Kagawa University

About: Kagawa University is a education organization based out in Takamatsu, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 6028 authors who have published 11918 publications receiving 224111 citations. The organization is also known as: Kagawa Daigaku.

Overexpression of OsMYC2 Results in the Up-Regulation of Early JA-Rresponsive Genes and Bacterial Blight Resistance in Rice.

Abstract: JASMONATE ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins act as transcriptional repressors of jasmonic acid (JA) responses and play a crucial role in the regulation of host immunity in plants. Here, we report that OsMYC2, a JAZ-interacting transcription factor in rice (Oryza sativa L.), plays an important role in the resistance response against rice bacterial blight, which is one of the most serious diseases in rice, caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo). The results showed that OsMYC2 interacted with some OsJAZ proteins in a JAZ-interacting domain (JID)-dependent manner. The up-regulation of OsMYC2 in response to JA was regulated by OsJAZ8. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsMYC2 exhibited a JA-hypersensitive phenotype and were more resistant to Xoo. A large-scale microarray analysis revealed that OsMYC2 up-regulated OsJAZ10 as well as many other defense-related genes. OsMYC2 selectively bound to the G-box-like motif of the OsJAZ10 promoter in vivo and regulated the expression of early JA-responsive genes, but not of late JA-responsive genes. The nuclear localization of OsMYC2 depended on a nuclear localization signal within JID. Overall, we conclude that OsMYC2 acts as a positive regulator of early JA signals in the JA-induced resistance against Xoo in rice.

Clinical trial of video-assisted thoracoscopic segmentectomy using infrared thoracoscopy with indocyanine green

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: The maintenance of a good surgical view is mandatory in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). For routine segmentectomy, it is necessary to re-inflate the lung in order to identify the intersegmental line. However, such re-inflation can occasionally obstruct the surgical view. Infrared thoracoscopy (IRT) with indocyanine green (ICG) can reveal the intersegmental line based on blood flow differences, without the need for lung re-inflation. The purpose of this study was to confirm the usefulness of IRT with ICG for VATS. METHODS: Between October 2008 and September 2011, 44 consecutive patients underwent segmentectomy at our institution. In 13 patients, VATS segmentectomy using IRT with ICG was employed. Informed consent was obtained from all patients. Computed tomography was performed to identify the dominant pulmonary artery supplying the target segment. The operations were performed using two ports and one mini-thoracotomy (3–6 cm). The dominant arteries were interrupted, and the intersegmental line was identified using IRT with ICG. RESULTS: Identification of the intersegmental line was possible in 11 (84.6%) of the 13 patients. The average age was 70 years, and 6 of the patients were male. The mean operation time was 191 min, and the mean bleeding volume was 64 ml. The operation time and bleeding volume were similar to the values in the other 31 patients who underwent thoracotomy (167 min/115 ml, P= 0.212/0.361, respectively). No complications attributable to IRT with ICG were observed. CONCLUSIONS: VATS segmentectomy using IRT with ICG allows the maintenance of a clear surgical view and identification of the intersegmental line in a high proportion of cases. Therefore, we consider this method to be useful for minimally invasive thoracic surgery.

Combined use of percutaneous ethanol injection and radiofrequency ablation for the effective treatment of hepatocelluar carcinoma.

Abstract: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) therapy are currently used for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of combination therapy of PEI and RFA (PEI-RFA) Seventy-three patients with biopsy-proven HCC and liver cirrhosis underwent RFA after a bolus injection of ethanol into HCC The volume of coagulated necrosis in the liver caused by PEI-RFA was estimated and compared with that by RFA alone Coagulated necrosis areas in the liver of patients treated with PEI-RFA were significantly larger than those of patients treated with RFA alone In PEI-RFA group, the volume of coagulated necrosis was significantly correlated with the amounts of ethanol injected into HCC No major complications were observed during and after the PEI-RFA treatment These results indicate that PEI-RFA is more effective than RFA alone and can make dramatic improvement of therapeutic effects in RFA therapy for HCC with fewer sessions of treatments Therefore, PEI-RFA is considered to be a practical and promising option and may open up new avenues for the treatment of HCC