Intraoperative versus extended antimicrobial prophylaxis after gastric cancer surgery: a phase 3, open-label, randomised controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Background: Although evidence for the efficacy of postoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis is scarce, many patients routinely receive such treatment after major surgeries. We aimed to compare the incidence of surgical-site infections with intraoperative antimicrobial prophylaxis alone versus intraoperative plus postoperative administration.

Methods: We did a prospective, open-label, phase 3, randomised study at seven hospitals in Japan.

Lysosomal membrane destabilization induced by high accumulation of single-walled carbon nanohorns in murine macrophage RAW 264.7.

Cellular responses to graphene-based, nanometer-sized materials, such as carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs), have previously been studied at low-uptake levels. Here, by exploiting the availability of large quantities of SWNHs, cytotoxicity and the immunological responses induced by the abundant uptake of these structures were studied in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages.

[A case of unresectable gastric cancer with pyloric stenosis which was resectable by chemotherapy after gastrojejunostomy].

A man in his fifties was referred to our hospital for anorexia and vomiting. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy showed a gastric cancer (Borrmann Type 3) with pyloric stenosis. We performed gastrojejunostomy to allow oral intake for a tumor invading the pancreas head (cT4bN1H0P0CY1, Stage IV).

[A case of advanced transvers colon cancer with inguinal lymph node metastasis].

An 80-year-old woman complaining of a right inguinal induration and pain was performed an inguinal lymph node resection. Histological examination with immnohistochemistry revealed that the lymph node was metastasis of colon carcinoma. With total colonoscopy, she was diagnosed as advanced transvers colon cancer with right inguinal lymph node metastasis.

[A case of bilateral 3-lung lesion (metastatic and primary tumour, tumourlet) resected simultaneously].

A 70-year-old male patient underwent right nephrectomy for renal clear cell carcinoma. After 8 years an X-ray showed a nodule on the left lung, and CT scan detected it to be a 15 × 12 mm mass in S1+2 segment of the left lung. CT also detected another 15 × 7 mm mass in the right S3 segment.

CD16(+) natural killer cells play a limited role against primary dengue virus infection in tamarins.

CD16 is a major molecule expressed on NK cells. To directly assess the role of natural killer (NK) cells in dengue virus (DENV) infection in vivo, CD16 antibody-treated tamarins were inoculated with a DENV-2 strain. This resulted in the transient depletion of CD16(+) NK cells, whereas no significant effects on the overall levels or kinetics of plasma viral loads and antiviral antibodies were observed in the treated monkeys when compared to control monkeys.

Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder presenting with classical Hodgkin lymphoma and developing as peripheral T-cell lymphoma 9 years later: a case report of composite lymphoma.

We describe a patient who was diagnosed with classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL) at 67-years-old and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL) at 76-years-old, and died 5 months later. Both tumors showed prominent epithelioid cell reaction admixed with neoplastic cells. Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells in the swollen lymph node were positive for CD30 and EBV-encoded RNA (EBER).

Organization of the capsule biosynthesis gene locus of the oral streptococcus Streptococcus anginosus.

The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of the important oral streptococcus Streptococcus anginosus, which causes endocarditis, and the genes for its synthesis have not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the gene locus required for CPS synthesis in S. anginosus.

Chicken oviduct-specific expression of transgene by a hybrid ovalbumin enhancer and the Tet expression system.

We generated genetically manipulated chickens and quail by infecting them with a retroviral vector expressing the human growth hormone under the control of chicken ovalbumin promoter/enhancer up to -3861 bp from the transcriptional start site. The growth hormone was expressed in an oviduct-specific manner and was found in egg white, although its level was low. The DNA sequence of the integrated form of the viral vector in the packaging cells was shown to be truncated and contained only the sequence spanning -3861 to -1569 bp.

A soluble hybrid material combining carbon nanohorns and C60.

A soluble hybrid nanomaterial that combines fullerenes and carbon nanohorns (CNHs) has been prepared and fully characterized. Electrochemical investigations revealed that the CNHs modify the electron accepting ability of C(60) in the hybrid material.

A hydrogen bond motif giving a variety of supramolecular assembly structures and spin-crossover behaviors.

A series of spin-crossover (SCO) iron(II) compounds, fac-[Fe(II)(HL(R))(3)]Cl·PF(6) [R = methyl (Me, 1), ethyl (Et, 2), n-propyl (n-Pr, 3), n-butyl (n-Bu, 4), and n-pentyl (n-Pen, 5)], were synthesized, where HL(R) denotes a series of [(2-methylimidazol-4-yl)methylidene]monoalkylamines. The cations fac-[Fe(II)(HL(R))(3)](2+) and chloride anions associate through 3:3 imidazole···chloride hydrogen bonding. This hydrogen-bonding motif gives rise to a variety of assembly structures consisting of a one-dimensional ladder for 3 and 4, two kinds of two-dimensional networks for 1 and 2, and a cubane-like structure for 5.

1D and 2D assembly structures by imidazole···chloride hydrogen bonds of iron(II) complexes [Fe(II)(HL(n-Pr))3]Cl·Y (HL(n-Pr) = 2-methylimidazol-4-yl-methylideneamino-n-propyl; Y = AsF6, BF4) and their spin states.

Two Fe(II) complexes fac-[Fe(II)(HL(n-Pr))(3)]Cl·Y (Y = AsF(6) (1) and BF(4) (2)) were synthesized, where HL(n-Pr) is 2-methylimidazole-4-yl-methylideneamino-n-propyl. Each complex-cation has the same octahedral N(6) geometry coordinated by three bidentate ligands and assumes facial-isomerism, fac-[Fe(II)(HL(n-Pr))(3)](2+) with Δ- and Λ-enantiomorphs. Three imidazole groups per Δ- or Λ-fac-[Fe(II)(HL(n-Pr))(3)](2+) are hydrogen-bonded to three Cl(-) ions or, from the viewpoint of the Cl(-) ion, one Cl(-) ion is hydrogen-bonded to three neighbouring fac-[Fe(II)(HL(n-Pr))(3)](2+) cations.

Aquaporin 4 Expression in the mdx Mouse Diaphragm.

Expression of aquaporin (AQP) 4 in the surface membranes of skeletal myofibers is well established; however, its functional significance is still unknown. The alterations of AQP4 expressions in dystrophic muscles at RNA and protein levels have been reported in various dystrophic muscles such as dystrophinopathy, dysferlinopathy, and sarcoglycanopathy. We are interested in the relationship between the severity of dystrophic muscle degeneration and the expression of AQP4.

Novel nonsecosteroidal vitamin D3 carboxylic acid analogs for osteoporosis, and SAR analysis.

Novel vitamin D(3) analogs with carboxylic acid were explored, focusing on a nonsecosteroidal analog, LG190178, with a bisphenyl skeleton. From X-ray analysis of these analogs with vitamin D receptor (VDR), the carboxyl groups had very unique hydrogen bonding interactions in VDR and mimicked 1α-hydroxy group and/or 3β-hydroxy group of 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3). A highly potent analog, 6a, with good in vitro activity and pharmacokinetic profiles was identified from an SAR study.

Phase II feasibility study of adjuvant S-1 plus docetaxel for stage III gastric cancer patients after curative D2 gastrectomy.

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of adjuvant S-1 plus docetaxel in patients with stage III gastric cancer.

Methods: We enrolled 53 patients with pathological stage III gastric cancer who underwent D2 gastrectomy. They received oral S-1 (80 mg/m(2)/day) administration for 2 consecutive weeks and intravenous docetaxel (40 mg/m(2)) on day 1, repeated every 3 weeks (1 cycle).

Selective extraction of large-diameter single-wall carbon nanotubes with specific chiral indices by poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole).

Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) having large diameters (d(t) > 1.3 nm) are successfully extracted in toluene by fluorene-based polymers. In particular, poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) shows excellent selectivity for (15,4) SWCNTs.

Confined water inside single-walled carbon nanotubes: global phase diagram and effect of finite length.

Studies on confined water are important not only from the viewpoint of scientific interest but also for the development of new nanoscale devices. In this work, we aimed to clarify the properties of confined water in the cylindrical pores of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) that had diameters in the range of 1.46 to 2.

Pertuzumab in combination with trastuzumab shows significantly enhanced antitumor activity in HER2-positive human gastric cancer xenograft models.

Purpose: We investigated the antitumor activity of the combination of two different humanized monoclonal human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 2 antibodies, pertuzumab and trastuzumab, for gastric cancer.

Experimental Design: Tumor mouse xenograft models were used to examine antitumor activity. Cell proliferation was examined using crystal violet staining.

Histological assessments for toxicity and functionalization-dependent biodistribution of carbon nanohorns.

Single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWNHs) intravenously administered to mice did not show severe toxicity during a 26-week test period, which was confirmed by normal gross appearance, normal weight gain and the lack of abnormality in the tissues on histological observations of the mice. SWNH biodistribution was influenced by chemical functionalization. Accumulation of SWNH in the lungs reduced as SWNH hydrophilicity increased; however, the most hydrophilic SWNHs modified with bovine serum albumin (BSA) were most likely to be trapped in the lungs, suggesting that the BSA moiety enhanced macrophage phagocytosis in the lungs.

Survival benefit of bursectomy in patients with resectable gastric cancer: interim analysis results of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Bursectomy is regarded as a standard surgical procedure during gastrectomy for serosa-positive gastric cancer in Japan. There is little evidence, however, that bursectomy has clinical benefit. We conducted a randomized controlled trial to demonstrate non-inferiority of treatment with the omission of bursectomy.

Guided-mode resonance in curved grating structures.

The guided-mode resonance phenomenon in curved grating structures was studied. By using finite-difference time-domain simulation in the cylindrical coordinate system, we investigated the dependence of the peak reflectivity and bandwidth of the resonance upon the curvature radius. We clarified that the reflectivity and bandwidth were similar to those of flat grating structures for a finite range of curvature.