Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study on effect of fibroblast growth factor on transformation of fibroblasts to regenerated mesothelial cells

To elucidate the effect of fibroblast growth factor on the phenotypical conversion of fibroblasts to mesothelial cells, both immunohistochemical and ultrastructural examinations were carried out on cultured spheroids that were composed of fibroblasts obtained from the parietal pleura of rats with and without addition of antifibroblast growth factor receptor antibody. In the present study, antifibroblast growth factor receptor antibody was employed to block the effect of the autocrine component of fibroblast growth factor in the culture medium. Phenotypical conversion from fibroblast to mesothelial cells was clearly blocked in the experimental group, to which culture medium had been added with antifibroblast growth factor receptor antibody, whereas the control group, cultured without addition of antifibroblast growth factor receptor antibody, showed phenotypical conversion of fibroblasts that was confirmed by the development of macula adherens, microvilli, and positive expression of cytokeratin. These results indicate the possibility that fibroblast growth factor plays a key role in the process of phenotypic conversion of fibroblasts to regenerated mesothelial cells.     

Effects of air-jet stress on renal blood flow in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Background Stressful psychological stimuli produce an increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and a decrease in renal blood flow. Very few direct analyses of the relationship between RSNA and renal blood flow during the application of psychological stimuli have been conducted by recording these 2 measurements simultaneously in the same individual animals. Methods We simultaneously measured RSNA and renal blood flow as a Doppler shift in conscious, unrestrained, spontaneously hypertensive rats. The rats were stressed by directing a continuous air jet at their faces for 20 seconds. Results Air-jet stimulus increased RSNA 81%±15% (mean±standard error of the mean, n=10), mean arterial pressure (21±3 mm Hg), and renal vascular resistance (37%±6%), and decreased renal blood flow (−15%±2%). The percentage change in RSNA correlated positively with the change in mean arterial pressure (r=0.934,P<0.001) and percentage change in renal vascular resistance (r=0.912), and negatively with the percentage change in renal blood flow (r=−0.804). The denervation of renal nerves prevented renal blood flow from decreasing in response to air-jet stress. Conclusions A reduction in renal blood flow in response to short-term air-jet stress is elicited mainly by neural mechanisms in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Enhancement of RSNA by air-jet stimulus exerts a potent constricting effect on the renal vascular bed, resulting in a reduction in renal blood flow.     

Grading score system: A method for evaluation of the degree of senescence in Senescence Accelerated Mouse (SAM)

For evaluation of the degree of senescence in SAM-P, accelerated senescence prone mouse, formerly called SAM or prone series or P-series, consisting of SAM-P/1, SAM-P/2, SAM-P/3 and SAM-P/4 corresponding to P-1, P-2, P-3 and P-4 series, respectively, in the previous reports, and in SAM-R, accelerated senescence resistant mouse, formerly called resistant series or R-series, consisting of SAM-R/1, SAM-R/2 and SAM-R/3 corresponding to R-1, R-2 and R-3 series, respectively, in the previous reports, the grading score system was adopted. The items to be examined in this system include 11 categories selected from the clinical signs and gross lesions considered to be associated with the aging process. The degree of the senescence in each category was graded from 0 to 4 according to the detailed criteria devised in our laboratory. After 8 months of age each mouse was examined every 4 months, and some of the mice were examined after 2 months of age.In almost all categories, the grading score and incidence began to increase from 4 or 6 months of age and continued to increase with advancing age in both SAM-P and SAM-R. The increase, however, was more marked in SAM-P than in SAM-R. The slow but steady increase in the SAM-R levelled out at 24 months of age and was comparable to that of 12 months of age in SAM-P. In both SAM-P/1 at 8 months of age and SAM-R/2 at 12 months of age, there was a significant reverse correlation between total score of this grading score system and length of residual life after examination.Systematic and extensive studies using the grading score system showed that if the validity of the system is, based on “irreversibility” and “universality” of the changes in     

Development and Measurement of the Treatment Perceptions Survey (TPS) for Clients with Substance Use Disorders

The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research - Statistical reliability of the Treatment Perceptions Survey (TPS) questionnaire was examined using data from 19 California counties. The...     

Correlation between mutated genes and forearm deformity in patients with multiple osteochondroma

BackgroundsExostosin-1 (EXT1) and exostosin-2 (EXT2) cause multiple osteochondromas (MO). In this study, we investigated the correlation between forearm deformity and mutant EXTs in Japanese families with MO.MethodsWe evaluated 112 patients in 71 families with MO. Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood leucocytes. Of these, 28 patients were selected and underwent radiography for their forearms since they had gross forearm deformities. We measured the radial articular angle (RAA), ulna variance (UV), carpal slip (CS), and percentage of radial bowing (%RB) to compare between patients with mutant EXT1 or EXT2 and those with missense or other mutations using Student's t-test.ResultsTwenty-two (78.6%) and 6 (11.4%) out of 28 patients had mutations in EXT1 and EXT2, respectively. Nine (32.1%) and 19 (67.9%) of the 28 patients had missense and other mutations, respectively. The mean age of patients with EXT1 and EXT2 were 25.9 ± 20.3 and 33.5 ± 25.4 years, respectively and those with missense mutation and other mutations were 28.7 ± 27.0 and 24.6 ± 17.0 years, respectively. There were no significant differences in RAA, UV, and RB between patients harbouring mutant EXT1 or EXT2 (RAA, 40.1 ± 8.7 and 31.5 ± 13.9°; UV, ?2.7 ± 5.7 and ?3.1 ± 3.7 mm; %RB, 8.6 ± 1.5 and 8.3 ± 2.0%). CS was significantly greater in patients with mutant EXT1 than that in those with mutant EXT2 (EXT1, 44.1 ± 16.8%; EXT2, 18.6 ± 14.0%). There were no significant differences in RAA, UV, CS and %RB between patients with missense and other mutations.ConclusionsPatients with mutant EXT1 displayed greater CS than patients with mutant EXT2, indicating that patients with MO harbouring EXT1 mutations sustain more severe ulnar drift deformities than those with EXT2 mutations.     

Pharmacokinetics and boron uptake of BSH (Na2B12H11SH) in patients with intracranial tumors

We evaluated retrospectively the pharmacokinetics and boron uptakeof BSH (mercaptoundecahydrododecarborate) for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy(BNCT) in 123 patients undergoing craniotomy for intracranialtumors. The pharmacokinetics revealed that BSH could moveeasily from blood to the peripheral organs; itwas retained there and elimination was very slow.BSH after intra-arterial infusion (IA) was found tomove into the peripheral organs more easily thanafter intra-venous (IV) infusion.In patients with malignant glioma, the average valuesof boron concentration in tumor and the tumorto blood ratio (T/B ratio) after IA infusionwere 26.8 ± 19.5 g/g (range, 6.1–104.7 g/g)and 1.77 ± 1.30 (range, 0.47–6.65) respectively. Onthe other hand, after IV infusion the valueswere 20.9 ± 12.2 g/g (range, 7.0–39.7 g/g)and 1.30 ± 0.65 (range, 0.61–2.94) respectively. Thedifferences are not statistically significant. Boron uptake inmalignant glioma was about three times higher thanlow grade glioma. We found a good correlationbetween boron uptake and time interval from BSHinfusion, and 15–20 hours after BSH infusion theboron concentration in tumor was above 20 g/g¹⁰B in 69% of the malignant glioma patients;T/B ratio was above one in 75%, andabove two in 44% of them.We recommend intra-venous infusion of BSH clinically sinceit is safer, and results in sufficient boronconcentration in tumor, and the planned irradiation mightbe optimal around 15–20 hours after the BSHinfusion for treating malignant glioma.     

Phyllodes tumor of the breast with a grossly malignant appearance: A case report

A huge phyllodes tumor of the breast that appeared grossly malignant in a 43-year-old woman is described. The patient suffered from a large breast tumor that suddenly increased in size over 5 months to occupy the entire breast. The tumor was hard, ulcerated and 20 cm in greatest diameter. Diagnostic imaging (US, CT and MRI) demonstrated a circumscribed mass with a large cystic cavity. She underwent total mastectomy under a diagnosis of malignant breast tumor. Grossly, the cut surface of the tumor showed a large cystic cavity surrounding a fleshy, hemorrhagic and necrotic mass with a lobulared or trabeculared appearance. Unexpectedly, benign phyllodes tumor (PT) without any stromal overgrowth was diagnosed histologically. She has been doing well since total mastectomy. In our case and in many other reported cases, PT does not show any distinctive correlation between pathologic findings and tumor behavior. Thus wide local excision is the preferred initial treatment for PT.     

Can t(8;21) oligoblastic leukemia be called a myelodysplastic syndrome?

The new World Health Organization (WHO) classification of hematologic malignancies has incorporated t(8;21) myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) according to the French-American-British classification into the category of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21)(q22;q22), while our knowledge about clinicopathological features of t(8;21) oligoblastic leukemia is still limited. We present our experience with 12 patients meeting the FAB diagnostic criteria of MDS and having t(8;21), who were compared to 43 t(8;21) AML patients. The MDS and AML patients shared most hematomorphologic, immunophenotypic, and clinical features, whereas the differences lay along myeloid maturation. The MDS patients had higher percentages of circulating neutrophils and marrow myeloid cells beyond promyelocytes than the AML patients. The incidence of Auer rods in mature neutrophils in MDS was significantly higher than that in AML, and furthermore, the neutrophils in MDS more commonly contain t(8;21) than in AML. Our findings support the rationale for the WHO classification, and future studies on large patient populations should help clarify whether the spontaneous differentiation potential could be actively associated with a hematological manifestation of t(8;21) leukemias.