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Background The relationship between carotid artery ultrasound findings and clinical outcomes in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) patients has not been fully elucidated. Purpose To investigate the relationship between carotid artery ultrasound findings and cardiovascular risks in PCI patients. Methods This was a single-center retrospective study investigating 691 patients who underwent PCI and carotid ultrasound testing. Maximum carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) was defined as the greatest CIMT at the maximally thick point among the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery. A carotid plaque was defined as vessel wall thickening with a CIMT ≥1.5 mm. The characteristics of carotid plaque (heterogeneity, calcification, or irregular/ulcerated surface) were evaluated visually. Patients were divided into those with and without heterogeneous carotid plaque (maximum CIMT ≥1.5 mm and heterogeneous texture). The endpoint was the incidence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke. Results Among 691 patients, 312 were categorized as having a heterogeneous plaque. Patients with heterogeneous plaques were at a higher risk of MACE than those without (p=0.002). A heterogeneous plaque was independently associated with MACE after adjusting for covariates (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–3.04; p=0.03). Calcified or irregular/ulcerated plaques were correlated with a higher incidence of MACE but both were not independently associated with MACE (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.70–2.67, p=0.36 and HR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.66–1.93; p=0.66, respectively). Conclusions The presence of a heterogeneous carotid plaque in patients who underwent PCI predicted future cardiovascular events. These patients may require more aggressive medical therapy and careful follow-up. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

The software industry still struggles with adverse effects of a weak alignment between requirements and testing. The Software Pattern Metamodel (SoPaMM) aligns requirements and test patterns under the influence of agile practices. However, these patterns will be more beneficial for professionals if development activities are supported by a software tool. This paper presents the behaviour-DRivEn Application Model generator (DREAM) tool, automatically generating requirements and test specifications from SoPaMM-based patterns. We show how DREAM supports requirements elicitation and specification, test case elaboration, and software documentation using a patterns catalogue for electronic health record systems.

In 2014 and 2015, we examined the spatial distribution of cesium-134 (half-life: 2.06 years) from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in marine sediments within coastal–basin areas (water depths of 40–520 m) off central Honshu Island (the main island of Japan) in the Sea of Japan. The 134Cs concentrations in both the surface sediment (0–1 cm depth) and whole-core inventory exhibited wide variations, and were highest at the site closest to the Agano River Estuary area (6.7 Bq/kg-dry and 886 Bq/m2, respectively). This indicates that 134Cs in coastal areas was delivered by riverine suspended solids (SS). Given the spatial variation in 134Cs concentrations, we believe that 134Cs partially migrated northeastward within ~50 km along Honshu Island (at water depths shallower than ~140 m), and southwestward, including the Sado Basin area. This is predominantly attributable to the transport of SS by bottom currents and unsteady downward delivery onto the steep slopes of the basin. The total amount of 134Cs in the study area in 2014 was estimated at approximately 0.6 TBq (decay-corrected to March 11, 2011, date of FDNPP accident).

SUMMARYWe previously revealed that Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) seroprevalence was 4·5% in pigs on Ishigaki Island from 2005 to 2007. However, a partial E gene sequence (151 bp) of the JEV genome (JEV/sw/Ishigaki/1/2005) was detected in one pig. Phylogenetic analysis showed that JEV/sw/Ishigaki/1/2005 belonged to genotype III and to the same lineages isolated in Taiwan from 2006 to 2008. Serum samples were collected from 128 pigs on Ishigaki from 2009 to 2010, 24 wild boars on Ishigaki from 2008 to 2010, and 117 wild boars on Iriomote Island from 2008 to 2010. Four (3·1%) pigs on Ishigaki were positive for JEV antibody, but all wild boars on the island were negative. Fifty-two (44·4%) wild boars on Iriomote were positive for JEV antibody, in contrast to a seroprevalence of 3·7% in 2000 and 2004. JEV on Iriomote and/or in Taiwan might be related to transmission on Ishigaki.

This research entailed the production of stereoscopic 3D (S3D) contents using 2D-to-S3D conversion for exhibition at a museum and subjective evaluation. Hybrid production combining S3D images of existing live-action videos using the 2D-to-S3D conversion technology and computer graphic ones created via stereo rendering was conducted. Design and control of the chronological analysis of the parallactic angle was conducted on the produced contents, using binocular information as well as subjective evaluations, with the intent of conducting an investigation on the characteristics of such contents from the perspectives of the producers and viewers. An investigation was also conducted on the effects of the viewing position on the impressions of the S3D images.

Salt-affected soils are agricultural and environmental problems on a global scale. Plants suffer from saline stresses in these soils and show nitrogen (N) deficiency symptoms. However, halophytes grow soundly under saline conditions. In order to clarify the N nutrition of the halophyte Salicornia bigelovii , it was grown at several N levels (1, 2, 3, and 4 mmol L −1 ), supplied in the form of NO − 3 or ammonium (NH + 4 ), under high NaCl conditions (200 mmol L −1 ). NH + 4 -fed plants showed better growth than NO − 3 -fed plants at 1–3 mmol L −1 N, and plants in both treatments showed the same growth at 4 mmol L −1 N. Nitrogen contents in NO − 3 -fed plants increased with the N concentrations in solution; competitive inhibition of NO − 3 absorption by Cl − was observed under lower N conditions. In addition, shoot dry weight was significantly correlated only with shoot N content. Therefore, growth of NO − 3 -fed plants was regulated by N absorption. In contrast, N contents of shoots in NH + 4 -fed plants did not change with N concentration. Shoot Na content decreased with increasing N concentration, while K content increased. Dry weight was highly correlated only with K content in NH + 4 -fed plants. These observations indicated that growth of NH + 4 -fed plants was mainly regulated by K absorption.

Phenol present in wastewaters from various industries has an inhibitory effect on nitrification even at low concentrations. Hence, the biological treatment of wastewater containing both phenol and ammonia involves a series of treatment steps. It is difficult to achieve nitrification capability in an activated sludge system that contains phenol at concentrations above the inhibitory level. Batch treatment of wastewater containing various concentrations of phenol showed that the ammonia oxidation capability of suspended Nitrosomonas europaea cells, an ammonia oxidizer, was completely inhibited in the presence of more than 5.0 mg/L phenol. To protect the ammonia oxidizer from the inhibitory effect of phenol and to achieve ammonia oxidation capability in the wastewater containing phenol at concentrations above the inhibitory level, a simple bacterial consortium composed of an ammonia oxidizer (N. europaea) and a phenol-degrading bacterial strain (Acinetobacter sp.) was used. Ammonia oxidation did not occur in the presence of phenol at concentrations above the inhibitory level when suspended or immobilized N. europaea and Acinetobacter sp. cells were used in batch treatment. Following the acclimatization of the immobilized cells, accumulation of nitrite was observed, even when the wastewater contained phenol at concentrations above the inhibitory level. These results showed that immobilization was effective in protecting N. europaea cells from the inhibitory effect of phenol present in the wastewater.

A multicentre study on the epidemiology of perinatal depression was conducted among Japanese women expecting the first baby (N = 290). The incidence rate of the onset of the DSM-III-R Major Depressive Episode during pregnancy (antenatal depression) and within 3 months after delivery (postnatal depression) were 5.6% and 5.0%, respectively. Women with antenatal depression were characterised by young age and negative attitude towards the current pregnancy, whereas women with postnatal depression were characterised by poor accommodation, dissatisfaction with sex of the newborn baby and with the emotional undermining. Antenatal depression was a major risk factor for postnatal depression.

A single injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) can induce complete spermatogenesis in immature eel testes consisting of premitotic spermatogonia. To understand the regulatory mechanisms of spermatogenesis, we have applied a subtractive hybridization method to identify genes in which changes in expression occur after HCG treatment in vivo. The subtraction was carried out 24 hours after HCG injection. Two up-regulated and six down-regulated cDNA clones by HCG stimulation were isolated, and named eel spermatogenesis-related substance (eSRS) 1 to 8. In this paper, down-regulated cDNA clones of eSRS3 and eSRS4 were sequenced. A homology search showed that eSRS3 and eSRS4 have amino acid sequences similar to those of the ZP-domains of zona pellucida sperm-binding protein (ZP)-2 and 3, respectively. Transcripts of eSRS3 and eSRS4 have been detected only in immature testes and ovaries. Both transcripts disappeared immediately after HCG injection and were not detected in testes throughout the experimental period. To determine whether HCG action on down-regulation of eSRS3 and eSRS4 transcription is direct or mediated through 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT), a spermatogenesis-inducing steroid in eel, we investigated the effect of HCG and 11-KT on testicular eSRS3 and eSRS4 mRNA transcription in vitro. Northern blot analysis using poly(A)+ RNA extracted from cultured testis showed that both HCG and 11-KT suppressed the mRNA transcription of both eSRS3 and eSRS4. We speculate that eSRS3 and eSRS4 may play important roles in the prevention of spermatogenesis in the eel.

It has been discussed in previous papers that the surface tension of some liquids decreases during voltage application, and that this could be the main mechanism for dispersion of the liquid. However, no experimental results have been reported except for a few papers. In the present study, the vibrating jet method was employed because this is the only method available to measure surface tension during voltage application without contacting the liquid surface. A simple procedure was developed which used a parallel sheet of laser light to detect the liquid jet waves. Surface tension reduction due to applied voltage was proportional to the square of the voltage. The measured values agreed fairly well with theoretical predictions when the electrical conductivity >10/sup -2/ S/n. The surface tension reduction calculated using the measured electric charge was also proportional to the square of the applied voltage. The mechanism causing surface tension reduction during voltage application was found to be the electric charge existing on the liquid surface.

Magnetization and initial permeability measurements were done on the ferromagnetic shape memory alloys ${\text{Ni}}_{2}{\text{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Cu}}_{x}\text{Ga}$ $(0\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.4)$. On the basis of the results, the phase diagram in the temperature-concentration plane was determined for this alloy system. The determined phase diagram is spanned by the paramagnetic austenite phase (I), paramagnetic martensite phase (II), ferromagnetic austenite phase (III), ferromagnetic martensite phase (IV), and the premartensite phase (V). It was found that the magnetostructural transitions between the phases I and IV can occur in the concentration region $0.23\ensuremath{\le}x\ensuremath{\le}0.30$ and that ${\text{Ni}}_{2}{\text{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{Cu}}_{x}\text{Ga}$ has the characteristics of the phase diagram closely similar to those of the phase diagram of ${\text{Ni}}_{2+x}{\text{Mn}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\text{Ga}$. In order to understand the phase diagram, the phenomenological free energy as a function of the martensitic distortion and the magnetization was constructed and analyzed, where couplings between these order parameters in existing theories were improved. Satisfactory agreements between the theory and experiments were obtained except for the appearance of the premartensite phase. The analyses show that the biquadratic coupling term, together with a higher order coupling term, of the martensitic distortion to the magnetization, plays an important role in the interplay between the martensite phase and the ferromagnetic phase.

This paper developed the LRT introduction effect simulator. The increase in the number of heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide is a global problem. Decreasing this number is essential. The thought is that a modal shift from the car to public transportation is effective in the traffic field. However, when public transportation is introduced, a quantitative effect is needed in Japan. The paper developed a simulator, whereby the selection of car, railway or bus, which has not been included in past simulators, is used to calculate the running energy of transportation. The simulator then reports the selection of the individual’s means, with the model being built using the Analytic Hierarchy Process.

Oral isolates of Streptococcus milleri were examined for their ability to coaggregate with actinomyces. Of the 68 S. milleri strains tested, including 3 reference strains, 40 strains coaggregated with Actinomyces naeslundii WVU45 (actinomyces coaggregation group B) and 36 strains coaggregated with Actinomyces viscosus T14V (actinomyces coaggregation group A). All S. milleri strains of serotypes b (4 strains), e (2 strains), and f (24 strains) coaggregated with both of the actinomyces. The coaggregation reactions between the S. milleri cells and A. naeslundii WVU45 cells were optimal at about pH 7.0 and were Ca2+ or Mg2+ dependent, but they were not inhibited by the presence of simple sugars or amino sugars, including lactose (up to 0.5 M). Treatment of the S. milleri cells with heat (100 degrees C, 3 min) or proteases (trypsin, 1.0 mg/ml; pronase, 0.25 mg/ml; 37 degrees C; 3 h) and of the actinomyces cells with periodate (0.01 M, 4 degrees C, 16 h) destroyed their coaggregating abilities. The coaggregations between cells of the S. milleri strains, we well as cells of the Streptococcus sanguis H1 (reference strain for streptococcus coaggregation group 2) and the actinomyces strains (WVU45 and T14V), were inhibited by AFH1 (a carbohydrate receptor on T14V cells for a lectin on H1 cells). These interactions were also inhibited by anti-AFH1 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and by anti-b, anti-e, and anti-f S. milleri IgG or anti-f IgG Fab fragments. These results suggest that S. milleri, at least strains of serotypes b, e, and f, belongs to streptococcus coaggregation group 2.

Crab cavities have been installed in the KEKB B-factory rings to compensate the crossing angle at the collision point and thus increase luminosity. The beam operation with crab crossing has been done since February 2007. This is the first experience with such cavities in colliders or storage rings. The crab cavities have been working without serious issues. While higher specific luminosity than the geometrical gain has been achieved, further study is necessary and under way to reach the prediction of simulation.

KEKB has been operating with crab cavities for the first time in the world. This paper represents beam operation with the crab crossing.

This report describes a case of congenital dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) with fibrosarcomatous (FS) and myxoid areas. Immunohistochemical results showed that tumour cells in ordinary DFSP areas were diffusely positive for CD34, whereas in the FS and myxoid areas, few tumour cells were positive for this antigen. Ki-67 positive tumour cell numbers were greater in the FS (11.8%) and myxoid areas (19.8%) relative to ordinary DFSP areas (2.2%). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis showed the presence of an identical COL1A1-PDGFB fusion transcript in ordinary DFSP (plaque-like area), FS, and myxoid areas of DFSP. These results indicate that the three components of DFSP have a common histogenesis. This study documents the first application of gene analysis involving the myxoid area of DFSP.

We have developed a spatially resolved NIRS imaging system with novel optical probes and fast temporal resolution. Initial results showed the effectiveness of our system for real-time spatio-temporal analyses for muscle oxygenation during exercises.

Clinical applications of ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) have been widely studied in recent years, but the behavior of microbubbles exposed to ultrasound is not fully understood yet. The authors developed a high-magnification and high-speed observation system, and they studied the dynamic behavior of cavitation bubbles, air-contained microbubbles, and UCA under ultrasound exposure. The dynamic behavior of cavitation was observed at the frame rate of 2/spl times/10/sup 6/ frames/s with magnification of /spl times/15, and periodic expansion and shrinkage due to exposure to ultrasound were observed. The maximum diameter of a bubble was around 10 /spl mu/m in the expansion phase, and it was too small to observe in the compression phase. Air-contained microbubbles of 20-100 /spl mu/m in diameter and UCA of 3-5 /spl mu/m in diameter were also observed at the maximum imaging rate of 1/spl times/10/sup 7/ frames/s and maximum magnification of /spl times/100. Typically, microbubbles exposed to ultrasound pressure undergo repeated expansion and shrinkage and reach a critical size, then collapse.

We have been measuring ultrasound attenuation of biological tissues in the frequency range of 2.5-40 MHz using a multi-resonance transducer. In this study, we used two additional wideband transducers of 5 and 10 MHz, and we measured liquid-type samples to improve the accuracy of the measurement, especially at frequencies below 10 MHz. Homogenized swine liver tissue was centrifuged to separate it into two samples: a supernatant liquid sample containing water-soluble proteins of liver cells and a sediment sample containing the constituents of the tissue structure. Specific attenuations of both samples were almost the same at frequencies around 10 MHz. However, the exponent values of the two samples were clearly different; the exponent value of the supernatant liquid sample was 1.3 in the entire frequency range of 2-40 MHz, white the exponent value of the sediment sample was 0.7. This result suggests that there is a turning point of the exponent value of the whole liver tissue at about 10 MHz.

We have developed a miniaturized ultrasonic probe mounted on an 18-G puncturing needle and applied it to the detection of a flow in a small vessel using a correlation technique. The flow in a small vessel was clearly distinguishable from other regions in correlation images, whereas discrimination was difficult in a conventional B-mode image.

Echo enhancers consist of microballoons and the authors aimed to investigate the thresholds of microballoon collapse of two different shell types. PVC-AN microballoon is a mimicking echo enhancer with a hard shell and Albunex(R) that is a commercially available albumin shelled echo enhancer. The thresholds of the microballoon collapse were analyzed by detecting subharmonic wave production. Scattered waveforms by PVC-AN that was diluted to 1/1000 with normal saline. The scattered waves from the microballoon were detected by a hydrophone and analyzed by a digital oscilloscope with a 10 bit A/D conversion rate. The spectrum was calculated with a fast Fourier transform applied to the leading 5 microseconds of the waveform. The authors concluded that the threshold of PVC-AN collapse exists between 1.5 to 2.25 W/cm/sup 2/ of ultrasound intensity. They however, could not determine the threshold of Albunex(R) that was diluted to 1/100 with normal saline, since subharmonics were recognized even by 0.1 W/cm/sup 2/ irradiation which was the lowest intensity in the authors' system.

The authors propose a new intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) imaging method that enables them to discriminate the vessel lumen by detecting movement in regions of blood flow and an atheroma. A correlation technique was used to detect the movement, because transverse flow detection is impossible by the Doppler technique. The authors developed an experimental system and obtained radial-scanned correlation images of a vascular phantom. Experimental results showed that the blood flow could be clearly discriminated from the atheroma, whereas discrimination was difficult in conventional B-mode images.

The authors developed a measurement system of ultrasound attenuation in the frequency range of 2.5 to 40 MHz and measured the ultrasound attenuation coefficients of normal, infarcted, and dilated cardiomyopathy samples of a human formalized myocardium. Results of attenuation measurements showed that the attenuation coefficients increased proportionally to the n-th power of frequency in the measured frequency range. Attenuation coefficients in the myocardium specimens increased proportionally to the 1.3 power for the infarction and 1.2 power for the dilated cardiomyopathy of frequency, respectively, while the attenuation coefficient increased proportionally to the 1.6 power for the normal myocardium. These results suggest that an exponent of frequency-dependent attenuation could be used as an index of tissue characterization.

Appropriate subcellular localization is crucial for regulation of NF-kappaB function. Herein, we show that latent NF-kappaB complexes can enter and exit the nucleus in preinduction states. The nuclear export inhibitor leptomycin B (LMB) sequestered NF-kappaB/IkappaBalpha complexes in the nucleus. Using deletion and site-directed mutagenesis, we identified a previously uncharacterized nuclear export sequence in residues 45-54 of IkappaBalpha that was required for cytoplasmic localization of inactive complexes. This nuclear export sequence also caused nuclear exclusion of heterologous proteins in a LMB-sensitive manner. Importantly, a LMB-insensitive CRM1 mutant (Crm1-K1) abolished LMB-induced nuclear accumulation of the inactive complexes. Moreover, a cell-permeable p50 NF-kappaB nuclear localization signal peptide also blocked these LMB effects. These results suggest that NF-kappaB/IkappaBalpha complexes shuttle between the cytoplasm and nucleus by a nuclear localization signal-dependent nuclear import and a CRM1-dependent nuclear export. The LMB-induced nuclear complexes could not bind DNA and were inaccessible to signaling events, because LMB inhibited NF-kappaB activation without affecting the subcellular localization of upstream kinases IKKbeta and NIK. Our findings indicate that the dominant nuclear export over nuclear import contributes to the largely cytoplasmic localization of the inactive complexes to achieve efficient NF-kappaB activation by extracellular signals.

Metabolic changes induced by 2,2'-(decamethylenedithio)diethanol (tiadenol) and di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn) in rat liver were compared with changes induced by p-chlorophenoxyisobutyric acid (clofibric acid). Treatment of rats with either tiadenol or DEHP increased the hepatic contents of PtdCho and PtdEtn, as was observed with clofibric acid treatment. The administration of tiadenol, DEHP, or clofibric acid slightly, but significantly, increased, in common, the activity of CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, a key enzyme for the synthesis de novo of PtdCho, and suppressed the activity of PtdEtn N-methyltransferase. With regard to the enzymes involved in the synthesis of PtdEtn, the three peroxisome proliferators enhanced the activity of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer) decarboxylase and markedly decreased the activity of CTP:phosphoethanolamine cytidylyltransferase. Treatment of rats with the three compounds markedly increased, in common, the content and the proportion of the molecular species of PtdCho containing oleic acid (18:1), but considerably decreased the proportion of the molecular species of PtdCho containing linoleic acid (18:2) in the liver, resulting in a striking decrease in the concentration of the molecular species of PtdCho containing 18:2 in the serum. The present study suggests that the administration of peroxisome proliferators to rats increases the contents of hepatic PtdCho and PtdEtn for hepatomegaly and proliferation of organelles by the same mechanism, irrespective of their chemical structures.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the Extended Bayesian Method, an inverse analysis procedure, in which Akaike Bayesian Information Criterion (ABIC) is introduced to realize the best matching of the observed data and prior information. In order to overcome the ill-posedness of geotechnical inverse analysis, it is inevitable to introduce prior information of some form, and thus Bayesian statistics. There is, however, a fundamental problem embedded in this problem: the optimum matching between the objective information and the subjective information, so that the model performs best for the prediction purpose. In this study, this problem is solved by taking entropy as a quantitative measure of information: the available information is most effectively used to maximize the relative entropy, thus the best matching of subjective and objective information is accomplished.. In this study, an actual embankment construction record is analyzed to obtain the best set of parameters for the ground deformation model. Since it is requested to simultaneously estimate 11 parameters, the problem is essentially ill-posed. It is shown that the methodology proposed performs rather effectively in such a condition.

In this study we have investigated the effects of low threshold afferent stimulation on the centrally generated locomotor rhythm in an isolated spinal cord-hindlimb preparation from newborn (0-3 days old) rats. Locomotor activity was induced by bath application of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA). Stimulation of low threshold afferents (below 2 times threshold (x T) for the incoming volley) in L2 and L3, but not L4 and L5 dorsal roots resets the ongoing rhythm. This is due to an abrupt excitation of the L2 and L3 ventral root bursts and an inhibition of the L5 ventral root burst on the ipsilateral side followed by reciprocal effects on the contralateral side. Similar effects were seen after stimulation of the quadriceps nerve with weak intensity (below 1.8 x T). We conclude that low threshold muscle afferents, possible group I afferents, have access to central pattern generators early in postnatal life and suggest that these findings may give an important opening in ontogenetic studies of how neural networks are assembled.

Sixty-seven breast cancer patients with malignant pleural effusions underwent their first thoracentesis between 1980 and 1990 at 13 institutes in Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures. They received various intracavitary treatments including OK-432 and cultured effusion lymphocytes (n = 29, group A), OK-432 alone (n = 12), chemotherapeutic agents alone (n = 9), OK-432 and chemotherapy (n = 16) or other (n = 1, lentinan and tetracycline) therapy. Response rate and median survival time were 90%, 12 months for group A, respectively and 40% and 3 months for other treatments (group B, n = 38), resulting in significant differences. Multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard model showed that the immunotherapy using cultured lymphocytes was the most important factor prolonging survival among several significant prognostic factors such as concomitant liver metastasis, disease-free period and laterality of effusion.

1. Sensory inputs to and locations of uncrossed spinocerebellar tract neurones in the lower lumbar cord were studied in chloralose-anaesthetized cats. 2. Neurones with axons ascending in the ipsilateral thoracic funiculi and projecting to the cerebellum were found mainly dorsal to the central canal (laminae V and VI) in the L5-L6 segments, i.e. at levels caudal to Clarke's column. Axons considered to originate from these cells were located in the dorsal half of the lateral funiculus at the level of L2, intermingled with axons of the dorsal spinocerebellar tract originating at the levels of Clarke's column. 3. Synaptic actions of primary afferents on neurones with antidromic invasion following stimuli applied to ipsilateral thoracic funiculi or to the cerebellum were investigated using intracellular or extracellular recording in the caudal lumbar segments. 4. Monosynaptic excitatory effects were evoked by electrical stimulation of group I muscle afferents of the hindlimb ipsilateral to the cell body. The majority of neurones received monosynaptic excitation from two or more muscles, predominantly extensors. They were frequently co-excited by group Ia muscle spindle and group Ib tendon organ afferents. 5. Volleys in cutaneous afferents produced excitation with short central latencies. In addition to the monosynaptic and disynaptic excitation from low-threshold cutaneous afferents, there were indications of monosynaptic effects from slightly slower conducting fibres. The majority of these neurones also received monosynaptic excitation from group I muscle afferents. Neurones with cutaneous input tended to be located more dorsally compared with those responding only to muscle afferents. 6. Volleys in joint afferents produced monosynaptic excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) in the neurones with EPSPs from group I or group I and cutaneous afferents. 7. Some neurones were disynaptically inhibited from group I muscle afferents. Convergence of monosynaptic group I excitation and disynaptic group I inhibition occurred in varieties of patterns. 8. Polysynaptic excitation, inhibition or mixed effects of both were evoked from ipsilateral cutaneous afferents and high-threshold muscle and joint afferents, whereas effects from the controlateral afferents were feeble.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A highly advanced vacuum power fuse has been developed for general purpose protection in high voltage primary distribution systems.

Summary The prenatal occurrence and distribution of renin-containing (RC) cells were investigated immunohistochemically in mouse and pig embryos. The RC cells of the mouse embryo were first observed at the 13th day of gestation at the walls of the renal, the mesonephric, the adrenal, the abdominal arteries, the adrenal glands and the testis. As the gestation of the mouse progressed, the RC cells had a tendency to localize in areas of the vascular pole of the metanephric glomerulus. In pig, when CRL was 0.8–2.0cm, RC cells first appeared at the ventral walls of the dorsal aorta, the omphalo-mesenteric (i.e., the cranial mesenteric), the mesonephric, the mesonephric afferent glomerular arteries/arterioles and the inside of the mesonephric glomenilus. As the length of the pig embryo increased, no renin-immunoreactivity could be demonstrated at the degenerated mesonephros, while in the metanephros marked immunoreactivities were found only at the terminal regions of intralobular arteries, i. e., afferent arterioles or the vascular pole of the glomerulus.

1. Electrophysiological properties of soleus motoneurones in adult cats were examined with intracellular electrodes following alterations of activity of the soleus muscle induced by transection of the thoracic spinal cord or by conduction block of the muscle nerve with tetrodotoxin (TTX) cuffs. Attempts were also made to maintain muscle activity by daily stimulation of the maintain muscle activity by daily stimulation of the peripheral nerve. 2. Within 8 days after transection of the thoracic cord, soleus motoneurones showed a significant decrease in the duration of afterhyperpolarization following action potentials. This change in motoneurone properties induced by cord transection was prevented by daily stimulation of the sciatic nerve. 3. Soleus motoneurones showed a significant decrease in the duration of after-hyperpolarization within 8 days after conduction block of the soleus nerve with TTX. This change in montoneurone properties was prevented by daily stimulation of the nerve peripheral to the TTX cuff but not central to the cuff. 4. The soleus muscle showed a significant decrease in weight relative to body weight within 8 days after transection of the thoracic cord. This decrease in muscle weight following cord transection was prevented by daily stimulation of the sciatic nerve. 5. No fibrillation was detected in the soleus muscle 8 days after conduction block of the soleus nerve with TTX. The maximum twitch tension of the soleus muscle evoked by nerve stimulation showed no significant difference between the two sides treated and untreated with TTX. Fast axoplasmic transport measured with cholinesterase as a marker was not affected by TTX. Thus, there was no sign of functional although morphological abnormalities were found in some nerve fibres. 6. It is concluded that motoneurone properties in an adult depend partly upon some factors associated with activity of the innervated muscles and that such trophic signals are retrogradely carried by the motor axons.

A torsional type antenna with a diameter of 310 mm, which is the maximum size of an extruded aluminium alloy bar commercially available, is developed for gravitational experiments at low temperature. The antenna shows a very long relaxation time of an externally excited oscillation; τ = 1.78 × 10 5 s corresponding to Q = 3.30 × 10 7 at liquid helium temperature. The decay characteristic is studied over a few relaxation periods to confirm a single exponential decay at small oscillation amplitude. An amplitude dependent loss is observed above a certain oscillation level at low temperature. The dynamic character of the antenna is studied between room temperature and liquid helium temperature.

1. 豚70例の卵巣, 子宮, 腟に分布する動脈を8部位に分けて組織学的に観察し, それらの硬変所見の程度により, 各動脈をI, II, III, IVの4型に分け, さらに各型の出現様式により8部位の動脈をA, B, Cの3群に区別した。2. 硬変所見は, 妊娠部位 (子宮角) に分布するA群の動脈に最も強く, 腟, 卵巣に分布するC新群では最も弱く, 子宮体に分布するB群では, A群に平行する例と, C新群に平行する例とが認められた。3. A群の動脈 (中子宮動脈本幹とその枝) が私たちのIIIないしIV型の硬変像を示す場合は, 過去に妊娠を経過した例と判定し得る。とくに中子宮動脈本幹を観察することにより, その正確性が増すものと老える。4. 内膜の肥厚部に出現する弾性板の輪層構造は, 妊娠の反復による硬変の蓄積像と想定する。