Simple but long-lasting: A specimen imaging method applicable for small- and medium-sized herbaria

Major international herbaria, natural history museums and universities have recently begun to digitise their collections to facilitate studies and improve access to collections. In Japan, more than 10 million herbarium specimens are housed in various universities/museums; however, only 1% of these have been digitised. In this paper, we describe a new method for imaging herbarium specimens that is applicable to local/small herbaria. It is safe, fast, simple and inexpensive, but also satisfies usage guidelines for minimum image quality and can produce digital files suitable for long-term storage and future post production. During an eight-month trial at the Museum of Nature and Human Activities, Hyogo, with three part-time workers using a custom-made copy stand and a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera with a large LED light bank system, we were able to image 73,180 herbarium specimens (571 per day on average), obtaining two RAW and two JPEG files for each specimen

Mutations in SERPINB7, Encoding a Member of the Serine Protease Inhibitor Superfamily, Cause Nagashima-type Palmoplantar Keratosis

“Nagashima-type” palmoplantar keratosis (NPPK) is an autosomal recessive nonsyndromic diffuse palmoplantar keratosis characterized by well-demarcated diffuse hyperkeratosis with redness, expanding on to the dorsal surfaces of the palms and feet and the Achilles tendon area. Hyperkeratosis in NPPK is mild and nonprogressive, differentiating NPPK clinically from Mal de Meleda. We performed whole-exome and/or Sanger sequencing analyses of 13 unrelated NPPK individuals and identified biallelic putative loss-of-function mutations in SERPINB7, which encodes a cytoplasmic member of the serine protease inhibitor superfamily. We identified a major causative mutation of c.796C>T (p.Arg266∗) as a founder mutation in Japanese and Chinese populations. SERPINB7 was specifically present in the cytoplasm of the stratum granulosum and the stratum corneum (SC) of the epidermis. All of the identified mutants are predicted to cause premature termination upstream of the reactive site, which inhibits the proteases, suggesting a complete loss of the protease inhibitory activity of SERPINB7 in NPPK skin. On exposure of NPPK lesional skin to water, we observed a whitish spongy change in the SC, suggesting enhanced water permeation into the SC due to overactivation of proteases and a resultant loss of integrity of the SC structure. These findings provide an important framework for developing pathogenesis-based therapies for NPPK

Distinct Characteristics of Circulating Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-A and C Levels in Human Subjects

The mechanisms that lead from obesity to atherosclerotic disease are not fully understood. Obesity involves angiogenesis in which vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) plays a key role. On the other hand, vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) plays a pivotal role in lymphangiogenesis. Circulating levels of VEGF-A and VEGF-C are elevated in sera from obese subjects. However, relationships of VEGF-C with atherosclerotic risk factors and atherosclerosis are unknown. We determined circulating levels of VEGF-A and VEGF-C in 423 consecutive subjects not receiving any drugs at the Health Evaluation Center. After adjusting for age and gender, VEGF-A levels were significantly and more strongly correlated with the body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference than VEGF-C. Conversely, VEGF-C levels were significantly and more closely correlated with metabolic (e.g., fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobin A1c, immunoreactive insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance) and lipid parameters (e.g., triglycerides, total cholesterol (TC), low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and non-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C)) than VEGF-A. Stepwise regression analyses revealed that independent determinants of VEGF-A were the BMI and age, whereas strong independent determinants of VEGF-C were age, triglycerides, and non-HDL-C. In apolipoprotein E-deficient mice fed a high-fat-diet (HFD) or normal chow (NC) for 16 weeks, levels of VEGF-A were not significantly different between the two groups. However, levels of VEGF-C were significantly higher in HFD mice with advanced atherosclerosis and marked hypercholesterolemia than NC mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry revealed that the expression of VEGF-C in atheromatous plaque of the aortic sinus was significantly intensified by feeding HFD compared to NC, while that of VEGF-A was not. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that VEGF-C, rather than VEGF-A, is closely related to dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis

シュッケツセイ ショウカセイ カイヨウ ニ タイスル アルゴン プラズマ ギョウコホウ ニヨル ナイシキョウテキ シケツジュツ ノ リンショウテキ ケントウ

出血性消化性潰瘍に対する止血法として非接触法であるアルゴンプラズマ凝固法を施行しその有用性と安全性を検討した。出血性潰瘍と診断されアルゴンプラズマ凝固法による止血術がなされた胃潰瘍17例,十二指腸潰瘍6例計23症例を対象とした。静脈性出血である湧出性出血,動脈性出血である拍動性・噴出性出血および活動性出血のない露出性血管症例に対し第一選択として,またはクリッピング術にて止血の得られなかった症例に対しアルゴンプラズマ凝固法を施行した。全体での一次止血率は83%と高率であり,再出血率は21%であった。クリッピング術にて止血困難な症例に対しても75%と有効であった。部位別では内視鏡的に正面視し難い後壁病変でも86%と高い止血率であった。潰瘍出血に対するアルゴンプラズマ凝固法は,手技的に容易で偶発症も認めず安全で有用な止血法と思われた。Background : Endoscopic treatment such as injection therapy and hemoclipping is known to be effective as hemostatic treatment for upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Argon plasma coagulation (APC) is a new modality of electrosurgery to apply high frequency electric current into tissue to cause defined thermal and coagulating effects and may be beneficial for hemostasis of gastrointestinal bleeding. The aim of the present study was to assess prospectively the usefulness of endoscopic APC for peptic ulcer bleeding. Methods Patients with upper GI bleeding manifested by hematemesis or melena were included in this study. APC was carried out with the use of argon source APC 300 and high frequency generator ICC 200 (ERBE, Germany) when active bleeding from an ulcer or a visible vessel in an ulcer bed was found. Results A total of 23 patients with bleeding from peptic ulcer underwent APC. Arterial spurting was found in 5 patients, oozing in 10 and a visible vessel in 8. Initial hemostasis was achieved in 19 of 23 patients (83%). With respect to the type of bleeding, hemostasis success was 4/5 (80%) in patients with spurting, 8/10 (80%) with oozing, and 7/8 (88%) with a visible vessel. In the particular patients in whom endoscopic clipping failed to get hemostasis, hemostasis was achieved in 6/8 (75%). In terms of location, the rate of hemostasis by APC was 8/9 (89%) for lesions located in the body, 4/4 (100%) in the angle, 3/4 (75%) in the antrum, and 4/6 (67%) in the duodenum, with no significant difference. For the posterior lesions where frontal access was hard to obtain, APC resulted in a higher rate of hemostasis (86%). Rebleeding within 10 days was observed in 4/19 (21%) after initial hemostasis. No serious complication was encountered. Conclusions Endoscopic APC for bleeding peptic ulcerations resulted in a higher rate of initial hemostasis with a considerably lower rate of rebleeding. In patients with unsuccessful hemostasis by endoscopic clipping, a high rate of hemostasis was achieved by APC. Thus, APC may provide an effective and safe modality for treatment of bleeding ulcerations

Antitumor effects of metformin via indirect inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A in patients with endometrial cancer.

Metformin, an antidiabetic drug, inhibits the endometrial cancer cell growth in vivo by improving the insulin resistance; however, its mechanism of action is not completely understood. Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine phosphatase associated with insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and its inhibition restores the insulin resistance. This study investigated the antitumor effect of metformin on endometrial cancer with a focus on PP2A.Metformin (1,500-2,250 mg/day) was preoperatively administered to patients with endometrial cancer for 4 to 6 weeks. Expression of the PP2A regulatory subunits, 4 (PPP2R4) and B (PP2A-B), was evaluated using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) using paired specimens obtained before and after metformin treatment. The effect of PPP2R4 inhibition with small interfering RNA was evaluated in the endometrial cancer cell lines HEC265 and HEC1B. P values of < .05 were considered statistically significant.Preoperative metformin treatment significantly reduced the expression of PP2A-B, as determined using IHC, and the mRNA expression of PPP2R4, as determined using RT-PCR, in the patients with endometrial cancer. However, metformin could not directly alter the PPP2R4 mRNA levels in the endometrial cancer cell lines in vitro. PPP2R4 knockdown reduced the proliferation and induced the apoptosis by activating caspases 3/7 in HEC265 and HEC1B cells.Downregulation of the PP2A-B subunit, including PPP2R4, is an important indirect target of metformin. Inhibition of PP2A may be an option for the treatment of endometrial cancer patients with insulin resistance.This trial is registered with UMIN-CTR (number UMIN000004852)