Preparation of various metal-silicate micro-balloons using W/O/W emulsion.

Micron-sized inorganic microparticles with hollow insides were prepared by interfacial reaction method, in which an ion exchange reaction between Na(+) and metal cations in internal and external aqueous phases, respectively, proceeded through the oil phase involving a cation carrier. The diameter of microballoons was approximately 10 microm and shell thickness was below 2 microm. The effects of preparation conditions against the formation of microballoons were examined.

LDL-apheresis improves peripheral arterial occlusive disease with an implication for anti-inflammatory effects.

Although it is known that LDL-apheresis improves ischemic limb seen in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), anti-inflammatory effects are not well known. We studied whether or not serum or plasma levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), monocyte chemoatractant protein-1 (MCP-1), or fibrinogen could contribute to favorable effects for ischemic limbs after LDL-apheresis. Twenty-eight patients with PAOD (24 men, 4 women) were enrolled in our study.

Usefulness of recombinant Em18-ELISA to evaluate efficacy of treatment in patients with alveolar echinococcosis.

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is a rare parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus multicularis and most commonly involves the liver. Early diagnosis is essential to improve the prognosis of patients with AE of the liver. Em18, an 18-kD diagnostic antigen from Echinococcus multilocularis, is highly specific and sensitive to detect AE.

Inhibitory effects of naringenin on tumor growth in human cancer cell lines and sarcoma S-180-implanted mice.

We have investigated the effect of naringenin (NGEN) on tumor growth in various human cancer cell lines and sarcoma S-180-implanted mice. NGEN showed cytotoxicity in cell lines derived from cancer of the breast (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), stomach (KATOIII, MKN-7), liver (HepG2, Hep3B, Huh7), cervix (Hela, Hela-TG), pancreas (PK-1), and colon (Caco-2) as well as leukemia (HL-60, NALM-6, Jurkat, U937). NGEN-induced cytotoxicity was low in Caco-2 and high in leukemia cells compared to other cell lines.

High prevalence of occult coronary artery stenosis in patients with chronic kidney disease at the initiation of renal replacement therapy: an angiographic examination.

The prevalence of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) at the initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and no previous history of angina and/or myocardial infarction (MI) has not been fully elucidated. The prevalence of significant CAS was evaluated in 30 asymptomatic stage 5 CKD patients without a history of angina and/or MI by coronary angiography at the initiation of RRT. The correlations of various parameters with the prevalence of CAS were also examined.

Expression of an additional cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide protects against bacterial skin infection.

Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides are effectors of innate immune defense in mammals. Humans and mice have only one cathelicidin gene, whereas domesticated mammals such as the pig, cow, and horse have multiple cathelicidin genes. We hypothesized that the evolution of multiple cathelicidin genes provides these animals with enhanced resistance to infection.

Insulin resistance in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: It has been reported that insulin resistance appears at an earlier stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, few data are available concerning what factors of metabolic abnormalities, such as apolipoprotein (Apo) profile or acidosis, might be associated with insulin resistance in patients with CKD.

Methods: We used the hyperinsulinemic euglycemic glucose clamp technique to examine insulin sensitivity in patients without diabetes (n = 29) with different stages of renal function.

Primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma shows a non-germinal center B-cell phenotype.

Primary breast diffuse large B-cell lymphoma has a poor prognosis relative to other extranodal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Recently, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma has been subclassified as germinal center B-cell-like and nongerminal center B-cell types using tissue microarrays. The 5-year overall survival rate of the germinal center B-cell group is better than that of the nongerminal center B-cell group.

High ratio of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 to parathyroid hormone in serum of tuberculous patients with end-stage renal disease.

Aim: Diagnosis of tuberculosis is sometimes difficult because of the low specificity of diagnostic procedures especially in patients on end-stage renal disease (ESRD). As abnormal vitamin D metabolism has been reported in tuberculosis, the aim of the present study was to determine whether serum concentration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) may be a useful diagnostic indicator of tuberculosis in patients with ESRD.

Patients And Methods: Serum concentrations of 1,25-(OH)2D3, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcium were compared in 6 patients with ESRD and active tuberculosis (ESRD-TB group) and 110 patients with ESRD and no tuberculosis (ESRD group).

Recurrence of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis after a 12-year symptom-free interval.

We report a patient with recurrent acute meningoencephalitis who had three episodes of headache, fever and unconsciousness; the first episode was at age 6 and the second, at age 7. After a 12-year symptom-free interval, she had a relapse, exhibiting the same symptoms as those in the previous two episodes. Head magnetic resonance imaging also revealed the recurrence of lesions in the basal ganglia and medial portion of the temporal lobe.

Induction of transferrin receptor by ethanol in rat primary hepatocyte culture.

Background: It is not uncommon for alcoholics to have iron accumulation in the liver, a condition that may contribute to the development of alcoholic liver disease. Recently, we reported that the expression of transferrin receptor, which mediates cellular iron uptake, was increased in hepatocytes in patients with alcoholic liver disease. To elucidate the mechanism of the iron accumulation in hepatocytes in such disease, we examined whether ethanol exposure induced the transferrin receptor expression and increased the cellular iron uptake.

Asymptomatic cerebral lacunae in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: It remains unknown whether the prevalence of silent lacunar infarcts increases as renal function declines or what factors known as atherosclerotic risk factors are related to the development of lacunar infarcts.

Methods: Fifty-one patients with chronic kidney disease without diabetes mellitus and 80 patients with essential hypertension with normal renal function were included in the study. The existence of lacunar infarcts was evaluated on brain magnetic resonance imaging scans.

Expression of LL-37 by human gastric epithelial cells as a potential host defense mechanism against Helicobacter pylori.

Background & Aims: LL-37/human cationic antimicrobial peptide 18 (hCAP18) is a human cathelicidin with broad-spectrum antimicrobial, lipopolysaccharide binding, and chemotactic activities. This study examined the role of LL-37/hCAP18 in gastric innate immune defense by characterizing its constitutive and regulated expression by human gastric mucosa and its bactericidal activity against the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori.

Methods: LL-37/hCAP18 messenger RNA expression in normal and H.

Usefulness of contrast-enhanced wide-band Doppler ultrasonograpy to diagnose alveolar echinococcosis of the liver and evaluate the effect of the treatment.

Alveolar echinococcosis is a rare parasitic disease caused by Echinococcus multicularis and most commonly involves the liver. Early diagnosis and accurate evaluation of the effect of the treatment are essential to improve the prognosis of patients with alveolar echinococcosis of the liver (AEL). The aim of this study was to demonstrate the characteristic imaging of AEL by contrast-enhanced Dynamic Flow (CE-DF) employing a wide-band Doppler technique for the diagnosis and the accurate evaluation of the effect of the treatment.

LDL-apheresis up-regulates VEGF and IGF-I in patients with ischemic limb.

Although it is known that LDL-apheresis improves ischemic limb seen in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), the underlying mechanism(s) still remains unknown. We studied whether vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and/or insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels correlated with improvement of ischemic limbs after LDL-apheresis. Sixteen patients with PAOD (13 men, 3 women) were enrolled in our study.

BRAF mutations in papillary carcinomas of the thyroid.

BRAF is a serine/threonine kinase that receives a mitogenic signal from RAS and transmits it to the MAP kinase pathway. Recent studies have reported that mutations of the BRAF gene were detected with varying frequencies in several cancers, notably more than 60% in melanoma. We analysed mutations of BRAF and RAS genes in 100 cases of thyroid carcinoma to investigate genetic aberrations in the RAS/RAF/MEK/MAP kinase pathway.

Diastereoselective photocycloaddition of axially chiral monothiosuccinimides to 1,1-diphenylethylene.

Photolysis of axially chiral monothiosuccinimides in the presence of diphenylethylene gave spirothietanes effectively, where the cycloaddition took place diastereoselectively by way of the steric effect of the ortho-substituent on the phenyl ring.

[Pitfalls in laboratory testing for autoantibodies].

Quantitative autoantibody determination has recently can be widely used to confirm the diagnosis of autoimmune diseases, however, there are several problems with the assay methods. As pitfalls in terms of measurement methods, in this report we describe actual examples of a problem related to the analysis and of a large discrepancy between the data obtained by different methods of measurement. In the first example, the reaction solution in the microplate evaporated during the reaction process in automated analysis using an Eitest CA-RF ELISA kit, causing the values in the outermost wells to be significantly higher than in the inner wells.

Vitamin E-bonded hemodialyzer improves atherosclerosis associated with a rheological improvement of circulating red blood cells.

Background: Vitamin E-bonded hemodialyzer is known to improve oxidative stress in patients with hemodialysis. However, there is little information available as to whether or not this membrane clinically improves atherosclerosis. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether there is any effect of the membrane on rheology of circulating red blood cells.

Classification of DNA-binding mode of antitumor and antiviral agents by the electrochemiluminescence of ruthenium complex.

The DNA-binding mode of antitumor and antiviral agents has been evaluated by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) of tris(1,10-phenanthroline)-ruthenium complex (Ru(phen)(3)(2+)) in the presence of oxalate ion in pH 7.3 Tris buffer solution. An emission of Ru(phen)(3)(2+) was observed repeatedly with a voltage above 1000mV subjected to a potential sweep from 0 to 1250mV.

Biology and clinical relevance of naturally occurring antimicrobial peptides.

Within the last decade, several peptides have been discovered on the basis of their ability to inhibit the growth of potential microbial pathogens. These so-called antimicrobial peptides participate in the innate immune response by providing a rapid first-line defense against infection. Recent advances in this field have shown that peptides belonging to the cathelicidin and defensin gene families are of particular importance to the mammalian immune defense system.

Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides are expressed in salivary glands and saliva.

The expression of antimicrobial peptides at epithelial surfaces such as skin, lung, and intestine is thought to provide protection against infection. Cathelicidin antimicrobial peptides are essential for the protection of skin against invasive bacterial infection. To determine if cathelicidins are also present in the oral cavity, we examined the expression of both mRNA and protein in mice and human saliva.