Generation and Characterization of Conditional Heparin-Binding EGF-Like Growth Factor Knockout Mice

Recently, neurotrophic factors and cytokines have been shown to be associated in psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a member of the EGF family, serves as a neurotrophic molecular and plays a significant role in the brain. We generated mice in which HB-EGF activity is disrupted specifically in the ventral forebrain. These knockout mice showed (a) behavioral abnormalities similar to those described in psychiatric disorders, which were ameliorated by typical or atypical antipsychotics, (b) altered dopamine and serotonin levels in the brain, (c) decreases in spine density in neurons of the prefrontal cortex, (d) reductions in the protein levels of the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and post-synaptic protein-95 (PSD-95), (e) decreases in the EGF receptor, and in the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II) signal cascade. These results suggest the alterations affecting HB-EGF signaling could comprise a contributing factor in psychiatric disorder

Pharmacometabolomics of Response to Sertraline and to Placebo in Major Depressive Disorder - Possible Role for Methoxyindole Pathway

10.1371/journal.pone.0068283PLoS ONE87-POLN

Acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis as the initial presentation of the disease

The clinical course of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is generally marked by a decline in pulmonary function over time, although recently there is increasing recognition that fatal deterioration from acute exacerbation can occur at any stage. The patient described in the present case study was a 65-yr-old male who presented with exertional dyspnoea and fever of 2 weeks' duration. He had no history of chronic lung disease or physiological or radiological hallmarks of pre-existing disease. He underwent surgical lung biopsy and the histological examination showed a background pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) with a pattern of focal acute diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in the area where normal lung architecture was preserved. It is notable that the pathological diagnosis of this rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia was DAD on UIP, which is typically seen in acute exacerbations of IPF. Unusual findings on high-resolution computed tomography scan were also noted. We presume that in this case acute exacerbation developed in the very early course of IPF. Given the possibility that similar cases may have arisen among patients diagnosed with acute interstitial pneumonia or acute respiratory distress syndrome, the histopathology of rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia may need to be revisited

Chronic bird fancier's lung: histopathological and clinical correlation. An application of the 2002 ATS/ERS consensus classification of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias

Background: Chronic bird fancier's lung (BFL) has often been misdiagnosed as one of the idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs). Methods: To define the clinical and pathological characteristics of chronic BFL, 26 patients with chronic BFL from whom a surgical lung biopsy specimen was taken between October 1992 and June 2001 were evaluated. The histopathological characteristics of the surgical lung biopsy specimens were examined and correlations between the histopathology and clinical characteristics were analysed. The quality of chronic inflammatory and fibrotic changes was expressed according to the 2002 ATS/ERS consensus classification of IIPs. Results: Two patients were diagnosed as having bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia (BOOP)-like lesions, five as having cellular non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP)-like lesions, and eight as having fibrotic NSIP-like lesions. The other 11 patients were considered to have usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP)-like lesions because of the temporal heterogeneous appearances of the fibrotic changes. However, fibrosis in these patients had developed in centrilobular as well as perilobular areas, suggestive of hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Nineteen patients (73.1%) had multinucleated giant cells, often with cholesterol clefts, while only five patients (19.2%) had granulomas. Patients with BOOP-like or cellular NSIP-like lesions tended to have recurrent acute episodes, whereas patients with UIP-like lesions had an insidious onset. Patients with BOOP-like or cellular NSIP-like lesions had a more favourable outcome than those with fibrotic NSIP-like and UIP-like lesions. Conclusions: The qualities of chronic inflammatory and fibrotic lesions vary significantly among patients with chronic BFL but correlate with clinical features and prognosis

Confirmation of the factorial structure of the Japanese short version of the TEMPS-A in psychiatric patients and general adults [Corrigendum]

Nakato Y, Inoue T, Nakagawa S, Kitaichi Y, Kameyama R, Wakatsuki Y, Kitagawa K, Omiya Y, Kusumi I.Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016;12: 2173–2179. On pages 2175 and 2177, Figures 1 and 2 were transposed.The correct version of Figure 1 is shown.  Read the original articl

Increase of macrophage migration inhibitory factor in sera of patients with iridocyclitis

AIMS—To determine whether macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels were increased in sera of the patients with iridocyclitis.
METHODS—Sera were obtained from 41 patients with acute iridocyclitis, 13 patients with chronic iridocyclitis, and 44 healthy control subjects. MIF levels were determined by a human MIF ELISA.
RESULTS—The average levels of MIF in the sera of patients with both acute and chronic iridocyclitis were significantly higher than that of healthy subjects.
CONCLUSION—Uveitis induces the elevation of serum MIF, which may affect various inflammatory symptoms in uveitis.