The efficacy of prophylactic administration of SBT/ABPC for preventing surgical site infection in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

Background/aims: Colorectal surgery presents a high risk of surgical site infections (SSI). SSI and prolonged hospital stay were associated with being aged 75 years or older. We investigated the efficacy of sulbactam sodium/ampicillin sodium (SBT/ABPC), which is a combination drug of ampicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitor, as a prophylactic drug against SSI in elderly patients undergoing colorectal surgery.

[Particle radiotherapy for malignant gliomas].

Particle radiations using protons or carbons, and boron neutron capture therapy are emerging as a therapeutic modality for malignant gliomas. Some non-randomized prospective studies found favorable results; however, the advantageous method of advantage of conformal radiation using protons or carbon ions and tumor cell-selective radiation using boron neutron capture therapy have not been confirmed. In a recent clinical trial involving 20 newly diagnosed glioblastomas at the Proton Medical Research Center at Tsukuba, the median overall survival time and the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 21.

Characterization of the human tumor suppressors TIG3 and HRASLS2 as phospholipid-metabolizing enzymes.

Tazarotene-induced protein 3 (TIG3) and HRAS-like suppressor family 2 (HRASLS2) exhibit tumor-suppressing activities and belong to the lecithin retinol acyltransferase (LRAT) protein family. Since Ca(2+)-independent N-acyltransferase and H-rev107 (another tumor suppressor), both of which are members of the LRAT family, have been recently reported to possess catalytic activities related to phospholipid metabolism, we examined possible enzyme activities of human TIG3 and HRASLS2 together with human H-rev107. The purified recombinant proteins of TIG3, HRASLS2, and H-rev107 functioned as phospholipase (PL) A(1/2) in a Ca(2+)-independent manner with maximal activities of 0.

The efficacy and toxicity of FOLFOX regimen (a combination of leucovorin and fluorouracil with oxaliplatin) as first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.

Background: Oxaliplatin is the third-generation platinum complex to be active in advanced colorectal cancer. In Japan, it was approved in April 2005. FOLFOX regimen(a combination of leucovorin and fluorouracil with oxaliplatin) has been one of the standard chemotherapy regimens for metastatic colorectal cancer.

Proton beam therapy for large hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate the safety and efficacy of proton beam therapy (PBT) in patients with large hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods And Materials: Twenty-two patients with HCC larger than 10 cm were treated with proton beam therapy at our institution between 1985 and 2006. Twenty-one of the 22 patients were not surgical candidates because of advanced HCC, intercurrent disease, or old age.

Preoperative dilatation does not affect the surgical outcome of laparoscopic Heller myotomy and Dor fundoplication for esophageal achalasia.

Background: Laparoscopic Heller myotomy and Dor fundoplication are now widely performed for achalasia. In patients who have had dilatation in the past, inflammation between the esophageal mucosal and muscular layers may make it difficult to perform myotomy.

Purpose: We investigated the effects of preoperative dilatation on the surgical outcomes.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer effectively treated with paclitaxel/S-1 as neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

We report a patient with advanced gastric cancer responding remarkably to neoadjuvant combination chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel and S-1. The patient was a 65-year-old female who had large type 2 advanced gastric cancer with severe lymph node metastasis(cT3, cN3, cH0, cP0, cM0, cStage IV), treated with paclitaxel/S-1 as neoadjuvant chemotherapy. After the second course, according to UGI, gastroscope and CT findings, a significant tumor reduction was obtained.

Current practices and future directions of therapeutic strategy in glioblastoma: survival benefit and indication of BNCT.

Since 1998, we are performing clinical studies on treatment of GBM using conventional fractionated photon radiation therapy (CRT), proton beam therapy (PBT) or boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). We investigated whether these radiation modalities improves the survival of patients with GBM. Sixty-eight cases of newly diagnosed GBM have been treated in our institution.

A phase II study of radical surgery followed by postoperative chemotherapy with S-1 for gastric carcinoma with free cancer cells in the peritoneal cavity (CCOG0301 study).

Background: Patients with gastric cancer who have positive cytologic results for cancer cells in peritoneal washings (CY1) have poor outcomes, even in the absence of other distant metastases. A standard treatment for such patients remains to be established.

Methods: We conducted a phase II trial with the 2-year survival rate as the primary endpoint.

A prospective study of hypofractionated proton beam therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of hypofractionated proton beam therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods And Materials: Between September 2001 and August 2004, 51 patients with HCC greater than 2 cm away from the porta hepatis or gastrointestinal tract were treated with proton beam therapy to 66 Gy-equivalents (GyE) in 10 fractions.

Results: Overall survival rates were 49.

Exercise training alters left ventricular geometry and attenuates heart failure in dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rats.

The clinical efficacy of exercise training in individuals with heart failure is well established, but the mechanism underlying such efficacy has remained unclear. An imbalance between cardiac hypertrophy and angiogenesis is implicated in the transition to heart failure. We investigated the effects of exercise training on cardiac pathophysiology in hypertensive rats.

Identification of malignant hyperthermia-susceptible ryanodine receptor type 1 gene (RYR1) mutations in a child who died in a car after exposure to a high environmental temperature.

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) is a genetic disorder of skeletal muscle in susceptible individuals that is triggered by exposure to anesthetic agents, and can cause death. Mutations in the ryanodine receptor type 1 gene (RYR1) are associated with MH-susceptibility. MH is also triggered in susceptible individuals by severe exercise in hot conditions or by overheating in infants.

Outcomes of surgical treatment of intrathoracic stomach.

The purpose of this study is to assess the long-term outcomes after surgical repair of intrathoracic stomach. Prospectively collected data was retrospectively reviewed. Patients underwent a phone questionnaire 1 year postoperatively to assess gastroesophageal reflux disease-related symptoms and surgical satisfaction.

Gastrointestinal quality of life in patients after anti reflux surgery.

A subset of patients does not report improvement of symptoms or satisfaction after antireflux surgery. The aim of this study is to assess the effect of pre-existing depression as a factor in patient satisfaction and gastrointestinal quality of life index (GIQLI) outcomes after antireflux surgery. Patients undergoing antireflux surgery who had filled a preoperative quality of life score and had more than 1 year follow-up were included in this study.

Oculocutaneous albinism in Suncus murinus: establishment of a strain and identification of its responsible gene.

The house musk shrew Suncus murinus (Insectivora, Soricidae) is referred to as suncus in a laboratory context. Although the capture of albino-like shrews (wild suncus) has been reported previously, albino-like strains have never been established, and the molecular basis of the character has remained elusive. We have established an OCAO mutant strain (oculocutaneous albinism Okinawa), from a wild suncus with a white coat and red eyes, which was captured in 2002.

Effect of gelatinization on gastric emptying and absorption.

Background/aims: For gastrointestinal functional analysis such as gastric emptying tests, either a liquid or solid meal is used as a test meal. Only a few studies have compared meal characteristics, such as liquid and solid. No previous study has compared test meals that had the same composition but different properties.

American and Japanese rats of the same species: are they same?

Background: We have previously reported a chronic acid reflux esophagitis model using Japanese Wistar male (JWM) rats. The aim of this study is to discuss unexpected differences encountered within the same species bred in different countries.

Materials And Methods: In JWM rats via a midline laparotomy the limiting ridge of the stomach was ligated and the duodenum was covered with a small piece of an 18 Fr.

Thoracic aortic injury during laparoscopic fundoplication for reflux esophagitis.

A 72-year-old man with reflux esophagitis visited our department with a chief complaint of coughing at night. Since he had a large sliding esophageal hiatal hernia that was increasing in size, he underwent laparoscopic fundoplication. While dissecting the left side of the esophagus with laparosonic coagulating shears, the wall of the thoracic aorta started to bleed.

[Granulocytic sarcoma of the prostate presenting with urinary obstruction which progressed to acute myeloid leukemia].

A 71-year-old man presented with progressive dysuria. Several imaging examinations indicated possibility of prostate tumor, therefore he underwent prostate biopsy. This resulted in a diagnosis of granulocytic sarcoma of the prostate.

The tumor suppressor gene H-Rev107 functions as a novel Ca2+-independent cytosolic phospholipase A1/2 of the thiol hydrolase type.

H-Rev107 is a protein that was previously cloned as a negative regulator of proto-oncogene Ras and classified as a class II tumor suppressor. Its structural similarity to lecithin retinol acyltransferase and Ca2+-independent phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) N-acyltransferase led us to analyze H-Rev107 as an enzyme involved in phospholipid metabolism. Here, we show that recombinant H-Rev107s from rat, human, and mouse possess phospholipase (PL) A1 or A2 activity toward phosphatidylcholine (PC).

Results after laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation for esophageal achalasia in 100 consecutive patients.

The laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation has been the procedure of choice for the treatment of achalasia. However, because the incidence of achalasia is low, reports on the outcome of surgical treatment for achalasia are limited. In this study, the therapeutic results after laparoscopic Heller-Dor operation for achalasia at a single university hospital were evaluated.

Recycled addition of CD4+ T cell-rich population for induction of human autologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes: A practically efficient method.

When CD4(+) T cell-rich population appears in theinitial trial in induction cultures of humanautologous cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), the cultureresults frequently in no or weak killing activity andtherefore usually be discarded as an ;unsuccessful'CTL induction culture. However, addition of theinitial CD4(+) T cell-rich population enabledefficient induction of the autologous CTL in theensuing trials. The CTL thus generated exhibitedstronger killing activities against autologous braintumor cells and ovarian tumor cells than previouslyobserved.