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This study uses a neural network technique to produce maps of the partial pressure of oceanic carbon dioxide (pCO2sea) in the North Pacific on a 0.25° latitude × 0.25° longitude grid from 2002 to 2008. The pCO2sea distribution was computed using a self-organizing map (SOM) originally utilized to map the pCO2sea in the North Atlantic. Four proxy parameters – sea surface temperature (SST), mixed layer depth, chlorophyll a concentration, and sea surface salinity (SSS) – are used during the training phase to enable the network to resolve the nonlinear relationships between the pCO2sea distribution and biogeochemistry of the basin. The observed pCO2sea data were obtained from an extensive dataset generated by the volunteer observation ship program operated by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). The reconstructed pCO2sea values agreed well with the pCO2sea measurements, with the root-mean-square error ranging from 17.6 μatm (for the NIES dataset used in the SOM) to 20.2 μatm (for independent dataset). We confirmed that the pCO2sea estimates could be improved by including SSS as one of the training parameters and by taking into account secular increases of pCO2sea that have tracked increases in atmospheric CO2. Estimated pCO2sea values accurately reproduced pCO2sea data at several time series locations in the North Pacific. The distributions of pCO2sea revealed by 7 yr averaged monthly pCO2sea maps were similar to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory pCO2sea climatology, allowing, however, for a more detailed analysis of biogeochemical conditions. The distributions of pCO2sea anomalies over the North Pacific during the winter clearly showed regional contrasts between El Niño and La Niña years related to changes of SST and vertical mixing.

Between 2001 and 2005, JALSG conducted a randomized study to assess the optimal post remission therapy for adult AML in the first CR. JALSG AML201 enrolled 1064 previously untreated AML patients (pts) aged 15-64 yrs. The induction therapy consisted of cytarabine (Ara-C 100mg/m2 day1-7) and idarubicin (IDR 12mg/m2 day1-3) (arm A) or cytarabine (100mg/m2 day1-7) and daunorubicin (DNR 50mg/m2 day1-5) (arm B) . If the patients did not achieve remission after the first induction therapy, then the same therapy was given once more. Pts were categorized into good, intermediate or poor risk groups by risk factors based on the criteria established in previous JALSG AML studies. All CR pts were stratified according to the induction, the number of courses of induction, age and karyotype and were randomly assigned to the high dose Ara-C (HDAC) post remission regimen (arm C) or the conventional JALSG post remission regimen (arm D) . Arm C: the three courses of HDAC which consisted of Ara-C 2.0g/m2 q12h day1-5, arm D: the first course consisted of Ara-C 200mg/m2 day1-5+ mitoxantrone (MIT) 7mg/m2 day1-3, 2) Ara-C 200mg/m2 day1-5+ DNR 50mg/m2 day1-3, 3) Ara-C 200mg/m2 day1-5+ aclarubicin (ACR) 20mg/m2 day1-5, 4) Ara-C 200mg/m2 day1-5+ etoposide (ETP) 100mg/m2 day1-5 + vincristine (VCR) 0.8mg/m2 day 8 + vindesine (VDS) 2 mg/m2 day10. Results: Of the 1064 pts registered, 1057 pts (median age: 47 years) were evaluable. 825 pts (78%) achieved CR after one or two courses of induction therapy. Of the 825 pts in CR, 781 pts were assigned to arm C or arm D. The 4-year OS rate of arm C was 61.6% while that of arm D was 62.8% (p=0.58) . The 4-year RFS rate of the CR patients was 42.8% in arm C and 40.8% in arm D (p=0.65) . Among the good risk group, the 4-year OS rate of arm C was 77.0% while that of arm D was 75.8 % (p=0.40) , and the 4-year RFS rate of arm C was 54.6% while that of arm D was 53.1% (p=0.71) . Among the intermediate risk group, the 4-year OS rate of arm C was 63.2% while that of arm D was 65.7% (p=0.78) , and the 4-year RFS rate of arm C was 38.7% while that of arm D was 42.2% (p=0.63) . Among the poor risk group, the 4-year OS rate of arm C was 36.3% while that of arm D was 34.1% (p=0.71) , and the 4-year RFS rate of arm C was 25.9% while that of arm D was 6.6% (p=0.17) . In the CBF leukemia group, the 4-year OS rate of arm C was 79.4% while that of arm D was 66.5% (p=0.09) , and the 4-year RFS rate of arm C was 57.7% while that of arm D was 43.7% (p=0.14) . Among the young group (=50 yrs) , the 4-year OS rate of arm C was 53.4% while that of arm D was 57.7% (p=0.90) , and the 4-year RFS rate of arm C was 39.1% while that of arm D was 33.8% (p=0.67) . Conclusion: The conventional post remission therapeutic regimen established by JALSG consisting of 4 courses of consolidation was thus found to be as effective as the three courses of HDAC therapy. To further confirm these results, a longer follow-up is therefore needed.

We conducted a multicenter prospective randomized study to determine whether the intensified daunorubicin (DNR) induction chemotherapy would be as effective as idarubicin (IDR) in adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) . Newly diagnosed adult patients with AML excluding FAB-M3 were consecutively registered and randomized to receive either increased dose of DNR or standard dose of IDR induction chemotherapy. All patients received cytarabine 100mg/m² daily for 7 days by continuous intravenous infusion, and either DNR 50mg/m² daily for 5 days or IDR 12mg/m² daily for 3 days according to randomization. If the patients did not achieve complete remission (CR) after the first induction therapy, the same induction therapy was given once more. Patients achieving CR were again randomized to receive either 3 courses of high-dose cytarabine or 4 courses of conventional multiagent consolidation therapy. The results of later randomization will be reported another abstract. From December 2001 to December 2005, 1064 newly diagnosed patients with de novo AML were registered and 1057 were eligible. Median age was 47 years old (range 15 to 64) . Five hundred twenty five patients were randomized to DNR group, and 532 to IDR group. The two groups were well matched for pretreatment characteristics. CR was achieved in 407 patients (77.5%; 95% CI, 73.9% - 81.1%) with 321 (61.1%) after 1 induction course in DNR group and 418 patients (78.6%; 75.1% - 82.1%) with 341 (64.1%) after 1 course in IDR group (p = 0.68) . Patients receiving IDR took slightly but significantly longer to recover from neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. There was a higher rate of sepsis in IDR (8.7%) than DNR (4.9%) (p = 0.02) . The early death within 60 days occurred in 25 patients (4.7%) in IDR and 11 (2.1%) in DNR (p = 0.03) . Logistic regression analysis revealed that induction regimen was not the independent prognostic factor, but CBF leukemia and the percentage of peroxidase positive leukemic blast were the significant independent factors for achieving remission. There was also no significant difference between the groups in the longer-time measures of efficacy: estimated overall survival at 4 years was 49.1% (42.4% - 55.8%) for DNR and 53.1% (47.6% - 58.6%) for IDR (p = 0.37) ; estimated relapse free survival at 4 years from CR was 42.2% (36.1% - 48.3%) for DNR and 41.8% (35.9% - 47.7%) for IDR (p = 0.62) . The Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that the induction regimen did not affect these outcomes. In conclusion, increased dose of DNR and standard dose of IDR both achieve high remission rate and good long-term efficacy, and are equally effective for the treatment of AML patients up to 64 years, although the final assessment will have to be performed after longer follow up., 2000$$Poster Board #-Session: 178-II