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Background: Previous research studies have assessed the relationship between attention to social information and peripheral (e.g., plasma and salivary) oxytocin (OT) levels in typically developing (TD) children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A relationship between them was observed in TD children, but not in children with ASD. However, this relationship remains unexamined in other age groups. To clarify whether this lack of association is maintained throughout development in individuals with ASD, we aimed to assess the relationship between salivary OT levels and attention to social information in adolescents and adults with and without ASD. Methods: We recruited male adolescents and adults with ASD (n = 17) and TD participants (n = 24). Using the all-in-one eye-tracking system Gazefinder, we measured the percentage fixation time allocated to social information. We also measured the salivary OT levels and Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ) of participants. Subsequently, we confirmed group differences and conducted a correlation analysis to investigate the relationships between these three measures. Results: Salivary OT levels did not show any significant difference between the ASD and TD groups and were negatively correlated with the AQ in the whole-group analysis, but not in within-group analysis. Individuals with ASD had significantly lower percentage fixation times than did TD individuals for eye regions in human faces with/without mouth motion, for upright biological motion, and for people regions in the people and geometry movies. The percentage of fixation for geometric shapes in the people and geometry movies was significantly higher in the ASD than in the TD group. In the TD group, salivary OT levels were positively correlated with percentage fixation times for upright biological motion and people and negatively correlated with inverted biological motion and geometry. However, no significant correlations were found in the ASD group. Conclusions: Our exploratory results suggest that salivary OT levels in adolescents and adults with ASD are less indicative of attention to social stimuli than they are in TD adolescents and adults. It is suggested that their association is slightly weaker in adolescents and adults with ASD and that this attenuated relationship appears to be maintained throughout development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SIRIUS – a 6 MV pelletron accelerator at ANSTO was delivered and installed in 2014–2015. After initial testing and commissioning phase we have now moved into routine operations. Quality assurance data from the past 2 years demonstrates the excellent performance and SIRIUS is now our preferred instrument for 10Be, 26Al and 36Cl analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute GVHD (aGVHD) is a major obstacle to allogeneic hematopoietic SCT (alloHSCT). Although it is thought that aGVHD is initiated in secondary lymphoid organs at a very early stage of alloHSCT, whether CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T-cells (Tregs) have an impact on aGVHD development during this period remains unclear. Here, we measured Tregs in peripheral blood as early as possible after HLA-mismatched alloHSCT, and assessed the incidence of aGVHD. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that at the second week after HSCT, patients with aGVHD had significantly (P=0.018) lower Treg:CD4+T-cell ratios than those without aGVHD. As these differences were seen before the development of aGVHD, these ratios can predict the incidence of aGVHD. The cumulative incidence of aGVHD in patients with ratios of <9% was significantly higher than that in patients with ratios of 9% (P=0.0082, log-rank test). Additionally, the specific ratio of Tregs:CD4+T-cells was the most significant value among all other possible lymphocyte-associated ratios and absolute cell counts. These findings suggest that the ratio of Tregs:CD4+T-cells at the second week post HLA-mismatched alloHSCT might be a potent predictor of aGVHD in these patients. The practical efficacy of this finding should be verified in further interventional studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Preliminary results of 53Mn measurements for seven Brazilian haematites are presented. The production rate of 53Mn due to cosmic-ray induced disintegration of iron is estimated to be 103±19 atoms g(Fe)-1 yr−1 at sea level and high latitude. This is consistent with the only previously published measurement. The muon contribution to the total 53Mn production at the surface is estimated to be ∼7%. Cosmogenic-isotope dating employing 53Mn is applicable to any rock/mineral type that contains iron as a major constituent, such as haematite, goethite, pyroxene and olivine. The method has the potential to extend the time scale of cosmogenic exposure dating to >10Ma. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) gaze less at eye in the face, which is one component of sociality. Previous researches also reported that anxiety and depression diminished gaze time on eye region (Horley et al., 2003;Noiret et al., 2014). However, there is no report clarifying the effects of anxiety and depression in attention to eye in individuals with ASD. Objectives: This study aimed to clarify the effects of anxiety/depression in attention to eye in adolescents with ASD. Methods: We recruited 30 individuals with ASD (21 males, 13.1 +/-1.9 years, FSIQ 90.8+/-14.1; 9 females, 13.1+/-2.1 years, FSIQ 101.7+/-23.2). We used the Gazefinder (JVC KENWOOD Corporation, Japan), an all-in-one eye-tracking system. The Gazefinder included two types of face movie: A) face without mouth motion, B) face with mouth motion. We conducted correlation analyses among T score of Anxious/Depressed scale of the Child Behavior Checklist, Prosocial behavior subscale of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, and the percentages of fixation time to eye region. Results: For male group, there was a significant correlation between the percentages of fixation time to eye and Anxious/Depressed scale in B) (r=.65, p=.001, figure2). The correlations between them were marginally significant in A) for both male group (r=.39, p=.082, figure1) and female group (r=-.66, p=.054, figure1). There were significant group differences in slopes in both A) and B) (ps<.05). There were no other significant correlations. Conclusions: In adolescents with ASD, anxiety/depression have a stronger impact on attention to eye, and the effects of anxiety/depression for attention to eye may have sex difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present study was designed to clarify an intensity-dependent effect of prenatal stress on the morphological development of hippocampal neurons in rats. In addition, the involvement of receptors for glucocorticoids, i.e. mineralocorticoid receptors and glucocorticoid receptors, in stress-induced changes in the morphology of hippocampal neurons was examined by an in vitro pharmacological approach. The effects of mild prenatal stress on neurogenesis and long-term potentiation in the hippocampus were also investigated in adult offspring. Prenatal stress affected the morphological development of the hippocampus in an intensity-dependent manner. Short-lasting, mild prenatal stress enhanced neonatal neurogenesis and differentiation of processes of hippocampal neurons, whereas long-lasting, severe stress impaired their morphology. Mineralocorticoid receptor was found to mediate enhancement of neurogenesis and differentiation of processes of cultured hippocampal neurons. In contrast, glucocorticoid receptor was involved in the suppression of their morphology. Short-lasting, mild prenatal stress, which has previously been shown to enhance learning performance in adult offspring, facilitated neurogenesis and long-term potentiation in the adult hippocampus. These findings suggest that prenatal stress has enhancing and suppressing effects on the development of hippocampal neurons depending on intensity, and that mineralocorticoid receptors and glucocorticoid receptors contribute to stress-induced morphological changes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary Aims : To investigate the effects of rebamipide on the Helicobacter pylori eradication rate with amoxicillin and omeprazole. The trial also examined its histological effects on gastro-mucosal inflammation after eradication. Methods : Two hundred and six H. pylori -positive patients with active gastric ulcer underwent 8-week based therapy (OA) consisting of 2-week amoxicillin with omeprazole and subsequent 6-week omeprazole. They randomly received either rebamipide (OA-R) or placebo (OA-P) for 16 weeks: combined with the OA based therapy, and subsequently for another 8 weeks. Besides eradication rate, inflammatory findings of gastric mucosa after eradication were evaluated histologically. Results : Per Protocol Set analysis showed no significant difference in eradication rate between OA-R (64.6%; 95% confidence interval, 54.3–75.0%) and OA-P (67.9%; 95% CI, 57.6–78.3%). Histological findings in the gastric mucosa of the ulcer region, however, indicated a significant improvement (P = 0.017) in inflammation scores in OA-R (1.84 ± 0.41) compared with that in OA-P (2.02 ± 0.39) after 16-weeks of treatment. This suppressive effect on inflammation was observed even in the OA-R patients unsuccessfully eradicated. Conclusion : Rebamipide demonstrated a suppressive effect on the persistent and possibly chronic inflammation in the gastric mucosa of the ulcer region after eradication, but the drug did not improve the eradication rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates whether maternal stress during pregnancy induces maternal and fetal hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) neuronal activation and the effects of maternal stress on fetal hypothalamic and PVN brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression. Pregnant rats were exposed to three types of maternal stress with varying severity (restraint, forced walking and immobilization) for 30 min on gestational day 21. Severity of stress was assessed by measurement of maternal plasma corticosterone 30 min following the stimulus. Maternal plasma corticosterone increased in each stress response group (immobilization>forced walking>restraint). Further, the expression of Fos protein, a marker of neuronal activation, increased in the fetal and maternal PVN in direct relation to the severity of stress treatments. Forced walking and immobilized stress, but not restraint stress, significantly increased BDNF expression in the fetal hypothalamus.These findings suggest that the fetal hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) response following maternal stress mirrors maternal HPA activation. In addition, BDNF may play a role in protecting fetal brain neurons from damage caused by severe stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We studied the auditory evoked magnetic fields (AEFs) in response to pure tones especially at very high frequencies (from 4000 Hz to 40 000 Hz). This is the first systematic study of AEFs using tones above 5000 Hz, the upper audible range of humans, and ultrasound. We performed two experiments. In the first, AEFs were recorded in 12 subjects from both hemispheres under binaural listening conditions. Six types of auditory stimulus (pure tones of five different frequencies: 4000 Hz, 8000 Hz, 10 000 Hz, 12 000 Hz, 14 000 Hz, and a click sound as the target stimulus) were used. In the second experiment, we used 1000 Hz, 15 000 Hz, and two ultrasounds with frequencies of 20 000 Hz and 40 000 Hz. The subjects could detect all stimuli in the first experiment but not the ultrasounds in the second experiment.We analyzed N1m, the main response with approximately 100 ms in peak latency, and made the following findings. (1) N1m responses to the tones up to 12 000 Hz were clearly recorded from at least one hemisphere in all 12 subjects. N1m for 14 000 Hz was identified in at least one hemisphere in 10 subjects, and in both hemispheres in six subjects. No significant response could be identified to ultrasounds over 20 000 Hz. (2) The amplitude of the N1m to the tones above 8000 Hz was significantly smaller than that to 4000 Hz in both hemispheres. There was a tendency for the peak latency of the N1m to be longer for the tones with higher frequencies, but no significant change was found. (3) The equivalent current dipole (ECD) of the N1m was located in the auditory cortex. There was a tendency for the ECD for the tones with higher frequencies to lie in more medial and posterior areas, but no significant change was found. (4) As for the interhemispheric difference, the N1m amplitude for all frequency tones was significantly larger and the ECDs were estimated to be located more anterior and medial in the right hemisphere than the left. The priority of the right hemisphere, that is the larger amplitude, for very high frequency tones was confirmed. (5) The orientation of the ECD in the left hemisphere became significantly more vertical the higher the tones. This result was consistent with previous studies which revealed the sensitivity of the frequency difference in the left hemisphere.From these findings we suggest that tonotopy in the auditory cortex exists up to the upper limit of audible range within the small area, where the directly air-conducted ultrasounds are not reflected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study investigated the relationship between the drug combinations of the eradication regimens and the prevalence of acquired resistance to clarithromycin. Of 540 patients treated with anti-Helicobacter pylori regimens containing clarithromycin, 55 patients (31 males, mean age, 45.6 years) with failed eradication of H. pylori that was susceptible to clarithromycin before treatment were included. The E test was used to test for susceptibility to clarithromycin (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) <1 mg/l). Of the 55 patients, 33 (60.0%) developed clarithromycin resistance after failed eradication. Of the dual therapies, the combination of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and clarithromycin resulted in 88.9% (8/9) of the patients acquiring clarithromycic-resistance. With the triple therapies, the percentages of patients acquiring clarithromycin resistant strains after using a PPI+clarithromycin+amoxycillin or a PPI+clarithromycin+metronidazole were 38.7% (12/31) and 90.0% (9/10), respectively (P<0.01). These data suggest that regimens containing amoxycillin may prevent the selection of secondary clarithromycin resistance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: No previous report has shown the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and a direct sequence analysis of p53 gene mutation in a biopsy sample of human gastric mucosa. Methods: A total of 60 endoscopic biopsies samples (21 patients with H. pylori-positive gastritis and 9 patients with H. pylori-negative gastritis), including antral mucosa and corpus mucosa, were used in this study. Direct DNA sequencing of exons 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the p53 gene was performed by the dyedeoxy terminator method. Results: Mutations in the p53 gene were identified in non-hot spot codons in exon 7 and 8 in 11 of 21 samples (52.4%) from H. pylori-positive gastritis patients. There was no mutation in H. pylori-negative gastritis patients. Conclusions: This finding shows that H. pylori infection can induce p53 point mutations and appears to be involved in the pathway leading to dysplasia or carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with gastroduodenal disease in humans. In this study we aimed to show this relationship directly in Mongolian gerbils. Methods: The animals were challenged orally with H. pylori and killed 1, 2, 3, and 6 months after inoculation for histologic and anti-H. pylori antibody titer examination. Results: The spiral bacteria were observed in the mucus and gastric pits of all infected animals. A severe infiltration of the lamina propria by polymorphonuclear and mononuclear cells was seen 1 month after H. pylori inoculation. The submucosa was infiltrated by mainly mononuclear cells with formation of lymphoid follicles. Erosion of the gastric mucosa appeared soon after inoculation, whereas gastric ulcers, gastritis cystica profunda, and atrophy with goblet cell metaplasia occurred between 3 and 6 months after inoculation. In the duodenal mucosa a mild inflammatory cell infiltration with ballooning and diminished number of duodenal glands was seen. The IgG anti-H. pylori antibody titer increased gradually after 2 months of inoculation. Conclusions: Since the gastritis, gastric ulcers, atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia that developed in Mongolian gerbils were similar to those observed in humans, this model may be useful to study the therapy of gastric ulcer and, with a longer observation period, to confirm a possible relationship between H. pylori and malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which analyzed the chemical properties of modified polyimide surfaces after ablation with a single laser pulse from a KrF excimer laser by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Terms in which the mechanism of the formation of the modified surfaces is discussed; Result of angular-dependent XPS studies; Overview of the possibility of surface oxidation after ablation.

A comparison of the state of 3-D micro-damage induced by hydrogen redistribution due to thermal treatment and deformation near an intergranular fracture surface is carried out in high strength aluminium alloy using synchrotron microtomography. The mapping of various types of micro-damage provides evidence that hydrogen redistribution occurs along with a change in content and shape of micro-pores. The presence of intergranular cracks and an extended agglomerated micro-pore damage state are found to be in close proximity to each other, suggesting a mechanistic relationship for both formation of the unique damage architecture and insidious manifestation of embrittlement in high strength aluminium alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantitative tomography is carried out on datasets derived from tensile fracture sample of electrochemically precharged Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy in the underaged condition and its uncharged counterpart. It is shown that precharging which induces a transition of tensile fracture mode from ductile to brittle, results in a significant increase in micro-damage content in the regions near the fracture surfaces. Using quantitative tomography analysis based on spatial mapping of morphologically segmented micro-damage content of the datasets it is found that the precharged sample contains an inhomogenous distribution of micro-pores near grain boundaries. It is also shown that the spatial architecture of micro-pores in the dataset is not influenced by the plastic zone of the intergranular cracks lying along the grain boundaries. Contrastingly the micro-pores in the tomographic dataset of the uncharged sample are shown to be present near intermetallic particles. It is therefore rationalized that the spatial architecture of micro-pores in the datasets from uncharged sample originate from particle cracking during ductile fracture, and from the tendency for damage enhancement by the synergism of hydrogen exposure near grain boundaries and localization of deformation in the precharged sample dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We resolve the enigma of intertwined active and relict gorges in the Finke River. • Flexural response to cyclical tectonic loading imposes to-and-fro topographic tilting. • Loading variations may reflect mantle-flow tractions at the base of the plate. • Multi-million year storage of gorge gravels signifies the timescale of tilting. The Finke River in central Australia is counted among the world's oldest drainage systems; this raises the prospect of investigating how (tectonic and sub-lithospheric) processes have shaped the landscape in the long term. The Finke's upper reaches display an enigmatic set of intertwined active and relict bedrock gorges that suggest a complex history of incision, aggradation and re-incision. We measured cosmogenic 10Be and 26Al in fluvial gravels preserved in the gorges, and we applied a Markov chain-Monte Carlo-based inversion model to test two limiting-case hypotheses about the timing of gravel deposition and exhumation. Our results suggest that the nuclide memory contained within the gravels was essentially erased during sediment storage exceeding several million years. Previous studies attribute central Australia's geomorphic development to intensified post-Miocene aridity in tune with the perception of a quiescent tectonic regime. However, the close correlation between drainage patterns and gravity anomalies leads us to propose, instead, that cyclical in-plane loading in the presence of extreme lithospheric density anomalies caused to-and-fro tilting of the upper Finke. We show that relief variations of order 100 m accompany mild in-plane loading of ∼1–2 x 1012 N m−1, and we speculate that loading variations are likely the result of tractions imposed at the base of the plate rather than at plate boundaries. Acting together, these tectonic and sub-lithospheric processes triggered the phases of incision and aggradation that created the Finke's unusual intertwined bedrock gorges over a multi-million-year timescale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides an insight into the development of the micro-pore damage phenomenon during the hydrogen ingress and egress in a high strength aluminum alloy. High resolution micro tomography scans on samples subjected to combinations of cathodic hydrogen charging and de-sorption heat treatment were carried out. The quantitative analysis, spatial mapping, and probabilistic evaluation of the 3D datasets revealed that the development of micro-pore damage during hydrogen ingress-egress had a non-trivial dependence on the particle size distribution. This provides a rationale to mitigate the deleterious effects of hydrogen in aluminum alloys by controlling particle size characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conference entitled ``The Neurosciences and Music-IV: Learning and Memory'' was held at the University of Edinburgh from June 9-12, 2011, jointly hosted by the Mariani Foundation and the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development, and involving nearly 500 international delegates. Two opening workshops, three large and vibrant poster sessions, and nine invited symposia introduced a diverse range of recent research findings and discussed current research directions. Here, the proceedings are introduced by the workshop and symposia leaders on topics including working with children, rhythm perception, language processing, cultural learning, memory, musical imagery, neural plasticity, stroke rehabilitation, autism, and amusia. The rich diversity of the interdisciplinary research presented suggests that the future of music neuroscience looks both exciting and promising, and that important implications for music rehabilitation and therapy are being discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The present status of the AMS activities at the Australian National University is described. Particular attention is paid to methods and equipment that have evolved substantially since earlier reports. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is useful to utilise a computed radiography system with a combination of storage phosphor plates and therapy cassettes for portal images. However, the therapy cassette has some disadvantages. The objective of the present study was to determine whether the disadvantages of a diagnostic cassette could be overcome to obtain clinically useful portal images. A storage phosphor plate has 0.3 mm of lead foil on the distal surface to reduce backscattered radiation. When the plate is reversed, the lead foil acts as a front intensifying screen, similar to the metal plate of a therapy cassette. We reversed a combination of the diagnostic cassette and storage phosphor plate and obtained portal images of the contrast-detail phantom and the Rando phantom (The Phantom Laboratory, Salem, NY) using three types of cassettes: a reversed diagnostic cassette, a therapy cassette and a diagnostic cassette. The image quality was subjectively evaluated. The Friedman and Wilcoxon tests were applied for statistical analyses. Evaluation of images for the contrast-detail phantom revealed that the reversed diagnostic cassette was inferior to the therapy cassette and superior to the diagnostic cassette, and that the differences were significant (p < 0.017). There was no significant difference between the reversed diagnostic cassette and therapy cassette (p > 0.05) for the Rando phantom. Portal images obtained using the reversed diagnostic cassette were of sufficiently high quality for clinical use as determined by Rando phantom studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract, A new regime of chemical oxygen-iodine laser (COIL), high-pressure subsonic mode operation, was demonstrated using a jet-type singlet oxygen generator (SOG). The laser output power of 342W with chemical efficiency of 20.9% was obtained at the Cl[sub 2] flow rate of 18 mmol/s and the operating pressure of 6.4 Torr in the laser cavity. The specific energy was 3.1 J/1 which was tour times higher than our supersonic device, and was comparable to the highest value for the supersonic regime. The experimental results were in good agreement with the numerical simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented about the molecular detection of AML1-MTG8 expression levels in peripheral blood in patients having acute myeloid leukemia.

The article explores the understanding how sediment transport and storage will delay, attenuate, and even erase the erosional signal of tectonic and climatic forcings has bearing on the ability to read and interpret the geologic record effectively. It discusses that Murray-Darling as an important and ongoing process that will substantially delay and alter signals of external environmental forcing transmitted from the sediment's hinterland.

Background and purpose: Tapering immunosuppressants is desirable in patients with well‐controlled myasthenia gravis (MG). However, the association between tapering of calcineurin inhibitor dosage and reduction‐associated exacerbation is not known. The aim of this study was to clarify the frequency of reduction‐associated exacerbation when tacrolimus is tapered in stable patients with anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive MG, and to determine the factors that predict exacerbations. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 115 patients in whom tacrolimus dosage was tapered. The reduction‐associated exacerbation was defined as the appearance or worsening of one or more MG symptoms <3 months after the reduction. Results: Tacrolimus dosage was successfully tapered in 110 patients (96%) without any exacerbation. Five patients (4%) experienced an exacerbation, but symptoms were reversed in all patients when the tacrolimus dose was increased to the previous maintenance level. No patient developed an MG crisis. The age at onset was significantly earlier (30 vs. 56 years, P = 0.025) and the reduction in dosage was significantly larger (2.0 vs. 1.0 mg/day, P = 0.002) in patients with reduction‐associated exacerbation than in those without exacerbation. The cut‐off values determined in a receiver‐operating characteristic curve analysis were 52 years (sensitivity, 57%; specificity, 100%) for the age at onset and 1.5 mg (sensitivity, 80%; specificity, 100%) for the dose reduction. Conclusion: Tapering of tacrolimus was possible in most patients with well‐controlled anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive MG. Early age at onset and a large reduction from maintenance dosage were associated with exacerbation. Reductions ≤1.5 mg/day from the maintenance dosage should be considered for patients with late‐onset disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in geochronological applications of terrestrial in situ -produced cosmogenic nuclides, with the most commonly measured being 10Be and 26Al in quartz. To extract and then separate these radionuclides from quartz and prepare them in the oxide form suitable for accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) requires extensive and careful laboratory processing. Here we discuss the suitability of a crushed, sieved and etched, sub-aerially exposed vein quartz specimen (CoQtz-N) to act as a reference material for chemical laboratory preparation and AMS measurements. Splits of CoQtz-N were distributed to eleven target preparation laboratories. The CoQtz-N 10Be targets were then measured at seven different AMS facilities and five of the preparation laboratories had their 26Al targets measured at four different AMS facilities. We show that CoQtz-N splits are sufficiently homogeneous with regard to nuclide concentrations, that it has been cleaned of any atmospheric derived (i.e. meteoric) 10Be and that it has low concentrations of the major elements that can interfere with Be and Al extraction chemistry and AMS measurements. We derive preliminary concentrations for 10Be and 26Al in CoQtz-N as 2.53 ± 0.09 × 106 at/g and 15.6 ± 1.6 × 106 at/g, respectively, at the 95% confidence limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cross‐sensitivity of rash has been reported between various antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). However, few studies have determined the frequency and management of cross‐sensitivity in patients with super‐refractory status epilepticus (SRSE). Aims of the study: To examine the optimal AED for treating SRSE with cross‐sensitivity. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of adult patients with SRSE treated at Nagoya City University Hospital, in which we investigated the frequency of cross‐sensitivity among patients with SRSE and their clinical and medical profiles. Results: We identified 10 adult patients with SRSE, 5 of whom had cross‐sensitivity. Stiripentol (STP) was administered when previously used AEDs had demonstrated cross‐sensitivity and failed to control seizures. After initiation of STP, the dose of general anaesthetics was reduced, and status epilepticus (SE) eventually ceased with co‐administered AEDs without additional adverse effects. The mean time to SE cessation after initiation of STP was 30.8 days (range, 18‐46 days), mean duration of general anaesthesia was 101.2 days (range, 74‐128 days), and mean number of AEDs was 9.0 (range, 6‐11). Conclusions: This study suggests that cross‐sensitivity between AEDs is common in adults with SRSE and that STP may be useful for treating SRSE with cross‐sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: S-288310, a cancer peptide vaccine composed of two HLA-A*24:02-restricted peptides derived from two oncoantigens, DEP domain-containing 1 (DEPDC1) and M-phase phosphoprotein 1 (MPHOSPH1), was investigated in urothelial carcinoma (UC) of the bladder. Patients and methods: Thirty eight HLA-A*24:02-positive patients with progressive UC were enrolled in this study. In the phase I part of the study, three patients each were treated with S-288310 at 1 mg or 2 mg/peptide subcutaneously once a week to evaluate safety and tolerability. In the phase II, 32 patients were randomized to receive either 1 mg or 2 mg to evaluate the difference in cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) induction and safety. Results: S-288310 was safe and well tolerated in the phase I. Of 27 patients evaluable for immune responses in the phase II, there was no difference in CTL induction rate between the 1 mg (100%) and 2 mg (80.0%) groups. Of 32 patients receiving S-288310 in the phase II, the most frequent drug-related AE was the injection site reaction that was observed in 29 patients (90.6%), but none of the patients discontinued administration due to these reactions and no dose relationship in the frequency and severity was observed. The objective response rate of the 32 patients was 6.3% and the disease control rate was 56.3%. The median overall survival (OS) rates for patients vaccinated with S-288310 after one regimen of chemotherapy, 2 regimens, or 3 or more were 14.4, 9.1 and 3.7 months, respectively, and 32.2% of patients post first-line treatment were alive at 2 years. OS of patients who showed CTL induction to both peptides was longer than that of those with CTL induction to no or one peptide. Conclusion: S-288310 was well-tolerated and effectively induced peptide-specific CTLs, which were correlated with longer survival for patients with UC of the bladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study that developed a highly efficient chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL) with industrial uses. Oscillation of the COIL; Design concept of the system; Efficiencies that characterize the COIL.

A letter to the editor is presented about the case of bone marrow transplantation recipient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Experiments have been carried out to investigate a new method for generating O2(1Δ) with long-time operation of an efficient chemical oxygen-iodine laser system in mind. An impinging-jet nozzle was utilized to atomize a H2O2-KOH solution so that the alkaline H2O2/Cl2 reaction might occur in droplet-gas phase with high excitation efficiency. Experimental results indicate that the present generator can yield as high as 80% of O2(1Δ) with reasonable O2 flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of human CD34-negative (CD34−) hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) provides a new concept for the hierarchy in the human HSC compartment. Previous studies demonstrated that CD34− severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID)-repopulating cells (SRCs) are a distinct class of primitive HSCs in comparison to the well-characterized CD34+CD38− SRCs. However, the purification level of rare CD34− SRCs in 18 lineage marker-negative (Lin−) CD34− cells (1/1000) is still very low compared with that of CD34+CD38− SRCs (1/40). As in the mouse, it will be necessary to identify useful positive markers for a high degree of purification of rare human CD34− SRCs. Using 18Lin−CD34− cells, we analyzed the expression of candidate positive markers by flow cytometric analysis. We finally identified CD133 as a reliable positive marker of human CB-derived CD34− SRCs and succeeded in highly purifying primitive human CD34− HSCs. The limiting dilution analysis demonstrated that the incidence of CD34− SRCs in 18Lin−CD34−CD133+ cells was 1/142, which is the highest level of purification of these unique CD34− HSCs to date. Furthermore, CD133 expression clearly segregated the SRC activities of 18Lin−CD34− cells, as well as 18Lin−CD34+ cells, in their positive fractions, indicating its functional significance as a common cell surface maker to isolate effectively both CD34+ and CD34− SRCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Intraplate tectonism has produced large-scale folding that steers regional drainage systems, such as the 1600km-long Cooper Ck, en route to Australia''s continental depocentre at Lake Eyre. We apply cosmogenic 10Be exposure dating in bedrock, and luminescence dating in sediment, to quantify the erosional and depositional response of Cooper Ck where it incises the rising Innamincka Dome. The detachment of bedrock joint-blocks during extreme floods governs the minimum rate of incision (17.4±6.5mm/ky) estimated using a numerical model of episodic erosion calibrated with our 10Be measurements. The last big-flood phase occurred no earlier than ∼112–121ka. Upstream of the Innamincka Dome long-term rates of alluvial deposition, partly reflecting synclinal-basin subsidence, are estimated from 47 luminescence dates in sediments accumulated since ∼270ka. Sequestration of sediment in subsiding basins such as these may account for the lack of Quaternary accumulation in Lake Eyre, and moreover suggests that notions of a single primary depocentre at base-level may poorly represent lowland, arid-zone rivers. Over the period ∼75–55ka Cooper Ck changed from a bedload-dominant, laterally-active meandering river to a muddy anabranching channel network up to 60km wide. We propose that this shift in river pattern was a product of base-level rise linked with the slowly deforming syncline–anticline structure, coupled with a climate-forced reduction in discharge. The uniform valley slope along this subsiding alluvial and rising bedrock system represents an adjustment between the relative rates of deformation and the ability of greatly enhanced flows at times during the Quaternary to incise the rising anticline. Hence, tectonic and climate controls are balanced in the long term. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pre-existing donor-specific HLA antibodies in patients undergoing HLA-mismatched SCT have increasingly been recognized as a risk factor for primary graft failure. However, the clinical implications of the presence of HLA antibodies in donors remain unknown. We prospectively examined 123 related donors for the presence of HLA antibodies by using a Luminex-based single antigen assay. Of these, 1/57 (1.8%) male, 6/27 (22%) parous female and 0/39 (0%) nonparous female donors were HLA antibody-positive. Then, we determined the presence of HLA antibodies in seven patients who received SCT from antibody-positive donors. Of these, four became HLA antibody-positive after SCT. The specificities of the antibodies that emerged in the patients closely resembled those of the antibodies found in the donors, indicating their production by donor-derived plasma cells. Moreover, the kinetics of the HLA antibody levels were similar in all four patients: levels started increasing within 1 week after SCT and peaked at days 10-21, followed by a gradual decrease. These results suggest that donor-derived HLA antibody production frequently occurs in patients undergoing SCT from antibody-positive donors. Further studies are warranted for clarifying the clinical significance of donor-derived HLA antibodies, including the role of these antibodies in post transplant platelet transfusion refractoriness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extramedullary (EM) relapse of leukemia after allo-SCT in patients with AML/myelodysplastic syndrome has been increasingly reported. The reduced effectiveness of the GVL effect in EM sites, as compared with BM, has been suggested to underlie this problem. We retrospectively analyzed the pattern of relapse after haploidentical SCT (haplo-SCT), performed as the first or second SCT. Among 38 patients who received haplo-SCT as their first SCT, the cumulative incidences of BM and EM relapse at 3 years were 40.5 and 10.9%, respectively. Among 19 patients who received haplo-SCT as their second SCT, the cumulative incidences of BM and EM relapse were 30.9 and 31.9%, respectively. Moreover, most of the patients who underwent repeat haplo-SCT for the treatment of EM relapse had further EM relapse at other sites. Post-relapse survival did not differ significantly with different patterns of relapse. The frequent occurrence of EM relapse after haplo-SCT, particularly when performed as a second SCT, suggests that the potent GVL effect elicited by an HLA disparity also occurs preferentially in BM. Our findings emphasize the need for a treatment strategy for EM relapse that recognizes the reduced susceptibility of EM relapse to the GVL effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A role of donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) in graft failure after SCT has been suggested, but the relevance of DSA in unmanipulated haploidentical SCT (haplo-SCT) remains unknown. We prospectively examined HLA antibodies using the Luminex-based single Ag assay for 79 adult patients undergoing unmanipulated haplo-SCT. Among them, 16 (20.2%) were HLA Ab-positive, including five patients with antibodies not corresponding to donor HLA Ags and 11 DSA-positive patients. Of the 11 DSA-positive patients, five received treatments to decrease DSA levels, including two, who received plasma exchange and rituximab, two who received platelet transfusions from healthy-related donors having DSA-corresponding HLA Ags and one who received bortezomib. Platelet transfusion was the most simple and effective treatment option for class I DSA. The cumulative incidence of neutrophil recovery was significantly lower in pretransplant (post-treatment) DSA-positive patients than in DSA-negative patients (61.9 vs 94.4%, P=0.026). Notably, three of five patients with high levels of DSA had graft failure. Donors should be selected on the basis of an evaluation of HLA antibodies. If haplo-SCT from donors with HLA Ags that correspond to high levels of DSA must be performed, then recipients should be treated for DSA to improve the chances of successful donor engraftment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graft failure is a major concern after cord blood transplantation (CBT) or HLA-haploidentical transplantation (haplo-SCT). As patients who undergo CBT or haplo-SCT almost always lack both matched-related and -unrelated donors, salvage transplantation would also be limited to either CBT or haplo-SCT. In this study, we assessed eight patients who received haplo-SCT as salvage therapy for graft failure. Five and three patients had received haplo-SCT and CBT, respectively, which resulted in graft failure. The median interval from the failed transplantation to salvage transplantation in six patients with primary graft failure was 33.5 days. The reduced-intensity conditioning regimen consisted of fludarabine, thiotepa, rabbit antithymocyte globulin and low-dose TBI. All eight patients achieved neutrophil engraftment, and seven patients achieved platelet recovery. The median times to neutrophil recovery and platelet recovery were 10 and 20 days, respectively. Three patients died from treatment-related causes: two from GVHD and one from rupture of carotid artery aneurysm. Five patients are alive, at a median follow-up of 946 days. The probability of overall survival at 5 years was 75%. These findings may serve as a rationale for giving precedence to haplo-SCT over CBT in salvage SCT after graft failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]