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The following equations are proposed for the cadmium distribution coefficient between sea water and foraminifera (D∗) in the Pacific, Antarctic, and Indian Oceans: [1000 m depth ∗ = 1.3 + ( depth − 1000)(1.0/3000) [4000 m depth ] D ∗ = 2.3 . These are slightly lower than the distribution coemcient in the Atlantic. We also propose the 13C distribution coefficients in the Atlantic and other oceans to be 0.99995 and 1.00015, respectively. If these new distribution coefficients are adopted for previously analyzed data (Boyle, 1992), these two tracers corroborate the theory that glacial deep water (water depths between 2000 and 4000 m) was more nutrient-rich than today. We also provide benthic foraminifera Cd Ca records for several sediment cores recovered from the western equatorial Pacific. They suggest that deep water (water depth of 2500 m) cadmium concentration in the glacial Pacific was 30% higher than that of the present-day and that it fluctuated strongly during the period of deglaciation.

Chlorine adsorption on the reconstructed Au(001) surface causes de-reconstruction to a 1*1 structure at room temperature above an absolute coverage of approximately 0.06. The de-reconstruction is considered to be due to the chemical-bonding effect between the adsorbate and the substrate in the same way as that in potassium adsorption on Au(001). Various superlattice patterns in low-energy electron diffraction are observed at low temperature ( approximately 100 K) which form a one-dimensional structure depending on coverage. The coverage dependence of the thermal desorption spectra for the Cl and Cl2 species suggests a frustrated desorption from one-dimensional chains formed by adsorbates.

Magnetic measurements have been performed on silver clad Tl‐1223 and Tl‐2223 tapes and a Tl‐1223 single crystal to study the critical current properties of these samples. The Tl‐1223 tape is shown by both magnetic and transport experiments to exhibit a highly granular nature, much more severe than that seen in the Tl‐2223 tape, and in Bi‐2223 tapes fabricated by similar rolling and pressing techniques. This characteristic is explained in terms of the poor grain alignment in the Tl‐1223 tape resulting from the spherical morphology of Tl‐1223 powders, in contrast with the micaceous and easily aligned Bi‐2223 and Bi‐2212 materials. However, evidence of a small number of strong intergrain links which remain superconducting at 77 K and 8 T is clear. The Tl‐1223 single crystal exhibits clear anisotropic behavior, and this, together with the lack of good crystallographic alignment in the tapes is used to explain the variations in irreversibility line behavior between sample forms. The ratio of the irreversibilit...

Background There is little evidence on prediction of clinical response to biologics in patients with RA. Recently, it has been suggested that clinical response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors was related to periodontal conditions, which might be affected by infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis ( P.g. ). Additionally, serum antibody responses to P. g were associated with RA and periodontitis.Newly established test of antibody against hemin binding protein 35 (HBP) of P.g. , which has an ability specifically bind to P.g. containing protein HBP, can be available. Objectives To evaluate whether serum antibody responses to P.g. antigens and periodontal conditions are associated with clinical response to biologics in patients with RA. Methods 20 patients with severe RA enrolled in this study were treated with biologics according to the usual regimen. Clinical background and disease parameters were assessed at entry. DAS28-CRP was evaluated at 6 months (reassessment) after the initiation of biologics. Periodontal conditions were also assessed at entry. Serum levels of antibodies against P.g. sonicated extracts (SE) and HBP of P.g. were determined by enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay, respectively. Results Their mean (SD) age was 57.2 (13.4) years. Patients were predominantly women (85%) with mean disease duration of 8.2 (6) years.10 patients were treated with TNF-i, 7 with IL-6 blocker and 3 with CTLA4-Ig, respectively. Most patients had active disease with DAS28-CRP 4.2 (0.9) at baseline, and showed an improvement of DAS28-CRP 2.87 (0.82) at reassessment. Seven patients (35%) achieved remission (DAS28-CRP

Background Iguratimod, a member of the family of methanesulfonanilide, is a relatively new oral anti-rheumatic medication. Although most of the members of this family act as cyclooxygenase 2 inhibitor, iguratimod has been considered to be a novel immunomodulator agent. Little data exists regarding its safety and tolerability in patients with comorbid illnesses. Objectives To determine the safety and retention rate of Iguratimod in high risk patients. Methods For the period from December 2012 to July 2015, a retrospective review of medical records was performed at our institution for all patients who had been treated with Iguratimod for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Baseline characteristic and clinical course were reviewed. For the analysis, using Kaplan-Meier curves, a comparison of adverse events and the number of treatment switches by each risk category (history of malignant neoplasms, latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI), underlying pulmonary disease, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR 2 )) was conducted. Results A total of 173 patients were included in this study. The mean age was 68.7 yrs, and the disease duration was 12±10 yrs. Positivity of ACPA was 79% (the mean titer was 127.3 U/mL). Thirty nine patients (22.5%) have history of neoplasms (over 5 years before: n=13, within 5 years: n=14, on current treatment or on best supportive care (BSC): n=12). Thirty eight patients (22%) have LTBI, 46 patients have underlying pulmonary disease (Interstitial pneumonia: n=30, others: n=16). Estimated eGFR Adverse effects (AE) include rash (n=4), gastrointestinal symptoms (n=10), liver function test abnormality (n=12), renal impairment (n=9), and interstitial pneumoniae (n=3). None of the patients developed tuberculosis or HBV reactivation during the follow-up period. During the study period, 8 out of the 12 patients with current neoplasms were able to continue Iguratimod. Three patients who currently had neoplasms died during the study (all of whom were BSC patients at the baseline, and the follow-up periods were 199, 378, and 610 days, respectively). One patient was taken off Iguratimod due to an abnormality in the liver function test. There was no statistical significance on the log-rank analysis for AE, and the number of treatment switches was LTBI (p=0.183), neoplasms (p=0.185), underlying pulmonary disease (p=0.136), and eGFR Conclusions This study demonstrated the safety and tolerability of Iguratimod for established high-risk RA patients. References Lu LJ, et al. Multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of treatment of active rheumatoid arthritis with T-614 compared with methotrexate. Arthritis Care & Research 2009; 61 979–987 Hara M, et al. Safety and efficacy of combinaion therapy of iguratimod with methotrexate for patients with active rheumatoid arthritis with an inadequate responce to methtrecate: An open label extension of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Modern rheumatology 2014; 24: 410–418. Disclosure of Interest None declared

Bulk boronized graphites and SiC converted CFC were irradiated by an electron beam with a heat flux ranging from 2 to 6 MW/m2 for a time period up to 120 s in ACT of NIFS. The surface temperature was observed to be as high as 2600°C. The evaporation amounts of metal and carbon contents were measured by a weight loss method. The depth composition profile and surface morphology before and after irradiation were also examined. The boron content largely evaporated at a temperature higher than about 1700°C. The evaporation rate of boron was observed to rapidly increase both with boron concentration and surface temperature. After the boron evaporation, the evaporation of the carbon occurred at a temperature higher than 2000°C. For the SiC converted CFC, the silicon largely evaporated at a temperature above 1500–1600°C. The present results show that both the bulk boronized graphite and the SiC converted CFC should be used in an environment with a relatively low temperature, less than 1500–1700°C.

The 46-kDa surface antigen (P46) is the early and species-specific immunogenic protein of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae. Three TGA codons encoding tryptophan in the P46 gene were replaced with TGG by an in vitro mutagenesis technique. The mutated P46 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli by using the chelating peptide tag system. The purified recombinant P46 was successfully used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of antibodies against M. hyopneumoniae in swine serum. It did not cross-react with sera from swine infected with Mycoplasma flocculate, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, or Mycoplasma hyosynoviae. With this method, mycoplasmal pneumonia of swine was detectable within 2 weeks after infection.

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors relating to CD4 level at HIV diagnosis and HIV testing behaviour. Participants were newly diagnosed patients ( n = 654) in Japan from 2000 to 2005. Around 75% of participants were diagnosed at hospital and clinics. Mean CD4 counts at diagnosis through voluntary HIV testing, screening tests and testing due to concomitant sexually transmitted infection (STI) were 368, 336 and 316 cells/μL, respectively. In contrast, the mean CD4 count where testing was due to the presence of HIV-related clinical symptoms was 151 cells/μL ( P < 0.0001). Compared with those diagnosed at their first HIV test, those who had undertaken multiple HIV tests prior to diagnosis showed CD4 counts that increased significantly ( P < 0.0001) in relation to the number of tests undertaken: CD4 count at first test was 232 cells/μL, second test 346 cells/μL and third or additional tests 439 cells/μL. According to our results, HIV testing policy that promotes HIV testing in medical settings and among STI patients is needed to facilitate earlier HIV diagnosis in Japan.

A novel beam-bunching technique has been implemented at a heavy-ion linear accelerator facility by installing a compact two-gap prebuncher and a multilayer beam chopper. A pulsed beam of 2 to 4 MHz, having kinetic energy up to $1.1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$, is realized by bunching a $2\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{keV}/\mathrm{u}$ continuous beam just upstream of the linac. Around 40% of the continuous beam particles are successively gathered in a single microbunch with a time width of around 15 ns in full width at one-tenth maximum. The number of background beam particles over 250 ns just before the bunched beam is well suppressed to less than ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ of the number of bunched particles. This technique has been adopted to generate intense $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle beams for nuclear astrophysics experiments.

We have measured the γ-ray angular distribution of the 12C(α,γ)16O reaction at TRIAC (Tokai Radioactive Ion Accelerator Complex) to accurately determine the E1 and E2 cross sections. In this experiment, we used high efficiency anti-Compton NaI(T1) spectrometers to detect a γ-ray from the reaction with large S/N ratio, intense pulsed α-beams to discriminate true event from background events due to neutrons from 13C(α,n)16O reaction with a time-of-flight (TOF) method. We succeeded in removing a background events due to neutrons and clearly detected γ-ray from the 12C(αγ)16O reaction with high statistics.

Mouse complement component C7 was purified from serum by a sequential procedure of fractionation precipitation by ammonium sulfate, followed by DE-52 anion exchange chromatography, Protein G affinity column chromatography, Mono S cation exchange chromatography and Superdex 200 gel filtration. The final product contained a highly purified mouse C7 component showing a single band on SDS-PAGE at the apparent Mrs of 90 kDa and 100 kDa under non-reduced and reduced conditions respectively. The yield of C7, which was measured by the biological activity, was 7.0%.

We have developed a sensitive immunoradiometric assay for PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) using a monoclonal antibody against PTHrP(1-34) and a polyclonal antibody against PTHrP(50-83), with recombinant human PTHrP(1-87) as the standard. The detection limit of the immunoradiometric assay was 0.5 pmol/L, and plasma PTHrP(1-87) concentrations in 110 healthy subjects were 0.8 +/- 0.01 pmol/L, with the upper limit of the normal range being 1.1 pmol/L. Increased circulating PTHrP(1-87) concentrations were demonstrated in all 46 cancer patients with hypercalcemia, but not in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism, chronic renal failure, or hypoparathyroidism. Normalization of serum calcium levels after resection of tumors was shown to correlate well with that of plasma PTHrP(1-87) concentrations in 2 cancer patients. High circulating PTHrP(1-87) levels were also demonstrated in 12 out of 13 hypercalcemic patients with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and in 7 out of 8 hypercalcemic patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma especially of B-cell type. These results suggest that PTHrP is a major humoral factor responsible for the hypercalcemia frequently associated with adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and also with B-cell lymphoma.

For boron- and vanadium-doped graphites, the yields of radiation — enhanced sublimation (RES) and chemical sputtering by hydrogen ion bombardment were measured by means of a weight loss method, by using an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) hydrogen ion irradiation apparatus. In addition, the thermal sublimation rates of these materials were measured by using the same apparatus. The reduction of the RES yield due to the doping of boron or vanadium was not clearly observed. The chemical sputtering yields for boron- and vanadium-doped graphites, were reduced by the doping, e.g. 5 times and 20% smaller, compared with that for graphite, respectively. The sublimations of the boron and the vanadium were significantly large when the temperature exceeded approximately 1200°C. The weight loss rate of the doped material to the initial content of the doped material, for example, was approximately 5%/day at 1500°C for the boron- or the vanadium-doped graphite.

A benthic foraminifera Cd/Ca record, dating from the last glacial period to the Holocene, for a high sedimentation rate core recovered from the northwest Pacific is reported. It shows that the deep water (water depth of 2700 m) cadmium concentration was about 50% lower in the last glacial period than in the Holocene. At 15 kyr B.P., the beginning of deglaciation, a minimum Cd/Ca is recorded which is almost the same as that of the modern North Atlantic. Considering previously obtained cadmium records from the northwesternmost and western equatorial Pacific, a steep gradient in the deep-water cadmium concentration between the western equatorial Pacific and the northwest Pacific from the last glacial to deglacial periods has been estimated. In contrast to cadmium records, benthic foraminifera δ 13 C records in these regions showed similar increasing trends during this time span and no large difference in δ 13 C can be observed between these two regions. This discordance between these two nutrient tracers may come from the change in the δ 13 C-phosphate relationship in the ocean during the Late Quaternary. Although we cannot absolutely rule out other possibilities, we suggest that there was a convection cell in the northwest Pacific during the last glacial period and at the beginning of deglaciation period the turnover rate of this cell increased and cadmium concentration in the northwest Pacific significantly decreased.

Effects of Ar + laser irradiation upon surface reactions in Si monolayer overgrowth on (100)Si-2 × 1 substrate surfaces by Si 2 H 6 source molecular beam epitaxy were investigated by observations of reflection high-energy electron diffraction. Two-dimensional (2D) growth rates under no irradiation and Ar + laser irradiation were limited by a hydrogen desorption reaction with an activation energy of 1.7 ±0.1 eV at lower temperatures below 570°C and by dissociative adsorption of Si 2 H 6 molecules onto the surface at higher temperatures above 570°C in the examined range of substrate temperatures from 410 to 670°C. The Ar + laser irradiation brings about the promotion of the growth mode of step propagation and the 2D growth rate below 570°C. This promotion effect is explained as due to the enhancement of the hydrogen desorption reaction by a surface excitation effect of Ar + laser photons.

At the Tokyo Institute of Technology, generating a plasma with a heavy ion beam has been studied for basic research on inertial fusion and a heavy-ion pumped laser. These experiments require a high intensity and high brightness beam. An 80 MHz heavy-ion RFQ linac is being constructed to meet the requirements. This linac accelerates particles with a charge to mass ratio ( q A ) greater than 1 16 from 5 keV/amu up to 214 keV/amu. Two-dimensional (2D) machining is applied for cutting of the RFQ vane-tips. We simulated the beam optics including effects of higher order harmonies in the intervane potential (H. Deitinghoff, A. Schempp, H. Klein and O. Pan, Particle Acc. 37–38 (1992) 47; Chen Chia-Erh, Fang Jia-Xun, Li Weigo, Pan Oujia, Lu Yuanrong, Li Deshan, Wang Lishan, Yu Maolin, H. Deitinghoff, A. Schempp and H. Klein, Proc. European Particle Acc. Conf. (1992) p. 1328) for optimization of the vane parameters. In order to increase the acceleration efficiency, synchronous phase was gradually raised from −30° to −20° in the accelerator section of the cavity. The expected beam transmission is 91.8% for a beam current of 0 mA and 68.4% for 10 mA.

In order to develop reduced-activation ferritic/martensitic steels potentially suitable for fusion reactor applications, the effect of principal alloying elements Cr, W and V on the micro- structural evolution, toughness and high-temperature creep strength was systematically investigated for relatively simple Cr-W-V steels. Based on the results on the simple steels, two kinds of martensitic 9Cr steels with low and high levels of W were alloy-designed: 9Cr-1WVTa and 9Cr-3WVTa. They exhibited excellent toughness and high-temperature strength. Irradiation hardening was the smaller for the reduced-activation 9Cr-1WVTa and 9Cr-3WVTa steels than for the conventional 9Cr-lMoVNb and it was smaller for the low W steel than for the high W steel. It is concluded that from the aspect of toughness the 9Cr-1WVTa steel is the most promising alloy for the first wall and blanket structures which will be operated at low temperatures below 773 K (500°C). Another 9Cr-3WVTa steel is the most promising in terms of high- temper...

A full-size prototype microstrip sensor for the silicon tracker of the SDC detector to be used at the Superconducting Super Collider has been fabricated at Hamamatsu Photonics. The sensor is double-sided, using an AC-coupled readout with 50 μm pitch strips. The sensor size is 3.4 × 6.0 cm 2 . Polycrystalline silicon is used as a bias feeding resistor on both surfaces. Each ohmic strip is isolated by a p + blocking line. The detailed requirements for the silicon tracker and the corresponding specifications as well as how to achieve them are discussed. The static performances of this prototype sensor are presented.

Microdischarge at the edges of strips in AC-coupled silicon strip sensors has been investigated. A steep increase in the leakage current (breakdown) and a sudden onset of burst noise were observed at a low reverse-bias voltage when the bias potential was across the AC-coupling capacitor. This can be explained by the occurrence of microdischarges along the edges of strips. These discharges have been confirmed by observing IR light emission. A calculation of the field strength at the strip edge suggests that a fringe field of the external electrode generates the microdischarge at the strip edge when the bias voltage is 50–80 V. This is consistent with our observations. We discuss a design for AC-coupled sensors that eliminates this discharge problem.

大腸内視鏡検査前処置法として,腸管洗浄液(polyethylene glycol-electrolyte lavage solution, PEG-ELS)2リットルを在宅で内服する方法(以下,在宅洗浄法と略す)を実施し,その有用性について検討を加えた。3施設において在宅洗浄法を施行した97名を対象として,検査施行時の腸管内の洗浄効果の評価と,アンケートによる被験者側受容性の調査を行った.その結果は,1)洗浄効果は従来の病院での洗浄法より若干劣るが,随伴症状の出現はほぼ同等である,2)被験者側受容性が高い,であり,在宅洗浄法の良好な洗浄効果・安全性・被験者の受容性が確認された.在宅洗浄法は,1)被験者の拘束時間が短い,2)病院内のトイレのcapacityと関係なく施行できる,3)在宅で早朝より服用することにより午前中早くから検査の施行が可能である,という利点があり,極めて有用と考えられる.

Mast cells in jejunum, skin, and tongue of Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) were examined in terms of their histochemical, enzyme-histochemical, and ultrastructural properties. When glycosaminoglycans of mast cells in jejunum and tongue were characterized by measuring the critical electrolyte concentration, the salt concentration at which 50% of mast cells could be stained was > 1.0 M for those in the jejunum and also in the tongue, indicating that mast cells in both sites contained heparin. Enzyme-histochemical study revealed that mast cells in the jejunum of Mongolian gerbils were strongly positive for chymase and tryptase, whereas those in tongue and skin were essentially negative for both proteases. By electron microscopy, granular morphology and distribution of surface micro folds of mast cells in the jejunum were different from those in the ear skin. After in vivo stimulation with compound 48/80, however, mast cells in both sites showed remarkable degranulation. From these results, although Mongolian gerbils also have distinct mast cell subsets, their phenotypic properties are different from those of the previously known mast cell subsets of other animals.

Mg–Ni alloy thin films were prepared by dc magnetron sputtering using Mg and Ni targets, and their optical switching property for hydrogen exposure has been investigated. Pd-capped MgNix (0.1

The lattice distortion and the transmuted-Ge related luminescence in neutron-transmutation-doped (NTD) GaN are studied by combining Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy/channeling, Raman scattering, and photoluminescence methods. The lattice displacement of Ga atoms of ∼0.12 A from the 〈0001〉 row is estimated from the normalized angular yield profiles, preserving the single crystallinity in as-irradiated GaN with a minimum yield (χmin) of 7%. A 2.84 eV emission band observed in 600 °C annealed NTD-GaN is associated with the Ga interstitial, supporting the lattice distortion. Two emission bands at 2.90 eV and 2.25 eV observed in 1000 °C annealed NTD-GaN are assigned to a negatively charged DX-like center of Ge at Ga site and a complex defect attributed to Ge at Ga site and Ga vacancy, respectively.

A 41 year old man with parkinsonism and pyramidal signs is described. He was non-responsive to levodopa and dopamine receptor agonists but dramatically responded to trihexyphenidyl. In this patient, brain MRI showed bilateral hyperintensities along the corticospinal tracts on T2 weighted images. PET studies showed a decrease in (18)F-6-fluorodopa uptake in the putamen contralateral to the more affected limbs and normal D(2) receptor binding in the putamen. The PET and MRI findings and responsiveness to antiparkinsonian agents suggested degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, striatal output pathways, and corticospinal tracts.

第2回極域科学シンポジウム/第35回極域宙空圏シンポジウム 11月16日（水） 統計数理研究所 3階リフレッシュフロア

In this study, the effects of bond coat compositions with and without 0.5 mass.% Y on oxidation behaviour were investigated. Oxidation behaviour was accessed in terms of The TGO structure and growth kinetics. After isothermal oxidation tests, the TGO formed on Y-free CoNiCrAl coatings was composed mainly of alumina without the presence of Y-rich oxide and showed lower growth kinetics than that formed on conventional CoNiCrAlY coating. This result indicates that potential improvements to the bond coat oxidation behaviour can be achieved using Y-free bond coat compositions.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to have potent contractile and proliferative effects on vascular smooth muscle cells and is known to induce myocardial cell hypertrophy. We studied the pathophysiological role of endogenous ET-1 in rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension. Four-week-old rats were given a single subcutaneous injection of 60 mg/kg monocrotaline (MCT rats) or saline (control rats) and were killed after 6, 10, 14, 18, and 25 days. In the MCT rats, right ventricular systolic pressure progressively increased and right ventricular hypertrophy developed in a parallel fashion. The venous plasma ET-1 concentration also progressively increased, and this increase preceded the development of pulmonary hypertension. The isolated pulmonary artery exhibited a significantly weaker response to ET-1 in the MCT rats on day 25 but not on days 6 and 14. In the MCT rats, the expression of prepro ET-1 mRNA as measured by Northern blot analysis significantly increased in the heart on days 18 and 25, whereas it gradually decreased in the lungs. The peptide level of ET-1 in the lungs also significantly decreased in the pulmonary hypertensive stage. The expression of prepro ET-1 mRNA had increased by day 6 only in the kidneys. Continuous infusion of BQ-123, a selective ETA receptor antagonist, by an osmotic minipump (14.3 mg per day per rat for 18 days) significantly inhibited the progression of both pulmonary hypertension (right ventricular systolic pressure, 77.8 +/- 4.2 [mean +/- SEM] mm Hg [n = 10] versus 52.3 +/- 2.4 mm Hg [n = 7]; P < .01) and right ventricular hypertrophy (right ventricle/[left ventricle +/- septum], 0.56 +/- 0.03 [n = 10] versus 0.41 +/- 0.02 [n = 7]; P < .01). Histological examination revealed that BQ-123 also effectively prevented pulmonary arterial medial thickening. The inhibition of right ventricular hypertrophy by BQ-123 may be partly ascribed to the blockade of excessive stimulation of the heart by ET-1, in addition to the prevention of pulmonary hypertension. The present findings suggest that endogenous ET-1 contributes to the progression of cardiopulmonary alterations in rats with MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension.

The manufacturing methods of cross-linked polyethylene foams are classified into two categories based on a type of cross-linking. One is chemical cross-linking by using peroxide as a cross-linking agent. The other method is cross-linking by irradiation. As for chemical cross-linking, a fairly thick foam sheet can be produced, and a comparatively high degree of cross-linking can be achieved. This means chemical cross-linking excels in thermo-forming but, due to a rough surface, the product is lacking in adhesive property and printability. We studied how to improve the surface condition of foam sheet without damaging the features proceeding from chemical cross-linking. As a result, it has been revealed that at the pre-stage of foaming, and by irradiating the surface at low voltage, the resultant foamed sheet with smooth surfaces and excelling in mechanical properties can be produced.

The role of endogenous sulfhydryls (SH) in the healing of HCl-induced gastric injury was investigated in the rat. The animals fasted for 18 h were given 1 ml of 0.6 N HCl by gavage, and they were fed normally from 1 h later and killed various days after HCl treatment. Gastric lesions induced by HCl healed to quiescent states within 7 days both macroscopically and histologically. Mucosal SH levels were markedly reduced after induction of damage by HCl, but recovered gradually to or above normal values within 5 days. Gastric acidity was also significantly reduced after administration of 0.6 N HCl (induction of lesions), followed by a return to normal values within 5 days, although the volume of gastric contents remained unchanged before and after HCl treatment. The healing of HCl-induced gastric lesions was significantly impaired by diethylmaleate (DEM 0.3 ml/kg x 2) when this drug was given subcutaneously for 5 days. Glutathione (GSH: 100 mg/kg x 2) alone did not affect the healing of gastric lesions, but the combined administration of GSH with DEM significantly antagonized the delayed healing caused by DEM. Administration of DEM caused a marked and persistent reduction in the mucosal SH contents, while GSH by itself significantly increased the mucosal SH levels and partially reversed the reduced SH contents caused by DEM. Gastric acid secretion was not significantly altered by either DEM or GHS. These results suggest that endogenous SH may play some roles in the healing process of gastric mucosal lesions. DEM caused a deleterious effect on the healing of gastric lesions, probably by reducing the mucosal SH.

The formation of SiC film by photo-chemical vapour deposition (CVD) using ArF excimer laser with a wavelength of 193 nm has been studied to establish a low-temperature and mild synthetic process for ceramic films. Photo-CVD was conducted using Si2H6 and C2H2 as source gases on quartz glass, molybdenum and graphite substrates at 508–623 K. The pressure ratio of Si2H6 to C2H2 was changed from 0.06 to 1.2. The laser was irradiated at 50 mJ cm−2 at 25 Hz. The films were identified using transmission electron microscopy and infrared spectrometry, and the chemical composition was determined using Auger electron specroscopy. The growth rate of SiC was measured with a step-height profilometer. s-SiC, with almost stoichiometric composition, was formed in the pressure ratio range, Si2H6/C2H2, of 0.06–1.2 at 508–623 K. Crystallization of the SiC film was observed with increasing Si2H6/C2H2 ratio. The film growth rate linearly depended on Si2H6 pressure but was independent of C2H2 pressure. The rate-determining step of film formation is assumed to be photolysis of Si2H6. The cross-section of photolysis calculated from the film growth rate was about 10−18 cm2 for the ArF laser.

The present study was undertaken to explore changes in neurotransmitters and neuromodulators of brain regions impaired by microsphere embolism-induced, sustained ischemia. Nine hundred microspheres (48 microns) were injected into the right internal carotid artery of rats, and the time course of changes in the triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-stained areas of their brain slices and acetylcholine and amino acid contents in the cerebral cortex, striatum and hippocampus of both hemispheres were determined. The TTC-unstained area, a measure of infarction, was developed in the right hemisphere by the 3rd day after the embolism, which was similar to that on the 28th day. A marked decline in acetylcholine content of these three regions of the right hemisphere was detected throughout the experiment (28 days). The glutamate, aspartate, GABA, and taurine levels were markedly decreased following microsphere-embolism. Most of these decreases were significantly attenuated during the first 5 days following the embolism, and they then partially recovered with time after the operation. Minor metabolic changes were observed in the left hemisphere. The results suggest that microsphere-embolism induces cerebral infarction and/or sustained damage to acetylcholine and neurotransmitter amino acid synthesis and/or catabolism of the brain regions. This model may provide information concerning the pathophysiological alterations in long-term cerebral ischemia and infarction.

The effects of an external optical input on a bistable laser diode (BLD) with inhomogeneous current injection are discussed. The bistable behavior of optical output versus injection current is shown to be variously modified, depending on the wavelength and power of the optical input. Optical set and reset operations and optical logic achieved by optical input pulses can be explained by these characteristics of a BLD modified by an external optical signal. Analysis using rate equations is also offered to help interpretation of experimental results, as well as the optical output and the bias current injected into the BLD. >

Vascular tumours of the ovary are extremely rare, with approximately 50 cases of ovarian haemangioma reported so far (Uppal et al. 2004). Ovarian haemangiomas are ‘non-functional’ neoplasms and sel...

A method to obtain high-quality strain–relaxed SiGe buffer layers on Si(001) substrates is presented. In this method, the strain relaxation of the SiGe layer is performed using a two-step procedure. Firstly, a low-temperature-grown SiGe layer, whose surface is covered by a thin Si cap layer, is thermally annealed. At this stage, the strain is incompletely relaxed and an atomically flat surface can be realized. Then, a second SiGe layer is grown on the first layer to achieve further strain relaxation. Transmission electron microscopy has clearly revealed that dislocations are dispersively introduced into the first SiGe/Si substrate interface and thus no pile up of dislocations occurs. The formation of a periodic undulation on the growth surface of the second SiGe layer is the key to inducing a drastic reduction in the threading dislocation density.

The initial growth process of Si1−x−yGexCy thin films on Si(001) surfaces is examined by scanning tunneling microscopy. The surface morphology of the film critically depends on the C fraction in the film. Evidence is presented on an atomic scale that the epitaxial growth of Si1−x−yGexCy films with large C fractions is dominated by phase separation between Si–C and Si–Ge, concomitant with C condensation on the surface of the growing films. We find that the addition of a thin (1–2 ML) SiGe interlayer between the Si1−x−yGexCy film and the Si substrate drastically improves the film structure, leading to a planar morphology even with large C fractions present in the film.

第１回極域科学シンポジウム「極域大気圏を通して探る地球規模環境変動」12月2日（木） 国立極地研究所 ２階大会議室

Current evidence indicates that radical sublobar resection (segmentectomy and wedge resection) should be considered as an alternative for cT1N0 lung cancer of 2 cm or less, even in low-risk patients. Segmentectomy is an anatomic parenchyma-sparing resection that is recently being performed for small-sized lung carcinoma and constitutes a useful procedure in a thoracic surgeon's armamentarium. The technique is presented that improves the identification of the intersegmental border. Under bronchofiberscopy, jet ventilation is selectively applied to the burdened bronchus to develop an anatomic plane between the inflated segment to be resected and the deflated area to be preserved. The patients with a clinical T1NOMO peripheral cancer 2 cm or smaller underwent video-assisted segmental resection called hybrid video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy in which electrocautery with no stapler was used to divide the intersegmental plane detected by selective jet ventilation. Selective segmental inflation provides an obvious intersegmental plane quickly and easily, allowing a real margin distance in the ventilated segment. Despite the minimally invasive approach, since only the segment to be resected and not the entire lobe is expanded, an appropriate surgical view is possible.

An 11-year-old male Rough collie was submitted with paraparesis, but did not respond to medical treatment. Clinical signs worsened and the dog displayed paralysis, inability to stand and loss of voluntary bladder control, whereupon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed. No significant abnormalities were identified from MRI, blood tests, cerebrospinal fluid tests or radiography. After MRI, the dog developed dyspnoea and died. Autopsy and subsequent histopathological examination led to a diagnosis of degenerative myelopathy.

Two methods are described for synthesizing the electrooptic light scanner with an arbitrarily prescribed one-dimensional spatial distribution of the light beam. The electrooptic light scanner is constructed by a series of cascaded stages, each stage containing a natural-birefringent electrooptic crystal with an inclination angle between opposite faces. One method is realized by a set of cascaded stages, each of which contains a polarizer, electrooptic crystal, optical compensator, and analyzer; and the other method by a multistage construction that is inserted between the input and output polarizers, each stage being composed of only an electrooptic crystal and optical compensator. Two examples for each method are given to illustrate the synthesis procedures.

ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) experiment devoted to investigating the strongly interacting matter created in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC energies. The ALICE ITS, Inner Tracking System, consists of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors with three different technologies; in the outward direction: two layers of pixel detectors, two layers each of drift, and strip detectors. The number of parameters to be determined in the spatial alignment of the 2198 sensor modules of the ITS is about 13,000. The target alignment precision is well below 10 μm in some cases (pixels). The sources of alignment information include survey measurements, and the reconstructed tracks from cosmic rays and from protonproton collisions. The main track-based alignment method uses the Millepede global approach. An iterative local method was developed and used as well. We present the results obtained for the ITS alignment using about 10 5 charged tracks from cosmic rays that have been collected during summer 2008, with the ALICE solenoidal magnet switched off. © 2010 IOP Publishing Ltd and SISSA.