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In this study, the crack self-healing performance of the heavyweight concrete used in the walls of containers and structures designed to shield radioactive materials was investigated. A steam curing temperature that preserves self-healing properties and demolding strength was identified. The presented simultaneously mixing method using the expanding material and the fly ash in the process of admixture can maximize the self-curing performance. Also adding synthetic fibers in the heavyweight concrete improved the self-healing performance., {"references":["Kitsutaka Y., Ogawa Y., Yokomuro T., Igawa H. (2014), Evaluation of x-ray shielding performance for concrete box culvert by using x-ray digital image and double layer value analysis method, Proceedings of the Japan Concrete Institute, 36(1), 1990-1995, (in Japanese).","Sakamoto H. (2016), Shielding of radiation by concrete, Journal of Concrete Technology, 31(6), 63-68, June","Sindou Y., Ueda T., Watanabe T. (2010), Study on self-healing effect of fly ash concrete, Proceedings of the Japan Concrete Institute, 32(1), 137-142, (in Japanese).","Kurita T., Hosoda A., Kobayashi K., Matuda Y. (2009), Influence of the nature of curing water on the healing effect of self-healing concrete, 31(1), 247-252, (in Japanese).","Koide T., Kishi T., Ahn T., (2012), Fundamental research on self-healing concrete using granulated self-healing materials for cracks, and blast furnace slag aggregate, Proceedings of the Japan Concrete Institute, 34(1), 1408-1413, (in Japanese).","Arai K., Kitsutaka Y., Tamura M. (2004), Study on the degradation restoration performance and evaluation of the concrete using special mixture material, Summaries of technical papers of annual meeting Architectural Institute of Japan, 207-208, (in Japanese).","Igawa H., Yokomuro T., Kitsutaka Y., Eguchi H. (2015), Reserch on self-healing performance of heavyweight concrete, Cement Science and Concrete Technology, 69(1), 335-340.","Koda M., Mihashi H., Nishiwaki T., Kikuta T., (2011), Experimental study on self-healing capability of FRCC using synthetic fibers, Summaries of technical papers of annual meeting Architectural Institute of Japan, 777-778, (in Japanese)"]}

リコンビナント顆粒球刺激因子 (rG-CSF) は, JAK1のリン酸化に引き続いて生じるMT-MMPの発現増加と, IV型コラゲナーゼ活性の亢進によつて頭頸部癌細胞株の浸潤能を亢進させる。今回我々は, G-CSFレセプター (G-CSFR) 細胞内ドメインの3'側一部を欠損させた deletion mutant を作成し, JAK1などの下流へのシグナル伝達に関与するG-CSFRの内部機構について解析した。またこれにより作成されたG-CSFRの dominant negative form を頭頸部癌細胞G-CSFR (完全長) 発現株に遺伝子導入し強制発現させることで, rG-CSF刺激による癌細胞の浸潤能亢進を抑制させた。このことから今回作成したG-CSFR dominant negative はG-CSFによる癌浸潤能亢進作用を抑制する可能性があり, 頭頸部癌の遺伝子治療への応用の可能性が示唆された。

We retrospectively reviewed 52 patients who underwent middle ear surgery during which the chorda tympani nerves were severed and who then underwent secondary surgery 1 to 5 years later. In 22 patients (42.3%), regenerated chorda tympani nerves (entire length of the tympanic segment) were detected in the submucosal layer of the reconstructed eardrum during the secondary surgery. Before the secondary surgery, 16 patients (30.8%) showed threshold recovery on electrogustometry. When 5 regenerated nerves were observed by transmission electron microscopy, myelinated nerve fibers were detected in a small fascicle or connective tissue, but the number of myelinated axons was significantly decreased (7.4% to 84.6%; p = .01) compared with that in normal subjects (1,911 ± 324; n = 4). There was a significant difference in the incidence of regeneration between the group with end-to-end anastomosis (5/5 or 100%) and that with nerve gap defects (17/47 or 36.2%; p < .05); this finding suggests that repair of the sectioned nerve produces a better incidence of regeneration than leaving the nerve unrepaired.

cDNAアレイは近年急速に発達している分野であり, 数百から数千以上の遺伝子発現を解析することができる手法である。今回我々はヒト上顎癌細胞株IMC-3における低pH条件下での温熱刺激による遺伝子発現の変化を, cDNAアレイを用いて解析した。さらにRT-PCRを行いその結果を検証した。低pH条件下での温熱刺激で18種の遺伝子の発現が増加していた。これらの中にはアポトーシスに関連する遺伝子と同様に, 細胞周期制御やシグナル伝達に関係する遺伝子が含まれていた。低pHの条件は温熱による細胞死誘導を増感させる効果があるが, 今回発現の変化が観察された遺伝子群がこの増感効果に関係がある可能性が示唆された。

Objectives The present study compares the long-term follow-up results of electrogustometry with patient reports of taste dysfunction after middle ear surgery. Study Design Retrospective review of 371 patients who underwent middle ear surgery. Methods Patients were divided into the following groups depending on the degree of manipulation or surgical damage to the chorda tympani nerves: the no-touch group (group 1 [n = 109]); the touch group (group 2 [n = 149]); and the severed nerve group (group 3 [n = 113]). Electrogustometry was periodically performed over the course of several years. Results The incidences of postoperative subjective taste disorder in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 2.8%, 25.5%, and 38.9%, respectively. Although the subjective taste disorder usually recovered within 1 to 2 years after surgery in all groups, it persisted for more than 2 years in 2.7% of the touch group and 5.3% of the severed nerve group. Concerning postoperative electrogustometric results, in the no-touch group, 8.3% of patients showed threshold elevation on electrogustometry, but the elevated thresholds completely recovered in all cases. In the touch group, 45% of patients exhibited elevated electrogustometric thresholds on their first postoperative test, including 32.9% who subsequently had complete electrogustometric recovery, 10.1% who subsequently had incomplete recovery, and 2% who failed to recover during the follow-up period. In the severed nerve group, none of the patients was responsive to the electrical stimulus on the first postoperative test, including 8.8% of patients who subsequently exhibited complete electrogustometric recovery, 32.7% who later had incomplete electrogustometric recovery, and 58.4% who never recovered any electrogustometric responsiveness. Nerve repair in the severed nerve group produced better recovery, as measured electrically. Conclusions The incidence of postoperative subjective taste disorder was low, although inconsistent with the high incidence of threshold elevation on electrogustometry, especially in the severed nerve group. Preservation or repair of the chorda tympani nerve is recommended in order to maintain or recover gustatory function.

The fibroblasts stimulated by cytokines released the chemokine and recruited the infiltrating cells, including eosinophils, that play a key role in the pathogenesis of airway disease. We established the human fibroblast lines showing high Syk expression and the lines showing low Syk expression from pieces of nasal polyp. IL-1 induces the interaction of TNFR-associated factor (TRAF) 6 with IL-1R-associated kinase, which is rapidly recruited to the IL-1R after IL-1 induction, whereas TRAF2 participates in TNF-α-signaling. In the present study, we found that Syk played a different role in IL-1- and TNF-α-induced chemokine production through a signaling complex involving Syk and TRAF6. Overexpression of wild-type Syk by gene transfer enhanced RANTES production from nasal fibroblasts stimulated with IL-1. The decrease of Syk expression by the administration of Syk antisense inhibited RANTES production in response to IL-1. However, the change of Syk expression did not affect RANTES production by TNF-α stimulation. We concluded that Syk is required for the IL-1-induced chemokine production through the association with TRAF-6 in fibroblasts of nasal polyps.

Ohtsubo, T., Igawa, H., Saito, T., Matsumoto, H., Park, H. J., Song, C. W., Kano, E. and Saito, H. Enhancement of Cell Killing by Induction of Apoptosis after Treatment with Mild Hyperthermia at 42 degrees C and Cisplatin. Radiat. Res. 156, 103-109 (2001). We examined the interactive effects of cisplatin (1.0 microg/ml) combined with hyperthermia on cell killing and on the induction of apoptosis in IMC-3 human maxillary carcinoma cells. The cytotoxic effects of hyperthermia on IMC-3 cells at 44 degrees C were greater than at 42 degrees C, as has been reported for many other cells. The induction of apoptosis, DNA fragmentation and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage were greater after hyperthermia at 44 degrees C for 30 min compared with treatment at 42 degrees C for 105 min, even though both of these heat doses were isoeffective in reducing cell survival to 50%. Treatment with cisplatin at 37 degrees C for up to 120 min did not result in cytotoxicity or the induction of apoptosis. The enhancement ratio for treatment with cisplatin at 42 degrees C was greater than that at 44 degrees C. More apoptosis was induced after the treatment with cisplatin at 42 degrees C compared to treatment with cisplatin at 44 degrees C. Taking these findings together, the combination of cisplatin and hyperthermia at 42 degrees C appeared to be more effective than cisplatin with hyperthermia at 44 degrees C for the induction of apoptosis in IMC-3 cells.

G-CSFレセプター (G-CSFR) の発現は, 正常上皮, 肥厚上皮, 異形上皮, 扁平上皮癌の順に発現率が増加した。口腔・中咽頭扁平上皮癌においてG-CSFRを持つ癌細胞を認める癌患者は有意に予後が悪く, 独立した予後因子であった。頭頸部癌細胞株においてrG-CSF刺激は浸潤能を亢進させた。その機序は, JAK1のリン酸化に引き続くMT-MMPの発現増強とIV型コラゲナーゼ活性の亢進であった。これはG-CSFRの遺伝子導入によっても確認した。DNAアレーの解析よりp38MAP kinase 系を経た核内転写因子の増強による可能性が高いと推測された。頭頸部癌細胞株のおけるG-CSFRのアイソフォームに特色はなかったが, G-CSFRの細胞内ドメイン一部を欠損させた変異発現ベクターは, rG-CSF刺激によるMT-MMPの発現増強を抑制し, Dominant negative による遺伝子治療の可能性が示唆された。

A DNA fraction purified from Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and designated MY-1 induced interferon (IFN)-gamma production by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IFN-gamma is well known as a downregulator of IgE production. In this study we investigated whether MY-1 regulates IgE production by human PBMC in vitro. MY-1 inhibited IgE production in PBMC taken from normal donors and stimulated with interleukin (IL)-4 plus monoclonal anti-CD40 antibody, without affecting production of IgA. MY-1 enhanced production of IFN-gamma and IL-12 by PBMC. Inhibition by MY-1 of IgE production was mediated by both IFN-gamma and IL-12, since the MY-1-induced suppression was blocked by the addition of monoclonal anti-IFN-gamma antibody, monoclonal anti-IL-12 antibody or a monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed at the IL-12 receptor. MY-1 inhibited the induction of epsilon germ-line transcript by IL-4. Additionally, MY-1 inhibited spontaneous in vitro production of IgE by PBMC from atopic donors in the absence of IL-4 plus anti-CD40 mAb. These results suggest that exposure to MY-1 may be a novel strategy for the treatment of IgE-related allergic disease.

Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) was isolated as an endothelial mitogen from platelets and demonstrated to have angiogenic activity and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) activity. It was reported that the overexpression of PD-ECGF occurred with the rapid tumor growth in vivo. In this study, we transfected PD-ECGF into the head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line IMC-3 and investigated the property of transfectants in vitro. Highly overexpressed PD-ECGF transfectants rapidly grew compared with parental cells and control vector (CV) transfectants (p

Recent studies have demonstrated that a caspase-activated deoxyribonuclease (CAD) causes DNA degradation in nuclei after treatment of cells with caspase-3. In this study, we evaluated the effect of CAD overexpression on tumor cells treated with a chemotherapeutic agent in vitro and in vivo. In an in vitro study, we transfected mouse fibroblast L cells with a vector encoding mouse CAD and evaluated the therapeutic potential of CAD gene transfer to L cells treated with cisplatin (CDDP). In an in vivo study, percutaneous transfer of the mouse CAD gene by particle-mediated (gene gun) delivery caused overexpression of CAD in mouse squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Our results showed that a combined treatment of CDDP and exogenous introduction of the CAD gene into tumor cells in vitro and in vivo arrested tumor growth and induced apoptosis. These results suggest that combined treatment of CDDP and exogenous CAD expression might be a useful strategy for cancer therapy.

This study demonstrated a simple method of repairing the severed chorda tympani nerve and a method of intraoperative identification of regenerated nerves, and evaluated taste function of regenerated nerves. Seven patients who underwent staged tympanoplasty and whose chorda tympani nerve was severed during primary surgery were evaluated. When the chorda tympani nerve was severed during primary surgery, proximal and distal stumps were anastomosed or approximated almost in the original position and fixed with fibrin glue on the temporal muscle fascia used to reconstruct the eardrum by the underlay method. During primary surgery, end-to-end anastomosis was possible in 3 patients but nerve gap defects remained in the other 4 patients. In all 7 patients, regenerated nerves were identified during secondary surgery not in the tympanic cavity but in the submucosal layer of the previously reconstructed eardrum. In all patients, complete or incomplete recovery of taste perception was observed by both the filter paper disk method and electrogustometry, suggesting that the regenerated nerves had actual taste function. From these results, it was concluded that the severed chorda tympani nerve could regenerate in the reconstructed eardrum even if nerve gap defects remained between the proximal and distal cut ends, when repair or approximation of the nerve was properly completed.

Purpose: The effects of hyperthermia or irradiation on cell killing and induction of apoptosis were evaluated using human maxillary carcinoma IMC-3 cells and low pH (pH 6.8) adapted cells (IMC-3-pH). Methods and Materials: Cellular heat-sensitivity or radiosensitivity was determined using the clonogenic assay. Apoptosis was assessed on the basis of a flow cytometric determination of the DNA content, DNA fragmentation, and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase cleavage. Results: When IMC-3 cells or IMC-3-pH cells were exposed to heat at 44°C in pH 6.8 medium, an increase in thermosensitivity was observed compared with when the IMC-3 cells were exposed to heat at 44°C in pH 7.4 medium. However, the selective reduction in survival was not observed after irradiation. In IMC-3 cells, apoptosis after heating at 44°C for 60 min in pH 7.4 medium occurred earlier than that after 8 Gy irradiation, although both thermal and irradiated doses decreased the cell count to 10%. The degree of apoptosis after heating at pH 6.8 in IMC-3 cells or IMC-3-pH cells was greater than that at pH 7.4 in IMC-3 cells. However, the degree of apoptosis after 8 Gy irradiation at pH 6.8 in IMC-3 cells or IMC-3-pH cells was smaller than that at pH 7.4 in IMC-3 cells. Conclusion: Hyperthermia treatment is more effective at inducing apoptosis than radiation is in tumors that contain a population of low pH adapted cells.