Observation of morphological abnormalities in silkworm pupae after feeding 137CsCl-supplemented diet to evaluate the effects of low dose-rate exposure.

Since the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident, morphological abnormalities in lepidopteran insects, such as shrinkage and/or aberration of wings, have been reported. Butterflies experimentally exposed to radiocesium also show such abnormalities. However, because of a lack of data on absorbed dose and dose-effect relationship, it is unclear whether these abnormalities are caused directly by radiation. We conducted a low dose-rate exposure experiment in silkworms reared from egg to fully developed larvae on a 137CsCl-supplemented artificial diet and estimated the absorbed dose to evaluate morphological abnormalities in pupal wings. We used 137CsCl at 1.3 × 103 Bq/g fresh weight to simulate 137Cs contamination around the FDNPP. Absorbed doses were estimated using a glass rod dosimeter and Monte Carlo particle transport simulation code PHITS. Average external absorbed doses were approximately 0.24 (on diet) and 0.016 mGy/day (near diet); the average internal absorbed dose was approximately 0.82 mGy/day. Pupal wing structure is sensitive to radiation exposure. However, no significant differences were observed in the wing-to-whole body ratio of pupae between the 137CsCl-exposure and control groups. These results suggest that silkworms are insensitive to low dose-rate exposure due to chronic ingestion of high 137Cs at a high concentration.

17ß-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2 Expression Is Induced by Androgen Signaling in Endometrial Cancer.

Endometrial cancer is one of the most common female pelvic cancers and has been considered an androgen-related malignancy. Several studies have demonstrated the anti-cell proliferative effect of androgen on endometrial cancer cells; however, the mechanisms of the anti-cancer effect of androgen remain largely unclear. 17ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (17ß-HSD2), which catalyzes the conversion of E2 to E1, is known to be upregulated by androgen treatment in breast cancer cells. In this study, we therefore focused on the role of androgen on estrogen dependence in endometrial cancer. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) was found to induce 17ß-HSD2 mRNA and protein expression in HEC-1B endometrial cancer cells. DHT could also inhibit cell proliferation of HEC-1B when induced by estradiol treatment. In 19 endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EEA) tissues, intratumoral DHT concentration was measured by liquid chromatography/electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and was found to be significantly correlated with 17ß-HSD2 immunohistochemical status. We further examined the correlations between 17ß-HSD2 immunoreactivity and clinicopathological parameters in 53 EEA tissues. 17ß-HSD2 status was inversely associated with the histological grade, clinical stage, and cell proliferation marker Ki-67, and positively correlated with progesterone receptor expression. 17ß-HSD2 status tended to be positively associated with androgen receptor status. In 53 EEA cases, the 17ß-HSD2-positive group tended to have better prognosis than that for the negative group with respect to progression-free survival and endometrial cancer-specific survival. These findings suggest that androgen suppresses the estrogen dependence of endometrial cancer through the induction of 17ß-HSD2 in endometrial cancer.

Radioactive contamination of arthropods from different trophic levels in hilly and mountainous areas after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident.

In order to understand the influence of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident on the ecosystem in hilly and mountainous areas of Fukushima Prefecture, chronological changes in the levels of radiocesium in arthropod species were investigated. From 2012 to 2014, arthropods from different trophic levels were sampled and the air radiation dose rates at the sampling sites were analyzed. The air radiation dose rates showed a significant and constant reduction over the 2 years at the sampling sites in Fukushima. The median radiocesium concentration (134Cs + 137Cs) detected in the rice grasshopper, Oxya yezoensis, and the Emma field cricket, Teleogryllus emma, dropped continuously to 0.080 and 0.078 Bq/g fresh weight, respectively, in 2014. In contrast, no significant reduction in radioactive contamination was observed in the Jorô spider, Nephila clavata, in which the level remained at 0.204 Bq/g in 2014. A significant positive correlation between radiocesium concentration and the air radiation dose rate was observed in the rice grasshopper, the Emma field cricket and the Jorô spider. The highest correlation coefficient (ρ = 0.946) was measured in the grasshopper.

Microbial community variation in cryoconite granules on Qaanaaq Glacier, NW Greenland.

Cryoconite granules are aggregations of microorganisms with mineral particles that form on glacier surfaces. To understand the processes by which the granules develop, this study focused on the altitudinal distribution of the granules and photosynthetic microorganisms on the glacier, bacterial community variation with granules size and environmental factors affecting the growth of the granules. Size-sorted cryoconite granules collected from five different sites on Qaanaaq Glacier were analyzed. C and N contents were significantly higher in large (diameter greater than 250 µm) granules than in smaller (diameter 30-249 µm) granules. Bacterial community structures, based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, were different between the smaller and larger granules. The filamentous cyanobacterium Phormidesmis priestleyi was the dominant bacterial species in larger granules. Multivariate analysis suggests that the abundance of mineral particles on the glacier surface is the main factor controlling growth of these cyanobacteria. These results show that the supply of mineral particles on the glacier enhances granule development, that P. priestleyi is likely the key species for primary production and the formation of the granules and that the bacterial community in the granules changes over the course of the granule development.

Effects of Land Use Changes from Paddy Fields on Soil Bacterial Communities in a Hilly and Mountainous Area.

Soil bacterial community structures in terraced rice fields and abandoned lands in a hilly and mountainous area were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequences. The DGGE band patterns of each soil were similar. Based on pyrosequencing data, the richness and diversity of bacterial species were slightly higher in paddy fields than in other soils. A beta-diversity analysis clearly indicated that the bacterial community structure in paddy fields differed from those in non-paddy field lands and crop fields that had not been used as a paddy field. These results may reflect the history of land use.

Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) in human endometrial carcinoma: a potent prognostic factor associated with cell proliferation and migration.

Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) is a multifunctional protein containing several functional domains, and associated with wide variety of biological process such as food intake and energy homeostasis. Recently, NUCB2 has been implicated in not only normal human tissues but also some kinds of human malignancies. However, its clinical and/or biological significance has largely remained unknown in endometrial carcinomas. We therefore immunolocalized NUCB2 protein in 87 endometrial carcinoma tissues and examined its clinical significance. NUCB2 immunoreactivity was detected in 19 out of 87 (22%) of endometrial carcinoma cases examined, and positively correlated with Ki67 labeling index, while there was no significant correlation between NUCB2 and stage, histological grade, and progesterone receptor status. Furthermore, NUCB2 immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with increased risk of recurrence and worse clinical outcome regardless of stage or histological grade. Subsequent multivariate analyses did reveal that NUCB2 immunoreactivity was an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free survival and endometrial cancer specific survival. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of NUCB2 using specific siRNA for NUCB2 significantly impaired cell proliferation and migration of the endometrial carcinoma cell lines, Ishikawa and Sawano cells, and that nesfatin-1 treatment significantly promoted cell proliferation and migration in Ishikawa cells. These findings possibly suggested that NUCB2 and/or nesfatin-1 had pivotal roles in the progression of endometrial carcinomas. Immunohistochemical NUCB2 status may therefore serve as a potent biomarker for endometrial carcinomas.

The role of 5α-reductase type 1 associated with intratumoral dihydrotestosterone concentrations in human endometrial carcinoma.

Endometrial carcinoma, especially endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma, is an estrogen-dependent tumor that is similar to breast cancer. Androgen is closely associated with other steroid hormones, but its correlation with endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma remains largely unclear. We previously demonstrated the expression of the androgen receptor, 5α-reductase type 1, and 5α-reductase type 2 in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma tissue, but androgen action and its correlation with prognosis are unknown. In this study, we measured the tissue and serum concentrations of androgen and performed immunohistochemical analyses of androgen-associated factors in 41 patients. In 86 additional patients, we performed the same immunohistochemical analyses to identify correlations associated with prognosis. We found that 5α-reductase type 1 was associated with intratumoral dihydrotestosterone concentrations, and it was an independent prognostic factor in endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma. The poor prognosis of patients negative for both androgen receptor and 5α-reductase type 1 suggests that androgens have inhibitory effects on tumor growth.

Novel biogenic aggregation of moss gemmae on a disappearing African glacier.

Tropical regions are not well represented in glacier biology, yet many tropical glaciers are under threat of disappearance due to climate change. Here we report a novel biogenic aggregation at the terminus of a glacier in the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda. The material was formed by uniseriate protonemal moss gemmae and protonema. Molecular analysis of five genetic markers determined the taxon as Ceratodon purpureus, a cosmopolitan species that is widespread in tropical to polar region. Given optimal growing temperatures of isolate is 20-30 °C, the cold glacier surface might seem unsuitable for this species. However, the cluster of protonema growth reached approximately 10 °C in daytime, suggesting that diurnal increase in temperature may contribute to the moss's ability to inhabit the glacier surface. The aggregation is also a habitat for microorganisms, and the disappearance of this glacier will lead to the loss of this unique ecosystem.

Immunolocalization of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and its receptors (CRHR1 and CRHR2) in human endometrial carcinoma: CRHR1 as a potent prognostic factor.

OBJECTIVE: Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), a major regulator of the stress response, regulates various biological functions through its interaction with CRH receptors 1 (CRHR1) and 2 (CRHR2). CRH, CRHR1, and CRHR2 have recently been reported in several types of carcinoma, but the significance of these proteins has remained largely unknown in human endometrial carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 87 endometrial carcinoma specimens were obtained from Japanese female patients who underwent surgical treatment, fixed in 10% formalin, and embedded in paraffin wax. Immunohistochemistry for CRH, CRHR1, and CRHR2 was performed, and clinical data were obtained from the medical records. RESULTS: Immunopositivity of CRH, CRHR1, and CRHR2 in the specimens was 26%, 15%, and 10%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that immunohistochemical CRH status was positively associated with CRHR1 and CRHR2 status and that CRHR1 status was significantly associated with the risk of recurrence and poorer clinical outcome, whereas CRHR2 status was marginally associated with better prognosis for overall survival. Multivariate analysis demonstrated CRHR1 status as an independent prognostic factor for both disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that intratumoral CRH-CRHR1 signaling plays an important role in the progression of endometrial carcinoma and that CRHR1 is a potent prognostic factor in patients with this disease.

Feasibility study of gemcitabine plus docetaxel in advanced or recurrent uterine leiomyosarcoma and undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) and undifferentiated endometrial sarcoma (UES) are rare, aggressive malignancies. Both are treated similarly; however, few chemotherapy agents are effective. Recently, the combination of gemcitabine (900 mg/m(2), days 1 and 8) plus docetaxel (100 mg/m(2), day 8) with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF, 150 µg/m(2), days 9-15) has been shown to have activity in LMS. In Japan, neither prophylactic G-CSF at a dose of 150 µg/m(2) nor docetaxel at a dose of 100 mg/m(2) are approved for use. For this reason, we evaluated the combination of 900 mg/m(2) gemcitabine plus 70 mg/m(2) docetaxel regimen without prophylactic G-CSF support in advanced or recurrent LMS and UES in Japanese patients. METHODS: Eligible women with advanced or recurrent LMS and UES were treated with 900 mg/m(2) gemcitabine on days 1 and 8, plus 70 mg/m(2) docetaxel on day 8, every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was overall response rate, defined as a complete or partial response. RESULTS: Of the eleven women enrolled, 10 were evaluated for a response. One complete response and 2 partial responses were observed (30 %) with an additional 4 (40 %) having stable disease. Mean progression-free survival was 5.4 months (range 1.3-24.8 months), and overall survival was 14 months (range 5.3-38.4 months). Grade 4 neutropenia was the major toxicity (50 %). The median number of cycles was 5 (range 2-18). Twenty-two cycles (44 %) employed G-CSF. CONCLUSION: The gemcitabine plus docetaxel regimen without prophylactic G-CSF support was tolerable and highly efficacious in Japanese patients with advanced or recurrent LMS and UES.

Clinical outcome of pelvic exenteration in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine cervical cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic exenteration has attained an important role in the treatment of advanced or recurrent cervical cancer for obtaining a complete cure or longer disease-free survival. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients undergoing pelvic exenteration and to determine the clinical features associated with outcome and survival. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 12 patients who underwent pelvic exenteration for uterine cervical cancer between July 2002 and August 2011. RESULTS: Two patients had primary stage IVA cervical adenocarcinoma and 10 patients had recurrent cervical cancer. Eight patients underwent anterior pelvic exenteration, 3 patients underwent total pelvic exenteration, and 1 patient underwent posterior pelvic exenteration. With a median duration of follow-up of 22 months (range 3-116 months), 5 patients were alive without recurrence. Of 5 patients with no evidence of disease, 4 were recurrent or residual tumor, all of whom had common factors, such as a tumor size ≤ 30 mm, negative surgical margins, complete resection, and no lymph node involvement. The 5-year overall survival rate for 12 patients was 42.2 %. Ileus was the most common complication (42 %) and post-operative intestinal anastomosis leaks developed in 3 patients, but no ureteral anastomosis leaks occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic exenteration is a feasible surgical procedure in advanced and/or recurrent cervical cancer patients with no associated post-operative mortality, and the only therapeutic option for complete cure or long-term survival; however, post-operative complications frequently occur.

Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: clinical outcome of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with a multidrug regimen.

Small cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix (SCCC) is a rare subtype of cervical cancer with an aggressive behavior. Although SCCC has a worse prognosis than other histological types of uterine cervical cancer such as squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma, standard therapy for SCCC remains to be established due to its rarity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) using a regimen consisting of vincristine, adriamycin, and cyclophosphamide alternating with cisplatin and etoposide (VAC/PE). We analyzed a series of 9 patients with SCCC. Five patients with stage IB disease underwent radical hysterectomy followed by CCRT. Four patients with advanced stage disease received CCRT primarily. With a median follow-up duration of 47.4 months (range, 10.5 to 86.4 months), 4 out of 5 patients with stage IB disease were alive without recurrence. In 4 patients with advanced stage disease, the response rate was 75% (complete response, 1; partial response, 2; progressive disease, 1). One patient with stage IVB disease remained without recurrence for 89.5 months. At 5 years, overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival for all patients was 52% and 56%, respectively. Patients with early-stage disease had an 80% 5-year OS rate compared to 25% for patients with advanced stage disease. Although all patients developed grade 3-4 neutropenia, CCRT using VAC/PE is feasible in both the primary and adjuvant settings for SCCC. In particular, this combined modality therapy may improve both local control and survival as postoperative treatment in patients with early-stage disease.

Individualized radical hysterectomy procedure using intraoperative electrical stimulation for patients with cervical cancer.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, by monitoring the varied distributions of nerve fascicles using intraoperative electrical stimulation (IES), we sought to establish an individualized operation based on the patient's unique nerve distribution pattern, and to determine whether this technique would result in a higher preservation rate. MATERIALS/METHODS: Radical hysterectomy was performed from 2002 to 2010. Patients in group A are the 48 cases from 2002 to 2007 in which nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy using IES as our previous report was performed. Patients in group B are the 38 cases from 2008 to 2010 in which we used our new method, which was individualized to each patient. Urodynamic study (UDS) was used to confirm nerve preservation. Nerve preservation was defined as confirming distinct detrusor contraction during urinary voiding. RESULTS: In group B, nerve preservation rate was higher than in group A (75% vs 9 0%, P = 0.067). We classified the case-by-case nerve anatomy as whether the nerve fascicle was mainly on the medial side or on the lateral side of the deep uterine vein. The lateral type anatomy was observed unilaterally in 6 cases and bilaterally in 1 case. In summary, the lateral type anatomy was observed in 8 (29%) of 28 sides. In the cases evaluated by UDS, the positive predictive value of IES was 95% in group A and 100% in group B. CONCLUSIONS: Our method of IES showed a high positive predictive value of nerve preservation as confirmed by UDS. By delineating the nerve tract in detail using IES, it is possible to individualize the operation based on each patient's anatomy, with an improved nerve preservation rate.

Luminescent antireflective coatings with disordered surface nanostructures fabricated by liquid processes.

Antireflective phosphor coatings having disordered surface nanostructures were fabricated by a sol-gel dip coating method and a subsequent hot water treatment. Thin films of a Bi(3+),Eu(3+)-codoped YVO4 red phosphor were first prepared and effects of the addition of an aluminum source to precursor solutions on their microstructure and optical properties were examined. Optical transmittance of the YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) film was lower than that of a bare quartz glass substrate due to a higher refractive index of YVO4. The addition of the aluminum source and the hot water treatment resulted in a considerable increase of transmittance and its smaller angular dependence, which could generate an antireflective effect by the phosphor thin films. Observation of the microstructure revealed that the hot water treatment brought a remarkable change in the surface as well as the cross-section structure in the aluminum-added YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) film. The film density and hence the refractive index were gradually changed like a pseudo moth-eye structure, which explained the occurrence of the antireflective effect. The microstructural change was attributed to the dissolution of alumina present in the film and the reprecipitation of boehmite on the film surface during the hot water treatment. Photoluminescence of the YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) film could also be enhanced by the antireflective effect due to the suppression of surface Fresnel reflection of incident light and total internal reflection of emitted light.

Pesticide residues in soils, sediments, and vegetables in the Red River Delta, northern Vietnam.

This study assessed pesticide residues in soils, sediments, and vegetables in the Xuan Khe and Hop Ly communes located along the Chau Giang River in the Red River Delta, northern Vietnam. Samples were collected from agricultural areas within and outside of embankments built to prevent flooding. In Xuan Khe, the soils outside of the embankment were more clayey with higher organic matter contents compared with the inside, due to selective deposition during river flooding. Many of the soils contained significant amounts of pesticides including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), dicofol, isoprothiolane, and metalaxyl although their levels were below the maximum allowable concentration set by the Vietnamese government. The spectrum of DDT derivatives found suggested that the source of DDTs was not contaminated dicofol. Soils in Hop Ly resembled soils in Xuan Khe but were relatively sandy; one field showed appreciable contents of DDT derivatives. The ratios of (p,p(')-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene + p,p(')-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane)/ summation operatorDDT in the surface and subsurface soils in Hop Ly were 0.34 and 0.57, suggesting that the DDTs originated from recent application. Pesticide residues in soils were not likely to translocate into vegetable crops, except for metalaxyl. High concentrations of cypermethrins in kohlrabi leaves could be ascribed to foliar deposition.