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Kerr parametric oscillators (KPOs), which can be implemented with superconducting parametrons possessing large Kerr nonlinearity, have been attracting much attention in terms of their applications to quantum annealing, universal quantum computation and studies of quantum many-body systems. It is of practical importance for these studies to realize fast and accurate tunable coupling between KPOs in a simple manner. We develop a simple scheme of fast tunable coupling of KPOs with high tunability in speed and amplitude using the fast transitionless rotation of a KPO in the phase space based on the shortcuts to adiabaticity. Our scheme enables rapid switching of the effective coupling between KPOs, and can be implemented with always-on linear coupling between KPOs, by controlling the phase of the pump field and the resonance frequency of the KPO without controlling the amplitude of the pump field nor using additional drive fields and couplers. We apply the coupling scheme to a two-qubit gate, and show that our scheme realizes high gate fidelity compared to a purely adiabatic one, by mitigating undesired nonadiabatic transitions.

For proton spot scanning, use of a real-time-image gating technique incorporating an implanted marker and dual fluoroscopy facilitates mitigation of the dose distribution deterioration caused by interplay effects. This study explored the advantages of using a real-time-image gating technique, with a focus on prostate cancer. Two patient-positioning methods using fiducial markers were compared: (i) patient positioning only before beam delivery, and (ii) patient positioning both before and during beam delivery using a real-time-gating technique. For each scenario, dose distributions were simulated using the CT images of nine prostate cancer patients. Treatment plans were generated using a single-field proton beam with 3-mm and 6-mm lateral margins. During beam delivery, the prostate was assumed to move by 5 mm in four directions that were perpendicular to the beam direction at one of three separate timings (i.e. after the completion of the first, second and third quartiles of the total delivery of spot irradiation). Using a 3-mm margin and second quartile motion timing, the averaged values for ΔD99, ΔD95, ΔD5 and D5–95 were 5.1%, 3.3%, 3.6% and 9.0%, respectively, for Scenario (i) and 2.1%, 1.5%, 0.5% and 4.1%, respectively, for Scenario (ii). The margin expansion from 3 mm to 6 mm reduced the size of ΔD99, ΔD95, ΔD5 and D5–95 only with Scenario (i). These results indicate that patient positioning during beam delivery is an effective way to obtain better target coverage and uniformity while reducing the target margin when the prostate moves during irradiation.

Purpose This treatment planning study was conducted to determine whether spot scanning proton beam therapy (SSPT) reduces the risk of grade ⩾3 hematologic toxicity (HT3+) compared with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for postoperative whole pelvic radiation therapy (WPRT). Methods and materials The normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) of the risk of HT3+ was used as an in silico surrogate marker in this analysis. IMRT and SSPT plans were created for 13 gynecologic malignancy patients who had received hysterectomies. The IMRT plans were generated using the 7-fields step and shoot technique. The SSPT plans were generated using anterior-posterior field with single field optimization. Using the relative biological effectives (RBE) value of 1.0 for IMRT and 1.1 for SSPT, the prescribed dose was 45 Gy(RBE) in 1.8 Gy(RBE) per fractions for 95% of the planning target volume (PTV). The homogeneity index (HI) and the conformity index (CI) of the PTV were also compared. Results The bone marrow (BM) and femoral head doses using SSPT were significantly lower than with IMRT. The NTCP modeling analysis showed that the risk of HT3+ using SSPT was significantly lower than with IMRT (NTCP = 0.04 ± 0.01 and 0.19 ± 0.03, p = 0.0002, respectively). There were no significant differences in the CI and HI of the PTV between IMRT and SSPT (CI = 0.97 ± 0.01 and 0.96 ± 0.02, p = 0.3177, and HI = 1.24 ± 0.11 and 1.27 ± 0.05, p = 0.8473, respectively). Conclusion The SSPT achieves significant reductions in the dose to BM without compromising target coverage, compared with IMRT. The NTCP value for HT3+ in SSPT was significantly lower than in IMRT.

Given the same tension load capacity, the anchorage length of post-installed bonded anchor bolts is extremely short compared with the anchorage length of cast-in-place anchor bolts. Under the Architectural Institute of Japan's “Design Recommendations for Composite Construction, Part 4: Design Recommendations for Anchor Bolts” revised in 2010, the design of the anchorage zone of anchor bolts is based on the concept that the anchorage zone is the same regardless of whether anchors are cast in place or post installed. With regard to the design method for the tension load capacity of bonded anchors, this study investigates whether evaluation based on the maximum load determined from the bond strength between the adhesive and concrete is appropriate, and proposes a tension load capacity evaluation formula. Further, it verifies that the estimates of bond strength, which declines as the result of the edge distance effect and group effect, among other things, are equivalent with the bond strengths used for cast-in-place deformed bars.接着系あと施工アンカーボルトの引張支持力に対する定着長は，先付けアンカーボルトの定着長さに比べて非常に短い。2010年に改定された「日本建築学会：各種合成構造設計指針，第4編 各種アンカーボルト設計指針」では，アンカーボルトの定着部設計は，先付け・後打ちといった工法の種別によらず同一であるという思想に基づいている。接着系アンカーの引張支持力に対する設計法は，接着剤とコンクリートとの付着力により決まる耐力で評価する手法が適切であることを検証し，引張支持力評価式を示している。また，へりあき・群効果等で低減した付着強度は先付けの異形鉄筋で用いられている付着強度と同様な算定値となることを検証している。

Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) is a way to characterize the ensemble of NV

To investigate the effectiveness of real-time-image gated proton beam therapy for lung tumors and to establish a suitable size for the gating window (GW).A proton beam gated by a fiducial marker entering a preassigned GW (as monitored by 2 fluoroscopy units) was used with 7 lung cancer patients. Seven treatment plans were generated: real-time-image gated proton beam therapy with GW sizes of ±1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8 mm and free-breathing proton therapy. The prescribed dose was 70 Gy (relative biological effectiveness)/10 fractions to 99% of the target. Each of the 3-dimensional marker positions in the time series was associated with the appropriate 4-dimensional computed tomography phase. The 4-dimensional dose calculations were performed. The dose distribution in each respiratory phase was deformed into the end-exhale computed tomography image. The D99 and D5 to D95 of the clinical target volume scaled by the prescribed dose with criteria of D99 95% and D5 to D95 5%, V20 for the normal lung, and treatment times were evaluated.Gating windows ≤ ±2 mm fulfilled the CTV criteria for all patients (whereas the criteria were not always met for GWs ≥ ±3 mm) and gave an average reduction in V20 of more than 17.2% relative to free-breathing proton therapy (whereas GWs ≥ ±4 mm resulted in similar or increased V20). The average (maximum) irradiation times were 384 seconds (818 seconds) for the ±1-mm GW, but less than 226 seconds (292 seconds) for the ±2-mm GW. The maximum increased considerably at ±1-mm GW.Real-time-image gated proton beam therapy with a GW of ±2 mm was demonstrated to be suitable, providing good dose distribution without greatly extending treatment time.

Treatment of superficial tumors that move with respiration (e.g. lung tumors) using spot-scanning proton therapy (SSPT) is a high-priority research area. The recently developed real-time image-gated proton beam therapy (RGPT) system has proven to be useful for treating moving tumors deep inside the liver. However, when treating superficial tumors, the proton's range is small and so is the sizes of range straggling, making the Bragg-peaks extremely sharp compared to those located in deep-seated tumors. The extreme sharpness of Bragg-peaks is not always beneficial because it necessitates a large number of energy layers to make a spread-out Bragg-peak, resulting in long treatment times, and is vulnerable to motion-induced dose deterioration. We have investigated a method to treat superficial moving tumors in the lung by the development of an applicator compatible with the RGPT system. A mini-ridge filter (MRF) was developed to broaden the pristine Bragg-peak and, accordingly, decrease the number of required energy layers to obtain homogeneous irradiation. The applicator position was designed so that the fiducial marker's trajectory can be monitored by fluoroscopy during proton beam-delivery. The treatment plans for three lung cancer patients were made using the applicator, and four-dimensional (4D) dose calculations for the RGPT were performed using patient respiratory motion data. The effect of the MRF on the dose distributions and treatment time was evaluated. With the MRF, the number of energy layers was decreased to less than half of that needed without it, whereas the target volume coverage values (D99%, D95%, D50%, D2%) changed by less than 1% of the prescribed dose. Almost no dose distortion was observed after the 4D dose calculation, whereas the treatment time decreased by 26%-37%. Therefore, we conclude that the developed applicator compatible with RGPT is useful to solve the issue in the treatment of superficial moving tumors with SSPT.

Segmented-in-series-type solid oxide fuel cells (SIS-SOFCs) have been developed for residential applications. The average stack voltage of the SIS-SOFC with a fuel consisting of CH4 (steam/carbon = 2.5) was 0.75 V and 0.24 A/cm2 at fuel utilisation = 70.1%, yielding a direct current lower heating value (LHV) energy conversion efficiency of 50.6%. The degradation ratio, the ratio for thermal cycling, and the ratio for redox cycling were 0.62%/1000 h, 0.11% per cycle, and 0.04% per cycle, respectively. A micro combined heat and power (m-CHP) SOFC system was fabricated and successfully demonstrated for over 4000 h. The degradation ratio of 0.75%/1000 h was almost the same as that of the stack in a furnace. An LHV alternating current electrical efficiency of over 40% and LHV heat recovery efficiency of over 35% was achieved. Thus, SIS-SOFCs are suitable for m-CHP SOFC systems.

Purpose To find the optimum parameter of a new beam control function installed in a synchrotron-based proton therapy system. Methods A function enabling multiple gated irradiation in the flat top phase has been installed in a real-time-image gated proton beam therapy (RGPT) system. This function is realized by a waiting timer that monitors the elapsed time from the last gate-off signal in the flat top phase. The gated irradiation efficiency depends on the timer value, Tw. To find the optimum Tw value, gated irradiation efficiency was evaluated for each configurable Tw value. 271 gate signal data sets from 58 patients were used for the simulation. Results The highest mean efficiency 0.52 was obtained in TW = 0.2 s. The irradiation efficiency was approximately 21% higher than at TW = 0 s, which corresponds to ordinary synchrotron operation. The irradiation efficiency was improved in 154 (57%) of the 271 cases. The irradiation efficiency was reduced in 117 cases because the TW value was insufficient or the function introduced an unutilized wait time for the next gate-on signal in the flat top phase. In the actual treatment of a patient with a hepatic tumor at Tw = 0.2 s, 4.48 GyE irradiation was completed within 250 s. In contrast, the treatment time of ordinary synchrotron operation was estimated to be 420 s. Conclusions The results suggest that the multiple gated-irradiation function has potential to improve the gated irradiation efficiency and to reduce the treatment time.

Production probabilities of ions and excited particle species along the proton beam track in liquid water are estimated around the Bragg peak region, taking into account charge-changing processes and energetic secondary electron (δ-ray) behavior. Ionization and excitation processes are divided into two categories in this study: primary processes associated with direct proton (or hydrogen) interaction and secondary processes arising from the electrons ejected by the primary process. We show that the number of events in the secondary processes producing ions and excited particles is larger than that of the primary processes around the Bragg peak while neutralized protons (i.e., hydrogen) with low energy have a large contribution to direct ionization. Effects of charge-changing processes on ionization and excitation are also discussed.

This research investigates generation of spin torque acting on a permanent magnet, freely levitated above a high-T/sub c/ superconductor, under alternating transverse magnetic field. Numerical results of 6-d.o.f. motion show that the magnet increases its velocity of rotation around its cylindrical axis and finally obtains steady-state rotation. This velocity depends on the frequency of the input coil current. A simplified 2-d.o.f. system with only essential terms was introduced in order to discuss the mechanism of nonlinear coupling which generates spinning in alternating magnetic field. Experimental results were in good agreement with numerical ones. These results show possibility of supplying rotational energy to a levitating magnet by applying alternating magnetic field.

HLA-B*07:185 differs from B*07:02:01 by one nucleotide substitution in exon 2 at position 300G>C.

In 1997 a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) pilot project was initiated in Japan. In 1998 the project was expanded and in 1999 a law concerning the establishment of a national PRTR was adopted. Data on the emissions of chemical substances are therefore now being reported on a continuous base. In relation to the PRTR project data on toxicity have been collected. In order to make efficient use of the collected information on emission and toxicity it is useful to group or rank the chemical substances according to the impact on human health and the environment. It has recently been argued that partial order theory (POT) in combination with the use of linear extensions (LE) may be the most objective way to create a linear rank. The methodology has been further expanded to handle larger data sets by the use of random linear extensions (RLE). In this paper the Japanese PRTR data are ranked using the POT/RLE methodology. An average rank is established for chemical substances in the 1998 and 1999 PRTR in Japan. The top 10 chemical substances in the 1998 PRTR are: dichlorvos, inorganic arsenic compounds, cobalt compounds, beryllium compounds, fenitrothion, disulfoton, parathion, diazinon, 4,4'-diamino-3,3'-dichlorodiphenylmethane and antimony compounds. The top 10 chemical substances from the 1999 PRTR are PCBs, lead compounds, fenitrothion, dichlorvos, disulfoton, inorganic arsenic compounds, chlorothalonil, thiobencarb, chromium and HCFC-141b. The descriptor having the highest influence on the ranking of the 1998 PRTR data is the production volume, which, however, is not given in the 1999 PRTR. Further, the disagreement between the ranking with the lack of toxicity data substituted with mean and maximum values, respectively, strongly indicates a general need for further toxicological investigations.

Purpose: With the growing adoption of proton beam therapy there is an increasing need for effective and user-friendly tools for performing quality assurance (QA) measurements. The speed and versatility of spot-scanning proton beam (PB) therapy systems present unique challenges for traditional QA tools. To address these challenges a proof-of-concept system was developed to visualize, in real-time, the delivery of individual spots from a spot-scanning PB in order to perform QA measurements. Methods: The PB is directed toward a custom phantom with planar faces coated with a radioluminescent phosphor (Gd2O2s:Tb). As the proton beam passes through the phantom visible light is emitted from the coating and collected by a nearby CMOS camera. The images are processed to determine the locations at which the beam impinges on each face of the phantom. By so doing, the location of each beam can be determined relative to the phantom. The cameras are also used to capture images of the laser alignment system. The phantom contains x-ray fiducials so that it can be easily located with kV imagers. Using this data several quality assurance parameters can be evaluated. Results: The proof-of-concept system was able to visualize discrete PB spots with energies ranging from 70 MeV to 220 MeV. Images were obtained with integration times ranging from 20 to 0.019 milliseconds. If not limited by data transmission, this would correspond to a frame rate of 52,000 fps. Such frame rates enabled visualization of individual spots in real time. Spot locations were found to be highly correlated (R2=0.99) with the nozzle-mounted spot position monitor indicating excellent spot positioning accuracy Conclusion: The system was shown to be capable of imaging individual spots for all clinical beam energies. Future development will focus on extending the image processing software to provide automated results for a variety of QA tests.

Experimental and analytical studies for freezing phenomena of ethylene glycol solution on a vertical cooled polyvinyl-chloride plate have been performed. It is found that the crystal ice formed on the vertical plate is removed from the plate surface due to buoyancy force acting on the crystal ice. It is shown that the crystal ice formed on the vertical plate slides along the plate surface due to buoyancy force and the crystal ice grows in a shape of sheet by joining with the neighbor ice. The number of the removed ice per unit of time is, therefore, decreased as compared to that for the horizontal plate. It is found that the onset of ice removal condition is related to the heat fluxes from the plate surface to the plate and from the plate surface to the solution. The ice removal occurs more easily for the vertical plate than for the horizontal one.

In this series, we investigated the meaning of the t-point of index of motor current amplitude (ICA) curve from a point of view of flow rate on in vitro and in vivo studies. On mock circulation loop and left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-equipped pigs, we detected the t-point and compared the pump flow at the t-point with the simultaneous cardiac output. The pump flow at the t-point showed high correlation against the simultaneous cardiac output for in vitro or in vivo study. By detection of the t-point of the ICA curve and measuring or estimating the pump flow at t-point, the cardiac output may be assessed without any sensor in various cardiac conditions.

We develop a networked data distribution system for broadband seismic waveform data using Java RMI (Remote Method Invocation). Users can download data from various networks using a unified interface. There are two technical problems in building such a user-friendly system with a high capability for expansion: communication through firewalls and information synchronization between request interfaces. We solve these two problems using cgi (common gateway interface) filtering and the Directory Service, respectively. We are now distributing data from various Japanese broadband seismic networks (including PACIFIC21) together with data from BATS (Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology) and IRIS through the system. Digital seismic waveform data are being accumulated at an accelerating rate by various networks. Data analysis using these huge data sets is becoming increasingly common. For example, in the Western Pacific region, a large number of digital broadband seismographic stations have recently been installed by various institutions (Figure 1). If the data from these networks are appropriately combined, they effectively constitute a data set from a very dense broadband network. Such a data set should be very useful for determining seismic structure and earthquake source properties with high resolution. However, in the current waveform distribution system, such studies require somewhat tedious procedures for collecting the waveform data from different data centers, each of which has a different user interface. Looking at the field of computer science, distributed object technology (technology for distributing software modules to multiple computers on a network; The Object Management Group, 2000) is one of the most important technologies in modern system-programming practice, as it can handle a huge system in a straightforward manner. Java RMI (Gosling and Steele, 1996; Sun Microsystems, 1999) provides one of the most successful technologies to build a distributed object management system because of its high capability for expansion and security. …

Acinetobacter sp. CR was grown on a model oil, which consisted of an inert oil matrix of pristane with n-heneicosane dissolved in it as the sole carbon source, in a stirred-tank bioreactor. This bacterium takes up substrates from the oil phase by direct contact with the oil phase. A previously established mathematical model was applied to reveal the effect of agitation conditions on the growth and n-alkane degradation kinetics of the bacterium. Higher impeller speed resulted in both lower microbial growth and lower n-alkane degradation rate of the bacterium, although it increased the specific surface area of the oil, which was measured by a previously developed device. This result was due to the decreased number of cells adhering to the oil surface, i.e., intense agitation inhibited the adhesion of cells to the oil surface. The addition of a surfactant below a critical micelle concentration (CMC) inhibited the degradation of n-heneicosane dissolved in pristane, although the biodegradability of the substrate recovered gradually with the increase in the dose of surfactant over CMC. The results suggest that efforts to increase the specific surface area of the oil phase have the undesirable result of inhibiting oil degradation when the dominant microbial degraders take up substrates in oil by direct contact with the oil.

The interaction of the osmium complexes {[Os(bpy) 3 ] 3+ (bpy=bipyridine), [Os(phen) 3 ] 2+ (phen=1,10-phenanthroline), [Os(5,6-dmphen) 3 ] 2+ (5,6-dmphen=5,6-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline), and [Os(4,7-dmphen) 3 ] 2+ (4,7-dmphen=4,7-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)} with calf thymus DNA were studied electrochemically. The binding constant of [Os(5,6-dmphen) 3 ] 2+ , K =4.2×10 5 M −1 was found to be larger than those observed for the known metal complex indicator and osmium complexes with methyl phenanthroline ligands. This paper shows that a DNA sensor system with [Os(5,6-dmphen) 3 ] 2+ as a hybridization indicator and square wave voltammetry, could selectively detect DNA in a range of 6.9×10 −10 to 6.9×10 −5 g/ml.

Purpose: To develop a method for treating shallow and moving tumors (e.g., lung tumors) with respiratory-gated spot-scanning proton therapy using real-time image guidance (RTPT). Methods: An applicator was developed which can be installed by hand on the treatment nozzle. The mechanical design was considered such that the Bragg peaks are placed at the patient surface while a sufficient field of view (FOV) of fluoroscopic X-rays was maintained during the proton beam delivery. To reduce the treatment time maintaining the robustness of the dose distribution with respect to motion, a mini-ridge filter (MRF) was sandwiched between two energy absorbers. The measurements were performed to obtain a data for beam modeling and to verify the spot position-invariance of a pencil beam dose distribution. For three lung cancer patients, treatment plans were made with and without the MRF and the effects of the MRF were evaluated. Next, the effect of respiratory motion on the dose distribution was investigated. Results: To scan the proton beam over a 14 x 14 cm area while maintaining the φ16 cm of fluoroscopic FOV, the lower face of the applicator was set 22 cm upstream of the isocenter. With an additional range variance of 2.2 mm and peak-to-peakmore » distance of 4 mm of the MRF, the pencil beam dose distribution was unchanged with the displacement of the spot position. The quality of the treatment plans was not worsened by the MRF. With the MRF, the number of energy layers was reduced to less than half and the treatment time by 26–37%. The simulation study showed that the interplay effect was successfully suppressed by respiratory-gating both with and without MRF. Conclusions: The spot-scanning proton beam was successfully delivered to shallow and moving tumors within a sufficiently short time by installing the developed applicator at the RTPT nozzle.« less

The high prevalence of cholesterol gallstone disease in hypertriglyceridemic patients may be associated with frequent metabolic defects in cholesterol and bile acid syntheses and in the concomitant formation of bile supersaturated with cholesterol. This study had the two aims: 1) to assess whether the defects as well as the degree of biliary cholesterol supersaturation in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) can be estimated by the simultaneous determination of plasma mevalonate (MVL) and 7alpha-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4); and 2) to assess the possible application of an estimated cholesterol saturation index ([CSI]E) as a means of evaluating the clinical effects of simvastatin on biliary lipid composition. Biliary cholesterol supersaturation was observed in patients with both IIa and IV HLP types. Consistent with the high activity and steady-state messenger RNA level of 3-hydroxy-3 methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, plasma MVL was significantly higher in 86 patients with HLP (38 type IIa, 44.1 +/- 2.4 nmol/L and 48 type IV, 56.7 +/- 2.3; P.01) than in 41 normolipidemic subjects (34.2 +/- 1.5), closely correlating with the molar percentage of cholesterol in bile (r = .61, P = .0001; n = 86). On the other hand, consistent with the high activity and messenger RNA level of cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase, plasma C4 was significantly higher in patients with HLP (type IIa, 28.8 +/- 2.3 nmol/L and type IV, 38.3 +/- 2.7; P.01) than in normolipidemic subjects (17.4 +/- 1.5). Plasma C4 was closely correlated with plasma MVL (r = .40, P = .0001; n = 86), but was inversely correlated with the molar percentage of bile acids in bile (r = .49, P = .0001; n = 86). Assuming that cholesterol supersaturation in patients with HLP may be governed by both an enhanced cholesterol secretion (closely reflected by plasma MVL) and a decreased secretion of bile acids (closely reflected by plasma C4), the multivariate linear regression-analyses revealed that an index defined as estimated CSI ([CSI]E) (%) in patients with HLP was given by the following equation using plasma MVL and C4 (nmol/L): [CSI]E = 1[MVL] + 0.7[C4] + 44.4. Biliary cholesterol supersaturation in patients treated with simvastatin improved in a manner parallel to the time course of decreases in plasma MVL and C4. The [CSI]E before and at the end of treatment were correlated with biliary CSI. These results indicate that defects of hepatic cholesterogenesis, and bile acid synthesis, and the degree of biliary cholesterol supersaturation in patients with HLP can be estimated exactly by the simultaneous determination of plasma MVL and C4; furthermore [CSI]E may be adopted for clinical use as a convenient index of biliary CSI.

Interaction between intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) might be involved in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. We investigated whether monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against these two adhesion molecules could inhibit the formation of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC)-like lesions in an animal model using graft-versus-host reaction (GVHR) with major histocompatibility complex class II disparity. PBC-like hepatic lesions such as cellular infiltration of portal area and nonsupprative destructive cholangitis (NSDC) were generated by injecting spleen T cells of C57BL/6 (B6) mice into (B6. C-H-2bm12 X B6) F1 mice. In the liver of these mice, increased number of LFA-1-positive cells and enhanced expression of ICAM-1 on sinusoidal endothelial cells and bile duct epithelial cells were observed immunohistochemically, when compared with F1 mice without GVHR. Hepatic lesions of these mAb-treated mice were almost completely inhibited in these mice compared with GVHR mice. Furthermore, we studied to determine which anti-LFA-1 mAb or anti-ICAM-1 mAb was essential to inhibit the hepatic lesions. Mice solely treated with anti-LFA-1 mAb showed significant inhibition of hepatic lesions, whereas treatment with anti-ICAM-1 mAb could not inhibit the lesions. Despite the inhibition of hepatic lesions, induction of GVHR and production of antimitochondrial antibodies were not impaired in mAb-treated mice. We conclude that LFA-1 mediates cell infiltration into the liver in this murine model of GVHR and suggest a possible therapeutic role of mAbs to this adhesion molecule in selective autoimmune liver diseases.

Purpose: To acquire correct information for inside the body in patient positioning of Real-time-image Gated spot scanning Proton Therapy (RGPT), utilization of tomographic image at exhale phase of patient respiration obtained from 4-dimensional Cone beam CT (4D-CBCT) has been desired. We developed software named “Image Analysis Platform” for 4D-CBCT researches which has technique to segment projection-images based on 3D marker position in the body. The 3D marker position can be obtained by using two axes CBCT system at Hokkaido University Hospital Proton Therapy Center. Performance verification of the software was implemented. Methods: The software calculates 3D marker position retrospectively by using matching positions on pair projection-images obtained by two axes fluoroscopy mode of CBCT system. Log data of 3D marker tracking are outputted after the tracking. By linking the Log data and gantry-angle file of projection-image, all projection-images are equally segmented to spatial five-phases according to marker 3D position of SI direction and saved to specified phase folder. Segmented projection-images are used for CBCT reconstruction of each phase. As performance verification of the software, test of segmented projection-images was implemented for sample CT phantom (Catphan) image acquired by two axes fluoroscopy mode of CBCT. Dummy marker was added on the images. Motion of the marker was modeled to move in 3D space. Motion type of marker is sin4 wave function has amplitude 10.0 mm/5.0 mm/0 mm, cycle 4 s/4 s/0 s for SI/AP/RL direction. Results: The marker was tracked within 0.58 mm accuracy in 3D for all images, and it was confirmed that all projection-images were segmented and saved to each phase folder correctly. Conclusion: We developed software for 4D-CBCT research which can segment projection-image based on 3D marker position. It will be helpful to create high quality of 4D-CBCT reconstruction image for RGPT.

Purpose: Spot-scanning technique has been utilized to achieve conformal dose distribution to large and complicated tumors. This technique generally does not require patient-specific devices such as aperture and compensator. The commercially available spot-scanning proton therapy (SSPT) systems, however, cannot deliver proton beams to the region shallower than 4 g/cm2. Therefore some range compensation device is required to treat superficial tumors with SSPT. This study shows dosimetric comparison of the following treatment techniques: (i) with a tabletop bolus, (ii) with a nozzle-mounted applicator, and (iii) without any devices and using intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) technique. Methods: The applicator composed of a combination of a mini-ridge filter and a range shifter has been manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd., and the tabletop bolus was made by .decimal, Inc. Both devices have been clinically implemented in our facility. Three patients with liver tumors close to the skin surface were examined in this study. Each treatment plan was optimized so that the prescription dose of 76 Gy(RBE) or 66 Gy(RBE) would be delivered to 99% of the clinical target volume in 20 fractions. Three beams were used for tabletop bolus plan and IMPT plan, whereas two beams were used in the applicator plan because the gantry angle available was limited due to potential collision to patient and couch. The normal liver, colon, and skin were considered as organs at risk (OARs). Results: The target heterogeneity index (HI = D5/D95) was 1.03 on average in each planning technique. The mean dose to the normal liver was considerably less than 20 Gy(RBE) in all cases. The dose to the skin could be reduced by 20 Gy(RBE) on average in the IMPT plan compared to the applicator plan. Conclusion: It has been confirmed that all treatment techniques met the dosimetric criteria for the OARs and could be implemented clinically.

Purpose: To study the impact of a real-time-image gating on spot scanning proton therapy for lung tumors and to examine the suitable size of the gating window (GW). Methods: We investigated a real-time-image gated proton therapy (RGPT), in which two fluoroscopic units monitor a gold sphere fiducial in real-time, and the proton beam is irradiated only when the marker enters within the pre-assigned GW. We designed 5 treatment plans for 7 lung cancer patients: RGPT with a GW of ±1, 2, 5, and 8 mm and free-breathing proton therapy (FBPT) using the end-exhale and average images of 4-dimensional (4D) CT, respectively. 70 Gy(RBE)/10fr was prescribed to 99% of the targets. The time-series data of the three-dimensional marker positions (RTRT data) were grouped into 10 phases to associate with the phases of 4DCT. The 4D dose distributions were calculated using the plan information, RTRT Data, 4DCT, and modeled accelerator pattern. The dose distribution in each respiratory phase was deformed into the end-exhale CT. The D99 and D5-95 of CTV (with a criteria of D99>95% and D5-95

Purpose: To reduce the lateral penumbra of low-energy proton beams, brass collimators are often used in spot-scanning proton therapy (SSPT). This study investigates the increase in biological effectiveness through collimator scattered protons in SSPT. Methods: The SSPT system of the Hokkaido University Hospital Proton Beam Therapy Center, which consists of a scanning nozzle, a 2-cm thick brass collimator, and a 4-cm thick energy absorber, was simulated with our validated Geant4 Monte Carlo code (ver. 9.3). A water phantom was irradiated with proton pencil beams of 76, 110, and 143 MeV. The tested collimator opening areas (COA) were 5×5, 10×10, and 15×15 cm2. Comparisons were made among the dose-averaged LET values of protons that hit the collimators (LETDColl), protons that did not hit the collimators (LETDNoColl), and all protons (LETDTotal). X-ray equivalent doses (Deq) were calculated using the linear-quadratic model with LETDNoColl and LETDTotal, and their maximum difference was determined over regions where the physical dose was greater than 10% of the peak dose of 2 Gy. Results: The ratio of the dose contribution of collimator scattered protons to that of all protons, defined as λ, was large at high proton energies and large COAs. The maximum λ value ranged from 3% (76 MeV, 5×5 cm2) to 29% (143 MeV, 15×15 cm2). Moreover, a large difference between LETDColl and LETDNoColl was only found in regions where λ was below 20% (ΔLETD > 2 keV/µm) and 8% (ΔLETD > 5 keV/µm). Consequently, the maximum difference between LETDNoColl and LETDTotal was as small as 0.8 keV/µm in all simulated voxels, and the difference of Deq reached a maximum of 1.5% that of the peak dose obtained at the water surface with a 76 MeV beam. Conclusion: Although collimator scattered protons have high LET, they only increase the physical dose, not the biological effectiveness.

Background Even mild perioperative hypothermia is associated with several severe adverse effects. Resistive heating has possible advantages compared with other active warming systems because it can heat several fields independently. To assess this new warming system, we measured core temperature in patients during surgery who were warmed with circulating water mattresses, forced air covers or resistive heating covers. Methods Twenty-four patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy were randomly assigned to (i) circulating water mattress (38°C), (ii) forced air warming (set to ‘medium’) or (iii) carbon-fibre resistive warming (38°C). Warming was applied throughout anaesthesia and surgery. The groups were compared using one-way ANOVA and Student–Newman–Keuls tests. Results Confounding factors were similar among the groups. Core temperatures in each group decreased for 20 min, but subsequently increased in the forced air and resistive heating groups. There was no significant difference between the forced air and resistive heating groups at any time. In contrast, core temperature in the circulating water group continued to decrease. Consequently, core temperature in the circulating water group was significantly lower than in the other groups 30 min after anaesthetic induction and at later times. Conclusions Resistive heating maintains core body temperature as well as forced air heating and both are better than circulating water. Resistive heating offers the advantage of adjustable heating pods. Br J Anaesth 2003; 90: 689–91

Improvement of an enhanced confinement state in a high poloidal beta (βp) regime without sawtooth activity has been achieved in JT-60U. A confinement mode has been demonstrated where both the edge and the core confinement are improved. The attainable βp was also extended to higher values in this improved mode, because of its broader pressure profile. As a result of the improvement in confinement and in attainable βp, the highest value of the fusion triple product has been extended by a factor of 2.5 over that achieved in the 1992 experiments; it has reached (1.1 ± 0.3) × 1021 m-3.s.keV with a central ion temperature of about 37 keV. The D-D neutron emission rate has also been doubled in these experiments and has reached (5.6 ± 0.6) × 1016 s-1

Fluorescence quenching induced by electron transfer was studied by measuring the transient effect in decay curves and also the changes in stationary intensity with quencher concentration. The results were analyzed using the Collins-Kimball model of diffusion-controlled reactions, yielding the reaction radius R and the intrinsic rate constant kET of electron transfer at the reaction radius. ktET values thus obtained are much larger than the rate of diffusion. R was found to increase with increasing −ΔG of the electron transfer reaction. This is consistent with the prediction from the Marcus theory of electron transfer. The adequacy of the Collins-Kimball model in analyzing fluorescence quenching reaction is discussed.

The palmoplantar keratodermas (PPKs) are a large group of genodermatoses comprising nearly 60 genetically distinct diseases. They are characterized by hyperkeratosis on the palms and soles with or without extrapalmoplantar hyperkeratotic lesions. Focal PPK is one of the hallmarks of pachyonychia congenita, a rare autosomal dominant disorder resulting from mutations in the keratin genes KRT6A, KRT6B, KRT16 or KRT17. Recently, in-frame deletion mutations of KRT6C have been identified in three families with focal PPK with slight or no nail changes. We report here a novel KRT6C mutation identified in a Japanese family with PPK with phenotypic heterogeneity, presenting with not only focal but also diffuse hyperkeratosis. The proband had diffuse hyperkeratosis on the soles and small focal hyperkeratoses on the palms, while the two other affected individuals showed focal hyperkeratoses on the soles. All three patients were heterozygotes for c.1414GA in KRT6C, predicted to result in p.Glu472Lys. These findings strongly suggest that screening of patients with nonepidermolytic diffuse PPK, in whom the pathogenic mutations are yet to be determined, might identify mutations in KRT6C.

ErGa 2 crystallizes in the hexagonal A1B 2 -type structure and shows a two-step magnetization process along the c -axis below T N = 7 K. The compound has a magnetic structure with a wavevector of Q 1 = 1 2b ∗ at H = O , and for the intermediate field range it has a structure with Q 1 ,Q 2 = 1 2a ∗ , Q 3 = − 1 2a ∗ + 1 2b ∗ and Q 0 = 0. The magnetization process is studied in terms of a wave-like molecular field H m ( u , v , w ,) = Σ q λ m ( q ) J ( q )#62 cos (2 πqr uvw acting on Er at point r uvw . The analysis involves wavevector-dependent molecular field coefficients λ m ( q ) with q = 0, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 and one crystal field coefficient B 2 0 . The dipole field due to the dipole-dipole interaction is also involved. Calculations give a reasonable fit with the magnetization data with λ (0) = −1.84 kOe; λ m ( Q 1 ) = λ m ( Q 2 ) = λ m ( Q 3 ) = 0.68 kOe and B 2 0 = − 0.48 K. A possible explanation for the appearance of the magnetic structure in the intermediate field range is presented.

The clinical efficacy of ciprofloxacin was evaluated in 83 patients with chronic respiratory tract infection. Each patient received ciprofloxacin 200 mg TID for 2 or 4 weeks. After 2 weeks of treatment for acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory tract infection, 21 (52.5%) of 40 evaluable patients were considered “improved.” After 4 weeks of treatment, 24 (75%) of 32 evaluable patients were judged “improved.” An additional 2 weeks of treatment increased the rate of improvement. On the other hand, only 6 (23.1%) and 7 (26.9%) of 26 evaluable patients were considered “improved” after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, respectively, for chronic inflammation. Ciprofloxacin was also administered to 6 patients for more than 60 days to examine its prophylactic effect against acute exacerbation. No patient had an acute exacerbation within 60 days of treatment. Ciprofloxacin is a useful oral antibacterial agent for the treatment and prophylaxis of acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory tract infection.

The contacting state of knife-edge seals was investigated and a new type of knife edge was developed. The contacting state of knife-edge seals was divided into three types according to the apex width of the knife edge: (a) penetration type, (b) indentation type, and (c) intermediate type. The developed knife edge had a contacting state of penetration type (a). Because of the narrow apex width of the knife edge, the values of Pc/l for the compressive forces per unit length required for sealing were lower than those of other types of knife-edge seals. The contact pressure required for sealing was nearly equal to the Meyer's hardness in the sealing surface layer, regardless of the surface roughness in turning. The optimum shape of the knife edge was of type (a) and had a ridge in a V-shaped cross-section with a plane inclined 30° off normal and the flat area of its apex finished by lapping was about 35 μm wide. The knife edge made of hard material with optimum shape could be utilized in the cases where the sealing materials were copper, carbon steel and stainless steel, and the values of Pc/l were approximately 15–40, 45–110 and 80–190 kN m−1, respectively.