Therapeutic efficacy of intense pulsed light in patients with refractory meibomian gland dysfunction

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intense pulsed light (IPL) combined with meibomian gland expression (MGX) for treatment of refractory meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).

Effect of Elemental Powder Size on Foaming Behavior of NiTi Alloy Made by Combustion Synthesis

Nickel titanium (NiTi) foams were made by combustion synthesis of powders with the help of ZrH₂ as foaming agent and TiB₂ as endothermic agent. In this paper, we investigated the effect of elemental powder size on the foaming. The powder size of Ni and Ti affected the ignition temperature of the combustion reaction, cell morphology and microstructure of the foams. The cell morphology of the foams was also modified by the powder size of TiB₂.     

RE‐EPITHELIALIZATION OF SQUAMOUS EPITHELIUM FOR A RADIATION‐INDUCED RECTAL ULCER WHILE GIVING AN ECABET SODIUM ENEMA

The present patient developed a severe rectal ulcer more than 1 month after having received external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Surveillance endoscopy every 3 months demonstrated healing of this rectal ulcer using a novel therapy. He was given enemas with ecabet sodium, which provides physical protection and promotes healing by increasing prostaglandin E₂, and this process induced squamous metaplasia that halted the progression of the ulcer of radiation proctitis as a late‐phase reaction. Intrapapillary capillary loops were visualized with magnified narrow band imaging at the healing ulcer site as seen via the esophagus and, moreover, demonstrated histologically.     

Differential cell-specific location of Cav-1 and Ca2+-ATPase in terminal Schwann cells and mechanoreceptive Ruffini endings in the periodontal ligament of the rat incisor

Caveolae are involved in clathrin-independent endocytosis, transcytosis, signal transduction, and tumor suppression – all of which depend on their main constituent protein caveolin families. The periodontal Ruffini ending has been reported to develop a caveola-like structure on the cell membrane of both the axon terminals and Schwann sheaths, suggesting the existence of an axon–Schwann cell interaction in the periodontal Ruffini endings. However, little information is available concerning the functional significance of these caveolae. The present study was undertaken to examine the immunolocalization of caveolin-1, -3 (Cav-1, Cav-3) and Ca²⁺-ATPase in the periodontal Ruffini endings of the rat incisor. Decalcified sections of the upper jaws were processed for immunocytochemistry at the levels of light and electron microscopy. Some immunostained sections were treated with histochemistry for nonspecific cholinesterase (nChE) activity. Observations showed the periodontal Ruffini endings were immunopositive for Cav-1, but not Cav-3. Immunoreactive products for Cav-1 were confined to caveola-like structures in the cell membranes of the cytoplasmic extensions and cell bodies of the terminal Schwann cells associated with the periodontal Ruffini endings. However, the axonal membranes of the terminals did not express any Cav-1 immunoreaction. Double staining with Ca²⁺-ATPase and either protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) or S-100 protein disclosed the co-localization of immunoreactions in the axonal branches of the periodontal Ruffini endings, but not in the terminal Schwann cells. As Ca²⁺ plays an important role in mechanotransduction, these characteristic immunolocalizations show Cav-1/Ca²⁺-ATPase might be involved in the quick elimination of intracellular Ca²⁺ in mechanotransduction.     

Interferon-gamma production by human cord blood monocyte-derived dendritic cells

Interferon (IFN)-gamma is produced by T cells and natural killer cells and activates monocytes and dendritic cells (DCs). Recently, IFN-gamma has been shown to be produced by mouse DCs following stimulation with interleukin (IL)-12, which is markedly augmented by the addition of IL-18. We here analyzed whether human DCs secrete IFN-gamma in response to IL-12 and/or IL-18. Human immature DCs, generated from cord blood CD14(+) monocytes by treating with granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and IL-4, were incubated with IL-12 and/or IL-18 and assayed for IFN-gamma production. IL-12, but not IL-18, weakly induced IFN-gamma production, while IL-12 together with IL-18 induced high levels of IFN-gamma production. Similar results were obtained with mature DCs, although levels of IFN-gamma production were less than those in immature DCs. Also with mature and immature DCs, IL-12 upregulated the expression of IL-18 receptor alpha (Ralpha), and costimulation with IL-12 and IL-18 upregulated CD40 expression. Anti-IL-18Ralpha antibody abrogated both the IFN-gamma induction and the CD40 upregulation by IL-12 plus IL-18. These findings suggest that IL-12 upregulates IL-18Ralpha expression on human DCs and acts synergistically with IL-18 to induce high levels of IFN-gamma, which subsequently enhances CD40 expression on DCs in an autocrine manner.     

Recurrent pneumonia due to persistent Chlamydia pneumoniae infection

Two cases of recurrent pneumonia due to Chlamydia pneumoniae are described. C. pneumoniae was continuously detected from the nasopharynx in both patients by the polymerase chain reaction and/or culture even with appropriate antibiotic therapy during the first episode. After eradication of C. pneumoniae with long-term macrolide therapy, the respiratory symptoms of both patients completely disappeared and no relapse was observed. These data indicate that new treatment strategies may be necessary to eradicate the organism in patients prone to persistent infection.     

Slow receptor acquisition by NK cells regenerated in vivo from transplanted fetal liver or adult bone marrow stem cells

Adult mouse natural killer (NK) cells express two families of MHC class I-specific receptors, namely Ly49 and CD94/NKG2, whereas fetal and neonatal NK cells express only CD94/NKG2. After birth, Ly49(+) NK cells slowly increase and CD94/NKG2(+) NK cells decrease. The aim of this study was to determine whether murine NK cells develop differently from transplants of fetal liver and adult marrow stem cells and whether the adult marrow microenvironment is critical for NK receptor maturation. Enriched populations of stem cells were transplanted into adult mice, and the kinetics of NK receptor acquisition was examined. NK cells from osteopetrotic Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) mice, in which hematopoiesis within the marrow is severely limited, were also analyzed.NK cells regenerated from both fetal and adult stem cells initially resembled neonatal NK cells in their slow acquisition of Ly49 over several weeks, although the adult stem cell-derived NK cells matured approximately 10 days sooner. NK cells from adult Csf1(op)/Csf1(op) mice expressed normal levels of Ly49. Maturation of the NK receptor repertoire is a slow process regardless of their stem cell origin or reduced marrow space caused by osteopetrosis.     

Acute myeloid leukemia with t(8;21)(q22;q22) manifesting as granulocytic sarcomas in the rhinopharynx and external acoustic meatus at relapse after high-dose cytarabine: case report and review of the literature

We report a 31-year-old female with t(8;21)(q22;q22) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), M2 in the FAB classification. Complete remission was achieved with daunorubicin and cytarabine induction therapy followed by three courses of high-dose cytarabine consolidation. Only 3 months later, the patient relapsed with granulocytic sarcomas (GSs) in her rhinopharynx, external acoustic meatus, and bone marrow. She received focal radiation for the GSs and successfully underwent reinduction chemotherapy. Subsequently, she received a matched related donor peripheral blood stem cell transplantation followed by high-dose chemotherapy and is now in a second remission. We summarized 79 reported cases of t(8;21) AML with GS and reviewed the literature to identify differences in the characteristics of t(8;21) AML with GS between adults and children. To our knowledge, this is the first report of pharyngeal GS in t(8;21) AML, and focal irradiation plus more intensive postinduction therapy during first remission, such as allogeneic-SCT, may be effective in adult t(8;21) AML patients with GS.