Oita University

About: Oita University is a education organization based out in Ōita, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Helicobacter pylori & Cancer. The organization has 4566 authors who have published 8666 publications receiving 142963 citations. The organization is also known as: Ōita daigaku.

Genome-wide microRNA expression profiling in renal cell carcinoma: significant down-regulation of miR-141 and miR-200c.

Abstract: We investigated expression profiles of microRNA (miRNA) in renal cell carcinoma [clear cell carcinomas (CCC) and chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (ChCC)] and in normal kidneys by using a miRNA microarray platform which covers a total of 470 human miRNAs (Sanger miRBase release 9.1). Unsupervised hierarchical cluster analysis revealed that CCC and ChCC were separable and that no subgroups were identified in CCCs. We found that 43 miRNAs were differentially expressed between CCC and normal kidney, of which 37 were significantly down-regulated in CCC and the other 6 were up-regulated. We also found that 57 miRNAs were differentially expressed between ChCC and normal kidney, of which 51 were significantly down-regulated in ChCC and the other 6 were up-regulated. Together, these observations indicate that expression of miRNAs tends to be down-regulated in both CCC and ChCC compared with normal kidney. We observed that miR-141 and miR-200c were the most significantly down-regulated miRNAs in CCCs. Indeed, in all cases of CCC analysed, both miR-141 and miR-200c were down-regulated in comparison with normal kidney. Microarray data and quantitative RT-PCR showed that these two miRNAs were expressed concordantly. TargetScan algorithm revealed that ZFHX1B mRNA is a hypothetical target of both miR-141 and -200c. We established by quantitative RT-PCR that, in CCCs in which miR-141 and miR-200c were down-regulated, ZFHX1B, a transcriptional repressor for CDH1/E-cadherin, tended to be up-regulated. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of miR-141 and miR-200c caused down-regulation of ZFHX1B and up-regulation of E-cadherin in two renal carcinoma cell lines, ACHN and 786-O. On the basis of these findings, we suggest that down-regulation of miR-141 and miR-200c in CCCs might be involved in suppression of CDH1/E-cadherin transcription via up-regulation of ZFHX1B.

Safety and efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis in patients with active ulcerative colitis: a multicenter study.

Abstract: Active ulcerative colitis (UC) is characterized by activation and infiltration of granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages into the colonic mucosa. The infiltrated leukocytes can cause mucosal damage by releasing degradative proteases, reactive oxygen derivatives, and proinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this trial (conducted in 14 specialist centers) was to assess safety and efficacy of granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis in patients with active UC most of whom were refractory to conventional drug therapy. We used a new adsorptive type extracorporeal column (G-1 Adacolumn) filled with cellulose acetate beads (carriers) of 2 mm in diameter, which selectively adsorb granulocytes and monocytes/macrophages. Patients (n = 53) received five apheresis sessions, each of 60 minutes duration, flow rate 30 ml per minute for 5 consecutive weeks in combination with 24.4 +/- 3.60 mg prednisolone (mean +/- SE per patient per day, baseline dose). During 60 minutes apheresis, 26% of granulocytes, 19.5% of monocytes and 2% of lymphocytes adsorbed to the carriers. At week 7, 58.5% of patients had remission or improved, the dose of prednisolone was reduced to 14.2 +/- 2.25 mg (n = 37). The apheresis treatment was fairly safe, only eight non-severe side effects (in 5 patients) were reported. Based on our results, we believe that in patients with active severe UC, patients who are refractory to conventional drugs, granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis is a useful adjunct to conventional therapy. This procedure should have the potential to allow tapering the dose of corticosteroids, shorten the time to remission and delay relapse.

Discovery of face-centered-cubic ruthenium nanoparticles: facile size-controlled synthesis using the chemical reduction method.

Abstract: We report the first discovery of pure face-centered-cubic (fcc) Ru nanoparticles. Although the fcc structure does not exist in the bulk Ru phase diagram, fcc Ru was obtained at room temperature because of the nanosize effect. We succeeded in separately synthesizing uniformly sized nanoparticles of both fcc and hcp Ru having diameters of 2–5.5 nm by simple chemical reduction methods with different metal precursors. The prepared fcc and hcp nanoparticles were both supported on γ-Al2O3, and their catalytic activities in CO oxidation were investigated and found to depend on their structure and size.

Intermediate Temperature Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Using a New LaGaO3 Based Oxide Ion Conductor I. Doped as a New Cathode Material

Abstract: ‐based perovskite oxides doped with Sr and Mg exhibit high ionic conductivity over a wide range of oxygen partial pressure. In this study, the stability of ‐based oxide was investigated. The ‐based oxide was found to be very stable in reducing, oxidizing, and atmospheres. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) using ‐based perovskite‐type oxide as the electrolyte were studied for use in intermediate‐temperature SOFCs. The power‐generation characteristics of cells were strongly affected by the electrodes. Both Ni and (Ln:rare earth) were suitable for use as anode and cathode, respectively. Rare‐earth cations in the Ln site of the Co‐based perovskite cathode also had a significant effect on the power‐generation characteristics. In particular, a high power density could be attained in the temperature range 973–1273 K by using a doped for the cathode. Among the examined alkaline earth cations, Sr‐doped exhibits the smallest cathodic overpotential resulting in the highest power density. The electrical conductivity of increased with increasing Sr doped into the Sm site and attained a maximum at . The cathodic overpotential and internal resistance of the cell exhibited almost the opposite dependence on the amount of doped Sr. Consequently, the power density of the cell was a maximum when was used as the cathode. For this cell, the maximum power density was as high as 0.58 W/cm2 at 1073 K, even though a 0.5 mm thick electrolyte was used. This study revealed that a ‐based oxide for electrolyte and a ‐based oxide for the cathode are promising components for SOFCs operating at intermediate temperature.

Tokyo Guidelines 2018 surgical management of acute cholecystitis: safe steps in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis (with videos)

Abstract: In some cases, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) may be difficult to perform in patients with acute cholecystitis (AC) with severe inflammation and fibrosis. The Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) expand the indications for LC under difficult conditions for each level of severity of AC. As a result of expanding the indications for LC to treat AC, it is absolutely necessary to avoid any increase in bile duct injury (BDI), particularly vasculo-biliary injury (VBI), which is known to occur at a certain rate in LC. Since the Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13), an attempt has been made to assess intraoperative findings as objective indicators of surgical difficulty; based on expert consensus on these difficulty indicators, bail-out procedures (including conversion to open cholecystectomy) have been indicated for cases in which LC for AC is difficult to perform. A bail-out procedure should be chosen if, when the Calot's triangle is appropriately retracted and used as a landmark, a critical view of safety (CVS) cannot be achieved because of the presence of nondissectable scarring or severe fibrosis. We propose standardized safe steps for LC to treat AC. To achieve a CVS, it is vital to dissect at a location above (on the ventral side of) the imaginary line connecting the base of the left medial section (Segment 4) and the roof of Rouviere's sulcus and to fulfill the three criteria of CVS before dividing any structures. Achieving a CVS prevents the misidentification of the cystic duct and the common bile duct, which are most commonly confused. Free full articles and mobile app of TG18 are available at: http://www.jshbps.jp/modules/en/index.php?content_id=47. Related clinical questions and references are also included.