Dynamic fluctuations in the superconductivity of NbN films from microwave conductivity measurements

We have measured the frequency and temperature dependences of complex ac conductivity, \sigma(\omega)=\sigma_1(\omega)-i\sigma_2(\omega), of NbN films in zero magnetic field between 0.1 to 10 GHz using a microwave broadband technique. In the vicinity of superconducting critical temperature, Tc, both \sigma_1(\omega) and \sigma_2(\omega) showed a rapid increase in the low frequency limit owing to the fluctuation effect of superconductivity. For the films thinner than 300 nm, frequency and temperature dependences of fluctuation conductivity, \sigma(\omega,T), were successfully scaled onto one scaling function, which was consistent with the Aslamazov and Larkin model for two dimensional (2D) cases. For thicker films, \sigma(\omega,T) data could not be scaled, but indicated that the dimensional crossover from three dimensions (3D) to 2D occurred as the temperature approached Tc from above. This provides a good reference of ac fluctuation conductivity for more exotic superconductors of current interest.Comment: 8 pages, 7 Figures, 1 Table, Accepted for publication in PR

最先端手術への教育とクリニカルアナトミーラボ

Recently, endoscopic surgery is the most common procedurein the field of thoracic surgery. The newestthoracic surgeryapproaches are the video-assisted thoracic surgery（VATS）, the one-port video-assisted thoracic surgery, and the robotic surgery. The individual advantages and disadvantages of these procedures have been discussed. VATS covers a field of view of the surgical field from the leg to the head. The basic method in performing VATS is that the surgeon operates on the abdominal area of the patient and the assistant expands the surgical field from the patient’s back. It is currently the standard surgical procedure. The advantage of one-port VATS is the one port itself and its cosmetic advantages and pain reduction. The advantage of robotic surgery is that it has a clear three-dimensional enlarged field of view and can be performed using the delicate moving robotic arm. However, a good surgical training system should be established for the familiarization of these procedures. The clinical anatomy laboratory is the most efficient surgical training in addition to dry and wet lab training. Our institution has fresh-frozen cadavers, which are rare in Japan. The participating thoracic surgeons underwent training for VATS lobectomy, subxiphoid extended thymectomy, and pleurectomy decortication. This training is beneficial for educational and clinical purposes. In the future, we must obtain consistent surgical education before and after graduation using fresh-frozen cadavers. At the same time, a good organ model for training is also necessary. The surgeon has to cooperate with anatomy doctors for the development of a good surgical organ model. For the development of future surgical medicine, surgical training programs should be implemented

Plasma Free Amino Acid Profiling of Five Types of Cancer Patients and Its Application for Early Detection

BACKGROUND: Recently, rapid advances have been made in metabolomics-based, easy-to-use early cancer detection methods using blood samples. Among metabolites, profiling of plasma free amino acids (PFAAs) is a promising approach because PFAAs link all organ systems and have important roles in metabolism. Furthermore, PFAA profiles are known to be influenced by specific diseases, including cancers. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the characteristics of the PFAA profiles in cancer patients and the possibility of using this information for early detection. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Plasma samples were collected from approximately 200 patients from multiple institutes, each diagnosed with one of the following five types of cancer: lung, gastric, colorectal, breast, or prostate cancer. Patients were compared to gender- and age- matched controls also used in this study. The PFAA levels were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization (ESI)-mass spectrometry (MS). Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in the PFAA profiles between the controls and the patients with any of the five types of cancer listed above, even those with asymptomatic early-stage disease. Furthermore, multivariate analysis clearly discriminated the cancer patients from the controls in terms of the area under the receiver-operator characteristics curve (AUC of ROC >0.75 for each cancer), regardless of cancer stage. Because this study was designed as case-control study, further investigations, including model construction and validation using cohorts with larger sample sizes, are necessary to determine the usefulness of PFAA profiling. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that PFAA profiling has great potential for improving cancer screening and diagnosis and understanding disease pathogenesis. PFAA profiles can also be used to determine various disease diagnoses from a single blood sample, which involves a relatively simple plasma assay and imposes a lower physical burden on subjects when compared to existing screening methods

CHH with Early-Onset CAD

The patient with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) shows low serum levels of androgen, which is a group of sex hormones including testosterone, caused by the decreased gonadotropin release in the hypothalamus. Recent reports showed androgens exert protective effects against insulin resistance or atherosclerotic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease. However, whether the juvenile hypogonadism affects the diabetes or cardiovascular disease is unclear. We report a case of a middle-aged man with congenital HH who had severe coronary artery disease complicated with metabolic disorders

Cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase governs cysteine polysulfidation and mitochondrial bioenergetics

Cysteine hydropersulfide (CysSSH) occurs in abundant quantities in various organisms, yet little is known about its biosynthesis and physiological functions. Extensive persulfide formation is apparent in cysteine-containing proteins in Escherichia coli and mammalian cells and is believed to result from post-translational processes involving hydrogen sulfide-related chemistry. Here we demonstrate effective CysSSH synthesis from the substrate l-cysteine, a reaction catalyzed by prokaryotic and mammalian cysteinyl-tRNA synthetases (CARSs). Targeted disruption of the genes encoding mitochondrial CARSs in mice and human cells shows that CARSs have a crucial role in endogenous CysSSH production and suggests that these enzymes serve as the principal cysteine persulfide synthases in vivo. CARSs also catalyze co-translational cysteine polysulfidation and are involved in the regulation of mitochondrial biogenesis and bioenergetics. Investigating CARS-dependent persulfide production may thus clarify aberrant redox signaling in physiological and pathophysiological conditions, and suggest therapeutic targets based on oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction

ジュウショウ シンフゼン カンジャ ニオケル サンソ リョウホウ ト Adaptive-servo ventilator ノ コウカ ノ ケントウ ハイドウミャクセイ ハイコウケツアツ ニ トモナウ ウシンフゼン ニ タイシテ ノ Adaptive-servo ventilator ノ コウカ

Pulmonary arterial hypertension（PAH）, including idiopathic or connective tissue diseaserelated PAH is very poor prognosis. Recently it has been reported that Adaptive-servo ventilator（ASV）is useful device for improving congestive heart failure compared with oxygen therapy however, it has not been clear whether ASV is useful not only in congestive heart failure but also in PAH patients. We experienced a drug therapy-resistant PAH patient, whose subjective symptom and pulmonary arterial pressure were ameliorated by ASV. We also found that ASV was also effective on improving subjective symptoms and on decreasing pulmonary arterial pressure in ６patients with PAH. These findings suggest that ASV is a useful and new device in patients with drug therapy-resistant PAH

シンフゼン オ ガッペイ シタ ジンケッカンセイ コウケツアツ ニ タイスル ケイヒテキ ジンドウミャク ケイセイジュツ ノ ユウコウセイ

【Background】 Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty （PTRA） is recommended for patients with heart failure due to renovascular hypertension ; however, the clinical characteristics of the patients and the effects of PTRA on heart failure and cardiorenal function have not been elucidated. 【Methods】 We retrospectively analyzed data for 4 PTRA-treated patients （male/female, 1/3 ; mean age, 70.0±10 years ; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 51.5±15.2％） with heart failure due to renovascular hypertension and evaluated the effects of PTRA on heart failure and cardiorenal function 6 months after treatment. 【Results】 All patients had pro-arteriosclerotic diseases including diabetes mellitus, essential thrombocythemia, heparin cofactor II deficency, metabolic syndrome, and familial hypercholesterolemia, and 3 patients had ischemic heart disease. No abdominal bruit was heard and mean plasma renin activity was 4.5±3.6 ng/ml/hr, which was not elevated, contrary to expectation. All contralateral kidneys of PTRA were nonfunctioning, suggesting bilateral kidneys were disturbed in all patients. In all patients, PTRA was successfully performed and resolved heart failure. PTRA resulted in decreases in systolic blood pressure from 157±18 to 124±8.6 mmHg, mean serum creatinine from 3.2±2.6 to 2.7±2.2 mg/dl, and mean BNP from 919±998 to 243±291 pg/ml at 6 months after treatment. PTRA did not change left ventricular ejection fraction, a parameter of systolic fraction evaluated by an echocardiogram ; however, PTRA improved E/e’, a parameter of left ventricular diastolic fraction, from 16.1±5.2 to 9.7±3.7. None of the patients were hospitalized due to heart failure during the 6-month period after PTRA. 【Conclusions】 Patients with heart failure with cardiovascular risk factors should be screened for renovascular hypertension regardless of abdominal bruit or plasma renin activity. PTRA is effective for resolving heart failure and for improving renal and cardiac diastolic functions in patients with renovascular hypertension complicated with heart failure