EUS-Guided Biliary Drainage

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) has been developed as an alternative method for failed endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). EUS-BD can be divided into two main approach routes, such as transgastric or transduodenal approach. Also, EUS-guided hepaticogastrostomy, choledochoduodenostomy (CDS), and gallbladder drainage (GBD) have been reported. In this chapter, we described technical tips for each basic technique, including literature review. As advanced technique of EUS-BD, antegrade stone removal has been reported. More recently, electrohydraulic lithotripsy for bile duct stones under transluminal cholangioscopy guidance, hepaticojejunostomy stricture dilation through EUS-hepaticogastrostomy (HGS) route, or EUS-guided gastrojejunostomy has been reported. Although EUS-BD has various potential as treatment technique, treatment method should be selected for each patient’s conditions

Distinct Cytoplasmic Expression of KL-6 Mucin in Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Comparative Immunohistochemical Study with Other Renal Epithelial Cell Tumors

信州大学博士（医学）・学位論文・平成25年1月30日授与（乙第1152号）・福島 万奈The presence of cytoplasmic sialyl glycoproteins is a conspicuous feature in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We compared the immunohistochemical expression of sialyl glycoproteins in chromophobe RCC with that in other types of renal tumors. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues of surgically resected renal tumors (chromophobe RCC, 14 cases [10 cases of classic type and 4 cases of eosinophilic variant]; oncocytoma, 7 cases; and clear cell RCC, 9 cases) and kidneys from immature infants (4 cases) were immunostained with antibodies against sialyl glycoproteins (anti-KL-6 and anti-sialyl MUC1 antibodies). Cytoplasmic expression of KL-6 and sialyl MUC1 was distinctive in the chromophobe RCC and renal oncocytoma cells, and in the intercalated cells in collecting duct epithelia. Apical-surface staining of these sialyl glycoproteins was predominantly observed in clear RCC, in the epithelia of the distal tubule and collecting duct, and in the neonatal renal proximal tubule, but not in those of the adult renal proximal tubule. The above-mentioned observations provide additional evidence for similar phenotypic profiles of chromophobe RCC and renal oncocytoma, and the intercalated cells in collecting ducts and the oncofetal expression of sialyl glycoproteins in clear cell RCC. KL-6 is a potential tumor marker for renal tumors.ArticleACTA HISTOCHEMICA ET CYTOCHEMICA. 45(5) 301-308 (2012)journal articl

Rotation in the NGC 1333 IRAS 4C Outflow

We report molecular line observations of the NGC 1333 IRAS 4C outflow in the Perseus Molecular Cloud with the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array. The CCH and CS emission reveal an outflow cavity structure with clear signatures of rotation with respect to the outflow axis. The rotation is detected from about 120 au up to about 1400 au above the envelope/disk mid-plane. As the distance to the central source increases, the rotation velocity of the outflow decreases while the outflow radius increases, which gives a flat specific angular momentum distribution along the outflow. The mean specific angular momentum of the outflow is about 100 au km/s. Based on reasonable assumptions on the outward velocity of the outflow and the protostar mass, we estimate the range of outflow launching radii to be 5-15 au. Such a launching radius rules out that this outflow is launched as an X-wind, but rather, it is more consistent to be a slow disk wind launched from relatively large radii on the disk. The radius of the centrifugal barrier is roughly estimated, and the role of the centrifugal barrier in the outflow launching is discussed.Comment: Accepted to ApJ. 29 pages, 8 figure

Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Pancreatic Transmural Stenting and Transmural Intervention

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pancreatic access is an emergent method that can be divided into the two main techniques of EUS-guided rendezvous and pancreatic transmural stenting (PTS). While many reports have described EUS-guided procedures, the indications, technical tips, clinical effects, and safety of EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage (EUS-PD) remain controversial. This review describes the current status of and problems associated with EUS-PD, particularly PTS. We reviewed clinical data derived from a total of 334 patients. Rates of technical and clinical success ranged from 63% to 100% and 76% to 100%, respectively. In contrast, the rate of procedure-related adverse events was high at 26.7% (89/334). The most frequent adverse events comprised abdominal pain (n=38), acute pancreatitis (n=15), bleeding (n=9), and issues associated with pancreatic juice leakage such as perigastric fluid, pancreatic fluid collection, or pancreatic juice leaks (n=8). In conclusion, indications for EUS-PTS are limited, as is the evidence of its viability, due to the scarcity of expert operators. Despite improvements made to various devices, EUS-PTS remains technically challenging. Therefore, a long-term, large-scale, multicenter study is required to establish this technique as a viable alternative drainage method

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray studies of ferredoxin-NADP + oxidoreductase encoded by Bacillus subtilis yumC

金沢大学理工研究域物質化学系Ferredoxin-NADP+ oxidoreductase encoded by Bacillus subtilis yumC has been purified and successfully crystallized in complex with NADP + in two forms. Diffraction data from crystals of these two forms were collected at resolutions of 1.8 and 1.9 Å. The former belonged to space group P21212, with unit-cell parameters a = 63.90, b = 135.72, c = 39.19 Å, and the latter to space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 207.47, b = 64.85, c = 61.12 Å, Β = 105.82°. The initial structure was determined by the molecular-replacement method using a thioredoxin reductase-like protein as a search model. © 2010 International Union of Crystallography All rights reserved

Vertical Structure of the Transition Zone from Infalling Rotating Envelope to Disk in the Class 0 Protostar, IRAS04368+2557

We have resolved for the first time the radial and vertical structure of the almost edge-on envelope/disk system of the low-mass Class 0 protostar L1527. For that, we have used ALMA observations with a spatial resolution of 0.25$^{\prime\prime}$$\times$0.13$^{\prime\prime}$ and 0.37$^{\prime\prime}$$\times$0.23$^{\prime\prime}$ at 0.8 mm and 1.2 mm, respectively. The L1527 dust continuum emission has a deconvolved size of 78 au $\times$ 21 au, and shows a flared disk-like structure. A thin infalling-rotating envelope is seen in the CCH emission outward of about 150 au, and its thickness is increased by a factor of 2 inward of it. This radius lies between the centrifugal radius (200 au) and the centrifugal barrier of the infalling-rotating envelope (100 au). The gas stagnates in front of the centrifugal barrier and moves toward vertical directions. SO emission is concentrated around and inside the centrifugal barrier. The rotation speed of the SO emitting gas is found to be decelerated around the centrifugal barrier. A part of the angular momentum could be extracted by the gas which moves away from the mid-plane around the centrifugal barrier. If this is the case, the centrifugal barrier would be related to the launching mechanism of low velocity outflows, such as disk winds

Chemical survey toward young stellar objects in the Perseus molecular cloud complex

Chemical diversity of the gas in low-mass protostellar cores is widely recognized. In order to explore its origin, a survey of chemical composition toward 36 Class 0/I protostars in the Perseus molecular cloud complex, which are selected in an unbiased way under certain physical conditions, has been conducted with IRAM 30 m and NRO 45 m telescope. Multiple lines of C2H, c-C3H2 and CH3OH have been observed to characterize the chemical composition averaged over a 1000 au scale around the protostar. The derived beam-averaged column densities show significant chemical diversity among the sources, where the column density ratios of C2H/CH3OH are spread out by 2 orders of magnitude. From previous studies, the hot corino sources have abundant CH3OH but deficient C2H, their C2H/CH3OH column density ratios being relatively low. In contrast, the warm-carbon-chain chemistry (WCCC) sources are found to reveal the high C2H/CH3OH column density ratios. We find that the majority of the sources have intermediate characters between these two distinct chemistry types. A possible trend is seen between the C2H/CH3OH ratio and the distance of the source from the edge of a molecular cloud. The sources located near cloud edges or in isolated clouds tend to have a high C2H/CH3OH ratio. On the other hand, the sources having a low C2H/CH3OH ratio tend to be located in inner regions of the molecular cloud complex. This result gives an important clue to an understanding of the origin of the chemical diversity of protostellar cores in terms of environmental effects.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ

Three-dimensional visualization and characterization of polymeric self-assemblies by Transmission Electron Microtomography

Self-assembling structures and their dynamical processes in polymeric systems have been investigated using three-dimensional transmission electron microscopy (3D-TEM). Block copolymers (BCPs) self-assemble into nanoscale periodic structures called microphase-separated structures, a deep understanding of which is important for creating nanomaterials with superior physical properties, such as high-performance membranes with well-defined pore size and high-density data storage media. Because microphase-separated structures have become increasingly complicated with advances in precision polymerization, characterizing these complex morphologies is becoming increasingly difficult. Thus, microscopes capable of obtaining 3D images are required. In this article, we demonstrate that 3D-TEM is an essential tool for studying BCP nanostructures, especially those self-assembled during dynamical processes and under confined conditions.The first example is a dynamical process called order-order transitions (OOTs). Upon changing temperature or pressure or applying an external field, such as a shear flow or electric field, BCP nanostructures transform from one type of structure to another. The OOTs are examined by freezing the specimens in the middle of the OOT and then observing the boundary structures between the preexisting and newly formed nanostructures in three-dimensions. In an OOT between the bicontinuous double gyroid and hexagonally packed cylindrical structures, two different types of epitaxial phase transition paths are found. Interestingly, the paths depend on the direction of the OOT. The second example is BCP self-assemblies under confinement that have been examined by 3D-TEM. A variety of intriguing and very complicated 3D morphologies can be formed even from the BCPs that self-assemble into simple nanostructures, such as lamellar and cylindrical structures in the bulk (in free space).Although 3D-TEM is becoming more frequently used for detailed morphological investigations, it is generally used to study static nanostructures. Although OOTs are dynamical processes, the actual experiment is done in the static state, through a detailed morphological study of a snapshot taken during the OOT. Developing time-dependent nanoscale 3D imaging has become a hot topic. Here, the two main problems preventing the development of in situ electron tomography for polymer materials are addressed. First, the staining protocol often used to enhance contrast for electrons is replaced by a new contrast enhancement based on chemical differences between polymers. In this case, no staining is necessary. Second, a new 3D reconstruction algorithm allows us to obtain a high-contrast, quantitative 3D image from fewer projections than is required for the conventional algorithm to achieve similar contrast, reducing the number of projections and thus the electron beam dose. Combini

An Anti-apoptotic Role of NF-κB in TNFα-induced Apoptosis in an Ameloblastoma Cell Line

AbstractNuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is involved in the promotion of cell survival in a variety of cell types. The present study focused on the role of NF-κB in TNFα-induced apoptosis in an ameloblastoma. Immunohistochemical staining revealed p65 NF-κB protein to be expressed in ameloblastoma tissues. Furthermore, immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry analyses showed that the stimulation of TNFα in an ameloblastoma cell line (AM-1) induced p65 NF-κB translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus, indicating NF-κB activation. These findings were confirmed by an NF-κB luciferase reporter assay, which detected enhanced NF-κB transcription activity of AM-1 cells by TNFα stimulation. Moreover, pretreatment with SN50, a nuclear translocation inhibitor, prior to TNFα stimulation, effectively inhibited TNFα-induced NF-κB activation in AM-1 cells. In order to reveal the role of NF-κB activation during TNFα-induced apoptosis in AM-1 cells, an apoptosis assay was performed, and showed that the potential of TNFα in inducing apoptosis in AM-1 cells was significantly elevated by inhibiting the NF-κB activation. These results suggest that NF-κB plays an anti-apoptotic role in TNFα-induced apoptosis in AM-1 cells

An O-centered structure of the trinuclear copper center in the Cys500Ser/Glu506Gln mutant of CueO and structural changes in low to high X-ray dose conditions

Right on CueO: The O-centered structure of the trinuclear copper center in a multicopper oxidase (CueO) was shown to be an intermediate of the four-electron reduction of dioxygen (see picture). This structure was determined by in situ data collection of X-ray diffractions and copper K-edge spectra at low to high X-ray dose conditions. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim