Increased Synovial CD14 mRNA Expression and Proportion of CD14high Subsets in Early-Stage Hip Osteoarthritis: Propensity Matched Score Analysis

The pathophysiology of early-stage hip osteoarthritis (EOA) is not fully understood. Although a previous study in an age-unmatched cohort reported that the number of macrophages was increased in knee EOA compared to late OA (LOA), it remained unclear whether increased macrophages in EOA accurately reflect EOA pathology. We investigated the differences in CD14 expression levels between EOA and LOA using age-unmatched and -matched cohorts. Synovial tissues were obtained from 34 EOA (Tönnis grades 0 and 1) and 80 LOA (Tönnis grades 2 and 3) patients. To correct for differences in demographics between patients with LOA and EOA, we also created propensity score-matched cohorts (16 EOA and 16 LOA). CD14 expression and its association with pain was estimated in LOA and EOA before and after propensity matching. We performed flow cytometry on tissues from the 16 patients, with 8 from each group, to assess for CD14+ subsets in the cells. The CD14 expression in EOA was higher than that in LOA both before and after propensity matching. The proportion of CD14^high subsets in EOA was higher than that in LOA. The CD14 expression was associated with pain in EOA before matching. However, no difference was observed between the pain and CD14 expression after matching in EOA. The increased CD14 expression and the proportion of CD14^high subsets may be important features associated with hip EOA pathology. To accurately compare early and late OA, the analysis of a propensity score-matched cohort is necessary.     

A novel quarter‐wave retardation film for improving viewing angle properties in time‐sequential stereoscopic 3D‐LCDs

We have successfully developed a quarter‐wave retardation film (QWF) for wide viewing angle 3D liquid crystal displays (3D‐LCDs) that provides high luminance, low crosstalk, low color change, and low head‐tilt‐angle dependency. It was found that the out‐of‐plane retardation (Rth) of the QWF in the LCD needs to be close to 0 nm in order to improve the 3D display properties at an off‐axis position and that the in‐plane retardation (Re) needs to be adjusted from 120 to 130 nm to achieve low color change with head tilting. We adopted a coating process for making our QWF because of its potential for retardation control. 3D‐LCDs with this QWF whose Rth was nearly zero had high performance and allowed off‐axis other than on‐axis.     

Preparation of platinum(II) complexes with L-serine using KI. X-ray crystal structure, HPLC and 195Pt NMR spectra

The preparation of platinum(II) complexes containing L-serine using K(2)[PtCl(4)] and KI as raw materials was undertaken. The cis-trans isomer ratio of the complexes in the reaction mixture differed significantly depending on whether KI was present or absent in the reaction mixture. One of the two [Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] complexes (L-ser=L-serinate anion) prepared using KI crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions a=8.710(2) A, b=9.773(3) A, c=11.355(3) A, Z=4. The crystal data revealed that this complex has a cis configuration. The other [Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] complex also crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions a=7.0190(9) A, b=7.7445(6) A, c=20.946(2) A, Z=4. The crystal data revealed that this complex has a trans configuration. The 195Pt NMR chemical shifts of trans-[Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] and cis-[Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] complexes are -1632 and -1832 ppm, respectively. 195Pt NMR and HPLC measurements were conducted to monitor the reactions of the two [Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] complexes with HCl. Both 195Pt NMR and HPLC showed that the reactivities of cis- and trans-[Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] toward HCl are different: coordinated carboxyl oxygen atoms of trans-[Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)] were detached faster than those for cis-[Pt(L-ser-N,O)(2)].     

Dissection of the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and class II gene polymorphisms within the MHC on murine systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

Gene(s) in the MHC of the NZW strain (H-2z) up-regulate(s) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in (NZB x NZW) F1 mice. So far, two plausible mechanisms have been implicated: (i) unique mixed haplotype class II molecules formed in the F1 mice act as a restriction element for self-reactive T cells and (ii) a unique polymorphism in the H-2-linked NZW tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha allele which down-regulates TNF-alpha is contributory. Because of the difficulty in dissecting these alleles within the H-2 complex, it has not been determined which is indeed the case. We addressed this issue by establishing three different H-2-congenic (NZB x NZW) F1 mice bearing distinct haplotypes at class II and TNF-alpha regions, i.e. (NZB x NZW) F1 (H-2d/z:A(d/u)E(d/u)TNF(d/z)), (NZB x NZW.PL) F1 (H-2(d/u):A(d/u)E(d/u)TNF(d/d)) and (NZB x NZW.H-2d) F1 (H-2(d/d):A(d/d)E(d/d)TNF(d/d)). Among these, only (NZB x NZW) F1 produced a markedly lower level of TNF-alpha, due to the unique NZW TNF-alpha allele (TNF(z)). Studies of anti-DNA antibodies and lupus nephritis revealed that, compared to (NZB x NZW) F1, the disease of (NZB x NZW.H-2d) F1 was markedly reduced. In (NZB x NZW.PL) F1, the onset of renal disease was significantly delayed, while the extent of proteinuria and renal histopathology in individuals that had developed the disease was comparable to that seen in (NZB x NZW) F1. It seems likely that both class II and TNF-alpha gene polymorphisms are functioning as H-2-linked predisposing genetic elements, and that the TNF-alpha polymorphism acts to modulate an initial process of the renal disease.     

Design of a pitch synchronous innovation CELP coder for mobilecommunications

This paper describes the design of a speech coder called pitch synchronous innovation CELP (PSI-CELP) for low hit-rate mobile communications. PSI-CELP is based on CELP, but has more adaptive excitation structures. In voiced frames, instead of conventional random excitation vectors, PSI-CELP converts even the random excitation vectors to have pitch periodicity by repeating stored random vectors as well as by using an adaptive codebook, in silent, unvoiced, and transient frames, the coder stops using the adaptive codebook and switches to fixed random codebooks. The PSI-CELP coder also implements novel structures and techniques: an FIR-type perceptual weighting filter using unquantized LPC parameters, a random codebook with a conjugate structure trained to be robust against channel errors, codebook search with delayed decision, a gain quantization with sloped amplitude, and a moving average prediction coding of LSP parameters, Our speech coder is implemented by DSP chips. Its coded speech quality at 3.6 kb/s with 2.0 kb/s redundancy is comparable to that of the Japanese full-rate VSELP coder at 6.7 kb/s with 4.5 kb/s redundancy. The basic structure of this PSI-CELP coder has been chosen as the Japanese half-rate speech codec for digital cellular telecommunications     

Relationship between Lieb and Wu Approach and Standard Configuration Interaction Method for the B−2u State of the Hubbard Model of Benzene

It is shown that starting from Lieb and Wu equations, written explicitly for the B⁻_2u state of the Hubbard model of benzene π-electron system, one can extract the corresponding configuration interaction matrix in which the states associated with the “hidden” symmetry are already factored out.     

Enhancement-mode pseudomorphic inverted HEMT for low noiseamplifier

Characteristics of the pseudomorphic inverted HEMT (P-I-HEMT) are compared with those of the pseudomorphic HEMT. Both devices were fabricated in enhancement mode by the same process. P-I-HEMT shows a higher maximum transconductance of 590 mS/mm, and higher K-value of 600 mS/Vmm at a threshold voltage of O V, and better pinch-off characteristics than its counterpart. Noise characteristics of P-I-HEMT are reported. Lower noise figure (1.0 dB at 18 GHz) was obtained in the P-I-HEMT. It is concluded that the P-I-HEMT shows far better noise characteristics than the other at low drain voltage and current     

Radical copolymerization of ethylene and 2-phenyl-3-vinyloxirane

The radical copolymerization of ethylene and 2-phenyl-3-vinyloxirane was carried out under high pressure to obtain the corresponding copolymers. The structure of the obtained copolymers was discussed by the data of infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance.     

Electrorheological effect of anisotropic solution of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) induced by stepwise electric fields

The electrorheological (ER) effect of an anisotropic solution of poly(γ-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG) in 1,4-dioxane with a concentration of 15 wt % was measured at a shear rate of 2.6 s⁻¹ by our parallel-plate sliding rheometer. The solution under shear flow was stimulated by stepwise electric fields up to 3.0 kV/mm. Remarkable changes in the beginning of the transient ER response were observed according to the strength of the stepwise electric fields. The lower electric field gave a smaller increase in shear stress depending on the electric-field strength, while the larger electric fields above a critical strength tended to give a larger stress response. The maximum shear stress enhanced by the electric fields in the present experiment was in excess of 10 times the steady shear stress under no electric field. The ER effect was discussed in terms of the Miesowicz viscosities, the interaction among anisotropic domains, as well as the electrohydrodynamic instability. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 66: 1079–1084, 1997