Corneal nerve alterations in diabetes mellitus

The morphologic status of corneal innervation was studied in rats with streptozocin-induced diabetes. Animals were killed at 1, 4, 16, and 36 weeks. Corneal innervation was studied by light and electron microscopy using nonspecific cholinesterase reaction, gold chloride impregnation, and plastic-embedded sections. Increased irregularity in the periodicity of nerve fiber beading was observed in diabetic corneas with gold impregnation. Ultrastructural evidence of irregularities in the basal lamina of Schwann cells was demonstrated in 16- and 36-week-old diabetic animals, along with occasional axonal degeneration. These alterations constitute a constellation of early pathologic manifestations in the innervation of diabetic cornea. To our knowledge, this study represents the first demonstration of neural changes in diabetic corneas as well as nerve fiber changes in an avascular tissue in diabetes

Reduction of Estimation Time for Disturbance Level Using Majority Decision Considering with Current and Magnetic Current Source

The maximum value of radiated emission must be measured at a distance of 10m for the CISPR publishes. However, the test facilities are too expensive to measure at a distance of 10m. Therefore, the method has been studied to estimate radiated emissions at a distance of 10m from the measured data at a distance of 3 m. The conventional estimation method considered with three components of current vectors and this need much estimation time. In this paper, we propose the estimation method considering with current and magnetic- current sources. The equipment can be modelled by one component of the current vectors using both current and magnetic-current source, and this method can reduce the estimation time because the estimation parameters reduces from nine to five. The electric field radiated from the imitated equipment was estimated by using numerical calculation value. The results indicated that the accuracy of proposed method was almost equal to conventional method for horizontal polarization, and the estimation time decreased two thirds.2009 International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC\u2709/Kyoto), July 20-24, 2009, Kyoto International Conference Center, Kyoto, Japa

A C-terminal amino acid substitution in the gamma-chain caused by a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation (Fibrinogen Matsumoto VII) results in hypofibrinogenemia

This article is not an exact copy of the original published article in THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS. The definitive publisher-authenticated version of THROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS. 104(2):213-223 (2010) is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1160/TH09-08-0540 .We found a novel hypofibrinogenemia designated as Matsumoto VII (M-VII), which is caused by a heterozygous nucleotide deletion at position g.7651 in FGG and a subsequent frameshift mutation in codon 387 of the γ-chain. This frameshift results in 25 amino acid substitutions, late termination of translation with elongation by 15 amino acids, and the introduction of a canonical glycosylation site. Western blot analysis of the patient’s plasma fibrinogen visualized with anti-γ-chain antibody revealed the presence of two extra bands. To identify the extra bands and determine which of the above-mentioned alterations caused the assembly and/or secretion defects in the patient, 11 variant vectors that introduced mutations into the cDNA of the γ-chain orγ’-chain were transfected into CHO cells. In vitro expression of transfectants containingγΔ7651A and γΔ7651A/399T (γΔ7651A with an amino acid substitution of 399Asn by Thr and a variant lacking the canonical glycosylation site) demonstrated a reduction in secretion to approximately 20% of the level seen in the transfectants carrying the normal γ-chain. Furthermore, results from other transfectants demonstrated that 8 aberrant residues between 391 and 398 of the M-VII variant, rather than the 15 amino acid extension or the additional glycosylation, are responsible for the reduced levels of assembly and secretion of M-VII variant fibrinogen. Finally, the results of this study and our previous reports demonstrate that the fibrinogen γ-chain C-terminal tail (388-411) is not necessary for protein assembly or secretion, but the aberrant amino acid sequence observed in the M-VII variant (especially 391-398) disturbs these functions.ArticleTHROMBOSIS AND HAEMOSTASIS. 104(2):213-223 (2010)journal articl

Prediction of Electric Field Strength at 10m Distance Using Emission Source Finding Method

The equipment under test (EUT) was modeled by current sources. The current positions were estimated using the finding method of radiated emission source by electric field strength data alone. The current vectors were determined by the conditions, where Norm (deviation between the calculated electric field and the measured one) was minimized. Using estimated current sources model, the electric filed strength at 10m distance was predicted. The predicted results were compared with the measured data for an imitated equipment and a personal computer. The results indicate that the radiation patterns were similar to the measured ones, and the maximum electric field strength at10m distance was comparable to the measured value and the calculated value on the assumption where electric field decreases in proportion to distance.2004 International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC\u2704/Sendai), June 1-4, 2004, Sendai International Center, Sendai, Japa

Comparison of FDTD and Ray-Tracing Method for Site Attenuation Analysis of Compact Anechoic Chamber

In this paper, the FDTD method and the ray tracing method have been applied to analyze the site attenuation of a compact anechoic chamber in the frequency range from 30 MHz to 200 MHz. For FDTD analysis, half-wave dipole antenna, shortened dipole antenna and EM absorber were modeled by using large-cells, which were larger than the diameter of antenna element and the thickness of EM absorber. For verification, the site attenuation of a compact anechoic chamber was measured and compared with the calculated values through the FDTD method and the ray tracing method. As the results, the calculated values through the FDTD method agreed well with the measured ones within 2 dB and the calculated values through the ray tracing method have larger deviation in the frequency range less than 180 MHz.2004 International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC\u2704/Sendai), June 1-4, 2004, Sendai International Center, Sendai, Japa

Quantitative monitoring of single nucleotide mutations by allele-specific quantitative PCR can be used for the assessment of minimal residual disease in patients with hematological malignancies throughout their clinical course

BackgroundMonitoring of minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with hematological malignancies is important for evaluating the patients\u27 therapeutic response and risk of relapse. Single nucleotide mutations associated with leukemogenesis can be considered as applicable MRD markers.MethodsWe developed an allele-specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (AS-qPCR) for FLT3 2503G > T, KIT 2446G > T, and KIT 2447A > T and compared the change in the expression levels of the FLT3 or KIT mutations assessed by AS-qPCR to those of the RUNX1–RUNX1T1 fusion gene and WT1 by conventional quantitative PCR.ResultsThe AS-qPCR using primers including template-mismatched nucleotide or template-mismatched nucleotide plus locked nucleic acid substituted nucleotide provided higher selectivity for mutant nucleotides. The change in the expression levels of the FLT3 or KIT mutations at the time of relapse and just after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation correlated well with that of the RUNX1–RUNX1T1 fusion gene and WT1. Moreover, during complete remission, only AS-qPCR could detect low-level expression of residual mutations.ConclusionsThe AS-qPCR for analyzing single nucleotide mutations contributes to the monitoring of MRD in patients without recurrent fusion gene throughout the clinical course and thus broadens the spectrum of patients in whom MRD can be monitored

Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Left Sphenoid Sinus: A Case Report in Light of the Literature

A 79-year-old Japanese woman presented with a rare case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the left sphenoid sinus with left nasal bleeding. She had previously had right radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma at the age of 64 years and brain and spinal cord infarction at 74 years. Endoscopic examination revealed no mass in the nasal cavity. CT and MRI revealed a tumor in the left sphenoid sinus. The size of the tumor increased gradually from 12 to 15 years after the radical nephrectomy. Complete resection with endoscopic surgery was performed without preoperative embolization. The tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. These findings were identical to the pathological findings of the surgical specimen of the renal cell carcinoma from 15 years previous. A pathological diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma of clear cell type (grade 1) was made. PET-CT demonstrated no metastasis. The patient’s condition was successfully managed with excision of the tumor, and she remains well with no evidence of recurrence and metastasis 36 months after treatment. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the sphenoid sinus is rare, but it might be considered in the differential diagnosis of masses in the paranasal sinus even long after initial treatment of renal cancer