Abstract Two novel rhabdoviruses were isolated from birds during surveillance for arboviral encephalitis in the northeastern United States. The first, designated Farmington virus, is a tentative new member of the Vesiculovirus genus. The second, designated Rhode Island virus, is unclassified antigenically, but its ultrastructure and size are more similar to those of some of the plant rhabdoviruses. Both viruses infect birds and mice, as well as monkey kidney cells in culture, but their importance for human health is unknown.
Background: Probiotics have been reported to ameliorate cognitive impairment. Objective: We investigated the effect of the probiotic strain Bifidobacterium breve MCC1274 (A1) in enhancing cognition and preventing brain atrophy of older patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: In this RCT, 130 patients aged from 65 to 88 years old with suspected MCI received once daily either probiotic (B. breve MCC1274, 2×1010 CFU) or placebo for 24 weeks. Cognitive functions were assessed by ADAS-Jcog and MMSE tests. Participants underwent MRI to determine brain atrophy changes using Voxel-based Specific Regional Analysis System for Alzheimer’s disease (VSRAD). Fecal samples were collected for the analysis of gut microbiota composition. Results: Analysis was performed on 115 participants as the full analysis set (probiotic 55, placebo 60). ADAS-Jcog subscale “orientation” was significantly improved compared to placebo at 24 weeks. MMSE subscales “orientation in time” and “writing” were significantly improved compared to placebo in the lower baseline MMSE (< 25) subgroup at 24 weeks. VSRAD scores worsened in the placebo group; probiotic supplementation tended to suppress the progression, in particular among those subjects with progressed brain atrophy (VOI Z-score ≥1.0). There were no marked changes in the overall composition of the gut microbiota by the probiotic supplementation. Conclusion: Improvement of cognitive function was observed on some subscales scores only likely due to the lower sensitiveness of these tests for MCI subjects. Probiotics consumption for 24 weeks suppressed brain atrophy progression, suggesting that B. breve MCC1274 helps prevent cognitive impairment of MCI subjects.
bcl-2 is known to play a crucial role in modulating carcinoma progression as well as in inhibiting apoptosis. However, its expression and clinical significance for cholangiocellular carcinoma (CCC) remains unclear. In the present study, we immunohistochemically investigated bcl-2 expression in 41 CCC. Thirteen cases (31.7%) were classified as bcl-2 positive, because more than 10% of the carcinoma cells expressed bcl-2. The expression of bcl-2 was inversely related to lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion, perineural invasion, the Ki-67 labeling index, aberrant p53 expression and the incidence of apoptotic cells. Furthermore, well or moderately differentiated carcinoma more frequently expressed bcl-2. These results suggest that downregulation of bcl-2 expression is strongly linked to highly biologically aggressive phenotypes of CCC.
We examined whether OK-432, a streptococcal preparation, could induce tumor necrosis factor in cancer patients. OK-432 was administered at a dose of 100 KE intratumorally to 4 advanced gastric cancer patients and 10KE intracavitary to 8 patients with malignant pleuroperitoneal effusion. The cytostatic activity of the sera and malignant effusions was assayed by the growth inhibition of L929 cells. OK-432 induced significant cytostatic activity in the sera and malignant effusions. The activity was partially neutralized by the monoclonal antibody against human recombinant tumor necrosis factor. These data suggest that OK-432 induces tumor necrosis factor in the sera and malignant effusions of cancer patients.
The excretion and tissue distribution of ω-ethylmercuri (Hg203)-thio-n-undecanoic acid (EMU) after vaginal administration were pursued in comparison with phenylmercuric (Hg203)-acetate (PMA). PMA was excreted into feces and urine twice as much as EMU when a Carbowax 2000 suppository was employed. The excretion of EMU was almost equal irrespective of the use of Carbowax 2000 or Rx 6 (emulsion vehicle containing stearic acid). A decrease in total excretion of PMA by the use of the emulsion vehicle was observed over a Carbowax 2000 vehicle. The decrease would indicate a decrease in absorption due to a change of PMA into more lipophilic stearate. Cumulative excretion of PMA after repeated daily administrations showed a linear relationship, but in the case of EMU, a more increase of excretion was observed, showing a correspondence with the accumulation in tissue. Both PMA and EMU showed a high mercury storage in the liver and kidneys. A comparative study was made of the amounts and rates of mercurials excreted following a single intravenous administration. The excretion of mercurial into the urine following intravenous administration of the mercurials was higher or not less than vaginal application. Acceleration of mercurial excretion was observed when BAL or α-lipoic acid was given simultaneously with insertion of a suppository containing mercurials.
Expression of cell-cycle modulators at the G1 -S boundary, retinoblastoma gene product (pRb), p21, p16, p27, p53, cyclin D1 , and cyclin E was investigated with 104 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), as well as 90 of their adjacent noncancerous lesions and 9 normal liver control specimens. The labeling indices (LI) of pRb, p21, p16, and p27 were higher in HCC lesions than in the adjacent noncancerous lesions and normal controls. Especially, p27 LI in noncancerous lesions was significantly higher than that in normal livers (P = .011). Aberrant p53 expression and cyclin D1 and E overexpression were observed exclusively in HCC lesions. pRb was positive in 85.6% of the HCC cases and was not related to any clinicopathological parameters. The p21 LI was generally low (average, 5.5 ± 9.8). Although a negative regulator, p21 LI was higher in cases with intrahepatic metastasis (P = .0359). The p16 LI was significantly decreased (P = .0121) in cases with advanced stage. p27 LI was significantly decreased in cases with portal invasion (P = .0409), poor differentiation (P < .0001), larger size (P = .0421), and intrahepatic metastasis (P = .0878, borderline significance). On the other hand, aberrant p53 expression showed positive relationships with poor differentiation (P = .0004) and Ki-67 LI (P = .0047). Cyclin D1 overexpression was found in 32.6% of the cases and occurred more frequently in those with high Ki-67 LI (P = .0032), pRb expression (P = .0202), poor differentiation (P = .0612, borderline significance), and intrahepatic metastasis (P = .0675, borderline significance). Cyclin E was overexpressed in 35.5% and had positive relationships with Ki-67 LI (P = .0269) and stage (P = .0125). In univariate analysis, cases with p27 LI < 50 (P = .0004), cyclin D1 overexpression (P = .0041), and cyclin E overexpression (P = .0572, borderline significance) showed poorer outcomes for disease-free survival (DFS). In multivariate analysis, p27 expression could be recognized as an independent prognostic marker for DFS. These findings suggest that in HCC: 1) p27 is active against HCC progression in early phases and, possibly, hepatocarcinogenesis as a negative regulator and can be a novel prognostic marker for DFS; and 2) cyclin D1 predominantly works for cell-cycle progression at the G1 -S boundary
Background/Aims: To evaluate the usefulness of linked color imaging (LCI) and blue LASER imaging (BLI) in Barrett’s esophagus (BE) compared with white light imaging (WLI). Methods: Five expert and trainee endoscopists compared WLI, LCI, and BLI images obtained from 63 patients with short-segment BE. Physicians assessed visibility as follows: 5 (improved), 4 (somewhat improved), 3 (equivalent), 2 (somewhat decreased), and one (decreased). Scores were evaluated to assess visibility. The inter- and intra-rater reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient) of image assessments were also evaluated. Images were objectively evaluated based on L* a* b* color values and color differences (ΔE*) in a CIELAB color space system. Results: Improved visibility compared with WLI was achieved for LCI: 44.4%, BLI: 0% for all endoscopists; LCI: 55.6%, BLI: 1.6% for trainees; and LCI: 47.6%, BLI: 0% for experts. The visibility score of trainees compared with experts was significantly higher for LCI (p = 0.02). Intra- and inter-rater reliability ratings for LCI compared with WLI were “moderate” for trainees, and “moderate-substantial” for experts. The ΔE* revealed statistically significant differences between WLI and LCI. Conclusion: LCI improved the visibility of short-segment BE compared with WLI, especially for trainees, when evaluated both subjectively and objectively.
A 64-year-old woman without Helicobacter pylori infection underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy during a health examination. A 2-mm flat lesion (0-IIb) with faded color and harboring a regular arrangement of collecting venules was detected at the greater curvature of the gastric fundus. Narrow-band imaging (NBI) showed a distinct whitish lesion. Magnifying endoscopy with NBI revealed a regular microsurface and microvascular pattern without a demarcation line, and a noncancer diagnosis was made [1]. However, as the endoscopic features on white-light imaging still strongly suggested neoplastic lesion in the background of mucosa not infected by H. pylori, a biopsy was taken. Histologically, a gastric adenocarcinoma resembling fundic gland cells with submucosal invasion was seen ([Fig. 1]). A pathological diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma of the fundic-gland type [2] [3] was further confirmed by immunohistochemical staining.
