Candidate cytomegalovirus strain for human vaccination.

A strain of human cytomegalovirus called Towne was isolated in WI-38 human fibrolast cell cultures from the urine of an infected infant. It was then passaged 125 times in WI-38, including three clonings, and a pool was prepared in the same cell substrate for use as a potential live attenuated vaccine. The Towne virus has a broad antigenicity and cross-reacts with the AD-169 strain. Several markers of the Towne virus were found which differentiated it from fresh isolates. One of these was resistance of the former to trypsin. The Towne virus was tested for freedom from oncogenicity or other harmful effects in preparation for tests in humans.     

An analysis of the relationship between aggressiveness and personality traits of children

The purpose of the present study was to understand the concept of aggressiveness of children through an analysis of the relationship between aggressiveness and personality traits. A total of 1,206 elementary school children were enrolled in the study. In order to investigate the correlation, a path analysis was performed using multiple regression analyses in which 4 variables of aggressiveness (irritability, hostility, physical aggression and verbal aggression) were employed as dependent variables and 5 variables of personality traits (agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotionality, openness and extroversion) were used as independent variables. The results of the analysis indicated that significantly positivepath was observed from extroversion to all four variables of aggressiveness. Extroversion indicated especially strong influence on irritability and physical aggression. A significantly negativepath was observed from agreeableness to irritability and hostility. From conscientiousness, a negative path was observed towards physical aggression and a positive path towards verbal aggression. A significantly negative path was observed from emotionality only towards verbal aggression. It was assumed that each of the four inferior characteristics of aggressiveness of children had a complex nature to be influenced by multiple personality traits.     

Denervation of dopaminergic neurons with 6-hydroxydopamine increases nerve growth factor content in rat brain.

Denervation of dopaminergic neurons by intra nigral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) increased nerve growth factor (NGF) content in the cortex and hippocampus, both of which are innervated by cholinergic neurons. The increase continued during an observation period of 0.5-28 days after the lesion. The time course of changes in NGF content was quite different from that of cholinergic neuron denervation. The decreased dopamine content produced in the striatum by 6-OHDA injection was not recovered during the observation period. These results suggest that dopaminergic neuron damage may affect NGF synthesis.     

Importance of luxury flow for critically ill patients receiving a left ventricular assist system

The presence of a significant organ dysfunction does not immediately exclude patients from consideration for treatment with a left ventricular assist system (LVAS). However, in treating morbid circulatory shock patients with multiple organ failure, it is important to know the preoperative and postoperative factor or factors related to the recovery of the damaged organ function. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed patients receiving a LVAS at our institution and tried to determine the important factors related to the survival of patients with multisystem failure. Twenty-seven patients who underwent LVAS placement at Saitama Medical School Hospital between 1993 and 2003 were included in this study. The preoperative risk factors analyzed were renal dysfunction, respiratory dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, the existence of active infection, and the combination of all four factors. As a postoperative factor, the pump flow index (mean LVAS pump flow during the first 2 weeks after LVAS surgery divided by the body surface area) was analyzed. None of the analyzed preoperative factors could predict survival after LVAS surgery, but a pump flow index of less than 2.5 l/min/m² had a significant relationship with death after LVAS surgery. Further analysis revealed that all the patients with a pump flow index of 3.0 l/min/m² or more could overcome preoperative organ dysfunction. Congestive heart failure patients with multisystem failure need luxury pump flow for successful LVAS surgery; this factor could be especially important in device selection and postoperative management.     

The role of γδ T cells in priming macrophages to produce tumor necrosis factor-α

The secretion of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α from macrophages is regulated by both priming and triggering signals. We found that macrophages from mice lacking γδ T cells [T cell receptor (TCR) δ^?/- mice], which lack the gene encoding the δ chain, produced only small amounts of TNF-α in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and showed a reduced level of expression of CD14. Pre-incubation of macrophages from TCR δ-/- mice with γδ T cells from their TCR δ^+/- littermates restored their capacity to produce TNF-α in response to LPS. The priming activity of γδ T cells was in part inhibited by neutralizing anti-interferon (IFN)-γ monoclonal antibodies. Collectively, these results suggest that γδ T cells play a role in priming macrophages to a steady state of activation via IFN-γ secretion, which allows them to produce TNF-α when exposed to LPS.     

ASO Author Reflections: Perspectives of Laparoscopic Hepatectomy with Venous Tumor Thrombectomy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Annals of Surgical Oncology -     

ASO Author Reflections: Laparoscopic Arantius’ Approach as Shortcut Access for Major Hepatic Veins

Annals of Surgical Oncology -