Comparative evaluation of effects of gamma-rays and heavy metals on mobility of the water flea Daphnia magna

The authors comparatively studied effects of gamma-ray and some heavy metal treatments on mobility of water flea Daphnia magna according to the OECD Guideline for Testing of Chemicals, which is generally used for ecotoxicity evaluation of chemicals. The 50 % effect dose at 24 hours after gamma-irradiation (ED50/24h) was 1600 Gy. The 50 % effect concentrations following 24 hour exposure for manganese, nickel and copper (EC50/24h) were 990, 180 and 3.3 uM, respectively. The Gy-equivalent factors (=ED50/24h /EC50/24h) were therefore caluculated as 1.6, 8.9 and 480 for manganese, nickel and copper, respectively. These factors indicated that toxicity of these metals to D. magna could be ranked in an order of Mn<Ni<Cu. This toxicity rank showed a similar trend to that evaluated previously in the experimental model ecosystem (microcosm) consisting of three species of aquatic microorganisms. However, there was a noteworthy difference in the toxicity ranks obtained from the D. magna immobilization test and the microcosm test, suggesting that ecotoxicity ranking should be carried out by integrated evaluation on the basis of various ecotoxicity tests

A method for simultaneous detection and identification of Brazilian dog- and vampire bat-related rabies virus by reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay

At present, the sporadic occurrence of human rabies in Brazil can be attributed primarily to dog- and vampire bat-related rabies viruses. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was employed as a simultaneous detection method for both rabies field variants within 60 min. Vampire bat-related rabies viruses could be distinguished from dog variants by digesting amplicons of the RT-LAMP reaction using the restriction enzyme Alwl. Amplification and digestion could both be completed within 120 min after RNA extraction. In addition, the RI-LAMP assay also detected rabies virus in isolates from Brazilian frugivorous bats and Ugandan dog, bovine and goat samples. In contrast, there were false negative results from several Brazilian insectivorous bats and all of Chinese dog, pig, and bovine samples using the RI-LAMP assay. This study showed that the RT-LAMP assay is effective for the rapid detection of rabies virus isolates from the primary reservoir in Brazil. Further improvements are necessary so that the RT-LAMP assay can be employed for the universal detection of genetic variants of rabies virus in the field. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Kurozumi Medical FoundationMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of Japa

Phase II Study of a Comprehensive Treatment Using Perioperative Chemotherapy Combined with Cytoreductive Surgery for Curatively Resected Gastric Cancer Patients with Positive Peritoneal Wash Cytology

Patients with curatively resected gastric cancer patients with positive peritoneal wash cytology are called P0/Cy1 status. The aim of the present study is to verify the survival benefit of the comprehensive treatment for patients with P0/Cy1 status.Twenty gastric cancer patients were diagnosed as P0/Cy1 by laparoscopy or laparotomy, and were treated with a comprehensive treatment consisting of neoadjuvant intraperitoneal/systemic chemotherapy (NIPS), cytoreductive surgery (CRS) consisting of gastrectomy with lymph node dissection and peritonectomy, intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and postoperative systemic chemotherapy. At the second look laparotomy, the peritoneal wash cytology became negative in 15 patients. No grade 3, 4, 5 complications were experienced after second look operations for CRS. Median follow-up time is 3.7 years. Eight patients died of recurrence, but the other 21 patients are alive without recurrence. Five-year survival rate was 42%.The present study demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the comprehensive treatment on the gastric cancer patients in P0/Cy1 status. Â

Comparison of survival times of advanced cancer patients with palliative care at home and in hospital

Objectives One primary concern about receiving care at home is that survival might be shortened because the quality and quantity of treatment provided at home will be inferior to that given in the hospital. Although our previous study demonstrated a longer survival of those with home-based palliative care (PC), it lacked adjustment for some potential confounders including symptoms and treatments during the stay. We aimed to compare the survival times among advanced cancer patients receiving home-based and hospital-based PC with adjusting for symptoms and treatments. Method We compared survival time of participants who enrolled two multicenter, prospective cohort studies of advanced cancer patients at 45-home-based PC services between July 2017 and December 2017, and at 23-hospital-based PC services between January 2017 and December 2017. We analyzed with stratification by the estimated survival of Days, Weeks, and Months, which were defined by modified Prognosis in Palliative care Study predictor models-A. We conducted a Cox regression analysis with adjusting for potential confounders including symptoms and treatments during the stay. Results A total of 2,998 patients were enrolled in both studies and 2,878 patients were analyzed; 988 patients receiving home-based PC and 1,890 receiving hospital-based PC. The survival time of patients receiving home-based PC was significantly longer than that of patients receiving hospital-based PC for the Days Prognosis (estimated median survival time: 10 days [95% CI 8.1–11.8] vs. 9 days [95% CI 8.3–10.4], p = 0.157), the Weeks prognosis (32 days [95% CI 28.9–35.4] vs. 22 days [95% CI 20.3–22.9], p Conclusion In this cohort of advanced cancer patients with a Weeks or Months prognosis, those receiving home-based PC survived longer than those receiving hospital-based PC after adjusting for symptoms and treatments

Symptoms and treatments until death.

ObjectivesOne primary concern about receiving care at home is that survival might be shortened because the quality and quantity of treatment provided at home will be inferior to that given in the hospital. Although our previous study demonstrated a longer survival of those with home-based palliative care (PC), it lacked adjustment for some potential confounders including symptoms and treatments during the stay. We aimed to compare the survival times among advanced cancer patients receiving home-based and hospital-based PC with adjusting for symptoms and treatments.MethodWe compared survival time of participants who enrolled two multicenter, prospective cohort studies of advanced cancer patients at 45-home-based PC services between July 2017 and December 2017, and at 23-hospital-based PC services between January 2017 and December 2017. We analyzed with stratification by the estimated survival of Days, Weeks, and Months, which were defined by modified Prognosis in Palliative care Study predictor models-A. We conducted a Cox regression analysis with adjusting for potential confounders including symptoms and treatments during the stay.ResultsA total of 2,998 patients were enrolled in both studies and 2,878 patients were analyzed; 988 patients receiving home-based PC and 1,890 receiving hospital-based PC. The survival time of patients receiving home-based PC was significantly longer than that of patients receiving hospital-based PC for the Days Prognosis (estimated median survival time: 10 days [95% CI 8.1–11.8] vs. 9 days [95% CI 8.3–10.4], p = 0.157), the Weeks prognosis (32 days [95% CI 28.9–35.4] vs. 22 days [95% CI 20.3–22.9], p ConclusionIn this cohort of advanced cancer patients with a Weeks or Months prognosis, those receiving home-based PC survived longer than those receiving hospital-based PC after adjusting for symptoms and treatments.</div

Kaplan-Meier survival curves stratified by the place of care for 3 groups defined according to Prognosis in Palliative Care Study predictor model A (PiPs-A): Days’ group (0–13 days), weeks’ group (14–55 days), and months’ group (≧56 days).

Kaplan-Meier survival curves stratified by the place of care for 3 groups defined according to Prognosis in Palliative Care Study predictor model A (PiPs-A): Days’ group (0–13 days), weeks’ group (14–55 days), and months’ group (≧56 days).</p