Tspan15-ADAM10 signalling enhances cancer stem cell-like properties and induces chemoresistance via Notch1 activation in ICC.

Background & Aims: Notch1 activation promotes ICC progression and is associated with chemoresistance; however, therapies directly targeting Notch1 showed severe adverse effects. Notch1 activation is mediated by ADAM10, a molecular scissor that separates the target protein from its substrates in the cell membrane. Tspan15 regulates ADAM10 function, but the role of Tspan15 in ICC progression is unclear.

Molecular and biochemical characterization of novel PAM-like MBL variants, PAM-2 and PAM-3, from clinical isolates of Pseudomonas tohonis.

Background: There is no comprehensive study on PAM-like MBLs.

Objectives: Our aim was to characterize novel B3 MBL variants, PAM-2 and PAM-3, from Pseudomonas tohonis clinical isolates.

Methods: We evaluated the antimicrobial susceptibility and the MBL gene composition of three novel P.

TRIM27-USP7 complex promotes tumour progression via STAT3 activation in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background & Aims: TRIM27 is stabilized by binding to USP7 and mediates tumour progression in several cancers; however, the roles of TRIM27-USP7 complex on STAT3 activation in HCC are unknown.

Methods: Regulations and functions of TRIM27 for activating STAT3 in HCC were assessed using 207 HCC samples or HCC cells.

Results: TRIM27 expression was increased in some cases of HCC.

Bulk-sensitive spin-resolved resonant electron energy-loss spectroscopy (SR-rEELS): Observation of element- and spin-selective bulk plasmons.

We have developed spin-resolved resonant electron energy-loss spectroscopy with the primary energy of 0.3-1.5 keV, which corresponds to the core excitations of 2p-3d absorption of transition metals and 3d-4f absorption of rare-earths, with the energy resolution of about 100 meV using a spin-polarized electron source as a GaAs/GaAsP strained superlattice photocathode.

Structural and Biochemical Characterization of the Novel CTX-M-151 Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase and Its Inhibition by Avibactam.

The diazabicyclooctane (DBO) inhibitor avibactam (AVI) reversibly inactivates most serine β-lactamases, including the CTX-M β-lactamases. Currently, more than 230 unique CTX-M members distributed in five clusters with less than 5% amino acid sequence divergence within each group have been described. Recently, a variant named CTX-M-151 was isolated from a subsp.

Rapid acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain in the emergency room of the Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual, Brazil: A quasi-experimental study.

Objective: To compare differences in self-reported musculoskeletal pain before and after receiving rapid acupuncture for pain at an outpatient emergency department.

Methods: Exactly 102 patients presenting to the emergency room of the Hospital Servidor Publico Estadual in Sao Paulo, Brazil, participated in this before-and-after study. All participants had musculoskeletal pain and were treated with the technique proposed by Marques Filho.

Auricular Chromotherapy in the Treatment of Psychologic Trauma, Phobias, and Panic Disorder.

Auricular chromotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of psychologic trauma and anxiety disorders, such as phobias and panic attacks. With its relatively easy and quick technical application, this procedure could be an indispensable tool for physicians. However, its mechanism of action is not yet understood completely.

[Severe Therapy-Related Pancytopenia Caused by UFT and LV in a Patient with Ascending Colon Cancer].

We report a case of a 79-year-old man who developed severe therapy-related pancytopenia from tegafur uracil(UFT)and Leucovorin(LV)as adjuvant chemotherapy for ascending colon cancer. Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy resection was performed for the ascending colon cancer. Pathohistological analysis revealed that the ascending colon tumor was moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma(T3, N1, M0, and Stage III a).

[Medical Dispatch to Okinawa and following Period].

I was dispatched to Okinawa Ishigaki Island in 1976 and, then after about thirty years, to Touhoku to provide medical aid due to a shortage of psychiatrists. On Ishigaki, I participated in outreach activities for local islands and was deeply impressed by the public health nurses and community mental health services. I also recognized important points of view about culture and psychiatry.

[The Report of the Survey to the Members of the Society about the Functional Dissociation of the Psychiatric Hospital beds].

In 2014, Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare published the guideline on the policy of the psychiatric hospitals. We executed a survey to the members of "The Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology" about the impression of this guideline, especially about "The functional differentiation of psychiatric hospital beds". Nine questions were notified on the home page of the society.

Recombinant Collagen Engineered to Bind to Discoidin Domain Receptor Functions as a Receptor Inhibitor.

A bacterial collagen-like protein Scl2 has been developed as a recombinant collagen model system to host human collagen ligand-binding sequences, with the goal of generating biomaterials with selective collagen bioactivities. Defined binding sites in human collagen for integrins, fibronectin, heparin, and MMP-1 have been introduced into the triple-helical domain of the bacterial collagen and led to the expected biological activities. The modular insertion of activities is extended here to the discoidin domain receptors (DDRs), which are collagen-activated receptor tyrosine kinases.

An amino acid ionic liquid-based tough ion gel membrane for CO2 capture.

A tough and thin double-network gel membrane containing amino acid ionic liquids as a CO2 carrier exhibited superior CO2 permeability and stability under pressurized conditions.

Molecular analysis of the integrons of metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected by nationwide surveillance programs across Japan.

Background: We investigate the evolving molecular epidemiology of metallo-β-lactamase (MBL)-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected in a 100 institution, nationwide surveillance study in Japan from 2004 to 2006.

Results: MBL-producers were detected in 23/996 isolates (2.3%) in 2004 and 21/992 (2.

In vitro susceptibility of characterized β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacteria isolated in Japan to ceftazidime-, ceftaroline-, and aztreonam-avibactam combinations.

Avibactam displays potent inhibition of extended-spectrum, AmpC, KPC and some OXA β-lactamases. We examined the combinations of avibactam with ceftazidime, ceftaroline and aztreonam by the broth microdilution method against Gram-negative bacteria harboring molecularly-characterized β-lactamase genes collected in Toho University, Japan. Bacterial isolates included: Ambler class A β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (n = 26); class C β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (n = 9) and class D β-lactamase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 9) and Enterobacteriaceae (n = 3).

ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in environmental water in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Pathogens encoding extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) genes represent a threat for failure of empirical antibiotic therapy and are associated with high mortality, morbidity and expenses. We examined surface water in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh and isolated ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae, suggesting the potential role of water for the dissemination and transmission of resistant genes among microorganisms. E.

Daptomycin susceptibility of 833 strains of Gram-positive cocci from a university hospital in Japan (2009-2011).

The aim of this study was to confirm the daptomycin (DAP) susceptibility of bacteria isolated before the launch of DAP in Japan. DAP showed good activity against all 833 isolates (MIC90 = 0.25-0.

Recognition of change in the reform of forensic mental health by clinical practitioners: a questionnaire survey in Japan.

In Japan, new legislation regarding forensic mental health, namely, the Act on Medical Care and Treatment for Persons Who Have Caused Serious Cases under the Condition of Insanity (Medical Treatment and Supervision Act (MTS Act)) was enforced in 2005, although community mental health care remains largely unchanged. We surveyed local clinical psychiatrists by questionnaire to gather information on the influence of the MTS Act on clinical mental health practice. We sent a paper questionnaire to almost all the psychiatrists in the Chiba prefecture, 56% of whom (N = 306) responded.

Polymeric ion-gels containing an amino acid ionic liquid for facilitated CO2 transport media.

Novel ion-gel films containing an amino acid ionic liquid were fabricated by free radical polymerization of vinyl monomers. These high strength materials demonstrated superior CO2 permeability and separation performance.

Acupuncture for acute non-specific low back pain: a randomised, controlled, double-blind, placebo trial.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of Yamamoto's acupuncture method on pain, drug intake, functional capacity and quality of life for the treatment of acute non-specific low back pain (ANLBP).

Methods: A prospective, randomised, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed in 80 men and women with ANLBP who were randomly assigned to five acupuncture sessions (intervention group (IG), n=40) and to five non-penetrating acupuncture sessions (sham group (SG), n=40). Patients were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days.

Molecular characterization of extraintestinal Escherichia coli isolates in Japan: relationship between sequence types and mutation patterns of quinolone resistance-determining regions analyzed by pyrosequencing.

Infection from fluoroquinolone-resistant Enterobacteriaceae is an increasing health problem worldwide. In the present study, we developed a pyrosequencing-based high-throughput method for analyzing the nucleotide sequence of the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of gyrA and parC. By using this method, we successfully determined the QRDR sequences of 139 out of 140 clinical Escherichia coli isolates, 28% of which were nonsusceptible to ciprofloxacin.

Efficacies of calcium-EDTA in combination with imipenem in a murine model of sepsis caused by Escherichia coli with NDM-1 β-lactamase.

We evaluated the efficacy of ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, disodium calcium salt (Ca-EDTA), as an inhibitor for New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1 (NDM-1) in vitro antibiotic susceptibility and in a mouse model of sepsis caused by Escherichia coli. Ca-EDTA drastically reduced the MICs of carbapenems for all NDM-producing bacteria [imipenem (IPM) ≤1-2 μg/ml; meropenem (MEPM) ≤1-4 µg/ml]. In the neutropenic murine model of sepsis, the bacterial burden was further reduced by combination therapy using imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS) and Ca-EDTA to 2.

Application of Level of Care Utilization System for Psychiatric and Addiction Services (LOCUS) to psychiatric practice in Japan: a preliminary assessment of validity and sensitivity to change.

We applied an American medical necessity scale, Level of Care Utilization System for Psychiatric and Addiction Services (LOCUS), to psychiatric practice in Japan. This is an exploratory analysis of empirical data of 272 patients. We examined the relationships between levels of care of LOCUS and clinical variables, contribution of care levels on admission decision, and changes in care levels over time.

Molecular characterization of carbapenem-non-susceptible Acinetobacter spp. in Japan: predominance of multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clonal complex 92 and IMP-type metallo-β-lactamase-producing non-baumannii Acinetobacter species.

We conducted an epidemiological study concerning carbapenem-non-susceptible clinical isolates of Acinetobacter spp. in Japan by molecular procedures including carbapenemase gene identification and amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis. Among 598 clinically isolated Acinetobacter spp.