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Background Interventional cardiology is gaining greater popularity worldwide with each passing year. Reduction of exposure dose is a very imminent and an important issue in cardiology procedure. Although a newer radiation reduction technique, device and procedure are very valuable and expected, we should consider about therapy technique, radiation technique, devices, and the way to protection. Digital zoom digitally enlarges images in real time by up to 2.5-fold at lower doses than those used with traditional field of view changes. In our phantom examination the average dose reduction of digital zoom was 27%. Methods and results This study is designated as single-center, retrospective, not-randomized, observation study. 2101 eligible cases were collected. We assigned the cases of PCI without the use of Digital zoom to the Conventional group and those involving the use of Digital zoom to the Digital zoom group. There were 806 patients in the Conventional group and 1195 in the Digital zoom group. Because we had begun using Digital zoom from January 2015 onwards, all patients in the Conventional group had undergone PCI from January 2013 to December 2014 and all patients in the Digital zoom group had undergone PCI from January 2015 to December 2016. In addition, we calculated the RAK/minute and DAP/minute for an accurate assessment. To minimize the difference of characteristics between two groups, propensity score including all baseline variables was performed. Furthermore, Predictors of radiation exposure were investigated using multivariable least square methods. Inter group differences were observed in DAP, RAK, DAP/min, and RAK/min (Digital zoom group vs conventional group: DAP, 16000 cGy cm2 [from 1st quartile to 3rd quartile; 10300–24400] vs 20700 [13400–29500], p Conclusion Digital zoom is an old and cost-free technique, but one of most powerful reduction of exposure method. Propensity score adjustment and least square methods show that digital zoom is one of independent effective method.

A nonflammable Mg-10Al-5Ca (at.%) alloy that can be melted in air without a cover gas or flux is developed. The alloy immediately forms a protective oxide film consisting of three layers, a fine CaO outer layer, a fine MgO intermediate layer, and a coarse MgO innermost layer. The anionic volume ratio of the CaO/MgO interface is 1.48. This interface ratio is sufficiently large to suggest the generation of a strong compressive force in the CaO layer. The dense, uniform fine CaO layer may act as a protective layer preventing the diffusion of oxygen.

To investigate the effect of restriction of mandibular movements during sleep on jaw-muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity. Eleven healthy subjects (four men and seven women; age, 25·9 ± 3·1 years) with self-reports of sleep bruxism participated in three randomised sessions with three different types of oral appliances: (i) full-arch maxillary and mandibular appliances which did not allow any mandibular movement, that is, restrictive oral appliance (restrict-MMOA), (ii) full-arch maxillary and mandibular oral appliances (free-MMOA) with no restrictions of mandibular movements and (iii) conventional full-arch flat stabilisation appliance, that is, maxillary oral appliance (free-MOA). Baseline recordings (1st EMG recording) of jaw-muscle activity during sleep without any oral appliance were performed and followed by 1 week of nightly use of each oral appliance (three sessions). During the last night in each session, jaw-muscle activity was recorded (2nd, 3rd and 4th EMG recordings) and compared to baseline values. All EMG data were analysed in accordance with the gold-standard diagnostic method. The average jaw-muscle activity expressed as number of EMG episodes and bursts per hour sleep was significantly reduced during any combination of appliance compared to baseline values. The inhibitory effect of the appliances was specific to the number of phasic EMG episodes and bursts (P 0·30). The results indicated that restriction of mandibular movements with oral appliances do not have any major influence on jaw-muscle activity during sleep but rather that the immediate effect of any combination of oral appliances lead to a suppression of phasic EMG bursts and episodes.

From the viewpoint of a cryogen-free high-field superconducting magnet, the thermal stability properties of YBa2Cu3O7 (Y123) coated conductor tapes before thermal runaway are examined under the conduction-cooling condition by a GM-cryocooler. Under such cryocooling condition, Ag-sheathed Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) wires with Jc ~ 104 A/cm2 reveal stable behaviors of 3 times larger current properties before thermal runaway than critical currents, although conventional Nb3Sn wires with Jc ~ 104 A/cm2 quench almost at their critical currents under the cryocooling condition. In order to determine the maximum current-carrying capacity of the Y123 tape in high fields, we use a zero-dimensional heat balance model. On the basis of the measured basic properties for the Y123 tape, the calculations were done at B=20 T, bath temperature T0=4.2 K, Jc ~ 107 A/cm2, and cryocooling heat transfer coefficient h=10-3 W/cm2K. We found that the Y123 tape with Jc ~ 107 A/cm2 does not have the over-critical current but rather the sub-critical current before thermal runaway.

Introduction/Background While previous studies have reported that unilateral spatial neglect (USN) and pusher syndrome are related but independent symptoms, their relationship has not been investigated using a quantitative scale and causative lesions using brain imaging. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between evaluation scores and the extent of the damaged area revealed by brain imaging. Material and method We evaluated twenty patients with first-ever stroke and pusher syndrome (14 right and 6 left hemispheric patients). First, we analyzed the relationship between the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS) and Scale for Contraversive Pushing (SCP). We also introduced a new way of quantifying the affected brain lesions at two levels of horizontal brain imaging slice. At each level, a brain hemisphere was divided into 3 areas, and the total number of damaged areas from these two levels was used as an indication of the extent of the damaged lesion, ranging 0 to 6 ( Fig. 1 ). By using this score, the relationship between the CBS and SCP scores was further examined. Results All patients with pusher syndrome had USN based on CBS. In each subject, the CBS score was positively correlated with the SCP score (Spearman = 0.805, P Fig. 2 ). Brain imagining showed that six patients had damage in both slice 1 and slice 2, while the fourteen patients had damage only in slice 2. The imaging score at slice 1 was correlated with the CBS score in the first group. Conclusion The severity of USN was positively correlated with that of pusher syndrome with clinical scales. The location and extent of the damaged area in relation to SCP and CBS needs to be examined with a larger sample size in future.

This paper describes the network design and configurations of the new Japanese academic infrastructure, called SINET3, which provides a rich variety of network services to more than 700 universities and research institutions. Since the start of full-scale operations in June 2007, the network has expanded its services to include multi-layer transfer services (IP, Ethernet, and layer-1), enriched virtual private network services (L3VPN, L2VPN, VPLS, and L1VPN), enhanced QoS services (packet-based and circuit-based), and brand-new layer-1 bandwidth-on-demand (BoD) services. This paper explains how the network provides these various network services on a single network platform by effectively configuring leading-edge networking components, such as high-performance IP routers, layer- 1 switches, and a BoD server. Evaluations of the network design and configurations confirmed that the networking functions were effectively coordinated. The procedures and techniques related to the configuration validation that covered all phases of the network design and construction are also presented.

Calcium entry into the postsynaptic neuron through N-methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs) triggers the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP), which is considered to contribute to synaptic plasticity and plays a critical role in behavioral learning. We report here that activin, a member of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily, promotes phosphorylation of NMDARs and increases the Ca2+ influx through these receptors in primary cultured rat hippocampal neurons. This signal transduction occurs in a functional complex of activin receptors, NMDARs, and Src family tyrosine kinases, including Fyn, formed on a multimer of postsynaptic scaffolding postsynaptic density protein 95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ), activin receptor interacting protein 1 (ARIP1). Activin-induced NMDAR activation persists for more than 24 h, which is complimentary to the activation time of NMDARs by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Our results suggest that activin is a unique and powerful potentiator for NMDAR-dependent signaling, which could be involved in the regulatory mechanisms of synaptic plasticity.

The efficacy of N-phenylcarbamates and N-phenylformamidoximes against benzimidazole-resistant strains of Venturia nashicola was tested experimentally in Japanese pear orchards. Both compounds gave effective control when applied in an orchard where highly benzimidazole-resistant strains were predominant. However, unsatisfactory control was observed in an orchard where the fungal population was dominated by fungal strains with intermediate or weak benzimidazole resistance. Strains resistant to N-phenylcarbamates and N-phenylformamidoximes were widely distributed in Japanese pear orchards, suggesting that effective use of these compounds to control benzimidazole-resistant strains of V. nashicola would not be practicable. Increased sensitivity to N-phenylformamidoximes in highly benzimidazole-resistant isolates was shown to be controlled by a single chromosomal gene, but progenies that were highly resistant to both a benzimidazole fungicide and a N-phenylformamidoximes appeared in crosses between parents resistant to each fungicide alone. Similar strains were also found in pear orchards, and this‘double resistance’was shown to be heritable.

Crystalline precipitates in a bulk-metallic-glass (BMG) braze were investigated with an intense x-ray microbeam. The precipitates were found in the Pd40Cu30P20Ni10 BMG braze matrix after joining crystalline Ti-6Al-7Nb. However, the role (if any) played by the precipitates in improving the mechanical bond of the BMG/crystalline joint is unknown. X-ray microdiffraction and microfluorescence measurements from small sample volumes were made with an ~ 0.5 x 0.5 μm2 beam. Spatially-resolved Laue diffraction and x-ray fluorescence measurements were made on several second-phase crystals within the BMG matrix. Although precipitate crystals with the observed compositions were anticipated to be predominantly hexagonal, one of the crystals was found to be cubic or tetragonal. The instrumentation includes capabilities for 3D depth-resolved measurements of crystal structure and for fluorescence analysis of elemental composition. Depth profiling gave information about the grain distribution and morphology in the BMG matrix.

The current authors have previously demonstrated that diesel exhaust particles (DEP) enhance antigen-related airway inflammation in mice. Furthermore, a recent study has shown that organic chemicals in DEP, rather than their carbonaceous nuclei, are important contributors to the aggravating effects of airway inflammation. However, the components in DEP responsible for the enhancing effects on the model remain to be identified. The current authors investigated the effects of naphthoquinone (NQ), one of the extractable chemical compounds of DEP, on antigen-related airway inflammation, local expression of cytokine proteins, and antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) production in mice. Pulmonary exposure to NQ dose-dependently aggravated antigen-related airway inflammation, as characterised by infiltration of eosinophils and lymphocytes around the airways and an increase in goblet cells in the bronchial epithelium. Combined exposure to NQ and antigen enhanced the local expression of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, eotaxin, macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 and keratinocyte chemoattractant, compared with exposure to antigen or NQ alone. Also, NQ exhibited adjuvant activity for the antigen-specific production of IgG(1) and IgG(2a). These results provide the first experimental evidence that naphthoquinone can enhance antigen-related airway inflammation in vivo, and that naphthoquinone can, to some extent, partly play a role in the pathogenesis of diesel exhaust particle toxicity on the condition.

In the framework of collaboration between KEK and CERN, KEK undertook to supply half of the high performance superconducting quadrupoles for the inner triplets of the low-beta insertions. Following a design and development stage at KEK, a series of twenty of these magnets, designated type MQXA, has been produced in industry and tested at KEK. FEC (Furukawa) was entrusted with the supply of the 7.4 t of superconducting cable used in this project. The 11 mm wide Rutherford cable was of two types, made from two sizes of wire strand of multifilamentary NbTi in a copper matrix. The specifications of the conductors were established following in-depth discussion between KEK and FEC, and taking into account the requirements of the accelerator magnet and the means available for quality control. In this paper we describe the manufacturing and quality control processes and present the results

SUMMARYDiphyid siphonophores swim using bursts of propulsive jets, which are produced by contractions of a monolayer of subumbrellar myoepithelial fibres lining the nectophore. This swimming behaviour is characterised by successive increases in the force generating the jets during the initial jets of the burst. Action potentials that generate the contractions propagate throughout the myoepithelial layer: both their amplitude and duration successively increase during the first part of the burst. To investigate the ionic mechanism of this action potential augmentation, single myoepithelial cells were enzymatically dissociated and whole-cell voltage clamped. Na+,Ca2+ and K+ currents were recorded under different internal and external salt compositions. The Na+ current was blocked by a relatively high concentration (4 μmol l–1 or higher) of tetrodotoxin (TTX), indicating that the Na+ channel belongs to a group of TTX-resistant Na+ channels. The Ca2+ current was blocked by nifedipine (10 μmol l–1) and Co2+ (5 mmol l–1),indicating that the Ca2+ channel is L-type. The K+current possessed a unique property of long-lasting inactivation. The K+ current fully inactivated during a depolarisation to +30 mV with a time-constant of ∼9 ms, and the time constant of recovery from inactivation at –70 mV was 13.2 s. This long-lasting inactivation of the K+ channel was the major factor in the augmentation of both action potentials and contractions of the myoepithelial sheet during the initial part of the burst.

This article describes service concepts, service requirements, and high-level network architecture requirements for layer 1 virtual private network service. It takes in consideration progress achieved in standardization, mainly inside ITU-T SG 13, which has been very active in this area.

The authors propose and investigate a new improvement method for transient stability under power line fault condition for commercial scale open cycle subsonic inflow disk MHD generators connected to the power system through time dependent numerical simulations of a total interconnecting system. The method needs no additional device and only manipulates the inverter control angle. Its control sequence has two steps. At first, the control angle is reduced toward 90° just after the fault occurs. Next, it is linearly increased to its rated value with constant increasing rate per cycle after the removed line is reconnected. It is made clear through the simulations that the proposed control scheme of the inverter is very effective to improve the transient stability of the generator. The reduction of the inverter control angle is effective to stabilize the MHD generator, but the operating state shifts from its normal operation. The increase of the control angle can stably return the generator to its normal operation.

A low-leakage current and low-operating-voltage buried-photodiode structure of CMOS image sensors has been developed. The new structure adopted a modified fabrication process as well as an additional shallow p+ layer structure that covers the entire surface of the deep n-type photodiode. The required operating voltage for complete charge transfer from the photodiode is 3.3 V. Furthermore, the leakage current level allows high-quality images comparable to those of CCD image sensors.

Hagfishes are regarded as the most primitive living craniates. Excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling mechanisms were studied in skeletal and caudal heart muscle fibres of the hagfish Eptatretus burgeri. In white (fast) skeletal muscle fibres from the musculus tubulatus, force generation in response to electrical stimulation was maintained in nominally Ca(2+) free artificial seawater (ASW) (0Ca(2+)-ASW) containing 10 mmol l(-1) Co(2+) (a blocker of Ca(2+) currents). Similarly, in red (slow) fibres from parietal muscle bathed in 0Ca(2+)-ASW containing 10 mmol l(-1) Co(2+), force generation occurred in association with K(+) depolarisation when the external K(+) concentration was increased to 100 mmol l(-1). Therefore, external Ca(2+) is not required for muscle contraction. Hence, both white and red fibres possess the function of depolarisation-induced Ca(2+)-release from intracellular Ca(2+) stores. This function is the same as in the skeletal muscle of all other vertebrates. In caudal heart muscle fibres, twitches in response to electrical stimuli were maintained in 0Ca(2+)-ASW containing 30 mmol l(-1) Co(2+). In fibres loaded with fluo-3 bathed in 0Ca(2+)-ASW containing 30 mmol l(-1) Co(2+), an increase in the intracellular free Ca(2+) level associated with K(+) depolarisation was observed after the external K(+) concentration was increased to 100 mmol l(-1). Thus E-C coupling in the caudal heart muscle is also of the vertebrate skeletal muscle type.

In the locomotor muscle of the pelagic tunicate Doliolum, both the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the transverse-tubular (T-tubular) system are absent. The mechanism of excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling was studied in single muscle fibres enzymatically dissociated from Doliolum denticulatum. Whole cell voltage clamp experiments demonstrated an inward ionic current associated with membrane depolarisation. This current was blocked by 5 mmol.l(-1)Co(2+), a calcium current blocker, and suppressed by nifedipine, a specific L-type calcium channel blocker. An increase in the external K(+) concentration to 200 mmol.l(-1) (K(+)-depolarisation) induced a rise in the intracellular Ca(2+) level detected with fluo-3, a Ca(2+)-sensitive dye. However, when 5-10 mmol.l(-1) Co(2+) or 10-15 micro mol.l(-1) nifedipine was present in the external solution, K(+)-depolarisation did not induce a rise in the intracellular Ca(2+) level. Externally applied 5-10 mmol.l(-1) caffeine or 20 micro mol.l(-1) ryanodine had no effect on the intracellular Ca(2+) level. K(+)-depolarisation induced a rise in the intracellular Ca(2+) level in the presence of caffeine or ryanodine. Replacement of external Na(+) with Li(+) increased intracellular Ca(2+) levels. Our results show that contraction of the locomotor muscle in Doliolum is solely due to the influx of Ca(2+) through L-type calcium channels, and that relaxation is due to extrusion of Ca(2+) by Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange across the sarcolemma.

Molecular alignments of three types of liquid crystalline materials on polar solid surfaces have been investigated by the use of polarized optical microscopy. On an amino-coated glass substrate, p ′-alkyl- p -cyanobiphenyls, having one polar cyano group as a terminal moiety, exhibits homeotropic alignment; that is, the molecules align perpendicular to the substrate, whereas p ′-pentyloxy- p -cyanobiphenyl and p -(pentylbenzoic acid)-p-cyanophenyl ester, having two polar groups as a terminal and a spacer, appear to align parallel to the substrate surface. These results indicate that the position and the number of polar groups in a liquid crystalline molecule play an important role in the alignment. On a poly(vinyl alcohol)-covered substrate, which has polar hydroxyl groups, different alignments are observed. It has also been found that the alignments depend on the atmosphere humidity.

The ATLAS central solenoid magnet is being constructed to provide a magnetic field of 2 Tesla in the central tracking part of the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Since the solenoid coil is placed in front of the liquid-argon electromagnetic calorimeter, the solenoid coil must be as thin (and transparent) as possible. The high-strength and high-RRR aluminum-stabilized superconductor is a key technology for the solenoid to be thinnest while keeping its stability. This has been developed with an alloy of 0.1 wt% nickel addition to 5N pure aluminum and with the subsequent mechanical cold working of 21% in area reduction. A yield strength of 110 MPa at 4.2 K has been realized keeping a residual resistivity ratio (RRR) of 590, after a heat treatment corresponding to coil curing at 130/spl deg/C for 15 hrs. This paper describes the optimization of the fabrication process and characteristics of the developed conductor.

Chaetognath muscle fibres resemble vertebrate muscle fibres in having an abundant sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and analogues of the transverse (T) tubular system, but contraction is regulated differently. In intact chaetognaths electrically-evoked contractions of the striated locomotor muscles were largely or totally blocked by d-tubocurarine, by surgical removal of the ventral ganglion and by Co2+. Contractions of single cells enzymatically dissociated from locomotor muscles were likewise blocked by Co2+, they twitched once only after calciseptine, showed neither contractures nor elevated intracellular Ca2+ with caffeine, and ryanodine did not block contractions. Whole cell voltage-clamped locomotor muscle cells displayed a typical inward rectified Ca2+ current that was sensitive to the Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine and calciseptine and showed voltage-dependent activation with a threshold at ∼−25 mV and a peak inward current at ∼+ 10 mV. In contrast, whole cell voltage-clamped cells from the muscles operating the grasping spines of the head showed an initial very rapid and rapidly-inactivating inward current abolished by tetrodotoxin (TTX), followed by a slower and slowly-inactivating inward current blocked by calciseptine. The relation between these observations and the unusual ‘vertebrate-like’ structure of the muscle cells is discussed.

Sir, In recent years, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE-Is), angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), spironolactone and beta-adrenergic antagonists have been used to treat heart failure as first-line therapy.1 However, these medications can cause hyperkalaemia as a side-effect.2 We evaluated the medications and clinical profiles of patients with symptomatic hyperkalaemia in recent years. We studied 40 consecutive patients with symptomatic hyperkalaemia, admitted between January 2001 and December 2006. Hyperkalaemia was defined as serum potassium >6.0 mmol/l. Medications and clinical profiles were evaluated; patients who underwent haemodialysis were excluded. Data are expressed as means ± SD. Paired and unpaired Student's t-tests were used; differences were considered significant at …

The electrical characteristics of the diagonally connected MHD generator are studied analytically using a two-dimensional, time dependent numerical modeling technique which is based on a finite element mathematical formulation for electrodynamics. The analysis is directed at study of the near electrode electrical behavior as influenced by slag coverage. The Component Development Integration Facility (CDIF) 1A 4 generator is analyzed, and experimental results from CDIF testing are used as boundary values of the electrical model. Simulation results agree well with CDIF experimental results, i.e. the electrical measurement for the electric field and current density based upon Faraday voltage and inter-electrode voltage. By the influence of the Hall electrical field, the current patterns are slightly complex in the boundary layer. Because of the thermal insulation effect of the slag coverage, the current transport is maintained by diffuse discharge through the boundary layers. Through elevated electrical conductivity of the slag and the strong influence of the Hall effect in the boundary layer, the equipotential lines bend into complex patterns near the electrodes. The numerical simulation was also performed considering the effect of slag polarization. The leakage current in the slag layer had some effect on the behavior of the slag. Slag polarization causes a reversed current phenomenon by which a cathode exhibits operation of an anode within the slag layer. The high electrical conductivity of the slag is a main factor to support leakage currents and arc currents in the slag layer. A local blowout of the slag can be supported by the “Fuse Theory”, where the slag leakage current is locally broken by leakage and arc currents, much like a fuse. The damage of electrode and insulator walls is caused by local concentrations of the current density and the large electric field near the electrodes.

1980年12月から1997年1月にかけて教室および関連施設で経験した直腸sm癌83例の中で局所再発をきたした3例(3.6%)を臨床病理組織学的に検討した,3例はいずれも占居部位がRbで,超低位前方切除術が施行されていた.2例が低分化腺癌,1例が高度脈管侵襲を有しており,1例は明らかに断端陽性となる内視鏡的粘膜切除が行われていた.1例に再切除が行われたが全例癌死した.直腸sm癌局所再発の危険因子として,先進部組織型が低分化腺癌であること,深逹度がsm2以深であること,リンパ管または静脈侵襲が中等度以上であること,AWが5mm以下であることがあげられた,これらの危険因子を有する場合は,早期癌といえども進行癌に準じた厳重な経過観察を行ない,早期に再発を診断することが重要であると考えられた.

1. During action potential trains in giant axons from the squid Sepioteuthis, decline of the peak level of the undershoot potential was observed. The time course of the decline of the undershoot could be fitted with a three-exponential function with time constants of approximately 25, approximately 400 and approximately 7,000 ms, respectively. 2. When the osmolarity of the external solution was doubled by adding glucose (1.2 M), the fast component of undershoot decline, but not the medium and slow components, was significantly reduced. 3. Under voltage clamp in high osmolarity solutions where K+ accumulation was completely removed, repeated depolarizing pulses at 40 Hz (designed to mimic a train of action potentials) elicited K+ currents whose peak value declined. The decline is consistent with inactivation of the K+ conductance (gK). The decline of gK was fitted by a two-exponential function with time constants of approximately 400 and approximately 7,000 ms, respectively. 4. Interventions designed to modify Schwann cell physiology, such as high frequency stimulation (100 Hz, 2 min), externally applied ouabain (100-500 microM), L-glutamate (100 microM), ACh (100 microM), Co2+ (5mM), Ba2+ (2mM), or removal of external Ca2+ by EGTA, had no significant effects on the fast, medium or slow components of undershoot decline. 5. The results suggest that the fast component of undershoot decline represents K+ accumulation in the space between Schwann cell and axolemma. The medium and slow components are the result of axonal gK inactivation. Schwann cells appear to be involved in K+ clearance only to the extent that they provide an efficient physical pathway for the clearance of K+ by extracellular diffusion.

The effects of lipophilic ions on the intramembrane charge movement and intracellular calcium transient were studied using freshly dissociated skeletal muscle cells from mice fetuses. The lipophilic cations Rhodamine 6G and tetraphenylphosphonium (TPP) immobilized part of the intramembrane charge movement in a dose-dependent manner, and inhibited both calcium transient and contraction evoked by membrane depolarization. In contrast, the lipophilic anion 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid (ANS) had no effect on intramembrane charge movement. We suggest that the lipophilic cations block the voltage-sensing mechanism for the excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling mechanism.

Previous ultrastructural observations suggested thatDoliolum muscle fibres apparently lacked both sarcoplasmicreticulum and transverse tubular-system. External Ca2+ isrequired for contraction, caffeine does not evoke contraction,nor does it increase intracellular Ca2+ level. Ryanodine at 50μm has no effect on electrically-evoked contractions.Further, electrical stimulation in external solutions lacking Na+leads to sustained contracture. We conclude that intracellularCa2+ stores are absent in these rapid obliquely-striated fibres,and that reduction in internal Ca2+ levels following contractiondepends upon Na+-Ca2+ exchange across the sarcolemma

International audience; We performed hoop stress tests of REBCO multilayer pancake coils impregnated by epoxy resin. The mechanical deformation and electric field-current properties were measured under the large hoop stress. The maximum hoop stress of about 530 MPa per Hastelloy substrate, calculated from the BJR relation, was applied in the background magnetic field of 8 T. Because the hoop stress level is much smaller than the mechanical tolerance of the GdBCO tape, the coil performance was limited by the angular dependence of critical current in this test. Furthermore, the hoop stress test under the large electromagnetic stresses was also carried out for the other (Y, Gd)BCO coil. The (Y, Gd)BCO epoxy impregnated coil was operated without any degradation even in the huge hoop stress over 1300 MPa. The mechanical deformation of the coil is analysed on the basis of the measured strains. We confirmed the large strain about 0.3%-0.5% because of the hoop stress over 1300 MPa at I op = 460 A and B = 13.5 T but no degradation of the coils. However, it is suggested that the coil deformation is very complicated under the large electromagnetic stress.

A transcription factor NF kappa B, which regulates expression of various cellular genes involved in immune responses and viral genes including HIV, is sequestered in the cytoplasm as a complex with an inhibitory protein I kappa B. Various extracellular signals induce phosphorylation and rapid degradation of I kappa B alpha to release NF kappa B. Cu2+ was found to inhibit the activation of NF kappa B induced by TNF-alpha, TPA, or H2O2. Deoxycholate treatment of the cytoplasmic extract prepared from cells stimulated by TNF-alpha in the presence of Cu2+ resulted in the release of NF kappa B from I kappa B alpha, indicating that Cu2+ interferes with the dissociation of the NF kappa B-I kappa B complex. Neither phosphorylation nor degradation of I kappa B alpha was observed upon TNF-alpha stimulation in the presence of Cu2+. These results indicate that Cu2+ inhibits the release of NF kappa B by blockade of a signal leading to the phosphorylation of I kappa B alpha.

A prototype thin superconducting solenoid magnet has been developed to verify technical feasibility of an advanced thin superconducting solenoid magnet with a magnetic field of 2 T in a cylindrical volume of 3.4 m /spl phi//spl times/9 m and with a transparency of 1.2 radiation length (Xo). The magnet is required to have a stored energy/effective cold mass (E/M) ratio of 7.5 kJ/kg. The technical goal has been successfully achieved with realizing E/M=9.6 kJ/kg as a result of the prototype R&D. The prototype development and test results are presented. >

To investigate the effect of restriction of mandibular movements during sleep on jaw-muscle electromyographic (EMG) activity. Eleven healthy subjects (four men and seven women; age, 25·9 ± 3·1 years) with self-reports of sleep bruxism participated in three randomised sessions with three different types of oral appliances: (i) full-arch maxillary and mandibular appliances which did not allow any mandibular movement, that is, restrictive oral appliance (restrict-MMOA), (ii) full-arch maxillary and mandibular oral appliances (free-MMOA) with no restrictions of mandibular movements and (iii) conventional full-arch flat stabilisation appliance, that is, maxillary oral appliance (free-MOA). Baseline recordings (1st EMG recording) of jaw-muscle activity during sleep without any oral appliance were performed and followed by 1 week of nightly use of each oral appliance (three sessions). During the last night in each session, jaw-muscle activity was recorded (2nd, 3rd and 4th EMG recordings) and compared to baseline values. All EMG data were analysed in accordance with the gold-standard diagnostic method. The average jaw-muscle activity expressed as number of EMG episodes and bursts per hour sleep was significantly reduced during any combination of appliance compared to baseline values. The inhibitory effect of the appliances was specific to the number of phasic EMG episodes and bursts (P0·01), with no effects on tonic EMG bursts or episodes (P0·30). The results indicated that restriction of mandibular movements with oral appliances do not have any major influence on jaw-muscle activity during sleep but rather that the immediate effect of any combination of oral appliances lead to a suppression of phasic EMG bursts and episodes.

Critical currents of Nb/sub 3/Sn cabled superconductors were measured under cyclic mechanical compressive force of 30 MPa up to 10000 times. The conductors were developed for a superconducting generator under the Super-GM project. The conductors were designed to apply the field winding of the 70 MW-class superconducting generator. The 10000 repetitions of force application simulate 30 years of centrifugal and electromagnetic force produced by the daily start-and-stop (DSS) operation of the superconducting generator. In the test facility constructed at the Akagi Testing Center of the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry (CRIEPI), mechanical compressive force is generated by the cyclic fatigue test machine, which can generate 100 kN of force and is located on top of a cryostat at room temperature. Measured critical currents of two types of Nb/sub 3/Sn conductor did not change throughout the test. >

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) binds to the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (LRP)/alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor and induces catabolism of normal human very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) via LRP in vitro. Recent studies showed that the C-terminal domain of LPL can bind LRP in solid phase assays and inhibit cellular catabolism of two LRP ligands, activated alpha 2-macroglobulin and the 39-kDa receptor-associated protein (Williams, S.E., Inoue, I., Tran, H., Fry, G. L., Pladet, M.W., Iverius, P.-H., Lalouel, J.-M., Chappell, D.A., and Strickland, D.K. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 8653-8658). The current study investigated the potential for this region of LPL to promote cellular catabolism of VLDL via LRP. A fragment comprising the C-terminal domain of LPL (designated LPLC) was expressed in bacteria and found to promote cellular binding, uptake, and degradation of normal human VLDL in a dose-dependent manner. These effects were present whether LPLC was added simultaneously with 125I-VLDL or was prebound to cell surfaces prior to the assay. Mutations involving Lys407, Trp393, Trp394, or deletion of the C-terminal 14 residues reduced the effects of LPLC. Three LRP-binding proteins, the receptor-associated protein, lactoferrin, and a polyclonal antibody against LRP, competed for 125I-VLDL degradation induced by LPLC. Heparin or heparinase treatment of cells prevented LPLC-induced 125I-VLDL catabolism. Thus, cell-surface proteoglycans play an important role in this pathway. Interestingly, either LPLC or LPL when added in excess could block LPL-induced 125I-VLDL degradation presumably by interacting directly with LRP. However, unlabeled VLDL could not prevent catabolism of 125I-labeled LPLC or LPL. These data show that cellular fates for VLDL versus LPLC or LPL are divergent. This is probably due to independent catabolism of the latter via cell-surface proteoglycans. In summary, these in vitro studies indicate that a fragment of LPL corresponding to the C-terminal domain mimics the native enzyme with respect to induction of VLDL catabolism via LRP. Because LPLC lacks the catalytic site of native LPL, these studies establish that lipase activity is not required for LRP-mediated lipoprotein catabolism.

A flexible superconducting bus-line is proposed as an electrical feeder between the superconducting coils of the Large Helical Device (LHD) and the device's power supplies. The bus-line consists of superconducting cables and a cryogenic flexible transfer-line. A specially developed aluminum stabilized NbTi/Cu compacted strand cable satisfies requirements for large current capacity, high stability, high reliability and flexibility. A full-scale model with a length of 20 m was designed and constructed to investigate the feasibility and performance of the superconducting bus-line. Its fabrication, transportation, installation, cooling and excitation tests were successfully carried out. The bus-line was very stable and could be excited up to 40 kA (rated current is 30 kA) without a quench. The stability, current distribution and heat load were also measured. >

This paper describes BiCMOS level-converter circuits and clock circuits that increase VLSI interface speed to 1 GHz, and their application to a 704 MHz ATM switch LSI. An LSI with a high speed interface requires a BiCMOS multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) on the chip to reduce internal operation speed. A MUX/DEMUX with minimum power dissipation and a minimum pattern area can be designed using the proposed converter circuits. The converter circuits, using weakly cross-coupled CMOS inverters and a voltage regulator circuit, can convert signal levels between LCML and positive CMOS at a speed of 500 MHz. Data synchronization in the high speed region is ensured by a new BiCMOS clock circuit consisting of a pure ECL path and retiming circuits. The clock circuit reduces the chip latency fluctuation of the clock signal and absorbs the delay difference between the ECL clock and data through the CMOS circuits. A rerouting-Banyan (RRB) ATM switch, employing both the proposed converter circuits and the clock circuits, has been fabricated with 0.5 /spl mu/m BiCMOS technology. The LSI, composed of CMOS 15 K gate logic, 8 Kb RAM, I Kb FIFO and ECL 1.6 K gate logic, achieved an operation speed of 704-MHz with power dissipation of 7.2 W. >

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) binds with high affinity to the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein/alpha 2-macroglobulin receptor (LRP) and promotes binding, uptake, and degradation of normal triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in a process mediated by LRP (Chappell, D. A., Fry, G. L., Naknitx, M.A., Muhonen, L. E., Pladet, M. W., Iverius, P-H., and Strickland, D. K. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 14168-14175). To localize the portion of LPL that is responsible for interacting with LRP, fragments of LPL were expressed in bacteria. A fragment of human LPL containing the COOH-terminal domain (residues 313-448, designated LPLC) which lacks the catalytic site was able to bind to LRP. Purified LRP bound specifically to microtiter wells coated with LPL or LPLC with KD values of 2.8 and 5 nM, respectively. The effects of several mutations of LPLC were tested. Mutation of Lys407 to Ala reduced the affinity of LPLC for LRP by approximately 10-fold. Like native LPL, LPLC prevented the binding of activated alpha 2-macroglobulin and the 39-kDa receptor-associated protein to LRP and inhibited the internalization and degradation of activated alpha 2-macroglobulin and receptor-associated protein in cultured fibroblasts. LPLC also bound to 125I-labeled human normal triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and promoted their binding to purified LRP and to cultured cells. Mutation of Trp393 and Trp394 to Ala completely abolished the ability of LPLC to bind to lipoproteins, but had little effect on its interaction with LRP. These data indicate that the COOH-terminal domain of LPL may function both in binding lipoproteins and mediating their interaction with LRP.

Action potentials in Aplysia MA1 neurons are known to produce inhibitory junction potentials (IJPS) in muscle cells in a specific portion (mm block) of the buccal musculature. These IJPS are reversibly blocked by curare (d-TC), suggesting that the transmitter is acetylcholine (ACh) and the receptor is a cholinergic ACh receptor. In the present study, we identified the ACh receptor channel in dissociated buccal muscle fibres from the mm portion of the I$^{3}$ muscle by using the patch-clamp technique. Under the whole-cell current clamp, iontophoretically applied ACh induced a transient hyperpolarization when the cells were dialysed with isotonic 150 mM K D-aspartate (KAsp) or 150 mM Cs D-aspartate (CsAsp) solution. In contrast, when cells were dialysed with 150 mM KCl solution, ACh induced a transient depolarization instead of hyperpolarization. ACh-induced membrane currents were recorded under the whole-cell voltage clamp, and the reversal potential was estimated from the current-voltage relations. The reversal potential was estimated to be -52.0$\pm $2.0 mV (mean$\pm $s.d.; n = 3) when dialysed with KAsp solution, and -39.5 $\pm $ 1.5 mV (mean$\pm $s.d.; n = 3) when dialysed with 150 mM CsAsp solution. When 150 mM CsCl was used as the internal solution, the reversal potential was -0.4$\pm $s.d; n = 3), which is close to the equilibrium potential for Cl$^{-}$ (-4 mV). All those responses to ACh were reversibly blocked by 10$^{-4}$ M d-TC. These results suggest that the ACh receptor of the muscle fibres of the I$^{3}$ muscle in the mm block is associated with a Cl$^{-}$ channel, which generates IJPS in the Aplysia buccal muscle fibres in response to action potentials in the MA1 neurons.

Activation of the Ca 2+ -activated K + channel (K Ca -channel) by adenosine 3′, 5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A-kinase) in cultured smooth muscle cells from porcine coronary artery was investigated using the patch-clamp technique. In cell-attached patches, the K Ca -channel was activated when forskolin (10 μM) was applied to the bath. In excised inside-out patches, application of 50 μM cAMP to the bath activated the K Ca -channel in the presence of A-kinase (10 units/ml) and ATP (1 mM). In addition, the K Ca -channel was activated directly by application of cAMP to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane in the absence of A-kinase. The activation by cAMP or by A-kinase required intracellular Ca 2+ , and was enhanced by increase of intracellular Ca 2+ . At a low concentration (3×10 −7 M) of Ca 2+ , more than 2 mM cAMP was required for activation of the K Ca -channel, but with 10 −6 M Ca 2+ , 100 μM cAMP was sufficient for activation. These results suggest that there are two mechanisms of activation of the K Ca -channel by cAMP : direct activation, and indirect activation via phosphorylation of the channel by A-kinase.

The development of intramembrane charge movement was studied in freshly isolated skeletal muscle cells from 13- to 19-day-old mouse fetuses. Charge movement was present in myotubes from 13-day-old fetuses. The relationship between charge movement and membrane potential could be described by a two-state Boltzmann equation. The amount of maximum charge movement (Qmax) increased substantially with the age of the fetuses from 2.84 +/- 0.39 nC/microF (n = 10) at day 13 to 10.01 +/- 0.97 nC/microF (n = 15) at day 19. Nifedipine (1 microM) consistently reduced Qmax by 33 +/- 2% (n = 37) of the control value at each age studied. Increasing the concentration of nifedipine to 20 microM had no further effect, suggesting that the charge movement in developing myotubes consists of at least two components: a nifedipine-sensitive charge movement (Qns) and a nifedipine-resistant one (Qnr). Both Qns and Qnr increased exponentially with a distinct enhancement of rate at day 16.

Two-dimensional time-dependent numerical simulations are carried out for a Faraday type MHD channel of experimental size. The Finite Element Method is used for the analyses. We study the current flow mechanism near the electrode of the coal-fired MHD channel, where a slag layer wholly covers the surface of the anode and the cathode at low temperature. Because the slag plays the role of thermal insulation, the current flow tends to become the diffuse discharge with some local concentration in the slag layer. Next, we carry out a comparative study with the experimental results obtained in the petroleum-fired MHD channel. The numerical simulations agree well with the experimental results on the anode side from the view point of the electrode voltage drop. The current flow mechanism near the electrode wall is also examined, together with characteristics of the arc discharge in the boundary layer. The temperature of the electrode wall and the load resistance are changed, and it is shown that the behavior of the arc depends on the temperature of the electrode wall and the load resistance.

In fabricating a cylindrical case from magnetic ribbon for shielding, the ribbon has to be wound helically on the outer surface of a cylinder. In this paper, we studied the relationship between the shielding characteristics for transverse and axial disturbing fields and the winding pitch of the magnetic ribbon. The shielding factor is high when the angle between the direction of the disturbing field and the longitudinal direction of the magnetic ribbon is small. For example, the shielding factor S ? for a transverse field was 220 at a winding angle of ?=10°, while S ? =200 at ?=30° and S ? =160 at ?=45°. Leakage of the shaking field into the shielded space was reduced by decreasing the winding pitch.

ATP-sensitive K+ channels with a conductance of 30 pS in smooth muscle cells of porcine coronary artery were found to be highly active in the intact cell-attached patch configuration when the pipette contained a physiological concentration of Ca2+ (greater than 10(-4) M). In the inside-out configuration, these channels were activated by extracellular Ca2+ and blocked by cytosolic ATP and glibenclamide. Endothelin applied to the pipette specifically blocked these channels in a concentration-dependent manner in the cell-attached configuration (half-maximal inhibition, 1.3 x 10(-9) M). A K+ channel opener, nicorandil, activated these channels even in the presence of 10(-8) M endothelin. In the whole-cell current-clamp method, the cell membrane was depolarized by endothelin and then repolarized by nicorandil. The membrane depolarization is closely related to contraction of smooth muscle cells. These results suggest that the ATP-sensitive K+ channels are important in controlling the vascular tone of the coronary artery and that endothelin can increase vascular tone by blocking these channels.

術前照射療法(42.6Gy)を併用した直腸癌症例のリンパ節転移について非照射症例と対比検討した.対象は非照射群28例,照射群31例である.非照射群のリンパ節転移率は46.4%(13/28),転移度5.?%(78/1,376個),平均転移個数は6.0個,照射群では転移率29.0%(9/31),転移度1.0%(18/1,812個),平均転移個数2.0個であった.転移方向別では非照射群で,上方転移がなく側方転移のみ認めた症例が3例(10.7%)あったのに対し,照射群では1例もみられなかった,壁深達度別では照射群のpm,ss(ai)症例に側方転移を認めなかった。側方リンパ節転移率は照射群の#262で減少しており,転移度は照射群の#262,#282で有意な減少を認めた.以上の結果,術前照射療法は転移リンパ節個数を有意に減少させ,とくに側方リンパ節転移に対し効果が認められ,骨盤内自律神経温存術式の適応拡大に有用であることが示唆された.

The authors propose a novel method of magnetic shaking for enhancing the performance of ferromagnetic shielding. The method employs a new type of planar coil which generates higher-order multipole fields. Ferromagnetic shielding walls placed close to the planar coil can be suitably shaken by its field, whereas unwanted leakage of the shaking field into the shielded space can be avoided due to the highly localized nature of the multipole field. The configuration of the novel planar coil is similar to a square mesh in which alternating cells are clockwise or counterclockwise current loops. The shaking effect on the shielding performance and the leakage of the shaking field are evaluated using cylindrical shields and compared with results obtained with toroidal shaking coils. >