Search

Mariko Egawa, Yoshinori Mitamura, Yuki Hayashi, Takeshi NaitoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Institute of Health Biosciences, The University of Tokushima Graduate School, Tokushima, JapanBackground: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the findings on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF) in three eyes with primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL).Methods: The medical records of three eyes from three patients with biopsy-proven PIOL and retinal infiltrations were reviewed. The SD-OCT and fluorescein angiographic findings were evaluated in the three eyes and FAF images in two eyes.Results: The PIOL in the three patients was monocular. Vitreous opacities and retinal infiltrations were observed in the three eyes, and iritis was present in two eyes. The cytologic diagnosis was class V in two eyes and class III in one eye. The interleukin-10/interleukin-6 ratio was >1.0 in the vitreous and aqueous humor of the three eyes. The FAF images for two eyes showed abnormal granular hyperautofluorescence and hypoautofluorescence which were the reverse of the pattern in the fluorescein angiographic images. In all three eyes, SD-OCT showed hyper-reflective infiltrations at the level of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a separation of the Bruch membrane from the RPE, damage to the RPE, disruption of the photoreceptor inner segment/outer segment junction, and multiple hyper-reflective signals in the inner retina.Conclusion: Because of the characteristic FAF and SD-OCT findings in these eyes with PIOL, we suggest that these noninvasive methods may be used for a rapid diagnosis of PIOL and also for understanding the pathology of PIOL.Keywords: spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, fundus autofluorescence, primary intraocular lymphoma

Byline: M. Egawa, M. Fukuda, H. Takashima, T. Misaki, K. Kinuya, S. Terahata A sentinel node (SN) is defined as the first site where cancer cells are carried by lymph [...]

In this study, a hydrogen ionic plasma with relatively low residual fractional electron concentration (ne/n+ ∼ 10−2) is generated using an aluminum plasma grid for the production of negative hydrogen ions and a control grid for negative ion extraction and electron removal. The ionic plasma is composed of negative and positive ions, containing molecular ions. Negative ions are in part produced using positive ions with several electron volts. A positive ion beam with 50 eV or more contributes to increase the density of the ionic plasma. The positive ion beam energy and the control grid bias voltage are tuned in such a way that a high-density ionic plasma is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose Near-infrared ( NIR) light with high water absorption enables us to visualize the water content distribution appeared in the superficial skin layer. The light penetration depth with the wavelength of 1920 nm is almost 100 μm from the skin surface. Thus, the water distribution in the stratum corneum can be effectively imaged by detecting the wavelength band around 1920 nm. The aim of this article was to measure the time-lapse behavior of the tiny droplet of the moisturizer spreading on the skin surface by imaging in 1920 nm wavelength band for investigating the correlation with the traditional index of the skin condition such as the water content and transepidermal water loss ( TEWL). Methods Experiment is performed with three moisturizer products and seven volunteer subjects. The NIR image is acquired by an originally designed imaging scope equipped with the white light of the strong brightness [super continuum (SC) light], the bandpass filter with the center wavelength of 1920 nm, and the NIR image sensor. A tiny droplet of the moisturizer is put on the surface of the skin and the time-lapse images are saved. Each acquired image is analyzed from a view point of the droplet area and elapsed time for absorption into the skin. The water content and TEWL of all subjects are measured by the conventional electrical method for investigating the relationship with the measured droplet dynamics parameters. Results Elapsed time for moisturizer droplet to be absorbed into the skin, the droplet area just before absorption for three moisturizer products, skin water contents, and TEWL for seven subjects were measured and correlation coefficients for each parameters were calculated. It was found that the skin with higher water contents or lower TEWL absorbed the moisturizer faster and spreads moisturizer wider. Also absorption and spreading speed depend on moisturizer property (moisturizing or fresh) which is originated from the moisturizer constituents. Conclusion The correlation values between the moisturizer dynamics on the skin surface and the traditional index of the skin property were clarified. It was found that the skin with the high water content or low TEWL absorbs the moisturizer droplet fast. The spreading area depends not only on the skin property but on the constituents of the moisturizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative hydrogen ions are produced in the apertures of a plasma grid made of aluminum under the irradiation of positive ions, generating an ionic plasma consisting of positive and negative ions. The saturation current ratio obtained using a Langmuir probe reflects the existence ratio of electrons and is found to increase in connection with the diffusion of the ionic plasma. The local increment of the current ratio suggests the collapse of negative ions and the replacement of detached electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The renin-angiotensin system is believed to influence blood pressure (BP) during pregnancy, but the associations between BP during pregnancy and the soluble form of the (pro)renin receptor (s[P]RR), a new component of the tissue renin-angiotensin system, remain undetermined. In this prospective cohort study of 437 pregnant women with normal BP (systolic <140 mm Hg and diastolic <90 mm Hg) during early pregnancy (<16 weeks of gestation) regression analysis was performed to examine the associations between plasma s(P)RR concentrations and BP in 3 gestational stages (20-24, 28-32, and 36-40 weeks of gestation) and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the incidence of preeclampsia. Plasma s(P)RR concentrations at early, middle (16-28 weeks), and late pregnancy (>28 weeks) and at delivery averaged 29.7 ± 10.0, 31.3 ± 12.0, 39.2 ± 8.9, and 40.4 ± 10.2 ng/mL (mean ± SD), respectively. A 1-ng/mL increase in plasma s(P)RR concentration in early pregnancy predicted systolic/diastolic BP elevation in the later 3 gestational stages: 0.11 (95% CI, 0.014-0.20)/0.093 (0.027-0.16) mm Hg for 20 to 24 weeks, 0.11 (0.029-0.19)/0.088 (0.027-0.15) mm Hg for 28 to 32 weeks, and 0.16 (0.058-0.26)/0.12 (0.043-0.19]) mm Hg for 36 to 40 weeks, respectively. Plasma s(P)RR concentrations in middle and late pregnancy were not associated with BP. Adjusted models revealed that women with plasma s(P)RR concentrations above the 75th percentile at delivery had a significantly increased risk of preeclampsia (odds ratio, 22.5 [95% CI, 1.8-279.9]). In conclusion, high circulating levels of s(P)RR at early pregnancy predicted a subsequent elevation in BP, and high concentrations at delivery were significantly associated with preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hardness of a plasma nitrided high speed steel surface is extremely high at the surface because of the formation of nitrides and the diffusion layer. It decreases steeply to the value of the substrate. Such a brittle surface and steep change in hardness are not favourable for tool applications because of tool chipping. This paper investigated the improvement of such a hardness profile of plasma nitrided high speed steel using glow discharge heating as a post-nitriding diffusion treatment. High speed steel was plasma nitrided at 500°C under 667 Pa for 2 h in a gas mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen. A diffusion process was then conducted in the same chamber by changing the gas to hydrogen or argon. The plasma nitrided high speed steel was also diffusion treated by furnace heating. The microstructures and the hardness profiles of these two post-nitriding treated samples were compared. Diffusion treatment by glow discharge heating lessens the hardness gradient from steep to gentle more effectively than furnace heating does. Furthermore, the hard nitride layer was eliminated by glow discharge processing, but the layer remained after furnace heating. Results showed that the effect of a post-nitriding diffusion treatment by glow discharge heating results from the sputtering effect and the acceleration of diffusion by ion bombardment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we present the experimental results of the loss of the high temperature superconducting (HTS) tape in AC and DC mixed electro-magnetic condition. The DC magnetic field is not of concern, because its influence parallels the critical current variation. The electro-magnetic environment consists of the DC offset transport current, the AC transport current and the AC magnetic field. The experimental results described were measured by the electric and calorimetric methods in the same section, and we establish the feasibility of measuring the loss using the electric method in AC and DC mixed electro-magnetic conditions. The experimental results show the loss components of the joule loss, AC transport current loss and magnetization loss. DC offset current affects the total loss characteristic in a DC and AC mixed electro-magnetic condition. Especially, when the peak transport current exceeds the critical current, the losses are increased, because there is a period when the current density is greater than the critical current density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method has been developed by us to observe the movements of the abomasum by using a magnet and digital magnetometer. Four cows with left displacement of the abomasum underwent conventional correction by rolling without tacking. A doughnut-type magnet was sutured to the pyloric region in a routine operation. The same was done in three control cows. The position of the pyloric region was observed with a digital magnetometer from outside the cow's body. The magnets in the pyloric region of the control cows were located at the right side of the abdominal cavity at 10-30 cm anterior to the udder base, and moved slightly in various directions within the span of a day. On the other hand, the magnets in the pyloric region of cows with abomasal displacement moved widely in the abdominal cavity from the normal right side to the abnormal left front side. A large movement of the magnet from the normal right side to the abnormal left side of the abdominal cavity was observed within 12 h of the onset of abomasal displacement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Neiguan acupuncture point (EH-6) of the heart meridian is often used for circulatory disorders. To clarify this effect, we measured coronary diameters in patients with angina pectoris following acupuncture stimulation using cardioangiography. Two kinds of acupuncture stimulation, the leaving needle (LN) and the sparrow pecking method (SPM), were employed for this study. No significant differences were found between LN and SPM. Concerning the pattern of coronary reaction, coronary constriction following acupuncture showed a relationship to patients with vasospastic angina. Coronary dilation following acupuncture showed a relationship to patients with Syndrome X. The mean dilatation with acupuncture was 68.8% of that caused by isosorbide dinitrate. These findings may help to clarify the mechanism of acupuncture treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides information on a study which investigated the possibility of the application of one-dimensional magnetophotonic crystal film to optical isolator devices. Methods; Results; Discussion.

Percutaneous transluminal laser-assisted angioplasty of a renal artery stenosis was performed in a 16-year-old woman with renovascular hypertension. The stenotic portion of the renal artery was predilated by delivering Nd-YAG laser energy to the terminal tip of a laser catheter. Although the luminal diameter did not increase sufficiently with laser angioplasty alone, it allowed passage of the balloon catheter and subsequent successful balloon angioplasty. Immediately after dilatation, the patient's blood pressure fell to normal, and plasma renin activity decreased. There were no serious complications. Thermal laser angioplasty seems to be an effective adjunct technique for the treatment of severe renal artery stenosis which does not allow initial passage of a balloon catheter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two cases of a brother and a sister with thyroid hormone unresponsiveness are described. They had large goiters and high levels of thyroid hormones in the face of clinical euthyroidism. The birth weight of the brother was low for his gestational age. He was also lean and exophthalmic, as is often seen in Graves' disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]