Background
Sarcopenia was identified recently as a poor prognostic factor in patients with cancer. The present study investigated the effect of sarcopenia on short‐ and long‐term outcomes following ...partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and aimed to identify prognostic factors.
Methods
Data were collected retrospectively for all consecutive patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC with curative intent between January 2004 and December 2009. Patients were assigned to one of two groups according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia, assessed by computed tomographic measurement of muscle mass at the level of the third lumbar vertebra. Clinicopathological, surgical outcome and long‐term survival data were analysed.
Results
Sarcopenia was present in 75 (40·3 per cent) of 186 patients, and was significantly correlated with female sex, lower body mass index and liver dysfunction, as indicated by abnormal serum albumin levels and indocyanine green retention test at 15 min values. In patients with, and without sarcopenia, the 5‐year overall survival rate was 71 and 83·7 per cent respectively, and the 5‐year recurrence‐free survival rate was 13 and 33·2 per cent respectively. Multivariable analysis revealed that reduced skeletal muscle mass was predictive of an unfavourable prognosis.
Conclusion
Sarcopenia was predictive of worse overall survival even when adjusted for other known predictors in patients with HCC after partial hepatectomy.
Sarcopenia predicts poor outcome
We developed photomobile polymer materials with interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) structures composed of crosslinked liquid-crystalline azobenzene polymer (PAzo) and poly(dimethylsiloxane) ...(PDMS). By introducing PDMS into a PAzo template network, IPN was formed without disturbing the alignment of mesogens in the PAzo network. The films showed macroscopic bending behavior upon irradiation with UV and visible light. Although the IPN film showed a phase separated structure, the bending speed was significantly enhanced compared with the pristine film of PAzo, thanks to the soft nature of PDMS. The present method of preparing IPNs can be a promising approach to combine PAzo with various polymers and enhance the mechanical and photoresponsive properties.
Propolis, a resinous substance produced by bees, is used as a folk medicine for treatment of periodontal diseases. However, its mode of the action and the compounds responsible for its activities ...remain obscure. In the present study, we comprehensively investigated the antibacterial activities of ethanol-extracted propolis (EEP) and EEP-derived compounds toward Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontal diseases. Broth microdilution and agar dilution assays were used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations of EEP against a range of oral bacterial species, of which P. gingivalis showed a higher level of sensitivity than oral commensals such as streptococci. Its antibacterial activity toward P. gingivalis was maintained even after extensive heat treatment, demonstrating a high level of thermostability. EEP also induced death of P. gingivalis cells by increasing membrane permeability within 30 min. Spatiotemporal analysis based on high-speed atomic force microscopy revealed that EEP immediately triggered development of aberrant membrane blebs, followed by bleb fusion events on the bacterial surface. Furthermore, we isolated artepillin C, baccharin, and ursolic acid from EEP as antibacterial compounds against P. gingivalis. Of those, artepillin C and baccharin showed bacteriostatic activities with membrane blebbing, while ursolic acid showed bactericidal activity with membrane rupture. In particular, ursolic acid demonstrated a greater ability to affect bacterial membrane potential with increased membrane permeability, probably because of its highly lipophilic nature as compared with other compounds. Taken together, these findings provide mechanistic insight into the antibacterial activities of EEP and its exquisite membrane-targeting antibacterial compounds and imply the applicability of narrow-spectrum therapeutics with EEP for treatment of periodontitis. In addition, the advanced technology utilized in the present study to visualize the nanometer-scale dynamics of microorganisms will contribute to expanding our understanding of the activities of antimicrobials and the mechanism of drug resistance in bacteria.
The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of autogenous partially demineralized dentin matrix (APDDM) prepared onsite, for clinical application in bone regeneration procedures ...related to implant dentistry, including socket preservation, alveolar ridge augmentation, and maxillary sinus floor augmentation. In this study, 16 patients underwent dental implant placement using APDDM transplantation. There were no systemic or local complications (including surgical site infection) in any of the cases, and oral rehabilitation using dental implants was successful in all cases for at least 2 years after attachment of the suprastructure. This report describes the clinical application of APDDM prepared immediately after tooth extraction to bone augmentation, taking advantage of the relatively short preparation time due to partial demineralization. APDDM, as introduced in this study, is an efficient, safe, and reasonable bone substitute. Consequently, this material has the potential to become one of the options as a bone substitute in implant dentistry.
Background and Objective
Porphyromonas gingivalis is considered a major pathogen of chronic periodontitis, which also may be implicated with systemic diseases such as atherosclerosis. Secreted ...cysteine proteases, gingipains Rgp and Kgp, are essential for P. gingivalis virulence. Some polyphenols and flavonoids are known to inhibit gingipain activity and interfere with biofilm formation by P. gingivalis. Many bioactive compounds have been isolated from Epimedium species, but availability of these compounds on gingipains and P. gingivalis is still unclear. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate natural products from medical plants to develop a new therapeutic agent against periodontal disease.
Material and Methods
Prenylated flavonoids were isolated from Epimedium species plant using column chromatographies. The inhibitory effect of the prenylated flavonoids against protease activity of gingipains were examined using purified gingipains and fluorogenic substrates. Anti‐P. gingivalis activity was evaluated to analyze planktonic growth and biofilm formation in brain heart infusion medium in the presence of the prenylated flavonoids.
Results
We isolated 17 prenylated flavonoids (Limonianin, Epimedokoreanin B, etc.) from Epimedium species. We found that some prenylated flavonoids inhibited gingipain activity in a non‐competitive manner with Ki values at μm order. The prenylated flavonoids also hindered growth and biofilm formation of P. gingivalis, in a manner independent of gingipain inhibition by the compounds.
Conclusion
The results indicated an inhibitory effect of the prenylated flavonoids against P. gingivalis and would provide useful information for future development of periodontitis treatment that suppresses gingipains, P. gingivalis growth and biofilm formation.
Objective
To assess the efficacy and tolerability of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE), in a phase III clinical trial conducted in Japan.
Methods
We ...conducted a double‐blind, randomized, parallel‐group clinical trial. This was a baseline‐controlled study, and the group differences were evaluated in an exploratory analysis. A total of 103 patients with active CLE (according to a Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Disease Area and Severity Index CLASI activity score of ≥4) were included. Patients were randomized 3:1 to receive HCQ or placebo during the 16‐week double‐blind period, and all patients were given HCQ during the following 36‐week single‐blind period. The primary efficacy end point was a reduction in the CLASI activity score at week 16. The secondary end points included the central photo evaluation (5‐point scale), patient's global assessment (7‐point scale), the Skindex‐29 score, and investigator's global assessment (7‐point scale, based on the other 3 secondary end points). In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, fatigue and musculoskeletal pain were assessed. Safety was assessed up to week 55.
Results
The mean CLASI score at week 16 was significantly improved from baseline in both the HCQ group and the placebo group: mean change −4.6 (95% confidence interval 95% CI −6.1, −3.1) (P < 0.0001), and mean change −3.2 (95% CI −5.1, −1.3) (P = 0.002), respectively, without between‐group difference (P = 0.197). The investigator's global assessment demonstrated a greater proportion of “improved” and “remarkably improved” patients in the HCQ group (51.4% versus 8.7% in the placebo group P = 0.0002 between groups). The other secondary end points supported the efficacy of HCQ. Cellulitis, drug eruption, hepatic dysfunction, and Stevens‐Johnson syndrome were shown to be serious adverse events related to HCQ use.
Conclusion
The results of this randomized clinical trial support the efficacy and tolerability of HCQ in patients with CLE.
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•The growth process of pores inside Lotus metal was simulated.•The phase field method was used as a simulation technique.•The pore was successfully controlled using proportional ...control.
The growth process of pores in aluminum during directional solidification was simulated by the multi-phase field method. First, the effect of solid-liquid interface moving speed (V) and temperature gradient (G) on pore size was investigated. We found that the simulation results coincided well with the actual experimental results. Second, V was changed during the formation of the lotus metal under constant G and the appropriate condition was determined for the pore to extend steadily. We confirmed that by controlling V to be negatively proportional to the pore growth rate, the pore could be extended while its width was kept constant.
Key message
Here, we provide an updated set of guidelines for naming genes in wheat that has been endorsed by the wheat research community.
The last decade has seen a proliferation in genomic ...resources for wheat, including reference- and pan-genome assemblies with gene annotations, which provide new opportunities to detect, characterise, and describe genes that influence traits of interest. The expansion of genetic information has supported growth of the wheat research community and catalysed strong interest in the genes that control agronomically important traits, such as yield, pathogen resistance, grain quality, and abiotic stress tolerance. To accommodate these developments, we present an updated set of guidelines for gene nomenclature in wheat. These guidelines can be used to describe loci identified based on morphological or phenotypic features or to name genes based on sequence information, such as similarity to genes characterised in other species or the biochemical properties of the encoded protein. The updated guidelines provide a flexible system that is not overly prescriptive but provides structure and a common framework for naming genes in wheat, which may be extended to related cereal species. We propose these guidelines be used henceforth by the wheat research community to facilitate integration of data from independent studies and allow broader and more efficient use of text and data mining approaches, which will ultimately help further accelerate wheat research and breeding.
This report describes generation of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages from human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. iPS cell-derived DC (iPS-DC) exhibited the morphology of typical DC and ...function of T-cell stimulation and antigen presentation. iPS-DC loaded with cytomegalovirus (CMV) peptide induced vigorous expansion of CMV-specific autologous CD8+ T cells. Macrophages (iPS-MP) with activity of zymosan phagocytosis and C5a-induced chemotaxis were also generated from iPS cells. Genetically modified iPS-MPs were generated by the introduction of expression vectors into undifferentiated iPS cells, isolation of transfectant iPS cell clone and subsequent differentiation. By this procedure, we generated iPS-MP expressing a membrane-bound form of single chain antibody (scFv) specific to amyloid β (Aβ), the causal protein of Alzheimer's disease. The scFv-transfectant iPS-MP exhibited efficient Aβ-specific phagocytosis activity. iPS-MP expressing CD20-specific scFv engulfed and killed BALL-1 B-cell leukemia cells. Anti-BALL-1 effect of iPS-MP in vivo was demonstrated in a xeno-transplantation model using severe combined immunodeficient mice. In addition, we established a xeno-free culture protocol to generate iPS-DC and iPS-MP. Collectively, we demonstrated the possibility of application of iPS-DC and macrophages to cell therapy.
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