Successful Bone Union Following Calcium Phosphate Cement-Assisted Percutaneous Transpedicular Balloon Kyphoplasty of a Large Interbody Cleft on Long-term Hemodialysis Patient

A 68-year-old diabetic man, who had been on dialysis for 3 years, suffered a five week history of severe back pain that was unresponsive to bed rest, analgesics, and bracing. The vertebral cleft formed by an injury gradually increased in size on sequential plain films. Hence, he underwent calcium phosphate cement-assisted percutaneous transpedicular balloon kyphoplasty to treat a painful interbody vacuum cleft. Immediate pain relief and firm bone union were obtained

Electrochemical Oxidation of Glucose Using Copper Hydroxide Nanosheets

In this study, we synthesized copper hydroxide nanosheet and investigated electrochemical oxidation of glucose using the copper hydroxide nanosheets. The precursor of the nanosheet was a layered copper hydroxide synthesized by the ion exchange of dodecylbenzene sulfonate with acetate in Cu2(OH)3(CH3COO)·H2O. Delamination of the layered copper hydroxide prepared the nanosheet by dispersion in 1-butanol. Atomic force microscopy images of the nanosheets showed lateral dimensions of ca. 2 μm with a height of ca. 4.5 nm. Cyclic voltammogram of the nanosheet coated electrode showed oxidation current peak depend on the concentration of glucose at around +0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Amperometry was measured at +0.6V vs. Ag/AgCl with successive addition of glucose solution. Glucose concentration and catalytic current were almost proportional. When the linear range is 0.1 to 4.9 mM, the sensitivity was 1.16 mA mM-1cm-2 from the slope

Enzyme-free release of adhered cells from standard culture dishes using intermittent ultrasonic traveling waves.

Cell detachment is essential in culturing adherent cells. Trypsinization is the most popular detachment technique, even though it reduces viability due to the damage to the membrane and extracellular matrix. Avoiding such damage would improve cell culture efficiency. Here we propose an enzyme-free cell detachment method that employs the acoustic pressure, sloshing in serum-free medium from intermittent traveling wave. This method detaches 96.2% of the cells, and increases its transfer yield to 130% of conventional methods for 48 h, compared to the number of cells detached by trypsinization. We show the elimination of trypsinization reduces cell damage, improving the survival of the detached cells. Acoustic pressure applied to the cells and media sloshing from the intermittent traveling wave were identified as the most important factors leading to cell detachment. This proposed method will improve biopharmaceutical production by expediting the amplification of tissue-cultured cells through a more efficient transfer process

Osteoinduction with HA/TCP Ceramics of Different Composition and Porous Structure in Rabbits

AbstractTo determine the effect of material factors on Ca-P biomaterial-induced osteogenesis, six kinds of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics with different HA to TCP ratio (HA/TCP 2-8, 7-3) and different porous structure (micro-, macro- and micro/macro- porous structures) were implanted intramuscularly in rabbits. Different tissue response was detected histologically and microradiographically after the ceramic samples were implanted in the dorsal muscles of rabbits for 3 and 6 months. Obvious bone formation was found in two kinds of ceramics with the same micro/macro- porous structure at both 3 and 6 months. In contrast, no bone formation or host tissue invasion was detected in two other kinds of ceramics with only microporous structure, even after 6 months implantation. Some bone formation was found occasionally in two kinds of ceramics with only macro-porous structure at 6 months. Bone tissue was usually formed in direct contact with the pore surface and was only located in non-dissolved porous regions. Osteocyte lacunae were seen and no pathological calcifications were observed. These results indicate that micro- and macro-porous structure play an important role in the osteoinduction with Ca-P ceramics. Furthermore, the results showed that the osteoinductive capacity of BCP ceramics was influenced by the different dissolution rate through changing HA/TCP ratio

PEACEKEEPING PARTICIPATION AND IDENTITY CHANGES IN THE JAPAN SELF DEFENSE FORCES:MILITARY SERVICE AS 'DIRTY WORK'

This dissertation examines (a) how a professional organization dealing with 'dirty work' (Hughes 1951, 1958) shape organizational practices and professional identity of its members in the process of seeking legitimacy and (b) how adaptation to a new task transforms these micro-institutional dynamics in the organization based on a case study of the Japan Self Defense Forces (SDF) and their peacekeeping participation. I utilize in-depth interviews with approximately 30 Japanese service members and survey data from 618 Japanese peacekeepers. Given an anti-militaristic culture in society and Constitutional restrictions against the possession of military power, the SDF have been developed as a constabulary military with limited legitimacy. Lack of legitimacy led the SDF to use symbolic management strategies to gain legitimacy, but their attempt unexpectedly put the organization into a 'vicious circle of legitimation' (Ashforth and Kreiner 1999), in which the aggressive attempt to pursue legitimacy aggravated skepticism of the observers and failed to increase legitimacy. Nonetheless, the SDF survived as a dirty work organization to protect the purity of the larger society. Contexualized by these institutional environments, service members have developed highly constabulary, less masculine, and civilianized identities. Since the early 1990s peacekeeping participation combined with the transformation of the work force structure has gradually lifted dirty work status of the SDF and provided service members with positive possible selves in their professional life. Regardless, the stigmatized status continues to regularize service members' behavior and professional identities. Increasing exposure to soldiers from other nations underscores their marginal position as military professionals. Japanese peacekeepers systematically focus on technical aspects to neutralize the militaristic nature of the contact. Moreover, the stringent rules of engagement (ROE) institutionalized by the anti-militarism sentiment in Japanese society help the SDF to maintain the consistency with the existing norms on the exercise of military power. At the same time, these imposed behavioral norms promote the fundamentally troubling, crisis-bearing arrangements that may routinize harmful practice and risk the safety of service members in the field. This dissertation contributes to the study of work organizations by illustrating the meaning creation and negotiation of identity in the micro-institutional dynamics in a socially stigmatized professional organization