Microbubbles for Effective Cleaning of Metal Surfaces Without Chemical Agents.

Traditional cleaning methods involving surfactants and ultrasound generate large amounts of wastewater. Microbubbles offer a more eco-friendly technology for interface cleaning. Here, we explored the efficiency of microbubbles for cleaning oil from metal surfaces. Air microbubbles at concentrations as high as 106 particles/mL were generated by hydrodynamic cavitation. Under optimal conditions, cleaning efficiencies for the removal of oil from carbon-steel and stainless-steel surfaces were 78.5 and 49.8% after 15 min, respectively, compared to only 6.5 and 9.9% without microbubbles. Additionally, combining microbubble treatment with the ultrasonic method achieved a higher efficiency than ultrasonic cleaning alone, achieving an efficiency of 85.5% after 3 min compared to 69.0%. The mechanism of microbubble cleaning was determined using a fluorescence observation system, and a model was established to describe the cleaning process. The use of microbubbles produced less emulsified oil wastewater because the oil that attaches to the microbubble surface floats with the bubbles to the surface of the cleaning water, where it can be removed, allowing for water recycling. This novel microbubble cleaning technology, which both enhances cleaning efficiency and reduces wastewater production, represents a viable and eco-friendly option for degreasing processes.

Prognostic impact of M2 macrophages at neural invasion in patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas.

BACKGROUND: Neural invasion is a characteristic pattern of invasion and an important prognostic factor for invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the pancreas. M2 macrophages have reportedly been associated with poor prognosis in various cancers. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic impact of M2 macrophages at extrapancreatic nerve plexus invasion (plx-inv) of pancreatic IDC. METHODS: Participants comprised 170 patients who underwent curative pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic IDC. Immunohistochemical examination of surgical specimens was performed by using CD204 as an M2 macrophage marker, and the area of immunopositive cells was calculated automatically. Prognostic analyses of clinicopathological factors including CD204-positive cells at plx-inv were performed. RESULTS: Plx-inv was observed in 91 patients (53.5%). Forty-eight patients showed a high percentage of CD204-positive cell area at plx-inv (plx-inv CD204%(high)). Plx-inv CD204%(high) was an independent predictor of poor outcomes for overall survival (OS) (P<0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P<0.001). Patients with plx-inv CD204%(high) showed a shorter time to peritoneal dissemination (P<0.001) and locoregonal recurrence (P<0.001). In patients who underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, plx-inv CD204%(high) was correlated with shorter OS (P=0.011) and DFS (P=0.038) in multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Plx-inv CD204%(high) was associated with shortened OS and DFS and early recurrence in the peritoneal cavity and locoregional space. The prognostic value of plx-inv CD204%(high) was also applicable to patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy. High accumulation of M2 macrophages at plx-inv represents an important predictor of poor prognosis.

[A case of curatively resected sigmoid colon cancer after mFOLFOX6 plus panitumumab neoadjuvant chemotherapy].

A 54-year-old man with residual urine, abdominal pain, and a high fever was diagnosed with KRAS wild-type sigmoid colon cancer with urinary bladder invasion. Considering the difficulty of curative resection, we first performed an ileostomy. Remarkable tumor regression was indicated by computed tomography(CT)and colonoscopy after 3 courses of mFOLFOX6 plus panitumumab. A sigmoidectomy and partial cystectomy were performed with a curative intent. Six courses of XELOX adjuvant chemotherapy were administered, and no recurrence has been observed for 9 months. mFOLFOX6 plus panitumumab might be an effective preoperative chemotherapy for patients with locally advanced KRAS wild-type colon cancer.

Impact of tumor-associated macrophages on invasive ductal carcinoma of the pancreas head.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are candidate histological factors in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the pancreas. Tumor-associated macrophages can be affected by cancer-related inflammation and pancreatitis and interact with important invasive behavior in a recurrent manner in pancreatic IDC. These features may help elucidate the aggressiveness of pancreatic IDC. The aim of this study was to characterize TAMs in pancreatic IDC in comparison with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and to reveal TAM-related factors and the clinical impact of TAMs. CD68 (a pan-macrophage marker) and CD204 (an M2 macrophage marker) immunohistochemistry was carried out in pancreas head specimens from 107 IDC cases and 11 CP cases. Immunopositive cell areas were calculated at the periphery and center of the tumor. The distributions of macrophages in IDC and CP and the relationship between TAMs and histological tumor factors, survival, and recurrence were evaluated. Macrophages were more frequently observed in the lesion periphery than the center in IDC and CP. The density of macrophages was elevated in IDC compared to CP. Dense M2 macrophages at the tumor periphery were frequently seen in large tumors and showed an independent impact on overall survival and disease-free time. Early recurrence in the liver or the local manipulated area was associated with high accumulation of peripheral M2 macrophages. More M2 macrophages were seen in IDC than in CP in both the periphery and the center. High numbers of peripheral M2 macrophages were associated with large tumor size, early recurrence in the liver, local recurrence, and shortened survival time in patients with pancreatic IDC.

Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia of the liver: literature review and 3 case reports.

Reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) is a benign non-specific lesion having an unknown etiology and pathogenesis. The lesion is found in various organs but is rare in the liver. We report 3 cases of hepatic RLH associated with an extrahepatic malignant tumor. We also provide a literature review based on a search of the PubMed database from 1983 to 2009. The 3 cases showed radiological findings similar to those for malignant tumors and all cases were misdiagnosed as malignant tumors on the basis of these findings. It is difficult to distinguish RLH from malignant or metastatic tumors on the basis of imaging findings. Hepatic RLH is a rare entity and may cause a false diagnosis of malignancy. Because RLH occurs most commonly in middle-aged females, diagnosis of a hypervascular tumor of the liver requires particular care in these patients, especially if an extrahepatic malignancy is present.

Surgical management for the reduction of postoperative hospital stay following distal pancreatectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Pancreatic fistula remains a major cause of postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing pancreatectomy and is generally difficult to cure. None of the several surgical techniques and devices available for managing pancreatic remnant have been clinically evaluated. METHODOLOGY: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 120 consecutive patients who underwent distal pancreatectomy at our institution between October 1992 and September 2009. Furthermore, we divided these cases into 3 periods based on 2 points at which we changed our surgical strategy. One was September 2004, when we introduced a stapling technique for managing remnant pancreas. The other was November 2006, when we started using a closed active drain. We evaluated the incidence of pancreatic fistula, risk factors for its development, and our strategy in the perioperative period. RESULTS: The overall and clinical pancreatic fistula rates gradually decreased but were not significant. The persistent drainage period gradually reduced from 19 days to 8 days (p=0.071) over a time period. Postoperative hospital stay was significantly reduced from 24 days to 14 days (p=0.026). CONCLUSION: Utilization of a stapling technique and closed active drain significantly reduces postoperative hospital stay.

Landmine detection method combined with backscattering neutrons and capture γ-rays from hydrogen.

The usefulness of the measurements of the backscattering neutron and 2.22MeV capture γ-ray from hydrogen in the landmine detection method is described in this paper. When the soil moisture content is increased, the reaction rates of both the neutron scattering reaction and capture reaction are increased. However, the backscattering neutrons are more influenced than the capture γ-rays by the soil moisture before the reaction with the detector. The facts that the backscattering neutron method is useful in the dry soil case and that the capture γ-ray method is effective in well-wet soil case are confirmed by the experiments and the calculations. The landmine detection efficiency is improved in various soil moisture conditions by combining the backscattering neutron method together with the capture γ-ray method. The effectiveness of the pulse mode operation was confirmed numerically.

Development of landmine detection system based on the measurement of radiation from landmines.

For the detection of landmines, a new gamma-ray detector system, a neutron source, and control and measurement devices were developed. A prototype system has newly been developed by combining these devices. The usefulness of capture gamma-ray and backscattering neutron methods is examined with real explosives in several conditions and the performance of the prototype landmine detection system is demonstrated experimentally in this study. The combination of the methods is confirmed to be sufficiently effective for application to actual landmine detection.

[A case of perforating rectal ulcer with retroperitoneal emphysema treated with conservative medical management].

A 75-year-old woman complaining of sudden lower abdominal pain, fever, and bloody stool was admitted to the hospital. Abdominal CT scan showed retroperitoneal emphysema ranging from the retrorectal space to the posterior region of the kidney, and a stool-like shadow around the rectum. It suggested rectal ulcer and conservative management was started since the general condition was not critical and abdominal pain was localized. Colonoscopy revealed a solitary ulcerative lesion on the posterior wall of rectosigmoid colon, which was considered to be perforating origin. We report a case of perforating rectal ulcer with retroperitoneal emphysema successfully treated conservatively.

Preparation of axially chiral biphenyl diphosphine ligands and their application in asymmetric hydrogenation.

Axially chiral biphenyldiphosphine ligands bearing diphenylphosphino group(s) and/or dicyclohexylphosphino group(s) were prepared in enantiomerically pure form starting from 2,6-dimethylnitrobenzene via 8 steps: iodination, reduction, methoxylation through diazotization, Ullmann coupling, bromination, phosphorylation, optical resolution, and silane reduction, and the obtained ligands were used in rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation.

Overexpression of the Wilms' tumor gene WT1 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The expression of the Wilms' tumor gene WT1 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 40 cases of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. WT1 protein was expressed in 30 (75%) of the 40 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas, but not in the remaining 10 (25%). In normal pancreatic ductal cells, WT1 protein was undetectable. No correlations between WT1 expression and clinicopathological parameters such as age, sex, T or N stage, tumor location, and tumor differentiation were observed. Treatment with WT1 antisense oligomers significantly inhibited the growth of five human pancreatic cancer cell lines, PSN1, MiaPaCa2, ASPC1, BxPC3, and PCI6, expressing the WT1 gene. These results indicate an important role of the WT1 gene in the tumorigenesis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma expressing WT1 and provide a rationale for new treatment strategies to treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma by targeting the WT1 gene and its product.

Relationship between elevated FX expression and increased production of GDP-L-fucose, a common donor substrate for fucosylation in human hepatocellular carcinoma and hepatoma cell lines.

The levels of fucosylated glycoproteins in various cancers and inflammatory processes have been a subject of intense study. The level of fucosyltransferases and intracellular GDP-L-fucose, a sugar nucleotide and a common donor substrate for all fucosyltransferases, may regulate the level of fucosylated glycoproteins. This study reports on the determination of GDP-L-fucose levels in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and surrounding tissues, using a recently established high-throughput assay system. Levels of GDP-L-fucose in HCC tissues were significantly increased compared with adjacent nontumor tissues or normal livers. The mean +/- SD for GDP-L-fucose level was 3.6 +/- 0.2 micro mol/mg in control liver, 4.6 +/- 0.9 micro mol/mg in adjacent noninvolved liver tissues (chronic hepatitis, 4.4 +/- 0.7 micro mol/mg; liver cirrhosis, 4.8 +/- 0.9 micro mol/mg), and 7.1 +/- 2.5 micro mol/mg in HCC tissues. The level of GDP-L-fucose in HCC decreased in proportion with tumor size (r = -0.675, P = 0.0002). When expression of the series of genes responsible for GDP-L-fucose synthesis was investigated, the gene expression of FX was found to be increased in 70% (7 of 10) of the HCC tissues examined compared with that in their surrounding tissues. The levels of GDP-L-fucose were positively correlated with the expression of FX mRNA (r = 0.599, P = 0.0074). The levels of FX gene expression in some human hepatoma and hepatocyte cell lines were determined. FX mRNA production was strongly increased in HepG2 and Chang liver, moderately increased in Hep3B and HLF, and, in HLE, was similar to that of a normal human liver tissue. To investigate the effect of GDP-L-fucose on core fucosylation, FX cDNA was transfected into Hep3B cells, which express a relatively low level of GDP-L-fucose:N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide alpha1-6 fucosyltransferase (alpha1-6 FucT) and FX mRNA. Transfection of this gene caused an increase in GDP-L-fucose levels as well as the extent of fucosylation on glycoproteins, including alpha-fetoprotein, as judged by reactivity to lectins. Collectively, the results herein suggest that the high level of fucosylation in HCC is dependent on a high expression of FX followed by increases in GDP-L-fucose, as well as an enhancement in alpha1-6 FucT expression. Thus, an elevation in GDP-L-fucose levels and the up-regulation of FX expression represent potential markers for HCC.

Spontaneous esophageal rupture treated with staged operations.

Spontaneous esophageal rupture is a life-threatening entity. Here, a 64-year-old male who presented with sudden onset of severe back pain was diagnosed as having an esophageal rupture to the right pleural cavity. Emergency operation was carried out 16 hours after the onset. The rupture was as large as 7 cm and the surrounding tissue was fragile and necrotic. We performed an esophagectomy as a primary salvage procedure. An esophageal reconstruction was carried out successfully 6 months after the initial operation. Staged operative strategy including esophagectomy is still an important option to treat this kind of high risk patient.

[Clinical study of weekly administration of paclitaxel for advanced and metastatic gastric cancer].

Ten cases of advanced and metastatic gastric cancer treated by weekly administration of paclitaxel were studied. The patients were 50-72 years of age, including 9 men and 1 woman. In this study, paclitaxel was administered by 1 hour intravenous infusion at a dose of 50-80 mg/m2 every week. Administration was continued for 3 weeks with 1 week rest. One to four cycles were performed at minimum. Paclitaxel was administered in 5 cases as 1st line treatment, 4 cases as 2nd line treatment and 1 case as 3rd line treatment. There were 2 partial responders and no complete responders, and the overall response rate was 20%. The response rate was 100% in liver, 100% in lung, 16% in lymphnodes, and 0% in peritonial dissemination. The clinical symptoms of pain and jaundice abated in one case, the size of the tumor decreased in one case, and a temporary decrease of ascites due to peritonial dissemination was seen in two cases. The level of tumor marker was decreased in 3 out of 10 cases. Side effects included grade 3/4 leukopenia in 10% of patients, and alopecia in 50%, but peripheral neuropathy was not observed. Weekly administration of paclitaxel appears to be well-tolerated and effective against advanced and metastatic gastric cancer.

[Clinical study of weekly paclitaxel administration for metastatic breast cancer based on time to progression (TTP) and survival].

We studied 13 women aged 29-62 years for response to weekly administration of paclitaxel for metastatic breast cancer. Paclitaxel was administered by 1-hour intravenous infusion at a dose of 60-80 mg/m2 once a week. Administration was continued for 3 weeks with a 1-week rest for at least 3 cycles. This was first-line treatment in 1 patient, second-line treatment in 7, and third-line treatment in 5. The overall response rate was 68% among 13 partial responders and there were no complete responders. By recurrence site, the response rate was 71% in the liver, 75% in the lung, 18% in bone, and 67% at local sites. Pain was ameliorated in 4 of 8 patients and local recurrence of tumors decreased in 6 of 8 cases. Tumor markers decreased in 6 of 12 cases. Time to progression reached beyond 6 months in 6 of 13 cases, and was limited to within only 3 months in 6 cases. In terms of survival, 4 of 13 patients who were treated by paclitaxel as a 3rd line treatment for liver or lung metastasis died within 3 months after administration. Weekly administration of paclitaxel appears to be effective against metastatic breast cancer. However, the selection of cases based on the timing of administration is considered to be important to prolong the time to progression and improve survival.

[A case of peritoneal metastasis of gastric cancer responding to TS-1, administered for four consecutive weeks with two-week rests].

We treated a patient with gastric cancer considered to be unresectable due to peritoneal metastasis, who responded remarkably to treatment with TS-1. The patient was a 62-year-old male. His diagnosis was gastric cancer, for which he underwent surgery on February 22, 2001. Laparotomy disclosed many nodules measuring 2-3 mm in diameter in the abdominal cavity, so rapid pathological tests were conducted during the operation. The test results indicated peritoneal metastasis from gastric cancer. Therefore, simple laparotomy was employed as the best option. On day 13 after surgery, oral administration of TS-1, bid., at a daily dose of 120 mg was commenced. In our outpatient clinic, he was given 3 courses, each comprising 4 weeks' medication and 2 weeks' discontinuation. Subsequently, upper digestive tract endoscopy was performed but only scars in the gastric vestibular area were observed. Biopsy could not detect any malignant findings. Medication was discontinued due to the patient's preference and he died of gastric cancer 10 months after operation.

[A case of gastric cancer with multiple liver metastases responding to TS-1].

We report the case of a 58-year-old male with Stage IV gastric cancer accompanied by multiple liver metastases, which responded to chemotherapy using TS-1. The patient was treated with daily oral administration of 120 mg TS-1 for 4 weeks followed by 2 weeks rest as 1 cycle. After 4 cycles, most of the liver metastases had disappeared and serum CEA level was reduced from 140 to 53.9. The patient received chemotherapy at our outpatient clinic for 9 months during which time there was no regrowth after the first treatment. The current case suggests that TS-1 may have a potent therapeutic efficacy in cases of advanced gastric cancer.

[A case report of both CAF and docetaxel-resistant breast cancer responding to paclitaxel weekly therapy].

A 58-year-old woman underwent CAF and docetaxel therapy for lung, liver and bone metastases from breast cancer operated on 14 years ago. Because of progressive disease due to secondary resistance to CAF and docetaxel, the patient was given three courses of paclitaxel therapy (60 mg/m2, day 1, 8, 15, repeated every 4 weeks). The paclitaxel weekly therapy brought about no adverse effects and remarkable effects against lung and liver metastases (PR). Although the duration of the response to the paclitaxel therapy was limited to about two months due to the progression of skull bone metastasis, paclitaxel weekly therapy may be effective against both CAF and docetaxel-resistant breast cancer.