Pseudo-Stokes Vector Correlation From Complex Signal Representation of a Speckle Pattern and Its Applications to Micro-Displacement Measurement

Abstract:  As an improvement of the intensity correlation used widely in conventional electronic speckle photography, we propose a new technique for displacement measurement based on correlating Stokes-like parameters derivatives for transformed speckle patterns. The method is based on a Riesz transform of the intensity speckle pattern, which converts the original real-valued signal into a complex signal. In closest analogy to the polarisation of a vector wave, the Stokes-like vector constructed from the spatial derivative of the generated complex signal has been applied for correlation. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate the validity and advantage of the proposed pseudo-Stokes vector correlation technique over conventional intensity correlation technique.     

Dimethyl Fumarate Induces Apoptosis via Inhibition of NF-κB and Enhances the Effect of Paclitaxel and Adriamycin in Human TNBC Cells

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has the poorest prognosis of all breast cancer subtypes. Recently, the activation of NF-κB, which is involved in the growth and survival of malignant tumors, has been demonstrated in TNBC, suggesting that NF-κB may serve as a new therapeutic target. In the present study, we examined whether dimethyl fumarate (DMF), an NF-κB inhibitor, induces apoptosis in TNBC cells and enhances the apoptosis-inducing effect of paclitaxel and adriamycin. Cell survival was analyzed by the trypan blue assay and apoptosis assay. Protein detection was examined by immunoblotting. The activation of NF-κB p65 was correlated with poor prognosis in patients with TNBC. DMF induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells at concentrations that were non-cytotoxic to the normal mammary cell line MCF-10A. Furthermore, DMF inhibited NF-κB nuclear translocation and Survivin, XIAP, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 expression in MDA-MB-231 and BT-549 cells. Moreover, DMF enhanced the apoptosis-inducing effect of paclitaxel and adriamycin in MDA-MB-231 cells. These findings suggest that DMF may be an effective therapeutic agent for the treatment of TNBC, in which NF-κB is constitutively active. DMF may also be useful as an adjuvant therapy to conventional anticancer drugs.     

Comparative hypocholesterolemic effects of six dietary oils in cholesterol-fed rats after long-term feeding

Rats (8 wk of age) fed a conventional diet were shifted to diets containing 10% Oenothera biennis Linn oil (OBLO, linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid) from a wild plant, evening primrose oil (EPO, linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid) from a cultivated plant, bio-gamma-linolenic acid oil from mold (BIO, palmitic acid + oleic acid + linoleic acid + gamma-linolenic acid), safflower oil (linoleic acid), palm oil (PLO, palmitic acid + oleic acid + linoleic acid), or soybean oil (linoleic acid + alpha-linolenic acid) with 0.5% cholesterol for 13 wk. Though there were no significant differences in the food intake among the groups, the body weight gain of the OBLO group was significantly lower than that of the other groups except for the BIO and PLO groups, and that of the EPO and SBO groups were the highest among the groups. The liver weight of the OBLO group was significantly lower than that of other groups, and that of the PLO group was the highest among the groups. The serum total cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) + intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) + low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations of the OBLO and EPO groups were consistently lower than those in the other groups. However, those of the BIO group were higher than those in the OBLO and EPO groups. The liver cholesterol concentration of the PLO group was the highest among all groups except for the EPO group. The fecal neutral sterol and bile acid extraction of the BIO group tended to increase compared to the other groups. The results of this study demonstrate that OBLO and EPO inhibit the increasing of serum total cholesterol and VLDL + IDL + LDL-cholesterol concentrations in the presence of excess cholesterol in the diet compared with the other dietary oils.     

Slc25a39 and Slc25a40 Expression in Mice with Bile Duct Ligation or Lipopolysaccharide Treatment

SLC25A39/40, involved in mitochondrial GSH (mGSH) import from the cytoplasm, is essential for protection against oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. We examined the effects of cholestasis, through bile duct ligation (BDL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in mice, on Slc25a39/40 expression. Additionally, we used human clear cell renal carcinoma (KMRC-1) cells to elucidate the mechanism of regulation of SLC25A39/40 expression in the kidneys after LPS treatment. BDL resulted in a decrease in Slc25a39 mRNA in the liver and a decrease in Slc25a39/40 mRNA and protein in the kidneys. Consequently, there was a significant decrease in mGSH levels in the kidneys of BDL mice compared with those in sham mice. LPS treatment resulted in increased Slc25a40 expression in the kidneys. In KMRC-1 cells, the combination treatment of LPS-RS or FPS-ZM1 with LPS suppressed the LPS-induced increase in SLC25A40, suggesting that SLC25A40 expression could be regulated by the signaling pathway via toll-like receptor 4 and the receptor for advanced glycation end products, respectively. Our findings contribute to understanding the role of mGSH in the maintenance of the mitochondrial redox state. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the changes in Slc25a39/40 expression in mice with cholestasis-associated renal injury and LPS-induced inflammation.     

Colorectal Laterally Spreading Tumors by Computed Tomographic Colonography

To date, few reports focused primarily on detecting colorectal laterally spreading tumors (LSTs) have been published. The aim of this study was to determine the visibility of LSTs on computed tomographic colonography (CTC) compared with that on colonoscopy as a standard. We retrospectively reviewed and matched data on endoscopic and CTC reports in 157 patients (161 LSTs) who received a multidetector CT scan using contrast media immediately after total colonoscopy at the National Cancer Center Hospital in Tokyo, Japan, between December 2005 and August 2010. The results of the total colonoscopy were known at the time of the CTC procedure and reading. Of the 161 LSTs detected on colonoscopy, 138 were observed and matched by CTC (86%). Of the 91 granular type LSTs (LST-Gs), 88 (97%) were observed and matched, while of the 70 non-granular type LSTs (LST-NGs), 50 (71%) were observed and matched by CTC (p < 0.0001). CTC enabled observation of 73% (22/30) of 20–29 mm, 83% (35/42) of 30–39 mm, 88% (49/56) of 40–59 mm, and 97% (32/33) of ≥60 mm tumors. The rate of observed LSTs by CTC was 86% (97% of LST-G, 71% of LST-NG) of the LSTs found during total colonoscopy.     

Catalytic synthesis of N-alkylacrylamide from acrylonitrile and alcohol with solid acids

Catalytic synthesis of N-alkylacrylamides, which are useful monomers for functional polymers, from acrylonitrile and alcohols, such as 1-adamantanol, tert-butyl alcohol, and isopropyl alcohol has been studied using various solid acids including heteropoly compounds and zeolites. For the reaction with 1-adamantanol or tert-butyl alcohol, a heteropoly compound, Cs_2.5H_0.5PW₁₂O₄₀, exhibited a high catalytic performance and water-tolerance. On the other hand, for the synthesis of N-isopropylacrylamide from isopropyl alcohol, a high-silica zeolite, H-ZSM-5 with Si/Al ratio of 37, showed an exceptionally high activity, while it was less active in the reaction with tert-butyl alcohol or 1-adamantanol. This marked effect of reactant alcohol observed for H-ZSM-5 is probably due to shape selectivity. The prominent performance for N-isopropylacrylamide synthesis is attributable to a steric effect of the constrained pores; two reactants might be arranged adequately to form an intermediate in the pores.     

Control of the coating layer thickness of TiO2–SiO2 core–shell hybrid particles by liquid phase deposition

This paper describes control of the coating layer thickness and the crystallite size of the core–shell hybrid particles by controlling the process parameter. The core–shell hybrid particles were prepared using liquid phase deposition (LPD). We confirmed that the homogeneous coating was attained from the result of the zeta potential and the transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation. Furthermore, the coating layer microstructure was estimated using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The obtained coating layer of titania was estimated using the band gap energy. Results indicate that the blue shift of the band gap energy signifies that the physical property of the hybrid particles was controlled by the coating layer thickness and the crystallite size, which are determined by the processing parameters.     

Profile structure of magnetic flux lines in type-II superconductor from a rectangular electron hologram

Profile magnetic configuration of a quantized flux line and flux-line lattice penetrating a type-II superconductor thin foil, niobium, was observed by electron holography and Lorentz microscopy using a 300 kV field-emission electron microscope. Each single flux line was distributed periodically as lattice structure in the mixed state just below its critical temperature of 8.5 K, while at low temperature of 5 K the flux lines were weakly bound as bundles. In order to observe the flux-line distribution over a wide area, discrete Fourier transform reconstruction in the holography was extended for a rectangular area without loss of information and data precision.     

Evaluation of Tensile Strength and Fracture Toughness of Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Polycrystals with Fracture Surface Analysis

The tensile strength of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (Y-TZPs) was measured and the fracture surfaces were analyzed with the scanning electron microscope and X-ray microanalyzer. The fracture origins of the pressureless-sintered samples were voids or inclusions such as A1₂O₃, A1₂O₃ with SiO₂, and cubic-ZrO₂, while the fracture origins of the hot isostatically pressed samples were inclusions; no voids were detected at fracture origins. The higher strengths of the hot isostatically pressed samples versus those of the pressureless-sintered samples were consistent with the change in fracture origins. The fracture toughness of the samples calculated from the tensile strength and analysis of the fracture origins was 3.4 to 3.7 MPa √m. These values are lower than those measured with the SEPB method. These discrepancies might be caused by the difference in the state of the fracture origin and its neighborhood, such as the size of the fracture origin and interaction between two surfaces in the precrack.     

Indoor and outdoor concentrations of Japanese cedar pollens and total suspended particulates: A case study at a kindergarten in Japan

Japanese cedar pollinosis (JCP) caused by allergenic cedar and cypress pollens is one of major economic and health issues in Japan. The present study reported here aimed to provide basic data to understand the status of early life exposures to airborne cedar and cypress pollens in school settings. In particular, the study investigated relationships between indoor and outdoor concentrations of airborne cedar and cypress pollens and total suspended particulates (TSP) in a kindergarten in Japan. Overall, outdoor concentrations of the airborne pollens and TSP were higher than the indoor concentrations, i.e., indoor to outdoor (I/O) ratios of 0.043–0.055 and 0.545 for the airborne pollens and TSP, respectively. The smaller I/O ratios for the pollens were expected because the larger pollen grains (20–30 μm in diameter) were less likely penetrated to indoor environment than for smaller airborne particulates. The present study also found increased TSP concentrations during the pollen season was likely attributed to increased airborne pollen concentrations. By understanding the status of indoor and outdoor concentrations of airborne cedar and cypress pollens in school settings, early life exposures to these allergenic pollens should be effectively minimized to prevent subsequent progression to JCP symptoms.