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Compton scattering is a well-established technique that can provide detailed information about electronic states in solids. Making use of the principle of tomography, it is possible to determine the Fermi surface from sets of Compton-scattering data with different scattering axes. Practical applications, however, are limited due to long acquisition time required for measuring along enough number of scattering directions. Here, we propose to overcome this difficulty using compressed sensing. Taking advantage of a hidden sparsity in the momentum distribution, we are able to reconstruct the three-dimensional momentum distribution of bcc-Li, and identify the Fermi surface with as little as 14 directions of scattering data with unprecedented accuracy. This compressed-sensing approach will permit further wider applications of the Compton scattering experiments., Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures

International audience; The global interlaboratory comparison (IC 2017) on measurements of solid-state lighting (SSL) products with goniophotometers was conducted under the International Energy Agency 4E Solid State Lighting Annex with 36 participating laboratories from 19 countries with a total of 42 goniophotometric instruments including mirror-type, near-field type and source-rotating type goniophotometers. A narrow-beam LED lamp and three different types of LED luminaires, including a street lighting luminaire, were used as comparison artefacts for measurements of 16 different quantities. These included electrical, photometric, and colorimetric quantities, and goniophotometric quantities such as centre beam intensity, beam angle, partial flux (15° cone angle), and angular colour uniformity. CIE S 025 was used as the test method. The results demonstrated overall good agreement on luminous flux and colour quantities, however, larger variations and various problems were identified in goniophotometric quantity results. Near-field type and source-rotating type goniophotometers showed equivalent accuracies overall to those of far-field mirror type goniophotometers.

Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage CIE 239:2020, This technical report provides basic measurement principles and practical guidance in goniospectroradiometry of optical radiation sources (i.e. measurement of the spectral distribution as a function of the emission angle of the source). Specifically, it includes measurement principles of the angular distribution of spectral, radiometric, photometric and colorimetric quantities of optical radiation sources, the related scanning method and a practical guide to determine sampling interval, uncertainty aspects and calibration.

1) Background: Although many studies have supported the efficacy of multi-sensory environment (MSE) in reducing behavioral and psychological symptoms, and improving quality of life for patients with disabilities and caregivers, these studies didn't offer how to identify a high-risk candidate who would harm from MSE. Thus, this study was to propose a method to classify the high-risk group of cardiac arrest during MSE interventions through the relation between QT and RR intervals (QT-RR interval). 2) Methods: Eight disabled patients were participated in experiments to experience the virtual aquarium for 15 min with a projector and music. The QT-RR relation was measured by electrocardiography, then the risk was evaluated by computing the shortest distance from the mean of QT-RR relation to the standard curve. 3) Results: It was found that the risk of original cardiac arrest for the five patients was averagely 4.7 times higher than that for the three patients. It was considered that the five patients with higher risk came from the 0.6 times slower QT interval. 4) Conclusion: It was concluded that the proposed method to classify the high-risk group through QT-RR relation was good for the prevention of cardiac arrest through the unintended sudden strong stimulation.

The Absorb bioresorbable vascular scaffold (Absorb BVS, Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, California) promises to address some of the residual shortcomings of existing metallic stents, such as late events induced by permanent caging of the coronary vessel. Scaffold restenosis (ScR) of BVS has been poorly described so far and treatment strategies for this event remain to be codified. We report on a case series of 14 lesions in 12 patients presenting with ScR and discuss their anatomical features and management strategies.

Neutrophils are a main source of oxidative stress due to reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and the tissue damage caused by excessive ROS might lead to aging and a variety of diseases. Whereas the anti-inflammatory effects of Tabebuia avellanedae (taheebo) have been reported in vitro and in animal experiments, little is known about the effects of taheebo in humans. Fourteen adult volunteers ingested 500 mg of taheebo extract in 4 capsules (Taheebo Japan, Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan) daily for 2 weeks. The production of ROS from peripheral blood neutrophils was measured by luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (LmCL) in a kinetic mode at 30-minute intervals for 1.5 hours with a luminometer at 37˚C. We found that, peak and sum of values of LmCL were significantly decreased at the 1.5 hour time point after ingesting taheebo extracts for 2 weeks. In conclusion, we demonstrated that administration of Tabebuia avellanedae inhibited ROS production from human neutrophils.

The relation of the physiological releases of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and growth hormone (GH) into the circulation in various conditions was investigated using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay for plasma GHRH. The mean fasting plasma level of immunoreactive (IR)-GHRH in 72 normal adults was 10.3 +/- 0.5 (mean +/- SEM) pg/ml and there was no significant sex difference in the level. The concentrations of IR-GHRH in plasma from the umbilical artery and umbilical vein were 107.3 +/- 20.5 pg/ml and 33.6 +/- 3.8 pg/ml, respectively, and a marked arterio-venous gradient was observed in all 12 individuals examined. The plasma level of IR-GHRH in the maternal vein was significantly lower than that in the cord blood, but was similar to that in non-pregnant women. In normal adults, although there was no apparent fluctuation in the level of plasma IR-GHRH or of plasma GH during bed rest, a significant increase of plasma IR-GHRH was detected followed by, or synchronized with the surge of plasma GH after oral administration of L-dopa. In contrast, on L-arginine infusion, no proportional elevation of plasma IR-GHRH with increase in plasma GH was observed. During and after intravenous infusion of somatostatin, the circulating IR-GHRH level did not increase, but on stopping the infusion there was an immediate and marked rebound surge of GH. We conclude that 1) the elevated IR-GHRH in the cord blood plasma originates from the fetus and may have a primary role in enhancing secretion of GH which promotes growth in early human life, and 2) the participations of GHRH in the mechanisms of GH secretion seen after administrations of L-dopa, L-arginine and somatostatin are different.

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is a noninvasive imaging modality, particularly attractive for pediatric patients given its lack of ionizing radiation. Despite many advantages, the physical properties of the lung (inherent low signal-to-noise ratio, magnetic susceptibility differences at lung-air interfaces, and respiratory and cardiac motion) have posed technical challenges that have limited the use of MR imaging in the evaluation of thoracic disease in the past However, recent advances in MR imaging techniques have overcome many of these challenges. This article discusses these advances in MR imaging techniques and their potential role in the evaluation of thoracic disorders in pediatric patients.

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We developed compact terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) head and system-scanning imaging stage for large area inspection of post matters. In order to focus the THz waves, we mounted either four parabolic reflectors or two silicon hyper-hemispherical lenses on the mobile imaging stages, and compared the spatial resolutions of the stages together with the measurable THz bandwidths.

Hepatic portal venous gas (HPVG) has been rarely described in chronic hemodialysis patients. We report a case of HPVG in a 59-year-old female patient with hemodialysis-dependent chronic renal failure due to diabetes who presented with acute onset of abdominal pain. Abdominal CT demonstrated the presence of gas in the portal veins. However, on laparotomy, no evidence of bowel necrosis or perforation could be found. HPVG seemed to be caused by nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI), an increasingly recognized complication in hemodialysis patients. The patient responded favorably to intravenous hyperalimentation and antibiotics.

The Hall-plateau width and the activation energy were measured in the bilayer quantum Hall state at filling factor ��=2, 1 and 2/3, by changing the total electron density and the density ratio in the two quantum wells. Their behavior are remarkably different from one to another. The ��=1 state is found stable over all measured range of the density difference, while the ��=2/3$ state is stable only around the balanced point. The ��=2 state, on the other hand, shows a phase transition between these two types of the states as the electron density is changed., 5 pages including figures, RevTeX

We have measured the Hall-plateau width and the activation energy of the bilayer quantum Hall (BLQH) states at the Landau-level filling factor $��=1$ and 2 by tilting the sample and simultaneously changing the electron density in each quantum well. The phase transition between the commensurate and incommensurate states are confirmed at $��=1$ and discovered at $��=2$. In particular, three different $��=2$ BLQH states are identified; the compound state, the coherent commensurate state, and the coherent incommensurate state., 4 pages including 5 figures

Combination chemotherapy with CDDP and 5-FU is one of the effective regimens for head and neck cancer. We studied the difference in the effects and adverse effects between two kinds of schedules of CDDP administration for CDDP-5-FU combination chemotherapy. For 13 patients, CDDP was administered on 5 consecutive days from day 1 to day 5 at a daily dose of 16 mg/m2 (Regimen A). For 14 patients CDDP was administered 80 mg on day 1 (Regimen B). 5-FU was administered 700 mg/m2/ day as a continuous drip infusion for 120 hours from day 1 to day 5. For regimen A, the response rate was 77%; for regimen B, it was 64%. The pattern of adverse effects showed a difference. Regimen B was more toxic for renal function than regimen A. But regimen A showed toxicity for bone marrow function. Acute phase nausea and vomit appeared more frequently in regimen B. The difference in the adverse effect pattern, which depends on the schedule of CDDP administration, seems important in order to apply this regimen for head and neck cancer patients safely. The schedule of CDDP administration should be changes depending on the renal and bone marrow function of patients. In order to evaluate the efficacy of UFT as adjuvant chemotherapy, UFT was administered p.o. to patients with maxillary sinus carcinoma for more than one year after definitive treatment with surgery or radiotherapy. Fifteen patients with UFT adjuvant chemotherapy showed significantly better survival rates than patients without adjuvant chemotherapy. We also studied adjuvant chemotherapy with CBDCA and FT for patients with advanced head and neck cancer. Administration with UFT (600 mg/day) from day 1 to day 14 with CBDCA 350 mg/m2 at day 7 was repeated more than twice. This regimen showed low toxicity and better survival for nasopharyngeal cancer patients. More clinical trials with this regimen for adjuvant chemotherapy are needed.

A sixty-one-year-old female was admitted to our hospital in October 1988 because of fever and a right neck mass associated with redness and tenderness. The size of the thyroid mass had gradually increased over 3 months. Two masses were detected in the thyroid by ultrasonography and MRI. She has positive thyroid autoantibodies, high CRP levels and high erythrocyte sedimentation rates. While she had normal white blood cell counts, massive neutrophils were obtained from her thyroid mass by aspiration biopsy, indicating acute suppurative thyroiditis. However, we could not find any bacteria to cause suppurative thyroiditis either in the blood or in thyroid aspirates. Serum levels of thyroid hormone were slightly elevated but she did not complain of any thyrotoxic symptoms. Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) of the thyroid gland was markedly decreased (2%/24h). Following treatment with antibiotics, her inflammation and symptoms immediately improved, and pus spontaneously ran from the collapsed thyroid mass. Then serum thyroid hormone levels and RAIU were normalized and the right thyroid mass disappeared. She was discharged in December 1988. There were no signs of recurrence of suppurative thyroiditis until now. She received a pharyngo-esophageal barium examination in search of the route of infection 4 times, but no fistula was revealed. However, as her left thyroid mass consistently remained thereafter, an operation of the left thyroid mass was performed in December 1989. The histologic examination of the resected thyroid revealed the coexistence of encapsulated follicular adenoma, minute papillary carcinoma and chronic thyroiditis. There are few reports of such a case having a combination of suppurative thyroiditis, thyroid cancer and chronic thyroiditis observed in an elderly female.

A novel evaluation technique for soft errors in Mbit DRAMs (dynamic random access memories) has been developed using a 400 keV proton microprobe system. This technique, which is called soft error mapping, consists of a bit-state mapping image and a secondary electron mapping image, and can reveal the correlation between the incident position of protons and susceptibility against soft errors in DRAMs. Soft errors are found to be induced by proton incidence at 400 keV within about 6 μm around the memory cell in the case of DRAMs with a conventional well. The susceptible area against proton incidence is much larger than the memory cell size. It is found that the area within 4 μm around the memory cell is, in particular, highly sensitive to 400 keV protons. A threshold dose to radiation hardness is estimated by deterioration of the DRAMs during soft error mapping. A buried barrier layer, formed by high-energy ion-implantation, was found to control the charge collection of induced carriers and to suppress soft errors by 400 keV proton microprobes.

Yoshiko Ohno1,2, Teruto Hashiguchi1, Ryuichi Maenosono1, Hidetoshi Yamashita3, Yukio Taira3, Kazufumi Minowa3, Yoshihito Yamashita3, Yuko Kato3, Ko-ichi Kawahara1, Ikuro Maruyama11Department of Laboratory and Vascular Medicine, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan; 2Department of Community Health Nursing/Nursing Informatics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan; 3Kagoshima Seikyo General Hospital, Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture, JapanPurpose: Many epidemiological research studies have shown that vital exhaustion and psychosocial factors are associated with the occurrence of cerebrocardiovascular disease (CCVD). Fatigue is thought to induce endothelial dysfunction and may be linked to the occurrence of CCVD; however, no studies have investigated this potential link. We studied to determine the effect of fatigue on endothelial function in healthy subjects with no traditional CCVD risk factors or potential confounding factors to be controlled.Subjects and methods: Peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) was used to evaluate endothelial function. The influence of the following parameters on endothelial function was analyzed in 74 office workers without traditional CCVD risk factors at health check-ups: endothelial function before and after work, subjective fatigue, lifestyle factors such as sleeping time, and psychosocial factors such as depression and social support.Results: Twenty-five subjects (33.8%) had low endothelial function; reactive hyperemia (RH)-PAT index

The ultrastructural H2O2-producing site in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) stimulated with soluble stimuli was studied using a CeCl3-technique. CeLlular aggregation and formation of small vacuoles were observed when PMN were stimulated with 100 microgram/ml concanavalin-A, 1 mg/ml phytohemagglutinin, or 100 microgram/ml wheat germ agglutinin for 10 min at 37 degrees C. Electron-dense deposits formed from the reaction of H2O2 and CeCl3 were observed on the contact surface of the plasma membrane of aggregated PMN stimulated with lectins. Treatment with 5 microgram/ml cytochalasin-B before lectin- stimulation induced an enhanced formation of vacuoles, degranuLation, rounding of the contour, cellular aggregation, and enhancement of the deposits. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA; 100 ng/ml) induced strong leukocyte aggregation, the formation of multiple huge vacuoles, degranulation, and H2O2 production at almost all of the contact surface between adjoining PMN and between PMN and erythrocytes, mononuclear cells, or thrombocytes. In PMN stimulated with digitonin (B microgram/ml), vacuolar formation, degranulation, multiple projections on the surface, and H2O2 production on the whole surface membrane were demonstrated. It is shown that cellular aggregation and cell-to-cell contact have an important role in the induction of O2- production induced by lectins or PMA and that O2- production induced by the detergent is not dependent on leukocyte aggregation.

In a unique case of macroglobulinemia associated with the production of mu-chain fragment, the authors observed vacuolated plasma cells (Vac-P) in the bone marrow. Immunofluorescence with anti-mu-chain showed positive staining for the cytoplasm but negative for the vacuoles. On electron microscopic study, clear vacuoles were localized in the vicinity of the Golgi complex, and the contents were amorphous membrane debris and concentric circular structures. The vacuolar membrane was partially disrupted and was contiguous with the outer surface of the concentric circular structure. From the findings, the authors thought these vacuoles were autophagic. Disruption of vacuolar membranes was also demonstrated in three other cases of Vac-P studies with electron microscope. Heterophagy of toxic substances, such as silica or salt or urate, leads to membrane disruption. Vac-P observed in abnormal mu-chain production may produce toxic substances. Once the substance is incorporated into the autophagic vacuole, the vacuolar membrane will be weakened, and the absorption of part of the membrane and cytoplasm or organelles follows.

The incidence of selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) was determined in a healthy adult population of 222,597 Japanese volunteer blood donors. Of the blood donors screened, only 0.007% (1:14,840) were found to be IgA-deficient (less than 10 mg/dl) by means of the double diffusion method, while 0.005% (1:18,500) were less than 5 mg/dl, and 0.003% (1:31,800) were less than 1 mg/dl by means of the single radial immunodiffusion method. Statistical analysis of the results clearly showed that the incidence of SIgAD in Japanese blood donors is very much lower than that in blood donors of European ancestry. The Japanese population may occupy a unique position in the ethnical peculiarities. Anti-IgA antibodies were found in 3 (25.0%) of 12 IgA-deficient blood donors whose IgA levels were less than 5 mg/dl, a prevalence rate comparable to that in donors of European ancestry. Although it is difficult to develop a suitable file of IgA-deficient donors in Japan, the establishment of a Rare Donor Registry System on IgA deficiency is a matter of urgency.

Saponin susceptibility of the platelet was studied in 10 healthy men (ages 24 to 39) and 31 male hemodialysis (HD) patients (ages 24 to 49) in order to assess platelet abnormalities in HD patients. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was added to 50 ml of saline containing 5 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) and 0.3% saponin. Platelet mean particle volume (MPV) was observed continuously for 200 seconds by a continuous mean particle analyzer model CC-108 (Sysmex, Kobe, Japan). Initial MPV (Vo, fl) was 7.12 ± 0.89 and 7.68 ± 0.56 respectively for the control and HD patients (p< 0.05), and maximum MPV (V1) was 9.80 ± 1.06 and 9.78 ± 0.83, respectively (n.s.). The time of start of swelling (seconds) was 51.2 ± 14.6 and 63.4 ± 15.6 (p< 0.05) and the time of V1 was 110.4 ± 15.3 and 112.3 ± 16.1 (n.s.), respectively. The expansion rates (V1/Vo) were 1.38 ± 0.05 and 1.27 ± 0.06, respectively (p< 0.01). The low expansion rate means that the platelet is less responsive to saponin in HD patients, and this may be related to the cholesterol concentration in the platelet membrane and membrane flexibility. This new method offers a useful way of obtaining information about the platelet.

The carcinogenicity of sodium and of sodium nitrate was examined in F-344 rats. Sodium nitrite was administered in the drinking-water for 2 yr at levels of 0.125 or 0.25%. Sodium nitrate was given in the diet at levels 2.5 or 5%. A variety of tumours occurred in all groups including the controls. The only significant difference between treated and control groups in the total number of tumours detected in either of the studies was a significant decrease in tumour incidence in the high-dose females given nitrite compared with controls. There was no positive dose-response relationship either in the incidence or in the induction time of tumours in either of the studies. The only significant result was a reduction in the incidence of mononuclear cell leukaemias in the experimental groups in both studies. It is concluded that sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate did not exert a carcinogenic effect that could be detected under the conditions of this study in which the animals showed a high incidence of spontaneous tumours.

Aim. Aim of the study was to report on the feasibility and early safety and efficacy of Absorb everolimus-eluting bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) for coronary artery bifurcations (CABs) treatment at a single high-volume center. Methods. All patients treated with Absorb implantation at our institution from March 2013 to March 2014 were enrolled in the prospective, single-center, ongoing, all-comers registry, which has the main purpose of evaluating the safety and efficacy of Absorb implantation in unselected patients treated in daily practice. In-hospital and at follow-up clinical outcomes of 46 patients undergoing treatment with Absorb in 46 CAB lesions were reported in the present study. Results. Treated CAB lesions involved the left main in 13.0% of cases, the left anterior descending artery in 65.0%, the left circumflex in 19-6%, and the right coronary artery in 2.2%. Bifurcations were classified as true (47.8%) and non-true (52.2%) according to the Medina classification. The provisional and the two-BVS techniques were used in 78.3% and 21.7%, respectively. Two-BVS techniques included: mini-crush 13.0%; reverse culotte 2.2%; T-stenting 2.2%; and V-stenting 4.3%. No in-hospital adverse events occurred. At 6 months no adverse events occurred. Only one case of target lesion revascularization was observed at day 227. No stent thrombosis occurred during follow-up. Conclusion. Our preliminary experience suggested that CABs treatment with Absorb is feasible and associated with promising immediate and short-term clinical outcomes. However, larger studies with long-term follow-up are needed to adequately address the safety and efficacy of BVS use in CABs.

Glandular stomachs of fetal and newborn Wistar rats were transplanted s.c. after treatment in vitro with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) at concentrations of 10, 5 and 1 microgram/ml for 2 h. Eleven adenocarcinomas developed from 118 MNNG-treated transplants, whereas no adenocarcinomas developed from 28 untreated transplants. The incidence of adenocarcinomas in fetal glandular stomach (9/46) was significantly different (p less than 0.01) from that in glandular stomach of newborn rats (2/67). Various types of mesenchymal tumors also developed from untreated (9/28) and MNNG-treated (20/118) transplants.

The human homologue of the yeast OGG1 gene, hOGG1, has been cloned, and its genetic structure has been determined. Several polymorphisms in the hOGG1 gene were detected in the Japanese populations, and among them, the Ser-Cys polymorphism at codon 326 has been shown to have a functional difference in complementation of mutant Escherichia coli that is defective in the repair of 8-hydroxyguanine. Activity in the repair of 8-hydroxyguanine is greater in hOGG1-Ser326 protein than in hOGG1(326) protein. Because many environmental carcinogens produce 8-hydroxyguanine residue and mismatching to this modified base potentially causes oncogenic mutations, the capacity to repair these lesions can be involved in cancer susceptibility in human beings. We, therefore, examined allele distributions of the Ser326Cys polymorphism in a case-control study of male lung cancer in Okinawa. The analyses based on 241 cases and 197 hospital controls disclosed the following findings. (a) Those with the Cys/Cys genotype were at an increased risk of squamous cell carcinoma and nonadenocarcinoma compared to those with the Ser/Cys and those with the Ser/Ser genotypes combined. The odds ratios adjusted for age and smoking history were 3.01 (95% confidence interval, 1.33-6.83) and 2.18 (95% confidence interval, 1.05-4.54), respectively. (b) The odds ratios for other histological subtypes of lung cancer or those in total were not significant. Those for Cys/Cys or Ser/Cys genotype against Ser/Ser did not reach statistical significance in any cell type. (c) The distributions of this polymorphism varied for different populations (Chinese, Japanese, Micronesians, Melanesians, Hungarians, and Australian Caucasians), with much less prevalence of Cys allele in the latter three populations. Although our sample size was limited, these results indicate that the Ser326Cys variant may be related to squamous cell lung cancer susceptibility. The Cys/Cys genotype appears to be more susceptible to squamous cell carcinoma, although the risk is less than that previously reported to be associated with the CYP1A1 gene. Further studies are needed to assess the importance of the interpopulation variation to cancer susceptibility.

Cisplatin plus fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely accepted as neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; UFT is also an active agent against this disease. In the first retrospective study, we examined the efficacy of UFT as adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with maxillary cancer. The 5-year survival rate of those treated with UFT vs those not treated was 71.4% vs 23.8%, respectively. In the second study we developed the carboplatin plus UFT regimen--as a modification of cisplatin plus 5-FU--and studied its efficacy and toxicity in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. These patients received UFT plus carboplatin. The objective response rate was 53.1%; gradeor = 3 leukopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia were rare. These findings suggest that UFT plus carboplatin in the outpatient setting is feasible for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

The applied numerical calculations to determine the stroboscopic effect visibility measure (SVM) of a specific temporal light modulation waveform will influence the uncertainty of the determined value. An investigation of the achievable uncertainty under application of zero-padding and quadratic interpolation for peak finding is performed. This is done for sinusoidal and square verification waveforms outlined in IEC TR 63158 and demonstrates that using the referenced Stroboscopic effect visibility measure toolbox gives deviations from the reference values of up to 2.2%. Applying a combined optimised method of zero-padding and quadratic interpolation deviations less than 0.05% are achieved and yielding consitent. Result over different sampling frequencies. The verification waveforms are generated on a programmable light modulator and measurement results are shown.