High purity NaI(Tl) scintillator to search for dark matter

A high purity and large volume NaI(Tl) scintillator was developed to search for cosmic dark matter. The required densities of radioactive impurities (RIs) such as U-chain, Th-chain are less than a few ppt to establish high sensitivity to dark matter. The impurity of RIs were effectively reduced by selecting raw materials of crucible and by performing chemical reduction of lead ion in NaI raw powder. The impurity of $^{226}$Ra was reduced less than 100 $\mu$Bq/kg in NaI(Tl) crystal. It should be remarked that the impurity of $^{210}$Pb, which is difficult to reduce, is effectively reduced by chemical processing of NaI raw powder down to less than 30 $\mu$Bq/kg. The expected sensitivity to cosmic dark matter by using 250 kg of the high purity and large volume NaI(Tl) scintillator (PICO-LON; Pure Inorganic Crystal Observatory for LOw-background Neutr(al)ino) is 7$\times$10$^{-45}$ cm$^{2}$ for 50 GeV$/c^{2}$ WIMPs.Comment: 6 pages, 2 Figures, Proceedings of International Symposium on Radiation Detectors and Their Uses (ISRD2016). Talk given on 19th Jan. 2016 by K.Fushimi. To be published in Proceedings will be published as JPS conference proceedings (2016

Novel macrolactam compound produced by the heterologous expression of a large cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster of Streptomyces rochei IFO12908

In the course of our studies on the heterologous expression of giant biosynthetic genes, we discovered a novel cryptic biosynthetic gene cluster in Streptomyces rochei IFO12908. During our efforts to express biosynthetic genes using the host SUKA strain derived from Streptomyces avermitilis, a novel polyene macrolactam compound designated as JBIR-156 was produced. We report herein the cloning and heterologous expression of the JBIR-156 biosynthetic gene cluster, and the isolation, structure determination, and cytotoxic activity of this novel compound

Usefulness of Background Coloration in Detection of Esophago-Pharyngeal Lesions Using NBI Magnification

Background and Aim. We evaluated the usefulness of background coloration (BC), a color change in the area between intrapapillary capillary loops (IPCLs) in the early esophago-pharyngeal lesions using NBI with magnificaiton. Methods. Between April 2004 and March 2010, a total of 294 esophago-pharyngeal lesions were examined using NBI with magnification, and the presence of BC and IPCL patterns were assessed. Using BC, discrimination of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) or high-grade neoplasia (HGN) from low-grade neoplasia (LGN) or nonatypia was conducted. Results. Among 294 lesions, 209 lesions (71.1) were positive for BC, while 85 (28.9) were negative. In the BC-positive group, 187 lesions (89.5) were diagnosed as SCC/HGN. And 68 lesions (80.0) in the BC-negative group were diagnosed as LGN/nonatypia. Overall accuracy of BC to discriminate SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia was 87.3. The sensitivity and specificity were 91.9, 76.7. BC could discriminate SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia accurately (P 0.0001). Among 68 lesions classified into the IPCL type IV, the BC-positive group (n = 26) included 21 SCC/HGN lesions, while there were 36 LGN/nonatypia lesions in the 42 BC-negative lesions. Conclusions. BC is a useful finding in differentiating SCC/HGN from LGN/nonatypia lesions in the esophagus especially when it is combined with IPCL pattern classification

Identification, cloning and heterologous expression of biosynthetic gene cluster for desertomycin

From our in-house microbial genome database of secondary metabolite producers, we identified a candidate biosynthetic gene cluster for desertomycin from Streptomyces nobilis JCM4274. We report herein the cloning of the 127-kb entire gene cluster for desertomycin biosynthesis using bacterial artificial chromosome vector. The entire biosynthetic gene cluster for desertomycin was introduced in the heterologous host, Streptomyces lividans TK23, with an average yield of more than 130 mg l(-1)

職場の健康づくり活動に関する一考察 : ヘルスケア・トレーナーの活動状況調査より

The purpose of this research is to clarify the actual situation on the health promotion activities in the Japanese worksites. We focused our investigation on the leaders called Health Care Trainer who undertake the main role in the worksite health promotion activities of the companies and sports clubs. The subjects of this survey were the Health Care Trainers registratered as members of Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA). The questionnaire was consisted of five main items : 1. Styles of Health Care Trainers\u27 activities. 2. Smoking control programs. 3. Health check programs. 4. Back care programs. 5. Exercise and fitness programs. The results were as follows : Among the investigated Health Care Trainers, about 30 percent of them have no worksite health promotion activity after getting their license ; some of them didn\u27t have no opportunity to conduct that kind of program at the worksite ; others are now preparing to bring fitness programs for workers ; and also there are some Health Care Trainers who have no idea to guide workers thier health promotions. This seems a part of problem concerning the professinal leadership development and certification system in Japan. We can observe a important lack of leadership which would be expected for all of Health Care Trainers. This research revealed that 57.8 percent of Health Care Trainers\u27 worksites had a smoking control program. 48.2 percent of these Health Care Trainers have given to their perticipants some informations that smoking too much is harmful to his or her health. A smoking control program is not only to inform a worker to stop smoking but to advise him or her to taper down smoking. We suggest that Health Care Trainer should develop their several way of this program in different ways. The Health Care Trainers reported that 91.6 percent of the worksites had the a health check program. The Ministry of Labor and JISHA have distinguished this health check program from the medical check. JISHA\u27s functions are, in the one hand, to aid technically the health check and health guidance programs conducted by enterprises, in the other hand, to aid the setting up of equipments for the health promotion program which permit "Joint enterprises\u27 groups" to conduct the health promotions, practiced under the cooperation between the concerned enterprises and the outside health service organizaions. In order that the health check programs will be carried out not only in the physical area but also mental area, JISHA and the team managers of the worksite health promotion must recruit competent staffs immediatelly. 79.5 percent of the Health Care Trainers answered that they given a back care program. In Japan, many office workers suffer often from backache. Because they have been obliged the unnatural and forced postures during their work, the back care program should be developed as a check system with regard to their working times rather than for to other times. A exercise and fitness program reprensented 97.6 percent of all worksite health promotion activities. These programs should be managed and administrated by the Health Care Trainers. According to "JISHA-Trainig Text for Health Care Trainer", the trainer should understand the influence given by the lack of daily exercise and fitness activities. The hypokinetic disease leads the cardiovascular disease, obesity, arteriolosclerosis, high blood pressure, and so on. The Health Care Trainers must have knowledge by which they are able to make workers fun and to give them that important habit to continue their sport and recreation activities

Artificial placenta support of extremely preterm ovine fetuses at the border of viability for up to 336 hours with maintenance of systemic circulation but reduced somatic and organ growth

Introduction: Artificial placenta therapy (APT) is an experimental life support system to improve outcomes for extremely preterm infants (EPI) less than 1,000 g by obviating the need for pulmonary gas exchange. There are presently no long-term survival data for EPI supported with APT. To address this, we aimed to maintain 95d-GA (GA; term-150d) sheep fetuses for up to 2 weeks using our APT system.Methods: Pregnant ewes (n = 6) carrying singleton fetuses underwent surgical delivery at 95d GA. Fetuses were adapted to APT and maintained for up to 2 weeks with constant monitoring of key physiological parameters and extensive time-course blood and urine sampling, and ultrasound assessments. Six age-matched in-utero fetuses served as controls. Data were tested for group differences with ANOVA.Results: Six APT Group fetuses (100%) were adapted to APT successfully. The mean BW at the initiation of APT was 656 ± 42 g. Mean survival was 250 ± 72 h (Max 336 h) with systemic circulation and key physiological parameters maintained mostly within normal ranges. APT fetuses had active movements and urine output constantly exceeded infusion volume over the experiment. At delivery, there were no differences in BW (with edema in three APT group animals), brain weight, or femur length between APT and in-utero Control animals. Organ weights and humerus lengths were significantly reduced in the APT group (p < 0.05). Albumin, IGF-1, and phosphorus were significantly decreased in the APT group (p < 0.05). No cases of positive blood culture were detected.Conclusion: We report the longest use of APT to maintain extremely preterm fetuses to date. Fetal systemic circulation was maintained without infection, but growth was abnormal. This achievement suggests a need to focus not only on cardiovascular stability and health but also on the optimization of fetal growth and organ development. This new challenge will need to be overcome prior to the clinical translation of this technology