Establishment and characterization of TK-ALCL1: a novel NPM-ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma cell line

TK-ALCL1, a novel anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL) cell line, was established from the primary tumor site of a 59-year-old Japanese male patient. The immune profile of TK-ALCL1 corresponds to that seen typically in primary ALCL cells, i.e., positive for ALK, CD30, EMA, and CD4, but negative for CD2, CD3, CD5, CD8a, and EBV-related antigens. The rearrangement of the T cell receptor-gamma locus shows that TK-ALCL1 is clonally derived from T-lineage lymphoid cells. FISH and RT-PCR analysis revealed that TK-ALCL1 has the nucleophosmin (NPM)-ALK fusion transcript, which is typical for ALK+ ALCL cell lines. When TK-ALCL1 was subcutaneously inoculated into 6-week-old BALB/c Rag2-/-/Jak3-/- (BRJ) mice, it formed tumor masses within 4-6 weeks. Morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular genetic investigations confirmed that the xenograft and the original ALCL tumor were identical. The ALK inhibitors Alectinib and Lorlatinib suppressed proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, TK-ALCL1 provides a useful in vitro and in vivo model for investigation of the biology of ALK+ ALCL and of novel therapeutic approaches targeting ALK.

Epidemiologic Survey of Myxofibrosarcoma Using Data from the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Registry in Japan

BACKGROUND

Myxofibrosarcoma is a common sarcoma among older patients, with locally infiltrative behavior and a predilection for local postoperative recurrence. Some studies have reported the factors affecting prognosis, although only a few have mentioned the previous staging classification systems. This study investigated the clinical overview and prognosis of myxofibrosarcoma to determine the optimal treatment.

METHODS

This retrospective study analyzed the records of 349 patients with myxofibrosarcoma in the nationwide Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Registry in Japan from 2006 to 2015. Clinical features, treatment options, and patient outcomes were investigated.

RESULTS

Ultimately, 349 patients were identified. The overall survival rates were 93.1% at 2 years and 84.3% at 5 years. A multivariate analysis was performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. The study identified four significant prognostic factors for survival: tumor size, depth, compartment status, and location. The prognostic score was calculated by summing the scores of all the factors. The overall survival rate was 69.3% at 5 years for the patients with prognostic scores of 6 or higher. Conversely, the patients with prognostic scores of 2 or lower had a survival rate of 95.6% at 5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Among myxofibrosarcomas, those larger than 5 cm, deep-seated, invaded into the external compartment, or in axial body parts were associated with a significantly worse prognosis. Adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy did not contribute significantly to a better prognosis. Previous staging classification systems are impractical for prognosis prediction. Therefore, new classifications are needed. Further research on new treatment methods for patients with a poor prognosis will be crucial in the future.

Active fast ion charge exchange measurements using a neutral particle analyzer and multiple beam species in C-2W

In order to measure the fast ion using neutral particle analyzers (NPAs) in the low neutral density core region of a magnetic confinement fusion device, active change exchange measurements are often performed using a neutral beam (NB) as a charge-exchange (CX) target. One of the complications with this approach is that an NB injected as a CX target can also contribute to the total fast ion source. C-2W has a unique solution to this difficulty in that it is equipped with both eight NB injectors, which can inject beams of different particle species, and an electro-magnetic NPA (EM-NPA), which can measure multiple ion species simultaneously. This enables the active and passive fast ion CX components to be clearly distinguished. The decrease in amplitude of the CX spectra when a hydrogen NB is terminated was clearly observed by the EM-NPA in both hydrogen and deuterium channels. This reduction of observed fast ion flux was mainly caused by the diminished fast ion source, not crosstalk or a general reduction in fast ion confinement. As an example application of this technique on C-2W, fast ion behavior during a periodic density drop is explored. The large difference between the active and passive CX components of the EM-NPA signals clearly demonstrates the usefulness of the active fast ion CX measurement.

Establishment and characterization of a novel patient-derived Ewing sarcoma cell line, NCC-ES2-C1

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a small round cell sarcoma that is characterized by the unique gene translocation EWSR1-FLI1. It is the second most common primary bone and soft tissue malignancy in children and adolescents. It constitutes 10-15% of all bone sarcomas and is highly aggressive and rapidly recurring. Although intensive treatments have improved the clinical outcome of ES patients, 20-25% of them exhibit metastases during diagnosis. Thus, the prognoses of these patients remain poor. Cell lines are pivotal resources to investigate the molecular background of disease progression and to develop novel therapeutic modalities. In this study, we established and characterized a novel ES cell line, NCC-ES2-C1. The presence of the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion gene in these cells was confirmed in the NCC-ES2-C1 cells. Furthermore, these cells exhibited constant proliferation, and invasion, but did not form tumors in mice. We screened the anti-tumor effects of 214 anti-cancer drugs in NCC-ES2-C1 cells and found that the drugs which effectively reduced the proliferation of NCC-ES2-C1 cells. We concluded that NCC-ES2-C1 cells are a useful resource to study functions of the EWSR1-FLI1 fusion gene, investigate phenotypic changes caused by genes and proteins, and evaluate the anti-tumor effects of novel drugs.

Neutron-induced signal on the single crystal chemical vapor deposition diamond-based neutral particle analyzer

A diamond-based neutral particle analyzer (DNPA) array composed of single-crystal chemical vapor deposition (sCVD) diamond detectors was installed on the Large Helical Device (LHD) for measuring the helically trapped energetic particles. In high neutron flux experiments, the unwanted neutron-induced pulse counting rate should be estimated using the neutron diagnostics because a diamond detector is sensitive to neutrons as well as energetic neutral particles. In order to evaluate the quantitative neutron-induced pulse counting rate on the DNPA, the response functions of the sCVD diamond detector for mono-energetic neutrons were obtained using accelerator-based D-D and D-⁷Li neutron sources in Fast Neutron Laboratory (FNL). As a result of the neutron flux estimation by the Monte Carlo N-Particle code at the NPA position in the LHD and the response function obtained in the FNL experiment, the counting rate of the neutron-induced signal was predicted to be 1.1 kcps for the source neutron emission rate of S_n = 1 × 10¹⁵ n/s. In the LHD experiment, the neutron-induced signals were observed by closing the gate valve during the plasma discharges. It is found that the counting rates of the neutron-induced signals proportional to S_n reached 1.1 kcps at S_n = 1 × 10¹⁵ n/s. As a result of the quantitative estimation of the neutron-induced signals on the DNPA using other neutron measurements, it has become possible to accurately measure energetic neutral particles in the high neutron flux experiment.

Performance of the newly installed vertical neutron cameras for low neutron yield discharges in the Large Helical Device

Two new vertical neutron cameras characterized by high detection efficiency were developed on the Large Helical Device in order to observe poloidal structures of helically trapped beam ions created by the perpendicularly injected positive-ion based neutral beam (P-NB) and are newly operated since 2018. In this work, the neutron fields at the vertical neutron cameras are investigated using the Monte Carlo N-particle transport code to evaluate the performance of its collimators. The results indicate that neutrons are attenuated by the heavy concrete and are well collimated through the collimator to detectors. Neutron spectra at the detector position show over 99% of uncollided 2.45 MeV neutrons. Time evolution of neutron emission profiles during the short pulse of P-NB injection is measured by the vertical neutron cameras. Peaks on the neutron emission profiles corresponding to the helically trapped beam ion are successfully obtained, as designed. The decrease in line integrated neutron flux at the peak positions after the P-NB stops is consistent with the behavior of the total neutron emission rate measured by the neutron flux monitor.

Extension of high power deuterium operation of negative ion based neutral beam injector in the large helical device

Second deuterium operation of the negative ion based neutral beam injector was performed in 2018 in the large helical device. The electron and ion current ratio improves to I_e/I_acc(D) = 0.31 using the short extraction gap distance of 7 mm between the plasma grid (PG) and the extraction grid (EG). The strength of the magnetic field by the electron deflection magnet installed in the EG increases by 17% at the PG ingress surface, which effectively reduces the electron component in the negative ion rich plasma in the vicinity of PG apertures. The reduction of the electron current made it possible to operate at a high power arc discharge and beam extraction. Then, the deuterium negative ion current increases to 55.4 A with the averaged current density of 233 A/m². The thermal load on the EG using 7 mm gap distance is 0.6 times smaller than the thermal load using a 8 mm gap caused by the reduction of coextracted electron current. The injection beam power increases to 2.9 MW in the beam line BL3, and the total beam injection power increases to 7 MW by three beam lines in the second deuterium campaign.

Development of a dual beamlet monitor system for negative ion beam measurements

To evaluate negative ion beam properties, a dual beamlet monitor system has been developed. The dual beamlet monitor system has two diagnostics in one hexagonal box. One diagnostic is a "fast beamlet monitor" for measuring the time evolution of beamlet current profiles with the time resolution of up to 25 MHz. The other diagnostic is a "pepper-pot-type phase space analyzer," which is applied for the evaluation of a phase space structure of the negative ion beamlet. The dual beamlet monitor system is applied to the measurement of the beamlet in the Neutral Beam Test Stand at National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS-NBTS), in which the beam accelerator is almost identical to those of working beam injectors in the large helical device. It is demonstrated that the overlapping components from the neighboring beamlet can be eliminated, and the phase space structure can be obtained for the single beamlet.

The first report of human meningitis and pyogenic ventriculitis caused by Streptococcus suis: A case report

Streptococcus suis, a gram-positive facultative anaerobe commonly found in pigs, is an emerging zoonotic pathogen. Herein, we describe a case of a 45-year-old male Japanese meat wholesaler with S. suis meningitis and pyogenic ventriculitis. S. suis was isolated from his blood and cerebrospinal fluid culture, and sequence type (ST) and serotype were confirmed to be ST1 and serotype 2, respectively, by multilocus sequence typing and the Quellung reaction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed right labyrinthitis and pyogenic ventriculitis. The patient was treated with ceftriaxone and ampicillin for 24 days; the treatment was deemed successful based on negative blood cultures on day 4. However, the patient experienced hearing loss and a vestibular nerve disorder. S. suis is a rare pathogen in Japan but can cause severe infection and sequelae. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a human case of pyogenic ventriculitis caused by S. suis. Our findings suggest that S. suis infection should be considered when hearing impairment is present in a patient with bacterial infection and that MRI can help detect ventriculitis, which can necessitate a prolonged treatment duration.

Electron cyclotron beam measurement system in the Large Helical Device

In order to evaluate the electron cyclotron (EC) heating power inside the Large Helical Device vacuum vessel and to investigate the physics of the interaction between the EC beam and the plasma, a direct measurement system for the EC beam transmitted through the plasma column was developed. The system consists of an EC beam target plate, which is made of isotropic graphite and faces against the EC beam through the plasma, and an IR camera for measuring the target plate temperature increase by the transmitted EC beam. This system is applicable to the high magnetic field (up to 2.75 T) and plasma density (up to 0.8 × 10(19) m(-3)). This system successfully evaluated the transmitted EC beam profile and the refraction.

Development of multi-channel Doppler spectroscopic measurement system using 8 × 8 multianode photomultiplier tube assembly

Using an 8 × 8 channel photomultiplier tube assembly and a single Czerny-Turner monochromator, we have developed a novel Doppler spectroscopic system which can measure the time evolutions of spectral distribution of plasma emission from eight different lines of sight simultaneously. An optical lens system is employed to couple the output of the monochromator with the detector assembly, resulting in small cross-talks less than 5% in spatial distribution together with large magnification of up to 50 in wavelength direction. The suggested system yields cost-effective polychromatic measurements of eight spatial channels with uniform optical and electrical characteristics.

Development of effective power supply using electric double layer capacitor for static magnetic field coils in fusion plasma experiments

A cost-effective power supply for static magnetic field coils used in fusion plasma experiments has been developed by application of an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). A prototype EDLC power supply system was constructed in the form of a series LCR circuit. Coil current of 100 A with flat-top longer than 1 s was successfully supplied to an equilibrium field coil of a fusion plasma experimental apparatus by a single EDLC module with capacitance of 30 F. The present EDLC power supply has revealed sufficient performance for plasma confinement experiments whose discharge duration times are an order of several seconds.

[Improvement of detection of early CT signs in hyperacute stroke using a novel noise reduction filter]

PURPOSE

In the diagnosis of hyperacute stroke, an early CT sign such as the loss of gray-white matter interface may be difficult to detect within the first hours of the onset of symptoms because of the presence of quantum noise on CT images. We present a method for improving the detection of early CT sign, and to evaluate whether our method can help radiologists detect the early CT signs at emergency CT scan.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Our method provides an adaptive partial median filter (APMF), which can reduce local noise without blurring of anatomical structure using variable filter shape and size according to the pixel value distribution of object around a center pixel. The APMF can enhance the loss of gray-white matter interface due to hyperacute stroke. Twenty-six patients with early CT signs at the lentiform nucleus and/or the cortical ribbon and 49 control subjects were included in an observer study. The CT images of 26 patients with acute (<5 hours) middle cerebral artery territory infarction were proved with follow-up CT. The APMF was applied to all the CT images. Four radiologists, without and with applying the APMF, indicated their confidence level regarding the presence (or absence) of the early CT signs on each CT images. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were calculated to evaluate the observers' performance.

RESULTS

A 78% noise reduction with the APMF was obtained from simulation. The average area under the ROC curve (Az) was improved from 0.868 to 0.924 for all radiologists by applying the APMF to the original images. The difference in Az values with and without the APMF was statistically significant with a P value of .002 for all radiologists.

CONCLUSION

Our proposed APMF can improve the visibility of gray-white matter interface. As a result, the APMF can help radiologists detect the early CT signs at emergency CT scan.

Brain lateralization for mismatch response to across- and within-category change of vowels

Differences in hemispheric predominance between across- and within-category change perception of vowels were assessed using a whole-head magnetoencephalography. The magnetic mismatch responses (MMNm) to pure-tone and vowel within-category changes were significantly predominant in the right hemisphere; on the other hand, vowel across-category MMNm did not differ in power between hemispheres. The results suggest that both hemispheres are symmetrically activated in the preattentive across-category change perception of vowels, while the within-category change of a vowel is analyzed as the change in physical features of the stimuli, thus predominantly activating the right hemisphere. Thus, the relative contribution of the left auditory cortex in the preattentive speech processing may occur only at the level of perception of the vowel across-category change.

Impaired suppression of processing in schizophrenic patients suggested by ERPs obtained in a selective attention task

In the present study, we focused on the ability of suppression of processing in schizophrenic patients, using event-related potentials (ERPs) recorded during a selective attention task. During the task, subjects were required to focus on one ear, counting deviant stimuli, those deviating in duration from a sequence of standard stimuli. We compared amplitude data of two positive components differing in latency elicited by standard stimuli, which reflect suppression of stimulus processing, between schizophrenic patients and normal controls. Significant between-group differences were obtained specifically in the right ear attended condition, suggesting impaired suppression of processing in schizophrenics mediated in the left hemisphere.

Electrophysiological evidence for sequential activation of multiple brain regions during the auditory selective attention process in humans

In an attempt to examine dynamic involvement of multiple brain regions in the auditory selective attention process, negative difference wave (Nd) generators were assessed using a high-resolution EEG system (128ch) and scalp current density (SCD) analysis. Ten normal volunteers participated in the study. Event-related potentials were recorded during a selective attention task. Sequential SCD mappings revealed that current sinks were located in the bilateral temporal regions at 160 ms subsequent to the onset of stimuli, shifting the dipole orientation more tangentially to the scalp at around 220 ms. Moreover, a current sink was demonstrated in the midfrontal region at around 320 ms. These findings confirm that different cortical regions are sequentially involved in the auditory selective attention process.

Interactions of transthyretin (TTR) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) in the uptake of retinol by primary rat hepatocytes

The mechanism by which cells take up retinol from retinol-binding protein (RBP) and the role of the RBP-transthyretin (TTR) complex remain unclear. Here we report on retinol uptake through the RBP-TTR complex by primary cultured rat hepatocytes (parenchymal cells, PC) and nonparenchymal cells (NPC) following incubation with [3H]retinol-RBP or the [3H]retinol-RBP-TTR complex under several conditions. The cellular accumulation of retinol was time and temperature dependent in both PC and NPC. Analysis by HPLC showed that the incorporated [3H]retinol in NPC was mainly converted to retinyl ester, although in PC it remained mainly as unesterified retinol. However, the amount of retinol taken up from the RBP-TTR complex was nearly twofold greater than that from RBP alone. The uptake of [3H]retinol from protein-bound retinol was inhibited by an excess of either retinol-RBP or retinol-RBP-TTR complex. Moreover, retinol uptake through the RBP-TTR complex was inhibited by an excess of free TTR. From these results we postulate that TTR may take part as a positive regulator in the delivery of RBP-bound retinol from plasma, possibly by a membrane receptor, and that retinol uptake takes place preferentially from the RBP-TTR complex into both PC and NPC. The uptake of [3H]retinol (2 microM) by PC was saturated, whereas uptake by NPC was not. These results indicate that the physiological importance of TTR in retinol delivery may be especially important to vitamin A-storing stellate (Ito) cells in the NPC fraction.

Monoclonal antibody raised by sera of athymic mice bearing human lung cancer xenografts

A monoclonal antibody, NCC-LU-165 (IgM, k), was obtained by somatic cell hybridization between mouse myeloma cells (P3-X63-Ag8-U1) and spleen cells of an immunocompetent mouse (BALB/c, nu/+) immunized with sera of immunodeficient athymic mice (BALB/c, nu/nu) bearing human giant cell lung cancer xenografts (Lu65). Immunohistochemically, the antibody was reactive with most nonsmall cell carcinoma of the lung. It also reacted with adenocarcinoma of the stomach, colon, pancreas and breast. Antigens were detected in sera of athymic mice bearing human lung cancer xenografts and in cell-free conditioned media of Lu65 cells by a sandwich enzyme immunoassay. This immunization method may be useful to raise monoclonal antibodies that detect circulating tumor-associated antigen.