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Abstract Introduction Breast cancer incidence increases from the age of 30 years. As this age range coincides with that in which women usually pursue pregnancy, undergoing medical examinations for conditions such as breast cancer is a concern, especially when pregnancy is uncertain during the first eight weeks. Moreover, in this age range, breast often exhibits a high density, thus compromising diagnosis. For such density, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) provides a more accurate diagnosis than 2D mammography given its higher sensitivity and specificity. However, radiation exposure increases during DBT, and it should be determined. Methods We determined the entrance surface dose, scattered radiation dose, and average glandular dose (AGD), which can be mutually compared following an international protocol. Using our proposed method, the distribution of scattered radiation can be easily and quickly obtained with a minor load to the equipment. Then, we can determine the indoor scattered radiation and surface dose on patients during DBT. Results We obtained a maximum AGD of 2.32 mGy. The scattered radiation was distributed over both sides with maximum of approximately 40 μGy, whereas the maximum dose around the eye was approximately 10 μGy. Conclusion By measuring doses using the proposed method, a correct dose information can be provided for patients to mitigate their concerns about radiation exposure. Although the obtained doses were low, their proper management is still required. Overall, the results from this study can help to enhance dose management for patients and safety management regarding indoor radiation. Highlights • Pregnancy rates are increasing in women aged over 30. • In this age group the breast can exhibit high densities and this makes diagnosis from mammography difficult. • Digital breast tomosynthesis provides an option for evaluating high density breasts. • The radiation exposure is a concern among women pursuing pregnancy. • Simultaneous radiation measurements determined the safety of the procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arachidonic acid increased intracellular calcium, in cells expressing green fluorescent protein-tagged human FFA4 receptors, with an EC 50 of ~40 µM. This action was not blocked by cyclooxygenase or lipoxigenase inhibitors but it was inhibited by AH7614, a FFA4 antagonist. Arachidonic acid induced ERK activation accompanied by EGF receptor transactivation. However, EGF transactivation was not the major mechanism through which the fatty acid induced ERK phosphorylation, as evidenced by the inability of AG1478 to block it. Arachidonic acid increased FFA4 receptor phosphorylation that reached its maximum within 15 min with an EC 50 of ~30 µM; inhibitors of protein kinase C partially diminish this effect and AH7614 blocked it. Arachidonic acid induced rapid and sustained Akt/PKB phosphorylation and FFA4 - β-arrestin interaction. Confocal microscopy evidenced that FFA4 receptor activation and phosphorylation were associated to internalization. In conclusion, arachidonic acid is a bona fide FFA4 receptor agonist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Optical properties such as optical absorption and radiophotoluminescence (RPL) spectra of silver (Ag+)-doped phosphate glass before and after x-ray irradiation were investigated in this study. It is found that the RPL spectrum consists of two emission bands which are peaked at 2.70eV (460nm blue emission) and 2.21eV (560nm yellow emission). It is also found that RPL emission intensity gradually increases with x-ray irradiation dose. From the results it is suggested that origin of each 460nm and 560nm RPL emission band is ascribed to Ag0 ion and Ag2+ ion, respectively, which are produced by x-ray irradiation. The application of the RPL phenomenon in Ag-doped phosphate glass to the environmental natural radiation monitoring is also demonstrated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Glass dosimeter utilizing radiophotoluminescence (RPL) is one of accumulation type solid state dosimeters, which is based on luminescence phenomenon of silver (Ag+ ions)-doped phosphate glass exposed to ionizing radiation. In this study, to clarify the emission mechanism of yellow and blue RPL peaks, optical properties of Ag+-doped glass, such as optical absorption spectrum, RPL excitation spectrum before and after X-ray irradiation as well as the lifetime of both RPL peaks are measured. From the results, we discuss the emission mechanism of yellow (peaked at 2.21 eV) and blue (peaked at 2.70 eV) RPL using a proposed energy band diagram for RPL emission and excitation in Ag+-doped phosphate glass. It is found that the radiative lifetime of blue RPL is three orders of magnitude faster than that of yellow RPL. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: There are no prospective comparison of the etiology and clinical outcome between hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) in non-intubated elderly. This study prospectively evaluated the etiology of HAP and NHAP in non-intubated elderly. A prospective cohort study was carried out in a rural region of Japan where the population over 65 years of age represents 30% of the population. A total of 108 patients were enrolled. There were 33 patients with HAP and 75 with NHAP. Etiologic diagnosis was established in 78.8% of HAP and in 72% of NHAP patients. The most frequent pathogens were Chlamydophila pneumoniae followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Influenza virus. The frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza virus was significantly higher, whereas the frequency of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterobacteriaceae was significantly lower in NHAP compared to HAP. Performance and nutritional status were significantly worse in patients with HAP than in those with NHAP. Hospital mortality was significantly lower in patients with NHAP compared to those with HAP. This study demonstrated that C. pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Influenza virus are frequent causative agents of pneumonia in non-intubated elderly and that the responsible pathogens and clinical outcome differ between NHAP and HAP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

BACKGROUND: The correlation between fine surface patterns of gastric mucosal lesions and early gastric cancer is not sufficiently clear. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of surface pattern classification by enhanced-magnification endoscopy (EME) for identifying early gastric cancers. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: All procedures were performed at Mie University Hospital. PATIENTS: A total of 380 consecutive patients who underwent EGD by using magnification endoscopy. Among these subjects were found 250 newly detected lesions suspected of being gastric cancer. METHODS: Conventional magnification endoscopy (CME), magnification chromoendoscopy (MCE), and EME were performed, and surface patterns of lesions were classified into 5 types: type I, small round pits of uniform size and shape; type II, slit-like pits; type III, gyrus and villous patterns; type IV, irregular arrangement and size; and type V, destructive pattern. Biopsy specimens were obtained from all lesions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Correlation between surface pattern classification by EME and histopathologic findings of early gastric cancer. RESULTS: Surface patterns were evident by CME/MCE in only 66.4% (166/250) of lesions but in 100% (250/250) of lesions by EME. Classification by EME was as follows: type I, 52 lesions; type II, 12; type III, 146; type IV, 32; and type V, 8. By histopathologic examination, 16 early gastric cancers were detected between type IV or V lesions. Thus, classification of types IV-V strongly correlated with the presence of gastric cancer (sensitivity 100%, specificity 89.7%). LIMITATIONS: Single-center study. CONCLUSIONS: Surface pattern classification by EME may be useful for identifying early gastric cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The solid–liquid interfacial energy (or interfacial tension) was investigated by the lattice-liquid statistical calculation and by the Cahn–Hilliard theory of interface. Interfacial energies in binary metallic systems were estimated from a few bulk thermodynamic properties, i.e., melting temperature, entropy of fusion, and the critical temperature of the liquid phase. In eutectic systems, interfacial energy gradually increases with decreasing concentration of the solid species in the liquid. In monotectic systems, interfacial thickening occurs and interfacial energy is reduced around the liquid immiscibility gap. The results of calculation explain the experimental data of dihedral angles fairly well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Eukaryotic cells undergo rapid regulatory processes to maintain cellular homeostasis upon osmotic stress. In fishes, gill epithelial cells play main roles in these processes. Although osmoregulatory functions of fish gills have been well studied, little is known about the underlying mechanisms, particularly the hypertonic-induced signalling pathways during osmotic stress. This study reports for the first time on the osmo-sensing signal cascade that related to the medaka osmotic stress transcription factor 1 (Ostf1), a hypertonic induced immediate early gene, under hypertonic stress. Quantitative real-time PCR showed the rapid increase of Ostf1 in gill after transfer of medaka from fresh water to 50% seawater; particularly Ostf1b whose mRNA expression increased to 4 folds at 0.5h and reached to 10 folds at 6h after the transfer. The in vivo knockdown of Ostf1b profoundly inhibited SEK and JNK phosphorylation, but not p38 and ERK phosphorylation in the medaka gill tissue. To further investigate the possible role of Ostf1b in the JNK pathway, Ostf1b was ectopically expressed in HEK293 cells. Results indicated that Ostf1b is a downstream target of SEK and JNK and exerts a positive feedback loop on the JNK signalling pathway via activation of GCK and/or MLK3 proteins. Additionally, MAPK inhibitors experiments suggested that activation of the JNK pathway by hypertonicity is involved in the maintenance of Ostf1b stability, which in turn provides continuous stimulation of GCK for JNK phosphorylation. Lastly, changes in transcription levels of different water/ion transporters were found in knockdown or ecoptic over-expression of Ostf1b in medaka gills and human embryonic kidney cells, suggesting the role of Ostf1b in modulation of critical water channel/ion transporters during osmotic stress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Since the first report of their natriuretic effect on mammalian kidneys the relative influences of natriuretic peptides (NPs) on volume and salt regulation in vertebrates have been debated. As marine osmoconformers, with plasma ionic concentrations similar to seawater, the actions of NPs on hagfishes may provide information on their primordial role. A synthetic natriuretic peptide derived from Eptatretus burgeri (hNP) increased urine production rates in E. cirrhatus at 3×10−8 M. It also contracted afferent branchial and segmental arteries at low concentrations (1×10−10 M) and relaxed them at 3×10−8 M. Thus, hNP has a renal effect and at higher concentrations causes vascular relaxation suggesting a role in volume regulation and the prevention of cardiac overloading. Rat ANP (rANP) stimulated sodium efflux from both isolated, perfused gill pouches and the whole animal. rANP also reduced subcutaneous sinus haematocrit relative to that in the ventral aorta, which is consistent with a vasodilatory role. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the emission mechanism of radiophotoluminescence (RPL) in the Ag+-doped phosphate glass (glass dosimeter), which is now used as individual radiation dosimeter, because the emission mechanism of RPL in glass dosimeter has been not fully understood. We have investigated the assignments and characteristics of the X-ray induced colour centres in the Ag+-doped phosphate glass up to now (Miyamoto et al., 2010). Optical properties such as optical absorption spectra related with X-ray and α-particles irradiation were measured for commercially available glass dosimeter. In this study optical properties such as optical absorption spectrum as a function of X-rays and α-particles irradiation were measured for commercially available glass dosimeter. Comparison of the RPL in Ag+-doped phosphate glass irradiated with X-rays and α-particles is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Febrile infection-related epilepsy syndrome (FIRES), or acute encephalitis with refractory, repetitive partial seizures (AERRPS), is an epileptic encephalopathy beginning with fever-mediated seizures. The etiology remains unclear. To elucidate the genetic background of FIRES/AERRPS (hereafter FIRES), we recruited 19 Japanese patients, genotyped polymorphisms of the IL1B , IL6 , IL10 , TNFA , IL1RN , SCN1A and SCN2A genes, and compared their frequency between the patients and controls. For IL1RN , the frequency of a variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) allele, RN2, was significantly higher in the patients than in controls ( p = 0.0067), and A allele at rs4251981 in 5′ upstream of IL1RN with borderline significance (p = 0.015). Haplotype containing RN2 was associated with an increased risk of FIRES (OR 3.88, 95%CI 1.40–10.8, p = 0.0057). For SCN1A , no polymorphisms showed a significant association, whereas a missense mutation, R1575C, was found in two patients. For SCN2A , the minor allele frequency of G allele at rs1864885 was higher in patients with borderline significance ( p = 0.011). We demonstrated the association of IL1RN haplotype containing RN2 with FIRES, and showed a possible association of IL1RN rs4251981 G > A and SCN2A rs1864885 A > G, in Japanese patients. These preliminary findings suggest the involvement of multiple genetic factors in FIRES, which needs to be confirmed by future studies in a larger number of FIRES cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction For the patients undergoing liver transplantation for hepatitis B virus (HBV)–related diseases, hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) should be administered to prevent reinfection. Because HBIG is highly expensive and a blood product, an alternative strategy using HBV vaccination has been made in an attempt to discontinue use of HBIG. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of long-term HBV vaccination for discontinuation of HBIG, paying attention to the status of active immunization using T-cell proliferation assay. Patients and Methods Among the 144 recipients who underwent liver transplantation in our hospital, 16 had HBV-related liver diseases; the 14 patients who had received vaccination were subjects in our study. To evaluate the status of active immunization, T-cell proliferation was examined by counting the number of T cells after adding HBV vaccine to the culture supernatant of T cells, and tumor necrosis factor α and interferon γ were measured in the culture supernatant. Results The ratio of male/female was 13/1 (median age: 55 years; range: 37 years to 67 years). The median follow-up time was 102 months (range: approximately 14 months to 148 months). All 14 patients were free of HBV recurrence. HBIG-free status could be achieved in 9 patients (64.3%) during the treatment period for more than 50 months after beginning of HBV vaccination, of whom 5 (35.7%) became HBV vaccine–free. T-cell proliferation was confirmed by fact that the stimulation index ranged from 2.34 to 5.2 in the patients who were HBIG-free. Conclusion Long-term HBV vaccination after LT is a useful and effective treatment in preventing HBV recurrence, allowing the discontinuation of HBIG treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Soft X-ray Spectrometer (SXS) is one of four instruments on the Japanese Astro-H mission, which is currently planned for launch in late 2015. The SXS will perform imaging spectroscopy in the soft X-ray band (0.3–12 keV) using a 6 × 6 pixel array of microcalorimeters cooled to 50 mK. The detectors are cooled by a 3-stage adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) that rejects heat to either a superfluid helium tank (at 1.2 K) or to a 4.5 K Joule–Thomson (JT) cryocooler. Four gas-gap heat switches are used in the assembly to manage heat flow between the ADR stages and the heat sinks. The engineering model (EM) ADR was assembled and performance tested at NASA/GSFC in November 2011, and subsequently installed in the EM dewar at Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Japan. During the first cooldown in July 2012, a failure of the heat switch that linked the two colder stages of the ADR to the helium tank was observed. Operation of the ADR requires some mechanism for thermally linking the salt pills to the heat sink, and then thermally isolating them. With the failed heat switch unable to perform this function, an alternate plan was devised which used carefully controlled amounts of exchange gas in the dewar’s guard vacuum to facilitate heat exchange. The process was successfully demonstrated in November 2012, allowing the ADR to cool the detectors to 50 mK for hold times in excess of 10 h. This paper describes the exchange-gas-assisted recycling process, and the strategies used to avoid helium contamination of the detectors at low temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: In deceased-donor liver transplantation settings, post-transplantation acute renal failure with the induction of renal replacement therapy (RRT) is known to have negative effects on graft and patient survivals. However, the impact of RRT in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT) has not been well investigated. The aim of this study was to elucidate risk factors requiring RRT and prognostic factors after its induction. Methods: Clinical data on the consecutive 113 adult patients who underwent LDLT from March 2002 to May 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into 2 groups: RRT (n = 33) and Non-RRT (n = 80). The primary reasons for receiving RRT were hepatorenal syndrome (n = 17), sepsis (n = 12), and renal hypoperfusion (n = 4). Results: Although there were no significant differences in age or sex, the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was significantly higher in the RRT group than in the Non-RRT group (23 ± 13 vs 16 ± 7; P = .002). The graft-recipient weight ratio (GRWR) was significantly lower in the RRT group (0.86 ± 0.3 vs 0.99 ± 0.2; P = .025). The 1- and 5-year patient survival rates were significantly higher in the Non-RRT group than in the RRT group (respectively, 91.3% and 84.3% vs 42.9% and 25.5%; P < .001). In multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for receiving RRT were MELD score >20 (P = .044) and GRWR <0.7 (P = .039). In the RRT group, donor age >50 years (P = .042) and preoperative serum creatinine level >1.5 mg/dL (P = .049) were significant prognostic risk factors. Conclusions: In adult LDLT patients, the induction of RRT after LDLT was a negative predictor of survival. In addition to the preoperative recipient's condition, donor factors including graft size and donor age influenced prognosis after the induction of RRT. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]