Predicting pathological highly invasive lung cancer from preoperative [F]FDG PET/CT with multiple machine learning models.

Purpose: The efficacy of sublobar resection of primary lung cancer have been proven in recent years. However, sublobar resection for highly invasive lung cancer increases local recurrence. We developed and validated multiple machine learning models predicting pathological invasiveness of lung cancer based on preoperative [F]fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) radiomic features.

Correlation between serum levels of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and atherogenic lipoproteins in patients with coronary artery disease.

Background: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key regulator of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. Recently, PCSK9 has additionally been related to metabolic risk factors such as the levels of triglycerides, apolipoprotein B (apoB), insulin, and glucose, as well as body mass index. The purpose of this study was to investigate correlations between serum levels of PCSK9 and apoB-containing atherogenic lipoproteins in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Soluble sortilin is released by activated platelets and its circulating levels are associated with cardiovascular risk factors.

Objective: Sortilin is involved multilaterally in the development of atherosclerosis. Here, we examine the release of soluble sortilin (sSortilin) from platelets and assess the association between circulating levels of sSoritlin and atherothrombosis such as coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods And Results: sSortilin levels measured in healthy subjects were higher in serum than in plasma (38.

Effects of Statin Therapy on Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/kexin Type 9 and Sortilin Levels in Statin-Naive Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Aim: Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) is a key regulator of serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, and sortilin is linked to lipoprotein metabolism. Although statin therapy increases PCSK9 levels, effects of this therapy on plasma sortilin levels have not been evaluated. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of statins on plasma PCSK9 and sortilin levels, and association of statin-induced increase in PCSK9 levels with sortilin.

Clinical significance of plasma apolipoprotein F in Japanese healthy and hypertriglyceridemic subjects.

Aim: Apolipoprotein F (apo F), also known as lipid transfer inhibitory protein (LTIP), is a protein component of plasma lipoprotein classes including HDL and functions to inhibit lipid transfer between lipoproteins in vitro. To study the role of plasma apo F, a reliable and sensitive tool for the quantification would be needed.

Methods: We have developed a sandwich ELISA using two monoclonal antibodies for human plasma apo F, and analyzed apo F concentration in 397 Japanese healthy and 221 hypertriglyceridemic subjects.

First trimester pregnancy decidual natural killer cells contain and spontaneously release high quantities of granulysin.

Problem: Granulysin (GNLY) is a novel cytolytic protein lytic against a variety of tumor cells and microbes. The role of GNLY during pregnancy has not been extensively explored. The aim of this study is to examine GNLY expression and distribution in the first trimester pregnancy peripheral blood (PB) and decidua, the ability of decidual and PB natural killer (NK) cells to secrete GNLY spontaneously, and the role of antigen-presenting cells (APC) in the regulation of GNLY expression in decidual NK cells.

Organic-inorganic mesoporous silica nanostrands for ultrafine filtration of spherical nanoparticles.

We report a protocol for the direct synthesis of hexagonal silica nanostrands inside anodic alumina membranes using cationic surfactants as templates. When coated with layers of trimethylsilyl moieties, the nanostrands were a powerful tool for the ultrafine filtration of noble metal and semiconductor nanoparticles.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound accelerates osteoblast differentiation and promotes bone formation in an osteoporosis rat model.

Objective: We examined the effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on cell differentiation, bone mineralized nodule formation and core-binding factor A1 (Cbfa1) expression in a normal human osteoblast (NHOst) cell line and bone formation in an osteoporosis animal model.

Methods: NHOst cells were cultured in vitro in medium with or without LIPUS stimulation. The ultrasound stimulation frequency was 1.

Granulysin produced by uterine natural killer cells induces apoptosis of extravillous trophoblasts in spontaneous abortion.

Immune changes are known to occur in recurrent spontaneous abortion, but it is unclear whether either maternal natural killer (NK) cells or T cells attack fetus-derived trophoblasts. To clarify the immunological causes of spontaneous abortion, we examined the relationship between cytotoxic granule proteins in decidual lymphocytes, such as granulysin, granzyme B, and perforin, and the induction of apoptosis in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). The number of granulysin-positive CD56(bright) NK cells increased significantly in the decidua basalis during spontaneous abortion compared with normal pregnancy; however, granzyme B- and perforin-positive cells did not change.

Reduction in resting plasma granulysin as a marker of increased training load.

Granulysin is a cytolytic granule protein released by natural killer cells and activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes. The influence of exercise training on circulating granulysin concentration is unknown, as is the relationship between granulysin concentration, natural killer cell number and natural killer cell cytotoxicity. We examined changes in plasma granulysin concentration, natural killer cell number and cytotoxicity following acute exercise and different training loads.

Soluble TWEAK is markedly elevated in hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) is a newly identified monocyte derived cytokine, which has weak apoptosis inducing function against sensitive tumor cell lines in vitro. Also, TWEAK has been reported to have proangiogenic and proinflammatory activities in vivo. However, its functions in pathological situation remain to be elucidated.

Serum granulysin level as a novel prognostic marker in patients with gastric carcinoma.

Background: Granulysin is a cytolytic molecule present in human cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cell granules, and plays a key role in the cell-mediated immunity against tumor and infection. However, few studies have estimated serum granulysin concentrations in patients with solid or hematological malignancies.

Methods: Peripheral blood samples were taken from patients with gastric carcinoma preoperatively and from healthy volunteers.

Exhaustive exercise induces differential changes in serum granulysin and circulating number of natural killer cells.

The circulating number of natural killer (NK) cells largely changes after an acute bout of physical exercise. Granulysin is a cytolytic granule protein with a broad range of antimicrobial and tumoricidal activities produced and released by human NK cells and cytolytic T lymphocytes. Since NK cells constitutively produce granulysin, most serum granulysin in healthy humans is derived from NK cells.

Plasma granulysin concentrations and preeclampsia risk.

Objective: Epidemiological, clinical and histological data suggest intriguing similarities between preeclampsia and graft-host-rejection. Granulysin, a novel biomarker of overall cellular immunity, is secreted by natural killer cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, which are associated with graft-host-rejection. Plasma granulysin was elevated in Japanese preeclamptic women.

Analysis of serum granulysin in patients with hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation: its usefulness as a marker of graft-versus-host reaction.

Granulysin is a newly identified CTL/NK cell-related cytotoxic protein, which is secreted in both constitutive and Ca-dependent manner. To evaluate its significance in stem-cell transplantation (SCT), serum granulysin was measured by newly established ELISA method in 26 patients undergoing SCT (21 allogeneic and 5 autologous). In the allogeneic SCT, granulysin was transiently increased in 3 weeks, which was not observed in autologous SCT.

Granulysin induces cell death with nuclear accumulation.

Exogenously added granulysin was reported to kill mammalian target cells. The sites of actions and molecular mechanisms of granulysin in target cell killing, however, are presently unclear. We here examine the effects of granulysin with the target HeLa cells transiently expressed with GFP-fused 9 kDa granulysin.

Granulysin in human serum as a marker of cell-mediated immunity.

Granulysin is a cytolytic granule protein of natural killer (NK) cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) with a broad range of antimicrobial and tumoricidal activities. Two molecular forms of granulysin, the 15-kDa precursor and 9-kDa mature form, are produced in these cells. In this study, we developed monoclonal antibodies against granulysin and found that the 15-kDa granulysin is spontaneously secreted by peripheral blood NK and T cells via a non-granule exocytotic pathway.

Accumulation of CD16+ cells with secretion of Ksp37 in decidua at the end of pregnancy.

Problem: Maternal cellular immunity is thought to be in a state of tolerance during pregnancy, but the precise mechanism of immunomodulation is not yet known. We investigated a novel serum protein, killer-specific secretory protein of 37 kDa (Ksp37), produced by cytotoxic lymphocytes, during pregnancy.

Method Of Study: The level of Ksp37 was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the sera of healthy pregnant women.

Differential expression of granulysin and perforin by NK cells in cancer patients and correlation of impaired granulysin expression with progression of cancer.

Granulysin has been identified as an effector molecule co-localized with perforin in the cytotoxic granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, and has been reported to kill intracellular pathogens in infected cells in the presence of perforin and to induce a cytotoxic effect against tumor cells. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether intracellular expression of granulysin and perforin by NK cells might be associated with progression of cancer. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated high levels of perforin and granulysin expression by CD3(-) CD16(+) cells in healthy controls.