Numerical approach for retention characteristics of double floating-gate memories

We report on a numerical investigation in which memory characteristics of double floating-gate (DFG) structure were compared to those of the conventional single floating-gate structure, including an interference effect between two cells. We found that the advantage of the DFG structure is its longer retention time and the disadvantage is its smaller threshold voltage shift. We also provide an analytical form of charging energy including the interference effect.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Silenced Expression of NFKBIA in Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients with a Never-smoking History

Nuclear factor of κ-light polypeptide gene enhancer in B cells inhibitor α (NFKBIA), which is a tumor suppressor gene, was found to be silenced in lung adenocarcinomas. We examined NFKBIA expression, mutations in the EGFR and K-ras genes, and EML4-ALK fusion in 101 resected lung adenocarcinoma samples from never-smokers. NFKBIA expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. NFKBIA expression was negative in 16 of the 101 samples (15.8%). EGFR and K-ras mutations and EML4-ALK fusion were detected in 61 (60.5%), 1 (1.0%), and 2 (2.0%) of the 101 samples, respectively, in a completely mutually exclusive manner. Negative NFKBIA expression was observed significantly more frequently among the tumors with none of the three genetic alterations compared to those with such alterations (p＝0.009). In addition, negative NFKBIA expression was significantly more frequent among the EGFR-wild type samples compared to the EGFR-mutant samples (p＝0.013). In conclusion, NFKBIA expression was silenced in adenocarcinomas without EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion, suggesting that the silencing of NFKBIA may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of adenocarcinomas independent of EGFR/K-ras mutations or EML4-ALK fusion

Prognostic impact of cancer stem cell-related markers in non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with induction chemoradiotherapy

The expression of several cancer stem cell (CSC)-related markers has been confirmed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical role of CSC-related markers in patients with NSCLC undergoing induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Fifty patients with clinically diagnosed N2 or N3 NSCLC who underwent induction CRT with docetaxel and cisplatin concurrently with thoracic radiation followed by surgery were examined in this study. The expressions of CSC related markers (CD133, ALDH1, ABCG2, and Bmi-1) were examined using immunohistochemical staining in surgically resected specimens. Among the 50 patients, 20 patients had no residual tumor cells in the resected specimen when examined pathologically; CSC-related marker expressions and their correlation to survival were evaluated in the other 30 patients. After a median follow-up period of 72 months, the 5-year overall survival rate of the patients with CD133-positive or ALDH1-positive specimens was significantly worse than that of the patients with both CD133-negative and ALDH1-negative expressions (449% vs. 90.0%, respectively; P=0.042). In a multivariate analysis. CD133 and ALDH1 negativity (P=0.047) and cN2-3 single station metastasis (P=0.03) were significant independent prognostic factors for prolonged survival. The expressions of CSC-related markers after CRT were significantly correlated with a poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. The development of therapeutic strategies including adjuvant therapy that take CSC-related marker positivity into consideration is likely to be a key factor in further improvements of the prognosis of patients undergoing trimodality therapy

Impact of GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression on early-stage lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed according to a new international multidisciplinary classification

High expression levels of glucose transporter isoform 1 (GLUT1) and Ki-67 are reportedly associated with malignancy-related clinicopathological factors in malignant tumors. Recently, a new histological IASLC/ATS/ERS classification for lung adenocarcinoma was proposed. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological impact of GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression on early-stage lung adenocarcinoma classified according to the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. One hundred and five patients with completely resected stage IA lung adenocarcinoma were retrospectively classified into two groups, a 'non-invasive type' (n=31) or an 'invasive type' (n=74), based on the IASLC/ATS/ERS classification. GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression status was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and KRAS mutation status was determined using PCR-based assays. Positive GLUT1 and Ki-67 expression and EGFR and KRAS mutations were detected in 28 (27%), 33 (31%), 51 (49%) and 5 (8%) cases, respectively. Positive GLUT1 expression was significantly associated with a wild-type EGFR and mutant KRAS status. A multivariate analysis revealed that positive GLUT1 expression was independently associated with the 'invasive type'. In multivariate analyses for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS), positive Ki-67 and GLUT1 expression was the only independent factor for a poor OS (P=0.012) and DFS (P=0.040), respectively. In addition, when stratified according to the GLUT1 and Ki-67 status, double-positive cases had the poorest DFS and OS times, compared with the other categories. Positive GLUT1 expression is associated with the invasive character of early-stage lung adenocarcinoma and with early disease relapse. Our results strongly suggest that GLUT1 and Ki-67 play important roles in acquiring biological malignant potential in early-stage lung adenocarcinoma

<症例>4回の開心術による癒着のため冠動脈走行が判別不能であった大動脈弁輪部膿瘍に対するトランスロケーション法における冠動脈再建の新方法

A new approach to the problem of recurrent infection of an aortic valve prosthesis in a patient with an inaccessible coronary arterial system is presented. The coronary arteries were reconstructed by anastomosing a looped ringed-PTFE graft to the left and right coronary ostia within the aorta, and the graft was withdrawn from the aorta just above th e ostia. Then the top of the looped graft was anastmosed to the aorta above a translocated aortic prosthesis. This procedure is most likely to be useful in the treatment of recurrent aortic prosthetic valv e endocarditis which has dense pericardial adhesion secondary to multiple cardiac operations. Aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis frequently is associated with a paravalvular ring abscess which may destroy the normal annulus. In these cases, translocating the aortic valve to the ascending aorta, and placing saphenous vein bypass grafts to the right and th e left anterior descending coronary arter y may be required. However, the coronary arteries may not be accesible following multipie operations. The following case illustrates a new solution to the problem how to translocated the aortic valve and reconstruct the coronary arteries in a patient with an infected aortic root and inaccessible coronary arteries.4回の関心術による癒着のため冠動脈の走行が判別不能であった大動脈弁輪部膿瘍を伴なった感染性心内膜炎症例に対し, 冠動脈再建に新しい方法を用いたトランスロケーション法を行った. 8 mmφ のリング付き PTFE 人工血管の両端を大動脈の内腔で左右冠動脈孔に縫着し, その直ぐ末梢側で一旦大動脈外にグラフトを出しそのループの頂点部を転位縫着した人工弁の末梢側で大動脈(弁付き人工血管の場合は人工血管)と側側に吻合する方法を行った. 術後経過は順調で, 狭心症, 不整脈は発生していない

<原著>心筋保護におけるグルタチオンペルオキシダーゼの重要性 : ラット心を用いて

Selenium (Se) is an integral component of glutathione poeroxidase (GSHPx), and the serum selenium concentration is age-depend. We speculated that myocardial GSHPx had relation to reperfusion injury in open heart operations, especially in infants in whom GSHPx activity is low. This study correlated GSHPx activity with the serum and myocardial selenium concentrations in Wistar rats, which were divided into three groups, infants, Se-deficient rats, and control rats. Serum GSHPx activity in infant and Se-deficient rats (22. 7± 3. 5 U/g protein, 24. 6 ± 22. 2 U/g protein) was lower than that in controls (179 ± 12. 0 U/g protein). The serum selenium concentration in infant and Se-deficient rats (3. 81 ± 0. 81 μg/g protein, 2. 06 ± 1. 69 μg/g protein) was also lower than that in controls (7. 32 ± 2. 96 μg/g protein). The myocardial GSHPx activity was significantly lower in infants and Se-deficient rats (4. 76 ± 1. 05 × 10_-1 U/mg protein, 3. 38 ± 0. 32 × 10_-1 U/mg protein) than that in controls (8. 03 ± 0. 57 × 10_-1 U/mg protein). However, the myocardial selenium concentra tion in infants (1. 42 ± 0. 24 × 10_-1μg/mg protein) was significantly higher than that in the other groups (0. 31 ± 0. 06 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein, 0. 28 ± 0. 04 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein). Next, in Se-deficient and control rats, isolated hearts were perfused for aerobically with Krebs-Henseleit solution in the Langendorff mode for 15 minutes, followed by 60 minutes of global ischemia at 4°C and then reperfused for 30 minutes in a working mode. The hemodynamic parameters were measured. The aortic pressure, LV max dp/dt, aortic flow, cardiac output and stroke volume were significantly lower in the Se-deficient rats than those of the control rats. Immediately following these measurements, the hearts were frozend in liquid nitrogen, and the myocardial lipid peroxide (TBARS) concentration was assayed and found to be significantly higher in the Se-deficient rats. The lower myocardial GSHPx activity may play a important role in vulnerability to reperfusion injury in infants as in Se-deficient rats.必須微量元素セレン(Se)は, フリーラジカルスカベンシャーの一つであるグルタチオンベルオキシダーゼ(GSHPx)の主要な構成成分である. 血清 Se 濃度は年齢により変化し新生児期, 乳児期は低い. このことが乳児期の関心術における再灌流障害に関与しているのではないかと推論した. ウィスター系ラットを乳児期ラット(乳児群), Se 欠乏食ラット(Se群), 対照成熟ラット(対照群)の3群に分けた乳児群, Se 群の血清 GSHPx 活性は, 対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(順番に22. 7 ± 3. 5, 24. 6 ± 22. 2, 179. 0 ± 12. 0 U/g protein). 乳児群, Se 群の血清 S e濃度も同様に対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(3. 81±0. 81, 2. 06 ± 1. 69, 7. 32 ± 2. 96 μg/g protein)・乳児群, Se 群の心筋 GSHPx 活性は対照群と比べ有意に低値を示した(4. 76 ± 1. 05 × 10_-1, 3. 38 ± 0. 32 × 10_-1, 8. 03 ± 0. 57× 10_-1 U/mg protein). しかし乳児群の心筋 Se 濃度は Se 群, 対照群と比べ有意に高値を示した(1. 42 ± 0. 24 × 10_-1, 0. 31 ± 0. 06 × 10_-1, 0. 28 ± 0. 04 × 10_-1 μg/mg protein). これとは別に Se 欠乏食ラットと対照成熟ラットの摘出心を用いて Neely JR らの working heart model により, 4°C 60分間の心停止後の心機能パラメーターを測定した. 大動脈圧, 左室 max dp/dt, 大動脈流量, 心拍出量, 一回拍出量は S e群で有意に低値を示した. また心筋内過酸化脂質(TBARS)濃度は, Se 群で有意に高値を示した. このことから, 心筋内 GSHPx 活性の低下は心筋の再灌流障害と非常に関連が深いことが示唆された