Chiral spin-wave edge modes in dipolar magnetic thin films

Based on a linearized Landau-Lifshitz equation, we show that two-dimensional periodic allay of ferromagnetic particles coupled with magnetic dipole-dipole interactions supports chiral spin-wave edge modes, when subjected under the magnetic field applied perpendicular to the plane. The mode propagates along a one-dimensional boundary of the system in a unidirectional way and it always has a chiral dispersion within a band gap for spin-wave volume modes. Contrary to the well-known Damon-Eshbach surface mode, the sense of the rotation depends not only on the direction of the field but also on the strength of the field; its chiral direction is generally determined by the sum of the so-called Chern integers defined for spin-wave volume modes below the band gap. Using simple tight-binding descriptions, we explain how the magnetic dipolar interaction endows spin-wave volume modes with non-zero Chern integers and how their values will be changed by the field.Comment: 18 pages, 16 figures, some trivial typo in equations are fixe

Topological chiral magnonic edge mode in a magnonic crystal

Topological phases have been explored in various fields in physics such as spintronics, photonics, liquid helium, correlated electron system and cold-atomic system. This leads to the recent foundation of emerging materials such as topological band insulators, topological photonic crystals and topological superconductors/superfluid. In this paper, we propose a topological magnonic crystal which provides protected chiral edge modes for magnetostatic spin waves. Based on a linearized Landau-Lifshitz equation, we show that a magnonic crystal with the dipolar interaction acquires spin-wave volume-mode band with non-zero Chern integer. We argue that such magnonic systems are accompanied by the same integer numbers of chiral spin-wave edge modes within a band gap for the volume-mode bands. In these edge modes, the spin wave propagates in a unidirectional manner without being scattered backward, which implements novel fault-tolerant spintronic devices.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

ANGPTL4 promotes the progression of cutaneous melanoma to brain metastasis.

In an ongoing effort to identify molecular determinants regulating melanoma brain metastasis, we previously identified Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) as a component of the molecular signature of such metastases. The aim of this study was to determine the functional significance of ANGPTL4 in the shaping of melanoma malignancy phenotype, especially in the establishment of brain metastasis. We confirmed that ANGPTL4 expression is significantly higher in cells metastasizing to the brain than in cells from the cutaneous (local) tumor from the same melanoma in a nude mouse xenograft model, and also in paired clinical specimens of melanoma metastases than in primary melanomas from the same patients. In vitro experiments indicated that brain-derived soluble factors and transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) up-regulated ANGPTL4 expression by melanoma cells. Forced over-expression of ANGPTL4 in cutaneous melanoma cells promoted their ability to adhere and transmigrate brain endothelial cells. Over-expressing ANGPTL4 in cells derived from brain metastases resulted in the opposite effects. In vivo data indicated that forced overexpression of ANGPTL4 promoted the tumorigenicity of cutaneous melanoma cells but did not increase their ability to form brain metastasis. This finding can be explained by inhibitory activities of brain-derived soluble factors. Taken together these findings indicate that ANGPTL4 promotes the malignancy phenotype of primary melanomas of risk to metastasize to the brain

CCR4 is a determinant of melanoma brain metastasis.

We previously identified the chemokine receptor CCR4 as part of the molecular signature of melanoma brain metastasis. The aim of this study was to determine the functional significance of CCR4 in melanoma brain metastasis. We show that CCR4 is more highly expressed by brain metastasizing melanoma cells than by local cutaneous cells from the same melanoma. Moreover, we found that the expression of CCR4 is significantly higher in paired clinical specimens of melanoma metastases than in samples of primary tumors from the same patients. Notably, the expression of the CCR4 ligands, Ccl22 and Ccl17 is upregulated at the earliest stages of brain metastasis, and precedes the infiltration of melanoma cells to the brain. In-vitro, CCL17 induced migration and transendothelial migration of melanoma cells. Functionally, human melanoma cells over-expressing CCR4 were more tumorigenic and produced a higher load of spontaneous brain micrometastasis than control cells. Blocking CCR4 with a small molecule CCR4 antagonist in-vivo, reduced the tumorigenicity and micrometastasis formation of melanoma cells. Taken together, these findings implicate CCR4 as a driver of melanoma brain metastasis

Regeneration Enhances Metastasis: A Novel Role for Neurovascular Signaling in Promoting Melanoma Brain Metastasis

Neural repair after stroke involves initiation of a cellular proliferative program in the form of angiogenesis, neurogenesis, and molecular growth signals in the surrounding tissue elements. This cellular environment constitutes a niche in which regeneration of new blood vessels and new neurons leads to partial tissue repair after stroke. Cancer metastasis has similar proliferative cellular events in the brain and other organs. Do cancer and CNS tissue repair share similar cellular processes? In this study, we identify a novel role of the regenerative neurovascular niche induced by stroke in promoting brain melanoma metastasis through enhancing cellular interactions with surrounding niche components. Repair-mediated neurovascular signaling induces metastatic cells to express genes crucial to metastasis. Mimicking stroke-like conditions in vitro displays an enhancement of metastatic migration potential and allows for the determination of cell-specific signals produced by the regenerative neurovascular niche. Comparative analysis of both in vitro and in vivo expression profiles reveals a major contribution of endothelial cells in mediating melanoma metastasis. These results point to a previously undiscovered role of the regenerative neurovascular niche in shaping the tumor microenvironment and brain metastatic landscape

Reference values for the locomotive syndrome risk test quantifying mobility of 8681 adults aged 20–89 years: A cross-sectional nationwide study in Japan

Background The locomotive syndrome risk test was developed to quantify the decrease in mobility among adults, which could eventually lead to disability. The purpose of this study was to establish reference values for the locomotive syndrome risk test for adults and investigate the influence of age and sex. Methods We analyzed 8681 independent community dwellers (3607 men, 5074 women). Data pertaining to locomotive syndrome risk test (the two-step test, the stand-up test, and the 25-question geriatric locomotive function scale [GLFS-25]) scores were collected from seven administrative areas of Japan. Results The reference values of the three test scores were generated and all three test scores gradually decreased among young-to-middle-aged individuals and rapidly decreased in individuals aged over 60 years. The stand-up test score began decreasing significantly from the age of 30 years. The trajectories of decrease in the two-step test score with age was slightly different between men and women especially among the middle-aged individuals. The two physical test scores were more sensitive to aging than the self-reported test score. Conclusion The reference values generated in this study could be employed to determine whether an individual has mobility comparable to independent community dwellers of the same age and sex

Changes in care managers’ positive attitudes toward dying patients compared to that of nurses by one-day online advance care planning communication training

Background: Culturally appropriate communication training programs for a wide range of professions that can be used during infection epidemics are crucial for advance care planning implementation. Starting in 2018, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare made a major policy change, and doctors, nurses, and social workers, and care managers were identified in the guidelines as the professions that promote advance care planning. Motivated by the lack of online programs for Japanese care managers, we proposed a new one-day program. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the changes in the positive attitude of care managers toward dying patients compared to that of nurses, which has been used in past literature as an outcome of advance care planning educational interventions, after administering the program in Japan. Design: Before-after comparison study. Methods: Care managers were recruited through our website, ACP-Piece, http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/~acp-piece/piece.html . A questionnaire survey concerning positive attitudes toward dying patients was administered before and after the program on 28 August 2021. Sixty-six subjects participated in the training and 60 participants, including 14 care managers, consented to the study and completed the questionnaire surveys before and after the program. Results: The Frommelt attitude toward care of the dying scores for care managers increased after the program ( p -values, confidence intervals, and effect sizes: p  < 0.001, −11.90 to −4.388, −1.252). After training, care managers had a significantly higher maximum score occurrence than nurses. Older care managers with advance care planning experience may have had a higher maximum score occurrence compared to younger, inexperienced participants. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first to demonstrate the increased positive attitude scores toward dying patients after online communication training for Japanese care managers. The limitations of this study include the lack of evidence regarding reasons for score changes, long-term score changes, and effectiveness for patients and their families

Primary Fallopian Tube Carcinoma Presenting with a Massive Inguinal Tumor: A Case Report and Literature Review

Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) has characteristics similar to those of ovarian carcinoma. The typical course of PFTC metastasis includes peritoneal dissemination and pelvic and paraaortic lymph node metastasis, while inguinal lymph node metastasis is rare. Moreover, the initial presentation of PFTC with an inguinal tumor is extremely rare. A 77-year-old postmenopausal woman presented with a massive 12-cm inguinal subcutaneous tumor. After tumor resection, histopathological and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the tumor was a high-grade serous carcinoma of gynecological origin. Subsequent surgery for total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy revealed that the tumor developed in the fallopian tube. She received adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by maintenance therapy with niraparib. There has been no recurrence or metastasis 9 months after the second surgery. We reviewed the literature for cases of PFTC and ovarian carcinoma that initially presented with an inguinal tumor. In compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews guidelines, a systematic literature search was performed through 31 January 2022 using the PubMed and Google scholar databases and identified 14 cases. In half of them, it was difficult to identify the primary site using preoperative imaging modalities. Disease recurrence occurred in two cases; thus, the prognosis of this type of PFTC appears to be good