Anomalous spin precession systematic effects in the search for a muon EDM using the frozen-spin technique

At the Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), we are developing a high-precision apparatus with the aim of searching for the muon electric dipole moment (EDM) with unprecedented sensitivity. The underpinning principle of this experiment is the frozen-spin technique, a method that suppresses the spin precession due to the anomalous magnetic moment, thereby enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio for EDM signals. This increased sensitivity enables measurements that would be difficult to achieve with conventional g - 2 muon storage rings. Given the availability of the 125 MeV / c muon beam at PSI, the anticipated statistical sensitivity for the EDM after a year of data collection is 6 × 10 - 23 e · cm . To achieve this goal, it is imperative to do a detailed analysis of any potential spurious effects that could mimic EDM signals. In this study, we present a quantitative methodology to evaluate the systematic effects that might arise in the context of the frozen-spin technique utilised within a compact storage ring. Our approach involves the analytical derivation of equations governing the motion of the muon spin in the electromagnetic (EM) fields intrinsic to the experimental setup, validated through numerical simulations. We also illustrate a method to calculate the cumulative geometric (Berry's) phase. This work complements ongoing experimental efforts to detect a muon EDM at PSI and contributes to a broader understanding of spin-precession systematic effects.

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate as a secondary surgery following prostatic urethral lift

Introduction

Prostatic urethral lift is a treatment option for benign prostatic hyperplasia, yet information on surgeries following this procedure is scarce.

Case presentation

A 71-year-old man with persistent urinary retention following prostatic urethral lift underwent a secondary holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. The morcellation procedure, complicated by the presence of implants from the previous surgery, broke the morcellator blade. The fragmented blade was successfully retrieved without any organ damage. Postoperatively, the patient encountered no complications and showed improvement in his urinary symptoms.

Conclusion

This case highlights the potential risk of device breakage when a secondary surgery, specifically the morcellation process, is performed following prostatic urethral lift. Care must be taken to prevent interaction between the implants and the morcellator. Our case demonstrates the efficacy of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate as a salvage surgical intervention for patients in whom prostatic urethral lift has failed.

Life expectancy associated with different ages at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes in high-income countries: 23 million person-years of observation

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing rapidly, particularly among younger age groups. Estimates suggest that people with diabetes die, on average, 6 years earlier than people without diabetes. We aimed to provide reliable estimates of the associations between age at diagnosis of diabetes and all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and reductions in life expectancy.

METHODS

For this observational study, we conducted a combined analysis of individual-participant data from 19 high-income countries using two large-scale data sources: the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration (96 cohorts, median baseline years 1961-2007, median latest follow-up years 1980-2013) and the UK Biobank (median baseline year 2006, median latest follow-up year 2020). We calculated age-adjusted and sex-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality according to age at diagnosis of diabetes using data from 1 515 718 participants, in whom deaths were recorded during 23·1 million person-years of follow-up. We estimated cumulative survival by applying age-specific HRs to age-specific death rates from 2015 for the USA and the EU.

FINDINGS

For participants with diabetes, we observed a linear dose-response association between earlier age at diagnosis and higher risk of all-cause mortality compared with participants without diabetes. HRs were 2·69 (95% CI 2·43-2·97) when diagnosed at 30-39 years, 2·26 (2·08-2·45) at 40-49 years, 1·84 (1·72-1·97) at 50-59 years, 1·57 (1·47-1·67) at 60-69 years, and 1·39 (1·29-1·51) at 70 years and older. HRs per decade of earlier diagnosis were similar for men and women. Using death rates from the USA, a 50-year-old individual with diabetes died on average 14 years earlier when diagnosed aged 30 years, 10 years earlier when diagnosed aged 40 years, or 6 years earlier when diagnosed aged 50 years than an individual without diabetes. Using EU death rates, the corresponding estimates were 13, 9, or 5 years earlier.

INTERPRETATION

Every decade of earlier diagnosis of diabetes was associated with about 3-4 years of lower life expectancy, highlighting the need to develop and implement interventions that prevent or delay the onset of diabetes and to intensify the treatment of risk factors among young adults diagnosed with diabetes.

FUNDING

British Heart Foundation, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health and Care Research, and Health Data Research UK.

Collegiate baseball pitchers demonstrate a relationship between ball velocity and elbow varus torque, both within and across pitchers

High elbow varus torque during baseball pitching has been identified as a potential cause of ulnar collateral ligament injury in baseball pitchers. In general, elbow varus torque increases as ball velocity increases across pitchers. However, studies incorporating within-subject analyses report that not all professional pitchers have a positive relationship between elbow varus torque and ball velocity (T-V relationship). It remains unknown whether collegiate pitchers show the same trend as professionals in their T-V relationships. The current study investigated the T-V relationship of collegiate pitchers focusing on both across and within pitchers. Division 1 collegiate pitchers (n = 81) were assessed for elbow torque and ball velocity during pitching. Both across- and within-pitcher T-V relationships were significant (p < 0.05) using linear regression. However, more variance in elbow varus torque was explained using the within-pitcher relationship (R2 = 0.29) than the across-pitcher relationship (R2 = 0.05). Of the 81 pitchers, nearly half (n = 39) had significant T-V relationships, while the other half (n = 42) did not. Our findings indicate that the T-V relationship should be assessed on an individual basis as T-V is pitcher-specific.

Optimizing first trocar access for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: Optical trocar access through the upper abdominal quadrant using the Kii Fios First Entry trocar

OBJECTIVES

A pre-equipped metal trocar is required to use as a camera trocar due to a specification change in the da Vinci X/Xi system (Intuitive Surgical). We observed slight slippage of a trocar placed by the open method. With optical trocar access (OTA), the initial trocar is viewed directly with a laparoscope during placement. Reports regarding OTA for robotic surgery are limited, particularly for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). We modified the OTA procedure such that it was appropriate for RARP.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 158 patients were enrolled in this study. The first trocar placement time (FTPT) was compared between the open and OTA groups. In the OTA group, the trocar was mainly placed through the upper abdominal quadrant. We also analyzed the differences between the conventional and modified OTA procedures using the Kii Fios First Entry trocar (Applied Medical). We examined the factors affecting the FTPT using linear regression models. A P value <.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

The FTPT was significantly shorter in the OTA group than the open group (P < .0001). The modified method was associated with a shorter FTPT (P = .0001). None of the patient characteristics affected the FTPT in either group. No major complications were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

OTA was applied successfully during RARP. Use of the Kii Fios First Entry trocar with upper abdominal quadrant placement was suitable for RARP.

Impact of Proteinuria and Low eGFR on Lifetime Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Death: A Pooled Analysis of Data From the Evidence for Cardiovascular Prevention From Observational Cohorts in Japan Study

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): H20–Junkankitou [Seishuu]–Ippan–013; H23–Junkankitou [Seishuu]–Ippan–005; H26-Junkankitou [Seisaku]-Ippan-001; H29–Junkankitou–Ippan–003 and 20FA1002

OnBehalf

EPOCH-JAPAN

Introduction

Absolute risk of Lifetime risk (LTR) is useful estimate for risk communication compared with short term risk or relative risk especially for young people. Proteinuria is leading cause of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) and independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although nonproteinuric renal disease is global burden of ESKD, it has been poorly focused. To date, there have been no reports of impact of proteinuria and low eGFR on LTR with the outcome of CVD death in Asian population.

Purpose

We aimed to estimate LTR of CVD death stratified by the status of proteinuria and low eGFR.

Methods

We used modified Kaplan-Meier approach to estimate the remaining lifetime risk of cardiovascular death based on EPOCH-JAPAN(Evidence for Cardiovascular Prevention From Observational Cohorts in Japan) database. LTR was estimated at each index age starting from 40 years for those with proteinuria and without proteinuria stratified by low eGFR, which is defined as eGFR &lt;60 ml/min/1.73 m². Participants were classified into three groups, which were those with proteinuria (Proteinuria (+)), those without proteinuria with low eGFR (Proteinuria (-)/Low eGFR (+)), those without proteinuria without low eGFR (Proteinuria (-)/Low eGFR (-)).

Results

A total of 47,292 participants from 9 cohorts was included in the analysis. Mean follow-up period was 14.6 years with 690,463 person years and total CVD death was 1,075 in men and 1,193 in women. The LTRs at the index age of 40 years were as follows: 17.7% (95% confidence interval: 15.4 – 19.0%) in Proteinuria (-)/Low eGFR (-) group, 26.2% (20.2 – 31.1%) in Proteinuria (-)/low eGFR (+) group, 24.5% (15.1 – 29.3%) in Proteinuria (+) group for men; 15.3%(13.7 – 16.5%), 29.9%(14.7 – 46.8%) , 28.3%(19.4 – 34.7%) for women.

Conclusions

We observed that those without proteinuria with low eGFR have equivalently high LTR with those with proteinuria. These results indicate that even in the absence of proteinuria, low eGFR has high impact on LTR. Lifestyle modification from young age is necessary to prevent from renal dysfunction.

Expression of Stem Cell Factor in Feline Mast Cell Tumour

Stem cell factor (SCF) is a ligand of the molecule Kit, which is expressed in mast cells and is important for mast cell proliferation, migration and survival. Mast cell tumours (MCTs) are associated with mutations of c-kit, a proto-oncogene encoding the Kit protein. In this study, we examined SCF expression in 23 samples of feline MCTs. SCF expression was detected in 10 cutaneous MCTs and a case of splenic mastocytosis. In the cutaneous MCTs, SCF-positive tumour cells were located at the margins. Kit was expressed in eight of the 10 cutaneous cases of SCF-expressing MCTs. In these cases, Kit-positive cells were located near to SCF-positive cells, and SCF/Kit double-positive tumour cells were found. Ki67-positive tumour cells were not found near to SCF-positive cells. These results suggest that SCF autocrine/paracrine mechanisms are involved in the expansion of cutaneous MCTs, but not in tumour proliferation.

Oncolytic reovirus therapy: Pilot study in dogs with spontaneously occurring tumours

Oncolytic virotherapy is a novel treatment involving replication-competent virus in the elimination of cancer. We have previously reported the oncolytic effects of reovirus in various canine cancer cell lines. This study aims to establish the safety profile of reovirus in dogs with spontaneously occurring tumours and to determine a recommended dosing regimen. Nineteen dogs with various tumours, mostly of advanced stages, were treated with reovirus, ranging from 1.0 × 10⁸ to 5.0 × 10⁹ TCID₅₀ given as intratumour injection (IT) or intravenous infusion (IV) daily for up to 5 consecutive days in 1 or multiple treatment cycles. Adverse events (AEs) were graded according to the Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group- Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (VCOG-CTCAE) v1.1 guidelines. Viral shedding, neutralizing anti-reovirus antibody (NARA) production and immunohistochemical (IHC) detection of reovirus protein in the tumours were also assessed. AE was not observed in most dogs and events were limited to Grade I or II fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and inflammation of the injected tumour. No infectious virus was shed and all dogs had elevated NARA levels post-treatment. Although IHC results were only available in 6 dogs, 4 were detected positive for reovirus protein. In conclusion, reovirus is well-tolerated and can be given safely to tumour-bearing dogs according to the dosing regimen used in this study without significant concerns of viral shedding. Reovirus is also potentially effective in various types of canine tumours.

Nosocomial BK Polyomavirus Infection Causing Hemorrhagic Cystitis Among Patients With Hematological Malignancies After Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is recognized as a pathogen that causes diseases such as hemorrhagic cystitis and nephritis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) or renal transplantation. BKPyV-associated disease is thought to occur through reactivation under immunosuppression. However, the possibility of its nosocomial transmission and the clinical significance of such transmission have not been elucidated. During a 6-month period, nine adult patients (median age: 47 years) who had hematological disorders and who were treated with HSCT (n = 7) or chemotherapy (n = 2) in a single hematology department developed hemorrhagic cystitis due to BKPyV infection. The polymerase chain reaction products of BKPyV DNA obtained from each patient were sequenced. Of the nine patients, six had subtype I, 2 had subtype IV, and 1 had subtype II or III. In the alignment of sequences, four and two of the six subtype I strains were completely homologous (100%). These results strongly suggest that BKPyV has the potential to cause nosocomial infection within a medical facility, especially among recipients of HSCT. Further studies are clearly warranted to elucidate the route(s) of BKPyV transmission in order to establish optimal infection control.

CXorf48 is a potential therapeutic target for achieving treatment-free remission in CML patients

Although the introduction of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) has improved overall survival of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), about half of the patients eventually relapse after cessation of TKIs. In contrast, the remainder of the patients maintain molecular remission without TKIs, indicating that the patients' immune system could control proliferation of TKI-resistant leukemic stem cells (LSCs). However, the precise mechanism of immunity against CML-LSCs is not fully understood. We have identified a novel immune target, CXorf48, expressed in LSCs of CML patients. Cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) induced by the epitope peptide derived from CXorf48 recognized CD34⁺CD38^- cells obtained from the bone marrow of CML patients. We detected CXorf48-specific CTLs in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells from CML patients who have discontinued imatinib after maintaining complete molecular remission for more than 2 years. Significantly, the relapse rate of CXorf48-specific CTL-negative patients was 63.6%, compared to 0% in CXorf48-specific CTL-positive patients. These results indicate that CXorf48 could be a promising therapeutic target of LSCs for immunotherapy to obtain durable treatment-free remission in CML patients.

Lip b 1 is a novel allergenic protein isolated from the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila

BACKGROUND

Booklice, belonging to the order Psocoptera, are small household insect pests that are distributed worldwide. Liposcelis bostrychophila, a common home-inhabiting species of booklouse, infests old books, sheets of paper, and stored food. Recent entomological and serological studies demonstrated that L. bostrychophila accounted for the majority of detectable insects in house dust and could be a potent inducer of respiratory allergy. Our recent proteomic analysis identified a potent allergenic protein from L. bostrychophila, designated Lip b 1, and determined its partial amino acid sequences.

METHODS

Cloning of cDNAs for Lip b 1 was performed by large-scale transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) and subsequent reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The full-length amino acid sequences deduced from Lip b 1 cDNAs were bioinformatically analyzed. The recombinant proteins of glutathione S-transferase (GST)-fused Lip b 1 were analyzed by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

RESULTS

Lip b 1 cDNAs encoding two types of 254-amino acid proteins were cloned. The clones shared 87% identity, and the deduced molecular weights and isoelectric points were consistent with those determined in our previous study. The two types of Lip b 1 proteins in the GST-fused form were similarly reactive with sera from allergic patients sensitized with L. bostrychophila.

CONCLUSIONS

Lip b 1 is a novel protein possibly causing booklouse allergy.

Skipping breakfast and 5-year changes in body mass index and waist circumference in Japanese men and women

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the relationship between frequency of skipping breakfast and annual changes in body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC).

METHODS

The participants were 4,430 factory employees. BMI and WC were measured repeatedly at annual medical examinations over a 5-year period. The association between frequency of skipping breakfast at the baseline examination and annual changes in anthropometric indices was evaluated using the generalized estimating equation method.

RESULTS

The mean (standard deviation) BMI was 23.3 (3.0) kg m^-2 for men and 21.9 (3.6) kg m^-2 for women; and the mean WC was 82.6 (8.7) cm for men and 77.8 (9.8) cm for women. During the follow-up period, mean BMI increased by 0.2 kg m^-2 for men and women, and mean WC increased by 1.1 cm for men and 1.0 cm for women. The annual change in the BMI of men who skipped breakfast four to six times per week was 0.061 kg m^-2 higher, and that of those who skipped breakfast seven times per week was 0.046 kg m^-2 higher, compared with those who did not skip breakfast. Annual changes in the WC of male participants who skipped breakfast seven times per week was 0.248 cm higher than that of those who did not skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast was not associated with changes in BMI or WC in women.

CONCLUSIONS

Skipping breakfast was closely associated with annual changes in BMI and WC among men, and eating breakfast more than four times per week may prevent the excessive body weight gain associated with skipping breakfast.

Angiomyolipoma of the Liver

Angiomyolipoma, a rare benign liver tumor, was observed in a 50-year-old woman examined with US, CT, MR imaging and angiography. Dynamic studies using CT and MR imaging were valuable in differentiating the disease from hepatocellular carcinoma with fat deposits.

Pathogenesis of Renal Lesions in Chickens After Experimental Infection With 9a5b Newcastle Disease Virus Mutant Isolate

In this study, we investigated the pathogenesis of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) in the chicken kidney. Twenty-six 32-day-old specific pathogen-free chickens were intranasally inoculated with the 9a5b NDV mutant isolate. Kidney tissue samples, collected at 6 and 12 hours postinoculation (hpi) and 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 days postinoculation (dpi), were analyzed by histopathology, immunohistochemistry (IHC), reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and virus titration. Histopathologically, tubulointerstitial nephritis was detected in the renal cortex and predominantly in the medulla. Nephrotropism of 9a5b NDV was confirmed by IHC, RT-PCR, and virus isolation. Massive degenerative changes and infiltration of CD3-immunopositive cells accompanied replication of the 9a5b NDV isolate in chicken kidneys. In conclusion, pathological changes that were caused by NDV in chicken kidneys were similar to those caused by avian influenza virus, infectious bronchitis virus, and avian nephritis virus, and this highlights the importance of including NDV in the differential diagnosis of kidney disease in chickens.

Does L/M Cone Opponency Disappear in Human Periphery?

We have assessed the optimal cone contrast sensitivity across eccentricity in human vision of the two cone-opponent mechanisms [L/M or red-green, and S/(L + M) or blue-yellow] and the luminance mechanism. We have used a novel stimulus, termed a ‘sinring’, that is a radially modulated sine-wave arc, Gaussian enveloped in both angular and radial directions. This stimulus overcomes the problem inherent in Gabor stimuli of confounding stimulus spatial frequency, size, and eccentricity and so allows contrast sensitivity to be tracked accurately into the periphery. Our results show that L/M cone opponency declines steeply across the human periphery and becomes behaviourally absent by 25–30 deg (in the nasal field). This result suggests that any L/M cone-opponent neurons found in primate peripheral retina beyond this limit are unlikely to be significant for colour contrast detection measured behaviourally.

Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty for Intracranial Atherosclerotic Stenosis

Eleven patients with symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenotic lesions underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Seven patients had stenosis in M1 segment of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), two in the cavernous internal carotid artery, one in M2 segment of the MCA and one in the P2 segment of the posterior cerebral artery. Initial successful dilatation (less than 50% residual stenosis) was obtained in nine patients (81.8%). Permanent neurological deficit related to PTA was seen in one patient and transient symptoms were observed in two. Re-stenosis was revealed in two cases (18.2%) in the early follow-up period. All patients with successful dilatation and without re-stenosis never had TIA or stroke after PTA. Intracranial PTA is an effective procedure, but several problems remain to be solved.

Congenital multifocal increase of Purkinje fibres in a calf with cardiac conduction delay

A female 4-month-old Holstein-Friesian calf was presented in heart failure. Microscopical examination of samples of the cardiac wall taken at necropsy examination revealed numerous aggregates of Purkinje fibres, particularly in the perivascular areas. Some Purkinje fibres were stained strongly with phosphotungstic acid haematoxylin and immunohistochemically were shown to express alpha smooth muscle actin, indicating an embryonic-like Purkinje fibre phenotype. A diagnosis of congenital multifocal increase of Purkinje fibres was made. The histological features of this case resemble multifocal cardiac Purkinje cell tumour of the heart in man.

A clinical variance in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with a point mutation in Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene

We report here a novel point mutation in exon 5 of the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD) gene resulting in an amino acid substitution of valine(148) by isoleucine (V148I) in a Japanese family with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). In this family, the age at onset was young (28.0 ± 3.8 years old, mean ± SD, n = 4) and the disease progression was rapid (22.0 ± 5.9 months, n = 3) with low Cu/Zn SOD activity (56.3 and 59.0% of the controls, n = 2). It is interesting that the clinical features of ALS varied very much among the affected members. One case had weakness of the lower extremities at first, and died without bulbar paresis. The second case first noticed wasting of the upper limbs with bulbar symptoms, but the third had weakness of upper extremities without developing dysarthria nor dysphagia until death. The living remainder first developed fasciculation of the tongue without weakness of extremities. The valine(148) is conserved among different species, and V148I mutation might destabilize dimer formation with another SOD subunit, leading to decrease enzymatic activity. These results suggested that there could be considerable clinical variance among the patients of FALS within one family, carrying the same Cu/Zn SOD mutation such as V148I.

Loss of PTEN expression is an independent predictor of favourable survival in endometrial carcinomas

Background:

We and others previously reported the prognostic significance of PTEN mutational status on favourable survival in endometrial carcinomas. Here, we demonstrate that loss of PTEN expression in immunohistochemistry is an independent prognostic marker for favourable survival in endometrial carcinomas.

Methods:

We conducted immunohistochemical analyses of PTEN, PIK3CA, phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), and p27 in primary endometrial carcinomas from 221 patients. Mutation of PTEN was analysed further.

Results:

Expression of PTEN was lost in 56 patients (25%), and PIK3CA was overexpressed in 159 patients (72%). Overexpression of PIK3CA was associated with p-Akt overexpression (P<0.001), which was in turn associated with loss of nuclear p27 expression (P=0.028). Loss of PTEN expression was found to be associated with endometrioid histology (P=0.03), and was inversely associated with the presence of lymphovascular space invasion (P=0.03). Univariate and multivariate survival analyses revealed that factors of PTEN loss, age <70, histological grade 1, early International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and absence of lymphovascular invasion were independent prognostic indicators for better overall survival (P=0.03, 0.04, 0.01, <0.001, and 0.03, respectively). The subset analysis showed a stronger tendency of PTEN loss towards favourable survival in advanced-stage (III and IV) disease than in early-stage (I and II) disease (P=0.05 vs 0.14). Moreover, our mutational analysis demonstrated that PTEN expression loss was associated with PTEN-truncating mutations (P=0.03).

Conclusion:

The current observations further support the prognostic significance of PTEN aberration on favourable outcome in endometrial carcinomas, providing useful implications for the individualised management of the disease.

Sugar-sweetened beverage and diet soda consumption and the 7-year risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle-aged Japanese men

PURPOSE

This cohort study investigated the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) and diet soda consumption and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in Japanese men.

METHODS

The participants were 2,037 employees of a factory in Japan. We measured consumption of SSB and diet soda using a self-administered diet history questionnaire. The incidence of diabetes was determined in annual medical examinations over a 7-year period. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for diabetes were estimated after adjusting for age, body mass index, family history, and dietary and other lifestyle factors.

RESULTS

During the study, 170 participants developed diabetes. The crude incidence rates (/1,000 person-years) across participants who were rare/never SSB consumers, <1 serving/week, ≥ 1 serving/week and <1 serving/day, and ≥ 1 serving/day were 15.5, 12.7, 14.9, and 17.4, respectively. The multivariate-adjusted HR compared to rare/never SSB consumers was 1.35 (95 % CI 0.80-2.27) for participants who consumed ≥ 1 serving/day SSB. Diet soda consumption was significantly associated with the incident risk of diabetes (P for trend = 0.013), and multivariate-adjusted HRs compared to rare/never diet soda consumers were 1.05 (0.62-1.78) and 1.70 (1.13-2.55), respectively, for participants who consumed <1 serving/week and ≥ 1 serving/week.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumption of diet soda was significantly associated with an increased risk for diabetes in Japanese men. Diet soda is not always effective at preventing type 2 diabetes even though it is a zero-calorie drink.

Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and the risk of hyperuricemia: a 6-year prospective study in Japanese men

We conducted a longitudinal study to investigate whether increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase independently predicts subsequent development of hyperuricemia. The study participants included 3,310 Japanese men without hyperuricemia, aged 20-54 years. The participants had annual heath examinations for 6 years to assess incident hyperuricemia (defined as serum uric acid>416.4 μmol/l and/or taking medication for hyperuricemia). The risk of incident hyperuricemia was compared in participants grouped according to their baseline serum gamma-glutamyltransferase level. During follow-up, there were 529 incident cases of hyperuricemia. A positive, dose-response relationship was observed between serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and the risk of incident hyperuricemia. The hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for hyperuricemia, compared with a serum gamma-glutamyltransferase level ≤19 U/l, were 1.32 (1.05-1.67) for 20-39 U/l, 1.28 (0.90-1.83) for 40-59 U/l, 1.56 (0.98-2.47) for 60-79 U/l, and 1.57 (1.02-2.41) for ≥80 U/l after adjustment for baseline serum uric acid, creatinine, total cholesterol, and glycated hemoglobin levels, ln(serum alanine aminotransferase), age, systolic blood pressure, medications for hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and diabetes, body mass index, and smoking and exercise habits. A similar positive relationship was observed regardless of the presence or absence of alcohol drinking, obesity, metabolic disorders (any combination of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and/or diabetes), or clinically high serum aminotransferases, without evidence of a significant interaction between increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase and risk factors for incident hyperuricemia. These findings indicate that increased serum gamma-glutamyltransferase is an independent predictor of subsequent development of hyperuricemia.

Alcohol intake and the risk of hyperuricaemia: a 6-year prospective study in Japanese men

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Since there is little information derived from prospective studies on the amount of alcohol drinking required to induce hyperuricaemia, we attempted to address this issue in a Japanese population.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 3310 Japanese men aged 20-54 years that were free of hyperuricaemia were classified according to their alcohol intake per week at baseline. Incident hyperuricaemia, defined as >7.0 mg/dl and/or taking medication for hyperuricaemia, was assessed through annual heath examinations for 6 years after the baseline examination. During follow-up, 529 incident cases of hyperuricaemia occurred. There was a positive, dose-response relationship between alcohol intake and the risk of incident hyperuricaemia. The hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for hyperuricaemia in drinkers compared with non-drinkers was 1.10 (0.85-1.42) for <10.0 drinks/week, 1.40 (1.07-1.84) for 10.0-19.9 drinks/week, 1.64 (1.23-2.21) for 20.0-29.9 drinks/week and 1.98 (1.40-2.80) for ≥30.0 drinks/week (one drink contained 11.5 g of ethanol) after adjusting for age, baseline serum uric acid, body mass index, smoking habits, exercise habits, serum creatinine, blood pressure, serum cholesterol and blood glucose. The fraction of hyperuricaemia in the population attributable to alcohol intake was 21.6%. A clear dose-response pattern was observed for both beer and sake, when the consumption of these two beverages was analysed separately.

CONCLUSION

Habitual alcohol intake significantly contributed to the development of hyperuricaemia in Japanese men, regardless of type of alcoholic beverage consumed. Therefore, it is essential to reduce excessive alcohol intake to prevent and manage hyperuricaemia.

Design and development of a novel nuclear magnetic resonance detection for the gas phase ions by magnetic resonance acceleration technique

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) technique is a well-established powerful tool to study the physical and chemical properties of a wide range of materials. However, presently, NMR applications are essentially limited to materials in the condensed phase. Although magnetic resonance was originally demonstrated in gas phase molecular beam experiments, no application to gas phase molecular ions has yet been demonstrated. Here, we present a novel principle of NMR detection for gas phase ions based on a "magnetic resonance acceleration" technique and describe the design and construction of an apparatus which we are developing. We also present an experimental technique and some results on the formation and manipulation of cold ion packets in a strong magnetic field, which are the key innovations to detect NMR signal using the present method. We expect this novel method to lead new realm for the study of mass-selected gas-phase ions with interesting applications in both fundamental and applied sciences.

Synthesis and properties of water-soluble porphyrins bearing multidentate ligands

Water-soluble porphyrins bearing multidentate ligands were prepared by covalent binding of nitrilotriacetic acid to 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)porphyrin or three atropisomers of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(2-aminophenyl)porphyrin. The acid-base properties and monomer-dimer behavior of the porphyrins were affected by the positions of the multidentate ligands with respect to the porphyrin plane. Among the porphyrins, the porphyrin bearing multidentate ligands at the para position of the phenyl groups dimerized in an aqueous solution. The association constants of the porphyrins with various aromatic compounds were studied in water at pH 7.4 containing 10 mM HEPES at 25°C. These values varied with the structure and charges of both the porphyrins and the aromatic compounds. The association constants of the porphyrin bearing multidentate ligands at the 2-position of the phenyl groups were small compared to those of the porphyrin bearing multidentate ligands at the 4-position.

Biological significance of localized Type IV scirrhous gastric cancer

The prognosis of type IV scirrhous gastric cancer (SGC) is extremely poor. Linitis plastica (LP), the so-called 'leather bottle stomach', is believed to be a typical case of SGC, which is usually diagnosed as a far-advanced gastric cancer. The pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Although typical SGC often invades the entire stomach, atypical cases show SGC localized to one region of the stomach. The aim of the present study was to investigate localized SGC (LSGC) and its biological significance. A total of 509 patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent gastrectomy were evaluated. These patients were divided into three groups as follows: 19 patients with type IV scirrhous lesions invading the whole stomach (defined as LP), 60 patients with type IV scirrhous lesions localized in less than two thirds of the stomach (defined as LSGC) and the remaining 430 patients with all other types of gastric cancer (OGC), and then clinicopathologically compared. Results showed that LP had deeper invasion (p=0.006), more frequent peritoneal dissemination including positive cytology (p=0.01 and p=0.018) and lower curability (p=0.03) compared with LSGC, whereas LSGC showed a higher malignant potential in a number of clinicopathological factors compared with OGC. Univariate analysis showed that survival in patients with LP was significantly poorer than in those with LSGC (p=0.002) whose survival was, in turn, inferior to those with OGC. By contrast, LSGC was not a prognostic factor in SGC according to the multivariate analysis. The findings of this study suggested that the malignant status of LSGC differs from that of LP, and that curative gastrectomy is effective in improving the outcome for LSGC but not for LP, as LSGC may represent the prelinitis condition.

Solid State Amorphization of a Ni-B Alloy by Mechanical Alloying

The main purpose of this work was to investigate the possibility of solid state amorphization of Ni-B crystal powder. A Ni-B alloy powder was obtained by mechanical alloying of Ni and B powder using a conventional ball milling machine. X-ray diffraction and EXAFS measurements were made for the mechanically alloyed samples as a function of milling time. An amorphization reaction was observed in Ni64B36 at 400 h of milling time. The long range order of the crystalline Ni phase diminished with an increase of solution of B into the Ni matrix. This suggests that the solution of B atoms into the Ni crystalline phase, forced by mechanical alloying, plays an important role in the crystalamorphous transformation.

Antigen retrieval using sodium hydroxide for prion immunohistochemistry in bovine spongiform encephalopathy and scrapie

Formalin-fixed and paraffin wax-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections are usually used for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses in prion diseases in animals and man. However, formalin fixation cross-links proteins, reducing disease-associated prion protein (PrP(Sc)) immunolabelling. To detect PrP(Sc) in animals naturally affected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie, we applied minimal pretreatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). This simple pretreatment, combined with enzymatic digestion using proteinase K (PK), was equally effective in the detection of PrP(Sc) in FFPE tissue, and superior in terms of speed, compared with the usual autoclaving method. The most effective results, without any section loss, were obtained with 10 μg/ml PK in phosphate buffered saline containing 0.1% Triton-X at room temperature for 10 min and 150 mM NaOH at 60 °C for 10 min. By this simple procedure, PrP(Sc) was visualized in the brain of animals with BSE and scrapie using a range of anti-PrP primary antibodies.

Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and the risk of cardiovascular events in middle-aged non-diabetic Japanese men

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Little is known about the relationship between the HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the risk of cardiovascular events in Asian populations, which have lower levels of HOMA-IR than Western populations. Accordingly, we determined the predictive value of HOMA-IR for cardiovascular risk in a Japanese population that was apparently free of diabetes, addressing whether insulin resistance itself increases cardiovascular risk independently of other relevant metabolic disorders.

METHODS

We followed 2,548 non-diabetic men aged 35 to 59 years for 11 years. The hazard ratios for the incidence of cardiovascular events due to increased HOMA-IR were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model that was adjusted for potential confounding factors.

RESULTS

The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for cardiovascular events compared with the first quartile of HOMA-IR (<or=0.66) was 1.07 (95% CI 0.44-2.64) for the second (HOMA-IR 0.67-1.01), 1.36 (0.56-3.28) for the third (HOMA-IR 1.02-1.51) and 2.50 (1.02-6.10) for the fourth quartile (HOMA-IR >or=1.52). The hazard ratio associated with a one SD (0.61) increment in log-transformed HOMA-IR was 1.51 (1.13-2.02). A similar positive relationship was observed for coronary events and stroke. In addition, the relationship between HOMA-IR and cardiovascular risk was broadly similar in participants with and without hypertension, dyslipidaemia (elevated triacylglycerol and/or reduced HDL-cholesterol), abdominal obesity and current smoking.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Increased HOMA-IR predicted subsequent cardiovascular events in non-diabetic Japanese men. The association was independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and other relevant metabolic disorders.

Branched-chain amino acid supplementation attenuates muscle soreness, muscle damage and inflammation during an intensive training program

AIM

The aim of this paper was to assess the effects of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation on muscle soreness, muscle damage and inflammation during an intensive training program.

METHODS

Twelve long-distance runners (20 + or - 1 year-old) participated in a double-blinded crossover designed study conducted during two intensive training periods (three-day). The subjects were provided either a drink containing BCAA (0.8% BCAA in a 3.5% carbohydrate solution; 2,500 mL/day) or an isocaloric placebo drink during each training period. All subjects completed the same training program (total running distance: males: 86 km, females: 64 km), and ate the same meals during the training period. Whole body muscle soreness and fatigue sensation were measured in the morning before and during the training period by Visual Analogue Scale method. Plasma creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and granulocyte elastase (GEL) levels were measured as indicators of muscle damage and inflammation before and after the training period.

RESULTS

Muscle soreness and fatigue sensation during the training period in the BCAA trial were lower than those in the placebo trial (-32% and -24%, respectively; P<0.05). The plasma CK, LDH, and GEL levels after the training program in the BCAA trial were lower than those in the placebo trial (-21%, -6%, and -15%, respectively; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These results demonstrate that BCAA supplementation during an intensive training program effectively reduces the muscle soreness and fatigue sensation, and that the perceived changes could be attributed to the attenuation of muscle damage and inflammation.