[en] The simple method for evaluating the cleanness of the magnetic surface is presented. The parameter residue is applied to analysis of the magnetic surface in LHD in the case with vertical displacement of a poloidal coil. The magnetic surface measurement plan and the analysis of the trajectory of the high energy particle are also described. (author)

[en] Magnetic surface control by n/m=1/1 helical windings and electron orbit loss measurement by stellarator tetrode method have been carried out in Heliotron DR. Magnetic island of m=1 is effectively corrected by n/m=1/1 helical windings but m=2 like island structure is remained uncorrected. Electron confinement is observed to be deteriorated for high pitch angle electrons at the outboard side of the torus and also improved by inward shift of the magnetic axis. (author)

[en] The purpose of this research is to investigate combination of molecular targeting drugs and carbon ion beam radiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell cancer. We used TE-2 and T.Tn cells and Balb/c nu/nu mice for in vitro and in vivo experiment. As the molecular targeting drugs, we used novel histone deacetylase inhibitor (CHAP31) and FIR gene transfer by adenovirus vectors. In the combination of Compound A and Carbon ion radiotherapy or X-ray radiotherapy, growth suppression is potentiated as compared to that treated with either alone for in vitro and in vivo experiment. (author)

[en] A wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) imaging spectrometer gives XRF images more rapidly than energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF). The analyzing area by this method is dependent on the diameter of the used 2D collimator. We considered large-area imaging while scanning a sample, to enlarge the analyzing area. Then, the analyzing object was measured at each segment, and obtained XRF images were combined. As the result, Cu and Br elemental whole images were constructed for an electronic circuit card (30 mm × 54 mm), with a total exposure time of 54 s. In addition, WD-XRF imaging rapidly provides specific elemental images. Therefore, this method was applied for the monitoring of chemical reactions in liquid samples. WD-XRF imaging was repeated in an exposure time of 60 s/frame for observing the dissolution process of metals in solutions. Consequently, the dissolution process of a Zn piece in hydrochloric acid was visualized from Zn K_α intensity distributions. (author)

[en] 

Purpose

: Recent studies suggest that the quality and quantity of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) play significant roles in adipocyte function, and are related to insulin resistance. We tested the hypothesis that high amounts of upper VAT (aVAT) and low-quality VAT worsen treatment outcomes via altered insulin metabolism.

Methods

: Cohort 1 included 106 women with breast cancer who were undergoing surgery. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-R), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) were measured before the initiation of treatment. aVAT was measured via computed tomography (CT). VAT quality was assessed using CT-determined Hounsfield units (VAT-HU). Associations between the variables investigated and VAT quality and quantity were analyzed. Cohort 2 included 271 patients who underwent chemotherapy. Associations between the variables investigated and survival outcomes after chemotherapy were analyzed via retrospective chart review.

Results

: In cohort 1, aVAT was significantly correlated with insulin and HOMA-R levels. As body mass index (BMI) class increased, mean IGF-1 increased and mean IGFBP3 decreased, but these trends were not statistically significant. In cohort 2, aVAT was significantly positively correlated with BMI. The patients in the third aVAT tertiles had significantly shorter distant disease-free survival (dDFS) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy setting. In multivariate analysis, aVAT and VAT-HU were significantly associated with shorter dDFS.

Conclusions

: High aVAT and low-quality VAT were associated with poor survival outcome, increased insulin levels, and insulin resistance. The present study suggests the importance of evaluating the quality and quantity of VAT when estimating insulin resistance and treatment outcomes.

[en] Lamins, major components of the nuclear lamina, undergo phosphorylation at multiple residues during cell cycle progression, but their detailed phosphorylation kinetics remain largely undetermined. Here, we examined changes in the phosphorylation of major phosphorylation residues (Thr14, Ser17, Ser385, Ser387, and Ser401) of lamin B2 and the homologous residues of lamin B1, A/C during the cell cycle using novel antibodies to the site-specific phosphorylation. The phosphorylation levels of these residues independently changed during the cell cycle. Thr14 and Ser17 were phosphorylated during G₂/M phase to anaphase/telophase. Ser385 was persistently phosphorylated during mitosis to G₁ phase, whereas Ser387 was phosphorylated discontinuously in prophase and G₁ phase. Ser401 phosphorylation was enhanced in the G₁/S boundary. Immunoprecipitation using the phospho-antibodies suggested that metaphase-phosphorylation at Thr14, Ser17, and Ser385 of lamins occurred simultaneously, whereas G₁-phase phosphorylation at Ser385 and Ser387 occurred in distinct pools or with different timings. Additionally, we showed that lamin B2 phosphorylated at Ser17, but not Ser385, Ser387 and Ser401, was exclusively non-ionic detergent soluble, depolymerized forms in growing cells, implicating specific involvement of Ser17 phosphorylation in lamin depolymerization and nuclear envelope breakdown. These results suggest that the phosphorylations at different residues of lamins might play specific roles throughout the cell cycle.

[en] Highlights: ► Overexpression of Ku86 in human liver cancer was shown by immunohistochemistry. ► Serum anti-Ku86 was significantly elevated in early hepatocellular carcinoma. ► Anti-Ku86 may be more sensitive than the conventional markers for early detection. ► Serum anti-Ku86 significantly decreased after surgical resection of liver tumors. ► Elevation of serum anti-Ku86 in other non-liver solid tumors was minimal. -- Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of primary liver cancer, is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the third most common cause of cancer-related death. Imaging studies including ultrasound and computed tomography are recommended for early detection of HCC, but they are operator dependent, costly and involve radiation. Therefore, there is a need for simple and sensitive serum markers for the early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In our recent proteomic studies, a number of proteins overexpressed in HCC tissues were identified. We thought if the serum autoantibodies to these overexpressed proteins were detectable in HCC patients. Of these proteins, we focused on Ku86, a nuclear protein involved in multiple biological processes and aimed to assess the diagnostic value of serum anti-Ku86 in the early detection of HCC. Serum samples were obtained prior to treatment from 58 consecutive patients with early or relatively early hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC and 137 patients with HCV-related liver cirrhosis without evidence of HCC. Enzyme immunoassays were used to measure serum levels of autoantibodies. Serum levels of anti-Ku86 antibodies were significantly elevated in HCC patients compared to those in liver cirrhosis patients (0.41 ± 0.28 vs. 0.18 ± 0.08 Abs at 450 nm, P < 0001). Setting the cut-off level to give 90% specificity, anti-Ku86 was positive in 60.7% of stage I solitary tumor <2 cm in diameter, whereas the sensitivities of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) were 17.8% and 21.4%, respectively. The results of ROC analyses indicated the better performance of anti-Ku86 for early detection of HCC. Serum anti-Ku86 levels decreased after surgical resection of the tumors in the 12 HCC cases tested, Elevation of anti-Ku86 in solid tumors other than liver was minimal. Serum anti-Ku86 is a potential biomarker for early detection of HCV-related HCC. Further studies in a larger number of HCC patients with various etiologies are needed to further evaluate the diagnostic and pathophysiological roles of elevation of serum anti-Ku86 in early HCC.