Search

[Background] Technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy is preferred for assessing the liver functional reserve in patients undergoing hepatectomy, but its superiority over computed tomography volumetry after portal vein embolization and subsequent hepatectomy remains elusive. We aimed to compare technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy with conventional computed tomography volumetry for predicting posthepatectomy liver failure in patients after portal vein embolization. [Methods] This retrospective study analyzed 152 consecutive patients who underwent hepatobiliary cancer resection after portal vein embolization between 2006 and 2021. Posthepatectomy liver failure was graded according to the International Study Group of Liver Surgery criteria. The predictive abilities for posthepatectomy liver failure were compared between the future remnant uptake (%) by technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy and the future remnant volume (%) by computed tomography volumetry. [Results] Future remnant uptake (%) was significantly greater than future remnant volume (%) after portal vein embolization (47.9% vs 40.8%; P < .001), while the values were comparable before portal vein embolization (32.7% vs 31.2%; P = .116). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that post–portal vein embolization future remnant volume (%) had a significantly higher area under the curve than post–portal vein embolization future remnant uptake (%) (0.709 vs 0.630; P = .046) for predicting posthepatectomy liver failure. Multivariable analysis revealed that post–portal vein embolization future remnant volume (%) independently predicted posthepatectomy liver failure, but future remnant uptake (%) did not. Although the incidence of posthepatectomy liver failure grade ≥B was 17.8% when indocyanine green–clearance of the future liver remnant based on both future remnant volume (%) and future remnant uptake (%) was ≥0.05, it was higher in other combinations: 55.6% for indocyanine green clearance of the remnant volume ≥0.05/indocyanine green clearance of the remnant uptake ≤0.05; 50.0% for indocyanine green clearance of the remnant volume ≤0.05/indocyanine green clearance of the remnant uptake ≥0.05; and 50% for indocyanine green clearance of the remnant volume ≤0.05/indocyanine green clearance of the remnant uptake ≤0.05. [Conclusions] Technetium-99m-galactosyl human serum albumin scintigraphy is not superior to computed tomography volumetry for assessing the future liver remnant in patients undergoing major hepatectomy after portal vein embolization.

Machine learning in conjunction with validation experiments uncovers new Eu2+-activated phosphor materials with a designed green-color luminescence.

Backgrounds In the era of multidisciplinary treatment strategy, resectability for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) should be defined. This study aimed to propose and validate a resectability classification of HCC. Methods We proposed following the three groups; resectable-(R), borderline resectable-(BR), and unresectable (UR)-HCCs. Resectable two groups were sub-divided according to the value of indocyanine green clearance of remnant liver (ICG-Krem) and presence of macrovascular invasion (MVI); BR-HCC was defined as resectable HCCs with MVI and/or ICG-Krem≥0.03– Results A total of 361 patients were enrolled in the study. Of these, R-, BR- and UR-HCC were found in 251, 46, and 64 patients, respectively. In patients with resected HCC, ICG-Krem≥0.05 was associated with decreased risk of clinically relevant posthepatectomy liver failure (p=0.013) and the presence of MVI was associated with worse overall survival (OS) (pppp Conclusion Our proposal of resectability for HCC allows for stratifying survival outcomes of HCC and may help to determine treatment strategy.

Although choledochojejunostomy is the standard technique for biliary reconstruction, there are various associated problems that need to be solved such as reflux cholangitis. Interposition with an artificial bile duct (ABD) to replace the resected bile duct maintains a physiological conduit for bile and may solve this problem. This study investigated the usefulness of an ABD made of gelatin hydrogel nonwoven fabric (GHNF). GHNF was prepared by the solution blow spinning method. The migration and activity of murine fibroblast L929 cells were examined in GHNF sheets. L929 cells migrated into GHNF sheets, where they proliferated and synthesized collagen, suggesting GHNF is a promising scaffold for bile duct regeneration. ABDs made of GHNF were implanted in place of resected bile duct segments in rats. The rats were killed at 2, 6, and 12 weeks postimplantation. The implantation site was histologically evaluated for bile duct regeneration. At postoperative 2 weeks, migrating cells were observed in the ABD pores. The implanted ABD was mostly degraded and replaced by collagen fibers at 6 weeks. Ki67-positive bile duct epithelial cells appeared within the implanted ABD. These were most abundant within the central part of the ABD after 6 weeks. The percentages of Ki67-positive cells were 31.7 ± 9.1% in the experimental group and 0.8 ± 0.6% in the sham operation group at 6 weeks (p

Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has been reported as a prognostic factor in patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) after hepatectomy. However, the impact of a preoperative "CEA uptrend" on prognosis after hepatectomy in these patients remains unknown. This study assessed the impact of CEA uptrend on prognosis in patients undergoing hepatectomy for CRLM.Consecutive patients with CRLM who underwent hepatectomy between 2009 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with CRLM for whom CEA was measured both around 1 month before (CEA-1m) and within 3 days (CEA-3d) before hepatectomy were enrolled. A CEA-3d higher than both the upper limit of normal (5 ng/ml) and CEA-1m was defined as a CEA uptrend.Study participants comprised 212 patients with CRLM. Of these, 88 patients (41.5%) showed a CEA uptrend. CEA uptrend indicated better discriminatory ability (corrected Akaike information criteria, 733.72) and homogeneity (likelihood ratio chi-square value, 18.80) than CEA-3d or CEA-1m. Patients with CEA uptrend showed poorer overall survival than those without CEA uptrend (p0.001). After adjusting for known prognostic factors, the prognostic significance of CEA uptrend retained (hazard ratio 2.63, 95% confidence interval 1.63-4.26, p0.001). In subgroup analyses, the prognostic significance of CEA uptrend was retained irrespective of the status of RAS mutation or response to preoperative chemotherapy.CEA uptrend offers better prediction of survival outcomes than conventional CEA measurements in patients undergoing hepatectomy for CRLM.

Proton insertion–extraction mechanisms of MoO3 were investigated using operando X-ray diffraction and density functional theory calculation. A high voltage aqueous proton battery was constructed by optimizing the operating potential of MoO3.

To efficiently search for novel phosphors, we propose a dissimilarity measure of local structure using the Wasserstein distance. This simple and versatile method provides the quantitative dissimilarity of a local structure around a center ion. To calculate the Wasserstein distance, the local structures in crystals are numerically represented as a bag of interatomic distances. The Wasserstein distance is calculated for various ideal structures and local structures in known phosphors. The variation of the Wasserstein distance corresponds to the structural variation of the local structures, and the Wasserstein distance can quantitatively explain the dissimilarity of the local structures. The correlation between the Wasserstein distance and the full width at half maximum suggests that candidates for novel narrow-band phosphors can be identified by crystal structures that include local structures with small Wasserstein distances to local structures of known narrow-band phosphors. The quantitative dissimilarity using the Wasserstein distance is useful in the search of novel phosphors and expected to be applied in materials searches in other fields in which local structures play an important role., Graphical abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of serum autotaxin, a novel liver fibrosis marker, for predicting post hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Autotaxin was measured in sera from 269 patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC. Correlations between autotaxin level, liver fibrosis stage (METAVIR F0-F4), and PHLF, as assessed by the International Study Group of Liver Surgery criteria, were analyzed.Median autotaxin concentrations correlated significantly with fibrosis stage (F0, 0.93; F1, 0.96; F2, 1.18; F3, 1.40; and F4, 1.47 mg/l; P .0001). Autotaxin levels were significantly higher in female patients and hepatitis C virus antibody-positive patients compared with male or antibody-negative patients (P .0001). PHLF grade ≥ B occurred in 25 patients (9.3%). A PHLF prediction model was constructed from four variables (autotaxin, resection rate, sex, and hepatitis C virus antibody positivity) and gave an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-0.87), which was superior to models based on ALPlat and resection rate (0.75, 95% CI: 0.64-0.83) or indocyanine green retention test and resection rate (0.72, 95% CI: 0.61-0.81).Serum autotaxin has utility for predicting liver fibrosis and PHLF in patients with HCC.

Background In laparoscopic anatomic liver resection, an increasingly common procedure, the hepatic vein-guided approach is widely used although the hepatic vein tributaries can be a major source of bleeding in the event of inadvertent injury. This report describes the anatomy of the middle hepatic vein (MHV) including its tributaries based on reconstructed three-dimensional computed tomography images and provides anatomic data to enable safe middle hepatic vein-guided liver resection. Methods Following simulation modeling of the hepatic vasculatures, reconstructed MHV data was pooled from 35 healthy liver donors. Yields of the MHV tributaries were analyzed to enable MHV-guided liver resection. Results A total of 252 tributaries were identified in the 35 donors. The MHV yielded fewer tributaries from its anterior and posterior aspects than from its right-side and left-side aspects (40 [15.9%], 13 [5.2%], 93 [36.9%], and 106 [42.1%], respectively). The MHV tributaries from the anterior and posterior aspects were smaller in diameter than those from the right-side and left-side aspects (median, 3.0, 2.0, 4.8, and 4.0 mm, respectively). Discussion Our simulation revealed that MHV dissection from the anterior or posterior aspect poses a lower risk of injury to the MHV tributaries compared to dissection from either lateral aspect. In addition, MHV dissection from the anterior or posterior aspect allows for safer identification and isolation of the thick MHV tributaries originating from the lateral aspects. Ideally, the anterior or posterior aspect of the MHV should be accessed and exposed before the lateral aspects are dissected to minimize the risk of MHV tributary injury.

Several studies have suggested that laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) is associated with fewer postoperative complications than open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, this issue remains controversial since the data may have been attributable to an imbalance in patients’ background. We retrospectively analyzed 290 hepatectomies for HCC undertaken between 2011 and 2019. Liver resection difficulty was based on the 3 levels of the Institut Mutualiste Montsouris classification. Resection ratio was calculated using computed tomography volumetry. Patient characteristics were compared between the LLR and OLR groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) was adopted to adjust the imbalance between the cohorts, and the incidence of postoperative complications was compared. The difficulty and resection ratio were significantly lower in LLR (n = 112) than in OLR (n = 178) (difficulty grade I/II/III: 84/10/18 vs. 43/39/96, p

The mechanism underlying liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy (PH) is not fully elucidated. We aimed to characterize collagen gene expressing hepatic cells following PH and examine their contribution to liver regeneration.Col-GFP mice, which express GFP under the control of the collagen gene promoter, were used to detect collagen gene expressing cells following PH. The GFP-expressing cells were analyzed via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Additionally, Col-ER Cre/RFP and Col-ER Cre/DTA mice were utilized to examine the cell fates and functional roles of collagen gene expressing cells in liver regeneration, respectively. The number of collagen gene expressing cells was found to be increased on day 3 and subsequently decreased on day 7 following PH. ScRNA-seq analysis of sorted collagen gene expressing cells showed that the regenerating liver was characterized by three distinct hepatic stellate cell (HSC) clusters, including one representing classic myofibroblasts. The other HSC clusters included an intermediately activated HSC cluster and a proliferating HSC cluster. Of these, the latter cluster was absent in the CClHeterogeneous HSC clusters, one of which was a unique proliferating cluster, were found to appear in the liver following PH. Collagen gene expressing cells, including HSCs, were found to promote liver regeneration.

Background & Aims Chronic alcohol consumption is a leading risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is associated with a marked increase in hepatic expression of pro-inflammatory IL-17A and its receptor IL-17RA. Methods Genetic deletion and pharmacological blocking were used to characterize the role of IL-17A/IL-17RA signaling in the pathogenesis of HCC in mouse models and human specimens. Results We demonstrate that the global deletion of the Il-17ra gene suppressed HCC in alcohol-fed diethylnitrosamine-challenged Il-17ra–/– and major urinary protein-urokinase-type plasminogen activator/Il-17ra–/– mice compared with wild-type mice. When the cell-specific role of IL-17RA signaling was examined, the development of HCC was decreased in both alcohol-fed Il-17raΔMΦ and Il-17raΔHep mice devoid of IL-17RA in myeloid cells and hepatocytes, but not in Il-17raΔHSC mice (deficient in IL-17RA in hepatic stellate cells). Deletion of Il-17ra in myeloid cells ameliorated tumorigenesis via suppression of pro-tumorigenic/inflammatory and pro-fibrogenic responses in alcohol-fed Il-17raΔMΦ mice. Remarkably, despite a normal inflammatory response, alcohol-fed Il-17raΔHep mice developed the fewest tumors (compared with Il-17raΔMΦ mice), with reduced steatosis and fibrosis. Steatotic IL-17RA-deficient hepatocytes downregulated the expression of Cxcl1 and other chemokines, exhibited a striking defect in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)/TNF receptor 1-dependent caspase-2-SREBP1/2-DHCR7-mediated cholesterol synthesis, and upregulated the production of antioxidant vitamin D3. The pharmacological blocking of IL-17A/Th-17 cells using anti-IL-12/IL-23 antibodies suppressed the progression of HCC (by 70%) in alcohol-fed mice, indicating that targeting IL-17 signaling might provide novel strategies for the treatment of alcohol-induced HCC. Conclusions Overall, IL-17A is a tumor-promoting cytokine, which critically regulates alcohol-induced hepatic steatosis, inflammation, fibrosis, and HCC. Lay summary IL-17A is a tumor-promoting cytokine, which critically regulates inflammatory responses in macrophages (Kupffer cells and bone-marrow-derived monocytes) and cholesterol synthesis in steatotic hepatocytes in an experimental model of alcohol-induced HCC. Therefore, IL-17A may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with alcohol-induced HCC.

Background The indocyanine green test is used widely to evaluate the risk of posthepatectomy liver failure for hepatocellular carcinoma. A more convenient and reliable scoring system is desired owing to limited accuracy and availability of the indocyanine green test. This study aimed to establish a new selection criterion for liver resection in HCC. Methods We reviewed retrospectively 876 patients undergoing a partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma between 2007 and 2015 in 8 affiliated hospitals. Posthepatectomy liver failure grades B and C were regarded as posthepatectomy liver failure. We identified the risk factors for posthepatectomy liver failure and established a predictive model based on a formula for the probability of posthepatectomy liver failure. External validation was performed in an additional cohort of 250 patients. Results Posthepatectomy liver failure occurred in 92 patients (11%). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the prediction of posthepatectomy liver failure was 0.646 for the platelet count, 0.641 for albumin, 0.623 for the percentage of liver remnant, and 0.607 for the plasma disappearance rate of indocyanine green. Logistic regression analysis provided a formula for the probability of posthepatectomy liver failure consisting of platelet count, albumin, and liver remnant. We defined platelet count + 90 × albumin as the ALPlat index and established an ALPlat-based criterion for operative resection that secured the same risk assumed by the indocyanine green–based criterion (Makuuchi’s criterion). This criterion exhibited a greater sensitivity and specificity than the indocyanine green–based criterion in the validation cohort. Conclusion The ALPlat criterion is a simple and useful method to assess liver function and to make therapeutic decisions in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

We investigated the role of mesothelin (Msln) and thymocyte differentiation antigen 1 (Thy1) in the activation of fibroblasts across multiple organs and demonstrated that Msln(−/−) mice are protected from cholestatic fibrosis caused by Mdr2 (multidrug resistance gene 2) deficiency, bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, and UUO (unilateral urinary obstruction)-induced kidney fibrosis. On the contrary, Thy1(−/−) mice are more susceptible to fibrosis, suggesting that a Msln–Thy1 signaling complex is critical for tissue fibroblast activation. A similar mechanism was observed in human activated portal fibroblasts (aPFs). Targeting of human MSLN(+) aPFs with two anti-MSLN immunotoxins killed fibroblasts engineered to express human mesothelin and reduced collagen deposition in livers of bile duct ligation (BDL)–injured mice. We provide evidence that antimesothelin-based therapy may be a strategy for treatment of parenchymal organ fibrosis.

We investigated the role of mesothelin (Msln) and thymocyte differentiation antigen 1 (Thy1) in the activation of fibroblasts across multiple organs and demonstrated that Msln-/- mice are protected from cholestatic fibrosis caused by Mdr2 (multidrug resistance gene 2) deficiency, bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis, and UUO (unilateral urinary obstruction)-induced kidney fibrosis. On the contrary, Thy1-/- mice are more susceptible to fibrosis, suggesting that a Msln-Thy1 signaling complex is critical for tissue fibroblast activation. A similar mechanism was observed in human activated portal fibroblasts (aPFs). Targeting of human MSLN+ aPFs with two anti-MSLN immunotoxins killed fibroblasts engineered to express human mesothelin and reduced collagen deposition in livers of bile duct ligation (BDL)-injured mice. We provide evidence that antimesothelin-based therapy may be a strategy for treatment of parenchymal organ fibrosis.

There is a growing demand for the use of machine learning (ML) to derive fast-to-evaluate surrogate models of materials properties. In recent years, a broad array of materials property databases have emerged as part of a digital transformation of materials science. However, recent technological advances in ML are not fully exploited because of the insufficient volume and diversity of materials data. An ML framework called “transfer learning” has considerable potential to overcome the problem of limited amounts of materials data. Transfer learning relies on the concept that various property types, such as physical, chemical, electronic, thermodynamic, and mechanical properties, are physically interrelated. For a given target property to be predicted from a limited supply of training data, models of related proxy properties are pretrained using sufficient data; these models capture common features relevant to the target task. Repurposing of such machine-acquired features on the target task yields outstanding prediction performance even with exceedingly small data sets, as if highly experienced human experts can make rational inferences even for considerably less experienced tasks. In this study, to facilitate widespread use of transfer learning, we develop a pretrained model library called XenonPy.MDL. In this first release, the library comprises more than 140 000 pretrained models for various properties of small molecules, polymers, and inorganic crystalline materials. Along with these pretrained models, we describe some outstanding successes of transfer learning in different scenarios such as building models with only dozens of materials data, increasing the ability of extrapolative prediction through a strategic model transfer, and so on. Remarkably, transfer learning has autonomously identified rather nontrivial transferability across different properties transcending the different disciplines of materials science; for example, our analysis has revealed underlying bridges between small molecules and polymers and between organic and inorganic chemistry., Along with the XenonPy.MDL model library, we describe the great potential of transfer learning to break the barrier of limited amounts of data in materials property prediction using machine learning.

A high anionic conductivity of ∼3.5 × 10–3 S cm–1 at room temperature is achieved for PbxSn2–xF4 (x = 1.21) obtained by annealing a mechanically milled PbF2/SnF2 mixture at 400 °C. The observed syn...

Aim Liver biopsy is the gold standard for assessing liver fibrosis (LF) after liver transplantation (LT), but its invasiveness limits its utility. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of liver stiffness measurement (LSM) using acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging to assess LF after LT. Methods Between September 2013 and January 2017, 278 patients who underwent liver biopsy after LT in Kyoto University Hospital (Kyoto, Japan) were prospectively enrolled. Liver stiffness measurement was carried out using ARFI imaging; its value was expressed as shear wave velocity (Vs) [m/s]. The LF was evaluated according to METAVIR score (F0-F4). The diagnostic performance of Vs for F2≤ and F3≤ was assessed and compared with that of laboratory tests using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results The median Vs values increased according to the progression of LF (F0, 1.18 (0.78-1.92); F1, 1.35 (0.72-3.54); F2, 1.55 (1.05-3.37); F3, 1.84 (1.41-2.97)). The Vs had the highest area under the ROC curve (AUROC) for the prediction of both F2 ≤ and F3 ≤ fibrosis (F2, 0.77; and F3, 0.85). With the cut-off value of Vs >1.31, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 89.4%, 53.3%, 37.3%, and 94.2% in predicting F2≤, respectively. Shear wave velocity diagnosed LF better than any laboratory tests regardless of the type of primary disease. Conclusions Acoustic radiation force impulse helps to assess graft LF after LT. The high sensitivity suggested that ARFI might reduce the frequency of liver biopsies by detecting patients who are unlikely to have significant fibrosis after LT. (Unique trial no. UMIN R000028296.).

Limited studies have reported the actual learning process of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR). This study aimed to chronologically evaluate our 15 years’ experience of LLR. All consecutive LLRs between 2006 to 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The time period was divided into three groups; first (2006–2010), second (2011–2015), and third (2016–2020) period. The primary endpoint of this study was a composite of overall (Clavien–Dindo grade ≥ II) or major (grade ≥ IIIa) postoperative complications within 30 days. Using the IWATE criteria (four difficulty levels based on six indices), LLR was categorized as basic (

Mac-2 binding protein glycosylation isomer (M2BPGi) is a novel liver fibrosis biomarker, but there are few studies on M2BPGi in liver transplantation (LT) recipients. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of M2BPGi measurement in LT recipients. We collected the clinicopathological data of 233 patients who underwent a liver biopsy at Kyoto University Hospital after LT between August 2015 and June 2019. The median values of M2BPGi in patients with METAVIR fibrosis stages F0, F1, F2, and ≥F3 were 0.61, 0.76, 1.16, and 1.47, respectively, whereas those in patients with METAVIR necroinflammatory indexes A0, A1, and ≥A2 were 0.53, 1.145, and 2.24, respectively. Spearman rank correlation test suggested that the necroinflammatory index had a stronger correlation to the M2BPGi value than the fibrosis stage. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of M2BPGi to predict ≥A1 was 0.75, which was significantly higher than that of any other liver fibrosis and inflammation marker. Patients with a rejection activity index (RAI) of ≥3 had a higher M2BPGi value than those with RAI ≤ 2 (P = 0.001). Patients with hepatitis C virus viremia had a higher M2BPGi value than sustained virological responders or those with other etiologies. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that M2BPGi values are more strongly influenced by necroinflammatory activity and revealed M2BPGi, which has been thought to be a so-called fibrosis marker, as a disease activity marker in transplant recipients. M2BPGi measurement may be useful to detect early stage liver inflammation that cannot be detected by routine blood examination of LT recipients.

Cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) plays an important role in alcohol and toxin metabolism by catalyzing the conversion of substrates into more polar metabolites and producing reactive oxygen species. Reactive oxygen species-induced oxidative stress promotes hepatocyte injury and death, which in turn induces inflammation, activation of hepatic stellate cells, and liver fibrosis. Here, we analyzed mice expressing only the human CYP2E1 gene (hCYP2E1) to determine differences in hCYP2E1 versus endogenous mouse Cyp2e1 function with different liver injuries. After intragastric alcohol feeding, CYP2E1 expression was induced in both hCYP2E1 and wild-type (Wt) mice. hCYP2E1 mice had greater inflammation, fibrosis, and lipid peroxidation but less hepatic steatosis. In addition, hCYP2E1 mice demonstrated increased expression of fibrogenic and proinflammatory genes but decreased expression of de novo lipogenic genes compared to Wt mice. Lipidomics of free fatty acid, triacylglycerol, diacylglycerol, and cholesterol ester species and proinflammatory prostaglandins support these conclusions. Carbon tetrachloride-induced injury suppressed expression of both mouse and human CYP2E1, but again hCYP2E1 mice exhibited greater hepatic stellate cell activation and fibrosis than Wt controls with comparable expression of proinflammatory genes. By contrast, 14-day bile duct ligation induced comparable cholestatic injury and fibrosis in both genotypes. Conclusion: Alcohol-induced liver fibrosis but not hepatic steatosis is more severe in the hCYP2E1 mouse than in the Wt mouse, demonstrating the use of this model to provide insight into the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease. (Hepatology Communications 2017;1:1043-1057).

The origin of collagen-producing myofibroblasts in pancreatic fibrosis is still controversial. Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), which have been recognized as the pancreatic counterparts of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), are thought to play an important role in the development of pancreatic fibrosis. However, sources of myofibroblasts other than PSCs may exist because extensive studies of liver fibrosis have uncovered myofibroblasts that did not originate from HSCs. This study aimed to characterize myofibroblasts in an experimental pancreatic fibrosis model in mice.We used transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein via the collagen type I α1 promoter and induced pancreatic fibrosis with repetitive injections of cerulein.Collagen-producing cells that are negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein (ie, not derived from PSCs) exist in the pancreas. Pancreatic stellate cells had different characteristics from those of HSCs in a very small possession of vitamin A using mass spectrometry and a low expression of lecithin retinol acyltransferase. The microstructure of PSCs was entirely different from that of HSCs using flow cytometry and electron microscopy.Our study showed that characteristics of PSCs are different from those of HSCs, and myofibroblasts in the pancreas might be derived not only from PSCs but also from other fibrogenic cells.

Here, we report remarkable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalytic activity of brownmillerite (BM)-type Ca2 FeCoO5 . The OER activity of this oxide is comparable to or beyond those of the state-of-the-art perovskite (PV)-catalyst Ba0.5 Sr0.5 Co0.8 Fe0.2 O3-δ (BSCF) and a precious-metal catalyst RuO2 , emphasizing the importance of the characteristic BM structure with multiple coordination environments of transition metal (TM) species. Also, Ca2 FeCoO5 is clearly advantageous in terms of expense/laboriousness of the material synthesis. These facts make this oxide a promising OER catalyst used in many energy conversion technologies such as metal-air secondary batteries and hydrogen production from electrochemical/photocatalytic water splitting.

Quality oxide-ion conductors are essential for clean-energy applications. Rare-earth-stabilized bismuth sesquioxide, δ-Bi2O3, exhibits a much greater oxide-ion conductivity at high temperatures than commonly used ZrO2- or CeO2-based electrolytes, but it suffers from serious conductivity degradation while annealing at moderate temperatures of ∼773 K, which is the target temperature for many applications. Here, we demonstrate that a novel set of solute elements for δ-Bi2O3 can significantly enhance the long-term stability at 773 K. A pure oxide-ion conductivity of 0.035 S/cm at 773 K remains unchanged during annealing for 100 h, which is five times greater than the best known solid-state oxide materials after long-term annealing. For materials design, we explore a range of chemical spaces using theoretical methods based on first-principles calculations. The order–disorder transition temperature of the anion sublattice, oxygen-ion diffusivity, and solution free energy are used as descriptors. The design conc...