Single intra-articular injection of fluvastatin-PLGA microspheres reduces cartilage degradation in rabbits with experimental osteoarthritis.

Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs that inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, a rate-limiting enzyme of the mevalonate pathway. The anti-inflammatory effect of statins has been reported in recent years. The present study investigated therapeutic effects of the local administration of statin in osteoarthritis (OA).

Fungal ITS1 Deep-Sequencing Strategies to Reconstruct the Composition of a 26-Species Community and Evaluation of the Gut Mycobiota of Healthy Japanese Individuals.

The study of mycobiota remains relatively unexplored due to the lack of sufficient available reference strains and databases compared to those of bacterial microbiome studies. Deep sequencing of Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) regions is the standard for fungal diversity analysis. However, results are often biased because of the wide variety of sequence lengths in the ITS regions and the complexity of high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies.

Efficacy of Eculizumab Therapy for Atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Recurrence and Antibody-Mediated Rejection Progress After Renal Transplantation With Preformed Donor-Specific Antibodies: Case Report.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) develops as the result of unregulated complement progression and precipitates de novo thrombotic microangiopathy. Plasma therapy is used to control the progression of the complement cascade, but that therapy is not effective in all patients and is accompanied by risk of infection and/or allergy. Eculizumab has been reported as an efficient therapy for aHUS.

[Relationship between Physicochemical Properties of Medical Supplies and Serious Adverse Drug Reactions Listed in the Package Inserts].

We sought to clarify the relationship between the physicochemical properties of each medical supply and serious adverse drug reactions listed in the package inserts, by reviewing new information. We investigated 1) 1078 medicines currently available on the domestic Japanese market by using physicochemical data, such as cLogD, molecular weight (MW), and pK and 2) the serious adverse drug reactions stated in the package inserts and the presence or absence of serious renal and liver disorders, as well as mental, extrapyramidal, and skin disorders. The renal disorders data showed: cLogD<0, adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.

Impact of grafting using thin upper pole artery ligation on living-donor adult kidney transplantation: The STROBE study.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of grafting using thin upper pole artery ligation for living-donor adult kidney transplantation. Few reports have examined the safety of thin upper pole artery ligation.Between January 2008 and May 2015, 613 consecutive living-donor adult kidney transplantations were performed.

[Autoimmune encephalitis due to mantle cell lymphoma].

Background: Autoimmune encephalitis is a rare condition characterized by subacute development of cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. A paraneoplastic syndrome involves autoimmune encephalitis caused by classic antibodies. Although this condition is often associated with cancer, no malignancy has yet been found in 70-90% of patients at the time of diagnosis.

The Feedback-Related Negativity and the P300 Brain Potential Are Sensitive to Price Expectation Violations in a Virtual Shopping Task.

A large body of evidence shows that buying behaviour is strongly determined by consumers' price expectations and the extent to which real prices violate these expectations. Despite the importance of this phenomenon, little is known regarding its neural mechanisms. Here we show that two patterns of electrical brain activity known to index prediction errors-the Feedback-Related Negativity (FRN) and the feedback-related P300 -were sensitive to price offers that were cheaper than participants' expectations.

Role of MSX1 in Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells.

Msh homeobox 1 (MSX1) encodes a transcription factor implicated in embryonic development of limbs and craniofacial tissues including bone and teeth. Although MSX1 regulates osteoblast differentiation in the cranial bone of young animal, little is known about the contribution of MSX1 to the osteogenic potential of human cells. In the present study, we investigate the role of MSX1 in osteogenic differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells isolated from deciduous teeth.

Profiling Kinase Activity during Hepatitis C Virus Replication Using a Wortmannin Probe.

To complete its life cycle, the hepatitis C virus (HCV) induces changes to numerous aspects of its host cell. As kinases act as regulators of many pathways utilized by HCV, they are likely enzyme targets for virally induced inhibition or activation. Herein, we used activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), which allows for the identification of active enzymes in complex protein samples and the quantification of their activity, to identify kinases that displayed differential activity in HCV-expressing cells.

Impact of Differential Detergent Interactions on Transmembrane Helix Dimerization Affinities.

Interactions between transmembrane (TM) helices play a critical role in the fundamental processes required for cells to communicate and exchange materials with their surroundings. Our understanding of the factors that promote TM helix interactions has greatly benefited from our ability to study these interactions in the solution phase through the use of membrane-mimetic micelles. However, less is known about the potential influence of juxtamembrane regions flanking the interacting TM helices that may modulate dimerization affinities, even when the interacting surface itself is not altered.

TNIK inhibition abrogates colorectal cancer stemness.

Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling is essential for maintaining intestinal stem cells, and its constitutive activation has been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. We and others have previously identified Traf2- and Nck-interacting kinase (TNIK) as an essential regulatory component of the T-cell factor-4 and β-catenin transcriptional complex. Consistent with this, Tnik-deficient mice are resistant to azoxymethane-induced colon tumorigenesis, and Tnik(-/-)/Apc(min/+) mutant mice develop significantly fewer intestinal tumours.

Renal transplantation-related risk factors for the development of uterine adenomatoid tumors.

•We analyzed the epidemiological factors for clinical manifestations of uterine adenomatoid tumors.•Renal transplantation with immunosuppression therapy is risk factor for the development of uterine adenomatoid tumors.•The length of time on dialysis is risk factor for the development of uterine adenomatoid tumors.

5-year follow-up of a randomized clinical study comparing everolimus plus reduced-dose cyclosporine with mycophenolate mofetil plus standard-dose cyclosporine in de novo kidney transplantation: Retrospective single center assessment.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of everolimus plus reduced-dose cyclosporine compared with mycophenolate mofetil plus standard-dose cyclosporine 5years after living donor kidney transplantation. Between March 2008 and August 2009, 24 living donor kidney transplantations were enrolled in a 2-year, multicenter, randomized phase 3 study (RAD001A1202 study). 24 recipients were randomly classified into two groups and closely observed for 5years.

Deposits from Creams Containing 20% (w/w) Urea and Suppression of Crystallization (Part 3): Novel Analytical Methods Based on Raman Spectroscopy for the Characterization of Deposits and Deposition Phenomena of Creams Containing 20% (w/w) Urea.

In drug formulations for external application, variations in the state of pharmaceutical agents within the base formulation may affect the transfer of agents to the skin. Here, we use Raman spectroscopic methods to acquire more detailed information on the state of the active pharmaceutical ingredients within an externally applied formulation. The combination of wide-field Raman spectroscopy with an experimental method in which drug formulations are applied to glass surfaces provided a new method for characterizing the state of pharmaceutical agents within drug formulations.

Deposits from Creams Containing 20% (w/w) Urea and Suppression of Crystallization (Part 2): Novel Analytical Methods of Urea Accumulated in the Stratum Corneum by Tape stripping and Colorimetry.

The transfer of urea from a urea formulation to the stratum corneum varies with the formulation base and form, and impacts the formulation's therapeutic effect. Consequently, determining the amount of urea transferred is essential for developing efficient formulations. This study assessed a simple method for measuring the amount of urea accumulated in the stratum corneum.

Deposits from Creams Containing 20% (w/w) Urea and Suppression of Crystallization (Part 1): Rate of Crystallization from Cream Containing 20% (w/w) Urea and Evaluation of the Properties of the Deposit.

Two creams containing 20% (w/w) urea and various emulsifiers, a nonionic surfactant (NS) and lecithin (LEC), were prepared, and the rate of crystallization following application of the cream and differences in the properties of the deposits were investigated. Post-application crystallization was slower with the LEC formulation. Differences in the crystals obtained from the two formulations and from a 20% aqueous solution of urea were evaluated by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray-DSC (PXRD-DSC) and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR).

DEC2 is a negative regulator for the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocyte lineage-committed mesenchymal stem cells.

Differentiated embryo chondrocyte 2 (DEC2) is a basic helix-loop-helix-Orange transcription factor that regulates cell differentiation in various mammalian tissues. DEC2 has been shown to suppress the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into myocytes and adipocytes. In the present study, we examined the role of DEC2 in the chondrogenic differentiation of human MSCs.

[A refractory duodenal ulcer with a biliary-duodenal fistula following the administration of bevacizumab].

A 65-year-old woman with recurrent breast cancer was repeatedly treated with bevacizumab, an anti-VEGF antibody. In addition, she was also frequently prescribed a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug for abdominal pain. Melena was revealed 2 months after the final treatment with bevacizumab, and an endoscopic study revealed a duodenal ulcer (DU) that was resistant to anti-ulcer therapy.

QOL and sociodemographic factors among first-time parents in Japan: a multilevel analysis.

Purpose: The present study aimed to examine the relationship between sociodemographic factors and domains of quality of life (QOL) among married adults in Japan who were either rearing or expecting their first child. Our research focus was on whether different sociodemographic variables interacted with each other in predicting the first-time parents' QOL.

Method: In total, 4374 (mean age = 34.

Prevalence of unmet needs and correlated factors in advanced-stage cancer patients receiving rehabilitation.

Purpose: Although rehabilitation for patients with cancer is currently being provided throughout all phases of the disease, including the advanced stage, much remains unknown about the needs of such patients. The aims of this study were to identify the supportive care and unmet needs of cancer patients receiving rehabilitation interventions and to investigate the factors associated with those unmet needs.

Methods: A total of 45 patients with cancer receiving rehabilitation interventions participated in this study between June 2013 and December 2015.

Serum concentrations of l-kynurenine predict clinical outcomes of patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase exerts intense immunomodulatory effects due to enzymatic activities that catalyze the breakdown of the essential amino acid l-tryptophan. The activity of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase can be estimated by measuring serum l-kynurenine concentrations. Here, we aimed to determine the role of l-kynurenine as a prognostic factor for peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS) in a retrospective analysis of data derived from 31 consecutive patients between June 2000 and March 2013 who were histologically diagnosed with PTCL-NOS according to the World Health Organization classification and treated with 6-8 cycles of cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin or pirarubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone.

The prognosis of hepatitis B inactive carriers in Japan: a multicenter prospective study.

Background: Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative inactive carriers, the majority of hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers, are considered to have a good prognosis. The definition of the inactive HBV carrier state has been based on HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Here we conducted a prospective study involving 18 hospitals to clarify the prognosis of HBeAg-negative inactive carriers.

Development of a Novel Scoring System for Predicting the Risk of Colorectal Neoplasia: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop a novel scoring system to screen subjects who have a high risk for colorectal neoplasia.

Study Design And Setting: We retrospectively analyzed 1061 subjects undergoing total colonoscopy (TCS) for the first time at Gihoku Kosei Hospital. The characteristics and habits of the subjects were analyzed using a multivariate logistic regression analysis.

A salvage chemotherapy of R-P-IMVP16/CBDCA consisting of rituximab, methylprednisolone, ifosfamide, methotrexate, etoposide, and carboplatin for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma who had previously received R-CHOP therapy as first-line chemotherapy.

We have reported the efficacy of the salvage chemotherapy P-IMVP16/CBDCA for patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had previously received CHOP before the availability of rituximab (R). Here, we confirmed the efficacy of R combined with P-IMVP16/CBDCA as a salvage chemotherapy for patients with DLBCL, who had previously received R-CHOP. We retrospectively analysed 59 patients with relapse or refractory DLBCL (38 male patients and 21 female patients) presenting between June 2004 and June 2013.

[Methodology for Estimating the Risk of Adverse Drug Reactions in Pregnant Women: Analysis of the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report Database].

Safety information regarding drug use during pregnancy is insufficient. The present study aimed to establish an optimal signal detection method to identify adverse drug reactions in pregnant women and to evaluate information in the Japanese Adverse Drug Event Report (JADER) database between April 2004 and November 2014. We identified reports on pregnant women using the Standardised MedDRA Queries.