Strumal carcinoid of the ovary. A case report

The case of a 58-year-old Japanese female with strumal carcinoid of the ovary is described. Ultrastructural examinations revealed numerous neurosecretory-type granules in the cytoplasm of both thyroid and carcinoid components. Immunohistochemical studies showed immunoreactivities for thyroxin and thyroglobulin in the thyroid component. Several mucous glands were also observed in the tumor tissue. These morphological findings suggested that the follicles in the thyroid component were lined with thyroid follicular, carcinoid and mucous cells, and also supported the theory that this tumor may be derived from multidirectional differentiations of endodermal origin.     

In silico analysis‐based identification of the target residue of integrin α6 for metastasis inhibition of basal‐like breast cancer

Metastasis causes death in breast cancer patients. To inhibit breast cancer metastasis, we focused on integrin α6, a membrane protein that contributes to cell migration and metastasis. According to in silico analysis, we identified Asp‐358 as an integrin α6‐specific vertebrate‐conserved residue and consequently as a potential therapeutic target. Because Asp‐358 is located on the surface of the β propeller domain that interacts with other molecules for integrin α6 function, we hypothesized that a peptide with the sequence around Asp‐358 competitively inhibits integrin α6 complex formation. We treated basal‐like breast cancer cells with the peptide and observed reductions in cell migration and metastasis. The result of the immunoprecipitation assay showed that the peptide inhibited integrin α6 complex formation. Our immunofluorescence for phosphorylated paxillin, a marker of integrin‐regulated focal adhesion, showed that the peptide reduced the number of focal adhesions. These results indicate that the peptide inhibits integrin α6 function. This study identified the functional residue of integrin α6 and designed the inhibitory peptide. For breast cancer patients, metastasis inhibition therapy may be developed in the future based on this study.     

Antibacterial effect of chlorhexidine- containing glass ionomer cement in vivo: a pilot study

This in vivo pilot study was carried out to test the antibacterial effect of glass ionomer containing chlorhexidine (test group) in comparison to conventional glass ionomer (control group). Fifty 6- to 11-year-old children with one occlusal lesion in a molar were randomly allocated to test and control groups in a parallel-group design. The cavity walls and one half of the floor were cleaned and restored with one of the materials without dentine conditioning. The restorations were removed after 7 days. Dentine samples were taken from the cleaned (affected dentine) and noncleaned area (infected dentine) at baseline and at day 7. Samples were anaerobically and aerobically cultivated for mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and total viable bacterial count (TVC) following common laboratory procedures. ANCOVA was used to test for treatment effects. Seven days after treatment, a significant decrease in anaerobic and aerobic bacterial counts (p = 0.0001) was shown. Lower numbers of anaerobic lactobacilli (p = 0.02), TVC (p = 0.008) and aerobic lactobacilli and TVC (p = 0.03), but not of mutans streptococci, were indicated in the test group compared to the control group. A significant reduction in aerobic lactobacilli from infected dentine treated with the glass ionomer containing chlorhexidine (p = 0.05) was observed whereas in affected dentine, anaerobic mutans streptococci, lactobacilli and TVC and aerobic TVC and mutans streptococci were significantly lower in the test group 7 days after treatment (p = 0.01). We conclude that the present pilot study revealed lower microorganism counts in chlorhexidine-containing glass ionomers than in conventional glass ionomers for both affected and infected dentine over a 7-day period.     

Possible influences of Staphylococcus aureus on atopic dermatitis — the colonizing features and the effects of staphylococcal enterotoxins

BACKGROUND: Heavy colonization of atopic dermatitis (AD) with Staphylococcus aureus is well documented. This phenomenon suggests that S. aureus in AD lesions influences the disease processes of AD. OBJECTIVE: We describe the importance of the presence of S. aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B (SEA, SEB) in AD lesions. METHODS: We investigated the colonizing features of S. aureus in AD lesions using electron microscopy, the distribution of SEB in the eczematous skin of AD using immunofluorescence, the effects of SEA and SEB on normal human epidermal keratinocytes in organ culture, and the presence of specific IgE antibodies to SEA and/or SEB in serum of AD patients by enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: S. aureus in AD lesions colonized on and in the horny layers of the eczematous skin. SEB produced by S. aureus was distributed mainly on the dermal-infiltrated cells, especially on eosinophils. SEA and SEB stimulated expression of ICAM-1 and HLA-DR in normal human keratinocytes. More than half of the AD patients in the present study had specific IgE antibodies to SEA and/or SEB in their serum. CONCLUSION: S. aureus and SEs have important roles in the exacerbation and prolongation of AD.     

Appearance of denuded hepatic stellate cells and their subsequent myofibroblast-like transformation during the early stage of biliary fibrosis in the rat

To investigate the early in vivo response of hepatic stellate cells in biliary fibrosis, we examined rat livers during the first 7 days after bile duct ligation using light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy. At day 1 after bile duct ligation, alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive fibroblasts appeared and then increased in number around the proliferating bile ductules. With time, the destruction of the external limiting plate became accentuated because of the invasion of the proliferating bile ductules and periductural fibrosis. At day 7, stromal cells containing fat droplets appeared in the fibrous tissue adjacent to the periportal parenchyma; these are termed denuded hepatic stellate cells. In the fibrous tissue disconnected from the liver parenchyma, the denuded hepatic stellate cells were replaced by myofibroblast-like cells. Meanwhile, the expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 on biliary epithelial cells increased. These results indicate the dual origin of myofibroblasts in experimental biliary fibrosis, the periductural and periductal fibroblasts in the initial stage, and the denuded hepatic stellate cells in the subsequent stage. These two types of stromal cells may undergo myofibroblastic transformation by the transforming growth factor-beta1 secreted by the proliferating biliary epithelial cells.     

Adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a case report with ultrastructural findings

Adenoid basal carcinoma of the uterine cervix is a rare tumor with a favorable prognosis. A case of adenoid basal carcinoma (ABC) of the uterine cervix was studied using light and electron microscopy. The patient was a 74-year-old Japanese woman who had undergone hysterectomy due to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3. Incidentally, ABC was found in the resected uterus. The tumor cells made small nests and infiltrated the cervical portion of the uterus. In the nests, glands, cribriform patterns with glandlike structures, and squamous differentiation were seen. Immunohistochemically, the glandlike structures were positive for laminin and type IV collagen. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells had irregular nuclei, scanty cytoplasm, and cribriform patterns in which glandlike structures were covered with basal lamina. No myoepithelial differentiation of the tumor cells was seen. These findings suggest a similarity between adenoid basal carcinomas and adenoid cystic carcinomas. Furthermore, both tumors are considered to originate in the reserve cells of the uterine cervix. Because their outcomes are different, they should be distinguished from each other.     

Positive association of plasma leptin with sleep quality in obese type 2 diabetes patients

Aims/Introduction

Poor sleep quality is associated with obesity and diabetes. The adipocyte‐derived hormone, leptin, was recently shown to underlie the link between abnormal sleep and obesity. We aimed to investigate the association between leptin and sleep quality in type 2 diabetes patients.

Materials and Methods

In the present cross‐sectional study, we studied 182 type 2 diabetes patients, among whom 113 were diagnosed with obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg/m²). Fasting plasma leptin levels were measured, and sleep architecture was assessed using single‐channel electroencephalography.

Results

Using unadjusted analyses, the obese type 2 diabetes patients, but not their non‐obese counterparts, showed a positive correlation between plasma leptin levels and a parameter for deep sleep assessed by delta power during the first sleep cycle. Multivariate analysis showed that plasma leptin levels were positively associated with delta power, but not with the total sleep time, after adjusting for potential confounders including age, body mass index and the apnea–hypopnea index, in the obesity group. However, neither delta power nor total sleep time was associated with leptin in the non‐obesity group.

Conclusions

Plasma leptin levels are independently associated with sleep quality in obese, but not in non‐obese, type 2 diabetes patients. The present study indicates a favorable relationship between leptin and sleep quality in obese type 2 diabetes patients.     

Leptomeningeal anastomosis and early ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging in male murine focal cerebral ischemia

Leptomeningeal anastomosis is a key factor for determining early ischemic lesions on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in human stroke. However, few studies have validated this relationship in an experimental model. This study sought to clarify the involvement of leptomeningeal anastomosis in early ischemic lesions using a murine model. Adult male C57BL/6 mice were subjected to unilateral common carotid artery (CCA) occlusion or sham surgery. Seven or 14 days later, the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was occluded for 45 min. In the first experiment, the leptomeningeal collaterals were visualized using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) DWI. In the second experiment, DWI was performed immediately after MCA occlusion, and the infarct sizes were determined 24 hr after recirculation. Unilateral CCA occlusion reduced the size of early ischemic lesions, enlarged the pial vessel diameter, and mitigated infarct size. The relationship between the DWI lesion size and pial vessel diameter was significant (r = 0.84, p < 0.01). The association between infarct size and DWI lesion size was also significant (r = 0.96, p < 0.01). In conclusion, involvement of the collateral circulation in early ischemic lesions was evident in the murine model. Both MRI and evaluation of leptomeningeal anastomosis could be used to develop a novel strategy targeting enhancement of the collateral circulation.