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Hideki Shibata, Takeshi Aoki, Tomotake Koizumi, Tomokazu Kusano, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Kazuhiko Saito, Takahito Hirai, Kodai Tomioka, Yusuke Wada, Tomoki Hakozaki, Yoshihiko Tashiro, Koji Nogaki, Kosuke Yamada, Kazuhiro Matsuda, Akira Fujimori, Yuta Enami, Masahiko Murakami Division of Gastroenterological and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Showa University, Tokyo, JapanCorrespondence: Takeshi AokiDivision of Gastroenterological and General Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Showa University, 1-5-8, Hatanodai, Shinagawa-Ku, Tokyo, 142-8555, JapanTel +81-3-3784-8000Fax +81-3-3784-5835Email takejp@med.showa-u.ac.jpPurpose: Bile duct injury is one of the most serious complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Intraoperative indocyanine green (ICG) cholangiography is a safe and useful navigation modality for confirming the biliary anatomy. ICG cholangiography is expected to be a routine method for helping avoid bile duct injuries.Patients and Methods: We examined 25 patients who underwent intraoperative cholangiography using ICG fluorescence. Two methods of ICG injection are used: intrabiliary injection (percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage [PTGBD], gallbladder [GB] puncture and endoscopic nasobiliary drainage [ENBD]) at a dosage of 0.025 mg during the operation or intravenous injection with 2.5 mg ICG preoperatively.Results: There were 24 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 1 patient who underwent hepatectomy. For laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the average operation time was 127 (50– 197) minutes, and estimated blood loss was 43.2 (0– 400) g. The ICG administration route was intravenous injections in 12 cases and intrabiliary injection in 12 cases (GB injection: 3 cases, PTGBD: 8 cases, ENBD:1 case). The course of the biliary tree was able to be confirmed in all cases that received direct injection into the biliary tract, whereas bile structures were recognizable in only 10 cases (83.3%) with intravenous injection. The postoperative hospital stay was 4.6 (3– 9) days, and no postoperative complications (Clavien–Dindo ≧IIIa) were observed. For hepatectomy, a tumor located near the left Glissonian pedicle was resected using a fluorescence image guide. Biliary structures were fluorescent without injury after resecting the tumor. No adverse events due to ICG administration were observed, and the procedure was able to be performed safely.Conclusion: ICG fluorescence imaging allows surgeons to visualize the course of the biliary tree in real time during cholecystectomy and hepatectomy. This is considered essential for hepatobiliary surgery to prevent biliary tree injury and ensure safe surgery.Keywords: indocyanine green fluorescent imaging, navigation surgery, near-infrared fluorescent cholangiography

Keiichi Hiramoto,1 Yurika Yamate,1 Kazunari Matsuda,2 Daijiro Sugiyama,2 Yasutaka Iizuka2 1Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Suzuka University of Medical Science, Suzuka, Mie 513-8670, Japan; 2R&D Department, Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare Co., LTD, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 103-8234, JapanCorrespondence: Keiichi Hiramoto Department of Pharmaceutical SciencesSuzuka University of Medical Science, 3500-3 Minamitamagakicho, Suzuka, Mie 513-8670, JapanTel +81-59-340-0575Fax +81-59-368-1271Email hiramoto@suzuka-u.ac.jpPurpose: Although the onset mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease, which co-occurs with aging, has been extensively studied, no effective methods that improve the decline in memory and learning abilities following aging have been developed. Tranexamic acid provided promising results for ameliorating photo-aging and extending the natural lifespan. However, it is unknown whether it affects the decline in memory and learning abilities due to aging. In this study, we examined the effect of tranexamic acid on memory and learning abilities of naturally aging mice.Methods: ICR mice were orally administered with tranexamic acid (12 mg/kg/day) three times weekly for 2 years, and their memory and learning abilities were compared between the tranexamic acid-treated and non-treated groups.Results: The decline in memory and learning abilities due to aging was ameliorated by tranexamic acid administration. The expression of plasmin and amyloid-β decreased following the treatment with tranexamic acid. Furthermore, the number of M1-type brain macrophages diminished and that of M2 macrophages increased. In addition, administration of tranexamic acid decreased the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, while it increased the levels of IL-10 and transforming growth factor-α in the brain.Conclusion: These results indicated that tranexamic acid suppressed the secretion of the inflammatory cytokines aging M1-type macrophages, thereby improving age-related memory and learning abilities.Keywords: plasmin, chronic inflammation, M1-type macrophage, M2-type macrophage, TNF-α, IL-1β

A new hyperon-proton scattering experiment, dubbed J-PARC E40, was performed to measure differential cross sections of the Σ+p, Σ−p elastic scatterings and the Σ−p → Λn scattering by identifying a lot of Σ particles in the momentum ranging from 0.4 to 0.8 GeV/c produced by the π±p → K+Σ± reactions. We successfully measured the differential cross sections of these three channels with a drastically improved accuracy with a fine angular step. These new data will become important experimental constraints to improve the theories of the two-body baryon-baryon interactions. Following this success, we proposed a new experiment to measure the differential cross sections and spin observables by using a highly polarized Λ beam for providing quantitative information on the ΛN interaction. The results of three Σp channels and future prospects of the Λp scattering experiment are described.

Hirotaka Fukami, Yoichi Takeuchi, Saeko Kagaya, Yoshie Ojima, Ayako Saito, Hiroyuki Sato, Ken Matsuda, Tasuku Nagasawa Department of Nephrology, Japanese Red Cross Ishinomaki Hospital, Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan Purpose: Pyelonephritis, an upper urinary tract infection, is a serious infection that often requires hospitalization. However, the accurate diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis can be difficult, especially among older individuals who can present with unusual symptoms. Imaging with computed tomography (CT) is not unusual in the diagnosis of pyelonephritis, with some clinicians regarding perirenal fat stranding (PFS) as a characteristic finding. However, the sensitivity and specificity of PFS in diagnosing pyelonephritis are currently unknown. We therefore sought to clarify the relevance of PFS in diagnosing acute pyelonephritis.Patients and methods: We conducted a case-controlled retrospective analysis of medical records. The pyelonephritis group included 89 patients who had been diagnosed with acute pyelonephritis, while the control group included 319 patients who had undergone percutaneous renal biopsy. CT findings were available for both groups. The frequency of PFS and its sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of acute pyelonephritis were investigated.Results: The mean ages of the pyelonephritis and control groups were 74±15 years and 63±16 years, respectively. A total of 28% of men were in the pyelonephritis group vs 61% of men in the control group. The frequency of PFS was 72% in the pyelonephritis group vs 39% in the control group. Age and renal dysfunction were associated with an increased frequency of PFS. After adjusting for age, sex, and renal function using a propensity score analysis, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio of PFS for diagnosing acute pyelonephritis were 72%, 58%, and 1.7, respectively.Conclusion: The presence of PFS was not useful in diagnosing acute pyelonephritis. Keywords: acute pyelonephritis, perirenal fat stranding, sensitivity, specificity, urinary tract infection, CT

Zero-field muon spin relaxation experiments were carried out with Al-1.6%Mg2Si, Al-0.5%Mg, and Al-0.5%Si alloys. Observed relaxation spectra were compared with the calculated relaxation functions based on the Monte Carlo simulation to extract the dipolar width (Δ), trapping (νt), and detrapping rates (νd), with the initially trapped muon fraction (P0). The fitting analysis has elucidated that the muon trapping rates depended on the heat treatment and solute concentrations. The dissolved Mg in Al dominated the νt at lower temperatures below 120 K, therefore the similar temperature variations of νt were observed with the samples mixed with Mg. The νt around 200 K remarkably reflected the heat treatment effect on the samples, and the largest νt value was found with the sample annealed at 100°C among Al-1.6%Mg2Si alloys. The as-quenched Al-0.5%Si sample showed significant νt values between 80 and 280 K relating with Si-vacancy clusters, but such clusters disappeared with the natural aged Al-0.5%Si sample.

Fukami H, Takeuchi Y, Kagaya S, et al. Int J Gen Med. 2017;10:137–144.Page 137, Abstract, Results, the text “The frequency of PFS was 72% in the pyelonephritis group vs 39% in the control group” should read “The frequency of PFS was 72% in the pyelonephritis group vs 29% in the control group”.Page 140, Table 1, Control (PRB) column, last row, the data “93 (39%)” should read “93 (29%)”.Page 141, Discussion, line 5, the text “PFS was found in 39% of patients” should read “PFS was found in 72% of patients”. Read the original article

In sputtering deposition process of TiO2, metal Ti or sintered TiO2 target is used as deposition source. In this study, we have compared the characteristic of target materials. When TiO2 target was used, stoichiometric TiO2 films was deposited under the Ar atmosphere containing 1.0% of oxygen. The highest sputtering rate under this atmosphere was 3.9nm/min at 3.4W/cm2. But, sintered TiO2 target is fragile and cannot endure higher density of input power than 3.4W/cm2. On the other hand, Ti target needs higher oxygen concentration (8%) in sputtering gas atmosphere for obtaining rutile/anatase. Even though Ti target can be input twice power density of 7.9W/cm2, the highest deposition rate for Ti target was 1.4/nm, which was ~35% of the highest rate for TiO2 target. Then we have study out the composite target consisting of Ti plate and TiO2 chips. Using the composite target, stoichiometric TiO2 films were prepared in the rate of 9.6nm/min at 6.8 W/cm2 under the atmosphere of Ar/2.5%O2. Furthermore, we have found that the TiO2 films obtained from the composite target consisted of about 100% anatase, whereas TiO2 films obtained from other target have rutile dominant structure. The optical band gap energy of the film is determined by using the Tauc plot. The calculated band gap energies for the films deposited by Ti target and composite target were 2.95 and 3.24eV, which are equivalent to that of rutile and anatase structure, respectively.

Al-Zn-Mg alloy has been known as one of the aluminum alloys with the good age-hardening ability and the high strength among commercial aluminum alloys. The mechanical property of the limited ductility, however, is required to further improvement. In this work, three alloys, which were added Cu or Ag into the Al-Zn-Mg alloy, were prepared to compare the effect of the additional elements on the aging behavior. The content of Ag and Cu were 0.2at.% and the same as, respectively. Ag or Cu added alloy showed higher maximum hardness than base alloy. The particle shape and rod shape precipitates were observed in all alloys peak-aged at 423K. According to addition of Ag or Cu, the number density of the precipitates increased higher than that of base alloy.

FIn this work, AlN/SiCN composite coatings were deposited by r.f.-reactive sputtering method using a facing target-type sputtering (FTS) apparatus with composite targets consisting of Al plate and SiC chips in a gaseous mixture of Ar and N2, and investigated their mechanical properties and microstructure. The indentation hardness (HIT) of AlN/SiCN coatings prepared from composite targets consisting of 8 ~32 chips of SiC and Al plate showed the maximum value of about 29~32 GPa at a proper nitrogen gas flow rate. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns for the AlN/SiCN composite coatings indicated the presence of the only peeks of hexagonal (B4) structured AlN phase. AlN coatings clarified the columnar structure of the cross sectional view TEM observation. On the other hand, microstructure of AlN/SiCN composite coatings changed from columnar to equiaxed structure with increasing SiCN content. HR-TEM observation clarified that the composite coatings consisted of very fine equiaxial grains of B4 structured AlN phase and amorphous phase.

Katsuya Matsuda,1 Hisayoshi Nakajima,2 Khaleque N Khan,1 Terumi Tanigawa,1 Daisuke Hamaguchi,1 Michio Kitajima,1 Koichi Hiraki,1 Shingo Moriyama,3 Hideaki Masuzaki11Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 2Department of Health Sciences, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 3Shimabara Maternity Clinic, Nagasaki, JapanBackground: The purpose of this work was to investigate whether clinical cytology could be useful in the preoperative diagnosis of pelvic actinomycosis.Methods: This study involved the prospective collection of samples derived from the endometrium and the uterine cervix, and retrospective data analysis. Nine patients with clinically diagnosed pelvic actinomycosis were enrolled. The clinical and hematological characteristics of patients were recorded, and detection of actinomyces was performed by cytology, pathology, and bacteriological culture of samples and by imprint intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD) cytology.Results: The detection rate of actinomyces was 77.7% by combined cervical and endometrial cytology, 50.0% by pathology, and 11.1% by bacterial culture.Conclusion: The higher detection rate of actinomyces by cytology than by pathology or bacteriology suggests that careful cytological examination may be clinically useful in the preoperative diagnosis of pelvic actinomycosis.Keywords: actinomycosis, cytology, pathology, intrauterine contraceptive device, pelvic inflammatory disease

In this study, the early stage of aging in Mg-Gd-Y alloys has been observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high angle annular dark field – scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) and calculations of images and electron density and bond overlap population (BOP) by first principal to understand the origin of precipitation in this alloy. The small hexagon of 0.37 nm is the first precipitate in this alloy, and this is the evidence of short range ordering of D019 structure. This is referred as the pre β”-phase. In the peak aged condition, β’ phase with bco structure was mainly observed.

The Al-Mg-Ge alloy is one of the age-hardening aluminum alloy after solution heat treatment. It has been proposed that the age-precipitation behavior of Al-Mg-Ge alloy is different from that of Al-Mg-Si alloy according to our previous works about the microstructure on Al-Mg-Ge alloy over-aged at 523K. For example, The hardness of peak aged Al-1.0mass%Mg2Ge alloy is higher than that of Al-1.0mass%Mg2Si alloy. The precipitates in the over-aged samples have been classified as some metastable phases, such as the β’-phase and Type-A precipitates and equilibrium phase of β-Mg2Ge by TEM observation. There a few reports about microstructure on Al-Mg-Ge alloys observed by TEM for different aging times. The age-precipitations structure of Al-Mg-Ge alloy has not been became clear. In this work, TEM observation was investigated the microstructure on Al-1.0mass%Mg2Ge alloy for difference aging times aged at 473K.

We tried to fabricate the Ge/TiO2 composite films with the differential pressure (pumping) co-sputtering (DPCS) apparatus in order to improve the optical properties. In the study, the micro structure of these thin films has been evaluated. TEM image revealed that the thin film was alternately layered with TiO2 and Ge, lattice fringes were observed both of Ge layer and TiO2 layer. There were portions that lattice fringe of Ge was disturbed near the interface of Ge and TiO2. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy elucidated that there were few germanium oxides and a part with the thin film after annealed.

We carried out an experiment to produce the neutron-rich hypernucleus Λ6H via the (π−, K+) reaction on 6Li target at the pion beam momentum of 1.2 GeV/c (J-PARC E10). In order to calibrate the scale of the missing-mass or of the Λ binding energy of the hypernucleus, we also measured the 12C(π+, K+) Λ12C, p(π−, K+)Σ− and p(π+, K+)Σ+reactions. The experiment was performed at the J-PARC Hadron Hall K1.8 beam line in December 2012 and January 2013. The overall collected data sample corresponds to an integrated beam intensity of 1.65 × 1012 pions.

We have carried out x-ray transmission and small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements of liquid Se70-Te30 mixture up to 1000 °C and 100MPa and inelastic x-ray scattering (IXS) measurement of liquid Se50-Te50 mixture at SPring-8 in Japan. In this paper, we report the preliminary results. In liquid Se70Te30 at 6MPa, with increasing temperature from 400 °C, the density first normaly decreases but anomalously increases from 650 °C. This anomalous density behaviour can be interpreted that the sample exhibits continuous transition from low-density phase to high-density one in this temperature region. As a proof of that, the zero-wavenumber-limit of SAXS intensity I(0) increases and shows maximum in this region, which means that the static density inhomogeneity arises due to phase transition. When the pressure is elevated, the density and I(0) curves shift to lower temperature side. The velocity of acoustic mode in Se50-Te50 estimated by IXS data is much higher than the ultrasonic sound velocity (so-called "fast sound" state) and the temperature dependences of the two velocities are totally different. But the ratio of the two velocities, the strength of "fast sound", seems to increase with approaching to the transition region and thus it seems to be a good sign of dynamical inhomogeneity.