Glomerular capillary regeneration and endothelial cell apoptosis in both reversible and progressive models of glomerulonephritis

In summary, angiogenetic capillary regeneration with endothelial proliferation occurred among mesangiolytic lesions in Thy-1 GN, and the damaged glomerulus recovered its normal structure with the reconstruction of the capillary network. In anti-GBM GN on WKY rats, the damaged glomerulus showed rare capillary regeneration and progressed to global sclerosis. In Thy-1 GN, endothelial cell apoptosis was found in the regenerated capillaries with endothelial cell hypercellularity. On the other hand, in anti-GBM GN on WKY rats, the number of endothelial cell apoptosis increased during the evolution of glomerular sclerosis. We have concluded that glomerular capillary regeneration plays an essential role in the recovery of damaged glomeruli. Moreover, apoptosis is indispensable in regulating the number of intrinsic endothelial cells. We also found that endothelial apoptosis is important in progression of glomerular sclerosis.

Use of genomic recursions and algorithm for proven and young animals for single-step genomic BLUP analyses--a simulation study

The purpose of this study was to examine accuracy of genomic selection via single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) when the direct inverse of the genomic relationship matrix (G) is replaced by an approximation of G(-1) based on recursions for young genotyped animals conditioned on a subset of proven animals, termed algorithm for proven and young animals (APY). With the efficient implementation, this algorithm has a cubic cost with proven animals and linear with young animals. Ten duplicate data sets mimicking a dairy cattle population were simulated. In a first scenario, genomic information for 20k genotyped bulls, divided in 7k proven and 13k young bulls, was generated for each replicate. In a second scenario, 5k genotyped cows with phenotypes were included in the analysis as young animals. Accuracies (average for the 10 replicates) in regular EBV were 0.72 and 0.34 for proven and young animals, respectively. When genomic information was included, they increased to 0.75 and 0.50. No differences between genomic EBV (GEBV) obtained with the regular G(-1) and the approximated G(-1) via the recursive method were observed. In the second scenario, accuracies in GEBV (0.76, 0.51 and 0.59 for proven bulls, young males and young females, respectively) were also higher than those in EBV (0.72, 0.35 and 0.49). Again, no differences between GEBV with regular G(-1) and with recursions were observed. With the recursive algorithm, the number of iterations to achieve convergence was reduced from 227 to 206 in the first scenario and from 232 to 209 in the second scenario. Cows can be treated as young animals in APY without reducing the accuracy. The proposed algorithm can be implemented to reduce computing costs and to overcome current limitations on the number of genotyped animals in the ssGBLUP method.

Hot topic: Use of genomic recursions in single-step genomic best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) with a large number of genotypes

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of genomic selection in single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) when the inverse of the genomic relationship matrix (G) is derived by the "algorithm for proven and young animals" (APY). This algorithm implements genomic recursions on a subset of "proven" animals. Only a relationship matrix for animals treated as "proven" needs to be inverted, and the extra costs of adding animals treated as "young" are linear. Analyses involved 10,102,702 final scores on 6,930,618 Holstein cows. Final score, which is a composite of type traits, is popular trait in the United States and was easily available for this study. A total of 100,000 animals with genotypes were used in the analyses and included 23,000 sires (16,000 with >5 progeny), 27,000 cows, and 50,000 young animals. Genomic EBV (GEBV) were calculated with a regular inverse of G, and with the G inverse approximated by APY. Animals in the proven subset included only sires (23,000), sires+cows (50,000), only cows (27,000), or sires with >5 progeny (16,000). The correlations of GEBV with APY and regular GEBV for young genotyped animals were 0.994, 0.995, 0.992, and 0.992, respectively Later, animals in the proven subset were randomly sampled from all genotyped animals in sets of 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 15,000, and 20,000; each sample was replicated 4 times. Respective correlations were 0.97 (5,000 sample), 0.98 (10,000 sample), and 0.99 (20,000 sample), with minimal difference between samples of the same size. Genomic EBV with APY were accurate when the number of animals used in the subset is between 10,000 and 20,000, with little difference between the ways of creating the subset. Due to the approximately linear cost of APY, ssGBLUP with APY could support any number of genotyped animals without affecting accuracy.

Successful active immunization using a hepatitis B virus vaccination protocol for a recipient with hepatitis B core antibody-positive liver graft

INTRODUCTION

Donor shortages occasionally necessitate the use of hepatic allografts from hepatitis B core antibody-positive (HBcAb+) donors, with an attendant risk of post-transplantation hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. The aim of the present study was to develop and evaluate a protocol of active immunization for prevention of post-transplantation de novo HBV infection in patients receiving liver grafts from HBcAb+ donors.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Ten patients who had received HBcAb+ liver grafts at Shinshu University Hospital between October 1996 and December 2012 were enrolled. All the recipients were negative for HBV serological tests, and HBV-DNA. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) was given routinely in the peritransplantation and post-transplantation periods, without antiviral drugs. Subcutaneous vaccination with recombinant HBV was given at a dosage of 20 μg in adults and 5 μg in children concomitant with HBIG until acquisition of active immunization. The timing to start HBV vaccination was dependent on the condition of the patient.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period after liver transplantation was 140 months, and the median period after transplantation until the start of vaccination was 7.0 months. Nine patients (90%) acquired active immunity after a median number of 4 (range, 2-13) vaccinations (hepatitis B surface antibody >300 mIU/mL for 1 year, or >100 mIU/mL thereafter), and did not require HBIG administration thereafter. None had any side effects of HBV vaccination or developed hepatitis B infection during the study period. Four fast responders who achieved antibody high titers by active immunization within 9 months received pretransplantation vaccinations, whereas 5 slow responders did not.

CONCLUSIONS

Our vaccination protocol provides a new effective strategy for prevention of de novo hepatitis B infection after liver transplantation in recipients with HBcAb+ liver grafts. Pretransplantation HBV vaccination was helpful for the post-transplantation vaccine response.

Serial magnetic resonance imaging study of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction or augmentation using hamstring tendons

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to analyze serial changes in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals of autograft hamstrings single bundle posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction and the effects of remnant preservation (augmentation).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Twenty-two isolated PCL injuries were arthroscopically reconstructed or augmented with hamstring tendons. MRI scans were obtained at 3, 6, and 12 months, and prior to the second-look arthroscopy (average 20.7 months). The patients were divided into 2 groups by remnant preservation: five PCL reconstructions after PCL remnant resection (Group Rec) (23%), and 17 reconstructions preserving the remnant (Group Aug) (77%). The 22 patients were also divided in two groups depending on the location of the PCL tear. There were 9 knees with proximal tear (Type P) (41%) and 13 knees with distal tear (Type D) (59%). The signal intensity and fiber continuity of 4 zones (proximal, middle, distal intra-articular and tibial tunnel zones) were evaluated by the Mariani score.

RESULTS

The average MRI evaluation score gradually increased from 6 months through the final MRI. The intra-articular part of the graft exhibited slower maturation (12 months - final scan) as compared with the tibial tunnel (6-12 months). The distal zone underwent better maturation than the proximal or middle zones at all points. In the proximal zone, the score for Group Aug was significantly higher than Group Rec. In the proximal zone, the Type D score with a proximally-preserved remnant was significantly higher than Type P without a proximal remnant.

CONCLUSIONS

The hamstring tendons require more than 1 year to achieve low-signal intensity. PCL remnant has a beneficial effect on the maturation of the hamstring graft.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE IV

therapeutic case series.

Usefulness of subtraction of 3D T2WI-DRIVE from contrast-enhanced 3D T1WI: preoperative evaluations of the neurovascular anatomy of patients with neurovascular compression syndrome

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

High-resolution 3D MR cisternography techniques such as 3D T2WI-driven equilibrium radiofrequency reset pulse (DRIVE) are used preoperatively to assess neurovascular anatomy in patients with neurovascular compression syndrome, but contrast between vessels and cranial nerves at the point of neurovascular contact is limited. The postprocessing technique subtraction of 3D T2WI-driven equilibrium radiofrequency reset pulse from contrast-enhanced 3D T1WI (sDRICE) provides both high spatial resolution and excellent contrast in depicting the neurovascular contact. We evaluated the usefulness of sDRICE compared with 3D T2WI-DRIVE.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve patients who underwent microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm or trigeminal neuralgia were examined preoperatively with 3D T2WI-DRIVE and sDRICE. Two neuroradiologists retrospectively analyzed and scored lesion conspicuity, defined as the ease of discrimination between offending vessels and compressed nerves or the brain stem at the neurovascular contact. They also quantitatively analyzed the contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio at the neurovascular contact.

RESULTS

The lesion conspicuity scores of sDRICE images were significantly higher than those of 3D T2WI-DRIVE for all 12 patients (P = .006) and the 6 cases of hemifacial spasm (P = .023) but were not significantly higher in the 6 trigeminal neuralgia cases alone (P = .102). For all 12 patients, the contrast-to-noise ratio between the offending vessels and the brain stem and between the vessels and nerves on sDRICE images was significantly higher than that on 3D T2WI-DRIVE (P = .003 and P = .007, respectively). Among these structures, the contrast values were also significantly higher on the sDRICE than on the 3D T2WI-DRIVE (P < .001) images.

CONCLUSIONS

The postprocessing technique sDRICE is useful to evaluate neurovascular anatomy and to improve contrast and the contrast-to-noise ratio in patients with neurovascular compression syndrome.

Multiple cytokine-producing testicular malignant lymphoma with clinical symptoms resembling infectious signs

We present the case of a 64-year-old male with painful swelling of the bilateral testes and epididymides, high fever, leukocytosis, and an elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level. This is the first case report of testicular diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (DLBCL, NOS) immunostained for multiple cytokines and their receptors, which clearly demonstrates that tumor cells express multiple cytokines [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)] and their receptors [IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and G-CSF receptor (G-CSFR)]. The clinical course showed that the reduction in tumor size was accompanied by a corresponding improvement in clinical symptoms and peripheral blood findings. Such clinical investigation may lead clinicians to misdiagnose inflammatory disease rather than neoplastic disease. Recognizing this paraneoplastic phenomenon associated with some cases of testicular DLBCL, NOS is important. In addition, this case suggests that the growth of tumor cells may be promoted through autocrine mechanisms of IL-6 and G-CSF, which are produced by tumor cells. The possibility that these cytokines can be produced by tumor cells and can accelerate tumor proliferation should be considered to be a cause of severe clinical symptoms, an aggressive clinical course, and an indication of the necessity of treatment. Certain cytokines may be used as tumor markers in some cases of DLBCL, NOS.

Hepatic artery reconstruction prevents ischemic graft injury, inhibits graft rejection, and mediates long-term graft acceptance in rat liver transplantation

BACKGROUND

Hepatic artery (HA) reconstruction is performed in the clinical liver transplantation.

METHODS

We assessed the importance of HA reconstruction in the success of liver transplantation. Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed without immunosspression from Lewis (RT1l) to Lewis rats (syngeneic transplantation) as well as Lewis to BN (RT1n) rats (allogeneic transplantation) with or without HA reconstruction. We examined graft function, pathology, and mRNA levels using DNA arrays in both arterialized and nonarterialized liver grafts.

RESULTS

In Lewis-to-Lewis syngeneic grafts, both the arterialized and nonarterialized grafts survived >120 days with normal graft function. lnfiltration of CD3(+) T cells and CD68(+) macrophages, marked bile duct proliferation with apoptotic epithelial cells, and expansion and increasing fibrosis of portal areas were evident in the nonarterialized grafts at day 120, although preservation of architecture was noted in the arterialized grafts. DNA array analysis of nonarterialized syngeneic grafts demonstrated the upregulation of mRNA of cell death-related proteins, cell cycle-related proteins, and inflammation-related proteins than those in arterialized grafts. Moreover, the arterialized Lewis-to-BN allogeneic grafts could survive for a long time with less severe graft dysfunction than those in non-arterialized allogeneic grafts.

CONCLUSIONS

HA reconstruction in liver transplantation inhibited hypoxic injury and subsequent inflammation and bile duct proliferation, prevented the augmentation of T-cell-and antibody-mediated rejection, and mediated long-term graft acceptance. HA reconstruction is essential factor in the success of liver transplantation.

Application of supernodal sparse factorization and inversion to the estimation of (co)variance components by residual maximum likelihood

We demonstrated that supernodal techniques were more efficient than traditional methods for factorization and inversion of a coefficient matrix of mixed model equations (MME), which are often required in residual maximum likelihood (REML). Supernodal left-looking and inverse multifrontal algorithms were employed for sparse factorization and inversion, respectively. The approximate minimum degree or multilevel nested dissection was used for ordering. A new computer package, Yet Another MME Solver (YAMS), was developed and compared with FSPAK with respect to computing time and size of temporary memory for 13 test matrices. The matrices were produced by fitting animal models to dairy data and by using simulations from sire, sire-maternal grand sire, maternal and dominance models for phenotypic data and animal model for genomic data. The order of matrices ranged from 32,840 to 1,048,872. The YAMS software factorized and inverted the matrices up to 13 and 10 times faster than FSPAK, respectively, when an appropriate ordering strategy was applied. The YAMS package required at most 282 MB and 512 MB of temporary memory for factorization and inversion, respectively. Processing time per iteration in average information REML was reduced, using YAMS. The YAMS package is freely available on request by contacting the corresponding author.

Asialoglycoprotein receptor scintigraphy with 99mTc-galactosyl human serum albumin (99mTc-GSA) as an early predictor of survival in acute liver failure

This study evaluated the usefulness of asialoglycoprotein receptor scintigraphy with 99mTc-galactosyl human serum albumin (99mTc-GSA scintigraphy) as an early predictor for prognosis of acute liver failure. Forty-eight patients with acute liver failure and without a past history of chronic liver disease were enrolled. Patients were divided into survival and non-survival groups by 28-day mortality. 99mTc-GSA scintigraphy to detect uptake ratio of the heart at 15 minutes to that at three minutes (HH15) and uptake ratio of the liver at 15 minutes to the liver plus the heart at 15 minutes (LHL15), and measurements of serum total bilirubin, hepatocyte growth factor and prothrombin time were performed immediately after the diagnosis of acute liver failure. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves were used to compare the prognostic ability of total bilirubin, hepatocyte growth factor, prothrombin time, HH15 ratio, LHL15 ratio and the model for end-stage liver disease score. Clinical characteristics of patients in the survival group (n=20) and in the non-survival group (n=28) were not significantly different. HH15 and LHL15 uptake ratios in the survival group were 0.670 and 0.875, and they were significantly lower and higher than those in the non-survival group, respectively. All patients with LHL15 <0.760 died, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for LHL15 were significantly larger than the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of serum variables and model for end-stage liver disease score. In summary, in patients with acute liver failure without chronic liver disease, HH15 and LHL15 of 99mTc-GSA scintigraphy are more useful variables in predicting prognosis than serum variables and model for end-stage liver disease score.

P450 in wild animals as a biomarker of environmental impact

The impact of environmental pollution on selected animals was tested by monitoring the hepatic content of cytochromes P450 and their enzyme activities or by calculating TEQ values from the concentration of pollutants in the body. Fish-eating Stellars Sea Eagles, Haliaeetus pelagicus, found dead in the northern part of Hokkaido island accumulated high levels of PCBs and DDT and metabolites. The TEQ values calculated from the PCB concentration in the eagles were high enough to cause a significant toxic effect in other birds living in the same environment. Some of these birds were also contaminated with high concentrations of lead. Spotted seals, Phoca largha, captured along the coast-line of Hokkaido accumulated PCBs in their fat at about 100 million times the concentrations in the surface sea water. The levels of expressions of hepatic microsomal CYP 1A1and related enzyme activities in these seals showed good correlation to the levels of PCBs accumulated in the fat. The fresh water crabs, Eriocheir japonicus, were captured from three different rivers with various degrees of pollution. The P450 content and the related enzyme activities showed good correlation to TEQ values obtained from the concentrations of PCBs and PCDDs in the crabs from the rivers. The wild rodents, Clethrionomys rufocanus, were captured from urban, agricultural, and forest areas in Hokkaido. Those from the forest area had the lowest CYP content and related enzyme activities, comparable to those in laboratory-raised animals. Those from the urban areas, presumably contaminated with PAHs from fuel combustion, showed increased CYP 1A1 content and related enzyme activities. Those from the agricultural areas showed increased levels of CYP 1A1, 2B, 2E1. Rats treated with some of the agrochemicals used in the area resulted in a similar pattern of induction. It is concluded that P450 can be a useful biomarker for assessing the environmental impact of chemical pollutants on wild animals.

An approach for plasma cell myeloma diagnosis by two-color flow cytometry based on kappa/lambda ratios of CD38-gated plasma cells

Criteria from the World Health Organization (WHO) are commonly used to diagnose plasma cell myeloma (PCM), but they are complex and require several laboratory parameters. To differentiate reactive plasmacytosis from clonal plasma cell neoplasms, such as PCM, it is important to accurately determine the expression of the cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (cIg) light chain (LC). Through retrospective analyses, we selected the patients with PCM, and analyzed records of 52 PCM patients, who underwent bone biopsies, and final diagnosis of PCM was established according to WHO criteria, and 22 controls. In the present study, all samples were analyzed by flow cytometry (FC) in the side scatter vs CD38 histogram mode, and the CD38-gated plasma cell population was identified. The positive cell ratios of kappa and lambda to plasma cell populations were analyzed. PCM cells were distinguished from normal plasma cells by a cut-off level between 0.80 and 3.3, a sensitivity of 90.3 percent, and a specificity of 81.1 percent. Two-color FC analysis is simple to perform, inexpensive, and clinically relevant data are obtained soon after completion of the FC measurements. It could be one of the helpful tools in the diagnosis of PCM. The correct diagnosis of PCM can be achieved more simply, efficiently, and rapidly by combining this method.

Mechanism of oocyte maturation and ovulation and its application to seed production in the Japanese eel

Reduction in eel resources and catches of glass eels as seedlings for aquaculture have been a serious concern in recent years in both Europe and East Asia. Thus, technical advancement to produce eel seeds for artificial cultivation is most desired. Fundamental information on oocyte maturation and ovulation and its application to artificial induction of sexual maturation are needed to produce good quality seeds of the Japanese eel. This review introduces hormonal mechanisms of cytoplasmic maturation (such as hydration, lipid coalescence, and clearing of the ooplasm) and the maturational competence (the ability to respond to maturation-inducing steroid) and nuclear maturation (germinal vesicle breakdown). In addition, previous and newly developed methods for induction of spawning have been described.

Co-expression of multiple cytokines and their receptors in primary clear cell sarcoma of the pubic bone with features of a small round cell tumor

We present the case of an 81-year-old man with primary clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of the pubic bone with an associated aggressive clinical course. The patient's laboratory tests showed marked leukocytosis, elevated levels of C-reactive protein and multiple cytokines, including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Histological examination showed monomorphic small cells predominantly arranged as a diffuse sheet with morphological features of a small round cell tumor (SRCT). Immunohistochemical staining indicated that the tumor cells were positive for HMB45, S100, Melan A, IL-6, IL-6 receptor, G-CSF, and G-CSF receptor and negative for cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) and epithelial membrane antigen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of aggressive primary CCS of the pubic bone with features of SRCT showing the production and co-expression of multiple cytokines and their receptors. Thus, we suggest that proliferation through an IL-6- and G-CSF-associated autocrine mechanism may play an important role in the aggressive clinical course and poor prognosis of some CCSs showing features of SRCT.

Phasic bursts of the antagonistic jaw muscles during REM sleep mimic a coordinated motor pattern during mastication

Sleep-related movement disorders are characterized by the specific phenotypes of muscle activities and movements during sleep. However, the state-specific characteristics of muscle bursts and movement during sleep are poorly understood. In this study, jaw-closing and -opening muscle electromyographic (EMG) activities and jaw movements were quantified to characterize phenotypes of motor patterns during sleep in freely moving and head-restrained guinea pigs. During non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep, both muscles were irregularly activated in terms of duration, activity, and intervals. During rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, clusters of phasic bursts occurred in the two muscles. Compared with NREM sleep, burst duration, activity, and intervals were less variable during REM sleep for both muscles. Although burst activity was lower during the two sleep states than during chewing, burst duration and intervals during REM sleep were distributed within a similar range to those during chewing. A trigger-averaged analysis of muscle bursts revealed that the temporal association between the bursts of the jaw-closing and -opening muscles during REM sleep was analogous to the temporal association during natural chewing. The burst characteristics of the two muscles reflected irregular patterns of jaw movements during NREM sleep and repetitive alternating bilateral movements during REM sleep. The distinct patterns of jaw muscle bursts and movements reflect state-specific regulations of the jaw motor system during sleep states. Phasic activations in the antagonistic jaw muscles during REM sleep are regulated, at least in part, by the neural networks involving masticatory pattern generation, demonstrating that waking jaw motor patterns are replayed during sleep periods.