Study on Liquid Management Technology in Water Tank for Propulsion System Utilizing Aluminum and Water Reaction (Improvement of Liquid Acquisition Performance by Hydrophilic Coating in Metallic Tank)

In order to use hydrogen as a fuel for spacecraft propulsion system, utilization of aluminum and water reaction system is considered. Liquid-gas separation is necessary for water tank in this propulsion system. The purpose of this study is to confirm the applicability of water to the surface tension liquid acquisition mechanism in tank by improving wettability using a silica coating. It was demonstrated that silica coating could improve the wettability of water against metallic material applied to practical tanks. By the microgravity experiment using drop tower facility, it was confirmed that water in tank could be acquired on the liquid outlet by vane device with silica coating

Clinical outcome of patients with recurrent or refractory localized Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors: A retrospective report from the Japan Ewing Sarcoma Study Group

[Background] Patients with Ewing's sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) who experience relapse or progression have a poor prognosis. [Aim] This study aimed to identify the prognostic and therapeutic factors affecting overall survival (OS) of patients with recurrent or refractory localized ESFT. [Methods and results] Thirty-eight patients with localized ESFT who experienced first relapse or progression between 2000 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The 5-year OS rate of the entire cohort was 48.3% (95% confidence interval, 29.9%-64.5%). Multivariate analysis of OS identified time to relapse or progression, but not stem cell transplantation (SCT), as the sole independent risk factor (hazard ratio, 35.8; P = .002). Among 31 patients who received salvage chemotherapy before local treatment, 21 received chemotherapy regimens that are not conventionally used for newly diagnosed ESFT. The objective response rate to first-line salvage chemotherapy was 55.2% in the 29 evaluable patients. Time to relapse or progression was significantly associated with response to first-line salvage chemotherapy (P = .006). [Conclusions] The present study fails to demonstrate significant clinical benefit of SCT for recurrent or refractory localized ESFT. Recently established chemotherapy regimens may increase the survival rate of patients with recurrent or refractory localized ESFT while attenuating the beneficial effect of SCT

Chronic cystoisosporiasis in an immunocompetent adult : A case report.

Rationale:Cystoisosporiasis is an intestinal infectious disease caused by a coccidian protozoa, Cystoisospora belli (C. belli). It can cause prolonged and refractory diarrhea most commonly in immunocompromised patients, while immunocompetent individuals usually exhibit no symptoms or self-limited diarrhea.Patient concerns:We herein report a case of chronic cystoisosporiasis in an immunocompetent patient. A 62-year-old man, who had been first diagnosed with cystoisosporiasis 15 years ago and had been treated with oral administration of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), complained of persistent watery diarrhea. He was negative for anti-human immunodeficiency virus antibody and anti-human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibody.Diagnosis:Biopsy specimens from the duodenum revealed oocysts in the atrophic absorptive epithelium and protozoa were detected through stool examination, indicating the recurrence of cystoisosporiasis. Capsule endoscopy showed diffuse atrophic mucosa with white villi in the entire small intestine. We diagnosed him with chronic cystoisosporiasis that occurred in an immunocompetent adult.Interventions:Since oral administration of TMP-SMX and ciprofloxacin were ineffective, the intravenous administration of TMP-SMX was initiated.Outcomes:Intravenous TMP-SMX exhibited a significant improvement.Lessons:This case indicates that even immunocompetent individuals may develop recurrent and refractory cystoisosporiasis. Furthermore, intravenous treatment of antibiotic agents should be considered when the impaired absorptive ability from the small intestine is suspected

Pathogenic mutations identified by a multimodality approach in 117 Japanese Fanconi anemia patients

Fanconi anemia is a rare recessive disease characterized by multiple congenital abnormalities, progressive bone marrow failure, and a predisposition to malignancies. It results from mutations in one of the 22 known FANC genes. The number of Japanese Fanconi anemia patients with a defined genetic diagnosis was relatively limited. In this study, we reveal the genetic subtyping and the characteristics of mutated FANC genes in Japan and clarify the genotype-phenotype correlations. We studied 117 Japanese patients and successfully subtyped 97% of the cases. FANCA and FANCG pathogenic variants accounted for the disease in 58% and 25% of Fanconi anemia patients, respectively. We identified one FANCA and two FANCG hot spot mutations, which are found at low percentages (0.04-0.1%) in the whole-genome reference panel of 3,554 Japanese individuals (Tohoku Medical Megabank). FANCB was the third most common complementation group and only one FANCC case was identified in our series. Based on the data from the Tohoku Medical Megabank, we estimate that approximately 2.6% of Japanese are carriers of disease-causing FANC gene variants, excluding missense mutations. This is the largest series of subtyped Japanese Fanconi anemia patients to date and the results will be useful for future clinical management

Overspeeding characteristics of turbomachinery for gas generator cycle air turbo ramjet engine

The main interest in the current study focuses on the possibility of overspeeding for the gas-generator cycle air turbo ramjet (GG-ATR) engine. The authors developed the air turbo ramjet engine and investigated its compressor performance. Based on those data, the authors developed the analytical code for the air turbo ramjet engine, which calculates the performances of turbomachinery, gas-generator, and ram combustor. The previous study described that the rotor overspeeding would not occur in the air turbo rocket engine. However, the current results show that degraded ram combustion can decrease the compressor pressure ratio and the compressor power. This reduced compressor power can cause overspeeding for the air turbo ramjet engine. The experimental results of compressor power and turbine inlet pressure support those analytical results