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[Background] A multidisciplinary approach based on guidelines and pathological diagnosis by specialized pathologists are important for improving the prognosis and QoL of GIST patients. This study examined the adherence to the guidelines and the concordance of the pathological diagnosis of high-risk GISTs. [Patients and methods] Among 541 patients with high-risk GISTs recruited to the prospective registry between Dec. 2012 and Dec. 2015, 534 patients were analyzed after central pathology with KIT and DOG1 IHC and genotyping of KIT and PDGFRA. [Results] Of the 534 patients, 432 (81%) received imatinib adjuvant therapy at a starting dose of 400 or 300 mg/day. Multivariate analysis indicated that age (HR 0.71; 95% CI 0.58–0.88), tumor size (HR for > 10 cm vs 10 vs

The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of neutron (n) irradiation on hydrogen isotope transport in tungsten (W). W samples were irradiated with neutrons in a fission reactor and then exposed to high flux deuterium (D) plasma at 563 K in a linear plasma device. The fraction of D release increased with increasing exposure time. In addition, the D retention in n-irradiated W increased in proportion to the square root of the plasma exposure time. These observations were explained by increase in the penetration depth of D with filling up displacement damages acting as strong trapping sites.

Repeat-breeder (RB) cows are a major source of economic waste due to their decreased fertility. Embryo transfer (ET) is an alternative tool to improve the fertility of RB cows. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of recipient parity and the season on pregnancy rates following ET in RB Japanese Black beef cattle. Embryos were transferred nonsurgically to recipients, consisting of 155 heifers (

Aims To determine differences in predictors of albuminuria and decreased estimated GFR in Japanese people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus without chronic kidney disease. Methods This single‐centre observational cohort study involved 1802 Japanese people with Type 2 diabetes with normoalbuminuria and estimated GFR ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 (740 women; mean ± sd age 58 ± 12 years). Two separate outcomes were evaluated: onset of albuminuria ( ≥ 30 mg/g creatinine, albuminuria cohort; n = 1655) and decrease in estimated GFR (, What's new? This was a cohort study showing differences in risk factors for the onset of albuminuria and decreased estimated GFR (

Background To clarify the influence of hypertension and blood pressure ( BP ) control on thromboembolism and major hemorrhage in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, a post hoc analysis of the J‐ RHYTHM Registry was performed. Methods and Results A consecutive series of outpatients with atrial fibrillation was enrolled from 158 institutions. Of 7937 patients, 7406 with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (70.8% men, 69.8±10.0 years) were followed for 2 years or until an event occurred. Hypertension was defined as a systolic BP ≥140 mm Hg, a diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg, a history of hypertension, and/or antihypertensive drug use. Hypertension was an independent risk factor for major hemorrhage (hazard ratio 1.52, 95% CI 1.05–2.21, P =0.027) but not for thromboembolism (hazard ratio 1.05, 95% CI 0.73–1.52, P =0.787). When patients were divided into quartiles according to their systolic BP at the time closest to the event or at the end of follow‐up (Q1, CI 1.75–4.74, P CI 1.02–2.53, P =0.041) after adjustment for components of CHA 2 DS 2 ‐ VAS c score, warfarin use, and antiplatelet use. A systolic BP of ≥136 mm Hg was an independent risk factor for thromboembolism and major hemorrhage. Conclusions BP control appears to be more important than a history of hypertension and baseline BP values at preventing thromboembolism and major hemorrhage in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Clinical Trial Registration URL : http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr . Unique identifier: UMIN 000001569.

We have developed a compact divertor plasma simulator (CDPS) that can produce steady-state deuterium and/or helium plasmas with densities above ∼ 1018 m−3 for Plasma-Wall Interaction (PWI) studies of neutron-irradiated materials. The maximum particle flux is about 1022 m−2s−1. The CDPS was installed and is being operated in the radiation-controlled area of the International Research Center for Nuclear Materials Science, Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University. We are able to control sample temperature within uncertainty of 5 °C during plasma exposure by adjusting the cooling air flow rate to the sample holder. The CDPS has a sample-carrier system, which makes it possible to transfer a plasma-irradiated sample from the sample holder to an infrared heater for analysis using thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) without exposing it to the air. This avoids the oxidation of the sample and minimizes the time between the end of plasma exposure and TDS analysis. An ITER-like tungsten (W) sample (A.L.M.T. Corp.), which has been irradiated by neutrons to 0.06 dpa in a fission reactor, was exposed to a deuterium plasma in the CDPS. The experimental results clearly show that the total deuterium retention in the neutron-irradiated W sample increases significantly in comparison with a pristine W, as demonstrated by broadening of the TDS spectrum at high temperatures.

Summary. A total of 65 equine group A rotaviruses (GAR) isolated from diarrheal foals at 48 farms in Hokkaido, Japan, between 1996 (29 isolates) and 1997 (36 isolates) were characterized for their VP7 and VP4 serotypes by PCR, nucleotide sequencing, and virus neutralization (VN) tests. By PCR VP7 typing, all isolates were classified as G3 or G14, and the predominant serotype in each year was G3 (86%) in 1996 and G14 (53%) in 1997. VN tests with these 20 isolates randomly selected confirmed the specificity of PCR on the bases of complete agreement of the results in these methods (9 G3 and 11 G14), and revealed that all 9 G3 isolates were subtype G3B. There were five differing amino acid residues in three VP7 antigenic regions between subtypes G3A and G3B. Antiserum to a baculovirus recombinant that expressed P[12] VP4 neutralized all isolates and P[12] reference strains. These results suggest that genotype P[12] GAR belong to a single VP4 serotype, and that one VP4 and two VP7 serotypes (G3B and G14) of GAR were predominant in the equine population in Japan.

The interleukin 3 (IL-3), IL-5, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptors consist of a cytokine-specific alpha subunit and the common beta subunit. Whereas IL-3 stimulates various lineages of hematopoietic cells, including multipotential progenitors, IL-5 acts mainly as an eosinophil lineage-specific factor. To investigate whether the lineage specificity of IL-5 is due to restricted expression of the IL-5 receptor alpha subunit (IL-5R alpha), we generated transgenic mice that express the mouse IL-5R alpha constitutively by phosphoglycerate kinase promoter. The transgenic mouse expressed IL-5R alpha ubiquitously, and the bone marrow cells formed various types of colonies, including multi-lineage colonies, in response to IL-5. IL-5 also supported formation of both multi-lineage and blast cell colonies from dormant progenitors of the 5-fluorouracil-treated transgenic mice. The cells composing the blast cell colony gave rise to many colonies including multi-lineage colonies when they were replated in secondary culture containing either Il-5 or IL-3. There was no significant difference in replating efficiency or in types of secondary colonies between IL-5- and IL-3-stimulated cultures. Conversely, the cells from the IL-3-induced blast cell colonies of the transgenic mice proliferated in response to either IL-3 or IL-5. Thus, the development of the progenitors can be equally supported by either IL-5 or IL-3, suggesting that intracellular signals from the IL-3R can be replaced by those from IL-5. These results strongly suggest that the lineage specificity of IL-5 is mainly due to the restricted expression of IL-5R alpha.

To evaluate the acute effects of atrial pacing at different pacing sites on mechanical stunning after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation (AF).Tertiary referral centre.20 patients with persistent AF were studied.Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), left atrial appendage emptying velocity (LAAEV), and left atrial appendage emptying fraction (LAAEF) were assessed by transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) during AF, after conversion to sinus rhythm, and during atrial pacing from the right atrial appendage, left lateral atrium, and both atria simultaneously. Transmitral inflow velocity of the atrial wave (TMIF-A) by TOE and the maximum P wave duration in 12 lead ECG were also measured during sinus rhythm and atrial pacing.Comparison of atrial mechanical function and P wave duration in 12 lead ECG during atrial pacing from different sites after cardioversion of AF.Compared with sinus rhythm, atrial pacing at 80 beats/min increased LAAEV from mean (SD) 14.6 (10.1) to 33.4 (19.8) cm/s (p = 0.001), LAAEF from 13.8 (8.5) to 32.1 (11.2)% (p0.001), and TMIF-A from 24.6 (11.9) to 45.6 (21.0) cm/s (p0.001) and reduced SEC grade from 2.6 (1.0) to 1.6 (0.9) (p0.001). These effects had a positive force-frequency relation. Biatrial pacing produced the shortest P wave duration and resulted in the most significant improvement in atrial function (LAAEV, 33.2 (19.3) v 53.7 (23.9) cm/s, p = 0.0001; LAAEF, 31.9 (11.1) v 46.2 (12.6)%, p0.0001; TMIF-A, 37.7 (18.3) v 54.1 (21.2) cm/s, p0.001; SEC grade, 1.4 (1.1) v 0.8 (0.9), p = 0.001, right atrial appendage versus biatrial pacing).Atrial pacing at increased rates can improve atrial mechanical function after cardioversion of persistent AF. Biatrial pacing may be the most effective technique to reverse atrial mechanical stunning.

cause Holt-Oram syndrome with ASD or ventricular septal defect (VSD), non-syndromic CHD including ASD and atrioventricular conduction abnormal- ities, Ellis-van Creveld syndrome with ASD, and a familial isolated ASD, respectively. We encountered a large family of four generations where 11 members were affected with ASD, and where disease transmission was consistent with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Here we report a novel mutation of GATA4 in this family. METHODS Subjects A large Japanese family composed of a total of 29 members across four generations contained 11 members with ASD (I-1, II-2, II-6, II-7, III-1, III-2, III-4, IV-1, IV-2, IV-5, and IV-6; fig 1A). ASD in five patients (II-7, III-1, III-2, IV-1, and IV-2) was surgically repaired, and two patients (II-2 and IV-1) also had pulmonary stenosis (PS). The heart defects in eight subjects (II-2, II-7, III-1, III-2, IV-1, and IV-2) including two diseased subjects (I-1 and II-6) had been clinically diagnosed by one of co-authors (BK) on the basis of their past histories, operation records, 12-lead electrocardiograms, and echocar- diograms with colour Doppler apparatus (fig 1A), while those in three other subjects (III-4, IV-5, and IV-6) were retro- spectively found using information provided by the mutation analysis described below. None of the 11 affected members had any other abnormalities in the cardiac conduction system or other organs. After informed consent was obtained, DNA was extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes of 22 family members.

A Tracer-encapsulated Solid Pellet (TESPEL) injection method has been shown to be useful for many fields of plasma diagnostics. In order to provide more flexibility for such plasma diagnostics, we are developing various types of TESPELs. Here we report a new type TESPEL with a thin shell made of poly-dichlorostyrene useful for the impurity transport study. The new multilayer TESPEL configuration is also discussed. This type of TESPEL is not only useful for impurity transport study but also for the neutron observation due to the transient increase of the deuterium in the local position in the plasma for the upcoming LHD D-D experiment.

Achievements of KEKB control system during the commissioning of KEKB accelerators are reported. The KEKB control system is the first major application of EPICS toolkit in JAPAN. We added some software components on the top of EPICS toolkit. One of these is the system to automate generation of the EPICS database configuration files using ORACLE database management system. Although it costs us a lot of effort to develop, this kind of configuration management system is essential for a large accelerator like KEKB. Another component is an implementation of EPICS CA (Channel Access) interface in the script languages. SAD, a modeling program with a scripting language capability, Python, an object oriented scripting language are currently supported in the KEKB control system. These scripting languages are used to develop high level applications, such as an orbit correction program with graphical user interface using Tk library. Combination of these scripting languages and EPICS CA provides flexibility in the control system. KEKB control system also includes some new hardware components, including Arcnet based magnet power supply controllers and VME single board computers based on Motorola's PowerPC750 CPU. The performance of these components will also be reported. The problems and (possible) solutions found during the KEKB commissioning are also discussed.

Exposure to foreign particles sometimes causes inflammatory reactions through production of cytokines and chemoattractants by phagocytic cells. In this study, we focused on macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) to evaluate its pathophysiological role in the phagocytic process. Immunohistochemical analysis of human pseudosynovial tissues retrieved at revision of total hip arthroplasty showed that infiltrating mononuclear and multinuclear cells were positively stained by both an anti-CD68 antibody and anti-human MIF antibody. For in vitro study, MIF was released from murine macrophage-like cells (RAW 264.7) in response to phagocytosis of fluorescent-latex beads in a particle dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis showed marked elevation of the MIF mRNA level in the phagocytic macrophage-like cells. Moreover, pretreatment of RAW 264.7 cells with rat recombinant MIF increased the extent of phagocytosis by 1.6-fold compared with the control. Taken together, these results suggest that MIF plays an important role by activating macrophages in autocrine and paracrine fashion to phagocytose foreign particles.

The blood glucose (BG) target has not been determined especially in acutely ill patients. The purpose was to investigate the BG target in order to reduce the mortality in terms of clinical phases (Early (E) phase and Late (L) phase) as well as to clarify mutual relationships among the BG parameters.

High blood glucose (BG) variability is considered to affect the prognosis of acutely ill patients. However, the significance of BG variability is not clearly elucidated. We investigated the significance of BG variability with a bedside-type artificial pancreas (AP).

A selective staining method for keratohyalin granules was examined and reported. This method includes treatment with metal salts and then staining with unoxidized Hematoxylin. Various kinds of metal salts were compared for their specificity and stainability of the granules. The treatment with cobalt salts was considered to be the most satisfactory.

Nine cases of fibromatosis occurring in or near the oral cavity are presented here. They are classified as nodular fasciitis (3 cases), aggressive infantile fibromatosis (2 cases), fibrosing myositis (1 case) and fibromatosis (1 case). Of the 5 cases of nodular fasciitis, 3 occurred from the fascia of the masticatory muscle and 2 from the submucous fascia of the palate and tongue. The aggressive infantile fibromatosis showed a prominent infiltrating growth and an alarming histologic appearance. One of the 2 cases showed a recurrence, but the postoperative course of both cases was uneventful for 13 years and 10 years, respectively. The fibrosing myositis is an unusual fibromatosis of the muscle, which arose within the tongue muscle. The lesion was benign and can be cured by conservative surgery.

Sixteen autopsy cases of the primary sarcomas of the mouth and jaws were reviewed, which included 1 chondrosarcoma, 3 osteosarcomas, 1 leiomyosarcoma, 7 rhabdomyosarcomas and 4 histiocytic lymphoma (reticulum cell sarcoma). Although the case materials studied were too small, the pattern of the spread of the sarcomas of the mouth and jaws was likely to be divided into two groups, localized and generalized. The former is comprised of chondrosarcoma, osteosarcoma, leiomyosarcoma and pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma. The latter is comprised of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and histiocytic lymphoma. Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma belongs to either group depending on the case. The former, being resistant to local therapy, tended to recur with a contiguous spread but was slow to metastasize. Metastases were limited to the lung and pleura through the hematogenous route. The primary sarcomas of the latter group were not so extended in local spread and occasionally cured with therapy. However, metastases, both hematogenous and lymphogenous, were generalized.

We investigated the effects of B cell stimulatory factor 2/interleukin 6 (BSF-2/IL-6) on the development of murine hemopoietic progenitors using serum-containing culture and serum-free culture. In serum-containing culture, BSF-2 mainly supported multipotential blast cell colonies from spleen cells of normal and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice. In serum-free culture, no colony growth was seen in the presence of BSF-2. Addition of BSF-2 to the serum-free culture containing IL-3 resulted in a significant increase in the number of colonies formed from multipotential progenitors in spleen cells and bone marrow cells of 5-FU-treated mice, whereas no effects were seen on the number of single or oligolineage colonies formed by the spleen cells of normal mice. These results suggested that BSF-2 and IL-3 act synergistically on the multipotential progenitors but not on the maturer progenitors. When BSF-2 was added to a culture containing low concentrations of IL-3 (1 U/ml, 4 U/ml), which had little effect on colony formation, the number of total colonies formed by the spleen cells and bone marrow cells of 5-FU-treated mice increased significantly. The combination of BSF-2 and 40 U/ml of IL-3 resulted in a significant enlargement of GMM colonies. Thus, BSF-2 appears to enhance the sensitivity of multipotential hemopoietic progenitors to IL-3.

A case of granulocytic sarcoma of the jaw is presented, which developed 1 year and 6 months before the onset of acute myelogenous leukemia. Granulocytic sarcomas before the involvement of the peripheral blood and marrow were also found in the lymph nodes, uterine cervix, forearms and ribs. The diagnosis of granulocytic sarcomas was confirmed retrospectively with naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase and electron microscope.

1. Nine cases of adenomatoid ameloblastoma were reviewed and analyzed from the clinical and pathological points. Moreover, the tumors were studied electron microscopically and histochemically. 2. The adenomatoid ameloblastoma was more common in female and mostly occurred in the second decade of life. The lesion occurred frequently in the incisor-cuspid-premolar regions, and the mandible was more affected than maxilla in our cases. 3. A direct transition between the duct-like lumen and the degenerated stroma was demonstrated histologically. By electron microscope, basal lamina along the lumen was ascertained and fibrillar structure of the connective tissue was found in the lumina. It seems reasonable to assume that the duct-like structure is considered to be not a genuine duct but be formed by degeneration of the stromal tissue. 4. The real nature of the eosinophilic substance in the lumina could not be determined. By electron microscope, it appeared to be amorphous or fibrillar structure. The substance in the parenchyma might be different from that in the lumina in the chemical composition. 5. Most of the calcified substance is thought to be dystrophic calcification. 6. Histogenetically, enamel organ or its cell rests might be the most reason able origin, but definite derivation could not be determined. 7. Histochemically, acid phosphatase activity was found in the spindle cdl areas of the tumor.

ObjectivesWe evaluate the acute effects on hemodynamics of bi-atrial (BiA) pacing with the optimal atrioventricular (AV) delays, in comparison with high right atrial (HRA) pacing and coronary sinus (CS) pacing.BackgroundBi-atrial pacing has been suggested as one of the alternative therapy for preventing the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF). There are, however, few reports on the hemodynamic effects of BiA pacing, and the results that exist are controversial.MethodsTwenty patients were paced from HRA, left lateral site of CS, and both sites with the optimal AV delays at 80 and 100 beats/min, in random order. After 5-min pacing, maximal P-wave duration in a 12-lead electrocardiogram, cardiac output (CO), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and the transmitral flow pattern by transthoracic echocardiography were measured.ResultsCompared with HRA and CS pacing, BiA pacing delivered the shortest P-wave duration (HRA: 130 ± 14 ms, CS: 132 ± 19 ms, and BiA: 94 ± 8 ms, respectively, p < 0.001) and the most improvement in CO and PCWP (HRA: 3.63 ± 0.67 l/min and 9.2 ± 4.3 mm Hg, CS: 3.71 ± 0.70 l/min and 8.8 ± 3.4 mm Hg, and BiA: 3.88 ± 0.63 l/min and 8.0 ± 3.1 mm Hg, respectively, p < 0.01). Bi-atrial pacing also significantly increased the mitral flow time velocity integral and peak A-wave velocity by transthoracic echocardiography, compared with HRA and CS pacing (HRA: 7.6 ± 1.4 cm and 68.8 ± 12.2 cm/s, CS: 7.8 ± 1.4 cm and 70.5 ± 14.5 cm/s, and BiA: 8.2 ± 1.2 cm and 76.3 ± 14.2 cm/s, respectively, p < 0.01). Bi-atrial pacing most significantly decreased the intervals between the atrial pacing spike and the peak of A-wave (HRA: 180 ± 28 ms, CS: 165 ± 21 ms, and BiA: 157 ± 19 ms, respectively, p < 0.01). These improvements in hemodynamics significantly correlated with interatrial conduction delay.ConclusionsBi-atrial pacing made the most significant improvements of hemodynamics. These benefits may be due to the improvements in interatrial conduction delay and atrial dyssynchrony.

The structural gene for a thermostable protease from Bacillus stearothermophilus was cloned in plasmid pTB90. It is expressed in both B. stearothermophilus and Bacillus subtilis. B. stearothermophilus carrying the recombinant plasmid produced about 15-fold more protease (310 U/mg of cell dry weight) than did the wild-type strain of B. stearothermophilus. Some properties of the proteases that have been purified from the transformants of B. stearothermophilus and B. subtilis were examined. No significant difference was observed among the enzyme properties studied here despite the difference in host cells. We found that the protease, neutral in pH characteristics and with a molecular weight of 36,000, retained about 80% of its activity even after treatment of 65 degrees C for 30 min.