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BackgroundLymphocyte subset analysis is clinically applied in human medicine. However, lymphocyte subset analysis is rarely used in small animal practice. We hypothesized that lymphocyte subsets analysis was useful in small animal practice as a biomarker for evaluating immune competence and predicting the disease prognosis. Lymphocyte subset analysis was performed prospectively for pyometra, a common disease in dogs, to assess its clinical usefulness in small animal practice.ResultsThis study included 29 dogs diagnosed with pyometra. They were classified into group 1 and group 2 on the basis of clinical course postoperatively. Sixteen dogs were classified in group 1 with no adverse events postoperatively. Thirteen dogs experienced adverse events such as increase in C-reactive protein concentration and white blood cell count, discharge from operation site, and hypoglycemia. These dogs were classified as group 2. Nine dogs were below the reference interval for the lymphocyte subset, eight of which were in group 2. Group 2 included significantly more dogs with lymphocyte subset abnormalities (p = 0.005). In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, only the result of lymphocyte subset analysis was significantly associated with adverse events (p = 0.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.68–192). Most dogs in group 2 were successfully treated.ConclusionsThese results indicate that lymphocyte subset analysis is useful as a prognostic tool for pyometra. Further studies are necessary for evaluating the clinical usefulness of lymphocyte subset analysis in pyometra and other diseases.

Fatigue crack growth experiments are performed using A7075-T6 compact tension (CT) specimens with various thicknesses t (1-21 mm). The stress intensity factor at the crack opening level Kop is measured, and the effects of t and the stress intensity factor range ΔK on Kop are investigated. In addition, the change in Kop value due to specimen surface removal is investigated. Furthermore, we clarify that the radius of curvature of the leading edge of the fatigue crack decreases as t becomes thinner. Using the three-dimensional elastoplastic finite element method, the amount of plastic lateral contraction (depression depth d) at the crack tip after fatigue loading is calculated quantitatively. The following main experimental results are obtained: In the region where ΔK is 5 MPam1/2 or higher, the rate of fatigue crack growth da/dN at a constant ΔK value increases as t increases from 1 to 11 mm. The da/dN between t = 11 and 21 mm is the same. Meanwhile, in the region where ΔK is less than 5 MPam1/2, the effect of t on da/dN is not observed. The effects of t and ΔK on the da/dN–△K relationship are considered physically and quantitatively based on d.

In this study, fatigue tests under different R ratios were conducted on the AZ61 Mg alloy to investigate its fatigue lifetimes and fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior. The fracture surface of the failed specimens was investigated using a scanning electron microscope to study the size of the intermetallic compounds from which the pioneer fatigue crack initiated and led to the final failure of the specimen. To determine the maximum size of the intermetallic compounds existing within the cross section of the specimen at higher risk, Gumbel’s extreme-value statistics were utilized. In the present study, the intermetallic compounds contained within the specimen were assumed to be the initial cracks existing in the material before the fatigue tests. A modified linear elastic fracture-mechanics parameter, M, proposed by McEvily et al., was used to analyze the short FCG behavior under different stress ratios, R. The relation between the rate of FCG and M parameter was found to be useful and appropriate for predicting the fatigue lifetimes under different R ratios. Moreover, the probabilistic stress-fatigue life (P-S-N) curve of the material under different R ratios could be predicted with this method, which utilizes both the FCG law and a statistical distribution of sizes of the most dangerous intermetallic compounds. The evaluated results were in good agreement with the experimental ones. This correspondence indicates that the estimation method proposed in the present study is effective for evaluation of the probabilistic stress-fatigue life (P-S-N) curve of the material under different R ratios.

In this study, fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior of cemented carbide under the repeated thermal shock (RTS) was experimentally evaluated by using the thermal-shock experiment method developed by the authors. Tests were carried out using cemented carbide having two different WC crystal grain sizes. In addition, FCG behavior under rotating bending fatigue (RBF) test was investigated using the same cemented carbides. Then the FCG results obtained by the RTS test and the results of the RBF test obtained at stress ratio, R = -1, were compared with each other. Here, the stress ratio R is defined as, R = σmin/σmax; σmin and σmax are the minimum and the maximum stresses, respectively. From this comparison, it was found that the relation between the rate of fatigue crack growth (FCG) and the maximum stress intensity factor in the RTS tests was equivalent to the one obtained under the RBF tests at stress ratio of -1. From a practical point of view, this result is important as it indicates that it is not necessary to purposely perform RTS experiments. In this research, the effect of WC grain size on the short surface FCG behavior of the cemented carbide was also studied and discussed.

To study the effect of twins and plastic deformation anisotropy on the fatigue crack growth (FCG) behavior and crack closure behavior of extruded AZ31B magnesium alloys, two types of single-edge notched tensile specimens were prepared, with loading directions parallel (specimen E) and perpendicular (specimen T) to the extrusion direction (ED). FCG experiments using these specimens were performed at stress ratios R = 0.1 and −1, and cyclic speed of 10 Hz. In extruded magnesium alloy materials, the c-axis of the crystal is radially oriented on a plane perpendicular to the ED, indicating the generation of a strong texture. In the FCG experiment at R = −1 for specimen E, elongation in the c-axis direction occurred under compressive load, which generated {10 1 ‾ 2} 1 ‾ 1> tensile twins. The tensile twins increased the material deformation and fatigue crack opening distance. As a result, the effective stress intensity factor range ΔKeff increased, leading to the acceleration of the FCG velocity. At R = 0.1, tensile twins were not generated because the load waveform had no compressive load component; there was no change in ΔKeff and no acceleration of FCG. For specimen T at R = 0.1 and −1, tensile twin generation was expected because elongation in the c-axis direction occurred under tensile load. However, tensile twins did not occur, which is attributed to the effect of plastic deformation anisotropy. Therefore, for specimen T, the increase in ΔKeff and FCG acceleration did not occur, and no difference due to the R value was observed.

As the blockchain industry becomes larger, a new decentralized financial ecosystem is now developing. New financial instruments, represented by terms like tokens, coins, and ICOs are introduced to finance projects on blockchain. Blockchain is a technology that makes it possible to assign ownership of each piece of data to individuals who create that piece. As Pu and Yano (Blockchain and Crypt Currency: A High-Quality Marketplace for Crypt Data. Springer, 2020) points out, that may be the first step towards creating a high quality market. At the same time, like a lock, blockchain is merely a technology that is designed to protect a type of property. Such a technology is of no use unless the society agrees a proper set of rules concerning how to prevent the abuse of the technology, what should be protected and how to protect it. The present study is concerned with this issue.

The Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade, and Industry regards the process of incorporating new information technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analysis into society as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This view is reflected in the Fifth Science and Technology Basic Plan. The plan advocates Society 5.0, in which cyber space and physical space are integrated to support an affluent and human-friendly society.

Hydrolyzed proteins are often prescribed for dogs with food hypersensitivity in food elimination programs. However, the potential of these diets to stimulate lymphocyte-mediated hypersensitivity is currently unknown. In this study, two commercially available hydrolyzed diets for dogs, D-1 (Aminopeptide Formula Dry, Royal Canin Japon, Tokyo, Japan), and D-2 (Canine z/d Ultra Dry, Hill's-Colgate (Japan) Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), were analyzed to identify residual proteins or peptides, as well as activated helper T-lymphocyte reactions in dogs with suspected food hypersensitivity. Proteins and peptides with molecular weights >1 kDa (majority 1.5-3.5 kDa) were detected in both diet extracts with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and size exclusion chromatography. When peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's) from 316 dogs with suspected food allergies were cultured with hydrolyzed diet extracts, flow cytometry analysis revealed detectable levels of CD25low helper T-lymphocytes stimulated by D-1 and D-2 in 91 of 316, (28.8%), and 75 of 316 (23.7%) samples, respectively. These data indicated that the extracts contained proteins or peptides large enough to activate the lymphocytes. The percentages of CD25low helper T-lymphocytes stimulated by D-1 and D-2 extracts increased to 38.7% and 29.6%, respectively, in 186 of the original 316 samples (186/316, 58.9%), also reactive to poultry-related antigens. Thus, both poultry-related antigens, and D-1 and D-2 diet extracts may activate helper T-lymphocytes. These results demonstrate that hydrolyzed diets may contain proteins that stimulate helper T-lymphocytes, and may not be effective for treating all dogs with food hypersensitivity.

Wear damage occurs and develops on machine parts that slide because of relative slippage between these parts. If such damage reduces the operating accuracy of the machine, then the machine will ultimately cease to function. In this study, we conducted sliding wear experiments under lubrication using gray cast iron AISI NO.35B (JIS FC250, hereafter termed FC250), which is widely used for machine parts, and studied changes in the sliding wear life and wear amount. From the experimental results thereof, a wear constitutive relation of gray cast iron (i.e., the effects of changes in wear amount and shear stress) was defined and it was shown that seizure life could be derived from the proposed constitutive relation. Furthermore, the wear surface was observed during the sliding wear process, and the sliding wear mechanism of gray cast iron FC250 was clarified on the basis of changes in the size and shape of wear damage occurring over time.

Dogs with cutaneous adverse food reactions (CAFR) often have specific IgE to food allergens. Egg white, which is majorly composed of ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme, is a food allergen in dogs. Information of the IgE reactivity to purified egg white allergens supports accurate diagnosis and efficiency treatment in humans. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no studies on the IgE reactivity to purified egg white allergens in dogs. Here, we investigated the IgE reactivity to crude and purified allergens of hen egg white in dogs with CAFR. First, when we examined serum samples from 82 dogs with CAFR for specific IgE to crude egg white by ELISA, 9.8% (8/82) of the dogs with CAFR showed the IgE reactivity to crude egg white. We then used sera from the eight dogs with positive IgE reactivity to crude egg white to examine the IgE reactivity to four purified allergens, ovomucoid, ovalbumin, ovotransferrin, and lysozyme, by ELISA. We found that 75% (6/8) of the dogs showed IgE reactivity to both ovomucoid and ovalbumin, and that 37.5% (3/8) of the dogs showed IgE reactivity to ovotransferrin. None (0/8) showed IgE reactivity to lysozyme. Moreover, validating these results, the immunoblot analyses were performed using the sera of the three dogs showing the highest IgE reactivity to crude egg white. Both anti-ovomucoid and anti-ovalbumin IgE were detected in the sera of these dogs, while anti-ovotransferrin IgE was not detected. Considering these, ovomucoid and ovalbumin appears to be the major egg white allergens in dogs with CAFR.

In our preliminary study of the fatigue properties of D2 tool steel (JIS SKD11), it was found that owing to grinding in the specimen preparation process, high compressive residual stresses were introduced in the surface layers of the fatigue specimens, and as a result, the fatigue crack growth of the specimen was entirely subsurface. As relatively little is known about the subsurface growth of fatigue cracks, this finding gave us the opportunity to learn more about the subsurface fatigue crack growth process. An S–N curve covering fatigue lifetimes from 103 to 108 cycles was established for R = −1 loading condition. The velocity of fatigue crack growth as a function of the maximum stress intensity factor Kmax was determined to be in the range of 10−11–10−7 m/cycle. The Murakami √area method and a new experimental procedure were used to estimate the stress intensity factor and crack growth velocity under the specimen surface, respectively. An analytical equation for the velocity of crack growth as a function of the maximum stress intensity factor Kmax was developed, which agrees with the experimental results. The integration of this equation led to estimates of the fatigue lifetime for given stress ranges. These estimates were also in agreement with the experimental results.

Two types of fatigue tests, a rotating bending fatigue test and a three- or four-point bending fatigue test, were carried out on a fine grained WC–Co cemented carbide to evaluate its fatigue crack growth behavior and fatigue lifetime. From successive observations of the specimen surface during the fatigue process, it was revealed that most of the fatigue lifetime of the tested WC–Co cemented carbide was occupied with crack growth cycles. Using the basic equation of fracture mechanics, the relationship between the fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) and the maximum stress intensity factor (Kmax) was derived. From this relation, both the values of the threshold intensity factor (Kth) and the fatigue fracture toughness (Kfc) of the material were determined. The fatigue lifetime of the WC–Co cemented carbide was estimated by analysis based on the modified linear elastic fracture mechanics approach. Good agreement between the estimated and experimental fatigue lifetimes was confirmed.

It is well known that WC-Co cemented carbides have excellent wear resistance. However, information about their fatigue crack growth behavior and fatigue properties is limited. In the present study, rotating bending fatigue tests were carried out on a fine grained WC-Co cemented carbide to evaluate its fatigue lifetime and crack growth behavior. From observations of the micro-notched specimen surface during the fatigue process, it was revealed that most of the fatigue lifetime of the tested WC-Co cemented carbide is comprised of crack growth cycles. Using the basic equation of fracture mechanics, the relation between the rate of fatigue crack growth da/dN and the maximum stress intensity factor Kmax of the WC-Co cemented carbide was derived. From this relation, both the threshold intensity factor Kth and the fatigue fracture toughness Kfc of the material were determined. Fatigue lifetime of the WC-Co cemented carbide was estimated based on the fatigue crack growth law.

In this study, fatigue crack closure behavior was investigated in the aluminum alloy 6061-T6 and the carbon steel JIS. S25C. It was found that crack closure in the aluminum alloy 6061-T6 showed the characteristics of plasticity-induced fatigue crack closure (PIFCC), whereas the carbon steel JIS. S25C showed the characteristics of roughness-induced fatigue crack closure (RIFCC). The experiments included the determination of the crack-opening levelsKopas a function of stress intensity factor range ΔKand the effect of surface removal on the crack-opening level. In order to simulate the behaviors of the plasticity-and the roughness-induced fatigue crack closure, the finite element method was adopted. The results of FEM were in good agreement with the experimental results. It was cconcluded that at a given yield strength level , a low Youngs modulus and a low work-hardening coefficient will favor PIFCC, whereas a high Youngs modulus and a high work-hardening coefficient will favor RIFCC.

Both innate and adaptive immunity are crucial for cancer immunosurveillance, but precise therapeutic equations to restore immunosurveillance in patients with cancer patients have yet to be developed. In murine models, α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer)–loaded, tumor antigen–expressing syngeneic or allogeneic cells can act as cellular adjuvants, linking the innate and adaptive immune systems. In the current study, we established human artificial adjuvant vector cells (aAVC) consisting of human HEK293 embryonic kidney cells stably transfected with the natural killer T (NKT) immune cell receptor CD1d, loaded with the CD1d ligand α-GalCer and then transfected with antigen-encoding mRNA. When administered to mice or dogs, these aAVC-activated invariant NKT (iNKT) cells elicited antigen-specific T-cell responses with no adverse events. In parallel experiments, using NOD/SCID/IL-2rγcnull–immunodeficient (hDC-NOG) mouse model, we also showed that the human melanoma antigen, MART-1, expressed by mRNA transfected aAVCs can be cross-presented to antigen-specific T cells by human dendritic cells. Antigen-specific T-cell responses elicited and expanded by aAVCs were verified as functional in tumor immunity. Our results support the clinical development of aAVCs to harness innate and adaptive immunity for effective cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Res; 73(1); 62–73. ©2012 AACR.

The functionalities of soft interfaces including cell adhesion can be enhanced by dynamic conversion of polymer properties and movement via external stimuli. Light is a superior stimulus, and various surfaces modified with photoreactive molecules have been prepared. However, in most of these studies, the surface properties are irreversibly changed due to photo-degradation, and reversible adhesion and collection of cells is not feasible. In this study, we developed a photoresponsive polymer soft interface that was able to spatiotemporally control wettability, cell adhesion, and detachment in a reversible manner. Spiropyran molecules were introduced into the hydrophobic block of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer consisting of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polyethylene glycol, and the monomer unit numbers of these components were optimized. The copolymer was immobilized on a glass substrate as a nanofilm. With alternating irradiation using UV and visible light, the surface exhibited reversible changes in hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity, and the direction of change was opposite to the polarity change in photo-isomerization of spiropyran. We also achieved photo-control of effective cell adhesion and detachment with sequential irradiation with UV and visible light. These remarkable functions could be ascribed to conformational changes triggered by photo-isomerization of spiropyran. This photoresponsive polymer soft interface may have applications as a powerful tool in biological studies by facilitating sequential changes in wettability and bioaffinity. Statement of Significance We developed a photoresponsive polymer soft interface, which was able to spatiotemporally control wettability and cell adhesion/detachment in a reversible manner, by introducing spiropyran into the hydrophobic block of an amphiphilic diblock copolymer. With alternating irradiation using UV and visible light, the surface exhibited unique reversible wettability changes; the direction of hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity change was opposite to the polarity change in spiropyran photo-isomerization. Light-dependent reversible control of spatiotemporal cell adhesion and detachment was also achieved with sequential UV (adhesion) and visible light irradiation (detachment). Cell detachment using noncytotoxic visible light was realized for the first time. Cell-patterning capability stably lasted for 25 days. This photoresponsive surface could be applied to fabrication of engineered tissues comprised of several cellular species.

To detect allergen-specific IgE in dogs with allergic diseases, we developed a recombinant canine high affinity IgE receptor α chain (FcεRIα)-based IgE detection system. Using the recombinant protein of canine FcεRIα expressed by an Escherichia coli expression system, we could detect house dust mite (Dermatophagoides farinae) allergen-specific IgE in sera from dogs naturally and experimentally sensitized to this allergen with ELISA and western blotting. The IgE binding activity of recombinant canine FcεRIα on ELISA was impaired by heat treatment of these sera. The specificity of this recombinant canine FcεRIα-based IgE detection system was confirmed by inhibition assays with canine IgE. The recombinant canine FcεRIα-based IgE detection system established in this study offers an alternative tool to measure allergen-specific IgE in dogs.

In this study, the thread deformation mechanism and relation between thread deformation and anti-loosening effect for nut with circumference slits are studied by the experiment and using FEM. The slit nut is adequately compressed before use. Two methods for compressive pre-strain are compared. It is found that cylinder compression method provides thread with rotational deformation than plate compression method. The rotational deformation has an important role as slowing the increase of the resistance torque with the amount of compression. Therefore, cylinder compression method is superior for processing control. The effects of the slit geometries, which is defined by the location h, the inner diameter d and the width w are investigated based on the experiment and the numerical analysis. It is found that h and d has large effect on thread deformation and w has little effect on that.

The equivalent elastic moduli of asymmetrical hexagonal honeycomb are studied by using a theoretical approach. The deformation of honeycomb consists of two types of deformations. The first is deformation inside the unit, which is caused by bending, stretching, and shearing of cell walls and rigid rotation of the unit; the second is relative displacement between units. The equivalent elastic modulus related to a direction parallel to one cell wall of the honeycomb is determined from the relative deformation between units. In addition, a method for calculating other elastic moduli by coordinate transformation is described, and the elastic moduli for various shapes of hexagon, which are obtained by systematically altering the regular hexagon, are investigated. It is found that the maximum compliance 𝐶 𝑦 𝑦 | m a x and the minimum compliance 𝐶 𝑦 𝑦 | m i n of elastic modulus 𝐶 𝑦 𝑦 in one rotation of the ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 ) coordinate system vary as the shape of the hexagon is changed. However, 𝐶 𝑦 𝑦 | m a x takes a minimum and 𝐶 𝑦 𝑦 | m i n takes a maximum when the honeycomb cell is a regular hexagon, for which the equivalent elastic moduli are unrelated to the selected coordinate system, and are constant with 𝐶 1 1 = 𝐶 2 2 .

We determined whether a major Japanese cedar pollen allergen (Cry j 1) conjugated with CpG oligodeoxynucleotide would enhance allergen-specific Th1 responses in mice. Cry j 1 conjugated with CpG (Cry j 1-CpG) induced IL-12 in the spleen cells of naïve mice. Cry j 1-CpG immunization of BALB/c mice suppressed anti-Cry j 1 IgE response and enhanced anti-Cry j 1 IgG(2a) to subsequent Cry j 1 and alum adjuvant injection. CD4(+)T cells isolated from the spleens in mice immunized with Cry j 1-CpG produced higher IFN-γ levels than did CD4(+)T cells obtained from mice as negative controls. Our results suggested that Cry j 1-CpG immunization can induce Cry j 1-specific Th1 immune responses, thereby inhibiting IgE response to the pollen allergen.

Two different allergy tests, antigen-specific immunoglobulin E quantification (IgE test) and flow cytometric analysis of antigen-specific proliferation of peripheral lymphocytes (lymphocyte proliferation test), were performed to examine differences in allergic reactions to food allergens in dogs with food allergy (FA). Thirteen dogs were diagnosed as FA based on clinical findings and elimination diet trials. Seven dogs clinically diagnosed with canine atopic dermatitis (CAD) were used as a disease control group, and 5 healthy dogs were used as a negative control group. In the FA group, 19 and 33 allergen reactions were identified using the serum IgE test and the lymphocyte proliferation test, respectively. Likewise, in the CAD group, 12 and 6 allergen reactions and in the healthy dogs 3 and 0 allergen reactions were identified by each test, respectively. A significant difference was found between FA and healthy dogs in terms of positive allergen detection by the lymphocyte proliferation test, suggesting that the test can be useful to differentiate FA from healthy dogs but not from CAD. Both tests were repeated in 6 of the dogs with FA after a 1.5- to 5-month elimination diet trial. The IgE concentrations in 9 of 11 of the positive reactions decreased by 20-80%, whereas all the positive reactions in the lymphocyte proliferation test decreased to nearly zero (P

There has been a need for improvement of the elimination diet used for diagnosis of adverse food reaction (AFR) in dogs. Recently, a novel elimination diet composed of a mixture of amino acids and potatoes was developed. We evaluated the efficacy of the elimination diet for diagnosis of AFR in dogs. Twenty dogs that were suspected to have allergic dermatitis were enrolled in a 2-month food elimination trial using the diet. Before and after the trial, the clinical symptoms were evaluated based on the change in canine atopic dermatitis extent and severity index (CADESI), pruritus score and medication score. Of the 20 dogs, 15 completed the food elimination trial. The remaining 5 dogs were removed from the trial because of diet unpalatability, skin disease progression or diarrhea. On the basis of evaluation of the clinical scores, we observed that the clinical symptoms improved in 11 of the 15 dogs that completed the food elimination trial. Provocative challenge was performed in 10 of the 11 dogs that showed improvement in their clinical symptoms. Of the 10 dogs, 7 were diagnosed as having AFR against food ingredients such as pork, beef, chicken and wheat because their skin symptoms reappeared after intake of these ingredients. The results of the food elimination trial and the provocative challenge indicated the usefulness of the novel elimination diet for diagnosis of AFR.

An 89-year-old woman was given a diagnosis of senile dementia of Alzheimer type around 2003. In 2006, the patient was examined at a dermatology clinic complaining of tumor in the right buccal region. At the time, possible squamous carcinoma was pointed, but nothing was done for it. In March 2008, home care became difficult due to progression of dementia, and the patient was admitted to our hospital. On admission, a protruding skin tumor (20 x 20 x 2 mm, cauliflower-like surface) was observed in the right buccal region. Surgical ablation was recommended, however, the family strongly requested to let it follow its in natural course. In December 2008, the tumor increased rapidly to 40 x 55 x 25 mm with bleeding and a bad smell, which decreased her QOL markedly. After obtaining consent from the patient and her family, Mohs chemosurgery was performed. As the result, the tumor resolved and the QOL improved. Mohs chemosurgery is considered as a very effective treatments for rapidly advancing progressive skin cancer in patients with severe cognitive impairment.

In this paper, the elastoplastic collapse of a cylindrical tube subjected to pure bending is studied by using the finite element method. There exist two types of collapse: a collapse due to buckling at the compression side and a collapse due to flattening of the cross-section. In the flattening collapse, the maximum bending moment is controlled by the flattening rate of the tube cross-section. For a short tube, the boundary condition of the fixed walls at the both ends prevents the flattening development. A theoretical prediction method of the flattening rate and the maximum bending moment of cylindrical tubes subjected to pure bending is proposed, in which the effect of the tube length is taken into account. In the method the flattening is simulated by a deflection problem of a beam based on distributed springs. The validity of the proposed method is verified by numerical results of FEM.

A representative T-cell subset exclusively using an invariant TCRalpha chain (iTCRalpha) is natural killer T (NKT) cells which are becoming an emerging topic for cancer and immune disorder in humans and mice. However, NKT cells in dogs have not yet been identified. In this study, CD3(+) T-lymphocyte population reactive to alpha-galactosylceramide-loaded mouse CD1d (alpha-GalCer/CD1d) were identified with flow cytometric analysis in mononuclear cells from spleen, liver, and peripheral blood of a dog with percentages of 0.028%, 0.045%, and 0.004%, respectively. Using cDNA library synthesized from mRNAs of the alpha-GalCer/CD1d reactive CD3(+) lymphocytes in the spleen cells, molecular analysis of canine iTCRalpha was carried out. Consequently, Variable (Valpha) and Joining (Jalpha) regions of iTCRalpha cDNA were found to be homogeneous to both mouse Valpha14-Jalpha281 and human Valpha24-JalphaQ. Characteristic features of iTCRalpha of NKT cells, such as the amino acid sequence of complementarity-determining region (CDR) 3 and extra cysteine residue, were well conserved among dogs, mice, and humans. In quantitative real-time PCR analysis, relative expression of the canine iTCRalpha mRNA in alpha-GalCer/CD1d reactive CD3(+) lymphocytes was 271-fold higher than that in CD3(+) lymphocytes unbound to alpha-GalCer/CD1d, indicating that the iTCRalpha mRNA was preferentially expressed in alpha-GalCer/CD1d-reactive CD3(+) lymphocytes in the dog. Together, the results strongly suggested that alpha-GalCer/CD1d-binding CD3(+) T lymphocytes identified in this study could be considered to be canine NKT cells.

Gain-of-function mutations in the proto-oncogene c-kit have been considered the molecular mechanism of neoplastic proliferation of mast cells. However, the importance of c-kit gene mutations is not well evaluated in canine mast cell tumors (MCTs). In the present study, we established and characterized a mast cell line, HRMC, derived from a dog with MCT. We also examined c-kit mutations in HRMC cells and assessed an inhibitory effect of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, STI571, on HRMC cells. HRMC cells had cytoplasmic metachromatic granules, chymase and tryptase, and expressed both KIT and FcepsilonRI on the cell surface. HRMC cells contained histamine and released beta-hexosaminidase through FcepsilonRI cross-linking and calcium ionophore stimulation. Nucleotide sequence analysis demonstrated no mutations in an open reading frame of c-kit cDNA and genomic DNA of the juxtamembrane domain of c-kit in HRMC cells. STI571 did not show any inhibitory effects on the proliferation of HRMC cells. These findings clearly demonstrated the existence of c-kit mutations-independent neoplastic canine mast cell proliferation. The growth factor-independent mast cell line established in this study might be valuable to explore novel mechanisms of c-kit mutations-independent neoplastic proliferation of mast cells in dogs.

In the present study, the bending collapse of an elastoplastic cylindrical tube subjected to static pure bending is investigated using the finite element method (FEM). The moment of the elastoplastic cylindrical tube is controlled by the flattening rate of the tube cross-section. For a long tube, the flattening rate can be expressed in terms of the axial and circumferential stresses that, in turn, depend on the material and geometrical properties and the curvature of the tube. On the other hand, for a short tube, the boundary condition of the fixed walls prevents the flattening rate. In order to account for the length effect of tubes, we propose a new method in which flattening is considered as a deflection problem of a fixed curved beam. The proposed method was able to predict the change in the flattening rate as the curvature was increased. A rational prediction method is proposed for estimating the maximum bending moment of cylindrical tubes that accounts for the length effect. Its validity is demonstrated by comparing it predictions with numerical results obtained using the finite element method.

In this paper, the elastoplastic bending collapse of cylindrical tube subjected to statically pure bending is studied by using finite element method (FEM). It is revealed in the case of infinite length that the moment of the elastoplastic cylindrical tube is controlled by flattening ratio of tube. Also, it is shown that the flattening ratio of tube can be expressed by axial and circumferential stress as a function of the material and geometrical properties and curvatures. Based on these facts, an approximate numerical method to estimate the maximum moment of cylindrical tubes is proposed, and its validity is shown by comparing with numerical results of FEM.

In this paper, the elastoplastic deformation behaviors of cylindrical tube subjected to statically axial compression are studied by using finite element method (FEM). The effects of tube geometries and strain hardening characteristics of the material on the deformation behaviors are investigated. Generally, although it is recognized that the deformation situation along the circumferential direction is dependent on the thickness ratio (R/t) , it is found that the deformation is also greatly dependent on the edge constraint. The deformation mode along the circumferential direction also affects the deformation mode along the axis-direction. A method to control the deformation mode, such as adding a disk in tube center, is proposed to maintain the deformation keeping in an axi-symmetric mode.

Aminoprotect Care (APC) is a novel diet composed of aminoacids, potato proteins and corn starch. The objectives of this study were to determine whether Maltese-Beagle atopic (MBA) dogs hypersensitive to corn exhibited clinical signs and changes in immunological markers after being fed APC. The study was designed as a blinded randomized controlled crossover experiment. Ten MBA dogs with signs of allergy within five days of ingesting corn were selected. Dogs were randomized to be fed either their maintenance diet with corn or APC for five days. After a washout of two weeks, diets were switched. Before and daily during each intervention, skin lesions were graded by an investigator while pruritus was assessed by another. Before and at the end of each intervention, the percentage of circulating CD4+CCR4+, corn-activated CD4+ T-lymphocytes and serum corn-specific IgE levels were measured and ratios of post:pre values calculated. During this trial, pruritus and skin lesions increased significantly in MBA dogs when ingesting corn while no such increase occurred when fed APC. Total, median and maximal pruritus values were significantly higher in MBA dogs ingesting corn compared to APC. There were no significant differences between interventions in the immunological parameters assessed. In summary, even though APC contains corn starch to which corn-sensitive MBA dogs often react, the ingestion of APC did not lead to significant increases in skin lesions or pruritus. Aminoprotect Care might prove valuable for management of food allergies. These experimental observations must be validated in large field studies.

脛骨プラトー骨折の観血的治療成績に関して，術後成績に影響をおよぼす因子について検討した．2000年1月から2004年12月の間に脛骨プラトー骨折に対し観血的治療を行い，術後6か月以上追跡可能であった33例33膝を対象とした．治療法として内固定にプレートを用いた症例は32例であり，人工骨を併用したものは19例であった．全例で骨癒合が得られた．Hohl & Luckの機能的評価では，excellent：22例，good：10例，fair：1例であった．関節面の陥没の進行により治療成績が悪化する傾向がみられ，関節面の陥没，内外反の変位と関節症変化との関連性が示唆された．全例で骨癒合が得られ，短期ではおおむね良好な治療成績を得ることができた．

We propose a beam steering type optical switch employing a phase shifter. It consists of collimating waveguide mirrors, an arrayed-waveguide which has deep trenches incorporating polymer materials, and input/output waveguides. The incident light is guided to the front mirror, where it is then collimated, and input to the arrayed waveguide. The number of trenches filled with polymer linearly increases in order. The refractive index of the polymer can be controlled with temperature, and the propagation direction of the output light from the arrayed waveguide can also be controlled. A switch with 15 waveguides in the array has been fabricated. The chip size is about 2:5 × 9:0 mm2, the insertion loss is 10 dB, and the extinction ratio is about 10–13 dB.

We have proposed a novel 2 × 2 optical switch using multimode interference (MMI) coupler. This switch comprises four arms, located between two MMI couplers, and works by controlling a phase shifter, situated in each arm. Compared with conventional Mach-Zehnder type of optical switches, BPM simulation of this device predicted a high tolerance to fabrication errors. We fabricated the device with silica waveguides, and confirmed that it functioned with an insertion loss of 4.1dB and an extinction ratio of about 20dB.

A dispersion compensator consisting of a compact arrowhead arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG) with a dispersion-adjusting structure has been proposed. Dispersion parameters can be adjusted by filling lens-shaped deep trenches with refractive index-controlled resin. Dispersion compensators based on an 8ch, 12.5GHz-spacing AWG have been fabricated. The dispersion-adjusting structure consists of three double concave trenches located near the focal plane in a second slab waveguide. Dispersion compensators with total dispersions of 234ps/nm and 1103ps/nm were fabricated by using resins with refractive indices of 1.51 and 1.405, respectively.