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Conventional strain sensors measure strains exerted on solid metals and have been widely applied. Stretch measurements of flexible objects require strain sensors with wide dynamic range (stretch exceeding 100%) that can also measure areal changes. Flexible strain sensors are expected to realize a wide range of technologies, such as human interfaces, smart clothes, skin-motion monitoring, and robotic skin. Recently, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been assembled into stretchable conductors, and are potential base materials for various flexible sensors. Herein, we construct a flexible stretching sensor from urethane elastomer and conductive electrodes from singlewalled CNTs. This sensor is extremely thin (thickness: 150 µm), and characterized by high elasticity (up to 100%), low stress (0.8 MPa at 100%), durability (1000 cycles at 50%), light weight (approx. 1.1 g/cm 3 ), and sensitivity (1 pF/mm 2 ). The strain sensor is tested on a cloth fabric, and is confirmed to measure the stretch area of flexible materials.Index Terms-Capacitive sensor, thin film sensor, strain sensor, carbon nanotubes.

(2), 151-154 Open-ended questions, which allow patients to discuss their concerns freely, are widely considered an efficient method gathering medical information from patients during a medical interview. However, few studies have examined the relationship between the use of open-ended questions and the amount of information obtained from patients during the medical interview. This study examines this relationship using a relatively large sample size under more standardized conditions than in previous studies. The Japanese Group for Research on the Medical Interview undertook this research in [2002][2003]. A total of 1,527 medical students conducted medical interviews with standardized patients, and 1,220 met the inclusion criteria for this study. The interview was limited to five minutes. Evaluators (medical school faculty physicians) evaluated the use of open-ended questions during the medical interview. The reliability of the evaluation sheet was also examined. The amount of information obtained was measured through the medical interview evaluation sheet.The use of open-ended questions was positively related to the amount of information elicited from the patients (F = 41.0, p < 0.0001). This study provides data to support the hypothesis regarding the favorable relationship between the use of the open-ended questions and the amount of information from the patients.

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The U937 cell, a human monoblast cell line, has been used as a model to study the function of human monocytes. We investigated the effects of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) on superoxide anion (O2-) production, cell surface antigens, and cytokine production of U937 cells. IFN-gamma treatment enhanced O2- production of fMLP or PMA-stimulated U937 cells. IFN-gamma increased the ratio of CD23 and CD11b positive cells. The fluorescence intensity of CD14 and CD25 was enhanced by IFN-gamma treatment. U937 cells produced IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. IFN-gamma treatment enhanced TNF-alpha production, but decreased IL-6 production. These results suggest that IFN-gamma differentiates U937 cells to monocyte-like cells and it regulates the production systems of IL-6 and TNF-alpha separately in U937 cells.

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1. Even though current treatments for inflammatory bowel disease are effective, adverse reactions remain a problem. With the intention of developing a new drug delivery system, we attempted to identify molecules that are selectively adsorbed to inflamed bowel. 2. The PhD-C7C phage display peptide library was used for biopanning against mouse isolated bowel, either untreated (control) or with inflammation caused by ischaemia-reperfusion injury. One hundred clones were selected from among those obtained by two biopanning procedures and the amino acid sequences of these clones were identified by determination of the base sequences. 3. Then, 20 clones were selected by an alignment process, after which the three clones with the highest affinity for inflammatory bowel were identified. One of these three clones had significantly higher affinity for inflammatory bowel than for normal bowel. 4. In conclusion, biopanning against isolated bowel samples identified an amino acid sequence (SQSHPRH) with a specific high affinity for inflammatory bowel.