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Endoscopic clipping closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) did not reduce the incidence of post-ESD coagulation syndrome (PECS) in our recent randomized controlled trial (RCT); however, the definition of PECS is still controversial. The aim of this study is to establish optimal definition of PECS with additional analysis of RCT based on another definition. In this multicenter, single-blind RCT, individuals were randomly assigned to colorectal ESD followed by endoscopic clipping closure or non-closure. In this post hoc analysis, the definition of PECS was modified as both localized abdominal pain on visual analogue scale and inflammatory response (fever or leukocytosis), from either localized abdominal pain or inflammatory response in the original study. All participants underwent a computed tomography after ESD, and PECS was classified into type I, conventional PECS without extra-luminal air, and type II, PECS with peri-luminal air. A total of 155 patients (84 in the non-closure group and 71 in the closure group) were analyzed. As a result of criteria modification, 21 type I PECS and four type II PECS cases in the original study, which included patients with clear pain and inflammatory response, were downgraded to no adverse event and simple peri-luminal air, respectively. The frequency of PECS showed no significant difference between non-closure and closure groups. Clipping closure after colorectal ESD does not reduce the incidence of PECS regardless of the diagnostic criteria. Either localized abdominal pain or inflammatory response might be optimal criteria of PECS (UMIN000027031). UMIN000027031 April 18, 2017

Carbon-nanotube-enhanced elastomers are excellent conductivity-adjustable composites. A series of carbon nanotubes/polysiloxane foams were fabricated. Their electromagnetic (EM) absorption effects ...

A 26-year-old woman complained of upper abdominal pain. Computed tomography (CT) showed acute pancreatitis, a left adrenal tumor and solitary right pulmonary metastasis. She underwent left adrenalectomy; the adrenal tumor was diagnosed as adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC). When preparing to resect the pulmonary metastasis, she suffered a second acute pancreatic attack. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) showed that the proximal main pancreatic duct (MPD) was dilated, and the distal MPD was diminished; however, no pancreatic tumor was observed on CT or MRCP. Endoscopic ultrasonography revealed a solitary pancreatic mass, which was diagnosed as pancreatic metastasis from ACC by endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Endoscopic clipping closure after colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) did not reduce the incidence of post-ESD coagulation syndrome (PECS) in our recent randomized controlled trial (RCT); however, the definition of PECS is still controversial. The aim of this study is to establish optimal definition of PECS with additional analysis of RCT based on another definition.In this multicenter, single-blind RCT, individuals were randomly assigned to colorectal ESD followed by endoscopic clipping closure or non-closure. In this post hoc analysis, the definition of PECS was modified as both localized abdominal pain on visual analogue scale and inflammatory response (fever or leukocytosis), from either localized abdominal pain or inflammatory response in the original study. All participants underwent a computed tomography after ESD, and PECS was classified into type I, conventional PECS without extra-luminal air, and type II, PECS with peri-luminal air.A total of 155 patients (84 in the non-closure group and 71 in the closure group) were analyzed. As a result of criteria modification, 21 type I PECS and four type II PECS cases in the original study, which included patients with clear pain and inflammatory response, were downgraded to no adverse event and simple peri-luminal air, respectively. The frequency of PECS showed no significant difference between non-closure and closure groups.Clipping closure after colorectal ESD does not reduce the incidence of PECS regardless of the diagnostic criteria. Either localized abdominal pain or inflammatory response might be optimal criteria of PECS (UMIN000027031).UMIN000027031 DATE OF REGISTRATION: April 18, 2017.

Gastrointestinal decompression is generally applied to a non-strangulated acute small bowel obstruction (NSASBO). Although long tube (LT) placement and administration of Gastrografin through a nasogastric tube (NGT-G) have shown advantages over NGT alone in previous studies, no studies appear to have compared LT and NGT-G. In this multicenter, randomized controlled trial, patients with NSASBO were randomly assigned to receive LT or NGT-G between July 2016 and November 2018 at 11 Japanese institutions. The primary endpoint was non-inferiority of NGT-G compared to LT for non-surgery rate, and the lower limit of the 95% confidence interval for the non-surgery rate (−15%) was set as the lower margin for inferiority of NGT-G compared to LT. In total, 223 patients (LT group, n = 111; NGT-G group, n = 112) were analyzed in the present trial. The non-surgery rate was 87.4% in the LT group and 91.1% in the NGT-G group, with a 3.7% difference between NGT-G and LT (95.3%CI − 5.55 to 12.91; non-inferiority P = 0.00002923). On the other hand, the non-surgery rate with pure NGT-G alone (76.8%) that represents non-cross-over NGT-G without subsequent LT was significantly lower than that with LT (P = 0.039). Median procedure time was significantly shorter with NGT-G (1 min) than with LT (25 min; P

The novel separation method of rare earth elements by using the tertiary pyridine type resin with methanol and nitric acid mixed solution was developed. The separating operation in this method is very simple and easy, and the waste generation in this method is expected to be low. The adsorption and separation behaviors of rare earth elements were investigated with changing the nitric acid concentration, the methanol concentration, and the alcoholic species. It was confirmed that the rare earth elements can be well separated mutually.

Chromatography experiments using a tertiary pyridine resin have been carried out in methanolic nitric acid solution for the separation of trivalent actinides (An) and lanthanides (Ln). The elution behavior of trivalent An (Am and Cm) is similar to that of middle Ln series in the nitric acid system, while the trivalent An are separated from Ln in methanolic hydrochloric acid solution. The calculated distribution coefficients ( K d ) indicate that the adsorbability of trivalent An and Ln depends on their ionic radii in the nitric acid system. The different separation behavior observed between nitric acid and hydrochloric acid systems is discussed from the viewpoint of solvation structures.

Background: It has previously been reported that there is a strong correlation between the expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored complement membrane inhibitor in gastric epithelium and the severity of inflammation of gastric mucosa. To investigate the regulation of complement activity in gastric epithelium during Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori)-associated gastritis, the expression of GPI-anchored complement membrane inhibitors, decay-accelerating factor (DAF) and 20-kDa homologous restriction factor 20 (HRF20), and membrane cofactor protein (MCP), which is a transmembrane protein, were evaluated after removal of the H. pylori stimulus. Furthermore, the expression of the complement fragment, C3c, was also investigated. Methods: Forty-six patients with epigastric symptoms and endoscopically confirmed peptic ulcer or gastritis who had H. pylori infection of the gastric mucosa were enrolled in the present study. Biopsy specimens were obtained from the gastric antrum and corpus 1 month before and after eradication. Helicobacter pylori infection was determined by the rapid urease test, histology, and culture before eradication, and by histology, culture, and urea breath test after eradication. Gastric biopsy specimens obtained before and after eradication were evaluated for infiltration by neutrophils and mononuclear cells. The expression of complement membrane inhibitors, DAF, HRF20, and MCP and that of the main complement fragment, C3c, was immunohistochemically evaluated. Results: One month after the eradication of H. pylori, the infiltration by neutrophils and mononuclear cells in the gastric mucosa decreased significantly (P

Background. The innocuous pure recombinant cholera toxin B-subunit (rCTB) is very attractive as a strong adjuvant for host immunization, but little is known about rCTB's gastric mucosal immunoadjuvanticity against Helicobacter pylori. The immunoadjuvanticity of rCTB against H. pylori was tested. Material and methods. Mice were immunized with sonicated H. pylori and rCTB orally or intranasally and sacrificed on day 42 after immunization. Passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) test was performed to evaluate IgE-mediated anaphylaxis with serum from mice to which H. pylori-antigen with rCTB had been administered. Immunoglobulin titer specific to H. pylori in serum, lavation of the gastrointestinal tracts and feces were examined. Gastritis in vaccinated mice after a challenge was assessed with the scoring defined from grading of gastric inflammation. H. pylori proliferation after immunization was investigated by counting colony forming units (CFU) per gram of stomach tissue. Results. PCA test exhibited no reactions against the serum from mice immunized with H. pylori-antigen with rCTB administered orally and intranasally. Oral and nasal coadministrations of rCTB significantly raised systemic and mucosal immunities against H. pylori and suppressed proliferation of H. pylori in gastric mucosa. The score of gastritis in mice immunized orally was significantly higher than that of mice immunized nasally due to postimmunization gastritis. Only oral administration of rCTB suppressed H. pylori proliferation as compared with intranasal administration and without rCTB. Conclusions. The present study indicated that rCTB has systemic and mucosal immunoadjuvanticities against H. pylori and that oral vaccination with rCTB might additively support antibiotic eradication.

Summary Background : The epidemiology and pathophysiology of non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease differs from erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. There is a possibility that non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease treatment requires a different regimen/approach but it is not yet acknowledged. Aim : To investigate the efficacy of famotidine and omeprazole in the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, especially non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Patients and methods : A randomized, open-label trial was conducted. Fifty-four gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients were assigned to treatment with famotidine at a dosage of 20 mg twice daily; or omeprazole, 20 mg once daily, for a period of 8 weeks. The Short Form-36 Health Survey and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale administered at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment as well as a symptom questionnaire were conducted daily. Results : Short Form-36 revealed that gastro-oesophageal reflux disease has severe impact on health-related quality of life. Thirty-nine subjects (77%) were endoscopically diagnosed as non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The mean Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale abdominal pain, and indigestion score of non-erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease significantly improved in famotidine-treated patients (P

Rapid demulsification of dense oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions has been found to be induced by applying a low electric field of the order of 1–10 V/cm. The demulsification simultaneously takes place over the entire space between two electrodes. Dilute O/W emulsions are demulsified only near an electrode after being condensed by electrophoresis of the droplets, which indicates that the mutual contact of oil droplets through thin water layers is necessary for the rapid demulsification. Increase of the concentration of electrolyte accelerates the demulsification, whereas increase of the concentration of an ionic surfactant retards the demulsification. O/W emulsions stabilized with a nonionic polymer surfactant are not demulsified. Water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions are not demulsified even the chemical components are the same as those of the O/W emulsion. Application of an alternating electric field with the frequency higher than 10 kHz does not cause the demulsification. All this evidence strongly suggests that the applied low electric field causes the rearrangement of surface charges on oil droplets, which results in the reduction of the height of an energy barrier for the coalescence of the droplets.

Background: The effect of Helicobacter pylori infection on systemic disorders is not well understood. Aim: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the systemic effects of H. pylori infection by comparing differential counts of leukocytes and platelets in peripheral blood before and after eradication of H. pylori. Methods: A total of 164 H. pylori-positive patients underwent eradication therapy, and populations of peripheral blood leukocytes and platelets before and 0 (just after therapy), 1, 3 and 12 months after eradication were retrospectively analysed. Results: In the eradicated group (n = 138), blood leukocytes, neutrophils and monocytes decreased significantly after eradication, but there was no significant change in eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes or platelets. In the non-eradicated group (n = 26), there was no significant change in any studied parameter. With regard to smoking status, although leukocytes and neutrophils did not decrease after eradication in the smoking group, they significantly decreased after eradication in the nonsmoking group. Conclusions: These findings suggest that: (1) H. pylori infection increases neutrophil and monocyte counts in the peripheral blood, which indicates a significant role of H. pylori infection in systemic disorders; and (2) Smoking may mask the effect of H. pylori eradication on peripheral leukocytes, which would explain the controversy in previous reports concerning H. pylori infection and peripheral leukocytes.

Recently, there has been increased interest for electromagnetic shielding in the radio frequency (RF) region. The use of effective electromagnetic shields has, moreover, been required to improve the electromagnetic environment. The present paper has applied bincho-charcoal, a high quality charcoal found in Japan, to improve RF electromagnetic shields. Bincho-charcoal makes an excellent shield, due to a very large value of relative permittivity in the RF region. In the present research, the evaluation of the RF magnetic shielding degree SDH of the bincho-charcoal was limited to a plate being exposed to an electromagnetic wave. The SDH of the single plate was found to increase with an increase in RF frequency over the range from 1 MHz to 1 GHz. The value of SDH at 100 MHz was found to be about 15 dB. The present authors have, furthermore, improved the value of SDH by the use of a triple plate, constructed from three bincho-charcoal plates. The SDH of the triple plate at 100 MHz was found to be improved by about 15 dB over that of the single plate. In addition, the SDH was shown to be improved by the superposition of a copper plate over the triple plate.

Chromatographic separation of trivalent actinides (Am, Cm and Cf) was performed by using a tertiary pyridine resin embedded in silica beads with methanolic nitric acid solutions. The trivalent actinides were eluted from the resin column in the reverse order of atomic numbers (Cf-Cm-Am). Higher concentration of methanol in the mixed solution accelerated both the adsorption of these elements on the resin and the separability for these elements. Americium was clearly separated from Cm and Cf by using a 1 cm-o × 10 cm-height column with a 60vol% of methanol/40 vol% of concentrated nitric acid mixed solution at ambient temperature.

The contamination of the environment by electromagnetic pollution has been increasing with the employment of more electronic devices. Therefore, the use of electromagnetic shielding has increased in order to improve environmental conditions. A high-critical temperature superconductor which employs perfect diamagnetism, is an ideal material for use as a radio frequency (RF) shield. In the present paper, the RF magnetic shielding effect SD H was systematically measured by changing the surface area of the Bi–Pb–Sr–Ca–Cu–O (BPSCCO) plate. It was found that the values of SD H for a BPSCCO plate with a surface area of 225 cm 2 , at frequencies of 1 and 10 MHz, were improved by approximately 45 and 30 dB, respectively, over those of a 25 cm 2 plate. In addition, the magnetic SD H for the 25 cm 2 BPSCCO plate was improved by the superposition of similar BPSCCO plates over the original BPSCCO plate; termed the multi-layered plate system. The value of SD H for a four-layered plate system at the frequency of 10 MHz was, consequently, improved by approximately 20 dB greater than that of the single-BPSCCO plate. Also shown are the important criteria for the design of effective RF shielding vessels for improving the electromagnetic environment.

With the rapid development in the field of information technology, attention must be directed toward electromagnetic environments and their associated problems. These problems have led to an increasing need for magnetic shielding vessels that can be applied to a wide range of fields. The ideal electromagnetic shielding vessel, in the radiofrequency (RF) region, can be realized by use of a high-critical-temperature superconductor, due to its property of perfect diamagnetism. The authors have improved the characteristics of the RF magnetic shielding effect for a Bi–Pb–Sr–Ca–Cu–O (BPSCCO) cylinder used as shielding vessel, by the superposition of a bincho-charcoal (very hard charcoal) square cylinder over the BPSCCO cylinder. The present paper examines the RF magnetic shielding effects of the new shielding system, including the characteristics of the RF magnetic shielding effects versus both the frequency f and the RF magnetic power. In addition, an examination is conducted of the RF electric shielding effects as a function of f and the RF electric power.

This case report describes a ruptured pancreaticoduodenal artery aneurysm (PDAA) causing pancreatic pseudotumour and duodenal obstruction. A 59-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of frequent vomiting without abdominal pain. Because a mass lesion 10 cm in diameter was palpated in the right para-umbilical region and found in the head of the pancreas on computerized tomography (CT) and ultrasonography, malignant tumour of the pancreas or tumour-forming pancreatitis was strongly suspected, and further examination was performed.Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results suggested subacute haematoma inside the mass. On angiography, an aneurysm 8 mm in diameter was found in the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal artery (PSPD). Since an ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle biopsy from the solid part of the mass indicated no malignancy, the lesion was considered an inflammatory pseudotumour in the head of pancreas due to ruptured aneurysm. Bypass surgery was planned, but the tumour shrank significantly with conservative treatment. Obstruction disappeared completely without surgery 4 weeks after the first symptom.

Background Magnifying endoscopy with narrow-band imaging (ME-NBI) has been used to estimate the invasion depth of superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SESCC), but the real diagnostic power of ME-NBI remains unclear because of few prospective studies. Objectives To evaluate whether ME-NBI adds additional information to white-light imaging (WLI) for the diagnosis of invasion depth of SESCC. Design Multicenter, prospective trial using real-time imaging and diagnosis. Setting Seven Japanese institutions. Patients Fifty-five patients with SESCC were enrolled from June 2011 to October 2013, and the results for 49 lesions were analyzed. Interventions Patients underwent primary WLI followed by ME-NBI, and reports of primary WLI (WLI alone) were completed before secondary ME-NBI (WLI followed by ME-NBI). To standardize diagnosis among examiners, this trial was started after achievement of a mean κ value ≥ .6 among 11 participating endoscopists. Main Outcome Measurements Diagnosis of invasion depth by each tool was divided into cancer limited to the epithelium and the lamina propria mucosa and cancer invading beyond the muscularis mucosae (≥T1a-MM) and then collated with the final pathologic diagnosis by an independent pathologist blinded to the clinical data. Results The accuracy of invasion depth in WLI alone and WLI followed by ME-NBI was 71.4% and 65.3% ( P = .375), respectively. Sensitivity for ≥T1a-MM was 61.1% for both groups ( P = 1.000), and specificity for ≥T1a-MM was 77.4% for WLI alone and 67.7% for WLI followed by ME-NBI ( P = .375). Limitation Open-label trial. Conclusions ME-NBI showed no additional benefit to WLI for diagnosis of invasion depth of SESCC. (University Hospital Network Clinical Trials Registry number: UMIN000005632.)

Cyclopropanation of allylic alcohols with Et2Zn and CH2I2 in the presence of a catalytic amount of fluorous disulfonamide 3 afforded the corresponding cyclopropylmethanols in 69–96% yield with 49–83% ee. The fluorous ligand 3 was readily recovered from the reaction mixture by the fluorous solid-phase extraction (FSPE) and could be reused without a significant loss of the catalytic activity and enantioselectivity.

内臓脂肪型肥満では糖・脂質代謝異常や高血圧症の合併頻度が高いといわれている。今回, 成人病を有する肥満者98人を対象に内臓脂肪型肥満の程度と成人病との関連について検討し以下の結果を得た。1. 対象者の74%が内臓脂肪型肥満 (V/S≧0.4) であり, 男性では女性に比してV/S比が高値であった。また, 年代別のV/S比は40歳代が最も高値であり, 加齢による増加は認めなかった。2. 成人病別のV/S比は高脂血症, 糖尿病, 脂肪肝の順であり, V/S≧0.4群ではV/S

We evaluated the utility of gene-transcriptional responses in the liver of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), a species introduced to many countries and therefore widely available, for detecting endocrine-disrupting activity in water. Exposure to β-naphthoflavone, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist, significantly increased the transcript of the cytochrome P4501A gene (cyp1a), peaking at 24 h, in both sexes at concentrations of 10 µg/L or more. 17β-Estradiol (E2) at 500 ng/L increased the number of males showing gene transcription of precursors of yolk protein, vitellogenin (Vtga, Vtgb, and Vtgc), at 24, 48, and 72 h. Exposure for 48 h to bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen mimic, also increased vtg-positive males at 1 mg/L or more. Leachate from a Japanese stable-type landfill significantly increased vtg-positive males after 48 h exposure, and the in vitro activity of the leachate against the estrogen receptor (ER) was estimated as an E2 equivalent of 240 ng/L by yeast transfected with the ER. Chemical analysis showed that major contributors to the ER activation were BPA and 4-tert-octylphenol. This leachate and drainage water from a control-type landfill had AhR activities, estimated by yeast with the AhR, but had no significant effect on cyp1a transcription. These results showed that mosquitofish are suitable for detecting in vivo AhR and ER effects, but are insensitive to E2. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2011;30:2778–2785. © 2011 SETAC

This paper proposes a parallel optimization algorithm PDF/IHS for the minimum execution-time multiprocessor scheduling problem which is a strong NP-hard optimization problem. PDF/IHS is a parallelization and efficient implementation of the only practical optimization algorithm DF/IHS among those which have been proposed for this scheduling problem. In PDF/IHS, processors perform depth-first search in parallel on a heuristically generated search tree in such a way that it is searched hierarchically from the left- and right-hand sides. The effectiveness of PDF/IHS has been verified by simulation and practical parallel processing on Alliant FX4. As a result, it has been recognized that most of the problems which required a long time by DF/IHS can be solved approximately in time 1/m by PDF/IHS using m processors. Moreover, even for a problem which required a very long time or could not be solved in a practical time by DF/IHS, it has been verified that PDF/IHS can give solutions in time less than 1/m.

Effects of aging on Tc are investigated for YBa2Cu3O7−y irradiated by electron beam (EB). The aging increases Tc. The maximum T0c (zero resistivity, maxT0c) depends on the T0c before irradiation. The higher the T0c, the higher the maxT0c becomes. The effects are explained by x‐ray diffraction peaks.

Effects of electron beam (EB) irradiation on Tc are investigated for YBa2Cu3O7 − y. The aging at room temperature increases Tc after EB irradiation. The maximum Tc (mid point, max{T}c) depends on Tc before irradiation. The higher Tc, the higher maxTc becomes. Using X-ray diffraction analysis, these effects are explained.

Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are important for maintenance of the gastrointestinal tract mucosa. Moreover, diffusible factors from the underlying mesenchyme control the proliferation and differentiation of the epithelial cells. However, the details of the associated signaling remain unknown.Two novel cell lines, designated MSE1 (mouse stomach epithelium) and MSMF1 (mouse stomach myofibroblast) cells, were established from mouse glandular stomach and cocultured in three-dimensional collagen gels in vitro.MSE1 cells formed dramatic branching tubular structures upon coculture with MSMF1 cells. In contrast, they formed spherical cyst structures in the absence of fibroblast support or the presence of Swiss 3T3 cells. Since bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) was expressed by MSMF1 cells but not Swiss 3T3 cells, we investigated whether it induced the morphological differentiation. Addition of BMP2 to MSE1 cells induced the formation of branching tubular structures, even in the absence of MSMF1 cells. Noggin, a BMP2 antagonist, blocked the MSMF1-induced tubular branch formation by MSE1 cells. MSE1 cells were induced to express mRNA of MUC5AC, an important marker for gastric superficial epithelium in the upper part of pits, upon branching tubule formation after BMP2 addition. Coculture with MSMF1 cells or BMP2 addition induced Smad1 phosphorylation in MSE1 cells. Furthermore, BMP2 inhibited MSE1 cell proliferation in MTS assays and suppressed AKT phosphorylation.BMP2 stimulated MSE1 cells to form branching duct-like structures and differentiate toward superficial epithelium in three-dimensional cocultures in vitro, suggesting that it may act as a morphogen and differentiation inducer in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions of gastric mucosa.

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been reported to promote tumor cell growth in colon cancer cells after binding to its receptors, which are members of the G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) family. Recent studies demonstrated that stimulation of GPCR can induce shedding of epidermal growth factor (EGF) ligands via activation of a disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM), with subsequent transactivation of the EGF receptor (EGFR). In this study, we investigated mechanisms of cell proliferation and migration stimulated by IL-8 in a human colon carcinoma cell line (Caco2). IL-8 increased DNA synthesis of Caco2 in a dose dependent manner and this was inhibited by ADAM, EGFR kinase, and MEK inhibitors. IL-8 transiently induced EGFR tyrosine phosphorylation after 5–90 min and this was completely inhibited by ADAM inhibitor. Neutralizing antibody against HB-EGF as a key ligand for EGFR also blocked transactivation of EGFR and cell proliferation by IL-8. Since IL-8-induced cell migration was further suppressed by the ADAM inhibitor and the HB-EGF neutralizing antibody, our data indicate that IL-8 induces cell proliferation and migration by an ADAM-dependent pathway, and that HB-EGF plays an important role as the major ligand for this pathway.

Background & Aims: The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) can be transactivated by many factors including G-protein-coupled receptor agonists and cytokines. Although this EGFR transactivation reportedly requires a disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM) that sheds the ectodomain of EGFR ligands, the detailed mechanisms are still unknown. This study evaluated the mechanism of interleukin (IL)-8- and IL-1β-dependent shedding of the EGFR ligand in KATO III cells. Methods: We established transfectants stably expressing alkaline phosphatase-tagged heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), transforming growth factor α, or amphiregulin precursors, and depleted ADAM proteins, using short interfering RNA against ADAM10, 12, or 17. We assessed shedding of EGFR ligands by measuring AP activities in the conditioned media after IL-1β or IL-8 stimulation. EGFR activation was examined by immunoprecipitation and Western blotting using antiphosphotyrosine antibody. KB-R7785 and anti-IL-8 neutralizing antibody were used to inhibit activities of ADAMs and IL-8 action, respectively. Results: IL-8 dose dependently released the EGFR ligands and transiently phosphorylated EGFR, with a peak at 15 minutes. KB-R7785 completely blocked IL-8-induced shedding and EGFR transactivation. Depletion of ADAM10 also dramatically reduced IL-8-induced shedding and EGFR transactivation, but depletion of ADAM12 and 17 did not. IL-1β dose dependently enhanced shedding of HB-EGF, which was not blocked by KB-R7785 in the early phase. In the late phase, however, the EGFR transactivation was blocked by KB-R7785 and abrogated by anti-IL-8 neutralizing antibody. Conclusions: IL-8 induces shedding of EGFR ligands because of an ADAM10-dependent pathway in gastric cancer cells, whereas IL-1β acts principally by an ADAM-independent pathway. IL-1β-dependent prolonged EGFR transactivation involves multiple pathways, including an IL-8-dependent pathway.

Elution chromatography with a tertiary pyridine resin has been used to separate the trivalent actinides (An3+) from the lanthanides (Ln3+) using an alcoholic hydrochloric acid solvent. Trivalent Am and Cm were separated from the Ln by employing a 1 cm(phi) x 10 cm resin column with the mixed solvent system composed of concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) and alcohols. The distribution coefficients (Kd) and the separation factors between An and Ln (alpha(An)(Ln)) increased as the alcohol content of the solvent mixture increased. On the other hand, the Kd and alpha(An)(Ln) decreased drastically upon the addition of water to the solvent mixture. Among the four alcohols investigated (methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and n-butanol), the ethanol-HCl mixed solvent system showed the largest Kd and alpha(An)(Ln). The mechanism of adsorption for An and Ln cations on the pyridine resin is discussed in addition to the results presented herein.

The expression level of mRNAs for cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1B1 in freshly prepared white cells from 72 subjects exposed to dioxins at waste incinerators was investigated. The amounts of CYP1B1 mRNA ranged from 0.16 to 671 molecules/10(7) molecules of 18S rRNA, whereas the amounts of CYP1A1 mRNA were6 molecules/10 ng total RNA, indicating that CYP1A1 was not induced to a detectable level by environmentally exposed dioxins. The inducibility of CYP1B1 mRNA in leukocytes, defined as the ratio of CYP1B1 mRNA to the plasma concentration of dioxins, varied among the subjects. It was found that the subjects showed trimodal distribution according to inducibility: 39 (54.2%), 25 (34.7%), and 8 (11.1%) of 72 subjects were judged as poor, intermediate, and high responders to environmental dioxins, respectively. The amounts of CYP1B1 mRNA in leukocytes of the intermediate and high responders were highly correlated with the plasma concentrations of dioxins (P0.05 and0.01). These results suggest that CYP1B1 with polymorphic inducibility by dioxins is involved in aromatic hydrocarbon hydroxylase activities in human lymphocytes.

110 Background: S-1 plus cisplatin has been recognized as the standard chemotherapy for metastatic gastric cancer (MGC). Inflammation is considered to be a critical component of tumor progression. C-reactive protein (CRP) has been associated with the development of many cancers, but the significance of CRP remains unclear for MGC. The present study assessed the relationship between serum levels CRP and antitumor effects in MGC. Methods: Among 109 MGC patients who received S-1 plus cisplatin as first-line chemotherapy from January 2006 to December 2011 in 3 Japanese institutions, we retrospectively identified 70 patients who fulfilled eligibility criteria of this study. Patients were categorized into 2 groups depending on serum CRP level before chemotherapy: 43 patients with CRP

The abnormal Jc increasing against temperature is found from 60 K to 80 K for Ti added BiPbSrCaCuO. The weak magnetic field largely decreases the abnormal Jc values, although the Jc value below 50 K does not largely decrease by the weak magnetic field.

The abnormal Jc increasing against temperature is found from 60 K to 80 K for Sb added Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O. Although the weak magnetic field doesn’t largly decrease the Jc value below 50 K, the weak magnetic field decreases the abnormal Jc values above 60 K.

Effect of aging on Tc and Jc are investigate for YBa2Cu3O7-y sample which Tc mid values are from 90 to 92 K. Although the Tc change cannot be found of the YBa2Cu3O7-y sample just after the electron beam(EB) irradiation, the aging increases the Tc and Jc values.