Usefulness of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography in management strategy for thymic epithelial tumors

Background: This study investigated the usefulness of fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) during the treatment of thymic epithelial tumors in combination with Ki-67 evaluation based on surgical cases in our department. Methods: Between November 2003 and May 2011, 39 patients with thymic epithelial tumor underwent preoperative FDG-PET. The maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of each category within Masaoka stage, World Health Organization classification, tumor diameter, myasthenia gravis, and Ki-67 label index were compared. To examine risk factors for relapse, SUVmax, age, sex, and surgical radicality were investigated in addition to those items. Results: The mean SUVmax was 4.5 (range, 1.2 to 14.6) and was significantly higher for Masaoka stage IV than for I and II (all p < 0.008) and for World Health Organization classified thymic cancer compared with all other types (all p < 0.0001). Mean SUVmax revealed significantly higher values for large tumors than for small tumors (p = 0.02). Mean SUVmax was significantly higher for high Ki-67-positive samples (p = 0.0004), indicating a strong correlation between SUVmax and the Ki-67 label index (ρ = 0.77, p = 0.0001). SUVmax accurately reflected therapeutic efficacy in patients with induction therapy. Univariate analysis revealed Masaoka stages III and IV and pathologically incomplete resection as risk factors for relapse. On multivariate analysis, independent risk factors for relapse comprised only Masaoka stages III and IV. Conclusions: FDG-PET SUVmax does reflect proliferation and invasiveness of thymic epithelial tumors and can provide an index for diagnosis and treatment, although it is not a risk factor for relapse. FDG-PET is also useful for evaluating induction therapy efficacy and detecting relapse. © 2013 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Novel application of low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes to examine colitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Endoscopy capable of fluorescence observation provides histological information on gastrointestinal lesions. We explored the novel application of low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes for fluorescence observation of crypt structure and inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes were applied to the colonic mucosa of normal mice for observation under fluorescence stereomicroscopy system. We also examined mouse models of colitis, which were induced by trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid, dextran sulfate sodium or interleukin-10 deficiency.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Topical application of low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes revealed crypts as ring-shaped fluorescent stains by visualizing the mucin granules of goblet cells. Because of the minimal fluorescence intensity of the low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes in phosphate-buffered saline, it was not necessary to wash the mucosa before the fluorescence observation. 4-Nitro-7-piperazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole (NBD-PZ) was quicker to achieve complete staining (three minutes) than LysoSensor Green DND-153 and DND-189 (20 minutes). In each type of colitis, NBD-PZ revealed the destruction of the crypts as the disappearance of the ring-shaped fluorescent stains and the infiltration of inflammatory cells as the aggregation of punctate fluorescent stains through visualization of lysosomes.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Low pH-dependent fluorescent dyes, especially NBD-PZ, are suitable for topical application to the colonic mucosa and have characteristics that allow for the histological examination of colitis.</p

Discriminative detection of laser-accelerated multi-MeV carbon ions utilizing solid state nuclear track detectors

A new diagnosis method for the discriminative detection of laser‐accelerated multi‐MeV carbon ions from background oxygen ions utilizing solid‐state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) is proposed. The idea is to combine two kinds of SSNTDs having different track registration sensitivities: Bisphenol A polycarbonate detects carbon and the heavier ions, and polyethylene terephthalate detects oxygen and the heavier ions. The method is calibrated with mono‐energetic carbon and oxygen ion beams from the heavy ion accelerator. Based on the calibration data, the method is applied to identify carbon ions accelerated from multilayered graphene targets irradiated by a high‐power laser, where the generation of high‐energy high‐purity carbon ions is expected. It is found that 93 ± 1% of the accelerated heavy ions with energies larger than 14 MeV are carbons. The results thus obtained support that carbon‐rich heavy ion acceleration is achieved

CVIT expert consensus document on primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 2018

While primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has significantly contributed to improve the mortality in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction even in cardiogenic shock, primary PCI is a standard of care in most of Japanese institutions. Whereas there are high numbers of available facilities providing primary PCI in Japan, there are no clear guidelines focusing on procedural aspect of the standardized care. Whilst updated guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction were recently published by European Society of Cardiology, the following major changes are indicated; (1) radial access and drug-eluting stent over bare metal stent were recommended as Class I indication, and (2) complete revascularization before hospital discharge (either immediate or staged) is now considered as Class IIa recommendation. Although the primary PCI is consistently recommended in recent and previous guidelines, the device lag from Europe, the frequent usage of coronary imaging modalities in Japan, and the difference in available medical therapy or mechanical support may prevent direct application of European guidelines to Japanese population. The Task Force on Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics (CVIT) has now proposed the expert consensus document for the management of acute myocardial infarction focusing on procedural aspect of primary PCI

Time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography reveals early structural changes in channelrhodopsin

X線自由電子レーザーを用いて、光照射によるチャネルロドプシンの構造変化の過程を捉えることに成功. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-03-26.Channelrhodopsins (ChRs) are microbial light-gated ion channels utilized in optogenetics to control neural activity with light . Light absorption causes retinal chromophore isomerization and subsequent protein conformational changes visualized as optically distinguished intermediates, coupled with channel opening and closing. However, the detailed molecular events underlying channel gating remain unknown. We performed time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallographic analyses of ChR by using an X-ray free electron laser, which revealed conformational changes following photoactivation. The isomerized retinal adopts a twisted conformation and shifts toward the putative internal proton donor residues, consequently inducing an outward shift of TM3, as well as a local deformation in TM7. These early conformational changes in the pore-forming helices should be the triggers that lead to opening of the ion conducting pore

Mieap, a p53-Inducible Protein, Controls Mitochondrial Quality by Repairing or Eliminating Unhealthy Mitochondria

Maintenance of healthy mitochondria prevents aging, cancer, and a variety of degenerative diseases that are due to the result of defective mitochondrial quality control (MQC). Recently, we discovered a novel mechanism for MQC, in which Mieap induces intramitochondrial lysosome-like organella that plays a critical role in the elimination of oxidized mitochondrial proteins (designated MALM for Mieap-induced accumulation of lysosome-like organelles within mitochondria). However, a large part of the mechanisms for MQC remains unknown. Here, we report additional mechanisms for Mieap-regulated MQC. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavengers completely inhibited MALM. A mitochondrial outer membrane protein NIX interacted with Mieap in a ROS-dependent manner via the BH3 domain of NIX and the coiled-coil domain of Mieap. Deficiency of NIX also completely impaired MALM. When MALM was inhibited, Mieap induced vacuole-like structures (designated as MIV for Mieap-induced vacuole), which engulfed and degraded the unhealthy mitochondria by accumulating lysosomes. The inactivation of p53 severely impaired both MALM and MIV generation, leading to accumulation of unhealthy mitochondria. These results suggest that (1) mitochondrial ROS and NIX are essential factors for MALM, (2) MIV is a novel mechanism for lysosomal degradation of mitochondria, and (3) the p53-Mieap pathway plays a pivotal role in MQC by repairing or eliminating unhealthy mitochondria via MALM or MIV generation, respectively

Robustness of large‐area suspended graphene under interaction with intense laser

Graphene is known as an atomically thin, transparent, highly electrically and thermally conductive, light‐weight, and the strongest 2D material. We investigate disruptive application of graphene asa target of laser‐driven ion acceleration. We develop large‐area suspended graphene (LSG) and by transferring graphene layer by layer we control the thickness with precision down to a single atomic layer. Direct irradiations of the LSG targets generate MeV protons and carbons from sub‐relativistic to relativistic laser intensities from low contrast to high contrast conditions without plasma mirror, evidently showing the durability of graphene

CVIT expert consensus document on primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in 2018

While primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has significantly contributed to improve the mortality in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction even in cardiogenic shock, primary PCI is a standard of care in most of Japanese institutions. Whereas there are high numbers of available facilities providing primary PCI in Japan, there are no clear guidelines focusing on procedural aspect of the standardized care. Whilst updated guidelines for the management of acute myocardial infarction were recently published by European Society of Cardiology, the following major changes are indicated; (1) radial access and drug-eluting stent over bare metal stent were recommended as Class I indication, and (2) complete revascularization before hospital discharge (either immediate or staged) is now considered as Class IIa recommendation. Although the primary PCI is consistently recommended in recent and previous guidelines, the device lag from Europe, the frequent usage of coronary imaging modalities in Japan, and the difference in available medical therapy or mechanical support may prevent direct application of European guidelines to Japanese population. The Task Force on Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of the Japanese Association of Cardiovascular Intervention and Therapeutics (CVIT) has now proposed the expert consensus document for the management of acute myocardial infarction focusing on procedural aspect of primary PCI