Male mice, caged in the International Space Station for 35 days, sire healthy offspring

Matsumura, T., Noda, T., Muratani, M. et al. Male mice, caged in the International Space Station for 35 days, sire healthy offspring. Sci Rep 9, 13733 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50128-

Effect of Reduction in Thickness and Rolling Conditions on Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Rolled Mg-8Al-1Zn-1Ca Alloy

A cast Mg-8Al-1Zn-1Ca magnesium alloy was multipass hot rolled at different sample and roll temperatures. The effect of the rolling conditions and reduction in thickness on the microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated. The optimal combination of the ultimate tensile strength, 351 MPa, yield strength, 304 MPa, and ductility, 12.2%, was obtained with the 3 mm thick Mg-8Al-1Zn-1Ca rolled sheet, which was produced with a roll temperature of 80°C and sample temperature of 430°C. This rolling process resulted in the formation of a bimodal structure in the α-Mg matrix, which consequently led to good ductility and high strength, exclusively by the hot rolling process. The 3 mm thick rolled sheet exhibited fine (mean grain size of 2.7 μm) and coarse grain regions (mean grain size of 13.6 μm) with area fractions of 29% and 71%, respectively. In summary, the balance between the strength and ductility was enhanced by the grain refinement of the α-Mg matrix and by controlling the frequency and orientation of the grains

Male mice, caged in the International Space Station for 35 days, sire healthy offspring

The effect on the reproductive system and fertility of living in a space environment remains unclear. Here, we caged 12 male mice under artificial gravity (approximate to 1 gravity) (AG) or microgravity (MG) in the International Space Station (ISS) for 35 days, and characterized the male reproductive organs (testes, epididymides, and accessory glands) after their return to earth. Mice caged on earth during the 35 days served as a "ground" control (GC). Only a decrease in accessory gland weight was detected in AG and MG males; however, none of the reproductive organs showed any overt microscopic defects or changes in gene expression as determined by RNA-seq. The cauda epididymal spermatozoa from AG and MG mice could fertilize oocytes in vitro at comparable levels as GC males. When the fertilized eggs were transferred into pseudo-pregnant females, there was no significant difference in pups delivered (pups/transferred eggs) among GC, AG, and MG spermatozoa. In addition, the growth rates and fecundity of the obtained pups were comparable among all groups. We conclude that short-term stays in outer space do not cause overt defects in the physiological function of male reproductive organs, sperm function, and offspring viability

NCRT with S-1 plus irinotecan for LALRC

Background and purpose: Preoperative 5-fluorouracil-based chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced lower rectal cancer (LALRC). We performed a phase I study to develop a new regimen combining irinotecan and S-1. Materials and methods: Patients with LALRC (T3-4, N0-2) were studied. The radiation dose was 45 Gy in 25 fractions. S-1 (80 mg/m2/day) was administered on days 1–5, 8–12, 22–26, and 29–33. Irinotecan was administered on days 1, 8, 22, and 29. The dose of irinotecan was initially 60 mg/m2 (level 1). Surgery was performed 6–10 weeks after the chemoradiotherapy. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled, of whom 18 patients were analyzed. Dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) did not occur in the first 3 patients treated with irinotecan at 80 mg/m2 (level 2), but developed in 3 of the 6 patients who received irinotecan at 90 mg/m2 (level 3). Then DLT occurred in 3 other patients at level 2. At level 2 or 3, DLT comprised neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and diarrhea. Level 2 was designated as the maximum tolerated dose, and level 1 as a recommended dose (RD). The pathological complete response rate was 28%, and the down-staging rate was 56%. Conclusions: Our results suggested that the RD of irinotecan when combined with preoperative S-1 and pelvic radiation was 60 mg/m2