Direct attachment of fibronectin to tresyl chloride-activated titanium

The aim of this study was to bind fibronectin directly to a titanium surface treated with tresyl chloride (2,2,2-trifluoroethanesulfonyl chloride) for the development of a strong connection of a dental implant to subepithelial connective tissues and/or peri-implant epithelia. Basic terminal OH groups of mirror polished titanium were allowed to react with tresyl chloride at 37 degrees C for 2 days. The tresylated titanium disk was then immersed into a fibronectin/phosphate-buffered saline solution for 24 h at 37 degrees C. The activation reaction of the basic OH of titanium with tresyl chloride was confirmed by S2p, F1s, and O1s spectra using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and -O-S-O2- bonds using Fourier transform infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy. After the reaction of fibronectin with titanium, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the remarkable effect of the activation of terminal OH groups with the tresyl chloride treatment. The N1s peak derived from the attached fibronectin still remained after 60 s of argon-ion sputtering after tresyl chloride treatment. In contrast, the N1s peak of the specimen not treated with tresyl chloride almost disappeared after only 10 s of argon-ion etching. Fibronectin, a well-known cell-adhesive protein, could easily be attached to the titanium surface by use of the tresyl chloride activation technique.     

Three novel mutations of the RPGR gene exon ORF15 in three Japanese families with X‐linked retinitis pigmentosa

We describe three new mutations in a recently identified exon, ORF15, of the retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator gene (RPGR) in three unrelated Japanese families (Families 1–3) with X‐linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP). The affected males had typical retinitis pigmentosa (RP), whereas the obligate carrier females showed a wide clinical spectrum, ranging from minor symptoms to severe visual disability. Some carrier females in Families 1 and 2 showed typical RP, most carriers manifested high myopia and astigmatism, and their corrected visual acuity was insufficient. They showed an impairment of cone function following the rod dysfunction and accompanied by refractive errors. Microsatellite analysis of Family 1 revealed that the RP in the family was linked to the RP3 locus. Although one patient in the family had no mutation in the previously published exons 1–19 including exon 15a, he had a single‐nucleotide insertion in exon ORF15 (g.ORF15 + 753–754 insG). Likewise, patients in Families 2 and 3 had two‐base insertion/deletion in the exon, i.e., g.ORF15 + 833–834delGG and g.ORF15 + 861–862insGG, respectively. These insertional/deletional mutations observed in the three families are all different and new, and are predicted to lead to a frameshift, resulting in a truncated protein. These findings may support the previous hypothesis that RPGR‐ORF15 is a mutational hot spot. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Effect of low calcium diet on the ultrastructure of the rat parathyroid gland

Young female rats were fed with normal (1.18%) or low (0.05%) calcium diet for 3, 7, 15 or 30 days. The morphology of the parathyroid glands was studied together with serum calcium, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcitonin and bone mineral density (BMD). As compared to the animals fed with the normal calcium diet, BMD of whole body of the rats fed with the low calcium diet was significantly decreased, whereas the serum PTH level was increased. The parathyroid glands in the rats fed with the low calcium diet were markedly enlarged. In the parathyroid chief cells of the rats fed with the low calcium diet, the Golgi complexes and the cisternae of the granular endoplasmic reticulum were well developed, while the large granules and large vacuolar bodies decreased. Some secretory granules located near the plasma membrane. A proportionally larger increase of the cytoplasm was estimated in the rats fed with the low calcium diet for three and seven days. Enlargement of the cytoplasm and rather frequent mitoses of the chief cells were observed in the rats fed with the low calcium diet for 15 and 30 days. These findings suggest that the rapid bone loss in young rats induced by the low calcium diet is essentially due to stimulated activity of the parathyroid gland. The stimulated gland may be a result of hypertrophy at the early stage and a combination of hypertrophy and hyperplasia at the later stage of calcium deficiency.     

Diffusion tensor imaging in infants with basal ganglia-thalamic lesions.

We performed diffusion tensor imaging in two infants with neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. MRI revealed basal ganglia-thalamic lesions in both patients during the neonatal period. Patient 1 had severe neurological sequelae, whereas patient 2 achieved normal development. Conventional MRI at 12 months of age showed abnormal high-intensity areas in bilateral basal ganglia and thalami in patient 1, whereas no abnormal intensities were recognized in patient 2. Diffusion tensor tractography demonstrated poor depiction of white matter tracts above the level of centrum semiovale in patient 1. Region of interest analysis showed that fractional anisotropy of white matter of centrum semiovale and deep white matter was markedly reduced in patient 1 compared with patient 2, although apparent diffusion coefficient was not largely different between them. Our study suggested that abnormalities of diffusion property will be more widely present than those of conventional MRI. Diffusion tensor imaging will be useful to detect white matter abnormalities in normal-appearing white matter on conventional MRI.     

Signal-to-noise ratio: Computed Dental Radiography versus Sens-A-Ray

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) describes the ability of a detector to differentiate a signal from random fluctuations in signal intensity or noise in an image. The dose-response curves and the SNRs were measured and compared between Computed Dental Radiography (CDR) and Sens-A-Ray. The dose-response curves at 60, 70 and 80 kVp of both systems indicated that the pixel values increased in proportion to the radiation exposure. The pixel value gradient was slightly steeper for the CDR than for the Sens-A-Ray. Sensitivity increased slightly at the higher kVp setting with the CDR only. All SNRs increased with increased exposure for both systems. The SNR for the CDR was superior to that for the Sens-A-Ray, even with low exposures. The SNR for CDR increased steeply as exposure and average pixel values increased. On the other hand, the SNR for the Sens-A-Ray showed only a relatively slight increase with exposure. In conclusion, due to the high SNR in the lower exposure range, the CDR has the capability of substantially reducing the level of exposure in comparison with the Sens-A-Ray.     

Retrospective analysis of corticosteroid doses administered to patients with terminal cancer for dyspnea alleviation and survival

Dyspnea negatively affects the survival and quality of life of patients with terminal cancer. Although corticosteroids are currently used to treat dyspnea, the association between corticosteroid dosage and survival remains unclear. This retrospective study was conducted to determine the relationship betweencorticosteroid doses, administered to hospitalized patients with terminal cancer for dyspnea alleviation, and survival. Subsequently, we investigated the associations between corticosteroid doses, which were classified into three categories, and the length of survival in days after stratifying 52 patients treated between January 2012 and December 2015 into corticosteroid responders and non-responders. The mean daily corticosteroid doses were 28.68?±?14.4?mg for responders and 29.13?±?18.5?mg for non-responders. The mean corticosteroid doses on the first day were 27.86?±?14.9?mg for responders and 27.73?±?19.5?mg for non-responders. The mean total corticosteroid doses administered during the first 2 days of treatment were 56.84?±?29.2?mg for responders and 57.16?±?38.5?mg for non-responders. The mean survival was 11.33?±?7.5 days and 5.27?±?3.35 days among responders and non-responders, respectively. In conclusion, the administration of corticosteroid for dyspnea alleviation did not correlate with survival. However, reactivity to corticosteroids increased the duration of corticosteroid use, which may have contributed to survival.     

Pyoderma gangrenosum in an ulcerative colitis patient during treatment with vedolizumab responded favorably to adsorptive granulocyte and monocyte apheresis

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is an extra-intestinal skin lesion in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) as is erythema nodosum. Vedolizumab (VED) is a monoclonal antibody that targets α4β7 integrin and has an intestinal selective mechanism. Despite good therapeutic effects on colitis, the effect on extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) remains unclear. Here we report a case of ulcerative colitis complicated by PG during treatment with VED, which was successfully treated with prednisolone in combination with adsorptive granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA). The patient was a 50-year-old woman with a past medical history of extensive ulcerative colitis managed by golimumab (GLM). She developed flare symptoms due to loss of response to GLM, and treatment was switched to VED. Her gastrointestinal symptoms were improved with VED treatment with less frequent bowel movements. However, infiltrative erythema with pain appeared on the right lower leg and right knee, and expanded and gradually ulcerated. Her skin lesions were treated with corticosteroid, but showed poor improvement. Therefore, granulocyte and monocyte apheresis (GMA) treatment was administered in combination with prednisolone. After 3 months, the ulcer gradually improved, and at the time of this writing, the eruptions were nearly replaced by epithelial tissue. This case study showed that patients with UC and EIMS may respond well to combination therapy of VED and GMA. GMA has a very favorable safety profile. On the other hand, the causal connection between VED and PG is still unclear. We believe that a combination therapy involving VED and GMA in IBD patients with EIMs warrants consideration.