A Novel Xenogeneic Graft-Versus-Host Disease Model for Investigating the Pathological Role of Human CD4+ or CD8+ T Cells Using Immunodeficient NOG Mice

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogenic bone marrow transplantation and involves the infiltration of donor CD4⁺ and/or CD8⁺ T cells into various organs of the recipient. The pathological role of human CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells in GVHD remains controversial. In this study, we established two novel xenogeneic (xeno)-GVHD models. Human CD4⁺ or CD8⁺ T cells were purified from peripheral blood and were transplanted into immunodeficient NOD/Shi-scid IL2rg^null (NOG) mice. Human CD8⁺ T cells did not induce major GVHD symptoms in conventional NOG mice. However, CD8⁺ T cells immediately proliferated and induced severe GVHD when transferred into NOG mice together with at least 0.5 × 10⁶ CD4⁺ T cells or into NOG human interleukin (IL)-2 transgenic mice. Human CD4⁺ T cell-transplanted NOG mice developed skin inflammations including alopecia, epidermal hyperplasia, and neutrophilia. Pathogenic T helper (Th)17 cells accumulated in the skin of CD4⁺ T cell-transplanted NOG mice. Further, an anti-human IL-17 antibody (secukinumab) significantly suppressed these skin pathologies. These results indicate that pathogenic human Th17 cells induce cutaneous GVHD via IL-17-dependent pathways. This study provides fundamental insights into the pathogenesis of xeno-GVHD, and these humanized mouse models may be useful as preclinical tools for the prevention of GVHD.

Dietary Intake Is Associated with Occlusal Force Rather Than Number of Teeth in 80-y-Old Japanese

There has been a growing interest in the association between the number of teeth and dietary intake in older populations. However, people around the age of 80 y have frequently lost most of their teeth, and dental prostheses replacing the missing teeth play an important role in masticatory function. Therefore, masticatory function cannot be evaluated by the number of teeth alone. The occlusal force of the complete dental arches is an index of masticatory function, reflecting not only the number of teeth, but the effect of removable dentures. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the relative importance of the number of teeth and occlusal force in association with dietary intake in 80-y-old Japanese people.

This study included 760 community-dwelling Japanese people aged 79 y to 81 y. The authors measured bilateral maximal occlusal force in the intercuspal position using pressure-sensitive sheets. Removable denture wearers kept their dentures in place during the measurements. Energy-adjusted food groups and nutrient intake during the preceding month were assessed by a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire. The authors assessed linear trends in food and nutrient intake in relation to the number of teeth and occlusal force after adjusting for gender and socioeconomic status (education level, financial status, family structure, resident area and BMI). P values of < 0.05 were considered to be statistically significant.

The authors found that the number of teeth was not associated with the energy-adjusted intake of any food group examined. In contrast, a decline in occlusal force was significantly associated with a lower intake of vegetables, fish and shellfish, protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and most vitamins and minerals ( P for trend < 0.05). We conclude that food and nutrient intake was more closely associated with occlusal force than the number of teeth in community-dwelling Japanese people aged 79 y to 81 y.

Knowledge Transfer Statement: This cross-sectional study of older Japanese people showed that, after controlling for considerable covariates, occlusal force rather than the number of teeth is positively associated with energy-adjusted intake of vegetables, fish and shellfish, protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber and most of vitamins and minerals. This means that reduced occlusal force may unconsciously lead older people toward a habitual unhealthy dietary intake. Older people have frequently lost most of their teeth and require prosthetics to restore masticatory function. Bilateral occlusal force is therefore a better measure of masticatory function than the number of remaining teeth. Our findings suggest that prosthetic rehabilitation is a significant factor in the prevention and management of chronic diseases and frailty through better dietary intake in older populations.

The 'when' and 'where' of semantic coding in the anterior temporal lobe: Temporal representational similarity analysis of electrocorticogram data

Electrocorticograms (ECoG) provide a unique opportunity to monitor neural activity directly at the cortical surface. Ten patients with subdural electrodes covering ventral and lateral anterior temporal regions (ATL) performed a picture naming task. Temporal representational similarity analysis (RSA) was used, for the first time, to compare spatio-temporal neural patterns from the ATL surface with pre-defined theoretical models. The results indicate that the neural activity in the ventral subregion of the ATL codes semantic representations from 250 msec after picture onset. The observed activation similarity was not related to the visual similarity of the pictures or the phonological similarity of their names. In keeping with convergent evidence for the importance of the ATL in semantic processing, these results provide the first direct evidence of semantic coding from the surface of the ventral ATL and its time-course.

Association of Occlusal Force with Cognition in Independent Older Japanese People

Recent longitudinal studies have shown the influence of multiple tooth loss on cognitive impairment, and earlier studies suggested that periodontal disease was related to cognitive decline. Tooth loss is associated with reduced masticatory function, which may affect stimulation of the central nervous system and dietary intake. Although some studies have reported a relationship between chewing ability and cognitive function, no studies have examined this area in terms of objective oral function. The aim of this study was to examine the association of occlusal force with cognitive decline in the preclinical stage among older people with higher-level functional capacity. This cross-sectional study for community-dwelling older people living in urban and rural areas in Japan examined 994 persons in the 70-y group (age range, 69–71 y) and 968 persons in the 80-y group (age range, 79–81 y). Retention of higher-level competence was defined according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology Index of Competence. Cognitive function was measured with the Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J). Oral status and function were assessed by the number of remaining teeth, periodontal pocket depth, and maximal occlusal force. Associations between the MoCA-J score and occlusal force were examined by bivariate and multivariate analysis. Approximately one-half of the participants retained higher-level functional capacity and were included in the analysis. Multiple regression analysis showed that occlusal force was significantly related to cognitive function after controlling for possible predictors including age, sex, socioeconomic status, medical condition, and handgrip strength. The number of remaining teeth and periodontal pocket depth were not significantly associated with cognitive function. Among community-dwelling older people with retained competence, maximal occlusal force was positively associated with their cognitive function. These results suggest that oral function might be a predictor for preclinical cognitive decline.

Knowledge Transfer Statement: Multiple regression analysis showed that occlusal force was significantly related to cognition after controlling for possible predictors including handgrip strength as an indicator of general muscle strength, suggesting the independence of oral function. The number of remaining teeth did not have this association. The majority of older people have lost teeth and have received prosthodontic treatment, and their occlusal force is determined not only by the number of remaining teeth but also by prosthetic rehabilitation. These results can be used by clinicians focusing on prevention of tooth loss among the entire population, as well as to encourage partially edentulous and fully edentulous patients to restore their oral function with prostheses in order to eliminate a possible risk factor for cognitive impairment.

Levobupivacaine-dextran mixture for transversus abdominis plane block and rectus sheath block in patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy: a randomised controlled trial

We performed a randomised controlled double-blinded study of patients having laparoscopic colectomy with bilateral transversus abdominis plane block plus rectus sheath block, comparing a control group receiving 80 ml levobupivacaine 0.2% in saline with a dextran group receiving 80 ml levobupivacaine 0.2% in 8% low-molecular weight dextran. Twenty-seven patients were studied in each group. The mean (SD) maximum plasma concentration of levobupivacaine in the control group (1410 (322) ng.ml(-1) ) was higher than the dextran group (1141 (287) ng.ml(-1) ; p = 0.004), and was reached more quickly (50.6 (30.2) min vs 73.2 (24.6) min; p = 0.006). The area under the plasma concentration-time curve from 0 min to 240 min in the control group (229,124 (87,254) ng.min.ml(-1) ) was larger than in the dextran group (172,484 (50,502) ng.min.ml(-1) ; p = 0.007). The median (IQR [range]) of the summated numerical pain rating score at rest during the first postoperative 24 h in the control group (16 (9-20 [3-31]) was higher than in the dextran group (8 (2-11 [0-18]); p = 0.0001). In this study, adding dextran to levobupivacaine decreased the risk of levobupivacaine toxicity while providing better analgesia.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure

We demonstrated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure (Ag3D).

Excitation-photon-energy selectivity of photoconversions in halogen-bridged Pd-chain compounds: Mott insulator to metal or charge-density-wave state

Ultrafast photoinduced transitions of a one-dimensional Mott insulator into two distinct electronic phases, metal and charge-density-wave (CDW) state, were achieved in a bromine-bridged Pd-chain compound [Pd(en)2Br](C5-Y)2H2O (en=ethylenediamine and C5-Y=dialkylsulfosuccinate), by selecting the photon energy of a femtosecond excitation pulse. For the resonant excitation of the Mott-gap transition, excitonic states are generated and converted to one-dimensional CDW domains. For the higher-energy excitation, free electron and hole carriers are produced, giving rise to a transition of the Mott insulator to a metal. Such selectivity in photoconversions by the choice of initial photoexcited states opens a new possibility for the developments of advanced optical switching and memory functions.