Expression of angiopoietin-like 4 in human gastric cancer: ANGPTL4 promotes venous invasion

There is strong evidence that the angiopoietin family is involved in the regulation of tumour progression, cellular growth and differentiation. Recently, it has been reported that angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) in cancer cell promotes the metastatic process by increasing vascular permeability. To elucidate ANGPTL4 expression and its association with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in human gastric adenocarcinomas, we examined 103 cases of surgically-resected human gastric adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry. Among 103 cases of adenocarcinoma, 38 cases (36.9%) showed positive staining in the cytoplasm of the carcinoma cells for ANGPTL4. Histologically, papillary and mucinous adenocarcinomas showed relatively high expression of ANGPTL4 (60 and 60%, respectively). The expression of ANGPTL4 was correlated with the depth of tumour invasion (p<0.005), lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), venous invasion (p<0.00005) and TNM stage (p<0.001) in the total carcinoma. In univariate survival analysis, ANGPTL4 expression was not associated with the overall survival. RT-PCR or Western blot analysis showed the expression of mRNA or protein of ANGPTL4 in all four surgically-resected samples and all four cell lines of human gastric adenocarcinoma. ANGPTL4 expression was correlated with several clinicopathological factors, especially venous invasion. These findings suggest that the ANGPTL4 is one of the factors involved in the progression of human gastric cancer

Bcl9の異なるエピトープを認識する二つの抗体を用いた免疫組織化学的マッピングによるミャンマー国若年性発症肝細胞がんの特徴付け

B-cell lymphoma 9 (Bcl9) is the core component of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and overexpressed in nuclei of various tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the extent of Bcl9 expression relative to HCC differentiation stage and its functional aspects are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of Bcl9 immunohistochemically, using two anti-Bcl9 antibodies; one was a conventional polyclonal-antibody (anti-Bcl9ABC) against amino acid no.800?900 of human-Bcl9, while the other (anti-Bcl9BIO) was against amino acid no.50?200, covering Pygopus-binding sites of Bcl9. Immunohistochemistry using anti-Bcl9BIO demonstrated distinctive staining in the cytoplasm, while the anti-Bcl9ABC signal was detected in both cytoplasm and nuclei of HCC cells, reflecting different states of Bcl9 function because Pygopus-binding to Bcl9 is essential to exert its function together with β-catenin in nucleus. Quantitative analysis revealed a significantly higher immunohistochemical-score by anti-Bcl9BIO in normal liver comparing various differentiation grades of HCC (P < 0.004), whereas no significant difference was noted with anti-Bcl9ABC. Interestingly, immunohistochemical-score of anti-Bcl9BIO in patients aged < 40 years was significantly lower than that of ? 40 years group (P < 0.01). The results indicated that anti-Bcl9BIO detected cytoplasmic Bcl9, which does not bind to Pygopus suggesting it could be a useful indicator for development of HCC in young Myanmar patients.長崎大学学位論文 学位記番号:博(医歯薬)甲第1129号 学位授与年月日:平成31年3月20日Author: Myat Thu Soe, Yasuaki Shibata, Myo Win Htun, Kuniko Abe, Kyaw Soe, Nay Win Than, Thann Lwin, Myat Phone Kyaw and Takehiko KojiCitation: Acta Histochemica et Cytochemica, 52(1), pp.9-17; 2019Nagasaki University (長崎大学)課程博

Hand-assisted laparoscopic subtotal colectomy with cecorectal anastomosis for chronic idiopathic colonic pseudo-obstruction: report of a case

Chronic idiopathic colonic pseudo-obstruction (CICP) is characterized by the chronic disturbance of colonic motility without mechanical obstruction, any underlying disease or medication. Currently, there are no established medical treatments for CICP. A 62-year-old female who had undergone right hemicolectomy for splenic flexure syndrome caused by idiopathic megacolon was referred to our hospital with relapse, experiencing palpitation and abdominal fullness. She was diagnosed with CICP according to findings of marked dilation of the colon without mechanical obstruction, dilation of other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, or underlying disease. The dilated colon was surgically removed by hand-assisted laparoscopic subtotal colectomy, followed by cecorectal anastomosis. Histopathologically, there was no degeneration or lack of ganglion cells in Auerbach\u27s plexus. The patient has experienced no severe symptoms after undergoing the present operation

A novel diagnostic method targeting genomic instability in intracystic tumors of the breast

Background: Even after needle biopsy, the preoperative differential diagnoses of intracystic tumors of the breast are challenging because of their nonspecific radiological characteristics and subtle cytological and histological appearance. The aim of this study is to investigate a novel diagnostic method, targeting genomic instability (GIN) in intracystic tumors of the breast, using tumor DNA from samples obtained by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). Methods: Thirteen consecutive intracystic tumors of the breast, including five cancers and eight benign tumors, were studied. Three FNAB passages per tumor were used for array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) analysis to quantify GIN in each tumor. Tumor DNA from the main tumor, taken from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) blocks corresponding to FNAB samples, was also analyzed to compare cytogenetic profiles between these sample types. Results: After three FNAB passages, an average of 7.09 μg (0.24?25.0 μg) of DNA was obtained. The quality of the DNA and the aCGH data was excellent, as judged by the mean derivative log ratio spread (DLRSpread) of 0.22 (0.15?0.29). The cytogenetic profiles of paired FNAB and main tumor FFPE samples were highly similar, with an average concordance rate of 97.7 % (81.2?100 %). aCGH analysis from FNAB samples showed significantly more GIN in cancers than in benign tumors, with mean frequencies of aberrant chromosomal regions of 17.5 and 0.34 %, respectively (Wilcoxon’s rank sum test, P = 0.0016). Conclusions: Our novel diagnostic method, which targets GIN, can clearly distinguish cancers from benign tumors of breast intracystic lesions with minimal invasion, thereby avoiding the need for surgical excisional biopsy

Neoliberalism, risk, and spatial governance in the developmental state: Japanese planning in the global economy

Although neoliberalism seems diametrically opposed to the Developmental State ideology at first glance, actually-existing Developmental States in East Asia have vigorously applied neoliberal logic to their planning policy during the last two decades. This paper follows Japan’s neoliberal planning strategy between 1980 and 2007, analyzing its rationale, practice, and impacts on society. The impacts of Japan’s neoliberal reforms remind us that the market economy requires a significant amount of state supervision and regulatory controls to protect the public from the kind of risk it generates. Furthermore, Japan’s experience also illustrates how the concept of “risk” is not neutral in policymaking

The origins of Japanese planning culture: building a nation–state, 1868-1945

Regional and urban planning is a common policy concern among modern nationstates. It largely defines the quality of life as well as the wealth creation in contemporary society. However, the concept of planning varies among nationstates. In particular, non-Western nation-states, planning was initiated under the influence of the imperialist order. To advance ‘planning theory’, there is a need to understand how the concept of planning is constructed in different culture. This paper shows why planning for late developed states had to aim for nation-state building and how this affected ‘planning culture’ by examining the development of early planning in Japan. The analysis shows that origins of planning and relevant institutions still continue to have pervasive influence on planning policy development even in contemporary Japan

The public interest in the developmental state: the law, economy and planning in post-war Japan

Whereas current planning literature has seldom mentioned the role of law and courts to define the public interest in planning, any policy decisions cannot be legitimised without complying with law and order in the modern state. Because planning in its nature has to mediate conflicts between different interests, the rule of law principle – discourse on law and order – considerably matters to identify the public interest in planning. However, this principle is not same across many nation-states, in particular between liberal Western states and late-developed democracies or communist/socialist states. This paper analysed how the public interest was constructed in Japan’s planning practice in the Developmental State, examining some of the most prominent planning litigation in post-war Japan

The public interest in planning in Japanese jurisprudence: the limits to participatory democracy

While mainstream academic literature tends to emphasise the place of ‘participatory democracy’ as key to realising the public interest in planning policy, this paper argues that the statutory framework as well as a fair judicial system both need to underpin the ideal of the public interest in planning development. The legal cases analysed in this paper illustrate why citizen participation have failed to change values or practices in Japanese planning, even in recent years. The paper demonstrates how the hierarchy of law, such as the statutory power between central and local government and the separation of power between the executive and judiciary, has essentially defined the idea of the public interest in Japanese planning