Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Reduce the Risk of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development

Nowadays, patients with chronic hepatitis C in all countries are generally treated with interferon (IFN), and more than 50% of patients become HCV-RNA negative following PEG-IFN plus ribavirin therapy, but unfortunately, the IFN therapy is not effective in about 70% of patients with HCV-associated LC. In Japan, HCC actually develops in about 7% of those patients every year. A strategy for preventing HCC development other than IFN therapy is, therefore, urgently needed for those patients. We reported that the recurrence rate and the development of HCC was more rapid in the high serum ALT level (>80 IU) patients with HCV-associated LC. Sho-saiko-to, Juzen-taiho-to, and stronger-neo minophagen C are herbal medicines used in Japan to treat chronic viral liver diseases, and they work by reducing inflammatory processes and controlling ALT levels. Aggressive reduction therapy for ALT levels in HCV-LC patients could significantly prevent HCC development

Hybrid Micro-Gravity Simulator Consisting of a High-speed Parallel Robot

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:08555062・基盤研究(A)(2)・H8～H10/研究代表者:内山, 勝/6自由度超高速パラレルロボットの試作研究

Problems on the Golgi Apparatus with Special Reference to its Chemical Components and its Functions

In reference to the classical papers concerning the morphological and chemical data, the findings of the modern cytologists and cytochemists are discussed. Owing to the ambiguous term "Lipochondrien", the confusing controversies between authorox theorists and the modern "vacuome" theorists have been brought about. According to the present author\u27s opinion, which is chiefly based upon the data yielded from the author\u27s "Nile blue sulphate technique" and from the vital staining of pancreatic cells and nerve cells, the so called lipochondria are the liberated lipoid substances from the lipo-protein of the Golgi matrix. This liberation of free lipoid granules from the Golgi apparatus has been frequently observed in several works, which can be mentioned for examples as follows. The dictyosomes of the Nebenkern in male germ cells are the lipoidal bodies demasked by the autolysis during the course of the casting off of the cytoplasm at the sperm formation. Another example can be mentioned in the author\u27s experiment, in which the fat liver of mice was produced by injectioning 0.1-0.35 gamma of selenophen 〓 daily into the animals. During the course of fat formation the demasked Golgi apparatus was easily demonstrable by means of the ordinary lipoid tests. By examining the photomicrographs taken from the vitally stained pancreatic cells and nerve cells, the differentiation of the lipochondria from the genuine Golgi apparatus may be quite easy. It would be quite natural that the liberation of lipoid granules from the Golgi material usually occurs during the physiological process in the cellular metabolism. From the data obtained by the modern techniques by a considerable number of investigators, especially from those of electron microscope, one may conclude that the Golgi apparatus are composed of the lipoidferous lamellar structure in which canalicular system (vacuoles) is embedded. On the other hand, it may be almost acceptable that the polysaccharides of various quantities are also comprised. As for the presence ofRNA in the Golgi apparatus, there have been diverse opinions. Nevertheless, the presence of RNA seems to be made sure by the analysis of the Golgi substance extracted by means of ultracentrifuge made by Schneider et al. It is clearly shown by Sjostrand in his collective review appeared in International Review of Cytology (1956), the opaque particles which attach to the a-cytomembrane are identified to RNA. On the contrary, the γ-cytomembranes in the Golgi apparatus lack in this element, yet the Golgi apparatus are generally thought to have the function to produce the secretory granules. The ground matrix of secretory granules are almost protein in nature. This discrepancy is not conclusively solved at present. In the latter part of this paper, the functions of the Golgi apparatus are dealt with. Concerning the association of vitamin C and phasphatase with the Golgi apparatus, their localization there is almost assured. By several workers, the adsorption of Fe to the Golgi apparatus has been reported. Above all cases, the free iron compounds are always found in the Golgi apparatus of liver cells. Those are disclosed not only by Pursian blue reaction, but also by the red spodogram after the microincineration. As for the general presence of the iron compound in the Golgi apparatus, the present author has succeeded in detecting them in reddish color of their ash image. The reddish color of the ash image has been thought to be the presence of masked iron. The masked iron in the Golgi apparatus, if any, may be considered to indicate the presence of catalase or peroxidase. If the Golgi apparatus has a catalytic action of protein, the presence of catalase or peroxidase would have an important meaning as the antidotal mediators of hydrogen peroxide which is produced by the aminoxidase. The secretory function of the Golgi apparatus has been approved by many investigators, i.e. Nassonov (1924), Bowen (1927), and Hirsch (1939) et al. The phenomenon of secretion comprises some physiological phenomenon; protein synthesis,condensation, and permeation of water. The protein synthesis has been already discussed. The idea that the Golgi apparatus is the site of condensation has been frequently admitted. The reader may refer to the reviews written by Kirkman-Severinghaus (1928) and by Bourne (1950). The present author has stressed from long ago the idea that the Golgi apparatus has a kind of semipermeable membrane, through which the water and salts permeate easily. Nassonov (1925) and Smyth (1945) demonstrated the Golgi apparatus surrounding the contractile vacuole in Amoeba diploidea. It is quite interesting to mention here that the Golgi apparatus adheres closely to the bile conaliculi of liver cells. These canaliculi are supposed to ramify not only through the interstice of cells, but also into the cytoplasm of cells. In accordance to this fact, the Golgi apparatus distribute themselves so as to keep a connection between neighbouring cells. The presence of vacuoles in the Golgi apparatus which appear in the electron microphotographs may present a strong supposition toward this idea. The accumulation of salts in the Golgi apparatus may naturally be imagined from this idea. Concerning to this problem, the present author attempted the detection of sodium, potassium, and calcium in them. By means of the newly devised method, in which the author immersed the reagents upon the ash image under the cover slip, the observation of the reactions under the dark field microscope has been succeeded. Above all, the reaction of the sodium oxide to the uranium-zinc acetate has become possible. The resulted sodium uranium-zinc acetate is easily soluble in 2% HC1. This reaction is most conspicuous in the case of pancreatic zymogen granules which have an abundant quantity of sodium salts. The localization of these sodium salts upon the Golgi apparatus is most clearly seen in the intestinal epithelium. The potassiuum salts are comparatively poor in the Golgi apparatus. Calcium salts differ in various tissue cells. The detailed reports should be offered in future

Mitochondria in Animal and Plant Cells as Revealed by LBC Reaction : leuco-brilliant cresyl blue reaction

The aqueous solution of certain quinoneimine dyes, including oxazins and thiazins; e. g. brilliant cresyl blue, toluidine blue, methylene blue, were reduced by Zn powder. These leuco-dye solution and 2・4 dinitrophenol (or trinitrophenol, i. e. picric acid) were added to the fresh materials. New red colored dyes are produced on mitochondria. The color of such vitally stained mitochondria fades gradually in a short time. The fixation of this vital staining was achieved by using saturated aqueous solution of corrossive sublimate as a fixative. When the solution is replaced by gycerine or euparal, semipermanent preparations are obtaninable. The detailed descriptions of the new technique and the results will be given in the following prapraphs

樋口一葉という〈狂愚〉 : 近代日本からの逸脱

学位の種別:課程博士University of Tokyo(東京大学

A Simple Model Calculation of Gas-Forming Bacteria Swarms in the Intestine

研究報告Original Articles　腸内の食物中の誘引物質に群がるバクテリアの挙動を擬似実験する新しい走化性数学的モデルで、発生ガスの成長と浮上速度を計算した。この計算は、ガスによる腸閉塞を防止するための体位変換の時間間隔を見積もるのに役立つと期待される。A new mathematical model for chemotactically aggregating bacteria, which generate several aroma gases in an intestine with surrounding food, has been presented. This model makes it possible to simulate the destruction of bacteria caused by the lack of an attractant (feed), and our calculation has shown some of their traveling zones. The outbreak and the annihilation caused by the over aggregation and the proliferation are also calculated numerically as the result of this analysis. The interaction between the attractant and the bacteria is considered using successive approximation, as in our previous paper. This model calculation makes it possible to simulate some bowel obstructions (ileus) caused by gas-forming bacteri

Potential Use of Rice Husk Biochar and Compost to Improve P Availability and Reduce GHG Emissions in Acid Sulfate Soil

© 2020 by the authors. Acid sulfate soil (ASS) has major problems related to phosphorus deficiency and high potential for N2O emissions, as well as strong acidity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of rice husk biochar and compost on P availability and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in ASS in in vitro incubation studies. An ASS was amended with two types of rice husk biochar (at rates of 0 g kg-1, 20 g kg-1, and 50 g kg-1, equivalent to 0 Mg ha-1, 20 Mg ha-1, and 50 Mg ha-1, assuming that bulk density was 1 g cm-3 and evenly applied for 10 cm in depth) and compost (at rates of 0 g kg-1, 10 g kg-1, and 20 g kg-1, equivalent to 0 Mg ha-1, 10 Mg ha-1, and 20 Mg ha-1) and incubated. Application of compost increased labile P by 100% and 200% at rates of 10 g kg-1 and 20 g kg-1, respectively. Both biochars showed an increase in NaHCO3-soluble inorganic P by 16% to 30%, decreases in NaOH-soluble inorganic P and NaHCO3-soluble organic P. N2O emissions were significantly decreased by 80% by a biochar with a higher surface area and higher NH4+ adsorption capacity at a rate of 50 g kg-1 as compared with those in un-amended soil. In contrast, compost amendment at a rate of 10 g kg-1 significantly increased N2O emission by 150%. These results suggest that in ASS, whilst compost is more effective in improving P availability, biochar is more effective in mitigating GHG emissions, emphasizing that fundamental characteristics of organic amendments influenced the outcomes in terms of desirable effects

Peptides and Peptidomimetics for Antimicrobial Drug Design

The purpose of this paper is to introduce and highlight a few classes of traditional antimicrobial peptides with a focus on structure-activity relationship studies. After first dissecting the important physiochemical properties that influence the antimicrobial and toxic properties of antimicrobial peptides, the contributions of individual amino acids with respect to the peptides antibacterial properties are presented. A brief discussion of the mechanisms of action of different antimicrobials as well as the development of bacterial resistance towards antimicrobial peptides follows. Finally, current efforts on novel design strategies and peptidomimetics are introduced to illustrate the importance of antimicrobial peptide research in the development of future antibiotics

壁面に沿って運動している物体から壁へ放出される物質の拡散現象について

壁に沿って物体が運動し、壁と物体の狭い間隙にシート状の流体が流れている場合、物体表面から壁へ放出される物質の拡散過程を計算し、考察した。この計算では物体が壁に対して振動している場合や、物体の表面の形状が非対称な場合も考慮されている。拡散に対する振動の影響は、流れが速くRe数が大きく、拡散物質の分子量が大きい(Sc数が大きい)程、促進されることがわかった

筋肉運動のポンプ応力に抗して出来得る静脈中赤血球塊の大きさの限界

静脈内の赤血球塊が、周りの筋肉運動による狭窄ポンプ作用の応力下で、どれだけの大きさに成長できるかを赤血球同士の結合力と壁の変形を変数として計算し考察した。血流内応力は、静脈が流れている場合、狭窄出口内部へ若干入った部分で変形の無い部分より応力の下がった場所があり、血球塊の結合力が強い程、また血管壁が堅い程大きな塊に成長できることがわかった。また、流れが狭窄の移動速度に近い程大きな塊に成長する事もわかった