Clinical study of a new skin antiseptic olanexidine gluconate in gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Background: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication of gastrointestinal surgery. Olanexidine gluconate (OLG) is a novel skin antiseptic that is effective against a wide range of bacteria. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the bactericidal efficacy of OLG in gastrointestinal cancer surgery.

Development of X-ray contrast agents using single nanometer-sized gold nanoparticles and lactoferrin complex and their application in vascular imaging.

The technology to accurately image the morphology of tumor vessels with X-ray contrast agents is important to clarify mechanisms underlying tumor progression and evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapy. However, in clinical practice, iodine-based contrast agents present problems such as short blood retention owing to a high clearance ability and insufficient X-ray absorption capacity when compared with other high atomic number elements. To resolve these issues, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), with a high atomic number, have attracted a great deal of attention as contrast agents for angiography, and have been employed in small animal models.

[Supporting Technology for Development of Antibody Drug and Diagnostic Method to Predict Response to the Drug, by Using Fluorescence Imaging].

Fluorescence imaging is a very useful method for visualizing molecules and cells, but when tissues are measured", decrease in resolution due to increased scattering and absorption of light in proportion to tissue thickness (problem 1)" and "decrease in signal to noise(S/N)ratio of positive signal due to tissue autofluorescence(problem 2)"are problems to be solved. In this paper, to develop a technology to improve the analysis accuracy of drug efficacy mechanisms in preclinical trial of drug discovery, we performed development of a supporting technology for drug discovery of antibody drug conjugates by imaging living tumor tissues, while solving problem 1. This technology is expected to lead to an improvement in the success rate of clinical trials.

Heterogeneous Drug Efficacy of an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Visualized Using Simultaneous Imaging of Its Delivery and Intracellular Damage in Living Tumor Tissues.

Anticancer drug efficacy varies because the delivery of drugs within tumors and tumor responses are heterogeneous; however, these features are often more homogenous in vitro. This difference makes it difficult to accurately determine drug efficacy. Therefore, it is important to use living tumor tissues in preclinical trials to observe the heterogeneity in drug distribution and cell characteristics in tumors.

A case of laparoscopic high anterior resection of rectosigmoid colon cancer associated with a horseshoe kidney using preoperative 3D-CT angiography.

Background: Horseshoe kidney is a congenital malformation in which the bilateral kidneys are fused. It is frequently complicated by other congenital malformations and is often accompanied by anomalies of the ureteropelvic and vascular systems, which must be evaluated to avoid iatrogenic injury. We report a case of laparoscopic high anterior resection of rectosigmoid colon cancer associated with a horseshoe kidney using preoperative 3D-CT angiography.

Enhanced IFN-α production is associated with increased TLR7 retention in the lysosomes of palasmacytoid dendritic cells in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Interferon-α (IFN-α) is increased and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are the main producer of IFN-α, but their IFN-α producing capacity has been shown to be unchanged or reduced when stimulated with a Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist in patients with SLE compared to in healthy individuals. In this study, we investigated the IFN-α-producing capacity of lupus pDCs under different stimulation.

X-ray computed tomography imaging of a tumor with high sensitivity using gold nanoparticles conjugated to a cancer-specific antibody via polyethylene glycol chains on their surface.

Contrast agents are often used to enhance the contrast of X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging of tumors to improve diagnostic accuracy. However, because the iodine-based contrast agents currently used in hospitals are of low molecular weight, the agent is rapidly excreted from the kidney or moves to extravascular tissues through the capillary vessels, depending on its concentration gradient. This leads to nonspecific enhancement of contrast images for tissues.

Biliary tract variations of the left liver with special reference to the left medial sectional bile duct in 500 patients.

Background: Among the intrahepatic bile ducts, the biliary system of the left medial sectional bile duct (B4) is known to have relatively complex patterns.

Methods: The records of 500 patients who had been diagnosed as having hepato-pancreatico-biliary disease were retrospectively studied for anatomical biliary variations of the left liver with special reference to the drainage system of B4 using magnetic resonance images.

Results: The left hepatic duct was present in 494 patients (98.

Liver failure after hepatocellular carcinoma surgery.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to construct a prediction model for posthepatectomy liver failure (PHLF), as defined by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery, and evaluate its accuracy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.

Methods: A total of 277 consecutive hepatectomies for HCC between 2005 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to develop a predictive model for PHLF.

Impact of advanced age on the short- and long-term outcomes in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma: a single-center analysis over a 20-year period.

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of age on both the risk of hepatectomy and the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Patients undergoing an initial hepatectomy for HCC were classified into 2 age groups: 75 years or over (n = 113) and less than 75 years (n = 499).

Results: A zero 90-day mortality was achieved in the elderly.

Time-lapse observations to analyze the effects of assisted hatching.

Purpose: Assisted hatching (AH) is an artificial disruption of the zona pellucida with the aim of facilitating embryo implantation. We used time-lapse observations of mouse embryos to examine the effect of AH in mouse blastocysts.

Methods: AH techniques were performed with acid Tyrode's solution.

Surgical treatment of 144 cases of hilar cholangiocarcinoma without liver-related mortality.

Background: The present study evaluated whether the short- and long-term outcomes improved during our 23 years of experience treating 144 consecutive patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

Methods: Patients treated between 1990 and 2000 (period 1; n = 70) were retrospectively compared with those treated between 2001 and 2012 (period 2; n = 74). Mortality and major complications were defined as any death occurring within 90 days of surgery and a grade III-IV complication according to the Clavien classification, respectively.

Hepatectomy preserving drainage veins of the posterior section for liver malignancy invading the right hepatic vein: an alternative to right hepatectomy.

Background: Although a right hepatectomy (RH) traditionally has been performed for liver tumors infiltrating the main trunk of the right hepatic vein (RHV), the presence of drainage veins of the posterior section (DVPS) beside the RHV provides a chance to preserve their draining area even if the main trunk of the RHV is removed.

Methods: Since 2005, we systematically have performed DVPS-preserving hepatectomies whenever possible. In the present study, we describe our experience treating 12 consecutive patients who underwent this procedure.

A harmless method for determining trenbolone acetate together with 17beta-trenbolone in beef.

An inexpensive, harmless, and quick technique of sample preparation followed by a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the simultaneous quantification of trenbolone acetate and 17beta-trenbolone in cattle muscle is presented. Analysis by HPLC with photo-diode array detector was performed using a short C1 column with an isocratic mobile phase. The method was validated by the analyses of spiked samples, resulting recoveries (> or = 87.

Simultaneous determination of sulfamonomethoxine, sulfadimethoxine, and their hydroxy/N(4)-acetyl metabolites with gradient liquid chromatography in chicken plasma, tissues, and eggs.

A simultaneous determination of sulfamonomethoxine, sulfadimethoxine, and their hydroxy/N(4)-acetyl metabolites in chicken plasma, muscle, liver, and eggs using gradient high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a photo-diode array detector is developed. All the compounds are extracted by a handheld ultrasonic homogenizer with ethanol followed by centrifugation. The separation is performed by a reversed-phase C4 column with a gradient elution (ethanol:1% (v/v) acetic acid, v/v; 10:90-->20:80).

Isolation of tetracyclines in milk using a solid-phase extracting column and water eluent.

An isolating method using a solid-phase extraction (SPE) ISOLUTE(R) C8 endcapped syringe-column for routine monitoring of residual tetracyclines (TCs) (oxytetracycline (OTC), tetracycline (TC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and doxycycline (DC)) in cow's milk is presented. In the simplest and most environmentally harmless method, milk samples could be applied directly to the SPE column, following which all TCs were eluted with water. No organic solvents were used at all.

Normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of spiramycin in eggs and chicken.

A precise method is presented for determination of residual spiramycin (SP) in chicken eggs and tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The sample preparation was performed by homogenizing with a mixture of acetonitrile and n-hexane (5:4, v/v) to minimize the fat amount followed by ultra-filtration using a MolCutII(R). The extracts containing SP were free from interfering compounds when examined by the normal-phase HPLC using a LiChrosorb(R) NH(2) column and a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (85:15, v/v) with a photo-diode array detector.

Organic solvents-free technique for determining sulfadimethoxine and its metabolites in chicken meat.

A quick and cost-effective technique of sample preparation followed by a reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography under "organic solvent-free" (=100% aqueous) conditions for the simultaneous quantifying of sulfadimethoxine (SDM) and its metabolites, 6-hydroxy SDM (6-OH) and N(4)-acetyl SDM (N(4)-Ac), in chicken muscle is presented. Analysis by HPLC with photo-diode array detector was performed using a short C1 column with an isocratic 0.04 mol/l citric acid mobile phase.

Separating DDTs in edible animal fats using matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction with activated carbon filter, Toyobo-KF.

A technique is presented for the economical, routine, and quantitative analysis of contamination by dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) [pp'-DDT, pp'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloroethylene, and pp'-dichlorodiphenyl dichloreothane in beef tallow and chicken fat samples, based on their separation using matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction with Toyobo-KF, an activated carbon fiber. Toyobo-KF is a newly applied MSPD sorbent, and it is followed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a photodiode array detector. The resulting analytical performance parameters [recoveries of spiked DDTs (0.

Determining sulfamonomethoxine and its acetyl/hydroxyl metabolites in chicken plasma under organic solvent-free conditions.

A quantitative technique is described for a sample preparation followed by high performance liquid chromatography method for the simultaneous determination of sulfamonomethoxine and its metabolites, N4-acetyl SMM and 2,6-dihydroxy SMM, in chicken plasma. The average recoveries, analytical total time, and limits of quantitation were >/=80% (relative standard deviations (SD) View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pathogenesis of calcium crystal deposition in the ligamentum flavum correlates with lumbar spinal canal stenosis.

Objective: To investigate the histological and immunohistochemical properties of degenerative changes and calcium crystal deposition in the lumbar ligamentum favum.

Methods: We examined the ligamentum flavum harvested from 119 surgical cases with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis. Sections of the ligament were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray micro-analysis, and were immunostained for S-100 protein, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and CD34.

Sample preparation followed by HPLC under harmless 100% aqueous conditions for determination of oxytetracycline in milk and eggs.

A simple and hazardous chemical-free method for the high-performance liquid chromatographic determination of oxytetracycline (OTC) residues in milk and eggs has been developed. Sample preparation consists in homogenization with an aqueous solution by means of a handheld ultrasonic homogenizer followed by centrifugal ultrafiltration. HPLC is performed with an isocratic aqueous mobile phase and a photodiode array detector.

A toxic reagent-free method for normal-phase matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction and reversed-phase liquid chromatographic determination of aldrin, dieldrin, and DDTs in animal fats.

A method for the determination of aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, DDE, and DDD contamination in animal fats (beef tallow, lard, and chicken fat) without using toxic reagents is developed, that uses high-performance liquid chromatography after the sample has been prepared by matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) with acidic alumina oxide. A reversed-phase C(1)-silica column with a mobile phase of 50% (v/v) ethanol solution (in water) and a photo-diode array detector were used for the determination. Average recoveries of the target compounds (0.