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Coral reef environments are currently experiencing a global crisis. For restoration and conservation of such environments, substratum suitable for coral recruitment is important. Herbivorous fishes are likely to facilitate the survival and growth of coral reefs by removing sediment and epilithic algae on corals in the course of their feeding behavior. However, this facilitative function can be greatly impaired by anthropogenic stressors such as overfishing, which decreases the biomass of fishes, and by excessive sediment deposition due to land development, which might decrease the frequency of feeding. To examine these hypotheses, we conducted observations and experiments at 4 reefs with different degrees of anthropogenic stress in subtropical Japan. Our findings were as follows: (1) Underwater visual censuses, sediment trap surveys, and an analysis of fishery statistics revealed that biomass, population density, and species richness of herbivorous fishes were generally lower in reefs with high densities of fishermen and high sedimentation rates. (2) Caging experiments showed that, compared to control plots, caged plots inaccessible to herbivorous fishes had greater accumulation of sediment and epilithic algae. (3) Sediment removal experiments found that, compared to control plots, experimental plots with the sediment removed were more heavily grazed by some functional groups of herbivorous fishes (grazers). These results suggest that excessive deposition of sediment and overfishing depress the facilitative function of herbivorous fishes, which can further exacerbate the deposition of sediment.

In this paper, the aerodynamic characteristics are clarified by the airfoil performance test of the model of icing airfoil in wind tunnel. As a result of wind tunnel test, the lift coefficient of model of icing airfoil becomes lower and the drag coefficient becomes higher than those of clean airfoil. With the use of these results, numerical analysis using aeroelastic code was carried out to clarify the influence of icing airfoil on wind turbine performance. As result of the analysis, the rated power with icing airfoil is obtained at higher wind speed than clean one, and the maximum value of output power is decreased by icing airfoil. Compared to clean airfoil, the amplitude of edgewise moment at blade root is increased, which is mainly caused by the effects of mass of icing on the blade.

Selective deposition of Cu diffusion barrier metal layer on dielectric with Self-Assembled Monolayer (SAM) has been demonstrated. Via resistance is expected to decrease by eliminating the barrier at via bottom in dual- and semi-damascene structure. In this study, we report the evaluation of SAMs to enable selective ALD-barrier metal deposition and, as an example, we show Cu via prefill integration using ELD-Cu with no barrier / liner at via bottom and no seam void for metal filling.

In this paper, the icing effect on wind turbine is investigated. The sectional aerodynamic performance of iced blade was measured in wind tunnel with icing airfoil models. The analysis conducted by using FAST using the measured sectional performance was conducted to investigate the degradation in wind turbine performance and added load due to icing. Frequency analysis was also conducted with the time series data calculated by using FAST. As the results, the power output at the rated wind speed for the icing case is smaller than that for the clean case and the maximum rotor thrust for the icing case is smaller than the clean case. The wind speed at which the turbine’s rated power is reached for the icing case was higher than that for the clean case.

Background FOLFOX and CAPOX are standard adjuvant chemotherapy for resected stage III colon cancer. MOSAIC and XELOXA trials were performed outside of Japan, thus, we conducted a phase II study (NORTH/HGCSG1003) to assess the efficacy and safety of FOLFOX as adjuvant chemotherapy for Japanese patients(pts) with resected stage III colon cancer (UMIN ID: 000004590). Methods This phase II study enrolled patients with resected stage III colon cancer. Patients received 12 cycles of FOLFOX4 or mFOLFOX6. Sample size was determined to be 243 pts. Primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS). We assumed an expected 3-year DFS rate of 81.2% in this study. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS) and safety. In this meeting, we present for the 5-year OS rate. Results From Sep 2010 to Mar 2013, 273 pts were enrolled at 28 institutions. Full analysis included 265 patients who received FOLFOX. Patients characteristics were as follows: median age; 65(33-84), Male/female; 131/134, PS 0/1; 258/7, stage IIIA/IIIB/IIIC; 37/197/31, colon/rectosigmoid: 214/51. The most common grade 3-4 adverse events were neutrophil count decreased (48.1%), peripheral sensory neuropathy (6.4%), platelet count decreased (2.3%), and allergic reaction (1.5%). The median number of cycles of FOLFOX was 12, and the completion treatment rate was 80.4%. There was no treatment-related death. The 3-year/5-year DFS rate was 76.0%(95%C.I. 70.3- 80.7)/70.6%(95%C.I. 64.7-75.7). The 3-year/5-year 0S rate was 95.8%(95%C.I. 92.5- 97.7)/88.1%(95%C.I. 83.5-91.5). Conclusions In Japanese patients with resected stage III colon cancer, FOLFOX is a well-tolerable regimen as adjuvant chemotherapy. In this trial, the 3-year DFS rate of primary endpoint was not meet the expectation. However, the 3-year DFS and 5-year OS rate in this trial were similar to several pivotal trials. Clinical trial identification UMIN ID: 000004590. Legal entity responsible for the study Non-Political Organization: Hokkaido Gastrointestinal Cancer Study Group. Funding Non-Political Organization: Hokkaido Gastrointestinal Cancer Study Group. Disclosure S. Yuki: Honoraria (self): Yakult Honsha Co. Ltd. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

The effects of alternating current imposition and/or alkaline earth elements on modification of the primary Mg2Si crystals in the hypereutectic Mg-Si alloy were investigated. An alternating current of 60 A with frequency of 1 kHz was applied into the hypereutectic Mg-Si melt which was alloyed with alkaline earth elements or not in the fixed temperature range from 700 to 630℃. The results show that the primary Mg2Si crystals could be refined by imposing alternating current or adding alkaline elements. Compared with the samples treated by adding 0.4% Ca or 0.4% Sr, higher modification efficiency could be obtained for the samples treated by imposing alternating current. No further modification efficiency could be obtained for the samples treated by imposing alternating current combined with 0.4% Ca or 0.4% Sr addition.

To control the solidified structure of an alloy, an alternating current imposing process on the alloy during its solidification has been examined. A Sn–10 mass-%Pb alloy was adopted as a model alloy in this experiment. The solidified structure with the alternating current was equiaxed structure while that without the alternating current was dendritic structure. The current imposing period of 1 s is enough for obtaining an equiaxed structure under this experimental condition. Imposition of the current in the initial stage of the solidification is essential to obtain an equiaxed structure in this process.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is the key precursor in the biosynthesis of tetrapyrroles such as chlorophylls and hemes. 5-ALA is the unique precursor of tetrapyrroles. Iron element can activate 5-ALA-induced physiological actions. We conducted experiments of a new functional fertilizer including 5-ALA -HCl (0.3%), magnesium nitrate, Fe-DTPA, urea and the other mineral nutrients on the yield of paprika and strawberry fruits. Paprika and strawberry plants were transplanted in a rockwool and a peat respectively, and they were weekly irrigated with a hydoroponic solution added with or without the fertilizer (paprika: 500-800 and strawberry: 500 ml ha ) respectively. The cumulative fruit yield of paprika treated with the fertilizer increased by 4.3 to 9.0% of control. The nutrient solution analysis showed that NO3-N uptake by paprika plants with the fertilizer treatment was increased by 16% of control. The yield increase of paprika may be related partly to NO3-N uptake increase by the fertilizer treatment. The cumulative fruit yield of strawberry during 8 weeks after the treatment increased by 4.8% of control. Size of the fruit slightly decreased, in contrast, percentage of dry matter, sugar and citric acid contents significantly increased. INTRODUCTION 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is the key precursor in the biosynthesis of tetrapyrroles such as chlorophylls and hemes. Figure 1 shows 5-ALA related metabolism. 5ALA is the unique precursor of tetrapyrroles (Beale, 1990), such as chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, protoheme, heme, and siroheme. They have a magnesium or an iron element at the active center. The enzymes, 5-ALA related metabolites, such as catalase, cytochromes, ascorbate peroxidase, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and sulfite reductase play important roles in plants. In the redox reactions and electron transport in an enzymes, iron ion may play an essential role with a minimum expenditure of energy. When protoporrphyrinIX accumulates highly in plants treated with 5-ALA at a high concentration, magnesium ion may play a role of safener as a metabolic smoothing of protoporrphyrinIX. 5-ALA-induced actions can be activated with iron and magnesium elements. The fertilizer, a liquid formulation, containing 5-ALA-HCl (0.3%), magnesium nitrate, urea iron(III)-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (Fe-DTPA), and trace elements such as Mn, B, Zn, Cu, and Mo has been used in Japan. 5ALA is produced with fermentation of photosynthetic bacterium (Rhodobacter sphaeroides). The fertilizer, exhibits promotive actions such as growth, yield, fruit quality, and salt and cold resistances on crops and vegetables. MATERIALS AND METHODS The fertilizer containing 5-ALA was prepared as shown in Table 1. Fe-DTPA was obtained from Chelest Co. (Osaka Japan) as Fe-DTPA-2(NH4) /50% (aq.). 5-ALA was obtained from Cosmo Oil Co. (Tokyo Japan) as 5-ALA-HCl /98%. All other chemicals were purchased from commercial sources and were of reagent-grade or first class industrial-grade. Four experiments on paprika and one experiment of strawberry were conducted in a greenhouse in the Netherlands in 2003-2004. Paprika (Capsicum annuum ‘Tripoli’,‘Echo’, ‘Sympathy’) plants were grown in a rockwool. They were weekly irrigated with a Proc. IS on Soilless Cult. and Hydroponics Ed: M. Urrestarazu Gavilan Acta Hort. 697 ISHS 2005 352 hydoroponic solution (Naaldwijk recipe) added with or without the fertilizer (500-800 ml ha ) respectively. Drained solution from irrigation of paprika were weekly sampled and elements were analyzed. The analysis was conducted only in one experiment (Lepelstraat 2003). Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duchesne ‘Elsanta’) plants were grown in a peat from first week of January 2004. They were weekly irrigated with a hydoroponic solution (Naaldwijk recipe) added with or without the fertilizer (500 ml ha) respectively, started in last week of January. All fruits of plants were harvested and their weight were determined. Sufficient ripened fruits of strawberry were weekly analyzed on weight, diameter, volume, dry matter, sugar, citric acid, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and other minerals. RESULTS The yields of paprika in four experiments were 33.8 kg m and 31.0 kg m (Hendrik Ido Ambacht 2003,‘Tripoli’), 30.2 kg m and 28.7 kg m (Lepelstraat 2003,‘Echo’), 11.0 kg m and 10.1 kg m (Ijsselmuiden 2003,‘Sympathy’, censored data) and 29.0 kg m and 27.8 kg m (Lepelstraat 2004,‘Echo’) with or without the fertilizer treatment respectively. Thus, yield increased by 9.0%, 5.2%, 8.9%, 4.3% of untreated control respectively (Fig. 2). The yield increase was induced through improving taking root, plant vigor, leaf coloring, number of lateral shoots, fruit size, and specific gravity of the fruit (audit observation). NO3-N uptake by paprika treated with the fertilizer was increased by 16% of untreated control in June to July (Fig. 3). The harvest of strawberry fruits started from April 1, 2004. Figure 4 shows weekly compiled fruit yield of strawberry. The cumulative yield during 8 weeks after the treatment was 6.11 kg m and 5.83 kg m respectively, with or without the fertilizer treatment, thus, yield increased by 4.8% of untreated control. Averaged across the period of sampling, mean of diameter, volume and fruit weight were 33.6 mm and 33.7 mm, 20.5 ml and 21.5 ml and 19.0g and 19.2g, with or without the fertilizer treatment respectively. These data shows that fruit size was slightly decreased. In contrast, percentages of dry matter with or without the fertilizer treatment were 8.92% and 8.76%. Sugar and citric acid contents also increased (Fig. 5 and 6). Other elements in the fruits such as, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, and micro minerals were not changed by the fertilizer treatment. DISCUSSION In four experiments, the fertilizer promoted fruit yield of paprika. 5-ALA and plant nutrient elements including Fe-DTPA showed synergistic effects in the growth promotion on the weight of creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.), radish (Raphanus sativus var. radicula) and tea (Camellia sinensis Kuntze) and the leaf color of creeping bentgrass and tea (Iwai et al., 2003; 2004b). Additionally, 5-ALA and Fe-DTPA combined with urea also showed synergistic effects on node-number and fresh weight of shoots of Japanese lawngrass (Zoysia japonica Steud.) and tea (Iwai et al., 2004a; b). Heme is synthesized from eight molecules of 5-ALA and an iron element. Exogenous 5-ALA stimulated the activity of nitrate reductase in maize leaf segments under the light (Mishra and Srivastava, 1983). The yield increases of paprika may be related partly to NO3-N uptake increase caused by 5-ALA. The fertilizer promoted fruit yield of strawberry. The fruit size of strawberry slightly decreased, but percentage of dry matter, sugar and citric acid contents significantly increased by the fertilizer treatment. 5-ALA showed promotive effect on the photosynthesis of manilagrass (Zoysia matrella Merr.) (Hotta et al., 2000). Additionally in our several experiments, 5-ALA promoted water uptake of hydroponically-grown plants. The increase of photosynthesis and stoma opening induced by 5-ALA may explain yield and quality increase in strawberry fruit. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We thanks to Mr. Edwin Stolk, Mr. Sjaak van Spronseen and Mr. Marcel Dings for participants in test growing. We thanks to Dr. Klaas de Jager for consultation in test growing. Literature Cited Beale, S.I. 1990. Biosynthesis of the tetrapyrrole pigment precursor δ-aminolevulinic acid

It has been reported that exposure of patients and physicians to radiation from interventional radiological procedures cannot be disregarded. Direct measurement of patient exposure used to be difficult due to possible interference by the detector with the observation of X ray images. Recently, a dosemeter system consisting of small-sized glass chips and a reader which adopts pulsed UV laser stimulation has been developed. Owing to its small size, radiolucency and physical characteristics, direct monitoring of surface dose has become feasible. Dose measurement for patients and physicians during neurointervention was done using the photoluminescence glass dosemeter system. The dose-response of the dosemeter was almost linear over a broad dose range, but its energy dependency was rather high without a filter, the use of which is recommended by the manufacturer to compensate for energy dependency. Variation of sensitivity of about 20% was observed for effective energies of 45-60 keV which are used in neurointervention. In spite of this shortcoming, the photoluminescence glass dosemeter system was judged to be a convenient means for monitoring dose during neurointervention.

Quetiapine, which is a new atypical antipsychotic agent, was administered at low doses (25–50 mg/day) for psychotic symptoms in eight elderly patients with physical illnesses. Delirium and hallucination were alleviated by the administration of low doses of quetiapine, and the cause–effect relationship between the administration and alleviation of symptoms was evident, particularly in one patient with delirium, because delirium was alleviated after administration began, was exacerbated after discontinuation of quetiapine, and was alleviated again after administration was resumed. Little improvement was observed in delusions or mood disorders. None of the patients showed exacerbation of physical symptoms or abnormalities in clinical laboratory tests. The results of this study suggest that quetiapine might be effective in reducing delirium and hallucination that often accompany physical illness in elderly people and could be used without adverse effects.

We have evaluated the interfacial reactions of SiC fibre reinforced Al electrical power cable using low oxygen SiC fibre (Si : 62.4, C : 37.1, 0 : 0.5 mass%), and determined the relationship between the tensile strength and the amount of reaction products at the interface. The following are occurring at the SiC/Al interface: i) diffusion of Al atoms into the SiC fibre, ii) formation of needle–shape Al4C3 compounds, and iii) formation of Al9Si compounds. Formation of Al4C3 and Al9Si compounds at the interface causes the strength of SiC/Al composite electric power cable to deteriorate.

We developed a cone-beam CT system to acquire volume data of high-contrast objects, such as bone, lung and blood vessels (enhanced by contrast agents), that were amenable to 3D image processing. An X-ray tube and a large-area detector were mounted on a frame and rotated around an object in 12 seconds. The large-area detector consisted of a fluorescent plate and a CCD (charge-coupled device) video camera. While the X-ray tube was rotated around the object, X-ray pulses were generated, and 360 projected images were collected in a 12-second scan. A 256/spl times/256/spl times/256 matrix image was reconstructed using a parallel processor with a reconstruction time of 6 minutes. Image characteristics, such as spatial resolution, image noise and distortion, were evaluated by phantoms and compared with those of helical CT. Organ or tissue doses by the scan were determined by an in-phantom measurement. The effective dose recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection's Publication 60 (ICRP60) was evaluated using the organ or tissue doses. The results showed an isotropic resolving power of less than 1.6 mm and no distortion of the images, though they showed larger image noise and effective dose than that of helical CT.

The authors have developed new apparatus capable of detecting contamination on the insulators of overhead power transmission lines. The apparatus consists of multiple leakage current detectors with Peltier modules and features very compact size and light weight. Accumulated contaminants can be measured automatically and continuously without wiping them. The apparatus has demonstrated excellent performance in both laboratory and field tests.

Mossbauer measurements have been made on two kinds of spin-glass (SG) systems: one is the magnetically non-diluted mixed compound Fe0.5Mn0.5TiO3 with the SG-freezing temperature T SG=21.5K, and the other is the diluted one Fe0.2Mg0.8TiO3 with T SG=6K. We have shown that the temperature variation of the Mossbauer spectrum of Fe0.2Mg0.8TiO3 above and around its T SG is essentially different from that of Fe0.5Mn0.5TiO3: the former is typical of a cluster-glass and the latter of an ordinary spin-glass. The present work has clearly demonstrated that the Mossbauer spectroscopy is the most useful and unique technique to distinguish a cluster-glass from an ordinary spin-glass.

The humoral response in newborns is mainly restricted to IgM production, which may be attributable to the naive nature of both B and T cells at birth. In light of the current evidence that memory (CD45RO+) CD4+ T cells help B cell differentiation, the present study was undertaken to examine whether a specified population within memory CD4+ T cells could induce the maturation of neonatal naive B cells. In the conventional PWM-stimulated cultures, the generation of IgG- and IgA-producing cells in addition to IgM production by neonatal B cells was significantly enhanced by co-cultures with memory, but not naive, CD4+ T cells. Memory CD4+ T cells were further divided into two populations based on expression of homing receptor L-selectin. These memory CD4+ T cell subpopulations appeared to behave in different fashions concerning help for Ig production by naive (sIgD+) and mature (sIgD-) B cells. L-selectin-negative memory CD4+ T cells exhibited helper function for Ig secretion by mature B cells. Intriguingly, Ig production by neonatal B cells as well as adult naive B cells, although less than that by mature B cells, was efficiently promoted by L-selectin-positive memory CD4+ T cells rather than L-selectin-negative ones. The results suggest that the capability of neonatal naive B cells to secrete IgG and IgA can be elicited by appropriate T-cell signals, especially from the L-selectin-positive population within memory CD4+ T cells, seemingly indicating its possible role for isotype switching in B cells.

A 157 nm F 2 laser was used for the surface and interface modifications of Al thin films on silica glass substrate for fabricating a pattern of Al thin films. The F 2 -laser irradiated surface swelled remarkably by inducing the strong oxidation reaction of Al thin films to form Al 2 O 3 protective layer. High adhesion strength of 663 kgf/cm 2 between Al and silica glass was also obtained for the F 2 -laser-irradiated sample, compared with the cases in the ArF-laser irradiated, fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG-laser irradiated and nonirradiated samples of 326, 19 and 16 kgf/cm 2 , respectively. Thus, the F 2 -laser irradiated sample showed high abrasion resistance for embossing a fine pattern of Al thin films on silica glass. Mechanism of the F 2 -laser-induced surface and interface modifications was discussed, comparing with the cases in the ArF laser and fourth harmonic of Nd:YAG laser.

Three hundred and twenty autopsy cases of sarcoidosis in Japan were analyzed to determine the pathological changes in the early stage, the mode of progression in each organ and the changes in the final stage of the disease. The lung and the mediastinal lymph nodes were affected in most of the cases, while the lesions were limited to the lung and intrathoracic nodes in some of the cases. It was suspected that early changes developed in the lung and in the hilar, and then in the mediastinal lymph nodes. The progression of sarcoid granulomas in the lung was classified into three patterns: (i) probably of a disseminated hematogenous nature; (ii) of an interstitial lymphogenous nature; and (iii) of a local expansive nature. These three patterns were observed also in the heart. In the brain, perivascular granuloma formation was a prominent feature. In the other organs in which sarcoid lesions were not malignant nor disseminated and conglomerated, no interstitial patterns were observed. In chronic cases, repeated dissemination and particularly the interstitial spread of granulomatous changes led to a prominent interstitial fibrosis and dysfunction of the organs, finally resulting in death of the individual. In such long-standing cases, the mediastinal nodes deteriorated by hyalinous degeneration of the granulomas, and many active granulomas were formed in the intra-abdominal or body surface lymph nodes. These lymph nodes were likely to continue supplying sensitized lymphocytes to the whole body. A persistence of active change in the lymph nodes and the lymphogenous spread of granulomas in organs would appear to be key factors in the prognosis of sarcoidosis.