Hot spot of millennial scale climate oscillatory mode in glacial climate

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OM] Polar Meteorology and Glaciology, Wed. 4 Dec. / 2F Auditorium, National Institute of Polar Researc

当院で経験したA 型胃炎の４例

A 型胃炎は稀な疾患で，悪性貧血や胃癌，胃NET の発生母地として知られている．抗胃壁細胞抗体陽性，高ガストリン血症，さらに胃体部を中心とした萎縮性胃炎が診断基準とされている．今回，過去１年に４例のA 型胃炎を診断した．全例で自覚症状は見られなかったが，内視鏡検査での逆萎縮所見からA 型胃炎を疑い，胃生検の病理所見と血液検査で確診した．A 型胃炎が他の自己免疫性疾患に合併することが多いとされているが，本症例にも高齢発症のBasedow 病が１例あり，A 型胃炎は日本でも決してまれな疾患ではないと考えられた．診断には内視鏡所見からA 型胃炎を疑うことが重要で，胃生検や血清ガストリンと抗胃壁細胞抗体の測定を行うことにより確診できる．Type A gastritis is a rare disease and is known as a cause of various conditions including pernicious anaemia, gastric cancer and gastric NETs (Neuroendocrine tumour). The diagnostic criteria of type A gastritis include positive parietal cell antibody, hypergastrinaemia and the presence of atrophic gastritis mainly corpus predominantly atrophic gastritis. We diagnosed four cases of type A gastritis in the past year in our hospital. Although they were all asymptomatic, type A gastritis was suspected by the endoscopic findings (the reverse atrophy) and all confirmed by pathological examination of biopsy specimens and blood test subsequently. It is well known that the patients with autoimmune disease are frequently associated with type A gastritis and there is a case of late onset of Basedow’s disease in our case report. Our study suggests that type A gastritis is not as rare as initially thought in Japan. In order to diagnose type A gastritis, it is important to have a high index of suspicion with endoscopic findings, and to confirm it with gastric biopsy, serum gastrin level and parietal cell antibody

Eu3+ Site Distribution and Local Distortion of Photoluminescent Ca3WO6:(Eu3+, K+) Double Perovskites as High‐Color‐Purity Red Phosphors

Abstract In this study, Eu3+ and K+ co‐doped Ca3WO6 double perovskite, a high‐color‐purity red phosphor, is quantitatively investigated using synchrotron X‐ray diffraction Rietveld refinement, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, and high‐resolution PL spectroscopy. The Eu3+ fluorescence line‐narrowing (FLN) results, used to estimate the Eu3+ occupation at given sites (so‐called A and B sites) in the host crystal (A2BMO6; A, B = Ca; M = W), reveal that the Eu3+ ions have a twin distribution in both the A and B sites with high asymmetry ratios of ΛA = 9.7 and ΛB = 10.7, respectively. More interestingly, at lower Eu3+ doping levels, the ions are predominantly located at the B sites (≈75%), indicating that the high color purity of Ca3WO6:(Eu3+, K+) is mainly caused by the high asymmetry ratios of the Eu3+ sites. Rietveld refinement combined with the FLN technique provides more reliable results for increasing the Eu3+ substitution at the A site with Eu3+ and K+ doping concentrations, which lower the lattice energy of Ca3WO6:(Eu3+, K+). The structural distortions owing to K+ co‐doping in terms of the quadratic elongation and bond‐angle variance exhibit good correlations with the Ca(Eu)O12 A‐site cuboctahedra and Ca(Eu)O6 B‐site octahedra, partially accounting for the higher Λ values

Does a difference in ice sheets between Marine Isotope Stages 3 and 5a affect the duration of stadials? Implications from hosing experiments

Glacial periods undergo frequent climate shifts between warm interstadials and cold stadials on a millennial timescale. Recent studies show that the duration of these climate modes varies with the background climate; a colder background climate and lower CO2 generally result in a shorter interstadial and a longer stadial through its impact on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). However, the duration of stadials is shorter during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3) than during MIS5, despite the colder climate in MIS3, suggesting potential control from other climate factors on the duration of stadials. In this study, we investigate the role of glacial ice sheets. For this purpose, freshwater hosing experiments are conducted with an atmosphere–ocean general circulation model under MIS5a and MIS3 boundary conditions, as well as MIS3 boundary conditions with MIS5a ice sheets. The impact of ice sheet differences on the duration of the stadials is evaluated by comparing recovery times of the AMOC after the freshwater forcing is stopped. These experiments show a slightly shorter recovery time of the AMOC during MIS3 compared with MIS5a, which is consistent with ice core data. We find that larger glacial ice sheets in MIS3 shorten the recovery time. Sensitivity experiments show that stronger surface winds over the North Atlantic shorten the recovery time by increasing the surface salinity and decreasing the sea ice amount in the deepwater formation region, which sets favorable conditions for oceanic convection. In contrast, we also find that surface cooling by larger ice sheets tends to increase the recovery time of the AMOC by increasing the sea ice thickness over the deepwater formation region. Thus, this study suggests that the larger ice sheet during MIS3 compared with MIS5a could have contributed to the shortening of stadials in MIS3, despite the climate being colder than that of MIS5a, because surface wind plays a larger role.</p

Amelioration of sexual behavior and motor activity deficits in a castrated rodent model with a selective androgen receptor modulator SARM-2f.

Sarcopenia and cachexia present characteristic features of a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and strength, anorexia, and lack of motivation. Treatments for these diseases have not yet been established, although selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are considered as therapeutic targets. We previously reported that a novel SARM compound, SARM-2f, exhibits anabolic effect on muscles, with less stimulatory effect on prostate weight compared with testosterone, in rat Hershberger assays and cancer cachexia models. In this study, we studied the mechanism of action for SARM-2f selectivity and also assessed whether the muscle increase by this compound might lead to improvement of muscle function and physical activity. First, we examined the tissue distribution of SARM-2f. Tissue concentration was 1.2-, 1.6-, and 1.9-fold as high as the plasma concentration in the levator ani muscle, brain, and prostate, respectively. This result showed that the tissue-selective pharmacological effect did not depend on SARM-2f concentration in the tissues. The ability of SARM-2f to influence androgen receptor (AR)-mediated transcriptional activation was examined by reporter assays using human normal prostate epithelial cells (PrEC) and skeletal muscle cells (SKMC). SARM-2f exerted higher activity against AR in SKMC than in PrEC. Mammalian two hybrid assays showed different co-factor recruitment patterns between SARM-2f and dihydrotestosterone. Next, we studied the effect of SARM-2f on motivation and physical functions such as sexual behavior and motor activities in castrated rat or mouse models. SARM-2f restored the sexual behavior that was lost by castration in male rats. SARM-2f also increased voluntary running distance and locomotor activities. These results suggest that tissue-specific AR regulation by SARM-2f, but not tissue distribution, might account for its tissue specific androgenic effect, and that the muscle mass increase by SARM-2f leads to improvement of physical function. Together, these findings suggest that SARM-2f might represent an effective treatment for sarcopenia and cachexia

Correlation between serum cytokeratin-18 and the progression or regression of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Background. Diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is limited by the need for liver biopsies. Serum cytokeratin 18 (CK-18) levels have been investigated as potential biomarkers for the presence of NAFLD and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Herein, we assessed the correlation between CK-18 levels and NAFLD progression.Material and methods. Serum CK-18 levels were estimated using the M30 antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 147 patients diagnosed with NAFLD. In 72 patients, disease progression was evaluated by repeated liver biopsy, which was conducted after 4.3 ± 2.6 years. The relationship between the CK-18 levels and liver histological findings was assessed.Results. The CK-18 levels were useful for identifying NAFLD patients with NAFLD activity scores (NAS) ≥ 5 (NAS ≥ 5 vs. < 4: 675.1 U/L vs. 348.7 U/L; p < 0.0001). A cut-off value of 375 U/L was calculated using the receiver operating characteristic curve approach, with a specificity and sensitivity of 81.5 and 65%, respectively, for the diagnosis of NASH. Among the 72 patients who underwent repeated liver biopsy, 11 patients with a progressed NAS also had significantly increased serum CK-18 levels (p < 0.01); in 30 patients with an improved NAS, there was a significant improvement in the mean CK-18 levels (p < 0.0001). The 31 patients with static NAS had static CK-18 levels.Conclusions. In conclusion, serum CK-18 levels can predict NAS ≥ 5 in NAFLD patients. In NAFLD patients, serum CK-18 levels reflect NAS values and correlate with histological changes, and they appear to be useful indicators of progression and improvement

IgE Plasma Cell Leukemia Harboring t(11;14) and 1q Amplification

IgE plasma cell neoplasm is the rarest subtype of plasma cell neoplasms and is known for its poor prognosis and high incidence of t(11;14). However, t(11;14) has been classified as a standard-risk rather than high-risk cytogenetic abnormality in multiple myeloma. We have been unable to explain the discrepancy that the hallmark of IgE plasma cell neoplasm with a poor prognosis is a standard-risk cytogenetic abnormality. Here, we report a case of IgE primary plasma cell leukemia with extramedullary lesions of the liver, stomach, and lymph nodes. Plasma cell infiltration was pathologically confirmed in each organ. Cytogenetic analysis of plasma cells revealed t(11;14) and amplification of 1q21. Chemotherapy, with immunomodulatory imide drugs, proteasome inhibitors, and CD38 antibodies, was unsuccessful. In IgE plasma cell neoplasm, coexistence of other cytogenetic abnormalities with t(11;14) may be important. Investigating the presence of cytogenetic abnormalities coexisting with t(11;14) is not only useful for evaluating prognosis but also important for understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. Recently, venetoclax, an oral BCL2 inhibitor, has demonstrated promising efficacy in plasma cell neoplasm patients harboring t(11;14). Development of an effective venetoclax-based regimen for treating aggressive IgE plasma cell neoplasm with t(11;14) is expected