Coherence-imaging spectroscopy for 2D distribution of ion temperature and flow velocity in a laboratory magnetosphere

A coherence-imaging spectroscopy (CIS) technique was developed to investigate plasma confinement in a dipole system that imitates a planetary magnetosphere. Optical interference generated using birefringent crystals enables two-dimensional Doppler spectroscopy to measure ion temperatures and flow velocities in plasmas. CIS covers the entire dynamics of the pole areas as well as of the core and edge areas on a dipole confinement device. The two-dimensional visualization of these quantities in the magnetospheric-plasma device RT-1 was demonstrated using CIS.

Spironolactone in Combination with α-glycosyl Isoquercitrin Prevents Steatosis-related Early Hepatocarcinogenesis in Rats through the Observed NADPH Oxidase Modulation

Administration of the diuretic, spironolactone (SR), can inhibit chronic liver diseases. We determined the effects of SR alone or in combination with the antioxidant α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ) on hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related precancerous lesions in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed rats subjected to a two-stage hepatocarcinogenesis model. Rats were fed with control basal diet or HFD, which was administered with SR alone or in combination with an antioxidant AGIQ in drinking water. An HFD increased body weight, intra-abdominal fat (adipose) tissue weight, and plasma lipids, which were reduced by coadministration of SR and AGIQ. SR and AGIQ coadministration also reduced hepatic steatosis and preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive foci, in association with decrease in NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunit p22phox-positive cells and an increase in active-caspase-3-positive cells in the foci. Hepatic gene expression analysis revealed that the coadministration of SR and AGIQ altered mRNA levels of lipogenic enzymes ( Scd1 and Fasn), antioxidant-related enzymes ( Catalase), NOX component ( P67phox), and anti-inflammatory transcriptional factor ( Pparg). Our results indicated that SR in combination with AGIQ had the potential of suppressing hyperlipidemia- and steatosis-related early hepatocarcinogenesis through the reduced expression of NOX subunits.

Spontaneous malignant myoid thymoma in an aged female Fischer 344 rat

A whitish mass approximately 30 mm in diameter was noted in the anterior mediastinum of a 67-week-old female Fischer 344 rat. Histopathologically, two types of tumor cells were identified on the basis of morphologic features: epithelial tumor cells with a tubular or cord-like growth pattern and rhabdomyosarcomatous tumor cells characterized by the presence of cross-striations. Immunohistochemically, the epithelial tumor cells reacted positively for cytokeratin AE1/AE3, and some reacted positively for p63, which is expressed in normal thymic epithelial cells. The rhabdomyosarcomatous tumor cells stained positively for desmin, sarcomeric actin, and S-100 protein, which coincides with the stainability of normal thymic myoid cells. Since the tumor was also found to have malignant features such as high proliferative activity, cytologic atypia, and necrotic behavior, it was diagnosed as a malignant myoid thymoma. We believe that this is the first case report of such a tumor in a rodent.

CCAT1 and CCAT2 long noncoding RNAs, located within the 8q.24.21 'gene desert', serve as important prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer

Background

8q24.21 is a frequently amplified genomic region in colorectal cancer (CRC). This region is often referred to as a 'gene desert' due to lack of any important protein-coding genes, highlighting the potential role of noncoding RNAs, including long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) located around the proto-oncogene MYC. In this study, we have firstly evaluated the clinical significance of altered expression of lncRNAs mapped to this genomic locus in CRC.

Patients and methods

A total of 300 tissues, including 280 CRC and 20 adjacent normal mucosa specimens were evaluated for the expression of 12 lncRNAs using qRT-PCR assays. We analyzed the associations between lncRNA expression and various clinicopathological features, as well as with recurrence free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in two independent cohorts.

Results

The expression of CCAT1, CCAT1-L, CCAT2, PVT1, and CASC19 were elevated in cancer tissues (P = 0.039, <0.001, 0.018, <0.001, 0.002, respectively). Among these, high expression of CCAT1 and CCAT2 was significantly associated with poor RFS (P = 0.049 and 0.022, respectively) and OS (P = 0.028 and 0.015, respectively). These results were validated in an independent patient cohort, in which combined expression of CCAT1 and CCAT2 expression was significantly associated with a poor RFS (HR:2.60, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04-6.06, P = 0.042) and a poor OS (HR:8.38, 95%CI: 2.68-37.0, P < 0.001). We established a RFS prediction model which revealed that combined expression of CCAT1, CCAT2, and carcinoembryonic antigen was a significant determinant for efficiently predicting RFS in stage II (P = 0.034) and stage III (P = 0.001) CRC patients.

Conclusions

Several lncRNAs located in 8q24.21 locus are highly over-expressed in CRC. High expression of CCAT1 and CCAT2 significantly associates with poor RFS and OS. The expression of these two lncRNAs independently, or in combination, serves as important prognostic biomarkers in CRC.

The anti-inflammatory effect of 10-oxo-trans-11-octadecenoic acid (KetoC) on RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide

BACKGROUND

There is rapidly developing interest into the role of several anti-inflammatory agents to resolve inflammation in periodontal disease. A bioactive polyunsaturated fatty acid, 10-oxo-trans-11-octadecenoic acid (KetoC), is known to have various beneficial physiological effects; however, the effect of KetoC on inflammation remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of KetoC on RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide, and explored the intracellular mechanism responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects.

METHODS

RAW 264.7 cells were pre-treated with or without KetoC, and then stimulated with or without P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide. Levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Specific antagonists for G protein-coupled receptor (GPR)40 and GPR120 were used to clarify the receptor for KetoC. The intracellular mechanism was investigated using western blotting analysis to separate nuclear and cytosolic NF-κB p65 protein.

RESULT

KetoC (5 μmol/L) was not toxic to RAW 264.7 cells, and significantly reduced the expression of TNFα and IL-6 mRNA and protein, and IL-1β mRNA. No protein production of IL-1β was observed. Additionally, when bound to GPR120, KetoC trended to downregulate nuclear NF-κB p65 protein levels. However, the antagonist for GPR40 failed to diminish the action of KetoC.

CONCLUSION

KetoC suppressed the proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-6 and IL-1β via NF-κB p65, by binding to its receptor GPR120. KetoC is a promising candidate in future studies as a bioactive anti-inflammatory agent in treating periodontal disease.

Comparison of Different Parathyroid Hormone Radioimmunoassays in Uremic Patients with Secondary Hyperparathyroidism

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) were measured by three different radioimmunoassays (RIA); RIA for mid-region PTH by antibody CH9 (i-PTH) (1), RIA for intact fragments of PTH (intact PTH) and RIA for C-terminal fragments of PTH (PTH-C). PTH levels were higher in CRF patients undergoing hemodialysis therapy (hemodialysis patients) by all three methods. However, PTH levels measured only by i-PTH assay and intact PTH assay were significantly higher in patients with CRF who were not on dialysis (non-dialyzed CRF patients). PTH levels were above normal when creatinine clearance was below 45 ml/min in the intact PTH assay and 66 ml/min in the i-PTH assay. I-PTH levels were well correlated with the severity of osteitis fibrosa evaluated by the degree of periosteal resorption in the digits of hemodialysis patients. Since special handling of the sample is required for the intact PTH assay, i-PTH assay is the most suitable method for diagnosing secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with CRF.

Pathological and Clinical Pathological Changes Induced by Four-week, Repeated-dose, Oral Administration of the Wood Preservative Chromated Copper Arsenate in Wistar Rats

Chromated copper arsenate (CCA) is used as a wood preservative worldwide. Exposure to it may adversely affect human health. Some events have increased human exposure to CCA, including the Great East Japan Earthquake, which generated a large amount of lumber debris from CCA-treated woods. We elucidated the toxicity due to daily exposure to CCA over a 4-week period at doses of 0, 8, 40, and 80 mg/kg/day in Wistar Hannover rats. Chromium (Cr) and arsenic (As), but not copper, were detected in the plasma samples of rats treated with various doses of CCA. Males and females showed sedation, and males had poor body weight gain. The clinical pathologies observed in both sexes included hypochromic and microcytic anemia, hepatic and renal dysfunction, and changes in lipid and glucose levels. Histopathologically, males and females showed forestomach hyperkeratosis, mucosal epithelial hyperplasia in the small intestine, rectal goblet cell hypertrophy, and lipofuscin deposition in the proximal renal tubule. Females showed diffuse hepatocellular hypertrophy with increased 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine levels. These results indicated that oral administration of CCA mainly affected hematopoietic, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and renal systems owing to the toxic effects of As and/or Cr. Major toxic effects were observed in both sexes receiving 40 and 80 mg/kg/day.

Interleukin-25 is involved in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma progression by establishing a T helper 2-dominant microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Interleukin (IL)-25 is a member of the IL-17 family, which can promote and augment T-helper (Th) type 2 responses. The expression of IL-25 and its cognate receptor, IL-25 receptor (IL-25R), is upregulated and correlated with disease activity in Th2-associated diseases.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the expression and function of IL-25 in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

METHODS

Expression and location of IL-25 in lesional skin was investigated with immunohistochemistry. The effect of various cytokines on IL-25 production from normal human epidermal keratinocytes was assessed by quantitative reverse-transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction. Serum IL-25 levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The direct effect of IL-25 on tumour cells was also examined using CTCL cell lines and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with Sézary syndrome.

RESULTS

IL-25 expression was increased in epidermal keratinocytes in lesional skin of CTCL. Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-13, and periostin induced IL-25 expression by normal human epidermal keratinocytes. Serum IL-25 levels were increased in patients with advanced CTCL and correlated with serum lactate dehydrogenase levels. MyLa cells expressed IL-25R and its expression was augmented by stimulation with IL-25. IL-25 enhanced IL-13 production from MyLa cells via phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from one patient with Sézary syndrome expressed IL-25R and showed increase of IL-13 production by IL-25.

CONCLUSIONS

Th2 cytokines highly expressed in CTCL lesional skin induce IL-25 production by epidermal keratinocytes, which may, in turn, lead to formation of a Th2-dominant microenvironment through the direct induction of IL-13 by tumour cells.

Development of Algorithm for Discriminating Hydrometeor Particle Types with a Synergistic Use of CloudSat and CALIPSO

We developed a method for classifying hydrometeor particle types, including cloud and precipitation phase and ice crystal habit, by a synergistic use of CloudSat/Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO)/Cloud-Aerosol LIdar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). We investigated how the cloud phase and ice crystal habit characterized by CALIOP globally relate with radar reflectivity and temperature. The global relationship thus identified was employed to develop an algorithm for hydrometeor type classification with CPR alone. The CPR-based type classification was then combined with CALIPSO-based type characterization to give CPR-CALIOP synergy classification. A unique aspect of this algorithm is to exploit and combine the lidar's sensitivity to thin ice clouds and the radar's ability to penetrate light precipitation to offer more complete picture of vertically resolved hydrometeor type classification than has been provided by previous studies. Given the complementary nature of radar and lidar detections of hydrometeors, our algorithm delivers thirteen hydrometeor types: warm water, supercooled water, randomly-oriented ice crystal (3D-ice), horizontally-oriented plate (2D-plate), 3D-ice+2D-plate, liquid drizzle, mixed-phase drizzle, rain, snow, mixed-phase cloud, water+liquid drizzle, water+rain and unknown. The global statistics of three-dimensional occurrence frequency of each hydrometeor type revealed that 3D-ice contributes the most to the total cloud occurrence frequency (53.8%), followed by supercooled water (14.3%), 2D-plate (9.2%), rain (5.9%), warm water (5.7%), snow (4.8%), mixed-phase drizzle (2.3%), and the remaining types (4.0%). This hydrometeor type classification provides useful observation-based information for climate model diagnostics in representation of cloud phase and their microphysical characteristics.