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Objectives:Excessive supragastric belching (SGB) manifests as troublesome belching, and can be associated with reflux and significant impact on quality of life (QOL). In some GERD patients, SGB-associated reflux contributes to up to 1/3 of the total esophageal acid exposure. We hypothesized that a cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBT) might reduce SGB, improve QOL, and reduce acid gastroesophageal reflux (GOR). We aimed to assess the effectiveness of CBT in patients with pathological SGB.Methods:Patients with SGB were recruited at the Royal London Hospital. Patients attended CBT sessions focused on recognition of warning signals and preventative exercises. Objective outcomes were the number of SGBs, esophageal acid exposure time (AET), and proportion of AET related to SGBs. Subjective evaluation was by patient-reported questionnaires.Results:Of 51 patients who started treatment, 39 completed the protocol, of whom 31 had a follow-up MII-pH study. The mean number of SGBs decreased significantly after CBT (before: 116 (47–323) vs. after 45 (22–139), P<0.0003). Sixteen of 31 patients were shown to have a reduction in SGB by >50%. In patients with increased AET at baseline, AET after CBT was decreased: 9.0–6.1% (P=0.005). Mean visual analog scale severity scores decreased after CBT (before: 260 (210–320) mm vs. after: 140 (80–210) mm, P<0.0001).Conclusions:Cognitive behavioral therapy reduced the number of SGB and improved social and daily activities. Careful analysis of MII-pH allows identification of a subgroup of GERD patients with acid reflux predominantly driven by SGB. In these patients, CBT can reduce esophageal acid exposure.

Early stage oral cancer can be cured with oral brachytherapy, but whole-body radiation exposure status has not been previously studied. Recently, the International Commission on Radiological Protection Committee (ICRP) recommended the use of ICRP phantoms to estimate radiation exposure from external and internal radiation sources. In this study, we used a Monte Carlo simulation with ICRP phantoms to estimate whole-body exposure from oral brachytherapy. We used a Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) to model oral brachytherapy with 192Ir hairpins and 198Au grains and to perform a Monte Carlo simulation on the ICRP adult reference computational phantoms. To confirm the simulations, we also computed local dose distributions from these small sources, and compared them with the results from Oncentra manual Low Dose Rate Treatment Planning (mLDR) software which is used in day-to-day clinical practice. We successfully obtained data on absorbed dose for each organ in males and females. Sex-averaged equivalent doses were 0.547 and 0.710 Sv with 192Ir hairpins and 198Au grains, respectively. Simulation with PHITS was reliable when compared with an alternative computational technique using mLDR software. We concluded that the absorbed dose for each organ and whole-body exposure from oral brachytherapy can be estimated with Monte Carlo simulation using PHITS on ICRP reference phantoms. Effective doses for patients with oral cancer were obtained.

We measured the rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) voltammetry curves of a Pt catalyst supported on Marimo-like carbon (MC) to clarify the effect of carbon nanofilaments (CNFs) morphology and fine structures consisting of MC cathode material on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity for Polymer electrolyte fuel cells. The specific surface area and pore volume of MCs are influenced by their morphology and fine structures. MCs grown with Ni–Cu bimetal catalyst (represented as Ni80Cu20MC), having an octopus-like morphology, yielded four times larger total pore volume than that measured from the MC grown with Ni catalyst (Ni100MC). In the case of Ni80Cu20MC, coin-stacked graphenes perpendicular to the filament axis formed CNFs. Ni100MC consists of cup-stacked CNFs. The difference in the graphene stacked fine structure resulted in a different number of graphene edges covering the CNF surface; however, both supported Pt particle sizes and their distributions were similar. Linear sweep voltammetry with a RRDE revealed that the Pt/Ni80Cu20MC ORR onset potential was higher than that observed from the Pt/Ni100MC. This value is suggested to be correlates with the ORR activity. The origin of the ORR difference was discussed on the basis of the structural difference in the MCs.

Caloric restriction (CR) is known to retard aging and delay functional decline as well as the onset of diseases in most organisms. Ghrelin is secreted from the stomach in response to CR and regulates energy metabolism. We hypothesized that in CR ghrelin has a role in protecting aging-related diseases. We examined the physiological mechanisms underlying the ghrelin system during the aging process in three mouse strains with different genetic and biochemical backgrounds as animal models of accelerated or normal human aging. The elevated plasma ghrelin concentration was observed in both klotho-deficient and senescence-accelerated mouse prone/8 (SAMP8) mice. Ghrelin treatment failed to stimulate appetite and prolong survival in klotho-deficient mice, suggesting the existence of ghrelin resistance in the process of aging. However, ghrelin antagonist hastened death and ghrelin signaling potentiators rikkunshito and atractylodin ameliorated several age-related diseases with decreased microglial activation in the brain and prolonged survival in klotho-deficient, SAMP8 and aged ICR mice. In vitro experiments, the elevated sirtuin1 (SIRT1) activity and protein expression through the cAMP–CREB pathway was observed after ghrelin and ghrelin potentiator treatment in ghrelin receptor 1a-expressing cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, rikkunshito increased hypothalamic SIRT1 activity and SIRT1 protein expression of the heart in the all three mouse models of aging. Pericarditis, myocardial calcification and atrophy of myocardial and muscle fiber were improved by treatment with rikkunshito. Ghrelin signaling may represent one of the mechanisms activated by CR, and potentiating ghrelin signaling may be useful to extend health and lifespan.

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Human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) 3 is aberrantly overexpressed and correlates with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Patritumab is a monoclonal antibody against HER3 that has shown promising results in early-phase clinical trials, but an optimal target population for the drug has yet to be identified. In the present study, we examined whether heregulin, a HER3 ligand that is also overexpressed in a subset of NSCLC, can be used as a biomarker to predict the antitumorigenic efficacy of patritumab and whether the drug can overcome the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR TKI) resistance induced by heregulin. Patritumab sensitivity was associated with heregulin expression, which, when abolished, resulted in the loss of HER3 and AKT activation and growth arrest. Furthermore, heregulin overexpression induced EGFR TKI resistance in NSCLC cells harbouring an activating EGFR mutation, while HER3 and AKT activation was maintained in the presence of erlotinib in heregulin-overexpressing, EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells. Sustained HER3-AKT activation was blocked by combining erlotinib with either anti-HER2 or anti-HER3 antibody. Notably, heregulin was upregulated in tissue samples from an NSCLC patient who had an activating EGFR mutation but was resistant to the TKI gefitinib. These results indicate that patritumab can overcome heregulin-dependent EGFR inhibitor resistance in NSCLC in vitroand in vivoand suggest that it can be used in combination with EGFR TKIs to treat a subset of heregulin-overexpressing NSCLC patients.

The effect of stoichiometry ratio and ash deposits on the corrosion of mild steel and 0.5Cr-0.5Mo steel has been investigated at 450 °C in the simulated combustion gases burning three kinds of coals. Under the assumption that the gas reacts with the metal at the same temperature as the surface and gas has not changed in composition, the corrosion behavior could be estimated from the Fe-S-O phase stability diagram at 450 °C and pseudo equilibrium Ps2, and Po2, based on H20 : H2at 1200 °C for simulated combustion gases. Ash deposits accelerated the corrosion rates of steels. It is considered that ash deposits act as catalyst and shift the gas composition to the low temperature equilibrium state

To clarify the indispensable parameters for the multiple carbon nanofilaments (CNFs) growths, in other words, having a unique Octopus-like morphology consisting of the Marimo-like carbon (MC), we have systematically studied to synthesize the MC by the decomposition of methane using oxidized diamond-supported Ni–Cu bimetallic catalysts. We discovered that a Cu addition of 20 wt.% by weight and a growth temperature in the region of 550 °C to 600 °C resulted in many CNF forms from a single catalyst particle, specifically the "Octopus-like" morphology of CNFs. We also discovered that the several CNFs forms might occur from the carbon dissolved in the sintered catalyst particles. We described a model process of the unique structure formation. We expect that the Octopus-like CNFs growth gives enough space volume in the MC for a mass transfer, consequently, it should contribute to realizing a higher power generation performance of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) although under a higher-voltage generation region.

The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) core satellite is being developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT). The GPM is a follow-on mission of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). The objectives of the GPM mission are to observe global precipitation more frequently and accurately than TRMM. The frequent precipitation measurement about every three hours will be achieved by some constellation satellites with microwave radiometers (MWRs) or microwave sounders (MWSs), which will be developed by various countries. The accurate measurement of precipitation in mid-high latitudes will be achieved by the DPR. The GPM core satellite is a joint product of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), JAXA and NICT. NASA is developing the satellite bus and the GPM microwave radiometer (GMI), and JAXA and NICT are developing the DPR. JAXA and NICT are developing the DPR through procurement. The contract for DPR is NEC TOSHIBA Space Systems, Ltd. The proto-flight test for DPR started in November 2010. The status of proto-flight test of DPR will be presented.

Fatigue tests on Zr‐based bulk metallic glass were conducted under compression‐compression stress, and the macroscopic fracture morphology was observed. The fatigue strength of BMG decreased with increasing compressive mean stress. The fatigue endurance limit under compressive mean stress was expressed as a straight line that connects the fatigue endurance limit for tension‐compression stress and compressive strength.

Le double blocage des voies de l’EGFR et du VEGFR dans le traitement du CBNPC EGFRm augmente l’efficacité antitumorale vs l’inhibition seule de l’EGFR. L’étude RELAY (NCT02411448) a évalué l’efficacité et la tolérance de l’ERL, un inhibiteur de tyrosine kinase anti-EGFR considéré comme un des standards de traitement, associé au RAM, un anticorps monoclonal IgG1 humain qui inhibe le VEGFR2, ou au PL comme traitement de première ligne (1L) du CBNPC métastatique EGFRm.

N116Y, H-RAS mutant, has dominant negative activity in the RAS function and a suppressive effect on the growth of various types of cancer cells. However, a replication error of N116Y is of potential concern for carcinogenesis in clinical application. To decease the concern, we constructed modified N116Y by deleting the carboxyl terminus, which is necessary for the oncogenic function of Ras. One of the C-terminal deletion mutants of N116Y, N116Y-Cdel2 showed a growth-suppressing effect on various human cancer cell lines in vitro: the cervical cancer cell line HeLa, the pancreatic cancer cell line PCI43, the colon cancer cell lines SW480 and LoVo, and the tongue cancer cell line SAS. In addition, the suppressive effect of N116Y-Cdel2 on LoVo cells was also observed in vivo using a non-viral gene transfer vector, HVJ envelope. Our experiments suggest that the modified N116Y is a potential candidate gene for human cancer gene therapy.

O K-shell photoionization of the CO2molecule causes antisymmetric vibrations v3' in the core-ionized molecule. The v3'-resolved partial cross sections and asymmetry parameters are measured in the ?ushape resonance region above the O K-shell ionization threshold of the CO2molecule. Neither the shape resonance energy in nor the value of shows v3'-dependence. This v3'-independent nature is attributed to the fact that v3' vibrations do not cause any change of the size of the potential box responsible for the formation of the shape resonance. Multiple scattering calculations employing the v3'-dependent fixed-nuclei approximation reproduce well the measured v3'-resolved partial cross sections.

A novel slurry bubble column in which a lithium silicate as a CO2absorbent is suspended in a molten salt at high temperature was proposed. To confirm the feasibility of the proposed system, the effects of the CO2feed rate into the slurry bubble column, the quantity of absorbent, and the suspension concentration on the performance of the CO2recovery were investigated. The proposed system could rapidly absorb and strip CO2by thermal swinging. Moreover, no reduction of the CO2recovery performance by the repeated use of the absorbent was observed.

We have measured the vibrationally resolved partial cross sections and asymmetry parameters for C K-shell photoionization of the CO2molecule in the ?ushape resonance region above the C K-shell ionization threshold. The positions of both the maxima of and the minima of move towards the C K-shell threshold with increasing symmetric stretching vibrational excitation v'1in the C 1s single-hole state. Calculations employing the relaxed-core Hartree-Fock approach reproduce the observed vibrational effects.

High-resolution electron spectrometry is used to investigate inner-valence Auger transitions in Ne+. The following series of transitions have been observed: Ne+2s12p5(1,3P)np ? Ne2+2s22p43P, 1D and Ne+2s02p6(1S)np? Ne2+2s12p51,3P. In addition, we have observed a new series of valence inter-multiplet Auger transitions Ne+2s12p5(1P)np ? Ne2+2s12p53P. The initial states of these transitions were populated by the resonant Auger decay of photoexcited Ne 1s?1np resonances. Thus, the investigated transitions constitute the second step in an Auger cascade process. The photon energy was chosen to effectively populate Rydberg states of Ne+with n= 4-10. The energy positions, quantum defects, relative intensity and angular distribution parameters of the Ne+Auger electron emission have been determined. Experimental results are compared with multi-configuration Dirac-Fock calculations carried out as a part of this study.

Theoretical and experimental study of vibrationally resolved partial photoionization cross sections and angular asymmetry parameter ? for the 1?gand 1?ushells of N2molecule in the region of the ?* shape resonance is reported. The measurements were made at the synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8 in Japan. The calculations in the random phase approximation have been performed using the relaxed core Hartree-Fock wavefunctions with the fractional charge of the ion core equal to 0.7. With its help, the role of interchannel coupling between the closely spaced 1?gand 1?ushells was studied. The experiment demonstrates the existence of a correlational maximum in the 1?ushell photoionization cross section induced by the ?* shape resonance in the 1?gshell. This maximum reveals itself even more clearly in the angular asymmetry parameter ? for the v' = 0 and v' = 1 vibrational states of the ion. The calculation in the random phase approximation gives a consistent interpretation of the experimental data.

Theoretical and experimental study of vibrationally resolved partial photoionization cross sections and angular asymmetry parameter β for the 1σg and 1σu shells of N2 molecule in the region of the σ* shape resonance is reported. The measurements were made at the synchrotron radiation facility SPring-8 in Japan. The calculations in the random phase approximation have been performed using the relaxed core Hartree–Fock wavefunctions with the fractional charge of the ion core equal to 0.7. With its help, the role of interchannel coupling between the closely spaced 1σg and 1σu shells was studied. The experiment demonstrates the existence of a correlational maximum in the 1σu shell photoionization cross section induced by the σ* shape resonance in the 1σg shell. This maximum reveals itself even more clearly in the angular asymmetry parameter β for the v′ = 0 and v′ = 1 vibrational states of the ion. The calculation in the random phase approximation gives a consistent interpretation of the experimental data.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the relation between changes in the condylar long axis and the chewing path before and after mandibular ramus osteotomy for patients with prognathism with and without asymmetry.Patients and methodsEleven men and 16 women with mandibular prognathism were divided into groups on the basis of symmetry and osteotomy procedure. Preoperative and postoperative frontal chewing paths were recorded. The chewing path consisted of 4 components: deviated side range, undeviated side range, vertical range, and incisal path angle. The angle of the condylar long axis and the 4 components of the chewing path were compared between groups and the differences were analyzed statistically.ResultsNo significant differences in each of the 4 chewing path components were found between groups on the basis of symmetry or osteotomy procedure. A positive correlation was found between the changes in incisal path angle when chewing on the undeviated side and condylar long axis angle on the undeviated side (P < .05). A positive correlation was also found between the changes in undeviated side range when chewing on the deviated side and condylar long axis angle on the deviated side (P < .05).ConclusionThis study suggests that surgically induced increase in the condylar long axis is correlated with increase in side range and incisor path angle, although surgical orthodontic treatment does not significantly change the chewing pattern.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantageous use of an ultrasonic bone curette and to assess the mobilization of the pterygoid process after a Le Fort I osteotomy. Material and methods: 14 Japanese adults (ranging in age from 17 to 30 years, mean 22.4) with jaw deformities diagnosed as mandibular prognathism or bimaxillary asymmetry underwent Le Fort I osteotomy with bilateral sagittal split ramus osteotomy or intraoral vertical ramus osteotomy. During the Le Fort I osteotomy, the Sonopet UST-2000(TM) ultrasonic bone curette was used to fracture the pterygoid process slightly above the level of the maxillary osteotomy without damaging the descending palatine artery or other blood vessels and nerves. After surgery, the pterygoid process osteotomy and its mobility were evaluated from three-dimensional computed tomographic images. Results: In all cases, the mobility of the pterygoid process could be achieved by using the device safely with minimal bleeding and no notable complications. The maxillary segment could be fixed in an ideal position and in all 14 cases, an ideal profile was achieved. Conclusion: Ultrasonic bone curette offers a safe procedure for performing pterygoid process fractures without damaging the surrounding tissue such as the descending palatine artery.

The formation processes of the integrated ordered mesostructure of silica at the liquid−liquid interface in laurylamine/tetraethoxysilane system were elucidated by measuring the small-angle X-ray scattering pattern every second during the formation processes using strong synchrotron radiation X-rays. Cylinders of silica were formed in random configurations in the very early stage of reactions at the liquid−liquid interface. Since these cylinders were restricted in a two-dimensional liquid−liquid interface, they aligned easily with each other and made an ordered structure composed of aligned cylinders at the interface. These ordered structures then accumulated with each other, making an integrated ordered structure, such as a hexagonal array.

The large-scale cryogenic gravitational wave telescope (LCGT) is the future project of the Japanese gravitational wave group. Two sets of 3 km arm length laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors will be built in a tunnel of Kamioka mine in Japan. LCGT will detect chirp waves from binary neutron star coalescence at 240 Mpc away with a S/N of 10. The expected number of detectable events in a year is two or three. To achieve the required sensitivity, several advanced techniques will be employed such as a low-frequency vibration-isolation system, a suspension point interferometer, cryogenic mirrors, a resonant side band extraction method, a high-power laser system and so on. We hope that the beginning of the project will be in 2005 and the observations will start in 2009.