Predicting visible image degradation by colour image difference formulae

Abstract We carried out a CRT monitor based psychophysical experiment to investigate the quality of three colour image difference metrics, the CIEΔE ab equation, the iCAM and the S-CIELAB metrics. Six original images were reproduced through six gamut mapping algorithms for the observer experiment. The result indicates that the colour image difference calculated by each metric does not directly relate to perceived image difference

シロリムス ヨウシュツ ステント リュウチ 7ネンゴ ニ ハジメテ ゾウエイザイ ステント シュウイ シミダシゾウ オ ミトメタ イチレイ

A 74-year-old man who had a history of percutaneous coronary intervention ［left anterior descending coronary artery ＃6‐7, sirolimus eluting stent （SES） （Cypher stent,3.0×18mm）, left circumflex coronary artery ＃13, SES （Cypher stent, 2.5×23mm）］ for angina pectoris experienced chest pain on effort after seven years from the coronary intervention. He was introduced to our hospital and coronary angiography revealed late acquired peri-stent contrast staining （PSS）, which is defined as an angiographical finding of contrast medium stain outside the stent being ＞20％ of the stent diameter, in the SES of the left anterior descending artery. Drug-eluting stent （DES） significantly inhibits neointimal proliferation, thereby significantly reducing in-stent restenosis. However, the risk of very late stent thrombosis has become a major problem after the DES implantation against the bare-metal stent implantation. PSS has been reported that PSS after SES implantation could predict late stent thrombosis and incomplete stent apposition of the lesion with PSS. In this case, PSS was pointed out for the first time in seven years after SES implantation nevertheless it did not be pointed out in three years. The mechanism and prognosis of PSS is unclear. But, we found the increase in local coagulation at the coronary artery in this case and the degree of prothrombin fragment F1＋2, one of the coagulation marker, was greater in seven years after SES implantation than in three years. We thought these findings might reflect that PSS after SES implantation was associated with very late stent thrombosis. So we started the dual antiplatelet therapy for the prevention of stent thrombosis. Careful long-term observation might be recommended in patients with late acquired PSS and elevated local coagulation response following SES implantation

Fluid flow-induced left-right asymmetric decay of Dand5 mRNA in the mouse embryo requires a Bicc1-Ccr4 RNA degradation complex

Molecular left-right (L-R) asymmetry is established at the node of the mouse embryo as a result of the sensing of a leftward fluid flow by immotile cilia of perinodal crown cells and the consequent degradation of Dand5 mRNA on the left side. We here examined how the fluid flow induces Dand5 mRNA decay. We found that the first 200 nucleotides in the 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR) of Dand5 mRNA are necessary and sufficient for the left-sided decay and to mediate the response of a 3′-UTR reporter transgene to Ca2+, the cation channel Pkd2, the RNA-binding protein Bicc1 and their regulation by the flow direction. We show that Bicc1 preferentially recognizes GACR and YGAC sequences, which can explain the specific binding to a conserved GACGUGAC motif located in the proximal Dand5 3′-UTR. The Cnot3 component of the Ccr4-Not deadenylase complex interacts with Bicc1 and is also required for Dand5 mRNA decay at the node. These results suggest that Ca2+ currents induced by leftward fluid flow stimulate Bicc1 and Ccr4-Not to mediate Dand5 mRNA degradation specifically on the left side of the node

GPI-anchor synthesis is indispensable for the germline development of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans

Twenty-four Caenorhabditis elegans genes are involved in GPI-anchor synthesis. Based on the isolation of a deletion allele of the PIGA gene mediating the first step of GPI-anchor synthesis, GPI-anchor synthesis in somatic gonads and/or in germline is shown to be indispensable for the normal development of oocytes and eggs