Imaging features contributing to the diagnosis of ameloblastomas and keratocystic odontogenic tumours: logistic regression analysis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to clarify the characteristic imaging features that can be used to differentiate ameloblastomas from keratocystic odontogenic tumours and to examine the significant imaging features contributing to a correct diagnosis.

METHODS

60 observers (39 specialists in oral and maxillofacial radiology and 21 non-specialists) examined CT and/or panoramic images of 10 ameloblastomas and 10 keratocystic odontogenic tumours shown on a webpage and made diagnoses. Their correct answer ratios were then calculated. The imaging features of the tumours were evaluated and expressed as binary numbers or quantitative values. The imaging features that contributed to a correct diagnosis were elucidated using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The mean correct answer ratio was 61.3% ± 17.2% for the diagnosis of ameloblastomas and keratocystic odontogenic tumours. CT images produced higher correct answer ratios for diagnosis of keratocystic odontogenic tumours by specialists. The significantly different imaging features between ameloblastomas and keratocystic odontogenic tumours were the degree of bone expansion and the presence of high-density areas. The significant imaging features contributing to a correct imaging diagnosis were the number of locules, the presence of high-density areas and the inclusion of impacted teeth.

CONCLUSION

The presence of high-density areas is the most useful feature in the differential diagnosis of ameloblastomas and keratocystic odontogenic tumours based on comparison of the imaging features of both tumours and examination of the diagnostic contributions of these features.

Enhancement of gastrointestinal absorption of ovalbumin caused by spermine induces an increase in plasma histamine levels in mice sensitized to ovalbumin

The aim of this study was to determine whether a spermine (SPM)-induced increase in gastrointestinal absorption of an allergen leads to an anaphylactic response in sensitized mice. First, we examined the enhancing effect of SPM on the gastrointestinal absorption of ovalbumin (OVA) in an in situ jejunum loop study in rats and an in vivo oral absorption study in mice. Second, we investigated whether enhancement of gastrointestinal absorption of OVA caused by SPM induces an anaphylactic response in mice sensitized to OVA. In the in situ jejunum loop study in rats, a significant amount of immune-reactive OVA was detected in the plasma after co-administration of OVA and SPM. Oral co-administration of OVA and SPM to mice in vivo also increased plasma OVA concentrations in an SPM dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, in sensitized mice, a significant increase in plasma histamine levels occurred along with the increase in plasma OVA levels after co-administration of OVA with SPM. This finding suggests that an SPM-induced increase in gastrointestinal absorption of OVA leads to an anaphylactic response. These results indicate that excess oral ingestion of SPM may have widespread health effects, including the induction of food allergies, via modulation of the function of the gastrointestinal epithelial barrier.

Examination of In-Service Coating Degradation in Gas Turbine Blades Using a Small Punch Testing Method

This paper describes examination of in-service coating degradation in land based gasturbine blades by means of a small punch testing (SP) method and scanning Auger microprobe(SAM). SP tests on coated specimens with unpolished surfaces indicated large variations ofthe mechanical properties because of the surface roughness and curvature in gas turbine blades, SP tests on polished specimens better characterized the mechanical degradation of bladecoatings. The coated specimens greatly softened and the room temperature ductility of thecoatings and substrates tended to decrease with increasing operation time. The ductile-brittletransition temperature of the coatings shifted to higher temperatures during the bladeoperation. From SAM analyses on fracture surfaces of unused and used blades, it has beenshown that oxidation and sulfidation near the coating surface, which control the fractureproperties, result from high temperature environmental attack.

N-acetyl cysteine protects TMJ chondrocytes from oxidative stress

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation is closely associated with oxidative stress. This study tested the potential of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant amino-acid derivative, in alleviating oxidative stress-related damage in TMJ chondrocytes. The inflammatory condition was simulated by the addition of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) to TMJ-derived chondrocyte cultures. Exposure to H₂O₂ decreased the cell population by half within 2 days as a result of induced apoptosis and reduced proliferation. Gene expression of aggrecan and collagen II, as well as glycosaminoglycan production, were reduced by more than 70%. These compromised chondrocyte viability and function were fully restored by the addition of NAC to the cultures. NAC reduced the H₂O₂-elevated intracellular reactive oxygen species to the normal level and increased cellular glutathione reserves. These results indicate that NAC restores oxidative stress-induced cell death and severe functional impairment in TMJ chondrocytes, and warrant in vivo testing to explore its therapeutic potential as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Lung diseases directly associated with rheumatoid arthritis and their relationship to outcome

The outcome and cause of death of each lung disease directly associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA-LD) have been poorly investigated. A retrospective study was conducted of 144 patients with RA-LD, in whom the median follow-up period after the initial visit for a respiratory examination was 4.5 yrs. A total of 57 patients were identified with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP), 31 with bronchiectasis, 16 with nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP), 11 with bronchiolitis, five with organising pneumonia (OP), five with diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) and 19 with combined disease. The 5-yr survival rates were 36.6% in the UIP group, 87.1% in the bronchiectasis group, 93.8% in the NSIP group, 88.9% in the bronchiolitis group, 60.0% in the OP group and 20.0% in the DAD group. Survival of patients with DAD was worse than that of patients with UIP. Overall, survival of patients with UIP was worse than that of patients with bronchiectasis, NSIP or bronchiolitis. Of the 144 patients, 71 (49.3%) died, of whom 58 (81.7%) died due to respiratory lesions. Of patients with RA-LD, patients with DAD experienced the highest mortality, and the survival of patients with UIP was worse than that of patients with NSIP.

Anti-tumor activity of murine peritoneal macrophages induced by porcine skin gelatin

AIM

To study the induction of anti-tumor activity of murine peritoneal macrophages in vitro by porcine skin gelatin.

METHODS

Anti-tumor activity of the macrophages was evaluated with tritium thymidine uptake by target tumor cells. ELISA was used to measure amounts of cytokines secreted in culture medium.

RESULTS

The ability of the gelatin to induce anti-tumor activity of the macrophages was stronger than that of lipopolysaccharide of E. coli. Combination of the lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma synergistically stimulated the macrophages but that of the gelatin and interferon-gamma additionally did. The culture supernatant of the macrophages incubated with the gelatin also showed higher anti-tumor activity than that with the lipopolysaccharide though the lipopolysaccharide was more excellent than the gelatin in stimulating secretion of anti-tumor cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma) by the macrophages. Anti-TNF-alpha antibody partially suppressed the anti-tumor activity of the culture supernatant of the macrophages incubated with the lipopolysaccharide but not with the gelatin. The gelatin induced anti-tumor activity of the macrophages of C3H/HeJ as well as C3H/HeN mice whereas the lipopolysaccharide did only in C3H/HeN mice. The macrophages stimulated in vitro by the gelatin exerted anti-tumor activity in vivo. Moreover, the gelatin stimulated peritoneal exudates cells in vivo when subcutaneously administered with them.

CONCLUSIONS

Porcine skin gelatin induces anti-tumor activity of macrophages in mice and its magnitude is greater than that of lipopolysaccharide of E. coli. Its mechanism is different from that of the lipopolysaccharide but not fully clarified.

The initial disparity vergence elicited with single and dual grating stimuli in monkeys: evidence for disparity energy sensing and nonlinear interactions

We recorded the initial vertical vergence eye movements elicited in monkeys at short latency ( approximately 70 ms) when the two eyes see one-dimensional (1D) horizontal grating patterns that are identical except for a phase difference (disparity) of one-quarter wavelength. With gratings composed of single sine waves, responses were always compensatory, showing Gaussian dependence on log spatial frequency (on average: peak = 0.75 cycles/deg; SD = 0.74; r(2) = 0.980) and monotonic dependence on log contrast with a gradual saturation well described by the Naka-Rushton equation (on average: n = 0.89; C(50) = 4.1%; r(2) = 0.978). With gratings composed of two sine waves whose spatial frequencies were in the ratio 3:5 and whose disparities were of opposite sign (the 3f5f stimulus), responses were determined by the disparities and contrasts of the two sine-wave components rather than the disparity of the features, consistent with early spatial filtering of the monocular inputs before their binocular combination and mediation by detectors sensitive to disparity energy. In addition, responses to the 3f5f stimulus showed a nonlinear dependence on the relative contrasts of the two sine waves. Thus on average, when the contrast of one sine wave was 2.3 times greater than that of the other, the one with the lower contrast was largely ineffective as though suppressed, and responses were determined almost entirely by the sine wave of higher contrast: Winner-Take-All. These findings are very similar to those published previously on the vertical vergence responses of humans, indicating that the monkey provides a good animal model for studying these disparity vergence responses.

Measurement of spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase activity by high-performance liquid chromatography with N1-dansylnorspermine as the substrate

We developed a nonradioactive assay to measure spermidine/spermine N(1)-acetyltransferase (SSAT) activity by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). N(1)-dansylnorspermine was prepared and evaluated as a substrate of acetylation with acetyl-CoA by SSAT in rat hepatoma (HTC) cells. Kinetic studies revealed that the K(m) values of N(1)-dansylnorspermine and acetyl-CoA were approximately 11 and 13 microM, respectively. When the assay method was applied to HTC cell samples, the SSAT activity, even at the control level, could easily be detected in as few as 20 microg protein of cell extract corresponding to 1 x 10(5) cells per determination, and 100 samples could be analyzed overnight. Thus, our HPLC method is a rapid and sensitive assay for the measurement of SSAT activity.

Amine modification of digested peptide at C-terminal end during protein digestion by protease

We recently reported that C-terminal polyamine modification occurs when proteins are digested with trypsin in the presence of polyamine [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 356, 159-162 (2007)]. In the present study, the characteristics of this C-terminal modification in the presence of protease and amine were investigated. When hemoglobin (HB) was digested with trypsin in the presence of N-(2-pyridyl)-1,4-diaminobutane (Py4), formation of the modified peptide was dependent on time and on HB or Py4 concentration. When synthetic peptide was treated with trypsin in the presence of Py4, ca. 0.1% of the peptide was modified with Py4. When HB or cytochrome C was treated with a range of serine proteases in the presence of various amines (Py4, N-(2-pyridyl)-1,3-diaminopropane, tranexamic acid, isonicotinic acid hydrazide and ampicillin), the modified peptide was detected in all cases tested, thus suggesting that amine modification widely accompanies digestion by proteases.

The effect of Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk on sleep and health perception in elderly subjects

OBJECTIVE

To study the effect of Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk on sleep and health perception in elderly healthy subjects.

SUBJECTS

The study included 29 healthy elderly subjects aged 60-81 years.

METHODS

Prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, with a crossover design. The study included two intervention periods of 3 weeks each, separated by a 3-week washout period. Subjects took 100 g of fermented milk drink or a placebo drink (artificially acidified milk) daily in the first supplementary period and the other drink in the second supplementary period. For each period, we measured sleep quality by means of actigraphy and a sleep questionnaire, and assessed the quality of life (QOL) by SF-36 health survey.

RESULTS

There was a significant improvement in sleep efficiency (P=0.03) and number of wakening episodes (P=0.007) in actigraph data after intake of fermented milk, whereas no significant changes were observed for the placebo. Fermented milk did not improve the SF-36 scores significantly from the baseline period. In the GH domain (general health perception) of the SF-36, however, there was marginal improvement as compared to the baseline period. Although the difference between fermented milk and placebo was not statistically significant for any of the sleep or QOL parameters, fermented milk produced slightly greater mean values for many parameters.

CONCLUSION

This short-term (3-week) intervention study indicates that Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk may have a more favorable effect on improving sleep in healthy elderly people as compared with placebo.

Enhancement of intestinal absorption of macromolecules by spermine in rats

The aim of this study was to investigate the enhancing effect of polyamines on intestinal absorption of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran (MW 4400, FD-4) in the in situ loop study and in vivo oral absorption study. Absorption of FD-4 from the jejunum was significantly enhanced by 5 mM spermine without serious membrane damage in the jejunum. An in vivo oral absorption study was also performed, and plasma FD-4 levels increased significantly after co-administration of 30 mM spermine. In the in vitro transport studies with Caco-2 cells, prolonged incubation with spermine resulted in a gradual decrease in transepithelial electrical resistance. This finding suggests that the absorption-enhancing mechanism of spermine partly includes opening the tight junctions of the epithelium via the paracellular route. These results indicate that excess oral ingestion of polyamines may have widespread health effects via the modulation of the intestinal epithelial barrier function.

Formation of polyamine-modified peptides during protein digestion

The effect of polyamines on the digestion of proteins by serine proteases was examined. Based on the mechanism of action of serine proteases, it was anticipated that nucleophilic functionalities such as amino groups in polyamine, rather than hydroxyl ions, would react with peptide bonds during the hydrolysis process. If this were the case, polyamine might be covalently linked to the C-terminus of the product peptides during protein digestion. In order to test this hypothesis, hemoglobin was used as a model protein and was digested with trypsin in the presence of polyamine. The product peptides were separated, collected by HPLC, and analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS using post-source decay. The results showed that some peptides were indeed modified with polyamine at the C-terminus.

Ethnic sensitivity study of fingolimod in white and Asian subjects

OBJECTIVE

The authors compared the pharmacokinetics and pharmacological effects of the immunomodulator fingolimod in healthy white and Asian subjects for potential ethnic differences.

METHODS

White and Asian (Japanese) healthy subjects were demographically matched for sex, age and weight. Subjects received single 1.25 mg doses of fingolimod (6 ethnic pairs), 2.5 mg (7 pairs), 5 mg (6 pairs) or 5 mg/day for 7 days (6 pairs). The pharmacokinetics of fingolimod, major metabolites, peripheral blood lymphocyte counts and heart rate were characterized over 1 month after single-dose and 2 months after multiple-dose administration.

RESULTS

There were no clinically relevant differences in the fingolimod dose Cmax or dose AUC relationships between Asian subjects (slopes 0.84 and 1.05) versus white subjects (slopes 1.13 and 1.26) after single-dose administration. During multiple-dose administration, there were no clinically relevant interethnic differences in fingolimod accumulation ratios (6.6 +/- 0.4 for whites, 7.0 +/- 0.7 for Asians), area under the concentration-time curve (390 +/- 73 versus 382 +/- 106 ng x h/ml), or elimination half-life (7.4 +/- 0.8 versus 7.9 +/- 2.0 days). The acute decrease in lymphocyte counts after single- and multiple-dose fingolimod were similar in the two ethnic groups. The lymphocyte recovery rate to baseline after a 5 mg single dose and 5 mg/day multiple dose was reduced by 36 and 15% in Asian subjects compared with white subjects. The transient, acute decrease in heart rate after the first dose of fingolimod and the subsequent return to baseline was similar in the two ethnic groups.

CONCLUSION

There were no marked differences between healthy white and Asian subjects in fingolimod single-dose and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics, lymphocyte trafficking and heart rate responses.

Alpha-fetoprotein mRNA Detection in Peripheral Blood for Prediction of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence After Liver Transplantation

The aim of this study was to assess the value of alphafeto protein (AFP) mRNA-expressing cells detected in peripheral blood for predicting tumor recurrence after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The test group consisted of 25 patients who underwent LDLT for end-stage liver disease with HCC while the control group consisted of 37 living donors. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used for detection of AFP mRNA-expressing cells in peripheral blood. Nine (36%) of 25 patients developed tumor recurrences (four lung; one liver; one peritoneum; two bone; one adrenal gland) during the follow-up period. Perioperatively, AFP mRNA was positive in peripheral blood of eight patients (32.0%) but only in 1 (2.7%) of the control. Preoperative AFP mRNA was positive in three cases. Univariate analyses revealed that preoperative and perioperative AFP mRNA and microscopical vascular invasion were the significant predictors for HCC recurrence (P = .007, .037, and .005, respectively). In the patients with HCC exceeding Milan criteria (n = 15), the presence of AFP mRNA-positive cells in the peripheral blood correlated significantly with HCC recurrence (P = .033). We concluded that the presence of AFP mRNA-expressing cells could be a useful predictor of HCC recurrence in liver transplant patients.

Expression of PPARdelta in multistage carcinogenesis of the colorectum: implications of malignant cancer morphology

Whether peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) delta is a good target for the chemoprevention and/or treatment of colorectal cancer (CRC) remains controversial. Our goal was to examine PPARdelta expression in multistage carcinogenesis of the colorectum and to assess the relevance of PPARdelta in CRC. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that PPARdelta expression increased from normal mucosa to adenomatous polyps to CRC. In cancer tissues, the PPARdelta protein was accumulated only in those cancer cells with highly malignant morphology, as represented by a large-sized nucleus, round-shaped nucleus, and presence of clear nucleoli. Interestingly, the cancer tissue often contained both PPARdelta-positive and -negative areas, each retaining their respective specific morphological features. Moreover, this pattern persisted even when PPARdelta-positive and -negative cells were aligned next to each other within a single cancer nest or gland and was present in the majority of CRC cases. Immunohistochemistry for Ki-67 proliferation marker showed no significant correlation between Ki-67 and PPARdelta in CRC samples. Based on Western blot analysis and quantitative RT-PCR, high PPARdelta protein expression correlated with high PPARdelta mRNA levels. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta may have a supporting role in tumorigenesis, and the close association between PPARdelta expression and malignant morphology of CRC cells suggests a pivotal role in cancer tissue.