Visualization of giant in a movie for biology classrooms.

We have developed a new observation chamber for -infected to create dynamic visual teaching materials for virus education suitable for high school and university biology courses. We conducted experiments and captured a movie showcasing the infection process of cells by mimiviruses. In this educational film, we successfully recorded the active movement of healthy cells across the surface of a culture flask under an agarose gel.

A case of hepatitis-associated aplastic anaemia following living-donor liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis showing loss of heterozygosity in the 6p chromosome in the affected liver.

The mechanisms underlying hepatitis-associated aplastic anaemia (HAAA) that occurs several weeks after the development of acute hepatitis are unknown. A 20-year-old male developed HAAA following living-donor liver transplantation for fulminant hepatitis. The patient's leucocytes lacked HLA-class I due to loss of heterozygosity in the short arm of chromosome 6p (6pLOH).

[Bleeding due to acquired factor V inhibitor successfully treated with platelet transfusion during treatment for recurrent prostate squamous cell carcinoma].

A 78-year-old man with prostate squamous cell carcinoma recurrence in his pelvis was admitted to our hospital. Rectal obstruction led to creation of an artificial anus on the transverse colon. Then, docetaxel and radiation therapies were started.

The C29-C34 parts of antitumor macrolide aplyronine A serve as versatile actin-affinity tags.

Anticancer drug development inspired by natural products based on protein-protein interactions (PPI) is a promising strategy. We developed structurally-simplified C29-C34 side-chain analogs of aplyronine A (ApA), an antitumor marine macrolide. Among them, the analog possessing the C23 acyloxy group, the C29 ,-dimethyl-L-alanine ester and the C34 -methyl enamide showed potent actin-depolymerizing activity.

Voriconazole as a secondary prophylaxis for cryptococcal meningitis during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Antifungal prophylaxis is crucial for successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Maintenance therapy with fluconazole (FLCZ) is generally prescribed as secondary prophylaxis in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection and non-immunocompromised hosts. However, previous reports have revealed that FLCZ is insufficient as a secondary prophylaxis for cryptococcal infection in HSCT cases.

Clinical utility of oral management in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients: microbiological evidence based on molecular analysis of oral bacteria.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the clinical utility of oral management to prevent bloodstream infections by oral bacteria microbiologically in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT).

Methods: Ten consecutive patients with hematological malignancies undergoing ASCT were enrolled in this study. We implemented dental treatments before transplantation, if required, and carried out oral hygiene instructions and oral management every other day after transplantation.

[Successful treatment with a combination of elotuzumab, lenalidomide and dexamethasone of extramedullary disease in a patient with refractory multiple myeloma].

A 56-year-old man diagnosed with multiple myeloma was treated with CBD (cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone; DEX), which was discontinued because of bortezomib-associated adverse events. Thereafter, he was treated with Ld (lenalidomide; LEN+DEX) followed by high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue, resulting in a complete response. Ld as maintenance therapy was discontinued because of immune thrombocytopenia, resulting in disease progression.

Prospective Phase 2 Study of Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation in Adult Acute Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome.

Almost comparable transplantation outcomes have been reported with HLA-matched unrelated donor transplantation (UDT) and cord blood transplantation (CBT). We conducted a prospective phase 2 study to assess the efficacy and safety of single-unit myeloablative CBT in adult leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Because the day 180 survival of UDT was approximately 80%, we determined the alternative hypothesis of expected day 180 survival with a successful engraftment rate of 80% and set the null hypothesis of threshold rate at 65%.

Synthesis and Biological Activities of Aplyronine A Analogues toward the Development of Antitumor Protein-Protein Interaction Inducers between Actin and Tubulin: Conjugation of the C1-C9 Macrolactone Part and the C24-C34 Side Chain.

Aplyronine A (ApA) is an antitumor marine macrolide that induces an protein-protein interaction (PPI) between actin and tubulin. The C1-C9 macrolactone part including the C7 ,,-trimethylserine (TMSer) ester is important for its highly potent activities. To develop new antitumor PPI inducers, four aplyronine analogues were synthesized, which bear the C1-C9 macrolactone part with 0-2 TMSer ester(s) and the C24-C34 actin-binding side chain.

Long-term survival after surgical resection for recurrent hepatic and pulmonary metastases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: a case report.

Background: A few reports to date have described the effectiveness of surgical resection for recurrent intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). We report in this study a patient who achieved long-term survival after surgical resection for recurrent hepatic and pulmonary metastases of ICC.

Case Presentation: A 62-year-old man was referred to our hospital for examination of a tumor in the left lobe of the liver.

Selective synthesis of 7-O-substituted luteolin derivatives and their melanonenesis and proliferation inhibitory activity in B16 melanoma cells.

In our previous study, the isolation of ugonin J, K, and L, which are luteolin derivatives, from the roots of Helminthostachys zeylanica and their identification as potent melanogenesis inhibitors, was described. The structure activity relationship (SAR) investigation in that study revealed that the catechol moiety in the B-ring of the flavone skeleton of ugonin K was important for its melanogenesis inhibitory activity, and the presence of the low polarity substituents at the C-7 position enhanced this activity. In order to further investigate the SAR of the C-7-substituent in the luteolin derivatives, different groups were selectively introduced at the C-7 position of luteolin after borax protection of the catechol hydroxyl group and the C-5 hydroxyl group.

[Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome with C3 p.I1157T missense mutation successfully treated with eculizumab].

A 23-year-old man from Mie Prefecture, Japan, with past and family history of hematuria was diagnosed with influenza A and admitted to our hospital on the following day because of hemoglobinuria. He was diagnosed with thrombotic microangiopathy and was suspected of having atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). C3 p.

Phenyl sulfate, indoxyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate decrease glutathione level to render cells vulnerable to oxidative stress in renal tubular cells.

In chronic kidney disease patients, oxidative stress is generally associated with disease progression and pathogenesis of its comorbidities. Phenyl sulfate is a protein-bound uremic solute, which accumulates in chronic kidney disease patients, but little is known about its nature. Although many reports revealed that protein-bound uremic solutes induce reactive oxygen species production, the effects of these solutes on anti-oxidant level have not been well studied.

Underweight status at diagnosis is associated with poorer outcomes in adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a retrospective study of JALSG AML 201.

Recent studies have described various impacts of obesity and being overweight on acute myeloid leukemia (AML) outcomes in adult patients, but little is known about the impact of being underweight. We compared the outcomes of underweight patients to those of normal weight and overweight patients. Adult patients with AML who registered in the JALSG AML201 study (n = 1057) were classified into three groups: underweight (body mass index [BMI] < 18.

A nationwide survey of hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (a multicenter retrospective study).

Hypoplastic myelodysplastic syndrome (hMDS) is a distinct entity with bone marrow (BM) hypocellularity and the risk of death from BM failure (BMF). To elucidate the characteristics of hMDS, the data of 129 patients diagnosed between April 2003 and March 2012 were collected from 20 institutions and the central review team of the National Research Group on Idiopathic Bone Marrow Failure Syndromes, and compared with 115 non-hMDS patients. More RA and fewer CMMoL and RAEB-t in French-American-British (FAB) and more RCUD and MDS-U and fewer RCMD in World Health Organization (WHO) classifications were found in hMDS than non-hMDS with significant differences.

Management of Pulmonary Mucormycosis Based on a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Diagnosis in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies: A Report of Four Cases.

Pulmonary mucormycosis (PM) is a life-threatening fungal infection in patients with hematologic malignancies, and early and accurate diagnostic modalities are urgently needed. We conducted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting these fungi in peripheral blood from four patients with hematologic malignancies who were strongly suspected of having PM. In these four patients, the Rhizopus species was identified in two patients, and the Cunninghamella and Absidia species in one each.

Bacteremia due to Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Leuconostoc species are vancomycin-resistant Gram-positive cocci. Infections due to Leuconostoc species have been reported in various immunocompromised patients, but little is known about such infection in patients with hematologic malignancies. We report a case of Leuconostoc infection in a 44-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Anti-oxidative effect of AST-120 on kidney injury after myocardial infarction.

Background And Purpose: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a crucial risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and combined CKD and CVD further increases morbidity and mortality. Here, we investigated effects of AST-120 on oxidative stress and kidney injury using a model of myocardial infarction (MI) in rats.

Experimental Approach: At 10 weeks, male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were divided into three groups: SHR (n = 6), MI (n = 8) and MI + AST-120 (n = 8).

[Relapse in the nasal cavity of a patient with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma initially presenting as plantar subcutaneous tumor].

A 36-year-old woman complained of a mass on the sole of her foot in February 200X. She was diagnosed with extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENKL) by skin biopsy. Because the lesion was localized on the subcutaneous tissue of the sole, she was treated with RT/2/3DeVIC, resulting in a complete response (CR).

[Successful treatment of Bing-Neel syndrome using combination therapy with fludarabine and rituximab].

Bing-Neel syndrome is known as Waldenström's macroglobulinemia with central nervous system infiltration by neoplastic lymphoplasmacytoid and plasma cells. A 74-year-old man was admitted because of progressive cognitive impairment. Serum immunoelectrophoresis showed a monoclonal IgM-kappa component.

Effect of Genetic Polymorphism of CYP3A5 and CYP2C19 and Concomitant Use of Voriconazole on Blood Tacrolimus Concentration in Patients Receiving Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Background: Blood tacrolimus (TAC) concentration delivered via intravenous administration is known to be influenced by genetic polymorphism of CYP3A5 and interaction with triazole antifungal agents. However, interindividual variability of blood TAC concentration is as of yet still difficult to predict during the early stages of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). This study was conducted to assess the wide variability of blood TAC concentrations because of the hepatic metabolic activities of CYP3A and CYP2C19 in HSCT recipients.

Classification of Five Uremic Solutes according to Their Effects on Renal Tubular Cells.

Background/Aims. Uremic solutes, which are known to be retained in patients with chronic kidney disease, are considered to have deleterious effects on disease progression. Among these uremic solutes, indoxyl sulfate (IS) has been extensively studied, while other solutes have been studied less to state.