Long-term Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Efficacy in Older Patients After Traumatic Brain Injury: Assessed by the Functional Independence Measure

Instances of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the elderly have been increasing along with the aging of popula-tions. In the present study, we examined the effect of aging on long-term multidisciplinary in-patient rehabili-tation efficacy after TBI. Sixty-three patients with physical and cognitive impairments after TBI were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into 4 age groups (≤ 24, 25-44, 45-64, ≥ 65 years) and the clinical charac-teristics and rehabilitation efficacy of each age group were determined. Functional disability was evaluated using motor and cognitive Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores. Rehabilitation efficacy was assessed by FIM gains during rehabilitation and compared among the groups. There were no statistically significant dif-ferences in motor and cognitive FIM gains among the age groups. However, cognitive FIM gain was limited in a subset of ≥ 65 patients, and initial cognitive measures could not predict cognitive FIM improvement. These results indicate that chronological age is insufficient to accurately predict rehabilitation efficacy in older TBI patients, and that such patients should be considered candidates for intensive rehabilitation programs based on these results. Accurate prognostication of rehabilitation efficacy with continuing data collection is important when using rehabilitation resources for older TBI patients

Usefulness of FDG, MET and FLT-PET Studies for the Management of Human Gliomas

The use of positron imaging agents such as FDG, MET, and FLT is expected to lead the way for novel applications toward efficient malignancy grading and treatment of gliomas. In this study, the usefulness of FDG, MET and FLT-PET images was retrospectively reviewed by comparing their histopathological findings. FDG, MET, and FLT-PET were performed in 27 patients with WHO grade IV, 15 patients with WHO grade III, and 12 patients with WHO grade II during 5.5 years. The resulting PET images were compared by measuring SUVs and T/N ratios (tumor to normal tissue ratios). Although there were no significant differences in FDG-PET, there were significant differences in the T/N ratios in the MET-PET between WHO grades II and IV and in the FLT-PET between the WHO grades III and IV. In glioblastoma patients, the SUVs of the areas depicted by MRI in the MET-PET were different from those SUVs in the FLT-PET. Importantly, the areas with high SUVs in both MET-PET and FLT-PET were also high in Ki-67 index and were histologically highly malignant. PET imaging is a noninvasive modality that is useful in determining a tumor area for removal as well as improving preoperative diagnosis for gliomas

New Supporting Evidence for the Overdensity of Galaxies around the Radio-Loud Quasar SDSS J0836+0054 at z =5.8

Recently, Zheng et al. (2005) found evidence for an overdensity of galaxies around a radio-loud quasar, SDSS J0836+0054, at z=5.8 (a five arcmin$^2$ region). We have examined our deep optical imaging data (B, V, r', i', z', and NB816) taken with the Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. The NB816 narrow-band filter (lambda_c = 815 nm and $\Delta\lambda = 12$ nm) is suitable for searching for Ly$\alpha$ emitters at $z\approx 5.7$. We have found a new strong Ly$\alpha$ emitter at $z \approx 5.7$ close to object B identified by Zheng et al. Further, the non detection of the nine objects selected by Zheng et al. (2005) in our B, V, and r' images provides supporting evidence that they are high-z objects.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, accepted for PAS

Strong Emission-Line Galaxies at Low Redshift in the Field around the Quasar SDSSp J104433.04-012502.2

We discuss observational properties of strong emission-line galaxies at low redshift found by our deep imaging survey for high-redshift Ly alpha emitters. In our surveys, we used the narrowband filter, NB816 (lambda_center=8150A with FWHM = 120A), and the intermediate-band filter, IA827 (lambda_center = 8270A with FWHM = 340A). In this survey, 62 NB816-excess (> 0.9 mag) and 21 IA827-excess (> 0.8 mag) objects were found. Among them, we found 20 NB816-excess and 4 IA827-excess Ly alpha emitter candidates. Therefore, it turns out that 42 NB816-excess and 17 IA827-excess objects are strong emission-line objects at lower redshift. Since 4 objects in the two low-z samples are common, the total number of strong low-z emitters is 55. Applying our photometric redshift technique, we identify 7 H alpha emitters at z~0.24, 20 H beta-[OIII] ones at z~0.65, and 11 [OII] ones at z~1.19. However, we cannot determine reliable photometric redshifts of the remaining 17 emitters. The distributions of their rest frame equivalent widths are consistently understood with recent studies of galaxy evolution from z~1 to z~0.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, PASJ, Vol. 58, No. 1, in pres

Epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in combination with expression of MIG6 alters gefitinib sensitivity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling plays an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, metastasis, and invasion in various tumors. Earlier studies showed that the EGFR is frequently overexpressed in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR mutations at specific amino acid residues in the kinase domain induce altered responsiveness to gefitinib, a small molecule EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor. However, the mechanism underlying the drug response modulated by EGFR mutation is still largely unknown. To elucidate drug response in EGFR signal transduction pathway in which complex dynamics of multiple molecules involved, a systematic approach is necessary. In this paper, we performed experimental and computational analyses to clarify the underlying mechanism of EGFR signaling and cell-specific gefitinib responsiveness in three H1299-derived NSCLC cell lines; H1299 wild type (H1299WT), H1299 with an overexpressed wild type EGFR (H1299EGFR-WT), and H1299 with an overexpressed mutant EGFR L858R (H1299L858R; gefitinib sensitive mutant).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We predicted and experimentally verified that Mig6, which is a known negative regulator of EGFR and specifically expressed in H1299L858R cells, synergized with gefitinib to suppress cellular growth. Computational analyses indicated that this inhibitory effect is amplified at the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation steps of MEK and ERK.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Thus, we showed that L858R receptor mutation in combination with expression of its negative regulator, Mig6, alters signaling outcomes and results in variable drug sensitivity.</p

The Intermediate-band Dropout Method: A New Method to Search for High-Redshift Galaxies

We propose a new method to search for high-redshift galaxies that is based on an intermediate-band dropout technique rather than the usual broad-band dropout one. In this method, we use an intermediate-band filter whose central wavelength is longer than 7000 \AA. This new method makes it possible to distinguish both very late-type stars such as L and T dwarfs and dusty galaxies at intermediate redshift from real high-$z$ Lyman break galaxies. The reason for this is that such interlopers do not show strong intermediate-band depression although they have very red broad-band colors that are indicative of Lyman break galaxies. Applying our new method to imaging data sets obtained with the Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope, we find a new sample of Lyman break galaxies at $z \simeq 5$.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, PASJ, Vol.57, No.2, in pres

Effects of ezetimibe add-on therapy for high-risk patients with dyslipidemia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ezetimibe (Zetia^®) is a potent inhibitor of cholesterol absorption that has been approved for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia. Statin, an inhibitor of cholesterol synthesis, is the first-choice drug to reduce low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) for patients with hypercholesterolemia, due to its strong effect to lower the circulating LDL-C levels. Because a high dose of statins cause concern about rhabdomyolysis, it is sometimes difficult to achieve the guideline-recommended levels of LDL-C in high-risk patients with hypercholesterolemia treated with statin monotherapy. Ezetimibe has been reported to reduce LDL-C safely with both monotherapy and combination therapy with statins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To investigate the effect of ezetimibe as "add-on" therapy to statin on hypercholesterolemia, we examined biomarkers and vascular endothelial function in 14 patients with hypercholesterolemia before and after the 22-week ezetimibe add-on therapy. Ezetimibe add-on therapy reduced LDL-C by 24% compared with baseline (p < 0.005), with 13 patients (93%) reaching their LDL cholesterol goals. Of the Ezetimibe add-on therapy significantly improved not only LDL-C, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and apolipoprotein (apo)B levels, but also reduced levels of triglyceride (TG), the ratio of LDL/HDL-C, the ratio of apoB/apoA-I, and a biomarker for oxidative stress (d-ROMs). Furthermore, ezetimibe add-on therapy improved vascular endothelial function in high-risk patients with hypercholesterolemia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, ezetimibe as add-on therapy to statin might be a therapeutic good option for high-risk patients with atherosclerosis.</p

CENP-A Phosphorylation by Aurora-A in Prophase Is Required for Enrichment of Aurora-B at Inner Centromeres and for Kinetochore Function

AbstractThe Aurora (Ipl1)-related kinases are universal regulators of mitosis. We now show that Aurora-A, in addition to Aurora-B, regulates kinetochore function in human cells. A two-hybrid screen identified the kinetochore component CENP-A as a protein that interacts with Aurora-A. Aurora-A phosphorylated CENP-A in vitro on Ser-7, a residue also known to be targeted by Aurora-B. Depletion of Aurora-A or Aurora-B by RNA interference revealed that CENP-A is initially phosphorylated in prophase in a manner dependent on Aurora-A, and that this reaction appears to be required for the subsequent Aurora-B-dependent phosphorylation of CENP-A as well as for the restriction of Aurora-B to the inner centromere in prometaphase. Prevention of CENP-A phosphorylation also led to chromosome misalignment during mitosis as a result of a defect in kinetochore attachment to microtubules. Our observations suggest that phosphorylation of CENP-A on Ser-7 by Aurora-A in prophase is essential for kinetochore function