Benchmarks of subcriticality in accelerator-driven system at Kyoto University Critical Assembly

Basic research on the accelerator-driven system is conducted by combining U-235-fueled and Th-232-loaded cores in the Kyoto University Critical Assembly with the pulsed neutron generator (14 MeV neutrons) and the proton beam accelerator (100 MeV protons with a heavy metal target). The results of experimental subcriticality are presented with a wide range of subcriticality level between near critical and 10,000 pcm, as obtained by the pulsed neutron source method, the Feynman-alpha method, and the neutron source multiplication method

Wideband Channel Measurements and Modeling for In-House Power Line Communication

This paper reports the results of extensive wideband channel measurements conducted on in-house outlets at 10~30MHz. Two kinds of measurements were performed: impulse response measurements and noise measurements. Impulse responses were obtained in two different time scales: 50 impulse responses taken for 1 minute to see short term variation and for 6 milliseconds to see very short term variation. Noise measurements were carried out to measure background noise, appliance noise and periodic noise. These measurements at a specific outlet are repeated in every other hour over 24 hours. The measured data were carefully reduced and analyzed to extract relevant information to obtain time-varying channel and noise characteristic for in-house power line communication

Carbonic anhydrase XII expression is associated with histologic grade of cervical cancer and superior radiotherapy outcome

BACKGROUND: To investigate whether expression of carbonic anhydrase XII (CA12) is associated with histologic grade of the tumors and radiotherapy outcomes of the patients with invasive cervical cancer. METHODS: CA12 expression was examined by immunohistochemical stains in cervical cancer tissues from 183 radiotherapy patients. Histological grading was classified as well (WD), moderately (MD) or poorly differentiated (PD). Oligonucleotide microarray experiment was performed using seven cervical cancer samples to examine differentially expressed genes between WD and PD cervical cancers. The association between CA12 and histological grade was analyzed by chi-square test. CA12 and histological grades were analyzed individually and as combined CA12 and histologic grade categories for effects on survival outcome. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical expression of CA12 was highly associated with the histologic grade of cervical cancer. Lack of CA12 expression was associated with PD histology, with an odds ratio of 3.9 (P = 0.01). Microarray analysis showed a fourfold reduction in CA12 gene expression in PD tumors. CA12 expression was marginally associated with superior disease-free survival. Application of the new combined categories resulted in further discrimination of the prognosis of patients with moderate and poorly differentiated tumor grade. CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicates that CA12 may be used as a novel prognostic marker in combination with histologic grade of the tumors

Expression of Osteocalcin and Transglutaminase and Labelling of Bromodeoxyuridine during Fracture Healing in the Rat Tibia

The expression of osteocalcin and transglutaminase C(TGase C) during fracture healing was inwstigated with immunohistochemical studies. A transverse osteotomy was made at the proximal tibia in Sprague-Dawley male rats and immobilized with a small external skeletal fixator. The animals lU!l'e sacrificed serially I, 3, 5, 7, 14, 42 days respectively after fracture. Longitudinal sections of the healing bone were stained with pohclonal antibody against osteocalcin and TGase C, and monoclonal antibody against bromodeoxyuridine. During the intramembranous bone formation at the periosteum around the fracture site, osteocalcin was strongly expressed in the proliferating osteoprogenitor cells from the 1st day of fracture, and then, in osteoblasts, osteoid matrix and osteocytes. The expression of TGase C was weakly positive in both osteoprogenitor cells and osteoblasts. Ai the site of endochondral bone formation, which was first reoealed 5 days after fracture, cell proliferation occurred at the periphery of cartilaginous callus where the number of cells stained with BrdU was highest During the maturation of callus, those cells uere entrapped in the chondroid matrix and became larger and larger. Osteocalcin was demonstrated in the cytoplasm of chondrocytes, while chondroid matrix was negatiwly stained. TGase C was found in the cytoplasm of more centrally located and matured chondrocytes as compared with osteocalcin. Osteoid matrix was stained with osteocalcin but not with TGase C. These finding may suggest that osteocalcin participates in the early phase of endochondral bone formation, while TGase C participates in the late phase, suggesting the role of TGase C in matrix stabilization. But the reason for the difference in the expression of TGase C between the endochondral bone formation and intramembranous bone formation should be further inwstigated. Healing of IAA2Il immobilized fracture in this study was predominantly induced by intramembranous ossification rather than endochondral ossification. Periosteal osteoprogenitor cells appeared to initiate and to lead bone formation after osteotomy. These findings indicate that preservation of the periosteum is essential to achieve successful fracture healing

Late Simultaneous Presentation of Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm and Tricuspid Regurgitation after Blunt Chest Trauma

A 32-yr-old man developed progressive exertional dyspnea 4 yr after blunt chest trauma due to an automobile accident. Two-dimensional echocardiography and computed-tomographic coronary angiography demonstrated a large pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle and severe tricuspid regurgitation. The patient underwent successful surgical exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm by endoaneurysmal patch closure and repair of the tricuspid valve regurgitation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of these 2 different pathologies presenting late simultaneously after blunt chest trauma and successful surgical repairs in the published literature

A Synonymous Genetic Alteration of LMX1B in a Family with Nail-Patella Syndrome

The gene responsible for nail-patella syndrome, LMX1B, has recently been identified on chromosome 9q. Here we present a patient with nail-patella syndrome and an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance. A 17-year-old girl visited our clinic for the evaluation and treatment of proteinuria. She had dystrophic nails, palpable iliac horns, and hypoplastic patellae. Electron microscopy of a renal biopsy showed irregular thickening of the glomerular basement membrane. A family history over three generations revealed five affected family members. Genetic analysis found a change of TCG to TCC, resulting in a synonymous alteration at codon 219 in exon 4 of the LMX1B gene in two affected family members. The same alteration was not detected in an unaffected family member. This is the first report of familial nail-patella syndrome associated with an LMX1B in Korea mutation, However, we can not completely rule out the possibility that the G-to-C change may be a single nucleotide polymorphism as this genetic mutation cause no alteration in amino acid sequence of LMX1B