Three-dimensional measurement of ice crystals in frozen beef with a micro-slicer image processing system

A novel technique has been developed for measuring the three-dimensional (3-D) structure and distribution of ice crystals formed in frozen beef by using a micro-slicer image processing system (MSIPS). The system has functions to reconstruct the 3-D image based on the image data of exposed cross-sections obtained by multi-slicing of a frozen sample with the minimum thickness of 1 μm and to display the internal structure as well as an arbitrary cross-section of the sample choosing observation angles. The size and distribution of ice crystals can be determined from the 2-D quantitative information, such as the periphery and area of the crystals. The effects of freezing conditions on the morphology and distribution of the ice crystals were demonstrated quantitatively from the observations of raw beef stained by fluorescent indicator. For the samples frozen at −15 °C, the network structure of ice crystals were observed mainly at intercellular space, having approximately 100 μm in cross-sectional size, while that prepared at −120 °C showed the spherical crystals of 10–20 μm in diameter within the cells. The 3-D image of the sample demonstrated that the growth of ice columns was restricted by the intrinsic structure of muscle fibers. The proposed method provided a new tool to investigate the effects of freezing conditions on the size, morphology and distribution of ice crystals.     

Spinal Canal and Spinal Cord in Rat Continue to Grow Even after Sexual Maturation: Anatomical Study and Molecular Proposition

Although rodents have been widely used for experimental models of spinal cord diseases, the details of the growth curves of their spinal canal and spinal cord, as well as the molecular mechanism of the growth of adult rat spinal cords remain unavailable. They are particularly important when conducting the experiments of cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), since the disease condition depends on the size of the spinal canal and the spinal cord. Thus, the purposes of the present study were to obtain accurate growth curves for the spinal canal and spinal cord in rats; to define the appropriate age in weeks for their use as a CSM model; and to propose a molecular mechanism of the growth of the adult spinal cord in rats. CT myelography was performed on Lewis rats from 4 weeks to 40 weeks of age. The vertical growth of the spinal canal at C5 reached a plateau after 20 and 12 weeks, and at T8 after 20 and 16 weeks, in males and females, respectively. The vertical growth of the C5 and T8 spinal cord reached a plateau after 24 weeks in both sexes. The vertical space available for the cord (SAC) of C5 and T8 did not significantly change after 8 weeks in either sex. Western blot analyses showed that VEGFA, FGF2, and BDNF were highly expressed in the cervical spinal cords of 4-week-old rats, and that the expression of these growth factors declined as rats grew. These findings indicate that the spinal canal and the spinal cord in rats continue to grow even after sexual maturation and that rats need to be at least 8 weeks of age for use in experimental models of CSM. The present study, in conjunction with recent evidence, proposes the hypothetical model that the growth of rat spinal cord after the postnatal period is mediated at least in part by differentiation of neural progenitor cells and that their differentiation potency is maintained by VEGFA, FGF2, and BDNF.     

Phase I study of raltitrexed (ZD-1694)

A multicenter cooperative phase I study of ZD-1694 (raltitrexed), a novel, folate-based thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor, was conducted with single and repeated doses in 30 patients with various malignant tumors. ZD-1694 was intravenously infused over 15 minutes. In the single-dose study, the initial dose was fixed at 1.0 mg/m2 (1n), and the dose was escalated stepwise up to 3.5 mg/m2 (3.5 n). Based on the results of the single-dose study, in the repeated-dose study, doses of 2.5 n and 3 n were infused every three weeks (3 weeks/one course). In principle, patients received 2 courses or more. Of the 29 eligible patients, 16 were in the single-dose study and 13 in the repeated-dose study. Adverse reactions were evaluated in all eligible patients. In the single-dose study, neutropenia, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and transaminase (GOT, GPT) increases, of grade 3 or higher, occurred at high doses of 3 n and 3.5 n. These were regarded as dose-limiting toxicities (DLT). DLT of grade 3 or higher were observed in 1 of 4 patients given 3 n and 2 of 4 patients given 3.5 n. These results suggested that the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of ZD-1694 was 3.5 n (3.5 mg/m2). In the repeated-dose study, DLT of grade 3 or higher was observed in no more than one third of each dose group, 2 of the 6 patients given 2.5 n and 2 of the 7 patients given 3 n. These results suggested that 3 n (3.0 mg/m2), a dose nearer to MTD, was the recommended dose for the phase II study. Although transaminase increases were observed in all patients, in 12 of them the increase was grade 2 or lower and reversible. A pharmacokinetic investigation showed the mean elimination half life of ZD-1694 plasma concentration was 91.5 hours in the single-dose group and 119.1 hours in the repeated dose group. It was suggested that ZD-1694 is metabolized to polyglutamates after uptake and retained in the cells for a long duration. However, no accumulation was seen in plasma concentration of ZD-1694 following repeated doses at 3-weekly intervals. One PR was observed in a patient with colorectal cancer receiving 2.5 n in the repeated-dose study. Based on these results, the recommended dosage and administration for the phase II study of ZD-1694 was 3 n (3.0 mg/m2) intravenously infused over 15 minutes every 3 weeks.     

Localization of matrix metalloproteinases-1, -2, and -9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 in interstitial lung diseases

In interstitial lung diseases, deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in alveoli and degradation of ECM lead to pulmonary structural remodeling. The changes in ECM and the localization of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP) in the lung tissues of patients with bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) were investigated. Immunohistochemical analysis for the detection of fibronectin, collagen-I, -III, and -IV, smooth muscle actin, MMP-1 (interstitial collagenase), -2 (gelatinase A), and -9 (gelatinase B), and TIMP-2, and in situ hybridization for the detection of MMP-9 mRNA were performed. Western blotting of lung tissue homogenates was performed for MMP-2 and MMP-9. The gelatinolytic activities of the homogenates were also determined using gelatin zymography. Fibronectin and collagen-I, -III, and -IV were detected in the intra-alveolar fibrosis in addition to the interstitium of these diseases. MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-9, and TIMP-2 were detected in the regenerated epithelial cells covering intra-alveolar fibrosis. Myofibroblasts in intra-alveolar fibrosis in BOOP showed predominant reaction for MMPs, and they ultrastructurally appeared to be phagocytosing collagen fibrils, and those of IPF showed a predominant reaction for TIMP-2. New vascularization in intra-alveolar fibrosis was exclusively observed in cases of BOOP, and the endothelial cells were positive for MMP-2. Western blotting showed the existence of a latent form of MMP-9 and latent and active forms of MMP-2, and gelatin zymography revealed that the ratio of active/latent forms of MMP-2 in BOOP is significantly larger than that in the control lungs. Predominant MMPs in BOOP may constitute the mechanism of reversibility of fibrotic changes in this disease. TIMP-2 in myofibroblasts in IPF may contribute to the stable ECM deposition and the irreversible pulmonary structural remodeling.     

A 0.13-/spl mu/m CMOS 5-Gb/s 10-m 28AWG cable transceiver with no-feedback-loop continuous-time post-equalizer

The frequency-dependent attenuation of the transmission lines between chips and printed circuit boards, for example, is an obstacle to improving the performance of a system enhanced with LSI technology scaling. This is because large frequency-dependent attenuation results in poor eye-opening performance and a high bit-error rate in data transmission. This paper presents a 5-Gb/s 10-m 28AWG cable transceiver fabricated by using 0.13-/spl mu/m CMOS technology. In this transceiver, a continuous-time post-equalizer, with recently developed no-feedback-loop high-speed analog amplifiers, can handle up to 9dB of frequency-dependent attenuation in cables and also achieve an 18-dB improvement in the attenuation (27dB total improvement) by using pre- and post-equalization techniques in combination.     

A gene (sleB) encoding a spore cortex-lytic enzyme from Bacillus subtilis and response of the enzyme to L-alanine-mediated germination

The Bacillus subtilis sleB gene, which codes for the enzyme homologous to the germination-specific amidase from Bacillus cereus, was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Sequence analysis showed that it had an open reading frame of 918 bp, coding for a polypeptide of 305 amino acids with a putative signal sequence of 29 residues. Enzyme activity was not found in germination exudate of B. subtilis spores, which differs from the case of B. cereus enzyme. A B. subtilis mutant with an insertionally inactivated sleB gene revealed normal behavior in growth and sporulation. However, the sleB mutant was unable to complete germination mediated by L-alanine.     

Knotting task execution based a hand-rope relation

In this paper, we focus on relationship between the rope and fingers to implement a knot and estimate error occurred during execution of knotting task. In the previous work, the authors have proposed a method for making various knots from synthesis of basic operations called skills that are derived from analyzing the knotting processes. Each individual skill has an operation to handle the rope and conditions for executing and completing the task skill. By combining these skills, we can make the whole knotting process robust. In this paper, the ‘relations’, which describe the positions of the rope relative to the fingers, found from the successful cases, using the teaching data, were defined as the conditions of the task skills. Relation of rope and fingers at a specific state is presented by using propositional variables and logical connectives. Knotting skills were constructed to be executed robustly using the detected conditions. Occurrence of an error is estimated by finding out an abnormal relation. In this case, a corrective action can be inserted to modify the position of contact points, which are relative to the unsatisfied conditions to satisfy the detected conditions; therefore, skill execution is more reliable. We confirm the effectiveness of the methods through experiments.     

Development of the residual sodium quantification method for a fuel pin bundle of SFRs before and after dry cleaning

ABSTRACT

In a fuel handling system of sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), it is necessary to remove the sodium remaining on spent fuel assemblies (FAs) before storing them in a spent fuel water pool (SFP). A next-generation SFR in Japan has adopted an advanced dry-cleaning system that consists of argon gas blowing to remove the metallic residual sodium on the FA, which increases economic competitiveness and reduces waste products thanks to a waterless process. In this R&D work, the performance of the dry cleaning process has been investigated.

This paper describes experimental and analytical studies focusing on the amount of residual sodium remaining on a fuel pin bundle before and after the argon gas blowing process. The experiments were conducted using a sodium test loop and a short (approximately 1 m) specimen consisting of a 7-pin bundle. The effects of the blowing gas velocity and the blowing time were quantitatively analyzed in the experiments. The blowing gas velocity was varied from 3.9 to 31.3 m/s, and 113 data-points of the residual sodium were collected during the experiment. On the basis of these experimental results, the residual sodium quantification method for the fuel pin bundle was constructed.