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We document significant spreads in style factors—value, size, quality, momentum, and low volatility—in each of the style box categories. This is also true even for the value and small size factors, which are reflected in the original definition of the style box framework. Some single factors stay within a given style box, like quality in Blend, while other factors drift across style boxes, like momentum and even the size factor! We build multifactor portfolios within each style box, giving access to five style factors that can stay within a style box category which have exhibited information ratios of about 0.8 over June 2003 to December 2020. TOPICS:Analysis of individual factors/risk premia, portfolio construction, performance measurement, risk management Key Findings ▪ Although the traditional style box provides categories based on size and value, there is still substantial factor dispersion within each of the style boxes. This may not be so surprising for the quality, momentum, and low volatility factors that are not directly captured in the style box framework, but it is also true for the size and value factors themselves. ▪ Active style box managers within the large cap US equity space have demonstrated dispersion in the value and size factors in line with their benchmarks, but the median active manager tends not to exhibit significant quality, momentum, and low volatility factor exposures. The range for these three factors is also relatively narrow, compared with size and value. ▪ Optimal combinations of the five factors—momentum, value, quality, size, and low volatility—can be constructed within each style box, allowing investors to harvest all five, and not just two, factor premiums while remaining in the same style box category. In historical data, these five-factor combinations resulted in information ratios above 0.8, which fall in the top decile of above-benchmark performance relative to active managers in the respective peer group, while exhibiting lower relative active risk.

False windows can display a variety of outdoor scenery in rooms without real windows. We aimed to assess the effects of three different hospital beds on the change in the frontal assessment battery scores in patients aged ≥ 20-year-old admitted in our neurological ward. We included 24 patients on the window side, 12 patients on the aisle side with a false window, and 12 patients on the aisle side without a false window. There were no statistical differences in the change of cognitive function among the three hospital beds. Only the length of hospital stay was a significant associated factor.

Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) are hypoxia-inducible secreted proteins to promote angiogenesis, in which VEGF-A is an important molecule that binds and activates VEGF receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) and VEGFR-2. In this study, two DNA aptamers, Apt01 and Apt02, were successfully isolated by alternating consecutive systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) against VEGFR-1 and -2 using deep sequencing analysis in an early selection round. Their binding affinities for VEGFR-2 were lower than that of VEGFR-1, which is similar to that of VEGF-A. Structural analyses with the measurements of circular dichroism spectra and ultraviolet melting curve showed that Apt01 possessed the stem-loop structure in the molecule, whereas Apt02 formed G-quadruplex structures. In addition, Apt02 accelerated a tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells faster than Apt01, which was affected by difference of binding affinity and nuclease resistance due to G-quadruplex structures. These results demonstrated that Apt02 might have a potential to function as an alternative to VEGF-A., Graphical Abstract

A dysphagia diet is important for patients with stroke to help manage their nutritional state and prevent aspiration pneumonia. Tongue pressure measurement is a simple, non-invasive, and objective method for diagnosing dysphagia. We hypothesized that tongue pressure may be useful in making a choice of diet for patients with acute stroke. Using balloon-type equipment, tongue pressure was measured in 80 patients with acute stroke. On admission, a multidisciplinary swallowing team including doctors, nurses, speech therapists, and management dietitians evaluated and decided on the possibility of oral intake and diet form; the tongue pressure was unknown to the team. Diet form was defined and classified as dysphagia diet Codes 0 to 4 and normal form (Code 5 in this study) according to the 2013 Japanese Dysphagia Diet Criteria. In multivariate analysis, only tongue pressure was significantly associated with the dysphagia diet form (p

Here, we demonstrated a strategy for developing signaling aptamers, based on screening of signaling aptamers from multiple aptamer candidates obtained by SELEX with next generation sequencing. Among aptamer candidates labelled by 6-carboxyfluorescein and quencher at both end termini, there is the possibility of discovering a potent signaling aptamer. In this study, we discovered DNA signaling aptamers against VEGFR-1. This strategy has the potential for signaling aptamer discovery without the extremely laborious task of optimization of oligodeoxynucleotide modifications.

A 66-year-old man was referred to our hospital after being diagnosed with a pelvic tumor. A subsequent transperineal biopsy revealed spindle cells with CD34·c-kit(+). An enhanced computed tomography scan showed a giant rectal-derived tumor in the pelvis. The tumor was pressing on the urinary bladder and the prostate, and appeared to invade the posterior wall ofthese organs. The patient was diagnosed with rectal GIST, and neoadjuvant therapy with 400mg/day imatinib was initiated. Three months later, the tumor reduction rate was at 33.6%, and surgery was performed. The operative method applied was pelvic exenteration and ileal conduit, for local R0 resection. The patient has remained recurrence free for 2.5 years since the surgery.

Tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is the world’s most popular beverage crop. However, to date, no core collection has been selected from worldwide germplasm resources on the basis of genotype data. In this study, we analyzed 788 tea germplasm accessions using 23 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Our population structure analysis divided the germplasms into a Japanese group and an exotic group. The latter could be divided into var. sinensis and var. assamica. The genetic diversity was higher in germplasms from China, Taiwan, India, and Sri Lanka than in those from other countries, and low in germplasms from Japan. Using the number of SSR alleles as a measure of genetic diversity, we developed a core collection consisting of 192 accessions and three subcore collections with 96, 48, and 24 accessions. Although the results might be affected by marker-selection bias, the core 192 collection adequately covered the range of variation of the 788 accessions in floral morphology, and the chemical composition of first-flush leaves. These collections will be powerful tools for breeding and genetic research in tea.

126 Background: CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN) (K3), a toll-like receptor 9 agonist, is a novel synthetic single-strand DNA immune adjuvant for cancer immunotherapy. CpG ODN(K3) induces the production of type 1 IFNs and pro-inflammatory cytokines in innate immune cells, leading to a potential Th1-type adaptive immune response against cancer cells, leading to an immunogenic tumor microenvironment. To determine the recommended dose (RD) of CpG ODN(K3) via subcutaneous injection (sc) or intravenous administration (iv) and to investigate the immune response induced by CpG ODN(K3) in advanced lung cancer patients, we designed an open-labeled, dose-escalation phase I study. Methods: Pts with advanced lung cancer who had achieved CR, PR or SD after the prior Pt-based chemotherapy were enrolled. The primary endpoint was the proportion of DLTs at each dose level. Secondary endpoints included safety profile, immune response including dynamic changes of immune cell and cytokine production, and PFS. In a 3+3 dose-escalation design, the dosage levels for CpG ODN (K3) were 5 or 10 mg/body sc and 0.2 or 0.6 mg/kg iv on day1, 8, 15 and 29. Pts without PD or unacceptable toxicity were allowed to receive CpG ODN(K3) up to a maximum of 6 months. Results: 6 pts were treated in sc part. 5 had NSCLC (3 had adenocarcinoma, 1 squamous cell carcinoma, and 1 mucoepidermoid carcinoma) and 1 had SCLC. There were no DLTs at any dose levels. Treatment-related toxicities were limited to G1 and G2 including local skin reactions. No pts experienced serious AEs including immune-related AEs. Some pts exhibited the dynamic change of immune-related cells and the immediate production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as IL1-beta, CCL2, and CXCL10, and Th1 cytokines including IFN-gamma, in response to CpG ODN(K3), suggesting that CpG ODN(K3) elicited innate immunity followed by Th1 adaptive immune response. Conclusions: This was the first clinical application of CpG ODN(K3) for cancer pts. CpG ODN(K3) sc was well-tolerated and was expected to activate innate immunity followed by Th1 adaptive immune response. Clinical trial information: UMIN000023276.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of vertical HIV-1 transmission in the western region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: The study analyzed the medical records of HIV-1-infected mothers and infant pairs living in the municipalities of São Paulo Regional Health Departments DRS II (Araçatuba) and DRS XI (Presidente Prudente). From March 2001 to March 2006, blood samples were collected and referred to the Molecular Biology Unit of the Adolfo Lutz Institute (ALI), Presidente Prudente. HIV-1-RNA viral load was determined by bDNA assay. RESULTS: The number of births (109/217, 50.2%) and vertical HIV-1 transmissions (6/109, 5.5%) that occurred in DRS II was similar to births (108/217, 49.8%) and vertical transmissions (7/108, 6.5%) in DRS XI (p > 0.05). Although 80% (4/5) of the infected children were male in DRS II, while in DRS XI, 75% (6/8) were female, no differences between sex regarding infected and noninfected children in the regions of Araçatuba and Presidente Prudente were verified. The overall vertical HIV-1 transmission rate was 6%. No consistent reduction in the prevalence of vertical HIV-1 transmission occurred over the years. About 20% of mothers did not know the HIV-1 status of their newborns eight months after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, MTCT prevalence rates were about 70% higher than those previously determined in the State of São Paulo, with noreduction throughout the period.Furthermore, a significant number of mothers did not know the HIV-status of their newborns eight months after delivery. INTRODUÇÃO: O objetivo desse estudo foi determinar a prevalência da transmissão vertical do HIV-1 na região oeste do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas as fichas de mães infectadas pelo HIV-1 e recém-nascidos, residindo em municípios das Delegacias Regionais de Saúde (DRS II, Araçatuba) e (DRS XI, Presidente Prudente). Entre março de 2001 e março de 2006 as amostras foram colhidas e enviadas ao Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Presidente Prudente. A carga viral do RNA-HIV-1 foi determinada por bDNA. RESULTADOS: O número de nascimentos, 50,2% (109/217) e a transmissão vertical do HIV-1, 5,5% (6/109) ocorrido na DRS II foi semelhante aos nascimentos, 49,8% (108/217) e a transmissão vertical, 6,5% (7/108) ocorrido na DRS XI, respectivamente. Embora na DRS II, 80% (4/5) das crianças infectadas fossem meninos e na DRS XI, 75% (6/8) meninas, não houve diferença entre sexo em crianças infectadas ou não nas regiões de Presidente Prudente e Araçatuba. A taxa de transmissão vertical para o HIV-1 foi de 6%.Não houve diminuição da taxa de infecção ao longo dos anos. Cerca de 20% das mães não haviam feito exame para HIV-1 de seus filhos oito meses após o nascimento. CONCLUSÕES: A transmissão vertical para HIV-1 foi cerca de 70% maior que a encontrada anteriormente no Estado de São Paulo, sem diminuição ao longo do período. Além disso, um número expressivo de mães não realizou exame de seus filhos oito meses após o nascimento.

The Am and Bm phenotypes are characterized by weak expression of the A or B antigens, respectively, by red blood cells with a normal expression by the saliva of secretors. Deletion of the regulatory element in the first intron of the ABO gene and disruption of the GATA motif in the element were found to be responsible. In this study, we identified a novel mutation within the GATA motif (G>C substitution at position c.28 + 5830) in the regulatory element of the A allele that might diminish transcription activity causing the generation of the Am B phenotype.

Rare blood is generally defined as one that occurs at a frequency of 1:100~1000 individuals or less, and it is sometimes difficult to provide such blood types to patients because of their rarities. The Japanese Red Cross (JRC) Society lists 46 rare blood phenotypes that are divided into two categories. The rare blood types listed in Category I occur much less frequently than those listed in Category II. We screen for rare blood cells using monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs). Since 1987, our blood centre has established 93 MoAbs (32 human and 61 murine) and has provided them to the other blood centres. Many of IgG MoAbs are available on the machine by saline or bromelin method by cross-linking with anti-human or anti-mouse IgG. Thus, more than 10 000 donors with rare blood phenotypes (Category I, 748; Category II, 9314) are registered in Japan. We freeze rare blood, particularly Category I types. Since 1977, a total of 576 units of rare blood with phenotypes Di(b−), D−−, Jr(a−), Ko and Lan-, etc. have been supplied to 23 international countries. Thus, the JRC contributes to the International Panel of Donors of Rare Blood Type (IDP) which is maintained by the International Blood Group Reference Laboratory (IBGRL) in Bristol, UK. The IDP provides information on the location of rare blood donors when they cannot be found in their respective countries. We also joined the ISBT Working Party on Rare Donors which handles all matters related to rare blood. Our rare blood donor programme is successful because of international co-operation.

Purpose Endovascular treatment (ET) is widely used for thrombotic complications of vascular access (VA) for hemodialysis. We evaluated the effectiveness of both ET and surgical interventions for thrombotic complications. Methods We studied 533 patients who underwent surgical procedures (a total of 879 procedures) and 54 patients who received ET (a total of 156 procedures) for VA obstruction (endovascular group; group 1). The 533 patients who underwent surgical procedures were further divided into two groups: the surgical balloon-angioplasty group (the thrombus was surgically removed and the stenotic lesions were dilated by balloon angioplasty; 189 procedures; group 2) and the surgical repair group (the stenotic lesions were bypassed with additional graft diversion or creation of a new access; 690 procedures; group 3). The three groups were evaluated for VA patency. Results Using the Kaplan-Meier method, the 2–yr patency for groups 1, 2, and 3 were 11.1%, 11.5%, and 34.0% (pConclusions A surgical approach may cause difficulty in creating a new VA, because useful access vessels are limited. Our results indicate surgical balloon-angioplasty and ET provide the same patency. ET is less invasive and can be repeated, which makes it beneficial for the patients. We concluded ET could be considered as the first-line treatment for thrombotic complications.

バスキュラーアクセス（以下VA）閉塞の治療としてインターベンション治療（VAIVT）が発展してきたが，その治療成績が従来の外科的治療と比較されたデータは少ない．そこで，VAIVTと外科的治療の成績について検討した．対象はVA閉塞により2004年1月より2008年12月までの間に外科的治療を施した533例，延べ879回と，2006年4月より2009年3月までにVAIVTにより閉塞治療を施行した54例，延べ156回（VAIVT群）．外科的治療を行った症例を，血栓除去および狭窄部位に対するballoon angioplastyを追加した群56例，延べ189回（外科的balloon angioplasty群）と吻合部の変更などを追加し，狭窄部位そのものをVAから除外した群477例，延べ690回（外科的修復群）に分けて，次回のVA治療までの期間（1次開存率）につき検討した．さらに，VAが自己血管で作製されている場合と人工血管が使用されている場合に分けて，比較検討した．2年開存率は，外科的修復群，外科的balloon angioplasty群，VAIVT群でそれぞれ34.0％，11.5％，11.1％であり，外科的修復群は他の2群にくらべて有意に良好であった（p＜0.0001）．自己血管VAでは，それぞれの2年開存率は59.8％，35.7％，33.7％（p＝0.0005），また，人工血管VAでは，それぞれ22.8％，9.2％，5.9％であり，同様の結果が得られた（p＜0.0001）．今回の検討では，VA閉塞の治療として，VAIVTを施行した場合の一次開存率はルート修正を含めた外科的治療には劣るものの，外科的血栓除去＋balloon angioplastyと同等なものであった．ルート修正を含む外科的治療の一次開存率は良好であるが，長期的にみた場合，VA作製可能部位が減じていくことになり，VAを温存できる利点を持つVAIVTとの比較は難しい．少なくとも短期成績からはVAIVTを第一選択とする根拠となりうると思われた．

Background: While preprocedural statin treatment for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is widely regarded as beneficial, there has been no prospective randomized multicenter trial of patients with non-ST elevation ACS in the Japanese population to examine the efficacy of preprocedural aggressive statin use. The aim of this study was to confirm this effect by prospective randomized multicenter design. Methods: Fifty patients who presented with non-ST elevation ACS were enrolled, and randomly assigned to aggressive statin administration before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Troponin-T (TnT), creatine phosphokinase (CK), CK-myocardial band (CK-MB), high-sense C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured at baseline and/ or after procedure. Results: Three days after PCI, the statin group had significantly less CK elevation compared with the nonstatin group (84±17 IU/l versus 180±68 IU/l, respectively, p = 0.02). CK-MB elevation also tended to be lower in the statin group than in the nonstatin group (3.2±1.9 versus. 7.0±3.0, respectively, p = 0.07), as was BNP level (3.2±1.9 versus 7.0±3.0 pg/ml, respectively, p = 0.07). The change of serum LDL cholesterol was significantly correlated with CK ( p = 0.01) and TnT ( p = 0.02) at 1 day after PCI. Conclusions: Aggressive statin usage before PCI to Japanese patients with non-ST elevation ACS appears to reduce myocardial damage after procedure. The degree of serum lipid level reduction may reflect the vulnerability of atheromatous plaques that could cause cardiac damage after PCI.

Al bonding in air by inserted A5056 was investigated in this study. Heating rate in thermal history of bonding process may have the relation with the growth of Al oxide film and the deformation of bonding surface by softening. Both of phenomena affect the joinability and the mechanical properties of bond. Al bonding in air was carried out by several heating rate. Growth of Al oxide film significantly suppressed the progress of bonding in air by low heating rate, 1K/s. Decrease of deformation of bonding surface suppressed also the progress of bonding by high heating rate, 10K/s. In case of medium heating rate, 5K/s, good joinabilty of Al bonding in air was obtained by the medium growth of oxide film and the deformation of bonding surface.

Sero-epidemiological studies are required to identify populations susceptible to measles. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test is no longer sensitive enough to confirm immunity to measles, and at present the particle agglutination (PA) test and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA) are employed. The most reliable method is the neutralization test (NT), but it is time-consuming and requires experience. To simplify the NT, a recombinant measles AIK-C virus expressing green fluorescence protein (GFP-MVAIK) was constructed and used as a challenge virus. Plaques and cytopathic effects were visualized under ultraviolet light and detected easily, and measuring the intensity of the fluorescence enabled a reduction in the time-consuming steps. Neutralizing antibody titers of a complete inhibition neutralization test were equivalent to those of a 90% plaque reduction neutralization test. Comparison of four methods, HI, PA, EIA and the complete inhibition neutralization test, showed that only the results of EIA correlated well with those of the complete inhibition neutralization test, but sera with borderline levels by EIA were sometimes negative by the complete inhibition neutralization assay.

We describe a patient with right common iliac artery occlusion who presented with intermittent claudication and underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The angiogram showed 100% occluded right common iliac artery with bridged collateral flow. After initial ballooning to the artery, the occluding plaque detached from the artery and resulted in multiple embolizations, not only to the distal external iliac artery, but also to the internal iliac artery and its branches, which supplied collateral flow to the right femoral artery. Circulation in the collateral networks from internal iliac artery and its branching to the right femoral artery diminished from the multiple embolizations. Repeat aspiration and stenting to the portion of dislodged plaque was attempted, but repeat ballooning to open the external iliac artery was unsuccessful because of decreased collateral flows and distal displacement of the embolus to the right femoral artery. Finally, all blood flow to the right femoral artery was occluded. Surgical embolectomy was successfully performed, but the patient succumbed to myonephropathic metabolic syndrome. Multiple embolizations occluding numerous collateral arteries caused acute fatal ischemia to the right limb. This case report highlights potentially fatal complication in the percutaneous intervention for chronic iliac artery occlusion.

This paper shows result of case-study of greenpurcbasing system for analyzing restructuring of technical policy on national level, from view points of external auditing system, and technical standards, outhouring of tasks. The author has selected green purchasing system of public works as a case-study subject. The system started in FY2000. The government installed external auditing system, and technical standards, outsouring of tasks to Imake the system more accoutable and specialized, during 7 years. The author realized the hardness of analyzinig restructuring of technical policy on national level, as a result.

Differentiation of ABO mosaics from chimeras is performed using flow cytometry (FCM) analysis. Although mosaics and chimeras have been distinguished by presence or absence of clear resolution using FCM analysis, the lack of quantitative metrics and definitive criteria for this differentiation has made some cases difficult to differentiate. In this study, therefore, we attempted to establish a definitive and quantitative criterion for this differentiation. When FCM histogram gates for group “A” or “B” antigen-negative and -positive red blood cells (RBCs) were set such that group O RBCs were classified as 99 percent negative and group A or B RBCs as 99 percent positive, the percentages of RBCs in the middle region of six chimeras and 23 mosaics (12 A mosaics and 11 B mosaics) were 0.1–0.6 percent and 7.0–19.0 percent, respectively. This result suggested that ABO mosaics and chimeras can be unambiguously differentiated when the cutoff point of the intermediate region is set to 1 percent. Immunohematology 2015;31:24–28.

We investigated the influences of mothers' dieting behaviors on their junior high school daughters. We assessed dieting behaviors and eating habits in 221 pairs of mothers and their junior high school daughters using questionnaires. The subjects were classified into an extraordinary-diet (Ex-D) group, who attempted to diet rapidly with unhealthy methods, a structured-diet (St-D) group, who attempted to diet gradually with healthy methods, and a non-diet (N-D) group, using the questionnaire scores. 1) A significant correlation was observed in the distribution of dieting behavior groups between the mothers and their daughters. 2) The scores for dieting behavior of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the Ex-D group were significantly higher in several question items compared with those of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the N-D group. 3) The scores for eating consciousness of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the Ex-D group were significantly lower for the item "Cooking is a fun pastime" compared with those of the mothers whose daughters were classified into the St-D or N-D groups. 4) The number of experiences of conversation with daughters about diet for the mothers whose daughters were in the Ex-D group was significantly higher than that for the mothers whose daughters were classified into the N-D group. The mothers' dieting behavior, eating consciousness, and number of conversations with daughters about diet influenced dieting behaviors in their junior high school daughters. Appropriate education of mothers would be useful to prevent their daughters' inappropriate diet.

It is the most important issue for the sustainable society to reduce output as disposal and input of natural resource. This paper shows directions of how to reduce the output from public works and the input for public works.The directions are how to select good ways from various type of recycling. The first is to check from view point of the output of society. The second is to check from view point of the input of society. According to the directions, we found some recycling ways cause increase of the input and/or the output.

Background: Body mass index (BMI) reference values in consideration of height variation have not previously been reported. This study established height-specific BMI reference curves for Japanese children and adolescents aged from 5 to 17 years. Methods: The 2001 nationwide survey data were utilized for the study. First, the range of variation in BMI corresponding to height (mean ± 2SD) at each age was compared with the range of variation in BMI corresponding to age (from minimum to maximum) at every cm height. Second, various age groups were combined, and percentile values of BMI (3rd, 5th, 15th, 50th, 85th, 95th, and 97th) were calculated for every cm height, regardless of age, and height-specific BMI reference values (males 100−179 cm, females 100−169 cm) were prepared. Results: Variation in BMI due to variation in height at each age was significantly (P