COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID-19 requiring oxygen therapy, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death in Japan: A multicenter case-control study (MOTIVATE study)

INTRODUCTION

Since the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant became dominant, assessing COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness (VE) against severe disease using hospitalization as an outcome became more challenging due to incidental infections via admission screening and variable admission criteria, resulting in a wide range of estimates. To address this, the World Health Organization (WHO) guidance recommends the use of outcomes that are more specific to severe pneumonia such as oxygen use and mechanical ventilation.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted in 24 hospitals in Japan for the Delta-dominant period (August-November 2021; "Delta") and early Omicron (BA.1/BA.2)-dominant period (January-June 2022; "Omicron"). Detailed chart review/interviews were conducted in January-May 2023. VE was measured using various outcomes including disease requiring oxygen therapy, disease requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), death, outcome restricting to "true" severe COVID-19 (where oxygen requirement is due to COVID-19 rather than another condition(s)), and progression from oxygen use to IMV or death among COVID-19 patients.

RESULTS

The analysis included 2125 individuals with respiratory failure (1608 cases [75.7%]; 99.2% of vaccinees received mRNA vaccines). During Delta, 2 doses provided high protection for up to 6 months (oxygen requirement: 95.2% [95% CI:88.7-98.0%] [restricted to "true" severe COVID-19: 95.5% {89.3-98.1%}]; IMV: 99.6% [97.3-99.9%]; fatal: 98.6% [92.3-99.7%]). During Omicron, 3 doses provided high protection for up to 6 months (oxygen requirement: 85.5% [68.8-93.3%] ["true" severe COVID-19: 88.1% {73.6-94.7%}]; IMV: 97.9% [85.9-99.7%]; fatal: 99.6% [95.2-99.97]). There was a trend towards higher VE for more severe and specific outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Multiple outcomes pointed towards high protection of 2 doses during Delta and 3 doses during Omicron. These results demonstrate the importance of using severe and specific outcomes to accurately measure VE against severe COVID-19, as recommended in WHO guidance in settings of intense transmission as seen during Omicron.

Fabrication of Hydrogen Boride Thin Film by Ion Exchange in MgB2

In this study, hydrogen boride films are fabricated by ion-exchange treatment on magnesium diboride (MgB₂) films under ambient temperature and pressure. We prepared oriented MgB₂ films on strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Subsequently, these films were treated with ion exchangers in acetonitrile solution. TOF-SIMS analysis evidenced that hydrogen species were introduced into the MgB₂ films by using two types of ion exchangers: proton exchange resin and formic acid. According to the HAXPES analysis, negatively charged boron species were preserved in the films after the ion-exchange treatment. In addition, the FT-IR analysis suggested that B-H bonds were formed in the MgB₂ films following the ion-exchange treatment. The ion-exchange treatment using formic acid was more efficient compared to the resin treatment; with respect to the amount of hydrogen species introduced into the MgB₂ films. These ion-exchanged films exhibited photoinduced hydrogen release as observed in a powder sample. Based on the present study, we expect to be able to control the morphology and hydrogen content of hydrogen boride thin films by optimising the ion-exchange treatment process, which will be useful for further studies and device applications.

FRI0102 SERUM TNFΑ LEVELS AT 24 HOURS AFTER FIRST ADMINISTRATION OF CERTOLIZUMAB PEGOL PREDICT EFFECTIVENESS AT WEEK 12 IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS FROM TSUBAME STUDY (UMIN ID:0002381)

Background:

To increase the remission rate of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is necessary to determine the efficacy of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor as early as possible. Moreover, the response to certolizumab pegol (CZP) at 12 weeks has been reported to predict its long-term efficacy.

Objectives:

As part of a prospective single-center observational study (TSUBAME study), we prospectively enrolled patients to be treated with CZP in our institution to evaluate its effectiveness and safety starting at 24 hours after the first dose in clinical settings, while recording blood CZP concentrations and biomarkers over time to examine their correlation with clinical effects.

Methods:

One hundred patients with RA and inadequate response to MTX who received CZP were enrolled in the TSUBAME study. The changes in serum TNFα, IL-6, and CZP levels at 24 hours after first administration of CZP were measured, and the correlation between serum biomarkers and clinical response was determined.

Results:

At 24 hours after CZP initiation, significant improvement was observed in the disease activity (baseline and 24 h: 5.4 ± 1.3, 5.0 ± 1.3, respectively, p < 0.01), which was maintained until week 12. (baseline and 12 w: 5.4 ± 1.3, 3.3 ± 1.4, respectively, p < 0.01). Serum TNFα and IL-6 levels significantly decreased at 24 hours after first administration of CZP compared to baseline. No correlation was found between TNFα and IL-6 levels at baseline and the clinical response. According to univariate analysis, low serum TNFα and IL-6 levels and high CZP levels at 24 hours were associated with DAS28 (ESR) remission at 12 weeks. According to multivariate analysis, low serum TNFα levels at 24 hours were significantly associated with DAS28 (ESR) remission at 12 weeks (OR 0.05, 95%CI 0.01, 0.75, p = 0.03). Based on these findings, an ROC curve was created using remission according to the DAS28 (ESR) at week 12 as a dependent variable and TNFα concentration at 24 hours as an independent variable, resulting in a cut-off value of 0.76 pg/ml. From this result, the TNFα concentration at 24 hours was divided into 2 groups according to this cut-off, and the rates of remission according to the DAS28 (ESR) at week 12 were compared. In the group with TNFα concentration at 24 hours below the cut-off value, the rate of remission according to the DAS28 (ESR) at week 12 was significantly higher than in the group with TNFα concentration at 24 hours above the cut-off value (below the cut-off: above the cut-off = 56.3%: 21.6%, p < 0.001). Between the group that achieved remission according to the DAS28(ESR) and the group that did not achieve remission at week 12, there was almost no difference in the distribution of TNFα concentrations at baseline; however, the distribution of TNFα concentrations at 24 hours was lower in the group that achieved remission.

Conclusion:

CZP was effective where serum TNFα was strongly neutralized within 24 hours. These results suggest that low serum TNFα levels at 24 hours after first administration of CZP may predict the effectiveness of CZP. To increase the remission rate in RA, it is necessary to determine the effectiveness of the molecular targeted drugs used at an early point, in addition to how rapid the onset of action is. CZP is extremely fast-acting, and its effectiveness can be predicted as early as 24 hours after the first dose, suggesting that it may be possible to determine the effectiveness early.

Acknowledgments:

The authors thank Ms. M. Hirahara for providing excellent technical assistance.

Disclosure of Interests:

Yusuke Miyazaki Grant/research support from: Astellas Pharma Inc and UCB S.A., Kazuhisa Nakano: None declared, Shingo Nakayamada Grant/research support from: Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Takeda, Novartis and MSD, Speakers bureau: Bristol-Myers, Sanofi, Abbvie, Eisai, Eli Lilly, Chugai, Asahi-kasei and Pfizer, Satoshi Kubo: None declared, Shigeru Iwata: None declared, Kentaro Hanami: None declared, Shunsuke Fukuyo: None declared, Ippei Miyagawa: None declared, Ayako Yamaguchi: None declared, Akio Kawabe: None declared, SAITO KAZUYOSHI: None declared, Yoshiya Tanaka Grant/research support from: Asahi-kasei, Astellas, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Chugai, Takeda, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers, UCB, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Pfizer, and Ono, Consultant of: Abbvie, Astellas, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Speakers bureau: Daiichi-Sankyo, Astellas, Chugai, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, AbbVie, YL Biologics, Bristol-Myers, Takeda, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Novartis, Eisai, Janssen, Sanofi, UCB, and Teijin

Energy of the ^{229}Th Nuclear Clock Isomer Determined by Absolute γ-ray Energy Difference

The low-lying isomeric state of ^{229}Th provides unique opportunities for high-resolution laser spectroscopy of the atomic nucleus. We determine the energy of this isomeric state by taking the absolute energy difference between the excitation energy required to populate the 29.2-keV state from the ground state and the energy emitted in its decay to the isomeric excited state. A transition-edge sensor microcalorimeter was used to measure the absolute energy of the 29.2-keV γ ray. Together with the cross-band transition energy (29.2  keV→ground) and the branching ratio of the 29.2-keV state measured in a recent study, the isomer energy was determined to be 8.30±0.92  eV. Our result is in agreement with the latest measurements based on different experimental techniques, which further confirms that the isomeric state of ^{229}Th is in the laser-accessible vacuum ultraviolet range.

Interlaboratory Evaluation of Two Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Kits for the Determination of Crustacean Protein in Processed Foods

The labeling of foods containing material derived from crustaceans such as shrimp and crab is to become mandatory in Japan because of increases in the number of allergy patients. To ensure proper labeling, 2 novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits for the determination of crustacean protein in processed foods, the N kit (Nissui Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Ibaraki, Japan) and the M kit (Maruha Nichiro Holdings, Inc., Ibaraki, Japan), have been developed. Five types of model processed foods containing 10 and/or 11.9 g/g crustacean soluble protein were prepared for interlaboratory evaluation of the performance of these kits. The N kit displayed a relatively high level of reproducibility relative standard deviation (interlaboratory precision; 4.08.4 RSDR) and sufficient recovery (6586) for all the model processed foods. The M kit displayed sufficient reproducibility (17.620.5 RSDR) and a reasonably high level of recovery (82103). The repeatability relative standard deviation (RSDr) values regarding the detection of crustacean proteins in the 5 model foods were mostly &lt;5.1 RSDr for the N kit and 9.9 RSDr for the M kit. In conclusion, the results of this interlaboratory evaluation suggest that both these ELISA kits would be very useful for detecting crustacean protein in processed foods.

Narrow-line Cooling and Determination of the Magic Wavelength of Cd

We experimentally and theoretically determine the magic wavelength of the (5s^{2})^{1}S_{0}-(5s5p)^{3}P_{0} clock transition of ^{111}Cd to be 419.88(14) and 420.1(7) nm. To perform Lamb-Dicke spectroscopy of the clock transition, we use narrow-line laser cooling on the ^{1}S_{0}-^{3}P_{1} transition to cool the atoms to 6  μK and load them into an optical lattice. Cadmium is an attractive candidate for optical lattice clocks because it has a small sensitivity to blackbody radiation and its efficient narrow-line cooling mitigates higher order light shifts. We calculate the blackbody shift, including the dynamic correction, to be fractionally 2.83(8)×10^{-16} at 300 K, an order of magnitude smaller than that of Sr and Yb. We also report calculations of the Cd ^{1}P_{1} lifetime and the ground state C_{6} coefficient.

The surface composition of asteroid 162173 Ryugu from Hayabusa2 near-infrared spectroscopy

The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa2 sample-return mission, is thought to be a primitive carbonaceous object. We report reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface acquired with the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2, to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micrometers was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, which is consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.

Fast x-ray detector system with simultaneous measurement of timing and energy for a single photon

We developed a fast X-ray detector system for nuclear resonant scattering (NRS) experiments. Our system employs silicon avalanche photo-diode (Si-APD) as a fast X-ray sensor. The system is able to acquire both timing and energy of a single X-ray photon simultaneously in a high rate condition, 10⁶ counts per second for one Si-APD. The performance of the system was investigated in SPring-8, a synchrotron radiation facility in Japan. Good time resolution of 120 ps (FWHM) was achieved with a slight tail distribution in the time spectrum by a level of 10^-9 at 1 ns apart from the peak. Using this system, we successfully observed the NRS from the 26.27-keV level of mercury-201, which has a half-life of 630(50) ps. We also demonstrated the reduction of background events caused by radioactive decays in a radioactive sample by discriminating photon energy.

Abstract PD4-08: Efficacy of compression therapy using surgical gloves for nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A phase II multicenter study by the Kamigata breast cancer study group

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is an adverse effect of many commonly used chemotherapeutic agents, including taxanes. However, there is currently no established effective prophylactic management for CIPN. Thus, we investigated the efficacy of using surgical glove (SG) compression therapy to prevent nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel (nab-PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with primary and recurrent breast cancer who received 260 mg/m2 of nab-PTX were eligible for this case-control study. The patients wore two SGs of the same size, that is, one size smaller than the size that fit, on their dominant hand for 90 minutes. They did not wear SGs on the non-dominant hand, which served as the control hand. Peripheral neuropathy was evaluated at each treatment cycle using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0 and the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ). The temperatures of each fingertip of the compression SG-protected and control hands were measured by using thermography.

RESULTS: Between August 2013 and January 2016, 43 patients were enrolled, and 42 were evaluated. As shown in Table 1, the overall occurrence of ≥grade 2 sensory and motor peripheral neuropathy according to the CTCAE was significantly lower in the SG-protected hands than in the control hands (76.1% vs. 21.4% and 57.1% vs. 26.2%, respectively, p &lt; 0.0001). The PNQ results showed that the incidence of ≥grade 4 neuropathy was significantly higher in the control hands than in the SG-protected hands in terms of both sensory and motor neurotoxicity (p &lt; 0.0001, Table 2). As the treatment cycles of nab-PTX increased, the mean CTCAE and PNQ grades of the control hands gradually increased. However, the SG-protected hands maintained significantly lower mean grades than the control hands over time (p &lt; 0.0001).

No patients withdrew from this study because they could not tolerate the compression from the SGs. The mean temperature of each fingertip significantly decreased (1.42–2.60 °C) in the SG-protected hands compared to in the control hands.

CONCLUSIONS: SG compression therapy appears effective for reducing nab-PTX-induced peripheral neuropathy. The nab-PTX exposure to the peripheral nerve may be decreased because the SG decreases microvascular flow to the fingertip.

Table 1: Comparison of the overall occurrences of the different grades of peripheral neuropathy according to CTCAE version 4.0 between the compression surgical glove-protected hands and control handsCTCAE v.4.0SensoryMotorGradeSurgical GloveControlSurgical GloveControl012418712161311292411163080840000

Table 2: Changes in the overall occurrence of the Patient Neurotoxicity Questionnaire (PNQ) grade with surgical glove compression therapyPNQSensoryMotorGradeSurgical gloveControlSurgical gloveControl194209223512113717912431611050000

Citation Format: Tsuyuki S, Senda N, Kanng Y, Yamaguchi A, Yoshibayashi H, Kikawa Y, Katakami N, Kato H, Hashimoto T, Okuno T, Yamauchi A, Inamoto T. Efficacy of compression therapy using surgical gloves for nanoparticle albumin-bound-paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy: A phase II multicenter study by the Kamigata breast cancer study group [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD4-08.

Structure and Thermal Behaviour of a Thermotropic Liquid Crystalline Polyimide (PI-LC)

Anomalous solid structures formed by a thermotropic liquid crystalline polyimide (PI-LC) were investigated by thermal analysis, polarized light microscopy and x-ray analysis. It was revealed that PI-LC should undergo a phase transition from the crystalline to the isotropic phase through the smectic or nematic phase in the temperature range 277–300 °C. The PI-LC filament extruded at 280 °C, at which temperature the polymer was in liquid crystalline phase, was formed to have a structure similar to the smectic C phase, while that extruded and melt-drawn at 310 °C, at which temperature the polymer was in the isotropic phase, had a structure similar to the smectic A phase.

Processable Poly(Keto-Imide)s Having Bulky Pendent Ether Groups

1, 3-Bis(3-aminobenzoyl)benzene (BAB), 1, 3-bis(3-amino-4-phenoxybenzoyl)benzene (BAPB) and 1, 3-bis(3-amino-4-biphenoxybenzoyl)benzene (BABB) were synthesized from 1, 3-bis(3-nitro-4-chlorobenzoyl)benzene. By using these three diamines and commercially available tetracarboxylic dianhydrides such as 3, 3′, 4, 4′-benzophenone tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA), several kinds of poly(keto-imide)s were synthesized. Thermal properties and processability such as melt-flowability and solubility in organic solvents of the obtained poly(keto-imide)s were investigated by focusing on the chemical structures of their repeating structure units. Inherent viscosities of poly(keto-imide)s ranged from 0.54 to 0.75 dl g−1. These poly(keto-imide)s displayed glass transition temperatures ( Tg) between 219 and 256 °C, and only the poly(keto-imide) prepared from BAB and PMDA showed a melting point ( Tm)at 451 °C. Melt-flowabilities of these poly(keto-imide)s except for BAB/PMDA poly(keto-imide) were observed between 285 and 330 °C. The poly(keto-imide)s having bulky pendent ether groups were soluble in chloroform, 1, 1, 2-trichloroethane, N, N-dimethylacetamide and m-cresol at ambient temperature.

Preparation and Properties of Novel Aromatic Polyimides from 5,7-Diamino-1,1,4,6-Tetramethylindan and Aromatic Tetracarboxylic Dianhydrides

Novel aromatic polyimides containing indan structure units were prepared from 5,7-diamino-1,1,4,6-tetramethylindan and various aromatic tetracarboxylic dianhydrides. The glass transition temperatures ( Tg’s) of these polyimides were not observed by differential scanning calorimetry at a temperature lower than 500 °C and the 5% weight loss temperatures ( Td5’s) of them were above 422 and 474 °C in air and nitrogen, respectively. Polyimide prepared from 5,7-diamino-1,1,4,6-tetramethylindan and 2,2-bis(3,4-dicarboxyphenyl)-1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane dianhydride was soluble in organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran, cyclopentanone, chloroform, acetone, ethyl acetate, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and cresol at 20 wt% concentration at ambient temperature. The other resulting polyimides obtained from this diamine possessing an indan structure were also soluble in several organic solvents. These results indicated that polymer properties such as thermal behaviour and solubilities were influenced by the indan structure unit in a repeating structure.

Miscibility, Morphology and Tensile Properties of the Melt Blends of Liquid Crystalline Polyimide (PI-LC) with Two Different Thermoplastic Polyimides: Semicrystalline Polyimide (N-TPI) and Amorphous Poly(Ether-Imide) (PEI)

A liquid crystalline polyimide (poly[1, 3-bis[4-(4-aminophenoxy)-α, α-dimethylbenzyl]benzene pyromellitimide]: PI-LC) was blended with two kinds of thermoplastic polyimide: poly[3, 3′-(4, 4′-dioxybiphenyl)diphenylene pyromellitimide] (N-TPI) which is a semicrystalline polyimide having a melting point of 388 °C and poly[2, 2′-bis(3, 4-dicarboxyphenoxy)phenylpropane-2-phenylene bisimide] (PEI) which is an amorphous poly(etherimide) having a glass transition temperature at 220 °C. The miscibility of N-TPI and PI-LC was evaluated by DSC using enthalpy relaxation, and the phase diagram of their blend was drawn above the melting point of N-TPI. The result indicated that the PI-LC-rich blend was miscible in a wide range of compositions. However, the extruded samples of their blend, which had been prepared under a flow of high shear, showed a phase separation structure. In the other combination of PEI and PI-LC, the blend was immiscible, but at low composition of PI-LC their blend fibre showed higher tensile properties than the original PEI fibre.

Transcatheter Embolization of Testicular Vein for Varicocele Testis

Percutaneous transcatheter embolization of the testicular vein was performed on 28 patients with angiographically proven varicocele testis. In 2 patients bilateral and in 26 only the left vein was embolized using 3-, 5-, or 8-mm stainless steel coils. All patients had clinically palpable varicoceles and male infertility. The grade of varicoceles improved after embolization in 23 of 28 cases (82%). Effective sperm count increased significantly from 34.5 ± 44.6 to 65.1 ± 71.0 following embolization. However, pregnancy was achieved only in one of 28 cases. Technically, the basilic vein approach was felt to be superior to the femoral vein or jugular vein approach for this procedure.

Development of C⁶⁺ laser ion source and RFQ linac for carbon ion radiotherapy

A prototype C(6+) injector using a laser ion source has been developed for a compact synchrotron dedicated to carbon ion radiotherapy. The injector consists of a laser ion source and a 4-vane radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) linac. Ion beams are extracted from plasma and directly injected into the RFQ. A solenoid guides the low-energy beams into the RFQ. The RFQ is designed to accelerate high-intensity pulsed beams. A structure of monolithic vanes and cavities is adopted to reduce its power consumption. In beam acceleration tests, a solenoidal magnetic field set between the laser ion source and the RFQ helped increase both the peak currents before and after the RFQ by a factor of 4.

Spin-dependent acoustic response in the nonunitary A1 and A2 phases of superfluid 3He under high magnetic fields

The transverse acoustic impedance of superfluid ^{3}He was measured in the A1 and A2 phases up to 13 T to investigate the surface states in nonunitary superfluids. The temperature dependence of the impedance was much larger in the A1 phase than in the A2 phase. This nonsymmetric behavior indicates that momentum exchange with walls for spin-down surface states is quite different from that for spin-up surface states. The spin-dependent response might be a reflection of an essential feature of the nonunitary states where gap amplitudes depend on spin states. Weak-coupling theories ignore any spin-dependent processes and do not account for the nonsymmetric behavior.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure

We demonstrated surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy using a coffee-ring-type three-dimensional silver nanostructure (Ag3D).

Tooth loss and atherosclerosis: the Nagahama Study

Several epidemiologic studies have suggested that oral disease is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether a clinically significant association exists between the 2 disorders remains controversial. Here, we investigated the association between tooth loss, as an indicator of oral disease, and arterial stiffness, as a marker of atherosclerosis, in Japanese adults. Cross-sectional data were collected for 8,124 persons aged 30 to 75 y with no history of tooth loss for noninflammatory reasons, such as orthodontic treatment, malposition, and trauma. Participants received a comprehensive dental examination and extensive in-person measurements of CVD risk factors, and arterial stiffness was evaluated using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). We examined the association between CAVI and tooth loss using general linear models with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, smoking status, hemoglobin A1c, and a history of insulin or hypoglycemic medication depending on the model. In addition, we performed an analysis that included interaction terms of the centered variables tooth loss, sex, and age. The results of the multiple regression analysis that included the interaction terms detected that the relationship between CAVI and tooth loss was dependent on sex, with only men showing a positive correlation (β for interaction = 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.06). The findings from this study suggest that a linear relationship exists between tooth loss and degree of arterial stiffness and that the association differed depending on sex.

Reticulocyte hemoglobin content as a marker of iron status in patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis

Background. Patients with renal anemia who show a poor response to erythropoietin might have iron insufficiency. Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) was measured in hemodialysis patients, and its potential as a marker for iron status was assessed by comparing CHr with ordinary markers. Methods. Ninety-one patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were enrolled. Venous sampling was performed twice, at a 3-month interval. During the interval, none of the patients received any iron agent and there was no alteration in their erythropoietin doses. CHr was measured with an automated blood cell counter. Simultaneously, ordinary markers for iron status, such as hematocrit (Ht), mean hemoglobin content (CH), serum iron (Fe), ferritin (Fr), and transferrin saturation (TSAT), were measured. CHr was compared with these markers. Results. CHr randed from 24.1 to 34.7 pg, with a mean of 31.0 pg. CHr correlated with CH (P < 0.001), Fr (P < 0.01), Fe (P < 0.001), and TSAT (P < 0.001), but not with Ht. When patients were divided into two groups according to the CHr : CH ratio (CHr : CH ≧ 1 and CHr : CH < 1), there was no difference in any parameter between the two groups in the first measurement. In the second measurement, done after a 3-month interval, patients with CHr : CH ≧ 1 showed significantly higher values for CHr (P < 0.001), CH (P < 0.01), Fe (P < 0.05), and TSAT (P < 0.05) than patients with CHr : CH < 1. Conclusions. It was suggested that the CHr : CH ratio would predict changes in the state of iron supply. CHr might be a potential marker for monitoring renal anemia.

Identification and characterization of PDGFRα+ mesenchymal progenitors in human skeletal muscle

Fatty and fibrous connective tissue formation is a hallmark of diseased skeletal muscle and deteriorates muscle function. We previously identified non-myogenic mesenchymal progenitors that contribute to adipogenesis and fibrogenesis in mouse skeletal muscle. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of a human counterpart to these progenitors. By using PDGFRα as a specific marker, mesenchymal progenitors can be identified in the interstitium and isolated from human skeletal muscle. PDGFRα⁺ cells represent a cell population distinct from CD56⁺ myogenic cells, and adipogenic and fibrogenic potentials were highly enriched in the PDGFRα⁺ population. Activation of PDGFRα stimulates proliferation of PDGFRα⁺ cells through PI3K-Akt and MEK2-MAPK signaling pathways, and aberrant accumulation of PDGFRα⁺ cells was conspicuous in muscles of patients with both genetic and non-genetic muscle diseases. Our results revealed the pathological relevance of PDGFRα⁺ mesenchymal progenitors to human muscle diseases and provide a basis for developing therapeutic strategy to treat muscle diseases.

Measurement of beam characteristics from C(6+) laser ion source

We developed a C(6+) laser ion source for a heavy-ion accelerator. A carbon target was irradiated with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm wavelength, 1.4 J maximum laser energy, 10 ns pulse duration) to generate a high-density plasma. The laser ion source employed a rotating carbon target for continuous operation. Ion beams were extracted from the plasma through a drift space using a direct plasma injection scheme [B. Yu. Sharkov, A. V. Shumshurov, V. P. Dubenkow, O. B. Shamaev, and A. A. Golubev, Rev. Sci. Instrum. 63, 2841 (1992)] up to a maximum voltage of 40 kV. We measured the characteristics of the ion beams from the laser ion source and present the results of experiments here.

Clinical characteristics classified by the serum KL-6 level in patients with organizing pneumonia

BACKGROUND

The serum Krebs von der Lungen-6 (KL-6) level is a useful marker correlated with the severity of various interstitial lung diseases. There have been few reports about the clinical characteristics of organizing pneumonia (OP) associated with the serum KL-6 levels.

OBJECTIVE

This study was performed to determine whether the serum KL-6 levels can help determine the optimal treatment for OP.

DESIGNS

Patients diagnosed with OP by clinical, radiological and histopathological findings were retrospectively reviewed. The OP patients were classified into two groups based on their serum KL-6 levels: normal KL-6 and high KL-6 groups. The two groups were compared with regard to their clinical and radiological data and therapeutic response one month after the start of treatment.

RESULTS

The clinical records of twenty-two patients diagnosed with OP were reviewed. The serum KL-6 level was elevated in 11 of the 22 patients. There were no obvious differences in the clinical data between the two groups, although patients in the normal KL-6 group tended to have a fever. There were no significant differences in the chest X-ray (CXR) score or computed tomography (CT) score between the two groups. The CXR scores were correlated with the serum KL-6 levels. At 1 month after the diagnosis, 11 patients who needed treatment with prednisolone were included in the high KL-6 group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with normal KL-6 levels showed lower CXR and CT scores. The serum KL-6 level on admission is a useful marker to judge the need for corticosteroid treatment in OP patients.

The role of osteocytes in bone resorption during orthodontic tooth movement

We investigated the roles of osteocytes in osteoclastic bone resorption during orthodontic tooth movement using the transgenic mice in which osteocytes can be specifically ablated. Because these transgenic mice express the receptor for diphtheria toxin on the cell surfaces of osteocytes, the injection of diphtheria toxin can ablate their osteocytes in vivo. Injection of diphtheria toxin into the transgenic mice significantly increased the number of ablated osteocytes in alveolar bone compared with that in wild-type mice with or without diphtheria toxin injection. Increased numbers of ablated osteocytes were observed from day 4 to day 12 after the injection in alveolar bones as well as in cortical bone of the tibiae. We applied the orthodontic force 4 days after the injection of diphtheria toxin, and the distance of tooth movement on day 12 was significantly smaller in transgenic mice than that in control mice. The numbers of osteoclasts and the quantity of eroded bone surface at the compression site were significantly reduced in the transgenic mice injected with diphtheria toxin than in control mice. These results provide in vivo demonstration of osteocyte involvement in osteoclastic bone resorption during orthodontic tooth movement.

Visual perceptual strengths and weaknesses in adults with intellectual disabilities compared with a birth year-matched norm

BACKGROUND

The ventral and dorsal streams are considered to be the brain substrates of vision for perception and action, respectively. Using the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP), the current study examined whether visual perceptual strengths and weaknesses in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) were attributable to the dichotomy of the visual streams.

METHOD

In study 1, DTVP performance was compared among mild, moderate and severe adult ID groups; study 2 contrasted adult ID groups with and without Down syndrome (DS). To prevent possible contamination by the Flynn effect, participants were matched by birth year with the norm of the DTVP original edition.

RESULTS

Independent of the extent of ID among the three groups in study 1 and the aetiological group difference in study 2, relative strength was found for two DTVP tasks: eye-hand coordination and distinguishing target figures from interference background. Relative weakness was obtained in identifying a figural category. Participants with DS demonstrated exceptional weakness in discerning a target from either mirror-imaged or rotated alternatives, in addition to figural-category detection.

CONCLUSIONS

Visual perceptual strengths and weaknesses in persons with ID were difficult to explain on the basis of two visual streams. An interpretation originating in a different research context (e.g. frontal-lobe dysfunction) appears to be required for explaining visual perceptual weaknesses in persons with ID. For persons with DS, strong frontal-lobe dysfunction with atypical lateralisation might be the pathological determinant of visual perceptual weaknesses.

CD44 with variant exons 8-10 in colorectal tumors

Using a fusion protein encoded by variant exon (v) 8-10 of CD44, a monoclonal antibody (mAb) 44-1V reactive with v9 product was generated. Western immunoblots and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction/Southern blot revealed that a 130 kilodalton component containing v8-10 products was specifically expressed in colorectal and gastric cancer cell lines. Immunohistological examination of 179 pairs of colorectal cancer and normal tissues revealed that about 47% of cancers expressed the CD44 variant (CD44v8-10), and its expression correlated with hematogenous and lymph node metastasis. These findings suggest the usefulness of CD44v8-10 in the prediction of colorectal cancer metastasis.

Sialyl-lewis-x antigen immunoreaction of colorectal-cancer and its relationship to hematogenous metastasis

The adhesion of cancer cells to endothelial cells of the target organ is one of the most important steps of hematogenous metastasis. Especially, sialyl Le(X) plays an important role in defining the metastasis. The expression of sialyl Le(X) antigen in colorectal cancer and its usefulness not only as an indicator of metastatic potential but also as a prognostic factor was studied immunohistochemically. Fifty-five (32.4%) sialyl Le(X) antigen-positive tumors were found in 170 colorectal cancers. There was a significant correlation between the expression of sialyl Le(X) antigen and the histological tumor type, venous invasion, lymph node metastasis, as well as liver metastasis. Hematogenous metastases were significantly more frequent in patients with sialyl Le(X)-positive tumor than in those with sialyl Le(X)-negative tumor; and prognosis was significantly poorer in the former. The results suggest that sialyl Le(X) antigen plays a role in hematogenous metastasis of colorectal cancer, and that the expression of sialyl Le(X) is associated with poor prognosis.

Expression of hepatocyte growth factor(hgf) and C-met gene in human gastric-cancer cell-lines

It has become evident that the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) could be involved in the growth of various epithelial cells. In addition, it has recently been elucidated that the c-met gene, a proto-oncogene, encodes the HGF receptor. We examined the expression of HGF and c-met gene in human gastric cancer, using seven gastric cancer cell lines. The Northern blotting method revealed that, among seven cell lines used, only MKN45 expressed the c-met gene at a high efficiency, while the Southern blotting method demonstrated the amplification of the c-met gene. When the expression of HGF gene was studied by the Northern blot method, the expression of this gene was also observed only in MKN45, which was confirmed by immunostaining with polyclonal antibodies to HGF. The above results suggest the possibility that in MKN45, a gastric cancer cell line, the autocrine mechanism by HGF-met might be involved in its growth.

Inhibition of liver metastasis formation by anti-CD44 variant exon 9 monoclonal antibody

The overexpression of variants of the glycoprotein CD44 is thought to be associated with the tumorigenesis and progression of human cancers. We examined the role of the variant CD44v8-10 in the metastasis of the human colon cancer cell line HT29 using a monoclonal antibody (mAb 44-1V) reactive with the v9 product. After immunization with mAb 44-1V, the growth of HT29m cells in vitro was not retarded. Six-to 8-week-old mice were divided into 4 groups for liver metastasis assay. All animals in control groups injected with intrasplenic HT29m developed metastases. In contrast, only one of the animals injected with HT29m that reacted with mAb 44-1V developed a metastatic tumor in the liver. The intravenous administration of mAb 44-1V after intrasplenic HT29m injection did not inhibit the formation of liver metastasis. In addition, the adhesiveness of the HT29m cells to the basement membrane matrix was decreased by treatment with the anti-CD44v9 mAb. These findings indicated that a CD44 variant containing the products of variants of exons v8-10 may play an important role in adhesion of tumor cells to the capillaries of distant organs in the metastatic process.