Search

N-terminal-pro-B-type-natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was a predictive marker of cardiovascular disease (CVD)-related death in chronic dialysis patients. NT-proBNP was also correlated with markers of inflammation, malnutrition and protein-energy wasting. We hypothesized whether NT-proBNP was also associated with non-CVD death in chronic dialysis patients. A prospective observational study for incidence of death in chronic dialysis patients was conducted. Prevalent chronic dialysis patients (n = 1310) were enrolled and followed for 24 months. One hundred forty-four deaths were recorded. Area under the curve using ROC analysis for NT-proBNP showed: all causes of death (0.761), CVD-related (0.750), infection and malignancy-related (0.702) and others and unknown (0.745). After adjusting for age, sex, hemodialysis vintage, cardiothoracic ratio, mean pre-dialysis systolic blood pressure, dry weight and basal kidney disease, the hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) per 1-log NT-proBNP calculated using multivariate Cox analysis were: all causes of death, 3.83 (2.51–5.85); CVD-related, 4.30 (2.12–8.75); infection and malignancy-related, 2.41 (1.17-4.93); and others and unknown origin, 5.63 (2.57–12.37). NT-proBNP was significantly associated not only with CVD-relate but also with non-CVD-related deaths in this population of prevalent chronic dialysis patients.

Farmers are aging in Japan. They must pass along their wisdom to the future generations to protect the safety of own food. Currently, research on the cultivation management of using a field server has been made widely conducted. Traditions that leverage the data obtained from a field server is considered to be an effective technology. As system that utilizes a field server is proposed (Fujitsu 2015, Vegetalia 2015, Norio 2011). Fujitsu’s Akisai (Fujitsu 2015) and e-kakashi (Norio 2011) do not equip water-level sensor that used in rice field management because these are multipurpose agricultural management system. Paddy Watch (Vegetalia 2015) equips water-level sensor, but it cannot take a photos of the rice field and transmit them. The growing management of rice is required to the leaf color and the height of rice plant such as image analysis, but it is difficult to manage only by the sensor. In addition, water-level is a vital part of any rice field management, thus, it must be adjusted carefully. Furthermore, those systems request an access fee to networks because those systems use a 3G network. Therefore, we made a rice cultivation support system utilizing the field server operated by a mobile battery, equipped with a camera, and uses free local networks. Moreover, we made a water-level sensor system which works directly with a field server. We created a movable field server because a big one becomes a hindrance to the farm work. The data which is acquired from a field server and a water-level sensor system is uploaded to the web server automatically. Therefore, we have created a web page which can see the data and create a diary. The field server has been field tested outdoor. Results, confirm the operation of the rice cultivation support system.

Background/Aims: Predictors including the preventive effects of antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs on cerebral infarction (CI) events have not yet been clarified in dialysis patients. The aim of the present study was to examine the risk of CI and preventive effects of these drugs in Japanese hemodialysis patients., Methods: Patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (n=1,551, median age (interquartile range), 69.0 (59.0-78.0) years; 41.5% female) were enrolled in the Miyazaki Dialysis Cohort Study and prospectively followed-up for 3 years. Kaplan-Meier and Cox's regression analyses were used to clarify the risk of CI., Results: Eighty-four patients developed CI at an incidence of 21.5/1000 patients per year. The presence of a previous history of CI, atrial fibrillation (AF), and diabetes mellitus in addition to age were also identified as predictive factors for new CI, whereas no relationship was observed between antiplatelet and/or anticoagulant usage and CI. Furthermore, no significant difference was noted in the frequency of CI events between patients with AF who received warfarin and those who did not., Conclusions: The incidence of CI was higher in dialysis patients with a previous history of CI and AF; however, the preventive effects of antiplatelet/anticoagulant drugs on the development of CI were not evident.

A case of recurrent gfastric carcinoma (endocrine cell type) successfully treated with combination chemotherapy with divided low-dose FP therapy is reported. The patient was a 47-year-old man who underwent total gastrectomy and combined distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy in June 1995 after receiving a diagnosis of Borrmann type 2 gastric carcinoma. The overall degree of advancement was as follows: H0, P0, se, n2, and stage IIIb. The histologic diagnosis was endocrine cell carcinoma. The patient initially presented with loss of appetite and a palpable abdominal mass 18 months later. Abdominal computed tomography showed metastatic lesions in both lobes of the liver, a metastatic abdominal wall mass 3cm in diameter and located directly below the umbilicus, and a pelvic mass 4cm in diameter. The patient underwent divided low-dose FP therapy, and by the 10th course, the hepatic metastases showed complete responses, and the abdominal wall and pelvic masses showed partial responses. The patient was still in good health 2 year and 6 months after initiation of therapy. These results suggest that combination chemotherapy with divided low-dose FP therapy may be useful for the treatment of highly proliferative cancers such as endocrine cell carcinoma, which exhibits a highmalignant potential, and should be actively employed in the treatment of such cancers.

A case of cancer of the sigmoid colon in which the carcinoma prolapsed from the anus due to intussusception is reported. A 62-year-old woman was seen at the hospital because she noticed of anal bleeding and a prolapsed intestine through the anus by about 20cm after evacuation. A Borrmann type 2 type 2 tumor was noted at the head of prolapsed intestine, and was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma on biopsy. Barium enema study revealed a claw like image and a pelvic CT scan presented target sign, indicating intussusception of the intestine. An iperation was performed with a diagnosis of intussusception of the intestine headed by the sigmoid cancer. During operation, we found difficulty in repositioning the intussusception completely due to severe adhasion, and performed a sigmoydectomy with lymph node dissection (group 3) in the state of invaginated intestine. The resected material revealed a 3.5×2.5cm Borrmann type 2 tumor with the invasion depth of mp that was a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of n0, Ly1, V0, ow (-), aw (-), and Stage I. So far another 20 cases of cancer of the sigmoid colon prolapsed through the anus due to intussusception have been seen in the Japanese literature. These redlatively rare 21 cases including ours are discussed in terms of clinical characteristics here.

遺伝子組換え大腸菌を用いて, 体積1.4dm3規模のファーメンタ培養実験を行った.用いた組換え菌は, λファージ由来のPRプロモータ, およびその下流にlac Z構造遺伝子を組込んだプラスミドpRZを, 温度感受性リプレッサーcI 857を有する大腸菌N4830-1に組込んである.二段階培養を行い, 培養開始後8時間まではpH7.0, 温度30℃として菌体増殖を促進させた。その後温度を37～42℃の範囲に上昇させて, 遺伝子発現の誘導を行わせると同時に, 誘導後のpHを変化させて, 遺伝子産物 (β-galactosidase) 生成への影響を検討した.その結果, 培養温度が高ければ発現効率が高いかわりに菌体の比死滅速度も高くなり, また逆に培養温度が低ければそれとは逆のことがおこることがわかった.また以上の実験データを用いて, プラスミド保持生菌濃度および遺伝子産物活性を状態変数とする数式によるモデル化を行った.このモデルに遺伝的アルゴリズムを適用し, 最適温度, pH変化パターンを導出した.導出した変化パターンで実験を行った結果, 今までに行った実験の中で最高の遺伝子産物の生産性が得られた.

α-Alkylation of ketones was successfully achieved by the reaction of ketones with alcohols catalyzed by iridium complexes in the presence of a small amount of base. For example, 2-octanone was allowed to react with butanol under the influence of [Ir(cod)Cl]2/PPh3/KOH to give 6-dodecanone in good yield. The reaction was found to proceed by using a 1:1 mixture of ketone and alcohol without use of any solvent.