Tsutomu Masaki

Kagawa University · Department of Gastroenterology and Neurology

Numerous nutritional factors increase the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development. The dysregulation of zinc, copper, and selenium homeostasis is associated with the occurrence of HCC. The impairment of the homeostasis of these essential trace elements results in oxidative stress, DNA damage, cell cycle progression, and angiogenesis, fin...

Aim: The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the recent prevalence and clinical characteristics of NAFLD in Japan. Methods: This study initially included 410,061 retrospectively enrolled adults from the medical health checkup registry for metabolic syndrome, chron...

Background: With the development of endoscopic technology and devices, endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) has been challengingly introduced for gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs). The resection and closure strategies are under investigation. This systematic review was performed to assess the current status and limitations of EFTR for gast...

Intraductal self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement may prolong stent patency by reducing duodenobiliary reflux. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this biliary drainage method in patients with unresectable distal malignant biliary obstruction (MBO). Consecutive patients with unresectable MBO who underwent initial covered...

Background The recently developed endoscopic full-thickness resection technique requires reliable closure. The main closure methods are the purse-string suture (PSS) technique and over-the-scope clip (OTSC) technique; however, basic data on the suture strength of each technique are lacking. This study was performed to compare the suture strengths o...

This Special Issue aims to highlight the usefulness of microRNA (miRNA) as diagnostic and prognostic markers of gastroenterological cancer (GC) [...]

Background Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is considered to be caused by the interaction between genetic background and environmental triggers. Previous case–control studies have indicated the associations of environmental factors (tobacco smoking, a history of urinary tract infection, and hair dye) use with PBC. Therefore, we conducted a multice...

We aimed to investigate the diagnostic ability of magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging (ME-NBI) for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+). This was a multicenter prospective study. Eligible patients had positive Pap smear results or follow-up high-grade cytology or CIN3 diagnosed in referring hospitals. Patients under...

Non-invasive indexes of liver fibrosis based on blood examinations have been developed for decades, partially replacing liver biopsy examinations. Recently, the concept of liver cirrhosis was revised and converted to “compensated advanced chronic liver diseases” since the Baveno VI consensus statement in 2015. The term “compensated advanced chronic...

Liver cancer has the fourth highest mortality rate of all cancers worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most prevalent subtype. Despite great advances in systemic therapy, such as molecular-targeted agents, HCC has one of the worst prognoses due to drug resistance and frequent recurrence and metastasis. Recently, new therapeutic...

(Pro)renin receptor((P)RR) is a part of the Wnt receptor complex. Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway (Wnt signaling) plays important role in pathogenesis and self-renewal of glioblastoma (GBM), or differentiation of glioma stem cell. We previously reported that (P)RR activated Wnt signaling, (P)RR expression correlated with malignancy of glioma, and t...

Detection of early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is beneficial for prolonging patient survival. However, the serum markers currently used show limited ability to identify early-stage HCC. In this study, we explored human serum N-glycans as sensitive markers to diagnose HCC in patients with cirrhosis. Using a simplified fluorescence-labeled N...

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths globally, of which hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major subtype. Viral hepatitis B and C infections, alcohol abuse, and metabolic disorders are multiple risk factors for liver cirrhosis and HCC development. Although great therapeutic advances have been made in recent decades, the prog...

We sought to identify the frequencies of presarcopenia, sarcopenia, and sarcopenic obesity in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and to cross-sectionally determine the nutritional and dietary factors associated with loss of skeletal muscle mass in such patients. Dietary and body component changes produced by a diet intervention...

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the digestive tract. The angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers, telmisartan and candesartan, are widely used antihypertensive drugs that inhibits cancer cell proliferation; however, its underlying mechanisms in mesenchymal tumors, including GIST, remains unknown. Th...

Monopolar hemostatic forceps may still be able to treat for rebleeding with above mentioned challenging characteristics, and it is earning a lace in the new enodscopic hemostasis repertoire.

Background: Little is known about the clinicopathological characteristics of superficial spreading-type esophageal carcinoma extending ≥5 cm along the long axis of the esophagus. This study was aimed at investigating the frequency of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in patients with superficial spreading-type esophageal carcinoma. Methods: We reviewe...

Background/Purpose Although ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a first‐line treatment for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), 20‐30% of patients with PBC exhibit an incomplete response to UDCA. Recently, the UDCA Response Score was proposed for predicting response to UDCA using pretreatment parameters in patients with PBC. We aimed to validate the UDCA...

The glucose-lowering effect of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors is reduced in patients with diabetes who have chronic kidney disease (CKD). In the present study, we examined the effect of an SGLT2 inhibitor on the salt sensitivity of blood pressure (BP), circadian rhythm of BP, and sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in nondiabetic CK...

Background: Endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) has recently been an effective procedure for resecting large early esophageal neoplasm. However, excessive dissection beyond the distal limit may occur because the prepared distal end often cannot be distinguished through the tunnel. This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of a n...

Gallbladder cancer is the most common biliary tract cancer with poor prognosis and wide variation in incidence rates worldwide, being very high in some countries in Latin America and Asia. Treatment of type 2 diabetes with metformin causes a reduction in the incidence of cancer. Till date, there are no reports on the anti-tumor effects of metformin...

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients exhibiting macroscopic vascular invasion (MVI) is poor, and the most appropriate treatment approach remains unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib treatment following chemoradiotherapy for advanced HCC exhibiting MVI. A newly reported regimen, inc...

Albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) grade is defined using the ALBI score, which is calculated based on total serum bilirubin and albumin. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic ability of the ALBI score for determining hepatic fibrosis stage and transplant-free survival in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) patients. A total of 181 Japanese patients with...

In Japan, bezafibrate (BF) is a second‐line agent for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) that is refractory to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment. From a retrospective cohort (n=873) from the Japan PBC Study Group, we enrolled 118 patients who had received UDCA monotherapy for ≥1 year followed by combination therapy with UDCA+BF for ≥1 year. GLOB...

Objective: We investigated the correlation between serum complement component 3 (C3) levels and metabolic and histological abnormalities in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C). Methods: Obesity and insulin resistance were estimated by calculating body mass index (BMI) and the values of the homeostasis model for assessment of insulin resista...

Background We previously reported that the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with non-viral etiologies increased rapidly between 1991 and 2010 in Japan. Methods To update this investigation, we enrolled patients who were initially diagnosed as having non-B, non-C HCC at participating hospitals between 2011 and 2015. In addition to the pa...

Comparison of miRNA targeting bias plots using different prediction methods and stringencies based on the five-rank grading contingency table. All plots are drawn based on the five-rank grading contingency tables; hence, the x-axis has five ticks according to the expression intensity of the genes. In each panel, the bias of how the observed number...

miRNA targeting bias plotted by applying the 11-level grading contingency table. All plots are drawn based on 11-level grading contingency tables; hence, the x-axis has 11 ticks according to the expression intensity of the genes. In each panel, the bias of how the observed miRNA targeting occurrences deviates from expected occurrences is plotted ag...

Conversion of contingency table from 11-level to five-rank. Contingency table (left) of the observed numbers of miRNA targeting occurrences in which the 11 levels (I–XI) of expression intensity of the genes are arranged in rows and the five ranks (1–5) of the miRNA expression intensity in columns. Level I includes every mute gene, and levels II–XI...

Targeting specificities are more evident for older miRNAs by a mouse data set. Ante and Euth stand for ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. In the upper row, based on TargetScan-predicted sets of miRNA target sites of mouse with an increasing level of stringency, named C010, C020, and C030, the extent of miRNA targeting avo...

Mouse miRNA targeting specificity. In the same way as Fig 2C and 2D, the bias reflecting how the observed number of miRNA targeting occurrences deviates from the expected number is plotted against the five expression ranks of target genes for the most highly expressed (red) and mute (blue) miRNAs in each organ by using a mouse data set. The bias is...

Comparison of miRNA targeting bias using different prediction methods and stringencies based on the 11-level grading contingency table. By applying the 11-level contingency table, all plots are drawn the same way as in S2 Fig. In each panel, the bias of how the observed number of miRNA targeting occurrences deviates from expected is plotted against...

Removal of overlapping target sites. (A) When two target sites (rectangles) overlap within the 3′ UTR sequence (horizontal bar), we retained the target site at the most 5′ position (solid-line rectangle) and removed the other (broken-line rectangle). This proceeded in a stepwise fashion from the 5′ end to the 3′ end of the 3′ UTR sequence. As a con...

Λ shape in the plots under Various Conditions of miRNA target prediction. Λ represents upward convexity in the plot of the bias of the most highly expressed miRNA that meets the criterion of the Λ shape. The upward convexity indicates that the miRNAs preferentially target genes with intermediate expression. Hyphens indicate a non-Λ-shaped plot or n...

Preference index A under Various Conditions of miRNA target prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order of stringency; P010, P020, and P...

Λ shape in the plots of mouse miRNAs. Λ and V represent upward and downward convexities in the plot of the bias of the most highly expressed miRNAs that meet the criterion of the Λ and V shapes, respectively. The upward convexity indicates that the miRNAs preferentially target genes with intermediate expression. Hyphens indicate a non-Λ-non-V-shape...

Preference index H by a microarray-based data set under Various Conditions of miRNA yarget prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order o...

miRNA targeting specificity by a microarray-based miRNA expression data set. In the same way as Fig 2C and 2D, the bias reflecting how the observed number of miRNA targeting occurrences deviates from the expected number is plotted against the five expression ranks of target genes for the most highly expressed (red) and mute (blue) miRNAs in each or...

Preference index H under Various Conditions of mouse miRNA target prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the mouse sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order of stringency; P010,...

Preference index A by a microarray-based data set under Various Conditions of miRNA target prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order o...

Targeting specificities are more evident for older miRNAs by a microarray-based miRNA expression data set. In the same way as Fig 3, the plots are made based on a microarray-based data set of by-organ human miRNA expressions. Ante and Euth stand for ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. (A–C) Based on TargetScan-predicted se...

Preference index H under Various Conditions of miRNA target prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order of stringency; P010, P020, and P...

Preference index A under Various Conditions of mouse miRNA target prediction. Ante and Euth represent ante-eutherian and eutherian origins of miRNAs, respectively. Hyphens indicate not available or “not in order”. C010, C020, and C030 are the mouse sets of predicted target sites by TargetScan Context++ Score in increasing order of stringency. *Deri...

Λ shape in the plots by a microarray-based data set under Various Conditions of miRNA target prediction. Λ and V represent upward and downward convexities in the plot of the bias of the most highly expressed miRNAs that meet the criterion of the Λ and V shapes, respectively. The upward convexity indicates that the miRNAs preferentially target genes...

Supporting methods. (DOCX)

To determine the clinical characteristics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients undergoing interferon-free anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy, we examined HBV DNA in 25 HBV co-infected patients and 765 patients with resolved HBV infection during and after treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Among those with HCV gen...

In this study, gastric myoelectric activity in patients with acute cerebral infarction was investigated using electrogastrography. The patients were divided into four groups: those with mild brainstem infarction (group A, n=13, men: 8, women: 5, 75±2 years old), severe brainstem infarction (group B, n=6, men: 4, women: 2, 79±4 years old), mild non-...

Metallic liquid silicon at 1787 K is investigated using x-ray Compton scattering. An excellent agreement is found between the measurements and the corresponding Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show persistence of covalent bonding in liquid silicon and provide support for the occurrence of theoretically predicted liquid-li...

Atomic motions and, especially, correlations in atomic motion over angstrom length scales are a sensitive probe of material properties: phonons in single crystals respond to the detailed interactions between atoms, including both short- and long-range forces, and screening thereof, while the atomic dynamics of liquids is intimately connected with n...

The first-principles molecular-dynamics simulation was performed for liquid Ge at 1253 K by using two kinds of simulation cells: The cubic cell of 64 atoms and the rectangular parallelepiped one of 128 atoms. The rectangular parallelepiped cell of 128 atoms was adopted to obtain the dynamic structure factor of liquid Ge in the small wave number reg...

High quality In_xGa_1-xAs platy single crystals (x: 0.1 -0.2) were grown by the newly invented growth method named as the traveling liquidus-zone (TLZ) method. Laser diodes lasing at 1.3 mum wavelength were fabricated on these substrates and showed good temperature stability of output power as predicted.

We have succeeded in growing plate shaped In0.3Ga 0.7As single crystals for substrate use by the traveling liquidus zone (TLZ) method. The TLZ method which we have invented for growing homogeneous mixed crystals requires diffusion-limited mass transport and convection in a melt should be avoided. In that point, large diameter crystals for substrate...

The structure of liquid Sn was studied by neutron scattering experiments in the widest temperature range that was ever performed. Though, on increasing temperature, the existence of the shoulder in the structure factor, S(Q), becomes less clear in the change of the overall shape of the S(Q), the structure related to this shoulder seems to be presen...

The most effective way to obtain liquid diffusion measurements is the shear cell technique. In this method, a diffusion couple is only joined at a target temperature, to avoid diffusion during heating and cooling and to avoid solidification effects. Numerical simulations confirm that the misalignment of a diffusion couple hinders precise diffusion...

The self-diffusion coefficient, DS in liquid Sn was measured by a long capillary method in the microgravity environment of the space shuttle, and the validity of a microgravity effect was confirmed for the measurements of diffusion in melts with high melting temperatures. The data of this DS under microgravity were well reproduced by calculations,...

The volume of liquid metals was theoretically calculated based on the hard sphere model immersed in the uniform background potential of electron gas. The electron–ion interaction was approximated by a simple empty core model pseudopotential. The effect of entropy was taken into account for the evaluation of the volume of liquids. The calculated ato...

We constructed Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells stably expressing alpha(1A)-, alpha(1B)-, or alpha(1D)-adrenergic receptors (CHO-alpha(1A), CHO-alpha(1B), or CHO-alpha(1D), respectively) and compared the Ca(2+) channels activated by noradrenaline (NA) in these cells using whole-cell recordings and monitoring of the intracellular free Ca(2+) concen...

We compared Ca2+ channels activated by endothelin-1 (ET-1) in CHO cells expressing endothelin type A or B receptors (CHO-ETAR or CHO-ETBR) using whole-cell recordings and monitoring of the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) combined with the use of Ca2+ channel blockers, LOE 908 and SK&F 96365. In both cells, the low concentration (0.1...

To clarify the mechanism for the endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced release of catecholamines from the adrenal gland, we examined the effects of removal of extracellular Ca2+, blockers of L-, N-, P- and Q-types of voltage-operated Ca2+ channels (VOCC) such as nifedipine (L-type), omega-conotoxin GVIA (N-type), omega-agatoxin IVA (P-type) and omega-conotox...

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is catalysed by cyclo-oxygenase (COX), as is arachidonic acid, and is a competitive inhibitor of arachidonate metabolism. We examined the effect of EPA on prostaglandin (PG) D2 generation in the cultured human mast cells with IgE-anti-IgE challenge incubation. Cultured human mast cells were incubated with EPA (1 micromol...

Background Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is catalysed by cyclo-oxygenase (COX), as is arachidonic acid, and is a competitive inhibitor of arachidonate metabolism. Objectives We examined the effect of EPA on prostaglandin (PG) D-2 generation in the cultured human mast cells with IgE-anti-IgE challenge incubation. Methods Cultured human mast cells were...