Uptake of biodegradable poly(γ-glutamic acid) nanoparticles and antigen presentation by dendritic cells in vivo

AbstractPoly(γ-glutamic acid) (γ-PGA) nanoparticles (NPs) carrying antigens have been shown to induce potent antigen-specific immune responses. However, in vivo delivery of γ-PGA NPs to dendritic cells (DCs), a key regulator of immune responses, still remains unclear. In this study, γ-PGA NPs were examined for their uptake by DCs and subsequent migration from the skin to the regional lymph nodes (LNs) in mice. After subcutaneous injection of fluorescein 5-isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled NPs or FITC-ovalbumin (OVA)-carrying NPs (FITC-OVA-NPs), DCs migrated from the skin to the LNs and maturated, resulting in the upregulation of the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 and the chemokine receptor CCR7. However, the migrated DCs were not detected in the spleen. FITC-OVA-NPs were found to be taken up by skin-derived CD103+ DCs, and the processed antigen peptides were cross-presented by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule of DCs. Furthermore, significant activation of antigen-specific CD8+ T cells was observed in mice immunized with OVA-carrying NPs (OVA-NPs) but not with OVA alone or OVA with an aluminum adjuvant. The antigen-specific CD8+ T cells were induced within 7 days after immunization with OVA-NPs. Thus, γ-PGA NPs carrying various antigens may have great potential as an antigen-delivery system and vaccine adjuvant in vivo

Ocular dominance affects magnitude of dipole moment: An MEG study

横浜栄共済病院脳卒中診療科・脳神経外科To investigate whether the ocular dominance affects laterality in the activity of the primary visual cortex, we examined the relationship between the ocular dominance and latency or dipole moment measured by checkerboard-pattern and magnetoencephalography in 11 right-handed healthy male participants. Participants with left-eye dominance showed a dipole moment of 21.5±6.1 nAm with left-eye stimulation and 16.1±3.6 nAm with right, whereas those with right-eye dominance showed a dipole moment of 18.0±5.2 and 21.5±2.7 nAm with left-eye and right-eye stimulation of the infero-medial quadrant visual field, respectively. Thus, the dipole moment was higher when the dominant eye was stimulated, which implies that ocular dominance is regulated by the ipsilateral occipital lobe. © 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

1-year tolvaptan efficacy in ADPKD

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) develops into end-stage kidney disease by 65 years of age in an estimated 45%-70% of patients. Recent trials revealed that tolvaptan inhibits disease progression both in early-stage or late-stage ADPKD ; however, stratified analysis showed a difference of favorable factors correlated with tolvaptan efficacy between early-stage and late-stage ADPKD. Thus, we examined the efficacy of tolvaptan in ADPKD with a wide range of estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). We enrolled 24 patients with eGFR 35.3 (28.0-65.5) ml / min / 1.73m2 and evaluated treatment effect as ΔΔeGFR (ml / min / 1.73m2 / year) or ΔΔtotal kidney volume (TKV) (% / year) that was calculated as post-treatment annual change - pre-treatment annual change. Pre ΔeGFR was significantly low in eGFR responders, defined as ΔΔeGFR > 0 ml / min / 1.73m2 / year. In eGFR responders, pre ΔeGFR, post ΔeGFR, eGFR, TKV, and proteinuria were significantly correlated with ΔΔeGFR. In TKV responders defined as ΔΔTKV > 5 % / year, we identified hypertension history, proteinuria, TKV, and post ΔTKV as significantly correlated factors with ΔΔTKV. In conclusion, pre ΔeGFR may be a predictive factor of therapeutic efficacy on kidney function. Tolvaptan may have greater efficacy in early-stage ADPKD with rapid GFR decline or with well-controlled blood pressure

Fundamental physics activities with pulsed neutron at J-PARC(BL05)

"Neutron Optics and Physics (NOP/ BL05)" at MLF in J-PARC is a beamline for studies of fundamental physics. The beamline is divided into three branches so that different experiments can be performed in parallel. These beam branches are being used to develop a variety of new projects. We are developing an experimental project to measure the neutron lifetime with total uncertainty of 1 s (0.1%). The neutron lifetime is an important parameter in elementary particle and astrophysics. Thus far, the neutron lifetime has been measured by several groups; however, different values are obtained from different measurement methods. This experiment is using a method with different sources of systematic uncertainty than measurements conducted to date. We are also developing a source of pulsed ultra-cold neutrons (UCNs) produced from a Doppler shifter are available at the unpolarized beam branch. We are developing a time focusing device for UCNs, a so called "rebuncher", which can increase UCN density from a pulsed UCN source. At the low divergence beam branch, an experiment to search an unknown intermediate force with nanometer range is performed by measuring the angular dependence of neutron scattering by noble gases. Finally the beamline is also used for the research and development of optical elements and detectors. For example, a position sensitive neutron detector that uses emulsion to achieve sub-micrometer resolution is currently under development. We have succeeded in detecting cold and ultra-cold neutrons using the emulsion detector.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings of International Conference on Neutron Optics (NOP2017

The Japanese Clinical Practice Guideline for acute kidney injury 2016

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a syndrome which has a broad range of etiologic factors depending on different clinical settings. Because AKI has significant impacts on prognosis in any clinical settings, early detection and intervention are necessary to improve the outcomes of AKI patients. This clinical guideline for AKI was developed by a multidisciplinary approach with nephrology, intensive care medicine, blood purification, and pediatrics. Of note, clinical practice for AKI management which was widely performed in Japan was also evaluated with comprehensive literature search

加速度センサを用いた歩行計測によるリハビリテーションプロセスの評価

[要旨]歩行は人間にとって最も基本的な運動である．そのため歩行能力の低下は日常生活において多大な影響をもたらす．本研究では加速度センサを用いた歩行計測を行い，重心動揺を算出，歩行を定量的に評価する手法を提案する．加えて，提案手法を右膝前十字靭帯損傷者に適用し，術後のリハビリにおける改善過程の評価を行う．実験方法として，健常者と被リハビリ者に対して，重心位置である腰背部に加速度センサを貼付し，平地で歩行計測を行わせる．この際にメトロノームを116bpmに設定し，音にあわせて歩行を行わせる．この実験により得られた加速度データに対して2階積分を行い，重心の変位を算出する．さらに積分誤差やドリフトにより発散した値を回帰式により減算し，相対変位を求める．この解析により得られた上下，左右方向の相対変位を重心移動軌跡として歩行の評価に用いた．結果は健常者の前額面内における重心移動軌跡が左右対称であることに対して，初期段階のリハビリを行っている被リハビリ者は第4象限から第2象限を反復移動していた．これは右足を庇っているため右足に体重をあまり乗せずに左足に切り返していたためである．2か月にわたって歩行計測を行った結果，計測結果は被リハビリ者の重心移動軌跡のグラフの第1象限から第4象限に向かって縦の線が伸びていた．これは，リハビリ効果により右足に体重をのせる過程を示していると考えられる．このことから，提案手法を用いることにより被リハビリ者はリハビリにより歩行が改善されていることが定量的に評価された．[Abstract] Gait is one of the common motions for human. The purpose of this research is to assess the rehabilitation process for the patient injured right knee by gait measurement using accelerometer. The sensor was attached to lower back of the subject. Subjects were instructed to walk on the hallway with metronome. The metronome was set to 116 bpm. We estimated the center of mass (CoM) after calculating the second integral of the acceleration date obtained from the experiment. Relative displacement fitted regression formula is calculated because integration error noise and drift exude calculated displacement. The result shows the healthy subjects gait drawing a symmetry CoM. The patient gait draws oblique lines because the patient walked with protecting right knee. The patient gait comes to healthy subject’s trajectory because the patient putting weight on right by rehabilitation effects. We could assess the gait improvement by using our proposal method

精巣腫瘍に対する化学療法中に心筋梗塞を生じた1例

We report a case of acute myocardial infarction during combined chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin for testicular cancer. A 30-year-old smoker without any history of ischemic heart disease complained of sudden chest pain on the ninth day of his third course of chemotherapy. An electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevation in II, III and aVF. Emergency coronary angiography revealed total occlusion of the right coronary artery by a thrombus, which was removed by coronary atherectomy.症例は、30歳、男性。右陰嚢腫大を主訴に当科受診した。理学的所見および超音波検査にて右精巣腫瘍と診断され、右高位精巣摘除術が施行された。病理組織学的所見は、embryonal carcinomaで、臨床病期は、T1N0M0, stageIであった。術後、bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatinによる化学療法を開始したところ、3コースの9日目に心筋梗塞を発症した。緊急冠動脈カテーテル造影検査にて、右冠動脈の完全閉塞を認めたため、経皮的冠動脈血栓除去術を施行し、右冠動脈は再開通した。本症例における心筋梗塞の原因として、シスプラチンによる低マグネシウム血症と喫煙が考えられた。(著者抄録

Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy: Oncological and Functional Results

Summary. Between December 1999 and December 2004, 160 patients with organ-confined prostate cancer underwent laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) by two surgeons with many different assistants. The patients were divided into two groups in order of the date of surgery. Groups I and II consisted of 66 and 94 patients who were operated on between December 1999 and March 2002 and between April 2002 and December 2004. Group I was subdivided into Group I-a and Group I-b: Group I-a consisted of 36 patients who underwent LRP at Tenri Hospital and Group I-b consisted of 30 patients who underwent LRP at the other institutions in the same period. The patients in Group I-b were evaluated only for operative morbidity and excluded from analysis of oncological outcome because of insufficient pathological data. Mean operative time and mean blood loss including leaked urine in Group II were 291 ± 57.2 min (range 145-425 min) and 401.0 ± 323.7 g (range 14-1859 g). There was no blood transfusion in Group II and no operative conversion to an open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP). Mean postoperative urethral catheter indwelling period and mean postoperative hospital stay were 4 ± 4.8 days (range 3-28) and 8 ± 4.5 days (range 4-25) in Group II, respectively. Positive surgical margin was detected in 18/130 cases (13.8%) for all pathological stages in this series, but 7/105 cases (6.6%) with pT2 and pT0 disease. Positive surgical margin was detected at the apical margin most frequently. To achieve earlier recovery of urinary continence, a ligation of the dorsal vein complex (DVC bunching) was decided against and substituted by closure of DVC stump with a vertical running suture for hemostasis. In the latter group in Group II, 55% and 87% of the patients were almost dry at 1 and 3 months postoperatively, respectively. Eight of 31 patients (25.8%) who had preserved unilateral neurovascular bundle (NVB) regained potency to be able to carry out sexual intercourse between 6 147 1 Department of Urology, Tokai University School of Medicine, Bohseidai, Isehara, Kanagawa 259-1193, Japan 2 Department of Urology, Tenri Hospital, Tenri, Nara 632-0015, Japan and 15 months postoperatively. Less morbidity, encouraging early oncological results and improved early recovery of urinary continence, are favorable factors for LRP; however, long-term follow-up and consecutive effort to improve the apical section procedure are required for establishment of LRP as a reliable treatment tool for organ-confined prostate cancer