The presence of chronic diseases contributes to the occurrence risk factors for gynecological cancers in Japan

The aim of the present study was to determine whether chronic diseases (CD), such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, heart diseases and cerebrovascular diseases, are occurrence risk factors and affect the survival of patients with gynecological cancers (GC). The correlations between CD and the characteristics and survival of 1,590 GC patients [685 with cervical cancer (CC), 613 with endometrial cancer (EM) and 292 with ovarian cancer (OV)] were investigated in the present study. Of the CD patients, 189 had CC (27.6%), 265 had EM (43.2%) and 72 had OV (24.7%). The incidence of CD increased with age in GC patients. The number of CD patients aged ≥70 years, was 8.6‑fold higher in the CC group, 3.0‑fold higher in the EM group, and 9.6‑fold higher in the OV group compared with those aged 24% of the occurrence risk factors in GC patients in Japan

The Combination of D-dimer and Glasgow Prognostic Score Can Be Useful in Predicting VTE in Patients with Stage IIIC and IVA Ovarian Cancer

Cancer patients have increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that must be assessed before treatment. This study aimed to determine effective VTE biomarkers in gynecologic cancer (GC). We investigated the correlation between D-dimer levels, Khorana risk score (KRS), Glasgow prognostic score (GPS), and VTE in 1499 GC patients (583 cervical cancer (CC), 621 endometrial cancer (EC), and 295 ovarian cancer (OC) patients) treated at our institution between January 2008 and December 2019. χ2 and Mann–Whitney U-tests were used to determine statistical significance. We used receiver operating characteristic-curve analysis to evaluate the discriminatory ability of each parameter. D-dimer levels were significantly correlated with KRS and GPS in patients with GC. VTE was diagnosed in 11 CC (1.9%), 27 EC (4.3%), and 39 OC patients (13.2%). Optimal D-dimer cut-off values for VTE were 3.1, 3.2, and 3.9 μg/ml in CC, EC and OC patients, respectively. D-dimer could significantly predict VTE in all GC patients. Furthermore, D-dimer combined with GPS was more accurate in predicting VTE than other VTE biomarkers in stage IIIC and IVA OC (AUC: 0.846; p<0.001). This study demonstrates that combined D-dimer and GPS are useful in predicting VTE in patients with OC

Stromal micropapillary component as a novel unfavorable prognostic factor of lung adenocarcinoma

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pulmonary adenocarcinomas with a micropapillary component having small papillary tufts and lacking a central fibrovascular core are thought to result in poor prognosis. However, the component consists of tumor cells often floating within alveolar spaces (aerogenous micropapillary component [AMPC]) rather than invading fibrotic stroma observed in other organs like breast (stromal invasive micropapillary component [SMPC]). We previously observed cases of lung adenocarcinoma with predominant SMPC that was associated with micropapillary growth of tumors in fibrotic stroma observed in other organs. We evaluated the incidence and clinicopathological characteristics of SMPC in lung adenocarcinoma cases.</p> <p>Patients and Methods</p> <p>We investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance of SMPC in lung adenocarcinoma cases by reviewing 559 patients who had undergone surgical resection. We examined the SMPC by performing immunohistochemical analysis with 17 antibodies and by genetic analysis with epidermal growth factor receptor (<it>EGFR</it>) and <it>KRAS </it>mutations.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SMPC-positive (SMPC(+)) tumors were observed in 19 cases (3.4%). The presence of SMPC was significantly associated with tumor size, advanced-stage disease, lymph node metastasis, pleural invasion, lymphatic invasion, and vascular invasion. Patients with SMPC(+) tumors had significantly poorer outcomes than those with SMPC-negative tumors. Multivariate analysis revealed that SMPC was a significant independent prognostic factor of lung adenocarcinoma, especially for disease-free survival of pathological stage I patients (<it>p </it>= 0.035). SMPC showed significantly higher expression of E-cadherin and lower expression of CD44 than the corresponding expression levels shown by AMPC and showed lower surfactant apoprotein A and phospho-c-Met expression level than corresponding expression levels shown by tumor cell components without a micropapillary component. Fourteen cases with SMPC(+) tumors (74%) showed <it>EGFR </it>mutations, and none of them showed <it>KRAS </it>mutations.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>SMPC(+) tumors are rare, but they may be associated with a poor prognosis and have different phenotypic and genotypic characteristics from those of AMPC(+) tumors.</p> <p>Virtual Slides</p> <p>The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: <url>http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/9433341526290040</url>.</p

Suppression of HBV replication by the expression of nickase-and nuclease dead-Cas9

Kurihara, T., Fukuhara, T., Ono, C. et al. Suppression of HBV replication by the expression of nickase- and nuclease dead-Cas9. Sci Rep 7, 6122 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05905-

Intranasal immunization with an RBD-hemagglutinin fusion protein harnesses preexisting immunity to enhance antigen-specific responses

Kawai A., Tokunoh N., Kawahara E., et al. Intranasal immunization with an RBD-hemagglutinin fusion protein harnesses preexisting immunity to enhance antigen-specific responses. Journal of Clinical Investigation 133, e166827 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI166827.Intranasal vaccines are anticipated to be powerful tools for combating many infectious diseases, including SARS-CoV-2, because they induce not only systemic immunity but also mucosal immunity at the site of initial infection. However, they are generally inefficient in inducing an antigen-specific immune response without adjuvants. Here, we developed an adjuvant-free intranasal vaccine platform that utilizes the preexisting immunity induced by previous infection or vaccination to enhance vaccine effectiveness. We made RBD-HA, a fusion of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike derived from SARS-CoV-2 as a vaccine target with HA derived from influenza A virus (IAV) as a carrier protein. Intranasal immunization of previously IAV-infected mice with RBD-HA without an adjuvant elicited robust production of RBD-specific systemic IgG and mucosal IgA by utilizing both HA-specific preexisting IgG and CD4+ T cells. Consequently, the mice were efficiently protected from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Additionally, we demonstrated the high versatility of this intranasal vaccine platform by assessing various vaccine antigens and preexisting immunity associated with a variety of infectious diseases. The results of this study suggest the promising potential of this intranasal vaccine platform to address problems associated with intranasal vaccines

Visualizing Nanoscale Distribution of Corrosion Cells by Open-Loop Electric Potential Microscopy

Corrosion is a traditional problem but still one of the most serious problems in industry. To reduce the huge economic loss caused by corrosion, tremendous effort has been made to understand, predict and prevent it. Corrosion phenomena are generally explained by the formation of corrosion cells at a metal-electrolyte interface. However, experimental verification of their nanoscale distribution has been a major challenge owing to the lack of a method able to visualize the local potential distribution in an electrolytic solution. In this study, we have investigated the nanoscale corrosion behavior of Cu fine wires and a duplex stainless steel by in situ imaging of local corrosion cells by open-loop electric potential microscopy (OL-EPM). For both materials, potential images obtained by OL-EPM show nanoscale contrasts, where areas of higher and lower potential correspond to anodic areas (i.e., corrosion sites) and cathodic areas, respectively. This imaging capability allows us to investigate the real-time transition of local corrosion sites even when surface structures show little change. This is particularly useful for investigating reactions under surface oxide layers or highly corrosion-resistant materials as demonstrated here. The proposed technique should be applicable to the study of other redox reactions on a battery electrode or a catalytic material. The results presented here open up such future applications of OL-EPM in nanoscale electrochemistry. © 2016 American Chemical Society.Embargo Period 12 month

Physiological Markers of Motor Improvement Following Five-month Sprint Training in Young Boys

The 11th International Symposium on Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines. Kobe University, Japan. 2023-06-06/09. Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines Organizing Committee.Poster Session P4