Melting temperature mapping method in children: Rapid identification of pathogenic microbes.

Introduction: The melting temperature (T) mapping method (TM) identifies bacterial species by intrinsic patterns of T values in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (16S rDNA) extracted directly from whole blood. We examined potential clinical application of TM in children with bloodstream infection (BSI).

Methods: This was a prospective observational study at a children's hospital in Japan from 2018 to 2021.

The Type of Vascular Access and the Incidence of Mortality in Japanese Dialysis Patients.

Objective The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Kidney Disease Outcome Quality Initiative (KDOQI) guidelines have recommended the use of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) at the initiation of dialysis. However, there are significant differences in the dialysis environments of Japan and the United States, and there are few people who receive hemodialysis via a central venous catheter (CVC) in Japan. The aim of the present study was to examine the association between the type of vascular access at the initiation of dialysis and the incidence of mortality in Japan.

A case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA) using 4D real-time ultrasound system.

The patient was a 62-year-old man. The anamnesis revealed an alcoholic liver disease. The patient was admitted to the department of otolaryngology in our hospital with sudden deafness in March 2003.

Advanced dynamic flow imaging with contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for the evaluation of tumor vascularity in liver tumors.

To examine the usefulness of advanced dynamic flow imaging in diagnosing hepatic tumor and in assessing therapeutic effects in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metastatic hepatic tumor, we performed contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (US) with Levovist, a microbubble contrast agent. Twenty-two patients of 35 HCC nodules infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and six patients with metastatic liver nodules were studied. They were diagnosed as having HCC or metastasis with helical dynamic computed tomography (CT) and/or celiac angiography.

Usefulness of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with dynamic flow imaging to evaluate therapeutic effects for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background/aims: To examine the usefulness of dynamic flow imaging in identifying the therapeutic effects for hepatocellular carcinoma, we performed contrast-enhanced ultrasonography with Levovist.

Methodology: Tumor vascularity of 48 hepatocellular carcinoma nodules in 27 patients infected with hepatitis C virus was assessed before and after radiofrequency ablation therapy by dynamic flow imaging with a wide-band power Doppler technology.

Results: All patients showed hypervascular enhancement of hepatocellular carcinoma on contrast-enhanced ultrasonography and/or dynamic computed tomography.

Mechanisms of increased insulin resistance in non-cirrhotic patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Background And Aim: Evidence showing a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been accumulating. However, the reason why chronic HCV infection promotes DM remains unknown. In the present study, the authors focused on non-cirrhotic and non-diabetic patients with chronic HCV infection and evaluated the factors responsible for increases in insulin resistance.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Japanese patients infected chronically with hepatitis C virus.

Background: To examine the relationship between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and diabetes mellitus (DM) in Japanese populations, a retrospective study was done in 866 patients with chronic viral disease.

Methods: The present study included 707 HCV-infected and 159 hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected patients. The prevalences of HBV- and HCV-related cirrhosis were 32% and 33%, respectively.

Expression of fas/fas ligand (fasL) and its involvement in infiltrating lymphocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Background: This study was conducted to examine the expression of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL), to elucidate its relationship with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and to detect possible gene mutation of Fas/FasL in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: Indirect immunohistochemical staining was performed on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of liver biopsy and surgery specimens from five normal livers, and from the livers of 30 patients with HCC. Fas/FasL mRNA-expressing cells and apoptotic cells were detected by in situ hybridization and DNA nick end labeling (TUNEL), respectively.

Decreased function of peripheral blood dendritic cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with hepatitis B and C virus infection.

Background: Tumour immunity does not seem to be induced effectively in tumour-bearing hosts, including in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). One possible reason is that function of dendritic cells (DC) is decreased in such hosts.

Methods: We evaluated T cell stimulatory activity and interleukin (IL)-12 production of DC and interferon (IFN)-gamma and IL-10 production of T cells of peripheral blood from 12 control individuals and 21 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection (six with chronic hepatitis (CH), eight with liver cirrhosis (LC) and 13 with HCC).

Gene mutation of transforming growth factor beta1 type II receptor in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Alteration of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) type II receptor (RII) appears to cause unresponsiveness to TGF-beta1 in tumorigenic cells. Defect in the mononucleotide repeat sequence, i.e.

[A case of recurrent multiple HCC after surgical resection showing regression by two TAEs using 5-FU and zinostatin stimalamer].

A-68-year-old man had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the area of S6 segment which was resected surgically. Three months after surgery, multiple recurrent lesions were found in both lobes of the liver. A transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) with 5-FU and zinostatin stimalamer (SMANCS) was done.

Clinical usefulness of serum 1,5-anhydroglucitol in monitoring glycaemic control.

Background: To evaluate prospectively the clinical value of measuring serum concentrations of 1,5-anhydroglucitol (1,5AG) in monitoring glycaemia in patients with newly diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), we measured serum 1,5AG in 56 such patients.

Methods: 28 patients (group A) were started on, and continuously received, an oral hypoglycaemic agent for at least 6 weeks. The other 28 patients (group B) were given such agents for 4 weeks, and then stopped taking them for at least 2 weeks.

Role of transforming growth factor beta 1 on hepatic regeneration and apoptosis in liver diseases.

Aims: To investigate the effects of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) on regeneration and induction of apoptosis of liver cell and bile duct in various liver diseases.

Methods: Formalin fixed paraffin wax sections of 18 liver tissue samples were obtained by needle biopsy, surgery, or necropsy; these included six liver cirrhosis, three obstructive jaundice; five fulminant hepatitis, one subacute hepatitis, and three normal liver. Expression of TGF-beta 1, apoptosis related Le(y) antigen, Fas antigen, a receptor for tumour necrosis factor, and biotin nick end labelling with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated dUTP (TUNEL) for locating DNA fragmentation, was investigated histochemically.

Biochemical improvement of chronic hepatitis C after gastrointestinal bleeding.

Although chronic hepatitis C is frequently complicated by iron overload, it remains unclear whether iron cytotoxicity is involved in the disease process. Five patients with chronic hepatitis C showed rapid reduction of serum aminotransferase activity after gastrointestinal bleeding. Posthemorrhagic reduction of liver enzyme levels lasted for more than one week.

A germ line mutation within the coding sequence for the putative 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate binding site of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) in a Lesch-Nyhan patient: missense mutations within a functionally important region probably cause disease.

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome caused by a complete deficiency of hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) is the result of a heterogeneous group of germ line mutations. Identification of each mutant gene provides valuable information as to the type of mutation that occurs spontaneously. We report here a newly identified HPRT mutation in a Japanese patient with Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

Relationship between superoxide dismutase (SOD) and viral liver diseases.

Immunohistochemical evaluation of Cu, Zn- and Mn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in various viral liver diseases was performed by the peroxidase-conjugated antibody indirect method. Anti-human Cu, Zn-SOD (rabbit) and anti-human Mn-SOD (guinea-pig) derived and purified from SOD of human erythrocytes and placentas were used to determine SOD distribution in liver tissues. SOD in the liver tissues was detected in 68 inpatients of our unit.