Comparison of Epirubicin-Iodized Oil Suspension and Emulsion for Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization in VX2 Tumor

To compare the antitumor efficacy and safety of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) by epirubicin suspension (epirubicin suspension: epirubicin-iodized oil mixture without solution) to that by epirubicin emulsion (epirubicin emulsion: epirubicin-iodized oil mixture with solution), the efficacy of treatment by administration of either an epirubicin suspension or emulsion was examined in an animal model. Changes in plasma epirubicin concentration were compared over 24 h immediately after treatment, and enhanced ultrasonographic and histopathological analysis subsequently conducted 7 days after treatment to determine the growth ratio and proportion of viable tumor cells. The growth ratio and proportion of viable tumor cells were found to be significantly lower in the suspension group than in the emulsion group while the plasma epirubicin concentration was found to be significantly higher in the suspension group than in the emulsion group. These results indicate that administration of an epirubicin suspension is a superior form of TACE compared to that of administration of an epirubicin emulsion

An RNA aptamer with potent affinity for a toxic dimer of amyloid β42 has potential utility for histochemical studies of Alzheimer's disease

Oligomers of β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42), rather than fibrils, drive the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, toxic oligomeric species called protofibrils (PFs) have attracted significant attention. Herein, we report RNA aptamers with higher affinity toward PFs derived from a toxic Aβ42 dimer than toward fibrils produced from WT Aβ42 or from a toxic, conformationally constrained Aβ42 variant, E22P–Aβ42. We obtained these RNA aptamers by using the preincubated dimer model of E22P–Aβ42, which dimerized via a linker located at Val-40, as the target of in vitro selection. This dimer formed PFs during incubation. Several physicochemical characteristics of an identified aptamer, E22P–AbD43, suggested that preferential affinity of this aptamer toward PFs is due to its higher affinity for the toxic dimer unit (KD = 20 ± 6.0 nm) of Aβ42 than for less-toxic Aβ40 aggregates. Comparison of CD data from the full-length and random regions of E22P–AbD43 suggested that the preferential binding of E22P–AbD43 toward the dimer might be related to the formation of a G-quadruplex structure. E22P–AbD43 significantly inhibited the nucleation phase of the dimer and its associated neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. Of note, E22P–AbD43 also significantly protected against the neurotoxicity of WT Aβ42 and E22P–Aβ42. Furthermore, in an AD mouse model, E22P–AbD43 preferentially recognized diffuse aggregates, which likely originated from PFs or higher-order oligomers with curvilinear structures, compared with senile plaques formed from fibrils. We conclude that the E22P–AbD43 aptamer is a promising research and diagnostic tool for further studies of AD etiology

Estimation of the Urinary Galactitol Level in Children by Capillary Gas Chromatography

A rapid and efficient capillary gas chromatography was utilized to measure urinary galactitol in 133 non-galactosemic children on a free diet. The children aged from 12 days to 14 years were divided by age into six groups. The urinary galactitol concentration was found to be the highest (64.04 mmol/mol creatinine) in the neonatal group and the lowest (7.12 mmol/mol creatinine) in the group over 2 years old. It is concluded that the urinary concentration of galactitol is strongly age-dependent

Embolization using warmed glue via the triaxial microballoon occlusion system for various vascular disorders

PURPOSE:We aimed to illustrate the benefits of using warmed glue for viscosity reduction via the triaxial microballoon system for the treatment of various vascular disorders.METHODS:Seven patients who underwent 10 treatment sessions for hemoptysis, type II endoleak, post-pancreatic surgical bleeding, spontaneous retroperitoneal bleeding, or ovarian tumor bleeding were evaluated based on technical and clinical outcomes. In the procedure, the triaxial system, consisting of a 4.5-Fr guiding catheter, a 2.8-Fr microballoon catheter, and a 1.9-Fr no-taper microcatheter, was advanced into the target lesion. Glue (33% n-butyl cyanoacrylate mixed with Lipiodol) warmed to 40°C was injected under balloon occlusion.RESULTS:The common hepatic, right bronchial, intercostals, internal mammary, costocervical, lateral thoracic, superior thoracic, thoracoacromial, inferior thyroid, iliolumbar, lumbar, internal pudendal arteries, and branch of the inferior mesenteric artery were successfully embolized; 100% technical success and 100% clinical success were obtained after each session.CONCLUSION:Our modified balloon-occluded glue embolization may lead to better handling with more distal glue penetration capability

疼痛感覚表現用語の分析(その6) : 疼痛感覚を表現する擬態語の因子分析的研究(人文・社会科学篇)

疼痛感覚を表現する擬態語の意味内容を分析することを目的に次のような調査を実施した。これまでの研究から疼痛感覚を表現するのに使用されるとわかっている2音節を反復する畳語形大の擬態語48刺激。調査方法は形容詞の9段階評定でmonopolarとした。被調査者は男女大学生,計214名。収集されたローデータを,評定平均値のマトリックスに集約し,主因子法による因子分析を適用した。析出された因子は4因子であり,寄与率の一番小さい第4因子を除いて,次のように解釈された。第1因子は,鋭い,速い,緊張したなどの評定尺度で負荷量が多く,疼痛感覚の鋭敏感の因子。第2因子は,しつこい,悪い,不快ななどで因子負荷量が高く,疼痛感覚の不快感の因子。第3因子は,かたい,大きい,強いなどで因子負荷量が高く,疼痛感覚の潜在性の因子。次に因子得点を算出し,先の因子を組み合わせた2次元上に,48の擬態語の布置を求めた。第1因子と第2因子を横軸と縦軸に配したプロットでは,両軸で高得点圏に,キリキリ,ズキズキ,ビンビンなどの擬態語が集合しており,鋭敏で,強い不快感を伴った疼痛を表現する用語群と解釈された。残りの刺激布置についても検討され,この方法は擬態語のグルーピングに有効であった