Sublimation Behavior of Annular Frost Layer by Impinging Jet Flow

The present paper deals with a new method of defrosting using the frost sublimation phenomenon, which occurs below the triple point of water (273.16K, 610.5Pa). The present experimental study examines the mass transfer of the annular frost layer developed on a cooling pipe exposed to an impinging jet flow. The morphology of the frost layer during sublimation was observed using a digital video recorder. It was understood that the mass flux of the frost layer increased with increasing the jet flow velocity and the difference in the mass concentration of water vapor between the frost surface and the impinging jet flow. The non-dimensional correlation equations of mass transfer of defrosting were derived as functions of various parameters.</p

The first Japanese biobank of patient‐derived pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia xenograft models

A lack of practical resources in Japan has limited preclinical discovery and testing of therapies for pediatric relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), which has poor outcomes. Here, we established 57 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) in NOD.Cg-Prkdcscidll2rgtm1Sug/ShiJic (NOG) mice and created a biobank by preserving PDX cells including three extramedullary relapsed ALL PDXs. We demonstrated that our PDX mice and PDX cells mimicked the biological features of relapsed ALL and that PDX models reproduced treatment-mediated clonal selection. Our PDX biobank is a useful scientific resource for capturing drug sensitivity features of pediatric patients with ALL, providing an essential tool for the development of targeted therapies

Construction of Integrated Genetic Map between Various Existing DNA Markers and Newly Developed P450-related PBA Markers in Diploid Potato (Solanum tuberosum)

We have generated estimates of the genomic distribution of newly developed molecular markers, which are P450-based analogues (PBAs), in diploid potato (Solanum tuberosum, 2n=2x=24) based on functional genomics. A total of 401 markers, including 111 SSR, 33 RFLP, 87 RFLP-STS, 45 CAPS, 94 RAPD, 15 PBA, 9 AFLP, 3 RGL and 4 ISSR markers, were employed in a parental polymorphism survey. A total of 127 out of 401 markers (172 loci) displayed polymorphisms between parents and were confirmed to show segregation in partial progenies. These selected 127 markers were then tested for their possible use for a whole mapping population. The subsequent results of genetic mapping of the PBAs revealed that they were distributed on at least 8 chromosomes, suggesting that they have a significant potential not only as tools for assessing genetic diversity but also as effective markers to construct more detailed genetic maps of potato, in conjunction with existing identified genetic loci. To integrate the information from existing maps into our mapping study, we performed a comparative analysis between two representative maps (RFLP and SSR-based) with our PBA map. Based on the subsequent results, we predict that our map will be useful as a bridge between the existing genetic maps of potato and will enable to integrate information about different markers

Validation of Addenbrooke's cognitive examination III for detecting mild cognitive impairment and dementia in Japan

BACKGROUND:Early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia is very important to begin appropriate treatment promptly and to prevent disease exacerbation. We investigated the screening accuracy of the Japanese version of Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination III (ACE-III) to diagnose MCI and dementia. METHODS:The original ACE-III was translated and adapted to Japanese. It was then administered to a Japanese population. The Hasegawa Dementia Scale-revised (HDS-R) and Mini-mental State Examination (MMSE) were also applied to evaluate cognitive dysfunction. In total, 389 subjects (dementia = 178, MCI = 137, controls = 73) took part in our study. RESULTS:The optimal ACE-III cut-off scores to detect MCI and dementia were 88/89 (sensitivity 0.77, specificity 0.92) and 75/76 (sensitivity 0.82, specificity 0.90), respectively. ACE-III was superior to HDS-R and MMSE in the detection of MCI or dementia. The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and inter-rater reliability of ACE-III were excellent. CONCLUSIONS:ACE-III is a useful cognitive test to detect MCI and dementia. ACE-III may be widely useful in clinical practice

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

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2010: General view of the pathogens\u27 antibacterial susceptibility

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from patients in Japan, was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases and Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2010.The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period from January and April 2010 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institutes using maximum 45 antibacterial agents.Susceptibility testing was evaluable with 954 strains (206 Staphylococcus aureus, 189 Streptococcus pneumoniae, 4 Streptococcus pyogenes, 182 Haemophilus influenzae, 74 Moraxella catarrhalis, 139 Klebsiella pneumoniae and 160 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Ratio of methicillin-resistant S.aureus was as high as 50.5%, and those of penicillin-intermediate and -resistant S.pneumoniae were 1.1% and 0.0%, respectively. Among H.influenzae, 17.6% of them were found to be β-lactamase-non-producing ampicillin (ABPC)-intermediately resistant, 33.5% to be β-lactamase-non-producing ABPC-resistant and 11.0% to be β-lactamase-producing ABPC-resistant strains. Extended spectrum β-lactamase-producing K.pneumoniae and multi-drug resistant P.aeruginosa with metallo β-lactamase were 2.9% and 0.6%, respectively.Continuous national surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility of respiratory pathogens is crucial in order to monitor changing patterns of susceptibility and to be able to update treatment recommendations on a regular basis

Study on Sublimation Phenomenon of a Horizontal Frost Layer Exposed to an Impinging Jet Flow and Radiant Energy

The present paper deals with a new defrosting method based on the frost sublimation phenomenon. The focus of the present experimental study is the sublimation mass transfer of a horizontal frost layer exposed to impinging jet flow and radiant energy. It is found that the mass flux of the frost laye rincreases with increasing jet flow velocity and the radiant heat intensity. Non-dimensional correlations for mass transfer, heat transfer and defrosting completion time have been derived in terms of various parameters.冷凍機の蒸発器などの低温熱交換器への着霜は、熱交換器の熱抵抗を著しく増大させ、その性能の低下をもたらすことにより、着霜した熱交換器の性能維持のためには除霜運転が必要となる。著者らは、昇華蒸発現象を利用した新しい除霜法の検討を行っており、水平霜層に対して垂直に湿り低温空気を吹き付ける、いわゆる衝突噴流にさらされた水平霜層の昇華蒸発を利用した除霜挙動を明らかにした。その結果、霜層に平行な強制対流下で除霜する場合と比較して、極めて物質伝達が大きく、短時間での除霜が可能であることが示された。本報は、衝突噴流下で昇華蒸発する霜層にさらに赤外線放射熱エネルギを照射した場合の、昇華蒸発の促進に関する基礎的検討を行うものである。これは、Schmidt や Cunnigham の報告にあるように、霜層の赤外線吸収率が0.98程度と極めて高いことに着目したものである。既報では、水平霜層が平行な強制対流下にさらされる場合について、放射熱エネルギの照射による昇華蒸発促進効果を実験的に検討した。その結果、放射熱エネルギを照射した場合の昇華蒸発量は、放射熱エネルギを照射しない場合に比較して最大10倍程度も増大することが明らかとなり、放射熱エネルギの照射が昇華蒸発促進に非常に有効な方法であることが判明した。本研究は、水平霜層に対して垂直に二次元噴流を衝突させ、さらに赤外線放射熱エネルギをを霜層表面に照射した場合の霜層の昇華蒸発の促進効果に及ぼす赤外線放射強度、二次元噴流空気速度、および空気温度の効果を定量的に検討するものである