• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5687-5690
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• 2015

Background: Factors predictive of survival have been identified in Western patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mCCRCC) treated with sunitinib. Less is known, however, about factors predictive of survival in Japanese patients. This study evaluated factors prognostic of survival in Japanese patients with mCCRCC treated with first-line sunitinib. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study evaluated 46 consecutive Japanese mCCRCC patients treated with sunitinib as first line therapy. Clinical and biochemical markers associated with progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed, with prognostic factors selected by uniand multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results: Univariate analysis showed that factors significantly associated with poor PFS included Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center poor risk scores, International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium poor risk and high (>0.5 mg/dl) serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations (p<0.001 each). Multivariate analysis showed that high serum CRP was independently associated with poorer PFS (p=0.040). Six month disease control rate (complete response, partial response and stable disease) in response to sunitinib was significantly higher in patients with normal (${\leq}0.5mg/dl$) than elevated baseline CRP (p<0.001). Conclusions: CRP is a significant independent predictor of PFS for Japanese patients with mCCRCC treated with first-line sunitinib. Pretreatment CRP concentration may be a useful biomarker predicting response to sunitinib treatment.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5789-5795
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• 2013

Background: The high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) protein is a widespread nuclear protein present in most cell types. It typically locates in the nucleus and functions as a nuclear cofactor in transcription regulation. However, HMGB1 can also localize in the cytoplasm and be released into extracellular matrix, where it plays critical roles in carcinogenesis and inflammation. However, it remains elusive whether HMGB1 is relocated to cytoplasm in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Methods: Nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins were extracted by different protocols from 20 ccRCC samples and corresponding adjacent renal tissues. Western blotting and immunohistochemistry were used to identify the expression of HMGB1 in ccRCC. To elucidate the potential mechanism of HMGB1 cytoplasmic translocation, HMGB1 proteins were enriched by immunoprecipitation and analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS). Results: The HMGB1 protein was overexpressed and partially localized in cytoplasm in ccRCC samples (12/20, 60%, p<0.05). Immunohistochemistry results indicated that ccRCC of high nuclear grade possess more HMGB1 relocation than those with low grade (p<0.05). Methylation of HMGB1 at lysine 112 in ccRCC was detected by MS. Bioinformatics analysis showed that post-translational modification might affect the binding ability to DNA and mediate its translocation. Conclusion: Relocation of HMGB1 to cytoplasm was confirmed in ccRCC. Methylation of HMGB1 at lysine 112 might the redistribution of this cofactor protein.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.93-106
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• 1989

The species of the slug used in this experiment is the Korean terrestrial slug (Incilaria fruhstorferi), which is examined for the cytochemical and ultrastructural research on the mucous granule-producing cells and the epithelial cells. I. Epidermal tissue According to the part of the epidermal tissue of this slug, the epidermal tissue is divided into the mantle, the foot and the dorsal epidermis. These epidennal tissue are composed of the irregular simple columnar epithelium, which are formed into the sensory epithelial cells, the supporting epithelial cells, the mucous granule-producing cells, and the clear epithelial cells are similar to the sensory epithelial cells. Both the sensory epithelial cells and the supporting epithelial cells are observed between the mantle and the foot epidermis, but the clear epithelial cells are only seen in the dorsal epidermis. II. Mucous granule-producing cell The acid mucous granule-producing cells and the neutral mucous granule producing cells are observed between the irregular simple columnar epithelium of the mantle, the foot and the dorsal epidermis. According to the part of the epidermal tissue, the number of these mucous granule-producing epithelial cells are differently distributed between the epidermis respectively.

• Land and Housing Review
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 2020

To implement the planning of zero-energy buildings, their energy performance must be improved, and renewable energy applications must also be included. To accelerate the use of renewable energies in such buildings, BIPVs should be actively used in windows and on roofs. Window-type BIPVs are being developed in various forms depending on the size, composition, area ratio of the window, specification of glass, and so on. To analyze the applicability of various solar cells as window-type BIPVs, in this study, we evaluated their applicability, at the current development level, by analyzing the indoor illuminance, heat gain and heat loss; the cooling, heating, and lighting energy levels; and the generation performance of the various solar cells. To enhance the future applicability of window type BIPV, we analyze the overall energy performance of the building, according to changes in visible light transmittance and generation efficiency. The main research results are as follows. The area ratios above the standard illuminance, based on the window type and according to the VLT, were in order of low-e glazing, a-Si window, DSSC window, and c-Si window. The heat gain of the semi-transparent solar cell winodw was remarkably low. The energy consumption of buildings was highest in the order of c-Si window, DSSC window, a-Si window, and clear low-e window. However, in the case of including the power generation performance of the solar cell, the energy consumption was found to be high in order of DSSC window, c-Si window, a-Si window, and clear low-e window. In the future, if a window-type BIPV is developed, we believe that improvement in power generation performance and improvement in visible light transmittance will be needed.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.22.1-22.15
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• 2023

Kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) is one of the most aggressive cancer type of the urinary system. Metastatic KIRC patients have poor prognosis and limited therapeutic options. Ankyrin 3 (ANK3) is a scaffold protein that plays important roles in maintaining physiological function of the kidney and its alteration is implicated in many cancers. In this study, we investigated differential expression of ANK3 in KIRC using GEPIA2, UALCAN, and HPA databases. Survival analysis was performed by GEPIA2, Kaplan-Meier plotter, and OS-kirc databases. Genetic alterations of ANK3 in KIRC were assessed using cBioPortal database. Interaction network and functional enrichment analyses of ANK3-correlated genes in KIRC were performed using GeneMANIA and Shiny GO, respectively. Finally, the TIMER2.0 database was used to assess correlation between ANK3 expression and immune infiltration in KIRC. We found that ANK3 expression was significantly decreased in KIRC compared to normal tissues. The KIRC patients with low ANK3 expression had poorer survival outcomes than those with high ANK3 expression. ANK3 mutations were found in 2.4% of KIRC patients and were frequently co-mutated with several genes with a prognostic significance. ANK3-correlated genes were significantly enriched in various biological processes, mainly involved in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway, in which positive correlations of ANK3 with PPARA and PPARG expressions were confirmed. Expression of ANK3 in KIRC was significantly correlated with infiltration level of B cell, CD8+ T cell, macrophage, and neutrophil. These findings suggested that ANK3 could serve as a prognostic biomarker and promising therapeutic target for KIRC.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.735-741
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• 2021

Objective: To evaluate circularity as a quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor on computed tomography (CT) in differentiating fat-poor angiomyolipoma (AML) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: In 257 consecutive patients, 257 pathologically confirmed renal tumors (either AML or RCC less than 4 cm), which did not include visible fat on unenhanced CT, were retrospectively evaluated. A radiologist drew the tumor margin to measure the perimeter and area in all the contrast-enhanced axial CT images. In each image, a quantitative shape factor, circularity, was calculated using the following equation: 4 x π x (area ÷ perimeter²). The median circularity (circularity index) was adopted as a representative value in each tumor. The circularity index was compared between fat-poor AML and RCC, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the independent predictor of fat-poor AML. Results: Of the 257 tumors, 26 were AMLs and 231 were RCCs (184 clear cell RCCs, 25 papillary RCCs, and 22 chromophobe RCCs). The mean circularity index of AML was significantly lower than that of RCC (0.86 ± 0.04 vs. 0.93 ± 0.02, p < 0.001). The mean circularity index was not different between the subtypes of RCCs (0.93 ± 0.02, 0.92 ± 0.02, and 0.92 ± 0.02 for clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe RCCs, respectively, p = 0.210). The area under the ROC curve of circularity index was 0.924 for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC. The sensitivity and specificity were 88.5% and 90.9%, respectively (cut-off, 0.90). Lower circularity index (≤ 0.9) was an independent predictor (odds ratio, 41.0; p < 0.001) for predicting fat-poor AML on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Circularity is a useful quantitative shape factor of small renal tumor for differentiating fat-poor AML from RCC.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.55-66
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• 1970

Reappraisal measurements of apparent half survival time of red cell by $^{51}Cr$ method was made and effects of blood-letting over red cell survival were observed. The study was performed on 53 normal male subjects under three different experimental conditions. 1. Group 1 Mean $^{51}Cr$ red cell half survival by ACD wash method was 29.7 days. $T\frac{1}{2}$ of Ascorbic acid method was 29.0 days in group with 100 mg dose and 29.1 days in group with 50 mg dose respectively. There was no difference between these two methods in regards to red cell half survival. No difference were noted in amount of ascorbic acid administered. 2. Group 2 As daily amount of blood loss is increased the shortening of red cell half survival was noted. Rapid phase was seen when blood loss ranged 10 to 25 ml per day, while slow phase noted when more loss amounted 25 ml or more daily. Thus, it was clear that there was more than an exponential relation between $T\frac{1}{2}$ and the amount of blood loss. 3. Group 3 $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per whole blood was within normal range and $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per red cell mass showed shortening tendency when compared with the former in the group measured after blood loss (from 25 ml daily up to 100 ml daily in 10 days). In the group with rather constant blood loss of 100 ml daily for 10 consecutive days revealed the significant difference in two measurements (P<0.01). 4. $T\frac{1}{2}$ in non-steady state When red cell production is increased compared with red cell destruction, $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per red cell mass being shorter than that by cpm per whole blood. Shortening of $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per whole blood is more prominent. if red cell destrction is enhanced and exceeds production. 5. It is clear that when expressing red cell destruction rate, $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per whole blood is more adequate and production more consistent with cpm red cell mass. 6. $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured during blood-letting, when corrected by amount of blood loss, it remains normal. It is erroneous to use conventional equational when measuring $T\frac{1}{2}$ in non-steady. $T\frac{1}{2}$ measured by cpm per whole blood is considred more applicable in clinical evaluation.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.127-131
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• 1995

Sequential changes in cell proliferation during the development of epitherial kidney tumors induced in rats were investigated by autoradiographic determination of the $^3H$-thymidine-labeling index. Renal cell tumors were induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by oral administration of N-nitrosomorpholine at the concentration of 120 mg/l in the drinking water for 7 weeks. At different times between 12 and 34 weeks after withdrawal of the carcinogen (stop model) animals were sacrificed. According to cytological criteria, neoplastic lesions were classified into clear cell, acidophilic cell, basophilic cell and oncocytic tumors. The labeling index was found to be increased in all types of preneoplastic tubules as compared to their corresponding original tubules. A much stronger elevation of cell proliferation was ocurred during the development of renal cell tumors from preneoplastic tubules. Of four tumor types, acidophilic cell tumor showed the highest labeling index while oncocytoma exhibited the lowest proliferative activity. These findings are in good accordance with the clinical observations that acidophilic cell tumors have a worse prognosis than oncocytoma. The data presented in this study suggest that the individual proliferation rates may be an objective biological marker of kidney tumor aggressiveness.

• Journal of Hydrogen and New Energy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.311-319
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• 2013

A clear understanding on cell voltage-reversal behavior due to local hydrogen starvation in a stack is of paramount importance to operate the fuel cell vehicle (FCV) stably since it affects significantly the cell performance and durability. In the present study, a novel experimental method to simulate the local cell voltage-reversal behavior caused by local hydrogen starvation, which typically occurs only one or several cells out of several hundred cells in a stack of FCV, has been proposed. Contrary to the conventional method of overall fuel starvation, the present method of local hydrogen starvation caused the local cell voltage-reversal behavior in a stack very well. Degradation of both membrane electrode assembly (i.e., pin-hole formation) and gas diffusion layer due to an excessive exothermic heat under voltage-reversal condition was also observed clearly.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.168-176
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• 2013

In the last few years major progress has been made in better understanding the role of natural killer (NK) cells in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. This includes multiple pathways by which HCV impairs or limits NK cells activation. Based on current genetic and functional data, a picture is emerging where only a rapid and strong NK cell response early on during infection which results in strong T cell responses and possible subsequent clearance, whereas chronic HCV infection is associated with dysfunctional or biased NK cells phenotypes. The hallmark of this NK cell dysfunction is persistent activation promoting ongoing hepatitis and hepatocyte damage, while being unable to clear HCV due to impaired IFN-${\gamma}$ responses. Furthermore, some data suggests certain chronically activated subsets that are $NKp46^{high}$ may be particularly active against hepatic stellate cells, a key player in hepatic fibrogenesis. Finally, the role of NK cells during HCV therapy, HCV recurrence after liver transplant and hepatocellular carcinoma are discussed.