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Background To clarify the patterns, timing and risk factors of recurrence of gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy. Methods From January 1999 to March 2012, 577 patients underwent laparoscopic or laparoscopy-assisted gastrectomy for curative resection of gastric cancer. Recurrence patterns were classified as locoregional, hematogenous, peritoneal, distant lymph node and mixed. Recurrence patterns and time to recurrence were retrospectively examined and risk factors for recurrence were analyzed. Results Recurrence occurred in 28 (4.9%) cases with patterns as follows: locoregional in 2 patients (7.1%), hematogenous in seven (25.0%), peritoneal in nine (32.1%), distant lymph node in four (14.3%), and mixed in 6 (21.4%). There was no recurrence pattern peculiar to laparoscopic surgery. Recurrence occurred at one site in 21 patients (78.6%), two in 4 patients (14.3%), and three in 2 patients (7.1%). The median time to recurrence was 384 days (range 83–1497 days). Recurrence was detected within a year in 13 cases (46.4%), within two years in 21 (75%), and within three years in 25 (89.3%). Univariate analysis revealed tumor location, tumor size, type of operation, tumor depth, and lymph node classification as risk factors for recurrence. Multivariate analysis indicated tumor depth and lymph node classification as risk factors of recurrence. Conclusions Patterns, timing and risk factors of recurrence of gastric cancer after laparoscopic gastrectomy are similar to those after open gastrectomy, with no peculiarities specific to laparoscopic gastrectomy. Thus, as long as laparoscopic gastrectomy is performed according to the present inclusion criteria, follow-up can be similarly performed as for open gastrectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is an increasing need to restore natural hardwood forests in landscapes dominated by monocultural conifer plantations. A convenient restoration approach is to exploit natural regeneration processes. Natural regeneration, however, is affected by diverse interacting factors, for which better understanding is required, in order to optimize restoration programs. To identify optimal management practices for improving natural regeneration of hardwood trees in coniferous plantations, we examined the effects of multiple factors on the abundance of seedlings, small saplings and large saplings (height <0.3, 0.3–1.3 and ⩾1.3m, respectively) of hardwood tree and shrub species in both line thinned (LT) and unthinned (UT) plantations of sugi (Cryptomeria japonica) and hardwood forests (HF) in central Japan. The effects of management practices (number of the times of weeding and cleaning, thinning method, years after thinning and forest age), environment (slope position, slope angle and canopy openness), and landscape conditions (distance from nearest hardwood forest, altitude and landuse before planting) on the number of hardwood individuals were examined by using the data obtained from the LT plantations. We also compared hardwood density between LT and UT plantations to examine the effect of line thinning. Finally, we examined species composition of LT plantations and HF to identify hardwood forest components in the thinned plantations. The effects on hardwood regeneration of environmental conditions, landscape factors and management practices applied in the plantations varied, depending on the size class and life form of the regenerating species. The abundance of large saplings of tall tree species was affected by several management factors, especially number of the times of weeding. Landscape conditions (distance from the nearest hardwood forest and altitude) affected the abundance of small saplings and seedlings of tall tree species, but not the other classes. Seedlings and small saplings of many tall tree species that contribute to hardwood forest canopies were less abundant in the LT plantations. The results show that numerous factors affect the establishment and abundance of naturally regenerating hardwood tree species, and suggest that successful establishment during early plantation stages can have long-lasting effects on natural regeneration of tall tree species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Lithium niobate LiNbO3 crystals were formed at the surface of CuO (1 mol%)-doped 25Li2O–25Nb2O5–50TeO2 glass (mol%) by heat-assisted (150 ∘C) continuous-wave Nd:YAG laser irradiations with a wavelength of λ=1064 nm. Nd:YAG laser energies absorbed by Cu2+ ions (d–d transitions) were converted to the lattice vibrations of surrounding Cu2+ ions (nonradiative relaxations), giving the increase in the temperature of the laser irradiated local region. The formation of LiNbO3 crystals was confirmed from micro-Raman scattering spectra. For the line patterned by a laser scanning with a power of 0.59 W and a speed of 6 μm/s, the possibility of a -axis orientation of LiNbO3 crystals along the laser scanning direction was proposed. The present study demonstrates that the combination of Cu2+ and Nd:YAG laser with λ=1064 nm, i.e. transition metal atom heat processing, is effective in inducting LiNbO3 crystals in TeO2-based glasses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this paper, thermally actuated pressure wave generators are studied. Solid displacers instead of long and heavy resonance tubes are used as a resonator for compactness, less vibration and small loss. First, various types of thermoacoustic engine are categorized and discussed in view of energy flow patterns at a regenerator. Next, the work amplifier with solid displacers is demonstrated with the experimental apparatus. The maximum work amplification ratio of 1.6 is obtained. Further, the pressure wave generator with self-actuated oscillation is examined. Results indicate that a progressive-wave type of thermoacoustic engine can produce the largest output of 22 W among tested cases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 1995 Kobe earthquake seriously damaged numerous buildings with pile foundations adjacent to quay walls. The seismic behavior of a pile group is affected by movement of quay walls, pile foundations, and liquefied backfill soil. For such cases, a three-dimensional (3-D) soil–water coupled dynamic analysis is a promising tool to predict overall behavior. We report predictions of large shake table test results to validate 3-D soil–water coupled dynamic analyses, and we discuss liquefaction-induced earth pressure on a pile group during the shaking in the direction perpendicular to ground flow. Numerical analyses predicted the peak displacement of footing and peak bending moment of the group pile. The earth pressure on the pile in the crustal layer is most important for the evaluation of the peak bending moment along the piles. In addition, the larger curvatures in the bending moment distribution along the piles at the water side in the liquefied ground were measured and predicted. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Numerical predictions of a series of shake-table tests are presented in this paper in order to examine the accuracy of a 3-D effective stress analysis in predicting the behavior of piles subjected to liquefaction-induced ground flow. For a rigorous assessment of the analysis, “Class B” predictions are reported in which numerical and constitutive model parameters were set before the event, and the target motion was used as an input motion in the analysis. Modeling of the stress–strain behavior of sand, identification of the initial stress state and critical numerical parameters in the 3-D seismic analysis of the soil–pile system are discussed in detail. Combined effects of kinematic loads due to large lateral ground movement and inertial loads on pile behavior are examined through a series of tests using different shaking direction, excitation amplitude and mass of the footing (load from the superstructure). By and large, very good agreement was obtained between the predicted and measured peak responses of the pile foundation, whereas the analysis underestimated the displacements of the sheet-pile wall and was less accurate in predicting the residual deformation of the foundation piles. Reasons for these discrepancies and limitations of the analysis method are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: While previous studies have reported on the prognostic value of total plasma cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) in lung cancers, few have prospectively evaluated its predictive value for systemic therapy response. Patients and methods: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the association between changes in total cfDNA and radiologic response to systemic therapy in patients with stage IIIB/IV non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs). Paired blood collections for cfDNA and computed tomography (CT) assessments by RECIST v1.0 were performed at baseline and 6-12 weeks after therapy initiation. Total cfDNA levels were measured in plasma using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Associations between changes in cfDNA and radiologic response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were measured using Kruskal-Wallis and Kaplan-Meier estimates. Results: A total of 103 patients completed paired cfDNA and CT response assessments. Systemic therapy administered included cytotoxic chemotherapy in 57% (59/103), molecularly targeted therapy in 17% (17/103), and combination therapy in 26% (27/103). Median change in cfDNA from baseline to response assessment did not significantly differ by radiologic response categories of progression of disease, stable disease and partial response (P = 0.10). However, using radiologic response as continuous variable, there was a weak positive correlation between change in radiologic response and change in cfDNA (Spearman's correlation coefficient 0.21, P = 0.03). Baseline cfDNA levels were not associated with PFS [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.93-1.20, P = 0.41] or OS (HR=1.04, 95% CI 0.93-1.17, P = 0.51), neither were changes in cfDNA. Conclusions: In this large prospective study, changes in total cfDNA over time did not significantly predict radiologic response from systemic therapy in patients with advanced NSCLC. Pretreatment levels of total cfDNA were not prognostic of survival. Total cfDNA level is not a highly specific predictive biomarker and future investigations in cfDNA should focus on tumor-specific genomic alterations using expanded capabilities of next-generation sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study elucidates the immune modulation including the expression of cytokine genes following dietary administration of three selected probiotic bacteria—Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Enterococcus faecium and Bacillus subtilis to fish, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. They were fed for 45 days on either a basal control diet or one of the three probiotic diets containing the specific bacteria in freeze-dried form at a density of 109 CFUgfeed−1. The non-specific immune parameters examined—superoxide anion production by the head kidney leukocytes and the alternate complement activity of serum was improved by probiotic feeding. Besides this, the relative gene expressions of interleukin-1β1, tumor necrosis factor 1 and 2 and transforming growth factor-β were up regulated in the spleen and the head kidney. The comparatively better performance of E. faecium could possibly be linked to their suitable ambient temperature conditions. Thus, probiotic bacteria delivered in feed exerts its influence on the immune system of fish, both at cellular and molecular levels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]