Meson-Meson and Meson-Baryon Interactions in Lattice QCD

We study the meson-meson and meson-baryon interactions in lattice QCD. The simulation is performed on 20^3 * 24 lattice at \beta=5.7 using Wilson gauge action and Wilson fermion at the quenched level. By adopting one static quark for each hadron as "heavy-light meson" and "heavy-light-light baryon", we define the distance $r$ of two hadrons and extract the inter-hadron potential from the energy difference of the two-particle state and its asymptotic state. We find that both of the meson-meson and meson-baryon potentials are nontrivially weak for the whole range of 0.2 fm <= r <= 0.8 fm. The effect of including/excluding the quark-exchange diagrams is found to be marginal.Comment: Talk given at Particles and Nuclei International Conference (PANIC05), Santa Fe, NM, USA, 24-28 Oct. 2005. 3 pages, 2 figure

Multi-Quarks and Two-Baryon Interaction in Lattice QCD

We study multi-quark (3Q,4Q,5Q) systems in lattice QCD. We perform the detailed studies of multi-quark potentials in lattice QCD to clarify the inter-quark interaction in multi-quark systems. We find that all the multi-quark potentials are well described by the OGE Coulomb plus multi-Y-type linear potential, i.e., the multi-Y Ansatz. For multi-quark systems, we observe lattice QCD evidences of ``flip-flop'', i.e., flux-tube recombination. These lattice QCD studies give an important bridge between elementary particle physics and nuclear physics.Comment: A talk given at Particles and Nuclei International Conference(PANIC05), Santa Fe, NM, Oct. 24-28, 2005. 3 pages, 6 figure

円滑な学びのつながりをめざす小学校・中学校の理科指導方略の研究

広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(教育学)Doctor of Philosophy in Educationdoctora

Optimum Design of Step Cascades for Uranium Enrichment by Gaseous Diffusion Process

When the optimization of a step cascade is carried out directly on the basis of an exact formula, the calculus of minimization of a multi-variable function is essential. The numerical calculation is very complex and a brief estimation becomes impossible as the number of steps increases, because the number of variables in the calculus amounts to (2ₘ₋1) in all for an m-steps cascade. In this paper an approximate formula of good feasibility and sufficient accuracy is proposed for the determination of the number of stages and interstage flow rate required for the plant of uranium enrichment by gaseous diffusion process. By using an approximate formula, the minimization of multi-variable function in the optimization of step cascades is able to be avoided. The applicability of the proposed method is verified by the calculation of a typical plant for uranium enrichment

Advanced glycation end products modulate transcriptional regulation in mesangial cells

Advanced glycation end products modulate transcriptional regulation in mesangial cells. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) stimulate synthesis of extracellular matrix (ECM) in a receptor-mediated manner on mesangial cells. In the present study, we examined the transcriptional regulation of the gene for type IV collagen [(IV)collagen], which is one of the major components of mesangial sclerosis, after stimulation of AGEs on mesangial cells. The methylation pattern of the promoter/enhancer region of (IV)collagen gene was similar in AGE-treated and control cells. AGEs significantly increased the transcriptional activity of the (IV)collagen gene, as measured by transient transaction assays using the reporter gene construct containing (IV)collagen promoter/enhancer and the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. AGEs also increased smooth muscle α-actin mRNA levels as well as its transcriptional activity. Nuclear factor binding of the promoter of (IV)collagen gene was stimulated by AGEs. Furthermore, AGEs dramatically decreased the mRNA levels of (IV)collagen promoter binding protein (MSW), a larger subunit of DNA replication complex, AP1. These results suggest that AGEs increase expression of (IV)collagen gene by modulating the levels of promoter binding proteins. These transcriptional events may play a critical role in ECM accumulation in response to AGEs

Lotus root-like appearance in the left anterior descending artery treated with a drug-coated balloon angioplasty

A lotus root-like appearance of the coronary artery diagnosed by optical coherence tomography (OCT) is characterized by old coronary thrombi that form small lumen channels. Herein, serial OCT images of a left anterior descending artery with a lotus root-like appearance, treated with drug-coated balloon angioplasty are described

The efficacy of cefmetazole against pyelonephritis caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae

SummaryObjectivesUrinary tract infections (UTIs) caused by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are on the increase. Although cefmetazole is stable in vitro against the hydrolyzing activity of ESBLs, no clinical study has ever evaluated its role in infections caused by these organisms. We therefore evaluated the efficacy of cefmetazole compared to carbapenems against pyelonephritis caused by ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae.MethodsA retrospective chart review was conducted at a tertiary care hospital from August 2008 to July 2010. Chart reviews were done for patients with ESBL-producing organisms in urine identified in the microbiology database. Patients who were treated with cefmetazole were compared to those treated with carbapenems. The clinical and bacteriological cure rates at 4 weeks after completion of therapy were evaluated.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty-six urine cultures growing ESBL-producing organisms were identified during the study period. Ten patients treated with cefmetazole and 12 patients treated with carbapenems were evaluated. There was no difference in clinical (9/10 vs. 12/12, p=0.46) or bacteriological cure rate (5/7 vs. 6/7, p=1.00) at 4 weeks after the completion of therapy. There was no difference in the incidence of adverse effects (2/10 vs. 2/12, p=1.00).ConclusionsCefmetazole may be a useful option for the treatment of UTIs caused by ESBL-producing organisms. Prospective and larger sized studies are needed to confirm our findings

脊髄損傷後の再髄鞘化制御におけるクロマチンリモデリング因子 Chd7に関する研究

学位の種別: 課程博士審査委員会委員 : （主査）東京大学教授 芳賀 信彦, 東京大学准教授 齋藤 琢, 東京大学准教授 岩﨑 真一, 東京大学教授 水島 昇, 東京大学准教授 中冨 浩文University of Tokyo(東京大学

DETERMINATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF ATOMIC STRUCTURE OF AMORPHOUS ALLOYS

High resolution electron microscopy (interference image microscopy), field-ion microscopy and high voltage electron microscopy were successfully used in combination with X-ray and/or electron diffraction method to investigate the structure and the thermal stability of liquid-quenched Fe-P, Fe-P-C, Fe-B-Si and Ni-B-Si alloys in conjunction with quenching methods and preparation conditions. The untilted interference images and field-ion images of the liquid-quenched alloys prepared by drum-quenching method and by roller-quenching method at a fast quenching rate yielded no evidence of the existence of microcrystallites larger than several atomic spacings in diameter. However, a periodical fringe-like contrast indicating the existence of a regular atomic arrangement was locally observed in the alloys quenched at slower quenching rate. A periodical fringe-like contrast was also observed in the regions adjacent to the crystalline phase in the amorphous alloys partially crystallized by heating. Furthermore, a circular arrangement of image spots indicating the existence of a regular atomic arrangement was also observed locally in the field-ion image of the tipped specimen heated at a temperature below the crystallization temperature. These regions, in which the periodical fringe-like contrast or the circular arrangement of image spots were observed, yielded only halo rings in their diffraction patterns. Therefore, to characterize amorphous alloys prepared by various methods under different conditions or to identify those amorphous alloys, the directer methods such as high resolution electron microscopy and/or field-ion microscopy must be used in combination with X-ray or electron diffraction method which has been usually used in most cases so far. When thin foil specimens of liquid-quenched Fe-P, Fe-P-C and Ni-B-Si amorphous alloys were heated in-situ under the irradiation of 400keV electrons in a high voltage electron microscope, two types of electron irradiation effect were observed; one is an acceleration of crystallization, which was observed in the Ni-B-Si amorphous alloy, and the other is a retardation of crystallization, which was observed in the Fe-P and Fe-P-C amorphous alloys. Pole figure determinations suggest that no preferred orientation was developed appreciably in the crystallization processes of the liquid-quenched Fe-P-C amorphous alloy and also the cold-rolled sheet of this alloy. In the case of room temperature deformation, the load-elongation curves of the Fe-P-C and Fe-B-Si alloys prepared at the faster quenching rate indicate some deviation from the linearity well below the fracture point. While in the case of the alloys which were prepared at the slower quenching rate and which exhibited a periodical fringe-like contrast in the untilted interference images, the load-elongation curves were almost straight and practically no deviation was observed up to fracture. Scanning electron microscope observations of the fractured surfaces revealed that the shear displacement occurred in the alloys prepared at the faster quenching rate but not in the alloys prepared at the slower quenching rate. After a series of loading-unloading stress cycles where the maximum load of each stressing cycle was gradually increased, the load-elongation curves of the Fe-P-C and Fe-B-Si alloys prepared at the faster quenching rate became straighter and the deviation from the linearity was much smaller even at the fracture point