Boundary Scattering in Ballistic Graphene

We report magnetotransport measurements in ballistic graphene/hexagonal boron nitride mesoscopic wires where the charge carrier mean free path is comparable to wire width $W$. Magnetoresistance curves show characteristic peak structures where the peak field scales with the ratio of cyclotron radius $R_\textrm{c}$ and wire width $W$ as $W/R_\textrm{c} = 0.9 \pm 0.1$, due to diffusive boundary scattering. The obtained proportionality constant between $R_\textrm{c}$ and $W$ differs from that of a classical semiconductor 2D electron system where $W/R_\textrm{c} = 0.55$.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

ニホン リュウガク シボウ ノ マレーシアジン ガクシュウシャ ノ カンジ ガクシュウ ストラテジー -ガクシュウ キカン ニ トモナウ ヘンカ ト セイセキ ニヨル シヨウ ケイコウ ノ トクチョウ-

本研究では、予備教育課程で学ぶマレーシア人日本語学習者100名に、漢字学習ストラテジーに関する質問紙調査を入学後4ヶ月と1年の2回実施し、学習期間が長くなることによるストラテジーの使用状況の変化と成績上位者の使用するストラテジーの特徴について分析した。その結果、1)学習期間が長くなるにつれて、漢字の知識を整理するためのストラテジーの使用頻度が高くなるが、その傾向が成績上位群において強いこと、2)学習期間が長くなるにつれて、「覚えるまで何度も書く」というストラテジーの使用頻度が下がり、その他の記憶ストラテジーや補償ストラテジーの使用頻度が上がること、3)成績上位群は「できるだけ漢字を使用する」というストラテジーを継続的に高頻度で使用していることが明らかになった。また、授業で扱われる漢字を整理するための知識が、学習者の漢字学習ストラテジーの選択に影響を与えている可能性が示唆された。This study investigates use of kanji learning strategies of students from non-kanji background. Questionnaires on kanji learning strategies were administered twice (after 4 months and 1 year following entry to the course) to 100 Malaysian students in a preparatory course for Japanese university. This study aims to analyze how the use of kanji learning strategies change as students\u27 learning period of kanji extends, and to determine the characteristics of strategies used by students achieving high scores in an exam. Statistical analyses of questionnaire responses reveal that 1) as students\u27 learning period extends, the use of strategies for organizing kanji increase and this tendency appears stronger among those who achieved high scores in the exam, 2) while the use of `repeated writing\u27 strategy decreases, the use of other strategies for memorizing and compromising increase, 3) a `using kanji as often as one can\u27 strategy is used frequently and continuously by students who achieved high scores. The result also suggests a possibility that the knowledge for organizing kanji introduced in the tutorials has an influence upon students\u27 choice of kanji learning strategies

Mechanical homeostasis of liver sinusoid is involved in the initiation and termination of liver regeneration

Organogenesis and regeneration are fundamental for developmental progress and are associated with morphogenesis, size control and functional properties for whole-body homeostasis. The liver plays an essential role in maintaining homeostasis of the entire body through various functions, including metabolic functions, detoxification, and production of bile, via the three-dimensional spatial arrangement of hepatic lobules and has high regenerative capacity. The regeneration occurs as hypertrophy, which strictly controls the size and lobule structure. In this study, we established a three-dimensional sinusoidal network analysis method and determined valuable parameters after partial hepatectomy by comparison to the static phase of the liver. We found that mechanical homeostasis, which is crucial for organ morphogenesis and functions in various phenomena, plays essential roles in liver regeneration for both initiation and termination of liver regeneration, which is regulated by cytokine networks. Mechanical homeostasis plays critical roles in the initiation and termination of organogenesis, tissue repair and organ regeneration in coordination with cytokine networks

Extreme hyperglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis occurring in a patient on chronic dialysis

Department of Urology, North medical center, Kyoto prefectural university of medicine, Kyoto, Japan.Department of Nephrology and Urology, Nishijin Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.Department of Internal medicine, Nishijin Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a complication that is rarely reported in patients on chronic dialysis. Herein, we describe the case of a patient on chronic hemodialysis who presented to us with acute onset diabetic ketoacidosis. A 50-year-old man with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, who was on hemodialysis for 2 years, presented to us with altered consciousness. Laboratory data revealed the following results: blood sugar, 110.1 mmol/L (1984 mg/dL); serum sodium, 107 mmol/L; β -hydroxybutyric acid, 1991 μ M; pH, 7.048. A diagnosis of diabetic ketoacidosis was made, and insulin therapy and hemodialysis were initiated, following which his parameters including blood glucose, and serum potassium and sodium improved. High osmotic dehydration was not observed in our patient owing to his renal dysfunction. The patient’s consciousness normalized following the correction of hyperglycemia and DKA. This case report highlights the importance of early diagnosis of DKA, and prompt initiation of insulin therapy and hemodialysis in patients on chronic dialysis. Therefore, in patients with end stage renal disease, the blood glucose correction should be followed by the restoration of sodium and osmolality, guided by corrected sodium concentration and effective osmolality, and by the appropriate adjustment of insulin and dialysis

CIPRO 2.5: Ciona intestinalis protein database, a unique integrated repository of large-scale omics data, bioinformatic analyses and curated annotation, with user rating and reviewing functionality

The Ciona intestinalis protein database (CIPRO) is an integrated protein database for the tunicate species C. intestinalis. The database is unique in two respects: first, because of its phylogenetic position, Ciona is suitable model for understanding vertebrate evolution; and second, the database includes original large-scale transcriptomic and proteomic data. Ciona intestinalis has also been a favorite of developmental biologists. Therefore, large amounts of data exist on its development and morphology, along with a recent genome sequence and gene expression data. The CIPRO database is aimed at collecting those published data as well as providing unique information from unpublished experimental data, such as 3D expression profiling, 2D-PAGE and mass spectrometry-based large-scale analyses at various developmental stages, curated annotation data and various bioinformatic data, to facilitate research in diverse areas, including developmental, comparative and evolutionary biology. For medical and evolutionary research, homologs in humans and major model organisms are intentionally included. The current database is based on a recently developed KH model containing 36 034 unique sequences, but for higher usability it covers 89 683 all known and predicted proteins from all gene models for this species. Of these sequences, more than 10 000 proteins have been manually annotated. Furthermore, to establish a community-supported protein database, these annotations are open to evaluation by users through the CIPRO website. CIPRO 2.5 is freely accessible at http://cipro.ibio.jp/2.5

CIPRO 2.5: Ciona intestinalis Protein integrated database with large-scale omics data, bioinformatic analyses and curated annotation, with ability for user rating and comments

CIPRO database is an integrated protein database for a tunicate species Ciona intestinalis that belongs to the Urochordata. Although the CIPRO database deals with proteomic and transcriptomic data of a single species, the animal is considered unique in the evolutionary tree, representing a possible origin of the vertebrates and is a good model for understanding chordate evolution, including that of humans. Furthermore, C. intestinalis has been one of the favorites of developmental biologists; there exists a huge amount of accumulated knowledge on its development and morphology, in addition to the recent genome sequence and gene expression data. The CIPRO database is aimed at not only collecting published data, but also presenting unique information, including the unpublished transcriptomic and proteomic data and human curated annotation, for the use by researchers in broad research fields of biology and bioinformatics

Characteristic of GAFCHROMIC XR TYPE T dosimetry film

医療の高度化に伴い,近年では長時間のⅩ線透視を行うInterventional Radiology(IVR)手技が頻繁に行われ,副作用としての難治性放射線皮膚障害例の報告が増加している｡確定的影響である放射線皮膚障害はしきい値を超えると発症し,線量に依存して障害の程度が重篤となるため,患者被曝線量の測定が重要である｡しかし,IVRでは照射部位が多彩で,焦点-皮膚間距離が不安定なため,その測定方法は確立されていない｡本研究では,近年IVR等低エネルギー線量測定用フイルムとして開発されたCAFCHROMIC XR TYPE T について性能評価を行い,患者皮膚入射面の被曝線量測定への応用の可能性について検討した｡その結果,線量特性,線質特性,ネット値の安定性に良好な特性を示し,臨床に使用可能であったので報告する｡In recent years, interventional radiology (IVR) using which uses prolomged fluoroscopy has been performed frequently in clinical radiology. Also, reports of radiation skin injuries whose symptoms occur after IVR has been also increasing. These symptoms will become worse if the radiation induced skin injuries are caused by doses which are above the designated threshold, and the grade of injuries are dependent on dose. Therefore, it is important that patient skin dose is measured correctly. But when perfoming IVR, irradiation is complex pricedure, and there is a measurement error with an unfixed source-to-skin distance. So. in this paper, characteristics of GAFCHROMIC XR TYPE T (which are film for low energy X-rays) are performed. Then, they are decided whether the application to the skin surface incidence dose measurement whoud be posible. From these results usefull data can be obtainned; for exanmpe film characteristics, energy factors and stability of sensivility

Is Estrogen Effective for Full-Thickness Cutaneous Wound Healing in Young Male Mice ?

The aim of this study is to show the effects of estrogen upon its topical application on the wound healing process in young male mice. Fifty-six male mice aged 7 weeks old were divided into 4 groups: sham operation, castration, estrogen treatment after sham operation, and estrogen treatment after castration. Wound healing was observed daily until day 14 after wounding. Specimens were harvested on days 3, 7, 10, and 14, and stained to evaluate reepithelialization, inflammation, contraction, and collagen accumulation. Wound healing periods of all groups were almost the same, although the concentration of serum estrogen in the estrogen-applied mice was very high, and that in the nonapplied groups was low. The numbers of macrophages in the castrated, estrogen-treated after sham operation, and estrogen-treated after castration groups were significantly decreased compared with that in the sham group in the inflammatory phase; however, the ratio of wound area in these groups did not decrease, and other histological data did not reveal any effects of estrogen. These results indicate that estrogen may show limited effectiveness for full-thickness cutaneous wound healing in young male mice, and decreased inflammation may not always be associated with decreased wound area