(−)545-fac-Δ-Tris(l-prolinato)cobalt(III) trihydrate

The absolute configuration of the octa­hedral fac-CoN3O3 title complex, [Co(C5H8NO2)3]·3H2O, has been determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis. A three-dimensional network of hydrogen bonds is observed between the proline carboxyl­ate groups and the three uncoordinated water mol­ecules

Experiments on meteor burst communications in the Antarctic

Two kinds of experiments on the meteor burst communication(MBC) are now being conducted in the Antarctic to study the ability of MBC as a communication medium for data collection systems in that region. In the first one, continuous tone signal is transmitted from Zhongshan Station. The received signal at Syowa Station about 1400km apart is recorded and analyzed. This experiment is to study basic properties of the meteor burst channel in that high latitude region. From the data available thus far, we can see that 1) the sinusoidal daily variation in the meteor activity typical in mid and low latitude regions can not be clearly seen, 2) non-meteoric propagations frequently dominate the channel, etc. On the other hand, the second experiment is to estimate data throughput of a commercial MBC system in that region. A remote station at Zhongshan Station tries to transfer data packets each consists of 10 data words to the master station at Syowa Station. Data packets are generated with five min interval. We are now operating the system only five min in each ten min interval. About 60% of the generated data packets are constantly transferred to the master station within two hours delay

VHF data transmission experiments using MBC equipment conducted during the period from JARE-43 to JARE-45

In order to study the ability of meteor burst communications (MBC) as a new medium of data collection networks in Antarctica, we have performed a series of VHF data transmission experiments. In the experiment during the period of JARE-43 (the 43rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition), a remote station at Zhongshan Station sent data packets to a master station at Syowa Station using a commercial MBC system. Together with meteor burst propagations, non-meteoric propagations were frequently observed during local nighttime. We found that they worked effectively for packet transmissions and greatly increased the data throughput. Overall data throughput obtained by this experiment was 0.63bps. In JARE-44, we added another remote station at Dome Fuji Station. Since the transmitted power from the master unit was split into two directions, data throughput from Zhongshan Station was reduced to 0.36bps. That from Dome Fuji Station was only 0.13bps. For the experiment in JARE-45, we replaced the commercial MBC system with a RANDOM (RAdio Network for Data Over Meteor) system developed by the authors. The experiment is being conducted between Syowa and Zhongshan Stations. The estimated data throughput during the period from April 1st, 2004 to August 31st, 2004 was 2.9bps

Ganglioneuroma in The Neck Region: A Case Report

Ganglioneuroma, which rarely occurs in the neck region, is a well-differentiated benign tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. A 39-year-old man presented with neck swelling for a year. A giant tumor was located on the left side of the neck. Schwannoma was suspected on preoperative cytology and core needle biopsy, and the postoperative diagnosis on pathological examination was ganglioneuroma. The origin of the tumor was considered to be the sympathetic nervous system based on the postoperative appearance of Horner’s syndrome. The treatment choice for ganglioneuromas is complete surgical resection, contrary to the nerve-sparing resection of schwannomas. Therefore, making the definitive diagnosis before surgical resection could be important. In this report, we focus on the differential diagnosis obtained with radiological findings and the treatment strategy for the tumor with a literature review

Clozapine and Antipsychotic Monotherapy

Background: Although clozapine is effective for treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), the rate of clozapine prescription is still low. Whereas antipsychotic monotherapy is recommended in clinical practice guidelines, the rate of antipsychotic polypharmacy is still high. There is little evidence on whether a clozapine prescription influences changes in the rate of monotherapy and polypharmacy, including antipsychotics and other psychotropics. We therefore hypothesized that the rate of antipsychotic monotherapy in patients with TRS who were prescribed clozapine would be higher than that in patients with schizophrenia who were not prescribed clozapine. Methods: We assessed 8306 patients with schizophrenia nationwide from 178 institutions in Japan from 2016 to 2019. We analyzed the psychotropic prescription data at discharge in patients diagnosed with TRS and with no description of TRS (ND-TRS) based on the diagnosis listed in the discharge summary. Results: The rate of antipsychotic monotherapy in the TRS with clozapine group (91.3%) was significantly higher than that in the TRS without clozapine group (45.9%; P < 2.0 × 10−16) and the ND-TRS without clozapine group (54.7%; P < 2.0 × 10−16). The rate of antipsychotic monotherapy without any other concomitant psychotropics in the TRS with clozapine group (26.5%) was significantly higher than that in the TRS without clozapine group (12.6%; P = 1.1 × 10−6) and the ND-TRS without clozapine group (17.0%; P = 5.9 × 10−6). Conclusions: Clozapine prescription could be associated with a high rate of antipsychotic monotherapy. Patients will benefit from the correct diagnosis of TRS and thus from proper clozapine prescription

Support for UNRWA's survival

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides life-saving humanitarian aid for 5·4 million Palestine refugees now entering their eighth decade of statelessness and conflict. About a third of Palestine refugees still live in 58 recognised camps. UNRWA operates 702 schools and 144 health centres, some of which are affected by the ongoing humanitarian disasters in Syria and the Gaza Strip. It has dramatically reduced the prevalence of infectious diseases, mortality, and illiteracy. Its social services include rebuilding infrastructure and homes that have been destroyed by conflict and providing cash assistance and micro-finance loans for Palestinians whose rights are curtailed and who are denied the right of return to their homeland

Population Attributable Fraction of Smoking and Metabolic Syndrome on Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Japan: a 15-Year Follow Up of NIPPON DATA90

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Smoking and metabolic syndrome are known to be related to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk. In Asian countries, prevalence of obesity has increased and smoking rate in men is still high. We investigated the attribution of the combination of smoking and metabolic syndrome (or obesity) to excess CVD deaths in Japan.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cohort of nationwide representative Japanese samples, a total of 6650 men and women aged 30-70 at baseline without history of CVD was followed for 15 years. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for CVD death according to the combination of smoking status and metabolic syndrome (or obesity) was calculated using Cox proportional hazard model. Population attributable fraction (PAF) of CVD deaths was calculated using the hazard ratios.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the follow-up period, 87 men and 61 women died due to CVD. The PAF component of CVD deaths in non-obese smokers was 36.8% in men and 11.3% in women, which were higher than those in obese smokers (9.1% in men and 5.2% in women). The PAF component of CVD deaths in smokers without metabolic syndrome was 40.9% in men and 11.9% in women, which were also higher than those in smokers with metabolic syndrome (7.1% in men and 3.9% in women).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results indicated that a large proportion of excess CVD deaths was observed in smokers without metabolic syndrome or obesity, especially in men. These findings suggest that intervention targeting on smokers, irrespective of the presence of metabolic syndrome, is still important for the prevention of CVD in Asian countries.</p

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids intake and cardiovascular disease mortality risk in Japanese: a 24-year follow-up of NIPPON DATA80

Background:Dietary intake of long-chain n-3 PUFA (LCn3FA) among Japanese is generally higher than that in Western populations. However, little is known whether an inverse association of LCn3FA with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk exists in a population with higher LCn3FA intake.Objective:To investigate the association between LCn3FA intake and the long-term risk of CVDs in a Japanese general population.Methods:We followed-up a total of 9190 individuals (56.2% women, mean age 50.0 years) randomly selected from 300 areas across Japan and free from CVDs at baseline. Dietary LCn3FA intake was estimated using household weighed food records. Cox models were used to calculate multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and confidence intervals (CI) according to sex specific quartiles of LCn3FA intake.Results:During 24-year follow-up (192,897 person-years), 879 cardiovascular deaths were observed. The median daily intake of LCn3FA was 0.37% kcal (0.86 g/day). Adjusted HR for CVD mortality was lower in the highest quartile of LCn3FA intake (HR 0.80; 95% CI 0.66-0.96) compared with the lowest quartile, and the trend was statistically significant (P = 0.038). The similar but statistically non-significant trends were observed for coronary heart disease death and stroke death. In analyses by age groups, the inverse associations of LCn3FA intake with the risk of total CVD death and stroke death were significant in younger individuals (30-59 years at baseline).Conclusion:LCn3FA intake was inversely and independently associated the long-term risk of total CVD mortality in a representative sample of Japanese with high LCn3FA intake

Identification of Hepatic Niche Harboring Human Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemic Cells via the SDF-1/CXCR4 Axis

In acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients, the bone marrow niche is widely known to be an important element of treatment response and relapse. Furthermore, a characteristic liver pathology observed in ALL patients implies that the hepatic microenvironment provides an extramedullary niche for leukemic cells. However, it remains unclear whether the liver actually provides a specific niche. The mechanism underlying this pathology is also poorly understood. Here, to answer these questions, we reconstituted the histopathology of leukemic liver by using patients-derived primary ALL cells into NOD/SCID/Yc null mice. The liver pathology in this model was similar to that observed in the patients. By using this model, we clearly demonstrated that bile duct epithelial cells form a hepatic niche that supports infiltration and proliferation of ALL cells in the liver. Furthermore, we showed that functions of the niche are maintained by the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis, proposing a novel therapeutic approach targeting the extramedullary niche by inhibition of the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis. In conclusion, we demonstrated that the liver dissemination of leukemia is not due to nonselective infiltration, but rather systematic invasion and proliferation of leukemic cells in hepatic niche. Although the contribution of SDF-1/CXCR4 axis is reported in some cancer cells or leukemic niches such as bone marrow, we demonstrated that this axis works even in the extramedullary niche of leukemic cells. Our findings form the basis for therapeutic approaches that target the extramedullary niche by inhibiting the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis