Fluorine materials scavenge excess carbon dioxide and promote Escherichia coli growth.

Fluorinated solvents have been used as oxygen carriers in closed microbial cultures to sustain aerobic conditions. However, the growth-promoting effects of fluorinated solvents remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which fluorinated solvents promote microbial growth and to explore alternative materials that can be easily isolated after culture.

Near-field sensor array with 65-GHz CMOS oscillators can rapidly and comprehensively evaluate drug susceptibility of Mycobacterium.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a major clinical problem. Because Mycobacterium, the causative agent of tuberculosis, are slow-growing bacteria, it takes 6-8 weeks to complete drug susceptibility testing, and this delay contributes to the development of MDR-TB. Real-time drug resistance monitoring technology would be effective for suppressing the development of MDR-TB.

Increase in the Intracellular Bulk Water Content in the Early Phase of Cell Death of Keratinocytes, Corneoptosis, as Revealed by 65 GHz Near-Field CMOS Dielectric Sensor.

While bulk water and hydration water coexist in cells to support the expression of biological macromolecules, how the dynamics of water molecules, which have long been only a minor role in molecular biology research, relate to changes in cellular states such as cell death has hardly been explored so far due to the lack of evaluation techniques. In this study, we developed a high-precision measurement system that can discriminate bulk water content changes of ±0.02% (0.

Near-field sensor array with 65-GHz CMOS oscillators for rapid detection of viable Escherichia coli.

In this study, the growth of Escherichia coli was monitored using a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) near-field sensor array. Each of the 1488 integrated elements, arranged in a 3 mm square, has a resonator that oscillates at 65 GHz. The effective capacitance of the resonator is altered by changes in the dielectric properties of the sensor surface, which shifts the resonance frequency.

-Glycan-Altered Extracellular Vesicles: A Specific Serum Marker Elevated in Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is among the most lethal malignancies due to an often delayed and difficult initial diagnosis. Therefore, the development of a novel, early stage, diagnostic PC marker in liquid biopsies is of great significance. In this study, we analyzed the differential glycomic profiling of extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from serum (two cohorts including 117 PC patients and 98 normal controls) using lectin microarray.

Highly precise characterization of the hydration state upon thermal denaturation of human serum albumin using a 65 GHz dielectric sensor.

The biological functions of proteins depend on harmonization with hydration water surrounding them. Indeed, the dynamical transition of proteins, such as thermal denaturation, is dependent on the changes in the mobility of hydration water. However, the role of hydration water during dynamical transition is yet to be fully understood due to technical limitations in precisely characterizing the amount of hydration water.

Propagermanium Induces NK Cell Maturation and Tends to Prolong Overall Survival of Patients With Refractory Cancer.

Background/aim: Propagermanium (PG) inhibits the CCL2/CCR2 axis, and has been shown to function as an immune modulator. This study investigated its anti-tumor mechanism in patients with refractory cancers.

Materials And Methods: Five healthy volunteers and 23 patients with refractory oral (n=8) or gastric (n=15) cancer received PG (30 mg/day).

Phosphoric Acid Diethylmethylammonium Trifluoromethanesulfonate-Based Electrolytes for Nonhumidified Intermediate Temperature Fuel Cells.

The present study reports a new series of electrolytes for nonhumidified intermediate temperature fuel cells (IT-FCs). This series of new mixed electrolytes, composed of phosphoric acid (PA) and diethylmethylammonium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([dema][TfO]), was designed as nonhumidified IT-FC electrolytes. The mixed electrolytes show a higher thermal stability than pure PA, which is dehydrated at ITs.

[A Case of Stage IV Gastric Cancer Which Showed Pathological Complete Response after Neo-Adjuvant Chemotherapy].

We report a case of Stage IV gastric cancer showing pathological complete response(pCR)after neo-adjuvant chemotherapy( NAC)using S-1 and oxaliplatin(SOX).A woman 73-year-old was diagnosed as harming type 3 Stage IV gastric cancer with para-aortic lymph node(PAN)metastasis.She underwent 4 courses of NAC with SOX regimen.

FGF9 from cancer-associated fibroblasts is a possible mediator of invasion and anti-apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), which reside around tumor cells, are suggested to play a pivotal role in tumor progression. Here we performed microarray analyses to compare gene expression profiles between CAFs and non-cancerous gastric fibroblasts (NGFs) from a patient with gastric cancer and found that fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) was a novel growth factor overexpressed in CAFs. We then examined the biological effects of FGF9 during progression of gastric cancer.

Inhibition of CCL20 increases mortality in models of mouse sepsis with intestinal apoptosis.

Background: CC chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) and CC chemokine receptor 6 are believed to stimulate the recruitment of neutrophils and activation of macrophages against bacterial pathogens through the activation of T helper cells. We analyzed the role of CCL20 in the acute phase of sepsis.

Methods: The effect of a neutralizing, anti-mouse CCL20 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was examined in 2 murine models of sepsis: Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and Escherichia coli peritonitis.

Prostaglandin E(2) mediates acid-induced heartburn in healthy volunteers.

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) plays a major role in pain processing and hypersensitivity. This study investigated whether PGE(2) levels are increased in the esophageal mucosa after acid infusion and whether increases in PGE(2) are associated with heartburn. Furthermore, expression of the PGE(2) receptor EP1 was investigated in human esophageal mucosa.

Dermokine expression in intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm and invasive pancreatic carcinoma.

Background: Serum dermokine (DK) is a novel biomarker for early colorectal cancer. To our knowledge this is the first study of DK expression in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) and pancreatic cancer.

Materials And Methods: DK expression in human pancreatic cancer cell lines and tissues was assessed.

Adjuvant therapy with imatinib mesylate after resection of primary high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors in Japanese patients.

Background: Imatinib mesylate, a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is currently used for adjuvant therapy of patients who have undergone resection of high-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). There are no data concerning the efficacy and safety of postoperative adjuvant therapy with imatinib for Japanese or East Asian patients with GIST.

Methods: A single-arm, open-label, multicenter trial was conducted in 17 hospitals in Japan.

Risk factors for postoperative pancreatic fistula in distal pancreatectomy.

Background/aims: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors related to severe pancreatic fistula in patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy (DP).

Methodology: From 2000 to 2008, 63 patients underwent DP. We retrospectively identified the risk factors for Grade B or C postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) occurring after DP.

[Present state and prospects of adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer].

In Japan, a one-year administration of S-1 is the standard adjuvant treatment for stage II/III gastric cancer after curative gastrectomy with a D2 lymph-node dissection.The treatment is recommended in the Japanese Guidelines for Treatment of Gastric Cancer(3rd Edition).Using data from results of a 5-year follow-up of the ACTS-GC trial, it was confirmed that using S-1 significantly improves the 5-year overall survival over surgery alone.

Minimally invasive surgery for obscure idiopathic ileal varices diagnosed by capsule endoscopy and double balloon endoscopy: report of a case.

Small intestinal bleeding is difficult to detect and can be life-threatening. Capsule endoscopy (CE) is a new, minimally invasive diagnostic procedure designed to detect gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. We report the successful management of idiopathic ileal varices by capsule endoscopy and laparoscopic surgery.

Salvage surgery for uncontrollable hepatocellular carcinoma treated with repeated non-surgical therapies.

Background/aims: Some hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cases undergo surgery because tumor progression cannot be controlled by various non-surgical therapies. This retrospective study sought to clarify the clinicopathologic features of such HCC cases.

Methodology: Among cases with solitary small HCCs (< or = 3.

Dermokine as a novel biomarker for early-stage colorectal cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer is a common disease that is usually detected at an advanced stage, because early-stage cancer is mostly asymptomatic and appropriate serologic biomarkers have not been established. We have previously identified dermokine (DK) as a peptide secreted by keratinocytes and we found that DK-β/γ was expressed in colorectal tumors. Therefore, we focused on DK-β/γ as a new candidate diagnostic serum marker for early colorectal cancer.

A case report of metastatic neuroendocrine carcinoma of the right adrenal gland successfully treated with chemotherapy and surgery.

Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma has a poor prognosis, especially when associated with distant metastasis. A 60-year-old man was admitted to a private hospital because of dyspnea at work in 2007. Computed tomography revealed lung infarction and a right adrenal tumor sized 12 cm in diameter that was tightly compressed against the inferior vena cava (IVC).

Application of polyethylene glycolic acid felt with fibrin sealant to prevent postoperative pancreatic fistula in pancreatic surgery.

Objective: The purpose of this nonrandomized retrospective study was to report our new procedures using polyethylene glycolic acid (PGA) felt with fibrin sealant to prevent severe pancreatic fistula in patients undergoing pancreatic surgery.

Methods: From 2000 to 2008, 54 and 63 patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and distal pancreatectomy (DP), respectively. Of those patients, we applied PGA felt with fibrin sealant to 18 PD patients and 26 DP patients.

[Radiofrequency ablation for postoperative recurrent of metastatic lesions of esophageal cancer].

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was performed for the postoperative recurrent of metastatic lesions of esophageal cancer in 6 patients. All patients were males, and the median age was 59. Surgical curativities were A (3 cases), B (2) and C (1).

[Surgically resected local recurrence after endoscopic submucosal dissection of esophageal cancer--a case report].

We report a case of surgically resected esophageal cancer which was locally recurred after endoscopic submucosal dissection. A 66-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of further examination and a treatment of superficial esophageal cancer. A type 0-IIb+IIa cancer occupying the whole circumference of the lumen of the middle to lower esophagus was revealed.