Optimization of the Thin Waveguide for Double-Parabolic-Reflectors Ultrasonic Transducers (DPLUS) for Thermal Ablation.

Objective: Interstitial and intracavitary ultra- sound applicators had been developed and studied for minimally invasive treatments (MIT). However, the acoustic outputs are limited by the small-size PZT. We therefore studied the acoustic waveguide (AW) applicator which enables the use of a large-size PZT, and we aimed to advance AW applicators towards thermal ablation applications.

High-Power Ultrasonic Transducer for Effective Hemolysis.

To realize compact and portable hemolysis devices, an ultrasonic transducer with a blood channel is proposed in this study. Ultrasound waves are focused by a parabolic reflector to generate high sound pressure inside the channel for hemolysis. The hemolysis performance of the transducer is evaluated using simulations and experiments.

High-power piezoelectric vibration model considering the interaction between nonlinear vibration and temperature increase.

For high-power piezoelectric devices, nonlinear vibrations and related increases in temperature are critical problems produced by large internal stress and strain. Such nonlinear vibrations have been studied by some researchers; however, the related increase in temperature has not been taken into consideration, because it is a complicated phenomenon. In this study, the mechanism underlying the interaction between nonlinear vibration and temperature increase in a piezoelectric transducer under high-power conditions was clarified.

Microseizures Induced by Topiramate.

A 22-year-old Japanese male with trisomy 21 was diagnosed with West syndrome at 4 months old. After the suppression of epileptic spasms using adrenocorticotropic hormone therapy, he had complex partial seizures and bilateral frontal epileptic discharges on EEG. Although the introduction of topiramate (TPM) decreased the seizures during wakefulness, frequent episodes of brief eye-opening appeared during sleep while the patient was taking TPM (400 mg/day).

A screening test for the prediction of Dravet syndrome before one year of age.

Purpose: Our aim was to develop a screening test to predict Dravet syndrome before the first birthday based on the clinical characteristics of infants and the SCN1A mutation analysis.

Methods: Ninety-six patients who experienced febrile seizures before the age of one were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups-the Dravet syndrome group (n = 46) and the non-Dravet syndrome group (n = 50).

Novel mutation of gene coding for glial fibrillary acidic protein in a Japanese patient with Alexander disease.

We report the mutation analysis of a Japanese patient diagnosed with infantile-type Alexander disease. The genetic analysis revealed a new missense mutation, an A to G transition at nucleotide position 1026 in exon 6, leading to the substitution of glycine for glutamic acid at amino acid position 371(E371G). This mutation was not detected in 50 Japanese controls using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography.

[A case of hypereosinophilic syndrome associated with paraplegia].

We report a 3-year-old girl with idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome. She was admitted to our hospital because of fever, cough, significant eosinophilia (16,500/microliter) and an elevated serum IgE level (114,685 u/ml). After wheezes continued for several days, paraplegia, dysuria and dyschezia developed.

The productive and reproductive biology of flowering plants X. Reproductive energy allocation and propagule output of five congeners of the genus Setaria (Gramineae).

The energy allocation patterns to reproductive structures (RA) and the propagule output (P) of five annual weedy or ruderal fox-tail species (Gramineae)-Setaria viridis (2x) (including var. pachystachys (2x)), S. X pycnocoma (2x), S.