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We calculate long-range interactions between Al-Y clusters along the stacking direction in Mg-Al-Y alloys with long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure by using first-principles calculation based on density functional theory (DFT). We find that the highly ordered LPSO structure, recently observed in Mg 75 Al 10 Y 15 alloy with 10H-type stacking sequence, is the most stable in thirteen polytypic structures. Relative energy differences in the thirteen polytypic structures suggest that significant long-range interactions between the separated stacking faults bring the highly ordered LPSO structure although short-range interactions are dominant for the stability of the alloy. In addition, we calculate and compare the long-range interactions for sixteen Mg-Metal (M)-Rare Earth (RE) alloys which have been experimentally observed to form the LPSO phase, and reveal that the long-range interactions in the alloys with M = Al are one digit larger than those with M = Zn. These results suggest that the long-range interactions between Al-RE clusters play an important role to form the highly ordered LPSO structure in Mg-Al-RE alloys.

We investigated the effects of size and interstitial elements of the L12-type Al6Y8 cluster on the formation of the long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structure in the 10H-type Mg–Al–Y alloy, Mg92Al12Y16-i2, i=interstitial elements, Mg, Al, Y or vacancy (no interstitial atom), by using first-principles calculations. We found that there exist two local minima of total energy (two stable states) in a function of the Al–Al distance of the vacancy-centered L12 cluster. The A1-type stacking is the most stable at the 1st energy minimum with the smaller Al–Al distance whereas the A3-type stacking is the most stable for the 2nd minimum with the greater Al–Al distance. Meanwhile, the Al–Y distances are identical at both minima. We also found that the sizes of the solute atom-centered L12 clusters in Mg92Al12Y16-i2(i=Mg, Al, Y) are similar to that for the 2nd minimum with the larger cluster size. The Al–Y distances are again identical for all the solute atom-centered clusters. We show that these behaviors in the Al–Al and Al–Y distances can be explained by the softness of the Al–Al bonds and the strong Al–Y bonds predicted from the distance dependence of the pair interaction energies between the solute atoms in the Mg-matrix. These results suggest that the Al–Y bond is a key factor to determine the structure in the solute-enriched layer in the Mg–Al–Y LPSO alloy, especially in the L12 cluster.

The paper introduces a technical cooperation project on bridge maintenance management in Bhutan. The project is performed under the “Technical Cooperation” program funded by JICA. As there is no railway system in Bhutan, road is an essential transport system, and there are more than 300 road bridges in the country. However, as most of the bridges are “Bailey Type Bridge” which is commonly used as a temporal bridge, the load capacity and the road width is quite limited comparing to the permanent bridges. Therefore, detail management is necessary to use the bridges safely. The conditions of some bridges, unfortunately, are in a critical condition due to exceeding durability period, and the management system of the bridge condition is not sufficient in Bhutan. This project aims to build an efficient and sustainable system on bridge management by introducing “Bridge Database” and “Technical Manual on Inspection/Diagnose of Bridges” and to develop human resources in Bhutan for maintain the management system in the future.

Sophisticated evaluation models for the long-term stability of cement-based systems demand a precise knowledge of the mechanisms of deterioration reactions, particularly respecting a permanent exposure to aqueous environments. Commonly, insights into these mechanisms are deduced from long-term investigations. However, these chemical reactions start immediately after exposure to aggressive environments causing rapid changes of composition and structure. Consequently, properties of its rim zone change, which affects transport processes in aqueous solutions. In laboratory experiments, the influence of these surface processes on the stability of cement-based materials exposed to different chloride solutions was studied as a function of time and temperature. Analysis of compositional and structural changes beneath the surface reveal the role of crystalline covering layers for chemical resistance. Such layers are often described as protective barriers. However, these processes in the rim zone can accelerate chemical degradation and subsequently reduce the resilience of the cement-based materials to aggressive aqueous environments.

The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11, 2011 is said to be a once-in-1000-year catastrophic quake. The Tsunami triggered by the earthquake destroyed broad coastal areas in northeast Japan. As recovery from the earthquake proceeds, the demand for new road construction, housing hill development, and residential construction is rapidly increasing. Culture plays a critical role in the district’s recovery. For that reason, before development, cultural properties in the corresponding districts must be urgently investigated. This is a must, although balancing cultural recovery with rapid economic recovery is no easy task. With this in mind, we have developed a new system focusing on speedy archaeological investigation and adequate documentation. The authors reexamined the existing investigation process to categorize tasks into two types: those that must be done only at archaeological sites (site A) and ones available at other places (site B). We then formulated a scheme where the tasks on both sites are performed simultaneously in parallel over the network. Experiments are ongoing. This presentation reports the process and issues of our research and development.

Local structures of the hydrogenated (Ni0.6Nb0.4)1-xZrx (x = 0.3–0.4) amorphous alloys attract much attention for the sake of their epoch-making electronic transport behaviors. We investigated the local structures by XAFS for the as-quenched (Ni0.6Nb0.4)0.65Zr0.35 and hydrogenated [(Ni0.6Nb0.4)0.65Zr0.35]0.922H0.078 amorphous alloys, in which ballistic conductivity has been observed. XAFS results of the Ni K-edge are analyzed based on the structure model deduced by the first principle calculation. The analysis suggests that highly distorted icosahedral Ni5Nb3Zr5 cluster, which has a centered-Ni and a surrounding Nb triangle, is a main structural unit of (Ni0.6Nb0.4)0.65Zr0.35 and the [(Ni0.6Nb0.4)0.65Zr0.35]0.922H0.078 amorphous alloys. This distorted icosahedral Ni5Nb3Zr5 cluster can be associated with the occurrence of the singular electronic transport behaviors of the hydrogenated (Ni0.6Nb0.4)0.65Zr0.35 alloy.

Color development of squid skin was controlled by O2 concentration for storage. When stored above 10% O2, the color index (CI) as an index of color development of skin increased in 24 h, and decreased gradually with further storage. The CI profile at 10% O2 was practically identical to that in air. When stored at 0.1% O2, in the presence of N2, the CI increased partly in 6 h and decreased. Morphological observation of chromatophore distinguished the CI increase at 0.1% and 10% O2 by their shape and size distribution. However, the storage of squid at O2 concentration between 2.5% and 7% practically did not change the CI for at least 48 h. ATP content of skin was kept unchanged when the storage atmosphere contained O2 concentration at 2.5% up to 48 h, while the content decreased rapidly with a half decrease in 6 h when stored at 0.1% O2. It was demonstrated clearly that ATP is regenerated in the presence of O2, but the ATP concentration did not determine the CI change during the storage. Exposure to high concentration of O2 might induce a full color development of squid skin.

We have proposed a novel thermally assisted magnetic recording head for future hard disk drives using a “Focusing Waveguide” (waveguide-type spot size converter). The Focusing Waveguide, which has a small size enough to be integrated into a flying slider, can focus the spot diameter of incident light less than one tenth while the light propagate only 200 μm in the waveguide. The focused spot illuminates a plasmon antenna to generate an enhanced near-field spot for heating a very small region of a recording media. We fabricated the Focusing Waveguide and evaluated its focusing properties by means of SNOM measurement method. A measured spot size was 0.37 μm × 0.42 μm (FWHM, Incident spot size = 5 μm). Since a core of the Focusing Waveguide is made of silicon, wavelength of the incident light was set to be 1310 nm. In order to examine the plasmon enhancement of the gold plasmon antenna at this wavelength, FDTD simulations and SNOM measurement was conducted. The results have shown that the combination of a gold plasmon antenna and the silicon substrate gives the fairly good plasmon enhancement at the wavelength of 1310 nm.

The influence of transglutaminase 2 (TG2) activity on the proliferative effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and on EGF receptor affinity in periportal hepatocytes (PPH) and perivenous hepatocytes (PVH) has been investigated using a primary culture system. PPH and PVH subpopulations have been isolated using the digitonin/collagenase perfusion technique. DNA synthesis was assessed by [(3)H] thymidine incorporation into hepatocytes. The assay for binding of [(125)I] EGF to cultured hepatocytes was analysed by Scatchard plot analysis. Pretreatment with the TG2 inhibitor monodansylcadaverine (MDC) greatly increased EGF‐induced DNA synthesis in both PPH and PVH. Furthermore, [(125)I] EGF binding studies in PVH treated with MDC indicated that high‐affinity EGF receptor expression was markedly up‐regulated, whereas in PPH, there was no significant effect. Treatment with retinoic acid (RA), an inducer of TG2 expression, significantly decreased EGF‐induced DNA synthesis in both PPH and PVH. Binding studies in the presence of RA revealed that the high‐affinity EGF receptor was down‐regulated and completely absent in both PPH and PVH. These results suggest that TG2 was involved in the differential growth capacities of PPH and PVH through down‐regulation of high‐affinity EGF receptors.

The method of critical current measurement in a magnetic field using a DC transport current has been developed for bulk superconductors. The measurement of the critical current, I c , up to 50 A at a temperature of 77 K became possible by reducing thermal and mechanical stresses caused in the sample due to rapid cooling from the room temperature to 77 K and a electromagnetic force (Lorentz force), etc. The critical current of 50 A is reduced into 14,000 A/cm 2 of critical current density, J c , with a cross section of 0.0035 cm 2 . The magnetic field dependence of J c was investigated from 1 T to 10 T for (Nd 0.33 Eu 0.38 Gd 0.28 )Ba 2 Cu 3 O y bulk superconductors. The magnetization measurement was performed for the sample cut out from the same part of the same crystal as that used for the transport measurement of I c , from which the critical current density was also estimated. In low magnetic fields, the magnitude of critical current density obtained by the transport method, J c T , was larger than that estimated from the magnetization, J c M . This result reflects the difference of criterion to determine the value of J c T and J c M . In higher magnetic fields, however, it was observed that J c T was smaller than J c M and the irreversibility field estimated from J c T – B curve is slightly lower than that given by the magnetic hysteresis. When the external magnetic field was applied, anomalous voltage peaks in the I – V curve were observed below I c T , which may be caused by the sample slightly moving by the Lorentz force.

Local structures around Y and Zr solutes in bcc-Fe are studied for the melt-quenched ribbons by X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). The melt-quenched ribbons of Fe 99 Y 1 and Fe 99 Zr 1 are confirmed as a super-saturated solid solution by X-ray diffraction and DSC. XAFS results indicate that the local structures around Y and Zr for the melt-quenched Fe 99 Y 1 and Fe 99 Zr 1 are similar to those for the Fe-rich intermetallic compounds; Fe 17 Y 2 for Fe 99 Y 1 and Fe 2 Zr for Fe 99 Zr 1 . Prior to the apparent precipitation of the intermetallic compounds by annealing, the precursor of intermetallic compounds, about 1 nm in a diameter, are formed in the melt-quenched Fe 99 Y 1 and Fe 99 Zr 1 . The large size mismatch of the atom between solutes (Y and Zr) and host (Fe) is responsible for it. This result shows a sharp contrast to that for the case of Cu and Ga in bcc-Fe, in which Cu and Ga occupy a substitutional site of bcc-Fe.

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate the dynamic behavior of three kinds of perfluoropolyether molecules under constant shear and pressure conditions. Lubricational properties of these lubricants confined between two solid surfaces were calculated under different temperatures. The layered structures were observed for all lubricant. However lubricational properties of these lubricants were different. These differences can be explained by bridging structures between layers, because the bridging structures were one of the factors that controls lubricational properties due to their resistance in shear conditions. We investigated the influence of flexibility in lubricant molecules. As a result, we found that flexible molecules show stable lubricational properties under a wide range of temperatures.

Sophisticated machinery requires the development of new lubricants that realize friction-less contact, perfect transmittance of torque, and so on. However, experimental approaches have needed long time to find new lubricants. Therefore, the prediction of lubricant properties by computational chemistry should be crucial to accelerate the design of lubricants. This study treats precise evaluation of viscosity employing molecular dynamics simulation and prediction based on neural network.

Amorphous GaN films were deposited using a compound-source molecular beam epitaxy technique. Electroluminescent devices were also fabricated using the deposited films. The devices were operated using sine wave voltage at room temperature. One of the emission peaks was located in the UV spectral region. The deposition rate was increased by introducing a small ammonia flow.

Amorphous GaN films were deposited using compound source MBE. GaN powder was used as the source material and no additional nitrogen sources were supplied. Although the N/Ga ratio in the layers deposited at temperatures lower than 400 °C was low, an increase of the substrate temperature improved the N/Ga ratio. The emission peaks of their photoluminescence spectra originated around the band edge of hexagonal GaN. Electroluminescent devices based on amorphous GaN were fabricated and were found to show UV emission. Amorphous GaN is one of the candidate materials for light-emitting devices operating in the UV to the blue spectral regions.

Twenty 2-thiopyrimidine nucleoside analogues were synthesized and examined for inhibitory activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 and 2, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and thymidine kinase-deficient HSV (HSV-TK) replication in vitro. 2-thiouracil (thymine) arabinoside, 2′-deoxy-2-thiouridine (or 2-thiothymidine) and their 5-halogenated derivatives showed anti-HSV activity in both RPMI8226 (human B-lymphoblastoid cells) and MRC-5 (human embryo lung cells). 2′-deoxy-5-halogenated-2-thiocytidines were also inhibitory against HSV, whereas 2-thiocytosine arabinoside and its derivatives were not inhibitory against HSV replication, except 5-bromo and 5-iodo congeners (TN-31, TN-32). Substitution of the halogen atom at the 5-position of the pyrimidine rings to an atom with a higher molecular weight increased anti-HSV and VZV activities, except for the anti-HSV activity of 2-thiouracil arabinosides. 2′-deoxy-5-methyl-, and 2′-deoxy-5-iodo-2-thiouridines (TN-17, TN-44) showed the most potent anti-HSV activity, and 2′-deoxy-5-chloro- and 2′-deoxy-5-bromo-2-thiocytidines were potent inhibitors of VZV replication. However, none of the compounds inhibited HCMV and HSV-TK− replication. TN-31 and TN-32 were shown to inhibited HCMV and HSV-TK− as well as HSV and VZV replication. The cytotoxicity of the 2-thiopyrimidine nucleoside analogues was less than that of the 2-oxy-congeners of the compounds (5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine, 5-iodo-2′-deoxycytidine, thymine arabinoside and cytosine arabinoside). The selectivity index of 2′-deoxy-5-iodo-2-thiouridine (TN-44) was higher than that of 5-iodo-deoxyuridine. TN-17 and TN-44 were not cytotoxic to resting or stimulated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells at 400 μ, although TN-32 was cytotoxic at a concentration of 20 μ.

To study the microscopic reasons for the embrittlement of the bulk metallic glasses, the local structures around main constituent atoms, i.e. Zr, Ni and Cu in the Zr60Al15Ni25, Ni60Nb20Ti15Zr5 and Cu60Zr30Ti10 glasses (numbers indicate at.%) were investigated by X-ray absorption fine structure measurements. The fluctuations in the interatomic distance (σ2) of the main constituent atoms in the three metallic glasses are deduced from the results. The σ2 value for Zr in the Zr60Al15Ni25 was highest in terms of temperature variation as well as in the absolute value among the three metallic glasses even though Zr has the largest atomic size among the constituent atoms. A peak in the Fourier transform of the Zr K-edge for Zr60Al15Ni25 at a short distance may be associated with oxygen around Zr atoms.

A new and simple technique has been developed to measure the wire tension of a multi-wire drift chamber, which is the prototype chamber of DCBA (Drift Chamber Beta-ray Analyzer) for double beta decay experiments. The present method uses two wires adjacent to each other in the chamber for applying AC and DC electric fields, and can easily detect a weak current signal at the resonance frequency corresponding to the wire tension. The wire tension has been measured with an accuracy of about 1%.

Summary Background 5-Hydrozytryptamine (5-HT) can be released from mast cells and platelets through an IgE-dependent mechanism and may play a role in the pathogenesis of allergic bronchoconstriction. However, the effect of 5-HT on ion transport by airway epithelium remains uncertain. Objective To determine whether 5-HT alters electrical and ion transport properties of C1-secreting epilhelia and, if so, what subtype of 5-HT receptors is involved, we studied canine tracheal epithelium under short-circuit conditions in vitro. Methods Canine tracheal mucosa was mounted in Lucite half-chambers and the responses of short-circuit current (lsc), transepithelial potential difference (PD) and tissue conductance (G) were measured. ln addition, ion fluxes were directly measured using 22Na and 36C1. Results Mucosal addition of 5-HT caused a rapid increase in lsc, which was accompanied by the increases in PD and G, whereas submucosal 5-HT had no effect. In the presence of amiloride, 5-HT and its receptor agonists dose-dependently increased lsc, with the rank order of potency being 5-HT > α-methyl-5-HT>2-methyl-5HT>5-carboxamidotryptamine. The effect of 5-HT was inhibited by ketanserin and spiperone but not by ondansetron. 5-HT increased C1 flux from the submucosa to the mucosa with a slight inhibition of Na flux to the opposite direction. Conclusion 5-HT inhibits airway epithelial Na absorption and stimulates C1 secretion. The latter action predominates the former and is mediated by 5-HT2 receptors. These effects may result in the increase in water movement toward the airway lumen.

To elucidate whether K+ channels play a role in the action of epithelium-dependent bronchodilatation, we studied responses in human bronchial strips in the presence of indomethacin and NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester under isometric conditions, in vitro. Mechanical removal of the epithelium increased the contractile responses to acetylcholine; the pD2 values increased from 5.0±0.2 to 5.9±0.3 (P

A 55-year-old, right-handed Japanese man manifested palilalia as well as unilateral spatial neglect following a subcortical haemorrhage in the frontal lobe. CT and SPECT showed the lesions to be localized in the right frontal lobe, with no obvious involvement of the basal ganglia. At an early stage this patient exhibited a combination of an exploratory-motor and a perceptual-sensory neglect, which later changed to exploratory-motor neglect alone. The palilalia, which persisted for 1 year, was characterized by the repetition of words or phrases, not single syllables. While it seemed that the palilalia and unilateral spatial neglect were induced by the same lesion, their clinical courses differed; thus they were probably produced by differing mechanisms.

The differences in microstructures and magnetic properties are studied between Fe–Cr–Co type magnets and Sm2(Co,Fe,Cu,Zr)17 type magnets due to the processing variables, such as starting powders and sintering temperatures of spark plasma sintering (SPS). The grain growth can be suppressed by SPS. Furthermore, SPS process makes it possible to obtain fully dense magnets in a short periods at low sintering temperature compared with the conventional process.

1. The effect of tachykinins on transepithelial potential difference (PD) of rabbit trachea and possible involvement of nitric oxide (NO) generation in vivo were investigated. 2. Perfusion of tracheal mucosa with neurokinin A (NKA) or substance P (SP) dose dependently increased PD in the presence of amiloride, with the potency being NKA > SP, but neurokinin B (NKB) had no effect. 3. Application of NG-nitro-L-arginine methylester (L-NAME, 10(-3) M) attenuated the NKA-induced increase in the amiloride-sensitive PD, causing a rightward displacement of the dose-response curve by approximately 1.0 log U, whereas NG-nitro-D-arginine methylester (D-NAME, 10(-3) M) did not. 4. The inhibitory effect of L-NAME was reversed by L-arginine (10(-2) M) but not by D-arginine (10(-2) M). 5. The release of NO was determined by a real-time measurement of NO concentration ([NO]) in the perfusate using specific amperometric sensors for this molecule. 6. NKA and SP increased [NO] in a dose-dependent manner, the maximal increase from the baseline value being 114 +/- 11 nM (mean +/- S.E.M., P < 0.001) and 54 +/- 6 nM (P < 0.01), respectively. 7. Histochemistry for NADPH diaphorase activity showed a strong staining within the epithelial cells. 8. We conclude firstly that tachykinins increase amiloride-sensitive PD in vivo, which probably reflects Cl- movement from the submucosa toward the respiratory lumen in tracheal mucosa, and secondly that NO generation by epithelial cells may be involved in this process.

Size of the clusters and structure details of fcc Cu clusters in nanocrystalline soft magnetic alloy of Fe85-86Si1-2B8P4Cu1 (NANOMET) are investigated. A linear combination fitting of XAFS data indicates that about 30% of Cu atoms are partitioned in the fcc clusters and the rest in the amorphous matrix. EXAFS of the fcc Cu nanocluster embedded in amorphous matrix is calculated on the basis of a simple fcc structure model using FEFF9. Surface effect of the nanoclusters is considered by counting a fraction of the nearest neighbour atoms in amorphous matrix. Good agreement with the experimental result is obtained for the fcc nanocluster with 9 coordination shells which consists of total 177 atoms within 1.5 nm in a diameter.

低乳成分牛群の特徴を明らかにする目的で、乳成分良好牛群(良好群)、乳脂肪率が3.5%未満の低乳脂肪率牛群(低乳脂群)および無脂固形分率が8.5%未満の低無脂固形分率牛群(低無脂固形群)を対象として、乳期ごとのボディコンディションスコア(BCS)の分布と代謝プロファイルテスト(MPT)所見および給与飼料を比較した。低乳脂群は良好群と比べ、BCSは泌乳初期を除く全ての乳期で低い傾向がみられ、乾乳期には有意な低値を示した。総コレステロール濃度は泌乳中期と泌乳後期で有意な低値を示した。給与飼料中の粗飼料割合は全泌乳期で低い傾向がみられ、MPT成績でも、泌乳初期に、血糖値、総タンパク濃度およびヘマトクリット値が高い傾向を示した。一方、低無脂固形群は良好群と比べBCSは全乳期を通して低い傾向がみられ、泌乳中期に有意な低値を示した。血糖値は泌乳初期に有意な低値を示し、総コレステロール濃度は、泌乳中期と泌乳後期で有意な低値を示した。また、低乳脂群および低無脂固形群ともに、各乳期のタンパク代謝検査の多くの項目で個体差の大きいことが認められた。以上のことから、低乳脂群では乾乳期におけるBCSの低値、泌乳期における脂質摂取量の不足、また、低無脂固定固形群では全乳期を通してのエネルギー不足などが低乳成分との関連で注目された。

Effects on human performance of remoxipride (RX), an antipsychotic drug of substituted benzamide structure, were studied in a randomized double-blind crossover trial where 12 young healthy volunteers took at 1 week intervals single oral doses of placebo or remoxipiride 100 mg both alone and in combination with 15 mg diazepam (DZ) or 0.8 g/kg ethanol (EtOH). Objective (digit symbols, tracking, choice reaction, flicker fusion, Maddox wing, body balance, memory) and subjective (visual analogue scales, questionnaire) tests were administered at baseline and 1.5, 3, 4.5 and 6 h post-treatment.

We have isolated a cDNA clone encoding the cytosolic sialidase of rat skeletal muscle. Degenerate oligonucleotides, based on amino acid sequence data for the purified enzyme, were used as primers to amplify fragments of the gene from rat skeletal muscle cDNA by the polymerase chain reaction. The amplified cDNA fragment was then applied as probe to screen a rat skeletal muscle cDNA library. The longest cDNA clone thus isolated was incomplete at the 5'-end, and therefore an amplified cDNA from the 5'-end portion of the gene was further generated by polymerase chain reaction. These two cDNAs were used to construct a cDNA encoding the entire sequence of rat sialidase. The composite sequence encodes an open reading frame of 379 amino acids that include all sequenced peptides. Although the deduced amino acid sequence is not largely similar to those of bacterial and parasite sialidases, it contains two Asp blocks, the conserved sequence of the sialidases from these microorganisms. When the cDNA was inserted into an expression vector followed by transformation in Escherichia coli, sialidase activity appeared in the cell extract. The sialidase could be completely immunoprecipitated by antiserum against the cytosolic sialidase of rat skeletal muscle.

We studied the effect of the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin on bioelectrical properties of canine cultured tracheal epithelium under short-circuit conditions in vitro. Addition of erythromycin to the submucosal but not to the mucosal side dose-dependently decreased short-circuit current (Isc), the maximal decrease from the baseline value and the concentration required to produce a half-maximal effect (IC50) being 5.6 +/- 1.0 microA.cm-2 (mean +/- SE, p less than 0.001) and 18 microM, respectively. In contrast, other antibiotics including ampicillin, cephazolin and tetracycline were without effect. The erythromycin-induced decrease in Isc was not altered by amiloride, but it was abolished by bumetanide, diphenylamine-2-carboxylate2, and substitution of Cl in the bathing medium with gluconate (p less than 0.001, in each case). The effect of erythromycin on epithelial Isc was attenuated by pretreatment of cells with indomethacin but not with AA-861 a lipoxygenase inhibitor. Incubation of cells with erythromycin inhibited the release of prostaglandins E2 and F2 alpha from tracheal epithelial cells. These results indicate that erythromycin may selectively inhibit Cl secretion across airway epithelium through the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis and suggest that this action possibly reflects its clinical efficacy in the treatment of airway hypersecretion.

To study the effect of the Kampo drug Saiboku-to (TJ-96) on ion transport function of airway epithelial cells, we studied bioelectric properties of cultured tracheal epithelium from dogs under short-circuit conditions in vitro. Addition of TJ-96 (1 mg/ml) to the mucosal solution of the Ussing chamber increased the epithelial short-circuit current (SCC) from 6.5 +/- 0.7 to 11.4 +/- 1.6 microA/cm2 (P less than 0.001). This effect was dose-dependent, with the maximal increase from the baseline value and the concentration required to produce a half-maximal effect (EC50) being 70.5 +/- 12.6% (P less than 0.001) and 3 micrograms/ml, respectively; and there were corresponding increases in transepithelial potential difference and cell conductance. Submucosal addition of TJ-96 likewise increased SCC, although the magnitude of the response was smaller as compared with the response to the mucosal addition. The TJ-96-induced increase in SCC was not affected by diphenylamine-2-carboxylate or furosemide but abolished by amiloride. Intracellular cyclic AMP levels were dose-dependently increased by TJ-96. These results indicate that TJ-96 may selectively stimulate Na absorption across the tracheal epithelium, probably through intracellular accumulation of cyclic AMP.

– The location of the heavy-atom label of three different retinal analogues in the plane of the purple membrane was determined by x-ray diffraction. The three analogues, i.e. 9-bromoretinal and 13-bromoretinal labelled in the polyene chain as well as the ring-labelled HgCI-retinal, were incorporated into bacteriorhodopsin (BR) either biosynthetically using a retinal-deficient mutant strain of Halobacterium halobium or with photochemically bleached bacterioopsin. All BR samples regenerated with retinal analogues were functionally active as proton pumps. The diffraction data show that the cyclohexene ring of retinal is situated in the corner formed by helices 4E and 5D. the 13-methyl group adjacent to helix 6C and therefore the Schiff's base nitrogen about midway between helices 6C and 2G. The 9-bromo label is found slightly off the line connecting the two other labels, directed towards helix 3F, suggesting torsion of the polyene chain or slight incline of the ring. The position and orientation of retinal obtained in our experiments are in agreement with data from neutron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. This indicates that the heavy-atom labeled chromophores, 9-bromo- and 13-bromo- as well as HgCI-retinal, are isomorphously incorporated into BR. These samples will allow kinetic investigation of light-induced structural changes of retinal during BR's pumping cycle using x-ray diffraction as well as extended x-ray absorption fine structure experiments probing changes in the retinal neighbourhood between different intermediaies of the photocycle.

We showed that an extract (PC6) from cones of Pinus parviflora Sieb et Zucc induced the human T-cell line CEM to produce a pepsin-sensitive soluble factor(s) that could inhibit the replication of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) in CEM T cells, in U-937 histocytes, in THP-1 monocytes, and in mitogen-activated human tonsillar mononuclear cells. Indirect immunofluorescence staining and polymerase chain reaction analysis of the PC6-induced CEM cells revealed the absence of known lymphokines/cytokines except granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3), transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). However, functional studies with recombinant IL-3, TNF-alpha, and TGF-beta 1 showed that these three factors did not inhibit HIV-1 replication in CEM cells. Neutralization of the PC6-induced HIV-1-inhibiting factor(s) with commercially available neutralizing antibodies to GM-CSF and TNF-alpha also did not abrogate the anti-HIV-1 impact. Thus, the anti-HIV-1 factor induced by PC6 may be novel. Molecular sieve separation showed that the anti-HIV-1 factor(s) is smaller than 30 kDa. Affinity chromatography using a DEAE-cellulose column enriched the factor that inhibited HIV-1.

In order to investigate the crystalline electric field at R (R=rare earth) site and the induced magnetic moment at Co site in RCo3B2 compounds, high field magnetization process up to 15 T and paramagnetic susceptibility have been measured at various temperatures. It is found by analysis of the experimental data that (1) the crystal field parameter A20 is very large (∼−2000Ka0−2) and (2) significant magnetic moment (0.15–0.93μB) is induced at the Co site, in RCo3B2 compounds.

Effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), either alone or in combination with TNF, on the induction of differentiation of human myelogenous leukemic cell lines were examined. TGF-beta 1 alone induced differentiation of a human monocytic leukemia U-937 line into the cells with macrophage characteristics. When combined with TNF, TGF-beta 1 synergistically or additively induced differentiation associated properties. A human myeloblastic leukemia cell line, ML-1, differently responded to TGF-beta 1 in induction of differentiation. FcR activity and phagocytic activity induced by TNF were suppressed by TGF-beta 1. However, nitroblue tetrazolium reducing activity was synergistically induced by combinations of TGF-beta 1 and TNF. Scatchard analysis of TNF receptors indicated that the number of binding sites and dissociation constant of TNF for its receptors on U-937 or ML-1 cells were not changed by treatment with TGF-beta 1. Although IFN-gamma, IL-6, granulocyte CSF, and granulocyte-macrophage CSF-induced nitroblue tetrazolium reducing activity of U-937 cells, only IFN-gamma, and TNF induced it synergistically in combination with TGF-beta 1. Synergism between TGF-beta 1 and TNF was also observed in inhibition of growth of U-937 and ML-1 cells. Although TGF-beta 1 induction of differentiation of other monocytoid leukemic THP-1 cells was similar to that of U-937 cells, TGF-beta 1 only slightly induced differentiation of promyelocytic leukemic HL-60 cells, either alone or in combination with TNF. Our observations indicate that TGF-beta 1 strongly modulates differentiation and proliferation of human myelogenous leukemia cells, macrophage precursors.

The synthesis of the non-competative glutamate receptor inhibitor, philanthotoxin 433 (PhTX-433) is described. Furthermore, two synthetic routes are described for the preparation of a variety of structural analogs.

We have observed the giant radio galaxy Centaurus A and the globular cluster $\omega$ Centauri in the TeV energy region using the CANGAROO-III stereoscopic system. The system has been in operation since 2004 withan array of four Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescopes (IACT) with $\sim$100-m spacings. The observations were carried out in March and April 2004. In total, approximately 10 hours data were obtained for each target.No statistically significant gamma-ray signal has been found above 420 GeV over a wide angular region (a one-degree radius from thepointing center) and we derive flux upper limits using all of the field of view.Implications for the total energy of cosmic rays and the density of the cold dark matter are considered., Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, to appear in ApJ, emulateapj.cls

Sub-TeV gamma-ray emission from the North-West rim of the supernova remnant RX J0852.0$-$4622 was detected with the CANGAROO-II telescope and recently confirmed by the H.E.S.S. group. In addition, the H.E.S.S. data revealed a very wide (up to two degrees in diameter), shell-like profile of the gamma-ray emission. We have carried out CANGAROO-III observations in January and February 2005 with three telescopes and show here the results of three-fold coincidence data. We confirm the H.E.S.S. results about the morphology and the energy spectrum, and find the energy spectrum in the NW-rim is consistent with that of the whole remnant., 9 pages, 13 figures, to appear in ApJ