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Power spectral analysis (PSA) of the variation in heart rate is useful in determining the relative activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. In this study, PSA was used to investigate the relationship between abnormalities in autonomic nerve function and the presence of thyroid disorders in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. The low frequency (LF) or high frequency (HF) components of R-R variations were determined by PSA. The coefficient of variation of the R-R time intervals (CV(R-R)) was positively correlated with HF in healthy subjects. In untreated hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease, the CV(R-R) and HF values were significantly lower than in healthy controls. Moreover, the LF/HF ratio in patients with untreated Graves' disease was significantly higher, and the LF/HF ratio in hypothyroid patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis was significantly lower than in healthy controls. A negative correlation was observed between serum levels of free thyroid hormones (FT4 and FT3) and HF in Graves' disease patients. In some hyperthyroid patients, antithyroid drug therapy or beta-blocker administration gradually restored reduced HF values. Present results suggest that relative vagal nerve activity is reduced in hyperthyroid patients and that this reduction is reversible according to the decrease in serum levels of thyroid hormones.

In this investigation, extensive soot reduction was attempted with two parallel approaches: blending of oxygenated fuel and generation of strong turbulence during the combustion process. In the early stage of usual diesel combustion, the droplets in the spray are thermally cracked to low boiling point components as C2 to C5 due to the shortage of oxygen, and these components result in the formation of soot. To control the thermal cracking process, the addition of oxygenated additives to the fuel was attempted. As a result, remarkable soot reduction was obtained by adding small amounts of oxygen to the fuel. To generate strong turbulence, a small chamber connected to the main combustion chamber was added and small amount of fuel were injected into the chamber, resulting in significant soot reduction. Additionally, a clearly apparent Nox reduction was obtained by the mixing control.

The ITER neutral beam injection system is designed to deliver a total of 50 MW additional heating power to plasma. The system consists of three units, each delWering 16.7 MW. The power balance of e...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between diabetic autonomic neuropathy and diabetic neuropathic foot ulceration, we used power spectral analysis (PSA) of heart rate variation, which provides the accurate simultaneous quantification of parasympathetic and sympathetic activities, to assess autonomic function in diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 55 NIDDM patients including 10 diabetic patients without neuropathy, 23 diabetic patients with neuropathy and no history of foot ulceration, and 22 diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration. We performed PSA of 100 R-R intervals at rest and analyzed the results by fast Fourier transformation. RESULTS The low frequency (LF) power, which reflects sympathetic activity, and the high frequency (HF) power, which reflects parasympathetic (vagal) activity, were inversely correlated with the duration of diabetes and the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels. By multiple regression analysis, the FPG remained with significant influence on both LF and HF powers. The LF and HF powers were positively correlated with motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV) and sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV) in the upper and lower limbs and the coefficient of variation of R-R intervals. The LF and HF powers were significantly reduced in patients with neuropathy and patients with foot ulceration compared with patients without neuropathy. Although the median MCV and SCV were similar between diabetic patients with neuropathy and patients with foot ulceration, both the LF and HF powers were significantly decreased in patients with foot ulceration compared with patients with neuropathy. There was no difference in the value of the LF:HF ratio, an index of sympathovagal balance, among three subgroups. We observed a positive correlation between LF and HF power in all subjects; however, the LF and HF powers were not correlated in the subgroups of patients with foot ulceration. CONCLUSIONS These results showed that diabetic patients with neuropathic foot ulceration have a greater impairment in spectral indexes of autonomic activity obtained by PSA than patients with neuropathy and no history of foot ulceration, whereas no difference was present in nerve conduction velocities.

Er σ -doped InP samples were investigated by X-ray CTR (crystal truncation rod) scattering measurement. The samples were prepared by OMVPE growth at 530°C, and after the growth annealed at 580, 630, and 650°C for 10–240 m. The distribution of Er atoms in InP was analyzed from the measured X-ray CTR spectra, and the diffusion coefficients of Er atoms in InP at 580, 630, and 650°C were obtained to be 1.2, 2.1 and 3.1×10 −18 cm 2 s −1 . Such small diffusion coefficients suggest that Er atoms in InP are substitutional type impurity or form stable micro-crystals in InP.

Low-temperature photoluminescence spectra of Er-doped GaP grown by low-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy was investigated under both above-band gap and below-band gap excitation conditions. Under all experimental conditions, similar Er-related spectra dominated by numerous sharp emission lines were obtained for the first time. The intensity dependence of the photoluminescence exhibits complicated behavior and is modeled using a unique energy-transfer process. The results obtained indicate that some Er-related luminescence centers are efficiently activated by direct excitation of electrons to some traps related to the luminescence centers.

PURPOSE Irinotecan (CPT-11) is effective against small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) as monotherapy. Cisplatin is also a key drug against SCLC. We conducted a phase II study of CPT-11 combined with cisplatin to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of this regimen in patients with previously untreated SCLC. PATIENTS AND METHODS Seventy-five patients with previously untreated SCLC were enrolled onto the study. CPT-11 60 mg/m2 was administered intravenously on days 1, 8, and 15 in combination with cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1 every 28 days. Four courses of chemotherapy followed by thoracic irradiation were given to patients with limited disease (LD) and six courses to patients with extensive disease (ED). RESULTS The overall response rate was 84%, with a complete response (CR) rate of 29%. Forty patients with LD achieved an overall response rate of 83% and a CR rate of 30% and 35 patients with ED achieved an overall response rate of 86% and a CR rate of 29%. The median response duration was 8.0 months for LD patients and 6.6 months for ED patients. The median survival was 14.3 months for LD patients and 13.0 months for ED patients. The major grade 3 or 4 toxicities were neutropenia (77%), leukopenia (45%), diarrhea (19%), and anemia (39%). Two patients died with concomitant neutropenia and diarrhea. CONCLUSION This is a new active regimen for SCLC, especially ED-SCLC, with acceptable toxicity. A phase III study that compares CPT-11/cisplatin with etoposide/cisplatin for ED-SCLC is now being conducted.

Fairly uniform Fe–C alloy deposits with bright appearance and characteristic black colour were obtained in Hull cell tests at 1.0A from baths with the following composition: FeSO4 0.5m or higher, citric acid 0.01m or lower, and pH around 2.0. The carbon content of the deposits from these baths ranged between 1.0 and 1.2wt% and the Vickers hardness was HV700 or above over a wide area of the Hull cell cathode. The thickness distribution of the deposits on the Hull cell cathode from these baths suggested that the current efficiency was 100% and the local current density obeyed the primary current distribution, except for the region near the low-current-density (LCD) end where the thickness decreased unexpectedly. The addition of chloride ion as NaCl, at concentrations of 1.0m or above, improved the thickness in the LCD region, and the thickness distribution on the Hull cell cathode suggested that current efficiency was 100% even at the LCD end. Chloride ion did no t affect the carbon content or the hardness of the deposits. Polarization measurements showed that the hydrogen ion reduction occurred at more noble potentials than Fe deposition. The unexpected thickness decrease near the LCD end, observed in Hull cell tests, and the improvement of this by adding chloride ion were both accounted for by the change in the preceding hydrogen ion reduction rate. The increase in citric acid concentration enhanced hydrogen ion reduction and therefore caused a lowering of current efficiency at low current densities. On the other hand, the addition of chloride ion inhibited hydrogen ion reduction and caused an increase in current efficiency at low current density.

We examined whether warm ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) damage of the rat steatotic liver can be reduced by administration of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe). We examined the effect of SAMe on the mitochondrial reduced-glutathione (GSH) pool. Sixty minutes of partial left lobar vascular clamping followed by 2 h of reperfusion were employed for a model of hepatic warm ischemia. Either 5% dextrose or SAMe was injected intraperitoneally 2 h before I/R in steatotic rats (S-D5% or S-SAMe group). Serum liver enzyme concentrations 2 h after reperfusion were significantly lower in the S-SAMe group than in the S-D5% group. The cytosolic and mitochondrial GSH concentrations after I/R were significantly higher in the S-SAMe group than in the S-D5% group (p < 0.05). The cytosolic and mitochondrial oxidized-glutathione/GSH ratios after I/R were significantly greater in the S-D5% group than in the S-SAMe group (p < 0.01). The adenosine triphosphate concentration was higher in the S-SAMe group than in the S-D5% group (p = 0.0515). These results show that hepatocellular and mitochondrial oxidative stress after I/R in the steatotic liver can be reduced by administration of SAMe. The results also show that mitochondrial function and hepatocellular integrity can be restored by administration of SAMe in steatotic rats.

Serum levels of markers for bone remodeling and diabetic metabolic markers were measured in subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) to investigate the relationship between early diabetic nephropathy and calcium/bone metabolism. 1 α ,25(OH) 2 D 3 (Vit D), osteocalcin (OC), intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) and urine albumin excretion (UAE) were measured in all subjects. Serum levels of Vit D and OC were significantly decreased in diabetic subjects compared to age-matched, non-diabetic controls. In diabetic patients, a significant positive correlation was observed between intact PTH and OC. No significant correlation was found between levels of Vit D and OC. In early diabetic nephropathy without increased serum creatinine, Vit D decreased and OC increased with increasing UAE. Levels of hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) and fructosamine (FRA) were not correlated with levels of Vit D or OC. Levels of Vit D were decreased and levels of OC were increased in diabetic subjects with proliferative retinopathy or with micro- or macro-albuminuria. Conclusions : Results of the present study indicate that changes in bone remodeling markers such as Vit D and OC levels are present in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy, and that circulating intact PTH is important in restoring the reduced OC levels in diabetic patients, probably as a reflection of bone remodeling.

An efficient and enantiocontrolled total synthesis of (+)- O -methylpodocarpic acid 2 has been accomplished by employing a combined strategy of the lipase-mediated kinetic resolution of the tricyclic allyl alcohol (±)- 7 and a highly diastereoselective silylmethyl radical cyclization of 5 leading to the tetracyclic silyl ether 4 .

The layer structure and crystal structure of an Er δ-doped layer in InP are analyzed in a one monolayer (ML) level by an x-ray crystal truncation rod (CTR) scattering measurement using synchrotron radiation. The Er δ-doped InP sample is prepared by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy using trimethylindium, tertiarybutylphosphine, and tris(methyl-cyclopentadienyl)erbium as source materials. The analysis is made by comparing the measured CTR spectra and theoretically generated ones assuming four possible crystal structures for the Er δ-doped layers. We reveal that the Er atoms in InP form the rocksalt structure ErP. In the analysis of the crystal structure the x-ray interference plays a vital role. Er distribution in the δ-doped layer is clearly resolved in 1 ML level. It is shown that the Er atoms are well confined in 5 ML(15 A) thickness. The total amount of Er atoms is 0.171 ML, which is quite close to 0.2 ML obtained by Rutherford backscattering measurement on the same sample.

We have successfully obtained InAs islands on InP (001) by a novel droplet hetero-epitaxy using low-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy (LP-OMVPE). The island growth sequence was initiated by trimethylindium (TMIn) supply in H2 atmosphere which was intended to form In droplets and followed by tertiarybutylarsine (TBAs) supply after the TMIn supply was stopped at a growth temperature. By this process, large islands of which height was above 100 nm with clear facets were observed under atomic force microscope (AFM). Using a modified sequence in which the TMIn supply was stopped and the substrate temperature was lowered before the TBAs supply, the appearance of the islands was drastically changed. In the specimen prepared by this sequence at the same substrate temperature, small islands of about 10 nm in height were observed together with the large islands. In order to form smaller islands and to suppress formation of the large islands, the substrate temperature dependence of the islands from 530 to 610°C were investigated. The smallest islands with the height of 5 nm were obtained at the substrate temperature of 565°C.

A negative-ion-based neutral beam injector (N-NBI) has been constructed for JT-60U. The N-NBI is designed to inject 500 keV, 10 MW neutral beams using two ion sources, each producing a 500 keV, 22 A D- ion beam. In the preliminary experiment using one ion source, a D- ion beam of 13.5 A has been successfully accelerated with an energy of 400 keV (5.4 MW) for 0.12 s at an operating pressure of 0.22 Pa. This is the highest D- beam current and power in the world. Co-extracted electron current was effectively suppressed to the ratio of Ie/I D - < 1. The highest energy beam of 460 keV, 2.4 A, 0.44 s has also been obtained. To realize 1 MeV class NBI system for ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor), demonstration of ampere class negative ion beam acceleration up to I MeV is an important mile stone. To achieve the mile stone, a prototype accelerator and a I MV, I A test facility called MeV Test Facility (MTF) were constructed. Up to now, an H- ion beam was accelerated up to the energy of 805 keV with an acceleration drain current of 150 mA for 1 s in a five stage electrostatic multi-aperture accelerator.

An efficient and enantiocontrolled synthesis of triptoquinone B and C, which possess interleukin-1 inhibitory activity, has been accomplished employing the lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution and a highly diastereoselective radical cyclization as key synthetic steps. In addition, the first total synthesis of triptocallol has been achieved utilizing the same strategy.

A shell-type superconducting transformer was developed for experiments using Nb3Sn superconducting cables. The designed capacity is 667 kVA (single phase), the voltage is 440/220 V, the current is 1515/3030 A and the percent impedance is 16 percent. Main features of the transformer are as follows: (1) Magnetic field in superconducting coils is decreased by increasing the number of high and low coil groups. (2) Large-scale superconducting cables are not needed when the number of high and low coil groups is increased. (3) Epoxy impregnated coils are used to withstand an electromagnetic force at 120 Hz. The Nb3Sn basic strand was manufactured by the internal tin diffusion process. The cable consists of seven insulated subcables, and the subcable consists of seven strands. The primary (HV) coil of the transformer was excited, in which the secondary (LV) coil was shortened. The primary current reached 1618 Arms without quenching, and the reached capacity corresponds to 712 KA. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (3): 13–21, 1997

Giant magnetoresistance (MR) effect has been investigated for Fe-rich FeCoNi(1.5 nm)/Cu(0.8 to 2.6 nm) multilayers deposited by rf magnetron sputtering method on MgO(100) or glass substrates with Fe buffer layers. The MR ratio, the antiferromagnetic coupling strength and the film structure were examined for the multilayers with the magnetic layers of Fe 56 Co 30 Ni 14 . The multilayers exhibit oscillatory MR as a function of Cu thicknesses in the same manner as Fe/Cu multilayers. The multilayer of glass/Fe/[Fe 56 Co 30 Ni 14 (1.5 nm)/Cu(1.3 nm)] 20 exhibited a large MR ratio of 24% at room temperature and 40% at 77 K. After annealing at 250°C, the MR ratio became still larger, 40% at RT and 67% at 77 K, which are comparable to those of Co/Cu multilayers.

The pulsed electroacoustic method (PEA) has been applied to observe space charge formation under ac application (7 kV/sub pk/, 50, 0.1 and 0.001 Hz) in water-treed polyethylene samples in order to understand the degradation mechanism of water trees. A system with phase-resolving capability has been developed to measure the space charge distribution at any phase angle of the applied ac voltage. By comparing the observed charge distributions with theoretically predicted ones, it has been shown that the interfacial polarization due to the difference in conductivity between the treed and the regions without trees dominate the space charge behavior. It has become clear that the PEA method can be a powerful nondestructive method for evaluating water tree length.

The thermal stability of spin valves consisting of amorphous CoFeB layer(s) has been investigated. The structural properties were investigated by XRD and extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy for as-deposited and annealed films. The structure of CoFeB layer was confirmed amorphous and stable up to about 250°C. After annealing at 300°C, it became fcc-like. The MR ratio of NiO/CoFeB(2 nm)/Cu(2 nm)/CoFeB(6 nm) increased from 4 to about 8% after annealing at 200°C, while that of Co(2 nm)/Cu(2 nm)/CoFeB(4 nm) increased from 6 to about 10%.

Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria, Thiobacillus thiooxidans, werefound in a highly acidic (pH = 1∼1.5) crater lake, Yugama,seasonally flowing streams and soil in the catchment area of thecrater. Thiobacillus ferrooxidans was also found in some ofthe streams but not in the lake itself. The lake water containsaqueous carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, polythionates andelemental sulfur in suspension which are the substrates for thegrowth of the sulfur-oxidizing bacteria as no organic compoundsexcept for the microorganisms themselves were detected. Thebacteria isolated from the Yugama water preferred polythionatesin the following order: S4O62> S5O62> S6O62On the other hand,H2S was more rapidly consumed by the bacteria thanpolythionates which were followed by elemental sulfur. In thecase of test-tube incubation, the optimum pH of the solution forgrowth of the bacteria was between 1.0 and 1.5, and forcultivation in growth medium plates between 2.5 and 3.5. Thebacteria hardly proliferated at pH 0.5 or below. In accordancewith these characteristics of the bacteria, numbers of thebacteria in the surface Yugama crater lake water were at minimum(< a few cells/mL) in February and at maximum (106 cell/mL)in August. The bacterial activity changed in accordance with thesurface lake water temperature, but not necessarily with thevariations in H2S and polythionates concentrations of the lakewater. Based on the variation in sulfur isotope ratios of sulfateand experimentally determined rate of oxidation of H2S in thelake water, the sulfate production rate by the bacteria in thecatchment area and the lake were estimated to 9.5 and 8.4g/m2/day, respectively, during the period from 1988 to 1990when the volcanic activity at Yugama was at minimum. Also stream,hydrothermal, H2S-oxidated SO24-inputs and outputs byseepage and precipitation have been calculated as 4.1, 32, 0.56,36, and 1.2 ton/day, respectively.

A large number of hazards all over the world are caused by debris flows and landslides, and this is especially so every year in Japan. In June 1999, August 2005, July 2010 in the Hiroshima prefecture, and in July 2009 in the Yamaguchi prefecture, there were many hazardous occurrences of large debris flows and landslides owing to torrential downpours. Through the survey made of these hazards it seems that there are two main factors causing the increase of hazards and consequent risks. The two main factors are the contiguity of urbanization of hillsides and the bio-deterioration of mechanical structures of the ground on hillsides caused by eutrophication (nutrient enrichment). The eutrophication promotes microbial activities that deteriorate the mechanical structures of the ground on the hillside slopes. Microorganisms promote the weathering of rocks to soils and cause aggregation of soils by their metabolites. Aggregated structures of soils wet the ground to decrease the resistance to landslides. It seems that microbial activities accelerate the occurrence of debris flows. The eutrophication causes the bio-weathering of the ground. This contribution describes the investigation of the relationships between debris flows and microorganisms activated by eutrophication of hillside ecosystems in order to construct a precise model of occurrence of debris flows. The model may be able to mitigate the hazards. Identification of microorganisms in the subsurface of the hillside was obtained by using a molecular biological technique. It was observed that the values of the eutrophication index (TC and TN) are high in the weathered rock and low in the unweathered rock. Thus weathering of rock can

Emission of muonium ($\mu^{+}e^{-}$) atoms from silica aerogel into vacuum was observed. Characteristics of muonium emission were established from silica aerogel samples with densities in the range from 29 mg cm$^{-3}$ to 178 mg cm$^{-3}$. Spectra of muonium decay times correlated with distances from the aerogel surfaces, which are sensitive to the speed distributions, follow general features expected from a diffusion process, while small deviations from a simple room-temperature thermal diffusion model are identified. The parameters of the diffusion process are deduced from the observed yields., Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, submitted to PTEP

A 1 MeV, 50 MW Negative-ion-based Neutral Beam Injector (N-NBI) is proposed as a promising heating and current drive system for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The most cru...

We investigate characteristic properties of effective meson-exchange potentials to achieve a simultaneous description of the nucleon-nucleon ({ital NN}) and hyperon-nucleon ({ital YN}) interactions in the (3{ital q})-(3{ital q}) resonating-group formulation of the spin-flavor SU{sub 6} quark model. The quark Hamiltonian includes a phenomenological confinement potential of {ital r}{sup 2} type, the full Fermi-Breit interaction with explicit quark-mass dependence, and the central, spin-spin, and tensor components of the meson-exchange potentials generated from the scalar and pseudoscalar meson nonet exchanges. A small number of parameters are determined to fit the {ital S}- and {ital P}-wave {ital NN} phase shifts and the low-energy cross-section data for {ital YN} scattering. Satisfactory agreement with experiment is obtained, including the {ital NN} phase shifts up to {ital J}=4 partial waves, the deuteron properties, the effective-range parameters, and the total and differential cross sections of the {Lambda}{ital N} and {Sigma}{ital N} systems. In the intermediate-energy region with {ital p}{sub lab}{ge} 400{endash}500 MeV/{ital c}, some discrepancies from the one-boson exchange potentials, such as the Nijmegen and J{umlt u}lich models, are found for the {ital YN} scattering observables. In particular, the total nuclear cross sections of {Sigma}{sup +}{ital p} elastic scattering show a smooth decreasing behavior in this energymore » region. In {Lambda}{ital p} elastic total cross sections, the cusp structure appearing at the {Sigma}{ital N} threshold through the one-pion tensor force is influenced by the antisymmetric {ital LS}{sup ({minus})} force generated from the Fermi-Breit interaction. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}« less

The reactions of [Fe 3 (CO) 12 ] with the bidentate phosphines 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe), 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane (dppb), 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) and 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)benzene (dppbz) using trimethylamine N-oxide as decarbonylating agent produce the chelated [Fe 3 (CO) 8 ( μ -CO) 2 ( μ , η 2 -diphosphine)] and the new series of symmetrical [{Fe 3 (CO) 9 ( μ -CO) 2 } 2 ( μ , η 2 -diphosphine)] and unsymmetrical [Fe 3 (CO) 9 ( μ -CO) 2 ]( μ - η 2 -diphosphine)[Fe(CO) 4 ] bridged complexes, in reasonable yield. The complexes were characterized by IR, 31 P and 13 C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. Electrochemical studies on these compounds reveal that the substitution of one or more phosphine ligands for carbon monoxide of [Fe 3 (CO) 12 ] results in a more cathodic potential for the first reduction peak, but is insensitive to the σ-donor capabilities of the ligands.

The effects of interfacial layers with high impurity concentration on the properties of homoepitaxial InP layers have been studied by far-infrared (FIR) magnetoabsorption, in addition to dc mobility, Hall effect, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The layers are grown by organometallic vapor phase epitaxy with trimethylindium and tertiarybutylphosphine. Impurity absorption as well as cyclotron resonance is observed in the FIR measurements. Variations in the intensity of the resonance signals and the mobilities obtained from the linewidths of the cyclotron resonance are interpreted by a double layer model, i.e. a bulk layer with an interfacial layer. Carrier concentrations, dc mobilities, and PL intensities of both bound excitons and free excitons are also explained by the model.

Technologies producing high power negative ion beams have been highly developed over the years at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute for use in neutral beam injectors for heating the thermonuclear fusion plasmas. At present, it is possible to produce multiampere H−/D− ion beams quasicontinuously at energies of more than a few hundred keV with a good beam optics of beamlet divergence of a few mrad. Based on these technologies, two research and development projects have been initiated; one is to develop a 22 A/500 keV/10 s D− ion source for the neutral beam injector for JT‐60U, and the other is to develop a 1 A/1 MeV/60 s H− ion source to demonstrate high current negative ion acceleration up to the energy of 1 MeV, the energy required for the neutral beam injector for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.

The loss of heterozygosity that is frequently observed at chromosome 8p22→p21.3 in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), colorectal cancers (CRC), prostate cancers (PRC), and non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), suggests the presence there of one or more tumor suppressor genes associated with development and/or progression of these types of carcinomas. We have constructed a cosmid contig map of the target region by means of Southern hybridization and have isolated 45 exon-like fragments by exon amplification, using cosmid clones derived from three yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). The map and the exon-like fragments reported here will be useful resources for isolation of the putative tumor suppressor gene(s) as well as other novel genes located in the 8p22→p21.3 region.

A shell-type superconducting transformer was developed for experiments using Nb3Sn superconducting cables. The designed capacity is 667 kVA (single phase), the voltage is 440/220 V, the current is 1515/3030 A and the percent impedance is 16 percent. Main features of the transformer are as follows: (1) Magnetic field in superconducting coils is decreased by increasing the number of high and low coil groups. (2) Large-scale superconducting cables are not needed when the number of high and low coil groups is increased. (3) Epoxy impregnated coils are used to withstand an electromagnetic force at 120 Hz. The Nb3Sn basic strand was manufactured by the internal tin diffusion process. The cable consists of seven insulated subcables, and the subcable consists of seven strands. The primary (HV) coil of the transformer was excited, in which the secondary (LV) coil was shortened. The primary current reached 1618 Arms without quenching, and the reached capacity corresponds to 712 KA. © 1997 Scripta Technica, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 118 (3): 13–21, 1997

The formation of thermoreversible gels from aqueous aluminum polyphosphate solutions was previously assigned to hydration-dependent interionic associations, but these were not elucidated. In the present work, aluminum-phosphate interactions were examined by 31 P- and 27 Al-NMR spectroscopy of aqueous aluminum polyphosphate solutions and gels, at various P/Al ratios and temperatures. The fraction of aluminum and phosphate groups actually involved in the sol–gel transition is small, as evidenced by the comparison of spectra of solutions at various P/Al ratios and temperatures, in which only minor spectral changes are actually associated with gel formation. Chemical groups responsible for network formation are mainly Al- (H 2 O) 4 (PO 3 ) 2 groups, in which the phosphate ligands are polyphosphate chain-ends. Within the gels, a large fraction of total aluminum is found as hexaquoaluminum ions, as evidenced by 27 Al-NMR spectra; on the other hand, 31 P-NMR spectra show that most phosphate ions are associated. These data indicate that bonding and bridging involve both inner- and outer-coordination sphere interactions. The former depend on ligand exchange reactions with half-life on the order of magnitude of a few seconds, which explains the time dependence of thermoreversible sol–gel transformations, in this system.

Coffee consumption has been reported to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in experimental and epidemiological studies. This anti-diabetic effect of coffee may be attributed to its high content in polyphenols especially caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. However, the association between plasma coffee polyphenols and diabetic risks has never been investigated in the literature. In this study, fasting plasma samples were collected from 57 generally healthy females aged 38–73 (mean 52, s.d. 8) years recruited in Himeji, Japan. The concentrations of plasma coffee polyphenols were determined by liquid chromatography coupled with mass tandem spectrometer. Diabetes biomarkers in the plasma/serum samples were analysed by a commercial diagnostic laboratory. Statistical associations were assessed using Spearman’s correlation coefficients. The results showed that plasma chlorogenic acid exhibited negative associations with fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin and C-reactive protein, whereas plasma total coffee polyphenol and plasma caffeic acid were weakly associated with these biomarkers. Our preliminary data support previous findings that coffee polyphenols have anti-diabetic effects but further replications with large samples of both genders are recommended.

To search for an S= -1 di-baryonic state which decays to $\Lambda p$, the $ {\rm{}^3He}(K^-,\Lambda p)n_{missing}$ reaction was studied at 1.0 GeV/$c$. Unobserved neutrons were kinematically identified from the missing mass $M_X$ of the $ {\rm{}^3He}(K^-,\Lambda p)X$ reaction in order to have a large acceptance for the $\Lambda pn$ final state. The observed $\Lambda p n$ events, distributed widely over the kinematically allowed region of the Dalitz plot, establish that the major component comes from a three nucleon absorption process. A concentration of events at a specific neutron kinetic energy was observed in a region of low momentum transfer to the $\Lambda p$. To account for the observed peak structure, the simplest S-wave pole was assumed to exist in the reaction channel, having Breit-Wigner form in energy and with a Gaussian form-factor. A minimum $\chi^2$ method was applied to deduce its mass $M_X\ =$ 2355 $ ^{+ 6}_{ - 8}$ (stat.) $ \pm 12$ (syst.) MeV/c$^2$, and decay-width $\Gamma_X\ = $ 110 $ ^{+ 19}_{ - 17}$ (stat.) $ \pm 27$ (syst.) MeV/c$^2$, respectively. The form factor parameter $Q_X \sim$ 400 MeV/$c$ implies that the range of interaction is about 0.5

We have carried out double-station TV meteor observations between 1990 and 1994. The orbits of 326 meteors have been determined from doubly observed meteors, and radiant distributions are studied. The mean magnitude of the observed meteors was as faint as +4.7, since I.I. (Image Intensifier) and Video cameras were used. Radiants were widely distributed over the celestial sphere. The velocity distribution showed some similarity with the distribution predicted by the theoretical radiant distribution from comets rather than that from asteroids. In all 13 showers including both major and minor meteor showers were detected from radiant distributions of the observed meteors; from the orbital elements and meteor velocities as well as from the radiant directions.

In a previous paper, the authors have investigated the relation between the behaviour of departing drops and the heat transfer on the surface of a horizontal tube. It was found that the departing drops on the condensing surface caused two significant effects, i.e. a sweeping effect and a covering effect. The heat transfer characteristics on the horizontal tube were measured and reported. The purposes of the present paper are to explore a model for calculating the behaviour of the departing drops on an inclined tube and through it to examine the heat transfer characteristics. The effect of the departing drops on the heat transfer is deduced and the phenomenon is clarified. The authors have also found that the heat transfer associated with both the sweeping and covering actions by the departing drops has its maximum at an inclination angle of the condensing tube of α ≈ 30° .

We have observed extremely wide spectral range electroluminescence (EL) from InAs quantum dots (QDs) on (001) InP substrates at room temperature. The InAs QDs were grown by droplet heteroepitaxy using a low-pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxial system. Room-temperature EL in a very wide wavelength range from 950 to 2200 nm was observed from InAs QDs embedded in InP matrix. The wide range emission indicates that the QDs have white optical gain in the infrared region at room temperature, which can be applied to efficient optical amplifiers for 1.0–1.6 μm fiber communication.

Protein-energy malnutrition is a common disorder in the elderly. Although serum albumin is commonly used as a nutritional marker, data is lacking on serum albumin levels in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum albumin levels decrease with advancing age and to establish reference value and interval of laboratory data for elderly people (75 years and over). Blood samples from 13821 healthy people, 42064 outpatients, and 15959 inpatients were collected during 2008. Blood from 127 of our nutrition support team (NST) patients was also collected during August 2006 and May 2009, and analyzed. Serum albumin, hemoglobin, total cholesterol levels and lymphocyte count were determined. We analyzed the change in each parameter in accordance with age, compared the data for elderly people with younger people, and established new reference values. Clinical outcomes were examined depending on the improved reference values. Albumin was lower in older persons than in younger persons. The estimated reference value and interval were 42 (48–36) g/l in older persons and was much lower in NST patients. Hemoglobin was decreased while cholesterol and lymphocyte count were not changed in older persons: all were markedly decreased in NST patients. Terms of hospital stay were significantly longer and mortality rates were significantly higher in older persons, comparing from above to below using a new reference value of albumin (36 g/l). The serum albumin level decreases with advancing age, but it was maintained to some extent in healthy older people. Serum albumin levels related to the clinical outcome. Hemoglobin and cholesterol levels and lymphocyte count were all lower in NST patients. These measurements may be valuable markers of nutritional status and can help in guiding the need for nutritional support.

Cellulose-supported zirconium dioxide was prepared by reaction of ethanolic zirconium tetrachloride solution with a-cellulose. The treated cellulose was characterized by C-13 cross-polarization magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance, powder X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The results show that the zirconium tetrachloride reacts with a-cellulose, giving origin to zirconium dioxide (ZrOz) agglomerates on the surface of cellulose fibers. The reaction increased the crystallinity of cellulose. This was attributed mainly to the reaction of hydrogen chloride, generated during the dissolution of zirconium tetrachloride in ethanol, with the amorphous regions of cellulose. Finally, the interaction of cellulose and the oxide is only through London forces.

The total proton and carbon-13 NMR assignments of quinghaosu I, II and V isolated from Artemisia annua cultivated in Brazil and of the synthetic derivatives quinghaosu alkene, ketone and epoxy are reported. The conformations and conformational equilibria of these compounds in solution were obtained from the spectral data and molecular mechanics calculations.

myo-Inositol, a major compatible osmolyte in renal medulla, is accumulated in kidney-derived epithelial cells cultured in hypertonic media via Na/myoinositol cotransporter (SMIT). The altered medium osmolality of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells leads to changes in the transcription of the SMIT gene and mRNA abundance. To investigate whether SMIT is regulated by tonicity in vivo, renal medullary myoinositol and SMIT mRNA was measured in rats in hydrated and dehydrated states. Rats were divided into two groups: (1) hydrated rats, free access to 3% sucrose water; (2) dehydrated rats, 3 days of water deprivation. Urine sodium, potassium, urea, and osmolality in dehydrated rats were significantly higher than in hydrated rats. Renal medullary sodium, urea, and myo-inositol in dehydrated rats were significantly higher than in hydrated rats. Northern analysis revealed that there was a message hybridized to SMIT cDNA in the cortex and outer and inner medulla of the kidney. Compared with hydrated rats, SMIT mRNA in dehydrated rats was 2.6-fold higher in the outer medulla and 2.5-fold higher in the inner medulla. These results indicate that there is osmoregulatory SMIT in the outer and inner medulla of the kidney and that myo-inositol accumulation in this region is probably due to the increased expression of the SMIT gene.

An alkylphenol ethoxylate-degrading bacterium was isolated from activated sludge of a municipal sewage treatment plant by enrichment culture. This organism was found to belong to the genus Pseudomonas; since no corresponding species was identified, we designated it as Pseudomonas sp. strain TR01. This strain had an optimal temperature and pH of 30 degrees C and 7, respectively, for both growth and the degradation of Triton N-101 (a nonylphenol ethoxylate in which the average number of ethylene oxide [EO] units is 9.5). The strain was unable to mineralize Triton N-101 but was able to degrade its EO chain exclusively. The resulting dominant intermediate was identified by normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry as a nonylphenol ethoxylate with 2 mol of EO units. A carboxylated metabolite, [(nonylphenoxy)ethoxy]acetic acid, was detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. This bacterium also metabolized alcohol ethoxylates with various numbers of EO units but not polyethylene glycols whatever their degree of polymerization. By oxygen consumption assay, the alkyl group or arene corresponding to the hydrophobic part of alcohol ethoxylates or alkylphenol ethoxylates was shown to contribute to the induction of the metabolic system of the EO chain of Triton N-101, instead of the EO chain itself, which corresponds to its hydrophilic part. Thus, the isolated pseudomonad bacterium has unique substrate assimilability: it metabolizes the EO chain only when the chain linked to bulky hydrophobic groups.

DC excitation of transformers due to geomagnetically induced currents was studied by model experiments. First, differences in the DC excitation phenomenon due to the iron core structure were studied using three typical small-scale models. The results verified that single-phase three-legged cores were most susceptible and three-phase three-legged cores least susceptible to such excitation effects. Secondly, the local heating due to DC excitation was quantitatively assessed using large-scale core form and shell form models with the most susceptible single-phase three-legged cores. The results demonstrated that the maximum temperature rise was approximately 110/spl deg/C due to the GIC (200 A/3 phases). >