Development of a shutterless continuous rotation method using an X-ray CMOS detector for protein crystallography

A shutterless continuous rotation method using an X-ray complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) detector has been developed for high-speed, precise data collection in protein crystallography. The new method and detector were applied to the structure determination of three proteins by multi- and single-wavelength anomalous diffraction phasing and have thereby been proved to be applicable in protein crystallography

Low CD4/CD8 T-Cell Ratio Associated with Inflammatory Arthropathy in Human T-Cell Leukemia Virus Type I Tax Transgenic Mice

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) can cause an aggressive malignancy known as adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) as well as inflammatory diseases such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A transgenic mouse that expresses HTLV-1 Tax also develops T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and an inflammatory arthropathy that resembles rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to identify the primary T-cell subsets involved in the development of arthropathy in Tax transgenic mice. mRNA was strong in the spleen and joints of arthropathic mice, with a 40-fold increase compared with healthy transgenic mice.Our findings reveal that Tax transgenic mice develop rheumatoid-like arthritis with proliferating synovial cells in the joints; however, the proportion of different splenic T-cell subsets in these mice was completely different from other commonly used animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. The crucial T-cell subsets in arthropathic Tax transgenic mice appear to resemble those in HAM/TSP patients rather than those in rheumatoid arthritis patients

The IASLC Lung Cancer Staging Project: A Renewed Call to Participation

Over the past two decades, the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) Staging Project has been a steady source of evidence-based recommendations for the TNM classification for lung cancer published by the Union for International Cancer Control and the American Joint Committee on Cancer. The Staging and Prognostic Factors Committee of the IASLC is now issuing a call for participation in the next phase of the project, which is designed to inform the ninth edition of the TNM classification for lung cancer. Following the case recruitment model for the eighth edition database, volunteer site participants are asked to submit data on patients whose lung cancer was diagnosed between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2019, to the project by means of a secure, electronic data capture system provided by Cancer Research And Biostatistics in Seattle, Washington. Alternatively, participants may transfer existing data sets. The continued success of the IASLC Staging Project in achieving its objectives will depend on the extent of international participation, the degree to which cases are entered directly into the electronic data capture system, and how closely externally submitted cases conform to the data elements for the project

Current Status of Multi-modality Treatment for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma in Japan

背景.平成18年度文部科学省科学技術振興調整費「アスベスト関連疾患への総括的取り組み」の一環として,我が国における悪性胸膜中皮腫に対する集学的治療の現状を調査した.対象と方法.2002年1月?2006年12月の5年間に悪性胸膜中皮腫に対して胸膜肺全摘術(EPP)を完遂した症例のみを対象とした.アンケートは本プロトコールへの参加表明施設とJCOG参加施設の計69施設に送付し,うち61施設から返答を得た.結果.対象5年間にEPPを完遂した症例は計171例,男性/女性154例/17例,右/左91例/80例,年齢14?78歳,平均59歳.手術後30日以内の死亡は1例(間質性肺炎),在院死は6例(腫瘍再発4例.MRSA膿胸1例,肺梗塞1例).シスプラチンを含む術前化学療法を行った症例は38例,うち12例ではシスプラチンを含む術前化学療法と術後片側全胸郭照射を完遂した.術後生存期間の中央値は23ヶ月であった.結論.我が国の悪性胸腹中皮腫に対するEPPは症例数の増加と安全性の改善が確認された.しかし,集学的治療のfeasibilityに関しては現時点でなお十分なデータが存在しない.Background. We investigated the current status of multi-modality treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma in Japan as part of the campaign entitled "Comprehensive Strategy Against Asbestos-related Diseases" , which was funded by the 2006 Special Coordination Fund for Promoting Science and Technology from the Japan Science and Technology Agency. Methods. We evaluated cases of extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) for malignant pleural mesothelioma between January 2002 and December 2006. A questionnaire was sent to a total of 69 institutions, and was returned by 61 of them. Results. A total of 171 patients underwent EPP for malignant pleural mesothelioma during the study period. They consisted of 154 males and 17 females, and the age ranged between 14 and 78 with the average of 59. The side of EPP was on the right in 91 and on the left in 80 cases. One postoperative death due to interstitial pneumonia and 6 in-hospital deaths due to tumor recurrence (n=4), MRSA empyema (n=1), and pulmonary infarction (n=1) were noted. Preoperative chemotherapy with cisplatin was given in 38 patients, and 12 out of 38 underwent postoperative hemithorax radiation therapy. The median survival was 23 months. Conclusions. The present study showed an increase of cases and also improvement of surgical mortality of EPP for malignant pleural mesothelioma in comparison with former studies. However, we still do not have clinical evidence regarding the feasibility of multi-modality treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma