Multichannel quartz crystal microbalance

Arrays of quartz crystal resonators are fabricated on a single quartz wafer as a multichannel quartz crystal microbalance (MQCM). Three types of four-channel array of 10-MHz resonators are prepared and tested. Mechanical oscillation of each channel is entrapped within the channel almost completely, so that the interference between the channels via the quartz crystal plate is almost negligible. A mass change on each channel is quantitatively evaluated on the basis of Sauerbrey's law. Thus, each channel of a MQCM device can be used as an independent QCM. Influence from a longitudinal wave generated from another channel is also negligible compared to the influence from the wave from the monitored channel itself. The simultaneous oscillation of channels is also possible. The potential applicability of MQCM to the two-dimensional mapping of mass changes is demonstrated.

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.

[A case of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans cultured from blood in Japan]

We report a case of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans bacteremia in a 60-year-old-man. In our case, anaerobic blood culture bottle turned out positive after five days' incubation. Gram stain showed the presence of slightly-curved Gram negative rod. Suspecting Campylobacter and Helicobacter, we added microaerobic culture while tentatively reporting Campylobacter to the physician. We then added anaerobic culturing with Brucella HK (RS) Agar because microaerobic culture proved the absence of microaerophile. We found small colonies on the third day, then we started anaerobic culture and eventually identified Desulfovibrio desulfuricans. We believe this is the first report of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans cultured from blood in Japan. In case Gram stain shows the presence of spiral bacterium, it is recommended to observe closely considering Desulfovibrio.

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.

Measurement of type-I edge localized mode pulse propagation in scrape-off layer using optical system of motional Stark effect diagnostics in JT-60U

Propagation of plasma ejected by type-I edge localized mode (ELM) has been measured in scrape-off layer (SOL) of the JT-60U tokamak, using optical system of motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostics as beam emission spectroscopy (BES) diagnostics through a new technique developed. This MSE/BES system measures Dalpha emission from heating neutral beam excited by collisions with the ejected plasma, as well as background light (e.g., bremsstrahlung). While spatio-temporal change in the beam emission gives information on propagation of the ejected plasma, the background light that is observed simultaneously in all spatial channels veils the information. In order to separate the beam emission and the background light, a two-wavelength detector is newly introduced into the MSE/BES system. The detector observes simultaneously at the same spatial point in two distinct wavelengths using two photomultiplier tubes through two interference filters. One of the filters is adjusted to the central wavelength of the beam emission for the MSE diagnostics, and the other is outside the beam emission spectrum. Eliminating the background light, temporal change in the net beam emission in the SOL has been evaluated. Comparing conditionally averaged beam emission with respect to 594 ELMs in a discharge at five spatial channels (0.02-0.3 m outside the main plasma near equatorial plane), radial velocity of the ELM pulse propagation in SOL is evaluated to be 0.8-1.8 km/s (approximately 1.4 km/s for least-mean-squared fitting).

Rotation drive and momentum transport with electron cyclotron heating in tokamak plasmas

The role of electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) on the toroidal rotation velocity profile has been investigated in the JT-60U tokamak device by separating the effects of the change in momentum transport, the intrinsic rotation by pressure gradient, and the intrinsic rotation by ECRH. It is found that ECRH increases the toroidal momentum diffusivity and the convection velocity. It is also found that ECRH drives the codirection (co) intrinsic rotation inside the EC deposition radius and the counterdirection (ctr) intrinsic rotation outside the EC deposition radius. This ctr rotation starts from the EC deposition radius and propagates to the edge region.

[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.

Observation of an energetic-particle-driven instability in the wall-stabilized high-beta plasmas in the JT-60U tokamak

We have observed a bursting mode in the high-beta plasmas above the ideal beta limit without a conducting wall. The mode frequency is chirping down as the mode amplitude increases, and its initial value is close to the precession frequency of the trapped energetic particle from the perpendicular neutral beams. The mode structure is radially extended with a peak around the q = 2 surface. This mode can finally trigger the resistive wall mode (RWM) despite enough plasma rotation for RWM stabilization. It is concluded that the mode is driven by trapped energetic particles. The mode is attributed to the interaction between the trapped energetic particles and a marginally stable mode in the wall-stabilized high-beta_{N} region.

ECM1 interacts with fibulin-3 and the beta 3 chain of laminin 332 through its serum albumin subdomain-like 2 domain

The extracellular matrix protein 1 (ECM1) is an 85 kDa secreted glycoprotein, comprising four variants and playing a pivotal role in endochondral bone formation, angiogenesis, and tumour biology. A computational model for the three-dimensional structure of ECM1a was determined to identify the potential and/or concealed region(s) for binding with candidate partners in human skin. Multiple alignments for the secondary structure of ECM1a and b revealed similarity with serum albumin. The N-terminal domain of ECM1a consists mainly of alpha-helices (alphaD1), while the remaining three domains, namely serum albumin subdomain-like (SASDL) domains 2-4, were topologically comparable with the subdomain of the third serum albumin domain. Yeast-two-hybrid screening of a human foreskin cDNA library using both full-length ECM1a and the hot spot region for ECM1 gene mutations in lipoid proteinosis, an autosomal recessive genodermatosis (complete SASDL2 and the linker to SASDL3: aa177-aa361), as bait, isolated seven extracellular proteins. The site-specific interaction of ECM1a with two of these candidate binders, laminin 332 beta-3 chain and fibulin-3, was confirmed by in vitro and in vivo co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Immunohistologically both binders co-localized with ECM1 in human skin. Together, ECM1 is a multifunctional binding core and/or a scaffolding protein interacting with a variety of extracellular and structural proteins, contributing to the maintenance of skin integrity and homeostasis. Hence, disruption of the ECM1 function may cause the failure of multi-communication among the surrounding skin interstitial molecules, as seen in lipoid proteinosis pathology.

Magnetic fluctuation profile measurement using optics of motional Stark effect diagnostics in JT-60U

Motional Stark effect (MSE) diagnostics in JT-60U works as polarimeter to measure the pitch angle of magnetic field as well as beam-emission-spectroscopy (BES) monochromator simultaneously at 30 spatial channels. Fluctuation in the BES signal using MSE optics (MSE/BES) contains fluctuations in not only the density but also the pitch angle (or the magnetic field). Correlation analysis of the magnetic fluctuation between two spatial channels is applied to high-beta plasma with a magnetohydrodynamic activity at frequency of about 0.9 kHz. It has been found that the magnetic fluctuation measured by the MSE/BES is spatially localized near the magnetic flux surface having safety factor and that the phase of the fluctuation is inverted at about the surface, suggesting magnetic island structure by tearing mode. The phase of the magnetic fluctuation measured by the MSE/BES at outside of the q=2 surface is consistent with that by the pickup coil placed outside the plasma.

Transition between internal transport barriers with different temperature-profile curvatures in JT-60U Tokamak plasmas

A spontaneous transition phenomena between two states of a plasma with an internal transport barrier (ITB) is observed in the steady-state phase of the magnetic shear in the negative magnetic shear plasma in the JT-60U tokamak. These two ITB states are characterized by different profiles of the second radial derivative of the ion temperature inside the ITB region (one has a weak concave shape and the other has a strong convex shape) and by different degrees of sharpness of the interfaces between the L mode and the ITB region, which is determined by the turbulence penetration into the ITB region.

Role of pressure gradient on intrinsic toroidal rotation in tokamak plasmas

The toroidal plasma rotation generated by the external momentum input and by the plasma itself (intrinsic rotation) has been separated through a novel momentum transport analysis in the JT-60U tokamak device. The toroidal rotation, which is not determined by the momentum transport coefficients and the external momentum input, has been observed. It is found that this intrinsic rotation is locally determined by the local pressure gradient and increases with increasing pressure gradient. This trend is almost the same for various plasmas: low and high confinement mode, co and counterrotating plasmas.

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.