Clonal origin of Epstein-Barr virus-infected T/NK-cell subpopulations in chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection

Clonal expansion of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infected B-cells occasionally occurs in immunocompromized subjects. EBV-infected T/natural killer (NK)-cells proliferate in patients with chronic active EBV infection (CAEBV) that is a rare mononucleosis syndrome. It is classified into either T-cell type or NK-cell type according to the primary target of infection, while the pathogenesis remains unclear. To search the clonal origin of EBV-infected T/NK-cells, virus distribution and clonotype were assessed by using highly purified cell fractions obtained from 6 patients. Patient 1 had a monoclonal proliferation of EBV-infected T-cell receptor Vδ2/Vγ9-expressing cells, and carried lower copy number of EBV in αβT-cells. Patients 2 and 3 had a clonal expansion of EBV-infected CD4+T-cells, and lower EBV load in CD56+cells. Patients 4, 5 and 6 had an expansion of CD56+cells with higher EBV load than CD3+cells. EBV-terminal repeats were determined as clonal bands in the minor targeted populations of 5 patients. The size of terminal repeats indicated the same clonotype in minor subsets as in major subsets of 4 patients. However, EBV was not detected in bone marrow-derived lineage negative CD34+cells of patients. These results suggested that EBV could infect T/NK-cells at differentiation stage, but spared bone marrow CD34+hematopoietic stem cells in CAEBV patients

Penetration of the sigmoid colon to the posterior uterine wall secondary to diverticulitis: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Penetration of the colon to the posterior uterine wall secondary to diverticulitis is unusual, with diagnostic methods not yet established. Non-invasive imaging, such as computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging may help to establish a proper diagnosis, but confirmation may be reached only after surgical exploration.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a 78-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a low grade fever and mild diarrhea which occurred two or three times a week. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a capsular lesion including an air structure with a diameter of 5 cm, between the posterior aspect of the uterine body and the sigmoid colon. A gastrograffin enema and colonoscopy demonstrated a giant diverticulum of the sigmoid colon with no evidence of malignancy. These data confirmed the diagnosis of diverticulitis complicated by a giant diverticulum. Because of a relapsing fever after therapy with antibiotics, the patient had en bloc surgical treatment of the uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries and sigmoid colon, the organs involved in the diverticulitis, followed by an uneventful recovery.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is a rare case report of penetration of the sigmoid colon to the posterior uterine wall secondary to diverticulitis.</p

Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction complicated with esophageal varices: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Standard endoscopic mucosal resection or endoscopic submucosal dissection is a procedure for patients with minute cancers, complicated with esophageal varices that puts them at high risk of bleeding.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We present the case of a 77-year-old Japanese man with alcoholic cirrhosis who underwent a routine endoscopy examination as a screening procedure for esophageal varices and was incidentally diagnosed as having minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction with esophageal varices. Endoscopic ultrasonography findings suggested that the minute cancer was a non-invasive carcinoma (carcinoma <it>in situ</it>) and a 2 mm in diameter blood vessel, feeding the esophageal varices, pierced the lesion. Following the examination, we carried out endoscopic treatment of the minute cancer and esophageal varices. Endoscopic variceal ligation was performed using a pneumo-activated device (Sumitomo Bakelite, Tokyo, Japan). Two years after the treatment, during the follow-up endoscopic examination on the patient, recurrence of carcinoma was not detected endoscopically or histologically.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Endoscopic therapy using an endoscopic variceal ligation device for minute cancer of the esophagogastric junction, complicated with esophageal varices, may be an acceptable and easily applicable method.</p

Single-shot laser-driven neutron resonance spectroscopy for temperature profiling

Lan Z., Arikawa Y., Mirfayzi S.R., et al. Single-shot laser-driven neutron resonance spectroscopy for temperature profiling. Nature Communications 15, 5365 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49142-y.The temperature measurement of material inside of an object is one of the key technologies for control of dynamical processes. For this purpose, various techniques such as laser-based thermography and phase-contrast imaging thermography have been studied. However, it is, in principle, impossible to measure the temperature of an element inside of an object using these techniques. One of the possible solutions is measurements of Doppler brooding effect in neutron resonance absorption (NRA). Here we present a method to measure the temperature of an element or an isotope inside of an object using NRA with a single neutron pulse of approximately 100 ns width provided from a high-power laser. We demonstrate temperature measurements of a tantalum (Ta) metallic foil heated from the room temperature up to 617 K. Although the neutron energy resolution is fluctuated from shot to shot, we obtain the temperature dependence of resonance Doppler broadening using a reference of a silver (Ag) foil kept to the room temperature. A free gas model well reproduces the results. This method enables element(isotope)-sensitive thermometry to detect the instantaneous temperature rise in dynamical processes

Magnetized Fast Isochoric Laser Heating for Efficient Creation of Ultra-High-Energy-Density States

The quest for the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) ignition is a grand challenge, as exemplified by extraordinary large laser facilities. Fast isochoric heating of a pre-compressed plasma core with a high-intensity short-pulse laser is an attractive and alternative approach to create ultra-high-energy-density states like those found in ICF ignition sparks. This avoids the ignition quench caused by the hot spark mixing with the surrounding cold fuel, which is the crucial problem of the currently pursued ignition scheme. High-intensity lasers efficiently produce relativistic electron beams (REB). A part of the REB kinetic energy is deposited in the core, and then the heated region becomes the hot spark to trigger the ignition. However, only a small portion of the REB collides with the core because of its large divergence. Here we have demonstrated enhanced laser-to-core energy coupling with the magnetized fast isochoric heating. The method employs a kilo-tesla-level magnetic field that is applied to the transport region from the REB generation point to the core which results in guiding the REB along the magnetic field lines to the core. 7.7 $\pm$ 1.3 % of the maximum coupling was achieved even with a relatively small radial area density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.1 g/cm$^2$). The guided REB transport was clearly visualized in a pre-compressed core by using Cu-$K_\alpha$ imaging technique. A simplified model coupled with the comprehensive diagnostics yields 6.2\% of the coupling that agrees fairly with the measured coupling. This model also reveals that an ignition-scale areal density core ($\rho R$ $\sim$ 0.4 g/cm$^2$) leads to much higher laser-to-core coupling ($>$ 15%), this is much higher than that achieved by the current scheme

Observations of the cusp plasma irregularity with the sounding rocket - ICI-3 Campaign -

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/第36回極域宙空圏シンポジウム 11月27日（火） 国立極地研究所 2階大会議

Solitary Peutz-Jeghers type hamartomatous polyps in the duodenum are not always associated with a low risk of cancer: two case reports

INTRODUCTION: A hamartomatous polyp without associated mucocutaneous pigmentation or a family history of Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome is diagnosed as a solitary Peutz-Jeghers type hamartomatous polyp. As compared with Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers type hamartomatous polyps are diagnosed with a lower risk of cancer and are regarded as a different disorder. CASE PRESENTATION: In case one, we describe an 84-year-old Japanese man with a 14 mm duodenal polyp. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed and histological examination showed findings suggestive of a hamartomatous polyp with a focus of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. In case two, we describe a 76-year-old Japanese man who had been treated for prostate, rectal and lung cancer. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a duodenal polyp measuring 15 mm in diameter. Endoscopic mucosal resection was performed, and histological examination showed findings suggestive of a hamartomatous polyp. Liver and thyroid cancers were found after the endoscopic treatment. CONCLUSION: Although duodenal solitary hamartomatous polyps are associated with a lower risk of cancer, four patients, including our cases, have been diagnosed with cancerous polyps. Patients with duodenal solitary hamartomatous polyps should be treated by endoscopic or surgical resection and need whole-body screening

Anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The granulocyte-colony stimulating factor-producing tumor was first reported in 1977, however, anaplastic pleomorphic type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor is still rare.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with body weight loss (-10 kg during months) and upper abdominal pain from 3 weeks. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a pancreatic tumor 10 cm in size and multiple low-density areas in the liver. On admission, the peripheral leukocyte count was elevated to 91,500/mm³and the serum concentration of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor was 134 pg/mL (normal, < 18.1 pg/mL). Based on liver biopsy findings, the tumor was classified as an anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed that pancreatic carcinoma cells were positive for granulocyte-colony stimulating factor. The patient developed interstitial pneumonia, probably caused by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, and died 11 days after admission.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is a rare case report of anaplastic pleomorphic-type carcinoma of the pancreas producing granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and confirmed by immunohistochemistry.</p

Analysis software for upper atmospheric data developed by the IUGONET project and its application to polar science

To comprehensively understand the Arctic and Antarctic upper atmosphere, it is often crucial to analyze various data that are obtained from many regions. Infrastructure that promotes such interdisciplinary studies on the upper atmosphere has been developed by a Japanese inter-university project called the Inter-university Upper atmosphere Global Observation Network (IUGONET). The objective of this paper is to describe the infrastructure and tools developed by IUGONET. We focus on the data analysis software. It is written in Interactive Data Language (IDL) and is a plug-in for the THEMIS Data Analysis Software suite (TDAS), which is a set of IDL libraries used to visualize and analyze satellite- and ground-based data. We present plots of upper atmospheric data provided by IUGONET as examples of applications, and verify the usefulness of the software in the study of polar science. We discuss IUGONET’s new and unique developments, i.e., an executable file of TDAS that can run on the IDL Virtual Machine, IDL routines to retrieve metadata from the IUGONET database, and an archive of 3-D simulation data that uses the Common Data Format so that it can easily be used with TDAS

CD20陰性DLBCL

A ６８-year-old woman presented with sustained fever for more than １ month and admitted due to hematemesis and systemic edema. Computed tomography scan revealed swelling of the cervical, paraaortic lymph nodes. Blood test results showed severe anemia, elevation of white blood cell count, elevation of liver enzyme and coagulopathy with high C-reactive protein. Biopsy of the right cervical lymph node showed proliferation of abnormal lymphoid cells with necrosis and hemorrhage, which are positive for CD７９α, CD３０, MUM‐１, and bcl‐６ and negative for CD２０, CD５, CD１０, ALK, CD３８, CD１３８, and EBER. Gene rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain was detected in tumor cells. Bone marrow aspiration showed tumor involvement. The patient was diagnosed with de novo CD２０‐negative diffuse large B-cell lymphoma（DLBCL）stage IV B. Reduced CHOP therapy was performed under artificial respiration due to pulmonary edema and takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Although her general condition and high CRP levels temporarily improved, she died ４７ days after admission due to rapid relapse. De novo CD２０‐negative DLBCL was rare and presented with high CRP levels and rapid progression, and was thought to be clinically different from the existing DLBCL. It is imperative to elucidate molecular pathophysiology and establish new treatment strategy for de novo CD２０‐negative DLBCL