Ingestion of High β-Glucan Barley Flour Enhances the Intestinal Immune System of Diet-Induced Obese Mice by Prebiotic Effects

The prebiotic effect of high β-glucan barley (HGB) flour on the innate immune system of high-fat model mice was investigated. C57BL/6J male mice were fed a high-fat diet supplemented with HGB flour for 90 days. Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the cecum and serum were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Real-time PCR was used to determine mRNA expression levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-10 and IL-6 in the ileum as well as the composition of the microbiota in the cecum. Concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and organic acids were analyzed by GC/MS. Concentrations of sIgA in the cecum and serum were increased in the HGB group compared to the control. Gene expression levels of IL-10 and polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) significantly increased in the HGB group. HGB intake increased the bacterial count of microbiota, such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Concentrations of propionate and lactate in the cecum were increased in the HGB group, and a positive correlation was found between these organic acids and the IL-10 expression level. Our findings showed that HGB flour enhanced immune function such as IgA secretion and IL-10 expression, even when the immune system was deteriorated by a high-fat diet. Moreover, we found that HGB flour modulated the gut microbiota, which increased the concentration of SCFAs, thereby stimulating the immune system.     

Functional transition: Inconsistently parallel to the increase in future liver remnant volume after preoperative portal vein embolization

BACKGROUNDPreoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is a widely used strategy to enable major hepatectomy in patients with insufficient liver remnant. PVE induces hypertrophy of the future liver remnant (FLR) and a shift of the functional reserve to the FLR. However, whether the increase of the FLR volume (FLRV) corresponds to the functional transition after PVE remains unclear.AIMTo investigate the sequential relationship between the increase in FLRV and functional transition after preoperative PVE using 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomography (CT) and ^99mTc-galactosyl-human serum albumin (^99mTc-GSA) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) fusion images. METHODSThirty-three patients who underwent major hepatectomy following PVE at the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery I, Hokkaido University Hospital between October 2013 and March 2018 were enrolled. Three-phase dynamic multidetector CT and ^99mTc-GSA SPECT scintigraphy were performed at pre-PVE, and at 1 and 2 wk after PVE; 3D ^99mTc-GSA SPECT CT-fused images were constructed from the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine data using 3D image analysis system. Functional FLRV (FFLRV) was defined as the total liver volume × (FLR volume counts/total liver volume counts) on the 3D ^99mTc-GSA SPECT CT-fused images. The calculated FFLRV was compared with FLRV.RESULTSFFLRV increased by a significantly larger extent than FLRV at 1 and 2 wk after PVE (P < 0.01). The increase in FFLRV and FLRV was 55.1% ± 41.6% and 26.7% ± 17.8% (P < 0.001), respectively, at 1 wk after PVE, and 64.2% ± 33.3% and 36.8% ± 18.9% (P < 0.001), respectively, at 2 wk after PVE. In 3 of the 33 patients, FFLRV levels decreased below FLRV at 2 wk. One of the three patients showed rapidly progressive fatty changes in FLR. The biopsy at 4 wk after PVE showed macro- and micro-vesicular steatosis of more than 40%, which improved to 10%. Radical resection was performed at 13 wk after PVE. The patient recovered uneventfully without any symptoms of pos-toperative liver failure.CONCLUSIONThe functional transition lagged behind the increase in FLRV after PVE in some cases. Evaluating both volume and function is needed to determine the optimal timing of hepatectomy after PVE.     

Pharmacy protocol for adjusting patient-controlled analgesia

The use of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) to manage pain post-operatively is becoming increasingly popular. The potential for pharmacist involvement is larger. Traditional areas of pharmacy involvement include PCA pump evaluation and selection, choice of narcotic-analgesic to be used, education of other health care professionals on PCA use, and development of PCA protocol guidelines. Monitoring post-operative pain and adjusting the PCA dosage are not traditional areas of pharmacist involvement. The purpose of this report is to describe a protocol which allows hospital pharmacists in an inpatient setting to adjust the PCA dose so that postoperative pain relief is maximized and sedation is minimized.     

MR imaging of internal carotid artery occlusion

Five patients with internal carotid artery occlusion were studied with MR imaging at 0.22 T. At the carotid siphon, occluded vessels showed absence of flow void in three patients. But two cases had "partial flow void" which mimicked small arterial caliber. In these patients angiography showed collateral circulation to the carotid siphon. So the partial flow void in the carotid siphon suggested internal carotid artery occlusion with collateral circulation.     

Neuroectodermal tumor of bone. Evidence for neural differentiation in a cultured cell line

A new cell line was established from a "neuroectodermal tumor of bone" affecting the right scapula of an 18-year-old man. The original neoplasm had dense proliferation of small round cells with abundant glycogen content and numerous Homer-Wright rosettes. The culture showed proliferation of small spindle cells with uniform oval nuclei and slender cytoplasmic processes. When the culture reached maximum density, rosette-like structures similar to those in the original tumor were formed. Under the influence of N6,O2'-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphoric acid (dibutyryl cAMP), the cultured cells expressed these rosette-like structures even in the lower cell concentration. Electron microscopy revealed that the cultured cells treated with dibutyryl cAMP contained high-density granules, well-developed microtubules, and abundant 10-nm filaments. By immunocytochemistry, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and N-myc oncogene product were detected in the cultured cells as well as the original tumor. These results indicated the neuroectodermal origin of some of the small round cell tumors of bone.     

Confluent BALB/c 3T3 cells monolayer provides selective and efficient growth of neoplastic cells

In an attempt to further characterize non-irradiated contact-inhibited confluent monolayer of BALB/c 3T3 cells (= Contact-Sensitive Plates; CSP) as substrata for in vitro drug sensitivity testing, we compared the efficiency of colony formation with panels of cell lines on CSP with that on plastic dishes or in agar. Tumorigenicity in athymic nude mice was also examined. We found that: (1) HeLa cells, 2 esophageal cancer lines, rat 3Y1 fibroblasts transformed by either adenovirus type 12, mouse polyoma virus, Rous avian sarcoma virus, or plasmid DNA carrying v-Ha-ras oncogene all formed colonies on CSP and in agar and at the same time was tumorigenic. The efficiency of colony formation on CSP proved always to be higher than that in agar. (2) None of the 4 "normal" fibroplastic cell lines formed colonies on CSP or in agar and were tumorigenic. (3) Simian virus 40 and adenovirus E1A gene transformed rat 3Y1 fibroblasts formed colonies on CSP but not in agar, and were not tumorigenic. Therefore, CSP was found to provide selective and efficient growth of neoplastic cells when compared to other substrata and is also helpful in detecting incompletely transformed cells.     

Giant testicular tumor: a case report

We report a case of giant testicular tumor. A 30-year-old man visited our department complaining of a painless swelling of the right scrotal contents. In chest X-ray and abdominal computerized tomography (CT) there were no abnormal findings. Serum alpha-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin and lactate dehydrogenase levels were normal. Right high orchiectomy was performed. The size of the removed specimen was 13.5 x 8.5 x 7.5 cm, and weight 530 g. The pathological diagnosis was immature teratoma. The patient has received no further therapy. There has been no recurrence for 7 months postoperatively.     

Tumor scintigraphy by the method for subtracting the initial image with technetium-99m labeled antibody

The method for subtracting the initial image from the localization image was evaluated for radioimmunoscintigraphy of tumors with technetium-99m (Tc-99m) labeled antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies were parental mouse and mouse-human chimeric antibodies to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), designated F11-39 and ChF11-39, respectively, both of which have been found to discriminate CEA in tumor tissues from the CEA-related antigens. After reduction of the intrinsic disulfide bonds, these antibodies were labeled with Tc-99m. In vivo studies were performed on athymic nude mice bearing the human CEA-producing gastric carcinoma xenografts. Though biodistribution results showed selective and progressive accumulation of Tc-99m labeled antibodies at the tumor site, high radioactivity in blood was inappropriate for scintigraphic visualization of the tumors within a few hours. We examined the subtraction of the initial Tc-99m image from the Tc-99m localization image after a few hours. Subtracted images of the same count reflected the in vivo behavior of the Tc-99m radioactivity. The subtracted scintigrams revealed excellent tumor images with no significant extrarenal background. Visualization of the tumor site was dependent on antigen-specific binding and nonspecific exudation. These results demonstrate that a method of subtraction of the initial image may serve as a potentially useful diagnostic method for an abnormal site for agents with a low pharmacokinetic value.     

Intra-arterial chemotherapy via reservoir system for advanced bladder cancer and prostate cancer

A clinical study was performed on the efficacy of intra-arterial chemotherapy using a reservoir system for advanced urological malignancies. The reservoir system was indwelted in the femoral subcutaneous layer by Seldinger's method. Fifteen cases of inoperable complicated advanced bladder cancer and 10 cases of postoperative local recurrent bladder cancer were administered intra-arterial chemotherapy using a reservoir system. Then, 23 cases of local relapsed prostate cancer and two cases of endpocrine-resistant prostate cancer were administered the chemotherapy. The administered anti-cancerous agents were methotraxate, cis-platinum and adriamycin, then 5-FU or carboplatin was administered as maintenance therapy. The mean number of courses of chemotherapy was six for bladder cancer and four for prostate cancer. During stabilization of the local lesion, no distant deterioration was recognized. The overall clinical efficacy was a positive response (PR) and no change (NC): for 18 and 7 cases of bladder cancer, and 11 and 14 cases of prostate cancer, respectively. The median duration of stabilization was 23 months for bladder cancer and 12 months for prostate cancer. The adverse effects were fever than those with systemic chemotherapy.