With a diverse range of high-frequency products and devices especially in mm-wave regime, radiation and emission analysis of electronic devices or device-under-test (DUT) are very important to solve ...electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) problems by using either far-field or near-field scanning measurements 1-3. In a FF measurement system, because FF patterns have to be measured at a point where wave propagations are in the same phase, the FF range can be extended to several meters to tens of meters and that requires a long distance between the antenna under test (AUT) and a probing antenna 4. In addition, FF measuring approach requires a high cost for isotropic or high gain antennas, big mechanical infrastructure, as well as large-scale measurement chamber areas. In contrast, the NF measurement method employs point-by-point scanning on the surface of the DUT to build a NF scanning data of the DUT 5. NF analysis requires a small measurement setup environment due to the short distance between AUT and standard scanning probe. Although NF-to-FF transformation and calibration algorithms are required for NF analysis 6 7, the increase of computational powerful computers effectively helps to solve these algorithms. Therefore, NF measurements in some cases are preferred to FF ones and widely used to estimate the radiation of devices through NF to far field (FF) transformation due to several advantages 4. NF measurement offers rapid measurement and less engineering labour compared with FF analysis. Additionally, antenna NF measurement offers a reasonable reliability, accuracy and rapid measurements, and small form factor of the measuring mechanical and electrical system.
It has been recognized in mammals that after pancreatic duct obstruction, acinar cells progressively disappear and pancreatic islets are preserved. Previous studies by electron microscopy have ...suggested the involvement of apoptosis in acinar cell deletion. In the present study, we employed molecular biological methods and investigated whether acinar cell deletion is due to apoptosis. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, pancreatic duct ligation was performed through a left paramedian incision. Pancreatic tissue was studied at each of the following intervals after ligation: 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h and 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. DNA fragmentation was determined by in situ labeling of DNA strand breaks on tissue sections fluorescein-labeled terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method (TUNEL) and by electrophoretic detection of the fragments of extracted DNA. Tissue sections were also examined by hematoxylin/eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining of insulin. Pancreatic duct ligation induced acinar cell deletion by day 5. Pancreatic tissue from control rats demonstrated no TUNEL-positive nuclei. In contrast, acinar cells from rats 12 h to 5 days after duct ligation showed TUNEL-positive nuclei. The number of TUNEL-positive nuclei was maximum 2 days after duct ligation. Electrophoresis showed DNA fragmentation after duct ligation. Control rats showed a genomic DNA pattern. Islets were preserved throughout the experimental period in duct-ligated rats and control rats. The results suggest that apoptosis may be the dominant form of acinar cell death in the rat pancreatic duct ligation model.
When performing anterior resection for rectal cancer, a robotic technique that provides three-dimensional visualization and technical dexterity has been applied to overcome some limitations of ...conventional laparoscopic surgery. As of the end of March 2013, 56 patients have undergone robotic colorectal surgery at Fujita Health University. We herein introduce our fully-robotic technique with single cart position and report short-term outcomes concerning 43 cases of rectal cancer. The current status and problems regarding robotic surgery for colorectal cancer in the literature are also described. Although robotic surgery for colorectal cancer has been safe and feasible, the long operative time should be shortened by utilizing the learning-curve effect.
T cell immune responses are regulated by the interplay between effector and suppressor T cells. Immunization with Ag leads to the selective expansion and survival of effector CD4 super(+) T cells ...with high affinity TCR against the Ag and MHC. However, it is not known if CD4 super(+)CD25 super(+) regulatory T cells (T sub(reg)) recognize the same Ag as effector T cells or whether Ag-specific TCR repertoire modification occurs in T sub(reg). In this study, we demonstrate that after a primary Ag challenge, T sub(reg) proliferate and TCR repertoire modification is observed although both of these responses were lower than those in conventional T cells. The repertoire modification of Ag-specific T sub(reg) after primary Ag challenge augmented the total suppressive function of T sub(reg) against TCR repertoire modification but not against the proliferation of memory CD4 super(+) T cells. These results reveal that T cell repertoire modification against a non- self Ag occurs in T sub(reg), which would be crucial for limiting excess primary and memory CD4 super(+) T cell responses. In addition, these studies provide evidence that manipulation of Ag-specific T sub(reg) is an ideal strategy for the clinical use of T sub(reg).
Since the introduction of robotic surgery for colorectal cancer in 2009, 20 patients have undergone the procedure so far. We herein report three cases of intersphincteric resection for lower rectal ...cancer with da Vinci Surgical System®. At present, inclusion criteria are cT1 or pT1. We performed ISR with the totally robotic technique and one cart position, and retrieved the specimen from the anus. The median distance of the tumor from the anal verge was 5 cm. The mean operative time was 512 min (range, 473-571 min), and there was no conversion to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. The estimated blood loss was 113 g (range, 35-209 g). The number of lymph nodes harvested was 17 (range, 14-22). The surgical margin was negative in all cases. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 9 days (range, 7-10 days). One patient had a pelvic abscess postoperatively that could be managed with conservative therapy. Despite the insufficient experience regarding robotic ISR, our short-term outcomes were comparable to those in the literature. In order to clarify the feasibility and safety of the procedure, and to move steadily up the learning curve, further operations need to be performed.
We cloned a gene encoding a 17-kDa protein from a cDNA library of the plant Sedum lineare and found that its deduced amino acid sequence showed similarities to those of Escherichia coli ...bacterioferritin co-migratory protein (Bcp) and its homologues, which comprise a discrete group associated with the peroxiredoxin (Prx) family. Studies of the recombinant 17-kDa protein produced in E. coli cells revealed that it actually had a thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase activity, the hallmark of the Prx family. PrxQ, as we now designate the 17-kDa protein, had two cysteine residues (Cys-44 and Cys-49) well conserved among proteins of the Bcp group. These two cysteines were demonstrated to be essential for the thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase activity by analysis of mutant proteins, suggesting that these residues are involved in the formation of an intramolecular disulphide bond as an intermediate in the reaction cycle. Expression of PrxQ suppressed the hypersensitivity of an E. coli bcp mutant to peroxides, indicating that it might exert an antioxidant activity in vivo.
The sequence data presented have been deposited in the GenBank/EMBL/DDBJ nucleotide sequence databases under the accession number AB037598.
We have identified a series of novel non-peptide compounds that activate the thrombopoietin-dependent cell line Ba/F3-huMPL. The compounds stimulated proliferation of Ba/F3-huMPL in the absence of ...other growth factors, but did not promote proliferation of the thrombopoietin-independent parent cell line Ba/F3. The thrombopoietin-mimetic compounds elicited signal-transduction responses comparable with recombinant human thrombopoietin, such as tyrosine phosphorylation of the thrombopoietin receptor, JAK (Janus kinase) 2, Tyk2 (tyrosine kinase 2), STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) 3, STAT5, MAPKs (mitogen-activated protein kinases), PLCgamma (phospholipase Cgamma), Grb2 (growth-factor-receptor-bound protein 2), Shc (Src homology and collagen homology), Vav, Cbl and SHP-2 (Src homology 2 domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2) and increased the number of CD41(+) cells (megakaryocyte lineage) in cultures of human CD34(+) bone-marrow cells (haematopoietic stem cells). These findings suggest that this series of compounds are novel agonists of the human thrombopoietin receptor and are possible lead compounds for the generation of anti-thrombocytopaenia drugs.
Space solar power system (SSPS) is expected as one of future sustainable energy sources. Collision of debris with SSPS in space is a matter of concern. The debris flies at a speed of more than 7000 ...m/s and the kinetic energy of the debris is enormous. Then the SSPS will be easily destroyed even if a small debris collides with it. In a former paper, we discussed possibility to construct a thin and light weight CFRP protector by oblique collision. In the former experiment, the CFRP panel was 3 mm in thickness and was cross-laminated unidirectionally aligned carbon fiber sheets. The collision angle was less than 30 degree. In this experiment, a CFRP panel with laminated plain-weave carbon fiber sheets was used. The thickness was also 3 mm. As the result, the projectile did not penetrate the CFRP panel at a collision angle of less than 60 degree. Moreover, the projectile did not rebound but slid along the panel surface at the smaller collision angle than 60 degree. From these results, a prospect to construct a thin and lightweight protective panel was obtained. A novel shape of a protector based on oblique collision is proposed.
Background: The present study investigated the efficacy of oral doxifluridine (5'-DFUR) by comparing the survival between
patients who received 5'-DFUR at 800 mg/body daily for 1 or 3 years after ...surgery for stage 1, 2 or 3 breast cancer. Patients
and Methods: Ninety-two patients were enrolled from January 1995 to December 1997, of whom 87 were eligible. The patients
were stratified into pre-menopausal and post-menopausal groups, and then each group was further stratified into 1-year or
3-year administration groups. All patients were given endocrine therapy, with gosereline acetate (3.6 mg/body, monthly) for
the pre-menopausal patients and tamoxifen (20 mg/day, daily) for the post-menopausal patients for 3 years. Results: The median
follow-up duration was 9.5 years. Although no differences were found in the overall or disease-free survivals between the
administration groups, subset analysis demonstrated that, in the pre-menopausal patients, the 3-year administration group
showed a significantly higher overall survival rate than the 1-year administration group, but not in post-menopausal patients.
A multivariate analysis also indicated that the administration duration of 5'-DFUR was a significant factor for disease-free
survival. Conclusion: The present study supports the usefulness of 5'-DFUR for adjuvant chemotherapy against breast cancer,
especially for pre-menopausal patients; however, further clinical study with a much larger sample size is necessary to reach
a conclusive result.
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