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Squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) and cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA) are used to screen and monitor oral cancer patients. However, recent studies have reported that tumour markers become elevated as renal function decreases, regardless of tumour progression. A retrospective study was performed of 423 oral cancer patients who underwent blood testing for these tumour markers and other blood analytes during a 10-year period. The values of SCC-Ag and CYFRA increased significantly with decreasing renal function (P < 0.01), and the values were abnormal at a median 2.6 ng/ml for SCC-Ag and 4.7 ng/ml for CYFRA in the group with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values of< 30 ml/min/1.73 m2. The factors that were related to the variation in tumour markers were albumin and creatinine. The cut-off values of eGFR were 59.7 ml/min/1.73 m2 for SCC-Ag and 63.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 for CYFRA, and the cut-off age when the tumour markers might rise due to the effect of renal function were 72 years for SCC-Ag and 73 years for CYFRA. In conclusion, decreased renal function should be taken into account when evaluating tumour markers in oral cancer. In addition, tumour markers are likely to be overestimated in patients over the age of 72–73 years.

This paper has two main objectives. The first one is to reflect on the validity of data in analysis and projections that underpin the engineering asset management of organizations, considering, on the one hand, a certain resistance or even inadequate use of data and information of a subjective nature and; on the other hand, a consolidated reliance on quantitative approaches and decisions based on data series. The second objective is to contextualize the applicability of combining qualitative data based on experts’ experience and on the tacit knowledge built in organizations, with approaches based essentially on quantitative data, according to the data availability and the decision scenario over the asset life cycle. We present two application of an approach combining quali and quanti data. One example interrelates Statistics with Psychology and the other combines elicitated data about asset indicators with parameters deterministically calculated. Both applications aiming at providing more realistic indicators and supporting the Asset Management process to make more assertive decisions.

Neste artigo são apresentados resultados dos esforços de pesquisa e desenvolvimento de um projeto de transformação digital que busca melhorar a experiência do usuário (UX) em jornadas de serviços baseadas em atendimento via chatbot. Esses esforços reúnem princípios e métodos inovadores em usabilidade e UX para aplicá-los na estruturação do fluxo de conversação de dois serviços de atendimento digital: um para solicitações de novas ligações de energia elétrica e outro para solicitação de reativação de energia. A interação com quem solicita o serviço será realizada via WhatsApp pela assistente virtual personificada “Clara”. Trata-se de serviços que requerem sequências complexas de informações para efeito do cadastro de cliente e do local que receberá a energia. Tais características impõem desafios de usabilidade para que a troca de informação com a assistente virtual seja efetiva, rápida e minimamente dificultosa, tendo em vista o contexto sociocultural e digital das pessoas que interagirão com a Clara, as regras de negócio e o legado tecnológico da concessionária de distribuição de energia, bem como as características da interface de interação.

Enhancement of J c performance of Bi(Pb)2223 bulks was attempted by sintering under controlled over pressures (CT-OP) and c -axis grain orientation. Relative density of bulks increased up to 93% with an increase of total gas pressure during the sintering. In addition, improvement of grain coupling by CT-OP sintering was indicated from normal state resistivity. Reflecting these facts, the bulks sintered by the CT-OP method showed higher J c than the bulks sintered under ambient pressure. On the other hand, magnetic grain alignment technique was adopted to achieve c -axis grain orientation. The c -axis oriented bulks showed higher J c than randomly oriented bulks. The observed J c of 2.3 x 104 Acm-2 (20 K, 1 kOe) was very high value as for Bi(Pb)2223 sintered bulks.

Highlights ► Kv3.1b and Kv3.3 expression was studied in dorsal horn GABAergic interneurones. ► Kv3.1b or Kv3.3 was most abundantly expressed in laminae I–III. ► Kv3.1b but not Kv3.3 was associated with GAD65 and GAD67 neurones. ► Capsaicin-induced c-fos expression was localized mainly to GAD65-GFP interneurones., GABAergic interneurones, including those within spinal dorsal horn, contain one of the two isoforms of the synthesizing enzyme glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), either GAD65 or GAD67. The physiological significance of these two GABAergic phenotypes is unknown but a more detailed anatomical and functional characterization may help resolve this issue. In this study, two transgenic Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) knock-in murine lines, namely GAD65-GFP and GAD67-GFP (Δneo) mice, were used to profile expression of Shaw-related Kv3.1b and Kv3.3 K+-channel subunits in dorsal horn interneurones. Neuronal expression of these subunits confers specific biophysical characteristic referred to as ‘fast-spiking’. Immuno-labelling for Kv3.1b or Kv3.3 revealed the presence of both of these subunits across the dorsal horn, most abundantly in laminae I–III. Co-localization studies in transgenic mice indicated that Kv3.1b but not Kv3.3 was associated with GAD65-GFP and GAD67-GFP immunopositive neurones. For comparison the distributions of Kv4.2 and Kv4.3 K+-channel subunits which are linked to an excitatory neuronal phenotype were characterized. No co-localization was found between GAD-GFP +ve neurones and Kv4.2 or Kv4.3. In functional studies to evaluate whether either GABAergic population is activated by noxious stimulation, hindpaw intradermal injection of capsaicin followed by c-fos quantification in dorsal horn revealed co-expression c-fos and GAD65-GFP (quantified as 20–30% of GFP +ve population). Co-expression was also detected for GAD67-GFP +ve neurones and capsaicin-induced c-fos but at a much reduced level of 4–5%. These data suggest that whilst both GAD65-GFP and GAD67-GFP +ve neurones express Kv3.1b and therefore may share certain biophysical traits, their responses to peripheral noxious stimulation are distinct.

Enhancement of Jc has been always expected for Bi(Pb)2223 tapes for their extensive applications. Among several strategies to improve critical current properties, enhancement of Tc by control of nonstoichiometric cation composition is one of the most promising ways. In the present study, we have attempted to enhance Tc of silver-sheathed Bi(Pb)2223 tapes by control of starting compositions and heat-treatment conditions. The Tconset of the Bi(Pb)2223 tapes starting from nearly stoichiometric cation composition was enhanced up to 115.2 K by post-annealing at 700 °C in moderately reducing atmospheres and generation of Pb3221 phase was suppressed during the annealing. Moreover, introduction of the pre-annealing process further improved Tc after post-annealing. Tconset up to 115.2 K with sharp superconducting transition was achieved in a multi-filamentary tape with nearly stoichiometric cation composition.

We made heat-capacity measurements of two dimensional (2D) $^3$He adsorbed on graphite preplated with monolayer $^4$He in a wide temperature range (0.1 $\leq T \leq$ 80 mK) at densities higher than that for the 4/7 phase (= 6.8 nm$^{-2}$). In the density range of 6.8 $\leq \rho \leq$ 8.1 nm$^{-2}$, the 4/7 phase is stable against additional $^3$He atoms up to 20% and they are promoted into the third layer. We found evidence that such promoted atoms form a self-bound 2D Fermi liquid with an approximate density of 1 nm$^{-2}$ from the measured density dependence of the $\gamma$-coefficient of heat capacity. We also show evidence for the first-order transition between the commensurate 4/7 phase and the ferromagnetic incommensurate phase in the second layer in the density range of 8.1 $\leq \rho \leq$ 9.5 nm$^{-2}$., Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures

We measured heat capacities of the second layer incommensurate (IC) solid 3He adsorbed on graphite preplated with monolayer 4He (3He/4He/gr) in a wide temperature range (0.3 ≤T≤ 80 mK). From the high temperature series expansion fitting, we obtained density dependences of the multiple spin exchange interactions inherent to this two-dimensional quantum solid. Compared with the earlier results for the 3He/3He/gr system, the magnitude of the effective two-spin exchange interaction is clearly smaller at the lowest densities, while it is nearly the same at the highest densities. We argue that this difference is caused by the different densities of the second layer IC solids in the two systems. We also show that the total spin-entropy changes deduced from the present heat capacity data are smaller than the expected value by about 18%.

Cerebellar Purkinje cells have the most elaborate dendritic trees among the neurons in the CNS. To investigate the dynamic aspects of dendritic morphogenesis of Purkinje cells, we performed a long-term analysis of living cells in cerebellar cell cultures derived from glutamate decarboxylase 67-green fluorescent protein mice. Most Purkinje cells had several primary dendrites during the 25-day culture period. Repeated observation of green fluorescent protein-expressing Purkinje cells over a period of 10-25 days in vitro demonstrated that not only extension, but also retraction of primary dendrites occurred during this culture period. Interestingly, both extension and retraction of primary dendrites were active between 10 and 15 days in vitro, and retraction of a primary dendrite occurred concomitantly with elongation of other primary dendrites in the same cell. Analysis of the morphological characteristics of the retracted primary dendrites demonstrated that shorter and less branched primary dendrites tended to retract. Furthermore, treatment with an inhibitor of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II reduced the number of primary dendrites specifically during 5-15 days in vitro, the culture period when the extension and retraction of primary dendrites occurred actively. Blockade of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid/kainate-type glutamate receptors also reduced the number of primary dendrites during the same culture period, while inhibition of glutamate transporters increased the number. These findings suggest that the final morphology of Purkinje cells is achieved not only through extension, but also through retraction of their dendrites, and that calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and neuronal activity are involved in this dendritic morphogenesis.

The volatility of tellurium and some other fission products was radiochemically studied in heated nitric acid solutions. As tracers 121Te produced by bremsstrahlung of an electron LINAC and other fission products produced by neutron irradiation were used. The distribution rate of radionuclides between the mother solution and the condensate, was considered as volatility, and was determined. The volatility of tellurium was found to be small and close to that of cesium. Volatilization tests were also performed in the presence of large amounts of solutes.

Using the computer simulation technique various properties of interstitial clusters (bundle of crowdions) in Fe has been investigated. The actual shapes of the hexagonal loops were studied in detail and it was found that the direction of each segment of a loop depends upon the loop size; that is, in smaller loops 〈1 1 1〉 direction is preferred and in larger loops 〈1 1 2〉 direction is realized, resulting in the higher Peierls stress for smaller loops and lower Peierls stress for larger loops. The behavior of the thermally activated motion of loops has been studied by the MD method, showing that the small loop I19 moved along 〈1 1 1〉 direction at 100 K under the aid of energy deposition 10 eV in a rather uniform way without clear kink formation.

Background . Our previous study showed that histological scores of gastric mucosal inflammation and Helicobacter pylori density decreased even in patients who failed to eradicate Helicobacter pylori after antimicrobial therapy including clarithromycin. This may reflect indirect suppressive effects of lower concentrations of clarithromycin on Helicobacter pylori , as suggested in other Gram-negative rod infections. Aims . To investigate whether clarithromycin suppresses virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori at sub-minimal inhibitory concentration. Methods . Six clarithromycin-susceptible Helicobacter pylori isolates and 7 clarithromycin-resistant isolates were obtained from patients with peptic ulcer disease. These isolates were analysed for urease activity, motility, and ability to bind to gastric epithelial cells after they were incubated with or without clarithromycin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations. Results . Incubation of Helicobacter pylori isolates with clarithromycin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations reduced urease activity, motility, and binding to gastric epithelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. These findings were observed both in clarithromycin-susceptible and resistant strains. Conclusions . Suppressive effects of clerithromycin on virulence factors of Helicobacter pylori at sub-minimal inhibitory concentrations may be associated with observed attenuation of gastric inflammation and Helicobacter pylori density in patients who failed in bacterial eradication after triple therapy including clarithromycin.

We report the growth of TiN thin films on Si(100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using a homogenized KrF excimer laser beam. The TiN films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS), and Atomic force microscope (AFM). The homogenized beam drastically decreased the number of particles incorporated into the film compared with that grown by conventional means using a non-homogenized beam. Additionally, the grown film had a strong peak with (200) preferred orientation in XRD spectra, and rocking curve measurements of XRD and RBS analysis indicated that the crystallinity was improved by the homogenized beam.

In the central nervous system, the normal development of neuronal circuits requires adequate temporal activation of receptors for individual neurotransmitters. Previous studies have demonstrated that α₂-adrenoceptor (α₂-AR) activation eliminates spontaneous action potentials of interneurons in the cerebellar molecular layer (MLIs) and subsequently reduces the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) in Purkinje cells (PCs) after the second postnatal week. The magnitude of the α₂-adrenergic reduction in sIPSC frequency is enhanced during the third postnatal week because of an increase in firing-derived sIPSCs. However, little is known about the effects of α₂-AR activation by noradrenaline (NA) on cerebellar GABAergic synaptic transmission that is accompanied by the activation of other AR subtypes, α₁- and β-ARs. Here, we developmentally examined the roles of α₂-AR activation in the noradrenergic facilitation of sIPSCs in cerebellar PCs. Until the second postnatal week, when substantial inhibitory effects of α₂-ARs are absent, NA potentiated sIPSCs and maintained the increased sIPSC frequency, suggesting that NA causes long-lasting facilitation of GABAergic synaptic transmission through α₁- and β-AR activation. After the second postnatal week, NA transiently increased the sIPSC frequency, whereas blocking α₂-ARs sustained the noradrenergic sIPSC facilitation and increase in the firing rate of MLIs, suggesting that α₂-AR activation suppresses the noradrenergic facilitation of GABAergic synaptic transmission. The simultaneous activation of α₁- and β-ARs by their specific agonists mimicked the persistent facilitation of sIPSC frequency, which required extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 activation. These findings indicate that NA acts as a neurotrophic factor that strengthens GABAergic synaptic transmission in the developing cerebellar cortex and that α₂-ARs temporally restrain the noradrenergic facilitation of sIPSCs after GABAergic synaptogenesis.

To elucidate the expression of TH mRNA in MAP-induced behavioral sensitization, rats were daily injected with MAP (5 mg/kg i.p.) or saline for 14 days. Progressive enhancement was observed in MAP-induced stereotyped behavior. After 7 days of discontinuation of MAP treatment, the rats were decapitated and the brains were prepared for either in situ hybridization or Northern blot hybridization. In situ hybridization revealed that the signals of TH mRNA were localized to the dopaminergic perikarya of substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area in the midbrain, and Northern blot analysis showed that the levels of TH mRNA in these areas decreased by 37% compared to that in the saline-treated controls. These findings indicate that MAP-induced dopaminergic hyperactivity is not associated with enhanced expression of TH gene mRNA.

This paper presents a new method to select features of handwritten signatures using the genetic algorithm. In the proposed method, the features are determined by chromosomes. The genotypes are modified by the genetic algorithm with a local improvement mechanism. A new crossover method is also proposed to determine the number of features used for signature verification. Furthermore, the moving traces of the pen in the air above the tablet are also included in the candidate strokes. Experiments are done to show the effectiveness of the new method.

Closed patch testing and the nitrocellulose-replica method are performed as useful clinical methods for the evaluation of human skin irritation by cosmetics and topical medicaments. Comparison of the sensitivity between microscopic scoring by nitrocellulose-replica method and visual scoring by closed patch test in the detection of skin irritation, however, has not been well studied with statistical analysis. Here, we evaluated human skin irritation by carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters and aldehydes, with different chain length (C8-C18), using both methods. The results of closed patch testing showed that, although the score of skin irritation for carboxylic acids (C8, C12), alcohols (C8) and aldehydes (C8), tested at a concentration of 0.5 m-2.0 m, significantly increased with increasing concentration of the test compounds, ester compounds scarcely caused any irritation on the surface of the skin occluded. In addition, an increase of carbon chain length in the test compounds made it impossible to detect skin irritation. In contrast, the nitrocellulose-replica method could evaluate skin reactions against very weak irritants that gave no macroscopic alterations on the skin surface in the closed patch test. However, the scoring system is somewhat subjective and should be improved to make the analysis more objective.

This paper presents a method of off-line signature recognition using feature strokes and a fuzzy net. For getting feature strokes a pre-processing of signature data is studied. The pre-processing consists of a thinning method and a method of extracting feature strokes from an original signature and corresponding strokes from new signatures. The structure of fuzzy net is a simple perceptron and each unit in the input layer has a fuzzy membership function. From the connection weights of the trained network, it is easy to know which features of input data are important for signature recognition, i.e. the personal characteristics of the signatures are known from the fuzzy net. An experiment is done to show the feasibility of the new method.

The cellular distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and TH mRNA in the rat substantia nigra (SN) was investigated using immunohistochemistry (IMHC) and non-radioactive in situ hybridization histochemistry (ISH), respectively. Number and density of both TH immunoreactive and TH cRNA labeled cells were increased in the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra (SNr) 8 h after single administration of a dopamine antagonist haloperidol. At the same time number and density of TH positive cells remained unchanged in a ventro-medial, dorso-medial or lateral part of the pars compacta (SNc) and in the pars lateralis (SNl) of the substantia nigra. A D2 receptor-specific agonist, quinpirole, was without effect on either ISH or IMHC in any of these areas, including the SNr. These results reveal the existence of a population of TH-negative neurons in the SNr, in which TH gene-expression can be activated through a dopamine receptor-mediated mechanism, leading to detectable levels of both TH and TH mRNA. Furthermore they suggest that TH gene-expression in these neurons normally is inhibited by dopamine released from somata and dendrites in the SNr.

Basophils are evolutionarily conserved in many animal species, in spite of the fact that they account for1% of peripheral blood leukocyte. This suggests that basophils have an indispensable and nonredundant role in vivo, even though they show some phenotypic similarity with tissue-resident mast cells. However, their functional significance remained uncertain long after Paul Ehrlich discovered them as blood-circulating cells with basophilic granules more than 130 years ago. The study of basophils has been far behind that of mast cells, owing to the rarity of basophils and the paucity of tools for their detection and functional analysis. Recent development of novel analytical tools, including basophil-depleting antibodies and genetically engineered mice deficient only in basophils, has greatly advanced basophil research and illuminated previously unrecognized roles of basophils. We now appreciate that basophils and mast cells play distinct roles in immune responses. Basophils have crucial roles in the development of acute and chronic allergic responses, the protective immunity against ecto- and endoparasites, and the regulation of acquired immunity, including the augmentation of humoral memory responses and the initiation of Th2 responses. Thus, basophils are no longer the neglected minority and are key players in the immune system.

In the present paper we extend Fourier‐Scatterometry by the use of the coherent properties of white light for the characterization of sub‐wavelength periodic gratings of photosensitive material structured by two‐photon polymerization. Our goal is a fast and precise optical characterization of periodical gratings of sub 100 nm size. The investigated structures include gratings produced by two‐photon polymerization of photosensitive material and typical semiconductor test gratings. A Fourier‐Scatterometer has been set up using a white light source and also additionally a reference‐branch for white‐light‐interference (WLI). A sensitivity comparison between Fourier‐Scatterometry and WLI‐Scatterometry is presented.

It was recently reported that some 5-HT(4)-receptor agonists increased neuronal numbers and length of neurites in enteric neurons developing in vitro from immunoselected neural crest-derived precursors. We aimed to explore a novel approach in vivo to reconstruct the enteric neural circuitry that mediates a fundamental distal gut reflex.The neural circuit insult was performed in guinea pigs by rectal transection and subsequent end-to-end one layer anastomosis. A 5-HT(4)-receptor agonist, mosapride citrate (10-100 micromol L(-1)) (applied for a patent) was applied locally at the anastomotic site.Mosapride promoted the regeneration of the neural circuit in the impaired myenteric plexus and the recovery of the defecation reflex in the distal gut. Furthermore, mosapride generated neurofilament (NF)-, 5-HT(4)-receptor- and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-positive cells and surprisingly formed neural network in the newly formed granulation tissue at the anastomotic site 2 weeks after enteric nerve circuit insult. Possible neural stem cell markers, anti-distal less homeobox 2 (DLX2)- and p75-positive and NF-positive cells increased during the same time period. All actions by mosapride were inhibited by the specific 5-HT(4)-receptor antagonist, GR113808 (10 micromol L(-1)).These results indicate that activation of enteric neural 5-HT(4)-receptors promotes reconstruction of an enteric neural circuit leading to the recovery of the defecation reflex in the distal gut, and that this reconstruction involves possibly neural stem cells. These findings indicate that treatment with 5-HT(4) agonists could be a novel therapy for generating new enteric neurons to rescue aganglionic gut disorders.

Serum type-IV collagen levels determined with a one-step sandwich enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using monoclonal antibodies with specificity for pepsin-solubilized type-IV collagen were compared with histologic changes in liver biopsy specimens from 107 patients with various liver diseases. Serum type-IV collagen levels were increased in the groups with liver diseases compared with controls. The serum type-IV collagen levels in the group with alcoholic cirrhosis showed significantly higher values than the other groups (P less than 0.05). A significant positive correlation was found between the serum type-IV collagen level and the degree of fibrosis or cell infiltration in 107 patients. Immunolocalization of type-IV collagen was observed around blood vessels and bile ducts increased in number in the portal tracts, with cell infiltration and fibrosis, increased around vessels in fibrous septa, and sinusoidal walls of areas with cell infiltration or necrosis in hepatic lobules, and along the boundary between fibrous septa and hepatocytes. The present data indicate that serum type-IV collagen may be a sensitive marker for active fibrosis and that the elevation of serum type-IV collagen level primarily reflects the enhancement of type-IV collagen synthesis and deposition in the liver tissue at the stage of active fibrosis in liver disease.

Editor—Rett syndrome (RTT, MIM 312760) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by normal early psychomotor development followed by a period of regression, the loss of acquired purposeful manual and speech skills, hand wringing, gait disturbance, and growth retardation.1 As RTT occurs exclusively in females and almost all patients with RTT are sporadic, it has been proposed that RTT is caused by an X linked dominant mutation with lethality in hemizygous males.1 Recently, DNA mutations in the methyl-CpG binding protein 2 gene ( MECP2 ), mapped to Xq28, have been detected in some patients with RTT.2 3 We carried out a mutation analysis in 40 Japanese patients with RTT to confirm that MECP2 is the gene responsible for RTT and to detect common mutations in MECP2 . All patients screened in this study were sporadic cases, 38 patients with clinically typical phenotypes of RTT and two patients with preserved speech variant of RTT.4 Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 40 patients with RTT, their parents, and 105 healthy Japanese women. Primer pairs for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, designed using the genomic sequence of MECP2 (Gen Bank accession number, MeCP2 locus, AF030876, AJ132917), and the sizes of the products are shown in table 1. PCR amplification was performed in a final volume of 25 μl with PCR buffer, dNTPs, Taq polymerase, and each primer set. PCR conditions were: initial denaturing at 94°C for three minutes followed by 35 cycles of denaturing at 94°C, annealing at 56°C, and extension at 72°C …

CO2 sensing characteristics were investigated under dry condition for potentiometric CO2 sensors: air, Au | NASICON (Na1+xZr2Si2PO12, x = 0, 1, 2, 2.75) | Li2CO3‐BaCO3, Au, air+CO2. The electromotive force (EMF) values of each NASICON sensor were linearly increased to the logarithm of CO2 concentrations in the range of 250 to 2500 ppm at 450° C. EMF values of each sensor continue to change toward negative potential during the operation exposing to 250 ppm CO2 under dry condition. For the sensor using NASICON (Na3.75Zr2Si2PO12) with rich Na component, base‐EMF (EMF value to fix a 250 ppm CO2) could become fairly stable. In addition, from the use of a x‐ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the factor of EMF drifts caused the decrease of Na2O activity in NASICON by decomposition of NASICON components.

An immunohistological study of Alzheimer's brains was performed using antibodies to C-series gangliosides and microtubule-associated protein 5 (MAP5), and their staining patterns were compared with those of antibodies to tau and beta-amyloid precursor protein. Antibodies to C-series gangliosides and MAP5, both of which are known to preferentially expressed in the fetal brains, immunostained dystrophic neurites of senile plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and neuropil threads abundant in 3rd and 5th layers in the cerebral cortex, all of which are considered to be pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. The immunostaining patterns of these structures by antibodies to C-series gangliosides and MAP5 were similar to those by the antibody to tau. These three antibodies also immunostained some neurons in Alzheimer's brain, although their staining patterns were slightly different from one another; i.e., both diffuse and granular patterns were seen by the antibody to tau, but only granular pattern by the antibodies to C-series gangliosides and MAP5. These neurons immunostained by these three types of antibodies appeared to be the precursors of the classical neurofibrillary tangles, as positively stained neurons were not seen in the brains of non-demented cases. The presence of fetal antigens such as the C-series gangliosides and MAP5 in Alzheimer's brain may suggest that regeneration or sprouting of neurons is ongoing in association with the re-induction of gene expression characteristic for the brain in the early stage of development.

In this paper, new methods to decrease voltage surges and the turn-to-turn voltages of motors are considered. By connecting additional cables and resistances between the motor and inverter terminals, the magnitude of voltage surges at the motor terminals decreases by 27%. By increasing the capacitances between motor windings, the magnitude of turn-to- turn voltages decreases by 50%. As a product of these results, reliabilities of inverter drive systems and surge capabilities of the motors increase.

This study shows that the ESP role has a vital part to play in providing timely, cost effective and high quality care to paediatric orthopaedic patients underpinned by an evaluative framework.

This paper presents a method of off-line signature recognition using feature strokes and a fuzzy net. Each stroke has features of signatures, and the fuzzy net proposed by the authors can extract personal characteristics from the strokes. An experiment is done to show the feasibility of the new method.

To determine the involvement of cathepsins G and L in the mechanism of spontaneous resorption of herniated intervertebral discs, localization of these cathepsins in this process was examined immunohistochemically using a rat model of autologous transplantation of coccygeal discs. Rat coccygeal discs were resected and autotransplanted into the subcutaneous space of the skin of the back. Paraffin-embedded sections of intervertebral disc tissue, harvested at various post-transplantational periods, were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies for cathepsin G, cathepsin L, MMP-1, MMP-3 and ED-2. The number of positive cells was counted in each part of the transplanted discs. Immunolocalization of cathepsins G and L in various types of disc cells was first observed early in the post-transplantation period. From two days after the operation, histology showed invasion by granulation tissue, with many macrophages, in all sections. Subsequently, the number of macrophages in granulation tissue was observed to increase, along with a gradual increase in the percentage of cells positive for MMP-1 and MMP-3. In addition to the ability of cathepsins G and L to degrade major extracellular matrix components of intervertebral discs, cathepsin G is capable of activating latent pro-MMPs. The up-regulation of cathepsins G and L in the intervertebral disc tissue in this spontaneous resorption model suggests that these proteinases may be involved in degradation of extracellular matrix, leading to the natural resorption of herniated discs.

This paper proposes a new sound source location algorithm for one receiving point noticing a formant frequency. The automatic operation of the sound image localization is necessary for the position estimation of the sound source in a large-scale building space like an auditorium. We measure the sound source location using the phase difference of a formant frequency through three microphones and the height of the receiving point. Normally the formant frequency has some fluctuation. Therefore, we propose a new method to reduce the influence of the fluctuant formant frequency by selecting the maximum components of the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) results of the bandpass filter outputs and the echo is avoided by the detection of the occurrence of the formant signal. From some experiments, the proposed system can detect the sound source location with the errors less than 0.6 m.

We investigated the involvement of the 65 kDa isoform of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD65) and GAD65-mediated gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis in the formation and expression of Pavlovian fear memory. To this end, behavioral, endocrine and autonomic parameters were examined during conditioned fear retrieval of mice with targeted ablation of the GAD65 gene (GAD65-/- mice). These mutant mice were found to display specific fear behavior (freezing, escape), as well as autonomic (increased defecation) and endocrine activation (increased plasma corticosterone) during fear memory retrieval. However, freezing was reduced and flight and escape behavior were increased in GAD65-/- mice compared to their wild type and heterozygous littermates, while corticosterone levels and defecation rates did not differ between genotypes. Active defensive behavior of GAD65-/- mice was observed during both auditory cued and contextual retrieval of fear memory, as well as immediately after conditioning. These data indicate a selectively altered behavioral fear response in GAD65-/- mice, most likely due to deficits in threat estimation or the elicitation of appropriate conditioned fear behavior, and suggest that GAD65 is a genetic determinant of conditioned fear behavior. GAD65-/- mice provide a valuable tool to further dissect the GABAergic mechanisms involved in fear and anxiety and to model GABA-related neurological and psychiatric disorders.

This paper proposes a new sound source location algorithm for one receiving point noticing a formant frequency. We measure the sound source location using the phase difference of a formant frequency through three microphones and the height of the receiving point. The formant frequency is tracking by the zero-crossing detection of the formant signal and the echo is avoided by the detection of the occurrence of the formant signal. From some experiments, the proposed system can detect the sound source location with the errors less than 0.6 m under the echo environment.

To realize a high-peformance automatic signature verification system, it is necessary that the selected features are potentially difficult to imitate. One of the advantages of online signature verification is that the virtual strokes which are left in the pen-up situation can be obtained. These virtual strokes can be memorized by the computer but are invisible to humans. So there is little possibility of imitating these strokes deliberately. The features included in such strokes are expected to realize a high verification performance. This paper proposes to find the optimal features for signature verification from these virtual strokes by using a genetic algorithm (GA). Experiments are carried out to show the effectiveness of the new method.

This paper presents a new method to find best features for signature verification. The new method uses a new coding method, a new crossover method, and a new GA method with a local improvement mechanism proposed by the authors. The new coding method is effective to absorb the intra-personal variability among true signatures. The new crossover method determines the number of partial curves chosen for the signature verification. The new GA approach is very efficient in improving the local portions of chromosomes. Experiments are done to show the effectiveness of the new method.