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Since 1969, in October morphometric surveys of Senjagaike-sekkei (36°09'09''N, 136°46'13''E, about 2, 570 m above mean sea level), the only perennial snow patch in the Mount Hakusan area, have been carried out. The snow patch is located at a depression on the west slope of the mountain ridge, and in late August, September and October a pond appears at the lower end of the patch. In October the dimensions of the patch are about 75 m N-S and about 60 m E-W, and the maximum snow depth is about 10 m. The morphometric maps of the snow patch in October 1976 and 1977 are displayed; the dimensions and the shape of the snow patch in these years are both representative of those in 1969-1978. The annual net mass balance was negative in average till 1972 and positive afterwards. Other available information suggests that it is likely that no or little perennial snow existed in 1964 and 1965 and afterwards the amount has been increasing.From the four successive morphometric surveys concerning the ablation process in 1973, it is concluded that the estimated annual accumulation in the winter of 1972-1973 was about 14 m in snow depth at the end of the snowfall season (April 30), and it is supposed that the maximum depth of 20 m occurred in the middle of March. The mean rate of ablation in the most active thawing period of 1973 was about 1.3 × 102 ton/day (about 11 cm/day in snow depth). The amount of the water which percolated into the depressed ground is estimated to be about 0.9 × 102 ton/day.By virtue of the penetration of the thermal-drill the absolute depth of the snow patch in October 1976 is measured.

The influences of the transition radius of fillet, and the width of flange on the fatigue strength of flange gusset joints are examined by using the fracture mechanics concept. The results of this study have been used as basis for revision of fatigue design code for the Honshu-Shikoku Bridges.

The p-aminostyrene-N-vinylpyrrolidone copolymer-supported tris(2,2′-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) analogue, [Ru(bpy)2(pbyCOOH)]2+ (bpy=2,2′-bipyridine and pbyCOOH=polymeric bipyridine ligand), has been prepared, and the luminescence behavior of the polymer complex has been investigated in an aqueous solution. The efficiency of the quenching of the excited state of the polymer complex with [Fe(CN)6]4−, [Co(phen)3]2+, and Cu2+ is compared with that of [Ru(bpy)3]2+. The quenching of the excited state of the polymer complex by Cu2+ is strongly enhanced by the effect of the polymer chains. In the polymer complex/Cu2+ system, the quenching by Cu2+ in the presence of poly(p-styrenesulfonate) is much more effective than in the absence of the polyion. The characteristics of the polymer complex in terms of the luminescence behavior are discussed.

This paper summarizes the studies of perennial snow patches conducted in the snow covered area of Japan during 1976-1978. Climatic and geomorphological characteristics of snow patches and the relationship between the changes in the size of perennial snow patches and climatic conditions are discussed in analysing whole data obtained through the studies. On the basis of studies carried out in 1976-1978, a format is proposed to describe general information of individual snow patch.

A preparation of decapsulated muscle spindles with intact sensory innervation has been developed to allow direct access to the sensory terminal for the application of drugs or to alter the extracellular ionic composition. Muscle spindles were isolated from semitendinosus muscles of the frog Rana catesbeiana , and were incubated in a calcium-free Ringer's solution containing 0.2% collagenase. Following optimal incubation at 34 °C for 30 min the response pattern of the spindles during stretch could not be distinguished from that of intact spindles, although the duration of individual afferent spikes was prolonged about 4 times normal. The spikes disappeared immediately after the Ringer's solution was replaced with an isotonic choline chloride solution, in contrast to those of intact spindles which remained for 30 min after the replacement. Electron microscopy showed that the outer and inner capsules were partially disrupted. No significant change was observed in the size or packing density of intramembrane particles in freeze-fracture replicas of spindles decapsulated under optimum conditions. More prolonged treatment with the enzyme resulted in abolition of the static component of the response during stretch, and also in an aggregation of the particles, whose size decreased and packing density increased.

1. Most of the axons innervating single-type muscle spindles in the frog sartorius muscle divide into myelinated branches at a node; one of the branches subdivides (Bs) and the other does not (Bn). 2. Electrical responses at the afferent nerve terminal of the isolated spindles were recorded extracellularly and intracellularly with micro-electrodes, concurrently with the terminal responses by the paraffin gap method. 3. By recording spontaneous orthodromic and provoked antidromic impulses and by stimulating the nerve terminals with micro-electrodes and inactivating the terminals with micro-application of potassium ion, it was deduced that propagated and abortive spikes are almost always generated at the terminal of Bn (Tn), not at the terminals of Bs (Ta and Tb). 4. The site of impulse initiation, as determined in (3), was found, after measurement of the lengths of the myelinated branches in each preparation, to be essentially the terminal nearest the parent axon. 5. Selective inactivation of Tn by far-ultra-violet light removed both propagated and abortive spikes. Both types of spikes survived after irradiation of Ta and Tb, although the relationship between spike frequency and spindle stretch was altered. The same results were obtained after transection of the branches with a laser microbeam.

The fatigue strength of transverse-fillet-welds in the attachment of diaphragms is a decisive factor in the design of box-section truss members. The fatigue strength of this joint is influenced by the profile of the fillet-welds at the scallop and the residual stress created by the corner weld. In order to study the fatigue strength at the ends of the scallops, a real size cruciform model was fabricated, where a pair of rib plates were welded on both sides of a base plate containing four longitudinal weld-beads. The size of the base plate was 45mm thick and 300mm wide. Fatigue tests were performed with an electro-hydraulic fatigue testing machine of a dynamic capacity of 4 MN. The tests were performed with stress rations at O, -1, -2 and -5.

The presence of a mixed Na+ Ca2+ spike along the sensory terminal of the frog muscle spindle was verified. When the terminal was perfused with Ringer's solution containing 0.1–0.5 mM ruthenium red (RuR), the amplitude and duration of the spike were increased, occurring as a prolonged or a long-lasting depolarization of up to 20–30 s duration following individual afferent spikes evoked spontaneously or antidromically by electrical stimulation. In an isotonic TEA solution, the amplitude and duration of the afferent spikes were increased; however, no prolonged depolarization occurred. Adding 0.2 mM RuR to the TEA solution produced the prolonged and long-lasting depolarization. All responses disappeared in the presence of 3 μM TTX or Na+-free Ringer's solution. An impedance decrease along the terminal was observed during the prolonged or long-lasting depolarization. The prolonged depolarization was blocked by the addition of Ca2+-blockers; the afferent spikes remained. In preparations preincubated with 0.1 mM RuR, increasing CaCl2 in Ringer's solution from 0.2 mM, resulted in shortening of the duration of individual spikes with prolonged depolarization and in increase in the maximum rate of rise (MMR) of the spikes. Preincubation with higher concentrations of RuR produced higher sensitivities in the modifications of the duration and MRR to the change in [Ca2+]o. The responses were retained by adding RuR or RuCl3 to Ca2+-free Ringer's solution containing 0.1–5 mM EGTA, although all responses disappeared in Ca2+-free EGTA Ringer's solution. It is concluded that the RuR-induced prolonged response is produced by an influx of Na+.

The sensory ending of the frog muscle spindle consists of bulbous swellings interconnected by thin, tube-like axonal branches. This study was made to determine if the bulb or thin tube regions are deformed to the same degree during dynamic stretch, by comparing spindles prepared in the relaxed and stretched states. Isolated muscle spindles were rapidly frozen, either in a completely relaxed state or at the end of dynamic stretch to 130% of the in situ length. Longitudinal sections for ultra-high-voltage electron microscopy revealed that dynamic stretch caused a decrease of 61.7% in bulb diameter, an increase of 88% in bulb length and an increase of 34.6% in bulb volume. The cross-sectional areas of the nonmyelinated terminals in the reticular and compact zones measured in electron micrographs decreased by 79.2% in the bulb region and 66.7% in the tube region during dynamic stretch.

In decapsulated muscle spindles, application of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (d-cAMP, 0.1–10 mM) and forskolin (10–100 μM) increased the rate of spontaneous discharges and decreased the responsiveness to stretch. Addition of 2–5 mM CaCl 2 or 0.5–2 mM BaCl 2 to the above drugs prevented the deterioration of the responsiveness to stretch and the increase in the rate of spontaneous discharges. Similar changes in the afferent discharges were observed with application of isobutylmethyl-xanthine (IBMX, 0.5–2 mM) or carbonyl cyanide chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP, 1–10 μM). Application of 0.1–1 mM quercetin resulted in a prolonged increase in the discharge rate, lasting 15–20 s after the release of stretch. These results suggest that cAMP is involved in the regulation of the sensory processes through a modification of intracellular calcium activity.

In some muscle spindles located in or near the red area of semitendinosus muscle of the bull frog, a fine motor axon innervates the intracapsular compact zone, without any branches onto the extrafusal muscle fibers. The fine motor axon in 3.9 μm in mean diameter (measured in living axon) and 9.8 m·s−1 in mean conduction velocity at 20 °C. A ramp-and-hold stretch during 20 Hz repetitive stimulation of the fine motor axon markedly increased the rate of afferent discharges during the static phase. Histochemical studies indicated depletion of glycogen in a compact zone along a small diameter intrafusal muscle fiber of the muscle spindles frozen immediately after tetanic stimulation of the fine motor axon. These results suggest that the fine motor axon is a fusimotor system in the frog muscle spindle.

This study investigates the fatigue behavior of trusses. Various types of panel-point-structures were designed for the purpose of obtaining compact and strong nodal joint, and fatigue tests of the structural models on the scale of about one quarter were carried out. Based on the previous study, details of nodal joint were improved and the process of corner weld was changed from manual shielded arc welding to submerged-arc welding. The local stresses distribution in the vicinity of nodal joint and their influences on the fatigue strength are also shown through the finite element stress analysis.

An increase in the Ca2+ component following individual sodium spike in spontaneous discharges was observed in the isolated sensory terminal of the frog muscle spindle perfused with isotonic sodium solution with a group of anions, of which the size in the aqueous solution ranged from 0.74 to 1.32 times that of hydrated sodium ion. The effects of these anions was counteracted with divalent cations. It is hypothesized that anions similar in size to hydrated sodium ions may form an anion-cation complex at the interaction site of the Na+ carrier, whereby the Na+ may enter the Ca2+ channel. This may be inactivated by the divalent cations.

Acoustic transmission measurement techniques for large boiler furnaces were studied and developed. It was found in fundamental acoustic transmission tests that l0-12 kHZ acoustic waves were suitable for measuring combustion gas distribution in boiler furnaces. A few kinds of computer programs for CT (Computed Tomography) were written and discussed. The program based on the method of least squares was most convenient in cases where few data were available. Then, we performed the measurement of combustion gas temperature distributions in a test furnace. The data were reduced using the above CT program. The temperature distribution calculated by the CT program is very similar to and favorably agrees with the results measured by a suction pyrometer. The maximum temperature difference between the two methods is 5 percent in the 700∼1000 °C temperature range.

The soft, gelatin capsule of VP-16-213 (etoposide) was given orally and evaluated in a Phase II study of 56 patients with histologically confirmed small cell lung cancer. The drug was given in a dose of 200 mg/body/day orally for 5 consecutive days, and the courses were repeated every 3 to 4 weeks depending upon the individual patient recovery from myelosuppression. An overall objective response was obtained in 17 patients (30%), five previously treated (23%) and 12 untreated (35%). The median days for response after the start of treatment was 14 d (range, 5 to 64), and the median duration of response was 62 days (range, 28 to 278). The dose-limiting factor was leukopenia, while thrombocytopenia was also experienced. Gastrointestinal reactions to toxicity and alopecia were also observed, but they were not overwhelming. The study demonstrated that the VP-16-213 soft gelatin capsule given orally is effective against small cell lung cancer without clinical cross-resistance to other cytotoxic agents. Its usefulness in combination chemotherapy is thus suggested.

1. The thresholds of the sensory endings of single spindle, leaf-like and tendon receptors in the frog sartorius muscle were measured with pressure test stimulations applied at different periods after a conditioning antidromic stimulation.2. The threshold for the first discharge from the spindle receptor excited by a threshold pressure stimulation decreased transiently at approximately 30 msecafter the absolute refractory period of 1.1-1.6 msec after an antidromic discharge, and increased at 60 msec, then returned to the normal level for 650 msec.3. In fresh preparations, a recurrent discharge appeared at 30 msec after an antidromic discharge, without test stimulation.When the muscle was extended, the periods of the appearance of the recurrent discharge and of the transient decrease of the threshold shortened, and the recovery curves of the threshold closed to the normal level over all of its course.4. The threshold for the second discharge from the spindle produced by a larger mechanical stimulation returned to normal for 40-60 msec after an antidromic discharge, during which no transient decrease was observed.5. The leaf-like receptors responded with only one discharge to different strengths of the pressure stimulation.The thresholds, which were higher than those of the spindle, decreased linearly after the absolute refractory period of up to 20 msec, and returned to normal 150 msec after an antidromic discharge.6. The recovery curve of the threshold of tendon receptors could be drawn only for 5 out of 18 receptors tested, and it was suggested that in the remaining receptors the antidromic discharge may not have propagated along all of the branches beyond a node in the vicinity of the sensory endings, at which the parent axon may have divided into four or more branches. The threshold returned to normal approximately 300 msec after the absolute refractoryperiod of from 2.2 to 4.5 msec, without any transient decreases during it course.

This study revealed the absence of muscle spindles and the presence of leaf-like receptors in the frog's geniohyoid muscle. The response pattern was studied during sinusoidal stretching of the muscle. Results are compared with the response patterns of two kinds of stretch receptors in the sartorius muscle.

1. In the sartorius muscle of the frog, the structure and function of the extrafusal receptors were compared with those of the spindle receptors.2. There were 5-7 spindle receptors and 10 or more extrafusal ones in a sartorius muscle.3. The structure of the spindle receptors in the sartorius muscle conformed. well with that observed in the small toe muscles by many workers, except that, in the living preparation, myelinated subbranches of the parent axon. within the spindle capsule assumed an appearance of chains of ball-like swellings. There was observed some seasonal variation in the size of these swellings.4. The parent axons supplying the spindle receptors ranged from 7 to 18μ in diameter, and the conduction velocity of the impulse travelling along them from 11.4 to 29.7m/sec.5. The spindle receptors were stimulated by stretching the muscle at a constant velocity and from the frequency-extension curves their static sensitivityto stretch was calculated as 12 impulses/sec/mm on the average. They generated impulses in response to abrupt focal deformation produced by the displacement of a glass rod. The mean threshold value to the displacement was, 17μ.6. In the proximity of the endings, the parent axon of the extrafusal receptors usually divides into two or three branches at every node and finally they form leaf-like expansions of unmyelinated threads, and accordingly its receptive field spreads over the surface of several or more muscle fibres.7. The parent axons of the extrafusal receptors were 3 to 11μ in diameter, and the conduction velocity of the impulse carried along them was between 10.2 and 20.0m/sec.8. The extrafusal receptors were distinguished from the motor end-plates for the following reasons:(i) Impulse discharges set up from the former inflow exclusively into the dorsal root;(ii) no miniature endplate potentials aredetected when a microelectrode is inserted into the muscle fibre in immediate juxtaposition to the former.9. The extrafusal receptors could be classified into two groups; one having threshold at extension of the muscle by 110% of the resting length in situ and another by 140%. The static sensitivity of the former was calculated as T impulses/sec/mm and that of the latter no less than the former. As for the: threshold to focal displacement, there was virtually no difference between them, the mean value being 52μ.10. The functional significance of afferent discharges from the extrafusal receptor was discussed in comparison with those of group Ib and group III muscle afferent.

1. Propagated action potentials were recorded across the paraffin gap situatedin the vicinity of the sensory endings in an isolated frog muscle spindle.The recorded triphasic potentials were considered to consist of two boundarycomponents which depend upon the position of the frontal and real bounda-ries between Ringer's and paraffin pools.2. The intervals between peaks of the frontal and the real boundary com-ponents decreased with decreasing length in the paraffin pool. An increasein the distance from the capsule of the isolated spindle to the paraffin poolresulted in decrease of the amplitude of an initial part (first component) inthe frontal boundary component, but produced an increase in the amplitudeof the second part (second component) until it attained a constant amplitude.3. When the node N2 (second proximal to the bifurcation node NO) wascrushed, the second component disappeared but the first component remainedas a monophasic action potential. This result indicates that the first com-ponent is originated from N1 or more distal nodes and the second is due toa propagated impulse initiated at nodes proximal to N2. It is assumed thatthe first component may be a sum of propagated impulses elicited synchronously along the branches of the parent axon in a spindle capsule.4. When temperature was raised or the spindle receptor was stimulatedstrongly, modification of configuration of the triphasic potential was observed.It is discussed that the modification may be due to a propagated impulseinitiated at more proximal nodes.

1. Liver tryptase activity (casein hydrolysis at pH 7.8) of rabbit treated with epinephrine through the systemic vein increases markedly, its hydrolysis amount becoming two times higher than that of those not treated. Such increased activity can be further activated in vitro in the presence of dialyzed albumin, manganese sulfate or the both. 2. Activity of ereptase (pepton hydrolysis at pH 7.8) and catheptase (casein, gelatin or pepton hydrolysis at pH 4.5) in animals so treated is higher than in those not treated. Increased activity of catheptase is further activated in vitro by cysteine. 3. Autolytic proteolysis eithr at pH 4.5 or 7.8 also increases markedly after epinephrine treatment. 4. Direct delivery through the portal vein to the liver exerts only a slight effect on the liver protease system. Insulin delivery produces slight augmentation of tryptase, but ereptase or catheptase remains un-affected. Spleen extirpation does not influence on epinephrine effect. 5. Histological examination of the liver delivered with epinephrine reveals only slight congestion of blood, this being in no relation to its protease activity. 6. Epinephrine or insulin delivery through either systemic or portal vein exerts no influence upon proteolysis of gastric mucosa or kidney. 7. Above augmentation phenomenon caused by epinephrine in liver protease system, it is suggested, relates to gluconeogenesis in liver. This work was carried out by a grant for development of scientific researches, given from the Ministry of Education. M. Hayakawa

In anesthetized in vivo preparations, responses of two types of extraocular muscle fibers have been studied. The small, multiply innervated slow fibers have been shown to be capable of producing propagated impulses, and thus have been labeled slow multi-innervated twitch fibers. Fast and slow multi-innervated twitch fibers are distinguished by impulse conduction velocities, by ranges of membrane potentials, by amplitudes and frequencies of the miniature end plate potentials, by responses to the intravenous administration of succinylcholine, by the frequency of stimulation required for fused tetanus, and by the velocities of conduction of the nerve fibers innervating each of the muscle fiber types.

1) When the action potential was led off from both end pools in a section box with two septa, each septum caused one diphasic action potentials respectively. This, the time interval between these two potentials and the distance between the two septa were measured for the calculation of conduction velocity.2) On the toad's sartorius muscle, the conduction velocity of fibrillary twitchings (BFT), is 1.9 rn/sec. on an average in the spring toad, and is equal to that of a normal twitch.3) The velocity varied widely with the season, e.g. in summer was 2.9 m/sec. at 20°C. of water temperature and in winter 1.36 m/sec. at 20°C. But the rate of increase of velocity against surrounding temperature was constant for all seasons.4) The velocity is slower at both tapering ends, and also in a vinyl pipe. By extending the muscle, the conduction time per a interseptal distance remains unchanged ; therefore that between two points of the muscle itself is increased, and it was found that about a 40% increase in muscle length was accompanied by about a 30% decrease in velocity.5) KCl, BaCl2 and acetylcholine increase the velocity of BFT, but CaCl2, SrCl2 and MgCl2 decrease it. When the velocity is slowed to less than half the normal value, the impulses of BFT are blocked.

The responses of muscle spindles during stretch by 2 mm at four different velocities between 2 and 20 mm per sec were studied in the frog masseter. The discharge of each spindle ending was recorded simultaneously with the tension development and the displacement of the muscle. The static index of the ending increased with extension of the initial length but was independent upon the velocity of the stretch. The dynamic index of the ending was dependent upon the velocity of the stretch and also upon the initial length. The ratio of the amounts of the dynamic index to the static index in the masseter spindle was compared to that in the sartorius spindle. The dynamic sensitivity of the masseter spindle was considerably lower in comparison with that in the sartorius spindle, whereas the static sensitivity in the masseter spindle was higher than that in the sartorius spindle.

1. Kidney, gastric mucosa or liver of rabbit has tryptase activity (hydrolysis of casein or gelatin) and its optimal reaction is near 7.8. Tryptic hydrolysis amounts are nearly constant with respect to each of these tissues throughout all the animals examined.2. Tryptase activity of liver or gastric mucosa is activated in the presence of dialyzed albumin solution.3. Tryptase activity of the gastric mucosa is found stronger than that of the liver, and ereptase activity (pepton, pH 7.8) is found stronger in the latter than in the former. Tryptase or ereptase activity of the kidney is, when compared with that of the gastric mucosa or those of the liver, exceedingly strong.4. By liver proteolysis, the hydrolysis of gelatin appears smaller than that of casein, and by gastric mucosa or by kidney proteolysis, the former is nearly equal to the latter.5. Hydrolysis of serum albumin or ovalbumin by these tissue homogenates at pH 7.8 is not recognizable.6. The above results are fairly consistent with those obtained with human gastric mucosa, and acceptance of the general existence in tissue cell of tryptase as a second intra-cellular proteinase other than catheptic proteinase is advocated. This work was carried out in part by a grant for development of scientific researches, given from the Ministry of Education. M. Hayakawa

1. Electrical responses of isolated leaf-like receptors in the frog sartorius muscle to muscle stretch were recorded by means of the paraffin gap method.2. The sensory terminal is always positive by 0.25 to 1mV to the proximal portion of the axon. The magnitude of the steady potential decreases with increase in the terminal-gap distance. Crushing of the axon, especially under the paraffin pool, yields large changes of the steady potential.3. A slow potential like a spindle potential in the muscle spindle receptor was observed during muscle stretch. The deflection was negative in some cases and positive in others, and the direction of the deflection was often changed by the movement of the axon in the paraffin pool during muscle stretch.4. Monophasic and triphasic spikes occurred superimposed on the slow potential during muscle stretch of supra-threshold strength, when recordings of potential changes were made across the paraffin gap situated at a point along the axon less than 1mm from the isolated end of the nerve. The amplitudes of the monophasic spike and of each peak in the triphasic spike except the notch decreased exponentially with increase of the terminal-gap distance from 2 to 7mm. Consequently, it has been considered that the notch may be due to the conductive impulse while the others may be local activities originating near the sensory terminal or may consist of both the local activity and the conductive spike.5. The slow potential and the local activities during muscle stretch were discussed in relation to a generator potential or a trigger mechanism in the mechanoreceptor.