Retrieval strategy for ruptured balloon with circumferential tear during angioplasty for arteriovenous fistula in hemodialysis patients.

Introduction: Balloon angioplasty is a common endovascular procedure. The balloon for angioplasty sometimes ruptures (incidence, 3.6%-10%), and it is constructed such that it ruptures in a longitudinal direction and complications related to rupture are rare.

Recurrent gastric volvulus associated with a gastrointestinal stromal tumor: A case report.

Introduction: Gastric volvulus (GV) is defined as a rotation of the stomach along its short or long axis leading to variable degrees of gastric outlet obstruction. Rotation of the stomach >180° may cause closed loop obstruction and possible strangulation, which often causes acute abdominal pain. Strangulation and gangrene of the twisted stomach sometimes occurs, which demands immediate surgical intervention.

Anterograde bile duct drainage for intractable bile leakage after hepatectomy in a patient with previous pancreatoduodenectomy: A case report.

Introduction: Endoscopic retrograde drainage is effective for managing bile leakage, which is relatively common after hepatectomy without bile duct reconstruction. However, the procedure is difficult to perform after pancreatoduodenectomy with choledochojejunostomy. We present a case of anterograde bile duct drainage for intractable bile leakage after hepatectomy in a patient with previous pancreatoduodenectomy.

Efficient siRNA delivery and gene silencing using a lipopolypeptide hybrid vector mediated by a caveolae-mediated and temperature-dependent endocytic pathway.

Background: We developed a non-viral vector, a combination of HIV-1 Tat peptide modified with histidine and cysteine (mTat) and polyethylenimine, jetPEI (PEI), displaying the high efficiency of plasmid DNA transfection with little toxicity. Since the highest efficiency of INTERFERin (INT), a cationic amphiphilic lipid-based reagent, for small interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection among six commercial reagents was shown, we hypothesized that combining mTat/PEI with INT would improve transfection efficiency of siRNA delivery. To elucidate the efficacy of the hybrid vector for siRNA silencing, β-actin expression was measured after siRNA β-actin was transfected with mTat/PEI/INT or other vectors in HSC-3 human oral squamous carcinoma cells.

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder due to bacterial cystitis.

We report a case of spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder (SRUB) due to bacterial cystitis in a 76-year-old woman with chief complaint of abdominal pain a day before presentation. She had fever (38.0°C), and her systolic blood pressure dropped to 70 mmHg; she was referred to our hospital, where she was admitted with a diagnosis of ileus.

Released fibroblast growth factor18 from a collagen membrane induces osteoblastic activity involved with downregulation of miR-133a and miR-135a.

We have developed a unique delivery system of growth factors using collagen membranes (CMs) to induce bone regeneration. We hypothesized that fibroblast growth factor18 (FGF-18), a pleiotropic protein that stimulates proliferation in several tissues, can be a good candidate to use our delivery system for bone regeneration. Cell viability, cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, mineralization, and marker gene expression of osteoblastic differentiation were evaluated after mouse preosteoblasts were cultured with a CM containing FGF-18, a CM containing platelet-derived growth factor, or a CM alone.

Ex vivo nonviral gene delivery of μ-opioid receptor to attenuate cancer-induced pain.

Virus-mediated gene delivery shows promise for the treatment of chronic pain. However, viral vectors have cytotoxicity. To avoid toxicities and limitations of virus-mediated gene delivery, we developed a novel nonviral hybrid vector: HIV-1 Tat peptide sequence modified with histidine and cysteine residues combined with a cationic lipid.

The potential of stromal cell-derived factor-1 delivery using a collagen membrane for bone regeneration.

Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a cytokine that is important in stem and progenitor cell recruitment in tissue repair after injury. Regenerative procedures using collagen membranes (CMs) are presently well established in periodontal and implant dentistry. The objective of this study is to test the subsequent effects of the released SDF-1 from a CM on bone regeneration compared to platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) in vitro and in vivo.

Donor pretreatment with DHMEQ improves islet transplantation.

Background: Currently, pancreatic islet transplantation to achieve normoglycemia in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) requires two or more donors. This may be due to the inability to transplant functionally preserved and viable islets after isolation. Islets have already been subjected to various harmful stresses during the isolation process leading to apoptosis.

Establishment of Immortalized Human Hepatocytes by Introduction of HPV16 E6/E7 and hTERT as Cell Sources for Liver Cell-Based Therapy.

For future cell-based therapies for liver diseases, the shortage of cell sources must be resolved. Immortalized human hepatocytes are expected to be among the new sources. In addition to telomerase activation by the introduction of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), inactivation of the p16/RB pathway and/or p53 by E6/E7 of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) has been shown to be useful for efficient immortalization of several human cell types.

Noble gene transduction into pancreatic beta-cells by singularizing islet cells with low doses of recombinant adenoviral vector.

Adenovirus-mediated gene transduction into the intact islets has thus far been limited to the surface cells of islets. We evaluated the efficiency of gene delivery by singularization of islets, followed by self-reorganization into islet-like masses. Adenovirus-mediated gene transduction was performed on dispersed islet cells, obtained by two-step digestion of collagenase and ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid/dispase.

Role of caspases in cleavage of lamin A/C and PARP during apoptosis in macrophages infected with a periodontopathic bacterium.

The periodontopathic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans has been implicated in the pathogenesis of periodontal diseases. It has been reported previously that infection with the organism induced apoptosis in the mouse macrophage cell line J774.1.

Enamel matrix derivative promotes osteoclast cell formation by RANKL production in mouse marrow cultures.

Objectives: Enamel matrix derivative (EMD) is used clinically to promote periodontal tissue regeneration, however, there are few reports regarding effects of EMD on bone metabolism. We evaluated the influence of EMD on osteoclast formation using in vitro bone marrow culture.

Methods: Bioactive fractions were purified from EMD by reverse-phase HPLC on a C18 hydrophobic support, then mouse bone marrow cells were cultured with EMD or its purified fractions for 8 days.

Involvement of caspase activation through release of cytochrome c from mitochondria in apoptotic cell death of macrophages infected with Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans.

We previously reported that infection with the periodontopathic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans induced apoptosis in a mouse macrophage cell line J774.1. In the present study, we examined the involvement of cytochrome c and caspases in the induction of apoptosis in A.