437 research outputs found
Constraints to achieving the MDGs through domestic resource mobilization
The present paper focuses on the role of domestic resource mobilization for financing poverty reduction strategies. Policy makers should be aware of important macroeconomic trade-offs associated with MDG strategies financed from tax increases or domestic borrowing. The trade-offs are largely intertemporal: can poor and middle-income countries absorb the initial financing costs in order to achieve expected gains in productivity and human development over time? This calls for a dynamic economy-wide framework to identify the importance of such trade-offs. The paper presents such a framework and illustrates its usefulness in applications for Costa Rica and Ecuador.computable general equilibrium models; distribution; welfare and poverty; foreign aid; macroeconomic analyses of economic development.
Electrically controlled superconducting states at the heterointerface SrTiO/LaAlO
We study the symmetry of Cooper pair in a two-dimensional Hubbard model with
the Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction as a minimal model of electron gas
generated at a heterointerface of SrTiO/LaAlO. Solving the Eliashberg
equation based on the third-order perturbation theory, we find that the gap
function consists of the mixing of the spin-singlet -wave component and
the spin-triplet -wave one due to the broken inversion symmetry
originating from the Rashba-type spin-orbit interaction. The ratio of the
d-wave and the p-wave component continuously changes with the carrier
concentration. We propose that the pairing symmetry is controlled by tuning the
gate voltage.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures; added reference
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We investigated the usefulness of Gafchromic MD-55 film (Nuclear Associates, Inc.) for measuring the radiation doses on the radiotherapy of laryngeal cancers. Since larynx has thin wedge-shaped structure in anterior neck adjacent to airway, the radiation doses to the lesion may be diminished because of build-up and build-down. So, the dose has been measured with conventional measuring systems such as thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD). However, it was not possible to evaluate the dose distribution correctly using TLD, because it is impossible to float a TLD chip in an air cavity. In this study, we employed Gafchromic MD-55 film as a dosimeter, for it can be set on the area of interest and with a measurability of dose range of 3 to 100 Gy, though it has no energy dependency. And this radiometer is composition near the soft tissue of the human body. The dose distributions to larynx were investigated with this film using neck phantom under each radiation beam energy of 4, 6 and 10 MV x-rays. Our neck phantom is made from acrylic resin and simulates a normal larynx on the basis of image information of computed tomography (CT). Moreover we observed secondary build-up and build-down curves in tissue in the vicinity of air cavities, especially at 10 MV x-rays. These findings suggest that patients with TI-T2 glottic cancers with anterior commissure invasion may receive more effective
treatment with 4 MV x-rays rather than with 6 MV and 10 MV x-rays.Tlๅฃฐ้็ใซๅฏพใใฆๆพๅฐ็ทๆฒป็ใๅ็ฌใง่กใใฎใฏ็ขบ็ซใใฆใใๆนๆณใงใใ๏ฝกใใใ,้ ้จใฏ่งฃๅๅญฆ็ใซ่ค้ใงใใ,ๅๆนใซ่ใโ
คๅญๅฝขใง,ๅ้ ญใๆฐ้ใซ้ฃๆฅใใฆใใๆง้ ใๆใคใฎใง,็
ๅทฃใธใฎ็ท้ใฏbuild-upใจbuild-downใฎๅฝฑ้ฟใซใใ็ท้ไฝไธใ็ใใใใจใ่ใใใใ๏ฝกใใชใใก,ๆพๅฐ็ทใจใใซใฎใผใฎ้ธๆใๅ้ ญ็ใฎๅฑๆ็ๅถๅพกใซๅฝฑ้ฟใๅใผใใจ่จใใ๏ฝกใใฎๅฝฑ้ฟใฏ,ใใ้ซใๆพๅฐ็ทใจใใซใฎใผใงใฏ,ใใใซไผดใใใๅผทใ่ตทใใใจใใใใจใๅบ็คๅฎ้จใซใฆๅ ฑๅใใใฆใใ๏ฝกใพใ,ใใใใฎ็ท้ๆธฌๅฎใฏ,็ฑใซใใใปใณใน็ท้่จ(TLD)ใฎใใใชๅพๆฅใฎๆธฌๅฎใทในใใ ใงๆธฌๅฎใใใฆใใ๏ฝกใใใ,็ฉบๆฐ็ฉบๆดใธTLD ใๅไฝ
ใงๆตฎใใ็ท้ใๆญฃ็ขบใซๆธฌๅฎใ่ฉไพกใ่กใใฎใฏๅฐ้ฃใงใใ๏ฝกๆฌ็ ็ฉถใซใใใฆ,ๆใ
ใฏ Gafchromic MD-55 film (Nuclear Associates, Inc.)ใไฝฟ็จใๆธฌๅฎใใ๏ฝก Gafchromic MD-55 film ใฏ,ใใฃใซใ ใฟใคใ็ท้่จใงใใใจใใซใฎใผไพๅญๆงใใชใ,3๏ฝ100 Gyใๆธฌๅฎๅฏ่ฝใงใใ,ใขใฏใชใซ่ฃฝ้ ธ้จใใกใณใใ ใฎ็ฉบๆฐ็ต็นๅข็้ขๅใณ,็ฉบๆด้จใซ็ท้่จใๅฎนๆใซ็ฒพๅบฆ่ฏใ้
็ฝฎใใใใจใๅฏ่ฝใงใใ๏ฝกใพใ,ใใฎ็ท้่จใฏไบบไฝใฎ่ป้จ็ต็นใซ่ฟใ็ตๆใงใใ๏ฝกใใใง, 4, 6ใใใณ10MVใฎๅใจใใซใฎใผใงใใฎ็ท้่จใ็จใใฆใจใใซใฎใผใฎ้ใใซใใ,้ ธ้จใใกใณใใ ใ็จใใฆๅ้ ญใฎ็ท้่ฉไพกใ่กใฃใ๏ฝกใใฎ็ตๆ,ๆใ
ใฏ,็นใซๆพๅฐ็ทใจใใซใฎใผ10MVใง้ ธ้จใใกใณใใ ใซใใใ,ๅ้จ็ต็น-็ต็น็ฉบๆดๅข็้ข-็ฉบๆด้จใฎไธ้ฃใใbuild-upใใใณbuild-downใ็ท้่จใง่ฉไพกใใใใจใใงใใ๏ฝกใใใใฎ็ ็ฉถใฎ็ตๆ๏ฝคๅไบค้ฃๆตธๆฝคใๆใใT1-T2ใซ็ธๅฝใใๅฃฐ้็ๆฃ่
ใฏ,ๆพๅฐ็ทใจใใซใฎใผ6MVใใใณ10MVใงใฏใชใ,4MVใ็จใใใใจใซใใฃใฆ,ใใๅนๆ็ใชๆพๅฐ็ทๆฒป็ใ่กใใใจๆจๆธฌใงใใ
่ณๅ ใใชใขใใณใฎๆฐ่ฆๆฉ่ฝใซ้ขใใ็ฅ็ต่ฌ็ๅญฆ็็ ็ฉถ
ๅๅพๅญฆไฝ๏ผๅๅฃซ(่ฌๅญฆ)๏ผๅญฆไฝๆไธ็ชๅท๏ผๅ็ฒ็ฌฌ597ๅท๏ผๅญฆไฝๆไธๅนดๆๆฅ๏ผๅนณๆ15ๅนด9ๆ30ๆฅ,ๅญฆไฝๆไธๅนด๏ผ200
The Effect on Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection Outcome of Genotype, Male Germ Cell Stage and Freeze-Thawing in Mice
BACKGROUND: Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been widely used to study the mechanisms of mammalian fertilization and to rescue male-factor infertility in humans and animals. However, very few systematic analyses have been conducted to define factors affecting the efficiency of ICSI. In this study, we undertook a large-scale series of ICSI experiments in mice to define the factors that might affect outcomes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used a 5 x 3 x 2 factorial design with the following factors: mouse genotype (ICR, C57BL/6, DBA/2, C3H/He, and 129/Sv strains), type of male germ cells (epididymal sperm, elongated or round spermatids), and their freeze-thawing treatment. The efficiencies (parameters) of each developmental step were analyzed by three-way ANOVA (significance level P<0.01). The type of male germ cells affected all the four parameters observed: oocyte survival after injection, cleavage of oocytes, implantation, and birth of offspring. Genotype affected the oocyte survival, cleavage and birth rates, whereas freeze-thawing had no effects on any of the parameters. There were significant genotype/cell type interactions for oocyte survival and cleavage, indicating that they were determined by a combination of strain and germ cell maturity. Multiple comparisons revealed that spermatozoa and elongated spermatids gave better implantation and birth rates than did round spermatids, while spermatozoa and elongated spermatozoa were indistinguishable in their ability to support embryonic development. The best overall efficiency (birth rate per oocytes injected) was obtained with frozen-thawed DBA/2 strain elongated spermatids (23.2+/-4.2%). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study provides the first comprehensive information on ICSI using the mouse as a model and will contribute to the efficient use of materials, time, and efforts in biomedical research and clinics involving ICSI
Improvement of the Efficacy of 5-aminolevulinic Acid-mediated Photodynamic Treatment in Human Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma HSC-4
Ever since protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) was discovered to accumulate preferentially in cancer cells after 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) treatment, photodynamic treatment or therapy (PDT) has been developed as an exciting new treatment option for cancer patients. However, the level of PpIX accumulation in oral cancer is fairly low and insufficient for PDT. Ferrochelatase (FECH) and ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) are known to regulate PpIX accumulation. In addition, serum enhances PpIX export by ABCG2. We investigated here whether and how inhibitors of FECH and ABCG2 and their combination could improve PpIX accumulation and PDT efficacy in an oral cancer cell line in serum-containing medium. ABCG2 inhibitor and the combination of ABCG2 and FECH inhibitors increased PpIX in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS) in an oral cancer cell line. Analysis of ABCG2 gene silencing also revealed the involvement of ABCG2 in the regulation of PpIX accumulation. Inhibitors of FECH and ABCG2, and their combination increased the efficiency of ALA-PDT even in the presence of FBS. ALA-PDT-induced cell death was accompanied by apoptotic events and lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that accumulation of PpIX is determined by the activities of ABCG2 and FECH and that treatment with a combination of their inhibitors improves the efficacy of PDT for oral cancer, especially in the presence of serum
Retrograde Jejuno-Jejunal Intussusception after Total Gastrectomy
An eighty-year-old female was transferred to the hospital after experiencing abdominal pain and nausea. She had had a history of total gastrectomy for gastric cancer 14 years previously. Abdominal X-ray revealed a localized expansion of the small bowel. Computed tomography revealed a mass with a lamellar structure in a concentric circle. With a tentative diagnosis of small bowel obstruction due to intussusception, she underwent emergency operation. Laparotomy revealed a retrograde jejuno-jejunal intussusception. Bowel resection was performed due to the severe ischemic damage. All reported intussusception cases after total gastrectomy displayed retrograde characteristics and could occur both during the early and late period after surgery. It is important to consider the possibility of intussusception for patients presenting with acute abdomen who have previously undergone gastric resection
Potential effect of the non-neuronal cardiac cholinergic system on hepatic glucose and energy metabolism
The vagus nerve belongs to the parasympathetic nervous system, which is involved in the regulation of organs throughout the body. Since the discovery of the non-neuronal cardiac cholinergic system (NNCCS), several studies have provided evidence for the positive role of acetylcholine (ACh) released from cardiomyocytes against cardiovascular diseases, such as sympathetic hyperreactivity-induced cardiac remodeling and dysfunction as well as myocardial infarction. Non-neuronal ACh released from cardiomyocytes is believed to regulate key physiological functions of the heart, such as attenuating heart rate, offsetting hypertrophic signals, maintaining action potential propagation, and modulating cardiac energy metabolism through the muscarinic ACh receptor in an auto/paracrine manner. Moreover, the NNCCS may also affect peripheral remote organs (e.g., liver) through the vagus nerve. Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) and NNCCS activate the central nervous system and afferent vagus nerve. RIPC affects hepatic glucose and energy metabolism through the central nervous system and vagus nerve. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms and potential factors responsible for NNCCS in glucose and energy metabolism in the liver
99mTc-Sn-colloid SPECT/CT in thoracic splenosis after esophageal cancer surgery
Splenosis occurs as a result of autotransplantation of splenic tissue following splenic injury or splenectomy. A 56-year-old man with esophageal cancer underwent thoracoscopic-assisted subtotal esophagectomy accompanied by three-field lymph node dissection, and retrosternal gastric tube reconstruction. The spleen was injured during the surgery and was removed. A retrosternal nodule of 12 mm in diameter was detected near the reconstructed gastric tube on computed tomography (CT) performed 3 years and 6 months postoperatively.Retrospectively, the nodule was observed in the same area on early postoperative CT and gradually increased in size. No accessory spleen was identified on the preoperative CT. Splenosis was suspected, and 99mTc-Sn-colloid single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT was performed. It revealed intense uptake in the retrosternal nodule, consistent with the diagnosis of thoracic splenosis. Subsequently, the patient has been under observation without treatment. 99mTc-labeled colloid SPECT/CT allowed confident diagnosis of thoracic splenosis following esophageal cancer surgery. This examination is considered valuable for the evaluation of ectopic splenic tissue
New application of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging for the assessment of deglutitive tongue movement
Background: Deglutitive motion of the tongue may function to maintain tooth position. However, the causation between abnormal patterns of orofacial muscle function and dental malocclusion remains unclear. To clarify the pathogenic mechanism of malocclusion, it is important to determine the relative positional relationship between the tongue tip and incisor edge or the dorsal tongue and palate during deglutition. Here, we assessed the utility of 3-T segmented cine-magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, combined with static MR images for hard tissue visualization, in assessing the relationship between the tongue and the surrounding tissues during deglutitive tongue movement.
Methods: Cine-MR images were acquired from three healthy female volunteers during deglutition who had no history of swallowing disorder or other chronic illness, normal alignment and occlusion, and a skeletal class I relationship. Three cine-MR images were taken during deglutition in accordance with an auditory cue for each volunteer. During static imaging, custom-made, contrast-medium-filled clear retainers were positioned in the mouth to allow visualization of the upper and lower incisors and hard palate boundaries. Static images were superimposed onto images of the three stages in deglutitive tongue movement, which were selected from a series of cine-MR images. These superimpositions were assessed five times by tracing cephalometric parameters to examine the reproducibility of the method.
Results: Traces varied little across repeated measurements, and all subjects had a similar pattern of dorsal tongue movement. Tongue-to-palate contact increased slightly during the first to second stage of swallowing and abruptly increased during the second to third stage, while the tongue tip position remained constant.
Conclusions: Segmented cine-MR imaging combined with static MR images is useful for assessing soft tissue motion during deglutition. This method is particularly useful in dentistry to evaluate the relationship between tongue function and maxillofacial morphology in terms of orthodontic treatment and orofacial myofunctional therapy, and for improving tongue movement during speech therapy
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