Morphologic analysis in myelodysplastic syndromes with del(5q) treated with lenalidomide. A Japanese multiinstitutional study.

Lenalidomide is known to be effective in myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) with del(5q) in improving anemia and suppressing del(5q) cells. MDS with del(5q) shows increase of nonlobulated megakaryocytes. However, histopathology of MDS with del(5q) treated with lenalidomide has not been fully studied.

Case in which tranilast ophthalmic solution was thought to be effective for the prevention of symblepharon and recurrence after pterygium surgery.

We report our experience of a case in which a combination of conjunctival symblepharon detachment, conjunctival granuloma excision, and conjunctival free flap transplantation was performed for the treatment of symblepharon after pterygium surgery, with satisfactory outcomes. The patient was referred to our hospital with pterygium recurrence, symblepharon and granuloma formation after pterygium surgery in the right eye at another hospital. We performed conjunctival symblepharon detachment along with conjunctival autograft transplantation, and started instillation of tranilast ophthalmic solution immediately after the surgery, to inhibit proliferation and adhesion formation.

Magnetization distribution of magnetic vortex of amorphous FeSiB investigated by electron holography and computer simulation.

The three-dimensional spin structure of the magnetic vortex of FeSiB, an amorphous soft magnetic material, was investigated by holography observation and computer simulation. Magnetization distribution in the neighborhood of the vortex center was estimated from the phase distribution obtained by holography observation. To confirm this magnetization distribution, sample-tilting experiments were performed: when the sample was tilted with respect to the electron beam direction, the phase-image center was found to shift along the tilting axis.

Japanese EMRs and IT in Medicine: Expansion, Integration, and Reuse of Data.

Objectives: The prevalence of electronic medical record in Japan varies according to the size of the hospital which is 62.5% in major hospitals, 21.7% in medium, 9.

A high-cholesterol diet exacerbates liver fibrosis in mice via accumulation of free cholesterol in hepatic stellate cells.

Background & Aims: Some studies have indicated that dietary cholesterol has a role in the progression of liver fibrosis. We investigated the mechanisms by which dietary cholesterol might contribute to hepatic fibrogenesis.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet or a control diet for 4 weeks; liver fibrosis then was induced by bile-duct ligation or carbon tetrachloride administration.

Rebamipide promotes healing of colonic ulceration through enhanced epithelial restitution.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of rebamipide in a rat model of colitis and restitution of intestinal epithelial cells in vitro.

Methods: Acute colitis was induced with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) in male Wistar rats. Rats received intrarectal rebamipide treatment daily starting on day 7 and were sacrificed on day 14 after TNBS administration.

Video-rate bioluminescence imaging of matrix metalloproteinase-2 secreted from a migrating cell.

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) plays an important role in cancer progression and metastasis. MMP-2 is secreted as a pro-enzyme, which is activated by the membrane-bound proteins, and the polarized distribution of secretory and the membrane-associated MMP-2 has been investigated. However, the real-time visualizations of both MMP-2 secretion from the front edge of a migration cell and its distribution on the cell surface have not been reported.

Aberrant kinetics of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells in the murine oxygen-induced retinopathy model.

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) causes serious blindness because of the vasculopathy that results from the abnormal oxygen dynamics. However, the systemic kinetics of bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (BM-derived EPCs) during the "postnatal vasculogenesis " of ROP has yet to be elucidated. Thus, the authors investigated the kinetics of BM-derived EPCs using a murine oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR) model.

Growth factor regulation of neural chemorepellent Sema3A expression in satellite cell cultures.

Successful regeneration and remodeling of the intramuscular motoneuron network and neuromuscular connections are critical for restoring skeletal muscle function and physiological properties. The regulatory signals of such coordination remain unclear, although axon-guidance molecules may be involved. Recently, satellite cells, resident myogenic stem cells positioned beneath the basal lamina and at high density at the myoneural junction regions of mature fibers, were shown to upregulate a secreted neural chemorepellent semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) in response to in vivo muscle-crush injury.

Crk-associated substrate lymphocyte type regulates myeloid cell motility and suppresses the progression of leukemia induced by p210Bcr/Abl.

The p210Bcr/Abl and p190Bcr/Abl fusion oncoproteins are known to cause chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Bcr/Abl phosphorylates several proteins that can lead to leukemogenesis. Crk-associated substrate lymphocyte type (Cas-L)/human enhancer of filamentation-1 (HEF1)/neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally down-regulated 9 (NEDD9) is an adapter protein at focal adhesions known to be associated with solid tumor metastasis.

Cell selective targeting of a simian virus 40 virus-like particle conjugated to epidermal growth factor.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) virus-like particles (VLPs) are efficient nanocarriers for gene delivery. VLPs conjugated to human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) were prepared and the cell selectivity of the VLP was examined using human epithelial carcinoma A431 cells, which overexpress the EGF receptor. The endocytic efficiency was determined by the level of Gaussia luciferase activity from the encapsulated protein in hEGF-conjugated VLPs.

Caffeine lengthens circadian rhythms in mice.

Although caffeine alters sleep in many animals, whether or not it affects mammalian circadian clocks remains unknown. Here, we found that incubating cultured mammalian cell lines, human osteosarcoma U2OS cells and mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells, with caffeine lengthened the period of circadian rhythms. Adding caffeine to ex vivo cultures also lengthened the circadian period in mouse liver explants from Per2::Luciferase reporter gene knockin mice, and caused a phase delay in brain slices containing the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), where the central circadian clock in mammals is located.

Evaluation of cervical conization as a definitive treatment for microinvasive cervical carcinoma and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate disease persistence after conization of CIN3 and microinvasive cervical carcinoma.

Methods: Medical records from a total of 231 patients were reviewed. The prevalence of CIN3 and cervical carcinoma diagnosed by means of conization were analyzed.

Efficient synthesis of 3-O-thia-cPA and preliminary analysis of its biological activity toward autotaxin.

The efficient synthesis of 3-O-thia-cPAs (4a-d), sulfur analogues of cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA), has been achieved. The key step of the synthesis is an intramolecular Arbuzov reaction to construct the cyclic thiophosphate moiety. The present synthetic route enables the synthesis of 4a-d in only four steps from the commercially available glycidol.

Serum immunoglobulin a concentration is an independent predictor of liver fibrosis in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis before the cirrhotic stage.

Background And Aims: The similarity of alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in terms of pathogenic mechanisms suggests that immunoglobulin A (IgA) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of NASH. We aimed to determine whether serum IgA concentrations allow a diagnosis of liver fibrosis in NASH.

Methods: We compared serum IgA concentrations between 108 patients with stages 0-2 NASH and 19 patients with stage 3 NASH.

Identification and characterization of genes involved in glutathione production in yeast.

Glutathione is a major peptide protecting cells against oxidative stress. To study the cellular processes affecting intracellular glutathione production, we screened Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant collections and identified new eight yeast deletion mutants that produced more than 1.2-fold higher levels of intracellular glutathione: chc1, cst6, ddc1, def1, pep12, rts1, ubp6, and yih1.

Different modes of cyclization in zoanthamine alkaloid system, bisaminal versus spiroketal formation.

Bisaminal cyclization in the zoanthamine alkaloid system was strongly affected by the stereochemistry of the C4 methyl. While cyclization of the (4S)-methyl precursor gave only a bisaminal compound, cyclization of the (4R)-methyl isomer produced both spiroketal and bisaminal products.

Plasma free myristic acid proportion is a predictor of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Background/aims: Serum free fatty acid (FFA) composition and abnormal fatty acid metabolism have been implicated in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Therefore, we determined if the serum FFA composition can provide accurate diagnosis of NASH.

Methods: We compared fasting serum FFA compositions in 20 patients with simple steatosis to those in 77 patients with NASH, including 65 patients with early-stage NASH.

Multiple aneurysm repair: hybrid approach to chronic dissection around visceral branches.

The present case report details our experience with the hybrid approach for multiple aneurysms in the aortic arch, thoracoabdominal aorta, and around the aortic bifurcation. Total arch replacement for the arch aneurysm under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass with antegrade cerebral perfusion was the first stage of aneurysm repair. Five months later, bifurcated graft replacement with debranching of four abdominal branches was undertaken as the second stage of treatment.

Onset of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block evaluated subjectively and accerelomyographically at the masseter muscle.

Purpose: The main aim of this study was to compare the onset times of rocuronium evaluated subjectively and by acceleromyography at the masseter muscle (MM).

Methods: Forty female patients were sequentially enrolled in this study. In the first 20 patients, neuromuscular block was evaluated subjectively.

Video rate bioluminescence imaging of secretory proteins in living cells: localization, secretory frequency, and quantification.

We have developed a method of video rate bioluminescence imaging to investigate protein secretion from a single mammalian cell and analyzed the localization, secretory frequency, and quantification of secreted protein. By detecting the luminescence signals from the Gaussia luciferase (GLase) reaction using a high-speed electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EM-CCD) camera, video rate imaging was performed with a time resolution within 500 ms/image over 30 min in living cells. As a model study, we applied the method to visualize the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from clustered pancreatic MIN6 β cells using the fused protein of GLase with preproinsulin.