Slowing and stopping of chemical waves in a narrowing canal

The propagation of a chemical wave in a narrow, cone-shaped glass capillary was investigated. When a chemical wave propagates from the wider end to the narrower end, it slows, stops, and then disappears. A phenomenological model that considers the surface effect of the glass is proposed, and this model reproduces the experimental trends.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Interfacial fracture strength property of micro-scale SiN/Cu components

AbstractThe strength against fracture nucleation from an interface free-edge of silicon-nitride (SiN)/copper (Cu) micro-components is evaluated. A special technique that combines a nano-indenter specimen holder and an environmental transmission electron microscope (E-TEM) is employed. The critical load at the onset of fracture nucleation from a wedge-shaped free-edge (opening angle: 90°) is measured both in a vacuum and in a hydrogen (H2) environment, and the critical stress distribution is evaluated by the finite element method (FEM). It is found that the fracture nucleation is dominated by the near-edge elastic singular stress field that extends about a few tens of nanometers from the edge. The fracture nucleation strength expressed in terms of the stress intensity factor (K) is found to be eminently reduced in a H2 environment

ホスピス トクシマ ニオケル マッキ ガン カンジャ ノ ボウシュヨウセイ シンケイ ショウコウグン ノ ハッショウ ヒンド ト ソノ リンショウテキ イギ

Neurological complications in advanced cancer occur frequently and therefore an adequate neurological assessment must always be part of patient evaluation in hospice palliative care. Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are rare, probably affecting less than 1 per cent of patients with cancer, even if the most commonly associated neoplasms, such as small-cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer are considered. Neurological complications were studied in 127 inpatients with advanced cancers. Neurological complications were seen in up to 40 per cent of the patients. The most frequent symptom was derilium, followed in order to lethargy, paraplegia, depression, dementia, hemiplegia, restlessness, aphasia, stupor, facial palsy, recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy, convulsion, and myastenia. Those symptoms were seen in patients in hepatic encephalitis（12）, metastatic brain tumor（9）, metastatic spinal cord injury（8）, depression（4）, paraneoplastic syndrome（4）, hypercalcemia（2）, senile dementia（2）, peripheral neuritis（2）, and cerebral infarction（2）. Of the four patients with paraneoplastic syndrome, one patient had both anti-Hu antibody and anti-VGCC antibody and two patients had anti-neuronal nuclear antibodies. These results indicate that paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are associated more than 1 per cent of patients with advanced cancer

Effect of aspirin treatment on serum levels of lipoprotein (a) : analysis from the apolipoprotein (a) isoforms

We have found that aspirin lowers elevated serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels via reduction of the transcriptional activity of apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] gene with suppression of apo(a) mRNA expression. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of aspirin treatment on serum Lp(a) level and analyzed its relation to type of apo(a) isoform. Serum levels of Lp(a) were measured by turbidimetric immunoassay before and after the oral administration of aspirin therapy (81 mg/day) in 57 patients with coronary artery disease or cerebral infarction. Apo(a) isoforms were determined by immunoblotting method. In patients with high serum Lp(a) levels (more than 30 mg/dl), aspirin reduced serum Lp(a) levels to approximately 80 % of the baseline after one month. Their levels sustained significantly low even after six months. The effect of aspirin in reducing elevated serum Lp(a) levels were stronger in patients with smaller-sized type or double-band type of apo(a) isoforms. The transcriptional efficiency of apo(a) gene is thought to be increased in patients with these apo(a) isoforms. Therefore, these findings suggest that aspirin reduces apo(a) gene transcription preferentialy in patients with high transcriptional efficiency of this gene

A study of transileocolic vein obliteration (TIO) for gastric varices

Seven cases of giant gastric varices were treated using TIO combined with balloon occlusion of the gastro-renal shunt, for the purpose of reviewing the significance of TIO in the treatment of gastric varices. In 6 of the 7 cases, giant varices were cured completely. In the unsuccessful case, it was a giant varix (the minimum diameter was 25 mm or more) which had been failed to be treated by the TIO. In 3 of the 7 cases, the varices on the gastric fornix had ruptured ; therefore, emergency TIO was undertaken and resulted in successful hemostasis and disappearance of the varices. After treatment using this technique, one case developed esophageal varices, and two patients showed a reduction in esophageal varices. In case where gastric varices had been accompanied by RC sign-positive esophageal varices, favorable results were obtained with obliteration of the gastro-renal shunt was combined with compression of the esophagus which had served as another shunt in these cases. After TIO, hepatic function remained unchanged or improved slightly. No case showed exacerbation of hepatic function. For massive gastric varices with an inside diameter of up to 2 cm, transileocolic vein obliteration (TIO) combined with balloon occlusion of the gastro-renal shunt, which occludes the shunt in an anterograde manner, secures the occlusion of the shunt with no complications. This technique seems to be an effective therapy for gastric varices

多職種連携と患者特性に配慮したケアを行った高度肥満症の一例

A ４８-year-old man who weighed ２１６ kg was significantly overweight with a body mass index （BMI）of ７５．６kg/m２, and was unable to walk due to disuse syndrome. Because of the psychological and social problems in the background, a psychological examination was performed and the staff took time to build a trusting relationship with the patient, taking into account his characteristics. With diet and rehabilitation, he was able to lose weight to １２４kg and BMI ４３．９kg/m２ over ６００ days, and was able to walk with assistive devices and defecate by himself. The patient was discharged from our hospital after a series of multidisciplinary meetings with medical, nursing, welfare, and governmental agencies to create an environment for home recuperation. The reasons for the improvement to enable him to be discharged from the hospital were due to the multi-disciplinary meetings among the staff inside and outside the hospital, information sharing and advanced coordination, and smooth communication with the patient by taking into account his characteristics from a psychological standpoint

パノビノスタットとプロテアソーム阻害薬は骨髄腫細胞の増殖と生存に必須の転写因子Sp1を相乗的に標的にする

Panobinostat, a pan-deacetylase inhibitor, synergistically elicits cytotoxic activity against myeloma (MM) cells in combination with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib. Because precise mechanisms for panobinostat’s anti-MM action still remain elusive, we aimed to clarify the mechanisms of anti-MM effects of panobinostat and its synergism with proteasome inhibitors. Although the transcription factor Sp1 was overexpressed in MM cells, the Sp1 inhibitor terameprocol induced MM cell death in parallel with reduction of IRF4 and cMyc. Panobinostat induced activation of caspase-8, which was inversely correlated with reduction of Sp1 protein levels in MM cells. The panobinostat-mediated effects were further potentiated to effectively induce MM cell death in combination with bortezomib or carfilzomib even at suboptimal concentrations as a single agent. Addition of the caspase-8 inhibitor z-IETD-FMK abolished the Sp1 reduction not only by panobinostat alone but also by its combination with bortezomib, suggesting caspase-8-mediated Sp1 degradation. The synergistic Sp1 reduction markedly suppressed Sp1-driven prosurvival factors, IRF4 and cMyc. Besides, the combinatory treatment reduced HDAC1, another Sp1 target, in MM cells, which may potentiate HDAC inhibition. Collectively, caspase-8-mediated post-translational Sp1 degradation appears to be among major mechanisms for synergistic anti-MM effects of panobinostat and proteasome inhibitors in combination

MODULATION OF TRAIL ACTION BY TAK1 INHIBITION

Tumor necrosis factor–related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) agonists induce tumor-specific apoptosis indicating that they may be an attractive therapeutic strategy against cancers, including multiple myeloma (MM). Osteoclastogenesis is highly induced in MM, which in turn enhances MM growth, thereby forming a vicious cycle between MM tumor expansion and bone destruction. However, the effects of TRAIL on MM-enhanced osteoclastogenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we show that TRAIL induced apoptosis in MM cells, but not in osteoclasts (OCs), and that it rather facilitated receptor activator of NF-kB ligand–induced osteoclastogenesis along with upregulation of cellular FLICE inhibitory protein (c-FLIP). TRAIL did not induce death-inducing signaling complex formation in OCs, but formed secondary complex (complex II) with the phosphorylation of transforming growth factor b–activated kinase-1 (TAK1), and thus activated NF-kB signaling. c-FLIP knockdown abolished complex II formation, thus permitting TRAIL induction of OC cell death. The TAK1 inhibitor LLZ1640-2 abrogated the TRAIL-induced c-FLIP upregulation and NF-kB activation, and triggered TRAIL-induced caspase-8 activation and cell death in OCs. Interestingly, the TRAIL-induced caspase-8 activation caused enzymatic degradation of the transcription factor Sp1 to noticeably reduce c-FLIP expression, which further sensitized OCs to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, the TAK1 inhibition induced antiosteoclastogenic activity by TRAIL even in cocultures with MM cells while potentiating TRAIL’s anti-MM effects. These results demonstrated that osteoclastic lineage cells use TRAIL for their differentiation and activation through tilting caspase-8–dependent apoptosis toward NF-kB activation, and that TAK1 inhibition subverts TRAIL-mediated NF-kB activation to resume TRAIL-induced apoptosis in OCs while further enhancing MM cell death in combination with TRAIL

Effective impairment of myeloma cells and their progenitors by hyperthermia

Multiple myeloma (MM) remains incurable, and MM-initiating cells or MM progenitors are considered to contribute to disease relapse through their drug-resistant nature. In order to improve the therapeutic efficacy for MM, we recently developed novel superparamagnetic nanoparticles which selectively accumulate in MM tumors and extirpate them by heat generated with magnetic resonance. We here aimed to clarify the therapeutic effects on MM cells and their progenitors by hyperthermia. Heat treatment at 43°C time-dependently induced MM cell death. The treatment upregulated endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress mediators, ATF4 and CHOP, while reducing the protein levels of Pim-2, IRF4, c-Myc and Mcl-1. Combination with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib further enhanced ER stress to potentiate MM cell death. The Pim inhibitor SMI-16a also enhanced the reduction of the Pim-2-driven survival factors, IRF4 and c-Myc, in combination with the heat treatment. The heat treatment almost completely eradicated “side population” fractions in RPMI8226 and KMS-11 cells and suppressed their clonogenic capacity as determined by in vitro colony formation and tumorigenic capacity in SCID mice. These results collectively demonstrated that hyperthermia is able to impair clonogenic drug-resistant fractions of MM cells and enhance their susceptibility to chemotherapeutic drugs

総合科学科におけるキャリア教育を軸としたグローバル人材育成の試み : SGH3年目における1年次生の学年経営実践報告

学年経営は日々の指導の積み重ねによって成される。これさえ行えば何もかもうまく行くというような秘策はない。担任副担任でチームを組み、生徒集団を複数の目で見守りながら、授業や行事を展開していく。本年次は本校総合科学科20年余りの歴史が築きあげたキャリア教育を大切にしながら、スーパーグローバルハイスクール(SGH) の目標であるグローバル人材の育成に向けて取り組んできた。本稿ではその1年間の取り組みについて報告する