<Original>Production Technology for Acetylated Low-density Particleboard (II) : Decay and Termite Resistance

この論文は国立情報学研究所の学術雑誌公開支援事業により電子化されました。Low density particleboards made from control and acetylated chips at 17 percent acetyl weight gain using isocyanate adhesives, were subjected to standard decay tests, to bending-creep tests under fungal attack, and to termite tests. The rate of decay was slow in the boards containing 50 percent of acetylated chips causing smaller weight losses and reduced thickness swelling as compared to controls after exposure to fungal attack. The specimens containing 100 percent of acetylated chips showed no sign of decay. When exposed to fungal attack in bending-creep tests, the blended particle-boards of higher specific gravity maintained their strength longer than untreated controls, but all untreated specimens and blended boards of lighter specific gravity failed within a short time span. Acetylated boards containing 100 percent of treated chips showed little strength reduction after 100 days and very little additional deflection was seen after longer exposure. Though the weight losses by termite feeding were not so large as controls, acetylated boards were able to be attacked by the termite of Coptotermes formosanus. However, they were hardly attacked by Reticulitermes speratus

The added value of non-contrast 3-Tesla MRI for the pre-operative localization of hyperparathyroidism

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of non-contrast 3-Tesla MR imaging added to the combination of sestamibi with99mTc (MIBI) scintigraphy and Ultrasonography (US) for the pre-operative localization of Primary Hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) lesions. METHODS: A total of 34 parathyroid glands, including nine normal glands, were examined with MIBI, US, and non-contrast 3-Tesla MRI. MRI was performed with the acquisition of T1- and T2-weighted images and fat-suppressed T2-weighted images. We calculated the sensitivities of MIBI, US, and the 'additional' MRI, with knowledge of the former two modalities' results. RESULTS: For the diagnosis of PHPT lesions, the sensitivity values of MIBI, US, and additional MRI were 88.0% (22/25), 84.0% (21/25), and 92.0% (23/25), respectively. Normal glands were not visualized with any modality (0/9). One lesion was detected neither with US nor MRI, but only with MIBI, with the limitation that MIBI represented no more than laterality. The two glands not identified in MRI were 4 mm and 6 mm in their size, which are within the range of normal gland's size. Two lesions were not detected with US or MIBI but were visualized with the additional MRI, which indicated that the MRI contributed an 8.0% (2/25) improvement of sensitivity, compared from that of US. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted images were useful in the identification of parathyroid lesions, as these images helped to differentiate between the lesion and the adjacent tissue. CONCLUSION: Additional non-contrast 3-Tesla MRI was a useful adjunctive tool for localization of PHPT, which improved the sensitivity of the pre-operative localization of PHPT lesions. Fat-suppressed T2-weighted images contributed to their identification. LEVEL VI: Evidence from a single descriptive or qualitative study

Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma: A Single-Center 26-Patient Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background. Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare tumor, and little information is available regarding its clinical features and appropriate treatments. Methods. A retrospective review of 26 consecutive ASPS patients (12 male, 14 female; mean age of 27 years) treated at our institution over 30 years (mean followup; 71 months) was performed. Results. The primary tumor developed in the lower extremity (12), trunk (8), and upper extremity (6), with an average size of 7.2 cm (range, 2–14 cm). The AJCC stage at presentation was IIA (7), III (3), and IV (16). Surgical excision was performed in 20 patients (R0 18, R1 plus radiotherapy 2) without local recurrence. Six patients (stage IIA 3/7, stage III 3/3) later developed metastases after an average period of 28.7 months. The median survival of the 26 patients was 90 months, with overall 5/10-year survival rates of 64%/48%. AJCC stage and tumor size were significant prognostic factors. Significant palliation and slowing of metastasis progression were achieved with gamma knife radiotherapy. Nine patients receiving chemotherapy showed no objective response. Conclusions. ASPS is indolent but has a high propensity for metastasis. Early diagnosis and complete excision of the small primary tumor are essential in the treatment of ASPS

Functional Lateralization of Speech Processing in Adults and Children Who Stutter

Developmental stuttering is a speech disorder in fluency characterized by repetitions, prolongations, and silent blocks, especially in the initial parts of utterances. Although their symptoms are motor related, people who stutter show abnormal patterns of cerebral hemispheric dominance in both anterior and posterior language areas. It is unknown whether the abnormal functional lateralization in the posterior language area starts during childhood or emerges as a consequence of many years of stuttering. In order to address this issue, we measured the lateralization of hemodynamic responses in the auditory cortex during auditory speech processing in adults and children who stutter, including preschoolers, with near-infrared spectroscopy. We used the analysis–resynthesis technique to prepare two types of stimuli: (i) a phonemic contrast embedded in Japanese spoken words (/itta/ vs. /itte/) and (ii) a prosodic contrast (/itta/ vs. /itta?/). In the baseline blocks, only /itta/ tokens were presented. In phonemic contrast blocks, /itta/ and /itte/ tokens were presented pseudo-randomly, and /itta/ and /itta?/ tokens in prosodic contrast blocks. In adults and children who do not stutter, there was a clear left-hemispheric advantage for the phonemic contrast compared to the prosodic contrast. Adults and children who stutter, however, showed no significant difference between the two stimulus conditions. A subject-by-subject analysis revealed that not a single subject who stutters showed a left advantage in the phonemic contrast over the prosodic contrast condition. These results indicate that the functional lateralization for auditory speech processing is in disarray among those who stutter, even at preschool age. These results shed light on the neural pathophysiology of developmental stuttering

中央省庁組織の制度設計をめぐる現代日本の政治過程

早稲田大学博士(公共経営)早大学位記番号:新7677doctoral thesi

Reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake implies decreased myocardial flow reserve in patients with chronic stable angina

Purpose Long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) is the main energy source for normal myocardium at rest, but in ischemic myocardium, the main energy substrate shifts from LCFA to glucose. 123I-BMIPP is a radiolabeled LCFA analog. In chronic stable angina without previous infarction, we suppose that reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake is related to the substrate shift in myocardium with decreased myocardial flow reserve (MFR). The purpose of this study was to relate 123I-BMIPP uptake to rest myocardial blood flow (MBF), hyperemic MBF, and MFR assessed with 15O-water positron emission tomography (PET). Methods We enrolled 21 patients with chronic stable angina without previous infarction, all of whom underwent 123I-BMIPP single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 15O-water PET. The left ventricle was divided into 13 segments. In each segment, rest MBF and hyperemic MBF were measured by PET. 123I-BMIPP uptake was evaluated as follows: score 0=normal, 1=slightly decreased uptake, 2=moderately decreased uptake, 3=severely decreased uptake, and 4=complete defect. 123I-BMIPP uptake was compared with rest MBF, hyperemic MBF, and MFR. Results The numbers of segments with 123I-BMIPP scores 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 were 178, 40, 25, 24, and 0, respectively. The rest MBFs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 0.93±0.25, 0.86±0.21, 0.97±0.30, and 0.99±0.37 ml/min/g, respectively. The hyperemic MBFs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 2.76±1.29, 1.84±0.74, 1.37±0.39, and 1.08±0.40 ml/min/g, respectively. The MFRs for scores 0, 1, 2, and 3 were 3.01±1.38, 2.20±0.95, 1.44±0.22, and 1.10±0.26, respectively. As 123I-BMIPP uptake declined, hyperemic MBF and MFR decreased. Conclusion In chronic stable angina without previous infarction, reduced 123I-BMIPP uptake implies decreased MFR