Neurotrophic properties of leptomeninges

The leptomeninges, consisted of pia mater and arachnoid, cover the surface of brain parenchyma. Leptomeningeal cells produce a number of biologically active proteins, including prostaglandin-D synthase, cyclooxygenase-1, -2, insulin-like growth factor-II, insulin-like growth factor-binding proten-2, and apolipoprotein E, released into the cerebrospinal fluid. The involvement of leptomeninges in neurotrophic, scavenging, and transport activities as well as inflammatory responses, associated with the brain, is reviewed.Biomedical Reviews 1999; 10: 31-36

Oxide thin film transistors for flexible devices

Much attention has been gathered to flexible devices which will surely change our life style drastically. There are many kinds of flexible devices such as flexible display or medical chart. In order to realize the flexible devices, oxide thin film is one of the promising material. Because oxide film has several features which are not observed in conventional silicon materials. They are low fabrication temperature, high electrical performance or unique optical properties. To realize flexible devices with oxide thin film, several key issues should be discussed. In this talk, we will introduce several new techniques which are now being developed in our laboratory. We study the fabrication method of high performance oxide thin film transistors by using solution processed InZnO. High mobility and highly reliable TFT was demonstrated using spin coating method. In this technique, there was a problem of larger fluctuation of the performance. To solve this problem, we introduced wet annealing after the TFT fabrication and achieved very low fluctuation of the electrical performance such as mobility of threshold voltage. We apply this solution processed InZnO to logic circuit such as invertor or ring oscillators. We could demonstrate clear invertor operation or high frequency circuit operations. We demonstrate ELA on a-IGZO TFTs passivated with a hybrid passivation layer (Fig.1). The hybrid passivation layer, based on polysilsesquioxane (PSQ), is transparent and fabricated by solution process. The PSQ passivated a-IGZO TFTs has a bottom gate top contact structure. The channel used is a 70 nm thick a-IGZO (2217) deposited at room temperature by RF magnetron sputtering. Highly doped n-type Si with 100 nm thermally oxidized SiO2 layer were used as the gate and gate insulator, respectively. A stack of 80 nm Mo and 20 nm Pt deposited by RF magnetron sputtering were used as source/drain electrodes. PSQ passivated TFTs were subjected to either 248 nm KrF ELA or 308 nm XeCl ELA at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. KrF ELA was performed under ambient atmosphere while XeCl ELA was performed under N2 environment. Note that ELA was performed after the passivation coating process. Since the PSQ passivation is transparent, we expect that the incident beam will be absorbed throughout the channel. Irradiating Me 100 samples with 90-110 mJ/cm2 XeCl ELA and Me 60/Ph 40 samples with 80 mJ/cm2 KrF ELA greatly improved the transfer characteristics and mobility (~13-18 cm2/Vs) (Fig.2). Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

貪食能評価系の確立とマクロファージ活性化メカニズムの包括的解析

　抗原が体内に侵入した際に、自然免疫系の細胞による初期攻撃が抗原の排除に重要である。その中でもマクロファージは、抗原を迅速に貪食し排除する細胞であるとともに、貪食した抗原の情報を獲得免疫系に伝え免疫系全体を誘導する役割を担っている。本研究では、マクロファージの活性化を定量的に測定できる新たな評価系を確立した。その評価系では、多様な状態のマクロファージの貪食能の評価が可能であり、また5分程度のごく短時間の刺激で活性化される迅速な活性化を評価できることが明らかとなった。その利点を活用することで、白斑に対するPAPLAL（白金ナノコロイドとバラジウムナノコロイドとの混合物）の作用やALA+SFC（5-アミノレブリン酸とクエン酸第一鉄との同時投与）の免疫系調節作用に対してマクロファージの活性化が関与する基礎科学的な根拠を与えることができた。またその評価系はHigh throughput化が可能であり、新規活性化因子のスクリーニングにも有用であることを多様な化合物等のアッセイによって示した。　一方、血清由来のserum-MAFおよびγ-globulinはマクロファージの多様な機能を生じるpolarizationに変化を与えることなく貪食能を迅速に上昇させることを明らかにし、その活性化では既知の活性化因子の下流で知られるシグナル伝達経路とは全く別のメカニズムが働いていることも明らかにした。さらに、serum-MAF中にはγ-globulinのみによる活性化に比し、貪食開始後10分で検出できるような強い活性化をもたらす因子が含まれることを示した。その因子は、Galectin latticeを含む脂質ラフトを形成し、受容体分子の集積をもたらし、アクチンの再構成を引き起こしていた。本研究により、マクロファージの迅速で強い活性化が、細胞膜とそこに集積する膜タンパク質のダイナミックな変化を介して生じていることをはじめて明らかにできた。甲南大学平成30年度(2018年度

Efficacy of Using Aroma Mouthwash in Recoverying from Short-term Cognitive Stressor

Mouthwash prevents bad breath and sterilizes bacteria that cause dental caries and periodontal disease, so it provides important means for improving oral hygiene in our daily life. Along with active ingredients such as bactericides, mouthwash contains a variety of aromas to mask the bitterness of base ingredients and increase palatability. However, given that numerous aroma studies have demonstrated various physiological efficacies of aromas on autonomic/central nervous systems, it is no wonder that aroma mouthwash has some sort of physiological impact when it is used. In this study, we investigated the effect of aroma in mouthwash on peripheral and cardiac autonomic nervous system activity. The experiment was carried out in a within-subject design wherein 20 healthy women under 5 conditions, which are 4 types of mouthwashes: peppermint, peppermint + bergamot, peppermint + orange, and peppermint + lavender, and water as a control. Participants performed a 20-minute calculation task as a cognitive stressor, and then rinsing by a mouthwash or water. We evaluated the recovery period from acute stress response for 20 minutes after the task. As a result, it was observed that a mouthwash with citrus flavor had a relaxing effect in terms of subjective scores and recovering from physiological stress response. The results may illustrate a potential benefit of using aroma mouthwash

The innate immune system in host mice targets cells with allogenic mitochondrial DNA

Tumors or embryonic stem cells bearing foreign mitochondrial DNA are rejected by the innate immune system via a mechanism that depends on MyD88

Polymorphic mutations in mouse mitochondrial DNA regulate a tumor phenotype

To examine whether polymorphic mtDNA mutations that do not induce significant respiration defects regulate phenotypes of tumor cells, we used mouse transmitochondrial tumor cells (cybrids) with nuclear DNA from C57BL/6 (B6) strain and mtDNA from allogenic C3H strain. The results showed that polymorphic mutations of C3H mtDNA in the cybrids induced hypoxia sensitivity, resulting in a delay of tumor formation on their subcutaneous inoculation into B6 mice. Therefore, the effects of polymorphic mutations in normal mtDNA have to be carefully considered, particularly when we apply the gene therapy to the embryos to replace their pathogenic mtDNA by normal mtDNA

Safety and Efficacy of FIT039 for Verruca Vulgaris: A Placebo-Controlled, Phase I/II Randomized Controlled Trial

TRIAL DESIGN: Human papillomavirus infection causes verruca vulgaris. CDK9 inhibitor FIT039 inhibits DNA virus proliferation in animal models. We conducted a multicenter, single-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized phase I/II clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of FIT039 against verruca vulgaris. METHODS: Target lesions were treated with liquid nitrogen once, and a FIT039 patch or placebo patch was applied for 14 days. The primary endpoint was lesion disappearance. The secondary endpoints were safety and changes in dimension, cross-sectional area, and the number of petechial lesions. RESULTS: A total of 24 participants were randomly allocated to the FIT039 (n = 13, median age, 54 years) and placebo (n = 11, median age, 62 years) groups. Verruca vulgaris did not disappear. FIT039 decreased the dimension to 76% of the initial value on day 29, followed by an increase to 98% on day 57. Placebo showed a monotonic increase to 107% on day 57. Changes in the cross-sectional area and petechiae number were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: No drug-related adverse reactions occurred. FIT039 efficacy was not determined in this study

Atypically large well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with extensive fatty metamorphosis : Report of a Case

A large well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with fatty change is rare, and to date only a few cases have been reported. Herein, we present a 68-year-old man who developed a well-differentiated HCC with extensive fatty metamorphosis. The patient was referred to our institute because of a rapidly growing tumor in the left lobe of the liver. Ultrasonography showed a hyperechoic lesion with a peripheral hypoechoic area. Dynamic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) scan in all three phases revealed the tumor which showed diffuse low attenuation with internal irregular enhancement. He underwent left lateral segmentectomy at the liver. Histological diagnosis confirmed well-differentiated HCC and the surrounding non-cancerous area was diagnosed as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. The patient is still alive without recurrence after 17 months of follow-up