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Background Advanced gastric cancer with the risk of extensive nodal involvement has a poor prognosis even after radical surgery. We aimed to comprehensively review the clinical significance of extended radical dissection. Methods Between 1990 and 1999, 232 patients underwent radical gastrectomy with D2 plus para-aortic lymph node dissection at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo. We analyzed the short-term surgical and long-term oncological outcomes of these operations. Results Major complications occurred in 34 patients (14.7%). Median operation time was 325 min (range: 182–555) and median blood loss was 715 ml (range: 95–4457). There were 2 (0.9%) hospital deaths. Nodal involvement of the para-aortic area was seen in 33 patients (14.2%). The overall 5- and 10-year survival rates in patients with para-aortic node involvement were 21.2 and 15.2%, respectively. Multivariate analysis of patients with para-aortic node involvement revealed advanced age and metastasis in the interaorticocaval lymph nodes above the left renal vein to be independent risk factors impacting overall survival. Conclusions PAN dissection has limited applicability and effectiveness to the patients with advanced gastric cancer. Above all, advanced age and metastasis in the interaorticocaval lymph nodes above the left renal vein are significant poor prognostic factor even after radical resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite quantumkey distribution is a promising technique that overcomes the limited transmission distance in optical-fiber-based systems. The polarization tracking technique is one of the key techniques in the satellite quantumkey distribution.With free-space quantum key distribution between an optical ground station and a satellite, the photon polarization state will be changed according to the satellite movement. To enable polarization based quantum key distribution between mobile terminals, we developed a polarization-basis tracking scheme allowing a common frame of reference to be shared. It is possible to orient two platforms along a common axis by detecting the reference optical signal only on the receiver side with no prior information about the transmitter's orientation.We developed a prototype systemfor free-space quantumkey distribution with the polarization-basis tracking scheme. Polarization tracking performance was 0.092◦ by conducting quantum key distribution experiments over a 1 kmfree space between two buildings in a Tokyo suburb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: We aim to assess the efficacy and safety of weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin administration as first-line chemotherapy for patients with poor performance status (PS) with advanced ovarian or peritoneal cancer. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with poor PS (PS 3 or 4) with advanced ovarian or peritoneal cancer who were treated with weekly paclitaxel (80 mg/m2) plus carboplatin (area under the curve of 2) therapy at the National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, between 2001 and 2008. Results: Of 159 patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian or peritoneal cancer, the number of patients with poor PS was 14 (8.8%). The major reason for poor PS was a large amount of peritoneal and/or pleural effusion (9 patients), bowel obstruction (4 patients), and bone metastasis (1 patient). Four patients underwent laparotomy, but all of them were suboptimally debulked tumors, including exploratory laparotomy in 2 patients. Ten patients were considered to be unresectable with poor general condition. Fourteen patients were treated with weekly paclitaxel and carboplatin. Response was observed in 5 patients. Four patients died within 30 days from last chemotherapy with toxicities, and 3 of them had severe bowel obstruction. The median overall survival time was 57 days (range, 14-1711 days), with 43% (n = 6) of the patients surviving over 3 months. Conclusion: Chemotherapy for patients with poor PS with advanced ovarian or peritoneal cancer resulted in poor prognosis because of disease progression and severe toxicities, especially in cases with small bowel obstruction; however, some patients with response might have survival benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A guideline on the management of anticoagulation and antiplatelet therapy for endoscopic procedures has been established from Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society in 2005. However, it is unknown whether consensus on the management of these conditions is obtained among endoscopists in daily practice owing to the guideline. Methods: To study the current practice on the management, survey questionnaires were sent to 13 representative endoscopists of 13 middle or high-volume hospitals in the Tokyo area. Results: Responses were obtained from all 13 endoscopists. The results showed that only five (38%) and six (46%) hospitals had their own standard protocols regarding the management for endoscopic biopsy and endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), respectively. There was a wide variation among endoscopists in terms of discontinuation of each agent. When the patients had a major risk of thromboembolism due to discontinuation of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents, seven (54%) and five (38%) endoscopists, respectively, never took a biopsy. Similar numbers of endoscopists never carried out EMR. During discontinuation of anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents for biopsy and EMR, three (23%) and three (23%) endoscopists, respectively, experienced patients with thromboembolic events. Conclusions: There is still a wide variation and confusion among endoscopists after establishment of our national guideline. A robust national guideline with clearer description based on the scientific evidence is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the importance of motion pictures in Tokyo, Japan. The author notes the presence of French films in Japanese popular culture, the use of Tokyo as a location for motion picture production and the reaction to the motion picture "Cherry Blossom Fire Gang," directed by Makino Masahiro. He comments on the decline of film criticism in Japan and the lack of commercial success for Japanese films. Film courses taught by film critic Hasumi Shigehiko and his views on Tokyo's cultural identity are noted. The depiction of Tokyo in films such as "Floating Clouds" and "Café Lumière" is noted.

The article offers information on study regarding the Rhodococcus baikonurensis BTM4c, a boron-tolerant antibacterial strain. It says that Boron (B) were treated on bacteria populated soils of University of Tokyo in Tokyo, Japan, wherein it involves the isolation of BTM4c from a culture medium. The result, which involves the molecular phylogeny, chemotaxonomy, and physiology, shows the resistance of several bacteria on the BTM4c strain which was classified under the group of Rhodococcus.

Abstract: The AMS technique was applied to analyse black carbon (BC), total organic carbon (TOC), and previously reported polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in PM10 aerosols from a residential area, suburban Tokyo, to determine natural abundance of radiocarbon (14C), an ideal tracer to distinguish fossil fuel (14C-free) from modern biomass combustion sources of pyrolytic products. The 14C concentrations in BC, isolated using the CTO-375 method, were 42% and 30% pMC (in terms of percent Modern Carbon: pMC) in summer and winter, respectively. The 14C concentrations in BC were also compared with those of compound-class specific 14C content of PAHs previously reported for the same samples: they were 45% and 33% pMC in summer and winter, respectively. The 14C signals of BC were identical to those of high molecular weight (MW⩾226, 5–6 rings) PAHs. The resemblance between 14C signals of BC and PAHs can be referred as a ‘certificate’ for the validity of the BC isolation method employed in this study. Also, it suggests that 14C-BC approach can be a surrogate for PAHs specific 14C analyses to monitor seasonal source variation of combustion-derived pyrolytic products. On the other hand, 14C contents of total organic carbon in 2004 were 61% and 42% pMC in summer and winter, respectively. This is likely attributed to higher contribution of plant activity in summer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) of organochlorine pesticides such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDTs) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), heptachlor, chlordane compounds (CHLs), aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, mirex and isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs), were analyzed in sediment cores collected from Ariake Bay, Japan. Although Chikugo River has the largest flow in Ariake Bay, the total concentration of POPs in surface sediment was found in St.3, mouth of the Yabe River, where that level was two times higher than St.1, mouth of the Chikugo River. It could be assumed that the potential source of POPs contamination is relatively close to this study area. Relatively high residue levels of HCB, HCHs and DDTs in sediment core were found during the period from 1967 to 1970. In this layer, the HCB concentration investigated in sediment cores of Ariake Bay was maximum, 2.6ngg−1 dry weight and higher than that of Tokyo Bay and subsequently detected in deeper sediment cores. The ratio of (DDD+DDE)/ΣDDTs was high in top sediments (0–2cm). Although there was a concentration of DDTs in the top sediment, it was noticed that DDT emission did not cause direct input of DDT recently. The HCHs determined in upper sediment cores might be originated from long-range accumulation in environment after dispersing of technical-grade HCH. Moreover, the CHLs, dieldrin and heptachlor concentrations were detected and recently increased in sediment core. POPs in sediment cores of Ariake Bay based on the possibility of PCP contamination during the early 1960s were reflected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Compound class specific radiocarbon analysis (CCSRA) was performed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with airborne particulate matter (APM) with diameter <10 µm (PM10) and <1.1 µm (PM1.1) collected from a residential area of suburban Tokyo, Japan, and seasonal and particle-size radiocarbon variations were investigated. Source diagnostic isomer pair ratios indicated mixed contributions from petroleum combustion and from biomass and coal combustion to the PAHs in APM. The Δ14C-PAHs in APM, ranging from -787 to -514‰, indicated dominance of fossil fuel combustion. The Δ14C of 5-6 rings (HMW) PAHs were higher than the 3-4 rings (LMW) species in both PM10 and PM1.1 samples. The Δ14C of HMW-PAHs indicated greater biomass-burning contributions in summer than in winter and no apparent particle-size variation. Conversely, the Δ14C of LMW species showed a greater contribution from fossil sources in summer and in larger particles (PM10). This finding could be tentatively attributed to the recondensation of fossil-PAHs vaporized from petroleum sources. A Δ14C isotopic mass balance approach estimated that biomass burning contributes 17-45% of the PAH burden in suburban Tokyo, and that the increase in the biomass-PAH accounts for approximately 27% and 22% of winter-time elevation of LMW- and HMW- PAHs, respectively. These are far exceeding what is expected from the emission statistics for CO2 and combusted materials in Japan and emphasizing the importance of biomass-burning as a source of PAHs; which, in turn, demonstrates the utility and the significance of field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]