Metallurgical Characterization of Penetration Shape Change in Workpiece Vibration-Assisted Tandem-Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding.

Tandem-pulsed gas metal arc welding (TP-GMAW) simultaneously uses two wire-electrodes to enhance the material deposition rate, leading to the generation of a finger-shaped penetration as one of the arcs penetrates deeper than the other. On the other hand, workpiece vibration is one of the techniques used to control the microstructure of weld metal and a heat-affected zone. It is incidentally found that a specific vibration condition changes the finger-shaped penetration into pan-bottom shaped penetration in the TP-GMAW even though the vibration energy is much lower than the arc energy. Microstructure observation and elemental analysis are carried out for the welds fabricated without vibration and with three kinds of vibration modes, namely sine, random, and shock. The specific sine-mode vibration exhibits pan-bottom. The other modes of vibration in the same welding conditions exhibited invariable finger-shaped penetration. The Si atoms as a tracer distribute uniformly in the sine-mode. However, Si atoms segregate at the bottom of the finger-shaped weld metal with the random-mode and shock-mode workpiece vibrations. The weld pool shape change is prominent at a specific frequency. A resonance phenomenon between the droplet flow pattern and the molten material flow in the weld pool is likely to play a vital role in the change.

Plant Enzymes Decrease Prostate Cancer Cell Numbers and Increase TNF-α In Vivo: A Possible Role in Immunostimulatory Activity.

Increased caloric intake and Westernized dietary choices may be contributing toward a recent rising trend of incidences of chronic lifestyle-related diseases. In this study, we evaluated the anticancer properties of Plant Enzyme Validux (PEV) using a mouse model. Five-week-old male C3H mice were randomly distributed into four experimental groups: Control, PEV only, 6Gy irradiation only, and PEV + 6Gy. PEV was orally administered daily at 500 mg/kg for 14 days prior to three rounds of 2Gy irradiation. We focused on the anticancer action and immunostimulatory effects of PEV with and without irradiation. Oncogene suppression was observed after PEV treatment as was an increase in TNF-α, suggesting an antitumor effect. PEV administration also appeared to reduce oxidative stress as evidenced by a decrease in lipid peroxidation. In addition, PEV confirmed radioprotective effect by radical blocking ability by radiation irradiation. Immunological responses to PEV administration were evidenced by an increase in number of total white blood cells and T lymphocytes. Immunotherapy is drawing more and more attention as a treatment for prostate cancer, suggesting that there will be a need for the identification of specific targets for prostate cancer and for more basic research on the genetic aspects of immunotherapy. Thus, PEV may be of use as a radioprotective supplement during radiotherapy for tumor treatment.

Elemental diet moderates 5-fluorouracil-induced gastrointestinal mucositis through mucus barrier alteration.

PURPOSE: There are reports that elemental diet (ED) ameliorates oral mucositis caused by antineoplastic chemotherapy. Although this effectiveness may be partly due to high nutrient absorption, the effects of chemotherapy on mucosal defense mechanisms remain unclear. We investigated the effects of oral supplementation with ED on mucin in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis. METHODS: 5-FU was administered to rats orally once daily, and ED was supplied orally twice daily for 5 days. The severity of mucositis was assessed by length, dry tissue weight, and villus height of the intestinal tract. Using anti-mucin monoclonal antibody, we compared the immunoreactivity in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and mucin content by histological and biochemical examinations. RESULTS: Oral supplementation with ED reduced histological damage and loss of length, dry tissue weight, and villus height induced by 5-FU administration. ED markedly altered PGM34 antibody immunoreactivity and mucin contents in the small intestine of rats with 5-FU-induced mucositis. CONCLUSIONS: ED may possibly be more effective for the prevention of antineoplastic chemotherapy-induced mucositis through the activation of GI mucus cells.

Radiotherapy for patients with unresectable advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion to intrahepatic large vessels: efficacy and outcomes.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: To examine the efficacy and outcomes of radiotherapy (RT) in patients who have hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion to intrahepatic large vessels (IHLVs). METHODS: Sixty-seven patients who had advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with invasion to IHLVs received three-dimensional conformal RT. IHLV invasion was associated with portal venous tumor thrombosis in 40 patients, tumor thrombosis involving the hepatic vein in 17, and both findings in 10. A daily radiation dose of 1.8-2 Gy was administered using 6 or 10 MV X-rays to deliver a total dose of 30-56 Gy. RESULTS: The overall objective response rate (complete response plus partial response) was 45% (n = 30). The median survival time was 13.7 months in the responder group and 5.9 months in the nonresponder group. An objective response was observed in 28 (56%) of 50 patients with Child-Pugh (C-P) class A and in 2 (12%) of 17 patients with C-P class B. Hepatic function of C-P class A was an independent factor for both RT responder and overall survival on Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio = 9.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.97-46.2, P = 0.005; and hazard ratio = 0.39, 95% confidence interval = 0.2-0.77, P = 0.007, respectively). CONCLUSION: RT is an effective treatment option without serious adverse events. RT should be considered for the patients with better hepatic function who have invasion to IHLVs.

Increased expression of (pro)renin receptor in aldosterone-producing adenomas.

(Pro)renin receptor ((P)RR) is a specific receptor for renin and prorenin. The aim of the present study is to clarify expression and possible pathophysiological roles of (P)RR in aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) and other adrenal tumors. Expression of (P)RR was studied by immunocytochemistry, western blot analysis and real-time RT-PCR in adrenal tumor tissues obtained at surgery. Immunocytochemistry showed that (P)RR was expressed in normal adrenal glands and tumor tissues of adrenocortical tumors including APAs. In the normal adrenal glands, positive (P)RR immunostaining was observed in both adrenal cortex and medulla, with higher (P)RR immunostaining observed in zona glomerulosa and zona reticularis. Positive (P)RR immunostaining was also observed in the adrenocortical tumors, with elevated (P)RR immunostaining found in APAs, particularly in compact cells. By contrast, no apparent (P)RR immunostaining was observed in pheochromocytomas. Western blot analysis showed a band of (P)RR protein in normal adrenal glands and adrenocortical tumors at the position of 35 kDa. The relative expression levels of (P)RR protein were higher in tumor tissues of APAs than in attached non-neoplastic adrenal tissues of APAs. Real-time RT-PCR showed that expression levels of (P)RR mRNA were significantly increased in tumor tissues of APAs compared with other adrenal tumor tissues and attached non-neoplastic adrenal tissues of APAs. The present study has shown for the first time that expression of (P)RR is elevated in tumor tissues of APAs, raising the possibility that (P)RR may play pathophysiological roles in APAs, such as aldosterone secretion and cell proliferation.

Changes in the mucus barrier during cisplatin-induced intestinal mucositis in rats.

AIM: Gastrointestinal mucositis is a frequent complication of antineoplastic chemotherapy, but the effects of chemotherapy on mucosal defense mechanisms remain poorly understood. We studied the effects of cisplatin on mucin, one of the principal defense factors of the gastrointestinal mucosa, and evaluated the efficacy of two different types of H2-receptor antagonists against cisplatin-induced mucositis. METHODS: Cisplatin (6 mg/kg) was administered intravenously to rats (day 0). The rats were sacrificed 1, 3, 7, and 11 days after treatment, and their stomach, jejunum, ileum, and colon were removed. Immunoreactivity of the mucosa was compared with the use of anti-mucin monoclonal antibody. To evaluate the efficacy of H2-receptor antagonists, either famotidine (3 mg/kg) or lafutidine (30 mg/kg) was given orally once daily on days 0, 1, and 2. Histological and biochemical findings were compared among the groups to assess effects on cisplatin-induced injury. RESULTS: Cisplatin significantly altered the immunoreactivity and content of mucin in the small intestinal mucosa, especially in the ileum. Lafutidine protected against cisplatin-induced mucosal injury and attenuated decreased mucin accumulation. CONCLUSION: Cisplatin appears to alter the mucus barrier function in the intestinal mucosa. Lafutidine might effectively prevent chemotherapy-induced mucositis by activating intestinal mucus cells.

Expression of kisspeptins and kisspeptin receptor in the kidney of chronic renal failure rats.

Kisspeptins are biologically active cleavage peptides of the KiSS-1 gene products with important roles in the suppression of tumor metastasis and in the reproduction. The aim of the present study is to clarify changes of the expression of kisspeptins and kisspeptin receptor in the kidney with and without chronic renal impairment. 5/6 nephrectomized rats were used as the rat model of chronic renal failure. Competitive quantitative RT-PCR showed that kisspeptin mRNA levels were decreased in the kidney of 5/6 nephrectomized rats at 56 days compared with sham-operated rats. In contrast, immunoreactive kisspeptin concentrations were increased in the kidney of 5/6 nephrectomized rats at 56 days. On the other hand, kisspeptin receptor mRNA levels were increased in the kidney of 5/6 nephrectomized rats at 14 and 56 days compared with sham-operated rats. Immunocytochemistry showed that kisspeptins and kisspeptin receptor were expressed in renal tubular cells, collecting duct cells, vascular smooth muscle cells in both rats. The intensity of kisspeptin receptor immunostaining was lower in 5/6 nephrectomized rats than in sham-operated rats. Western blot analysis confirmed that kisspeptin receptor protein levels were significantly decreased in the remnant kidney of 5/6 nephrectomized rats (about 23% of sham-operated rats), which is a good contrast to the kisspeptin receptor mRNA expression. The present study has shown that expression of kisspeptins and kisspeptin receptor are altered in the kidney tissues of chronic renal impairment, raising the possibility of their pathophysiological roles in chronic renal failure.

Presence of kisspeptin-like immunoreactivity in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors.

Kisspeptins are neuropeptides which activate the hypothalamo-pituitary gonadal axis and are considered to play important physiological roles in the reproduction. Kisspeptins have also been reported to stimulate the aldosterone secretion from the adrenal cortex. However, the expression of kisspeptins in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors has not been clarified yet. We, therefore, studied the presence of kisspeptin-like immunoreactivity (LI) in human adrenal glands and adrenal tumors (adrenocortical adenomas, adrenocortical carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas) by radioimmunoassay and immunocytochemistry. Kisspeptin-LI was detected in all the tissues examined; normal portions of adrenal glands (3.0 +/- 2.3 pmol/g wet weight, n = 21, mean +/- SD), aldosterone-producing adenomas (4.6 +/- 3.3 pmol/g wet weight, n = 10), cortisol-producing adenomas (2.7 +/- 1.4 pmol/g wet weight, n = 14), adrenocortical carcinomas (1.7 +/- 0.2 pmol/g wet weight, n = 4), and pheochromocytomas (1.8 +/- 0.8 pmol/g wet weight, n = 6). There was no significant difference in kisspeptin-LI levels among them. Immunocytochemistry showed positive kisspeptin-immunostaining in normal adrenal glands, with stronger immunostaining found in the medulla. Furthermore, positive kisspeptin-immunostaining was found in all types of adrenal tumors examined; adrenocortical adenomas, adrenocortical carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas. The intensity of kisspeptin-immunostaining in these adrenal tumors was, however, not so strong as that in normal adrenal medulla. The present study has shown for the first time the presence of kisspeptin-LI in adrenal glands and adrenal tumors.

A combination therapy of whole lung lavage and GM-CSF inhalation in pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Systemic and inhalation therapy of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is usually effective in controlling autoimmune pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP), but some cases are refractory to GM-CSF therapy and subjected to whole lung lavage (WLL). A 9-year-old girl developed severe respiratory failure due to autoimmune PAP was treated with inhalational 250 microg of GM-CSF daily, however, it was ineffective. Unilateral WLL was performed three times and subsequent GM-CSF inhalation therapy yielded marked physiological and radiological improvement and was continued for 1 year.

Cardiac metastasis from a transitional cell carcinoma diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography.

We report a rare case of symptomatic cardiac metastasis from a transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. A 57-year-old man presented with severe anemia, inflammation, hypoxemia and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Computed tomography revealed a large tumor in the left renal pelvis with multiple lymph node metastases. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed large tumors in the right ventricle. The patient suddenly died because of the obstructive mass of the right ventricular outflow tract. Histopathological examination showed high-grade transitional cell carcinoma in the left renal pelvis and the right ventricle. There are only three cases of cardiac metastases from a transitional cell carcinoma reported in the literature.

[A case of urothelial cancer on a ureterocele].

A 62-year-old man consulted our hospital complaining of macroscopic hematuria. Intravenous urography showed a dilated terminal portion of the left ureter resembling a cobra head. Cystoscopy revealed multiple tumors on the ureterocele. There were no metastatic lesions on CT and MRI. Transurethral resection of the tumor and the ureterocele was performed and the pathological examination revealed transitional cell carcinoma on the ureterocele. This is the 4th case of urothelial cancer on a simple ureterocele reported in Japan.

Evidence that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA)/Zn2+ axis may play a role in human prostate cancer cell invasion.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is used as a marker for the diagnosis and monitoring of prostate cancer, is a kallikrein protease which could potentially play a role in human prostate cancer cell invasion. Zinc ions are effective inhibitors of a number of proteases. The enzymatic activity of purified PSA was strongly inhibited by Zn(2+). The ability of LNCaP cells which express and secrete PSA to invade Matrigel was strongly suppressed by Zn(2+) at a concentration similar to that inhibiting the activity of purified PSA. Zn(2+) effectively inhibited the degradation of Matrigel by purified PSA. These results suggest that Zn(2+) in human prostate may suppress the invasion and metastasis of prostate cancer cells through the regulation of the proteolytic activity of PSA. Loss of inhibition of the proteolytic activity of PSA by Zn(2+) in prostate tumors could contribute to invasion.

Metabolite profiles of flutamide in serum from patients with flutamide-induced hepatic dysfunction.

Hepatic dysfunction due to flutamide administration has been reported and this side effect often limits the use of the agent. The prediction of flutamide-induced hepatotoxicity is attributed to the proper use of the antiandrogen. In this study, we investigated whether hepatic dysfunction could be assessed by the metabolite profile in serum from patients receiving this drug. Serum samples were obtained from 15 patients with prostate cancer, 12 patients with no sign of hepatotoxicity and 3 patients with slight hepatic dysfunction during long-term flutamide treatment. We analyzed the metabolite profiles by LC/MS in selected ion monitoring mode and detected a new metabolite (M3) that was an oxidation product of flutamide. However, there were no consistent differences in the serum flutamide metabolites between patients with normal function and those suffering hepatic dysfunction. The metabolite profiles in the beta-glucuronidase-treated serum showed a similar pattern between normal functioning and dysfunctional groups. Thus, the profile of flutamide metabolites determined in serum may not contribute to the risk prediction of flutamide-related hepatotoxicity.