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Distant metastases derived from papillary carcinoma are generally detected in the lungs and bones. However, renal metastasis is rare. We herein report a case of papillary thyroid carcinoma with renal and pulmonary metastases that had been initially diagnosed as primary renal carcinoma with pulmonary metastases. The lesions showed response to immune checkpoint inhibitors and tyrosine kinase inhibitor but not to radioactive iodine therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cellulases contain carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) that largely contribute to their activity for insoluble substrates.Clostridium thermocellumCel5E is an endoglucanase having xylanolytic activity. The Cel5E originally has a family 11 CBM preferentially binding to β-1,4- and β-1,3-1,4-mixed linkage glucans. In this study, we replaced the CBM with a different type of CBM, either a family 3 microcrystalline cellulose-directed CBM fromClostridium josuiscaffoldin, or a family 6 xylan-directed CBM fromClostridium stercorariumxylanase 11A. Chimeric endoglucanases showed enhanced activity that was affected by CBM binding specificity. These chimeric enzymes could efficiently degrade milled lignocellulosic materials, such as corn hulls, because of heterologous components in the plant cell wall, indicating that diverse CBMs play roles in degradation of lignocellulosic materials. Substrate specificities of an endoglucanase, Cel5E fromClostridium thermocellumwere affected by fusion of different type CBMs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article discusses a study which examines the significance of family 17 and 8 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBMs) on the identification of different cell-wall sites in sweet potato roots. Findings of the study reveal that CBMs determined several components on sweet potato root's cell wall. It also indicates that family 17 and family 28 of CBMs recognized that the polysaccharides configuration in the cell wall differ between tissues.

The article presents a study on the differences of the binding properties of three Clostridium josui carbohydrate-binding modules (CjCBMs) families such as 17, 28, and 17/28. It notes that an isothermal titration calorimetry was used to determine the thermodynamic parameter for the binding of the CBMs with cellooligosaccharides. Results show that the individual CBMs had different mechanisms for binding to cellooligosaccharides but with similar binding constants (Ka) for cellopentaose.

The article investigates the local variability of bacterial species within the lumen of the cecum and proximal colon of guinea pigs by using PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The DGGE banding profiles revealed radial and axial variation of the bacteria. The article discusses the physiological importance of the variation of bacteria within the large intestinal lumen for the degradation of dietary fiber and interaction between bacteria and the mucosal immune system.

Characterizes a novel cellulolytic, anaerobic and thermophilic anaerobe, Moorella sp. strain F21, isolated from soil. Gene sequence analysis showing that the bacterium was closely related to Moorella thermoacetica; Data suggesting that the strain is a noncellulosomal cellulolytic bacterium; Major fermentation product from ball-milled cellulose.

Background Neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) became to be a standard therapeutic strategy for advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Japan. However the multidrug combination chemotherapy with 5-FU, cisplatin (FP) and docetaxel (DFP) has been well known more effective than FP, biomarker predict efficacy of NAC is not known yet. We have reported that expression of HER2 and EGFR had correlated to the response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and prognosis. Therefore we started to evaluate them in all cases using biopsy tissue samples from 2012. Methods The tissues were collected from 122 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma before NAC with DFP from August 2012 to August 2017, and expression of HER2 and EGFR were measured with Immunohistochemistry. HER2 positive were 2 + and 3 + expression in immunostaining. The number of the patients were 20 cases in stageII, 91 cases in stageIII, and 11 cases in stageIV. These results were compared with response to NAC and outcome of the patients. Results There were no differences in patient background factors such as sex, age, location and stage.One hundred nineteen of 122 cases (97.5%) were positive for EGFR and HER2 positive cases were 12 cases (9.8%). Expression patterns of EGFR and HER2 were examined, EGFR positive-HER2 negative cases were the most common pattern, and 107 cases (87.7%), both positive were 12 cases (9.8%), and both negative were 3 cases (2.4%), EGFR negative-HER2 positive were not observed. The response rates of chemotherapy was 46.2% in the EGFR positive cases, it was 42.9% in EGFR positive-HER2 negative cases. It was 75% in HER2 and EGFR positive cases, and it was significantly higher than the other pattern (P  = 0.034). HER2 expression was suggested to be a biomarker of NAC with DFP especially in stage III. Conclusion HER2 and EGFR expression was shown to be a predictor of NAC response. The patients with both negative pattern showed poorer response. The expression pattern of HER2 and EGFR can be useful biomarker of NAC response with DFP. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Preoperative precise diagnosis of invasion to the trachea and bronchi from advanced esophageal cancer is important to estimate the prognosis and resectability. But it is difficult to diagnose the invasion to the tracheobronchial adventitia by conventional examination, like CT scan, MRI, bronchoscopy, etc. The purpose of this study is to clarify the diagnostic utility of endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) for the invasion to the trachea and bronchi of esophageal cancer. Methods We examined the diagnostic utility of EBUS in cadaver, by comparing echoic image and actual tracheobronchial structure using tracheal invasion model. The model was made by cauterizing adventitia with the electrical scalpel. The cancer image model was made by injecting the agarose gel into esophageal muscular layer. And we also examined for clinical T3 or T4b esophageal cancer cases using EBUS for the diagnosis of tracheobronchial invasion. Results Normal image of tracheal wall was shown as three layers (high-low-high echoic layers) by EBUS. Echoic image of the tracheal invasion model in cadaver showed disappearance of the deepest high echoic layer. Histological examination proved interruption of tracheal adventitia by cauterization. Echoic image of tumor image model showed disappearance of the deepest high echoic layer and clearly observed tumor like agarose gel through the tracheal wall. These indicated the deepest high echoic layer correspond with the tracheal adventitia layer. EBUS could be visualized esophageal cancer invasion to the tracheobronchial adventitia. We performed EBUS for 32 cases of T3 or T4b esophageal cancer had been suspected the tracheobronchial invasion. 9 cases were diagnosed as T3 without invasion to the trachea or bronchi and received neo-adjuvant therapy following surgery, and all cases of these were confirmed precise diagnosis of EBUS in histological findings. 23 cases were diagnosed as T4b with invasion to the trachea or bronchi and received definitive chemo-radiation, and one patient received esophagectomy and pharyngolaryngectomy for salvage surgery and also confirmed accuracy of preoperative diagnosis using EBUS in histological findings. Conclusion EBUS is useful to diagnose the tracheobronchial invasion of esophageal cancer. Precise diagnosis of the tracheobronchial invasion using EBUS will help us to perform R0 resection and improve the prognosis of cT4b esophageal cancer. Disclosure All authors have declared no conflicts of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]