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Context. Although heavily obscured active galactic nuclei (AGNs) have been found by many observational studies, the properties of the surrounding dust are poorly understood. Using AKARI/IRC spectroscopy, we discovered a new heavily obscured AGN in LEDA 1712304 which shows a deep spectral absorption feature due to silicate dust. Aims. We study the infrared (IR) spectral properties of circumnuclear silicate dust in LEDA 1712304. Methods. We performed IR spectral fitting, considering silicate dust properties such as composition, porosity, size, and crystallinity. Spectral energy distribution fitting was also performed on the flux densities in the UV to submillimeter range to investigate the global spectral properties. Results. The best-fit model indicates 0.1 μm-sized porous amorphous olivine (Mg2xFe2−2xSiO4; x = 0.4) with 4% crystalline pyroxene. The optical depth is τsil ∼ 2.3, while the total IR luminosity and stellar mass are estimated to be LIR = (5 ± 1)×1010 L⊙ and Mstar = (2.7 ± 0.8)×109 M⊙, respectively. In such low LIR and Mstar ranges, there are few galaxies that show such a large τsil. Conclusion. The silicate dust in the AGN torus of LEDA 1712304 has properties that are notably similar to those in other AGNs overall, but slightly different in the wing shape of the absorption profile. The porosity of the silicate dust suggests dust coagulation or processing in the circumnuclear environments, while the crystallinity suggests that the silicate dust is relatively fresh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oesophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive tumours with a poor prognosis. However, little is known about the immune response in the tumour microenvironment. To investigate the role of immunosurveillance in the clinical course of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, 98 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded primary tumours were analysed using immunohistochemical methods for human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I heavy chain and β2-microglobulin expression and for CD4-, CD8- and CD57-positive cell infiltration. HLA class I expression of tumour cells was correlated positively with infiltration of CD8 T cells into the cancer nest, but not with the clinical course of disease. However, CD8 and CD4 T cell infiltration was correlated with prognosis. These results suggest that tumour antigen-specific cellular immune response plays a role in the clinical course of the disease and that HLA class I antigen expressed on tumour cells contribute to this association most probably by mediating the interactions between tumour cells and CD8 T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context. The properties of the dust in the cold and hot gas phases of early-type galaxies (ETGs) are key to understanding ETG evolution. Aims. We aim to conduct a systematic study of the dust in a large sample of local ETGs, focusing on relations between the dust and the molecular, atomic, and X-ray gas of the galaxies, as well as their environment. Methods. We estimated the dust temperatures and masses of the 260 ETGs from the ATLAS3D survey, using fits to their spectral energy distributions primarily constructed from AKARI measurements. We also used literature measurements of the cold (CO and H I) and X-ray gas phases. Results. Our ETGs show no correlation between their dust and stellar masses, suggesting inefficient dust production by stars and/or dust destruction in X-ray gas. The global dust-to-gas mass ratios of ETGs are generally lower than those of late-type galaxies, likely due to dust-poor H I envelopes in ETGs. They are also higher in Virgo Cluster ETGs than in group and field ETGs, but the same ratios measured in the central parts of the galaxies only are independent of galaxy environment. Slow-rotating ETGs have systematically lower dust masses than fast-rotating ETGs. The dust masses and X-ray luminosities are correlated in fast-rotating ETGs, whose star formation rates are also correlated with the X-ray luminosities. Conclusions. The correlation between dust and X-rays in fast-rotating ETGs appears to be caused by residual star formation, while slow-rotating ETGs are likely well evolved, and have therefore exhausted their dust. These results appear consistent with the postulated evolution of ETGs, whereby fast-rotating ETGs form by mergers of late-type galaxies and associated bulge growth, while slow-rotating ETGs form by (dry) mergers of fast-rotating ETGs. Central cold dense gas appears to be resilient against ram pressure stripping, suggesting that Virgo Cluster ETGs may not suffer strong related suppression of star formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used a data set from AKARI and Herschel images at wavelengths from 7 to 500  $\mu$ m to catch the evidence of dust processing in galactic winds in NGC 1569. Images show a diffuse infrared (IR) emission extending from the galactic disc into the halo region. The most prominent filamentary structure seen in the diffuse IR emission is spatially in good agreement with the western H α filament (western arm). The spatial distribution of the F350/F500 map shows high values in regions around the super-star clusters (SSCs) and towards the western arm, which are not found in the F250/F350 map. The colour–colour diagram of F250/F350–F350/F500 indicates high values of the emissivity power-law index (βc) of the cold dust component in those regions. From a spectral decomposition analysis on a pixel-by-pixel basis, a βc map shows values ranging from ∼1 to ∼2 over the whole galaxy. In particular, high βc values of ∼2 are observed only in the regions indicated by the colour–colour diagram. Since the average cold dust temperature in NGC 1569 is ∼30 K, βc < 2.0 in the far-IR and sub-mm region theoretically suggests emission from amorphous grains, while βc = 2.0 suggests that from crystal grains. Given that the enhanced βc regions are spatially confined by the H i ridge that is considered to be a birthplace of the SSCs, the spatial coincidences may indicate that dust grains around the SSCs are grains of relatively high crystallinity injected by massive stars originating from starburst activities and that those grains are blown away along the H i ridge and thus the western arm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is characterised by the loss of cell-to-cell adhesion and gaining of mesenchymal phenotypes. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition is proposed to occur in various developmental processes and cancer progression. 'Cadherin switch', a process in which cells shift to express different isoforms of the cadherin transmembrane protein and usually refers to a switch from the expression of E-cadherin to N-cadherin, is one aspect of EMT and can have a profound effect on tumour invasion/metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathological significance of EMT-related proteins and cadherin switch in extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC).Methods:We investigated the association between altered expression of 12 EMT-related proteins and clinical outcomes in patients with EHCC (n=117) using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays.Results:Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that, in addition to N classification (P=0.0420), the expression of E-cadherin (P=0.0208), N-cadherin (P=0.0038) and S100A4 (P=0.0157) was each an independent and a significant prognostic factor. We also demonstrated that cadherin switch was independently associated with poor prognosis (P=0.0143) in patients with EHCC.Conclusions:These results may provide novel information for selection of patients with EHCC who require adjuvant therapy and strict surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD4/8 status has been previously reported to be a critical factor in the prognosis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In the current study, we investigated the effect of regulatory T cells (Treg; Foxp3+ lymphocytes) on the status of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in 122 patients with OSCC. Immunohistochemical analysis of Treg was performed using an antibody against Foxp3. The survival rate for low Foxp3 patients was significantly lower than for high Foxp3 patients (P=0.0028 by log-rank test), but Foxp3 status did not significantly correlate with prognosis in CD4/8(+/+) patients or CD4/8(+/-) or (-/+) patients (P=0.5185 and 0.8479, respectively, by log-rank test). We also found that Foxp3 status correlated with CD4/8 status (P=0.0002 by chi2 test) and that the variance of CD8/CD4 ratio in patients with low Foxp3 was larger than in patients with high Foxp3 (P<0.0001 by F-test). Thus, the results do not support the idea that Treg suppress anti-tumour immunity in patients with OSCC. Rather, the CD8/CD4 ratio and CD4/8 status appear to be critical factors in anti-tumour immunity. Furthermore, Treg numbers correlate with both the CD8/CD4 ratio and the CD4/8 status, suggesting that Treg number is not a factor to predict patient's survival in OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B Methods: b POMRS was calculated for 203 PHCC patients who had undergone major hepatectomy in our department using the five clinical characteristics from the previous study, which included 287 patients. The mortalities in low-risk (n=47), intermediate-risk (n=99), and high-risk (n=57) patients were 2.1%, 7.1%, and 8.8%, respectively. B Conclusion: b There were no significant differences in the POMRS among low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients in our department. [Extracted from the article]

B Methods: b POMRS was calculated for 203 PHCC patients who had undergone major hepatectomy in our department using the five clinical characteristics from the previous study, which included 287 patients. The mortalities in low-risk (n = 47), intermediate-risk (n = 99), and high-risk (n = 57) patients were 2.1%, 7.1%, and 8.8%, respectively. B Conclusion: b There were no significant differences in the POMRS among low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk patients in our department. [Extracted from the article]

B Background: b Back ground: Concomitant major vascular resection was required to achieve curative (R0) resection in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, however, it is also difficult to go together R0 resection and surgical safety. There were 78 of portal vein resection, 4 of hepatic artery resection, and 22 of both portal vein and hepatic artery. [Extracted from the article]

B Background: b Purpose: To assess proper criteria for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC) as early predictors of PHLF-related mortality. B Methods: b Methods: Participants comprised 183 PHCC patients who had undergone major hepatectomy. B Conclusion: b Conclusions: The 3-3-50 and Max T-Bil criteria could prove useful for defining PHLF-related mortality after hepatectomy for PHCC. [Extracted from the article]

B Background: b To assess proper criteria for post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) in surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHCC) as early predictors of PHLF-related mortality. B Methods: b Participants comprised 183 PHCC patients who had undergone major hepatectomy. B Conclusion: b The 3-3-50 and Max T-Bil criteria could prove useful for defining PHLF-related mortality after hepatectomy for PHCC. [Extracted from the article]

B Background: b Back ground: Concomitant major vascular resection was required to achieve curative (R0) resection in perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, however, it is also difficult to go together R0 resection and surgical safety. There were 78 of portal vein resection, 4 of hepatic artery resection, and 22 of both portal vein and hepatic artery. [Extracted from the article]