Search

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type of lung cancer and is classified into adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS), minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) and invasive adenocarcinoma (IA). Atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH) lesions are possible precursors to adenocarcinoma. However, the mechanism underlying the stepwise continuum of lung adenocarcinoma is unclear. In this study, the involvement of ADP‐ribosylation factor (ARF)‐like (ARL) 4C (ARL4C), a member of the small GTP‐binding protein family, in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma and the possibility of ARL4C as a molecular target for lung cancer therapy were explored. ARL4C was frequently expressed in AAH and ARL4C expression in immortalized human small airway epithelial cells promoted cell proliferation and suppressed cell death. In addition, ARL4C was expressed with increased frequency in AIS, MIA and IA in a stage‐dependent manner, and the expression was correlated with histologic grade, fluorine‐18 fluorodeoxyglucose uptake and poor prognosis. An anti–sense oligonucleotide (ASO) against ARL4C (ARL4C ASO‐1316) inhibited RAS‐related C3 botulinum toxin substrate activity and nuclear import of Yes‐associated protein and transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif, and suppressed in vitro proliferation and migration of lung cancer cells with KRAS or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. In addition, transbronchial administration of ARL4C ASO‐1316 suppressed orthotopic tumor formation induced by these cancer cells. Thus, ARL4C is involved in the initiation of the premalignant stage and is associated with the stepwise continuum of lung adenocarcinoma. ARL4C ASO‐1316 would be useful for lung adenocarcinoma patients expressing ARL4C regardless of the KRAS or EGFR mutation., ARL4C is involved in the initiation of the premalignant stage and is associated with the stepwise continuum of lung adenocarcinoma. Transbronchial administration of ARL4C ASO suppressed orthotopic tumor formation of lung cancer cells.

Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) gene, a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 22q12.2, is frequently abnormal in mesothelioma. Recent studies have revealed the effectiveness of diagnostic assays for differentiating malignant pleural mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. These include detection of homozygous deletion of the 9p21 locus by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) (9p21 FISH), loss of expression of BAP1 as detected by immunohistochemistry, and loss of expression of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) as detected by immunohistochemistry. However, the application of FISH detection of NF2 gene deletion (NF2 FISH) in differentiation of malignant pleural mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia has not been fully evaluated. In this study, we investigated whether NF2 FISH, either alone or in a combination with other diagnostic assays (9p21 FISH, MTAP immunohistochemistry, and BAP1 immunohistochemistry), is effective for distinguishing malignant pleural mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. This study cohort included malignant pleural mesothelioma (n = 47) and reactive mesothelial hyperplasia cases (n = 27) from a period between 2001 and 2017. We used FISH to examine deletion status of NF2 and 9p21 and immunohistochemistry to examine expression of MTAP and BAP1 in malignant pleural mesothelioma and in reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. Hemizygous NF2 loss (chromosome 22 monosomy or hemizygous deletion) was detected in 25 of 47 (53.2%) mesothelioma cases. None of the mesothelioma cases showed homozygous NF2 deletion. Hemizygous NF2 loss showed 53.2% sensitivity and 100% specificity in differentiating malignant pleural mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. A combination of NF2 FISH, 9p21 FISH, and BAP1 immunohistochemistry yielded greater sensitivity (100%) than that detected for either diagnostic assay alone (53.2% for NF2 FISH, 78.7% for 9p21 FISH, 70.2% for MTAP immunohistochemistry, or 57.4% for BAP1 immunohistochemistry). Thus, NF2 FISH in combination with other diagnostic assays is effective for distinguishing malignant pleural mesothelioma from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia.

Rehabilitation is an important stage in mining operations for environmental conservation. However, the shortage of topsoil makes it difficult to achieve rehabilitation in open-cast coal mines. Securing topsoil by mixing soil with fly ash (FA), which is treated as an industrial waste, is expected to solve this issue in coal mines. While mixing soil with FA makes it possible to secure the topsoil and treat industrial waste simultaneously, the high alkalinity of FA and the dissolution of heavy metals from FA may inhibit plant growth. This study investigated the effects of FA in the topsoil on plant growth via vegetation tests with simulated topsoil mixed with FA using Acacia mangium, a species of flowering tree: the FA mixing ratios were set to 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 100%. The growth of Acacia mangium was inhibited with increasing FA mixing ratio, especially from 60% to 80%. However, the growth rate of Acacia mangium in an FA mixing ratio of 100% was nearly comparable to that in a mixing ratio of 40%. Furthermore, there were no effects of the physical characteristics and pH conditions in the topsoil on the plant growth at any of the mixing ratios; meanwhile, the accumulated concentration of Al in the plant body increased significantly at an FA mixing ratio of 60%–80%. This suggests that the accumulation of Al, which inhibits plant growth, including root growth and its functions, in the plant body inhibited the growth of Acacia mangium. Therefore, the most important aspect in terms of rehabilitation concerning the use of FA for securing topsoil is not the mixing ratio of FA but the amount of Al in the FA and the accumulation of Al in the plant body., Rekultywacja jest ważnym etapem w eksploatacji górniczej wzakresie ochrony środowiska. Brak wierzchniej warstwy gleby utrudnia osiągnięcie efektu rekultywacji w kopalniach odkrywkowych. Oczekuje się, że zabezpieczenie wierzchniej warstwy gleby przez zmieszanie gleby z popiołem lotnym (FA), który jest traktowany jako odpad przemysłowy, rozwiąże ten problem w odkrywkowych kopalniach węgla. Podczas mieszania gleby z FA możliwe jest jednoczesne zabezpieczenie wierzchniej warstwy gleby i utylizacja odpadów przemysłowych. Jednak wysoka alkaliczność FA i rozpuszczanie metali ciężkich z FA może hamować wzrost roślin. W artykule przedstawiono wpływ dodatku FA do wierzchniej warstwy gleby na wzrost roślin poprzez testy roślinności z symulowaną wierzchnią warstwą gleby zmieszaną z FA przy użyciu Acacia mangium i gatunków drzew kwitnących. Proporcje mieszanek FA zostały określone na 0%, 20%, 40%, 60% i 100%. Wzrost Acacia Mangium był hamowany wraz ze wzrostem zawartości FA, zwłaszcza od 60% do 80%. Jednak tempo wzrostu w mieszance FA w proporcji 40% było praktycznie takie jak bez dodatku FA. Ponadto nie zaobserwowano wpływu właściwości fizycznych i warunków pH w wierzchniej warstwie gleby na wzrost roślin w żadnej mieszance. Oznacza to, że skumulowane stężenie Al w roślinie znacznie wzrosło dla mieszanek z dodatkiem FA 60% -80%. Sugeruje to, że nagromadzenie Al, które hamuje wzrost roślin, w tym wzrost korzeni i jego funkcje, w organizmie rośliny hamuje wzrost Acacia Mangium. Dlatego najważniejszym aspektem rekultywacji z zastosowaniem FA do zabezpieczania wierzchniej warstwy gleby nie jest wielkość dodatku FA, lecz ilość Al w FA i akumulacja Al w roślinie.

ADP-ribosylation factor-like 4c (ARL4C) is identified as a small GTP-binding protein, which is expressed by Wnt and EGF signaling and plays an important role in tubulogenesis of cultured cells and the ureters. ARL4C is little expressed in adult tissues, but it is highly expressed in lung cancer and colorectal cancer and shown to represent a molecular target for cancer therapy based on siRNA experiments. This study revealed that ARL4C is highly expressed in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tumors and colorectal cancer liver metastases, and that ARL4C expression is associated with poor prognosis for these cancers. Chemically modified antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) against ARL4C effectively reduced ARL4C expression in both HCC and colorectal cancer cells and inhibited proliferation and migration of these cancer cells in vitro. ARL4C ASOs decreased the PIK3CD mRNA levels and inhibited the activity of AKT in HCC cells, suggesting that the downstream signaling of ARL4C in HCC cells is different from that in lung and colon cancer cells. In addition, subcutaneous injection of ARL4C ASO was effective in reducing the growth of primary HCC and metastatic colorectal cancer in the liver of immunodeficient mice. ARL4C ASO accumulated in cancer cells more efficiently than the surrounding normal cells in the liver and decreased ARL4C expression in the tumor. These results suggest that ARL4C ASO represents a novel targeted nucleic acid medicine for the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers.

Objectives Histologic diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is not always straightforward. Loss of BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) expression as detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) (BAP1 IHC) and homozygous deletion (HD) of 9p21 as detected by fluorescencein situ hybridization (FISH) (9p21 FISH) are effective for distinguishing malignant mesothelial proliferation from benign proliferation. We have previously reported that immunohistochemical expression of the protein product of the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene, which is localized in the 9p21 chromosomal region, is correlated with the deletion status of 9p21 FISH in MPM tissues. In this study, we investigated whether a combination of MTAP and BAP1 IHC could distinguish sarcomatoid MPM from fibrous pleuritis. Materials and Methods We examined IHC expressions of MTAP and BAP1 and 9p21 FISH in sarcomatoid/desmoplastic (n = 18) and biphasic MPM (n = 12) and in fibrous pleuritis (n = 17). In biphasic MPM, only sarcomatoid components were evaluated for IHC and FISH. The sensitivity and specificity of each detection assay for discriminating MPM cases from fibrous pleuritis was determined. In addition, we compared the IHC expression of MTAP with the deletion status of 9p21 FISH. Results MTAP IHC and BAP1 IHC showed 80% and 36.7% sensitivity, respectively, and both showed 100% specificity in differentiating MPM from fibrous pleuritis. A combination of MTAP and BAP1 IHC yielded greater sensitivity (90%) than that detected for MTAP IHC alone or BAP1 IHC alone. Moreover, a high degree of concordance was observed between the results of MTAP IHC and HD of 9p21 FISH (κ = 0.63). Conclusions With an accurate interpretation of results, combined MTAP and BAP1 IHC is a reliable and effective method for distinguishing sarcomatoid MPM from fibrous pleuritis.

Pancreatic cancer has a high mortality rate due to metastasis. Whereas KRAS is mutated in most pancreatic cancer patients, controlling KRAS or its downstream effectors has not been succeeded clinically. ARL4C is a small G protein whose expression is induced by the Wnt and EGF–RAS pathways. In the present study, we found that ARL4C is frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer patients and showed that its localization to invasive pseudopods is required for cancer cell invasion. IQGAP1 was identified as a novel interacting protein for ARL4C. ARL4C recruited IQGAP1 and its downstream effector, MMP14, to invasive pseudopods. Specific localization of ARL4C, IQGAP1, and MMP14 was the active site of invasion, which induced degradation of the extracellular matrix. Moreover, subcutaneously injected antisense oligonucleotide against ARL4C into tumor-bearing mice suppressed metastasis of pancreatic cancer. These results suggest that ARL4C–IQGAP1–MMP14 signaling is activated at invasive pseudopods of pancreatic cancer cells., eLife digest Most cases of pancreatic cancer are detected in the later stages when they are difficult to treat and, as a result, survival is low. Over 90% of pancreatic cancers contain genetic changes that increase the activity of a protein called KRAS. This hyperactive KRAS drives cancer growth and progression. Attempts to treat pancreatic cancer using drugs that reduce the activity of KRAS have so far failed. The KRAS protein can accelerate growth in healthy cells as well as in cancer and it does this by activating various other proteins. Drugs that target some of these other proteins could be more effective at treating pancreatic cancer than the drugs that target KRAS. One of these potential targets is called ARL4C. ARL4C is active during fetal development, but it is often not present in adult tissues. Harada et al. investigated whether the protein is important in pancreatic cancer, and what other roles it has in the body, to better understand if it is a good target for cancer treatment. First, Harada et al. used cells grown in the lab to show that ARL4C contributes to the aggressive spread of human pancreatic cancers. Using mice, Harada et al. also showed that blocking the activity of ARL4C in pancreatic cancers helped to slow their progression. Harada et al.’s results suggest that ARL4C could be a good target for new drugs treating pancreatic cancers. Given that this protein does not seem to have important roles in the cells of adults, targeting it is unlikely to have major side effects. Further investigation of ARL4C in more human-like animal models will help to confirm these results.

Early diagnosis and initiation of treatment lead to longer survival in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Since more than 80% of MPM cases start with pleural effusions, cytologic diagnosis with effusion smears is critical for improved clinical outcomes. A three-step approach is usually undertaken for the diagnosis of MPM. The first step is to detect atypical mesothelial cells; the second step is to verify its mesothelial origin using immunohistochemistry (IHC); the third step is differentiating MPM cells from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia (RMH) or reactive mesothelial cells (RMC). Genomic-based ancillary assays that can effectively distinguish MPM from RMH/RMC, including BRCA-1 associated protein-1 (BAP1) and methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) IHC and 9p21 and neurofibromin 2 (NF2) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), have recently been developed. These ancillary assays enable the confirmation of the neoplastic and malignant nature of atypical mesothelial cells detected in the cytologic preparations or that of a single layer of surface mesothelial cells found in the in situ phase of mesothelioma. However, cautious interpretation and familiarity with potential challenges of data interpretation while assessing BAP1 and MTAP IHC results in cell blocks are warranted.

Background Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is characterized by mutations in several genes, including cyclin-dependent kinase-inhibitor 2A/p16 in the 9p21 locus, BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1), and neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) in the 22q12 locus. Recent studies indicate that fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) detects hemizygous loss of NF2 in tissue specimens of MPM. The authors investigated whether NF2 FISH, either alone or in combination with other diagnostic assays (9p21 FISH, methylthioadenosine phosphorylase [MTAP] immunohistochemistry [IHC], and BAP1 IHC), effectively distinguishes MPM cells from reactive mesothelial cells (RMCs) in cell blocks prepared from pleural effusions. Methods FISH assays were used to examine the deletion status of NF2 and 9p21, and IHC was used to determine the expression of MTAP and BAP1 in cell blocks from 54 cases with MPM and 18 cases with RMCs. Results Hemizygous NF2 loss (chromosome 22 monosomy or hemizygous deletion) showed 51.9% sensitivity (48.1% for chromosome 22 monosomy and 3.7% for hemizygous deletion) and 100% specificity in differentiating MPM cells from RMCs. Combinations of NF2 FISH, 9p21 FISH, and BAP1 IHC assays yielded greater sensitivity (98.1%) than any assay alone (9p21 FISH, 61.1%; MTAP IHC, 52.8%; or BAP1 IHC, 60.4%). The level of hemizygous NF2 loss in cell blocks positively correlated with that in corresponding tissues. Furthermore, to overcome cytologic specimen-specific challenges, FISH combined with cytokeratin AE1/AE3 immunofluorescence was necessary in 25.9% of MPM cases for FISH assessment of predominantly scattered MPM cells. Conclusions NF2 FISH alone or in combination with other diagnostic assays effectively differentiates MPM cells from RMCs in cell blocks prepared from pleural effusions.

BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) or methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) immunohistochemistry (IHC) or 9p21 fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) are useful for the diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). However, the effect of these assays on the diagnostic yield of effusion cytology in MPM cases with suspicious cytomorphology or the diagnostic challenges in BAP1 or MTAP IHC have not been fully elucidated. Two cohorts of cytologic preparations obtained from pleural effusions were examined: MPM cases in cohort 1 were used to evaluate whether BAP1 or MTAP IHC or 9p21 FISH increase the diagnostic yield of effusion cytology; cohort 2 included cases suspicious for MPM, to which BAP1 or MTAP IHC was applied to clarify the challenges in the clinical assessment of these assays. In cohort 1 (n = 28), either assay elevated 62.5% of class II or III cases to class V. In cohort 2 (n = 139), 21.7% of BAP1 immunocytochemistry in smears and 10.6% of BAP1 IHC and 9.4% of MTAP IHC in cell blocks, were identified to be challenging. The application of genomic-based assays increased the diagnostic yield of effusion cytology in the diagnosis of MPM. However, diagnostic challenges limit the application of these assays in some cases.

BACKGROUND Homozygous deletion of 9p21 detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and loss of BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) expression detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) are useful for the differentiation between malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) and reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. The authors previously described that IHC expression of the protein product of the methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) gene, which is localized in the 9p21 chromosomal region, was correlated with the deletion status of 9p21 FISH in MPM tissues. In the current study, the authors investigated whether a combination of MTAP and BAP1 IHC could distinguish MPM from reactive mesothelial cells (RMC) in cell blocks obtained from pleural effusions. METHODS The authors examined IHC expression of MTAP and BAP1 in cell blocks obtained from pleural effusions of 45 cases of MPM and 21 cases of reactive mesothelial hyperplasia. Furthermore, IHC expression of MTAP was compared with the deletion status of 9p21 FISH. RESULTS MTAP and BAP1 IHC differentiated MPM from RMC with 100% specificity for both and sensitivities of 42.2% and 60.0%, respectively. The combination of MTAP and BAP1 IHC yielded a sensitivity of 77.8%, which was higher than that of BAP1 IHC alone or 9p21 FISH alone (62.2%). Moreover, a high degree of concordance was observed between the results of MTAP IHC and 9p21 FISH in cell blocks. CONCLUSIONS A combination of MTAP and BAP1 IHC in cell blocks from pleural effusions appears to be a reliable and useful method for differentiating MPM cells from RMC and can be used in the routine diagnosis of MPM. Cancer Cytopathol 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Objectives Differentiating malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia (RMH) is still challenging. Detection of homozygous deletion (HD) of 9p21 region including p16 INK4A ( p16 ) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemical detection of loss of BRCA1 associated protein 1 (BAP1), are reliable markers for MPM diagnosis. However, not all laboratories are equipped to perform 9p21 FISH; immunohistochemistry (IHC) is a more common and feasible technique. Thus, we sought to develop a IHC-based method that could predict the deletion of p16 in MPM in concordance with 9p21 FISH. Materials and methods We examined the expression of the 9p21.3-related proteins (p14, p15, p16, and methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP)) and BAP1 using IHC in 51 MPM and 25 RMH cases, and assessed their correlation with HD of p16 detected by FISH. The diagnostic usefulness of IHC of the 9p21.3-related proteins and BAP1 and their combinations was assessed using the cut-off values set by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results Among the 9p21.3-related proteins, MTAP IHC findings showed best concordance with 9p21 FISH results (kappa coefficient of 0.69) and a specificity of 100%. We also examined the combinations of MTAP IHC with the other products. The loss of p16 and MTAP had better concordance (kappa coefficient of 0.71), although lower specificity (85%). For differentiating MPM from RMH, only MTAP showed 100% specificity among the 9p21.3-related proteins, as did BAP1 IHC and 9p21 FISH. Among BAP1 combinations, only that of BAP1 with MTAP showed 100% specificity. Its sensitivity was 76.5%, which was lower than BAP1 IHC and 9p21 FISH combination (84.3%), but higher than BAP1 IHC alone (60.8%) or 9p21 FISH alone (60.8%). Conclusions A combination of MTAP or BAP1 loss detected by IHC can likely detect MPM with good sensitivity and 100% specificity, and serve as useful ancillary IHC for discriminating MPM from RMH.

Objective Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive neoplasm with poor prognosis. Loss of BRCA-associated protein 1 (BAP1) protein expression as detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and homozygous deletion (HD) of the 9p21 locus as detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) permits differentiation of MPM from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia (RMH). We have previously reported that detecting the loss of methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) using IHC is a surrogate assay for 9p21 FISH. Furthermore, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which encodes a component of polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC-2), has been overexpressed in various tumors as well as MPM. In the current study, we investigated whether EZH2 IHC assay, alone or in combination with BAP1 and MTAP IHC, is useful for distinguishing MPM from RMH. Materials and methods We examined IHC expression of EZH2, BAP1, and MTAP, and 9p21 FISH in MPM (n = 38) and RMH (n = 29) and analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of each detection assay for distinguishing MPM from RMH. Results and conclusion EZH2, BAP1, and MTAP IHC, and 9p21 FISH were characterized by a 100% specificity each and 44.7%, 52.6%, 47.4%, and 65.8% sensitivities, respectively. A combination of EZH2 and BAP1 IHC, and 9p21 FISH showed the greatest sensitivity (89.5%). Using IHC alone (EZH2, BAP1, and MTAP IHC) also yielded a good sensitivity of 86.9%; this level is high enough for routine diagnostics. There were no statistically significant associations between expression of EZH2 and that of other markers (BAP1 and MTAP IHC) or 9p21 HD. However, a high expression level of EZH2 was significantly associated with short survival (P = 0.025). In conclusion, adding a high expression level of EZH2 to a combination of BAP1 and MTAP loss, all detected by IHC, demonstrated useful for discriminating MPM from RMH.

OBJECTIVE Acute and lymphoma type adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients show an aggressive clinical course. While some clinical signs indicate good prognosis, definitive cytohistological prognostic factors have yet to be described. METHODS We classified 65 ATLL patients into three groups by tumour cell size and nuclear pleomorphism on fine-needle aspiration and tumour touch smear samples. Semi-quantitative analysis of background small lymphocytes, reactive CD20-positive B cells and CD8-positive T cells was performed. RESULTS Thirty-one patients had pleomorphic lymphoma with predominantly medium-sized cells and coarse granular nuclei. Another 24 patients showed pleomorphic large cell lymphoma with stippled chromatin. The remaining 10 demonstrated monomorphic large lymphoma cells with fine granular chromatin. Patients with pleomorphic lymphoma with medium-sized cells showed significantly higher serum lactate dehydrogenase and lower CD30 and C-MYC expression in lymphoma cells than the other two groups (P = .0216, P < 0.01, respectively). Patients with pleomorphic medium-sized ATLL had few usual small lymphocytes observed on routine morphological examination and showed less concurrent detection of CD20-positive B cells and CD8-positive T cells, both of which were lower than in the other two groups (P = .006, P = .019, respectively). Furthermore, ATLL patients with predominantly medium-sized lymphocytes exhibited a worse prognosis than patients with pleomorphic large cells (P = .0197). Background small lymphocytes and concurrent detection of CD20-positive B cells and CD8-positive T cells may thus be good prognostic factors (P = .011, P = .021, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Morphological features, size of neoplastic cells and background non-neoplastic lymphocyte (B cells and CD8-positive T cells) volume appear to influence the prognosis of patients with aggressive-type ATLL.

A 1.02-GHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system was successfully operated in a driven-mode over a half year. A main coil of the 1.02-GHz NMR magnet consists of a Bi-2223 high-temperature superconducting (HTS) innermost coil and low-temperature s-uperconducting outer coils. The magnet including the HTS coil was designed to operate in the driven mode using highly stabilized dc power supply. The power supply should be operated continuously without interruption. Failure in the power supply due to a power outage is unacceptable. The equipment for a power outage, which consists of an emergency generator, a momentary voltage drop compensator, and a safety switch, was prepared. A malfunction of overcurrent occurred in the momentary voltage drop compensator at the power outage. Due to the equipment for the power outage, the dc power supply was successfully recovered without a quenching of the magnet.

Using a Bi-2223 innermost coil, the world's first NMR magnet with a frequency beyond 1 GHz has been developed and operated at the National Institute for Materials Science during 2014-2015. The existing 920 MHz (21.6 T) NMR magnet was successfully upgraded to a 1030 MHz (24.2 T) magnet by replacing the Nb3Sn innermost coil with a Bi-2223 coil. After charging the magnet to 1020 MHz (24.0 T), a shimming operation was started to obtain the homogeneous magnetic field required for NMR measurements. However, a large magnetic field inhomogeneity appeared, which could not be compensated using conventional shimming methods, i.e., superconducting and room temperature shim coils. Therefore, a new ferromagnetic shimming technology was applied, which achieved powerful and fast-acting field compensation and performed comparably to active shimming. This enabled effective compensation of the magnetic field inhomogeneity, leading to a subsequently excellent NMR resolution test result of 0.7 ppb. This NMR resolution enables NMR measurements for a membrane protein sample.

Because most of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) patients first present with pleural effusion, detection of mesothelioma cells on effusion smears is critical for early diagnosis. Recently, accumulating evidence indicating that the cytological diagnosis of MPM supported by ancillary techniques is as reliable as that based on histopathology has led to new guidelines for the cytopathologic diagnosis of MPM. Based on the guidelines, a combination of cytomorphological criteria and verification by ancillary techniques is required for the cytologic diagnosis of MPM. Detection of p16 homozygous deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is the most reliable ancillary technique for differentiating MPM from reactive mesothelial cells (RMC) because of its relatively high sensitivity and extremely high specificity. We showed that the p16 deletion status of MPM cells in pleural effusions reflected that of the underlying invasive MPM tissues, indicating the usefulness of p16 FISH in effusion smear cytology for MPM diagnosis. Thus, for differentiating MPM from RMC, we propose to perform p16 FISH as often as possible. A positive p16 homozygous deletion supports the diagnosis of MPM. However, a negative result does not rule out the possibility of MPM. In such cases, a morphological assessment is critical. Therefore, we analyzed the morphological characteristics of p16 deletion-positive mesothelioma cells using a combination of virtual microscopy and p16 FISH, and identified three morphological characteristics useful for the differentiation, including cell-in-cell engulfment with or without hump formation, multinucleate cells, and larger berry-like cell aggregates. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2016;44:774-780. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

We succeeded in upgrading the 920-MHz nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) superconducting magnet (21.6 T) to 1020 MHz (24.0 T) by replacing the innermost Nb3Sn coil with a (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (Bi-2223) coil. The 920-MHz NMR spectrometer had been installed in the National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan, in 2001. It has been operated in the persistent mode for six years. The upgrading project started in 2006. A Bi-2223 coil was developed as the innermost coil instead of the Nb3Sn one. The newly installed Bi-2223 innermost coil is connected to Nb3Sn and NbTi coils in series. The upgraded NMR magnet was seriously damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011. After more than two years of restoration and additional improvements of current leads and the power supply system, the magnet was cooled down to below 1.8 K in August 2014. The magnet successfully generated 24.0 T, corresponding to 1020 MHz, in October 2014. To achieve the required homogeneity and stability of the magnetic field, not only superconducting and room-temperature shim coils but also ferromagnetic shims were used. The 1020-MHz superconducting NMR magnet has been operated in a power-supply-driven mode for six months.

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) which occurs when sulfide minerals are exposed to water and oxygen with an excavation is one of the serious environmental problems in the world. A dry cover system is generally constructed in waste dump for the prevention of AMD in Indonesia by virtue of low cost and availability of waste rocks for a cover layer. However, the failure of the system caused by the lack of information related to the construction of cover system in mines, which leads to AMD, has been reported recently in Indonesia. In this study, the field investigation was conducted in pit and waste dump in open cast coal mine in Indonesia with the aim of obtaining the information on the construction of a cover layer and backfilling conditions of waste rocks in the waste dump. The rock samples taken in two areas of the mine were analyzed by geochemical analysis and sequential extraction with acids. The results indicated that Net Acid Producing Potential (NAPP) of the rocks in the waste dump down to 100 cm depth in both areas was from 10 to 30 kg H2SO4/ton, suggesting that Potentially Acid Forming (PAF) was backfilled in a cover layer. The backfill of PAF was contrary to the concept of cover system, which caused the failure of constructing a cover layer. The cause of the failure was likely attributed to the shortage of cover rocks which are classified as Non Acid Forming (NAF) or the failure of proper placement of them by an operational problem in the areas. Moreover, the results of the extraction with acids suggested that the form of iron and sulfur has to be taken into account to discuss the occurrence of AMD.

Differentiating malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cells morphologically from reactive mesothelial hyperplasia cells is problematic. Homozygous deletion (HD) of p16 (CDKN2A), detected by FISH, is a good marker of malignancy and is useful to differentiate between these cells. However, the correlation between the p16 status of effusion smears and that of the underlying MPM tissues has not been investigated. We used p16-specific FISH to investigate 20 cases of MPM from which both effusion cytologic smears and histologic specimens were available. In five cases, histologic specimens included both an invasive component and surface mesothelial proliferation. In 14 cases (70%), MPM cells in both tissue sections and effusion smears were p16 HD-positive. Conversely, MPM cells in the remaining six tumors (30%) were p16 HD-negative in both tissue sections and effusion smears. For all five MPM cases with surface mesothelial proliferations and invasive components, the effusion smears, surface mesothelial proliferations, and invasive MPM components all displayed p16 deletion. Moreover, the extent to which p16 was deleted in smears highly correlated with the extent of p16 deletion in tissues. The p16 deletion percentages were also similar among smears, tissue surface proliferations, and invasive components. In cases with clinical and radiologic evidence of a diffuse pleural tumor, detection of p16 deletion in cytologic smear samples may permit MPM diagnosis without additional tissue examination. However, the absence of p16 deletion in cytologic smear samples does not preclude MPM.

BACKGROUND Mammary analogue secretory carcinoma (MASC) with an ETS variant gene 6 (ETV6)–neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor type 3 (NTRK3) translocation is a newly described type of salivary gland cancer. It is known that overexpression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5a (STAT5a) occurs in secretory carcinoma of the breast and MASC, and STAT5a expression may be related to the ETV6-NTRK3 translocation. It was hypothesized that phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (p-STAT5) might be specifically expressed in MASC of the salivary gland. METHODS The expression of p-STAT5 and mammaglobin (MMG) was examined with immunohistochemistry (IHC)/immunocytochemistry (ICC) in tissue sections from 58 salivary gland cancers (8 MASCs and 50 other salivary gland cancers) and in cytological smears from 17 salivary gland cancers (7 MASCs with paired histologic samples and 10 other salivary gland cancers). RESULTS p-STAT5 IHC was clearly increased in MASC versus normal salivary gland tissue and other salivary gland cancers. p-STAT5 expression was found in 7 of 8 MASCs (87.5%) and in none of the 50 other salivary gland cancers (0%) by IHC. On cytology, p-STAT5 expression was found in all cases of MASC (7 of 7 or 100%) but in none of the 10 other salivary gland cancers (0%) by ICC. The expression rate of MMG by histology and cytology was higher than that of p-STAT5 in the other salivary gland cancers. CONCLUSIONS p-STAT5 might be useful as a detection marker of MASC in the differential diagnosis of salivary gland cancers, and initial screening with p-STAT5 IHC/ICC, combined with auxiliary fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmation, is a reliable, economical approach to identifying MASC of the salivary gland. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2015;123:603–11. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the instructional model used by Japanese science teachers for mentoring gifted students. A total of thirty teachers were interviewed about the characteristics of his/her students who achieved excellent results in a science contest and about his/her instructional strategies for the students. The subjects include 27 high school science teachers and 3 elementary teachers; 29 out of the 30 are male and 27 have more than 10 years teaching experience. The interviews were conducted between July 2008 and August 2009 in Ehime, Ibaraki, Tokyo, and Okayama, Japan. Each teacher was interviewed for an average of 30 minutes. Interview transcripts were used in the data analysis. The results of the text analysis extracted some phrases that commonly described science instruction, specifically: (1) at first, themes were not given to the students; (2) opportunities for appropriate advice and coaching were needed; (3) teachers should continue to study; (4) originality was appreciated; (5) the process and experiences were more important than the results themselves; (6) teachers helped students to acquire basic understanding and skills; (7) students found study/research similar to play; (8) students established good networks with experts in a specific area; (9) teachers enjoy teaching gifted students science very much; (10) students were asked to design their own research; (11) students were asked to make things; and (12) students developed the habit of recording what they thought and found in everyday life. Finally, an instructional model for Japanese science teachers who teach gifted students is proposed on the basis of these results.

A 67-year-old male with a history of asbestos exposure presented with fever, cough, and dyspnea and was found to have diffuse granular shadowing in both lungs, right pleural effusion, and hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy upon chest computed tomography. For definitive diagnosis, a thoracoscopic lung biopsy was performed. Intraoperative findings showed no remarkable macroscopic changes in the visceral and parietal pleura, although a high level of hyaluronic acid in the pleural effusion was noted. Histological findings showed proliferation of atypical cells with round-to-oval nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and eosinophilic cytoplasms. These cells were arranged into sheets or tubules and were located predominantly in the lung parenchyma. Lymphovascular invasion was conspicuous. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for calretinin, D2-40, and CK5/6, focally positive for Ber-EP4, but negative for WT-1, TTF-1, CEA, and MOC31. Fluorescence in situ hybridization for the tumor suppressor p16 revealed homozygous deletion in the tumor cells. Therefore, we diagnosed the tumor as diffuse intrapulmonary malignant mesothelioma (DIMM). The patient had a poor response to chemotherapy and died 1 year after diagnosis. Although rare, DIMM should be considered when patients present with multiple, tiny intrapulmonary nodules, regardless of macroscopic pleural changes. Furthermore, this is the first report on p16 status in DIMM.

Rehabilitation of post-mine land in open-pit coal mines is necessary for sustainable development of coal. Although topsoil containing much nutrition should be secured for plant growth, there was the shortage and the erosion of topsoil by heavy rain in the tropical climate, especially in South East Asian countries. Therefore, in this study, the application of Fly Ash (FA) to topsoil was evaluated in terms of the growth of plants with Acacia mangium, aiming at securing topsoil in open-pit coal mines. As the result of the plant experiment, the inhibition of plant growth attributing to the dissolution of Aluminum (Al) from FA was observed. The growth rate of the plants was decreased at the mixing ratio of more than 40% of FA. Thus, topsoil can be secured by mixing FA in topsoil in consideration of the mixing ratio, contributing to the successful rehabilitation of post-mine land in open-pit coal mine.

We have demonstrated all-printed oxide TFT arrays for 100 ppi RGB active matrix fabricated by inkjet printing and spin coating without photolithography and mask process. The average mobility of TFTs was 7.49 ± 1.67 cm2/Vs on a thermally oxidized SiO2 /Si substrate. Moreover, in the case of using of a printed oxide high-k gate insulator and an n-type doped active layer on a glass substrate, the average mobility of all-printed oxide TFTs was 2.54 ± 0.32 cm2/Vs.

Malignant mesothelioma is a highly aggressive neoplasm, and the histologic subtype is one of the most reliable prognostic factors. Some biphasic mesotheliomas are difficult to distinguish from epithelioid mesotheliomas with atypical fibrous stroma. The aim of this study was to analyze p16/CDKN2A deletions in mesotheliomas by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and BAP1 immunohistochemistry to evaluate their potential role in the diagnosis of biphasic mesothelioma. We collected 38 cases of pleural mesotheliomas. The results of this study clearly distinguished 29 cases of biphasic mesothelioma from 9 cases of epithelioid mesothelioma. The proportion of biphasic mesotheliomas with homozygous deletions of p16/CDKN2A in total was 96.6% (28/29). Homozygous deletion of p16/CDKN2A was observed in 18 (94.7%) of 19 biphasic mesotheliomas with 100% concordance of the p16/CDKN2A deletion status between the epithelioid and sarcomatoid components in each case. Homozygous deletion of the p16/CDKN2A was observed in 7 (77.8%) of 9 epithelioid mesotheliomas but not in fibrous stroma. BAP1 loss was observed in 5 (38.5%) of 13 biphasic mesotheliomas and in both epithelioid and sarcomatoid components. BAP1 loss was observed in 5 (62.5%) of 8 epithelioid mesotheliomas but not in fibrous stroma. Homozygous deletion of p16/CDKN2A is common in biphasic mesotheliomas, and the analysis of only one component of mesothelioma is sufficient to show that the tumor is malignant. However, compared with histology alone, FISH analysis of the p16/CDKN2A status and BAP1 immunohistochemistry in the spindled mesothelium provide a more objective means to differentiate between biphasic mesothelioma and epithelioid mesothelioma with atypical stromal cells.

The increase in the number of coal-fired power plants with the increase in coal production and its consumption has caused the problem of the treatment of a large amount of coal ash in Indonesia. In the past studies, coal ash was applied to postmine land with the aim of improving soil conditions for plant growth; however, heavy rain in the tropical climate may cause soil erosion with the change in soil conditions. This study presents the effects of application of coal ash to postmine land on soil erosion by performing the artificial rainfall test as well as physical testing. The results indicate that the risk of soil erosion can be reduced significantly by applying the coal ash which consists of more than 85% of sand to topsoil in the postmine land at the mixing ratio of over 30%. Additionally, they reveal that not only fine fractions but also microporous structures in coal ash enhance water retention capacity by retaining water in the structure, leading to the prevention of soil erosion. Thus, the risk of soil erosion can be reduced by applying coal ash to topsoil in consideration of soil composition and microporous structure of coal ash.

Use of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) inner coils in combination with conventional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) outer coils for an NMR magnet, i.e. a LTS/HTS NMR magnet, is a suitable option to realize a high-resolution NMR spectrometer with operating frequency >1GHz. From the standpoint of creating a compact magnet, (RE: Rare earth) Ba2Cu3O7-x (REBCO) HTS inner coils which can tolerate a strong hoop stress caused by a Lorentz force are preferred. However, in our previous work on a first-generation 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet, the NMR resolution and sensitivity were about ten times worse than that of a conventional LTS NMR magnet. The result was caused by a large field inhomogeneity in the REBCO coil itself and the shielding effect of a screening current induced in that coil. In the present paper, we describe the operation of a modified 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet with an advanced field compensation technology using a combination of novel ferromagnetic shimming and an appropriate procedure for NMR spectrum line shape optimization. We succeeded in obtaining a good NMR line shape and 2D NOESY spectrum for a lysozyme aqueous sample. We believe that this technology is indispensable for the realization of a compact super-high-field high-resolution NMR.

Because of their high critical fields, high-Tc superconductors (HTS) are considered to be the only solution to dramatically increase the highest fields of NMR magnets. We have successfully demonstrated that a 500 MHz HTS/LTS NMR system with a Bi-2223 innermost coil could be used for solution NMR in a driven-mode operation. As the next step, the upgrade of the 920 MHz NMR system installed at the Tsukuba Magnet Laboratory is underway. The innermost Nb3Sn coil has been replaced by a Bi-2223 coil. The coil was fabricated as a layer-wound coil using five Bi-2223 conductors reinforced with bronze tapes. It was connected in series with the outer Nb3Sn and NbTi coils. The magnet is expected to generate a field of 24.2 T (1.03 GHz of 1H resonance frequency) at an operating current of 244.4 A. The test using the Bi-2223 coil and the outer Nb3Sn coils in combination was successfully carried out. The coil has been installed in the 1.03 GHz NMR magnet. Its cooling and operation are scheduled to take place within Fiscal Year 2010.

Consistency in endometrial cytology is relatively poor. This can be partly attributed to generally accepted criteria based on cellular features. The cytological distinction between grade-1 adenocarcinoma and endometrial hyperplasia is more reliant on architectural features than cellular features. We examined statistical criteria based on cytoarchitecture for detecting grade-1 adenocarcinoma in endometrial cytology. Histologically, the study population consisted of 11 cases of grade-1 adenocarcinoma, 6 of atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 16 of endometrial hyperplasia without atypia, and 74 of a normal proliferative endometrium. In each case, all cellclumps were divided into five patterns (tubular; sheet; dilated and/or branched tubular; regular overlapping; atypical). The frequencies of each pattern were submitted to five-variate cluster analysis. The validity and reproducibility of cluster analysis were tested by canonical discriminant analysis and multigroup linear discriminant analysis, respectively. All 107 cases were classified into three groups, A (11), B (36), and C (60), by five-variate cluster analysis. In comparison with this classification and histopathologic diagnosis, group A corresponded to adenocarcinoma, and groups B and C correlated with non-carcinoma. Most cases of atypical endometrial hyperplasia were included in group B. These data suggest that statistical groupings based on cytoarchitecture are useful in the discrimination of grade-1 adenocarcinoma from endometrial hyperplasia and normal tissue.

Characterization of mine waste rocks and prediction of acid mine drainage (AMD) play an important role in preventing AMD. Although high-tech analytical methods have been highlighted for mineral characterization and quantification, simple testing methods are still practical ways to perform in a field laboratory in mines. Thus, this study applied some simple testing methods to the characterization of mine wastes and AMD prediction in addition to a leaching test and the sequential extraction test with HCl, HF, and HNO3, which have not been applied for these purposes, focusing on the form of sulfur and the neutralization effects of carbonates. The results of the Acid Buffering Characteristic Curve test supported the changing trend of the pH attributing carbonates only during the first 10 leaching cycles in the leaching test. The change in the Net Acid Generating (NAG) pH in the sequential NAG test reflected the solubility of sulfur in the rocks, providing information on the form of sulfur in the rocks and the acid-producing potential over time. Consequently, the sequential NAG test and sequential extraction with the acids in combination with the current standards tests (Acid Base Accounting and NAG tests) provided important information for preventing AMD.

A high temperature superconducting wire (HTS wire) is promising for various superconducting magnet applications because it operates at a higher temperature than a low temperature superconducting wire (LTS wire) is. Particularly, a MRI magnet using the HTS wires (HTS-MRI magnet) is expected to obtain light-weight, compact and low operating cost compared to a LTS-MRI magnet. The MRI magnets are generally operated by a persistent current mode. A magnet of the persistent current mode consists of multiple superconducting magnets and persistent current switch (PCS) that connects with superconducting joints. However, the superconducting joint of the HTS wires has not been realized stably at this time. We have developed a superconducting joint by using a commercial REBCO wire. The HTS-MRI magnet requires that resistivity of less than 10−12 ohm and current capacity of more than 100 A is achieved by a direct-joint between superconducting layers of the two REBCO wires. Moreover, measurement equipment for low joint resistivity was prepared as measuring the decay of the magnetic field in the one-turn loop. In our R&D, the joint resistance and the critical current were achieved with 155 A and 5.3×10−13Ω.

Our objectives were to compare the effects of subcortical ischemic vascular dementia (SIVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) on cerebral blood flow (CBF), and then to analyze the relationship between CBF and subcortical vascular disease, measured as volume of white-matter lesions (WMLs).Eight mildly demented patients with SIVD (mean +/- SD; aged 77 +/- 8 years; Mini-Mental State Examination score 26 +/- 3 years) and 14 patients with AD were compared with 18 cognitively normal elderly subjects. All subjects had CBF measured using arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance imaging, and brain volumes were assessed using structural magnetic resonance imaging.AD and SIVD showed marked CBF reductions in the frontal (P = 0.001) and parietal (P = 0.001) cortices. In SIVD, increased subcortical WMLs were associated with reduced CBF in the frontal cortex (P = 0.04), in addition to cortical atrophy (frontal, P = 0.05; parietal, P = 0.03).Subcortical vascular disease is associated with reduced CBF in the cortex, irrespective of brain atrophy.

44歳，女性．突然の頭痛，その後短時間の意識消失のため救急搬送された．頭部CT検査にて右シルビウス裂にくも膜下出血を認め，脳血管撮影検査では右内頚動脈の後交通動脈と前脈絡叢動脈の間に窓形成を認め，その外側部に2個の動脈瘤様膨隆を認めたため，開頭によるクリッピング術を施行した．術後特に合併症なく，約1カ月後に左側内頚動脈の未破裂動脈瘤に対してもクリッピング術を施行しその後退院した．頭蓋内内頚動脈に窓形成を認める症例はまれであり，これに動脈瘤を合併した症例は極めてまれである．窓形成部では血管壁が菲薄化し，これに伴い動脈瘤が形成される可能性があるためその処置においては注意が必要と思われる．

A 13-year-old girl presented with an exceedingly rare case of primary yolk sac tumor located within the lateral ventricle, manifesting as headache, nausea, and diplopia. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a 4-cm-diameter solid enhanced mass within the left inferior horn of the lateral ventricle. The tumor was removed subtotally via left middle temporal corticotomy. The histological and immunohistochemical diagnosis was pure yolk sac tumor. The serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level was elevated at 1957.2 ng/ml and the serum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin level was 4 mIU/ml after surgery. The patient underwent radiotherapy (whole brain, 30 Gy; tumor bed, 21 Gy; whole spinal axis, 30 Gy) and chemotherapy (ifosfamide, cisplatin, etoposide). After three treatment cycles, the serum AFP level had decreased to 4.5 ng/ml. However, the tumor recurred with cerebrospinal fluid dissemination after nine cycles of chemotherapy. She died 18 months after surgery. The possibility of germ cell tumor should be considered in pediatric patients with brain tumors occurring outside the pineal or suprasellar region.

The hybrid magnet (HM) at the Tsukuba Magnet Laboratory (TML) generates 35 T in a 52-mm warm bore with a field uniformity of about 6500 ppm in a 10 mm diameter sphere volume (DSV). A new resistive insert magnet with the same bore was designed to provide the higher field uniformity in the HM operation and the construction was started. This emagnet is composed of three concentric Bitter coils. The height of the outer coil is almost equal to that of present insert, . Tand the middle coil is made of a split-paired winding; . Tthe split gap is 53 mm. The A uniformity better than 10 ppm in a 10 mm DSV will be achieved at a themagnetic field of 34.0 T in a backup field of 14 T. This eimprovement in uniformity, in conjuncllaboration with theimprovements of the DC power supply already in progress at the TML, will make it possible to expand the application fields of the HM of the TML.

The Tsukuba Magnet Laboratory (TML) has been a user facility for external users since April 1998 and contracted 91 collaborative studies with external research groups in the 2005 fiscal year. Internal and external researchers use high magnetic fields for magnetic processing as well as extreme-environment measurements. In 2006, two major changes were made to expand the experimental possibilities. One was the replacement of the helium liquefaction system, and the other was the remodelling of the 15 MW DC power supply. TML has also built an NMR complex including a 930 MHz and a 920 MHz NMR spectrometer. We have also started a collaborative study on high-field magnet development with the High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials. The projects include the development of a 30 T class superconducting magnet and a 50 T class hybrid magnet.

It is the time resource that one deals with in scheduling. The task is how one can achieve the optimal allocation of a given time resource over a set of assigned activities. Most of the existing scheduling methods use a parametric time by which the activities are orderly allocated in accordance with the order of events. The parametric methods however fail in incorporating a dynamic aspect of scheduling that unfolds itself as the project proceeds as well as inerasable uncertainty in activities whose starting and ending nodes fluctuate. This paper reformulates the concept of time to match to a dynamic scheduling through a non-deterministic modeling of scheduling as a “mapped/represented” and “transformed/processed” temporal movement. It will be shown that an elastic interpretation of activity fluctuation can be derived naturally from the model, which allows us to develop an elastic network method for scheduling.

A new 52-mm warm-bore resistive insert for a hybrid magnet was designed and constructed at the Tsukuba Magnet Laboratory (TML) of the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS). This magnet successfully generated a peak magnetic flux density of 35.5 T at the operating current of 34.88 kA and 367.5 V with a background field of 14.05 T. To supply the high magnetic fields for more time in the 52-mm warm bore, an axially cooled three-coaxial-coil structure and a staggered layout of the elongated cooling holes were adopted for Bitter disks after a parameter survey that was conducted to consider a reduction in the operating electric power. Disks were stacked in a modified Weggel scheme on a turntable with a rotating angle controlled by the stacking data of each coil. The innermost coil was connected electrically in series with the two outer coils connected in parallel. The Bitter disks used in the coils were made from two kinds of Cu-Ag plates. The magnet is now in operation for users

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a neoplastic disease with a poor prognosis. The complete resection of tumor with extra-pleural pneumonectomy is effective only for early stage epithelioid-type MPM. An accurate pathological diagnosis including the histological subtype and also clinical staging are crucial to decide on the therapeutic approach. However, the pathological diagnosis is difficult when the amount of biopsy sample is small. We performed a comparative analysis of the miR-31 expression in MPM and reactive mesothelial proliferations (RMPs), by RT-qPCR of formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded samples, and compared the expression levels of miR-31 with the results of a survival analysis for the diagnosis and prognosis of MPM. The expression of miR-31 was found to be significantly reduced in MPMs compared with RMPs (P < 0.01). The pathological subtype of four among five cases with upregulated miR-31 levels was MPM with a sarcomatoid component. (i.e., biphasic or sarcomatoid type). Furthermore, these four cases were significantly associated with a worse prognosis compared with the five cases of biphasic or sarcomatoid MPM without upregulated miR-31 expression (P = 0.0027). In conclusion, the analysis of miR-31 expression levels may be a good biomarker for diagnosis of MPM histological typing and predicting the prognosis.

症例は33歳,女性で,婦人科にて骨盤腹膜炎に対し抗生剤治療が行われた後より右鼠径部に落痛を伴う硬結が出現したため当科へ紹介となった.検査にて,骨盤内と右鼠径部の硬結の部に4カ月前の子宮卵管造影に使用されたリピオドールの沈着を認めた.手術時,ヘルニア嚢と周囲組織に強い炎症を認め,ヘルニア嚢の全切除と高位結紮,内鼠径輪縫縮を行った.病理診断はヘルニア嚢の黄色肉芽腫性炎症であった.リピオドールによる異物性の肉芽腫性変化を起こしたヘルニア嚢内に骨盤腹膜炎の炎症が波及して症状を呈した症例で,稀ではあるが油性造影剤の使用時の合併症として考慮する必要があると思われた.

Magnetic field direction often greatly influences material properties, such as critical current densities of tape-shaped superconductors. To determine the influence of this parameter, an object is usually rotated in a fixed magnetic field, which is not always effective. We are developing a variable-field-direction superconducting magnet that can change its field direction continuously in a 2D plane. Two sets of split-pair coils are placed perpendicular to each other, and the perpendicular magnetic fields generated by each split-pair coil are superimposed. By independently controlling the operating current of each split-pair coil, we can continuously change the direction of the superimposed magnetic field. Four solenoid coils were wound with Nb-Ti conductors. This magnet is designed to rotate a field of 1 T. The field homogeneity is estimated to be less than 1% in a 10 mm-diameter sphere volume. This is a conduction-cooled superconducting magnet employing 4K-GM refrigerators. We constructed a cryostat with two types of room-temperature bores and conducted a cooling test without solenoid coils and supporting structures was conducted.

症例は51歳の男性で, 心窩部痛, 右下腹部痛を訴えて受診した. 右下腹部に腹膜刺激症状を認め, 白血球12,400/μl, CRP10.3mg/dlと炎症所見を呈していた. CT検査では, 回腸末端, 盲腸, 上行結腸の腸管壁の肥厚を認めた. 急性虫垂炎穿孔, 腹腔内膿瘍の疑いで開腹手術を施行した. 開腹すると回腸末端と上行結腸の間の腸間膜に手拳大の腫瘤を認めたため, 回盲部切除を行った. 切除標本では回腸末端に潰瘍性病変を認め, その部から穿通し, 回腸末端と上行結腸の間の腸間膜内に膿瘍を形成していた. 病理組織検査で潰瘍性病変は中分化腺癌と診断された. 盲腸周囲膿瘍の原因として極めてまれな回腸癌穿通の1例を報告した.