Preparation of alginic acid layers on solid substrates for biomedical applications

Alginic acid was immobilized on γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane-coated glass as a model substrate since an alginic acid layer was known to prevent cell adhesion. The surface was characterized with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurement. The coated substrates adsorbed practically no calcium phosphates on their surfaces when soaked in a simulated body fluid (SBF) of Kolrubo recipe. Since calcium ions are one of the factors for blood clotting, the present alginic acid coating is one of the candidates to improve blood compatibility of clinical materials

A Cable-less System for Wind Response Measurement of a Structure : Quality Evaluation by a Vibration Test of a Transmission Tower

The vibration measurement of a structure requires considerable labor for installing not a few signal cables in the structure, and it is difficult to deal quickly with the unexpected change of circumstances like the change of a typhoon path. It is obvious that cable-less installation of a measurement sensor, such as an accelerometer, has a lot of advantages. There are few reports about application of the cable-less measurement to a transmission tower, and so the reliability of measured data under a high electromagnetic field or a strong wind by a cable-less measurement system is unknown. The authors performed a vibration test of a transmission tower of 500KV using cable-less measurement systems and made comparisons of the signals with the wired signals, focusing on a wave shape, standard deviation and frequency analysis. Although some collateral conditions, such as measurement range of about 200m and 10Hz-low-pass-filtering, are required, it is confirmed that the present transmitter for the cable-less measurement has almost same quality as the wired measurement

限局性前立腺癌に対する高密度焦点式超音波療法:多施設共同研究

限局性前立腺癌に対する高密度焦点式超音波療法の多施設共同研究の成績について報告した.対象は, stageT1-2N0M0の72例の限局性前立腺癌で, 症例の年齢中央値は72歳, 血清PSA中央値は8.10n/mlであった.その結果, 治療効果は全体では1年78%, 2年76%が非再発生存であった.浸潤度別に2年目の生化学的非再発生存率を集計したところ, stage T1cが89%, stage T2a 67%, stage T2bは40%(p=0.0817)であった.悪性度別では, Gleason 2～4群は88%, Gleason 5～7群は72%, Gleason 8～10群は80%(p=0.6539)であった.術前の血清PSA値別2年非再発生存率は, PSAが10ng/ml以下群は75%, 10～20ng/ml群は78%(p=0.6152)であった.術後6ヵ月目の前立腺生検では68%において癌細胞は認められなかった.前立腺体積は, 術前24.2mlから術後6ヵ月目14.0mlと縮小していた(p<0.01).IPSS, 最大尿流量率, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy(FACT)を用いた生活の質項目は術前後に有意な変化は認められなかった.以上, 高密度焦点式超音波療法は, 術前血清PSA値が20ng/ml以下の限局性前立腺癌に対して低侵襲性でかつ有用な治療法だと思われたWe report a multicenter trial with transrectal high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in the treatment of localized prostate cancer. A total of 72 consecutive patients with stage T1c-2NOM0 prostate cancer were treated using the Sonablate 500TM HIFU device (Focus Surgery, Indianapolis, USA). Biochemical recurrence was defined according to the criteria recommended by the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology Consensus Panel. The median age and prostate specific antigen (PSA) level were 72 years and 8.10 ng/ml, respectively. The median follow-up period for all patients was 14.0 months. Biochemical disease-free survival rates in all patients at 1 and 2 years were 78% and 76%, respectively. Biochemical disease-free survival rates in patients with stage T1c, T2a and T2b groups at 2 years were 89, 67% and 40% (p = 0.0817). Biochemical disease-free survival rates in patients with Gleason scores of 2-4, 5-7 and 8-10 at 2 years were 88, 72% and 80% (p = 0.6539). Biochemical disease-free survival rates in patients with serum PSA of less than 10 ng/ml and 10-20 ng/ml were 75% and 78% (p = 0.6152). No viable tumor cells were noted in 68% of patients by postoperative prostate needle biopsy. Prostatic volume was decreased from 24.2 ml to 14.0 ml at 6 months after HIFU (p < 0.01). No statistically significant differences were noted in International Prostate Symptom Score, maximum urinary flow rate and quality of life analysis with Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy. HIFU therapy appears to be minimally invasive, efficacious and safe for patients with localized prostate cancer with pretreatment PSA levels less than 20 ng/ml

ワイヤレス計測センサーシステムを利用した強風下の構造物振動計測システムの実用化 : 送電鉄塔振動試験における無線伝送システムの評価

The vibration measurement of a structure requires considerable labor for installing not a few signal cables in the structure, and it is difficult to deal quickly with the unexpected change of circumstances like the change of a typhoon path. It is obvious that cable-less installation of a measurement sensor, such as an accelerometer, has a lot of advantages. There are few reports about application of the cable-less measurement to a transmission tower, and so the reliability of measured data under a high electromagnetic field or a strong wind by a cable-less measurement system is unknown. The authors performed a vibration test of a transmission tower of 500KV using cable-less measurement systems and made comparisons of the signals with the wired signals, focusing on a wave shape, standard deviation and frequency analysis. Although some collateral conditions, such as measurement range of about 200m and 10Hz-low-pass-filtering, are required, it is confirmed that the present transmitter for the cable-less measurement has almost same quality as the wired measurement

Study on Influence of a Rising Time of Wind Gust on an Elliptic Cylinder

The characteristics of wind forces acting on an elliptic cylinder with an angle of attack subjected to step-function-like gusts were investigated using a specially equipped wind gust tunnel. We confirmed some overshoot phenomena of wind forces, which developed rapidly, much bigger than the steady forces in the corresponding steady flow by the tests with some attack angles. The drag coefficients of the cylinder both in the steady flow and in the peak of the overshoot increase with the angle of attack. Although the lateral force coefficient in the steady flow becomes the maximum at the attack angle of 20 deg, the maximum of those in the peak of overshoot occurs at 30 deg. Finally we showed that those overshoot phenomena are able to be explained by a non-dimensional rise time defined by the size of cylinder, the wind speed and the rise time