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Capecitabine plus oxaliplatin(CapeOX)is widely used as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for gastric cancer. The CapeOX regimen often causes digestive symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting under postoperative conditions, and oxaliplatin- induced neurological symptoms, for which supportive intervention is needed. The pharmaceutical outpatient clinic of Jichi Medical University provides pharmaceutical intervention for cancer patients. This study evaluated the usefulness of the pharmaceutical outpatient clinic for gastric cancer patients receiving postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was defined as the effect of the number of outpatient pharmacist interventions on the relative dose intensity of the CapeOX regimen. The secondary endpoint was the correlation between the number of outpatient pharmacist interventions and the worst grade of each side effect. It was observed that patients who received at least 5 outpatient pharmacist interventions had significantly higher dose intensities(p=0.019). Outpatient pharmaceutical interventions were associated with the reduction of side effect symptoms that could be managed with preventive and supportive care. These results showed that continuous intervention by outpatient pharmacists contribute to the optimization of dose intensity and reduction of side effects in gastric cancer patients receiving CapeOX as postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy.

Background Recent treatment for food allergies involves the intake of allergy-causing foods at doses lower than the threshold dose determined by the oral food challenge (OFC). For a more successful treatment, it is necessary to identify a biomarker to establish safer doses of allergens in foods consumed at home. Objective In this study, we aim to investigate whether the pattern of sensitization to cow's milk (CM) is related to the threshold dose of CM. Methods Fifty patients with sensitization to casein (casein-specific IgE titer ≥ 0.7 UA/ml) and who have undergone the CM OFC test from July 2013 to July 2015 were enrolled. They were examined for the presence or absence of sensitization to β-lactoglobulin (BLG) (BLG-specific IgE ≥ 0.7 UA/ml). They were divided into two groups, namely, the only-casein-specific IgE-positive (C) group, and both casein- and BLG-specific IgE-positive (C + B) group. Results The C group had 26 patients and the C + B group had 24. Both the CM- and casein-specific IgE titers were higher in the C + B group than in the C group. The positivity rates determined from OFC test results were 53.8 and 87.5%, and the threshold doses of CM were 88.7 and 31.1 ml in the C and C + B groups, respectively. In patients with low casein-specific IgE titers (≤ 10 UA/ml), the C + B group showed a significantly lower threshold dose of CM than the C group. Conclusions Our results suggest that children with CM allergy sensitized to casein alone have a higher threshold dose than those sensitized to both casein and BLG.

Protein S, a nonenzymatic cofactor to activated protein C, presents in two forms in plasma, free form and in a complex with C4b-binding protein. The aim of this study was to determine the association of plasma protein S levels with the variables related to cardiovascular disease risk. The relationships between plasma protein S levels with lipids, inflammation markers, and adiposity were first examined on middle-aged obese women (n = 62), then on young nonobese women (n = 160) to verify the findings in the obese women. Total and free protein S antigen levels in middle-aged obese women, approximately half being in a postmenopausal state and suffered from dyslipidemia, correlated negatively with estradiol and positively with triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, apoA-II, apoB, apoC-II, apoC-III, apoE, hemoglobin A1c, and protein C, whereas there was no correlation with HDL cholesterol, apoA-I, BMI, visceral fat area, blood pressure, or factor VII activity. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that protein C, apoC-II, and fibrinogen were significant predictors of total protein S antigen levels, accounting for 51.9% of variance, and apoC-II as a singular significant predictor for free protein S antigen levels (12.3% of variance). In young nonobese women, most being normolipidemic, apoC-II was also selected as a significant predictor of total protein S antigen levels, but not of free protein S antigen levels. The positive relationship between plasma protein S levels and apoC-II, a key regulator of triglycerides hydrolysis, may contribute to the pathogenesis of increased concentrations of plasma protein S.

The proton-exchanged waveguide formed on MgO-doped lithium niobate crystals is resistant to the optical damage or the photorefractive effect. Therefore, this waveguide is believed to be a promising device for optical information and processing. However, the optical damage can also be an important problem for this waveguide in the communication wavelength since the high-power optical source is used. In this report, a brief general review on the optical properties and its practical application of the lithium niobate crystal as the optical waveguide are given. Then the experimental research work aimed to clarify the properties and its mechanism of the electrooptic effect and the optical damage or photorefractivity of the lithium niobate optical waveguide is described. In this work, the optical damage in this proton-exchanged waveguide is measured quantitatively at various optical wavelengths including blue and red light by using the holographic grating method and the infrared communication wavelength (1550nm) by using the prism coupler method. The optical damage is significant not only in blue wavelength but also in the red, and even at 1550 nm with high power (100 mW) laser diode for communication. So the optical damage cannot be negligible also in the communication wavelengths. The effect of annealing temperature is also discussed. At the relatively high temperatures, the optical damages are founde to be annealed out. The effect of the applied electric field to the optical damage is experimentally discussed and its enhancement is observed to the applied d.c. and a.c. fields. In conclusion, the optical properties as the electrooptic constant and the optical damage are experimentally measured and the many fundamental data are obtained to realize the useful and practical optical devices.

Objective To investigate the localization and expression of steroid sulfatase (STS) in cumulus cells obtained from subjects with and without endometriosis. Design Case-control study. Setting In vitro fertilization program at the Showa University School of Medicine. Patient(s) Cumulus cells (142 samples) were obtained from 49 patients for whom IVF was indicated. Some of these samples were taken from cases complicated by endometriosis (35 samples), polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS; 16 samples), or latent hyperprolactinemia (16 samples). Intervention(s) Immunohistochemical staining for STS. Measurement of STS mRNA expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Main Outcome Measure(s) Expression of STS mRNA and localization of STS. Result(s) Steroid sulfatase was localized in the cytoplasm of the cumulus cells, and expression of STS mRNA was observed. The expression level of STS mRNA from patients with endometriosis was significantly higher (11.8-fold) than that of patients without endometriosis. Conclusion(s) These results suggest a local steroidal regulation mechanism in cumulus cells. Although the physiological role of STS in cumulus cells remains unclear, STS may be involved in the quality of eggs in patients with endometriosis.

Background It has been reported that the progesterone receptor (PR) level is transiently increased within the follicle by LH stimulation and controls cumulus cells in follicles and oocyte maturation. The purpose of this study was to predict developmental competence of human oocytes during IVF via analysis of PR in cumulus cells surrounding mature oocytes. Methods Prior to oocyte retrieval, the follicular diameter was measured and follicular fluid was collected from each mature follicle. Cumulus cells were manually separated from the oocyte-cumulus complex under a microscope. PR and PR mRNA were assessed by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) measurement in human cumulus cells. Results Immunoreactive PR-A was mainly localized in the cytoplasm and PR-B was localized in the nuclei. There was no significant relationship between PR expression and follicular diameter, follicular fluid concentration of steroids, or LH. There was no significant relationship between expression of PRs and fertilization or cleavage rate. However, PR expression was lower in the good morphology group (blastomeres > or =7 cells with fragmentation > or =5% on day 3) when compared to the other groups (P Conclusions These results suggest that follicular LH or steroids do not affect PR expression, and full reduction of total PR expression on cumulus cells at the time of oocyte collection is associated with good morphology in human oocytes.

By near-infrared spectroscopy, we classified water molecules in hydrated gelatin membranes in a drying process. Absorbance spectra in the frequency range of 4500–5500 cm−1 were resolved into three peaks, S0, S1, and S2, that correspond to water molecules with different hydrogen bond states. From the areas of the absorbance peaks as a function of the water content of gelatin, together with the information on the freezing properties of water measured by differential scanning calorimetry, we found that, when the water content is less than 20%, free water disappears and only weakly and strongly bound waters remain. We also found that the weakly bound water consists of S0, S1, and S2 water molecules with a simple composition of . Using this information, most of the freezable water was determined to be free water. Our classification provides a simple method of estimating the retention and freezing properties of processed foods or drugs by infrared spectroscopy.

There is a great demand for the electrooptic devices for optical communication and also for optical sensor applications. The properties of these devices are highly dependent on the waveguide fabrication process. The exact estimation of the optical and physical properties of the waveguides becomes necessary. The purpose of this study is quantitative estimation of the photorefractive effect of the lithium niobate waveguides.

Objective To use microdissection and DNA microarray technology to demonstrate differences in gene expression between epithelial and stromal areas in the proliferative human endometrium. Design Pilot study. Setting University hospital. Patient(s) Patients with normal menstrual cycles and at least one previous intrauterine pregnancy. Intervention(s) Uterine endometrial biopsy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Gene expression. Result(s) From a total of 1,200 genes, 14 were strongly expressed in epithelial areas and 12 were strongly expressed in stromal areas. Among the genes strongly expressed in the stroma, expressions of decorin and discoidin domain receptor were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Decorin was localized in the stromal areas by immunohistochemical staining. To confirm the effects of estrogen on gene expression, stromal cells were cultured. When E 2 was added to the culture media, expression of decorin mRNA was increased. Conclusion(s) The data demonstrated in this study help to understand the physiology of human endometrium. Decorin was strongly expressed in the stromal areas and was regulated by estrogen, and therefore it may be involved in restoration of the endometrium.

The temperature and electric field dependences of the photorefractive effect in proton-exchanged (PE) waveguides formed on MgO-doped lithium niobate (LN) are investigated in detail for the first time. As a result, the photorefractive effect (optical damage) is found to be enhanced by the electric field applied to the waveguide. On the other hand, resistance to the photorefractive effect is markedly increased when the samples are heated at temperatures as high as 80°C. We should take these properties into consideration in designing optical devices such as electrooptic modulators and parametric devices.

Background The purpose of this study was to localize the expression of steroid sulfatase (STS) in cumulus cells and to determine the relationship between STS mRNA expression and the serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol and progesterone. Methods The subject group included 49 women (29 to 44 years old) for whom in vitro fertilization treatment was indicated. All subjects gave informed consent. One hundred fourteen samples of cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) were obtained under microscopic observation. Part of the COC was stained by STS antibody. RNA was extracted by phenol-chloroform method and real-time PCR was performed. Serum of each patient was collected and was measured by ELISA. Results Some of the cumulus samples were stained by STS antibody. The expression of STS mRNA in all samples was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR. Although there was no significant correlation between the level of STS mRNA and the serum levels of estradiol, progesterone and LH, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between the level of STS mRNA expression and the serum level of FSH (n = 105, p = 0.018, r = -0.22). Conclusion These results have demonstrated for the first time the expression of STS in cumulus cells by immunohistological stainings and real-time RT-PCR. STS expression in cumulus cells may be related to the control of the local steroidal environment in the oocyte. Serum FSH may control STS mRNA expression from the results of RT-PCR, although the correlation was low.

The endometrium prepares for implantation under the control of steroid hormones. It has been suggested that there are complicated interactions between the epithelium and stroma in the endometrium during menstrual cycle. In this study, we demonstrate a difference in gene expression between the epithelial and stromal areas of the secretory human endometrium using microdissection and macroarray technique. The epithelial and stromal areas were microdissected from the human endometrium during the secretory phase. RNA was extracted and amplified by PCR. Macroarray analysis of nearly 1000 human genes was carried out in this study. Some genes identified by macroarray analysis were verified using real-time PCR. In this study, changes in expression 5-fold were WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (44.1 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (40.1 fold), homeo box B5 (19.8 fold), msh homeo box homolog (18.8 fold), homeo box B7 (12.7 fold) and protein kinase C, theta (6.4 fold). On the other hand, decorin (55.6 fold), discoidin domain receptor member 2 (17.3 fold), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (9 fold), ribosomal protein S3A (6.3 fold), and tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains (5.2 fold) were strongly expressed in the stromal areas. WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (19.4 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (9.7-fold), decorin (16.3-fold) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (7.2-fold) were verified by real-time PCR. Some of the genes we identified with differential expression are related to the immune system. These results are telling us the new information for understanding the secretory human endometrium.

The Kerr constants in C 6 H 6 and C 6 H 5 NO 2 are discussed by means of the statistical mechanics of Maxwell-Boltzmann's distribution of the molecules under the biasing field. The anisotropic electronic polarizabilities are obtained as α 1 =12.06(A 3 ) (parallel to C 6 H 6 plane) and α 2 =7.143 (A 3 ) (perpendicular to C 6 H 6 plane) for the Kerr constant 6.0×10 -18 in C 6 H 6 , and also α 3 =13.644 (A 3 ) (parallel to the polar axis) and α 1 +α 2 =26.50 (A 3 ) for the Kerr constant 269×10 -7 in C 6 H 5 NO 2 .

Analyses of gallium content were made by the fluorometric method on 57 samples of seaweeds which were composed of 30 species. As the result of it, the gallium content was found ranging from 0.02 to 0.64Μg g−1 and the average was 0.14Μg g−1 in the dried seaweeds. Generally, the gallium content in seaweeds had a close relationship to the aluminium and iron contents. The average weight ratio of Ga/Al was 3.8×10−4 and one of Ga/Fe was 4.0×10−4. The average Ga/Al weight ratio (3.8×10−4) was very similar to that reported for shallow-water deposits (2.1×10−4), but was definitely lower than that in sea water (1.5×10−2).