Effects of pulsing procedure of interleukin-12 in combination with interleukin-2 on the activation of peripheral blood lymphocytes derived from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

In patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), natural killer (NK) cell activity decreases significantly, and the reduced activity may be associated with the progression of HCC. In this study we evaluated the effects of pulsing with interleukin (IL)-2 and/or IL-12 on the activation of freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) derived from patients with HCC. PBL obtained from 9 HCC patients, 4 liver cirrhosis patients, and 9 normal subjects were cultured in the presence of IL-2 and/or IL-12. After 24 h of incubation, the levels of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha presented in the supernatants were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha production of PBL pulsed by a combination of IL-2 and IL-12 was significantly higher than those of PBL stimulated by either IL-2 or IL-12 alone. The mRNA encoding perforin, granzyme B, as well as IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, were markedly enhanced in PBL stimulated with a combination of IL-12 and IL-2. The pulsing procedure of IL-12 in combination with IL-2 resulted in the increase of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, and the expression of perforin and granzyme B mRNA in PBL obtained from HCC patients, as well as in those obtained from normal subjects. These results indicate that adoptive immunotherapy based on PBL pulsed with a combination of IL-2 and IL-12 may be a promising adjunctive strategy for HCC treatment.</p

The adverse effect of an unplanned surgical excision of foot soft tissue sarcoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malignant soft tissue tumors of the foot are extremely rare and thus can be prematurely excised without appropriate preoperative evaluation. The present study compares adverse effects between unplanned and planned surgical excisions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records, radiographs, pathology reports and pathological specimens of 14 consecutive patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the foot among 592 with sarcomas between 1973 and 2009. We then compared the incidence and clinical outcomes after unplanned (UT; n = 5) and planned (PT; n = 9) surgical excisions of foot sarcomas.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The most frequent diagnosis was synovial sarcoma (n = 4; 28.6%). The overall 5-year survival rates of the PT and UT groups were 65.6% and 60.0%, respectively, and the event-free 5-year survival rates were 63.5% and 40.0%, respectively. Event-free and overall survival rates did not significantly differ between the two groups. However, tumors were significantly larger in the PT group than in the UT group (p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Unplanned resection lead to a relatively worse prognosis and a likelihood of recurrence despite additional resections. We recommend that soft tumors of the foot should only be excised after appropriate preoperative evaluation regardless of the size of the tumor.</p

Guanabenz Downregulates Inflammatory Responses via eIF2α Dependent and Independent Signaling

Integrated stress responses (ISR) may lead to cell death and tissue degeneration via eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 α (eIF2α)-mediated signaling. Alleviating ISR by modulating eIF2α phosphorylation can reduce the symptoms associated with various diseases. Guanabenz is known to elevate the phosphorylation level of eIF2α and reduce pro-inflammatory responses. However, the mechanism of its action is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the signaling pathway through which guanabenz induces anti-inflammatory effects in immune cells, in particular macrophages. Genome-wide mRNA profiling followed by principal component analysis predicted that colony stimulating factor 2 (Csf2, or GM-CSF as granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor) is involved in the responses to guanabenz. A partial silencing of Csf2 or eIF2α by RNA interference revealed that Interleukin-6 (IL6), Csf2, and Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox2) are downregulated by guanabenz-driven phosphorylation of eIF2α. Although expression of IL1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNFα) was suppressed by guanabenz, their downregulation was not directly mediated by eIF2α signaling. Collectively, the result herein indicates that anti-inflammatory effects by guanabenz are mediated by not only eIF2α-dependent but also eIF2α-independent signaling

Predicting and validating the pathway of Wnt3a-driven suppression of osteoclastogenesis

20 Wnt signaling plays a major role in bone homeostasis and mechanotransduction, but its role and regulatory 21 mechanism in osteoclast development are not fully understood. Through genome-wide in silico analysis, we 22 examined Wnt3a-driven regulation of osteoclast development. Mouse bone marrow-derived cells were incubated 23 with RANKL in the presence and absence of Wnt3a. Using microarray mRNA expression data, we conducted a 24 principal component analysis and predicted transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) that were potentially 25 involved in the responses to RANKL and Wnt3a. The principal component analysis predicted potential Wnt3a 26 responsive regulators that would reverse osteoclast development, and a TFBS prediction algorithm indicated 27 that the AP1 binding site would be linked to Wnt3a-driven suppression. Since c-Fos was upregulated by RANKL 28 and downregulated by Wnt3a in a dose-dependent manner, we examined its role using RNA interference. The 29 partial silencing of c-Fos suppressed RANKL-driven osteoclastogenesis by downregulating NFATc1, a master 30 transcription factor of osteoclast development. Although the involvement of c-Myc was predicted and partial 31 silencing c-Myc slightly reduced the level of TRAP, c-Myc silencing did not alter the expression of NFATc1. 32 Collectively, the presented systems-biology approach demonstrates that Wnt3a attenuates RANKL-driven 33 osteoclastogenesis by blocking c-Fos expression and suggests that mechanotransduction of bone alters the 34 development of not only osteoblasts but also osteoclasts through Wnt signaling. 3

Review Article : Feudalism or Absolute Monarchism?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68809/2/10.1177_009770049001600304.pd

Complications Associated With Spine Surgery in Patients Aged 80 Years or Older: Japan Association of Spine Surgeons with Ambition (JASA) Multicenter Study

Study Design:Retrospective study of registry data.Objectives:Aging of society and recent advances in surgical techniques and general anesthesia have increased the demand for spinal surgery in elderly patients. Many complications have been described in elderly patients, but a multicenter study of perioperative complications in spinal surgery in patients aged 80 years or older has not been reported. Therefore, the goal of the study was to analyze complications associated with spine surgery in patients aged 80 years or older with cervical, thoracic, or lumbar lesions.Methods:A multicenter study was performed in patients aged 80 years or older who underwent 262 spinal surgeries at 35 facilities. The frequency and severity of complications were examined for perioperative complications, including intraoperative and postoperative complications, and for major postoperative complications that were potentially life threatening, required reoperation in the perioperative period, or left a permanent injury.Results:Perioperative complications occurred in 75 of the 262 surgeries (29%) and 33 were major complications (13%). In multivariate logistic regression, age over 85 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.007, P = 0.025) and estimated blood loss ≥500 g (HR = 3.076, P = .004) were significantly associated with perioperative complications, and an operative time ≥180 min (HR = 2.78, P = .007) was significantly associated with major complications.Conclusions:Elderly patients aged 80 years or older with comorbidities are at higher risk for complications. Increased surgical invasion, and particularly a long operative time, can cause serious complications that may be life threatening. Therefore, careful decisions are required with regard to the surgical indication and procedure in elderly patients

In Search of a New Effective International Climate Framework for Post-2020: A Proposal for an Upstream Global Carbon Market

Given the urgency and the magnitude of emission cuts required to arrest the global temperature rise at an acceptable level (like 2 degrees Celsius), it is imperative that action to mitigate climate change is taken at the lowest cost. This can be done if a cost effective set of policy tools with a focus on carbon pricing is applied as broadly as possible across all emission sources. In view of the emerging consensus on the temperature target like 2 degrees Celsius, it is imperative that climate scheme caps global emissions rather than allowing governments to arbitrarily pledge their intended cuts. Global emissions must be contained within the limit of carbon budget that achieves temperature objectives. Emission allowances must be issued in accordance with such limit and be sold to the global demand of emitters. Such sales of carbon budget give rise to both the most accurate carbon pricing as well as new revenue that can be used for much needed climate financing for developing countries. A new climate regime along those lines would stop global warming at an acceptable level, provide a new large climate funding that would integrate developing countries to a global low-carbon growth and transformation and keep all economies thriving, whether they are developing, emerging or developed. The post-2020 climate regime must be nimble and effective, not unwieldy and least burdensome. It must also be durable and fully congruent to the economic realities of the coming decades

In Search of a New Effective International Climate Framework for Post-2020: A Proposal for an Upstream Global Carbon Market

Given the urgency and the magnitude of emission cuts required to arrest the global temperature rise at an acceptable level (like 2 degrees Celsius), it is imperative that action to mitigate climate change is taken at the lowest cost. This can be done if a cost effective set of policy tools with a focus on carbon pricing is applied as broadly as possible across all emission sources. In view of the emerging consensus on the temperature target like 2 degrees Celsius, it is imperative that climate scheme caps global emissions rather than allowing governments to arbitrarily pledge their intended cuts. Global emissions must be contained within the limit of carbon budget that achieves temperature objectives. Emission allowances must be issued in accordance with such limit and be sold to the global demand of emitters. Such sales of carbon budget give rise to both the most accurate carbon pricing as well as new revenue that can be used for much needed climate financing for developing countries. A new climate regime along those lines would stop global warming at an acceptable level, provide a new large climate funding that would integrate developing countries to a global low-carbon growth and transformation and keep all economies thriving, whether they are developing, emerging or developed. The post-2020 climate regime must be nimble and effective, not unwieldy and least burdensome. It must also be durable and fully congruent to the economic realities of the coming decades.