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The accretion rate of micrometeorites (MMs) was estimated from Ir contents in snow around Dome Fuji Station and ice shards obtained during ice core drilling at Dome Fuji Station, Antarctica. The snow and ice shards were melted and filtered from the residues. Although MMs were not found on filters, we tried to detect them from the residues as Ir peaks determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). Although Ir is very rare in the earth’s crust, its concentration is high in extraterrestrial matter (e.g., chondrites). Trace amounts of Ir can be easily detected by INAA, because the cross section of Ir is relatively large (e.g., 309 barn). The accretion rates were estimated for 120k year ago, 5k year ago and at present, as (3.2 ± 0.9) × 102 t/year (8.6 ± 0.18) × 103 t/year and (1.3 ± 0.10) × 103 t/year, respectively. These estimates were comparable to those of previous studies, however the rate of 120k year ago was approximately an order of magnitudes lower than the others.

Silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technologies promise several advantages over CMOS for the front-end readout electronics for the ATLAS upgrade. We have evaluated the relative merits of the latest generations of IBM SiGe HBT BiCMOS technologies, the 8WL and 8HP platforms. These 130 nm SiGe technologies show promise to operate at lower power than do CMOS technologies and would provide a viable alternative for the silicon strip detector and liquid argon calorimeter upgrades, provided that the radiation tolerance studies at multiple gamma and neutron irradiation levels, included in this investigation, show them to be sufficiently radiation tolerant.

Alagille syndrome (AGS) is a congenital multi-system anomaly mainly characterized by paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts caused by haploinsufficiency of the Jagged 1 gene (JAG1). To explore the relationship between genotype and phenotype, we analyzed the JAG1 gene in 25 Japanese AGS families at the genomic DNA level and identified 15 point mutations and one large deletion. Analysis of the genotype and phenotype strongly indicated that the Delta/Serrate/Lag-2 (DSL) domain in JAG1 protein played an essential role in determining the severity of the liver disorder. In four sporadic cases, missing an entire DSL domain in mutant JAG1 resulted in progressive liver failure and all 4 patients needed a liver transplant at a very young age. This correlation was further confirmed by statistical analysis (chi2=9.143, p

Limited information is available regarding the histology of hepatitis C virus infection in children. The aim of this study was to determine the histological pattern of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in children, and liver biopsy specimens from 109 pediatric patients with CHC were examined. Each biopsy specimen was evaluated based on a numerical scoring system for the stage of fibrosis (1-4), the grade of portal/periportal necroinflammation (0-4), the grade of lobular necroinflammation (0-4), and their sum (final grade). The histological lesions considered to be characteristic of chronic hepatitis were also evaluated. None of the children had liver cirrhosis, and 105 cases (97%) were stage 1 or 2. Only 4 children were stage 3. Two of these 4 cases showed hemosiderosis. A significant correlation was observed between the staging score and the final grade in the pediatric patients (r = .59; P

Morphological and phenotypic characterization in previous studies has indicated that intermediate (int) T-cell receptor (TCR) cells or T natural killer (TNK) cells may stand at an intermediate position between NK cells and high TCR cells of thymic origin in phylogenetic development. In this study, a functional study on cytotoxic activity against various tumour targets was performed in each purified subset. When a negative selection method entailing in vivo injection of anti-asialo GM, antibody or anti-interleukin (IL)-2R beta monoclonal antibody (mAb) was applied, IL-2R beta 1 CD3 NK cells were found to have the highest NK activity while IL-2R beta 1 int CD3 (or TCR) cells had a lower level of the NK activity. High CD3 cells (freshly isolated) did not have any such activity. Sorting experiments further revealed that the NK function mediated by int CD3 cells was augmented when they were exposed to anti-CD3 mAb. anti-TCR alpha beta, or anti-TCR-delta mAb. This phenomenon was not observed in NK cells and high CD3 cells. More importantly, when anti-CD3 mAb (or anti-TCR mAb) was added to the assay culture, int CD3 cells became cytotoxic against even NK-resistant tumour (Fc gamma R-. Fas+) targets. Liver mononuclear cells or int CD3 cells exposed to anti-CD3 mAb for 6 hr showed an elevated level of perforin in their cytoplasms. The present results suggest that int CD3 cells are usually non-cytotoxic against various tumours but become functional after being stimulated via the TCR CD3 complex.

An assessment of the radiation tolerance of the latest generation IBM silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistor (HBT) technologies (SiGe 8WL and SiGe 8HP) at extreme dose/fluence is reported. These BiCMOS technologies are of great interest for analog readout circuits in high energy physics detectors, especially the planned upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the upgraded Large Hadron Collider (sLHC) in Geneva, Switzerland. These third-generation, 130 nm SiGe HBTs show promise to operate at lower power than CMOS circuits provided that they can be shown to be sufficiently radiation tolerant. This study presents evidence of the radiation tolerance of these two candidate technologies with parametric measurements after irradiation up to a fluence of 1016 1 MeV equivalent neutrons/cm2 and a gamma dose of 100 Mrad (SiO2).

We clarified the clinical features of NICCD (neonatal intrahepatic cholestasis caused by citrin deficiency) by retrospective review of symptoms, management and long-term outcome of 75 patients. The data were generated from questionnaires to paediatricians in charge of the patients. Thirty of the patients were referred to hospitals before 1 month of age because of positive results in newborn screening (hypergalactosaemia, hypermethioninaemia, and hyperphenylalaninaemia). The other 45, the screen-negative patients, were referred to hospitals with suspected neonatal hepatitis or biliary atresia because of jaundice or discoloured stool. Most of the screen-negative patients presented before 4 months of age, and 11 had failure to thrive. Laboratory data showed elevated serum bile acid concentrations, hypoproteinaemia, low levels of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors and hypergalactosaemia. Hypoglycaemia was detected in 18 patients. Serum amino acid analyses showed significant elevation of citrulline and methionine concentrations. Most of the patients were given a lactose-free and/or medium-chain triglyceride-enriched formula and fat-soluble vitamins. Symptoms resolved in all but two of the patients by 12 months of age. The two patients with unresolved symptoms suffered from progressive liver failure and underwent liver transplantation before their first birthday. Another patient developed citrullinaemia type II (CTLN2) at age 16 years. It is important to recognize that NICCD is not always a benign condition.

Acoustic detectors were developed using a piezo ceramic compound PZT. The shape of the PZT detector was essential to obtain a high sensitivity. A detector of a spherically shaped shell structure, whose size was 50 mm in diameter and 2 mm thick, was fabricated. Its sensitivity was calibrated to be about 40 mV/Pa at 54 kHz. Using the hydrophone, acoustic signals generated by an electron-induced cascade shower in water was detected. Experimental results were compared with simulation data and confirmed consistency.

We investigated sources of bacterial contamination of intraoperative salvaged blood producted by autologous transfusions device (CS; CELL SAVER 5, Heamonetics Corp., Braintree, MA). Eleven patients undergone open heart surgeries including 2 emergency operations with a median sternotomy enrolled in this study. Blood samples were drawn from salvaged blood bags. Airborne contaminants (AB) were collected by a blood agar plate put besides the operation bed for 30 minutes. The median wounds samples were collected by a swab. Bacterial growth was detected in 81.8% of salvaged blood samples. Twenty-nine bacterium were isolated from CS, 72.4% of those were Staphylococci. 9.1% of sample was positive in wound swabs. Forty bacterium were isolated from plate cultures. 65% of them were Staphylococci. Staphylococcus epidermidis and coagulase negative Staphylococcus isolated both CS and AB in the 2 cases had the same identify codes, and incubated from several AB cultures. Corynebacterium sp. is also isolated from both CS and AB cultures in other 2 same cases. In 7 out of 8 cases (87.5%), from which Staphylococci isolated in CS, the Staphylococci were cultured from AB in not the same but the other cases. In conclusion, highly incidence of the identification in identical code of Staphylococci indicated that the main source of CS contamination was highly suspected to AB.

Alagille syndrome (AGS) is a congenital multi-system anomaly mainly characterized by paucity of intrahepatic bile ducts caused by haploinsufficiency of the Jagged 1 gene (JAG1). To explore the relationship between genotype and phenotype, we analyzed the JAG1 gene in 25 Japanese AGS families at the genomic DNA level and identified 15 point mutations and one large deletion. Analysis of the genotype and phenotype strongly indicated that the Delta/Serrate/Lag-2 (DSL) domain in JAG1 protein played an essential role in determining the severity of the liver disorder. In four sporadic cases, missing an entire DSL domain in mutant JAG1 resulted in progressive liver failure and all 4 patients needed a liver transplant at a very young age. This correlation was further confirmed by statistical analysis (chi2=9.143, p0.001). Our finding demonstrated that the DSL domain in JAG1 appears to be essential for normal liver development and function.

In this prospective study, we evaluated contamination of surgical fields in open heart operations by salvaged blood culture used in autologous transfusions device (Cell Saver 5, Heamonetics Corp., Braintree, MA, USA). And also, we prospectively investigated an efficacy of pre- and intra-operative prophylactic antibiotics administrations (cefazolin). Thirty patients undergone open heart surgeries with median sternotomy enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups, group A (n = 15); without prophylactic antibiotics administration, group B (n = 15); with pre- and intra-operative prophylactic antibiotics administrations. Blood samples were drawn through the right atrium after the discontinuation of CPB and from salvaged blood bags. Bacterial growth was detected in 80.0% of salvaged blood samples in group A, 86.7% in group B (p = 0.62). Whereas no bacterial growth detection in blood samples though the right atrium. Quantitative estimates of contaminations showed 1.06 +/- 1.41, 0.90 +/- 1.24 cfu/ml, respectively (p = 0.22). Although bacterial growth rate were not statistically significant difference between groups, detective rate of Staphylococci was remarkably decreased (p = 0.005) in group B. Pre- and intra-operative prophylactic antibiotics administrations were effective for Staphylococci, but not whole microorganisms. In conclusion, salvaged blood used in autologous transfusions was highly contaminated and it suggests that surgical fields were not clear. Prophylactic antibiotics administrations were effective especially for Staphylococci.

The surveillance study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin) and other 20 antimicrobial agents against 5,180 clinical isolates obtained from 26 medical institutions during 1998 in Japan. The resistance to fluoroquinolones was remarkable in Enterococci, methicillin-resistant staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from UTI. However, many of the common pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae including penicillin-resistant isolates, methicillin-susceptible Stahylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, the family of Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus influenzae including ampicillin-resistant isolates have been kept to be susceptible to fluoroquinolones. About 90% of P. aeruginosa isolates from RTI were susceptible to fluoroquinolones. In conclusion, the results from this surveillance study suggest that fluoroquinolones are useful in the treatment of various bacterial infections including respiratory infections.

An optic neuritis treatment trial was conducted at 30 clinical centers in Japan using the same protocol. Patient participation was based on: age range of 14-55 years; acute symptoms indicative of unilateral optic neuritis of unknown or demyelinating origin; visual symptoms of 14-day duration or less; relative afferent pupillary defect in affected eye; and normal or swollen optic disc of affected eye.Initially, 102 patients qualified for participation; baseline data were obtained for analysis from 70 of these patients. Demographic characteristics of Japanese patients with optic neuritis were clarified and compared with those in a US study.The incidence of ocular or periocular pain and the presence of periventricular plaques were noted to be lower, and the incidence of disc swelling higher, in the Japanese patients, suggesting racial differences in the characteristics of the disease. Such differences may possibly be related to the lower incidence of multiple sclerosis in Japanese patients. The results of visual function tests were virtually the same in both studies. The nonaffected eyes of more than half the patients showed abnormal mean deviation in Humphrey field analysis, as also noted in the US study.The baseline clinical features of optic neuritis in the Japanese patients have been defined. Some racial differences in the characteristics of the disease may exist.

A randomized, controlled clinical trial was conducted in 1991 to compare an intravenous megadose of methylprednisolone with a control drug (mecobalamin) for treating acute idiopathic optic neuritis.Sixty-six cases from 22 clinical centers throughout Japan were examined to evaluate the treatment on visual function parameters, such as visual acuity, visual field, color vision, contrast sensitivity, and critical flicker frequency.The methylprednisolone pulse treatment group showed faster recovery of visual function, particularly the visual acuity at 1 week (P.05), Humphrey field analyzer mean deviation at 3 weeks (P.05), and color vision at 1 week (P.05). Recovery of contrast sensitivity at several different spatial frequencies was significant in the pulse treatment group at 1 (P.01), 2 (P.05), and 4 weeks (P.05) after the start of treatment. Visual function test results at 12 weeks and 1 year were essentially the same in the two treatment groups. Side effects appeared more frequently in the pulse treatment group than in the control (P.05).Pulse treatment does not appear effective for idiopathic optic neuritis even though visual function in the pulse treatment group of this trial recovered more quickly during the initial phase compared to the controls. More effective and specific treatment should be established for optic neuritis.

Recently, an automatic instrument for culturing acid-fast bacteria in liquid media has been introduced in Japan to accelerate and increase the detection of the bacteria as well as the work e ciency of test lab technicians. We compared the MGIT (Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube) method and the two conventional culture methods used in our lab by testing 176 specimens (130 cases) submitted for acid-fast testing between July 27 and September 18, 1998. BACTEC MGIT 960 (Nippon Becton Dickinson) was used in the MGIT method while Ogawa K medium and Kudo PD medium were used for our conventional culture methods. Of the 176 specimens, 26 specimens were MGIT positive, 22 specimens were Ogawa K medium positive, and 21 specimens were Kudo PD medium positive. Among these three culture methods, M. tuberculosis was found in 8 specimens, M. avium was found in 9 specimens, M. intracellulare was found in 4 specimens, and other acid-fast bacteria were found in 5 specimens. It took an average of 13.5 days to detect M. tuberculosis by the MGIT method, 23.0 days by the Ogawa K medium, and 24.3 days by the Kudo PD medium, suggesting that the MGIT method is signi cantly faster than the conventional methods (p0.05). The MGIT method took an average of 5.7 days to detect M. avium and M. intracellulare while the two conventional methods required more than 20 days, suggesting that the MGIT method is signi cantly faster than the conventional methods (p0.05). The BACTEC MGIT 960 was extremely useful for clinical diagnosis in some of the cases and our results indicated that the MGIT method led to more rapid diagnosis and earlier treatment than the conventional methods.

Idiopathic neonatal hepatitis (INH) is a heterogeneous disease of undetermined cause. We report a retrospective histologic reevaluation of INH. Sixty patients with INH were reviewed along with 32 biliary atresia (BA) patients. Histologic findings, iron and fat deposits, giant cell transformation, portal fibrosis, and bile duct proliferation were semiquantitatively graded from 0 to 4+. Significant histologic findings were defined asor =2+. Frequencies of patients with significant histologic findings in the INH group were compared with those of the BA group. Among the patients with significant histologic findings, those in the INH group had significantly less iron deposits (P0.01), portal fibrosis (P0.01), and bile duct proliferation (P0.01) than those of the BA group. A combination of significant hepatic macrovesicular steatosis and siderosis was observed in 10 INH patients but not in any BA patient (10/60 vs 0/32, P0.05). Without extensive treatment, the 10 INH patients all recovered, and hepatic abnormalities normalized by the age of 12 months. In conclusion, the present study showed that the recognition of hepatic siderosis is helpful to distinguish BA from INH and that in a subset of INH patients hepatic macrovesicular steatosis and siderosis occurs.

Limited information is available regarding the histology of hepatitis C virus infection in children. The aim of this study was to determine the histological pattern of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in children, and liver biopsy specimens from 109 pediatric patients with CHC were examined. Each biopsy specimen was evaluated based on a numerical scoring system for the stage of fibrosis (1-4), the grade of portal/periportal necroinflammation (0-4), the grade of lobular necroinflammation (0-4), and their sum (final grade). The histological lesions considered to be characteristic of chronic hepatitis were also evaluated. None of the children had liver cirrhosis, and 105 cases (97%) were stage 1 or 2. Only 4 children were stage 3. Two of these 4 cases showed hemosiderosis. A significant correlation was observed between the staging score and the final grade in the pediatric patients (r = .59; P.0001). The histological characteristics of adult CHC, such as lymphoid aggregate, bile duct injury, and fatty changes, were also observed in the children. In conclusion, the majority of children with CHC presented with mild fibrosis, but a few showed CHC with lobular distortion and hemosiderosis. Frequent blood transfusion may aggravate hepatic lesions in pediatric CHC.

To confirm the significance of the serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) test for the diagnosis of fatty liver and to clarify the relationship between serum ALT activity and the duration of obesity, we analysed 310 obese young school children (195M, 115F), who were classified into three duration groups (1-3 y, 4-6 y, 7 + y), three age groups (6-7 y, 8-9 y, 10-11 y), and four obesity groups (weight excess: mild, 20-29%; moderate, 30-39%; severe, 40-49%; very severe, 50%). Seventy-seven patients with abnormal ALT test, > 30 IU/l, and 27 patients with normal ALT test were examined by ultrasound study to identify the fatty-fibrotic pattern of the liver. Abnormal results of the serum ALT test were found in 24% of all patients. The fatty-fibrotic pattern was identified in 64/77 (83%) patients with abnormal ALT test and in 5/27 (18%) patients with normal ALT test. The serum ALT test has a sensitivity of 0.92 for detecting the fatty-fibrotic pattern proven by ultrasound study. Frequencies of cases with abnormal serum ALT levels increased with the duration of obesity. In the shortest duration group, however, the frequencies of abnormal results in serum ALT test did not increase with advanced ages or the grades of obesity. In conclusion, the present study confirmed the usefulness of the serum ALT test for screening fatty liver, and showed that a longer duration of obesity is generally associated with the occurrence of fatty liver in a paediatric obese population. In young patients with mild obesity or a short duration of obesity, however, fatty liver or fatty fibrosis may develop. Early intervention should be made in the case of obese children.

We investigated the effect of nicardipine (NC), a calcium antagonist, on retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Electroretinogram (ERG) was recorded from rabbit eyes before and after ischemia produced by increasing intraocular pressure to 140 mmHg for 90 min after giving 0.01% NC (0.1 ml) intravitreally (n = 4). ERGs from intact (non-ischemic) rabbit eyes after injecting NC intravitreally was also recorded (n = 4) (NC group). The recovery rate of b-wave amplitude after reperfusion was significantly higher in the NC group than in the control group which was given saline without NC (p0.05). There were no significant differences between the NC and the control groups in a-wave amplitude and implicit time of the b-wave. No significant changes were detected in the a-wave or b-wave amplitude after intravitreal injection of NC into the intact eyes. We suggest that NC can prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury of the rabbit retina and could be considered for clinical use.

Data on the incidence of and treatment for acute idiopathic optic neuritis were obtained by questionnaire sent to departments of ophthalmology, university hospitals, and general hospitals throughout Japan. Inquiry was made as to the number of cases which developed idiopathic optic neuritis from April 1992 to March 1993 along with their clinical features. The response rate was 53.6%. There were a total of 550 cases, and the male to female ratio was 1:1.22. Patients 14 to 55 years old were 65.9%; bilateral involvement: 28.2%; recurrence: 18.6%; positive past history of the other eye; 7.5%. Assuming the answering rate to be 100% and two thirds of the patients to be included, annual incidence of this disease (the annual number of patients) was determined to be 1.62 for an adult population of 100,000 (1.03 cases/100,000 people). Tochigi, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Hyogo, Wakayama, Okayama, Yamaguchi, Tottori, Shimane, Ehime, and Fukuoka showed an annual incidence exceeding 2.0/100,000 adults. At more than 95% of all medical institutions questioned, patients with optic neuritis were usually treated with systemic corticosteroids. Oral corticosteroid therapy, which was shown in a recent study in USA to be contraindicated, was still being used at 15% of the institutions.

We report a preterm infant who was prescribed an MCT formula and subsequently developed carnitine deficiency with liver dysfunction and an elevation of serum CK level. A male infant who had been born at 24 weeks' gestation with birth weight 799 g, was fed with an MCT formula containing 76.8% of all kinds of lipids, because of his steatorrhea after the 30th day. On the 100th day, he was noted hepatomegaly and elevation of serum levels of AST, ALT and CK. The needle biopsy of the liver indicated the existence of the liver damage. He showed low serum carnitine with high urinary loss of acylcarnitine and dicarboxylic aciduria. Administration of L-carnitine was an effective treatment. The carnitine deficiency might be exaggerated by an increased urinary loss of acylcarnitine. We should be cautious of the risk of carnitine deficiency in preterm infants during prolonged use of MCT formula.

The most early cirrhosis is observed in newborns with neonatal hemachromatosis. Early cirrhosis occurs in hereditary tyrosinemia type I, peroxisomal diseases and glycogen storage disease (type IV). In Wilson's disease, a case complicated with cirrhosis was reported in a 4-year-old patient. Slowly progressive cirrhosis is seen in patients with familial progressive intrahepatic cholestasis. Focal biliary cirrhosis is found in cystic fibrosis of the pancreas. Moreover, many other metabolic disorders, except for urea cycle disorders, are occasionally or rarely complicated with cirrhosis. Early diagnosis and proper management could prevent the development of cirrhosis in patients with galactosemia, hereditary fructose intolerance, etc. The occurrence of hepatoma must be monitored in these patients. Liver transplantation is indicated in a part of the patients with cirrhosis.

The spectral sensitivity of the ERG c-wave was studied in the chicken under yellow or red light adaptation of various intensities, ie, 1, 3, 4 and 5 W/m2 at the corneal surface in the former, and 3, 4 and 5 W/m2 in the latter. The peak wavelength of the spectral sensitivity curve of the c-wave amplitude under both yellow and red light adaptations was 520 or 540 nm, being shorter as compared with the peak wavelength (560 nm) under white light adaptation (Fukuda, 1989). Under the yellow or red light adaptation the sensitivity of the c-wave was suppressed at a range of longer wavelength, suggesting a possible isolation of the blue and green cone-driven c-wave responses. The peak (520 or 540 nm) and the shoulder (580 nm) in the spectral sensitivity curves were presumed to be derived from the three cone systems.

Monochromatic ERG b-waves were recorded in normal eyes, cataractous eyes and pseudophakic eyes implanted with non-UV or UV IOLs. ERG b-waves were elicited by fourteen monochromatic stimulus lights ranging from 400 to 660 nm under white light adaptation, and spectral response curves were obtained from b-wave amplitudes. Compared with normal eyes or cataractous eyes, the relative b-wave amplitude of pseudophakic eyes was significantly larger in the short wavelength range from blue to green. Except for 400 nm, the spectral response curve of the eyes implanted with UV IOLs was similar to that of eyes implanted with non-UV IOLs. These results suggested that dyschromatopsia might not only occur in eyes implanted with non-UV IOLs but in eyes with UV IOLs.

The influence of the duration of the retinal detachment on the function of detached retina was electrophysiologically investigated in the rabbit eye. Experimental retinal detachment with a diameter of 4 mm was made by injecting sodium hyaluronate into the subretinal space. The transretinal ERG (TR-ERG) was recorded from the detached retina between a pair of double-barreled microelectrodes of which the longer tip was positioned into the subretinal space, penetrating the detached retina and the shorter tip in the vitreous body. The vitreal ERG (VERG) from the undetached retina was simultaneously recorded between the shorter tip and a scleral electrode. The amplitude of the TR-ERG b-wave significantly decreased 2 hours after the onset of the detachment, and was gradually reduced to minimal value until 96 hours after the detachment. The amplitude of the VERG b-wave remained unchanged. The slow P III amplitude of the TR-ERG gradually decreased and extinguished 96 hours after the detachment, while the c-wave amplitude of the VERG showed no significant changes. The results suggested that the viability of the detached retina reduces rapidly and extinguishes within 96 hours in the rabbit eye.

To investigate the effect of dextromethorphan (DEX), N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, on the retinal ischemia, 0.4%DEX hydrobromide was intravenously given to rabbits before, during and after retinal ischemia. Retinal function was monitored by electroretinogram (ERG). Retinal ischemia was induced by increasing intraocular pressure to 130 mmHg for 90 or 120 min. Amplitudes of ERG.b-waves recorded after the 90 min ischemia recovered to 72.5 +/- 9.0% in the DEX group and 38.5 +/- 8.5% in the control group which was given normal saline. The maximal recovery rates of b-wave amplitudes after the 120 min ischemia were 44.0 +/- 7.9% in the DEX group and 21.0 +/- 1.3% in the control group. The recovery rates of the b-wave amplitudes in DEX group were significantly higher than in the control group (p less than 0.01). It was found that the effective dose of DEX was 0.1-0.4%.

By using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), it was demonstrated that cultured human corneal epithelial cells produced interleukin-6 (IL-6) without any stimulation. As lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulation did not induce further production of IL-6 and IL-1 alpha, it was suggested that IL-6 was produced naturally as in the case of IL-1 alpha production which has been previously reported by the author. Production of IL-1 alpha and IL-6 in the human corneal epithelial cells may play a role in amplifying immune responses on the ocular surface.

We recorded ERG b- and c-waves from rabbit eyes with experimental retinal detachment and investigated the relationship between amplitude of the ERG and extent of the detachment. Three different extents of detachment (20, 60, 100% of the fundus) were made in three different groups of rabbits. In all 3 groups, the amplitude of both b- and c-waves remarkably decreased 1 hour after detachment and recovered at 6 hours to values corresponding to the extent of detachment. At 12 hours, the b-wave amplitude remained at almost the same values at 6 hours, whereas the c-wave amplitude showed further reduction. It was suggested that functional disorder in undetached retina occurred earlier in the retinal pigment epithelium than in the sensory retina of the eyes in the acute stage of the retinal detachment.

The therapeutic effect of tiopronin on incipient senile cataracts was evaluated in 150 cases (275 eyes) by a double-blind study using nonactive placebo. A more favorable tendency to visual acuity was noted in the tiopronin than in the placebo group. The slit-lamp microscopic findings showed a statistically significant difference between the tiopronin and the placebo groups. Integrated judgement revealed tiopronin to be significantly effective as compared with the placebo. A side effect of fever with systemic eruption was observed in 1 case in the tiopronin group but disappeared completely when administration of the drug was discontinued.

Electronically stimulated desorption of neutral and ionic species from a LiF surface is reported. In the desorption of Li atoms resonantly enhanced desorption is observed as well as thermal desorption. The resonant desorption of Li atoms is induced by the simultaneous production of Li atoms with F+ ions in the interatomic decay process of the core exciton. This points out that the Knotek-Feibelman mechanism is applicable to ionic desorption from LiF surfaces.

We report that the high temperature superconductivity observed in a new ceramic Y–Ba–Ca–Cu oxide compound which exhibited the onset of superconductivity clearly at above 90 K and became completely superconductive at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). Powder X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the crystal structure of this new superconductor had the same one as a YBa 2 Cu 3 O x.

わが国および外国での人工軽量骨材の生産および使用状況, 価格等について調査した.(1) わが国の人工軽量骨材の生産状況について述べると, 市販および試作している会社が9社あり, このほかに目下研究している会社も数社ある.骨材の種類は, 原料より分類すると頁岩とフライアッシュに分けられ, 大部分が頁岩である. また製造方法により分類すると, 造粒型と非造粒型に分けられ, 造粒型は球状を呈し, 非造粒型は砕石状を呈しており, おのおのその特徴をもっている.(2) 外国では, 米国, ソ連, 西欧諸国において, かなり以前から研究および生産されており, その大部分は膨張頁岩, 膨張粘土でそのほかスラグ等があるが, 最近になってフライアッシュを用いたものも作られはじめた. 品質としては, 日本のものと大差ないようである.(3) 価格は現在 (1966年5月) 3900円/m3程度 (東京売渡し) で天然骨材に比べてかなり高い. 一般に人工軽量骨材の価格は, 原料費, 燃料費, 歩留り, 一般経費, 輸送費等であるが, 現在わが国では, 生産規模が小さいため, 一般経費が高いのと, 原料採石地近くに工場があり, 製品の輸送費が高いために価格が高い. 大量生産による一般経費の低減と工場と需要地の距離をせばめることによってかなりの価格低減ができると思われる.