Mastitis causes negative reproduction performance similar to genital diseases.

The economic efficiency of dairy farms is directly influenced by reproductive performance. Reproductive performance is affected by postpartum health; however, it is unknown which diseases reduce reproductive performance or how often these diseases occur in tie-stall dairy farms. In this study, the 15 most frequent diseases in tie-stalls and their impact on reproduction were determined by logistic analysis. Data from reproductive and veterinary records of 814 cows (473 Holstein) calving between April 2016 and March 2018 reared in 9 tie-stall commercial dairy farms were used. The 15 most frequent diseases were identified by medical records. The odds ratio (OR) of the diseases reducing reproductive performance (days open, number of artificial insemination, and first artificial insemination days in milk) was measured by logistic regression analysis. We focused on mastitis, and factors (inflammation grade, causative bacteria) having a negative effect on reproduction were measured similarly. Of the 15 most frequent diseases, endometritis (OR: 5.45, p < 0.001), ovarian quiescence (OR: 3.95, p < 0.001), mastitis (OR: 2.49, p < 0.001), and follicular cyst (OR: 2.33, p = 0.006) significantly prolonged days open after adjusting for environmental factors (farm, parity, and calving season). Focusing on mastitis, mastitis with mild inflammation significantly prolonged days open. Mastitis and genital diseases were frequent diseases that reduced reproductive performance. Strategies to reduce the incidence of these diseases are considered effective for the economics of tie-stall dairy farms.

Effect of 630-NM pulsed laser irradiation on the proliferation of HeLa cells in Photofrin(®)-mediated photodynamic therapy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Red laser light of wavelength 630 nm is usually used for Photofrin(®)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT). The 630-nm light employed in PDT corresponds to the region of the wavelength used in low-level laser therapy (LLLT) may influence on the photodynamic effect required for killing cancer cells. The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the changes in cell viability and degree of cell proliferation after Photofrin(®)-mediated PDT using 630-nm pulsed laser irradiation (10 Hz repetition rate and 7-9 ns pulse width), which was clinically found to induce no remarkable cell injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A study has been conducted in which HeLa cells are incubated with Photofrin(®) for 15 min (10 µg/ml). Irradiation was carried out at an average fluence rate of 50 mW/cm(2) with light doses of 1, 3, and 5 J/cm(2). The cytotoxic effects on the cells are evaluated by the XTT (2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide) assay. RESULTS: The results showed that the laser irradiated cells exhibited a greater clonogenic activity than normal and PDT treated cells for a short period after the laser irradiation. CONCLUSION: If the level of 630-nm pulsed laser irradiation employed in a PDT is comparatively lowered, it would have a biostimulatory effect like that of in LLLT.

Primary gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the liver with PDGFRA gene mutation.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor is a mesenchymal tumor with KIT or PDGFRA gene mutation, occurring primarily in the stomach and intestine and rarely outside the digestive tract. KIT-negative tumors with epithelioid cell morphology and PDGFRA mutation represent a minor subset of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Here, we describe a case of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the liver of a 70-year-old man. The tumor was shown to be completely limited within the liver by radiologic, intraoperative, and pathologic examinations. Histopathologically, the tumor showed epithelioid cell-type morphology and immunohistochemical expression of CD34 and protein kinase C theta but was negative for cytokeratin, EMA, S-100, and HMB-45. KIT protein expression was very faint, and we judged it as negative. Mutation analysis revealed the presence of PDGFRA gene mutation (V561D) at exon 12. These findings are essentially the same as those typically seen in ordinary KIT-negative epithelioid cell-type gastrointestinal stromal tumor of the digestive tract. Although KIT-negative gastrointestinal stromal tumor occurring outside the gastrointestinal tract is very rare, this entity should be considered as a potential primary hepatic neoplasm.

Successful therapy with whole-lung lavage and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis complicating acute myelogenous leukemia.

A 43-year-old man with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) was found to be complicated with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), which was confirmed by biochemical and histological findings. After achievement of complete remission of AML, he underwent whole-lung lavages twice between intensive chemotherapies. Subsequently, he received high-dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), which was performed safely without any infections. He has been in remission for 25 months after transplant with no recurrence of PAP. Autologous PBSCT in combination with whole-lung lavage may be a promising strategy in the treatment of PAP associated with hematological malignancies.

Detection of 1270 nm emission from singlet oxygen and photocytotoxic property of sugar-pendant 60 fullerenes.

Sugar-pendant [60] fullerene derivatives have been prepared from carbohydrate-linked azides 1a-e. Both monosugar (4a-e) and bissugar derivatives (5a-e) produce singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) under laser irradiation (355 nm) proved by the direct observation of (1)O(2) emission at 1270 nm. Monosugar derivatives exhibit photocytotoxicity varying by the attached sugar molecule.

Application of color Doppler ultrasonography to ulcerative colitis.

We used color Doppler ultrasonography (US) to evaluate bowel wall thickening in ulcerative colitis and to determine the value of this modality in this application. Twelve patients (6 men and 6 women) with ulcerative colitis underwent both gray-scale and color Doppler US. Bowel wall thickness and wall echotexture were recorded by gray-scale US, and the presence of intramural color Doppler flow and arterial signal were evaluated by color Doppler US. Color Doppler flow was graded as 'weak' or 'abundant', and resistive index was calculated; clinical severity of disease activity was also graded, and serum CRP level was measured. Variation in serum CRP levels and intramural color Doppler flow according to clinical severity, and the correlations between serum CRP levels and the number of blood flow signals were statistically significant. In 10 of the 12 patients, analysis of the Doppler waveform showed an arterial blood flow signal, and mean resistive index value was determined to be 0.550. We thus conclude that information provided by gray-scale and color Doppler US is useful in evaluating bowel wall thickening in ulcerative colitis.

Atrophic corpus gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection in primary biliary cirrhosis.

Chronic atrophic corpus gastritis, termed as autoimmune corpus gastritis or type A gastritis, and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are characterized by a common immunological process against the exocrine glandular structures of both the stomach and bile duct. However, there has been controversy over whether atrophic corpus gastritis is associated with PBC. Recently, it has been suggested that Helicobacter pylori plays an important role in the early stage of atrophic corpus gastritis due to the induction of autoantibodies that are reactive with a protein in the gastric parietal cells. One hypothesis is that molecular mimicry, possibly resulting from H. pylori infection, might be responsible for initiating an autoimmune response in a predisposed host due to cross-reactivity among gastric mucosal, bile ductular, and bacterial antigens. The aim of this study is to assess whether atrophic changes of the gastric corpus could affect patients with PBC, and to determine the correlation with H. pylori infection. Sixteen patients with PBC were enrolled in this study. All patients were examined by serological studies of anti-pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) antibody, anti-H. pylori antibody, gastrin and vitamin B12. Gastroscopy was performed on all patients in order to verify the histological findings and to microscopically identify H. pylori. Atrophic corpus gastritis was found in 2 of 16 patients with PBC (12.5%), one of whom was confirmed to have pernicious anemia, a developed stage of atrophic corpus gastritis. H. pylori infection in the gastric corpus and the anti-H. pylori antibody were found in 7 (43.8%) and 11 (68.8%) of 16 patients, respectively. Anti-H. pylori antibody was confirmed to be positive in both of the patients with atrophic corpus gastritis, although H. pylori was absent in the gastric biopsy specimen. There was a positive correlation between anti-PDH antibodies and anti-H. pylori antibodies in sera from patients with PBC. Atrophic corpus gastritis is not frequently involved in PBC. However, H. pylori is a possible pathogenic factor in atrophic corpus gastritis in PBC patients because of the presence of anti-H. pylori antibody. A positive correlation between the titer of anti-PDH antibodies and the titer of anti-H. pylori antibodies was confirmed. Consequently, H. pylori infection could induce autoimmune responses in the development of both PBC and atrophic corpus gastritis. H. pylori infection associated with PBC requires further study.