Predicting Hygrothermal Behavior of an Underground Stone Chamber with 3-D Modeling to Restrain Water-Related Damage to Mural Paintings

Cultural properties are variously influenced by their surrounding environmental conditions. One of the reasons for the deterioration of mural paintings in the Takamatsuzuka Tumulus was the humid microclimate on their surface. In order to control the deterioration of mural paintings caused by such problems, it is important to investigate the environmental factors from various aspects, such as the temperature, humidity, water content of cultural properties, wetting and drying cycles and so on. As for the research concerning hygrothermal behavior on mural paintings, these variables may not be thoroughly predicted by 1-D or 2-D for determination of the location and degree of the deterioration of mural paintings. This paper shows how a 3-D hygrothermal model developed with a view to analyzing the preservation measures that allow quantifying of the degree of drying and condensing processes occurred on the surfaces of the underground chamber. The findings show that for the purpose of preserving mural paintings within the underground chamber, the temperature difference between the surrounding mound and the protected object should be kept as constant as can be practically achieved. This method is applicable for estimating the effects of preservation measures for the conservation of other mural paintings

Assessment of COPD patients’ information needs by using LINQ in Japan

研究種目：基盤研究（Ｃ） 研究期間：2008～2010 課題番号：2059253

Sirt1 expression is associated with CD31 expression in blood cells from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Cigarette smoke induced oxidative stress has been shown to reduce silent information regulator 1 (Sirt1) levels in lung tissue from smokers and patients with COPD patients. Sirt1 is known to inhibit endothelial senescence and may play a protective role in vascular cells. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are mobilized into circulation under various pathophysiological conditions, and are thought to play an important role in tissue repair in chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). Therefore, Sirt1 and EPC-associated mRNAs were measured in blood samples from patients with COPD and from cultured CD34+ progenitor cells to examine whether these genes are associated with COPD development. Methods: This study included 358 patients with a smoking history of more than 10 pack-years. RNA was extracted from blood samples and from CD34+ progenitor cells treated with cigarette smoke extract (CSE), followed by assessment of CD31, CD34, Sirt1 mRNA, miR-34a, and miR-126-3p expression by real-time RT-PCR. Results: The expression of CD31, CD34, Sirt1 mRNAs, and miR-126-3p decreased and that of miR-34a increased in moderate COPD compared with that in control smokers. However, no significant differences in these genes were observed in blood cells from patients with severe COPD compared with those in control smokers. CSE significantly decreased Sirt1 and increased miR-34a expression in cultured progenitor cells. Conclusion: Sirt1 expression in blood cells from patients with COPD could be a biomarker for disease stability in patients with moderate COPD. MiR-34a may participate in apoptosis and/or senescence of EPCs in smokers. Decreased expression of CD31, CD34, and miR-126-3p potentially represents decreased numbers of EPCs in blood cell from patients with COPD

Nanometer-thin TiO2 enhances skeletal muscle cell phenotype and behavior

Ken Ishizaki*, Yoshihiko Sugita*, Fuminori Iwasa, Hajime Minamikawa, Takeshi Ueno, Masahiro Yamada, Takeo Suzuki, Takahiro OgawaLaboratory for Bone and Implant Sciences, The Jane and Jerry Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, Biomaterials and Hospital Dentistry, UCLA School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, CA, USA*Authors contributed equally to this workBackground: The independent role of the surface chemistry of titanium in determining its biological properties is yet to be determined. Although titanium implants are often in contact with muscle tissue, the interaction of muscle cells with titanium is largely unknown. This study tested the hypotheses that the surface chemistry of clinically established microroughened titanium surfaces could be controllably varied by coating with a minimally thin layer of TiO2 (ideally pico-to-nanometer in thickness) without altering the existing topographical and roughness features, and that the change in superficial chemistry of titanium is effective in improving the biological properties of titanium.Methods and results: Acid-etched microroughened titanium surfaces were coated with TiO2 using slow-rate sputter deposition of molten TiO2 nanoparticles. A TiO2 coating of 300 pm to 6.3 nm increased the surface oxygen on the titanium substrates in a controllable manner, but did not alter the existing microscale architecture and roughness of the substrates. Cells derived from rat skeletal muscles showed increased attachment, spread, adhesion strength, proliferation, gene expression, and collagen production at the initial and early stage of culture on 6.3 nm thick TiO2-coated microroughened titanium surfaces compared with uncoated titanium surfaces.Conclusion: Using an exemplary slow-rate sputter deposition technique of molten TiO2 nanoparticles, this study demonstrated that titanium substrates, even with microscale roughness, can be sufficiently chemically modified to enhance their biological properties without altering the existing microscale morphology. The controllable and exclusive chemical modification technique presented in this study may open a new avenue for surface modifications of titanium-based biomaterials for better cell and tissue affinity and reaction.Keywords: nanotechnology, orthopedic implants, molten TiO2 nanoparticles, surface chemistr

Consideration of mouth opening when using positioning stents during radiotherapy for tongue cancer: a retrospective study

Background: The aim was to clarify the range of mouth opening required to minimize the development of oral mucositis on the palate while using a positioning stent during radiotherapy in patients with tongue cancer. A positioning stent is used to reduce the severity of oral mucositis; however, requirements for fabricating the device have not been standardized. In particular, the range of mouth opening required while using a stent to prevent radiation-induced oral mucositis has not been determined. Material and methods: We retrospectively analyzed medical records and computed tomography (CT) images of nine patients who had undergone radiotherapy for tongue cancer. Irradiation dose for the palate and range of mouth opening while using the positioning stent was calculated from CT images and the radiotherapy treatment planning program. Results: The irradiation dose presented as medians and interquartile range (IQR) for the palate was 1.6 (IQR: 1.1–2.2) Gy with the use of the positioning stent and 37.2 (IQR: 17.5–44.1) Gy without the use of the positioning stent. The was 19–37 [mean ± standard deviation (SD): 26 ± 5.6] mm, and it attenuation amount of irradiation dose to the palate (r = 0.673, p = 0.0467). Regression equation was y = 0.21x + 19. Conclusions: Our study may be useful for deriving the relationship between the attenuation amount of irradiation of the palate with the positioning stent and the amount of mouth opening required for this attenuation.

Small airway disease associated with Sjögren’s syndrome: Clinico-pathological correlations

SummaryBackgroundRelationships among clinical, physiological, imaging and pathological findings of small airway disease associated with Sjögren’s syndrome have remained unclear.Subjects and methods: We retrospectively studied 14 patients who underwent surgical lung biopsy and who were diagnosed with small airway disease associated with primary or secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. We compared clinical, bronchoalveolar lavage, physiological, imaging and pathological findings between primary and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. We scored HRCT and pathological abnormalities and investigated correlations among physiological, HRCT and pathological data, changes in physiological parameters and in HRCT scores after two years of treatment, as well as correlations between these values and pathological scores.ResultsBronchoalveolar lavage fluid, physiological, imaging and pathological findings of the airways did not significantly differ between primary and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome. Air trapping on HRCT negatively correlated with MEF50 and MEF25. Although lymphoid cell infiltration and peribronchiolar fibrosis were the most common pathologies, constrictive change scores correlated negatively with MEF50 and MEF25, positively with air trapping scores and negatively with improvements after therapy in MEF50, MEF25 and air trapping.ConclusionsConstrictive change was the most significant determinant of physiological and imaging presentations and of changes in these factors after therapy for small airway disease associated with Sjögren’s syndrome

Fabrication and Characteristics of Chitosan Sponge as a Tissue Engineering Scaffold

Cells, growth factors, and scaffolds are the three main factors required to create a tissue-engineered construct. After the appearance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), considerable attention has therefore been focused on nonbovine materials. In this study, we examined the properties of a chitosan porous scaffold. A porous chitosan sponge was prepared by the controlled freezing and lyophilization of different concentrations of chitosan solutions. The materials were examined by scanning electron microscopy, and the porosity, tensile strength, and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) release profiles from chitosan sponge were examined in vitro. The morphology of the chitosan scaffolds presented a typical microporous structure, with the pore size ranging from 50 to 200 m. The porosity of chitosan scaffolds with different concentrations was approximately 75-85%. A decreasing tendency for porosity was observed as the concentration of the chitosan increased. The relationship between the tensile properties and chitosan concentration indicated that the ultimate tensile strength for the sponge increased with a higher concentration. The in vitro bFGF release study showed that the higher the concentration of chitosan solution became, the longer the releasing time of the bFGF from the chitosan sponge was

The Impact of Leisure Activities on Older Adults' Cognitive Function, Physical Function, and Mental Health

Engagement in leisure activities has been claimed to be highly beneficial in the elderly. Practicing such activities is supposed to help older adults to preserve cognitive function, physical function, and mental health, and thus to contribute to successful aging. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze the impact of leisure activities on these constructs in a large sample of Japanese older adults (N = 809; age range 72–74). The model exhibited an excellent fit (CFI = 1); engaging in leisure activities was positively associated with all the three successful aging indicators. These findings corroborate previous research carried out in Western countries and extend its validity to the population of Eastern older adults. Albeit correlational in nature, these results suggest that active engagement in leisure activities can help older adults to maintain cognitive, physical, and mental health. Future research will clarify whether there is a causal relationship between engagement in leisure activities and successful aging

Synergistic effect of sulfonation followed by precipitation of amorphous calcium phosphate on the bone-bonding strength of carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone

Sulfonation and applications of amorphous calcium phosphate are known to make polyetheretherketone (PEEK) bioactive. Sulfonation followed by precipitation of amorphous calcium phosphate (AN-treatment) may provide PEEK with further bone-bonding strength. Herein, we prepared a carbon-fiber-reinforced PEEK (CPEEK) with similar tensile strength to cortical bone and a CPEEK subjected to AN-treatment (CPEEK-AN). The effect of AN-treatment on the bone-bonding strength generated at the interface between the rabbit’s tibia and a base material was investigated using a detaching test at two time-points (4 and 8 weeks). At 4 weeks, the strength of CPEEK-AN was significantly higher than that of CPEEK due to the direct bonding between the interfaces. Between 4 and 8 weeks, the different bone forming processes showed that, with CPEEK-AN, bone consolidation was achieved, thus improving bone-bonding strength. In contrast, with CPEEK, a new bone was absorbed mainly on the interface, leading to poor strength. These observations were supported by an in vitro study, which showed that pre-osteoblast on CPEEK-AN caused earlier maturation and mineralization of the extracellular matrix than on CPEEK. Consequently, AN-treatment, comprising a combination of two efficient treatments, generated a synergetic effect on the bonding strength of CPEEK