Search

The electrochemical characteristics of N,N-bis(decaoxyethylene)octadecylamine(DOOA) and the three kinds of aromatic carbonyl compounds [cinnamaldehyde(CA), benzalacetone(BA), 2-acetonaphthone(AN)] as well as the effects of such organic additives on the electrocrystallization of zinc from acid sulfate solutions have been studied by means of various electrochemical methods and scanning electron microscope observations. DOOA and three kinds of carbonyl compounds were adsorbed on the electrode. DOOA adsorbed on the electrode as a quaternary ammonium ion strongly inhibited the electrochemical reduction of the zinc ion. BA or AN had a stronger inhibitory effect on the reduction of zinc ions than CA. Large plate-like electrodeposits of zinc (sides 3–10 μm) were obtained from acid sulfate solutions in the absence of organic additives. On the other hand, needle-like or fibrous crystals were observed on the whole surface by adding DOOA alone. Small block-like or granular crystals (sides 1–2 μm) were observed on the whole surface by adding BA or AN alone. Further, fine-grained, smooth and compact electrodeposits of zinc were obtained from acid sulfate solutions containing DOOA and BA or DOOA and AN.

The effects of three kinds of aromatic carbonyl compounds [cinnamaldehyde(CA), benzalacetone(BA), 2-acetonaphthone(AN)] and N,N-bis(tetraoxyethylene)octadecylamine(TOOA) on the surface morphology as well as crystal orientation of electrodeposited tin from acid stannous sulfate solutions have been studied by means of electrochemical methods, scanning electron microscopic observation and measurements of X-ray diffraction patterns. The inhibitory effects of the reduction of tin(II) ion became stronger in the order BA, CA and AN in the case of oxidant, and in the order CA, AN and BA in the case of reductant. The differences in the inhibitory effects between the oxidant and reductant became greater in the order of AN, CA and BA. Block-like crystals were observed on the whole surface by adding TOOA. Plate-like, needle-like or dendritic crystals were observed but compact electrodeposits could not be obtained by adding carbonyl compounds alone. On the other hand, compact and smooth electrodesposits of tin which had a preferred orientation with the (100) plane parallel to the surface were obtained from acid stannous sulfate solutions containing TOOA and BA.

A chromosomal study was used to establish diagnosis of a poorly differentiated soft-tissue sarcoma occurring in the right thigh of a 57-year-old Japanese female. Histopathologically the excised tumor consisted of a poorly differentiated myxoid neoplasm, without specific features to enable the identification of neoplastic cells. Although a tentative diagnosis of poorly differentiated myxoid liposarcoma was made, ultrastructural examination and Oil Red O fat stain failed to demonstrate the evidence of lipoblastic differentiation, except that occasional cells possessed a small number of fine fat droplets. The diagnosis of liposarcoma was suggested by chromosome analysis of the fresh tumor tissue after short time culture and trypsin-Giemsa banding technique. The tumor cells demonstrated a clonal abnormality characterized by a reciprocal translocation, t(12; 16)(q 13; p 11), which is known as a specific aberration in myxoid liposarcoma. Thus, chromosome study seems to be useful for identifying undifferentiated mesenchymal tumors, which lack morphologic evidence of any specific differentiation, as in the present case.

Electron and positron cross sections have been investigated experimentally for scattering from benzotrifluoride $({\text{C}}_{6}{\text{H}}_{5}{\text{CF}}_{3})$ molecules over the energy range 0.2--1000 eV. The current results have been compared with our previous results for ${\text{C}}_{6}{\text{H}}_{6}$ molecules. Similar to ${\text{C}}_{6}{\text{H}}_{6}$, a peak has been observed in electron total cross sections (TCS) centered at 8.0 and a shoulder at about 40 eV. Vibrational excitation cross section experiments were carried out to probe the origin and nature of the 8 eV peak. For positron TCS, a broad peak spanning the region 0.8--15 eV and a change in slope at about 40 eV are observed with the only difference between the current results and those of ${\text{C}}_{6}{\text{H}}_{6}$ observed in the region 1--100 eV.

The electrochemical characteristrics of three kinds of N,N -bis(polyoxyethylene)octadecylamines (POOA) and the effects of POOA on the surface morpholoy as well as crystal orientation of electrodeposited tin from acid stannous sulfate solutions have been studied by means of various electrochemical methods, scanning electron microscopic observation and measurements of X-ray diffraction patterns. The three kinds of POOA were absorbed on the electrode in the range of potential from 0 to −1.50 V, and POOA adsorbed on the electrode inhibited the electrochemical reduction of tin(II) ion. Needle-like, or columnar, electrodeposits of tin were obtained from acid stannous sulfate solution in the absence of organic additives. On the other hand, block-like or granular crystal which exhibit the (101) plane parallel to the surface were observed on the whole surface by adding POOA. It was found that the three kinds of POOA induce a uniform deposition of tin over the whole surface, and the grain size of crystals as well as the surface roughness of electrodeposited tin become smaller with increasing the chain-number of oxyethylene in POOA.

A novel numerical calculation method for an electrical circuit containing a skin-effect element is proposed. In the method, the skin-effect element is analyzed with the finite-element method, and Bergeron's method is used for analyzing the electrical circuit. Then, the two methods are combined, treating the skin effect elements as an equivalent current source, and the calculation stability of Bergeron's method is improved. The method is used for the calculation of a new apparatus for suppressing the commutation overshoot oscillation in distribution systems, and it is shown that the method is highly accurate. >

Emission rates of p-dichlorobenzene (pDCB) from five kinds of commercially available moth repellents and leakage rates from six kinds of commercially available cloth storage cases were measured. The emission rates from moth repellents immediately after purchase (E(max)), which were obtained as the slope of the total emission amount vs. time elapsed, were 0.0033 to 0.035 g/h at 25 degrees C. Moth repellents from different manufacturers differed greatly in emission rates at 0.0033, 0.0060, and 0.011 g/h, even if the moth repellent pieces were of similar shape and initial weight. This is thought to be because emission rates depended on the diffusion resistance of the repellent packing material used by each manufacturer. Therefore, the manufacturer-specific apparent mass transfer coefficients (K) were calculated for each moth repellent from the measured emission rates and a calculated saturated concentration. The apparent mass transfer coefficient K and the concentration gradient between the in-case (inside a cloth storage case) bulk air and the air at the surface of a moth repellent (pDCB tablet) were used for the calculation of the general emission rates. The leakage rates, defined as the air-exchange rate for a cloth storage case, from six cloth storage cases ranged from 0.41 to 78/h. Despite the large difference (more than 100 times) in the leakage rates of the cloth storage cases, the differences in emission rates of pDCB from these cloth storage cases to the indoor environment were small (30%). This is because the concentration gradients between the in-case bulk air and the air at the surface of a repellent piece were almost the same among the storage cases. This suggests that pDCB emissions from cloth storage cases into the indoor environment should be reduced by making the storage cases more tightly sealable so that the leakage rate is0.01/h. The results of adsorption tests of pDCB onto woollen clothes showed that the adsorption of pDCB on the clothes was assumed to be very strong and the transfer between the gas phase and the cloth phase in the cloth storage case was assumed to be small.The use of pDCB provides benefits such as moth control and deodorizing, but on the other hand, poses potential risks to human health. There is a risk-benefit tradeoff, i.e. a tradeoff between risks of pDCB to human health and benefit of moth control effects. The pDCB concentration in the cloth storage case and in the indoor air can be estimated by using emission rates and the leakage rates obtained in this study. By comparing the concentration to the deterrent efficiency of pDCB, the risk for the use of pDCB moth repellents can be managed.

Electron and positron cross sections for scattering from toluene molecules have been investigated both experimentally and theoretically over the energy range 0.4-1000 eV. Peaks have been observed in the electron total cross sections (TCSs) at 1.4, 4.5, and 8.0 and a shoulder at about 40 eV. Vibrational and elastic differential cross section experiments were carried out to probe the origin and nature of these peaks. The continuum multiple scattering method was used to calculate elastic integral cross sections for electron impact. Although the 1.4 eV peak is dominated by the elastic channel, strong contributions from the CH{sub 3} asymmetric bending and stretching vibrational modes are also observed. The 4.5 eV feature is also observed to be strongly due to vibrational excitation. The broad 7-13 eV peak includes contributions from the CH{sub 3} asymmetric bending (peaked at 7 eV) and the CH{sub 3} stretching (peaked at 9.5 eV) vibrational modes. Positron TCSs are studied and compared to positron-benzene TCSs. The effect of the CH{sub 3} substitution is observed to make a significant contribution to both electron and positron TCSs below 20 eV.

Hepatitis E is rare in Japan but is occurring more frequently than previously thought. To investigate whether de novo subclinical infection of hepatitis E virus (HEV) has recently increased in Japan, HEV RNA was assayed in serum samples obtained from 4019 Japanese voluntary blood donors with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ofor =61 IU/l, who are likely to have ongoing HEV infection, during 1991-2006. The overall rates of IgG-class antibody to HEV (anti-HEV IgG), anti-HEV IgM/IgA and HEV RNA among 3185 donors in 2004-2006 were comparable with those among 594 donors in 1998 (5.3 vs. 5.2%, 0.2 vs. 0.5%, and 0.2 vs. 0.3%, respectively). Among blood donors with ALTor = 201 IU/l in three groups according to the year of blood collection (1991-1995 [n = 156], 1996-1999 [n = 116] and 2004-2006 [n = 61]), there were no appreciable differences in the prevalence of anti-HEV IgG (5.8, 4.3, and 6.6%, respectively), anti-HEV IgM/IgA (1.9, 3.4, and 3.3%, respectively) and HEV RNA (1.3, 3.4, and 3.3%, respectively). The eleven HEV isolates obtained in the present study differed from each other by 1.7-22.8% in the ORF2 sequence and segregated into genotype 3 or 4. The occurrence rate of subclinical infection with divergent HEV strains has essentially remained unchanged during 1991-2006 in Japan.

We report the first superconducting tape using an iron-based superconductor (Sr,Na)Fe2As2 fabricated by the powder-in-tube (PIT) technique. Polycrystalline (Sr1−x Na x )Fe2As2 (x = 0.55), which we recently succeeded in synthesizing, was used as the starting powder. First, a silver (Ag) tube was groove-rolled into a square wire. The wire was then flat-rolled into tape form, followed by uniaxial cold pressing. The heat-treated tape exhibits a sharp superconducting transition at 34.5 K. Large transport critical current densities (J c) of over 1.0 × 104 A cm−2 are achieved at 20 K under a magnetic field of 2.5 T. J c at 4.2 K, as estimated from magnetic hysteresis curves, is 1.0 × 105 A cm−2 in 2.0 T, which is comparable to the transport J c reported for (AE,K)Fe2As2 (AE = Ba or Sr) tapes. SEM-EDX observations indicate that some Ag and As-rich material is present between (Sr,Na)Fe2As2 grains, even though no Ag was added to the starting powder. This Ag and As-rich material may strengthen grain connectivity and help to improve the transport J c.

(Sr1−xNax)Fe2As2 is a family of the so-called '122 system' of Fe-based superconductors. So far, samples with a limited composition range, i.e. polycrystalline samples for 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.42 with a maximum transition temperature (Tc) of 26 K and a single crystal with x = 0.5 and Tc = 35 K, have been synthesized. Here, we report the synthesis of single-phase polycrystalline samples of (Sr1−xNax)Fe2As2 for a wide range of x from 0 to 0.70 using a stainless-steel pipe-and-cap method. The susceptibilities in the normal and superconducting states were measured as a function of x, and an overall superconducting phase diagram was obtained. As x increased, the structural and anti-ferromagnetic phase transition temperature decreased, and superconductivity began to emerge around x = 0.35. Tc exhibited a dome-like composition dependence with a maximum onset Tc of 36.5 K for x = 0.55. The Rietveld refinement of the powder x-ray diffraction pattern at room temperature for x = 0.55 revealed structural parameters such as the lattice parameters a = 3.857(1) A and c = 12.564(1) A, an Fe–As bond length lFe–As = 2.394(1) A, an As–Fe–As bond angle αAs–Fe–As = 107.3(1)°, and an As height from the Fe layer hAs = 1.419(1) A.

An overview is presented of current results on the measurements of the momentum-transfer cross sections for positronium - atom/molecule scattering and the effective numbers of electrons per atom/molecule for positronium pickoff annihilation (1 Z eff).

We study a new s-process path through an isomer of $^{186}$Re to improve a $^{187}$Re-$^{187}$Os nucleo-cosmochronometer. The nucleus $^{187}$Re is produced by this new path of $^{185}$Re(n,$\gamma$)$^{186}$Re$^m$(n,$\gamma$)$^{187}$Re. We measure a ratio of neutron capture cross-sections for the $^{185}$Re(n,$\gamma$)$^{186}$Re$^m$ and $^{185}$Re(n,$\gamma$)$^{186}$Re$^{gs}$ reactions at thermal neutron energy because the ratio with the experimental uncertainty has not been reported. Using an activation method with reactor neutrons, we obtain the ratio of $R_{th}$ = 0.54 $\pm$ 0.11%. From this ratio we estimate the ratio of Maxwellian averaged cross sections in a typical s-process environment at $kT$ = 30 keV with a help of the temperature dependence given in a statistical-model calculation because the energy dependence of the isomer/ground ratio is smaller than the absolute neutron capture cross-section. The ratio at $kT$=30 keV is estimated to be $R_{st}$ = 1.3 $\pm$ 0.8%. We calculate the s-process contribution from the new path in a steady-flow model. The additional abundance of $^{187}$Re through this path is estimated to be $N_{s}$ = 0.56 $\pm$ 0.35% relative to the abundance of $^{186}$Os. This additional increase of $^{187}$Re does not make any remarkable change in the $^{187}$Re-$^{187}$Os chronometer for an age estimate of a primitive meteorite, which has recently been found to be affected strongly by a single supernova r-process episode., Comment: Accepted in Astrophysical Journal, 10 pages, 6 figures

This study evaluates the light-attenuating effects of enamel on the properties of light-cured restorative resins using simple experimental filters. Three filters were designed to replicate the light transmittance characteristics of 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mm thick human enamel. The bending strength, depth of cure, and levels of residual monomer for 12 shades of three commercial light-cured composite resins were examined. These resins were cured either using direct irradiation from a light source or irradiation through one of the filters. For all materials, the bending strength and depth of cure of specimens irradiated through a filter were lower and the levels of residual monomer were higher than those found in specimens irradiated directly. The results indicate that the light-attenuating effect of enamel reduces the polymerization efficiency, resulting in poorer mechanical properties of light-cured composite resins.

This paper describes a 10 Gb/s throughput FEC (forward error correction) codec for long-haul optical transmission systems. The FEC codec uses concatenated BCH(2040, 1930) and BCH(3860, 3824), which provides an excellent 7.98 dB net coding gain at 1E/sup -12/ corrected bit error rate with 6.69% redundancy by applying three times iterative decoding. Furthermore, by applying a time-multiplexed decoder and skipping Chien search process for uncorrectable BCH(3860, 3824) codewords, the FEC codec achieves a low power consumption of 3.15 W and a low gate count of 2.40 Mgates using 0.15 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.

We measured, for the first time, the mass distribution of ${}^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$ fission fragments following the \ensuremath{\beta}-vibrational resonance, whose level is formed on the second minimum of the double-humped fission barrier. The distribution shows an asymmetric mass distribution similar to the one observed for thermal neutron-induced fission of ${}^{239}\mathrm{Pu}$ and isomeric fission of ${}^{240}\mathrm{Pu}.$ This indicates that the ${}^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$ system following the \ensuremath{\beta}-vibrational resonance descends into a fission valley which is identical to the fission valley of the ${}^{240}\mathrm{Pu}$ isomer and ${}^{239}\mathrm{Pu}{(n}_{\mathrm{th}},f).$

This paper describes a 10.7 Gb/s throughput FEC (Forward Error Correction) codec LSI for optical transmission systems. In order to reduce the power consumption and logic size, the FEC codec uses a time-multiplexed Reed-Solomon (RS) decoder, which is shared among 4 RS codewords and processes 5 parallel digits. The time-multiplexed RS decoder requires only 58% of the gates and 75% of the power consumption of the conventional decoder. As a result, the codec achieves a low power consumption of only 3.31 W and a low gate count of only 1.1 Mgates using 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology.

We review prepubertal germ cell tumors of testis in our institute and the Japanese registry and present 2 cases with a large cell calcifying Sertoli cell tumor (LCCSCT) and discuss the possibility of testis-sparing surgery.Incidence, age, pathology and clinical stages of prepubertal germ cell tumors are surveyed for 30 years at our department and 10 years of the malignant tumor registry of the Japanese Society of Pediatric Surgery. Two representative prepubertal boys with LCCSCT are presented. One of them was treated by partial orchiectomy.The majority of testicular germ cell tumors in the prepubertal age were composed of embryonal cell carcinoma/yolk sac tumors or teratoma, occurred in preschool age, were limited to clinical stage I and did not metastasize irrespective of histology. Benign behavior which included recovery from hormonal derangement, no tumor recurrence and negative antisperm antigen was observed in 2 cases with LCCSCT who underwent either radical orchiectomy or partial orchiectomy.Partial orchiectomy should be considered as a standard option in prepubertal schoolboys with a testicular mass if surgically feasible. This surgical treatment is safe and preserves fertility and is psychologically advantageous. It is not recommended for yolk sac tumors that may recur, however they are rare in prepubertal boys and can be differentiated preoperatively by prudent evaluation.

Decay spectroscopy using on-line mass separators has the advantage of allowing the study of level properties in the low energy region, including band head information, since g transitions between low-spin states can be measured more intensively under lower background conditions than can those with in-beam spectroscopy measurements. Neutron-deficient nuclides of 125,127 Ba have been studied by means of in-beam spectroscopy, and the level structures for high-spin states were successfully interpreted within the framework of the IBFM model @1‐5#. Decay studies of these nuclides have rarely been reported. Therefore, the last evaluations in Refs. @6, 7# were mainly based on in-beam studies. In 1991, the possibility of static octupole deformation, similar to that of the A5145 and 225 regions proposed, was proposed for the A5130 region by Cottle @8#. The presence of static octupole deformation is represented by parity doublets, which have equal spins and opposite parity levels of rotational bands with alternating bands. The E1 transitions between parity doublets are characterized by a two to four orders of magnitude enhancement compared to those of more normal cases. The 127‐130 Ba isotopes were successively studied by in-beam conversion electron measurements to investigate for parity doublets, and no evidence of them was observed @9,10#. These studies, however, focused only on the conversion electron measurements; the transition probabilities were not measured. It is necessary to measure not only the conversion electrons, but also the half-lives of the excited states in order to explain this feature. The aim of this investigation was to study the level properties of 125,127 Ba in the low energy region, focusing on a search for E1 transitions, and to study their properties by measuring the half-lives of low-lying excited states. The half-lives and conversion electrons were measured for the first time through the decays of 125,127 La, by means of a delayed coincidence technique and a cooled Si~Li! detector, respectively. The expected enhanced E1 transitions were not observed. Level properties based on the Nilsson model are proposed.

We reported the technique of pathological diagnosis for minute lung cancer lesion of early stage during operation. Target lesion for our technique may be less than 1 cm in size and not be detected by palpation. Our technique may superior to usual method of frozen section of tissue specimen without fixation. At first, resected lung specimen was fixed by injection of 20% formalin solution subsequent warming by microwave oven for 40 seconds. Almost all lesions may be detected in proper thickness of specimen. Specimen was washed out and steeped in the 20% of sucrose solution for 30 to 60 seconds in order to avoid crystallization of water that was contained within lung specimen. Then thin sliced section of specimen was made by Cryostat in usual method. The minute cancer lesion was able to detect more easy than usual method of making frozen section of specimen. Formalin fixed and sucrose steeped frozen section may be able to evaluate the surgical margin from cancer exactly than the section made by non-fixed specimen.

The quenching processes of the thermalized orthopositronium $(o\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Ps})$ on an oxygen molecule have been studied by the positron annihilation age-momentum correlation technique. The Doppler-broadening spectrum of the 511-kev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from the $2\ensuremath{\gamma}$ annihilation of $o\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Ps}$ in ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ has been measured as a function of the $o\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Ps}$ age. The rate of the quenching, consisting of the pickoff and the spin conversion, is estimated from the positron lifetime spectrum. The ratio of the pickoff quenching rate to the spin-conversion rate is deduced from the Doppler broadening of the 511-kev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from the annihilation of the $o\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{Ps}.$ The pickoff parameter ${}^{1}{Z}_{\mathrm{eff}},$ the effective number of the electrons per molecule that contribute to the pickoff quenching, for ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ is determined to be $0.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.4.$ The cross section for the elastic spin-conversion quenching is determined to be $(1.16\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}19} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$

With an increase in number of fossil power plants operated for long term, it is becoming important to predict time to replace a high temperature component as precisely as possible. In a steam turbine, an analytical method is normally used to predict lifetime, since it’s difficult to get creep specimens out of a part where damage is supposed to be the most severe. However, the analytical method has several problems.

In order to understand quantitatively the transmutation of minor actinides in irradiation location, the nuclear data of uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium and curium nuclides have been measured by radiochemical method: Several samples of the actinide nuclides irradiated in thermal and fast neutron reactors have been analyzed to determine the contents of actinides and fission products. Yields of the fission products in proton-induced fission of the minor actinides have been also measured by using a tandem accelerator. From the viewpoint of nuclear waste management, the transmutation process of the actinides in irradiation field is discussed quantitatively in this paper.

Thirty-five-year female had taken video assisted thoraco-surgery (VATS) and resected her localized fibrous tumor of parietal pleura. She suspected chest tumor with annual X-ray survey for lung disease four years ago. She complained of left side back pain recently. Her chest CT revealed that the tumor enlarged than before. She was performed video assisted thoraco-surgery. The tumor was solid hard and connected to the parietal pleura with pedicle, which was resected easily from her pleural cavity. Histrogical examination detected that her tumor was localized fibrous tumor of parietal pleura. CD 34 and Vimentin were positive and cytokeratin was negative in this case. Four year and two examinations of the chest CT later, we could determine the doubling time (800.7 days) of localized fibrous tumor in this case.

A 14.2-year-old prepubertal boy diagnosed with complete-type growth hormone deficiency and tertiary hypothyroidism, keeps growing in the height range between -1 and -2 SD. He has been treated with levothyroxine only. To understand the growth mechanism of this boy, we analyzed the serum growth hormone (GH) with a radioimmunoassay (RIA), serum GH bioactivity with Nb2 and erythroid progenitor cell bioassays, and growth hormone-binding protein (GHBP) with a ligand-mediated immunofunctional assay (LIFA). In addition, IGF-1 and free IGF-1 were analyzed by immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) and insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) by Western immunoblot. Peak GH-RIA responses to insulin, arginine and GH-releasing factor, and nocturnal GH secretion, were low (0.5-2.3 ng/ml); bioactive GH was low (0.313 ng/ml), and GHBP was elevated (84 ng/ml). The serum levels of IGF-1 and free IGF-1 were continuously low, 17.1-39.3 and 0.17-0.26 ng/ml, respectively. Moreover, serum IGFBP-3 levels were low (1.68- 1.39 mg/l) and IGFBP-3 protease activity was negative. Prolactin and insulin were in the normal range. The result of the assay for growth-promoting activity showed that the patient's serum stimulated normal erythroid progenitor cells twice as potently as did healthy thin adult control serum. These results suggest that GH and IGF-1 are not indispensable for maintaining physical growth in this boy. Thus, it appears that circulating GH and IGF-1 are not mandatory requirements for maintaining normal physical growth, and other, as yet uncharacterized, pathways or growth factors might be sufficiently compensatory under certain conditions.

We identified a DAX1 missense mutation, a substitution of arginine for leucine at codon 466 (Leu466Arg), in an infant with X-linked congenital adrenal hypoplasia (AHC). A heterozygous substitution, Leu466Arg, was also identified in his mother and sister. Since leucine at position 466 is well conserved among other orphan nuclear hormone receptor superfamilies and Leu466Arg was not detected among 50 normal Japanese control individuals, the mutation is most likely responsible for X-linked AHC. It is interesting to note that Leu466Arg among all mutations ever reported is located at the most C-terminal region of the DAX-1 protein. Most mutations identified previously were located in the C-terminal presumptive ligand binding domain. Hence, the C-terminal end of the DAX-1 protein may play an important role in the biological function, such as in normal adrenal embryogenesis.

Metastatic lung tumor from renal cell carcinoma were studied in 29 cases. Eighteen patients were treated surgically, 11 were treated non-surgically. The overall 5-year survival rate with the patients of pulmonary resection was 53.5%, and that with those of conservative therapy was 0%, and this difference is statistically significant (p0.05). There was no significant difference in any characteristics such as sex, age, stage, grade, disease free interval, metastatic pattern and combination with or without interferon therapy. There was no significant difference in surgically treated patients with pulmonary metastasis in terms of any factors such as age, sex, stage, grade, disease free interval, pulmonary metastasis pattern, metastatic number, surgical procedure, combination with or without interferon therapy statistically. Analysis for the surgically treated patients with pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma shows no significant difference in prognosis with any characteristics. This result shows efficacy of surgery even if for the patients with synchronous bilateral multiple pulmonary metastasis from renal cell carcinoma.

Of 156 patients, 111 (clinical stage T1a-b; 21, T1c; 17, T2a-b; 36, T2c; 27, T3; 10) immediately underwent radical prostatectomy (surgery group), and 45 (clinical stage T1a-b; 8, T1c; 4, T2a-b; 10, T2c; 9, T3; 14) received neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT group). NHT offered probability of increasing organ-confined cancer(OCC; pathological stage pT2 or lower N0M0) in the following group, which contains (a) patients who had moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma in the biopsy specimen and T2b or lower diseases, and (b) those who had well differentiated adenocarcinoma, T2c diseases and PSA levels of 10 ng/ml or higher, referred to as "OCC suitable criteria". Of 156 patients, 51 (33%) met OCC suitable criteria. In those cases, the proportion of OCC in NHT group was significantly higher than that in surgery group (11/12 (92%) vs. 16/39 (41%), p = 0.002). NHT is useful for increasing OCC in patients who meet OCC suitable criteria.

The Y-box-binding protein, YB-1, is a member of the DNA-binding protein family. It binds to the Y-box, an inverted CCAAT box, in the promoter region of the human multidrug resistance 1 gene, which encodes P-glycoprotein (P-gp). Nuclear localization of YB-1 protein has been reported to be associated with the intrinsic expression of P-gp in human breast cancer. We studied the immunohistochemical expression of YB-1 protein in 69 untreated biopsy specimens of conventional osteosarcomas and compared it with the expression of P-gp. Furthermore, cell proliferation, as determined by the MIB-1-labeling index (MIB-1-LI), was measured by immunohistochemistry. In all 69 untreated osteosarcomas, YB-1 protein was expressed in the cytoplasm. In 32 of 69 (46%) cases, YB-1 was also localized in the nucleus. The expression of P-gp was evident in 23 of these 32 cases, and there was a significant correlation between the nuclear expression of YB-1 and P-gp expression (P0.0001). Chondroblastic osteosarcoma expressed YB-1 in the nucleus more frequently (eight of nine cases) than did other types of osteosarcoma, whereas P-gp was also frequently expressed in chondroblastic subtype. There was no correlation between the nuclear expression of YB-1 and histological grade. The MIB-1-LI was significantly higher in cases showing the nuclear expression of YB-1 (MIB-1-LI averaged 22.56 in cases with only cytoplasmic expression of YB-1 but averaged 28.20 in cases with cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of YB-1; P = 0.0477). In human osteosarcoma, nuclear localization of YB-1 protein was associated with the expression of P-gp, suggesting that YB-1 could be a prognostic marker for multidrug resistance in osteosarcoma.

We report a case of bow hunter's stroke caused by simultaneous bilateral vertebral artery occlusive changes at the right C3-4 and the left C1-2 level on head rotation to the right side. The pathogenesis and surgical treatment for this particular case are discussed. A 61-year-old male with cervical spondylosis repeatedly experienced vertebrobasilar insufficiency when he rotated his head over 60 degree from the mid-position to the right side. Bilateral vertebral angiography demonstrated severe compression of the right vertebral artery by a lateral osteophyte and instability at the C3-4 level accompanied with the mechanical stenosis of the left vertebral artery at the C1-2 level only at the time of turning his head to the right. As the surgical treatment we performed osteophytectomy of the right uncovertebral joint at the C3-4 level in addition to anterior decompression with fusion using hydroxyapatite spacer and titanium plate at that level. Postoperatively, the patient had no ischemic episodes and there was angiographical resolution of the rotational stenosis at the C3-4 level. For the clinical manifestation of bow hunter's stroke on head rotation, it is indispensable that simultaneous severe occlusive changes present on bilateral vertebral arteries. In case of a vertebral occlusive change caused by lateral osteophyte at the unstable vertebral joint, anterior decompression and fusion with osteophytectomy may be a wiser approach than arterial decompression or posterior fusion at the C1-2 level to another vertebral artery occlusive lesion.

We report a 33-year-old man who manifested spastic paraplegia with congenital cataract, dementia, deformity of the foot (pes cavus, high arch and hammer toes), ataxia, and peripheral neuropathy. Magnetic resonance imaging showed mild deformity of the trunk of the corpus callosum and atrophy of superior cerebellar vermis. Metabolic diseases were ruled out by the clinical course and special examinations. Other patients, including 2 of ours, with spastic paraplegia and thin corpus callosum have been reported, but the present case is different because of congenital cataract and the form of the corpus callosum. We consider that there may be a variety of complicated forms of spastic paraplegia. To assess the etiology of complicated forms of spastic paraplegia, further case accumulation is very important.

The effectiveness of a chemotherapy regimen including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and recombinant interferon-alpha-2a (rIFN-alpha-2a) was evaluated in hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients.Patients received a continuous intravenous infusion of 5-FU at 600 mg/m2/day for 5 days (D1-D5), followed by a bolus injection of 5-FU on D15 and D22. Patients received intramuscular injection of rIFN-alpha-2a at 3 million IU on D1, D3, D5, D15, and D22. This schedule was repeated every 4 weeks.Between 1993 and 1995, 23 patients with hormone refractory prostate cancer were enrolled in this study. Two of five patients with nodal disease exhibited partial responses according to the NPCP criteria. Fourteen of 17 patients with bone disease showed stable disease. Of 21 patients assessible for response, 9 patients had a decrease in the PSA level greater than 50% of baseline. Bone pain disappeared partially or completely in 8 of 14 patients with this symptom at entry. The median overall survival was 18 months. The associate toxicity was well tolerable.Combination chemotherapy of 5-FU and low dose rIFN-alpha-2a in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer proved feasible, and with acceptable toxicity.

The expression of c-met proto-oncogene product (c-MET) has been reported to be related to invasive growth or tumor stage in some tumors, but little is known concerning the significance of c-MET expression in bone tumors. With use of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens and polyclonal antibody for c-MET, we studied the expression of c-MET in 122 cases of malignant bone tumors (43 osteosarcomas, 24 chondrosarcomas, 21 malignant fibrous histiocytomas of bone, 16 Ewing's sarcoma versus primitive neuroectodermal tumors, 18 chordomas), 65 cases of benign tumors and tumor-like lesions (including 8 giant cell tumors of bone, 8 chondroblastomas, 12 enchondromas, 7 osteochondromas, 10 fibrous dysplasias), 7 cases of articular cartilaginous tissue, and 10 cases of fetal vertebral tissue consisting of foci of enchondral ossification and notochordal tissue. In malignant tumors, c-MET expression was most frequently detected in chordoma (94.4%), followed by chondrosarcoma (54.2%) and osteosarcoma (23.3%). Among the osteosarcoma specimens, c-MET expression was frequently detected in the chondroblastic subtype (66.7%), but the incidence was low in the cases with other subtypes of osteosarcoma. We found no significant correlation between the c-MET expression and the histologic grade of malignancy in either osteosarcoma or chondrosarcoma. c-MET expression was either rarely observed or completely negative in malignant fibrous histiocytomas of bone (4.8%) and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (0%). In benign tumors and tumor-like lesions, c-MET expression was frequently detected in cartilaginous tumors, such as chondroblastoma (62.5%), enchondroma (66.7%), and osteochondroma (71.4%), but no expression was observed in giant cell tumors of bone or any other benign tumors or tumor-like lesions. In normal tissue, c-MET expression was frequently detected in the articular cartilage (100%) and notochord (70.0%) specimens examined. We conclude that c-MET expression as frequent as that observed in the notochordal tissue, chordomas, articular cartilage, and cartilaginous tumors is related to the development of both normal tissue and chondroid tumors.

Chordoma is a well-known bone tumor that shows epithelioid features and in which the expression of cytokeratins (CKs) has been reported to appear very frequently. Numerous immunohistochemical analyses of CK expression have been conducted using such monoclonal antibodies as CAM5.2, which react with CK8, CK18, and CK19, and AE1/AE3, which react with CKs 1-8, 10, 14-16 and 19 in chordoma. No detailed analysis, however, of the expression of each component of CK has yet been conducted in chordoma; thus, the subsets of CK expressed there have yet to be clarified. With the use of immunohistochemical techniques with a panel of monoclonal antibodies against each subset of CK, the authors studied the expression of CKs in 16 specimens of classic chordoma and 14 specimens of the fetal notochord to clarify the subsets of CK expressed in chordoma and to evaluate the similarities and differences of CK expression between chordoma and the fetal notochord. All of the chordoma specimens showed a strong positive immunoreactivity for CK8 and CK19, whereas nine (56.3%) chordoma specimens showed a positive immunoreaction for CK18. In addition, four chordoma specimens were focally positive for keratin-903, which reacts with high molecular weight CKs such as CK1, CK5, CK10, and CK14; one specimen also showed a strong CK7 expression. All of the notochord specimens were also positive for CK8 and CK19, but none showed a positive immunoreaction for keratin-903, CK7, or CK18. In addition, none of the chordoma or notochord specimens showed immunoreactivity for CK20. The expression of CK8 and CK19, observed in all of the chordoma and notochord specimens, was thus considered to be maintained throughout the neoplastic transformation, although some aberrant CK expressions (CK7, CK18, and keratin-903) also occurred in the chordoma specimens examined in this study.

A prospective randomized study on the administration of recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rG-CSF) was conducted on 15 patients with testicular germ cell tumors. The clinical stagings of all patients except one were minimal to moderate extent according to the Indiana University staging system. Combination chemotherapy using bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatinum (BEP) was performed as the initial treatment on the eligible patients. rG-CSF was administered by two different methods; 1) routine administration on the 6th day after BEP chemotherapy (group A), and 2) the same method, but after granulocytopenia of 1,500/mm3 had developed (group B). The administration of rG-CSF in group A significantly reduced the severity of leucocytopenia and also the incidence of stomatitis compared with group B. Although rG-CSF produced no significant side effects, the thrombocytopenia was prominent in the group A patients (not significant). BEP chemotherapy itself is an easily-tolerable and well established method for treating young adult patients. The method used in group B seems to be suitable in situations where thrombocytopenia and cost effectiveness.

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) develop in 8-63% of von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) patients, and loss of 3p segments, chromosome aberrations found in 90% of sporadic RCCs, has also been observed in RCCs associated with VHL. In fact, comparative analysis showed that the chromosome aberrations in RCCs associated with VHL are similar to those found in sporadic RCCs. VHL patients have the whole spectrum of tumors from small early lesions to large ones in the same kidney, providing a unique opportunity to analyze tumors in different stages of development. Subsequently deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content in RCCs of VHL patients was examined and correlated to their tumor size to gain some insight in the progression of sporadic RCCs.From 1988 to 1991, we have experienced 6 cases of RCCs associated with VHL who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy. A total number of 52 paraffin-embedded samples from 33 RCCs from 6 patients with VHL was analyzed by flow cytometry.The sizes of tumors ranged from 0.2 to 8.2 cm. DNA aneuploid patterns demonstrated in none of 9 tumors less than 1.6 cm, 4 of 14 tumors (29%) as large as 1.6 to 2.5 cm, and 5 of 10 tumors (50%) larger than 2.5 cm (p0.05). Twelve tumors less than 1.8 cm showed DNA diploid, so the smallest size of aneuploid tumors was 1.8 cm.These data suggest that DNA ploidy change (diploid to aneuploid) in RCCs probably takes place as tumors grow approximately 1.8 cm in size.

A restriction endonuclases (ENase) designated EcoO44I was purified without non specific nucleases from enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O44 Hiromi strain of affected human origin. The yield was 1, 100 units/g of wet cells. The EcoO44I ENase recognized and cleaved the specific sequence of 5'-GGTCTC-3' (1/5) as was the case with Eco31I or BsaI ENase. Because of the stability and high yield, EcoO44I would be useful for recombinant DNA technology after isolation of EcoO44-positive, avirulent mutant strains of E. coli O44 Hiromi.

In urology, endoscopic surgery and laparoscopic surgery are generally named as endourology. Transurethral endoscopic surgery was originated in mid 19th century, and established by 1950s. At present, transurethral resection of the prostate, transurethral resection of the bladder tumor, transurethral incision of the urethral stricture, transurethral vesicolithotripsy, and transurethral ureterolithotripsy, were commonly performed in many urological clinics. Percutaneous nephrolithotripsy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy were introduced in 1980s, and now, open operation for urolithiasis are rarely performed. In 1990s, as a new endourologic procedure, laparoscopic operations are being increasingly applied to the treatment of urological diseases; for example, laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy, laparoscopic varicocelectomy, laparoscopic exploration of non-palpable testis, laparoscopic nephrectomy, and laparoscopic adrenalectomy etc. Of the variety of treatment modalities available, the most effective and least invasive method should be selected appropriately. So, we anticipate the further advancement in minimally invasive therapy, interdependently with our sufficient experience and skills.

Objective To evaluate the antitumour effect of an angio-inhibitory drug, a synthetic analogue of fumagillin (TNP-470), on murine renal carcinoma (Renca) in vivo and in vitro. Materials and methods The effect of TNP-470 on the growth of Renca cells in vitro was measured by angio-genesis assay and cell counting with dye exclusion. In the angiogenesis assay, Renca cells were injected intra-dermally and the number of blood vessels orientated towards the tumours was counted 3 days after tumour inoculation. To examine the effect of TNP-470 on the subcutaneous tumour growth and lung metastasis of Renca, Renca cells were injected subcutaneously or intravenously in BALB/c mice and they were treated with a subcutaneous injection every 3 days. Results Dose-dependent growth inhibition in vitro was observed with 50% inhibition occurring at 600 ng/ml. Angiogenesis assay revealed that administration of TNP-470 inhibited the angiogenesis induced by Renca in a dose-dependent manner. In the subcutaneous experiment, TNP-470 decreased the growth rate of established subcutaneous tumours rather than reduced the size of the tumour. The administration of TNP-470 in mice with lung metastasis inhibited the development of metastasis of Renca without weight loss or diarrhoea. Conclusion The present study demonstrated that TNP-470 had an inhibitory effect on tumour-induced angiogenesis and a significant anti-tumour effect on Renca. This suggests that TNP-470 could be useful in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma. Further studies are needed to clarify whether TNP-470 is more effective when combined with other drugs such as interferons.

We report 4 patients, 1 female and 3 males aged 26-74 years, who underwent surgical treatment for renal malignant tumors with supradiaphragmatic extension into the vena cava. All of their tumor thrombi extended to the right atrium as confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. The distinctive symptom was liver dysfunction caused by disturbance of the hepatic vein drainage in two patients. However, there was no common symptom in these 4 patients. Preoperative metastasis was found only in the female, whose metastasis was solitary in the lung and seemed to be able to be removed easily after radical nephrectomy. All of these 4 patients had radical nephrectomy and removal of the tumor thrombi with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and temporary exsanguination. In 3 of these patients, the liver was mobilized to expose the retrohepatic vena cava by incision of the falciform, triangular and coronary ligaments. Two patients with vena caval wall invasion had vena cavectomy and an artificial vascular graft was then sutured to replace the caval wall in one of them. Preoperative liver dysfunction was gradually improved after operation and completely recovered about 1 week later. A postoperative complication, wound infection, occurred in only one patient. Pathological examination revealed renal cell carcinoma in 3 patients and nephroblastoma in the remaining one. In renal cell carcinoma, both patients without distant metastasis were alive about 15 months postoperatively. However, the one with lung metastasis died with newly appeared multiple metastases 9 months postoperatively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The role of plasma proteins in the mechanisms of brain tissue damage in ischemic events remains to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the presence of albumin in the extracellular fluid could induce damage to endothelial and neuronal cells. Neuronal cells from rat fetal brain (15 days) were cultured by using RPMI-1640 containing 10% Serum-Plus and endothelial cells from umbilical vein were also cultured in 96-well plates. The studies were made by using neuronal cells after 4 days of culture (N group) and endothelial cells after 4 days of culture (E4 group) and at confluence (EC group). After discarding the culture fluid, 200 microliters of 5-25% human albumin was added to each well. Microscopic observations were made up to 20 minutes, and then immunostaining was done with anti-human albumin antibody. The swelling of neurons was observed immediately after application of albumin solution, and the cells became circular after 10 minutes. In the E4 group, similar morphological changes were observed, but no such changes were seen in the EC group. Immunostaining revealed the presence of albumin in the intracellular space in both the N and E4 groups, but not the EC group. Our results suggest that albumin in extravasated fluid can induce damage to neuronal cells and endothelial cells in the non-confluent state.

All real hydrologic processes are more or less stochastic. While the dynamics for the runoff process are described by differential equations, strictly speaking, runoff phenomena are best expressed by stochastic differential equations. Stochastic differential equations are grouped into three classes: 1 Initial conditions are described as stochastic or probability. 2 The parameters included in differential equations are random variables. 3 Forcing terms are random variables.