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In infants with immunodeficiency, rotavirus (RV) vaccines can be continuously excreted in stool. We analysed nosocomial infection with RV vaccine strain in immunodeficient paediatric patients. RV1 RNAs were detected in stool and serum samples from case A, who was vaccinated with RV1, and case B, who was not. PAGE analysis of serial stool samples of case A revealed several rearrangements of the RV genome. In case B, the only band pattern detected was the same as a rearrangement detected in case A at the same time. In summary, RV vaccination of infants with immunodeficiency poses a risk of nosocomial infections.

Resonance phenomenon during train passing has been observed because of the increased in train operation speed in high-speed railway, the spread of low rigidity girder such as PRC and SRC girder, and the advances in measurement technology. An example has been reported in which significant resonance is generated, which is caused by a decrease in rigidity due to the progress of cracks in concrete members. The stiffness of members must be evaluated in consideration of the action hysteresis during the design life time, i.e. the magnitude and the cyclic number of the load. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the vibration characteristics of RC and PRC beam members in operating condition and the variation of stiffness and damping of the beam after repeated loads of about 2 million times based on fatigue tests of 4 specimens. Static loading tests made it clear that the effective stiffness of RC members decreases with respect to increasing load magnitude and it is consistent with the previous evaluation formula. On the other hand, the effective stiffness of the PRC member is overestimated in the case of the previous evaluation formula, and is consistent with Branson’s cubic law. From the fatigue tests, the effective stiffness decreases by about 6 to 16% for RC members and 10 to 33% for PRC members after 2 million cyclic loading. The equivalent damping is from 4.0% for RC members, according to the load magnitude and decreases to about 0.5%, and 1.5% to 0.5% for PRC members after 2 million cyclic loading. This means that the repeated loading accompanying the train pass contributes to increasing the dynamic response, especially with a large degree of influence on the PRC members.

Railway viaducts responds in different vibration period during earthquake, which causes relative displacement between adjacent viaducts. Seismic running safety of railway vehicles are significantly affected by the differential displacement at the ends between longitudinally adjacent viaducts. This study introduced a simple estimation method for the differential displacement based on the vibration characteristics of a single structure, in consideration of structural nonlinearity and coupling between adjacent viaducts during earthquake. First of all, Statistical investigation of the vibration characteristics of existing structures revealed that Equivalent natural period ratio ranges within 1.0 to 2.0 when the adjacent structure are different structural types. Secondly, time-history analyses are performed based on SDOF-system in order to quantify differential displacements during earthquakes considering the nonlinearity. Relative displacement increase with differential equivalent period between the adjacent structures. And then, the influence of the coupling between adjacent viaducts on the relative displacement depends on their vibration period ratio. The relative displacement decreased when the vibration period ratio of adjacent viaduct is close to 1.0, whereas it is increased when difference of vibration period ratio of adjacent viaduct is large. Finally, the proposed method can estimate the differential displacement in the structures with high accuracy of ±30%, independently of the hysteric character of the structure.

Mothering styles and family models of different cultures- that vary in interdependency and independency combinations—can influence the development of basic affects differently. The present study carried out the cross-cultural comparisons of samples from Japan, Turkey and Germany on self-construals, basic affects and Big Five factors. The countries were selected along a Euro-Asian spectrum, from highly collectivistic Japan to least collectivistic Germany, with Turkey as a bridging culture. The sample consisted of undergraduate and graduate students from Kyoto in Japan (n = 353), Istanbul in Turkey (n = 327) and Bonn in Germany (n = 222). The questionnaire included the self-construal scale (SCS), the affective neuroscience personality scales (ANPS) and the big five scale (B5S). SCS scores showed that the level of interdependent self-construals decreased from East to West, but independent self-construals did not gradually increase. Highest independency score was found in Turkey. Theoretically well-known German individualism was not found to be based on higher independency, but on lower interdependency. On ANPS, female groups seemed very similar on positive affects whereas for negative affects they had differences; like Japanese females had higher FEAR, Turkish females had higher ANGER. Similarly, Japanese males had higher FEAR and SADNESS, Turkish males had higher ANGER. On ANPS, Turkish and Japanese males were more similar and distinct from the German males who had lower scores almost on all affects. However on B5S; Turks and Germans were found to be quite similar and distinct from the Japanese. Turkey seemed to maintain more subcortical affective personality similarities with Japan, while attuning more to B5 factors displayed by Germany. Findings are discussed in light of child-rearing styles in each country.

Based on the results of the seismic response analysis on an embankment dam with asphaltic concrete impervious zone on the upstream face, which was severely damaged by cracking during an earthquake, evaluation method of seismic performance and safety was discussed in terms of the dynamic strain developed in such facing zone. Two methods of safety evaluation were proposed and compared to confirm their applicability in practice; one is to examine seismic safety by comparing the maximum computed value of dynamic strain with the tensile strain at failure obtained in axial tension tests on the facing materials, and the other by utilizing the concept of fatigue, accumulated damage caused by the application of cyclic strain. By taking strain rate dependency of materials into account, both procedures indicated relatively consistent results in damage evaluation.

Aim To assess the feasibility and outcomes of reoperative laparoscopic-assisted surgery for recurrent Crohn’s disease compared with index laparoscopic resections. Method A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database was performed from 2001 to 2008 on patients who had primary laparoscopy (group I) or reoperative laparoscopy for Crohn’s disease (group II). Data collection included demographic and surgical data, and postoperative outcomes. Results One hundred and thirty patients were included in this study, distributed as follows: group I, 80 patients with a mean age of 35 years; and group II, 50 patients with a mean age of 42 years. Preoperative American Society of Anesthesiologists score and body mass index were similar in both groups. Patients in group II had a longer period of disease (15.5 vs 8.9 years in groups I and II, respectively; P = 0.0002). Immunosuppressive therapy had been utilized in 66 (82.5%) and in 42 (84%) patients in groups I and II, respectively. Ileocolic resection was the most commonly performed procedure in both groups (82%), followed by subtotal colectomy. Conversion rates were 18.7 and 32% in groups I and II, respectively (P = 0.09). The mean operative time (182 vs 201 min) and mean blood loss (161 vs 202 ml) were not significantly different (P > 0.05); however, the overall incisional length was significantly longer in group II (6.7 vs 11.4 cm, P = 0.045). A stoma was created in 17 and 16% of patients in groups I and II, respectively. Overall, early postoperative complications were not statistically significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05); anastomotic leak occurred in four (5%) and one (2%) patients (P = 0.65), and abdominal abscess in three (3.75%) and four (8%) patients (P = 0.56), in groups I and II, respectively. Reoperative rates were 10 and 6% (P = 0.53), and mean hospital stay was similar in groups I and II respectively (6.7 vs 7.5 days, respectively; P = 0.3266). There was no mortality. Conclusion The results of laparoscopic-assisted resection for recurrent Crohn’s disease are similar to those for primary resection.

New TTF-based ligands (TTF=tetrathiafulvalene) with Schiff base-type coordination sites have been synthesized: 4,5-bis(4-salicylideneiminophenyl)-4′,5′-ethylenedithio-TTF (1a), 4,5-bis(4-picolinideneiminophenyl)-4′,5′-ethylenedithio-TTF (1b), and 4-(2-salicylideneiminoethylthio)-5-methyl-4′,5′-ethylenedithio-TTF (Hsae-TTF). X-ray crystallography for 1a revealed that 1a has rigid structure around the coordination sites, which prevents it to form metal complexes. On the other hand, Hsae-TTF ligand has flexibility around its coordination sites due to alkyl chain spacer, and gave mononuclear complexes with Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions, [MII(saeTTF)2] (MII=Ni(II) and Cu(II)). The metal ions in [MII(saeTTF)2] have a square planar coordination structure with two TTF-based ligands, which was sandwiched by two neutral TTF moieties. The Cu(II) complex, [CuII(saeTTF)2], yielded charge transfer (CT) complexes with acceptors such as F4TCNQ, DDQ, and iodine. CT complexes with F4TCNQ and iodine were semiconductive, but that with DDQ was insulator. This is due to the difference of the degree of charge transfer; TTF moiety in F4TCNQ salt was partially oxidized but that of DDQ salt was completely oxidized. The radical cation salts of [CuII(saeTTF)2] with PF 6 ‐ anion was also obtained in 1:1 donor and anion ratio by electrocrystallization. The donor and anion ratio indicates that the oxidation state of TTF moieties in the radical salt, [CuII(saeTTF)2]PF6, was partial oxidation state.

Nuclear moment studies on nuclei situated far from the β-stability line, performed by taking advantage of the projectile fragmentation reaction, are reviewed. A method to produce spin polarization/alignment in the projectile fragments was developed and utilized for the β-NMR/NQR measurements. Several new findings in nuclear structure physics were obtained from the nuclear moment experiments done with these techniques.

The final oscillation analysis of the complete set of data collected by CHORUS in the years 1994-1997 is presented. Reconstruction algorithms of data extracted by electronic detectors were improved and the data recorded in the emulsion target were analysed by new automated scanning systems, allowing the use of a new method for event reconstruction in emulsion. CHORUS has applied these new techniques to the sample of 1996-1997 events for which no muons were observed in the electronic detectors. Combining the new sample with the data analysed in previous papers, the overall sensitivity of the experiment to the ?? appearance is thus improved. In a two-neutrino mixing scheme, a 90% C.L. upper limit of sin2 2 ?µ ? < 4.4 × 10-4 is set for large ? m2, improving by a factor 1.5 the previously published CHORUS result. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung: 05 7MS12P, 05 6BU11P Grant Foundation: KRF-2003-005-C00014 Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan CERN Israel Science Foundation: 328/94 Brussels Instituut voor Milieubeheer Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter Korean Foundation for Cancer Research Walter Burke Institute for Theoretical Physics We gratefully acknowledge the help and support of the neutrino beam staff and of the numerous technical collaborators who contributed to the detector construction, operation, emulsion pouring, development, and scanning. The experiment has been made possible by grants from the Institut Interuniversitaire des Sciences Nucléaires and the Interuniversitair Instituut voor Kernwetenschappen (Belgium), the Israel Science Foundation (grant 328/94) and the Technion Vice President Fund for the Promotion of Research (Israel), CERN (Geneva, Switzerland), the German Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (contract numbers 05 6BU11P and 05 7MS12P) (Germany), the Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (Moscow, Russia), the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (Italy), the Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools of Japan and Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Japan), the Korea Research Foundation Grant (KRF-2003-005-C00014) (Republic of Korea), the Foundation for Fundamental Research on Matter FOM and the National Scientific Research Organization NWO (The Netherlands), and the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey (Turkey). We gratefully acknowledge their support.

This study has focused on the application of sulphur-free phosphorus antiwear additives in metal V-belt pushing type continuously variable transmission fluids to achieve higher friction coefficient plus excellent antiwear performance between the metal—metal contacting surfaces. The metal—metal tribological characteristics of phosphorus compounds were experimentally investigated using a reciprocating ball on plate tribometer, enabling film formation to be monitored during reciprocating sliding tests by an electric resistance method. As a result, sample with acid phosphate possessing C8 alkyl chain gave 20 per cent higher friction coefficient between metal contacting interfaces than C18 alkyl acid phosphate. Notably, an additive formulation composed of C8 acid phosphate with shorter alkyl chain, amine compound, and over-based calcium sulphonate demonstrated a synergism with 9 per cent higher friction and better antiwear performance than acid phosphate alone, which would give a positive outcome in the belt and pulley system of the continuously variable transmission. From surface analysis such as optical interferometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, it is hypothesized that the variation of tribofilm species produced by a chemical reaction between these additives plays a role in reducing corrosive wear and inhibiting the entrainment of lubricant into interfaces, resulting in higher friction. Moreover, the post-test rubbing tracks still possessed a longitudinally oriented surface pattern, which seemed to contribute to a reduced fluid film effect, giving a higher friction coefficient during rubbing tests.

Background The aim of this study was to clarify the outcomes of lung resection for lung cancer in patients with cardiac disease, especially coronary artery disease, in a large-scale multi-institutional cohort. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the data on 1,254 patients who underwent major lung resection for lung cancer and had been diagnosed with coronary stenosis, atrial fibrillation, or both, in 58 institutions in Japan between January 2009 and December 2011. The primary outcome was 90-day postoperative mortality or in-hospital death. Results Among the 1,254 patients, 902 (71.9%) and 452 patients (36.0%) were preoperatively diagnosed with coronary stenosis and atrial fibrillation, respectively, and 951 patients (75.8%) received antiplatelet therapy. Among the patients with coronary stents (n = 532; 42.4%), 204 (16.3%) received drug-eluting stents. The 90-mortality or in-hospital death rate was 2.6% (n = 32), including stent thrombosis (n = 1), thromboembolic events without stent thrombosis (n = 2), and bleeding events (n = 2). In the multivariate analyses, blood transfusion, history of cerebrovascular disease, amount of bleeding, and history of congestive heart failure were associated with a higher independent risk of 90-day mortality or in-hospital death (odds ratio, 9.400, 3.574, 2.827, and 2.945, respectively). Preoperative discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy was not associated with an independent risk of 90-day mortality or in-hospital death on univariate analysis. Conclusions Major lung resection for lung cancer in patients with coronary artery disease is feasible. Our study suggests that discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy may not increase postoperative complications in patients with coronary artery disease.

Embossing and restoration are utilized in strengthening sheet metals. The strengthening effect is due to the increase in the section modulus of the sheet as well as on the strain hardening that is locally introduced on the sheet metal. With these techniques, sheet metal of thinner gage can be utilized in sheet metal production with improved strength and rigidity. In the present study, such techniques are applied to deep drawing of aluminum alloy sheets. Initial blanks are subjected to different patterns of emboss, restoration or combination of both. Results of the study demonstrate that by using appropriate pattern, resistance to drawing in the flange area is decreased and the strength in the punch shoulder portion is increased. These combined positive effects lead to the improvement in deep drawability of sheet metals.

This study has focused on the application of lubricating oil additives in metal V-belt pushing type continuously variable transmission fluids (B-CVTFs) achieve higher friction coefficient and more stable lubricant film formation between the metal-metal contacting surfaces. The metal-metal tribological characteristics of various kinds of antiwear additives and a detergent were experimentally investigated using a ball on plate reciprocating tribometer (Plint TE77), which enables lubricant film formation to be monitored during a rubbing test. Zinc-dithio phosphates (ZnDTPs), a significant difference in instantaneous film formation was observed between primary and secondary type ZnDTP at the moment of increasing step load, due to the variation of the antiwear activity of different ZnDTPs. ZnDTPs in the presence of over-based calcium sulphonate detergent demonstrated slightly less tribofilm formationcompared with ZnDTP alone due to the competition for the rubbing surface. Very interestingly, in the case of phosphonic ester with calcium sulphonate, synergism was observed with more stable film formation and 8 per cent higher friction coefficient than without calcium sulphonate, a positive outcome for a B-CVTF. From surface analysis, it is hypothesized that the tribofilms species composed of iron phosphate, calcium phosphate, and calcium carbonate were generated by the reaction between phosphonic ester and calcium sulphonate, and that the resulting tribofilm plays a dual role in preventingwear and inhibiting the entrainment of lubricant into the interface, resulting in higher friction.

Based on the technique of fragment‐induced spin polarization combined with the β‐NMR method, a series of experiments has been carried out at RIKEN for the nuclear‐moment measurement of light unstable nuclei. The measurement will be extended further in the RIKEN RIBF project, where radioactive‐isotope beams in the medium‐ and heavy‐mass regions will be produced at higher energies and with higher intensities compared with the RARF facility. Measurements of the isomeric‐state nuclear moments of unstable nuclei will be started with BigRIPS by utilizing fragment‐induced spin‐orientation phenomena. Also, an upgrade program of the existing fragment separator RIPS is proposed in the phase‐II program of RIBF. Then, intense beams will be delivered to RIPS at E ∼ 115 A MeV. This energy region is useful, not only because spin orientation is produced in the PF reaction but also they can be implanted into sample materials with limited thickness.

The influence of metal-metal friction characteristics on the efficiency of a continuously variable transmission (CVT) of a metal pushing V-belt type was experimentally investigated using a commercial CVT unit of a metal belt assembly and pulley design. The experiments for transmission efficiency were carried out, varying the clamping force on the secondary pulley from 10.5 to 34.6 kN and the speed ratio from 2.36 (reduction ratio) to 0.44 (overdrive ratio). In order to analyse the metal-metal friction characteristics of each contact pair, a ring-on-disc tribometer was developed. Fluids giving a higher transmittable CVT torque capacity of CVT were found to have the potential for decreasing the maximum required pulley clamping force, resulting in the reduction of overall power loss in the CVT unit. The transmission efficiency of the CVT decreased under an overdrive speed ratio and lower load condition. The maximum difference in the efficiency between all the commercial automatic transmission and CVT fluids tested at the same pulley clamping force condition reached 3 per cent. This number depends on the friction losses caused by slipping behaviour between the belt segments and pulley, the segments and band, and between the bands. Furthermore, mathematical modelling of the friction loss in the belt was developed. Results calculated by this model were similar to those obtained experimentally.

Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose, recommended dose and dose-limiting toxicities of irinotecan plus S-1 in advanced colorectal cancer. Patients and Methods: S-1 was administered orally at 80 mg/m2/day for 21 consecutive days followed by a 2-week rest. CPT-11 was given intravenously on days 1 and 15 of each course, at an initial dose of 60 mg/m2/day, stepping up to 80, 100, 120 or 140 mg/m2/day. Courses were repeated every 5 weeks, unless disease progression or severe toxicities were observed. Results: A total of 20 patients were entered in this study. The maximum tolerated dose of CPT-11 was considered to be 100 mg/m2, because 2 of 3 patients developed dose-limiting toxicities, such as anorexia, fatigue and diarrhea. Therefore, the recommended dose of CPT-11 was set at 80 mg/m2. Tumor responses were seen in 8 of 14 patients with measurable lesions. Conclusion: A combination of S-1 with CPT-11 is safe and can be recommended for further phase II studies in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

To predict rice-farming pesticide concentrations in river water with imprecise model inputs for screening-level analysis, a basin-scale runoff model was developed. The Monte Carlo method was applied to create estimates of input data regarding agricultural work schedules and parameters for pesticide decomposition and sorption in solids and water. The prediction accuracy of the model was evaluated when used with non-optimised pesticide parameters; the model was calibrated using hydrological data alone without reference to observed pesticide concentration data. Overall, predictions for the pesticide concentrations were successful within order-of-magnitude accuracy. The pesticide rankings according to the predicted concentration roughly agreed with those observed. The success of screening-level analysis indicates that the model prediction can help in selection of pesticides to be monitored and in determining the monitoring schedule for the river basin.

We have developed an accurate method for measuring the complex propagation constant and characteristic impedance of transmission lines embedded in multilayer printed circuit boards. It is based on mathematical error-removal schemes using two different length transmission lines and an advanced via-hole structure that minimizes coupling. Consequently, associated errors, due to discontinuities and interference can be effectively eliminated, and the frequency dependencies of the transmission line parameters can be clarified in wide frequency bandwidths. We verified the validity of this method in frequency ranges up to at least 18 GHz, by comparing the determined values with the theory derived from transverse electromagnetic (TEM) approximations.

During the years 1994–1997, the emulsion target of the CHORUS detector was exposed to the wide-band neutrino beam of the CERN SPS of 27 GeV average neutrino energy. In total about 100 000 charged-current neutrino interactions were located in the nuclear emulsion target and fully reconstructed. From this sample of events which was based on the data acquired by new automatic scanning systems, 1048 charged-current interactions with a D 0 in the final state were selected by a pattern recognition program and confirmed as neutral-particle decays through visual inspection. The ratio of decay branching fractions of the D 0 into four charged particles to two charged particles was measured to be B ( D 0 → V 4 ) / B ( D 0 → V 2 ) = 0.207 ± 0.016 ± 0.004 . The inclusive measurement of the observed production rate of the D 0 with a decay into four charged prongs in combination with external measurements of this topological branching ratio was used to determine the total D 0 production rate by neutrinos without additional assumption on the branching fractions. The value of this rate relative to the charged-current cross-section was found to be σ ( D 0 ) / σ ( CC ) = 0.0269 ± 0.0018 ± 0.0013 . In addition, the same normalization method was used to deduce the inclusive topological decay rate into final states with neutral particles only. A value of 0.218 ± 0.049 ± 0.036 was found for this branching fraction. From an observed number of three charged six-prong events the branching ratio into six charged particles was determined to be ( 1.2 −0.9 +1.3 ± 0.2 ) × 10 −3 . A measurement of the energy dependence of the D 0 production by neutrinos relative to the total charged-current cross-section is also reported. This measurement was used to deduce for m c , the effective charm-quark mass, a value of ( 1.42 ± 0.08 ) GeV / c 2 .

During the years 1994–1997, the emulsion target of the CHORUS detector was exposed to the wide-band neutrino beam of the CERN SPS of 27 GeV average neutrino energy. In total about 100 000 charged-current neutrino interactions were located in the nuclear emulsion target and fully reconstructed. A high-statistics sample of neutrino interactions with a D 0 in the final state was collected. Using the decay mode D * + → D 0 π + a production cross-section measurement of the D * + in neutrino–nucleon charged-current interactions was performed. The low Q-value of the decay was used to isolate a sample of candidate events containing a positive hadron with a small p T with respect to the D 0 direction. A signal of 22.1 ± 5.5 D * + events was obtained. The D * + production cross-section relative to the D 0 production cross-section, σ ( D * + ) / σ ( D 0 ) , was estimated to be 0.38 ± 0.09 ( stat ) ± 0.05 ( syst ) . From this result, the fraction of D 0 's produced via the decay of a D * was deduced to be 0.63 ± 0.17 . The D * + production cross-section relative to the ν μ charged-current interaction, σ ( D * + ) / σ ( CC ) , was estimated to be [ 1.02 ± 0.25 ( stat ) ± 0.15 ( syst ) ] % .

症例は53歳の女性.下腹部痛,発熱,頭痛,嘔吐にて救急車にて救急外来を初診.両季肋部に圧痛を,腹部CT検査にて肝両葉に低吸収域を認め,肝膿瘍と診断し,超音波下に膿瘍ドレナージ術を施行した.入院後便への血液付着に気付き,精査にてS状結腸癌の診断となった.また上部消化管内視鏡検査にて胃体上部大弯にIIc病変を認め,生検にてgroup 4であった.開腹にて,肝外側と胃は強固に癒着,S状結腸癌は直腸に浸潤しており,胃全摘,肝外側区域合併切除,低位前方切除術を施行した.病理診断にても肝に転移所見はなく,膿瘍で矛盾しない所見であった.大腸癌に肝膿瘍を形成することは比較的まれであり,大腸癌から経門脈的に肝膿瘍を形成したと考えられた.胃癌を合併し,結腸癌が肝膿瘍の原因と考えられた症例を経験したので報告した.

Infrared reflectance spectroscopy has been used to characterize the electrical properties and crystalline damage of high-dose implanted and post-implantation-annealed 4H-SiC. The carrier concentration, mobility and crystalline damage were independently derived from the analysis of the infrared reflectance spectra using the effective medium approximation and the modified dielectric function taking into account the TO and LO phonon damping factors independently. The carrier concentration and mobility in the recrystallized SiC derived from infrared reflectance spectra are in good agreement with those obtained from Hall effect measurements. The annealing temperature dependence of crystalline damage suggests that the impurities are almost activated by the annealing at a temperature as low as 1200°C for 30 min, though the crystallinity of the implanted layer is improved with increasing annealing temperature. In addition, it is revealed that the annealing at a temperature as high as 1700°C recovers the crystallinity of the implanted layer within 1 min. These results demonstrate that the infrared reflectance spectroscopy is a useful technique to characterize both the electrical properties and crystalline damage of implanted and post-implantation-annealed layers in SiC wafers simultaneously.

We have shown that ion-implanted boron (B) in an amorphous layer formed through Ge ion implantation becomes highly active during solid-phase epitaxy. The activated B concentration reaches about 10/sup 20/ cm/sup -3/ and is almost completely independent of the temperature. This active concentration corresponds to the solid solubility at 900/spl deg/C, hence the B becomes active at levels greater than the solid solubility below this temperature. This activated B was deactivated as a result of the subsequent thermal process in which the diffusion length reached about 10 nm. A low-resistance shallow junction can thus be realized in the low-temperature region provided we end the annealing before the onset of the rise in resistance.

Crystalline phases and second-order optical nonlinearities in crystallized glasses of (Na,K)NbGeO5 (i.e., xNa2O · (25−x)K2O · 25Nb2O5 · 50GeO2) are examined. The molar volume of the glasses decreases with increasing Na2O content, indicating that the glass structure of NaNbGeO5 glass is more compact compared with KNbGeO5 glass. The optical basicity of the glasses is 0.94–0.95, implying that chemical bonds among constituents ions are basically very ionic. (Na,K)NbGeO5 glasses exhibit a unique crystallization depending on the Na2O/K2O ratio. The main crystalline phase in crystallized NaNbGeO5 glass is the NaNbGeO5 phase. KNbGeO5 glass shows a prominent bulk nanocrystallization giving nanocrystals of the K3.8Nb5Ge3O20.4 phase. A glass with the composition of K3.8Nb5Ge3O20.4 also shows a bulk nanocrystallization. The crystallized glasses with K3.8Nb5Ge3O20.4 and NaNbGeO5 crystalline phases do not show a second harmonic generation (SHG) at room temperature. The nonlinear optical (Na,K)NbO3 phases showing a SHG are formed at the surface (∼5 μm) of crystallized glasses with x=15 and 20, giving an orientation of the (1 1 0) plane. The present study suggests the presence of mixed-alkali effect in the crystallization behavior of (Na,K)NbGeO5 glasses.

Elastic and plastic deformation energies during Vickers nanoindentation (penetration depth ht=0.3–1.0 μm) at room temperature (humidity 48%) of lanthanum phosphate glasses with different network structures (ultraphosphate 10La2O3·90P2O5 and metaphosphate 25La2O3·75P2O5 glasses (mol%)) were estimated. 10La2O3·90P2O5 glass has values of the Martens (universal) hardness MH=3.31±0.05 GPa, elastic recovery ER=0.60, elastic deformation energy Ue=130±5 kJ/mol and plastic deformation energy Up=88±5 kJ/mol at ht=1.0 μm. 25La2O3·75P2O5 glass shows MH=2.78±0.05 GPa, ER=0.56, Ue=102±5 kJ/mol and Up=79±5 kJ/mol. It is suggested that the metaphosphate glass with a two-dimensional network structure is more readily deformed during indenter loading compared with the ultraphosphate glass with a three-dimensional network structure. The main origin of plastic deformation at ht

The experimental apparatus used for the first direct observation of the tau neutrino (the DONUT experiment) is described. Its main features consisted of a target system composed of nuclear emulsion targets and scintillation fiber trackers, a magnetic charged-particle spectrometer and detectors for lepton identification. This paper will concentrate on the description of the electronic detectors and their performance in selecting neutrino interactions, making the vertex predictions necessary for locating events in the emulsion target and lepton identification.

It is highly beneficial to reduce AC losses in multi-layer superconducting power cables. For this purpose, each superconducting layer is wound with a different twist pitch on a former so as to balance current distribution among layers. Finite element analysis makes it possible to show electromagnetic properties in superconducting layers visually, which is useful for discussing methods to enable further loss reduction. However, making a numerical analysis model of a multi-layer cable which is faithful to its geometry is highly complicated and troublesome as the model requires a correction each time the set of twist pitches needs to be changed. The authors have developed a new method to analyze such a cable by introducing anisotropy on the conductivity. In this paper, the method and the effects are discussed and compared with experimental results.

Transparent nanocrystallized glasses consisting of Er2Te5O13 nanocrystals (∼100 nm size) have been prepared in 10BaO · 10Er2O3 · 80TeO2, and load/unload displacement curves at room temperature (humidity 53%) have been measured in the penetration depth of ht=200–600 nm using a Vickers nanoindentation technique. The values (4.0–9.4±0.1 GPa) of universal (dynamic) hardness (Hu) in the nanocrystallized glasses are larger than those (Hu=2.7–6.5±0.1 GPa) in the precursor glass and are slightly smaller than those (Hu=4.4–9.7±0.1 GPa) in the opaque crystallized glass consisting of Er2TeO6 crystals. The elastic recoveries during unloading are 0.53–0.61, being almost the same as those in the precursor and opaque crystallized glasses. The elastic Ue and plastic Up deformation energies at ht=500 nm in the nanocrystallized glasses are estimated to be Ue=106 and Up=91±3 kJ mol−1, respectively. These values are larger than those of the precursor glass (Ue=83 and Up=57±3 kJ mol−1), suggesting that the deformation energy during loading in TeO2-based glasses is largely increased due to nanocrystallization. The main origin of plastic deformation at ht

The CHORUS experiment was designed to search for νμ → ντ oscillation by detecting the decay topology of the τ in charged current (CC) ντ events. The CHORUS detector was exposed to the Wide Band Neutrino Beam of the CERN SPS during the years 1994–1997. About 106 νμ CC interactions were collected in the nuclear emulsion target. Up to now about 140,000 νμ CC events have been located and analyzed. The speed of the automated emulsion scanning systems increases each year. With the present performance of these systems, it has become possible to perform large volume scanning. All tracks belonging to an interaction vertex can be recognized and precisely measured. This technique not only can be applied to the search for neutrino oscillation but also can be used for the recognition of events where charmed particles are produced. Results obtained from the analysis of a sub-sample of the data on the production rate in νμ CC interactions of neutral charmed mesons (D0) and charmed baryons (Λc+) are presented here.

We have performed an experimental study of electron identification using an emulsion cloud chamber detector with electron-enriched π− beams at 2 and 4 GeV/c produced by the proton synchrotron source at CERN. This study shows that the efficiency of electron identification is about 90% with little (6%) contamination from pions. These results are in agreement with those obtained using a Cherenkov counter and are reproduced well by the simulation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between thymidine phosphorylase (TP), a vascular growth factor, and established prognostic factors for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), e.g. histological grade or Tumour-Node-Metastasis (TNM) classification. PATIENTS AND METHODS TP levels were measured in RCC tissue (tumour TP) and in adjacent non-neoplastic kidney tissue (normal tissue TP), using a sandwich-type enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The 59 patients, diagnosed with organ-confined RCC before surgery and who had undergone radical nephrectomy, were divided into two groups according to their prognosis after surgery. Group 1 (nine patients) had a poor prognosis and group 2 (50) had no evidence of disease within a 65-month follow-up. The relationships among TP level, TNM classification, histological subtypes, V factor and prognosis, and of tumour TP to normal tissue TP levels were investigated. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine the importance of factors associated with increased TP levels. RESULTS Normal tissue TP levels correlated with histological grade (r = 0.31, P

The DONUT experiment used an emulsion/counter-hybrid-detector, which succeeded in detecting tau–neutrino charged-current interactions. A new method of emulsion analysis, NETSCAN, was used to locate neutrino events and detect tau decays. It is based on a fully automated emulsion readout system (Ultra Track Selector) developed at Nagoya University. The achieved plate-to-plate alignment accuracy of ∼0.2 μm over an area of 2.6 mm ×2.6 mm permitted an efficient and systematic tau decay search using emulsion data. Moreover, this accuracy allowed measurement of particle momenta by multiple Coulomb scattering, and contributed to the efficient background rejection for the ντ candidates. This paper describes details of our emulsion analysis methods.

As regulators of malignant cell behaviour and communication with stroma, cytokines have proved useful in understanding cancer biology and developing novel therapies. In renal cell carcinoma, patients with inflammatory reactions are known to have poor prognosis. In order to elucidate the relation between renal cell carcinoma and the host, serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β, were measured. One hundred and twenty-two patients with renal cell carcinoma and 21 healthy control subjects were studied, and serum cytokine levels were measured using a highly sensitive ELISA kit. As a result, in the control group, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor α and interleukin-1β levels were 1.79±2.03, 2.74±0.94 and 0.16±0.17 pg ml−1, respectively. In the renal cell carcinoma patients, they were 8.91±13.12, 8.44±4.15 and 0.53±0.57 pg ml−1, respectively, and significantly higher. In the comparison of stage, interleukin-6 level was significantly higher in the stage IV group compared to the other stage groups including the control group, while tumour necrosis factor α level was significantly higher in each stage group compared to the control group. As for grade, interleukin-6 level was significantly higher in the grade 3 group compared to the control, grade 1 and grade 2 groups, while tumour necrosis factor α level was significantly higher in each grade group compared to the control group. All cytokines had a positive correlation with tumour size. In regard to the correlation with CRP, all cytokines had a positive correlation with CRP, while interleukin-6 had a particularly strong correlation. In conclusion, interleukin-6 may be one of the factors for the poor prognosis of patients with renal cell carcinoma. In addition, tumour necrosis factor α may be useful in the early diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma and post-operative follow-up. British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 1396–1400. DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600257 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK

We present a leading order QCD analysis of a sample of neutrino induced charged-current events with two muons in the final state originating in the lead-scintillating fibre calorimeter of the CHORUS detector. The results are based on a sample of 8910 neutrino and 430 antineutrino induced opposite-sign dimuon events collected during the exposure of the detector to the CERN Wide Band Neutrino Beam between 1995 and 1998. The analysis yields a value of the charm quark mass of mc = (1.26 ± 0.16 ± 0.09) GeV / c2 and a value of the ratio of the strange to non-strange sea in the nucleon of κ = 0.33 ± 0.05 ± 0.05, improving the results obtained in similar analyses by previous experiments. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved., 0, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

During the proestrous and estrous periods in 12 beagles, the following parameters were measured daily: the horizontal dimensions of the vulva, vaginal cytology, and serum luteinizing hormone (LH) and progesterone concentrations. Measurements of serum LH concentrations allowed for the identification of the LH surge and the optimal time for artificial insemination (AI). Nine out of the 12 beagles became pregnant through AI and completed a gestation. Shrinkage in the horizontal dimensions of the vulva (i.e., vulvar shrinkage) was primarily observed prior and subsequent to the LH surge. In six of the nine (66.7%) beagles that became pregnant, vulvar shrinkage was observed on the days in which the LH surge was confirmed, and the rate of vulvar shrinkage tended to be greater at higher serum LH concentrations. Further vulvar shrinkage was identified in all nine beagles within two days of the LH surge. An increase in the serum progesterone concentration was observed after the LH surge in each of the beagles that became pregnant, together with clinical signs of estrous behavior (i.e., standing heat) as well as a change in vulva condition from swollen to soft. This demonstrates that vulvar shrinkage is induced in response to the onset of the LH surge and that the LH surge can be predicted through the measurement of the horizontal dimensions of the vulva, vaginal cytology, and the assessment of serum progesterone concentrations in beagles.

To better define a therapeutic time window for reducing the extent of damage in ischemic penumbra, the time courses of changes in the glycerophospholipid and free fatty acid (FFA) levels were determined in the rat cerebral cortex following induction of the permanent focal ischemia. Focal ischemia induced a biphasic increase in FFA levels in the cerebral cortex, which had been recognized as the ischemic penumbra during the early stages after permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The first increase in FFA levels, in which the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contained a large number of arachidonic acid (C20:4) molecules, began at 30 min and reached a peak at 1 h, followed by transient return to each sham level 2-6 h after the onset of MCA occlusion. Thereafter, the delayed increase in FFA levels, showing more increases of docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6) molecules than the C20:4 in PUFA compositions, occurred at 24 h. In contrast, the levels of phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) decreased rapidly at 30 min of ischemia and returned transiently to each sham level at 1-6 h. The levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), including polyphosphoinositides (PIPs), began to decrease significantly during the late stages, i.e., 24 h after induction of ischemia. These results suggest that the time-dependent changes in FFA and PIPs levels during the early stages of ischemia (until 6 h after induction) might be an important determinant of the subsequent neuronal death in the ischemic penumbra and that the breakdown of glycerophospholipids in the later stages after the induction of focal ischemia was associated with the development of infarction in the cerebral cortex.

To investigate the chronic effects of a novel thyrotropin-releasing hormone analog, JTP-2942 (Nα-[(1S, 2R)-2-methyl-4-oxocyclopentylcarbonyl]-l-histidyl-l-prolinamide monohydrate), on behavioral changes after stroke, the authors examined its effects on motor and neurologic deficits using a middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion model in rats. A left MCA was permanently occluded at a proximal site. From 1 week after occlusion, JTP-2942 was intravenously administered once a day for 4 weeks. Sensorimotor performance was evaluated weekly for 10 weeks after the occlusion. The ability of the rat to maintain its body position on an inclined plane and neurologic examination based on hemiparesis and abnormal posture were examined. After all behavioral examinations were completed, the degree of shrinkage of the left hemisphere was measured. The ability of MCA-occluded rats to maintain body position on an inclined plane in the left-headed position was significantly lower than that of sham-operated rats throughout the test period. JTP-2942 gradually improved this deficit dose dependently, and a dose of 0.03 mg/kg of JTP-2942 significantly improved performance to the levels of the sham-operated rats. Neurologic deficits were also observed in MCA-occluded rats. JTP-2942 also significantly improved these deficits dose dependently. On the other hand, CDP-choline (500 mg/kg, administered intravenously), a therapeutic agent for the disturbance of consciousness and hemiparesis after stroke, improved neurologic deficits but did not affect the motor deficits measured using the inclined plane. It is noteworthy that the effects of JTP-2942 on these deficits were observed 4 weeks after cessation of drug administration. Furthermore, there was no difference in the degree of shrinkage of the cerebrum among the MCA-occluded groups. In the present study, long-lasting improving effects of JTP-2942 on the impairment of motor and neurologic functions were observed in rats with MCA occlusion, which continued after cessation of drug administration and which were not attributable to a reduction in ipsilateral cerebral shrinkage. It is considered that the effect of JTP-2942 on functional recovery is attributable to the activation of substitutive functions such as neuronal reconstruction. These pharmacologic properties of JTP-2942 may be of interest for the treatment of patients with motor and neurologic deficits during the chronic or subacute phase of stroke.