Past infections and low ACPA in RA

Background : Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, is believed to occur as the result of actions of genetic and environmental factors. In this study, we examined the relation of past histories about infectious diseases with the levels anti-citrullinated protein autoantibodies (ACPA) in RA. Methods : Results of a questionnaire about histories of infectious diseases were obtained from 85 patients with RA, and were analyzed. Results : Significantly lower level of ACPA was detected in patients with the history of tonsillitis, otitis media or urinary cystitis than in those without it. There was no difference in the level of ACPA in RA patients between with and without cold / influenza, rubella, chickenpox, herpes labialis or herpes zoster. When RA patients were divided into two groups, high-level and low-level ACPA, multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that the history of otitis media was a significantly independent factor for the low level of ACPA. There was no significant relation between the level of rheumatoid factor and histories of infectious diseases. Conclusion : This study clarified that the past history of otitis media is associated with the low level of ACPA in RA

Fabrication of Alumina Coating on Ni-Al Alloy Microchannel Wall for Catalyst Supporting

High-temperature oxidation of the inner wall of a microchannel has been examined in order to fabricate an oxide coating for catalyst supporting. The microchannel was produced in a nickel body by a powder metallurgical microchanneling process, and it was lined with a NiAl intermetallic alloy layer. By high-temperature oxidation, an alumina scale was fabricated on the surface of the microchannel lining layer. In some cases, the alumina scale had a needle-like structure on its surface

LAT1-Targeting Thermoresponsive Liposomes for Effective Cellular Uptake by Cancer Cells

L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is a transporter that is more highly expressed in cancer cells compared with normal cells. In the present study, liposomes, composed of egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC) and dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine, were modified with LAT1-targeting thermoresponsive polymer, l-tyrosine-conjugated poly­(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N,N-dimethylacrylamide) (P­(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm)). The cellular uptake of the prepared LAT1-targeting liposomes was evaluated using HeLa cells as a cancer cell model. At temperatures above the polymer’s lower critical solution temperature, uptake of the liposomes into cells was observed because the polymer at the liposome surface became hydrophobic and interacted with the cell membrane. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that l-tyrosine-P­(NIPAAm-co-DMAAm)-liposomes exhibited markedly increased cellular uptake by HeLa cells compared with that of liposomes not modified with l-tyrosine. This result indicated that cellular uptake of liposomes can be enhanced by the affinity between l-tyrosine and the LAT1 of HeLa cells. The developed functional liposomes, which exhibit both thermoresponsive and LAT1-targeting properties, would be appropriate for temperature-modulated drug delivery and imaging with good targeting ability