A Comparative Study of the Evangelical Christian and the Japanese Buddhist Doctrines of Salvation

During the past few years, the writer has become interested in making an effective evangelistic approach to informed adherents of Japanese Buddhism. It has been observed that far too often, there are pastors and Christian laymen frustrated because of an inability to present the message of the Gospel to the Japanese who were much influenced by Buddhism. It has been the conviction of this writer as he has worked in Japanese evangelism as a crusader of the Oriental Missionary Society campaign in Japan, and later as a student pastor in a small church, that any measure of evangelical success comes as a result of teaching them a comparison between the Japanese Buddhist and the evangelical Christian doctrines of salvation. The writer also became aware of the need for such a study while preaching the Gospel to war-brides, the Japanese seamen, and students in a Bible class which was held every other Tuesday in Portland, Oregon. With this in mind, the writer has endeavored to determine how to preach the Gospel to them more effectively by comparing the Japanese Buddhism with Christianity from the salvation point of view

Consumidores de frutos de Persea lingue (Lauraceae) en el sur de Chile y su efecto en la germinación de semillas

Frugivory is a common interaction mechanism between plants and animals in the temperate rainforest of southernSouth America. In this study, we examined primary dispersal and predation stages of Persea lingue (Ruiz et Pav.) Nees(Lauraceae), an endemic large-seeded tree of these forests. The main goal was to determine the identity of vertebrate seeddispersers of P. lingue, to distinguish legitimate seed dispersers, pulp consumers and seed predators, and their influenceon seed germination. In order to know which birds and small mammals were feeding P. lingue seeds, we observed 20P. lingue canopies, and live traps baited with P. lingue seeds were installed in fragment forests in south-central Chile.To determine whether birds could be legitimate dispersers of P. lingue, we collected regurgitated and fecal samples. Weexamined whether rodents removed the fruit pulp, the seeds, or the whole fruit. Additionally, we studied if seeds placedon the forest floor were removed by rodents. In a final experiment we conducted germination trials to establish whetherpulp removal (by birds, rodents, or artificially-removed) influenced germination rates. We found six bird species feedingon P. lingue seeds. None of them defecated intact seeds, but, Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard (Turdinae) and Xolmispyrope (Kittlitz) (Tyrannidae) regurgitated intact seeds. We captured five species of rodents in Sherman traps. Four of themleft intact seeds. We did not find any effect of the seed handling types (pulp consumption vs. seed regurgitation) in seedgermination rates. However, pulp removal was an important factor for germination success. We conclude that T. falcklandiiand X. pyrope are legitimate seed dispersers of P. lingue, since they swallow the whole fruit and regurgitate the intactseed. Abrothrix olivaceus (Waterhouse) (Cricetidae) and probably Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Bennett) (Cricetidae) arepotential secondary dispersers of P. lingue seeds, as they prefer to eat the fruit pulp rather than the seeds.La dispersión de semillas por endozoocoría es uno de los principales mecanismos de interacción mutualista entre plantas yanimales en el bosque templado de Sudamérica. En este estudio indagamos acerca de los mecanismos de dispersión primariay estadios de depredación de semillas de Persea lingue (Ruiz et Pav.) Nees (Lauraceae), árbol endémico de estos bosques.El objetivo principal fue determinar la identidad de los vertebrados dispersores de semillas de P. lingue, distinguiendodispersores legítimos, de consumidores de pulpa y predadores de semillas, y determinar su efecto en la germinación. Serealizaron observaciones focales de la copa de adultos de P. lingue; además, se instalaron trampas Sherman cebadas confrutos de P. lingue en fragmentos de bosque en el valle central del centro-sur de Chile. Se colectaron muestras de fecasy semillas regurgitadas, se determinó cuáles especies de roedores consumieron la pulpa, las semillas o los frutos enterosen las trampas. Se examinó si hubo remoción de frutos y semillas desde el suelo. Se realizó un ensayo de germinaciónpara determinar si la forma de la remoción de la pulpa afecta las tasas de germinación. Registramos seis especies de avesconsumiendo frutos, ninguna defecó semillas, Turdus falcklandii Quoy & Gaimard (Turdinae) y Xolmis pyrope (Kittlitz)(Tyrannidae) regurgitaron semillas intactas. Capturamos cinco especies de roedores en las trampas, cuatro dejaron semillasintactas. No encontramos efecto del tipo de manipulación de las semillas en su germinación. La remoción de la pulpa fuedeterminante para el éxito de germinación. Concluimos que T. falcklandii y X. pyrope son dispersores legítimos de semillasde P. lingue. Abrothrix olivaceus (Waterhouse) (Cricetidae) y probablemente Oligoryzomys longicaudatus (Bennett)(Cricetidae) son potenciales dispersores secundarios, dada su marcada preferencia por la pulpa sobre las semillas

Associations in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes between clinicopathological factors and clinical outcomes in estrogen receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 negative breast cancer

The value of assessing tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in estrogen receptor (ER) positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2) negative breast cancer has yet to be determined. In the present study, a total of 184 cases with early distant recurrence detected within 5 years following the primary operation, 134 with late distant recurrence diagnosed following 5 years or longer and 321 controls without recurrence for >10 years following starting the initial treatment for ER-positive/HER2 negative breast cancer, registered in 9 institutions, were analyzed. The distributions of TILs and their clinical relevance were investigated. TIL distributions did not differ significantly among the early, late and no recurrence groups, employing a 30% cut-off point as a dichotomous variable. In those who had received adjuvant chemotherapy as well as endocrine therapy, a trend toward higher TIL proportions was detected when the early recurrence group was compared with the no recurrence group employing the 30% cut-off point (P=0.064). The TIL distributions were significantly associated with nodal metastasis (P=0.004), ER status (P=0.045), progesterone receptor (PgR) status (P=0.002), tumor grade (P=0.021), and the Ki67 labeling index (LI) (P=0.002) in the no recurrence group and with the Ki67 LI in the recurrence groups (P=0.002 in early recurrence group, P=0.023 in late recurrence group). High TIL distributions also predicted shorter survival time following the detection of recurrence (P=0.026). However, these prognostic interactions were not significant in multivariate analysis (P=0.200). The present retrospective study demonstrated no significant interaction between TIL proportions and the timing of recurrence. However, higher TIL proportions were observed in breast cancer patients with aggressive biological phenotypes, which tended to be more responsive to chemotherapy. The clinical relevance of stromal TILs for identifying patients who would likely benefit from additional therapies merits further investigation in a larger patient population

Clinicopathological factors predicting early and late distant recurrence in estrogen receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer

Background: Most studies analyzing prognostic factors for late relapse have been performed in postmenopausal women who received tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer. Methods: A total of 223 patients (108 premenopausal and 115 postmenopausal) with early distant recurrence and 149 patients (62 premenopausal and 87 postmenopausal) with late distant recurrence of ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer who were given their initial treatment between 2000 and 2004 were registered from nine institutions. For each late recurrence patient, approximately two matched control patients without relapse for more than ten years were selected. Clinicopathological factors and adjuvant therapies were compared among the three groups by menopausal status and age. Results: Factors predicting early recurrence in premenopausal women were large tumor size, high lymph node category and high tumor grade, whereas predictors for late recurrence were large tumor size and high lymph node category. In postmenopausal women under 60 years of age, factors predicting early recurrence were bilateral breast cancer, large tumor size, high lymph node category, low PgR expression and high Ki67 labeling index (LI), while predictors for late recurrence were large tumor size and high lymph node category. On the other hand, in postmenopausal women aged 60 years or older, factors predicting early recurrence were bilateral breast cancer, large tumor size, high lymph node category, high tumor grade, low ER expression and high Ki67 LI, whereas predictors for late recurrence were high lymph node category, low ER expression and short duration of adjuvant endocrine therapy. Conclusion: Predictors of early and late distant recurrence might differ according to menopausal status and age

Enzyme replacement reverses abnormal cerebrovascular responses in Fabry disease

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is a lysosomal X-linked enzyme deficiency of α-galactosidase A associated with an increased mortality and morbidity due to renal failure, cardiac disease and early onset stroke. METHODS: We examined the functional blood flow response of the brain after visual stimulation (reversing checkerboard pattern), and cerebral vasoreactivity following acetazolamide (15 mg/kg) with [(15)O]H(2)O and positron emission tomography (PET) in Fabry disease. Twenty-six hemizygous patients (age range 19–47 years) were enrolled in a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled 6-month trial of enzyme replacement therapy administered by intravenous infusion every two weeks. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured with PET at the beginning and end of the trial. RESULTS: Fabry patients had a significantly greater increase in rCBF following visual stimulation and acetazolamide challenge compared to controls. Visual reactivity was normal. The time for recovery of the cerebral vasculature following acetazolamide was prolonged in Fabry patients compared to controls. The abnormal rCBF response induced by visual stimulation and acetazolamide decreased significantly following enzyme replacement therapy, as did the prolonged recovery of the cerebral vasculature. CONCLUSIONS: Enzyme replacement therapy reverses the exaggerated cerebrovascular response in Fabry disease

Event-free survival at 36 months is a suitable endpoint for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients treated with immunochemotherapy: real-world evidence from the North Japan Hematology Study Group

Information regarding follow-up duration after treatment for newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is important. However, a clear endpoint has yet to be established. We totally enrolled 2182 patients newly diagnosed with DLBCL between 2008 and 2018. The median age of the patients was 71 years. All patients were treated with rituximab- and anthracycline-based chemotherapies. Each overall survival (OS) was compared with the age- and sex-matched Japanese general population (GP) data. At a median follow-up of 3.4 years, 985 patients experienced an event and 657 patients died. Patients who achieved an event-free survival (EFS) at 36 months (EFS36) had an OS equivalent to that of the matched GP (standard mortality ratio [SMR], 1.17; P=0.1324), whereas those who achieved an EFS24 did not have an OS comparable to that of the matched GP (SMR, 1.26; P=0.0095). Subgroup analysis revealed that relatively old patients (>60 years), male patients, those with limited-stage disease, those with a good performance status, and those with low levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor already had a comparable life expectancy to the matched GP at an EFS24. In contrast, relatively young patients had a shorter life expectancy than matched GP, even with an EFS36. In conclusion, an EFS36 was shown to be a more suitable endpoint for newly diagnosed DLBCL patients than an EFS24. Of note, younger patients require a longer EFS period than older patients in order to obtain an equivalent life expectancy to the matched GP