pH response and mechanical properties of FeO-TeO-based glass/stainless steel enamel electrodes for pH sensors.

Glass pH sensors are unsuitable for in vivo biomedical, clinical, or food applications because of the brittleness of glass and the difficulty in measuring small volumes. Enamel structures such as glass/stainless steel are candidates for glass-based pH electrodes. In this study, new enamel electrodes for pH sensors using FeO-TeO-based glass/stainless steel were developed.

[A case of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma of the bile duct diagnosed using intraductal ultrasonography and transpapillary investigation of the bile duct].

A 78-year-old woman with a chief complaint of mammary tumor was referred to our hospital and was diagnosed with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma using needle biopsies. She presented with MALT lymphoma lesions in the stomach, duodenum, and intraperitoneal lymph nodes. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed thickened internal layer of the bile duct.

Effect of heat-treatment on the pH sensitivity of stainless-steel electrodes as pH sensors.

Effect of heat-treatment on the pH sensitivity of uncoated stainless-steel electrodes was investigated to comprehend the pH sensitivity of metal-oxide coated stainless-steel electrodes as novel pH sensors. The pH sensitivity of stainless-steel electrodes as-received and heat-treated at 500 °C, 600 °C and 700 °C for 24 h were 91 %, 94 %, 102 % and 91 %, respectively. The pH sensitivity tended to increase with increasing heat-treatment time at a given temperature.

Light-chain plasma cell myeloma caused by 14q32/IGH translocation and loss of the other allele.

Light-chain plasma cell myeloma (LC-PCM) is a PCM subtype in which only immunoglobulin light-chain is secreted. However, the absence of immunoglobulin heavy-chain (IGH) production in this condition has not been fully elucidated. To address this issue, we retrospectively analyzed patients at our center with LC-PCM and found a group who had only split signals of IGH gene derived from 14q32/IGH translocations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Correction to: Cell dynamics during differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

In the original publication of the article, Table 2 was published incorrectly. The column names were swapped under the column heading "Prom (%)". The correct column names are PB and BM.

Cell dynamics during differentiation therapy with all-trans retinoic acid in acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The introduction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has made acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) a curable disease; however, early death prior to the completion of treatment remains a problem. In quantitative evaluation of response to ATRA treatment, lymphocytes must be excluded as they do not originally have t(15;17). We categorized peripheral blood leukocytes by nuclear morphology into polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) comprising segmented granulocytes, and non-polymorphonuclear cells (NPMs) which includes lymphocytes, monocytes, band cells, and immature myeloid cells.

[MALT lymphoma with t (X;14) (p11.2;q32) developing during the course of cutaneous leukocytoclastic angitis].

A 73-year-old man with left parotid gland swelling over 2 months was referred to our hospital in March 201X. Purpura on the lower legs had been recurrent for >20 years. Biopsy of the parotid gland demonstrated diffuse infiltration of abnormal lymphocytes that were negative for CD10 and positive for CD19, CD20, and κ-chain.

Expression of activating natural killer-cell receptors is a hallmark of the innate-like T-cell neoplasm in peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

Peripheral T- or natural killer (NK)-cell lymphomas are rare and difficult-to-recognize diseases. It remains arduous to distinguish between NK cell- and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-derived lymphomas through routine histological evaluation. To clarify the cells of origin, we focused on NK-cell receptors and examined the expression using immunohistochemistry in 22 cases with T- and NK-cell neoplasms comprising angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive and -negative anaplastic large-cell lymphomas, extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma, nasal type, monomorphic epitheliotropic intestinal T-cell lymphoma, aggressive NK-cell leukemia, and other peripheral T-cell lymphomas.

De novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia-like disease of high grade B-cell lymphoma with and and/or rearrangements: a case report and literature review.

Background: B-cell lymphomas harboring the 8q24/ plus 18q21/ translocations are now referred to as high grade B-cell lymphoma with and and/or rearrangements (HGBL-MBR). Although HGBL-MBR is frequently found in cases with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or Burkitt lymphoma-like B-cell lymphoma, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)-like disease of HGBL-MBR (AL-HGBL-MBR) has been reported incidentally.

Case Presentation: A 69-year-old Japanese woman developed remittent fever and increasing systemic bone pain.

[Acute myeloid leukemia with t (3;8) (q26.2;q24), a simple variant of 3q26.2/EVI1 translocation].

A 70-year-old man with pancytopenia was referred to our hospital. His bone marrow comprised 75.4% leukemic blast cells and increased micromegakaryocytes.

[Acute myeloid leukemia with t(3;21)(q13;q22), a novel simple variant of the 21q22/RUNX1 translocation].

A 69-year-old man diagnosed with leukocytosis was referred to our hospital in July 201X. The patient was diagnosed as having a myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm. However, he presented with leukemia 2 months later.

Cytogenetic Study and Analysis of Protein Expression in Plasma Cell Myeloma with t(11;14)(q13;q32): Absence of BCL6 and SOX11, and Infrequent Expression of CD20 and PAX5.

The t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation is the most common chromosomal translocation in plasma cell myeloma (PCM), but the cytogenetic and immunophenotypic features of PCM with t(11;14)(q13;q32) remain to be fully elucidated. To address the issue, we retrospectively analyzed 21 newly diagnosed PCM patients with the t(11;14)(q13;q32) translocation in our institute. CD20 is a B-cell-specific transmembrane protein that is the topic of much focus as a potential target in immunotherapy.

Drastic Dependence of the pH Sensitivity of Fe₂O₃-Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ Hydrophobic Glasses with Composition.

Fe₂O₃-Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ (FeBiB) glasses were developed as novel pH responsive hydrophobic glasses. The influence of the glass composition on the pH sensitivity of FeBiB glasses was investigated. The pH sensitivity drastically decreased with decreasing B₂O₃ content.

Importance of appropriate pharmaceutical management in pregnant women with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) often occurs in women of childbearing age. Compared to Western countries, however, few studies have investigated the impact of UC on the progress of pregnancy in Asian populations.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 91 pregnancies in 64 patients with UC experienced at our hospital and related institutions from 1991 to 2011, focusing on the relationship between the progression of UC during pregnancy, progress of the pregnancy itself, and the treatment of UC.

Role of serum high mobility group box 1 in hematological malignancies complicated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome and effect of recombinant thrombomodulin.

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) mediates inflammation. We investigated the role of serum HMGB1 in 54 patients with hematological malignancies with and without systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). There was no difference between groups 1 (complete remission of hematological disease: n = 13) and 2 (no remission: n = 16) in serum HMGB1 levels.

Pharmacokinetics of cyclosporine a conversion from twice-daily infusion to oral administration in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Twice-daily administration of cyclosporine A (CyA) has often been used for prophylaxis of acute graft versus host disease in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). But there have not been any reports that calculated the conversion ratio of the switch from twice-daily intravenous infusion to oral administration of CyA in adult patients. To establish the conversion ratio and the best strategy of twice-daily administration of CyA, the authors investigated the serial changes in the blood CyA concentration during the switch from twice-daily intravenous infusion to oral administration while maintaining high-peak concentration (over 1000 ng/mL) and calculated the bioavailability of Neoral, a micro emulsion cyclosporine, in 11 patients.

Drug interactions between micafungin at high doses and cyclosporine A in febrile neutropenia patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the drug interaction between high doses of micafungin and cyclosporine A (CyA) in allo-HSCT patients.

Methods: We assigned 15 patients to Groups 1, 2, or 3. We investigated the serial changes in the blood concentration/dose (C/dose) of intravenous CyA during micafungin coadministration in 5 patients during the switch from the prophylactic dose (150 mg/body) to the therapeutic dose (300 mg/body) of micafungin (Group 1), and compared each of the 5 patients in Group 1 with those who continued to receive the prophylactic doses of 150 mg or 50 mg/body of micafungin (Groups 2 and 3).

Efficacy and safety of double filtration plasmapheresis in combination with interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

Aim: Efficacy and safety of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) for chronic hepatitis C were prospectively analyzed in Japanese clinical settings.

Methods:  All patients who received DFPP in combination with interferon (IFN) therapy for chronic hepatitis C were serially recruited at 36 institutions between April 2008 and July 2009 in Japan.

Results:  A total of 239 patients were analyzed for the safety of DFPP and 206 patients for the efficacy.

Value of colonoscopy for prediction of prognosis in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder characterized by exacerbations and remissions. Some UC patients remain refractory to conventional medical treatment while, in others, the effectiveness of drugs is limited by side-effects. Recently, cyclosporine and leukocyte removal therapy have been used for refractory UC patients.

Immunomodulatory therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have intestinal and extraintestinal symptoms that can greatly impair their quality of life. They must rely on multiple medications with aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, and purine analogues to control these symptoms. Although decades of clinical experience in IBD management has led to optimized approaches for achieving the induction and maintenance of remission, the disease in some patients is still refractory to conventional medical treatment, or the effectiveness of these drugs can be limited by treatment-related side effects.

Possible involvement of neutrophil elastase in impaired mucosal repair in patients with ulcerative colitis.

Background: Little information is available on the relative contribution of peptide growth factors and leukocyte-derived proteinases to the repair processes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We investigated their possible roles in epithelial cell restitution and proliferation in patients with IBD.

Methods: The expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), and neutrophil elastase (NE) was examined in colonic mucosal tissues.