Gel immersion endoscopy has several advantages including low pressure (to prevent patient discomfort) [1], easy implementation of hemostasis with clear visibility of the bleeding point [2] [3], a clear visual field, and the buoyancy effect during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) [4] [5]. However, gel immersion endoscopy requires a specific device, the BioShield irrigator (US Endoscopy, Mentor, Ohio, USA) [4] [5], which combines the gel supply, device insertion, and aspiration line into one accessory channel. This arrangement interferes with the gel or the air during insertion and removal of endoscopic devices, and wastes gel in the channel collected by aspiration. To overcome these disadvantages, we developed a novel technique using a scope fitted with an easily available tube for gel supply, and we achieved successful esophageal ESD with it.
Objective The present study was designed to clarify whether the Rho–Rho-kinase pathway is involved in the process of hypertensive glomerulosclerosis and to assess the therapeutic effect of fasudil, a specific Rho-kinase inhibitor. Method and results Dahl salt-sensitive rats (DS) and Dahl salt-resistant rats (DR) were fed a high-salt diet at 6 weeks of age. Fasudil (30 mg/kg per day) was administered for 7 weeks to DS starting at the age of 11 weeks. After 7 weeks, untreated DS were characterized by decreased kidney function, increased proteinuria, abnormal morphological findings, increased adrenomedullin and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) levels, and increased renal messenger RNA expression of RhoB, Rho-kinaseα, Rho-kinaseβ, collagen I and collagen III, and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the renal cortex compared with DR. Chronic fasudil treatment significantly improved renal function (serum creatinine, –26%; blood urea nitrogen, –41%; creatinine clearance, +42%), proteinuria (–24%) and histological findings (glomerular injury score, –49%; afferent arteriolar injury score, –17%) without changing blood pressure compared with untreated DS. Interestingly, long-term fasudil treatment decreased the plasma adrenomedullin (–25%) and ANP (–49%), but did not change the plasma renin or aldosterone. Furthermore, fasudil significantly decreased the messenger RNA expression of TGF-β (–20%), collagen I (–23%), and collagen III (–24%) in the renal cortex. However, there were still significant differences in the aforementioned parameters between DR and fasudil-treated DS. Conclusion These results suggest that the Rho–Rho-kinase pathway may be partly responsible for the pathogenesis of hypertensive glomerulosclerosis independently of blood pressure in DS, and that chronic inhibition of the Rho–Rho-kinase pathway may be a new strategy for treating hypertensive nephrosclerosis.
Methane gas is an energy alternative to petroleum. However, the two conventional methods of storing methane gas, as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), involve a high degree of risk in terms of safety. To develop a high-safety and low-cost method of storing methane gas, we examined its adsorption on activated carbon newly prepared from biomass waste (crab shell and shochu waste) by chemical activation with K2CO3. The activated carbons prepared from the mixture of crab shell and shochu waste exhibited a maximum specific surface area of 3212 m2/g as measured by nitrogen gas adsorption, which is more than double that of commercially available activated carbon. The adsorption isotherms of methane gas at 25 °C were measured using the new activated carbons and the results revealed that their adsorption capacities for methane gas were particularly influenced by their micropore volume.
