Metastasis to the skin at the drain site after complete resection of the lower bile duct cancer: report of a case.

There are extremely few reports of metastases from a lower cholangiocarcinoma to the skin except for metastatic seeding in a percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage catheter tract. This report presents a rare case of metastases to the skin after the removal of a drain following curative pancreaticoduodenectomy for lower bile duct cancer (LBDC). A 73-year-old female had undergone subtotal stomach-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Development of novel carbon fiber produced from waste fiber by carbonization.

The volume of waste fiber has increased rapidly in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue. In this study, therefore, we attempted to convert waste fiber to carbonaceous materials by carbonization and investigated the basic properties of the resulting carbonized fibers. The results demonstrated that pores tend to form and specific surface areas change substantially, depending on the carbonization conditions.

[A case of a resected metastatic lung tumor originating from testes which was difficult to diagnose preoperatively].

A 26-year-old man visited our hospital because of chest pain and bloody sputum. Chest X-ray showed a relatively round shadow with a border that was clear and smooth in the right middle lung field. The result of transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) revealed adenocarcinoma.

Biogenic phosphorus compounds in sediment and suspended particles in a shallow eutrophic lake: a ³¹P-nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹P NMR) study.

Differences in biogenic phosphorus (P) compounds between sediment and suspended particles in aquatic environments are important for understanding the mechanisms of internal P loading, but these differences are still unknown. We used solution-state (31)P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P NMR) with NaOH-ethylenediaminetetraacetic extraction to detect the multiple P compounds in suspended particles and sediment in the eutrophic Lake Kasumigaura, including orthophosphate monoesters, orthophosphate diesters, pyrophosphate, and polyphosphate. We tested the hypothesis that there is a significant difference between these groups in suspended particles and sediment.

In silico-aided design of a glycan ligand of sialoadhesin for in vivo targeting of macrophages.

Cell-specific delivery of therapeutic agents using ligand targeting is gaining interest because of its potential for increased efficacy and reduced side effects. The challenge is to develop a suitable ligand for a cell-surface receptor that is selectively expressed on the desired cell. Sialoadhesin (Sn, Siglec-1, CD169), a sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec) expressed on subsets of resident and inflammatory macrophages, is an attractive target for the development of a ligand-targeted delivery system.

The endoplasmic reticulum stress transducer BBF2H7 suppresses apoptosis by activating the ATF5-MCL1 pathway in growth plate cartilage.

BBF2H7 (box B-binding factor 2 human homolog on chromosome 7) is a basic leucine zipper transmembrane transcription factor that belongs to the cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB)/activating transcription factor (ATF) family. This novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress transducer is localized in the ER and is cleaved in its transmembrane region in response to ER stress. BBF2H7 has been shown to be expressed in proliferating chondrocytes in cartilage during the development of long bones.

Genetic polymorphisms of FCGR2A encoding Fcγ receptor IIa in a Japanese population and functional analysis of the L273P variant.

Fcγ receptor IIa (FcγRIIa) plays an important role in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and inflammation. Changes in FcγRIIa expression levels or activity caused by genetic polymorphisms in FCGR2A, the gene encoding FcγRIIa, may lead to differences in disease progression as well as efficacy of antibody therapeutics between individuals. In this study, we sequenced the 5'-flanking region along with all exons and their flanking regions of FCGR2A from 111 Japanese subjects.

[Triple synchronous primary lung carcinomas in the same lobe; report of a case].

A 78-year-old female was referred to our department due to 3 abnormal shadows in the left lower lobe, that were S6, S8 and S10 by chest computed tomography (CT). Bronchoscopy was performed, but definitive diagnosis was not obtained. The result of surgical biopsy for S10 nodule was squamous cell carcinoma and left lower lobectomy with lymph node dissection was performed.

Characteristics of granular boehmite and its ability to adsorb phosphate from aqueous solution.

In this study, we investigated the surface properties of granulated boehmite with vinyl acetate (G-BE20) and measured the amount of phosphate it adsorbed and the effect of contact time and solution pH on the adsorption process. The specific surface area (144.9 m(2)/g) and the number of surface hydroxyl groups (0.

Tetrameric interaction of the ectoenzyme CD38 on the cell surface enables its catalytic and raft-association activities.

The leukocyte cell-surface antigen CD38 is the major nicotinamide adenide dinucleotide glycohydrolase in mammals, and its ectoenzyme activity is involved in calcium mobilization. CD38 is also a raft-dependent signaling molecule. CD38 forms a tetramer on the cell surface, but the structural basis and the functional significance of tetramerization have remained unexplored.

Unfolded protein response, activated by OASIS family transcription factors, promotes astrocyte differentiation.

OASIS is a member of the CREB/ATF family of transcription factors and modulates cell- or tissue-specific unfolded protein response signalling. Here we show that this modulation has a critical role in the differentiation of neural precursor cells into astrocytes. Cerebral cortices of mice specifically deficient in OASIS (Oasis(-/-)) contain fewer astrocytes and more neural precursor cells than those of wild-type mice during embryonic development.

Subcellular localization of ERGIC-53 under endoplasmic reticulum stress condition.

Newly synthesized glycoproteins destined for secretion are transported from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), through the Golgi and toward the cell surface. In this secretion pathway, several intracellular ER- or Golgi-resident transmembrane proteins serve as cargo receptors. ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC)-53, VIP36 and VIPL, which have an L-type lectin domain within the luminal portion, participate in the vectorial transport of glycoproteins via sugar-protein interactions.

The human CD10 lacking an N-glycan at Asn(628) is deficient in surface expression and neutral endopeptidase activity.

Background: CD10, also known as neprilysin or enkephalinase exhibiting neutral endopeptidase (NEP) activity, is expressed by B-lineage hematopoietic cells as well as a variety of cells from normal tissues. It cleaves peptides such as cytokines to act for terminating inflammatory responses. Although CD10 molecules of the human pre-B-cell line NALM-6 have 6 consensus N-glycosylation sites, three of them are known to be N-glycosylated by X-ray crystallography.

Siglec-8 as a drugable target to treat eosinophil and mast cell-associated conditions.

Siglecs (sialic acid immunoglobulin-like lectins) are members of the immunoglobulin gene family that contain sialoside binding N-terminal domains. They are cell surface proteins found predominantly on cells of the immune system. Among them, Siglec-8 is uniquely expressed by human eosinophils and mast cells, as well as basophils.

Antigen delivery to macrophages using liposomal nanoparticles targeting sialoadhesin/CD169.

Sialoadhesin (Sn, Siglec-1, CD169) is a member of the sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin (siglec) family expressed on macrophages. Its macrophage specific expression makes it an attractive target for delivering antigens to tissue macrophages via Sn-mediated endocytosis. Here we describe a novel approach for delivering antigens to macrophages using liposomal nanoparticles displaying high affinity glycan ligands of Sn.

Molecular cluster batteries of nano-hybrid materials between Keggin POMs and SWNTs.

Nano-hybrid materials of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and polyoxometalates (POMs) with three counter cations were prepared and used as cathode-active materials of molecular cluster batteries (MCBs). The charging/discharging performances and thus battery capacity of the MCBs with hybrid materials were significantly better than those of the microcrystal-POM MCBs.

Strategy for SRM-based verification of biomarker candidates discovered by iTRAQ method in limited breast cancer tissue samples.

Since LC-MS-based quantitative proteomics has become increasingly applied to a wide range of biological applications over the past decade, numerous studies have performed relative and/or absolute abundance determinations across large sets of proteins. In this study, we discovered prognostic biomarker candidates from limited breast cancer tissue samples using discovery-through-verification strategy combining iTRAQ method followed by selected reaction monitoring/multiple reaction monitoring analysis (SRM/MRM). We identified and quantified 5122 proteins with high confidence in 18 patient tissue samples (pooled high-risk (n=9) or low-risk (n=9)).

Activation of OASIS family, ER stress transducers, is dependent on its stabilization.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress transducers transduce signals from the ER to the cytoplasm and nucleus when unfolded proteins accumulate in the ER. BBF2 human homolog on chromosome 7 (BBF2H7) and old astrocyte specifically induced substance (OASIS), ER-resident transmembrane proteins, have recently been identified as novel ER stress transducers that have roles in chondrogenesis and osteogenesis, respectively. However, the molecular mechanisms that regulate the activation of BBF2H7 and OASIS under ER stress conditions remain unresolved.

[Benign metastasizing leiomyoma; report of a case].

We report very rare case of benign mestasizing leiomyoma (BML). A 42-year-old female was referred to our hospital presenting with abnormal shadows revealed by a chest X-ray film. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan revealed multiple well-defined nodules in bilateral lung field, suggesting metastatic lung tumor.

Functional regulation of sugar assimilation by N-glycan-specific interaction of pancreatic α-amylase with glycoproteins of duodenal brush border membrane.

Porcine pancreatic α-amylase (PPA) binds to N-linked glycans of glycoproteins (Matsushita, H., Takenaka, M., and Ogawa, H.

Rapid evaluation for heterogeneities in monoclonal antibodies by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with a column-switching system.

The development of therapeutic antibodies has grown over the last several years. Most of the recombinant monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) produced by mammalian cells are glycoproteins. Glycosylation of the mAbs can be associated with effector functions, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity, as well as immunogenicity and clearance.

Functional analysis of the Notch ligand Jagged1 missense mutant proteins underlying Alagille syndrome.

Heterozygous mutations in the JAG1 gene, encoding Notch ligand Jagged1, cause Alagille syndrome (ALGS). As most of the mutations are nonsense or frameshift mutations producing inactive truncated proteins, haplo-insufficiency is considered the major pathogenic mechanism of ALGS. However, the molecular mechanisms by which the missense mutations cause ALGS remain unclear.

[Glycomics in quality control of tissue-engineered medical products].

Glycosylation of cells is known to alter with several biological events such as cell differentiations and proliferations as well as some diseases. "Glycomic approaches", comprehensive qualitative and quantitative glycan analyses of the cells, have become increasingly important as a means of discovering biomarkers that have the potential of being used as disease diagnostic markers and molecular markers for cell characterizations. In this paper, we introduce a method of quantitative glycan profiling by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry with a combination of an isotope tagging method.

Removal of sulfa drugs by sewage treatment in aqueous solution systems: activated carbon treatment and ozone oxidation.

This study investigates the activated carbon (AC) treatment and ozone oxidation of the sulfa drugs--sulfamethoxazole (SMX), sulfamonomethoxine (SMM), sulfadimidine (SDD), and sulfadimethoxine (SDM)--in aqueous solution systems. Three AC samples were prepared from Shirasagi (AC1 and AC2) and coal (AC3), and the surface functional groups, solution pH, specific surface areas, pore volumes, and morphologies of the three samples were evaluated. The specific surface areas were in the following order: AC1 (1391 m²/g) > AC2 (1053 m²/g) > AC3 (807 m²/g).

Novel anti-HIV-1 activity produced by conjugating unsulfated dextran with polyL-lysine.

A conjugate of polyL-lysine (PLL) with unsulfated dextran produced by reductive amination was found to have remarkable anti-HIV-1 activity against both the macrophage-tropic R5 virus Ba-L and T-cell line tropic X4 virus IIIB strains, although neither PLL nor dextran has such activity. The conjugate is a pseudoproteoglycan (pseudoPG) that simulates the structure of a proteoglycan. Conjugation with dextran was found to produce an antiviral effect in three kinds of assay systems including a human CD4(+) T-cell line, and the pseudoPG synthesized using 10 kDa PLL and 10 kDa dextran showed EC(50) 4-40 times lower than that of sulfated dextran or heparin against Ba-L and EC(50) equal to that against IIIB, indicating that PLL-dextran (PLL-Dex) was more effective against R5 virus than sulfated polysaccharides.