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This paper presents a SIFT based map building and self localization method for mobile robots. First a mapping robot with trinocular vision builds the 3-D keypoint map of unknown environment with a high accuracy and then the working robot with a monocular vision localize the own position by matching the SIFT keypoints to the map. Experimental results of mapping and localization for a real indoor scene is shown.

In these days, the number of educators who use Squeak in their education is increasing. However, most of them do not have enough experience in teaching with Squeak and are looking for how to educate children with it. We introduce a new system, which helps us to generate new specialized morph kits. This system helps educators to create and share good methods of Squeak education by the specialized kits. We held a workshop using a specialized kit, "animation Morph ", and found that the specialized kit was effective in squeak education. We also compare existing Squeak systems and consider what is important for the new system.

Ag filled isotropic conductive adhesives (ICA) have been investigated as promising altenatives for lead containing solders in surface mount technology (SMT) applications; however, one serious concern is the ionic-migration of the silver filled in the ICA, especially when used in high density interconnection assemblies. In his study, ionic-migration resistance and the contact resistance of the ICA containing Ag-Sn alloy conductive fillers were evaluated. It was found that ionic-migration resistance depended on the Ag-Sn ratio and that Ag-Sn alloys containing 25 to 75 mol% of Sn had excellent ionic-migration resistance though their contact resistance was rather high, compared with silver. For the compatibility of the ionic-migration resistance with lower contact resistance, and to understand the effect of a Sn-Bi alloy powder mixture, several additives and polymer matrixes were also studied. New ICAs including these additives and a conventional ICA (as reference) were evaluated for SMT. Chip components with Sn plated terminations for stability in both contact resistance and adhesion strength were monitored during reliability tests. From the test results, it can be concluded that the new ICA is a potential material for SMT applications. Moreover, if mount loading was not sufficient and/or mount alignment was not suitable, initial contact resistance was unstable. Therefore, we selected materials with reduction effect and we dereased the Sn ratio as low as we could. The filler content rate was also increased. As a result the loading dependence was decreased. We were sucessful in keeping contact resistance more stable while maintaining good ionic-migration resistance.

This paper desbcribes an improvement of a conventional AGV in the following two points: finding a path in complex junctions, and recognition of obstacles on the path. A TV camera is employed to look ahead of the vehicle to find lines in the input image. Centers of the lines are detected by combining dynamic thesholding and differentiation. Center points are detected at several vertical positions, and the arrangement of the lines in the image is classified into several categories: a branch, a crossing, and so on. The second problem is solved by a sort of motion stereo. The motion is obtained from the image of the white lie near the potential obstacle. The height of the obstacle is computed and the decision is made if it is really an obstacle. Some experimental results are shown to verify the proposed methods. The relation to other research themes for realizing AGV for more general environments are discussed.

We propose a method for model- based scene segmentation which separates object instances from the background in the scene. An object model is composed of parameterized geo- metric primitives constrained to each other accord- ing to its shape and size variations, and the rela- tionships to other object classes. As sensory data, we use a pair of color stereo images which provides color and disparity information. Using these infor- mation and the constraints in model descriptions, we approach to the problems of scene segmenta- tion and object recognition. First, we construct a height map, which shows a top view of the input scene, transforming the disparity information into 3-D space based on the height and tilt of the camera system. Using the size constraints of the object model, we separate candidate areas for object instances from the back- ground. Next, parts of the model are extracted from the scene descriptions inside each candidate area, and free parameters in the object model are determined so that the instance can be best fitted to the model. Finally, uncertainty measure for pla- nar patches is defined and applied to the extracted parts. We show the preliminary results using car models.

We introduce utilizations of T- junctions for stereo matching and detecition of T-junctions. By identifying T-junctions we can improve matchings near occluding con4ours. T- junction is also useful for a horizontal line to de- termtine whether or not the disparity can be inter- polated because the interpolation is allowed only if none of the terminals of the horizontal line relate with T-junctions. Edges are extracted as zero-crossings of a Lapla- cian Gaussian filtered image. We analyze the re- sponse of a Laplacian of a Gaussian filtered image at ideal T-junctions and obtain a method to de- tected T-junctions from a monocular image:.

The clinical significance of adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder remains unclear. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between segmental adenomyomatosis and gallbladder carcinoma, and to elucidate the histogenesis of gallbladder carcinoma associated with segmental adenomyomatosis. A total of 4,560 consecutive patients underwent cholecystectomy. The specimens were examined grossly and histologically. Adenomyomatosis of the gallbladder was divided into segmental, fundal, and diffuse types. Sixty noncancerous gallbladders with segmental adenomyomatosis were examined for epithelial metaplasia. The incidence of gallbladder carcinoma was higher in patients with segmental adenomyomatosis (22/334, 6.6%) than in those without (181/4226, 4.3%; P=0.049). This difference was more marked among patients equal to or older than 60 years of age (15/96,15.6% versus 147/2407, 6.1%, respectively; P0.001). The other types of adenomyomatosis did not show any significant increases in the incidence of gallbladder carcinoma. In all 22 patients with both segmental adenomyomatosis and carcinoma, the tumors developed only in the fundal mucosa. Epithelial metaplasia was more marked in the fundal mucosa of segmental adenomyomatosis than in the neck mucosa (P=0.003). Segmental adenomyomatosis is a high-risk condition for gallbladder carcinoma, especially in elderly patients. Epithelial metaplasia appears to be related to increased carcinogenesis in the fundal mucosa of segmental adenomyomatosis.

Dupuytren's contracture typically affects the fingers, usually in males, and occasionally accompanies Peyronie's disease. We report a rare case of a female patient with Dupuytren's contracture affecting the toes of both feet.

Pulsed therapy with intravenous cyclophosphamide was successful in a patient with bullous pemphigoid whose disease had proved resistant to other treatments.

The three-dimensional (3D) chip stacking technology developed in ASET is a leading technology for realization of a high-density and high-performance system-in-package (SIP). As for the advanced interconnection technology, a 20-/spl mu/m-pitch low impedance vertical interconnection through Cu through via (TV) within thin chips plays the following roles: wide signal bus and very short electrical path for high-frequency signal transmission, strong power supplies and stable ground lines. The vertical interconnection was fabricated by inter chip connection (ICC) process, which includes Cu bump bonding (CBB) utilizing Cu-Sn diffusion for connecting Cu TVs without the formation of bumps on the chip back surface and encapsulation micro thin gap between chips. We elucidate the Cu-Sn diffusion phenomena and Cu oxide influence which were important CBB issues to realize the minute interconnection of Cu TVs. The temperature cycling test (TCT) was performed on chip on chip (COC) and 3D chip stacking structures fabricated by ICC process, and over 1,000 cycles reliability was confirmed. The consistent fabrication of vertical interconnection was realized. Then, we conducted the two important electrical evaluations. One is the DC resistance of the vertical interconnection, which measured only 15.4 m/spl Omega/ per layer. Another was the signal transmission delay, and only 0.9 ps was confirmed. Therefore, the vertical interconnection with Cu TV and ICC demonstrates the excellent capability of high performance interconnections on 3D chip stacking package. In addition, the micro scale strip line was evaluated to realize advanced SIP. The eye diagram on 3 Gbps indicated sufficient transmission. We will be able to realize high performance advanced SIP utilizing the vertical interconnection and high-speed horizontal line.

In a cellular system with multi-hop networking, when a mobile node enters an area where mobile nodes cannot hear the base station, this node is connected to the base station by relaying capability of other mobile nodes. As a result, a cell is extended by multi-hop networking. This paper theoretically analyzes the extent of such cell extension, and discusses relation between cell extension and some mobility patterns.

We developed the CCD camera unit for a bipedal robot, which consists of a CCD camera and two mirrors. The CCD camera unit has the function of two human eyes. We conducted the distance measurement using the CCD camera unit, and its effectiveness was confirmed.

The properties of water treeing at low temperatures below 0 /spl deg/C are very important in clarification of the water tree initiation mechanisms. We investigated the properties of water treeing in polyethylene (PE) in the temperature region (-196 /spl deg/C /spl sim/ -10 /spl deg/C). We found that water tree is formed even at -65 /spl deg/C, and the initiation rate and the length of water tree increase with temperature above -65 /spl deg/C. Water tree is not formed below -100 /spl deg/C. We consider that at below -100 /spl deg/C PE is in the glass state and that the movement of water molecules and ions in PE is very restricted.

Proposes a method to autonomously select stable visual landmarks from observed features by stereo vision and a given 2D obstacle map. The robot selects as stable landmarks vertical line segments which are distinct and on a vertical plane, because they are expected to be observed reliably from various viewpoints. Due to the vision and motion error of the robot, the observed feature positions include uncertainty. This uncertainty can be reduced by matching the detected vertical plane which includes the features to a known plane in the map. The position of a selected feature is modeled by a probabilistic distribution on the known plane. The selection and modeling process is performed online to adapt to an actual lighting and background condition which varies depending on viewpoints. When the robot moves, it uses several, less uncertain landmarks to estimate its motion. Experimental results in real scenes show the validity of the proposed method.

A ceramic pin grid array (PGA) with improved 40- mu m-line thin-film aluminum metallization is described. Fine pitch bonding on 120- mu m centers has been successfully implemented. The 400-pin array package is no larger than the previous 240-pin packages. Worst-case capacitances of 1.94 pF, and inductances of 8.5 nH, have been achieved with further reductions possible. The thermal resistance of the package is 6.5 degrees C/W using an aluminum cap with aluminum fins and solder glass sealing. >

The extraction of an accurate stomach contour from radiograms for mass screening is described. The extraction is not easy because the shape and the brightness of stomach change considerably depending on the individual and the input conditions. The proposed method first obtains an approximate region, and then tracks obvious local maxima of the differentiated data in a small search area near the region to get an accurate stomach contour. If the local maximum is not found, the search area is made larger. In case it is not found even in a larger area, the stomach contour is determined by using a reference direction derived from the approximate region. The abnormalities detected from the resultant stomach contour have been satisfactory. >

A fuzzy hardware system composed of a fuzzy state memory is presented. The fuzzy inference processes are not needed by this fuzzy hardware system, so the hardware system can be constructed simply. A prototype of the hardware fuzzy state memory is implemented using operational amplifiers. As an example application, an attempt is made to control the inverted pendulum using fuzzy state memories. >

Summary form only given. Dielectric isolation technology using Silicon on Insulator (SOI) substrates has attracted much attention in smart power ICs because of inherently superior isolation. In integrating power devices with control electronics on the same chip as smart power ICs, it is desirable to minimize the area of power device region while maximizing the performances (i.e., high breakdown voltage and low on-resistance), since the area of power device region mainly determines the total chip size and hence the cost. Recent publications have shown that lateral SOI power devices can achieve high breakdown voltage by optimizing the two dimensional (2-D) device parameters in accordance with the RESURF principle. However, in practice, it is also necessary to optimize the three dimensional (3-D) device parameters in order to support a given breakdown voltage within the smallest area. In this paper, we report the effect of 3-D parameters such as the curvatures of the drain and source regions, on the breakdown voltages of lateral DMOSFET (LDMOS) in SOI substrates based on experimental results and numerical simulations using cylindrical coordinates with the device simulator MEDICI.

This paper proposes a novel control architecture for autonomous vehicle driving in a dynamic and uncertain traffic environment. The architecture is composed of three levels: (1) the operational level deals with a reactive control of a vehicle in a short time cycle; (2) the tactical level decides proper maneuvers based on prediction of future states using probabilistic traffic models; (3) the meta-tactical level, which is the feature of the architecture, timely activates an appropriate tactical-level planning procedure according to both the history of maneuvers and the current traffic condition. A utility-based maneuver evaluation method is also described. The proposed architecture was tested on a highway driving simulator in various traffic scenarios; simulation results show the feasibility of the architecture.

A new fast-cure liquid encapsulant family has been developed. These materials can be cured for less 10 minutes at 150/spl deg/C and have the characteristics that are equivalent to the purity of the conventional liquid encapsulant for Ics. (Cl/sup -/:5 ppm, K/sup +/:1 ppm, Na/sup +/:1 ppm). Also, these materials are one-component type and the viscosity increase is approximately 20% after 48 hours at 25/spl deg/C allowing flexible pot life. The fast-cure liquid encapsulants are suitable for TCP (Tape Carrier Package), COB (Chip On Board) and Flip Chip.

Ag-epoxy isotropic conductive adhesives are expected to be one of the alternatives to solder. One of the fatal drawbacks is, however, the poor compatibility between Ag fillers and Sn plating on components at elevated temperature. In the present work, the Ag-Sn alloy fillers were examined for replacing Ag filler to prevent this degradation. Two types of joints of Cu/adhesive/Cu with or without Sn plating on Cu were exposed at 150/spl deg/C. The initial strength of both joints was about 40 MPa and those increased about 65 MPa after 100 h exposure. Beyond 100 h exposure, the strength of the Sn plated joint decreased gradually as increasing exposure time. However, even after 1000 h exposure, the joint maintained high strength of 45 MPa. Thus, the Ag-Sn alloy fillers can be good replacement fillers compared with Ag fillers. On the other hand, the joint without any plating decreased strength to 25 MPa after 1000 h exposure. The interface reaction has a key role for such degradation mechanisms.

Ag filled isotropic conductive adhesives (ICAs) have been investigated as promising alternatives to lead-containing solders in surface mount technology (SMT) applications. However, one serious concern is the electromigration of silver filled ICAs, especially when used in high density interconnection assembly. This paper investigates electromigration resistance of ICAs using Ag-Sn alloys as conductive fillers. It was found that electromigration resistance depends on Ag:Sn ratios and that Ag-Sn alloys containing 25/spl sim/75 mol% of Sn have excellent resistance. These new ICAs and conventional ICAs (as reference) were evaluated for SMT, using chip components with several kinds of terminations for their stability of contact resistance and adhesion strength during reliability tests. From the test results, it can be concluded that the new ICAs are suitable potential materials for SMT application.

A positron beam facility is presently under construction at the Kyoto University Research Reactor (KUR), which is a light-water moderated tank-type reactor operated at a rated thermal power of 5 MW. A cadmium (Cd) - tungsten (W) source similar to that used in NEPOMUC was chosen in the KUR because Cd is very efficient at producing γ-rays when exposed to thermal neutron flux, and W is a widely used in converter and moderator materials. High-energy positrons are moderated by a W moderator with a mesh structure. Electrical lenses and a solenoid magnetic field are used to extract the moderated positrons and guide them to a platform outside of the reactor, respectively. Since Japan is an earthquake-prone country, a special attention is paid for the design of the in-pile positron source so as not to damage the reactor in the severe earthquake.

A novel ribosomal S6 kinase, termed p70 S6 kinase beta (p70beta), has a highly homologous amino acid sequence to that of p70/p85 S6 kinase (p70alpha). This includes the critical phosphorylation sites, Thr252, Ser394 and Thr412 in p70alpha1, which correspond to Thr241, Ser383 and Thr401 in p70beta1, respectively. However, the regulatory mechanism for p70beta remains to be elucidated.We report here the expression and the mechanism of in vivo regulation of p70beta. Two isoforms, p70beta1 and p70beta2, were expressed in a variety of tissues at a different level. p70beta1 was mainly targeted to the nucleus, whereas p70beta2 dispersed throughout the cytoplasm including nucleoplasm. The kinase activity of p70beta1 was less sensitive to the inhibition induced by rapamycin, wortmannin and amino acid withdrawal than that of p70alpha. The portion of p70beta activity inhibited by rapamycin was rescued by the rapamycin-resistant mutant of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Mutational analysis revealed that the phosphorylation of Thr241 and Thr401 in p70beta1 was indispensable for the kinase activity. In contrast, a p70beta1 mutant in which Ser383 was substituted with Gly (S383G) still retained nearly the half maximal activity. Sequential phosphorylation of wild-type and S383G mutant of p70beta1 with mTOR and 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1) in vitro synergistically activated their kinase activities.These results indicate that p70beta is regulated by the mTOR- and PDK1-signalling pathways through a synergistic interaction between phosphorylated Thr241 and Thr401, while Ser383 plays minor role in their activation mechanism. Activated p70beta may be less sensitive to dephosphorylation mediated by putative phosphatases activated by rapamycin, amino acid withdrawal, and probably wortmannin.

In order to clarify functional characteristics of pharmacy services related to home care in a suburban area, a questionnaire survey regarding home-care services was conducted for all 75 pharmacies belonged to T-City Pharmaceutical Association. The following services were investigated; A) prescription (medication guidance for patients and their families, provision of drug information to patients, management of the patient's drug history, dispensing, advice to physicians, inquiries, management of prescriptions for home infusion services); B) supply (sales of items such as over-the-counter [OTC] drugs [commercially available drugs that do not require a physician's prescription], display and catalogue sales of nursing items); C) consultation (consultation on home care, holding events such as health education programs); D) management (guidance for drug management by home visit); and E) information exchange (information exchange with other medical professionals and social workers). The results of the present study were as follows. (1) The following services were considered important and therefore regularly performed; A) prescription: medication guidance for patients and their families, provision drug information to patients, management of the patient's drug history, dispensing, advice to physicians, inquiries; and B) supply: sales of items such as OTC drugs. (2) The following services were considered important, but not sufficiently regularly performed; B) supply: display and catalogue sales of nursing items; C) consultation: consultation on home care, holding events such as health education programs; D) management: guidance for drug management by home visits; and E) information exchange. (3) On factor analysis, among home care-related pharmacy services, display and catalogue sales of nursing items as well as consultation on home care were present in the same factor group as contained sales of items such as OTC drugs, which showed a high accomplishment rate. Guidance for drug management by home visits and information exchange with other social workers were present in the same factor group as contained information exchange with other medical professionals, which showed a relatively low accomplishment rate. In summary, home care-related pharmacy services were found to be associated with information exchange and supply/consultation functions. This suggests that to improve home care-related services in pharmacies, information exchange among health, medical practices, and social welfare-associated professionals, not previously promoted, should be stimulated and supported.

We evaluated the diagnostic efficacy of detection of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) message, a catalytic domain of human telomerase, in endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP)-derived pancreatic juice.Both hTERT and CD25 expression were detected by reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) in 17 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PC), 12 patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP), and 7 patients with no ERP abnormality (N). In the same patients, beta-actin message was semiquantified by competitive RT-PCR. K-ras codon 12 mutations were concomitantly analyzed by enriched PCR-SSCP in 11 and 7 PC and CP cases, respectively.Expression of hTERT was detected in 88% of PC cases and 17% of CP cases but not in the normal control (N). Alterations in K-ras were detected in 73% of PC cases and 57% of CP cases, respectively. beta-Actin mRNA was expressed in3.0 x 10(1) copies/microl in all but two PC cases in which hTERT mRNA was not detected. CD25-positive and -negative peripheral lymphocytes were isolated from a normal volunteer using a fluorescent activating cell sorter. The hTERT message was detected in CD25-positive peripheral lymphocytes and in 18, 25, and 0% of the pancreatic juice samples from PC, CP, and N cases, respectively. All CP cases expressing hTERT message were also CD25 positive.These results suggest that detection of hTERT mRNA in pancreatic juice is a powerful tool to discriminate PC from CP, particularly when the samples are qualified against beta-actin mRNA levels and contaminating CD25-positive lymphocytes.

Recently, 7-methylheptadecane and 7,11-dimethylheptadecane have been reported as sex pheromone components of both spring hemlock looper (SHL), Lambdina athasaria, and pitch pine looper (PPL), Lambdina pellucidaria. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that SHL and PPL are reproductively isolated, in part, through species specificity in: (1) absolute configuration of pheromone components, (2) diel periodicity of pheromonal communication, and/or (3) seasonal flight period. In coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD) analyses of stereoselectively synthesized (7S)- and (7R)-7-methylheptadecane [7S; 7R] as well as (7S,11S)-, (7R,11R)-, and (meso-7,11)-7,11-dimethylheptadecane [7S,11S; 7R,11R; meso-7,11], only 7S and meso-7,11 elicited responses by male SHL and PPL antennae. In field experiments, male SHL and PPL were attracted only to lures containing 7S plus meso-7,11. In hourly recordings of trap-captured males, SHL and PPL in their respective habitats were trapped between 24:00 and 03:00 hr. Capture of both SHL and PPL in pheromone-baited traps throughout June indicated overlapping seasonal flight periods. These findings of identical absolute configuration of pheromoal components, diel periodicity of pheromonal communication, and overlap of seasonal flight periods support synonymy of SHL and PPL. Finite taxonomic classification of PPL and SHL must await careful assessment of further criteria, such as morphometrics, molecular comparisons and ecological analyses.

Forty-five acute anterior shoulder dislocations were reduced by an abduction-and-horizontal-adduction technique performed in the supine position. Forty-one (91%) of the 45 dislocations were reduced successfully on the first attempt using this technique, without anesthesia or assistance. There were no complications attributed to the technique. To clarify the reduction maneuver using this technique, the procedure was evaluated with radiographs. With horizontal adduction and gentle traction applied at 90 degrees of abduction, the scapula maximally shifted anteriorly with superior rotation, allowing the dislocated humeral head to be reduced. The long head of the biceps tendon seems to have an important role in this reduction technique, along with the musculotendinous units of the rotator cuff.

A 73-year-old man recurring hepatic encephalopathy due to a congenital splenorenal shunt concomitant with early gastric cancer was successfully treated by surgical intervention. The portal pressures before and after the shunt resection were 13.5 and 18 cm H2O, respectively. The liver was slightly atrophic and the histological specimen showed slight fibrosis and mild infiltration of lymphocytes in the portal area. After the operation, the encephalopathy was improved and the several factors of liver function also recovered. Interestingly, the liver volume estimated by abdominal CT clearly increased 1 month after the shunt resection. The encephalopathy in congenital portosystemic shunt might result from chronic liver ischemia and atrophy. Moreover, the shunt resection may enlarge the functional liver volume by increasing the portal blood flow.

Biliary obstruction due to pancreaticobiliary malignancy is often accompanied by bactibilia. The aims of this study were to clarify the impact of preoperative antibiotic use on bile bacterial flora and to identify the bile bacteria responsible for postoperative septic complications in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. Eighty-four patients with malignant biliary obstruction underwent a biliary decompression procedure before definitive surgery. In 63 patients (75%), preoperative bile culture was positive, with nine species being detected. Only the incidence of enterococcal bactibilia increased after antibiotic use (P = 0.0009), with a 16% incidence before and 63% after antibiotic use. When analyzing the correlation between preoperative bile bacteria and postoperative complications, only the Enterococcus species was associated with the occurrence of complications (P = 0.037). In conclusion, bile bacterial flora changes after preoperative antibiotic use, with a significant increase in the incidence of enterococcal bactibilia. The Enterococcus species is most responsible for postoperative septic complications in patients with malignant biliary obstruction.

Pseudo-Meigs' syndrome is a condition characterized by nonmalignant ascites and/or pleural effusion caused by pelvic tumors other than solid benign ovarian tumors. This syndrome has only rarely occurred in association with gastrointestinal cancers.We treated a 53-year-old woman who developed this syndrome due to ovarian metastasis from colon cancer. Diagnostic work-up for abdominal distension disclosed a sigmoid colon cancer and bilateral ovarian masses. Ultrasonography demonstrated massive ascites and a right pleural effusion. Repeated cytologic examinations of both effusions revealed no malignant cells. Laparotomy disclosed no peritoneal dissemination. A radical sigmoidectomy and hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy were performed.Histologic examination confirmed ovarian metastases from the colonic primary tumor. After resection, both effusions disappeared promptly, confirming a diagnosis of pseudo-Meigs' syndrome caused by sigmoid colon cancer. The patient remains alive with disease after 52 months.Among 6 reported occurrences with gastrointestinal tumors including our case, the primary site was the colon or rectum in 5 and the stomach in 1. Two cases were due to Krukenberg tumors. Three patients with documented outcomes were alive 108, 52, and 12 months after resection. Clinicians should note that gastrointestinal cancers, especially colorectal tumors, rarely may cause pseudo-Meigs' syndrome and resection may provide long-term palliation.

Temperature tolerance was investigated in nine populations of Plutella xylostellaLinnaeus from tropical and temperate regions of Asia. At all rearing temperatures between 15 and 35°C, no clear differences were observed in female egg production or larval development between tropical and temperate populations. Thus, tropical populations did not show a high-temperature tolerance superior to that of the temperate populations. In all populations, the net reproductive rate (number of new females born per female) largely depended on the number of eggs laid per female, and egg production significantly decreased with increasing temperature (P < 0.001). Larval developmental rate also showed a significant positive correlation with temperature (P < 0.001). Per cent hatch of eggs and larval survival did not show a significant correlation with temperature: hatching was constant between 15 and 32.5°C, but considerably lower at 35°C. Larval survival was similar between 15 and 30°C, appreciably lower at 32.5°C and declined to 0% at 35°C. Based on these results, environmental conditions under which P. xylostella can maintain a high population density throughout the year in tropical and subtropical regions are discussed.

The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients with chronic hepatitis C showing long-term normalization of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) without eradication of HCV RNA, as well as to investigate the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in such patients.Four hundred and nineteen patients with histologically-proven chronic hepatitis C who had received interferon (IFN) therapy were studied. Complete response (CR) was defined as persistent normalization of ALT levels with eradication of serum HCV RNA (n= 126). Long-term biochemical response with positive HCV RNA (HCV-positive BR) was defined as a normal ALT level at 6 months after IFN therapy with further persistent normalization of ALT levels for 2 or more years without eradication of serum HCV RNA (n=49). All other patterns were classified as non-response (NR, n=244).Mean follow-up periods of CR, HCV-positive BR and NR groups were 4.9, 5.2 and 4.9 years, respectively. The HCV-positive BR group had significantly higher serum HCV RNA levels and a higher rate of HCV serological group 1 classification than the CR group. The other characteristics of the HCV-positive BR group were lower histologic activity, lower ALT levels, and a higher rate of females when compared with both the CR and NR groups. Histologic staging in the HCV-positive BR group was significantly lower than that in the NR group. Cumulative incidences of HCC estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method in both the CR and HCV-positive BR groups were significantly lower than those in the NR group (log-rank test, CR vs NR p0.001, HCV-positive BR vs NR p=0.026).The patients with HCV-positive BR were virologically different from those with CR, and had lower ALT levels and histologic activity when compared to those with CR and NR.

Although adenomyoma of the gallbladder is not so rare, adenomyoma arising in the bile duct is extremely rare. We herein report a case of partial biliary obstruction due to adenomyoma of the common hepatic duct. A 64-year-old woman was referred to the 1st Department of Surgery, Niigata University School of Medicine for surgical intervention, in whom a biliary stricture in the common hepatic duct was discovered incidentally during a medical check-up for hyperamylasemia in an affiliated hospital. She was asymptomatic without jaundice. Based on her past history of abdominal contusion, the insidious presentation and the smooth biliary stricture on cholangiography, a diagnosis of benign biliary stricture secondary to blunt abdominal trauma was made. A suspicion of malignancy, however, could not be ruled out. Subsequently, she underwent a resection of the extrahepatic bile duct with lymph node dissection in the hepatoduodenal ligament. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful. She was discharged 18 days after the operation. Histology of the resected specimen confirmed the diagnosis of adenomyoma in the common hepatic duct. Clinicians should note to avoid overlooking or misdiagnosing that adenomyoma is a cause of biliary obstruction, although extremely rare.

Congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia presents surgeons with one of the most challenging of all orthopedic problems. Various surgical treatments have succeeded only rarely. We report long-term follow-up of a patient with congenital pseudarthrosis of the tibia treated with pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) and bone grafting. In this severe case, Bassett type III and Boyd type II, encouraging results were achieved with Boyd's dual onlay grafts and PEMF. Seven years after surgery, skeletal maturity was complete and an unacceptable degree of leg shortening had been avoided.

To investigate the physiological role of a protein kinase, PKN, and its relation to apoptosis in vivo.An ischemia/reperfusion model of the rat retina was created by elevating the intraocular pressure. Retinal samples were obtained after ischemic insult (15-45 minutes) followed by reperfusion (1-7 days). The effect of ischemia on the fragmentation of PKN was examined by immunoblotting and immunocytochemical procedures using the antibody against PKN. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or a caspase-3 inhibitor (DEVD-CHO) was administered intravitreally to investigate its effect on the induction of PKN fragmentation. The retinal cell loss in each sample was evaluated by toluidine blue staining.Ischemia induced a 55-kDa PKN cleavage fragment corresponding to the molecular size of the constitutively active fragment of PKN. The appearance of the cleavage fragment depended on the duration of reperfusion and correlated with the occurrence of retinal cell loss. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that ischemia increased PKN immunoreactivity in the inner layers of the retina. DEVD-CHO significantly inhibited the appearance of the 55-kDa fragment and protected against retinal cell loss. The administration of NMDA also induced cleavage of PKN.PKN is specifically cleaved by caspase-3 or a related protease during apoptosis in vivo, and PKN cleavage is at least partially initiated by activation of the NMDA receptor.

This study was intended to clarify the role of bile bacteria in the development of postoperative septic complications in patients with malignant biliary obstruction. A total of 116 patients with malignant biliary obstruction underwent surgical intervention after biliary decompression. The relation between contaminated ductal bile and postoperative abdominal septic complications was analyzed retrospectively. Such complications developed in 49 patients (42%). Bile-contaminated operations (n = 93) resulted in a higher incidence of septic complications than non-bile-contaminated operations (n = 23; P = 0.009). Patients with pre-operative positive bile culture had a higher incidence of septic complications than those with negative bile culture (P = 0.06). There was a positive correlation between the presence of pre-operative cholangitis and the occurrence of septic complications (P = 0.007). Bacteria found in pre-operative ductal bile were also detected in infected sites of 80% of patients with septic complications. Intra-operative contamination from infected ductal bile plays a critical role in the development of postoperative abdominal septic complications.