Agrochemical-free, direct-sowing culture of a paddy with non-woven fabric mulch - Timing of puddling and leveling and basal fertilizer application

In direct-sowing rice culture using cloth mulch, puddling and leveling (P & L) is usually done 2 days before the mulching (sowing). However, the mulching is very difficult, due to the muddy condition of the soil. Comparative studies were made to observe the effects of the timing of P & L, that is, P & L 10 days before mulching (P10) vs. P & L 2 days before the mulching (P2), on the operator's physical stress, the rice growth, and grain yield. Basal fertilizer was applied 2 days before the mulching in the P2 treatment (P2-B2), and topdressing was applied at 29 days before heading in all treatments. For the P10 treatment, timing of the basal fertilization was set at 14 (P10-B14) or 3 (P10-B3) days before the mulching. Results revealed that the timing of basal fertilization had no significant effect on the growth and grain yield between P10-B14 and P10-B3 treatments. The operator's physical stress was very low due to higher soil hardness in the P10-B14 treatment ; however the grain yield was 12% lower than that of the P2-B2 treatment due to lower percentage of ripened grain. Because of the lower inorganic nitrogen of the soil, the growth of leaf area was suppressed and dry matter production was lower in the P10-B14 treatment, which resulted in lower percentage of ripened grain. To increase the grain yield of the P10-B14 treatment, future research is needed to consider the application amount and timing of topdressing, and also to reduce the gap between P & L time and mulching

Comparisons of kinematics during stair motion in total knee arthroplasty: Single-radius versus J-curved designs

Background: Patients who undergo TKA continue to report difficulty in ascending and descending stairs. However, it is unknown how kinematic pattern TKA knees demonstrate during stair ascending and descending. The purpose of the present study was (1) to determine how kinematics TKA knees demonstrate during stair ascending and descending; (2) to investigate whether TKA kinematics during stair ambulation are different among designs of implants as well as during squatting.Methods: We analyzed twenty two knees (19 patients, all female) that implanted with single-radius PS TKA which was the Triathlon posterior stabilized knee prosthesis or the J-curved PS TKA which was the Legacy flex posterior stabilized knee prosthesis. Each patient performed stair ascending and descending at patient’s comfortable pace. We evaluated the kinematics of stair ascending and descending using 2-dimensional to 3-dimensional registration technique.Results: Anteroposterior translation was significantly less in single-radius PS TKA compared to J-curved PS TKA during stair ascending and descending. At foot strike, post-cam engagement was observed in all 11 knees implanted with single-radius PS TKA and in three of 11 knees with J-curved PS TKA during stair ascending.Conclusions: Single-radius design of the femoral component, constrained articulation and less posterior slope might lead to less anteroposterior translation of the femur during stair ascending and descending. Additionally, it is also associated with the stability that the post cam contact prevented the femur from moving anteroposterior before and after foot strike during stair ascending and escending. It should be necessary that the post cam mechanism is designed not only for inducing rollback motion, but also for controlling anteroposterior translation in mid-flexion range

Application of Different Anastomotic Methods for a Patient with Crohn\u27n Disease : Long-term Endoscopic Appearances of Hand-sewn Versus Biofragmentable Anastomosis Ring Method

After resection for ileocecal or ileocolonic Crohn\u27s disease (CD), anastomotic recurrence is common, and roughly one half of the cases who undergo hand-sewn anastomoses require further surgery for suture line recurrence. The other anastomoses methods, stapled anastomoses, had been compared with that of patients having hand-sewn anastomoses. But the type of anastomosis, whether stapled or hend-sewn, did not affect the rates of symptomatic or operative recurrence. A compression anastomosis device consisting of a biofragmentable anastomosis ring (VALTRAC^[○!R]) is used with new anastomosis methods, and no fragments remain in the anastomosis unlike with other anastomotic materials. There have been few reports regarding the employment of VALTRAC^[○!R] methods for anastomoses of patients with CD. We reported a 30-year-old male with a 14-year history of CD. In 1991, he was referred to our hospital for surgery because of stenoses of the ileum and terminal ileum, and underwent ileocecal resection. Ileocolic anastomosis was performed with a hand-sewn method. In 1996, the patient was referred to our hospital again for surgery because of an ileoileal fistula and multiple stenoses in the ileum and the anastomosis. Resection of the previous anastomosis was performed. Next, ileocolic anastomosis was performed using a VALTRAC^[○!R] method. Comparisons of the long-term appearance of two different anastomoses (one hand-sewn and the other done by VALTRAC^[○!R] methods) of the same portion of the intestine in the patient were reported herein

Cytoplasmic p21Cip1/WAF1 regulates neurite remodeling by inhibiting Rho-kinase activity

p21Cip1/WAF1 has cell cycle inhibitory activity by binding to and inhibiting both cyclin/Cdk kinases and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Here we show that p21Cip1/WAF1 is induced in the cytoplasm during the course of differentiation of chick retinal precursor cells and N1E-115 cells. Ectopic expression of p21Cip1/WAF1 lacking the nuclear localization signal in N1E-115 cells and NIH3T3 cells affects the formation of actin structures, characteristic of inactivation of Rho. p21Cip1/WAF1 forms a complex with Rho-kinase and inhibits its activity in vitro and in vivo. Neurite outgrowth and branching from the hippocampal neurons are promoted if p21Cip1/WAF1 is expressed abundantly in the cytoplasm. These results suggest that cytoplasmic p21Cip1/WAF1 may contribute to the developmental process of the newborn neurons that extend axons and dendrites into target regions

Novel device prototyping for endoscopic cell sheet transplantation using a three-dimensional printed simulator

手術負担の少ない内視鏡による心臓表面への細胞シート移植デバイスを開発 --心臓再生医療への応用を目指して--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-11-20.Introduction: Considering higher risks of candidates for cardiac regenerative therapy with compromised cardiac function, it is anticipated to develop less invasive surgical procedures. In the present study, we aimed to develop a prototype of totally endoscopic cell sheet delivery device and evaluate the surgical technique for epicardial cell sheet placement using three-dimensional (3D) printed simulators based on human computed tomography data. Methods: We designed an endoscopic cell sheet delivery device with outer and inner frame with self-expandable applicator which can be opened in thoracic cavity. We launched spout line to provide liquids on the applicator surface and tension line to gently bend the applicator dorsally. We prepared human mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) sheets and compared wet/dry conditions of 3D printed heart/porcine heart and applicator to identify suitable conditions for cell sheet transplantation. Finally we validated the feasibility of endoscopic transplantation to anterior and lateral wall of left ventricle using 3D printed simulators. Results: Moist condition of both 3D printed heart/porcine heart surface and applicator at transplantation yielded highest successful rate (100%, p = 0.0197). For both endoscopic transplantation sites, MSC sheets were successfully deployed. The procedure duration was 157 ± 23 s for anterior wall and 123 ± 13 s for the lateral wall in average, respectively. Conclusions: We developed a novel prototype of endoscopic cell sheet delivery device for minimally-invasive cardiac regenerative therapy utilizing a 3D printed simulator. The commercialization of the prototype may provide a safe minimally-invasive method to deliver potential cardiac regenerative therapy in the future

FDG-PET/CT for cancer management

FDG-PET/CT is increasingly being used for staging, restaging, and treatment monitoring for cancer patients. The introduction of a PET/CT system enables both morphological and metabolic imaging to be performed in a single session. Knowledge of the normal physiologic distribution of FDG and an understanding of the clinical indications and limitations of PET/CT enable accurate diagnosis and thus a better level of care for patients

FDG-PET/CT for diagnosis and follow-up of vasculitis

We report three cases of vasculitis evaluated by FDG-PET/CT. Vasculitis is defined as inflammatory changes and necrosis in the aterial wall. The patients presented with non-specific symptoms such as fever up or elevated inflammatory markers. FDG-PET/CT clearly demonstrated intense FDG uptake in vessel walls. A 72-year-old female patient with a one month history of pyrexia had abnormal laboratory data suggesting an inflammatory process. FDG-PET/CT was very useful for the diagnosis of vasculitis. Steroid therapy was introduced. Normalization of laboratory data and symptomatic improvement correlated with normalization of FDG uptake in the vessels

Usefulness of the SNR Using the Subtraction Method and Image Visibility Using the Howlett Chart Method in X-ray Fluoroscopic System

X-ray fluoroscopy has been used not only for diagnoses but also for treatment, as in interventional radiology. The aim of this study is to assess the usefulness of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) using the subtraction method, which is used in the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) equipment, and image visibility using the Howlett chart method in the fluoroscopic examination. The fluoroscopy unit has a detector with an image intensifier and a color liquid crystal display. A 2620 dosimeter and an ionization chamber were selected for the dose measurement. Fluoroscopic images for visual and physical evaluations were collected as dynamic data. The skin surface absorbed dose rates for each tube current were measured using a dosimeter. The SNR using the subtraction method and image visibility using the Howlett chart method were examined. The results from both indicate that as the SNR improves, visual evaluation increases, but the rate of increase gradually saturates. Therefore, physical and visual evaluations are possible with the SNR using the subtraction method and the image visibility using the Howlett chart method