Assessment of Microcirculatory Dysfunction by Measuring Subcutaneous Tissue Oxygen Saturation Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Patients with Circulatory Failure.

Background: Patients with circulatory failure have high mortality rates and require prompt assessment of microcirculation. Despite the improvement in hemodynamic parameters, microcirculatory dysfunction persists. We measured subcutaneous regional tissue oxygen saturation (rSO) with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which can assess microcirculation in patients with circulatory failure.

Exploratory Feasibility Study of Cerebral Cooling by Transpulmonary Cooling During Cardiac Arrest in a Swine Cardiac Arrest Model.

Studies on targeted temperature management for postcardiac arrest syndrome have shown no difference in outcomes between normothermia and hypothermia in patients with postcardiac arrest brain injury. Therefore, further development of therapeutic methods for temperature control in cardiac arrest patients is desirable. Although animal studies have shown that inducing hypothermia during cardiac arrest improves outcomes, no clinically effective method has yet been reported.

Relationship between brain volume reduction during the acute phase of sepsis and activities of daily living in elderly patients: A prospective cohort study.

Brain damage in acute sepsis may be associated with poor long-term outcomes that impair reintegration into society. We aimed to clarify whether brain volume reduction occurs during the acute phase of sepsis in patients with acute brain damage. In this prospective, noninterventional observational study, brain volume reduction was evaluated by comparing head computed tomography findings at admission with those obtained during hospitalization.

Undernutrition Scored Using the CONUT Score with Hypoglycemic Status in ICU-Admitted Elderly Patients with Sepsis Shows Increased ICU Mortality.

This study aimed to clarify whether the influence of undernutrition status and the degree of glycemic disorders affected the prognosis of patients with sepsis. A total of 307 adult patients with sepsis were retrospectively enrolled and analyzed. Characteristics, including nutrition status, calculated according to the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score of survivors and non-survivors, were examined.

The Characteristics of Patients with Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia Treated with Direct Hemoperfusion Using Polymyxin B-Immobilized Fiber Column (PMX-DHP).

Purpose: The characteristics of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who underwent direct hemoperfusion using polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP), in addition to steroids and immunomodulators, remain unclear.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study on 31 patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia treated with PMX-DHP in an intensive care unit (ICU) from December 2020 to September 2021.

Results: Outcomes 28 days after admission to the ICU were 20 in the survival group and 11 in the death group.

Be careful of splenic rupture caused by hit by a pitch during a baseball game: a case report.

Background: To the best of our knowledge, splenic rupture caused by hit by a pitch (HBP) has not been previously reported. We present a patient who underwent emergency laparotomy for splenic rupture after being HBP during a baseball game.

Case Presentation: A 41-year-old male was HBP in the left abdomen during his first at-bat during a baseball game.

Development of a screening method for phthalate esters in polymers using a quantitative database in combination with pyrolyzer/thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

Seven phthalate esters (di-isobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), benzylbutyl phthalate (BBP), di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP)) were analyzed by pyrolyzer/thermal desorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py/TD-GC/MS), the retention index and relative response factor (RRF) relative to DEHP was calculated for each compound and used to construct a quantitative database (qDB). This qDB enables normalization of the retention time and response factor of each phthalate ester between any laboratory simply by analyzing an n-alkane solution and DEHP standard material. This allows for easy calculation of the phthalate ester content of samples without preparation of calibration curves.

Simultaneous Screening of Major Flame Retardants and Plasticizers in Polymer Materials Using Pyrolyzer/Thermal Desorption Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (Py/TD-GC-MS).

This study was conducted with the aim of achieving the simultaneous screening of various additives in polymer materials by utilizing a solvent-free pyrolyzer/thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py/TD-GC-MS) method. As a first step to achieve this goal, simultaneous screening has been examined by selecting major substances representing plasticizers and flame retardants, such as short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs), decabromodiphenyl ether (DecaBDE), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). A quantitative MS analysis was performed to check for the peak areas and sensitivities.

Schlafen-8 is essential for lymphatic endothelial cell activation in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Schlafen-8 (Slfn8) is a member of the Schlafen family of proteins, which harbor helicase domains and are induced by LPS and interferons. It has been reported that the Schlafen family are involved in various cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation and regulation of virus replication. Slfn8 has been implicated in T-cell differentiation in the thymus.

A Simple and Robust Method for Determination of Alkylmercury in Seawater and Industrial Wastewater by Phenylation Pretreatment Combined with GC-MS.

For determination of methylmercury (MeHg) and ethylmercury (EtHg) in seawater and industrial wastewater, a simple and robust analytical method was developed based on phenylation and solvent extraction followed by GC-MS measurement. Alkylmercury compounds were directly phenylated with sodium tetraphenylborate in water and extracted into toluene. The method detection limits obtained for MeHg and EtHg in pure water were 53.

Identification of an atypical monocyte and committed progenitor involved in fibrosis.

Monocytes and macrophages comprise a variety of subsets with diverse functions. It is thought that these cells play a crucial role in homeostasis of peripheral organs, key immunological processes and development of various diseases. Among these diseases, fibrosis is a life-threatening disease of unknown aetiology.

Chemical Synthesis of O-Glycosylated Human Interleukin-2 by the Reverse Polarity Protection Strategy.

The chemical synthesis of human interleukin-2 (IL-2) , having a core 1 sugar, by a ligation method is reported. Although IL-2 is a globular glycoprotein, its C-terminal region, in particular (99-133), is extremely insoluble when synthesized by solid-phase method. To overcome this problem, the side-chain carboxylic acid of the Glu residues was protected by a picolyl ester, thus reversing its polarity from negative to positive.

Simultaneous detection of multiple hydroxylated polychlorinated biphenyls from a complex tissue matrix using gas chromatography/isotope dilution mass spectrometry.

In this study, we developed a comprehensive, highly sensitive, and robust method for determining 53 congeners of three to eight chlorinated OH-PCBs in liver and brain samples by using isotope dilution gas chromatography (GC) coupled with electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry (ECNI-MS). These results were compared with those from GC coupled with electron ionization high-resolution mass spectrometry (EI-HRMS). Clean-up procedures for analysis of OH-PCBs homologs in liver and brain samples involve a pretreatment step consisting of acetonitrile partition and 5% hydrated silica-gel chromatography before derivatization.

Critical role of Trib1 in differentiation of tissue-resident M2-like macrophages.

Macrophages consist of at least two subgroups, M1 and M2 (refs 1-3). Whereas M1 macrophages are proinflammatory and have a central role in host defence against bacterial and viral infections, M2 macrophages are associated with responses to anti-inflammatory reactions, helminth infection, tissue remodelling, fibrosis and tumour progression. Trib1 is an adaptor protein involved in protein degradation by interacting with COP1 ubiquitin ligase.

Simple and rapid analytical method for detection of amino acids in blood using blood spot on filter paper, fast-GC/MS and isotope dilution technique.

A simple and rapid method for quantitative analysis of amino acids, including valine (Val), leucine (Leu), isoleucine (Ile), methionine (Met) and phenylalanine (Phe), in whole blood has been developed using GC/MS. In this method, whole blood was collected using a filter paper technique, and a 1/8 in. blood spot punch was used for sample preparation.

Simplified method for the chemical diagnosis of organic aciduria using GC/MS.

GC/MS is widely used for the analysis of urinary organic acids for the chemical diagnosis of organic acidurias such as methylmalonic acidemia, propionic acidemia, isovaleric acidemia, glutaric aciduria type I, and multiple carboxylase deficiency. In this study, a rapid and simple preparation method for this analysis was developed in order to improve the laboratory productivity and the working environment. The solvent extraction and trimethylsilyl derivatization steps of the conventional method were improved by reducing the volume of urine sample and extraction solvent and by applying the flash-heater derivatization, respectively.

Intraoperative pleural lavage cytology after lung resection as an independent prognostic factor for staging lung cancer.

Objective: Although malignant pleural effusion or dissemination is regarded as T4 per TNM classification of lung cancer, the prognostic significance in staging of pleural lavage cytologic examination remains undetermined. The purpose of this study was to clarify the utility of pleural lavage cytologic staging as a prognostic factor in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: In 1271 patients with lung cancer who underwent curative resection, intraoperative pleural lavage cytologic examination was performed at thoracotomy (first cytologic examination), immediately after pulmonary resection and mediastinal lymph node dissection (second cytologic examination), and after last washing of pleural cavity (third cytologic examination).

Improvement of sample throughput using fast gas chromatography mass-spectrometry for biochemical diagnosis of organic acid disorders.

Background: Gas chromatograph mass-spectrometric (GC/MS) method of analysis for urinary organic acids is used for the diagnosis of a variety of metabolic disorders. The method is time-consuming and does not allow for improvements in sample throughput. Although the sample preparation and the data processing have been improved, the long GC/MS analysis time still remains to be problematic.

Nitric oxide-induced apoptosis in cultured rat astrocytes: protection by edaravone, a radical scavenger.

Nitric oxide induces apoptosis-like cell death in cultured astrocytes, but the exact mechanism is not known. This study further characterized the mechanism of nitric oxide-induced cytotoxicity, and examined the effect of edaravone, a radical scavenger, on cytotoxicity. Treatment of cultured rat astrocytes with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, for 72 h, decreased cell viability by causing apoptosis-like cell death.

Pulmonary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma: an extremely rare tumor presenting as a cystic lesion of the lung.

Pulmonary mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (PMC) is a rare tumor characterized by mucin production. It is similar to tumors of the same name arising in the ovaries and pancreas. Here we describe the 20th case of PMC reported in the English literature.

Outcome of surgical treatment for recurrent thymic epithelial tumors with reference to world health organization histologic classification system.

Background And Objectives: The aim of this study was to clarify the significance of surgical treatment for recurrent thymic epithelial tumors with reference to the World Health Organization (WHO) histological classification system.

Patients: Among 67 patients with tumor recurrence, 22 underwent a re-resection. There were 1 patient with a type AB tumor, 5 with type B1 tumors, 10 with type B2 tumors, 5 with type B3 tumors, and 1 with a carcinoma.

[Prostate small cell carcinoma: report of two cases that differed in treatment responsiveness].

Case 1 : A 76-year-old man with a chief complaint of dysuria had an elevated prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 24.9. He underwent a transperineal needle biopsy of the prostate, and the histopathological diagnosis was prostatic small cell carcinoma.

[An elderly patient with non-resectable lung cancer responding to TS-1].

A 76-year-old man had complained of hoarseness, productive cough and left chest pain in June 2005. Chest radiograph and computed tomography showed a tumor 7.5x5 cm in size which contacted the aortic arch, some nodules in left upper lobe and right lower lobe of lung and left pleural effusion.