Ammonia borane-metal alanate composites : hydrogen desorption properties and decomposition processes

Hydrogen desorption properties and decomposition processes of NH3BH3-MAlH4 (M = Na, Li) composites were investigated by using thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis-mass spectrometry (TG-DTA-MS), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. We prepared the composites by ball-milling and the mixtures by hand-milling. The ball-milled composites desorbed 4-5 wt% hydrogen at three exothermic steps below 260 degrees C. The emissions of by-product gases, NH3, B2H6 and B3H6N3, were effectively suppressed. From XRD analysis, the formation of a mixed-metal (Na(Li), Al) amidoborane phase was suggested. Very different results were obtained using hand-milling. They showed only one exothermic reaction at 80-90 degrees C. The emission of by-product gases was not suppressed. By comparing the differences between ball-milled composites and hand-milled mixtures, the importance of mixed-metal amidoborane in this system was proposed

A Case of Pancreatic Schwannoma Diagnosed Preoperatively by Endoscopic Ultrasonography-Guided Fine Needle Aspiration and Treated with Laparoscopic Surgery

Background: Pancreatic tumors are often difficult to diagnose in atypical cases, and a pancreatic schwannoma is very rare. We present a case of pancreatic schwannoma with calcification diagnosed preoperatively by endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) and treated with laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy. Presentation: A 72-year-old-woman was admitted to our hospital due to a 6 × 4.5 cm large tumor in the pancreatic tail. Imaging modalities revealed that the tumor was hypovascular and gradually enhanced with calcification, but was without cystic lesions. EUS revealed the tumor had a clear boundary with a low echoic mass. EUS-FNA was performed and spindle-shaped cells that were immunopositive for S-100 and negative for c-kit, CD34, and desmin were detected, resulting in a diagnosis of schwannoma. Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy was safely performed without recurrence for a year. Conclusions: Schwannoma is very rare; however, characteristics of the tumor, such as calcification, can help the diagnosis and, if possible, EUS-FNA should be performed for an appropriate treatment decision

Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Recurrence Using the Highly Sensitive Fucosylated Fraction of Alpha-Fetoprotein

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-L3 was originally reported as a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-specific tumor marker, and recent accumulation of evidence has revealed that AFP-L3 frequency predicts the biological malignancy potential of HCC. However, AFP-L3 elevation from undetectable levels after curative treatment could not be discussed due to the difficulties of calculating AFP-L3 concentrations when serum AFP levels were low. Here, as a novel method, we used highly sensitive AFP-L3 frequency to predict HCC recurrence after curative treatment. Our cases illustrate that recognizing elevation of AFP-L3 from undetectable levels led to the early detection of recurrent HCC due to more careful surveillance

Clinical trials using mesenchymal stem cells in liver diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases

Abstract Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapies have been used in clinical trials in various fields. These cells are easily expanded, show low immunogenicity, can be acquired from medical waste, and have multiple functions, suggesting their potential applications in a variety of diseases, including liver disease and inflammatory bowel disease. MSCs help prepare the microenvironment, in response to inflammatory cytokines, by producing immunoregulatory factors that modulate the progression of inflammation by affecting dendritic cells, B cells, T cells, and macrophages. MSCs also produce a large amount of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors, including exosomes that stimulate angiogenesis, prevent apoptosis, block oxidation reactions, promote remodeling of the extracellular matrix, and induce differentiation of tissue stem cells. According to ClinicalTrials.gov, more than 680 clinical trials using MSCs are registered for cell therapy of many fields including liver diseases (more than 40 trials) and inflammatory bowel diseases (more than 20 trials). In this report, we introduce background and clinical studies of MSCs in liver disease and inflammatory bowel diseases

Activation of CD11b+ Kupffer cells/macrophages as a common cause for exacerbation of TNF/Fas-ligand-dependent hepatitis in hypercholesterolemic mice.

We have reported that the mouse hepatic injury induced by either α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) or bacterial DNA motifs (CpG-ODN) is mediated by the TNF/NKT cell/Fas-ligand (FasL) pathway. In addition, F4/80(+) Kupffer cells can be subclassified into CD68(+) subset with a phagocytosing capacity and CD11b(+) subset with a TNF-producing capacity. CD11b(+) subset increase if mice are fed high-fat and cholesterol diet (HFCD). The present study examined how a HFCD affects the function of NKT cells and F4/80(+) CD11b(+) subset and these hepatitis models. After the C57BL/6 mice received a HFCD, high-cholesterol diet (HCD), high-fat diet (HFD) and control diet (CD) for four weeks, the HFCD mice increased surface CD1d and intracellular TLR-9 expression by the CD11b(+) population compared to CD mice. Hepatic injury induced either by α-GalCer or CpG-ODN was more severe in HCD and HFCD mice compared to CD mice, which was in proportion to the serum TNF levels. In addition, liver cholesterol levels but not serum cholesterol levels nor liver triglyceride levels were involved in the aggravation of hepatitis. The FasL expression of NKT cells induced by both reagents was upregulated in HFCD mice. Furthermore, the liver mononuclear cells and purified F4/80(+) CD11b(+) subset from HFCD mice stimulated with either reagent in vitro produced a larger amount of TNF than did those from CD mice. Intracellular TNF production in F4/80(+) CD11b(+) cells was confirmed. The increased number of F4/80(+) CD11b(+) Kupffer cells/macrophages by HFCD and their enhanced TNF production thus play a pivotal role in TNF/NKT cell/FasL dependent hepatic injury

Resected tumor seeding in stomach wall due to endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a useful and relatively safe tool for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. However, there have recently been several reports of tumor seeding after EUS-FNA of adenocarcinomas. A 78-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to upper gastric pain. Examinations revealed a 20 mm mass in the pancreatic body, for which EUS-FNA was performed. The cytology of the lesion was adenocarcinoma, and the stage of the cancer was T3N0M0. The patient underwent surgery with curative intent, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with S-1. An enlarging gastric submucosal tumor was found on gastroscopy at 28 mo after surgery accompanied by a rising level of CA19-9. Biopsy result was adenocarcinoma, consistent with a pancreatic primary tumor. Tumor seeding after EUS-FNA was strongly suspected. The patient underwent surgical resection of the gastric tumor with curative intent. The pathological result of the resected gastric specimen was adenocarcinoma with a perfectly matched mucin special stain result with the previously resected pancreatic cancer. This is the first case report of tumor seeding after EUS-FNA which was surgically resected and inspected pathologically

Changes in the Expression of Aquaporin-3 in the Gastrointestinal Tract Affect Drug Absorption

Aquaporin-3 (AQP3) plays an important role in water transport in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In this study, we conducted a Caco-2 cell permeability assay to examine how changes in the expression and function of AQP3 affect the rate at which a drug is absorbed via passive transport in the GI tract. When the function of AQP3 was inhibited by mercuric chloride or phloretin, there was no change in warfarin permeability. In contrast, when the expression of AQP3 protein was decreased by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) treatment, warfarin permeability increased to approximately twice the control level, and membrane fluidity increased by 15%. In addition, warfarin permeability increased to an extent comparable to that after PGE2 treatment when cell membrane fluidity was increased by 10% via boric acid/EDTA treatment. These findings suggest the possibility that the increased drug absorption under decreased AQP3 expression was attributable to increased membrane fluidity. The results of this study demonstrate that the rate of water transport has little effect on drug absorption. However, our findings also indicate that although AQP3 and other similar transmembrane proteins do not themselves transport drugs, changes in their expression levels can cause changes in cell membrane fluidity, thus affecting drug absorption rates