62 research outputs found
Deuteron Elastic Scattering and (d,p) reactions on [138]Ba and [208]Pb at E[d]=22MeV and j-dependence of T[20] in (d,p) reaction
Thesis (Ph. D. in Physics)--University of Tsukuba, (A), no. 1852, 1998.3.2
Fogarty catheter for OLV of a neonate
Here, we report two cases involving a neonate and child in which a slip joint section was used to thread a Fogarty catheter into the endotracheal tube for one-lung ventilation (OLV). Both the neonate and infant required OLV, and were placed under general anesthesia. A Fogarty catheter was used for OLV. The Fogarty catheter was passed into the intraluminal side of the endotracheal tube through a slip joint section. OLV was maintained successfully without severe air leakage or Fogarty catheter displacement. The neonate had been intubated pre-operatively with a 3.5-mm inner diameter endotracheal tube, and we used that tube. These cases indicate that the technique can be applied to pre-operatively intubated patients and does not require surgeons to exchange endotracheal tubes. Use of the slip joint section technique facilitates Fogarty catheter fixation without additional dead space
Measurement of the total neutron scattering cross section ratios of noble gases of natural isotopic composition using a pulsed neutron beam
Precision measurements of slow neutron cross sections with atoms have several
scientific applications. In particular the n-He s-wave scattering length
is important to know both for helping to constrain the nuclear three-body
interaction and for the proper interpretation of several ongoing slow neutron
experiments searching for other types of neutron-atom interactions. We present
new measurements of the ratios of the neutron differential scattering cross
sections for natural isotopic-abundance mixtures of the noble gases He, Ar, Kr,
and Xe to natural isotopic abundance Ne. These measurements were performed
using a recently developed neutron scattering apparatus for gas samples located
on a pulsed slow neutron beamline which was designed to search for possible
exotic neutron-atom interactions and employs both neutron time of flight
information and a position-sensitive neutron detector for scattering event
reconstruction. We found agreement with the literature values of scattering
cross sections inferred from Ar/Ne, Kr/Ne and Xe/Ne differential cross section
ratios over the range of nm. However for the case of He/Ne
we find that the cross section inferred differs by 11.3% (7.6 ) from
previously-reported values inferred from neutron phase shift measurements, but
is in reasonable agreement with values from other measurements. The very large
discrepancy in the He/Ne ratio calls for a new precision measurement of the
n-He scattering length using neutron interferometry
A role for fungal β-glucans and their receptor Dectin-1 in the induction of autoimmune arthritis in genetically susceptible mice
A combination of genetic and environmental factors can cause autoimmune disease in animals. SKG mice, which are genetically prone to develop autoimmune arthritis, fail to develop the disease under a microbially clean condition, despite active thymic production of arthritogenic autoimmune T cells and their persistence in the periphery. However, in the clean environment, a single intraperitoneal injection of zymosan, a crude fungal β-glucan, or purified β-glucans such as curdlan and laminarin can trigger severe chronic arthritis in SKG mice, but only transient arthritis in normal mice. Blockade of Dectin-1, a major β-glucan receptor, can prevent SKG arthritis triggered by β-glucans, which strongly activate dendritic cells in vitro in a Dectin-1–dependent but Toll-like receptor-independent manner. Furthermore, antibiotic treatment against fungi can prevent SKG arthritis in an arthritis-prone microbial environment. Multiple injections of polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid double-stranded RNA also elicit mild arthritis in SKG mice. Thus, specific microbes, including fungi and viruses, may evoke autoimmune arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis by stimulating innate immunity in individuals who harbor potentially arthritogenic autoimmune T cells as a result of genetic anomalies or variations
Immunoglobulin G4-Related Hepatic Inflammatory Pseudotumor Diagnosed with Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Biopsy
A 71-year-old man with obstructive jaundice was referred to our department. He underwent cholangiojejunostomy 15 years ago for palliative drainage. At that time, he had obstructive jaundice caused by an unresectable pancreatic head tumor. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CE-CT) now revealed a mass with low enhancement in the hepatic hilum that occluded the hilar bile duct and infiltrated extensively along the portal vein and hepatic artery. CE-CT also showed marked atrophy of the left hepatic lobe. No swelling or tumors were observed in the pancreas. Serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) levels were as high as 465 mg/dL. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) was performed targeting the hepatic hilar lesion. Immunohistological results of the biopsy specimens suggested that the lesion was an IgG4-related hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT) with no atypical cells. Steroid treatment resulted in rapid clinical improvement. This case suggested the usefulness of EUS-FNB for diagnosing IgG4-related hepatic hilar IPT
Study on the reusability of fluorescent nuclear track detectors using optical bleaching
Fluorescent nuclear track detectors (FNTDs) based on AlO:C,Mg
crystals are luminescent detectors that can be used for dosimetry and detection
of charged particles and neutrons. These detectors can be utilised for imaging
applications where a reasonably high track density, approximately of the order
of 1 tracks in an area of 100 100 m, is
required. To investigate the reusability of FNTDs for imaging applications, we
present an approach to perform optical bleaching under the required track
density conditions. The reusability was assessed through seven
irradiation-bleaching cycles. For the irradiation, the studied FNTD was exposed
to alpha-particles from an Am radioactive source. The optical bleaching
was performed by means of ultraviolet laser light with a wavelength of 355 nm.
Three dedicated regions on a single FNTD with different accumulated track
densities and bleaching conditions were investigated. After every
irradiation-bleaching cycle, signal-to-noise ratio was calculated to evaluate
FNTD performance. It is concluded that FNTDs can be reused at least seven times
for applications where accumulation of a high track density is required
HbA1c and telemedicine during COVID-19
Aims/Introduction: To investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic affected behavioral changes and glycemic control in patients with diabetes and to conduct a survey of telemedicine during the pandemic.
Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, a total of 2,348 patients were included from 15 medical facilities. Patients were surveyed about their lifestyle changes and attitudes toward telemedicine. Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were compared among before (from June 1 to August 31, 2019) and in the first (from June 1 to August 31, 2020) and in the second (from June 1 to August 31, 2021) year of the pandemic. A survey of physician attitudes toward telemedicine was also conducted.
Results: The HbA1c levels were comparable between 2019 (7.27 ± 0.97%), 2020 (7.28 ± 0.92%), and 2021 (7.25 ± 0.94%) without statistical difference between each of those 3 years. Prescriptions for diabetes medications increased during the period. The frequency of eating out was drastically reduced (51.7% in 2019; 30.1% in 2020), and physical activity decreased during the pandemic (48.1% in 2019; 41.4% in 2020; 43.3% in 2021). Both patients and physicians cited increased convenience and reduced risk of infection as their expectations for telemedicine, while the lack of physician–patient interaction and the impossibility of consultation and examination were cited as sources of concern.
Conclusions: Our data suggest that glycemic control did not deteriorate during the COVID-19 pandemic with appropriate intensification of diabetes treatment in patients with diabetes who continued to attend specialized diabetes care facilities, and that patients and physicians shared the same expectations and concerns about telemedicine
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