenia.     

Accuracy of technetium-99m tetrofosmin myocardial perfusion imaging in the detection of spontaneous recanalization in patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction

To avoid the haemorrhagic risk of unnecessary thrombolysis in acute myocardial infarction (MI), early and precise diagnosis of spontaneous recanalization (SR) of the infarct-related artery is required. To clarify the accuracy of technetium-99m tetrofosmin myocardial single-photon emission tomography (SPET) in the detection of SR in patients with acute anterior MI, electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography and 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPET imaging were performed in 49 patients with acute anterior MI before emergency coronary angiography. Defect score was calculated as the sum of the perfusion defects of each segment: from 3 (complete defect) to 0 (normal perfusion). Echocardiographic asynergic score (the sum of asynergic grades) and the greatest ST elevation of the 12-lead ECG on admission were also measured. SR was defined as Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) grade 3 flow on emergency coronary angiography. Defect score in 11 patients with SR (9.2 +/- 3.7) was significantly lower than that in 38 patients without SR (18.5 +/- 5.0) (P < 0.001), whereas there were no significant differences in asynergic score and ST elevation between the two groups. From the receiver operating characteristic curves, the optimal cut-off points of defect score, asynergic score and ST elevation for the detection of SR were calculated to be 12, 13 and 3.5, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the scintigraphic defect score (91% and 89%) were significantly higher than those of the asynergic score (64% and 68%) and ST elevation (73% and 71%). Thus, 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPET imaging on admission is a very accurate method for the detection of SR in patients with acute anterior MI.     

Histopathological study of female beagle dogs for four year treatment with subcutaneous implantation of chlormadinone acetate (CMA)

The histopathological changes related to chlormadinone acetate (CMA) implantation were examined using female beagle dogs given 10mg/kg for four years. All control animals showed sign of estrus during the experiment, with periods of anestrus of normal duration. In contrast, estrus was completely inhibited in the CMA-implanted animals. Histopathologically, uterine sections from the CMA-implanted animals showed cystic glandular hyperplasia, but no histologic evidence of endometritis, myometritis, and pyometra was found. In the ovaries of the CMA-implanted animals, developing ovarian follicles were observed but no mature follicles were noted in addition to an absence of corpus luteum. No remarkable changes were observed in the liver, adrenal, mammary gland, gallbladder and implanted site. Furthermore, the intensity of staining and number and size of ACTH-and LH-positive cells in the pituitary sections of CMA-implanted animals were not different from control animals. It was concluded, therefore, that subcutaneous implantation of CMA is a potential drug-delivery system for reducing changes due to antigonadotropic and glucocorticoid-like activities and characteristic histopathological changes in the uterus due to progestagenic activity.