Nutrition therapy using a multidisciplinary team improves survival rates in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Objectives: Very few reports thus far have clinically elucidated the advantages of a nutrition support team (NST) in the field of liver diseases. The present study retrospectively analyzed whether nutrition therapy for liver cirrhosis (LC), performed by a multidisciplinary team that includes registered dieticians, improves survival rates.

Methods: In study 1, we compared survival rates between two groups of patients with LC to elucidate the effects of nutrition management by registered dieticians.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation reduces oxidative stress and prolongs survival in rats with advanced liver cirrhosis.

Long-term supplementation with branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) is associated with prolonged survival and decreased frequency of development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with liver cirrhosis. However, the pharmaceutical mechanism underlying this association is still unclear. We investigated whether continuous BCAA supplementation increases survival rate of rats exposed to a fibrogenic agent and influences the iron accumulation, oxidative stress, fibrosis, and gluconeogenesis in the liver.

Role of resection of the primary pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor in the multidisciplinary treatment of patients with unresectable synchronous liver metastases: a case series.

Context: Liver metastases have often existed in patients who have pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) at the time of diagnosis. In the management of patients of pNETs with unresectable liver metastases, the clinical efficacy of surgery to primary pancreatic tumor has been controversial. We presented four patients who were treated with resection of primary pancreatic tumor, trans-arterial hepatic treatment and systemic therapies.

Localized or diffuse lesions of the submandibular glands in immunoglobulin g4-related disease in association with differential organ involvement.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the sonographic characteristics of the submandibular glands and organ involvement at the initial presentation in patients with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study that included 15 patients who had bilateral swollen submandibular glands and elevated serum IgG4 levels between January 2005 and December 2010.

Results: In all 15 patients, sonography revealed the involvement of both sides of the submandibular glands.

Evaluating the significance of level IIb neck dissection for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Background: This study evaluated cervical lymph node metastases at level IIb in cases of hypopharyngeal cancer and analyzed the possibility of preservation of level IIb during neck dissection.

Methods: In total, 34 patients (51 neck sides) with hypopharyngeal cancer that underwent neck dissection from April 2008 to April 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. We evaluated the distribution of metastatic lymph nodes at various levels (particularly level IIb) in cases treated with therapeutic neck dissection and elective neck dissection.

Use of a vessel sealing system versus conventional electrocautery for lung parenchymal resection: a comparison of the clinicopathological outcomes in porcine lungs.

Purpose: LigaSure, a vessel sealing system, has been shown to have excellent hemostatic properties; however, its use for lung parenchymal resection has been limited. We herein examined the hemostatic properties and potential for inducing histological lung injury of the LigaSure system in non-anatomic pulmonary resection to estimate the feasibility of its clinical application.

Methods: Non-anatomic pulmonary wedge resections of the right cranial, middle, and caudal lobes were performed in four pigs using the LigaSure system (Group A) or electrocautery (Group B).

Reduction of fatty acid oxidation and responses to hypoxia correlate with the progression of de-differentiation in HCC.

The prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) may be improved by novel treatments focusing on the characteristic metabolic changes of this disease. Therefore, we analyzed the biological interactions of metabolic features with the degree of tumor differentiation and the level of malignant potential in 41 patients with completely resectable HCC. The expression levels in resected samples of mRNAs encoded by genes related to tumor metabolism and metastasis were investigated, and the correlation between these expression levels and degrees of differentiation was analyzed.

Perchlorate contamination of groundwater from fireworks manufacturing area in South India.

Perchlorate contamination was investigated in groundwater and surface water from Sivakasi and Madurai in the Tamil Nadu State of South India. Sensitive determination of perchlorate (LOQ = 0.005 μg/L) was achieved by large-volume (500 μL) injection ion chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

Borylation on benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']- and naphtho[1,2-b:5,6-b']dichalcogenophenes: different chalcogene atom effects on borylation reaction depending on fused ring structure.

The direct borylation reactions of two types of α-silyl-protected acenedichalcogenophenes, i.e., benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']- and naphtho[1,2-b:5,6-b']dichalcogenophenes, were examined, and it was observed that the reaction efficiency largely depends on the fused ring structure and chalcogenophene ring.

Nitrite reduces acute lung injury and improves survival in a rat lung transplantation model.

Ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI) is the most common cause of early mortality following lung transplantation (LTx). We hypothesized that nitrite, an endogenous source of nitric oxide (NO), may protect lung grafts from IRI. Rat lung grafts were stored in preservation solution at 4°C for 6 hours.

Preparation of a γ-glutamylcysteine-enriched yeast extract from a newly developed GSH2-deficient strain.

Gamma-glutamylcysteine (γ-GC), the precursor of glutathione (GSH), may have significant health benefits as a dietary supplement, but there are few cost-effective methods available for its large-scale production. We developed an efficient method for producing γ-GC in a mutant yeast strain using a three-step breeding procedure and a unique cultivation process. In the first breeding step, we prepared a glutathione synthetase (GSH2)-deficient yeast mutant.

Transoral en bloc resection of superficial laryngeal and pharyngeal cancers.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive transoral en bloc resection of superficial pharyngeal and laryngeal cancers.

Methods: Forty-one superficial lesions (from 35 patients) were resected transorally under a surgical microscope using a monopolar cautery. Quality of life (QOL) was assessed using a questionnaire European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Head and Neck Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-H&N35) 1 year after the surgery.

Orthogonally functionalized naphthodithiophenes: selective protection and borylation.

Selective functionalization protocols of naphtho[1,2-b;5,6-b']dithiophene (NDT3) by combining protection of the thiophene α-positions and direct borylation on the naphthalene core are described, which allows synthesizing a number of new NDT3-based building blocks with various substituents and isomeric NDT3-based polymers with different main chain structures. The same protocol is applicable to other isomeric naphthodithiophenes (NDTs), which affords a set of key building blocks for the development of elaborated functional π-materials.

Size-dependent partitioning of nano/microparticles mediated by membrane lateral heterogeneity.

It is important that we understand the physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms that govern the interaction between nanoparticles (NPs) and heterogeneous cellular surfaces because of the possible cytotoxicity of engineered nanomaterials. In this study, we investigated the lateral localization of nano/microparticles within a biomimetic heterogeneous membrane interface using cell-sized two-phase liposomes. We found that lateral heterogeneity in the membrane mediates the partitioning of nano/microparticles in a size-dependent manner: small particles with a diameter of ≤200 nm were localized in an ordered phase, whereas large particles preferred a fluidic disordered phase.

Preservation solution supplemented with biliverdin prevents lung cold ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

Objectives: Biliverdin (BV), one of the byproducts of heme catalysis through the heme oxygenase system, is a known scavenger of the reactive oxygen species. We hypothesized that adding BV to the perfusate and cold storage solution could protect rat lung grafts from oxidative injuries via its antioxidant efficacies.

Methods: Orthotopic left lung transplantation was performed in a syngenic Lewis-to-Lewis rat combination under 100% oxygen.

Nobori stent shows less vascular inflammation and early recovery of endothelial function compared with Cypher stent.

Objectives: The current study sought to examine inflammation at the stented segments of Nobori (Terumo Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) and Cypher (Cordis, Miami, Florida) drug-eluting stents (DES), as well as free radical production and endothelial function of the adjacent nonstented segments in a pig coronary model.

Background: Nobori is a novel DES, incorporating a biolimus A9-eluting biodegradable polymer coated only on the abluminal surface of the stent. These unique features may favorably affect inflammation and endothelial function, as compared to the currently marketed DES.

Prevention of wound complications in salvage pharyngolaryngectomy by the use of well-vascularized flaps.

Conclusions: We successfully reduced the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistulas (PCFs) in high-risk patients undergoing surgery by using pectoralis major myocutaneous flaps (PMMCFs) and deltopectoral flaps (DPFs) to cover suture lines.

Objectives: We used coverage of suture lines with PMMCFs and DPFs in patients with high risk of PCFs undergoing total laryngectomy (TL) or total pharyngolaryngectomy (TPL) to determine whether coverage of suture lines during salvage surgery can reduce the incidence of PCFs.

Methods: This retrospective study was based on a review of 52 patients who underwent salvage TL or TPL between 2001 and 2011; we have been using PMMCFs or DPFs during salvage surgery since 2008.

Retinoic acid metabolism links the periodical differentiation of germ cells with the cycle of Sertoli cells in mouse seminiferous epithelium.

Homeostasis of tissues relies on the regulated differentiation of stem cells. In the epithelium of mouse seminiferous tubules, the differentiation process from undifferentiated spermatogonia (A(undiff)), which harbor the stem cell functions, to sperm occurs in a periodical manner, known as the "seminiferous epithelial cycle". To identify the mechanism underlying this periodic differentiation, we investigated the roles of Sertoli cells (the somatic supporting cells) and retinoic acid (RA) in the seminiferous epithelial cycle.

Visceral fat volume predicts new-onset type 2 diabetes in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

Ninety seven patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and 72 with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) were enrolled. Increased visceral fat area (VFA) was associated with high values of HbA1c. The variables associated with a high risk of new-onset diabetes had a VFA>101 cm(2) in CHC, but not in NAFLD.

[A case of pancreatic well-differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma surviving 8 years and 5 months with treatments for multiple liver tumors diagnosed as carcinoid tumor].

The case was a 58-year-old woman who visited our hospital for a thorough examination after multiple liver tumors were found in her at a nearby hospital. By liver tumor biopsy, we diagnosed them as carcinoid. Bone scintigraphy showed an abnormal accumulation in the external left scapula and in both of her hip joints, but the primary lesion was unclear.