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Get PDFPrevious reports suggested that cigarette smoke had a protective effect of on the development of hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP). However, smoking rate in chronic pigeon breeder’s lung (PBL) seemed to be high in our clinical experiences. We developed a murine model of PBL by intranasal instillation with pigeon dropping extracts (PDE) for 4 weeks (short-term exposure) and 17 weeks (long-term exposure) to investigate the effect of cigarette smoke on disease processes. In this model, lung inflammation associated with the production of anti-PDE antibodies and antigen dependent lymphocyte proliferation was induced. Long-term exposure to PDE without cigarette smoking resulted in an increase in lung weight / body weight ratio, total cell number in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and content of hydroxyproline in the lung compared to shortterm exposure. After a short-term exposure, cigarette smoke lessened the lymphocytosis in BAL fluid, and lymphocyte proliferation. On the other hand, after a long-term exposure cigarette smoke increased lung hydroxyproline. These results suggest that a short-term cigarette smoking attenuates lung inflammation, but a long-term cigarette smoking enhances lung inflammation with fibrosis.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFObjective: Clear cell adenocarcinoma of the ovary is more resistant to chemotherapy and has a worse prognosis than other ovarian carcinomas. In order to clarify the factors that contribute to the poor prognosis of clear cell adenocarcinomas, we examined the expression of proliferation- and apoptosis-related factors. In addition, we attempted to discover correlations between the structure of clear cell adenocarcinomas and prognosis. Material and Methods: We evaluated clinicopathological data on 39 patients with ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma who underwent resection at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital. The tumors were examined for the expression of proliferation-related factors (mitotic index, Ki-67 labeling index) and apoptosis-related factors (apoptotic index, bcl-2 and p53). In addition, we investigated correlations between the expression of these factors and the cell types and structure of the tumors. Results: High bcl-2 expression and low apoptotic index were associated with a reduced survival rate. The survival rate of patients with tumors of the hobnail cell type was shorter than that of patients with clear cell type, and expression of bcl-2 was significantly associated with the hobnail cell type. Tumors with a papillary structure showed lower apoptotic index and the patients had a lower survival rate than those with a tubulocystic structure. Conclusion: The results of the current study suggest that a low apoptotic activity controlled by bcl-2 correlated with shorter survival in patients with ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma. The cases with poorer prognosis, associated with higher expression of bcl-2 and lower expression of apoptosis-related factors, may be discerned by morphological characteristics of routinely sampled specimens.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFPurpose: Denture plaque tends to form on the surface of the resins that are used as denture base materials, and Candida spp., including Candida albicans, are said to be causative organisms of denture stomatitis. Thus, modifying the surface properties of the resin to make it more difficult for denture plaque to adhere is very useful in terms of oral hygiene. In order to evaluate the usefulness of surface treatment with straight silicone, in this study we used heat-polymerized acrylic resin (polymethylmethacrylate [PMMA]) as the test material, and performed C. albicans adhesion test, a protein adsorption test and contact angle measurements with distilled water. Results: Significantly fewer C. albicans adhered and significantly less protein adsorbed in the coated group than in the control group or the buff-polished group (P<0.01). The angle of contact with distilled water in the coated group was significantly larger than in the control group or buff-polished group (P<0.01). Conclusion: Coating with straight silicone easily succeeded in improving the surface properties of PMMA used as the denture base material so that it became difficult for C. albicans to adhere, suggesting that an important property can be acquired clinically.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFPeople have the opportunity to inhale inorganicdusts under various environments. Inorganic dustexposures as a result of occupational exposuremay induce or modulate pulmonary fibrosis. Weanalyzed the deposition of elements in lung tissuesof patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF) and compared element deposition withchronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (chronic HP)and collagen vascular diseases (CVD).Thirty-five patients (18 men and 17 women withthe mean age of 64.3) were studied, including 15IPF, 8 chronic HP, 6 CVD, and 6 control patients.Four IPF patients have occupational dust exposures.Inorganic particles were counted by polarizinglight microscopy and scanning electronmicroscopy. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopywas performed to analyze an elementaldeposition.The number of birefringent particles wasgreater in IPF, even in IPF without occupationalexposure, than in controls. The silicon (Si) / sulfur(S) ratio and aluminium (Al) / S ratio wereincreased in IPF independent of occupationalexposure. A point elemental analysis showed thatthe major compound of the particles was aluminium-silicate in IPF.These results suggest that unrecognized dustexposures are relatively common in some IPFpatients and aluminium-silicate could be associatedwith the disease process of IPF.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFSpecific areas of cortical activity during solid bolus swallowing in humans are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that cortical representations of swallowing in humans may vary by bolus type. Twenty-one normal subjects swallowed three kinds of food: agar (solid), a capsule and water. We followed the same countdown method for identification of the cortical representations during swallowing performances as a previous study (Tanaka et al., 2006). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed that the precentral gyrus, postcentral gyrus, medial temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus and cingulate gyrus were activated when swallowing an agar bolus (p<0.001). The subcortex was not activated. The cerebellum was activated only during capsule swallowing (P<0.001). Water bolus swallowing activations were similar to agar bolus swallowing. The cluster size of water swallowing was larger than the agar swallowing. We conclude that the cortical representations for swallowing are variable by food type.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFTemporomandibular disorders (TMD) are known to be more prevalent and severe in women than in men, especially in those who are in their reproductive age. In those patients reproductive hormones may play a vital role in the host adaptive capacity of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). In order to clarify the relationship between TMD prevalence and estrogen cycle, a mandible deviated animal model was carried out, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), an essential enzyme in the pathogenesis of inflammatory arthritis, was investigated in the rat's synovial tissue. An appliance was attached to the rat's incisors to produce a lateral deviation of the mandible during the metestrus phase, and the animals were sacrificed in the proestrus and estrus phase, when the estrogen was at the highest and lowest level, respectively. Immunostaining was then performed for 2 consecutive estrous cycles to demonstrate iNOS expression in the synovial membrane of the TMJ. The immunoreactivity for iNOS was more intense in the synovial membrane on the contralateral side in the proestrus phase (estrogen peak phase). These observations suggest that iNOS expression in the synovial membrane with mandibular deviation may be exacerbated in the presence of estrogen.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFTransient alkalization caused by activation of the BKCa channels has been reported to be essential for the activation of proteolytic enzymes and bacterial killing in the leukocytic phagosomes. We investigated the effects of high glucose concentrations on these processes in THP-1 cells. While E.coli transiently raised the pH of the phagosomes in THP-1 monocytes, high glucose concentrations impaired the transient rise of pH in a dose-and time-dependent manner. Electrophysiological studies confirmed that the bacteria elicited a transient K+ current, and that a high glucose concentration diminished the current. High glucose concentrations also inhibited the activation of cathepsin G in the THP-1 cells. NS1619, a BKCa channel opener, accentuated the transient alkalization induced by the bacteria, and reversed the inhibitory effect of high concentrations of glucose. However, electrophysiological study revealed that the membrane current differed from the BKCa current. Our findings indicate that high glucose concentrations impair K+ channel activation and the subsequent activation of proteolytic enzymes in THP-1 monocytes. The precise identity of the K+ channel remains unclear, although it dose not appear to be the BKCa. Suppression of the transient alkalization and activation of proteases may be one of the mechanisms for bacterial killing by phagocytes in diabetic patients.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFIn this study, bolus passage through the pharynx and the mechanism that causes laterality of bolus passage were examined in 29 dysphagic patients with Wallenberg's syndrome (63±10 years). Videofluorography was taken to visualize the bolus passage. For the purposes of analysis, the pharynx was divided into the thyropharyngeal portion and the cricopharyngeal portion. The period after disease onset of the cases with bolus passage dominantly on the affected side in the thyropharyngeal portion was significantly shorter than that of cases with bolus passage on both sides. The period was not different among the passage sides in the cricopharyngeal portion significantly. The bolus passages in the cricopharyngeal portion were significantly associated with the passages in the thyropharyngeal portion. Passage of the bolus dominantly on the affected side in the thyropharyngeal portion may be attributed to the asymmetric contraction of the pharynx caused by the paralysis of the pharyngeal constrictor. Together, the bolus passage in the thyropharyngeal portion and the open status of the cricopharyngeal portion presumably determine the path that the bolus takes in the cricopharyngeal portion.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFSoft tissue artefact (STA) is caused by the relative displacement of markers or sensors mounted on the skin surface with respect to the underlying bones, and is a major source of error in the kinematic measurement of human movement. In particular,the humeral axial rotation (HAR) is affected by STA. The aim of this study was to propose a method for compensating for STA and to validate its effectiveness. In the proposed method, the HAR angle was calculated by a second-order regression using three independent variables converted from the Cardan angles of the shoulder joint. The calculated HAR angle (HAR-r) was compared with the angle calculated from the direction of the longitudinal axis of the forearm (HAR-f). Highly linear correlations were found between HAR-r and HAR-f when the elbow joint was flexed at 90°. The elbow flexion/extension motion had little influence on the HAR-r, whereas HAR-f became unstable when the elbow joint approached its full extension. Because HAR-r effectively compensates for the STA and is independent of the elbow flexion/extension, the regression method is suitable for the movement analysis of the upper limbs.departmental bulletin pape
Get PDFAnterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays an important role in human volition, but its function in swallowing is not well known. We tested the hypothesis that visual inputs given before volitional swallowing modulate the ACC activity. We evaluated the relationship between visual effect on swallowing "behavior" and "brain activity" using EMG (electromyography) and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging). Seven healthy volunteers participated in the EMG study, and 10 volunteers in the fMRI study. Visual images, i.e., photographs of food (DRINK) or general items (GENERAL), were used as the visual input and these were provided with (WS) or without (DS) water. Both behavioral and brain activity data were recorded during each trial in four (DRINK/WS, GENERAL/WS, DRINK/DS, GENERAL/DS) conditions. EMG study showed that the latency was significantly shorter with DRINK input than that with GENERAL input in the WS condition. Meanwhile, in the fMRI study, the maximum MR signal change was greater with GENERAL than that with DRINK in both WS and DS conditions. Thus, it appears that there was a relationship between swallowing behavior and the ACC activity in volitional swallowing.departmental bulletin pape