Invasion of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells by Enterococcus faecalis is mediated by fibronectin and enterococcal fibronectin-binding protein A.

The poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer is often attributed to difficulties of early detection due to a lack of appropriate risk factors. Previously, we demonstrated the presence of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) in pancreatic juice and tissues obtained from patients with cancers of the duodeno-pancreato-biliary region, suggesting the possible involvement of this bacterial species in chronic and malignant pancreatic diseases.

Dynamic change of polarity in spread through air spaces of pulmonary malignancies.

Spread through air spaces (STAS) is a histological finding of lung tumours where tumour cells exist within the air space of the lung parenchyma beyond the margin of the main tumour. Although STAS is an important prognostic factor, the pathobiology of STAS remains unclear. Here, we investigated the mechanism of STAS by analysing the relationship between STAS and polarity switching in vivo and in vitro.

Quantitative Estimation of Effective Brønsted Acid Sites of Silica-Supported HSiWO Heteropoly Acid for Adsorption of Various Molecules.

The amount of incorporation of linear alcohols and ethers in HSiWO·6HO (HSiW·6HO, 50 wt %) supported on silica (SiO) was estimated by a conventional volumetric method and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and the state of involved molecules was elucidated. First, the attribution of the key IR band at 2200 cm, which was observed for the water of crystallization of HSiW·6HO, to HO species (protons) was verified by coincident observation of thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and IR spectroscopy during thermal treatment in addition to the isotope exchange with DO. The 2200 cm band was gradually decreased in intensity by increasing the amount of adsorption of pyridine and was totally consumed at saturation, while the volumetric method provided the accurate number of included pyridine molecules.

Crystallographic analysis of G-clamp-RNA complex assisted by large scale RNA-binding profile.

We present the X-ray crystal structure of a complex between a G-clamp and an internal loop motif of pre-mir-125a, selected from high affinity RNAs identified in a large-scale RNA-binding profile. This X-ray crystal structure reveals that the G-clamp interacts with three distinct guanine bases, forming robust bonds through hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions.

Generation and validation of antibody 42B1 recognizing galactose-deficient IgG for diagnosis of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Galactose-deficient (agalactosyl) IgG is significantly increased in the serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, and autoantibodies against it are used in clinical tests. Subsequent studies also show increased agalactosyl IgG in many chronic inflammatory diseases. In this study, we generated antibody 42B1 recognizing agalactosyl IgG and developed a new method to evaluate chronic inflammatory diseases with it.