AN AUTOPSY CASE OF PORTOPULMONARY HYPERTENSION ASSOCIATED WITH ALCOHOLIC LIVER CIRRHOSIS

We report an autopsy case of pulmonary pexogenic arteriopathy associated with portal hypertension due to alcoholic liver cirrhosis, termed portopulmonary hypertension (PPHT). A 49-year-old man who has had alcoholic liver cirrhosis for 10 years complained of severe dyspnea (Fletcher-Hugh-Jones V). Chest CT revealed marked enlargement of bilateral hilar pulmonary arteries and cardiomegaly associated with right ventricular hypertrophy. The patient died from hepatic. encephalopathy and respiratory failure. Autopsy c1early revealed the wall thickness of pulmonary small vessels diffusely in peripheral fields on cut surfaces and marked dilatation of the main pulmonary artery, together with liver cirrhosis. Microscopically, the pulmonary small arteries demonstrated grade 5 pulmonary plexogenic arteriopathy inc1uding plexiform lesions and a micronodule resembling an arachnoid granulation or meningioma throughout the lungs. This case suggested that a typical plexogenic arteriopathy morphologically and definitely contributed to confirm PPHT, although the patient was c1inically suspected of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS)

Spacio-temporal distributions of atmospheric nitrous oxide and its isotopocules in the Arctic region

第6回極域科学シンポジウム分野横断セッション：[IA] 急変する北極気候システム及びその全球的な影響の総合的解明―GRENE北極気候変動研究事業研究成果報告2015―11月19日（木）　国立極地研究所１階交流アトリウ

Whole genome assembly of a natto production strain Bacillus subtilis natto from very short read data

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Bacillus subtilis </it>natto is closely related to the laboratory standard strain <it>B. subtilis </it>Marburg 168, and functions as a starter for the production of the traditional Japanese food "natto" made from soybeans. Although re-sequencing whole genomes of several laboratory domesticated <it>B. subtilis </it>168 derivatives has already been attempted using short read sequencing data, the assembly of the whole genome sequence of a closely related strain, <it>B. subtilis </it>natto, from very short read data is more challenging, particularly with our aim to assemble one fully connected scaffold from short reads around 35 bp in length.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We applied a comparative genome assembly method, which combines <it>de novo </it>assembly and reference guided assembly, to one of the <it>B. subtilis </it>natto strains. We successfully assembled 28 scaffolds and managed to avoid substantial fragmentation. Completion of the assembly through long PCR experiments resulted in one connected scaffold for <it>B. subtilis </it>natto. Based on the assembled genome sequence, our orthologous gene analysis between natto BEST195 and Marburg 168 revealed that 82.4% of 4375 predicted genes in BEST195 are one-to-one orthologous to genes in 168, with two genes in-paralog, 3.2% are deleted in 168, 14.3% are inserted in BEST195, and 5.9% of genes present in 168 are deleted in BEST195. The natto genome contains the same alleles in the promoter region of <it>degQ </it>and the coding region of <it>swrAA </it>as the wild strain, RO-FF-1.</p> <p>These are specific for γ-PGA production ability, which is related to natto production. Further, the <it>B. subtilis </it>natto strain completely lacked a polyketide synthesis operon, disrupted the plipastatin production operon, and possesses previously unidentified transposases.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The determination of the whole genome sequence of <it>Bacillus subtilis </it>natto provided detailed analyses of a set of genes related to natto production, demonstrating the number and locations of insertion sequences that <it>B. subtilis </it>natto harbors but <it>B. subtilis </it>168 lacks. Multiple genome-level comparisons among five closely related <it>Bacillus </it>species were also carried out. The determined genome sequence of <it>B. subtilis </it>natto and gene annotations are available from the Natto genome browser <url>http://natto-genome.org/</url>.</p

メタカラコウ属植物の成分研究(第4報) : メタカラコウの根より単離された5, 6-Dimethoxy-2-isopropenylbenzofuranの化学的安定性

5, 6-Dimethoxy-2-isopropenylbenzofuran (1), which was isolated from the roots of Ligularia stenocephala MATSUM. et KOIDZ., was dissolved in MeOH and stand in a refrigerator for 5 days. The resultant mixture was shown to be composed of several products along with unchanged 1. Preparative HPLC of the mixture afforded eight compounds (2-9). Among them, compounds 2 and 3 were unstable and were found to change to compounds 4 - 11 during a few days in storage in the eluting solution of preparative HPLC [MeOH-H_20 (4 : 1)] at room temperature. The structures of compounds 2-11 were determined on the basis of spectral data

メタカラコウ属植物の成分研究(第2報)メタカラコウの葉及び根のトリテルペノイド成分について

Triterpenoids from the leaves and roots of Ligularia slenocephala MATSUM. et KOIDZ. (Compositae) have been investigated. Nine triterpenoids, squalene (1), cycloartanol (2), 24-methylenecycloartanol (3), dammara-20, 24-dien-3β-ol (4), 24-methylenedammar-20-en-3β-ol (5), α-amyrin (6), β-amyrin (7), 19α H-lupeol (8) and isoarborinol (9), have been isolated from the leaves of L. stenocephala. Three triterpenoids, butyrospermol (10), isobauerenol (11) and lupeol (12), have been isolated from the roots of L. stenocephala. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectral data

メタカラコウ属植物の成分研究(第5報) : メタカラコウの根及び葉の新規化学成分について

Three new benzofuran derivatives, 6-hydroxy-3α-methoxytremetone (1), 2, 2\u27-(1" 1 "-dimethyl-3"-methoxy-3"-methyl-1", 3"-propanediyl)bis(5, 6-dimethoxybenzofuran)(2)and 7, 8 -dimethoxy-1, 4-dimethyldibenzofuran(3), have been isolated from the roots of Ligularia stenocephala MATSUM. et KOIDZ.(Compositae). A new triterpenoid, 24-chlorocycloart-25-en-3β-ol(4);has been isolated from the leaves of the plant. The structures of new compounds were determined on the basis of their spectral data

Identification of RNA biomarkers for chemical safety screening in mouse embryonic stem cells using RNA deep sequencing analysis

Although it is not yet possible to replace in vivo animal testing completely, the need for a more efficient method for toxicity testing, such as an in vitro cell-based assay, has been widely acknowledged. Previous studies have focused on mRNAs as biomarkers; however, recent studies have revealed that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are also efficient novel biomarkers for toxicity testing. Here, we used deep sequencing analysis (RNA-seq) to identify novel RNA biomarkers, including ncRNAs, that exhibited a substantial response to general chemical toxicity from nine chemicals, and to benzene toxicity specifically. The nine chemicals are listed in the Japan Pollutant Release and Transfer Register as class I designated chemical substances. We used undifferentiated mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) as a simplified cell-based toxicity assay. RNA-seq revealed that many mRNAs and ncRNAs responded substantially to the chemical compounds in mESCs. This finding indicates that ncRNAs can be used as novel RNA biomarkers for chemical safety screening

Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Japan : JSH Consensus Statements and Recommendations 2021 Update

The Clinical Practice Manual for Hepatocellular Carcinoma was published based on evidence confirmed by the Evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Hepatocellular Carcinoma along with consensus opinion among a Japan Society of Hepatology (JSH) expert panel on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Since the JSH Clinical Practice Guidelines are based on original articles with extremely high levels of evidence, expert opinions on HCC management in clinical practice or consensus on newly developed treatments are not included. However, the practice manual incorporates the literature based on clinical data, expert opinion, and real-world clinical practice currently conducted in Japan to facilitate its use by clinicians. Alongside each revision of the JSH Guidelines, we issued an update to the manual, with the first edition of the manual published in 2007, the second edition in 2010, the third edition in 2015, and the fourth edition in 2020, which includes the 2017 edition of the JSH Guideline. This article is an excerpt from the fourth edition of the HCC Clinical Practice Manual focusing on pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of HCC. It is designed as a practical manual different from the latest version of the JSH Clinical Practice Guidelines. This practice manual was written by an expert panel from the JSH, with emphasis on the consensus statements and recommendations for the management of HCC proposed by the JSH expert panel. In this article, we included newly developed clinical practices that are relatively common among Japanese experts in this field, although all of their statements are not associated with a high level of evidence, but these practices are likely to be incorporated into guidelines in the future. To write this article, coauthors from different institutions drafted the content and then critically reviewed each other’s work. The revised content was then critically reviewed by the Board of Directors and the Planning and Public Relations Committee of JSH before publication to confirm the consensus statements and recommendations. The consensus statements and recommendations presented in this report represent measures actually being conducted at the highest-level HCC treatment centers in Japan. We hope this article provides insight into the actual situation of HCC practice in Japan, thereby affecting the global practice pattern in the management of HCC