Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama2169-3536142026Programmable Clock Distribution Using Switching Matrices for Field Programmable Gate Arrays5264152653ENAyumuOguraOkayama UniversityMinoruWatanabeOkayama UniversityNobuyaWatanabeOkayama UniversityEvery digital systems using very large scale integration require clock distributions, for which a dedicated clock tree or a mesh clock is frequently used. Field programmable gate arrays have numerous general-purpose programmable wires based on switching matrices to connect the outputs and inputs of look-up tables and input–output ports. However, field programmable gate arrays never use numerous general-purpose programmable wires for their clock distributions to satisfy the clock skew margin similarly to very large scale integrations. Field programmable gate arrays also use dedicated clock trees, although their programmability is not high. Currently, field programmable gate arrays can support multiple dedicated clock routing or multiple clock trees. Unfortunately, the number of clock trees is fixed. They remain limited to a small number. Even if an application requires many clock distributions, such a clock distribution cannot be supported in current field programmable gate arrays. This paper therefore presents a proposal of a more flexible clock distribution method based on wiring channels and switching matrices. The method uses general-purpose programmable wires. In addition, to resolve clock skew increase difficulties, we have introduced a new flip-flop with a two-phase clock signal. This paper presents simulation results obtained using the proposed clock distribution method on an originally designed field programmable gate array. In addition, experimentally obtained results indicate that the proposed clock distribution method can function correctly on a Cyclone V field programmable gate array.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Frontiers Media SAActa Medica Okayama2673-253X82026Development of a generative AI agent for family support in implementing family-based treatment for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa1759690ENManaHanzawaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenJoeHaseiDepartment of Medical Informatics and Clinical Support Technology Development, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAyumiOkadaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenChieTanakaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenYoshieShigeyasuDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenChikakoFujiiDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenMakikoHoriuchiClinical Psychology Section, Department of Medical Support, Okayama University HospitalAkikoSugiharaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenKoichiTakeuchiLife Natural Science and Technology, Graduate School of Environmental, Okayama UniversityRyuichiNakaharaDepartment of Musculoskeletal Health Promotion, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHidekiKatayamaDepartment of Palliative and Supportive Care, Okayama University HospitalYasushiTakahashiNEC CorporationToshifumiOzakiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHirokazuTsukaharaDepartment of Pediatrics, Okayama University Hospital Medical Center for ChildrenIntroduction: Family-based treatment (FBT) is a first-line psychotherapy for children and adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN). However, families must understand the principles of FBT, provide meal support, and manage their children's pathological behaviors. Difficulties occur outside clinic hours when it is impossible to consult professionals. This “support gap” increases caregivers’ psychological distress and threatens their treatment continuity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first domain-specific generative artificial intelligence (AI) agent designed to provide situation-specific, FBT-concordant advice and psychological support.<br>
Methods: The system integrates three components: (1) an FBT-specific knowledge base constructed from treatment manuals, family guides, guideline-compliant resources, and a clinical Q&A corpus; (2) a multistage natural language processing pipeline using Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG), with intent and sentiment analyses; and (3) safety guardrails that prohibit unsolicited numerical goals or direct hospitalization recommendations and standardized escalation to clinicians. When strong negative emotions are detected, empowerment messages are dynamically incorporated to maintain caregivers’ confidence. Six clinicians with expertise with pediatric mental health authored queries that simulated common FBT-related concerns and evaluated each response for clinical appropriateness and safety, and classified problems as information insufficiency, not FBT concordant, or escalation insufficiency.<br>
Results: Of the 477 queries, 57.0% were FBT-related, 24.5% were general AN, 16.5% were parental psychological distress, and 1.8% were related to other topics. The clinically appropriate response rate was 91.6% (437/477), including 92.3% for FBT-related questions, 88.0% for general knowledge, 93.7% for psychological distress, and 100.0% for other questions. Clinically inappropriate responses (8.4%) were mainly attributable to information insufficiency; not FBT concordant (1.8% of FBT-related responses) and escalation insufficiency (0.6% of all dialogs) rarely occurred.<br>
Discussion: In this expert review, the safety-gated RAG system predominantly generated FBT-concordant responses that provided meal-level guidance and empathic empowerment-oriented support to families. By proceduralizing complex FBT concepts and presenting multiple response options for pathological behaviors, the system translates FBT principles into practical guidance supporting refeeding adherence, preserving family self-efficacy, and suggesting that domain-specific AI may help bridge structural limitations in FBT. Usability studies and randomized controlled trials are warranted to determine their impact on caregiver burden, self-efficacy, treatment adherence, and clinical outcomes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学大学院社会文化科学研究科Acta Medica Okayama1881-1671602025「有翼の天女図」十三考― 竹内栖鳳による東本願寺御影堂門の天井画とその周辺 ―(21)(39)ENYukoTATSUNO/10.18926/70033No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Springer Science and Business Media LLCActa Medica Okayama2168-818417102025Bladder Trigone as a Sensory Hub: A Narrative Reviewe94951ENTakuyaSadahiraDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYukiMaruyamaDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYosukeMitsuiDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakanoriSekitoDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomofumiWatanabeDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasamiWatanabeDepartment of Urology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesThe bladder trigone is an anatomically and functionally distinct region within the lower urinary tract (LUT), characterized by a dense network of afferent sensory fibers, specialized urothelial interactions, and prominent mechanotransduction mechanisms. Its intricate neuroarchitecture enables precise detection of bladder filling and coordination of micturition, whereas dysregulation of these pathways contributes to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including urgency, frequency, and bladder pain. Despite its recognized clinical relevance, the structural and functional basis of trigonal sensory signaling - and its role - remain incompletely understood.<br>
This review synthesizes current evidence on trigonal afferent organization, integrating data from anatomical mapping, receptor profiling, electrophysiological characterization, and translational research. Seminal anatomical observations are combined with recent advances in mechanotransduction and purinergic, peptidergic, and transient receptor potential (TRP) signaling to provide a comprehensive perspective. The trigone exhibits three principal afferent classes: (1) intraepithelial fibers penetrating umbrella cells, marked by P2X purinoceptor 3 (P2X3), transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and substance P (SP); (2) subepithelial plexuses surrounding microvasculature, enriched in vasoactive neuropeptides and exhibiting plastic hypertrophy in overactive bladder (OAB) and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS); and (3) encapsulated corpuscular endings at the lamina propria-detrusor junction, expressing PIEZO1/2 and acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) for rapid adaptation. In trigeminal dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, high expression of PIEZO2, P2RX3, and voltage-gated sodium channel, type 1.8 (Nav1.8) was observed, revealing their role as the foundation for multisensory information processing. Functional assays highlight distinct mechanotransductive and chemosensory pathways, with aging, inflammation, and neurotrophic factors driving afferent plasticity underlying abnormal bladder sensation, such as urgency, frequency, and pain. Early clinical trials of P2X3 antagonists and intravesical TRPV1 inhibitors demonstrate promising symptomatic benefits. Collectively, evidence positions the bladder trigone as a critical sensory hub where neuronal, urothelial, and immune signals converge to regulate bladder sensation. Understanding its molecular and structural specialization may inform the development of region-specific neuromodulatory therapies targeting sensory urgency and afferent-driven bladder dysfunction.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7952025Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Patterns Identified by Unsupervised Machine Learning and Their Associations with Subclinical Cerebral and Renal Damage in a Japanese Community: The Masuda Study369379ENTakashiHisamatsuDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMinakoKinutaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSosukeMunetomoDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMariFukudaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKatsuhideKojimaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama University HospitalKaoriTaniguchiDepartment of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Izumo, Shimane University Faculty of MedicineNorikoNakahataDepartment of Health and Nutrition, The University of Shimane Faculty of Nursing and NutritionHideyukiKandaDepartment of Public Health, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/69438We applied unsupervised machine learning to analyze blood pressure (BP) and resting heart rate (HR) patterns measured during a 1-year period to assess their cross-sectional relationships with subclinical cerebral and renal target damage. Dimension reduction via uniform manifold approximation and projection, followed by K-means++ clustering, was used to categorize 362 community-dwelling participants (mean age, 56.2 years; 54.9% women) into three groups: Low BP and Low HR (Lo-BP/Lo-HR), High BP and High HR (Hi-BP/Hi-HR), and Low BP and High HR (Lo-BP/Hi-HR). Cerebral vessel lesions were defined as the presence of at least one of the following magnetic resonance imaging findings: lacunar infarcts, white matter hyperintensities, cerebral microbleeds, or intracranial artery stenosis. A high urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was defined as the top 10% (≥ 12 mg/g) of the mean value from ≥2 measurements. Poisson regression with robust error variance, adjusted for demographics, lifestyle, and medical history, showed that the Hi-BP/Hi-HR group had relative risks of 3.62 (95% confidence interval, 1.75-7.46) for cerebral vessel lesions and 3.58 (1.33-9.67) for high UACR, and the Lo-BP/Hi-HR group had a relative risk of 3.09 (1.12-8.57) for high UACR, compared with the Lo-BP/Lo-HR group. These findings demonstrate the utility of an unsupervised, data-driven approach for identifying physiological patterns associated with subclinical target organ damage.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)Acta Medica Okayama2169-3536132025Security in Post-Quantum Era: A Comprehensive Survey on Lattice-Based Algorithms8900389024ENHienNguyenSchool of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversitySamsulHudaInterdisciplinary Education and Research Field, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityTuy TanNguyenSchool of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona UniversityLattice-based post-quantum cryptography (PQC) has attracted significant attention as a promising solution to the security challenges posed by quantum computing. Unlike traditional cryptographic algorithms, lattice-based schemes are expected to remain secure even in the presence of quantum attacks, making them essential for securing future data. Despite their strong theoretical foundations, lattice-based schemes face several practical challenges, particularly in optimizing performance and scalability for real-world applications. This survey provides a novel taxonomy that categorizes lattice-based PQC designs, with an emphasis on computational paradigms and security considerations. We systematically evaluate lattice-based PQC implementations across both software platforms, including central processing units and graphics processing units, as well as hardware platforms like field-programmable gate arrays and application-specific integrated circuits, highlighting their strengths and limitations. In addition, we explore the practical applications of lattice-based cryptography in fields such as secure communication, critical infrastructure, privacy-preserving data analytics, artificial intelligence, and trust and authentication systems. By offering a comprehensive overview of the current state of lattice-based PQC, this survey aims to provide valuable insights into the ongoing advancements and future research directions in the field as we transition to a post-quantum era.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama0094-24055282025Commissioning of respiratory‐gated 4D dynamic dose calculations for various gating widths without spot timestamp in proton pencil beam scanninge18026ENYukiTominagaDepartment of Radiotherapy, Medical Co. Hakuhokai, Osaka Proton Therapy ClinicYushiWakisakaDepartment of Radiotherapy, Medical Co. Hakuhokai, Osaka Proton Therapy ClinicTakahiroKatoDepartment of Radiological Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Fukushima Medical UniversityMasayaIchiharaMedical Physics Laboratory, Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of OsakaKeisukeYasuiSchool of Medical Sciences, Fujita Health UniversityMotoharuSasakiGraduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima UniversityMasatakaOitaFaculty of Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering in Health Systems, Okayama UniversityTeijiNishioMedical Physics Laboratory, Division of Health Science, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of OsakaBackground: Proton pencil beam scanning (PBS) is susceptible to dose degradation because of interplay effects on moving targets. For cases of unacceptable motion, respiratory-gated (RG) irradiation is an effective alternative to free breathing (FB) irradiation. However, the introduction of RG irradiation with larger gate widths (GW) is hindered by interplay effects, which are analogous to those observed with FB irradiation. Accurate estimation of interplay effects can be performed by recording spot timestamps. However, our machine lacks this feature, making it imperative to find an alternative approach. Thus, we developed an RG 4-dimensional dynamic dose (RG-4DDD) system without spot timestamps.<br>
Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the accuracy of calculated doses from the RG-4DDD system for PBS plans with varying breathing curves, amplitudes, and periods for 10%–50% GW.<br>
Methods: RG-4DDDs were reconstructed using in-house developed software that assigned timestamps to individual spots, integrated start times for spills with breathing curves, and utilized deformable registrations for dose accumulation. Three cubic verification plans were created using a heterogeneous phantom. Additionally, typical liver and lung cases were employed for patient plan validation. Single- and multi-field-optimized (SFO and IMPT) plans (ten beams in total) were created for the liver and lung cases in a homogeneous phantom. Lateral profile measurements were obtained under both motion and no-motion conditions using a 2D ionization chamber array (2D-array) and EBT3 Gafchromic films on the CIRS dynamic platform. Breathing curves from the cubic plans were used to assess nine patterns of sine curves, with amplitudes of 5.0–10.0 mm (10.0–20.0 mm target motions) and periods of 3–6 sec. Patient field verifications were conducted using a representative patient curve with an average amplitude of 6.4 mm and period of 3.2 sec. Additional simulations were performed assuming a ± 10% change in assigned timestamps for the dose rate (DR), spot spill (0.08-s), and gate time delay (0.1-s) to evaluate the effect of parameter selection on our 4DDD models. The 4DDDs were compared with measured values using the 2D gamma index and absolute doses over that required for dosing 95% of the target.<br>
Results: The 2D-array measurements showed that average gamma scores for the reference (no motion) and 4DDD plans for all GWs were at least 99.9 ± 0.2% and 98.2 ± 2.4% at 3%/3 mm, respectively. The gamma scores of the 4DDDs in film measurements exceeded 95.4% and 92.9% at 2%/2 mm for the cubic and patient plans, respectively. The 4DDD calculations were acceptable under DR changes of ±10% and both spill and gate time delays of ±0.18 sec. For the 4DDD plan using all GWs for all measurement points, the absolute point differences for all validation plans were within ±5.0% for 99.1% of the points.<br>
Conclusions: The RG-4DDD calculations (less than 50% GW) of the heterogeneous and actual patient plans showed good agreement with measurements for various breathing curves in the amplitudes and periods described above. The proposed system allows us to evaluate actual RG irradiation without requiring the ability to record spot timestamps.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama0031-931717742025CNGC2 Negatively Regulates Stomatal Closure and Is Not Required for flg22- and H2O2-Induced Guard Cell [Ca2+]cyt Elevation in Arabidopsis thalianae70396ENRojinaAkterGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityYasuhiroInoueGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversitySaoriMasumotoFaculty of Agriculture, Okayama UniversityYoshiharuMimataGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityTakakazuMatsuuraInstitute of Plant Science and Resources, Okayama UniversityIzumi C.MoriToshiyukiNakamuraGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityYoshimasaNakamuraGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityYoshiyukiMurataGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityShintaroMunemasaGraduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityIn guard cells, cytosolic Ca2+ acts as a second messenger that mediates abscisic acid (ABA)- and pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP)-induced stomatal closure. It was reported that Arabidopsis cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channel 2 (CNGC2) functions as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)- and PAMP-activated Ca2+-permeable channels at the plasma membrane of mesophyll cells and mediates Ca2+-dependent PAMP-triggered immunity. In this study, we examined the role of CNGC2 in the regulation of stomatal movement because CNGC2 is also expressed in guard cells. We found that stomata of the CNGC2 disruption mutant cngc2-3 are constitutively closed even in the absence of ABA or the flagellar-derived PAMP, flg22. Consistently, leaf temperatures of the cngc2-3 mutant were higher than those of wild-type (WT) plants. The stomatal phenotype of the cngc2-3 mutant was restored by complementation with wild-type CNGC2 under the control of the guard cell preferential promoter, pGC1. Elevation of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in guard cells induced by flg22 and H2O2 remained intact in the cngc2-3 mutant. The introduction of the ost1-3 mutation into the cngc2-3 background did not alter the stomatal phenotype. However, the stomatal phenotype of the cngc2-3 mutant was successfully rescued in the double disruption mutant cngc2-3aba2-2. Taken together, these results suggest that CNGC2 negatively regulates stomatal closure response and does not function as flg22– and H2O2-activated Ca2+ channels in guard cells. Though CNGC2 is responsive for H2O2- and flg22-induced [Ca2+]cyt elevation in mesophyll cells, the involvement of CNGC2 in the response to H2O2 and flg22 in guard cells is questionable.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7832024Effect of Lipopolysaccharide on the Duration of Zolpidem-Induced Loss of Righting Reflex in Mice227235ENYudaiWadaDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSoichiroUshioDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalYoshihisaKitamuraDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshitoZamamiDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiakiSendoDepartment of Clinical Pharmacy, Okayama University, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/67197Zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, is primarily used to treat insomnia. In a previous study, pior treatment with non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists was associated with inflammation. The present study aimed to clarify the association between the effects of zolpidem and inflammation in mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a known model of inflammation. We assessed the zolpidem-induced loss of righting reflex (LORR) duration 24 h after LPS treatment in mice. Additionally, the expressions of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptor subunit and K+-Cl− cotransporter isoform 2 (KCC2) mRNA in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were examined in LPS-treated mice. Pretreatment with LPS was associated with significantly prolonged duration of zolpidem-induced LORR compared to control mice. This effect was significantly attenuated by administering bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, or flumazenil, a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, in LPS-treated mice. Compared to controls, LPS-treated mice showed no significant change in the expression of GABAA receptor subunits in the hippocampus or frontal cortex. Bumetanide, an Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter isoform 1 blocker, attenuated the extended duration of zolpidem-induced LORR observed in LPS-treated mice. LPS significantly decreased Kcc2 mRNA expression in the hippocampus and the frontal cortex. These findings suggest that inflammation increases zolpidem-induced LORR, possibly through a reduction in KCC2 expression.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Optica Publishing GroupActa Medica Okayama1094-408731232023Optical multi-context scrubbing operation on a redundant system3852938539ENKakeruAndoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMinoruWatanabeFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityNobuyaWatanabeFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityThis paper presents a proposal of the world-first optical multi-context scrubbing operation on a redundant system that can maintain the state of a sequential circuit and the operation continuously without any interruption on a radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate array even after a permanent failure suddenly happens on the sequential circuit or a flip-flop by radiation. Up to now, a high-speed optical scrubbing operation has been demonstrated on a radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate array. In addition, a multi-context scrubbing operation based on the high-speed optical scrubbing operation has already been demonstrated. Although the multi-context scrubbing operation presents the benefit that it can treat both soft errors and permanent failures caused by radiation simultaneously, the conventional contributions have never presented how to maintain the state of a sequential circuit after a permanent failure occurs on flip-flops. Therefore, in the conventional multi-context scrubbing operation, all the operations must be restarted from the initial condition each time a permanent failure occurs on a programmable gate array. As a result, conventional multi-context scrubbing operations could not be applied for real-time systems. The proposed optical multi-context scrubbing method that can solve the issue has been experimentally evaluated on a radiation-hardened optically reconfigurable gate array.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Japanese Society of Internal MedicineActa Medica Okayama0918-291862122023Antimicrobials in the Hospital Are Unevenly Discontinued on Weekdays17391742ENHideharuHagiyaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMikaUnoDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTsukasaHigashionnaDepartment of Pharmacy, Okayama University HospitalHiroyukiHondaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFumioOtsukaDepartment of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesObjective Amid the global spread of antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship should be further promoted in the clinical setting. Our previous study suggested an intra-week disproportion of discontinuation of broad-spectrum antibiotics. We therefore explored the generalization of this prescription trend by investi-gating the use of all intravenous antibiotics.<br>
Methods A retrospective, observational study.<br>
Patients Between January 1, 2018, and December 31, 2020, we collected data on the initiation and discon-tinuation of intravenous antimicrobials on each day of the week and on days after holidays at Okayama Uni-versity Hospital, Japan. We compared the monthly antimicrobial prescription initiation and discontinuation using the Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U-test with Bonferroni correction as a post-hoc procedure.<br>
Results Data from 15,293 hospitalized cases were analyzed. The initiation of antimicrobials differed slightly among days of the week, although this trend was clinically insignificant. Compared with the initia-tions, antimicrobial discontinuations were disproportionately biased among the weekdays, tending to occur on Mondays (p<0.001) about twice as often as on other days. Similarly, antimicrobials were unevenly discontin-ued on the day after holidays compared to other days (p<0.001), with an approximately 2-fold difference. The use of antimicrobials in the hospital was thus unequally terminated on weekdays.<br>
Conclusion To further promote antimicrobial stewardship, clinicians should be aware of the influence of behavioral, environmental, and social factors on antimicrobial prescription, which is seemingly beyond medi-cal indications.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.nature portfolioActa Medica Okayama2045-23221312023A blue-shifted anion channelrhodopsin from the Colpodellida alga Vitrella brassicaformis6974ENKeiichiKojimaFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityShihoKawanishiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYosukeNishimuraResearch Center for Bioscience and Nanoscience (CeBN), Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)MasumiHasegawaInstitute for Extra‑Cutting‑Edge Science and Technology Avant‑Garde Research (X‑Star)ShinNakaoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYuyaNagataGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversitySusumuYoshizawaAtmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of TokyoYukiSudoFaculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMicrobial rhodopsins, a family of photoreceptive membrane proteins containing the chromophore retinal, show a variety of light-dependent molecular functions. Channelrhodopsins work as light-gated ion channels and are widely utilized for optogenetics, which is a method for controlling neural activities by light. Since two cation channelrhodopsins were identified from the chlorophyte alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, recent advances in genomic research have revealed a wide variety of channelrhodopsins including anion channelrhodopsins (ACRs), describing their highly diversified molecular properties (e.g., spectral sensitivity, kinetics and ion selectivity). Here, we report two channelrhodopsin-like rhodopsins from the Colpodellida alga Vitrella brassicaformis, which are phylogenetically distinct from the known channelrhodopsins. Spectroscopic and electrophysiological analyses indicated that these rhodopsins are green- and blue-sensitive pigments (lambda(max) = similar to 550 and similar to 440 nm) that exhibit light-dependent ion channeling activities. Detailed electrophysiological analysis revealed that one of them works as a monovalent anion (Cl-, Br- and NO3-) channel and we named it V. brassicaformis anion channelrhodopsin-2, VbACR2. Importantly, the absorption maximum of VbACR2 (similar to 440 nm) is blue-shifted among the known ACRs. Thus, we identified the new blue-shifted ACR, which leads to the expansion of the molecular diversity of ACRs.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.nature portfolioActa Medica Okayama2045-23221312023Semiconductor-metal transition in Bi2Se3 caused by impurity doping537ENTakakiUchiyamaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHidenoriGotoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityEriUesugiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityAkihisaTakaiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityLeiZhiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityAkariMiuraResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityShinoHamaoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityRitsukoEguchiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHiromiOtaAdvanced Science Research Center, Okayama UniversityKunihisaSugimotoFaculty of Science and Engineering, Kindai UniversityAkihikoFujiwaraDepartment of Nanotechnology for Sustainable Energy, Kwansei Gakuin UniversityFumihikoMatsuiInstitute for Molecular Science, UVSOR Synchrotron FacilityKojiKimuraDepartment of Physical Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of TechnologyKouichiHayashiDepartment of Physical Science and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of TechnologyTeppeiUenoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKayaKobayashiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityJunAkimitsuResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroKubozonoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityDoping a typical topological insulator, Bi2Se3, with Ag impurity causes a semiconductor-metal (S-M) transition at 35 K. To deepen the understanding of this phenomenon, structural and transport properties of Ag-doped Bi2Se3 were studied. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) showed no structural transitions but slight shrinkage of the lattice, indicating no structural origin of the transition. To better understand electronic properties of Ag-doped Bi2Se3, extended analyses of Hall effect and electric-field effect were carried out. Hall effect measurements revealed that the reduction of resistance was accompanied by increases in not only carrier density but carrier mobility. The field-effect mobility is different for positive and negative gate voltages, indicating that the E-F is located at around the bottom of the bulk conduction band (BCB) and that the carrier mobility in the bulk is larger than that at the bottom surface at all temperatures. The pinning of the E-F at the BCB is found to be a key issue to induce the S-M transition, because the transition can be caused by depinning of the E-F or the crossover between the bulk and the top surface transport.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.ElsevierActa Medica Okayama2405-6316252023Patient-specific respiratory motion management using lung tumors vs fiducial markers for real-time tumor-tracking stereotactic body radiotherapy100405ENYoshinoriTanabeFaculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityMichiruKiritaniFacilty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical SchoolTomomiDeguchiFacilty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical SchoolNanamiHiraFacilty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical SchoolSyoutaTomimotoFacilty of Health Sciences, Okayama University Medical SchoolBackground and purpose: In real-time lung tumor-tracking stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), tracking accuracy is related to radiotherapy efficacy. This study aimed to evaluate the respiratory movement relationship between a lung tumor and a fiducial marker position in each direction using four-dimensional (4D) computed tomography (CT) images.<br>
Materials and methods: A series of 31 patients with a fiducial marker for lung SBRT was retrospectively analyzed using 4DCT. In the upper (UG) and middle and lower lobe groups (MLG), the cross-correlation coefficients of respiratory movement between the lung tumor and fiducial marker position in four directions (anterior–posterior, left–right, superior–inferior [SI], and three-dimensional [3D]) were calculated for each gating window (≤1, ≤2, and ≤ 3 mm). Subsequently, the proportions of phase numbers in unplanned irradiation (with lung tumors outside the gating window and fiducial markers inside the gating window) were calculated for each gating window.<br>
Results: In the SI and 3D directions, the cross-correlation coefficients were significantly different between UG (mean r = 0.59, 0.63, respectively) and MLG (mean r = 0.95, 0.97, respectively). In both the groups, the proportions of phase numbers in unplanned irradiation were 11 %, 28 %, and 63 % for the ≤ 1-, ≤2-, and ≤ 3-mm gating windows, respectively.<br>
Conclusions: Compared with MLG, fiducial markers for UG have low cross-correlation coefficients between the lung tumor and the fiducial marker position. Using 4DCT to assess the risk of unplanned irradiation in a gating window setting and selecting a high cross-correlation coefficient fiducial marker in advance are important for accurate treatment using lung SBRT.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier B.V.Acta Medica Okayama24056316242022Statistical evaluation of the effectiveness of dual amplitude-gated stereotactic body radiotherapy using fiducial markers and lung volume8287ENYoshinoriTanabeDepartment of Radiological Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityHidekazuTanakaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of MedicineBackground and purpose: The low tracking accuracy of lung stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) risks reduced treatment efficacy. We used four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) images to determine the correlation between changes in fiducial marker positions and lung volume for lung tumors, and we evaluated the effectiveness of the combined use of these images in lung SBRT.<br>
Materials and methods: Data of 30 patients who underwent fiducial marker placement were retrospectively analyzed. We calculated the motion amplitudes of the center of gravity coordinates of the lung tumor and fiducial markers in each phase and the ipsilateral, contralateral, and bilateral lung volumes using 4DCT. Moreover, we calculated the cross-correlation coefficient between the fiducial marker position and the lung volume changes waveform for the motion amplitude waveform of the lung tumor over three gating windows (all phases, ≤2 mm3, and ≤3 mm3).<br>
Results: Compared with the lung volume, approximately 30 % of the fiducial markers demonstrated a low correlation with the lung tumor. In the ≤2 mm3 and ≤3 mm3 gating windows, the cross-correlation coefficients between the lung tumor and the optimal marker (r > 0.9: 83 % and 86 %) were significantly different for all fiducial markers (r > 0.9: 39 %, 53 %) and the ipsilateral (r > 0.9: 35 % and 40 %), contralateral (r > 0.9: 44 % and 41 %), and bilateral (r > 0.9: 39 % and 45 %) lung volumes.<br>
Conclusions: Some of the fiducial markers showed a low correlation with the lung tumor. This study indicated that the combined use of lung volume monitoring can improve tracking accuracy.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.American Chemical Society (ACS)Acta Medica Okayama1520-6106126382022Roles of the Flexible Primary Coordination Sphere of the Mn4CaOx Cluster: What Are the Immediate Decay Products of the S-3 State?72127228ENHiroshiIsobeResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityMitsuoShojiCenter for Computational Science, University of Tsukuba,TakayoshiSuzukiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityJian-RenShenResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKizashiYamaguchiInstitute for NanoScience Design, Osaka UniversityThe primary coordination sphere of the multinuclear cofactor (Mn4CaOx) in the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II is absolutely conserved to maintain its structure and function. Recent time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography identified large reorganization of the primary coordination sphere in the S-2 to S-3 transition, which elicits a cascade of events involving Mn oxidation and water molecule binding to a putative catalytic Mn site. We examined how the crystallographic fields, created by transient conformational states of the OEC at various time points, affect the thermodynamics of various isomers of the Mn cluster using DFT calculations, with an aim of comprehending the functional roles of the flexible primary coordination sphere in the S-2 to S-3 transition and in the recovery of the S-2 state. The results show that the relative movements of surrounding residues change the size and shape of the cavity of the cluster and thereby affect the thermodynamics of various catalytic intermediates as well as the ability to capture a new water molecule at a coordinatively unsaturated site. The implication of these findings is that the protein dynamics may serve to gate the catalytic reaction efficiently by controlling the sequence of Mn oxidation/reduction and water binding/release. This interpretation is consistent with EPR experiments; g similar to 5 and g similar to 3 signals obtained after near-infrared (NIR) excitation of the S-3 state at 4 K and a g similar to 5 only signal produced after prolonged incubation of the S-3 state at 77 K can be best explained as originating from water-bound S-2 clusters (S-total = 7/2) under a S-3 ligand field, i.e., the immediate one-electron reduction products of the oxyl-oxo (S-total = 6) and hydroxo-oxo (S-total = 3) species in the S-3 state.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7652022Current Insights into Mesenchymal Signatures in Glioblastoma489502ENYujiMatsumotoDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesTomotsuguIchikawaDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalKazuhikoKurozumiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hamamatsu University HospitalIsaoDateDepartment of Neurological Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesReview10.18926/AMO/64024Glioblastoma (GBM) is a fatal primary malignant brain tumor in adults. Despite decades of research, the prognosis for GBM patients is still disappointing. One major reason for the intense therapeutic resistance of GBM is inter- and intra-tumor heterogeneity. GBM-intrinsic transcriptional profiling has suggested the presence of at least three subtypes of GBM: the proneural, classic, and mesenchymal subtypes. The mesenchymal subtype is the most aggressive, and patients with the mesenchymal subtype of primary and recurrent tumors tend to have a worse prognosis compared with patients with the other subtypes. Furthermore, GBM can shift from other subtypes to the mesenchymal subtype over the course of disease progression or recurrence. This phenotypic transition is driven by diverse tumor-intrinsic molecular mechanisms or microenvironmental factors. Thus, better understanding of the plastic nature of mesenchymal transition in GBM is pivotal to developing new therapeutic strategies. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding of the elements involved in the mesenchymal transition of GBM and discuss future perspectives.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X76420225-Nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) Benzoic Acid Inhibits the Proliferation and Migration of Lens Epithelial Cells by Blocking CaMKII Signaling415421ENHaijunKangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalDongmeiHuangDepartment of Cardiovascular, Suining Central HospitalGangjinKangDepartment of Ophthalmology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical UniversityXuYangDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalHengLiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalSiyuanLiuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalWenjunGouDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalLinglinLiuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalYuyanQiuDepartment of Ophthalmology, Suining Central HospitalOriginal Article/10.18926/AMO/63896Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a post-surgery complication of cataract surgery, and lens epithelial cells (LECs) are involved in its development. A suppressive effect on LECs is exerted by the non specific chloride channel inhibitor 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino) benzoic acid (NPPB) exerts. Herein, the growth and migration inhibitory effects of NPPB on LECs were assessed, and the mechanism underlying the effects were investigated by focusing on Ca2+/CaMKII signaling. LECs were treated with different concentrations of NPPB, and the changes in cell viability, cell-cycle distribution, anchorage-dependent growth, migration, Ca2+ level, and CaMKII expression were evaluated. NPPB inhibited LECs’ proliferation and induced G1 cell-cycle arrest in the cells. Regarding LECs’ mobility, NPPB suppressed the cells’ anchorage-dependent growth ability and inhibited their migration. Changes in cell phenotypes were associated with an increased intracellular Ca2+ level and down-regulation of CaMKII. Together these results confirmed the inhibitory effect of NPPB on the proliferation and migration of LECs, and the effect was shown to be associated with the induced level of Ca2+ and the inhibition of CaMKII signaling transduction.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7632022Intrathecal Administration of the α1 Adrenergic Antagonist Phentolamine Upregulates Spinal GLT-1 and Improves Mirror Image Pain in SNI Model Rats255263ENKosukeNakatsukaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshikazuMatsuokaDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasakoKuritaKinoshita Pain ClinicRuilinWangDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesChikaTsuboiDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNobutakaSueDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesRyujiKakuDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroshiMorimatsuDepartment of Anesthesiology and Resuscitology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article/10.18926/AMO/63719Mirror image pain (MIP) is a type of extraterritorial pain that results in contralateral pain or allodynia. Glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) is expressed in astrocytes and plays a role in maintaining low glutamate levels in the synaptic cleft. Previous studies have shown that GLT-1 dysfunction induces neuropathic pain. Our previous study revealed bilateral GLT-1 downregulation in the spinal cord of a spared nerve injury (SNI) rat. We hypothesized that spinal GLT-1 is involved in the mechanism of MIP. We also previously demonstrated noradrenergic GLT-1 regulation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of an α1 adrenergic antagonist on the development of MIP. Rats were subjected to SNI. Changes in pain behavior and GLT-1 protein levels in the SNI rat spinal cords were then examined by intrathecal administration of the α1 adrenergic antagonist phentolamine, followed by von Frey test and western blotting. SNI resulted in the development of MIP and bilateral downregulation of GLT-1 protein in the rat spinal cord. Intrathecal phentolamine increased contralateral GLT-1 protein levels and partially ameliorated the 50% paw withdrawal threshold in the contralateral hind paw. Spinal GLT-1 upregulation by intrathecal phentolamine ameliorates MIP. GLT-1 plays a role in the development of MIPs.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BMCActa Medica Okayama1757-65121312022Enhancement of pacing function by HCN4 overexpression in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes141ENYukihiroSaitoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University HospitalKazufumiNakamuraDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineMasashiYoshidaDepartment of Chronic Kidney Disease and Cardiovascular Disease, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical Science, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineHirokiSugiyamaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Okayama Saiseikai General HospitalSatoshiAkagiDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineToruMiyoshiDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineHiroshiMoritaDepartment of Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineHiroshiItoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Graduate School of MedicineBackground The number of patients with bradyarrhythmia and the number of patients with cardiac pacemakers are increasing with the aging population and the increase in the number of patients with heart diseases. Some patients in whom a cardiac pacemaker has been implanted experience problems such as pacemaker infection and inconvenience due to electromagnetic interference. We have reported that overexpression of HCN channels producing a pacemaker current in mouse embryonic stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes showed enhanced pacing function in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to determine whether HCN4 overexpression in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) can strengthen the pacing function of the cells. Methods Human HCN4 was transduced in the AAVS1 locus of human induced pluripotent stem cells by nucleofection and HCN4-overexpressing iPSC-CMs were generated. Gene expression profiles, frequencies of spontaneous contraction and pacing abilities of HCN4-overexpressing and non-overexpressing iPSC-CMs in vitro were compared. Results HCN4-overexpressing iPSC-CMs showed higher spontaneous contraction rates than those of non-overexpressing iPSC-CMs. They responded to an HCN channel blocker and beta adrenergic stimulation. The pacing rates against parent iPSC line-derived cardiomyocytes were also higher in HCN4-overexpressing iPSC-CMs than in non-overexpressing iPSC-CMs. Conclusions Overexpression of HCN4 showed enhancement of I-f current, spontaneous firing and pacing function in iPSC-CMs. These data suggest this transgenic cell line may be useful as a cardiac pacemaker.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Hindawi Ltd.Acta Medica Okayama1536-012120212021The Number of Frames on ECG-Gated F-18-FDG Small Animal PET Has a Significant Impact on LV Systolic and Diastolic Functional Parameters4629459ENChristophEisslerDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital WürzburgRudolf A.WernerDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital WürzburgPaulaArias-LozaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital WürzburgNaokoNoseGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityXinyuChenDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital WürzburgMartin G.PomperThe Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineSteven P.RoweThe Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineConstantinLapaDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital AugsburgAndreas K.BuckDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital WürzburgTakahiroHiguchiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityObjectives. This study is aimed at investigating the impact of frame numbers in preclinical electrocardiogram- (ECG-) gated F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) on systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) parameters in rats. Methods. F-18-FDG PET imaging using a dedicated small animal PET system with list mode data acquisition and continuous ECG recording was performed in diabetic and control rats. The list-mode data was sorted and reconstructed with different numbers of frames (4, 8, 12, and 16) per cardiac cycle into tomographic images. Using an automatic ventricular edge detection software, left ventricular (LV) functional parameters, including ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic (EDV), and end-systolic volume (ESV), were calculated. Diastolic variables (time to peak filling (TPF), first third mean filling rate (1/3 FR), and peak filling rate (PFR)) were also assessed. Results. Significant differences in multiple parameters were observed among the reconstructions with different frames per cardiac cycle. EDV significantly increased by numbers of frames (353.8 & PLUSMN; 57.7 mu l*, 380.8 & PLUSMN; 57.2 mu l*, 398.0 & PLUSMN; 63.1 mu l*, and 444.8 & PLUSMN; 75.3 mu l at 4, 8, 12, and 16 frames, respectively; *P < 0.0001 vs. 16 frames), while systolic (EF) and diastolic (TPF, 1/3 FR and PFR) parameters were not significantly different between 12 and 16 frames. In addition, significant differences between diabetic and control animals in 1/3 FR and PFR in 16 frames per cardiac cycle were observed (P < 0.005), but not for 4, 8, and 12 frames. Conclusions. Using ECG-gated PET in rats, measurements of cardiac function are significantly affected by the frames per cardiac cycle. Therefore, if you are going to compare those functional parameters, a consistent number of frames should be used.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.eLIFE SCIENCES PUBL LTDActa Medica Okayama2050-084X102021Proton transfer pathway in anion channelrhodopsin-1e72264ENMasakiTsujimuraDepartment of Applied Chemistry, The University of TokyoKeiichiKojimaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityShihoKawanishiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYukiSudoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHiroshiIshikitaDepartment of Applied Chemistry, The University of TokyoAnion channelrhodopsin from Guillardia theta (GtACR1) has Asp234 (3.2 angstrom) and Glu68 (5.3 angstrom) near the protonated Schiff base. Here, we investigate mutant GtACR1s (e.g., E68Q/D234N) expressed in HEK293 cells. The influence of the acidic residues on the absorption wavelengths was also analyzed using a quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical approach. The calculated protonation pattern indicates that Asp234 is deprotonated and Glu68 is protonated in the original crystal structures. The D234E mutation and the E68Q/D234N mutation shorten and lengthen the measured and calculated absorption wavelengths, respectively, which suggests that Asp234 is deprotonated in the wild-type GtACR1. Molecular dynamics simulations show that upon mutation of deprotonated Asp234 to asparagine, deprotonated Glu68 reorients toward the Schiff base and the calculated absorption wavelength remains unchanged. The formation of the proton transfer pathway via Asp234 toward Glu68 and the disconnection of the anion conducting channel are likely a basis of the gating mechanism.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.MDPIActa Medica Okayama1099-43002392021Consideration for Affects of an XOR in a Random Number Generator Using Ring Oscillators1168ENRyoichiSatoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYutaKoderaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMd. ArshadAliDepartment of Computer Science and Engineering, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU)TakuyaKusakaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasuyukiNogamiGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityRobert H.Morelos-ZaragozaDepartment of Electrical Engineering, San José State UniversityA cloud service to offer entropy has been paid much attention to. As one of the entropy sources, a physical random number generator is used as a true random number generator, relying on its irreproducibility. This paper focuses on a physical random number generator using a field-programmable gate array as an entropy source by employing ring oscillator circuits as a representative true random number generator. This paper investigates the effects of an XOR gate in the oscillation circuit by observing the output signal period. It aims to reveal the relationship between inputs and the output through the XOR gate in the target generator. The authors conduct two experiments to consider the relevance. It is confirmed that combining two ring oscillators with an XOR gate increases the complexity of the output cycle. In addition, verification using state transitions showed that the probability of the state transitions was evenly distributed by increasing the number of ring oscillator circuits.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier BVActa Medica Okayama0034-52881392021Reduction of macrophages by carrageenan decreases oocyst output and modifies local immune reaction in chick cecum with Eimeria tenellaENDung ThiHoLaboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityHung Hoang SonPhamLaboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityWataruAotaLaboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityMakotoMatsubayashiDepartment of Veterinary Science, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture UniversityNaotoshiTsujiDepartment of Parasitology and Tropical Medicine, Kitasato University School of MedicineToshimitsuHatabuLaboratory of Animal Physiology, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama UniversityThis study aimed to evaluate the disease severity and local immune responses in macrophage-depleted chicks with Eimeria tenella. Macrophages were reduced by intraperitoneal injection of a carrageenan solution at 12, 13, and 16 days old, whereas the control group received intraperitoneal phosphate-buffered saline. Both chick groups were orally inoculated with E. tenella sporulated oocysts at 14 days old. Feces were collected daily, which were then quantified for oocysts. The chicks were sacrificed on day 5, and the ceca were collected for histopathological observation. The gene expression levels were measured using real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Macrophage-depleted chicks have been observed to shed a significantly reduced number of fecal oocysts compared to the infected control group. The parasite burden score in cecum specimens of macrophage-depleted chicks was significantly lower than those of infected control on day 5 after infection. Furthermore, macrophage reduction yielded significantly lower cecum histopathological scores and CD4 expression than those of the infected control group. The expression of interleukin (IL)-18, IL-22, interferon-γ, and inducible nitric oxide synthase was also noted to be significantly upregulated in both infected control and macrophage-depleted chicks compared to uninfected chicks. IL-4, IL-13, IL-17, and perforin expressions were also higher with macrophage depletion than in both control groups. These results suggest that macrophages serve as an invasive gate or a transporting vehicle to the site of first merogony. Furthermore, mononuclear phagocytes may play an important role in local immune responses, thus contributing to parasite development during early E. tenella infection.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7542021Clinical Parameters Reflecting Globe/orbit Volume Imbalances in Japanese Acquired Esotropia Patients with High Myopia but without Abduction Limitations447453ENReikaKonoDepartment of Ophthalmology, Okayama University HospitalIchiroHamasakiDepartment of Ophthalmology, Okayama University HospitalFumikoKishimotoDivision of Ophthalmology, Ibara City HospitalHiroshiOhtuskiDivision of Ophthalmology, Okayama Saiseikai General HospitalKiyoShibataDepartment of Ophthalmology, Okayama University HospitalYukiMorizaneDepartment of Ophthalmology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesFumioShiragaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry, and Pharmaceutical SciencesOriginal Article/10.18926/AMO/62396In high myopia, eye dislocation due to increased globe volume or tight orbital volume causes acquired esotro-pia. GOR (globe/orbit volume ratio), an indicator of the degree of progression of this pathology, was investi-gated the relationships among easily obtained clinical parameters. In this retrospective study, 20 eyes from 10 acquired esotropia patients with high myopia but without abduction limitations were examined. The mean age of the patients was 63.7 ± 8.2 years (mean ± standard deviation). Volumes were measured on the three-dimen-sional fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition magnetic resonance imaging images using the vol-ume-measurement function. Correlations between GOR and the displacement angle of the globe (DA), axial length (AL), and equatorial diameter (ED) were investigated. Mean DA, AL, ED, and GOR values were 107.5 ± 8.5°, 28.86 ± 1.92 mm, 25.00 ± 1.16 mm, and 0.36 ± 0.05, respectively. Only AL was correlated with GOR (p < 0.0001, R2 = 0.6649); DA (p = 0.30, R2 = 0.0633) and ED (p = 0.91, R2 = 0.0008) were not. AL was the only clinically available parameter to indicate globe/orbit volume imbalances in acquired esotropia with high myopia but without abduction limitation. AL may be important for the clinical assessment of the progression of this pathology.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Public Library of ScienceActa Medica Okayama1932-62031632021Usefulness of right ventriculography compared with computed tomography for ruling out the possibility of lead perforation before lead extractione0245502ENSaoriAsadaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesNobuhiroNishiiDepartment of Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakayoshiShinyaDepartment of Pediatric Radiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesAkihitoMiyoshiDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYoshimasaMorimotoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasakazuMiyamotoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKojiNakagawaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazufumiNakamuraDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroshiMoritaDepartment of Cardiovascular Therapeutics, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroshiItoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesPurpose High-risk patients can be identified by preprocedural computed tomography (CT) before lead extraction. However, CT evaluation may be difficult especially for lead tip identification due to artifacts in the leads. Selective right ventriculography (RVG) may enable preprocedural evaluation of lead perforation. We investigated the efficacy of RVG for identifying right ventricular (RV) lead perforation compared with CT in patients who underwent lead extraction. Methods Ninety-five consecutive patients who were examined by thin-section non-ECG-gated multi-detector CT and RVG before lead extraction were investigated retrospectively. Newly recognized pericardial effusion after lead extraction was used as a reference standard for lead perforation. We analyzed the prevalence of RV lead perforation diagnosed by each method. The difference in the detection rates of lead perforation by RVG and CT was evaluated. Results Of the 115 RV leads in the 95 patients, lead perforation was diagnosed for 35 leads using CT, but the leads for 29 (83%) of those 35 leads diagnosed as lead perforation by CT were shown to be within the right ventricle by RVG. Three patients with 5 leads could not be evaluated by CT due to motion artifacts. The diagnostic accuracies of RVG and CT were significantly different (p < 0.001). There was no complication of pericardial effusion caused by RV lead extraction. Conclusion RVG for identification of RV lead perforation leads to fewer false-positives compared to non-ECG-gated CT. However, even in cases in which lead perforation is diagnosed, most leads may be safely extracted by transvenous lead extraction.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.WileyActa Medica Okayama0022-30421582020Phosphatidylinositol‐3 kinase mediates the sweet suppressive effect of leptin in mouse taste cells233245ENRyusukeYoshidaDepartment of Oral Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityRobert F.MargolskeeMonell Chemical Senses CenterYuzoNinomiyaMonell Chemical Senses CenterLeptin is known to selectively suppress neural and taste cell responses to sweet compounds. The sweet suppressive effect of leptin is mediated by the leptin receptor Ob‐Rb, and the ATP‐gated K+ (KATP) channel expressed in some sweet‐sensitive, taste receptor family 1 member 3 (T1R3)‐positive taste cells. However, the intracellular transduction pathway connecting Ob‐Rb to KATP channel remains unknown. Here we report that phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) mediates leptin's suppression of sweet responses in T1R3‐positive taste cells. In in situ taste cell recording, systemically administrated leptin suppressed taste cell responses to sucrose in T1R3‐positive taste cells. Such leptin's suppression of sucrose responses was impaired by co‐administration of PI3K inhibitors (wortmannin or LY294002). In contrast, co‐administration of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 inhibitor (Stattic) or Src homology region 2 domain‐containing phosphatase‐2 inhibitor (SHP099) had no effect on leptin's suppression of sucrose responses, although signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and Src homology region 2 domain‐containing phosphatase‐2 were expressed in T1R3‐positive taste cells. In peeled tongue epithelium, phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)‐trisphosphate production and phosphorylation of AKT by leptin were immunohistochemically detected in some T1R3‐positive taste cells but not in glutamate decarboxylase 67‐positive taste cells. Leptin‐induced phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)‐trisphosphate production was suppressed by LY294002. Thus, leptin suppresses sweet responses of T1R3‐positive taste cells by activation of Ob‐Rb–PI3K–KATP channel pathway. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7462020Antenatal Care Visits and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes at a Hospital in Rural Western Province, Rwanda495503ENSimba AkintijeCalliopeDepartment of International Health and Medical Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki UniversityTakashiYorifujiDepartment of Epidemiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakayukiWadaGraduate School of Human Life Science, Osaka City UniversityMarie GoretMukakarakeMibilizi District HospitalLeonMutesaCenter for Human Genetics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of RwandaTaroYamamotoDepartment of International Health and Medical Anthropology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki UniversityOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/61209In many economically developing countries, and especially in the rural regions of sub-Saharan African coun-tries, there have been only limited investigations into the association between antenatal care (ANC) and adverse pregnancy outcomes. We obtained information on ANC and pregnancy outcomes between 2011 and 2016 from hospital files of pregnant women (n = 4,960) served at a rural hospital in Rwanda, and we examined the associa-tions between their ANC visits and the adverse pregnancy and neonatal outcomes by using univariate and mul-tivariate logistic regression models to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Most of the pregnant women had ≥ 4 ANC visits, but 39% (n = 1,911) did not have ≥ 3 visits before delivery. The prev-alence of low birth weight (LBW) and that of preterm birth (PTB) were 12% and 9.9%, respectively. Compared to the women who attended only one ANC visit, those who attended ≥ 4 ANC visits had lower risks of LBW (OR 0.20; 95%CI: 0.11-0.36) and PTB (OR 0.28; 95%CI: 0.11-0.76). Frequent ANC visits were also associ-ated with better postnatal outcomes of the newborns. Encouraging women to attend ANC visits before delivery can markedly reduce PTB-related and LBW-related complications, especially in resource-limited settings.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of ChemistryActa Medica Okayama2046-206910522020Facile synthesis of picenes incorporating imide moieties at both edges of the molecule and their application to n-channel field-effect transistors3154731552ENYuxinGuoDivision of Earth, Life, and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityKaitoYoshiokaDivision of Earth, Life, and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityShinoHamaoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroKubozonoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityFumitoTaniInstitute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu UniversityKentaGotoInstitute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu UniversityHidekiOkamotoDivision of Earth, Life, and Molecular Sciences, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityPicene derivatives incorporating imide moieties along the long-axis direction of the picene core (Cn-PicDIs) were conveniently synthesized through a four-step synthesis. Photochemical cyclization of dinaphthylethenes was used as the key step for constructing the picene skeleton. Field-effect transistor (FET) devices of Cn-PicDIs were fabricated by using ZrO2 as a gate substrate and their FET characteristics were investigated. The FET devices showed normally-off n-channel operation; the averaged electron mobility (μ) was evaluated to be 2(1) × 10−4, 1.0(6) × 10−1 and 1.4(3) × 10−2 cm2 V−1 s−1 for C4-PicDI, C8-PicDI and C12-PicDI, respectively. The maximum μ value as high as 2.0 × 10−1 cm2 V−1 s−1 was observed for C8-PicDI. The electronic spectra of Cn-PicDIs in solution showed the same profiles irrespective of the alkyl chain lengths. In contrast, in thin films, the UV absorption and photoelectron yield spectroscopy (PYS) indicated that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level of Cn-PicDIs gradually lowered upon the elongation of the alkyl chains, suggesting that the alkyl chains modify intermolecular interactions between the Cn-PicDI molecules in thin films. The present results provide a new strategy for constructing a high performance n-channel organic semiconductor material by utilizing the electronic features of phenacenes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.SpringerActa Medica Okayama1749-799X1512020Short-term outcomes of mirogabalin in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain: a retrospective study191ENTomokoTetsunagaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalTomonoriTetsunagaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalKeiichiroNishidaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalHaruoMisawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalTomoyukiTakigawaDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalKentaroYamaneDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalHironoriTsujiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalYoshitakaTakeiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Kurashiki Municipal HospitalToshifumiOzakiDepartment of Orthopedic Surgery, Okayama University HospitalBackground</br>
Mirogabalin, which is approved for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in Japan, is a ligand for the α2δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels. Both pregabalin and mirogabalin act as nonselective ligands at the α2δ-1 and α2δ-2 subunits. Mirogabalin has a unique binding profile and long duration of action. Pregabalin has been reported to produce intolerable adverse effects in some patients. This study investigated outcomes associated with mirogabalin administration in patients with peripheral neuropathic pain who ceased treatment with pregabalin.</br>
Methods</br>
We retrospectively assessed peripheral neuropathic pain using the neuropathic pain screening questionnaire (NeP score) in 187 patients (58 men, 129 women) who were treated with mirogabalin. All patients had switched from pregabalin to mirogabalin due to lack of efficacy or adverse events. Differences in the treatment course (i.e., numeric rating scale (NRS) scores) were compared using one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni post hoc tests.</br>
Results</br>
The mean age of the patients was 72.3 years (range, 30–94 years), and the mean duration of disease was 37 months (range, 3–252 months). After treatment with mirogabalin for 1 week, NRS scores significantly decreased compared with baseline and continued to decrease over time. After 8 weeks, NRS scores improved by ≥ 30% from baseline in 113 patients (69.3%). Twenty-four patients (12.8%) stopped mirogabalin treatment due to adverse events. Somnolence (26.7%), dizziness (12.3%), edema (5.9%), and weight gain (0.5%) were noted as adverse events of mirogabalin.</br>
Conclusions</br>
The results of this investigation indicate that mirogabalin is safe and effective for reducing peripheral neuropathic pain.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Royal Society of ChemistryActa Medica Okayama2050-75268222020Synthesis of [7]phenacene incorporating tetradecyl chains in the axis positions and its application in field-effect transistors74227435ENHidekiOkamotoGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityShinoHamaoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKeikoKozasaGraduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYananWangResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroKubozonoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYong-HePanDepartment of Physics & Center for Quantum Technology, National Tsing Hua UniversityYu-HsiangYenDepartment of Physics & Center for Quantum Technology, National Tsing Hua UniversityGermarHoffmannDepartment of Physics & Center for Quantum Technology, National Tsing Hua UniversityFumitoTaniInstitute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu UniversityKentaGotoInstitute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu UniversityField-effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated using a new type of phenacene molecule, 3,12-ditetradecyl[7]phenacene ((C14H29)2-[7]phenacene), and solid gate dielectrics or an electric double layer (EDL) capacitor with an ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (bmim[PF6])). The new molecule, (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene, was efficiently synthesized via the Mallory photoreaction. Its crystal structure and electronic properties were determined, using X-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM and STS), absorption spectroscopy, and photoelectron yield spectroscopy, which showed a monoclinic crystal lattice (space group P21 (no. 4)) and an energy gap of ∼3.0 eV. The STM image clearly showed the molecular structure of (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene, as well as the closed molecular stacking, indicative of a strong fastener effect between alkyl chains. The X-ray diffraction pattern of thin films of (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene formed on a SiO2/Si substrate suggested that the molecule stood on the surface with an inclined angle of 30° with respect to the normal axis of the surface. The FET properties were recorded in two-terminal measurement mode, showing p-channel normally-off characteristics. The averaged values of field-effect mobility, μ, were 1.6(3) cm2 V−1 s−1 for a (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene thin-film FET with a SiO2 gate dielectric and 6(4) × 10−1 cm2 V−1 s−1 for a (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene thin-film EDL FET with bmim[PF6]. Thus, higher FET performance was obtained with an FET using a thin film of (C14H29)2-[7]phenacene compared to parent [7]phenacene. This study could pioneer an avenue for the realization of high-performance FETs through the addition of alkyl chains to phenacene molecules.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7422020The Diagnostic Capacity of Pre-treatment 18F-FDG PET/CT for Predicting the Extranodular Spread of Lymph Node Metastases in Patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma123128ENRyuichiroFukuharaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesTakayoshiShinyaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalShogoFukumaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalNanakoOgawaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalYoshihisaMasaokaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalTakehiroTanakaDepartment of Pathology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalHidenoriMarunakaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalTadashiAriokaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalTakaoHirakiDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalMitsumasaKajiDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalSusumuKanazawaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama Diagnostic Imaging Center, Okayama university HospitalOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/58270 The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of pretreatment 90-min 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) to predict the extranodular spread of lymph node metastases in oral squamous cell carcinoma. We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 56 patients who underwent pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT and surgery with neck dissection. Maximum standardized uptake value, metabolic tumor volume, and total lesion glycolysis were measured for the 56 primary sites and maximum standardized uptake value was measured for 115 lymph node levels. Extranodular spread was present at 9 lymph node levels in 7 patients. Significant differences were found in metabolic tumor volume and total lesion glycolysis of the primary site, and in lymph node maximum standardized uptake value, between patients with and without extranodular spread (p<0.05). Combining primary site total lesion glycolysis and lymph node maximum standardized uptake volume at their respective optimal cutoffs, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for predicting extranodular spread were 89%, 92%, and 92%, respectively. Pretreatment 18F-FDG PET/CT is useful for predicting extranodular spread in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The combined use of primary site total lesion glycolysis and lymph node maximum standardized uptake value showed greater predictive value than either predictor singly.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature Publishing GroupActa Medica Okayama2045-232292019Synthesis of the extended phenacene molecules, [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene, and their performance in a field-effect transistor 4009ENHidekiOkamoto Department of Chemistry, Okayama UniversityShinoHamaoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityRitsukoEguchiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHidenoriGotoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYasuhiroTakabayashi Department of Chemistry, Okayama UniversityPaul Yu-HsiangYenDepartment of Physics, National Tsing Hua UniversityLuo UeiLiangDepartment of Physics, National Tsing Hua UniversityChia-WeiChouDepartment of Physics, National Tsing Hua UniversityGermarHoffmannDepartment of Physics, National Tsing Hua UniversityShinGohdaNARD Co LtdHisakoSuginoNARD Co LtdYen-FaLiaosNational Synchrotron Radiation CenterHirofumiIshiiNational Synchrotron Radiation CenterYoshihiroKubozonoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama University The [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene molecules have been synthesized using a simple repetition of Wittig reactions followed by photocyclization. Sufficient amounts of [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene were obtained, and thin-film FETs using these molecules have been fabricated with SiO2 and ionic liquid gate dielectrics. These FETs operated in p-channel. The averaged measurements of field-effect mobility, <μ>, were 3.1(7) × 10-2 and 1.11(4) × 10-1 cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively, for [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene thin-film FETs with SiO2 gate dielectrics. Furthermore, [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene thin-film electric-double-layer (EDL) FETs with ionic liquid showed low-voltage p-channel FET properties, with <μ> values of 3(1) and 1(1) cm2 V-1 s-1, respectively. This study also discusses the future utility of the extremely extended π-network molecules [10]phenacene and [11]phenacene as the active layer of FET devices, based on the experimental results obtained.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature Publishing GroupActa Medica Okayama2045-232292019Fermi level tuning of Ag-doped Bi2Se3 topological insulator5376ENEriUesugiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityTakakiUchiyamaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHidenoriGotoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHiromiOta Advanced Science Research Centre, Okayama UniversityTeppeiUenoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityHirokazuFujiwaraResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKenseiTerashimaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityTakayoshiYokoyaResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityFumihikoMatsuiGraduate School of Materials Science, Nara Institute of Science and TechnologyJunAkimitsuResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityKayaKobayashiResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroKubozonoResearch Institute for Interdisciplinary Science, Okayama UniversityThe temperature dependence of the resistivity (rho) of Ag-doped Bi2Se3 (AgxBi2-xSe3) shows insulating behavior above 35 K, but below 35 K, rho suddenly decreases with decreasing temperature, in contrast to the metallic behavior for non-doped Bi2Se3 at 1.5-300 K. This significant change in transport properties from metallic behavior clearly shows that the Ag doping of Bi2Se3 can effectively tune the Fermi level downward. The Hall effect measurement shows that carrier is still electron in AgxBi2-xSe3 and the electron density changes with temperature to reasonably explain the transport properties. Furthermore, the positive gating of AgxBi2-xSe3 provides metallic behavior that is similar to that of non-doped Bi2Se3, indicating a successful upward tuning of the Fermi level.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.ElsevierActa Medica Okayama0014482738322019Mechanical strain attenuates cytokine-induced ADAMTS9 expression via transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1111556ENTakashiOhtsukiDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityAkiraShinaokaDepartment of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKanaeKumagishi-ShinaokaDepartment of Human Morphology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeiichiAsanoDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesOmer FarukHatipogluDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityJunkoInagakiDepartment of Cell Chemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKenTakahashiDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshitakaOohashiDepartment of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeiichiroNishidaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeijiNaruseDepartment of Cardiovascular Physiology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSatoshiHirohataDepartment of Medical Technology, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama University The synovial fluids of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) contain elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, which induce the expression of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) and of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in chondrocytes. Mechanical strain has varying effects on organisms depending on the strength, cycle, and duration of the stressor; however, it is unclear under inflammatory stimulation how mechanical strain act on. Here, we show that mechanical strain attenuates inflammatory cytokine-induced expression of matrix-degrading enzymes. Cyclic tensile strain (CTS), as a mechanical stressor, attenuated interleukin (IL)-1β and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced mRNA expression of ADAMTS4, ADAMTS9, and MMP-13 in normal chondrocytes (NHAC-kn) and in a chondrocytic cell line (OUMS-27). This effect was abolished by treating cells with mechano-gated channel inhibitors, such as gadolinium, transient receptor potential (TRP) family inhibitor, ruthenium red, and with pharmacological and small interfering RNA-mediated TRPV1 inhibition. Furthermore, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus resulting from cytokine stimulation was also abolished by CTS. These findings suggest that mechanosensors such as the TRPV protein are potential therapeutic targets in treating OA.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.BlackwellActa Medica Okayama0013-95804932007Rasmussen encephalitis associated with SCN1A mutation521526ENIoriOhmoriDepartments of Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMamoruOuchidaDepartments of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKatsuhiroKobayashiDepartments of Child Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYoshimiJitsumoriTakushiInoueDepartments of Child Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKenjiShimizuDepartments of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHidekiMatsuiDepartments of Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYokoOhtsukaDepartments of Child Neurology, Graduate School of Medicine,Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYoshihiroMaegakiDivision of Child Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University Mutations in the SCN 1 A gene, encoding the neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel alpha1 subunit, cause SMEI, GEFS+, and related epileptic syndromes. We herein report the R1575C-SCN 1 A mutation identified in a patient with Rasmussen encephalitis. R1575C were constructed in a recombinant human SCN 1 A and then heterologously expressed in HEK293 cells along with the human beta1 and beta2 sodium channel accessory subunits. Whole-cell patch-clamp recording was used to define biophysical properties. The R1575C channels exhibited increased channel availability and an increased persistent sodium current in comparison to the wild-type. These defects of electrophysiological properties can result in neuronal hyperexitability. The seizure susceptibility allele may influence the pathogenesis of Rasmussen encephalitis in this case.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature Publishing GroupActa Medica Okayama20452322912019Quantitation of the neural silencing activity of anion channelrhodopsins in Caenorhabditis elegans and their applicability for long-term illumination7863ENTaroYamanashiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University MisayoMakiGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKeiichiKojimaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityAtsushiShibukawaGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTakashiTsukamotoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversitySrikantaChowdhuryAkihiroYamanakaShinTakagiYukiSudoGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Ion pumps and channels are responsible for a wide variety of biological functions. Ion pumps transport only one ion during each stimulus-dependent reaction cycle, whereas ion channels conduct a large number of ions during each cycle. Ion pumping rhodopsins such as archaerhodopsin-3 (Arch) are often utilized as light-dependent neural silencers in animals, but they require a high-density light illumination of around 1 mW/mm2. Recently, anion channelrhodopsins -1 and -2 (GtACR1 and GtACR2) were discovered as light-gated anion channels from the cryptophyte algae Guillardia theta. GtACRs are therefore expected to silence neural activity much more efficiently than Arch. In this study, we successfully expressed GtACRs in neurons of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) and quantitatively evaluated how potently GtACRs can silence neurons in freely moving C. elegans. The results showed that the light intensity required for GtACRs to cause locomotion paralysis was around 1 µW/mm2, which is three orders of magnitude smaller than the light intensity required for Arch. As attractive features, GtACRs are less harmfulness to worms and allow stable neural silencing effects under long-term illumination. Our findings thus demonstrate that GtACRs possess a hypersensitive neural silencing activity in C. elegans and are promising tools for long-term neural silencing.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Academic PressActa Medica Okayama09699961502013CACNA1A variants may modify the epileptic phenotype of Dravet syndrome209217ENIoriOhmoriDepartment of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityMamoruOuchidaDepartment of Molecular Genetics, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityKatsuhiroKobayashiYoshimiJitsumoriAkikoMoriDepartment of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityHiroyukiMichiueDepartment of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityTeiichiNishikiDepartment of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityYokoOhtsukaHidekiMatsuiDepartment of Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Dravet syndrome is an intractable epileptic syndrome beginning in the first year of life. De novo mutations of SCN1A, which encode the Na(v)1.1 neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel, are considered the major cause of Dravet syndrome. In this study, we investigated genetic modifiers of this syndrome. We performed a mutational analysis of all coding exons of CACNA1A in 48 subjects with Dravet syndrome. To assess the effects of CACNA1A variants on the epileptic phenotypes of Dravet syndrome, we compared clinical features in two genotype groups: 1) subjects harboring SCN1A mutations but no CACNA1A variants (n=20) and 2) subjects with SCN1A mutations plus CACNA1A variants (n=20). CACNA1A variants detected in patients were studied using heterologous expression of recombinant human Ca(v)2.1 in HEK 293 cells and whole-cell patch-clamp recording. Nine CACNA1A variants, including six novel ones, were detected in 21 of the 48 subjects (43.8%). Based on the incidence of variants in healthy controls, most of the variants seemed to be common polymorphisms. However, the subjects harboring SCN1A mutations and CACNA1A variants had absence seizures more frequently than the patients with only SCN1A mutations (8/20 vs. 0/20, p=0.002). Moreover, the former group of subjects exhibited earlier onset of seizures and more frequent prolonged seizures before one year of age, compared to the latter group of subjects. The electrophysiological properties of four of the five novel Ca(v)2.1 variants exhibited biophysical changes consistent with gain-of-function. We conclude that CACNA1A variants in some persons with Dravet syndrome may modify the epileptic phenotypes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7332019Simultaneous Integrated Boost Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy for Middle or Lower Esophageal Cancer Using Elective Nodal Irradiation: Comparison with 3D Conformal Radiotherapy247257ENKotaroYoshioDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalAkihisaWakitaDivision of Medical Physics, Euro MediTech Co. LtdToshiharuMitsuhashiCenter for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University HospitalTakahiroKitayamaDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalKentoHisazumiDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalDaisakuInoueDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalNobuhisaTajiriDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalTsuyokiShiodeDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalShiroAkakiDepartment of Radiology, Kagawa Prefectural Central HospitalSusumuKanazawaDepartment of Radiology, Okayama University HospitalOriginal Article/10.18926/AMO/56868 We investigated the feasibility of simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) using elective nodal irradiation (ENI) for middle or lower esophageal cancer and compared it with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT). The study included 15 patients. The prescribed doses included a standard dose (50.4 Gy) and a high dose (60 Gy) for the planning target volume (PTV) of the involved lesions. The objective of the whole lung volume receiving ≥ 20 Gy (V20Gy) was < 30%, and the mean lung dose (MLD) was < 20 Gy. The volumes of the lung receiving 5 Gy (V5Gy) and the heart receiving 30-50 Gy (V30-50Gy) were kept as low as reasonably achievable. As a result, SIB-VMAT showed superior dose conformity for the PTV (p<0.001). Although the lung V5Gy was significantly increased (p<0.001), the V20Gy and MLD showed no significant increase. The heart V30-50Gy showed a > 20% reduction in the mean against 3D-CRTs. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of SIB-VMAT for the treatment of middle or lower esophageal cancer with ENI. Although attention should be paid to the low-dose area of the lungs, SIB-VMAT would be a promising treatment option with improved outcomes for esophageal cancer.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2019Image Quality of Coronary Arteries on Non-electrocardiography-gated High-Pitch Dual-Source Computed Tomography in Children with Congenital Heart DiseaseENYuichiroKanieGraduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7232018Image Evaluation of Free-breathing Navigator Echo and Triggered Cardiac-gated Delayed Myocardial Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Sedated Infants267273ENRyutaroMatsuuraGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversitySachikoGotoGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityShuheiSatoDepartment of Health Informatics, Kawasaki University of Medical WelfareNoriakiAkagiDivision of Radiology, Department of Medical Technology, Okayama University HospitalSeijiTaharaDivision of Radiology, Department of Medical Technology, Okayama University HospitalOriginal Article10.18926/AMO/56072 We validated a navigator-echo-triggered sequence that drives magnetization before cardiac-gated inversion recovery T1 turbo field echo acquisition, in the sedated free-breathing pediatric population. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging was performed on sedated infants with single ventricle. We calculated the signal-to-noise ratios and contrast-to-noise ratios of 2 groups of images obtained using respiratory triggering with and without navigator echo. All images were then visually assessed by 2 observers. The signal-to-noise ratio and the contrast-to-noise ratio were significantly higher with than without navigator echo (p<0.01; p<0.05). The visual assessment scores were also consistently better with than without navigator echo (p<0.01). Free-breathing navigator echo was found to have the advantage of decreasing the motion artifact caused by respiration. Cardiacgated inversion recovery T1 turbo field echo sequence for free-breathing navigator-echo-triggered respiration allows for the acquisition, in sedated infants, of diagnostic images whose quality exceeds that of the non-navigator-echo-triggered alternative.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2018Image Evaluation of Free-breathing Navigator Echo and Triggered Cardiac-gated Delayed Myocardial Enhancement Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Sedated InfantsENRyutaroMatsuuraGraduate School of Health Sciences, Okayama UniversityNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X7212018Cell-based Biological Pacemakers: Progress and Problems17ENYukihiroSaitoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Density and Pharmaceutical SciencesKazufumiNakamuraDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Density and Pharmaceutical SciencesHiroshiItoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Density and Pharmaceutical SciencesReview/10.18926/AMO/55656 The number of permanent pacemaker implantations has been increasing due to the aging of populations worldwide and the increase in the numbers of patients with heart diseases. Commercially available mechanical pacemakers are very useful but still have some problems including short battery life, a risk of infection, the absence of physiological autonomic responsiveness, metal allergy, and electronic interference. A biological pacemaker may resolve these problems and regenerate the cardiac pacemaker. Cell-based therapy and gene therapy have been addressed with the goal of solving the challenges of biological pacemaker. However, the clinical application of a biological pacemaker has not yet been realized. Here we discuss the types of cells that can be used for a biological pacemaker and the problems that remain regarding the clinical applications of cell-based therapy.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama0013-95805252011Therapy for hyperthermia-induced seizures in Scn1a mutant rats10101017ENKeiichiroHayashiSatoshiUeshimaMamoruOuchidaTomojiMashimoTeiichiNishikiToshiakiSendoTadaoSerikawaHidekiMatsuiIoriOhmoriPurpose: Mutations in the SCN1A gene, which encodes the alpha 1 subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels, cause generalized epilepsy with febrile seizures plus (GEFS+) and severe myoclonic epilepsy of infancy (SMEI). N1417H-Scn1a mutant rats are considered to be an animal model of human FS+ or GEFS+. To assess the pharmacologic validity of this model, we compared the efficacies of eight different antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for the treatment of hyperthermia-induced seizures using N1417H-Scn1a mutant rats.
Methods: AEDs used in this study included valproate, carbamazepine (CBZ), phenobarbital, gabapentin, acetazolamide, diazepam (DZP), topiramate, and potassium bromide (KBr). The effects of these AEDs were evaluated using the hot water model, which is a model of experimental FS. Five-week-old rats were pretreated with each AED and immersed in water at 45 degrees C to induce hyperthermia-induced seizures. The seizure manifestations and video-electroencephalographic recordings were evaluated. Furthermore, the effects of each AED on motor coordination and balance were assessed using the balance-beam test.
Key Findings: KBr significantly reduced seizure durations, and its anticonvulsant effects were comparable to those of DZP. On the other hand, CBZ decreased the seizure threshold. In addition, DZP and not KBr showed significant impairment in motor coordination and balance.
Significance: DZP and KBr showed potent inhibitory effects against hyperthermia-induced seizures in the Scn1a mutant rats, whereas CBZ exhibited adverse effects. These responses to hyperthermia-induced seizures were similar to those in patients with GEFS+ and SMEI. N1417H-Scn1a mutant rats may, therefore, be useful for testing the efficacy of new AEDs against FS in GEFS+ and SMEI patients.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2045-232232013Electric double-layer capacitance between an ionic liquid and few-layer grapheneENEriUesugiHidenoriGotoRitsukoEguchiAkihikoFujiwaraYoshihiroKubozonoIonic-liquid gates have a high carrier density due to their atomically thin electric double layer (EDL) and extremely large geometrical capacitance C-g. However, a high carrier density in graphene has not been achieved even with ionic-liquid gates because the EDL capacitance C-EDL between the ionic liquid and graphene involves the series connection of C-g and the quantum capacitance C-q, which is proportional to the density of states. We investigated the variables that determine C-EDL at the molecular level by varying the number of graphene layers n and thereby optimising C-q. The C-EDL value is governed by C-q at n, 4, and by C-g at n > 4. This transition with n indicates a composite nature for C-EDL. Our finding clarifies a universal principle that determines capacitance on a microscopic scale, and provides nanotechnological perspectives on charge accumulation and energy storage using an ultimately thin capacitor.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X6652012Dravet Syndrome : A Genetic Epileptic Disorder369376ENMariAkiyamaKatsuhiroKobayashiYokoOhtsukaReview/10.18926/AMO/48961Dravet syndrome (DS), or severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy, is one of the most severe types of genetic epilepsy. It is characterized by the initial occurrence of febrile or afebrile seizures that often evolve into status epilepticus in infants with normal development, and by the subsequent appearance of myoclonic and/or atypical absence seizures as well as complex partial seizures. The key feature that characterizes DS is fever sensitivity, although photosensitivity and pattern-sensitivity are also often seen. The prognosis is unfavorable in most cases. Seizures become drug-resistant and persist, with many patients suffering from motor and cognitive impairment. Mutations of SCN1A, which encodes the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.1, are the most frequent genetic cause of this syndrome. SCN1A mutations and/or microchromosomal rearrangements involving SCN1A are detected in about 85% of patients. Mutations of PCDH19 have also been reported in female patients with clinical findings compatible with DS. PCDH19 mutations might account for 5% of overall DS cases. Thirty years after its first description, DS is considered as a model of channelopathy. This survey reviews recent developments in the research literature on DS, focusing on the clinical course, as well as its genetic causes.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2012The Airport Gate Assignment Problem: Scheduling Algorithms and Simulation ApproachENAhmedThanyan ALSultanNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155812412012骨形成不全症の治療6770ENHiroyukiTanakaNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581011-21989CTによる膵癌の大血管浸潤の評価―血管造影所見・手術所見との対比―3741ENNobuyukiHosokawaMasatadaTanabeMotoomiOhkawaToyosatoTamaiKanjiKojimaJunichiKageyamaYasuhikoTsuuchiYoshihiroToyamaYasutaneMoriMidoriYodenA new method of factor analysis has been devised as a dynamic study in nuclear medicine. Instead of whole sequence factor analysis of images, partially-sequenced images of Kr-81m pulmonary ventilation scintigrams, acquired with respiratory-gated signals, were analysed using this method. Incrementing the first and last frame number of the image sequence, the motion of the factor images, was obtained including diaphragmatic images, thoracic images and physiological pathological dead space, during one respiratory cycle. The varying form of the correlation between two factor images over time provided a distinguishable pattern of patients with pathological conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disese from normal subjects.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581011-21989Partial Sequence Factor Analysisによる肺機能解析3136ENAkiraTachikawaMasatadaTanabeA new method of factor analysis has been devised as a dynamic study in nuclear medicine. Instead of whole sequence factor analysis of images, partially-sequenced images of Kr-81m pulmonary ventilation scintigrams, acquired with respiratory-gated signals, were analysed using this method. Incrementing the first and last frame number of the image sequence, the motion of the factor images, was obtained including diaphragmatic images, thoracic images and physiological pathological dead space, during one respiratory cycle. The varying form of the correlation between two factor images over time provided a distinguishable pattern of patients with pathological conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disese from normal subjects.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier Science B.V.Acta Medica Okayama0009-26144134-62005Fabrication of a logic gate circuit based on ambipolar field-effect transistors with thin films of C<sub>60</sub> and pentacene379383ENEijiKuwaharaHarukaKusaiTakayukiNaganoToshioTakayanagiYoshihiroKubozono<p>Ambipolar field-effect transistor (FET) devices were fabricated with a heterostructure of C<sub>60</sub> and pentacene, and their p- and n-channel field-effect mobilities were studied as a function of thickness of pentacene thin-films. The observed dependences of the μ values were interpreted in terms of the morphology of the thin films and the band structure of C<sub>60</sub>/pentacene heterostructure. A complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuit was fabricated by integration of two ambipolar FETs, aiming at realization of a new CMOS inverter circuit composed of FETs with the same device structure. The gain of 4, the threshold voltage of 85 V, and the complex output characteristics were explained on the basis of the properties of the component FET devices.</p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama87142005Fabrication of C<sub>60</sub> field-effect transistors with polyimide and Ba<sub>0.4</sub>Sr<sub>0.6</sub>Ti<sub>0.96</sub>O<sub>3</sub> gate insulatorsENYoshihiroKubozonoTakayukiNaganoYusukeHaruyamaEijiKuwaharaToshioTakayanagiKenjiOchiAkihikoFujiwara<p>Flexible C<sub>60</sub> field-effect transistor (FET) device has been fabricated with polyimide gate insulator on the poly(ethylene terephthalate) substrate, and n-channel normally-off FET properties are observed in this FET device. The field-effect mobility, ?, is estimated to be ~10<sup>-2</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> at 300 K. Furthermore, the C<sub>60</sub> FET has been fabricated with high dielectric Ba<sub>0.4</sub>Sr<sub>0.6</sub>Ti<sub>0.96</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (BST) gate insulator, showing n-channel properties; the ? value is estimated to be ~10<sup>-4</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> at 300 K. The FET device operates at very low gate voltage, VG, and low drain-source voltage, VDS. Thus these C<sub>60</sub> FET devices possess flexibility and low-voltage operation characteristic of polyimide and BST gate insulators, respectively.</p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Elsevier Science B.V.Acta Medica Okayama0009-26144094-62005Fabrication and characterization of field-effect transistor device with C<sub>2v</sub> isomer of Pr@C<sub>82</sub>187191ENTakayukiNaganoEijiKuwaharaToshioTakayanagiYoshihiroKubozonoAkihikoFujiwara<p>A field-effect transistor (FET) device was fabricated with thin films of C<sub>2v</sub> isomer of Pr@C<sub>82</sub>. This device apparently showed n-channel normally-on type FET properties, where non-zero current was observed at gate-source voltage of 0 V<sub>GS</sub>, of 0V. Normally off FET properties were observed by subtraction of the non-zero current from the drain current.Thus the normally on properties are ascribed to the high bulk current caused by the small energy gap ≈0.3 eV. The field-effect mobility for this FET was 1.5 x 10<sup>-4</sup> cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> at 320 K, being comparable to those of other endohedral metallofullerene FET devices.</p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama1351997An active circuit for cancellation of common-mode voltage generated by a PWM inverter835841ENSatoshiOgasawaraHidekiAyanoHirofumiAkagi<p>This paper proposes an active common-noise canceler (ACC) that is capable of eliminating the common-mode voltage produced by a pulsewidth modulation (PWM) inverter. An emitter follower using complementary transistors and a common-mode transformer are incorporated into the ACC, the design method of which is also presented in detail. Experiments using a prototype ACC, whose design and construction are discussed in this paper, verify its viability and effectiveness in eliminating common-mode voltage in a 3.7 kW induction motor drive using an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) inverter. Some experimental results show that the ACC makes significant contributions to reducing a ground current and a conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI). In addition, the ACC can prevent an electric shock on a nongrounded motor frame and can suppress motor shaft voltage</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama21996Control and performance of a zero-current-switched three-phase inverter equipped with resonant circuits on the AC-side12351241ENHideakiFujitaSatoshiOgasawaraHirofumiAkagi<p>This paper presents a zero-current-switched voltage-fed inverter equipped with resonant circuits on the AC side. The current flowing through a switching device, i.e., an IGBT is a sum of the load current and the resonant current. If the amplitude of the resonant current is larger than that of the load current, the current in a switching device becomes zero at an instant in each resonant cycle. This allows the switching device to be turned on or off at the zero current. The zero-current-switching makes a significant contribution to reduction of switching losses and electromagnetic noises. In this paper, the principle of zero-current-switching operation, and a novel control scheme are described from a theoretical and practical point of view. Experimental results obtained from a laboratory system of 5 kVA verify the practicability. Moreover, the efficiency and losses of the proposed soft-switched inverter are compared with those of a hard-switched inverter </p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2002CMOS floating gate defect detection using I/sub DDQ/ test with DC power supply superposed by AC component417422ENHiroyukiMichinishiTokumiYokohiraTakujiOkamotoToshifumiKobayashiTsutomuHondo<p>In this paper, we propose a new I/sub DDQ/ test method for detecting floating gate defects in CMOS ICs. In the method, an unusual increase of the supply current, caused by defects, is promoted by superposing an AC component on the DC power supply. The feasibility of the test is examined by some experiments on four DUTs with an intentionally caused defect. The results showed that our method could detect clearly all the defects, one of which may be detected by neither any functional logic test nor any conventional I/sub DDQ/ test.</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama1996A test methodology for interconnect structures of LUT-based FPGAs6874ENHiroyukiMichinishiTokumiYokohiraTakujiOkamotoTomooInoueHideoFujiwara<p>In this paper we consider testing for programmable interconnect structures of look-up table based FPGAs. The interconnect structure considered in the paper consists of interconnecting wires and programmable points (switches) to join them. As fault models, stuck-at faults of the wires, and extra-device faults and missing-device faults of the programmable points are considered. We heuristically derive test procedures for the faults and then show their validness and complexity</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama22000Analysis and reduction of EMI conducted by a PWM inverter-fed AC motor drive system having long power cables928933ENSatoshiOgasawaraHirofumiAkagi<p>This paper analyzes conducted EMI generated by a PWM inverter-fed induction motor drive system. It is shown experimentally and analytically that resonant phenomena in a high-frequency range beyond a dominant resonant frequency are originated from the behavior of power cables as a distributed-constant circuit. Spectra of common-mode and differential-mode currents are simulated by means of introducing a distributed-constant model of the power cables, which consists of a 20-step ladder circuit. As a result, it is also shown that these resonances can be damped out by a single common-mode transformer (CMT) and three differential-mode filters (DMFs), both of which have been proposed by the authors</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2003Improvement of detectability for CMOS floating gate defects in supply current test406409ENHiroyukiMichinishiTokumiYokohiraTakujiOkamotoToshifumiKobayashiTsutomuHondo<p>We already proposed a supply current test method for detecting floating gate defects in CMOS ICs. In the method, increase of the supply current caused by defects is promoted by superposing a sinusoidal signal on the supply voltage. In this study, we propose one way to improve detectability of the method for the defects. They are detected by analyzing the frequency of supply current and judging whether secondary harmonics of the sinusoidal signal exist or not. Effectiveness of our way is confirmed by some experiments.</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama21997An active circuit for cancellation of common-mode voltage generated by a PWM inverter15471533ENSatoshiOgasawaraHidekiAyanoHirofumiAkagi<p>This paper proposes an “active common-noise canceler (ACC)” that is capable of eliminating the common-mode voltage produced by a PWM inverter. An emitter follower using complementary transistors and a common-mode transformer are incorporated into the ACC, the design method of which is also presented in detail. A prototype ACC designed and constructed in this paper verifies the viability and effectiveness in a 3.7 kW induction motor drive using an IGBT inverter. Some experimental results show that the ACC makes significant contributions to reducing ground current and conducted EMI. In addition, the ACC can prevent electric shock on a ungrounded motor frame and can suppress motor shaft voltage</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama13322008Analysis of response mechanism of a proton-pumping gate FET hydrogen gas sensor in air538542ENTomiharuYamaguchiMasanoriTakisawaToshihikoKiwaHironobuYamadaKeijiTsukada<p>Two different types of hydrogen response signals (DC and AC) of a proton-pumping gate FET with triple layer gate structure (Pd/proton conducting polymer/Pt) were obtained. The proton-pumping gate FET showed good selectivity against other gases (CH<sub>4</sub>, C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>6</sub>, NH<sub>3</sub>, and O<sub>2</sub>). For practical use, the hydrogen response characteristics of the proton-pumping gate FET were investigated in air (a gaseous mixture of oxygen and nitrogen). The proton-pumping gate FET showed different hydrogen response characteristics in nitrogen as well as in air, despite the lack of oxygen interference independently. To clarify the response mechanism of the proton-pumping gate FET, a hydrogen response measurement was performed, using a gas flow system and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Consequently, the difference in response between nitrogen and air was found to be due to the hydrogen dissociation reaction and the interference with the proton transfer caused by the adsorbed oxygen on the upper Pd gate electrode</p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama21997Utility applications of power electronics in Japan409416ENHirofumiAkagi<p>Since the late 1950s, power electronics has been developing by leaps and bounds without saturation into the key technology essential to modern society and human life, as well as to electrical engineering. This paper is focused on utility applications of power electronics technology in Japan, and on the state of the art of power semiconductor devices for high power applications. For instance, attention is paid to a ±500 kV, 2.8 GW high-voltage DC transmission system under construction, and to 8 kV, 3.5 kA light-triggered thyristors used for constituting its thyristor valves. This paper also presents future prospects and directions of power electronics technology in the 21st century, including the personal views and expectations of the author</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X5752003A simple method for screening photoelectric dyes towards their use for retinal prostheses.257260ENToshihikoMatsuoArticle/10.18926/AMO/32824<p>Photoelectric dyes absorb light and convert photon energy to electric potentials. To test whether these dyes could be used for retinal prostheses, a simple in vitro screening system was developed. Retinal neurons were cultured from the eyes of chick embryos at the 10-day embryonic stage, at which time no retinal photoreceptor cells have yet developed. Intracellular calcium elevation was observed with Fluo-4 in cultured retinal neurons before and after photoelectric dye was applied at varying concentrations to the culture medium. Five of 7 photoelectric dyes tested in this in vitro system induced intracellular calcium elevation in cultured chick retinal neurons. The intracellular calcium elevation generated by the 5 photoelectric dyes was blocked by extracellular calcium depletion in the case of all 5 dyes, and, except for one dye, by the presence of voltage-gated calcium channel blockers. The photoelectric dyes absorbed light under an inverted microscope and stimulated retinal neurons. This simple in vitro system allows the screening of photoelectric dyes which can be used for retinal prostheses.</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Okayama University Medical SchoolActa Medica Okayama0386-300X3551981Inhibition of anaphylactic histamine release from heterologously sensitized mast cells: differential effects of drugs which interfere with calcium influx.307317ENMasaoKuroseArticle10.18926/AMO/31279<p>Drug effects were studied on anaphylactic histamine release from rat mast cells sensitized in vitro with mouse IgE antibody. When histamine release was elicited by adding Ca-++ at various times after antigen-stimulation of sensitized cells in Ca++-free medium, the drugs to be tested were added shortly before each Ca++ addition. Quercetin was effective only when added before or immediately after antigen. Theophylline and disodium cromoglycate (DSCG) were active irrespective of the time interval between antigen and Ca++ addition. Verapamil was more effective when added before or simultaneously with antigen than when added later. When tested in the two-stage experiments, quercetin showed inhibition only in Stage 1 and verapamil was inhibitive primarily in Stage 1, while theophylline and DSCG wee only inhibitive in Stage 2. It seems that quercetin selectively and verapamil primarily act to block calcium-gate opening resulting from antigen-antibody interaction on the mast cell membrane, while theophylline and DSCG selectively inhibit the passage of calcium through open calcium channels.</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama1997Testing for the programming circuit of LUT-based FPGAs242247ENHiroyukiMichinishiTokumiYokohiraTakujiOkamotoTomooInoueHideoFujiwara<p>The programming circuit of look-up table based FPGAs consists of two shift registers, a control circuit and a configuration memory (SRAM) cell array. Because the configuration memory cell array can be easily tested by conventional test methods for RAMs, we focus on testing for the shift registers. We show that the testing can be done by using only the faculties of the programming circuit, without using additional hardware</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama1996A test methodology for interconnect structures of LUT-based FPGAs6874ENHiroyukiMichinishiTokumiYokohiraTakujiOkamotoTomooInoueHideoFujiwara<p>In this paper we consider testing for programmable interconnect structures of look-up table based FPGAs. The interconnect structure considered in the paper consists of interconnecting wires and programmable points (switches) to join them. As fault models, stuck-at faults of the wires, and extra-device faults and missing-device faults of the programmable points are considered. We heuristically derive test procedures for the faults and then show their validness and complexity</p>
No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.IEEE SMC Hiroshima ChapterActa Medica Okayama1883-3977200912009A Proposal for Town Development in Aged Society170175ENTetsukoMatsuoAtsuoMurataAccording to the Aged day commemorative report issued in September of 2007 from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication, the population of over sixty five years old attained the historical record high of 27.44 million or 21.5% of total population. On the other hand, the many of shopping malls with large parking have been located in suburbs with expanding of suburban residential area and the effect of motorization. In addition, the growth of remote shopping such as internet and catalog one, helps accelerate the decline of old shopping malls. However, these malls give the only one life-line to the elder and disabled population. In this paper, we discuss on the way of maintaining this life-line for elder and disabled one from the study of questionnaire surveys for visitors of two shopping mall in Wakamatsu-ward and Tobata-ward, Kitakyushu, the gate way city to Kitakyushu in Fukuoka Prefecture. Some of methodology is proposed to facilitate
revitalization of local areas as the result of this study.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-1558881-21976イエウサギの大動脈壁におけるリンパ管の微細分布8388ENKiichiSuwaWith adult rabbit under nembutal anesthesia they were subjected to laparotomy, and after ligating chylus about 10ml of India ink diluted 4-fold with physiological saline solution was injected slowly into inguinal lymph nodes and external iliacal lymph nodes. About 5 hours later the abdominal aorta was taken out, and it was cut into longitudinal and cross celloidin sections of about 100μ in thickness, which were stained with aldehyde-fuchsin or light-green solution and the distribution of lymph vessels in the arterial wall was observed. With some of the above specimens transparent samples were also prepared. By the forced reverse flow of lymph it was found that the excretory lymph vessel group arising from lymph capillary immediately adjacent to the internal elastic membrane of the aortic wall runs gradually along collagenous fibers through the fenestrations of each elastic membrane of the tunica media, and appears at the tunica adventitia and after confluencing they become a ralatively large excretory lymph vessel, but they further confluence with the excretory lymph vessel arising from the lymph capillary of fat tissue in the tunica adventitia, and they form an aggregative lymph vessel which runs over the exterior layer of the tunica adventitia, and when it comes out of the tunica adventitia it enters into the aortic lymph node.
What is noteworthy is the fact that both the aggregative and excretory lymph vessels have peri-lymphvessel spaces. Embryologically, such a peri-lymphvessel space is a kind of closed space formed by the peri-arterialwall connective tissue consistig of double membrane that covers a part of the aortic lymph nodes to make an aggregative lymph vessel, and then excretory lymph vessel, which should be considered as a lymph space. Further at the site where the aggregative lymph vessel come in this closed space there is a narrow gate.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155812132009Dravet 症候群患者に認められたカルシウムチャネル 機能異常を引き起こす CACNB4 遺伝子変異149156ENIoriOhmoriMamoruOuchidaNobuyoshiMimakiTeiichiNishikiKazuhitoTomizawaHidekiMatsuiNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-1558917-81979ピアノ奏法における基本的タッチの生理学的研究 第2編 特に打鍵強度分析装置に関する研究837846ENShoKatayamaThis paper describes instruments designed to measure the tone-volume of the piano. The tone-volume depends on the amount of kinetic energy which the player spends on striking the key. The kinetic energy is in direct proportion to the mass set in motion and is the square of the velocity. The mass set is always constant and the energy depends only upon the velocity of the hammer. Thus it is possible to analyze the tone-volume by measuring the velocity of the hammer. Electronic digital devices generally have great advantages over analog ones in the field of physical measurement. The velocity is converted to the time interval by photo-transistors and flip-flop. The signal opens the gate, through which flows a clock pulse of 100KHz. This is transmitted to an electronic pulse counter consisting of 4 decimal counting units. The number of pulses counted by this counter is proportional to the inverse of the velocity, and is compared with 5 preset values to activate one of 6 magnetic counters. Each magnetic counter indicates the number of the swing-stroke, of which the velocity belongs to a previously classified group. This equipment makes it possible to measure the intensity of the tone and its distribution precisely. A velocity of 10m/sec. corresponds to an "ff" tone, with a precision of about 1.25%. The precision increase with decrease of the tone-volume.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-1558917-81979ピアノ奏法における基本的タッチの生理学的研究 第1編 打鍵強度および間隔の測定分析装置の開発831835ENShoKatayamaThis paper deals with the design of instruments for measurement of the strength of the swing-stroke in piano playing. The strength can be measured by the velocity of the hammer. This is easily detected by a photo-sensitive transistor, and is suitable for digital electronic notation. The velocity is converted to the time interval by photo-transistors and flip-flop. The signal opens a gate, through which flows a clock pulse of 100KHz. This is transmitted to an electronic, pulse counter consisting of 4 decimal counting units. The number of pulses counted by this counter is proportional to the inverse of the velocity, and is compared with 5 present values to activate one of 6 magnetic counters. Each magnetic counter indicates the number of the swing-stroke, of which the velocity belongs to a previously calssified group. This equipment makes it possible to measure the intensity of the tone and its distribution precisely.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155810011-121988呼吸同調装置による(81m)Kr-ガス持続吸入シンチグラフィのfactor analysis―正常者の検討11131116ENMasatadaTanabeYoshirohKawaseHiroyukiSeoKatashiSatohNobuyukiHosokawaTsutomuMiyamotoShinsukeMatsunoFactor analysis of the steady state breathing cycle using Kr-81m gas wa performed in 7 normal volunteers. Two-factor analysis showed diaphragmatic and thoracic components, including the large airway space component. The contribution of the former was 19.2%±2.1% SD, and the contribution of the latter was 80.2%±2.1% SD. Three-factor analysis showed diaphragmatic (14.3% ±3.3% SD), thoracic (55.7% ±2.1% SD) and large airway space (29.5% ±12.1% SD) components. Factor analysis of dynamic structures appears to be a very useful method for the study of lung ventilation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155810011-121988換気シンチグラフィ用呼吸同調装置の試作10951099ENMasatadaTanabeTo obtain gated respiratory cycle imaging, we made an experimental device in which siglals of the respiratory cycle are monitored with a thermistor. The signals of the respiratory cycle are utilized to reconstruct pulmonary dynamic images in multiple sequential frames. Application of this device adds the dimension of time to the resolution of regional ventilation. The device has the potential for separating tidal and residual components, and way be useful for studying the pathophysiologic aspects of regional ventilation.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-1558999-101987カルシウムチャンネル阻害剤verapamilの中枢モノアミン伝達物質の放出ならびに代謝に及ぼす作用 : methamphetamineおよびreserpineとの比較10711081ENMasaakiIkedaThe effects of chronic treatment with verapamil(VP) on monoamine release and metabolism in rat brain in vivo were compared with the effects of methamphetamine(MAP) and reserpine(RES). These drugs were administered to rats in drinking water for two weeks. The contents of monoamines (DA and 5HT) and their major metabolites(DOPAC, HVA and 5HIAA) in eight discrete brain regions were measured by HPLC-ECD. After treatment with VP, DA levels decreased in the nucleus accumbens(N.ACC) and the suprachiasmatic nucleus(SCN), but no significant changes were demonstrated in the metabolites(DOPAC, HVA). 5HT levels decreased in the N.ACC, SCN and amygdara(AMY), and 5HIAA levels decreased in the raphe dorsalis(RD). GABA contents were increased in the N.ACC. After treatment with MAP, DA levels decreased in the N.ACC, striatum(STR) and ventro-medial hypothalamic regions(VMH). No significant change was shown in the metabolites. 5HT contents decreased in the N.ACC, STR, AMY, VMH and RD. 5HIAA contents decreased significantly in the RD. After treatment with RES, DA levels decreased in the N.ACC, STR and SCN. HVA contents decreased in the N.ACC and SCN, though they increased in the LH and SN. 5HT levels decreased in the N.ACC, SCN, AMY and RD. High 5HIAA concentrations were found in the N.ACC, STR, LH and VMH. DA, DOPAC and HVA levels were reduced more in several regions by co-administration of VP and MAP than by MAP treatment alone. DA was lowered more in the RD and HVA was lowered more in several regions by co-administration of VP and RES than by RES treatment alone. The well known locomotor hyperactivity induced by MAP was enhanced by VP. The present study suggests that there are at least two classes of voltage-gated calcium channels in the central nervous system related to the release of monioamines, one sensitive to VP and other not. In addition, chronic VP treatment may have an inhibitory effect on the release and synthesis of monoamines.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学工学部Acta Medica Okayama0475-00711411979Discharge Coeffi cient of a Sluice Gate Placed at Sudden Expansion of Open Channel127138EN/10.18926/15746In this paper the discharge coefficient of a sluice gate placed at the sudden expansion of an open channel is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Lateral and vertical expansions are treated in the study. The coefficients obtained for channels with sudden expansion
are compared with those for the straight channel. For free efflux, experimental results show that the coeffcients for expanded channels are always larger than those for a straiaht one,and that the coefficient for a channel to be fully expanded to both lateral and vertical directions takes about 1.2 times larger value than that for a straight one. For submerged efflux, the coefficient is obtained theoretically by using the efflux model shown in this study. The theoretical results explain the experimental ones fairly well. The coefficient for lateral expansion is always smaller than that for a straight channel. The minimum downstream water depth required to submerged efflux for the expanded channels becomes smaller than that for a straight channel.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学工学部Acta Medica Okayama0475-00711121977Contraction Coefficients of Underflow Gates with a Vertical Lip2736EN/10.18926/15710In this paper the influence of a vertical lip upon the contraction coefficients of underflow gates is discussed.
The coefficients of inclined gates with a vertical lip are investigated theoretically by using the method of conformal mapping. Solutions are obtained numerically for several values of the inclination of gate bottom. Theoretical solutions show that;as the length of a lip
increases, the coefficient rapidly decreases from the value
for the inclined gate, and when the length becomes of the
order of a gate openning,it takes a value to be nearly equal to that for a vertical gate. These theoretical results are verified by experiments.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学工学部Acta Medica Okayama0475-0071311968Contactless Vectormeter Using Thyristors127130EN10.18926/15619In order to measure the iron loss of the silicon steel plates, we produced a vectormeter using a thyristor and a gate turn off thyristor by way of experiment. This equipment is very useful, because the frequency range is
improved very much in comparison with the vectormeter which is composed of the mechanical rectifying system using a synchronous motor, namely, is enlarged from 60Hz to 1kHz,No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学工学部Acta Medica Okayama0475-0071211967A Method of Automatic Washing for Salt Contaminated Insulators127132EN10.18926/15592Described in this paper is a method of automatic washing for salt contaminated insulators. An average value of leakage current through the surface of the pilot insulator in a duration is measured, for this is a function of the quantity of salt adhered and its moisture content. In each cycle, the program signals give one by one the instructions on a start and an end of the integration of leakage current, a detection of the integrated value, a stop of the washing device and a reset of the integrator. The integrator consists of RC circuit and the main detecting part consists of the thyristor whose firing gate voltage is used as a reference value. If the integrator output rises above the firing gate voltage, the pulse signals are made in the signal conversion part at the same time that the thyristor turns on, which are distributed to the pump motor or the electromagnetic valve. Then the insulators on hot-line are washed all together in the appointed duration. Finally, by the various experiments this method was proved to have enough accuracy and reliability in practical use. The conclusions are summarized as follows. (1) An average value of leakage current is justified to be the detecting variable. (2) The RC circuit used as the integrator is proved to be easy in maintenance. (3) Because of the fairly short duration of the detecting action, the integrator is kept in a sufficiently safe condition under expected environment.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Faculty of Engineering, Okayama UniversityActa Medica Okayama0475-00712511990Second Harmonic Detection of Atmospheric Trace Gases with a Train-Pulse Driven Lead-Salt Tunable Diode Laser for an Operation at Peltier Cooling Temperature3750ENMoncefBouzidiRyujiKogaOsamiWadaNaokiKagawaXuHaiMegumiKosakaHiroyaSano/10.18926/15488Is proposed a tunable diode laser absorption spectrometer system which employs a pulsed current to drive the diode laser still implementing a second-harmonic detection methods enhancing a signal to noise up to 104 times that the case without it. This system affords the lead-salt diode laser a higher operating temperature which allows a more compact deep cooling system. A principle is based on employing a gated integrator between the preamplifier and the lock-in amplifier. Investigations are made on the optimum selection of the gating aperture time interval as determined by response time of the infrared detector and the pulse width of the laser driving current.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Faculty of Engineering, Okayama UniversityActa Medica Okayama0475-00713021996Analysis of Quantum Waveguide : Effective Width and Height of Potential for Quantum Wires under Split Gates2125ENHirooTotsuji/10.18926/15401In order to apply quantum waveguides to electronic devices, we calculate the electrostatic potential in the split-gate quantum wire and establish the relation between the electrostatic potential and the square well potential which is usually assumed in simulations of these waveguides. The height and width of the square well potential are expressed as simple functions of the gate voltage and their dependencies are clarified. The results may be useful in calculating the characteristics of
electronic devices based on quantum waveguides as functions of controllable parameters such as gate voltage.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-155810311-121991超音波パルスドップラ法による腎機能評価に関する検討―Dynamic CT 及び Ccr との比較を中心として―11771181ENShuheiSatohTakahiroKitagawaNobuoSatohIzumiTogamiShinKimotoYoshioHirakiSatoruUnoHiromiKumonHiroyukiOhmoriTo evaluate the clinical application of the ultrasonic Doppler technique, renal arterial blood flow was measured in 7 normal subjects and 3 patients with renal dysfunction. For the purpose of correction of blood flow measured by the Doppler technique, some basic studies were performed. The ratio of peak diastolic to peak systolic velocity (D/S ratio) correlated well with both the creatinine clearance and the CA ratio calculated from the results of Dynamic CT. There was no correlation between the corrected velocity of the arterial blood flow and the creatinine clearance. The D/S ratio obtained by the ultrasonic Doppler technique is thought to be a useful parameter in the evaluation of the renal function. However, the Dynamic CT is thought to be superior in objectiveness to the ultrasonic Doppler technique.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581037-81991大動脈弁閉鎖不全症における左室心筋の組織構造変化と安静時心機能との関連に対する研究9931003ENHisashiTsujiWe collected tissue samples from the left ventricular myocardium in 20 patients with aortic regurgitation, examined the correlation between myocardial ultrastructure and cardiac function at rest and obtained the following results. The extent of fibrosis in the myocardium and ultrastructural changes in the myocardial cells were respectively expressed in LM-Score and EM-Score. Furthermore, the myofibril changes expressed by the EM-Score were added to the LM-Score (Myo＋LM-Score), and each score was calculated and compared with the parameters of cardiac function. There was no significant correlation between EM-Score and parameters of cardiac function. LM-Score was correlated with Max dv/dt at r＝－0.471 (p<0.05) and with endodiastole (D/L) at r＝－0.567 (p<0.01) significantly, showing a negative linear correlation. Myo＋LM-Score was correlated with EF at r＝－0.574 (p<0.01) and with△ D at r＝－0.577 (p<0.01) significantly, showing a negative linear correlation. Among the cardiac functions at rest in patients with AR, the morphologic and diastolic parameters were closely related with the extent of fibrosis, and the contractility was closely related both with a change in myofibrils and with the extent of fibrosis. Thus, the cardiac functions at rest in patients with AR were correlated with the myocardial factors.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581049-101992肺小細胞癌化学療法実施例における重複癌の発生に関する研究915922ENKenichiMiyakeDevelopment of double cancer was evaluated in 337 small cell lung cancer patients who had received intensive chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy. Of them, 14 patients (4.2%) developed a second malignancy: non-small cell lung cancer in six, stomach cancer in four, acute myelogenous leukemia in two, liver cancer in one, and esophagus cancer in one. The relative risk for the development of double cancer calculated by person-year method utilizing age and sex adjusted cancer incidence in Japan was 2.75-fold (P<0.01). The risk of non-small cell lung cancer (8.75-fold) and acute myelogenous leukemia (37.82-fold) was particularly high. The cumulative risk for the development of double cancer was 2.0% at 1 year, 4.1% at 2 years, 14.3% at 3 years, and 100% at 8.1 years. Of 27 patients who survived disease-free for more than 2 years, 10 patients died; five patients (50%) died of double cancer, two died of infectious disease, and only three patients died from recurrent small cell lung cancer. These findings indicate that a cautious follow-up program for the detection of double cancer is indicated in patients with small cell lung cancer.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581055-61993後天性弁膜疾患の手術前後における左室と右室の直接的相互作用に関する研究― RI 心プール法を用いて―513526ENKazuhiroArakiTo elucidate direct ventricular interaction, equilibrium radionuclide ventriculography was performed on 18 cases of aortic regurgitation (AR) and 31 cases of mitral stenosis(MS) before and after open heart surgery. Patients with AR were divided into two groups by preoperative left ventricular volume : the normovolumic left ventricle (n-LV) group and the dilated left ventricle (d-LV) group. Patients with MS were divided into two groups by preoperative right ventricular volume : the normovolumic right ventricle (n-RV) group and the dilated rihgt ventricle (d-RV) group. In patients with AR, preoperative right ventricular systolic function in the d-LV group was significantly impaired compared with that in the n-LV group. Postoperative right ventricular systolic function in the d-LV group improved to show no significant difference compared to that in the n-LV group because surgery alleviated the left ventricular dilatation. In patients with MS, preoperative left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions in the d-RV group were significantly impaired compared with that of n-RV group. In d-RV group, postoperative left ventricular systolic and diastolic functions were significantly improved wheh right ventricular dilatation could be relieved postoperatively. In the present study, the existence of direct ventricular interaction influenced by the volume-overloaded ventricle was clarified.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581055-61993左室容量負荷弁膜疾患の弁置換術前後における左室拡張能と心筋微細構造との関係―心プールシンチグラフｨーによる検討―499512ENTomiroOkadaLeft ventricular (LV) diastolic functions in 23 patients with aortic regurgitation (AR) and 22 patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) were evaluated by gated pool scintigraphy. LV myocardial biopsy was performed during open heart surgery, and LV myocardial ultrastructural chasges were evaluated by electron microscope. Correlation between LV diastolic function and myocardial ultrastructural change was examined. It was suggested that preoperative LV diastolic dysfunction occurred earlier than LV systolic dysfunction in patients with AR and MR. LV early diastolic dysfunction was especially significant in patients with AR. LV systolic function was significantly improved postoperatively compared with LV diastolic function in patients with AR and MR. It was suggested that LV interstitial fibrosis caused LV diastolic dysfunction in patients with AR and MR, and insufficiency of myocardial thickening as compensation in patients with MR. It was presumed that LV diastolic dysfunction was irreversilble in patients with AR and MR in the distant postoperative period due to persistence of the preoporative myocardial ultrastructural change, e.g, interstitial fibrosis. these LV diastolic indices measured by gated pool scintigraphy were useful in predicting LV ultrastructural changes and postoperative LV dysfunction in patients with LV volumeoverloaded valvular heart disease.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581061-21994シネ MRI の画像解析による心機能の定量評価に関する研究163171ENTetsurouSeiNon-invasive techniques for measuring the dynamic behavior of the cardiac ventricle can be invaluable tool for diagnosing heart disease. In this paper, we present methods for quantia-tive analysis of cardiac function using magnetic rasonance images. A 256×256 magnetic resonance transaxial image of the cardiac ventricle was obtained from a healthy subject. After gray level thresholding and region segmentation, the bounday of the ventricular chamber was extracted. Then, the boundaries of the ventricular chamber were displayed therr-dimensionally using the Z-buffer algoritm. Thus, ventricular volume and ejection fraction were calcullated. In our example, left ventricular ejection fraction was 61%. These results agree with the corresponding data obtained by the echo-cardiography.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山医学会Acta Medica Okayama0030-15581077-81995拘束スレレスのラット脳内フリーラジカル, スーパーオキシドジスムターゼ活性およびチオバルビツール酸反応物質への影響に関する研究9198ENYoukoOkamuraImmobilization stress for 6 hours induced hemorrhagic erosion in the rat stomach. Hydroxyl radicals singnificantly increased in the pons-medulla oblongata in stressed rats. Mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was enhanced in the midbrain but was lowered in the cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum in stressed rats. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances increased by stress in the cortex and midbrain. These finding suggested that immobilization stress generated hydroxyl radicals and accelerated lipid peroxidation, and affected mitocho-drial SOD activity which may lead to neuronal damage in stressed rats.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学環境理工学部Acta Medica Okayama1341-9099512000A Numerical Analysis of Unsteady Flow in Kojima Lake3134ENMasajiWatanabe/10.18926/fest/11559We study unsteady flow that models lake flow in Kojima Lake. We assume that a lake is connected to another area with gates, and that those gates are opened when the water level outside the gates is lower than the water level of the lake. We study unsteady flow due to the opening of the gates. We analyze the problem with the finite element method, and take detailed structures of the gates into account.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学資源生物科学研究所Acta Medica Okayama0916-930X521998羅生門ドリーネにおける樹木の葉温と壁面温度の鉛直構造について169181ENKoichiMiyashitaToshihikoMaitaniTemperatures of tree's leaves and gate wall were measured in the summer of 1996 at doline. Diurnal fluctuations of leaf temperatures were greater, the higher the position of leaf in the doline, and they showed maximum temperatures later, the deeper the leaf position. The leaf temperature of trees growing in the first collapse doline was uniform in the horizontal direction and had a stable thermal layer. The difference between leaf temperatures at a depth of 20 m and 11 m was about 12℃ around noon. The leaf temperature was always higher at the upper part than at the lower part of the doline throughout the day. Daily fluctuation of wall temperature was small,compared with that of leaf temperature. The vertical profile of wall temperature was similar to that of leaf temperature. The warm water flowing down from the upper part of the doline influenced the soil temperature in the lower part of the doline. The thermal imagery elucidated the peculiar vertical structure of leaf and wall temperature formed in the summer at Rashomon doline.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama1992Adjoint Spectrum And Temporal Gating As Applied To The Diode Laster Spectrometry of Atmospheric MethaneENNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.岡山大学農学部Acta Medica Okayama0474-02543911972取水施設の流入量に関する研究7991ENTadashiWatanabeJunjiOkadaThis head work is the water-intake structure, by which irrigation water has been carried to the reservoir constructed in the other catchment basion. We always have intaken water from the river by this head work, even at the time of flood. To design such structure, we have to know the rerationship between the gate opening and the discharge of water or the discharge coefficient which varies widely according to the river water level. That orifice formula could be used in calculation to obtain the amount of discharged water from the gate has experimentally been confirmed by Toch, Honma and others. The discharge coefficient of the intake gate Cq is shown in its relationship to parameters expressing the gate geometry. Any agreement between actual gate discharge and Toch's experimental results could never be found when the gate geometry is different. Therefore, we can only obtain Cq value through a specific model study for a particular project. Specially in this intake mention should be made here to the fact that the loss of head Ф in the uniform flow sections upstreams and downstreams from the gate is ignored, and the value of Ф related to the Cq value. Relation between Cq and Ф can be obtained by the following equation using the Bernoulli's energay theorem, in which ψ. Ф are head loss parameters, Cq H1･H2 /√H12 (1+ψ) + H32 (Ф-l) and Cq value can be obtained by calculating head loss. On the other hand, if the systematic graphical representation of the relationship between the value q and the elements is obtained by the experimental measurements of hydraulic model tests, q-H1/h～H3/h, in which H1,H3 are the depths of flow in the upstream and downstream from the gates, should be considered applicable to the practical work and useful in checking up the experimental values with theoretical solution.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.