沖縄におけるマリンスポーツインストラクターの特性と消費者行動についての研究

沖縄のマリンスポーツイントラクターの特性と行動について，関西圏の3 大学で大学生144 名を対象とした質問紙調査を実施した。その結果，雰囲気因子・技術因子・外見因子得点・指導力因子・安全性因子の5 因子が抽出された。男女ともに，雰囲気因子得点と技術因子得点が高く，外見因子得点・指導力因子得点・安全性因子得点よりも有意に高い結果が得られた。マリンスポーツ経験と各因子得点との相関分析の結果，経験回数と技術因子とで，男性はプラスの相関，女性はマイナスの相関分析結果が得られた。女性は，過去のパフォーマンスにポジティブイメージを持つことにより，達成動機や目標指向性の向上よりも方略的な快楽主義を優先し，男性は，より高い目標指向性を設定することと学んだことを喪失しないための方策として熟達回避目標が女性よりも高く設定されていると推察された

Association of p53 rs1042522, MDM2 rs2279744, and p21 rs1801270 polymorphisms with retinoblastoma risk and invasion in a Chinese population.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of p53 rs1042522, MDM2 rs2279744 and p21 rs1801270, all in the p53 pathway, which plays a crucial role in DNA damage and genomic instability, were reported to be associated with cancer risk and pathologic characteristics. This case-control study was designed to analyse the association between these SNPs and retinoblastoma (RB) in a Chinese Han population. These SNPs in 168 RB patients and 185 adult controls were genotyped using genomic DNA from venous blood. No significant difference was observed in allele or genotypic frequencies of these SNPs between Chinese RB patients and controls (all P > 0.05). However, the rs1042522 GC genotype showed a protective effect against RB invasion, as demonstrated by event-free survival (HR = 0.53, P = 0.007 for GC versus GG/CC). This effect was significant for patients with a lag time >1 month and no pre-enucleation treatment (P = 0.007 and P = 0.010, respectively), indicating an interaction between p53 rs1042522 and clinical characteristics, including lag time and pre-enucleation treatment status. Thus, the rs1042522 SNP may be associated with RB invasion in the Han Chinese population; however, further large and functional studies are needed to assess the validity of this association

G9a Is Essential for EMT-Mediated Metastasis and Maintenance of Cancer Stem Cell-Like Characters in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a particularly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, largely due to lymph node metastasis and local recurrence. Emerging evidence suggests that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important for cancer metastasis, and correlated with increased cancer stem cells (CSCs) characteristics. However, the mechanisms underlying metastasis to lymph nodes in HNSCC is poorly defined. In this study, we show that E-cadherin repression correlates with cancer metastasis and poor prognosis in HNSCC. We found that G9a, a histone methyltransferase, interacts with Snail and mediates Snail-induced transcriptional repression of E-cadherin and EMT, through methylation of histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9). Moreover, G9a is required for both lymph node-related metastasis and TGF-β-induced EMT in HNSCC cells since knockdown of G9a reversed EMT, inhibited cell migration and tumorsphere formation, and suppressed the expression of CSC markers. Our study demonstrates that the G9a protein is essential for the induction of EMT and CSC-like properties in HNSCC. Thus, targeting the G9a-Snail axis may represent a novel strategy for treatment of metastatic HNSCC

Autocrine Epiregulin Activates EGFR Pathway for Lung Metastasis Via EMT in Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is characterized by invasive local growth and a high incidence of lung metastasis. Patients with lung metastasis have a poor prognosis. Treatment of metastatic SACC has been unsuccessful, largely due to a lack of specific targets for the metastatic cells. In this study, we showed that epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) were constitutively activated in metastatic lung subtypes of SACC cells, and that this activation was induced by autocrine expression of epiregulin (EREG), a ligand of EGFR. Autocrine EREG expression was increased in metastatic SACC-LM cells compared to that in non-metastatic parental SACC cells. Importantly, EREG-neutralizing antibody, but not normal IgG, blocked the autocrine EREG-induced EGFR phosphorylation and the migration of SACC cells, suggesting that EREG-induced EGFR activation is essential for induction of cell migration and invasion by SACC cells. Moreover, EREG-activated EGFR stabilized Snail and Slug, which promoted EMT and metastatic features in SACC cells. Of note, targeting EGFR with inhibitors significantly suppressed both the motility of SACC cells in vitro and lung metastasis in vivo. Finally, elevated EREG expression showed a strong correlation with poor prognosis in head and neck cancer. Thus, targeting the EREG-EGFR-Snail/Slug axis represents a novel strategy for the treatment of metastatic SACC even no genetic EGFR mutation

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level.

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs

The global retinoblastoma outcome study : a prospective, cluster-based analysis of 4064 patients from 149 countries

DATA SHARING : The study data will become available online once all analyses are complete.BACKGROUND : Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular cancer worldwide. There is some evidence to suggest that major differences exist in treatment outcomes for children with retinoblastoma from different regions, but these differences have not been assessed on a global scale. We aimed to report 3-year outcomes for children with retinoblastoma globally and to investigate factors associated with survival. METHODS : We did a prospective cluster-based analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed between Jan 1, 2017, and Dec 31, 2017, then treated and followed up for 3 years. Patients were recruited from 260 specialised treatment centres worldwide. Data were obtained from participating centres on primary and additional treatments, duration of follow-up, metastasis, eye globe salvage, and survival outcome. We analysed time to death and time to enucleation with Cox regression models. FINDINGS : The cohort included 4064 children from 149 countries. The median age at diagnosis was 23·2 months (IQR 11·0–36·5). Extraocular tumour spread (cT4 of the cTNMH classification) at diagnosis was reported in five (0·8%) of 636 children from high-income countries, 55 (5·4%) of 1027 children from upper-middle-income countries, 342 (19·7%) of 1738 children from lower-middle-income countries, and 196 (42·9%) of 457 children from low-income countries. Enucleation surgery was available for all children and intravenous chemotherapy was available for 4014 (98·8%) of 4064 children. The 3-year survival rate was 99·5% (95% CI 98·8–100·0) for children from high-income countries, 91·2% (89·5–93·0) for children from upper-middle-income countries, 80·3% (78·3–82·3) for children from lower-middle-income countries, and 57·3% (52·1-63·0) for children from low-income countries. On analysis, independent factors for worse survival were residence in low-income countries compared to high-income countries (hazard ratio 16·67; 95% CI 4·76–50·00), cT4 advanced tumour compared to cT1 (8·98; 4·44–18·18), and older age at diagnosis in children up to 3 years (1·38 per year; 1·23–1·56). For children aged 3–7 years, the mortality risk decreased slightly (p=0·0104 for the change in slope). INTERPRETATION : This study, estimated to include approximately half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017, shows profound inequity in survival of children depending on the national income level of their country of residence. In high-income countries, death from retinoblastoma is rare, whereas in low-income countries estimated 3-year survival is just over 50%. Although essential treatments are available in nearly all countries, early diagnosis and treatment in low-income countries are key to improving survival outcomes.The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust and the Wellcome Trust.https://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/homeam2023Paediatrics and Child Healt

Using Fumed Silica to Develop Thermal Insulation Cement for Medium–Low Temperature Geothermal Wells

During geothermal energy development, the bottom high-temperature fluid continuously exchanges heat with the upper low-temperature wellbore and the stratum during its rising process. Thermal insulation cement (TIC) can increase the outlet temperature, thus effectively reducing the heat loss of the geothermal fluid and improving energy efficiency. In this study, vitrified microbubbles (VMB) were screened out by conducting an orthogonal test of compressive strength (CS) and thermal conductivity (TC) on three inorganic thermal insulation materials (VMB, expanded perlite (EP), and fly-ash cenosphere (FAC)). Fumed silica (FS) was introduced into the cement with VMBs, as its significant decreasing effect on the TC. Moreover, a cement reinforcing agent (RA) and calcium hydroxide [CH] were added to further improve the CS of TIC at 90 °C. The fresh properties, CS, TC, hydration products, pore-size distribution, and the microstructure of the cement were investigated. As a result, a TIC with a TC of 0.1905 W/(m·K) and CS of 5.85 MPa was developed. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) Increasing the mass fraction of the thermal insulation material (TIM) is an effective method to reduce TC. (2) The CH content was reduced, but the C–S–H gel increased as FS content increased due to the pozzolanic reaction of the FS. (3) As the C–S–H gel is the main product of both the hydration and pozzolanic reactions, the matrix of the cement containing 60% FS and VMBs was mainly composed of gel. (4) The 10% RA improved the cement fluidity and increased the CS of TIC from 3.5 MPa to 5.85 MPa by promoting hydration

Expression of Collagen (Types I, III, and V), HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in Retrobulbar Adipose Tissue of Patients with Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy

Objective. This study aimed to investigate the expression of collagen (types I, III, and V), heat shock protein 47 (HSP47), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) in the retrobulbar adipose tissues of patients with thyroid-associated orbitopathy (TAO). Materials and Methods. The retrobulbar adipose tissues were collected from 4 TAO patients undergoing orbital decompression and 4 ocular enucleation patients with atrophic eyeball caused by ocular trauma between May 2019 and September 2019. Masson staining was performed to analyze the differences in collagen expression and degree of histologic fibrosis in each sample. The protein expressions of collagen (types I, III, and V), HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 were determined by western blotting. The data of western blotting were analyzed using SPSS version 17.0, with independent t-tests. Results. The results of Masson staining showed that the expression of collagen fibers in the TAO group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the fibers were diffuse and irregular in distribution. The expression level of collagen (types I, III, and V), HSP47, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 in the TAO group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion. The proliferation and fibrosis of retrobulbar adipose tissue in TAO patients might be related to the increased expression of collagen (types I, III, and V) and HSP47 and decreased degradation of extracellular matrix

The Therapeutic Effect of Combination of Orbital Decompression Surgery and Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy on Patients with Bilateral Dysthyroid Optic Neuropathy

Purpose. To investigate the synergic effect of combination of orbital decompression surgery and methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPT) and MPT alone on the visual function in patients with bilateral dysthyroid optic neuropathy (DON). Methods. For each involved patient with bilateral DON, only one eye was treated with orbital decompression surgery which was conducted by the same doctor, and each of them received MPT after surgery. If the visual function deteriorated despite treatment, patients would switch to the other treatment. All the patients were followed up for 3 months after surgery. Clinical features of patients including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure (IOP), proptosis, upper eyelid retraction, and clinical activity score (CAS) before and after surgery were analyzed, respectively. Visual field and visual evoked potential (VEP) tests were also performed. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed ranks sum test were used to analyze the data. Result. A prospective cohort of 23 patients with bilateral DON was enrolled in this cohort study. No patients failed to the therapy or switched to another treatment. The quantitative variables were shown as means and standard deviations (SD). After 3 months of combined treatment of orbital decompression surgery and MPT, BCVA (logMAR) improved, proptosis was reduced and the upper eyelid retraction was relieved in both eyes of patients; however, these improvements were more significant in the operated eyes than in the fellow (nonoperated) eyes. IOP decreased significantly in the operated eyes (P=0.002), while having no significant change in the nonoperated eyes (P=0.993). CAS reduced by 0.8 ± 1.37 in the operated eyes and by 0.9 ± 1.28 in the nonoperated eyes (P=0.011, P=0.005, respectively), but its reduction extent showed no significant difference between the operated and fellow eyes (P=0.771). Visual field tests showed the mean deviation (MD) of the operated and fellow eyes both increased significantly after 3 months of treatment (P0.05, respectively). The latency in the operated eyes improved by 28.1 ± 29.93 ms in 60′ P100, by 40.2 ± 32.87 ms in 30′ P100, and by 20.7 ± 25.87 ms in 15′ P100 respectively, which was more excellent in the degree of the improvement than that in the fellow eyes (P=0.002, P=0.001, P=0.005, respectively). Conclusion. A combination of orbital decompression and MPT can significantly improve visual function in patients with DON, reduce intraocular pressure, and relieve clinical symptoms such as upper eyelid retraction and proptosis, while MPT alone has a limited effect. For DON patients, orbital decompression should be performed promptly to improve the visual function