Effects of sigma receptor ligands on conditioned fear stress

BACKGROUND: Low-dose clarithromycin (250 mg b.d.) in combination with omeprazole and metronidazole has been recommended for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. Whether the substitution of omeprazole by pantoprazole requires adjustment of the clarithromycin dose is not known. AIM: To directly compare the efficacy and tolerability of two different dosages of clarithromycin in combination with pantoprazole and metronidazole. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-three patients with endoscopically confirmed gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcers and positive H. pylori findings in the rapid urease test were randomized and treated for 7 days with pantoprazole (40 mg b.d.). metronidazole (500 mg b.d.) and clarithromycin using either a regimen of 500 mg b.d. (group PMC 500) or 250 mg b.d. (group PMC 250). Eradication success was determined no less than 4 weeks after concluding therapy using the 13C-urea breath test. RESULTS: One-hundred and thirty-nine patients completed the study. Based on a per protocol analysis. successful eradication was documented in 63/70 patients (90.0%) in group PMC 500 and in 62/69 patients (89.9%) in group PMC 250. Based on the intention-to-treat analysis, eradication rates were 78.8% (group PMC 500) and 75.6% (group PMC 250). The incidence of adverse effects was significantly higher in patients receiving PMC 500 (50.0%) than in those receiving PMC 250 (25.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Triple therapy with pantoprazole, metronidazole and clarithromycin provides an efficient eradication regimen for H. pylori infection. A low dose of clarithromycin is equal to a higher dose in therapeutic efficacy and it offers the advantage of improved tolerance and lower cost.     

Scalability of spectrum-sliced DWDM transmission and its expansion using forward error correction

This paper clarifies the scalability of spectrum-sliced dense wavelength-division-multiplexing (DWDM) transmission systems primarily intended for metro access applications. A theoretical analysis elucidates the tradeoff between the loss budget and the sliced bandwidth (i.e., the number of channels with assuming light sources with a fixed bandwidth). Moreover, the use of forward error correction (FEC) to expand scalability is studied. Based on the analysis, two spectrum-sliced DWDM transmission schemes are introduced. One demonstrates 1.25-Gb/s, eight channel spectrum-sliced DWDM transmission through the use of directly modulated super-luminescent diodes (SLDs), and the other confirms 10-Gb/s, eight channel spectrum-sliced DWDM transmission with the channel spacing of 200 GHz through the use of FEC.     

Simulation of the primary process in photosynthetic reaction centre by monolayer with charge separation triad and antenna molecules

Simulation of photoelectric conversion in the photosynthetic reaction centre by a monomolecular layer assembly was successfully attained by using a newly synthesized linear A-S-D triad as a charge separation unit and an antenna pigment for light harvesting. The synthetic amphiphilic triad molecule has three functional moieties within a molecule, i.e. a hydrophilic electron acceptor viologen (A), a hydrophobic sensitizer perylene (S) and a hydrophobic electron donor ferrocene (D) moiety. The amphiphilic antenna molecule has a light-harvesting pyrene (H) moiety in the middle of the alkyl chain of fatty acid. Because of overlap of the emission spectrum of the antenna pyrene and the absorption spectrum of the sensitizer perylene moiety of the triad, light energies harvested by the antenna molecules were efficiently transferred to the sensitizer moiety of the triad and finally converted to electrical energies via multistep electron transfer across the monolayer through the charge separation unit of the triad molecule in the highly oriented monolayer assembly.     

The levels of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in the plasma of the bone marrow aspirate in various hematological disorders

We developed a sensitive method of measurement of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which we applied in the plasma of the bone marrow aspirate in 70 patients with various hematological disorders. The lowest limit of detection by this method is 2 pg/ml. G-CSF was detected in all but two of the patients. Compared to the G-CSF level in normal healthy controls, those in non-Hodgkin's malignant lymphoma, aplastic anemia, agranulocytosis and multiple myeloma were significantly higher, while the level in refractory anemia was not different. The G-CSF level in acute myelogenous leukemia patients was either elevated or decreased regardless of the French-American-British subgroup. The level in acute lymphoblastic leukemia was not different from the normal value, as was that in refractory anemia with an excess of blasts, and that in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia showed initial elevation of G-CSF with normalization after entering complete remission. The G-CSF level in chronic myelogenous leukemia was significantly decreased, although one patient in hematological remission who was under alpha-interferon therapy showed normal levels. The level in polycythemia vera was not significantly different from the normal value. The G-CSF level for the entire group showed an inverse, although not statistically significant, correlation with the percentages of myeloid cells of the bone marrow (r = -0.174, p = 0.1703, n = 80). These results are thought to reflect the regulatory mechanism of granulopoiesis in the bone marrow in various hematological disorders, and it is concluded that this method may be of clinical use in the treatment of patients with these disorders and in the selection of candidates likely to benefit from G-CSF administration.     

On the Application of Modern Control Theory to Automotive Engine Control

This study deals with how modern control theory can be applied to automotive engine control. Appropriate models are indispensable in the application of modern control theory, the present study achieves engine modeling using physical and statistical approaches. Also, for a concrete application of modern control theory, the present focus is on a torque servo engine, because torque is the output most necessary for an engine. Modern control techniques are used to control a torque servo engine to obtain the most fuel-saving operation possible. It is found that a high potential could be achieved compared with conventional control methods.     

Diagnostic and prognostic usefulness of N1,N8-diacetylspermidine and N1,N12-diacetylspermine in urine as novel markers of malignancy

Recently, we found N1,N8-diacetylspermidine (Ac2Spd) and N1,N12-diacetylspermine (Ac2Spm) in human urine, and noted that their amount increased significantly in patients with urogenital malignancies. Previous findings that simultaneous reference to these diacetylpolyamines is useful in distinguishing cancer patients from healthy persons were confirmed by more recent analytical data on urine samples from several cancer patients. Further examination revealed that urinary Ac2Spm and Ac2Spd tended to decrease when cancer patients were treated and entered partial remission. In cases where the Ac2Spm and Ac2Spd levels were normal or near-normal after treatments, the prognosis of the patients was generally good. In contrast, when their level remained far above the normal limits after apparently effective treatment, the prognosis of the patients was poor. When a patient is in remission for more than 3 years, urinary levels of both Ac2Spm and Ac2Spd are stabilized and stay below the normal limits, with rare exceptions. The recurrence of a cancer as well as the complication of a second one during the period of follow-up examination was accompanied by elevation of urinary diacetylpolyamines. These observations indicate that urinary Ac2Spm and Ac2Spd are useful as prognostic indicators after treatment and during follow-up examination of cancer patients.     

The development of computational chemistry approach to predict the viscosity of lubricants

Sophisticated machinery requires the development of new lubricants that realize friction-less contact, perfect transmittance of torque, and so on. However, experimental approaches have needed long time to find new lubricants. Therefore, the prediction of lubricant properties by computational chemistry should be crucial to accelerate the design of lubricants. This study treats precise evaluation of viscosity employing molecular dynamics simulation and prediction based on neural network.     

Athermal silica-based arrayed-waveguide grating (AWG)multi/demultiplexers with new low loss groove design

A new low loss groove design for athermal silica-based AWG multi/demultiplexers is proposed. The insertion loss was <3.2 dB with an excess loss of 0.4 dB. The temperature dependence of the channel wavelength change was suppressed to be below 2.5 GHz in the 0-85°C range     

Investigation of recycled gypsum in conjunction with waste plastic trays for ground improvement

During the three stages of production, construction and demolition, approximately 15 million tons of gypsum waste plasterboard is generated annually in the world. It is considered a serious problem due to scarcity of land-filling space, increasing the cost of disposal and increasing environmental regulations. Investigations of using recycled gypsum “bassanite” which is derived from gypsum waste plasterboard and waste plastic trays for ground improvement were studied. Recycled gypsum was used as a stabilizing agent to improve the compressive strength while the waste plastic trays were used to improve the tensile strength. Recycled gypsum content, curing time and frost heave property throughout capillary rise test were investigated to determine the behavior of treated soil with recycled gypsum. In addition, size, content and aspect ratio of strips of waste plastic trays were investigated. Test results showed that increasing recycled gypsum content has a more significant effect on compressive strength compared to the tensile strength. The effect of curing time on the strength of treated soil samples with recycled gypsum is much pronounced in the early curing days compared to later ages. Adding strips of waste plastic trays to samples treated with recycled gypsum enhanced both splitting tensile and compressive strengths as well increased the value of secant modulus. Capillary rise rate was reduced with the increase of recycled gypsum content, which helps to reduce the formation of ice lenses; hence the susceptibility of treated soil against frost heave is increased. The size and content of strips of waste plastic trays have significant effect on the potential of capillary rise and the enhancement of strength and stiffness of tested soil.     

Vector unit architecture for emotion synthesis

Two vector units embedded in the emotion engine chip support high-quality 3D graphics, emotion synthesis, and 300-MHz, 5.5-GFLOPS operation for the recently introduced PlayStation2 game entertainment system