Effects of crystalline electronic field and onsite interorbital interaction in Yb-based quasicrystal and approximant crystal.

To get an insight into a new type of quantum critical phenomena recently discovered in the quasicrystal YbAlAu and approximant crystal (AC) YbAlAu under pressure, we discuss the property of the crystalline electronic field (CEF) at Yb in the AC and show that uneven CEF levels at each Yb site can appear because of the Al/Au mixed sites. Then we construct the minimal model for the electronic state on the AC by introducing the onsite Coulomb repulsion between the 4f and 5d orbitals at Yb. Numerical calculations for the ground state shows that the lattice constant dependence of the Yb valence well explains the recent measurement done by systematic substitution of elements of Al and Au in the quasicrystal and AC, where the quasicrystal YbAlAu is just located at the point from where the Yb-valence starts to change drastically.

Impact of Cyclooxygenase-2 1195 G-Carrier Genotype Associated with Intestinal Metaplasia and Endoscopic Findings Based on Kyoto Classification.

Background/aims: We aimed to clarify whether cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1) genotypes were associated with certain histological findings and endoscopical appearances based on Kyoto classification.

Methods: We enrolled 285 Helicobacter pylori-infected gastritis patients. Genotypes of COX-2 1195, COX-2 1290, mPGES-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) 511 and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) 308 were analyzed.

Effect of Antithrombotic Therapy and Long Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Procedure Time on Early and Delayed Postoperative Bleeding.

Background: Recent updated guidelines of the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology recommend the use of a single dose of antiplatelet agents in patients undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). However, the postoperative bleeding risk after gastric ESD associated with the continuation or interruption of antithrombotic therapy remains controversial. We aimed to evaluate whether certain factors including interrupted antithrombotic therapy could affect early and delayed post-ESD bleeding risk.

[A Case of Lymph Node Metastasis of Intrahepatic Bile Duct Cancer Successfully Treated Using Multidisciplinary Therapy].

We report a case of lymph node metastasis of intrahepatic bile duct cancer that was successfully treated using chemotherapy and radiation therapy.A man in his 70s underwent hepatic resection for intrahepatic bile duct cancer, and abdominal CT 1 year 8 months after surgery revealed lymph node swelling(25mm in diameter)along the common hepatic artery.He was diagnosed with lymph node metastasis and began to receive chemotherapy.

Clinical Complete Response from Chemotherapy in an Elderly Patient with Metastatic Gastric Cancer: A Case Report.

An 81-year-old man was admitted with upper abdominal pain and weight loss. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a large tumor located from the gastric angle to the body. Histological analysis of a biopsy revealed a moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.

Proton pump inhibitors are associated with lower gastrointestinal tract bleeding in low-dose aspirin users with ischaemic heart disease.

Background: Impact of acid suppressants on lower gastrointestinal bleeding remains unclear in low-dose aspirin users; we aimed to investigate this relationship.

Methods: Retrospective cohort study of low-dose aspirin users who underwent coronary angiography for ischaemic heart disease in our institution between October 2005 and December 2006; patients were evaluated for upper or lower gastrointestinal bleedings within 3 years post-angiography.

Results: 538 patients were enrolled (males, 74.

Water-soluble vitamin deficiencies in complicated peptic ulcer patients soon after ulcer onset in Japan.

We investigated over time whether contemporary Japanese patients with complicated peptic ulcers have any water-soluble vitamin deficiencies soon after the onset of the complicated peptic ulcers. In this prospective cohort study, fasting serum levels of water-soluble vitamins (vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, C, and folic acid) and homocysteine were measured at 3 time points (at admission, hospital discharge, and 3 mo after hospital discharge). Among the 20 patients who were enrolled in the study, 10 consecutive patients who completed measurements at all 3 time points were analyzed.

Classification of patients who experience a higher distress level to transoral esophagogastroduodenoscopy than to transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Background: In Japanese routine clinical practice, endoscopy is generally carried out without sedation. The present study aimed to identify the factors essential for appropriate selection of transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy (TN-EGD) as an alternative to unsedated transoral esophagogastroduodenoscopy (TO-EGD).

Patients And Methods: Subjects in this prospective cohort study comprised consecutive outpatients who underwent EGD at a single center.

Implication of antithrombotic agents on potential bleeding from endoscopically determined peptic ulcers, incidentally detected as surrogate markers for nsaids-associated ulcers complication.

Background And Aim: Little is known about the clinical significance of treatment for endoscopically determined peptic ulcers (EPU), incidentally detected as surrogate endpoints for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-associated ulcers complication, such as overt bleeding and perforation. Even uncomplicated-EPU without overt bleeding signs when antithrombotic agents (AT) were cotherapied may be of potential bleeding sites. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether microcytic anemia, implying potential bleeding, is associated with NSAIDs-associated EPU or cotherapies with AT.

Mode-mode coupling theory of itinerant electron antiferromagnetism in superconducting state.

It has been considered since the first discovery of a high-T(c) cuprate that an antiferromagnetic (AF) state and a superconducting (SC) state are separated in it. However, it is very intriguing that the coexistence of the AF and SC states has recently been observed in HgBa(2)Ca(4)Cu(5)O(12+) (Hg-1245). Moreover, it is very novel that this coexistence of these two states appears if the SC-transition temperature T(c) is higher than the AF-transition temperature T(N).

New universality class of quantum criticality in Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermions.

A new universality class of quantum criticality emerging in itinerant electron systems with strong local electron correlations is discussed. The quantum criticality of a Ce- or Yb-valence transition gives us a unified explanation for unconventional criticality commonly observed in heavy fermion metals such as YbRh(2)Si(2), β-YbAlB(4), YbCu(5-x)Al(x), and CeIrIn(5). The key origin is due to the locality of the critical valence fluctuation mode emerging near the quantum critical end point of the first-order valence transition, which is caused by strong electron correlations for f electrons.

The incidence of deep vein thrombosis in Japanese patients undergoing endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Background: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is more invasive than other common endoscopic procedures and may increase the risk for deep vein thrombosis (DVT)/pulmonary embolism. The incidence of DVT/pulmonary embolism after ESD has not been adequately studied.

Objective: To evaluate DVT incidence and disease-specific features of D-dimer levels in ESD patients.

[Japanese epidemiologic investigation for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-induced ulcers].

This review summaried epidemiologic investigation for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)-induced ulcers to focus on the Japanese evidence. In Japan, national health insurance does not cover procedures that prevent or lower the risk for NSAIDs-induced ulcer. In NSAIDs treatment to patients with risk factors, it is desirable to administer antiulcer agents.

Roles of critical valence fluctuations in Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermion metals.

The roles of critical valence fluctuations of Ce and Yb are discussed as a key origin of several anomalies observed in Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermion systems. Recent development of the theory has revealed that a magnetic field is an efficient control parameter to induce the critical end point of the first-order valence transition. Metamagnetism and non-Fermi liquid behavior caused by this mechanism are discussed by comparing favorably with CeIrIn5, YbAgCu4 and YbIr2Zn20.

Quantum valence criticality as an origin of unconventional critical phenomena.

It is shown that unconventional critical phenomena commonly observed in paramagnetic metals YbRh2Si2, YbRh2(Si0.95Ge0.05)2, and β-YbAlB4 are naturally explained by the quantum criticality of Yb-valence fluctuations.

[Prophylaxis and treatment of gastric ulcer by low-dose aspirin in the aged].

Low-dose aspirin, one of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs), has been increasingly used to prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease through its antiplatelet effect, mainly in the aged population, but aspirin treatment has been associated with gastrointestinal injures, especially peptic ulcer bleedings. However, as discontinuation of aspirin, unlike NSAIDs, may precipitate cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, treatment of aspirin-associated ulcers should re-start aspirin as soon as possible, using proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Therefore, high risk patients for peptic ulcers should be prevented with antisecretory drugs, such as PPI or histamine H2-receptor antagonists, because ulcer bleedings in patients with treatment of low-dose aspirin can be serious.

[Endoscopic findings of low-dose aspirin associated ulcers].

Low-dose aspirin (L-ASA) has been increasingly used for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular events, and has the advantages of both low cost and long duration of antiplatelet action. But, an increment of L-ASA prescription has become an object of public concern for gastrointestinal events through its antiplatelet action and cyclooxygenase inhibitory action. Although knowledge about endoscopic characteristics of L-ASA associated ulcers is limited, the ulcers have common distinctive feature that sudden gastrointestinal bleedings or latently advanced-anemia are often the earliest symptom because aspirin-induced ulcers often exist without symptoms of dyspepsia.

Impact of quadruple regimen of clarithromycin added to metronidazole-containing triple therapy against Helicobacter pylori infection following clarithromycin-containing triple-therapy failure.

Background: The establishment of an optimal second-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection is required. Although quadruple therapy should overcome resistance to either clarithromycin or metronidazole, the effects of a quadruple regimen in second-line therapy are unknown. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of triple therapy composed of proton pump inhibitor/amoxicillin plus metronidazole with the combined additive effects of clarithromycin as a second-line quadruple therapy against H.

Comparison of gastric emptying and plasma ghrelin levels in patients with functional dyspepsia and non-erosive reflux disease.

Background And Aims: The symptoms of postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS), the two subtypes of functional dyspepsia (FD) under the new Rome III classification, tend to overlap with those of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). Plasma ghrelin levels have been associated with gastric motility; however, clinical studies have yet to examine this relationship among patients with PDS, EPS or NERD. Thus, this study aims to evaluate the correlation between gastric emptying and ghrelin levels as possible candidate factors for gastric motility in these diseases.

Bisphosphonate increases risk of gastroduodenal ulcer in rheumatoid arthritis patients on long-term nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug therapy.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at increased risk of peptic ulcers (PU) induced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). However, the impact of potential drug interactions on the development of PU has yet to be determined in a daily clinical setting. The aim was to estimate the clinical important interactions for PU presented by comedication in Japanese RA outpatients on long-term NSAID treatment.

Extracellular HSP70 blocks CD40L-induced apoptosis and tubular formation in endothelial cells.

Background: Recent studies have shown that CD40, a key player in angiogenesis and tubular formation, is an extracellular receptor of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70)-peptide complex in endothelial cells. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of extracellular HSP70 treatment on CD40L-suppressed apoptosis and CD40L-induced tubular formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Methods: The apoptotic index of CD40L-stimulated HUVEC with or without recombinant human HSP70 was evaluated using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase biotin-dUTP nick end labeling assay analysis.

Celecoxib inhibits apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1 expression and prevents gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori-infected mongolian gerbils.

Background And Aims: The aim of this study was to see whether administration of celecoxib, a selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor, could prevent the development of gastric cancer via inhibition of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1 (APE-1) expression induced by Helicobacter pylori infection.

Methods: 70 Mongolian gerbils were divided into 6 groups. Group 1 gerbils served as controls (n = 6).

Magnetic-field control of quantum critical points of valence transition.

We study the mechanism of how critical end points of first-order valence transitions are controlled by a magnetic field. We show that the critical temperature is suppressed to be a quantum critical point (QCP) by a magnetic field, and unexpectedly, the QCP exhibits nonmonotonic field dependence in the ground-state phase diagram, giving rise to the emergence of metamagnetism even in the intermediate valence-crossover regime. The driving force of the field-induced QCP is clarified to be cooperative phenomena of the Zeeman and Kondo effects, which create a distinct energy scale from the Kondo temperature.

Expression of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1 (APE-1) in H. pylori-associated gastritis, gastric adenoma, and gastric cancer.

Background And Aim: Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1 (APE-1) is a key enzyme in DNA base excision repair (BER), linked to cancer chemosensitivity. However, little is known about the localization of APE-1 in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosa or its role in the development of gastric cancer. To investigate the role of APE-1 in the development of gastric cancer, we examined APE-1 expression and localization in cultured cells and gastric biopsies from patients with H.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and CD40 ligation have a synergistic effect on vascular endothelial growth factor production through cyclooxygenase 2 upregulation in gastric cancer.

Background: Recent studies have reported that expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) and its receptor (CCR2) and CD40 ligation on mesenchymal cells play important roles in tumor development. Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) has also been shown to contribute to tumor angiogenesis. We examined the interaction between MCP-1 and CD40 ligation in mesenchymal cells in gastric cancer to determine the effect of these factors on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production via upregulation of COX-2 expression.