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Patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus have a poor prognosis and have generally been treated by chemotherapy. However, all reported cases were at advanced stages. We need to establish an adequate treatment for patients with small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limited to the submucosal layer. In this paper, five cases of small cell carcinomas, which accounted for 2.8% of 180 surgically treated esophageal carcinomas, were reviewed for pathological findings, treatment, and outcome. Among three patients who had a small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limited to the submucosal layer, two patients survived for 7 and 9 years after surgery with no evidence of the disease. One of them was treated using surgery alone. Consequently, surgery may be considered as a possible choice of treatment for small cell carcinoma of the esophagus with invasion limited to the submucosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification through image processing has been used in various fields, including product examination and more recently infrastructure inspection, such as identifying cracks in structures. The conventional method, in which a human inspector uses a crack gauge or determines the size through a visual evaluation, results in a subjective evaluation of the extent of concrete life. Currently, an operator inspects the concrete structure by visually examining the concrete surface. However, this method presents numerous problems, including when the inspector has to work in dangerously high places. Therefore, we used machine learning to extract the features of cracks in image processing. We identified that non-arbitrary features, such as color-related features, are also important. Because concrete appears monochromatic, it is difficult for humans to analyze this color-related feature. We compared these newly obtained machine learning features with the previously used arbitrary features and confirmed that the machine learning features were more accurate in terms of detection. We also compared the generation of discriminators based on these features with a fixed threshold for discrimination and the utilization of support vector machine (SVM) and other machine learning methods. In this paper, two issues are discussed: an analysis of the effectiveness of machine learning and SVM-based discriminant generation in detecting cracks, and the classification results based on crack width. Crack width classification using machine learning is useful when sufficient image resolution is not available. The final detection accuracy of the new method was 11.7% better than that of the method using arbitrary features; moreover, the false detection rate was also higher in the proposed method. We further attempted to classify these cracks in accordance with their damage levels. To evaluate the degree of damage, we focused on the difference in the width of the cracks and extracted different features in three classes on the basis of the different crack widths, and were able to classify these clacks. • We used machine learning to extract the features of cracks. We identified that non-arbitrary features, such as color-related features, are also important. Because concrete is apparently monochromatic, it is difficult for humans to analyze this color-related feature. We compared these newly obtained machine learning features with the previously used arbitrary features and confirmed that the machine learning features were more accurate in detection.. • We compared the generation of discriminators based on these features with a fixed threshold for discrimination and the utilization of support vector machine (SVM). The final detection accuracy of the new method was 11.7% better than that of the method using arbitrary features; moreover, the false-positive rate was also higher in the proposed method.. • We attempted to classify these cracks according to their damage levels. To evaluate the degree of damage, we focused on the difference in the width of the cracks and extracted different features in three classes based on the different crack widths. In this paper, the following two issues are discussed: the first is an analysis of the effectiveness of machine learning and SVM-based discriminant generation in detecting cracks, and the second is the classification results based on crack width. Finally, we evaluated the degree of damage by classifying the cracks based on crack width using machine learning.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immobilization of liposomes onto chemically modified Sephacryl gel particles by in situ reaction between liposome-incorporated thiols and mercapto moieties on the gel to form disulfide linkages was investigated. For the immobilization, both the mercapto moieties and the incorporated thiol were essential. The immobilization occurred upon coincubation of the modified liposomes with the modified gel for 48 hours. Once immobilized, no spontaneous detachment of the immobilized liposomes was observed. The degree of immobilization depended on both the thiol content and the ratio of the liposomes to the gel partilces. In a typical immobilization with 25 mol% 1-octanethiol, 82% of the liposomal phosphatidylcholine in the system was found to be associated with the gel. By decreasing the ratio of the liposomes to gel it was possible to bring the immobilization close to quantitative one. Among the three different thiols examined (1-octanethiol, 1-hexadecanethiol and thiocholesterol), the extent of the immobilization was slightly higher with thiocholesterol than the alkanethiols. The immobilized liposomes were detached from the gel with dithiothreitol. Approximately 60% of the fluorescent dextran derivative encapsulated in the liposomes was retained throughout the immobilization-detachment process. The gel left after the detachment remained active for immobilizing a fresh batch of thiol-liposomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effect of hyperthermia pretreatment on subsequent small intestinal ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury in the rat. Systemic hyperthermia has been reported to induce heat shock proteins (HSPs) in several organs [1-6]. We examined the expression of HSP72 in the small intestinal mucosa using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. We monitored energy metabolism using magnetic resonance spectroscopy continuously during a 60-min ischemia and the following 120 min of reperfusion. Expression of HSP72 in the small intestine was significantly increased at 6–8 h after hyperthermia. Intestinal ischemia was induced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery. Heating of the rat conferred substantial resistance to the I/R injury. In the untreated rats, β-ATP decreased during ischemia (37.1 ± 15.5% of the pre-ischemic value) and recovered on reperfusion, but reached only ∼50% of the pre-ischemic value after 120 min of reperfusion. However, β-ATP in the pretreated rats was maintained during ischemia at significantly higher levels and on reperfusion reached ∼80% of the pre-ischemic value. These results indicate that hyperthermia protects the rat intestine from the I/R injury by unknown mechanisms which may include the induction of HSPs.Copyright © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decomposition of diethyl phthalate (DEP) exposed to a coal fly ash has been investigated in water by measuring UV-VIS spectra and GC-MS. Alkaline constituents eluted from the fly ash in the liquid phase gradually hydrolyzed DEP to produce monoethyl phthalate and/or phthalic acid. These products were adsorbed on the fly ash and decarboxylated into ethyl benzoate and benzoic acid, respectively, followed by decomposition into benzenes and/or the other compounds of lower molecular weight. The fly ash acts as not only an adsorbent but also a decomposer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pericryptal myofibroblasts (PMFs) are thought to be involved in the production of the basement membrane (BM) of the colonic epithelium. To clarify the involvement of PMFs in the formation of the BM during the growth of colon cancer, we conducted an immunohistological study of tumor specimens from 85 patients with colorectal epithelial tumor to detect the presence of PMFs. The tumor specimens were classified as adenoma with low-grade dysplasia, adenoma with high-grade dysplasia, or colon cancer. PMFs were detected in 66.6% of the specimens from patients with adenoma with low-grade dysplasia; 20% of specimens of adenoma with high-grade dysplasia; and 3.2% of specimens of colon cancer. As the degree of dysplasia of the tumor increased, the probability that PMFs existed decreased. We also tested 49 of the tumor specimens for the presence of laminin, a component of the BM, and found that in most of these 49 cases, the BM and PMFs co-existed. This provides further evidence that PMFs are involved in the production of the BM. These findings are important in gaining an understanding of the cause and growth of colorectal epithelial tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 83-year-old man had gradually worsening abdominal pain and vomiting. Laparotomy revealed segmental intestinal infarction resulting from thrombosis in the superior mesenteric vein. Necrosed intestine was resected and anastomosis was performed successfully. The patient was anticoagulated with intravenous heparin and nafamostat mesilate followed by oral aspirin. He recovered rapidly. Blood chemistry revealed protein C deficiency, while protein S and antithrombin III levels were normal. Laboratory evaluation of these proteins may help define the cause of mesenteric venous thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Risk factors for fetal growth in patients with pregestational diabetic mellitus," by E. Kanda and colleagues is presented.