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This paper reports the results of a validation process for particle analysis of environmental samples for nuclear safeguards using small geometry-secondary ion mass spectrometry. An analytical method was established for particle recovery, particle search, and uranium isotope analysis. Test samples containing uranium and sediment materials were analyzed using the method, and two groups of particles containing low-enriched uranium with 235 U contents in proximity were resolved. The method was validated for environmental analysis using a set of field samples. The results were consistent with previously reported values. The validated method will contribute to the pursuit of global nuclear non-proliferation.

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are a new class of cytostatic agents available for the treatment of various cancers and diseases. Although numerous clinical and pre-clinical trials on the anticancer effects of panobinostat have been conducted, only a few reports have investigated its efficacy in gastric cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of panobinostat in gastric cancer cells. Panobinostat significantly inhibited the cell viability and proliferation of the gastric cancer cell lines SNU484 and SNU638 in a dose-dependent manner; it reduced the colony-forming ability of these cells. Moreover, it induced apoptosis as indicated by increased protein levels of cleaved poly ADP-ribose polymerase and cleaved caspase-3. Panobinostat induced the G2/M cell cycle arrest in SNU484 and SNU638 cells and subsequently decreased the G2/M phase regulatory-associated protein expression of p-Wee1, Myt1, and Cdc2. Furthermore, panobinostat significantly inhibited the metastasis of SNU484 and SNU638 cells by regulating the expression of MMP-9 and E-cadherin. Further, it decreased the protein levels of p-Akt and forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1). These effects were reversed by the Akt agonist SC79 and were accelerated by the Akt inhibitor LY2940002. Moreover, tumor growth in xenograft animal experiments was suppressed by panobinostat. These results indicated that panobinostat inhibits the proliferation, metastasis, and cell cycle progression of gastric cancer cells by promoting apoptosis and inactivating Akt/FOXM1 signaling. Cumulatively, our present study suggests that panobinostat is a potential drug for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Individuals diagnosed with advanced cancer often experience stress and depression, factors linked to worse survival. Curability belief—defined as the hope and expectation of cure through treatment, based on affective forecasting—may differ from the patient’s actual life expectancy (i.e., likelihood estimation) and has shown variable associations with cancer survival. In this study, multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to examine the effect of curability belief and depression on 1-year survival after adjustment for physical factors. Additionally, regularized partial correlations among physical and psychological factors were assessed using mixed graphical models to elucidate their roles in mediating the relationship between curability belief and 1-year survival. This multi-center cohort study, conducted across 13 tertiary hospitals (including four ranked among the ‘World’s Best Specialized Hospitals 2025’ in oncology), involved 382 adults with stage IV advanced cancer and an oncologist-estimated survival of more than 6 months. Baseline data included demographics, primary tumor site, number of metastatic sites, symptom burdens (EORTC QLQ-C15-PAL), performance status (ECOG-PS), depression levels (PHQ-9), anti-cancer treatment type, patient’s life expectancy estimation, and curability belief. Follow-up data included 1-year survival and end-of-life care (place of death) for deceased patients. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for curability belief, depression, and their interaction on 1-year survival, adjusting for significant demographic and clinical factors from univariate Cox regressions. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to plot survival probability by curability belief and depression interaction. Mixed graphical models estimated regularized partial correlations among 1-year survival, curability belief, patient’s life expectancy, depression, primary tumor site, anti-cancer treatment type, performance status, and symptom burden. In terms of healthcare utilization, patients with curability belief were more likely to receive standard or advanced anti-cancer therapy, while those without curability belief tended to suspend or discontinue therapy ( P  < 0.001). Among patients who did not survive the 1-year follow-up (N = 161), end-of-life care settings differed significantly between those with curability belief (predominantly nursing homes and home settings) and those without (primarily hospice and tertiary/secondary hospitals; P  = 0.036). In multivariate Cox regression, curability belief ( P  = 0.003), depression (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10; P  = 0.003), and their interaction ( P  = 0.040) were significantly associated with 1-year survival, after adjusting for sex, residential area, primary tumor site, performance status, anti-cancer treatment type, and symptom burdens (fatigue and appetite loss). The relationship between curability belief and 1-year survival was significant only in patients without depression [PHQ-9 score < 10; aHR (95% CI) = 2.20 (1.31–3.70); P  = 0.003]. In the mixed graphical model, node predictability values for curability belief, depression, and 1-year survival were 0.68, 0.50, and 0.70, respectively, with curability belief showing partial correlations with depression ( r  = 0.30) and patients’ life expectancy ( r  = 0.20); depression correlated with fatigue ( r  = 0.53), anorexia ( r  = 0.16), life expectancy ( r  = 0.24), performance status ( r  = 0.23), and curability belief; and 1-year survival correlated with suspended/stopped anti-cancer treatment ( r  = 0.45), primary tumor site ( r  = 0.24), and performance status ( r  = 0.15). Partial correlations of performance status with depression and discontinued treatment mediated the association between curability belief and 1-year survival. Curability belief among stage IV advanced cancer patients with an oncologist-estimated survival of over 6 months was associated with depression levels and patients’ perceived life expectancy estimations. Performance status, depression, and anti-cancer treatment status mediate the relationship between curability belief and improved 1-year survival in patients without depression. Further research using longitudinal modeling of depression, performance status, and healthcare utilization, with curability belief and primary tumor site as covariates, is warranted. Trial registration: Clinical Trial Number (ClinicalTrials.gov): NCT03222258; Study Registration Dates (First submitted: 2017-06-05; First submitted following the QC criteria: 2017-07-16; First posted: 2017-07-19).

An intramural gastric abscess is a rare condition often mistaken for other medical diseases such as gastric cancer and neoplasms. We present a case of a patient initially believed to have pancreatic cancer based on his computed tomography scan. The clinical diagnosis of locally advanced gastric cancer was made on subsequent magnetic resonance cholangiography and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS). However, several EUS-guided biopsies did not reveal malignant cells. A partial gastrectomy was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The specimen showed only inflammatory cells, without any malignant cells. The final diagnosis was gastric wall abscess (GWA) that infiltrated and adhered to the adjacent tissues. This case reminds that physicians should include GWA as a differential diagnosis in the suspicion of gastric cancer. Although GWA is rare, it is often forgotten when focusing on the possibility of fatal cancer.

PurposeA caregiver’s prognostic awareness can affect clinical decisions for the patient. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of family caregivers’ prognostic awareness on the quality of life (QOL) and emotional state of both patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers.MethodsThis prospective cohort study was conducted from December of 2016 to January of 2018. A total of 159 patients with advanced cancer and an equal number of caregivers participated. The investigation tools used include the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C15-Palliative, the McGill Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and evaluation was performed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Covariance analysis with a general linear modeling was used to compare changes in quality of life scores according to the caregivers’ awareness of the prognosis.ResultsMean patient overall QOL score increased in the group of caregivers who were aware of prognosis and decreased in the caregivers who were not aware of the prognosis (p = 0.018). The changes over time in the patients’ QOL scores associated with symptoms improved with caregiver awareness (pain, p = 0.017; dyspnea, p = 0.048; appetite loss, p = 0.045). The percentage of depressed patients was smaller after 3 months in the group with caregivers aware of the prognosis (baseline to 3 months p = 0.028). Caregivers who did not understand their patients’ prognosis exhibited better existential well-being (p = 0.036), and the incidence of depression was lower in this group at 3 months (p = 0.024).ConclusionCaregivers’ prognostic awareness may improve the quality of life and mood in patients with advanced cancer; however, this awareness may harm the quality of life and mood of the caregivers. These results may aid in developing in-depth interventions regarding prognosis for both patients and their caregivers.

Pesticides are emergent toxins often identified in aquatic environments. In the present study, microplasma was employed to reduce the pesticide content in water. The degradation efficacy, rate, and pathways of standard organophosphorus pesticides (namely, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos oxone, and diazinone) and an organochlorine pesticide (namely, DDT solution) were evaluated using microplasma. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was performed to elucidate the degradation efficiency of pesticides as a function of plasma-produced substances that originally contributed to the main reduction procedure. Microplasma produces several types of radicals or reactive substances, for instance dissolved ozone (O 3 ), nitrogen oxides, hydroxyl radicals (OH radicals), and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ). The removal potential differs due to the existence or absence of varieties of plasma-produced substances. The functions of major plasma-produced species on pesticide removal were determined by a passive technique. Nitrogen oxides showed a key role in organophosphorus pesticide removal, whereas dissolved ozone and OH radicals played major roles in DDT degradation. HPLC data showed that plasma-induced pesticide removal showed first-order reaction kinetics. The pesticide removal pathways through microplasma were validated by investigating the achieved data from LC-MS and GC-MS.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of early risk stratification in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) using interim Deauville score on positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) scan and baseline International Prognostic Index (IPI). This retrospective study included 220 patients (median age, 64 years; men, 60%) diagnosed with DLBCL between 2007 and 2016 at our institution, treated with rituximab-based chemotherapy. Interim PET-CT was performed after three cycles of immuno-chemotherapy. Interim Deauville score was assessed as 4 or 5 in 49 patients (22.3%), and 94 patients (42.7%) had high-intermediate or high-risk IPI scores. In multivariate analysis, interim Deauville score (1–3 and 4–5) and baseline IPI (low/low-intermediate and high-intermediate/high) were independently associated with progression-free survival (for Deauville score, hazard ratio [HR], 1.00 vs. 2.96 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.83–4.78], P < 0.001; for IPI, HR, 1.00 vs. 4.84 [95% CI, 2.84–8.24], P < 0.001). We stratified patients into three groups: low-risk (interim Deauville scores 1–3 and low/low-intermediate IPI), intermediate-risk (Deauville scores 1–3 with high-intermediate/high IPI or Deauville scores 4–5 with low/low-intermediate IPI), and high-risk (Deauville scores 4–5 and high-intermediate/high IPI). This early risk stratification showed a strong association with progression-free survival (HR, 1.00 vs. 3.98 [95% CI 2.10–7.54] vs. 13.97 [95% CI 7.02–27.83], P < 0.001). Early risk stratification using interim Deauville score and baseline IPI predicts the risk of disease progression or death in patients with DLBCL. Our results provide guidance with interim PET-driven treatment intensification strategies.

Background Drug-induced nephrotic syndrome (NS) can be resolved by eliminating the causative agents. However, patients with metastatic cancer have not been previously reported to achieve complete recovery from anticancer drug-induced NS after discontinuation of treatment, because many patients die of cancer progression before NS is restored. Case presentation A 67-year-old man presented with edema of both lower extremities. He received pazopanib therapy for recurrent metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) for 17 months. Laboratory examinations revealed 7484.58 mg/day of 24-h urine protein, 434 mg/dL of serum cholesterol, and 2.9 g/dL of serum albumin. He was diagnosed with NS, and pazopanib treatment was discontinued. Four months later, he completely recovered from NS. He was then treated with temsirolimus and nivolumab sequentially for > 26 months. Pazopanib was re-introduced following disease progression, and demonstrated antitumor effects for 7 months without NS recurrence. Conclusion Pazopanib-induced NS can occur late in patients with mRCC, and its subsequent discontinuation can enable patients to completely recover from its adverse effects. Moreover, pazopanib treatment may be re-introduced without the recurrence of NS.

The fructus of Schrader (Chenopodiaceae) is a traditional herbal medicine that has been used for treating gonorrhea and dermatitis. We investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of three marker compounds, including 20-hydroxyecdysone, momordin Ic, and oleanolic acid, from the fructus of . The simultaneous analysis of three components was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography and high-performance thin-layer chromatography. We evaluated the anti-inflammatory effects of the nine marker compounds by determining their anti-inflammatory activities in the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Among three marker compounds, momordin Ic, but not 20-hydroxyecdysone and oleanolic acid, had inhibitory effects on the production of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-treated RAW264.7 macrophages. The effects of three marker compounds on prostaglandin E (PGE ) were also evaluated. All three compounds significantly reduced PGE production in LPS-treated cells. We suggest that momordin Ic is the most potent phytochemical of the fructus of as an anti-inflammatory agent. Simultaneous analysis of three phenylpropanoids in the was established using HPLC-PDA systemThe momordin Ic had inhibitory effects on production of inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-treated RAW264.7 macrophagesThe momordin Ic, 20-hydroxyecdysone, and oleanolic acid significantly reduced PGE2 production in LPS-treated cells. HPLC: High-performance liquid chromatography; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor alpha; IL-6: Interleukin-6; PGE : Pro-inflammatory mediator prostaglandin E ; LPS: Lipopolysaccharide.

Ursolic acid (UA) possesses various pharmacological activities, such as antitumorigenic and anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of UA against esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (TE-8 cells and TE-12 cells). The cell viability assay showed that UA decreased the viability of ESCC in a dose-dependent manner. In the soft agar colony formation assay, the colony numbers and size were reduced in a dose-dependent manner after UA treatment. UA caused the accumulation of vacuoles and LC3 puncta, a marker of autophagosome, in a dose-dependent manner. Autophagy induction was confirmed by measuring the expression levels of LC3 and p62 protein in ESCC cells. UA increased LC3-II protein levels and decreased p62 levels in ESCC cells. When autophagy was hampered using 3-methyladenine (3-MA), the effect of UA on cell viability was reversed. UA also significantly inhibited protein kinase B (Akt) activation and increased p-Akt expression in a dose-dependent manner in ESCC cells. Accumulated LC3 puncta by UA was reversed after wortmannin treatment. LC3-II protein levels were also decreased after treatment with Akt inhibitor and wortmannin. Moreover, UA treatment increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in ESCC in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Diphenyleneiodonium (an ROS production inhibitor) blocked the ROS and UA induced accumulation of LC3-II levels in ESCC cells, suggesting that UA-induced cell death and autophagy are mediated by ROS. Therefore, our data indicate that UA inhibits the growth of ESCC cells by inducing ROS-dependent autophagy.