The sinR ortholog PGN_0088 encodes a transcriptional regulator that inhibits polysaccharide synthesis in Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 biofilms

Biofilm-forming cells are distinct from well characterized planktonic cells and aggregate in the extracellular matrix, the so-called extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). The sinR gene of Bacillus subtilis encodes a transcriptional regulator that is known to be involved in the biosynthesis of EPS in biofilms. Porphyromonas gingivalis inhabits the subgingival and extraradicular biofilm of humans and is one of the primary pathogens that cause progressive marginal and refractory apical periodontitis. Furthermore, P. gingivalis possesses PGN_0088, which encodes a putative ortholog of B. subtilis sinR. Here, we investigated the role of PGN_0088 (sinR) on biofilm formation. P. gingivalis strains formed biofilms on saliva-coated glass surfaces in phosphate buffered saline. Quantitative analysis indicated that the biofilm of the sinR null mutant consisted of dense exopolysaccharide. Microscopic observations showed that the increased levels of exopolysaccharide produced by the sinR mutant changed the morphology of the EPS to a mesh-liked structure. Furthermore, physical analyses suggested that the enrichment of exopolysaccharide in the EPS enhanced the resistance of the biofilm to hydrodynamic shear force. The results presented here demonstrate sinR plays important roles in the ability of P. gingivalis strain ATCC 33277 to act as a negative mediator of exopolysaccharide accumulation and is indirectly associated with the structure of the EPS and the force of its adhesion to surfaces.

Heterotopic pregnancy diagnosed before the onset of severe symptoms: case report

BACKGROUND

A heterotopic pregnancy (HP) is an extremely rare disease that represents the simultaneous occurrence of two or more implantation sites in the uterus and extrauterus. Early diagnosis of HP is difficult because of the presence of an intrauterine pregnancy (IUP). In most cases, a precise diagnosis was made after symptoms develop through the rupture or bleeding of the ectopic pregnancy (EP). The authors present a case that was successfully diagnosed as an undemonstrative HP.

CASE

A 24-year-old multiparous woman became pregnant after taking clomiphene citrate. At ten weeks of pregnancy, an ultrasonography revealed gestational sacs containing fetuses in the uterus and the right adnexal region, respectively. The patient was diagnosed as having a HP and an emergency right tubal resectomy was performed. The IUP progressed normally and the fetus was delivered at 37 weeks of pregnancy.

DISCUSSION

Even if a gestational sac can be confirmed in the uterus, a careful ultrasonographic examination should always be considered to determine the presence of a concurrent extrauterine pregnancy.

Gingival rhabdomyosarcoma accompanied by an immature myogenic population immunoreactive for α-smooth muscle actin in a dog

A 3-year-old female shih tzu was presented with a white to dark red mass arising from the gingiva. Because of the rapid and invasive growth of the mass, the dog was humanely destroyed. Microscopically, round to polygonal anaplastic cells with strongly eosinophilic cytoplasm grew in an alveolar pattern separated by fibrous stroma. Mitotic figures were numerous. Multinucleated cells and 'strap cells' were observed, but cross striation and glycogen accumulation were absent. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were positive for vimentin, desmin, muscle-specific actin and MyoD1, and a small number of tumour cells were positive for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Based on the morphological and immunohistochemical features, the gingival mass was diagnosed as alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma accompanied by α-SMA-positive immature myogenic cells.

A serotonergic discrimination favoring synaptic inputs that accompany robust spike firing in lateral amygdala neurons

The amygdala and serotonergic innervations thereunto are considered to cooperatively modulate affective behaviors. By whole-cell recording, the present study examined effects of serotonin (5-HT) on synaptic transmission in the rat basolateral amygdala (BLA) complex, which is the amygdalar entrance for sensory information. Application of 5-HT-attenuated excitatory postsynaptic currents at synapses from the lateral amygdala (LA) to the BLA proper, and also at synapses from putative thalamic afferents to LA principal neurons, both depending on 5-HT(2) receptors. This reduction of synaptic responses was confirmed in the BLA under current clamp. In the LA, by contrast, synaptic potentials were not reduced, but enhanced by 5-HT. With 5-HT bath-applied, a prolonged depolarization was induced in LA neurons by strong synaptic stimulation, which appears similar to a slow after-depolarization (sADP) induced by injecting depolarizing currents. Occurrence of such current-induced sADP was confirmed in LA neurons. Both the synaptically-activated prolonged depolarization and the current-induced sADPs depended on 5-HT(2) receptor activation and postsynaptic calcium increase, suggesting that the same postsynaptic intrinsic mechanisms are involved. Reduction of potassium currents was identified as a major ionic mechanism for this sADPs. We thus revealed that 5-HT usually reduces overall synaptic transmission in the whole BLA complex, but enables sADPs to occur, thereby increasing synaptic responsiveness of LA neurons in a positive feedback manner. With this duality of 5-HT actions in operation, a weak input to the BLA complex would be usually eliminated, but could be selected were it associated with sufficiently large depolarization.

Pancreatic carcinosarcoma in a cat

A 10-year-old female American shorthair cat was presented for evaluation of weight loss. An intra-abdominal mass was found on ultrasonography and laparotomy was performed. The mass was located in the left uterine horn and further masses were found in the pancreas, greater omentum and diaphragm. Microscopical examination revealed that the pancreatic mass had epithelial and mesenchymal components, which on immunohistochemistry expressed cytokeratin and vimentin, respectively. In addition, some spindle cells expressed vimentin and E-cadherin, which might suggest epithelial to mesenchymal transition. In contrast, the uterine, omental and diaphragmatic masses had only mesenchymal composition. The pancreatic lesion is proposed to be a primary carcinosarcoma with metastasis of only the mesenchymal component to distant sites. This the first report of pancreatic carcinosarcoma in a cat.

Multimodal cross-talk of olfactory and gustatory information in the endopiriform nucleus in rats

The endopiriform nucleus (EPN) is a large group of multipolar cells located in the depth of the piriform cortex (PC). Although many studies have suggested that the EPN plays a role in temporal lobe epilepsy, the normal function of the EPN remains to be elucidated. By using optical imaging of coronal brain slice preparations with voltage-sensitive dye, we found signal propagation from the PC or gustatory cortex (GC) to the EPN in normal medium. In our previous research, we failed to elicit a reliable signal reproducibly in the EPN by single stimulation either to the PC or GC. In our current research, we found that a double-pulse stimulation to either the PC or GC (interpulse interval: 20-100 ms) induced robust signal propagation to the EPN through excitation in the agranular division of the insular cortex (AI), with further extension to the claustrum. Finally, double site paired-pulse stimulation to the PC and GC also evoked excitation in the AI, claustrum, and EPN. These results suggest that the EPN has dual roles: 1) further processing of modality-specific olfactory and gustatory information from the PC and GC, respectively and 2) synergistic integration of PC-derived olfactory information and GC-derived gustatory information.

Mechanical responses and stress fluctuations of a supercooled liquid in a sheared non-equilibrium state

A steady shear flow can drive supercooled liquids into a non-equilibrium state. Using molecular dynamics simulations under steady shear flow superimposed with oscillatory shear strain for a probe, non-equilibrium mechanical responses are studied for a model supercooled liquid composed of binary soft spheres. We found that even in the strongly sheared situation, the supercooled liquid exhibits surprisingly isotropic responses to oscillating shear strains applied in three different components of the strain tensor. Based on this isotropic feature, we successfully constructed a simple two-mode Maxwell model that can capture the key features of the storage and loss moduli, even for highly non-equilibrium state. Furthermore, we examined the correlation functions of the shear stress fluctuations, which also exhibit isotropic relaxation behaviors in the sheared non-equilibrium situation. In contrast to the isotropic features, the supercooled liquid additionally demonstrates anisotropies in both its responses and its correlations to the shear stress fluctuations. Using the constitutive equation (a two-mode Maxwell model), we demonstrated that the anisotropic responses are caused by the coupling between the oscillating strain and the driving shear flow. Due to these anisotropic responses and fluctuations, the violation of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT) is distinct for different components. We measured the magnitude of this violation in terms of the effective temperature. It was demonstrated that the effective temperature is notably different between different components, which indicates that a simple scalar mapping, such as the concept of an effective temperature, oversimplifies the true nature of supercooled liquids under shear flow. An understanding of the mechanism of isotropies and anisotropies in the responses and fluctuations will lead to a better appreciation of these violations of the FDT, as well as certain consequent modifications to the concept of an effective temperature.

Wireless LAN security management with location detection capability in hospitals

OBJECTIVES

In medical institutions, unauthorized access points and terminals obstruct the stable operation of a large-scale wireless local area network (LAN) system. By establishing a real-time monitoring method to detect such unauthorized wireless devices, we can improve the efficiency of security management.

METHODS

We detected unauthorized wireless devices by using a centralized wireless LAN system and a location detection system at 370 access points at the University of Tokyo Hospital. By storing the detected radio signal strength and location information in a database, we evaluated the risk level from the detection history. We also evaluated the location detection performance in our hospital ward using Wi-Fi tags.

RESULTS

The presence of electric waves outside the hospital and those emitted from portable game machines with wireless communication capability was confirmed from the detection result. The location detection performance showed an error margin of approximately 4 m in detection accuracy and approximately 5% in false detection. Therefore, it was effective to consider the radio signal strength as both an index of likelihood at the detection location and an index for the level of risk.

CONCLUSIONS

We determined the location of wireless devices with high accuracy by filtering the detection results on the basis of radio signal strength and detection history. Results of this study showed that it would be effective to use the developed location database containing radio signal strength and detection history for security management of wireless LAN systems and more general-purpose location detection applications.

Tight-Binding Study of the {211} Σ=3 Grain Boundary in Cubic Silicon-Carbide

In grain boundaries in compound semiconductors such as SiC, the interface stoichiometry and the wrong bonds between like atoms are of much importance. Firstly, a general definition of the interface stoichiometry in such grain boundaries has been discussed. Secondly, the atomic and electronic structures of the {211} Σ=3 boundary in SiC have been examined by using the self-consistent tight-binding method, based on the atomic models with bonding networks similar to those in the models of the same boundary in Si or Ge. The wrong bonds have significant effects through the large electrostatic repulsion and the generation of localized states as well as those in the {122} Σ=9 boundary in SiC. And the different bond lengths of the wrong bonds very much affect the local bond distortions at the interfaces, which determines the relative stability among the present models.

Energies and Atomic Structures of Grain Boundaries in Silicon: Comparison Between Tilt and Twist Boundaries

The energies and atomic structures of tilt and twist boundaries in Si have been examined by using the tight-binding electronic theory, and the reason why twist boundaries are seldom found in polycrystalline Si has been investigated. About the frequently observed {122} Σ=9 and {255} Σ=27 tilt boundaries, the configurations without any coordination defects consistent with the electron microscopy observations have relatively small interfacial energies with small bond distortions. About the <111> Σ=7, <011> Σ=3 and <001> Σ = 5 twist boundaries, the configurations contain larger bond distortions or more coordination defects, and much larger interfacial energies than those of the tilt boundaries. The <001> twist boundaries have very complex structures as compared with the other twist boundaries, which can be explained by the morphology of the ideal surfaces. The stability of the tilt boundaries in Si can be explained by the viewpoint of the stable structural units consisting of atomic rings.

A direct numerical simulation method for complex modulus of particle dispersions

We report an extension of the smoothed profile method (SPM) (Y. Nakayama, K. Kim, and R. Yamamoto, Eur. Phys. J. E 26, 361 (2008)), a direct numerical simulation method for calculating the complex modulus of the dispersion of particles, in which we introduce a temporally oscillatory external force into the system. The validity of the method was examined by evaluating the storage G'(ω) and loss G"(ω) moduli of a system composed of identical spherical particles dispersed in an incompressible Newtonian host fluid at volume fractions of Φ = 0 , 0.41, 0.46, and 0.51. The moduli were evaluated at several frequencies of shear flow; the shear flow used here has a zigzag profile, as is consistent with the usual periodic boundary conditions. The simulation results were compared with several experiments for colloidal dispersions of spherical particles.

Correction of severe open bite using miniscrew anchorage

This report describes the treatment of a case of severe open bite with posterior crossbite. While treating open bite, the outcome may not always be successful with orthodontic therapy alone. In such cases, surgical therapy is often chosen to gain a stable occlusion. Skeletal anchorage systems such as miniscrews are now frequently used for correcting severe malocclusion. In this report, we treated an open bite by intruding the molars with miniscrews placed bilaterally in the interdental space between both the upper and lower posterior teeth. The active treatment period was 36 months and the patient's teeth continued to be stable after a retention period of 36 months.

Impact of Long-Acting Calcium Channel Blockers on the Prognosis of Patients with Coronary Artery Disease with and without Chronic Kidney Disease: A Comparison of Three Drugs

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) can prevent cardiovascular events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study looked retrospectively at the prognosis of CAD in hypertensive patients with CAD who had undergone a coronary angiograph, had been given a CCB (benidipine [ n = 66], amlodipine [ n = 45], or long-acting nifedipine [ n = 31]) on hospital discharge and were then followed up for a mean ± SD of 5.2 ± 2.9 years. Systolic/diastolic blood pressure for all 142 patients decreased significantly from a mean ± SD of 137 ± 20/74 ± 15 mmHg to 129 ± 20/71 ± 12 mmHg. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) occurred in 15 patients. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was a significant risk factor for MACE (hazard ratio 2.35, 95% confidence intervals 1.45, 3.80). Benidipine was superior to nifedipine in preventing MACE in patients both with and without CKD. In conclusion, benidipine and amlodipine reduced the frequency of MACE in hypertensive patients with CAD, particularly in those with complicating CKD.

Overexpression of Ycg1 or Ydr520c confers resistance to cadmium in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We introduced a yeast open reading frame library into Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain BY4742 to search for genes whose overexpression conferred cadmium resistance to yeast, toward the goal of elucidating the mechanism of cadmium toxicity. As a result, we found that the overexpression of two newly identified genes, Ycg1 and Ydr520c, each conferred strong cadmium resistance to yeast.

Aromatase activity in cultured ovaries from fetal and neonatal golden hamsters

The production of oestrogen from androstenedione by ovaries of hamsters on day 14 of pregnancy and on days 0 and 3 after birth was investigated by culturing these ovaries for 48 h in serum-free medium containing insulin and [3H]androstenedione. Both oestrone and oestradiol-17 beta were produced in culture of ovaries on day 14 of pregnancy. The production of oestrogen increased about 2-fold in culture of ovaries on days 0 and 3. Dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate stimulated the oestrogen production by ovaries on day 14 of pregnancy and on days 0 and 3. The present results indicate that the ovaries of fetal and neonatal hamsters have an aromatase activity and that these aromatase activities are responsive to adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate.

Risk factors for delusion of theft in patients with Alzheimer's disease showing mild dementia in Japan

The mechanism underlying delusion in Alzheimer's disease patients has not been fully clarified; however, the occurrence of delusion is a critical issue for dementia patients and their caregivers. In Japan, delusion of theft is the most frequent delusion in AD patients. We examined the risk factors for delusion of theft in AD patients showing mild dementia. Fifty-six AD patients were administered HDS-R, MMSE and COGNISTAT, including the 'speech sample', to assess their neuropsychological and social cognitive functions. The age, years of education, presence of cohabiting family members and premorbid personality traits were obtained from family members. About 25.0% of AD patients showed delusion of theft (D-group), and 75% did not (non-D-group). About 33.3% of female patients and 5.9% of male patients were included in the D-group (p < 0.05). About 13.6% of patients who were cohabiting with family members and 66.7% of patients who were living alone were included in the D-group (p < 0.05). About 35.1% of patients who had a neurotic personality and 5.3% of patients who did not were included in the D-group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in scores on HDS-R, MMSE and COGNISTAT sub-scales, except for 'speech sample', between the two groups. In the 'speech sample', 38.7% of patients who understood a relationship between two boys and 12.0% of patients who did not were included in the D-group (p < 0.05). These results indicated that delusion of theft in AD patients was related to female gender, absence of cohabiting family members, neurotic personality and retained social cognitive function.

mGluR7 facilitates extinction of aversive memories and controls amygdala plasticity

Formation and extinction of aversive memories in the mammalian brain are insufficiently understood at the cellular and molecular levels. Using the novel metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGluR7) agonist AMN082, we demonstrate that mGluR7 activation facilitates the extinction of aversive memories in two different amygdala-dependent tasks. Conversely, mGluR7 knockdown using short interfering RNA attenuated the extinction of learned aversion. mGluR7 activation also blocked the acquisition of Pavlovian fear learning and its electrophysiological correlate long-term potentiation in the amygdala. The finding that mGluR7 critically regulates extinction, in addition to acquisition of aversive memories, demonstrates that this receptor may be relevant for the manifestation and treatment of anxiety disorders.

Simulating (electro)hydrodynamic effects in colloidal dispersions: smoothed profile method

Previously, we have proposed a direct simulation scheme for colloidal dispersions in a Newtonian solvent (Phys. Rev. E 71, 036707 (2005)). An improved formulation called the "Smoothed Profile (SP) method" is presented here in which simultaneous time-marching is used for the host fluid and colloids. The SP method is a direct numerical simulation of particulate flows and provides a coupling scheme between the continuum fluid dynamics and rigid-body dynamics through utilization of a smoothed profile for the colloidal particles. Moreover, the improved formulation includes an extension to incorporate multicomponent fluids, allowing systems such as charged colloids in electrolyte solutions to be studied. The dynamics of the colloidal dispersions are solved with the same computational cost as required for solving non-particulate flows. Numerical results which assess the hydrodynamic interactions of colloidal dispersions are presented to validate the SP method. The SP method is not restricted to particular constitutive models of the host fluids and can hence be applied to colloidal dispersions in complex fluids.

Serotonin induces vasoconstriction of smooth muscle cell-rich neointima through 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptor in rabbit femoral arteries

BACKGROUND

Smooth muscle cell (SMC)-rich intima is a morphological feature of atherosclerotic lesions that is observed in eroded plaque and spastic arteries. Arteries with SMC-rich intima are susceptible to vasoconstriction or vasospasm against some vasoactive agents.

OBJECTIVE

The present study evaluates the contribution of SMC-rich intima to thrombogenic vasoconstriction.

METHODS

We established SMC-rich neointima by damaging rabbit femoral arteries using balloons and then measured the isometric tension of the femoral strips against 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), adenosine diphosphate, adenosine triphosphate and thrombin.

RESULTS

Among these agents, only 5-HT induced a hypercontractile response of the injured arteries with SMC-rich neointima, compared with non-injured arteries. Smooth muscle cells of both the neointima and media expressed 5-HT(2A) receptor, and sarpogrelate, a selective 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist significantly inhibited the hypercontraction. Furthermore, 5-HT induced contraction of separated neointima and hypercontraction of separated media compared with non-injured media. Sarpogrelate and fasudil, a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor, significantly suppressed such contraction of both the neointima and media of injured arteries.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that 5-HT plays a crucial role in thrombogenic vasoconstriction, and that SMC-rich intima as well as media directly contributes to the hypercontractile response of atherosclerotic vessels through the 5-HT(2A) receptor and the Rho-kinase pathway.

Study of edema reduction patterns during the treatment phase of complex decongestive physiotherapy for extremity lymphedema

Shortening the treatment phase of complex decongestive physiotherapy (CDP) is extremely important both for individual patients and medical economics. In 83 patients with stage II unilateral secondary extremity lymphedema (31 upper extremities and 52 lower extremities), the daily changes in the volume of affected extremities during the treatment phase of CDP were prospectively investigated. For the upper extremity lymphedemas, the biggest change was seen between days 1 (100% residual edema rate) and 2 (46.0 +/- 2.7%; mean +/- SD) of therapy with a 54.0% reduction (p < 0.0001). Between days 2 and 3 (38.0 +/- 2.6%) of therapy, there was an 8.0% reduction (p < 0.05). From days 3 to 6 of therapy, slight changes ranging from 0.2 to 3.2%/day were seen. For the lower extremity lymphedemas, the biggest change was seen between days 1 (100%) and 2 (44.5 +/- 2.1%) of therapy with a 55.5% reduction (p < 0.0001). Between days 2 and 3 (33.5 +/- 2.6%) of therapy, there was an 11.0% reduction (p < 0.001). The daily volume changes from days 4 to 6 were slight, ranging from 0.1 to 1.0%/day. During the treatment phase of CDP, the largest volume changes were seen soon after the start of therapy.

Development of a shortened Japanese version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) for young and middle-aged adults

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper is to develop a short version of the Japanese OHIP (OHIP-J) appropriate for use in young and middle-aged adults, and to evaluate its properties using cross-sectional data.

METHOD

A study population of 8,658 workers aged 20-59 years rated their oral health by means of a self-administered questionnaire. Using a factor analysis approach, a shortened version of OHIP-J was derived. Internal consistency, floor effect, and construct validity were determined.

RESULTS

We derived a subset of 18 items from OHIP-J (OHIP-JA18), grouped into four subscales: "functional limitation", "physical pain", "psychological discomfort", and "disability & handicap". All four subscales had acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach alpha > 0.79). OHIP-JA18 demonstrated an acceptable floor effect, which was determined by the proportion of subjects who obtained a 0 score (< 30%); however, the floor effect of the ordinary shortened version based on OHIP-14 (OHIP-J14) was not acceptable. We confirmed the conceptual framework of OHIP-JA18 that "disability & handicap" is affected by "functional limitation", "physical pain" and "psychological discomfort", because the model fitted the data moderately well by structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis (GFI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

OHIP-JA18 demonstrated acceptable measurement parameters to justify its use in outcome assessment for oral health related quality of life (OHQOL) in young and middle-aged adults in Japanese workers. Further studies will be needed to evaluate an intervention such as worksite health promotion.

Comparison of the effects of pioglitazone and voglibose on circulating total and high-molecular-weight adiponectin, and on two fibrinolysis inhibitors, in patients with Type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

To investigate short-term effects of pioglitazone and voglibose on serum concentrations of both total and high-molecular-weight (HMW) adiponectin measured with a novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) ,and on plasma fibrinolysis indicators, in Type 2 diabetic patients with inadequate glycaemic control on sulphonylureas.

METHODS

Thirty-four diabetic patients were randomized to receive pioglitazone or voglibose treatment for 12 weeks, after which serum HMW adiponectin was measured. Plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) 1 and thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), a recently identified inhibitor of fibrinolysis, were measured as fibrinolysis inhibitors.

RESULTS

At baseline, serum HMW adiponectin correlated negatively with plasma TAFI in all patients with Type 2 diabetes (r = -0.367, P = 0.0423). Both groups showed similar improvements in glycaemic control. Serum total and HMW adiponectin increased in patients treated with pioglitazone, but did not change in patients treated with voglibose. The HMW : total adiponectin ratio increased significantly after treatment with pioglitazone (P = 0.0004). The change in HbA(1c) correlated negatively with changes in serum HMW adiponectin in patients treated with pioglitazone (r = -0.694, P = 0.0034). Plasma PAI-1 and TAFI did not change with pioglitazone treatment.

CONCLUSION

Increased serum HMW adiponectin may contribute to the improvement in glycaemic control after pioglitazone treatment. Plasma PAI-1 and TAFI were unchanged by either drug.

Micelle structure of amelogenin in porcine secretory enamel

Even during the secretory stage of amelogenesis, enamel crystals thicken as amelogenins (the major protein component) decrease. To explain this phenomenon, we propose a model for amelogenin structure and function based upon the hypothesis that amelogenin forms micelles. Solubility and hydrophobicity analyses suggest that all but the hydrophilic amelogenin C-terminal regions aggregate via hydrophobic bonds to form a micelle core. Amelogenin micelles may form super-assemblies via their C-termini (KTKREEVD), which contain complementary positive (KTKR) and negative (EEVD) elements. Disassembly of the micelles through controlled proteolysis provides space for crystal growth. Initial cleavage (by enamelysin) removes the surface-accessible amelogenin C-terminus, exposing the middle portion to cleavage (by EMSP1). As a result, the 13-kDa amelogenin, a rod-shaped domain based upon ultrafiltration and transmission electron microscopy studies, is released. This model explains how amelogenin is able to 'space' and support the ribbon-like crystals and continuously yield space as the crystals thicken, until they are sufficiently mature to support themselves.

Diabetes mellitus is a multivariate independent prognostic factor in endometrial carcinoma: a clinicopathologic study on 313 patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to analyse the influence of diabetes mellitus as a prognostic factor for overall survival in endometrial cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Charts were reviewed from patients with endometrial carcinoma from 1985 to 2003. Data on clinicopathologic variables, adjuvant treatment, site of recurrence and survival were collected. The chi-square test was used to examine associations between variables. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis and Cox's proportional hazards model for multiple regression analysis.

RESULTS

Multivariate analysis revealed that diabetes mellitus, FIGO stage and depth of myometrial invasion were significantly associated with overall survival.

Cisplatin-induced expression of iron-retaining genes FIT2 and FIT3 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

cDNA microarray analysis indicated that mRNA levels of Fit2p and Fit3p, proteins involved in iron retention within the yeast cell wall, were markedly increased by treatment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with cisplatin. Expression of FIT2 and FIT3 is known to be transcriptionally regulated by Aft1p. Northern blotting demonstrated a time- and concentration-dependent increase in the mRNA levels of both proteins following treatment with cisplatin. However, overexpression or disruption of the FIT2 or FIT3 genes had little effect on the susceptibility of yeast to cisplatin. Although Fit2p and Fit3p do not appear to be directly involved in protecting against the toxic effects of cisplatin, the present results suggest the existence of an activation system of gene expression in response to cisplatin within yeast cells.

Characteristics of Mycoplasma meleagridis sp. n., Isolated from Turkeys

Yamamoto, R. (University of California, Davis), C. H. Bigland, and H. B. Ortmayer. Characteristics of Mycoplasma meleagridis sp. n., isolated from turkeys. J. Bacteriol. 90:47-49. 1965.-A designation is proposed for a pathogenic Mycoplasma species isolated from turkeys. The organism originally was recovered from the air-sac lesion of a turkey poult in 1957, and was designated the "N" strain. Mycoplasma species with identical characteristics have since been recovered from the sinus, trachea, oviduct, vagina, semen, and bursa of Fabricius of turkeys. The organism has been recovered from many turkey flocks throughout the country. Many investigators have confirmed the original finding that this organism is antigenically distinct from other known serotypes of Mycoplasma found in poultry. The species proposed is Mycoplasma meleagridis sp. n.

Urodynamic study on postsurgical bladder function in cervical cancer treated with systematic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy

The objective of this study was to assess the postsurgical bladder function by urodynamic study in patients with cervical cancer treated with nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy. A total of 27 consecutive patients were included in the study. Of the 27 patients, autonomic nerves had been completely preserved at least on one side in 22 patients (group A), and autonomic nerves could not be successfully preserved in five patients (group B). In group A, there was no significant difference in compliance at the moment of strong desire to void, maximum flow rate, and residual urine volume between before the operation and at 12 months after the operation. However, abdominal pressure at maximum flow had significantly increased in patients of group B than of group A. Detrusor contraction pressure at maximum flow had significantly decreased in patients of group B than of group A. Bladder sensation was diminished in three cases (60%) of group B but preserved in all the patients of group A. Although it is still preliminary, our surgical technique described in this report is thought to be effective for preservation of bladder function. For further evaluation of the efficacy of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy in terms of quality of life and survival of patients, a prospective randomized trial needs to be performed.

Inhibition of 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor prevents occlusive thrombus formation on neointima of the rabbit femoral artery

BACKGROUND

Thrombus propagation on disrupted plaque is a major cause of acute coronary events and serious complication after coronary intervention. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a potent vasoactive and platelet-aggregating substance that is predominantly mediated by 5-HT2A receptor. However, the roles of 5-HT2A receptor in occlusive thrombus formation on disrupted plaque remain obscure.

OBJECTIVE

We investigated the role of 5-HT2A receptor in thrombus formation using a rabbit model of repeated balloon-injury.

METHODS

Three weeks after a first balloon-injury of the femoral arteries, luminal diameter, neointimal growth, and vasoconstriction by 5-HT in vitro were examined. Thrombus propagation and the role of 5-HT2A receptor after a second balloon-injury were evaluated using sarpogrelate, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist.

RESULTS

Three weeks after the first balloon-injury, luminal stenosis was evident in the femoral arteries, where the neointima expressed tissue factor and 5-HT2A receptor. The hypercontractile response of the stenotic arteries to 5-HT was significantly reduced by sarpogrelate. Balloon-injury of the neointima with substantially reduced blood flow promoted the formation of occlusive thrombus that was immunoreactive against glycoprotein IIb-IIIa, 5-HT2A receptor and fibrin. Intravenous injection of sarpogrelate significantly inhibited ex vivo platelet aggregation induced by adenosine 5'-diphosphate, thrombin and collagen alone as well as with 5-HT, and significantly prevented occlusive thrombus formation in vivo.

CONCLUSIONS

The 5-HT2A receptor appears to play a crucial role in occlusive thrombus formation in diseased arteries via platelet aggregation and vasoconstriction. Inhibition of 5-HT2A receptor might help reduce the onset of acute coronary events and of acute coronary occlusion after the intervention.

Herpes simplex esophagitis in the immunocompetent host

We report here a case of herpes esophagitis with Mallory-Weiss syndrome in an immunocompetent host. A 26-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of common cold symptoms and eruptions on the body. On day 2 after hospitalization, the patient showed high-grade fever, odynophagia and hematemesis. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic examination showed multiple ulcerations throughout the mid- and distal esophagus. Bleeding from a Mallory-Weiss tear was also seen. Follow-up endoscopic examinations showed whitish exudates on day 5. Histological examination of biopsy specimens showed Cowdry type A intranuclear inclusion bodies in epithelial cells. Positive staining of a specific antibody against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) was seen in the nuclei of esophageal epithelial cells. Primary HSV-1 infection was suspected because ELISA titers of serum IgM antibody against HSV-1 were high and titers of serum IgG antibody against HSV-1 increased from an almost cut-off ratio. A diagnosis of herpes esophagitis in an immunocompetent host was made. Our case is the first report of herpes esophagitis with Mallory-Weiss syndrome in the immunocompetent host. It is important to remind herpes esophagitis in cases of severe odynophagia even in immunocompetent hosts.

Small low-density lipoprotein and small low-density lipoprotein/total low-density lipoprotein are closely associated with intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in Type 2 diabetic patients

BACKGROUND

The intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, as determined by ultrasonography, is useful for reflecting the extent of subclinical atherosclerosis. We investigated the relationship between IMT and the serum concentrations of small low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in diabetic patients.

METHODS

The study was conducted with 27 Type 2 diabetic patients (14 males and 13 females; mean age=62.6+/-8.3 years) and 12 age-matched healthy controls. The LDL subfraction was measured using a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) concentrations were measured by an enzyme immunoassay. The IMT was expressed as the maximum IMT (Max-IMT) and average IMT (Ave-IMT) of the carotid artery, measured by ultrasonography.

RESULTS

Both the IMT and the small LDL concentrations were significantly increased in the diabetic patients compared with the healthy participants. The IMTs were significantly correlated with small LDL concentration and small LDL/total LDL more than LDL concentrations by multivariate analysis. The IMTs were not significantly correlated with the serum VEGF or PDGF concentrations. The patients with a larger IMT had a significantly higher prevalence of hypertension or ischemic heart disease than did the patients with a normal IMT.

CONCLUSIONS

The increased small LDL concentrations and small LDL/total LDL, in addition to total LDL concentrations, in Type 2 diabetic patients are closely associated with increased IMT of the carotid artery.

RELAXANT EFFECT OF ADRENOMEDULLIN ON BOVINE ISOLATED IRIS SPHINCTER MUSCLE UNDER RESTING CONDITIONS

1. The mechanisms involved in the fine adjustment of iris sphincter muscle tone are largely unknown. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effects of adrenomedullin on the resting tension of the bovine isolated iris sphincter muscle. 2. The motor activity of the bovine isolated iris sphincter muscle was measured isometrically. The effects of adrenomedullin on resting tension were analysed in the presence of indomethacin. The presence of adrenomedullin mRNA in the preparation was determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Immunolabelling for adrenomedullin was also performed. 3. Adrenomedullin significantly decreased the resting tension of the muscle. The relaxant effect of adrenomedullin was significantly inhibited by adrenomedullin (22-52), a putative antagonist for the adrenomedullin receptor, or calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) (8-37), a putative antagonist for the CGRP1 receptor. The relaxant effect was almost completely blocked by a combination of adrenomedullin (22-52) and CGRP (8-37). 4. The relaxant effect of adrenomedullin was also significantly diminished by 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine, an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, or 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase. 5. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that adrenomedullin mRNA was expressed in the muscle strip. Immunopositive staining for adrenomedullin was detected in blood vessel cells and in the iris sphincter muscle cells. 6. These results suggest that adrenomedullin may be an autocrine and paracrine regulator of the resting tension of the iris sphincter muscle. Its biological effects may be due to the direct involvement of adrenomedullin receptors and also to the stimulation of CGRP1 receptors. The stimulation of these receptors by the peptide leads to the activation of adenylate cyclase and soluble guanylate cyclase and subsequent relaxation of the muscle strip.

A systematic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy technique in invasive cervical cancer for preserving postsurgical bladder function

The objective of this study is to describe a technique for preserving the autonomic nerve systematically, including the hypogastric nerves, pelvic splanchnic nerves, and pelvic plexus and its vesical branches, based on anatomic considerations for the autonomic nerves innervating the urinary bladder, in radical hysterectomies and to assess postsurgical bladder function. A nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy was carried out on 27 consecutive patients with uterine cervical cancer treated between 2000 and 2002. The FIGO stages of the disease consisted of 10 stage Ib1, 6 stage Ib2, 3 stage IIa, and 8 stage IIb. The nerve-sparing procedure was successfully completed in 22 of the 27 patients (81.5%) in the study. At 1 year after the operation, bladder symptoms were significantly improved in the nerve-sparing group compared to the non-nerve-sparing group. Urinary incontinence and abnormal (diminished) bladder sensation were observed in three of the five patients (two patients had both symptoms), for whom the nerve-sparing procedure could not be performed, but none of the 22 patients for whom the nerve-sparing procedure was performed had incontinence, and only two patients had abnormal (increased) bladder sensation (P= 0.0034 for incontinence and P= 0.030 for abnormal bladder sensation). The patients' survival was not adversely affected by the nerve-sparing procedure. Although it is still preliminary, the surgical technique described in this report is thought to be effective for preserving bladder function, and thus, the quality of life could be improved for patients with cervical cancer who are treated with a radical hysterectomy. For further evaluation of the efficacy of nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy, a prospective randomized trial needs to be performed.