Assessment of cervical lymph node metastasis in esophageal carcinoma using ultrasonography

Cadherins are Ca2+-dependent cell-cell adhesion molecules, and are involved in the formation and maintenance of the organocellular architecture. Using a combination of molecular biologic and biochemical methods, we analyzed cadherins expressed on cultured human malignant lymphoma cell lines (adult T cell lymphomas, human T cell leukemia virus type 1-negative T cell lines, and thymus-derived lymphoma cell lines), and obtained evidence that N-cadherin is the major cadherin expressed on these cells. These cells were found to form cell aggregates in a Ca2+-dependent manner, and more importantly to coaggregate and adhere with cells expressing N-cadherin, suggesting that N-cadherin on lymphoma cells is functionally active. Therefore, N-cadherin expressed on lymphoma cells could underlie the frequent invasion of these cells into the mesenchymal tissue in the skin and the central nervous system.     

Field-Induced CDW Phases in a Quasi-One-Dimensional Organic Conductor, HMTSF-TCNQ Under Pressure of 1 GPa in Magnetic Field of 31 T

HMTSF-TCNQ is a quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor which undergoes CDW(charge density wave) transition at 30 K at ambient pressure, where HMTSF-TCNQ is hexamethylenetetraselena fulvalene-tetracyano quino dimethane. This CDW is suppressed by the pressure of 1 GPa. At this pressure, we found field-induced successive hysteretic transitions in magnetoresistance. This reminds us of the successive field-induced SDW (spin density wave) phases in TMTSF₂X salts. However, the field range of interest is 2–3 times higher than that of TMTSF₂X salts. Therefore, we need really high field to examine these properties. It is very likely that the field induced phases are of field induced CDW (FICDW), where quantum Hall effect and many interesting phenomena are expected like in the case of FISDW. Together with the magnetoresistance study up to the field of 31 Tesla and at temperatures down to 0.4 K in various magnetic field angles respective to the crystal axes, we examined the angular dependence of magnetoresistance oscillations(AMRO). It turned out that AMRO demonstrates clearly the occurrence of field-induced phase rather than the magneto-resistance by field sweep. Since the Hall resistance, R _xy in the field-induced phases showed stepwise plateau structure against the field sweep, and its strength was in the order of magnitude of h/e ² per molecular sheet, the Hall effect is very suggestive of quantum Hall effect.     

Inhibition of temperature runaway phenomenon in the Sabatier process using bed dilution structure: LBM-DEM simulation

The Sabatier process is promising for carbon dioxide utilization and energy storage. However, the serious problem that limits more comprehensive industrial applications is catalyst deactivation due to the temperature runaway phenomenon. The inert particle dilution approach, including the mixing dilution method and layered dilution method is applied to solve this problem. Based on the lattice kinetic scheme-lattice Boltzmann method (LKS-LBM), the effects of three parameters in bed dilution structure reconstructed by the discrete element method (DEM) on temperature distribution and carbon conversion rate were discussed, so as to investigate the relationship between packing structure and temperature distribution. Furthermore, numerical results indicated that an optimal bed dilution structure, which not only can control the peak temperature below the critical temperature to avoid coking and sintering of catalyst, but also can improve the conversion rate by almost 18% compared with the structure without dilution under the same circumstance.     

Mating Disruption of Guatemalan Potato Moth Tecia Solanivora by Attractive and Non-Attractive Pheromone Blends

The behavioral mechanisms of mating disruption in Guatemalan potato moth Tecia solanivora were studied using the sex pheromone components, (E)-3-dodecenyl acetate, (Z)-3-dodecenyl acetate, and dodecyl acetate, formulated in a 100:1:20-ratio mimicking the female-produced blend, and in a 100:56:100 off-blend ratio. The mode of action of these two blends was tested in mating disruption experiments in the field and in a greenhouse, as well as in a laboratory wind tunnel. Field treatments with both blends at 80 g pheromone per ha reduced male attraction to trap lures baited with 100 μg of female sex pheromone. In mesh-house treatments, these two blends were equally effective at reducing male attraction to traps baited with live females and mating of caged females. Subsequent flight tunnel tests corroborated that both blends reduced attraction of naive males to calling females, and pre-exposure of males with either dispenser blend for 24 hr resulted in a strongly reduced response to calling females. The pre-exposure effect was reversible, with males again responsive after 24 hr in clean air. The two dispenser formulations produced a similar effect on male behavior, despite the differences in blend composition. One mating disruption dispenser formulated with either the female-blend or off-blend elicited the same rate of male upwind attraction in a wind-tunnel bioassay. Sensory overload and camouflage, therefore, are contributing mechanisms to mating disruption using either blend. The off-blend, which is more economical to synthesize, is a valuable tool for further development of mating disruption against this major pest of potatoes in Latin America.     

A verification and validation method and its application to digital safety systems in ABWR nuclear power plants

A verification and validation (V&V) method has been developed and applied to newly developed digital safety systems for the first ABWR plant, Kashiwazaki–Kariwa unit No. 6 of the Tokyo Electric Power Company. This paper describes the method and experience gained from its application. The method was developed on the basis of domestic and foreign standards and guidelines, and covers the more concrete procedures required for actual V&V. The application of problem oriented language (POL) helps make the V&V feasible and reliable. A personal-computer-based automatic test tool for the validation test has been developed and utilized. This tool is used to carry out the pre-defined validation test procedure automatically and produce a test report, and it was found to be effective in reducing the time and manpower required for the validation test. The validation test covers dynamic transient tests in which the response of the digital safety system against the simulated design based transients are tested. The tool enables automatic execution of the dynamic test.     

A case of groove pancreatitis successfully treated with conservative therapy

The corpus callosum is the largest connection between the functionally asymmetric cerebral hemispheres. The objective of this study was to measure functional activity of callosal fiber tracts during speech processing. We analyzed the regional glucose metabolism of the corpus callosum and of speech-relevant cortical areas in 10 normal individuals at rest and during word repetition. We used three-dimensionally registered magnetic resonance imaging to visualize the individual brain morphology and high-resolution positron emission tomography for metabolic measurements. The task-induced metabolic changes of the callosal midbody and isthmus had a significant negative correlation with key regions of language processing in the left inferior frontal cortex (Brodmann's area 44) and in the right superior temporal cortex (Brodmann's area 22) (e.g., correlation of metabolic changes in the surface aspects of the right Brodmann's area 22 and the callosal midbody/isthmus: r = -0.91, P < 0.001). The study indicates that language processing in asymmetrically organized cortical areas inhibits the reciprocal transcallosal information exchange in favor of the lateralized mental operation. Our data agree with anatomic, electrophysiologic, and pharmacologic experiments that point to the important role of collateral inhibition for the transcallosal information exchange.