GM-CSF Regulates Alveolar Macrophage Differentiation and Innate Immunity in the Lung through PU.1

AbstractGM-CSF gene targeted (GM−/−) mice are susceptible to respiratory infections and develop alveolar proteinosis due to defects in innate immune function and surfactant catabolism in alveolar macrophages (AMs), respectively. Reduced cell adhesion, phagocytosis, pathogen killing, mannose- and Toll-like receptor expression, and LPS- or peptidoglycan-stimulated TNFα release were observed in AMs from GM−/− mice. The transcription factor PU.1 was markedly reduced in AMs of GM−/− mice in vivo and was restored by selective expression of GM-CSF in the lungs of SPC-GM/GM−/− transgenic mice. Retrovirus-mediated expression of PU.1 in AMs from GM−/− mice rescued host defense functions and surfactant catabolism by AMs. We conclude that PU.1 mediates GM-CSF-dependent effects on terminal differentiation of AMs regulating innate immune functions and surfactant catabolism by AMs

Successful Vancomycin Dose Adjustment in a Sepsis patient with Bacterial Meningitis Using Cystatin C

Cystatin C-guided vancomycin (VCM) dosing is useful in critically ill patients. Its usefulness in septic patients with bacterial meningitis remains unknown, as there are no published reports. In this study, we sought to clarify its benefit. Cystatin C was used to guide VCM dosing in a septic bacterial meningitis patient with normal kidney function, according to therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Using cystatin C, the Bayesian method-based TDM made optimal VCM dosing possible, and decreased the predicted error (4.85 mg/L) compared to serum creatinine (16.83 mg/L). We concluded TDM of VCM using cystatin C can be considered in sepsis patients with bacterial meningitis with normal kidney function

A new proposal of tailored bioinstrumentation using rapid prototyping and three-dimensional CAD — First trial to develop individually designed cuff-units for continuous blood pressure measurement

The concept of tailored bioinstrumentation using rapid prototyping and three-dimensional CAD (3D-CAD) was proposed. This concept is to make individually designed and fabricated sensor unit to attach human body. Within the proposed concept, cuff-units for continuous blood pressure measurement were individually designed using 3D-CAD and fabricated automatically. As the result, blood pressure wave forms can be obtained using the finally developed cuff units. Using rapid prototyping device, the design and fabrication process were accelerated without any artisan-like high skilled persons

Opposing role of condensin hinge against replication protein A in mitosis and interphase through promoting DNA annealing

Condensin is required for chromosome dynamics and diverse DNA metabolism. How condensin works, however, is not well understood. Condensin contains two structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) subunits with the terminal globular domains connected to coiled-coil that is interrupted by the central hinge. Heterotrimeric non-SMC subunits regulate SMC. We identified a novel fission yeast SMC hinge mutant, cut14-Y1, which displayed defects in DNA damage repair and chromosome segregation. It contains an amino acid substitution at a conserved hinge residue of Cut14/SMC2, resulting in diminished DNA binding and annealing. A replication protein A mutant, ssb1-418, greatly alleviated the repair and mitotic defects of cut14-Y1. Ssb1 protein formed nucleolar foci in cut14-Y1 cells, but the number of foci was diminished in cut14-Y1 ssb1-418 double mutants. Consistent with the above results, Ssb1 protein bound to single-strand DNA was removed by condensin or the SMC dimer through DNA reannealing in vitro. Similarly, RNA hybridized to DNA may be removed by the SMC dimer. Thus, condensin may wind up DNA strands to unload chromosomal components after DNA repair and prior to mitosis. We show that 16 suppressor mutations of cut14-Y1 were all mapped within the hinge domain, which surrounded the original L543 mutation site

Investigation of drugs affecting hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients and examination of the impact on the therapeutic effect

Background: In patients treated with bevacizumab, hypertension may be a biomarker of therapeutic efficacy. However, it is not clear whether drugs that control blood pressure influence bevacizumab's efficacy. In this study, we investigated drugs that may affect hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients and examined the impact on the therapeutic effect. Patients and methods: We analyzed 3,724,555 reports from the third quarter of 2010 to the second quarter of 2015. All data were obtained from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) analysis. In this retrospective cohort study, we investigated a total of 58 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer and treated for the first time with bevacizumab containing XELOX or mFOLFOX6 at The University of Tokushima Hospital between January 2010 and December 2015. The effect of the treatment was evaluated according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.0. Thereafter, the effect was confirmed using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and cultured cells. Results: There are few reports in FAERS of hypertension in patients treated with omeprazole on bevacizumab. Based on the chart review, patients who used proton pump inhibitors (PPI) had a lower response to treatment than those who did not (response rate: 25% vs 50%). Furthermore, experiments on GEO and cell lines suggested that induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression by PPIs is the cause of the reduced therapeutic effect. Conclusion: PPIs prevent hypertension in bevacizumab-treated patients but may reduce bevacizumab's anti-tumoral effects by inducing VEGF expression

Results and Issues in Student Teaching Program for Freshman at Okayama University on 2011

本研究の目的は，岡山大学教育学部における1年次の教育実習プログラムの成果と課題の検討であった。そのため，平成23年度の教育実習Ⅰ受講生294名を対象に実習後に調査を行った。その結果，（１）教育実践力を構成する4つの力や附属学校園における実習目的の多くが達成されている，（２）4つの力のうち「コーディネート力」「生徒指導力」の達成度が特に高く，「学習指導力」の学校種ごとの学習指導の特徴や違いを説明することは達成度が低い，（３）附属学校園が掲げる目的のうち，観察して学ぶことの達成度が高いが，実際に児童生徒 と関わって学ぶことの達成度は低い傾向である，（４）実習中の実習生の取り組みに関しては，授業観察において事実を観察，記録することは取り組めているが，解釈的な授業観察や，協議会での発言は十分取り組めていない，の4点が主に示唆され，実習Ⅰの課題や不安に対する学生の自由記述と併せて結果が考察された