Calcineurin inhibitors exacerbate coronary arteritis via the MyD88 signalling pathway in a murine model of Kawasaki disease

Calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have been used off-label for the treatment of refractory Kawasaki disease (KD). However, it remains unknown whether CNIs show protective effects against the development of coronary artery lesions in KD patients. To investigate the effects of CNIs on coronary arteries and the mechanisms of their actions on coronary arteritis in a mouse model of KD, we performed experiments with FK565, a ligand of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) in wild-type, severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), caspase-associated recruitment domain 9 (CARD9)^-/- and myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88)^-/- mice. We also performed in-vitro studies with vascular and monocytic cells and vascular tissues. A histopathological analysis showed that both cyclosporin A and tacrolimus exacerbated the NOD1-mediated coronary arteritis in a dose-dependent manner. Cyclosporin A induced the exacerbation of coronary arteritis in mice only in high doses, while tacrolimus exacerbated it within the therapeutic range in humans. Similar effects were obtained in SCID and CARD9^-/- mice but not in MyD88^-/- mice. CNIs enhanced the expression of adhesion molecules by endothelial cells and the cytokine secretion by monocytic cells in our KD model. These data indicated that both vascular and monocytic cells were involved in the exacerbation of coronary arteritis. Activation of MyD88-dependent inflammatory signals in both vascular cells and macrophages appears to contribute to their adverse effects. Particular attention should be paid to the development of coronary artery lesions when using CNIs to treat refractory KD.

Combined Analysis of Neutrino and Antineutrino Oscillations at T2K

T2K reports its first results in the search for CP violation in neutrino oscillations using appearance and disappearance channels for neutrino- and antineutrino-mode beams. The data include all runs from January 2010 to May 2016 and comprise 7.482×10^{20} protons on target in neutrino mode, which yielded in the far detector 32 e-like and 135  μ-like events, and 7.471×10^{20} protons on target in antineutrino mode, which yielded 4 e-like and 66  μ-like events. Reactor measurements of sin^{2}2θ_{13} have been used as an additional constraint. The one-dimensional confidence interval at 90% for the phase δ_{CP} spans the range (-3.13, -0.39) for normal mass ordering. The CP conservation hypothesis (δ_{CP}=0, π) is excluded at 90% C.L.

MELD and Child-Pugh Scores Are Related to Immune Status of Intrahepatic Natural Killer Cells in Liver Transplant Candidates

BACKGROUND

The role and phenotypic alterations of intrahepatic natural killer (NK) cells in liver disease were investigated. Although intrahepatic NK cells reportedly functionally deteriorate in the fibrotic liver, it remains unclear how the clinical severity of liver disease affects intrahepatic NK cells in patients with advanced liver failure.

METHODS

We analyzed the phenotypic properties of intrahepatic NK cells by using mononuclear cells extracted from ex vivo liver perfusate effluents from patients who underwent liver transplantation. The relationship between the clinical severity of liver disease and the phenotype of intrahepatic NK cells in these patients was also evaluated. To estimate the immunological responsiveness of intrahepatic NK cells, phenotypic enhancement after interleukin-2 stimulation was analyzed.

RESULTS

Intrahepatic NK cells from patients with advanced liver failure exhibited down-regulated monomodal expression of NKp46, a major activating molecule. Notably, the expression level of NKp46 decreased depending on the severity of liver disease, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score, and Child-Pugh score rather than the etiology. After in vitro recombinant interleukin-2 stimulation, the enhancement of expression of cytotoxic molecules, NKp44, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand was significantly impaired in intrahepatic NK cells from patients with liver failure, concurrently with decreased expression of CD122 and interleukin-2 receptor beta.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that terminal deterioration of liver environments by chronic liver disease impairs the potential of local NK cells, depending on the severity of the deterioration. These influences of advanced liver failure on intrahepatic NK cells may be attributed to multicentric carcinogenesis in patients with liver failure.

Novel double step approach for optical sensing via microsphere WGM resonance

The use of resonant whispering gallery modes (WGMs) for sensing exhibits various drawbacks and critical points related to the microsphere and tapered optical fiber fabrication tolerance. The uncertainty on the fiber taper and microsphere geometry or the gap between the microsphere and the fiber taper can complicate or limit the actual use of these devices for sensing, requiring peculiar calibration of the WGM based sensing set-up. An alternative double-step approach is proposed in this paper. In particular, the geometrical parameters of the set-up are recovered preliminarily and then the rare earth parameters are recovered via simple transmittance/gain measurements. The method is based on a refined electromagnetic model of the device suitably integrated with a particle swarm optimization (PSO) approach. The percent errors made on the up-conversion coefficients C_up and C₃ are extremely low, being 0.75%, 0.05%, respectively. The procedure is very robust. It can be applied more in general, allowing the sensing of other physical parameters via simple transmittance measurements instead of wavelength shift ones, in both microsphere and microbubble based set-up.

Measurement of Coherent π^{+} Production in Low Energy Neutrino-Carbon Scattering

We report the first measurement of the flux-averaged cross section for charged current coherent π^{+} production on carbon for neutrino energies less than 1.5 GeV, and with a restriction on the final state phase space volume in the T2K near detector, ND280. Comparisons are made with predictions from the Rein-Sehgal coherent production model and the model by Alvarez-Ruso et al., the latter representing the first implementation of an instance of the new class of microscopic coherent models in a neutrino interaction Monte Carlo event generator. We observe a clear event excess above background, disagreeing with the null results reported by K2K and SciBooNE in a similar neutrino energy region. The measured flux-averaged cross sections are below those predicted by both the Rein-Sehgal and Alvarez-Ruso et al.

Intra-Arterial Injection of Adriamycin/Mitomycin C Lipiodol Suspension in Liver Metastases

Intra-arterial injection of a suspension of adriamycin and/or mitomycin C in Lipiodol was performed in 17 patients with hepatic metastases, which at angiography were poorly vascularized. Accumulation of Lipiodol in the tumors was demonstrated at computed tomography (CT) in 15 of 17 patients examined within one week. Follow-up with CT showed that Lipiodol remained in the tumor during the first month in 94 per cent, after 2 months in 31 per cent, and after 3 months in 17 per cent. In the non-tumor part of the liver Lipiodol disappeared earlier, and one month after injection it could no longer be traced on CT. In 8/17 cases (47%) CT, after intra-arterial injection of Lipiodol, gave superior information compared with CT after intravenous contrast enhancement. Tumor response was achieved in 9 of 16 cases. Particularly in metastases originating from cancer of the colon and stomach response was observed with a decrease in tumor size in 8 of 10 patients.

Postcomparison of [(18) F]-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the brain after short-term bright light exposure and no intervention

OBJECTIVE

Bright light therapy is widely used as the treatment of choice for seasonal affective disorder. Nonetheless, our understanding of the mechanisms of bright light is limited and it is important to investigate the mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to examine the hypothesis that bright light exposure may increase [(18) F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in olfactory bulb and/or hippocampus which may be associated neurogenesis in the human brain.

METHOD

A randomized controlled trial comparing 5-day bright light exposure + environmental light (bright light exposure group) with environmental light alone (no intervention group) was performed for 55 participants in a university hospital. The uptake of [(18) F]FDG in olfactory bulb and hippocampus using FDG positron emission tomography was compared between two groups.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase of uptake in both right and left olfactory bulb for bright light exposure group vs. no intervention group. After adjustment of log-transformed illuminance, there remained a significant increase of uptake in the right olfactory bulb.

CONCLUSION

The present findings suggest a possibility that 5-day bright light exposure may increase [(18) F]FDG in the right olfactory bulb of the human brain, suggesting a possibility of neurogenesis. Further studies are warranted to directly confirm this possibility.

Oscillation in tissue oxygen index during recovery from exercise

It was hypothesized that an oscillation of tissue oxygen index (TOI) determined by near-infrared spectroscopy during recovery from exercise occurs due to feedback control of adenosine triphosphate and that frequency of the oscillation is affected by blood pH. In order to examine these hypotheses, we aimed 1) to determine whether there is an oscillation of TOI during recovery from exercise and 2) to determine the effect of blood pH on frequency of the oscillation of TOI. Three exercises were performed with exercise intensities of 30 % and 70 % peak oxygen uptake (V(.)o(2)peak) for 12 min and with exercise intensity of 70 % V(.)o(2)peak for 30 s. TOI during recovery from the exercise was analyzed by fast Fourier transform in order to obtain power spectra density (PSD). There was a significant difference in the frequency at which maximal PSD of TOI appeared (Fmax) between the exercises with 70 % V(.)o(2)peak for 12 min (0.0039+/-0 Hz) and for 30 s (0.0061+/-0.0028 Hz). However, there was no significant difference in Fmax between the exercises with 30 % (0.0043+/-0.0013 Hz) and with 70 % V(.)o(2)peak for 12 min despite differences in blood pH and blood lactate from the warmed fingertips. It is concluded that there was an oscillation in TOI during recovery from the three exercises. It was not clearly shown that there was an effect of blood pH on Fmax.

Measurement of Muon Antineutrino Oscillations with an Accelerator-Produced Off-Axis Beam

T2K reports its first measurements of the parameters governing the disappearance of ν[over ¯]_{μ} in an off-axis beam due to flavor change induced by neutrino oscillations. The quasimonochromatic ν[over ¯]_{μ} beam, produced with a peak energy of 0.6 GeV at J-PARC, is observed at the far detector Super-Kamiokande, 295 km away, where the ν[over ¯]_{μ} survival probability is expected to be minimal. Using a data set corresponding to 4.01×10^{20} protons on target, 34 fully contained μ-like events were observed. The best-fit oscillation parameters are sin^{2}(θ[over ¯]_{23})=0.45 and |Δm[over ¯]_{32}^{2}|=2.51×10^{-3}  eV^{2} with 68% confidence intervals of 0.38-0.64 and 2.26-2.80×10^{-3}  eV^{2}, respectively. These results are in agreement with existing antineutrino parameter measurements and also with the ν_{μ} disappearance parameters measured by T2K.

Oscillation of tissue oxygen index in non-exercising muscle during exercise

The purpose of the present study was to examine how oscillation of tissue oxygen index (TOI) in non-exercising exercise is affected during high-intensity and low-intensity exercises. Three exercises were performed with exercise intensities of 30% and 70% peak oxygen uptake (Vo(2)peak) for 12 min and with exercise intensity of 70% Vo(2)peak for 30 s. TOI in non-exercising muscle (biceps brachii) during the exercises for 12 min was determined by nearinfrared spectroscopy. TOI in the non-exercising muscle during the exercises was analyzed by fast Fourier transform (FFT) to obtain power spectra density (PSD). The frequency at which maximal PSD appeared (Fmax) during the exercise with 70% Vo(2)peak for 12 min (0.00477 ± 0.00172 Hz) was significantly lower than that during the exercise with 30% Vo2peak for 12 min (0.00781 ± 0.00338 Hz). There were significant differences in blood pH and blood lactate between the exercise with 70% Vo(2)peak and the exercise with 30% Vo(2)peak. It is concluded that TOI in nonexercising muscle oscillates during low-intensity exercise as well as during high-intensity exercise and that the difference in Fmax between the two exercises is associated with the difference in increase in blood lactate derived from the exercise.

Search for Nucleon and Dinucleon Decays with an Invisible Particle and a Charged Lepton in the Final State at the Super-Kamiokande Experiment

Search results for nucleon decays p→e^{+}X, p→μ^{+}X, n→νγ (where X is an invisible, massless particle) as well as dinucleon decays np→e^{+}ν, np→μ^{+}ν, and np→τ^{+}ν in the Super-Kamiokande experiment are presented. Using single-ring data from an exposure of  273.4  kton·yr, a search for these decays yields a result consistent with no signal. Accordingly, lower limits on the partial lifetimes of τ_{p→e^{+}X}>7.9×10^{32} yr, τ_{p→μ^{+}X}>4.1×10^{32} yr, τ_{n→νγ}>5.5×10^{32} yr, τ_{np→e^{+}ν}>2.6×10^{32}  yr, τ_{np→μ^{+}ν}>2.2×10^{32} yr, and τ_{np→τ^{+}ν}>2.9×10^{31} yr at a 90% confidence level are obtained. Some of these searches are novel.