Hybrid Approach for Multiple Visceral Aneurysms with Isolated Dissection at the Superior Mesenteric Artery: A Case Report.

A 59-year-old patient was undergoing careful monitoring of an isolated superior mesenteric artery dissection discovered 6 years prior. He was admitted after outpatient imaging revealed multiple visceral aneurysms including common hepatic and splenic artery aneurysms that had enlarged. Based on anatomical reasons and the past history, the splenic artery aneurysm was treated with endovascular therapy, while the common hepatic artery aneurysm was resected, and blood flow reconstruction was performed.

Preventive role of CD163-positive macrophages in postoperative peritoneal adhesions.

Background: Although abdominal surgeries can be lifesaving, they are often accompanied by the complication of peritoneal adhesion formation. While macrophages contribute to this process, the specific subtypes and underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods: We aimed to identify and investigate the roles of the functional subtypes of macrophages involved in adhesion formation to identify new strategies to combat postoperative peritoneal adhesions.

Patient Outcomes after Introduction of Novel Myocardial Protection Protocol for Prolonged Aortic Cross-Clamping.

Purpose: Cardioplegia directly affects patient outcomes after cardiac surgery with prolonged aortic cross-clamping. Our hospital revised its myocardial protection protocol in April 2021 and compared the clinical outcomes of patients with prolonged aortic cross-clamping before versus after the revision.

Methods: This study included 36 patients who underwent cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy and prolonged aortic cross-clamping for >4 h at our hospital from 2018 to 2024.

Dual generation of stereo- and linear-specific monoclonal antibodies through B-cell receptors by DNA and cell immunization for therapeutic applications.

The optimized stereospecific targeting (SST) technique features selective generation of conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies against membranous proteins with high specificity after DNA and cell immunization. This technology consists of two critical steps, which are specific selection of sensitized B lymphocytes by antigen-expressing myeloma cells through B-cell receptors (BCRs) and selective fusion of B cell-myeloma cell complexes by electrical pulses to produce hybridoma cells secreting stereospecific monoclonal antibodies. Here we were able to verify the critical step for the selection of B lymphocytes by intact antigen-expressing myeloma cells by a double-label immunofluorescence analysis.

Intravital Imaging of Immune Responses in the Cancer Microenvironment.

Background: To date, many types of immune cells have been identified, but their precise role in cancer immunity remains unclear. Understanding the immune responses involved in cancer and the cancer microenvironment is becoming increasingly important for elucidating disease mechanisms. In recent years, the application of intravital imaging in cancer research has provided new insights into the mechanisms of cancer-specific immune events, including innate and adaptive immunity.

Advanced Cholangiocarcinoma With High Tumor Mutation Burden Achieving Complete Response to Immune Check Point Inhibitor.

Background/aim: Genomic examination of tumor tissue has been clinically accepted, and the identification of actionable mutations for molecular-targeted therapy may provide substantial survival benefit for patients with advanced malignancies.

Case Report: A female patient in her 60s showed a stenosis of the afferent loop of the small intestine because of circumferential metastatic tumor 14 months after curative surgery for hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Chemotherapy with gemcitabine plus cisplatin was administered for 18 months.

Diagnostic accuracy of preoperative adhesion mapping by ultrasonography for laparoscopic surgery in patients with past abdominal surgery with special reference to loose adhesion.

Purpose: Endoscopic surgery is widely accepted for both elective and emergent abdominal surgery. This study was performed to assess the accuracy of preoperative adhesion mapping by abdominal ultrasonography (US).

Methods: Intra-abdominal intestinal adhesions on the abdominal wall in 50 patients with a history of abdominal surgery were prospectively assessed by the visceral slide test with US before laparoscopic surgery from 2019 to 2022.

Combined Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Score Is Associated With Chemotherapeutic Response and Predicts Prognosis in Patients With Advanced Pancreatic Cancer.

Background/aim: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a prognostic indicator for several malignancies, including pancreatic cancer. We developed a novel combined NLR score (cNLRS) based on baseline NLR and change in NLR after chemotherapy (ΔNLR), and examined its prognostic value and role in chemotherapeutic response in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

Patients And Methods: This study retrospectively assessed 210 advanced pancreatic cancer patients receiving chemotherapy between 2010 and 2021.

Reappraisal of anatomical liver resection for hepatoblastoma in children.

Background: The principle of hepatoblastoma (HB) treatment is complete resection. The removal of tumor-bearing section(s) or hemiliver is widely accepted. However, neither the standardized anterior approach for right hepatectomy nor parenchymal sparing anatomical liver resection has been described for HB.

A case of accessory hepatic duct entering cystic duct successfully treated by laparoscopic cholecystectomy for cholecystolithiasis.

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a well-established surgical procedure, an accessory hepatic duct (AcHD) entering the cystic duct is poorly understood. A 77-year-old woman with symptomatic cholecystlithiasis was referred to our hospital. Abdominal ultrasonography indicated several small stones in the gall bladder.

Longterm Followup of a Pediatric Patient with Congenital Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm with Coarctation.

Congenital abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with coarctation has been considered an extremely rare condition. In this study, we present a 3-year-old boy, who was diagnosed by chance with congenital AAA at first operation. We replaced the AAA+coarctation with a 6-mm polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft.

Midterm Results of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair with Reentry Closure for Chronic Type B Aortic Dissection with Aneurysmal Dilatation.

This study aims to discuss the midterm results of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with reentry closure for chronic type B aortic dissection (CTBAD). This retrospective study analyzed 13 patients with CTBAD who underwent TEVAR with reentry closure between July 2014 and December 2020. We evaluated the false lumen (FL) cross-sectional area using computed tomography images of the descending aorta at the level of the bronchial bifurcation, Valsalva sinus, celiac artery, and infrarenal abdominal aorta pre- and postoperation.

Advanced hybridoma technology for selective production of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies through B-cell receptors.

In general, it is difficult to raise novel monoclonal antibodies against relatively low-molecular weight antigen, and particularly those with high homology for the mouse protein. The optimized B-cell targeting (BCT) technique can overcome this limitation. The point of this advanced technology is the selection of sensitized B lymphocytes by the antigen through B-cell receptors (BCRs).

Electrofusion of cells with different diameters by generating asymmetrical electric field in the microwell array.

This paper reports a superiority of the asymmetric electric field formed in the rectangle microwell array for the electrofusion of splenocytes and myeloma cells with different diameters. The upper substrate with microband electrodes was mounted on the lower substrate with the microwell array. Two electrodes were arranged at the both sides of the microwells on the bottom surface.

Conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies recognizing the native structure of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR).

It is quite difficult to generate monoclonal antibodies that recognize the three-dimensional structures of the antigens of interest. To address this limitation, we developed a new hybridoma technology termed "optimized stereospecific targeting (SST)". Here we aimed at generating stereospecific monoclonal antibodies against a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR).

Optimization of stereospecific targeting technique for selective production of monoclonal antibodies against native ephrin type-A receptor 2.

High priority stereospecific targeting (SST) featuring selective production of conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies was directed against a native receptor, EphA2 (ephrin type-A receptor 2). A critical point for this technology is selection of sensitized B lymphocytes by antigen-expressing myeloma cells through their B-cell receptors (BCRs). The essential point is that antigens expressed on myeloma cells retain their original three dimensional structures and only these are recognized.

Production of a correctly assembled fibrinogen using transgenic silkworms.

Fibrinogen from human blood is used as a main component of coagulants, including surgical tissue sealants. The development of a recombinant human fibrinogen (rFib) is anticipated to eliminate the risks of blood-borne infections. Here, we report the efficient production of rFib in a transgenic silkworm system.

Membrane fusion and infection abilities of baculovirus virions are preserved during freezing and thawing in the presence of trehalose.

Budded viruses (BVs) of baculovirus such as nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcNPV) have recently been studied as biological nanomaterials, and methods for their longer-term storage without deterioration would be desirable. The cryopreservation of virions with a naturally occurring saccharide like trehalose as a cryoprotectant is known to be useful for maintaining the viral structure and function. In this study, we examined how useful trehalose is as protectant for BV cryopreservation during repeated freeze-thaw cycles: 1) membrane fusion between liposomes (multilamellar vesicles, MLVs) and BVs, 2) infection of insect culture cells (Sf9 cells) by RFP-expressing BVs, and 3) morphologies of these BVs were investigated by fluorescent dequenching assay, fluorescence microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively.

B-cell receptor-based multitargeting method for simultaneous production of novel multiple monoclonal antibodies.

Until now, various kinds of monoclonal antibodies have been raised against many antigens. Nevertheless, the production of these monoclonal antibodies was usually limited to only one antigen. If simultaneous generation of monoclonal antibodies against multiple antigens were available at one time, we could reduce not only laborious work, but also experimental animals.

Rapid Formation of Arrayed Cells on an Electrode with Microwells by a Scanning Electrode Based on Positive Dielectrophoresis.

We have developed a simple and rapid formation of a cell-based array on microwell array electrodes by an attractive force of positive dielectrophoresis (p-DEP), even after removing an upper disk electrode stick that was used as a counter electrode to the microwell array electrodes. The attractive force of p-DEP generated by the scanning of the disk electrode allows the formation of a cell-based array on all microwell arrays. We demonstrated an exploration of target cells spiked with a low ratio after removing the disk electrode.

Future perspectives of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

Attention to therapeutic monoclonal antibodies has been dramatically increasing year by year. Their highly specific targeting of antigens can provide very effective medical treatment, and the advent of molecular-targeting medicine is allowing development of a new generation of therapeutic agents. However, there is one critical obstacle to overcome.

Novel recombinant feline interferon carrying N-glycans with reduced allergy risk produced by a transgenic silkworm system.

Background: The generation of recombinant proteins for commercialisation must be cost-effective. Despite the cost-effective production of recombinant feline interferon (rFeIFN) by a baculovirus expression system, this rFeIFN carries insect-type N-glycans, with core α 1,3 fucosyl residues that act as potential allergens. An alternative method of production may yield recombinant glycoproteins with reduced antigenicity.

[Development of Large Scale Silkworm-rearing Technologies for the GMP Production of Biologics].

　There exists an increasing need to produce useful proteins in recombinant technologies. In particular, most biologics for medical purposes are produced as recombinant proteins. Various host cell/vector systems have been developed, but it remains difficult to efficiently produce large molecular weight proteins with complex structures.

Tumor-dependent secretion of close homolog of L1 results in elevation of its circulating level in mouse model for human lung tumor.

Close homolog of L1 (CHL1) and its truncated form mainly play crucial roles in mouse brain development and neural functions. Herein, we newly identified that truncated form of CHL1 is produced and released from lung tumor tissue in a mouse model expressing human EML4-ALK fusion gene. Both western blot and direct ELISA analysis revealed that mouse CHL1 level in serum (including serum extracellular vesicles) was significantly elevated in EML4-ALK transgenic mice.