Endoscopic Observation of Tissue by Narrowband Illumination

We propose a new illumination method for a medical endoscope: narrow band imaging (NBI), in which the spectral bandwidth of the filtered light is narrowed. To confirm how the spectral specifications of the filtered light influence a reproduced image, an experiment was conducted observing the endoscopic images of the back mucosa of a human tongue. In addition, the effect of NBI on endoscopic images was investigated through preliminary clinical tests in colonoscopy and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. It has been shown that NBI can enhance the capillary pattern and the crypt pattern on the mucosa. These patterns are useful features for diagnosing an early cancer.     

Back-to-back correlations of high-p(T) hadrons in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We investigate the suppression factor and the azimuthal correlation function for high p(T) hadrons in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV by using a dynamical model in which hydrodynamics is combined with explicitly traveling jets. We study the effects of parton energy loss in a hot medium, intrinsic k(T) of partons in a nucleus, and p (perpendicular) broadening of jets on the back-to-back correlations of high p(T) hadrons. Parton energy loss is found to be a dominant effect on the reduction of the awayside peaks in the correlation function.     

Measurement Accuracy in Phase-Shifting Point Diffraction Interferometer with Two Optical Fibers

A phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer (PS/PDI) with point sources of two single mode optical fibers has been developed, which will be appropriate for the surface figure measurement of large aperture optics on a sub-nanometer scale. To reduce the measurement error factors, a fiber optic plate (FOP) is used as a projection plane for interference pattern. Errors caused by imperfection of optical alignment, such as position of point sources and tilt of FOP, are minimized by analyzing the measured phase data with an original method. Measurement accuracy in the PS/ PDI is estimated with the interference pattern produced by the two optical fiber sources. If inhomogeneity of the FOP and a systematic error of the PS/PDI are eliminated, the measurement accuracy of the present system is estimated to be less than 4nm P-V and 0.7nm rms, respectively, at a measurement wavelength of 632.8 nm.     

Abdominal apparent diffusion coefficient measurements: effect of diffusion-weighted image quality and usefulness of anisotropic images

This study aimed to assess the effect of diffusion-weighted image (DWI) quality on abdominal apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements and the usefulness of anisotropic images. Twenty-six patients (10 men and 16 women; mean, 58.1 years) who underwent DW imaging and were diagnosed not to have any abdominal diseases were analyzed. Single-shot spin-echo echo-planar DW imaging was performed, and one isotropic and three orthogonal anisotropic images were created. ADCs were calculated for liver (four segments), spleen, pancreas (head, body, tail) and renal parenchyma. Image quality for each organ part was scored visually. We estimated the correlation between ADC and image quality and evaluated the feasibility of using anisotropic images. ADCs and image quality were affected by motion probing gradient directions in the liver and pancreas. A significant inverse correlation was found between ADC and image quality. The r values for isotropic images were −.46, −.48, −.70 and −.28 for the liver, spleen, pancreas and renal parenchyma, respectively. Anisotropic images had the best quality and lowest ADC in at least one organ part in 17 patients. DWIs with the best quality among isotropic and anisotropic images should be used in the liver and pancreas.     

Analysis of Spectral Reflectance Using Normalization Method from Endoscopic Spectroscopy System

Objective assessment of gastrointestinal mucosal color is extremely important in the endoscopic diagnosis of digestive tract disease. In this paper, we propose a method to clarify the spectral characteristics of gastric and colon cancer. A large number of spectral reflectance data of mucous membrane are measured by the endoscopic spectroscopy system (ESS) in the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan and the Department of Internal Medicine, Self-Defense Force Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan. We assume that early cancer appears primarily in the spectral data of short wavelength, because it is usually present in a superficial cell where short wavelength light is scattered more strongly than long wavelength light. To identify the features in the short wavelength components, the spectral reflectance was divided by the reflectance of a long wavelength. We investigated the possibility of distinguishing early cancer from normal spectral data through statistical analysis, employing the projection axis as the mean difference between them. Early cancer and normal spectral data were projected on the projection axis, and the Student’s T-test was applied to evaluate the mean of the distribution between these data.     

Potential formation and high density plasma production on the tandem mirror GAMMA 10

GAMMA 10 experiments have advanced in high density experiments after the last EPS Workshop where we reported high density plasma production by using an ion cyclotron range of frequency heating at a high harmonic frequency and neutral beam injection in the central cell. Recently a high density plasma was obtained with much improved reproducibility than before and without degradation of diamagnetic signal. The high density plasma was attained by adjusting the spacing of the conducting plates installed in the anchor transition regions. Dependencies of particle confinement time, ion energy confinement time and plasma confining potential on plasma density were obtained for the first time in the high density region. Presented at 5th Workshop “Role of Electric Fields in Plasma Confinement and Exhaust”, Montreus, Switzerland, June 23–24, 2002.     

Preparation, characterization, and heat resistance studies of a holographic photopolymer based on SU-8 epoxy resin

A holographic photopolymer based on SU-8 epoxy resin as the binder and trimethylolpropane ethoxylate triacrylate as the monomer with an iodonium salt photoinitiator was studied. A diffraction efficiency of 93% and a refractive index modulation (Delta n) of 1.3 x 10(-2) were obtained from a 16 microm thick sample with write beam intensities of 50 mW/cm(2) at a wavelength of 514.5 nm, an exposure time of 60 s, and a postbaking at 65 degrees C for 1 h. The material exhibits good heat resistance in the range from 40 degrees C to 160 degrees C and long projected life.     

Low temperature fabrication of 5-10 nm SiO2/Si structure using advanced nitric acid oxidation of silicon (NAOS) method

We have developed the advanced nitric acid oxidation of Si (NAOS) method to form relatively thick (5-10 nm) SiO₂/Si structure with good electrical characteristics. This method simply involves immersion of Si in 68 wt% nitric acid aqueous solutions at 120 °C with polysilazane films. Fourier transform infrared absorption (FT-IR) measurements show that the atomic density of the NAOS SiO₂ layer is considerably high even without post-oxidation anneal (POA), i.e., 2.28 × 10²² atoms/cm², and it increases by POA at 400 °C in wet-oxygen (2.32 × 10²² atoms/cm²) or dry-oxygen (2.30 × 10²² atoms/cm²). The leakage current density is considerably low (e.g., 10⁻⁵ A/cm² at 8 MV/cm) and it is greatly decreased (10⁻⁸ A/cm² at 8 MV/cm) by POA at 400 °C in wet-oxygen. POA in wet-oxygen increases the atomic density of the SiO₂ layer, and decreases the density of oxide fixed positive charges.     

A glycine receptor is involved in the organization of swimming movements in an invertebrate chordate

Background  

Rhythmic motor patterns for locomotion in vertebrates are generated in spinal cord neural networks known as spinal Central Pattern Generators (CPGs). A key element in pattern generation is the role of glycinergic synaptic transmission by interneurons that cross the cord midline and inhibit contralaterally-located excitatory neurons. The glycinergic inhibitory drive permits alternating and precisely timed motor output during locomotion such as walking or swimming. To understand better the evolution of this system we examined the physiology of the neural network controlling swimming in an invertebrate chordate relative of vertebrates, the ascidian larva Ciona intestinalis.     

High pressure equation of state of rubidium

The pressure-volume relation of rubidium metal is studied by high-pressure x-ray diffraction up to 110 kbar at room temperature. In addition, pressure scans of the near-infrared reflectivity are recorded up to 250 kbar. Rubidium undergoes a bcc to fcc structural transition (Rb I → Rb II) at 70 ± 2 kbar. Other phase transitions occur at 128 ± 3, 160 ± 5 and 190 ± 5 kbar on the ruby pressure scale. The pressure-volume relation and the near-infrared reflectivity provide evidence for a pressure-induced 5s → 4d electronic transition similar to the well-known 6s → 5d transition in cesium metal.