Formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzofuran, and dibenzofuran in fuel-rich oxidation of toluene using a flow reactor.

Recently, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxygenated PAHs (OPAHs) have been attracting considerable attention owing to their high toxicity. Understanding their formation mechanism during combustion processes is important to control their emission. However, there are few studies that have quantitatively investigated OPAH formation in the fuel-rich oxidation of hydrocarbons, despite the availability of several studies on PAH formation.

Recent advances in research on isolated congenital central hypothyroidism.

Congenital central hypothyroidism (C-CH) is caused by defects in the secretion of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) and/or TSH, leading to an impairment in the release of hormones from the thyroid. The causes of C-CH include congenital anomalies of the hypothalamic-pituitary regions and several genetic defects. In terms of endocrinology, C-CH is divided into two categories: (1) accompanied by another pituitary hormone deficiency and called combined pituitary hormone deficiency, and (2) isolated C-CH, showing mainly TSH deficiency.

Urine Xanthine Crystals in Tumor Lysis Syndrome.

Urine xanthine crystals are remarkably rare but can be observed by routine urine microscopy. We report the results of a 67-year-old man with T-cell-prolymphocytic leukemia whose urine contained xanthine crystals after chemotherapy and prophylactic administration of febuxostat. Accumulation of xanthine was due to tumor lysis syndrome causing a massive release of DNA.

Two siblings with congenital central hypothyroidism caused by a novel mutation in the gene.

Genetic defects in the immunoglobulin superfamily member 1(IGSF1) protein are the cause of congenital central hypothyroidism (C-CH). Here we report two Japanese siblings with C-CH due to a novel mutation. The youngest brother showed a failure to thrive, hypothermia, and neonatal icterus six days after birth.

Sulfonylurea treatment in an infant with transient neonatal diabetes mellitus caused by an adenosine triphosphate binding cassette subfamily C member 8 gene mutation.

Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is an insulin-requiring monogenic form of diabetes that generally presents before six months of age. The following two types of NDM are known: transient NDM (TNDM) and permanent NDM (PNDM). Here we report on an infant with TNDM caused by a mutation (p.

QUANTUM OPTICS. Universal linear optics.

Linear optics underpins fundamental tests of quantum mechanics and quantum technologies. We demonstrate a single reprogrammable optical circuit that is sufficient to implement all possible linear optical protocols up to the size of that circuit. Our six-mode universal system consists of a cascade of 15 Mach-Zehnder interferometers with 30 thermo-optic phase shifters integrated into a single photonic chip that is electrically and optically interfaced for arbitrary setting of all phase shifters, input of up to six photons, and their measurement with a 12-single-photon detector system.

Time-lapse nanoscopy of friction in the non-Amontons and non-Coulomb regime.

Originally discovered by Leonard da Vinci in the 15th century, the force of friction is directly proportional to the applied load (known as Amontons' first law of friction). Furthermore, kinetic friction is independent of the sliding speed (known as Coulomb's law of friction). These empirical laws break down at high normal pressure (due to plastic deformation) and low sliding speed (in the transition regime between static friction and kinetic friction).

Compact and high-sensitivity 100-Gb/s (4 × 25 Gb/s) APD-ROSA with a LAN-WDM PLC demultiplexer.

We demonstrate an integrated 100 GbE receiver optical sub-assembly (ROSA) that incorporates a monolithic four-channel avalanche photodiode (APD) array and a planer lightwave circuit (PLC) based LAN-WDM demultiplexer. A record minimum receiver sensitivity of -20 dBm and 50-km error-free SMF transmission without an optical amplifier have been achieved.

Another promising treatment option for neuroblastoma-associated opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome by oral high-dose dexamethasone pulse: lymphocyte markers as disease activity.

A one-year-old boy with neuroblastoma (NBoma)-associated opsoclonus-myoclonus syndrome (OMS) was treated by oral high-dose dexamethasone (DEX) pulses (20 mg/m(2)/day of DEX for three consecutive days) every 28 days for 6 months after resection of the tumor. All OMS symptoms improved after the first course of DEX pulse therapy and disappeared after the last course. No adverse effects were observed.

Optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing demultiplexer using slab star coupler-based optical discrete Fourier transform circuit.

We demonstrate an optical orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) demultiplexer with an optical discrete Fourier transform circuit fabricated using silica planar lightwave circuit technology. This compact device can process an arbitrary number of subcarriers. The operation of a ten-channel device is demonstrated by demultiplexing a 100 Gbit/s (10 subcarrier × 10 Gbits/s) OFDM signal.

Computed tomography and scintigraphy vs. cardiac catheterization for coronary disease screening prior to noncardiac surgery.

Objective: The goal of this study was to investigate the utility of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) and adenosine triphosphate stress cardiac single photon emission computed tomography (ATP-SPECT) in evaluating coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients scheduled for non-cardiac surgery.

Patients And Methods: We routinely performed echocardiography and exercise stress electrocardiography as preoperative cardiac screening examinations for patients scheduled for non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. Of 848 consecutive preoperative patients (Non-invasive Group), 49 patients with abnormalities of these screening examinations had MDCT and ATP-SPECT.

Transcatheter coil embolization of coronary artery fistulas.

Congenital coronary artery fistulas (CAFs), which have been known since 1865, are rare congenital cardiac abnormalities. Most of the CAFs are discovered incidentally during coronary angiography. We described our experience with successful transcatheter coil embolization of CAFs in an adult, leading to improvement of symptoms.

Quadricuspid aortic valve illustrated by 64-slice multidetector computed tomography: Surgical treatment of a rare cause of severe aortic regurgitation.

The quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital malformation that usually presents with aortic regurgitation (AR). The first case was reported in 1862. Most cases were diagnosed at the time of surgery or postmortem examination.

Demultiplexer for optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing using an optical fast-Fourier-transform circuit.

An integrated-optic device for demultiplexing optical orthogonal frequency-division-multiplexed signals is described that consists of an optical fast-Fourier-transform circuit and optical gates. The fast-Fourier-transform circuit is composed of symmetrical Mach-Zehnder interferometers that are suitable for precisely adjusting filter characteristics. This device can process four or more channels with a relatively simple configuration and reduced size.

Regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma expression in human eosinophils by estradiol.

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARgamma) is a nuclear receptor that regulates not only adipogenesis but also immune reaction. We previously demonstrated that human eosinophils expressed functional PPARgamma, although the modulator of PPARgamma expression is less well understood. Because clinical studies have shown that the efficacy of PPARgamma agonists as insulin sensitizers is stronger in women than in men, we investigated whether sex hormones caused any changes in eosinophil PPARgamma expression levels.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of (+)-alpha-polypodatetraene and methyl (5R,10R,13R)-labda-8-en-15-oate.

The reported enzymatic resolution products {acetate of (1S,4aS,8aS)-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-decahydro-5,5,8a-trimethyl-2-oxo-trans-naphthalene-1-methanol-2-ethylene acetal} (8aS)-5 (>99% ee)] and [(1R,4aR,8aR)-1,2,3,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8a-decahydro-5,5,8a-trimethyl-2-oxo-trans-naphthalene-1-methanol-2-ethylene acetal (8aR)-4 (98% ee) were converted to (+)-alpha-polypodatetraene (1) and methyl (5R,10R,13R)-labda-8-en-15-oate (2), respectively. For the synthesis of (5R,10R,13R)-2, chiral isoprene congener (3S)-26 corresponding to the right part of 2 was synthesized based on the lipase-assisted resolution of (+/-)-2-methyl-3- (p-methoxyphenyl)propanol (17).

Mach-Zehnder interferometer switch with a high extinction ratio over a wide wavelength range.

We have realized a novel Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) thermo-optic switch that can operate over a much wider wavelength range than a conventional MZI switch. We constructed the novel MZI switch by incorporating a phase-generating coupler (PGC) as an optical coupler. The PGC generates a nonlinear wavelength-dependent phase, which functions as a virtual wavelength-dependent delay part that cancels out the wavelength dependence of a MZI.

Immunohistochemical assessment for estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor status in breast cancer: analysis for a cut-off point as the predictor for endocrine therapy.

Background: An immunohistochemical (IHC) method is commonly used for determining estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) status in breast cancer. However, the proper cut-off points of IHC have not been established. Cut-off points for ER and PR status as predictive factors for endocrine therapy are needed.

Mach-Zehnder interferometer with a uniform wavelength period.

We have realized a first optical filter composed of optical delay lines and couplers that has a periodic response with respect to wavelength, whereas a conventional optical filter is known to have a periodic response to relative optical frequency. This new filter can be constructed by using a phase-generating coupler (PGC) that supplies the optical delay lines with a wavelength-dependent nonlinear phase. The PGC, which is also composed of optical delay lines and couplers, can simultaneously provide a desired phase and an arbitrary amplitude coupling ratio.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma of the breast: clinicopathological and immunohistochemical study.

Invasive micropapillary carcinoma (IMPCa) of the breast refers to a unique variant of invasive ductal carcinoma, but its biological behavior has not been elucidated well. We analyzed 16 IMPCa cases (10 pure type, six mixed type). The incidence of IMPCa was 1.

Microinvasive ductal carcinoma (T1mic) of the breast. The clinicopathological profile and immunohistochemical features of 28 cases.

Microinvasive ductal carcinoma of the breast, namely ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion (T1mic) as defined by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) Staging Manual, is a rare disease, although it is increasing because of widespread use of mammography. The aim of the present study was to describe the clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features of this entity. Twenty-eight patients who were diagnosed as T1mic from January 1997 to August 2002 were studied by using 3-5 mm-thick serial sections with hematoxylin-eosin staining.

Serum and tissue PIVKA-II expression reflect the biological malignant potential of small hepatocellular carcinoma.

A sensitive method for measuring the serum level of protein-induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) has become so widely available that it is now used for the clinical diagnosis of small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is known that serum PIVKA-II can be a prognostic indicator for HCC, but there have been no detailed investigations concerning the tissue expression of PIVKA-II. The present study assessed the relationship between serum or tissue PIVKA-II and the biological malignant potential of HCC.

[Prognostic factors of hepatocellular carcinoma: analysis by the proportional hazard model].

Five hundred fifty patients hospitalized to our hospital during 1990 to 1999 were studied. Subjects consisted of 413 males and 102 females and mean age was 62.1 years.

Immunolocalisation of PIVKA-II in paraffin-embedded specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aims/background: Although serum PIVKA-II has been widely used as a tumor marker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), little information is available concerning tissue PIVKA-II, and detection of tissue PIVKA-II in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens of HCC is also considered difficult.

Methods: Paraffin-embedded HCC tissues obtained at autopsy from 22 patients were subjected to immunohistochemical staining using the antibody MU-3 (Eisai Co., Ltd.