Clinical significance of amphiregulin in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Amphiregulin (AREG) is a ligand of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which plays an important role in injury-induced kidney fibrosis. However, the clinical significance of serum soluble AREG in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is unclear. In this study, we elucidated the clinical significance of serum soluble AREG in CKD by analyzing the association of serum soluble AREG levels with renal function and other clinical parameters in patients with CKD.

In-hospital blood collection increases the rate of indeterminate results in interferon-gamma release assays.

Background: The interferon (IFN)-γ release assay (IGRA) has recently been established as a method to evaluate the infection status of tuberculosis instead of the tuberculin skin test. However, indeterminate results can create challenges to interpretation. The IGRA has been available in Japan since 2005, including the recently launched QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-plus) assay.

Impact of the interferon-γ release assay and glomerular filtration rate on the estimation of active tuberculosis risk before bronchoscopic examinations: a retrospective pilot study.

Background: Bronchoscopic examinations are vital to diagnose pulmonary diseases. However, as coughing is triggered during and after the procedure, it is imperative to take measures against nosocomial infections, especially for airborne infections like tuberculosis (TB). The interferon-γ release assay (IGRA) has recently been established as a method to evaluate the infection status of TB.

Atypical extensive pancreatic pseudocyst with hemorrhage in a hemodialysis patient.

Pancreatic pseudocysts are a common complication of both acute and chronic pancreatitis. The complications of pancreatic pseudocysts include compression of abdominal great vessels, gastric or duodenal stenosis, cholestasis due to stenosis of common bile duct, infection, and hemorrhage into the cyst. Moreover, pancreatic pseudocysts most commonly occur around the pancreas; however, extension into the adjacent viscera including spleen, liver, transverse colon, anterior or posterior pararenal space, retroperitoneum and mediastinum does occur infrequently.

Overexpression of microRNA-155 suppresses chemokine expression induced by Interleukin-13 in BEAS-2B human bronchial epithelial cells.

Background: MicroRNAs are non-coding small RNAs that regulate expression of target genes by binding to 3' untranslated regions. In this study, we used bronchial epithelial cells to investigate in vitro the role of the microRNA miR-155 in the expression of chemokines associated with airway inflammation. miR-155 has previously been reported to regulate allergic inflammation.

Novel genes participating in the formation of prismatic and nacreous layers in the pearl oyster as revealed by their tissue distribution and RNA interference knockdown.

In our previous publication, we identified novel gene candidates involved in shell formation by EST analyses of the nacreous and prismatic layer-forming tissues in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata. In the present study, 14 of those genes, including two known genes, were selected and further examined for their involvement in shell formation using the RNA interference. Molecular characterization based on the deduced amino acid sequences showed that seven of the novel genes encode secretory proteins.