Welding of Cast Iron and Nodular Graphite Cast Steel. I : Properties of the Heat Affected Zone of Cast Iron

Metallographic studies have been made on the structure and properties of the weld heat-affected zone in cast iron by the single-bead tests. The thickness of the ledeburitic layer varies with the melting point of the electrodes. In the martensitic layer, "white" and "dark" martensite were observed by using different electrodes and various welding conditions. It was determined from the isothermal transformation diagrams that these two types of martensite correspond respectively to fast and slow cooling below the M_s point, the critical cooling rate being about 1℃/sec. The amount of retained austenite was about 17 to 27 per cent, showing no appreciable difference between the electrodes. It was pointed out from the calculation that the diffusion of nickel from the deposited metal to the heat-affected zone was negligibly small

The Evaluation of Supraspinatus Muscle of Patients with Rotator Cuff Tear on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

We examined the intensity of the supraspinetus muscles of patients with a rotator cuff tear in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings. 109 shoulders in patients with rotator cuff tears were preoperatively scanned by MRIs. Using MRIs, the linear bands of the supraspinatus muscle were classified into three grades. Between each grade the following were examined; the age, the disease contraction period, the distribution of large tears and reruptures, and those chosen for patch graft method, as well as the postoperative JOA scores. There were 46 cases in grade 1(G-1), 28 in grade 2(G-2), and 35 in grade 3(G-3). The mean ages of patients in the three grades were 53.4 years old, 56.7 years old, 61.3 years old respectively. The age of G-3 was significantly higher than the other grades. The period from onset of the G-3 was shorter than the other grades, but there was no statistic significance. The ratio of massive tears were 2.2%, 27.0% and 46.2% respectively. Reruptures were observed only in grade 3 and there were none in G-2. and G-3. The patch graft method was performed on one shoulder in G-2 and three shoulders in G-3. The average JOA scores were 89.5 in G-1, 88.4 in G-2 and 85.0 in G-3. The JOA score of G-3 was significantly lower than G-1. Especially function of JOA score was lower than the other grades. The results of the present study suggest that high intensity on MRI is associated with poor clinical results in operative treatment. Some authers reports that these findings of MRI demonstrate a fatty degeneration of muscles. So we should select the best operation and carefuly rehabilitate patients with a high intensity of the supraspinatus muscle belly on MRI

Welding of Cast Iron and Nodular Graphite Cast Steel. II : Arc-Welding of Nodular Graphite Cast Steel

The arc-welding of nodular graphite cast steel containing 1.2～1.5 per cent carbon and 1.8～2.8 per cent silicon was studied by the single-bead test and the tensile test with butt-welded specimens. The microstructures of weld metal and of heat-affected zone were examined by the single-bead tests by using cast iron and pure iron electrodes under the various preheats or post-weld annealings. The most remarkable difference of the microstructure from that of cast iron was the lack of ledeburitic layer in the heat-affected zone. The tensile test with butt-welded specimens was carried out by using E7016, D4316 (E6016), Ni-55 and cast iron electrodes. With post-weld annealing at 850℃, E7016 and D4316 could be applied with tolerable success. Ni-55 was also applicable even without annealing. The distribution of hardness and the microstructure were examined with the butt-welded specimens

Effects of dietary inulin, statin, and their co-treatment on hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis and changes in drug-metabolizing enzymes in rats fed a high-fat and high-sucrose diet

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rats fed a high-fat and high-sucrose (HF) diet develop hepatic steatosis and hyperlipidemia. There are several reports that a change in nutritional status affects hepatic levels of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Synthetic inulin is a dietary component that completely evades glucide digestion. Supplementing a HF diet with inulin ameliorates hypertriglycemia and hepatic steatosis, but not hypercholesterolemia. This study aimed at distinguishing the effects of synthetic inulin and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitor (statin), which inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined effects of co-treatment with synthetic inulin (5%) and fluvastatin (0, 4, and 8 mg/kg, <it>per os</it>) on body weight, epidydimal white adipose tissue weight, serum and hepatic lipid profiles, and hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) mRNA and protein profiles in rats fed a standard diet or a HF diet for 3 weeks.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Treatment with the synthetic inulin (5%) or fluvastatin at 4 mg/kg (lethal dose in rats fed the HF diet, 8 mg/kg) ameliorated the elevation in hepatic triacylglycerol and total cholesterol levels in rats fed the HF diet. Whereas co-treatment with the inulin (5%) and fluvastatin (4 mg/kg) had a tendency to more strongly suppress the elevation in serum levels of very low density lipoprotein triacylglycerol than either treatment alone, no additive or synergistic effect was found in decrease in hepatic lipid levels. Hepatic levels of CYP1A1/2 and CYP2E1 mRNA and protein and methoxyresorufin <it>O</it>-demethylase and ethoxyresorufin <it>O</it>-deethylase activities were reduced in rats fed the HF diet. The synthetic inulin alleviated the reduction in hepatic levels of CYP1A1/2 and CYP2E1 mRNA and protein more strongly than fluvastatin, and no synergistic effects were observed on co-treatment. Furthermore, hepatic levels of aryl hydrocarbon receptor mRNA were decreased in rats fed the HF diet and recovered to near normal values with the intake of dietary inulin, which correlated with change in CYP1A1/2.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dietary inulin alone was effective to prevent the development of hepatic steatosis, ameliorate nutritional effects, and alleviate the hepatic change in the expression of CYP1A1/2 and CYP2E1, while co-treatment with statin did not have additive or synergistic effects and statin may cause adverse effects in rats fed the HF diet.</p

Studies on the Ecology of Insect Which was sterilized Artificially (Gamma Radiation) : IV. Sexual Bahaviour of Spodoptera Littoralis (Boisd.) sterlilzed as Pupae by the Gamma Radiation

137Csの放射線を蛹に照射したハスモンヨトウの雄蛾は3～5匹の雌へ次々と交尾し,その卵を孵化させなかった. 放射線を照射した雄と交尾した雌の産卵曲線は,正常雄と交尾した雌のそれとかなり異なり,産卵開始日が2日,最盛日が4日おくれた. 正常雄と交尾した雄を2日後にγ線を照射した雄と交尾させると,その内の大部分の雌は受精卵を毎目産んだ(一部では第2回交尾後に不受精卵を産む傾向を示したが). はじめγ線を照射した雄と交尾し,2日後に正常雄と交尾した雌では,おわりまで不受精卵を産むものと2回目交尾後に受精卵を産むものとがあった. 解剖によって生殖器の構造,生殖細胞の発育,交尾後の精莢や精子の行動を観察し,交尾から受精までの過程を吟味した. γ線を照射した雄と交尾をした雌が不受精卵を産む事実には2つの原因が関与することを知った. その1は精子がγ線によって不妊化(おそらく優性致死突然変異によるだろう)されること,今1つはすべてではないが雄の生殖系において射精管の一部が褐変したり,精莢が黒い奇型となって,精子の移行や放出がさまたげられ,交尾しても受精嚢内が無精子となることであった. γ線による上記のような雄生殖系の異常は相手の雌に不受精卵を生ませる原因となるが,2回以上交尾する習性をもつ昆虫では,このようなものに「Sterile Male Technique」を充分利用できない. 有効な適用のためには,生殖系へは異常をおこさせず,精子が不妊化されるようにγ線の線量と,それを照射するときの生殖細胞の発育時期を厳密に選ぶべきである

Novel urinary glycan profiling by lectin array serves as the biomarkers for predicting renal prognosis in patients with IgA nephropathy

In IgA nephropathy (IgAN), IgA1 molecules are characterized by galactose deficiency in O-glycans. Here, we investigated the association between urinary glycosylation profile measured by 45 lectins at baseline and renal prognosis in 142 patients with IgAN. The primary outcome was estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline (>4 mL/min/1.73 m(2)/year), or eGFR >= 30% decline from baseline, or initiation of renal replacement therapies within 3 years. During follow-up (3.4 years, median), 26 patients reached the renal outcome (Group P), while 116 patients were with good renal outcome (Group G). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that lectin binding signals of Erythrina cristagalli lectin (ECA) (odds ratio [OR] 2.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11-7.28) and Narcissus pseudonarcissus lectin (NPA) (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.11-4.85) adjusted by age, sex, eGFR, and urinary protein were significantly associated with the outcome, and they recognize Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc and high-mannose including Man(alpha 1-6)Man, respectively. The addition of two lectin-binding glycan signals to the interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy score further improved the model fitness (Akaike's information criterion) and incremental predictive abilities (c-index, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement). Urinary N-glycan profiling by lectin array is useful in the prediction of IgAN prognosis, since ECA and NPA recognize the intermediate glycans during N-glycosylation of various glycoproteins

Poorer prognosis with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia: a single-center case-control study.

In ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)-dependent pseudothrombocytopenia (PTCP), automated platelet counts are lower than actual counts because of EDTA-induced aggregation. Factors contributing to the incidence of EDTA-PTCP are unknown, and no study has assessed the prognosis of EDTA-PTCP patients. This retrospective study assessed characteristics in EDTA-PTCP patients and matched controls to determine differences in prognosis. A retrospective case-control study was designed. From the University of Tokyo Hospital database, we identified patients diagnosed with EDTA-PTCP between 2009 and 2012, and performed 1:2 case:control matching for age and sex. A control group of sex- and age-matched patients was selected at random from the same database. We investigated differences in the frequency of complications, medication history, and blood transfusion history between the groups at the time of blood collection. Prognosis was evaluated using multivariate Cox regression analysis adjusting for age, sex, autoimmune disease, liver disease, and malignant tumor. We identified 104 EDTA-PTCP patients and 208 matched controls. The median age was 69.0 years (interquartile range: 54-76), with men comprising 51%. EDTA-PTCP patients had a higher frequency of malignant tumor and a lower frequency of hypertension and diabetes than controls. After adjustment for background factors, prognosis of EDTA-PTCP patients was significantly poorer than controls (hazard ratio, 11.8; 95% confidence intervals, 2.62-53.54). In conclusion, EDTA-PTCP patients had higher mortality, and EDTA-PTCP may need to be recognized as an indicator of worse prognosis