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Purpose Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is an established treatment for advanced heart failure (aHF) with notable improvement in patient survival, yet complications remain. AHF is associated with gut microbial community dysbiosis (i.e. reduced diversity of microbial communities). Changes in gut diversity following LVAD might offer a precision medicine oriented approach to predicting the clinical trajectory of patients. In this analysis we explored longitudinal trends in gut microbial diversity before/after LVAD. Methods We prospectively enrolled 66 AHF patients (59.4±13.4 yrs old; 88% M; 56% White). A total of n=99 stool samples (n=34 pre-LVAD, n=36 LVAD 1 mo, n=29 LVAD 3-6 mo) were collected. 16S rRNA sequencing was performed on all samples. Alpha diversity metrics (number and evenness of bacterial taxa within samples) were estimated using Shannon index and the # of observed taxa. Repeated measures models were used to regress alpha diversity on time post-LVAD, adjusted for age, gender and race/ethnicity. Beta diversity (microbial difference between samples) was estimated by Bray-Curtis dissimilarity. DESeq regression analyses explored differences in individual taxa over time and the false discovery rate (FDR) adjusted for multiple comparisons Results Alpha diversity (# observed) increased by 3-6 mo following LVAD implantation (p=0.004, Figure 1). Trends were consistent for Shannon index (Figure 1). No differences in beta diversity were observed following LVAD (p=0.23). There were 32 taxa that differed between pre- vs. post-LVAD 3-6 mo with FDR Conclusion After an initial trend for decrease in gut microbial diversity at 1 mo, these metrics increased by 3-6 mo post-LVAD, which could be reflective of improved clinical status. Future studies are necessary to determine the relevance of these findings to clinical outcomes among LVAD patients and to explore the biological relevance of the taxa underlying these changes.

In this study, a bacterial detection technique and device that utilizes advantages of both positive and negative dielectrophoresis (DEP) has been proposed and demonstrated. The device has two microelectrodes, which serve as a bacteria concentrator using negative DEP (n-DEP) and as a bacteria detector using positive DEP (p-DEP), respectively. Bacteria flowing into the device are repelled under action of n-DEP force exerted by the first microelectrode, and are pushed toward the second microelectrode situated at the downstream. Then concentrated bacteria are finally captured by p-DEP on the second microelectrode and detected by dielectrophoretic impedance measurement (DEPIM) method. The numerical simulations and experiments proved that n-DEP concentrator could make DEPIM sensitivity two times higher than that without n-DEP as a result of increased number of bacteria trapped on the p-DEP microelectrode.

Cytokine responses in the Japanese pufferfish (Takifugu rubripes) head kidney (HK) cells to heat-killed lactic acid bacteria probiotics isolated from the Mongolian dairy products were investigated by transcriptomic examination. The HK cells were incubated with two heat-killed bacteria, namely Lactobacillus paracasei spp. paracasei (strain 06TCa22) and L. plantarum (strain 06CC2) and the responses of 16 cytokine genes at 0 (control), 1, 4, 8, 12, 24 and 48 h post-stimulation were assayed by multiplex RT-PCR analysis (GenomeLab Genetic Analysis System, GeXPS; Beckman Coulter, Inc.). The 16 genes included in the assay were pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17A/F-3, TNF-α and TNF-N), cell-mediated immune regulators (IL-12p35, IL-12p40 and IL-18), antiviral (I-IFN-1 and IFN-γ) and other regulatory (IL-2, IL-7, IL-15, IL-21, IL-10 and TGF-β1) cytokines. Despite the differences in the transcriptional profiles, expression of all the cytokines tested here was significantly elevated by both the probiotic bacterial stimulants compared with the unstimulated control. Therefore, this in vitro study has demonstrated the modulation of cytokine defense mechanisms in the HK cells by the two heat-killed probiotics indicating their potentiality as novel immunostimulants to fish. However, strain-dependent varied expression of important cytokines (cell-mediated immune regulators, antiviral and anti-inflammatory cytokines) suggests better efficacy of L. paracasei spp. paracasei strain as fish immunostimulant. Further in vivo studies to elucidate the cytokine regulation networks will validate our present observations. A careful evaluation of ant-inflammatory properties may be undertaken using single strain to affirm the immunostimulatory capability. Moreover, application timings and frequency to assess the longevity of immunostimulant effects and to make the application cost-effective need to be evaluated before any practical use in aquaculture.

At the underground station of Matsushiro, a decrease in gravity is observed when it rains. This is a consequence of the Newtonian attraction exerted by the water that lies above the gravimeter. After the rainfall, gravity returns to the original level at an approximately constant rate. Imanishi et al. (2006) developed a simple numerical model to describe this short-term effect of underground water on gravity. This was a purely empirical model, and it has been left unexplained why gravity changes linearly with time and what determines its rate. In this paper, we analyze the data of drip rate inside the tunnel, as well as soil moisture at the surface of the hill, in order to elucidate the relation between the different hydrological processes taking place in the local system of Matsushiro. As a result, we reach a physical picture on the budget of the groundwater that (i) the soil layer on the top of the hill can be interpreted as a reservoir of water, (ii) the bedrock of the hill acts as a conduit of water, (iii) the mass of water in the soil, which causes gravity changes, is discharged downward at a quasi-steady rate, and (iv) evapotranspiration has a relatively minor effect at average. This gives a qualitative explanation to the linear feature of the gravity recovery. Quantitatively, the observed gravity rate is predicted to a good precision by estimating the vertical flow rate of water inside the hill. The estimated flow rate is discussed from a hydrological viewpoint in terms of viscous flows in tubes or fractures.

Cytokines are important regulators of the immune system and investigation of their functions may prove useful for the development of vaccines and immunostimulants for aquaculture. We therefore investigated the cytokine [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-10, IL-12 p35 and p40, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, CXC‐chemokine and interferon (IFN)-α and γ] responses of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., upon treatment with a commercial baker's yeast extract (CW-I) that contained nucleotides and β-glucan. Additionally, to confirm that the CW-I-induced cytokines were functional, we also assessed the effect of CW-I administration on superoxide anion production and phagocytic activities of head kidney leucocytes and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila infection in the common carp. Our results demonstrate that baker's yeast extract-treated fish displayed a significant up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-12 p35 and p40, TNF-α, CXC-chemokine, IFN-γ2) gene expression and a down-regulation of anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) gene expression. Furthermore, significantly increased phagocytic activity and superoxide anion production in kidney cells, and resistance to a bacterial pathogen, were observed in the yeast extract-treated fish compared to non-treated fish. The current study indicates the immunostimulatory effects of a baker's yeast extract rich in nucleotides and β-glucan on the carp immune system and supports its potential use in aquaculture.

Postpartum ovarian activity, uterine involution, and the relationship with hormonal profiles were studied in non-seasonal Shiba goats, with or without nursing of their kids. After parturition, does were allocated to one of two groups, with either weaning on the day of parturition ( n = 3; non-nursing group) or weaning at 7–10 weeks after parturition ( n = 4; nursing group). Blood sampling (starting 7 days prior to expected day of parturition) and transrectal ultrasound evaluations (starting 2 days after parturition) were conducted every other day or daily to monitor the follicular dynamics, uterus size, and the levels of plasma progesterone, blood glucose, and insulin concentration until at 3 weeks following the first postpartum ovulation. In the nursing group, blood samples were also collected every 10 min for an 8 h period on the day before weaning, 2 and 6 days after weaning, for the analysis of the pulsatile patterns of LH release. In all animals, the blood glucose concentrations increased transiently on the day before parturition and were significantly ( p p

Electrical and mechanical characteristics of Type HT tape, which is standard 4.2 mm wide DI-BSCCO tape reinforced with metallic tapes, have been evaluated. Longitudinal distributions of critical current and n-index in kilometer long Type HT tape has proved uniform from end to end just like the original insert tape, which is Type H tape. Type HT-CA reinforced with 50 mum thick heat-resistant copper alloy is highly balanced tape with high mechanical properties and low splice resistance. Type HT-SS reinforced with 20 mum thick stainless steel has the best mechanical properties, which has been demonstrated under the actual environment in high field magnet, namely the hoop stress load test energizing a one-turn coil in external high magnetic field and liquid helium.

The low-temperature isobaric heat capacities (C p) of β- and γ-Mg2SiO4 were measured at the range of 1.8–304.7 K with a thermal relaxation method using the Physical Property Measurement System. The obtained standard entropies (S°298) of β- and γ-Mg2SiO4 are 86.4 ± 0.4 and 82.7 ± 0.5 J/mol K, respectively. Enthalpies of transitions among α-, β- and γ-Mg2SiO4 were measured by high-temperature drop-solution calorimetry with gas-bubbling technique. The enthalpies of the α−β and β−γ transitions at 298 K (ΔH°298) in Mg2SiO4 are 27.2 ± 3.6 and 12.9 ± 3.3 kJ/mol, respectively. Calculated α−β and β−γ transition boundaries were generally consistent with those determined by high-pressure experiments within the errors. Combining the measured ΔH°298 and ΔS°298 with selected data of in situ X-ray diffraction experiments at high pressure, the ΔH°298 and ΔS°298 of the α−β and β−γ transitions were optimized. Calculation using the optimized data tightly constrained the α−β and β−γ transition boundaries in the P, T space. The slope of α−β transition boundary is 3.1 MPa/K at 13.4 GPa and 1,400 K, and that of β−γ boundary 5.2 MPa/K at 18.7 GPa and 1,600 K. The post-spinel transition boundary of γ-Mg2SiO4 to MgSiO3 perovskite plus MgO was also calculated, using the optimized data on γ-Mg2SiO4 and available enthalpy and entropy data on MgSiO3 perovskite and MgO. The calculated post-spinel boundary with a Clapeyron slope of −2.6 ± 0.2 MPa/K is located at pressure consistent with the 660 km discontinuity, considering the error of the thermodynamic data.

The Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based vertex detector is being studied for the Joint Linear Collider (JLC) project. One of the main goals is the operation of CCDs at near-room temperature in order to reduce the amount of materials between the interaction points and outer detectors, and minimize the thermal distortion of CCD wafers. In this paper, we describe some of the aspects about the operation at near-room temperature with the results of radiation immunity and spatial resolution studies for the JLC project.

The uppermost Maastrichtian Penalver Formation and its equivalents in northwestern Cuba are characterized by thick, normal-graded calcarenite with distinct basal conglomerate, and have been suspected as deposits related to the Cretaceous–Tertiary boundary (K/T) impact. However, its depositional mechanism is not well understood and clear evidence for its association with the impact has never been presented. In this study, detailed field survey and petrographic observations were carried out on the Penalver Formation in order to clarify its sedimentary processes and to test its relation to the K/T impact. The Penalver Formation at the type locality near Havana is approximately 180 m thick and is subdivided into the Basal, Lower, Middle, Upper and Uppermost Members based on its lithology. The Basal Member consists of massive, poorly sorted, calcirudite with grain-supported fabric, which contains abundant macrofossils of shallow-marine origin and occasional large intraclasts of the underlying strata, suggesting that it was formed by a grain flow from a carbonate platform on the Cretaceous Cuban Arc. The Lower to Uppermost Members consist of massive calcarenite and calcilutite that show upward fining. Composition of the calcarenite is distinctly different from that of the Basal Member. The homogeneous appearance, coarse-tail normal grading, abundant water escape structures, and abundant reworked fossils in these members are consistent with those of the Mediterranean “homogenite”, a deep sea tsunami-induced deposit that was formed by settling from a high density suspension. Repetition of thin conglomerate beds in the Lower Member that contain well-sorted, well-rounded mud clasts and shallow marine fossils is considered to reflect intermittent lateral flow possibly induced by a series of tsunami waves during an early stage of settling of grains from a high density suspension. Altered vesicular glass of probable impact origin and shocked quartz are discovered in the Basal and the Lower to Upper Members, respectively. Together with the biostratigraphically constrained age of the Penalver Formation, this evidence suggests that the Penalver Formation has a genetic relation to the K/T impact. Distribution of altered vesicular glass and shocked quartz grains can explain the sequence of the initial grain flow and the following tsunami waves.

α -Alkylidene cyclic carbonates have been prepared according to the general strategy to cyclize propargylic carbonates in the presence of an appropriate catalyst such as K 2 CO 3 -crown ether or a palladium complex.

Exquisite specificity toward Ag-bearing cells (cognate targets) is one of the most important properties of CD8+ CTL-mediated cytotoxicity. Using highly Ag-specific CD8+ CTL lines and clones, which spare noncognate, Ag-free targets, we found that in the presence of Ag-bearing targets the CTL acquire the ability to lyse noncognate target cells (bystanders). It is shown that the unexpectedly rapid and efficient lysis of bystanders by Ag-activated CTL is mediated by a Fas ligand (FasL)/Fas-based mechanism and does not depend on perforin. The CTL lysed Fas-expressing bystanders, but spared the Fas-negative or anti-Fas mAb-resistant bystander cells. Accordingly, the FasL-deficient gld/gld CTL did not kill bystanders, while perforin-deficient CTL did. Unlike anti-Fas mAb-induced cell death, the lysis of bystanders was not only FasL/Fas dependent but also required adhesion molecule LFA-1 on the surface of the activated CTL. Lysis of bystanders is viewed as acceptable "collateral" damage, but the persistent presence of activated CTL could result in immunopathologies involving functional Fas-expressing tissues.

In our recent studies, an inhibitor of vacuolar-type H(+)-ATPase, concanamycin A (CMA) has been shown to neutralize acidic pH in vacuolar organelles, including lytic granules, and to decrease the perforin content markedly. In the present paper, we have further investigated the role of acidification in perforin storage by using CMA. In CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) clones, the amount of perforin decreased rapidly at 30-90 min but no more decrease occurred at 90-120 min after the addition of CMA. Since exposure to actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or brefeldin A failed to reduce the perforin content, the perforin decrease in CMA-treated cells seems to be largely due to a reduction in the perforin already stored in lytic granules, rather than to the inhibition of the de novo synthesis or the intracellular glycoprotein transport of perforin. Diisopropylfluorophosphoridate (DFP) markedly antagonized the decrease in the perforin content in CMA-treated cells, while other protease inhibitors, i.e. antipain, E-64, leupeptin, pepstatin A and phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride, did not. Nevertheless, DFP hardly reversed the abrogation of the killing activity by CMA. Indeed, the lytic granules prepared from DFP plus CMA-treated cells showed only a marginal level of haemolytic activity. In cell-free experiments using perforin-enriched granule fractions, acidic pH completely blocked the perforin activity. Under the acidic conditions, perforin was more resistant to an inactivation by calcium when exposed to calcium prior to the haemolysis test. Thus, these data suggest that perforin is primarily inactivated, possibly in a calcium-dependent manner, and is subsequently hydrolysed by DFP-sensitive proteases in the lytic granules at neutral pH. We conclude that acidic pH plays an essential role to maintain the integrity of perforin within the lytic granules.

The results of a 2007 large-scale survey of gender equality in scientific and technological professions in Japan are reported. The activities of two Japanese physics societies in the three years since the 3rd IUPAP International Conference on Women in Physics was held in 2008 are reported.

The Fas (CD95)-transmitted cell death signal has been reported to involve a protein tyrosine phosphatase, SHP-1. We analyzed the role of SHP-1 in the Fas-dependent as well as the perforin-dependent pathways of CTL-mediated killing using target cells prepared from SHP-1-deficient motheaten mice. Con A blast targets prepared from both a motheaten mouse and a phenotype-normal littermate were equally sensitive to the cytolysis and DNA fragmentation induced by both perforin-deficient Fas-dependent CTL and Fas ligand-deficient perforin-positive CTL. Fas-induced DNA degradation detected by the terminal deoxynucleotide transferase reaction was also observed in the killing of motheaten thymocytes by a Fas-based CTL as well as by anti-Fas mAb. These data cast doubt on the involvement of SHP-1 in Fas-induced lymphoid cell death.

Perforin- and Fas-based cytolytic pathways are two major mechanisms of cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Recently, we have shown that an inhibitor of vacuolar type H+-ATPase, concanamycin A (CMA), inhibits perforin-based cytotoxic activity, mostly due to accelerated degradation of perforin by an increase in the pH of lytic granules. Here we show that CMA failed to inhibit the cytolytic activity of CD4+ CTL clone and perforin-deficient CD8+ CTL clone, which exclusively mediate Fas-based cytotoxicity, although CMA inhibited acidification and induced drastic vacuolation of cytoplasmic granules in these clones. In a wide range of alloantigen-specific CTL, a significant amount of the lysis of Con A blasts from normal mice and of Fas-positive tumor cells remained unaffected even in excess concentrations of CMA. However, CMA almost completely inhibited the lysis of Con A blasts from lpr mice and of Fas low expressing or negative tumor cells. Cytolysis by alloantigen-specific CD8+ CTL derived from gld mice was completely prevented by CMA. Furthermore, CMA-insensitive cytolysis exerted by CD8+ CTL clone was completely inhibitable by soluble Fas molecules. Thus, these data clearly indicate not only that CMA-insensitive cytolysis mediated by alloantigen-specific CTL is Fas dependent, but also that CMA is a selective inhibitor to block only the perforin-based killing pathway. In contrast, brefeldin A blocked the Fas-based cytotoxicity, but only marginally reduced the perforin-based cytotoxicity. Moreover, CMA and brefeldin A in combination completely abrogated all cytolytic activity of alloantigen-specific CTL. Taken together, these results reveal that CTL mainly exert perforin-based cytotoxicity and complementary Fas-based cytotoxicity, and that CMA is a powerful tool to clarify the contributions of the two distinct cytolytic pathways.

The effects of a crude methanol extract, butanol- and chloroform-fractions, and a pure compound, corymine, extracted from the leaves of H. zeylanica on locomotor activity and rearing, pentobarbital-induced sleep, and drug-induced convulsions were studied in mice. The methanol extract dose-dependently decreased rearing without a significant effect on locomotor activity at doses of 15, 60 and 120 mg/kg. It did not significantly prolong the sleeping time but potentiated the convulsions induced by strychnine, but not that by either picrotoxin or pentylenetetrazole, at a dose of 120 mg/kg. The butanol-fraction significantly prolonged sleeping time at a dose of 125 mg/kg but did not affect either of the convulsive drugs. The chloroform fraction prolonged sleeping time at doses of 62.5 and 125 mg/kg and potentiated the convulsions induced by either strychnine or picrotoxin, but not that by pentylenetetrazole, at doses of 15, 30, 60 and 120 mg/kg. Corymine did not significantly prolong sleeping time, but potentiated the convulsions induced by either strychnine or picrotoxin, not by pentylenetetrazole, at doses of 2, 8 and 15 mg/kg. These results suggest that crude alkaloidal extracts of H. zeylanica leaves produce biphasic effects on the central nervous system (CNS), depression and stimulation, while the pure compound, corymine, has a unique central stimulatory effect in mice.

Biphasic cuirass ventilation (BCV) assists ventilation by applying intermittent or continuous negative pressure to the thorax. BCV has been reported to improve lung function in various respiratory failures. However, to determine the therapeutic effect of BCV is difficult, because it is too difficult to include animal experiments. Therefore it is important to compile amounts of clinical cases for discussion. We have tried to find a way of developing BCV in critical care.

An inhibitor of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase, concanamycin A (CMA), inhibited the specific cytolytic activity of a CD8+ CTL clone, OE4. The inhibitory effect was observed when the effector cells, and not the target cells, were pretreated with CMA. CMA did not seem to inhibit early events, inasmuch as effector/target conjugate formation remained unaffected. Although CMA treatment of OE4 resulted in a slight decrease in the efficiency of granule exocytosis in response to anti-CD3 stimulation, the most prominent effect was a marked reduction of perforin activity and DNA degradation activity in lytic granules. Western blotting analysis indicated a drastic decrease in the amount of perforin in CMA-treated cells. Fluorescent microscopic observation of OE4 stained with acridine orange indicated that CMA raised the pH of the lytic granules. Under transmission electron microscopy, striking morphologic changes in cytoplasmic granular structures were observed after CMA treatment of OE4. The lytic granules of OE4 had homogeneously stained large cores and numerous small vesicles that filled peripheral areas. In contrast, the lytic granules of CMA-treated OE4 showed irregular shapes with no small vesicles, but with cores that became rough and loose. Vacuoles with no structure in them were seen occasionally. These results suggest that acidification through vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase is essential to maintain the structure and function of lytic granules.

Slow dynamics in the 3D ± J Heisenberg spin glass is investigated by the Monte Carlo simulation, in which auto-correlation functions qi(t) of all individual spins in the system are evaluated. The distribution of relaxation times, τi, is extracted from qi(t). The forms of the log(τi) distribution obtained reveal that slow dynamics in this system at relatively low temperatures (T ⪅ 0.6J) is nothing but the critical slowing down associated with the T = 0 phase transition. The two decay forms of the total auto-correlation function q(t) (=N−1Σiqi(t),N being the number of spins in the system) proposed previously, i.e. the logarithmic decay and the exponential one multiplied by an argebraic factor, are understood as characteristic features of the phenomenon in different ranges of the observation time.

For a spin-resolved inverse photoemission spectrometer, the most important component is the electron optics system consisting of a 90° deflector and lenses to transfer the spin-polarized electrons from a GaAs photocathode to the sample at high transmission. We adopt a cylindrical deflector when we construct a spin-resolved inverse photoemission spectrometer. A performance test shows that our electronic optics system has achieved 83% transmission, and also that the cylindrical deflector has no shortcoming compared to the spherical type.

Vaccines (subunit and DNA) targeting major envelope proteins VP19 and/or VP28 of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in penaeid shrimp were developed and elicited good protection against white spot disease (WSD). However, the immune responses in shrimp after administration of these vaccines are not well understood. In this study, we developed a DNA vaccine encoding the VP28 envelope protein in kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus) and confirmed the potentiality of protection against WSSV infection. The efficacy of the DNA vaccine against WSSV infection was confirmed by WSSV artificial challenge at 7 days post vaccination in kuruma shrimp. However, the efficacy of the vaccine did not last 30 days post vaccination. The transcript of VP28 gene derived from expression vector in tissues of vaccinated shrimp was analyzed by RT-PCR. The transcript of VP28 gene was detected in various tissues including muscle, hemolymph, gill, intestine, stomach, heart, hepatopancreas and lymphoid organ tested at 1, 3 and 7 days post vaccination. Subsequently, the expression of innate immunerelated genes in intestine and lymphoid organ was analyzed at 1, 3 and 7 days post vaccination. The expression of innate immune-related genes such as Rab7, penaeidin, lysozyme, and crustin was up-regulated upon DNA vaccination. These results suggest that DNA vaccination induces significant protection against WSSV by stimulating innate immune responses in kuruma shrimp.

Slow dynamics in the 3-dimensional isotropic Heisenberg spin glass (SG) model is investigated by Monte Carlo simulations. The spin autocorrelation function exhibits an exponential decay multiplied by an algebraic factor. The relaxation time of the exponential decay obeys the conventional dynamical scaling with T = 0 transition. However, the behaviour of the algebraic prefactor is rather peculiar, which may be regarded as one of the SG properties inherent in the model.

Aiming at an accurate and quick detection of anomalous changes of the electric field so that we can detect tectonic signals, we developed observation methods for use both on land and on the ocean floor. With these observation methods, that is, observation on land using electrodes and the underground cables of the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Company, and on the ocean floor using the power-feeding arrangement of the ocean-bottom seismograph of the Japan Meteorological Agency, we can obtain more reliable data than those from ordinary observation methods. Using these data, we further developed two techniques of analysis in real-time which are based on a statistical model, eliminating components induced by the variations of the geomagnetic field and/or the movement of the seawater. For both cases, the geomagnetic field at the Kakioka Magnetic Observatory and/or the seawater level data observed on the ocean floor were used as associated data. The predominant induced component in the variation of the geoelectric field is almost completely separated in the cases of the geoelectric field in the Mito region and on the ocean floor. Owing to the characteristic periodicity of the monopolar variation of noise in the Numazu region, in spite of the large amplitude of the noise (mainly due to the leak-current of the d.c. electric trains) in the original data from the Numazu region, the noises were considerably separated, with these methods, into the induced component part or tidal component part. With these methods, consequently, the detectability of anomalous changes was improved about ten times and about five times in the cases of the geoelectric field in the Mito region and on the ocean floor, and in the case of the geoelectric field in the Numazu region, respectively.

Oxygen precipitation occurs along growth striations in Czochralski-grown (CZ) silicon single crystal. Interstitial oxygen (Oi) striations in various CZ and horizontal magnetic field Czochralski-grown (HMCZ) silicon single crystals were studied with a micro-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (micro-FTIR) mapping system. These striations were found in most crystals. The Oi profiles were irregular but their periods and heights were about 0.8 mm and 0.2 × 1017 atoms/cm3 except for several cases. Subsequently, oxygen microprecipitation was investigated for various conditions of thermal treatment. It was found that homogeneous nucleation was inferred to be operative in CZ and HMCZ crystals.

Changes in the distribution and densities of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mACh-R) in young adult and aged rat brain, and the effects of chronic administration of lisuride hydrogen maleate (lisuride) on these changes were studied by in vitro quantitative autoradiography of [3H] quinuclidinyl benzilate binding. mACh-R was relatively higher in the striatum, hippocampus and cerebral cortex in the young adult rats. In contrast, mACh-R binding was markedly reduced in the striatum, accumbens nucleus, amygdaloid nucleus and frontal cerebral cortex of aged rats compared to young adult rats. However, chronic administration of lisuride significantly increased mACh-R binding in the parietal cerebral cortex as well as in the above-mentioned regions in aged rats. This lisuride-induced increase in mACh-R of aged rat brain is considered to have important implications concerning the mechanism of therapeutic efficacy of lisuride.

In the field of histopathologic diagnosis, differential diagnosis of borderline lesions is a serious problem. For example, differential diagnosis between early well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (ewHCC) and noncancer is difficult because the cellular atypism of ewHCC is very low. Nuclear density (number of nuclei per unit area) is one of the most important features in differential diagnosis between non-cancer and ewHCC.

To gain further insight into the central nervous system (CNS)-action of beta-adrenergic blocking agents (beta-blockers), we examined the effects of various kinds of beta-blockers on opioid receptors (Op-Rs) using radiolabeled receptor assay (RRA). We demonstrated that beta-blockers are competitively bound to Op-Rs in the CNS. Sodium index of beta-blockers in [3H]naloxone binding study indicated that beta-blockers had the mixed agonist-antagonist activity of opiates. The relative potency of beta-blockers in opioid RRA was negatively correlated with their membrane stabilizing activity. Neither beta-blocking activity nor intrinsic sympathomimetic activity was correlated with IC50 values of beta-blockers in opioid RRA. While it is widely accepted that beta-blockers have a tranquilizing activity, a part of the tranquilizing action of beta-blockers may be mediated through Op-Rs in the CNS. Although beta-blockers may have effects on their own receptors (beta-receptors) in the CNS, the more precise mechanisms of central action of these drugs must be further investigated.

The authors have developed a relatively large high-T/sub c/ Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconducting magnetic shield vessel of 150 mm in inner diameter, 320 mm in depth, and 10 mm in thickness. It is applicable to biomagnetic measurements with a SQUID. Magnetic fields inside the vessel were measured by using a RF SQUID magnetometer or measuring induced voltages in a pickup coil. The shielding factors, defined as the ratio of the magnetic field at 290 K to that at 77 K, were around 10/sup 5/-10/sup 6/. The magnetic shielding of high-T/sub c/ superconductor is promising for neuromagnetic measurements with SQUIDs.

The authors investigate statistical-mechanical organization of metastable states at finite temperatures in the naive mean-field model for spin glasses by direct numerical analysis on the equations of states of the model. The number of their solutions (metastable states) is shown to agree with the replica prediction developed by Bray and Moore (1980). Furthermore, such sophisticated spin-glass properties as the universal probability law of the nonself-averaging overlap probability of metastable states, which are initially derived for the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick model by means of the replica argument, are demonstrated to be common also to the naive mean-field model.

A class of mean-field models for spin glasses, in which the magnitude of the Onsager term is controlled to interpolate between the TAP equations for the SK model and the 'naive' mean-field (NMF) equations, is introduced. The authors examine the number of metastable states and the related parameters of the models. For the NMF model the spin glass susceptibility is also evaluated numerically. The results indicate that the rugged free energy structure and the marginal stability of the spin glass phase are common properties of these mean-field models, and that the Onsager term plays a minor role on yielding these novel spin glass properties.