Effect of Saliva on Candidal Adherence to Polymethyl Methacrylate Resin

The adherence of Candida species to saliva-coated plates of polymethyl methacrylate resin was studied physico-chemically. Saliva-coating of the resin plate caused increasing adherence of C. albicans, whereas it caused decreasing adherence of C. tropicalis. The hydrophobicities of the surfaces of the resin plate and the candidal cells were evaluated by a contact angle method, and surface free energies of these surfaces were calculated. The candidal cell adherence to the saliva-coated plates was highly correlated with the free energy change in hydrophobic interaction

Panretinal Photocoagulation Using Short-Pulse Laser Induces Less Inflammation and Macular Thickening in Patients with Diabetic Retinopathy

We compared the effect of panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) using short-pulse laser (SPL) and conventional laser, regardless of the number of spots, in terms of their effect on the progression of diabetic macular edema (DME) and anterior flare intensity (AFI) in patients with high-risk nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (non-PDR). Forty-two eyes of 42 patients were subjected to PRP using the conventional argon laser (Conv group) or SPL (SPL group). CRT and AFI levels in the SPL group were significantly lower than those in the Conv group (CRT at 4, 6, and 10 weeks; AFI at 6, 10, and 18 weeks). Eyes of rabbits were photocoagulated using conventional laser with 500 spots (Conv 500s), SPL with 500 spots (SPL 500s), or 1000 spots (SPL 1000s). Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) levels in vitreous humor were measured using an immunoassay. Compared to conventional laser, VEGF, IL-6, and MCP-1 levels were significantly lower in the SPL 1000s and SPL 500s groups. In patients with high-risk non-PDR, SPL has a greater preventive effect on the progression of DME and AFI and produces less inflammatory cytokines than conventional lasers

Changes in the deep vasculature assessed using anterior segment OCT angiography following trabecular meshwork targeted minimally invasive glaucoma surgery

The effect of trabecular meshwork (TM)-targeted minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) on the vasculature assessed using anterior segment (AS)-optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has not been established. In this prospective, longitudinal study, we investigated changes in the deep vasculature following TM-targeted MIGS using AS-OCTA for open-angle glaucoma in 31 patients. AS-OCTA images of the sclera and conjunctiva at the nasal corneal limbus were acquired preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively, and the vessel densities (VDs) of the superficial (conjunctival) and deep (intrascleral) layers were calculated. The VDs before and after MIGS were compared, and the factors associated with the change in VD following MIGS were analyzed. The mean deep VD decreased from 11.98 ± 6.80% at baseline to 10.42 ± 5.02% postoperatively (P = 0.044), but superficial VD did not change (P = 0.73). The multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that deep VD reduction was directly associated with IOP reduction (P < 0.001) and preoperative IOP (P = 0.007) and inversely associated with preoperative deep VD (P < 0.001). The deep VD reduction following MIGS was significant in the successful group (21 eyes) (P = 0.032) but not in the unsuccessful group (10 eyes) (P = 0.49). The deep VDs assessed using AS-OCTA decreased following TM-targeted MIGS, especially in the eyes with good surgical outcomes

Prediction of trabecular meshwork-targeted micro-invasive glaucoma surgery outcomes using anterior segment OCT angiography

前眼部OCTAを用いた線維柱帯切開術効果予測 --房水主流出路の可視化による緑内障手術予後予測の可能性--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-09-09.We performed a prospective, longitudinal study to investigate the association between the preoperative intrascleral vasculature assessed using anterior segment (AS)-optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and surgical outcomes of trabecular meshwork-targeted micro- or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). We included 37 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma. Preoperative AS-OCTA images of the sclero-conjunctiva of the nasal corneal limbus were acquired in the superficial (conjunctival) and deep (intrascleral) layers. The vessel densities (VDs) of each layer were measured separately in the entire area, limbal side, and fornix area. Surgical success was determined by postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and IOP reduction. Twenty-three and 14 eyes were classified as having successful and unsuccessful outcomes, respectively. The deep VDs of the entire area and fornix area were significantly lower in the successful group (P = 0.031 and P = 0.009). The success rate was significantly higher for eyes with a lower deep VD than for eyes with a higher deep VD. A greater IOP reduction was significantly associated with lower deep VD in the fornix area (P = 0.022) and higher preoperative IOP (P < 0.001). These results indicate that intrascleral vasculature assessed using preoperative AS-OCTA was negatively correlated with surgical success and IOP reduction resulting from trabecular meshwork-targeted MIGS. AS-OCTA images might help predict MIGS outcomes

CCN3 (NOV) Drives Degradative Changes in Aging Articular Cartilage

Aging is a major risk factor of osteoarthritis, which is characterized by the degeneration of articular cartilage. CCN3, a member of the CCN family, is expressed in cartilage and has various physiological functions during chondrocyte development, differentiation, and regeneration. Here, we examine the role of CCN3 in cartilage maintenance. During aging, the expression of Ccn3 mRNA in mouse primary chondrocytes from knee cartilage increased and showed a positive correlation with p21 and p53 mRNA. Increased accumulation of CCN3 protein was confirmed. To analyze the effects of CCN3 in vitro, either primary cultured human articular chondrocytes or rat chondrosarcoma cell line (RCS) were used. Artificial senescence induced by H2O2 caused a dose-dependent increase in Ccn3 gene and CCN3 protein expression, along with enhanced expression of p21 and p53 mRNA and proteins, as well as SA-beta gal activity. Overexpression of CCN3 also enhanced p21 promoter activity via p53. Accordingly, the addition of recombinant CCN3 protein to the culture increased the expression of p21 and p53 mRNAs. We have produced cartilage-specific CCN3-overexpressing transgenic mice, and found degradative changes in knee joints within two months. Inflammatory gene expression was found even in the rib chondrocytes of three-month-old transgenic mice. Similar results were observed in human knee articular chondrocytes from patients at both mRNA and protein levels. These results indicate that CCN3 is a new senescence marker of chondrocytes, and the overexpression of CCN3 in cartilage may in part promote chondrocyte senescence, leading to the degeneration of articular cartilage through the induction of p53 and p21

Formation of an Ultracarbonaceous Antarctic Micrometeorite through Minimum Aqueous Alteration in a Small Porous Icy Body

A comprehensive study of the organic chemistry and mineralogy of an ultracarbonaceous micrometeorite (UCAMM D05IB80) collected from near the Dome Fuji Station, Antarctica, was carried out to understand the genetic relationship among organic materials, silicates, and water. The micrometeorite is composed of a dense aggregate of ∼5 µm-sized hollow ellipsoidal organic material containing submicrometer-sized phases such as glass with embedded metal and sulfides (GEMS) and mineral grains. There is a wide area of organic material (∼15 × 15 μm) in its interior. Low-Ca pyroxene is much more abundant than olivine and shows various Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratios ranging from ∼1.0 to 0.78, which is common to previous works on UCAMMs. By contrast, GEMS grains in this UCAMM have unusual chemical compositions. They are depleted in both Mg and S, which suggests that these elements were leached out from the GEMS grains during very weak aqueous alteration, without the formation of phyllosilicates. The organic materials have two textures—smooth and globular with an irregular outline—and these are composed of imine, nitrile and/or aromatic nitrogen heterocycles, and amide. The ratio of nitrogen to carbon (N/C) in the smooth region of the organics is ∼0.15, which is five times higher than that of insoluble organic macromolecules in types 1 and 2 carbonaceous chondritic meteorites. In addition, the UCAMM organic materials are soluble in epoxy and are thus hydrophilic; this polar nature indicates that they are very primitive. The surface of the material is coated with an inorganic layer, a few nanometers thick, that consists of C, O, Si, S, and Fe. Sulfur is also contained in the interior, implying the presence of organosulfur moieties. There are no isotopic anomalies of D, 13C, or 15N in the organic material. Interstellar photochemistry alone would not be sufficient to explain the N/C ratio of the UCAMM organics; therefore, we suggest that a very small amount of fluid on a comet must have been necessary for the formation of the UCAMM. The GEMS grains depleted in Mg and S in the UCAMM prove a very weak degree of aqueous alteration; weaker than that of carbonaceous chondrites. Short-duration weak alteration probably caused by planetesimal shock locally melted cometary ice grains and released water that dissolved the organics; the fluid would likely have not mobilized because of the very low thermal conductivity of the porous icy body. This event allowed the formation of the large organic puddle of the UCAMM, as well as organic matter sulfurization, formation of thin membrane-like layers of minerals, and deformation of organic nanoglobules.アクセプト後にタイトル・アブストラクト等変更あり、著者最終稿は変更前のタイトル"Formation of an Ultracarbonaceous Antarctic Micrometeorite through Minimum Aqueous Alteration in a Small Porous Icy Body"This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (No. 22224010, PI: H. Nagahara). The STXM facility at the beamline 5.3.2.2, ALS, is supported by the Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences Program

Initial Evaluation of [18F]FAPI-74 PET for Various Histopathologically Confirmed Cancers and Benign Lesions

The 18F-labeled fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) [18F]FAPI- 74 has the benefit of a higher synthetic yield and better image resolution than 68Ga-labeled FAPI. We preliminarily evaluated the diagnostic performance of [18F]FAPI-74 PET in patients with various histopathologically confirmed cancers or suspected malignancies. Methods: We enrolled 31 patients (17 men and 14 women) with lung cancer (n = 7), breast cancer (n = 5), gastric cancer (n = 5), pancreatic cancer (n = 3), other cancers (n = 5), and benign tumors (n = 6). Twenty-seven of the 31 patients were treatment-naïve or preoperative, whereas recurrence was suspected in the remaining 4 patients. Histopathologic confirmation was obtained for the primary lesions of 29 of the 31 patients. In the remaining 2 patients, the final diagnosis was based on the clinical course. [18F]FAPI-74 PET scanning was performed 60min after the intravenous injection of [18F]FAPI-74 (240631 MBq). The [18F]FAPI-74 PET images were compared between the primary or local recurrent lesions of malignant tumors (n = 21) and nonmalignant lesions (n 5 8: type-B1 thymomas, granuloma, solitary fibrous tumor, and postoperative or posttherapeutic changes). The uptake and number of detected lesions on [18F]FAPI-74 PET were also compared with those on [18F]FDG PET for available patients (n = 19). Results: [18F]FAPI-74 PET showed higher uptake in primary lesions of various cancers than in nonmalignant lesions (median SUVmax, 9.39 [range, 1.83-25.28] vs. 3.49 [range, 2.21-15.58]; P = 0.053), but some of the nonmalignant lesions showed high uptake. [18F]FAPI-74 PET also showed significantly higher uptake than [18F]FDG PET (median SUVmax, 9.44 [range, 2.50-25.28] vs. 5.45 [range, 1.22-15.06] in primary lesions [P 5 0.010], 8.86 [range, 3.51-23.33] vs. 3.84 [range, 1.01-9.75] in lymph node metastases [P 5 0.002], and 6.39 [range, 0.55-12.78] vs. 1.88 [range, 0.73-8.35] in other metastases [P 5 0.046], respectively). In 6 patients, [18F]FAPI-74 PET detected more metastatic lesions than [18F]FDG PET. Conclusion: [18F]FAPI-74 PET showed higher uptake and detection rates in primary and metastatic lesions than did [18F]FDG PET. [18F]FAPI-74 PET is a promising novel diagnostic modality for various tumors, especially for precise staging before treatment, including characterization of tumor lesions before surgery. Moreover, 18F-labeled FAPI ligand might serve a higher demand in clinical care in the future.This research was originally published in JNM. Tadashi Watabe, Sadahiro Naka, Mitsuaki Tatsumi et.al. Initial Evaluation of [18F]FAPI-74 PET for Various Histopathologically Confirmed Cancers and Benign Lesions. J Nucl Med. 2023, 64(8), 1225-1231. © SNMMI