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Electrical polarization of nuclear spins is studied in a Corbino disk under a breakdown regime of the quantum Hall effect (QHE). Since the edge channels are completely absent in the Corbino disk, we conclude that the electric current flowing in the bulk channel of a quantum Hall conductor is relevant to dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). A pump and probe measurement demonstrates that DNP emerges near the critical voltage of the QHE breakdown. The agreement of the onset voltage of DNP with that of the QHE breakdown indicates that the underlying origin of DNP is closely related to that of the QHE breakdown., Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures

Nuclear spins are polarized electrically in a breakdown regime of an odd-integer quantum Hall effect (QHE). Electron excitation to the upper Landau subband with the opposite spin polarity flips nuclear spins through the hyperfine interaction. The polarized nuclear spins reduce the spin-splitting energy and accelerate the QHE breakdown. The Knight shift of the nuclear spins is also measured by tuning electron density during the irradiation of radio-frequency magnetic fields., Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, EP2DS-17

We have fabricated a lateral double barrier magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) which consists of a single self-assembled InAs quantum dot (QD) with ferromagnetic Co leads. The MTJ shows clear hysteretic tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) effect, which is evidence for spin transport through a single semiconductor QD. The TMR ratio and the curve shapes are varied by changing the gate voltage., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Using a laterally-fabricated quantum-dot (QD) spin-valve device, we experimentally study the Kondo effect in the electron transport through a semiconductor QD with an odd number of electrons (N). In a parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes, the Kondo resonance at N = 3 splits clearly without external magnetic fields. With applying magnetic fields (B), the splitting is gradually reduced, and then the Kondo effect is almost restored at B = 1.2 T. This means that, in the Kondo regime, an inverse effective magnetic field of B ~ 1.2 T can be applied to the QD in the parallel magnetic configuration of the ferromagnetic electrodes., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures

Kawasaki et al. developed a spot urine method (SUM) for evaluating daily salt intake using one pre-breakfast sample obtained after initial voiding upon arising. Their subjects were healthy persons who were not taking any regular medications. To determine whether SUM can be successfully used for patients taking antihypertensive drugs, we estimated daily salt intake in 73 hypertensive patients by SUM and by a food consumption method (FCM) when they were at home, and also by SUM in the hospital with a defined intake of 7 g of sodium chloride (NaCl). Forty-one patients took oral antihypertensive medications once daily, while 32 patients took none. Mean daily salt intakes by SUM during admission were 7-8 g of NaCl in both groups (95% confidence intervals: 5.0-10.6 g in the medication group; 5.2-11.1 g in the no-medication group), which corresponded well to the diet. In contrast, ambulatory daily salt intake by SUM varied widely (95% confidence intervals: 5.5-20.7 g in the medication group; 7.6-22.8 g in the no-medication group). However, the daily salt intakes determined by SUM and FCM correlated significantly with each other in the medication group (r=0.69, p

We have investigated the tunnelling properties of the interface between superconducting Sr2RuO4 and a single Ru inclusion in eutectic. By using a micro‐fabrication technique, we have made Sr2RuO4/Ru junctions on the eutectic system that consists of Sr2RuO4 and Ru micro‐inclusions. Such a eutectic system exhibits surface superconductivity, called the 3‐K phase. A zero bias conductance peak (ZBCP) was observed in the 3‐K phase. We propose to use the onset of the ZBCP to delineate the phase boundary of a time‐reversal symmetry breaking state.

We have developed a method for electrical polarization of nuclear spins in quantum Hall systems. In a breakdown regime of odd-integer quantum Hall effect (QHE), excitation of electrons to the upper Landau subband with opposite spin polarity dynamically polarizes nuclear spins through the hyperfine interaction. The polarized nuclear spins in turn accelerate the QHE breakdown, leading to hysteretic voltage-current characteristics of the quantum Hall conductor., Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Appl. Phys. Lett

We have investigated transport properties of single‐electron transistors made from colloidal nanoparticles. The single‐electron transistors were fabricated depositing chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles between pairs of electrodes. Current‐voltage characteristics were measured at liquid He temperature. The observed Coulomb diamond indicates that electron transport occurs through a single gold nanoparticle. Anomalous increase of current was observed in a device. The origin of the current increase is discussed in connection with a suppression of molecular tunneling barriers.

The understanding of the zero bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in the tunnelling spectra of S/N junctions involving d-wave cuprate superconductors has been important in the determination of the phase structure of the superconducting order parameter. In this context, the involvement of a p-wave superconductor such as Sr2RuO4 in tunnelling studies is indeed of great importance. We have recently succeeded in fabricating devices that enable S/N junctions forming at interfaces between Sr2RuO4 and Ru micro-inclusions in eutectic crystals to be investigated.3 We have observed a ZBCP and have interpreted it as due to the Andreev bound state, commonly seen in unconventional superconductors. Also we have proposed that the onset of the ZBCP may be used to delineate the phase boundary for the onset of a time reversal symmetry broken (TRSB) state within the superconducting state, which does not always coincide with the onset of the superconducting state. However, these measurements always involved two interfaces between Sr2RuO4 and Ru. In the present study, we have extended the previous measurements to obtain a deeper insight into the properties of a single interface between Sr2RuO4 and Ru., Comment: To appear in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol. 75 No.12 issue

We report low-temperature transport measurements through molecules of Gd metallofullerenes between superconducting suspended electrodes. The presence and number of molecules in the 2 nm-wide gap between electrodes was determined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. We find that a junction containing a single metallofullerene dimer between superconducting electrodes displays signs of proximity-induced superconductivity. In contrast, no proximity effects develops in junctions containing larger cluster of metallofulerenes. These results can be understood by taking into account multiple Andreev reflections, and the spin states of the Gd atoms., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Phys.Rev.Lett

Miyake volcano, which is located in the northwest Pacific Ocean 200 km south of the Tokyo metropolitan area, began to erupt on 8 July 2000. Its SO 2 emission amounted to a maximum of 6 x 10 4 t d -1 , which was about the same level as the anthropogenic emission of northeast Asia and 20 times larger than that of Japan, and is decreasing to 10 4 t d -1 . Aerosol and precipitation, together with gaseous pollutants, have been observed from 2 years before the eruption to present on a prominent mountain ridge, Happo ridge (330 km north of the volcano). Short time samplings of aerosols and gaseous acids, such as HCI and HNO 3 , were made for 3-6 hours every day. Annual mean concentration of SO 2 was increased 3.8 times, and concentrations of SO 2- 4 were increased 1.5 and 1.7 times in aerosol and precipitation, respectively. In contrast, aerosol concentrations of NO - 3 and Cl- decreased under the influence of volcanic effluents. This was caused by the excess amount of SO 2- 4 formation. The produced SO 2- 4 at first exhausted gaseous ammonia to form (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 aerosol and then, driving out NO - 3 and Cl - , it took their place in the aerosol and sometimes existed as sulfuric acid mist after exhausting ammonia. These facts were explained successfully by a multicomponent gas-aerosol equilibrium. The expelled HNO 3 and HCl might be deposited more intensively both by wet and dry deposition processes and might accelerate the environmental acidification.

We present the results of experimental study of superconductivity in individual molecules of carbon nanotubes, DNAs and metallofullerenes. Critical currents of supeconductor‐molecule‐superconductor junctions were extensively studied as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The mechanism of current induced superconductor‐normal state transition for a long molecule (carbon nanotubes and DNAs) is the creation of phase slip centres and for a short molecule (metallofullerens) — multiple Andreev reflections. We observe an influence of spin state of encapsulated atom on the induced superconductvity in a metallofullerene molecule.

A green plant, which we have named “Misuzugoke”, was found in acidic rivers in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, where it forms macroscopic mats or aggregates. The field-collected aggregates were nearly hemispherical and were composed of compact branched filaments radiating from a central base. The cells of the plant contained a single nucleus and numerous discoid chloroplasts lacking pyrenoids. Due to the plant’s simple filamentous organization and absence of reproductive organs, its classification as an alga or a higher plant could not be determined from the field-collected material. When grown for more than 3 months on neutral agar medium (pH 7.0) containing hormones, leafy shoot buds characteristic of bryophytes appeared on the plant. A partial sequence of the plant’s rbcL gene, which encodes the large subunit of ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase was 98% similar to that of Dicranella heteromalla (Hedw.) Schimp. (Haplolepideae, Bryopsida). Phylogenetic analyses based on rbcL gene sequences strongly indicate that Misuzugoke is positioned within the Haplolepideae. This mat-forming green plant is therefore considered to be a reduced form of moss in the Haplolepideae.

The neurotransmitter norepinephrine is metabolized by monoamine oxidase into an aldehyde intermediate that is further metabolized to the stable glycol derivative, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG). In this study, the possible role of aldose reductase in reducing this aldehyde intermediate in human sympathetic neurons has been examined. DHPG is formed when norepinephrine is incubated with aldose reductase in the presence of monoamine oxidase. DHPG metabolism is inhibited by the monoamine oxidase inhibitor, pargyline which prevents the deamination of norepinephrine, and by the aldose reductase inhibitor AL 1576, which inhibits DHPG formation without affecting the deamination of norepinephrine. Although similar formation of DHPG was observed with human liver aldehyde reductase, the production of DHPG was more effective with aldose reductase than aldehyde reductase. Two peaks of reductase activity corresponding to aldose reductase and aldehyde reductase were observed when sympathetic ganglia were chromatofocused. Molecular modeling studies indicate that the energy-minimized structure of 3,4-dihydroxymandelaldehyde bound to aldose reductase is similar to that of glyceraldehyde where the 2'-hydroxyl group forms hydrogen bonds with Trp111 and NADPH. These results suggest that aldose reductase may be important in metabolizing the potentially toxic aldehyde intermediate formed from norepinephrine in human sympathetic ganglia.

A 47-year-old man presented with polydipsia, which had had since childhood, and recent onset of hypertension. Genetic analysis proved that he had nephrogenic diabetes insipidus caused by a novel mutation (deletion of 6 amino acids between G107 and C112) in the vasopressin V2 receptor gene. Results of 24-hour blood pressure monitoring disclosed a greater dipping pattern and greater blood pressure variability during waking hours than in male patients with only essential hypertension. This characteristic blood pressure profile may result from daily occurrence of free water depletion, as further observation indicated that water deprivation was associated with a reduction in blood pressure.

A 72-year-old-man with night sweats and a low-grade fever was found to have bilateral adrenal enlargement associated with incipient adrenal insufficiency. Without any intervention, these adrenal lesions regressed spontaneously, accompanied by disappearance of clinical symptoms. Seven months later, however, the lesions became enlarged and exceeded their initial size while remaining confined to the adrenals, associated with reappearance of nights sweats and overt adrenal insufficiency. Upon unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy, the lesion proved histopathologically to be diffuse large B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). After contralateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy, the patient remains alive with no recurrence at 26 months. Treatment with bilateral adrenalectomy and chemotherapy is effective for aggressive NHL confined to bilateral adrenal glands. A transient clinical improvement without treatment was considered to be due to a spontaneous regression of NHL, although we could not confirm the histological results before the regression. Such tumor behavior showing spontaneous regression in spite of aggressive histology may also be related to the favorable outcome, even though regression was transient.

We report magntetotranport measurements around a filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{3}{2}$ of two-dimensional electron gas under weak unidirectional periodic potential modulation. Composite fermions (CF's) at $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{3}{2}$ which are the electron-hole conjugate of $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{1}{2}$ CF's, show positive magnetoresistance (PMR) and oscillatory magnetoresistance---commensurability oscillation (CO)---for a modulation period of $a=92\mathrm{nm}.$ Minima of the CO occur at the positions expected for commensurability with effective magnetic-field modulation, and are consistent with the field-dependent Fermi wave number ${k}_{F}$ resulting from field-dependent density of the $\ensuremath{\nu}=\frac{3}{2}$ CF's. The positions are consistent with ${k}_{F}$ for fully spin-polarized CF's, except for one dip which is better explained by a fully spin-unpolarized ${k}_{F},$ smaller by factor $\sqrt{2}$ than its spin-polarized counterpart. With the introduction of in-plane magnetic field by tilting, the PMR shows unexpected asymmetry: it grows both in its magnitude and extent on the lower-field side, while it shrinks on the higher-field side.

OBJECTIVE The circadian rhythm of blood pressure in patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) is not well understood. We evaluated the circadian blood pressure rhythm in such patients by comparison with that in patients with essential hypertension (EHT). The latter are characterized by a nocturnal blood pressure decline, the so called 'dipping' blood pressure pattern. DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 12 patients with APA and 36 patients with EHT who were matched by age and sex, and who had no severe organic disorders, were hospitalized to control their diet (low sodium) and activities. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was conducted for 24 h. The 24-h blood pressure was divided into waking blood pressure (0600-2130 h) and sleeping blood pressure (2200-0530 h). RESULTS The two groups showed no significant differences in age, sex, serum creatinine, plasma glucose, daily urinary sodium excretion, and left ventricular mass index. Although the 24-h mean blood pressure was higher in APA (112 +/- 8 mmHg) than EHT (102 +/- 12 mmHg), the dipping mean blood pressure ratio (%), which was calculated from the sleeping and waking blood pressures, did not differ significantly between the two groups (93.2 +/- 5.4 versus 92.8 +/- 5.9). CONCLUSION The dipping ratio of blood pressure in patients with APA resembled that of patients with EHT. Variables that would influence the circadian rhythm of blood pressure were controlled during study. The results suggest that a circadian blood pressure in patients with APA is of the dipping type, characterized by a nocturnal blood pressure decline, when a low sodium diet is ingested.

今回我々は維持透析患者に悪性症候群が合併した稀な1例を経験したので報告する.糖尿病性腎症により維持血液透析中の42歳男性が, 高熱と, 眼振, 手足の振戦, 幻覚幻聴により入院した. 血液検資の結果, GOT459IU/l, LDH 1,669IU/l, CPK 529IU/l, aldolase13.3mU/ml, myoglobin 3,200ng/mlと異常を認め, 著明な低酸素血症 (PO227.1mmHg, PCO242.8mmHg) を合併していた. 患者は, 制吐剤として頻用される塩酸メトクロプラミド (metoclopramide hydrochloride: 30mg/日) を5か月間内服していた. また発熱, 自律神経症状・錐体外路症状・意識障害の症状より悪性症候群 (syndrome malin) と診断した.このため薬物の中止と臨時に血液透析を行い症状は改善し, 良好な経過を示した.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO, EC 1.4.3.4) and catechol-O-methyltransferease (COMT, EC 2.1.1.6) are the two primary enzymes responsible for the first step of the metabolism of the catecholamines epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine. Catecholamines and their methylated metabolites, produced by COMT, are metabolized to the corresponding aldehyde intermediates by MAO. In the subsequent second step these aldehydes are removed through either their oxidation to acids by aldehyde dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.3) or their reduction to alcohols by aldehyde reductase (Kopin, 1985). Here, we focus on the metabolism of norepinephrine and summarize evidences that aldose reductase is the key enzyme responsible for the metabolism of norepinephrine.

Objective : To determine whether there is a seasonal variation in blood pressure in hypertensive patients whose daily lifestyle is similar in summer and in winter, and who live almost entirely indoors in a stable environmental temperature. Subjects and methods : During summer and winter, blood pressure was measured by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in outpatients with essential hypertension, and environmental temperature was measured by electrothermometer while the patients were awake. The 24-h blood pressure data were analysed after being divided into four groups : morning, afternoon, night-time and sleeping periods. Results : We studied 25 outpatients (mean ± SD age 57 ± 12 years) who spend virtually the entire day indoors in both summer and winter. Measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the morning and night-time periods were significantly higher in winter than in summer (differences of 7.5 ± 14.7 and 4.1 ± 8.8 mmHg and 8.2 ± 14.8 and 4.5 ± 18.1 mmHg, respectively). Blood pressure measured in the afternoon and during sleeping periods did not differ significantly. No correlation was observed between the seasonal change in blood pressure in the morning and that at night. Environmental temperatures were significantly higher in the morning, afternoon and night-time periods during summer than those during winter. The differences among these periods were not statistically significant. Conclusions : There is a seasonal variation in blood pressure in the morning and night-time periods during winter in hypertensive patients who live essentially indoors in a relatively stable environmental temperature. Pressor factor(s) may differ between morning and night-time periods during winter.

Dynamic polarization of nuclear spins has been studied in the breakdown regime of fractional quantum Hall effect using a Corbino-disk device. We find that nuclear spins are polarized in the Corbino disk in the breakdown regime of fractional quantum Hall effect. Since edge channel is completely absent in the Corbino disk, the demonstration of dynamic nuclear polarization in the Corbino disk shows that nuclear spins are polarized and detected in the bulk channel of the quantum Hall conductor.

Electric field penetration into the metallic side of a Schottky junction is in principle a universal phenomenon, the magnitude of which increases with the semiconductor permittivity. Here, we quantitatively probe this effect using bias-dependent internal photoemission spectroscopy at the Schottky junction between a large dielectric permittivity semiconductor SrTiO3 and gold. A clear linear reduction in the barrier height with increasing interface electric field was observed, highlighting the importance of field penetration into the gold. The interfacial permittivity of SrTiO3 at the interface is reduced from the bulk value, reflecting intrinsic suppression at the interface.

The minimum degree of renal arterial stenosis needed to cause hypertension was identified by renal arterial angiography of anesthetized dogs. The effects of renal nerves and prostanoids on the critical stenosis were also examined. The left renal artery was constricted concentrically by a radiolucent con strictor device, and the stenosis of the artery was evaluated by cineangiography with the kidney either innervated or denervated. At this time, renal blood flow, renal perfusion pressure, and systemic blood pressure were serially monitored. In another group of dogs, renal venous and aortic blood samples were taken as the stenosis increased; these were assayed for prostaglandin E2 and plasma re nin activity. The same experiments were done again after treatment with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, aspirin DL-lysine (54 mg/kg). With the kidney either innervated or denervated, systemic blood pressure began to increase when the stenosis was more than 70% of the diameter of the renal artery; the renal blood flow decreased when the stenosis was more than 75% of the diameter. Aspirin treatment attenuated the increase in blood pres sure but did not affect the autoregulation of the renal blood flow when stenosis was 70% or less. Prostaglandin E2 production increased in the stenotic kidney when the stenosis was more than 70%; aspirin inhibited prostaglandin synthesis and suppressed the stimulation of renin release. These results suggest that whether there is innervation or not, the critical degree of renal arterial stenosis that causes hypertension is more than about 70% of the diameter in the presence of renal prostaglandins; in their absence, the critical point above which hypertension occurs is 75% or more.

In a 39-yr-old female patient with Bartter's syndrome, vascular responsiveness to angiotensin II and phenylephrine was studied. Pressor responses to angiotensin II and to phenylephrine were markedly decreased prior to treatment and were improved by administration of indomethacin, dextran, KCI, captopril, propranolol or pindolol. Moreover, the responses of total peripheral vascular resistence to angiotensin II and phenylephrine were markedly decreased before treatment and were improved by the treatment. A relatively low fractional distal chloride reabsorption was found, and that was not changed after the administration of KCI or indomethacin. The results of this patient were compatible with the primary cause of Bartter's syndrome, defective chloride reabsorption at the loop of Henle, but the possibility of an abnormality in the vascular wall could not be denied.(Internal Medicine 31 : 134-139, 1992)

While serum magnesium (Mg) level is increased in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), it is decreased in renal transplant recipients (TR) receiving ciclosporin. This study was performed to examine the cation metabolism of red blood cells (RBC) in these patients. Intracellular free Mg was measured with 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry, and ouabain-sensitive sodium (Na) efflux rate (Eos) was measured from the increase in RBC-Na concentration when RBC were incubated in the presence of ouabain. The ouabain-sensitive Na efflux rate constant (ERCos) was obtained by dividing Eos by RBC-Na concentration. RBC free Mg and ERCos were significantly higher in the TR group than in the ESRD group. There was a significant correlation between RBC free Mg and ERCos (r = 0.474, p less than 0.01). These results support the views that the regulation mechanism for intracellular free Mg is different from that for extracellular Mg in patients with renal disease, and intracellular free Mg modulates Na pump activity of RBC.

We measured electronic transport and magnetization of a metallic and ferromagnetic (Ga,Mn)As thin film epitaxially grown on a GaAs [0 0 1] substrate. In-plane ((0 0 1)) anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) was affected by the current direction to the crystalline, which is phenomenologically explained by the anisotropy of the magnetization. The magnetoresistance for perpendicular field showed reproducible irregular oscillations, which are attributed to the Barkhausen effect.

Out-of-plane transport in a GaAs/AlGaAs superlattice in the quantum Hall regime exhibits a strong non-ohmicity. At low temperatures and low current bias, the out-of-plane conductance G zz scales with the sample perimeter. These are signatures of the chiral surface state. At higher temperatures or higher current bias, G zz becomes scaled with the sample area, suggesting a crossover to bulk transport. ( 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

We demonstrate a new method for electrical manipulation of nuclear spins utilizing dynamic nuclear polarization induced by quantum Hall effect breakdown. Nuclear spins are polarized and detected through the hyperfine interaction between a nuclear spin system and a two-dimensional electron system located at an interface of GaAs/AlGaAs single heterostructure. Coherent oscillations between the nuclear-spin quantum states are observed by measuring the longitudinal voltage of the conductor., Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures

Responses of renin release and blood pressure to aspirin DL-lysine (ASP) were examined to find out if the responses could help in the differentiation between unilateral renovascular hypertension (RVH) and hyperreninemic essential hypertension (EHT). The two studies involved ten patients with unilateral RVH, eight with hyperreninemic EHT, and five with hyporeninemic EHT. In a radiological study, before and 30 min after an intravenous injection of ASP (18 mg/kg), renal venous and abdominal aortic plasma was sampled and assayed for prostaglandin (PG) E2 and plasma renin activity (PRA). Systemic blood pressure was measured serially. The reproducibility of the responses to ASP was confirmed in a bedside study. In unilateral RVH, ASP suppressed renin release from the stenotic kidney and reduced the renal vein PRA ratio to less than 1.5 via the inhibition of PG synthesis, which is accelerated in that kidney. The mean suppression of aortic PRA at this dose of ASP was 35% in these patients, and their blood pressure decreased in proportion to the suppression of PRA. However, in the two EHT groups, ASP elevated the mean blood pressure. The renal synthesis of PGE2 was inhibited by ASP in all patients, but the suppression of PRA, while small, was significant (19% in the aorta) in the patients with hyperreninemic EHT, and not significant in patients with hyporeninemic EHT. The different responses of blood pressure and PRA to ASP between RVH and EHT were reproducible in the bedside study.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To ascertain the involvement of galanin in nociceptive transmission in the spinal dorsal horn, we examined the effects of intrathecal injections of porcine galanin and its antiserum on behavioral nociceptive responses of the rat, using the paw-pressure and paw-radiant heat tests. An intrathecal injection of antiserum against porcine galanin reversed the decreased nociceptive threshold for mechanical, but not thermal, stimulation of the carrageenintreated hind paw of rat, with no effect on the nociceptive threshold of the non-inflamed hind paw. Rat galanin as well as porcine galanin suppressed the binding of [125I]porcine galanin to the antiserum, a finding suggesting that the antiserum can bind rat galanin. An intrathecal injection of porcine galanin (0.1 and 1 nmol, but not 0.01 nmol) decreased the mechanical nociceptive threshold of the rat hind paw with no effect on thermal nociception. These results suggest that galanin present in the dorsal horn is involved in the facilitation of mechanical, but not thermal, nociceptive transmission.

Experiments were conducted on 119 anesthetized and artificially ventilated rats to evaluate effects of a physiological stimulus (hemorrhage) to the sympothoadrenal system on the bronchial circulation. In the presence of a sufficient dose of a vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist, moderate (81 mmHg on average, 33 rats) or severe hypotension (69 mmHg, 28 rats) was produced by controlled hemorrhage (11 or 9 rats, respectively), or by treatment with phenoxybenzamine (0.1 mg/kg, i.v., 12 rats, or 1.0 mg/kg, 10 rats), or the highly selective alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist, bunazosin (0.01 mg/kg i.v., 10 rats, or 0.1 mg/kg, 9 rats). During hypotension, the intrapulmonary bronchial blood flow (microsphere method) was decreased in a dose-dependent manner in the two antagonist-treated groups. However, these decreases were only of a moderate degree compared to the severe decrease in the hemorrhage group. Although the bronchovascular resistance was not significantly changed after treatment with either antagonist, this variable was greatly elevated during severe hemorrhagic hypotension, reaching 240 +/- 51% (P less than 0.001 with either antagonist study) of its baseline level. Changes in the pulmonary arterial and left atrial pressures, plasma vasopressin concentration, and renin activity were found to be less influential on these responses in 58 rats. Overall, we concluded that the sympathoadrenal mechanism powerfully increased the resistance and decreased the blood flow of the intrapulmonary bronchial circulation.

We demonstrate the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) effect through a semiconductor quantum dot (QD) with a few electrons in a lateral QD spin-valve device. At one-to-two electron transition, only inverse TMR effect is observed, where the TMR ratio is relatively large compared with the value based on the Julliere model. When the bias window reaches near the charging energy of the QD, the inverse TMR almost disappears. These features can be interpreted in terms of spin transport via the ground state of a two-electron QD.

Among patients who were found to have hypertension by office or clinic blood pressure (BP) measurement, some appear to be normotensive when studied for full 24-hour periods by ambulatory BP monitoring, indicating so-called “office” or “white-coat” hypertension. Within groups of hypertensive patients with similar office BPs, those with higher than predicted ambulatory BP have greater prevalence of target-organ damage1,2 and a significantly greater 10-year incidence of fatal and unfatal events than those with lower than predicted ambulatory BP.3 Moreover, there is some indication that reducing BP too much may exert a deleterious rather than a beneficial effect on coronary events.4 In the present study, we examined and compared the effects of the long-acting calcium antagonist nifedipine slow-release tablet (nifedipine SR) with the effects of the long-acting angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril on office, home and ambulatory BP measurements. We studied hypertensive patients with relatively higher and relatively lower ambulatory BPs.

To examine the mechanisms of H+ transport in the mid-inner medullary collecting duct of hamsters, we measured the intracellular pH (pHi) in the in vitro perfused tubules by microscopic fluorometry using 2',7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-carboxyfluorescein (BCECF) as a fluorescent probe. In the basal condition, pHi was 6.74 +/- 0.04 (n = 45) in HCO3(-)-free modified Ringer solution. Either elimination of Na+ from the bath or addition of amiloride (1 mM) to the bath produced a reversible fall in pHi. After acid loading with 25 mM NH4Cl, pHi spontaneously recovered with an initial recovery rate of 0.096 +/- 0.012 (n = 23) pH unit/min. In the absence of ambient Na+, after removal of NH+4, the pHi remained low (5.95 +/- 0.10, n = 8) and showed no signs of recovery. Subsequent restoration of Na+ only in the lumen had no effect on pHi. However, when Na+ in the bath was returned to the control level, pHi recovered completely Amiloride (1 mM) in the bath completely inhibited the Na(-)-dependent pHi recovery. Furthermore, elimination of Na+ from the bath, but not from the lumen, decreased pHi from 6.97 +/- 0.07 to 6.44 +/- 0.05 (n = 12) in the HCO3-/Ringer solution or 6.70 +/- 0.03 to 6.02 +/- 0.5 pH unit/min in the presence of CO2/HCO3-, whereas it did not recover in the absence of CO2/HCO3-.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

To determine whether biosynthesis of somatostatin is enhanced in the primary sensory neurons by inflammatory pain, we examined the effects of adjuvant inoculation on the content of immunoreactive somatostatin, mainly composed of somatostatin-14 and somatostatin-28, in the dorsal root ganglia and the spinal cord of the rat. The adjuvant inoculation, which produced long-lasting inflammation and hyperalgesia, increased the content of immunoreactive somatostatin, especially somatostatin-14, in the dorsal root ganglia at L4–L6 levels with no change in the dorsal and ventral horns of lumbar enlargement. Such an increase was enhanced by an intrathecal injection of colchicine (0.2 mg) that inhibits axonal flow of somatostatin. Chronic administration of the anti-inflammatory analgesic, sodium diclofenac (3 mg·kg−1·d−1), abolished an adjuvant-induced increase in the content of immunoreactive somatostatin in the dorsal root ganglia. These results suggest that the turnover (biosynthesis and axonal flow) of somatostatin in the primary sensory neurons is enhanced in the presence of persisting inflammatory pain, and support the idea that somatostatin-containing primary afferents are involved in the transmission of pain in the spinal dorsal horn.