A simplified method to generate serotonergic neurons from mouse embryonic stem and induced pluripotent stem cells.

We have developed a new simple method to induce serotonergic neurons from embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem cells. When ES or induced pluripotent stem cells were cultured on a thick gel layer of Matrigel, most colonies extended TuJ1-positive neurites. We found that noggin, a known antagonist of bone morphogenic protein, induces ES cells to express genes involved in serotonergic differentiation, such as Nkx2.

Lack of AKT activation in lung cancer cells with EGFR mutation is a novel marker of cetuximab sensitivity.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is the best marker of sensitivity to the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib, but a marker for the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab has not been identified in lung cancer. The present study investigated markers for sensitivity to cetuximab. Sensitivity to cetuximab and gefitinib was compared with EGFR expression, EGFR and KRAS mutation, and EGFR gene copy numbers in lung cancer cell lines.

Studies using an in vitro model show evidence of involvement of epithelial-mesenchymal transition of human endometrial epithelial cells in human embryo implantation.

Human embryo implantation is a critical multistep process consisting of embryo apposition/adhesion, followed by penetration and invasion. Through embryo penetration, the endometrial epithelial cell barrier is disrupted and remodeled by an unknown mechanism. We have previously developed an in vitro model for human embryo implantation employing the human choriocarcinoma cell line JAR and the human endometrial adenocarcinoma cell line Ishikawa.

Pollen augments the influence of desert dust on symptoms of adult asthma patients.

Background: East Asian desert dust storms that occur during mainly spring are called Asian dust storms (ADS). Our objective was to study the association of pollen and ADS with symptoms of adult asthma patients in Japan.

Methods: We designed a telephone survey to investigate the upper and lower respiratory, ocular, and skin symptoms of asthma patients during ADS in February, March, and December on 2009.

Induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes by CEA peptide-pulsed γδ T-cells isolated from patients with advanced cancer.

Cytotoxic γδ T-cells recognize antigens directly without the need for antigen processing and presentation. Recently, it was reported that they can also present antigens and proliferate in vitro. In this study, we examined whether γδ T-cells isolated from patients with advanced cancer can be used for immunotherapy.

Lactoperoxidase activity in milk is correlated with somatic cell count in dairy cows.

Lactoperoxidase (LPO) is a milk protein with antimicrobial function. The present study was undertaken to examine the correlation between LPO activity and somatic cell count (SCC) in milk to use LPO activity as an indicator of mastitis. Composite milk of 36 cows and quarter milk of 3 cows were collected once per week from 0 to 300 d postpartum and twice per day for 1 wk, respectively.

Interpersonal pathoplasticity in individuals with generalized anxiety disorder.

Recent theories of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) have emphasized interpersonal and personality functioning as important aspects of the disorder. We examined heterogeneity in interpersonal problems in 2 studies of individuals with GAD (n = 47 and n = 83). Interpersonal subtypes were assessed with the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-Circumplex (Alden, Wiggins, & Pincus, 1990).

A randomized-controlled trial to investigate the effects of rivoglitazone, a novel PPAR gamma agonist on glucose-lipid control in type 2 diabetes.

Aim: To examine the efficacy, safety and tolerability of rivoglitazone, a novel thiazolidinedione (TZD), and explore its effects on glucose and lipid control compared to placebo and pioglitazone in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients who are treatment naÏve or treated with a single oral blood glucose-lowering drug.

Methods: This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo- and active-controlled study. A total of 287 Chinese type 2 diabetic patients with suboptimal glycaemic control (defined as HbA1c ≥6.

[Anesthetic management of Jehovah's Witnesses patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass].

Background: The anesthetic management of Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) patients undergoing open heart surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a major risk of anemic hypoxia.

Methods: Fifteen patients from the community of JW underwent open heart surgery. The surgical procedures undertaken were aortic valve replacement in 7 patients, mitral valve plasty or replacement in 5 patients, repair of congenital heart diseases in 2 patients, and removal of left atrial myxoma in one patient.

Wear debris stimulates bone-resorbing factor expression in the fibroblasts and osteoblasts.

Wear debris is believed to cause periprosthetic osteolysis and loosening of total joint arthroplasties. We investigated the wear debris-mediated osteolysis in wild-type mice and macrophage-deficient Csf1op/Csf1op (op/op) mice using high density polyethylene (HDP) particles transplanted on the parietal bone surface. Four weeks after surgery, phagocytosis of the HDP particles by F4/80-positive macrophages and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts was observed in the normal mice, but not in the macrophage-deficient op/op mice.

Dual blockade of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways overcomes paclitaxel-resistance in colorectal cancer.

Paclitaxel, one of key drugs to treat a wide range of malignancies, exhibits relative low sensitivity for colorectal cancer. The present study was to examine whether and how phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase (PI3K) signals affect the sensitivity of colorectal cancer to paclitaxel. Four colorectal cancer cell lines were exposed to paclitaxel in the presence of PI3K signal inhibitors, such as LY294002, siRNA for Akt, or rapamycin, with or without MAPK inhibitor, PD98059.

Difference of health-care associated pneumonia between large hospitals and small hospitals in Japan.

Objective: Health-care associated pneumonia (HCAP) is a new category of pneumonia. We investigated differences of epidemiology, pathogens, and outcomes between HCAP patients in large hospitals and those in small hospitals.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of patients hospitalized with HCAP from December 2009 to March 2010.

Correlation between Asian dust storms and worsening asthma in Western Japan.

Background: Severe wind storms during spring in East Asia, called Asian dust storms (ADS), have been assessed in the past for their effect on health in Asian countries. Our objective was to study the ADS association with asthma symptoms in adult patients in Japan.

Methods: We designed a telephone survey to assess ADS influence on upper and lower respiratory, ocular and cutaneous symptoms in 98 patients with adult asthma from April to May 2007.

Squamous cell carcinoma derived from a skin flap used for reconstruction of the hypopharynx.

Development of a secondary primary cancer in a skin flap is a rare complication. A 70-year-old man underwent partial laryngopharyngectomy, right neck dissection and reconstruction with a radial forearm free flap in 2004. Five years later, an exophytic tumor was found on the hypopharynx reconstructed with the radial forearm free flap.

Development of a combined real time monitoring and integration analysis system for volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

A combined integration analysis and real time monitoring (Peak Capture System) system was developed for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Individual integration analysis and real time monitoring can be used to qualitatively and quantitatively analyze VOCs in the atmosphere and in indoor environments and determine the variation in total VOC (TVOC) concentration with time, respectively. In the Peak Capture System, real time monitoring was used to predict future elevations in the TVOC concentration (peak), and this was used an indicator of when to collect (capture) ambient air samples for integration analysis.

Multivariate analyses of inflammatory cytokines in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion: relationships to bevacizumab treatment.

Purpose: To characterize the differential expression of intraocular inflammatory cytokines in eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and to assess their roles as prognostic determinants of BRVO.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of 38 eyes with BRVO. Aqueous humor samples were collected just before the intravitreal injection of bevacizumab and were assessed for 18 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors.

Gastric metastasis by primary lung adenocarcinoma.

The diagnosis of gastric metastasis from lung cancer is relatively rare in living patients. We describe a case of Type 4 tumor-like metastasis due to primary lung cancer diagnosed with immunohistochemical staining while the patient was alive. A 68-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of epigastric pain.

[The postoperative management of patients after pluropneumonectomy--influence of the mode of the operation].

Background: In our hospital, a new mode of operation was introduced in pleuropneumonectomy from 2004. We studied how these changes had affected postoperative management of patients after pleuropneumonectomy.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 22 patients who had undergone pleuropneumonectomy for malignant pleural mesothelioma from 2001 to 2008.

COPD is frequent in conditions of comorbidity in patients treated with various diseases in a university hospital.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of death and loss of disability-adjusted life-years. However, many COPD patients are not diagnosed because of underrecognition or underdiagnosis of this disease among many patients and physicians. One possible reason is underrecognition of spirometry.

Surface-bound TGF-beta1 on effusion-derived exosomes participates in maintenance of number and suppressive function of regulatory T-cells in malignant effusions.

Background: This study analysed the contribution of malignant-effusion derived exosomes (Eff-Ex) to the number and function of regulatory T-cells (Treg) in malignant effusions.

Patients And Methods: Eff-Ex were collected from the malignant effusions of 24 cancer patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were co-cultured with different concentrations of Eff-Ex.

A nocturnal decline of salivary pH associated with airway hyperresponsiveness in asthma.

Salivary pH is associated with esophageal acid reflux and neutralization of esophageal acid. In this study, we assessed the association between nocturnal decline of salivary pH and airway hyperresponsiveness. Salivary pH was serially assessed in 9 patients with mild asthma (7 men and 2 women; mean age 33.

Investigation of fellow eye of unilateral retinal detachment in Shih-Tzu.

Objective: To investigate disease in the fellow eye, and consider the relation to rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) in Shih-Tzus.

Animals Studied: The fellow eyes of 49 Shih-Tzus (27 male, 22 female; median age: 6.8 years) with unilateral RRD diagnosed by funduscopy or ultrasonography at Rakuno Gakuen University Teaching Animal Hospital were assessed in this study.

Molecular characterization of rotaviruses in a Japanese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and a masked palm civet (Paguma larvata) in Japan.

Group A rotaviruses infect and cause diarrhea in humans and a wide range of mammals. Previous studies have suggested that some strains can cross the species barrier to infect humans (Martella et al., 2010).

Lower-lobe shrinkage relative to total lung volume in collagen vascular diseases.

Purpose: It has been reported that the prognosis differs between patients who have collagen vascular diseaseassociated interstitial pneumonia (CVD-IP) and those with idiopathic IP (IIP). In this study, chest computed tomography (CT) findings were compared between patients with CVD-IP and IIP.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of 47 consecutive patients (23 with CVD-IP and 24 with IIP).

Identification of a major yolk protein as an allergen in sea urchin roe.

Anaphylaxis after eating sea urchin roe has been reported. However, its major allergens have not yet been identified. The aim of this study was to identify the major allergens of sea urchin roe.