Search

Densities of wild masu salmon, Oncorhynchus masou Brevoort, were investigated before (late-September) and after (mid-November) autumnal habitat shifts in a small river in Hokkaido, northern Japan. Abundance of instream cover habitat formed by coarse woody debris, submerged vegetation and undercut banks was quantified. Density of 1+ and older masu salmon was significantly correlated with cover abundance in autumn, although cover was not significant for density of 0+ fish, indicating that clear-cut reaches were utilized by 0+ masu salmon in autumn. In early winter, densities of 0+ and 1+ and older masu salmon were both correlated with cover availability. These results suggest that the amount of cover habitat is an important regulator for densities of juvenile masu salmon during winter.

JEM-EUSO is a space science mission to explore the extreme energies and physics of the Universe. Its instrument will watch the darkside of the earth and will detect UV photons emitted from the extensive air shower caused by an ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR above 1018 eV), or an extremely high energy cosmic ray (EHECR) particle (e.g. above about 1020 eV). Such a high-rigidity particle as the latter arrives almost in a straight line from its origin through the magnetic fields of our Milky Way Galaxy and is expected to allow us to trace the source location by its arrival direction. This can open the door to new astronomy with charged particles. In its 5 years of operation including the tilted mode, Extreme Universe Space Observatory an Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EUSO) will detect at least 1000 events with E > 7 × 1019 eV with the Greisen–Zatsepin–Ku’zmin (GZK) suppression spectrum. It can determine the energy spectrum and source locations of GZK to super-GZK regions with a statistical accuracy of several percent. JEM-EUSO is planned to be deployed by H2 transfer vehicle (HTV) and will be attached to the Japanese Experiment Module/Exposure Facility (JEM/EF) of International Space Station. JAXA has selected JEM-EUSO as one of the mission candidates of the second phase utilization of JEM/EF for launch in the early-to-mid 2010 s.

To evaluate the influence of exposure to inhaled environmental factors during pregnancy on the diagnosis of juvenile dermatomyositis (DM).We performed a case–control study comprising 20 juvenile DM patients and 56 healthy controls matched by age and sex who were residents in the metropolitan region of a large city. A questionnaire assessed demographic data and environmental inhalation exposure during pregnancy (occupational exposure to demolition, chalk, construction and/or quarry dust, paints, varnish, gasoline vapor, and/or battery fluids; stationary sources of inhaled pollution near the mother's home; and maternal tobacco exposure). Daily concentrations of inhaled particulate matter, SO2, NO2, O3, and carbon monoxide (CO) were evaluated throughout the gestational period.Maternal occupational exposure to school chalk dust/gasoline vapor in the juvenile DM group was significantly higher compared with controls (50% versus 4.6%; P = 0.001). Smoking mothers and secondhand smoke exposure at home during pregnancy were significantly higher in the juvenile DM group versus controls (smoking mothers: 20% versus 1.7%; P = 0.01, and secondhand smoke: 35% versus 19%; P = 0.07). In univariate logistic regression models, maternal smoking, occupational exposure to inhaled agents, and the highest tertile of tropospheric CO (3.2–5.4 parts per million) in the third trimester were significantly associated with juvenile DM (P ≤ 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, smoking mother (odds ratio [OR] 13.26 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.21–144.29], P = 0.03), occupational exposure (OR 35.39 [95% CI 1.97–632.80], P = 0.01), and CO (third tertile) exposure in the third trimester of gestation (OR 12.21 [95% CI 1.28–115.96], P = 0.03) remained risk factors for juvenile DM.Inhaled pollutants and tobacco smoking during fetal development may contribute to juvenile DM.

Cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Cancer mortality in developed countries is twice that in developing countries, and this has been attributed to the impact of tobacco, diet, environment, and lifestyle. Lifestyle-related factors, screening and aging, can not fully account for the present overall growing incidence of cancer in high-income countries. Numerous cancers may in fact be caused by the recent modification of the environment. It is unavoidable to be exposed to ubiquitous environmental carcinogens. Lung cancer is affected by outdoor air pollution, indoor air pollution, and occupational exposures. The main outdoor air pollutants contain suspended particulates, carbon particulate associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrogen dioxide derived from transport and industrial sources, and radioactive gas radon and its decay products. The main indoor air pollutions include environmental tobacco smoke, radioactive gas radon and its decay products, formaldehyde, and exposure to cooking oil vapors, coal burning, and fungus spores. The workplace and housing environments are closely associated with lung cancer. Lifestyle such as diet contributes to varying EXTENT to the risk of lung cancer. This article outlines the epidemiological research on environmental risk factors and cancer, especially focusing on lung cancer.

This paper proposes a brain memory model with cortico-hippocampal functional segregation. The model has three time constants of short, long and middle term memory. They correspond to a electrical activity, a synaptic change, and a hippocampal long term potentiation. A computer simulation shows good coincidence with the physiological data and clinical cases.

We report a 53-year-old Japanese woman who had recurrent orbital myositis for 14 years. She exhibited mild muscle weakness in proximal limbs 13 years after the onset of orbital myositis. An electromyogram revealed myopathic potentials and denervation potentials in proximal limb muscles. Quadriceps biopsy showed infiltrates of mononuclear cells around intramuscular vessels and mild degenerative changes in muscle cells. These findings indicate that the present case belongs to the spectrum of localized nodular myositis.

The time frequency analysis technique using wavelet transform is proposed to overcome EMC (electromagnetic compatibility) problems. The proposed technique takes into consideration the change in amplitude of the harmonics during the observation. By applying it to harmonics analysis, we can analyze the harmonics from not only the frequency but also the time point of view. Therefore, it enables us to obtain the effective solution for harmonics problems. In this paper, a wavelet transform is carried out against the actual measured data. Based on obtained results, it is shown that the features and high validity of the proposed technique for the power electronics field by comparing with the previous approach using FFT (fast Fourier transform).

We have successfully developed the water-peak-suppressed NZ-DSF best suited for full spectrum CWDM transmission in the metro networks. Its chromatic dispersion is well under control so as to match directly modulated DFB-LDs and future high-bit-rate transmission in the entire wavelength band. Transmission experiments including the 1.4 /spl mu/m signal wavelength have verified its transmission performance in a wide spectral range from 1.3 /spl mu/m to 1.6 /spl mu/m.

The grid voltage of commercial utility power source in Japan and USA is 100 V, but in China and European countries, it is 200 V. In recent years, in Japan, 200 V output single-phase three-wire power systems have begun to be used for high power applications. In 100 V utility AC power applications and systems, an active voltage clamped quasi-resonant inverter circuit topology using IGBTs has been effectively used so far for the consumer microwave oven. In this paper, the authors present a half bridge type voltage-clamped high-frequency inverter type AC-DC power converter using which is designed for consumer magnetron drives used in consumer microwave ovens on 200 V utility AC power systems. This zero voltage soft switching inverter can use the same power rated switching semiconductor devices and three-winding high frequency transformer as those of the active voltage clamped quasi-resonant inverter using the IGBTs that has already been used for 100 V utility AC power sources. The operating performances of the voltage source single ended push pull type inverter are evaluated and discussed for a consumer microwave oven. The harmonic line current components in the utility AC power side of the AC-DC power converter operating at ZVS-PWM strategy were reduced and improved upon the basis of sine wave like pulse frequency modulation and sine wave like pulse width modulation for the utility AC voltage source.

Deals with a kind of cellular robotic system (CEBOT), called self organizing manipulator system. In this system the configuration of the manipulator can be changed according to the given task. The authors use two manipulators to assemble, disassemble, and reassemble cellular universal manipulator by cooperation work. When a simple task is given, the system can analyze the task and generate the structure of the cellular manipulator. The assembling work was divided into modular subtasks, and then the system generate the macro command based on the database. The order of subtask and the collision avoidance are considered for planning the cooperation work by using the collision database which was calculated before hand. They show the algorithm for calculation the collision database and for planning the cooperation work. The results of the simulation and the experiment are shown. >

This paper presents a novel type of voltage-fed quasi-load resonant half-bridge IGBT inverter operating at constant frequency variable power (CFVP) regulation scheme which is more suitable and acceptable for new high-frequency high power induction-heated (IH) cooking appliances. This application-specific high-frequency inverter using a new generation of specially-designed IGBTs can efficiently operate under a principle of ZVS-PWM control strategy. The operating principle of a new inverter circuit is presented together with its power regulation characteristics on the basis of its computer-aided simulation analysis and its experimental results. The steady-state characteristics of a cost effective quasi-resonant inverter developed for high-frequency IH cooking appliances such as multi-burner type IH cooker are discussed herein from a practical point of view.

Portable computers can be connected to a network by wireless communication while the user is moving. Users can enjoy this capability and use services on a computer network in any place and at any time. This new style of computer usage is called "mobile computing". In a mobile computing environment there are some problems which are caused by using wireless interfaces, such as disconnection and inability to connect to the network. Moreover, it is likely that most users operate not only with their portable computers but also with other computers in their office, home and so on. The authors discuss the agent platform which considers these features of mobile computing. This platform is designed in order to cover the shortages of wireless communication, and to provide a platform for agents that support user mobility.

This paper proposes a new iterative ISI equalization algorithm that offers low computational complexity: order L/sup 2/ with channel memory length L. The proposed algorithm is an extension of D. Reynolds and Xiaodong Wang's SC/MMSE (soft canceller followed by MMSE filter) equalizer (see Signal Processing, vol.81, no.5, p.989-95, 2001): approximations are used properly to reduce the computational complexity. It is shown that the approximations used in the proposed algorithm do not cause any serious performance degradation compared to the conventional trellis-based iterative equalization algorithms.

This paper presents a new topology of the voltage clamped ZVS-PWM high-frequency inverter-fed DC-DC converter designed for a consumer microwave oven to improve line current distortion and power factor in utility AC power side. Its operation principle in steady state is described. The pulse modulation pattern control implementation is discussed under a condition of allowable magnetron current 1.2 A and heater current.

The utility interactive sinewave soft commutation inverter using IGBTs for solar photovoltaic power conditioner with a high frequency transformer is presented for residential applications. As compared with the conventional full-bridge hard switching sinewave PWM inverter with a high frequency link, the simplest single-ended quasi-resonant soft switching sinewave inverter with a sinewave duty cycle control scheme is developed, resulting in size and weight reduction, low-cost and efficiency. This paper presents a prototype system of the sinewave ZVS-PWM inverter for solar power generator, along with its operating principle and unique features. In addition to these, this paper discusses a control implementation to deliver high quality output current to be injected into the utility 1p AC. The power loss analysis under actual power conditioning and processing is also discussed and evaluated from an experimental point of view. A compact utility-interactive sinewave power conditioning circuit which achieves 92.5% efficiency under 4 kW output is demonstrated.

We reviewed 27 cementless primary total hip replacements in patients with osteoarthrosis secondary to congenital dysplasia of the hip. Autogenous bone grafting was used as augmentation. On average the follow-up period was 9 years. Two hips were revised and three acetabular components were considered loose. In hips with loose cups the average graft coverage was significantly greater than in stable hips. The use of a cementless acetabular component is encouraging for reconstruction, although extensive grafting should be avoided. Our study suggests that cementless reconstruction in dysplastic hips yields a satisfactory outcome.

Considering the difficulties in pancreas transplantation, the development of an artificial pancreas can be one of the new approaches. The present study was designed to assess whether or not Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, which were transfected with the human proinsulin (hPI) gene, secrete immunoreactive insulin (IRI) and respond to glucose loading.A complementary DNA encoding hPI was obtained by polymerase chain reaction amplification from human pancreatic tissue and was inserted into the plasmid pcDNA I/NEO to construct an expression vector for the hPI gene. CHO cells were transfected with hPI gene using lipofectin, and the hPI gene-expressing clones (CHO/I) were selected.Five clones of CHO/I cells, releasing IRI into the culture supernatant, were separated. Immunohistochemistry with a monoclonal antibody demonstrated the IRI in the cytoplasm of CHO/I cells, and transmission electron microscopic examination demonstrated the prominently developed mitochondria, but no secretion granules. ELISA assay demonstrated the secretion of IRI into the culture supernatant of CHO/I, but CHO/I cells did not respond to the glucose loading. When CHO/I cells were transplanted subcutaneously into the back of nude mice, the growing tumors secreted IRI.These results demonstrate that the hPI gene can be transfected into mammalian cells and function in vivo, and suggest that this kind of gene technology may be applicable in the development of an artificial pancreas.

Heavy water (deuterium oxide: D2O) contains a neutron and a proton in its hydrogen atoms and shows a variety of biologic activities different from normal light water. In the present study the cytotoxic and cytostatic activity of D2O was assessed using a BALB/c-3T3 fibroblast cell line and four human digestive organ cancer cell lines, i.e. HepG2 hepatic, Panc-1 pancreatic, KATO-3 gastric and Colo205 colonic cancer cell lines. Against four cancer cell lines, D2O showed significant cytotoxic and cytostatic effects in a MTT assay and a Trypan blue dye exclusion assay, at concentrations higher than 30% D2O. These effects were time and dose dependent, and the IC50 after 72 h of culture ranged from 20 to 30% D2O in the Trypan blue dye exclusion assay and from 30 to 50% D2O in the MTT assay. By contrast, IC50 for the 3T3 fibroblast cell line after 72 h of culture was about 15% in the Trypan blue dye exclusion assay and 50% inhibition was not achieved in the MTT assay. Furthermore, D2O was found to significantly inhibit the invasion of tumor cells in a Matrigel invasion chamber assay at concentrations higher than 10% D2O. Incubation with D2O resulted in enlargement of cells, nuclear pyknosis and vacuolization, and immunostaining studies demonstrated that D2O treatment resulted in an increase in nuclear nick-end-labeling, which indicates DNA fragmentation, in KATO-3 and HepG2 cell lines. Furthermore, the nucleic acids and protein synthesis inhibition assay suggested that the inhibition of DNA synthesis may be one of the mechanisms responsible for the antitumor effects of D2O. Furthermore, oral administration of D2O resulted in a significant inhibition of the growth of Panc-1 tumor xenografted s.c. in nude mice, but survival was not prolonged. In conclusion, D2O has cytotoxic and cytostatic activities against human digestive organ cancer cell lines, and D2O may be a potential anticancer agent.

This paper presents a novel type of voltage-fed quasi-load resonant half-bridge IGBT inverter operating at constant frequency variable power (CFVP) regulation scheme which is more suitable and acceptable for new high-frequency high-power induction-heated (IH) cooking appliances. This application-specific high-frequency inverter using a new generation specially-designed IGBTs can efficiently operate under a principle of ZVS-PWM control strategy. The operating principle of the new inverter circuit is presented together with its power regulation characteristics on the basis of its computer-aided simulation analysis and its experimental results. The steady-state characteristics of cost effective quasi-resonant inverter developed for high-frequency IH cooking appliances such as multi-burner type IH cookers are discussed from a practical point of view.

While deuterium oxide (D2O) is known to produce various biological effects in living animals and cultured cells, the detailed mechanisms by which it does so remain unclear. The present study was designed to assess the effects of D2O on microfilaments (MFs) via fluorescence staining of BALB 3T3 cells and in vitro actin polymerization studies. After BALB 3T3 cells had been exposed to a concentration of more than 30% D2O for several hours, stress fibers in the peripheral region became thick and distinct, while the quantity of perinuclear MFs was drastically reduced. This effect was transient and returned to the original distribution within 12 h. Cytoplasmic F-actin (FA) also increased transiently coincident with the enhancement of stress fibers. The pattern of cell locomotion became simpler, and total locomotor activity was suppressed in a D2O concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of in vitro studies demonstrated that, when purified G-actin was polymerized in D2O at a concentration greater than 10%, the rate of actin polymerization was accelerated, whereas the total amount of polymerized actin at the steady state in D2O was the same as that in H2O controls. A gelation assay and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the network of crosslinked FA with alpha-actinin became denser in 30% D2O than in H2O. These findings concerning actin polymerization and FA gelation suggest that the alteration of stress fibers in cultured cells is caused by a direct effect of D2O on cellular MF dynamics.

This study was designed to assess the possibility of D2O as a therapeutic agent against human pancreatic cancer. We examined the effect of D2O on growth and invasion of human pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1, MIA PaCa-2, BxPC-3) by using MTT assay and nude mice, on which human pancreas cancer cells were transplanted. In vitro growth of the three lines was significantly inhibited by D2O in a dose dependent manner, especially at more than a 10% concentration. Growth of Panc-1, which was transplanted in nude mice, was also inhibited by continuous oral intake of 30% D2O. Furthermore, the effect of D2O on cancer invasiveness was assessed by Matrigel invasion chamber assay. BxPC-3, which is the most adherent of the three lines, significantly reduced its invasiveness in more than 30% D2O media. In addition, the present study also demonstrated the inhibition of cancer cell locomotion by D2O in phagocytokinetic analysis. In conclusion, D2O may be applied for the therapeutic use against pancreatic cancer.

It has been reported that subcutaneous administration of pancuronium produces prolonged neuromuscular blockade. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antagonistic effect of neostigmine on neuromuscular blockade following subcutaneous injection of pancuronium in anesthetized patients. Fourteen male patients aged 32-67 yr, weighing 50-58 kg, and scheduled for surgical operation lasting more than 6 hr were included in the study. None of the patients had paresis. Anesthesia was induced with thiamylal and SCC. Patients under N2O-oxygen-enflurane (1.0-1.5%) anesthesia, were divided into two groups (n = 7 in each group). Group A was given an intravenous bolus of pancuronium 6 mg. Group B received pancuronium 6 mg subcutaneously in the ankle. Train-of-four responses were evaluated every 12s by measuring the force of thumb adduction produced in response to supramaximal stimulation of the ulnar nerve at the wrist. When the train-of-four ratios recovered to approximately 0.2 in groups A and B, a mixture of neostigmine 1.0 mg and atropine 0.5 mg was administered. The onset of fade in train-of-four responses was significantly more rapid in group A (intravenous administration) than in group B (subcutaneous administration). Time intervals to maximum train-of-four depression from pancuronium administration in groups A and B averaged 2.6 and 125.4 min, respectively. No significant differences in the recovery times of the train-of-four ratios from 0.2 to 0.7 following neostigmine administration in groups A and B were demonstrated. None of the patients who received pancuronium subcutaneously showed recurarization following neostigmine administration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Using male Wister rats, the ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity in the fundic mucosa has been determined from the duodenal juice with bile of a reflux model. The activity at 24 hours postoperatively presented a value approximately 18 times higher than the preoperative level. Though this level declined subsequently, it still was approximately two times higher four weeks later. The ODC activity in the corporal mucosa of humans was compared in 25 normal persons, in 21 patients with a gastric adenoma in 29 patients with a gastric cancer, in 20 patients who had undergone a Billroth I operation and in 20 patients who had undergone a Billroth II operation. No differences in ODC activity were observed among those with a gastric adenoma, a gastric cancer, and normal cases but significantly higher values were seen in cases with a remnant stomach, particularly those who had undergone Billroth II reconstructive surgery. Further, this activity tended to be especially high from 5 to 15 years postoperatively in cases with a gastric remnant.

We have measured the serum erythropoietin concentrations in 14 patients with liver cirrhosis and in 14 patients with a hepatocellular carcinoma. Among these patients, 2 with liver cirrhosis (14.3%) and 7 with a hepatocellular carcinoma (50.0%) were found to have raised serum erythropoietin concentrations, ranging up to 40 mU/ml. Negative correlations were found between erythropoietin and the RBC, and the Hb and Ht in the cases with liver cirrhosis. In contrast, a positive correlation which was not significant was found only between the erythropoietin and the RBC in cases involving a hepatocellular carcinoma. This has suggested that the relationship between the erythropoietin and the RBC in cases of a hepatocellular carcinoma differs from the relationship seen under the usual physiological circumstances of those with liver cirrhosis.

Burst error characteristics are studied by using a Rayleigh and Nakagami-Rice fading simulator. Burst error length distribution estimated with fade duration is described. Thus burst length shortening by means of dual frequency diversity is a promising candidate in order to introduce safely forward error correction (FEC) coding into digital land mobile communication systems.

A case of adult neuroblastoma of the right adrenal with tumor thrombus extending into the right atrium is reported. Because of right heart failure, the tumor thrombus in the right atrium was removed under the cardiopulmonary bypass. The histopathological examination of the tumor thrombus revealed neuroblastoma. Fourteen days after the first operation, the adrenal tumor, right kidney and tumor thrombus remaining in the vena cava were removed to prevent the recurrence of right heart failure. Two courses of chemotherapy and radiation were given postoperatively and the patient was doing well. Eight months after the second operation, however, the patient died of multiple metastases of the bone and liver.

A case of accessory middle cerebral artery associated with internal carotid artery aneurysm was reported. A 50-year-old female was admitted to our hospital with complaints of headache, nausea, vomiting and conciousness disturbance. Lumbar puncture showed bloody CSF. Right carotid angiogram revealed saccular aneurysm of the internal carotid-posterior communicating artery and accessory middle cerebral artery originating from the horizontal portion of the right anterior cerebral artery. No other vascular lesion was observed on other angiograms. Operation was performed 2 days after admission. The neck of the aneurysm was clipped. Postoperative aseptic meningitis was cured by frequent lumbar punctures, and her course was uneventful. The etiological hypothesis of these cerebral vascular anomalies was briefly discussed.