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A single-phase (Pb1212) epitaxial film with has been grown using a two-step technique, which allows lattice relaxation near the film/substrate interface and reduction of Pb vacancies. Using the upper critical field measurement, the coherence lengths are derived to be 20 and 4.3 Å, along the ab-plane and c-axis, respectively. The value of the irreversibility field is found to be close to that of YBa2Cu3O7. High magnetic field measurement has revealed normal state resistivity below and metallic behavior in the underdoped region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neutron beam in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) exhibits poor directionality and significantly decreasing neutron flux with increasing distance. Therefore, the treatment site must be close to the irradiation aperture. Some patients with head and neck cancer may benefit from a sitting-position setup. The study aim was to evaluate the treatment-positioning accuracy and dose error in sitting patients receiving BNCT. Thirty-two patients with head and neck cancer who underwent sitting-position BNCT at Southern Tohoku BNCT Research Center were included in the study. Horizontal (ΔX) and vertical (ΔY) errors were defined as the displacement between the treatment planning system (TPS) digital reconstructed radiograph and the pre-treatment X-ray image. Using in-house software, image matching was performed. The beam-axial directional (ΔZ) error was compared with the parameters entered into the TPS and the actual pre-treatment measured values. The translational-position error was reflected in the TPS's patient coordinate system with respect to the reference plan. Re-dose calculations were performed to evaluate the effect of positional error on tumor and normal-tissue doses. The [ΔX, ΔY, ΔZ] DRR-CR mean ± 1SD were - 0.40 ± 2.0, 0.30 ± 2.3, and - 1.4 ± 1.5 mm, respectively. The D mean and D 98% tumor-dose errors were 1.22 % ± 1.44 % and 0.99 % ± 1.63 %, respectively. The D 2% pharyngeal and oral mucosal-dose errors were 0.98 % ± 1.91 % and 1.21 % ± 1.78 %, respectively. The tumor- and normal-tissue dose errors were typically < 5 %. High-precision treatment was feasible in sitting-positioned BNCT., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica e Sanitaria. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) systems are becoming commercially available and are expected to be widely used in hospitals. To ensure the safety of BNCT, establishing a quality assurance (QA) program and properly managing the stability of the system are necessary. In particular, a high level of beam output stability is required to avoid accidents because beam output is a major factor in patient dose. However, no studies have analyzed the long-term beam output stability of AB-BNCT systems., Purpose: This study aimed to retrospectively analyze the long-term stability of the beam output by statistical process control (SPC) based on the QA results over 3 years., Methods: The data analyzed are the results of daily QA (DQA) and weekly QA (WQA) in an AB-BNCT system and were taken between June 2020 and September 2023. The evaluation of the stability of the beam output was based on the reaction rate between gold and neutrons calculated using the activation foil method using a gold foil. In DQA, which can be performed in a short time, the gold foil was applied directly to the beam irradiation aperture in air. In WQA, measurements were performed at the phantom surface, 2-cm depth, and 6-cm depth using a dedicated water phantom. The acquired data were retrospectively analyzed by individuals and a moving range chart (I-MR chart), exponentially weighted moving average control chart (EWMA chart), and several process capability indexes (PCIs)., Results: Over 99% of the DQA I-MR chart results were within control limits, whereas the WQA I-MR chart results showed that 1.8%, 4.1%, and 2.0% of the measurements exceeded the control limits at the surface, 2-cm depth, and 6-cm depth, respectively. The variation in the reaction rate of the gold foil before and after the replacement of the target was <0.5%. The EWMA chart results revealed no significant beam output drift for either DQA or WQA. Most measured data were normal based on the results of the Anderson-Darling test and met the requirements for PCI evaluation; most PCI values were >1.0; however, the C pmk of DQA and the 2- and 6-cm depth WQAs between August 2021 and November 2022 in treatment course 2 were 0.83, 0.77, and 0.87, respectively, which were <1.0., Conclusions: The long-term stability of beam output was confirmed using SPC in an AB-BNCT system. The results of the control chart revealed no significant variation or drift in the beam output, and the quantitative evaluation using PCI revealed high stability. A routine QA program will enable us to provide safe BNCT., (© 2024 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Purpose: The present study aimed to analyze the operative duration of image-guided brachytherapy (IGBT) for cervical cancer performed at our institution., Methods: We enrolled cervical cancer patients who had undergone tandem and ovoid-based intracavitary brachytherapy (ICBT) or intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy (IC/ISBT) between 2020 and 2024. Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), CT, or CT + MRI were used for IGBT. For each IGBT session, we retrospectively reviewed the following: application time (AT-defined as the duration from entry into the operating room to the initial image acquisition); planning time (PT-defined as the duration from the initial image acquisition to the start of irradiation); and total operation time (TOT- defined as the duration from entry to exit of the operating room)., Results: We analyzed a total of 126 sessions in 36 patients, consisting of 99 ICBT-only sessions and 27 IC/ISBT sessions. The IC/ISBT sessions had a significantly longer mean operative duration than the ICBT-only sessions. The IC/ISBT sessions with three or more interstitial needles had significantly longer AT and TOT. However, the IC/ISBT sessions with one needle showed no significant difference in operative duration compared to ICBT-only sessions. CBCT, CT, and CT + MRI were used in 42, 76, and 8 sessions, respectively. In the ICBT patients, CT + MRI had the longest PT. However, there was no significant differences in TOT among CBCT, CT, and CT + MRI., Conclusions: IC/ISBT sessions with one needle had no significant difference in operative duration compared to ICBT-only sessions. There was no significant difference in TOT between CT + MRI-based IGBT and CT-based IGBT., (© 2024. Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Purpose: In Japan, immunohistochemistry for mismatch repair (MMR) proteins targeted at stage II and III colorectal cancers (CRCs) has been covered by national insurance since October, 2022. This study aimed to clarify the long-term outcomes of patients with stage II and III CRCs receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy based on their MMR status., Methods: The outcomes of 640 patients who underwent radical surgery for stage II and III CRCs were analyzed retrospectively., Results: Deficient MMR (dMMR) was diagnosed in 41 (13.3%) patients with stage II and 28 (9.1%) patients with stage III CRC. The overall survival and recurrence rates were not significantly different between the patients with stage II and those with stage III CRC. The risk factors for recurrence among those with stage II CRC were tumors on the left side, T4 disease, and the presence of BRAF wild type. The recurrence rates were lower in the stage II CRC patients with sporadic dMMR than in those with suspected Lynch syndrome (LS). The first site of recurrence was more frequently the peritoneum or distant lymph node in patients with dMMR., Conclusions: Stage II CRC patients with sporadic dMMR were found to have a very good prognosis. On the other hand, peritoneal dissemination or distant lymph node metastasis tended to develop in patients with dMMR., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.)

This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of using a commercially available boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) dose calculation program (NeuCure ® Dose Engine) in terms of calculation accuracy and computation time. Treatment planning was simulated under the following calculation parameters: 1.5-5.0 mm grid sizes and 1-10% statistical uncertainties. The calculated monitor units (MUs) and computation times were evaluated. The MUs calculated on grid sizes larger than 2 mm were overestimated by 2% compared with the result of 1.5 mm grid. We established the two-step method for the routine administration of BNCT: multiple calculations involved in beam optimization should be done at a 5 mm grid and a 10% statistical uncertainty (the shortest computation time: 10.3 ± 2.1 min) in the first-step, and final dose calculations should be performed at a 2 mm grid and a 10% statistical uncertainty (satisfied clinical accuracy: 6.9 ± 0.3 h) in the second-step., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Japanese Society of Radiological Technology and Japan Society of Medical Physics.)

We report a case of pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for abscess-forming rectal cancer. A woman in her 60s visited her primary care physician because she noticed an increase in the quantity of vaginal discharge. An irregular mass of goose-egg size found on the right vaginal wall was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma on biopsy, and she was referred to our hospital. After further examination, the mass was diagnosed as RbP, cT4b(vaginal), cN1a, cM0, cStage Ⅲc rectal cancer with abscess formation. After 6 courses of CAPOX as neoadjuvant chemotherapy, rectal resection(combined resection of the posterior vaginal wall) was performed. Pathological diagnosis showed no tumor cells and lymph node metastasis. Four courses of CAPOX were administered as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient is still alive 4 years after surgery, without recurrence. When neoadjuvant chemotherapy is successful, radical resection is possible, even in cases with abscess formation, and long-term survival can be expected.

Oxidative cyclization of 4-penten-1-ols using a Pd catalyst and n -BuONO or n -BuONO/ p -benzoquinone afforded 3-hydroxy- and 3-methoxytetrahydropyrans via terminal selective nucleophilic attack. The radicals formed from n -BuONO and O 2 operate as critical oxidants and ligands for Pd.

Background: Extracellular vesicle-derived (EV)-miRNAs have potential to serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis of various diseases. miRNA microarrays are widely used to quantify circulating EV-miRNA levels, and the preprocessing of miRNA microarray data is critical for analytical accuracy and reliability. Thus, although microarray data have been used in various studies, the effects of preprocessing have not been studied for Toray's 3D-Gene chip, a widely used measurement method. We aimed to evaluate batch effect, missing value imputation accuracy, and the influence of preprocessing on measured values in 18 different preprocessing pipelines for EV-miRNA microarray data from two cohorts with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis using 3D-Gene technology., Results: Eighteen different pipelines with different types and orders of missing value completion and normalization were used to preprocess the 3D-Gene microarray EV-miRNA data. Notable results were suppressed in the batch effects in all pipelines using the batch effect correction method ComBat. Furthermore, pipelines utilizing missForest for missing value imputation showed high agreement with measured values. In contrast, imputation using constant values for missing data exhibited low agreement., Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate preprocessing strategy for EV-miRNA microarray data when using 3D-Gene technology. These findings emphasize the importance of validating preprocessing approaches, particularly in the context of batch effect correction and missing value imputation, for reliably analyzing data in biomarker discovery and disease research., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Purpose: To analyze the respiratory-induced motion trajectories of each liver segment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to derive a more accurate internal margin and optimize treatment protocol selection., Materials and Methods: Ten-phase-gated four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) scans of 14 patients with HCC were analyzed. For each patient, eight representative regions of interest (ROI) were delineated on each liver segment in all 10 phases. The coordinates of the center of gravity of each ROI were obtained for each phase, and then the respiratory motion in the left-right (LR), anteroposterior (AP), and craniocaudal (CC) directions was analyzed. Two sets of motion in each direction were also compared in terms of only two extreme phases and all 10 phases., Results: Motion of less than 5 mm was detected in 12 (86%) and 10 patients (71%) in the LR and AP directions, respectively, while none in the CC direction. Motion was largest in the CC direction with a maximal value of 19.5 mm, with significant differences between liver segment 7 (S7) and other segments: S1 (p < 0.036), S2 (p < 0.041), S3 (p < 0.016), S4 (p < 0.041), and S5 (p < 0.027). Of the 112 segments, hysteresis >1 mm was observed in 4 (4%), 2 (2%), and 15 (13%) in the LR, AP, and CC directions, respectively, with a maximal value of 5.0 mm in the CC direction., Conclusion: A significant amount of respiratory motion was detected in the CC direction, especially in S7, and S8. Despite the small effect of hysteresis, it can be observed specifically in the right lobe. Therefore, caution is required when using 4DCT to determine IM using only end-inspiration and end-expiration. Understanding the respiratory motion in individual liver segments can be helpful when selecting an appropriate treatment protocol., (© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Kahalalides, originally isolated from the sacoglossan mollusk Elysia rufescens, have been found in various Elysia and Bryopsis species, with over 20 variants identified to date. These compounds are biosynthesized by Candidatus Endobryopsis kahalalidefaciens within Bryopsis species. In this study, we report the isolation and structural determination of a new cyclic depsipeptide, mebamamide C (1), from Bryopsis sp. The planar structure was determined by spectroscopic data analyses, and the absolute configurations were determined using Marfey's method and modified Mosher's method. Additionally, our study explores the chemical relationship between Bryopsis algae and Elysia mollusks. The individual chemical profiles of these marine organisms highlight a fascinating aspect of marine chemical ecology. The distinct, species-specific chemical profiles observed in Elysia species imply the possibility of a symbiotic relationship with the kahalalide-producing bacteria., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry.)

Introduction: Constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal symptoms. It may compromise quality of life and social functioning and result in increased healthcare use and costs. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of constipation symptoms, as well as those of refractory constipation symptoms among patients who underwent colonoscopy., Methods: Over 4.5 years, patients who underwent colonoscopy and completed questionnaires were analyzed. Patients' symptoms were evaluated using the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale., Results: Among 8,621 eligible patients, the prevalence of constipation symptoms was 33.3%. Multivariate analysis revealed female sex (odds ratio [OR] 1.7, p &lt; 0.001), older age (OR 1.3, p &lt; 0.001), cerebral stroke with paralysis (OR 1.7, p = 0.009), chronic renal failure (OR 2.6, p &lt; 0.001), ischemic heart disease (OR 1.3, p = 0.008), diabetes (OR 1.4, p &lt; 0.001), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 1.5, p = 0.002), benzodiazepine use (OR 1.7, p &lt; 0.001), antiparkinsonian medications use (OR 1.9, p = 0.030), and opioid use (OR 2.1, p = 0.002) as independent risk factors for constipation symptoms. The number of patients taking any medication for constipation was 1,134 (13.2%); however, refractory symptoms of constipation were still present in 61.4% of these patients. Diabetes (OR 1.5, p = 0.028) and irritable bowel syndrome (OR 3.1, p &lt; 0.001) were identified as predictors for refractory constipation symptoms., Conclusions: Constipation occurred in one-third of patients, and more than half of patients still exhibited refractory symptoms of constipation despite taking laxatives. Multiple medications and concurrent diseases seem to be associated with constipation symptoms., (© 2024 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Caspase-11 is an inflammatory caspase that triggers an inflammatory response by regulating non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Although the deficiency of both caspase-11 and caspase-1, another inflammatory caspase that functions as an executor of the inflammasome, prevents the development of atherosclerosis, the effect of caspase-11 deficiency alone on the development of atherosclerosis has not been fully evaluated. In the present study, we found that caspase-11 deficiency prevented the formation of the necrotic core, whereas it did not affect the development of atherosclerosis in Apoe-deficient mice. Notably, the infiltration of neutrophils into atherosclerotic lesions was attenuated by caspase-11 deficiency. RNA-seq analysis of stage-dependent expression of atherosclerotic lesions revealed that both upregulations of caspase-11 and neutrophil migration are common features of advanced atherosclerotic lesions. Furthermore, similar expression profiles were observed in unstable human plaque. These data suggest that caspase-11 regulates neutrophil recruitment and plaque destabilization in advanced atherosclerotic lesions., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are abundant in the tumor microenvironment and are considered potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. To examine the antitumor effects of agents targeting human TAMs in vivo , we here established preclinical tumor xenograft models based on immunodeficient mice that express multiple human cytokines and have been reconstituted with a human immune system by transplantation of human CD34 + hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HIS-MITRG mice). HIS-MITRG mice supported the growth of both human cell line (Raji)- and patient-derived B cell lymphoma as well as the infiltration of human macrophages into their tumors. We examined the potential antitumor action of an antibody to human SIRPα (SE12C3) that inhibits the interaction of CD47 on tumor cells with SIRPα on human macrophages and thereby promotes Fcγ receptor-mediated phagocytosis of the former cells by the latter. Treatment with the combination of rituximab (antibody to human CD20) and SE12C3 inhibited Raji tumor growth in HIS-MITRG mice to a markedly greater extent than did rituximab monotherapy. This enhanced antitumor effect was dependent on human macrophages and attributable to enhanced rituximab-dependent phagocytosis of lymphoma cells by human macrophages. Treatment with rituximab and SE12C3 also induced reprogramming of human TAMs toward a proinflammatory phenotype. Furthermore, the combination treatment essentially prevented the growth of patient-derived diffuse large B cell lymphoma in HIS-MITRG mice. Our findings thus support the study of HIS-MITRG mice as a model for the preclinical evaluation in vivo of potential therapeutics, such as antibodies to human SIRPα, that target human TAMs., Competing Interests: TM and YM hold a patent on the antitumor drug “anti-SIRPα Ab” Japan patent number P6923942. TM has received royalties from Daiichi Sankyo. He also has received a research grant from JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2023 Saito, Iida-Norita, Afroj, Refaat, Hazama, Komori, Ohata, Takai, Oduori, Kotani, Funakoshi, Koma, Murata, Yakushijin, Matsuoka, Minami, Yokozaki, Manz and Matozaki.)

Introduction: Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is a clinical syndrome defined by peripheral arterial disease (PAD) combined with rest pain, gangrene, or leg ulceration for longer than two weeks resulting in lower extremity amputation. In recent years, low-density lipoprotein apheresis (LDL-A) has been implemented for PAD treatment. However, it has not been possible to ensure insurance coverage for patients with lower LDL levels than 140 mg/dL under cholesterol-lowering drugs. Rheocarna is a novel adsorption-type blood purification device for the treatment of CLTI by adsorbing LDL and fibrinogen (Fib) that is not constrained by hypercholesterolemia and is not amenable to or nonresponsive to revascularization surgery. The only requirements for use are that the blood flow rate increases up to 200 mL/min gradually., Methods: To evaluate the applicability of this treatment procedure, we compared the removal rates of Fib and LDL following Rheocarna therapy using various blood treatment volumes (6, 10.5, and 19.5 L)., Results: Fib and LDL removal rates were about 20% and 15%-25% per treatment, with no significant differences between treatment volumes. Following treatment with Rheocarna, blood pressure tends to decrease at first, which later increases, and the higher the treatment volume, the longer the time of low blood pressure tended to be., Conclusion: Although no significant difference was found in the removal rate of Fib and LDL in response to increase volume to 6 L or beyond in this study, the 6 L volume is considered effective enough for the removal of Fib and LDL., (© 2023 International Society for Apheresis and Japanese Society for Apheresis.)