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Aim: The link between periodontitis and intestinal dysbiosis, two factors that contribute to atherosclerosis, has not been clearly defined. We investigated the integrative effects of oral infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis (PG), the major pathogen for periodontitis, on intestinal microbiota and atherosclerosis. Materials and Methods: ApoE−/− mice were fed a normal chow diet (NC), a Western diet (WD) or a WD with oral PG infection (PG). The PG infection was investigated by placing a total of 109 CFUs of live PG into the oral cavity of each mouse using a feeding needle five times a week for 3 weeks. Atherosclerotic lesions of the aortae were measured, and blood lipoproteins and the expression of molecules related to lipid metabolism in the liver were analysed. We also performed 16S RNA sequencing and a microbiome analysis using faeces. Results: En face bloc preparation of the aortae showed that the PG group had a 1.7‐fold increase in atherosclerotic lesions compared with the WD group (p <.01). Serum analyses showed that oral PG infection induced a significant decrease in high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride. Western blots of hepatic tissue lysates revealed that PG infection reduced the expression of scavenger receptor class B type 1 (SR‐B1) in the liver by 50%. Faecal microbiota analysis revealed that species richness estimates (Chao1, ACE) decreased immediately after PG infection. PG infection also induced a significant decrease in Shannon diversity and an increase in Simpson's indices in the WD‐fed mice. PG infection significantly increased the phyla Actinobacteria and Deferribacteres, along with the species Mucispirillum schaedleri and Lactobacillus gasseri, in the mice. The functional study showed that PG infection increased the expression of proteins that function in carbohydrate and glucose metabolism, including phosphotransferase system (PTS) proteins and the GntR family transcriptional regulator. Conclusions: Oral PG infection promotes atherosclerosis and induces significant metabolic changes, including reduced serum HDL and reduced hepatic SR‐B1 and ABCA1 expression, as well as changes in intestinal microbiota. Our study suggests that intestinal dysbiosis accompanies periodontitis and could play a role in atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess multiple factors influencing the outcomes of ultrasound (US)‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) of salivary gland lesions. Methods: From 2008 to 2013, a single radiologist performed US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions in 243 patients. With the exclusion of pure cysts, poor image quality, and insufficient static image cases, 218 salivary gland lesions in 218 patients were included. The composition, size, location, and vascularity of the lesions were retrospectively investigated on the basis of sonographic findings by the same radiologist. The relationship between sampling adequacy and multiple factors was compared, and the diagnostic accuracy of US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions was calculated by using the final diagnosis as a reference standard. Results: The sampling adequacy rate for US‐guided FNA of the 218 salivary gland lesions was 96.8% (211 of 218). A significant difference was observed in the composition and vascularity of the lesions (P <.0001), whereas there was no significant difference in the patient age and sex, lesion size, lesion location, and needle size. The rate of inadequate sampling increased in predominantly cystic lesions compared with solid lesions as well as in low‐vascularity lesions compared with high‐vascularity lesions. Of the 218 lesions, 178 (81.7%) were ultimately diagnosed, and most were benign (162 of 178 [91.0%]). When 3 cases with indeterminate cytologic results were excluded, the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and accuracy of US‐guided FNA of salivary gland lesions were 64.3%, 98.8%, 81.8%, 97.0%, and 96.0%, respectively. Conclusions: When using US‐guided FNA to diagnose salivary gland lesions, sampling adequacy depends on the composition or vascularity of the lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic (US) features of complex fibroadenoma (FA), according to the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon.Methods: From 2010 through 2013, 586 women with FAs were seen; 101 (17%) of those lesions were diagnosed as complex FAs on percutaneous needle biopsy or surgery. Among the patients with complex FAs, 67 who had US examination results available were included in this study. In addition, the results from 98 women who had simple FAs were included as controls. US features were retrospectively analyzed by two breast radiologists in consensus for shape, margin, echogenicity, posterior acoustic pattern, boundary, orientation, and associated findings. They also reassessed the BI-RADS category for FAs. Color Doppler US examination results were classified according to the amount of vascularity as absent, moderate, or marked.Results: Complex FA were larger than simple FAs were (14.5 cm versus 12.1 cm, p > 0.05). On univariate analysis, a round to irregular shape, an uncircumscribed margin, the presence of associated findings, and BI-RADS categorization as 4a and 4b were more frequently revealed in complex than in simple FAs (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis revealed that the tumor margin was a predictive factor for complex FA (odds ratio: 6.08; 95% confidence interval: 1.14-32.49, p < 0.05). On color Doppler US, the complex FAs had higher degrees of vascularity than simple FA (p < 0.05).Conclusions: Complex FAs, in comparison with simple FAs, tend to have more aggressive features and to be in higher BI-RADS categories on US examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the imaging features of benign adenomyoepithelioma of the breast with a focus on sonographic (US) appearances. Methods: Ten benign adenomyoepitheliomas in 9 patients were included in this study. Mammographic and US findings were analyzed retrospectively by 2 radiologists according to the Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon. The BI-RADS final assessment category was also recorded. Results: Of the 8 lesions for which mammography was available, 4 lesions presented with abnormal findings. Two lesions presented with an indistinct, irregular, isodense mass and a circumscribed, oval, isodense mass. The other 2 lesions presented with areas of focal asymmetry and asymmetry, respectively. On US, all of 10 lesions presented as a mass. The masses measured 0.5-1.2 cm (mean, 0.8 cm), were irregular ( n = 8) or oval ( n = 2) with microlobulated ( n = 5), indistinct ( n = 3), or angular ( n = 2) margins. They were all hypoechoic, had non parallel orientation in 6 cases, and increased peripheral vascularity in 7 cases. The BI-RADS final assessment category was 4B in 6, and 4A in 4. Conclusions: Mammographic findings of benign adenomyoepithelioma were nonspecific. An irregular, non parallel orientation, microlobulated or indistinct margin, hypoechogenicity, and increased peripheral vascularity were the most frequent US features. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2013 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a gut-derived incretin hormone that plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. Its functions include glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, suppression of glucagon secretion, deceleration of gastric emptying, and reduction in appetite and food intake. Despite the numerous antidiabetic properties of GLP-1, its therapeutic potential is limited by its short biological half-life due to rapid enzymatic degradation by dipeptidyl peptidase IV. The present study aimed to demonstrate the therapeutic effects of constitutively expressed GLP-1 in an overt type 2 diabetic animal model using an adenoviral vector system. Methods A novel plasmid (pAAV-ILGLP-1) and recombinant adenoviral vector (Ad-ILGLP-1) were constructed with the cytomegalovirus promoter and insulin leader sequence followed by GLP-1(7-37) cDNA. Results The results of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed significantly elevated levels of GLP-1(7-37) secreted by human embryonic kidney cells transfected with the construct containing the leader sequence. A single intravenous administration of Ad-ILGLP-1 into 12-week-old Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, which have overt type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), achieved near normoglycemia for 3 weeks and improved utilization of blood glucose in glucose tolerance tests. Circulating plasma levels of GLP-1 increased in GLP-1-treated ZDF rats, but diminished 21 days after treatment. When compared with controls, Ad-ILGLP-1-treated ZDF rats had a lower homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance score indicating amelioration in insulin resistance. Immunohistochemical staining showed that cells expressing GLP-1 were found in the livers of GLP-1-treated ZDF rats. Conclusions These data suggest that GLP-1 gene therapy can improve glucose homeostasis in fully developed diabetic animal models and may be a promising treatment modality for T2DM in humans. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies demonstrating the efficacy of insulin gene therapy have mostly involved use of adenoviral vectors or naked DNA to deliver the insulin gene. However, this procedure may not guarantee long-term insulin production. To improve the performance, we prepared recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV) harboring the gene encoding a furin-modified human insulin under the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter [rAAV-hPPI(F12)]. Methods Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats were used as a diabetic animal model. The levels of blood glucose, insulin, and HbA1c were measured to test the effect. An intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test was performed to test the capability of blood glucose disposal. Immunohistochemical staining and Northern blot analyses were performed to survey the expression pattern of the therapeutic insulin gene. Results STZ-induced diabetic Sprague-Dawley rats infused via the portal vein with rAAV-hPPI(F12) produced human insulin and after a 6-h fast were normoglycemic for over 90 days post-treatment, whereas diabetic rats treated with recombinant adenoviral vector harboring the hPPI(F12) gene [rAV-hPPI(F12)] were normoglycemic only for days 3 to 13 post-treatment. Insulin mRNA was detected mainly in the liver of the rAAV-hPPI(F12)-treated diabetic rats. The glucose tolerance capability of the rAAV-hPPI(F12)-treated diabetic rats was comparable to that of non-diabetic rats, even without injection of recombinant insulin. Furthermore, blood HbA1c concentrations in rAAV-hPPI(F12)-treated diabetic rats were reduced to almost the normal level. Importantly, studies of rAV or rAAV vector-dependent side effects on the targeted liver strongly suggested that only rAAV treatment caused no side effects. Conclusions These results demonstrate that our rAAV-mediated in vivo insulin gene therapy provides safer maintenance of the insulin gene expression required for long-term and thus more effective blood glycemic control. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report C. agronoma Meyrick for the first time from South Korea. Photographs of adults and genitalia are provided, with brief comments on distribution and biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]