Search

To clarify an inexpensive method for constructing a software-defined network (SDN) environment, we propose a router control function for non-SDN-supported routers using IoT devices possessing a common user interface based on OpenFlow. An experimental demonstration using the proposed function is shown.

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate an influence of post-processing scatter correction in portable abdominal radiography using a low ratio anti-scatter grid (grid). Methods To assess tube voltage on portable abdominal radiography, a burger phantom was used to measure for inverse of image quality figure (IQFinv). For evaluation of the influence on using or not the grid, IQFinv were measured. Abdominal phantom radiographies were assessed subjectively, in random order, by six radiologic technologists. The radiographies were performed without scatter correction [IG (-)] and with scatter correction at equivalent for grid ratio 6 [IG (6)] and 8 [IG (8)]. Results There was no significant decrease in IQFinv with 75 and 80 kV in comparison of 70 kV. Even processing scatter correction, IQFinv with using the grid was significantly higher than that without using the grid. The ability to detect nasogastric tube and stomach gas were significantly better in the scatter correction. Deviation index for IG (6) and IG (8) were significantly lower than that of IG (-). Discussion Portable abdominal radiographies will be improved image quality by utilizing scatter correction, although, it is necessary to consider the scatter correction processing as this may significant decrease deviation index in the practical situation. Conclusion The post-processing scatter correction should be useful for detection nasogastric tube and stomach gas in portable abdominal radiography.

Disaggregation breaks conventional closed systems into components connected by open interfaces. This paper shows the experimental demonstration of service provisioning and partial replacement of network OS in a disaggregated open packet and optical converged network based on open interfaces and open source software.

OpenFlow-based remote control system for the optical switch in AWG-STAR with a loopback function using IoT device is proposed as a low-cost solution to extend the scope of a software-defined network to physical layer.

Maternal antibodies against human platelet antigen (HPA) and/or human leukocyte antigen (HLA) cause fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) in 0.09-0.15% of live births. Severe cases account for 5-31% and the frequency of multiple kinds of alloantibodies is 6.9-9% of FNAIT. We present a case of severe FNAIT associated with anti-HPA-5b, anti-HLA-A31, and anti-HLA-B55 antibodies, successfully treated with immunoglobulin and platelet transfusion. The anti-HLA-B55 antibody was detected in the newborn's serum, but disappeared on the 20th day, which was followed by an increase of the platelet count. These findings suggested the potential involvement of an anti-HLA antibody in the pathogenesis of FNAIT.

Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of scatter correction in the portable chest radiography. Methods Digital radiographies were performed without anti-scatter grid (grid), with the scatter correction and with the grid ratio of 3 : 1 in this study. The scatter fraction and the detectability of low contrast signals were measured using the four acrylic phantoms of different thicknesses. The chest phantom radiographs were assessed subjectively, in random order, by six radiologic technologists. Results The scatter fraction was higher in the no-grid technique, and was lower for the grid technique. The detectability of low contrast signals did not significantly differ between the scatter correction and the grid technique (p>0.05). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the grid technique was higher than that for the scatter correction technique (0.888 vs. 0.855), although no significant difference was found between the grid and the scatter correction technique (p> 0.05). The ability to detect the nasogastric tube was significantly better in the grid technique (p Discussion In the scatter correction technique, the ability of scatter removal increased as the scatter fraction increased. The scatter correction technique was unnecessary to extremely accurate alignment. In addition, patient dose can be reduced by the scatter correction technique. Conclusions It seemed to be effective for the scatter correction in the portable chest radiography.

This paper proposes a new control scheme for a coordinated motion and force control of multi-fingered robot hand. Proposed control scheme can achieve simultaneous control of the position of a target object and a so-called ‘internal force’ which does not affect the motion of the object. Based on ‘knetostatic filtering method’ which eliminates a element of internal force from joint angle feedback signal, proposed controller can achieve internal force regulation for the fingers which have kinematical redundancy. Computer simulation results and experimental results illustrates the effectiveness of proposed scheme.

Boiling behavior of liquid 3He below 1 K was visualized as shadowgraph image. A light source and a video camera (or still camera) were arranged at room temperature. The light was guided to the 3He cell by an optical fiber, and the shadowgraph image was transferred to the camera by an image fiber. The 3He bubble formed on the heated copper surface was spheroid-like due to the low surface tension. The size at departure from the surface and the relative bubble formation rate were measured as a function of heat flux. The previously obtained heat transfer curve could be explained qualitatively by this boiling behavior.

We propose a novel IP over AWG-STAR network with dynamically relocatable wavelength paths via communication node-side control. Experimental results demonstrate that the transmission capacity between communication nodes can be dynamically increased from 1 Gbps to 3 Gbps via adding looped-back wavelength paths to the internode in the proposed IP over AWG-STAR network we constructed experimentally.

Iodine deficiency in pregnant and lactating women results in serious damage to their fetuses, newborns, and weaning infants. The effect of dietary iodine intake on maternal and infantile thyroid function has not been well studied in iodine-sufficient areas, and there are few data on appropriate gestational age-specific reference ranges for urinary iodine excretion during pregnancy and lactation.The aim of the study was to characterize the gestational change of urinary iodine excretion in Japanese women and to assess the effects of iodine status on thyroid function in mother and infant.A total of 934 Japanese women and their 722 newborn infants were enrolled in the study. Iodine and creatinine concentrations were determined in spot urine samples in the three trimesters of pregnancy and the postpartum period at 34.0 d after delivery. Serum thyroperoxidase antibody and thyroglobulin antibody, TSH, and free T(4) were measured in each trimester, and neonatal TSH was measured on postnatal d 4.The overall median urinary iodine concentration (UIC) during pregnancy was 219.0 μg/liter, higher than that in postpartum women (135.0 μg/liter). The prevalence of pregnant women with low UIC less than 100 μg/liter or high UIC greater than 500 μg/liter was 16.1 and 22.2%, respectively. Urinary iodine excretion decreased from 221.0 μg/liter in the first trimester to 208.0 μg/liter in the second trimester to 193.0 μg/liter in the third trimester, and then remained at 135.0 μg/liter postpartum. [corrected]. The maternal UIC correlated positively with serum TSH during pregnancy. There was no significant difference in UIC between subjects with positive thyroid autoantibodies and those with negative antibodies.Iodine intake assessed by UIC in Japanese pregnant women is regarded as sufficient and not excessive according to World Health Organization criteria. Although the data are local, our results provide additional information on the reference range for UIC throughout gestation in iodine-sufficient areas.

Prediction of the low Mach number jet noise ejected from rectangular nozzle with high aspect ratio is described. Firstly measurement of the jet noise was conducted in semi-anechoic wind tunnel at the low Mach number flow condition. We were found that the sound power of the jet obeyed 6-th power of jet velocity. This means the jet noise is resulted not from quadrupole distribution in the shear flow of jet, but from dipole distribution on the surface of the exit of the nozzle. The model of vortex sound is applied as the sound generation mechanism at numerical simulation. The sound emission from the vortices in the shear flow is modified with the compact Green’s function representing the scattering effect from the surface of the exit of the nozzle in the lower frequency range. It is also modified with the non-compact Green’s function in the higher frequency range. Lastly calculated sound spectra are compared with measured spectra. The comparison will prove effectiveness of this modeling.

Three sites were evaluated for potential pancreatic fragment autotransplantation. Both endocrine and exocrine functions were evaluated following autotransplantation into splenic pulp, portal vein, or hepatic parenchyma in 44 pancreatectomized dogs. Cholecystic bile amylase concentrations in the hepatic parenchyma group surviving more than 2 months were elevated significantly, and choledochal bile amylase concentrations increased markedly following pancreozymin-secretin injection. In contrast, bile amylase concentrations in dogs with intrasplenic or intraportal implants were low and did not respond to PS injection. Histologically pancreatic autografts in hepatic parenchyma revealed marked proliferation of exocrine tissue with abundant zymogen granules and reconstruction of the acinar lobules with a few islets. These acinar cells in the hepatic parenchyma were ultrastructurally normal. Transplant endocrine function, estimated by K values, was significantly better after splenic pulp and portal vein than after a hepatic parenchyma implantation, but no group improved during 1-year follow-up. Glucose-stimulated initial insulin responses were abnormally low in all recipients. Islet B cells lacked mature insulin granules, such as seen in normal resting B cells. This ultrastructural finding implies a persistent demand on the B cells and may explain the spontaneous recurrence of hyperglycemia and the diminished initial insulin response to a glucose load. This study indicates that euglycemic recipients of pancreatic fragment autotransplantation remain unstable and prediabetic.

Lithium carbonate was given in the preoperative preparation of 12 patients with Graves' disease, the reasons for its use being side effects of thionamide in 9 patients, insufficient control by thionamide in 1 and psychic symptoms in 2. Lithium carbonate was often used in combination with other drugs, namely; thionamide in 4 patients, beta-adrenergic blockades in 5, reserpine in 5 and glucocorticoid in 1. This preoperative control significantly decreased the mean serum T2 and T4 levels from 656 +/- 55 ng/dl to 180 +/- 16 ng/dl and from 25.9 +/- 2.1 micrograms/dl to 9.7 +/- 1.5 micrograms/dl, respectively. The only adverse effect of lithium carbonate was pollakisuria observed in one patient. All patients underwent subtotal thyroidectomy uneventfully. It is concluded that the administration of lithium carbonate alone or in combination with other drugs is an effective method of preoperatively controlling hyperthyroidism when conventional antithyroid drugs show adverse effects.

過去20年間に40例の膵仮性嚢胞を経験したが, その成因は慢性膵炎が25例と過半数を占めている. 自然消失例は8例であり, 31症例に外科治療を行った. その内訳は外瘻術4例, 内瘻術14例, 嚢胞切除2例, 膵部分切除14例を主術式として, それぞれの病態に応じて膵管空腸側側吻合術や切除膵自家移植術などの多数の付加手術を行った. 疼痛を始めとするこれらの予後は, 良好24例, 比較的良好7例, 不良3例, 不明1例であった. 予後不良の例は, 慢性膵炎例で嚢胞切除術や内瘻術施行例に高頻度に認めた. したがって慢性膵炎に随伴した仮性嚢胞に対しては, 嚢胞以外の膵の病態を充分に把握して, その病態に応じた外科治療を行うことが重要と考えられる.