The relationship between the expressions of the cell adhesion molecule CD44H, CD44v3, and CD44v6 and metastases in gastric cancer

Expression of CD44 variants in some tissues appears to relate to tumor progression, and particularly to the metastatic potential of some cancers. The aim of this study was to clarify the relation between the expression of CD44 splice variants and tumor metastasis by using CD44v-specific gastric cancer monoclonal antibodies. A total of 110 patients with primary gastric cancer were studied. Histological samples of 70 of the 110 (63.6%) were stained with three monoclonal antibodies directed against the CD44H and CD44 variants (CD44v3, CD44v6) in gastric cancer. The incidence of lymph node metastasis was higher in the CD44H strongerexpression group than in the weaker expression group. No significant correlation could be found between CD44H, CD44V3, or CD44v6 expression and liver metastasis or histological types (differentiated vs.undifferentiated) . Lymph node metastasis correlated with CH44H rather than CD44v3 or CD44v6. These results suggested that CD44H might be a useful marker for lymph node metastasis in resected gas-tric cancer. The 5-year survival rate was 57.3% in the group positively ex-pressing CD44 and 52.4% in the group with negative expression of CD44. Concerning prognosis, we found here that the expression of CD44 is not sig-nificantly associated with increased mortality. Further study of the expression of specific isoforms may help elucidate in more detail the mechanisms of these findings

Tumorigenicity, Motility and Liver Metastasis of Human Gastric Carcinoma Lines with High Metastatic Potential in the Liver of Nude Mice

To analyze the human gastric carcinoma metastasis to the liver, a human gastric carcinoma line, AZ521 was injected into the spleens of nude mice. Cells from the few liver metastatic foci of injected AZ521 were expanded in vitro and subsequently injected into the spleens of nude mice. By repeating these proce-dures five times, we were able to obtain a cell line, designated AZ-H5c, with high metastatic potential in nude mice. It was observed that animals had liver metastasis in 10 of 12 (83%) cases injected with AZ-H5c, whereas only 14% with parental AZ521. The growth activity in vivo of AZ-H5c cells is much more rapid than that of AZ521 cells, but its growth activity in vitro is slower. The mortile activity in vitro of AZ-H5c is stronger than that of AZ521. These results suggest that our model can provide a new approach to basic and clinical studies of cancer metastasis

Ambient fine and coarse particles in Japan affect nasal and bronchial epithelial cells differently and elicit varying immune response

Ambient particulate matter (PM) epidemiologically exacerbates respiratory and immune health, including allergic rhinitis (AR) and bronchial asthma (BA). Although fine and coarse particles can affect respiratory tract, the differences in their effects on the upper and lower respiratory tract and immune system, their underlying mechanism, and the components responsible for the adverse health effects have not been yet completely elucidated. In this study, ambient fine and coarse particles were collected at three different locations in Japan by cyclone technique. Both particles collected at all locations decreased the viability of nasal epithelial cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs), increased the production of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-1β from bronchial epithelial cells and APCs, and induced expression of dendritic and epithelial cell (DEC) 205 on APCs. Differences in inflammatory responses, but not in cytotoxicity, were shown between both particles, and among three locations. Some components such as Ti, Co, Zn, Pb, As, OC (organic carbon) and EC (elemental carbon) showed significant correlations to inflammatory responses or cytotoxicity. These results suggest that ambient fine and coarse particles differently affect nasal and bronchial epithelial cells and immune response, which may depend on particles size diameter, chemical composition and source related particles types

Anti-Tumor Effect against Human Cancer Xenografts by a Fully Human Monoclonal Antibody to a Variant 8-Epitope of CD44R1 Expressed on Cancer Stem Cells

BACKGROUND: CD44 is a major cellular receptor for hyaluronic acids. The stem structure of CD44 encoded by ten normal exons can be enlarged by ten variant exons (v1-v10) by alternative splicing. We have succeeded in preparing MV5 fully human IgM and its class-switched GV5 IgG monoclonal antibody (mAb) recognizing the extracellular domain of a CD44R1 isoform that contains the inserted region coded by variant (v8, v9 and v10) exons and is expressed on the surface of various human epithelial cancer cells. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We demonstrated the growth inhibition of human cancer xenografts by a GV5 IgG mAb reshaped from an MV5 IgM. The epitope recognized by MV5 and GV5 was identified to a v8-coding region by the analysis of mAb binding to various recombinant CD44 proteins by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. GV5 showed preferential reactivity against various malignant human cells versus normal human cells assessed by flow cytometry and immunohistological analysis. When ME180 human uterine cervix carcinoma cells were subcutaneously inoculated to athymic mice with GV5, significant inhibition of tumor formation was observed. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injections of GV5markedly inhibited the growth of visible established tumors from HSC-3 human larynx carcinoma cells that had been subcutaneously transplanted one week before the first treatment with GV5. From in vitro experiments, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and internalization of CD44R1 seemed to be possible mechanisms for in vivo anti-tumor activity by GV5. CONCLUSIONS: CD44R1 is an excellent molecular target for mAb therapy of cancer, possibly superior to molecules targeted by existing therapeutic mAb, such as Trastuzumab and Cetuximab recognizing human epidermal growth factor receptor family

Cu/Si interface fracture due to fatigue of copper film in nanometer scale

In order to investigate the fatigue behavior of metals in nanoscale, a cyclic bending experiment is carried out using a nano-specimen. The specimen includes a copper film with a thickness of 20 nm constrained by highly rigid materials, which yields a high strain region with a size of a few nanometers near the interface edge. The specimen broke before the maximum load in the 7th cycle under fatigue (load range of 18 μN). The load-displacement curve shows nonlinear behavior and a distinct hysteresis loop, indicating plasticity in the Cu film. Reverse yielding appearing after the 2nd cycle suggests the development of a cyclic substructure in the Cu film. The cumulative plastic strain in the Cu film at fracture is more than three times larger than that under monotonic loading. These results indicate that the specimen breaks owing to fatigue of the Cu film on the nanoscale

Evaluation on plastic deformation property of copper nano-film by nano-scale cantilever specimen

We investigate the elasto-plastic deformation properties of a 20-nm-thick copper (Cu) thin film. A nano-scale cantilever specimen is fabricated from multilayer thin films, where the Cu thin film is sandwiched between a silicon nitride layer and a silicon substrate. During bending, the load, P, and displacement, d, are carefully monitored using an electron microscope, and a distinct non-linearity is observed. The plastic constitutive equation of the Cu thin film, which is assumed to obey a power hardening law (σ = Rεn (σ > σy)), is inversely derived by finite element method fitting the experimental results. The residual stress in each layer is experimentally examined, and the effect is included in the inverse analysis. We obtain σ = 3316ε0.29 [MPa] and a yield stress of 765 MPa for the Cu film. The yield stress is about 10 times higher than that of the bulk, and the exponent is also larger. Moreover, inverse analysis based on the bending experiment data, without considering the residual stress, gives a good approximation of the plastic law. This is because the plastic deformation preferentially takes place at the top and bottom surfaces, where the residual stress is relieved during fabrication of the specimen

教員 21 世紀型スキルに資するグローバル教員研修に関する実践的研究 ― Edu21st 尺度による自己効力感の変容に着目してー [Teachers’ self-efficacy on 21st century skills : A case study of an in-service teacher training focusing on international educational reforms]

本研究の目的は，大学教員養成におけるグローバル教員研修が，大学院生（現 職教員・大学生）の「教員 21 世紀型スキル」に関する自己効力感にどのような変容を もたらすかを明らかにすることである。研修は，１ . 対話型ボトムアップ研修，２ ．フィン ランドの教育改革研修，及び，３ ．教科連携の CLIL・STEAM に拠る授業訪問を特徴 とする。次世代の児童・生徒が，学びを実社会へ転移するような教育を実現する教員の 21 世紀型スキルとは何か，国際間比較をとおした俯瞰的な研修を目指す。研究方法は， 『Edu 21st：教員 21 世紀型スキルの自己効力感尺度』の 47 質問項目をもちいた事前 と事後の変容，およびポートフォリオ記述分析である。その結果，Edu21st（３ 因子構 造）で差が認められ，「分析的デザイン思考能力」で最も変化が大きいことが明らかにな り，異分野連携の協働中に起こる異質な考えに対する葛藤への価値付けが見られた。peerReviewe

Adelphocorisella sarika Yasunaga & Shishido & Yamada 2016, new species

Adelphocorisella sarika, new species (Figs. 1A, B, 2 B, C, 4) Material examined. Holotype: male, THAILAND: Nakhon Nayok, Sarika, N14°18'39" E101°18'00", at light, coll. T. Yasunaga, K. Yamada, 16 June 2009 (AMNH _ PBI 00380438) (DOA). Paratypes: THAILAND: 1 male, Nakhon Nayok, Sarika, N14°18'39" E101°18'00", at light, coll. T. Yasunaga, 19 December 2010 (00380439) (TYCN); 1 male, Nakhon Ratchasima, Wang Nam Khieo, Sakaerat Environmental Research Station (SERS), N14°30'27" E101°55'39", 410 m alt., UV light trap, coll. T. Yasunaga, K. Yamada, 12−14 June 2009 (00380440) (TYCN). Diagnosis. Recognised by its smallest size among congeners; generally short antenna; chestnut brown, weakly mottled pronotum and hemelytron (Fig. 1A, B); long metatibia; sharply curved hypophysis of left paramere; triangular, apically pointed hypophysis of right paramere; and broad endosomal spiculum (Fig. 4). A combination of these characters enables this new species to be distinguished from any other species of Adelphocorisella. Description. Body elongate oval, nearly parallel-sided; dorsal surface chestnut brown, widely matte, with uniformly distributed, brown, simple setae and densely distributed, reclining silvery setae (Fig. 1A, B). Head reddish brown, mottled with yellow. Antenna yellowish brown; segment I with reddish brown spots. Labium shiny pale brown, reaching abdominal sternum VI; basal 2/3 of segment I and apical half of IV chocolate brown. Pronotum chestnut brown, weakly shining, slightly mottled anteriorly, with yellow posterior margin; collar reddish brown, matte, speckled with yellow spots; pleura reddish brown, mottled with yellow; ostiolar peritreme creamy yellow; scutellum chestnut brown, somewhat darkened posteriorly, sometimes with pale apex. Hemelytron matte, without significant mottled pattern; lateral margin of embolium narrowly yellow, speckled with red spots; cuneus yellow, with dark base and apex, speckled with red spots; membrane smoky brown, with irregular pale marks posterior to apex of cuneus; membrane vein usually tinged with red. Coxa and leg yellowish brown; procoxa widely reddish brown; meso- and metacoxae each with a reddish brown spot subbasally; all femora speckled with small, reddish brown spots; pro- and mesofemora sanguineous brown basally; metafemur widely chestnut brown dorsally (Fig. 1A, B), with a sanguineous stripe at basal 1/4 along anterior margin (Fig. 2B, C); tibial spines pale or reddish brown. Abdomen matte, yellowish brown, ventrally with a pair of reddish brown stripes (continuing from metacoxae to paired, lateral large marks on pygophore) and with scattered, red, small spots (Fig. 2B). Male genitalia (Fig. 4): Left paramere rather long, with sharply curved hypophysis; right paramere short and broad, with triangular, pointed hypophysis. Apex of phallotheca narrowly keeled. Endosoma with clear sclerite 'c' (sclerite C sensu Malipatil & Chérot, 2002), and comparatively developed, weakly curved and apically tapered spiculum. Female: Unknown. Measurements. Male: Total body length 3.9−4.3; width of head across eyes 0.88−0.94; width of vertex 0.24−0.27; lengths of antennal segments I−IV 0.61−0.64, 1.88−1.94, 1.61−1.72, 0.88−0.98; length of labium 1.96−2.06; basal width of pronotum 1.25−1.28; maximum width across hemelytron 1.49−1.55; and length of metafemur, tibia and tarsus 2.13−2.21, 3.18−3.26, 0.51−0.59. Biology. Unknown; all available specimens were collected at light. Collection records suggest this mirid has two or more generations per year. Etymology. Named for the type locality, Sarika in Nakhon Nayok Province.Published as part of Yasunaga, Tomohide, Shishido, Takayuki & Yamada, Kazutaka, 2016, Two new species of the mirine plant bug genus Adelphocorisella (Insecta: Heteroptera: Miridae: Mirinae: Mirini) from central Thailand, pp. 250-256 in Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 64 on pages 255-256, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.450436