Regulatory Effect of Lymphokine-Activated Killer Cells on Epidermal Proliferation Induced by Cholera Toxin in Mice

We investigated the effects of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells on epidermal hyperplasia induced by cholera toxin (CT). LAK cells showed cytotoxic activity against both tumor cell lines and proliferating normal cells including skin epidermal cells. When 1 x 10(7) LAK cells were injected intradermally together with 1.0 ng of CT, epidermal hyperplasia was markedly suppressed. The LAK effectors inhibiting epidermal hyperplasia showed surface phenotypes of asialo-GM1+, Thy-1+, Lyt-2- and L3T4-, that were different from those of LAK cells killing tumor cells in vitro. Epidermal hyperplasia induced by CT was not suppressed by topical administration of cytokines such as interleukin-2, interferon and tumor necrosis factor. Therefore, the antiproliferative effect of LAK cells might be attributed to their direct action on the epidermal cells.</p

Evolutionally Conserved Function of Kisspeptin Neuronal System Is Nonreproductive Regulation as Revealed by Nonmammalian Study

The kisspeptin neuronal system, which consists of a neuropeptide kisspeptin and its receptor Gpr54, is considered in mammals a key factor of reproductive regulation, the so-called hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. However, in nonmammalian vertebrates, especially in teleosts, existence of kisspeptin regulation on the HPG axis is still controversial. In this study, we applied multidisciplinary techniques to a teleost fish, medaka, and examined possible kisspeptin regulation on the HPG axis. First, we generated knockout medaka for kisspeptin-related genes and found that they show normal fertility, gonadal maturation, and expression of gonadotropins. Moreover, the firing activity of GnRH1 neurons recorded by the patch clamp technique was not altered by kisspeptin application. Furthermore, in goldfish, in vivo kisspeptin administration did not show any positive effect on HPG axis regulation. However, as kisspeptin genes are completely conserved among vertebrates except birds, we surmised that kisspeptin should have some important nonreproductive functions in vertebrates. Therefore, to discover novel functions of kisspeptin, we generated a gpr54-1:enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic medaka, whose gpr54-1–expressing cells are specifically labeled by EGFP. Analysis of neuronal projection of gpr54-1:EGFP–expressing neurons showed that these neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area project to the pituitary and are probably involved in endocrine regulation other than gonadotropin release. Furthermore, combination of deep sequencing, histological, and electrophysiological analyses revealed various novel neural systems that are under control of kisspeptin neurons—that is, those expressing neuropeptide Yb, cholecystokinin, isotocin, vasotocin, and neuropeptide B. Thus, our new strategy to genetically label receptor-expressing neurons gives insights into various kisspeptin-dependent neuronal systems that may be conserved in vertebrates

Combined therapy with interleukin 2 and indomethacin in mice inoculated with MH134 hepatoma.

The antitumor effects of indomethacin and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were studied in C3H/HeJ mice inoculated with MH134 hepatoma cells. Combined treatment with indomethacin and IL-2 augmented natural killer (NK) cells in mice with MH134-induced peritoneal carcinomatosis, and the survival of the treated mice was significantly longer than the non-treated mice. In animals with subcutaneous MH134 tumors, the combined therapy with indomethacin and IL-2 significantly suppressed tumor growth and induced complete regression of the tumor in three out of five mice. These results suggest that indomethacin and IL-2 therapy could be effective on human gastrointestinal cancer cells as well.</p

Atomic-scale flattening of SiC surfaces by electroless chemical etching in HF solution with Pt catalyst

The authors present a method for flattening SiC surfaces with Pt as a catalyst in HF solution. The mechanism for flattening SiC surfaces is discussed. The flattened 4H-SiC (0001) surface is composed of alternating wide and narrow terraces with single-bilayer-height steps, which are induced by the rate difference of the catalytic reactions between adjacent terraces. Scanning tunneling microscopy images reveal a 1×1 phase on the terraces. The 1×1 phase is composed of coexisting of F- and OH-terminated Si atoms, which originate from the polarization of the underlying Si-C bonds. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.Kenta Arima, Hideyuki Hara, et al. "Atomic-scale flattening of SiC surfaces by electroless chemical etching in HF solution with Pt catalyst", Appl. Phys. Lett. 90(20), 202106 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2739084

Transcriptomic analysis reveals differences in the regulation of amino acid metabolism in asexual and sexual planarians

Abstract Many flatworms can alternate between asexual and sexual reproduction. This is a powerful reproductive strategy enabling them to benefit from the features of the two reproductive modes, namely, rapid multiplication and genetic shuffling. The two reproductive modes are enabled by the presence of pluripotent adult stem cells (neoblasts), by generating any type of tissue in the asexual mode, and producing and maintaining germ cells in the sexual mode. In the current study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to compare the transcriptomes of two phenotypes of the planarian Dugesia ryukyuensis: an asexual OH strain and an experimentally sexualized OH strain. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed striking differences in amino acid metabolism in the two worm types. Further, the analysis identified serotonin as a new bioactive substance that induced the planarian ovary de novo in a postembryonic manner. These findings suggest that different metabolic states and physiological conditions evoked by sex-inducing substances likely modulate stem cell behavior, depending on their different function in the asexual and sexual reproductive modes. The combination of RNA-seq and a feeding assay in D. ryukyuensis is a powerful tool for studying the alternation of reproductive modes, disentangling the relationship between gene expression and chemical signaling molecules

Integrating Cancer Patients’ Satisfaction with Rescue Medication in Pain Assessments

A patient’s pain intensity rating alone is insufficient grounds for determining the pain medication and dosage to administer daily. This study aimed to investigate whether a convenient assessment method could be developed that would reflect the effectiveness of an opioid analgesic on cancer patients’ pain management. We investigated pain intensity （worst, least, average, current） and the effectiveness of the opioid rescue medication in terms of patient satisfaction. This study used Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients to evaluate the relationships between patient satisfaction with rescue medication and both pain intensity and the medication’s perceived effectiveness. Data from 60 participants with a mean age of 60.5±11.4 years （range: 31-79 years） were analyzed. Thirty-eight （63.3%） participants were male, and 22 （36.7%） were female. The correlations found between rescue medication satisfaction and both the worst numerical rating scale （NRS） rating （r＝−0.15, P＝0.16） and the average NRS rating （r＝−0.13, P＝0.13） were not statistically significant. A significant positive correlation was observed between rescue medication satisfaction and the medication’s perceived effectiveness （r＝0.79, P＜0.0001）. Patient satisfaction with their rescue medication can be routinely assessed without imposing a significant burden on the patient. A new assessment method incorporating rescue medication satisfaction and pain intensity measures could allow routine pain assessments to reflect both pain intensity and the effectiveness of opioid analgesics. This new assessment method is potentially preferable to self-reported pain intensity and can identify patients for whom treatment is a priority. It also facilitates rapid dose adjustments and reduces the side effects of overdose due to unnecessary increases in opioid analgesics

Evolutionally Conserved Function of Kisspeptin Neuronal System Is Nonreproductive Regulation as Revealed by Nonmammalian Study

The kisspeptin neuronal system, which consists of a neuropeptide kisspeptin and its receptor Gpr54, is considered in mammals a key factor of reproductive regulation, the so-called hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. However, in nonmammalian vertebrates, especially in teleosts, existence of kisspeptin regulation on the HPG axis is still controversial. In this study, we applied multidisciplinary techniques to a teleost fish, medaka, and examined possible kisspeptin regulation on the HPG axis. First, we generated knockout medaka for kisspeptin-related genes and found that they show normal fertility, gonadal maturation, and expression of gonadotropins. Moreover, the firing activity of GnRH1 neurons recorded by the patch clamp technique was not altered by kisspeptin application. Furthermore, in goldfish, in vivo kisspeptin administration did not show any positive effect on HPG axis regulation. However, as kisspeptin genes are completely conserved among vertebrates except birds, we surmised that kisspeptin should have some important nonreproductive functions in vertebrates. Therefore, to discover novel functions of kisspeptin, we generated a gpr54-1:enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic medaka, whose gpr54-1–expressing cells are specifically labeled by EGFP. Analysis of neuronal projection of gpr54-1:EGFP–expressing neurons showed that these neurons in the ventrolateral preoptic area project to the pituitary and are probably involved in endocrine regulation other than gonadotropin release. Furthermore, combination of deep sequencing, histological, and electrophysiological analyses revealed various novel neural systems that are under control of kisspeptin neurons—that is, those expressing neuropeptide Yb, cholecystokinin, isotocin, vasotocin, and neuropeptide B. Thus, our new strategy to genetically label receptor-expressing neurons gives insights into various kisspeptin-dependent neuronal systems that may be conserved in vertebrates

Tokyo Guidelines 2018 management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis

Management bundles that define items or procedures strongly recommended in clinical practice have been used in many guidelines in recent years. Application of these bundles facilitates the adaptation of guidelines and helps improve the prognosis of target diseases. In Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13), we proposed management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Here, in Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18), we redefine the management bundles for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Critical parts of the bundles in TG18 include the diagnostic process, severity assessment, transfer of patients if necessary, and therapeutic approach at each time point. Observance of these items and procedures should improve the prognosis of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis. Studies are now needed to evaluate the dissemination of these TG18 bundles and their effectiveness. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: . Related clinical questions and references are also include