Development of an active tritium sampler for discriminating chemical forms without the use of combustion gases in a fusion test facility

A new type of active tritium sampler that can discriminate between chemical forms in a fusion test facility without the use of combustion gases was developed. The proposed tritium sampler was operated using water vapour instead of combustion gases. To test the operation and performance of the device when water vapour is used, we evaluated the catalytic oxidation properties, and the evaporation and collection of water vapour under actual sampling conditions. The properties of the added water mass and the operation temperature of catalysts in the proposed sampling system were then determined. Thereafter, we carried out air sampling for tritium monitoring. The levels of tritium concentration measured by the proposed tritium sampling system were similar to the values measured by the conventional sampling system. Our findings show that the proposed tritium sampling system without combustion gases is a good replacement for the conventional tritium sampling system in a fusion test facility

Determination of tritium activity and chemical forms in the exhaust gas from a large fusion test device

A water bubbler system that can distinguish chemical forms of tritium was proposed for long-term tritium monitoring of the exhaust gas of a large fusion test device. The characteristics and performance of the water bubbler system were evaluated under operational conditions and confirmed to be suitable for tritium monitoring. For the tritium measurements, the water bubbler system determined the tritium activity and distinguished the chemical forms of tritium. The tritium activity and chemical forms in the exhaust gas provided helpful information to understand the tritium behavior in the large fusion test device

Investigation of the serum levels of anterior pituitary hormones in male children with autism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The neurobiological basis of autism remains poorly understood. The diagnosis of autism is based solely on behavioural characteristics because there are currently no reliable biological markers. To test whether the anterior pituitary hormones and cortisol could be useful as biological markers for autism, we assessed the basal serum levels of these hormones in subjects with autism and normal controls.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Using a suspension array system, we determined the serum levels of six anterior pituitary hormones, including adrenocorticotropic hormone and growth hormone, in 32 drug-naive subjects (aged 6 to 18 years, all boys) with autism, and 34 healthy controls matched for age and gender. We also determined cortisol levels in these subjects by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, growth hormone and cortisol were significantly higher in subjects with autism than in controls. In addition, there was a significantly positive correlation between cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone levels in autism.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that increased basal serum levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone accompanied by increased cortisol and growth hormone may be useful biological markers for autism.</p

Evaluation system for non-technical skills

Purposes : Non-technical skills contribute to safe and efficient team performance. The aim of this study was to clarify the importance of non-technical skills by a questionnaire and the usefulness of feedback to the operator. Method : A questionnaire was administered to the operator and paramedical staff for 404 operations. Total and individual scores were compared, and the effect of feedback was analyzed by comparison between pre-feedback and post-feedback. Results : The total score of the paramedical staff was 100 [full score] [n = 186], 90-99 [n = 133], and 80-89 [n = 47]. In all cases, the score of the paramedical staff was significantly better than that of the operator. After feedback, the rate of a score less than 80 was significantly decreased. In junior doctor cases with laparoscopy, feedback tended to have a positive effect. Conclusions : Questionnaires completed by both surgeons and paramedical staff are useful for identifying problems with non-technical skills

Isotope Composition and Chemical Species of Monthly Precipitation Collected at the Site of a Fusion Test Facility in Japan

The deuterium plasma experiment was started using the Large Helical Device (LHD) at the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) in March 2017 to investigate high-temperature plasma physics and the hydrogen isotope effects towards the realization of fusion energy. In order to clarify any experimental impacts on precipitation, precipitation has been collected at the NIFS site since November 2013 as a means to assess the relationship between isotope composition and chemical species in precipitation containing tritium. The tritium concentration ranged from 0.10 to 0.61 Bq L−1 and was high in spring and low in summer. The stable isotope composition and the chemical species were unchanged before and after the deuterium plasma experiment. Additionally, the tritium concentration after starting the deuterium plasma experiment was within three sigma of the average tritium concentration before the deuterium plasma experiment. These results suggested that there was no impact by tritium on the environment surrounding the fusion test facility

Decreased expression of axon-guidance receptors in the anterior cingulate cortex in autism

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Axon-guidance proteins play a crucial role in brain development. As the dysfunction of axon-guidance signaling is thought to underlie the microstructural abnormalities of the brain in people with autism, we examined the postmortem brains of people with autism to identify any changes in the expression of axon-guidance proteins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The mRNA and protein expression of axon-guidance proteins, including ephrin (EFN)A4, eEFNB3, plexin (PLXN)A4, roundabout 2 (ROBO)2 and ROBO3, were examined in the anterior cingulate cortex and primary motor cortex of autistic brains (n = 8 and n = 7, respectively) and control brains (n = 13 and n = 8, respectively) using real-time reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) and western blotting. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that the relative expression levels of EFNB3, PLXNA4A and ROBO2 were significantly lower in the autistic group than in the control group. The protein levels of these three genes were further analyzed by western blotting, which showed that the immunoreactive values for PLXNA4 and ROBO2, but not for EFNB3, were significantly reduced in the ACC of the autistic brains compared with control brains.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In this study, we found decreased expression of axon-guidance proteins such as PLXNA4 and ROBO2 in the brains of people with autism, and suggest that dysfunctional axon-guidance protein expression may play an important role in the pathophysiology of autism.</p

Usefulness of infection team in CRS

Background : Surgical site infection (SSI) is an adverse event that places a major burden on patients and staff. In this study, we examined the occurrence of SSI and the characteristics of patients referred to the SSI team after colorectal surgery. Methods : In total, 955 patients underwent colorectal surgery at our hospital from 2014 to 2019. Of these 955 patients, 516 received therapeutic support by the SSI team from 2017 to 2019. All patients were evaluated using an SSI surveillance sheet, and we checked for reports of SSI once a month. Each attending physician performed SSI prophylaxis (use of new instruments before wound irrigation and closure). Results : SSI occurred in 80 (8.4%) patients. The incidence of SSI and the incidence of surface SSI were higher in the patients who did not receive intervention by the SSI team than in the patients who did. Organ / space SSI occurred in 18 patients. Among patients with surface SSI, Enterococcus was the most commonly detected bacteria. Among the 18 patients with organ / space SSI, 5 developed anastomotic leakage and 4 developed intra-abdominal abscesses. Conclusions : An SSI team for prevention and treatment of infection may contribute to reduction of SSI

Plasma Cytokine Profiles in Subjects with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders

Accumulating evidence suggests that dysregulation of the immune system is involved in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The aim of the study was to explore immunological markers in peripheral plasma samples from non-medicated subjects with high-functioning ASD.A multiplex assay for cytokines and chemokines was applied to plasma samples from male subjects with high-functioning ASD (n = 28) and matched controls (n = 28). Among a total of 48 analytes examined, the plasma concentrations of IL-1β, IL-1RA, IL-5, IL-8, IL-12(p70), IL-13, IL-17 and GRO-α were significantly higher in subjects with ASD compared with the corresponding values of matched controls after correction for multiple comparisons.The results suggest that abnormal immune responses as assessed by multiplex analysis of cytokines may serve as one of the biological trait markers for ASD