Helicon waves and efficient plasma production

Helicon waves generated by radio-frequency (rf) waves are experimentally demonstrated to have the characteristics of Landau damping, as predicted theoretically, and fully ionized plasmas are realized by this efficient coupling of rf powers to plasmas. Excited waves are identified as a helicon wave by measuring wavelengths in the plasma along the magnetic field and comparing with the dispersion relation. Good agreement is found between experimental and theoretical results

Cloudy band observations for annual layer counting on the GRIP and NGRIP, Greenland, deep ice core samples (scientific note)

Cloudy band stratigraphy was observed in the GRIP and NGRIP, Greenland ice cores. Gray value profiles obtained from the photographic recording were analyzed to extract annual layer signals. Simple counting of gray value peaks is effective enough when annual layer thickness is relatively small (smaller than approximately 20 mm), but smoothing of the gray value profile is needed when annual layer thickness is larger. Smoothing can be done by adopting a running mean over a range of half of annual layer thickness estimated from ice flow modeling. A comparison of the DEP profile with the gray value profile revealed that the DEP profile seems to reflect the seasonal variation in general, but not exactly

Mechanical anisotropy of deep ice core samples by uniaxial compression tests (scientific paper)

Mechanical anisotropy of ice core samples has been observed in various uniaxial compression tests. The c-axis orientation distribution is the primary influence on the mechanical behavior of ice cores. A strong single-maximum fabric pattern is observed in the deep parts of the ice sheet. In this region, polycrystalline ice is very hard along the vertical axis; however, it easily shears along the horizontal plane. Thus, by acquiring the distribution of c-axis orientations throughout the ice sheet, the mechanical anisotropy of ice sheet flow behavior can be understood. Analysis of fabric measurements on the Dye 3, GRIP, and Dome F ice cores suggests that the c-axis orientation distribution depends primarily on vertical strain. Therefore, if the ice thickness at some point in the ice sheet is known, it should be possible to predict the distribution of c-axis orientations at that depth. Uniaxial compression tests were carried out along various directions of the Dye 3, GRIP, and Dome F ice cores. A contour map of mechanical anisotropy was then made to relate the compression direction to the vertical strain. This clarified the flow enhancement factor in every compression direction at a given vertical strain

A NEW METHOD OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF LUMBAR SPINAL STENOSIS

As the treatment of lumbar or lumbosacral stenosis, laminectomy with the preservation of tissues supporting the spine and the embracement of the exposed dura mater with thin silicone rubber to prevent the occurrence of restenosis due to exuberant fibrous tissue formation at the operative site have been performed over a period of seven years. Before the prevention of restenosis with silicone rubber, we had to reoperate in cases which developed recurrent symptoms resulting from restenosis of the lumbosacral canal. This operation that we describe is technically feasible and with practical benefit can be done routinely for spinal decompression not only in the lumbosaral, but also in cervical spinal region without requiring an extensive laminectomy

Studies on the mechanism of subcellular distribution of basic drugs based on their lipophilicity

金沢大学医学部附属病院薬剤部This paper described the studies on the mechanism of subcellular distribution of lipophilic weak bases. Although the tissue distribution of basic drugs appeared to decrease with time simply in parallel with their plasma concentration, their subcellular distribution in various tissues exhibited a variety of patterns. Basic drugs were distributed widely in various tissues, but were concentrated in lung granule fraction, where their accumulation was dependent on their lipophilicity and lysosomal uptake. As the plasma concentration of drugs decreased after maximum level, the contribution of lysosomes to their subcellular distribution increased. The uptake of the basic drugs into lysosomes depended both on their intralysosomal pH and on the drug lipophilicity. As the lipophilicity of the basic drugs increased, they accumulated more than the values predicted from the pH-partition theory and raised the intralysosomal pH more potently, probably owing to their binding with lysosomal membranes with or without additional intralysosomal aggregation. These phenomena should be considered as a basis of drug interaction in clinical treatments

Estimation of annual layer thickness from stratigraphical analysis of Dome Fuji deep ice core

Dating of ice cores is of important but is difficult for an ice core where there is low snow accumulation, and also for the deep part because seasonal chemical and isotopic signals are not easily preserved due to vapor migration after snow deposition and molecular diffusion in the deep part of ice sheet. In this paper, an attempt to reveal annual layer thickness is conducted on the basis of precise number density measurement of air bubbles and air hydrates. The annual layer thickness from air bubbles and hydrates agrees well with a calculated value within 10-15% at all depths of the 2500 m deep core. The obtained thickness in the interglacial period according to Eemian period in the Greenland ice core was half of the calculated value

Prognostic value of visceral pleural invasion in resected non–small cell lung cancer diagnosed by using a jet stream of saline solution

AbstractObjectiveVisceral pleural invasion caused by non–small cell lung cancer is a factor in the poor prognosis of patients with that disease. We investigated the relationship between the diagnosis of visceral pleural invasion by using a jet stream of saline solution, which was previously reported as a new cytologic method to more accurately detect the presence of visceral pleural invasion, and prognosis.MethodsFrom January 1992 through December 1998, 143 consecutive patients with peripheral non–small cell lung cancer that appeared to reach the visceral pleura underwent a surgical resection at the Department of Thoracic Oncology, National Kyushu Cancer Center. The surface of the visceral pleura in patients undergoing lung cancer resection was irrigated with a jet stream of saline solution. The diagnosis of visceral pleural invasion was determined by means of either a pathologic examination or by means of a jet stream of saline solution. In addition, a cytologic examination of the pleural lavage fluid obtained immediately after a thoracotomy was evaluated.ResultsForty-nine (34%) resected tumors were identified as having visceral pleural invasion. The diagnosis of visceral pleural invasion in 31, 6, and 12 patients was determined by using a jet stream of saline solution alone, pathologic examination alone, or both, respectively. The visceral pleural invasion and positive findings of intrapleural lavage cytology were linked. Although there was no significant difference between the incidence of distant metastases in the patients with visceral pleural invasion and those without visceral pleural invasion, the incidence of local recurrence, especially regarding carcinomatous pleuritis (malignant pleural effusion, pleural dissemination, or both), in the patients with visceral pleural invasion was significantly higher than in those without visceral pleural invasion. The recurrence-free survival of patients with visceral pleural invasion was significantly shorter than that of patients without visceral pleural invasion (P = .004), even patients with stage I disease (P = .02). There was also a significant difference between the patients with or without visceral pleural invasion in the overall survival (P = .02). Visceral pleural invasion was independently associated with a poor recurrence-free survival on the basis of multivariate analyses (P = .03), as were sex (P = .03), age (P = 002), and the stage of the disease (P < .0001).ConclusionsThis study confirmed that the jet stream of saline solution method in addition to ordinary pathologic examination was useful for detecting visceral pleural invasion, which is considered to be one of the causes of local recurrence, especially in carcinomatous pleuritis