Beneficial effects of anti-apolipoprotein A-2 on an animal model for coronary arteritis in Kawasaki disease.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is usually treated with high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) as severe infectious and other diseases. Due to issues that are associated with immunoglobulin preparation, such as the risk of possible contamination by infectious agents and limited blood banking resources, recombinant immunoglobulins are required. We developed a novel recombinant antibody drug candidate, "VasSF," based on the therapeutic effects it exerted on a mouse spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis model (SCG/Kj).

Evaluation of radiation dose for inferior vena cava filter placement during pregnancy: A comparison of dosimetry and dose calculation software.

Numerous medical conditions are associated with pregnancy in women, including pulmonary thromboembolism, which can be fatal. An effective treatment of this condition is the positioning of an inferior vena cava filter (IVC-F) under the guidance of X-ray imaging. However, this procedure involves the risk of high radiation exposure to pregnant women and fetuses.

Zamamiphidins B and C, Manzamine-Related Alkaloids from an sp. Marine Sponge Collected in Okinawa.

Zamamiphidins B () and C (), two new manzamine-related alkaloids with an unprecedented fused diazahexacyclic ring system, were isolated from an sp. marine sponge collected in Okinawa. The structures of zamamiphidins B () and C () including the relative configurations were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.

An overview of the intraoral features and craniofacial morphology of growing and adult Japanese cleidocranial dysplasia subjects.

Background: Orthodontic treatment for cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) requires an understanding of the nature of the retained deciduous teeth, supernumerary teeth, delayed eruption of the permanent teeth, and craniofacial morphology from childhood to adulthood. This study aimed to provide an overview of the intraoral and craniofacial characteristics of growing and adult Japanese CCD subjects.

Methods: We assessed cross-sectionally the intraoral features of 28 CCD subjects (males, 15.

Vowel sound production and its association with cephalometric characteristics in skeletal Class III subjects.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate differences in vowel production using acoustic analysis in skeletal Class III and Class I Japanese participants and to identify the correlation between vowel sounds and cephalometric variables in skeletal Class III subjects.

Materials And Methods: Japanese males with skeletal Class III (ANB < 0°) and Class I skeletal anatomy (0.62° < ANB < 5.

[Scientific Research Group Report: Nationwide Survey on Radiation Exposure of Pediatric CT Examination in Japan (2018)].

Purpose: To understand the latest pediatric computed tomography (CT) exposure required for the revision of national DRLs.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 409 facilities where the members of the Japanese Society of Radiological Technology and the Japanese Society of Pediatric Radiology are enrolled. We investigated the imaging conditions, CTDI, and DLP of the pediatric head, chest, and abdominal CT examinations.

Characterization and Identification of Bioactive Polyphenols in the Roxb. Pericarp Extract.

In this study, we present the isolation and characterization of the structure of six gallotannins (-), three ellagitannins (-), a neolignan glucoside (), and three related polyphenolic compounds (gallic acid, and ) from Roxb. pericarp extract (TBE). Among the isolates, the structure of compound possessing a previously unclear absolute configuration was unambiguously determined through nuclear magnetic resonance and circular dichroism analyses.

Novel pregnant model phantoms for measurement of foetal radiation dose in x-ray examinations.

This study presents a comparison of novel pregnant model phantoms with a handmade phantom in terms of shape and radiation measurement points to determine which model is more suitable for measuring the foetal radiation dose during x-ray examinations. Novel pregnant model phantoms were constructed using an anthropomorphic phantom in combination with two differently-sized custom-made abdomen phantoms simulating pregnancy, which were constructed from a polyurethane resin. The size and shape of the polyurethane resin were designed based on abdominal sizes and shapes collected from the computed tomography examinations at 18 pregnant patients of one hospital.

Inhibition of lateral shoot formation by RNA interference and chemically induced mutations to genes expressed in the axillary meristem of Nicotiana tabacum L.

Background: Lateral branches vigorously proliferate in tobacco after the topping of the inflorescence portions of stems for the maturation of the leaves to be harvested. Therefore, tobacco varieties with inhibited lateral shoot formation are highly desired by tobacco farmers.

Results: Genetic inhibition of lateral shoot formation was attempted in tobacco.

Fetal radiation dose of four tube voltages in abdominal CT examinations during pregnancy: A phantom study.

This study aimed to compare the dose and noise level of four tube voltages in abdominal computerized tomography (CT) examinations in different abdominal circumference sizes of pregnant women. Fetal radiation doses were measured with two anthropomorphic pregnant phantoms and real-time dosimeters of photoluminescence sensors using four tube voltages for abdominal CT. The noise level was measured at the abdomen of two anthropomorphic pregnant phantoms.

Effect of protective glasses on radiation dose to eye lenses during whole breast irradiation.

Objectives: The efficacy of radiotherapy for breast cancer has greatly improved owing to better irradiation methods. Radiotherapy aims to deliver therapeutic doses to predetermined target volumes while sparing surrounding healthy tissues. However, there are few reports on radiation exposure to eye lenses, and the recommended exposure limits to ocular lens have been substantially reduced in recent years.

3D evaluation of the morphological and volumetric changes of the tongue and oral cavity before and after orthognathic surgery for mandibular prognathism: a preliminary study.

Background: The volumetric ratio of the tongue to the oral cavity has been recognized to be one of the important factors for the maintenance of stable occlusion. Oral cavity capacity is changed after orthognathic surgery in patients with mandibular prognathism; however, the volumetric changes of the oral cavity including the tongue before and after surgery have not been analyzed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the morphological and volumetric changes of the tongue and oral cavity following orthognathic surgery using a newly developed vinyl polysiloxane impression method.

A multicenter study of radiation doses to the eye lenses of medical staff performing non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures in Japan.

Purpose: This study aimed to measure the eye lens doses received by physicians and other medical staff participating in non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures in Japan.

Material And Methods: From October 2014 to March 2017, 34 physicians and 29 other medical staff engaged in non-vascular imaging and interventional radiology procedures at 18 Japanese medical facilities. These professionals wore radioprotective lead glasses equipped with small, optically stimulated luminescence dosimeters and additional personal dosimeters at the neck during a 1-month monitoring period.

Novel oseltamivir-resistant mutations distant from the active site of influenza B neuraminidase.

We performed a neuraminidase sequence analysis of thirty-two pediatric patients with influenza B who visited Teikyo University Hospital from January 2016 to March 2017, and found oseltamivir-resistant samples belonging to the Yamagata and Victoria lineages. Comparison with the neuraminidase sequence of oseltamivir-susceptible B/Brisbane/60/2008 revealed 5 common amino acid substitutions in many of these samples. According to the binding free energy calculation, the N340D and E358K substitutions reduced the affinity of oseltamivir to neuraminidase.

[Nationwide Survey of Medical Radiation Exposure on Cardiovascular Examinations in Japan].

Purpose: It is very important to manage the radiation dose of cardiovascular interventional (CVI) procedures. Overseas, the diagnostic reference levels for cardiac interventional procedures were established with the air kerma at the patient entrance reference point (Ka,r) and the air kerma-area product (P). Although the Japan DRLs 2015 was established by the Japan Network for Research and Information on Medical Exposure (J-RIME), the Japan DRL for CVIs were established by fluoroscopic dose rates of 20 mGy/min at the patient entrance reference point with 20 cm thickness polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) phantom.

VOLUME CT DOSE INDEX AND DOSE-LENGTH PRODUCT VALUES ACCORDING TO FACILITY SIZE IN JAPAN.

The aim of this study was to investigate differences in volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose-length product (DLP) values according to facility size in Japan. A questionnaire survey was sent to 3000 facilities throughout Japan. Data from each facility were collected including bed number, computed tomography (CT) scan parameters employed and the CTDIvol and/or DLP values displayed on the CT scanner during each examination.

A more accurate and safer method for the measurement of scattered radiation in X-ray examination rooms.

Advancements in and increasing usage of complex diagnostic examinations with interventional procedures and surgeries has led to an increase in the occupational radiation doses received by physicians and other medical staff. Measuring the scattered radiation doses received by these staff is vital for the development-effective radiation protection programs. In this study, we measured scattered doses during angiography and digital breast tomosynthesis examinations with small-type dosimeters using our jungle gym (JG) method with measurement points at 50-cm intervals.

Three-dimensional evaluation of morphology and position of impacted supernumerary teeth in cases of cleidocranial dysplasia.

Cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) is a congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of impacted supernumerary teeth and delayed eruption of permanent teeth. However, there has been no detailed investigation on supernumerary teeth in patients with CCD using three-dimensional (3D) imaging techniques. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the morphology and position of supernumerary teeth using 3D images reconstructed from cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) data in a group of five Japanese subjects (male, 3; female, 2; age, 15.

Azithromycin, a 15-membered macrolide antibiotic, inhibits influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus infection by interfering with virus internalization process.

The pandemic influenza 2009 (A(H1N1)pdm09) virus currently causes seasonal and annual epidemic outbreaks. The widespread use of anti-influenza drugs such as neuraminidase and matrix protein 2 (M2) channel inhibitors has resulted in the emergence of drug-resistant influenza viruses. In this study, we aimed to determine the anti-influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 virus activity of azithromycin, a re-positioned macrolide antibiotic with potential as a new anti-influenza candidate, and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action.

Enhanced bone formation onto the bone surface using a hydroxyapatite/collagen bone-like nanocomposite.

The process of bone formation onto the bone surface using a hydroxyapatite/collagen bone-like nanocomposite (HAp/Col) was investigated. Immersion tests were performed to evaluate the impact of pH on the degradation of the specimens in an aqueous environment. The specimens were soaked in aqueous solutions of pH 4.