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A highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones was developed by using a chiral lithium(I) phosphoryl phenoxide aqua complex as an acid/base cooperative catalyst. The pentacoordinate silicate generated in situ from Me3SiCN/LiCN acts as an extremely reactive cyano reagent. Described is a 30 gram scale reaction and the synthesis of the key precursor to (+)-13-hydroxyisocyclocelabenzine.

A highly enantioselective cyanosilylation of ketones was developed by using a chiral lithium(I) phosphoryl phenoxide aqua complex as an acid/base cooperative catalyst. The pentacoordinate silicate generated in situ from Me3SiCN/LiCN acts as an extremely reactive cyano reagent. Described is a 30 gram scale reaction and the synthesis of the key precursor to (+)-13-hydroxyisocyclocelabenzine.

Hepatocytes were cultured on a honeycomb-patterned polymer film (honeycomb film) formed by self-organization in order to investigate the influence of the honeycomb pattern on cell behavior. The changes in cell morphologies and actin filaments were observed by optical, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Hepatocytes were flattened, and the actin filaments appeared conspicuously in the spreading regions on a flat film. In contrast, the hepatocytes that were cultured on the honeycomb film were observed to form a spherical shape, and the actin filaments were localized inside the edge of the spheroid. The spheroids were observed within several hours after seeding on the honeycomb film; they were attached and the spheroid shape was maintained without any deformation. The spheroids expressed a higher level of liver specific function than the cell monolayers on the flat film. These results suggest that the honeycomb film is a suitable material for tissue engineering scaffolds and biomedical devices.

症例1:72歳の男性で小腸gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) に対し空腸部分切除術および横行結腸切除術を施行した. 1年3カ月後,肝転移が出現し,肝切除術およびマイクロウェーブ凝固療法を施行した.その半年後,多発肝転移が出現し,メシル酸イマチニブを400mg/dayで投与開始した.投与1カ月のCTで腫瘍は液状変性を示し,腫瘍径は縮小した.開始後2年経過し, PR維持中である.症例2:59歳の男性で小腸GISTに対して空腸部分切除術および結腸右半切除術を施行した.術1年2カ月後に多発肝転移を認めた.その3カ月後,イマチニブを400mg/dayで開始したが,皮疹などの副作用が強く,投与を中止.初回投与から2カ月後, 100mg/dayに減量して投薬を再開.副作用は軽度で投与可能であった.再開後3カ月のCTで腫瘍は液状変性を示し,約半年間, SDを維持した.イマチニブは小腸GIST肝転移に対し有効な治療法であると考えられた.

マンモグラフィ併用乳癌検診の普及に伴い非触知微細石灰化病変が多く見受けられるようになってきた.当科では1998年4月より2002年3月までの間に視触診,超音波にて腫瘤性病変を認めないカテゴリー3以上の腫瘤非形成微細石灰化病変45例に対して,早期診断を目的にステレオガイド下生検を行った. 17/45例(37.8%)が乳癌と診断され,カテゴリー分類別乳癌頻度は,カテゴリー3: 2/10例(20.0%),カテゴリー4: 9/29例(31.0%),カテゴリー5: 6/6例(100%)であった.非浸潤癌は5例(29.4%),残りの12例は微小浸潤癌であった.郭清を施行した14例にリンパ節転移を認めなかったが,微小浸潤癌の1例は術後1年11カ月で遠隔転移をきたした.腫瘤非形成微細石灰化を呈する乳癌では非浸潤癌の頻度が高いが,マンモグラフィ併用乳癌検診の対象年齢が下がれば非浸潤癌発見率のさらなる増加が期待される.

It has been reported that small hepatocytes need to be cocultivated with nonparenchymal cells for proliferation in vitro. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether purified small hepatocytes would proliferate in the absence of nonparenchymal cells and to determine the their metabolic activities in culture. Purified small hepatocytes were obtained by centrifugation in Percoll density gradients. Small hepatocytes were seeded on collagen-coated dishes at a cell density of 4 × 104 cells/cm2 and were cultured in a hormonally modified Williams' medium E with 10 mM nicotinamide (WE-HN: group I). Comparision of 1 mM dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (group II) or 5 mM retinoic acid (group III) in WE-HN was performed. Cell proliferation, as indicated by DNA content, and metabolic function, as assessed by urea synthesis, gluconeogenesis, and albumin production, were measured for 14 days. In each group, DNA content increased significantly during 14 days in culture. An increase of approximately 400% was observed in group II. The cell proliferation of group II was confirmed by microscopic observations. Urea synthesis and gluconeogenesis in each group declined gradually from days 1 to 14. Albumin production also fell, but to a less extent. We found that the purified small hepatocytes could proliferate without cocultivation of nonparenchymal cells. Further, they expressed metabolic activities of mature hepatocytes.

Mixed liver cell spheroids from rats consisting of hepatocytes and nonparenchymal cells lose three-dimensional structure and function when cultured on dishes. In order to maintain the configuration and function of the spheroids, we cultured them with collagen gel in various conditions, such as on the surface of collagen gel (group 2), between two collagen gel layers (group 3), and within collagen gel (group 4). Spheroids cultured on a standard collagen-coated dish were used as controls (group 1). Culture was continued for 10 days. Phase-contrast microscopy revealed that the spheroids of group 1 lost their spheroidal configuration and became a monolayer within 24 h. Group 2 spheroids also spread out to a monolayer, but thus occurred at 24 to 48h. In group 3, spheroid configuration was sustained until day 10, though slightly flattened. In group 4, the spheroid configuration was well maintained throughout the culture period. Urea synthesis of the spheroids cultured with collagen gel was significantly higher than in group 1 between days 1 and 3. Albumin synthesis of three experimental groups was also significantly higher than that of group 1. Although three experimental groups showed no difference in urea synthesis, albumin production by spheroids in groups 3 and 4 was better maintained than in group 2, even toward the end of the culture period. It is concluded that mixed liver-cell spheroid culture within collagen gels showed better maintenance of their configuration and function.

A basic study to assess the displacement process of surface particles of rubble-mound-structure armorlayer under normally incident monochromatic waves has been conducted. The present study tries toinvestigate the relation among wave-induced pressures, velocities, and forces acting onto the armor particlesof rubble mound breakwater slope, and accordingly the reaction of the particles against those forces. At thesame time, the relation among wave height, wave period, and slope angle of the structure on the particleinitial movement has been assessed. A two-dimensional numerical reshaping-model of uniform sphereparticles breakwater was developed to study this phenomena. The simulation involved two separate models, i. e. wave model and displacement model, which are linked by iteration.It was observed that the maximum resultant wave forces always exist close to the water line during waverun-up or run-down and cause considerable displacement of particles at this area.

We report a case of advanced gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis, in which a curative resection was performed following gastrojejunostomy and S-1 based chemotherapy. A 46-year-old female presenting with vomiting was diagnosed with unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis after a detailed examination. She underwent laparotomy, which revealed a T4 tumor invading the pancreas head and involving the gallbladder. A gastrojejunostomy was performed. After the operation, chemotherapy of S-1(100mg/body, days 1-21)plus cisplatin(85mg/body, day 8)was administered. After 4 courses, the tumor size was markedly reduced upon imaging examinations. Six months after gastrojejunostomy, distal gastrectomy was curatively performed. The pathological findings were type 3, por1, pT4a(SE), pN1, M0, pStage III A. After 5 courses of S-1(100mg/day, days 1-28)as adjuvant chemotherapy, she had a recurrence at a lymph node behind the pancreas head. Despite irinotecan+cisplatin following docetaxel therapy, she had no effective benefits and died from the cancer 17 months after the first operation. The prognosis of unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis is not promising; however, gastrojejunostomy following S-1-based chemotherapy could lead such patients to curative resection and a longer survival time.

A 68-year-old man underwent Miles'operation for advanced rectal cancer. Local recurrence occurred 9 months following the operation. We started the combined therapy of low-dose CPT-11 and doxifluridine (5'-DFUR). CPT-11 was administered at 80 mg/body biweekly and 5'-DFUR was orally administered at 800 mg/day/body on day 3-7. We then reduced the CPT-11 dose to 60 mg/body because of neutropenia. Four months later,we obtained a decrease in the tumor marker (carcinoembryonic antigen: CEA) to the normal serum level, and stopped the medication. However, 3 months later the serum CEA level was increased, and we restarted the same therapy. Six months after restarting this therapy, the serum CEA level decreased to the normal level,and the local recurrence was decreased in size. We finished this combined therapy and changed to 5'-DFUR only. No tumor progression or recurrences in this patient are seen 2 years after completing this combined therapy.

Fabrication and surface modification of a cell scaffold are very important in tissue engineering. In this study, the effects of pore size and surface wettability on hepatocyte adhesion and morphology was studied, using the porous poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) film prepared by a simple casting technique. The degree of spreading of hepatocyte was enhanced with the decrease of the pore size (~10 μm). Hepatocyte motility and spreading were restricted on the patterned film having cellular-sized pores (ca. 20 μm). Partial hydrolysis of the film surface enhanced the migration and spheroid formation of the cultured hepatocyte.

Hepatocyte spheroids are expected to be the main component of the artificial liver bioreactor for their higher function. The preparation of hepatocyte spheroids, however, can require as many as 24 to 96 h. To reduce this time, we investigated a method employing a new technique of rat hepatocyte preparation and a dynamic culture. The modified Seglen's method for standard hepatocyte isolation was altered by elimination of ethyleneglycol bis(aminoethylether) tetraacetate from the first perfusate and calcium from the second perfusate. Isolated hepatocytes were cultured in a spinner flask by spinning at 120 rpm. The modified Seglen's method was used as a control. Cells obtained by the new method were more cohesive and formed a higher proportion of cell aggregates than control cells. In the spinning culture, hepatocytes had a tendency to aggregate and 80% of cells formed spheroids within 6 h of culturing. The mean size of spheroids was 68.5 +/- 18.5 microm. Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed that individual spheroids contained approximately 30% of nonparenchymal cells over their surface. Using the new hepatocyte preparation method followed by a spinning culture, we were able to produce hepatocyte spheroids in as few as 6 h.

ARGUS is a prototype system which achieves awareness before starting face-to-face communication by utilizing multiple far-end controllable cameras on a broadband network. A user desiring awareness information can change camera directions and angular fields of view at will in order to get the desired image. We call this active control of cameras to aquire awareness information “active awareness.” Camera locations and viewing fields can be quickly grasped by camera icons on the Map Viewer, which shows the actual office layout. ARGUS has a merit to provide both wide area views and close, detailed views via the control of remote cameras. However, the privacy of people may be violated, for example, through extreme magnificaiton. Therefore, it is very important to carefully consider the camera placement and usage. We have modeled office enviroments and have introduced two camera types: private cameras and public cameras. The aim of the former type is to catch a personal view whereas the aim of the latter type is to monitor common spaces. To protect privacy, ARGUS has several levels of access restrictions for each of these camera types. In this video, we describe the policy and implementation of ARGUS from the viewpoints of user interface and privacy.

VIEW-Station is a workstation-based image processing system which merges the state-of-the- art software environment of Unix with the computing power of a fast image processor. VIEW- Station has a hierarchical software architecture, which facilitates device independence when porting across various hardware configurations, and provides extensibility in the development of application systems. The core image computing language is V-Sugar. V-Sugar provides a set of image-processing datatypes and allows image processing algorithms to be simply expressed, using a functional notation. VIEW-Station provides a hardware independent window system extension called VIEW-Windows. In terms of GUI (Graphical User Interface) VIEW-Station has two notable aspects. One is to provide various types of GUI as visual environments for image processing execution. Three types of interpreters called (mu) V- Sugar, VS-Shell and VPL are provided. Users may choose whichever they prefer based on their experience and tasks. The other notable aspect is to provide facilities to create GUI for new applications on the VIEW-Station system. A set of widgets are available for construction of task-oriented GUI. A GUI builder called VIEW-Kid is developed for WYSIWYG interactive interface design.