Detection of circulating tumor cells by p75NTR expression in patients with esophageal cancer

Background: The p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) is a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study aimed to assess the use of p75NTR in detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in ESCC. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cell expression of epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) and p75NTR was detected in 23 ESCC patients (13 received chemo or chemoradiotherapy and 10 received curative surgery) and 10 healthy controls by flow cytometry. Results: EpCAM + p75NTR+ cell counts (average ± SD) were significantly higher in patients (n = 23, 16.0 ± 18.3) compared to controls (n = 10, 0.4 ± 0.9, p = 0.013). The sensitivity and specificity to differentiate ESCC patients from controls were 78.3 and 100 % (cut-off value 4.0), respectively. EpCAM + p75NTR+, but not EpCAM + p75NTR- cell counts, correlated with clinically diagnosed distant metastasis (n = 13, p = 0.006) and pathological venous invasion in resected primary tumors (n = 10, p = 0.016). Malignant cytology was microscopically confirmed in isolated EpCAM + p75NTR+ cells with immunocytochemical double staining. Conclusions: p75NTR is suggested to be a useful marker for clinically significant CTCs, which exhibit highly metastatic features in ESCC

New Stand-Alone and Advanced Earthquake Early Warning Systems Designed to Protect Railways

A new earthquake detection and warning system that uses single station records was designed. The system determines the location and magnitude of an earthquake and issues an alarm immediately after arrival of the P wave (primary wave or longitudinal waves). In the conventional system now in use with Shinkansen (“bullet”) trains, magnitude is first determined and then distance is evaluated. In the new system, the distance to an epicenter is initially determined, followed by the magnitude. Findings have shown that the initial rate of increase in P-wave amplitude is inversely proportional to the epicentral distance. This relation can be used to estimate the distance in a time interval as short as 2 or 3 s after arrival of the P wave. Then an estimate of magnitude can be made from the maximum amplitude observed within any given time interval after P-wave arrival. This method is preferable to the conventional one because larger earthquakes involve longer rupture times, and it is questionable whether magnitude can be estimated correctly in such a short time after arrival of the P wave. Another new system uses earthquake early warning (EEW) information. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), which has a seismic network that covers all of Japan, is responsible for routine earthquake and tsunami observations. The new system receives EEW information from JMA together with the information obtained by railway facilities, executes a risk assessment for the areas concerned, and issues an earthquake warning if necessary. The system could effectively cover most of Japan, and the reliability of the information provided may be far better than that produced by the stand-alone system. Also, the system could significantly improve outcomes to early adjustments of train operations in the event of an earthquake

Positive magnetic susceptibility in polygonal nanotube tori

publishe

Delayed increase in stone tool cutting-edge productivity at the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition in southern Jordan

Abstract Although the lithic cutting-edge productivity has long been recognized as a quantifiable aspect of prehistoric human technological evolution, there remains uncertainty how the productivity changed during the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition. Here we present the cutting-edge productivity of eight lithic assemblages in the eastern Mediterranean region that represent a chrono-cultural sequence including the Late Middle Paleolithic, Initial Upper Paleolithic, the Early Upper Paleolithic, and the Epipaleolithic. The results show that a major increase in the cutting-edge productivity does not coincide with the conventional Middle-Upper Paleolithic boundary characterized by the increase in blades in the Initial Upper Paleolithic, but it occurs later in association with the development of bladelet technology in the Early Upper Paleolithic. Given increasing discussions on the complexity of Middle-Upper Paleolithic cultural changes, it may be fruitful to have a long-term perspective and employ consistent criteria for diachronic comparisons to make objective assessment of how cultural changes proceeded across conventional chrono-cultural boundaries

Acute hepatitis C in HIV-1 infected Japanese Cohort: single center retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: HCV co-infection is a poor prognostic factor in HIV-1-infected patients. Although the number of newly reported patients who show seroconversion is increasing, the clinical features are still unclear, especially in Asian countries. DESIGN: A single-center retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed between 2001-2012. METHODS: Acute hepatitis C (AHC) was diagnosed upon detection of high serum ALT (>100 IU) followed by anti-HCV seroconversion. Clinical characteristics, HIV-1-related immunological status and IL-28B genotypes (rs12979860, rs8099917) were collected. We compared these variables between patients with and without spontaneous clearance of HCV and between responders and non-responders to treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin. RESULTS: Thirty-five patients were diagnosed with AHC during the study period. The majority (96.9%) were MSM. Three were lost to follow-up. Seventy-five percent of patients with AHC (24/32) were asymptomatic and found incidentally to have high serum ALT. Compared to those who did not show spontaneous clearance, patients with spontaneous HCV viral clearance showed more symptoms and more severe abnormalities related to acute hepatitis. Spontaneous clearance was seen in 4 out of 28 patients with CC+TT genotype, but not in 6 patients with IL-28B CT+TG genotype. PEG-IFN plus ribavirin treatment was initiated in 12 out of 28 cases without spontaneous clearance. The sustained virological response rate was high (81.8%, 9/11), even in cases with CT+TG genotype infected with HCV genotype 1b (SVR 2/2). CONCLUSIONS: Careful attention to AHC is needed in HIV-1-infected MSM. Early diagnosis and PEG-IFN plus ribavirin treatment should be considered for AHC cases