Axonal projection of the medullary expiratory neurons in the feline thoracic spinal cord.

Expiratory neurons in the caudal ventral respiratory group extend descending axons to the lumbar and sacral spinal cord, and they possess axon collaterals, the distribution of which has been well-documented. Likewise, these expiratory neurons extend axons to the thoracic spinal cord and innervate thoracic expiratory motoneurons. These axons also give rise to collaterals, and their distribution may influence the strength of synaptic connectivity between the axons and the thoracic expiratory motoneurons.

[Evaluation of AEC Consistency in Digital X-ray Imaging Systems].

The Japan Network for Research and Information on Medical Exposures (J-RIME) established the diagnostic reference level (DRL) and is advancing optimization of radiation protection. We believe that the difference in the imaging dose between facilities may be due to the fact that automatic exposure control (AEC) adjustment is not unified among manufacturers. The consistency of AEC is specified in JIS 4751-2-54, but it is not applicable to digital X-ray imaging systems because it is for optical density of analog X-ray imaging systems.

Properties of Renshaw-like cells excited by recurrent collaterals of pudendal motoneurons in the cat.

Although anatomical studies have indicated pudendal motoneurons to give off recurrent collaterals, they are not considered to make synapses onto interneurons, such as Renshaw cells, and rather terminate their own signals. No study till date has examined interneurons being driven by recurrent collaterals of pudendal motoneurons. Here, we aimed to investigate the existence of Renshaw cells driven by pudendal motoneurons along with the recurrent inhibition of the latter.

[Impact of Aperture Shape Controller on Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy Treatment Planning for Nasopharyngeal Cancer].

Purpose: The aperture shape controller (ASC) decreases the complexity of the multi-leaf collimator (MLC) aperture for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of ASC settings on the VMAT plan quality.

Method: First, VMAT plans were created (ASC=off) for three test patterns of The American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group 119 (TG-119) and 20 cases of nasopharyngeal cancer.

Impaired bile acid metabolism with defectives of mitochondrial-tRNA taurine modification and bile acid taurine conjugation in the taurine depleted cats.

Taurine that conjugates with bile acid (BA) and mitochondrial-tRNA (mt-tRNA) is a conditional essential amino acid in humans, similarly to cats. To better understand the influence of acquired depletion of taurine on BA metabolism, the profiling of BAs and its intermediates, BA metabolism-enzyme expression, and taurine modified mt-tRNAs were evaluated in the taurine deficient diet-supplemented cats. In the taurine depleted cats, taurine-conjugated bile acids in bile and taurine-modified mt-tRNA in liver were significantly decreased, whereas unconjugated BA in serum was markedly increased.

Firing properties of medullary expiratory neurons during fictive straining in cats.

Expiratory (E) neurons in the caudal nucleus retroambigualis extend descending spinal axons to the lumbar and sacral spinal cord. Discharge rates of single E neurons were recorded to examine differences in activity of E neurons projecting to the lumbar or sacral spinal cord during fictive straining induced by distention of the colon with a balloon. Firing frequencies of E neurons with descending axons in the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord increased during the repetitive rise of rectum pressure, whereas those of E neurons with descending axons in the sacral spinal cord decreased.

Influences of Taurine Deficiency on Bile Acids of the Bile in the Cat Model.

Taurine content in the body is maintained by both biosynthesis from sulfur-contained amino acids in the liver and ingestion from usual foods, mainly seafoods and meat. Contrary to the rodents, the maintenance of taurine content in the body depends on the oral taurine ingestion in cats as well as humans because of the low ability of the biosynthesis. Therefore, insufficient of dietary taurine intake increases the risks of various diseases such as blind and expanded cardiomyopathy in the cats.

[Report Based on Fiscal 2015 Diagnostic X-ray Equipment Questionnaire Survey].

We have conducted a questionnaire survey every 5 years from 1974 to grasp the existing status of X-ray equipment. This time, we will report on the results of the fiscal 2015 diagnostic X-ray equipment questionnaire survey. Compared to the previous survey on X-ray equipment, there has been a progress in the introduction of inverter type X-ray generators and image receptor systems in digital systems.

[Effect of Interspaces of Anti-scatter Grid on the Image Improvement Factor].

The standard general purpose of anti-scatter girds: JIS Z 4910: 2015 (IEC 60627: 2013) has been revised, with the new addition of an image improvement factor (Q) to the physical characteristic. Using aluminum (Al) and fiber-interspaced anti-scatter grids; we studied the meaning of Q by calculating each of the physical characteristics and assessing the image. The experimental method was based on JIS Z 4910: 2015.

[Futue direction of three-year educational establishments for students of medical technology].

The medical laboratory technologist education currently offered at four state run junior colleges will be upgraded to higher education as all those junior colleges become universities in 2004. It has already been decided that several private junior colleges and vocational schools are to be upgraded to universities as well. Furthermore, the course will not only be offered in undergraduate universities, but also on a postgraduate level, increasing the number of medical laboratory technologists with a master's degree or a doctorate.

[Complex formation of ulinastatin with alpha-thrombin].

The inhibition mode of ulinastatin was indicated noncompetitive by the Lineweaver-Burk's double reciprocal plotting method using the production rate of fibrinopeptide A. Consequently Km of alpha-thrombin could be calculated 2.8 mM and its Vmax was reduced from 24 U/l to 15 U/l by the addition of ulinastatin and Ki of ulinastatin was 1.

[Inhibitory effect of ulinastatin on the alpha-thrombin activation of factors V and VIII].

Ulinastatin is a remedy of urine serinprotease inhibitors and also it inhibits enzymatic activities of several blood coagulation factors. The action of ulinastatin on alpha-thrombin shows noncompetitive inhibition with the formation of enzyme-inhibitor complex. In this study, the effects of ulinastatin on the alpha-thrombin activation of factors V and VIII are observed by 5-20% gradient gel SDS PAGE with or without Western blotting method.