Technique for arterial-phase contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography of the carotid and vertebral arteries

Our goal was to evaluate whether contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MR angiography using the MR Smartprep technique would enable us to obtain arterial-phase MR angiograms of the carotid and vertebral arteries. The study included 35 patients with suspected lesions of the neck in whom the MR Smartprep technique was used for MR angiography performed with a 1.5-T superconducting system. The tracker volume was placed primarily in the middle part of the right common carotid artery. The imaging volume was placed in a coronal direction to include the carotid and vertebral arteries from the aortic arch to the skull base. A centric phase-ordering scheme was used. Imaging times were 20 to 38 seconds for 14 patients and 11 to 16 seconds for 21 patients. By using a smaller tracker volume and an imaging time of less than 16 seconds, we were able to achieve a 100% successful triggering rate and to delineate selectively arterial-phase carotid and vertebral arteries with almost no venous contamination. Contract-enhanced 3-D MR angiography with the MR Smartprep technique was useful for showing arterial-phase carotid and vertebral arteries selectively.     

Improvement of performance in redox flow batteries for PV systems

A redox flow battery (RFB) is a new type battery. A new piping sytem to improve the performance of RFBs for PV systems is introduced. In this new system, the piping for the electrolytes also connects each stack in series just like the electric circuit. In this system, the leak current through the electrolytes in the piping between each stack is suppressed. This system is called multitank system because it has many minitanks between each stack. It is clarified from the experimental and simulation results of the multitank system that this system improves the performance of RFBs.     

Intrasellar meningioma: case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: Intrasellar meningioma is a rare clinical entity, and surgical resection may be difficult when it is hypervascularized. METHODS: A case of subdiaphragmatic hypervascular intrasellar meningioma with attachment to the dura of the anterior wall of the sella turcica is described. Literature review of 18 cases with operatively confirmed intrasellar meningioma discloses unexpected intraoperative bleeding and relatively low resectability of the tumor are also described. RESULTS: We used preoperative endovascular embolization of feeding arteries, and resected a hypervascular intrasellar meningioma by a combined transsphenoidal-transcranial approach safely and without massive bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative endovascular embolization of feeding arteries and combined transsphenoidal-transcranial approach are useful for the surgical resection of hypervascular intrasellar meningiomas.     

Single shot fast spin echo (SSFSE)

Single Shot Scan methods, which acquire all the necessary data for reconstruction with one excitation, are very useful methods to minimize motion artifacts. Single Shot Scan can be categorized in 2 groups, one is EPI method using gradient by Echo data acquisition, and another is SSFSE method using RF. SSFSE method is Single Shot FSE method using 0.5 NEX. SSFSE produces images with less motion artifacts and heavy PD and T2 images with high contrast. New RF reduces Echo Space and minimizes image quality degradation caused by Single Shot. SSFSE is useful for long T2 like MRCP. Long TE mode can be used with very long ETE even with 0.5 NEX. New applications development for Single Shot using RF is awaited in the future.     

TEM Characterization of HgCdTe/CdTe Grown on GaAs(211)B Substrates

A microstructural study of HgCdTe/CdTe/GaAs(211)B and CdTe/GaAs(211)B heterostructures grown using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) was carried out using transmission electron microscopy and small-probe microanalysis. High-quality MBE-grown CdTe on GaAs(211)B substrates was demonstrated to be a viable composite substrate platform for HgCdTe growth. In addition, analysis of interfacial misfit dislocations and residual strain showed that the CdTe/GaAs interface was fully relaxed except in localized regions where GaAs surface polishing had caused small pits. In the case of HgCdTe/CdTe/GaAs(211)B, the use of thin HgTe buffer layers between HgCdTe and CdTe for improving the HgCdTe crystal quality was also investigated.     

Enhanced Light‐Harvesting Capability of a Panchromatic Ru(II) Sensitizer Based on π‐Extended Terpyridine with a 4‐Methylstylryl Group for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

A novel Ru π‐expanded terpyridyl sensitizer, referred to as HIS‐2, is prepared based on the molecular design strategy of substitution with a moderately electron‐donating 4‐methylstyryl group onto the terpyridyl ligand. The HIS‐2 dye exhibits a slightly increased metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption at around 600 nm and an intense π–π* absorption in the UV region compared with a black dye. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) is distributed over the terpyridine and 4‐methylstyryl moieties, which enhances the light‐harvesting capability and is appropriate for smooth electron injection from the dye to the TiO₂ conduction band. The incident photon‐to‐electricity conversion efficiency spectrum of HIS‐2 exhibits better photoresponse compared with black dye over the whole spectral region as a result of the extended π‐conjugation. A DSC device based on black dye gives a short‐circuit current (J_SC) of 21.28 mA cm^?2, open‐circuit voltage (V_OC) of 0.69 V, and fill factor (FF) of 0.72, in an overall conversion efficiency (η) of 10.5%. In contrast, an HIS‐2 based cell gives a higher J_SC value of 23.07 mA cm^?2 with V_OC of 0.68 V, and FF of 0.71, and owing to the higher J_SC value of HIS‐2, an improved η value of 11.1% is achieved.     

Biochemical Studies of Mitochondrial Malate: Quinone Oxidoreductase from Toxoplasma gondii

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that causes toxoplasmosis and infects almost one-third of the global human population. A lack of effective drugs and vaccines and the emergence of drug resistant parasites highlight the need for the development of new drugs. The mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) is an essential pathway for energy metabolism and the survival of T. gondii. In apicomplexan parasites, malate:quinone oxidoreductase (MQO) is a monotopic membrane protein belonging to the ETC and a key member of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and has recently been suggested to play a role in the fumarate cycle, which is required for the cytosolic purine salvage pathway. In T. gondii, a putative MQO (TgMQO) is expressed in tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages and is considered to be a potential drug target since its orthologue is not conserved in mammalian hosts. As a first step towards the evaluation of TgMQO as a drug target candidate, in this study, we developed a new expression system for TgMQO in FN102(DE3)TAO, a strain deficient in respiratory cytochromes and dependent on an alternative oxidase. This system allowed, for the first time, the expression and purification of a mitochondrial MQO family enzyme, which was used for steady-state kinetics and substrate specificity analyses. Ferulenol, the only known MQO inhibitor, also inhibited TgMQO at IC₅₀ of 0.822 μM, and displayed different inhibition kinetics compared to Plasmodium falciparum MQO. Furthermore, our analysis indicated the presence of a third binding site for ferulenol that is distinct from the ubiquinone and malate sites.     

A new mutant rat with hyperbilirubinuria (hyb)

We have discovered mutant rats with hyperbilirubinuria at the laboratories of Eisai Co., Ltd., Gifu, Japan, and established a new inbred mutant strain, which was designated Eisai Hyperbilirubinuria Rat (EHBR/Eis). They show jaundice immediately after birth, and direct or conjugated hyperbilirubinemia throughout their life. The phenotypes are controlled by a single autosomal recessive gene, hyb with full penetrance. Affected homozygous males seem to have full reproductive capacity. On the other hand, the litter size of hyb/hyb females is significantly reduced at second parturition compared with that at first one. In order to maintain the strain efficiently and to produce both affected (hyb/hyb) and normal control (hyb/+) offspring at the same time, we have mainly been mating hyb/hyb males with hyb/+ females in establishing the inbred strain. We also report here the allele distribution of the EHBR/Eis strain.