Activation Analysis of Uranium and Thorium Contained in High Purity Niobium Oxides

Uranium and thorium in high purity Nb_2O_5 were determined by neutron activation analysis followed by radiochemical separation(RNAA). A separation procedure combined with anion exchange, solvent extraction with TBP and coprecipitation with LaF_3 was developed and proved to have quantitative yields for the activation products of ^Np and ^Pa. The decontamination factors of major impurities were determined. The detection limit for both elements was less than several ppts when a high flux reactor such as JMTR was available for activation. The method is useful to the other composition materials containing niobium as a matrix element

Primary Clear-Cell Sarcoma in the Mediastinum

We report a case of primary clear-cell sarcoma (CCS) in the mediastinum. In October 2011, a 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for surgical resection. The tumor was completely excised by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The tumor was well encapsulated and did not invade the pleura. Histological examination led to a final diagnosis of primary CCS in the mediastinum. The patient remains alive without evidence of recurrence at 15 months after surgery

Response of Meningeal Carcinomatosis from Breast Cancer to Capecitabine Monotherapy: A Case Report

A 62-year-old woman with breast cancer received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by breast-conserving surgery and sentinel node biopsy. During adjuvant endocrine therapy with aromatase inhibitor, she developed multiple bone metastases. Thereafter, she received tamoxifen and zoledronate therapy. In May 2011, she developed a tongue deviation and was diagnosed as having meningeal carcinomatosis. The tongue deviation disappeared 3 weeks after taking capecitabine (2,400 mg/day). Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed regression of meningeal carcinomatosis. Levels of tumor markers CEA and CA15-3 changed from 96.0 IU/ml and 3.5 ng/ml to 47.0 IU/ml and 1.5 ng/ml, respectively. Progression-free survival with capecitabine monotherapy was 5 months

Sleep disordered breathing and metabolic comorbidities across gender and menopausal status in East Asians; the Nagahama Study

生活習慣病に睡眠時無呼吸症候群がひそむことを解明 --アジア最大資料数のながはまコホートより--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-05-19.It is well known that the prevalence of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) is increased in patients with obesity or metabolic comorbidities. However, the way in which the prevalence of SDB increases in relation to comorbidities according to the severity of obesity remains unclear. This cross-sectional study evaluated 7713 community participants with nocturnal oximetry ≥2 nights. SDB was assessed by the 3% oxygen desaturation index corrected for sleep duration obtained by wrist actigraphy (Acti-ODI3%). SDB severity was defined by Acti-ODI3%. Obesity was defined as body mass index ≥25 kg·/m−2. The prevalence of SDB was 41.0% (95% CI 39.9–42.1), 46.9% (45.8–48.0), 10.1% (9.5–10.8), and 2.0% (1.7–2.3) in normal, mild, moderate, and severe SDB, respectively, with notable sex differences evident (men >post-menopausal women >pre-menopausal women). Comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome were independently associated with the prevalence of moderate-to-severe SDB, and coincidence of any one of these with obesity was associated with a higher probability of moderate-to-severe SDB (OR 8.2, 95% CI 6.6–10.2; 7.8, 5.6–10.9; 6.7, 5.2–8.6, respectively). Dyslipidemia in addition to obesity was not additively associated with the prevalence of moderate to-severe SDB. The number of antihypertensive drugs was associated with SDB (p for trend <0.001). Proportion of a high cumulative percentage of sleep time with SpO2 <90% increased even among moderate-to-severe SDB with increases in obesity. Metabolic comorbidities contribute to SDB regardless of the degree of obesity. We should recognise the extremely high prevalence of moderate-to-severe SDB in patients with obesity and metabolic comorbidities