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In this article, an approach used for the inspection tasks in the WRS2020 Plant Disaster Prevention Challenge is explained. The tasks were categorized into three categories: reading pressure gauges, inspecting rust on a tank, and inspecting cracks in a tank. For reading pressure gauges, the “you only look once” algorithm was used to focus on a specific pressure gauge and check the pressure gauge range strings on the gauge using optical character recognition algorithm. Finally, a previously learned classifier was used to read the values shown in the gauge. For rust inspection, image processes were used to focus on a target plate that may be rusted for rust detection. In particular, it was necessary to report the rust area and distribution type. Thus, the pixel ratio and grouping of rust were used to count the rust. The approach for crack inspection was similar to that for rust. The target plate was focused on first, and then the length of the crack was measured using image processing. Its width was not measured but was calculated using the crack area and length. For each system developed to approach each task, the results of the preliminary experiment and those of WRS2020 are shown. Finally, the approaches are summarized, and planned future work is discussed.

An operator feels a burden when he/she controls a rescue robot remotely because he/she has to keep watching camera images to find the target object. We think that this burden can be reduced by the combination of Head Mounted Display (HMD) and object recognition by deep learning. In the first half part of this study, we examine the effect that how presentation method by You Only Look Once (YOLO), a deep learning algorithm, and its recognition results to an operator wearing HMD. In the experiment, three methods of presentation were set: no display of object recognition, display only one object recognition result, and display 80 kinds of object recognition results. Under each presentation method, we measured the time it took for the operator to operate the robot and complete the given task. Additionally, we ask a questionnaire for each experiment. The results of the questionnaire showed that the method to present only one object recognition result was useful. In the second half part of this study, we develop a system to present 3D images with YOLO added, to further ease the burden of object search. Furthermore, we numerically prove that this system represents depth. In the experiment, two methods of displaying were set up: 2D images with Bounding Box (BB) by YOLO and 3D images with BB by YOLO. For each method of presentation, the operator operated the robot and recorded the number of objects found within a time limit. Additionally, we asked a questionnaire at the end of the search in each condition and at the end of all the experiments. The results of the questionnaire suggested points that need to be improved. Furthermore, we consider the flicker of the image found in the experiment.

Indocyanine green (ICG) videoangiography is rarely used during the surgical treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS).To evaluate subclavian artery (SA) flow dynamics using the analytical ICG videoangiography during TOS surgeries.We examined patients with neurogenic TOS who received surgical treatment and whose SA blood flow at the interscalene space was evaluated using ICG videoangiography equipped with an analytical function (FLOW800). Anterior scalenectomy with or without middle scalenectomy and first rib resection were conducted for decompression of the brachial plexus. ICG videoangiography was performed before and after decompression of the brachial plexus. After acquisition of grayscale and color-coded maps, a region of interest was placed in the SA to obtain time-intensity diagrams. Maximum intensity (MI), rise time (RT), and blood flow index (BFi) were calculated from the diagram, in arbitrary intensity (AI) units. We compared values before and after decompression. Comparisons of the three parameters before and after decompression were assessed statistically using the paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank test.We evaluated nine procedures in consecutively presenting patients. The observed mean values of MI, RT, and BFi before decompression were 174.1 ± 61.5 AI, 5.2 ± 1.1 s, and 35.2 ± 13.5 AI/s, respectively, and the observed mean values of MI, RT, and BFi after decompression were 299.3 ± 167.4 AI, 6.6 ± 0.8 s, and 44.6 ± 28.3 AI/s, respectively. These parameters showed higher values after decompression than before decompression, and the increase in MI and RT was statistically significant (P.05).ICG videoangiography allows semiquantitative evaluation of hemodynamic changes during TOS surgery. A marked decrease in the velocity of SA flow was observed after decompression.

Background Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the standard treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), although some patients may experience residual pulmonary hypertension (PH). It is unclear whether balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is effective for residual PH after PEA. This study aimed to compare the BPA outcomes between patients with residual PH after PEA and those with inoperable CTEPH. Methods This retrospective study compared BPA for residual PH after PEA (25 patients, 101 BPA sessions) and BPA alone for inoperable CTEPH (21 patients, 89 BPA sessions). All patients underwent right heart catheterisation and functional and laboratory tests before PEA or before and after BPA. Results There was no difference in the number of BPA sessions per patient (4.0 ± 1.9 vs. 4.2 ± 1.9, p = 0.671). No significant differences were observed with respect to the mean pulmonary artery pressure (23.6 ± 9.1 vs. 21.9 ± 5.7 mmHg, p = 0.44), pulmonary vascular resistance (3.7 ± 0.5 vs. 2.8 ± 1.2 Wood units, p = 0.14), 6-min walking distance (392.1 ± 117.7 vs. 452.4 ± 90.1 m, p = 0.096), and World Health Organization functional class (I/II/III/IV: 14/11/0/0 vs. 9/12/0/0, p = 0.375). Severe haemoptysis requiring embolisation was more common in the PH after PEA group (16.0% vs. 5.4%, p = 0.018). However, no patients required mechanical ventilation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and there were no procedural deaths. Conclusion Although BPA might be effective for residual PH after PEA, it was associated with a high rate of haemoptysis.

Various types of electromagnetic shielding structures for specific frequency band have been reported in recent years. A gasket-free electromagnetic shielding structure using folded quarter-wavelength substrate integrated waveguide (FQ-SIW) resonators for 2.4-GHz band is one of them. In the structure, SIW resonators of different resonant frequencies in 2.4-GHz band are cascaded and positioned on inner walls of a gap. The structure is almost free of deterioration since contact-type gaskets are not used. In this paper, a gasket-free electromagnetic shielding structure for 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands using cascaded dual-behavior (DB) SIW resonators is proposed and evaluated. A DB-SIW resonator consists of two FQ-SIW resonators sharing one coupling slot and has two almost-independent resonant frequencies in the two bands. The design results showed attenuation characteristics at the two bands, and the configuration was miniaturized by 4% compared with conventional cascaded FQ-SIW resonators. Shielding effectiveness (SE) was also evaluated, and the measured results showed more than 20-dB improvement of SE near the two bands, though frequency shifts were observed.

Objective Risk control of thromboembolic complications (TECs) during stent-assisted coil embolization (SACE) for unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) is crucial for satisfactory treatment outcomes. We retrospectively evaluated the data from our cohort of SACE for UIAs to analyze the role of anatomical, clinical, and stent type-related factors to determine the optimal preoperative values of light transmission aggregometry (LTA) for TEC prevention. Methods From July 2015 to May 2018, we retrospectively analyzed the data from 132 patients with SACE-treated UIAs at our hospital. Data regarding the aneurysm location, maximum diameter, stent type used, preoperative LTA value, and ischemic and hemorrhagic complications were collected. Aspirin 100 mg and clopidogrel 75 mg were started 7 days before surgery, with a “boost” dose (an additional 75 mg of clopidogrel for an LTA value >60%) added after August 2016 to address clopidogrel resistance. After multivariate analysis, we developed our original combined parameter termed the thromboembolic predictor (TEP). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for TEP and each significant variable was performed. Results TECs were confirmed in 5 of the 132 patients (3.8%) and hemorrhagic complications in 9 of the 132 patients (6.8%). From the multivariate analysis results, the LTA value and maximum diameter were chosen as significant variables and included in the TEP. ROC analysis of the LTA value revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 0.866 and 0.600, respectively (area under the curve, 0.747), with a cutoff of 62%. TEP permitted the establishment of an optimal LTA value according to the aneurysm maximum diameter to predict for TECs. The complication rate for the Neuroform EZ, Enterprise, Neuroform Atlas, and LVIS stents was 2.9%, 10.5%, 1.4%, and 14.3%, respectively. Conclusions The preoperative LTA value contributes to the prediction of TECs after SACE for UIAs. The TEP (relating the LTA cutoff to aneurysm size) allows for improved antiplatelet therapy adjustment before SACE to reduce TECs.

Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is not only a cause of vascular dementia (VD) but also a contributing factor to Alzheimer's disease (AD). The essential pathological feature of CSVD is the disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB). Dysfunction of BBB due to degeneration of both endothelial cells and pericytes in capillaries leads to neuronal damage and progressive brain atrophy. Moreover, deterioration of amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance due to the failure of the transvascular BBB transport system results in accumulation of Aβ in the brain. Intravenous infusion of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) elicits functional recovery in experimental models including stroke and spinal cord injury. One effect of MSCs is to restore disrupted BBB through remodeling of microvasculature. Using spontaneously hypertensive rats (stroke-prone) with impaired cognitive function as a CSVD model, we have shown that infused MSCs has a therapeutic effect for cognitive function. Restoration of BBB function via remodeling of microvasculature and inhibition of Aβ accumulation could inhibit progressive brain atrophy and lead to restore cognitive dysfunction. Gene expression analysis indicated that infused MSCs activates both transforming growth factor-β and angiopoietin 1 signaling pathways and promotes the remodeling of microvasculature. Thus, infused MSCs may represent a novel therapy for both VD and AD.

Systemic administration of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) following cerebral infarction exerts functional improvements. Previous research has suggested potential therapeutic mechanisms that promote neuroprotection and synaptogenesis. These include secretion of neurotrophic factors, remodeling of neural circuits, restoration of the blood brain barrier, reduction of inflammatory infiltration and demyelination, and elevation of trophic factors. In addition to these mechanisms, we hypothesized that restored interhemispheric bilateral motor cortex connectivity might be an additional mechanism of functional recovery. In the present study, we have shown, with both MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neuroanatomical tracing techniques using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) expressing GFP, that there was anatomical restoration of cortical interhemispheric connections through the corpus callosum after intravenous infusion of MSCs in a rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) stroke model. Moreover, the degree of connectivity was greater in the MSC-treated group than in the vehicle-infused group. In accordance, both the thickness of corpus callosum and synaptic puncta in the contralateral (non-infarcted) motor cortex connected to the corpus callosum were greater in the MSC-treated group than in the vehicle group. Together, these results suggest that distinct preservation of interhemispheric cortical connections through corpus callosum was promoted by intravenous infusion of MSCs. This anatomical preservation of the motor cortex in the contralateral hemisphere may contribute to functional improvements following MSC therapy for cerebral stroke.

Background Surgical treatment of vertebral artery (VA)-thrombosed giant aneurysms requires achieving both obliteration of the parent artery to prevent bleeding and dome thrombectomy to relieve the brain stem from mass effect. To secure both proximal and distal control of complex VA aneurysms, the contralateral approach to the aneurysm might be a useful alternative, as previously described. We successfully treated a case of VA-thrombosed giant aneurysm in a new, original way by combining craniotomy (ipsilateral and contralateral) and the endovascular technique. Case Description A 48-year-old man presented with a thrombosed giant aneurysm of the right VA compressing the brain stem. Treatment consisted of endovascular proximal ligation of the VA followed by 2-staged craniotomy for complete trapping of the aneurysm and intra-aneurysmal thrombectomy. The VA distal to the aneurysm was obliterated via contralateral craniotomy as only that provided adequate working space. Finally, intra-aneurysmal partial thrombectomy was performed through an ipsilateral craniotomy, which also made possible the obliteration of the eventually dangerous remaining vasa vasorum and additional proximal ligation of the VA. Conclusions Based on pathologic and surgical anatomical characteristics, a combination of an endovascular procedure with 2-staged craniotomy for complete trapping, thrombectomy, and vasa vasorum obliteration could be considered a feasible way to treat VA-thrombosed giant aneurysms located ventral to the brain stem and have their distal neck portions/patent vessel beyond the midline toward the contralateral side.

The ability to coat porous media is critical for forming composite functional thin films. A major technical concern for accurately predicting this process is that the flow of the coating bead and the penetration process must be considered. These phenomena strongly influence each other. Therefore, both the flow into porous media and the coating-bead flow should be simultaneously treated. In this study, the target is a high-productivity coating system based on a roll-to-roll process using a slot die. Slot-die coating is a premetered, precision coating method. We investigated the coating of porous media to estimate the practical operability window and the penetration depth using two-dimensional numerical analysis. For this purpose, both the coating-bead pressure and the capillary pressure were considered as driving forces of penetration. Moreover, the curvature of the backup roll opposite the slot die was also taken into account to achieve an accurate estimation. We demonstrate that the penetration depth and operability window for defect-free coatings can be well estimated and that the results are consistent with experimental results.

In recent years, with increased opportunities to post content on social media, a number of users are experiencing information overload in relation to social media use. This study addresses how Japanese Twitter users suffering from information overload cope with their stress, focusing on two actions: (1) The “unfriending” activities and (2) The changes in tweet processing methods. Objective data, such as numbers of friends, were collected through Twitter's open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and subjective data, such as perceived information overload and tweet processing methods, were collected through a web-based survey as a panel dataset ( n = 778). The results demonstrated that although users experience information overload, they continue to increase their number of friends, and that the users who experience information overload modify their usage habits to avoid seeing all received tweets. In short, users do not choose a strategy to reduce the absolute number of received tweets, but only a strategy that involves changing the processing method of the received tweets.

We collected data through a web-based survey and through Twitter's open APIs.The number of friends had a significantly positive effect on tweet overload.The number of tweets received did not have a significant effect on tweet overload.A large number of friends strengthened network density's effect on tweet overload.A small number of friends strengthened network density but reduced tweet overload. More than 21 million monthly active users (MAUs) in Japan read, communicate, and share information with others via Twitter (in May 2013). In this study, we focused on perceived information overload by analyzing the number of tweets received, number of friends, and density of a user's egocentric network. These three variables were examined using objective data collected through Twitter's open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). We collected data concerning tweet overload through a web-based survey, and we used an ordered logistic regression analysis to examine the combined data (n=1277). Results demonstrated that only the number of friends had a significantly positive effect on perceived tweet overload, while the number of tweets received did not produce a significant effect. Although the density of a user's egocentric network did not demonstrate any significant effect on perceived tweet overload, a significant interaction effect appeared between the number of friends and the density of this network. In other words, findings indicated that a large number of friends strengthened the network density's effect; by contrast, a smaller number of friends strengthened network density but reduced perceived tweet overload. The findings are discussed in detail in this article.

In the presence of an acidic zwitterion bearing a highly stabilized carbanion, reactions of ω,ω-dialkoxy carbonyl compounds with ketene silyl acetals (KSA) resulted in an unusual molecular transformation; substitution reaction with the KSA at the ketal moiety and simultaneous silylative acetalization of the ketone moiety.

Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is considered to be a highly beneficial and safe diagnostic tool. EUS-FNA now has a greater clinical impact because the technique is currently being applied for therapeutic as well as diagnostic purposes. The treatment of intra-peritoneal abscess after peptic ulcer perforation has traditionally been by surgery, especially when percutaneous abscess drainage is unfeasible. We report that less invasive drainage using EUS-FNA was useful in treating a patient with an abscess who had no other option but to select surgical treatment.

This research was originally published in Journal of Biological Chemistry. Hiroaki Tanaka, Ken-ichi Akagi, Chitose Oneyama, Masakazu Tanaka, Yuichi Sasaki, Takashi Kanou, Young-Ho Lee, Daisuke Yokogawa, Marc-Werner Dobenecker, Atsushi Nakagawa, Masato Okada and Takahisa Ikegami. Identification of a new interaction mode between the Src homology 2 domain of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) and Csk-binding protein/phosphoprotein associated with glycosphingolipid microdomains. Journal of Biological Chemistry. 2013; 288, 15240-15254. © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology., Proteins with Src homology 2 (SH2) domains play major roles in tyrosine kinase signaling. Structures of many SH2 domains have been studied, and the regions involved in their interactions with ligands have been elucidated. However, these analyses have been performed using short peptides consisting of phosphotyrosine followed by a few amino acids, which are described as the canonical recognition sites. Here, we report the solution structure of the SH2 domain of C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) in complex with a longer phosphopeptide from the Csk-binding protein (Cbp). This structure, together with biochemical experiments, revealed the existence of a novel binding region in addition to the canonical phosphotyrosine 314-binding site of Cbp. Mutational analysis of this second region in cells showed that both canonical and novel binding sites are required for tumor suppression through the Cbp-Csk interaction. Furthermore, the data indicate an allosteric connection between Cbp binding and Csk activation that arises from residues in the βB/βCloop of the SH2 domain.

In order to assess the applicability of using microelectrodes as a tool for inhibition tests, temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of 2-chlorophenol (2-CP) on O(2) respiration and nitrification activities in municipal wastewater biofilms were investigated using microelectrodes for O(2) and NH(4)(+). The time-course microelectrode measurements demonstrated that 2-CP inhibited O(2) respiration and nitrification activities within 6-18 min. The microbial activities were inhibited only in the upper 400 microm of the biofilms by 2-CP, and the bacteria present in the deeper parts of the biofilms were still active, probably due to limited penetration of 2-CP. These results could reasonably explain the difference in inhibitory ratios of the O(2) respiration and nitrification activities in the biofilms. O(2) respiration activity was incompletely inhibited, which was attributed to the presence of O(2) respiration activities in the deeper parts of the biofilm. In contrast, nitrification activity was significantly inhibited because ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were present in the upper parts of the biofilm. These results indicate that the microelectrodes with a very quick response time and a high spatial resolution are useful tools to study temporal and spatial inhibitory effects of inhibitors on in situ microbial activities in biofilms.

In this research, we tackled the emergence and stability of key currency when economic strength countries was equal. We propose an artificial international market model with currency credibility as the standard selected for payment. We constructed multiple markets based on the X-Economy System. Through simulations, we found the possibility that key currency could emerge in a symmetric situation, and market and the specialization of production could be stabilized by foreign exchange trade.

Crystallographic structures and magnetic properties of chemically synthesized FePt nanoparticles, which were firmly stabilized into a monolayer on thermally oxidized Si substrate using 3-amino propyldimethylethoxysilene, were studied. The two-dimensional structure of FePt nanoparticles was confirmed by plan-view high-resolution scanning microscopy observation. The particles transformed from fcc to highly ordered L1 0 structure by annealing at 800°C under high vacuum with minimal coalescence. From rotational hysteresis loss analysis, a large magnetic anisotropy field of over 80 kOe for the 800°C-annealed film was estimated. The coercivity of the annealed sample was very small and of the order of 10 2 Oe at room temperature, meanwhile, the remanence coercivity obtained from DC demagnetization measurement was over 11 kOe. This large difference was resulted from the co-existence of Fe-poor particles with different low anisotropy fields in the monolayered film.

The control of crystal polymorphs was investigated using a WWDJ batch crystallizer and glycine as a model compound. The WWDJ batch crystallizer is a newly developed crystallizer, which is equipped with a slurry sprinkler named Wall Wetter fixed on the shaft of an impeller and a double-deck jacket. When a conventional crystallizer was used, the unstable α-form crystals were always obtained. However, when the WWDJ batch crystallizer was used, the stable γ-form crystals were obtained. The appearance of different polymorphs depends on the cooling rate during the crystallization. The γ-form crystals were obtained by slow cooling, while the α-form was obtained by rapid cooling. It means that the solvent-mediated transformation of glycine crystal polymorphs can be controlled by changing the cooling rate in the WWDJ crystallizer. These results were obtained due to the fact that the WWDJ batch crystallizer accelerates the dissolution of metastable crystals and the growth of stable crystals.

Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare life-threatening cardiomyopathy of unknown etiology that occurs during the peripartum period in previously healthy women. Autoimmune and viral factors have been suggested to be involved in PPCM. Here we describe a patient with Graves' disease, which is one of the organ-specific autoimmune diseases, who developed acute heart failure due to PPCM at 2 weeks after her first delivery. The patient recovered completely with conservative treatment for heart failure. An association between PPCM and Graves' disease has not been reported before. PPCM may be an organ-specific autoimmune disease, so the coexistence of other autoimmune diseases should be considered in PPCM patients.

FePt nanoparticle monolayer films were fabricated with the nanoparticles stabilized on organic-coupling-layer coated Si substrates. The as-prepared films were nonmagnetic. In order to transform the nanoparticle phase from chemically disordered face-centered-cubic to chemically ordered L10, the films were annealed at 800°C under nitrogen atmosphere for 30min. The annealed films showed different degrees of sintering depending on the organic coupling layer materials used. At room temperature, sintered films exhibited high coercivity up to 2.4×104Oe, while monodispersive films with insignificant sintering showed a low coercivity of 1.1×102Oe. Such results can be explained by a large atomic composition distribution among the nanoparticles together with the size effect on ordering. Improvement of the nanoparticle atomic composition homogeneity is essential for applying the nanoparticle films for future ultrahigh-density data storage applications.

Monodispersive FePt nanoparticle films can be stabilized firmly on rigid Si substrates using amino-functional silane, such as [3-(2-aminoethlyamino) propyl]trimethoxysilane, as a coupling layer. The Si substrate/SiO2/APTS/FePt nanoparticles heterostructure was confirmed using high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). The HREM result agreed well with the x-ray reflectivity measurement upon the individual layer thickness. The as-made superparamagnetic FePt nanoparticle film transformed from chemically disordered fcc structure to chemically ordered L10 phase upon annealing at 800 °C for 30 min under a vacuum of 10−8 Torr. Plan-view high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM) observation indicated that under high-vacuum annealing, coalescence of the monodispersive nanoparticle film was not significant. The HRSEM result was consistent with the in-plane x-ray diffractometry measurement, in which sharpening of the diffraction peaks occurred only very slightly for the annealed films.

This paper reports the metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy of GaAs, InP, and GaP using TBAs and TBP as group-V sources and TEGa and TMIn as group-III sources. It is found, that the growth of GaAs is dominated by thermal decomposition of TEGa, while the growth of GaP and InP is influenced by both the reacting group-III and phosphorus species. The GaAs epilayers grown using cracked TBAs show p-type conduction with hole concentrations being varied in the range of 7 × 10 16 − 1.7 × 10 19 cm −3 at 300 K as the cracking temperatures varied from 1300 to 1700°C. The hole concentration increases with the cracking temperature above 1450°C, suggesting that the carbon incorporation process is influenced by the reacting arsenic species from thermally cracked TBAs.

CoxPt100−x nanoparticles with dimensions from approximately 2 to 5 nm were synthesized using the reverse micelle method. High-resolution electron microscopy revealed single- and poly-crystalline nanoparticle structures. Twin boundary is a common feature in the polycrystals. As-grown nanoparticles did not show any coercivity at room temperature. However, the nanoparticles became ferromagnetic after annealing at 550 °C for 4 h. Face-centered-cubic to face-centered-tetragonal phase transformation of the nanoparticles that occurred at annealing temperatures above 550 °C was confirmed by electron diffraction patterns and x-ray diffractometry. Coercivity of the annealed nanoparticles were found depending on the nanoparticle chemical compositions. Composition atomic ratio of Co to Pt at around unity gives the highest coercivity of 5500 Oe at room temperature.

The water-soluble vitamin E derivative, sodium dl-α-tocopheryl-6-O-phosphate (1), exhibits protective effects against skin damage. As reported herein, we investigated the actions of 1 on the formation of the inflammatory mediator, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), as compared to dl-α-tocopheryl acetate (2) and dipotassium glycyrrhizin acid (3). In a three-dimensional (3D) human skin model 1 was converted to α-tocopherol (Toc) to a greater extent than 2. Post-treatment using 2% 1 following ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation for 2h significantly reduced photodamage as indicated by UVB-damaged cell formation and PGE(2) synthesis. In normal human epidermal keratinocytes stimulated with UVB irradiation, or exposed to interleukin-1 beta, tert-butylhydroperoxide or hydrogen peroxide, pre-treatment with 1 (0-2 μM) inhibited PGE(2) production in dose-dependent manner to a greater extent than 2 and 3. Increases in stimulator-induced cyclooxygenase 2 mRNA expression and p38 MAPK phosphorylation were suppressed by pre-treatment with 1. The vitamin C derivative, magnesium L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate, significantly and synergistically, enhanced the inhibitory effects of 1 on PGE(2) production. These results suggest that 1 is a highly potent protective when compared among the examined commercial human skin care products, and that it might be useful for therapeutic and preventive medicine.

Pulmonary auscultation, pulmonary function tests and radiological examination were done in 127 hospitalized patients with silicosis. Fine crackle (FC) was heard in 21.3% of patients, coarse crackle (CC) in 28.5%, rhonchi or wheeze (RorW) in 25.2% and friction rub (FR) in 5.5%. In complicated silicosis the incidence of rales was paradoxically lower than in simple silicosis (54.6 vs. 83.3%, respectively, p less than 0.05). In simple silicosis, patients with CC and/or RorW had lower %VC and FEV1/FVC%, but in complicated silicosis, the relation between the presence of rales and pulmonary functional status was not so apparent. These results suggest that in relatively advanced silicosis, all kinds of rales are heard, and in simple silicosis, rales are useful indicators of physiological impairment, but in complicated silicosis, they do not seem to be so useful.