Coherent Amplification of Continuous Laser Field via Superfluorescence

Superfluorescence (SF) is collective spontaneous emission wherein radiators spontaneously synchronize, resulting in an intense single-pulse emission. The avalanche radiation of photons is initiated by the first photon emitted into the SF propagation mode. Because this process is stochastic, the absolute phase of the SF changes randomly from shot to shot. We demonstrate that this phase can be controlled by seeding the SF with a resonant continuous-wave (CW) laser. The seed light was weak enough not to cause the stimulated emission but strong enough to inject the first photon into the SF propagation mode prior to injection by the radiators themselves. Cross-correlation measurements between the seeded SF and CW laser revealed that the seed light was coherently amplified by the SF. The amplification factor for the instantaneous intensity was estimated to be 7 orders of magnitude. These results will pave the way for the development of new types of quantum optical amplifiers.

Cascade and yoked superfluorescence detected by sum frequency generation spectroscopy

We investigated the superfluorescent decay process of dense rubidium atomic vapor in a cell. Using a femtosecond laser pulse, the atoms were excited from the 5S ground state to the 6P state. The 2.73μm and 1.37μm fields were generated on the cascaded decay, 6P → 6S → 5P, which further stimulated the 780 nm forward emission on the 5P → 5S transition. Using sum frequency generation (SFG) spectroscopy, we observed all emission fields and the time delay between them, with sufficient temporal resolution. The experimental results were successfully reproduced using semiclassical simulations.

Polarization correlation in the superfluorescent decay process

We investigated the polarization properties of superfluorescence (SF) emitted from dense cesium atomic vapor in a cell. The atoms were excited from the 6S ground to the 8P state using a femtosecond laser pulse. The SF fields generated on the cascaded decay, 8P→8S→7P, mediated the nonlinear optical process. We observed 4.2-µm and 456-nm forward directional emissions generated on the 8S→7P and 7P→6S transitions, respectively. The polarizations of the two fields were correlated in each laser shot, and their directions fluctuated from shot to shot, reflecting the noise that initiated the 4.2-µm emission.

Serum cytokine profiling in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy

BACKGROUND

The fetal brain is vulnerable to severe and sustained hypoxia during and after birth, which can lead to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). HIE is characterized by clinical and laboratory evidence of acute or subacute brain injury. The role of cytokines in the pathogenesis of brain injury and their relation to neurological outcomes of asphyxiated neonates are not fully understood. In this study, we investigated cytokine profile related to cerebral palsy (CP) with neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and HIE severity.

METHODS

Eligible subjects were HIE newborns with a gestational age between 36 and 42 weeks. We included newborns who was born at our NICU and did not admit to NICU as healthy controls. The study comprised 52 newborns, including 13 with mild to severe HIE and 39 healthy control. Serum cytokine profiles were performed using a LUMINEX cytokine kit (R&D Systems).

RESULTS

VEGF, MCP-1, IL-15, IL-12p70, IL-12p40, IL-1Ra, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IFN-γ, G-CSF and eotaxin in the HIE patients were significantly increased compared with the healthy neonates. In the subgroup analysis, IL-6 and G-CSF were significantly increased in CP infants (n = 5) compared with non-CP infants (n = 8). Five and eight HIE patients were classified into the mild HIE and moderate-severe HIE groups, respectively. IL-6, 10, 1Ra, and G-CSF in the moderate-severe HIE group were significantly higher than those in the mild HIE group.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated that higher serum IL-6 and G-CSF at birth in HIE patients were associated with CP and moderate-severe HIE.

Quantifying Recruitment Source and Participant Communication Preferences for Alzheimer's Disease Prevention Research

BACKGROUND

Evidence on effective engagement of diverse participants in AD prevention research is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To quantify recruitment source in relation to race, ethnicity, and retention.

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

University lab.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants included older adults (N=1170) who identified as White (86%), Black (8%), and Hispanic/Latino ethnicity (6%).

MEASUREMENTS

The Cognitive Aging Lab Marketing Questionnaire assessed recruitment source, social media use, and research opportunity communication preferences.

RESULTS

Effective recruitment methods and communication preferences vary by race and ethnicity. The most common referral sources were postcards for racial minorities, friend/family referrals for Hispanic/Latinos, and the newspaper for Whites. Whereas Whites preferred email communications, Hispanic/Latinos preferred texts.

CONCLUSIONS

Recruiting diverse samples in AD prevention research is clinically relevant given high AD-risk of minorities and that health disparities are propagated by their under-representation in research. Our questionnaire and these results may be applied to facilitate effective research engagement.

Abstract P1-07-13: Obesity is associated with poor prognosis of Japanese breast cancer, especially in ER positive/HER2 negative subtype, which tendency is prominent

Introduction: Body mass index (BMI) is defined as a poor prognostic factor in breast cancer patients in western countries. Since the percentage of the overweight differs between Asian and western breast cancer patients, we do not know if breast cancer prognosis in Asia is related to obesity, the same as in western countries. Therefore, we have investigated the association between BMI and the prognosis of Japanese breast cancer patients.

Patients and Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of the 1,924 primary Japanese female breast cancer patients with clinical stage I through III disease to have undergone surgery between January 2004 and December 2013 at the Hokkaido Cancer Center. The data of BMI were at the time of diagnosis, and stratified into 2 groups as non-Obese (BMI < 25 kg/m2), Obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2). The overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were compared between two BMI groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox hazards model.

Results: The number of non-Obese group was 1,353 (70.3%) and Obese group was 571 (29.7%) of the 1,924 patients. Six hundred and thirty two patients were in premenopausal (32.8%), 1,289 were in postmenopausal (67.0%) and 3 were unknown. The median follow-up period was 73 months. Breast cancer recurred in 239 patients (12.2%), and 204 patients died. There were 110 cases of breast cancer-related death, 48 cases of non-breast cancer death, and 46 cases of unknown as the cause of death. Patients in Obese group had shown significantly poorer OS (adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 1.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.45 to 0.79) and DFS (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.16 to 1.82). As investigating by subtype analysis, a high BMI in ER positive/HER2 negative patients was associated with a significantly worse OS (HR = 2.04, 95% CI = 1.42 to 2.92) and significantly worse DFS (HR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.23 to 2.11). On the other hand, there was no significant interaction found between the BMI and OS or DFS in ER negative/HER2 negative patients and HER2 positive patients. Subsequently, when analysis was limited to ER positive HER2 negative, there was a difference in the degree of association between obesity and prognosis due to the difference in menopause status. In premenopausal patients with ER positive/HER2 negative cancer, Obese group had significantly poorer OS (HR = 2.83, 95%CI = 1.32 to 5.88) and significantly poorer DFS (HR = 2.41, 95%CI = 1.41 to 3.99). In postmenopausal patients, Obese group patients had significantly poorer OS (HR = 1.71, 95%CI = 1.11 to 2.58) and poorer DFS (HR = 1.35, 95%CI = 0.98 to 1.86), however. The relevance was not so large compared with that in premenopausal patients.

Conclusion: Among Japanese breast cancer patients, Obese (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) was one of poor prognostic factors. Specifically, obesity was associated as an extremely strong prognostic factor in ER positive/HER2 negative premenopausal patients. Since hormone therapy has been practiced in almost all ER positive breast cancers, the relationship between hormonal therapy susceptibility and obesity is noticed not only in western patients but also in Asian patients.

Citation Format: Sato M, Terai S, Tachikawa H, Maeda H, Yamamoto M, Tomioka N, Watanabe K, Takahashi M. Obesity is associated with poor prognosis of Japanese breast cancer, especially in ER positive/HER2 negative subtype, which tendency is prominent [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-07-13.

Abstract P5-20-11: Comparative effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-Positive breast cancer: Addition of new clinical evidence to network meta-analysis and data update after 5 years

Background: It is becoming more popular to perform neoadjuvant chemotherapy including anti-HER2 agents to operable HER2-positive breast cancer patients. Increasing HER2-targeted treatment options urge us to define the best neoadjuvant therapy. In 2014, we reported the systematical assessment of the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer, using network meta-analysis based on Bayesian model (Nagayama et al., JNCI 2014). Network meta-analysis synthesizes information from a network of trials, which helps interpret the randomized evidence and can rank treatments from different trials. After five years from our first literature search, we decided to update our analysis due to accumulation of new clinical evidence.

Methods: We assessed odds ratio for pathological complete response (pCR), completion, and safety in seven treatment arms utilizing pooling effect sizes. The treatment arms included the combinations of chemotherapy (CT), trastzumab (tzmb), lapatinib (lpnb) and pertzumab (pzmb). All statistical tests were two-sided, and we followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results: A database search identified 993 articles with 13 studies meeting the eligibility criteria, adding three studies (a trial of CT + tzmb vs CT + lpnb, and two trials of CT + tzmb vs CT + lpnb vs CT + tzmb + lpnb) to previous analysis. In direct comparison, CT + tzmb significantly achieved more pCR than CT + lpnb (OR=0.68, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.89, p=.005) despite no statistical difference was found previously. In indirect comparison, treatment arms of dual anti-HER2 agents with CT achieved more pCR than other arms, reducing their credibility intervals against all other arms. This trend was stronger in CT + tzmb + lpnb arm (CT + tzmb + lpnb vs CT + tzmb, OR = 1.62, 95% CrI = 1.19 to 2.22, p = .003), which we added sufficient clinical evidence. Moreover, it exposed the need for additional clinical data for pzmb relative arms. Values of surface under the cumulative ranking (SUCRA) suggested that CT + tzmb + pzmb had the highest probability of being the best treatment arm for pCR (SUCRA = 0.95), followed by CT + tzmb + lpnb (SUCRA = 0.87), and CT + tzmb (SUCRA = 0.62), widening the gap and differentiating the top two dual blockade arms which were close in our previous report. All outcomes from our present analysis were consistent with our previous report and strengthened data solidity by reducing confidence or credibility intervals.

Conclusion: Consistent results in not only in pCR but also in completion rates and adverse events indicate that we are looking at the results which are close to the truth. Additional trials of lpnb relative regimens are not probable to change the results, but pzmb relative trials are required to improve evidence solidity. New clinical data established stronger evidence in network meta-analysis that combining two anti-HER2 agents with CT is most effective in the neoadjuvant setting for HER2-positive breast cancer.

Citation Format: Nakashoji A, Hayashida T, Yokoe T, Maeda H, Watanuki R, Kikuchi M, Seki T, Takahashi M, Abe T, Kitagawa Y. Comparative effectiveness of neoadjuvant therapy for HER2-Positive breast cancer: Addition of new clinical evidence to network meta-analysis and data update after 5 years [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-20-11.

Solitary pulmonary nodules due to non-tuberculous mycobacteriosis among 28 resected cases

BACKGROUND

In some patients, non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections manifest in solitary nodules (solitary nodular [SN] type) generally caused by Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). In patients treated using surgical resection, the American Thoracic Society guidelines state that postoperative chemotherapy is not necessary in the absence of lesions, although there have been a few reports of such cases.

METHODS

Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with NTM who underwent solitary pulmonary nodule resection at Toneyama Hospital, Osaka, Japan, between January 2000 and October 2012 were enrolled. We evaluated the influence of the surgical procedure and chemotherapy on outcomes in this retrospective study.

RESULTS

Of the 28 patients, 12 were males and 16 were females; the mean age was 58.6 ± 13.2 years. Twenty-five patients were asymptomatic and bronchoscopy was performed in 18; only 2 had a definitive diagnosis of NTM. The pathogen responsible was MAC in 27 patients and M. kansasii in 1. The surgical procedure used was wedge resection in 22 patients, segmentectomy in 1 and lobectomy in 5. Postoperative chemotherapy was administered to 9 patients. Twenty-six patients had no recurrence.

CONCLUSION

We believe that wedge resection is a valid surgical intervention for SN type NTM; additional postoperative chemotherapy is unnecessary in cases with no residual lesions in the operated lung lobe.

Rabi oscillations in the spatial profiles of superfluorescent pulses from rubidium vapor

In this study, we investigate 420-nm yoked superfluorescence (YSF) emitted from the atomic vapor of rubidium (Rb) by driving the Rb 5S - 5D two-photon transition with an ultrashort pulsed laser. When the pump pulse is close to its transform limit (~ 100 fs) or down-chirped up to around 200 fs, the 420-nm YSF appears as a low-divergence beam with a ring-shaped radial profile. Although such a beam profile is less sensitive to the vapor pressure of Rb in a cell, its diameter rigorously varies as a function of the pump-pulse power. By numerically solving a time-dependent Schrödinger equation for a single-Rb atom, we well reproduce our experimental observation, indicating that a single-atom Rabi oscillation is responsible for the spatial beam profile of the 420-nm emission.

Transgelin mediates transforming growth factor-β1-induced proliferation of human periodontal ligament cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs) express transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) that regulates differentiation and proliferation, and plays key roles in homeostasis of PDL tissue. Transgelin is a cytoskeleton-associated protein with an Smad-binding element in its gene promoter region. In this study, we examined the localization and potential function of transgelin in PDL tissue and cells.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Microarray analysis of HPDLC lines (2-14, 2-23 and 2-52) was performed. Expression of transgelin in HPDLCs was examined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. Effects of TGF-β1 and its signaling inhibitor, SB431542, on transgelin expression in HPDLCs were examined by western blot analysis. The effects of transgelin knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) on HPDLC proliferation stimulated by TGF-β1 were assessed by WST-1 assay.

RESULTS

In microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses, the expression levels of transgelin (TAGLN) in 2-14 and 2-23 cells, which highly expressed PDL markers such as periostin (POSTN), tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) and type I collagen A1 (COL1A1), was significantly higher than those in 2-52 cells that expressed PDL markers weakly. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining revealed expression of transgelin in rat PDL tissue and HPDLCs. In HPDLCs, TGF-β1 treatment upregulated transgelin expression, whereas inhibition of the type 1 TGF-β1 receptor by SB431542 suppressed this upregulation. Furthermore, TAGLN siRNA transfection did not promote the proliferation of HPDLCs treated with TGF-β1. The expression levels of CCNA2 and CCNE1, which regulate DNA synthesis and mitosis through the cell cycle, were also not upregulated in HPDLCs transfected with TAGLN siRNA.

CONCLUSION

Transgelin is expressed in PDL tissue and might have a role in HPDLC proliferation induced by TGF-β1 stimulation.

Digital Subtraction Angiography in Takayasu Arteritis

The usefulness and limitation of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in Takayasu arteritis were investigated in 32 patients. Intravenous DSA was particularly useful in the follow-up of patients with an established diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis. Pulmonary arterial involvement could also be demonstrated with intravenous DSA as obstructive arterial changes and lack of accumulation of contrast medium in the pulmonary parenchyma. Detailed information concerning the site and extent of vascular involvement and development of collateral vessels were obtained with intraarterial DSA. Thickening of the thoracic aortic wall, however, could not be recognized with either intravenous or intraarterial DSA. Conventional angiography of the descending thoracic aorta is still required as an initial examination, particularly when there is no aortic arch involvement. However, there is no doubt that DSA has the potential to become the diagnostic procedure of choice in Takayasu arteritis.

Paravertebral Arteriovenous Malformation with Venous Connection to Left Iliac Vein

An unusual systemic arteriovenous malformation arising from the left 9th intercostal artery, taking a caudal course through the left paravertebral veins, eventually drained into the left ascending lumbar vein, as illustrated at computed tomography and angiography. An embryologic maldevelopment of the azygos venous system is not the only possible explanation for venous drainage in the caudal direction. We believe that predominant venous drainage can take place in either direction because of the potentially bidirectional flow in the vertebral venous systems.

Semaphorin 3A Induces Odontoblastic Phenotype in Dental Pulp Stem Cells

In cases of pulp exposure due to deep dental caries or severe traumatic injuries, existing pulp-capping materials have a limited ability to reconstruct dentin-pulp complexes and can result in pulpectomy because of their low potentials to accelerate dental pulp cell activities, such as migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Therefore, the development of more effective therapeutic agents has been anticipated for direct pulp capping. Dental pulp tissues are enriched with dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). Here, the authors investigated the effects of semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) on various functions of human DPSCs in vitro and reparative dentin formation in vivo in a rat dental pulp exposure model. Immunofluorescence staining revealed expression of Sema3A and its receptor Nrp1 (neuropilin 1) in rat dental pulp tissue and human DPSC clones. Sema3A induced cell migration, chemotaxis, proliferation, and odontoblastic differentiation of DPSC clones. In addition, Sema3A treatment of DPSC clones increased β-catenin nuclear accumulation, upregulated expression of the FARP2 gene (FERM, RhoGEF, and pleckstrin domain protein 2), and activated Rac1 in DPSC clones. Furthermore, in the rat dental pulp exposure model, Sema3A promoted reparative dentin formation with dentin tubules and a well-aligned odontoblast-like cell layer at the dental pulp exposure site and with novel reparative dentin almost completely covering pulp tissue at 4 wk after direct pulp capping. These findings suggest that Sema3A could play an important role in dentin regeneration via canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Sema3A might be an alternative agent for direct pulp capping, which requires further study.

Effects of therapeutic agents on cellular respiration as an indication of metabolic activity

Animal experiments are indispensable in the investigation of the toxicity of drugs on cells, but may not be preferred for ethical reasons and sensitivity. As an alternative procedure, we investigated the susceptibility of cells to drugs using the effect on cellular respiration as an indicator of cell activity (toxicity). The primary cultures (cell lines) used in this study included human fetal myocardial cells, skeletal muscle cells, nerve cells, hypophyseal cells, epithelial cells of gastric mucosa, lymphocytes, hepatocytes, pancreatic (exocrine) cells, renal tubular epithelial cells and fetal adrenal cortex cells, which were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). The drugs used were diazepam, haloperidol and levomepromazine maleate (psychoactive drugs), cisplatin and doxorubicin hydrochloride (anticancer agents). The cells were used at a density of 2–106 cells/2 mL of growth medium and, to test the susceptibility, each drug was prepared at a concentration of 10 g/mL. Experiment results indicated that, even with the same drug, sensitivity was markedly different depending on the cell lines. Cardiac muscle cells showed the strongest respiratory inhibition by Serenace and were least inhibited by Hirnamin. The highest sensitivity to Cercine was noted for neurons, while gastric mucosa cells had almost no sensitivity. Sensitivity to Serenace, which was expected to have a strong nerve action, was higher in myocardial cells instead. In the present study, we suggested the possibility of studying individual differences in drug sensitivity through investigation of toxicity in each organ as opposed to toxicity in the individual. In addition, Serenace, which was developed as a neurotopic agent, showed a higher toxicity in cardiac muscle cells than in neurons. This finding appeared noteworthy, not only for forensic toxicology, but also for clinical practice and drug development.

Spontaneous Osteosarcoma in a Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

A 6-year-old male cross-breed rabbit ( Oryctolagus cuniculus) was presented with lameness and severe swelling from the right shoulder to brachium. On 16-detector helical computed tomography images of the amputated right forelimb after being fixed in formalin, evident proliferative and destructive lesions of bone were observed. On histologic examination, the tumor was composed of proliferating neoplastic cells that resembled histiocytes, with abundant osteoid production. A large number of multinucleated giant cells were found throughout. This case was diagnosed as osteosarcoma by clinical, radiographic, and histologic findings. This is a rare case report of osteosarcoma in a rabbit consistent with canine predilection sites.

Enhanced Anti-tumour Effect of Cisplatin with Low-voltage Electrochemotherapy in Hamster Oral Fibrosarcoma

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of low-voltage electrochemotherapy with intraperitoneal cisplatin on hamster oral fibrosarcoma. Oral fibrosarcoma was transplanted sub-mucosally into the cheek pouch mucosa of 100 hamsters. After transplantation, the hamsters were randomly divided into four equal groups. These groups received no treatment (D-E-); 2 mg/kg body weight cisplatin treatment without electroporation (D+E-); electroporation without cisplatin treatment (D-E+);or 2 mg/kg body weight cisplatin treatment followed by electroporation (D+E+). Electrical pulse treatment together with cisplatin injection markedly reduced the size of the tumour, whereas cisplatin injection or electrical pulse treatment alone did not. These results clearly indicate that the anti-tumour effect of cisplatin on hamster oral fibrosarcoma was considerably potentiated or enhanced by the administration of local electrical pulses at low voltages.

High resolution NMR measurements using a 400MHz NMR with an (RE)Ba2Cu3O7-x high-temperature superconducting inner coil: Towards a compact super-high-field NMR

Use of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) inner coils in combination with conventional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) outer coils for an NMR magnet, i.e. a LTS/HTS NMR magnet, is a suitable option to realize a high-resolution NMR spectrometer with operating frequency >1GHz. From the standpoint of creating a compact magnet, (RE: Rare earth) Ba2Cu3O7-x (REBCO) HTS inner coils which can tolerate a strong hoop stress caused by a Lorentz force are preferred. However, in our previous work on a first-generation 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet, the NMR resolution and sensitivity were about ten times worse than that of a conventional LTS NMR magnet. The result was caused by a large field inhomogeneity in the REBCO coil itself and the shielding effect of a screening current induced in that coil. In the present paper, we describe the operation of a modified 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet with an advanced field compensation technology using a combination of novel ferromagnetic shimming and an appropriate procedure for NMR spectrum line shape optimization. We succeeded in obtaining a good NMR line shape and 2D NOESY spectrum for a lysozyme aqueous sample. We believe that this technology is indispensable for the realization of a compact super-high-field high-resolution NMR.

Functional analysis of recombinant 2-Cys peroxiredoxin from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis

Ticks are obligate haematophagous arthropods that feed on vertebrate blood containing high levels of iron. The host-derived iron reacts to oxygen in the tick's body, and then high levels of reactive oxygen species, including hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), may be generated. High levels of H(2)O(2) cause oxidative stress to aerobic organisms. Therefore, antioxidant responses are necessary to control H(2)O(2). We focused on peroxiredoxins (Prxs), H(2)O(2) -scavenging enzymes. The sequence of Haemaphysalis longicornis 2-Cys Prx (HlPrx2) was identified from fat body cDNA libraries of this tick and recombinant HlPrx2 was then prepared using Escherichia coli. By comparison with the 2-Cys Prxs of other organisms, we found two conserved cysteines in HlPrx2, Cys51 and Cys172. We examined the antioxidant activity of HlPrx2 and mutant proteins produced by a single base substitution, converting one or both of these cysteines into serines. The assays revealed that proteins containing Cys51 showed antioxidant activity when H(2)O(2) was removed. Sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and size-exclusion chromatography demonstrated that only the wild-type HlPrx2 formed homodimers and that all of the proteins that we made had a high molecular weight peak. These results indicate that both Cys51 and Cys172 are essential for the dimerization of HlPrx2, whereas only the Cys51 residue is necessary for antioxidant activity.

Benzo[a]pyrene/aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling inhibits osteoblastic differentiation and collagen synthesis of human periodontal ligament cells

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Cigarette smoking has detrimental effects on periodontal tissue, and is known to be a risk factor for periodontal disease, including the loss of alveolar bone and ligament tissue. However, the direct effects of cigarette smoking on periodontal tissue remain unclear. Recently, we demonstrated that benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which is a prototypic member of polycyclic aryl hydrocarbons and forms part of the content of cigarettes, attenuated the expression of extracellular matrix remodeling-related genes in human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells (HPDLCs). Thus, we aimed to examine the effects of BaP on the osteoblastic differentiation and collagen synthesis of HPDLCs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

HPDLCs were obtained from healthy molars of three patients, and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction were performed for gene expression analyses of cytochrome P450 1A1 and 1B1, alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a receptor for polycyclic aryl hydrocarbons. We have also analyzed the role of the AhR, using 2-methyl-2H-pyrazole-3-carboxylic acid (2-methyl-4-o-tolylazo-phenyl)-amide (CH-223191), which is an AhR antagonist.

RESULTS

The treatment of HPDLCs with BaP reduced mRNA expression of osteogenic genes, alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization and collagen synthesis. The treatment with CH-223191 subsequently restored the observed suppressive effects of BaP on HPDLCs.

CONCLUSIONS

The present results suggest that BaP exerts inhibitory effects on the maintenance of homeostasis in HPDL tissue, such as osteoblastic differentiation and collagen synthesis of HPDLCs, and that this signaling pathway could be suppressed by preventing the transactivity of AhR. Future studies may unveil a role for the inhibition of AhR as a promising therapeutic agent for periodontal disease caused by cigarette smoking.

Acceptance of surrogate end points in clinical trials supporting approval of drugs for cancer treatment by the Japanese regulatory agency

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the historic use of different end points to support approval of drugs for cancer treatment in Japan.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Anticancer drugs approved between April 2001 and April 2014 were comprehensively investigated using publicly available information.

RESULTS

Before the revision of the guideline for oncology drugs in April 2006 in Japan, >80% of end points supporting approval were response rate and overall survival (OS) was not frequent. After the revision of the guideline in Japan, using OS in pivotal clinical trials applied for approval increased to more than approximately one-third of oncology drugs, although trials with an end point of response rate decreased. Regarding drugs for major cancers including non-small-cell lung cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, and breast cancer, survival was used as an end point in 44.0%, whereas surrogate end points were used in 56.0%. Exploration of potential factors for using surrogate end points other than survival carried out through determinations of odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals identified 'orphan drug designation in Japan' and 'accelerated approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration' as significant factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The revised guideline for oncology drugs in Japan requires the results of phase 3 studies with survival as an end point at the time of new drug application at least for major cancers. The regulatory agency in Japan also accepts surrogate end points as end points supporting approval besides survival; however, the number of surrogate end points has decreased after the revision of the guideline. We consider that accepting surrogate end points in the Japanese regulatory systems is important to approve oncology drugs quickly in Japan.

Correction: Highly selective aluminium-catalysed intramolecular Prins reaction for l-menthol synthesis

Correction for ‘Highly selective aluminium-catalysed intramolecular Prins reaction for l-menthol synthesis’ by H. Itoh et al., RSC Adv., 2014, 4, 61619–61623.

Operation of a 400MHz NMR magnet using a (RE:Rare Earth)Ba2Cu3O7-x high-temperature superconducting coil: Towards an ultra-compact super-high field NMR spectrometer operated beyond 1GHz

High-temperature superconductors (HTS) are the key technology to achieve super-high magnetic field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers with an operating frequency far beyond 1GHz (23.5T). (RE)Ba₂Cu₃O_7-x (REBCO, RE: rare earth) conductors have an advantage over Bi₂Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O_10-x (Bi-2223) and Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8-x (Bi-2212) conductors in that they have very high tensile strengths and tolerate strong electromagnetic hoop stress, thereby having the potential to act as an ultra-compact super-high field NMR magnet. As a first step, we developed the world's first NMR magnet comprising an inner REBCO coil and outer low-temperature superconducting (LTS) coils. The magnet was successfully charged without degradation and mainly operated at 400MHz (9.39T). Technical problems for the NMR magnet due to screening current in the REBCO coil were clarified and solved as follows: (i) A remarkable temporal drift of the central magnetic field was suppressed by a current sweep reversal method utilizing ∼10% of the peak current. (ii) A Z2 field error harmonic of the main coil cannot be compensated by an outer correction coil and therefore an additional ferromagnetic shim was used. (iii) Large tesseral harmonics emerged that could not be corrected by cryoshim coils. Due to those harmonics, the resolution and sensitivity of NMR spectra are ten-fold lower than those for a conventional LTS NMR magnet. As a result, a HSQC spectrum could be achieved for a protein sample, while a NOESY spectrum could not be obtained. An ultra-compact 1.2GHz NMR magnet could be realized if we effectively take advantage of REBCO conductors, although this will require further research to suppress the effect of the screening current.

Successful transplantation of kidney allografts in sensitized rats after syngeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and fludarabine

Current methods to remove donor-specific HLA antibody (DSA) from sensitized patients remain imperfect. We tested novel approaches to desensitization using an animal model of allogeneic sensitization with skin grafts from dark agouti (DA) to Lewis rats. At the peak IgG alloantibody response we transplanted DA kidneys into nephrectomized Lewis recipients (n = 6) and all died within 10 days from antibody-mediated rejection (AMR). Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (HSCT) from DA donors failed to engraft after lethal or sub-lethal irradiation. Sensitized rats given lethal irradiation plus syngeneic green fluorescent protein (GFP) + HSCT had repopulation of blood, spleen, thymus and lymph nodes by GFP+ cells. At 2 months after HSCT, serum DSA levels were reduced 60-70% and DSA (IgG) production in cultured splenocytes was also significantly decreased. However, there was only a modest improvement in graft survival from an average of 6.5 to 13.9 (n = 9) days. Adding seven daily doses of fludarabine to the preconditioning regimen resulted in long-term survival (>90 days) in 7 out of 10 rat kidney allografts. We conclude that syngeneic HSCT performed after preconditioning with irradiation and fludarabine can reduce DSA, prevent DSA rebound and AMR, enabling successful transplantation in animals with strong antibody reactivity to the donor MHC.

Microbial community in persistent apical periodontitis: a 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis

AIM

To characterize the microbial composition of persistent periapical lesions of root filled teeth using a molecular genetics approach.

METHODOLOGY

Apical lesion samples were collected from 12 patients (23-80 years old) who visited the Kyushu University Hospital for apicectomy with persistent periapical lesions associated with root filled teeth. DNA was directly extracted from each sample and the microbial composition was comprehensively analysed using clone library analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Enterococcus faecalis, Candida albicans and specific fimA genotypes of Porphyromonas gingivalis were confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis with specific primers.

RESULTS

Bacteria were detected in all samples, and the dominant findings were P. gingivalis (19.9%), Fusobacterium nucleatum (11.2%) and Propionibacterium acnes (9%). Bacterial diversity was greater in symptomatic lesions than in asymptomatic ones. In addition, the following bacteria or bacterial combinations were characteristic to symptomatic lesions: Prevotella spp., Treponema spp., Peptostreptococcaceae sp. HOT-113, Olsenella uli, Slackia exigua, Selemonas infelix, P. gingivalis with type IV fimA, and a combination of P. gingivalis, F. nucleatum, and Peptostreptococcaceae sp. HOT-113 and predominance of Streptococcus spp. On the other hand, neither Enterococcus faecalis nor C. albicans were detected in any of the samples.

CONCLUSION

Whilst a diverse bacterial species were observed in the persistent apical lesions, some characteristic patterns of bacterial community were found in the symptomatic lesions. The diverse variation of community indicates that bacterial combinations as a community may cause persistent inflammation in periapical tissues rather than specific bacterial species.

Identification of transactivation-responsive DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP43; TDP-43) as a novel factor for TNF-α expression upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation in human monocytes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is a major cytokine implicated in various inflammatory diseases. The nature of the nuclear factors associated with human TNF-α gene regulation is not well elucidated. We previously identified a novel region located from -550 to -487 in human TNF-α promoter that did not contain the reported binding sites for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) but showed lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced transcriptional activity. The purpose of this study is to identify novel factors that bind to the promoter region and regulate TNF-α expression.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

To identify DNA-binding proteins that bound to the target region of TNF-α promoter, a cDNA library from LPS-stimulated human monocytic cell line THP-1 was screened using a yeast one-hybrid system. Cellular localizations of the DNA-binding protein in the cells were examined by subcellular immunocytochemistry. Nuclear amounts of the protein in LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells were identified by western blot analysis. Expression of mRNA of the protein in the cells was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed to confirm the DNA-binding profile. Overexpression of the protein and knockdown of the gene were also performed to investigate the role for TNF-α expression.

RESULTS

Several candidates were identified from the cDNA library and transactivation-responsive DNA-binding protein 43 (TARDBP43; TDP-43) was focused on. Western blot analysis revealed that nuclear TDP-43 protein was increased in the LPS-stimulated THP-1 cells. Expression of TDP-43 mRNA was already enhanced before TNF-α induction by LPS. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay analysis showed that nuclear extracts obtained by overexpressing FLAG-tagged TDP-43 bound to the -550 to -487 TNF-α promoter fragments. Overexpression of TDP-43 in THP-1 cells resulted in an increase of TNF-α expression. Knockdown of TDP-43 in THP-1 cells downregulated TNF-α expression.

CONCLUSION

We identified TDP-43 as one of the novel TNF-α factors and found that it bound to the LPS-responsive element in the TNF-α promoter to increase TNF-α expression.

Highly selective aluminium-catalysed intramolecular Prins reaction for l-menthol synthesis

The perfect production of l-menthol.