A Voltage Source Single-Ended High Frequency Edge Resonant Inverter with Tube Type Dielectric Barrier Discharge Lamp for Liquid Crystal Backlight

Kentaro Fujita,Hidekazu Muraoka,Tarek Ahmed,Eiji Hiraki,Mutsuo Nakaoka,Hyun Woo Lee,Kazunori Nishimura 전력전자학회 2004 ICPE(ISPE)논문집 Vol.- No.-

This paper presents two types of high frequency resonant inverters using power MOSFETs for driving the next generation rare gas fluorescent lamp based on the dielectric barrier discharge phenomenon for liquid crystal backlight in personal computer and car navigation equipment, which has no harmful influence for environment and human body. The high frequency resonant inverters, which include the royer type parallel resonant class D high frequency inverter using two power switches and class E edge resonant high frequency inverter using a single power switch, one is generally used as a light source driver and the other is newly introduced for the purpose of high efficiency and low cost in total system. The experimental performances are comparatively evaluated from the viewpoints of performance evaluations in these resonant<br/> inverters, are discussed as compared with the royer type and class E type high frequency resonant inverters. Moreover, this paper discusses wide and linear control characteristics on the basis of Pulse Density Modulation (PDM) control scheme for voltage source class E edge-resonant inverter.

High-energy Magnetic Excitations in Underdoped La1.90Sr0.10CuO4

Kentaro Sato,Masato Matsuura,Masaki Fujita,Ryoichi Kajimoto,Sungdae Ji,Kazuhiko Ikeuchi,Mitsutaka Nakamura,Yasuhiro Inamura,Masatoshi Arai,Masanori Enoki,Kazuyoshi Yamada 한국물리학회 2013 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.62 No.12

We measured the magnetic excitations in underdoped (UD) La1.90Sr0.10CuO4 by using inelasticneutron scattering over a wide energy range. We succeeded in observing the high-energy excitationsup to '160 meV. Hour-glass-like magnetic excitation, which is commonly seen in the superconductingphase of cuprate oxides, was confirmed. The Ecross (the energy where the dispersion is closestto the ( 12 , 12 ) reciprocal position) of 40 meV follows a linear relation between Ecross and the dopedhole concentration in the UD region. From the dispersion of high-energy excitations above Ecross,we successfully found an effective nearest neighbor interaction (Jeff ) of 102 ± 2 meV. This Jeff issmaller than the nearest neighbor interaction J(=132 meV) in the parent compound La2CuO4,indicating a reduction of Jeff by hole-doping.

Feasibility of Endoscopic Papillary Large Balloon Dilation in Patients with Difficult Bile Duct Stones without Dilatation of the Lower Part of the Extrahepatic Bile Duct

( Yuji Fujita ),( Akito Iwasaki ),( Takamitsu Sato ),( Toshio Fujisawa ),( Yusuke Sekino ),( Kunihiro Hosono ),( Nobuyuki Matsuhashi ),( Kentaro Sakamaki ),( Atsushi Nakajima ),( Kensuke Kubota ) 대한소화기학회 2017 Gut and Liver Vol.11 No.1

Background/Aims: There is no consensus for using endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) in patients without dilatation of the lower part of the bile duct (DLBD). We evaluated the feasibility and safety of EPLBD for the removal of difficult bile duct stones (diameter ≥10 mm) in patients without DLBD. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 209 patients who underwent EPLBD for the removal of bile duct stones from October 2009 to July 2014. Primary outcomes were the clearance rate and additional mechanical lithotripsy. Secondary outcomes were the incidence of complications and recurrence rate. Results: Fiftyseven patients had DLBD (27.3%), and 152 did not have DLBD (72.7%). There were no significant differences in the overall success rate or the use of mechanical lithotripsy. Success rate during the first session and procedure time were better in the DLBD than the without-DLBD group (75.7% vs 66.7%, 48.1±23.0 minutes vs 58.4±31.7 minutes, respectively). As for complications, there were no significant differences in the incidence of pancreatitis, perforation or bleeding after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The recurrence rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: EPLBD is a useful and safe method for common bile duct stone removal in patients without DLBD. (Gut Liver 2017;11:149-155)

Firmicutes in Gut Microbiota Correlate with Blood Testosterone Levels in Elderly Men

Matsushita Makoto,Fujita Kazutoshi,Motooka Daisuke,Hatano Koji,Hata Junya,Nishimoto Mitsuhisa,Banno Eri,Takezawa Kentaro,Fukuhara Shinichiro,Kiuchi Hiroshi,Pan Yue,Takao Toshifumi,Tsujimura Akira,Yach 대한남성과학회 2022 The World Journal of Men's Health Vol.40 No.3

Purpose: In males, testosterone levels have been implicated in various diseases. Recently, the influence of gut microbialderived compounds on host metabolism has become evident, and it has been suggested that some gut bacteria may be involved in testosterone metabolism. In the present study, we examined the relationship between testosterone levels and gut microbiota in elderly Japanese men. Materials and Methods: We collected samples from Japanese male subjects suspected of having prostate cancer and underwent prostate biopsies and excluded patients with positive biopsies to avoid the effect of prostate cancer on the gut microbiota. In total, 54 Japanese males with negative biopsy results were included in our study. The gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacterial DNA extracted from rectal swabs. Gut microbiota compositions were compared between the two groups according to the level of serum testosterone (above or below 3.5 ng /mL). Results: The median age of the cohort was 71 years, and the quartile range was 67 to 73 years. We observed no significant difference in alpha or beta diversity, but some bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes (Clostridiales, Turicibacter, and Gemella) were increased in the high testosterone group. Serum testosterone levels positively correlated with the relative amount of Firmicutes (rS=0.3323, p=0.0141), and the amount of Firmicutes affected serum testosterone levels independent of host factors (age, body mass index, triglyceride, and total cholesterol; β=0.770, p=0.0396). Conclusions: Some intestinal bacteria belonging to the phylum Firmicutes were associated with testosterone levels in elderly males. Therefore, the gut microbiota could affect testosterone metabolism in elderly males.

Clinical Features of Lung Cancer in Japanese Patients Aged Under 50

Igata, Fumiyasu,Uchino, Junji,Fujita, Masaki,Iwasaki, Akinori,Watanabe, Kentaro Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.7

The proportion of lung cancer patients under 50 years old is small at approximately 5-10%, but as with patients older than 50, the number is on the rise. Although lung cancer treatment strategies have undergone extensive transformation in recent years based on the presence or absence of oncogenic driver mutations, there are few reports regarding these mutations in the young or the relationship between clinical setting and prognosis. Therefore, we conducted a study of clinical features in 36 patients under the age of 50 who were diagnosed with primary lung cancer from October 2008 to November 2015. The 22 patients in stages I through III A underwent operations, and all 17 whose lung cancer were detected through screening were candidates for surgery. Gene analysis was conducted for 26 (72.2%); 10 (38.5%) were positive for EGFR gene mutations, and ALK gene translocation was present in 4 (15.4%). In stage IV patients, the median progression free survival (PFS) in the ALK translocation positive and negative patients was 518 days and 130 days, respectively, and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached and 280 days, respectively. A trend toward extended PFS (p=0.203) and OS (p=0.056) was observed in patients positive for ALK translocation. We must strive for early detection by increasing screening rates and evaluate oncogenic driver mutations important for prognosis of lung cancer in the young.

Laparoscopic Retroperitoneal Nephroureterectomy is a Safe and Adherent Modality for Obese Patients with Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Matsumoto, Kazumasa,Hirayama, Takahiro,Kobayashi, Kentaro,Hirano, Syuhei,Nishi, Morihiro,Ishii, Daisuke,Tabata, Ken-ichi,Fujita, Tetsuo,Iwamura, Masatugu Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.8

Objective: We evaluated the association of body mass index (BMI) with perioperative outcomes in patients who underwent laparoscopic or open radical nephroureterectomy. Materials and Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 113 patients who had been diagnosed with upper urinary tract cancer from January 1998 to June 2013 and were treated with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (Lap group, n=60) or open nephroureterectomy (Open group, n=53). Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was performed via a retroperitoneal approach following an open partial cystectomy. The two surgical groups were stratified into a normal-BMI group (<25) and a high-BMI group ($BMI{\geq}25$). The high-BMI group included 27 patients: 13 in the Lap group and 14 in the Open group. Results: Estimated blood loss (EBL) in the Lap group was much lower than that in the Open group irrespective of BMI (p<0.01). Operative time was significantly prolonged in normal-BMI patients in the Lap group compared to those in the Open group (p=0.03), but there was no difference in operative time between the Open and Lap groups among the high-BMI patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the data for all the cohorts revealed that the open procedure was a significant risk factor for high EBL (p<0.0001, hazard ratio 8.02). Normal BMI was an independent predictor for low EBL (p=0.01, hazard ratio 0.25). There was no significant risk factor for operative time in multivariate analysis. There were no differences in blood transfusion rates or adverse event rates between the two surgical groups. Conclusions: Laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy via a retroperitoneal approach can be safely performed with significantly reduced EBL even in obese patients with upper urinary tract cancer.

Low-dose Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition of EGFR Mutation-positive Lung Cancer: Therapeutic Benefits and Associations Between Dosage, Efficacy and Body Surface Area

Hirano, Ryosuke,Uchino, Junji,Ueno, Miho,Fujita, Masaki,Watanabe, Kentaro Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2016 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.17 No.2

A key drug for treatment of EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer is epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI). While the dosage of many general anti-tumor drugs is adjusted according to the patient body surface area, one uniform dose of most TKIs is recommended regardless of body size. In many cases, dose reduction or drug cessation is necessary due to adverse effects. Disease control, however, is frequently still effective, even after dose reduction. In this study, we retrospectively reviewed the characteristics of 26 patients at Fukuoka University Hospital between January 2004 and January 2015 in whom the EGFR-TKI dose was reduced with respect to progression free survival and overall survival. There were 10 and 16 patients in the gefitinib group and the erlotinib group, respectively. The median progression-free survival in the gefitinib group and the erlotinib group was 22.4 months and 14.1 months, respectively, and the median overall survival was 30.5 months and 32.4 months, respectively. After stratification of patients by body surface area, the overall median progression-free survival was significantly more prolonged in the low body surface area (<1.45 m2) group (25.6 months) compared to the high body surface area (>1.45 m2) group (9.7 months) (p=0.0131). These results indicate that low-dose EGFR-TKI may sufficiently control disease without side effects in lung cancer patients with a small body size.

Efficacy of Aprepitant in Patients with Advanced or Recurrent Lung Cancer Receiving Moderately Emetogenic Chemotherapy

Uchino, Junji,Hirano, Ryosuke,Tashiro, Naoki,Yoshida, Yuji,Ushijima, Shinichiro,Matsumoto, Takemasa,Ohta, Keiichi,Nakatomi, Keita,Takayama, Koichi,Fujita, Masaki,Nakanishi, Yoichi,Watanabe, Kentaro Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.8

Aims and Background: To evaluate the efficacy of a combination of aprepitant and conventional antiemetic therapy in patients with advanced or recurrent lung cancer receiving moderately emetogenic chemotherapy (MEC). Methods: Patients with advanced or recurrent lung cancer who were treated with MEC regimens at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fukuoka University Hospital, were included and classified into the following groups: control group (treatment: 5-HT3 receptor antagonists + dexamethasone) and aprepitant group (treatment: 5-HT3 receptor antagonists + dexamethasone + aprepitant). The presence or absence of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) was evaluated according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v4.0; patients with grade 1 or above were considered positive for CINV. Food intake per day, completion of planned chemotherapy, and progression-free survival (PFS) achieved by chemotherapy were investigated. Results: The complete suppression rate of nausea in the aprepitant group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p = 0.0043). Throughout the study, the food intake in the aprepitant group was greater than that in the control group, with the rate being significantly higher, in particular, on day 5 (p = 0.003). The completion rate of planned chemotherapy was also higher in the aprepitant group (p = 0.042). PFS did not differ significantly, but tended to be improved in the aprepitant group. Conclusions: The aprepitant group showed significantly higher complete suppression of nausea, food intake on day 5, and completion of planned chemotherapy than the control group.

A New Cancer Cell Detection Method Using an Infectivity-enhanced Adenoviral Vector

Uchino, Junji,Takayama, Koichi,Nakagaki, Noriaki,Shuo, Wang,Hisasue, Junko,Nakatom, Keita,Ohta, Keiichi,Hirano, Ryosuke,Tashiro, Naoki,Miiru, Izumi,Fujita, Masaki,Watanabe, Kentaro,Nakanishi, Yoichi Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.11

Cytological examination is widely used as a diagnostic tool because of the ease of collecting cells from the involved area. However, the diagnostic yield of cytological examination is unsatisfactory; the reasons include sampling error, poorly prepared samples, small numbers of malignant cells, and low grades of cellular atypia. In this study, we focused on the high infectivity of adenovirus towards epithelial cells and applied the luciferase-expressing adenoviral vector to a new cancer cell detection tool. In addition, adenoviral infectivity was enhanced by modifying viral fiber proteins. The sensitivity of the diagnostic tool was tested using the NCI-H1299 lung cancer cell line, and validated in body fluid samples from cancer patients with a variety of etiology. Results showed that the adenovirus efficiently transfected NCI-H1299 with high sensitivity. Only 10 cancer cells were sufficient for detection of luciferase signals. In body fluid samples, the adenovirus confirmed the diagnosis for malignant and benign cancer, but not in non-epithelial cell derived samples. This study provides proof-of-concept for a more reliable and sensitive diagnostic tool for epithelium-derived cancer.