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Abstract Data of the intermediate depth (the Geioyo and the Shizuoka) earthquakes in Japan recorded in a dense network is analysed and compared with various available attenuation relations. The approach of Midorikawa (Midorikawa S., 1993, Technophysics 218, 287–295) based on the empirical Green’s function technique of Irikura (Irikura, K., 1986, Proceedings of the 7th Japan Earthquake Engineering Symposium, pp. 151–156.) has been used to model the rupture responsible for these earthquakes and peak ground acceleration are simulated at selected observation points. The method presented in this work includes the transmission effect in a multiple layer crustal model for a finite fault earthquake source model. Sharp attenuation rate is seen for such intermediate depth earthquakes which is difficult to explain through conventional attenuation relations. Detail study of the methodology and comparison of results shows that the transmission factor plays an important role for the sharp attenuation rate for intermediate-to deep-focus earthquakes.

We present a simplified method to simulate strong ground motion for a realistic representation of a finite earthquake source burried in a layered earth. This method is based on the stochastic simulation method of Boore (Boore, D. M., 1983, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am.73, 1865–1894) and the Empirical Green’s Function (EFG) method of Irikura (Irikura, K., 1986, Proceedings of the 7th Japan Earthquake symposium, pp. 151–156). The rupture responsible for an earthquake is represented by several subfaults. The geometry of subfaults and their number is decided by the similarity relationships. For simulation of ground motion using the stochastic simulation technique we used the shapping window based on the kinetic source model of the rupture plane. The shaping window deepens on the geometry of the earthquake source and the propagation characteristics of the energy released by various subfaults. The division of large fault into small subfaults and the method for accounting their contribution at the surface is identical to the EGF. The shapping window has been modified to take into account the effect of the transmission of energy released form the finite fault at various boundaries of the layered earth model above the source. In the present method we have applied the correction factor to adjust slip time function of small and large earthquakes. The correction factor is used to simulate strong motion records having basic spectral shape of ω2source model in broad frequency range. To test this method we have used the strong motion data of the Geiyo earthquake of 24th March 2001, Japan recorded by KiK network. The source of this earthquake is modelled by a simple rectangular rupture of size 24 × 15 km, burried at a depth of 31 km in a multilayered earth model. This rupture plane is divided into 16 rectangular subfaults of size 6.0 × 3.75 km each. Strong motion records at eight selected near-field stations were simulated and compared with the observed records in terms of the acceleration and velocity records and their response spectrum. The comparison confirms the suitability of proposed rupture model responsible for this earthquake and the efficacy of the approach in predicting the strong motion scenario of earthquakes in the subduction zone. Using the same rupture model of the Geiyo earthquake, we compared the simulated records from our and the EGF techniques at one near-field station. The comparison shows that this technique gives records which matches in a wide frequency range and that too from simple and easily accessible parameters of burried rupture.

This study evaluated abnormal fibrinolysis in diabetic patients in terms of the pathophysiological significance and reversibility by oral hypoglycemic agents. Forty-seven patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were randomly treated for 4 weeks with glibenclamide (n = 23) or troglitazone (n = 24). Before and after treatment, glycemic control, steady-state plasma glucose and insulin (SSPG and SSPI, respectively), and markers of fibrinolysis (tissue plasminogen activator [tpa] and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1]) were analyzed in each patient. Pretreatment plasma PAI-1 in diabetic patients, but not tPA, was well correlated with the severity of retinopathy assessed by the fluorescence technique. Four weeks of treatment with troglitazone significantly decreased hemoglobin A"1"c (HbA"1"c), SSPG, and PAI-1 without an alteration of tPA. The troglitazone-induced decrease in plasma PAI-1 (50.3 v 28.8 @mmol/L; P < .05) was correlated with HbA"1"c (8.80% v 7.21%, r = .539, P < .01) and SSPG (16.2 v 8.97 mmol/L, r = .562, P < .01) but not with SSPI. In contrast, treatment with glibenclamide for 4 weeks also reduced the HbA"1"c titer to almost the same extent as troglitazone (1.38% v 1.59%), but did not change the plasma PAI-1 or SSPG titer. These results suggest that an abnormal fibrinolytic state, especially overproduction of PAI-1, may be a pathogenic factor in the development of diabetic complications such as retinopathy, which may be improved by correction of the insulin resistance with troglitazone.

Effective scalar theories for QCD are proposed to investigate the deconfining and chiral phase transitions. The orders of the phase transitions are determined by infrared stabilities of the fixed points. It is found that the transitions inSU (3) gauge theories are of 1st order for any number of massless flavors. The cases ofSU (2) andSU (4) gauge theories are also discussed.

It is well known that atherosclerosis is caused by aging hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, smoking and hereditary disposition. Selectin is glycoprotein and has three subtypes (E-selectin, P-selectin, L-selectin). Especially that selectin is considered first step of leukocyte attachment to vascular wall. The cell-surface expression of these molecules in response to pathophysiological stimuli mediates the interaction between the endothelium and blood cells central to the development of atherosclerosis. We measured serum soluble E-selectin, P-selectin and L-selectin by ELISA in 86 normal subjects and 36 never-treated essential hypertensive patients without diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia and obesity. Moreover, we detected protein of E-selectin by western blot analysis after exposed to cyclic stretch in cultured human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and human glomerular endothelial cells (HGEC). With immunohistochemistry, we found that E-selectin expressed in HAEC and HGEC. There was no correlation between each selectin level and age, sex and body mass index. We found no difference of serum soluble P-selectin (255.9 ± 18 ng/ml versus 298 ± 17 ng/ml) and L-selectin (990 ± 26 ng/ml versus 942 ± 57.9 ng/ml) level between normal and hypertensive subjects, but serum soluble E-selectin level was significantly higher in hypertensives than in controls (47.8 ± 3.4 ng/ml versus 73 ± 12.9 ng/ml p < 0.01). Stretching increased protein expression of E-selectin from HAEC and HGEC. Those results suggested that soluble E-selectin level might be a useful clinical marker for endothelial damage in hypertension.

The importance of endoscopy in the diagnosis of small intestinal tumors was evaluated in 15 patients with small intestinal tumors treated in our hospital. Two tumors were benign, and 13 were malignant (carcinoma in 5 patients, malignant lymphoma in 5 and leiomyosarcoma in 3). The presence of lesions could be determined by X-rays before surgery, but definitive diagnoses were difficult. When preoperative endoscopy of the small intestine was possible accurate preoperative diagnoses could be made based on the endoscopic findings and biopsies taken under direct vision. Endoscopy is therefore very important for the diagnosis of small intestinal tumors. It is necessary to develop small intestinal endoscopes that are easier to insert.