Immuno-surgical management of pancreatic cancer with analysis of cancer exosomes

Exosomes (EXs), a type of extracellular vesicles secreted from various cells and especially cancer cells, mesenchymal cells, macrophages and other cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), are involved in biologically malignant behaviors of cancers. Recent studies have revealed that EXs contain microRNAs on their inside and express proteins and glycolipids on their outsides, every component of which plays a role in the transmission of genetic and/or epigenetic information in cell-to-cell communications. It is also known that miRNAs are involved in the signal transduction. Thus, EXs may be useful for monitoring the TME of tumor tissues and the invasion and metastasis, processes that are associated with patient survival. Because several solid tumors secrete immune checkpoint proteins, including programmed cell death-ligand 1, the EX-mediated mechanisms are suggested to be potent targets for monitoring patients. Therefore, a companion therapeutic approach against cancer metastasis to distant organs is proposed when surgical removal of the primary tumor is performed. However, EXs and immune checkpoint mechanisms in pancreatic cancer are not fully understood, we provide an update on the recent advances in this field and evidence that EXs will be useful for maximizing patient benefit in precision medicine

Oblique triangular antiferromagnetic phase in CsCu1−x_{1-x}Cox_xCl3_3

The spin-1/2 stacked triangular antiferromagnet CsCu$_{1-x}$Co$_x$Cl$_3$ with $0.015<x<0.032$ undergoes two phase transitions at zero field. The low-temperature phase is produced by the small amount of Co$^{2+}$ doping. In order to investigate the magnetic structures of the two ordered phases, the neutron elastic scattering experiments have been carried out for the sample with $x\approx 0.03$. It is found that the intermediate phase is identical to the ordered phase of CsCuCl$_3$, and that the low-temperature phase is an oblique triangular antiferromagnetic phase in which the spins form a triangular structure in a plane tilted from the basal plane. The tilting angle which is 42$^{\circ}$ at $T=1.6$ K decreases with increasing temperature, and becomes zero at $T_{\rm N2} =7.2$ K. An off-diagonal exchange term is proposed as the origin of the oblique phase.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Overstating the evidence - double counting in meta-analysis and related problems

Background: The problem of missing studies in meta-analysis has received much attention. Less attention has been paid to the more serious problem of double counting of evidence. Methods: Various problems in overstating the precision of results from meta-analyses are described and illustrated with examples, including papers from leading medical journals. These problems include, but are not limited to, simple double-counting of the same studies, double counting of some aspects of the studies, inappropriate imputation of results, and assigning spurious precision to individual studies. Results: Some suggestions are made as to how the quality and reliability of meta-analysis can be improved. It is proposed that the key to quality in meta-analysis lies in the results being transparent and checkable. Conclusions: Existing quality check lists for meta-analysis do little to encourage an appropriate attitude to combining evidence and to statistical analysis. Journals and other relevant organisations should encourage authors to make data available and make methods explicit. They should also act promptly to withdraw meta-analyses when mistakes are found

Risk Factors of Household Transmission of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 among Patients Treated with Antivirals: A Prospective Study at a Primary Clinic in Japan

Background: Household transmission of influenza can affect the daily lives of patients and their families and be a trigger for community transmission, thus it is necessary to take precautions to prevent household transmission. We aimed to determine the risks of household transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus from an index patient who visited a primary clinic and was treated with antiviral drugs. Methods: We followed up all the patients who were diagnosed with influenza A by rapid diagnostic test with a questionnaire or interview from July 2009 to April 2010. Secondary cases were defined as patients visiting the clinic or other clinics and being positive for influenza A by rapid diagnostic test within 7 days of onset of an index patient. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association between household transmission and the studied variables. Results: We recruited 591 index patients and 1629 household contacts. The crude secondary attack rate was 7.3 % [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.1–8.7]. Age of index patients (0–6 years old: odds ratio 2.56; 95 % CI: 1.31–4.01; 7–12 years old: 2.44, 1.31–3.72; 30–39 years old 3.88; 2.09–5.21; 40 years old or more 2.76; 1.17–4.53) and number of household members with five or more (3.09, 2.11–4.07), medication started 48 hours from the onset of fever (2.38, 1.17–3.87) were significantly associated with household transmission. Conclusions: Household transmission was associated with index patients aged #12 years old and adults 30 years wit

Metal [100] Nanowires with Negative Poisson???s Ratio

When materials are under stretching, occurrence of lateral contraction of materials is commonly observed. This is because Poisson???s ratio, the quantity describes the relationship between a lateral strain and applied strain, is positive for nearly all materials. There are some reported structures and materials having negative Poisson???s ratio. However, most of them are at macroscale, and reentrant structures and rigid rotating units are the main mechanisms for their negative Poisson???s ratio behavior. Here, with numerical and theoretical evidence, we show that metal [100] nanowires with asymmetric cross-sections such as rectangle or ellipse can exhibit negative Poisson???s ratio behavior. Furthermore, the negative Poisson???s ratio behavior can be further improved by introducing a hole inside the asymmetric nanowires. We show that the surface effect inducing the asymmetric stresses inside the nanowires is a main origin of the superior property.ope

Spatially Resolved Distribution Function and the Medium-Range Order in Metallic Liquid and Glass

The structural description of disordered systems has been a longstanding challenge in physical science. We propose an atomic cluster alignment method to reveal the development of three-dimensional topological ordering in a metallic liquid as it undercools to form a glass. By analyzing molecular dynamic (MD) simulation trajectories of a Cu64.5Zr35.5 alloy, we show that medium-range order (MRO) develops in the liquid as it approaches the glass transition. Specifically, around Cu sites, we observe “Bergman triacontahedron” packing (icosahedron, dodecahedron and icosahedron) that extends out to the fourth shell, forming an interpenetrating backbone network in the glass. The discovery of Bergman-type MRO from our order-mining technique provides unique insights into the topological ordering near the glass transition and the relationship between metallic glasses and quasicrystals

Distinct roles of the RasGAP family proteins in C. elegans associative learning and memory

The Ras GTPase activating proteins (RasGAPs) are regulators of the conserved Ras/MAPK pathway. Various roles of some of the RasGAPs in learning and memory have been reported in different model systems, yet, there is no comprehensive study to characterize all gap genes in any organism. Here, using reverse genetics and neurobehavioural tests, we studied the role of all known genes of the rasgap family in C. elegans in associative learning and memory. We demonstrated that their proteins are implicated in different parts of the learning and memory processes. We show that gap-1 contribute redundantly with gap-3 to the chemosensation of volatile compounds, gap-1 plays a major role in associative learning, while gap-2 and gap-3 are predominantly required for short- and long-term associative memory. Our results also suggest that the C. elegans Ras orthologue let-60 is involved in multiple processes during learning and memory. Thus, we show that the different classes of RasGAP proteins are all involved in cognitive function and their complex interplay ensures the proper formation and storage of novel information in C. elegans