Impact of neoadjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy on borderline resectable pancreatic cancer with arterial abutment; a prospective, open-label, phase II study in a single institution.

BACKGROUND: Borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) is a category of pancreatic cancer that is anatomically widely spread, and curative resection is uncommon with upfront surgery. Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is a form of radiation therapy that delivers precise radiation to a tumor while minimizing the dose to surrounding normal tissues. Here, we conducted a phase 2 study to estimate the curability and efficacy of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy using IMRT (NACIMRT) for patients with BRPC with arterial abutment (BRPC-A). METHODS: A total of 49 BRPC-A patients were enrolled in this study and were treated at our hospital according to the study protocol between June 2013 and March 2021. The primary endpoint was microscopically margin-negative resection (R0) rates and we subsequently analyzed safety, histological effect of the treatment as well as survivals among patients with NACIMRT. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients (59.2%) received pancreatectomy after NACIMRT. The R0 rate in resection patients was 93.1% and that in the whole cohort was 55.1%. No mortality was encountered. Local therapeutic effects as assessed by Evans classification showed good therapeutic effect (Grade 1, 3.4%; Grade 2a, 31.0%; Grade 2b, 48.3%; Grade 3, 3.4%; Grade 4, 3.4%). Median disease-free survival was 15.5 months. Median overall survival in the whole cohort was 35.1 months. The only independent prognostic pre-NACIMRT factor identified was serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) > 400 U/ml before NACIMRT. CONCLUSIONS: NACIMRT showed preferable outcome without significant operative morbidity for BRPC-A patients. NACIMRT contributes to good local tumor control, but a high initial serum CA19-9 implies poor prognosis even after neoadjuvant treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN-CTR Clinical Trial: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000011776 Registration number: UMIN000010113. Date of first registration: 01/03/2013.

Relaxation of the Interface Resistance between Solid Electrolyte and 5 V-Class Positive Electrode.

Solid-state Li batteries using 5 V-class positive electrode materials display a higher energy density. However, the high resistance at the interface of the electrolyte and positive electrode (interface resistance, Ri) hinders their practical applications. Here, we report the relaxation of Ri between a solid electrolyte (Li3PO4) and a 5 V-class electrode (LiCo0.5Mn1.5O4). Although Ri is small at the Mn3+/4+ redox voltage of 4.0 V vs Li/Li+ (11 Ω cm2), it rapidly increases by more than 2 orders of magnitude as the voltage increases above the Co3+/4+ redox voltage of 5.2 V vs Li/Li+. After the applied voltage is reduced to 4.0 V vs Li/Li+, Ri decays to the original value after 3 h. The relaxation of Ri after exposure to high voltages suggests that the increase in Ri above 5 V vs Li/Li+ is attributable to the formation of an interfacial layer at the LPO/LCMO interface.

Ionic Rectification across Ionic and Mixed Conductor Interfaces.

In electrochemical devices, it is important to control the ionic transport between the electrodes and solid electrolytes. However, it is difficult to tune the transport without applying an electric field. This paper presents a method to modulate the transport via tuning of the electrochemical potential difference by controlling the electronic states at the interfaces. We fabricated thin-film solid-state Li batteries using LiTi2O4 thin films as positive electrodes. The spontaneous Li-ion transport between the solid electrolyte and LiTi2O4 is controlled by tuning the electrochemical potential difference via use of an electrically conducting Nb-doped SrTiO3 substrate. This study establishes the foundation for rectifying the ionic transport via electronic energy band alignment.

Malnutrition assessed by controlling nutritional status is correlated to carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes and malnutrition sometimes overlap. Little is known about the relationship between malnutrition and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. This cross-sectional study investigated this relationship in patients with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the relationships between malnutrition assessed by controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score and subclinical atherosclerosis assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid plaque scores in 461 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes. Nutritional assessment indicated that 38% of patients were malnourished (CONUT ≥3). Carotid IMT and carotid plaque scores were significantly higher in patients with malnutrition. Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that a high CONUT score (CONUT ≥3) was correlated with mean IMT (ß = 0.196, p = 0.043) and max IMT (ß = 0.243, p = 0.011) in patients taking statins and was also correlated with mean IMT (ß = 0.287, p = 0.004), max IMT (ß = 0.308, p = 0.002), and plaque score (ß = 0.190, p = 0.044) in patients not taking statins after adjusting for age, sex, duration of diabetes, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, creatine, smoking, and hypertension. Our results demonstrate a relationship between malnutrition and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Platelet to lymphocyte ratio correlates with diabetic foot risk and foot ulcer in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetic foot ulcer is a major complication in patients with diabetes. Platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) has been reported to have a predictive effect to some diabetic complications in recent years. However, it has not been fully elucidated about the relationship between diabetic foot risk or diabetic foot ulcer and PLR in patients with type 2 diabetes. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate this relationship. In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated the relationships between patient's diabetic foot risk with the criteria of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) and prevalent foot ulcer, and PLR in 453 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes. Propensity score analysis was used to adjust the difference of covariates; age, sex, duration of diabetes, body mass index (BMI), HbA1c, current smoking, hypertension, dyslipidemia, neuropathy, PAD, foot deformity and history of foot ulcers. PLR was higher in patients with high risk diabetic foot or foot ulcer (117 ± 40 vs. 107 ± 31, p = 0.003 and 148 ± 65 vs. 113 ± 56, p < 0.001). A receiver-operating characteristic curve demonstrated that PLR of 130.6 constitutes the cut-off value for prevalent foot ulcer with sensitivity 0.85 and specificity 0.70. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PLR was positively correlated with prevalent foot ulcer (odds ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval 1.01-1.04, p = 0.003) after adjusted for several variables with propensity score analysis. Our results demonstrated that PLR can be a marker for high risk diabetic foot and diabetic foot ulcer in patients with type 2 diabetes.

[A Case of Multiple Brain Lesions Associated with Hydrophilic Polymer Allergy after Coil Embolization that Showed Repeated Progression and Regression].

A 41-year-old woman underwent coil embolization for subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with a ruptured anterior cerebral artery(A1)aneurysm. Approximately 3 weeks later, MRI revealed right cerebral white matter changes with extensive edema and enhancement lesions. Even though she was asymptomatic, we suspected an allergic reaction to the hydrophilic coating polymer and initiated steroid treatment. After tapering and discontinuing the steroid treatment, follow-up MRI revealed development of white matter lesions;thus, steroid treatment was reinitiated. Progression and regression of the lesions occurred repeatedly, and she was radiologically stable at almost 1 year after coiling. We speculated that these white matter lesions were foreign body granulomas that reacted to the hydrophilic coating of the endovascular device. Overall, an allergic reaction to hydrophilic coating polymer could occur as a delayed complication after coil embolization and that progression and regression of the lesions could repeatedly occur in rare cases.

[Implementation of Penumbra-assisted Half-Stent Thrombectomy for Patients with Acute M2 Occlusion:Results of Initial Experiences].

The benefits of mechanical thrombectomy(MT)for acute M2 occlusion have remained unclear because of unavoidable device-related complications due to vascular morphological characteristics. We developed a Penumbra-assisted half-stent thrombectomy for achieving secure retrieval of thrombus with minimal damage to the small-caliber vessel. In total, 6 patients were treated with MT for acute M2 occlusion using this technique between November 2016 and May 2017, including 3 men and 3 women, mean age 74.8(51-98)years. The mean baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score was 17.5(6-32), and Alberta Stroke Program Early Computed Tomography Score-Diffusion-Weighted Imaging was 7.5(6-9). After navigation of the microcatheter through the thrombus in M2 supported by a Penumbra 4MAX as a distal access catheter, the stent retriever(SR)was partially deployed to cover the entire thrombus. The 4MAX was then advanced towards the caudal end of the thrombus, and the SR was pulled back into the 4MAX with simultaneous aspiration of the 4MAX. We used the Trevo XP3 in 5 patients and Revive SE in 1 patient. The mean procedure time from groin puncture to recanalization was 60(54-66)min. Successful recanalization(Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction score 2b or 3)was achieved in 5(83%)patients. There were no cases of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Good outcome(modified Rankin Scale score 0 to 2)at 3 months was achieved in 3(50%)patients. Penumbra-assisted half-stent thrombectomy appears to be an effective alternative strategy in MT for acute M2 occlusion.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio correlates with limited joint mobility of hand in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Limited joint mobility (LJM) of hand, which is one of the complications of diabetic hand, is associated with diabetic micro- and macroangiopathy although the precise pathogenesis is not completely understood. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a simple and novel inflammatory marker, has been reported to have a predictive effect to some diabetic complications in recent years. However, it is not elucidated about the relationship between LJM of hand and NLR in patients with type 2 diabetes. We evaluated the relationships between LJM of hand and NLR in 335 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes in this cross-sectional study. LJM of hand was diagnosed by a 'prayer sign' or 'table test'. LJM of hand was present in 80 patients. The patients with LJM of hand had significantly older age, longer duration of diabetes, worse renal function, and higher proportion of diabetic neuropathy, retinopathy and nephropathy. NLR in patients with LJM of hand was higher than that in patients without LJM of hand (2.54 ± 1.46 vs. 2.11 ± 1.04, p = 0.004). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that LJM of hand was positively correlated with NLR (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval 1.03-1.69, p = 0.027) after adjustment for age, sex, duration of diabetes, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, hypertension and dyslipidemia. Our results demonstrate a positive relation between LJM of hand and NLR in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors have adverse effects for the proliferation of human T cells.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) is a critical molecule for the metabolism of incretins. In addition, DPP-4 is known as CD26, the receptor of T cells, and plays important role in activation of T cells. Recently, DPP-4 inhibitors (DPP4i) are reported to have several immunologic effects beyond glycemic control. DPP4i seem to have anti-inflammatory effects in patients with type 2 diabetes. This might be direct effects on T cells. However, the close mechanism is not clear. To evaluate the possibility, we performed ex vivo assays by using primarily human CD4+ T cells (CD4) and CD8+ T cells (CD8). We purified primary naïve CD4 and CD8 from human peripheral blood. Then, we evaluated the effect of DPP4i on the proliferation of naïve T cells and the cytokine production in ex vivo experiments. The proliferation of CD4 and CD8 were suppressed by adding DPP4i in a dose dependent manner. However, DPP4i did not inhibit cytokine production from CD4. It was revealed by phospho-flow that the T cell receptor (TCR) signaling was attenuated in the presence of DPP4i. Taken together, DPP4i modulated TCR signaling, which contributed to attenuate the proliferation of CD4 and CD8. DPP4i have adverse effects for the proliferation of human T cells.

[Two Cases of Bilateral Orbital Metastases of Breast Cancer].

Two cases of breast cancer with bilateral orbital metastases associated with intracranial metastases are presented. Case 1:A 61-year-old woman who was diagnosed with breast cancer 14 years earlier presented with rapid deterioration of visual acuity, eye pain, and limitation of left-sided extraocular motility. Magnetic resonance(MR)images showed an enhanced lesion in the left orbital apex, ethmoid sinus, and right middle fossa. The first gamma knife radiotherapy(35 Gy, 5 Fr)was performed successfully, but was followed by recurrence 18 months later in the right intraorbital, where newly formed iso-intensity masses in the extraconal compartment were found. The second gamma knife radiosurgery was performed for three masses(20 Gy). Case 2:A 35-year-old woman with breast cancer who was diagnosed 22 months earlier was treated for meningeal carcinomatosis by whole-brain radiation(30 Gy, 10 Fr)and intrathecal chemotherapy. Eight months later, swelling in both eyelids and limitation of extraocular motility developed rapidly. MR imaging revealed an infiltrating lesion in the cone with heterogenous signal that was encasing, but not infiltrating the optic nerves. The extraconal lesion extended into the soft tissue of the lower eye lid. She expired one week after diagnosis. With the increasing number of long-term survivors with breast cancer, intraorbital metastases may be found during the course of treatment for intracranial lesions. Understanding the unique clinical presentation and characteristic MR findings of this rare entity are emphasized.

Variants in KCNQ1 are associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

We carried out a multistage genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese individuals, with a total of 1,612 cases and 1,424 controls and 100,000 SNPs. The most significant association was obtained with SNPs in KCNQ1, and dense mapping within the gene revealed that rs2237892 in intron 15 showed the lowest Pvalue (6.7 x 10(-13), odds ratio (OR) = 1.49). The association of KCNQ1 with type 2 diabetes was replicated in populations of Korean, Chinese and European ancestry as well as in two independent Japanese populations, and meta-analysis with a total of 19,930 individuals (9,569 cases and 10,361 controls) yielded a P value of 1.7 x 10(-42) (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.34-1.47) for rs2237892. Among control subjects, the risk allele of this polymorphism was associated with impairment of insulin secretion according to the homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function or the corrected insulin response. Our data thus implicate KCNQ1 as a diabetes susceptibility gene in groups of different ancestries.

[A Case of Transoral Penetrating Head Injury from a Crossbow-Fired Arrow].

Penetrating head injuries are extremely rare in Japan. The authors describe a case involving a penetrating head injury from an arrow fired from a crossbow. A 52-year-old man who had shot himself transorally in a suicide attempt was admitted to the authors' hospital. On admission, he was conscious and exhibited no neurological deficits. The end of the arrow was visible inside his oral cavity. Computed tomography revealed the arrow had penetrated the right cerebellum and occipital lobe, resulting in a very small hematoma. Digital subtraction angiography revealed no significant vascular injuries. After considering these findings and the nature of the object, the authors decided to remove the arrow from the cranium by pulling it from the patient's oral cavity. To remove the arrow, surgery was performed with several devices, including intraoperative X-ray, endoscopy, and intraoperative angiography. The authors were able to completely remove the arrow, and the patient experienced no new deficits, except mild ataxia and mild dysphasia, and no signs of cerebral infection or cerebrospinal fluid leakage after the surgery. Although most cases of penetrating head injuries require craniotomies, the authors were able to safely remove the foreign object in this case without performing a craniotomy. Because guidelines for the treatment of penetrating head injuries have not been established, the treatment of each case must be modified according to the nature of the foreign object and the findings of preoperative imaging techniques.

Caffeine intake enhances the benefits of sodium glucose transporter 2 inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: The effect of sodium glucose transporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors is dependent on the glomerular filtration rate. It has been reported that caffeine intake increases glomerular filtration rate. However, the effect of caffeine intake on urinary glucose excretion in patients who take SGLT-2 inhibitors is unclear. METHODS: Six patients with type 2 diabetes took part in a randomized, open-label, crossover pilot study. The patients took SGLT-2 inhibitors (ipragliflozin) for 9 days. On day 3, 6 and 9, the patients were assigned to one of three studies: Water 500, patients drank 500 mL of water in 3 h; Water 1500, patients drank 1500 mL of water in 3 h; and Caffeine 500, patients drank 500 mL of water with 400 mg of caffeine in 3 h. In all of the studies, the patients' urine was collected over a 6-h period. In addition, we enrolled 60 patients with type 2 diabetes who newly took SGLT-2 inhibitors in a 3-month follow-up cohort study to investigate the effect of caffeine intake on glucose control. Caffeine intake was evaluated using questionnaires. RESULTS: The 6-h median (interquartile range) urinary glucose excretion was 9.5 (8.5-9.7) g in Water 500, 12.2 (10.3-27.2) g in Water 1500 and 15.7 (11.4-21.4) g in Caffeine 500 (p = 0.005 vs Water 500). In the cohort study, multiple regression analysis demonstrated that log (caffeine intake) was associated with a change in HbA1c (ß = -0.299, p = 0.043) after adjusting for covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Caffeine intake enhanced the effect of SGLT-2 inhibitors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Triglycerides to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio is an independent predictor of incident fatty liver; a population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) ratio (TG/HDL-C) has been recommended for surrogates of insulin resistance. However, it remains to be elucidated the association between TG/HDL-C and incident fatty liver. AIMS: To investigate the association between TG/HDL-C and incident fatty liver. METHODS: We performed population-based historical cohort study consisted with 4518 healthy Japanese who received yearly health-checkup programmes over decade. Fatty liver was diagnosed using ultrasonography. RESULTS: During the observation periods, 38.8% (case/N = 1023/2637) of men and 17.2% (case/N = 324/1881) of women developed fatty liver. Adjusting odds ratio of TG/HDL-C for incident fatty liver were 1.59 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.42-1.79, P < 0.0001) in men and 2.50 (95% CI 1.80-3.51, P < 0.0001) in women. In addition, adjusting odds ratio of TG/HDL-C for incident non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were 1.55 (95% CI 1.35-1.77, P < 0.0001) in men and 2.72 (95% CI 1.88-3.95, P < 0.0001) in women. According to the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, the optimal cut-off point of TG/HDL-C for incident fatty liver was 0.88 (area under the ROC curve (AUC) 0.67 [95% CI 0.65-0.69], sensitivity = 0.64, specificity = 0.60, P < 0.0001) in men and 0.64 (AUC 0.69 [95% CI 0.66-0.72], sensitivity = 0.50, specificity = 0.78, P < 0.0001) in women. CONCLUSIONS: The TG/HDL-C could predict the incident fatty liver. Thus, it is important to check TG/HDL-C and lifestyles modification is needed for preventing future fatty liver disease in patients with high TG/HDL-C.

The impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease on incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in non-overweight individuals.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in non-overweight individuals with NAFLD. METHODS: A population-based retrospective cohort study of 4629 participants who were enrolled in a health check-up programme for more than 10 years. A standardized questionnaire and abdominal ultrasonography were used to diagnose NAFLD. A cut-off point of BMI 23 kg/m(2) was used to define overweight (≥23.0 kg/m(2)) or non-overweight (<23.0 kg/m(2)). The primary outcome was incident T2DM. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up of 12.8 years, 351 participants (7.6%) developed T2DM. The incidence rate of T2DM was 3.2% in the non-overweight without NAFLD group, 14.4% in the non-overweight with NAFLD group, 8.0% in the overweight without NAFLD group and 26.4% in the overweight with NAFLD group. The adjusted hazard ratios for incident T2DM compared with the non-overweight without NAFLD group were as follows: 3.59 (95% CI: 2.14-5.76) in the non-overweight with NAFLD group, 1.99 (95% CI: 1.47-2.69) in the overweight without NAFLD group and 6.77 (95% CI: 5.17-8.91) in the overweight with NAFLD group. The adjusted hazard ratio in the non-overweight with NAFLD group was significantly higher than that in the overweight without NAFLD group or that in the non-overweight without NAFLD group. CONCLUSIONS: Non-overweight individuals with NAFLD had a high risk of incident T2DM. Diagnosis of NAFLD is important in non-overweight individuals, and therefore it might be necessary to follow their health conditions on a long-term basis after detection of NAFLD.

Various patterns of disrupted daily rest-activity rhythmicity associated with diabetes.

Disruptions to sleep and circadian rhythms have now been recognized as common comorbidities in patients with medical illnesses. We aimed to determine if the diurnal rhythms for rest and activity were disrupted in parallel with the development of diabetic complications. Ninety outpatients in our diabetes clinic who had a body mass index <25 kg m(2) wore an actigraph for 7 consecutive days (42 men; mean age 68.7 ± 8.2 years). Patients with neuropsychiatric diseases, liver cirrhosis, renal failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or blindness, or those who performed shiftwork were excluded. We grouped the actigraph recordings into 1-h periods and counted the number of minutes that showed activity. Stepwise regression analysis showed an association between a diabetic clinical background and measurements of circadian rhythms such as daytime activity, night-time activity, phase, interdaily stability, intradaily variability and relative amplitude. Higher age, body mass index, total cholesterol levels and insulin usage were associated with lower daytime activity and higher intradaily variability, whereas higher haemoglobin A1c levels and the presence of neuropathy were associated with greater daytime activity. The presence of proliferative retinopathy and increased levels of microalbuminuria were associated with higher intradaily variability and lower interdaily stability and amplitude. The presence of cardiovascular disease was associated with advanced phase, whereas painful neuropathy was associated with delayed phase. Our study demonstrated that different diabetic complications were associated independently with a variety of alterations in the circadian rest and activity rhythms. Our findings have provided novel insights that may be helpful in developing interventions for sleep-wake disorders associated with diabetes.

Modest alcohol consumption reduces the incidence of fatty liver in men: a population-based large-scale cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Recent cross-sectional studies have been reported the possibility that light to moderate alcohol consumption might be negatively associated with fatty liver. However, there has been no large-scale longitudinal study addressing an impact of alcohol consumption on a development of fatty liver diagnosed by ultrasonography. Thus, we investigated the impact of alcohol consumption on a natural history of fatty liver. METHODS: We analyzed 5437 apparently healthy Japanese who received the health checkup programs repeatedly over 10 years. In this study, we used a standardized questionnaire for addressing the medical history and lifestyle and used a standardized ultrasonographic diagnosis for fatty liver. The total amount of alcohol consumed per week was calculated and classified into four grades; none or minimal, light, moderate, or heavy alcohol consumption (< 40, 40-140, 140-280 or > 280 g/week, respectively). The hazard risks of alcohol consumption for the development of fatty liver were calculated by Cox hazard model after adjusting age, BMI, and parameters for lifestyle. RESULTS: During 10 years of follow-up, fatty liver was continuously diagnosed just in 10% of men and 20% of women with fatty liver at the baseline. In men, the adjusted hazard risks of light and moderate alcohol consumption for the development of fatty liver were 0.72 (95% confidence interval 0.60-0.86, P < 0.001) and 0.69 (0.57-0.84, P < 0.001), respectively. However, they were not significant in women. CONCLUSIONS: The newly onset of fatty liver was significantly repressed in apparently healthy men who consume light to moderate alcohol.

The novel association between red complex of oral microbe and body mass index in healthy Japanese: a population based cross-sectional study.

Microbiota has been thought to be one of important environmental factors for obesity or Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Among oral microbe, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Treponema denticola and Tannellera forsythia are known as risk factors, so called red complex, for periodontitis. Red complex could also be a risk factor for obesity. However, recent study indicated that obesity was not improved by periodontal therapy. Thus, we performed a cross sectional study to reveal the association of oral microbe with body mass index in a healthy population. Healthy individuals were randomly recruited. The infections of oral microbe were identified by Taqman polymerase chain reaction. The relationships between number of red complex and body mass index or waist circumference were analyzed. Two hundred and twenty-two apparently healthy Japanese were enrolled. BMI and waist circumference as well as age, periodontitis, number of brushing teeth were significantly associated with the number of red complex after adjusting covariance. The effect size of body mass index or waist circumference was 0.023 (p = 0.028) or 0.024 (p = 0.024), respectively. Body mass index and waist circumference were independently associated with the number of red complex among apparently healthy Japanese. The current observation implies the possibility that oral microbe was associated with obesity in healthy population.

Interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3/NF110 is a target of YM155, a suppressant of survivin.

Survivin is responsible for cancer progression and drug resistance in many types of cancer. YM155 selectively suppresses the expression of survivin and induces apoptosis in cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanism underlying these effects of YM155 is unknown. Here, we show that a transcription factor, interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3)/NF110, is a direct binding target of YM155. The enhanced survivin promoter activity by overexpression of ILF3/NF110 was attenuated by YM155 in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that ILF3/NF110 is the physiological target through which YM155 mediates survivin suppression. The results also show that the unique C-terminal region of ILF3/NF110 is important for promoting survivin expression and for high affinity binding to YM155.

Rupture Risk Factors and Strategies for Unruptured Distal Anterior Cerebral Artery Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Distal anterior cerebral artery (dACA) aneurysms are rare. Ruptured dACA aneurysms typically present with subarachnoid hemorrhage in conjunction with intracerebral hematoma and cause neurological deterioration. This study aimed to determine their risk of rupture and examine associated factors. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed patients with dACA aneurysms to compare patient and aneurysm characteristics between ruptured and unruptured aneurysms. Clinical outcome was used the modified Rankin scale. Univariate analyses were performed to identify rupture risk factors. RESULTS: One hundred three patients with dACA aneurysms were examined (51 ruptured and 52 unruptured). The median aspect ratio of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms was 1.69 and 1.22, respectively (P < 0.01). The median maximum diameter of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms was 5.2 and 3.1 mm, respectively (P < 0.01). The median size ratio of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms was 3.32 and 2.17, respectively (P < 0.01). Maximum diameter was <5 mm in 45.2% of ruptured dACA aneurysms. dACA aneurysm, showing size ratio >2.4 and aspect ratio >1.4, had ruptured in 71.4% and 78.6%, respectively. We suggested that these are the threshold of size ratio and aspect ratio for rupture of dACA aneurysms. A total percentatge of 78.1% of aneurysms with aspect ratio >1.4 and size ratio >2.4 had ruptured. CONCLUSIONS: Distal anterior cerebral artery (dACA) aneurysms may rupture, even when small. We found a significant difference between ruptured and unruptured aneurysms with respect to maximum diameter, aspect ratio, and size ratio. Treatment for small aneurysms should be considered based on size ratio and aspect ratio, not just size.