Lundingdaley4798

OBJECTIVE The feasibility of the decontamination procedure for Legionella pneumophila of water systems in healthcare facilities varies by water purification and disinfection methods in each country. We evaluated the efficacy of feasible decontamination strategies in Japan. METHODS This study was conducted at Tokyo Medical University Hospital (1015 beds) between 2015 and 2018. Samples from the water system and cooling tower were cultured periodically. Hyper-chlorination of cool tap water (>0.2 ppm), increases in the temperature of hot water (>55 °C), and flushing were used as decontamination strategies. The case of healthcare-associated legionellosis was surveyed. Environmental and clinical isolates were genotyped. RESULTS 1439 environmental samples were collected; 19 (1.3%) samples tested positive for L. pneumophila from water faucets of patient rooms, toilets, waste rooms, and water sourced from wells. Genotyping of 12 isolates confirmed that the same strains were present in eight environmental isolates and two isolates from patients over three years. Although the environmental contamination of the water system was persistent, the number of positive locations of hospital environments gradually decreased; eight in 2015, four in 2016, three in 2017, and four in 2018, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring contamination, hyper-chlorination, controlling temperature, and flushing were effective as a Legionella decontamination strategy. OBJECTIVE This study was aimed to identify the residence of human fibrocartilage stem cells (hFCSCs), characterize their stem cell properties and investigate the functional mechanisms which regulate fibrocartilage stem cells (FCSCs) toward chondrogenic differentiation during cartilage homeostasis and repairing. METHODS Cytological characteristics of hFCSCs and human orofacial mesenchymal stem cells (hOFMSCs) were analyzed. Chondrogenic potential of hFCSCs was compared with hOFMSCs both in vitro and in vivo. Regulatory role of SOX9 during FCSCs chondrogenesis was studied by shRNA interference in vitro, and by GFP+ FCSCs treatment in rat condylar cartilage defect model. SOX9 expression was also examined in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) patients' cartilage surface. RESULTS hFCSCs exhibited typical mesenchymal stem cell characteristics, with significantly stronger chondrogenic capability compared to hOFMSCs. Moreover, hFCSCs showed remarkably increased expression of SOX9. During cartilage pellet culture, there was stronger SOX9 expression in hFCSCs than hOFMSCs. SOX9 shRNA interference downregulated chondrogenic capability of hFCSCs in vitro, as well as disrupting migration and chondrogenic differentiation of GFP+ FCSCs toward mature chondrocytes in rat condylar cartilage defect. Of note, SOX9 expression was also found suppressed in the condylar superficial zone of TMJOA patients. CONCLUSION We found the existence of FCSCs in human TMJ cartilage, and characterized their distinct stem cell features. SOX9 is essential for hFCSCs chondrogenic differentiation, and a comprehensive understanding of the regulatory role of SOX9 in hFCSCs would be important for exploring potential intervention strategy of condylar cartilage degradation during TMJ disorders. OBJECTIVES Osteophytes are common anatomical signs of advanced osteoarthritis. check details It remains unclear whether they develop from physio-molecular, and/or mechanical stimuli. This study examined the effects of mechanical impact on the knee joint periosteum leading to osteophyte formation. DESIGN Eighteen mature rats received one single impact load of 53 N (30 MPa) to the periosteum of the experimental medial femoral condyles. Contralateral knees were used as controls. Animals were sacrificed at 24 h, 3, 6 and 9 weeks post-impact. Distal femurs were harvested and prepared for histology. Hematoxylin and Eosin, and Masson's trichrome stained slides were examined by light microscopy. Nuclear density was quantified to assess the tissue reaction. RESULTS 24 h The synovium membrane, fibrous and cambium periosteum were damaged. Blood infiltration pooled in the impacted medial collateral ligament (MCL) region. Week 3 A cartilaginous tissue spur, chondrophyte, was found in every rat at the impacted site of the MCL. Chondrophytes were composed of fibrocartilage and cartilage matrix, with signs of cartilage mineralization and remodelling activity. Week 6 Chondrophytes presented signs of more advanced mineralisation, recognized as osteophytes. Week 9 Osteophytes appeared to be more mineralized with almost no cartilage tissue. CONCLUSIONS Osteophytes can be induced with a single mechanical impact applied to the periosteum in rat knees. These data indicate that a moderate trauma to the periosteal layer of the joint may play a role in osteophyte development. The significance of clonal evolution in myelofibrosis (MF) relapse remains poorly understood. Here, we performed panel sequencing in paired samples of 30 MF patients, who relapsed after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloSCT). We identified a median of 2 (0-12) mutations in a median of 2 (0-8) genes before alloSCT, while 2 (median, range 0-12) mutations were found in 2 (median, range 0-6) genes at relapse. Additional whole genome sequencing (n=6) did not elucidate additional molecular changes. Together, our data provide further evidence, here on MF, that clonal evolution after alloSCT is limited and that alloSCT rather selects specific (sub)clones. Parkinson's disease (PD) is an age associated, progressive, second most common neurodegenerative disease, caused due to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra (SN). Various studies imply mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, altered degradation of misfolded proteins in PD pathogenesis. Ursolic acid (UA), a natural pentacyclic triterpenoid carboxylic acid, is reported to possess a number of biological activities viz. anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory. The focus of our study was to assess the neuroprotective potential of UA against the rotenone induced pathophysiological alterations. In this study rats were subjected to stereotaxic bilateral injection of rotenone (12 µg/µl) in SN. Further, they were treated per-orally with UA (5 and 10 mg/kg) for 30 days. During the study, neurobehavioural studies comprising Rota-rod, open field and Barnes maze test (BMT) were conducted. At the end of 30 days, the antioxidant (Reduced glutathione, superoxide dismutase, catalase and lipid peroxidation), inflammatory (TNF-α) parameters, immunohistochemistry for TH positive neurons, Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein (GFAP) and mitochondrial complex I and mitochondrial biogenesis (MB) were assessed.