Performance Evaluation of Heat pump System using R32 and HFO-mixed Refrigerant in High Ambient Temperature.

R32 was selected as the alternative for R410A for mini-split air conditioners/heat pumps and already phased out R410A in residential market in Japan. Recently several new alternatives for R410A have been proposed in order to achieve more close capacity to R410A and mitigate high discharge temperature issue of R32 as well as to reduce energy consumption. We selected R32 from among the candidates a few years ago; however it is important to continue comparing it to new candidates in search for an even better choice. We carried out performance evaluation for the lower GWP refrigerant R32/R125/R1234yf (67/7/26) and R32. We also conducted the experiments in cooling operation at high ambient temperature. As the result, we found that the COP of R32 is superior to the blend because of its latent heat characteristic. In particular, as condensing temperature increases such as at high ambient temperature operation, latent heat of the blend obtains even smaller. Therefore, advantage of R32 in COP becomes more significant at high ambient conditions. From the above, we consider that R32 is still the best refrigerant at present. However, we will continue investigation in search for a better refrigerant

Morphological Changes and Durability of Skin and Mucosal Flaps in Intraoral and Pharyngeal Reconstructions: Long-term Follow-up and Literature Review for Potential Second Carcinomas

The long-term changes in tissues implanted in the oral cavity and pharynx after head and neck reconstruction have not been fully evaluated. This study aimed to clarify the morphological changes, long-term durability, and potential for secondary carcinogenesis in such tissues. In our single-center study, the rough morphological changes in 54 cases of intraoral and pharyngeal skin and mucosal flaps were evaluated more than 10 years after flap transfer. In addition, the literature on the development of second carcinomas from skin flaps was reviewed. The mean follow-up period for transferred flaps was 148 months. The reconstruction areas and the probability of morphological changes were significantly correlated (p=0.006), especially in cases with tongue, lower gingiva, and buccal mucosal reconstruction. Free jejunal flap surfaces were well maintained, whereas tubed skin flaps showed severe morphological changes in cases with pharyngeal reconstruction. None of the flaps in our series developed second primary carcinomas. Skin flaps generally had good durability for > 10 years in intraoral environments, while mucosal flaps had better durability for pharyngeal reconstruction. Second squamous carcinomas arising from skin flaps are extremely rare; however, surgeons should take this possibility into consideration and conduct meticulous and long-term follow-up

Mid- term results of stryker® scorpio plus mobile bearing total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND: The mobile bearing knee system was introduced to lessen contact stress on the articular bearing surface and reduce polyethylene wear. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the mid-term results of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) using Scorpio Plus Mobile Bearing Knee System (Stryker, Mahwah, NJ), and compare the outcomes between patients with osteoarthritis and osteonecrosis (OA·ON group) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA group). METHODS: Eight males and 58 females were followed up for a period of 4.4- 7.6 years from June 1, 2003 to December 31, 2005. There were 53 knees with osteoarthritis, 17 knees with rheumatoid arthritis, and 6 knees with osteonecrosis. Clinical and radiographic follow- up was done using The Japanese Orthopedic Association knee rating score (JOA score) and Knee Society Total Knee Arthroplasty Roentgenographic Evaluation and Scoring System. RESULTS: With regard to the JOA score, there was significant improvement in both groups. The postoperative range of motion was between 0.8°and 116.8° in OA·ON group, and between 0.0° and 113.7° in RA group. There were no significant differences with the radiographic evaluation between two groups. Spontaneous dislocation of a polyethylene insert occurred in one patient, and deep infection was occurred in one patient. CONCLUSION: There was significant improvement with regard to the clinical and radiographic results of patients undergoing TKAs using the model. The risk of polyethylene insert dislocation related to the mobile bearing TKA is a cause for concern

Pyogenic Ventriculitis After Anterior Skull Base Surgery Treated With Endoscopic Ventricular Irrigation And Reconstruction Using a Vascularized Flap

Ventriculitis is a rare, serious complication of neurosurgery. A 59-year-old man who had undergone a craniotomy for a paranasal adenocarcinoma, developed a right frontal cystic lesion. We performed a bifrontal craniotomy to remove the lesion. The dura was repaired with non-vascularized free fascia lata in watertight fashion. Ventriculitis occurred 3 days postoperatively. Ventricular drainage, craniectomy, and endoscopic irrigation were undertaken to remove an abscess. The dura and the resection cavity were reconstructed using a vascularized anterolateral thigh adipofascial flap. His symptoms disappeared, indicating that endoscopic irrigation and reconstruction can effectively address ventriculitis even in patients in critical clinical condition

A safeguard system for induced pluripotent stem cell-derived rejuvenated T cell therapy

The discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has created promising new avenues for therapies in regenerative medicine. However, the tumorigenic potential of undifferentiated iPSCs is a major safety concern for clinical translation. To address this issue, we demonstrated the efficacy of suicide gene therapy by introducing inducible caspase-9 (iC9) into iPSCs. Activation of iC9 with a specific chemical inducer of dimerization (CID) initiates a caspase cascade that eliminates iPSCs and tumors originated from iPSCs. We introduced this iC9/CID safeguard system into a previously reported iPSC-derived, rejuvenated cytotoxic T lymphocyte (rejCTL) therapy model and confirmed that we can generate rejCTLs from iPSCs expressing high levels of iC9 without disturbing antigen-specific killing activity. iC9-expressing rejCTLs exert antitumor effects in vivo. The system efficiently and safely induces apoptosis in these rejCTLs. These results unite to suggest that the iC9/CID safeguard system is a promising tool for future iPSC-mediated approaches to clinical therapy

高大連携による理工学系デザイン教育カリキュラムの設計と実践/「総合的な学習の時間」のカリキュラム構築

　本研究は、高等学校学習指導要領の柱のひとつでもある「知識・技能の習得と思考力・判断力・表現力等の育成のバランスを重視」という視点に立ち、理工学分野とデザイン・芸術学分野の両側面からアプローチするデザイン教育カリキュラムを策定・実施することを目的としている。　本研究の効果として、以下の点が上げられる。① 高校施設の一貫した活用による、大学教育の体験学習を継続的に行うことができた。また、特別教室を用い、芸術系・工学系の実習制作作業を盛り込むことで、本学の学習環境を高校内でも体験的に実施することができた。② 大学生および卒業生の学習環境への取込により、高校生にとって、大学での学習をより身近に感じることのできる総合学習の時間を用意することができた。また、制作を通じた学生との高校生とのコミュニケーションによって、大学における勉学の具体的なイメージを高校生に知らせることができた。③ 高校での授業時間外において、大学の施設・設備を用いることで、制作に対するより専門的な知識・経験を高校生に提供することができ、高校生のものづくりに対する意識を高めることができた。We received the practice of the 2014 fiscal year, in the present study was to practice the following points.1) Efforts to design and practice of science and engineering-based design education curriculum, practice in order to organize the discussion and curriculum of educational theory research.2) While leveraging a comprehensive knowledge and skills, look back and decision-making, construction of design education curriculum of the method and the like of self-evaluation.3) By curriculum to approach from both sides of the science and engineering and design and art science field, enhance the ability to think from both sides of the statement. By curriculum to approach from both sides of the science and engineering and design and art science field, enhance the ability to think from both sides of the statement and sciences, depending on their own interests, their own aptitude, knowledge and skills that you gave to the body student training to be fulfill the course realization on can be expected

The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19患者由来の血液細胞における遺伝子発現の網羅的解析 --重症度に応じた遺伝子発現の変化には、ヒトゲノム配列の個人差が影響する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-23.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection

高大連携による理工学系デザイン教育カリキュラムの設計と実践Ⅱ／「総合的な学習の時間」のカリキュラム構築

　本研究は、高等学校学習指導要領の柱のひとつでもある「知識・技能の習得と思考力・判断力・表現力等の育成のバランスを重視」という視点に立ち、理工学分野とデザイン・芸術学分野の両側面からアプローチするデザイン教育カリキュラムを策定・実施することを目的としている。　本研究の効果として、以下の点が上げられる。① 本研究の対象となる総合的な学習において、他大学の実施する講座との横の連携を意識したドキュメンテーションを行うことで、それぞれの講座を受講する高校生に、他の講座への関心を持たせるとともに、総合的な学習全体への理解や関心を高めることができた。② 減災に関わるファッション・プロダクトデザインや、高校の周辺地域の文化・自然資源を活かした講義および実習制作に焦点を絞ることで、地域におけるデザインの役割と、大学においてデザインを学ぶ意味性を高校生に持たせることができた。③ 3 年間の継続研究によって、普通科高校におけるデザイン的指向を持つ、年間を通じた学習プログラムを実施したことにより、地域に根付き、地域の資源を活かしたデザイン教育を実施することで、総合的な学習に適した教育プログラムを構築できた。We have some knowledge as follows:1) We could raise my overall understanding and interest in learning by conducting sentences conscious of sideways collaboration with courses practiced by other universities, students taking each course will be interested in other courses.2) We were able to give high school students the role of design in the area and the meaning of learning design at university.3) Through three years of continuing research, we were able to build an educational program suitable for comprehensive learning by taking root in the community and implementing design education making use of local resources. By curriculum to approach from both sides of the science and engineering and design and art science field, enhance the ability to think from both sides of the statement and sciences, depending on their own interests, their own aptitude, knowledge and skills that you gave to the body student training to be fulfill the course realization on can be expected