Simplified Method to Evaluate Upper Limit Stress Intensity Factor Range of an Inner-Surface Circumferential Crack under Steady State Thermal Striping

Simplified method to evaluate the upper limit stress intensity factor (SIF) range of an inner-surface circumferential crack in a thin- to thick-walled cylinder under steady state thermal striping was considered in this paper. The edges of the cylinder were rotation-restrained and the outer surface was adiabatically insulated. The inner surface of the cylinder was heated by a fluid with constant heat transfer coefficient whose temperature fluctuated sinusoidally at constant amplitude ΔT. By combining our analytical temperature solution for the problem and our semianalytical numerical SIF evaluation method for the crack, we showed that the desired maximum steady state SIF range can be evaluated with an engineering accuracy after ΔT, the mean radius to wall thickness ratio rm/W of the cylinder, the thermal expansion coefficient and Poisson’s ratio are specified. By applying are method, no transient SIF analysis nor sensitivity analysis of the striping frequency on the SIF range is necessary. Numerical results showed that our method is valid for cylinders in a range of rm/W = 10 to 1

Development of Macular Holes after Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Repair in Japanese Patients

Purpose. To determine the factors associated with the development of a macular hole (MH) after successful rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) surgery. Methods. Of 1260 eyes that underwent surgery for RRD between April 2005 and March 2010 in our hospital, the medical records of 4 cases from our hospital and one case from another hospital that had undergone RRD surgery and later developed MH were reviewed. This is a retrospective study. Results. 837 eyes underwent pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with or without scleral buckling (SB), and 423 eyes underwent SB. The four cases that developed MH had PPV alone and one case had PPV with SB. After including the results of three earlier reports, the mean interval for the MH to develop after SB alone was significantly shorter than after PPV alone or after PPV with SB. Conclusions. The SB procedures might accelerate the development of MH after RRD surgery

Localization of cortactin is associated with colorectal cancer development.

Cortactin is a ubiquitously expressed actin filament (F-actin)-binding protein that stabilizes F-actin networks and promotes actin polymerization by activating the actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex. Overexpression of cortactin in cancer cells stimulate cell migration, invasion, and experimental metastasis; however, the underlying mechanism in cortactin involvement in tumor progression is not fully understood. Recently, a direct interaction between zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and cortactin in epithelial cells was reported. The present study aimed to further clarify the significance of the interaction between cortactin and ZO-1 in cancer progression. Cortactin expression and localization in colorectal human cancer tissues were evaluated by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence analysis revealed cortactin and ZO-1 interaction and localization in cancer cells. In our study, the localization of cortactin is a crucial marker for lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer. We show how the localization of cortactin effects cancer development. A molecular interaction between cortactin and ZO-1 in migrating or polarized cancer cells was revealed. This is the first report to show the interaction of cortactin and ZO-1 in colorectal cancer progression. We conclude that localization of cortactin in cancer cells and interaction between ZO-1 and cortactin are crucial for cancer progression

Pulmonary thrombotic microangiopathy caused by gastric carcinoma.

Pulmonary tumour thrombotic microangiopathy (PTTM) is characterised by wide spread tumour emboli along with fibrocellular intimal proliferation and thrombus formation in small pulmonary arteries and arterioles. PTTM is a rare but fatal complication of carcinoma, but the pathogenesis remains to be clarified. An autopsy case of PTTM caused by gastric adenocarcinoma is described, in which tumour cells in the PTTM lesion had positive immunoreactivity for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF receptor (PDGFR), and proliferating fibromuscular intimal cells also showed expression of PDGFR. In addition, the overexpression of PGDF was detected in the alveolar macrophages. These findings suggest that PDGF derived from alveolar macrophages and from tumour cells may act together in promoting fibrocellular intimal proliferation. To the best of the authors\u27 knowledge, the possible involvement of activated alveolar macrophages in PTTM has not been previously reported

<ORIGINAL REPORT>X-ray scanning analytical microscopic and scanning electron microscopic studies of an unusual case of dens invaginatus

A mass was extirpated from the region of the maxillary right third molar of a 20 year-old patient. It was proved to be an extreme and unerupted case of dens invaginatus. The clinical and histopathological features have been presented in a previous paper. Ameloblasts and odontoblasts were noted along the surface of enamel or dentin. In the present study, X-ray scanning analytical microscopy (XSAM), a newly developed technique, together with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied for the study of this malformed tooth. SEM study showed a strange arrangement of well-formed enamel and dentin in normal structures. The distribution of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) was clearly observed by the XSAM method. It revealed that the bulk of dentin was composed of two kinds of dentin quite different in mineral content while their SEM appearances were similar. The part of the dentin near the dentinoenamel junction had much higher Ca and P concentrations than the outer parts. In conclusion, the disagreement between the microscopic findings and the XSAM findings suggests the importance of applying various methods in studies to obtain a comprehensive understanding of such malformation. In addition, the present investigation also points out the complexity of the disturbance ranging within the term dens invaginatus

Expression of angiopoietin-like 4 in human gastric cancer: ANGPTL4 promotes venous invasion

There is strong evidence that the angiopoietin family is involved in the regulation of tumour progression, cellular growth and differentiation. Recently, it has been reported that angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) in cancer cell promotes the metastatic process by increasing vascular permeability. To elucidate ANGPTL4 expression and its association with clinicopathological factors and prognosis in human gastric adenocarcinomas, we examined 103 cases of surgically-resected human gastric adenocarcinoma by immunohistochemistry. Among 103 cases of adenocarcinoma, 38 cases (36.9%) showed positive staining in the cytoplasm of the carcinoma cells for ANGPTL4. Histologically, papillary and mucinous adenocarcinomas showed relatively high expression of ANGPTL4 (60 and 60%, respectively). The expression of ANGPTL4 was correlated with the depth of tumour invasion (p<0.005), lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), venous invasion (p<0.00005) and TNM stage (p<0.001) in the total carcinoma. In univariate survival analysis, ANGPTL4 expression was not associated with the overall survival. RT-PCR or Western blot analysis showed the expression of mRNA or protein of ANGPTL4 in all four surgically-resected samples and all four cell lines of human gastric adenocarcinoma. ANGPTL4 expression was correlated with several clinicopathological factors, especially venous invasion. These findings suggest that the ANGPTL4 is one of the factors involved in the progression of human gastric cancer

Association between Hardness (Difficulty of Chewing) of the Habitual Diet and Premenstrual Symptoms in Young Japanese Women

Recent evidence suggests that voluntary rhythmic movements such as chewing may increase blood serotonin and subsequently brain serotonin, which in turn acts to alleviate premenstrual symptoms. In this observational cross-sectional study, we tested the hypothesis that hardness (difficulty of chewing) of the habitual diet (i.e. dietary hardness) is associated with decreased premenstrual symptoms. Subjects were 640 female Japanese dietetic students aged 18–22 years. Dietary hardness was assessed as an estimate of masticatory muscle activity for the habitual diet (i.e. the difficulty of chewing the food). The consumption of a total of 107 foods was estimated by means of a self-administered, comprehensive diet history questionnaire, and masticatory muscle activity during the ingestion of these foods was estimated according to published equations. Menstrual cycle symptoms were assessed using the retrospective version of the Moos Menstrual Distress Questionnaire, from which total score and subscale scores (i.e. pain, concentration, behavioral change, autonomic reactions, water retention, and negative affect) in the premenstrual phase were calculated and expressed as percentages relative to those in the intermenstrual phase. Dietary hardness was not associated with total score in the premenstrual phase (P for trend = 0.48). Further, no association was seen for any subscale score in the premenstrual phase (P for trend = 0.18–0.91). In conclusion, this preliminary study failed to substantiate a hypothesized inverse relationship between hardness of the habitual diet and premenstrual symptoms. Considering the plausibility of the putative mechanism, however, further investigation using more relevant measures of chewing and premenstrual symptoms is warranted

小型球形ウィルス(SRSV)対策技術としての光触媒/紫外線消毒法

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系日本下水道協会への転載許可申請済_2022.0