Reassessment of CD62L as a marker of pre-effector T cells in the tumor draining lymph nodes of head and neck cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: CD62L was evaluated as a determinant of human pre-effector T cells. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Phenotype and cytokine secretion profiles of CD62L cells were determined based on activation status. RESULTS: CD62L(Low) T cells demonstrated significantly higher secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon (IFN)-gamma than did CD62L(High) T cells. After activation, the majority of cells expressed high levels of the CD62L surface marker. Postactivation levels of IL-10 production remained elevated or unchanged. In a murine B16 melanoma model, freshly isolated CD62L(Low) tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLN) T cells showed increased secretion of IL-2 and IL-4 but not of IL-10 or IFN-gamma. The surface expression of CD62L and cytokine secretion patterns were maintained after activation with concomitant increases in IL-10. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that CD62L(Low) T cells in TDLNs of progressively growing squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck differ phenotypically and functionally from those of mouse origin. SIGNIFICANCE: Characterization of this human CD62L(Low) T cell population provides initial insight regarding novel surface markers in TDLN T cells that might correlate with antitumor reactivity.     

Kindling of the visual cortex in cats: comparison with amygdaloid kindling

Kindling of the primary visual cortex (VC) was compared with that of the amygdala in cats. VC kindling was basically similar to kindling of the amygdala in that daily electrical stimulation can lead to the development of a generalized convulsion in most subjects, a growth of afterdischarges in their configuration and duration, and a reduction of the afterdischarge threshold. The kindling response of the VC differed from that of the amygdala in a number of respects, i.e., a high afterdischarge threshold, a different pattern of behavioral seizure development, an abrupt growth of electroclinical seizures coincident with the onset of a generalized convulsion, an intersubject variability in seizure susceptibility, and a marked seizure instability. In VC kindling the afterdischarge propagation into the amygdala was not observed until the generalized convulsion developed, and the early involvement of afterdischarge was seen in the pulvinar, lateral geniculate body, and superior colliculus. These data suggest that a neural mechanism different from amygdaloid kindling may participate in VC kindling, and that the subcortical structures of the visual system are involved in the preferential pathway for a seizure generalization from the VC.     

Correlation between scalp-recorded electroencephalographic and electrocorticographic activities during ictal period.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between scalp-recorded electroencephalographic (EEG) and electrocorticographic (ECoG) activities during ictal periods. METHODS: Simultaneous EEG and ECoG recordings with chronic subdural electrodes were performed in eight patients with partial epilepsy. RESULTS: In two cases where the ictal ECoG discharges originated in deep brain structures such as the hippocampus and interhemispheric surface of the frontal lobe, ictal discharges could not be detected on EEG until they expanded to the cortex of convexity. In four cases, the ictal onset zones were located in the lateral convexity. When synchronous or near synchronous ictal ECoG discharges with amplitudes of 200-2000muV were recorded on more than 8-15cm(2) of cortex, corresponding discharges were recorded on EEG in these four cases. However, in a case of frontal lobe epilepsy, asynchronous ictal ECoG discharges were recorded on 10 electrodes of convexity but no ictal EEG activity was recorded. Furthermore, in two frontal lobe epilepsy cases, ictal EEG discharges did not always reflect the ictal ECoG spike, but occasionally reflected slow background ECoG activity around the ictal discharges. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple factors such as the width of the cortical area involved, amplitude of ictal discharges and degree of synchronization of electrical potentials play important roles in the appearance of ictal EEG recordings, and the relationship between ictal EEG and ECoG is not straightforward.     

A case of giant hydronephrosis caused by renal fibrosarcoma

The presented report is fibrosarcoma arising from renal capsule in a 64-year-old woman. The tumor is very rare and is the 25th case in Japan. The patient visited our hospital with the complaint of macroscopic hematuria for several days. Abdominal examination revealed a painless lump from the left lumbar region to para-median abdomen. A diagnosis of hydronephrosis caused by neoplasma or tuberculosis was considered by CT, AG, etc., and transperitoneal nephrectomy was performed on 6-July-1984. Pathology of the tumor was fibrosarcoma arising from the renal capsule. Three months later, the tumor was growing on the peritoneal surface from the left renal region and she died on Nov. 10, 1984.     

Treatment strategy for synchronous metastases of colorectal cancer: is hepatic resection after an observation interval appropriate?

Background In cases of synchronous colorectal hepatic metastases, the primary colorectal cancer strongly influences on the metastases. Our treatment policy has been to conduct hepatic resection for the metastases at an interval of 3 months after colorectal resection. We examined the appropriateness of interval hepatic resection for synchronous hepatic metastasis. Materials and methods The subjects were 164 patients who underwent resection of hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer (synchronous, 70 patients; metachronous, 94 patients). Background factors for hepatic metastasis and postoperative results were compared for synchronous and metachronous cases. Results The cumulative survival rate for 164 patients at 3, 5, and 10 years postoperatively was 71.9%, 51.8%, and 36.6%, and the post-resection recurrence rate in remnant livers was 26.8%. Interval resection for synchronous hepatic metastases was conducted in 49 cases after a mean interval of 131 days. No difference was seen in postoperative outcome between synchronous and metachronous cases. Conclusion The outcome was similarly favorable in cases of synchronous hepatic metastasis and in cases of metachronous metastasis. Delaying resection allows accurate understanding of the number and location of hepatic metastases, and is beneficial in determining candidates for surgery and in selecting surgical procedure.     

Locally applied cilostazol suppresses neointimal hyperplasia and medial thickening in a vein graft model.

BACKGROUND: Pathological changes in vein grafts begin immediately after arterial circulation is applied to the grafts. Chemical mediator stimulation and mechanical strain induce neointimal hyperplasia and medial thickening of the vein grafts, resulting in their failure. We investigated the inhibitory effect of locally applied cilostazol, an inhibitor of cyclic adenosine monophosphate phosphodiesterase III, on neointimal hyperplasia and medial thickening of the grafts. METHODS AND RESULTS: We established a distal anastomotic stricture model of femoral vein-abdominal aorta interposition grafting in rats. In this model, neointimal hyperplasia was observed not only at the distal anastomotic sites, but also in the graft body at postoperative day 14 and was markedly progressed at day 28. A strong expression of tenascin-C was found in the media and neointima of the graft body. In the grafts around which cilostazol was administered locally using Pluronic gel, neointimal hyperplasia was significantly suppressed compared with control grafts treated with the gel alone, with the mean neointimal cross-sectional area reduced by 87.1% for the graft body and by 78.9% for the distal anastomotic sites and mean medial cross-sectional area of the graft body reduced by 54.2% at day 28 versus the control. Cilostazol treatment decreased cell proliferation and the number of tenascin-C-producing cells seen by in situ hybridization, but the expression of tenascin-C protein was not suppressed. CONCLUSION: We concluded that a single perivascular application of cilostazol inhibits neointimal hyperplasia and medial thickening of vein grafts in a rat model.     

Comparison of maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy for occlusal cant correction surgery and maxillary advanced surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare postoperative maxillary stability following Le Fort I osteotomy for the correction of occlusal cant as compared with conventional Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement. STUDY DESIGN: The subjects were 40 Japanese adults with jaw deformities. Of these, 20 underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy and intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy (IVRO) to correct asymmetric skeletal morphology and inclined occlusal cant. The other 20 patients underwent a Le Fort I osteotomy and sagittal split ramus osteotomy (SSRO) to advance the maxilla. Lateral and posteroanterior cephalograms were taken postoperatively and assessed statistically. Thereafter, the 2 groups were followed for time-course changes. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to time-course changes during the immediate postoperative period. CONCLUSION: This suggests that maxillary stability after Le Fort I osteotomy for cant correction does not differ from that after Le Fort I osteotomy for maxillary advancement.     

Studies on isolated smooth muscle cells. IX. Application of papain for isolation of single smooth muscle cells from guinea-pig taenia coli

To prepare single smooth muscle cells from the taenia coli of guinea pig, the application of papain to the enzymatic solution was examined under two conditions: 1) the isolation in a modified Tyrode solution (containing 0.18 mM Ca2+: 0.18 mM Ca2+-Tyrode solution) and 2) the isolation in a high-K+ Tyrode solution (Na+ was replaced by K+, and Ca2+ was not added: high-K+ Tyrode solution). The presence of papain during collagenase digestion reduced contamination of broken cells and cell debris. In the case of the high-K+ Tyrode solution, papain increased the yield of single cells significantly. The cells were contracted in a dose-dependent manner by Ca2+ in the high-K+ Tyrode solution and by carbachol in 0.18 mM Ca2+-Tyrode solution; furthermore, the contractions were antagonized by verapamil and atropine, respectively. Treatment with papain did not affect cell sensitivity to the stimulants. Therefore, our results suggest that the addition of papain is useful for the isolation of single cells to investigate the physiological and pharmacological characteristics of smooth muscle.     

Anti-tumor activity of human recombinant TNF against human malignant glioma cell lines and combined effect with Hu INF-beta

Human TNF was detected fairly recently and at present the anti-tumor activity of human recombinant TNF is being examined against various malignant tumors of human origin. In the present study, we report the anti-tumor activity of recombinant human TNF against human malignant glioma cell lines in vitro and in vivo, in addition to its combined effects with HuIFN-beta. The in vitro study was conducted as follows. Thirteen human glioma cell lines were exposed to 100 U/ml TNF, 1,000 IU/ml HuIFN-beta, or both, and the suppression rate was calculated on days 3, 5 and 7. In the in vivo study, nude mice carrying a human glioma cell line, KMS II, in the subcutaneous tissues were divided into groups and drugs were administered intratumorally as described below. 1) control, 2) TNF 5,000 U single administration, 3) TNF 5,000 U, intermittently administered (once/week for two weeks), 4) TNF 5,000 U, continuously administered (3/week for two weeks), 5) HuIFN-beta 50 X 10(4) IU (3/week for two weeks), and 6) combination of 4) with 5). Results of the in vitro study revealed some suppressive effects on proliferation of tumor cells on day 7 in all 13 glioma cell lines examined with 100 U/ml TNF. And also, especially in 8 of 13 cell lines, the suppression rate was more than 30%. The suppressive effects of TNF were augmented by combined use of HuIFN-beta in all cell lines, giving a range of suppression of 67.8 to 99.3%. The in vivo study revealed that the mean tumor weight ratios (control = 100%) on day 19 (the end of the experiment) were as follows; single administration of TNF: 41.3%, intermittent: 46.7%, continuous: 26.7%, HuIFN-beta: 65.9%, combination: 18.5%. Statistical analysis disclosed significant suppressive effects on tumor proliferation between the control group and 3 TNF-administered groups (single, intermittent, and continuous) and that suppression in the continuously administered group was more severe in comparison with the group given single administration. Moreover, it was suggested that combination therapy with TNF and Hu IFN-beta was more effective than a single therapy with TNF only or HuIFN-beta only. From the results described above, it was found that human recombinant TNF had some cytotoxic effects against human malignant gliomas in vitro and in vivo, although the degree of cytotoxicity was not always higher in comparison with the effects of TNF.     

P31 The relationship between the relative amount of Porphyromonas gingivalis in saliva and halitosis

Objectives  Porphyromonas gingivalis is one of the microorganisms that most actively produce CH₃SH and we have reported that subjects with P . gingivalis have higher CH₃SH levels than subjects without P .  gingivalis . However, little is known about the relationship between P . gingivalis levels in saliva and the condition of oral malodor. In this study, we evaluated the association between the relative amount of P . gingivalis in saliva and halitosis in mouth air.
Methods  All of the subjects were patients at the Preventive Dentistry and Breath Odor Clinic of Kyushu Dental College, where they received a periodontal examination. Volatile sulfur compounds (VSC: hydrogen sulfide and methyl mercaptan) were measured using gas chromatography. Saliva samples were collected in a sterile plastic tube over a period of 5 min while the subject chewed on paraffin wax, and were then immediately stored at –80°C until use. Template DNA was obtained from the stored saliva using an Easy-DNA Kit (Invitrogen, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Conventional PCR assays were used to confirm the presence of P . gingivalis . A 5' nuclease TaqMan PCR was used to quantify P . gingivalis in saliva. The relative numbers of bacteria were measured using the comparative threshold cycle method.
Results  We found a quantitative relationship between the P . gingivalis levels in saliva and the condition of halitosis in mouth air.
Conclusion  We analyzed the relationship between the relative amount of P . gingivalis in saliva and oral malodor.