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The Spirocyclic Imine from a Marine Benthic Dinoflagellate, Portimine, Is a Potent Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Therapeutic Lead Compound
Get PDFIn this study, we aimed to find chemicals from lower sea animals with defensive effects against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). A library of marine natural products consisting of 80 compounds was screened for activity against HIV-1 infection using a luciferase-encoding HIV-1 vector. We identified five compounds that decreased luciferase activity in the vector-inoculated cells. In particular, portimine, isolated from the benthic dinoflagellate Vulcanodinium rugosum, exhibited significant anti-HIV-1 activity. Portimine inhibited viral infection with an 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 4.1 nM and had no cytotoxic effect on the host cells at concentrations less than 200 nM. Portimine also inhibited vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G)-pseudotyped HIV-1 vector infection. This result suggested that portimine mainly targeted HIV-1 Gag or Pol protein. To analyse which replication steps portimine affects, luciferase sequences were amplified by semi-quantitative PCR in total DNA. This analysis revealed that portimine inhibits HIV-1 vector infection before or at the reverse transcription step. Portimine has also been shown to have a direct effect on reverse transcriptase using an in vitro reverse transcriptase assay. Portimine efficiently inhibited HIV-1 replication and is a potent lead compound for developing novel therapeutic drugs against HIV-1-induced diseases
Reconstruction of tracheocutaneous fistula with a rhomboid flap
Get PDFVarious complications associated with tracheal stomas have been reported, including mechanical trauma to the peristomal skin, infection, folliculitis, granuloma, and fistula. Among them, a tracheocutaneous fistula generally requires surgical repair. A number of methods have been reported for reconstruction of fistulas using musculocutaneous flaps or free flaps. However, those surgical techniques are all designed for complete close of the tracheocutaneous fistula and stoma, while partial closure of the stoma around the indwelling tracheal tube is not well described in the literature. We report on the use of a rhomboid flap for partial closure of a tracheal stoma. The rhomboid flap is a local flap that is frequently used by plastic surgeons because of its broad applications and not being very invasive. This is a low invasive and simple technique for partial closure of an excessively enlarged stoma
Development of Silicon-based Simulator for Thyroid Surgical Practice
Get PDFFine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is commonly used and is essential for diagnosing thyroid diseases. Despite its widespread use, it presents a significant barrier for doctors who lack experience with this procedure, owing to the inherent difficulty involved in identifying and avoiding venous arteries such as the internal jugular vein, common carotid artery, and trachea. At this stage, a universal neck simulator supporting FNAC practice has yet to be developed. This project is based on an earlier simulator developed by the authors. However, a number of significant improvements have been made to bring this closer to what could be potentially a practical simulator for thyroid FNAC practice. Improvements have been made in terms of the accuracy of the organs and the addition of muscle tissue, but the most significant issue is the use of a material that does not require special storage, namely, silicone mixed with a number of compounds as required to sonographically and haptically simulate the neck and thyroid
長崎の原爆被爆者に発症した骨髄異形成症候群のゲノム解析
No full textIonizing radiation is a risk factor for myeloid neoplasms including myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), and atomic bomb survivors have been shown to have a significantly higher risk of MDS. Our previous analyses demonstrated that MDS among these survivors had a significantly higher frequency of complex karyotypes and structural alterations of chromosomes 3, 8, and 11. However, there was no difference in the median survival time between MDS among survivors compared with those of de novo origin. This suggested that a different pathophysiology may underlie the causative genetic aberrations for those among survivors. In this study, we performed genome analyses of MDS among survivors and found that proximally exposed patients had significantly fewer mutations in genes such as TET2 along the DNA methylation pathways, and they had a significantly higher rate of 11q deletions. Among the genes located in the deleted portion of chromosome 11, alterations of ATM were significantly more frequent in proximally exposed group with mutations identified on the remaining allele in 2 out of 5 cases. TP53, which is frequently mutated in therapy-related myeloid neoplasms, was equally affected between proximally and distally exposed patients. These results suggested that the genetic aberration profiles in MDS among atomic bomb survivors differed from those in therapy-related and de novo origin. Considering the role of ATM in DNA damage response after radiation exposure, further studies are warranted to elucidate how 11q deletion and aberrations of ATM contribute to the pathogenesis of MDS after radiation exposure.長崎大学学位論文 学位記番号:博(医歯薬)甲第1186号 学位授与年月日:令和元年9月4日Author: Masataka Taguchi, Hiroyuki Mishima, Yusuke Shiozawa, Chisa Hayashida, Akira Kinoshita, Yasuhito Nannya, Hideki Makishima, Makiko Horai, Masatoshi Matsuo, Shinya Sato, Hidehiro Itonaga, Takeharu Kato, Hiroaki Taniguchi, Daisuke Imanishi, Yoshitaka Imaizumi, Tomoko Hata, Motoi Takenaka, Yukiyoshi Moriuchi, Yuichi Shiraishi, Satoru Miyano, Seishi Ogawa, Koh-ichiro Yoshiura, Yasushi MiyazakiCitation: Haematologica, 105(2), pp.358-365; 202
Serum levels of fibroblast growth factor-2 distinguish Takayasu arteritis from giant cell arteritis independent of age at diagnosis
No full textTakayasu arteritis (TAK) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) are two major variants of large vessel vasculitis, and age is a major factor in their differential diagnosis. We sought to determine whether the two diseases exist on the same spectrum. We compared the serum levels of multiple cytokines and chemokines in 25 patients with TAK, 20 patients with GCA, and sex- and age-matched healthy donors for either condition (HD-TAK and HD-GCA). To evaluate the effects of age on the levels of cytokines and chemokines,
we performed multiple logistic regression analysis using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method.
The levels of IL-1RA, IL-10, GM-CSF, G-CSF, FGF-2, eotaxin, and IP-10 were significantly different between TAK and GCA, but no differences were found in the levels of IL-6, IL-12(p40), IL-17, IFN-γ, and TNF-α.
Significant differences in the levels of IL-1RA, IL-10, GM-CSF, eotaxin,and IP-10 were observed between the HD-TAK and HD-GCA groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that only FGF-2 and IP-10 could significantly distinguish the diseases when added to age.
Multiple logistic analysis using factors selected by the LASSO method revealed that FGF-2 was the only significant factor
to distinguish the diseases when added to age. Among numerous cytokines and chemokines analyzed, only FGF-2 could be used together with age at diagnosis to differentiate TAK and GCA.Our results suggested the importance of considering the effects of age on serum cytokines
Playing is learning in preschool education: Comparison of preschool education between China and Japan
No full textThe article compares the current situation of preschool education between China and Japan. Focuses on the attitude of the two countries to "play is learning", and also lists the importance of playing. In contrast, children in kindergartens in China spend less time playing on their own, and the curriculum
is less diverse. How to change the present situation of Chinese preschool education and learn the advanced aspects of Japanese preschool education are mentioned at the end of the article
Archaeological sites and Ceramics in the East Africa -An example of educational research practice supported by crowdfunding
No full textThe purpose of this research is to clarify the relationship between East Africa and Asia from the perspective of ceramics trade. To that end, we challenged to acquire research funds through crowdfunding. As a result, we acquired our travel expenses to Africa and conducted our field survey in the summer of 2018. We went to Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, Bagamoyo, and Kilwa Kisiwani, and surveyed some museums and archaeological sites and investigated ceramics. In Zanzibar, we found some Japanese porcelains in the Palace museum. They were produced in Arita, Saga prefecture in the 19th century. And we collected many shards of Chinese porcelain on the beach in Stone Town, Zanzibar. They show us the condition of ceramic trade in the Indian Ocean. Then we researched on the collection of museums in Dar es Salaam and Bagamoyo. Moreover we went to Kilwa Kisiwani site and researched the tomb of Sultan where Japanese porcelain was discovered half a century ago. It was blue and white dish with the design of Kraak style and was produced in Arita in the 17th century. Although the research on ceramic trade between East Africa and Asia in the early modern period has just begun, we have found the possibility of the research
