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Primary pancreatic lymphoma is a rare pancreatic malignancy, reportedly accounting for only 0.2-0.7% of all primary pancreatic tumors. Primary pancreatic lymphoma is often difficult to distinguish from other diseases, such as acute pancreatitis. We herein report the autopsy of a patient with primary pancreatic lymphoma with imaging findings resembling those of severe acute pancreatitis, with a focus on the gross and histological features.

Background Special subtypes of pancreatic cancer, such as acinar cell carcinoma (ACC), adenosquamous carcinoma (ASC), and anaplastic carcinoma of the pancreas (ACP), are rare, and so data on them are limited. Using the C-CAT database, we analyzed clinical and genomic characteristics of patients with these and evaluated differences on comparison with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed data on 2691 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer: ACC, ASC, ACP, and PDAC, entered into C-CAT from June 2019 to December 2021. The clinical features, MSI/TMB status, genomic alterations, overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and time to treatment failure (TTF) on receiving FOLFIRINOX (FFX) or GEM + nab-PTX (GnP) therapy as first-line treatment were evaluated. Results Numbers of patients with ACC, ASC, ACP, and PDAC were 44 (1.6%), 54 (2.0%), 25 (0.9%), and 2,568 (95.4%), respectively. KRAS and TP53 mutations were prevalent in ASC, ACP, and PDAC (90.7/85.2, 76.0/68.0, and 85.1/69.1%, respectively), while their rates were both significantly lower in ACC (13.6/15.9%, respectively). Conversely, the rate of homologous recombination-related (HRR) genes, including ATM and BRCA1/2, was significantly higher in ACC (11.4/15.9%) than PDAC (2.5/3.7%). In ASC and ACP, no significant differences in ORR, DCR, or TTF between FFX and GnP were noted, while ACC patients showed a trend toward higher ORR with FFX than GnP (61.5 vs. 23.5%, p = 0.06) and significantly more favorable TTF (median 42.3 vs. 21.0 weeks, respectively, p = 0.004). Conclusions ACC clearly harbors different genomics compared with PDAC, possibly accounting for differences in treatment efficacy.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a popular technique; however, post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP) remains a major adverse event. The administration of rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is reportedly effective in preventing PEP. However, the recommended dose varies and the efficacy of low-dose rectal NSAIDs remains unclear. Therefore, we decided to investigate the effectiveness of low-dose rectal diclofenac on PEP prevention, using propensity score matching.This single-center retrospective study included 401 patients who underwent ERCP between July 2015 and March 2020. After December 2016, we administered rectal diclofenac within 30 min before the ERCP procedure as widely as possible. Patients were divided into those who did (diclofenac group) and did not (control group) receive rectal diclofenac. Patients weighing ≥ 50 kg were administered a 50 mg dose, while those weighing 50 kg were administered a 25 mg dose. The incidence and severity of PEP in the two groups were assessed by propensity score matching analysis.Among 401 patients undergoing ERCP, 367 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Overall, 187 patients received rectal diclofenac (diclofenac group) and 180 did not (control group). After propensity score matching, 105 pairs were selected for evaluation. Overall, seven (6.7%) patients in the diclofenac group and 10 (9.5%) in the control group developed PEP (P = 0.45). Moderate or severe PEP occurred in four (3.8%) patients in the diclofenac group and six (5.7%) in the control group (P = 0.52).The administration of low-dose rectal diclofenac could not reduce the incidence and severity of PEP.

Small intestinal lipomas are rare, but may cause obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The endoscopic unroofing technique excises only the upper third of the lipoma and allows both histological confirmation and complete treatment with minimal risk of perforation. We present a rare case of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding caused by a jejunal lipoma. A 75-year-old man on antiplatelet therapy presented to our department with melena and anemia. Computed tomography revealed he had a 45-mm jejunal submucosal tumor with fat attenuation. Endoscopic resection using an endoscopic unroofing technique with double balloon enteroscopy was successfully performed. The tumor was confirmed to be a lipoma.

Several studies have assessed the effect of cool temperature on colonic peristalsis. Transient receptor potential melastatin 8 (TRPM8) is a temperature-sensitive ion channel activated by mild cooling expressed in the colon. We examined the antispasmodic effect of cool temperature on colonic peristalsis in a prospective, randomized, single-blind trial and based on the video imaging and intraluminal pressure of the proximal colon in rats and TRPM8-deficient mice.In the clinical trial, we randomly assigned a total of 94 patients scheduled to undergo colonoscopy to 2 groups: the mildly cool water (n = 47) and control (n = 47) groups. We used 20 mL of 15°C water for the mildly cool water. The primary outcome was the proportion of subjects with improved peristalsis after treatment. In the rodent proximal colon, we evaluated the intraluminal pressure and performed video imaging of the rodent proximal colon with cool water administration into the colonic lumen. Clinical trial registry website (Trial No. UMIN-CTR; UMIN000030725).In the randomized controlled trial, after treatment, the proportion of subjects with no peristalsis with cool water was significantly higher than that in the placebo group (44.7% vs 23.4%;For the first time, this study demonstrates that cool temperature-dependent suppression of colonic peristalsis may be associated with TRPM8 activation.

A solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas is a rare neoplasm that mainly occurs in young women. We herein report the case of spontaneous regression in SPN of the pancreas. A 48-years-old female was found to have a mass in the head of the pancreas on examination for her back pain and referred to our hospital in 20XX. Laboratory data showed no abnormalities in serum levels of pancreatic enzymes and tumor markers. A contrast CT scan of upper abdomen showed a slightly enhanced lesion (23 × 19 mm in diameter) without cystic component or fibrous capsule in the head of the pancreas. An MRI scan showed the mass as low-intensity in T1-WI and high-intensity in T2-WI. She admitted to our hospital for further examination of a pancreatic mass by EUS-FNA in 20XX + 4. EUS showed a slightly hypoechoic mass (30 × 19 mm in diameter) compared with the neighboring normal pancreas. Tumor margin was relatively clear and the internal echo image was homogenous. Histological findings revealed a solid and pseudopapillary proliferation of eosinophilic polygonal cells with oval nuclei. The tumor cells were positive for vimentin and CD10 in the cytoplasm and β-catenin in the nuclei, which led to the diagnosis of SPN. We recommended this patient to undergo surgical resection, however, the patient chose follow-up examinations. Follow-up study after 1 year using MRI scan showed spontaneous regression, which was coincided with her menopause. These findings suggest that the natural regression of SPN may occur and female sex hormone changes may regulate the growth of SPN.

Recent progress in ulcerative colitis (UC) treatment has been remarkable, and various medications have been applied. However, some patients with UC are refractory to treatment and convert to surgery.To investigate the role of colonic mucosal Wnt-5a expression in the pathogenesis of UC and the effect of bioactive Wnt-5a peptide on colitis in mice.Wnt-5a peptide was intraperitoneally administered to mice every day from the beginning of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. The severity of colitis was evaluated based on body weight change, colonic length, and histological scores. Colonic mucosal TNF-α and KC mRNA expression levels were measured. This study included 70 patients with UC in clinical remission. Wnt-5a, TNFα, and IL-8 mRNA expression in the rectal mucosa were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using biopsy materials. Wnt-5a mRNA expression levels were compared between patients who relapsed and those in remission. We examined the correlation of Wnt-5a expression with TNF-α and IL-8 expression.Wnt-5a peptide significantly attenuated the severity of DSS-induced colitis. Moreover, mucosal TNF-α and KC mRNA expression were significantly suppressed by Wnt-5a peptide treatment. Wnt-5a mRNA levels were significantly lower in patients with subsequent relapse than in those who remained in remission. Mucosal Wnt-5a was inversely correlated with TNF α and IL-8 expression.Wnt-5a peptide suppressed colitis in mice, and decreased Wnt-5a expression was strongly associated with relapse in patients with UC. Wnt-5a may have an inhibitory effect on mucosal inflammation in UC, and Wnt-5a peptide could be a new therapeutic strategy.

We investigated the efficacy of a Wilms' tumor gene 1 (WT1) vaccine combined with gemcitabine (GEMWT1) and compared it with gemcitabine (GEM) monotherapy for advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) in a randomized phase II study. We randomly assigned HLA-A*02:01– or HLA-A*24:02–positive patients with advanced PDAC to receive GEMWT1 or GEM. We assessed WT1-specific immune responses via delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to the WT1 peptide and a tetramer assay to detect WT1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (WT1-CTL). Of 91 patients enrolled, 85 were evaluable (GEMWT1: n = 42; GEM: n = 43). GEMWT1 prolonged progression-free survival [PFS; hazard ratio (HR), 0.66; P = 0.084] and improved overall survival rate at 1 year (1-year OS%; GEMWT1: 35.7%; GEM: 20.9%). However, the difference in OS was not significant (HR: 0.82; P = 0.363). These effects were particularly evident in metastatic PDAC (PFS: HR 0.51, P = 0.0017; 1-year OS%: GEMWT1 27.3%; GEM 11.8%). The combination was well tolerated, with no unexpected serious adverse events. In patients with metastatic PDAC, PFS in the DTH-positive GEMWT1 group was significantly prolonged, with a better HR of 0.27 compared with the GEM group, whereas PFS in the DTH-negative GEMWT1 group was similar to that in the GEM group (HR 0.86; P = 0.001). DTH positivity was associated with an increase in WT1-CTLs induced by the WT1 vaccine. GEM plus the WT1 vaccine prolonged PFS and may improve 1-year OS% in advanced PDAC. These clinical effects were associated with the induction of WT1-specific immune responses. Cancer Immunol Res; 6(3); 320–31. ©2018 AACR.

FACT-G subscale by treatment group

Complete endoscopic mucosal healing is defined as a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0. Some patients diagnosed with a Mayo endoscopic subscore 0 may present with subsequent clinical relapse. Here, we aimed to demonstrate mucosal cytokine profile as a predictor of clinical relapse in ulcerative colitis patients with a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0 as a marker of mucosal healing.We conducted prospective observational pilot study to examine the relationship between mucosal cytokine expression and subsequent relapse of UC patients diagnosed with a Mayo endoscopic subscore of 0. We enrolled 55 patients, and expression of cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon γ, interleukin-1β, interleukin-2, interleukin-4, interleukin-5, interleukin-6, interleukin-7, interleukin-8, interleukin-9, interleukin-10, interleukin-12, interleukin-13, interleukin-15, interleukin-17A, interleukin-17F, interleukin-18, interleukin-21, interleukin-22, interleukin-23, interleukin-27, and interleukin-33 was measured by quantitative real-time PCR using rectal mucosa biopsy materials. Cytokine expression levels were compared between patients who relapsed between March 1, 2016, and March 30, 2020, of the study period and those who remained in remission.Ten cytokines, including interleukin-2, interleukin-4, interleukin-8, interleukin-10, interleukin-12, interleukin-15, interleukin-17A, interleukin-21, interleukin-23, and interleukin-33, were significantly elevated in patients with subsequent relapse compared with those who remained in remission. Interleukin-8 expression was the most useful predictor.In the rectal mucosa of ulcerative colitis patients with Mayo endoscopic subscore 0, levels of several cytokines were elevated in cases of subsequent relapse. Among these, interleukin-8 expression was the most useful for predicting relapse.

Objectives Preoperative grading of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) is challenging. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the use of a 25-gauge needle with a core trap for diagnosis and grading of PanNET. Methods This multicenter prospective trial was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN000021409). Consecutive patients with suspected PanNET between June 2016 and November 2017 were enrolled. All patients underwent endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) using a 25-gauge needle with a core trap. Samples obtained after the first needle pass were used for central pathological review. EUS-FNB was evaluated in terms of (i) technical success rate, (ii) adequacy for histological evaluation, (iii) complication rate during the procedure, and (iv) concordance between PanNET grading on EUS-FNB and that after analysis of the resected tumor. Results Fifty-two patients were enrolled. Of the 36/52 patients who underwent surgical resection, 31 were finally diagnosed with PanNET and were eligible for analysis. The technical success rate of EUS-FNB was 100%. The rate of adequacy for histological evaluation was 90.3%. There were no complications related to EUS-FNB. The concordance rate between PanNET grading on EUS-FNB and that after analysis of the resected tumor was 82.6% (95% confidence interval = 61.22–95.05, P = 0.579). Conclusions EUS-FNB using a 25-gauge needle with a core trap is feasible, providing histological samples are of sufficient quality for diagnosis and grading of PanNET.

Background and Purpose— The treatment and prognosis of acute large vessel occlusion with mild symptoms have not been sufficiently studied. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical or radiological predictors of clinical outcome in patients with stroke with mild symptoms due to acute large vessel occlusion. Methods— Of 2420 patients with acute large vessel occlusion in the RESCUE-Japan Registry 2 (Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra-Acute Embolism-Japan Registry 2), a multicenter prospective registry in Japan, patients with modified Rankin Scale scores of 0 to 2 before onset and initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores of 0 to 5 were examined in post hoc analysis. We examined the clinical and radiological characteristics associated with a favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–2 at 90 days) using multivariate analysis, as well as the factors associated with a favorable outcome in patients treated with endovascular therapy. Results— We analyzed 272 patients (median age, 73 years; median NIHSS score on admission, 3). Eighty-six (31.6%) patients were treated with intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, 54 (19.9%) underwent endovascular therapy, and 208 (76.5%) showed a favorable outcome. In multivariate analysis, age P Conclusions— Younger age, lower initial NIHSS score, intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator, and absence of hyperglycemia were independently associated with a favorable outcome in patients with acute large vessel occlusion with low NIHSS scores. Registration— URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Unique identifier: NCT02419794.

Background and Aims Mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 [MAdCAM-1] is upregulated in the vascular endothelium of the colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis [UC]. Although the association between MAdCAM-1 expression and mucosal inflammation has been discussed, the association with the clinical course of UC patients has not been reported. In this study we investigated not only the association between mucosal MAdCAM-1 expression and mucosal inflammation, but also its association with subsequent relapse in UC patients with clinical remission. Methods Eighty UC patients in remission who visited Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine for follow-up for 2 years were included. Biopsy samples were collected during colonoscopy, and transcriptional expression levels of UC-related cytokines and MAdCAM-1 were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction. MAdCAM-1 mRNA expression and protein expression by immunohistochemistry were compared in patients who subsequently relapsed and those who remained in remission and were examined in relation to endoscopic findings, histological activity and cytokine expression. Results MAdCAM-1 expression was correlated with endoscopic severity, and significantly elevated in histologically active mucosa than inactive mucosa. Furthermore, MAdCAM-1 expression levels were closely correlated with those of several cytokines. MAdCAM-1 mRNA and protein expression were significantly higher in the relapse group than in the remission group, indicating that MAdCAM-1 expression in the mucosa is already elevated in UC patients in clinical remission who subsequently relapse. Conclusions MAdCAM-1 expression in the colonic mucosa of UC patients is related to mucosal inflammation and subsequent relapse; it may serve as a marker for both relapse and therapeutic effectiveness in UC.

Mesalamine is a key drug in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) for both induction and maintenance therapy. On the other hand, it is known that there are some cases of mesalamine intolerance that are difficult to distinguish from symptoms due to aggravation of UC. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical characteristic of mesalamine intolerance in UC. A retrospective, observational study was conducted. We enrolled 31 patients who were diagnosed as mesalamine intolerance between April 2015 to March 2020. We examined clinical features, time to onset, drug types of mesalamine, DLST positive rate, colonoscopy findings, disease activity, and clinical course after diagnosis. The average dose of mesalamine was 3.69 g and DLST-positive was 57.1%. Within the first 2 weeks from the start of mesalamine, 51.6% showed symptoms of intolerance. The serum CRP level was relatively high at ≥10.0 mg/dl in 53.6% of the cases. There was no difference in clinical background, symptoms, or laboratory findings between patients with DLST-positive and negative. In this study, we clarified the clinical characteristics of mesalamine intolerant patients, and found no difference in the clinical background or success rate of desensitization therapy between positive and negative DLST cases.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of pancreatic tumors. The present study aimed to investigate the current status of needle tract seeding (NTS) after EUS-TA of pancreatic tumors based on a nationwide survey in Japan.Patients who underwent surgical resection of primary pancreatic tumors after EUS-TA performed between April 2010 and March 2018 were surveyed. The incidence rates of NTS were determined, and compared in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) and other tumors, and in patients who underwent transgastric and transduodenal EUS-TA of PDACs. The detailed features and prognosis of patients with NTS were also assessed.A total of 12,109 patients underwent surgical resection of primary pancreatic tumors after EUS-TA. The overall incidence rate of NTS was 0.330%, and the NTS rate was significantly higher in patients with PDAC than in those with other tumors (0.409% vs. 0.071%, P=0.004). NTS was observed in 0.857% of patients who underwent transgastric EUS-TA, but in none of those who underwent transduodenal EUS-TA. Of the patients with NTS of PDACs, the median time from EUS-TA to occurrence of NTS and median patient survival were 19.3 and 44.7 months, respectively, with 97.4% of NTS located in the gastric wall and 65.8% of NTS resected. The patient survival was significantly longer in patients who underwent NTS resection than in those without NTS resection (P=0.037).NTS appeared only after transgastric not after transduodenal EUS-TA. Careful follow-up provides an opportunity to remove localized NTS lesions by gastrectomy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show promising clinical activity in advanced cancers. However, the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in patients with preexisting antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are unclear. 191 patients treated with nivolumab, pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, or durvalumab for unresectable advanced cancers between September 2014 and December 2018 were identified retrospectively. Patients were divided into positive (ANA titers ≥ 1:160) and negative ANA groups (ANA titers

Recently, CAD EYE (Fujifilm, Tokyo, Japan), an artificial intelligence for the lesion recognition (CADe) and the optical diagnosis (CADx) of colorectal polyps, was released. We evaluated the function of CADe and CADx of CAD EYE. In this single-center retrospective study, we examined consecutive polyps ≤ 10 mm detected from March to April 2021 to determine whether CAD EYE could recognize them live with both normal- and high-speed observation using white-light imaging (WLI) and linked-color imaging (LCI). We then examined whether the polyps were neoplastic or hyperplastic live with magnified or non-magnified blue-laser imaging (BLI-LASER) or blue-light imaging (BLI-LED) under CAD EYE, comparing the retrospective evaluations with 5 experts and 5 trainees using still images. All polyps were histopathologically examined. We analyzed 100 polyps (mean size 3.9 ± 2.6 mm; 55 neoplastic and 45 hyperplastic lesions) in 25 patients. Regarding CADe, the respective detection rates of CAD EYE with normal- and high-speed observation were 85.0% and 67.0% for WLI (p = 0.002) and 89.0% and 75.0% for LCI (p = 0.009). Regarding CADx for differentiating neoplastic and hyperplastic lesions, the diagnostic accuracy values of CAD EYE with non-magnified and magnified BLI-LASER/LED were 88.8% and 87.8%. Regarding magnified BLI-LASER/LED, the diagnostic accuracy value of CAD EYE was not significantly different from that of experts (92.0%, p = 0.17), but that of trainees (79.0%, p = 0.04). We also found no significant differences in CADe or CADx between LED (53 lesions) and LASER (47 lesions). CAD EYE was a helpful tool for CADe and CADx in clinical practice.

BACKGROUND Hemophilia A causes a bleeding tendency due to the congenital absence of coagulation factor VIII or the production of antibodies against it. It is challenging to perform invasive procedures in patients with hemophilia A. Walled-off necrosis (WON) is a serious complication of acute pancreatitis. Recently, a new metallic stent has been used to drain WON. CLINICAL COURSE We treated a 32-year-old man who developed WON due to acute pancreatitis and has severe congenital hemophilia A. Since conservative treatment was ineffective, he underwent endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS)-guided transgastric WON drainage using a new metallic stent Hot AXIOS System. The procedure was successful without any severe hemorrhagic complications. Before and after the procedure, his clotting factors were strictly monitored by a hemophilia specialist. CONCLUSION EUS-guided pancreatic cyst drainage can be an effective option for WON in patients with severe congenital hemophilia, under adequate management.

This large multicenter randomized controlled trial compared the diagnostic yields of 22-gauge standard and 22-gauge Franseen needles for EUS-guided tissue acquisition (EUS-TA) of solid pancreatic lesions.Consecutive patients with solid pancreatic lesions were prospectively randomized to EUS-TA using standard or Franseen needles. Samples obtained with the first needle pass and with second and subsequent passes were evaluated separately. The primary endpoint was the rate of accuracy for diagnosis of malignancy. Other endpoints were technical success rate, sample cellularity, adverse events, diagnostic accuracy in patient subgroups, and the diagnostic accuracy and numbers of second and subsequent needle passes.Of 523 patients undergoing EUS-TA, 260 were randomized to using standard 22-gauge needles and 263 to 22-gauge Franseen needles. The technical success rate in each group was 99.6%, with similar adverse event rates in the standard (1.5%) and Franseen (.8%) needle groups. First-pass EUS-TA using the Franseen needle resulted in significantly greater diagnostic accuracy (84.0% vs 71.2%, P .001) and sensitivity (82.4% vs 66.7%, P .001) than first-pass EUS-TA using a standard needle and also resulted in superior diagnostic accuracy in patients requiring immunostaining. Second and subsequent EUS-TA using Franseen needles showed significantly greater accuracy (94.7% vs 90.0%, P = .049) and sensitivity (94.0% vs 88.6%, P = .047) and required fewer needle passes (1.81 vs 2.03, P = .008) than using standard needles.EUS-TA with the Franseen needle is superior to EUS-TA with a standard needle with respect to diagnostic accuracy per pass, particularly in patients who require immunostaining, and number of passes when using macroscopic on-site evaluation. (Clinical trial registration numbers: UMIN000030634 and jRCTs052180062.).

BACKGROUNDIdiopathic dissecting cerebral aneurysms (IDCAs) are male dominant but are extremely rare in children. Many IDCAs in children are located in the posterior cerebral artery and the supraclinoid internal cervical artery. No cases of IDCA of the distal anterior cerebral artery (ACA) have been reported.OBSERVATIONSA previously healthy 7-month-old boy experienced afebrile seizures and presented at the authors’ hospital 1 week after the first seizure. He was not feeling well but had no neurological deficits. The authors diagnosed a ruptured aneurysm of the right distal ACA based on imaging results. He underwent emergency craniotomy to prevent re-rupture of the aneurysm. Using intraoperative indocyanine green videoangiography, the authors confirmed peripheral blood flow and then performed aneurysmectomy. Pathological examination of the aneurysm revealed a thickened intima, fragmentation of the internal elastic lamina, and a hematoma in the aneurysmal wall. The authors ultimately diagnosed IDCA because no cause was indicated, including a history of trauma. The boy recovered after surgery and was subsequently discharged with no complications.LESSONSThe authors reported, for the first time, IDCA of the distal ACA in an infant. The trapping technique is often used for giant fusiform aneurysms in infants. Indocyanine green videoangiography is useful for evaluating peripheral blood flow during trapping in this case.

We studied the injection-locking properties of a resonant-tunneling-diode terahertz oscillator in the small-signal injection regime with a frequency-stabilized continuous THz wave. The linewidth of the emission spectrum dramatically decreased to less than 120 mHz (HWHM) from 4.4 MHz in the free running state as a result of the injection locking. We experimentally determined the amplitude of injection voltage at the antenna caused by the injected THz wave. The locking range was proportional to the injection amplitude and consistent with Adler's model. As increasing the injection amplitude, we observed decrease of the noise component in the power spectrum, which manifests the free-running state, and alternative increase of the injection-locked component. The noise component and the injection-locked component had the same power at the threshold injection amplitude as small as $5\times10^{-4}$ of the oscillation amplitude. This threshold behavior can be qualitatively explained by Maffezzoni's model of noise reduction in general limit-cycle oscillators., The following article has been submitted to APL Photonics

We performed simulations for injection locking of a submillimeter-wave RTD oscillator circuit. A wider locking range is realized with optimizing the position where the injection signal is applied.

Background Statins have been associated with reduced recurrence and better functional outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke. However, the effect of statins in patients with acute large vessel occlusion (LVO) is not well scrutinized. Methods and Results RESCUE (Recovery by Endovascular Salvage for Cerebral Ultra‐Acute Embolism)‐Japan Registry 2, a physician‐initiated registry, enrolled 2420 consecutive patients with acute LVO who were admitted to 46 centers across Japan within 24 hours of onset. We compared patients with and without statin use after acute LVO onset (statin group and nonstatin group, respectively) in terms of the modified Rankin scale at 90 days. We estimated that the odds ratios for the primary outcome was modified Rankin scale and we estimated the odds ratios for a 1‐scale lower modified Rankin scale adjusting for confounders. After excluding 12 patients without LVO and 9 patients without follow‐up, the mean age of 2399 patients was 75.9 years; men accounted for 55% of patients. Statins were administered to 447 (19%) patients after acute LVO onset. Patients in the statin group had more atherothrombotic cerebral infarctions (34.2% versus 12.1%, P P P P =0.02). The mortality at 90 days was lower in the statin group (4.7%) than the nonstatin group (12.5%; P P =0.02). Conclusions Statin administration after acute LVO onset is significantly associated with better functional outcome and mortality at 90 days.

Inflammation-based prognostic indicators have been developed to predict the prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer. However, prognostic indices have not been established in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer, including those without indication for chemotherapy at diagnosis. This study aimed to identify the predictors in all patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. We retrospectively analyzed data of 119 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer from June 2006 to September 2018. The following laboratory parameters were evaluated: the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), modified GPS, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), C-reactive protein albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI). We performed time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis, overall survival (OS) analysis, and univariate and multivariate analyses to determine the prognostic factors in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. The cut-off value for NLR was determined to be 3.74. The 6-month OS rates in low and high NLR groups were 75.5% and 18.8% (P P = 0.003), metastatic pancreatic cancer (P = 0.037), no treatment (P P P P P P = 0.002), high CRP/Alb ratio (P P P = 0.046), no treatment (P P = 0.002), and high NLR (P

BACKGROUND Rapid urinary trypsinogen-2 dipstick test and levels of urinary trypsinogen-2 and trypsinogen activation peptide (TAP) concentration have been reported as prognostic markers for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. AIM To reconfirm the validity of all these markers in the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis by undertaking a multi-center study in Japan. METHODS Patients with acute abdominal pain were recruited from 17 medical institutions in Japan from April 2009 to December 2012. Urinary and serum samples were collected twice, at enrollment and on the following day for measuring target markers. The diagnosis and severity assessment of acute pancreatitis were assessed based on prognostic factors and computed tomography (CT) Grade of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare criteria. RESULTS A total of 94 patients were enrolled during the study period. The trypsinogen-2 dipstick test was positive in 57 of 78 patients with acute pancreatitis (sensitivity, 73.1%) and in 6 of 16 patients with abdominal pain but without any evidence of acute pancreatitis (specificity, 62.5%). The area under the curve (AUC) score of urinary trypsinogen-2 according to prognostic factors was 0.704, which was highest in all parameter. The AUC scores of urinary trypsinogen-2 and TAP according to CT Grade were 0.701 and 0.692, respectively, which shows higher than other pancreatic enzymes. The levels of urinary trypsinogen-2 and TAP were significantly higher in patients with extended extra-pancreatic inflammation as evaluated by CT Grade. CONCLUSION We reconfirmed urinary trypsinogen-2 dipstick test is useful as a marker for the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis. Urinary trypsinogen-2 and TAP may be considered as useful markers to determine extra-pancreatic inflammation in acute pancreatitis.

Streptozocin (STZ) is a key agent for treating advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNET). Most STZ regimens for pNET are daily and also include 5-fluorouracil (5FU), whereas STZ monotherapy and weekly regimens have also been applied in daily practice in Japan. The present study aimed to evaluate responses to weekly regimens and to STZ monotherapy, and to identify a predictive marker of a response to STZ. Clinical data regarding STZ-based chemotherapy for pNET were collected between 2015 and 2017 at 25 facilities. We analyzed the effects, safety, progression-free survival (PFS), and factors that correlate with responses to STZ. The overall objective response rate (ORR) of 110 patients who underwent STZ-based chemotherapy (monotherapy, 81.8%; weekly regimen 46.4%) was 21.8%, and PFS was 9.8 months. The ORR of weekly vs. daily regimens was 21.6 vs. 22.0% (P = 1.000), and that of monotherapy vs. combination therapy was 21.1 vs. 25.0% (P = 0.766). A Ki67 proliferation index (Ki67) of > 5% was a predictive marker of a response to STZ (P = 0.017), whereas regimen type, mono- or combination therapy, treatment line and liver tumor burden were not associated with responses. The frequencies of Grade ≥ 3 nausea and hematological adverse events were significantly lower for monotherapy than combination therapy (P = 0.032). The effects of weekly STZ monotherapy on pNET are comparable to those previously reported and the toxicity profile was acceptable. Ki67 > 5% was the sole predictive marker of an objective response.

We performed simulations for oscillation of series-connected RTDs to realize higher output power. We found factors which determine whether oscillation or domain formation occurs. The variation of the fabricated RTD areas should be within a few percent to realize the oscillation.

Simple Summary The psoas muscle mass index (PMI) is a simplified tool used in the quantification of skeletal muscle. The aim of our study was to investigate whether the PMI at diagnosis or its decrease during chemotherapy can influence the prognosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer. The median overall survival (OS) was 278.0 (95% confidence interval (CI), 199.1–356.9) days in the high-PMI group, and 221.0 (95% CI, 90.9–351.1) days in the low-PMI group (p = 0.329). The median OS was 347.0 (95% CI, 289.1–404.9) days in the group without PMI decrease and 172.0 (95% CI, 129.8–214.2) days in the group with PMI decrease (p = 0.001). We determined that the PMI at diagnosis was not associated with OS in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer receiving systemic chemotherapy, whereas PMI decrease during chemotherapy influenced the OS. Abstract The impact of the psoas muscle mass index (PMI) on survival is still poorly understood in unresectable pancreatic cancer. Thus, we aimed to investigate whether the PMI at diagnosis or its decrease during chemotherapy can influence the prognosis of unresectable pancreatic cancer. The data of 100 patients were analyzed, and they were divided into two groups according to the median PMI in each sex. Subsequently, 72 patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) within 30–100 days from CT at diagnosis were evaluated in terms of PMI change rate, and divided into two groups based on the median. We evaluated the clinical characteristics and outcomes in terms of the PMI at diagnosis or its decrease during chemotherapy. The median PMI was 5.00 in males, and 3.66 in females. The median overall survival (OS) was 278.0 days in the high-PMI group and 221.0 days in the low-PMI group (p = 0.329). The median PMI change rate was −2.4%. The median OS was 347.0 days in the group without PMI decrease and 172.0 days in the group with PMI decrease (p = 0.001). We determined that a pivotal prognostic factor was not the PMI at diagnosis, but rather PMI decrease during chemotherapy in unresectable pancreatic cancer.