Sunitinib Versus Sorafenib as Initial Targeted Therapy for mCC-RCC With Favorable/Intermediate Risk: Multicenter Randomized Trial CROSS-J-RCC

Purpose: The present study compared the efficacy of sunitinib and sorafenib as first-line treatment of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (mCC-RCC) with favorable or intermediate Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) risk. Patients and methods: Treatment-naive patients with mCC-RCC were randomized to receive open-label sunitinib followed by sorafenib (SU/SO) or sorafenib followed by sunitinib (SO/SU). The primary endpoint was first-line progression-free survival (PFS). The secondary endpoints were total PFS and overall survival (OS). Results: Of the 124 patients enrolled at 39 institutions from February 2010 to July 2012, 120 were evaluated. The median first-line PFS duration was 8.7 and 7.0 months in the SU/SO and SO/SU groups, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.42-1.08). The total PFS and OS were not significantly different between the SU/SO and SO/SU groups (27.8 and 22.6 months; HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.428-1.246; and 38.4 and 30.9 months; HR, 0.934; 95% CI, 0.588-1.485, respectively). The subgroup analysis revealed that the total PFS with SU/SO was superior to the total PFS with SO/SU in the patients with favorable MSKCC risk and those with Conclusions: No statistically significant differences were found in first-line PFS, total PFS, or OS between the 2 treatment arms (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier, NCT01481870)

アルギン酸カルシウム繊維の調製と物性評価

Calcium alginate fibers were prepared by drying the fibroid gel made by ejecting the sodium alginate solution from a needle of a syringe to calcium chloride solution. The shapes of the fibers were observed, and physical properties such as the thickness and the tensile strength were evaluated. It was shown that according to the conditions of drying the fibroid gel, the shapes of the fibers were altered. For example, the structure like the joint of bamboo was formed by drying the gel put levelly on the waste paper. Concentration of the sodium alginate solution influenced the tensile strength of the fibers, but the thickness

Coronin-1 promotes directional cell rearrangement in Drosophila wing epithelium

Directional cell rearrangement is a critical process underlying correct tissue deformation during morphogenesis. Although the involvement of F-actin regulation in cell rearrangement has been established, the role and regulation of actin binding proteins (ABPs) in this process are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the function of Coronin-1, a WD-repeat actin-binding protein, in controlling directional cell rearrangement in the Drosophila pupal wing. Transgenic flies expressing Coronin-1-EGFP were generated using CRISPR-Cas9. We observed that Coronin-1 localizes at the reconnecting junction during cell rearrangement, which is dependent on actin interacting protein 1 (AIP1) and cofilin, actin disassemblers and known regulators of wing cell rearrangement. Loss of Coronin-1 function reduces cell rearrangement directionality and hexagonal cell fraction. These results suggest that Coronin-1 promotes directional cell rearrangement via its interaction with AIP1 and cofilin, highlighting the role of ABPs in the complex process of morphogenesis. Key words: morphogenesis, cell rearrangement, actin binding proteins (ABPs

Investigation of generation of tritiated methane and processing by detritiation system in fusion reactor

Detritiation system (DS) is the key system to ensure safety of a fusion reactor. DS must be designed to make sure of detritiation when an extraordinary event such as fire happens. DS comprises catalytic reactors to oxidize tritium and a system for removal of tritiated vapor. One of chemical components of tritium to be oxidized by the catalytic reactors is tritiated methane. Tritiated methane is oxidized by a high temperature reactor at 773K generally. Assuming that an accidental release of tritium and production of hydrocarbons by combustion of cables in case of fire occurs simultaneously, tritiated methane should be oxidized at lower temperature from the viewpoint of mitigation for temperature runaway of a catalytic reactor by heat of reaction of hydrocarbons combustion and tritium permeation through a catalytic reactor of DS. In addition, there is concern generation of tritiated methane by the reaction between tritium and methane in a catalytic reactor at low temperature. In the present study, we investigated experimentally a method of processing tritiated methane by a catalytic reactor at low temperature. Our experimental investigation indicated follows: 1) a generation of tritiated methane was sufficiently small; 2) tritiated methane could be oxidized below 773K by optimization of catalyst.31st Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT 2020

Fermentation Characteristics, Tannin Contents and Ruminal Degradation of Green Tea and Black Tea By-products Ensiled at Different Temperatures

Green and black tea by-products, obtained from ready-made tea industry, were ensiled at 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C. Green tea by-product silage (GTS) and black tea by-product silage (BTS) were opened at 5, 10, 45 days after ensiling. Fermentation characteristics and nutrient composition, including tannins, were monitored and the silages on day 45 were subjected to in vitro ruminal fermentation to assess anti-nutritive effects of tannins using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a tannin-binding agent. Results showed that the GTS and BTS silages were stable and fermented slightly when ensiled at 10°C. The GTS stored at 20°C and 30°C showed rapid pH decline and high acetic acid concentration. The BTS was fermented gradually with moderate change of pH and acid concentration. Acetic acid was the main acid product of fermentation in both GTS and BTS. The contents of total extractable phenolics and total extractable tannins in both silages were unaffected by storage temperatures, but condensed tannins in GTS were less when stored at high temperature. The GTS showed no PEG response on in vitro gas production, and revealed only a small increase by PEG on NH3-N concentration. Storage temperature of GTS did not affect the extent of PEG response to both gas production and NH3-N concentration. On the other hand, addition of PEG on BTS markedly increased both the gas production and NH3-N concentration at any ensiled temperature. It can be concluded that tannins in both GTS and BTS suppressed rumen fermentation, and tannins in GTS did more weakly than that in BTS. Ensiling temperature for both tea by-products did not affect the tannin’s activity in the rumen

Fermentation Characteristics, Tannin Contents and Ruminal Degradation of Green Tea and Black Tea By-products Ensiled at Different Temperatures

Green and black tea by-products, obtained from ready-made tea industry, were ensiled at 10°C, 20°C, and 30°C. Green tea by-product silage (GTS) and black tea by-product silage (BTS) were opened at 5, 10, 45 days after ensiling. Fermentation characteristics and nutrient composition, including tannins, were monitored and the silages on day 45 were subjected to in vitro ruminal fermentation to assess anti-nutritive effects of tannins using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a tannin-binding agent. Results showed that the GTS and BTS silages were stable and fermented slightly when ensiled at 10°C. The GTS stored at 20°C and 30°C showed rapid pH decline and high acetic acid concentration. The BTS was fermented gradually with moderate change of pH and acid concentration. Acetic acid was the main acid product of fermentation in both GTS and BTS. The contents of total extractable phenolics and total extractable tannins in both silages were unaffected by storage temperatures, but condensed tannins in GTS were less when stored at high temperature. The GTS showed no PEG response on in vitro gas production, and revealed only a small increase by PEG on NH3-N concentration. Storage temperature of GTS did not affect the extent of PEG response to both gas production and NH3-N concentration. On the other hand, addition of PEG on BTS markedly increased both the gas production and NH3-N concentration at any ensiled temperature. It can be concluded that tannins in both GTS and BTS suppressed rumen fermentation, and tannins in GTS did more weakly than that in BTS. Ensiling temperature for both tea by-products did not affect the tannin’s activity in the rumen

Assessment of Anti-nutritive Activity of Tannins in Tea By-products Based on Rumen Fermentation

Nutritive values of green and black tea by-products and anti-nutritive activity of their tannins were evaluated in an in vitro rumen fermentation using various molecular weights of polyethylene glycols (PEG), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) and polyvinyl polypyrrolidone as tannin-binding agents. Significant improvement in gas production by addition of PEG4000, 6000 and 20000 and PVP was observed only from black tea by-product, but not from green tea by-product. All tannin binding agents increased NH3-N concentration from both green and black tea by-products in the fermentation medium, and the PEG6000 and 20000 showed relatively higher improvement in the NH3-N concentration. The PEG6000 and 20000 also improved in vitro organic matter digestibility and metabolizable energy contents of both tea by-products. It was concluded that high molecular PEG would be suitable to assess the suppressive activity of tannins in tea by-products by in vitro fermentation. Higher responses to gas production and NH3-N concentration from black tea by-product than green tea by-product due to PEG indicate that tannins in black tea by-product could suppress rumen fermentation more strongly than that in green tea by-product

A Rare Complication After Laparoscopic Lateral Lymph Node Dissection for Rectal Cancer: Two Case Reports of Internal Hernia Below the Superior Vesical Artery

Total mesorectal excision or mesorectal excision with lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) is a standard treatment for locally advanced lower rectal cancer in Japan. Although laparoscopic LLND for rectal cancer is technically complex and challenging, previous studies have demonstrated its feasibility, and the procedure is gradually becoming more common. With this increased use, the incidence of new complications specific to laparoscopic LLND is likely to increase, and a greater awareness of these complications is required. Here we report two cases of internal hernia of the small bowel through an orifice of the vesicohypogastric fascia below the superior vesical artery after laparoscopic LLND. There are six previous reports of internal hernia underneath the pelvic blood vessel after pelvic lymph node dissection for urological or gynecological malignancies, but our cases are the first two that occurred after LLND for rectal cancer. Almost all cases, including our two cases, occurred after laparoscopic surgery and required resection of an incarcerated small bowel. Therefore, the incidence of this complication is likely to increase as the number of cases treated with laparoscopic LLND increases. Our cases show that it is important to perform an emergency operation promptly instead of conservative treatment