Thermoluminescence studies of ordinary chondrites in the Japanese Antarctic meteorite collection, III: Asuka and Yamato type 3

We measured thermoluminescence (TL) properties of 37 Asuka and 13 Yamato type 3 ordinary chondrites from Japanese Antarctic meteorite collection for determining subtypes and pairing. Most of the meteorites are of petrologic type 3.6-3.9; however, we found three primitive ordinary chondrites (A-9043,A-87319 and Y-793384) of petrologic type ≦3.1. We found 22 TL potential pairing groups in 26 Asuka H3 chondrites comprising a chain of pairing groups, which implies an H3 chondrite shower near the Asuka area

Estimation of genetic and phenotypic parameters and environmental trends of pre-weaning growth traits of Japanese Black calves using animal model

Data collected on 1739 records of Japanese Black calves during the period from 1937 to 2002 were analysed. The herd belongs to the Department of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agricultural Research Center for Western Region, Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. The objectives were to estimate heritability, maternal effect and genetic and phenotypic correlations between birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain from birth to weaning, to estimate calf breeding values and to evaluate genetic and phenotypic trends for these traits. Heritability estimates of birth weight, weaning and average daily gain were 0.39, 0.17 and 0. 26, respectively. The corresponding maternal components were 0.10, 0.10 and 0.11, respectively. Genetic correlations between birth weight and weaning, birth weight and average daily gain and weaning weight and average daily gain were 0.30, -0.17 and 0.86 , respectively. The corresponding phenotypic correlations were 0.19, -0.33 and 0.90, respectively. Calf breeding values ranged between -17.93 and 2.83, between -4.72 and 18.08 and between -0.070 and 0.182 kg for birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain, respectively. Regression coefficients of breeding values of birth weight, weaning weight and average daily gain on year of calving were not significant and accounted for 0.011±0.012, -0.02±0.02 and -0.0002±0.0002, respectively. The corresponding regression coefficients of the phenotypic values of weaning weight and average daily gain of year of calving were significant and accounted for 2.16±0.31 and 0.013±0.002, respectively, however, that of birth weight was not significant (0.18±0.10). Breeding values fluctuated across years of study with no certain trend. Similar trend was observed for phenotypic values. It is concluded that environment may have higher influence on calf performance than genetics. Selection has never been practiced in this herd

Pulmonary resection for metachronous metastatic gastric cancer diagnosed using multi-detector computed tomography: Report of five cases

Introduction As pulmonary resection for metastatic gastric cancer has been rarely reported on, the role of metastasectomy remains unclear in such settings. We reviewed the clinicopathological characteristics and surgical outcomes of patients with metachronous pulmonary metastasis from gastric cancer (MPMGC) diagnosed using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) who underwent pulmonary resection. Presentation of case From September 2002 to May 2018, five patients underwent pulmonary resection for MPMGC at Shizuoka Cancer Center. All patients received curative resection for initial gastric cancer. Three patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. The median age at pulmonary resection was 70 years. The median disease-free interval between initial gastrectomy and MPMGC diagnosis was 41 months. The first site of recurrence was the lung in all patients. All patients were diagnosed as having primary lung cancer using MDCT before pulmonary resection and fit the surgical indication for primary lung cancer. Lobectomy was performed in three patients, while wedge resection was performed in two. The median overall survival following pulmonary resection was 79 (range, 18–89) months. Two patients experienced recurrence. While one showed recurrence in the mediastinal lymph node, in the other it was observed in the remnant lung; the latter underwent repeated pulmonary resection followed by systemic chemotherapy. Four patients survived for longer than 4 years after pulmonary resection. Conclusions Of the five patients with MPMGC diagnosed using MDCT who underwent pulmonary resection, long-term survival was achieved after pulmonary resection in four. Thus, pulmonary resection may be considered for those diagnosed with lung nodules after surgery for gastric cancer, and who fit the surgical indication for primary lung cancer

Thermoluminescence studies of ordinary chondrites in the Japanese Antarctic meteorite collection, II: New measurements for thirty type 3 ordinary chondrites

We have measured the thermoluminescence (TL) properties of thirty type 3 ordinary chondrites from the Japanese Antarctic meteorite collection. This brings to 73 the total number of Japanese type 3 ordinary chondrites examined in this way by the Arkansas-Okayama collaboration. Fifteen pairing groups were found using TL and geographical criteria. Most of the new meteorites are of petrologic types 3.6-3.9,but fourteen are of petrologic type ≤3.4. Six of the 73 meteorites (Yamato (Y)-790448,Y-793596,Y-793565,Y-791324,Y-791558,Y-74660) have petrographic types 3.5) tend to have higher induced TL peak temperature and peak width than those with low TL sensitivity, in confirmation of earlier work and consistent with peak temperature and width as well as TL sensitivity, being independent parameters of thermal history. Samples not obeying these trends (Y-75029,Y-86706,Y-793567 and Y-790787), are either heavily weathered or experienced atypical thermal histories

Coupled spin-charge-phonon fluctuation in the all-in/all-out antiferromagnet Cd2Os2O7

We report on a spin-charge fluctuation in the all-in/all-out pyrochlore magnet Cd2Os2O7, where the spin fluctuation is driven by the conduction of thermally excited electrons/holes and associated fluctuation of Os valence. The fluctuation exhibits an activation energy significantly greater than the spin-charge excitation gap and a peculiar frequency range of 10(6)-10(10) s(-1). These features are attributed to the hopping motion of carriers as small polarons in the insulating phase, where the polaron state is presumably induced by the magnetoelastic coupling via the strong spin-orbit interaction. Such a coupled spin-charge-phonon fluctuation manifests as a part of the metal-insulator transition that is extended over a wide temperature range due to the modest electron correlation comparable with other interactions characteristic for 5d-subshell systems

Predictive Factors of Rectal Toxicity After Permanent iodine-125 Seed Implantation: Prospective Cohort Study in 2339 Patients

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence and the associated factors of rectal toxicity in patients with prostate cancer undergoing permanent seed implantation (PI) with or without external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) in a nationwide prospective cohort study in Japan (J-POPS) during the first 2 years. Methods and materials: A total of 2,339 subjects were available for the analyses. Rectal toxicity was evaluated using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0. Results: The 3-year cumulative incidence for grade ≥2 rectal toxicity was 2.88%, 1.76%, and 6.53% in all subjects, PI group and EBRT combination therapy group, respectively. On multivariate analysis, among all subjects, grade ≥2 rectal toxicity was associated with rectal volumes receiving 100% of the prescribed dose (R100; p Conclusions: Rectal toxicity was relatively rare in this study compared with previous reports. For Japanese prostate cancer patients, R100 < 1 mL in both PI and EBRT combination therapy groups and interactive planning in EBRT combination therapy group may be effective in decreasing the incidence of rectal toxicity

BUROSUMAB IN TUMOR-INDUCED OSTEOMALACIA

Patients with tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO), an acquired paraneoplastic condition characterized by osteomalacia due to hypophosphatemia, exhibit a similar clinical picture to those with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia (XLH). The human monoclonal anti-fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) antibody burosumab (KRN23) increases serum phosphate and improves bone turnover, fracture healing, pain, and physical function in XLH patients by inhibiting circulating FGF23; thus, burosumab is expected to be an effective treatment for TIO. We report here an interim analysis of a multicenter, open-label, intraindividual dose-adjustment study of burosumab (0.3 to 2.0 mg/kg every 4 weeks) in Japanese and Korean TIO patients. The primary endpoint was the fasting serum phosphate level at each visit. Key secondary endpoints were changes over time in bone biomarkers, pharmacodynamic markers, bone histomorphometric parameters, motor function, and patient-reported outcomes. Safety was assessed based on treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Thirteen patients received burosumab treatment, of whom 4 underwent bone biopsy. The mean dose after week 112 was approximately 1.0 mg/kg. After the first burosumab administration, mean serum phosphate levels increased and remained above the lower limit of normal and in the normal range from weeks 14 to 112. Bone biomarkers initially increased, reaching maximum values at week 16 or 24, and then gradually decreased. After burosumab treatment, patients were able to walk further (evaluated by the 6-minute walk test), reported decreased pain levels, and showed a tendency toward healing of baseline fractures and pseudofractures. Two patients discontinued, one each due to disease progression and consent withdrawal. Burosumab was generally well tolerated, with no treatment-related TEAEs of grade ≥3 and no treatment-related serious AEs. In conclusion, the interim results of this first study of burosumab to treat TIO patients indicate that this drug has the potential to provide clinical benefit for patients with unresectable tumors. The full study results are eagerly anticipated

Development of fast-response PPAC with strip-readout for heavy-ion beams

A strip-readout parallel-plate avalanche counter (SR-PPAC) has been developed aiming at the high detection efficiency and good position resolution in high-intensity heavy-ion measurements. The performance was evaluated using 115 MeV/u $^{132}$Xe, 300 MeV/u $^{132}$Sn, and 300 MeV/u $^{48}$Ca beams. A detection efficiency beyond 99% for these beams is achieved even at an incident beam intensity of 0.7 billion particles per second. The best position resolution achieved is 235 um (FWHM).Comment: 16 pages, 18 figures, 2 table