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GPR34 is a recently identified G-protein coupled receptor, which has an immunomodulatory role and recognizes lysophosphatidylserine (LysoPS) as a putative ligand. Here, we report cryo-electron microscopy structures of human GPR34-Gicomplex bound with either the LysoPS analogue S3E-LysoPS, which contains an ethoxy group at thesn-1 position, or M1, a derivative of S3E-LysoPS in which oleic acid is substituted with a metabolically stable aromatic fatty acid surrogate. In both structures, the ligand-binding pocket is laterally open toward the membrane, allowing lateral entry of lipidic agonists into the cavity. The amine and carboxylate groups of the serine moiety are recognized by the charged residue cluster, and the aromatic fatty acid surrogate of M1 forms stable hydrophobic interactions with the cavity, thus acting as a superagonist. Molecular dynamics simulations further account for the LysoPS-regioselectivity of GPR34. Thus, using a series of structural and physiological experiments, we provide evidence that chemically unstable 2-acyl LysoPS is the physiological ligand for GPR34, suggesting its short signal duration. Overall, we anticipate the present structures will pave the way for development of novel anticancer drugs that specifically target GPR34.

The class 2 type V CRISPR effector Cas12 is thought to have evolved from the IS200/IS605 superfamily of transposon-associated TnpB proteins1. Recent studies have identified TnpB proteins as miniature RNA-guided DNA endonucleases2,3. TnpB associates with a single, long RNA (ωRNA) and cleaves double-stranded DNA targets complementary to the ωRNA guide. However, the RNA-guided DNA cleavage mechanism of TnpB and its evolutionary relationship with Cas12 enzymes remain unknown. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of Deinococcus radiodurans ISDra2 TnpB in complex with its cognate ωRNA and target DNA. In the structure, the ωRNA adopts an unexpected architecture and forms a pseudoknot, which is conserved among all guide RNAs of Cas12 enzymes. Furthermore, the structure, along with our functional analysis, reveals how the compact TnpB recognizes the ωRNA and cleaves target DNA complementary to the guide. A structural comparison of TnpB with Cas12 enzymes suggests that CRISPR–Cas12 effectors acquired an ability to recognize the protospacer-adjacent motif-distal end of the guide RNA–target DNA heteroduplex, by either asymmetric dimer formation or diverse REC2 insertions, enabling engagement in CRISPR–Cas adaptive immunity. Collectively, our findings provide mechanistic insights into TnpB function and advance our understanding of the evolution from transposon-encoded TnpB proteins to CRISPR–Cas12 effectors.

Scattered sunlight from the interplanetary dust (IPD) cloud in our solar system presents a serious foreground challenge for spectrophotometric measurements of the extragalactic background light (EBL). In this work, we report on inferred measurements of the absolute intensity of the zodiacal light (ZL) using the novel technique of Fraunhofer line spectroscopy on the deepest 8542 Å line of the near-infrared Ca ii absorption triplet. The measurements are performed with the narrow band spectrometer (NBS) on board the Cosmic Infrared Background Experiment sounding rocket instrument. We use the NBS data to test the accuracy of two ZL models widely cited in the literature, the Kelsall and Wright models, which have been used in foreground removal analyses that produce high and low EBL results respectively. We find a mean reduced χ 2 = 3.5 for the Kelsall model and χ 2 = 2.0 for the Wright model. The best description of our data is provided by a simple modification to the Kelsall model, which includes a free ZL offset parameter. This adjusted model describes the data with a reduced χ 2 = 1.5 and yields an inferred offset amplitude of 46 ± 19 nW m−2 sr−1 extrapolated to 12500 Å. These measurements elude to the potential existence of a dust cloud component in the inner solar system whose intensity does not strongly modulate with the Earth’s motion around the Sun.

We present the first observation by the Telescope Array Surface Detector (TASD) of the effect of thunderstorms on the development of cosmic ray single count rate intensity over a 700 km$^{2}$ area. Observations of variations in the secondary low-energy cosmic ray counting rate, using the TASD, allow us to study the electric field inside thunderstorms, on a large scale, as it progresses on top of the 700 km$^{2}$ detector, without dealing with the limitation of narrow exposure in time and space using balloons and aircraft detectors. In this work, variations in the cosmic ray intensity (single count rate) using the TASD, were studied and found to be on average at the $\sim(0.5-1)\%$ and up to 2\% level. These observations were found to be both in excess and in deficit. They were also found to be correlated with lightning in addition to thunderstorms. These variations lasted for tens of minutes; their footprint on the ground ranged from 6 to 24 km in diameter and moved in the same direction as the thunderstorm. With the use of simple electric field models inside the cloud and between cloud to ground, the observed variations in the cosmic ray single count rate were recreated using CORSIKA simulations. Depending on the electric field model used and the direction of the electric field in that model, the electric field magnitude that reproduces the observed low-energy cosmic ray single count rate variations was found to be approximately between 0.2-0.4 GV. This in turn allows us to get a reasonable insight on the electric field and its effect on cosmic ray air showers inside thunderstorms.

Background The recent reperfusion therapy for ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has made the length of hospital stay shorter without adverse events. CADILLAC risk score is reportedly one of the risk scores predicting the long-term prognosis in STEMI patients. Purpose To invenstigate the usefulness of CADILLAC risk score for predicting short-term outcomes in STEMI patients. Methods Consecutive patients admitted to our university hospital and our medical center with STEMI (excluding shock, arrest case) who underwent primary PCI between January 2012 and April 2018 (n=387) were enrolled in this study. The patients were classified into 3 groups according to the CADILLAC risk score: low risk (n=176), intermediate risk (n=87), and high risk (n=124). Data on adverse events within 30 days after hospitalization, including in-hospital death, sustained ventricular arrhythmia, recurrent myocardial infarction, heart failure requiring intravenous treatment, stroke, or clinical hemorrhage, were collected. Results In the low risk group, adverse events within 30 days were significantly less observed, compared to the intermediate and high risk groups (n=13, 7.4% vs. n=13, 14.9% vs. n=58, 46.8%, p Conclusions In STEMI patients with low CADILLAC risk score, better short-term prognosis was observed compared to the intermediate and high risk groups, and all adverse events occurred within 3 days of hospitalization, suggesting that discharge at day 4 might be safe in this study population. CADILLAC risk score may help stratify patient risk for short-term prognosis and adjust management of STEMI patients. Initial event occurrence timing Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

Background Evaluation of myocardial fibrosis (MF) as late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) on MRI is useful for differential diagnosis of various myocardial diseases and prediction of future adverse cardiac events in some specific myocardial diseases. Gadolinium contrast is contraindicated for cases with severe renal dysfunction, therefore non contrast MRI is necessary for detection of MF in cases with both myocardial disease and severe renal dysfunction. Purpose We aimed to evaluate diagnostic accuracy of native T1 mapping for detection of MF compared with LGE in cases with various myocardial diseases, including ischemic and non-ischemic myocardial diseases. Methods We selected consecutive 40 patients who were suspected of having various myocardial diseases and underwent cardiac MRI, using 1.5T MRI (Ingenia, Philips) in 10 cases (25%) or 3T MRI (Ingenia, Philips) in 30 cases (75%), including native T1 mapping (without contrast) and LGE using contrast media from Jan 2018 to Feb 2019 in our institution. We evaluated diagnostic accuracy for detection of MF in left ventricular myocardium (LVM) of native T1 mapping image compared with LGE as the gold standard, in a patient-based and segment-based analysis. In T1 mapping images, segmental high T1 lesions were defined as MF. In a segment-based analysis, MF was evaluated using 17 LVM segments model in American Heart Association. Results MF was detected in 139 LVM segments in 25 (63%) cases. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of native T1 mapping for detection of MF were 90%, 89%, 95%, 80% and 90% in a patient-based analysis, and 63%, 96%, 84%, 89% and 88% in a segment-based analysis (left figure). Native T1-values of LVM with MF were significantly higher than LVM without LGE (1351±79 vs 1093±124 in 1.5T and 1562±131 vs 1291±43 in 3T) (p Conclusion Native T1 mapping (without contrast) is useful for detection of MF in various myocardial diseases and high diagnostic accuracy is expected especially in a patient-based analysis.

Background New iterative reconstruction tecniques, including Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D (AIDR 3D) and Forward Projected Model-based Iterative Reconstruction SoluTion (FIRST), have been recently available on new generation 320 slice CT, and they can provide high-quality CT images. Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of detection of abnormal late enhancement (LE) in left ventricular (LV) myocardium (LVM) using 320-slice CT with new iterative reconstruction techiniques, AIDR 3D (Figure A) and FIRST (Figure B). Methods A total of 100 patients who were suspected of having various myocardial diseases and underwent late phase acquisition both on cardiac CT and CMR within 3 months were analyzed. The first 50 consecutive patients (Group 1) underwent 320-slice CT with AIDR 3D, 120 Kv tube voltage, 519±71 mA tube current. The next 50 consecutive patients (Group 2) underwent 320-slice CT with FIRST, 80 or 100Kv tube voltage, 803±20 mA tube current. We compared diagnostic accuracy of CT for detection of LE in LVM against that of CMR (the gold standard) in between the 2 groups. Results On patient-by-patient analysis, sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV), and overall accuracy for detection of LE on CT vs CMR were 87, 95, 96, 82, and 90% in Group 1, and 97, 83, 91, 88, and 90% in Group 2. There were no significant difference of diagnostic accuracy on patient-by-patient analysis in between the 2 groups (Figure C). However, on a segment-by-segment analysis (using 17 American Heart Association LV segment model), these values for detection of LE on CT vs CMR were 60, 95, 73, 91, and 88% in Group 1, and 85, 95, 86, 95, and 93% in Group 2. Sensitivity, PPV, NPV and overall accuracy were significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1 (all P Conclusions Diagnostic accuracy of detection of LE in LVM on CT combining low tube voltage and high tube current acquisition on a new generation 320-slice CT with FIRST was superior to 320-slice CT with AIDR 3D. Acknowledgement/Funding TSUCHIYA MEMORIAL MEDICAL FOUNDATION

Corrosion of metallic materials occurs in various ways. Recently, many researchers have pointed out that biofilm formed by a biofouling process may be a main cause for the initial stage of corrosion. From this viewpoint, the control of biofilm would help lead to corrosion prevention. In this paper, the authors studied the composite film of silane compounds with dispersed organometallic compounds that showed anti-fouling effect on pure iron substrates. The specimens were immersed in a laboratory biofilm reactor for 7 days to form biofilms on them. The surfaces of the specimens were observed by optical and scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and FTIR-ATR spectroscopy. Finally, the effect of the composite coating on biofilm formation and corrosion characteristics was studied and shown to inhibit both.

Evidence for a large-scale supergalactic cosmic-ray multiplet (arrival directions correlated with energy) structure is reported for ultra-high-energy cosmic-ray (UHECR) energies above 1019 eV using 7 years of data from the Telescope Array (TA) surface detector and updated to 10 years. Previous energy–position correlation studies have made assumptions regarding magnetic field shapes and strength, and UHECR composition. Here the assumption tested is that, because the supergalactic plane is a fit to the average matter density of the local large-scale structure, UHECR sources and intervening extragalactic magnetic fields are correlated with this plane. This supergalactic deflection hypothesis is tested by the entire field-of-view (FOV) behavior of the strength of intermediate-scale energy–angle correlations. These multiplets are measured in spherical cap section bins (wedges) of the FOV to account for coherent and random magnetic fields. The structure found is consistent with supergalactic deflection, the previously published energy spectrum anisotropy results of the TA (the Hotspot and Coldspot), and toy-model simulations of a supergalactic magnetic sheet. The seven year data posttrial significance of this supergalactic structure of multiplets appearing by chance, on an isotropic sky, is found by Monte Carlo simulation to be 4.2σ. The 10 years of data posttrial significance is 4.1σ. Furthermore, the starburst galaxy M82 is shown to be a possible source of the TA Hotspot, and an estimate of the supergalactic magnetic field using UHECR measurements is presented.

Tuberculosis remains a serious health problem worldwide. Patients with tuberculosis who also require nursing care due to aging and underlying diseases are considered to have a high mortality rate, however, there are few studies describing detailed examinations of such disease conditions. Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate differences in clinical features of elderly tuberculosis patients according to the levels of nursing and healthcare required. Design: The study participants included 146 elderly (&ge, 65 years) patients diagnosed with active tuberculosis among patients hospitalized with tuberculosis at a single center. The patients were classified into two groups: a nursing- and healthcare-associated tuberculosis group (n = 71) and a community-acquired tuberculosis group (n = 75). Results: The nursing- and healthcare-associated tuberculosis patients were older and had a higher frequency of comorbidities compared with the community-acquired tuberculosis group. Patients in the nursing- and healthcare-associated tuberculosis group had markedly lower levels of serum albumin and hemoglobin, and higher levels of C-reactive protein. The rate of in-hospital death was significantly higher in the nursing- and healthcare-associated tuberculosis group. This was attributed to malnutrition and comorbid conditions rather than the severity of tuberculosis. Conclusion: The prognosis was poor in elderly tuberculosis patients receiving nursing and healthcare.

The slag produced as by-product in steel-making processes is utilized for various purpose due to its special qualities. Bacteria or other microorganisms generally form the biofilm. They are formed at the interface between materials and water environment by the action of bacteria. Biofilm can cause various problems. Therefore, the control of biofilm formation is needed. In this study, we focused on the application of slag to marine environments and carried out a research on biofouling of mortars mixed with various iron/steel slags through marine immersion and laboratory scale experiments. In this research, we dealt with various mortars. In some cases, iron/steel slags were mixed into mortars. In the laboratory scale research, we observed biofilm formation at the surfaces of sample specimens. As for marine immersion, we carried out the field experiments in summer and winter. Both results were compared. As for laboratory scale experiment, the tap water and artificial sea-water were used. And after the immers...

The contaminated surfaces of materials are generally covered with a biofilm that consists of microorganisms and extracellular polysaccharides. The Gram stain method, which is used to visualise bacteria, allows biofilms to be semiquantitatively analysed. Although this method can be used to compare the amount of bacteria in a biofilm, we cannot identify kinds of bacteria. In the present study, 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed to measure and determine the bacterial population in biofilms formed on organic nickel coated glass and uncoated glass. The amount of 16S rRNA was markedly higher on organic nickel coated glass than on uncoated glass. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that the majority of bacteria on uncoated glass and organic nickel coated glass were Proteobacteria, especially Sphingomonadales and Methylophilales; however, a marked difference was observed in the amount of Sphingomonadales on these glasses.

Three kinds of composite coating (the common matrix was silane oligomer and titanium organic, tin organic and nickel organic compounds were dispersed in the matrices) specimens on glasses were immersed in a unique Laboratory Biofilm Reacter (LBR) for 12 days. In the LBR, the water was circulated, incorporating ambient germs into the system and biofilm was formed on the specimen set in the LBR. In the LBR, clean water was circulated and the weak alternative electromagnetic field was applied to the water phase. For the biofilm resistant coating (organic titanium or tin composite coating based on silane oligomer), the effect of the applied alternative electromagnetic field was remarkable.

This paper describes a low-power receiver front-end in a bidirectional near-ground source-series terminated (SST) interface implemented in a 40-nm CMOS process, which supports low-common mode differential NRZ signaling up to 16-Gb/s data rates. The high-speed operation is enabled by utilizing a common-gate amplifier stage with replica transconductance impedance calibration that accurately terminates the channel in the presence of receiver input loading. The near-ground low-impedance receiver also incorporates common-mode gain cancellation and in-situ equalization calibration to achieve reliable data reception at 16 Gb/s with better than 0.4 mW/Gb/s power efficiency over a memory link with more than 15 dB loss at the Nyquist frequency.

Gunkan Island (official name: Hashima) is an island with an outer perimeter of approximately 1.2km and is protected by a vertical concrete revetment. Gunkan Island features a number of important modern industrial heritage facilities and RC (reinforced concrete) buildings, and for this reason it has been gaining attention as a cultural asset and touristic resource. This island was expanded six times since the Meiji Era, and the revetment is between 82 and 116 years old. Maintaining the revetment in a suitable state is important for preserving the island. This paper provides an overview of the revetment of Gunkan Island and describes the results of a durability survey and visual inspection of the revetment.軍艦島（正式名称：端島）は長崎半島の沖合に位置する外周約1.2kmの島であり，外周は直立式のコンクリート製護岸となっている。軍艦島には多くの重要な近代化産業遺産や貴重な建築物が現存しており，文化財や観光資源として注目されている。この島では明治期以降6回にわたって拡張され，築造された護岸は既に82～116年が経過している。今後の軍艦島全体の保全のためには，護岸を適切な状態に維持管理することが重要である。本稿では，軍艦島の護岸の概要を示すとともに，護岸全体の外観目視調査と合わせて，コンクリートの耐久性に関する調査を実施した結果について取りまとめた。

Twelve high schools in Japan (of which six are in Fukushima Prefecture), four in France, eight in Poland and two in Belarus cooperated in the measurement and comparison of individual external doses in 2014. In total 216 high-school students and teachers participated in the study. Each participant wore an electronic personal dosimeter 'D-shuttle' for two weeks, and kept a journal of his/her whereabouts and activities. The distributions of annual external doses estimated for each region overlap with each other, demonstrating that the personal external individual doses in locations where residence is currently allowed in Fukushima Prefecture and in Belarus are well within the range of estimated annual doses due to the terrestrial background radiation level of other regions/countries. © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) analysis is a practical approach by which chemical structure is quantitatively correlated with biological activity or chemical reactivity. Human ABC transporter ABCG2 exhibits broad substrate specificity toward structurally diverse compounds. To gain insight into the relationship between the molecular structures of compounds and the interaction with ABCG2, we have developed an algorithm that analyzes QSAR to evaluate ABCG2-drug interactions. In addition, to support QSAR analysis, we developed a high-speed screening method for analyzing the drug-drug interactions of ABCG2. Based on both experimental results and computational QSAR analysis data, we propose a hypothetical mechanism underlying ABC-mediated drug transport and its interaction with drugs.

We present a detailed transport study in the organic superconductor κ-(BEDT-TTF)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br that is irradiated by X-rays. Weak molecular disorder introduced by X-ray irradiation induces the Anderson-type localization insulating state from the strongly correlated metallic/superconducting state. The hydrostatic pressure to the localization insulator restores the metallic properties. These observations indicate that the stronger electron correlations upon approaching the Mott transition enhance Anderson-type electron localization due to disorder introduced by X-ray irradiation. In the metallic state with weak disorder or under pressure, the resistivity shows a T2 dependence, which suggests that the dominant electron scattering comes from the electron–electron correlations of a Fermi-liquid metal. The coefficient A of the T2 term, however, seems not to follow the Fermi-liquid theory fully as the origin of the T2 dependence in a case of the disorder effect. Further studies of the competition and/or cooperation of the Mott and Anderson transitions close to the Mott critical point are important for understanding the critical behavior of the electrons in real materials.

We previously reported that Cotesia vestalis (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), a parasitoid of diamondback moth (DBM) (Plutella xylostella; Lepidoptera, Plutellidae) larvae, was attracted to volatiles from crucifer plants infested by moth larvae kept in a desktop acrylic box, and that a blend of four DBM-induced plant volatiles was responsible for this attraction. In this study, using a specially designed dispenser to release the four compounds, we demonstrated that the wasp was attracted to intact komatsuna plants (Brassica rapa var. perviridis). The experiments were performed in a climate-controlled room, which was approximately 1000 times larger than the acrylic box used previously. Similarly, using the dispenser in the field, C. vestalis females were attracted to intact komatsuna plants with the dispenser from a distance of three metres. We also examined the effect of the volatile blend on the incidence of parasitism of DBM larvae in the field. Three small containers containing DBM-infested komatsuna plants with dispensers, and three control containers containing only infested plants (control) were arranged in two lines running perpendicular to a komatsuna field in which both DBM larvae and C. vestalis populations were maintained, at distances of 12, 30 and 70 m. The results showed that the incidence of DBM parasitism was significantly higher in containers containing dispensers than in the control containers, suggesting that the blend could potentially be applied to DBM control in agroecosystems.

Recently, transesophageal endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) has been evaluated for mediastinal nodal staging (N staging) of lung cancer, as this technique is less invasive than mediastinoscopy and possibly more accurate than 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography with computed tomography (PET-CT). However, EUS-FNA does not provide access to pretracheal and hilar lymph nodes. More recently, endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been introduced as a novel technique for accessing pretracheal and hilar lymph nodes. Although the combined endoscopic approach of EUS-FNA and EBUS-TBNA is presumably more accurate than PET-CT, only a few reports have quantitatively evaluated its diagnostic ability. Therefore, we prospectively assessed the diagnostic yield of this combined endoscopic approach for mediastinal N staging of lung cancer.A consecutive series of 120 patients with suspected resectable lung cancer on CT findings underwent PET-CT and combined EUS-FNA/EBUS-TBNA. The accuracy and other diagnostic indices of the combined approach in mediastinal N staging were compared with those of PET-CT.Among the enrolled patients, a final pathological N stage was established in 110 patients. The accuracy of the combined approach using EUS-FNA and EBUS-TBNA was significantly higher than that of PET-CT (90.0 % vs. 73.6 %; P0.0001). The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were respectively 71.8 %, 100 %, 100 %, and 86.6 % for the combined approach vs. 47.4 %, 87.5 %, 66.7 %, and 75.9 % for PET-CT.The combined endoscopic approach using EUS-FNA and EBUS-TBNA provided excellent diagnostic performance. Therefore, this approach is strongly recommended before surgery or mediastinoscopy to avoid futile thoracotomy and surgical intervention.

We previously reported that cabbage plants emitted volatiles in response to herbivory by diamondback moth (DBM) larvae and that a cocktail of four induced volatile compounds (n-heptanal, sabinene, α-pinene and (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate) attracted Cotesia vestalis, a wasp parasitoid of DBM larvae (Shiojiri et al., PLOS ONE, 2010). Here, we describe the behaviour of the wasp in response to exposure to the cocktail and a solvent (control) on crucifer plants (Brassica rapa) with DBM larvae. Wasps showed longer residence and search times on plants with the cocktail than they did on control plants. Further, both wasp–host encounters and oviposition frequencies were significantly higher on plants associated with the cocktail and the rates of parasitism on plants with the cocktail increased due to longer residence and increased searching activity by the parasitoid on the plant. These results indicate that the host-searching activity of the parasitoid C. vestalis is enhanced on host-infested plants by the DBM-induced plant volatiles.

【目的】肺がん患者が持つ麻薬性鎮痛薬に対する負のイメージの払拭と, 正しい知識の啓蒙を目的として集団勉強会を実施し, 麻薬性鎮痛薬に対する認識と, 勉強会の実施効果を調査した. 【方法】勉強会への参加同意が得られた肺がん入院患者を対象に薬剤師による麻薬性鎮痛薬に関する勉強会を実施した. 勉強会前後にアンケート調査を行った. 【結果】60名の参加患者から回答が得られた. 負のイメージに関連した設問, 麻薬性鎮痛薬の知識に関連した設問のすべてにおいて勉強会後には認識の改善, 知識の向上が認められた. 【考察】勉強会により負のイメージを完全に払拭することはできなかったが, 勉強会は患者教育を行ううえで1つの有用な手法であると考えられた. 患者が麻薬性鎮痛薬導入に抵抗を感じることは, 疼痛緩和医療の遅れをきたしQOLの低下を招くおそれがあるため, 事前に正しい知識を啓蒙しておくことが必要であると考えられる. Palliat Care Res 2011; 6(1): 109-118

Summary Background Nonpigmented eccrine poromas (EPs) occasionally mimic various skin tumours, but their dermoscopic features have not been clarified. Objectives To evaluate the dermoscopic features of nonpigmented EPs in association with their histopathological features. Methods Retrospective analysis of the dermoscopic features of 10 histopathologically proven cases of nonpigmented EP at the Department of Dermatology, Shinshu University Hospital (Matsumoto, Japan). Results Specific features in vascular structures were observed in five of 10 nonpigmented EPs. Three cases showed a polymorphous vascular pattern: two cases of a combination of hairpin and dotted vessels, and one case of a combination of hairpin, dotted and linear-irregular vessels. In addition, there were two cases of monomorphous vascular pattern: one case of linear-irregular vessels, and one case of hairpin vessels. We did not observe arborizing, crown or comma vessels. Comedo-like openings, milia-like cysts, cerebriform pattern and ulceration were observed in one case each. Furthermore, nine of 10 cases showed the characteristic feature, described as well-circumscribed reddish globule/lacuna-like structures with separation of mesh bands, which were reminiscent of frog eggs aggregation. This characteristic feature on dermoscopy was explained by the histopathological features of horizontal sections at a depth of 300–400 μm from the surface. Island-shaped oedematous stroma with numerous microvessels, which were surrounded by poroid cells in mesh-like forms, were seen. Conclusions Vascular structures and ‘frog eggs-like appearance’ are important features on dermoscopic examination of nonpigmented EP. Further studies are required to evaluate their diagnostic accuracy to differentiate nonpigmented EP from other tumours.

Magnetization and initial permeability measurements were done on the magnetic shape memory alloys Ni2Mn1.48-xFexSn0.52 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.20). The Curie temperature TC in the austenite phase increases slightly with increasing x. Similarly, the Curie temperature T′C in the martensite phase increases with increasing x. The martensitic transition starting temperature Ms decreases steeply with increasing x. The paramagnetic state of the martensite phase collapses in the Fe-rich alloys.

Wind-induced response characteristics of parallel bridges were studied with various separation distances. Section models of box girders for a proposed and an existing cable-stayed bridges were tested in smooth flow. The two box girders have different cross-sections, and different response characteristics were observed with the opposite wind directions. Mostly, larger response was observed when the bridges were located in parallel than for the single bridge case; but in a few cases, smaller response was observed when the bluffer girder was located close leeward of the other girder. General conclusion could not be obtained, but the results of this study will serve as an example of complicated parallel bridge response characteristics. It was observed that the interference effects of between the bridges built in parallel can be significant even with a separation distance as large as 8 times the deck width.

Background and study aim Sarcoidosis is a systemic disorder of unknown cause that is characterized by a pathological hallmark, noncaseating granuloma. Bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL) is a major clinical feature, but it is sometimes difficult to exclude other diseases, especially in cases where there are no pulmonary abnormalities (stage I). Bronchoscopic transbronchial biopsy is currently a popular method by which to obtain pathological material, but its diagnostic power is insignificant. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA), also attempted recently, makes the sampling of pathological material easier and better, but the diagnoses are still based on cytological findings. Our study aimed to evaluate the yield of transesophageal EUS-FNA for histological confirmation of stage I sarcoidosis. Methods The study was a prospective comparative study to investigate the diagnostic sensitivities of FNA cytology and FNA histology. Subjects were consecutive patients with BHL without lung lesions on chest radiographs or chest CT who were referred to our hospitals between December 2003 and April 2006. Transesophageal EUS-FNA was performed with 19-gauge needles instead of the conventional 22-gauge needles. Results Forty-one patients were included in this study, and both histological and cytological materials were obtained successfully by EUS-FNA in all patients. Histopathological examination of the FNA sample showed noncaseating granuloma in 34 (94.4%) of the 36 patients with a final diagnosis of sarcoidosis. In contrast, only 28 of the 36 (77.8%) were diagnosed as having sarcoidosis on the basis of cytological findings. The difference was statistically significant (P = 0.0444). Conclusion FNA histology is better suited than FNA cytology to establishing the diagnosis of stage I sarcoidosis, and EUS-FNA with a 19-gauge needle plays a important role in this process.