Search

Evans症候群に橋本病と抗リン脂質抗体症候群を合併した1例を経験した.症例は33歳女性で,昭和61年に当科に入院し, Evans症候群と診断された.退院後,近医で通院加療されていたが,平成2年9月に突然構音障害が出現し,さらに高度の甲状腺機能低下症も認められたため,平成3年5月に当科に再入院した.検査の結果, Evans症候群の増悪および橋本病と抗リン脂質抗体症候群の合併と診断された.構音障害については,頭部MRIで多発性脳梗塞が認められ,抗リン脂質抗体症候群によるものと考えられた.本症例においては,抗カルディオライピン抗体の産生が根本的な病態であり,抗カルディオライピン抗体が血小板および赤血球と交差反応している可能性が考えられた.さらに,橋本病の病因として,甲状腺組織との交差反応性も疑われた.

A clinical study of 24 patients with respiratory tract infection due to S. aureus detected by transtracheal aspiration (TTA) was conducted, and the following results were obtained. 1) The detection frequency of S. aureus was relatively low (4.6%). 2) Pneumonia was the principal clinical manifestation. 3) Approximately one half of the patients had previously received antimicrobials. 4) Multiple organisms were frequently detected, particularly in cases of hospital-acquired infection. H. influenzae was the most frequently simultaneously detected organism. 5) On sputum examination, approximately 20 ml of purulent sputum was found in most cases, and S. aureus was detected in sputum specimens from 20 of the patients. 6) The largest number of cases was found in 1987. Onset was most common from autumn to spring. 7) Undernutrition was the most frequently associated host factor. As indicated by the above findings, the clinical expression of S. aureus infection is variable, and it is important that it be diagnosed accurately.

From the T-dependences of the Knight shift and 1/T1T of 77 Se NMR, the approach to the metal–insulator transition from the metallic side in NiS2−xSex has been clarified to be characterized by the development of antiferromagnetic spin fluctuation.

Simple and fast processing elements for setting up Benes networks in parallel were demonstrated for the first time. All functions of the parallel processing elements were implemented with only hard-wired logic circuits, some of which operate asynchronously, for simplicity and speed. We developed the most critical elements for setting up a 16 × 16 Benes network. As a result, a preliminary design of the elements required only 67 slices (or about 1%) on an ordinary FPGA, and operated as fast as in only 20 clock cycles.

In this study, experimental data, geometrical models, and finite element analysis are presented for typical structurally stitched multilayer preform composed of quasi-unidirectional carbon fibre woven fabric. The term ‘structural’ presumes here that the stitching yarn does not only consolidate the plies (as the non-structural one does) but forms also a through the thickness reinforcement. One stitching technique, tufting, is studied, with 67 tex carbon yarn. The models account for general features of the local preform geometry and are believed to allow for a sufficient modelling on the mesoscale (textile unit cell) level. Experimental and theoretical results are presented, compared and discussed; a ‘road’ map is proposed for the modelling of structurally stitched preforms.

This paper provides qualification test results of large forgings and thick hot rolled plates of austenitic stainless steels, newly developed JJ1 (0.03C-12Cr-12Ni-10Mn-5Mo-0.24N), and 316LN containing high nitrogen of 0.2%, to be used in coil cases of the ITER toroidal field coils. The distributions of tensile properties at liquid helium temperature (4K) in products, average strengths with standard deviations at 4K, temperature dependence of strengths are evaluated to qualify the materials and to establish a reasonable quality control method to be applied to mass production materials for the ITER toroidal field coils. It is also demonstrated that temperature dependence of strengths are expressed by quadratic curves, which are expressed as a function of carbon and nitrogen contents and strengths at room temperature.Copyright © 2009 by ASME

Complex precipitates of Nb and V in ferritic steels have been considered to act as strong obstacles against dislocation glide. In the previous report, the authors investigated a complex precipitate of Nb and V in 9% Cr ferritic steel and showed that plate-like V-nitrides were formed adhering to spherical Nb (C,N) during tempering. These peculiar shaped precipitates are likely to trap dislocations during high temperature deformation such as creep. In this paper, the effect of the sizes of the complex carbonitrides on the creep strength of 9% Cr ferritic steels was investigated. The sizes of the carbonitrides were varied by changing the amount of N.

We studied the correlation between interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and clinical/laboratory findings in children with aseptic meningitis. In 19/27 patients (70%), the CSF IFN level was high at initial diagnosis, and reduced to a low or undetectable level during the convalescent phase (5-14 days later) of the disease. There were no differences in IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha levels between the acute and convalescent phase of the patients. The serum IFN-gamma levels in the patients, which were simultaneously examined were undetectable in the acute phase. When we compared the clinical/laboratory findings between the 29 patients with detectable CSF IFN-gamma level and the 21 patients with an undetectable CSF IFN-gamma level in the acute phase, the former demonstrated higher body temperature (P less than 0.01), and higher cell number and protein level in the CSF (P less than 0.05) than the latter. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in the duration of meningeal signs, the titre of C-reactive protein, and the peripheral leucocyte count between the two groups. By the Spearman's rank sum test, the CSF IFN-gamma levels correlated more definitively with the severity of febrile episode (maximal body temperature, duration of fever and body temperature at the first lumbar tap), and the cell number and protein level in the CSF. These results suggest that IFN-gamma produced in the inflamed intrathecal space may be associated with the pathogenesis of aseptic meningitis, especially the production of fever.

A novel high-power GaAlAs superluminescent diode (SLD) structure that introduces an antireflective (AR) window region into the rear side of the SLD is proposed. The light beam which travels backward is emitted from the edge of the active layer and diverges in the window region. Then the beam is reflected at the AR-coated rear facet only by a small percentage, a fraction of which couples into the active layer. Thus, this window structure gives a reduction of the reflectivity at the interface between the active layer and the window region so that lasing oscillation is successfully suppressed. An SLD operation of output power as high as 50 mW is obtained with a stable fundamental spatial mode. The spectral bandwidth at half maximum is about 15 nm over a wide output power range. >

The reliability of high-power single-mode GaAlAs lasers with nonabsorbing mirrors (NAMs) was investigated in detail. The lasers were tested at various output powers and temperatures. The aging test was performed under constant power in order to examine the output power dependence. In order to carry out the measurement with accuracy, the heat sink temperature was controlled with an error of +or-0.1 degrees C, and the operating current was measured every hour or every 10 h. As a result, very smooth aging test curves were obtained. Output powers of the coated lasers in the aging tests were 30, 50, and 100 mW, and the temperatures of the heat sink were 50, 70, and 90 degrees C. conventional lasers without a NAM were tested for comparison. The results indicate that the degradation of the lasers is dependent not on the output power, but on the operating current and temperature. The thermal activation energy and the degradation rate is estimated to be 0.85 eV. >

It has been considered that small additions of Nb and V have striking effects on the creep strength of high Cr ferritic steels which are used for elevated temperature services such as boilers, steam generators etc. Although Nb and V are thought to form complex precipitates which may act as obstacles for the dislocation glide, the distribution and morphology of the precipitates have not been clarified yet. Several examples of simple precipitates of V in low alloy steels were only reported. In this paper, the morphology of the complex carbonitride of Nb and V in 9% Cr ferritic steels was investigated and the role of the carbonitride on the creep strength was discussed.

The effect of annealing conditions and solute substitution of samarium and lanthanum on the oxygen deficiency and superconductive properties of YBa2Cu3Ox-based compounds has been examined. The oxygen deficiency which occurs in samples cooled in air from temperatures above about 400 °C gives poor superconductivity. Although the oxygen content did not change in the samples cooled in a furnace, a degradation of superconductivity, which may be responsible for the formation of lattice imperfections including incipient twin-like bands, was noticed. A partial replacement of yttrium by samarium is found to be effective for stabilizing the superconductivity.

This paper discusses the compressed to several subpulses (C.S.S.) binary codes that compressed an input pulse into a narrower pulse width without time sidelobes than the pulse width given by the reciprocal of bandwidth of the transmitted pulse. The improvement factors IF for C.S.S. binary codes were calculated and compared with those of matched filters. We then clarified that the losses depend on kinds of C.S.S. binary codes and the desired pulse width, and further found useful C.S.S. binary codes for the mismatched filter.

Aims. In this paper we report on calculations for energy levels, radiative rates, collision strengths, and effective collision strengths fortransitions among the lowest 25 levels of the n ≤ 5 configurations of H-like Ar xviii.Methods. The general-purpose relativistic atomic structure package (grasp) andDirac atomic R-matrix code (darc) are adopted forthe calculations.Results. Radiative rates, oscillator strengths, and line strengths are reported for all electric dipole (E1), magnetic dipole (M1), electricquadrupole (E2), and magnetic quadrupole (M2) transitions among the 25 levels. Furthermore, collision strengths and effectivecollision strengths are listed for all 300 transitions among the above 25 levels over a wide energy (temperature) range up to 800 Ryd(107.4 K).

Aims. In this paper we report on calculations for energy levels, radiative rates, collision strengths, and effective collision strengths for transitions among the lowest 25 levels of the n $\le$ 5 configurations of H-like Fe XXVI.Methods. The general-purpose relativistic atomic structure package (GRASP) and Dirac atomic R-matrix code (DARC) are adopted for the calculations. Results. Radiative rates, oscillator strengths, and line strengths are reported for all electric dipole (E1), magnetic dipole (M1), electric quadrupole (E2), and magnetic quadrupole (M2) transitions among the 25 levels. Furthermore, collision strengths and effective collision strengths are reported for all the 300 transitions among the above 25 levels over a wide energy (temperature) range up to 1500 Ryd (107.7 K). Comparisons are made with earlier available results and the accuracy of the data is assessed.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) has developed jacketing technologies for ITER Toroidal Field (TF) and Central Solenoid (CS) conductor. Full scale TF and CS conduits were fabricated using carbon‐reduced SUS316LN and boron‐added (∼40 ppm ) high manganese stainless steel (0.025C ‐22Mn ‐13Cr ‐9Ni ‐0.12N: JK2LB), respectively. Welding condition was optimized so that back bead does not interfere a cable insertion. The weld joint samples were compacted by a compaction machine that was newly constructed and tested at 4.2 K. Mechanical characteristics at 4K of CS, TF conduits and CS welded joint satisfied ITER mechanical requirements. TF welded joint shows slightly lower value of 0.2% yield strength (885 MPa) than that of ITER requirement (900 MPa). The TF conduit contains nitrogen content of 0.14%, which is minimum value in ITER specification. The lower nitrogen content may be caused by the release of nitrogen from molten metal during non‐filler welding resulting in a 4 K strength decrease. To satisfy the ITER requirements, minimum nitrogen contents of conduit should be increased from 0.14% to 0.15% at least. Therefore, JAEA successfully developed TF and CS conduits with welding technologies and finalized the procurement specification for ITER conductor jacketing.

We investigated the effect of branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplementation on tissue damage during distance running.Eight male distance runners (mean +/- standard deviation; age: 20.4+/-1.2 years, body weight: 58.4+/-4.2 kg) participated in a double blinded cross over designed study conducted during training camp. During each intervention period, the subjects were asked to participate in a 25-km run, and the blood BCAA and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, an index of tissue damage, were measured pre- and post-run. Either a drink containing BCAA (0.4% BCAA in a 4% carbohydrate solution) or an iso-calorie placebo drink was provided to the subjects 5 times during the run without any restriction in the volume.The total volume of the drink consumed by the subjects did not differ substantially between the trials: 591+/-188 (2.36 g BCAA) vs 516+/-169 mL in BCAA and placebo trial, respectively. During the run, the blood BCAA concentration was maintained in the BCAA trial. However, the blood BCAA concentration level tended to decrease in the placebo trial (P0.1). The extent of the blood LDH increase in the BCAA trial was significantly less than that of the placebo trail (48% vs 58%, P0.05).Maintaining the blood BCAA level throughout a long distance run contributes to a reduction in the LDH release and, therefore, the effect of BCAA supplementation is suggested to reduce the degree of muscle damage.

This article describes an electro-thermal-mechanical coupled simulation newly developed for HV inverters, a modeling technique for fast and accurate calculation, simulation results, several applications and their verifications. The model is based on an electric circuit simulation technique and is obtained by modeling a motor, motor controller, power semiconductor devices and their driver circuits, interconnection, smoothing capacitors, and thermal circuits of power semiconductors including package structure. The current, voltage, and carrier frequency data computed from the control system model containing many dynamic characteristics of motor and vehicle specifications as driving conditions were inputted into the inverter circuit. Using this modeling technique, a five-second full-throttle simulation was completed in sixteen hours of computation time because of the model parameter determined by the effect of acceleration performance. This inverter system model enables simulations with various characteristics from all inverter components, such as the controller, the silicon chip, device packages, cooling structure and driver circuits. The error in the simulation is below five percent. This technique enables not only simulation of single components but also of the mutual impact among several components in an inverter system. As a result, the inverter design could be optimized, thus contributing to significant improvements in the high acceleration performance of HVs.

Background:Many studies have demonstrated that thoracoscopic lobectomy is superior to open thoracotomy in terms of short-termoutcomes in patientswith early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. However, few studies have analyzed the predictor of the postoperative deteriorationof performance status or complication in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy, despite considerable research in open thoracotomy. Besides, those studies did not cover the physical functions such as a muscle strength or an exercise capacity. Purpose: The purposes of this study were to identify predictors of short-term outcomes including the postoperative deterioration of the performance status and cardiopulmonary complications and to determine whether preoperative physical function including the lower-limb muscle strength and exercise capacity is associated with the short-term outcomes. Methods: Between June 2005 and October 2012, we retrospectively reviewed 188 consecutive patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and the perioperative pulmonary rehabilitation for preoperative stage I non-small cell lung cancer. Demographic, lung and physical functions, surgical, and oncologic data were initially analyzed by using univariate analysis. Those with a P value of less than 0.2 of univariate analyses were used as independent variables in themultivariate logistic regression analyses. Pulmonary rehabilitation that consisted of postoperative early mobilization and progressive exercise training was administered during the patients’ hospitalization. Results: The incidences of postoperative deterioration of performance status and cardiopulmonary complication were 13.8% (n= 26) and 19.1% (n= 36), respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that percent of predicted diffusion capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (

We have been studying the application of ion implantation technology to power semiconductors. The ion implantation technology uses a stencil mask instead of a photo‐resist mask in order to reduce the number of processes and achieve high‐energy mask ion implantation. Deterioration in implantation pattern accuracy, which is caused by thermal deformation of the stencil mask due to ion beam incidence, has become a critical issue because of the heavy use of high doses of ion implantation in the power semiconductor. In this research, we developed a stencil mask structure that drastically reduces thermal deformation, and technology capable of realizing the ring pattern needed in power semiconductors.

Polymer photovoltaic cells (PVCs) consisting of a blend of p-type poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and n-type [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) were fabricated and investigated the role of the PCBM concentration. The photocurrent and the power conversion efficiency gradually increased with increase in PCBM concentration up to 50% and decreased with further increase in PCBM concentration. Both the root mean square and average roughnesses measured by atomic force microscopy decrease as the PCBM concentration increases from 0 to approximately 70%. The surface morphology of P3HT/PCBM blended and improved donor-acceptor proximity, leading to electron conductivity, contribute to the increase in power conversion efficiency.

We report two siblings with spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 (SCA1) who experienced frequent episodes of spontaneous pneumothorax. Radiologic findings indicated underlying degenerative changes in the lungs. This suggests a possible pathophysiologic relationship between SCA1 and familial occurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax.

In September 2002, an amateur astronomer discovered a rapidly moving object that initially appeared to be a near-Earth asteroid. Analysis of the observations by the Minor Planet Center established that the object, identified as J002E3, was in a geocentric rather than heliocentric orbit. This extremely unusual orbit prompted a flurry of observational and analytic interest. Detailed analysis of incoming position observations at the JPL Near-Earth Object Program Office determined that the object was in an unstable, 42-day period orbit about the Earth. They concluded that this orbital behavior was inconsistent with a natural solar system body like an asteroid but was very consistent with a man-made body launched from the Earth. Their analysis of the orbital characteristics and the timeline pointed to the upper S-IVB stage of the Apollo 12 launch in November 1969. The measured spectra of J002E3 match white paint better than asteroid surface materials, and the measured photometric characteristics indicate that J002E3 does not appear to be an asteroid. The objective of this study is to determine if the observed lightcurves of J002E3 match those expected for a cylindrical rocket upper stage. The identification of J002E3 as an artificial satellite placed it within the research interests of the Air Force Research Laboratory Maui Optical and Supercomputing (AMOS) Site. The charter of this facility is the development and application of electro-optical imaging and non-imaging techniques for the identification of artificial, Earth-orbiting spacecraft. Photometric and high-resolution visible spectral observations of J002E3 were made using sensors on the 3.67-meter Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) telescope and are in quantitative agreement with the astronomical observations. Detailed analyses of these observations were conducted with application of algorithms designed for use with artificial satellites. The configuration, size, and dynamics of J002E3 have been determined using photometric lightcurves. The high-resolution visible spectra are compared to the spectra of aged white paint observed on other rocket bodies. This paper presents the results of these analyses and compares them to results for artificial objects.

The prototype mobile phone reported here receives digital terrestrial TV broadcasting. The prototype fully complies with broadcast markup language and it enables the mutual linking of communications content and broadcasting content.

The Poloidal Field Conductor Insert (PFCI) of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) has been designed in the EU and is being manufactured at Tesla Engineering, UK, in the frame of a Task Agreement with the ITER International Team. Completion of the PFCI is expected at the beginning of 2005. Then, the coil shall be shipped to JAERI Naka, Japan, and inserted into the bore of the ITER Central Solenoid Model Coil, where it should be tested in 2005 to 2006. The PFCI consists of a NbTi dual-channel conductor, almost identical to the ITER PF1 and PF6 design, 45 m long, with a 50 mm thick square stainless steel jacket, wound in a single-layer solenoid. It should carry up to 50 kA in a field of 6 T, and it will be cooled by supercritical He at 4.5 K and 0.6 MPa. An intermediate joint, representative of the ITER PF joints and located at relatively high field, will be an important new item in the test configuration with respect to the previous ITER Insert Coils. The PFCI will be fully instrumented with inductive and resistive heaters, as well as with voltage taps, Hall probes, pick-up coils, temperature sensors, pressure gauges, strain and displacement sensors. The test program will be aimed at DC and pulsed performance assessment of conductor and intermediate joint, AC loss measurement, stability and quench propagation, thermal-hydraulic characterization. Here we give an overview of the preparatory work toward the test, including a review of the coil manufacturing and of the available instrumentation, a discussion of the most likely test program items, and a presentation of the supporting modeling and characterization work performed so far.

To evaluate the role of aging and specific cytokine blockade in the etiology of cachexia caused by adjuvant arthritis (AA), a model of cytokine-associated cachexia.AA was induced in Lewis rats using CFA. In Experiment 1, severity of AA and inflammatory cachexia was assessed in young (Y, age 2-6 months, n = 132) and old rats (O, age 18-22 months, n = 40). In Experiment 2, young rats were divided into 5 different intervention groups: Saline-injected (n = 66); CFA-injected (n = 78); CFA-injected and treated with IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra, n = 18); CFA-injected and treated with soluble TNF receptor type I (sTNFrI, n = 27); and CFA-injected and treated with both IL-1Ra and sTNFrI (both treatments, n = 8).In Experiment 1, young Lewis rats developed more severe arthritis (mean joint score on day 21 = 5.1 +/- 0.3) compared to the old group (0.6 +/- 0.6, p0.0001). The young group with AA lost 2.1% of baseline total body weight loss compared to 13.8% total body weight gain in controls (p0.0001). In contrast, old rats injected with CFA lost as much weight (-11%) as age-matched saline injected controls (-13%, p0.05, n = 18, age 18-22 months). In Experiment 2, mean joint scores in rats treated with IL-1Ra, sTNFrI or both were higher then untreated rats injected with CFA (p0.0001). Despite this, rats given both IL-1Ra and sTNFrI lost less weight on day 16 (p0.01) and 21 (p0.002) than untreated rats or those rats treated with either IL-1Ra or sTNFrI.Lewis rats aged 2-6 months are more susceptible to developing AA than older rats (age range 18-22 months). Inhibition of both IL-1 and TNF is needed to mitigate AA-associated weight loss, and this effect is dissociated from the effect of such inhibition on joint inflammation.

We performed (1)H-MR spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) on multiple brain regions to determine the metabolite pattern and diagnostic utility of (1)H-MRS in multiple system atrophy (MSA).Examining single voxels at 3.0 T, we studied metabolic findings of the putamen, pontine base, and cerebral white matter in 24 MSA patients (predominant cerebellar ataxia (MSA-C), n = 13), parkinsonism (MSA-P), n = 11), in 11 age and duration matched Parkinson's disease patients (PD) and in 18 age matched control subjects.The N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio (NAA/Cr) in MSA patients showed a significant reduction in the pontine base (p0.0001) and putamen (p = 0.02) compared with controls. NAA/Cr in cerebral white matter also tended to decline in long standing cases. NAA/Cr reduction in the pontine base was prominent in both MSA-P (p0.0001) and MSA-C (p0.0001), and putaminal NAA/Cr reduction was significant in MSA-P (p = 0.009). It was also significant in patients who were in an early phase of their disease, and in those who showed no ataxic symptoms or parkinsonism, or did not show any MRI abnormality of the "hot cross bun" sign or hyperintense putaminal rims. NAA/Cr in MSA-P patients was significantly reduced in the pontine base (p = 0.001) and putamen (p = 0.002) compared with PD patients. The combined (1)H-MRS in the putamen and pontine base served to distinguish patients with MSA-P from PD more clearly.(1)H-MRS showed widespread neuronal and axonal involvement in MSA. The NAA/Cr reduction in the pontine base proved highly informative in the early diagnosis of MSA prior to MRI changes and even before any clinical manifestation of symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the suppressive effect of a newly synthesized compound, 2-amino-3-cyano-5-(2-fluorophenyl)-4-methylpyrrole (NS-8), on micturition, and its mode and sites of action in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Female rats were anaesthetized with urethane, and isovolumetric bladder contractions and cystometrograms recorded. The pelvic afferent discharges from the bladder were also monitored. RESULTS In the cystometric study, NS-8 increased the bladder capacity without affecting the maximum bladder contraction pressure, an effect unlike that of currently used anticholinergic drugs for the overactive bladder, which commonly decrease the maximum bladder contraction pressure. Intravesical and intravenous injection of NS-8 inhibited isovolumetric bladder contractions in a dose-dependent manner without affecting their amplitude, whereas intracerebroventricular injection with NS-8 had no such effect. During the urine storage phase of the cystometrogram, NS-8 decreased the discharge rate of the afferent pelvic nerve from the bladder, in association with a decrease in the increase in intravesical pressure. CONCLUSION NS-8 suppressed the micturition reflex by decreasing afferent pelvic nerve activity. Activation of calcium-sensitive potassium channel of the bladder may be responsible for such an effect. This agent has the potential to treat patients with urinary frequency and incontinence.

To assess the potential of p21 as a gene therapy treatment for prostate cancer, by introducing p21 into both androgen-dependent (AD) and -independent (AI) human prostate cancer cell lines via a recombinant adenoviral vector, Ad5CMV-p21, carrying human p21 cDNA.The LNCaP, DU145 and PC-3 human prostate cancer cell lines were cultured and infected with Ad5CMV-p21. Cell growth, cell-cycle progression and tumorigenicity were then assessed by thymidine incorporation into cellular DNA, and cell number, flow cytometry, and tumour growth after inoculating the cells into nude mice.Growth was inhibited in Ad5CMV-p21 viral-infected AD and AI prostate cancer cells. The effects were dose-dependent, regardless of the androgen status of the cell lines. Flow cytometric analysis showed that Ad5CMV-p21 arrested cell-cycle progression at G1/S with no appreciable effect on the levels of apoptotic cells. The tumorigenicity of cancer cells infected with Ad5CMV-p21 was greatly reduced in athymic mice.These results suggest that Ad5CMV-p21 may be a new therapeutic agent for human prostate cancer gene therapy.

It becomes a widely accepted consensus that every human activity has to be designed or redesigned from the viewpoint of the sustainability. In the field of product manufacturing, development and improvement of products and manufacturing processes that reduce environmental impacts become very important issues and their implementation has become a mandatory as a public concern on environmental impacts of manufacturing industries heightened. In order to support those activities for sustainability, an evaluation of environmental impacts (e.g. global warming, ozone layer depletion) of new products and new processes are crucial. This paper proposes an expansion of technological information infrastructure concept and defines process units that are basic building blocks of recycling systems. The proposed scheme is a basis for life cycle engineering and enables a model-based engineering and a PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Action) based management in designs and operation of recycling systems.

Ni, Ni-Al and Ni-Cr powder particles were plasma sprayed onto the mirror polished metallic substrate surface and the effect of substrate temperature on the particle/substrate interface microstructure was investigated. Sprayed particles were fully melted, sphere in a shape and oxidized on their surfaces during spraying in an air atmosphere. The surface oxide layers were detected as Al or Cr rich thin layer, respectively by electron probe micro analysis (EPMA). After spraying of the particles onto the substrate, cross section microstructures at particle/substrate interfaces were investigated. As a result, almost no oxide layer was detected at the particle/substrate interface when the substrate was kept at room temperature. On the other hand, the oxide layer was apparently recognized at the interface when the substrate was kept at a certain elevated temperature, such as at 673K. The difference in the existence of the oxide layer at interface seems to relate the wettability of the substrate by the liquid particles. The transition temperature, Tt, for each powder material was measured. The meaning of elemental addition to the base metal was considered from the changing tendency in Tt value of each powder material. Through the investigation results obtained, dominating factor on the flattening of the thermal sprayed particles onto the flat substrate surface was estimated.

Among optical pattern inspection methods for PWBs (printed wiring boards), a feature-extraction method achieves higher throughput than a design-data-comparison method, but it cannot avoid false alarms completely. The authors propose an error-code-chain method to reduce these false alarms. A hierarchical defect analysis technique is employed, combining the feature-extraction method and the error-code-chain method. It discriminates between fatal defects and false alarms, taking global features into account. This method has been applied to the pattern inspection system described by G. Odawara et al. (1986), and it has achieved both false alarm reduction and video-rate processing. >

A wireless private branch exchange (PBX) system which is now being developed is discussed. Speech quality is the same as that of ordinary fixed telephone sets, an important requirement in heavily loaded office areas. System configuration of the wireless PBX system is proposed. Several key techniques are described. Measured transmission quality is shown.

As a high-field pulse-poloidal test coil in the development program of superconducting coils for fusion machines, a 1 m-inner diameter superconducting coil named DPC-EX wound with 10 kA Nb/sub 3/Sn cable-in-conduit forced-cooled conductor was fabricated and its various performances were investigated. In its second test, the ramp-rate limitation phenomenon, i.e. the dependence of the coil current at quench on the current ramp speed, was studied in detail and a lot of important data for the design of large pulse coils were achieved.

The rapid progress of multimedia demands liquid crystal display (LCD) projectors that can display computer data, such as video-graphic arrays (VGA), super-video-graphic arrays (SVGA), extended-graphic arrays (XGA) and super-extended-graphic arrays (SXGA). One of the major challenges for poly-Si TFT drivers in such multi-scan LCDs is displaying as black in the peripheral region around the picture during a blanking period. Using conventional shift register driver circuits, the scanning speed in the up-and-down no-picture region is too high for pixel TFTs to write signals for black. Although decoder driver circuits for multi-scan operation have been introduced into an HDTV poly-Si TFT-LCD, they require many address signals and logic gates. These increase circuit area and thereby decrease the manufacturing yields. Poly-Si TFT drivers use a combination of bi-directional shift registers and decoder circuits to solve the above problems for a 2.7 in, 1.3 Mpixel TFT LCD light valve.

This paper presents a real-time calculation method to generate the trajectory of robot manipulator for the purpose of avoiding collision. In order to model 3-D workspace, we use an octree which has been used for fast collision detection. Path planning is done at two levels. First, a global planner finds a sub-goal in the 3-D workspace using the structure of the octree. Then a local planner searches the path to the sub-goal in the joint space. If the local planner fails, a new sub-goal is selected by the global planner and subsequently examined by the local planner. In the local planner, the levels of the octree are used as the cost function to represent the distance between the manipulator and the obstacles. This criterion is not exact, but, due to this, we can obtain the approximate feasible trajectory extremely quickly. We show the effectiveness of our method with some simulation examples.

This paper treats a one-machine infinite-bus model power system with AVR and GOV. First, a three-phase short-circuit fault is assumed, and equilibrium points of the swing equations are obtained. Next, the supplementary control input u/sub a/ for AVR is determined on the basis of the equilibrium point control proposed by the authors. Therefore, the equivalent electric power output increases, where the AVR limiter is positively considered, Also the supplementary control input u/sub g/, for GOV is determined by setting the unstable equilibrium point into the neighborhood of the limiter. Then, the critical clearing time t/sub cr/, becomes longer, and the capacity of electric power output P/sub emax/ increases up to almost 150%.

An all-weather automated construction system has been developed to reduce the total cost of high-rise reinforced concrete building construction. It was applied for the first time in the world to the construction of a 26-story reinforced concrete condominium project in Chiba Prefecture in 1995. This system incorporates four major elements: 1) a synchronously climbing all-weather temporary roof; 2) a parallel material delivery system; 3) prefabrication and unification of construction materials; and 4) a material management system. It ensures good quality; improves the working and environmental conditions; reduces the construction period, manpower and waste; and improves overall productivity.

The wireless hypermedia system (WHS) is introduced and analyzed. The system is used to broadcast multimedia information such as news, weather information or advertising and commercial information. The role of the transmitter is to broadcast compressed data which includes text, graphic and image information encoded in the hypertext markup language (HTML) format used on the World Wide Web. The performance of the WHS at a transmitter and a receiver has been studied for various compression techniques. A suitable packet length of the transmitted data has been chosen to provide a gain in the transmission efficiency.

A new 60 V BiCDMOS device technology has been developed for specialized automotive applications. This technology merges a 7 V 2 /spl mu/m CMOS process and a 7 V bipolar transistor process with a 60 V DMOS process. Bipolar transistors for 18 V and 35 V are also available without any additional process steps. In addition, it includes a multithickness metal process which permits the use of a thin patterned metal layer over the signal parts for high packing density and a thick metal layer over the power parts for low voltage drop. With the availability of this multithickness metal process, chip size can be reduced.

Windows NT is a major operating system in business area and is said to have real-time capability by supporting the fixed priority scheduling. However, even if the highest system priority is used, real-time capability for applications are not guaranteed. Some vendors have accomplished this problem by modifying the hardware abstraction layer (HAL) and the kernel but this will lose the standardization of Windows NT. In this paper, we propose Real-time PC. Real-time PC is a real-time task scheduler which is implemented as a device driver in Windows NT, and by using Real-time PC, users are able to create real-time tasks that have to be executed periodically on a millisecond base on Windows NT. Real-time PC is also implemented on Windows CE, and the real-time tasks can be executed on either platform.

To clarify the relationship between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variations and phenotypes in patients with A3243G mutation.We studied whole mtDNA sequences in two families with A3243G mutation and characteristic clinical features. Two brothers in Family 1 had shown thiamine deficiency and mitochondrial myopathy without central nervous system involvement. In Family 2, a 16-year-old woman showed the symptoms of mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). Her mother had had diabetes mellitus and died at the age of 42. The proportion of A3243G mtDNA in blood was 87 and 89% in the patients of Family 1, and 25% in the patient and less than 5% in the mother of Family 2.The mtDNA analysis revealed the following homoplasmic substitutions: T1520C and C12153T found only in Family 1, and A15954G found only in Family 2. These substitutions were not detected in seven other MELAS patients or in 50 controls.These substitutions might be specific to these families and could be one of the factors that modulate their clinical features together with the A3243G mutation.

A year has passed since the care insurance system started. Even though people have pointed out various kinds of problems, the number of users has gradually increase and lots of them have reported satisfaction. At present, there are about 2 million and 600 thousand people who have assessed the care grade, but about 600 thousand people who do not use care service. Although the patients and their families do not want to use the care service system, caremanagers can not leave them as they are. The topic that caremanagers have to take care is how to support them.

Pressure drop characteristics of the cable-in-conduit conductor adopted in the ITER Central Solenoid Model Coil (CSMC) were first measured through the CSMC experiment in the ITER relevant cooling condition. The conductor has two parallel flow channels such as a bundle channel and a central channel. Previous studies have proposed pressure drop correlations between the friction factor and Reynolds number for the central channel. In this report, the measured pressure drop data were compared with these correlations. Results indicate that the measured pressure drop characteristic shows a large deviation from prediction. Friction factor for the central channel is less sensitive to Reynolds number in comparison with modified Blasius type correlation. The correlations proposed by Colebrook and Zanino show a relatively good prediction.

A new design code has been developed for construction and operation/maintenance of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). A superconducting magnet system is one of the key components of ITER and its design code includes new cryogenic materials and design approach with taking account of unique features of a performance of the superconducting magnet. The new materials are nitrogen strengthened austenitic stainless steels, which have a yield strength (Sy ) of over 1000 MPa and fracture toughness (KIc ) of over 200 MP√m at liquid helium temperature (4K). The feature of the design approach is use of the allowable stress defined by only 2/3 Sy measured at 4K. A concept and reliability of the new design approach using new cryogenic materials for the ITER superconducting magnet system are discussed in this paper.Copyright © 2002 by ASME

The Central Solenoid Model Coil (CSMC) and the CS Insert Coil (CSIC) were tested during the spring and summer of 2000 at JAERI Naka, Japan, within the framework of the ITER large projects. The CSIC is a single-layer one-in-hand solenoid inserted in the bore of the CSMC. It uses a Nb 3 Sn dual-channel cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC), about 140 m long, cooled by forced flow supercritical HeI nominally at 4.5 K and 0.6 MPa. The friction of the helium flow in the conductor plays a fundamental role in assessing the total mass-flow rate and its repartition between the central cooling channel and the annular bundle region. In turn, these may significantly influence, e.g., quench and/or heat slug propagation in the coil. In the CSIC these issues are complicated further by the fact that different friction characteristics were observed in different phases (e.g., with or without current) of the experimental campaign. Here we present and discuss a selection of the CSIC experimental data of pressure drop vs. mass-flow rate, which were measured for the first time on a full-size ITER conductor in cryogenic conditions during the CSMC and CSIC tests, and compare with predictions based on existing correlations for the friction factor f H in the central channel and f B in the cable bundle, as a function of the respective Reynolds number Re H and Re B . Finally, we derive an ad-hoc correlation for f B , to be used in case of operation of the CSIC with transport current, under the assumption that the central channel stays unchanged.