Methane Concentration at Heading Faces With Auxiliary Ventilation

Three-dimensional airflow velocities at a heading face by a forcing or exhausting auxiliary ventilation system were measured in an actual size model gallery and in an actual mine. There were several stagnated regions near the roof comer, which might have danger of methane accumulation. Airflow velocities by an exhausting system were much smaller than that by a forcing system. The airflow and methane concentrations by a forcing, exhausting, or combined system were examined using a visualization technique by laser light in a reduced scale model. Water was used instead of air and very fine bubbles generated by electrolysis were employed as tracer. The behavior of the bubbles in water is similar to that of methane in the air. Accumulation of bubbles was observed at the roof comer of the face which corresponds to the region that the airflow stagnation was observed in the previous actual size model experiment. The optimal airflow rate through a forcing and exhaust duct and duct end locations to reduce hazard of methane accumulation were investigated for the combined system of ventilation. Experiments on methane accumulation using real methane in the air were also conducted in other reduced scale model

ピアノ製造アーカイブに関する研究

文化・芸術研究センター長特別研究費文化・芸術研究センター長設定テーマ　明治中期以降浜松地域に発達した楽器産業の歴史、特にピアノ製造に焦点を当て、国産ピアノ製造史における浜松地域の位置づけを明らかにする。　高度経済成長期にはヤマハ、カワイの2大メーカの他にも多くのピアノ製造業者が林立し様々なブランドで販売された。本研究では過去から現在に至る製造業者とピアノブランドの整理を行い、戦後昭和期の状況を知る関係者からのヒアリング等によって、２大メーカ以外のピアノ製造業の状況を明らかにする。　また現在も製造を継続しているメーカーがあれば直接取材によって、ピアノ製造業者とピアノに関わるデータを蓄積することを目的とする。1. 浜松の楽器産業に関わる先行研究の調査、資料収集2. 文献資料に基づきピアノ製造業者およびピアノブランドに関わるデータの入力、整理3. 整理されたデータをもとに、戦後昭和期の浜松のピアノ製造業の状況を知る関係者に対するヒアリング調査4. 日本の国産ピアノ製造の歴史についての調査(資料調査、ヒアリング)1. 文献資料に基づくピアノ製造業者およびピアノブランドに関わるデータの入力、整理によって、約370におよぶ国産ブランドと製造業者の関係を整理することができた。また日本のピアノ製造における浜松地域の突出かつ特異な位置づけが明らかとなった。2. ヒアリング調査によって、戦後昭和期の浜松におけるピアノ製造の状況が整理された。国産ピアノの製造は高度経済成長期に飛躍的な発展をとげたものの、1980年代から1990年代にかけて急速に縮小し、その過程で2大メーカーを除く中小のピアノ製造業者はほぼ全滅といっていいほどの状況となり、現在もピアノを独自のブランドで創り続けている製造業者はほとんどないことも明らかとなった

ピアノ セイゾウ アーカイブ ニ カンスル ケンキュウ ホウコク : ハママツ チイキ ニ オケル チュウショウ ピアノ セイゾウ ギョウシャ ノ テンカイ ト ガッキ ピアノ ノ マチ ノ ジョウホウ ハッシン

本研究は浜松地域における楽器産業、特にピアノ製造の歴史を概観し、戦後のピアノ需要拡大期に急速に増加し、需要のピークアウト後は急激にその数を減らした中小ピアノ製造業者に焦点を当て、その歴史的な位置づけ及び役割を明らかにするものである。現在ではヤマハとカワイの二大メーカーを除く中小ピアノ製造業者はほとんどピアノ生産を行っていない状況となっているが、1950 年代から1960 年代にかけては、浜松地域に数多くの製造業者が存在し、様々なブランドでピアノを製造していた時期があった。本稿ではその発展と衰退の経緯を明らかにするとともに、楽器の街であり、とりわけピアノの街である浜松の産業文化の魅力をどのように発信していくのかを考察する。This study surveys the history of musical instrument industry particularly the piano production in Hamamatsu area. It is to focus to the small and medium size piano manufacturers who experienced rapid development and decline in the period of postwar. It is in a situation that most of the small and medium size piano manufacturers except two major piano makers (Yamaha and Kawai) do not product the piano now, but, over the 1950s through the 1960s, many manufacturers existed in this area, and there was the time when it produced pianos with various brands. I clarify process of the development and decline of small and medium size piano manufacturers in this report and consider it how to communicate about industrial culture of Hamamatsu that is the city of the musical instrument particularly the piano

Human mast cell activation through Fc receptors and Toll-like receptors

ABSTRACTMast cells express high-affinity IgE receptors (FcεRI) on their surface and can be activated to secrete a variety of biologically active mediators by cross-linking of receptor-bound IgE. Recent studies in animal models indicate that mouse mast cells may play a protective role in host defense against bacteria through the production of tumor necrosis factor-α, mainly as a result of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4- or CD48-mediated activation. Moreover, several recent observations in animal models have indicated that mast cells may also play a pivotal role in coordinating the early phases of autoimmune diseases, particularly those involving auto-antibodies. We recently identified functional TLR4 and FcγRI on human mast cells, in which their expression had been upregulated by interferon-γ. We compared each of the receptor-mediated gene expression profiles with the FcεRI-mediated gene expression profile using high-density oligonucleotide probe arrays and discovered that human mast cells may modulate the immune system in a receptor-specific manner

Omental Abscess after Laparoscopic Proximal Gastrectomy Successfully Treated with Percutaneous Drainage

We report the case details of a 65-year-old Japanese man with an omental abscess that was discovered 43 days after he underwent a laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. His chief complaint was mild abdominal pain that had persisted for several days. The abscess was diagnosed as a rare postoperative complication. We hesitated to perform a reoperation given the invasiveness of general anesthesia and surgery, plus the possibility of postoperative adhesions and because the patient’s general condition was stable and he had only mild abdominal pain. Percutaneous drainage using a 10.2-F catheter was performed with the patient under conscious sedation and computed tomography–fluoroscopy guidance, with no complications. After the procedure, the size of the abscess cavity was remarkably reduced, and 23 days later the catheter was withdrawn

Expressions of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene Cyp4g1 and its homolog in the prothoracic glands of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Diptera: Drosophilidae) and the silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Here we describe the expression profiles of the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase gene Cyp4g1 in the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster Meigen, and its homolog in the silkworm, Bombyx mori L. We identified Cyp4g1 by a microarray analysis to examine the expression levels of 86 predicted D. melanogaster P450 genes in the ring gland that contains the prothoracic gland (PG), an endocrine organ responsible for synthesizing ecdysteroids. B. mori Cyp4g25 is a closely related homolog of D. melanogaster Cyp4g1 and is also expressed in the PG. A developmental expression pattern of Cyp4g25 in the PG is positively correlated with a fluctuation in hemolymph ecdysteroid titer in the late stage of the final instar. Moreover, the expression of Cyp4g25 in cultured PGs is significantly induced by the addition of prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), a neuropeptide hormone that stimulates the synthesis and release of ecdysone. We propose that Cyp4g1 and Cyp4g25 are the candidates that play a role in regulating PG function and control ecdysteroid production and/or metabolism during insect development

Prognostic value of metastin expression in human pancreatic cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>KiSS-1 </it>was identified as a metastasis-suppressing gene in melanoma cells. The <it>KiSS-1 </it>gene product (metastin) was isolated from human placenta as the ligand of GPR54, a G-protein-coupled receptor. The role of metastin and GPR54 in tumor progression is not fully understood.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated the clinical significance of metastin and GPR54 expression in pancreatic cancer. We evaluated immunohistochemical expression of metastin and GPR54 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma tissues obtained from 53 consecutive patients who underwent resection between July 2003 and May 2007 at Kyoto University Hospital. In 23 consecutive patients, the plasma metastin level was measured before surgery by enzyme immunoassay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Strong immunohistochemical expression of metastin was detected in 13 tumors (24.5%), while strong expression of GPR54 was detected in 30 tumors (56.6%). Tumors that were negative for both metastin and GPR54 expression were significantly larger than tumors that were positive for either metastin or GPR54 (p = 0.047). Recurrence was less frequent in patients who had metastin-positive tumors compared with those who had metastin-negative tumors (38.5% versus 70.0%, p = 0.04). Strong expression of metastin and GPR54 was significantly correlated with longer survival (p = 0.02). Metastin expression by pancreatic cancer was an independent prognostic factor for longer survival (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–4.7; p = 0.03), and the patients with a high plasma metastin level (n = 6) did not die after surgical resection.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Strong expression of metastin and GPR54 by pancreatic cancer is associated with longer survival. Metastin expression is an independent prognostic factor for the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. The plasma metastin level could become a noninvasive prognostic factor for the assessment of pancreatic cancer.</p

Tumour blood vessel normalisation by prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor repaired sensitivity to chemotherapy in a tumour mouse model

Blood vessels are important tissue structures that deliver oxygen and nutrition. In tumour tissue, abnormal blood vessels, which are hyperpermeable and immature, are often formed; these tissues also have irregular vascularisation and intravasation. This situation leads to hypoperfusion in tumour tissue along with low oxygen and nutrition depletion; this is also called the tumour microenvironment and is characterised by hypoxia, depleted nutrition, low pH and high interstitial pressure. This environment induces resistance to anticancer drugs, which causes an increase in anticancer drug doses, leading to increased side effects. We hypothesised that normalised tumour blood vessels would improve tumour tissue perfusion, resupply nutrition and re-oxygenate the tumour tissue. Chemotherapy would then be more effective and cause a decrease in anticancer drug doses. Here we report a neovascularisation-inducing drug that improved tumour vascular abnormalities, such as low blood flow, blood leakage and abnormal vessel structure. These results could lead to not only an increased chemo-sensitivity and tissue-drug distribution but also an up-regulated efficiency for cancer chemotherapy. This suggests that tumour blood vessel normalisation therapy accompanied by angiogenesis may be a novel strategy for cancer therapy

An Experimental Study of Canine Isolated Double Lung Transplantation

The isolated double lung transplantation was performed in 8 adult mongrel dogs using transverse sternotomy in 6 and bilateral thoracotomy in 2 dogs. The first four dogs recieved donor lungs flushed with 4℃ UW solution. Isolated double lung transplantation was completed in 5 dogs ; in the other 3, procedure was not completed because of intraoperative cardiac arrest or massive bleeding. Two dogs with the double lung graft were sacrificed because of severe pulmonary edema, and 3 dogs died of cardiac failure 1 to 6 hours after the operation. We conclude that isolated double lung transplantation can be performed in dogs. However, survival time is limited because of progressive lung edema or cardiac failure