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Intestinal inflammation can be accompanied by osteoporosis, but their relationship, mediated by immune responses, remains unclear. Here, we investigated a non-IgE-mediated food-allergic enteropathy model of ovalbumin (OVA) 23-3 mice expressing OVA-specific T-cell-receptor transgenes. Mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and their pathogenic CD4+T cells were important to enteropathy occurrence and exacerbation when the mice were fed an egg-white (EW) diet. EW-fed OVA23-3 mice also developed bone loss and increased CD44hiCD62LloCD4+T cells in the MLNs and bone marrow (BM); these changes were attenuated by MLN, but not spleen, resection. We fed an EW diet to F1 cross offspring from OVA23-3 mice and a mouse line expressing the photoconvertible protein KikGR to track MLN CD4+T cells. Photoconverted MLN CD44hiCD62LloCD4+T cells migrated predominantly to the BM; pit formation assay proved their ability to promote bone damage via osteoclasts. Significantly greater expression of IL-4 mRNA in MLN CD44hiCD62LloCD4+T cells and bone was observed in EW-fed OVA23-3 mice. Anti-IL-4 monoclonal antibody injection canceled bone loss in the primary inflammation phase in EW-fed mice, but less so in the chronic phase. This novel report shows the specific inflammatory relationship, via Th2-dominant-OVA-specific T cells and IL-4 production, between MLNs and bone, a distant organ, in food-allergic enteropathy.

The biological activities of acetic acid bacteria (AAB) as Gram-negative bacteria have attracted our interests, especially in their inhibitory effects on allergic responses. To clarify the underlying mechanism that improves allergic symptoms by ingestion of the AAB

The aims of this study were to evaluate in vivo the biological responses to implants composed of biodegradable anodized WE43 (containing magnesium yttrium, rare earth elements and zirconium; Elektron SynerMag®) magnesium alloy, monolithic WE43 magnesium alloy and poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), which are commonly used materials in clinic settings, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the materials as bone screws. The effectiveness of the magnesium alloy implants in osteosynthesis was evaluated using a bone fracture model involving the tibia of beagle dogs. For the monolithic WE43 implants, radiological, and histological evaluation revealed that bone trabeculae around the implanted monolithic WE43 decreased because of an inflammatory response. However, there was no damage due to hydrogen gas or inflammatory response in the bone tissue around the anodized WE43 implants. After 4 weeks, all the PLLA implants (n = 3) had broken but the WE43 implants had not (n = 6). These results suggest that the WE43 implants had sufficient strength to fix bone fractures at load-bearing sites in orthopedic and oral maxillofacial surgery. Therefore, these biodegradable magnesium alloys are good candidates for replacing biodegradable polymers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1282-1289, 2016.

Human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) causes exanthema subitum in infants and is known to be mildly pathogenic. However, HHV-6B infection can induce febrile seizures in a high percentage of patients, and in rare cases, result in encephalitis. We detected higher levels of interleukin (IL)-1β and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CFS) of patients with HHV-6B encephalitis when compared to those in patients with non-HHV-6B-induced febrile seizures. In vitro, IL-1β and bFGF enhanced HHV-6B gene expression in infected U373 astrocytes during the initial and maintenance phases of infection, respectively. These findings indicated that IL-1β and bFGF contribute to HHV-6B growth and the onset of encephalitis.

Phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) deficiency, a rare X-linked inherited disorder, manifests as various combinations of hemolytic anemia, neurological dysfunction, and myopathy. We report a Japanese boy with PGK deficiency presenting as chronic hemolytic anemia. The diagnosis of PGK1 deficiency was made at 11 months of age on the basis of low PGK enzyme activity (36.7 IU/g Hb; normal, 264–326 IU/g Hb) and the identification through PGK1 gene sequencing of a novel missense mutation: c. 1180A>G at exon 10. The mutation, which has been designated PGK-Aoto, results in a Thr394Ala amino-acid substitution at β-strand L. Because β-strand L plays an important role in the function of the hinge connecting the two domains of PGK, the Thr394Ala substitution may perturb this motion. At 3 years of age the patient has transfusion-dependent hemolytic anemia but no evidence of neuromuscular disease or developmental delay. Long-term follow-up will be needed to identify possible future clinical manifestations.

We present paleomagnetic results from Middle Jurassic red sandstones of the Sangba Formation. Orientated samples were collected at 14 sites on north side of the Basu (30.1°N, 96.9°E), northeastern border of the Lhasa Block. After stepwise thermal demagnetization, high-temperature component with unblocking level of 680 °C is isolated from 7 sites. Primary nature of this magnetization is ascertained through positive fold and reversal tests at 95% confidence level. Combined with previously reported paleomagnetic results, tilt-corrected mean direction of D = 353.4°, I = 15.1°, α95 = 14.1°, N = 8 is calculated, indicating that during Middle Jurassic the study area was located at 7.7°N ± 7.4°. Comparison with the Jurassic paleomagnetic data reported from eastern Tibet indicates that the Lhasa Block was located south of the Qiangtang Block at a latitudinal difference of 31 ± 11°. Compilation of paleomagnetic data further suggest that until the Cretaceous large spatial gap of more than 1200 km remained open between the Lhasa Block and the Qiangtang Block of eastern Himalayan syntaxis and eventually vanished during Tertiary. Cretaceous paleolatitude corresponding to this gap (13.0°N–31.0°N) is almost identical to that reported from Shan-Thai Block (25.4°N ± 5.2°). Furthermore, the Permo-Carboniferous sequences of Gondwanic affinity are distributed in western part of the Shan-Thai block as well as in the Lhasa and Qiangtang blocks. Keeping in view these similarities, we propose a new pre-collision (India vs. Asia) reconstruction model in which the Lhasa, Shan-Thai and Qiangtang blocks are shown in their respective order from south to north along southern margin of the Asian continent. The aftermath of gigantic India–Asia collision however introduced north–south compressional regime in the Asian Continent that eventually played a role in eastward extrusion of the Shan-Thai Block from an area between the Qiangtang and Lhasa blocks.

To promote the osteogenic properties of osteoblasts, we synthesized a hydroxyapatite (HAp) with beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP) biphasic calcium phosphate containing Nb ions (NbTCP/HAp). NbTCP/HAp was prepared by annealing precipitates obtained by coprecipitation of an aqueous solution of Ca(NO(3))(2) and a mixture of (NH(4))(2)HPO(4) and aqueous Nb solution. The precipitates can be regarded as a calcium-deficient HAp, the PO(4) sites of which are partly occupied by Nb ions. NbTCP/HAp was successfully synthesized by thermal decomposition of the precipitates. NbTCP/HAp enhanced the calcification of normal human osteoblasts (NHOst), and the amount of calcified tissue increased in proportion to the Nb ion concentration in the NbTCP/HAp. The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity of NHOst was also enhanced by NbTCP/HAp. Because Nb ions significantly enhance the ALP activity of NHOst, calcification by NbTCP/HAp is considered to be due to enhancement of ALP activity induced by Nb ions dissolved from NbTCP/HAp. These results indicate that NbTCP/HAp can be an effective bone repair material.

In our previous study, we reported that a metastable phase with high Ca/P molar ratio appeared in the temperature range from 700 οC to 800οC The purpose of this study is to investigate the crystallographic relationship between the metastable phase and HAp matrix. Ca-def HAp was annealed at 500-1000' ο C in air. High-resolution transmission electron microscopic (HRTEM) observations were performed along the [010], [110] and [001] zone axes in order to investigate the structure of the metastable phase. From HRTEM images and results of the analysis of selected area electron diffraction patterns along [010], [110] and [001] zone axes, the lattice constants of the metastable phase were analyzed into a=2.86nm, b=0.94nm, and c=0.69nm of an orthorhombic crystals system.

The cytotoxicity of five calcium phosphate ceramics, hydroxyapatite (HAp), flouroapatite (FAp), α-tricalcium phosphate (α-TCP), β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) and tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP), was investigated. Based on the guidelines of biological test for medical devices in Japan, a cytotoxicity test of these calcium phosphates was carried out using Chinese hamster V79 lung fibroblasts. The cytotoxic study revealed that FAp and α-TCP showed high cytotoxicities. From various analyses, it was considered that the cytotoxicity of the FAp was due to fluorine ions extracted in a culture medium and the cytotoxicity of α-TCP resulted from a decrease in pH of the medium by the phosphoric acid, which produced by hydrolysis of( the α-TCP.

To promote the activity of normal human osteoblasts (NHOst), the novel HAp ceramics containing Nb ions (NbHAp) were synthesized by wet chemical process, which reacting aqueous solution containing a mixture of Ca(NO3)2, (NH4)2HPO4, and the Nb aqueous solution. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that NbHAp had a monolithic apatitic structure, although crystallite decreased as Nb content increased. From inductively coupled plasma analysis, maximum amount of Nb ions in the sample was almost 8.2atom% of P ions. The NbHAps were presented as aggregates and composed of fine crystal of

Calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-def HAp) decomposes to stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAp) and β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) at high temperature. In a previous study, we reported that a metastable phase with a high Ca/P molar ratio appeared in the temperature range from 700 to 800°C. In the present study, the formation process of a metastable phase and the crystallographic relationship between the Ca-rich metastable phase and HAp matrix were investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ca-def HAp was annealed at 600–850°C for 2 or 6 h in air. TEM observations were performed before and after annealing Ca-def HAp. Based on analysis of image of Ca-def HAp before annealing, several HAp crystals with different aspect ratios agglomerated. The metastable phases grew thicker by long-term annealing. HRTEM image suggested that the Ca-rich metastable phase was formed by migration to the interface and continuous accumulation of calcium ions from HAp crystals with a small aspect ratio. From HRTEM images and results of the analysis of selected area electron diffraction patterns along the [010], [110] and [001] zone axes, lattice constants of the metastable phases were determined to be a = 2.86 nm, b = 0.94 nm, and c = 0.69 nm with orthorhombic crystals system.

The migration of Ca ions during thermal decomposition of Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-def HAp) involving the formation of β-TCP was discussed in the present paper. The migration of Ca ions at high temperature was examined by studying the thermal behavior of Sr ions in Sr-substituted Ca-def HAp using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX). Substitutions of Ca ions in Ca-def HAp by Sr ion were carried out by hydrothermal treatment in Sr(NO 3 ) 2 solution. The composition of samples obtained by hydrothermal treatment was identified as Ca 9 . 2 7 Sr 0 . 2 7 (HPO 4 ) 0 . 4 6 (PO 4 ) 5 . 5 4 (OH) 1 . 5 4 . In addition, it was considered that Sr ions would be in Ca(II) site in Sr-substituted Ca-def HAp lattice. Since the thermal behavior of Sr-substituted Ca-def HAp was almost the same as that of Ca-def HAp, the migration of Sr ions in Sr-substituted Ca-def HAp during thermal decomposition could be regarded as the same as that of Ca (II) ions in Ca-def HAp. By TEM and TEM-EDS analysis, it was revealed that Sr ions were detected only in β-TCP phase after thermal decomposition. Therefore, these results suggested that β-TCP phase would be formed by the priority migration of Ca(II) ions in Ca-def HAp.

SUMMARY Cretaceous red sandstones of the Feitianshan Formation and the Xiaoba Formation were sampled at 33 sites from the Dadeli and Mishi synclines of Xichang (27.9 ◦ N, 102.3 ◦ E). The study area is a part of the Chuan Dian fragment bounded by the Xianshuihe‐Xiaojiang and the Red River fault systems, which in turn constitute the southwestern part of the Yangtze Block. Almost all the samples give a characteristic palaeomagnetic direction with unblocking temperatures up to 680 ◦ C. The primary nature of magnetization is ascertained by a positive fold test with a 99 per cent confidence level for the Dadeli Syncline. The tilt corrected overall mean direction of the 33 sites is D = 3.7 ◦ , I = 41.5 ◦ (α 95 = 3.4 ◦ ), with a corresponding palaeopole at 85.2 ◦ N, 241.7 ◦ E(A95 = 3.5 ◦ ). This pole occupies the near-sided position with respect to the estimate of the Cretaceous pole of the Sichuan Basin, indicating that the Xichang area experienced a significant southward displacement. Combined with earlier reported palaeomagnetic data from the Chuan Dian fragment, a significant southward displacement of 6.7 ◦ ± 3.5 ◦ in latitude is estimated for the whole fragment with respect to the Sichuan Basin since the Late Cretaceous. Extrusion dynamics in the Asian continent due to its collision with India brought about the southward displacement of the Chuan Dian fragment. Declination data indicate that the southern part of the Chuan Dian fragment was subjected to clockwise sense rotation of up to 45 ◦ . This significantly large tectonic rotation probably occurred during extrusion of this

In this paper, the synthesis of tubular titania was carried out through a soft chemical hydrothermal reaction of TiO2 powders in NaOH or KOH aqueous solution systems. It was found that nanotubular products prepared in our studies were identified as H2Ti4O9·H2O by X-ray diffraction analysis with their morphology and crystallinity being dependent on synthetic conditions, i.e. reaction time and temperature of the hydrothermal process. The photocatalytic activity of nanotubular H2Ti4O9·H2O was evaluated in a decomposition test of HCHO at 298 K in an aqueous system using radiation with a mercury lamp. The morphology and yield of these nanotubular products were found to be dependent on the hydrothermal synthetic conditions.

We investigated the microstructural changes on an atomic length scale during thermal decomposition process of Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-def HAp) by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ca-def HAp was prepared by hydrolysis of α-tricalcium phosphate. The Ca-def HAp had a whisker-like morphology 2–5 μm in length and 0.1 μm in diameter that was elongated along c-axis. Thicker planer defects parallel to the (100) plane of the HAp matrix were observed as precipitation in the sample annealed at 700 and 800 °C by HRTEM observation. Thickness of the precipitation was about 10 nm and the boundaries between the precipitation and HAp matrix was coincident. The periodicity in the precipitation was parallel to the (100) plane of the HAp matrix and measured to be 1.42 nm. Since the precipitation was observed only in the sample annealed at a narrow temperature range of 700–800 °C, it was regarded as a metastable phase formed on the thermal decomposition process. Absorption peaks in IR spectra of annealed Ca-def HAp containing the metastable phase appeared at 744 and 3538 cm−1 due to non-stoichiometric HAp with high Ca/P molar ratio. Furthermore, the results of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that the metastable phase had higher Ca/P molar ratio than that of the matrix and stoichiometric HAp. Therefore, the metastable phase could be identified as Ca-rich metastable phase. The presence of Ca-rich metastable phase was confirmed to be associated with the thermal decomposition process.

The Fe-substituted Al-mordenites (Fe-MOR) with several Fe ratios were synthesized, and the detailed structure was obtained by means of Al K edge XANES and Fe K edge XAFS. From the results of the N2-adsorption isotherm, the Fe-substituted mordenites with an Fe/(Fe + Al) ratio as high as 75 mol % have a high crystallinity and appropriate micropore. The completely substituted mordenite (Fe100MOR) shows low pore volume and mordenite crystallinity. The Al K edge XANES results show the smaller effect of structural change around Al ions by Fe (25 mol %) substitution. Fe K edge XAFS results indicate existence of tetrahedral Fe ions into the mordenite framework in all the Fe ratios. The local structure around the Fe3+ ions is quite different from that around the Fe-modified mordenites. The Fe−O distance increases with an increase in Fe content. This suggests the distortion of the zeolite framework in the local structure of the mordenites. It is concluded that the stable structure around the Fe3+ ions in the Fe-sub...

Hybrid hydroxyapatite/polymer composites were prepared by the infiltration of nylon into porous hydroxyapatite. Porous hydroxyapatite (HAp) bodies were prepared from a whisker-like powder with high aspect ratio by pressureless-sintering at various temperatures. Pore characteristics, such as the fraction of open porosity and the pore size distribution, were designed and evaluated by mercury porosimeter. Through the in situ polymerization of e-caprolactam, infiltrated into the porous HAp body, a polymeric secondary phase network interpenetrated with the HAp phase was obtained. The obtained hybrid HAp/nylon composites were evaluated with respect to their fracture behavior, i.e., fracture energy, and in vitro bioactivity in simulated body fluid (SBF) in the present paper. These HAp/nylon hybrid composite have a KIC of 1.65 MPam1/2 and also a good bioactivity according to the results of SBF immersion tests.

The aims of this study were to evaluate in vivo the biological responses to implants composed of biodegradable anodized WE43 (containing magnesium yttrium, rare earth elements and zirconium; Elektron SynerMag®) magnesium alloy, monolithic WE43 magnesium alloy and poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA), which are commonly used materials in clinic settings, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the materials as bone screws. The effectiveness of the magnesium alloy implants in osteosynthesis was evaluated using a bone fracture model involving the tibia of beagle dogs. For the monolithic WE43 implants, radiological, and histological evaluation revealed that bone trabeculae around the implanted monolithic WE43 decreased because of an inflammatory response. However, there was no damage due to hydrogen gas or inflammatory response in the bone tissue around the anodized WE43 implants. After 4 weeks, all the PLLA implants (n = 3) had broken but the WE43 implants had not (n = 6). These results suggest that the WE43 implants had sufficient strength to fix bone fractures at load-bearing sites in orthopedic and oral maxillofacial surgery. Therefore, these biodegradable magnesium alloys are good candidates for replacing biodegradable polymers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 104B: 1282-1289, 2016.

Control of the microstructure and pore characteristics of porous hydroxyapatite was examined. Porous hydroxyapatites were prepared with using different starting hydroxyapatite powders and sintering at various temperatures by pressureless-sintering method. The overall microstructure porosity characteristics, such as the fraction of open porosity and the pore size distribution, of porous hydroxy-apatites were evaluated. The pore volume and size distribution greatly depended on sintering temperature and the morphology of the starting hydroxyapatite powders. The fraction of open porosity of whisker hydroxyapatite powder sintered at 900 and 1000°C was 100 and 96%, respectively. The pore diameter and pore volume of porous hydroxyapatites prepared from whisker-like hydroxyapatite powder were larger than that from spherical and rod-like powders. Furthermore, the pore size distribution of the porous hydroxy-apatites body from whisker-like powder was very narrow. According to these results, various porous microstructure hydroxyapatite can be designed and the porosity characteristics reliably controlled.

Development of porous hydroxyapatite is important for organic/inorganic composite biomaterials. In developing new biomaterials, it is fundamental to design and control the porosity characteristics. This study attempted to control the pore characteristics of porous hydroxyapatite using different sintering processes and temperatures. Porous hydroxyapatite was fabricated by the pressureless-sintering method and the capsule-free hot isostatic press (HIP) sintering method using two kinds of starting hydroxyapatite powder, spherical, and whisker-like powder. The pore size distribution in porous hydroxyapatite prepared from starting spherical and whisker powders depended on the sintering temperature. The higher the sintering temperature, the larger the pore diameter. The pore diameter in hydroxyapatite prepared by capsule-free HIPing was larger than that by pressureless-sintering. According to this understanding, various porous hydroxyapatites could be designed and their porosity characteristics controlled.

Upper Cretaceous red sandstones have been sampled at 21 sites from the Jiangdihe Formation in Yuanmou (25.9°N, 101.7°E), the northern part of Yunnan, China. Characteristic directions with unblocking temperature of 680°C have been isolated from all the sites, and provide a positive fold test which is significant at the 99% probability level. Remanent magnetization of the prefolding origin represents a characteristic direction of the Jiangdihe Formation (D = 26.9°,I = 35.6°, andα95 = 3.6°). This paleomagnetic direction confirms the fairly large easterly declination of the Cretaceous time for the southern part of the Yangtze craton. Incorporating this result into previous data from the areas along the longitude of 102°E in the southwestern part of Yangtze craton, the declination value in the Cretaceous paleomagnetic direction monotonously decreases from 45 to 2° as latitude increases from 25.0 to 30.1°N. The tectonic rotation expected from the apparent polar wander path of Eurasia shows that the clockwise rotation decreases gradually from 30 to −10°, whilst increasing in latitude. The systematically differential rotation along the longitude in the southwestern part of the Yangtze craton is a part of the deformation mode of the Asian continent due to the collision with India. The Yangtze craton behaved as a unit continuum material with a ductile nature during deformation.

In the Pliocene Dorobu caldera, 13 by 6 km in diameter, on northeastern Honshu, Japan, a number of occurrences of a distinctive megabreccia block facies is found within voluminous ash-flow tuffs, the Dorobu ash-flow tuffs A and B. Dorobu tuff A is believed to be the deposit of the initial caldera-forming eruption. An isopach map of tuff B and orientation of narrow dikes indicate that an internal large depression occurred inside the present caldera margin. This and locations of post-caldera conduits and near vent facies of Dorobu tuff C suggest that the caldera has a nested collapse structure, and possible conduits of the tuff B are within the internal depression. Annular collapses that sequentially moved towards the caldera center occurred during eruption of tuffs A and B. The overall structure of Dorobu caldera is nested, and it possibly has step-like floor, as described elsewhere from piecemeal calderas. Megabreccia block facies consists of polyhedral massive blocks composed of Miocene to Pliocene country rocks with large diameters (up to several hundreds meters). The block facies as a whole does not consist of sheets or piles of debris, as described in the San Juan Mountains and Stillwater Range, USA, but as isolated blocks set in the matrix of Dorobu tuffs A and B. In previous studies of caldera development, the mode of emplacement of caldera-collapse breccias has been considered to be by rock fall or rock slide during the caldera forming eruption. A paleo-magnetic study of the block facies shows two significant characteristics. Predominant variations of the magnetic directions of blocks indicate that they were emplaced with rotations, caused by rock slide, rock fall, or a toppling motion. In contrast, magnetized directions of one megabreccia block almost coincide with that of the caldera country rock, suggesting that this block must have kept its original magnetic direction. Our findings suggest that it is not a rock slide deposit derived from caldera walls, but rather a segment of subsided caldera floor. The mode of emplacement of the megabreccia block facies at Dorobu caldera is mostly similar to the other megabreccias, however, additionally, it is necessary to distinguish segments of caldera floor from rolled or toppled megabreccia blocks.

Kinematical adjustment of tectonic blocks has occurred in the latest stage of arc formation of Japan within central Japan. Miocene welded tuffs have been sampled for chronological and palaeomagnetic studies from the northern part of central Japan. Zircon fission-track dating confirms Middle to Late Miocene ages (13.7-5.0 Ma) for the Yatakezawa, Shiobara, Kawaji, Kinugawa, Katashinagawa, Okkai and Ashio Formations. Characteristic directions with high unblocking temperature component above 560°C are isolated from 36 sites. Palaeomagnetic directions after tilt correction provide a Miocene characteristic palaeomagnetic direction of the northern part of central Japan (36.8°N, 139.3°E): D = 7.3°, I = 50.3°, α 95 = 6.6°. Presence of normal and reversed polarities, and a fairly long time average exclude the effect of geomagnetic field secular variation. Comparison with the Miocene palaeomagnetic poles of the neighbouring blocks indicates that the northern part of central Japan and northeast Japan behaved as a unified block since 15 Ma, whereas the Kanto Mountain region moved kinematically as an independent block from the northern block comprised of central Japan and northeast Japan at least between 16 Ma and 12 Ma. The boundary between the northern part of central Japan and the Kanto Mountain was in a convergent regime with dextral strike slip. A southward force exerted from the northern part of central Japan, as well as a northward force by the Izu-Bonin ridge, induced the clockwise rotation of the Kanto Mountain region. The northern part of central Japan had welded completely with the Kanto Mountain region by 6 Ma.

We investigated the microstructural changes on an atomic length scale during thermal decomposition process of Ca-deficient hydroxyapatite (Ca-def HAp) by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Ca-def HAp was prepared by hydrolysis of alpha-tricalcium phosphate. The Ca-def HAp had a whisker-like morphology 2-5 microm in length and 0.1 microm in diameter that was elongated along c-axis. Thicker planer defects parallel to the (100) plane of the HAp matrix were observed as precipitation in the sample annealed at 700 and 800 degrees C by HRTEM observation. Thickness of the precipitation was about 10 nm and the boundaries between the precipitation and HAp matrix was coincident. The periodicity in the precipitation was parallel to the (100) plane of the HAp matrix and measured to be 1.42 nm. Since the precipitation was observed only in the sample annealed at a narrow temperature range of 700-800 degrees C, it was regarded as a metastable phase formed on the thermal decomposition process. Absorption peaks in IR spectra of annealed Ca-def HAp containing the metastable phase appeared at 744 and 3538 cm(-1) due to non-stoichiometric HAp with high Ca/P molar ratio. Furthermore, the results of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that the metastable phase had higher Ca/P molar ratio than that of the matrix and stoichiometric HAp. Therefore, the metastable phase could be identified as Ca-rich metastable phase. The presence of Ca-rich metastable phase was confirmed to be associated with the thermal decomposition process.

In the present study, the preparation of dense hydroxyapatite (HAp) materials at relative low tempera- tures using a spark plasma sintering was carried out. The bioactivity of HAp samples prepared by a spark plasma sintering method was investigated by in vitro tests and com- pared with HAp obtained by a conventional hot-pressing method. No growth of bone-like HAp crystals on surface of HAp sintered by a conventional hot-pressing method at 1200°C was observed after immersion in a simulated body fluid (SBF) for 2 days. However, many large bone-like HAp crystals were observed on the surface of HAp samples pre- pared by a spark plasma sintering at 1200°C after 2 days in the SBF immersion test. Especially, the negatively charged surface of the HAp samples prepared by spark plasma sin- tering was covered with larger HAp crystals compared with the positively charged surface. The electric poling of HAp was measured using a thermally simulated current tech- nique. This rapid growth of bone-like HAp crystals of the HAp samples made by spark plasma sintering was believed to be related with the OHand/or Ca 2 + ion deficiency at the grain boundaries of the HAp matrix grains as well as a small electric poling effect resulting during the spark plasma sin- tering process. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 62: 550-557, 2002

Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) is a distinct disease form with less aggressive phenotype mimicking chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The patients present lower white blood cell counts consisting principally of neutrophilia, more severe thrombocytosis, less severe anemia, and delayed or absent transformation to blastic crisis. CNL sometimes has the translocation (9; 22) results in the transcription of an e19/a2 type Bcr/Abl mRNA that codes for a 230-kD Bcr/Abl protein (P230). Recently, we generated the P230 Bcr/Abl-transgenic mice, whose disease phenotype is myeloproliferative disese (MPD) with thrombocytosis. To investigate the disease phenotype of p230 Bcr/Abl-expressing MPD, we derived embryonic stem (ES) cells from the P230 Bcr/Abl transgenic mouse and non-transgenic control mouse. We differentiated ES cells on OP9 stromal cells, which supportive for hematopoietic differentiation. After day 5, ES cells were differentiated into megkaryocytes with TPO, erythrocytes with EPO and myeloid cells without cytokines. At day 13, floating cells were analyzed with lineage specific markers of megakaryocyte (CD61), erythroid (TER119) and myeloid (CD11b) cells by FACS analysis. P230 Bcr/Abl ES cell had more tendency of myeloid differentiation than control ES cell. With methylcellulose colony assays, we found that P230 Bcr/Abl ES cell produced more colony forming units. Intriguingly, the number of myeloid colonies was significantly increased and that of erythroid colonies was slightly decreased with no significance. It is reported that P210 Bcr/Abl markedly suppressed erythroid colony development. These data suggested that P230 Bcr/Abl enhances myeloid development in hematopoiesis and that it suppresses erythropoiesis not as strongly as P210 Bcr/Abl.

We have developed 32-inch and 36-inch Wide CRTs upon that iron tension masks are mounted for the first time as the masks are of corner suspension system. The corner suspension system has their main purpose of mechanical compensation, and the design makes compatibility between doming compensation and drop property possible. Adoption of the tension mask enables not only smaller variable pitch from center to periphery and higher peripheral resolution, but also smaller difference in thickness between the center of panel glasses and their periphery as well as adoption of tinted glasses. Moreover, with the improvement of spot size of electron guns, SVM sensitivity, prevention of cone-halation, and others, a drastic improvement in resolution and contrast has been achieved.