Abstract. Using the Dst index, more than 1200 geomagnetic storms, from weak to intense, spanning over three solar cycles have been examined statistically. Interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and solar wind data have also been used in the study. It is found that for more than 50% of intense magnetic storms, the main phase undergoes a two-step growth in the ring current. That is, before the ring current has decayed significantly to the prestorm level, anew major particle injection occurs, leadingto a further development of the ring current, and making Dst decrease a second time. Thus intense magnetic storms may often be the result of two closely spaced moderate storms. The corresponding signature in the interplanetary medium is the arrival of double-structured southward IMF at the magnetosphere.

Objective: It is well known that both gastric and intestinal phenotypic cell markers are expressed in gastric carcinomas, irrespective of their histologic type. However, the clinicopathologic significance of these expressions has not yet been clarified. Methods: We analyzed the correlations among gastric and intestinal phenotypic marker expression patterns of the tumor, clinicopathologic findings and the patient’s outcome in 136 advanced gastric carcinomas. Results: Phenotypic marker expression was immunohistochemically evaluated using the monoclonal antibodies 45M1 (anti-human gastric mucin; HGM), CLH5 (anti-MUC6), Ccp58 (anti-MUC2) and 56C6 (anti-CD10). All tumors were classified as gastric (G), gastric and intestinal mixed (GI), intestinal (I) or unclassified (UC) phenotype. Of the 136 gastric carcinomas, 50 (36.8%), 56 (41.2%), 21 (15.4%) and 9 (6.6%) were classified as G, GI, I and UC phenotype, respectively. The G-phenotype tumors were associated with a higher rate of undifferentiated-type and infiltrative histology as compared with the I-phenotype tumors (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, both univariate and multivariate analysis of survival revealed the G-phenotype tumor to be associated with a significantly poorer outcome than the I-phenotype tumor (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Our present results indicate that the gastric and intestinal phenotypic marker expression pattern of tumors, determined by the combination of HGM, MUC6, MUC2 and CD10 expression, is prognostically useful for patients with gastric carcinoma.

Abstract. On the basis of geomagnetic activity indices and solar wind parameters, a superposed epoch analysis has been conducted for more than 300 geomagnetic storms. The intensity of magnetic storms is found to depend on the duration of the main phase; larger storms have longer timescales. For intense storms, however, not only the duration of energy injection into the ring current but also the strength of injection is important in determining their size. It is confirmed that the southward component of the interplanetary magnetic field plays a crucial role both in triggering the storm main phase and in determining the magnitude of magnetic storms. It is also found that the time profile of the energy injection rate during the main phase tends to have two peaks. This is particularly the case for intense magnetic storms, where the second peak is more intense than the first. Implications of our findings are discussed in terms of the existing concept of geomagnetic storms and recent observations of ring current particles and of interplanetary disturbances.

Abstract. Using the auroral boundary index derived from DMSP electron precipitation data and the Dst index, changes in the size of the auroral belt during magnetic storms are studied. It is found that the equatorward boundary of the belt at midnight expands equatorward, reaching its lowest latitude about one hour before Dst peaks. This time lag depends very little on storm intensity. It is also shown that during magnetic storms, the energy of the ring current quanti®ed with Dst increases in proportion to v À3 e , where v e is the vvalue corresponding to the equatorward boundary of the auroral belt designated by the auroral boundary index. This means that the ring current energy is proportional to the ion energy obtained from the earthward shift of the plasma sheet under the conservation of the ®rst adiabatic invariant. The ring current energy is also proportional to i mg , the total magnetic ®eld energy contained in the spherical shell bounded by v e and v eq , where v eq corresponds to the quiet-time location of the auroral precipitation boundary. The ratio of the ring current energy i to the dipole energy i mg is typically 10%. The ring current leads to magnetosphere in¯ation as a result of an increase in the equivalent dipole moment.

The Japanese Society for the Study of Postoperative Morbidity after Gastrectomy conducted a nationwide questionnaire survey to clarify the current status of reconstruction after gastrectomy. One hundred and forty-five institutions (66%) responded to the survey. The questionnaire dealt with the reconstruction after a distal gastrectomy, pylorus-preserving gastrectomy (PPG), total gastrectomy, and proximal gastrectomy. The most common method of reconstruction after distal gastrectomy was Billroth I in 112 institutions (74%), and Roux-en-Y (RY) in 30 (21%). Seventy-seven institutions (53%) responded to the PPG questions. The lengths of the antral cuff were widely distributed among the institutions. Segmental gastrectomy was performed by 23 institutions for limited cases. The most common method of reconstruction after total gastrectomy was RY in 138 institutions (95%). Reconstruction with a pouch after total gastrectomy was done in 26 institutions (18%). The most common reconstructions after proximal gastrectomy were esophagogastrostomy in 69 institutions (48%), jejunal interposition in 41 (28%), double tract in 19 (13%) and pouch reconstruction in 6 (7%). Although most Japanese surgeons are concerned about the revised methods of reconstruction and quality of life after gastrectomy, surgeons have not yet reached a full consensus on these issues.

No abstract

Using the auroral boundary index derived from DMSP electron precipitation data and the Dst index, changes in the size of the auroral belt during magnetic storms are studied. It is found that the equatorward boundary of the belt at midnight expands equatorward, reaching its lowest latitude about one hour before Dst peaks. This time lag depends very little on storm intensity. It is also shown that during magnetic storms, the energy of the ring current quanti®ed with Dst increases in proportion to v À3 e , where v e is the vvalue corresponding to the equatorward boundary of the auroral belt designated by the auroral boundary index. This means that the ring current energy is proportional to the ion energy obtained from the earthward shift of the plasma sheet under the conservation of the ®rst adiabatic invariant. The ring current energy is also proportional to i mg , the total magnetic ®eld energy contained in the spherical shell bounded by v e and v eq , where v eq corresponds to the quiet-time location of the auroral precipitation boundary. The ratio of the ring current energy i to the dipole energy i mg is typically 10%. The ring current leads to magnetosphere in¯ation as a result of an increase in the equivalent dipole moment.

No abstract