Preparation of Ionic Liquids Containing Siloxane Frameworks

This chapter deals with our recent researches on the preparation and properties of thermally stable ionic liquids (ILs) containing siloxane frameworks. ILs containing randomly structured oligosilsesquioxanes with quaternary ammonium side-chain groups (Am-Random-SQ-IL) and with imidazolium side-chain groups (Im-Random-SQ-IL) were successfully prepared by the hydrolytic condensation of the corresponding trifunctional alkoxysilanes in aqueous bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (HNTf2) solution. It is also reported that ILs containing cage-like oligosilsesquioxanes (POSSs) with imidazolium side-chain groups (Im-Cage-SQ-IL) and with random distribution of quaternary ammonium and imidazolium side-chain groups (Amim-Cage-SQ-IL)were obtained, when the similar hydrolytic condensations were performed in a water/methanol (1 : 19 v/v) mixed solution of HNTf2. In addition, we investigated the preparation of ILs containing cyclic oligosiloxanes with various imidazolium side-chain groups (MeIm-CyS-IL-NTf2, MeIm-CyS-IL-OTf, HIm-CyS-IL-NTf2, EtIm-CyS-IL-NTf2, PrIm-CyS-IL-NTf2, and BuIm-CyS-IL-NTf2) by the hydrolytic condensation of the corresponding difunctional alkoxysilanes in the solutions of superacids, such as HNTf2 and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (HOTf)

Unusual abscesses associated with colon cancer: report of three cases

Three cases of colon cancer accompanied by unusual abscess formation are reported. Case I : A 77-year-old man was diagnosed with a paracolic abscess formation behind the cecum and a swollen appendix by computed tomography (CT) scan. Case II : An 85-year-old woman was diagnosed with an abscess formation of the right iliopsoas muscle, a swollen appendix, and a thickened right colon wall by CT scan. After antibiotic therapy failed, both patients underwent ileocecal resection urgently under suspicion of appendicitis, but cecal cancer around the entrance to the appendix caused secondary appendicitis in both cases. Case III : A 50-year-old woman was diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer with an abscess formation in the pelvic cavity concomitant with ovarian tumor. A Hartmann procedure was performed, and a pathological examination revealed that a subserosal abscess behind the sigmoid colon cancer perforated the rectum with abscess formation. All cases were definitively diagnosed intraoperatively. The cancer recurred in cases I and III. We emphasize that precise surgical evaluation has an important role in the diagnosis of these complicated diseases. In addition, surgery affords the patient the best chance of recovery, and in these advanced cases radical treatment is recommended as early as possible

Effect of biopsy on survival of melanoma patients

Background Cutaneous malignant melanoma has a poor prognosis. The detrimental effect of incisional biopsies on the outcome of malignant melanoma has been debated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the presence and type of biopsy on the prognosis of malignant melanoma. Methods The medical records of 109 malignant melanoma patients treated at Tokushima University Hospital from 1983 to 2007 were reviewed. After excluding 28 cases with stage 0 disease or incomplete data, 81 cases were analyzed in detail with respect to patient sex, age, tumor site, clinical stage at diagnosis, presence of ulceration or lymph node metastasis, and prognosis. The five-year survival and five-year disease-free survival rates of patients who underwent incisional or excisional biopsies were compared with those who did not undergo a biopsy. Results The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.19. The mean age was 61.3 years (range, 19–93 years). The most common site was a lower extremity, and the most common clinical stage was stage II. No significant differences in clinicopathological features, five-year survival rates, and five-year disease-free survival rates were observed among the three groups. Conclusions The presence and type of biopsy neither affected the metastatic rate nor the prognosis of malignant melanoma. The use of incisional biopsies is not encouraged because tumor thickness cannot be measured accurately. However, they may be helpful for confirming the diagnosis if an excisional biopsy cannot be performed

A CRAF/glutathione-S-transferase P1 complex sustains autocrine growth of cancers with KRAS and BRAF mutations

The Ras/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway is an essential signaling cascade for various refractory cancers, such as those with mutant KRAS (mKRAS) and BRAF (mBRAF). However, there are unsolved ambiguities underlying mechanisms for this growth signaling thereby creating therapeutic complications. This study shows that a vital component of the pathway CRAF is directly impacted by an end product of the cascade, glutathione transferases (GST) P1 (GSTP1), driving a previously unrecognized autocrine cycle that sustains proliferation of mKRAS and mBRAF cancer cells, independent of oncogenic stimuli. The CRAF interaction with GSTP1 occurs at its N-terminal regulatory domain, CR1 motif, resulting in its stabilization, enhanced dimerization, and augmented catalytic activity. Consistent with the autocrine cycle scheme, silencing GSTP1 brought about significant suppression of proliferation of mKRAS and mBRAF cells in vitro and suppressed tumorigenesis of the xenografted mKRAS tumor in vivo. GSTP1 knockout mice showed significantly impaired carcinogenesis of mKRAS colon cancer. Consequently, hindering the autocrine loop by targeting CRAF/GSTP1 interactions should provide innovative therapeutic modalities for these cancers

Editorial: Conflicts

The Editorial Board reflects on the theme of 'conflict', as observed in the work published in this issue, and in the wider world

Role of PSCs in Regeneration of Remnant Pancreas after PX

Background and objectives Mechanism of regeneration of remnant pancreas after partial pancreatectomy (PX) is still unknown. In this study, effect of siRNA against the collagen specific chaperone, HSP47, which inhibits collagen secretion from activated pancreas stellate cells (aPSCs), and induces their apoptosis, on regeneration of remnant pancreas was determined. Methods Pancreatectomy was performed according to established methods. Proliferation of cells was assessed by BrdU incorporation. Immunostaining of HSP47 was employed to identify PSCs. Progenitor cells were identified by SOX9 staining. Acinar cells were immunostained for amylase. Co-culture of acinar cells with aPSCs were carried out in a double chamber with a cell culture insert. siRNA HSP47 encapsulated in vitamin A-coupled liposome (VA-lip siRNA HSP47) was delivered to aPSCs by iv injection. Results In remnant pancreas of 90% PX rat, new areas of foci were located separately from duodenal areas with normal pancreatic features. After PX, BrdU uptake of acinar cells and islet cells significantly increased, but was suppressed by treatment with VA-lip siRNA HSP47. BrdU uptake by acinar cells was augmented by co-culturing with aPSCs and the augmentation was nullified by siRNA HSP47. BrdU uptake by progenitor cells in foci area was slightly enhanced by the same treatment. New area which exhibited intermediate features between those of duodenal and area of foci, emerged after the treatment. Conclusion aPSCs play a crucial role in regeneration of remnant pancreas, proliferation of acinar and islet cells after PX through the activity of secreted collagen. Characterization of new area emerged by siRNA HSP47 treatment as to its origin is a future task

増強されたECHアンテナシステムを用いたLHDにおけるECCD適用性の向上

The power injection system for electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and electron cyclotron current drive (ECCD) was modified and upgraded. An outside horizontal port 2-O on the Large Helical Device (LHD) was furnished with two antenna systems for the EC-waves of the frequencies of 77 and 154 GHz, respectively. In addition to them, two new antenna systems for 77 and 154 GHz waves were installed in the 2-O port. Each antenna in the 2-O port has wide range of EC-wave beam direction control so that these are suitable for ECCD which requires toroidally oblique EC-wave beam injection. In the LHD 18th experimental campaign in 2014-2015, an ECCD experiment with second harmonic resonance condition, on-axis magnetic field of 1.375 T for 77 GHz waves, was performed in which some combination patterns of two 77 GHz ECCDs were applied. The discharges of dual co- and dual counter-ECCDs showed remarkable plasma currents of ∼±26 kA in both of the co- and counter-directions, by 6 s pulse duration and injection powers of 366 and 365 kW. The new antenna has nearly the same capability for ECCD with that of the existing antenna. The improvement in the flexibility of the ways of applying plural ECCDs will offer a highly useful tool for investigations on the phenomena concerning with the plasma current such as magnetohydro-dynamics

Realization of high Ti plasmas and confinement characteristics of ITB plasmas in the LHD deuterium experiments

The deuterium (D) operation was initiated in the LHD in 2017. In the first campaign of the D experiments, we successfully extended the high temperature regime in the LHD. The new record of the ion temperature (Ti) of 10 keV associated with the ion internal transport barrier (ITB) was achieved due to several operational optimization. The thermal confinement characteristics of ITB plasmas were compared between hydrogen and D discharges. The effective ion thermal diffusivity of the ion-ITB plasmas was found to be smaller in the D discharges than that in the H discharges. The profiles of the Ti, the electron density, and the impurity of the high Ti plasmas strongly depended on the magnetic configuration and these profiles tended to peaked in the inward-shifted configuration. It was also found that the electron thermal confinement of the electron-ITB plasmas was clearly improved in the deuterium case. The GKV simulation showed the linear growth rate of TEM/ITG reduced in the plasmas with D both for the ion ITB and the electron ITB plasmas and qualitatively agreed with the tendency of the change in the thermal diffusivity obtained from the power balance analysis

Limitations of airway dimension measurement on images obtained using multi-detector row computed tomography.

[Objectives](a) To assess the effects of computed tomography (CT) scanners, scanning conditions, airway size, and phantom composition on airway dimension measurement and (b) to investigate the limitations of accurate quantitative assessment of small airways using CT images. [Methods]An airway phantom, which was constructed using various types of material and with various tube sizes, was scanned using four CT scanner types under different conditions to calculate airway dimensions, luminal area (Ai), and the wall area percentage (WA%). To investigate the limitations of accurate airway dimension measurement, we then developed a second airway phantom with a thinner tube wall, and compared the clinical CT images of healthy subjects with the phantom images scanned using the same CT scanner. The study using clinical CT images was approved by the local ethics committee, and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. [Results]Errors noted in airway dimension measurement were greater in the tube of small inner radius made of material with a high CT density and on images reconstructed by body algorithm (p<0.001), and there was some variation in error among CT scanners under different fields of view. Airway wall thickness had the maximum effect on the accuracy of measurements with all CT scanners under all scanning conditions, and the magnitude of errors for WA% and Ai varied depending on wall thickness when airways of <1.0-mm wall thickness were measured. [Conclusions]The parameters of airway dimensions measured were affected by airway size, reconstruction algorithm, composition of the airway phantom, and CT scanner types. In dimension measurement of small airways with wall thickness of <1.0 mm, the accuracy of measurement according to quantitative CT parameters can decrease as the walls become thinner