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The biological and chemical properties of organic substances in the water purification pond at a sea-based solid waste disposal site, in Osaka City, have been investigated. The mutagenic activities in the extract of water and benthal mud were detected by the Ames Salmonella typhimurium TA98/microsome assay. The extracts of water and sediments of the disposal site showed a weak mutagenic activity to TA98 with S9 mix. The levels of mutagenic activity in water were almost the same as those of the Yodo river. Dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of sediments were separated into acidic, basic and neutral fractions. The neutral fraction was further fractionated on a silica-gel column chromatography and tested for mutagenicity in the Ames assay. The mutagenic subfractions were analyzed by capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometory (GC-MS) and 20 kinds of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) were detected. These results indicate that the PAH-containing fractions account for most of the genotoxic activity observed in this reservoir sediment.

A mathematical model which predicts spatial motion of tracked vehicles on non-level terrain has been developed. The motion of the vehicle is represented by three translational and three rotational degrees of freedom. In order to incorporate the inelastic deformation of soil, a soil-track interaction model is introduced; this constitutive model relates the traction exerted on the track by soil to the slip velocity and sinkage of the track. The model is based upon available soil plasticity theories and furnishes mechanics-based interpretation of Bekker's empirical relations. For planar motion the proposed model reduces to the existing equations of motion by introducing kinematic constraints on the vertical translation, pitching and rolling degrees-of-freedom.

We observe two‐photon interference of photon pairs from a photonic crystal fiber with the help of an unbalanced Mach‐Zehnder interferometer. Two‐photon interference fringes with 83% visibility, which exceed the classical limit of 50%, are obtained. The correlation time of the photon pairs is roughly estimated to be 0.2 ps

Stresses due to thermal oxidation and film deposition processes during the fabrication of a semiconductor are analysed. The strengths of plastic encapsulants, silicon chips, bonding wires and adhesive interfaces in integrated-circuit (IC) plastic packages are evaluated using fracture mechanics and other techniques. The thermal fatigue strength of solder joints is then estimated using the fatigue test data of solder specimens and simplified modelling of IC packages.

The soot emission problem of the diffusion flame around a fuel droplet was taken up and the droplet diameter at the sooting limit, D L, was determined using a high speed camera and an optical method of soot detection. Since no soot emission occurs from the flume if the droplet diameter is smaller than D L. the magnitude of D L might be an index to the sooting tendency of liquid fuels, just like the fuel flow rate at the sooting limit which is a useful index to estimate the sooting tendency of gaseous fuels. The effects on D L of fuel type, fuel blending, and surrounding air velocity, as well as time variations of droplet diameter and flame height during combustion, were investigated. The main findings were: (1) D, was increased and the sooting tendency was lowered with the increase in the air velocity although it promoted fuel evaporation and soot formation; (2) When two types of fuels with different sooting tendencies were blended, the concentration dependence of D L was greatly affected by the ...

A 76-year-old female was admitted to the hospital with dyspnea and hypertention. She had the giant thyroid tumor which had been awared but not treated for 40 years. On a computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the tumor was 14 x 10 cm and the tracheal stenosis was completely intrathoracic, which was 5 x 7 mm. Tracheal incubation was performed safety by using percutaneous cardiopulmonary support. A subtotal thyroidectomy was performed by midsternotomy with cervical incision. The weight of the resected specimen was 340 g and the pathological diagnosis was follicular thyroid carcinoma. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient suffered no hoarseness and dyspnea.

A new type of bioabsorbable pledget made from non-woven fabric of polyglycolide (PGA) fibers has been developed. After the in vivo implantation test using dogs, samples were subject to clinical evaluations in pulmonary operations in four hospitals. The total number of trial cases was 50; in 11 cases pledgets were used for repair of the bronchus and in 39 cases for lung fistulas or defects of the pleurae. Compared with the conventional nonabsorbable pledgets, these PGA pledgets showed satisfactory results. In particular, for cases of emphysematous pulmonary diseases the application of the PGA pledgets and non-woven fabrics made the post-operative air-leakage duration short. In all these 50 cases neither side effect nor complication was observed. This evaluation suggests that PGA pledgets and non-woven fabric are an acceptable and even better alternative to conventional nonabsorbable pledgets for the pulmonary surgery.

A cDNA encoding an Na+-Pi co-transporter, termed rat PiT-1, has now been isolated from rat parathyroid. Expression of rat PiT-1 in Xenopus oocytes revealed that it possesses Na+-dependent Pi co-transport activity. The amount of PiT-1 mRNA in the parathyroid of vitamin D-deficient rats was reduced compared with that in normal animals, and increased markedly after administration of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. Furthermore, the abundance of PiT-1 mRNA in the parathyroid was much greater in rats fed a low-Pi diet than in those fed a high-Pi diet. Thus, rat PiT-1 may contribute to the effects of Pi and vitamin D on parathyroid function.

Coronary artery fistulae are relatively rare congenital anomalies. Those associated with saccular coronary artery aneurysms are even rarer. Including the current case, only 65 such cases have been reported in Japan. A 62-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of abnormal shadow on the chest X-ray. The enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated a giant saccular coronary aneurysm on the left side of the pulmonary artery. Multi-detector row CT (MDCT) scan demonstrated the coronary artery aneurysm was connected to the left anterior descending artery. Coronary angiography revealed 2 aneurysms with bilateral coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistulae. The patient underwent aneurysmectomy and ligation of fistulae under cardiopulomonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful and postoperative coronary angiography revealed complete resection of the aneurysms and only slight blood flow through the fistulae. She was discharged on the 10th postoperative day.

Post-operative haematoma and visual deterioration are rare but serious complications after trans-sphenoidal surgery. For more reliable decompression of the optic nerve, we introduce a new technique for volume reduction of the cavity remaining after trans-sphenoidal resection of macroadenomas.After intracapsular removal of the adenoma, the suprasellar portion of the tumour 'capsule' spontaneously prolapsed into the sella turcica. The lowest part of the prolapsed capsule was sutured and/or clipped to reduce the volume of the residual cavity remaining after tumour resection.A total of 23 patients with macroadenomas extending to suprasellar area had visual symptoms and were treated by trans-sphenoidal surgery. In seven (30%) patients, computerised tomography scans on the first post-operative day demonstrated haematoma formation in the residual cavity. The magnetic resonance imagings on the seventh post-operative day, however, showed approximately 80% reduction in the tumour size. Visual disturbance improved in 20 patients (87%). No patient had post-operative deterioration of visual function. The complications in this series included transient diabetes insipidus in three patients and panhypopituitarism in one patient.Capsule plication is a useful measure for volume reduction of the large residual cavity after trans-sphenoidal surgery for macroadenoma. It may prevent an acute post-operative complication due to intracapsular haematoma, and improve surgical outcome in well selected cases.

A 55-year-old man had suffered from chest oppression while asleep for 1 to 2 years. Moderate aortic regurgitation and aneurysm of Valsalva sinuses were revealed by echocardiography. It was diagnosed as chronic localized dissecting aneurysm of Valsalva sinuses during the operation, and modified Bentall's operation was performed. The patient was extubated 2 hours after the operation. ST segment depression in leads I, aV(L) and V3-V6, and elevation in leads III and aV(R) suddenly occurred 5 hours after the operation. However, hemodynamics was very stable, and he complained of no chest pain. Cardiac asystole was detected 7 hours after the operation, and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support as well as intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) was immediately started. Emergency coronary angiography revealed acute myocardial infarction due to severe coronary spasm in the left coronary artery. The patient expired on the 3rd postoperative day.

A 63-year-old female had been treated for liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) since 3 years before. She developed symptoms of dyspnea and echocardiography revealed a large tumor in the right atrium. The stalk of tumor was attached to the intraatrial septum just above the tricuspid valve and the tumor was floating between the right atrium and the right ventricle according to cardiac rhythm. The size of tumor was 30 x 15 mm in diameter. She was admitted to our hospital for emergency operation. She was operated for cardiac tumor under cardiopulmonary bypass successfully and the postoperative course was uneventful. But the pathology reported direct intracavitary metastasis of HCC without intravascular involvement. She was discharged on the 7th postoperative day for the treatment of HCC.

We report a case of a 67-year-old man with Salmonella infected aortic arch aneurysm. The patient presented with persistent high fever, chest pain, back pain and hoarseness. Laboratory studies showed the presence of severe inflammation. Both impending rupture and saccular aneurysm were suspected by preoperative computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography and diagnosis was, therefore difficult to make. We conducted semi-emergency total aortic arch replacement, under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion. Salmonella was identified in the aneurysmal wall and antibiotics were administered for 6 weeks until CRP was normalized, when they were replaced by oral antibiotics. Postoperative course was uneventful. The patient was discharged on the 60th postoperative day. He continues to take oral antibiotics.

We studied a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) synchronous motor assembled with melt-textured Gd-BaCu-O bulk pole-field magnets. The structure of a HTS motor is an axial gap type with neither brushes/slip rings nor iron core. The specific feature is that the rotor pole-field magnets of bulk are magnetized with pulsed current flow through vortex-type armature copper windings. The rotor pole bulks and armature coils are separately cooled down with liquid nitrogen. Cooling and magnetization of bulk pole field magnets are performed inside of the rotor. In order to attain high output as well as torque, single rotor plate with 8 bulks was substituted with a twinned rotor plate assembly with 16 bulks into triple layer armature units. In addition, we mention a possible larger scaled machine with exchange of a bulk with a multilayered double pancake coil (DPC) with Bi-2223 wire. The test product of this type of DPC showed up to 1.98 T at the centre of the coil surface at 30 K.

The ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa secrete histamine in response to gastrin, stimulating parietal cells to produce acid. Do they also operate under nervous control? The present study examines histamine mobilization from rat stomach ECL cells in situ in response to acute vagal excitation and to food or gastrin following vagal or sympathetic denervation. Applying the technique of microdialysis, we monitored the release of histamine by radioimmunoassay. Microdialysis probes were placed in the submucosa on either side of the stomach, 3 days before experiments. The rats were awake during microdialysis except when subjected to electrical vagal stimulation. One-sided electrical vagal stimulation raised serum gastrin and mobilized gastric histamine. However, gastrin receptor blockade prevented the histamine mobilization, indicating that circulating gastrin accounts for the response. Vagal excitation by hypoglycaemia (insulin) or pylorus ligation did not mobilize either gastrin or histamine. The histamine response to food was almost abolished by gastrin receptor blockade, and it was halved on the denervated side after unilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy. While the histamine response to a near-maximally effective dose of gastrin was unaffected by vagotomy, the response to low gastrin doses was reduced significantly. Abdominal ganglionic sympathectomy failed to affect the histamine response to either food or gastrin. In conclusion, gastrin is responsible for most of the food-evoked mobilization of ECL-cell histamine. The histamine response to electrical vagal stimulation reflects the effect of circulating gastrin rather than a direct action of the vagus on the ECL cells. Vagal denervation was accompanied by an impaired histamine response to food intake, probably reflecting the right-ward shift of the serum gastrin concentration–histamine response curve. The results suggest that the vagus controls the sensitivity of the ECL cells to gastrin.

The Multichip LSI (MCL) comprised of both an embedded 123MHz CPU and a 64Mb memory in one package is introduced. 1300 signal lines are directly connected by microbumps between the two chips and achieve 160Gb/s signal interface performance. Both the CPU and memory are fabricated in a 0.15/spl mu/m CMOS technology.

A 90-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital because of severe chest and back pain. Chest computed tomography (CT) scan showed impending rupture of the true aneurysm of the aortic arch. Emergent operation was performed under deep hypothermia and retrograde cerebral perfusion through median sternotomy. Ascending and transverse aorta were totally replaced with arch graft with 4 branches using the arch vessels first technique. Postoperative course was uneventful expect for urinary tract infection. She discharged from our hospital 76 days after the operation and is now doing well.

We reported a successful operative case of ruptured coronary artery aneurysm associated with coronary artery to pulmonary artery fistula. The patient was a 74-year-old woman who was admitted for syncope and chest oppression. Echocardiogram and chest CT scan revealed cardiac tamponade. Ruptured coronary aneurysm, 3 cm in diameter, was found at emergent operation. After emergent coronary angiography, which demonstrated an aneurysm arising from the left anterior descending coronary artery and draining into the pulmonary artery, orifice of draining artery to the aneurysm was closed and coronary artery fistula was ligated. She recovered smoothly and post operative angiogram revealed disappearance of the aneurysm.

A hybrid converter system aiming at a higher voltage higher capacity higher efficiency converter system having fewer harmonics in its output is proposed. The system consists of a GTO inverter operating in a square-wave mode and a neutral-point-clamped IGBT inverter operating in a PWM mode. The former produces a base part of the resultant output. The latter produces an additional part of the resultant output as well as eliminates the harmonic components generated by the GTO inverter. A basic control strategy for both inverter and rectifier operation of the system is proposed. Furthermore, an attainable output capacity, device losses, and current THD of the hybrid system, when available devices in the market are used, are estimated. It is concluded that the hybrid system has an advantage over the others in terms of efficiency and harmonic distortion.

The lifetime of 40Pb-60Sn solder joints is generally dominated by creep deformation, because of slow strain rate in field uses. To explain this behavior, a torsional fatigue cycle test was carried out under isothermal conditions. A lower strain range for the creep deformation prolonged the life because the lattice vibration energy seemed to restore the defects during reciprocal cycle motion. The estimation of life from creep deformation is shown to be a more accurate approach for estimating field life. >

A damage detection system for surface mount packages during reflow soldering has been developed to efficiently evaluate reliability of packages quantitatively. This system is based on measuring the deformation of the packages in the direction of the thickness. A personal computer automatically determines the damage mode and the temperature at which the damage occurred by the displacement profile and the temperature profile. The three possible damage modes-package cracking, delamination of the plastic, and leakage of vapor, which leaves gaps between the plastic and the leads-can be identified by this system. >

Adhesion strength evaluation of molding compounds is a critical issue in both structural design and material selection of plastic IC packages. We previously proposed a new adhesion test method that can separate residual stress from adhesion strength, and we confirmed that the measured true adhesion strength can be applied to the quantitative prediction of interface delamination in a dry package. This paper describes the influence of moisture absorbing conditions on true adhesion strength determined by this method. The drop of true adhesion strength of a specimen that has absorbed moisture at 50/spl deg/C is about 40 percent of that of a specimen at 85/spl deg/C. This suggests that the general moisture condition (85/spl deg/C/85%) accelerates the damage to plastic IC packages when compared to the case of moisture absorption at room temperature. We also evaluated interface delamination in a moisture-absorbed package by considering the swelling of the molding compound due to moisture absorption. The predicted results agree well with the experimental data for moisture-absorbed packages.

A hybrid inverter system aiming at a higher voltage higher capacity higher efficiency inverter system having fewer harmonics in its output is proposed. The system consists of a GTO inverter operating in a square-wave switching mode and a neutral-point-clamped IGBT inverter operating in a PWM switching mode. The former produces a basic part of the resultant output. The latter not only produces an additional part of that to control the resultant output, but also offsets the harmonic components generated by the GTO inverter. A basic control strategy for the hybrid inverter system is proposed, and its validity is verified by experimental investigations.

The effects of SM-20550 [N-(aminoiminomethyl)-1,4-dimethyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamide methanesulfonic acid], an Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor, on ischemic preconditioning (IPC) were studied in a rabbit model of myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury. Anesthetized rabbits underwent occlusion of the coronary artery (30 min) followed by reperfusion (5 h). In SM-20550-treated animals, SM-20550 was intravenously administered at 0.03 mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg before ischemia (30 min). Treatment with SM-20550 at 0.03 mg/kg had a nonsignificant tendency to reduce infarct size (18%). In contrast, 0.1 mg/kg of SM-20550 significantly reduced infarct size by 62%. In animals with IPC, the condition was induced by 2 or 5 min of ischemia and 10 min of reperfusion prior to sustained ischemia (30 min). Although 5 min of IPC significantly reduced infarct size by 72%, 2 min of IPC reduced infarct size by only 27%, which was not significant. The combination of 5 min of IPC and 0.1 mg/kg of SM-20550 significantly reduced infarct size by 78%. This reduction in infarct size was similar to that produced by 0.1 mg/kg SM-20550 or 5 min of IPC alone. Moreover, the combination of 2 min of IPC and 0.03 mg/kg of SM-20550 significantly reduced infarct size by 64%, although neither 0.03 mg/kg SM-20550 nor 2 min of IPC alone reduced infarct size significantly. These results indicate that an Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor SM-20550, does not antagonize the cardioprotective effect of IPC. SM-20550 and IPC appeared to act synergistically to exert a combined cardioprotective effect.

The effects of itopride hydrochloride, a new drug used to regulate motility in the gastrointestinal tract, on the delayed rectifier K+ current (I(K)) and the L-type Ca2+ current (I(Ca)) were evaluated in guinea-pig ventricular myocytes at concentrations of 1, 10 and 100 microM to determine whether the drug has a proarrhythmic effect through blockade of I(K). Itopride did not affect I(K) at concentrations of 100 microM or less, and no significant effects of 1, 10 or 100 microM itopride were observed on the inward rectifier K+ current (I(K1)) responsible for the resting potential and final repolarization phase of the action potential. We next investigated the effects of itopride on L-type Ca2+ current (I(Ca)). Significant inhibition of I(Ca) was observed at itopride concentrations greater than 10 microM. These results suggested that itopride hydrochloride has an inhibitory effect on I(Ca) at concentrations much higher than those in clinical use.

By mobilizing histamine in response to gastrin, the ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa play a key role in the control of the parietal cells and hence of gastric acid secretion. General anaesthesia suppresses basal and gastrin- and histamine-stimulated acid secretion. The present study examines if the effect of anaesthesia on basal and gastrin-stimulated acid secretion is associated with suppressed ECL-cell histamine secretion. A microdialysis probe was implanted in the submucosa of the ventral aspect of the acid-producing part of the stomach (32 rats). Three days later, ECL-cell histamine mobilization was monitored 2 h before and 4 h after the start of intravenous infusion of gastrin (5 nmol kg(-1) h(-1)). The rats were either conscious or anaesthetized. Four commonly used anaesthetic agents were given 1 h before the start of the experiments by intraperitoneal injection: chloral hydrate (300 mg kg(-1)), pentobarbitone (40 mg kg(-1)), urethane (1.5 g kg(-1)) and a mixture of fluanisone/fentanyl/midazolam (15/0.5/7.5 mg kg(-1)). In a parallel series of experiments, basal- and gastrin-induced acid secretion was monitored in six conscious and 25 anaesthetized (see above) chronic gastric fistula rats. All anaesthetic agents lowered gastrin-stimulated acid secretion; also the basal acid output was reduced (fluanisone/fentanyl/midazolam was an exception). Anaesthesia reduced gastrin-stimulated but not basal histamine release by 55 - 80%. The reduction in gastrin-induced acid response (70 - 95%) was strongly correlated to the reduction in gastrin-induced histamine mobilization. The correlation is in line with the view that the reduced acid response to gastrin reflects impaired histamine mobilization. Rat stomach ECL cells were purified by counter-flow elutriation. Gastrin-evoked histamine mobilization from the isolated ECL cells was determined in the absence or presence of anaesthetic agents in the medium. With the exception of urethane, they inhibited gastrin-evoked histamine secretion dose-dependently, indicating a direct effect on the ECL cells. Anaesthetized rats are widely used to study acid secretion and ECL-cell histamine release. The present results illustrate the short-comings of such an approach in that a number of anaesthetic agents were found to impair not only acid secretion but also the secretion of ECL-cell histamine - some acting in a direct manner.

Histamine-forming ECL cells in the rat stomach operate under the control of gastrin. They represent a convenient target for studying cholecystokinin-B/gastrin (CCK(2)) receptor antagonists in vivo. We examined the effectiveness and duration of action of two CCK(2) antagonists, YM022 and YF476, with respect to their effect on ECL-cell histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity in the rat. Oral administration of subcutaneous deposition of YF476 or YM022 reduced the HDC activity. The maximum/near-maximum dose for both drugs and for both modes of administration was 300 micromol kg(-1) (effects measured 24 h after dose). At this dose and time the serum concentration of YF476 was 20 - 40 nmol l(-1). The dose 300 micromol kg(-1) was used in all subsequent studies. A single subcutaneous injection of YF476 inhibited the HDC activity for 8 weeks. The circulating concentration of YF476 remained high for the same period of time (/=15 nmol l(-1)). Subcutaneous YM022 suppressed the HDC activity for 4 weeks. A single oral dose of YF476 or YM022 inhibited the HDC activity for 2 - 3 days. Chronic gastric fistula rats were used to study the effect of subcutaneous YF476 on gastrin-stimulated acid secretion. A single injection of YF476 prevented gastrin from causing an acid response for at least 4 weeks (the longest time studied). We conclude that a single subcutaneous injection of 300 micromol kg(-1) YF476 causes blockade of CCK(2) receptors in the stomach of the rat for 8 weeks thus providing a convenient method for studies of the consequences of long-term CCK(2) receptor inhibition.

The ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa of rat stomach produce histamine and chromogranin A-derived peptides such as pancreastatin. The cells respond to gastrin via cholecystokinin-2 (CCK2) receptors. A CCK2 receptor blockade was induced by treatment (for up to 8 weeks) with two receptor antagonists, YM022 and YF476. Changes in ECL-cell morphology were examined by immunocytochemistry and electron microscopy, while changes in ECL cell-related biochemical parameters were monitored by measuring serum pancreastatin and oxyntic mucosal pancreastatin, and histamine concentrations, and histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity. The CCK2 receptor blockade reduced the ECL-cell density only marginally, if at all, but transformed the ECL cells from slender, elongated cells with prominent projections to small, spherical cells without projections. The Golgi complex and the rough endoplasmic reticulum were diminished. Secretory vesicles were greatly reduced in volume density in the trans Golgi area. Circulating pancreastatin concentration and oxyntic mucosal HDC activity were lowered within a few hours. Oxyntic mucosal histamine and pancreastatin concentrations were reduced only gradually. The CCK2 receptor blockade was found to prevent the effects of omeprazole-evoked hypergastrinaemia on the ECL-cell activity and density. In conclusion, gastrin, acting on CCK2 receptors, is needed to maintain the shape, size and activity of the ECL cells, but not for maintaining the ECL-cell population.

We investigated the effects of SM-15681 (N-(aminoiminomethyl)-1-methyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamide monohydrochloride) on Na+/H+ exchange activity in the myocardium and in ischemic and hypoxic injury in isolated perfused rat hearts. These effects were compared with those of ethylisopropyl amiloride (EIPA). Na+/H+ exchange activity was studied with a NH4Cl prepulse technique under HCO3(-)-free conditions. SM-15681 (10(-8)-10(-7) M) inhibited pH recovery of acidosis in the rat myocardium in a concentration-dependent manner and the IC50 value of SM-15681 (80 nM) was similar to that of EIPA. In perfused rat hearts, SM-15681 (10(-6) M) and EIPA (10(-6) M) significantly improved cardiac functions and prevented enzyme release and abnormal elevation of tissue Ca2+ content during 20 min of reperfusion after 40 min of ischemia and 20 min of reoxygenation after 30 min of hypoxia. We conclude that an Na+/H+ exchange inhibitor, SM-15681, shows cardioprotective effects on ischemia/reperfusion and hypoxia/reoxygenation injury. Our results also support the hypothesis that Na+/H+ exchange contributes to the pathophysiology of cardiac ischemic reperfusion injury.

SM-20220 (N-(aminoiminomethyl)-1-methyl-1H-indole-2-carboxamide methanesulfonate) is a Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) inhibitor which has been shown to attenuate cerebral edema in the rat transient focal ischemia model. However, to date, the effect of SM-20220 on cerebral infarction has not been examined. The present experiments were designed to investigate these effects, using both transient and permanent middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion models in rats. A dose of 1 mg/kg given intravenously 30 min after the onset of transient MCA occlusion reduced the infarcted area. In the permanent MCA occlusion model, SM-20220 reduced the infarcted area when treatment was delayed for 5, 30 or 60 min after the onset of ischemia. The present results show that NHE has a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ischemic brain damage. This NHE inhibitor may be useful for treating stroke because of its effectiveness with both forms of ischemia and because of its postischemic administration.

Clinical and bacteriological evaluation was performed as follows on ceftriaxone (CTRX) at a dose of 50 mg/kg once daily to pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Of 48 subject patients, CTRX was markedly effective in 36 (75.0%), effective in 9 (18.7%), slightly effective in 2 (4.2%), and failure in 1 (2.1%), indicating the overall effective rate of 93.7%. In 47 (97.9%) patients with the exception of 1, it was observed during the period of administration that fever was resolved and clinical symptoms as well as radiographically abnormal shadows were found relieved or improved. Patients infected by an isolated strain accounted for 34 (70.8%), while those by multiple strains 14 (29.2%), indicating that either Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae, or both were detected in almost all patients (45 cases). Of the 48 patients, bacteriological effect was eliminated in 44 (91.7%), and replacement of the bacteria in the remaining 4 (8.3%). MIC90 of CTRX against detected bacteria was 0.2 microgram/ml with H. influenzae,or = 0.025 microgram/ml with PSSP, 0.1 microgram/ml with PISP, and 0.39 microgram/ml with PRSP. Blood concentration of CTRX at 50 mg/kg upon completion of 1-hour drip intravenous infusion was 89.7 +/- 25.2 micrograms/ml, and 6.6 +/- 0.9 micrograms/ml at 24 hours after the completion, indicating that the concentrations had been well above the levels of MIC90 throughout the 24 hours. Abnormal symptoms, which were most likely adverse drug reactions, were not observed in any patients, and no abnormal changes were noted in patients, whose clinical lab values were taken before or after the administration. Situations may differ by region in Japan, however, infants under 3 are generally exempted from medical payment regardless of inpatients or outpatients. When hospitalized, psychological burden upon pediatric patients without guardians attended must be enormous. If they are over 3, there is a difference in medical costs between inpatients and outpatients, with greater economic burden on inpatients. Thus, it was considered worth attempting the outpatient treatment as one of new therapies for community-acquired pneumonia, though the outpatient treatment should not be encouraged without due consideration. Based on these results, CTRX dosed once daily to pediatric patients with community-acquired pneumonia is clinically and bacteriologically superior in usefulness. Further review may be necessary, however, it is considered that outpatient treatment can also serve as one of the options, if safety of once-a-day administration of CTRX can be established.

Rat stomach cancers induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) have been widely used as a model for human stomach cancers of the differentiated type. However, there has been little information regarding their molecular basis. In this study, we examined the genetic alterations reported in human stomach cancers in 10 rat stomach cancers that had been induced in male ACI/N rats by administering MNNG in the drinking water. One of the 10 cancers had a mutation of the p53 gene at the second position of codon 171 (Val --Glu). However, none of the 10 cancers had mutations in codons 12, 13, or 61 of Ki-ras or in the N-terminal phosphorylation sites of the beta-catenin gene. Southern blot analysis showed no amplification of K-sam or c-erbB-2 in the seven cancers examined. Finally, we searched for microsatellite alterations in 12 loci in nine cancers, but no alterations were observed. As these genetic alterations are observed in only a minor fraction of human stomach cancers, further analysis of genetic and epigenetic alterations in MNNG-induced rat stomach cancers is needed to disclose the major mechanisms of stomach carcinogenesis.

Five synthetic food colours—Food Red Nos 3, 40 and 102 and Food Blue Nos 1 and 2, and their UV irradiated products—were tested for mutagenic activity by means of the Ames test using Salmonella typhimurium strains TA98 and TA100. Food colours were irradiated with UV light for 14 days. Food Red Nos 3, 40 and 102 and Food Blue No. 1 were non-mutagenic before and after irradiation. UV irradiated products of Food Blue No. 2 were mutagenic in TA98 with or without S-9 mix. The mutagenic activity increased with increasing irradiation period, reached maximum potency on day 6, and then decreased. Moreover, Food Blue No. 2 showed DNA-damaging activity after 14 days of irradiation in rec-assay using Bacillus subtilis strains H17 and M45. The capillary electrophoresis was applied for the analysis of UV irradiated products of Food Blue No. 2. The original peak of Food Blue No. 2 was decomposed into seven peaks after UV irradiation.

O6-methylguanine is known as one of the major premutagenic lesions in the human and rodent carcinogenesis process. O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), which repairs methylated guanine bases, might prevent the G:C to A:T transition, and transgenic mice carrying this MGMT gene have been reported to be less sensitive to the carcinogenicity of certain alkylating agents. Here we utilized MGMT transgenic mice to assess the significance of O6-methylguanine formation during urinary bladder carcinogenesis. In experiment 1, 100 and 60 ppm N-butyl-N(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine was given for 20 weeks to transgenic and non-transgenic mice in their drinking water. The incidences of urinary bladder carcinomas were not different between transgenic mice and non-transgenic mice. The mutational spectrum of the p53 gene was evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis and direct sequencing. The pattern of p53 mutations of transgenic and non-transgenic mice did not differ, and the frequencies of mutations were 40% and 42%, respectively. G:C to A:T transition mutations were particularly infrequent (1 of 14 mutations, 7%). In experiment 2, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, which might induce O6-methylguanine in affected alleles, was given once a week, 3 times (total 5 mg) by direct instillation into the urinary bladder through an abdominal incision. No significant neoplastic lesions were detected, although the experiment was limited by severe toxicity of the treatment. p53 immunostaining was done and there was no difference in transgenic and non-transgenic mice. These results suggest that O6-methylguanine formation might not be a significant mutational factor in these mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis models.

Unicystic ameloblastoma is believed to be less aggressive and responds more favorably to conservative surgery than the solid or multicystic ameloblastomas. We report a case of unicystic ameloblastoma that was initially treated by marsupialization and later by enucleation under suspicion of a dentigerous cyst. The neoplastic nature of the lesion became evident only when the enucleated material was available for histologic examination. Apart from an ameloblastomatous epithelial lining and luminal tumor nodules, the cystic tumor contained numerous tumor islands within its fibrous capsule. The lesion recurred 8 years after the enucleation. This case supports the view that the presence of tumor islands in the fibrous capsule may indicate a high risk of recurrence for unicystic ameloblastomas. Relevant diagnostic problems and choice of treatment are presented along with a review of the literature.

The incidence of tongue carcinomas (TCs) induced by oral administration of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide in rats is strain dependent. The inbred Dark-Agouti (DA) strain showed a much higher susceptibility to large mass-forming infiltrative TCs than did the Wistar-Furth (WF) strain. Our previous study (M. Kitano et al, Jpn. J. Cancer Res., 87: 1097-1101, 1996) on crosses between these two strains postulated a dominant susceptibility gene in DA and a dominant resistance gene in WF rats. The present study mapped these loci by analyzing the backcrosses to each parent with simple sequence repeat polymorphisms. Five quantitative parameters were analyzed: (a) the number of TCs5 mm in diameter; (b) the total number of TCs per rat; (c) the diameter of the largest TCs (DTCmax values); (d) the number of non-TC cancers per rat; and (e) and the number of cancers of any site per rat. All of these parameters were closely correlated (P0.0001). DA rats had a semidominant gene (Stc1) favoring the development of 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide-induced cancers on chromosome 19, closely linked to D19Mit9. Peak linkage was observed 4 cM distal from D19Mit9, with a logarithm of the odds (lod) score of 5.72 for the number of large TCs and 6.08 for the DTCmax. On the other hand, WF rats had a semidominant gene (Rtc1) mapped between D1Mit1 and D1Mit3, approximately 20 cM from D1Mit1, with a peak lod score of 3.30 for both the number of large TCs and the DTCmax. The main effect of Rtc1 seemed to be to reduce the size of the TCs. The action of these genes was dose dependent and cooperative. The final incidence of TC in DA, WF, F1, and backcross rats seemed to be explained by combinations of genotype at these two loci. Possible candidate genes for Stc1 and Rtc1 are discussed.

Dissolved O2 concentration ([O2]) in nutrient solution was controlled at 0.01, 0.10 and 0.20 mM with accuracy of +/- 0.005 mM in a newly developed hydroponic system, and the effects of [O2] on water uptake and growth of cucumber plants (Cucumis sativus L.) were analyzed. For evaluating water uptake rate under the control of [O2], water flux at the stem base was measured on-line with +/-5% in accuracy, 1 mg s-1 in resolution and 1 min in time constant by heat flux control (HFC) method. Water uptake rate was drastically increased by lighting to the plant at each [O2], and water uptake per day was depressed in proportion to decrease in [O2]. In the plants grown for 10 days, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight of leaves decreased at lower [O2], while stem length and number of leaves were scarcely affected. These facts suggest that membrane permeability of root cells reduces at lower [O2] through respiration-dependent processes, and growth is inhibited through leaf turgor loss caused by the depressed water uptake of roots in O2-deficient nutrient solution in hydroponics.

Kimura's disease, a chronic inflammatory condition of unknown cause, is endemic in Orientals. The present study documented 54 cases of Kimura's disease in patients from mainland China. The main clinical features of this series included young and middle-aged male predominance (male:female = 3.5:1), predilection for the head and neck regions, and a long duration. The disease presented as either single (31 cases), or multiple lesions (23 cases), and mainly involved subcutaneous tissues (29 cases), major salivary glands (21 cases), and lymph nodes (17 cases) in isolation or in combination. Histopathologically, the lesion was characterized by hyperplasia of lymphoid tissue with well-developed lymphoid follicles, marked infiltration of eosinophils, proliferation of thin-walled capillary venules, and varying degrees of fibrosis. Distinctive features of salivary glands and nodal involvement were also described. Differences between Kimura's disease and angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia, mostly reported in the West, were discussed to draw attention to their distinction.

Electromagnetic stimulation is known to promote bone formation in cases of fracture and pseudoarthrosis. The possibility of using electromagnetic field to promote bone ingrowth into a porous coated implant was investigated in this study using Japanese albino rabbits. A titanium implant coated with beads of 250-300 microns in diameter around a stem of 1.7 mm in diameter was inserted into the humerus cavity of a Japanese albino rabbit. The humerus was stimulated by pulsing electromagnetic fields at 2 Gauss, 10Hz, 25 microseconds for 14 days. The circumference of grown bone into the implant was measured, and calculated in area equivalent for determination of the area of new bone. Bone ingrowth was significantly promoted by consecutive 14 days. The result suggests that electromagnetic stimulation is useful for achieving further bone ingrowth into a porous coated implant.

Early transitional cell carcinomas of the urinary bladder are morphologically classified into papillary and non-papillary types, carcinoma in situ (CIS). Severe dysplasia is considered as a precancerous lesion for CIS which can be distinguished from the morphological appearance of its AgNORs. The conversion from severe dysplasia to CIS appears to require a longer time than that needed for invasive lesion to develop from CIS. It is postulated that mild or moderate dysplasia results in G1 and 2 grade papillary transitional cell carcinomas. Molecular analysis of different types of dysplasia is therefore clearly warranted to assist in diagnostic classification.

One hundred and ninety one women were diagnosed with lung cancer at our hospital. This comprised 23.7% of all lung cancer cases. Smoking habits were significantly lower in female lung cancer. Adenocarcinoma is the most common histological type of female lung cancer (64.2%). The prognoses of asymptomatic cases detected by regular examination were significantly better than those of symptomatic cases. Among resectable cases of either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, there were no significant differences between the prognosis for women and that for men. However, the prognosis for nonresectable cases of adenocarcinoma in women was significantly better in the 2-year survival rate (30.8%) than the prognosis for such cases in men. Since the periphery type is the most common site of adenocarcinoma in women, educating women, especially those in the high-risk group, and persuading them to undergo regular examinations are important step to increasing early-stage detection and cure.