Numerical aberration of chromosome 17 is correlated with multiple primary cancer in colorectal carcinoma

In order to test the hypothesis that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is related to deficits in somatosensory processing, 49 ADHD male children and 49 matched controls were tested on a wide range of tactile tasks, and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) were also recorded. In addition, parents' and teachers' ratings on the children's typical responses to tactile stimuli were obtained. The results show that the ADHD children were less skilled on suprathreshold, but not on threshold tasks than were the controls. Further, a larger percentage of ADHD children were 'tactile defensive'. Finally, the ADHD children showed larger-than-normal amplitudes of late, but not early components of the SEP. These data suggest that some aspects of somatosensory processing by ADHD children are deficient.     

Change of internal/pore structure in alumina green body during initial sintering

A novel characterization method was applied to study the morphological changes of large pores in a ceramic green body during the early stage of densification at 1100°C for 1–64 h. Large processing pores were present in the green body. They were preserved after densification up to a relative density of 83.9% with their shape and size unchanged significantly. The pore size distribution determined by mercury porosimetry showed the growth of matrix pores of small size, but failed to show the change of large processing pores with densification.     

Successful treatment of recurrent multiple lung metastasis from colon cancer with combination chemotherapy using methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil, and high-dose leucovorin: a case report

A 66-year-old man, who had received sigmoidectomy for sigmoid cancer in 1985, was diagnosed as having multiple lung and liver tumors in September 1988. When celiac-angiography was performed, recurrent liver metastases from sigmoid cancer were suspected and he received a transarterial embolism with ADM 30 mg and MMC 20 mg. In addition, he was treated with a sequential chemotherapy with methotrexate (MTX), 1,200 mg intravenously (6 h-infusion) followed by 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), 600 mg/m2/day and leucovorin, 300 mg/body/day in continuous infusion for 5 days from day 2 with concomitant oral administration of dipyridamole (300 mg/day) over 14 days. Treatment was repeated every 28 days for two courses. For the third course, administration of only 5-FU, leucovorin and dipyridamole was performed. As a result, the size of pulmonary lesions was prominently reduced on computed tomography. Although mucositis, anal erosion, diarrhea and thrombocytopenia were noted, no severe side effects were observed. This sequential chemotherapy appears useful for metastatic lesions from colon cancer.     

Comparisons of the mineral dust optical thickness retrieved from Geostationary Meteorological Satellite with ground-based radiometer measurements

Optical thickness of the Asian dust aerosols over the ocean near Japan was retrieved from the visible data of the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (GMS-5) from April 7 to 22, 2002 using the method by Masuda et al. [Remote Sens. Environ. 82 (2002) 238] in which the nonsphericity of dust particles was taken into account. The retrieved optical thicknesses were then compared with those derived from the sunphotometer and the skyradiometer measurements. The mean and the standard deviation of the optical thickness difference, GMS minus radiometers, were −0.03 and 0.17, respectively, for 85 samples where the optical thickness ranges from 0.25 to 1.07.     

Dietary lysophospholipids reduce lymphatic cholesterol transport compared with dietary phospholipids in thoracic lymph-duct cannulated rats

Dietary phospholipids have been traditionally known to affect micelle formation. Egg yolk-derived lysophospholipids (LysoPL) are commercially available. We investigated the effects of dietary LysoPL on lymphatic lipid transport. We also compared sn-1 LysoPL and sn-2 LysoPL, which have different fatty acyl esterification positions. Thoracic lymph duct-cannulated rats were fed a diet supplemented with egg yolk-derived sn-1 LysoPL, sn-2 LysoPL, or phospholipids (PL). The amount of lymphatic lipid transport was also evaluated. Time courses of transport were applied to the one-compartment model as one of the pharmacokinetic analyses. The solubility of cholesterol in bile acid micelles was measured. Compared to the PL diet, the sn-1 and sn-2 LysoPL diets significantly reduced the lymphatic transport of cholesterol. There were no differences in the lymphatic PL and TAG transport. There was no difference in cholesterol transport between the sn-1 LysoPL group and the sn-2 LysoPL group; however, the transport rate constant at a decrease in lymphatic cholesterol was lower in the sn-1 LysoPL group than in the sn-2 LysoPL group. Cholesterol solubility in bile acid micelles was significantly decreased in the sn-1 LysoPL and sn-2 LysoPL groups compared to that in the PL group. Dietary LysoPL affects the behavior of intestinal cholesterol and suppresses lymphatic cholesterol transport.     

Interface properties of SiOxNy layer on Si prepared by atmospheric-pressure plasma oxidation-nitridation

SiO_xN_y films with a low nitrogen concentration (< 4%) have been prepared on Si substrates at 400°C by atmospheric-pressure plasma oxidation-nitridation process using O₂ and N₂ as gaseous precursors diluted in He. Interface properties of SiO_xN_y films have been investigated by analyzing high-frequency and quasistatic capacitance-voltage characteristics of metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors. It is found that addition of N into the oxide increases both interface state density (D_it) and positive fixed charge density (Q_f). After forming gas anneal, D_it decreases largely with decreasing N₂/O₂ flow ratio from 1 to 0.01 while the change of Q_f is insignificant. These results suggest that low N₂/O₂ flow ratio is a key parameter to achieve a low D_it and relatively high Q_f, which is effective for field effect passivation of n-type Si surfaces.     

Microstructure and Fracture Toughness of Yttria-Daped Tetragonal Zirconia Polycrystal/Mullite Composites Prepared by an in Situ Method

Yttria-daped tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (Y-TZP)/ mullite composites were prepared by three methods: in situ whisker growth (IS), physical mixing (PM) of zirconia powder and mullite whiskers, and reaction sintering (RS). Microstructures and fracture toughness values were compared. All the composites with 15 vol% of mullite could be densified to more than 95% relative density by firing at 1500° to 1500°C for 10 h. The fracture toughness of the composites as measured by the indentation method showed a clear enhancement compared with that of pure Y-TZP; the ranking was Y-TZP ≦ RS composite < PM composite < IS composite. Enhancement of the fracture toughness in composites was found to relte strongly to the aspect ratio of mullite particles.     

Fundamental combustion characteristics of palm methyl ester (PME) as alternative fuel for gas turbines

To investigate the combustion characteristics of palm methyl ester (PME) as an alternative fuel for gas turbines, combustion experiments at atmospheric pressure using high-temperature air (673 K) were performed. Chemical equilibrium calculations and investigations of fuel atomizing characteristics using a laser diffraction spray analyzer (LDSA) were also conducted. The results show that combustion characteristics of PME are similar to those of diesel fuel. Furthermore, it is indicated that NO_x emissions can be reduced by using PME instead of diesel fuel for gas turbines.