ABSTRACT. Infection of the type II feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) strain 79-1146 to primary feline alveolar macrophages and human monocyte cell line U937 was enhanced by the sera of cats experimentally infected with the 79-1146 strain, but not those of cats infected with KU-2 or UCD-1 strain of type I FIPV. The experiments using sera of cats with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) and of cats naturally infected with feline coronavirus (FCoV) revealed that infection of the FIPV 79-1146 strain to the U937 cells was enhanced only by the sera of cats infected with type II FIPV or feline enteric coronavirus. The samples positive for antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) activity had high neutralizing antibody titers against the FIPV 79-1146 strain and the samples negative for ADE activity had low neutralizing antibody titers. These findings support the previous results where a monoclonal antibody with neutralizing activity had high ADE activity, suggesting that there was a close relationship between the neutralization and enhancement sites. And then it is also suggested that ADE of infection is likely to be induced by re-infection with the same serotype of virus in type II FIPV infection. Furthermore, U937 cells are considered useful and can be substituted for the feline macrophages for determining ADE of FIPV-infection. -KEY WORDS: antibody-dependent enhancement of infection, feline infectious peritonitis virus, feline macrophage, U937 cell.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to early quality of life (QOL) three months after surgery in breast cancer patients with axillary lymph node dissection. Methods: The subjects of this study were 195 consecutive patients who underwent axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer. Age, body mass index, level of lymph node dissection, marriage, children, co-resident household members, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative chemotherapy, postoperative hormonal therapy, postoperative radiotherapy, upper limb function (disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH)), and QOL (European Organization for the Treatment and Research of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30)) were evaluated. For each item of the EORTC QLQ-C30, compared with preoperative status and three months after surgery, those who improved or remained unchanged in the three months after surgery were classified as the maintenance and improved groups, and those with worsening status were classified as the worsened group. Results: Age, level of lymph node dissection, DASH, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative chemotherapy, and postoperative radiotherapy were significantly associated with QOL (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The early QOL of postoperative patients with breast cancer is affected by multiple factors, such as upper limb function and postoperative chemotherapy, and thus comprehensive intervention is required.

The aim of the current study was to assess the risk factors for developing lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. Methods: The subjects of this study were 238 consecutive patients who underwent axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer at Shikoku Cancer Center. The study variables were the occurrence of lymphedema, the body mass index, the follow-up period, the drain removal time, the level of lymph node dissection, the presence or absence of co-resident household members, radiation therapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: We observed lymphedema in 23.9% of patients after axillary lymph node dissection for breast cancer. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy using docetaxel and cyclophosphamide increased the risk of developing lymphedema (P <0.05). Conclusions: Those patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy using docetaxel and cyclophosphamide should be observed closely after axillary lymph node dissection, and appropriate intervention should be considered from an early stage.