Infl iximab Therapy Impacts the Peripheral Immune System of Immunomodulator and Corticosteroid Naive Patients with Crohn`s Disease

( Kyoichi Kato ),( Ken Fukunaga ),( Koji Kamikozuru ),( Shinichiro Kashiwamura ),( Nobuyuki Hida ),( Yoshio Ohda ),( Naohisa Takeda ),( Koji Yoshida ),( Masaki Iimuro ),( Yoko Yokoyama ),( Risa Kikuya 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회 2011 Gut and Liver Vol.5 No.1

Background/Aims: Infliximab (IFX), an antibody to tumor necrosis factor, (TNF)-α has effi cacy in treating Crohn`s disease (CD). However, knowledge of the potential effects of IFX on patients` immune profi les is lacking. The purpose of this study was to reveal the immunological effects of IFX. Methods: Twenty-two patients with a CD activity index (CDAI) of 194.2±92.9 and an average duration of disease of 3.26 months and 21 healthy controls were included. Patients were to have their fi rst IFX remission induction therapy with 3 infusions (5 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, and 6. Oral 5-aminosalicylic acid was the only ongoing medication in the patient population. Blood samples at baseline, 12 hours after the first infusion and at week 14 were labeled with anti-CD4/ CD25 antibodies for immunohistochemical measurement of regulatory T-cells (Treg). Serum cytokines and chemokines were measured by suspension array and ELISA. Results: CDAI signifi cantly decreased prior to the second IFX infusion (p<0.001). Clinical remission rates were 77.3% and 91% by the second and third infusions, respectively. At baseline, interleukin (IL)-6 (p<0.03), IL-8 (p<0.03), IL-10 (p=0.050), IL-13 (p<0.01), transforming growth factor-β1 (p<0.01), and ``regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted`` (RANTES) (p<0.01) were elevated in patients. After the initial IFX infusion, TNF-α (p<0.04), IL-6 (p<0.03), interferon (IFN)-γ (p<0.04), IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 (p<0.01), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (p<0.01), macrophage infl ammatory protein-1β (p<0.01), and RANTES (p<0.01) were decreased. IFX infusion was associated with an increase in Treg (p<0.01) and a decrease in the Th1 (IFN-γ)/Th2 (IL-4) ratio (p<0.03). Conclusions: IFX use was associated with restoration of the Th1/Th2 balance after a single infusion and seemed to promote induction of naive Th0 lymphocytes to Treg. This knowledge should have clinical relevance. (Gut Liver 2011;5:37-45)

A d-dot As an Element of Superconducting Devices

Masaru Kato,Hisataka Suematsu,Masahiko Machida,Masaki Hirayama,Takekazu Ishida,Tomio Koyama 한국물리학회 2006 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.48 No.5I

A d-dot is the composite structure of a d-wave superconductor and an s-wave superconductor. Spontaneous half-quantum magnetic °uxes appear around the corners of the d-wave supercon- ducting region. Because of the broken time-reversal symmetry of this state, there are always two degenerate states. We show some basic properties of the d-dot and discuss the potential ability of using the d-dot as a two-state device.

Infl iximab Therapy Impacts the Peripheral Immune System of Immunomodulator and Corticosteroid Naïve Patients with Crohn’s Disease

Kyoichi Kato,Ken Fukunaga,Koji Kamikozuru,Shinichiro Kashiwamura,Nobuyuki Hida,Yoshio Ohda,Naohisa Takeda,Koji Yoshida,Masaki Iimuro,Yoko Yokoyama,Risa Kikuyama,Hiroto Miwa,Takayuki Matsumoto 거트앤리버 소화기연관학회협의회 2011 Gut and Liver Vol.5 No.1

Background/Aims: Infliximab (IFX), an antibody to tumor necrosis factor, (TNF)-α has effi cacy in treating Crohn’s disease (CD). However, knowledge of the potential effects of IFX on patients’ immune profi les is lacking. The purpose of this study was to reveal the immunological effects of IFX. Methods: Twenty-two patients with a CD activity index (CDAI)of 194.2±92.9 and an average duration of disease of 3.26months and 21 healthy controls were included. Patients were to have their fi rst IFX remission induction therapy with 3 infusions (5 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, and 6. Oral 5-aminosalicylic acid was the only ongoing medication in the patient population. Blood samples at baseline, 12 hours after the first infusion and at week 14 were labeled with anti-CD4/CD25 antibodies for immunohistochemical measurement of regulatory T-cells (Treg). Serum cytokines and chemokines were measured by suspension array and ELISA. Results:CDAI signifi cantly decreased prior to the second IFX infusion (p<0.001). Clinical remission rates were 77.3% and 91% by the second and third infusions, respectively. At baseline, interleukin (IL)-6 (p<0.03), IL-8 (p<0.03), IL-10 (p=0.050), IL-13(p<0.01), transforming growth factor-β1 (p<0.01), and ‘regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted’(RANTES) (p<0.01) were elevated in patients. After the initial IFX infusion, TNF-α (p<0.04), IL-6 (p<0.03), interferon (IFN)-γ(p<0.04), IFN-γ-inducible protein-10 (p<0.01), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (p<0.01), macrophage infl ammatory protein-1β (p<0.01), and RANTES (p<0.01) were decreased. IFX infusion was associated with an increase in Treg (p<0.01)and a decrease in the Th1 (IFN-γ)/Th2 (IL-4) ratio (p<0.03). Conclusions: IFX use was associated with restoration of the Th1/Th2 balance after a single infusion and seemed to promote induction of naïve Th0 lymphocytes to Treg. This knowledge should have clinical relevance.

Revisiting the Difference between Traveling-wave and Standing-wave Thermoacoustic Engines - A Simple Analytical Model for the Standing-wave One

Kyuichi Yasui,Teruyuki Kozuka,Masaki Yasuoka,Kazumi Kato 한국물리학회 2015 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.67 No.10

There are two major categories in a thermoacoustic prime-mover. One is the traveling-wave type and the other is the standing-wave type. A simple analytical model of a standing-wave thermoacoustic prime-mover is proposed at relatively low heat-flux for a stack much shorter than the acoustic wavelength, which approximately describes the Brayton cycle. Numerical simulations of Rott’s equations have revealed that the work flow (acoustic power) increases by increasing of the amplitude of the particle velocity (|U|) for the traveling-wave type and by increasing cos for the standing-wave type, where is the phase difference between the particle velocity and the acoustic pressure. In other words, the standing-wave type is a phase-dominant type while the traveling-wave type is an amplitude-dominant one. The ratio of the absolute value of the traveling-wave component (|U|cos) to that of the standing-wave component (|U|sin) of any thermoacoustic engine roughly equals the ratio of the absolute value of the increasing rate of |U| to that of cos. The different mechanism between the traveling-wave and the standing-wave type is discussed regarding the dependence of the energy efficiency on the acoustic impedance of a stack as well as that on !, where ! is the angular frequency of an acoustic wave and is the thermal relaxation time. While the energy efficiency of the traveling-wave type at the optimal ! is much higher than that of the standing-wave type, the energy efficiency of the standing-wave type is higher than that of the traveling-wave type at much higher ! under a fixed temperature difference between the cold and the hot ends of the stack.

Enhancement Effects of Cationic Contaminants from Bacteria on Cake Layer Formation and Biofouling on an RO Membrane

Shun Yamanouchi,Eri Nasuno,Masaki Ohno,Chigusa Okano,Ken-ichi Iimura,Tetsuji Okuda,Wataru Nishijima,Norihiro Kato 한국생물공학회 2017 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.22 No.3

The model cationic molecule prodigiosin interacted with a polyamide/polysulfone composite reverse osmosis (RO) membrane, resulting in a reduction of the membrane permeation rate. Prodigiosin is an antibacterial agent produced by Serratia marcescens that is frequently isolated from activated sludge of domestic or industrial wastewater. Such molecules respectively secreted or leaked from live or dead cells are thought to affect membrane biofouling. In this study, a cell suspension containing prodigiosin-producing S. marcescens AS-1 wild-type or the non-producing AS-1ΔspnI strain was fed to the thin RO membrane to determine the occlusion ratio on the membrane. Cationic prodigiosin enhanced membrane biofouling by clogging the pores and enhanced the accumulation of the cake layer. The effects remarkably recovered the occlusion ratio after removing the cake layer by feeding with water. After temporary pressure relief, the occlusion ratios for AS-1 and AS-1ΔspnI were recovered to stable levels from approximately 70 to 49% and 23%, respectively. Zetapotential analysis supported the neutralization effects leading to the accumulation of bacterial cells under applied high pressure for RO membrane permeation.

Characterization in Terms of the NUX Rule of G - inserted Mutant Hammerhead Ribozymes with High Level of Catalytic Power

Kuwabara, Tomoko,Warashina, Masaki,Taira, Kazunari,Kato, Yoshio,Kawasaki, Hiroaki 생화학분자생물학회 2002 BMB Reports Vol.34 No.1

Attempts using in vitro and in vivo selection procedures have been made to search for hammerhead ribozymes that have higher activities than the wild-type ribozyme and also to determine whether other sequences might be possible in the catalytic core of the hammerhead ribozyme. Active sequences selected in the past conformed broadly to the consensus core sequence except at A9, and no sequences were associated with higher activity than that of the hammerhead with the consensus core, an indication that the consensus sequence derived from viruses and virusoids is probably the optimal sequence [Vaish et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 6495-6501]. Recently, during construction of ribozyme expression vectors, we isolated a mutant hammerhead ribozyme, with an insertion of G between A9 and 610.1, that appeared to show significant activity [Kawasaki et at (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24, 3010-3016; Kawasaki et al. (1998) Nature 393, 284-289]. We, therefore, characterized kinetic properties of the G-inserted mutant ribozymes in terms of the NUX rule. We demonstrate that the NUX rule is basically applicable to the G-inserted ribozymes and, more importantly, one type of G-inserted ribozyme was very active with k_(cat), value of 6.4 min^(-1) in 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and 10 m1VI MgCl₂ at 37℃.

Temperature-Field Phase Diagrams in Pb(Zn<SUB>1/3</SUB>Nb<SUB>2/3</SUB>)O<SUB>3</SUB>-8%PbTiO<SUB>3</SUB> II

Makoto Iwata,Sadaharu Kato,Kazuki Tanaka,Masaki Maeda,Yoshihiro Ishibashi 한국물리학회 2013 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.62 No.7

Dielectric constants as functions of the temperature and the DC biasing fields along the [011] and the [111] directions in cubic coordinates in 92%Pb(Zn<SUB>1/3</SUB>Nb<SUB>2/3</SUB>)O<SUB>3</SUB>-8%PbTiO<SUB>3</SUB> (PZN-8%PT) have been investigated. The temperature-field phase diagrams have been made in the field range below 15 kV/cm. We have found that the orthorhombic phase exists below the tetragonal phase as a ground state. The tetragonal phase disappears for external fields above about 10 kV/cm along the [011] and the [111] directions.

Characterization in Terms of the NUX Rule of G-inserted Mutant Hammerhead Ribozymes with High Level of Catalytic Power

Kuwabara, Tomoko,Warashina, Masaki,Kato, Yoshio,Kawasaki, Hiroaki,Taira, Kazunari Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2001 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.34 No.1

Attempts using in vitro and in vivo selection procedures have been made to search for hammerhead ribozymes that have higher activities than the wild-type ribozyme and also to determine whether other sequences might be possible in the catalytic core of the hammerhead ribozyme. Active sequences selected in the past conformed broadly to the consensus core sequence except at A9, and no sequences were associated with higher activity than that of the hammerhead with the consensus core, an indication that the consensus sequence derived from viruses and virusoids is probably the optimal sequence [Vaish et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 6495-6501]. Recently, during construction of ribozyme expression vectors, we isolated a mutant hammerhead ribozyme, with an insertion of G between A9 and G10.1, that appeared to show significant activity [Kawasaki et al. (1996) Nucleic Acids Res. 24, 3010-3016; Kawasaki et al. (1998) Nature 393, 284-289]. We, therefore, characterized kinetic properties of the G-inserted mutant ribozymes in terms of the NUX rule. We demonstrate that the NUX rule is basically applicable to the G-inserted ribozymes and, more importantly, one type of G-inserted ribozyme was very active with $k_{cat}$, value of $6.4\;min^{-1}$ in 50 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and 10 mM $MgCl_2$ at $37^{\circ}C$.

Second-generation antipsychotics in the treatment of major depressive disorder: current evidence.

Han, Changsu,Wang, Sheng-Min,Kato, Masaki,Lee, Soo-Jung,Patkar, Ashwin A,Masand, Prakash S,Pae, Chi-Un Future Drugs Ltd 2013 Expert review of neurotherapeutics Vol.13 No.7

<P>Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a chronic and recurrent mental condition leading to huge impacts on direct and indirect personal and public medical costs. To overcome such a serious mental disorder, we currently have a number of different classes of antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, noradrenergic and specific serotonin receptor antagonists, dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, along with newly introduced antidepressants (e.g., vilazodone and agomelatine). However, a number of well-controlled clinical trials, meta-analyses and practical clinical studies have found that only a third of such MDD patients remit following adequate antidepressant treatment, while most MDD patients suffer from significant core depressive or residual symptoms during their clinical course. There have been some treatment approaches to overcome such a shortage of antidepressant efficacy, such as augmentation of psychotropics other than antidepressants, switching to a different antidepressant and combinations of different antidepressants. Among these different second treatment options, augmentation treatment has some favorable points compared with the combination and switching option (e.g., maintaining previous antidepressant partial response, synergistic effect between different pharmacological profile and no need to wash out previous antidepressants). Recently, second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), olanzapine plus fluoxetine, quetiapine extended release and aripiprazole have clearly demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of MDD patients through a number of small-scale, open-label studies or randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials. Eventually, in November 2007, aripiprazole was the first approved by the US FDA as an adjunctive treatment to antidepressants for treating MDD, followed by the approval of quetiapine and olanzapine plus fluoxetine at 2009. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the clinical trial data of SGAs for treating MDD and clinical issues raised in the use of SGA therapy in patients with MDD in clinical practice.</P>

Vertical structure of ice cloud layers from CloudSat and CALIPSO measurements and comparison to NICAM simulations : VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF ICE CLOUD

Ham, Seung-Hee,Sohn, Byung-Ju,Kato, Seiji,Satoh, Masaki American Geophysical Union 2013 Journal of geophysical research. Atmospheres Vol.118 No.17