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Search Results: 1 - 10 of 2164 matches for " Kensaku Ito "
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Oral Immunotherapy for Pollen Allergy Using T-Cell Epitope-Containing Egg White Derived from Genetically Manipulated Chickens
Yoshinori Kawabe, Yuuki Hayashida, Kensaku Numata, Shota Harada, Yoshifumi Hayashida, Akira Ito, Masamichi Kamihira
PLOS ONE , 2012, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048512
Abstract: Peptide immunotherapy using T-cell epitopes is expected to be an effective treatment for allergic diseases such as Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica; Cj) pollinosis. To develop a treatment for pollen allergy by inducing oral tolerance, we generated genetically manipulated (GM) chickens by retroviral gene transduction, to produce a fusion protein of chicken egg white lysozyme and a peptide derived from seven dominant human T-cell epitopes of Japanese cedar pollen allergens (cLys-7crp). The transgene sequence was detected in all chickens transduced with the retroviral vector. Transduction efficiency in blood cells correlated to transgene expression. Western blot analysis revealed that cLys-7crp was expressed in the egg white of GM hens. Mice induced to develop allergic rhinitis by Cj pollinosis were fed with cLys-7crp-containing egg white produced by GM chickens. Total and Cj allergen (Cry j 1)-specific IgE levels were significantly decreased in allergic mice fed with cLys-7crp-containing egg white compared with allergic mice fed with normal egg white. These results suggest that oral administration of T-cell epitope-containing egg white derived from GM chickens is effective for the induction of immune tolerance as an allergy therapy.
Shrinking stacking fault through glide of the Shockley partial dislocation in hard-sphere crystal under gravity
Atsushi Mori,Yoshihisa Suzuki,Shin-ichiro Yanagiya,Tsutomu Sawada,Kensaku Ito
Physics , 2006, DOI: 10.1080/00268970701348725
Abstract: Disappearance of a stacking fault in the hard-sphere crystal under gravity, such as reported by Zhu et al. [Nature 387 (1997) 883], has successfully been demonstrated by Monte Carlo simulations. We previously found that a less ordered (or defective) crystal formed above a bottom ordered crystal under stepwise controlled gravity [Mori et al. J. Chem. Phys. 124 (2006) 174507]. A defect in the upper defective region has been identified with a stacking fault for the (001) growth. We have looked at the shrinking of a stacking fault mediated by the motion of the Shockley partial dislocation; the Shockley partial dislocation terminating the lower end of the stacking fault glides. In addition, the presence of crystal strain, which cooperates with gravity to reduce stacking faults, has been observed.
Serum Uric Acid Is Associated with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Independent of Serum Parathyroid Hormone in Male Cardiac Patients
Shu-ichi Fujita, Yusuke Okamoto, Kensaku Shibata, Hideaki Morita, Takahide Ito, Koichi Sohmiya, Masaaki Hoshiga, Nobukazu Ishizaka
PLOS ONE , 2013, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0082735
Abstract: Background Several studies have shown that serum uric acid (UA) is associated with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. Serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), which has bbe shown to be correlated with UA, is also known to be associated with cardiac hypertrophy; however, whether the association between UA and cardiac hypertrophy is independent of PTH remains unknown. Purpose We investigated whether the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) and LV hypertrophy is independent of intact PTH and other calcium-phosphate metabolism-related factors in cardiac patients. Methods and Results In a retrospective study, the association between UA and left ventricular mass index was assessed among 116 male cardiac patients (mean age 65±12 years) who were not taking UA lowering drugs. The median UA value was 5.9 mg/dL. Neither age nor body mass index differed significantly among the UA quartile groups. Patients with higher UA levels were more likely to be taking loop diuretics. UA showed a significant correlation with intact PTH (R = 0.34, P<0.001) but not with other calcium-phosphate metabolism-related factors. Linear regression analysis showed that log-transformed UA showed a significant association with left ventricular mass index, and this relationship was found to be significant exclusively in patients who were not taking loop and/or thiazide diuretics. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that log-transformed UA was independently associated with LV hypertrophy with an odds ratio of 2.79 (95% confidence interval 1.48–5.28, P = 0.002 per one standard deviation increase). Conclusions Among cardiac patients, serum UA was associated with LV hypertrophy, and this relationship was, at least in part, independent of intact PTH levels, which showed a significant correlation with UA in the same population.
Validation of the japanese version of the sarcoidosis health questionnaire: A cross-sectional study
Kiminobu Tanizawa, Tomohiro Handa, Sonoko Nagai, Toru Oga, Takeshi Kubo, Yutaka Ito, Kizuku Watanabe, Kensaku Aihara, Kazuo Chin, Michiaki Mishima, Takateru Izumi
Health and Quality of Life Outcomes , 2011, DOI: 10.1186/1477-7525-9-34
Abstract: The SHQ was translated into Japanese following the forward-backward procedure. The reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the SHQ were examined. One hundred twenty-two Japanese patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis were evaluated by the SHQ, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form (SF-36), the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), chest radiography, an electrocardiogram, laboratory blood tests, pulmonary function tests, an echocardiogram, and assessments of dyspnea and depressive symptoms. The SHQ was found to have acceptable levels of internal consistency (Cronbach's coefficient α values = 0.68 to 0.91). SHQ scores correlated significantly with scores on the SF-36 and SGRQ. The domain or total scores on the SHQ also significantly correlated with serum levels of the soluble interleukin-2 receptor, the percentage of the predicted forced vital capacity, pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, dyspnea, and depressive symptoms. Also, the SHQ scores of patients who had one or two organ systems affected by sarcoidosis were significantly different from those of patients who had three or more organ systems involvement.The Japanese version of the SHQ can be used to assess the HRQOL of patients with sarcoidosis.Sarcoidosis is a chronic and multisystem granulomatous disease of unknown etiology that can involve almost any organ system [1]. The assessment of overall disease burden is often challenging in sarcoidosis because of the disease's various clinical manifestations. Although spirometry and chest radiography are usually used to evaluate disease activity, these measures fail to address extrapulmonary lesions. As in other respiratory diseases, the patient's health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may be a useful measure to assess the systemic impact of sarcoidosis [2-4], and impaired HRQOL has been reported in sarcoidosis [5]. Given that sarcoidosis is a chronic disease for which there is no curative therapy yet [6], HRQOL could be the most importa
Pronuclear microinjection is not suitable for RNA polymerase III promoter driven constitutive RNAi transgenesis in mice for XY male-to-female sex reversal by Sry gene knockdown  [PDF]
Masanori Ito
Open Journal of Genetics (OJGen) , 2012, DOI: 10.4236/ojgen.2012.21008
Abstract: Silencing of gene expression by RNA interference (RNAi) has become a widely used tool. For the study of mammalian gene function expression vectors for short hairpin RNA (shRNA) were developed. However the standard methods of shRNA transgenic (Tg) mice production have not been established. Sry (sex-determining region on the Y chromosome) is a mammalian sex-determining gene on the Y chromosome. In mice, the transient expression of Sry in supporting cell precursor cells between 10.5 and 12.5 days post-coitus (dpc) triggers the differentiation of Sertoli cells from granulosa cells. Then high efficiency of Sry gene silencing in Tg mice should induce XY male-to-female sex reversal. An shRNA Tg mouse targeting Sry gene was attempted to be generated by pronuclear microinjection. A low rate (Tg pups/all pups born after microinjection = 2/154 to 7/178) of Tg pups was observed. These Tg mice showed no XY male-to-female sex reversal. The results suggest that exogenous expression of small RNA might exert a negative effect on embryonic development and another approach should be needed for RNAi transgenesis in mice.
The Effects of a Hyaluronan Lotion with a Molecular Weight of around 50 - 110 kDa on the Aged Atrophic Skin  [PDF]
Asako Ito
Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications (JCDSA) , 2014, DOI: 10.4236/jcdsa.2014.43021
Abstract: Background: Hyaluronic acids act upon keratinocytes via CD44 receptors and regulate proliferation and differentiation. Some cosmetic hyaluronan lotions manufactured based upon the fact are nowadays available. Aims: To evaluate a cosmetic hyaluronan lotion (Dr. Fukaya’s skin repair lotion or Hyaluprotect) from the viewpoint of anti-aging effects and to consider its mechanism. Patients/Methods: In ten healthy volunteers at the age over 60, immunohistochemical research of the biopsied skin was performed before and after the application of the hyaluronan lotion for two weeks. Results: Expression of PCNA in the lower epidermis increased in 8 of 10 subjects. Filaggrin expression of the upper epidermis increased in 6 subjects. 11βHSD1 decreased in 5 subjects and 11βHSD2 increased in 5 subjects. Conclusions: The proliferative and differentiative effects of the hyaluronan lotion upon keratinocytes were confirmed immunohistologically. There is a possibility that hyaluronic acids work through the regulation of corticosteroids by 11βHSD1 and 11βHSD2.
The Need for Clinical Decision Support Integrated with the Electronic Health Record for the Clinical Application of Whole Genome Sequencing Information
Brandon M. Welch,Kensaku Kawamoto
Journal of Personalized Medicine , 2013, DOI: 10.3390/jpm3040306
Abstract: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is rapidly approaching widespread clinical application. Technology advancements over the past decade, since the first human genome was decoded, have made it feasible to use WGS for clinical care. Future advancements will likely drive down the price to the point wherein WGS is routinely available for care. However, were this to happen today, most of the genetic information available to guide clinical care would go unused due to the complexity of genetics, limited physician proficiency in genetics, and lack of genetics professionals in the clinical workforce. Furthermore, these limitations are unlikely to change in the future. As such, the use of clinical decision support (CDS) to guide genome-guided clinical decision-making is imperative. In this manuscript, we describe the barriers to widespread clinical application of WGS information, describe how CDS can be an important tool for overcoming these barriers, and provide clinical examples of how genome-enabled CDS can be used in the clinical setting.
Allergic Contact Dermatitis Syndrome Due to Tocopherol Acetate, in Addition to Glycyrrhetinic Acid  [PDF]
Kentaro Ohko, Akiko Ito, Masaaki Ito
Journal of Cosmetics, Dermatological Sciences and Applications (JCDSA) , 2012, DOI: 10.4236/jcdsa.2012.21009
Abstract: Natural vitamin E is suggested to have an antioxidant function. However, the synthetic form of vitamin E, DL-tocopherol, which has been widely used in topical ointments, may cause allergic contact dermatitis. Here, we report a case of allergic contact dermatitis with erythema multiforme-like eruption caused by a topical ointment. Patch testing indicated a positive allergic reaction to an anti-inflammatory ointment the patient had been using and its ingredient, DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E). In addition, a positive reaction to glycyrrhetinic acid was observed. Both vitamin E and glycyrrhetinic acid are useful ingredients of topical applications. However, the possibility that both can cause contact dermatitis, albeit rarely, should be considered.
-Synuclein as CSF and Blood Biomarker of Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Kensaku Kasuga,Masatoyo Nishizawa,Takeshi Ikeuchi
International Journal of Alzheimer's Disease , 2012, DOI: 10.1155/2012/437025
Abstract: Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common subtype of dementia in the elderly. DLB is neuropathologically characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites, both of which are composed of α-synuclein. Although α-synuclein was initially considered to be an exclusively intracellular protein, it has been found to be secreted into biological fluids. α-Synuclein in biological fluids such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood has been discussed as a potential biomarker of DLB and α-synuclein-related disorders, because α-synuclein is characteristically accumulated in the brain of patients with these disorders. The α-synuclein level in CSF has been examined by several investigators, and the majority of studies have shown a reduction in CSF α-synuclein level in DLB and α-synuclein-related disorders. Discrepant findings of studies of plasma α-synuclein level in patients with DLB have been reported. Because the level of α-synuclein stored in red blood cells is considerably high, blood contamination and haemolysis during sample collection and processing should be considered as a confounding factor for quantification of α-synuclein. Here, the recent progress in the studies of α-synuclein as a biomarker of DLB and their potential clinical applications are reviewed. 1. Introduction Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) is a common subtype of dementia and is reported to be the second most common neurodegenerative dementia after Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in the elderly in several studies [1–3]. DLB is a progressive cognitive disorder characterized by fluctuating cognitive impairment, visual hallucination, and parkinsonism [4]. Diagnosis of DLB in patients with such characteristic clinical features would not be difficult by taking medical history and careful neurological examinations. However, it could be laborious to make an accurate diagnosis of DLB when patients have a substantial degree of concomitant AD pathology, which affects the clinical symptoms with lower rates of visual hallucinations and parkinsonism [5, 6]. Accurate clinical diagnosis of DLB is important because patients may benefit from cholinesterase inhibitors, which improve cognitive function and neuropsychiatric symptoms of DLB [7]. Furthermore, it should be noted that DLB patients are particularly sensitive to neuroleptic drugs [4, 8]. Recent intensive research has given hope for disease-modifying therapeutics for DLB to become a reality. The evaluation of such therapies largely depends on reliable diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of the stage of DLB.
Cell Origin Subtypes Predict Outcomes in Localized-Stage Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Treated with Curative Radiotherapy  [PDF]
Yuko Watanabe, Hiroaki Suefuji, Etsuyo Ogo, Kensaku Sato, Tadashi Nakashima, Takashi Okamura, Koichi Ohshima, Naofumi Hayabuchi
Journal of Cancer Therapy (JCT) , 2013, DOI: 10.4236/jct.2013.43A058
Abstract:

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is regarded as a heterogeneous group of lymphomas. The aims of this study were to determine the clinical significance and prognostic value of different immunophenotypic profiles in localized-stage head and neck DLBCL treated with curative radiotherapy. We included 102 localized-stage head and neck DLBCL patients in this study. We classified DLBCL patients into germinal center B-cell (GCB) and non-GCB groups by immunohistochemical analysis. Statistical analysis was used to correlate the GCB and non-GCB subgroups, CD5 and Ki67 expression, B-ALPS (a modified International Prognostic Index for early stage lymphoma), chemotherapy regimen, and sex. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazard regression model to compare cause-specific survival (CSS) and relapse-free rate (RFR) distributions. The cell of origin classification (GCB or non-GCB subtypes) was an independent predictor of CSS (p = 0.040) and RFR (p = 0.023). In the non-GCB group, chemotherapy with rituximab was an independent predictor of CSS. In conclusion, this study shows that the prognosis of the non-GCB group was significantly poorer than that of the GCB group, and that rituximab improved CSS in localized-stage head and neck DLBCL, especially in the non-GCB group.

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