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Background Gastric cancer may develop after successful eradication of Helicobacter pylori, although the incidence is lower than in non-eradicated individuals. We previously reported the appearance of characteristic epithelium with low-grade atypia (ELA) on the surface of gastric cancer after H. pylori eradication. However, whether ELA originates from cancer after re-differentiation or from the non-cancerous surrounding mucosa is unknown. Methods We isolated ELA regions from 10 early gastric cancer patients and analyzed the nucleotide sequences for 90 oncogenes and 35 fusion oncogenes, comparing them with counterpart cancer tissue, normal gastric mucosa, and blood cell-derived DNA. Somatic mutations in each tissue were identified by comparing them with the sequences from whole blood-derived DNA. Result Gene alterations were observed in nine of the ten patients, and up to 42 and 70 somatic mutations were seen in cancer and ELA samples, respectively. Common mutations shared between cancer and ELA tissues were found in eight of these nine patients. In contrast, common mutations between non-cancer mucosa and ELA were only detected in one patient, who also had common mutation between cancer and ELA. ELA-specific nucleotide substitutions were seen in seven patients. In contrast, cancer-specific substitutions were only found in two patients. 18 out of 19 amino acid substitutions present in cancer tissue were also identified in ELA. These results suggest that ELA originated from cancer tissue and accumulated further nucleotide substitutions. Conclusions Differential diagnosis of ELA and normal mucosa should be carefully performed to prevent misdiagnosis of ELA as normal mucosa with atypia., This study was supported by grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS KAKENHI GrantNumber: 16K19379; https://www.jsps.go.jp/j-grantsinaid/).

// Yuji Urabe 1 , Kenichi Kagemoto 2 , C. Nelson Hayes 2 , Koki Nakamura 2 , Kazuhiko Masuda 2 , Atsushi Ono 2 , Shinji Tanaka 3 , Koji Arihiro 4 and Kazuaki Chayama 2 1 Division of Regeneration and Medicine Center for Translational and Clinical Research, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan 2 Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan 3 Department of Endoscopy, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan 4 Department of Pathology, Hiroshima University Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan Correspondence to: Kazuaki Chayama, email: chayama@mba.ocn.ne.jp Keywords: early-stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; exome sequencing; target sequencing; genomic characterization; TP53 Received: August 26, 2018 Accepted: May 26, 2019 Published: June 25, 2019 ABSTRACT Major risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are smoking, alcohol consumption, and single nucleotide polymorphisms in ADH1B and ALDH2 . Several groups have reported large-scale genomic analyses of ESCCs. However, the specific genetic changes that promote the development of ESCC have not been characterized. We performed exome sequencing of 16 fresh esophageal squamous cell neoplasms and targeted sequencing of 128 genes in 52 archival specimens, of which 26 were cancerous, and 26 were adjacent normal tissue, from Japanese ESCC patients. We found significantly more somatic mutations in TP53 and NOTCH1 , CDKN2A deletions, and CCND1 amplifications in cancerous areas than in non-cancerous areas, consistent with previous studies that have characterized them as tumor suppressors and oncogenes. These data suggest that mutations, deletions, and amplifications, which alter the function of TP53 , NOTCH1 , CDKN2A , and CCND1 , are the key changes that promote the transformation of esophageal mucosa to ESCC.

Background and Aim: The incidence of gastric cancer occurring after successful Helicobacter pylori eradication has been increasing. We aimed to clarify the influence of eradication therapy on the ability to diagnose early gastric cancer after successful H. pylori eradication in patients who underwent annual endoscopic screening. Methods: A total of 220 patients (179 men; mean age 71.0 years) had differentiated-type early gastric cancer that was discovered through annual endoscopic screening. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: the H. pylori-eradicated group (n = 81) and the non-eradicated control group (n = 139). After matching patients by propensity scores, we retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of 162 patients (81 patients in each group). Furthermore, we compared the characteristics of gastric cancer with submucosal invasion between the 2 groups. Results: The prevalence of early gastric cancer with submucosal invasion was significantly higher in the eradicated group than in the control group, both before propensity score matching (16.0 vs. 7.2%, respectively; p = 0.038) and after propensity score matching of 81 pairs (16.0 vs. 4.9%, respectively; p = 0.021). In the comparative analysis of gastric cancer with submucosal invasion, there was no difference between the 2 groups with respect to factors influencing the ability to diagnose its presence endoscopically. Conclusion: H. pylori eradication therapy increased the prevalence of differentiated-type gastric cancer with submucosal invasion despite patients’ completion of annual endoscopic screening after eradication.

Background: Gastric cancer develops even in Helicobacter pylori-uninfected patients and its typical histological feature is signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) within the mucosal layer. However, the biological characteristics of SRCC remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the pathological and genetic features of SRCC in Helicobacter pylori -uninfected patients.Methods: Seventeen Helicobacter pylori-uninfected patients with mucosal SRCCs were enrolled and their clinicopathological characteristics were compared with those of Helicobacter pylori-infected patients with mucosal SRCCs. Seven SRCCs without Helicobacter pylori infection, including two invasive SRCCs, and seven Helicobacter pylori-positive SRCCs were subjected to a genetic analysis using next-generation sequencing. Results: Helicobacter pylori-uninfected patients with mucosal SRCCs revealed male dominancy and a significantly higher prevalence of smokers among them as compared with the Helicobacter pylori-infected patients with SRCC. A CDH1 mutation (frame shift indel) was detected in one Helicobacter pylori-uninfected cancer not only in the mucosal SRCC but also in the invasive portion. A TP53 mutation was detected in one SRCC without Helicobacter pylori infection. In the control group, ARID1A and TP53 mutations were detected in one SRCC each. The C to A mutation, which is a characteristic smoking-induced mutation, was not found in any of the samples.Conclusions: Some SRCCs in Helicobacter pylori-uninfected patients may have a malignant potential similar to that of SRCCs in Helicobacter pylori-infected patients. Smoking is not a main carcinogenic factor for the development of SRCCs.

Background Gastric cancer develops even in Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori)-uninfected patients and its typical histological feature is signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) within the mucosal layer. However, the biological characteristics of SRCC remain unclear. We aimed to clarify the pathological and genetic features of SRCC in H. pylori-uninfected patients. Methods Seventeen H. pylori-uninfected patients with mucosal SRCCs were enrolled and their clinicopathological characteristics were compared with those of H. pylori-infected patients with mucosal SRCCs. Seven SRCCs without H. pylori-infected, including two invasive SRCCs, and seven H. pylori-infected SRCCs were subjected to a genetic analysis using next-generation sequencing. Results H. pylori-uninfected patients with mucosal SRCCs revealed male dominancy and a significantly higher prevalence of smokers among them as compared with the H. pylori-infected patients with SRCC. A CDH1 mutation (frame shift indel) was detected in one H. pylori-uninfected cancer not only in the mucosal SRCC but also in the invasive portion. A TP53 mutation was detected in one SRCC without H. pylori-infected. In the control group, ARID1A and TP53 mutations were detected in one SRCC each. The C to A mutation, which is a characteristic smoking-induced mutation, was not found in any of the samples. Conclusions Some SRCCs in H. pylori-uninfected patients may have a malignant potential similar to that of SRCCs in H. pylori-infected patients. Smoking may not be the main carcinogenic factor for the development of SRCCs among the H. pylori-uninfected patients.

Sizes and shapes of snow particles were determined from X-ray computed microtomography (micro-CT) images, and their single-scattering properties were calculated at visible and near-infrared wavelengths using a Geometrical Optics Method (GOM). We analyzed seven snow samples including fresh and aged artificial snow and natural snow obtained from field samples. Individual snow particles were numerically extracted, and the shape of each snow particle was defined by applying a rendering method. The size distribution and specific surface area distribution were estimated from the geometrical properties of the snow particles, and an effective particle radius was derived for each snow sample. The GOM calculations at wavelengths of 0.532 and 1.242 µm revealed that the realistic snow particles had similar scattering phase functions as those of previously modeled irregular shaped particles. Furthermore, distinct dendritic particles had a characteristic scattering phase function and asymmetry factor. The single-scattering properties of particles of effective radius reff were compared with the size-averaged single-scattering properties. We found that the particles of reff could be used as representative particles for calculating the average single-scattering properties of the snow. Furthermore, the single-scattering properties of the micro-CT particles were compared to those of particle shape models using our current snow retrieval algorithm. For the single-scattering phase function, the results of the micro-CT particles were consistent with those of a conceptual two-shape model. However, the particle size dependence differed for the single-scattering albedo and asymmetry factor.

Background and Aim: Reddish depressed lesions (RDLs) frequently observed in patients following Helicobacter pylori eradication are indistinguishable from gastric cancer. We examined the clinical and histological feature of RDLs and its relevant endoscopic diagnosis including magnifying narrow-band imaging (M-NBI). Methods: We enrolled 301 consecutive patients with H. pylori eradication who underwent endoscopy using white light imaging (WLI). We examined the prevalence and host factors contributing to the presence of RDLs. Next, we used M-NBI in 90 patients (104 RDLs), and compared the diagnostic efficacy between M-NBI and WLI groups using propensity-score matching analysis. Results: In 301 patients after eradication, 117 (39%) showed RDLs. Male, open-type atrophy, and gastric cancer history were risk factors for RDLs. A gastric biopsy was needed in 83 (71%) during WLI observation and only 2 were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. In M-NBI group, a biopsy was performed in 21 (20%), and 9 were diagnosed with adenocarcinoma. A biopsy was required in fewer patients, and the positive predictive value of a biopsy was statistically higher in M-NBI than in the WLI group (p < 0.01). Conclusions: RDLs are frequently observed in high-risk patients for gastric cancer after eradication. M-NBI demonstrated significantly superior diagnostic efficacy with respect to RDL.

The serological risk prediction system combines the pepsinogen test and anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) antibody determination. In this system, chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is diagnosed using the pepsinogen test. Patients who are H. pylori negative and pepsinogen negative are classified into group A, are assumed to be H. pylori uninfected, and are at an extremely low risk for gastric cancer. However, gastric cancers are detected in this group. The aim of this study is to clarify the clinicopathological status of group A patients with gastric cancer. A total of 109 gastric cancer patients classified as group A were enrolled in a multicenter study. Group A patients were divided into two subgroups: group AN (H. pylori uninfected) and group AP (H. pylori infected). They were compared to 183 H. pylori-infected gastric cancer patients who were not in group A. Of the 109 patients, only 7 were classified as group AN; the other 102 were classified as group AP. The clinicopathological features of group AP included older age, predominantly differentiated type cancer, endoscopically visualized CAG, and pepsinogen (PG) I/II ratio lower than that of group AN. In group AN, the depressed type was dominant, and the PG I/II ratio was higher than in those gastric cancer patients who were infected with H. pylori. Patients in group AP had CAG, and their gastric cancers were similar to those of H. pylori-eradicated patients. Concerning the recent ABC classification system, advanced decision criteria should be proposed to decrease the false-negative evaluation of gastric cancer risk.

Background/Aims: Dual red imaging (DRI) is a new, image-enhanced endoscopy technique. There are few reports about the usefulness of DRI during gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We aimed to examine the usefulness of DRI in endoscopic hemostasis during gastric ESD. Methods: We enrolled a total of 20 consecutive patients who underwent gastric ESD. Five endoscopists compared DRI with white light imaging (WLI) for the visibility of blood vessels and bleeding points while performing endoscopic hemostasis. Results: The visibility of blood vessels was increased in 56% (19/34) of the cases, and the visibility of bleeding points was improved in 55% (11/20) of the cases with the use of DRI compared with the use of WLI. Conclusions: DRI improved the visibility of blood vessels and bleeding points in cases with oozing bleeding, blood pooling around the bleeding points, and multiple bleeding points. Clin Endosc 2020;53:54-59

We investigated the spectral refractive indices (RIs) of volcanic ash materials in the wavenumber range of 700–1100 cm− 1 using satellite infrared sounder measurements and radiative transfer calculations. The ash RIs of 10 ash clouds from eight volcanoes were evaluated (Bezymianny on 2 September 2012, Chaiten on 3 May 2008, Kelut on 14 February 2014, Kirishimayama on 27 January 2011, Kliuchevskoi on 30 June 2007 and 18 October 2013, Puyehue–Cordon Caulle on 5 June 2011, Sangeang-Api on 31 May 2014, and Sheveluch on 28 October 2010 and 18 September 2012). We elaborated on a dataset of volcanic ash measurements made by the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) onboard the Aqua satellite. The measured brightness temperatures in the ash cloud data revealed silicate absorption features at around 10 μm. By applying atmospheric profiles from results of a global data assimilation system and using ash cloud properties (ash optical depth, effective radius, and ash cloud height) as parameters for radiative transfer calculations, least squares analyses for the observed and calculated brightness temperatures were conducted using AIRS channels in the wavenumber range of 700–1100 cm− 1, except for the O3 absorption channels in the range of 980–1070 cm− 1. Using the RIs for typical volcanic rocks in the ascending order of SiO2 content, basalt, andesite, and rhyolite, a mixture of basalt and rhyolite and a mixture of andesite and rhyolite for the ash material were considered. The volume fraction of the mixture was used as a retrieval parameter and as the ash cloud parameter. Using the estimated ash cloud parameters as fixed values, and under the assumption that the RI from the estimated volume fraction had some accuracy in the wavenumber ranges of 850–980 cm− 1 and 1070–1100 cm− 1, the RI imaginary part of each eruptive ash cloud captured by AIRS was then determined from iterative calculations at wavenumbers between 750 cm− 1 and 980 cm− 1. In the wavenumber range of 850–980 cm− 1, the observed brightness temperatures could be approximately simulated using the reported RIs from Pollack, Toon, and Khare (1973) for andesite, basalt, and rhyolite, and their combinations. Furthermore, some estimated RIs were consistent with the reported rock types of the volcanoes, which had been previously classified by compositional analyses in the literature. Our analysis also identified weak absorptions around 750–850 cm− 1, which could not be reproduced by the reported RIs. These weak absorptions were likely due to Si–O and/or Al–O vibrations, which have been proposed in reports from previous laboratory experiments for some silicate glass samples. Our results suggest that the detailed RI of volcanic ash can be determined from an analysis of satellite infrared sounder data. The RI of the ash material estimated from satellite infrared sounder data can be used to improve the ash retrieval algorithms of other satellite measurements. Furthermore, an RI retrieved by sounder measurements may provide diagnostic information regarding volcanic activity from comparisons with the ash RIs from past eruptions.

We investigated the use of backscatter properties of atmospheric ice particles for space-borne lidar applications. We estimated the average backscattering coefficient (β), backscatter color ratio (χ), and depolarization ratio (δ) for ice particles with a wide range of effective radii for five randomly oriented three-dimensional (3D) and three quasi-horizontally oriented two-dimensional (2D) types of ice particle using physical optics and geometrical integral equation methods. This is the first study to estimate the lidar backscattering properties of quasi-horizontally oriented non-pristine ice crystals. We found that the χ–δ relationship was useful for discriminating particle types using Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO) Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP) data. The lidar ratio (S)–δ relationship, which is determined using space-borne high-spectral-resolution lidar products such as EarthCARE ATLID or future space-borne lidar missions, may also produce robust classification of ice particle types because it is complementary to the χ–δ relationship.

In the original publication of the article, the article title was published with typo. The word "eradiation" should be "eradication" in the article title and keywords.

The backscattering coefficient (β), lidar ratio (S), and depolarization ratio (δ) of ice particles were estimated over a wide range of effective radii to interpret spaceborne 355-nm high-spectral-resolution lidar data from the ATLID sensor onboard the EarthCARE satellite. Five randomly oriented ice particle shapes (3D ice) and two quasi-horizontally oriented particle types (2D ice) were analyzed using five effective angles. The size dependence of β, S, and δ was examined using physical optics and geometrical optics integral equation methods. Differences in β for the same effective radius and ice water content among particle types exceeded one order of magnitude. S-δ relations are useful for inferring ice particle habit and orientation using ATLID data from EarthCARE.

Biomarkers predicting the response to the anticancer treatment and prognosis in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are required. Recently, high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) was reported to promote HCC progression and be associated with poor prognosis for patients with HCC. The purpose of this study was to assess serum HMGB1 concentrations before and during sorafenib treatment or hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) and to explore the ability of serum HMGB1 concentrations to predict prognosis. Serum HMGB1 concentrations were measured in 71 and 72 patients with advanced HCC treated with sorafenib and HAIC, respectively, to assess their usefulness for prediction of the response to the treatment and prognosis. Multivariate analysis identified high HMGB1 at 4 weeks (P = 0.001), high α-fetoprotein (AFP) at baseline (P = 0.025), tumor liver occupying rate (P = 0.009) and modified RECIST (mRECIST, P

非球形粒子の散乱特性を計算する幾何光学積分法おいて、積分素面を平行四辺形で表現し光線の位相差を考慮して積分を行うことにより、計算精度を大きく損なうことなく計算効率が向上することを示した。サイズパラメータが50以下の粒子の計算が可能なFDTD法とサイズパラメータが200以上の粒子に適用が可能な簡便な幾何光学手法の間が埋まり、氷晶雲や鉱物性エーロゾルの衛星観測データ解析の高度化等への活用が期待できる。

A method is described for incorporating surface-emitted surface-reflected (SESR) radiation into the infrared emissivity calculation for an anisotropic wind-roughened sea surface slope distribution model that depends on both wind speed and direction. First, the direct emissivity is obtained by ignoring the SESR radiation. Then, the first order SESR emissivity is obtained by using the direct emission as a radiation source. Finally, the ith order SESR emissivity (i ≥ 2) is recursively obtained by using the i-1st SESR emission. Sea surface emissivity up to the second order is calculated for wavelengths of 3.7, 11, and 12 μm at wind speeds of 3, 5, 10, and 15 m/s. Sea surface emissivity derived from the isotropic slope distribution model, which depends only on wind speed, is widely used in radiative transfer models, and validations have been performed through comparisons with measurements. This study examines the applicability of sea surface emissivity calculations to remote sensing measurements with respect to wind speed, emission angle, and the required accuracy of sea surface temperature, by use of sea surface emissivity derived from the anisotropic slope distribution model as a reference. For example, the sea surface temperature accuracy was better than 0.3 K for emission angles below 68° and 56° for isotropic slope distribution models with and without SESR radiation, respectively, for a wavelength of 11 μm, wind speed of 10 m/s, and sea surface temperature of 288 K. The isotropic model without SESR radiation performs well for satellite remote sensing data up to an emission angle of at least ∼50° provided the wind speed is less than ∼10 m/s. Ground based measurements with emission angles larger than 70° could be improved using the anisotropic model with SESR radiation.

We derived rain rate, cloud optical thickness and the effective radius in water clouds by a combined use of the Precipitation Radar and the Visible and Infrared Scanner onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission. The derived data were used to study how cloud optical thickness relates to precipitation. In particular, we focused on the changes in cloud optical thickness resulted from changes in the size distributions of cloud droplets associated with precipitation. There were considerable scatter between cloud optical thickness and rain rate on a global scale. However, cloud optical thickness was found to increase with rain rate on average. The tendency to increase was mostly due to increases in liquid water path and depended on rain rate. For strong rain, relatively small increases in the optical thickness with rain rate were observed. Whereas, for weak rain, larger increases with rain rate were found, which is related to considerable changes in liquid water path and in the effective radius of cloud droplets. To study the effects of drop size variation, the relationships between cloud optical thickness and rain rate for same values of liquid water path were analyzed. Results show that there were no significant dependences of cloud optical thickness on rain rate for strong rain. For weak rain, cloud optical thickness was found to decrease with rain rate. In particular, significant differences of optical thickness were found between non-precipitating clouds and precipitating clouds: smaller cloud optical thickness was observed for precipitating clouds. Dispersion of cloud drop size was found in the rain formation process, which may relate to changes in the shape of drop size spectra and leads to the decreases in the cloud optical thickness for precipitating clouds.

A comparison of the physical optics code and GOIE method to solve the problem of light scattering by hexagonal ice crystals has been presented. It was found that in the case of diffraction on a hole in the perpendicular screen, both methods give the same diffraction scattering cross section for the diffraction angles up to 60 degrees. The polarization elements of the Mueller matrix in this case differ significantly even for the angles of 15-30 degrees. It is also shown that in the case of diffraction on the tilted screen, the difference between these methods may be significant. The comparison of the results with the exact solution obtained by FDTD has confirmed that the difference between these methods is not significant for the case of diffraction on the perpendicular screen, but it is slightly preferable to use the GOIE for the calculations. The good agreement with the exact solution confirms the possibility of using the method of physical optics to solve the problem of light scattering by particles with characteristic size greater than 10 microns.

For the purpose of achieving reduction both of NOx, PM (particulate matter) and CO2 by applying DME (Dimethyl ether) to diesel fuel, HE Engineering Corp, Iwatani International Corp. and Daihatsu Diesel Mfg. Co., Ltd. are collaborating to develop a large DME diesel generation system under a subsidy from the METI's “DME Fuel Application Equipment Development Subsidy Program”. In this paper, we introduce investigated subjects on developing the DME diesel engine and present results.

Daily and monthly aerosol optical thickness (AOT) over the ocean, derived from the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (GMS-5) visible data, were compared with those determined from the sun photometer measurements in March and Apri1 2002. Time variations in the daily AOT derived from the GMS-5 showed good agreements with those from the sun photometer measurements. Correlation coefficient between the GMS-5 and the sun photometer derived daily AOTs was 0.85 for 61 samples taken at three sun photometer observation sites; Ryori, Yonagunijima, and Minamitorishima in Japan. The difference of monthly AOT, the GMS-5 minus the sun photometer, in March and April 2002 were −0.03 and 0.03 at Ryori, −0.01 and 0.18 at Yonagunijima, and 0.01 and 0.07 at Minamitorishima, respectively.Monthly regional AOT, defined as the median of the daily AOTs over 30° latitude × 30° longitude region, was calculated in latitude from 60°N to 60°S and in longitude from 80°E to 160°W for March and Apri1 of 2002 and 2003. In the southern hemisphere, monthly regional AOT was less than 0.1; about 0.1∼0.2 in 0°N∼30°N; larger than 0.2 in 30°N∼60°N with a maximum of 0.4∼0.5 in the western region near the Asian continent. AOTs in 2003 were generally smaller than those in 2002 in six regions between 110°E and 160°W of the northern hemisphere, where aerosol loading is most likely affected by the Asian dust. The numbers of regions, in which the AOT increased/decreased/equivalent from 2002 to 2003, were 3/8/1 in March and April, with the AOT changes from 2002 to 2003 to be as large as −0.04∼0.03.

Background & Aims: Pancreatic stellate cells have some similarities to hepatic stellate cells and an intrinsic renin-angiotensin system is present in the pancreas and is enhanced in acute pancreatitis and chronic pancreatic hypoxia. We assessed the effects of lisinopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, on spontaneously occurring chronic pancreatitis. Methods: Lisinopril in drinking water (20, 50, or 200 mg/L) was administered to 10-week-old male Wistar Bonn/Kobori (WBN/Kob) rats for 10 weeks and then the inflammatory parameters, fibrosis, serum and pancreatic ACE activity, and expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) messenger RNA (mRNA) as well as positive immunostaining for α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were assessed. Results: Lisinopril attenuated gross alterations in the pancreas. This protective effect was confirmed quantitatively by significant increases in pancreatic weights and decreases in pancreatic myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity (an index of granulocyte infiltration), pancreatic hydroxyproline content (an index of collagen deposition), ratio of fibrous tissue, and histologic scores. Lisinopril significantly reduced serum ACE activity but it did not affect pancreatic activity. High doses of lisinopril suppressed the overexpression of TGF-β1 mRNA measured by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and decreased the number of α-SMA-positive cells (activated pancreatic stellate cells) in the pancreas. Conclusions: Lisinopril alleviated chronic pancreatitis and fibrosis in male WBN/Kob rats. It suppressed the expression of TGF-β1 mRNA, resulting in the prevention of pancreatic stellate cell activation, which may be involved in the observed protection. We propose that an ACE inhibitor may be useful for treating chronic pancreatitis.

In Part 1, to clarify the usability of residual oil reclaimed from waste plastics as diesel fuel, the authors evaluated the correlation between the result of FIA ignition test and the calculation result of JIS K2204 Cetane Index.In this report, furthermore, referring to also the fuel density and the distillation characteristics of marine diesel oil, the authors considered the JIS K2204 and the JIS K2280 Cetane Index from ignition characteristics standpoint.

This paper describes the results of ignition and combustion characteristics tests conducted on the residual oil produced by the commercial waste plastics oil reclamation system, from the viewpoint of studying its feasibility as a fuel oil for diesel engines. A fuel ignition analyzer (FIA) was used for the ignition test, and a medium-speed diesel engine with 200mm cylinder bore was used for the combustion test. The authors studied combustion performance at different blending ratios of new-reclaimed residual oil to marine diesel oil and at different fuel temperatures, to identify optimal conditions. It is found that the new-reclaimed residual oil (RRO) is distinctly better than MDO in FIA ignition characteristics. Additionally, the analysis results indicate the good correlation between FIA centane number and the centane index (JIS K2204) on blended test fuel oils of RRO.

The purposes of newly developing for MJ series paper machine are to accomplish higher production and operator-friendly operation at 2000 mpm.Since the forming section requires stable sheet forming and good quality of paper on high-speed operation, a suction forming roll at initial drainage zone and the wedge-shape blade was opposing counter blade at mid-mat forming zone are incorporated in MJ former. And today. we are able to propose blade former or roll-blade former according to user needs.In this paper, we present the results of drainage element studies and pilot machine trials.

To investigate the feasibility of retrieving spectral aerosol optical thickness from polarization measurements, the degree of polarization of the sky radiation was measured at a 90° angle from the solar direction in the principal plane with a multichannel polarimeter from ships on the Pacific Ocean and on the Inland Sea of Japan in 1997. The direct solar radiation was also measured simultaneously. Both measurements were made at wavelengths (λ) of 443, 490, 565, 670, 765, and 865 nm. A lookup table of the degree of polarization with three parameters (the solar zenith angle, the aerosol optical thickness at λ = 550 nm, and the Angstrom coefficient) was created from radiative transfer calculations. The aerosol model over the ocean is assumed to be composed of the externally mixed “oceanic” and “water soluble” components, whose size distributions are expressed by the lognormal functions. The size distribution parameters and refractive indices are adopted from the International Radiation Commission re...

A multipurpose field radiometer (Optical Research Corporation Model MSR7000) was modified to measure the degree of polarization and radiance of skylight either on the ground or on a ship. The atmospheric observations were performed over Railroad Valley (38°32'N, 115°44'W), Nevada (USA) where the altitude is 1435m in wavelengths from 400nm to 1000nm. The polarization initially increased with increasing wavelength and reached a maximum of 70% at around 500nm. It then decreased with a further increase of wavelength. This trend might be explained by contamination of aerosols in the atmosphere if the surface reflectance is low. Furthermore, at fixed wavelengths polarization decreased generally with increasing sun elevation, whereas the surface reflectance factor increased. Based on a sun-photometer measurement, the atmospheric aerosols were stable during the measurements. In a simulation in which the surface is assumed to be Lambertian with a fixed reflectance, the skylight polarization decreased with increasing sun elevation. The observed magnitude of changing skylight polarization with solar elevation is smaller than that of simulated results. This might be mainly due to neglecting polarization generated by the surface and partly due to neglecting directional dependence of reflectance.

This paper describes the influences of fluctuation factors in respect to NOx emissions from medium speed diesel engines.In Part 1, to examine the NOx-concentration correction formula specified in the Technical Code, the authors conducted yearlong research using two types of power-generating medium-speed diesel engines. The purpose of this research was to identify seasonal fluctuation in NOx concentration.In Part 2, the authors performed a combustion test to observe NOx concentration by varying supply air temperature and absolute humidity with the single cylinder engine. Of the three factors, absolute humidity has the greatest impact on NOx. This test proved that, when the engine load is high, the required NOx-concentration correction on absolute humidity was about double that calculated by the IMO Technical Code.This present report takes into account fuel ignitability and other possible factors that may be related to NOx-concentration fluctuation, and conducted additional analysis on the degree of contribution of fuel properties to NOx emissions, based on the yearlong measurement data of cogeneration engines, which was discussed in Part 1.

This paper refers to the influences of varition factors in respect to NOx emissions from medium speed power generating diesel engines. The level of NOx emission from such an engine is liable to be influenced by airborne moisture and the ignitability of fuels. To clarify the influence of fuel ingnitability among all relevant factors, upon NOx emission, combustion testing was conducted on a single-cylinder engine using fuels of different cetane indexes. On the basis of this testing, the results revealed that at the combustion test for certification of compliance of marine diesel NOx emission, the influence of fuel ingnitability in NOx emission is not negligible.

The effect of surface wind direction on sea surface emissivity was studied for wavelengths of 3.7, 8.8, 11, and 12μm. Wind direction is considered for 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, and 180° from the direction of emitted radiation, while wind speed is changed from 1 to 15m/s. Computation showed that wind direction has little effect on sea surface emissivity ( 60° where the wavelength dependence of the emissivity difference caused by wind direction change is low (

A multi-spectral polarimeter (FPR1000) is designed to measure the radiance and degree of polarization of the sky radiation as well as the extinction of solar irradiance using the same optical system. This enables us to make consistent measurements of the direct solar and diffused sky radiation. Measurements are made at the same wavelength regions as Polarization and Directionality of the Earth’s Reflectances (POLDER) and Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) onboard Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS). Based on measurements for the Langley plot calibration made at Mauna Loa Observatory, the calibration constants are obtained by considering the effect of absorption by water vapor and uniformly mixed gas. Preliminary analyses of the measurements of sky radiation and direct solar irradiance carried out in the western part of the Pacific Ocean are presented. Combined measurements of the extinction of solar irradiance, and the radiance and degree of polarization of sky radiation could be useful in improving retrieval of optical characteristics of aerosol and for atmospheric correction.

A model of convectively generated cirrus particles consistent with the shape properties of measured cirrus particles is proposed. A database of single scattering properties of modeled ice particles at visible to infrared wavelengths was constructed using the finite-difference time-domain and geometric-optics-integral-equation methods for advanced analysis of satellite/ground-based remote sensing data.

Backscattering properties of ice crystal models (Voronoi aggregates (VA), hexagonal columns (COL), and six-branched bullet rosettes (BR6)) are calculated by using geometrical-opticsintegral-equation (GOIE) method. Characteristics of depolarization ratio ( δ ) and lidar ratio ( L ) of the crystal models are examined. δ ( L ) values are 0.2~0.3 (4~50), 0.3~0.4 (10~25), and 0.5~0.6 (50~100) for COL, BR6, and VA, respectively, at wavelength λ=0.532 μm. It is found that small deformation of COL model could produce significant changes in δ and L .

Measurements of radiation budgets, both at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and at the surface, are essential to understanding the earth's climate. The TOA budgets can, in principle, be measured directly from satellites, while on a global scale surface budgets need to be deduced from TOA measurements. Most methods of inferring surface solar-radiation budgets from satellite measurements are applicable to particular scene types or geographic locations, and none is valid over highly reflective surfaces such as ice or snow. In addition, the majority of models require inputs such as cloud-optical thickness that are usually not known. Extensive radiative transfer modeling for different surface, atmospheric, and cloud conditions suggests a linear relationship between the TOA-reflected flux and the flux absorbed at the surface for a fixed solar zenith angle (SZA). The linear relationship is independent of cloud-optical thickness and surface albedo. Sensitivity tests show that the relationship depends stro...

Radiance and degree of linear polarization of the upwelling and the downwelling radiation just above and below a ruffled ocean surface in a model atmosphere-ocean system are computed at the wavelengths of 0.5 and 0.75 microm with the doubling-adding method. Computational results show that: (1) maximum degree of polarization (P(max))a nd radiance in the corresponding direction (R(max)) f the upwelling radiation below the ocean surface are strongly dependent on the oceanic condition and that P(max) is affected by the atmospheric condition. The effect of surface wind is negligible. (2) P(max) and R(max) of the downwelling radiation just above the ocean surface are strongly dependent on the atmospheric condition, but are little affected by oceanic and surface conditions. A combined measurement of P(max) and R(max) is expected to provide useful information to infer atmospheric and oceanic conditions.

[1] Cloud optical thickness and the effective radius of cloud droplets were derived by a combined use of the precipitation radar and visible and infrared scanner onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite to study the effect of precipitation on the relationship between cloud optical thickness (τ) and the effective radius (re) on a global scale. Whether τ and re correlate positively or negatively is a key to finding evidence of the indirect effects of aerosols, but up to now this has been a subject of considerable debate. No clear correlation has been reported on a global scale because τ is affected by many factors, among which the effect of precipitation is one of the most uncertain. To study the effect of precipitation, we assessed the relationship between τ and re in terms of the critical radius of cloud droplets (rc), below which precipitation hardly forms. In our analysis, there was no clear correlation between τ and re in water clouds which is consistent with many previous studies. However, interesting features of the relationship were revealed that are related to rc. Cloud optical thickness is a maximum for clouds with re around the value of rc. On a global average, cloud optical thickness tends to increase with re (positive correlation) for re rc. A change in the sign of the relationship was clearly observed at re ∼ rc on a global scale. These features were observed typically for non-precipitating clouds and clouds with weak rain. The relationship is strongly affected by precipitation which should be carefully considered when using it to find evidence of the indirect effects of aerosols.

OBJECTIVE—Insulin binds to the α-subunit of the insulin receptor (IRα) and subsequently exerts its effects in the cells. The soluble ectodomains of several receptors have been found to circulate in the plasma. Therefore, we hypothesized that soluble human insulin receptor (hIR) ectodomain (α-subunit and a part of β-subunit) may exist in the plasma of diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We identified soluble hIR ectodomain in human plasma by a two-step purification followed by immunoblotting and gel-filtration chromatography. Furthermore, we established an hIRα-specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and measured the plasma IRα levels in patients with diabetes. We also investigated this phenomenon in streptozotocin-induced diabetic hIR transgenic mice. RESULTS—Soluble hIRα, but not intact hIRβ or whole hIR, exists in human plasma. The plasma IRα levels were significantly higher in type 1 (2.00 ± 0.60 ng/ml; n = 53) and type 2 (2.26 ± 0.80; n = 473) diabetic patients than in control subjects (1.59 ± 0.40 ng/ml; n = 123 (P < 0.001 vs. control). Plasma IRα level was positively correlated with blood glucose level, and 10–20% of the insulin in plasma bound to hIRα. In the in vivo experiments using diabetic hIR transgenic mice, hyperglycemia was confirmed to increase the plasma hIRα level and the half-life estimated to be ∼6 h. CONCLUSIONS—We propose that the increased soluble IR ectodomain level appears to be a more rapid glycemic marker than A1C or glycoalbumin.

The LEC rat is reported to exhibit hypersensitivity to X-irradiation, deficiency in DNA double-strand break repair, and radio-resistant DNA synthesis. This character of the LEC rat has been thought to be due to abnormal G1 arrest in cells after X-irradiation. In this report, we re-investigated the effect of X-irradiation on the cell cycle in primary-cultured fibroblasts. Primary-cultured fibroblasts derived from LEC and BN rats were exposed to 4 Gy of X-ray and their cell cycle analysis was performed with a flow cytometer. Fibroblasts derived from both rats showed normal response of the cell cycle, indicating the arrest at both G1--and G2/M-phase and no difference in the cell cycle population between fibroblasts derived from both rats. In contrast, when the same analysis was performed using the cell line, L7 and W8, which had been established from the lung fibroblasts of LEC and control WKAH rats, respectively, by immortalizing with SV40 T-antigen, L7 cells but not W8 cells showed impaired G1 arrest and abnormal cell cycle. These results suggest that fibroblasts derived from LEC rats possess the normal cell cycle response after X-irradiation, if they are kept naive as not immortalized with SV40 T-antigen.

The authors encountered a rare case of necrotizing myositis in the upper extremity due to invasive Group A Streptococcal infection. This is the first such case reported in Tokushima.The patient was forty-three year old male who came to our hospital for pain of the right upper extremity and fever.His general condition suddenly worsened, followed by septic shock (Toxic shock-Like Syn-drome). Internal medication was administered and surgical treatment conducted for six months with good results.The present case demonstrates the importance of early diagnosis and the need for internal medication and surgery.

Computational accuracy of the Cox-Munk ocean surface model is discussed using the energy conservation of the incident radiation on it. The computational scheme in the atmosphere-ocean system is based on the doubling-adding method. Firstly, with the aid of the simple modification of the refraction matrix, computational accuracy is significantly improved even in the small discrete system of (15, 24), where the first and second numerals in the parentheses donote the discrete coordinates in the atmosphere and the ocean, respectively. This modification is necessary especially for the computations of the radiation including polarization effect which require a great deal of computer time and memory space. Secondly, the effects of shadows, multiple reflections, and refractions by the ocean surface are discussed to improve the accuracy. Finally, a computational example of albedo, the upwelling radiance and the degree of linear polarization at the top of the atmosphere-ocean system are discussed at wavelength 0.5μm.

en vue de mettre au point une methode de monitorage estimant le rayonnement de courte longueur d'onde absorbe par l'ocean depuis l'espace, on a etudie la sensibilite de ce rayonnement ainsi que celle de l'eclairement vers le haut au sommet de l'atmosphere, vis-a-vis des parametres oceano-atmospheriques, en faisant appel a un systeme atmosphere-ocean de modele. L'eclairement energetique a ete calcule par la methode du «doubling-adding» dans 0,285-50 μm pour le modele d'atmosphere-ocean en ete, en zone temperee. En l'absence de nuages, les aerosols de type oceaniques sont consideres avec leur spectre represente par la distribution log-normale. La surface marine est simulee par les facettes dont la pente varie suivant la distribution gaussienne isotrope par rapport a la v du vent de surface. L'effet des moutons a ete inclus. Deux types d'hydrosols ont ete consideres: en diffusion pure, puis avec «inclusion» d'une absorption partielle. Resultats