Novel electrochemical methodology for activity estimation of alkaline phosphatase based on solubility difference.

We propose a novel electrochemical detection system for alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity using the difference in water and oil solubilities between the substrate, ferrocene ethyl phosphate ester (FcEtOPO(3)(2-)), and the enzymatic product, ferroceneethanol (FcEtOH). In this system, water droplets containing ALP and FcEtOPO(3)(2-) were placed on a Pt disk microelectrode and surrounded by a mineral oil. By the ALP-catalyzed reaction, FcEtOPO(3)(2-) was converted to FcEtOH, which was then transferred to the mineral oil from the water droplets with FcEtOPO(3)(2-) remaining in the water droplets.

Lipase incorporated ionic liquid polymers as active, stable and reusable biocatalysts.

The aim of this study was to develop ionic liquid (IL) polymer materials incorporating enzymes that can be used as active, stable and reusable biocatalysts. To this goal, Candida rugosa lipase has been microencapsulated in surfactant aggregates formed in an IL monomer or the solution of an IL monomer/IL and then incorporated into polymer frameworks through the free radical polymerization of an IL (1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethyl-sulfonyl) amide) ([veim][Tf(2)N]). The activity, stability and reusability of such IL polymer materials containing lipase were evaluated using lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate (p-PNB) as a model reaction.

Four-dimensional measurement of the displacement of metal clips or postoperative surgical staples during 320-multislice computed tomography scanning of gastric cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the respiratory motion of metal clips or surgical staples placed in the gastric wall for planning of radiation therapy in gastric cancer patients.

Methods: This study examined 15 metal markers in the gastric walls of 12 patients with gastric cancer treated with external-beam photon RT. Motion assessment was analyzed in 41 respiratory phases covering 20 s acquired with computed tomography (CT) in the RT position using 320-multislice CT.

A case report of placental mesenchymal dysplasia with an increased VEGF-D expression.

The pathogenesis of placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) remains unclear. This report presents a case of PMD with a female fetus complicated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). The ultrasound findings were similar to molar pregnancies, but PMD was suspected based on the presence of low β-hCG levels and a normal karyotype.

Interdigitated array of Pt electrodes for electrical stimulation and engineering of aligned muscle tissue.

Engineered skeletal muscle tissues could be useful for applications in tissue engineering, drug screening, and bio-robotics. It is well-known that skeletal muscle cells are able to differentiate under electrical stimulation (ES), with an increase in myosin production, along with the formation of myofibers and contractile proteins. In this study, we describe the use of an interdigitated array of electrodes as a novel platform to electrically stimulate engineered muscle tissues.

LSI-based amperometric sensor for bio-imaging and multi-point biosensing.

We have developed an LSI-based amperometric sensor called "Bio-LSI" with 400 measurement points as a platform for electrochemical bio-imaging and multi-point biosensing. The system is comprised of a 10.4 mm × 10.

Eradicative brachytherapy with hyaluronate gel injection into pararectal space in treatment of bulky vaginal stump recurrence of uterine cancer.

The purpose of this study is to develop a procedure for eradicative brachytherapy that can deliver a curative boost dose to bulky (>4 cm) vaginal stump recurrence of uterine cancer without risk of damaging surrounding organs. We separated risk organs (the rectum and sigmoid) from the target during brachytherapy, with a hyaluronate gel injection into the pararectal space via the percutaneous paraperineal approach under local anesthesia. The rectum anchored to the sacrum by native ligament was expected to shift posteriorly.

Percutaneous interstitial brachytherapy for adrenal metastasis: technical report.

We developed and evaluated the feasibility of a brachytherapy technique as a safe and effective treatment for adrenal metastasis. Adapting a paravertebral insertion technique in radiofrequency ablation of adrenal tumors, we developed an interstitial brachytherapy for adrenal metastasis achievable on an outpatient basis. Under local anesthesia and under X-ray CT guidance, brachytherapy applicator needles were percutaneously inserted into the target.

Electrochemical detection for dynamic analyses of a redox component in droplets using a local redox cycling-based electrochemical (LRC-EC) chip device.

This report describes the electrochemical detection of a redox component in droplets using a local redox cycling-based electrochemical (LRC-EC) chip device consisting of 256 sensors. The time-course analyses showed that the redox compound in the droplet was dynamically changed during droplet evaporation or mass transfer through a water/oil interface.

Influence of signal intensity non-uniformity on brain volumetry using an atlas-based method.

Objective: Many studies have reported pre-processing effects for brain volumetry; however, no study has investigated whether non-parametric non-uniform intensity normalization (N3) correction processing results in reduced system dependency when using an atlas-based method. To address this shortcoming, the present study assessed whether N3 correction processing provides reduced system dependency in atlas-based volumetry.

Materials And Methods: Contiguous sagittal T1-weighted images of the brain were obtained from 21 healthy participants, by using five magnetic resonance protocols.

Gelatin methacrylate as a promising hydrogel for 3D microscale organization and proliferation of dielectrophoretically patterned cells.

Establishing the 3D microscale organization of cells has numerous practical applications, such as in determining cell fate (e.g., proliferation, migration, differentiation, and apoptosis) and in making functional tissue constructs.

[Achievements in the objectives of a practicum as seen through changes in awareness of nursing and care techniques in a basic nursing practice].

This study aims to elucidate the level of achievement and the challenges in a basic nursing practicum for second-year nursing students through the association method. Analysis revealed various descriptions of learning through the practicum training experiences in terms of understanding the healthcare environment, planning and implementing daily life assistance, and involvement in building a supportive relationship with a care recipient. In this sense, we can assume that the goal of the practicum was achieved.

A Pt layer/Pt disk electrode configuration to evaluate respiration and alkaline phosphatase activities of mouse embryoid bodies.

A Pt layer/Pt disk electrode configuration was used as a scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) probe. The glass seal part of the insulator was covered with a Pt layer to form an exposed pseudo reference electrode. In a HEPES-based medium at pH 7.

A new strategic neurosurgical planning tool for brainstem cavernous malformations using interactive computer graphics with multimodal fusion images.

Object: In this study, the authors used preoperative simulation employing 3D computer graphics (interactive computer graphics) to fuse all imaging data for brainstem cavernous malformations. The authors evaluated whether interactive computer graphics or 2D imaging correlated better with the actual operative field, particularly in identifying a developmental venous anomaly (DVA).

Methods: The study population consisted of 10 patients scheduled for surgical treatment of brainstem cavernous malformations.

Human bone marrow stromal cells simultaneously support B and T/NK lineage development from human haematopoietic progenitors: a principal role for flt3 ligand in lymphopoiesis.

The regulation of human early lymphopoiesis remains unclear. B- and T-lineage cells cannot develop simultaneously with conventional stromal cultures. Here we show that telomerized human bone marrow stromal cells supported simultaneous generation of CD19(+) CD34(lo/-) CD10(+) cyCD79a(+) CD20(+/-) VpreB(-) pro-B cells and CD7(+) CD34(+) CD45RA(+) CD56(-) cyCD3(-) early T/Natural Killer (NK) cell precursors from human haematopoietic progenitors, and the generation of both lymphoid precursors was promoted by flt3 ligand (flt3L).

Effects of image distortion correction on voxel-based morphometry.

Purpose: We aimed to show that correcting image distortion significantly affects brain volumetry using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and to assess whether the processing of distortion correction reduces system dependency.

Materials And Methods: We obtained contiguous sagittal T(1)-weighted images of the brain from 22 healthy participants using 1.5- and 3-tesla magnetic resonance (MR) scanners, preprocessed images using Statistical Parametric Mapping 5, and tested the relation between distortion correction and brain volume using VBM.

Four-dimensional measurement of the displacement of internal fiducial and skin markers during 320-multislice computed tomography scanning of breast cancer.

Purpose: To study the three-dimensional movement of internal tumor bed fiducial and breast skin markers, using 320-multislice computed tomography (CT); and to analyze intrafractional errors for breast cancer patients undergoing breast irradiation.

Methods And Materials: This study examined 280 markers on the skin of the breast (200 markers) and on the primary tumor bed (80 markers) of 20 patients treated by external-beam photon radiotherapy. Motion assessment was analyzed in 41 respiratory phases during 20 s of cine CT in the radiotherapy position.

Clinicopathological significance of podocalyxin and phosphorylated ezrin in uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma.

Background: Podocalyxin is an anti-adhesive glycoprotein that has been associated with highly aggressive forms of cancers. Podocalyxin increases the migration and invasive properties of cancer cells through its interaction with ezrin, which undergoes an increase in phosphorylation through podocalyxin.

Aims: To study the roles of podocalyxin and phosphorylated ezrin (pEzrin) in uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma (UEA).

[Motion analysis of target during stereotactic radiotherapy of lung tumors using volumetric modulated arc therapy].

Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is a rotational intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique capable of acquiring projection images for cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Respiratory-correlated cone-beam computed tomography, namely 4D-CBCT, serves to assess the displacement of a tumor position between planning and treatment due to organ motion and respiration, and is important for more accurate radiation therapy. On the other hand, recently, a 320-detector row CT scanner, namely 4D-CT, has become available that allows axial volumetric scanning of a 16-cm-long range in a patient without table movement.

A new electrochemical assay method for gene expression using HeLa cells with a secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter system.

A new electrochemical assay for the detection of secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) from transfectant HeLa cells is proposed using a microarray device and scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). The assay consists of two steps: the first is the incubation of a transfected cell in a microarray culture device covered with a substrate modified with anti-SEAP under physiological conditions without any additives. The array device consists of a 4 × 4 array of microwells having a size of 100 µm × 100 µm (diameter × depth).

Microfluidic heavy metal immunoassay based on absorbance measurement.

A simple and rapid flow-based multioperation immunoassay for heavy metals using a microfluidic device was developed. The antigen-immobilized microparticles in a sub-channel were introduced as the solid phase into a main channel structures through a channel flow mechanism and packed into a detection area enclosed by dam-like structures in the microfluidic device. A mixture of a heavy metal and a gold nanoparticle-labeled antibody was made to flow toward the corresponding metal through the main channel and make brief contact with the solid phase.

Precision of the measurement of CT numbers: comparison of dual-energy CT spectral imaging with fast kVp switching and conventional CT with phantoms.

Purpose: To compare dual-energy computed tomography (CT) spectral imaging and conventional CT imaging in terms of precision of the measurement of CT numbers in phantoms.

Materials And Methods: A circular phantom (CP) and an elliptical phantom (EP) were used. Capsules filled with iodine contrast media solutions at various concentration levels were placed in the phantoms.

Survival impact of adjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin for early-stage ovarian clear-cell carcinoma with complete surgical staging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to estimate the survival impact of adjuvant paclitaxel and carboplatin (TC) compared to cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapies for early-stage ovarian clear-cell carcinoma (CCC).

Methods: Clinicopathologic information on 99 stage I-II CCC patients was obtained between 1987 and 2005. All patients underwent complete surgical staging including systemic lymphadenectomy, followed by TC or various CDDP-based regimens.