Clinical application of single-shot echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging with compressed SENSE in prostate MRI at 3T: preliminary experience

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine - Image quality (IQ) of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with single-shot echo-planar imaging (ssEPI) suffers from low signal-to-noise...     

A case of biliary cystadenoma with obstructive jaundice

Biliary cystadenoma is a rare cause of obstructive jaundice. We report a case of a 78-year-old Japanese man with biliary cystadenoma presenting repetitive abdominal pain and jaundice. Ultrasound sonography revealed a hyperechoic mass in the left lateral lobe of the liver. Histological examination revealed a biliary cystadenoma. Intracystic hemorrhage was assumed to be the cause of obstruction of the bile ducts.     

Changes in vasoactive intestinal peptide mRNA levels in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus following p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) treatment under light/dark conditions

Photic stimulus and serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) are two factors known to regulate vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) synthesis in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). To explore the role of 5-HT in the photic stimulus-induced change in VIP synthesis, we investigated the changes in level of VIP mRNA under a 12 h light/12 h dark cycle following depletion of 5-HT by intraperitoneal administration of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA) methyl ester (200 mg/kg concentration) for 3 successive days. To estimate VIP mRNA expression, we performed in situ hybridization using imaging plates combined with microcomputer-based imaging analysis. In light-phase, total signals of VIP mRNA from the PCPA-treated rats showed a significant decrease compared with those from the saline-treated control rats. However, in dark-phase, there were no significant decreases between the PCPA-treated rats and the saline-control rats. The present results strongly suggest that 5-HT neuronal inputs to the SCN interfere with the effect of photic stimulus on VIP synthesis at the mRNA level.     

Properties of bifunctional phosphonate fibers derived from chloromethylstyrene grafted polyolefin fibers

Bifunctional fibers containing phosphonate and sulfonate were derived from chloromethylstyrene grafted polyolefin fibers (PPPE-g-CMS) by phosphorylation and subsequent sulfonation reactions. It was clarified that phosphorylation of PPPE-g-CMS by Arbusov reaction is more suitable than one by the reaction with PCl₃ in the presence of AlCl₃, because the latter damaged fibers and gave phosphinate groups in addition to phosphonate ones. Then, bifunctional fibers containing phosphonate and sulfonate groups were prepared by sulfonation of monofunctional phosphonate fibers obtained via Arbusov reaction with chlorosulfonic acid. The metal ion selectivity of the bifunctional fibers was governed by both phosphonate and sulfonate groups. In addition, bifunctional fibers gave much more excellent kinetic performances in column-mode uptake of Cu(II) than the monofunctional phosphonate fibers and resin.     

Selective intrathecal phenol block to improve activities of daily living in patients with spastic quadriplegia. A preliminary report

To eliminate severe leg spasms of 15 quadriplegics, 0.3 ml 10% phenol-glycerin was injected into the subarachnoid space at the T12/L1 interspace. The effectiveness for leg spasm was evaluated by the Penn spasticity and Ashworth rigidity scales. Three patients remained completely flaccid; however three had slight, six had moderate and three had complete recurrence of spasms in a follow up period of observation for 1 to 22 (average 13) months. The result of selective intrathecal phenol block was significantly valuable, improving the activities of daily living (ADL) of quadriplegic patients. There were no systemic side effects nor disturbance of bladder, bowel or sexual functions.     

Cosegregation of the new region on chromosome 3 with salt-induced hypertension in female F2 progeny from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar-Kyoto rats

1. We investigated candidate loci for salt-sensitive high blood pressure (BP) in F2 progeny from crossing Wistar-Kyoto and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats. 2. In female F2 progeny, systolic and diastolic BP on the 12th day and the seventh month after salt loading was strongly linked with the D3Mgh12 and D3Mgh6 loci on chromosome 3, respectively. 3. These loci were linked with BP only in female F2 progeny, not in males. 4. These results indicate that hormonal factors may influence salt sensitivity, particularly with respect to gender differences.     

Two-dimensional thickness measurements based on internal reflection ellipsometry

An imaging ellipsometer technique on internal reflection geometry that can measure the thickness distribution of a thin film possessing an assumed refractive index is described. Because a prism is used for the internal reflection geometry, it was theoretically predicted that angular derivation from the normal incidence on the prism surface affects only the psi value by a factor of 0.97 at maximum. Measurements were carried out for an optical system of silica substrate-TiO2 layer-silica layer-protein film-air, with a thin-film array of dried protein as the sample film. Thickness of the protein films was two-dimensionally estimated only from the measured map of the delta value by use of the simulated relationship between the thickness and the delta value. The thickness map obtained was coincident on the whole with the results according to a mechanical scanning. The detection limit was approximately +/- 0.2 nm. These findings validate the optical effect of a high-index additional layer to improve the sensitivity and precision of thickness measurements of the sample film on transparent substrates.     

Control of biodegradability of poly(3‐hydroxybutyric acid) film with grafting acrylic acid and thermal remolding

Radiation‐induced graft polymerization of acrylic acid (AAc) on poly(3‐hydroxybutyric acid) (PHB) film was carried out and the resulting film was thermally‐remolded. The PHB films grafted with AAc (PHB‐g‐AAc) having a degree of grafting higher than 5% completely lost the enzymatic degradability. The enzymatic degradability of the grafted film was recovered by thermal remolding. The highest enzymatic degradation rate was observed at degree of grafting of 10% after thermal remolding. The PHB‐g‐AAc films and thermally‐remolded PHB‐g‐AAc films were characterized by contact angle and differential scanning calorimetry. The enzymatic degradability of PHB‐g‐AAc films was lost by the grafted AAc, which covered the surface of PHB film. The acceleration of enzymatic degradation in the remolded PHB‐g‐AAc films was mainly caused by decrease of crystallinity of PHB by dispread of grafted AAc during thermal remolding. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 3856–3861, 2006     

Characterization of a Silk‐Resinified Compact Fabricated Using a Pulse‐Energizing Sintering Device

Pulse electric current sintering is used to prepare a compact from resinificated hydrous silk powder. Compacts with no remnant silk powders are formed with 20 wt% added water, 20–40 MPa molding pressure, and >353 K molding temperature. The latter two are much lower than those used for conventional hot pressing. No dependence on molding pressure and temperature are found in XRD or FT‐IR analysis, except for a compact molded at 473 K, for which silk fibroin decomposition is confirmed by DSC, EGA‐MS, and molecular weight measurements. The compact's three‐point bending strength depends on the molding temperature, except for the temperature at which silk fibroin decomposes. The maximum three‐point bending strength resembles that of general‐purpose epoxy resin and is much higher than that of PLA.