Plasma D-dimer levels and ischaemic lesions in multiple vascular regions can predict occult cancer in patients with cryptogenic stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cancer patients with cryptogenic stroke often have high plasma D-dimer levels and lesions in multiple vascular regions. Hence, if patients with cryptogenic stroke display such characteristics, occult cancer could be predicted. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics of cryptogenic stroke as the first manifestation of occult cancer and to determine whether plasma D-dimer levels and lesions in multiple vascular regions can predict occult cancer in patients with cryptogenic stroke. METHODS: Between January 2006 and October 2015, data on 1225 patients with acute ischaemic stroke were extracted from the stroke database of Osaka University Hospital. Among them, 184 patients were classified as having cryptogenic stroke, and 120 patients without a diagnosis of cancer at stroke onset were identified. Clinical variables were analyzed between cryptogenic stroke patients with and without occult cancer. RESULTS: Among 120 cryptogenic stroke patients without a diagnosis of cancer, 12 patients had occult cancer. The body mass index, hemoglobin levels and albumin levels were lower; plasma D-dimer and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were higher; and lesions in multiple vascular regions were more common in patients with than in those without occult cancer. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that plasma D-dimer levels (odds ratio, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.68-8.33; P = 0.002) and lesions in multiple vascular regions (odds ratio, 7.40; 95% confidence interval, 1.70-39.45; P = 0.01) independently predicted occult cancer. CONCLUSIONS: High plasma D-dimer levels and lesions in multiple vascular regions can be used to predict occult cancer in patients with cryptogenic stroke.

Impact of avalanche type of transport on internal transport barrier formation in tokamak plasmas.

In magnetic fusion plasmas, a transport barrier is essential to improve the plasma confinement. The key physics behind the formation of a transport barrier is the suppression of the micro-scale turbulent transport. On the other hand, long-range transport events, such as avalanches, has been recognized to play significant roles for global profile formations. In this study, we observed the impact of the avalanche-type of transport on the formation of a transport barrier for the first time. The avalanches are found to inhibit the formation of the internal transport barrier (ITB) observed in JT-60U tokamak. We found that (1) ITBs do not form in the presence of avalanches but form under the disappearance of avalanches, (2) the surface integral of avalanche-driven heat fluxe is comparable to the time rate change of stored energy retained at the ITB onset, (3) the mean E × B flow shear is accelerated via the ion temperature gradient that is not sustained under the existence of avalanches, and (4) after the ITB formation, avalanches are damped inside the ITB, while they remain outside the ITB.

Small ion-temperature-gradient scale length and reduced heat diffusivity at large hydrogen isotope mass in conventional H-mode plasmas.

The dependence of the ion-temperature-gradient scale length on the hydrogen isotope mass was examined in conventional H-mode plasmas in JT-60U tokamak. While identical profiles for density and temperature were obtained for hydrogen and deuterium plasmas, the ion conductive heat flux necessary for hydrogen to sustain the same ion temperature profile was two times that required for deuterium, resulting in a clearly higher ion heat diffusivity for hydrogen at the same ion-temperature-gradient scale length. On the other hand, the ion-temperature-gradient scale length for deuterium is less than that for hydrogen at a given ion heat diffusivity.

3D metal powder additive manufacturing phased array antenna for multichannel Doppler reflectometer.

Measuring the time variation of the wavenumber spectrum of turbulence is important for understanding the characteristics of high-temperature plasmas, and the application of a Doppler reflectometer with simultaneous multi-frequency sources is expected. To implement this diagnostic in future fusion devices, the use of a phased array antenna (PAA) that can scan microwave beams without moving antennas is recommended. Since the frequency-scanning waveguide leaky-wave antenna-type PAA has a complex structure, we have investigated its characteristics by modeling it with 3D metal powder additive manufacturing (AM). First, a single waveguide is fabricated to understand the characteristics of 3D AM techniques, and it is clear that there are differences in performance depending on the direction of manufacture and surface treatment. Then, a PAA is made, and it is confirmed that the beam can be emitted in any direction by frequency scanning. The plasma flow velocity can be measured by applying the 3D manufacturing PAA to plasma measurement.

Prediction of a single Gaussian shape of spectral line measured with low-dispersion spectrometer by using machine learning.

We have developed a denoising autoencoder based neural network (NN) method to determine a spectral line intensity with an uncertainty lower than the uncertainty determined by fitting the spectral line. The NN method processes the measured raw spectral line shape, providing a single Gaussian shape based on the training dataset, which consists of synthetically prepared Doppler shift and broadening free spectral lines in the present work. It is found that the uncertainty reduction level significantly depends on the training dataset. Limitations originating from the training dataset are also discussed.

Design of JT-60SA core Thomson scattering diagnostic system.

An incoherent Thomson scattering diagnostic will be installed in the JT-60SA tokamak to measure electron temperature and electron density profiles. The target radial spatial resolution is 25 mm with 46 spatial channels. The accuracy in electron temperature and density is a few percent at ne = 7.5 × 1019 m-3, which is the expected value in the plasma core. This paper presents the designs of collection optics, fibers with their alignment system, and polychromators. The collection optics overcomes unique issues for superconducting fusion devices, i.e., limited design space, high-temperature measurements, and harsh radiation condition. When in several years the more performing plasma will generate intense nuclear radiation, the lens materials of the optics can be replaced by radiation resistant glasses without major changes in the lens holder. It will prevent transmission degradation and keep stable measurement accuracy.

Observation of a complex multistage transition in the JT-60U H-mode edge.

A complex multistage transition of the edge radial electric field is observed in JT-60U H-mode phase without edge localized mode. An interesting feature is that the poloidal rotation velocity of the carbon impurity ions changes in the later H-phase without a comparable change in the main ion pressure gradient, indicating a change in the parallel momentum (and particle) balance channel.

Conceptual design of a collimator for the neutron emission profile monitor in JT-60SA using Monte Carlo simulations.

Materials and structures of a collimator for a new neutron emission profile monitor in JT-60SA are examined through Monte Carlo simulations using the Monte Carlo N-Particle transport code. First, the shielding properties of various material combinations are compared in order to determine a combination with high shielding performances against both neutrons and gamma-rays. It is found that a collimator consisting of borated polyethylene and lead has a high shielding performance against neutrons. Moreover, a high shielding performance against gamma-rays is obtained when a lead pipe with a radial thickness of 0.01 m is inserted into a collimation tube. Second, we demonstrate that it is possible to improve the spatial resolution to a desired level by installing a thin tubular extension structure that fits into the limited space available between the main collimator block and the tokamak device. Finally, the collimator structures that meet both the targeted spatial resolutions (<10% of the plasma minor radius) and the targeted counting rate (105 cps order) are discussed.

[Immune-enhancing diet (IED) for acute respiratory distress syndrome].

A 63-year-old man who was involved in a traffic accident was transferred to our hospital. He was unconscious and had a flail chest. On chest X-ray, he had a left hemopneumothorax and multiple rib fractures. After endotracheal intubation, a 16 Fr chest tube was immediately inserted, and drainage was started with negative pressure suction. Intravenous administration of sivelestat sodium hydrate and methylprednisolone was ineffective, but the Pao2/Fio2 ratio improved rapidly after enteral nutrition with an immune-enhancing diet (IED, Oxepa) was started. The patient was extubated on hospital day 34. This case suggests that an IED may be useful for the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Association between signal hyperintensity on T1-weighted MR imaging of carotid plaques and ipsilateral ischemic events.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate associations between cerebral ischemic events and signal hyperintensity in T1-weighted MR imaging (T1WI) of carotid plaque according to stenosis severity and to estimate persistence of T1WI signal hyperintensity. METHODS: A total of 222 patients (392 atherosclerotic carotid arteries) underwent plaque imaging using 3D inversion-recovery-based T1WI (magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition with gradient-echo [MPRAGE]). Carotid plaque with intensity on MPRAGE of >200% that of adjacent muscle was categorized as "high signal intensity" and correlated with ipsilateral ischemic events within the previous 6 months. A total of 58 arteries (35 patients) underwent repeat MR imaging a total of 70 times at a median interval of 279 days (range, 10-1037 days). RESULTS: Ipsilateral ischemic events were more frequent in patients with MPRAGE high signals than in patients with low signals in the 0%-29%, 30%-69%, and 70%-99% stenosis groups: Relative risk (95% confidence interval) was 2.50 (0.96-6.51), 7.55 (1.84-31.04), and 1.98 (1.01-3.90), respectively. In the 70 cases of repeat MR imaging, 29 of 30 cases with high signals on the preceding MR imaging maintained high signals. Of the 58 arteries that underwent repeat MR imaging, 4 of 22 carotid arteries with high signals developed ipsilateral subsequent ischemic events within 1 year, whereas none with low signals developed subsequent events. CONCLUSIONS: Carotid plaque signal hyperintensity on T1WI is strongly associated with previous ipsilateral ischemic events, persisting over a period of months, and may indicate risk of subsequent events. Larger clinical trials are warranted to clarify associations between signal hyperintensity and risk of subsequent cerebral ischemic events.

Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor acting on the brain improves detrusor overactivity caused by cerebral infarction in rats.

PURPOSE: The functional contribution of the cholinergic pathway in the frontal cortex to micturition was evaluated following cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, it was examined whether reactivation of this regulatory system using acetylcholinesterase inhibitor could improve detrusor overactivity. METHODS: Left middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed in female Sprague-Dawley rats. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activities after MCAO were assayed to assess the damage to cholinergic neurons. ChAT activities in the bilateral cortex, hippocampus, and pons were calculated by measuring the conversion of 1-[14C] acetyl-coenzyme A to [14C] acetylcholine. Effects on cystometrography of i.v. or i.c.v. donepezil hydrochloride (DON), a centrally acting acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, were investigated in conscious sham-operated (SO) and cerebral infarcted (CI) rats. To investigate whether DON in the forebrain was affected, we decerebrated rats after CI or SO, and investigated the effects on cystometrography of i.v. DON. RESULTS: Bladder capacity was markedly decreased after MCAO, and remained below half of the pre-occlusion capacity. The greatest increase in bladder capacity was attained at 1.2 x 10(-2) nM/kg of DON given i.v., with a change of 52.8% (P < 0.05). In cases of i.c.v. DON, the greatest increase in bladder capacity was at the dose of 6 x 10(-2) pmol with the change of 95.8% (P < 0.01). The activity of ChAT was decreased in the left cortex and hippocampus 24 h after MCAO (P < 0.05). In decerebrated rats, low dose of DON did not change micturition parameters. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that by upregulation of the forebrain muscarinic inhibitory mechanism, acetylcholinesterase inhibitor improves detrusor overactivity by cerebral infarction.

Identification of Antheridiogens in Lygodium circinnatum and Lygodium flexuosum.

Antheridiogens in two species of Schizaeaceous ferns, Lygodium circinnatum and Lygodium flexuosum, were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In L. circinnatum, gibberellin A73 (GA73) methyl ester (GA73-Me), which had originally been identified in L. japonicum, was identified as a principal antheridiogen, and the methyl esters of five known GAs (GA9, GA20, GA70, GA88, and 3-epi-GA88) were also identified as minor antheridiogens. In addition, four compounds corresponding to isomers of monohydroxy-GA73-Me were detected. One of these was shown to be 12[beta]-hydroxy-GA73-Me, the parent acid of which has been allocated the GA assignment GA96. The other three compounds, tentatively named X1, X2, and X3, have not been fully characterized. In L. flexuosum, GA73-Me was also identified as a major antheridiogen, with X2 being detected as a minor one. The total antheridium-formation activity in the culture medium of 7-week-old prothallia of L. circinnatum and L. flexuosum was more than 1000 times higher than that of L. japonicum. On the other hand, the response of gametophytes of the former two Lygodium ferns to GA73-Me was more than 100 times lower than that of L. japonicum.

Biosynthesis of GA73 Methyl Ester in Lygodium Ferns.

Biosynthesis of GA73 methyl ester (GA73-Me), the principal antheridiogen in Lygodium ferns, was investigated. From the methanol extract of prothallia of Lygodium circinnatum, GA25, GA73, GA73-Me, GA88-Me, and a few unknown GA73 derivatives were detected by GC-MS. Because the presence of GA25 suggests that GA24, a direct precursor of GA25, could also be present in L. circinnatum prothallia, we used feeding experiments to investigate the possibility that GA24 is a precursor of GA73-Me. In L. circinnatum prothallia, [2H2]GA24 was converted into [2H2]GA73-Me and a trace amount of [2H2]GA9-Me, whereas [2H3]GA9 was converted into [2H3]GA9-Me and [2H3]monohydroxy-GA9-Me. Because GA73-Me, GA9-Me, and their monohydroxy derivatives had been identified by GC-MS from the culture medium of L. circinnatum prothallia, our results suggest that GA73-Me is biosynthesized from GA24 via GA73, and that neither GA9 nor GA9-Me is a precursor of GA73-Me. Though the possibility had been suggested that GA73-Me is biosynthesized from 9,15-cyclo-GA9 (GA103), [2H2]GA103 was not converted into [2H2]GA73-Me.

Recycling of treated domestic effluent from an on-site wastewater treatment system for hydroponics.

An alternative method to conserve water and produce crops in arid regions is through hydroponics. Application of treated wastewater for hydroponics will help in stripping off nutrients from wastewater, maximising reuse through reduced evaporation losses, increasing control on quality of water and reducing risk of pathogen contamination. This study focuses on the efficiency of treated wastewater from an on-site aerobic wastewater treatment unit. The experiment aimed to investigate 1) nutrient reduction 2) microbial reduction and 3) growth rate of plants fed on wastewater compared to a commercial hydroponics medium. The study revealed that the chemical and microbial quality of wastewater after hydroponics was safe and satisfactory for irrigation and plant growth rate in wastewater hydroponics was similar to those grown in a commercial medium.

Novel point mutations in the steroid sulfatase gene in patients with X-linked ichthyosis: transfection analysis using the mutated genes.

X-linked ichthyosis is caused by steroid sulfatase deficiency which results from abnormalities in its coding gene. The majority of X-linked ichthyosis patients ( approximately 90%) have complete or partial deletions of the steroid sulfatase gene. In this study, we examined the mutations of the steroid sulfatase gene in two unrelated X-linked ichthyosis patients without complete deletion of the gene. Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing analyses showed that each patient has a different single base pair substitution within exon 8 encoding the C-terminal half of the steroid sulfatase polypeptide. Both mutations resulted in the transversion of functional amino acids: a G-->C substitution at nucleotide 1344, causing a predicted change of a glycine to an arginine, and a C-->T substitution at nucleotide 1371, causing a change from a glutamine to a stop codon. In vitro steroid sulfatase cDNA expression using site-directed mutagenesis revealed that these mutations are in fact pathogenic and reflect the levels of steroid sulfatase enzyme activities in each of the X-linked ichthyosis patients.

Induction of transcription factor AP-2 by inflammatory cytokines in human keratinocytes.

Activator protein-2 is an important transcription factor for the activation of a number of genes. Here we report the induction of activator protein-2 in response to inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 in keratinocytes. Immunoblotting and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays using normal human keratinocytes revealed that interleukin-6 caused a time- and concentration-dependent induction of activator protein-2 mRNA and protein. The increase of activator protein-2 mRNA was detected at 30 min after stimulation and that of activator protein-2 protein was at 2 h. Their levels were lower than the control levels at 24 h. The interleukin-6-dependent induction of activator protein-2 mRNA was completely blocked by adding actinomycin D, whereas it was approximately 50% affected by cycloheximide. Co-incubation with neutralizing antibodies against various inflammatory cytokines resulted in inhibition of the interleukin-6-dependent activator protein-2 induction at varying degrees, indicating an involvement of various cytokines in the activator protein-2 induction. The activator protein-2 induction was observed in keratinocytes derived from lesional skins with psoriasis or squamous cell carcinoma, and the high levels of activator protein-2 were histochemically detected in these lesions. Furthermore, a gel mobility shift assay using the nuclear extracts from interleukin-6-treated cells showed that interleukin-6 induced the functional activator protein-2 protein for the gene activation. These findings suggest a possible regulation mechanism of activator protein-2 through a complex cytokine system, which is conceivably the initial reaction leading to skin inflammation, and resultant keratinocyte growth and carcinogenesis.

Decrease in level of APG-2, a member of the heat shock protein 110 family, in murine brain following systemic administration of kainic acid.

APG-2 belongs to the heat shock protein 110 family. Although kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures are known to elicit expression of inducible heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the brain, no investigation has been carried out on the APG-2 level after excitatory amino acid-induced seizures. By means of an immunoblot assay, we determined the levels of HSP70 and APG-2 in discrete brain structures of mice after a single intraperitoneal injection of KA or N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA). APG-2 level was significantly decreased in frontal cortex, hippocampus, and striatum three days after the administration of KA, while HSP70 level was increased in these regions following the administration. In any of these regions, APG-2 levels were returned to the control levels 10 days after the administration. However, no significant changes were observed in levels of both HSP70 and APG-2 in hypothalamus, midbrain, medulla-pons, and cerebellum of the mice. By contrast, NMDA administration did not significantly affect both levels in any of the regions examined. These findings indicate that the transient decrease in APG-2 expression is one of the intracellular events elicited by signals peculiar to KA, but not by those peculiar to NMDA, in telencephalon of murine brain.