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Radiation therapy with permanent iodine-125 implant brachytherapy is well established for curable prostate cancer. To maximize the therapeutic potential of brachytherapy, delivered radiation doses have been increased accompanied by refined intraoperative procedures of radioactive seeds placement. However, dose escalation is a double-edged sword in prostate brachytherapy; it could induce rectal toxicity, yet is successful in curable treatment in prostate cancer. To reduce irradiation of the rectum, the SpaceOAR® system has been used to inject synthetic polyethylene glycol hydrogel between the prostate and the rectum. The present report describes a case of spontaneous healing of rectal penetration associated with SpaceOAR® hydrogel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andosols, distributed widely around the Pacific basin, have unique soil–water and solute transport properties because of their stepwise water retention curves and high anion-adsorption capacity. The model modification and verification for these properties are crucial for evaluating the potential for improved agricultural management (e.g., using organic matter instead of inorganic fertilizer) to reduce N loss from the soils. Here, we improved an existing biogeochemical model, LEACHM, to predict long-term N leaching from Andosols amended with composted manure, without optimization to fit measured field data. The modified model was verified by observations from a 5.6-year lysimeter experiment with different rates of inorganic N fertilizer plus composted manure (100 + 0, 75 + 25, or 25 + 75%) of two different types (cattle, swine) on lettuce, sorghum (as a catch crop), and Chinese cabbage in rotation. Incorporation of Durner’s bimodal model dramatically improved predictions of drainage water volume and evapotranspiration. The non-linear Langmuir adsorption isotherms for soil NH4+ and NO3− improved model performance in simulating crop N uptake and N leaching loss. The RMSE, R2, and index of Agreement were evaluated as satisfactory in all lysimeters. Our model explained reasonably well that improved agricultural management decreased in current available N addition rates by 8.82–35.6% and reduced in the yearly averaged NO3 leaching by 8.70–41.8%. A modified model relating soil hydraulic properties and N adsorption properties could thus accurately predict N leaching under different long-term N application rates/types, and could be useful for supporting agricultural management decisions in cropped Andosols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We encountered a case of blow-out type coronary perforation at the calcified stenosis of left anterior descending artery. First, we started immediate balloon tamponade through the initial guiding catheter (GC) with a GuideLiner catheter. Next, we introduced a second GC with a GuideLiner catheter and successfully deployed a covered stent. Two sets of the GC with GuideLiner catheter facilitated us to simultaneously perform temporary hemostasis with balloon tamponade and rapid delivery of a covered stent. To alternately manipulate the GuideLiner catheters, back and forth with seesaw-like motion enabled us to minimize the interruption of balloon tamponade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Exosomes or extracellular vesicles have the potential as a diagnostic marker for various diseases including cancer. In order to identify novel exosomal markers for prostate cancer (PC), we performed proteomic analysis of exosomes isolated from PC cell lines and examined the usefulness of the marker in patients.Methods: Exosomes isolated by differential centrifugation from the culture medium of androgen-dependent LNCaP prostate cancer cell line and its sublines of partially androgen-independent C4, androgen-independent C4-2 and bone metastatic C4-2B were subjected to iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis. Exosomes were also isolated by immunocapture and separated by size exclusion chromatography and density gradient centrifugation. Protein expression was determined by Western blot analysis. GGT activity was measured using a fluorescent probe, γ-glutamyl hydroxymethyl rhodamine green (gGlu-HMRG). Immunohistochemical analysis of tissues was performed using anti-GGT1 antibody.Results: Among proteins upregulated in C4-2 and C4-2B cells than in LNCaP cells, we focused on gamma-glutamyltransferase 1 (GGT1), a cell-surface enzyme that regulates the catabolism of extracellular glutathione. The levels of both GGT1 large and small subunits were elevated in exosomes isolated from C4-2 and C4-2B cells by differential centrifugation and by immunocapture with anti-CD9 or -prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) antibody. In cell lysates and exosomes, GGT1 expression correlated with GGT activity. Size exclusion chromatography of human serum demonstrated the presence of GGT activity and GGT1 subunits in fractions positive for CD9. Density gradient centrifugation revealed the co-presence of GGT1 subunits with CD9 in exosomes isolated by differential centrifugation from human serum. Since GGT activity correlated with GGT1 expression in serum exosomes isolated by differential centrifugation, we measured serum exosomal GGT activity in patients. Unexpectedly, we found that serum exosomal GGT activity was significantly higher in PC patients than in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients. In support of this finding, immunohistochemical analysis showed increased GGT1 expression in PC tissues compared with BPH tissues.Conclusions: Our results suggest that serum exosomal GGT activity could be a useful biomarker for PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the key processes in making beer is fermentation. In the fermentation process, brewer's yeast plays an essential role in both the production of ethanol and the flavor profile of beer. Therefore, the mechanism of ethanol fermentation by of brewer's yeast is attracting much attention. The high ethanol productivity of sake yeast has provided a good basis from which to investigate the factors that regulate the fermentation rates of brewer's yeast. Recent studies found that the elevated fermentation rate of sake Saccharomyces cerevisiae species is closely related to a defective transition from vegetative growth to the quiescent (G 0 ) state. In the present study, to clarify the relationship between the fermentation rate of brewer's yeast and entry into G 0 , we constructed two types of mutant of the bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast Saccharomyces pastorianus Weihenstephan 34/70: a RIM15 gene disruptant that was defective in entry into G 0 ; and a CLN3 Δ PEST mutant, in which the G 1 cyclin Cln3p accumulated at high levels. Both strains exhibited higher fermentation rates under high-maltose medium or high-gravity wort conditions (20° Plato) as compared with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, G 1 arrest and/or G 0 entry were defective in both the RIM15 disruptant and the CLN3 Δ PEST mutant as compared with the wild-type strain. Taken together, these results indicate that regulation of the G 0 /G 1 transition might govern the fermentation rate of bottom-fermenting brewer's yeast in high-gravity wort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A lotus root appearance is a rare entity, and there is little opportunity to perform coronary intervention for this kind of lesion. Because of its peculiar anatomical characteristics, one of the problems regarding percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for these lesions is related to the involvement of branch vessels.Case Presentation: We encountered a case of PCI for a stenotic lesion with a lotus root appearance in the mid-portion of the right coronary artery (RCA). To avoid the risk of right ventricular (RV) branch occlusion due to stent deployment in the main RCA, we re-crossed the third guidewire into the main RCA via the nearest point to the RV branch ostium through the communicating vascular lumen. Thereafter, we deployed a drug-eluting stent in the main RCA crossing over the RV branch, and the ostium of the RV branch remained intact, as we expected.Conclusions: This case is the first report in the world describing the details of how to maintain the patency of the side branch bifurcating from a lesion with a lotus root appearance under optical coherence tomography guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in glucose/fructose-selective ethanol production have successfully enhanced raw sugar extraction from sugarcane juice by converting inhibitory substances (i.e., glucose/fructose) into ethanol, which is removed by subsequent operations in cane sugar mills. However, the commercial implementation of this breakthrough process in existing cane sugar mills requires a yeast strain that (i) can be used in food production processes, (ii) exhibits stable saccharometabolic selectivity, and (iii) can be easily separated from the saccharide solution. In this study, we developed a suitable saccharometabolism-selective and flocculent strain, Saccharomyces cerevisiae GYK-10. We obtained a suitable yeast strain for selective fermentation in cane sugar mills using a yeast mating system. First, we crossed a haploid strain defective in sucrose utilization with a flocculent haploid strain. Next, we performed tetrad dissection of the resultant hybrid diploid strain and selected GYK-10 from various segregants by investigating the sucrose assimilation and flocculation capacity phenotypes. Ten consecutive fermentation tests of the GYK-10 strain using a bench-scale fermentor confirmed its suitability for the implementation of practical selective fermentation in a commercial sugar mill. The strain exhibited complete saccharometabolic selectivity and sustained flocculation, where it maintained a high ethanol yield and conversion rate throughout the test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We encountered a case of chronic total in-stent occlusion which involving an abrupt-type entry at an obtuse marginal branching ostium. It is usually difficult to antegradely penetrate this kind of proximal fibrous cap. Therefore, we adopted a reverse bent wiring technique with a Crusade catheter and successfully completed all procedures. This technique is very simple but can be very effective in specific situations in daily percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Many PCI operators may empirically adopt this kind of wire manipulation technique. However, this kind of technique has never been officially reported to our knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]