Hepatic hilar inflammatory pseudotumor mimicking cholangiocarcinoma with cholangitis and phlebitis--a variant of primary sclerosing cholangitis?

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) of the liver is rare. We present a case of hepatic IPT mimicking cholangiocarcinoma in which the tumor was located at the left porta hepatis. The patient was a 64-year-old man in whom abnormal liver function test results had been noted incidentally during an annual health checkup in 1993: the patient declined to go to the hospital for further examination. At the annual health checkup the following year, abnormal liver function test results were noticed again, and this time he did go to a hospital, where a hepatic mass was found. Laboratory test results were unremarkable. Based on the location of the lesion and the findings of a variety of imaging modalities, such as ultrasound and computed tomography examination, the lesion was preoperatively diagnosed as hilar cholangiocarcinoma and was surgically resected. Pathologic examination of the resected lesion, however, revealed that it was not a true tumor but an inflammatory pseudotumor with marked destructive and sclerosing cholangitis mimicking primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and obliterative phlebitis. Since the location and features of the tumor in the present case are very pertinent to the relationship between IPT and PSC, we describe its clinical and histologic features and discuss the findings in relation to PSC in the context of our literature review.     

Determination of engine misfiring using magnetoelastic torquesensor

A method for the determination of engine misfiring has been achieved with a magnetic-head-type torque sensor based on the magnetoelastic effect. Sensor signal treatment using fast Fourier transformation (FFT) is introduced into this method to detect the misfiring cylinders. It has been confirmed that the determination of the misfiring cylinders is successful experimentally in a multicylinder engine such as the four-cycle engine having eight cylinders. In addition, this method is superior in accuracy to the conventional method with rotation speed detection, as well as ease of sensor installation     

Emission probability measurement of γ-ray of Rh

¹⁰⁵Rh becomes a stable ¹⁰⁵Pd after β⁻-decay with a half-life of 35.36 h. The energies of especially strong γ-rays emitted from ¹⁰⁵Rh are 306.1 and 318.9 keV, and the emission probabilities are evaluated to be 5.1±0.3% and 19.1±0.6% by de Frenne et al. To improve the certainty, the γ-ray emission probabilities were determined from the disintegration rate and absolute γ-ray intensities measured using a 4πβ(ppc)-γ(HPGe) coincidence apparatus with two-dimensional data-acquisition system. The results for the 306.1 and 318.9 keV γ-rays were 4.76±0.05% and 16.99±0.17%, respectively.     

Effect of hydrogen dilution in preparation of carbon nanowall by hot-wire CVD

Carbon nanowall films prepared on the stainless steel substrates by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition using CH₄ with different hydrogen dilution ratios and structure variation in the CNWs against hydrogen dilution have been studied. In the scanning electron microscope images, the wall height and width in the samples prepared with the hydrogen dilution ratio, H₂/(CH₄ + H₂), between 10% and 25% were larger than that prepared without hydrogen dilution. In the Raman spectra for the samples prepared with the H₂/(CH₄ + H₂) below 25%, the intensity ratio of the G peak to the D peak, I_G/I_D, increased with increasing the H₂/(CH₄ + H₂). In the samples prepared with the H₂/(CH₄ + H₂) over 25%, the wall size and the I_G/I_D decreased.     

Photoluminescence Spectra of Fullerene Films

Photoluminescence spectra of fullerene films were obtained in the range of 0.8∼1.8 eV by using a semiconductor pin Ge-detector and a photomultiplier. The effects of air intercalation on the optical properties of the fullerene film are discussed.     

The wake structure in a 2D grid installation of the horizontal axis micro wind turbines

In order to develop applications for micro-wind turbines, an experimental analysis of the flow field around integrated micro-wind turbines was performed. The wake flows of a single turbine and 5×5 array unit were measured by using hot-wire and ultrasonic anemometers and particle image velocimetry (PIV). The present array of turbines follows a fundamental lattice layout; however, it has the flexibility to optimize its layout according to the environmental conditions. hot-wire and ultrasonic anemometers and PIV measurements were used for stand-alone turbines and their integrated systems. Comparisons between the mean velocity field and turbulent intensity were described for stand-alone full-scale and 1/10-scale wind turbine models. Thereafter, a typical array of the 1/10-scale model was assumed and its wake flow was investigated in a wind tunnel. The velocity profile and turbulence behind the array were measured and studied at different streamwise locations. The scale effect and model similarities were discussed. The experimental results show that a zone exists with constant and linear wake deficit ratios in the downstream regions.     

Activities of lymphocytes mediating antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity in patients with chronic active hepatitis

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) of peripheral blood lymphocytes against sheep erythrocytes, cultured rat hepatocytes (BRL-3A) and Chang cells in the presence of specific anti-serum was evaluated in patients with chronic active hepatitis (CAH) and healthy subjects. ADCC activities against these cells were significantly decreased in patients with CAH when compared with healthy subjects. Significant correlations were observed between degrees of ADCC against BRL-3A, Chang cells and sheep erythrocytes. In patients with CAH, percentage and absolute number of E-rosette forming cells in the peripheral blood lymphocytes were decreased but Fc-receptor bearing (EA gamma) lymphocyte concentration was normal. There was no clear-cut relationship between the concentration of EA gamma-lymphocytes and the degree of ADCC. Preincubation of lymphocytes from healthy subjects with CAH sera significantly reduced ADCC against sheep erythrocytes. Furthermore, analysis of effector lymphocytes mediating ADCC (K-cell) against BRL-3A indicated that T lymphocytes bearing Fc-receptors with lower affinity for sheep erythrocytes are active in ADCC, though a population of K-cell is heterogeneous. It seems likely that decreased T cells in the peripheral blood and possibly the presence of serum factors in patients with CAH may partly participate in impairment of ADCC.     

DnaK from Vibrio proteolyticus: complementation of a dnaK-null mutant of Escherichia coli and the role of its ATPase domain

We cloned the 4.8-kbp DNA fragment containing the dnaK gene from the chromosomal DNA of Vibrio proteolyticus. It contained four genes arranged unidirectionally in the order of grpE, gltP, dnaK and dnaJ. The DnaK gene of V. proteolyticus (VprDnaK) allowed a dnaK-null mutant of Escherichia coli (DeltadnaK52) to propagate lambda phages but not to grow at 43 degrees C. However, a chimeric DnaK gene comprising the regions corresponding to the N-terminal ATPase domain of E. coli DnaK (EcoDnaK) and the C-terminal region of VprDnaK including the substrate-binding domain, enabled the mutant to grow at 43 degrees C. The temperature dependence for the ATPase activity of the chimeric DnaK was similar to that of EcoDnaK. Fluorometric analyses showed that the chimeric DnaK is much more thermostable than EcoDnaK and VprDnaK. These findings indicate that the thermal stability of the ATPase domain of DnaK is responsible for its chaperone action at high temperatures such as 43 degrees C.