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Objective: To examine the role of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) positive mononuclear and multinucleated cells in the destruction of articular cartilage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The [...]

Objective.To evaluate the longterm safety and efficacy of subcutaneous tocilizumab (TCZ-SC) as monotherapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods.Of 346 patients who received 24 weeks of double-blind treatment with either TCZ-SC monotherapy, 162 mg every 2 weeks (q2w); or intravenous TCZ (TCZ-IV) monotherapy, 8 mg/kg every 4 weeks; 319 patients continued to receive TCZ-SC q2w in the 84-week open-label extension (OLE) of the MUSASHI study (JAPICCTI-101117). Efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity were evaluated for all patients treated with TCZ during 108 weeks.Results.The proportions of patients who achieved American College of Rheumatology 20/50/70 responses, low disease activity [28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) ≤ 3.2], or remission (DAS28 < 2.6) at Week 24 were maintained until Week 108. The incidences of adverse events and serious adverse events were 498.3 and 16.9 per 100 patient-years (PY), respectively. The overall safety of TCZ-SC monotherapy was similar to that of TCZ-IV monotherapy. Rates of injection site reactions (ISR) through 108 weeks remained similar to rates through 24 weeks. ISR were mild and did not cause any patient withdrawals. No serious hypersensitivity events (including anaphylactic reactions) occurred. Anti-TCZ antibodies were present in 2.1% of patients treated with TCZ-SC monotherapy.Conclusion.TCZ-SC monotherapy maintained a favorable safety profile and consistent efficacy throughout the 108-week study. Like TCZ-IV, TCZ-SC could provide an additional treatment option for patients with RA.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of human serum (HS) on growth and differentiation capacity of human synovium-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) in comparison to cells grown in fetal bovine serum (FBS). Human MSCs were isolated from the synovium of knee joints of three donors and the cells were cultured individually in varying concentrations of allogenic HS or FBS. Bovine MSCs were isolated from synovium and cultured in the same manner. Cell proliferation was assessed by the tetrazolium assay after passage 3. The capacity for chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation was investigated in specific media followed by 1,9-dimethylmethylene blue assay and alcian blue staining, or by alizarin red staining, respectively. Human MSCs proliferated significantly more rapidly in the presence of HS than with equivalent levels of FBS. Chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation occurred to nearly identical levels in HS or FBS. The results of this study indicate that HS is superior for the culture of human MSCs compared with FBS in terms of cellular expandability, without losing chondrogenic or osteogenic differentiation capacity. Coupled with the advantage in eliminating the potential risk accompanied with the use of xeno-derived materials, pooled, well-characterized HS could be a useful reagent to promote cellular expansion for clinical synovial stem cell-based therapy.

We have measured the three-dimensional patterns of carpal deformity in 20 wrists in 20 rheumatoid patients in which the carpal bones were shifted ulnarwards on plain radiography. Three-dimensional bone models of the carpus and radius were created by computerised tomography with the wrist in the neutral position. The location of the centroids and rotational angle of each carpal bone relative to the radius were calculated and compared with those of ten normal wrists.In the radiocarpal joint, the proximal row was flexed and the centroids of all carpal bones translocated in an ulnar, proximal and volar direction with loss of congruity. In the midcarpal joint, the distal row was extended and congruity generally well preserved. These findings may facilitate more positive use of radiocarpal fusion alone for the deformed rheumatoid wrist.

From antiquity the arterial pulse was associated with life, and its absence with death. The pulse was considered to carry vital information on the state of health, and was a central part of the physical examination in Chinese, Greek and Arabian medicine [1]. Untold numbers of paintings show the physician feeling the radial artery pulse – though rarely conducting any other sort of examination.

A diastereomeric mixture of the α-amino nitrile prepared by the Strecker reaction of benzaldehyde, (1S,2R)-1-aminoindan-2-ol, and cyanotrimethylsilane thermally epimerizes in the solid state to give a single diastereomer with an (S)-configuration at the α position to the nitrile moiety. This shows a sharp contrast to the reaction conducted in DMSO at room temperature, which gives a 1:1 mixture of (S)- and (R)-isomers. Several other α-amino nitriles also epimerize in the solid-state toward single diastereomers.

Purpose. To examine the prognostic indicators associated with outcome following rotator cuff surgery.Methods. A retrospective evaluation of records on 1120 shoulders (1067 patients) with rotator cuff tear treated by surgery was performed. Preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative factors were analysed by Kendall's Tau-b correlation analysis and logistic regression analysis.Results. Positive correlations were seen between the type of tear and the number of tendons involved, retraction, age, degeneration, subacromial bone spur, surgical technique, preoperative and postoperative muscle power, surgical outcome, and preoperative abduction on Kendall's Tau-b analysis. There was a positive correlation seen between degenerative change and age, number of tendons involved, retraction, preoperative pain, tear type, and preoperative muscle power on logistic regression analysis. Additionally, positive correlations were seen between good surgical postoperative outcome and postoperative activities of daily living, preoperative pain, postoperative muscle power, preoperative activities of daily living, tear type, preoperative external rotation, preoperative muscle power, number of tendons involved, preoperative pain, and duration of symptoms.Conclusion. Ageing was found to be the major factor in progressive degeneration of the rotator cuff, and should be considered the single most important contributing factor in the pathogenesis of rotator cuff tears. In addition, degenerative tendonopathy appeared the primary pathology in rotator cuff tear, preceding hypertrophic spur formation. Rotator cuff tears are therefore unlikely to be initiated by impingement; rather, they develop as an intrinsic degenerative tendonopathy.

The effects of the extrusion parameters on isolated soybean protein (ISP) and cassava starch (CS) blends were studied. Extruded samples were prepared by using a ZSK-30 Werner and Pfleiderer twin-screw extruder. The study was carried out using Response Surface Methodology. The ISP followed by the moisture content were the most important linear variables significantly affecting axial expansion, specific volume, water solubility index and colour difference. The radial and axial expansion ranged from 2.30 to 3.77 and from 1.02 to 2.62, respectively. The highest ISP concentrations in the blends resulted in the highest specific volumes of the extrudates. Simultaneous increases of the barrel temperature and ISP level increased the water absorption index and lowered the water solubility index of the extrudates. Extruded products were softer at higher barrel temperature. The greatest difference in colour values was for the blends with the highest ISP concentration.

Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used in the treatment of bronchial asthma, but it is still uncertain whether long‐term use of the inhaled corticosteroids affects bone metabolism in asthmatic patients. In this study, we examined the effect of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) on bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers of bone metabolism in pre‐ and early postmenopausal asthmatic women. Thirty‐six (17 premenopausal and 19 early postmenopausal) asthmatic women and 45 healthy control (24 premenopausal and 21 early postmenopausal) women were investigated. All the asthmatic patients were treated with BDP (542 ± 298 μg/day; 100–1200 μg/day) without any systemic administration of corticosteroids for at least 1 year. In premenopausal women, BMD as well as the biochemical markers of bone metabolism did not differ between control subjects and BDP‐treated asthmatic patients. By contrast, in early postmenopausal women, BMD was significantly lower in BDP‐treated asthmatic patients than in control subjects. In these early postmenopausal women, serum intact osteocalcin concentration was lower in the BDP‐treated asthmatic patients than in the control subjects whereas urinary free pyridinoline (F‐PYD) and free deoxypyridinoline (F‐DPD) concentrations did not differ between the groups. Thus, early postmenopausal, but not premenopausal, asthmatic patients who were treated with inhaled BDP had reduced BMD, which was associated with a decreased level of the bone formation marker. Ovarian hormones may be protective against the adverse effect of inhaled BDP on bone metabolism in the premenopausal patients.

BodyMap is a collection of site-directed 3' expressed sequence tags (ESTs) (gene signatures, GSs) that contains the transcript compositions of various human tissues and was the first systematic effort to acquire gene expression data. For the construction of BodyMap, cDNA libraries were made, preserving abundance information and histologic resolutions of tissue mRNAs. By sequencing 164,000 randomly selected clones, 88,587 GSs that represent chromosomally coded transcripts have been collected from 51 human organs and tissues. They were clustered into 18,722 independent 3' termini from transcripts, and more than 3000 of these were not found among ESTs assembled in UniGene (Build 75). Assessment of the prevalence of polyadenylation signals and comparison with GenBank cDNAs indicated that there was no significant contamination by internally primed cDNAs or genomic fragments but that there was a relatively high incidence (12%) of alternative polyadenylation sites. We evaluated the sensitivity and resolution of expression information in BodyMap by in silico Northern hybridization and selection of tissue-specific gene probes. BodyMap is a unique resource for estimation of the absolute abundance of transcripts and selection of gene probes for efficient hybridization-based gene expression profiling.

Cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) play key roles in regulating the eukaryotic cell cycle. We have analyzed the expression of four rice (Oryza sativa) CDK genes, cdc2Os1, cdc2Os2, cdc2Os3, and R2, by in situ hybridization of sections of root apices. Transcripts of cdc2Os1, cdc2Os2, and R2 were detected uniformly in the dividing region of the root apex. cdc2Os1 and cdc2Os2 were also expressed in differentiated cells such as those in the sclerenchyma, pericycle, and parenchyma of the central cylinder. By contrast, signals corresponding to transcripts of cdc2Os3 were distributed only in patches in the dividing region. Counterstaining of sections with 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole and double-target in situ hybridization with a probe for histone H4 transcripts revealed that cdc2Os3 transcripts were abundant from the G2 to the M phase, but were less abundant or absent during the S phase. The levels of the Cdc2Os3 protein and its associated histone H1-kinase activity were reduced by treatment of cultured cells with hydroxyurea, which blocks cycling cells at the onset of the S phase. Our results suggest that domains other than the conserved amino acid sequence (the PSTAIRE motif) have important roles in the function of non-PSTAIRE CDKs in distinct cell-cycle phases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of scatter correction (SC) and attenuation correction (AC) on the quantification of dopamine transporters using 123I-β-CIT brain SPET images. Quantitative analysis was carried out using static SPET images obtained 23 h after injection. We calculated V3“ [(striatal - occipital)/occipital ratio] values from images without correction, with AC, and with SC and AC. Two types of regions of interest (ROI) were placed on the striatum: a small square ROI and a larger ROI containing most of the striatum. After validating the correction method in a phantom experiment, a human study was carried out involving eight normal volunteers and 15 patients. The larger ROI yielded smaller V3” values. The effect of attenuation correction was modest, whereas that of scatter correction was marked. It was shown that β-CIT SPET quantification was affected by the size of the ROI, photon scattering and attenuation, and that scatter and attenuation correction improved the accuracy of the quantification. Methodological standardization in image processing and the type of ROI should be considered when a multi-centre trial is planned.

Intracluster ion−molecule reactions of dimer cations of various phenylsilanes were investigated in order to elucidate reaction mechanisms of phenylsilane cation reported in the gas-phase FT-ICR study. Two types of reactions, SiR3 elimination and %@mt;sys@%SiR%@sx@%2%@be@%+%@sxx@%%@mx@% transfer, were observed. In the latter case, our observation strongly supported that a precursor of the reaction has a π-type complex configuration, [C6H6·SiR2]⁺, which has been proposed before. On the contrary, in the former case, a dimer cation forms a reaction intermediate and then it dissociates preferentially to a larger exothermic channel.

Effects of initial orbital alignment have been investigated for the fine-structure transitions of Hg(6³P1 → 6³P0) induced by collisions with N2 and CO in a crossed molecular beam experiment using a laser pump−probe technique. The orbital alignment effects are observed by monitoring the population of the product Hg(6³P0) as a function of polarization angle (θ) of the linearly polarized pump laser, which prepares the Hg(6³P1), relative to the direction of the initial relative velocity vector. The alignment effects in this study are represented by an asymmetry parameter β in the angle-dependent cross section, σ(θ) = σ0[1 + βP2(cos θ)]. The measurement for Hg−N2 exhibits a large alignment effect with β = −0.50(7), but for Hg−CO a small effect with β = −0.20(6). Both processes show preference for perpendicular excitation of the pump laser with θ = 90°. The nonadiabatic transitions responsible for this fine-structure process therefore occur mainly via the &Btilde;(2³A‘ + 2³A‘ ‘) molecular electronic state and not via the Ã(1³A‘) state for Hg−N2. In contrast, the small effect for Hg−CO indicates that the contribution from the nonadiabatic transition via the à state is comparable with that via the &Btilde; state for Hg−CO.

Translational energy dependences of relative cross sections for Hg(6³P1 → 6³P0) fine-structure changing collisions with N2 and CO have been measured with a crossed-beam apparatus over the energy range between 800 and 3750 cm^-1. A negative energy dependence is obtained for Hg−CO, but a positive energy dependence is observed for Hg−N2, with an energy threshold for appearance of Hg(6³P0) around 900 cm^-1. These results are explained using the characteristics of the intermolecular potentials for Hg−N2 and Hg−CO. The existence of the energy threshold around 900 cm^-1 for N2 suggests simultaneous vibrational excitation of N2. The translational energy dependence has also been measured under beam-gas conditions over the energy range between 450 and 3350 cm^-1. From a comparison with Hg(6³P1 → 6³P0) intramultiplet deactivation cross sections for Hg−N2 and Hg−CO obtained in gas cell experiments, absolute values of the cross sections for this intramultiplet transition are estimated as a function of the average translational energy under the beam-gas conditions. There is no clear threshold for Hg−N2 in the beam-gas experiment and it is suggested that a higher rotational temperature of N2 induces a shift of the energy threshold effectively lower.

The effects of steroids (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol) on human seminiferous tubules in vitro were ascertained by recording the intratubular pressure with a servonull micropressure measuring device. We describe here the first response of the human seminiferous tubule to steroids. Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone had a biphasic effect on tubular contractility. Higher doses of both testosterone and dihydrotestosterone induced contractions of the seminiferous tubules whereas lower doses of these compounds induced relaxation. Estradiol (10-9 M to 10-6 M) induced relaxation of the seminiferous tubules in a dose-dependent manner. The results from these experiments suggested that steroids may be involved in the control of contraction of the human seminiferous tubule and may regulate the movement of spermatozoa from the tests.

A cross-sectional survey was performed on home blood pressure recordings (home BP) in a rural community in northern Japan. In total, 1190 participants (495 men and 695 women which consist 61.5% of the ±15 year-old regional population, n=1933) were asked to measure home BP every morning for a month, using a semiautomatic BP measuring device. The actual measurements were done 16.8 ± 10.2 times (mean ± SD) for men and 19.0 ± 9.4 times for women. Home systolic (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) was elevated gradually with age in both sexes, although DBP tended to fall after reaching 70 years old in men. SBP and DBP thus measured were significantly lower than those of casual BP of ordinary Japanese people reported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan, by 11.4 ± 4.3 mmHg SBP (mean ± SD) and 5.9 ± 1.6 mmHg DBP in men, and 12.7 ± 5.1 mmHg SBP and 8.1 ± 2.5 mmHg DBP in women. When WHO criteria were applied to the home BP, 2.8% of men and 0.6% of women were considered to be definitely hypertensive, and 7.9% of men and 6.4% of women as of borderline cases, indicating the underestimation of hypertensive population by means of home BP. Based on these data, we demonstrated the values equal to 1SD or 2SDs above the mean in each age group to tentatively determine biological normalcy. It is necessary to define the relationship between home BP and target organ disease or hypertensive complications. A long-term prospective study is also necessary to define the relationship between home BP and long-term morbidity or mortality.

The clinical significance of the nocturnal fall of blood pressure (BP) was examined. BP was monitored every 5 min for 24 hrs by means of a finger volume oscillometric device. The nocturnal fall was observed in all age groups (young: <40, n=49; adult: 40±<60, n=110; old: 60±, n=33). The amplitude of nocturnal fall of BP (averaged daytime blood pressure - averaged nighttime blood pressure) in old patients (systolic = 13 ± 11, diastolic = 10 ± 8 mmHg, mean ± SD) was similar to that in the young patients (systolic = 11 ± 8, diastolic = 10 ± 8 mmHg). These 192 subjects were also classified according to mean BP level (MBP) averaged for daytime in the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring records [MBP<85 (mmHg), n=31; 85±MBP<100, n=72; 100±MBP±115, n=49; 115±MBP, n=25]. BP level did not affect the pattern of circadian variation in the normal subjects or in the essential hypertensive patients at WHO stage I or II. The amplitude of the nocturnal fall in systolic BP increased with the increase in BP level, but this was not the case with diastolic BP (mean daytime BP <85 mmHg: systolic = 11 ± 8, diastolic = 8 ± 6 mmHg; 85 ± <100: systolic = 14 ± 8, diastolic = 11 ± 6 mmHg; 1005 d15: systolic = 17 5 9, diastolic = 11 5 8; 1155: systolic 17 2 8, diastolic = 11 2 6 mmHg). Nitrendipine (8.6 ± 5.6 mg, 22.5 ? 11.4 days, n=14) and nisoldipine (9.3 i: 6.2 mg, 21.5 2 11.4 days, n=15) administered once daily in the morning or nifedipine slow release tablet, 20 mg twice daily (n=15, 17.7 ± 5.2 days) induced a significant downward shift in the circadian BP pattern, in other words, the hypotensive effect was also observed during the night when the BP had already been low. Taken together, the information on the nocturnal behavior of BP would be valuable, especially in treating aged patients with essential hypertension with a long-acting antihypertensive drug.

This paper presents two types of intelligent montoring & alarming (abbreviated as intelligent M & A) schenes. These M & A schemes are on the value added level relating to both MW & MVar stabilities. In this paper, paying attention to the relationship between the auto-parametric resonance and MW stability and to the relationship between the multiple load flow solutions and MVar stability (voltage instability), a new method of M & A is proposed using two indices “σ” (detuning parameter of auto-parametric resonance) for MW stability and “σ” (-VIPI:Voltage Instability Proximity Index) for MVar stability. These two types of M & A of MW and Mvar instabilities to be carried out at each time point along the daily load curve are proposed as intelligent M & A.

Summary The human cytomegalovirus (strain Towne) temperature-sensitive mutant ts 256 exhibits a virus specific DNA polymerase-negative phenotype. The position of the mutation of ts 256 was determined by three step marker-rescue assays to be within a 5.1 kbXbaI-BamHI fragment between map unit 0.33 and 0.35 in aHindIII-D fragment located in a long unique region. Nucleotide sequencing showed that the 5.1 kb fragment contained three open reading frames corresponding to those of the genes for UL52, UL53 and UL54 (DNA polymerase gene), respectively, of strain AD169. The functions of UL52 and UL53 are unknown. Comparison of the DNA sequences of the 5.1 kb fragments of the wild-type and ts 256 mutant revealed two base changes within UL53 and UL54, respectively, which result in amino acid substitutions. The mutation in the UL54 gene was located within a distinct conserved region VI common to a-like DNA polymerases, suggesting that this base change would be responsible for DNA negative phenotype.

Circadian blood pressure (BP) variation were studied in patients with renovascular hypertension (RVH) and primary aldosteronism (PA). Ambulatory BP (ABP) was monitored every 5 min for 24 hrs in a ward setting in 23 patients with PA and 17 patients with RVH (13 patients with unilateral renal arterial stenosis and 4 with bilateral stenosis). In patients with RVH, ABP was monitored before and after treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was high before percutaneous transluminal angioplasty in almost all patients with RVH and low in those with PA. Ordinary circadian BP variation, i.e. nocturnal fall and diurnal rise in BP, was confirmed in the patients with unilateral or bilateral renal artery stenosis. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty successfully normalized both BP and PRA in those with RVH. Normal circadian BP variation was observed in those with RVH before the treatment with a converting enzyme inhibitor or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty as well as during treatment with the former and after treatment with the latter. Circadian BP variation in the patients with RVH was affected by the pathogenesis of renal artery stenosis alone, i.e, fibromuscular hyperplasia and atherosclerosis; with fibromuscular hyperplasia normal circadian BP variation was observed, while with atherosclerosis, nocturnal BP fall was restricted or eliminated. Circadian BP variation in those with PA before and after excision of adrenal adenoma was essentially similar to that in normal subjects and essential hypertensive patients. From these it seems that in patients with RVH or PA, circadian BP variation is not affected by hypertension per se or by pathogenesis of hypertension.

The soluble form of the vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) is detectable in human sera and is elevated in diabetic patients, with unknown clinical significance. In the present study, the relationship between serum soluble VCAM‐1 and diabetic microvascular complications (retinopathy, nephropathy, and neuropathy) was evaluated in 95 Japanese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Serum soluble VCAM‐1 concentration was higher in patients with more advanced stages of retinopathy as well as nephropathy. There was a significant correlation between soluble VCAM‐1 and log10(urinary albumin excretion) in 69 patients with normal serum creatinine levels (r= 0.51, p<0.0001) and a significant correlation between soluble VCAM‐1 and log10(serum creatinine) in all the patients (r= 0.83, p<0.0001). Soluble VCAM‐1 concentration was also elevated in patients with neuropathy. There was a significant correlation between soluble VCAM‐1 concentration and the number of microvascular complications (r= 0.59, p<0.0001). However, multivariate regression analysis revealed that only diabetic nephropathy, was associated with the soluble VCAM‐1 concentration. The elevation of circulating VCAM‐1 level in diabetic nephropathy may result from underlying systemic endothelial dysfunction, increased VCAM‐1 production in damaged renal tubular or glomerular epithelial cells and/or decreased renal clearance of this molecule, depending on the stage of nephropathy. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

We have assessed the propensity of ß-adrenoceptor blockers to cause muscle cramps and to raise the serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level in 78 patients with essential hypertension. After a control period, a ß-adrenoceptor blocker without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA; propranolol, metoprolol or arotinolol) was administered for three months. Thereafter, the patients were randomised to receive a ß-adrenoceptor blocker with ISA (pindolol or carteolol) for three months or a ß-adrenoceptor blocker without ISA for a further three months. This pattern was continued until all ß-adrenoceptor blockers had been given. At the end of each period, CPK and CPK-MB levels were measured.

Functional morphology on the transformation of fibroblasts into chondrocytes induced by bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) was studied by light and electron microscopy using 35S autoradiography and immunohistochemistry for S-100 protein and type-II collagen. A pellet containing BMP obtained from a murine osteosarcoma was transplanted into the mouse subfascia. By 3 days after implantation, many typical fibroblasts, which were free of the silver grains for 35S and devoid of both S-100 protein and type-II collagen, entered the pellet region. By 5 days, the fibroblasts in the pellet region became polygonal in shape, and cytoplasmic vesicles and vacuoles appeared, both containing a homogeneous substance of low electron density. At 5 days, autoradiography revealed many silver grains for 35S over the Golgi apparatus and vesicles and vacuoles of the cells in the pellet region as well as over the surrounding extracellular matrix. Moreover, the cells at 5 days displayed immunoreactivity to both proteins. The extracellular matrix around the cell began to show clear metachromasia and increased in amount with time. At 9 days all the cells in the pellet region were round or oval in shape and surrounded by an abundant cartilaginous matrix. The rough endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus were extremely well developed, and a large number of vacuoles and vesicles were seen in the cytoplasm. These cells showed intense immunoreactivity to both proteins, and strong accumulation of sulfur was visualized in the extracellular matrix by autoradiography. These results suggest that the fibroblasts in the pellet region change into chondroblasts by 5 days, and become typical chondrocytes by 9 days.

The 7-methylguanylic acid residue confronting the 5'-terminal nucleotide of mRNA through two pyrophosphate linkages was completely removed by tobacco pyrophosphatase from mRNAs of cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus, tobacco mosaic virus (viral RNA), and globin without any scission in the inner part of the RNA chain. Protein synthesis ability in a wheat germ cell-free system was lost after this treatment of all three kinds of mRNA. The initiation complexes for protein synthesis of these three RNAs were not obtained after using tobacco phosphodiesterase-treated mRNA. On incubation of mRNA in a wheat germ extract, the mRNA lacking m7G was quickly degraded from the 5' terminus in an exonucleolytic way, whereas the intact mRNA remained stable. These results show that one of the confronting nucleotide structure's functions is to stabilize the mRNA, to prevent its degradation.

Résumé Le but de cette étude était de comparer les résultats à moyen terme des plateaux fixes et des plateaux mobiles dans l’arthroplastie totale du genou bilatérale (TKA). Vingt-deux malades ont eu une arthroplastie bilatérale avec une prothèse à plateau mobile (Rotaglide, Corin, ROYAUME-UNI) d’un côté et une prothèse à plateau fixe (NexGen-CR, Zimmer, USA) de l’autre. Il y avait 21 femmes et, pour 18 malades le diagnostic était polyarthrite rhumatoïde. L’âge moyen était 59.6 (35–78) ans. Dans tous les cas, le ligament croisé postérieur a été conservé et la rotule resurfacée. Le suivi moyen dans le groupe plateau mobile était 98 (79–107) mois et 96 (79–107) mois dans le groupe plateau fixe. Au dernier recul le score du genou était 91,8 points et 91,1 points respectivement et le score fonctionnel de 65,5 points. L’amplitude de mouvement était semblable dans les deux groupes (1.1–106.9° resp. 0.4–106.9°). Cinq malades préfèraient la prothèse à plateau fixe mais 16 n’ont trouvé aucune différence. Chez les malades avec une arthroplastie bilatérale du genou il n’y avait aucune différence dans les résultat à court terme entre les prothèses à plateau fixe et celles à plateau mobile.

The successful operation of a separate confinement heterostructure (SCH) AlGalnP/GaxIn1−xP (x = 0.43) strained single quantum well (SSQW) laser has been achieved for the first time. A threshold current of 18 mA at 25°C, the lowest value ever reported for AlGaInP/GaInP lasers, was obtained by a 10 × 200μm index guided laser diode at an emission wavelength of 691 nm.

An AlGaInP/GaInP visible strained single quantum well (SSQW) laser has been investigated. In comparison with a conventional lattice-matched single quantum well (SQW) laser, it was found that a 25% increase in the differential gain coefficient β and a 60% decrease in the transparency current density J0 have been obtained by incorporating a 0.65% compressive SSQW active layer structure.

Photoinitiated intracluster ion−molecule reactions of phenylsilane dimer cation have been investigated for the first time. The reaction products were the same as those reported in the gas-phase study. The photodepletion spectrum of the parent dimer ion and the action spectra of the reaction products were observed in the region of 6000−22 000 cm^-1. All the spectra exhibit an intense band appearing in near-IR region, which is associated with the charge resonance (CR) transition of the dimer ion. It was found that the intracluster reactions are preferential for an isomer of the dimer cation having a parallel conformation of two phenyl rings which exhibits the CR transition.

The long-term reliability of AlGalnP/GaInP strained multiquantum well (SMQW) lasers has been investigated. Highly stable operation with low operation current for more than 5500 h has been achieved under 50°C, 3mW test conditions, without sudden or rapid failures due to strain induced defects. The estimated mean time to failure (MTTF) is 10900h, which is comparable to that of the conventional DH laser and long enough for practical use.