101 research outputs found

    Usefulness of Real-Time 4D Ultrasonography during Radiofrequency Ablation in a Case of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

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    We report a case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with chronic hepatitis C virus infection successfully treated with percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) under live four-dimensional (4D) echo guidance. A 65-year-old Japanese man had a HCC nodule in the liver S5 region 2.0 cm in diameter. We performed real-time 4D ultrasonography during RFA therapy with a LeVeen needle electrode. The echo guidance facilitated an accurate approach for the needle puncture. The guidance was also useful for confirming whether an adequate safety margin for the nodule had been obtained. Thus real-time 4D ultrasonography echo technique appears to provide safe guidance of RFA needles via accurate targeting of HCC nodules, thereby allowing real-time visualization when combined with echo contrast. Furthermore the position of the needle in a still image was confirmed in every area using a multiview procedure

    Dual inhibition of TMPRSS2 and Cathepsin B prevents SARS-CoV-2 infection in iPS cells

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    TMPRSS2とカテプシンBを標的とした新型コロナウイルスの感染阻害. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-10-21.A drug cocktail stops SARS-CoV-2 infection of stem cells. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-10-21.It has been reported that many receptors and proteases are required for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) is the most important of these receptors, little is known about the contribution of other genes. In this study, we examined the roles of neuropilin-1, basigin, transmembrane serine proteases (TMPRSSs), and cathepsins (CTSs) in SARS-CoV-2 infection using the CRISPR interference system and ACE2-expressing human iPS cells. Double-knockdown of TMPRSS2 and CTSB reduced the viral load to 0.036±0.021%. Consistently, the combination of the CTPB inhibitor CA-074 methyl ester and the TMPRSS2 inhibitor Camostat reduced the viral load to 0.0078±0.0057%. This result was confirmed using four SARS-CoV-2 variants (B.1.3, B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and B.1.1.248). The simultaneous use of these two drugs reduced viral load to less than 0.01% in both female and male iPS cells. These findings suggest that compounds targeting TMPRSS2 and CTSB exhibit highly efficient antiviral effects independent of gender and SARS-CoV-2 variant

    Electronic Structure and Fermiology of PuCoGa5_5

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    By using a relativistic linear augmented-plane-wave method, we clarify energy band structures and Fermi surfaces of recently discovered plutonium-based superconductor PuCoGa5_5. We find several cylindrical sheets of Fermi surfaces with large volume, very similar to CeMIn5_5 (M=Ir and Co) isostructural with PuCoGa5_5, in spite of different ff-electron numbers between Ce3+^{3+} and Pu3+^{3+} ions. The similarity is understood by a concept of electron-hole conversion in a tight binding model constructed based on the jj-jj coupling scheme. Based on the present results, we provide a possible scenario to explain why a transition temperature is so high as 18.5K in PuCoGa5_5.Comment: 4 pages, Revtex, with 4 figures embedded in the text. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

    Strong-coupling theory of superconductivity in a degenerate Hubbard model

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    In order to discuss superconductivity in orbital degenerate systems, a microscopic Hamiltonian is introduced. Based on the degenerate model, a strong-coupling theory of superconductivity is developed within the fluctuation exchange (FLEX) approximation where spin and orbital fluctuations, spectra of electron, and superconducting gap function are self-consistently determined. Applying the FLEX approximation to the orbital degenerate model, it is shown that the dx2y2d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconducting phase is induced by increasing the orbital splitting energy which leads to the development and suppression of the spin and orbital fluctuations, respectively. It is proposed that the orbital splitting energy is a controlling parameter changing from the paramagnetic to the antiferromagnetic phase with the dx2y2d_{x^2-y^2}-wave superconducting phase in between.Comment: 4 figures, submitted to PR

    Whole Blood Interferon-Gamma Assay for Baseline Tuberculosis Screening among Japanese Healthcare Students

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    BACKGROUND: The whole blood interferon-gamma assay (QuantiFERON-TB-2G; QFT) has not been fully evaluated as a baseline tuberculosis screening test in Japanese healthcare students commencing clinical contact. The aim of this study was to compare the results from the QFT with those from the tuberculin skin test (TST) in a population deemed to be at a low risk for infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Healthcare students recruited at Okayama University received both the TST and the QFT to assess the level of agreement between these two tests. The interleukin-10 levels before and after exposure to M tuberculosis-specific antigens (early-secreted antigenic target 6-kDa protein [ESAT-6] and culture filtrate protein 10 [CFP-10]) were also measured. Of the 536 healthcare students, most of whom had been vaccinated with bacillus-Calmette-Guérin (BCG), 207 (56%) were enrolled in this study. The agreement between the QFT and the TST results was poor, with positive result rates of 1.4% vs. 27.5%, respectively. A multivariate analysis also revealed that the induration diameter of the TST was not affected by the interferon-gamma concentration after exposure to either of the antigens but was influenced by the number of BCG needle scars (p = 0.046). The whole blood interleukin-10 assay revealed that after antigen exposure, the median increases in interleukin-10 concentration was higher in the subgroup with the small increase in interferon-gamma concentration than in the subgroup with the large increase in interferon-gamma concentration (0.3 vs. 0 pg/mL; p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: As a baseline screening test for low-risk Japanese healthcare students at their course entry, QFT yielded quite discordant results, compared with the TST, probably because of the low specificity of the TST results in the BCG-vaccinated population. We also found, for the first time, that the change in the interleukin-10 level after exposure to specific antigens was inversely associated with that in the interferon-gamma level in a low-risk population

    CIPRO 2.5: Ciona intestinalis protein database, a unique integrated repository of large-scale omics data, bioinformatic analyses and curated annotation, with user rating and reviewing functionality

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    The Ciona intestinalis protein database (CIPRO) is an integrated protein database for the tunicate species C. intestinalis. The database is unique in two respects: first, because of its phylogenetic position, Ciona is suitable model for understanding vertebrate evolution; and second, the database includes original large-scale transcriptomic and proteomic data. Ciona intestinalis has also been a favorite of developmental biologists. Therefore, large amounts of data exist on its development and morphology, along with a recent genome sequence and gene expression data. The CIPRO database is aimed at collecting those published data as well as providing unique information from unpublished experimental data, such as 3D expression profiling, 2D-PAGE and mass spectrometry-based large-scale analyses at various developmental stages, curated annotation data and various bioinformatic data, to facilitate research in diverse areas, including developmental, comparative and evolutionary biology. For medical and evolutionary research, homologs in humans and major model organisms are intentionally included. The current database is based on a recently developed KH model containing 36 034 unique sequences, but for higher usability it covers 89 683 all known and predicted proteins from all gene models for this species. Of these sequences, more than 10 000 proteins have been manually annotated. Furthermore, to establish a community-supported protein database, these annotations are open to evaluation by users through the CIPRO website. CIPRO 2.5 is freely accessible at http://cipro.ibio.jp/2.5

    CIPRO 2.5: Ciona intestinalis Protein integrated database with large-scale omics data, bioinformatic analyses and curated annotation, with ability for user rating and comments

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    CIPRO database is an integrated protein database for a tunicate species Ciona intestinalis that belongs to the Urochordata. Although the CIPRO database deals with proteomic and transcriptomic data of a single species, the animal is considered unique in the evolutionary tree, representing a possible origin of the vertebrates and is a good model for understanding chordate evolution, including that of humans. Furthermore, C. intestinalis has been one of the favorites of developmental biologists; there exists a huge amount of accumulated knowledge on its development and morphology, in addition to the recent genome sequence and gene expression data. The CIPRO database is aimed at not only collecting published data, but also presenting unique information, including the unpublished transcriptomic and proteomic data and human curated annotation, for the use by researchers in broad research fields of biology and bioinformatics
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