Abstract: Contour information is extracted from nuclear medicine projection data on a subject not subjected to a scattering correction and an absorption correction by performing a pixel value binarization processing based on a threshold scheme. If necessary, an interpolation processing is performed before reconstructing an image through an image reconstruction processing. Based on the reconstructed image, a second binarization processing is performed to generate a contour image.

Abstract: A measuring image acquisition means 2 acquires a 3-D measuring image in which a phantom filled with the radioactive material into a necessary part is measured with a SPECT system. A measuring image Fourier transform means 4 operates the 3-D measuring image with the 3-D Fourier transform. An actual image acquisition means 6 acquires a 3-D actual image of the part of the phantom which is filled with the radioactive material. An actual image Fourier transform means 8 operates a 3-D actual image with the 3-D Fourier transform. An error image calculation means 10 divides each Fourier transform value of the 3-D Fourier transform measuring image by each Fourier transform value of the corresponding 3-D Fourier transform actual image and acquires a 3-D Fourier transform error image. A point spread function calculation means 12 operates the 3-D Fourier transform error image with the inverse Fourier transform and determines the point spread function image by calculation.

Abstract: The present invention solves the issue of bacterial infection by medical devices such as intracorporeal indwelling catheters. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic medical apparatus including a medical device (titanium oxide coated medical device 10) covered with a titanium oxide material (titanium oxide alone or a titanium oxide composite material) and ultrasonic irradiation means 20. Ultrasonic irradiation of the titanium oxide material, which exists on a surface of the medical device, causes the surface of the medical device to exert beneficial effects such as antibiotic action, the stimulation of angiogenesis, and the degradation of a blood clot and a biofilm.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of preparing a decellularized soft tissue whereby swelling after an ultrahigh pressure treatment can be inhibited, etc. The above-described method of preparing a decellularized soft tissue comprises the application step wherein an ultrahigh hydrostatic pressure is applied to an isolated soft tissue in a medium to thereby disrupt cells in the soft tissue, and the removal step wherein the disrupted cells are removed. As the medium, use is made of an aqueous solution containing a water-soluble polysaccharide such as dextran.

Abstract: The present invention provides a valved stent that can provide a valve function without blocking a branch blood vessel, and also can provide a valve function with minimum covering of blood vessel tissue in a stent indwelling section. Specifically, a cylindrical stent body 4 is provided. A leaflet 5 that can open/close a blood vessel 2 in a blood flow direction is provided. The leaflet 5 is composed of connective tissue and protrudes radially inward from the stent body 4. An inside and an outside of the stent body 4 radially communicate with each other. The stent does not block a branch blood vessel 8. An area of the blood vessel covered with the stent is reduced.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an oligonucleotide useful as a therapeutic agent for dyslipidemia that has excellent binding affinity to the PCSK9 gene as well as stability and safety. The oligonucleotide of the present invention contains a sugar-modified nucleoside, the sugar-modified nucleoside has a bridging structure between 4?-position and 2?-position, and the oligonucleotide can bind to the human PCSK9 gene. Also, the present invention provides a therapeutic agent for dyslipidemia containing the oligonucleotide as an active ingredient, and the therapeutic agent preferably contains a bioabsorbable material as a carrier. The bioabsorbable material is preferably atelocollagen or peptide gel.

Abstract: An electrostimulation system includes a connector connected to an electrostimulation device, a conducting wire pair electrically connected to the connector, an electrical stimulation lead having a sheathing body configured to insulate the conducting wire pair and installed to be inserted into the vein, an electrical stimulus block portion installed at a leading end side of the electrical stimulation lead and having an electrode portion electrically connected to the conducting wire pair and a fixing block configured to bias the electrode portion to the inner wall of the vein, and a rotary member having an engaging groove detachably engaged with the electrical stimulus block portion and configured to rotate the electrical stimulus block portion disposed in the vein about a central axis of the vein disposed in the vein via the engaging groove.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a therapeutic agent for accelerating recovery to accelerate a return to normal physical conditions by administering to an animal not in good health and under medical treatment, a treatment method, and the like. There is provided a therapeutic agent for accelerating recovery for animal use to accelerate the improvement of a physical condition of an animal under medical treatment which has a decreased activity (vigor) and is exhausted, which contains ghrelin or a derivative thereof or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient and improves one or more of evaluation parameters consisting of activity (vigor), blood cell test values, biochemical test values, body temperature, the degree of anger or anxiety, and respiratory rate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vector which can make nucleic acids to be an aggregate and locate a vector containing a cationic polymer to surround the aggregate so as to protect the nucleic acids from the enzyme. The vector comprises a polymer having branched chain(s). Preferably, 3, 4, or 6 branched chains are bonded to benzene ring. It is preferable that the number of the branched chains is higher. As the branched chain(s), a vinyl-series acrylic polymer is preferable. The vector is synthesized by reacting a dithiocarbamate compound with an acrylamide monomer for the branched chain(s).

Abstract: A practical method for estimating cardiac output and pulmonary artery wedge pressure with good accuracy is provided. A method is provided for estimating the impedance arising from solid tissue by determining the impedance at the intersection between the line of identity and the extrapolated regression line, where the regression line is obtained by linearly regressing the maximum value to the minimum value of the impedance signal of each of multiple data sets, where each data set contains the maximum value and the minimum value of the impedance signal during one cardiac cycle, where impedance signal is obtained between a can electrode implanted in the left thoracic wall and an electrode inserted into the coronary vein, over a specific period of time following the infusion of hypertonic saline into the pulmonary circulation.

Abstract: A compound having an excellent activity to inhibit a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor has been identified. There are provided a drug for inhibiting a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor characterized by including a trimeric or higher polymeric procyanidin as an active ingredient, which is useful in treating and preventing diseases, in particular, arteriosclerotic diseases, for which a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor acts as an aggravating factor; the aforementioned drug for inhibiting a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor, characterized in that the procyanidin is derived from a plant material selected from the group consisting of apples, grape seeds, peanut seed coats and pine barks; and a drug for preventing arteriosclerosis including a trimeric or higher polymeric procyanidin as an active ingredient, and characterized by having an activity to inhibit a lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor.

Abstract: A micro integrated cardiac pacemaker includes a control unit for outputting a control signal according to cardiograph information, heart stimulating means for stimulating heart tissue in response to the control signal, cardiograph information extracting means for extracting cardiograph information and outputting it to the control unit, and a power supply unit for supplying drive power. The power supply unit is a biological fuel cell that takes out electrons by oxidation of a biological fuel. The biological fuel cell includes an anode and a cathode. An oxidase of a biological fuel and a mediator are immobilized on the cathode. Blood and/or body fluid are used as an electrolytic solution, and a biological fuel and oxygen in the blood and/or the fluid are used. The biological fuel cell is attached to the end of a catheter and implanted into the heart, and the catheter is withdrawn, without incising the breast.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cardiac pacing system based on biological activities, comprising: a) at least one nerve activity sensing means which senses nerve activity of a cardiac sympathetic nerve and/or a vagal nerve, and outputs a plurality of input nerve activity signals; b) a calculating means which receives the input nerve activity signals, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of normal nerve activity signals and a normal heart rate signal from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a plurality of pacing signals for control of a heart rate using a convolution integral between the input nerve activity signals and the impulse response, and outputs the pacing signals; and c) a pacing means which receives the pacing signals, and stimulates the heart based on the pacing signals such that heart rate is regulated.

Abstract: A blood pressure regulating system uses a native regulation rule to estimate at least one nerve activity in response to blood pressure changes, comprising at least one blood pressure sensing means which senses blood pressure and outputs a input blood pressure signal, a calculating means which receives the input blood pressure signal, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of a normal blood pressure signal and a normal sympathetic nerve activity from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a sympathetic nerve stimulation signal using a convolution integral between the input blood pressure signal and the impulse response, and outputs the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and a stimulating means which receives the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and stimulates the sympathetic nerve innervating vascular beds based on the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal such that blood pressur

Abstract: A distributed cardiac pacing system comprises a first ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in an atrial myocardium and a second ultra miniature integrated cardiac pacemaker adapted to be placed in a ventricular myocardium.

Abstract: A blood pressure regulating system uses a native regulation rule to estimate at least one nerve activity in response to blood pressure changes, comprising at least one blood pressure sensing means which senses blood pressure and outputs a input blood pressure signal, a calculating means which receives the input blood pressure signal, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of a normal blood pressure signal and a normal sympathetic nerve activity from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a sympathetic nerve stimulation signal using a convolution integral between the input blood pressure signal and the impulse response, and outputs the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and a stimulating means which receives the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal, and stimulates the sympathetic nerve innervating vascular beds based on the sympathetic nerve stimulation signal such that blood pressur

Abstract: The present invention provides a cardiac pacing system based on biological activities, comprising: a) at least one nerve activity sensing means which senses nerve activity of a cardiac sympathetic nerve and/or a vagal nerve, and outputs a plurality of input nerve activity signals; b) a calculating means which receives the input nerve activity signals, calculates a transfer function by computing a Fourier transform of normal nerve activity signals and a normal heart rate signal from normal cardiovascular system, calculates an impulse response by computing an inverse Fourier transform of the transfer function, calculates a plurality of pacing signals for control of a heart rate using a convolution integral between the input nerve activity signals and the impulse response, and outputs the pacing signals; and c) a pacing means which receives the pacing signals, and stimulates the heart based on the pacing signals such that heart rate is regulated.

Abstract: A medical treating system based on biological activities characterized by biological activity sensing means for sensing biological activity information produced by biological activities and outputting a biological activity signal, calculating means for receiving, analyzing, and processing the biological activity signals from the biological activity sensing means, calculating an organism stimulation signal, and outputting the organism stimulation signal, and organism stimulating means for receiving the organism stimulation signal calculated by the calculating means and stimulating an organism according to the organism stimulation signal. A cardiac pacing system based on the treating system, a blood pressure regulating system, and a cardiac disease treating system are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a variety of useful polypeptides. In particular, a polypeptide comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, SEQ ID NO: 2 or SEQ ID NO: 3, its amide, or a salt thereof can be used as an agent for preventing/treating hypotension; an agent for preventing/treating obesity, hyperphagia, etc.; an agent for preventing/treating lethargy, time-zone change syndrome (jet lag), etc.; an agent for preventing/treating sterility, etc. A compound or its salt that promotes the activity of a polypeptide comprising the same or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the amino acid sequence represented by any of SEQ ID NOS: 7 to 12 and 37 to 42, its partial peptide, or a salt thereof is useful as an agent for preventing/treating, e.g., menopausal symptoms or hyperthyroidism. A compound or its salt that inhibits the activity of said polypeptide is useful as an agent for preventing/treating, e.g.

Abstract: A particle beam generator has a vacuum chamber, a magnet which generates a constant magnetic field in the vacuum chamber, acceleration electrodes which generates a magnetic field in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnet in the vacuum chamber, a take-out electrode which takes out charged particles accelerated in the vacuum chamber; and a target cell provided at a position at which the charged particles taken out by the taken-out electrode strikes. At least a part of surfaces exposed to the charged particles of the vacuum chamber, the acceleration electrodes, the take-out electrode and/or the target cell is made of a material including an element having atomic number larger than copper.