Preoperative scoring system for predicting early adjacent vertebral fractures after Balloon Kyphoplasty

BackgroundAdjacent vertebral fracture (AVF) is a major complication following Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP). There is no scoring system for predicting AVF using only preoperative elements. The purposes of this study were to develop a scoring system for predicting early AVF after BKP based on preoperative factors and to investigate the appropriate surgical indication for BKP.MethodsOf 220 patients who underwent BKP at a single institution since 2011, 65 patients over the age of 60 who had undergone a standing whole spine X-ray preoperatively were enrolled. Factors affecting the occurrence of early AVF were examined. A scoring system was created consisting of the factors exhibiting significant differences, and the correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF was investigated.ResultsTwenty of the 65 patients (30.8%) had early AVF. In a univariate analysis, age, previous vertebral fracture, pelvic tilt, and Local kyphosis significantly influenced early AVF. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis, age had an odds ratio of 1.136 (95% CI 1.001–1.289), previous vertebral fractures 4.181 (1.01–17.309), and Local kyphosis 1.103 (1.021–1.191). The scoring system was set as follows: ①Age (<75 years: 0 points(P), 75years≦: 1P), ②The number of previous vertebral fractures (0: 0 P, 1: 1P, 2: 2P, 3 or more: 3P), and ③Local kyphosis (<10°: 0P, 10°≦: 1P). There was a correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF (r = 0.812, 1P = 0.05). The incidence of early AVF was 6.4% (2 cases/31 cases) for a score of ≦1P and 54.5% (18 cases/33 cases) for a score of ≧2P.ConclusionsThere was a correlation between the total score and the incidence of early AVF. A score of 1 point or less may represent the appropriate surgical indication for BKP.     

A prospective, randomized study: day 3 versus hatching blastocyst stage

Hum. Reprod.,      

Expression profile of chemokines and chemokine receptors in epithelial cell layers of oral lichen planus

BACKGROUND: To understand the immunopathological features of oral lichen planus (OLP), we analyzed the expression of chemokines in the epithelial cell layers. Methods: Epithelia from OLP or healthy gingiva were collected by laser microdissection. The chemokine and chemokine receptor expressions in the epithelia were analyzed by DNA microarray. RESULTS: High levels of MIP-3alpha/LARC/CCL20 and its receptor CCR6 were expressed in the lesional epithelia. Furthermore, DC-CK1/CCL18, ELC/CCL19, SDF-1/CXCL12 and CXCR4 expressions were also increased. Immunohistologial analysis showed that high numbers of Langerhans cells (LCs) were present in the epithelia of OLP. Lesional epithelia also expressed high levels of the ligands specific for CXCR3 (e.g. MIG/CXCL9, IP-10/CXCL10 and I-TAC/CXCL11) and CCR5 (e.g. RANTES/CCL5). CONCLUSIONS: Infiltration of LCs is orchestrated by CCR6. Further, LCs residing in the lesional epithelia may be a mature phenotype. Moreover, infiltration of T cells in OLP could be mediated by signaling pathways through CXCR3 and CCR5.     

Extracellular matrix remodeling in oral submucous fibrosis: its stage-specific modes revealed by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization

BACKGROUND: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a chewing habit-related pre-cancerous condition of the oral mucosa affecting predominantly south Asians. It is histopathologically characterized by epithelial atrophy and fibrosis of the subepithelial connective tissue. Fibrosis extends all the way into the muscle layer, leading to difficulty in mouth opening. However, the dynamics of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling with OSF progression is largely unknown. METHODS: Forty biopsy specimens of OSF and 10 of normal buccal mucosa were examined for expression/deposition modes of eight ECM molecules by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization. RESULTS: In the early stage of OSF, tenascin, perlecan, fibronectin, collagen type III were characteristically enhanced in the lamina propria and the submucosal layer. In the intermediate stage, the ECM molecules mentioned above and elastin were extensively and irregularly deposited around muscle fibers. In the advanced stage, such ECM depositions decreased and were entirely replaced with collagen type I only. Their gene expression levels varied with progression of fibrosis, but the mRNA signals were confirmed in fibroblasts in the submucosal fibrotic areas. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the ECM remodeling steps in OSF are similar to each phase of usual granulation tissue formation. Restricted mouth opening may be a result of loss of variety of ECM molecules including elastin into the homogeneity of collagen type I replacing muscle fibers.     

The mitochondrial K(ATP) channel opener BMS-191095 reduces neuronal damage after transient focal cerebral ischemia in rats.

Activation of mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (mitoK(ATP)) channels protects the brain against ischemic or chemical challenge. Unfortunately, the prototype mitoK(ATP) channel opener, diazoxide, has mitoK(ATP) channel-independent actions. We examined the effects of BMS-191095, a novel selective mitoK(ATP) channel opener, on transient ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. Male Wister rats were subjected to 90 mins of MCAO. BMS-191095 (25 microg; estimated brain concentration of 40 micromol/L) or vehicle was infused intraventricularly before the onset of ischemia. In addition, the effects of BMS-191095 on plasma and mitochondrial membrane potentials and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in cultured neurons were examined. Finally, we determined the effects of BMS-191095 on cerebral blood flow (CBF) and potassium currents in cerebrovascular myocytes. Treatment with BMS-191095 24 h before the onset of ischemia reduced total infarct volume by 32% and cortical infarct volume by 38%. However, BMS-191095 administered 30 or 60 mins before MCAO had no effect. The protective effects of BMS-191095 were prevented by co-treatment with 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD), a mitoK(ATP) channel antagonist. In cultured neurons, BMS-191095 (40 micromol/L) depolarized the mitochondria without affecting ROS levels, and this effect was inhibited by 5-HD. BMS-191095, similar to the vehicle, caused an unexplained but modest reduction in the CBF. Importantly, BMS-191095 did not affect either the potassium currents in cerebrovascular myocytes or the plasma membrane potential of neurons. Thus, BMS-191095 afforded protection against cerebral ischemia by delayed preconditioning via selective opening of mitoK(ATP) channels and without ROS generation.     

Endoscopic sphincterotomy for common bile duct stones: Impact of recent technical advances

Technical improvements, such as mechanical lithotripsy, stenting or nasobiliary drainage, and wire-guided cannulation, have reduced the risk of complications in endoscopic sphincterotomy. To determine the extent of this reduction in risk, we assessed the medical records of 1352 patients with common bile duct stones in whom the procedure was conducted. Complications examined were: acute cholangitis and pancreatitis. Stone clearance was achieved in 1256 patients (92.8%), with an overall morbidity rate of 7.7% and a mortality rate of 0.15%. One hundred and forty-two patients had stones with a diameter greater than 20mm; 97 of these patients did not undergo lithotripsy. Cholangitis occurred in 10 of these 97 patients (10.3%), whereas, in the 45 patients who underwent lithotripsy, there were no cases of cholangitis (P=0.02). Stone removal was not immediately accomplished or attempted in 396 patients. In 82 of these patients in whom a stent or a nasobiliary drain was placed in the common bile duct, the incidence of cholangitis was 1.2%, significantly less (P=0.045) than the incidence of 6.4% in the other 314 patients given no stenting or nasobiliary drain. To overcome difficult cannulation, precut sphincterotomy was conducted in 134 patients and wireguided sphincterotomy, a recently introduced procedure, was conducted in 55 patients. When the precutting technique was used, the incidence of acute pancreatitis was significantly higher (8/134; 6.0%) than that in the patients in whom the standard procedure was conducted, i.e., neither the precut technique nor wire-guided ES was used (23/1218; 1.9%) (P=0.008). There were no cases of pancreatitis in the 55 patients in whom wire-guided sphincterotomy was performed, although the difference was not statistically significant because of the small number of patients (P=0.06). Based on these findings, we conclude that improved technologies have led to a significant reduction of complications in endoscopic sphincterotomy.     

gamma-Aminobutyric acid enhances the tone of human internal anal sphincter.

The effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the human internal anal sphincter was investigated. Cumulative applications of GABA produced concentration-dependent contractions (10(-8)-10(-5) M) of the isolated human sphincter. Pretreatment with bicuculline (GABAA antagonist) turned them to relaxation. Muscimol, a GABAA agonist, induced concentration-dependent contractions (10(-8)-10(-5) M); however, baclofen (GABAB agonist, 10(-8)-10(-5) M) promoted concentration-dependent relaxation of the strips. These results suggested that both excitatory GABAA receptors and inhibitory GABAB receptors exist in the internal anal sphincter. Oral administration of sodium valproate (1600 mg/day), a GABA transaminase inhibitor, enhanced the anal canal resting pressure in 10 normal volunteers. Anal manometry showed a significant elevation in tonus without affecting amplitudes or frequencies. These results indicated that endogenous GABA, which was increased by sodium valproate, produced elevations in the anal canal resting pressure through its specific receptors in the human internal anal sphincter.     

Protein kinase C activity in human thyroid carcinoma and adenoma.

Protein kinase C (PKC) activity was examined in the cytosolic and particulate fractions of homogenates obtained from 12 papillary thyroid carcinomas, 12 follicular thyroid adenomas, and the adjacent normal thyroid tissue. Particulate PKC activity was elevated significantly in thyroid carcinomas compared with normal thyroid tissue (P < 0.01) and adenomas (P < 0.05). By contrast, cytosolic PKC activity of carcinomas and adenomas was lower significantly than that of normal thyroid tissue (P < 0.01). The percentage of particulate PKC activity in carcinoma and adenoma was higher than in normal thyroid tissue (carcinoma, P < 0.001; adenoma, P < 0.01). The average particulate PKC activity of carcinomas more than 3 cm in diameter was significantly lower than that of carcinomas less than or equal to 3 cm in diameter (P < 0.05). The average cytosolic PKC activity of carcinomas more than 3 cm also was lower significantly than that of smaller carcinomas (P < 0.05). These results suggest that alterations in PKC activity may be important in the development of papillary thyroid cancer.     

Bacterial superantigen enhances cytokine production by T-helper lymphocyte subset-2 cells and modifies glomerular lesions in experimental immunoglobulin a nephropathy

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bacterial suporantigens, which can derange the immune response and contribute to the renal lesions of immunoglobulin A (lgA) nephropathy. Methods Twenty-five micrograms of a bacterial superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), was injected into IgA nephropathy-prone ddY mice intrathymically when they reached 6 weeks of age. Evaluation included measurement of albumin excretion in urine, immunoglobulin concentration, and lymphokine production in vitro, as well as analysis of T-cell receptor expression in splenic T-cell subsets and examination of renal histology by light and fluorescence microscopy. Results At 40 weeks of age, the serum level of IgA in these mice was substantially increased and the number of Vβ8⁺ CD4⁺splenic T-cells was significantly decreased compared with measurements in untreated controls. Both control and SEB-treated mice excreted less than 30 μg/mL of urinary albumin. In mice given SEB, the amount of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (T helper 1 [Th1]-type cytokines) produced by the in vitro-stimulated lymphocytes significantly decreased. whereas that of interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) (Th2-type cytokines) markedly increased compared with measurements in control mice. At 40 weeks of age, mice given SEB showed marked glomerular hypercellularity and enhanced glomerular C3 deposition by renal histology, compared with control mice. Conclusion These results suggest that bacterial superantigen SEB may modify glomerular lesions through activating Th2 cells, while inducing deletion of Th1 cells in this experimental model.     

Roles of kallikrein-kinin system in acute inflammation: studies on high- and low-molecular weight kininogens-deficient rats (B/N-Katholiek strain)

Carrageenin-induced paw edema in HMW- and LMW-kininogens-deficient rats was significantly less than that in normal rats. There are three kininogens, HMW-, LMW- and T-kininogens, in normal rat plasma, but B/N-Katholiek rat plasma contains only T-kininogen. The pretreatment with captopril, a kiniase II inhibitor, enhanced paw swelling of normal rats, but not that of the deficient rats, indicating that bradykinin released from HMW-kininogen may have a role for the swelling but T-kinin may not be released in this inflammation.