Clinical effects of stereotactic radiation surgery in patients with metastatic melanoma

We examined the effectiveness of stereotactic radiation surgery (SRS) in 14 patients with brain metastasis in our hospital. The age of the patients ranged 45-85 years old (mean, 65). Brain metastasis was detected by neurological symptoms in seven patients and by regular imaging examination in the remaining patients. The number of metastatic lesions in the brain before SRS ranged 1-11 (median, 2). The treatment number of SRS was 1-4 times (median, 2). Six of 14 patients had neurological symptoms before SRS. Overall survival (OS) after SRS was 1.721.2 months (median, 8.2). The progression-free survival (PFS) after SRS was 0.9-10.5 months (median, 2.2). The result of univariate analysis showed that the application of two or more courses of SRS was significantly related to OS (P = 0.005). Single metastatic lesion (P = 0.051) and no extracranial lesion (P = 0.055) showed a slight tendency to be related to disease-free survival (DFS). Neither lactate dehydrogenase nor neurological symptoms were significantly related to OS or DFS. Although OS and DFS after SRS were not very long, the treatment of brain metastases has the potential to prevent neurological events. Repeating SRS may be accepted as a local therapy in the multimodal approach including new molecular targeting drugs for metastatic melanoma.ArticleJOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY. 40(8):626-628 (2013)journal articl

LINE-1 hypomethylation in gastric cancer, detected by bisulfite pyrosequencing, is associated with poor prognosis

BACKGROUND: Genome-wide DNA hypomethylation plays an important role in genomic instability and carcinogenesis. DNA methylation in the long interspersed nucleotide element-1, L1 (LINE-1) repetitive element is a good indicator of the global DNA methylation level. In some types of human neoplasms, LINE-1 methylation level is attracting interest as a predictive marker for patient prognosis. However, the prognostic significance of LINE-1 hypomethylation in gastric cancer remains unclear. METHODS: Using 203 resected gastric cancer specimens, we quantified LINE-1 methylation using bisulfite-pyrosequencing technology. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate the hazard ratio (HR), adjusted for the clinical and pathological variables. RESULTS: Gastric cancers showed significantly lower LINE-1 methylation levels compared to matched normal gastric mucosa (p < 0.0001; n = 74). Tumoral LINE-1 methylation range was 11.6–97.5 on a 0–100 scale (n = 203; mean 71.4, median 74.4, standard deviation 12.9). LINE-1 hypomethylation was significantly associated with shorter overall survival [log-rank p = 0.029; univariate HR 2.01, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.09–3.99, p = 0.023; stage-matched HR 1.88, 95 % CI 1.02–3.74, p = 0.041; multivariate HR 1.98, 95 % CI 1.04–4.04, p = 0.036]. No significant effect modification was observed by any of the covariates in survival analysis (all p interaction >0.25). CONCLUSIONS: LINE-1 hypomethylation in gastric cancer is associated with shorter survival, suggesting that it has potential for use as a prognostic biomarker

PETREL for Astrophysics and Carbon Business

A multi-purpose 50kg class microsatellite hosting astrophysical mission and earth remote sensing, PETREL , will be launched in 2023. In the night side, PETREL observe the ultra-violet sky with a wide-field telescope covering 50 deg^2 for surveying transient objects related to supernovae, tidal disruption events, and gravitational wave events. Our UV telescope can detect the early phase UV emission from a neutron star merger occurred within 150 Mpc. In addition to the satellite observation, PETREL sends a detection alert including the coordinate and brightness of the UV transient to the ground via the real time communication network within several minutes after detection to conduct follow-up observations with the collaborating ground based observatories over the world. In the day side, PETREL observes the surface of the earth by using the tunable multi-spectral cameras and a ultra-compact hyperspectral camera. Our potential targets are the tropical forests (Green Carbon) and coastal zones (Blue Carbon) in the tropical areas to evaluating the global biological carbon strages. For this purpose PETREL will conduct multiple scale mapping collaborating with drones and small aircraft not only satellite. The obtained data will be used for academical research and for business applications. The technical difficulty of this satellite is that carries out multi-purpose with different requirements, such as astronomical observations which requires a quite high attitude stability and the earth observations requiring a high pointing accuracy, with limited resources. If it is possible, a novel small satellite system or a business style can be realized that can share the payload with academia and industry. PETREL has been adopted as Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration Program No.3 led by JAXA, and development is underway with the aim of launching in FY2023

Family Matters:Rethinking the Psychology of Human Social Motivation

What motives do people prioritize in their social lives? Historically, social psychologists, especially those adopting an evolutionary perspective, have devoted a great deal of research attention to sexual attraction and romantic-partner choice (mate seeking). Research on long-term familial bonds (mate retention and kin care) has been less thoroughly connected to relevant comparative and evolutionary work on other species, and in the case of kin care, these bonds have been less well researched. Examining varied sources of data from 27 societies around the world, we found that people generally view familial motives as primary in importance and mate-seeking motives as relatively low in importance. Compared with other groups, college students, single people, and men place relatively higher emphasis on mate seeking, but even those samples rated kin-care motives as more important. Furthermore, motives linked to long-term familial bonds are positively associated with psychological well-being, but mate-seeking motives are associated with anxiety and depression. We address theoretical and empirical reasons why there has been extensive research on mate seeking and why people prioritize goals related to long-term familial bonds over mating goals. Reallocating relatively greater research effort toward long-term familial relationships would likely yield many interesting new findings relevant to everyday people’s highest social priorities

Fundamental social motives measured across forty-two cultures in two waves

How does psychology vary across human societies? The fundamental social motives framework adopts an evolutionary approach to capture the broad range of human social goals within a taxonomy of ancestrally recurring threats and opportunities. These motives—self-protection, disease avoidance, affiliation, status, mate acquisition, mate retention, and kin care—are high in fitness relevance and everyday salience, yet understudied cross-culturally. Here, we gathered data on these motives in 42 countries (N = 15,915) in two cross-sectional waves, including 19 countries (N = 10,907) for which datawere gathered in both waves. Wave 1 was collected from mid-2016 through late 2019 (32 countries, N = 8,998; 3,302 male, 5,585 female; Mage = 24.43, SD = 7.91). Wave 2 was collected from April through November 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic (29 countries, N = 6,917; 2,249 male, 4,218 female; Mage = 28.59, SD = 11.31). These data can be used to assess differences and similarities in people’s fundamental social motives both across and within cultures, at different time points, and in relation to other commonly studied cultural indicators and outcomes

トウイン ニオケル キョウクウ キョウカ ショクドウ セツジョ ノ ドウニュウ ト タンキ チリョウ セイセキ ノ ケントウ

【背景】食道癌に対する胸腔鏡手術は本邦で広く行われており、施設ごとに手術手技の定型化がなされている.胸腔鏡下手術の利点として拡大視効果や緻密な手術操作が可能となることが挙げられるが、当院でも2016年より腹臥位胸腔鏡下食道手術を導入し、出血の少ない安全かつ確実な郭清を目指し、定型化に向けてその手技を刷新している.【対象と方法】】2016年4月から2019年4月までに当院で施行した胸腔鏡下食道切除38例につき、その短期成績を検討した.【結果】男:女＝32:6、年齢中央値 66歳(41-76)、cStage I / II / III / IVa: 17 / 6 / 13 / 2であった.胸腔内出血量中央値は10ml(0-53)、胸部操作時間中央値は192分(97-478)、胸腔内郭清リンパ節個数中央値は17個(1-42)であった.術後合併症は、縫合不全3例(7.9％)、反回神経麻痺7例(18.4％)、肺炎12例(31.6％)であった.術後在院日数中央値は19日(11-38)であった.導入期からの前半19例では反回神経麻痺を6例(31.6％)に認めたが、後半19例では１例(5.2％)であった(p=0.036).【結語】当院における胸腔鏡下食道切除術は安全に導入、施行可能であった.手術手技が定型化されることで反回神経麻痺を少なくする郭清が可能になると考えられた.Background: Thoracoscopic esophagectomy (TE) is increasingly being used worldwide in patients with esophageal cancer. In this study, we investigated the clinical short-term outcomes of TE performed in patients placed in the prone position. Method: We investigated the surgical and clinical outcomes in 38 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent TE at our hospital between April 2016 and April 2019. Results: Of the 39 patients investigated, 32 were men. Median patient age was 66 (range 41–76) years, the median intraoperative blood loss was 10 (0–53) mL, and the median operation time for thoracoscopy was 192 (97–478) min. The mean operation time for thoracoscopy in the latter group was significantly shorter than that in the former group (188 min vs. 232 min, p=0.013). The following postoperative complications were observed: 7 (18.4%) cases of recurrent nerve palsy, 3 (7.9%) cases of anastomotic leakage, 12 (31.6%) cases of pneumonia, and 0 (0%) cases of chylothorax. The incidence of recurrent nerve palsy was lower in the latter group than in the former group (5.2% vs. 31.6%, p=0.036). Conclusions: TE in the prone position is safe and feasible. As experience performing the procedure increases, the performance of the procedure stabilizes

ドウニュウ カガク リョウホウ ニテ コンチ セツジョ ガ カノウ トナッタ ケイブ ショクドウガン ノ 1レイ

　症例は50歳代，男性．咽頭痛，嚥下障害を主訴に近医受診し，上部消化管内視鏡検査にて頸部食道に1/4周性のtype3病変(squamous cell carcinoma)と食道胃接合部に0-IIa+IIc病変(adenocarcinoma)を指摘され，当院当科紹介となった．造影CT検査にて左頸部に原発巣と一塊となった腫瘤を認め，左総頸動脈及び気管への浸潤を認めた．精査の結果，頸部食道癌cT4bN2M0 cStageIVa，バレット食道腺癌cT1bN0M0 cStageIと診断し，切除不能局所進行食道癌であり導入化学療法の方針とした．DCF(Docetaxel/Cisplatin/5-Fluorouracil) 療法3コースで病変の縮小が得られ，頸部腫瘍は長径37mmから17mmとなり，総頸動脈の浸潤が解除されたため，根治術を行う方針とした．手術は咽頭喉頭食道全摘，頸部縦隔腹部リンパ節郭清，後縦隔経路遊離空腸付加胃管再建，腸瘻造設術を施行した．術中偶発症なく，手術時間846分，出血量670mLであった．病理組織学的検査では，頸部食道癌ypT4aN2M0 ypStegeIII，治療効果Grade 1b，バレット食道癌ypT1b-SM2N0M0 ypStageI，治療効果Grade 1aであった．術後経過は概ね良好で術後9日目より経口摂取を開始し，術後18日目に退院となった．　切除不能局所進行食道癌に対する標準治療は化学放射線療法であるが，近年，DCF療法による導入化学療法後の外科的切除の有用性が報告されている．今回，導入化学療法により根治切除可能であった頸部食道癌，食道腺癌の重複例を経験したため報告する．　A 58-year-old man with sore throat and dysphagia revealed type 3 lesion in cervical esophagus and 0-IIa+IIc lesion in esophagogastric junction on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Histopathologic examination of biopsy specimens showed squamous cell carcinoma at cervical esophagus and adenocarcinoma at esophagogastric junction. Computed tomography suggested that the large tumor in left neck infiltrated into the common carotid artery and trachea. According to these findings, we diagnosed locally advanced unresectable cervical esophageal cancer (cT4bN2M0, cStageIVa) and Barret’s esophageal adenocarcinoma (cT1bN0M0, cStageI), and decided to perform induction chemotherapy with Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-Fluorouracil (DCF). After 3 courses of that, the primary tumor decreased from 37 mm to 17 mm as major axis and released infiltration into the common carotid artery. Therefore, we performed conversion surgery, pharyngolaryngectomy and total esophagectomy. Histopathological findings showed cervical esophageal cancer (ycT4aN2M0, ycStageIVa) and Barret’s esophageal adenocarcinoma (ycT1b-SM2N0M0, ycStageI). The postoperative course was uneventful, he resumed eating 9 days after surgery and was discharged 18 days after surgery.　Conversion surgery after induction chemotherapy for locally advanced unresectable esophageal cancer may contribute to radical resection and better clinical outcome

ACTION-MONITORING SYSTEM REGARDS THE FAILURE TO GAIN AS MORE SIGNIFICANT THAN THE LOSS

10/25-29, 2006. the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver, BC, CANADA. Poster Session 2・Friday, October 27, 2006 : 8