UNEXPECTED ECTOPIC BONE FORMATION ON THE DORSUM OF A FOOT AFTER FREE PERONEAL FLAP TRANSFER : A CASE REPORT

We experienced a case in which ectopic bone formation with trabecular structures occurred after free peroneal flap transfer containing periosteum of a fibula onto a soft tissue defect on the dorsum of a foot in a 2-year 9-month-old boy. In this case, ectopic bone formation was detected by radiography 5 months after the operation and the bone was removed because of the restricted dorsiflexion of the ankle. This case suggests that new bone can be formed by the periosteum if it is grafted with its vasculature preserved by microvascular anastomosis

Silicon Epitaxial Reactor for Minimal Fab

Cost-effective and mass production of size-controlled wafers becomes one of the future trends for electronic devices. Herein, we design a Minimal Fab system for the growth of half-inch-diameter silicon wafer devices. Different from the conventional chemical vapour deposition (CVD) systems, a new-type of CVD reactor was designed and developed for the Minimal Fab. The minimal CVD reactor has a small reaction chamber for rapid growth processes. It employed (i) a vertical gas flow, (ii) heating modules using concentrated infrared light, (iii) chlorine trifluoride gas for quick reactor cleaning and (iv) optimized epitaxial growth conditions so that the reactor cleaning is not necessary. Reducing the total gas flow rate is an effective way to increase the wafer temperature. The heating process was further assisted by the absorption of infrared light by the precursor trichlorosilane. The slimly designed reflector could help in improving the heating speed

Spreading of Antarctic Bottom Water examined using the CFC-11 distribution simulated by an eddy-resolving OGCM

We have investigated the spreading and pathway of Antarctic Bottom Water(AABW) using the simulated distribution of chlorofluorocarbons(CFCs) in a global eddy-resolving(1/10°) OGCM. Our goal is understanding of the processes and pathways determining the distribution of CFCs in the Southern Ocean, where much of this tracer is entrained by formation of deep and bottom water. The simu- lated high CFC-11 water reveals the newly formed AABW around the Antarctic Continent. The main source regions of AABW in the model are in the Weddell Sea(60°- 30°W ), offshore of Wilkes Land(120°- 160°E ) and in the Ross Sea(170°E -160°W ). In our model, spreading of simulated CFC-11 in the deep Southern Ocean from the newly formed AABW regions is more similar to the observed distribution than in coarse-resolution models. In the Weddell Sea, the high CFC-11 water spreads eastward with the Antarctic Circumpolar Current(ACC) and flows northward to the Argentine Basin. The high CFC-11 water from Wilkes Land joins with the high CFC-11 water from the Ross Sea. Some of the high CFC-11 water from Wilkes Land flows northward toward New Zealand. The high CFC-11 water from the Ross Sea flows eastward with the ACC along the Mid Ocean Ridge and northward to the Southeast Pacific Basin

Cost Analysis of Screening for IgA Nephropathy Using Novel Biomarkers

[Objectives] IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is the most common primary chronic glomerulonephritis and a major cause of end-stage kidney disease worldwide. Novel biomarkers, including the aberrantly glycosylated IgA1 and glycan-specific antibodies, could be useful in the diagnosis of IgAN. The aim of this study was to assess the cost analysis of IgAN screening using novel biomarkers in addition to the conventional screening compared with conventional screening alone. [Methods] To estimate the medical expense of each strategy related to renal disease for 40 years, we developed an analytical decision model. The decision tree started at “40 years of age with first-time hematuria.” It simulated 2 clinical strategies: IgAN screening using the novel biomarkers (group N) and conventional screening (group C). The analysis results were presented as medical expenses from a societal perspective. Discounting was not conducted. [Results] The expected medical expense per person for 40 years was ¥31.2 million (~$291 000) in group N and ¥33.4 million (~$312 000) in group C; hence, expense in group N was lower by ¥2.2 million (~$21 000). In group N, the expected value of IgAN increased by 5.67% points (N 48.44%, C 42.77%) and that of dialysis introduction decreased by 0.85% points (N 19.06%, C 19.91%). In the sensitivity analysis, expenses could be reduced in almost all cases except when renal biopsy using conventional screening was performed at the rate of 73% or higher. [Conclusion] Screening for IgAN using novel biomarkers would reduce renal disease–related expenses

Pancreatic tumor insulin responsiveness

The aim : Pancreatic cancer, a rapidly progressive malignancy, is often diagnosed in patients with diabetes. The incidence of pancreatic cancer has risen dramatically over recent decades. Early diagnosis of this malignancy is generally difficult because the symptoms do not become apparent until the disease has progressed, generally leading to a poor outcome. To achieve earlier diagnosis, we analyzed the clinical characteristics of pancreatic cancer patients showing deterioration of plasma glucose levels while hospitalized. Method : Thirty-six cases were divided into 2 groups ; those diagnosed with diabetes more than a year prior to identification of pancreatic cancer and diabetes secondary to pancreatic cancer. These 2 groups were further subdivided according to the tumor site (head or body / tail), allowing analysis of 4 subgroups. Anthropometric measurements, laboratory values were determined. Results : Both groups with diabetes lost at least 4 kg and showed HbA1c deterioration of at least 1% within 5 months of the pancreatic cancer diagnosis. The post-meal elevation of serum C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR) was significantly decreased in the group with cancer of the pancreatic head, and this was unrelated to tumor size. Conclusion : Characteristically, pancreatic head cancer was associated with decreased endogenous insulin secretion as compared to body / tail cancer

Renal impairment with sublethal tubular cell injury in a chronic liver disease mouse model

The pathogenesis of renal impairment in chronic liver diseases (CLDs) has been primarily studied in the advanced stages of hepatic injury. Meanwhile, the pathology of renal impairment in the early phase of CLDs is poorly understood, and animal models to elucidate its mechanisms are needed. Thus, we investigated whether an existing mouse model of CLD induced by 3, 5-diethoxycarbonyl-1, 4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) shows renal impairment in the early phase. Renal injury markers, renal histology (including immunohistochemistry for tubular injury markers and transmission electron microscopy), autophagy, and oxidative stress were studied longitudinally in DDC- and standard diet-fed BALB/c mice. Slight but significant renal dysfunction was evident in DDC-fed mice from the early phase. Meanwhile, histological examinations of the kidneys with routine light microscopy did not show definitive morphological findings, and electron microscopic analyses were required to detect limited injuries such as loss of brush border microvilli and mitochondrial deformities. Limited injuries have been recently designated as sublethal tubular cell injury. As humans with renal impairment, either with or without CLD, often show almost normal tubules, sublethal injury has been of particular interest. In this study, the injuries were associated with mitochondrial aberrations and oxidative stress, a possible mechanism for sublethal injury. Intriguingly, two defense mechanisms were associated with this injury that prevent it from progressing to apparent cell death: autophagy and single-cell extrusion with regeneration. Furthermore, the renal impairment of this model progressed to chronic kidney disease with interstitial fibrosis after long-term DDC feeding. These findings indicated that DDC induces renal impairment with sublethal tubular cell injury from the early phase, leading to chronic kidney disease. Importantly, this CLD mouse model could be useful for studying the pathophysiological mechanisms of sublethal tubular cell injury

Guidelines for measurement of luminescence spectra and quantum yields of inorganic and organometallic compounds in solution and solid state (IUPAC Technical Report)

Guidelines for measuring the luminescence of inorganic compounds, metal complexes, and organometallic compounds are described. Common textbooks and manuals describing luminescence measurements are usually targeted for organic compounds, and are not always suitable for inorganic and organometallic compounds, which emit room-temperature phosphorescence. The report describes problems that researchers may confront while recording emission data and elaborates clear procedures to avoid these problems and provide adequate standardized protocols