Although atrophy of structures in the medial temporal lobe has been considered an indication of Alzheimer's disease (AD), atrophic changes on MR images have also been associated with other dementing ...diseases and are not specific to AD. This study was undertaken to determine whether characteristic alterations in the hippocampus of patients with AD are detectable with magnetization transfer (MT) imaging.
Coronal MT imaging was performed in 35 patients with probable AD, in 14 patients with vascular dementia, in 13 patients with other types of dementia, and in 23 control subjects to measure MT ratios of the hippocampus. Medial temporal lobe atrophy was graded subjectively on a five-point scale.
Scores of medial temporal lobe atrophy in all dementia groups were significantly higher than those in control subjects, but no differences were found among the dementia groups. MT ratios in the hippocampus were significantly lower in patients with AD than in those with non-AD dementia and in the control subjects; however, no differences were found between the non-AD dementia patients and the control subjects. MT ratio measurements were better than visual analysis of atrophy for differentiating AD patients from those with non-AD dementia (an overall discrimination rate of 77% versus 65%). MT ratios significantly correlated with scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination and with medial temporal lobe atrophy in AD patients but not in patients with non-AD dementia.
MT measurements may be more specific than visual analysis in detecting structural damage of the hippocampus in AD patients and might be useful in discriminating AD from vascular dementia and other types of dementia.
► We proposed the bulk high critical temperature superconductor staggered array undulator (Bulk HTSC SAU) for future synchrotron light sources. ► The Bulk HTSC SAU consists of stacked bulk high-Tc ...superconductors (HTSs) and a solenoid magnet. ► A periodic magnetic field is generated by an inductive current which flows in each magnetized bulk HTS. ► A periodic magnetic field was successfully produced and controlled using a prototype of the Bulk HTSC SAU at 77K. ► The expected performance at low temperatures around 20K is 0.8T for the undulator period of 10mm and the gap length of 4mm.
An undulator or a wiggler with a strong magnetic field will play an important role in future synchrotron light sources, free electron lasers, and linear colliders. We proposed the bulk high critical temperature superconductor staggered array undulator (Bulk HTSC SAU) in order to generate a strong periodic field. The Bulk HTSC SAU consists of stacked bulk high-Tc superconductors (HTSs) and a solenoid magnet which is used to magnetize the bulk HTSs. A periodic magnetic field was produced and controlled using a prototype of the Bulk HTSC SAU using 11 pairs of REBaCuO bulk HTSs at 77K. The expected performance at low temperatures around 20K is calculated using a loop current model.
We have developed the most upstream dipole magnet K1.1D1 for a new secondary beam line at the hadron experimental hall in J-PARC. It is placed downstream of a production target and is close to the ...K1.8D1 magnet. Indirectly cooled coils using mineral insulation cables have been adopted for high radiation resistance. The coils have a slanting saddle shape in order to minimize the interference of the magnetic field between the two magnets. It has been operated during the beam time in the autumn of 2010 without any problems.
In order to handle high intensity primary proton beam provided by Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), radiation-resistant beam lines have been constructed at Hadron Experimental Hall ...of J-PARC. The key technology of the radiation-resistant beam line is the radiation-resistant magnets. However all the peripheral devices of the magnets were designed and assembled as radiation-resistant ones since peripherals as well as magnets should be operated in very high radiation environment. In addition a safe operation and maintenance scheme of high intensity beam lines has been established based on the Chimney technology of radiation-resistant magnets including their peripherals. Then the beam lines in the Hadron Experimental Hall have been constructed with "radiation-resistant magnet system".
The construction of the facility of the long baseline neutrino oscillation experiment using the J-PARC's 50 GeV-0.75 MW proton beam 1 was completed at the end of 2008. The number of ...radiation-resistant magnets we have prepared for the neutrino beamline of J-PARC were 15 with Polyimide resin Insulation (PI) against up to 10 8 Gy, and 4 magnets with completely Mineral Insulation Cable (MIC) for higher radiation dose up to 10 11 Gy, and 2 magnets with Epoxy resin Insulation. All magnets were equipped with remote handling system, i.e. automated magnet lifts, quick alignment guides, water connectors, electric power connectors and interlock-signal connectors. On April 23rd 2009, the first proton beam was successfully introduced to the neutrino beamline from the main accelerator of J-PARC and the long baseline oscillation experiment, T2K, started. Now the beamline is operated with 135 kW (30 GeV-4.5 ) primary proton beam. No serious problem happened on magnets until the great East Japan earthquake on March 11th.
Four new phenylpropanoid esters of sucrose, lapathosides A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), were isolated from the aerial parts of Polygonum lapathifolium together with known esters, vanicoside B (5) ...and hydropiperoside (6). The structures of 1−4 were determined by spectral (1D and 2D NMR and MS) analysis. Lapathoside A (1) and vanicoside B (2) showed significant inhibitory effects on the Epstein−Barr virus early antigen activation by tumor-promoters.
Cultured cells of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) BY-2 which could propagate at the same rate as the parent cells (1 mg B liter−1) under a lower level of boron (0.01 mg B liter−1) were obtained. The ...selected cells had swollen cell walls. In the parent cells, all the RG-II occurred as a BRG-II complex, however, two-thirds of the RG-II occurred in a monomeric form in the selected cells.
To evaluate compensatory sympathetic excitation during epidural anesthesia, we measured cardiac and renal sympathetic nerve activity during thoracic or lumbar epidural anesthesia in cats. Thirteen ...cats were divided into three groups: five cats received thoracic epidural anesthesia, five received lumbar epidural anesthesia, and three received lumbar epidural anesthesia after the carotid sinus and vagoaortic nerves were severed (denervated lumbar group). Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and cardiac and renal sympathetic nerve activity were measured repeatedly after administration of a single dose of 0.1 mL/kg of 1% lidocaine via the epidural catheter. Epidural solution spread from a median of C-8 to T-6 in the thoracic epidural group, T-8 to L-3 in the lumbar epidural group, and T-7 to L-3 in the denervated lumbar group. During thoracic epidural anesthesia, HR, MAP, and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity decreased, while renal nerve activity increased. Similarly, HR, MAP, and renal sympathetic nerve activity decreased during lumbar epidural anesthesia, and cardiac activity increased. In the denervated lumbar group, HR, MAP, and renal sympathetic nerve activity decreased but cardiac activity remained unchanged. Sympathetic nerve activity in corresponding unanesthetized segments increased during thoracic or lumbar epidural anesthesia in association with significant decreases in MAP and HR. After severance of the carotid sinus and vagoaortic nerves, the absence of sympathetic excitation in the unanesthetized segments during lumbar epidural anesthesia suggests that the compensatory response is produced by the baroreceptor reflex response to anesthesia-induced hypotension.
The novel hypothalamic peptides orexin-A and orexin-B are known to induce feeding behavior when administered intracerebroventricularly, but little is known about other physiological functions. The ...renal sympathetic nerves play important roles in the homeostasis of body fluids and the circulatory system. We examined the effects of intracerebroventricularly administered orexins on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and plasma catecholamine in conscious rats. Orexin-A (0.3, 3. 0 nmol) provoked an increase in MAP (94.3 +/- 0.7 to 101.9 +/- 0.7 mmHg and 93.1 +/- 1.1 to 108.3 +/- 0.8 mmHg, respectively) and RSNA (28.0 +/- 7.0 and 57.9 +/- 12.3%, respectively). Similarly, orexin-B (0.3, 3.0 nmol) increased MAP (93.9 +/- 0.9 to 97.9 +/- 0.9 mmHg and 94.5 +/- 1.1 to 105.3 +/- 1.7 mmHg, respectively). Orexin-A and -B at 3.0 nmol also increased HR. In other conscious rats, a high dose of orexin-A and -B increased plasma norepinephrine. Plasma epinephrine only increased with a high dose of orexin-A. These results indicate that central orexins regulate sympathetic nerve activity and affect cardiovascular functions.
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