Motility behavior of rpoS-deficient Escherichia coli analyzed by individual cell tracking.

Motility is one of the most extensively studied cellular events conducted by bacteria, including Escherichia coli. A motility agar plate assay showed that deletion of the rpoS gene enhanced the apparent motility of the E. coli BW25113 strain, which inherently had negligible motility compared to wild-type E.

The BHLH transcription factor DEC1 plays an important role in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition of pancreatic cancer.

DEC1 (BHLHE40/Stra13/Sharp2) is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation and the response to hypoxia. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is an important step leading to invasion and migration of various tumor cells, and TGF-β treatment has been shown to induce cancer cells to undergo EMT. However, the significance of DEC1 in TGF-β-induced EMT remains unknown.

Expression of cytokeratin 34βE12 is a good indicator of tumor progression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is considered one of the most aggressive cancers with poor prognosis. The high molecular weight cytokeratin 34βE12 (CK34βE12) is recognized by the antibody, that is expressed in the cytoplasm of epithelial basal cells, and has been considered as a potential marker for prostate cancer, breast cancer, and basaloid carcinoma of the lung. However, there are no clinicopathological studies investigating CK34βE12 expression at the invasive front of ESCC.

Introduction of a simulation model for choledocho- and pancreaticojejunostomy.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy includes choledochojejunostomy and pancreaticojejunostomy, which require hand-sewn anastomoses. Educational simulation models for choledochojejunostomy and pancreaticojejunostomy have not been designed. We introduce a simulation model for choledochojejunostomy and pancreaticojejunostomy created with a skin closure pad and a vascular model.

Living donor liver transplantation from an asymptomatic mother who was a carrier for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

Liver transplantation (LT) has been adopted as a radical treatment for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD), yielding favorable outcomes. Despite the fact that it is an inheritable disease, a blood relative who is heterozygous for the disorder must sometimes be used as a liver donor for living donor LT. There is ongoing discussion regarding the use of heterozygous donors, however, to our knowledge, no cases where donation was determined based on the Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) activity before LT have been reported.

Gene expression of ATP-binding cassette transporters during liver regeneration after 90% hepatectomy in rats.

Liver damage with hyperbilirubinemia during regeneration of the small liver is the major hurdle to expand the indications of adult living donor liver transplantation. We performed a large-scale gene expression analysis of the regenerating liver after a 90% hepatectomy in rats, and analyzed the changes in the gene expression patterns related to the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. RNAs were prepared from 3 rat livers at 0, 24, 72 and 168 h after a 90% hepatectomy.

Hepatic venous outflow obstruction in living donor liver transplantation: balloon angioplasty or stent placement?

Background: The incidence of hepatic venous outflow obstruction (HVOO) has been reported to be 5%-13% when a partial graft is used for orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). HVOO leads to graft congestion, portal hypertension, and finally cirrhosis, which jeopardizes both graft and recipient survivals. In this study, we sought to identify perioperative factors influencing HVOO and to investigate conditions that require stent placement.

Liver transplantation for Wilson's disease in pediatric patients: decision making and timing.

Transplantation for Wilson's disease occupies 1/3 of the cases for metabolic diseases in Japan. At the end of 2009, 109 transplantations had been performed including three deceased donor cases in the Japanese registry. We herein discuss problems of transplantation for Wilson's disease as well as its indication, timing, and social care.

Donor quality of life after living donor liver transplantation: single-institute experience.

Aim: Living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has been widely accepted because of the severe shortage of hepatic grafts. However, the healthy donor is exposed to risks of morbidity and mortality. In this study, we analyzed medical, functional, and psychological outcomes of donors after hepatectomy for liver donation.

Importance of awareness of perioperative social and physical situations of living donors for liver transplantation.

Introduction: Transplantation in Japan still depends on living donors even after the new revised law. We must pay attention to protect living donors.

Patients And Methods: Perioperative qualities of life after living donation for liver transplantation were assessed with questionnaires including the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey version 2 (SF36-v2).

[A case of advanced gastric cancer with liver metastases successively treated with S-1/CDDP combination therapy followed by curative resection].

The patient was a 67-year-old male with type-3 gastric cancer from the upper body of the stomach to the cardia. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed liver metastases(S8)(T2N0M0H1, Stage IV). The patient received neoadjuvant combined chemotherapy with S-1 and CDDP.

Impact of enzyme activity assay on indication in liver transplantation for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

There are no objective and concrete guidelines for the management of Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD). Based on previous findings, we hypothesized that patients with OTCD have a low Ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) activity in the liver, and therefore it would be better to determine the appropriate indications and optimal timing for liver transplantation (LT) based on the OTC activity. However, few data have so far been accumulated on the OTC activity in cases that are indicated for LT.

[A case of lung metastases after surgery for colon cancer demonstrating complete response for more than six years after treatment with UFT/LV].

A 54-year-old female with cecal cancer underwent Rt. hemicolectomy in December 2000. The lesion was mod, ss, p1(+), n1, stage IV.

[A case of malignant lymphoma of the gallbladder after chemotherapy for malignant lymphoma of the skin and right intraocular].

A case is a 65-year-old female. She was diagnosed as T-cell malignant lymphoma (skin and right intraocular). Chemotherapy( THP-COP) was performed for 6 months and she was in remission.

[Two cases of complete response of primary esophageal carcinoma treated with 5-FU/CDDP as neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

CASE 1: A 67-year-old man with lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma, T2N0M0, cStage II, underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with 5-FU/CDDP. After 2 courses of NAC, radical resection of the esophageal carcinoma was performed. Primary tumor was not palpable, and lymph node swelling was not found in the resected specimens.

[A case of advanced esophageal cancer invaded to the trachea with PCR after preoperative chemoradiotherapy, which relapsed at the time of three years and seven months after resection].

A male in his 40s was diagnosed with type-3 advanced esophageal cancer in the upper thoracic and cervical esophagus, which invaded to the trachea. We administered a low-dose FP combination therapy (5-FU and CDDP) along with 40 Gy radiotherapy. This chemoradiotherapy reduced the esophageal tumor significantly, and then we performed subtotal esophagectomy.

[A case of advanced esophageal cancer patient surviving more than 7 years treated with chemoradiotherapy].

We report here a long-term survival case of advanced esophageal cancer with distant lymph node metastases, treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A man in his 60s with disturbance of swallowing was diagnosed as middle esophageal cancer involving multiple metastases of distant lymph nodes. CRT (combination of 5-FU and nedaplatin every four weeks for four courses with 66 Gy of radiation) was administered.

[Anal squamous cell carcinoma-a report of 6 cases].

In Japan, surgical therapy is utilized as the main treatment modality for anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Subjects were 6 patients with anal SCC treated at our hospital from 2000-2010, and a study was made on the treatment. In the early 3 cases (Stage IIIA, IIIB, IIIB), chemoradiotherapy (CRT) was used as adjuvant therapy on the premise of surgery.

[Long-term clinical effects of preoperative radiotherapy on anal function after intersphincteric resection].

Background: The aim of this study was to determine whether preoperative radiotherapy had an influence on the anal function of patients having an intersphincteric resection (ISR).

Methods: We evaluated a long-term outcome and postoperative anal function in 22 patients having undergone ISR for low rectal cancer.

Results: There was no significant difference between the irradiated and nonirradiated group in the postoperative complications and oncological outcome.

[Analysis of postoperative pulmonary complications after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer].

We examined factors contributing to an onset of postoperative pulmonary complications following esophagectomy for esophagus cancer. One hundred thirty-two cases of the resected esophageal cancer were studied. We considered the relationship between preoperative patient factors, operative factors, clinical stage factors and postoperative pulmonary complications.

Evaluation method for gene transfection by using the period of onset of gene expression and cell division.

Using single-cells time-lapse analysis, we investigated the mechanism of gene expression using nine transfection reagents. Although onset of gene expression occurred after cell division by all reagents, 91.6% periods, which depended on onset and cell division, had statistical significance.

Usefulness of in-phase and out-of-phase magnetic resonance imaging for the detection of pancreatic lymphoepithelial cyst.

Lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC) of the pancreas is a rare benign lesion that may mimic cystic neoplasms. Diagnosis of pancreatic LEC has been depended on the elevation of serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), biopsy of the cyst by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and several abdominal imaging techniques including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, it is very difficult to diagnose LEC of the pancreas preoperatively and excessive surgery has been done in spite of its benign nature.

Endovascular interventions for hepatic artery complications immediately after pediatric liver transplantation.

Hepatic artery complications after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) can directly affect both graft and recipient outcomes. For this reason, early diagnosis and treatment are essential. In the past, relaparotomy was generally employed to treat them.

Efficacy of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells for fulminant hepatitis in mice induced by concanavalin A.

Background And Aim: Fulminant hepatitis is mainly caused by excessive immune response-mediated liver injury and its definitive therapy is liver transplantation. Mesenchymal stem cells, one of the adult stem cells, have an immunomodulatory effect on immune cells and reside in various tissues. The aim of this study was to investigate a therapeutic effect of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) on fulminant hepatitis induced by concanavalin A (ConA).

Living donor liver transplantation for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency.

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, the most common urea cycle disorder, causes hyperammonemic encephalopathy and has a poor prognosis. Recently, LT was introduced as a radical OTCD treatment, yielding favorable outcomes. We retrospectively analyzed LT results for OTCD at our facility.