Effect of Salivation by Facial Somatosensory Stimuli of Facial Massage and Vibrotactile Apparatus

We studied the effects of salivary promotion of fluid secretion after hand massage, and the apparatus of vibrotactile stimulation (89 Hz frequency, 15 min) in normal humans. Personal massage cannot be performed on handicap and stroke patients, and then giving hand massage to them for 5 min massage gives a tired feeling. So, we focused 3 min stranger massage. Salivary glands can discharge the accumulated saliva by extrusion from the acinus glands’ massages as described in the recent Japanese textbook. We think that this method may not produce realistic recovery. Our aim ideas are to relieve stress and increase temperature with lightly touch massage of the skin and for a 1 cycle of 1 s. We recorded RR interval of ECG, total salivation, facial skin temperature, OxyHb of fNIRS on the frontal cortex, and amylase activity for the autonomic changes. In increased 2°C of the facial skin temperature, the hand massage had a need for 3 min and the vibrotactile stimulation for 15 min. Increase from 700 to 1000 ms of RR intervals had a need for 3 min in the hand massage and had 15 min in the vibrotactile stimulation. Although vibrotactile stimulation needs long time of 4–7 years as effective recovery, hand massage may have more effect with a repetition of day after day

Salivary Effects of Facial Vibrotactile Stimulation in Patients with Sjogren’s Syndrome and Poor Salivation

We examined the effect of vibrotactile apparatus in patients with Sjögren’s syndrome and others with reduced salivation in comparison to normal subjects. The most effective salivation in normal subjects was produced by 89 Hz vibrotactile stimulation with 9.8 μm amplitude on the parotid or submandibular glands vibrotactile stimuli. First, we examined by measuring the weight of dental cotton rolls positioned at the opening of the secretory duct for total salivation 3 min during resting, and then after 5-min intervals, the weights were measured every 3 min of vibrotactile stimulation on salivary glands. Furthermore, we measured facial temperature around vibrators after 2 min of vibration. We investigated 10 poor salivation patients with Sjögren’s syndrome (8 patients) defined by examinations (contrast study or scintigraphic test) and others (2 patients). About 50% of patients with poor salivation gained recognition for good results, although they had periods of short-term (3 months) and long-term effects (6–7 years) during recuperation. Furthermore, facial skin temperatures on both sides of parotid glands were decreased in Sjogren’s syndrome after vibration, although their temperatures were increased following recovery. Although the mechanism is not clear, we think that vibrotactile stimulation gives activation to salivary glands under the rising facial temperature

Is it practical to determine the therapeutic strategy for breast cancer by evaluating pathological findings in core needle biopsy specimens?

Background; Core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens have been widely used not only for the diagnosis of breast cancer, but also for assessing biomarkers, including lymphovascular invasion (ly and v), nuclear grading, the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) and Ki-67. We herein compared the pathological biomarkers of ER+/HER2- invasive breast cancers in CNB with those in the subsequent surgical specimens.　Methods; Patients with ER+/HER2- invasive breast cancer who presented to our department from August 2011 to July 2013 who had CNB and subsequent surgery were included. Lymphovascular invasion (ly, v) and nuclear grading were determined by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the ER, PgR, HER-2, and Ki-67 status were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.　Results; The concordance rates between CNB and surgical specimens for the ly, v, nuclear grading, ER and PgR were 2.4%, 2.9%, 63.0%, 96.4% and 82.1%, respectively. Lymphovascular invasion and nuclear grading tended to be underestimated with CNB in discordant cases. The Ki-67 labeling index in CNB specimens was strongly correlated with that in surgical specimens (correlation coefficient 0.75, p<0.0001). Consequently, there was a reasonable level of agreement between CNB and surgical specimens for surrogate subtyping (82.1%).　Conclusions; CNB provided reliable information on the expression of hormone receptors, Ki-67 in ER+/HER2- invasive breast cancers. However, because of the substantial discordance between CNB and surgical specimens, the status of lymphovascular invasion and nuclear grading should not be concluded based on CNB specimens

Dynamin 1 is important for microtubule organization and stabilization in glomerular podocytes

Dynamin 1 is a neuronal endocytic protein that participates in vesicle formation by scission of invaginated membranes. Dynamin 1 is also expressed in the kidney; however, its physiological significance to this organ remains unknown. Here, we show that dynamin 1 is crucial for microtubule organization and stabilization in glomerular podocytes. By immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, dynamin 1 was concentrated at microtubules at primary processes in rat podocytes. By immunofluorescence of differentiated mouse podocytes (MPCs), dynamin 1 was often colocalized with microtubule bundles, which radially arranged toward periphery of expanded podocyte. In dynamin 1-depleted MPCs by RNAi, alpha-tubulin showed a dispersed linear filament-like localization, and microtubule bundles were rarely observed. Furthermore, dynamin 1 depletion resulted in the formation of discontinuous, short acetylated alpha-tubulin fragments, and the decrease of microtubule-rich protrusions. Dynamins 1 and 2 double-knockout podocytes showed dispersed acetylated alpha-tubulin and rare protrusions. In vitro, dynamin 1 polymerized around microtubules and cross-linked them into bundles, and increased their resistance to the disassembly-inducing reagents Ca(2+)and podophyllotoxin. In addition, overexpression and depletion of dynamin 1 in MPCs increased and decreased the nocodazole resistance of microtubules, respectively. These results suggest that dynamin 1 supports the microtubule bundle formation and participates in the stabilization of microtubules

Origin of myofibroblasts in liver fibrosis

Most chronic liver diseases of all etiologies result in progressive liver fibrosis. Myofibroblasts produce the extracellular matrix, including type I collagen, which constitutes the fibrous scar in liver fibrosis. Normal liver has little type I collagen and no detectable myofibroblasts, but myofibroblasts appear early in experimental and clinical liver injury. The origin of the myofibroblast in liver fibrosis is still unresolved. The possibilities include activation of endogenous mesenchymal cells including fibroblasts and hepatic stellate cells, recruitment from the bone marrow, and transformation of epithelial or endothelial cells to myofibroblasts. In fact, the origin of myofibroblasts may be different for different types of chronic liver diseases, such as cholestatic liver disease or hepatotoxic liver disease. This review will examine our current understanding of the liver myofibroblast

Use of anthropometric indicators in screening for undiagnosed vertebral fractures: A cross-sectional analysis of the Fukui Osteoporosis Cohort (FOC) study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vertebral fractures are the most common type of osteoporotic fracture. Although often asymptomatic, each vertebral fracture increases the risk of additional fractures. Development of a safe and simple screening method is necessary to identify individuals with asymptomatic vertebral fractures.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Lateral imaging of the spine by single energy X-ray absorptiometry and vertebral morphometry were conducted in 116 Japanese women (mean age: 69.9 ± 9.3 yr). Vertebral deformities were diagnosed by the McCloskey-Kanis criteria and were used as a proxy for vertebral fractures. We evaluated whether anthropometric parameters including arm span-height difference (AHD), wall-occiput distance (WOD), and rib-pelvis distance (RPD) were related to vertebral deformities. Positive findings were defined for AHD as ≥ 4.0 cm, for WOD as ≥ 5 mm, and for RPD as ≤ two fingerbreadths. Receiver operating characteristics curves analysis was performed, and cut-off values were determined to give maximum difference between sensitivity and false-positive rate. Expected probabilities for vertebral deformities were calculated using logistic regression analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mean AHD for those participants with and without vertebral deformities were 7.0 ± 4.1 cm and 4.2 ± 4.2 cm (p < 0.01), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for use of AHD-positive, WOD-positive and RPD-positive values in predicting vertebral deformities were 0.85 (95% CI: 0.69, 1.01) and 0.52 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.62); 0.70 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.90) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.76); and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.47, 0.87) and 0.59 (95% CI: 0.50, 0.69), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio for a positive result (LR) for use of combined AHD-positive and WOD-positive values were 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44, 0.86), 0.81 (95% CI: 0.73, 0.89), and 3.47 (95% CI: 3.01, 3.99), respectively. The expected probability of vertebral deformities (P) was obtained by the equation; P = 1-(exp [-1.327-0.040 × body weight +1.332 × WOD-positive + 1.623 × AHD-positive])^-1. The sensitivity, specificity and LR for use of a 0.306 cut-off value for probability of vertebral fractures were 0.65 (95% CI: 0.44, 0.86), 0.87 (95% CI: 0.80, 0.93), and 4.82 (95% CI: 4.00, 5.77), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Both WOD and AHD effectively predicted vertebral deformities. This screening method could be used in a strategy to prevent additional vertebral fractures, even when X-ray technology is not available.</p