Advanced technical tips and recent insights in ERCP using balloon-assisted endoscopy.

Pancreatobiliary endoscopic interventions using balloon-assisted endoscopes have been widely acknowledged as the first-line therapy for pancreatobiliary diseases in postoperative patients with reconstructed gastrointestinal anatomy (excluding the Billroth I procedure). However, there are many technical difficulties, and the procedural completion rates vary in a wide range among institutions, indicating the procedural technique is yet to be standardized. This article aims to provide technical tips of procedures and insights into the advanced aspects, including the management of extremely difficult cases and troubleshooting of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography using balloon endoscopy, along with a review of recent advancements in this field.

Perforation-free removal of gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Endoscopic inversion and strangulation of muscle layer and resection (EISMR).

Endoscopic resection for GIST has become more widespread in recent years because it is less invasive than surgery. However, when endoscopic resection is performed, a full-layer resection of the gastric wall is often necessary, and extensive suturing is required if perforation occurs, which is a technically challenging procedure. Recently, we reported a new method called endoscopic inversion and strangulation of the muscle layer and resection (EISMR), which consists of endoscopically inverting the muscle layer into the gastric lumen and strangulating the muscle layer with a detachable snare, followed by resection.

Viral Infection in Esophageal, Gastric, and Colorectal Cancer.

The human gastrointestinal tract, which constitutes the digestive system, contains a large number of virus particles that maintain organizational homeostasis and health. Conversely, viral pathogens have also attracted attention for their involvement in the pathogenesis of certain cancers, including gastrointestinal cancers. To aid prevention and treatment of these cancers, the relevance of gastrointestinal viral factors as potential risk factors needs to be carefully investigated.

Gel Immersion Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) for Superficial Nonampullary Duodenal Epithelial Tumors May Reduce Procedure Time Compared with Underwater EMR (with Video).

Materials And Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in two municipal hospitals. We identified 24 patients with SNADETs of 3-18 mm in diameter who underwent UEMR or GIEMR. One lesion was excluded from the analysis because it was found to be in the stomach after surgery.

A giant Brunner gland hamartoma successfully treated by endoscopic excision followed by transanal retrieval: A case report.

Rationale: Brunner gland hamartoma (BGH) is a rare tumor of the duodenum. Although BGH is a benign tumor, larger lesion with gastrointestinal symptoms requires tumor removal. We report a giant BGH, successfully treated by endoscopic excision followed by transanal retrieval.

Inhibition of ubiquitin-specific protease 2 causes accumulation of reactive oxygen species, mitochondria dysfunction, and intracellular ATP decrement in C2C12 myoblasts.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 2 (USP2) is considered to participate in the differentiation of myoblasts to myotubes, however, its functions in myoblasts under growth conditions remain elusive. In this study, we analyzed the physiological roles of USP2 in myoblasts using Usp2 knockout (KO) C2C12 cells as well as a USP2 specific inhibitor. In addition to the disruption of differentiation, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/Cas9-generated Usp2KO cells exhibited inhibition of proliferation compared to parental C2C12 cells.

Brazilian propolis ethanol extract and its component kaempferol induce myeloid-derived suppressor cells from macrophages of mice in vivo and in vitro.

Background: Brazilian green propolis is produced by mixing secretions from Africanized honey bees with exudate, mainly from Baccharis dracunculifolia. Brazilian propolis is especially rich in flavonoids and cinammic acid derivatives, and it has been widely used in folk medicine owing to its anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, tumoricidal, and analgesic effects. Moreover, it is applied to prevent metabolic disorders, such as type 2 diabetes and arteriosclerosis.

Establishment of protocol for preparation of gene-edited bovine ear-derived fibroblasts for somatic cell nuclear transplantation.

Recently, gene-editing using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/ CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) technique has attempted to utilize fibroblasts of livestock animals for somatic cell nuclear transfer. In this study, we establish the procedure for preparing skin fibroblast clones whose genes were edited by the CRISPR/Cas9 technique. After isolating fibroblasts from earlobes of Japanese Black cattle, subsequent collagenase-digestion and extensive wash procedures enabled us to avoid contamination of fungi.

Generation and validation of novel anti-bovine CD163 monoclonal antibodies ABM-1A9 and ABM-2D6.

The scavenger receptor CD163 is widely used as a cell signature for alternatively active "M2" macrophages in mammals. In this study, we generated two monoclonal antibodies, ABM-1A9 and ABM-2D6, against the extracellular region of bovine CD163. Conventional Western blotting using the antibodies yielded immunoreactive bands of bovine CD163 at 130 and 150 kDa in non-reduced and reduced spleen lysates, respectively.

Macrophage ubiquitin-specific protease 2 modifies insulin sensitivity in obese mice.

We previously reported that ubiquitin-specific protease (USP) 2 in macrophages down-regulates genes associated with metabolic diseases, suggesting a putative anti-diabetic role for USP2 in macrophages. In this study, we evaluate this role at both cellular and individual levels. Isolated macrophages forcibly expressing , a longer splicing variant of USP2, failed to modulate the insulin sensitivity of 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

Propolis Ethanol Extract Stimulates Cytokine and Chemokine Production through NF-κB Activation in C2C12 Myoblasts.

Myoblast activation is a triggering event for muscle remodeling. We assessed the stimulatory effects of propolis, a beehive product, on myoblasts. After an 8 h treatment with 100 μg/mL of Brazilian propolis ethanol extract, expression of various chemokines, including CCL-2 and CCL-5, and cytokines, such as IL-6, increased.

[A case of AL amyloidosis due to multiple myeloma presenting with a huge gastric submucosal hematoma during anticoagulant therapy].

A 43-year-old woman who had received anticoagulant therapy for atrial fibrillation for 2 years was admitted to our hospital with hematemesis. Endoscopy revealed a huge submucosal hematoma in the antrum of the stomach. Repeat endoscopy on day 6 showed that the submucosal hematoma had developed into a giant ulcer.

Analysis of KRAS mutations in cases of metastatic colorectal cancer at a single institution in Tochigi, Japan.

Objective: Colorectal cancer patients bearing wild-type KRAS benefit from anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody treatment. Since clinical studies showed the efficacy of anti-EGFR antibody treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), we analyzed KRAS mutations in mCRC to gain insight into the association between these mutations and clinicopathological characteristics.

Methods: KRAS mutations were analyzed in 109 tissue samples of mCRC using amplification refractory mutation system-Scorpion (ARMS/S) assay (68 samples) and direct sequencing (41 samples).

Immunohistochemical analysis of the DNA methyltransferase 3b expression is associated with significant improvements in the discrimination of ulcerative colitis-associated neoplastic lesions.

Purpose: Making a clinicopathological diagnosis of dysplasia is crucial. We herein assess the significance of the DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) expression as a diagnostic marker of ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated neoplasia.

Methods: Thirty-one patients with long-standing and extensive UC were included in this study.

A retrospective, longitudinal study to evaluate healing lower extremity wounds in patients with diabetes mellitus and ischemia using standard protocols of care and platelet-rich plasma gel in a Japanese wound care program.

Chronic wounds, especially in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), are a major health challenge in Japan. The goal of wound care centers (WCCs) in Japan is to facilitate healing and prevent lower extremity amputations (LEAs) using standardized protocols of patient and wound care. The standard treatment algorithm includes a complete patient and wound assessment, history, physical exam, and a variety of diagnostic tests that determine the need for infection control intervention, revascularization, excision and debridement, growth factor/platelet rich plasma (PRP) gel therapy, skin graft/ flap, wound protection, and education.

Pathological diagnosis of early colorectal carcinoma and its clinical implications.

This review consists of 6 sections: (1) pathological diversity of cancer and the correlation between 'zokushutsu' (budding/sprouting) and lymph node metastasis; (2) genetic analysis and metastasis in the gastrointestinal tract; (3) conditions requiring resection after endoscopic treatment; (4) improvement of methods used to measure depth of submucosal invasion in the Ip type; (5) Japanese morphological classification of colorectal neoplastic lesions in terms of the clinical pathology and genetics of laterally spreading tumors; (6) villous tumors.