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Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii TUA4408L has the ability to grow and ferment soymilk and is able to modulate the innate immune response of intestinal epithelial cells in vitro. These two properties prompt us to evaluate whether the soymilk fermented with the TUA4408L strain can induce beneficial immunomodulatory effects in vivo. For this purpose, pigs were selected as a preclinical model. The studies performed here demonstrated that the L. delbrueckii subsp. delbrueckii TUA4408L-fermented soymilk (TUA4408L FSM) reduced blood markers of inflammation and differentially regulated the expression of inflammatory and regulatory cytokines in the intestinal mucosa. These immunological changes induced by the TUA4408L FSM were associated to an enhanced resistance to pathogenic Escherichia coli and an improved grow performance and meat quality of pigs. The experiments and analysis in our study indicate that the immunobiotic TUA4408L FSM could be an interesting non-dairy functional food to beneficially modulate the intestinal immune system, improve protection against pathogens and reduce inflammatory damage. The preclinical study carried out here in pigs could have a better correlation in humans, compared to a rodent model. However, the clinical relevance of these findings still needs to be confirmed by further research, for example, in controlled human challenge studies.

Trace elemental identification of Cr deposited on a material target was made using metal-supported laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. Experimentally, an almite material containing a trace element of Cr on its surface was perpendicularly placed on a Cu metal plate. A pulse CO2 laser beam was irradiated on the Cu plate to produce a plasma. The plasma then interacts with the trace elements deposited on the material surface, and finally, the elements are effectively excited in the gas plasma region. The role of laser irradiation in the analyte intensity was examined. The results certified that the intensity of impurity decreased with the number of laser bombardments on the material target. Furthermore, rapid identification and analysis of Cr as a trace element can be made successfully. The limit detection of Cr as a trace element was 1 mg/kg. This method has a great deal of promise for use in the surface examination of material businesses to systematically check the material's quality.

Background In recent years, the number of elderly congestive heart failure (CHF) cases has been increasing in Japan with the aging of the population. This tendency is particularly remarkable in rural areas where our facilities are located. After admission with CHF, the hospitalization period (PE) was prolonged due to various complications unique to the elderly, and re-exacerbation of CHF occurred shortly after discharge. Approximately 30% of them were readmitted within one year. From August 2015, for shortening of PE and reduction of CHF readmission through the efficiency of CHF treatment and comprehensive patient education, we had introduced a unique clinical pathway (PATH) that provided the immediate use of Tolvaptan and comprehensive education by multi-disciplinary staff after admission. Purpose In this study, we verified whether the improvement of clinical prognosis were achieved by introduction of PATH. Methods Between April 2014 and July 2019, 635 CHF cases (764 admissions) ware enrolled. We divided them to two groups, N-group before introducing PATH (198 cases, 262 admissions) and P-group applied PATH (437 cases, 502 admission). Between both groups, we compared the various acute care situation, PE and readmission rate with CHF within 1 year after discharge. Results There were no differences between P and N-group in mean age, distribution of underlying illness or daily activity level before admission. There ware not also differences about left ventricle function by echocardiography and various blood test data at admission. The enforcement rate of continuous infusion and the rate of urinary catheter placement were significantly lower in the P-group (71 vs 88%; p Conclusion By the introduction of our original clinical pathway for congestive heart failure, the efficiency of medical care was achieved and the mean hospitalization period was widely shortened. In addition, by the through comprehensive patient education by multi-disciplinary staff involved in the pathway, the self-restraint life style after discharge seemed to be maintained and the readmission with worsening of heart failure was significantly suppressed. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Intensive rain-fed agricultural systems represented the foundation of the agricultural economies of the island of Hawai‘i and parts of Maui in the centuries before European contact. These systems largely were abandoned in the nineteenth century, and our understanding of how they functioned as productive systems is sparse. We established three experimental gardens within the ahupua‘a (traditional Hawaiian land division) of Puanui, in the Leeward Kohala Field System, where we have measured climate and soil properties and planted several Polynesian crops. We obtained relatively large yields of ‘uala (sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas) (from 1 to 4 kg of tubers per m2) from spring and summer plantings in two wetter, higher-elevation gardens; growth was slow there in the winter. In a drier, lower-elevation garden, only winter plantings provided reasonable yields (0.6 kg per m2). We suggest that Hawaiian farmers cultivated a winter crop of ‘uala in the lower, warmer, drier portion of the field system and ...

Background: We evaluate long-term post-operative hippocampal volume (HV) on non-epileptic hippocampus using MR volumetry as well as the neuropsychological outcome in patients with surgery for unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and achieved seizure-freedom. Methods: We studied 1.5-Tesla MRI before and after epilepsy surgery in 24 patients with MTLE. Serial MRI studies were scheduled at 4 post-operative consecutive periods; 6m-1y; 1-2y; 2-3y; 3-5y. We compared neuropsychological outcomes for memory and estimated IQ at the same periods with serial MRI up to 3 years. Results: The pre-operative non-epileptic HV was significantly smaller than HV in age-matched controls (n=14) (pConclusions: Post-operative progression of non-epileptic hippocampal atrophy was found with significantly more pronounce in patients with older age at surgery and larger pre-operative non-epileptic hippocampus. After the epileptogenic hippocampus is resected, the remaining hippocampus alone might exhaust to maintain the memory, especially in elders.

H. Ohsaki, E. Hirakawa, K. Kagawa, M. Nakamura, H. Kiyomoto and R. Haba Value of computer-assisted quantitative nuclear morphometry for differentiation of reactive renal tubular cells from low-grade urothelial carcinoma Objective: To assess whether computer-assisted quantitative morphological parameters can be an effective tool for objectively distinguishing reactive renal tubular cells from low-grade urothelial carcinoma cells (LG-UCs) in voided urine. Methods: Nuclear morphometry was performed by a computer-assisted image analyser system on Papanicolaou-stained cytological specimens. The circumference of reactive renal tubular cells (n = 40) or LG-UC (n = 20) nuclei were manually traced, and the following nuclear morphometric parameters were analysed: (i) area, (ii) perimeter, (iii) roundness factor, (iv) maximum length, and (v) linear factor. For each nuclear measurement, we calculated the maximum, minimum, mean and standard deviation. Results: The mean nuclear area and nuclear perimeter were higher in reactive renal tubular cells compared to the LG-UCs. The mean of roundness and linear factors (reflecting a tendency for the nuclear outline to be regular and oval, respectively) were higher in LG-UCs compared with reactive renal tubular cells. Among nuclear areas, the nuclear perimeter, roundness factors and maximum length did not show any significant differences between reactive renal tubular cells and LG-UCs. On the other hand, the linear factor showed a mean higher value among LG-UCs than reactive renal tubular cells (P = 0.023). Conclusions: Of five quantitative nuclear morphological parameters, only linear factor was statistically significant in differentiating reactive renal tubular cells in renal disease from LG-UCs.

Large-fronded tree ferns are critical components of many tropical forests. We investigated frond and whole-plant allometries for Hawaiian keystone species Cibotium glaucum, for prediction and to compare with global scaling relationships. We found that C. glaucum fronds maintain geometric proportionality across a wide range of plant and frond sizes. These relationships result in strong allometries that permit rapid field estimation of frond size from simple linear dimensions. C. glaucum frond allometries complied with intra- and interspecific global trends for leaf area versus mass established for much smaller-leafed species, indicating ‘diminishing returns’ in photosynthetic area per investment in mass for larger fronds. The intraspecific trend was related to declining water content in larger fronds, but not to a significantly larger investment in stipe or rachis relative to lamina. However, C. glaucum complied with the global interspecific trends for greater allocation to support structures in larger leaves. Allometries for frond number and size versus plant height showed that as plants increase in height, frond production and/or retention progressively declines, and the increases of leaf size tend to level off. These frond and whole plant-level relationships indicate the potential for estimating frond area and mass at landscape scale to enrich studies of forest dynamics.

An information disclosure technique is proposed to reduce citizens' concerns about tap water quality. Psychological factors to reduce citizens' concerns were identified based on a cognitive appraisal model. Then, a questionnaire survey was conducted to statistically evaluate the effect of the types of information to the concern level of citizens about tap water quality. The results of the survey showed that the information that increases citizens' trust or controllability (i.e. citizens' perceptions that they can control the risk of tap water quality themselves) is effective in reducing their concern about tap water quality.

We report a rare case of congenital extrahepatic portocaval shunt diagnosed during evaluation of hyperplastic nodules in the liver. Diagnostic imagings showed hypoplasia of the intrahepatic portal venous system and splanchnic portal venous return to the inferior vena cava through aberrant vessels. Altered hepatic blood flow dynamics due to this shunt may have been implicated in the etiology of the hepatic hyperplastic nodules. RID="" ID="" Correspondence to: H. Yonemitsu

Artificial snow crystals can be produced by a fairly simple method in a small closed cylindrical chamber made by combining an aluminium tube and a plastic tube. The chamber is set horizontally at room temperature and the end of the aluminium tube is cooled by dry ice. Water vapour is supplied by a diffusion process from the end of the plastic tube for a suitable time after cooling. The snow crystals are formed on a black sheet inside the end of the aluminium tube. The artificial snow crystals were observed at room temperature using our partial cooling method.

Summary Measures to control the welding deformation affecting basic welded joints have so far been extensively clarified and can be to some extent estimated from the welding conditions. Welding deformation, however, is predicted to depend on the skills of welding operatives, being affected by welding conditions such as the welding heat input, leg length and restraint of welded joints. It is therefore desirable to treat welding deformation statistically. This paper describes an investigation into the statistical properties of the welding heat input, leg length dimensions, angular distortion, and transverse shrinkage when welding operatives having specified skills are engaged in semi-automatic MAG welding of fillet-welded T joints, together with the results of an attempt to estimate the distribution characteristics of welding deformation. The results obtained may be summarised as follows. 1 The distribution characteristics of the welding heat input and leg length dimensions at a specified target leg length ...

Perioperative cardiac dysrhythmias are common and most of them are benign. Some dysrhythmias may cause a fatal outcome in patients undergoing operation. The dysrhythmogenic effect of anaesthetic agents is somewhat complicated and many anaesthetics have opposing effects, that is, both dysrhythmogenic and antidysrhythmogenic properties. It is important to understand interactions between anaesthetics and adjuvant drugs and to avoid prodysrhythmic situations during anaesthesia.

A new method for measuring the vacuum leakage of a pressure sensor proposed by the present authors has been improved so that it can be applied for industrial use. The principle of this method is based on the discharge characteristic called Pashen's law. The main improved points are reduction of fluctuation of the discharge potential and extension of the measurable pressure range. As a result, a leakage rate of Pa can be detected within a day. This sensitivity is comparable to that of the radio-isotope method now in practical use or even higher than that. The measurable pressure range is enlarged from 70-150 Pa to 70 Pa to a few hundreds pascals by employing He gas to detect the leakage.

Experimental results of I-V characteristics near the superconductor-insulator transition observed for disorder-tuned YBaCuO thinfilms are presented. The I-V characteristics exibit new quasiperiodic structures as a function of the current. The current interval, the number of the dI/dV peaks, and the magnetic field dependence of the peaks are consistent with the theoretical predictions of the resonant tunneling of a phase particle ina tilted-cosine potential for asingle Josephson junction with small capacitance.

A 16-year-old male with fibrous dysplasia, in which rapidly increasing proptosis of the left eye was induced by a mucocele behind the globe, is reported. The mucocele was removed and the expanded bone was completely recontoured back to normal dimensions with the aid of an acrylic skull replica fabricated preoperatively by laser lithography on the basis of computed tomographic data. The result was satisfactory and no recurrence of bony swelling or proptosis has been detected for 2 years and 9 months.

A new method for estimating the degree of vacuum of a pressure sensor has been proposed and demonstrated to be applicable for detecting vacuum leakage. The principle of this method is based on the discharge characteristics of Paschen's law. The shielding body case and the electrode terminals in the sensor are employed as the electrodes for the discharge. The discharge potential is measured under a linearly increasing voltage supply, and from this value the pressure in the sensor is estimated. This method is very simple, offering nondestructive testing quality. The measurable range is between 80 and 200 Pa, which is an important pressure range for judging the occurrence of vacuum leakage in pressure sensors.

MFI-type Ga-silicate was synthesized by the rapid crystallization method. A peak of 71Ga MAS NMR around 160 ppm proved that Ga was isomorphously substituted for Si with tetrahedral coordination. Less than 5% of the incorporated Ga was moved to extraframework with octahedral coordination by ion-exchange treatment to transform the Ga-silicate to the H-form, as could be seen by the appearance of the -7 ppm peak. High stability of Ga incorporated into the framework of MFI structure by the rapid crystallization method was confirmed.

We describe the application of CT-MRI fusion software for 3D conformal radiotherapy in two patients with localized prostate cancer who had significantly altered pelvic anatomy due to prior surgery. Patient A had a hemipelvectomy for fibrosarcoma and Patient B had an abdominoperineal resection (APR) for rectal carcinoma. Using the Picker AcQSIM 3D treatment planning software equipped with CT-MRI fusion capabilities, we were able to construct 3D conformal treatment plans for the two patients. The CT-MRI fusion was invaluable in the 3D conformal treatment planning of these cases with distorted pelvic anatomy. It allowed for accurate identification of the clinical target volume (CTV) and was also able to better visualize normal structures so that the radiation beams could be placed to minimize toxicity to the normal tissues.

Carbon adsorption to the Si(100) surface in the atmosphere with large or with small concentrations of organic carbons is examined by using thermal desorption spectroscopy or x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The number of carbon atoms on a Si(100) wafer stored in the pure water, in which the total organic carbon is 285 ppb, becomes larger until a certain time with increasing time stored in pure water, and it keeps constant over that time. On the other hand, that stored in the air in the clean bench, where the concentration of the organic carbon is thought to be low, becomes small, and the increasing rate of the carbon atoms adsorbed on the Si(100) surface is very small. The difference between these results is due to whether the dominant step is the transportation of organic carbons in the atmosphere or it is the adsorption of organic carbons on the Si surface. The former process occurs for the small concentration of the organic carbons in the atmosphere, and the latter process occurs for the large concent...

We have measured temperature-dependent resistivities of a set of Pb ultrathin films by repeating in situ deposition at liquid-He temperature. Observed conductance in the fermion region can be described by a single-parameter scaling function ($\ensuremath{\beta}$ function) with a self-consistent theory for localization in two dimensions. Based on estimated values of electrical localization length (${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{loc}}$) and superconducting coherence length (${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{super}}$), the superconductor-insulator transition is confirmed to occur at the point where ${\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{loc}}\ensuremath{\sim}2{\ensuremath{\xi}}_{\mathrm{super}}$. Moreover, only samples exhibiting $\mathrm{ln}T$ dependence in the fermion region become global coherent superconductors at low temperature.

Using flash photolysis of caged ATP in skinned muscle fibers from rat psoas, we examined the inhibitory effects of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) on the contraction kinetics and the rate of ATP hydrolysis of the cross-bridges at approximately 10 degrees C. The hydrolysis rate was estimated from the stiffness records. The effects of BDM were compared with those of orthophosphate (P(i)) and of reduction in [Ca2+] (low Ca2+), and it was found that i) BDM and low Ca2+ inhibited ATPase activity to the same extent as they inhibited the steady tension, whereas P(i) inhibited ATPase activity much less than tension; ii) BDM and P(i) decreased tension per stiffness during the steady contraction more than did low Ca2+; iii) neither BDM nor low Ca2+ affected the initial relaxation of the fiber on release of ATP, but P(i) slightly slowed it; and iv) BDM hardly influenced the rate of contraction development after relaxation, although P(i) and low Ca2+ accelerated it. We concluded that BDM inhibits the Ca(2+)-regulated attachment of the cross-bridges and force-generation of the attached cross-bridges.

Purpose To assess the case mix or experiential curriculum of a university-based categorical medicine residency program and compare the residents' continuity clinic case mix with the outpatients seen by practicing internists. Patients and methods Descriptive study during the 1991–1992 academic year of 24,218 inpatients and outpatients from the University of California, San Francisco, Department of Medicine's three core hospitals: the University of California, San Francisco Hospital; the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; and the San Francisco General Hospital. The diagnoses and ages of patients who made office visits to practicing internists from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) were compared with corresponding data from the categorical medicine residents' continuity clinic patients. Results Seventy percent of the general medicine inpatients at the three core hospitals had one of the 25 most common principal diagnoses for inpatients. Eighty-seven percent of the patients seen by the residents in their continuity clinic had one of the 20 most common diagnoses seen by practicing internists in the NAMCS. The age distribution was similar in both groups. Conclusions A systematic assessment of clinical training at one university-based hospital program shows that common internal medicine problems represent the case mix of the great majority of patients, both inpatients and outpatients, seen by categorical medicine residents. Residents' continuity clinic patients are similar to patients seen by practicing internists. The program's challenge is to ensure that residents have adequate time with general medicine experiences, both in the inpatient setting and in the ambulatory and longitudinal care settings, while balancing and integrating these activities.

8-(4'-Acetylphenyl)-1,4-dioxa-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane (APDA) was found to be a new organic material for nonlinear optical devices. Prior to its application to devices, material purification, single crystal growth, characterization and optical properties were studied, and second harmonic generation from the grown single crystal was demonstrated. Recrystallization from ethyl acetate solution by slow cooling, zone refining and sublimation under reduced pressure were explored. Among them, a combination of recrystallization and sublimation was the most effective for APDA purification. Single crystals were grown by the Bridgman technique with different growth parameters for the furnace temperature, the growing rate and the cooling rate of grown crystals. Single crystals with a diameter larger than 12 mm and length of 28 mm were obtained from the melt, but had some cracks. Characterization, measurements of optical properties of APDA crystals and second harmonic generation demonstration revealed that the crystals had good quality suitable for application to nonlinear optical devices, for example, frequency doublers of laser diodes in the blue region.

Conventionally, acetal homopolymer or copolymer is obtained by the polymerization of formaldehyde or trioxane, following the end-capping using acetic anhydride or unzipping of the unstable polymer end fraction. First, Asahi Chemical developed a new process to obtain an end-capped polymer during polymerization of highly purified formaldehyde using acetic anhydride as the chain-transfer agent. Use of highly purified formaldehyde and endcapping during polymerization using acetic anhydride as a chain-transfer agent or an endcapping agent will provide a simple process for manufacturing acetal homopolymer. The polymerization mechanism was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy analysis and proton NMR analysis of the polymer obtained. Second, for the acetal copolymer, purified trioxane was copolymerized with ethylene oxide in the presence of methylal, which gave an endcapped polymer with high thermal stability. Two new intermediates from the initiation reaction of the copolymerization, 1,3,5,7-tetraoxacyclononane (TOCN) and 1,3,5,7,10-pentaoxacyclododecane (POCD), were isolated and a new initiation mechanism was proposed. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

To assess whether computer-assisted quantitative morphological parameters can be an effective tool for objectively distinguishing reactive renal tubular cells from low-grade urothelial carcinoma cells (LG-UCs) in voided urine. Nuclear morphometry was performed by a computer-assisted image analyser system on Papanicolaou-stained cytological specimens. The circumference of reactive renal tubular cells (n = 40) or LG-UC (n = 20) nuclei were manually traced, and the following nuclear morphometric parameters were analysed: (i) area, (ii) perimeter, (iii) roundness factor, (iv) maximum length, and (v) linear factor. For each nuclear measurement, we calculated the maximum, minimum, mean and standard deviation. The mean nuclear area and nuclear perimeter were higher in reactive renal tubular cells compared to the LG-UCs. The mean of roundness and linear factors (reflecting a tendency for the nuclear outline to be regular and oval, respectively) were higher in LG-UCs compared with reactive renal tubular cells. Among nuclear areas, the nuclear perimeter, roundness factors and maximum length did not show any significant differences between reactive renal tubular cells and LG-UCs. On the other hand, the linear factor showed a mean higher value among LG-UCs than reactive renal tubular cells (P = 0.023).Of five quantitative nuclear morphological parameters, only linear factor was statistically significant in differentiating reactive renal tubular cells in renal disease from LG-UCs.

New equipment for demonstrating laws of mechanics have successfully been constructed utilizing fine sphere plastic beads (0.3 mm in diameter). Fine plastic beads function as ball bearings to reduce the friction between the object and the plate surface. By this method, a quantitative measurement of energy conservation law has successfully been carried out with a small error of less 3%. The strong advantage of this frictionless method is that we can always use the same objects like Petri dishes for demonstrating many kinds of mechanics laws, such as the first, second, and the third laws of motion, momentum conservation law, and energy conservation law. This demonstration method surely has a beneficial effect for students, who can then understand mechanics laws systematically with a unified concept and no confusion.

The plasma characteristics and excitation process of laser-induced plasma with the use of a TEA CO2 laser of 750 mJ pulse energy and 100 ns pulse width are studied in different surrounding gases at reduced pressures. From the time-resolved spatial distribution, it is clear that in helium and argon atmospheres, two different excitation processes take place in forming the plasma. The first excitation process is due to the blast wave, while the second process is due to the metastable state of the noble gases. It is believed that this second process transfers metastable energy to the vaporized atoms of the target for emission, even long after the laser bombardment ends, thus giving total emission intensity that is higher in the noble gases than in air. The displacement of the front of the emission line under different atmospheres is also presented.