Multimodal Multiphoton Imaging of the Lipid Bilayer by Dye-Based Sum-Frequency Generation and Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) imaging is widely used for imaging molecular vibrations inside cells and tissues. Lipid bilayers are potential analytes for CARS imaging due to their abundant CH vibrational bonds. However, identifying the plasma membrane is challenging since it possesses a thin structure and is closely apposed to lipid structures inside the cells.

Evaluation of risk factors for lymph node metastasis in T2 lower rectal cancer to perform chemoradiotherapy after local resection.

The oncological outcome of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) after local excision (LE) for T2 lower rectal cancer has demonstrated a high local recurrence (LR) rate. The aim of the present study was to determine the risk factors for lymph node metastasis (LNM) in order to reduce LR in T2 lower rectal cancer after LE and CRT. Specimens were collected from 95 consecutive patients with T2 lower rectal adenocarcinoma who underwent R0 resection by total mesenteric excision or tumor-specific mesenteric excision between January 2008 and December 2018 at Osaka International Cancer Institute.

Prognostic Significance of C-reactive Protein-to-prealbumin Ratio in Patients with Esophageal Cancer.

Background: The prognostic value of combination of C-reactive protein and prealbumin (CRP/PAlb) in esophageal cancer remains unclear.

Methods: We enrolled 167 esophageal cancer patients who underwent curative esophagectomy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the prognostic significance of various markers, including CRP-to-albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio, modified Glasgow prognostic score, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and prognostic nutritional index.

A Novel Valvuloplastic Esophagogastrostomy Technique for Laparoscopic Transhiatal Lower Esophagectomy and Proximal Gastrectomy for Siewert Type II Esophagogastric Junction Carcinoma-the Tri Double-Flap Hybrid Method.

Unlabelled: We developed a novel technique for valvuloplastic esophagogastrostomy, named tri double-flap hybrid method (TDF). TDF is shown to be simple and useful for Siewert type II esophagogastric junction carcinoma.

Background: Research has found valvuloplastic esophagogastrostomy using the conventional hand-sutured double-flap (CDF) technique to be a useful anti-reflux procedure after proximal gastrectomy.

Prognostic Impact of Postoperative Complications following Salvage Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer after Definitive Chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Recent studies have reported that the occurrence of postoperative complications after esophagectomy for esophageal cancer has a negative impact on long-term survival. Although salvage esophagectomy is associated with higher rates of morbidity and mortality, the impact of postoperative complications on long-term survival following salvage esophagectomy has not been fully investigated.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 73 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who underwent salvage esophagectomy between January 1997 and December 2017 after definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Decreased CT-number in the pancreatic parenchyma is a reliable imaging biomarker of the presence of malignancies in patients with high-risk intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm.

Background: Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) is a premalignant cystic neoplasm of the pancreas and is frequently detected in imaging investigations. A proportion of the patients with IPMN develop malignancies including high-grade dysplasia and invasive carcinoma. To predict the presence of malignancies in IPMN, constant imaging follow-up is usually required.

Regulation of AQP4 in the Central Nervous System.

Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is the main water channel protein expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). AQP4 is densely expressed in astrocyte end-feet, and is an important factor in CNS water and potassium homeostasis. Changes in AQP4 activity and expression have been implicated in several CNS disorders, including (but not limited to) epilepsy, edema, stroke, and glioblastoma.

Large-scale single-molecule imaging aided by artificial intelligence.

Single-molecule imaging analysis has been applied to study the dynamics and kinetics of molecular behaviors and interactions in living cells. In spite of its high potential as a technique to investigate the molecular mechanisms of cellular phenomena, single-molecule imaging analysis has not been extended to a large scale of molecules in cells due to the low measurement throughput as well as required expertise. To overcome these problems, we have automated the imaging processes by using computer operations, robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

Monitoring the morphological evolution of giant vesicles by azo dye-based sum-frequency generation (SFG) microscopy.

In the present work, dye-based sum-frequency generation (SFG) imaging using sodium 4-[4-(dibutylamino)phenylazo]benzenesulfonate (butyl orange, BO) as a new non-fluorescent specific azo dye is employed to monitor the morphological evolution of giant vesicles (GVs). After loading BO to the membrane of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) single-component GVs, the outermost membranes were clearly visualized using SFG microscopy, which provided images of the distinct outer and inner faces of the lipid bilayers. In addition, SFG-active vesicles were detected also inside the GVs, depending on the dye concentrations.

Outcome of Palliative Urinary Diversion and Observation for Malignant Extrinsic Ureteral Obstruction.

Urologists are often referred to manage the extrinsic malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO) caused by nonurological malignancies. Usually palliative urinary diversion (ureteral stent or nephrostomy) will be performed; however, in the cases of no symptom or poor prognosis, observation (OBS) without any intervention will be selected. There are few reports about outcome of the OBS policy for MUO.

Pathological complete response (pCR) with or without the residual intraductal carcinoma component following preoperative treatment for pancreatic cancer: Revisiting the definition of "pCR" from the prognostic standpoint.

Background And Aim: There are no previous reports describing the prognostic significance of the residual intraductal carcinoma component (carcinoma in situ [CIS]) following preoperative treatment for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic significance of a minimal residual CIS in cases with complete absence of an invasive component after preoperative treatment for PDAC.

Methods: Eighty-one of 594 PDAC patients with preoperative treatment and subsequent surgery in our institute showed remarkable remission in the invasive component, which included 48 patients with the minimal residual invasive component (Min-inv group) and 33 with absence of an invasive component (No-inv group).

Development of a novel prediction model for recurrent stage II colon cancer.

Purpose: Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended for patients with high-risk stage II colon cancer. High-risk stage II is defined by clinicopathological factors in some guidelines. However, there is no unified definition.

Serum D-serine accumulation after proximal renal tubular damage involves neutral amino acid transporter Asc-1.

Chiral separation has revealed enantio-specific changes in blood and urinary levels of amino acids in kidney diseases. Blood D-/L-serine ratio has been identified to have a correlation with creatinine-based kidney function. However, the mechanism of distinctive behavior in serine enantiomers is not well understood.

Lymph Node Positivity in One-Step Nucleic Acid Amplification is a Prognostic Factor for Postoperative Cancer Recurrence in Patients with Stage II Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective, Multicenter Study.

Background: For colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, the standard histological lymph node (LN) evaluation has low sensitivity. Our previously developed one-step nucleic acid amplification (OSNA™) assay measures cytokeratin 19 gene expression in whole LNs. We recently showed that 17.

Effect of oral administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide on clinical parameters and nicotinamide metabolite levels in healthy Japanese men.

Recent studies have revealed that decline in cellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) levels causes aging-related disorders and therapeutic approaches increasing cellular NAD prevent these disorders in animal models. The administration of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) has been shown to mitigate aging-related dysfunctions. However, the safety of NMN in humans have remained unclear.

Colorectal surgery in patients with prior pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Objectives: Colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is difficult to perform, because PD involves dissection and complex reconstruction of the digestive tract. We evaluated the clinical outcomes of CRC surgery in patients with prior PD.

Methods: Between January 2008 and March 2018, a total of 1727 patients received CRC surgery at our institution.

[Construction of All-cis-substituted Cyclopropane and Total Synthesis of Avenaol].

The first total synthesis of avenaol was achieved using a new robust strategy involving all-cis-substituted cyclopropane formation via an alkylidene cyclopropane. The keys to success for the total synthesis were (i) Rh-catalyzed intramolecular cyclopropanation of an allene; (ii) Ir-catalyzed stereoselective double-bond isomerization to form an all-cis cyclopropane; and (iii) differentiation of two hydroxymethyl groups via regioselective cyclization and oxidation of tetrahydropyran based on the reactivity of cyclopropyl group. This strategy effectively avoids cyclopropane ring opening and undesired formation of a cage structure.

The Anatomical Pattern of the Proximal Jejunal Vein as a Prognostic Factor in Patients With Pancreatic Head Cancer Treated With Preoperative Chemoradiation Therapy.

Background/aim: The significance of the anatomical variations of proximal jejunal vein [the so-called 1st jejunal vein (J1v)] has been reported from a technical standpoint. The aim of this study was to retrospectively investigate the prognostic impact of the anatomical variations of J1v in the surgical treatment of resectable pancreatic cancer (PC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 49 patients with resectable PC located in the uncinate process were included in this study.

Processing of a single ribonucleotide embedded into DNA by human nucleotide excision repair and DNA polymerase η.

DNA polymerases often incorporate non-canonical nucleotide, i.e., ribonucleoside triphosphates into the genomic DNA.

Copper-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of Cyclopropenylimine for Synthesis of Pyrroles.

Copper-catalyzed cycloisomerization of 3-iminocyclopropenes for synthesis of pyrroles has been developed. The reaction allows regioselective construction of pyrroles with various substitution patterns, including fully substituted pyrroles. The method was successfully applied to synthesis of steroidal pyrroles as well as a N-fused pyrrole.

Prophylactic Effect of Premedication with Intravenous Magnesium on Renal Dysfunction in Preoperative Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy for Esophageal Cancer.

Background: Magnesium premedication is reported to have a significant effect on reducing cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in several types of cancer. However, the effectiveness of magnesium administration in reducing nephrotoxicity remains unknown in esophageal cancer, especially regarding neoadjuvant therapy.

Methods: Between January 2017 and January 2019, 105 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery were included in this study.

Efficacy and safety of anticoagulant prophylaxis for prevention of postoperative venous thromboembolism in Japanese patients undergoing laparoscopic colorectal cancer surgery.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy and safety of anticoagulant prophylaxis to prevent postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) during laparoscopic colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery, which is unknown in Japanese patients.

Methods: We conducted this randomized controlled trial at nine institutions in Japan from 2011 to 2015. It included 302 eligible patients aged 20 years or older who underwent elective laparoscopic surgery for CRC.

Spinal Epidural Hematoma Following Epidural Catheter Removal in a Patient with Postoperative Urgent Coronary Intervention and Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping (IABP): A Case Report.

BACKGROUND It is still challenging to remove an epidural catheter in a postoperative patient receiving urgent antiplatelet and anticoagulation therapy for acute coronary syndrome. CASE REPORT While under general anesthesia combined with thoracic epidural anesthesia, a 72-year-old male patient underwent right radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma. On postoperative day 1 (POD1), the patient experienced bradycardia and a decrease in blood pressure, and he was diagnosed acute myocardial infarction.

Clinical features of metastasis from superficial squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus.

Background: It is important to understand the sites and the frequency of metastasis to perform less invasive treatments for superficial esophageal cancer, such as minimized or focused lymphadenectomy, endoscopic resection, and chemoradiotherapy. The distribution pattern and frequency of metastases from superficial esophageal cancer, however, have not been well elucidated.

Methods: In 342 patients with superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy, the sites and frequency of any metastasis, including lymph node metastasis at the time of esophagectomy, lymph node recurrence, and hematologic metastases were investigated.