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Chromomeres 1 and 3 of the chicken W lampbrush chromosome contain most of the EcoRI and XhoI repeat sequence families respectively. These chromomeres were stained with DAPI and their sizes relative to other W chromomeres were observed. Their relative contents of EcoRI and XhoI repeats were determined using fluorescence in situ hybridization with genomic probes for each of the two repeat families. There were two types of W chromosome in the chickens (White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red) used in this study with respect to the amount of EcoRI repeat. A high-copy-number type has about 4000 copies of the 1.2-kb repeat per genome and shows a large fluorescence signal on W chromomere 1. A low-copy-number type has about 700 copies per genome and does not have a detectable chromomere 1 on W chromosome, nor does it show FISH labelling in the region normally occupied by chromomere 1. The genome of Fayoumi chickens has about one-sixth the amount of the XhoI sequence family of White Leghorns. W lampbrush chromomere 3 is much smaller and its FISH labelling with the XhoI probe is much weaker in Fayoumis than in White Leghorns. These results demonstrate that in the chicken W chromosome, specific chomomeres are occupied by specific DNA repeat sequence families.

Objects: To assess the effects of Argatroban which was developed as an antithrombin agent, we experimentally investigated the number of inflammatory cells and astrocytes infiltrated and/or appeared in injured lesion of rat brain.Methods: Gelatins soaked with Argatroban or saline were placed in the artificial cavities of brain defect for assessing the grade of infiltrating inflammatory cells using ordinary hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical (IHC) stains. Polymorphonuclear leukocytes by HE stain and monocyte/macrophage positive cells, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) positive and vimentin positive astrocytes by IHC stain were compared between Argatroban and saline (control) treated group.Results: Argatroban suppressed accumulation of inflammatory cells, both polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocyte/macrophage positive cells, and vimentin positive astrocytes along the brain defect edge, but had no effect on GFAP positive astrocytes along the brain defect edge.Conclusion: Argatroban may minimize the secondary brain damage through suppressing the infiltration of inflammatory cells and excessive gliosis comprised of vimentin positive astrocytes and have good effects on the neural regenaration.

Four autopsied brains from mentally normal patients aged 43–49 who had cerebral β amyloid deposition were examined. Three patients had breast cancer, and in one of these cases it was associated with brain metastasis and brain radiation therapy. One other case had pulmonary small cell carcinoma. In two patients, small β amyloid deposits were only found in the frontal cortex. In another two patients, β amyloid deposits were found in many cortical areas and the density of plaques was higher than in the former two patients. No β amyloid deposition was found in the cerebella, basal ganglia, or brain stem in any of the four patients. When examined with end-specific antisera for the C-terminal of amyloid β protein (Aβ), Aβ42 was predominant in the diffuse plaques and immunoreactions for Aβ40 varied among the patients. The N-terminal of Aβ was truncated in a subset of plaques. Tau- and phosphorylated tau-reactive fine neurites were only found in the entorhinal cortex of Case 3. The apoE genotype of these four patients were 3/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 3/3, and therefore, the e4 allele frequency (50%) was as high as that in AD. Three out of four patients had at least one e4 allele, a risk factor of AD. There is a possibility that these subjects might develop AD when in their seventies. It may take 30 years from the beginning of Aβ deposition to the clinical manifestation of dementia.

We previously reported that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)/cachectin suppresses lipoprotein lipase activity and its gene expression in brown adipocytes differentiated in culture. Recent evidence suggests that the effect of TNF-alpha over various cells is related to the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO). The present study examined whether the suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity is mediated by production of NO in the brown adipocytes. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay revealed that TNF-alpha caused a concentration- and time-dependent expression of inducible NO synthase in brown adipocytes. Increasing concentrations of TNF-alpha (0.5-50 ng/ml) for 24 h resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in lipoprotein lipase activity with reciprocal increase in nitrite production in the medium. The suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity was significantly prevented by NO synthase inhibitors, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) and aminoguanidine, but not by D-NAME, an inactive isomer. Furthermore, 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate, cell permeant cGMP, suppressed lipoprotein lipase activity and 1 H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one, a selective inhibitor for soluble guanylate cyclase, restored the TNF-alpha-suppressed lipoprotein lipase activity. These results suggest that TNF-alpha stimulates brown adipocytes to express inducible NO synthase, followed by production of NO, which in turn mediates the suppressive effect of TNF-alpha on lipoprotein lipase activity. The effect of NO is mediated, at least partly, through production of cGMP.

(1997). ON THE EFFECT OF PULSATING FLOW IN THE TANGENTIAL INLET PIPE FOR THE COLLECTION EFFICIENCY OF UNI-FLOW TYPE OF THE CYCLONE DUST COLLECTOR. Particulate Science and Technology: Vol. 15, No. 3-4, pp. 317-340.

Taurospongin A (1), a novel acetylene-containing natural product consisting of a taurine and two fatty acid residues, has been isolated from the Okinawan marine sponge Hippospongia sp. and its structure elucidated by spectral data and chemical means. Taurospongin A (1) exhibited potent inhibitory activity against DNA polymerase β and HIV reverse transcriptase. The absolute configurations of taurospongin A (1) were established to be 3R, 7S, and 9R by synthesis of the MTPA ester of a degradation product of 1.

In order to estimate the cut-size Xc and the mechanically balanced particles in the axial flow cyclone with the slit-separation method, the tangential velocity distributions were calculated by the finite difference method. In comparison of the calculated results of the total collection efficiency with the experimental results, the calculated results showed a little higher than the experimental results due to the re-entrainment of the collected particles by turbulence. The effect of the slit for promoting the collection efficiency was not recognized.

A cyclone dust collector (called herein a cyclone) is applied in many industrial fields, for example, powder technology, combustion chambers, various chemical plants, etc. Until now, there are many types of cyclones for the purpose of separation of solid particles; however generally-speaking, the following types of the cyclone are typical: returned flow or reversed flow type, axial flow type, and rotary flow cyclone with tangential injection of the second gas flow to the cyclone body. In order to understand the performance of the cyclone and the problems of turbulent rotational flow and the separation mechanism for solid particles, this review article describes the flow pattern and distribution of the tangential velocity for pure gas flow and for dust laden gas flow, which are most important factors for estimating the pressure drop and the separation characteristics of the solid particles, and also the mechanical separation process in the centrifugal flow field. This review article includes 162 references.

A non-repetitive genomic DNA region of about 25 kb was cloned from the W chromosome of chicken using a genomic library prepared from a single W chromosome of the chicken. This region was mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with mitotic and lampbrush chromosomes to a position between the major EcoRI family and the pericentromeric XhoI family on the W chromosome. A 0.6-kb EcoRI fragment(EE0.6) subcloned from this region consists of a sequence that can be obtained by the exon-trapping procedure and flanking sequences. Sequences, which are closely similar to that of EE0.6, are widely conserved on the W chromosomes of Carinatae birds, as revealed by Southern blot hybridization to HindIII-digested female and male genomic DNAs from 18 species of birds belonging to eight different taxonomic orders. The female sex of those birds can be determined by the presence of an unambiguous female-specific band. For many species of birds, the female sex can also be determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a set of primers from the flanking sequences in the chicken EE0.6.

The authors present important traffic issues in a low earth orbit satellite-based global personal communications network. The article gives an overview of the characteristics of tomorrow's personal communications networks from a subscriber traffic viewpoint. Selection of multiple access scheme as well as traffic modeling in such systems is discussed, and effects of natural, unbalanced global communications traffic on the performance of the system are distinguished.

A case of ethmoid fibrous dysplasia with unilateral chronic sinusitis was reported. The patient was a 21-year-old male who had complained of left nasal obstruction for several years. A plain radiogram of the paranasal sinuses revealed an opaque shadow visible only in the left ethmoid and maxillary sinuses, which induced the unilateral sinusitis. However, amorphous sclerotic changes mainly in portions of the left ethmoid bone were visible in the CT image, which were suggestive of fibrous dysplasia.As the patient had no symptoms other than left nasal obstruction, a Caldwell-Luc antrotomy, with partial resection of the left inferior turbinate, was performed. At the same time, a transantral biopsy of the ethmoid bone was carried out, and the subsequent pathological diagnosis was fibrous dysplasia.Although fibrous dysplasia of ethmoid bone is rare, physicians should be aware of the possibility of this disease in cases of unilateral sinusitis.

The effect of multiple-access interference on the throughput performance of a direct-sequence spread-spectrum low-Earth-orbiting satellite communications network is discussed. To recognize the effect of interference when their sources are either inside or outside the service area of a satellite, we develop a stochastic model for the location of users. We show that the effect of interference on the performance degradation from users with large propagation distance to their connecting satellites is the dominant factor. Hence, to improve the performance of the system, we propose a method in which the transmissions of packets are controlled according to their distances to connecting satellites as well as the traffic distribution.

Recent advances in neuroradiology have enabled us to approach cavernous angioma in the medulla oblongata, rather rare vascular lesion in the central nervous system. We describe a such surgical case without additional neurological symptoms and discuss surgical indications in this paper. A 61-year-old woman presented with vertigo and swallowing disturbance. T1-weighted magnetic resonance image (MRI) showed a low intensity mass in the dorsolateral portion of the medulla oblongata, and T2-weighted imaging revealed a hemosiderin rim surrounding the lesion. Angiography showed no abnormalities. Surgery using far lateral approach achieved complete removal of the mass and hematoma. Histological examination of the surgical specimen disclosed cavernous angioma. This case suggests that direct surgery can be recommended for cavernous angioma located in the dorsal or lateral medulla oblongata to remove the hematoma and angioma if bleeding clearly provokes neurological symptoms.

A sonic analysis system was developed for the detection of cervical and intracranial vascular disease. The system analyzes recorded sound signals converted to digital data, and plots the frequency, time interval after the QRS wave of the electrocardiogram, and amplitude on the graph using contour lines. Sonic analysis of 22 patients with and 23 patients without cerebrovascular disease identified a characteristic pattern of disease called the "circular pattern." Five of 10 patients with internal carotid artery stenosis, four of seven with cerebral aneurysms, three with cerebral arteriovenous malformation, and two of two with dural arteriovenous malformation showed the circular pattern. Only one of 23 control patients showed the circular pattern. This system is a promising method for cost-effective mass screening for the early detection of cerebrovascular disease.

Two cases of esophageal foreign bodies were reported. As they were difficult to remove with a rigid esophagoscope and forceps, we used other techniques and could eventually remove them successfully.Case 1 was a 14-month-old boy who complained of vomiting. Since a plain radiogram of his neck and chest revealed a round shadow just at the cricopharyngeal constriction, we made a diagnosis of an esophageal foreign body, and surgery was performed. We tried to remove the foreign body with a rigid esophagoscope and forceps, but it was too smooth for the forceps to hold. Thus we inserted a Foley catheter over the foreign body with the forceps, inflated the balloon on the gastric side, and drew out the catheter with the foreign body. The foreign body turned out to be a marble made of glass.Case 2 was a 69-year-old male who had ingested his dentures by mistake. The radiogram of his neck showed an opaque binding shadow at the cricopharyngeal constriction. Though we tried to remove this with a rigid esophagoscope and forceps, it was firmly affixed to the esophageal wall. When we inserted a rectoscope, instead, and expanded the cricopharyngeal constriction, the foreign body was mobilized and we could remove it successfully.Both of the above cases experienced no severe complications. It is important to diagnose the general condition of patients and the variety of foreign body appropriately in order to better choose the proper method for their treatment.

Midline laser glossectomy with UPPP was performed on 9 patients exhibiting sleep apnea syndrome with the site of obstruction at the base of the tongue. The sleep apnea was diagnosed by a sleep study using medications. Based on the apnea index, of 9 patients, 5 showed a marked improvement after treatment; 3 showed a slight improvement; and 1 showed no improvement. There were some complications as follows; bleeding 12 and 17 days postoperatively (n=2), an abnormal sensation in the throat (n=5), and a change in taste for more than 1 year (n=1). There were no major complications, and no persistent difficulties with speech or swallowing. Furthermore, no one required tracheostomy. These results demonstrate that midline laser glossectomy with UPPP is a useful treatment for the base of the tongue type obstructive sleep apnea.

The efficacy of EN028 was evaluated in 25 patients (20 males, 5 females) who had been diagnosed with simple snoring by the sleep test. All patients did not wish to undergo surgical treatment and gave their consent to participate in the present clinical study after having been given full and adequate information about the purpose and investigational nature of the study.The efficacy rate was 68%, and two patients dropped out in the middle of the study because of alleged post-drug discomfort. Non-responds for the most part were found to have severe hypoventilation or a low post-drug decrease in nasal airway resistance. If such patients could be avoided in the selection of study subjects, the efficacy rate of EN028 would be higher than in the present study.

頸動脈疾患におけるドプラ超音波を用いた無症候性の塞栓シグナル (ES) の検出の頻度は高く, 疾患の活動性のマーカーとなり, 卒中リスクの高い患者の選択を可能にする.しかし報告によって無症候性ESの検出頻度が異なっており, ESの同定に違ったクライテリアが用いられているのではないかという懸念がある.前回の二つのセンターの間の再現性調査では良好な一致を見たが多数のセンター問の調査は行われていない.ES検出について最近報告を出している九つのセンターの間で国際的な再現性調査が行われた.各センターは症候性頸動脈狭搾のある六人の患者の中大脳動脈TCD記録のオーデイオドプラ信号をブラインドで解析した.ESを検出した正確な時間を記録した.六つのセンターでは各ESの強度の増加も記録した.観察者間の一致は特別な協定に基づく方法で決められた.七つのセンターは39-55の信号を記録した.しかし一つのセンターは142のESを報告した.観察者間の一致確率は.678であるが, 最多のESを報告したセンターを除くと.791であった.デシベル閾値を導入すると一致確率は著明に上昇した.>7dBのデシベル閾値にすると.902の一致確率となった.大概のセンター問での強度測定は良い相関を示したが必ずしも常にそうではない.15の相関のうち3は有意ではなかった.測定された強度の絶対値はセンター間で40%も違っていた.結論: 研究報告によってESの頻度が違うのは少なくともある程度はESの同定に異なるクライテリアが用いられていることを反映している.以前に提唱されていたES同定のコンセンサスクライテリアは異なるセンターにおけるES同定の再現性には十分に精確とはいえない.デシベル閾値を用いると再現性が向上し観察者間の一致率の著明な改善が得られる.しかし, 一つのセンターで開発された強度閾値をそのまま他の施設で使うことは出来ない.測定方法が違うので同じ装置が用いられていても同じESで違った強度の値が得られるのである.

Epithelioid glioblastoma is among the rarest variants of glioblastoma and is not formally recognized in the World Health Organization classification; it is composed of monotonous, discohesive sheets of small, round cells with eccentric nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm devoid of cytoplasmic stellate processes, showing the retention of nuclear staining of INI‐1 protein. Here, we report a case involving a 22‐year‐old man with a right occipital lobe tumor, which comprised mainly epithelioid tumor cells with a small area of diffusely infiltrating less atypical astrocytoma cells showing a lower cell density. Array comparative genomic hybridization separately performed for each histologically distinct component demonstrated eight shared copy number alterations (CNAs) and three CNAs observed only in epithelioid cells; one of the latter was a homozygous deletion of a tumor suppressor gene, LSAMP, at 3q13.31. BRAF V600E mutation was observed both in epithelioid tumor cells and in diffusely infiltrating less atypical astrocytoma cells. Our findings suggest that the regional loss of LSAMP led to the aggressive nature of epithelioid cells in the present case of epithelioid glioblastoma.

X-ray photon counting was performed using a readymade silicon-PIN photodiode (Si-PIN-PD) at tube voltages ranging from 42 to 60 kV, and X-ray photons are directly detected using the 100 MHz Si-PIN-PD without a scintillator. Photocurrent from the diode is amplified using charge-sensitive and shaping amplifiers. Using a multichannel analyzer, X-ray spectra at a tube voltage of 60 kV could easily be measured. The photon-counting computed tomography (PCCT) is accomplished by repeated linear scans and rotations of an object, and projection curves of the object are obtained by the linear scan. In the PC-CT, we confirmed the energy-dispersive effect with changes in lower-level voltage of the event pulse using a comparator.

X-ray photons are detected using an Lu 2 (SiO 4 )O [LSO] single-crystal scintillator with a decay time of 40 ns and a multipixel photon counter (MPPC). The photocurrent from the MPPC is amplified by a high-speed current-voltage amplifier with an 80 MHz-gain-band operational amplifier, and the 200-ns-width event pulses are sent to a multichannel analyzer to measure X-ray spectra. The MPPC is driven in the pre-Geiger mode at a bias voltage of 70.7 V and a temperature of 23°C. Photon-counting computed tomography (PC-CT) is accomplished by repeated linear scans and rotations of an object, and projection curves of the object are obtained by linear scanning. The exposure time for obtaining a tomogram was 10 min with scan steps of 0.5 mm and rotation steps of 1.0°. At a tube voltage of 100 kV, the maximum count rate was 350 kcps/pixel. We carried out PC-CT using gadolinium media and confirmed the energydispersive effect with changes in the lower level voltage of event pulses using a comparator.

X-ray photon counting was performed using a silicon X-ray diode (Si-XD) at a tube current of 2.0 mA and tube voltages ranging from 50 to 70 kV. The Si-XD is a high-sensitivity Si photodiode selected for detecting X-ray photons, and Xray photons are directly detected using the Si-XD without a scintillator. Photocurrent from the diode is amplified using charge-sensitive and shaping amplifiers. To investigate the X-ray-electric conversion, we performed the event-pulseheight (EPH) analysis using a multichannel analyzer. Photon-counting computed tomography (PC-CT) is accomplished by repeated linear scans and rotations of an object, and projection curves of the object are obtained by the linear scan. The exposure time for obtaining a tomogram was 10 min at a scan step of 0.5 mm and a rotation step of 1.0°. In PC-CT at a tube voltage of 70 kV, the image contrast of iodine media fell with increasing lower-level voltage of the event pulse using a comparator.

Survival of nematode species depends on how successfully they disperse in the habitat and find a new host. As a new strategy for collective host finding in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus, dauer larvae synthesize an extremely long-chain polyunsaturated wax ester (nematoil) that covers the surface of the animal. The oily coat promotes congregation of up to one thousand individuals into stable 'dauer towers' that can reach a beetle host more easily.

Background The reason why coexistence of preserved estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria contributes to a high risk of death and which cause of death increases all-cause mortality have not been elucidated. Methods A total of 16,759 participants aged 40 to 69years with normal or mildly reduced eGFR (45–119ml/min/1.73m 2 ) were enrolled and divided into six groups (group 1, eGFR: 90–119 without albuminuria; group 2, eGFR: 90–119 with albuminuria; group 3, eGFR: 60–89 without albuminuria (reference); group 4, eGFR: 60–89 with albuminuria; group 5, eGFR: 45–59 without albuminuria; group 6, eGFR: 45–59 with albuminuria) based on GFR estimated by using the CKD-EPI study equation modified by a Japanese coefficient and albuminuria (urine albumin–creatinine ratio ≥30mg/g). Outcomes included all-cause death (ACD), cardiovascular death (CVD) and neoplasm-related death (NPD). Multivariable-adjusted mortality rate ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) in the groups were estimated by Poisson's regression analysis. Results The highest risk of ACD (RR (95% CIs): 3.95 (2.08–7.52)), CVD (7.15 (2.25–22.7)) and NPB (3.25 (1.26–8.38)) was observed in group 2. Subjects in group 2 were relatively young and had the highest levels of body mass index, blood pressure and HbA 1c and the highest prevalence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion Coexistence of preserved eGFR and albuminuria increases risks for ACD, CVD and NPD. Relatively young metabolic persons having both preserved eGFR and albuminuria should be considered as a very high-risk population.

Background Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) might improve cognitive function. Fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the cerebral white matter derived from diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) correlate with cognitive function in patients with various central nervous system diseases. Objective To use tract-based spatial statistics to determine whether postoperative changes of FA values in the cerebral white matter derived from DTI are associated with cognitive improvement after uncomplicated CEA. Methods In 80 patients undergoing CEA for ipsilateral internal carotid artery stenosis (≥70%), FA values in the cerebral white matter were derived from DTI before and 1 month after surgery and were analyzed by using tract-based spatial statistics. Neuropsychological testing, consisting of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised, the Wechsler Memory Scale and the Rey-Osterreith Complex Figure test, was also performed preoperatively and after the first postoperative month. Results Based on the neuropsychological assessments, 11 (14%) patients were defined as having postoperatively improved cognition. The difference between the 2 mean FA values (postoperative values minus preoperative values) in the cerebral hemisphere ipsilateral to surgery was significantly associated with postoperative cognitive improvement (95% confidence intervals, 2.632-9.877; P = .008). White matter FA values in patients with postoperative cognitive improvement were significantly increased after surgery in the whole ipsilateral cerebral hemisphere, in the contralateral anterior cerebral artery territory, and in the watershed zone between the contralateral anterior and middle cerebral arteries. Conclusion Postoperative increase in cerebral white matter FA on DTI is associated with cognitive improvement after uncomplicated CEA.

Background and Purpose— Little information is available regarding the occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases after tsunamis. This study was performed to determine the influence of the tsunami damage caused by the Great East Japan earthquake on occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases. Methods— Subjects from the coastline and inland areas of Iwate Prefecture who developed cerebrovascular diseases before and after the disaster were included in the analysis. Standardized incidence ratios of 2011 against the previous 3 years were calculated in two 4-week periods before and four 4-week periods after the disaster, according to stroke subtype, sex, age group, and flood damage. Results— The standard incidence ratio for cerebrovascular diseases was 1.20 (1.00–1.40) in the first 4-week period after the disaster and was not significant in other periods. The standard incidence ratios in the first 4-week period for cerebral infarction, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage were 1.22 (0.98–1.46), 1.15 (0.76–1.55), and 1.20 (0.52–1.88), respectively. These values were 1.51 (1.19–1.88) for men, 1.35 (1.06–1.64) for subjects aged ≥75 years, and 1.35 (1.06–1.64) for the high flooding areas. The standard incidence ratio of cerebral infarction in the first 4-week period for men aged ≥75 years in the high flooding areas was 2.34 (1.34–3.34). Conclusions— In the areas highly flooded by the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan earthquake, the occurrence of cerebral infarction among elderly men more than doubled in the first 4 weeks after the disaster.

In Japan, intravenous alteplase, a recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA), was approved for an indication of ischemic stroke in 2005 on the basis of the results of a clinical trial with a unique dose of the drug (0.6 mg/kg). The Japan Stroke Society published the guidelines for intravenous application of rt-PA and organized training sessions for proper use all over Japan in an effort to promote the safe, widespread use of intravenous alteplase. Seven years following its approval, clinical experience with intravenous alteplase has accumulated, additional evidence of intravenous alteplase has been found in Japan and overseas, and the medical environment has substantially changed, including approvals for new drugs and medical devices. Notably, the use of alteplase in the extended therapeutic time window (within 4.5 hours of symptom onset) became covered by insurance in Japan in August 2012. To address these changing situations, we have decided to prepare the revised guidelines. In preparing the second edition, we took care to make its contents more practical by emphasizing information needed in clinical practice. While the first edition was developed with emphasis on safety in light of limited clinical experience with intravenous alteplase in Japan in 2005, this second edition is a substantial revision of the first edition mainly in terms of eligibility criteria, on the basis of accumulated evidence and the clinical experience.

Background: Whether estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) Study equation (eGFRCKDEPI) improves risk prediction compared to that calculated using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study equation (eGFRMDRD) has not been examined in a prospective study in Japanese people. Methods and Results: Participants (n=24,560) were divided into 4 stages (1, ≥90; 2, 60–89 (reference); 3a, 45–59; 3b+

Objectives The objective of this study was to determine the associations of number of teeth with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese men. Methods A total of 7779 men aged 40–79 years who were free from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were followed up prospectively for 5.6 years. Participants were categorized into four groups (no teeth, 1–9 teeth, 10–19 teeth, and ≥20 teeth) by a self-administered questionnaire. Using Cox's proportional hazard model, multivariate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for mortality from all causes, CVD, cancer, and noncancer, non-CVD according to number of teeth were estimated with adjustments for age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, total- and HDL-cholesterol, HbA1c, current smoking, current alcohol drinking, and low level of education. Results The numbers (proportions) of participants with no teeth, 1–9 teeth, 10–19 teeth, and ≥20 teeth were 1613 (20.7%), 1650 (21.2%), 1721 (22.1%), and 2795 (35.9%), respectively. During follow-up, a total of 455 deaths (including 175 deaths from cancer, 98 deaths from CVD, and 130 deaths from noncancer, non-CVD) were recorded. In total participants, an inverse relationship between number of teeth and all-cause mortality was found (P for trend = 0.049). Among men aged 40–64 years, inverse relationships were also found in risks for mortality from all causes, CVD, and cancer: multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for all-cause mortality in men with no teeth, 1–9 teeth, and 10–19 teeth relative to men with ≥20 teeth were 2.75 (1.37–5.49), 1.89 (0.99–3.63), and 1.94 (1.09–3.43), respectively. However, there were no associations of number of teeth with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among men aged 65–79 years. Conclusions The number of teeth is an important predictive factor for mortality among middle-aged Japanese men.

A 73-year-old man was admitted to a hospital with a complaint of epigastralgia and for evaluation of liver dysfunction. After hospitalization, he experienced disturbance of consciousness with septic shock, and was then transferred to our hospital. Computed tomography revealed dilatation of the intrahepatic bile duct and tumor of the middle bile duct. We diagnosed acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis. As a result, endoscopic nasobiliary drainage was performed, and the patient recovered. Based on pathological examinations of the bile duct biopsy specimen, the tumor was diagnosed as a carcinosarcoma. Consequently, the patient underwent pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. However, 4 months after surgery, the patient died due to widespread metastasis of the carcinosarcoma. Preoperative diagnosis of carcinosarcoma of the bile duct is extremely rare. Our study suggests the efficacy of bile duct biopsy in such cases.

The facile synthesis of 5′-5′-linked oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) with the potential for triple-helix formation is described. ODNs containing 5-trifluoroethoxycarbonyl-2′-deoxyuridine were treated with several diaminoalkanes to give ODNs carrying amino-linkers. After conversion of the amino-linkers in the ODNs to mercapto-linkers, two ODNs were linked by a disulfide bond to give 5′-5′-linked ODNs. The thermal stability of these ODNs with target duplexes was also studied.

We have investigated the relationship between angiographic vasospasm and the ability of spastic vessels to relax in response to agents which promote release of endothelium derived relaxing factor. Vasospasm was induced in dogs by the 'single hemorrhage' technique. Animals received a single intracisternal injection of blood, blood activated with thromboplastin or collagen, or inert material, and angiograms were obtained day 0 and day 7. Vasospasm was estimated by measuring the ratio of the diameter of the vessel before and after treatment. Rings of cerebral artery obtained from these animals were suspended in a standard organ-bath arrangement, contracted with prostaglandin F2 alpha and then treated with increasing doses of adenosine triphosphate or bradykinin, both of which cause relaxation by an endothelium-dependent process. The arteries from animals with moderate to severe vasospasm showed a response to bradykinin and adenosine-triphosphate which was reduced, absent or converted to a contraction, when compared with normal vessels. Vessels in which vasospasm was mild or absent relaxed as expected to these agents. The reduction in vessel diameter showed a highly significant correlation with the reduction in relaxation to bradykinin or adenosine-triphosphate. These results have demonstrated that impairment of endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation correlates with the existence of vasospasm.

We investigated whether tolerance develops to the lipopolysaccharide-induced increase in vascular permeability of mouse skin on pretreatment with Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide. Lipopolysaccharide-induced plasma extravasation was assessed by determining Pontamine sky blue dye accumulation in the skin where lipopolysaccharide was injected s.c. 2 h previously. When mice were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (0.15 mg/kg i.p.), the dye leakage induced by s.c. challenge with lipopolysaccharide (400 micrograms/site) was significantly, inhibited for 2-24 h after pretreatment, indicating the development of lipopolysaccharide tolerance. At 4 h after lipopolysaccharide (0.15 mg/kg i.p.), the dose-response curve of dye leakage against the challenge dose of lipopolysaccharide shifted about 2-fold to the higher dose. The dye leakage induced by lipopolysaccharide was inhibited by pretreatment with lipopolysaccharide in a dose-dependent manner (0.05-0.15 mg/kg i.p.). Lipopolysaccharide tolerance was not seen in adrenalectomized mice. When mice were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide and NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, at the same time, the hyporesponsiveness to lipopolysaccharide challenge disappeared. However, L-NAME was ineffective to inhibit the development of lipopolysaccharide tolerance when administered 24 h after lipopolysaccharide pretreatment or just before the lipopolysaccharide challenge. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 alpha but not interleukin-6 induced a similar hyporesponsiveness to lipopolysaccharide. These results suggest that tolerance develops to the lipopolysaccharide-induced increase in vascular permeability in mouse skin after a single lipopolysaccharide administration and that endogenous glucocorticoids and NO are necessary for induction of lipopolysaccharide tolerance. Hyporesponsiveness induced by lipopolysaccharide pretreatment may be mediated by production of some cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha or interleukin-1 alpha.

In order to clarify the rate of superficial cancer developing into colorectal cancer histologically, we examined horizontal growth type cancer in the residual mucosa of 68 samples with submucosal (sm) cancer, 91 with cancer with invasion of the muscularis propria (mp) and 311 with invasion deeper than the subserosa (ss). Among 68 samples of sm cancer, residual mucosa persisted in 65 (95.6%) and horizontal growth type cancer was found in 17 (26.2%). There was no significant difference in size between the horizontal and non-horizontal growth type cancers. Among 91 samples of mp cancer, residual mucosa persisted in 15 (15.5%), horizontal growth type cancer was found in five (33.3%), and the latter were significantly smaller than non-horizontal growth type cancers (p< 0.05). Among 311 samples of ss cancer, residual mucosa persisted in 12 (3.9%) and horizontal growth was found in six (50.0%). In cancer with invasion deeper than the ss layer, malignant tissue is generally lost from the mucosa, such that the rates may not reflect the actual incidence. The rates of progression from superficial to sm cancer (26.2%) and mp cancer (33.3%) may be close to the present rate of superficial cancer developing into colorectal cancer. We conclude that the rate of superficial cancer developing into invasive cancer is at least 26.2%, and that superficial type cancers have a strong tendency to invade the mp even when smaller than protruded type cancers. It may be useful to focus on horizontal growth type cancers to elucidate the growth and development of colorectal cancer.

Throughput analysis of direct-sequence spread spectrum multiple access (DS/SSMA) unslotted ALOHA with fixed packet length is presented. As the levels of multi-user interference fluctuate during the packet transmission, we calculate the packet error probability and the throughput by considering not only the number of overlapped packets but also the amount of time overlap. On the assumption that packet generation is Poisson, the system can be thought as the queueing system M/D//spl infin/. With Gaussian approximation of multi-user interference, we obtain the throughput as the function of the number of chips in a bit, the packet length, and the offered load of the system. We also analyze the channel load sensing protocol (CLSP), and obtain the optimum threshold of CLSP.

We analyzed the expression of CEA, CA19-9, CA125, CA15-3 (DF3), PCNA and p53 immunohistochemically in 14 tissue specimens of mucosal cancers in adenoma, seven tubulovillous adenoma specimens, and 16 tubular adenoma specimens. The rates of positive staining for mucosal cancer in adenoma, tubulovillous adenoma and tubular adenoma specimens, respectively, were: for CEA: 100%, 85.7% and 75%; for CA19-9: 71.4%, 71.4% and 56.2%; for CA125:0%, 0% and 0%;for CA15-3 (DF3): 64.3 %, 0% and 0 %; for PCNA: 100%, 88.9% and 56.2%; and for p53: 35.7%, 0% and 0% . The results suggest that the expressions of CEA, CA19-9, CA15-3 (DF3), PCNA and p53 are related to colorectal tumorigenesis. None of the specimens studied showed staining for CA125, suggesting that CA125 is not involved in the early stages of colorectal carcinogenesis. There was no significant difference in the rates of positive staining for CEA and CA19-9 among mucosal cancer in adenoma, tubular adenoma and tubulovillous adenoma specimens. However, the rates of positive staining for PCNA and p53 were significantly higher in mucosal cancer in adenoma specimens than for tubular adenoma specimens (p

An investigation was carried out among the military personnel in the Self Defense Forces to assess acoustic trauma in association with the onset of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH). Four hundred seventy servicemen were offered general physical examinations in an inpatient setting prior to their discharge from the SDF for mandatory age retirement. A questionnaire on the history of intense acoustic exposure and of dizzy spells was given to the same individuals. A routine ENT examination and audiography were performed for each of them. The following results were noteworthy: five men had a history of Ménière's disease, and 32.5 percent of those questioned had experienced dizzy spells. Hearing thresholds in those who reported that they had had dizzy spells were considerably higher than those who had not had such spells. Although a quantitative analysis as well as a well-established control study seems necessary to implicate acoustic trauma as one of the etiological factors of ELH, this study strongly suggests a relationship between acoustic trauma and development of ELH among the SDF personnel examined.

This paper discusses the quasi-synchronous code-division multiple access system (QS-CDMA), where the time error in the synchronized access is allowed for a certain range, based on the spread-spectrum communication technique. the Gold sequence and the M sequence, which are the binary shift-register sequences, are used to derive the set of quasi-synchronous spread sequences (QS-sequence) considering the auto- and cross-correlation characteristics, realizing a wide tolerable range for the timing error. The QS-CDMA system using such QS-sequence is investigated, and the effectiveness is examined. As a result, it is seen that the performance is improved greatly by using the QS-sequence presented in this paper, compared to the asynchronous CDMA system. It is shown also that the tolerable range for the access timing error is enlarged compared to the synchronous CDMA system.

The case in which the radio determination capability is integrated into a mobile satellite communication system is investigated and a positioning scheme is proposed which operates with a single satellite. In the proposed scheme, each mobile terminal is designed to be equipped with the minimum additional function for positioning, aiming at the integration of communication functions with low cost. It is not necessary to transmit the correction signal for range error although a differential technique is applied to improve positioning accuracy. To evaluate the feasibility of the proposed scheme, we calculate the horizontal dilution of precision (HDOP) and available area taking account of the time period required for positioning and satellite altitude.

A transmit permission control method for improving the throughput characteristics of a low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite communication system employing spread-slotted ALOHA multiple-access scheme is proposed. Both nonfading and fading satellite links are considered. The basic idea of the proposed scheme is to decrease the level of interference at each satellite and, hence, to increase the probability of packet success, by prohibiting the packet transmission from the users with relatively high propagation loss to their connecting satellites. It is shown that the method has the ability to improve the throughput performance in heavy traffic loads and the peak value of the throughput, significantly. It is also shown that the average delay performance of the system employing the proposed scheme is superior to that of the conventional system at heavy traffic loads.

We report a 79-year-old male patient with urothelial cancer who underwent total cystectomy with ureterostomy 10 years earlier and right nephroureterectomy 3 years and 9 months earlier. The patient had chest complaint with posterior mediastinal tumor for 7 years and its slow growth rate suggested that the mediastinal tumor was benign but metastatic materials could not be ruled out because cytology of pleural effusion demonstrated atypical cells. He died from the progression of urothelial cancer and autopsy demonstrated that metastatic urothelial cancer was involved in the mediastinal benign neurilemmoma.

Introduction Survivors who lost their homes in the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami were forced to live in difficult conditions in temporary housing several months after the disaster. Body weights of survivors living in temporary housing for a long period might increase due to changes in their life style and psychosocial state during the medium-term and long-term recovery phases. The aim of this study was to determine whether there were differences between body weight changes of people living in temporary housing and those not living in temporary housing in a tsunami-stricken area during the medium-term and long-term recovery phases. Materials and methods Health check-ups were performed about 7 months after the disaster (in 2011) and about 18 months after the disaster (in 2012) for people living in a tsunami-stricken area (n = 6,601, mean age = 62.3 y). We compared the changes in body weight in people living in temporary housing (TH group, n = 2,002) and those not living in temporary housing (NTH group, n = 4,599) using a multiple linear regression model. Results While there was no significant difference between body weights in the TH and NTH groups in the 2011 survey, there was a significant difference between the mean changes in body weight in both sexes. We found that the changes in body weight were significantly greater in the TH group than in the NTH group in both sexes. The partial regression coefficients of mean change in body weight were +0.52 kg (P-value < 0.001) in males in the TH group and +0.56 kg (P-value < 0.001) in females in the TH group (reference: NTH group). Conclusion Analysis after adjustment for life style, psychosocial factors and cardiovascular risk factors found that people living in temporary housing in the tsunami- stricken area had a significant increase in body weight.

We examined immunohistochemically 123 autopsy brains from patients aged between 30 to 59, who died as a result of malignant neoplasms. Using antiserum to amyloid beta protein (A beta), we found that cerebral A beta deposits began in the subjects' fifth decade; its prevalence was 0%, 9.8% and 21.5% in the fourth, fifth and sixth decades, respectively. The major form of A beta deposition was diffuse-type plaques, although one third of the brains with A beta deposition showed amyloid angiopathy. Subpial A beta deposition is frequently associated with amyloid angiopathy. The prevalence of cerebral A beta deposits was about two times higher in the patients who had received brain radiation therapy (27.8%) compared to non-radiated patients (14.8%). Amyloid angiopathy was much more prominent (P0.05) with radiation therapy (22.2%) than without (8.0%). We found that cerebral A beta-deposition is dependent on aging, even in patients with malignant tumors and at beginning in their forties, and that brain radiation therapy is a possible risk factor of A beta deposition, especially in the form of amyloid angiopathy.

The performance of a hybrid direct-sequence/frequency-hopping code-division multiple-access (DS/FHMA) system is investigated in the presence of both the near-far problem and multipath fading. It is confirmed that the error-correcting technique is essential lessening the effect of the near-far problem and that the coded DS/FH system employing the Reed-Solomon forward error-correcting code preforms better than the coded DS system. It is shown also that the path-diversity technique is effective in reducing the degradation caused by multipath fading. As a result of this study, it is concluded that the DS/FH-CDMA with the error-control code and the path-diversity technique is better suited to solve both near-far problem and multipath fading than DS-CDMA in which an accurate power control is difficult to achieve in such an environment.

In some recent studies, the use of low Earth-orbit satellites in various applications is considered. In all of these studies, uniform distribution of traffic load is assumed. In this paper, the performance of a low Earth-orbit satellite communication system which is designed to service to two kinds of users; i.e., voice users and data users is estimated. The distribution of population of these users is assumed to be nonuniform. According to the simulation results, it is shown that the nonuniformity in traffic affects the performance of the system by decreasing the signal quality at the satellite which has to service to populated areas and increasing it superfluously at the satellite with not so populated service area, in a given period of time. By modeling the satellites during their movements, the change in signal quality while experiencing a peak of traffic load in their route is also determined. A modified power control method based on the amount of traffic load of each satellite is also examined and is shown that this method can make some performance improvements in signal quality, which is limited by special features of low Earth-orbit satellite systems. >