Biological interaction of alginetin

Alginetin is the major product formed from pentoses and hexurionic acids. Alginetin is producted by cooking process of food including pection, a naturally-occurring polysacharride found in many plants. However, the biological interaction and toxicity of alginetin are not known at all. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cellular actions of alginetin on rat thymic lymphocytes. The effects of alginetin on the cell were examined using flow cytometry with fluorescent probes. Alginetin increased cellular content of non-protein thiols ([NPT]i) and elevated intracellular Zn2+ levels ([Zn2+]i). Chelation of intracellular Zn2+ reduced the effect of alginetin on [NPT]i, and chelation of external Zn2+ almost completely diminished alginetin-induced elevation of [Zn2+]i, indicating that alginetin treatment increased Zn2+ influx. Increased [NPT]i and [Zn2+]i levels in response to alginetin were positively correlated. Alginetin protected cells against oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide and Ca2+ overload by calcium ionophore. It is considered that the increases in [NPT]i and [Zn2+]i are responsible for the cytoprotective activity of alginetin because NPT attenuates oxidative stress and Zn2+ competes with Ca2+. Alginetin may be produced during manufacturing of jam, which may provide additional health benefits of jam

Recurrence of Proliferative Glomerulonephritis with Monoclonal Immunoglobulin G Deposits with a Striated Ultrastructure

This is the peer-reviewed but unedited manuscript version of the following article: Nephron 2020;144(suppl 1):43–48 (DOI: 10.1159/000512330)]. The final, published version is available at http://www.karger.com/?doi=10.1159/000512330

Development of an Automatic Dishwashing Robot System

Proceedings of The 2009 IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics and Automation, August 9 - 12, Changchun, Chin

Post-transplant donor-specific anti-HLA antibodies with a higher mean fluorescence intensity are associated with graft fibrosis in pediatric living donor liver transplantation

The roles of post-transplant anti-HLA donor specific antibody (DSA) in pediatric liver transplantation (LT), including therapeutic strategies, remain controversial. This study aimed to identify the risks of post-transplant DSA for graft fibrosis progression in pediatric living donor LT (LDLT). We retrospectively evaluated 88 LDLT pediatric cases between December 1995 and November 2019. DSAs were assessed with single antigen bead test. Graft fibrosis was histopathologically scored with METAVIR and the centrilobular sinusoidal fibrosis system. Post-transplant DSAs were detected in 37 (52.9%) cases at 10.8 (1.3–26.9) years post-LDLT. The histopathological examination of 32 pediatric cases with post-transplant DSA revealed that 7 (21.9%) with a high DSA-MFI (≥9,378) showed graft fibrosis progression (≥F2). No graft fibrosis was observed in the subjects with a low DSA-MFI. The risk factors for developing graft fibrosis in pediatric cases with post-transplant DSA were an older graft age (>46.5 years old), lower platelet count (<10.7 × 104/ml) and higher Fib4 index (>0.7807, recipient age; >1.8952, donor age). Limited efficacy of additional immunosuppressants was observed in DSA positive pediatric cases. In conclusion, pediatric cases with a high DSA-MFI and risk factors should undergo a histological examination. The appropriate treatment for post-transplant DSA in pediatric LT needs to be determined

Successful Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization followed by Radical Liver Transplantation in a Patient with Severe Liver Damage

Introduction: Liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been established as a curative therapy of underlying liver disease and cancer. However, the role of liver transplantation remains controversial for patients with HCC beyond Milan criteria. Case Presentation: A man in his 50s who was diagnosed as having two foci of HCC and advanced liver cirrhosis was referred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. Both foci of HCC were located in segment 8 of the liver and measured 39 and 9 mm. Endoscopy showed esophageal varices that had a high risk of bleeding. After endoscopic ligation of the esophageal varices, he underwent transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for downstaging of the advanced HCCs. No further liver deterioration was observed after TACE, and HCC staging was successfully downstaged to within the Milan criteria. One hundred ten days after TACE, he underwent liver transplantation; at 2.5 years after transplantation, he remains alive without HCC recurrence. Discussion/Conclusion: There are only a few treatment options available for patients with advanced HCC and severe liver damage. Multidisciplinary treatment such as locoregional treatments and prophylaxis of variceal bleeding may result in tumor downstaging, enabling radical liver transplantation without further exacerbation of liver damage

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

The status of DECIGO

DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) is the planned Japanese space gravitational wave antenna, aiming to detect gravitational waves from astrophysically and cosmologically significant sources mainly between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz and thus to open a new window for gravitational wave astronomy and for the universe. DECIGO will consists of three drag-free spacecraft arranged in an equilateral triangle with 1000 km arm lengths whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry-Perot interferometer, and four units of triangular Fabry-Perot interferometers are arranged on heliocentric orbit around the sun. DECIGO is vary ambitious mission, we plan to launch DECIGO in era of 2030s after precursor satellite mission, B-DECIGO. B-DECIGO is essentially smaller version of DECIGO: B-DECIGO consists of three spacecraft arranged in an triangle with 100 km arm lengths orbiting 2000 km above the surface of the earth. It is hoped that the launch date will be late 2020s for the present