The Role of TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 5 in the Formation of Germinal Centers by B Cells During the Primary Phase of the Immune Response in Mice.

TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) function as intracellular adaptor proteins utilized by members of the TNF receptor superfamily, such as CD40. Among the TRAF family proteins, TRAF5 has been identified as a potential regulator of CD40. However, it remains unclear whether TRAF5 regulates the generation of germinal center (GC) B cells and antigen-specific antibody production in the T-dependent (TD) immune response.

A Case of Inflammatory Juvenile Conjunctival Nevus with a Rare Histopathological Type.

Introduction: Inflammatory juvenile conjunctival nevus (IJCN) is a rare condition affecting both children and adolescents. It has misleading clinical and histopathological features; therefore, careful assessment is necessary. We present a case of IJCN with a rare pathological type and misleading histopathological features.

LEVELS OF ATMOSPHERIC TRITIUM IN THE SITE OF FUSION TEST FACILITY.

In the deuterium plasma experiment using Large Helical Device at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), a small amount of tritium is produced by the D-D fusion reaction. Then, a part of produced tritium is discharged into the environment via a stack. Thus, the atmospheric tritium in the site of NIFS has been monitored before starting the deuterium plasma experiment.

TRITIUM CONCENTRATION IN MONTHLY PRECIPITATION NEAR THE FUSION TEST FACILITY IN JAPAN BEFORE AND AFTER THE DEUTERIUM PLASMA EXPERIMENT.

In Japan, the deuterium plasma experiment using the Large Helical Device was started at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) in March 2017 to investigate high-temperature plasma physics and hydrogen isotope effects in research leading towards the realisation of fusion energy. The deuterium plasma experiment produces small amount of tritium by fusion reactions. To understand any impacts by the experiment to the surrounding environment, monthly precipitation samples have been collected at the NIFS site since November 2013 to assess the relationship between isotope composition and chemical species in precipitation including tritium.

Ultrasound-guided internal jugular venipuncture using pocket-sized versus standard ultrasound devices: a prospective non-inferiority trial.

Purpose: Pocket-sized ultrasound devices (PUDs) are commonly adopted for bedside use despite their inferior performance compared with standard ultrasound devices (SUDs). We investigated the non-inferiority of PUDs versus SUDs for ultrasound-guided internal jugular venipuncture.

Methods: All patients undergoing scheduled surgery with general anesthesia and internal jugular vein catheter placement were prospectively included in this randomized non-inferiority trial to compare the qualities of the internal jugular venipuncture between the PUD group (Group P) and SUD group (Group S).

PRRX1 induced by BMP signaling decreases tumorigenesis by epigenetically regulating glioma-initiating cell properties via DNA methyltransferase 3A.

Glioma-initiating cells (GICs), a major source of glioblastoma recurrence, are characterized by the expression of neural stem cell markers and the ability to grow by forming nonadherent spheres under serum-free conditions. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), members of the transforming growth factor-β family, induce differentiation of GICs and suppress their tumorigenicity. However, the mechanisms underlying the BMP-induced loss of GIC stemness have not been fully elucidated.

Isotope Composition and Chemical Species of Monthly Precipitation Collected at the Site of a Fusion Test Facility in Japan.

The deuterium plasma experiment was started using the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) in March 2017 to investigate high-temperature plasma physics and the hydrogen isotope effects towards the realization of fusion energy. In order to clarify any experimental impacts on precipitation, precipitation has been collected at the NIFS site since November 2013 as a means to assess the relationship between isotope composition and chemical species in precipitation containing tritium. The tritium concentration ranged from 0.

ENVIRONMENTAL TRITIUM AROUND A FUSION TEST FACILITY.

Deuterium plasma operations using a large fusion test device have been carried out since 2017 at the National Institute for Fusion Science. A small amount of tritium was produced by the fusion reaction, d(d, p)t. Then, a part of the tritium was released into the environment.

Identification of a novel fusion gene HMGA2-EGFR in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma is one of the most malignant forms of cancer, for which no effective targeted therapy has been found. Although The Cancer Genome Atlas has provided a list of fusion genes in glioblastoma, their role in progression of glioblastoma remains largely unknown. To search for novel fusion genes, we obtained RNA-seq data from TGS-01 human glioma-initiating cells, and identified a novel fusion gene (HMGA2-EGFR), encoding a protein comprising the N-terminal region of the high-mobility group AT-hook protein 2 (HMGA2) fused to the C-terminal region of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which retained the transmembrane and kinase domains of the EGFR.

cRGD peptide installation on cisplatin-loaded nanomedicines enhances efficacy against locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma bearing cancer stem-like cells.

Recalcitrant head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) usually relapses after therapy due to the enrichment of drug resistant cancer stem-like cells (CSCs). Nanomedicines have shown potential for eradicating both cancer cells and CSCs by effective intratumoral navigation for reaching particular cell populations and controlling drug delivery. The installation of ligands on nanomedicines is an attractive approach for improving the delivery to CSCs within tumors, though the development of CSC-selective ligand-receptor systems has been challenging.

One-step formulation of nonionic surfactant bicelles (NSBs) by a double-tailed polyglycerol-type nonionic surfactant.

Bicelles are generally formed by phospholipid-based systems and are useful for various applications, such as nanocarriers or membrane protein crystallization. The same disc-like assemblies, nonionic surfactant bicelles (NSBs), can also be formed using nonionic amphiphiles, but this has not been reported extensively. We report a novel NSB system that employs the double-tailed nonionic amphiphile, polyglyceryl dialkyl ether (CCG), which has two alkyl chains and a polyglyceryl group.

Bone morphogenetic protein signaling mediated by ALK-2 and DLX2 regulates apoptosis in glioma-initiating cells.

Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling exerts antitumor activities in glioblastoma; however, its precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we demonstrated that the BMP type I receptor ALK-2 (encoded by the ACVR1 gene) has crucial roles in apoptosis induction of patient-derived glioma-initiating cells (GICs), TGS-01 and TGS-04. We also characterized a BMP target gene, Distal-less homeobox 2 (DLX2), and found that DLX2 promoted apoptosis and neural differentiation of GICs.

Development of an active tritium sampler for discriminating chemical forms without the use of combustion gases in a fusion test facility.

A new type of active tritium sampler that can discriminate between chemical forms in a fusion test facility without the use of combustion gases was developed. The proposed tritium sampler was operated using water vapour instead of combustion gases. To test the operation and performance of the device when water vapour is used, we evaluated the catalytic oxidation properties, and the evaporation and collection of water vapour under actual sampling conditions.

Regulation of endothelial Fas expression as a mechanism of promotion of vascular integrity by mural cells in tumors.

Angiogenesis is a multi-step process that culminates in vascular maturation whereby nascent vessels stabilize to become functional, and mural cells play an essential role in this process. Recent studies have shown that mural cells in tumors also promote and maintain vascular integrity, with wide-reaching clinical implications including the regulation of tumor growth, metastases, and drug delivery. Various regulatory signaling pathways have been hitherto implicated, but whether regulation of Fas-dependent apoptotic mechanisms is involved has not yet been fully investigated.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a flavonoid-O-methyltransferase with broad substrate specificity and regioselectivity from Citrus depressa.

Background: Flavonoids are secondary metabolites that play significant roles in plant cells. In particular, polymethoxy flavonoids (PMFs), including nobiletin, have been reported to exhibit various health-supporting properties such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-pathogenic properties. However, it is difficult to utilize PMFs for medicinal and dietary use because plant cells contain small amounts of these compounds.

Increased fibrosis and impaired intratumoral accumulation of macromolecules in a murine model of pancreatic cancer co-administered with FGF-2.

Pancreatic cancer is notorious for its poor prognosis. The histopathologic characteristic of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which is the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is fibrosis within tumor tissue. Although fibrosis within tumor tissue is thought to impede drug therapy by interfering with the intratumoral accumulation of anti-tumor drugs, this hypothesis has yet to be proven directly in preclinical models.

Structural changes in albumin are a possible mechanism for fluctuation of cefazorin and ibuprofen plasma protein binding in rats with carcinogen-induced osteosarcoma.

Background/aim: It is known that the protein-unbound fraction (fp) of warfarin fluctuates in the plasma of cancer patients and the fluctuation of fp is correlated with albumin concentration. However, this mechanism remains unclear. The present study was performed with the objective of elucidating variations in the protein-binding rate of specific drugs in the presence of cancer, as well as the mechanisms involved.

The niche component periostin is produced by cancer-associated fibroblasts, supporting growth of gastric cancer through ERK activation.

Overexpression of periostin (POSTN), an extracellular matrix protein, has been observed in several cancers. We investigated the importance of POSTN in gastric cancer. Genome-wide gene expression analysis using publicly available microarray data sets revealed significantly high POSTN expression in cancer tissues from stage II-IV gastric cancer, compared with background normal tissues.

Hypergravity exposure for 14 days increases the effects of propofol in rats.

Background: It is thought that the gravitational environment of space exploration alters the effects of anesthetics; however, no evidence has as yet been reported. In the present study, we sought to provide direct evidence showing that hypergravity exposure for 14 days increases anesthetic effects and to examine the possible causes.

Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were raised in a 3g environment for 14 days.

Arterial pressure oscillation and muscle sympathetic nerve activity after 20 days of head-down bed rest.

Both spectral power within the low-frequency component, i.e., 0.

Water drinking-related muscle contraction induces the pressor response via mechanoreceptors in conscious rats.

Water drinking is known to induce the pressor response. The efferent pathway in this response involves sympathoexcitation, because the pressor response was completely abolished by ganglionic blockade or an α(1)-adrenergic antagonist. However, the afferent pathway in this response has not been identified.

Intravenous infusion of hyperosmotic NaCl solution induces acute cor pulmonale in anesthetized rats.

Intravenous hyperosmotic NaCl infusion is an effective treatment for circulatory shock. However, a fast infusion rate (2 mL/kg at the rate of 1 mL/s) induces transient hypotension. This response has been reported to be due to decreased total peripheral resistance and/or decreased cardiac performance.

NC-6301, a polymeric micelle rationally optimized for effective release of docetaxel, is potent but is less toxic than native docetaxel in vivo.

Drug release rate is an important factor in determining efficacy and toxicity of nanoscale drug delivery systems. However, optimization of the release rate in polymeric micellar nanoscale drug delivery systems has not been fully investigated. In this study NC-6301, a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(aspartate) block copolymer with docetaxel (DTX) covalently bound via ester link, was synthesized with various numbers of DTX molecules bound to the polymer backbone.