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Background and objective Human periodontal ligament cells (HPDLCs) express transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) that regulates differentiation and proliferation, and plays key roles in homeostasis of PDL tissue. Transgelin is a cytoskeleton-associated protein with an Smad-binding element in its gene promoter region. In this study, we examined the localization and potential function of transgelin in PDL tissue and cells. Material and methods Microarray analysis of HPDLC lines (2-14, 2-23 and 2-52) was performed. Expression of transgelin in HPDLCs was examined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis. Effects of TGF-β1 and its signaling inhibitor, SB431542, on transgelin expression in HPDLCs were examined by western blot analysis. The effects of transgelin knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) on HPDLC proliferation stimulated by TGF-β1 were assessed by WST-1 assay. Results In microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses, the expression levels of transgelin (TAGLN) in 2-14 and 2-23 cells, which highly expressed PDL markers such as periostin (POSTN), tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), α-smooth muscle actin (ACTA2) and type I collagen A1 (COL1A1), was significantly higher than those in 2-52 cells that expressed PDL markers weakly. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining revealed expression of transgelin in rat PDL tissue and HPDLCs. In HPDLCs, TGF-β1 treatment upregulated transgelin expression, whereas inhibition of the type 1 TGF-β1 receptor by SB431542 suppressed this upregulation. Furthermore, TAGLN siRNA transfection did not promote the proliferation of HPDLCs treated with TGF-β1. The expression levels of CCNA2 and CCNE1, which regulate DNA synthesis and mitosis through the cell cycle, were also not upregulated in HPDLCs transfected with TAGLN siRNA. Conclusion Transgelin is expressed in PDL tissue and might have a role in HPDLC proliferation induced by TGF-β1 stimulation.

Nectria haematococca Berk. & Broome causing stem girdling of three cultivars of greenhouse pepper, Capsicum annuum (cvs. Kelvin, Cubico, and Grizzly), was found for the first time in a single greenhouse in south Florida in March 1999. Approximately 10% of the plants were affected at first report increasing to over 40% within 3 months. Black lesions occurred at nodes where the plant was pruned or where fruit had been harvested. No mycelium or perithecia were noted in association with the lesions. All tissue above a lesion appeared normal until the lesion girdled the stem, causing the tissue above the lesion to wilt and die. The plant appeared unaffected below the lesion. The pathogen was isolated on half-strength Difco potato-dextrose agar (½ DPDA). Reddish perithecia developed readily in culture. Two single spore isolates of the pathogen obtained from two naturally infected plants (cultivar Kelvin) were used to satisfy Koch's postulates. Five plants of Kelvin were inoculated with each isolate by inserting a 4-mm agar block of the pathogen grown for 5 days on ½ DPDA into the stem. Five plants of the same cultivar were similarly treated with fungus-free ½ DPDA. Plants were grown under greenhouse conditions after inoculation. In four plants, black lesions similar to those seen in the commercial greenhouse developed within 1 week. In one plant, the portions of the plants above the point of inoculation wilted after 5 days. The upper parts of the plants appeared healthy until lesions girdled the stems. The plants treated with fungus-free agar remained healthy. The fungus was re-isolated from the margins of lesions on the inoculated plants. The pathogen has been reported to cause stem lesions and fruit rot of pepper in greenhouses in England (1) and Canada (2). Fruit symptoms were not observed in the Florida greenhouse. Stem symptoms were again reported from the same greenhouse in the following season. References: (1) J. T. Fletcher. Plant Pathol. 43:225–222, 1994. (2) W. R. Jarvis. Can. Plant Dis. Surv. 74:131–134, 1994.

The statistical distributions of the number of simultaneously emitted secondary electrons (SE’s) from a thin carbon foil have been measured with frozen-charged H 0 and H + projectiles of 2.5–3.5 MeV. In this experiment, the forward- and backward-emitted electrons have been measured simultaneously together with foil-transmitted particles using a list-mode data taking system in order to investigate their correlation. From the two-dimensional spectra of the emitted SE’s, we have derived the probability distributions of the SE emission, P ( n f , n b ) , where n f and n b represent the number of SE’s emitted simultaneously in the forward and backward directions, respectively. Compared with those for the H + penetration, the emission probabilities for the H 0 penetration exhibit quite different n f - and n b -dependence. Firstly, P ( n f = 0 , n b = 0 ) takes a remarkably large value. Secondly, among P ( n f , n b ) ’s with n f + n b = ( constant ) , P ( n f ≠ 0 , n b = 0 ) and P ( n f = 0 , n b ≠ 0 ) become the largest and the second largest probabilities. In contrast, such events that SE’s are emitted in both of the forward and backward directions happen with significantly smaller probabilities. These trends are common to all projectile energies measured and seem to be explained by the predominance of the high energy internal SE production for the H 0 penetration due to the screening effect of its bound electron.

This study reports the possibility of electrostatic micromanipulation of a conductive/dielectric particle using a single probe. The manipulation system consists of three objects: a conductive probe as a manipulating tool, a conductive plate as a substrate, and a conductive/dielectric particle that dubs as a micro-particle. For a conductive particle, a micromanipulation technique by applying accelerating and decelerating voltage with high switching rate is developed. We theoretically determine the desired voltage as the function of time by boundary element method, and experimentally verify the voltage effectively works with a 30-micrometer-in-diameter solder particle. For a dielectric particle, we experimentally demonstrate the successful picking-up of a 60-micrometer-in-diameter dielectric particle (phenol, polystyrene) from the substrate by electrostatic force. Besides, especially for a polystyrene particle, we observe the phenomenon of a micro-particle going back and forth between the substrate and the probe-tip like a micro-dribble even when just the constant voltage is applied. We discuss the possible mechanism of this interesting phenomenon and the feasibility of electrostatic manipulation for a dielectric micro-particle.

In citrus, weedy grasses compete for moisture, nutrients, and light and can inhibit the growth of young trees and delay fruit production. These weeds are difficult to control, either because of their tolerance to available herbicides or due to growth habits that enable them to resist other control practices. Control of seven such weedy grasses (southern sandbur, large crabgrass, crowfootgrass, guineagrass, Texas panicum, johnsongrass, and yellow foxtail) with a mixture of three fungal pathogens, termed the multiple-pathogen strategy, was field tested in 1996 and 1998. Three fungi indigenous to Florida, Drechslera gigantea, Exserohilum longirostratum, and E. rostratum, isolated from large crabgrass, crowfootgrass, and johnsongrass respectively, were used. Two separate field studies were conducted: one study with seven grasses transplanted and grown within each plot (grass mixture field trial) and another study on a population of guineagrass alone present in a naturally infested field (guineagrass ...

The relationship between blood levels of nitric oxide (NO)-related compounds in patients with congenital heart defects (CHD) and degree of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has not yet been described.Thirty-six patients (aged 6 months to 19 years) with CHD were divided into three groups on the basis of their hemodynamic characteristics: group 1 (control, n = 5), left-to-right shunt (-) without PH (pulmonary to systemic artery peak pressure ratio, Pp/Ps0.4); group 2 (n = 14), left-to-right shunt (+) without PH; group 3 (n = 17), left-to-right shunt (+) with PH (Pp/Ps0.4). Blood samples were obtained from the right atrium, pulmonary artery, left atrium or pulmonary capillary wedge and aorta during cardiac catheterization. All NO-related compounds in whole blood were measured by chemiluminescent assay using Sievers NO analyzer.The sampling site had no significant impact on NO-related compound levels. However, the patients with PH (group 3) had significantly higher (P0.01) blood levels of NO-related compounds (117.3 +/- 14.7 mumol/L) than the patients without PH (groups 1 and 2, 23.9 +/- 3.2 and 38.4 +/- 4.8 mumol/L, respectively). In addition, pulmonary artery resistance (Rp) values of less than 6 Wood U/m2 were directly correlated with levels of NO-related compounds, whereas Rp values greater than 6 Wood U/m2 were inversely correlated with blood levels of NO-related compounds.The present results suggest that the hemodynamic status of the pulmonary circulation in CHD affects, at least partly, blood levels of NO-related compounds.

A basic research study for improvement of plasma-sprayed zirconia coatings has been conducted. The contact angle and surface tension of the molten manganese/zirconia-yttria ceramic system were measured at 1573 K by the sessile drop method, suggesting that molten manganese would spontaneously infiltrate open pores in zirconia coatings. Structure and elementary composition development of zirconia ceramics caused by reaction with manganese were examined by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), an electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), and an X-ray diffractometer (XRD). Manganese not only stabilized cubic zirconia but also contributed to the growth and volume increase of zirconia particles. In this article, the mechanism of making zirconia coatings dense with manganese is discussed based on the results of experiments.

Some elicitors of plant defensive systems can induce biochemical changes that enable the plant to reduce disease incidence; however, little is known about the effect of these induced responses on insect herbivores. We approached this problem using exogenous field applications of several abiotic elicitors of defensive systems in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum), and evaluated the ability of the elicitors [benzo(1,2,3)thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid (S)-methyl ester (BTH, Actigard); Probenazole; chitosan; salicylic acid; KeyPlex 350; KeyPlex DP2; and KeyPlex DP3] to reduce pest densities and to provide cross-resistance against various insect herbivores and pathogens. Only BTH provided cross-resistance and significantly reduced the incidence of bacterial spot (Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria), early blight (Alternaria solani), leaf mold (Fulvia fulva), and leafminer larval densities (Liriomyza spp.). The effects on leafminer larval densities were more pronounced during the early stages of plant development. A trend of reduced densities of whiteflies (Bemisia argentifolii) and powdery mildew (Oidium sp.), although not significant, was also found on the BTH-treated plants. Other elicitors had no significant effect on insect populations, but Probenazole and KeyPlex 350 significantly reduced bacterial spot and early blight incidence. The antiherbivore effects of BTH on leafminers was confirmed in a laboratory two-choice experiment. Adult leafminers preferred untreated plants to the BTH-treated tomatoes as ovipositioning host plants, generally corresponding with larval performance. BTH induced high levels of pathogenesis-related proteins in tomato plants including peroxidase, lysozymes, chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanases. The possible cross-resistance role of these proteins is discussed. The demonstration that exogenous induction of plant defensive systems in the field can result in lower damage caused by various pathogens and insects, supports the hypothesis that plant defensive systems may be general.

We report here the first case of successful pregnancy and delivery after the blastocyst transfer of twice-vitrified embryos produced following in vitro maturation (IVM) and ICSI. The patient received 5000 IU hCG on day 12 of the treatment cycle, and oocyte retrieval was carried out 36 h after hCG injection. A total of 22 immature oocytes were obtained. Following incubation for 26 h in IVM medium, 15 oocytes (68.2%) reached metaphase II stage. In total, 13 oocytes (86.7%) were fertilized after ICSI with the husband's sperm, and 11 embryos at the pronuclear stage and two cleaved embryos on day 2 were vitrified because of thin endometrial thickness. Eight cryopreserved embryos at the pronuclear stage were warmed and cultured until the day 3 stage. Three embryos were transferred, and three embryos were twice vitrified. Unfortunately, these transferred embryos did not implant. Three twice-vitrified embryos were rewarmed and cultured until the day 5 stage, and two embryos were transferred. The second transfer attempt of twice-vitrified embryos resulted in the full-term delivery of a healthy infant. This case report demonstrates that twice-vitrified embryos, developed using an IVM protocol, retain the developmental competence for full-term, healthy infants.

Many pathogenic viruses, such as the influenza virus and the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-1, are a threat to humans, thus leading to thousands of deaths annually. The development of antiviral drugs is urgent, and it is an essential strategy for the suppression of these infectious diseases. However, regardless of the rapid emergence of many infectious diseases, the development of novel antiviral drugs has been slow, except for the case of the AIDS. In addition, several viruses can easily mutate and escape the inhibitory activity of anti-viral drugs. It was already well-established that HIV escapes from anti-viral drug effects because of the lack of proofreading activity in its reverse transcriptase. It is known that the influenza virus, which is resistant to Tamiflu, is already spread all over the world. Viruses utilize the host cell environment and cellular factors to propagate. Therefore, the development of novel drugs which inhibit viral protein-host protein interactions or cellular functions appear to be good candidates. The influenza virus is unique in replicating in host nuclei, and we therefore focused on the nuclear export processes for the development of anti-influenza viral drugs. We previously reported that leptomycin B (LMB), which inhibited the nuclear export processes via the nuclear export signal (NES) inhibited the nuclear export of influenza viral RNP (vRNP), and resulted in the inhibition of influenza viral propagation. We herein examined novel CRM1 inhibitors, valtrate from Valerianae Radix, and 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA) from Alpinia galanga as potent inhibitors for the influenza virus replication.

Sporogony of Theileria sergenti in the salivary glands of the tick vector Haemaphysalis longicornis was observed by light and transmission electron microscopy. Fission bodies that developed from kinetes were observed as masses (approximately 32 x 15 microns) that occupied half of the acinous cell at 2 days after the infestation of ticks. Parasites possessed an irregular nucleus of low electron density, highly electron-dense granules, and mitochondrion-like bodies in the cytoplasm. Parasites developed into a multinucleate syncytium, increasing in size and complexity. Subsequently, the nuclei of parasites became round and highly electron-dense, and tubelike structures and rhoptries as precursors of the highly electron-dense granules appeared in the cytoplasm. Approximately 40,000 sporozoites arose via radial budding from the syncytium that had developed from kinetes. As in T. parva, no evidence of discrete secondary or tertiary sporoblasts was found in T. sergenti. The sporogony of T. sergenti was extremely similar to that of T. parva.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining mature human follicles from cultured ovarian tissue may be beneficial for clinical use for women who wish to preserve fertile competence. However, the methodology of culture such as culture condition and gas atmosphere has not been well established in humans. Therefore, we investigated the effect of oxygen concentration in organ culture in order to establish an ovarian tissue culture method. METHODS: Ovarian tissue was obtained from 26-35-year-old women undergoing removal of a benign tumor (n = 12) or caesarean section (n = 16). The ovarian cortical tissues were cultured on a cell culture insert for 15 days under high (100%) and low (air, 20%) oxygen concentrations and then inspected for follicle development with light and electron microscopy. Estradiol and progesterone concentrations in the medium during culture were measured. RESULTS: The ultrastructure and the function of hormone secretion in the cultured tissues were well preserved after organ culture. The follicles developing under high oxygen were larger and more matured than those developing under low oxygen (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Human ovarian tissues can be cultured for 15 days under high oxygen concentration with the organ culture system used here. This technique could make it possible to utilize ovarian tissue for preservation of reproductive competence in cancer patients.

In order to easily monitor the wide-area power system information covering many power producers, suppliers, and power companies, authors have been developed a PMU (phasor measurement unit) based WAMS (wide area measurement system). This WAMS momentarily gather information about the power oscillation affecting the stability of Japanese longitudinal power systems by signal processing of the power outlet phasor. This paper introduces the features of the PMU based WAMS, and an availability of the power outlet phasor is validated by comparing the measurements with actual power station. And as one of the applications, an estimation method of interconnected power system parameters from the monitored power oscillation information is proposed.

Summary form only given. The invention of compact and low-cost X-ray laser devices is expected in many fields. Now some methods are discovered. In 1994, it was reported that a fast capillary discharge could produce the population inversion between 3p-3s level of Ne-like Ar (46.9 nm) by collisional pumping (Rocca et al.). The system is a simple, and has a high conversion efficiency from electric to light energies and an ability of steady operation in principle, etc. In this study, we designed and constructed a "table-top" soft X-ray laser system using a pulsed power technique. Large Marx generators are usually used to produce a capillary discharge lasing plasma. However, we constructed a small pulse generator system which consists of a small Marx generator, a pulse transformer and a pulse forming line (PFL). The designed output voltage of pulse transformer is 900 kV, and the output current of the PFL has an amplitude of 100 kA with a half period of 70 ns. The system was tested at the PFL charging voltage of 180 kV and a current pulse of 21 kA with a half period of 100 ns was obtained. This value is longer than the designed period. Therefore we are planning to set the capillary tube in pure water, expecting that the gap switch electrode acts as a peaking capacitor.

We propose a general network architecture for reliable multicast with an active network framework. Existing implementations of reliable multicast protocols have been designed over the transport layer, and have an individual retransmission control scheme. They have therefore been located in application programs, even though some protocols have been exploited for the same purpose. Our network architecture for reliable multicasting attempt to move the process to the lower application layer. Therefore the application programs do not depend on each reliable multicast protocol, so the application program can be identical, as far as the purpose of the protocols are the same. We propose the processes at the active nodes. We design the methods for these processes into the library. As a result of considering the supposed network model, we believe that the performance of our proposal is better than existing reliable multicast protocols.

A 51-year-old man presented under a diagnosis of angina pectoris manifesting as exertional chest pain. First coronary angiography showed severe stenosis with ulceration and spontaneous dissection at the proximal right coronary artery and linear dissection-like filling defects extending to the distal right coronary artery. After about 3 months, repeat coronary angiography showed the previously observed stenosis with unclear dissection, and better developed collaterals from the left coronary artery to the right coronary artery showing the linear dissection-like filling defects. The bilateral coronary angiography did not clearly show filling defects. This phenomenon suggested that the collateral flows were related to filling of the defects. Intravascular ultrasonic imaging demonstrated severe atherosclerotic lesions at the proximal right coronary artery, but no dissection in the distal right coronary artery. Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for the stenosis was performed successfully with a stent. Coronary angiography after the angioplasty showed no collaterals, and the right ventricular branch appeared, suggesting that the linear dissection-like filling defects extending to the distal right coronary artery were due to the collateral flows. Filling defects extending distal to a severe stenosis must be distinguished carefully from coronary dissection.

A 70-year-old female patient presented and ECG with QS patterns and ST elevation in V1-3. Left ventriculography showed severely abnormal wall motion of the anteroseptal similar to a left ventricular aneurysm. Based on previous experience that 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy revealed possible myocardial viability in a patient with left ventricular aneurysm suspected of having apparently no myocardial viability, percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed for severe stenosis of the left anterior descending artery. Follow-up images 3 months later showed a remarkable improvement in parietal motility of the left ventricle and recovery of almost normal cardiac function. This case demonstrates that exercise myocardial scintigraphy is useful for diagnosing hibernating myocardium associated with severely abnormal parietal motility, such as left ventricular aneurysm.

Anthracycline cardiotoxicity is known to occur from the subendocardial side of the left ventricular wall. Recent advances of tissue Doppler echocardiography may allow the evaluation of anthracycline cardiotoxicity by dividing the left ventricular wall into the subendocardial half and subepicardial half. The present study assessed the feasibility using the tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) and myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) to noninvasively detect anthracycline cardiotoxicity.The tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) was used to measure systolic thickening of the subendocardial layer (delta Endo), subepicardial layer (delta Epi), and whole wall (delta Total) of the left ventricular posterior wall in 41 normal subjects and three groups of patients receiving anthracycline: 34 patients in the low dose group, 19 in the middle dose group, and 12 in the high dose group. Strain rate is the spatial gradient of local velocities, reflecting local compression and expansion rates not affected by overall heart motion. Myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) was used in 25 normal subjects, 9 patients in the low dose group, and 10 patients in the high dose group. The ratio of peak systolic strain rate of subendocardium to that of subepicardium (peak strain rate endo/epi), and the ratio of integrated strain rate during ejection time of subendocardium to that of subepicardium (integrated strain rate endo/epi) were measured.Tissue Doppler echo tracking system (M-mode) measurement of delta Endo/delta Epi showed the most distinct difference and the least overlap of the data between normal subjects and patients, whereas delta Total failed to show significant differences. Myocardial strain rate imaging (B-mode) measurement of integrated strain rate endo/epi showed the most distinct difference and the least overlap of the data between normal subjects and patients, but ejection fraction failed to show statistically significant differences.These methods are highly sensitive tools for monitoring anthracycline cardiotoxicity.

A 34-year-old Japanese woman (gravida 2, para 2) with polyhydramnios and non-immunological hydrops fetalis was referred to our department at 32 weeks of gestation. On admission, the blood pressure was 120/60 mmHg and there was no pitting edema of the lower extremities. An ultrasound examination disclosed a large placental tumor 5.8 cm x 4.4 cm x 4.8 cm. Fetal lung compression was suspected because the lung-thorax transverse area ratio was 0.13. The preload index of the inferior vena cava was 0.74, suggesting fetal cardiac failure. After fetal pleural effusion was aspirated, lung compression developed. Cordocentesis was performed at 33 weeks of gestation, and the fetal karyotype was confirmed to be 46, XY from an umbilical blood cultivation. The patient underwent a cesarean section at 33 weeks of gestation due to severe uterine contraction after preterm PROM. The baby was a 3,840 g male with a distended abdomen. Apgar score at 1 minute was 1. A chest X-ray demonstrated respiratory distress syndrome. The baby was discharged on the 69th day after birth and he is now 2 years and 9 months old and healthy.

NO-related compounds in the blood of septic rats were examined by chemiluminescence method. Rats were treated with 5 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and followed for 30 h. We have determined and evaluated the concentrations of the total NO-related compounds in whole blood (Total-NO), those in plasma (Plasma-NO) and membrane bound-NO (Membranous-NO) in erythrocytes from the LPS-challenged rats. 1) Levels of Plasma-NO after 3 h and Membranous-NO after 7 h in the rats were significantly increased, peaked at 14 h, and then restored to control levels at 30 h. 2) At 7 h in the rats, latter NO levels were exhibited within 10 nM/mg protein. 3) The existence of Membranous-NO can be confirmed by the in vitro experiments of rat erythrocytes incubating with different NO-donors, NOC-3 or SIN-1. 4) Taken together, the determination of Membranous-NO may be an additional marker for pathophysiological states of septic stress.

In previous studies, patients with severe peri-ovarian adhesions have been found to show low pregnancy rates and a poor response to gonadotrophin stimulation during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. The purpose of this retrospective pharmacokinetic study was to assess the diffusion of exogenous human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) in patients with peri-ovarian adhesions by examining the concentration of exogenous HCG in the follicular fluid in patients undergoing down-regulation and IVF due to infertility. The patients underwent laparoscopic examination for the scoring of peri-ovarian adhesions (using the classification of adnexal adhesions adopted by the American Fertility Society, a score of 0 means no adhesions, and a score of 32 represents bilateral expanded dense adhesions). Oocytes were recovered after human menopausal gonadotrophin-human chorionic gonadotrophin (HMG-HCG) stimulation with gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist. Serum and follicular fluid were collected at the time of oocyte recovery for measuring the HCG ratio (the follicular HCG concentration to the serum HCG concentration; a reflection of the diffusion of exogenous gonadotrophin) by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. A negative correlation was found between the number of oocytes recovered and the peri-ovarian adhesion score (r = -0.62, P < 0.01). In a given patient, the follicular HCG concentration was always lower than the serum HCG at the time of oocyte recovery. The HCG ratio in all samples was 0.9 or less (0.51 +/- 0.20; range, 0.09-0.90). Significant negative correlations were found between the peri-ovarian adhesion score and both the follicular HCG concentration (r = -0.80, P < 0.01) and the HCG ratio (r = -0.75, P < 0.01). In conclusion, severe peri-ovarian adhesions interfered with the diffusion of exogenous gonadotrophin into the follicular fluid during IVF treatment. Thus, the diffusion of exogenous gonadotrophin into the follicular fluid may represent a new parameter in the assessment of ovarian blood flow and IVF outcome.

The product of pxcA (formerly known as cotA) is involved in light-induced Na+-dependent proton extrusion. In the presence of 2, 5-dimethyl-p-benzoquinone, net proton extrusion by Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 ceased after 1 min of illumination and a postillumination influx of protons was observed, suggesting that the PxcA-dependent, light-dependent proton extrusion equilibrates with a light-independent influx of protons. A photosystem I (PS I) deletion mutant extruded a large number of protons in the light. Thus, PS II-dependent electron transfer and proton translocation are major factors in light-driven proton extrusion, presumably mediated by ATP synthesis. Inhibition of CO2 fixation by glyceraldehyde in a cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deletion mutant strongly inhibited the proton extrusion. Leakage of PS II-generated electrons to oxygen via COX appears to be required for proton extrusion when CO2 fixation is inhibited. At pH 8.0, NO3- uptake activity was very low in the pxcA mutant at low [Na+] (approximately 100 microM). At pH 6.5, the pxcA strain did not take up CO2 or NO3- at low [Na+] and showed very low CO2 uptake activity even at 15 mM Na+. A possible role of PxcA-dependent proton exchange in charge and pH homeostasis during uptake of CO2, HCO3-, and NO3- is discussed.

We evaluated the potential for photodynamic therapy of a new photosensitizer, mono-L-aspartyl chlorin e6 (NPe6), whose tissue uptake and clearance are rapid. Firstly, NPe6 solution was exposed to a diode laser at 664 nm that fits the maximum absorption of NPe6. Immediately after laser exposure, the solution was subjected to electron spin resonance (ESR) to detect generation of activated oxygen species. With ESR, O2-, .OH, and 1O2 were detected in the NPe6 solution. O2- and .OH disappeared when superoxide dismutase was added to the solution. Next, the fundi of pigmented rabbits were irradiated with the diode laser after administration of NPe6. Histopathologically, there was necrosis of endothelial cells and vascular occlusion in the choroid, especially in the choriocapillaris. Retinal pigment epithelial cells were also injured. In contrast, the sensory retina was undamaged even after use of a large amount of dye. This new combination of NPe6 and diode laser at 664 nm enables us to occlude choroidal vessels efficiently by generating various activated oxygen species. Thus, photodynamic therapy with NPe6 is potentially useful in treating retinochoroidal involvement.

A 51-year-old woman presented with mild stenosis of the mitral valve which had become thickened and rigid due to infective endocarditis, manifesting as persistent fever of up to 40 degrees C and general fatigue of a few days' duration. A harsh systolic murmur was heard. Multiple blood cultures revealed alpha-streptococcus. Echocardiography disclosed asymmetric septal hypertrophy (interventricular septal thickness/posterior wall thickness, 19/14 mm) and systolic anterior wall motion of the mitral valve. Continuous wave Doppler ultrasonography showed a peak left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradient of 170 mmHg. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed vegetations on the anterior mitral leaflet, aortic valve and interventricular septum along the left ventricular outflow tract. In particular, the anterior mitral leaflet was thickened and moved poorly. The calculated mitral valve areas was 1.5 cm2 and peak diastolic left atrium-left ventricle pressure gradient was 7 mmHg. A specimen of the mitral valve did not reveal commissural adhesion, but the anterior mitral leaflet showed marked fibrous thickening caused by scarred vegetation. Based on these findings, the diagnosis was hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy complicated by infective endocarditis and "mitral stenosis". Valvular regurgitation is a common complication of active and healed infective endocarditis. In contrast, infective endocarditis rarely causes valvular stenosis except for stenosis caused by large fungus vegetation.

Hypotension during dobutamine stress echocardiography is caused by ischemia as well as non-ischemic causes. Whether sigmoid interventricular septum seen in the aged can cause hypotension during dobutamine stress echocardiography was investigated in eight men and four women with sigmoid interventricular septum (aged 53 to 76 years, mean 67 +/- 7 years). At peak dobutamine dose, seven patients (group H) showed a hypotensive response (defined as 5 mmHg or greater decrease in systolic blood pressure from the peak systolic blood pressure; mean = - 17 +/- 13 mmHg), while five subjects (group N) did not. No subject showed regional wall motion abnormalities. Before dobutamine infusion, group H had smaller left ventricular end-systolic dimension (26 +/- 3 vs 30 +/- 3 mm) than group N, but no difference was found in left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (44 +/- 3 vs 47 +/- 4 mm), percentage fractional shortening (40 +/- 6% vs 34 +/- 7%), diastolic aorto-septal angle (82 +/- 10 vs 95 +/- 11 degrees), systolic aorto-septal angle (94 +/- 10 vs 101 +/- 11 degrees), peak left ventricular outflow velocity (1.3 +/- 0.2 vs 1.2 +/- 0.3 m/sec) or peak left ventricular outflow pressure gradient (7 +/- 2 vs 6 +/- 3 mmHg). Group H had a lower peak dobutamine dose than group N (33 +/- 8 vs 40 +/- 7 micrograms/kg/min), but under the peak dose of dobutamine infusion group H showed smaller left ventricular end-systolic dimension (20 +/- 3 vs 26 +/- 4 mm), systolic mitral annulus diameter (19 +/- 3 vs 23 +/- 2 mm), diastolic aorto-septal angle (72 +/- 16 vs 92 +/- 6 degrees), and systolic aorto-septal angle (84 +/- 12 vs 100 +/- 6 degrees), and higher heart rate (114 +/- 10 vs 79 +/- 16 bpm), percentage fractional shortening (53 +/- 8% vs 43 +/- 7%), peak left ventricular outflow velocity (3.2 +/- 0.8 vs 1.7 +/- 0.3 m/sec), and peak left ventricular outflow pressure gradient (43 +/- 23 vs 12 +/- 5 mmHg). In addition, systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve with septal contact developed in 86% of group H and 0% of group N. Thus, about half of the patients with sigmoid interventricular septum show hyperresponse to dobutamine and develop dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction as well as systemic arterial hypotension even without regional left ventricular wall motion abnormalities.

We surveyed the using conditions of sterilized and non-sterilized disinfectants in Kyushu University Hospital by questionnaires and direct hearing. The kinds and concentrations of disinfectants used were generally proper for their respective purposes. However, there were also some inappropriate cases, such as the cleansing of mucosal membranes with chlorhexidine (Hibitane) gluconate and uses of the concentrations different from those described in the package insert. The present survey was very useful for proper uses of disinfectants.

The second prototype synchronous motor with three degrees of freedom is developed and tested. First, the principle of the synchronous motor with three degrees of freedom is shown briefly and the structure of the developed synchronous motor is presented. Next, the control system for the synchronous motor is presented. Finally, experimental results of changing the orientation of the output shaft and the output torque measured are shown.

The major supporting structures of the posterolateral knee were noted to be composed of three components: the fabellofibular ligament, the arcuate ligament, and popliteus muscle with origin from fibular head. We classified this area of the knee into seven major anatomic variants. Popliteus tendon is composed of two parts: the anterior and the posterior fibers. The anterior fibers become tight, while the posterior fibers become lax as the knee was flexed. This phenomenon is more pronounced when the tibia is rotated externally. The midpoint between the anterior and the posterior fibers insertions on the femur appeared to be the isometric point of the popliteus tendon.

Left atrial (LA) pressure-dimension curve was constructed and the area of A-loop (AAL, in mm.mmHg) which reflected LA stroke work was measured in 14 open-chest dogs before and after saline infusion, in 14 dogs before and after propranolol administration under fixed heart rate and in 12 dogs while atrial pacing rate was increased stepwise. The peak +dP/dt of LA systolic pressure (LA +dP/dt, in mm Hg/s) and LA percent fraction shortening (LA %FS) were obtained as indices of LA pump function. The peak -dP/dt of X descent in LA pressure (LA -dP/dt, in mm Hg/s) was measured as an index of LA relaxation. From pulsed Doppler mitral flow velocities, A-wave acceleration (AC, in cm/s2), LA pre-ejection period corrected by P-wave duration (LA PEPc), and LA ejection time (LA ET) were measured. AAL, LA +dP/dt, AC, LA %FS, and LA -dP/dt increased after saline infusion (AAL; 2.2 +/- 1.6 to 5.1 +/- 3.3 (p0.05), LA +dP/dt; 34 +/- 16 to 52 +/- 23 (p0.05), AC; 320 +/- 90 to 472 +/- 98 (p0.05), LA %FS; 9 +/- 4 to 12 +/- 4 (p0.05), and LA -dP/dt; 38 +/- 28 to 60 +/- 32 (p0.05)) and decreased after propranolol administration (AAL; 2.9 +/- 1.9 to 1.2 +/- 0.7 (p0.05), and LA +dP/dt; 42 +/- 19 to 28 +/- 11 (p0.05), AC; 332 +/- 92 to 254 +/- 102 (p0.05), LA %FS; 14 +/- 5 to 8 +/- 5 (p0.05), and LA -dP/dt; 36 +/- 19 to 26 +/- 18 (p0.05)), but did not change significantly during heart rate increments. LA PEPc decreased after saline infusion (114 +/- 11 to 104 +/- 14 (p0.05)) and increased after propranolol administration (108 +/- 8 to 129 +/- 13 (p0.05)). As pacing rate was increased, LA PEPc and LA ET showed no significant changes. Both AAL and LA +dP/dt correlated significantly with LA PEPc (r = -0.76 and -0.66), but not with LA ET (r = -0.08 and -0.04). In conclusions, LA pump function was augmented by volume loading and decreased by propranolol, but unchanged by heart rate increments. These changes in LA pump function were reflected by LA PEPc, but not by LA ET. LA PEPc is a useful index of LA pump function which is not heart rate dependent.

In pediatric open heart surgery, a right-angled metal cannula (Pacifico's venous cannula) for direct superior vena caval cannulation is frequently used. But it is often difficult to be inserted into superior vena cava due to "right-angled" shape especially in small babies. We developed a new holder which can make straight line from the metal tip to flexible plastic end of the cannula. It is easy and safe even in cases of small babies.

We presented a rare case of isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) associated with persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC). A 69-year old female was admitted to our hospital because of arrhythmia and cardiomegaly. Pansystolic cardiac murmur of Levine 2/6 was heard in her Erb's area. Remarkable cardiomegaly was revealed as 78% of cardiothoracic ratio and electrocardiographic findings showed atrial fibrillation. Echocardiographically, obvious dilatation of coronary sinus, right atrium and right ventricle were recognized and left atrium was also dilated moderately. Although results of right cardiac catheterization showed almost normal pressure, remarkable TR of grade IV was registered by Doppler echocardiography. Additional diagnosis of PLSVC drained to dilated coronary sinus was made by venography from the left antecubital vein. But evidence of other cardiac shunt diseases and other abnormalities which might be a cause of TR was negligible. It is reported, in general, that PLSVC drained to coronary sinus occurs asymptomatically, and there is no accepted theory that PLSVC is able to be a cause of TR alone. So, we diagnosed our case as rare isolated TR associated with PLSVC, and because only two such cases are reported in Japanese, we reported it.