Sorafenib Prevents Escape from Host Immunity in Liver Cirrhosis Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Purpose. It has been reported that Th2 cytokines downregulate antitumor immunity, while activation of type T cells promotes antitumor immunity. The aim of this paper was to evaluate host immunity in liver cirrhosis (LC) patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (aHCC) receiving sorafenib therapy. Methods. Forty-five adult Japanese LC patients received sorafenib for aHCC between 2009 and 2011 at our hospital. Sorafenib was administered at a dose of 200–800 mg/day for 4 weeks. Blood samples were collected before and after treatment. Results. Eleven patients were treated with sorafenib at 200 mg/day (200 group), 27 patients received sorafenib at 400 mg/day (400 group), and 7 patients were given sorafenib at 800 mg/day (800 group). There was no significant change in the percentage of Th1 cells after treatment in any group. However, the percentages of Th2 cells and regulatory T cells were significantly decreased after treatment in the 400 group and 800 group compared with before treatment, although there was no significant change after treatment in the 200 group. Conclusions. These results indicate that treatment with sorafenib might induce Th1 dominance and prevent the escape of tumor cells from the host immune system in LC patients with aHCC

Magnetic Nanoparticles in the Interstellar Medium: Emission Spectrum and Polarization

The presence of ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic nanoparticles in the interstellar medium would give rise to magnetic dipole radiation at microwave and submm frequencies. Such grains may account for the strong mm-wavelength emission observed from a number of low-metallicity galaxies, including the Small Magellanic Cloud. We show how to calculate the absorption and scattering cross sections for such grains, with particular attention to metallic Fe, magnetite Fe3O4, and maghemite gamma-Fe2O3, all potentially present in the interstellar medium. The rate of Davis-Greenstein alignment by magnetic dissipation is also estimated. We determine the temperature of free-flying magnetic grains heated by starlight and we calculate the polarization of the magnetic dipole emission from both free-fliers and inclusions. For inclusions, the magnetic dipole emission is expected to be polarized orthogonally relative to the normal electric dipole radiation. Finally, we present self-consistent dielectric functions for metallic Fe, magnetite Fe3O4, and maghemite gamma-Fe2O3, enabling calculation of absorption and scattering cross sections from microwave to X-ray wavelengths.Comment: submitted to Ap.J. Fig. 10 has been corrected. Minor changes to the discussion in section 10.2.

Aerodynamic scaling for estimating the mean height of dense canopies

We used an aerodynamic method to objectively determine the representative canopy height, using standard meteorological measurements. The canopy height may change if the tree height is used to represent the actual canopy, but little work to date has focused on creating a standard for determining the representative canopy height. Here we propose the ‘aerodynamic canopy height’ ha as the most effective means of resolving the representative canopy height for all forests. We determined ha by simple linear regression between zero-plane displacement d and roughness length z0, without the need for stand inventory data. The applicability of ha was confirmed in five different forests, including a forest with a complex canopy structure. Comparison with stand inventory data showed that ha was almost equivalent to the representative height of trees composing the crown surface if the forest had a simple structure, or to the representative height of taller trees composing the upper canopy in forests with a complex canopy structure. The linear relationship between d and z0 was explained by assuming that the logarithmic wind profile above the canopy and the exponential wind profile within the canopy were continuous and smooth at canopy height. This was supported by observations, which showed that ha was essentially the same as the height defined by the inflection point of the vertical profile of wind speed. The applicability of ha was also verified using data from several previous studies

Quantification of Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3 in Environmental Water by Using an External Standard Virus▿

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3), a lethal DNA virus that spreads in natural lakes and rivers, infects common carp and koi. We established a quantification method for CyHV-3 that includes a viral concentration method and quantitative PCR combined with an external standard virus. Viral concentration methods were compared using the cation-coated filter and ultrafiltration methods. The recovery of virus-like particles was similar for the two methods (cation-coated filter method, 44% ± 19%, n = 3; ultrafiltration method, 50% ± 3%, n = 3); however, the former method was faster and more suitable for routine determinations. The recovery of seeded CyHV-3 based on the cation-coated filter method varied by more than 3 orders of magnitude among the water samples. The recovery yield of CyHV-3 was significantly correlated with that of the seeded λ phage, and the average ratio of λ to the CyHV-3 recovery yield was 1.4, indicating that λ is useful as an external standard virus for determining the recovery yield of CyHV-3. Therefore, to quantify CyHV-3 in environmental water, a known amount of λ was added as an external standard virus to each water sample. Using this method, CyHV-3 DNA was detected in 6 of the 10 (60%) types of environmental water tested; the highest concentration of CyHV-3 DNA was 2 × 105 copies liter−1. The lowest recovery limit of CyHV-3 DNA was 60 copies liter−1. This method is practical for monitoring CyHV-3 abundance in environmental water

Effects of an internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) intervention on improving depressive symptoms and work-related outcomes among nurses in Japan:a protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Depression is a major problem among nurses; hence, it is important to develop a primary prevention strategy to manage depression among nurses. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) study aims to investigate the effects of a newly developed internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) program on depressive symptoms, measured at baseline and three- and six-month follow-ups, among nurses in Japan. METHODS: Nurses working at three university hospitals, one public hospital, and twelve private hospitals who meet inclusion criteria will be recruited and randomized either to the intervention group or the control group (planned N = 525 for each group). The newly developed iCBT program for nurses consists of six modules, which cover different components of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); transactional stress model (in module 1), self-monitoring skills (in module 2), behavioral activation skills (in module 3), cognitive restructuring skills (in modules 4 and 5), relaxation skills (in module 5), and problem-solving skills (in module 6). Participants in the intervention group will be asked to read these modules within 9 weeks. The primary outcome will be depressive symptoms as assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) at baseline, three-, and six-month follow-ups. DISCUSSION: The greatest strength of this study is that it is the first RCT to test the effectiveness of the iCBT program in improving depressive symptoms among nurses. A major limitation is that all measurements, including major depressive episodes, are self-reported and may be affected by situational factors at work and participants' perceptions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network clinical trials registry (UMIN-CTR; ID =  UMIN000033521 ) (Date of registration: August 1, 2018)

Comprehensive and innovative techniques for liver transplantation in rats: A surgical guide

AIM: To investigate our learning curves of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) in rats and the most important factor for successful surgery

Genome sequence and analysis of the Japanese morning glory Ipomoea nil

Ipomoea is the largest genus in the family Convolvulaceae. Ipomoea nil (Japanese morning glory) has been utilized as a model plant to study the genetic basis of floricultural traits, with over 1, 500 mutant lines. In the present study, we have utilized second- and third-generation-sequencing platforms, and have reported a draft genome of I. nil with a scaffold N50 of 2.88 Mb (contig N50 of 1.87 Mb), covering 98% of the 750 Mb genome. Scaffolds covering 91.42% of the assembly are anchored to 15 pseudo-chromosomes. The draft genome has enabled the identification and cataloguing of the Tpn1 family transposons, known as the major mutagen of I. nil, and analysing the dwarf gene, CONTRACTED, located on the genetic map published in 1956. Comparative genomics has suggested that a whole genome duplication in Convolvulaceae, distinct from the recent Solanaceae event, has occurred after the divergence of the two sister families