An Autopsy Case of a Cavernous Hemangioma with Solitary Fibromatous Fibrosis within the Cavernous Space in the Liver of an Adult.

An autopsy case of a cavernous hemangioma in the liver found accidentally in an adult was reported. It is not so rare to find the small sized hemangioma but unusual to discover a tumorlike fibrous nodule in a solitary state in the central part of the hemangioma. The origin and formation of the fibrous nodule were discussed.departmental bulletin pape

An All-Recombinant Protein-Based Culture System Specifically Identifies Hematopoietic Stem Cell Maintenance Factors.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are considered one of the most promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of various blood disorders. However, due to difficulties in establishing stable maintenance and expansion of HSCs in vitro, their insufficient supply is a major constraint to transplantation studies. To solve these problems we have developed a fully defined, all-recombinant protein-based culture system. Through this system, we have identified hemopexin (HPX) and interleukin-1α as responsible for HSC maintenance in vitro. Subsequent molecular analysis revealed that HPX reduces intracellular reactive oxygen species levels within cultured HSCs. Furthermore, bone marrow immunostaining and 3D immunohistochemistry revealed that HPX is expressed in non-myelinating Schwann cells, known HSC niche constituents. These results highlight the utility of this fully defined all-recombinant protein-based culture system for reproducible in vitro HSC culture and its potential to contribute to the identification of factors responsible for in vitro maintenance, expansion, and differentiation of stem cell populations

Inverse square Levy walk emerging universally in goal-oriented tasks

The Levy walk in which the frequency of occurrence of step lengths follows a power-law distribution, can be observed in the migratory behavior of organisms at various levels. Levy walks with power exponents close to 2 are observed, and the reasons are unclear. This study aims to propose a model that universally generates inverse square Levy walks (called Cauchy walks) and to identify the conditions under which Cauchy walks appear. We demonstrate that Cauchy walks emerge universally in goal-oriented tasks. We use the term "goal-oriented" when the goal is clear, but this can be achieved in different ways, which cannot be uniquely determined. We performed a simulation in which an agent observed the data generated from a probability distribution in a two-dimensional space and successively estimated the central coordinates of that probability distribution. The agent has a model of probability distribution as a hypothesis for data-generating distribution and can modify the model such that each time a data point is observed, thereby increasing the estimated probability of occurrence of the observed data. To achieve this, the center coordinates of the model must be moved closer to those of the observed data. However, in the case of a two-dimensional space, arbitrariness arises in the direction of correction of the center; this task is goal oriented. We analyze two cases: a strategy that allocates the amount of modification randomly in the x- and y-directions, and a strategy that determines allocation such that movement is minimized. The results reveal that when a random strategy is used, the Cauchy walk appears. When the minimum strategy is used, the Brownian walk appears. The presence or absence of the constraint of minimizing the amount of movement may be a factor that causes the difference between Brownian and Levy walks

CD59 protects rat kidney from complement mediated injury in collaboration with Crry

CD59 protects rat kidney from complement mediated injury in collaboration with Crry.BackgroundAs previously reported, the membrane-bound complement regulator at the C3 level (Crry/p65) is important in maintaining normal integrity of the kidney in rats. However, the role of a complement regulator at the C8/9 level (CD59) is not clear, especially when activation of complement occurs at the C3 level. The aim of this work was to elucidate the in vivo role of CD59 under C3 activating conditions.MethodsTwo monoclonal antibodies, 5I2 and 6D1, were used to suppress the function of Crry and CD59, respectively. In order to activate alternative the pathway of complement, the left kidney was perfused with 5I2 and/or 6D1 and was recirculated.ResultsIn the kidneys perfused with 5I2 alone, deposition of C3 and membrane attack complex (MAC) was observed in the peritubular capillaries, vasa recta, and tubular basement membranes. Cast formation, tubular dilation and degeneration, and cellular infiltration were observed at days 1 and 4, and they recovered by day 7. Further suppression of CD59 by 6D1 significantly enhanced the deposition of MAC and worsened the already exacerbated tubulointerstitial injury. These effects of 6D1 were dose dependent. Perfusion with 6D1 alone did not induce histologic damage or MAC deposition in the tubulointerstitium.ConclusionsIn rats, CD59 maintains normal integrity of the kidney in collaboration with Crry in rats against complement-mediated damage in vivo

Prognostic significance of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy for primary prevention: Analysis of the Japan cardiac device treatment registry database

BackgroundWhether nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) is a marker of increased risk of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs) remains to be established in patients receiving cardiac resynchronization therapy with a defibrillator (CRT‐D) for primary prevention.MethodsAmong the follow‐up data of the Japan cardiac device treatment registry (JCDTR) with an implantation date between January 2011 and August 2015, information regarding a history of NSVT before the CRT‐D implantation for primary prevention had been registered in 269 patients. Outcomes were compared between two groups with and without NSVT: NSVT group (n = 179) and No NSVT group (n = 90).ResultsThere was no significant difference with regard to age, gender, and NYHA class between the two groups. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 25.6% in the NSVT group and 28.0% in the No NSVT group (P = .046). The rate of appropriate therapy at 24 months was 26.0% and 18.4% in the NSVT and No NSVT groups (P = .22), respectively. Survival free from heart failure death was reduced in the NSVT group, as compared with the No NSVT group, with the rate of 90.2% vs 97.2% at 24 months (P = .030). A multivariate analysis identified a history of NSVT, anemia, and no use of angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin‐receptor blocker (ARB) as predictors of heart failure death.ConclusionsNSVT appears to be a surrogate marker of severe heart failure rather than a substrate for subsequent sustained VTAs in patients with CRT‐D for primary prevention

新規な環境微生物の分離と遺伝資源の確保

我々は, “環境”の1つにあたる健常なサラブレッドの消化管から, 嫌気性の高いグラム陽性細菌を分離した。16S RNA遺伝子配列の系統解析により, その中の2つのグループは, Lactobacillusに属する新菌種の可能性が示唆された。1つのグループは, 系統学的に近縁種L. salivariusやL. aviariusの生理生化学的諸性状が異なり, DNA-DNAハイブリダイゼーションの結果から, 新菌種としてLactobacillus hayakitensisを提唱し, その基準株はKBL13^T (= JCM 14209^T = DSM 18933^T) とした。もう1つのグループは, 近縁種がL. fermentum, L. gastricus, L. ingluviei, L. mucosaeであり, 生理生化学的諸性状, 電子顕微鏡での形態観察, DNA-DNAハイブリダイゼーションの結果から, Lactobacillus equigenerosiを提唱し, 基準株はNRIC 0697^T (= JCM 14505^T = DSM 18793^T) とした。この菌種の細胞の形態は球菌から楕円であり, Lactobacillus属では初めての細胞形態を報告した。We isolated the Gram-positive anaerobic bacterial strains from intestines of healthy thoroughbreds as one of the environment. The two groups might be novel species belonging to genus Lactobacillus. Biochemical and physiological characteristics distinguished the isolates from their phylogenetic relatives. DNA-DNA reassociation experiments with L. salivarius and L. aviarius confirmed that KBL13^T represents a novel species, for which the name Lactobacillus hayakitensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is KBL13^T (= JCM 14209^T = DSM 18933^T). The other isolates represent typical novel species of the genus Lactobacillus, for which the name Lactobacillus equigenerosi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NRIC 0697^T (= JCM 14505^T = DSM 18793^T). The isolates produced spherical or oval cells, and tetrad-like cells were rarely seen. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of this morphological characteristic within the genus Lactobacillus

品質機能展開(QFD)による教育効果向上に関する研究 －成美大学での簿記教育の事例－

教育の質向上は教育界内外で常に話題になり、その成果は最重要事項として認識されている。しかし仮に対象分野を限定してその目的等を絞っても、考慮すべき要因が多くそれらは複雑に絡み合っているので、あるべき姿を実行に移す段階で調整に困難を伴う。本論文では、品質管理で機能設計を行う際に活用されている品質機能展開（QFD）を用い、要求される事項を教育の場面でどのように反映させるべきかの方法について述べる。大学教養科目としての簿記論の実際の取組を事例として取り上げ、仮に QFD を活用して方針を決めた場合と違いがあったかについて検討する

Electronic states around a vortex core in high-Tc superconductors based on the t-J model

Electronic states around vortex cores in high-Tc superconductors are studied using the two-dimensional t-J model in order to treat the d-wave superconductivity with short coherence length and the antiferromagnetic (AF) instability within the same framework. We focus on the disappearance of the large zero-energy peak in the local density of states observed in high-Tc superconductors. When the system is near the optimum doping, we find that the local AF correlation develops inside the vortex cores. However, the detailed doping dependence calculations confirm that the experimentally observed reduction of the zero-energy peak is more reasonably attributed to the smallness of the core size rather than to the AF correlation developed inside the core. The correlation between the spatial dependence of the core states and the core radius is discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure