Precise measurement of cross section of 3He(3He,2p)4He by using He-3 doubly charged beam

The fusion cross section of 3He(3He,2p)4He at a center of mass energy of 30 to 50 keV has been measured by using helium-3 doubly ionized beam at a low-energy high current accelerator facility, OCEAN. Free from molecular interference in the beam, the measurement determines the astrophysical S-factor with better statistical and systematical errors than previous data. By using singly and doubly charged helium-3 ions the facility envisages to provide the data from high energy to Gamow energy regions.Comment: 44 pages, 23 Postscript figure

A Pooled Analysis of Multicenter Cohort Studies of 123I-mIBG Imaging of Sympathetic Innervation for Assessment of Long-Term Prognosis in Heart Failure

ObjectivesThe study objectives were to create a cardiac metaiodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) database using multiple prospective cohort studies and to determine the quantitative iodine-123–labeled mIBG indices for identifying patients with chronic heart failure (HF) at greatest and lowest risk of lethal events.BackgroundAlthough the prognostic value of cardiac mIBG imaging in patients with HF has been shown, clinical use of this procedure has been limited. It is required to define universally accepted quantitative thresholds for high and low risk that could be used as an aid to therapeutic decision-making using a large cohort database.MethodsSix prospective HF cohort studies were updated, and the individual datasets were combined for the present patient-level analysis. The database consisted of 1,322 patients with HF followed up for a mean interval of 78 months. Heart-to-mediastinum ratio (HMR) and washout rate of cardiac mIBG activity were the primary cardiac innervation markers. The primary outcome analyzed was all-cause death.ResultsLethal events were observed in 326 patients, and the population mortality rate was 5.6%, 11.3%, and 19.7% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard model analysis for all-cause mortality identified age (p < 0.0001), New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (p < 0.0001), late HMR of cardiac mIBG activity (p < 0.0001), and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (p = 0.0029) as significant independent predictors. Analysis of the 512-patient subpopulation with B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) results showed BNP (p < 0.0001), greater NYHA functional class (p = 0.0002), and late HMR (p = 0.0011) as significant predictors, but LVEF was not. The receiver-operating characteristic–determined threshold of HMR (1.68) identified patients at significantly increased risk in any LVEF category. Survival rates decreased progressively with decreasing HMR, with 5-year all-cause mortality rates >7% annually for HMR <1.25, and <2% annually for HMR ≥1.95. Addition of HMR to clinical information resulted in a significant net reclassification improvement of 0.175 (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsPooled analyses of independent cohort studies confirmed the long-term prognostic value of cardiac mIBG uptake in patients with HF independently of other markers, such as NYHA functional class, BNP, and LVEF, and demonstrated that categoric assessments could be used to define meaningful thresholds for lethal event risk

A ring laser gyroscope without lock-in phenomenon

We theoretically and numerically study the effect of backscattering on rotating ring lasers by employing the Maxwell-Bloch equations. We show that frequency shifts due to the Sagnac effect incorporating the effect of backscattering can be observed without lock-in phenomenon, if the strength of backscattering originating in the bumps of the refractive index is larger than a certain value. It is also shown that the experimental results corresponding to the theoretical ones can actually be obtained by using a semiconductor fiber-optic ring laser gyroscope.Comment: 9 pages, 6figure

Thoracoscopic-assisted repair of a bochdalek hernia in an adult: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Bochdalek hernia is a congenital defect of the diaphragm that usually presents in the neonatal period with life-threatening cardiorespiratory distress. It is rare for Bochdalek hernias to remain silent until adulthood. Once a Bochdalek hernia has been diagnosed, surgical treatment is necessary to avoid complications such as perforation and necrosis.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present a 17-year-old Japanese boy with left-upper-quadrant pain for two months. Chest radiography showed an elevated left hemidiaphragm. Computed tomography revealed a congenital diaphragmatic hernia. The spleen and left colon had been displaced into the left thoracic cavity through a left posterior diaphragmatic defect. We diagnosed a Bochdalek hernia. Surgical treatment was performed via a thoracoscopic approach. The boy was placed in the reverse Trendelenburg position and intrathoracic pressure was increased by CO₂gas insufflations. This is a very useful procedure for reducing herniated contents and we were able to place the herniated organs safely back in the peritoneal cavity. The diaphragmatic defect was too large to close with thoracoscopic surgery alone. Small incision thoracotomy was required and primary closure was performed. His postoperative course was uneventful and there has been no recurrence of the diaphragmatic hernia to date.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Thoracoscopic surgery, performed with the boy in the reverse Trendelenburg position and using CO₂gas insufflations in the thoracic cavity, was shown to be useful for Bochdalek hernia repair.</p

Efficacy of capillary pattern type IIIA/IIIB by magnifying narrow band imaging for estimating depth of invasion of early colorectal neoplasms

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Capillary patterns (CP) observed by magnifying Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) are useful for differentiating non-adenomatous from adenomatous colorectal polyps. However, there are few studies concerning the effectiveness of magnifying NBI for determining the depth of invasion in early colorectal neoplasms. We aimed to determine whether CP type IIIA/IIIB identified by magnifying NBI is effective for estimating the depth of invasion in early colorectal neoplasms.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A series of 127 consecutive patients with 130 colorectal lesions were evaluated from October 2005 to October 2007 at the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Chiba, Japan. Lesions were classified as CP type IIIA or type IIIB according to the NBI CP classification. Lesions were histopathologically evaluated. Inter and intraobserver variabilities were assessed by three colonoscopists experienced in NBI.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were 15 adenomas, 66 intramucosal cancers (pM) and 49 submucosal cancers (pSM): 16 pSM superficial (pSM1) and 33 pSM deep cancers (pSM2-3). Among lesions diagnosed as CP IIIA 86 out of 91 (94.5%) were adenomas, pM-ca, or pSM1; among lesions diagnosed as CP IIIB 28 out of 39 (72%) were pSM2-3. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the CP type III for differentiating pM-ca or pSM1 (<1000 μm) from pSM2-3 (≥1000 μm) were 84.8%, 88.7 % and 87.7%, respectively. Interobserver variability: κ = 0.68, 0.67, 0.72. Intraobserver agreement: κ = 0.79, 0.76, 0.75</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Identification of CP type IIIA/IIIB by magnifying NBI is useful for estimating the depth of invasion of early colorectal neoplasms.</p

Combination therapy with docetaxel and S-1 as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer: a retrospective analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We performed a single-institution retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and toxicities of combination therapy with docetaxel and S-1 in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighty-six patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer were enrolled. Patients received docetaxel, 40 mg/m², on day 1 and oral S-1, 80 mg/m²/day, on days 1 to 14 every 3 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>All 84 patients were assessable for response. The overall response rate was 52.4% (44/84) and the disease control rate was 96.4% (81/84). Median time to progression (TTP) and overall survival (OS) were 6.5 (95% CI, 4.8-8.1 months) and 15.1 months (95% CI, 11.7-18.5 months), respectively. The major toxicities were neutropenia, leukopenia, alopecia and anorexia. Grade 3 or 4 hematologic toxicities included neutropenia in 31 patients (36.0%), leukopenia in 27 (31.7%), febrile neutropenia in four (4.7%), and anemia in one (1.2%). Other grade 3 toxicities included anorexia in five patients (5.8%), and stomatitis, diarrhea and nausea in one each (1.2%). There was one treatment-related death (1.2%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The combination of docetaxel and S-1 had good clinical activity with acceptable toxicity in patients with advanced or recurrent gastric cancer.</p

Lineage analysis of early and advanced tubular adenocarcinomas of the stomach: continuous or discontinuous?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Eradication of early gastric carcinoma (GC) is thought to contribute to reduction in the mortality of GC, given that most of the early GCs progress to the advanced GCs. However, early GC is alternatively considered a dormant variant of GC, and it infrequently progresses to advanced GC. The aim of this study was to clarify the extent of overlap of genetic lineages between early and advanced tubular adenocarcinomas (TUBs) of the stomach.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Immunohistochemical staining for p53 was performed using 28 surgically resected stomachs with 13 intramucosal and 15 invasive TUBs. By chromosome- and array-based comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), genomic copy number constitution was compared between the mucosal and invasive parts of the invasive TUBs and between the mucosal parts of the invasive and intramucosal TUBs, using 25 and 22 TUBs, respectively. <it>TP53 </it>mutation in exons 5-8 was examined in 20 TUBs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Chromosomal CGH revealed that 4q+ and 11q+ were more common in advanced and early TUBs, respectively, whereas copy number changes in 8q and 17p showed no significant differences between early and advanced TUBs. However, array CGH revealed that, of the 13 intramucosal TUBs examined, loss of <it>MYC </it>(<it>MYC</it>-) and gain of <it>TP53 </it>(<it>TP53</it>+) was detected in 9 TUBs and <it>MYC</it>+ and/or <it>TP53</it>- was detected in 3 TUBs. Of the mucosal samples of 9 invasive TUBs, 7 showed <it>MYC</it>-/<it>TP53</it>+ and none showed <it>MYC</it>+ and/or <it>TP53</it>-. Of the 9 samples from the invasive parts, 1 (from submucosal cancers) showed <it>MYC</it>-/<it>TP53</it>+ and 6 (1 from submucosal and 5 from advanced cancers) showed <it>MYC</it>+ and/or <it>TP53</it>-. The latter 6 tumours commonly showed a mutant pattern (diffuse or null) in p53 immunohistochemistry, and 4 of the 6 tumours assessable for <it>TP53 </it>sequence analysis revealed mutations. The overall array CGH pattern indicated that, between the mucosal and invasive parts, genetic lineage was found discontinuous in 5 advanced cancers and continuous in 3 submucosal cancers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Genetic lineages often differed between early and advanced TUBs. <it>MYC</it>-/<it>TP53</it>+ and <it>MYC </it>+ and/or <it>TP53</it>- may be the signatures of dormant and aggressive TUBs, respectively, in the stomach.</p