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Identification and control of responsible feeding arteries are crucial in treating type II endoleaks after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). A 78-year-old female patient required management of a type II endoleak 8 years after EVAR. A persistent endoleak from the inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) enlarged the size of an aneurysm sac. Sac angiography from the IMA revealed a flow-through endoleak from the IMA to an aberrant renal artery (ARA). After coil embolization of the ARA through the sac together with the IMA, the sac shrank. Control of flow-through vessels may be essential for managing post-EVAR enlargement due to type II endoleaks.

Immobilized enzymes possess catalytic activity as well as substrate specificity. Even though enzyme immobilization techniques for industrial applications are well established, the operational stability of immobilized enzymes often needs to be improved. Laccases have been applied for the degradation of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or organic synthesis. In this study, using the technique of poly-lysine (poly-Lys)-supported cross-linking, laccase molecules were for the first time immobilized as enzyme aggregates onto PEGA resin (Lac–PEGA) and the prepared Lac–PEGA was evaluated in its operational stability and ability to degrade the EDC bisphenol A (BPA). Lac–PEGA was prepared through a simple and inexpensive immobilization technique without any costly equipment. Lac–PEGA showed similar thermal and pH stabilities to those of free laccase, suggesting that immobilized laccase maintains the conformation required for its catalytic activity. Compared with free laccase and Lac–PEGA(−), which was prepared without addition of poly-Lys, Lac–PEGA was more stable in organic solvents and could be reused for 50 cycles without appreciable loss of activity. Moreover, Lac–PEGA could effectively remove BPA and its derivatives in a batch reactor. In the batch reactor, a BPA removal efficiency of 144 μM h−1 was obtained at 30 °C. Due to its good operational stability, Lac–PEGA was successfully applied for reactions with high removal efficiency in a flow reactor. In the flow reactor, a BPA removal efficiency of 2880 μM h−1 was obtained at 50 °C, much superior to other reported reactors by the laccase immobilized with traditional carrier-bound immobilization methods. These results demonstrated that Lac–PEGA with specific enzymatic activity and high operational stability can be used as catalysts not only for the efficient removal of BPA from the environment but also for promising applications in the fields of chemistry and biotechnology.

Sequestosome 1 (p62) is a multifunctional adapter protein involved in various physiological functions, such as selective autophagy and oxidative stress response. Hence, aberrant expression and defective regulation of p62 are thought to lead to the onset of various diseases, including cancer. The expression of p62 has been shown to be increased in breast cancer tissues, and is correlated with a poor prognosis. However, the role of p62 in the breast cancer pathophysiology is still unclear. Here, we aimed to analyze the effect of changes in p62 expression on breast cancer cell lines. DNA microarray analysis revealed that the expression of progesterone receptor (PR), which is one of the indices for the classification of breast cancer subtypes, was markedly suppressed by forced expression of p62. The protein expression of PR was also decreased by forced expression of p62, but increased by knockdown of p62. Moreover, we found that p62 knockdown induced the protein expression of argonaute 2 (AGO2). Luciferase reporter assay results showed that the gene expression of PR was promoted by AGO2. Furthermore, results revealed that overexpression of AGO2 partially rescued the decrease in PR expression induced by forced expression of p62. Collectively, our findings indicated that p62 accumulation suppressed the expression of AGO2, which in turn decreased the expression of PR, suggesting that p62 may serve as a marker of aggressive breast cancer and poor prognosis. Moreover, the p62-AGO2-PR axis was identified as a crucial signaling cascade in breast cancer progression.

We report the case of a bowel injury, which occurred after the percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) of large renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A 50-year-old man with RCC measuring 47 mm in diameter. First, we performed transarterial embolization for the tumor, followed by PCA with hydrodissection, which displaced the small intestine from the iceball. The procedure was completed without any complication on the procedural day; however, the patient complained of appetite loss and abdominal pain 2 days after PCA. Computed tomography revealed a bowel injury at the small intestine adjacent to the tumor. After 7 days, ileus tube insertion, and fasting, the patient recovered from the bowel injury and was discharged 10 days after PCA. He underwent a second PCA because of a small recurrent renal tumor 5 months after the first PCA without complications. This case indicated that a bowel injury after PCA for RCC could be treated conservatively. Keywords: Cryoablation, Renal cell carcinoma, Bowel injury, CT guided

Introduction: Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) is a feasible treatment for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) with unresectable liver metastases. Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess HAIC of 5-fluorouracil (5FU) in patients with unresectable liver metastases from CRC refractory to standard systemic chemotherapy. Methods: A total of 137 patients (85 men, 52 women; median age, 62 years; with KRAS mutation, n = 57) were recruited from seven institutions from September 2008 to December 2015. These patients were refractory to systemic chemotherapy including three cytotoxic agents (fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan) with two molecular-targeted agents (bevacizumab and epidermal growth factor receptor antibody [cetuximab or panitumumab]). All patients underwent HAIC of continuous 5FU for unresectable liver metastases. Overall survival time, time to treatment failure, objective response rate, disease control rate, and incidence of adverse events to HAIC were assessed retrospectively. Results: The median overall survival time was 4.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.0–5.7 months), whereas time to treatment failure was 2.4 months (95% CI, 2.0–2.8 months). The objective overall response rate and disease control rate were 12.4 and 64%, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were observed in 2.9% of the patients (hyperbilirubinemia in 2, liver abscess in 1, and myelosuppression in 1). Conclusions: There were few incidences of severe adverse events to HAIC of 5FU for liver metastases from CRC refractory to standard systemic chemotherapy. Therefore, it might present as a treatment option as last-line chemotherapy.

The autophagy‑lysosome system allows cells to adapt to environmental changes by regulating the degradation and recycling of cellular components, and to maintain homeostasis by removing aggregated proteins and defective organelles. Cyclin G‑associated kinase (GAK) is involved in the regulation of clathrin‑dependent endocytosis and cell cycle progression. In addition, a single nucleotide polymorphism at the GAK locus has been reported as a risk factor for Parkinson's disease. However, the roles of GAK in the autophagy‑lysosome system are not completely understood, thus the present study aimed to clarify this. In the present study, under genetic disruption or chemical inhibition of GAK, analyzing autophagic flux and observing morphological changes of autophagosomes and autolysosomes revealed that GAK controlled lysosomal dynamics via actomyosin regulation, resulting in a steady progression of autophagy. GAK knockout (KO) in A549 cells impaired autophagosome‑lysosome fusion and autophagic lysosome reformation, which resulted in the accumulation of enlarged autophagosomes and autolysosomes during prolonged starvation. The stagnation of autophagic flux accompanied by these phenomena was also observed with the addition of a GAK inhibitor. Furthermore, the addition of Rho‑associated protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitor or ROCK1 knockdown mitigated GAK KO‑mediated effects. The results suggested a vital role of GAK in controlling lysosomal dynamics via maintaining lysosomal homeostasis during autophagy.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality and has the lowest 5-year survival rate. Therefore, novel strategies are urgently required to treat pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells rely on enhanced lysosomal function for survival and proliferation to facilitate the degradation of contents accumulated via autophagy and macropinocytosis. Previously, we have reported that the combination of epidermal growth factor receptor/HER2 inhibitor lapatinib and sphingosine analog fingolimod (FTY720) confers a significant cytostatic effect in lung cancer cells. In the present study, the combined effects of these drugs on PDAC cell lines, BxPC-3, KP-4, PANC-1 and MIA PaCa-2, were examined. It was observed that FTY720 enhanced the lapatinib-induced cytotoxic effect and caused non-canonical and lysosome-dependent death in PDAC cells. Lapatinib and FTY720 induced lysosomal swelling and inhibited lysosomal acidification. Combination treatment with lapatinib and FTY720 increased lysosomal membrane permeability, induced mitochondrial depolarization, induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and disturbed intracellular calcium homeostasis. Additionally, the cytotoxic effect of lapatinib was enhanced by hydroxychloroquine or the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib, both of which induce lysosomal dysfunction. Collectively, these results indicated that the lysosome-targeted drug combination induces multiple organelle dysfunction and exerts a marked cytotoxic effect in PDAC cells.

Purpose This study aimed to evaluate patients’ radiation dose in computed tomography (CT)-fluoroscopy-guided cryoablation for small renal tumors and assess the possible factors affecting it. Methods In our institution, cryoablation was performed in 152 patients between 2013 and 2020. Procedures that were not for renal tumors and did not have radiation dose records and detailed information were excluded from the analysis. The size-specific dose estimates (SSDE), volume CT dose index (CTDIvol), dose-length product (DLP), and entrance skin dose (ESD) were evaluated for both spiral scan and CT-fluoroscopy. The effects of the number of cryoneedle punctures; combined use of hydro- and/or pneumodissection procedures; patients’ characteristics, such as body-mass index (BMI); and the tumor-related factors, such as tumor location, were determined by the univariate and multivariate analyses. Results In the 72 included procedures, the median SSDE was 658 mGy and the median CTDIvol was 456 mGy. The median percentage dose of CT-fluoroscopy to the total procedure dose was estimated as 89.8% (591/658 mGy) with SSDE and 41.4% (611/1,475 mGy cm) with DLP. The combined use of hydro- and/or pneumodissection and number of cryoneedle punctures were significantly associated with the total ESD, and the maximum total ESD was 863 mGy in our cases. Conclusions Using SSDE as an index, 89.8% of patients’ radiation dose was attributed to CT-fluoroscopy, and ESD for the total procedure did not exceed 1 Gy. The increased number of cryoneedle punctures and combined use of hydro- and/or pneumodissection increased the total ESD.

Dropped head syndrome (DHS) has been rarely observed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and the neuropathological findings of this condition have almost never been described. The identification of transactivation response DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43), which binds to RNA/DNA has provided a new method for studying ALS and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Post-mortem examination of an adult sudden death case of a 71-year-old patient who complained of DHS exhibited severe loss of anterior motor neurons in the cervical cord (C4-6). Loss of nerve fibers of the anterior roots was striking compared with posterior roots, together with marked neurogenic atrophy of posterior muscles semispinalis cervicis. Bunina bodies were found in large neurons of Betz giant cells, but not in the motor neurons of spinal cords, or neurons of bulbar regions. Phosphorylated TDP-43 (p-TDP-43)-positive structures were detected in the residual neurons of the cervical, thoracic and lumber cords, hypoglossal nucleus, cerebellar dentate nucleus and parahippocampal cortex, together with ubiquitin-positive inclusions. Phosphorylated Tau positive structures in neuronal cytoplasm were found in the amygdala, entorhinal cortex and parahippocampal cortex, some of which co-expressed p-TDP-43. The medial zone of cervical cords may be the first onset site, and that is the cause of head drop in the early stage of ALS. In spite of detailed examination, the direct cause of sudden death was not verified. This autopsy report revealed the relation of DHS which is a rare clinical manifestation of ALS, and neuropathological findings.

Background Pleomorphic leiomyosarcomas (PLMSs) are extremely rare tumors. We present the first case of hepatic primary PLMS after surgery for gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). Case presentation The patient was a 62-year-old man who was referred to our hospital for resection of a hepatic tumor arising after gastric GIST surgery that was resistant to imatinib and sunitinib. A 40-mm tumor in the left lobe of the liver and three small nodules in the right lobe were detected. We performed hepatic left lobectomy and partial resections for three lesions. According to the histopathological and immunohistochemical findings and c-kit gene mutations analysis, the main tumor was diagnosed as a PLMS. Conclusion It is necessary to consider the possibility that imatinib-resistant GIST recurrence lesions are a different kind of soft-tissue sarcoma. Accurate diagnosis is required to not miss the opportunity for radical excision of PLMS.

A rapid and efficient lithium-ion recovery from seawater established by employing calix[4]arene derivatives as extraction reagents in a microreactor system. A tripropyl-monoacetic acid derivative of calix[4]arene (1Ac) exhibited a very high extraction ability for lithium-ion within 2.00 s by using a microreactor system. The complete stripping of the lithium ions achieved with 1.0 M HCl as a stripping reagent. In a competitive metal system containing lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, magnesium, calcium, strontium and barium ions; lithium-ion selectively loaded on 1Ac. Further, lithium recovery from seawater was carried out without any pretreatment or pH adjustment in the three-step process. In the first step of the process, 1Ac extracted 100% lithium and 2.56% sodium ions from the seawater. Both lithium and sodium ions stripped with HCl in the second step and then sodium in the stripped solution selectively re-extracted with monopropyl-triacetic acid calix[4]arene derivative (3Ac) thus yielding pure lithium chloride in the aqueous phase. Both 1Ac and 3Ac calix[4]arene derivatives regenerated after the stripping process.

An 80-year-old woman who was hospitalized due to small subarachnoid hemorrhaging caused by a bruise in the left temporal region of the brain. Nausea/vomiting and malaise appeared after dinner on the fourth day of the illness. Head computed tomography showed that the post-traumatic status was almost normal; however, the sodium ion (Na+) level was 114 mEq/L, indicating severe hyponatremia. Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) following a head injury was initially suspected, and water restriction and saline fluid replacement were initiated. However, the Na+ level did not improve, and signs of dehydration emerged. On the seventh day of the illness, drinking water restriction was discontinued, and 3% sodium chloride fluid replacement was initiated. The patient subsequently followed a favorable course, and the Na+ level remained normal even after fluid replacement was discontinued. It is important to differentiate between SIADH and cerebral salt wasting syndrome (CSWS), as the treatment of the two are diametrically opposite. However, distinguishing between these two diseases at an early onset can be difficult, as they have very similar laboratory findings. CSWS can occur in patients with minor head injury, as in the present case, so we should bear this disease in mind as a differential diagnosis, even when imperceptible graduations are recognized in patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of post-contrast acute kidney injury (PC-AKI) in patients with uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage undergoing emergency transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). Data collected included patient characteristics, serum creatinine (SCr) level before and after TAE, iodine quantity of contrast media, time between computed tomography and TAE, diabetes mellitus, hemorrhage volume, and blood transfusion volume. For the diagnosis of PC-AKI, the criteria of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology Guidelines (version 10.0) were used. A total of 71 TAE procedures were performed over a 5-year period, and 47 patients met the inclusion criteria. Preprocedural renal function and change of SCr were positively correlated ( P < .001), although no patients met the PC-AKI criteria and none showed renal impairment on the follow-up examination (95% upper confidence limit = 6.2%). Total iodine quantity was not correlated with SCr change. Postpartum hemorrhage was finally controlled in all 47 patients, and they were subsequently discharged. In conclusion, emergency TAE for patients with uncontrollable postpartum hemorrhage was a safe and effective procedure, not only in terms of bleeding-related and other outcomes but also with respect to the risk of PC-AKI.

Recently, many kinds of biological materials attract attention not only for bio- and medical applications but also for electronic and/or photonic devices as new renewable resources. Biomaterials such as DNA are basically insulating and transparent in original forms not being adequate for such industrial application. The drawbacks of DNA was overcome by complexation with other organic molecules in various fashions thanks to its highly complex and organized structure. DNA, only soluble in water, can be coupled to cationic surfactants, transforming it into hydrophobic polymer complex which can be easily dissolved in organic solvents and processed into thin films accompanying other compounds. Previously, we fabricated the bilayer devices composed of PMMA layer containing an azobenzene derivative and a cyanine dye doped DNA complex layer, and demonstrated laser wavelength tuning. Recently, we prepared single layer films composed of DNA-CTMA, azo polymer having push-pull substituents where laser dye were doped later with an immersion method. By choosing adequate combination of laser and azo dyes in order to eliminate or reduce the reabsorption of amplified photons, we have confirmed amplified spontaneous emission from the system through spectral line narrowing and superlinear dependence of light emission on pump intensity. Lasing and its wavelength tuning for the film were succeeded with a relatively compact optics of 10 cm dimension which is manipulatable by one mechanical knob. For further improvement, development of optimized materials is very important issue. We have synthesized an azocarbazole molecule with a cationic alkyl chain being able to couple to anionic sites of DNA. The results on photoinduced birefringence of the material will be described at the conference.

In order to realize a simple and small sized tunable laser with biomaterial based thin films, azo molecule Disperse Red 1 (DR1) was incorporated into DNA-surfactant complex with several fashions. Large photoinduced response with was observed under cw green laser excitation. With introducing a laser dye into blend films composed of DR1-copolymer and DNA complex by immersing them into dye solutions, we succeeded in the demonstration of laser oscillation with low pumping energy and quick tuning with a simple mechanical operation. For improvement of the film quality, a new surfactant including azocarbazole dye was synthesized, showing comparable laser induced birefringence.

Background Liver cirrhosis occurs in approximately 80–90% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and hepatic resection may be dangerous because of well-documented liver cirrhosis, which may be accompanied by portal hypertension (PH). Here we report a patient with advanced HCC with gastric varices and PH who experienced a good clinical course after undergoing balloon-occluded retrograde transvenous obliteration (BRTO), percutaneous transhepatic portal vein embolization (PTPE), hand-assisted laparoscopic (HALS) splenectomy, and right lobectomy of the liver. Case presentation A 72-year-old man had two HCCs with gastric varices. CT revealed one tumor (4.5 cm) located in segment 7, involving the right hepatic vein, adjacent to the middle hepatic vein. Another tumor (2.7 cm) was located in segment 6. He first underwent BRTO for gastric varices and PTPE for planned right lobectomy of the liver. To reduce PH, HALS splenectomy was performed, and uncomplicated right lobectomy of the liver was performed 10 weeks after the first visit. He has remained free of recurrence for at least 1 year. Conclusions Our patient underwent uncomplicated BRTO, PTPE, HALS splenectomy, and right lobectomy of the liver for advanced HCC with PH. Controlling portal pressure is important when hepatic resection is required to treat HCC with PH.

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) induce autophagy in many types of cancer cells. We previously reported that gefitinib (GEF) and imatinib (IMA) induce autophagy in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) knock-out A549 and non-BCR-ABL-expressing leukemia cell lines, respectively. This evidence suggests that TKI-induced autophagy is independent of the original target molecules. The present study compared the autophagy-inducing abilities of various TKIs, regardless of their targets, by quantitative autophagy flux assay. We established stable clones expressing the GFP-LC3-mCherry-LC3ΔG plasmid in A549, PC-9, and CAL 27 cell lines and assessed autophagy inducibility by monitoring the fluorescent ratios of GFP-LC3 to mCherry-LC3ΔG using an IncuCyte live cell imaging system during exposure to TKIs viz; GEF, osimertinib (OSI), lapatinib (LAP), lenvatinib (LEN), sorafenib (SOR), IMA, dasatinib (DAS), and tivantinib (TIV). Among these TKIs, DAS, GEF, and SOR exhibited prominent autophagy induction in A549 and PC-9 cells. In CAL 27 cells, IMA, SOR, and LEN, but not GEF, TIV, or OSI, exhibited autophagy induction. In the presence of azithromycin (AZM), which showed an inhibitory effect on autophagy flux, TKIs with prominent autophagy inducibility exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity via non-apoptotic cell death relative to effects of TKI alone. Therefore, autophagy inducibility of TKIs differed in the context of cancer cells. However, once induced, they appeared to have cytoprotective functions. Thus, blocking TKI-induced autophagy with AZM may improve the therapeutic effect of TKIs in cancer cells., Highlights • Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) induce autophagy regardless of their main target. • This autophagy inducibility is partially determined in the context of cancer cells. • Azithromycin (AZM) has an inhibitory effect on autophagy. • Blocking TKI-induced autophagy with AZM enhances their cytotoxicity in cancer cells. • This enhanced cytotoxicity is mediated through non-apoptotic cell death.

Removal of Pb(II) ion over several other metal ions with 25,26,27,28-tetrakis(N,N-diethylaminocarbonylmethoxy)-5,11,17,23-tetrakis(1,1,3,3-tetramethylbutyl)calix[4]arene (EATOC) from nitric acid media was investigated in a solvent extraction system. Pb(II) ion was selectively extracted over Fe(III), Co(II), Zn(II), Cu(II) and Ni(II) in the competitive model system. Further, Pb(II) ion was easily stripped from the metal-laden EATOC complex with distilled water as stripping agent. However, Pb(II) extraction and stripping in the batch system took 90 min, 24 h, respectively, to reach an equilibrium in a batch system, but it was only 2.00 s with using droplet microfluidic reactor system, which is remarkable. A rapid and selective removal of Pb(II) from a simulated wastewater effluent was also achieved. Pb(II) complexation mechanism with EATOC was investigated by using ultraviolet, Fourier transform-infrared and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies. It was found that the complexation between Pb(II) and EATOC takes place in 1:1 stoichiometric ratio through solvation mechanism. The carbonyl oxygen atoms and phenoxy oxygen atoms of EATOC played a pivotal role in Pb(II) complexation.

A 50-year-old man who presented with a fever and epigastralgia was diagnosed to have esophageal carcinoma which was identified as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma producing alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) with Barrett's esophagus. Computed tomography revealed multiple liver metastases and lymph node metastases surrounding the stomach. We first performed chemotherapy for the systemic lesions and proton beam therapy for the local control of lesions without complete remission and we were able to successfully control the frequently recurring lesions by proton beam therapy, cryotherapy and chemotherapy. A complete response has been maintained for 16 months and the overall survival time is 4 years and 2 months. Proton beam therapy for primary esophageal cancer and metastatic lesions was thus found to be an effective therapeutic option for such cases.

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEHE) is a rare tumor. Preoperative diagnosis of HEHE is difficult because it does not manifest specific symptoms or tumor markers. We report a resected case of small and solitary HEHE. The patient, a 74-year-old man, had undergone surgical resection for left renal cell carcinoma 20 years ago. During follow-up, a tumor approximately 1.3 cm in diameter was detected by computed tomography (CT) at liver segment VIII. It showed isodensity in the arterial phase, low density in the portal venous phase, and homogeneous enhancement in the late phase on CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We performed hepatic resection of the right hepatic vein drainage area. A pathological diagnosis of HEHE was made. Although small and solitary HEHE is rare, an enhancement pattern in each phase on CT and MRI, using contrast media, can yield clues for the diagnosis of HEHE.

Purpose To employ bioluminescence imaging (BLI) as a quantitative imaging biomarker to assess preclinical evaluation of cryoablation in a murine model. Materials and Methods In vitro, Colon26-Luc (C26-Luc) cells were seeded at 6 different concentrations in 35-mm dishes. These were divided into 6 groups: group 0 (G0), a control group without treatment; and groups 1–5 (G1–G5) according to the number of freeze–thaw cycles, with each cycle consisting of freezing at −80°C for 10 min followed by thawing at room temperature for 5 minutes. BLI and flow-cytometric analysis were performed after cryotherapy. In vivo, 20 tumor-bearing mice with C26-Luc cells were divided into 4 groups: group 0 (G0), a control group; and groups 1–3 (G1–G3) according to the number of freeze–thaw cycles. Each cryoablation procedure was performed for 30 seconds with liquid nitrogen (−170°C) applied with cotton-tipped applicators. BLI was acquired at 6 hours and 1, 3, and 7 days after treatments. Results In vitro, BLI signal showed a negative correlation with the number of freeze–thaw cycles (r = –0.86, P = .02). In vivo, there was no difference in tumor volume at 1 day after cryoablation among all groups, but the BLI signals were significantly different between G0 and G2/G3 (P = .03 and P = .02, respectively) and between G1 and G3 (P = .04). BLI signals reflected tumor growth speed and survival ratio. Conclusions This study demonstrates the direct validation of BLI as a quantitative tool for the early assessment of therapeutic effects of cryoablation.

Elastin-like peptides (ELPs) consist of distinctive repetitive sequences, such as (VPGVG)n, exhibit temperature-dependent reversible self-assembly (coacervation), and have been considered to be useful for the development of thermoresponsive materials. Further fundamental studies evaluating coacervative properties of novel nonlinear ELPs could present design concepts for new thermoresponsive materials. In this study, we prepared novel ELPs, cyclic (FPGVG)n (cyclo[FPGVG]n, n = 1–5), and analyzed their self-assembly properties and structural characteristics. Cyclo[FPGVG]n (n = 3–5) demonstrated stronger coacervation capacity than the corresponding linear peptides. The coacervate of cyclo[FPGVG]5 was able to retain water-soluble dye molecules at 40 °C, which implied that cyclo[FPGVG]5 could be employed as a base material of DDS (drug delivery system) matrices and other biomaterials. The results of molecular dynamics simulations and circular dichroism measurements suggested that a certain chain length was requ...

A prospective multicenter phase I/II trial was performed to evaluate the clinical safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for metastatic bone tumors. Thirty-three patients (27 men, 6 women, mean age 61 years) with metastatic bone tumors were enrolled. In phase I, nine patients were enrolled, and the safety of RFA was evaluated. In phase II, 23 patients were included, and an intent-to-treat analysis was performed. The primary endpoint was to evaluate the treatment’s safety. The secondary endpoint was to evaluate the efficacy of pain relief at 1 week after RFA. RFA was performed in 32 of 33 enrolled patients. No serious complications were observed during the phase I, so phase II was performed. Four patients exhibited adverse events, including one case each of Grade 3 pain and, Grade 2 hypotension, and one patient developed Grade 1 burns at the grounding pad and puncture site. One patient died of liver failure on day 7 after RFA due to the progression of the primary lesion. The efficacy was excellent (no increase in analgesic dosage, post-RFA VAS score of 0–2 or decreased by not less than 5 compared to before RFA) in 20 patients (60.6%), good (no increase in analgesic dosage, post-RFA VAS score decreased by not less than 2 but by

Elastin-like peptides (ELP) are distinct, repetitive, hydrophobic sequences, such as (VPGVG)n, that exhibit coacervation— the property of reversible, temperature-dependent self-association and dissociation. ELPs can be found in elastin and have been developed as new scaffold biomaterials. However, the detailed relationship between their amino acid sequences and coacervation properties remain obscure because of the structural flexibility of ELPs. In this study, we synthesized a novel, dimeric ELP analog (H-C(WPGVG)3-NH2)2, henceforth abbreviated to (CW3)2, and analyzed its self-assembly properties and structural factors as indicators of coacervation. Turbidity measurements showed that (CW3)2 demonstrated coacervation at a much lower concentration than its monomeric form and another ELP. In addition, the coacervate held water-soluble dye molecules. Thus, potent and distinct coacervation was obtained with a remarkably short sequence of (CW3)2. Furthermore, fluorescence microscopy, dynamic light scattering, a...

Stepwise recovery of silver(I), palladium(II) and platinum(IV) with suitable calix[4]arene extractants was carried out by investigating the extraction and stripping process using a droplet-based mi...

The principal aim of this study was to evaluate radiation exposure of interventionalists during computed tomography (CT) fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous cryoablation (PCA) using radiophotoluminescent glass dosimeters (RPLDs). The radioprotective effects of safety glasses and lead apron were also evaluated.Radiation exposure of interventionalists during 46 CT fluoroscopy-guided PCA procedures was evaluated. Entrance surface dose (ESD) was measured using RPLDs on multiple sites: five sites, representing eye lens exposure; five sites, representing body exposure; and four sites, representing skin exposure. The ESD values on multiple sites were compared between different PCA procedures (renal, liver, and bone).The mean ESD on the X-ray-side hand exhibited the highest value (358.8 μGy). Regarding evaluation sites representing exposure to the eye lens, the highest ESD inside the radiation protective glasses was detected on the X-ray-side cheek (167.1 μGy). Most ESD values among multiple sites (10/14) were linearly correlated with CT fluoroscopy time. Among them, the ESD values measured during renal and liver PCA were relatively higher than those measured during bone PCA, especially on the chest area outside the lead apron, and on the X-ray tube-side elbow and hand during renal and bone PCA. Radioprotective effects of safety glasses and lead apron ranged from 44.6 to 50.6% and from 30.2 to 79.6%, respectively, on each evaluation site.The site with the highest radiation exposure on interventionalists during CT fluoroscopy-guided PCA was the X-ray tube-side hand. Radiation exposure of interventionalists was at acceptable levels and consistent with the recommended dose limits.

Background We compared clinical outcomes of carbon ion radiotherapy and transarterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Data of 477 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma who had undergone carbon ion radiotherapy or transarterial chemoembolization between April 2007 and September 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Treatment naïve patients with single HCC, who underwent carbon ion radiotherapy or transarterial chemoembolization as a primary treatment were included. Clinical outcomes of the treatments were compared after utilizing propensity score matching. Results Of 124 patients who received carbon ion radiotherapy and 353 patients who received transarterial chemoembolization, 31 and 23 patients met our inclusion criteria, respectively. After utilizing propensity score matching, 17 matched pairs of patients from each treatment group were analyzed. The median follow-up durations after carbon ion radiotherapy and transarterial chemoembolization were 43 and 32 months, respectively. The 3-year overall survival, local control, and progression-free survival rates in the carbon ion radiotherapy versus transarterial chemoembolization groups were 88% versus 58% (p

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) have recently attracted the attention of researchers and industry because they are small, easily fabricated, inexpensive, and require small sample volumes. However, it is difficult to simplify complex assays on such devices because there are limited means of fluid control. Therefore, in the present study we developed a thermoresponsive valve membrane by polymerizing N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) in a porous membrane. PNIPAAm is a thermoresponsive polymer; it becomes hydrophilic below, and hydrophobic above, the lower critical solution temperature (LCST; 32 °C). We used a green dye solution to investigate flow in a three-dimensionally stacked, T-shaped paper network containing the thermoresponsive valve. The valve membrane was able to prevent the passage of green dye at 25 °C ( LCST). The result demonstrates that our thermoresponsive valve could be used in µPADs. Moreover, it has the potential to automatically enable complex immunoassays in µPADs and improve their versatility.

In this study, the microreactor system was investigated and compared with the batch-wise system as rapid and effective extractive Pb(II) separation over Fe(III), Cu(II) and Zn(II) with tetraacetic acid calix[4]arene. By using a microreactor system, the Pb(II) extraction percentages reached the maximum of 73, 89 and 100% in 8 sec residence time at equilibrium pH of 2.00, 2.25 and 2.50, respectively. The stripping percentage was 92% at 8 sec residence time by using a microreactor system with 2.0 M HNO3 as a stripping reagent. Complete separation of Pb(II) over Fe(III), Cu(II) and Zn(II) ions with the tetraacetic acid calix[4]arene in a competitive metal system was achieved at pH 2.00. However, the batch system required 24 h to reach the equilibrium for both extraction and stripping processes. The results suggested that the microreactor system enhanced the Pb(II) extraction and stripping rate up to 104 times faster than the batch-wise system.

Protein crystallization and subsequent X-ray diffraction analysis of the three-dimensional structure are necessary for elucidation of the biological functions of proteins and effective rational drug design. Therefore, controlling protein crystallization is important to obtain high resolution X-ray diffraction data. Here, a simple microfluidic method using chips with 10 and 50 μm high crystallization chambers to selectively form suitable single protein crystals for X-ray analysis is demonstrated. As proof of concept, three different types of proteins: lysozyme, glucokinase from Pseudoalteromonas sp. AS-131 (PsGK), and NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase–heme oxygenase complex were crystallized. We demonstrate that the crystal growth orientation depends on the height of the crystallization chamber regardless of the protein type. Our results suggest that the confined micro space induces the protein molecules to adhere to a specific crystal face and affects the growth kinetics of each crystal face. The present microfluidic-based protein crystallization method can reform a suitable single protein crystal for X-ray analysis from aggregates of needle-shaped protein crystals.