Comparison of Targeted vs Random Biopsies for Surveillance of Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer

Background & AimsA random biopsy is recommended for surveillance of ulcerative colitis (UC)-associated colorectal cancer. However, a targeted biopsy might be more effective. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare rates of neoplasia detection by targeted vs random biopsies in patients with UC.MethodsWe performed a study of 246 patients with UC for 7 years or more, seen at 52 institutions in Japan from October 1, 2008 through December 31, 2010. Patients were randomly assigned to the random group (4 random biopsies collected every 10 cm in addition to targeted biopsies, n = 122) or the target group (biopsies collected from locations of suspected neoplasia, n = 124). The primary end point was the number of neoplastic lesions detected in a single surveillance colonoscopy. We estimated the ratio and difference in the mean number of neoplastic lesions between the groups. We also evaluated the non-inferiority between the groups as an exploratory study. A non-inferiority margin of 0.65 (0.13 of 0.20) was considered for the ratio of the mean number of neoplastic lesions between groups.ResultsThe mean number of biopsies found to contain neoplastic tissue per colonoscopy was 0.211 (24 of 114) in the target group and 0.168 (18 of 107) in the random group (ratio of 1.251; 95% confidence interval, 0.679–2.306). The lower limit was above the non-inferiority margin of 0.65. Neoplasias were detected in 11.4% of patients in the target group and 9.3% of patients in the random group (P = .617). Larger numbers of biopsy samples per colonoscopy were collected in the random group (34.8 vs 3.1 in the target group; P < .001), and the total examination time was longer (41.7 vs 26.6 minutes in the target group; P < .001). In the random group, all neoplastic tissues found in random biopsies were collected from areas of the mucosa with a history or presence of inflammation.ConclusionsIn a randomized controlled trial, we found that targeted and random biopsies detect similar proportions of neoplasias. However, a targeted biopsy appears to be a more cost-effective method. Random biopsies from areas without any signs of present or past inflammation were not found to contain neoplastic tissues. Clinical Trial Registry: UMIN000001608

地域社会により順応するための方言教材作成のための方言データベースの開発について

会議名: 言語資源活用ワークショップ2017, 開催地: 国立国語研究所, 会期: 2017年9月5日-6日, 主催: 国立国語研究所 コーパス開発センター言語には様々な異種が存在する。方言（ここでは特に地域方言）はその一つである。同じ日本語であっても様々な方言があり，別の言語であるかと思うほど理解し合えない時もある。「熊本方言を話せなくてもいいから理解できる」ということを目指し，留学生を対象とした熊本方言の特徴を学ぶ教科書『さしより熊本弁』（「さしより」とは共通語では「とりあえず」という意味を持つ熊本方言である）を作成している。その作成の中で，熊本方言話者の会話データを収集し，文字化した。その会話データにおいて方言要素を抽出し，教材作成者（熊本方言話者）が内省を施し使用頻度が高いと思われるものを選んだ。熊本方言といっても各地域によって大きく異なるため，熊本市で使われる方言に限定し，方言の世代差についても，大学生の使用を念頭において選定した。本稿では，熊本方言話者の会話データにおいてどのような方言要素を抽出し，方言タグを付与し，言語資源化したのかについて述べる

LASER DESORPTION SUPERSONIC JET SPECTROSCOPY OF HYDRATED TYROSINE

Author Institution: Chemical Resources Lab. Tokyo Tech. 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midoriku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan; ISMO. Universite Paris Sud XI Batiment 210, 91405, Orsay, Paris, FranceThe structure of tyrosine (tyr) consists of amino-acid chain and phenol, and it has roughly two possible binding sites for water, amino-acid site and phenolic OH site. Investigating how water molecule binds to tyr will give fundamental information for hydrations of peptide and protein. Resonance enhanced multi photon ionization (REMPI) spectrum of tyr-water 1:1 cluster has already been reported by de Vries and co-workers,, \textbf{115}, 6077 (2011).} however, no analysis on the hydrated structures has been reported. In the REMPI spectrum, two clusters of bands are observed; one appears at $\sim$$35600$ cm$^{-1}$ energy region which is the almost same with 0-0 transitions of tyr monomer,, (2013) DOI: 10.1039/c3cp43573c.} and another is observed at $\sim$$300$ cm$^{-1}$ lower than the former. Based on the electronic transition energy of phenylalanine and the hydrated clusters,, \textbf{8}, 4783 (2006).} the former is expected to be derived from a structure that water binds to amino acid site. On the other hand, it is plausibly predicted that the latter originates from a structure that water binds to phenolic OH group, because the electronic transition of mono hydrated phenol is $\sim$$300$ cm$^{-1}$ red-shifted from the monomer., \textbf{105}, 408 (1996).} We applied IR dip spectroscopy which can measure conformer selective IR spectra to the tyr-(H$_{2}$O)$_{1}$ clusters by using laser desorption supersonic jet technique to confirm the assignments. Especially in the phenolic OH bound isomer, it was found that the intra molecular hydrogen bond within amino-acid chain, which is far from the water molecule and cannot interact directly with each other, is strengthened by the hydration

Enhancing scientific transparency in national CO2 emissions reports via satellite-based a posteriori estimates

Abstract Biennial Update Reports (BURs) are essential requirements from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, many non-Annex I countries have not submitted these reports due to difficulties in compiling the inventories. We developed a satellite-based method for the top-down inverse estimation of CO2 emissions using partial-column data in the lower troposphere obtained by the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite, adopted to validate the Mongolian 2nd BUR (BUR2) for the energy sector in 2018. The estimated CO2 emissions were only 1.5% higher than those reported in the BUR2; these were also very close (4.2% smaller) to estimates from the Emission Database for Global Atmospheric Research. Mongolia is the first country to introduce an independent inverse estimate in its BUR, thereby increasing scientific transparency. Our method could be applied into other countries and could be incorporated into UNFCCC reporting guidelines, significantly improving global CO2 emission estimates

Mice with an Oncogenic HRAS Mutation are Resistant to High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity and Exhibit Impaired Hepatic Energy Homeostasis

Costello syndrome is a “RASopathy” that is characterized by growth retardation, dysmorphic facial appearance, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and tumor predisposition. >80% of patients with Costello syndrome harbor a heterozygous germline G12S mutation in HRAS. Altered metabolic regulation has been suspected because patients with Costello syndrome exhibit hypoketotic hypoglycemia and increased resting energy expenditure, and their growth is severely retarded. To examine the mechanisms of energy reprogramming by HRAS activation in vivo, we generated knock-in mice expressing a heterozygous Hras G12S mutation (HrasG12S/+ mice) as a mouse model of Costello syndrome. On a high-fat diet, HrasG12S/+ mice developed a lean phenotype with microvesicular hepatic steatosis, resulting in early death compared with wild-type mice. Under starvation conditions, hypoketosis and elevated blood levels of long-chain fatty acylcarnitines were observed, suggesting impaired mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation. Our findings suggest that the oncogenic Hras mutation modulates energy homeostasis in vivo