Establishment of human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived hepatobiliary organoid with bile duct for pharmaceutical research use.

In vitro models of the human liver are promising alternatives to animal tests for drug development. Currently, primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) are preferred for pharmacokinetic and cytotoxicity tests. However, they are unable to recapitulate the flow of bile in hepatobiliary clearance owing to the lack of bile ducts, leading to the limitation of bile analysis.

Simultaneous gradual lengthening of proximal and distal nerve stumps for repair of chronic peripheral nerve defect in rats.

We investigated nerve regeneration of rat sciatic nerves after chronic injury of 15 mm-defect by the gradual lengthening of proximal and distal nerve stumps. Thirty days after the primal injury, both stumps were grasped and lengthened at a rate of 1 mm per day using external nerve-lengthening devices for 15 days. Then end-to-end neurorrhaphy was performed.

New treatment for peripheral nerve defects: reconstruction of a 2 cm, monkey median nerve gap by direct lengthening of both nerve stumps.

We have developed a new treatment for peripheral nerve defects: nerve-lengthening method, and confirmed the efficacy and safety of our method using cynomolgus monkeys. A 20-mm defect in the median nerve of monkey's forearms was repaired through the simultaneous lengthening of both nerve stumps with original nerve-lengthening device. To evaluate nerve regeneration after neurorrhaphy, electrophysiological, histological, and functional recovery were examined and compared to the standard autografting.

The salvage of graft occlusion in a maintenace hemodialysis patient with tuberous sclerosis by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty using intravascular ultrasound: case report.

End-stage renal failure due to tuberous sclerosis is rare and there is no previous report of a patient with tuberous sclerosis undergoing long-term hemodialysis for over 18 years. The patency rate for a dialysis prosthetic graft is low, however, our patient's graft survived over 16 years. For thrombotic occlusion of a graft, we performed percutaneous thrombectomy and balloon angioplasty and salvaged graft occlusion.