Cell surface markers of functional phenotypic corneal endothelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2014

PURPOSE. Cultured human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs) are anticipated to serve as an alternative to donor corneas for the treatment of corneal endothelial dysfunction. However, corneal endothelial cells (CECs) tend to exhibit fibroblastic transformation, thereby losing their functional phenotype when cultured. The purpose of this study was to investigate the usefulness of surface markers of CECs displaying fibroblastic phenotypes as a means of cell characterization. METHODS. The expression levels of 242 cell surface antigens were screened in cultured human and monkey CECs using flow cytometry. An expression intensity ratio of nonfibroblastic/ fibroblastic CECs > 2 and of fibroblastic/nonfibroblastic CECs > 2 were selected as indicating nonfibroblastic and fibroblastic markers, respectively. Nonfibroblastic and fibroblastic CECs were mixed, and CD73-positive and -negative cells were sorted using flow cytometry and further cultured. The functional phenotype of the sorted cells was evaluated according to morphology and the expression of function-related (Na þ /K þ -ATPase and ZO-1) and fibroblastic (type I collagen and fibronectin) markers. RESULTS. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that CD98, CD166, and CD340 are elevated in HCECs of nonfibroblastic phenotype, while CD9, CD49e, CD44, and CD73 are markers of fibroblastic phenotype HCECs. The CECs that sorted as CD73-negative exhibited normal hexagonal morphology and expressed functional markers, whereas CECs that sorted as CD73-positive exhibited the fibroblastic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS. These markers will be useful for quality control to characterize the phenotype of cells destined for tissue engineering-based therapy. In addition, this selection protocol will provide a novel method for purification of functional cells

Thallium transport and the evaluation of olfactory nerve connectivity between the nasal cavity and olfactory bulb

金沢大学医学部附属病院耳鼻咽喉科Little is known regarding how alkali metal ions are transported in the olfactory nerve following their intranasal administration. In this study, we show that an alkali metal ion, thallium is transported in the olfactory nerve fibers to the olfactory bulb in mice. The olfactory nerve fibers of mice were transected on both sides of the body under anesthesia. A double tracer solution (thallium-201, 201Tl; manganese-54, 54Mn) was administered into the nasal cavity the following day. Radioactivity in the olfactory bulb and nasal turbinate was analyzed with gamma spectrometry. Auto radiographic images were obtained from coronal slices of frozen heads of mice administered with 201Tl or 54Mn. The transection of the olfactory nerve fibers was confirmed with a neuronal tracer. The transport of intranasal administered 201Tl/54Mn to the olfactory bulb was significantly reduced by the transection of olfactory nerve fibers. The olfactory nerve transection also significantly inhibited the accumulation of fluoro-ruby in the olfactory bulb. Findings indicate that thallium is transported by the olfactory nerve fibers to the olfactory bulb in mice. The assessment of thallium transport following head injury may provide a new diagnostic method for the evaluation of olfactory nerve injury. © The Author 2007. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved

Serum Antibody Against NY-ESO-1 and XAGE1 Antigens Potentially Predicts Clinical Responses to Anti–Programmed Cell Death-1 Therapy in NSCLC

Introduction: Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitors effectively treat NSCLC and prolong survival. Robust biomarkers for predicting clinical benefits of good response and long survival with anti-PD-1 therapy have yet to be identified; therefore, predictive biomarkers are needed to select patients with benefits. Methods: We conducted a prospective study to explore whether serum antibody against NY-ESO-1 and/or XAGE1 cancer-testis antigens predicted primarily good clinical response and secondarily long survival with anti-PD-1 therapy for NSCLC. The serum antibody was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and tumor immune microenvironment and mutation burden were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and next-generation sequencing. Results: In the discovery cohort (n = 13), six antibody-positive NSCLC cases responded to anti-PD-1 therapy (two complete and four partial responses), whereas seven antibody-negative NSCLC cases did not. Antibody positivity was associated with good response and survival, regardless of tumor programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression, mutation burden, and CD8+ T-cell infiltration. In the validation cohort (n = 75), 17 antibody-positive NSCLC cases responded well to anti-PD-1 therapy as compared with 58 negative NSCLC cases (objective response rate 65% versus 19%, p = 0.0006) and showed significantly prolonged progression-free survival and overall survival. Antibody titers highly correlated with tumor reduction rates. In the multivariate analysis, response biomarkers were tumor programmed death ligand 1 expression and antibody positivity, and only antibody positivity was a significantly better predictive biomarker of progression-free survival (hazard ratio = 0.4, p = 0.01) and overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.2, p = 0.004). Conclusions: Our results suggest that NY-ESO-1 and/or XAGE1 serum antibodies are useful biomarkers for predicting clinical benefits in anti-PD-1 therapy for NSCLC and probably for other cancers

Establishment of a reborn MMV-microarray technology: realization of microbiome analysis and other hitherto inaccessible technologies

BACKGROUND: With the accelerating development of bioscience, the problem of research cost has become important. We previously devised and developed a novel concept microarray with manageable volumes (MMV) using a soft gel. It demonstrated the great potential of the MMV technology with the examples of 1024-parallel-cell culture and PCR experiments. However, its full potential failed to be expressed, owing to the nature of the material used for the MMV chip. RESULTS: In the present study, by developing plastic-based MMVs and associated technologies, we introduced novel technologies such as C2D2P (in which the cells in each well are converted from DNA to protein in 1024-parallel), NGS-non-dependent microbiome analysis, and other powerful applications. CONCLUSIONS: The reborn MMV-microarray technology has proven to be highly efficient and cost-effective (with approximately 100-fold cost reduction) and enables us to realize hitherto unattainable technologies

The effect of a prostaglandin E-1 derivative on the symptoms and quality of life of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis

Quality of life (QOL) is a concern for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). In this study, QOL was examined using the 5-item EuroQol (EQ-5D). QOL and activities of daily living (ADL) were surveyed for 91 patients who visited 18 medical institutions in our prefecture and were diagnosed with LSS-associated intermittent claudication. A second survey was performed after a parts per thousand yen6 weeks for 79 of the subjects to evaluate therapy with limaprost (an oral prostaglandin E1 derivative) or etodolac (an NSAID). Symptoms, maximum walking time, QOL, ADL items, and relationships among these variables were investigated for all 91 patients. Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking were surveyed by use of VAS scores (0-100). Leg pain, leg numbness, and low back pain while walking (VAS a parts per thousand yen25) were present in 83.5, 62.6, and 54.9 % of the patients in the first survey, and approximately half of the patients had a maximum walking time 30 min, showing that maximum walking time affected health-related QOL. Of the 79 patients who completed the second survey, 56 had taken limaprost and 23 (control group) had received etodolac. Limaprost improved possible walking time, reduced ADL interference, and significantly increased the EQ-5D utility score, whereas no significant changes occurred in the control group. Maximum walking time was prolonged by a parts per thousand yen10 min and the EQ-5D utility value was improved by a parts per thousand yen0.1 points in significantly more patients in the limaprost group than in the control group. According to the findings of this survey, at an average of 8 weeks after administration limaprost improved symptoms, QOL, and ADL in LSS patients whereas treatment with an NSAID reduced pain but did not have any other effects.ArticleJOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC SCIENCE. 18(2):208-215 (2013)journal articl

エビデンス ニ モトヅク カンゴ ダイガクセイ ノ サンカガタ ガクシュウ プログラム ノ テイアン : ツナガッテ アンシン プロジェクト

先行研究をもとにして看護大学生の参加型学習プログラムの提案を行った。【つながっていること】【高齢者の自己効力感を支えること】【人生を認め自尊感情を持っていただくこと】という研究から得た知見をもとに、介護福祉学科との共同、学年間の交流、カリキュラム上の位置づけとサークル活動などを考慮して構築した。このプログラムの展開には課題も残されているが、本学が目指す「高齢化に対応する地域看護の展開」ができるように、地域に住む高齢者の理解と具体的地域貢献を目指して、可能なところから試みていくことが必要である。Based on two studies concernig elderly people who live in Akita prefecture, we have tried to propose a new learning program for students to participate in. This program is based on partnership with students in the department of care and welfar and cooperation with other year students. Also, this program takes place as part of the formal curriculum as well as club activities. Even though we find some issues there, we suggest stating only part of them because one part of our college\u27s mission is to care for elderly people who live here

トウホク チホウ Bケン ノ トクテイ コウレイシャ ニトッテノ ケンコウジョウ ノ アンシン

東北地方B県に在住の特定高齢者61名に対し、質的調査で得た健康上の安心の要素の一般化の可能性を探る目的で聞き取り調査を行った。その結果「自分で体をやりくりできるという自己効力感」「寝たきりになりたくない気持を励みにして自分のできることをすること」「この地域にいること」「古くから付き合っている人と適切な距離感を持ってつきあうこと」「やりたいことができること」「行きたいところに行けること」「健康に関する情報を得ること」「冬を乗り切ること」は雪国地方の特定高齢者の健康上の安心を支える要素として一般化できると言える。今後これらの項目を詳細に検討して尺度化していくことも課題であると言える。特定高齢者が自律して活き活きした生活を過ごし、健康寿命を延伸するためには、これらの要素を満たすような支援を構築する必要がある。しかし看護職が身近な相談相手として認識されていないという点や必ずしも適切な方法で情報を得ていないなど今後の検討課題も明らかになった。The purpose of this study is to try to generalize the results of a former study of which we found factors of a "tokutei" elderly person\u27s feelings of security regarding their own personal health. Based on interviews with sixty‑one "tokutei" elders living in B prefecture in the Tohoku area, we found that those factors can be generalized in order to support the "tokutei" elderly person\u27s sense of security about their own health as seen in individuals living in a snowy rural countryside environment. We also found some problems needed to be solved such as nurses, including public health nurses, in these communities were not recognized as qualified advisors regarding secure healthy living for "tokutei" elderly people

Assessment of a New Elbow Joint Positioning Method Using Area Detector Computed Tomography

We propose a sitting position that achieves both high image quality and a reduced radiation dose in elbow joint imaging by area detector computed tomography (ADCT), and we compared it with the ‘superman’ and supine positions. The volumetric CT dose index (CTDIvol) for the sitting, superman, and supine positions were 2.7, 8.0, and 20.0 mGy and the dose length products (DLPs) were 43.4, 204.7, and 584.8 mGy • cm, respectively. In the task-based transfer function (TTF), the highest value was obtained for the sitting position in both bone and soft tissue images. The noise power spectrum (NPS) of bone images showed that the superman position had the lowest value up to approx. 1.1 cycles/mm or lower, whereas the sitting position had the lowest value when the NPS was greater than approx. 1.1 cycles/mm. The overall image quality in an observer study resulted in the following median Likert scores for Readers 1 and 2: 5.0 and 5.0 for the sitting position, 4.0 and 3.5 for the superman position, and 4.0 and 2.0 for the supine position. These results indicate that our proposed sitting position with ADCT of the elbow joint can provide superior image quality and allow lower radiation doses compared to the superman and supine positions