Search

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease that includes fibrosis, diffuse vasculopathy, inflammation, and autoimmunity. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) is considered for patients with severe and progressive SSc. In recent decades, knowledge about patient management and clinical outcomes after auto-HSCT has significantly improved. Mechanistic studies have contributed to increasing the comprehension of how profound and long-lasting are the modifications to the immune system induced by transplantation. This review revisits the immune monitoring studies after auto-HSCT for SSc patients and how they relate to clinical outcomes. This understanding is essential to further improve clinical applications of auto-HSCT and enhance patient outcomes.

Background Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) treats patients with severe and progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, basic mechanisms associated with the therapeutic efficacy of the procedure are not entirely understood. We aimed to evaluate how AHSCT affects skin fibrosis in SSc patients. Methods Clinical data, serum, and skin samples from 39 SSc patients who underwent AHSCT were retrospectively evaluated. Skin biopsies were analyzed by immunohistochemistry with anti-MMP-1, -MMP-2, -MMP-3, -MMP-9, -TIMP-1, -α-SMA, -TGF-β, and -NF-κB p65 antibodies, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and picrosirius red to assess skin thickness and collagen density, respectively. Serum samples were evaluated by Multiplex Assay for COL1A1, COL4A1, FGF-1, MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-12, MMP-13, PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, S100A9, and TIMP-1 levels and compared to healthy controls. Results After AHSCT, SSc patients showed clinical improvement in skin involvement, assessed by modified Rodnan’s skin score (mRSS). Histologically, collagen density and skin thickness decreased after AHSCT. Immunohistochemical analyses showed increased expression of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and TIMP-1 after AHSCT, whereas expression of NF-κB p65 decreased. At baseline, serum levels of COL4A1 and S100A9 were higher than in healthy controls. Serum levels of S100A9 normalized after AHCST in SSc patients compared to controls. Serum levels of PDGF-AA, PDGF-BB, TIMP-1, and MMP-1 decreased, while COL1A1 increased after AHSCT in SSc patients. No changes were detected in MMP-3, MMP-12, MMP-13, and FGF-1 serum levels after AHSCT. Conclusions Our results suggest that the therapeutic effects of AHSCT on skin fibrosis are related to changes in molecules associated with connective tissue maintenance and inflammation in SSc.

The purpose of this study is to quantify the Hunt Effect in a range from indoor lighting levels to outdoor daylight levels so that a perception model of Hunt Effect for lighting can be developed with outdoor daylight as the reference. Our previous study experimentally quantified the perceived chroma changes due to the Hunt Effect at 100 lx and 1000 lx. To extend this to light levels closer to outdoor daylight, a vision experiment was conducted at ≈1000 lx and ≈6000 lx for red, green, yellow, and blue patches. A reference patch on one side of a double booth at 1000 lx was compared to a set of 20 test patches on the other side of the booth at ≈6000 lx using haploscopic view condition. Results showed that the perceived chroma changes are much smaller and insignificant compared to the results between 100 lx and 1000 lx found in our previous study.

Objective: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is a therapeutic option for patients with severe and progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc). Here, we aimed to investigate how AHSCT affects the vasculopathy of SSc patients. Methods: Twenty-seven SSc patients were retrospectively assessed, before and after AHSCT, for vessel morphology (nailfold capillaroscopy), skin expression of endothelial markers and serum levels of markers of inflammation, angiogenesis and endothelial activation. Skin biopsies were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for expression of CD31, VE-cadherin, E-selectin, angiopoietin-1 (Ang1), angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), Tie-2, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), and endothelin-1 before and 12 months post-AHSCT. Serum samples from SSc patients were assessed before and up to 36 months after AHSCT for IL-6, von Willebrand factor (vWF), CXC Motif Chemokine Ligand 8 (CXCL8), Endothelin-1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), VEGFA, Pentraxin-3, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 (ICAM-1), E-selectin, P-selectin, Thrombomodulin and IL-18 levels, and compared to healthy control samples. Results: On nailfold capillaroscopy, the number of capillaries increased at 1 year, while giant capillaries decreased at 6 months and 1 year after AHSCT. In the skin biopsies, expression of E-selectin notably decreased and Ang1 increased after AHSCT. At baseline, all vascular markers evaluated in the serum were significantly higher in SSc patients when compared to healthy controls, except for ICAM-1. When compared at different time points after AHSCT, Thrombomodulin, Pentraxin-3, vWF, and IL-18 levels remained generally stable at high levels until 36 months after AHSCT. Conclusion: Our results suggest that AHSCT contributes to improvements of the vessel morphology and dermal microvasculopathy, but does not normalize elevated levels of serum vascular markers in SSc patients. Additional vascular therapeutic approaches might contribute to more effectively treat the endothelial injury.

We developed a CANDLES-III system to study the neutrino-less double beta (0$\nu\beta\beta$) decay of $^{48}$Ca. The proposed system employs 96 CaF$_{2}$ scintillation crystals (305 kg) with natural Ca ($^{\rm nat.}$Ca) isotope which corresponds 350\,g of $^{48}$Ca. External backgrounds were rejected using a 4$\pi$ active shield of a liquid scintillator surrounding the CaF$_2$ crystals. The internal backgrounds caused by the radioactive impurities within the CaF$_2$ crystals can be reduced effectively through analysis of the signal pulse shape. We analyzed the data obtained in the Kamioka underground for a live-time of 130.4\,days to evaluate the feasibility of the low background measurement with the CANDLES-III detector. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we estimated the background rate from the radioactive impurities in the CaF$_{2}$ crystals and the rate of high energy $\gamma$-rays caused by the (n, $\gamma$) reactions induced by environmental neutrons. The expected background rate was in a good agreement with the measured rate, i.e., approximately 10$^{-3}$ events/keV/yr/(kg of $^{\rm nat.}$Ca), in the 0$\nu\beta\beta$ window. In conclusion, the background candidates were estimated properly by comparing the measured energy spectrum with the background simulations. With this measurement method, we performed the first search for 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay in a low background condition using a detector with a Ca isotope, in which the Ca present was not enriched, in a scale of hundreds of kg. The $^{48}$Ca isotope has a high potential for use in 0$\nu\beta\beta$ decay search, and is expected to be useful for the development of a next-generation detector for highly sensitive measurements.

Search for the ultra-rare process, neutrino-less double beta decay, is a powerful tool to test the Majorana nature of neutrinos. Among the potential double beta decay nuclei, 48Ca has the largest Q-value, hence we can expect the measurement with least background. On the other hand, due to its low natural abundance, isotope enrichment is essential to achieve the sensitivity in the region of interest (inverted/normal mass hierarchy of neutrinos). We have been developing a laser isotope separation method using a tunable semiconductor laser that can excite only a specific isotope (48Ca). The laser is irradiated perpendicular to the collimated calcium vapor beam. Only 48Ca atoms are separated by deflecting them from the original atomic beam by momentum transfer due to multiple absorption and emission of laser photons. The isotope separation is confirmed by irradiating an ionization laser and time-of-flight measurement. Following the success of the proof-of-principle experiment, we are now developing the mass production system which include efficient generation of atomic beams, frequency-stabilized high-power laser, efficient laser irradiation method, and collection method of deflected isotope beams. In this paper, we report on the status and prospects of these developments.

Neutrino-less double beta decay measurement is a powerful tool to test the Majorana nature of neutrinos. Among the potential double beta decay nuclei, 48Ca has the largest Q value (4.3 MeV), we can expect the least background measurement. On the other hand, a smallness of natural abundance of 48Ca (~0.2%) requires an enrichment to increase the sensitivity to reach interesting regions (Inverted Hierarchy and Normal Hierarchy). We have been studying the laser isotope separation (LIS) methods for the enrichment of 48Ca, where a narrow band diode laser is used to excite the specific isotope in the calcium vapor beam. For the separation, two methods (deflection and ionization) are employed. In the deflection method, the 48Ca atoms are deflected by momentum transfers from laser photons by multiple absorption and emission. In the ionization method, an additional dye laser is used to ionize the excited 48Ca. In this paper, we will report the current status and future prospects of two methods of LIS for the enrichment of 48Ca.

We performed scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at room temperature on a − b surface of α -(BETD-TTF) 2 I 3 which undergoes a charge ordering transition at T CO = 135 K . BEDT-TTF molecular arrangement with α -type was clearly observed. Charge modulation with two-fold molecular periodicity was observed along both columns I and II. The auto correlation of the charge modulation along column II has extended in the area observed by STM. On the other hand, that along the column I is much weaker than column II although the charge modulation locally develop. The charge modulations along columns I and II form horizontal stripe structure with some inhomogeneity, whose structure is similar to the charge order below T CO 135 K . Our result suggests that horizontal charges stripe at room temperature is a precursor of the charge ordered state.

We report an electron tunneling study of SmFeAsO 1− x F x in the low doping region ( x =0, 0.045, 0.046, 0.069) by low temperature UHV-STM/STS. Superconducting gaps are observed for each superconducting sample x =0.045 ( T c =12.9 K), x =0.046 ( T c =32.9 K) and x =0.069 ( T c =46.9 K). We obtained corresponding superconducting gap size of Δ SC = 9.5 ± 0.5 meV , 9.75±0.25 meV and 11±1 meV. While T c increases, Δ SC is kept the same. This suggests that the effective attractive interaction is the same and that there is some mechanism that suppresses the superconductivity in the low doping region. On the other hand, similar gap structures were found in a non-superconducting sample with x =0 at 7.8 K. The obtained gap size was Δ N = 8.5 ± 1.5 meV , which is almost the same as the superconducting gap in the superconducting samples ( x =0.045, 0.046, 0.069).

The electronic state of Fe 1.17 Te was investigated with atomic resolution by using STM. We discovered a charge stripe structure at 7.8 K for the first time. The wave vector of the charge stripe structure is along the a -axis or b -axis. Furthermore we found that the charge stripe occurred at the Fe layer. We also found a 9 meV gap structure on the Fermi surface by STS. The gap size is consistent with the mean field approximation with SDW transition temperature of 58 K.

Beam orbit distortion in all dispersive sections was observed in the SPring-8 storage ring during beam commissioning. In order to confirm the stability of the radio frequency (RF) synthesizer, a monitoring system was developed. The system consists of a frequency counter referenced to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver. With this system, the output of the synthesizer, which uses an external 10 MHz-Rubidium atomic clock with the time accuracy of Δ t / t = 10 − 12 , is correctly monitored with 11 digits absolute accuracy, verifying that the synthesizer works well. Measurement of the circumference of the SPring-8 storage ring reveals the effect of tidal forces and seasonal temperature variations on beam orbit. To maintain the center axis of photon radiation in experimental beam lines, a beam energy correction is carried out. The frequency of the RF synthesizer is changed every 5 min with 10-digit accuracy. This corresponds to an energy accuracy of Δ E / E = 1.16 × 10 − 6 . The monitoring system for the synthesizer and obtained results are described.

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:07:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2016-01-01. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2021-07-15T15:21:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 S1806-11172016000300414.pdf: 981654 bytes, checksum: fb7495ab1cc0e15382d387a8267758db (MD5) In this paper we analyse tiebreak results from some tennis players in order to investigate whether we are able to identify a non-aleatory distribution of the points in this crucial moment of the game. We compared the observed results with a binomial distribution considering that the probabilities of winning or losing a point are equal. Using a χ2 test we found that, excepting some players, the greatest part of the results agrees with our hypothesis that the points in tiebreaks are merely aleatory. Escola Paulista de Medicina UNIFESP Instituto de Física da Universidade de São Paulo, C.P. 66318 Instituto de Física Teórica UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, C.P. 70532-2 Departamento de Informática em Saúde Escola Paulista de Medicina UNIFESP Instituto de Física Teórica UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, C.P. 70532-2

The great shipworm Teredo navalis is a bivalve of the Teredinidae family known for its efficient ability at degrading wood and feeding on sugar molecules constituting its building blocks. The aim of this study was to identify new endogenous genes encoding cellulose-degrading enzymes from the shipworm. We suspect those genes to play an important role in the efficient biomass degradation of T. navalis. We constructed an expressed sequence tag (EST) database of 3‘end cDNAs prepared by reverse transcription of mRNAs prepared from the shipworm whole body. A GS FLX 454 pyrosequencing system was used to sequence the transcriptome. A total of 12,879 contigs and 80,891 singlets were obtained and probed using blast2go. In this short paper we present the preliminary findings of our study.

The total performance of low-k/Cu interconnects featuring short turnaround-time (TAT) silylated scalable porous silica (Po-SiO, k = 2.1) with high porosity (50%) is demonstrated. The TAT for the film formation process including silylation treatment is about 25% reduced by adding a promoter, causing reinforcement of the film. Applying this improved Po-SiO, a 140-nm-pitch dual-damascene structure is successfully achieved. The wiring capacitance showed 10% reduction, compared to the conventional porous SiOC (ULK, k = 2.65). Sufficient interconnect reliability and packaging characteristics for the circuit-under-pad structure are also obtained. The predicted circuit performance was 8% higher than ULK in the 32-nm node.

We report on the complication of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in four patients with lower brainstem dysfunction. These patients suffered from perinatal asphyxia, cerebellar hemorrhage, or congenital dysphagia of unknown origin and showed facial nerve palsy, inspiratory stridor due to vocal cord paralysis, central sleep apnea, and dysphagia, in various combinations. Naso-intestinal tube feeding was introduced in all of the patients due to recurrent vomiting and aspiration pneumonia resulting from GER. T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging revealed symmetrical high intensity lesions in the tegmentum of the lower pons and the medulla oblongata in two of the patients, and pontomedullary atrophy in another patient. In normal subjects, lower esophageal sphincter contraction is provoked by distension of the gastric wall, through a vago-vagal reflex. Since this reflex arc involves the solitary tract nucleus, where the swallowing center is located, the association of dysphagia and GER in the present patients is thought to result from the lesions in the tegmentum of medulla oblongata. We propose the term "dysphagia-GER complex" to describe the disturbed motility of the upper digestive tract due to lower brainstem involvement. In children with brainstem lesions, neurological assessment of GER is warranted, in addition to the examination of other signs of brainstem dysfunction, including dysphagia and respiratory disturbance.

This article shall give an overview on pH-sensitive microparticulate drug delivery systems with a main focus on their application in oral drug administration. It deals with the major therapeutic strategies to which such microparticles can be applied mainly based on the selective drug delivery towards specific areas in the gastrointestinal tract. Beside taste masking pH-sensitive microparticles have been used for the avoidance of gastric irritation. Most of the approaches described in literature however, aim for the increase of bioavailability of the entrapped drug. For the increase of oral bioavailability of fragile drugs, such as peptides or proteins, pH-sensitive microparticles are intended to protect the entrapped drug load against its degradation in the upper intestinal tract and to deliver it in a more advantageous environment. In a similar way, microparticles have proved their efficiency for oral vaccination. In addition to the above mentioned delivery strategies targeting the most promising absorption site, other therapeutic approaches aim for selective local drug delivery, especially for applications in inflammatory bowel disease. This overview of the different applications of pH-sensitive microparticles for oral administration emphasizes their versatility and underlines that they may be an interesting tool in order to open new therapeutic pathways for a large diversity of diseases.

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) is capable of chemical imaging of proteins on insulated samples in principal. However, selection of specific peaks related to a particular protein, which are necessary for chemical imaging, out of numerous candidates had been difficult without an appropriate spectrum analysis technique. Therefore multivariate analysis techniques, such as principal component analysis (PCA), and analysis with mutual information defined by information theory, have been applied to interpret SIMS spectra of protein samples. In this study mutual information was applied to select specific peaks related to proteins in order to obtain chemical images. Proteins on insulated materials were measured with TOF-SIMS and then SIMS spectra were analyzed by means of the analysis method based on the comparison using mutual information. Chemical mapping of each protein was obtained using specific peaks related to each protein selected based on values of mutual information. The results of TOF-SIMS images of proteins on the materials provide some useful information on properties of protein adsorption, optimality of immobilization processes and reaction between proteins. Thus chemical images of proteins by TOF-SIMS contribute to understand interactions between material surfaces and proteins and to develop sophisticated biomaterials.

An optical instrument was developed that is based on a two-wavelength extinction principle and is used to measure the temporal mass concentration of soot aggregates in diesel exhaust. Two laser beams in coaxial alignment transmit a gas sample flow and the transmittances at two wavelengths are measured simultaneously. The specific extinction is determined by a comparison of mass concentrations measured at steady operation conditions by both the extinction and paper filter methods. The soot mass concentration is calculated from the measured transmittance value using the specific extinction obtained. It is demonstrated by experiments with two EURO III direct injection diesel engines that the developed instrument is able to measure the soot mass concentration under transient modes. A theoretical approach to quantify the ratio of scattering to absorption of diesel soot aggregates is proposed whereby the transmittance values measured at two wavelengths and electron micrographs are incorporated into the soot aggregate scattering theory. The refractive index of the diesel soot aggregates is finally determined so that the measured specific absorption could fit a calculated one.

In any electron accelerator facilities, radio frequencies (RF) for a linear accelerator and a circular accelerator that includes a booster synchrotron ring and a storage ring are completely different. There is not necessarily a sub-harmonic relation of two RFs between a linear accelerator and a circular accelerator. It is, however, indispensable to obtain a synchronous relation between both RFs and the timing of the gun trigger signal with the increasing beam current and shortening of beam time width from an electron gun in a linear accelerator. For a synchronous timing system in any electron accelerator facilities, there is no choice but to assemble a complicated system with the frequency dividers and multipliers in order to realize the synchronous relation between both RFs and the gun trigger signal. To simplify the complicated synchronous timing system, we have developed a new synchronization method for the RFs of both linear and circular accelerators. The new synchronization system has been installed into the synchrotron radiation facility, SPring-8 (Super Photon ring 8 GeV), which consists of a 1-GeV linac, an 8-GeV booster synchrotron and an 8-GeV storage ring. A 2856 MHz RF for the 1-GeV linac was generated by the 508.58 MHz RF of the 8-GeV storage ring with the new synchronous timing system, and the emission and acceleration under the condition of the shortening the beam time width in the linac was carried out. Since the synchronous relation between both the RFs and the gun trigger signal was realized by using the new synchronous timing system, the time jitter between the gun trigger signal and the RF phase of 2856 MHz was significantly reduced and resulted in beam energy stabilization. The new synchronous timing system has been used for usual beam operations at SPring-8. This timing system has achieved time jitters of 3.5 ps (rms) and beam energy stability of 0.009% (rms) under the condition of completely synchronized two RFs and the gun trigger signal.

In order to clarify the mechanism of magnetic abrasive polishing, a planar type process for a non-magnetic material, stainless steel, was examined. A magnetic abrasive brush was formed between a magnetic pole and a workpiece material, in which the summation of three kinds of energy necessary for magnetization of abrasives, i.e. repulsion between bundles (Faraday effect) and line tension of outer curved bundle was considered to be minimum. A normal force that pushes the abrasives on the brush end to be indented into the material surface is generated by the magnetic field. The magnetic abrasive brush will then be an extension of the magnetic pole. In this process, the tangential force acts to be the returning force created when the abrasive deviates from the magnetic balance point. Thus, the magnetic abrasives are expected to polish the material surface softly.

We report the STM study on a single-crystalline sample of FeTe at 7.8 K. FeTe is one of the iron-based superconductor. We measured the resistivity and the magnetization of FeTe. FeTe shows SDW transition at 58 K on these measurements. We study the electronic state of FeTe by using STM/STS for observing FeTe from a microscopic viewpoint. We observed the iron layer and the tellurium layer with atomic resolution. Moreover, we discover the charge stripe structure on STM/STS measurement. We find the charge stripe structure is caused by iron atoms from the analysis. The gap structure of 9 meV was observed in tunneling spectra. This gap size is consistent with the SDW gap which is expected from mean field theory with T N =58 K.

A double interlayer of high-density plasma fluorinated silica glass (FSG) and SiO/sub 2/ has been developed to control fluorine instability for sub-0.18-/spl mu/m devices. However, the interlayer conditions need further study for robust integration. The authors investigate the optimum conditions to prevent Al wiring delamination. The correlation between the incidence of delamination and F concentration at Ti-SiO/sub 2/ was demonstrated by the three-dimensional mapping of interfacial F concentrations with various thicknesses of SiO/sub 2/ and F contents in FSG. Detailed analysis of the Ti-SiO/sub 2/ interface reveals that the anomalous growth of the interface layer by absorbing F atoms into the Ti layer causes delamination. The properties of SiO/sub 2/, such as the compressive stress and the density of oxygen deficiency, were adjusted to reduce F diffusion. In addition, the thickness was controlled to above 4500 /spl Aring/ to suppress F accumulation at Ti-SiO/sub 2/ to within the permissible level. These conditions resulted in preventing delamination and obtaining integration reliability without increasing the capacitance between adjacent metal lines.

The fall accident of the elderly person gives serious results. One of the fall prevention methods is the improvement of the standing balance ability. We have already reported that the standing balance ability is improved by the subliminal vibration stimulus to planta pedis. The stimulus to planta pedis has the problems including the possibility of the damage of the stimulator. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of the subliminal vibration stimulus to the bone prominence of lower leg to the standing balance ability. The stimulus points are head of fibula, lateral malleolus, malleolus medialis, tuberosity of navicular bone and 5th metatarsal bone tuberosity. The experiments are conducted under six kinds of conditions, that is, the stimulus at five places separately and no stimulus vibration. The experiment repeats five times for each condition. The stimulus intensity is 90% of the intensity to feel vibration. Therefore, a subject does not feel the vibration even if a vibration stimulus is applied during the measurement. The subjects are five healthy males. A subject stands on one leg with closed eyes. We measured the center-of-foot-pressure (CFP) sway for 10 seconds. The standing balance was evaluated by the locus area and length of CFP sway. The stimulus to malleolus medialis or tuberosity of navicular bone or 5th metatarsal bone tuberosity significantly improved standing position balance. It became clear that the stimulus to the ankle could improve standing posture balance.

A novel magnetic transition was observed in a perovskite-type oxide of PrFe1−xMnxO3 (R=Pr, Gd, Dy; 0

In order to fill an radio frequency (rf) bucket with an electron beam in the storage ring at SPring-8, an rf knockout system was installed in the booster synchrotron. With this system, the energy of the electron beam injected from the linac was increased from 1 to 8 GeV. The time width of multi-bunch beams from the linac operated at 2856 MHz rf can be selected as 1 or 40 ns. The beam injected from the linac is distributed in rf buckets of the booster synchrotron operated at 508.58 MHz rf. To fill a single rf bucket with a beam, the rf knockout system is operated at a minimum beam energy of 1 GeV. By using the rf knockout system, the electron beam is effectively kept in a single rf bucket. Then the beam is injected into a targeted rf bucket in the storage ring with a precise timing system. The beam intensity of satellite rf buckets in the storage ring was measured with a photon counting method and determined to be 10 −6 less than that of the main rf bucket. In this paper, we describe the rf knockout system installed in the booster synchrotron.

Studies of the gas phase ion chemistry of triply charged metal ions, M(3+) = Sc(3+), Y(3+), La(3+), Ce(3+), and Yb(3+), were made by electrospray and laser spray. Triply charged ion ligand complexes, M(3+)(ligand)(n) were produced in the gas phase by electrospray and laser spray for the following ligands; glucose; sucrose; raffinose; cyclodextrin; ginsenoside Rb(1); dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA). The ion evaporation mechanism must be invoked to explain the transfer of more surface active ions (e.g., NH(4)(+)(H(2)O)(n)) in solution to the gas phase, while the transfer of low surface active ions (e.g., La(3+)(sucrose)(n)) may be explained by the charged residue model. In general, the laser spray gives stronger ion signals than electrospray for aqueous and water/methanol solutions. The laser spray is found to be more suitable for the observation of ions with larger solvation energies (e.g., Sc(3+)(DMSO)(n)). These results may be due to the enrichment of the sample concentration by the selective vaporization of the volatile solvent on the tip of the stainless steel capillary and also to the finer droplet formation caused by the laser irradiation. Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A synchronous universal counter was developed for beam handling and monitoring in SPring-8. It works at 508.58 MHz radio frequency and has a 30-bit width. Its two main features are a dividing function with an arbitrary positive integer and a digital delay function with a time interval over 2 s. The counter numbers all of the RF buckets of the SPring-8 storage ring from 0 to 2435. Successful installation of the counter and a signal transmission system with a low time jitters provided precise beam injection into a targeted RF bucket and furthermore into the RF buckets previously filled for addition. As an application, it can be used as a programmable digital delay module to give a reference timing for synchrotron light experiments. It can be adopted in most accelerators operated throughout the world to achieve easy beam injection. The design, performance and applications of the counter and a precise signal transmission system are described.

The magnetic properties of colossal magnetoresistance materials Cu(Cr 1− x Zr x ) 2 S 4 have been studied by the ESR measurements. A single ESR absorption line which has a Lorentzian shape was observed at high-temperatures for x =0.50. The estimated g -value is 1.98 at 198 K, which well agrees with the g -value of the free ion of Cr 3+ . With decreasing temperature, the absorption at high-temperatures splits into two absorptions below 100 K. As a possible mechanism, we suggest the coexistent magnetic states of ferromagnetism and paramagnetism for x =0.50. Any qualitative differences have not been observed in the ESR measurements for the sample with 0.45⩽ x ⩽0.60. This fact indicates that the magnetic state does not change upon Zr substitution for x =0.50 in the range of at least ±0.05.

Purpose: To localize the enzyme prolyl 4-hydroxylase in the crystalline lens and determine the ability of lens epithelial cells (LECs) to synthesize procollagen. Setting: Research laboratory, Department of Ophthalmology, Wakayama Medical College, Wakayama, Japan. Methods: Phacoemulsification and aspiration of the crystalline lens followed by implantation of a poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lens (IOL) were performed in 1 eye each of 6 albino rabbits; the eye was enucleated 1 or 2 months later. Crystalline lenses were also extracted from the eyes of 2 rabbits. These samples were processed for immunohistochemical detection of the α- and β-subunits of prolyl 4-hydroxylase. Results: A monolayer of LECs was detected on the inner surface of the intact anterior capsule. Antibodies directed against both subunits of prolyl 4-hydroxylase reacted strongly to LECs proliferating on capsules with IOLs, whereas little or no reaction was observed in quiescent LECs or in the regenerated lenticular structure. Conclusion: The presence of prolyl 4-hydroxylase in LECs proliferating on the inner surface of the lens capsule suggests that these cells are involved in the production of procollagen and fibrosis during capsular injury and repair. Suppression of prolyl 4-hydroxylase activity may prevent the capsule opacification that results from cataract removal and IOL implantation.

We developed a high-speed line-scanning camera (HSLSC) for measuring the radial variation of optical intensity of lightning channels. With this system we succeeded in obtaining a few examples of data for natural lightning. From these data we found that the luminous region of return stroke channels may expand with a velocity of more than 10 5 m/s during the initial stage and then reach the maximum diameter of several tens of meters after about 100 μs from the initiation of the return stroke and finally decrease with time. This suggests the occurrence of lateral discharges along the lightning channel during the propagation of return strokes.

The bell-shaped single-cell cavities used in the SPring-8 storage ring are devised to suppress the coupled-bunch instabilities arising from the coupling impedances associated with higher-order mode resonances. The inner structures of the cavities are designed to have low longitudinal or transverse shunt impedances of the higher-order modes. The cavities are provided with a systematic modification of inner structures of the cavities and with multiple movable plungers to shift the resonant frequencies of higher-order modes thereby preventing higher-order mode resonances from being excited.

A single-cell cavity with a bell-shaped inner structure is designed for the SPring-8 storage ring so that the transverse or longitudinal shunt impedances associated with higher-order mode resonances driving coupled-bunch instabilities are low; the highest transverse shunt impedance of the dipole higher-order mode at 1077 MHz is 13.7 MΩ/m and the highest longitudinal shunt impedance of the monopole higher-order mode at 904 MHz is 2.8 MΩ. The shunt impedance of the accelerating TM010-like mode is 6.7 MΩ. The RF characteristics such as resonant frequency, Q -value, shunt impedance and electromagnetic field distribution of the higher-order modes in a model RF cavity were measured.

HfC whiskers were prepared from a gas mixture of HfCl4 + CH4 + H2 + Ar in the presence of metal impurities, and the growth conditions and morphology were examined. The HfC whiskers preferentially grew at an H/Cl ratio of above 8, an HfCl4 gas flow rate of 10–20 standard cm3 min−1, a CH4 flow rate of 10–20 standard cm3 min−1, and at temperatures above 1050 °C. HfC whiskers, 60–170 μm long, with a ball-like tip and periodically varying diameters, were obtained at 1250 °C using a cobalt impurity.

We examined the arrangement of the coronary arterial and cardiac venous systems in 46 specimens with discordant atrioventricular connections so as to identify any structural abnormalities and to consider their surgical implications in terms of anatomical biventricular repair. Grossly abnormal arterial courses were seen in 11 hearts (24%). A substantial branch supplying the morphologically right ventricular outflow tract, which could restrict a ventriculotomy, was found in 61% of cases. The coronary sinus received all the morphologically right ventricular veins, as well as the posterior interventricular vein, in 40 hearts, this pattern being in contrast to the pattern in the normal heart. The morphologically left ventricular and anterior interventricular veins, all of which drain via the coronary sinus in the normal heart, were frequently connected independently to the morphologically right atrium in the specimens with discordant connections, the drainage occurring through the spaces between the pectinate muscles. These direct drainages are at risk of potential damage either by extensive intra-atrial maneuvers or by postoperative intraatrial thrombosis. It is predicted, therefore, that surgical results can be improved still further when account is taken of this vascular anatomy of the heart itself.