The purpose of this study is to study the usefulness of post-remission antiviral therapy in cases of HCV-RNA-positive diffuse large-cell lymphoma. Antiviral therapy against HCV was performed after remission using CHOP or CHOP-like chemotherapy in combination with rituximab in five successive cases of HCV-RNA-positive diffuse large-cell lymphoma. The control groups consisted of a group of HCV-RNA-positive diffuse large-cell lymphoma cases prior to this trial (control 1), and a group of cases that tested negative for HIV, HCV, and HBV (control 2). All the cases were in remission at the time of initial treatment. There were no significant differences between the three groups in terms of age, sex, treatment, stage, or International Prognosis Index (IPI). When HCV antiviral therapy was performed after treatment for diffuse large-cell lymphoma, we observed no recurrence or deaths, and the 2-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates were significantly greater than those in the control 1 group (P = 0.0246). It is possible that a better prognosis can be achieved by performing HCV antiviral therapy after achieving remission in cases of HCV-RNA-positive diffuse large-cell lymphoma through the use of R-CHOP or similar treatments.

Edited by Robert B. RussellKeywords: DNA-binding protein Protein design Specificity Affinity Energy gap a b s t r a c tWe developed a rational scheme for designing DNA binding proteins. The scheme was applied for a zinc finger protein and the designed sequences were experimentally characterized with high DNA sequence specificity. Starting with the backbone of a known finger structure, we initially calculated amino acid sequences compatible with the expected structure and the secondary structures of the designed fingers were then experimentally confirmed. The DNA-binding function was added to the designed finger by reconsidering a section of the amino acid sequence and computationally selecting amino acids to have the lowest protein-DNA interaction energy for the target DNA sequences. Among the designed proteins, one had a gap between the lowest and second lowest protein-DNA interaction energies that was sufficient to give DNA sequence-specificity.

The effectiveness of removing dental plaque using an ionic toothbrush with a 3-V lithium battery was investigated.

No abstract

Since the overabundance of Sika deer has potential to cause irreversible shift of ecosystem, proactive management from early stage would be desirable. To conduct proactive management under the limitation of resource in terms of funds and labors for biological conservation, it is necessary to specify the area with high priority to conserve regional flora, and incorporate it into the management plan. We used 198 phytosociological relevés derived from Chichibu-tama-kai National Park, and divided all recorded species into 4 groups by 2 criteria: decreased species in the area with high deer density and endangered species in national and local government scale. The species in Group A is decreased and endangered , Group B is decreased but not endangered , Group C is not decreased but endangered , and Group D is neither decreased nor endangered. We compared the relationship between proportion of each species groups and relative deer density indices. Proportion of Group B had rapidly decreased with relative deer density index increase, while proportion Group D had increased. Proportion of Group C showed unimodal response to relative deer density index. Proportion of Group A and B was high in the grassland and montane broadleaf forests with tall herb understory. Conservation emergency of these community types seem to be highest in the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park.