Sensitivity improvement of automatic pulmonary nodules detection in chest X-ray CT images

In this article, we develop an automatic detection method for non-isolated pulmonary nodules as part of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system for lung cancers in chest X-ray computed tomography (CT) images. An essential core of the method is to separate non-isolated nodules from connecting structures such as the chest wall and blood vessels. The isolated nodules can be detected more easily by the CAD systems developed previously. To this end, we propose a preprocessing technique for nodule candidate detection by using double-threshold binarization. We evaluate the performance using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis in clinical chest CT images. The results suggest that the detection rate for non-isolated nodules by the proposed method is superior to that by the conventional preprocessing methods.     

Fluxless joining of aluminium alloy to steel by laser irradiation method

A6061 aluminium alloy was joined with steel using Zn filler metal under laser irradiation process. The quality of joint was evaluated by the strength of a lap joint. The effects of laser power irradiation conditions such as travelling speed and defocused distance on the joint strength were investigated. The maximum joint strength was obtained at relatively medium laser travelling speed. The excess reaction between filler metal and aluminium formed thick brittle intermetallic compounds between steel and aluminium alloy. The compounds are considered to lead to the reduction in joint strength. It was found that low wetting at high travelling speed and excess reaction layer formation at low travelling speed were responsible for low joint strength. The study revealed that the relatively high joint strength between aluminium alloy and steel was obtained by laser joining method using Zn filler without the use of flux in air atmosphere.     

MR findings of hypoxic damage of the bilateral striate cortices: a case report

The frequency of accessory mental foramina (AMF) was studied in four population groups: 20th century Asian Indians, African Americans and American Whites, and Pre-Columbian Nazca Indians. AMF were found less frequently in the American White and Asian Indian populations than in the other groups (American White, 1.4%; Asian Indian, 1.5%; African American, 5.7% and Nazca, 9.0%). The incidence of AMFs did not differ significantly between right- and left-hand sides. In certain ethnic groups, i.e., African American, AMF may occur more often in males. Additional studies with larger samples are needed to show whether AMFs are more common in males.     

Exercise training prevents maturation-induced decrease in insulin sensitivity

We examined the effects of exercise training initiated before maturation or after maturation on insulin sensitivity and glucose transporter GLUT-4 content in membrane fractions of skeletal muscle. Female Wistar rats (4 wk of age) were divided into sedentary and exercise-trained groups. At 12 wk of age, a subset of the trained animals (Tr) was killed along with a subset of sedentary controls (Sed). One-half of the remaining sedentary animals remained sedentary (Sed-Sed) while the other half began exercise training (Sed-Tr). The remaining rats in the original trained group continued to train (Tr-Tr). Euglycemic clamp (insulin infusion rate at 6 mU.kg body wt-1. min-1) was performed at 4, 12, and 27 wk. After euglycemic clamp in all animals except the 4-wk-old, hindlimb (gastrocnemius and part of quadriceps) muscles were removed for preparation of membrane fractions. In sedentary rats, glucose infusion rate (GIR) during euglycemic clamp was decreased from 15.9 mg.kg-1.min-1 at 4 wk of age to 9.8 mg.kg-1.min-1 at 12 wk of age and 9.1 mg.kg-1.min-1 at 27 wk of age. In exercise-trained rats, the GIR was not significantly decreased by maturation (at 12 wk) and further aging (at 27 wk). Initiation of exercise after maturation restored the GIR at 27 wk of age to the same levels as these for the corresponding exercise-trained rats. GLUT-4 content in plasma and intracellular membrane fractions of hindlimb muscle obtained just after euglycemic clamp showed the same trend as the results of GIR. These results suggest that exercise training prevented the maturation-induced decrease in insulin sensitivity. Improvement of insulin sensitivity caused by exercise training was attributed, at least in part, to the increase in insulin-sensitive GLUT-4 on the plasma membrane in skeletal muscle.     

Piezo micro probe sensor system to detect environmental stresses induced in living cells and tissues

In this study, a new method of noninvasive sensor system is developed to detect mechanical stresses induced in minute living cells and tissues. The bending mode of vibration, excited impulsively by piezoelectric ceramics, is utilized in a small clamped-free beam type vibrator which is mounted on micromanipulator system. Experimental studies have been carried out by using living egg cell of killifish and also three dimensionally tissue-engineered regenerated cartilage. The method has shown enough capabilities as a micro-sensor to detect mechanical stresses which are environmentally induced in living cells. Also, it has suggested a possibility to provide useful information to decide whether three dimensionally cultured cartilage tissue has enough biomechanical properties for transplantation treatment of damaged cartilage.     

A Verification Method for a Commitment Strategy of the BDI Architecture

We present a method to solve a verification problem that arises in implementing a commitment strategy for the BDI architecture. This problem introduces a new aspect of verification such that a state transition depends on a verification done at each state. We formalize this problem and give a decision procedure for the verification.     

Optimization of magnetic field configuration for the production of Ar ions from RIKEN 18 GHz ECR ion source

We successfully extracted a 1.9 mAAr⁸⁺ ion beam and a 1 mAAr⁹⁺ ion beam from the RIKEN 18 GHz ECR ion source at the extraction voltage of 17 kV and the microwave power of 700–800 W. To obtain these intensities, we optimized the magnetic field configuration and the plasma electrode position.     

Growth of GaN films on nitrided GaAs substrates using hot-wire CVD

Epitaxial growth of cubic-type gallium nitride (c-GaN) by hot-wire CVD on GaAs(100) substrates was investigated. Prior to the epitaxial growth, a nitridation layer was formed using ammonia plasma generated by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR). It was found that the crystal phase of the epitaxial layer was predominantly determined by that of the nitrided layer. The best nitridation condition using ECR plasma for the growth of the GaN films with preponderant cubic-type structure was obtained.     

Development of high-strength (780 n/mm2) steel for building systems

The national project, initiated by the Comprehensive Scientific Technology Conference in the Cabinet Office, entitled “Development of New Structural systems Using Innovative Structural Materials” has two objectives: The first objective is to develop and produce new innovative steel materials. The second is to develop a new structural system using the new steel. This paper describes the production specification and the chemical composition. The required mechanical properties and test results conducted on the new steel that is produced are also presented.