Magnetically tunable control of light reflection in an unusual optical protein of squid

In this study, we focused on the magnetically tunable changes in the reflectivity of the protein reflectin, which is generated by squid and used to control their body surface color for camouflage in seawater. A cellular organelle called an iridosome was separated from the skin of the dorsal part of a squid (cuttlefish; Sepia esculenta), and the light reflection dynamics of iridosomes containing reflectin were measured with and without exposure to a magnetic field of 500 mT. The magnetic field induced both steady and transient increases of reflection by the iridosomes, suggesting that a reversible conformational change occurred inside the iridosomes when the magnetic field was switched on and off. The intensity of light scattering perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field increased when the magnetic field was applied. This kind of behavior (Type I) occurred in the majority (60%) of the measured samples. Another kind of reflection change (Type II) was a transient increase in light reflection. It is speculated that the wave-shaped structure of the lipid membrane connected to reflectin proteins changed to enhance the light reflection of reflectin by altering the diamagnetic orientation of the lipid layer in the bent part of the membrane under the applied magnetic field. Overall, our results suggest that the mesoscale lipid layers changed their alignment diamagnetically and the length between iridescent layers was modified by the magnetic field, even though no obvious change in alignment occurred at the microscale.This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B) Grant Number (16H03169)

Surgery for Multiple Primary Cancer Involving the Lung

Surgical treatment for synchronous multiple primary cancer involving the lung was evaluated on the basis of clinical experience with the treatment of three patients. It is emphasized that careful clinical examination to prevent overlook of secon

Effect of Intravenous Immunostimulant (OK-432)

To clarify the effectiveness of OK-432, immunopotentiator was intravenously used. The tumor-bearing host was apparently stimulated via NK activity and increased the number of T cells and B cells. It helps immunodepressed host to level up quickly. However, further effective immunostimulation beyond the normal range could not be expected. A new combined method should be found to be immunopotentiated even for the uncompromized host. Recently, a new immunostimulant derived from streptococcus, OK-432, was widely used for the treatment of cancer in Japan. The cytostatic and cytotoxic actions of OK-432 for cancer cells have been made clear by in vitro and vivo study. It, however, is not clear as to how the developing immunostimulated states differ on the condition of admistering route, dosis or time-intlrval. In this series, the effects of intravenous administration of OK-432 as the host immunostimulator were compared with those of conventional subcutaneous administration

Surgical treatment of bronchogenic carcinoma in patients over the age of 80 years old

From 1979 to 1986, pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma were performed in twelve patients over age 80. There were ten men and twowomen. The ages of the patients were 81 in three, 82 in three, 83 in four and 84 in two. The histologic cell types were adenocarcinoma in seven patients, squamous cell carcinoma in four, and large cell carcinoma in one. Eight patients were Stage I (T1 N0 M0 4 and T2 N0 M0 4) 3 were Stage III (T2 N2 M0 2 and T3 N1 M0 1) and one was Stage VI. The operative procedures undertaken were lobectomy in 5, segmentectomy in 3 and wedge resection in 4. Mediastinal nodes dissection was performed in 6 patients. There were ten curative resection and 2 were incurative. No operative deaths occured. 6 patients had dies, 2 of their disease, 2 of gastric cancer and 2 of other disease 5-50 months after operation. 6 patients are alive and well without disease 10-54 months after surgery. The results of this report indicate that pulmonary resections can be performed safely with low mortality and longterm survival in the patients over the age of 80. Because pulmonary resection for bronchogenic carcinoma remains the only effective form of therapy, the decision on whether to perform a pulmonary resections in patients over age 80 should be based not on age but on the patient\u27s cardiovascular status and pulmonary reserve

Changes of Concentrations of Free Amino Acids in HeLa Cells Induced by Antitumor Agent

In this report we have investigated that the amino acid is most actively metabolized in the tumor cells damaged by antitumor agents, and discussed imbalanced amino acid procedure to be combined with cancer chemotherapy. The concentrations of 24 free amino acids in medium and in cells were determined in HeLa cells treated with Adriamycin. The free amino acids that decreased in the medium but increased in cells were glutamine and arginine. From this result, we treated HeLa cells with Adriamycin in medium of glutamine-deficiency and obtained a marked cytocidal effect. It would be difficult to make tumor tissues of glutamine-depletion in the whole body. For clinical application, local administration such as intraarterial infusion of L-glutamine antagonists combined with antitumor agents is expected as a practical administration method

Significance of Bilateral Mediastinal Lymph Nodes Dissection through Median Sternotomy in Non-Small Lung Cancer

We report therapeutic results of bilateral mediastinal lymph nodes dissection through median sternotomy in 8 cases. The prognosis was poor in N3 cases by pathological diagnosis. The cases suspected to have contralateral mediastinal lymph node metastasis by preoperative imaging diagnosis may include N2. Then, appropriate preoperative diagnosis by mediastinoscopy, etc. is important. However, mediastinoscopy can not be complete, and so it is an option to conduct bilateral dissection positively in the who may be N3. Cytobiological prognosis evaluation was not useful in these patients of advanced cancer

Bilateral Breast Cancer

Fifteen patients with bilateral breast cancer were clinically analyzed on the basis of a result of surgical treatment, in whom eight patients had bilateral synchronous breast cancer, four were non-synchronous and the remaining three were metastatic breast cancer, respectively. The prognosis of patients with bilateral breast cancer was not pessimistic, indicating that it depended on the disease stages of each cancer. On the other hand, it was emphasized that the prognosis of patients with bilateral metastatic breast cancer was extremely poor. Surgeons should be aware of high risk of contralateral breast cancer in careful follow-up following mastectomy for breast cancer. It is generally accepted that patients with cancer of one breast have a higher than average risk of developing cancer of the opposite breast. It is not so rare that bilateral breast tumors are seen in an identical patient on account of the effectiveness of high resolution mammography and sonography in early detection. It is known that a cancer of one breast means the most frequent precancerous lesion of the opposite breast. Bilateral breast cancer may occur in any of the following ways. 1. Bilateral simultaneous breast cancer occurring independently in both breasts and at the same time (syncronous). 2. Bilateral primary non-simultaneous breast cancer occurring independently in each breast but at different times (asynchronous). 3. Bilateral secondary breast cancer occurring either simultaneously or non-simultaneously but as one of the manifestations of metastatic dissemination. However, despite these simple definitions, there is often great difficulty in determining the exact type of bilateral breast cancer under consideration, in particular, identifying second primary cancer from metastatic one. In this study, bilateral breast cancers were clinicopathologically reviewed on the basis of a result of surgical treatment at the First Department of Surgery, Nagasaki University School of Medicine

Clinical Application of Lung Cancer Cell DNA Analysis

Nuclear DNA patterns were evaluated for 115 lung cancers which were surgically resected. Seventeen percent showed diploidy pattern and 83% were aneuploidy. The 3-year survival was 90% in those who showed diploid and 58% in those who revealed aneuploid in analysis of nuclear DNA patterns. In conclusion determination of nuclear DNA pattern for lung cancer cells is of clinical value to assess the surgical outcome besides the histochemical evaluation

Rupture of the major bronchi following closed injury to the chest

Rupture of the major bronchi following closed injury to the chest is comparatively rare. However, an increasing incidence of this condition is to be expected as the number of automobile accidents continued to rise. During the past 25 years we have had experiences with the management of four cases of traumatic rupture of the bronchus due to non-penetrating trauma. These cases are described here