Publications by authors named "K I Isobe"

Herein, we report a study on the preparation, properties, and depolymerization of pristine and vulcanized poly(cyclopentene) (poly(CP)), poly(norbornene--cyclopentene) (poly(NB--CP)) and poly(-dicyclopentadiene--cyclopentene) (poly (DCP--CP)). First, poly(CP), poly(NB--CP) and poly(DCP--CP) were prepared with high molecular weight control ( = 200 000-500 000) using dichloro(3-phenyl-1-inden-1-ylidene)bis(tricyclohexylphosphine)ruthenium(ii). Next, carbon black, zinc oxide and other additives were blended into the pristine polymers using a mixer and twin roll rubber mills at 50 °C, followed by vulcanization in metal molds at 160 °C for 10 min, resulting in molded black rubber specimens.

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  • Growing awareness of regenerative practices is crucial for addressing biodiversity loss and climate change, but we currently lack detailed knowledge about how microbial communities change during vegetation restoration.
  • A study conducted in Southwestern China revealed that as vegetation matures, soil phosphorus levels decrease, highlighting phosphorus as a key nutrient limitation, while the genetic capacity for phosphorus acquisition in microbes increases.
  • The research found that microbial phosphorus limitation significantly impacts carbon metabolism, showing a decrease in enzyme gene abundance for carbon breakdown, yet microbes adapt by enhancing genes that help degrade tougher organic materials as a strategy to access phosphorus.
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  • The study investigates the effectiveness of durvalumab, an immunotherapy drug, after chemoradiotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC), particularly those with poorer performance status or older age.
  • In a phase II trial with 86 participants, 61 received durvalumab after low-dose carboplatin and radiotherapy, showing a 12-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate of 51%, exceeding the expected 35%.
  • The treatment was deemed effective, with a median overall survival of 28.1 months, but pneumonitis was noted as the most common severe side effect.*
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BRAF is a mediator that activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. A mutation in BRAF can cause abnormal pathway activation, leading to cell proliferation. In a Phase II study, the combination therapy of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib was found to be effective in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with the BRAF mutation.

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  • Amikacin liposome inhalation suspension (ALIS) showed effectiveness in increasing sputum culture conversion rates in patients with refractory Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) after 6 months of treatment in a phase 3 trial.
  • A study involving 12 patients at Toho University revealed that 58.3% achieved culture conversion, with factors like shorter previous treatment duration and fewer cavitary lesions on chest CT linked to better outcomes.
  • While improvements in chest CT findings were noted, they did not always match with culture conversion results, indicating that the correlation between imaging and treatment success is complex.
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