High-density proteoglycan induces specific suppression of adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats.

We compared the levels of serum antibodies in male and female C57Bl/6 mice during the primary and after challenge infection with Giardia muris. Male mice began passing cysts in their faeces earlier than females, and were shedding cysts for over 60 days, while females stopped shedding cysts by day 20 after infection. In both males and females there were significant increases in parasite-specific IgM 10 and 20 days after infection. No differences in parasite-specific serum IgA were observed until 40 days after infection. Parasite-specific IgG (whole) levels were elevated on days 20 and 40 in females, while males showed no significant increases. In addition, females had a much stronger IgG2b and IgG3 response than males. After challenge with either cysts or soluble parasite protein only the females had significant increases in specific anti-parasite IgG2b. Our data show differential ability of males and females to control the infection with G. muris is paralleled by a difference in the anti-parasite serum IgG response of the mice.     

Results of combined therapy of irradiation and intra-arterial one-shot injection of cisplatin for head and neck cancers

Thirty-six previously untreated cases of head and neck cancer were given a combined therapy of irradiation and intra-arterial, one-shot injection of Cisplatin. As a result, the primary lesions in 35 cases were seen to achieve a 66% complete remission (CR) and a 100% overall response (OR). The lymph metastases in twenty-one cases with positive node achieved a 62% CR and a 100% OR. Good, local control of supraglottic and hypopharyngeal cancers were found to be an advantageous factor considered from the standpoint of the "quality of life". The cumulative survival rate, using Kaplan-Meier's method, was 82% for the first year, and 62% for the second year. No severe side effects were observed.     

E6 and E7 variants of human papillomavirus‐16 and ‐52 in Japan,the Philippines,and Vietnam

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has several intragenotypic variants with different geographical and ethnic distributions. This study aimed to elucidate the distribution patterns of E6 and E7 (E6/E7) intragenotypic variants of HPV type 16 (HPV‐16), which is most common worldwide, and HPV‐52, which is common in Asian countries such as Japan, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In previous studies, genomic DNA samples extracted from cervical swabs were collected from female sex workers in these three countries and found to be positive for HPV‐16 or HPV‐52. Samples were amplified further for their E6/E7 genes using type‐specific primers and analyzed genetically. Seventy‐nine HPV‐16 E6/E7 genes were analyzed successfully and grouped into three lineages: European (Prototype), European (Asian), and African‐2. The prevalences of HPV‐16 European (Prototype)/European (Asian) lineages were 19.4%/80.6% (n = 31) in Japan, 75.0%/20.8% (n = 24) in the Philippines, and 0%/95.8% (n = 24) in Vietnam. The 109 HPV‐52 E6/E7 genes analyzed successfully were grouped into four lineages, A–D; the prevalences of lineages A/B/C/D were, respectively, 5.1%/92.3%/0%/2.6% in Japan (n = 39), 34.4%/62.5%/0%/3.1% in the Philippines (n = 32), and 15.8%/73.7%/7.9%/2.6% in Vietnam (n = 38). The distribution patterns of HPV‐16 and HPV‐52 lineages in these countries differed significantly (P < 0.000001 and P = 0.0048, respectively). There was no significant relationship between abnormal cervical cytology and either HPV‐16 E6/E7 lineages or specific amino acid mutations, such as E6 D25E, E6 L83V, and E7 N29S. Analysis of HPV‐16 and HPV‐52 E6/E7 genes can be a useful molecular‐epidemiological tool to distinguish geographical diffusion routes of these HPV types in Asia. J. Med. Virol. 85: 1069–1076, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Association between hippocampal volume and serum adiponectin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with cognitive dysfunction and hippocampus volume. The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that the level of the adipocytokine adiponectin correlates with hippocampus volume and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 DM. A total of 45 patients with type 2 DM were divided into two groups: a low adiponectin group and a normal adiponectin group. Hippocampus volume was measured by computer-assisted analysis using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) voxel-based specific regional analysis system developed for the study of Alzheimer's disease as the end point for assessment of hippocampus volume. Mean hippocampus volume was lower in the low adiponectin group than in the normal adiponectin group (P<.0001). Fasting serum concentrations of glucose (P<.05) and insulin (P<.0001), and homeostasis model assessment index (P<.0001), were all higher in the low adiponectin group than in the normal adiponectin group. Multiple regression analysis showed that hippocampus volume independently predicted serum adiponectin level. These results suggest that circulating levels of adiponectin are related to hippocampus volume in patients with type 2 DM.     

Interventricular septal mass in a patient with cardiac sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease that may involve multiple organ systems. The prognosis of sarcoidosis is influenced by the presence and severity of cardiac lesions. Thinning of the wall in the ventricular septum has often been reported, whereas an interventricular septal mass is rare. We describe a case of cardiac sarcoidosis resulting in a myocardial mass in the basal portion of the interventricular septum that was sensitive to corticosteroid treatment.