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Nine patients of tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) had operative trentment. Surgical technique was described by Robert P. Nirschl in 1979. It consisted of exposure of extensor carpi radialis brevis and excision of identified lesion. The results were rated as excellent in four elbows, good in four and fair in one.

Lateral non-discoid meniscal tear in a three-year-old girl was treated with partial meniscectomy. The tear was noticed peripherally extending from the body to the posterior horn of the meniscus. Postoperatively the sympotoms have improved without recurrence.

1. To ascertain physicochemical changes of the paddy rice starch in the process of maturing, comparative viscosity and Iodine color were measured with elaborated starches of both common and glutinous rice by the aid of Ostward, viscositimeter and photoelectric colorimeter. 2. The comparative viscosity increases in due order at the periods subsequent to the starchy stage, characterizing a marked increase in case of glutinous rice; the value of which is constantly higher than that of common rice throughout the whole process of maturing, while at early periods prior to that stade there is little difference between both kinds. 3. The Iodine color degree as expressed by the percentage value of transparency of colorimeter also varied not only with the kinds of rice but also with the stages of maturity ; it usually increases up to the milky stage, reaching the maximum, and then decreased towards full maturity in different manner with different kinds of rice.

In this note we prove two propositions about theta series. The field of real numbers will be denoted by R, the field of complex numbers by C, and Siegel upper half domain of degree n by Hn. ...

Gastric mucosal blood flow and microvascular patterns were studied in normal and stressed rats. In addition, various regulating factors of gastric mucosal blood flow, such as autonomic nervous system and biogenic amines, were investigated by histochemical procedures. Gastric mucosal blood flow was determined by the hydrogen gas clearance method as well as the hydrogen gas electrolytic method, and the microvascular structure was observed by the infusion method with two-colored silicon rubber. The gastric mucosal blood flow decreased significantly in the early period after induction of burn stress. The incidence of acute gastric mucosal lesions had a highly correlative relation with the decrease in mucosal blood flow. Reduction of mucosal blood flow was consequently due to opening of an arteriovenous shunt and hyperpermeability of true capillaries. This hemodynamic change, regulated by biogenic amines and autonomic nerves, was followed by ischemia and congestion of the gastric mucosa. The results of these studies demonstrated the importance of defensive factors; that reduction of mucosal blood flow resulted in the sequence of events that led to formation of acute gastric mucosal lesions.

The GPS/MET (Global Positioning System/Meteorology) experiment was carried out between April 1995 and February 1997. Height profiles of the atmospheric refractive index were obatined at 1-60 km from the active limb sounding of occulted radio signals from the GPS satellites. By assuming the hydrostatic relation for a dry atmosphere, a new global data set of high resolution temperature profiles has become available. This paper deals with the determination of the thermal structure near the tropopause in the equatorial region using the GPS/MET data. First, we have compared the GPS/MET profiles with nearby radiosonde results at two balloon launch sites in Indonesia; Bandung (6.9°S, 107.6°E) and Pontianak (0.03°N, 109.3°E), and determined that the rms deviation was approximately 1 K in the upper troposphere when effects of humidity are small, and about 2 K in the lower stratosphere. The GPS/MET profiles are found to be very unique in revealing detailed temperature structure, including sharp inversions and step-wise increase of temperature gradient near the tropical tropopause, which has not been achieved by a conventional satellite measurement. The monthly mean value of the minimum temperature (T min ) near the tropopause agreed well between radiosonde profiles at Bandung and the GPS/MET results, showing an annual variation with warm enhancements in August-September, and broader cold periods from January to April. The altitude corresponding to T min became lower/higher for warmer/colder T min . Taking advantage of the global coverage of the GPS/MET data, we have investigated the longitude distribution of T min and H min , which generally agreed well with earlier studies.

A four-dimensional variational (4D-Var) data assimilation system for a regional dust model (RAMS/CFORS-4DVAR; RC4) is applied to an adjoint inversion of a heavy dust event over eastern Asia during 20 March–4 April 2007. The vertical profiles of the dust extinction coefficients derived from NIES Lidar network are directly assimilated, with validation using observation data. Two experiments assess impacts of observation site selection: Experiment A uses five Japanese observation sites located downwind of dust source regions; Experiment B uses these and two other sites near source regions. Assimilation improves the modeled dust extinction coefficients. Experiment A and Experiment B assimilation results are mutually consistent, indicating that observations of Experiment A distributed over Japan can provide comprehensive information related to dust emission inversion. Time series data of dust AOT calculated using modeled and Lidar dust extinction coefficients improve the model results. At Seoul, Matsue, and Toyama, assimilation reduces the root mean square differences of dust AOT by 35–40%. However, at Beijing and Tsukuba, the RMS differences degrade because of fewer observations during the heavy dust event. Vertical profiles of the dust layer observed by CALIPSO are compared with assimilation results. The dense dust layer was trapped at potential temperatures (θ) of 280–300 K and was higher toward the north; the model reproduces those characteristics well. Latitudinal distributions of modeled dust AOT along the CALIPSO orbit paths agree well with those of CALIPSO dust AOT, OMI AI, and MODIS coarse-mode AOT, capturing the latitude at which AOTs and AI have high values. Assimilation results show increased dust emissions over the Gobi Desert and Mongolia; especially for 29–30 March, emission flux is about 10 times greater. Strong dust uplift fluxes over the Gobi Desert and Mongolia cause the heavy dust event. Total optimized dust emissions are 57.9 Tg (Experiment A; 57.8% larger than before assimilation) and 56.3 Tg (Experiment B; 53.4% larger).

Ground-based Multi-Axis Differential Opti- cal Absorption Spectroscopy (MAX-DOAS) measurements were performed at Tsukuba, Japan (36.1 N, 140.1 E), in November-December 2006. By analyzing the measured spectra of scattered sunlight with DOAS and optimal esti- mation methods, we first retrieve the aerosol optical depth ( ) and the vertical profile of the aerosol extinction coeffi- cient (k) at 476 nm in the lower troposphere. These retrieved quantities are characterized through comparisons with coin- cident lidar and sky radiometer measurements. The retrieved k values for layers of 0-1 and 1-2 km agree with lidar data to within 30% and 60%, respectively, for most cases, includ- ing partly cloudy conditions. Results similar to k at 0-1 km are obtained for the retrieved values, demonstrating that MAX-DOAS provides a new, unique aerosol dataset in the lower troposphere. et al., 2006). The measurements can be performed with a relatively simple setup and very low power consumption. The optical properties that are potentially measurable by MAX-DOAS include the aerosol optical depth () as well as the vertical profile of the aerosol extinction coefficient (k), while the well-established Sun photometer measurement technique can only retrieve optical properties of the total at- mospheric column. The MAX-DOAS technique basically utilizes the differential absorption structures of the oxygen collision complex (O2-O2 or O4) in the visible wavelength region to derive aerosol information. Because no absolute ra- diometric calibrations are generally needed, MAX-DOAS is

Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of stroke, the second leading cause of death, have been conducted in populations of predominantly European ancestry.1,2 We undertook cross-ancestry GWAS meta-analyses of stroke and its subtypes in 110,182 stroke patients (33% non-European) and 1,503,898 control individuals of five ancestries from population- and clinic-based studies, nearly doubling the number of cases in previous stroke GWAS. We identified association signals at 89 independent loci, of which 61 were novel. Effect sizes were overall highly correlated across ancestries. Cross-ancestry fine-mapping, in silico mutagenesis analysis using a novel machine-learning approach,3 transcriptome and proteome-wide association analyses revealed putative causal genes (e.g. SH3PXD2A and FURIN) and variants (e.g. at GRK5 and NOS3). Using a novel three-pronged approach,4 we provided genetic evidence for putative drug effects, highlighting F11, KLKB1, PROC, GP1BA, and VCAM1 as possible targets, with drugs already under investigation for stroke for F11 and PROC. A polygenic score integrating cross-ancestry and ancestry-specific stroke GWAS with vascular risk factor GWAS (iPGS) showed strong prediction of ischemic stroke risk in European and, for the first time, East-Asian populations.5,6 The iPGS performed better than stroke PGS alone and better than previous best iPGS, in Europeans and East-Asians. Transferability of European-specific iPGS to East-Asians was limited. Stroke genetic risk scores were predictive of ischemic stroke independent of clinical risk factors in 52,600 clinical trial participants with cardiometabolic disease and performed considerably better than previous scores, both in Europeans and East-Asians. Altogether our results provide critical insight to inform biology, reveal potential drug targets for intervention, and provide genetic risk prediction tools across ancestries for targeted prevention.

We constructed a meteor wind radar in an observatory near Jakarta, Indonesia, through collaboration between Japan and Indonesia, which has been operating continuously since November 1992. Horizontal wind velocity fluctuations were determined for altitudes between 75 and 100 km with time and height resolutions of 1 hour and 4 km, respectively. We also launched radiosondes from Bandung, four times a day from November 1992 to April 1993, and obtained profiles of horizontal wind velocity and temperature at 0–35 km with a height resolution of 150 m. Further, the data collected during the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere/Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA/COARE) campaign have been particularly used to investigate the horizontal variations of diurnal oscillations. Overall structure of the observed wind velocity profiles agreed well with the model diurnal winds above 20 km, with a dominant vertical wavelength of 25–30 km. However, disagreements appeared below 20 km, showing significantly larger amplitudes and complicated phase structures, which may suggest the effects of nonmigrating tides. Diurnal oscillations of the temperature in the lower atmosphere were described very well by a numerical model.

In this study, cloud profiling radar and lidar were used to determine the frequency distribution of the base heights of cloudy layers with little (or no) falling condensate particles. The data were obtained from stationary observations conducted from Research Vessel Mirai over the tropical western Pacific (around 1.85°N, 138°E) from 9 November to 9 December 2001. The observed cloudy layers had base heights predominantly in the range of 4.5–6.5 km. Almost all cloudy layers with a base in the range of 4.5–6.5 km had thickness thinner than 500 m, and the frequency peak of the base heights of measured cloudy layers is considered to represent the common occurrence of midlevel thin clouds. Midlevel thin clouds were frequently observed even during the active phase of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). Composite analysis of radiosonde-derived relative humidity and temperature lapse rate indicates that the midlevel thin cloud in the MJO active period is generated via melting within the stratiform cloud, rather than by detrainment of surface-based convection.

We observed vertical distributions of aerosols and clouds with a lidar on board R/V Mirai and analyzed latitudinal features using the data of four cruises in the western Pacific. According to the measured backscattering coefficient, aerosol density was generally high at latitudes above 25° N where the westerly from the Asian continent prevailed. The wavelength dependence of the retrieved aerosol backscattering showed that the characteristics of aerosols in the continental air mass were clearly different from those at lower latitudes. Aerosol concentration in the boundary layer varied significantly in the lower latitudes and was correlated with surface wind speed. The wavelength dependence of aerosol backscattering indicated that aerosol particles were larger when surface wind speed was high.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is an autoimmune blistering disease caused by autoantibodies against the desmosomal cadherins, desmogleins 1 and 3 (Dsg1, Dsg3) of which Dsg3 plays a major pathogenic role. We have previously generated a novel active disease mouse model for PV, which was produced by the transfer of splenocytes from Dsg3(-/-) mice, immunized with recombinant mouse Dsg3, into Rag2(-/-)-immunodeficient mice that express Dsg3. In this study, we undertook a further analysis of these PV model mice using electron microscopy (EM). We compared the ultrastructure of the epithelia of PV model mice with that of Dsg3(-/-) mice to highlight the mechanisms of blister formation in PV. These PV model mice showed the ultrastructural phenotype of PV, which is characterized by suprabasal acantholysis, rows of tombstone basal keratinocytes and half-desmosomes. Additionally, patchy hair loss was observed in PV model mice as in Dsg3(-/-) mice, and the ultrastructure of the telogen hair follicles was indistinguishable between PV model mice and Dsg3(-/-) mice. These results demonstrate that anti-Dsg3 autoantibodies interfere with the cell-cell adhesion of keratinocytes in PV model mice. In conclusion, our model mice closely represent the disease phenotype of PV at the ultrastructural level and can therefore be utilized not only as a clinical disease model but also to study the molecular mechanisms involved in blister formation in PV.

A precipitate that formed in egg white at low ionic strength affected the transparency of heat-induced gels prepared at pH 2-4 and low ionic strength. The precipitate solubilized with SDS solution containing 2-mercaptoethanol and urea included major proteins of the egg white, as shown by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The bands of ovalbumin, conalbumin and other protein were smaller when the precipitate was washed with water, but lysozyme and ovomacroglobulin probably remained in the precipitate fraction. It seemed that ovalbumin, conalbumin, and other proteins co-precipitated with these two kinds of proteins. Lysozyme added to the supernatant of egg white after dialysis, did not appear to produce turbidity upon heating at pH 2.5, but whole egg white was converted to a turbid gel upon being heated at this pH.

Background Genetic tests for hereditary hearing loss inform clinical management of patients and can provide the first step in the development of therapeutics. However, comprehensive genetic tests for deafness genes by Sanger sequencing is extremely expensive and time-consuming. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology is advantageous for genetic diagnosis of heterogeneous diseases that involve numerous causative genes. Methods Genomic DNA samples from 58 subjects with hearing loss from 15 unrelated Japanese families were subjected to NGS to identify the genetic causes of hearing loss. Subjects did not have pathogenic GJB2 mutations (the gene most often associated with inherited hearing loss), mitochondrial m.1555A>G or 3243A>G mutations, enlarged vestibular aqueduct, or auditory neuropathy. Clinical features of subjects were obtained from medical records. Genomic DNA was subjected to a custom-designed SureSelect Target Enrichment System to capture coding exons and proximal flanking intronic sequences of 84 genes responsible for nonsyndromic or syndromic hearing loss, and DNA was sequenced by Illumina GAIIx (paired-end read). The sequences were mapped and quality-checked using the programs BWA, Novoalign, Picard, and GATK, and analyzed by Avadis NGS. Results Candidate genes were identified in 7 of the 15 families. These genes were ACTG1, DFNA5, POU4F3, SLC26A5, SIX1, MYO7A, CDH23, PCDH15, and USH2A, suggesting that a variety of genes underlie early-childhood hearing loss in Japanese patients. Mutations in Usher syndrome-related genes were detected in three families, including one double heterozygous mutation of CDH23 and PCDH15. Conclusion Targeted NGS analysis revealed a diverse spectrum of rare deafness genes in Japanese subjects and underscores implications for efficient genetic testing.

Objective Artificial chordal replacement has been shown to be effective and durable, with numerous techniques reported. However, the outcomes of each technique have remained poorly defined. We report the long-term outcomes of the tourniquet technique. Methods We reviewed the data from 700 patients who had undergone mitral valve repair with the tourniquet technique from 1992 to 2010. We analyzed the operative outcomes, long-term survival rate, freedom from reoperation, and freedom from recurrent moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR). We also performed Cox regression analysis to explore the predictors of recurrent MR after mitral valve repair using the tourniquet technique. Results The mean age was 54.7 ± 14.9 years; 212 patients (30.3%) had anterior leaflet prolapse, 142 (20.3%) had posterior leaflet prolapse, and 346 (49.4%) had bileaflet prolapse. Operative mortality was 1.3%. In 26 cases (3.7%), mitral valve repair was unsuccessful and was converted to replacement. Of those successfully repaired, the 12-year survival rate, freedom from mitral reoperation, freedom from recurrent moderate or severe MR, and freedom from recurrent leaflet prolapse was 85.9%, 88.7%, 72.3%, and 89.0%, respectively. The significant predictors of recurrent MR were anterior leaflet prolapse, age, New York Heart Association class III or IV, left ventricular end-systolic dimension, no annuloplasty ring or band, and postoperative residual mild or greater MR. Conclusions The tourniquet technique is a simple and effective method to repair leaflet prolapse, with a low incidence of recurrent prolapse. The incidence of recurrent MR was high in the anterior leaflet prolapse group. Age, no annuloplasty ring or band, and residual MR were strong predictors of recurrent MR.