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Fish assemblages along marine artificial reefs have been the objects of numerous studies. Most of them distinguish resident from transient species according to their habitat association level. Despite its wide use, this distinction presents practical complications for two main reasons: first, the method used for assessing habitat association level may cause mistakes, and second, no objective method has been proposed thus far to determine the habitat association level that should be considered as a boundary between resident and transient species. This paper aims at overcoming these two problems. In order to improve and standardize assessment of habitat association level, we developed a habitat association index (HAI) whose calculation requires only presence-absence data. By taking into account both species occurrence rate and occurrence patterns, our index minimizes the risk of erroneously perceiving species as being equally associated to a habitat. In order to distinguish between resident and transient species objectively, we propose to plot HAI against occurrence rate and then seek the combination providing the most significantly different groups with reference to the relation between these two variables. Using two different datasets collected along Japanese artificial reefs and comparing the results with the ones obtained through an alternate method consisting of plotting persistence against maximum abundance and looking for a major gap along the persistence axis, we demonstrate the effectiveness of this two-step method.

We propose a fast hardware algorithm for division in GF(2m) based on the extended Euclid's algorithm. The algorithm requires only one iteration to perform the operations that correspond to the ones performed in two iterations of previously reported division algorithms. Since the algorithm performs modular reductions in parallel by changing the order of execution of the operations, a circuit based on this algorithm has almost the same critical path delay as the previously proposed ones. The circuit computes division in m clock cycles, whereas the previously proposed circuits take 2m - 1 or more clock cycles.

A combined circuit for multiplication and inversion in ${rm GF}(2^{m})$ is proposed. In order to develop a combined circuit, we start with combining the most significant bit first multiplication algorithm and the modified extended Euclid's algorithm by focusing on the similarities between them. Since almost all hardware components of the circuits are shared by multiplication and inversion, the combined circuit can be implemented with significantly smaller hardware than that necessary to implement both multiplication and inversion separately. By logic synthesis, the area of the proposed circuit is estimated to be approximately over 15% smaller than that of previously proposed combined multiplication/division circuits.

We have developed a magneto optical disk system, having the recording density of 7.1 Gbit/in2, by using zero-field type MAMMOS technology and an in-groove structured disk with a 635 nm laser diode and a 0.60 N.A.objective lens. We demonstrated that the system has enough margins for read/write powers, tilt, detrack anddefocus. On the other hand, the dependence of polarization direction of the incident beam on read/write characteristics was a problem, but was solved by optimizing the groove width.

A new type of MAMMOS (Magnetic amplifying magneto-optical system), which operates under the DC magnetic field in reproducing process, was proposed and evaluated. In this system, the CNR of 43 dB was obtained for 0.25 μm packed domains by applying 10 kA/m of DC magnetic field. Compared with conventional CAD (Center aperture detection)−MSR (Magnetically induced super resolution) disk, it was shown that the CNR for domain size below 0.4 μm was greatly improved.

In this paper, we focus on functions defined on a special subset of the power set of (0,1,...,r-1) (the elements in the subset will be called discrete interval truth values) and operations on the truth values. The operations discussed in this paper will be called regular because they are one of the extensions of the regularity, which was first introduced by Kleene in his ternary logic. Mukaidono investigated some properties of ternary functions which can be represented by the regular operations. He called such ternary functions "regular ternary logic functions." Regular ternary logic functions are useful for representing and analyzing ambiguities such as transient states and/or initial states in binary logic circuits that Boolean functions cannot cope with. Furthermore, they are also applied to studies of fail-safe systems for binary logic circuits. In this paper, we will discuss an extension of regular ternary logic functions to functions on the discrete interval truth values. First, we will suggest an extension of the regularity, in the sense of Kleene, into operations on the discrete interval truth values. We will then present some mathematical properties of functions on the discrete interval truth values consisting of regular operations and one application of these functions.

MAMMOS (Magnetic Amplifying Magneto-Optical System) is a technology for reproducing a large signal during MO readout from a small magnetic domain. It has hitherto been considered that the domain recorded on the recording layer is copied to and expanded on the readout layer by irradiating the readout layer with a laser beam and applying a perpendicular magnetic field. However, we discovered that it is very effective for readout of small magnetic domains to apply an in-plane magnetic field. Under conditions where λ = 635 nm and NA = 0.55, the bit error rate (BER) of 0.15μm packed domains was improved to 2×10-4, while the BER of 0.2 μm packed domains was 2 × 10-4 when an in-plane magnetic field was not applied.

Very small domains are recorded on the MAMMOS disk and they ran be detected using RF readout field. The MO signal amplitude of 20 nm domains can be enhanced to the saturated signal level. For these small domains, the thermal stability problem is investigated. Even if high laser power for readout is irradiated to the small domains, the reproduced signal was maintained. The result indicates that the recording layer of TbFeCo possesses an advantage for paramagnetic limit problem over 100 Gbits/in/sup 2/.

We report a case of a 23-year-old Japanese woman who had severe hyperparathyroidism associated with chronic renal failure before the start of dialysis treatment. Her chief complaints were swelling and pain in both shoulders. Laboratory examination revealed renal failure (BUN 134 mg/dl, serum Cr 7.3 mg/dl), severe normocytic normochromic anemia (hemoglobin 4.3 g/dl), hypercalcemia (11.8 mg/dl), and hyperphosphatemia (9.7 mg/dl). Serum PTH levels were extremely increased (intact PTH >1,000 pg/ml: normal range 10-50 pg/ml). X-ray examination of the skull and shoulders showed a salt and pepper appearance, and cauliflower-like deformity of the distal end of both clavicles, respectively. Accelerated ectopic calcification was observed in the costal cartilages, internal carotid arteries, and splenic arteries. Ultrasonographic examination revealed enlargement of the four parathyroid glands. Thallium-technetium subtraction scintigraphy of the parathyroid glands showed increased uptake into the upper two. Renal needle biopsy revealed severe impairment of the interstitium and tubules with much milder changes in glomeruli. The etiology of the renal failure could not be identified. Hemodialysis, total parathyroidectomy and auto-transplantation into the forearm were immediately performed. The pathological diagnosis was chief cell hyperplasia of the parathyroid glands. Based on the presence of chronic renal failure, remarkable hyperphosphatemia with mild hypercalcemia, an unusually high level of serum PTH, and accelerated ectopic calcification, the patient was diagnosed to have severe secondary hyperparathyroidism caused by chronic renal failure with major impairment of the renal interstitium and tubules.

This paper focuses on incompletely specified multiple-valued Kleenean functions (1991). It is easy to verify that they do not have functional completeness in the class of all functions on the unit interval. Therefore, not all incompletely specified functions on the unit interval are incompletely specified multiple-valued Kleenean functions. In this paper, we will clarify a necessary and sufficient condition for an incompletely specified function to be an incompletely specified multiple-valued Kleenean function. Further, we show an algorithm which derives one of the logic formulas representing the incompletely specified multiple-valued Kleenean function. In considering the application of multiple-valued Kleenean functions, we will show an example which suggests the possibility that input-output data can be described abstractly in terms of multiple-valued Kleenean functions.

頸部リンパ節結核によるrHuEPO抵抗性を示した53歳女性の血液透析患者の1例を報告する.本例は1986年慢性腎盂腎炎による慢性腎不全にて血液透析導入となった. 必要と判断された場合には鉄剤の投与を行いながら, 腎性貧血に対し1990年よりrHuEPOを週4500単位より投与開始した. 1991年からは週6000単位に増量したが, Htは上昇せず24%以上に維持されることはなかった. 1992年3月に頸部リンパ節結核を発症したため, isoniazid 0.4g/日およびrifampicin 0.45g/日の投与を開始した. 服薬は不規則であり臨床症状は改善しなかった. 1993年1月streptomycin 2g/週, 5週間の投与を開始した. これにより症状が改善すると同時にrHuEPOに対する反応性が良好となり, rHuEPo週4500-9000単位の投与量にてHt28-30%に維持されるようになった. isoniazidおよびrifampicinの投与はそれぞれ1993年5月, 11月まで行った. 現在のところ結核再発の兆候は認められていない. 本例は頸部リンパ節結核発症以前にすでにrHuEPO抵抗性を示していた. その原因として結核菌の持続感染の存在が考慮された. 結核は, 血液透析患者においてrHuEPO抵抗性を生じうると考えられた.

肝にび漫性に石灰化をきたした症例を経験した. 症例は66歳, 男性. 慢性腎不全で血液透析導入直後に急性心筋梗塞を発症し, その後肝にび漫性に石灰化を認めた. 慢性腎不全における肝のび漫性石灰化は非常に稀で世界で7例が報告されているに過ぎない. 本例も以前の報告例と同様に慢性腎不全下で, 急性心筋梗塞が発症し心不全状態となり, 二次性副甲状腺機能亢進症存在下で, カルシウム, リンの代謝異常が起こり, 肝の循環不全による肝組織障害により肝の石灰化をきたしたものと考えられた. 若干の考察を加え報告した.

今回, 我々は, 肝硬変に伴う意識障害に対して, 血液濾過透析が著効した, 維持血液透析下の慢性腎不全の1例を経験したので報告する. 患者は, 53歳, 女性で, 以前よりC型肝炎の進行による肝硬変の治療を受け, また, 腎機能低下の進行のため維持血液透析を受けていた. 平成4年9月28日, 意識障害のため入院した. 高アンモニア血症による肝性昏睡の進行が原因と診断し, 高アンモニア対策と血液透析を施行したが, 意識障害の軽減は見られずさらに悪化したため, 高性能膜を用いた血液濾過透析を行ったところ, 血中アンモニア濃度の低下と意識障害の改善が認められた. 慢性腎不全において, 肝硬変による肝性昏睡を合併した場合には, 血液濾過透析が有効と考えられた.

It is unknown how and why the genetically inactivated mammalian X chromosome replicates late in S phase. There are also occasional inactive X chromosomes characterized by an opposite behavior replicating early in S phase. Two clonal cell lines, MTLB3 and MTLH8, isolated from a cultured murine T-cell lymphoma have an allocyclic X chromosome of the latter type. This precociously replicating X chromosome was judged to be genetically inactive as the late replicating one. Immediately after fusion with another cell line, the precociously replicating X chromosome from these cells starts to replicate late in S phase. This finding seems to suggest that late replication characterizing the inactive X chromosome is actively maintained by a trans-acting factor in female somatic cells, and that its lack entails a switch from late replication to precocious replication. It remains unknown whether this presumptive factor also modifies the autosomal replication pattern.

Identification and characterization of adenosine A 1 receptor-cAMP system in human glomeruli. Although adenosine is known to affect renal function through stimulating adenosine receptors, little is known about A 1 receptors in human glomeruli. Thus, we attempted to identify the adenosine A 1 receptor-cyclic AMP (cAMP) system in human glomeruli. Normal renal cortical tissues were obtained at nephrectomy of patients with renal cell carcinoma. Glomeruli were isolated using a graded sieving method or dissected manually under a stereomicroscope. Radioligand binding assay using 2-chloro-N-[ 3 H] cyclopentyl adenosine ([ 3 H]CCPA, an A 1 agonist ligand) was performed at 30°C for 90 minutes. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) produced in glomeruli was measured after incubation with different concentrations of N 6 -cyclohexyladenosine (CHA; A 1 agonist) and a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. The specific binding was saturated within 60 minutes and reversible by adding 1 mM of theophylline. Scatchard plot analysis revealed a single class of binding site (K d = 1.78 ± 0.21 nM, B max = 271.7 ± 35.8 fmol/mg protein). The specific binding was inhibited dose-dependently by various agents in an order suggesting A 1 receptor specificity. CHA inhibited the production of cAMP in microdissected human glomeruli. This inhibitory effect was antagonized by 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX; A 1 antagonist). This is the first study revealing the presence of the A 1 receptor-cAMP system in human glomeruli using a radioligand binding assay method and by measuring the cAMP production.

The present study was undertaken to explore changes in neurotransmitters and neuromodulators of brain regions impaired by microsphere embolism-induced, sustained ischemia. Nine hundred microspheres (48 microns) were injected into the right internal carotid artery of rats, and the time course of changes in the triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-stained areas of their brain slices and acetylcholine and amino acid contents in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of both hemispheres were determined. The TTC-unstained area, a measure of infarction, was developed in the right hemisphere by the 3rd day after the embolism, which was similar to that on the 28th day. A marked decline in acetylcholine content of these three regions of the right hemisphere was detected throughout the experiment (28 days). The glutamate, aspartate, GABA, and taurine levels were markedly decreased following microsphere-embolism. Most of these decreases were significantly attenuated during the first 5 days following the embolism, and they then partially recovered with time after the operation. Minor metabolic changes were observed in the left hemisphere. The results suggest that microsphere-embolism induces cerebral infarction and/or sustained damage to acetylcholine and neurotransmitter amino acid synthesis and/or catabolism of the brain regions. This model may provide information concerning the pathophysiological alterations in long-term cerebral ischemia and infarction.

MAMMOS (Magnetic Amplifying Magneto Optical System) is a technique for realizing high-density magneto-optical disk. Conventional MAMMOS readout process needs AC magnetic field for expanding and erasing magnetic domains. As a new readout system, MAMMOS readout that needs only DC magnetic field using RE (Rare-Earth)-rich GdFeCo readout layer was developed. This method exhibited a high readout resolution in spite of an AC field-free method.

A 55-year-old woman who had been treated for diabetes mellitus for twenty-five years developed interstitial pneumonia and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN). The findings of light microscopy revealed fibrocellular crescent formation in all glomeruli and infiltration of lymphoid cells in interstitium. There were no deposits in the intracapillary area and mesangial area on both immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. Her interstitial pneumonia improved with pulse therapy of methylprednisolone and her hematuria disappeared with mix treatment of cyclophosphamide and double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP). Her serum creatinine level improved from 2.2 mg/dl to 1.5 mg/dl. Interstitial pneumonia and hematuria did not recur at twelve months after the first hospitalization. This report presents a rare case with RPGN associated with diabetes mellitus who recovered with combination therapy of cyclophosphamide, steroid and DFPP.

Plasma concentrations of human atrial natriuretic peptide (hANP) were measured before and after hemodialysis (HD) in 19 patients undergoing chronic HD. We examined plasma hANP concentrations before HD in 36 patients, then re-examined the same patients 1 year later to assess annual changes. Plasma concentrations of hANP had decreased significantly from 262±38pg/ml (mean±SE) to 164±19pg/ml after HD (p

Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) inhibitors are known to attenuate myocardial reperfusion injury. However, the exact mechanisms for the cardioprotection remain unclear. The present study was undertaken to examine the mechanism underlying the cardioprotection by NCX inhibitors against ischaemia/reperfusion injury.Isolated rat hearts were subjected to 35-min ischaemia/60-min reperfusion or 20-min ischaemia/60-min reperfusion. NCX inhibitors (3-30 microM KB-R7943 (KBR) or 0.3-1 microM SEA0400 (SEA)) were given for 5 min prior to ischaemia (pre-ischaemic treatment) or for 10 min after the onset of reperfusion (post-ischaemic treatment).With 35-min ischaemia/60-min reperfusion, pre- or post-ischaemic treatment with KBR or SEA neither enhanced post-ischaemic contractile recovery nor attenuated ischaemia- or reperfusion-induced Na+ accumulation and damage to mitochondrial respiratory function. With the milder model (20-min ischaemia/reperfusion), pre- or post-ischaemic treatment with 10 microM KBR or 1 microM SEA significantly enhanced the post-ischaemic contractile recovery, associated with reductions in reperfusion-induced Ca2+ accumulation, damage to mitochondrial function, and decrease in myocardial high-energy phosphates. Furthermore, Na+ influx to mitochondria in vitro was enhanced by increased concentrations of NaCl. KBR (10 microM) and 1 microM SEA partially decreased the Na+ influx.The NCX inhibitors exerted cardioprotective effects during relatively mild ischaemia. The mechanism may be attributable to prevention of mitochondrial damage, possibly mediated by attenuation of Na+ overload in cardiac mitochondria during ischaemia and/or Ca2+ overload via the reverse mode of NCX during reperfusion.

The MAMMOS (magnetic amplifying magneto-optical system) read-out is achieved by applying an alternating external magnetic field for domain expansion and collapse processes. Since the read-out magnetic domain size is expanded by a magnetic field, a strong enhancement in the amplitude of the read-out signal is expected. The read-out laser power dependence of the MAMMOS signal was measured, and the resolution was estimated empirically. Applying an alternating magnetic field with suitable intensity, MAMMOS read-out was realized for a certain range of read-out laser power. The resolution and the margin of magnetic field depended on the laser power. Even at a 0.2 /spl mu/ m domain size, its signal was recognizable without interference at the optimum laser power, A C/N level of over 50 dB was obtained for a 0.2 /spl mu/ m domain size.

We report the case of a 3-year-old boy who underwent definitive conversion to the Fontan circulation after total cavopulmonary shunt using a total extracardiac right heart bypass. This simple, safe and reproducible procedure is an alternative to Fontan or total cavopulmonary connection procedure.

Mouse embryos having an additional maternally inherited X chromosome (X(M)) invariably die before midgestation with the deficient extraembryonic ectoderm of the polar trophectoderm lineage, whereas postnatal mice having an additional paternally inherited X chromosome (X(P)) survive beyond parturition. A cytogenetic study led us to hypothesize that abnormal development of such embryos disomic for X(M) (DsX(M)) is attributable to two doses of active X(M) chromosome in extraembryonic tissues. To test the validity of this hypothesis, we examined the initial X chromosome inactivation pattern in embryos at the blastocyst stage by means of replication banding method as well as RNA FISH detecting Xist transcripts. X(P) was the only asynchronously replicating X chromosome, if any, in X(M)X(M)X(P) blastocysts, and no such allocyclic X chromosome was ever detected in X(M)X(M)Y blastocysts. In agreement with these findings, only one Xist paint signal was detected in 79% of X(M)X(M)X(P) cells, whereas no such signal was found in X(M)X(M)Y embryos. Thus, the present study supports the hypothesis that two X chromosomes remaining active in the extraembryonic cell lineages due to the maternal imprinting explain the underdevelopment of extraembryonic structures and hence early postimplantation death of DsX(M) embryos.

Murine parthenogenetic embryonic stem (ES) cell lines expressing lac Z reporter gene were isolated after co-transfection with lac Z reporter gene (pENL) and neo gene (pSTneo) to TMA-48P cell line of 129/Sv origin. Karyotype analyses showed that all of four transfected cell lines examined contained 41 chromosomes with trisomy 8. Bacterial neo transgene required for G418 selection were integrated into several chromosomes including chromosome 8. Histological studies of teratomas formed in syngenic mice and embryoid bodies grown in vitro showed that the differentiative potential remained almost identical in chromosomally normal parental cell line and its derivative cell lines trisomic for chromosome 8.

The in vitro differentiative potential of mouse parthenogenetic (PG) embryonic stem (PGES) cells were investigated in the formation of embryoid bodies (EBs). EBs derived from PGES cells retarded in growth and showed restricted differentiation compared to their fertilized counterpart. In chimeric EBs from the aggregation of PGES and fertilized ES cells, morphological examination revealed that PGES cells were reduced in their population and distributed in endodermal layer as culture periods proceeded. These findings were comparable to those in aggregation chimeras of fertilized and PG embryos, and suggest that the differentiation of PGES cells in vitro is restricted in the formation of EBs.

1. The effects of delayed treatment with nebracetam, a novel nootropic drug, on neurotransmitters of brain regions were examined in rats with microsphere embolism-induced cerebral ischaemia. 2. Cerebral ischaemia was induced by administration of 900 microspheres (48 microns) into the internal carotid artery. The rats with stroke-like symptoms were treated p.o. with 30 mg kg-1 nebracetam twice daily. The levels of acetylcholine, dopamine, noradrenaline, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their metabolites in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of animals with microsphere embolism were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (h.p.l.c.) on the 3rd and 7th days after the operation. 3. Although the microsphere embolism induced significant changes in most of the neurotransmitters and some of their metabolites in the brain regions, the delayed treatment with nebracetam partially restored only the hippocampal 5-HT and the striatal dopamine metabolite contents on the 3rd day. 4. The hippocampal in vivo 5-HT synthesis, but not the striatal dopamine synthesis, was attenuated in rats with microsphere embolism on the 3rd day, but was restored by treatment with nebracetam. In vivo striatal dopamine turnover rate of the rats with microsphere embolism was inhibited on the 3rd day irrespective of treatment with nebracetam. 5. The present study provides evidence for a possible action of nebracetam on 5-HT metabolism in the ischaemic brain.

Angiotensinogen gene expression is controlled in a tissue- and development-specific manner. Interestingly, the angiotensinogen gene is abundantly expressed in adipose tissues other than the liver, where it is mainly produced. We investigated the molecular mechanism of angiotensinogen gene expression in a 3T3-L1 preadipocyte-adipocyte system. Although angiotensinogen mRNA was barely detectable in preadipocytes, its levels increased significantly during differentiation. As a whole, the pattern of the change in transcriptional activity of the angiotensinogen promoter was similar to that of the angiotensinogen mRNA levels during adipogenic differentiation, indicating that the activation of the angiotensinogen promoter might be involved in the adipogenic differentiation-coupled gene expression. The proximal promoter region, from -96 to +22 of the transcriptional start site, was sufficient to confer adipogenic activation, and the proximal element from -96 to -52 of the transcriptional start site was necessary for this promoter stimulation. DNA-protein binding experiments showed that this proximal element specifically bound to a nuclear factor induced by adipogenic differentiation. These results suggest that the proximal promoter element from -96 to -52 plays a role in adipogenic activation of the angiotensinogen promoter.

MAMMOS (Magnetic AMplifying Magneto-Optical System) is one of the highest density readout methods for storage media. The signal is directly amplified on the medium and its amplitude is just the same as that from a long domain. Even at a 0.04 μm domain, the signal was large enough. At a 0.2 μm packed domain, CNR was more than 50 dB and BER was in the 10-4 range. By employing a MAMMOS readout with magnetic field modulation (MFM-MAMMOS), the signals have both very high resolution and large amplitude characteristics.

In neurosurgical patients with renal failure, dialysis entails specific problems, chief of which is increased intracranial pressure and progressive brain edema as a result of rapid lowering of the serum osmolality. Another major problem is a tendency to hemorrhage, in response to either systemic heparinization or insufficient dialysis. The authors describe the results obtained with hemodialysis (HD), continuous arteriovenous hemofiltration (CAVH), continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD), and intermittent peritoneal dialysis (IPD). Nine patients were treated with HD, one with CAVH, five with CAPD or CPD, and two with IPD. Three of the six patients treated with continuous dialysis (CAVH, CAPD, and CPD) died, whereas intermittent dialysis (HD and IPD) carried an 82% mortality rate (nine of 11 patients). The causes of death were progressive brain edema in three cases, intracranial hemorrhage in three, gastrointestinal bleeding in three, overhydration due to insufficient dialysis in one, septicemia in one, and rupture of a cerebral aneurysm in one. Continuous dialysis appeared to be superior to intermittent dialysis in these neurosurgical patients in that it produced less brain edema and was less often associated with hemorrhage due to insufficient dialysis. In HD and CAVH, systemic heparinization was also thought to account for the high incidence of hemorrhage. However, CAVH with short half-life anticoagulants may be useful in patients who have abdominal complications and are therefore not suitable candidates for peritoneal dialysis.

A hardware sort-merge system which can sort large files rapidly is proposed. It consists of an initial sorter and a pipelined merger. In the initial sorter, record sorting is divided into two parts: key-pointer sorting and record rearranging. The pipelined merger is composed of several intelligent disks each of which has a simple processor and some buffers. The hardware sort-merge system can sort files of any size by using the pipelined merger repeatedly. The key-pointer sorting circuit in the initial sorter requires only unidirectional connections between neighboring cells, instead of the usual bidirectional ones. The initial sorter can also generate sorted sequences longer than its capacity so that the number of merging passes can be reduced. A new data management scheme is proposed to run all merging passes in a pipelined fashion.

The relationship of continuous ambulatory intra-arterial blood pressure over a 24-hour period and awake resting hemodynamic parameters measured by echocardiography was studied in 21 patients with essential hypertension (WHO stage I II) 1) Left ventricular wall thickness at end-diastole correlated strongly with average SBP and weakly with average DBP during both waking and sleeping periods. 2) Variability of blood pressure taken during waking and sleeping periods was not significantly correlated with any hemodynamic parameters measured by echocardiography. 3) Variability of SBP during sleep had a significant correlation with age; however the fall of blood pressure during sleep had no significant correlation with age. 4) Fall of blood pressure during sleep was significantly correlated to resting awake TPR. In patients with essential hypertension, the above results demonstrate that subjects with thicker left ventricular wall have higher average continuous blood pressure over 24-hours and suggest that there is a tendency for greater falls in blood pressure during sleep to occur in subjects with higher TPR and that older subjects have greater variabilities of SBP during sleep.

A Ga 0.92 Al 0.08 As-Ga 0.7 Al 0.3 As 0.991 P 0.009 T-Q double-heterostructure (DH) laser has been operating for over 7000 hours at 70°C. Its optical power from one facet is 4 mW. The degraded T-Q DH laser has been studied by photoluminescence (PL) topography. Dark-line defects in the \langle100\rangle and \langle1\bar{1}0\rangle directions have been observed in the active layer of the degraded laser. The dark-line defects in the \langle100\rangle direction originate from the dark-line defects in the \langle1\bar{1}0\rangle direction. The dark-line defects in the \langle1\bar{1}0\rangle direction are attributable to the misfit dislocations introduced during liquid-phase-epitaxial (LPE) growth. The misfit dislocations are found, by PL topography, to be formed at the interface between the GaAs buffer layer and the quaternary-clad layer. These results indicate that the misfit dislocation in the \langle1\bar{1}0\rangle direction moves to the active layer from the interface between the GaAS buffer layer and the quaternary-clad layer during laser operation. Degradation of the T-Q DH laser is associated with the light-induced motion of the misfit dislocation. Light-induced motion of the misfit dislocation has been also observed in the T-Q DH wafer.

Summary: The antihypertensive effects and pharmacokinetic properties of cilazapril, a long-acting angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, were investigated in hypertensive patients with normal renal function (NRF; n = 5) and those with impaired renal function (IRF; n = 7). A 1.25-mg dose of cilazapril was administered orally once a day for 5 or 8 days. Measurement of blood pressure and sampling of blood specimens were done on the first and last days of treatment. Cilazapril induced significant falls in systolic and diastolic blood pressures as early as 1 h after administration. The antihypertensive effects were still present at 24 h postdose. Serum ACE activity was markedly suppressed over 24 h, with the enzyme inhibition greater in the IRF group. Plasma levels of the active diacid in the IRF group were higher than those in the NRF group, with significant differences in the peak levels and areas under the curve (AUC). A significant inverse correlation was found between the creatinine clearance and the AUC for the diacid. Cilazapril was well tolerated by all the patients, and no adverse reactions were observed. These results suggest that cilazapril has a long-lasting action and that it is a useful antihypertensive agent for controlling blood pressure in patients with either NRF or IRF.