Levels of salivary lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, and lactoferrin in diabetic hamsters.

In an attempt to clarify the mechanism(s) of increased susceptibility to oral infection in diabetics, we examined the levels of salivary antibacterial factors, including lysozyme, lactoperoxidase, and lactoferrin, in diabetic hamsters whose condition was induced with streptozotocin. Saliva was collected from these hamsters periodically for 19 weeks after the administration of streptozotocin. Diabetes persisted with significant hyperglycemia throughout the experiment after a single injection of streptozotocin. There was no significant difference between groups in the amount of saliva secreted. In diabetic hamsters, lysozyme activity decreased by 56% and lactoperoxidase activity decreased by 53% compared with the control hamsters 19 weeks after the administration of streptozotocin. There was no significant difference between groups in the amount of salivary lactoferrin. However, the ratio of lactoferrin to total protein increased to approximately double the amount of that of the control hamsters. Insulin treatment had a significant effect on lysozyme and lactoperoxidase activity, recovering 73 and 74% those of the controls, respectively, and the ratio of lactoferrin to total salivary protein reverted to normal values. Growth inhibition of Lactobacillus plantarum ATCC 8014 with whole saliva and amylase activity significantly decreased in diabetic hamsters. The position of each protein band of whole saliva on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was almost the same for control and diabetic hamsters; however, there was some variability in band intensity.     

Selective planting of cationized,haptenized ovalbumin on the rat tubular basement membrane

We developed an experimental protocol for planting exogenous antigens with different molecular weights and charges on the constituents of the renal tubulointerstitium. The cationized antigens were injected selectively into the left renal arteries of Wistar rats. Antigen localization was documented by immunohistochemistry on frozen sections. Cationized bovine serum albumin (BSA; 68 kDa, isoelectric point =9.5) localized almost exclusively along the glomerular capillary wall. After application of highly cationic polyethyleneimine, cationized BSA given subsequently was found in a linear distribution along the glomerular capillary wall and along the peritubular capillaries. The fate of highly cationized ovalbumin conjugated with trinitrophenol (TNP-OA), subjected to gel filtration to obtain monomers (42 kDa, isoelectric point >10) differed; it was deposited in a linear pattern on the tubular basement membrane (TBM) and Bowman's capsule, and remained up to 36 h after injection. Noncationized, monomeric TNP-OA (42 kDa, isolectnic point =4.6) showed fine granular deposition in the tubular epithelium exclusively. These findings indicate that the barrier of the glomerular BM acts selectively on antigens with different molecular weights. They either settle on the peritubular capillaries, after passing the glomerular, or reach the urinary space, after which they are reabsorbed by the tubular epithelial cells to reach the TBM.     

Primary ovarian angiosarcoma: A case report and literature review

Primary ovarian angiosarcoma is extremely rare. Only 16 cases have histologicaliy been reported to date In the Ilterature. A case of angiosarcoma arising In the right ovary of a 46-year-old female is presented. Grossly, the resected right ovary was completely replaced by a solid tumor mass, which revealed multiple necrotic and/or hemorrhagic foci. This case revealed the typical histological features of angiosarcoma with sinusoldal and solid patterns of anaplastic tumor cells. Immunohlstochemically, tumor cells were strongly and diffusely positive for CD31 and CD34, in particular, along the cytoplasmic membrane of the tumor cells. Ultrastructurally, tumor cells possessed the intermediate junctions between tumor cells, discontinuous basal laminae attached to the irregularly shaped blood vessels and occasional cytoplasmic pinocytotlc vesicles. These findings confirmed the case as being one of angiosarcoma of the ovary. The patient died 9 months after surgery as a result of developed multlfocal brain metastases. A total of 17 cases reported as primary ovarian anglosarcoma, including this presented case, are clinicopathologically reviewed.     

Suppressive effects of Sairei-to on monoclonal antibody 1–22–3-induced glomerulonephritis: Analysis of effective components

The effects of treditional Chinese medlclne (Salrel-to) on experimental glomerulonephritls Induced In rats by monodonal antibody (mAb) 1–22–3 lnjectlon was examined. The level of proteinuria in the Sairel-to-treated group was significantly lower than that In the PBS treated group. This suppressive effect was caused by the major component of Sealer-to, Syo-salko-to but not by another component, Gorel-san. The suppressive effect of Syo-salko-to was Identified In Its components ( Bupleuri radix, Pindilae tuber and Zingibers rhizoma ), but not In the other combined components ( Ginseng radix and Zizyphl fructus ). Further study weeled that the suppressive effects of the combined components were mainly derived from Bupleuri radix . It was demonstrated that the actual active Ingredient is probably Salkosaponin-d. Light microscopy revealed that Sairel-to and Its effective components suppressed the proliferation of mesanglal cells and mesanglal matrix expansion. Semi quantitative morphological studies of glomerular lesions on the eighth day showed that Syo-salko-to and Its combined components ( Bupleuri radix, Zinglberis rhizoma and Pinelliae tuber ) suppressed mesanglal matrix expansion significantly compared with phosphate-buffered saline control groups (matrix score: 28.0±19.1 vs 102.3±14.1; 30.9±30.1 vs 102.3±14.1, p<0.005, respectively). It was concluded that Salkosaponln-d, as well as Bupleuri radix , Syo-salko-to and Sairel-to can suppress proteinurla and morphological changes In the rat glomerulonephritls model Induced by mAb 1–22–3.     

The effect of calcium ion concentration on osteoblast viability, proliferation and differentiation in monolayer and 3D culture

Our research group aims to develop an osteochondral composite using type II collagen gel with hydroxyapatite (HAp) deposited on one side. Soaking gels in Ca2+ and phosphate solution is indispensable to HAp deposition, so relationships between cell behavior and Ca2+ concentration were examined in two- and three-dimensional cultures. The present results indicate that 2-4 mM Ca2+ is suitable for proliferation and survival of osteoblasts, whereas slightly higher concentrations (6-8 mM) favor osteoblast differentiation and matrix mineralization in both 2- and 3-dimensional cultures. Higher concentrations (>10 mM) are cytotoxic. Purely from the perspective of calcium deposition, higher concentrations lead to increased accumulation of Ca2+. Culturing cells in phosphate-containing gel in media with Ca2+ also leads to time-dependent formation of HAp in the gel. Considering the viability of embedded cells, culturing scaffolds in media with Ca2+ concentrations around 5mM is useful for both HAp deposition and osteoblast behavior.     

Effects of non-MHC background genes on the induction of CD4+ T cells that prevent rejection of a highly immunogenic tumor, FBL-3

This study showed that non-MHC genes common to (DBA/2 H-2^d)and (DBA/1 H-2^q) gave rise to suppressor T (T_a) cells in thehybrid F₁ mice between C57BL/6 (B6) strain in the antl-FBL-3tumor responses. FBL-3, a Friend virus-induced tumor cell lineof B6 mouse origin, is highly immunogenic as shown by findingsthat syngenelc and hybrid F₁ mice with several other inbredstrains rejected up to 3 x 10⁷ tumor cells inoculated s.c. andgenerated potent CTL responses after mixed lymphocyte tumorcell culture. In contrast to these mice, (B6 x DBA/2) and (B6x DBA/1)F1 mice did not reject the tumor as the tumor dosesincreased. Progressive tumor growth in these F₁ mice was blockedby an I.p. Injection of cyclophosphamlde (250 mg/kg) on day10, but not on day 5, after tumor cell inoculation. Antl-CD4(GK1.5) mAb exerted similar therapeutic effects against tumorwhen given twice, between day 0 and 10, whereas the additionalinjection of antl-CD8 mAb enhanced the tumor growth in micethat otherwise rejected the tumor. Thus, In the response of(B6 x DBA/2)F, mice to FBL-3 tumor cells, CD4⁺ T₈ seemed todown-regulate the immunologically mediated regression of thetumor produced by CD8⁺ CTL. This was evidenced by limiting dilutionculture analyses, which showed that the frequency of an FBL-3-speclflcCTL precursor in the (B6 x DBA/2)F1 mice that rejected the tumorwith antl-CD4 mAb was 7- to 9-fold higher than that in micein which the tumor regressed spontaneously. That more than onegene was involved in suppressor T cell induction was shown bythe tumor growth pattern in (B6 x DBA/2)F₁ x B6 backcross andB6D2F2 mice.     

Axillary management based on American college of surgeons oncology group Z0011 criteria makes it possible to omit intraoperative diagnosis of sentinel lymph nodes in early breast cancer patients

The ACOSOG Z0011 trial has resulted in the omission of axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in early breast cancer patients with one or two metastatic sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). There has been increasing interest in the necessity of intraoperative assessment of SLNs in patients treated based on the Z0011 criteria. We evaluated the utility of intraoperative assessment in these eligible patients. A total of 1396 patients were treated following the Z0011 criteria from April 2012 to December 2019. We examined the proportion and clinicopathological features of patients who underwent ALND due to three or more metastatic SLNs and the sensitivity of intraoperative assessment. Only 16 (1.1%) patients had three or more metastatic SLNs diagnosed by intraoperative assessment, and they immediately underwent ALND. Of the clinicopathological factors, high clinical tumor stage (p = 0.002) and high Ki-67 labeling index value (p = 0.056) were more likely to be associated with the presence of three or more metastatic SLNs. The major independent risk factor for three or more metastatic SLNs was high clinical tumor stage (OR 3.94 [95% CI 1.42–11.0]; p = 0.009). Intraoperative assessment had low sensitivity (70.5%) and a high false-negative rate (29.5%) in detecting SLN metastases. The main finding of our study was the small proportion of patients who required ALND due to three or more metastatic SLNs according to the Z0011 criteria. The Z0011 strategy enables intraoperative assessment of SLNs to be omitted in early breast cancer patients.     

Airway occlusion pressure (P0.1) — A useful predictor for the weaning outcome in patients with acute respiratory failure —

Twenty-five patients who required mechanical ventilatory support (MVS) after major surgery or severe burns were studied to determine whether airway occlusion pressure (P_0.1) is a clinically useful indicator to predict the success or failure of the weaning trial. A total of 33 weaning trials were attempted on these patients. Of the 33 trials, 24 were followed by successful weaning and 9 by failure. Although the success group, when compared with the failure group, had a lower respiratory rate (P 0.001), a lower minute ventilation (P 0.001), a higher maximal voluntary ventilation to minute ventilation ratio (P 0.01) and a higher forced vital capacity (P 0.05), no threshold values separated the success from the failure group. The alveolar-arterial P_{O 2} gradient, with an Fi _{O 2} of 1.0, in weaning success and failure showed no statistical difference. In contrast, all patients in the success group had a P_0.1 of less than 3.5cmH₂O and those in the failure group had a P_0.1 of greater than 3.5cmH₂O (P 0.001). We conclude that P_0.1 is a clinically superior indicator for discontinuing MVS in patients with acute respiratory failure.(Okamoto K, Sato T, Morioka T: Airway occlusion pressure (P_0.1)—A useful predictor for the weaning outcome in patients with acute respiratory failure—. J Anesth 4: 95–101, 1990)