Single-turn extraction from a K110 AVF cyclotron by flat-top acceleration.

Single-turn extraction from the Japan Atomic Energy Agency AVF cyclotron with a K number of 110 using a flat-top (FT) acceleration system has been achieved to reduce the energy spread of an ion beam for microbeam formation with energy up to hundreds of MeV and to increase extraction efficiency from the cyclotron. In order to generate a FT waveform voltage using the fifth-harmonic frequency on a dee electrode, a FT resonator was designed using MAFIA code to achieve downsizing and low power consumption. The FT resonator, coupled to the main resonator through a coupling capacitor, covered the full range of the fifth harmonic frequency from 55 to 110 MHz.

Enhanced suppression of pulmonary metastasis of malignant melanoma cells by combined administration of alpha-galactosylceramide and interleukin-18.

alpha-Galactosylceramide (alpha-GalCer) shows antitumor effects by activating natural killer (NK) cells indirectly through stimulation of the secretion of cytokines by NKT cells, whereas interleukin (IL)-18 shows antitumor effects by activating NK cells directly. In the present study, we examined the antitumor effect of the combined administration of alpha-GalCer and IL-18. An injection of NK cell-sensitive mouse B16 melanoma cells into a mouse tail vein produced pulmonary metastasis.

Effect of interleukin-18 on metastasis of mouse osteosarcoma cells.

The effect of interleukin-18 (IL-18) on metastasis of highly metastatic LM8 mouse osteosarcoma cells was investigated using nude mice treated with anti-asialo GM1 serum to exclude anti-tumor actions of IL-18 through activation of T and natural killer cells. Injection of LM8 cells which do not express IL-18 receptor beta into a tail vain resulted in the formation of pulmonary and hepatic metastatic foci. Daily injection of mice with IL-18 starting the fifth day from the cell injection had no significant effect on the number of metastatic foci, while five daily injections of IL-18 before and after the cell injection resulted in marked decreases.

A case of ochronotic arthropathy treated with total hip arthroplasty.

Abstract We report a case of ochronotic arthropathy treated with total hip arthroplasty. The articular cartilage of the patient's femoral head and synovium displayed black pigmentation. Microscopically, the articular cartilage revealed reddish-brown pigmentation (particularly in deep cartilage), necrotic chondrocytes, and slight black pigmentation in the cytoplasm of chondrocytes.