Human interferon suppression of retrovirus production and cell fusion, and failure to inhibit replication of encephalomyocarditis virus in rhabdomyosarcoma (RD114) cells

Human rhabdomyosarcoma cells chronically infected with retroviruses were examined for their responses to human interferon (HuIFN-α). Production of baboon endogenous retrovirus (M7) from A204 cells and feline endogenous retrovirus (RD114) from RD114 cells and from subclone RD114-Cl cells in each case was highly sensitive to the antiviral action of HuIFN-α. However, the antiviral responses of the cells after interferon treatment against encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus and vesicular stromatitis virus (VSV) were different for each cell strain used. In A204 cells, replications of EMC virus and VSV were sensitive to interferon, but resistant in RD114 and RD114-Cl cells. Both 2′-5′-oligo(A) (2–5A) synthetase and dsRNA-dependent protein kinase were markedly increased in A204 cells after HuIFN-α treatment but no significant increase was observed in RD114 and RD114-Cl cells. In all these cells, HuIFN-a efficiently induced an anti-cell fusion state which was determined by inhibition of syncytium formation induced by uv-inactivated Sendai virus. These results indicate that the mechanisms underlying the anti-retrovirus and the anti-cell fusion activities of interferon may be closely related, and that they are different from those of antiviral action against exogenous virus infections.     

The significance of autoantibodies coexisting with anti-centromere antibodies in sera of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis

Anti-centromere antibody (ACA) has been believed to be specific to patients with CREST syndrome, a variant of scleroderma (PSS). This study was undertaken to clarify the distribution of ACA in various diseases and the significance of autoantibodies coexisting with it. The sera of patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) along with collagen diseases and aged subjects were examined for ACA by immunofluorescence method (IF) using cultured HEp-2 cells and chromosomes prepared from K 562 cells. ACA were found in sera of 10 patients with PBC, one with scleroderma, one with cerebral infarction and one with chronic renal failure respectively. ACA positive sera were examined for antibodies against other nuclear antigens including nRNP, Sm, Scl-70, SS-A and SS-B and cytoplasmic antigens by double immunodiffusion methods using rabbit thymus extract etc. as the antigens and by IF method using cryostat sections of rat kidney and stomach. In 13 sera with ACA, antimitochondrial antibody (AMA), anti-smooth muscle antibody (ASMA) and anti SS-A antibody were found in 10, 4 and one sera respectively. In 10 PBC patients with ACA, various collagen disease-related disorders were found to coexist; CREST syndrome in one, CRST syndrome in one, Raynaud's phenomenon in two and Sj?gren's syndrome in 5. These results would indicate that ACA may be one of the common serological abnormalities among patients with PBC, CREST syndrome and Sj?gren's syndrome.     

Evaluation of the accuracy of preoperative staging in thoracic esophageal cancer

Background. Exact clinical staging before treatment of esophageal cancer has become increasingly important in the evaluation and comparison of the results of different treatment modalities, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.

Methods. The accuracy of preoperative tumor staging by using an esophagography, esophagoscopy, percutaneous and endoscopic ultrasonography, and computed tomography was assessed in 224 patients with resectable esophageal cancer. The results of tumor staging by these tests were compared prospectively with the pathologic stage of the esophagectomy specimens with respect to the T and N categories defined by the International Union Against Cancer TNM classification.

Results. For the T category, the overall accuracy was 80%. For the N category, overall accuracy was 72%, with a sensitivity of 78%, a specificity of 60%, and a positive predictive value of 78%. Overall, the accuracy of stage grouping was 56%.

Conclusions. Either the T or N categories can be predicted reliably by clinical staging techniques. However, the preoperative stage grouping might not be valid in resectable, localized esophageal cancer.     

Right axillary arterial perfusion for a ruptured type B aortic dissection: Report of a case

The results of surgical treatment for a ruptured type B aortic dissection remain far from satisfactory. It is believed that additional perfusion from the right axillary artery might be more beneficial than perfusion from only the femoral artery during surgery for a ruptured thoracic aneurysm. The right axillary perfusion is more likely to perfuse the vital organs proximal to the ruptured area, and thus avoid retrograde emboli. In addition, if the open proximal method is performed, then the right axillary perfusion is able to facilitate the evacuation of air from the aortic lumen. We present herein the case of a patient in whom a ruptured type B acute aortic dissection was successfully treated by applying right axillary perfusion through a left thoracotomy.     

Histogenesis and clinicopathological characteristics of superficially spreading carcinoma of the esophagus

To explore the possible histogenesis of superficially spreading carcinoma of the esophagus, the clinicopathological features of these tumors (n = 44) were compared with those of ordinary superficial carcinoma (n = 163). Tumors of a heterogeneous histological type and having in situ carcinoma components were significantly more common (P < .05), and the number of residual squamous islands was significantly greater (P < 0.05) in the former group than the latter. Furthermore, the tumor size was not different among in situ, intramucosal, and submucosal carcinomas of the former, whereas the tumors became larger according to the depth of invasion in the latter group. These results indicate that the collision of multiple simultaneously developing superficial tumors is a plausible histogenesis of superficially spreading carcinoma of the esophagus.     

Japanese standard for clinical stabilometry assessment: Current status and future directions

Stabilometry is a useful tool for examining patients with functional disorders of the vestibular system. However, measurement techniques and devices vary by country. Therefore, international standardization of stabilometry is mandatory to validate the exchange of important findings. This was advocated at the 1983 Posturography Meeting in Kyoto but has not been adopted worldwide, and each country has continued to use unique regional measurement methods. In Japan, stabilometry has widespread application in medical practice in conjunction with research into its applications. With a goal of international standardization, we present details of stabilometry measurement methods and their application in Japan, together with a brief history and potential future directions of stabilometry.     

Correction to: The characteristics of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with severe COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Journal of Gastroenterology - A correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-021-01786-z     

Numerical chromosomal abnormality in gastric MALT lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Background: We investigated numerical chromosomal abnormalities, using the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method, in gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL). We also compared the histopathological findings, including the presence or absence of Helicobacter pylori infection, with the analytical results. Methods: Sixteen patients who underwent operation for malignant gastric lymphoma in our department were divided into three groups: patients with low-grade gastric MALT lymphoma (l-MALT; n = 5), those with high-grade gastric MALT lymphoma (h-MALT; n = 8), and those with DLBL (n = 3). Numerical abnormalities of chromosomes 8, 9, 12, and 17 were investigated by the FISH method, and the presence or absence of H. pylori infection was microscopically examined. Results: Numerical abnormality was observed in chromosome 12 in 11 patients (68.8%), in chromosome 8 in 10 (62.5%), and in chromosome 17 in 5 (31.3%), showing a high frequency. H. pylori infection was detected in 80% and 50% of patients with l-MALT and h-MALT, respectively, but no H. pylori infection was observed in patients with DLBL. Conclusions: A new biological characteristic of gastric MALT lymphoma was obtained, i.e., a high frequency of numerical abnormalities of chromosomes 12, 8, and 17. There was no correlation between the numerical chromosomal abnormalities and the clinicopathological findings. Received: September 5, 2001 / Accepted: February 22, 2002 Acknowledgments. We sincerely appreciate the instruction and cooperation provided by Mr. A. Furuhata, Mr. S. Nakamura, and the staff, Department of Collaborative Pathology, Juntendo University, Tokyo, Japan. Reprint requests to: I. Watanobe