Ground-state properties of a triangular triple quantum dot connected to superconducting leads

We study ground-state properties of a triangular triple quantum dot connected to two superconducting (SC) leads. In this system orbital motion along the triangular configuration causes various types of quantum phases, such as the SU(4) Kondo state and the Nagaoka ferromagnetic mechanism, depending on the electron filling. The ground state also evolves as the Cooper pairs penetrate from the SC leads. We describe the phase diagram in a wide range of the parameter space, varying the gate voltage, the couplings between the dots and leads, and also the Josephson phase between the SC gaps. The results are obtained in the limit of large SC gap, carrying out exact diagonalization of an effective Hamiltonian. We also discuss in detail a classification of the quantum states according to the fixed point of the Wilson numerical renormalization group (NRG). Furthermore, we show that the Bogoliubov zero-energy excitation determines the ground state of a $\pi$ Josephson junction at small electron fillings.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Küttner's tumor of the sub-mandibular gland associated with fibrosclerosis and follicular hyperplasia of regional lymph nodes: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Küttner's tumor is characterized through histology by peri-ductal fibrosis, dense lymphocytic infiltration with lymphoid follicles, loss of acini, and occasional marked sclerosis of the salivary gland. On occasion, Küttner's tumor can be difficult to distinguish from malignant neoplasm.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 58-year-old Japanese man was referred to our hospital with a three-month history of a painless swollen mass in the right sub-mandibular region. Histological findings revealed both lymphoid follicles with reactive germinal centers and variously sized lymphoid follicle-like nodules without definitive germinal centers or mantle zones. B-cells of similar size and shape occupied the lymphoid follicle-like nodules and stained positive for B-cell lymphoma. These cells were detected in the polyclonal B-cells by flow cytometric analysis and tested negative for CD10. Unusual B-cell proliferation was observed, but as there was no definitive evidence of B-cell lymphoma, the lesion was diagnosed as Küttner's tumor.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We report on a rare case of Küttner's tumor associated with fibrosclerosis and atypical lymphoid hyperplasia in both the sub-mandibular gland and regional lymph nodes. Although more cases need to be investigated, our findings might be helpful to further studies seeking to clarify the etiology of idiopathic sclerosing lesions arising in the organs and regional lymph nodes.</p

Development of Flat Tube Heat Exchanger for Heat Pump Air Conditoner

We developed a new type of a heat pump outdoor unit using an aluminum flat tube heat exchanger in order to improve the energy saving capability of an air conditioner. There are several difficulties in keeping a desired drainage performance, frost formation performance, as well as even distribution of refrigerant, when applying the flat tube heat exchanger to heat pump outdoor units. In order to achieve the same drainage performance and the frost formation performance as those of conventional heat exchangers, we have adopted new plate fins with ellipse cutouts. Flat tubes were inserted in the ellipse cutouts, and the slit position on a plate fin was properly adjusted. In order to achieve the even distribution of refrigerant, an aluminum distributor and 3-way pipes were installed to the evaporator. In this report, first we describe features of the flat tube heat exchanger. Next, we present and explain experimental results of the air-side heat transfer coefficient and the air-side pressure drop on the condition of dry, wet, and frost state respectively. Moreover, we present experimental results of the total heat transfer performance, including the refrigerant performance, under the conditions of the condensation and the evaporation. Finally, we explain the heat transfer performance and the effect of the flat tube heat exchanger to a conventional one in the case that the developed heat exchanger was mounted in heat pump outdoor unit

Exportin-5 orthologues are functionally divergent among species

Exportin-5, an evolutionarily conserved nuclear export factor belonging to the importin-β family of proteins, is known to play a role in the nuclear export of small noncoding RNAs such as precursors of microRNA, viral minihelix RNA and a subset of tRNAs in mammalian cells. In this study, we show that the exportin-5 orthologues from different species such as human, fruit fly and yeast exhibit diverged functions. We found that Msn5p, a yeast exportin-5 orthologue, binds double-stranded RNAs and that it prefers a shorter 22 nt, double-stranded RNA to ∼80 nt pre-miRNA, even though both of these RNAs share a similar terminal structure. Furthermore, we found that Drosophila exportin-5 binds pre-miRNAs and that amongst the exportin-5 orthologues tested, it shows the highest affinity for tRNAs. The knockdown of Drosophila exportin-5 in cultured cells decreased the amounts of tRNA as well as miRNA, whereas the knock down of human exportin-5 in cultured cells affected only miRNA but not tRNA levels. These results indicate that double-stranded RNA binding ability is an inherited functional characteristic of the exportin-5 orthologues and that Drosophila exportin-5 functions as an exporter of tRNAs as well as pre-miRNAs in the fruit fly that lacks the orthologous gene for exportin-t

A novel atrial volume reduction technique to enhance the Cox maze procedure: Initial results

ObjectiveLarge left atrial diameter is reported to be a predictor for recurrent atrial fibrillation after the Cox maze procedure, and left atrial diameter by itself influences the chance of sinus rhythm recovery, as well as maintenance of sinus rhythm. However, additional cut-and-sew procedures to decrease left atrial diameter extend operative time and can cause bleeding. Thus we developed a no-bleeding, faster, and therefore less invasive left atrial volume reduction technique to enhance the Cox maze procedure.MethodsThe modified Cox maze III procedure with cryoablation or the left atrial maze procedure in association with mitral valve surgery was performed in 80 patients with atrial fibrillation and enlarged left atria (≥60 mm). Among them, 44 patients had the concomitant volume reduction technique (VR group); continuous horizontal mattress sutures for left atrial plication were placed on the left atrial wall along the pulmonary vein isolation line. Cryoablation was applied to the suture line so that the plicated left atrium is anatomically and electrically isolated. Another 36 patients did not have the volume reduction technique (control group).ResultsThe VR group had preoperative left atrial diameters similar to those of the control group (67.1 ± 7.8 vs 64.5 ± 6.7 mm) and a longer preoperative duration of atrial fibrillation (14.1 ± 5.4 vs 9.5 ± 5.1 years, P < .05) but had smaller postoperative left atrial diameters (47.6 ± 6.3 vs 62.1 ± 7.9 mm, P < .01). There were no differences in mean crossclamp/bypass time and chest tube drainage for 12 hours between the groups. Twelve months after surgical intervention, the sinus rhythm recovery rate of the VR group was better than that of the control group (90% vs 69%, P < .05).ConclusionsEven in patients with long-standing atrial fibrillation and an enlarged left atrium, maze procedures concomitant with the novel left atrial volume reduction technique improved the sinus rhythm recovery rate without increasing complications. Although further study with a larger number of patients and a longer follow-up period is needed, this safe and thus far potent technique that catheter-based ablation cannot copy might extend indication of the Cox maze procedure for patients with tough atrial fibrillation

Feeding the outer bran fraction of rice alters hepatic carbohydrate metabolism in rats

Dietary intake of fiber-rich food has been reported to contribute to multiple health benefits. The aim of the current study is to investigate the effects of a diet containing the outer bran fraction of rice (OBFR), which is rich in insoluble fiber, on the intestinal environment and metabolite profiles of rats. Fourteen 8-week-old male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into a control group and an OBFR group. For a period of 21 days, the control group was fed a control diet, while the OBFR group was fed a diet containing 5% OBFR. Metabolomics analysis revealed drastic changes in the cecal metabolites of the rats fed the OBFR diet. Furthermore, in the plasma and liver tissue, the concentrations of metabolites involved in pyruvate metabolism, the pentose phosphate pathway, gluconeogenesis, or valine, leucine, isoleucine degradation were changed. Concordantly, the OBFR diet increased the expression of genes encoding enzymes involved in these metabolic pathways in the livers of the rats. Collectively, these results suggest that the OBFR diet altered the concentrations of metabolites in the cecal contents, plasma, and liver, and the hepatic gene expressions of rats, and that this may have mainly contributed to carbohydrate metabolism in the liver

Specific inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase with FR167653 attenuates vascular proliferation in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats

AbstractObjectivesp38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is associated with many clinical entities characterized by inflammation. We postulated that inhibition of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase with FR167653 attenuates inflammation and the development of pulmonary hypertension in monocrotaline-treated rats.MethodsRats were divided into 4 groups: (1) the control group (daily 0.9% saline), (2) the FR group (daily FR167653, 2 mg · kg−1 · d−1), (3) the MCT group (daily 0.9% saline the day after a single monocrotaline dose, 60 mg/kg), and (4) the MCT+FR group (daily FR167653, 2 mg · kg−1 · d−1, the day after a single MCT dose). Body weight, pulmonary artery pressure, and morphometric changes of the pulmonary artery with the histopathologic method were observed weekly for 4 weeks. Also, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and inflammatory cytokine expression in the lung were measured.ResultsFour weeks after monocrotaline administration, mean pulmonary artery pressure in the MCT+FR group was lower than in the MCT group (MCT+FR vs MCT: 24.7 ± 1.9 vs 36.5 ± 2.1 mm Hg; P < .05). In morphometric analysis the percentage of medial wall thickness and the percentage of muscularization in the MCT+FR group were reduced compared with those in the MCT group after 4 weeks (P < .05); however, the number of macrophages was not significantly different. p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity was significantly attenuated in the MCT+FR group compared with in the MCT group (7.2 ± 0.52 vs 2.1 ± 0.23 fold-increase, P < .05, at 1 week). Although mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 1β were reduced in the MCT+FR group compared with in the MCT group (tumor necrosis factor α: 1.18 ± 0.36 vs 3.05 ± 1.12 fold-increase, P < .05, at 2 weeks; interleukin 1β: 2.2 ± 0.34 vs 4.4 ± 1.09 fold-increase, P < .05, at 1 week), FR167653 did not suppress increased monocyte chemotactic protein 1 mRNA expression induced by monocrotaline (3.2 ± 0.62 vs 3.1 ± 0.42 fold-increase, at 1 week).ConclusionFR167653 significantly attenuates the expression of inflammatory cytokines, ultimately preventing the progression of pulmonary hypertension. These results suggest that p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase might play a central role in the molecular events that underlie the development and progression of pulmonary hypertension

Helicobacter pylori Infection and Gastroduodenal Disease : a Comparison of Endoscopic Findings, Histology, and Urease Test Data

To determine the prevalence and significance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, biopsies of the antral mucosa were obtained from 139 patients and 43 asymptomatic volunteers. The specimens were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining and the urease test. The detection rate of H. pylori by histologic examination was 91.3% in patients with duodenal ulcer, 75.0% in those with combined duodenal and gastric ulcer, 63.6% in those with gastric ulcer, 22.9% in those with gastric carcinoma, 36.4% in those with gastric adenoma, 14.3% in those with gastric hyperplastic polyp, and 51.7% in those with gastritis, and the respective percentages detected by the urease test were 91.3%, 75.0%, 54.5%, 28.6%, 27.3%, 14.3%, and 44.8%. H. pylori was also detected in 10/43 (23.3%) asymptomatic healthy volunteers by histology and the urease test. The prevalence of H. pylori was significantly higher in the patients than in the asymptomatic healthy volunteers (p < 0.05). H. pylori was detected in 62.9% of patients with endoscopic erosive gastritis and in 97.9% of those with histologically proven chronic active gastritis. The urease test was positive in 77/82 patients who were histologically positive for the organism (sensitivity: 93.9%), and it was negative in 98/100 patients who were negative by histology (specificity: 98.0%). Thus, there was over 90% agreement between the urease test and histology. Our investigations showed that H. pylori was closely related to peptic ulcers and antral gastritis, and that the urease test provides a simple, rapid and accurate diagnosis of H. pylori infection

miR-22 represses cancer progression by inducing cellular senescence

The microRNA miR-22 targets CDK6, SIRT1, and Sp1—genes involved in regulation of the senescence program—to suppress cell growth and proliferation