Propagation of light beams along line defects formed in a-Si/SiO2 three-dimensional photonic crystals: Fabrication and observation

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:09650339・基盤研究(C)(2)・H9～H10/研究代表者:花泉, 修/ファイバ集積型マイクロ光スイッチの作製とメカニズムの解明

A case of follicular lymphoma complicated with mesenteric panniculitis

Mesenteric panniculitis (MP) is a rare disease occasionally complicated with lymphoma. A 55-year old female presented with MP accompanied by malignant lymphoma. This patient was first treated for follicular lymphoma and subsequently for panniculitis. After 6 courses of R-CHOP chemotherapy, the treatment response was partial. An additional course of salvage chemotherapy led to a complete response. Since the mesenteric mass progressed simultaneously with the regression of other lymphoma lesions, we performed a biopsy of the mesenteric mass and pathologically confirmed an MP lesion without lymphoma. Subsequent high-dose chemotherapy led to CR and the MP lesion remained stable. In the present case, MP progressed with chemotherapy. We concluded that mesenteric lesions suspected of progressing or recurring should be diagnosed pathologically even if asymptomatic

Treatment with flunitrazepam of continuous spikes and waves during slow wave sleep (CSWS) in children

SummaryWe describe our treatment of two boys with continuous spikes and waves during slow wave sleep (CSWS). One of the boys was suffering from non-convulsive status epilepticus and the other from conscious disturbance with automatism. Their ictal EEG readings showed continuous diffuse spike and wave complexes, which were considered to show electrical status. The boys were diagnosed as having CSWS, and were later diagnosed with Landau–Kleffner syndrome (LKS). EEG readings returned to normal on intravenous injection of flunitazepam (FZP) at a dose of 0.02mg/kg, suggesting that FZP is an effective treatment for CSWS

A modified application of the luciferase immunoprecipitation systems for detecting antibodies to the G protein-coupled receptors

Background:　When multipass transmembrane molecules are located on the cell surface, there may be interaction with notonly bioactive molecules but also pathogenic molecules in areas protruding outside the cell. In antibody-mediated autoimmunedisorders, it has been found that the autoantibodies occasionally attack membrane molecules on the cell surface, thus causingthe disease such as myasthenia gravis. In such cases, highly sensitive autoantibody detection technology is required for earlydiagnosis. However, autoantibody analysis technology that is specialized for membrane molecules is still under development.Here we demonstrate a novel method for detecting of antibodies against the extracellular portions of multipass transmembranemolecules.Methods:　Antibodies for muscarinic acetylcholine receptor type3 (M3R) were detected with two kinds of luciferase immunoprecipitaionsystems (LIPS), conventional LIPS (cLIPS) and its modified application, termed modified LIPS (mLIPS). In mLIPS, antibodiesagainst extracellular portions of membrane molecules could be preferentially detected.Results:　An antibody to the amino-terminal portion of human M3R was detected with modified LIPS with a high sensitivity. Incontrast, an antibody to the carboxyl-terminal portion was not detected with mLIPS, because it did not interact with intracellularportions of M3R in living cells. We also found antibodies for M3R in a patient serum with Sjogren’s syndrome.Conclusion:　Our technology has a promising future, and we hope that it will be applied in the analysis of antibodies against adiverse range of multipass transmembrane molecules, including GPCRs

歴史的住居系市街地の街路空間に対する住民の評価意識に関する調査研究: 金沢市におけるケ-ススタディ

金沢大学工学

Integrable 1/r21/r^2 Spin Chain with Reflecting End

A new integrable spin chain of the Haldane-Shastry type is introduced. It is interpreted as the inverse-square interacting spin chain with a {\it reflecting end}. The lattice points of this model consist of the square roots of the zeros of the Laguerre polynomial. Using the ``exchange operator formalism'', the integrals of motion for the model are explicitly constructed.Comment: 13 pages, REVTeX3, with minor correction

JOA Back Pain Evaluation Questionnaire: initial report

AbstractBackgroundThere is no widely accepted objective evaluation for lumbar spine disorders. New outcome measures should be patient-oriented and should measure symptoms and self-reported functional status in multiple dimensions. The aim of this study was to identify items to be included in the disease-specific quality of life (QOL) questionnaire for the assessments of patients with lumbar spine disorders.MethodsThe draft of the QOL questionnaire that consisted of a total of 60 items, including 24 items derived from the Japanese version of the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and 36 items derived from the Japanese version of Short Form 36 (SF-36), were administered to patients and controls. After obtaining written informed consent, the following data were collected from the patient group (n = 328) and the control group (n = 213): (1) background characteristics, including age, diagnosis, Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and finger to floor distance; (2) responses to the questionnaire; (3) the identification rate by discrimination analysis to select the candidates for adoption and by adopting explanatory variables. The items to be excluded were determined by examining the explanatory variables, which were selected after the discrimination analysis, by setting the candidate to-be-excluded items as an objective variable.ResultsBased on the distribution of the responses, two items, RDQ-15 and RDQ-19, were excluded. From the results of the correlation coefficient calculation for each question in the patient group, 33 items were excluded and 27 candidate items were adopted. Based on the adoption explanatory variable used in the discrimination analysis, 25 of the 27 candidate items for adoption were accepted.ConclusionsThis study identified the 25 specific questionnaire items that should be included in the questionnaire to evaluate QOL of patients with various lumbar spine disorders

Detecting gastrointestinal manifestations in patients with systemic sclerosis using anti-gAChR antibodies

Background: Patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) complicated by gastrointestinal dysmotility are difficult to treat and have high mortality. To clarify the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal manifestations, we aimed to demonstrate the association among the clinical features of SSc, the serological markers, the autoantibodies against nicotinic acetylcholine receptor at autonomic ganglia (gAChR). Methods: Fifty patients were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of gastrointestinal manifestations, and the characteristics were analyzed between these two groups. We measured biomarkers and the autoantibodies against two gAChRα3 and β4 subunits to test sera samples. Furthermore, patients were classified based on the presence or absence of anti-gAChR autoantibodies, and their clinical features were compared. Results: In patients with SSc and gastrointestinal manifestations, digital ulcers were more frequent (p = 0.050) and VEGF expression was significantly higher (p = 0.038). Seven subjects with SSc were seropositive for α3 subunit, whereas one patient was seropositive for β4 subunit. The mean level of anti-gAChRα3 autoantibodies in SSc patients with gastrointestinal manifestations was significantly higher than that in SSc patients without gastrointestinal manifestations (p = 0.001). The group of patients with SSc and gAChR autoantibodies had significantly higher endostatin levels (p = 0.046). Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate that clinical characteristics of SSc patients with seropositivity for gAChR autoantibodies. Patients with SSc have circulating autoantibodies against gAChR, which may contribute to gastrointestinal manifestations associated with this disease, suggesting that gAChR-mediated autonomic neurotransmission may provide a pathomechanism for gastrointestinal dysmotility in SSc

Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire (JOACMEQ): Part 2. Endorsement of the alternative item

AbstractBackgroundA new self-administered questionnaire as an outcome measure for patients with cervical myelopathy was drawn up in Part 1 (Japanese Orthopaedic Association Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation Questionnaire, JOACMEQ). Because a question with regard to driving a car (C-41) was not suitable for this patient group, the authors composed an alternative question related to neck motion (C-41-2). The purposes of the present study were to perform a secondary survey on patients with cervical myelopathy and to statistically analyze the responses to validate the JOACMEQ, and also to determine if it was possible to convert item C-41 to the alternative question.MethodsA member of the Subcommittee on Low Back Pain and Cervical Myelopathy Evaluation from each hospital administered the questionnaire to more than 50 patients with cervical myelopathy in each hospital. The questionnaire consisted of 25 questions, 24 of which were extracted in the primary survey. The authors statistically examined whether it was possible to convert question C-41 to C-41-2.ResultsThree hundred and sixty-eight patients with cervical myelopathy were enrolled in the present study. No questions elicited no answer or “I am not sure” in more than 5% of patients except question C-41. There were no questions that the patients answered with difficulty. There was no tendency that was concentrated on one option as an answer to questions. There was a high correlation between questions C-41 and C-41-2. Spearman’s correlation coefficient and κ value showed that there was high coincidence between the two questions C-41 and C-41-2. It is possible to convert the question C-41 to the alternative question C41-2.ConclusionThe questionnaire has sufficient reliability for clinical use. It is possible that the JOACMEQ will prevail and become a global standard to evaluate outcomes in patients with cervical myelopathy