Endothelin-1 Production by Normal Human Cultured Keratinocytes and its Regulation

The possibility that cultured keratinocytes produce endothelins were investigated. The results showed that cultured keratinocytes derived from normal human skin produce endothelin-1. Moreover, keratinocyte endothelin-1 production was completely inhibited by the presence of actinomycin D in the medium. As in the case of endothelial cells, recombinant interleukin-1β was capable of promoting endothelin-1 production in keratinocytes, whereas herapin inhibited it. Thrombin also inhibited endothelin-1 production. These results indicate that the mechanism of endothelin-1 production in keratinocytes is slightly different from the mechanism in vascular endothelial cells

Cultivable Anaerobic Microbiota of Infected Root Canals

Objective. Periapical periodontitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease of the periapical tissues caused by oral bacteria invading the root canal. In the present study, profiling of the microbiota in infected root canals was performed using anaerobic culture and molecular biological techniques for bacterial identification. Methods. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects (age ranges, 34–71 years). Nine infected root canals with periapical lesions from 7 subjects were included. Samples from infected root canals were collected, followed by anaerobic culture on CDC blood agar plates. After 7 days, colony forming units (CFU) were counted and isolated bacteria were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Results. The mean bacterial count (CFU) in root canals was (0.5 ± 1.1) × 106 (range 8.0 × 101–3.1 × 106), and anaerobic bacteria were predominant (89.8%). The predominant isolates were Olsenella (25.4%), Mogibacterium (17.7%), Pseudoramibacter (17.7%), Propionibacterium (11.9%) and Parvimonas (5.9%). Conclusion. The combination of anaerobic culture and molecular biological techniques makes it possible to analyze rapidly the microbiota in infected root canals. The overwhelming majority of the isolates from infected root canals were found to be anaerobic bacteria, suggesting that the environment in root canals is anaerobic and therefore support the growth of anaerobes

Rapid Quantification of Bacteria in Infected Root Canals Using Fluorescence Reagents and a Membrane Filter: A Pilot Study on Its Clinical Application to the Evaluation of the Outcomes of Endodontic Treatment

Objective. The bacterial examination has been performed during the course of the root canal treatment. In the present pilot study, the new developed method, using fluorescence reagents and a membrane filter, was applied to the detection and quantification of bacteria in infected root canals, in order to evaluate the outcomes of the treatment. Methods. Six infected root canals with periapical lesions from 5 subjects were included. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects (age ranges, 23–79 years). Samples from infected root canals were collected at the beginning of the treatment (termed #25 First), the end of the first day of treatment (termed #55 First), and the next appointment day (termed #55 Second). Then, the bacterial count (CFU) was measured using fluorescence reagents (4′,6′-diamidino-2-phenylindole and propidium iodide) and the polycarbonate membrane filter by Bioplorer. Results. The mean ± SD of CFU in the sample of “#25 First” was (1.0 ± 1.4) × 105. As the root canal treatment progressed, the CFU decreased as 7.9 × 103 (#55 First) and 4.3 × 102 (#55 Second). Conclusion. In the present pilot study, rapid detection and quantification of bacteria in infected root canals were found to be successfully performed using fluorescence reagents and a membrane filter (Bioplorer analysis)

Giant liver hemangioma resected by trisectorectomy after efficient volume reduction by transcatheter arterial embolization: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Liver hemangiomas are the most common benign liver tumors, usually small in size and requiring no treatment. Giant hemangiomas complicated with consumptive coagulopathy (Kasabach-Merritt syndrome) or causing severe incapacitating symptoms, however, are generally considered an absolute indication for surgical resection. Here, we present the case of a giant hemangioma, which was, to the best of our knowledge, one of the largest ever reported.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 38-year-old Asian man was referred to our hospital with complaints of severe abdominal distension and pancytopenia. Examinations at the first visit revealed a right liver hemangioma occupying the abdominal cavity, protruding into the right diaphragm up to the right thoracic cavity and extending down to the pelvic cavity, with a maximum diameter of 43 cm, complicated with "asymptomatic" Kasabach-Merritt syndrome. Based on the tumor size and the anatomic relationship between the tumor and hepatic vena cava, primary resection seemed difficult and dangerous, leading us to first perform transcatheter arterial embolization to reduce the tumor volume and to ensure the safety of future resection. The tumor volume was significantly decreased by two successive transcatheter arterial embolizations, and a conventional right trisectorectomy was then performed without difficulty to resect the tumor.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>To date, there have been several reports of aggressive surgical treatments, including extra-corporeal hepatic resection and liver transplantation, for huge hemangiomas like the present case, but because of its benign nature, every effort should be made to avoid life-threatening surgical stress for patients. Our experience demonstrates that a pre-operative arterial embolization may effectively enable the resection of large hemangiomas.</p

Regulation of cargo-selective endocytosis by dynamin 2 GTPase-activating protein girdin.

In clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), specificity and selectivity for cargoes are thought to be tightly regulated by cargo-specific adaptors for distinct cellular functions. Here, we show that the actin-binding protein girdin is a regulator of cargo-selective CME. Girdin interacts with dynamin 2, a GTPase that excises endocytic vesicles from the plasma membrane, and functions as its GTPase-activating protein. Interestingly, girdin depletion leads to the defect in clathrin-coated pit formation in the center of cells. Also, we find that girdin differentially interacts with some cargoes, which competitively prevents girdin from interacting with dynamin 2 and confers the cargo selectivity for CME. Therefore, girdin regulates transferrin and E-cadherin endocytosis in the center of cells and their subsequent polarized intracellular localization, but has no effect on integrin and epidermal growth factor receptor endocytosis that occurs at the cell periphery. Our results reveal that girdin regulates selective CME via a mechanism involving dynamin 2, but not by operating as a cargo-specific adaptor

Effectiveness of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 epidemic in Japan: vaccine effectiveness real-time surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 (VERSUS)

Background: Evaluating COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) domestically is crucial for assessing and determining national vaccination policy. This study aimed to evaluate VE of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines in Japan. Methods: We conducted a multicenter test-negative case-control study. The study comprised indivi-duals aged ≥16 visiting medical facilities with COVID-19-related signs or symptoms from 1 January to 26 June 2022, when Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 were dominant nationwide. We evaluated VE of primary and booster vaccination against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections and relative VE of booster compared with primary.Results: We enrolled 7,931 episodes, including 3,055 test positive. The median age was 39, 48.0% were male, and 20.5% had underlying medical conditions. In individuals aged 16 to 64, VE of primary vaccination within 90 days was 35.6% (95% CI, 19.0–48.8%). After booster, VE increased to 68.7% (60.6–75.1%). In individuals aged ≥65, VE of primary and booster was 31.2% (−44.0–67.1%) and 76.5% (46.7–89.7%), respectively. Relative VE of booster compared with primary vaccination was 52.9% (41.0– 62.5%) in individuals aged 16 to 64 and 65.9% (35.7–81.9%) in individuals aged ≥65.Conclusions: During BA.1 and BA.2 epidemic in Japan, mRNA COVID-19 primary vaccination provided modest protection. Booster vaccination was necessary to protect against symptomatic infections