Outcomes of brachial artery transposition in hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE: In hemodialysis patients with a difficult access extremity who are not suitable for an arteriovenous fistula or arteriovenous graft creation, the concept of cannulating a superficialized artery for arterial outflow in dialysis sessions has been adopted as a tertiary alternative. However, its long-term patency and complications have not been recognized widely. We report our 16-year experience with hemodialysis access creation using the brachial artery transposition (BAT) technique. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent BAT for hemodialysis vascular access between June 1, 2006, and December 31, 2022. The patency of the whole access circuit and the transposed brachial artery itself was evaluated independently. RESULTS: In total, 193 surgical procedures were included. The success rate was 93.2%. The mean operative time was 128 minutes. The median interval from access placement to first cannulation was 21 days. The primary patency rates for BAT were 92.3%, 91.3%, 90.3%, 86.1%, and 71.9% at 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. The secondary patency rates for BAT were 96.3%, 96.3%, 95.0%, 90.1%, and 74.9% at 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 years, respectively. The primary patency rates for the whole access circuit were 61.4%, 49.2%, 45.8%, and 26.9% at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The secondary patency rates for the whole access circuit were 85.1%, 83.3%, 82.0%, and 68.6% at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years, respectively. The overall patient survival rates were 79.6%, 69.6%, 54.6%, 36.5%, and 13.4% at 1, 2, 3, 5 and 10 years, respectively. The abandonments of BAT were brachial artery thrombosis (n = 6), pseudoaneurysm (n = 2), aneurysmal change (n = 1), and other reasons (n = 1). The abandonments of the whole access circuit were exhaustion of venous return (n = 26), abandonment of BAT (n = 7), and other reasons (n = 2). Complications were exhaustion of venous return (n = 26), aneurysmal change (n = 12), pseudoaneurysm (n = 6), brachial artery thrombosis (n = 7), impaired wound healing (n = 19), lymphorrhea (n = 9), skin infection (n = 5), hematoma on cannulation (n = 3), and reduced peripheral blood flow (n = 2). CONCLUSIONS: The patency of BAT was excellent, and that of the whole access circuit was adequate, with a few complications. BAT is an effective alternative from a long-term perspective for patients who are unsuitable for conventional hemodialysis access creation.

Evaluation of a Novel Immunochromatographic Assay Using Monoclonal Antibodies against the Matrix Protein of Human Metapneumovirus.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity of a novel immunochromatographic (IC) assay (APD1806) using monoclonal antibodies against the matrix (M) protein of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) for detection of hMPV from nasopharyngeal swab samples based on the results of real-time RT-PCR. METHODS: Nasopharyngeal swab samples taken from 189 patients aged 0 - 5 years who were suspected of having respiratory tract infections associated with hMPV were used in this study. The samples were tested both by the IC assay and by real-time RT-PCR for detection of hMPV. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of the IC assay for detection of hMPV were 88.8% (95/107) and 92.7% (76/82), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The IC assay using monoclonal antibodies against the M protein of hMPV is an accurate and fast assay that is suitable as a diagnostic tool for hMPV infection. The optimal timing of the IC assay is 12 hours or more after the onset of fever due to hMPV infection.

Repression of mitochondrial metabolism for cytosolic pyruvate-derived chemical production in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

BACKGROUND: Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a suitable host for the industrial production of pyruvate-derived chemicals such as ethanol and 2,3-butanediol (23BD). For the improvement of the productivity of these chemicals, it is essential to suppress the unnecessary pyruvate consumption in S. cerevisiae to redirect the metabolic flux toward the target chemical production. In this study, mitochondrial pyruvate transporter gene (MPC1) or the essential gene for mitophagy (ATG32) was knocked-out to repress the mitochondrial metabolism and improve the production of pyruvate-derived chemical in S. cerevisiae. RESULTS: The growth rates of both aforementioned strains were 1.6-fold higher than that of the control strain. 13C-metabolic flux analysis revealed that both strains presented similar flux distributions and successfully decreased the tricarboxylic acid cycle fluxes by 50% compared to the control strain. Nevertheless, the intracellular metabolite pool sizes were completely different, suggesting distinct metabolic effects of gene knockouts in both strains. This difference was also observed in the test-tube culture for 23BD production. Knockout of ATG32 revealed a 23.6-fold increase in 23BD titer (557.0 ± 20.6 mg/L) compared to the control strain (23.5 ± 12.8 mg/L), whereas the knockout of MPC1 revealed only 14.3-fold increase (336.4 ± 113.5 mg/L). Further investigation using the anaerobic high-density fermentation test revealed that the MPC1 knockout was more effective for ethanol production than the 23BD production. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the engineering of the mitochondrial transporters and membrane dynamics were effective in controlling the mitochondrial metabolism to improve the productivities of chemicals in yeast cytosol.

Clinical effectiveness of four neuraminidase inhibitors (oseltamivir, zanamivir, laninamivir, and peramivir) for children with influenza A and B in the 2014-2015 to 2016-2017 influenza seasons in Japan.

The clinical effectiveness of four neuraminidase inhibitors (NAIs) (oseltamivir, zanamivir, laninamivir, and peramivir) for children aged 0 months to 18 years with influenza A and B were investigated in the 2014-2015 to 2016-2017 influenza seasons in Japan. A total of 1207 patients (747 with influenza A and 460 with influenza B) were enrolled. The Cox proportional-hazards model using all of the patients showed that the duration of fever after administration of the first dose of the NAI was shorter in older patients (hazard ratio = 1.06 per 1 year of age, p < 0.001) and that the duration of fever after administration of the first dose of the NAI was shorter in patients with influenza A infection than in patients with influenza B infection (hazard ratio = 2.21, p < 0.001). A logistic regression model showed that the number of biphasic fever episodes was 2.99-times greater for influenza B-infected patients than for influenza A-infected patients (p < 0.001). The number of biphasic fever episodes in influenza A- or B-infected patients aged 0-4 years was 2.89-times greater than that in patients aged 10-18 years (p = 0.010), and the number of episodes in influenza A- or B-infected patients aged 5-9 years was 2.13-times greater than that in patients aged 10-18 years (p = 0.012).

The intentional oblique transection double stapling technique in anterior resection for rectal cancer.

The double stapling technique (DST) is an intestinal reconstruction technique that has been widely adopted in anterior resection (AR) for rectal cancer. However, anastomotic leakage (AL) after the operation remains a major concern for colorectal surgeons. The sharp-angled corner of the remnant rectum that is often created by the ordinary DST can be a risk factor for AL. We have developed a new method of performing intentional oblique transection DST (IOT-DST). Using this technique, the anal side of the rectum is intentionally obliquely transected with linear staplers, and the area of the sharp-angled edge is totally punched out with a circular stapler. Between September 2015 and March 2016, we used the IOT-DST technique in the treatment of 15 consecutive rectal cancer patients and experienced no anastomosis-related complications, including leakage and stenosis. IOT-DST is easy to use and less stressful to perform than other techniques. IOT-DST has the potential to become the standard technique for AR in rectal cancer surgery.

Theoretical study on diradical characters and nonlinear optical properties of 1,3-diradical compounds.

We investigate the relationships between the diradical character (y) and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of open-shell 1,3-diradical compounds using the broken-symmetry density functional theory method. The 2,2-substituent effects on the structure-property relationship are clarified for several 1,3-diphenylcyclopentane-1,3-diyl derivatives, which are known as the systems with weak or intermediate π-single-bonding characters. The parent 1,3-diphenylcyclopentane-1,3-diyl (1a: X = H) is found to be almost pure diradical (y ∼ 1) owing to the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO). The energy gap is determined by the balance of the through-space coupling with the through bond coupling effect. On the other hand, the introduction of the electron-withdrawing substituents X at the C2 position of cyclopentane-1,3-diyls (1b: X = OH, 1c: X = F) is found to decrease the y-value owing to the effects of additional through-bond interactions. As a result, 1b and 1c are found to have intermediate y. Static second hyperpolarizabilities (γ) of 1b and 1c are found to be enhanced by a factor of ∼4.5 and ∼6.4, respectively, compared with those of the pure singlet diradical 1a and those of the triplet 1a-1c. From the analysis of the third-order responses of electron density, the introduction of the 2,2-substituents is found to enhance the field-induced third-order polarizations over the whole system. We also investigate the effects of asymmetric donor/acceptor substitutions at the para positions of phenyl rings on the response properties. Although the asymmetric donor/acceptor substitutions have no significant impact on y in the present systems, they are found to provide the increase of γ from the corresponding nonsubstituted analogues. The present results have revealed strong correlation between the π-bonding character (diradical character) and third-order NLO properties in the real 1,3-diradical compounds. On the basis of the theoretically predicted correlation in the real systems, NLO measurements are speculated to be utilized as a new probe of the unique chemical bonding nature in such localized diradical compounds, which is one of the fundamental subjects in chemistry.

Thermally and chemically stable mixed valence copper oxide cluster ions revealed by post heating.

Copper oxide clusters, Cu(n)O(m)(+) (n = 5-12), were prepared in the gas phase by laser ablation of a copper metal rod in the presence of oxygen diluted in He as the carrier gas. The stoichiometry of the cluster ions was investigated using mass spectrometry. The number ratio of copper atoms and oxygen atoms in Cu(n)O(m)(+) was distributed from n:m = 1:1-3:2, which was not affected significantly by the concentration of oxygen in the carrier gas as long as it exceeded 2%. When the cluster ions were heated up to 573 K downstream of the cluster source (post heating), Cu(n)O(m)(+) (n:m ≈ 3:2) clusters were selectively and dominantly formed as a result of thermal dissociation. No further changes in the ratio were observed when the clusters were heated up to 623 K. From the stoichiometry, Cu(n)O(m)(+) is considered to comprise both Cu(I) and Cu(II). Hence, the mixed valence states are found to be thermally stable for the small clusters in the gas phase, but they are not stable in the bulk phase. In addition to the thermal stability, we observed reactivity of Cu(n)O(m)(+) with CO molecules. It was found that Cu12O8(+) hardly binds to CO and that Cu9O6(+) and Cu6O4(+) along with other clusters with n:m ≈ 3:2 bind to CO very weakly, whereas CO attaches strongly to oxygen-rich clusters with release of an oxygen molecule.

A case of unusual renal manifestation in a patient with neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease treated with steroids.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by intranuclear inclusions. Kidney injury involvement and successful treatment for NIID have rarely been reported. A NIID patient developed crescentic IgA nephropathy. Steroid therapy resolved digestive symptoms and recovered renal function. Steroids are considered for concomitant symptoms of NIID.

Severe TAFRO Syndrome Mimicking Hepatorenal Syndrome Successfully Treated with a Multidisciplinary Approach: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Finding the ideal balance between efficacy and safety of immunosuppression is challenging, particularly in cases of severe TAFRO syndrome. We herein report a 60-year-old man diagnosed with grade 5 TAFRO syndrome mimicking hepatorenal syndrome that was successfully treated by glucocorticoid, tocilizumab, and cyclosporin despite virus infection. Furthermore, by examining 14 peer-reviewed remission cases, we revealed that the recovery periods among inflammation, renal dysfunction, and thrombocytopenia were quite different, with recovery from thrombocytopenia notably slow. All patients requiring dialysis were successfully withdrawn from dialysis, and the reversibility from kidney injury was good. This clinical information will help clinicians plan treatments and tailor the intensity of immunosuppression.

Improvement of 2,3-butanediol production by dCas9 gene expression system in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been widely used in bioproduction. To produce a target product other than ethanol, ethanol production must be decreased to enhance target production. An ethanol non-producing yeast strain was previously constructed by knocking out pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) genes in the ethanol synthetic pathway. However, glucose uptake by the ethanol-non-producing yeast strain was significantly decreased. In this study, dead Cas9 (dCas9) was used to reduce ethanol synthesis during 2,3-butanediol production without reduction of glucose. The binding site of guide RNA used to effectively suppress PDC1 promoter-driven red fluorescent protein expression by dCas9 was identified and applied to control PDC1 expression. The production of 2,3-butanediol rather than ethanol was improved in repetitive test tube culture. Additionally, ethanol production was decreased and 2,3-butanediol production was increased in the strain expressing dCas9 targeting the PDC1 promoter in the third round of cultivation, compared with the control strain.

Diet-related changes of basal lamina fenestrations in the villous epithelium of the rat small intestine: Statistical analysis on scanning electron microscopy.

The epithelial basal lamina of the small intestine has numerous fenestrations for intraepithelial migration of leukocytes. We have reported dynamic changes of fenestrations in dietary conditions. To investigate this phenomenon, we performed statistical analyses using scanning electron microscopy images of the epithelial basal lamina of rat intestinal villi after removal of the villous epithelium by osmium maceration. We examined structural changes in the number and size of fenestrations in the rat jejunum and ileum under fasted and fed states for 24 h. Our findings revealed that, in the jejunum, the number of free cells migrating into the epithelium through fenestrations increased from 2 h after feeding, resulting in an increase in the fenestration size of intestinal villi; the number of free cells then tended to decrease at 6 h after feeding, and the fenestration size also gradually decreased. By contrast, the increase in the fenestration size by feeding was not statistically significant in the ileum. These findings indicate that the number of migrating cells increases in the upper part of the small intestine under dietary conditions, which may influence the absorption efficiency of nutrients including lipids, as well as the induction of nutrient-induced inflammation.

A rare case of atypical ANCA-associated vasculitis without crescents overlapping with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis, successfully treated to remission with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is life-threatening without treatment, but aggressive immunosuppression increases the risk of exacerbating a coexisting infection. Finding the balance between efficacy and safety of immunosuppression is challenging. We describe a 74-year-old man who was diagnosed with AAV following the aggravation of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis that required an aggressive antifungal agent. The laboratory data on admission demonstrated severe kidney failure requiring hemodialysis. Due to the active infection, we chose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) as a low-risk initial treatment, which remarkably improved renal dysfunction (serum creatinine; 16.7 mg/dL-3.7 mg/dL) and systemic inflammation. Renal biopsy that was performed after renal recovery revealed atypical ANCA-associated nephritis without cellular crescents but with massive arteritis with multiple vascular sizes and diffuse interstitial inflammation. Despite these active AAV findings, adding plasma exchange therapy (PE) and low-dose steroids were sufficient to induce remission. The main pathogenesis of severe renal impairment was probably the reduction of blood flow, resulting from occlusions of small arteries by inflammatory cell infiltration and vascular endothelial injury due to AAV. Combination treatment with antifungal agents, IVIg, PE, and low-dose steroid treatment led to complete resolution of vasculitis. The specific histological findings and the good response to treatments suggest that pulmonary aspergillosis might trigger vasculitis through induction of ANCA antigen expression. IVIg could be an important option especially for cases of AAV associated with pulmonary aspergillosis.

Clinical impact of perirenal thickness on short- and long-term outcomes of gastric cancer after curative surgery.

Background: A variety of factors for short- and long-term outcomes have been reported after radical resection for gastric cancer (GC). Obesity and emaciation had been reported to be a cause of poor short- and long-term outcomes with gastrointestinal cancer. However, the indicators are still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between perirenal thickness (PT) and short- and long-term outcomes after radical surgery for GC. Methods: We analyzed the data of 364 patients with GC who underwent radical surgery. We evaluated the distance from the anterior margin of the quadratus lumborum muscle to the dorsal margin of the left renal pole using computed tomography (CT) as an indicator of PT. The association between PT and clinicopathological factors and short- and long-term outcomes was evaluated. Results: The PT data were divided into low, normal, and high groups by gender using the tertile value. We found that the PT low group was 121 patients, normal group was 121 patients, and high group was 122 patients. Multivariate analyses showed that the high PT group was an independent risk factor for a short-outcome after curative surgery in GC patients (odds ratio 2.163; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.156-4.046; P = .016). And the low PT group was an independent risk factor for overall survival (hazard ratio 2.488; 95% CI 1.400-4.421; P = .0019) and relapse-free survival (hazard ratio 2.342; 95% CI 1.349-4.064; P = .0025) after curative surgery in GC patients. Conclusion: Perirenal thickness is a simple and useful factor for predicting short- and long-term outcomes after radical surgery for GC.

Retroperitoneal fibrous tumor recurring as lung metastases after 10 years: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a relatively rare mesenchymal tumor that mainly affects adults. Its prognosis is good after curative resection, but distant recurrences after 10 years or longer have been reported. Recurrent SFT usually arises as a local lesion; distant metastasis is rarely reported. Here, we report lung metastases that recurred a decade after excising a retroperitoneal primary SFT. CASE PRESENTATION: A 44-year-old woman had an SFT resected from her right retroperitoneum at our hospital. Ten years later, at age 54, she underwent a lung resection after CT showed three suspected metastases in her left lung. All three were histologically diagnosed as lung metastases from the retroperitoneal SFT. However, whereas the primary SFT had 1-2 mitotic cells/10 high power fields (HPF), the metastatic lesion increased malignancy, at 50/10 HPF. CONCLUSION: Patients who have had resected SFTs should be carefully followed up, as malignancy may change in distant metastasis, as in this case.

A case of repeat hepatectomy for liver metastasis from solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a rare tumor in young women, metastasizing in only 5-15% of cases, and most commonly to the liver. Although treatment guidelines have not been established, surgical resection is usually performed. We report a rare case of repeat hepatectomy for liver metastases after distal pancreatectomy with solid pseudopapillary neoplasm. CASE PRESENTATION: The patient was a 71-year-old woman who underwent distal pancreatectomy for solid pseudopapillary neoplasm, and liver metastasis occurred 4 years after the first surgery. Partial liver resection was performed for four liver metastases, and histopathological examination revealed a diagnosis of liver metastasis from solid pseudopapillary neoplasm. However, 18 months later, liver metastases were detected again; three tumors were identified, and partial resection was performed, which has provided 18 months' recurrence-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term prognosis can be expected following R0 resection for resectable liver metastasis from solid pseudopapillary neoplasm.

Pancreaticoduodenectomy at a Non-high-volume Center and Efforts to Perform Safe Surgery.

AIM: The aim of the current study was to investigate whether the artery-first approach (AFA) improved surgical outcomes of pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) at our non-high-volume center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data on 121 consecutive patients who underwent PD between January 2009 and December 2018. The perioperative data of 49 patients who underwent conventional PD (conventional group) and 72 patients who underwent PD via artery-first approach were analyzed and compared to assess the effectiveness of the AFA. RESULTS: Although no significant difference was observed between the two groups overall, in those with pancreatic cancer, the duration of surgery, intraoperative blood loss and transfusion rate in the AFA group (n=33) were significantly lower than those for the conventional group (n=11) (p=0.011, p=0.021 and p=0.038 respectively). CONCLUSION: AFA can be used to reduce the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and transfusion rate in patients with pancreatic cancer.

P1 gene of Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolated from 2016 to 2019 and relationship between genotyping and macrolide resistance in Hokkaido, Japan.

We characterized 515 Mycoplasma pneumoniae specimens in Hokkaido. In 2013 and 2014, the p1 gene type 1 strain, mostly macrolide-resistant, was dominant and the prevalence of macrolide resistance was over 50 %. After 2017, the p1 gene type 2 lineage, mostly macrolide-sensitive, increased and the prevalence of macrolide resistance became 31.0 % in 2017, 5.3 % in 2018 and 16.3 % in 2019.

Disrupted tRNA gene diversity and possible evolutionary scenarios.

The following unusual tRNAs have recently been discovered in the genomes of Archaea and primitive Eukaryota: multiple-intron-containing tRNAs, which have more than one intron; split tRNAs, which are produced from two pieces of RNA transcribed from separate genes; tri-split tRNAs, which are produced from three separate genes; and permuted tRNA, in which the 5' and 3' halves are encoded with permuted orientations within a single gene. All these disrupted tRNA genes can form mature contiguous tRNA, which is aminoacylated after processing by cis or trans splicing. The discovery of such tRNA disruptions has raised the question of when and why these complex tRNA processing pathways emerged during the evolution of life. Many previous reports have noted that tRNA genes contain a single intron in the anticodon loop region, a feature common throughout all three domains of life, suggesting an ancient trait of the last universal common ancestor. In this context, these unique tRNA disruptions recently found only in Archaea and primitive Eukaryota provide new insight into the origin and evolution of tRNA genes, encouraging further research in this field. In this paper, we summarize the phylogeny, structure, and processing machinery of all known types of disrupted tRNAs and discuss possible evolutionary scenarios for these tRNA genes.

Dynamic changes in basal lamina fenestrations in rat intestinal villous epithelium under high-fat diet condition.

The basal lamina of the villous epithelium in the small intestine has numerous fenestrations, which are produced by leukocytes for their intraepithelial migration. We previously showed that these fenestrations change due to the dynamics of migrating leukocytes in response to dietary conditions and suggested the possibility that this change is related to the regulation of the absorption of large-sized nutrients such as chylomicrons. The present study was, thus, designed to investigate structural changes in basal lamina fenestrations in response to a high-fat diet. The ultrastructure of the intestinal villi in the rat upper jejunum was investigated by electron microscopy of tissue sections in both the normal and the high-fat diet groups, and the fenestrations in the villous epithelium of rat upper jejunum were studied by scanning electron microscopy of osmium macerated/ ultrasonicated tissues. The present study showed that free cells adhering to the fenestrations increased in the upper jejunum two hours after feeding high-fat diet and the size of the fenestrations in this region also increased after feeding high-fat diet for 2 days. This enlargement of fenestrations may play an important role in increasing the efficiency of lipid absorption by facilitating the movement of chylomicrons from the intercellular space to the lamina propria.

A rare anastomosis between the root of common hepatic artery and proper hepatic artery: implications for pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic artery anomalies are often observed, and the variations are wide-ranging. We herein report a case of pancreatic cancer involving the common hepatic artery (CHA) that was successfully treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) without arterial reconstruction, thanks to anastomosis between the root of CHA and proper hepatic artery (PHA), which is a very rare anastomotic site. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old woman was referred to our department for the examination of a tumor in the pancreatic head. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a low-density tumor of 40 mm in diameter located in the pancreatic head. The involvement of the common hepatic artery (CHA), the root of the gastroduodenal artery (GDA), and portal vein was noted. Although such cases would usually require PD with arterial reconstruction of the CHA, it was thought that the hepatic arterial flow would be preserved by the anastomotic site between the root of the CHA and the PHA, even if the CHA was dissected without arterial reconstruction. PD with dissection of the CHA and PHA was safely completed without arterial reconstruction, and sufficient hepatic arterial flow was preserved through the anastomotic site between the CHA and PHA. CONCLUSION: We presented an extremely rare case of an anastomosis between the CHA and PHA in a patient with pancreatic cancer involving the CHA. Thanks to this anastomosis, surgical resection was successfully performed with sufficient hepatic arterial flow without arterial reconstruction.