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.     

Characterization of dehydrochlorinated poly(vinylidene chloride) and the shock-compressed material

Dehydrochlorinated poly(vinylidene chloride) proved to be a conjugated polyene-polyene polymer. Shock compression of the polymer formed a large portion of graphite and trace amounts of diamond and of an unknown carbon. The unknown carbon belongs to the hexagonal crystal system and possesses the cell dimension α₀ = 0.338 nm. A comparison with known carbynes was made in terms of the crystalline parameters.     

POSSIBLE PARTICIPATION OF NMDA AND GLYCINE RECEPTORS BUT NOT GABAA RECEPTORS IN ENFLURANE-INDUCED OPISTHOTONUS IN MICE

1. We previously reported that volatile anaesthetics produce incidences of a transient opisthotonus in mice, a sign of CNS stimulation. This study was performed to investigate mechanisms by which enflurane-induced opisthotonus (EIO) occurs. 2. The effects of pretreatment of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists dizocilpine (MK-801; DIZ) and ketamine (KET), GABA_A antagonists picrotoxin (PIC), pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) and glycine antagonist strychnine (STR) on the incidence of EIO were determined. Prior to exposure to 2.0% enflurane in air, male ddN mice were given intraperitoneal injections of 0.2 mL saline (control), 0.5–5.0 mg/kg DIZ, 20–80 mg/kg KET, 2.9 mg/kg PIC, 40.0 mg/kg PTZ and 0.75 mg/kg STR. After the injection, the behavioural state of the mice was observed for 20 min (the pre-enflurane period). During the exposure to enflurane the time for immobilization, that is, anaesthetic induction time (IT), and the incidence of EIO were measured. 3. Dizocilpine (1.0–5.0 mg/kg) and KET (80 mg/kg) significantly (P<0.01) reduced both the incidence of EIO and IT in a dose-dependent manner. During the pre-enflurane period DIZ produced incidences (5–40%) of transient seizures in a dose-dependent manner, while KET did not induce them at all. The two GABA_a antagonists had no detectable effect on the EIO. Strychnine significantly enhanced the EIO. These CNS stimulants resulted in a 3–10% incidence of transient seizure and/or opisthotonus during the pre-enflurane period, but there was no correlation between DIZ-induced seizure and EIO. 4. These results suggest that the EIO is mediated by the NMDA and the STR-sensitive glycine receptors, but not the GABA_A receptor. We speculate that DIZ acts on the NMDA-receptor and/or disrupts the balance between the inhibitory and the excitatory systems.     

Long-term follow-up studies in 211 patients with tetralogy of Fallot after corrective surgery over 10 years

A total number of 427 patients with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent corrective surgery between 1960 and March 1990, in whom 211 patients who survived the surgery over 10 years were evaluated for the follow-up studies. Hemodynamic and cardiac function studies were carried out in 101 patients at the mean interval of 15.7 years (ranges 2 to 21 years). Three methods indicated that patients with muscle resection and pulmonary valvulotomy without patch enlargement (NP) had worse results than the groups with RV patch below valve (RP) and with transannular patch (TP). Also, Holter ECG revealed ventricular arrhythmias in patients with NP were more common than the groups with RP and TP. Sixteen patients (13 with NP, 2 with TP and one with RP) were required reoperation for residual ventricular shunt in 13, residual pulmonary stenosis in 11 and tricuspid regurgitation in 2. All of these 16 patients survived operation and obtained excellent clinical status. It is concluded that patients with TOF after corrective surgery should be carefully followed with short term interval to prevent sudden death and postoperative complications.     

Insulinoma: Selective arterial calcium injection performed to confirm localization and complete resection

A case of insulinoma is reported in a patient in whom selective arterial calcium injection (SACI) tests were performed both to confirm tumor localization before surgery and to confirm complete tumor removal during surgery. An 18-year-old woman with hypoglycemic episodes was diagnosed with an insulinoma in the pancreatic body demonstrated by celiac arteriography. In a preoperative SACI test, calcium was injected into the splenic artery (SpA), gastroduodenal artery (GDA), and superior mesenteric artery (SMA). Serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and proinsulin levels were measured in hepatic venous samples. IRI was markedly increased after the injection of calcium into the GDA and SMA, while there was no response in IRI levels when calcium was injected into the SpA. Therefore, no occult insulinoma was revealed in the distal area fed by the SpA, although the presence of insulinoma was uncertain in the proximal pancreas. In the intraoperative SACI test, calcium was injected into the celiac artery. Insulin (determined by enzyme immunoassay) and proinsulin levels were measured in portal venous samples before and after resection of the tumor. After resection, these levels decreased in response to the calcium stimuli, confirming complete removal of the insulinoma. The SACI test was helpful to localize the insulinoma and was useful to confirm the complete removal of the tumor.     

Dynamic MRI of the gallbladder lesions: Differentiation of benign from malignant

Forty-nine pathologically proven gallbladder lesions were evaluated in 45 patients using dynamic MRI with a spoiled gradient pulse sequence (SPGR), to access the ability of this technique to differentiate benign from malignant gallbladder lesions. The studies were reviewed retrospectively. Signal intensity of the lesions were measured. Twenty-one malignant and 28 benign lesions were classified into three categories: polypoid, diffuse wall thickening, and exophytic. Early and delayed enhancement patterns were evaluated. For the polypoid masses, malignant lesions (n = 9) demonstrated early and prolonged enhancements, whereas benign lesions (n = 14) had early enhancement with subsequent washout (P < .05). For diffuse gallbladder wall thickening, malignant lesions (n = 6) demonstrated early and prolonged enhancement and benign lesions (n = 14) showed relatively slow, prolonged enhancement (P < .05). The exophytic masses (n = 6) all were malignant and demonstrated early and prolonged enhancement. Dynamic MRI can help differentiate benign from malignant gallbladder lesions.     

The role of gallium 67 imaging in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract

To evaluate the clinical usefulness of gallium 67 imaging in the detection of gastrointestinal (GI) non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and in the assessment of the therapeutic effects, images were reviewed in 24 cases (25 lesions: stomach, 20; ileum, 2; and terminal ileum and/or cecum, 3) and were compared using barium studies and, in 16 cases, computerized tomography (CT). In all, 23 (92.0%) of the 25 lesions were detected by⁶⁷Ga citrate imaging, the barium studies detected all 25, and CT detected 15 of 16 lesions (93.8%). The two lesions not identified by imaging and the one not found by CT were the smallest of all. In 2 (8.7%) of the 23 lesions positively identified by⁶⁷Ga-citrate imaging, both CT and imaging revealed the extent of the tumor more accurately than did the barium studies. In all but one of the patients, a close correlation existed between the imaging results and the therapeutic effects. These data suggest that⁶⁷Ga imaging is useful in conjunction with CT and barium studies for the detection of GI NHL and for the assessment of both the spatial extent of disease and the therapeutic effects, although a lack of⁶⁷Ga uptake after therapy does not always indicate a good therapeutic effect.