Role of PIR-B in Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis

PIR-B, an inhibitory receptor expressed on murine B cells and myeloid cells, regulates humoral and cellular immune responses via its constitutive binding to the ligand, MHC class I molecules, on the same cells (cis) or on different cells (trans). Although it has been speculated that PIR-B is important for maintaining peripheral tolerance, PIR-B single deficiency does not cause overt autoimmune diseases. Recently, however, the combination of its deficiency with the Fas lpr mutation was found to result in augmented production of autoantibodies such as IgG rheumatoid factor and anti-DNA IgG, leading to glomerulonephritis in mice. Although the precise molecular mechanism for the overall scenario is unclear, PIR-B was found to suppress TLR9-mediated production of naturally autoreactive antibodies by innate B cells or B-1 cells by inhibiting the activation of Bruton's tyrosine kinase. Thus, PIR-B is an important regulator of innate immunity mediated by TLR9 in B-1 cells, which can otherwise provoke autoimmunity when overactivated

Iridium complex, a phosphorescent light-emitting diode material, serves as a novel chemical probe for imaging hypoxic tumor tissues

Iridium complex, a promising organic light-emitting diode for next generation television displays, emits phosphorescence. Phosphorescence is quenched by oxygen. We used this oxygen-quenching feature for imaging tumor hypoxia. Red light-emitting iridium complex Ir(btp)~2~(acac) (BTP) presented hypoxia-dependent light emission in culture cell lines, whose intensity was in parallel with HIF-1[alpha] expression. BTP was further applied to imaging five tumors (four from human origin and one from mouse origin) transplanted in athymic mice. All tumors presented a bright BTP-emitting image even 5 min after the injection. The BTP-dependent tumor image peaked at 1 to 2 h after the injection, and was then cleared from tumors within 24 h. The minimal BTP image recognition size was 3 to 4 mm in diameter. Compared with ^18^F-FDG/PET images, BTP delineated a clearer image for a tumor profile. We suggest that iridium complex has a vast potential for imaging hypoxic lesions such as tumor tissues

Operative treatment for pincer type femoroacetabular impingement:a case report

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a condition characterized by the impingement of the femur and acetabulum. In Japan, this disorder has become recognized gradually. Here we report a rare case of surgically treated FAI, associated with an osseous protrusion on the acetabulum of a 30-year-old female. Plain computed tomography (CT) and reconstructive 3D-CT images clearly demonstrated an anterolateral bony protrusion. Hip arthroscopy showed no degeneration of the cartilage on either the femoral or acetabular side, but degeneration at the edge of labrum was observed in the region of the bony protrusion. The complete removal of the bony protrusion under hip arthroscopy was thus considered impracticable, and a small skin incision was therefore made anteriorly to approach the acetabulum. The Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36) revealed improvement in all scores.</p

Validation of Short-Term Skin-Sensitizing Igg Antibodies to Egg in Atopic Dermatitis by Prausnitz-Küstner (P-K) and Oral P-K Tests

ABSTRACTWe tried to evaluate the role of IgG antibodies in the wheal and flare reaction of infantile atopic dermatitis by in vivo skin-sensitizing methods. Sera from 49 patients under 6 years of age were heated at 56°C for 30min to inactivate IgE antibodies, according to previous reports. Two-fold serial dilutions of the heated serum were injected intracutaneously in both forearms of a non-allergic recipient. One hour later, the whole egg antigen (1:1000) was injected in the serum transfer sites of an arm and the reaction was read at 15min (IgG Prausnitz-Küstner (P-K) test). Immediately afterwards, a raw hen's egg was swallowed by the recipient and the serum transfer sites of the other arm were observed for 2h (oral IgG P-K test). Three patients under 1 year of age showed an immediate wheal and flare reaction in the IgG P-K test, but none of the patients showed a positive reaction in the oral IgG P-K test. The patients with a positive IgG P-K test had an IgE radioallergosorbent test (RAST) score >4 to egg white and a positive IgE P-K titer of >28 to whole egg antigen. Two patients showed a positive reaction to the oral IgE P-K test to raw egg ingestion. Ovalbumin-specific IgG, lgG3 and lgG4 antibodies were assayed in 20 patients. IgG, and lgG3 antibodies were significantly increased in two patients with a positive IgG P-K test, while levels of the lgG4 antibody in positive patients were not significantly increased in comparison with levels in negative patients. In conclusion, these results suggest that the IgG antibody may play a role in the immediate type allergic reaction in infantile atopic dermatitis

Structure of Dark Matter Halos From Hierarchical Clustering

We investigate the structure of the dark matter halo formed in the cold dark matter scenario using $N$-body simulations. We simulated 12 halos with the mass of $6.6\times 10^{11}M_{\odot}$ to $8.0\times 10^{14}M_{\odot}$. In almost all runs, the halos have density cusps proportional to $r^{-1.5}$ developed at the center, which is consistent with the results of recent high-resolution calculations. The density structure evolves in a self-similar way, and is universal in the sense that it is independent of the halo mass and initial random realization of density fluctuation. The density profile is in good agreement with the profile proposed by Moore et al. (1999), which has central slope proportional to $r^{-1.5}$ and outer slope proportional to $r^{-3}$. The halo grows through repeated accretion of diffuse smaller halos. We argue that the cusp is understood as a convergence slope for the accretion of tidally disrupted matter.Comment: 34 including 23 figures, revised version, accepted for publication in Ap

Aldo–Keto Reductase 1B10 and Its Role in Proliferation Capacity of Drug-Resistant Cancers

The human aldo–keto reductase AKR1B10, originally identified as an aldose reductase-like protein and human small intestine aldose reductase, is a cytosolic NADPH-dependent reductase that metabolizes a variety of endogenous compounds, such as aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes and dicarbonyl compounds, and some drug ketones. The enzyme is highly expressed in solid tumors of several tissues including lung and liver, and as such has received considerable interest as a relevant biomarker for the development of those tumors. In addition, AKR1B10 has been recently reported to be significantly up-regulated in some cancer cell lines (medulloblastoma D341 and colon cancer HT29) acquiring resistance toward chemotherapeutic agents (cyclophosphamide and mitomycin c), suggesting the validity of the enzyme as a chemoresistance marker. Although the detailed information on the AKR1B10-mediated mechanisms leading to the drug resistance process is not well understood so far, the enzyme has been proposed to be involved in functional regulations of cell proliferation and metabolism of drugs and endogenous lipids during the development of chemoresistance. This article reviews the current literature focusing mainly on expression profile and roles of AKR1B10 in the drug resistance of cancer cells. Recent developments of AKR1B10 inhibitors and their usefulness in restoring sensitivity to anticancer drugs are also reviewed

英語教育における流暢さと即興力の育成 ── 中学生の話すことにおける意識の一考察 ──

The major goals of this study are to examine junior high school students’ awareness of fluency and impromptu skill in terms of speaking in English as a Foreign Language (hereafter, EFL) and to consider what to do, by way of future research and creation of daily lessons, in order to raise awareness and to develop their practical speaking abilities.　Recent Japanese EFL education (see MEXT 2017a-e) emphasizes that developing learners’ fluency and impromptu skill is particularly important.　This is because traditional Japanese EFL education has focused on acquisition of grammar, drawing learners’ attention to individual forms rather than to meaning.　Problematic outcomes of such an approach are tendencies for learners to comprehend texts/utterances in a heavy bottom-up manner and to refrain from speaking/writing without confirming that what they are about to say/write is grammatically correct.　In this study, 419 junior high school students in 1st to 3rd grades responded to a short paper-and-pencil questionnaire that examined their awareness of fluency and impromptu skill in EFL speaking.　Results of analyses showed a significant difference in awareness of impromptu skill between 1st and 2nd grades and between 1st and 3rd grades, whereas no significant differences were found in awareness of fluency between these three grades.　Moreover, results of analyses showed no correlation between 1st graders’ mid-term/ final exam scores and their awareness of fluency/impromptu skill, but showed a correlation between 2nd graders’ final exam scores and their awareness of fluency and between 2nd graders’ final exam scores and their awareness of impromptu skill.　Based on this and other information obtained in the study, we consider issues for future research and creation of classroom activities that develop fluency and impromptu skill in Japanese EFL education

Venous Thromboembolism after Total Hip Arthroplasty Diagnosed by Enhanced Computed Tomography : Comparison of Selective Thromboprophylaxis and No Thromboprophylaxis

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is the most effective treatment for advanced or end-stage hip osteoarthritis. However, venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains one of its unresolved complications. We reviewed the records of 322 patients undergoing primary THA and investigated the efficacy of anticoagulant prophylaxis for VTE. Our study cohort consisted of 60 patients who received no anticoagulants, 100 patients who received a factor Xa inhibitor (fondaparinux), 100 patients who received low molecular weight heparin (enoxaparin), and 62 patients who selectively received no anticoagulant prophylaxis due to perioperative bleeding, weight, and/or hemoglobin concentration. Enhanced 64-slice multidetector row computed tomography was performed postoperatively for 7 days in all cases. The incidence of VTE in the four groups was 15ｵ, 9.0ｵ, 6.0ｵ, and 6.4ｵ, respectively. The incidence of VTE was significantly lower in the groups receiving anticoagulant prophylaxis and the group selectively receiving no anticoagulant prophylaxis than in the group receiving no anticoagulants. Complications of fondaparinux therapy included hepatic dysfunction in 4 cases (4.0ｵ), minor bleeding in 2 cases (2.0ｵ), persistent wound drainage in 3 cases (3.0ｵ), and eruption in 1 case (1.0ｵ). The complications of enoxaparin therapy were persistent wound drainage in 1 case (1.0ｵ) and progression of anemia in 1 case (1.0ｵ). The incidence of VTE was low in patients who selectively received no anticoagulant prophylaxis, so we conclude that anticoagulant prophylaxis should be used selectively in THA cases