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Background Cepharanthine (CEP), a compound extracted from the vine Stephania cephalantha, is commonly prescribed to treat alopecia areata; however, the scientific evidence for its efficacy is limited. Aim To investigate the effect of CEP and its structural analogues on human hair growth in vitro. Methods The effects of CEP and three of its structural analogues on the proliferation of human dermal papilla cells (hDPCs) and human outer root sheath cells (hORSCs) were investigated. Their effects on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression were also assessed by real-time PCR. Activation of pathways leading to VEGF expression, such as intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) expression, was also characterized. Results CEP and two of its structural analogues significantly stimulated the growth of hDPCs but not hORSCs. Moreover, CEP and all three structural analogues significantly induced the expression of VEGF in hDPCs. CEP increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration in hDPCs. CEP also increased the expression of HIF-1α and HIF-2α and induced the expression of HIF-responsive genes in hDPCs, even under normoxia. Conclusions These results suggest that CEP and its structural analogues have the potential to restore hair growth by promoting the proliferation of hDPCs and increasing their expression of VEGF.

Objectives We show that deep learning can be used to create high accuracy cells classifiers that can support cytologists in their work. Two deep learning models are presented. The first model is used for cervical cancer cytology negative/positive prescreening and we show its high specificity at 100% Negative Predict Value (NPV). The second model is used to predict among 15 categories common to cervical analysis, as listed in figure 1(b). Our classifiers include Grad-Cam visualizations that show both models concentrate on relevant areas of images. Methods Classifiers are based on deep convolutional networks. The crucial aspects in achieving high accuracy are data augmentation and focal loss. Grad-Cam visualizations are used to explain models’ reasoning. Results Prescreening model, based on 2700 samples, achieves 95.89% overall accuracy and 91.62% specificity at 100% NPV (figure 1(a)) ; second stage screening model, based on approximately 9500 samples, achieves 92.03% overall accuracy (figure 1(b)). Grad-Cam visualizations show that both models concentrate on relevant areas of the image when making predictions (figure 1(c)). Conclusions We show that deep learning based classifiers can be useful in supporting cytologist in their work. Approximately 92% of samples that cytologist screen for cervical cancer are negative. With our model cytologists can concentrate their efforts on only positive samples and a small number of false positives predictions.

SummaryBackground Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a hair loss disorder that commonly affects middle-aged men. To date, the properties of a number of natural or synthetic substances have been investigated for their ability to improve the condition. Aim To evaluate the hair growth-promoting activities of an extract from the root of Sophora flavescens Aiton. Methods We used a human hair keratinocyte proliferation assay and ex vivo organ cultures of human hair follicle to examine the potential of the extract to stimulate hair growth via anagen elongation. We isolated the compounds promoting the growth of epithelial cells, and determined their chemical structures. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical study for S. flavescens extract was carried out for 6 months with patients with AGA. Results The extract stimulated the proliferation of hair keratinocytes at a concentration of 0.1 ng/mL, while 100 ng/mL of the extract had a marked effect on hair shaft elongation in an organ culture of human hair follicle. Cell proliferation assay-directed fractionation led to the identification of two pterocarpan derivatives, L-maackiain and medicarpin, as active compounds that promote the proliferation of human hair keratinocytes. Studies in human subjects showed that improvement in the inspected alopecia scores in the lotion plus extract group were significant over a period of 6 months (P < 0.01). Conclusions S. flavescens root extract is effective for the treatment of AGA. The isolated two pterocarpans might have important role in this effect.

SynopsisObjective Hair thickness is more important than hair density in the appearance of baldness in male with androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Adenosine improves hair loss by stimulating hair growth and by thickening hair shafts in women. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hair growth efficacy and safety of topical adenosine in men with AGA. Methods A lotion containing either adenosine or niacinamide was administered to the scalps of 102 Japanese men twice daily for 6 months in a double-blind, randomized study. Efficacy was evaluated by dermatologists who assessed the quality of the hair and by calculating the percentages of vellus-like and thick hairs among the vertex hairs, as well as hair density. Results Adenosine was significantly (P

Introduction: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for postoperative inguinal hernia (IH) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and to assess whether a newly developed prevention technique reduces the incidence of IH after RARP. Methods: We included 161 consecutive patients (322 groins) who underwent RARP between September 2011 and October 2013. The prevention technique was as follows: (1) sufficient incision of peritoneum around the internal inguinal ring; (2) separation of spermatic vessels; (3) dissection of vas deferens. Results: Postoperative IH occurred in 14 cases (19.4%) occurring in the observation group compared to 2 cases (2.2%) in the prevention group. Patent processus vaginalis (PPV) was the only risk factor. Time-to-event analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in IH incidence in the IH prevention group (p = 0.005). Conclusion: Our data reveal a higher incidence of IH after RARP, with the existence of PPV as the only identified risk factor. Our simple IH-prevention technique, which does not involve the use of artificial materials, appears safe and effective.

To evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of a simple technique for identifying the initial cutting point of the bladder neck during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. To precisely identify the prostatovesical junction, we first pulled the anterior bladder wall in an upward direction with the second arm to identify the precise location of the prostatovesical junction where anterior bladder neck dissection is initiated. After one experienced surgeon had established this technique, three surgeons who were less experienced in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy utilized this method for 50 consecutive robot-assisted radical prostatectomy cases. The pathological results and the time required to transect the anterior bladder wall were evaluated. There were no cases of positive resection margin on the site of bladder neck. The mean resection time was not significantly different when comparing less experienced surgeons with the experienced surgeon (P = 0.29). In conclusion, this method is a simple and reproducible way to identify the bladder neck during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy. This technique is also useful (for laparoscopic or open radical prostatectomy) even in difficult scenarios, such as post-transurethral resection of prostate cases.

Objectives The prevalence of transient stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after HoLEP has been reported to be as high as 44%. Anteroposterior dissection HoLEP was newly developed to protect the urethral sphincter and therefore lower the incidence rate of SUI. This study was conducted to determine the SUI incidence rate after anteroposterior dissection HoLEP. Methods Sixty-eight consecutive patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia underwent HoLEP from January to December 2008. The first 31 cases (Surgery 1) underwent HoLEP according to Gilling's method. The next 37 cases (Surgery 2) underwent anteroposterior dissection HoLEP, where adenoma was dissected antegradely. This antegrade movement of the cystoscope allows the apical gland to be removed from the sphincter without causing damage. Surgical quality indexes (hemoglobin change, operating time, resected prostate volume) between the 2 groups were compared. All patients were assessed at 2 weeks postoperatively for clinical SUI, international prostate symptom score (IPSS), quality of life (QoL), and peak flow rates (Q max) . Results Patient characteristics and surgical quality indexes did not differ between the 2 groups. Clinical SUI was found in 25.2% of cases in the Surgery 1 group, but only 2.7% in the Surgery 2 group. IPSS, QoL and Q max. were significantly improved postoperatively in both groups. At 2 weeks, the QoL of the Surgery 2 group was significantly improved compared with that observed for Surgery 1 (1.5 ± 1.1 vs 2.4 ± 1.0, P = .02). The Q max. of Surgery 2 was significantly higher compared with Surgery 1 (19.8 ± 8.4 vs 13.0 ± 4.7 ml/s, P = .02). Conclusions These results indicate that our anteroposterior dissection HoLEP is a promising procedure to avoid postoperative SUI and also to substantially improve QoL.

An MC-LCAO-MO method was employed to study a static Jahn-Teller distortion in the ground state of the triphenylene mono-negative ion. An SCF type iterative calculation with CI was carried out for the ground state of the anion in both D3h and C2v molecular geometries to obtain most stable conformations. It was found that the anion in the C2v geometry is more stable than that in the D3h geometry. The calculated lower transition energies are in good agreement with observed values.

Improper protein-folding often results in inclusion-body formation in a protein expression system using Escherichia coli. To express such proteins in the soluble fraction of E. coli cytoplasm, we developed an expression system by fusing the target protein with an archaeal FK506 binding protein (FKBP). It has been reported that an archaeal FKBP from a hyperthermophilic archaeon, Thermococcus sp. KS-1 (TcFKBP18), possesses not only peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity, but also chaperone-like activity to enhance the refolding yield of an unfolded protein by suppressing irreversible protein aggregation. To study the effect of this fusion strategy with FKBP on the expression of foreign protein in E. coli, a putative rhodanese (thiosulfate sulfurtransferase) from a hyperthermophilic archaeon and two mouse antibody fragments were used as model target proteins. When they were expressed alone in E. coli, they formed insoluble aggregates. Their genes were designed to be expressed as a fusion protein by connecting them to the C-terminal end of TcFKBP18 with an oligopeptide containing a thrombin cleavage site. By fusing TcFKBP18, the expression of the target protein in the soluble fraction was significantly increased. The percentage of the soluble form in the expressed protein reached 10-28% of the host soluble proteins. After purification and protease digestion of the expressed antibody fragment-TcFKBP18 fusion protein, the cleaved antibody fragment (single-chain Fv) showed specific binding to the antigen in ELISA. This indicated that the expressed antibody fragment properly folded to the active form.

The characteristics of post-fit residuals computed using three types of software have been investigated, and the behavior of multipath errors in the post-fit phase residuals evaluated. GPS data observed during the Tsukuba GPS dense net campaign were analyzed, and the post-fit phase residuals of the linear combination of the L1 and L2 GPS phase measurements carrier wave (LC), computed using the three software packages were studied. The post-fit phase residuals were stacked, and their mean value for each site was obtained, with a resolution of 1° × 1° for the azimuthal and elevation angles, respectively. The skymaps of the stacked post-fit phase residuals showed similar patterns among the three types of software. A random error index was introduced to evaluate random errors in the post-fit phase residuals, which showed twice as large errors using the point positioning strategy, as those obtained using the double difference strategy. The oscillation patterns shown in the stacking map were similar to those simulated using the Elosegui's multipath model (1995). This suggests that the pattern arose from multipath errors. When the stacking maps were introduced into the post-fit phase residuals, the impact of the resulting post-fit phase residuals was significant at sites that showed large multipath errors. The point positioning strategy still contained random errors that were twice as large as the double difference strategy errors. Multipath errors induced biases in the zenith tropospheric delay, which resulted in larger biases of the absolute slant tropospheric delay reconstruction at lower elevation angles. This suggests the importance of introducing stacking maps in GPS analysis.

In order to get a highly reactive carbonaceous material at low temperature, the reaction kinetics of various carbonaceous materials with different structure was investigated. The reaction rate was the largest for Bintyo char and bamboo char on unit mass base, but it was the largest for graphite on unit area base. The rate had a positive relation with the amount of CO adsorption, showing that the rate determining step would be the desorption of CO from the active site on the surface. The rate independent of surface area was derived from the data of the rate and amount of CO adsorption per unit area.

SummaryBackground Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is the most common type of baldness in men. The balding process is associated with the gradual miniaturization of hair follicles and successive hair loss. However, the relative contributions of hair density and diameter to AGA are still unclear. Objectives Hair density and hair diameter were investigated in Japanese men with or without AGA to elucidate the importance of these factors in the balding process. Methods Male Japanese subjects with or without AGA (n = 369) were included in this study. Hair appearance at the vertex was evaluated by comparison with a series of standard photographs. Hair density was measured using a phototrichogram-based videomicroscopy technique, and hair diameter was assessed by comparison with a series of calibrated threads on the phototrichogram image. Results All subjects with AGA were ≥ 25 years of age. The mean percentage of thick hairs (> 80 μm) in all subjects with AGA was significantly lower than that in subjects without AGA aged ≥ 25 years (P

Recent studies suggest that the overall survival and risk of end-stage renal disease among renal transplant donors are similar to those of the general population, but few studies focused on elderly donors. Among 88 donors who underwent retroperitoneoscopic live donor nephrectomies; 20 (22.7%) were elderly, namely, older than 65 years. Perioperative characteristics, such as sex, donor kidney side (left or right), body mass index, operative time, blood loss, and complication rate were not significantly different among groups classified by age: young (50), middle (50-65), or elderly (65). One month after kidney donation, the serum, creatinine values in the young, middle, and elderly groups increased to 1.05 ± 0.25, 0.96 ± 0.24, and 1.06 ± 0.15 mg/dL (P = .103) and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decrease to 63 ± 10, 63 ± 14, 56 ± 8 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively (P = .037). At three months and at three years after donation these parameters showed the same degree of improvement in all groups. Percentage of eGFR (% eGFR) of its pre-donation value in the young and middle groups improved up to 21% and up to 9%, respectively, until four years after donation, whereas that of the elderly group remained unchanged below 1%. In conclusion residual renal function after retroperitoneoscopic kidney donation in elderly donors was stable and acceptable during mid-term observation. Our retroperitoneoscopic approach was safe.

During the period from 1955 to 1978, the insulation system of choice for motor windings in Japan was predominantly of the polyester type. Since there are still a number of polyester-insulated motors in the field, there is a demand for a reliable means of evaluating the residual life of these units, the ultimate goal being standardization acceptable to the industry. The present state of this effort in Japan is briefly reviewed. A simple but effective procedure for the diagnostic evaluation of motor life is offered. It is based on tests easily performed on the insulation and within the scope of the average motor repair shop facilities. >

In this paper, we discuss applications of expert systems to electrical insulation technology. After comparison of each insulation problem in the knowledge structure, we present an example of a prototyped expert system: an off-line diagnosis system of high voltage motor insulation. The system was created on a Prolog machine, MELCOM PSI-2. This system is easily manipulated in the computer environment "knowledge media station" which enables insulation experts to elaborate their own systems without detailed knowledge of the expert systems.

In VLSI manufacturing, increase in the level of integration and functional improvement are essential. In order to achieve these objectives, semiconductor manufacturers are beginning to establish sub-0.1 /spl mu/m micro fabrication technologies. On the other hand, it is also necessary to compose the electrodes for operation tests of the VLSI. However, the size of electrodes available for such applications are currently on the order of 50*50 - 100* 100 /spl mu/m, which is a serious problem which must be overcome to accomplish the above-mentioned improvements in VLSI manufacturing. We have developed a new probe of which the tip diameter is 1 /spl mu/m or less. Also, we have succeeded in developing a new system that incorporates four sets of manipulators, which can accommodate the new probe and direct it to a desired location by observation with high resolution using a SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope).

Various insulation tests were performed on the aged polyester/mica insulation of 3-6 kV rating motors. About 100 machine samples have been retrieved after 11-22 years service in the field and tested before rewinding. The tests include measurements of insulation resistance, polarization index, dissipation factors, partial discharges, and AC breakdown voltage. The insulation resistance and polarization index tend to decrease with operating time, while the dissipation factor tip-up and partial discharges show no clear tendency. The breakdown voltage shows gradual decrease with operating time. A good correlation is found between the remaining breakdown voltage and a new index log (R/sub d//R/sub w/), where R/sub d/ and R/sub w/ are the insulation resistances measured under dry and wet conditions, respectively. Using these test data and a modern software tool, the authors have developed a prototype expert system for a diagnostic consultation. >

A 0.1- mu m-deep p/sup +/-n junction was formed by Si/sup +/ and Ge/sup +/ preamorphization methods. Both the thickness of the preamorphized layer and the junction depth were optimized systematically. It is found that channeling of 15-keV, 2*10/sup 15/-cm/sup -2/ dose BF/sub 2//sup +/ implantation is eliminated by a 40-nm-thick preamorphized layer formed by Si/sup +/ implantation and that the junction must be formed 70-90 nm deeper than the amorphous-crystal (a-c) interface for the Si/sup +/ case and 20 nm for the Ge/sup +/ case in order to reduce leakage current density J/sub 1/ to less than 1*10/sup -8/ A/cm/sup -2/. The advantage of the Ge/sup +/ case over the Si/sup +/ case is confirmed. The dependence of J/sub 1/ on the distance between the junction and a-c interface (x/sub j/-x/sub a/) was also investigated. It is confirmed that the preamorphized layer thickness influences the dependence of J/sub 1/ on x/sub j/-x/sub a/ for both Si/sup +/ and Ge/sup +/ preamorphizations. >

Recently a few articles have been published concerning the long-term follow-up of vaginoplasty of cloaca. However, no postoperative evaluation has been fully described and, in particular, the late complications are still unknown. We report a case of tuboovarian abscess after colonic vaginoplasty for high cloacal anomaly in a 13-year-old girl. She required a left salpingo-oophorectomy and postoperatively showed regular menstruation. Therefore we stress that tubo-ovarian abscess is one of the important late complications after colonic vaginoplasty for high cloacal anomaly.

Sub-half-micrometer dual-gate CMOSFETs have been successfully fabricated with 6-nm-thick nitrided SiO/sub 2/ gate films formed in an N/sub 2/O ambient. Excellent subthreshold characteristics and hot-carrier reliability were achieved because of the good abilities of N/sub 2/O-nitrided SiO/sub 2/ films in both blocking boron penetration and reducing electron traps. The major advantage of this nitridation is that the process is essentially hydrogen-free. This fabrication process is promising as a key technology toward 1/4- mu m-rule CMOS LSIs. >

Flash-type EEPROMs with rapid thermal oxide (RTO) and rapid thermal oxynitrided oxide (RTONO) films are fabricated. The oxide trap density in the program and erase (P/E) cycles is determined by the shifts in I-V curves for the source-gate and drain-gate edges, respectively. The RTONO flash cell shows a drastically reduced trap density of less than 3*10/sup 12//cm/sup 2/ after 10/sup 4/ P/E cycles. This value is one order smaller than that of the RTO flash cell. This smaller oxide trap density originates in the stable Si-N bond formation near the SiO/sub 2/-Si interface, and results in lower threshold voltage shifts.

Ultrathin ( approximately=6 nm) oxynitrided SiO/sub 2/ (SiO/sub x/N/sub y/) films have been formed on Si

The design and growth of a Fabry‐Perot etalon for operation at 1.3 μm is described. The etalon consists of two integrated mirrors, each with 12 pairs of GaAlInAs/AlInAs quarter‐wave layers, and a spacer of GaInAs/AlInAs multiple quantum wells between them. The etalon is grown lattice matched to InP. At 1.35 μm the peak transmission is 50% and the full width/half maximum linewidth is 16 nm.

GaAlInAs AlInAs multiple quantum wells have been grown lattice matched on InP substrates by taking into account the time dependence of the fluxes as the shutters open and close. RHEED oscillations are observed and used to calibrate layer thicknesses and growth quality. The half width of the lowest exciton peak is 12 meV.

Reports of adrenal teratomas in adults are rare, and all of adrenal teratomas which were reported in the literature were found in unilateral adrenal gland. This is the first reported case of CA19-9 producing huge teratomas found in bilateral adrenal gland. Twenty-two year-old woman was hospitalized for an episode of abdominal growing mass and an abnormality of high CA19-9 serum level. Operatively, bilateral adrenal tumors were removed, and the weights of right one and left one were 3976g and 618g, respectively. Histological diagnosis of both tumors was mature teratoma. Immunohistochemical findings revealed CA19-9 was produced from intestinal epithelium in teratoma.

We report a case of transverse sinus thrombosis accompanied by colon and rectal double cancers. A 48-year-old male transferred to our department from the division of surgery due to deterioration manifested by headache after colectomy and low anterior resection of the rectum. There was bilateral papilledema and right upper homonymous hemianopsia. On admission all the laboratory data were within normal range. CT showed a left temporal mass lesion of heterogeneous density, which was suspected as being intratumorous hematoma in a metastasis. MRI revealed a left transverse sinus thrombosis. The left transverse and sigmoid sinuses were not opacified, but angiography showed that the occipital and marginal sinuses seemed to be markedly developed. Evacuation of the subcortical hematoma was carried out. Histologically, it was a mixed hematoma in acute and chronic stages without any carcinoma component or vascular malformation. Postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was returned to the division of surgery in order to follow up the cancer 2 weeks after operation. Angiography 4 months after operation showed almost no recanalization in the left transverse sinus. Further, development of the collateral flow and the double occipital sinus was opacified. Because the coagulation system is often activated by the presence of cancer, it is important to distinguish intracerebral hemorrhage due to sinus thrombosis from intratumorous hemorrhage within a metastatic tumor.

Four cases of pineal cyst were presented and their features on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were discussed while reviewing the literature relevant to this clinical entity. Pineal cyst is a normal developmental variant and in most of the cases its diagnosis is not difficult, but in a limited number of cases, pineal cyst needs to be differentiated from cystic tumors which have developed in the region of the pineal gland, such as pineocytoma or astrocytoma. Most pineal cysts are found incidentally during MR screening studies and no surgical interventions are needed. Pineal cysts should be considered for surgery only when the diameter of the cyst is more than 1.0cm, or when obstructive hydrocephalus is verified on MRI or CT, and/or when definitive neurological signs such as Parinaud's syndrome are present. It was also stressed that embryological considerations are indispensable for evaluating pineal cysts on MR images.

A case of prolactinoma secreting growth hormone is reported. A 32-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of galactorrhea, amenorrhea and bitemporal hemianopsia. She showed hyperprolactinemia about 500ng/ml and elevated growth hormone level over 10ng/ml without clinical features of acromegaly. Static perimetry represented typical bitemporal hemianopsia better than kinetic perimetry in the early stage of this pituitary tumor. Her visual acuity was 1.0 on the right and 0.02 on the left. MR images showed the intra-and suprasellar mass lesion compressing the optic nerves especially on the left. Because her visual acuity deteriorated rapidly, trans-sphenoidal tumor resection was carried out twelve days after admission. Total removal was achieved. Postoperative MRI showed that the normal pituitary gland had been preserved. The patient's visual acuity recovered to 1.2 on the right and 0.9 on the left, and bitemporal hemianopsia improved remarkably. Postoperative course was uneventful and hormonal functions were normalized. Histological examination showed that the tumor was chromophobe adnoma. The adnoma cells showed immunopositivity for growth hormone, but not for prolactin. Such absence of prolactin granules within cytoplasm might be due to the difference in antigen produced by the adenomatous gland as compared with that produced by the normal gland. Although hyperprolactinemia is often observed in acromegaly, hypersecretion of growth hormone in prolactinoma as was found in this case is very rare in medical literature.

Two cases of traumatic basal ganglial hematoma with fairly good prognosis were reported. Several cases with similarly favorable prognosis could be also found in the recent literature. In these cases, post-traumatic disturbance in consciousness was mostly slight or moderate and the patients were rarely comatose. The inquiries in these cases were commonly associated with superficial injuries such as skull fracture, epi-or sub-dural hematoma, brain contusion, or another traumatic ICH. The hematomas in the basal ganglia usually showed a mass effect causing focal neurological signs such as hemiparesis. Neurological improvement was achieved in the operated cases, and final outcome was mostly fair with some fully recovered cases. These clinical features are quite different from those of most cases of traumatic basal ganglial hematoma reported so far, which closely resemble diffuse axonal injury and whose prognoses are extremely poor. There may be two different categories in the traumatic basal ganglial hematomas, those with fair outcomes, and those with poor outcomes.