[Cancer therapy analysis from the viewpoint of DPC data].

DPC (Diagnosis Procedure Combination), Japanese specific prospective payment system, is gradually taking root in Japan. Hospitals under this system are required to submit nationally standardized electronic data to get reimbursed. DPC data include not only information for reimbursement but also details of medical records of each patient. We have tried to investigate actual situation of cancer treatment in Japan by analyzing DPC data. In this study, we have revealed actual situation of non-small cell lung cancer treatment in both Osaka prefecture and nationwide using girasol , the DPC-analysis-system, by Medical Architects Inc. Moreover, we report the significant variations in non-small cell lung cancer chemotherapy regimens and therapy protocols between the two hospitals in Osaka prefecture.

Novel small GTPase subfamily capable of associating with tubulin is required for chromosome segregation.

The small GTPase superfamily, which includes the Ras, Rho/Rac, Rab, Arf and Ran subfamilies, serves as a signal transducer to regulate cell proliferation and differentiation, actin cytoskeleton, membrane trafficking, and nuclear transport. Here, we identify novel GTPases (human Gie1 and Gie2) that form a distinct subfamily of the small GTPases in terms of their sequences and intracellular function. Gie stands for 'novel GTPase indispensable for equal segregation of chromosomes', and this subfamily is conserved in multicellular organisms. Expression of dominant-negative Gie mutants in mammalian cells or knockdown of Gie transcripts using RNA interference in Drosophila S2 cells induced abnormal morphology in the chromosome segregation. Gie protein has ability to bind to tubulin and localizes with microtubules on the spindle mid-zone in late mitosis. Furthermore, overexpression of Gie mutants that lack putative effector domains but have tubulin-binding ability induced micronucleus formation. Thus, this is the first report showing that a small GTPase subfamily capable of associating with microtubules might be involved in chromosome segregation.