Efficient multi-keV x-ray generation from a high-Z target irradiated with a clean ultra-short laser pulse

Kα line emissions from Mo and Ag plates were experimentally studied using clean, ultrahigh-intensity femtosecond laser pulses. The absolute yields of Kα x-rays at 17 keV from Mo and 22 keV from Ag were measured as a function of the laser pulse contrast ratio and irradiation intensity. Significantly enhanced Kα yields were obtained for both Mo and Ag by employing high contrast ratios and irradiances. Conversion efficiencies of 4.28×10⁻⁵/sr for Mo and 4.84×10⁻⁵/sr for Ag, the highest values obtained to date, were demonstrated with contrast ratios in the range 10⁻¹⁰ to 10⁻¹¹.

The cost effectiveness of rapid-acting insulin aspart compared with human insulin in type 2 diabetes patients: an analysis from the Japanese third-party payer perspective

OBJECTIVES

The Nippon Ultra-Rapid Insulin and Diabetic Complication Evaluation Study (NICE Study) (NCT00575172) was a 5-year, open-label, randomised controlled trial which compared cardiovascular outcomes in Japanese type 2 diabetes patients intensively treated with regular human insulin or insulin aspart (NovoRapid; Novo Nordisk A/S, Bagsvaerd, Denmark), a rapid-acting insulin analogue. The aim of the present analysis was to evaluate the cost effectiveness of insulin aspart versus regular human insulin from the perspective of a Japanese third-party healthcare payer.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A discrete event-simulation model was developed in Microsoft Excel to assess the within-trial cost effectiveness and make longer-term clinical projections in patients treated with regular human insulin or insulin aspart. In addition to severe hypoglycaemia, the model captured myocardial and cerebral infarction events and percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass graft procedures. Within-trial mortality, incidence of severe hypoglycaemia and cardiovascular event probabilities were derived from the annual rates observed during the trial period, while post-trial outcomes were calculated using the event rates from the trial, adjusted for increasing patient age. Event costs were accounted from the healthcare payer perspective and expressed in 2008 Japanese yen (JPY), while health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was captured using event and state utilities. Future costs and clinical benefits were discounted at 3% annually. Life expectancy, quality-adjusted life expectancy, cardiovascular event rates and costs were evaluated over 5- and 10-year time horizons and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess variability in model outcomes.

RESULTS

Over 5 years of treatment, insulin aspart dominated human insulin both in incremental life expectancy and in incremental quality-adjusted life-years (QALYS). Insulin aspart was associated with a small improvement in discounted life expectancy of 0.005 years (4.688 vs. 4.684 years) and an increase of 0.023 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) (3.800 vs. 3.776 QALYs) when compared with regular human insulin. Insulin aspart also incurred lower costs (JPY 481,586 vs. 594,717, difference -113,131) which resulted from the decreased incidence of cardiovascular events with insulin aspart (0.013 events per patient year vs. 0.030 on regular human insulin). Breakdown of costs indicated that pharmacy costs were higher with insulin aspart (JPY 346,608 vs. 278,468), but these costs were more than offset by the reduced costs associated with cardiovascular complications and hypoglycaemia over 5 years of treatment (JPY 134,978 vs. 316,249). Sensitivity analysis showed that insulin aspart was still cost-effective in the case where only 18% of the within-trial cardiovascular and mortality benefit over regular human insulin was captured in the model (assuming a willingness-to-pay threshold of JPY 5,000,000).

LIMITATIONS

The NICE study cohort was relatively small (n = 325), meaning that caution should be exercised when calculating and interpreting the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Also, despite the differences in cardiovascular risk profile between the Japanese and UK populations, UKPDS-derived risk equations were used to project MI outcomes and PCI and CABG procedures and UKPDS HRQoL scores were applied to all health states. While these risk formulas and HRQoL utilities may not be directly applicable to the Japanese population, no equivalent Japanese-specific data are currently available.

CONCLUSIONS

In a Japanese type 2 diabetes population, prescribing rapid-acting insulin aspart significantly reduced cardiovascular complications over 5- and 10-year time horizons, resulting in increased quality of life and decreased costs when compared with human insulin.

An increased dose of insulin detemir improves glycaemic control and reduces body weight of Japanese patients with diabetes

AIMS

The aim of study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of insulin detemir as a basal insulin switching from neutral protamine Hagedorn insulin (NPH) and insulin glargine in patients with diabetes on an intensive insulin therapy regimen.

METHODS

This 6-month multicentre, prospective, treat-to-target [glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA(1c) ) less than 6.5%] trial included 92 people with diabetes (61 type 1, 29 type 2 and two unknown diabetes types). Detemir was administered first with fixed dose and injection times and then adapted to optimal dose after 3 months.

RESULTS

Mean HbA(1c) (%) of all the subjects at months 4 to 6 of the study was improved compared with month 0 (7.34 ± 0.87, 7.28 ± 0.88, 7.25 ± 0.93 vs. 7.55 ± 1.18; p < 0.05 paired t-test). However, significant improvement was seen only among the patients who had previously used NPH as a basal insulin. Twice-daily injection of basal insulin increased among people in the type 1 previously injected insulin glargine. Total insulin dose increased in the type 1 glargine group. The mean body weight change in the highest quartile body mass index (BMI) group was from 70.7 to 69.3 kg over the 6 months. Quality of life (QoL) relating to the patients' glycaemic control tended to improve without a change in frequency of hypoglycaemia.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that insulin detemir has a greater effect on glycaemic control in subjects with poor glycaemic control using NPH; can reduce or maintain body weight in obese patients; and obtains perceptive stability for patients with unstable glycaemic control.

Abstract LB-216: CSLEX (sialyl LewisX) is an important and useful tumor marker in monitoring breast cancer patients

Background: CSLEX-1 is one of the monoclonal antibodies for which the structure of the antigen is known. This antigen is called CSLEX (Sialyl Le X). It has been reported that CSLEX may be more useful than CEA in combination with CA15-3 in monitoring breast cancer patients.

Methods: We measured and evaluated the serum levels of some tumor markers, including CSLEX, in a total of 482 breast cancer patients with or without metastasis who consecutively visited the outpatient clinic of the Division of Breast and Endocrine Surgery, Shinshu University Hospital, between April 2007 and September 2007.

Results: All serum levels of tumor markers in a single measurement correlated significantly with the status of metastasis (P &lt; 0.01). All combinations of combined measurements, such as CEA and CA15-3, CEA and NCC-ST439, CEA and CSLEX, CA15-3 and NCC-ST439, and CA15-3 and CSLEX, also correlated significantly with the status of metastasis (P &lt; 0.01). The sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, negative-predictive value and accuracy were almost the same between CSLEX and NCC-ST439, which belongs to the type II carbohydrate antigens. The cut-off values of serum CSLEX and NCC-ST439 were 38.8 ± 52.7 U/ml and 22.1 ± 27.8 U/ml, respectively (P = 0.16). Conclusions: These data support there are no differences between CSLEX and NCC-ST439 as diagnostic parameters in single or combined measurements. The cut-off value of serum CSLEX tended to be higher compared with that of NCC-ST439.Patient characteristics Without MetastasisWith MetastasisP-valueNumber363119 Mean Age ± SD (years)56.5 ± 11.758.9 ± 12.60.06CEA2.5 ± 6.311.9 ±34.50.008CA15-311.9 ± 11.166.4 ± 162.50.001BCA22561.0 ±51.5139.4 ± 228.60.001NCCST-4392.0 ± 2.234.2 ± 108.20.003CSLEX3.4 ± 3.765.6 ± 223.10.005Diagnostic parameters for the detection of breast cancer metastasis using tumor markers (%) SensitivitySpecificityPPVNPVAccuracySingle measurement     CEA3095688179CA15-33498828282BCA2251698707878NCC-ST4392497727979CSLEX2397697978Combined measurement     CEAandCA15-34893698482CEA and NCC-ST4394392648380CEA and CSLEX4392658380CA15-3 and NCC-ST4394595758483CA15-3 and CSLEX4495738482

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-216.

X-ray polarization spectroscopy to study anisotropic velocity distribution of hot electrons produced by an ultra-high-intensity laser

The anisotropy of the hot-electron velocity distribution in ultra-high-intensity laser produced plasma was studied with x-ray polarization spectroscopy using multilayer planar targets including x-ray emission tracer in the middle layer. This measurement serves as a diagnostic for hot-electron transport from the laser-plasma interaction region to the overdense region where drastic changes in the isotropy of the electron velocity distribution are observed. These polarization degrees are consistent with analysis of a three-dimensional polarization spectroscopy model coupled with particle-in-cell simulations. Electron velocity distribution in the underdense region is affected by the electric field of the laser and that in the overdense region becomes wider with increase in the tracer depth. A full-angular spread in the overdense region of 22.4 degrees -2.4+5.4 was obtained from the measured polarization degree.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors expressed in the ventralposterolateral thalamic nucleus play an important role in anti-allodynic effects

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Much interest is currently being focused on the anti-nociceptive effects mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine (nACh) receptors, including their location and mechanism of action. The purpose of this study was to elucidate these issues using 5-iodo-3-(2(S)-azetidinylmethoxy)pyridine (5IA), a nACh receptor agonist, and [(125)I]5IA.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

We partially ligated the sciatic nerve of Sprague-Dawley rat to induce neuropathic pain [Seltzer's partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) model]. We then examined the changes in nACh receptor density in the CNS using [(125)I]5IA autoradiography and the involvement of nACh receptors in anti-nociceptive effects in the region where changes occurred.

KEY RESULTS

Autoradiographic studies showed that the accumulation of [(125)I]5IA and the number of nACh receptors in the thalamus of PSL rats were increased about twofold compared with those in the sham-operated rats. No change was observed in other brain regions. Rats injected in the ventral posterolateral thalamic nucleus (VPL) with 5IA demonstrated a significant and dose-dependent anti-allodynic effect and this effect was completely antagonized by mecamylamine, injected with 5IA, into the VPL. The blockade of nACh receptors in the VPL by mecamylamine decreased by 70% the anti-allodynic effect of 5IA, given i.c.v. Moreover, mecamylamine given intra-VPL by itself, induced significant hyperalgesia.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings suggest that the nACh receptors expressed in the VPL play an important role in the anti-allodynic effects produced by exogenous and endogenous agonists.

Increased Nuclear Localization of Transcription Factor Y-Box Binding Protein 1 Accompanied by Up-Regulation of P-Glycoprotein in Breast Cancer Pretreated with Paclitaxel

Purpose: The Y-box binding protein 1 (YB-1) regulates expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) encoded by the MDR1 gene. There have been no previous studies regarding the involvement of YB-1 in the development of resistance to paclitaxel. The present study was performed to examine how paclitaxel affects the localization and expression of YB-1 in breast cancer.Experimental Design: We evaluated the expression and localization of YB-1 and P-gp in breast cancer tissues obtained from 27 patients before and after treatment with paclitaxel. The effect of paclitaxel on localization of cellular YB-1 was examined by using GFP-YB-1. Interaction of YB-1 with the Y-box motif of the MDR1 promoters was studied by EMSA. The effects of paclitaxel on MDR1 promoter activity were examined by luciferase assay.Results: Of 27 breast cancer tissues treated with paclitaxel, nine (33%) showed translocation of YB-1 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus together with increased expression of P-gp during the course of treatment. Twelve breast cancer tissues (44%) showed neither translocation of YB-1 nor increased expression of P-gp. Nuclear translocation of YB-1 was correlated significantly with increased expression of P-gp (P=0.0037). Confocal analysis indicated that paclitaxel induced nuclear translocation of green fluorescent fused YB-1 in MCF7 cells. Furthermore, binding of YB-1 to the Y-box of MDR1 promoter was increased in response to treatment with paclitaxel. In addition, MDR1 promoter activity was significantly up-regulated by paclitaxel in MCF7 cells (p&lt; 0.001).Conclusions: The results of the present study suggested that YB-1 may be involved in the development of resistance to paclitaxel in breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 1141.

Novel morphological traits in the early developmental stages of Temnopleurus toreumaticus

We have re-observed in detail the development of the sea urchin species Temnopleurus toreumaticus, which is considered to be a typical indirect-developing species with a feeding larval stage. In this re-observation, we discovered two new morphological traits in the early embryonic stages of T. toreumaticus. The first trait is that, immediately after fertilization, the egg enters a stage in which wrinkles form on its surface as a result of actin polymerization. The second new trait is that the blastulae form wrinkles; in sea urchins, this has previously been known only in direct-developing species that have a nonfeeding larval stage and form wrinkles during the blastula stage, before hatching. These phenomena indicate that after fertilization, the egg of T. toreumaticus undergoes a surface transformation that is unprecedented in echinoderms, and that an indirect-developing sea urchin can form a wrinkled blastula.