Objectives: Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) plays an important role in the diagnosis of pancreatobiliary diseases. However, an appropriate sedation method for EUS has not been established. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the safety and complications of sedation with pentazocine or pethidine hydrochloride for outpatient diagnostic EUS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExtracellular vesicles (EVs) play important roles in intercellular communication in various biological events. In particular, EVs released from cancer cells have attracted special attention. Although it has been reported that cancer-associated glycosphingolipids play important roles in the enhancement of malignant properties of cancer cells, the presence, behavior, and roles of glycosphingolipids in EVs have not been elucidated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe influence of post-ovulatory corpus luteum (CL) and first-wave dominant follicle (1DF) location on pregnancy establishment in cattle remains controversial. This study aimed to reveal the relationship between CL and 1DF positioning, pregnancy outcomes, and blood steroid hormone levels following artificial insemination (AI) in Holstein cattle. Data from heifers (n = 163) and cows (n = 69) with optimally timed AI, defined as ovulation within 24 h post-AI, were analyzed to determine associations between CL (left/right ovary) and 1DF (ipsilateral/contralateral to CL) locations and conception rates.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: S-1 monotherapy had previously been widely used as a second-line treatment for pancreatic cancer (PC) after gemcitabine-based chemotherapy mainly in Japan. Based on the results of the NAPOLI-1 trial, the recommended second-line therapy is now liposomal irinotecan plus fluorouracil/folinic acid (nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV). However, there have been no studies comparing nal-IRI + 5-FU/LV therapy with S-1 monotherapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrans-resveratrol (Res) has been reported to possess many biological activities, including neuroprotective effects, owing to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, Res has very low water solubility, which limits its therapeutic application. In this work, we formulated water-soluble micellar formulations incorporating Res using polyethylene glycol monostearate (stPEG).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA forward run-up and stepping are used to accelerate hitting tools or throwing objects in sports. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a forward cross-over step on the speed of a hitting tool by analyzing the joint work and mechanical energy of the whole body and the hitting tool using inverse dynamics. Thirteen advanced tennis players performed forehand groundstrokes at maximum effort with and without a forward cross-over step.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Phys Condens Matter
October 2024
Neuroectoderm-derived tumors characteristically express gangliosides such as GD3 and GD2. Many studies have reported that gangliosides GD3/GD2 enhance malignant phenotypes of cancers. Recently, we reported that human gliomas expressing GD3/GD2 exhibited enhanced malignant phenotypes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAntiapoptotic protein, including Mcl-1, expression is frequently observed in pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine plus nabpaclitaxel (GnP) is the standard chemotherapy for metastatic pancreatic cancer (MPC); however, predictive markers for its efficacy remain unestablished. This study evaluated the association between GnP's therapeutic effects and Mcl-1 expression in tissue samples obtained using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) for pancreatic tumor or percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy for metastatic liver tumor.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSmall molecules can inhibit cellular processes such as replication and transcription by binding to the promoter regions that are prone to form G-quadruplexes. However, since G-quadruplexes exist throughout the human genome, the G-quadruplex binders suffer from specificity issues. To tackle this problem, a G-quadruplex binder (Pyridostatin, or PDS) is conjugated with a ligand (Polyamide, or PA) that can specifically recognize DNA sequences flanking the G-quadruplex forming region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe compared the computed tomography (CT) numbers from monochromatic images obtained using the first-generation (Discovery CT750 HD: GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI) and second-generation (Revolution CT: GE HealthCare) dual-energy CT (first and second DECT) scanners in phantom and clinical studies. In a polypropylene phantom, eight polypropylene tubes containing iodine at various concentrations (0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 20, 30 mg I per ml) were arranged in an outer circle.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAflibercept (AFL) plus FOLFIRI prolongs overall survival (OS) in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). However, there is limited evidence on the efficacy and safety of AFL plus FOLFIRI previously treated with anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agents. Therefore, we conducted a prospective open-label phase II trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of AFL plus FOLFIRI in Japanese patients with mCRC failing a prior oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy plus an anti-EGFR agent.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA man in his 70s was admitted to an intensive care unit with severe COVID-19 and treated with dexamethasone and tocilizumab. After recovery from COVID-19, he developed bacteraemia and non-occlusive mesenteric ischaemia, with fatal outcome. He had been prescribed MIYAIRI 588 fine granules as probiotics for a month.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the speed-accuracy relationship in a tennis topspin single-handed forehand groundstroke. Groundstrokes at three different speeds by nine college players were captured, with the variability of the ball landing position evaluated as indices of accuracy. Variabilities of ball launch variables (speed, launch angle, spin, etc.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground/aim: There are no established biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in colorectal cancer (CRC) with microsatellite stability (MSS) or proficient mismatch repair (pMMR). Therefore, this study aimed to identify biomarkers for ICI benefit in patients with pMMR by analyzing the down-regulated DNA repair-related genes involved in highly immunogenic and immune responses, and comparing their expression levels and clinical features.
Materials And Methods: Mismatch repair (MMR), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), and tumor mutation burden (TMB) were evaluated in 13 CRC cases and mRNA expression levels of 95 DNA repair-related genes were measured.
Aim: Epithelial splicing regulatory protein 1 (ESRP1) regulates tumor progression and metastasis through the epithelial‒mesenchymal transition by interacting with zinc finger E-box binding 1 (ZEB1) and CD44 in cancers. However, the role of ESRP1 in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remains unclear.
Methods: Three iCCA cell lines (HuCCT-1, SSP-25, and KKU-100) were analyzed using small interfering RNA to investigate the molecular biological functions of ESRP1 and ZEB1.
Controlling pulmonary blood flow in patients who have undergone Norwood palliation, especially early postoperatively, is challenging due to a change in the balance of systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance. We applied a combination therapy of clipping and balloon angioplasty for right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) shunt to control pulmonary blood flow, but the influence of the combination therapy on the PA condition is uncertain. Retrospectively analysis was conducted of all infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome who had undergone Norwood palliation with RV-PA shunt at Okayama University Hospital from January 2008 to September 2022.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe asymmetric total synthesis of (+)-lemnardosinane A, a rare rearranged sesquiterpenoid, has been accomplished from ()-carvone. Key features of the synthesis are the formation of a bicyclo[3.3.
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