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We give a new proof of the classification due to Peternell-Szurek-Wi\'{s}niewski of nef vector bundles on a projective space with the first Chern class less than three and on a smooth hyperquadric with the first Chern class less than two over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero., Comment: 29 pages; v3: The title is changed, and sections 2 and 3 in v2 are simplified and unified; v2: An error in Remark 7.6 is fixed, and the corresponding corrections are made in Theorem 7.5. Lemmas 7.2 and 7.4 are improved and Lemma 7.4 becomes Theorem 7.4. Some proofs are replaced by shorter ones

We report a realistic evaluation of the electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient of organic semiconductors using electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory. For this purpose, thermal fluctuation in crystal structures, which dominates the transport phenomena, is explicitly considered by averaging the electronic properties of various deformed structures generated by molecular dynamics simulations. We apply our scheme to pentacene and rubrene and find that a faithful treatment of carrier flow in a disordered lattice yields computational results that agree with the experiments. This agreement allows us to consistently investigate thermoelectric properties, which may pave the way for material exploration.

Localising accurate brain regions needs careful evaluation in each experimental species due to their individual variability. However, the function and connectivity of brain areas is commonly studied using a single-subject cranial landmark-based stereotactic atlas in animal neuroscience. Here, we address this issue in a small primate, the common marmoset, which is increasingly widely used in systems neuroscience. We developed a non-invasive multi-modal neuroimaging-based targeting pipeline, which accounts for intersubject anatomical variability in cranial and cortical landmarks in marmosets. This methodology allowed creation of multi-modal templates (MarmosetRIKEN20) including head CT and brain MR images, embedded in coordinate systems of anterior and posterior commissures (AC-PC) and CIFTI grayordinates. We found that the horizontal plane of the stereotactic coordinate was significantly rotated in pitch relative to the AC-PC coordinate system (10 degrees, frontal downwards), and had a significant bias and uncertainty due to positioning procedures. We also found that many common cranial and brain landmarks (e.g., bregma, intraparietal sulcus) vary in location across subjects and are substantial relative to average marmoset cortical area dimensions. Combining the neuroimaging-based targeting pipeline with robot-guided surgery enabled proof-of-concept targeting of deep brain structures with an accuracy of 0.2 mm. Altogether, our findings demonstrate substantial intersubject variability in marmoset brain and cranial landmarks, implying that subject-specific neuroimaging-based localization is needed for precision targeting in marmosets. The population-based templates and atlases in grayordinates, created for the first time in marmoset monkeys, should help bridging between macroscale and microscale analyses.HighlightsAchieved sub-millimeter localization accuracy of subject-wise brain regionPropose a dedicated non-invasive multi-modal subject-specific registration pipelineConstruct brain coordinate system in AC-PC and grayordinate spacesEstablish multi-modal MRI and CT brain and cortical templates, MarmosetRIKEN20Quantify intersubject variabilities in marmoset brainSignificant bias and uncertainty exist in marmoset stereotactic positioning

The efficiency with which polymeric semiconductors can be chemically doped—and the charge carrier densities that can thereby be achieved—is determined primarily by the electrochemical redox potential between the π-conjugated polymer and the dopant species1,2. Thus, matching the electron affinity of one with the ionization potential of the other can allow effective doping3,4. Here we describe a different process—which we term ‘anion exchange’—that might offer improved doping levels. This process is mediated by an ionic liquid solvent and can be pictured as the effective instantaneous exchange of a conventional small p-type dopant anion with a second anion provided by an ionic liquid. The introduction of optimized ionic salt (the ionic liquid solvent) into a conventional binary donor–acceptor system can overcome the redox potential limitations described by Marcus theory5, and allows an anion-exchange efficiency of nearly 100 per cent. As a result, doping levels of up to almost one charge per monomer unit can be achieved. This demonstration of increased doping levels, increased stability and excellent transport properties shows that anion-exchange doping, which can use an almost infinite selection of ionic salts, could be a powerful tool for the realization of advanced molecular electronics. The limitations of conventional chemical doping of polymeric semiconductors can be overcome by adding a second ionic species into the system, leading to enhanced doping, electrical conductivity and stability.

We classify nef vector bundles on a smooth quadric surface with the first Chern class (2, 1) over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero; we see in particular that such nef bundles are globally generated.

Macaque monkeys are an important animal model where invasive investigations can lead to a better understanding of the cortical organization of primates including humans. However, the tools and methods for noninvasive image acquisition (e.g. MRI RF coils and pulse sequence protocols) and image data preprocessing have lagged behind those developed for humans. To resolve the structural and functional characteristics of the smaller macaque brain, high spatial, temporal, and angular resolutions combined with high signal-to-noise ratio are required to ensure good image quality. To address these challenges, we developed a macaque 24-channel receive coil for 3-T MRI with parallel imaging capabilities. This coil enables adaptation of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) image acquisition protocols to the in-vivo macaque brain. In addition, we adapted HCP preprocessing methods to the macaque brain, including spatial minimal preprocessing of structural, functional MRI (fMRI), and diffusion MRI (dMRI). The coil provides the necessary high signal-to-noise ratio and high efficiency in data acquisition, allowing four- and five-fold accelerations for dMRI and fMRI. Automated FreeSurfer segmentation of cortex, reconstruction of cortical surface, removal of artefacts and nuisance signals in fMRI, and distortion correction of dMRI all performed well, and the overall quality of basic neurobiological measures was comparable with those for the HCP. Analyses of functional connectivity in fMRI revealed high sensitivity as compared with those from publicly shared datasets. Tractography-based connectivity estimates correlated with tracer connectivity similarly to that achieved using ex-vivo dMRI. The resulting HCP-style in vivo macaque MRI data show considerable promise for analyzing cortical architecture and functional and structural connectivity using advanced methods that have previously only been available in studies of the human brain.

Charge and thermoelectric transport should be closely correlated with each other; however, little is known regarding the origin of thermopower in semicrystalline $\ensuremath{\pi}$-conjugated polymers, particularly those doped with molecular dopants. It is controversial whether the well-established Mott formula is valid for such conducting polymers, which inevitably have a finite structural disorder. We show that a truly metallic regime that can be realized in a highly crystalline domain gives rise to thermopower, which is demonstrated unambiguously by the observation of a linear temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient in semicrystalline polythiophene-based conducting polymers. The presence of onset metallicity is also verified comprehensively by the Hall effect and Drude optical response, which indicates that the Mott formula, which is frequently used for degenerated semiconductors and metals, can be applicable to highly crystalline conjugated polymers. This provides insight into the structure-thermoelectric property relationships in semicrystalline conducting polymers.

Macaque monkeys are an important model species for understanding cortical organization of primates, yet tools and methods for noninvasive image acquisition (e.g. MRI RF coils and pulse sequence protocols) and image data preprocessing have lagged behind those developed for humans. To resolve the structural and functional characteristics of the relatively thin macaque cortex, high spatial, temporal, and angular resolutions are required while maintaining high signal-to-noise ratio to ensure good image quality. To address these challenges, we developed a macaque 24-channel receive coil for 3-T MRI with parallel imaging capabilities. This coil enabled adaptation of the Human Connectome Project (HCP) image acquisition protocols to the macaque brain. We also adapted HCP preprocessing methods optimized for the macaque brain, including spatial minimal preprocessing of structural, functional MRI (fMRI), and diffusion MRI (dMRI). The coil provided high signal-to-noise ratio and high efficiency in data acquisition, allowing four- and five-fold acceleration for dMRI and fMRI, respectively. Automated parcellation of cortex, reconstruction of cortical surface, removal of artefacts and nuisance signals in fMRI, and distortion correction of dMRI performed well, and the overall quality of basic neurobiological measures was comparable with those for the HCP. The resulting HCP-style in vivo macaque MRI data show considerable promise for analyzing cortical architecture and functional and structural connectivity using advanced methods that have previously only been available for humans.Highlights➢24-channel 3T MR receive coil designed for the smaller macaque brain.➢In vivo macaque imaging protocols adapted according to guidelines from the HCP.➢Parallel imaging yields five- and four-fold acceleration in fMRI and dMRI sampling.➢HCP’s minimal preprocessing and denoising pipelines adapted for macaques.➢The multi-modal MRI data show considerable promise for HCP-style analyses.

Background Multi-modal brain image registration is a prerequisite for accurate mapping of brain structure and function in neuroscience. Image registration is commonly performed using automated software; however, its accuracy decreases when images differ in modality, contrast, uniformity, and resolution. This limitation could be overcome by using an external reference point; however, high-contrast agents in multi-modal imaging have not been previously reported. New methods Here, we propose a novel multi-modal fiducial marker that contains Tungsten solution and provides high contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET). The basic characteristics of this multi-modal marker were investigated by assessing major sources of image contrast in the following modalities: density and T1-, T2-relaxivity in comparison with conventional contrast agents. Results Tungsten solution had lower T1- and T2-relaxivity and high solubility, and showed high contrast in T1- and T2-weighted MR and CT images at a high-density concentration (˜3.0 g/mL), whereas other conventional solutions did not show sufficient contrast in either CT or MRI. Comparison with existing methods The use of this Tungsten-based multi-modal marker allowed more accurate registration than a software-only method in phantom and animal experiments. Application of this method demonstrated accurate cortical surface mapping of neurotransmitter function (dopamine transporter, DAT) using PET and MRI, and provided a neurobiologically relevant cortical distribution consistent with previous literature on histology-based DAT immunoreactivity. Conclusions The Tungsten-based multi-modal fiducial marker is non-radioactive, easy to handle, and aids precise registration across different modalities of brain imaging.

Cyclooxygenase (COX), a prostanoid-synthesizing enzyme, is considered to be involved in the neuroinflammatory process of neurodegenerative diseases. However, the role of COX in the progression of neurodegeneration is not well understood. We hypothesized that in vivo imaging of COX by PET will contribute to elucidation of the function of COX during the neurodegenerative process in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). 11C-labeled ketoprofen methyl ester (racemic (RS)-11C-KTP-Me) developed recently by our group is a useful PET probe for in vivo imaging of COX-1 during neuroinflammation. The (S)-enantiomer of ketoprofen is known to be pharmacologically more active than the (R)-enantiomer. We thus synthesized 11C-labeled (S)-ketoprofen methyl ester ((S)-11C-KTP-Me) as an improved PET probe specific for COX-1 and applied it for investigation of the changes in COX-1 during the progression of AD in a mouse model. Methods: The specificity of (S)-11C-KTP-Me for COXs was examined in PET studies with rats that had intrastriatal injection of lipopolysaccharide. To determine the details of changes in COX-1 during progression of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaque formation in amyloid precursor protein transgenic (APP-Tg) mice, we performed immunohistochemical studies and ex vivo autoradiography with (S)-11C-KTP-Me. Results: PET studies using hemispheric lipopolysaccharide injection into rats revealed that the sensitivity of (S)-11C-KTP-Me in neuroinflammation was much higher than that of (RS)-11C-KTP-Me and (R)-11C-KTP-Me; these results closely corresponded to the inhibitory activities of each enantiomer against COX-1 estimated by an in vitro assay. In APP-Tg mice, (S)-11C-KTP-Me administration resulted in progressive and significant increases in accumulation of radioactivity in the brain from 16 to 24 mo old in accordance with the histopathologic appearance of abundant Aβ plaques and activated microglia, whereas few changes in radioactivity accumulation and few Aβ plaques were seen in age-matched wild-type control mice. High-radioactivity accumulation by (S)-11C-KTP-Me was markedly observed in the frontal cortex and hippocampus in which COX-1–expressing activated microglia tightly surrounded and enclosed large and more intensely stained Aβ plaques, indicating neuroinflammation that originated with Aβ. Conclusion: (S)-11C-KTP-Me is a potent PET probe that is highly selective for COX-1. Studies using APP-Tg mice demonstrated that (S)-11C-KTP-Me could detect activated microglia that are associated with amyloid plaque progression, suggesting the involvement of COX-1 in the neuroinflammatory process in AD.

Let P be a matrix whose entries are homogeneous polynomials in n variables of degree one over an algebraically closed field. We show that the maximal minors, say m-minors, of P generate the linear space of homogeneous polynomials of degree m if P has the maximal rank m at every point of the affine n-space except the origin.

We deduce from Bondal’s theorem a spectral sequence, which yields a description, such as a resolution, of a coherent sheaf in terms of a full strong exceptional sequence. We then apply the sequence to the case of a vector bundle given with some cohomological data on a projective space; we obtain a resolution of the vector bundle in terms of exceptional line bundles, resolution which is different from that obtained by the Beilinson spectral sequence. Finally we list all known nef vector bundles of the first Chern class two on a hyperquadric of dimension greater than three.

The problem of approximating the infinite dimensional space of all continuous maps from an algebraic variety $X$ to an algebraic variety $Y$ by finite dimensional spaces of algebraic maps arises in several areas of geometry and mathematical physics. An often considered formulation of the problem (sometimes called the Atiyah-Jones problem after \cite{AJ}) is to determine a (preferably optimal) integer $n_D$ such that the inclusion from this finite dimensional algebraic space into the corresponding infinite dimensional one induces isomorphisms of homology (or homotopy) groups through dimension $n_D$, where $D$ denotes a tuple of integers called the "degree" of the algebraic maps and $n_D\to\infty$ as $D\to\infty$. In this paper we investigate this problem in the case when $X$ is a real projective space and $Y$ is a smooth compact toric variety.

症例は56歳の女性で，40歳時に再生不良性貧血と診断され，入院治療後ステロイド内服にて加療されていた．排便困難の精査にて上行結腸，直腸にそれぞれ2型進行癌を認めた．骨髄生検では再生不良性貧血の所見はなく，溶血性貧血による反応性赤芽球過形成があり弱い異形成を指摘された．中等度発作性夜間血色素尿症（paroxymal nocturnal hemoglobinuria；以下，PNHと略記）を合併した多発大腸癌と診断され，2006年12月に結腸右半切除術，低位前方切除術を施行した．術後血栓防止のためフットポンプを使用し，抗凝固剤は使用しなかった．溶血発作予防のため術中からステロイドカバーを行った．出血に対しては洗浄赤血球を輸血した．骨髄抑制を避けるため笑気は使用しなかった．手術時間6時間30分，出血量460mlで，術後溶血発作，血栓症などはみられなかった．PNHを合併した大腸癌の報告はまれであり，今回我々の治療経験に考察を加え報告する．

To construct an effective biological control agent for plant root diseases, we isolated Pseudomonas putida strains from the rhizospheres of cucumber plants and used them as hosts of an expression vector for an antipathogenic gene. The antipathogenic gene encoded a chitinase, and was derived from the marine bacterium Alteromonas sp. strain 79401. We screened the genome of P. putida PaW8 to obtain a strong promoter for the expression of this gene. The chitinase expression vector pKAC9-p07, containing the chitinase gene and the promoter from PaW8, was introduced into P. putida strains that could survive well in the rhizosphere. The transformed P. putida strains showed chitinase production and suppressed the damping-off of cucumber seedlings in soils infected with the plant-pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. This study demonstrates a strategy for the construction of a biological control agent for practical use in the rhizosphere.

In our previous study, a genetically-modified (GM) rhizosphere bacterium, Pseudomonas putida strain 101-97 harboring the chitinase-expression vector pKAC9-p07, showed over-production of chitinase and suppressed the damping-off of cucumber seedlings caused by the plant-pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. To assess the effects of the GM bacterium on other soil microorganisms, we monitored the microbial population in the cucumber rhizosphere after inoculation with the GM bacterium by culture-dependent and -independent methods. In the culture-dependent analysis, total bacterial and fungal populations in the cucumber rhizosphere did not differ after inoculation with either the GM bacterium or its parental strain, P. putida 101R. In the cultureindependent analysis, we determined changes in the microbial communities by PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The DGGE profiles of bacterial 16S rDNA genes differed significantly depending on whether they had been inoculated with the GM bacterium or its parental strain, whereas the profiles of fungal 18S rDNA genes remained similar.

Miyazaki Coast is a 10 km stretch sandy beach between the Miyazaki Port and the Hitotsuse River, located south of Japan facing the Pacific Ocean. Significant beach erosion has been observed owing to the entrapment of sand in the harbor area and the blockage of longshore sand transport by the river mouth jetties. Sato et al. (ICCE 2010) estimated that the direction of the long-term longshore sand transport is to the southward on the basis of thermo-luminescence measurement of beach sediments. Continuous bathymetry surveys indicated the southward longshore sand transport rate at 200 thousand m3/year. However, a large variability of the incident wave direction suggested the variability in the direction of the longshore transport. Occasional attacks of typhoon storms appeared to accelerate the erosion. As a countermeasure to mitigate the erosion, sand nourishment has been introduced since 2008 with the amount of 50 to 80 thousand m3/year. Three groins were constructed to decrease the longshore transport. However, further erosion has been observed by typhoon storms even on the nourished area. This paper describes the results of on-site monitoring of waves, currents and topography change to understand the role of typhoon storms in beach erosion and to investigate the performance of eco-system based erosion control works.

Crystalline semiconducting polymers can be chemically doped with molecular dopants via integer charge transfer to highly conductive states, where charge carriers in high-mobility, semicrystalline polymers undergo band-like transport. Although coherent, band-like transport characteristics are indispensable for further improvement of conductivity, the correlation between band-like transport and crystallinity in doped conjugated polymers has not been comprehensively studied. Here, we investigate the role of crystallinity in molecular-doped thiophene-based semiconducting regioisomers. The doping efficiency and band-like transport were examined using X-ray diffraction and magnetotransport measurements, which revealed clear differences between regioisomers due to the differences of their polymer packing structures and crystallinity.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Bear bile (BB) originally used as a traditional Chinese medicine has also been adopted in Japan as a traditional home remedy mainly for gastrointestinal problems due to impaired digestion. However, recently, efforts have been made to find alternatives to BB for ecological and ethical reasons. Aims of the study To find alternatives to BB for facilitating fat digestion, we compared the potency of cattle bile (CB) or synthetic mixtures of major bile components to activate pancreatic lipase with that of BB. Materials and methods The compositions of bile acid conjugates and phospholipids in BB and CB were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography, respectively. The effects of BB and CB as well synthetic mixtures of bile acid conjugates and phospholipids on pancreatic lipase activity in vitro were examined. Results BB and CB contained markedly different types and quantities of bile acid conjugates and phospholipids, although the potencies of BB and CB to activate pancreatic lipase were not significantly different. The potency of BB to activate pancreatic lipase was reconstituted by the major bile acid conjugates and phospholipids found in BB. In contrast, only bile acid conjugates found in CB could reconstitute its potency to activate pancreatic lipase. Conclusions Our observations indicate that CB or the synthetic mixture of bile components can be used as an alternative to BB for facilitating fat digestion.

Moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest with selective cerebral perfusion has been developed for cerebral protection during thoracic aortic surgery. However, visceral organs, particularly the kidneys, suffer greater tissue damage under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest, and acute renal failure after hypothermic circulatory arrest is an independent risk factor for early and late mortality. This study investigated whether atrial natriuretic peptide could prevent the reduction in renal perfusion and protect renal function after moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest. Twelve pigs cooled to 30°C during cardiopulmonary bypass were randomly assigned to a peptide-treated group of 6 and a control group of 6. Moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest was induced for 60 min. Systemic arterial mean pressure and renal artery flow did not differ between groups during the study. However, renal medullary blood flow increased significantly in the peptide-treated group after hypothermic circulatory arrest. Myeloperoxidase activity was significantly reduced in the medulla of the peptide-treated group. Renal medullary ischemia after hypothermic circulatory arrest was ameliorated by atrial natriuretic peptide which increased medullary blood flow and reduced sodium reabsorption in the medulla. Atrial natriuretic peptide also reduced the release of an inflammatory marker after ischemia in renal tissue.

We successfully performed carotid artery stent placement (CAS) in 3 patients with cervical carotid artery stenosis presenting with progressing stroke. In our presented cases, we used intravascular ultrasonographic virtual histology (IVUS-VH) to evaluate carotid plaque and continuous monitoring of regional cerebral oxygenation by near-infrared spectroscopy to detect early hemodynamic complications. These techniques significantly helped to improve neurological outcome after CAS in patients with progressing stroke. In Case 1, an 80-year-old female presented with progressing right hemiparesis due to severe stenosis of the cervical portion of the left carotid artery. IVUS-VH revealed the plaque as mainly fibrous and partially necrotic and fibrolipidic, and under distal protection, CAS was successfully performed. In Case 2, a 70-year-old male presented with repeated transient loss of consciousness. 3D-CT angiography demonstrated severe stenosis of the cervical portion of the right carotid artery, and under the distal protection, CAS was conducted. During placement of the carotid stent, near infrared spectroscopy revealed a marked change in cerebral oximetry. His blood pressure was carefully controlled for 3 days to avoid hyperperfusion syndrome. In Case 3, a comatose 76-year-old male was admitted to our hospital with right-sided hemiparesis. He had suffered several transient ischemic attacks 6 months previously. Intravenous rt-PA therapy was performed, and his symptoms improved rapidly. 3D-CT angiography demonstrated severe stenosis of the right cervical carotid artery with dense calcified plaque. However, IVUS-VH revealed the plaque as mainly fibrous with partial calcification, and CAS was successfully performed.

This study investigated the feasibility of mitral valve (MV) repair in patients with active or healed infective endocarditis (IE) with mitral regurgitation and evaluated effects on left ventricular (LV) function and structure.Subjects comprised 19 patients who underwent MV operations for IE between December 2004 and September 2007. MV repair was performed for acute IE in 10 of 15 patients (67%) and for healed IE in 4 of 4 patients (100%).No early or late postoperative deaths were encountered. One patient underwent redo MV repair owing to severe mitral regurgitation 1 month postoperatively. Postoperative echocardiography after MV repair demonstrated less than trivial (acute IE in seven, healed IE in three) or mild (acute IE in three, healed IE in one) mitral regurgitation. In patients with MV replacement, the postoperative left atrial dimension (LAD) was decreased (51.5 +/- 39.2 vs. 39.2 +/- 1.9 mm, P = 0.007); however LV end-diastolic dimension (LVDD) and LV end-systolic dimension were unchanged. In patients with MV repair, LVDD (57.5 +/- 6.5 vs. 46.0 +/- 5.6 mm, P0.001), LV end-systolic dimension (36.1 +/- 5.2 vs. 32.4 +/- 6.2 mm, P = 0.04), LAD (43.1 +/- 8.1 vs. 33.6 +/- 7.7 mm, P = 0.003) were reduced. Postoperative ejection fraction (55.3 +/- 13.5% vs. 41.8% +/- 10.0%, P = 0.03) and fraction shortening (30.1% +/- 9.2% vs. 20.7% +/- 5.5%, P = 0.03) were better in patients with MV repair than those with MV replacement.MV repair is feasible in patients with both active and healed IE. MV repair preserves better LV function and structure postoperatively.

54歳，女性．3カ月前からの発熱を主訴に来院．心エコーにて僧帽弁前尖（A3）から後尖（P3）に付着する疣贅と重度の僧帽弁逆流を認めた．また，冠動脈造影および造影 CT にて右冠動脈から冠状静脈洞への動静脈瘻を認めた．血液培養にて Strep. viridans を検出し，活動期感染性心内膜炎を合併した冠動脈瘻の診断にて準緊急手術施行した．疣贅は A3 から P3 に及び，感染巣を可及的に除去し，欠損部をグルタールアルデヒド処理自己心膜にて補填した．また人工腱索，人工弁輪を用いて形成術を施行した．右冠動脈の冠状静脈洞流入部は術中同定可能であり，心外膜側より結紮処理し，末梢へバイパス術を施行した．術後経過は順調であり軽快退院となった．今後，冠動脈瘻の再発および拡大，心筋梗塞等の遠隔期合併症に対し経過観察が必要である．

症例は6ヵ月間の発熱病歴を有し,小児期より心室中隔欠損症(VSD)と診断されていた44歳の男性である.平成16年7月,VSDに伴った感染性心内膜炎による大動脈弁閉鎖不全症と診断し,生体弁による弁置換術およびVSDのパッチ閉鎖術を施行した.しかし術後,炎症反応は陰転化せず,術後3ヵ月目に血中からCandida albicansが検出された.人工弁感染が疑われたため,術後3.5ヵ月でFree styleブタ大動脈弁により大動脈基部置換およびVSDの再閉鎖術を行った.その後,抗真菌剤の内服を継続して外来経過観察していたが,平成17年5月に再び発熱が出現,CTで左総腸骨動脈瘤を認め,Candida albicansによるmycotic aneurysmを疑い手術を施行した.活動型感染性心内膜炎では抗生剤投与が長期にわたると真菌症を併発することを認識すべきである.真菌性感染性心内膜炎は感染制御の困難性から長期予後は不良とされ,術後の経過観察は長期間,厳重に行うことが必要である.

Let (M,E) be a generalized polarized manifold, i.e., a pair of an n-dimensional smooth projective variety and an ample vector bundle E of rank r on M. Let t be the nef value of a polarized manifold (M, det E), i.e., the minimum of the set of real numbers s such that K+s det E is nef; we have tr= 1; (2) n+1-tr< t, 53 pages

A highly potent recombinant l-methionine γ-lyase (METase) conjugated with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was characterized physicochemically and pharmacokinetically in vivo and in vitro. Pegylated METase (PEG-METase), which contains pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP) as a cofactor in the molecule, is a potent anticancer agent that can deplete l-methionine from plasma. Although pegylation decreased its specific activity, dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment increased it over three times with the detachment of one PEG moiety modified with a cysteine residue. We can produce DTT-treated PEG-METase on a large scale in sufficient quality for therapeutic use. The superiority of DTT-treated PEG-METase was confirmed by the enhancement of l-methionine depletion and amelioration of pharmacokinetics in mice. The holoenzyme of DTT-treated PEG-METase gave a several times larger area under the plasma concentration curve than that of DTT-untreated PEG-METase, not because of an increase of the half-life but because of high specific activity. Conversely, simultaneous PLP infusion led to a greatly increased half-life of the holoenzyme. DTT-treated PEG-METase administration with PLP infusion was the most useful combination for maximizing the potency of the enzyme. We showed that serum albumin interfered with holoenzyme activity in vitro. The decrease of holoenzyme activity was dependent on the type of serum albumin. We concluded that PLP was released from PEG-METase by serum albumin in vivo and in vitro. The deleterious effect of PLP dissociation from PEG-METase could be improved by supplementing PLP and oleic acid. Their synergistic effect in preventing a decrease of the holoenzyme activity was also observed. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(5): 2807-14)

In this paper, a fault-tolerant controller capable of dealing with aerosurface actuator malfunctions is proposed. Fault-tolerant flight control is expected to be one of key technologies for future RLV (reusable launch vehicles) to improve on safety and mission success rate. The presented controller has remarkable feature to improve fault-tolerance with minimum aerosurfaces or without any upgrade of actuators. This is because the controller makes available aerosurfaces mutually compensate each other by taking advantage of their characteristics. The effectiveness of the proposed controller is confirmed with linear and nonlinear analyses through HOPE-X approach and landing phase as an example.

With the objective of minimizing aokusami (beany flavor), which is an undesirable aspect of soymilk flavor, we studied the effects of heating on lipid peroxide content, a factor contributing to the beany flavor. We also prepared various desserts containing soymilk using this heating process, and evaluated the effects of heating by sensory test. The lipid peroxide content of soymilk prepared from soaked and swollen soybeans steamed at 75°C in a relative humidity of 80-90% for 10 minutes was substantially lower than that in soymilk prepared from soybeans which lacked lipoxygenase and was 14% or less that of non-heat-treated soybeans. Additionally, the lipid peroxide content of soymilk prepared by blanching soaked and swollen soybeans in boiling water for 30 seconds was comparable to that found in soymilk prepared from lipoxygenase-lacking soybeans. The beany flavor of custard pudding, Bavarian cream, and Annin tofu prepared with soymilk obtained from heat-treated soybeans was significantly improved.

We have carried out a molecular dynamics simulation for the mixture of a cubic ice nucleus, supercooled water and a molecule of alanine dipeptide. The dipeptide molecule has been allocated near the nucleus surface. The dipeptide is found to approach the surface by the effect of hydrogen bond between two hydrophilic sites of the dipeptide and water molecules nearest to the liquid region in the ice nucleus. It is also found that the other hydrophilic sites far from the surface change their location with time due to the wobbling motion of the dipeptide molecule. This causes additional fluctuation of water molecules. These two sites and the hydrophobic site attenuate the approach of water molecules to the alanine dipeptide molecule or the ice surfaces.

Segmental arterial mediolysis is an unusual arterial lesion for which pathogenesis has remained controversial. We report on a 47-year-old Japanese woman who underwent surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm that was 10.5 cm in diameter and contiguous with a left common iliac aneurysm that was 2.3 cm in diameter; the aneurysms were considered to have progressed rapidly in size. Pathologic examinations of the respective aneurysms showed cystic medial necrosis in the aortic and segmental arterial mediolysis in the iliac aneurysm. Coexistence of these two pathologic findings indicates that there may be a strong relation between these two disease entities.

Visualization of ultrasonic wavefronts at 2.0–2.5 MHz is demonstrated by using the interference of two diffracted beams. For relatively narrow ultrasonic beams with sufficiently high intensity, light is scattered as the Raman-Nath diffraction to generate multiple diffracted beams. Two beams of neighboring diffraction orders are detected, the result of which exhibits interference fringes in the images. It is proven, both theoretically and experimentally, that these fringe patterns are identical to the wavefront patterns of ultrasound. Bright images with wavelength-filtered xenon stroboscopic illumination were obtained for ultrasonic beams of several mm-beamwidths.

In the formation process of debris fan, the interaction between sediment particles is one of the most important factors. In this study, the formation process of debris fan is simulated by using 3D movable bed simulator which is able to express the interaction between particles with tracking indivisual particles. The mechanism of the formation process of the debris fan due to the sudden decrease of bottom slope and the expansion of the width of channel is investigated through the simulation results. The deposition process found in the simulation data reproduces well the characteristics of previous experimental data.

Soy milks were produced by the heat-squeezing method and the non heat-squeezing method from four varieties of soybean seeds, Suzuyutaka, Tohoku 126, Tohoku 135 (variety lacking lipoxygenase activity), and Tohoku 139 (variety containing small amount of allergen). Contents of isoflavone and relating compounds were then compared to find the processing way of soy milk containing large amounts of isoflavone. (1) Large amounts of isoflavone were detected in the seed of Tohoku 126 and the content was 437mg / 100g seed. While the isoflavone content in the seed of Tohoku 139 was only 107mg / 100g seed. (2) Most of isoflavone in the soybean seeds was malonyl type, and malonylgenistin was the most predominant isoflavone. Ratio of malonyl type in total isoflavone in the soybean seeds was 66.7-91.6%, and that of aglycon type was only 0.82.5%. (3) Total isoflavone content in soy milk varied with the varieties of soybean seed, and its content in each soy milk was 1 / 6-1 / 8 as much as in the corresponding soybean seed. Isoflavone content in soy milk (Y) and that in soybean (X) were correlated with 1% level of significance under the formula of y = 0.1348x + 0.5626 (r = 0.993). (4) Total isoflavone content in Tofu confected by the heat-squeezing method from whole soybean and hulled soybean was higher than that in Tofu by the non heat-squeezing method. (5) When soy milk was produced by the heat-squeezing method from whole soybean and hulled soybean, isoflavone in soy milk from whole soybean was efficiently extracted after adding water until six-fold volume of soybean used as materials. Total isoflavone content in soy milk from hulled soybean increased in response to the volume of adding water. Total isoflavone content in Okara milk from hulled soybean was not changed by the volume of additional water. (6) Ratio of the content of malonyl type, glycosyl type, and aglycon type of isoflavone in Tofu from whole soybean and hulled soybean confected by the heat-squeezing method and the non heat-squeezing method was almost the same. (7) Contents of protein and solid matter in Tofu produced from Okara milk were higher than that in Tofu from whole soybean and hulled soybean. Moreover, dietary fiber was detected in the Okara Tofu.

(1) 大豆のイソフラボンは品種および栽培年度により異なったが, 東北126号は2000年産, 2001年産のいずれも最も高含量であった。(2) 東北126号は福島県の奨励品種であるスズユタカ, タチナガハより多収であった。(3) 5試験地で栽培試験をしたところ, 東北126号は試験地, 栽培年度と無関係にイソフラボンが顕著に多く, スズユタカの1.6-1.7倍, タチナガハの1.7-1.9倍だった。(4) 豆乳の収量, タンパク質含量, 固形分とそれらの豆乳への抽出率は2000年産, 2001年産ともに東北126号が高かった。(5) 2000年と2001年産の大豆から調製した豆腐の破断強度は, いずれも東北126号が最も大きく, 次いでスズユタカ, 東北135号, 東北139号だった。(6) 東北139号の加熱絞りによる豆腐はゲル形成能が極端に低かったが, 生絞り法で調製すると破断強度は増大した。脱皮大豆を用い加熱絞りで調製した場合も同様な結果が得られた。(7) もめん豆腐の官能検査において, 東北126号はスズユタカ, フクユタカ, タチナガハよりも舌触り, おいしさの評価が高かった。

Immunoassay for recombinant methioninase (rMETase), an anti-cancer agent, in biological sample was developed. Antisera were produced by immunizing rabbits with rMETase. The antisera were evaluated using radioiodine-labeled rMETase and good antisera for sensitive immunoassay were obtained. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was coupled to reduced IgG of K232 antiserum through bridging agent, N-(epsilon -maleimidocaproyloxy) sulfosuccinimide ester (sulfo-EMCS), to prepare enzyme-labeled antibody. IgG fraction of K231 antiserum was immobilized on microplate well. Two-site sandwich immunoenzymometric assay (IEMA) was developed using these antibodies and had good standard curve between 0.4 and 12 ng per well. For determination of rMETase in mouse plasma, sample was diluted 100-fold with dilution buffer containing protease inhibitors, because about 10% of rMETase immunoreactivity was lost for 2 h at room temperature. rMETase in mouse plasma could be determined by the proposed method in the range of 0.5-8 microg/ml and the method was validated. This novel IEMA, in substitution for the measurement of its enzyme activity, should be very useful not only for preclinical studies of rMETase but also for the clinical studies.

This paper deals with the output signals of scanning acoustic microscopes observing the elastic discontinuities on sample surface, and presents a new method of calculation. The formulation is based on the angular-spectrum method together with a ray-optical approximation. The key treatment is splitting of the pupil function into two parts. This method clarifies the image-forming factors in acoustic microscopy including large and fine fringes parallel to discontinuities. Calculation for an edge and a metal/ceramic joint showed good agreements with the experimental results.

We report a patient with severe liver injury and traumatic rupture of the aorta successfully managed by staged operation. A 40-year-old man injured in a motor vehicle accident was taken to a hospital in hemorrhagic shock. Chest roentogenography showed left hemothorax and widening of the upper mediastinum. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed type III b liver injury and periaortic hematoma. Abdominal packing and coil embolization were conducted for the liver injury. The patient was transferred to our hospital because aortography showed a pseudoaneurysm of the proximal descending aorta. On admission, the hemodynamic state was relatively stable, and we decided to conduct delayed repair of the traumatic aortic injury due to hypothermia-acidosis-coagulopathy syndrome. The second operation was performed 48 hours after the initial operation. Prosthetic graft replacement was conducted for the aortic injury, and hepatorrhaphy for the liver injury. The patient was discharged on day 70 after the second operation. Urgent surgical treatment is necessary for traumatic rupture of the aorta. However, in severe injury to other organs, repair of the aortic injury should be considered after hemorrhage from other organs is controlled or hypothermia-acidosis-coagulopathy syndrome improves.