Tumor Shrinkage in Response to Vitamin K2 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with Multiple Lung Metastases: A Case Report

Introduction: Advanced or metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) can be lethal because of the limited therapeutic approach such as sorafenib. Recently, Vitamin K2 (VK2) has been increasingly recognized to have anti-cancer effects for HCC in vitro and vivo. However, the direct anti-cancer effect of VK2 to HCC has not been established yet in human.Presentation of Case: We presented here a 88-year-HCC patient displayed a tumor shrinkage in response to VK2 in multiple lung metastases, indicating the possibility of VK2 as an anti-cancer agent in human. Menatetrenone, a VK2 analogue, was introduced for multiple lung metastases as a palliative treatment, and thereafter multiple lung metastases, except one lung lesion, displayed tumor shrinkage and disappeared within five months after VK2 intake. The residual one lesion continued to grow up during the intake of VK2, suggesting that the residual tumor was insensitive to VK2 represented by tumor heterogeneity. Consequently, after a radiation therapy for the residual lesion, the elevated tumor markers of all were finally decreased into normal levels, and he is still alive for 18 months after VK2 intake without elevated tumor marker levels and toxic adverse effects.Conclusion:VK2 may be a therapeutic option for advanced and metastatic HCCs without any toxic adverse

Molecular Detection of Epiphytic Acaryochloris spp. on Marine Macroalgae

A molecular method for detecting the epiphyte community on marine macroalgae was developed by using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Selective amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments from either cyanobacteria or algal plastids improved the detection of minor epiphytes. Two phylotypes of Acaryochloris, a chlorophyll d-containing cyanobacterium, were found not only on red macroalgae but also on green and brown macroalgae

Experimental Study on the Snowfall Flow Control of Backward-Facing Steps Using a High-Durability Designed Plasma Electrode

Using a high-durability designed plasma electrode (PA), the plasma actuation effect on both a two-dimensional backward-facing step flow (standard model) and an arc-shaped three-dimensional backward-facing step flow (arc model) was investigated experimentally. First, we searched for plasma operation control conditions suitable for the two-dimensional backward-facing step flow by carrying out experiments using a medium-sized circulating wind tunnel. Next, using the natural-snow wind tunnel of the Hokkaido University of Science, we examined whether an AC-driven PA can control snowfall flow. It became clear for the first time that the amount of snow accumulation can be reduced by more than 20% when the PA is driven at a dimensionless frequency of fH/U = 0.32, where f is the pulsed modulation frequency, H is the step height, and U is the mainstream velocity, and the duty ratio D (the time ratio of PA_ON to the total time when controlled by the pulsed modulation frequency) is equal to 1.0%. It was also confirmed that by masking the arc-shaped electrode parallel to the mainstream and using only the part perpendicular to the mainstream of the PA electrode, the amount of accumulated snow could be reduced by up to 20%. It has become clear that high-durability designed plasma electrodes can control the snowfall flow and reduce the amount of accumulated snow