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OPC model calibration techniques that use SEM contours are a major reason for the modern day improved fitting efficiency in complex mask design compared to conventional CD-based calibration. However, contour-based calibration has a high computational cost and requires a lot of memory. To overcome this problem, in conventional contour-based calibration, the SEM contour is sampled uniformly at intervals of several nanometers. However, such sparse uniform sampling significantly increases deviations from real CD values, which are measured by CD-SEM. We also have to consider the shape errors of 2D patterns. In general, the calibration of 2D patterns requires higher frequency sampling of the SEM contour than 1D patterns do. To achieve accurate calibration results, and while considering the varied shapes of calibration patterns, it is necessary to set precise sampling intervals of the SEM contour. In response to these problems, we have developed a SEM contour sampling technique in which contours are sampled at a non-uniform rate with arbitrary mask shapes within the allowable sampling error. Experimental results showed that the sampling error rate was decreased to sub-nm when we reduced the number of contour points.

Recently, optical proximity correction model calibration techniques that use SEM contours have enabled possibly significant improvements in complex mask design. However, compared to conventional CD-based calibration, contour-based calibration results in increased errors in 1D features. In fact, our research shows that there is a ~1-nm gap, which we call "CD-gap," between CD measurements directly calculated from a SEM image and CD measurements calculated from SEM contours. To achieve accurate calibration, SEM contours must match the corresponding CD measurements. We have developed a CD-gap-free contour extraction technique in response to this problem. In our technique, a mask edge is classified into shape structures and an optimized SEM contour extraction method is prepared for each shape structure to reduce the CD-gap. Experimental results show that the CD-gap can be decreased to sub-nm, which clearly demonstrates the potential of our proposed technique to play a vital role in the lithography process.

Inhalation of asbestos increases the risk of lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. It is difficult to directly assess the distribution and content of inhaled particles in lung tissue sections. The purpose of this study is to employ an in-air micro particle induced X-ray emission (in-air micro-PIXE) system for assessment of the spatial distribution and content of asbestos and other metals in lung tissue. A proton ion-microbeam from this system was applied to irradiate lung tissue of patients with or without asbestosis, tumor tissue from both groups, and asbestos fibers (in vitro). The content of each element composing asbestos and those of other metals were calculated and their distribution was assessed from the characteristic X-ray pattern for each element obtained after irradiation. This in-air micro-PIXE system could identify the location of asbestos bodies composed of Si, Mg, and Fe in lung tissue sections. Macrophage and lymphocytes accumulated in that area. This new system also revealed deposits of titanium, nickel, and cobalt in the lung tissues, in addition to asbestos bodies. The Si and Fe content were higher in lungs with asbestosis than in lungs without asbestosis or in tumor tissue. Analysis of asbestos fibers composed of chrysotile, crocidolite, and amosite showed that the ratios of Si, Fe, and Mg corresponded with those for the chemical structures. In-air micro-PIXE analysis is useful for assessing the distribution and quantities of asbestos bodies and also other metals in lung tissue comparing to immune-related cell localizations, and is also useful for analysis of standard asbestos fibers.

A new ²JC,H index method is described for identification of aldohexopyranose. This method is based on a fact that ²JC,H values reflect the stereochemistry for glycol connectivity. Based on the observed ²JC,H values for galactose, glucose, and mannose, ²JC,H profiles for other aldohexopyranoses are proposed. A combination of ²JC,H values was found to be useful for identification of aldohexopyranosyl residues in glycans.

Collagenase was injected into the Achilles tendon of both hind legs of 10 clinically normal adult male New Zealand white rabbits. One month after induction of the injury, beta-aminoproprionitrile (BAPN) or hyaluronic acid (HA) was injected into the tendon core of the right hind leg of each rabbit, the left hind leg being left untreated. The treatment effects were evaluated by electron microscopy and analysis of the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content of samples at 2 and 6 months post-treatment. At 2 months, collagen fibrils in tendons from both hind legs were relatively small in diameter, irregularly arranged, and interspersed with abundant active tenocytes as compared with those in normal tendon uninjured by collagenase. In the matrix, the amount of HA increased, but chondroitin-6-sulphate was eliminated. At 6 months, BAPN-treated tendons had small-diameter, regularly arranged collagen fibrils. HA-treated tendons, on the other hand, had large diameters, as well as regularly arranged collagen fibrils by comparison with non-treated tendon. The results suggest that HA, unlike BAPN, promoted healing.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) recognizes lipopolysaccharide (LPS). MD-2 is associated with TLR4 and imparts LPS responsiveness to it. Little is known, however, as to whether MD-2 directly regulates LPS recognition by TLR4. To address the issue, we took advantage of a species-specific pharmacology of lipid IVa, an analogue of lipid A. Lipid IVa acted agonistically on mouse (m) TLR4/MD-2 but not on human (h) TLR4/MD-2. Lipid IVa antagonized the agonistic effect of lipid A on hTLR4/MD-2. We examined the chimeric complex consisting of mTLR4 and hMD-2 to ask whether species specificity is conferred by TLR4 or MD-2. hMD-2 was clearly distinct from mMD-2 in the way of influencing LPS recognition by mTLR4. hMD-2 conferred on mTLR4 responsiveness to lipid A but not to lipid IVa. Moreover, lipid IVa acted as a lipid A antagonist on mTLR4 that is associated with hMD-2. Collectively, MD-2 directly influences the fine specificity of TLR4.

In the rf-produced plasma, it will be a possible mechanism for the density clamping that the eigenmodes are formed in the axial direction. The higher frequency waves are effective for the higher density plasma production. On the conditions of such a saturation region, we observed clear increase of the density by using fast Alfvén wave with a frequency of tenth cyclotron higher harmonics at the midplane of the central cell. The increasing rate depends on the rf power. An increase of high energy ions is observed with the high frequency wave injection.

An enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for equine surfactant proteins SP‐A and SP‐D in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Anti‐equine SP‐A or SP‐D monoclonal antibodies (mAb) were produced by hybridoma technology, purified by the antibody purification reagent, and analysed by Western blotting analysis. The immunoreaction (two‐site sandwich ELISA) with a mAb, peroxidase‐labelled mAb and BALF sample was carried out simultaneously and analytical recovery and precision were assayed. Six mAb for SP‐A and four mAb for SP‐D were successfully cloned in limiting dilution to monoclonality. These mAb were reacted with equine SP‐A or SP‐D on Western blotting analysis. For SP‐A, a combination of solid‐phase TA08 and horseradish peroxidase (HRP)‐conjugated WA28 was found to be more sensitive than other combinations, gave a good dose response and was capable of measuring 0.78 to 100 ng of protein/mi. For SP‐D, a combination of solid‐phase TD13 and HRP‐conjugated WD19 was found to be more sensitive than other combinations, had a good dose response and was capable of measuring 0.78 to 200 ng of protein/ml. The assay was used to determine the effect of 41 hours of road transport on the concentrations of SP‐A and SP‐D in the BALF of 30 horses. The concentrations of SP‐A and SP‐D decreased by 55 per cent and 36 per cent, respectively, decreases similar to the decrease in phosphatidylglycerol concentration previously reported by the authors.

Investigations are reported into the interaction of lipid A, the ‘endotoxic principle’ of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), with phospholipid membranes in the absence and presence of an acute-phase lipid transport protein, lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) applying Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy. In the absence of LBP, intermixing of phospholipids with lipid A takes place on the time-scale of hours, while in the presence of LBP this process takes place in the order of minutes. A comparison of chemically different lipid A shows that a prerequisite for the intercalation of lipid A into the phospholipid membrane is a sufficiently high negative charge density of lipid A. Variations in the lipid A acyl chain fluidity may modulate the intercalation, whereas the type of lipid A aggregate structure has no influence on the intercalation.The intercalation is a necessary, but not sufficient prerequisite for cell activation. Only lipid A with a conical molecular shape and a tilt angle of more than 40° of the backbone with respect to the direction of the acyl chains induces cytokine induction in human mononuclear cells, while lipid A with a cylindrical shape and a small tilt angle does not exhibit this biological activity but may act antagonistically. This antagonistic effect may be explained by blocking of the binding-sites of the putative signal-transducing protein, possibly an ion channel, by the antagonist.

The generation of superbase sites by doped alkali metals (Li, Na, and K) on alkaline earth metal oxides (MgO, CaO, SrO, and BaO) has been examined. In catalytic activity for the double bond migration of 4,4-dimethyl-1-pentene and 2,3-dimethyl-1-butene, a large increase in the generation of superbase sites was observed with Na- and K-doped MgO, owing to an electron, or paired electrons, being trapped. The increase in base-catalytic activity was very small for the other materials. The spin concentration of NO2^2- radicals, formed by the selective adsorption of NO on strong base sites, was determined using ESR. The results are well explained by an increase in site generation. When the ionic radius of the alkali metal is smaller than that of the oxide cation, the alkali cation adsorbs onto the superbase sites, which are activated by trapped electron(s). The adsorption of small alkali cations interferes with the electrical inductive effect. In the cases of Na- and K-doping on MgO, the adsorption of the alkali cations on the superbase site resulted in an unstable state, due to insufficient area for their adsorption. As a result, the alkali cations migrated, leading to an increase in site generation. The ratio of the ionic radii of the alkali metal/alkaline earth metal must be 1.46 or larger for the generation of superbase sites.

The dorsocaudal extremities of the caudal lobes of the lungs of racehorses are vulnerable to exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH). The morphology of the lungs at these sites was studied in 13 Thoroughbred horses aged 18 to 22 months. These animals, which had been performing low-intensity exercise on a track at maximum running speeds of approximately 5–8·5 metres/second (m/s), were withdrawn from the racehorse training programme for reasons of unsuitability. Lung lesions observed in the dorsocaudal lung extremities in 10 of the 13 horses were not found in the craniodorsal or cranioventral portions of the lungs. The lesions, which resembled those previously found in Thoroughbred racehorses aged 5 to 11 years with a history of EIPH, were of two main types, namely, multifocal bronchiolar distortion and alveolar epithelialization. EIPH lesions were found only in horses that had been trained at maximum speeds greater than approximately 7·0 m/s. It would seem, therefore, that exercise intensity is an important factor in the pathogenesis of EIPH and that running speeds greater than approximately 7·0 m/s may be sufficient to generate the pulmonary vascular pressures necessary to cause EIPH lesions in young Thoroughbreds.

The effect of 2.5S nerve growth factor (NGF) on survival, phagocytosis, and superoxide production of murine neutrophils was examined and compared with the effects of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and recombinant GM colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF). NGF enhanced the viability of neutrophils isolated from peripheral blood and peritoneal cavity in a dose-dependent way. IL-3 50 U/mL had no effect. rGM-CSF 50 U/mL had an effect similar to that of 50 ng/mL NGF. NGF also enhanced the phagocytosis of hydrophilic microspheres by peritoneal neutrophils, and the activity of NGF was greater than that of IL-3 or rGM-CSF. NGF enhanced the superoxide production induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13- acetate (PMA), which acts at postreceptor sites, and that induced by opsonized zymosan, a receptor-mediated ligand. The stimulating activity of NGF was largely comparable to that of rGM-CSF. The present data show that NGF bound to neutrophils enhances their survival, phagocytosis, and superoxide production. Thus, we postulate that NGF plays an important role in the inflammatory processes.

Planar technology has been used to make a microlens array monolithically. By selectively diffusing a dopant into the planar substrate a distributed-index planar microlens has been realized. The monomer exchange technique for the plastic substrate and ion exchange and electromigration techniques for the glass substrate are used. In particular a 2-D planar microlens array was fabricated in a glass substrate. Each microlens was 1.2 mm in diameter and the focal length was 9.4 mm. The focused spot of the collimated He–Ne laser beam was as small as 17 μm?.

Plasma concentrations of immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin were measured in seven pregnant mares from around Day 140 of gestation to Day 2 after parturition using a heterologous bovine-based radioimmunoassay (RIA). Concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), oestradiol-17 beta, progesterone and relaxin were also measured in the same samples. A marked increase in plasma concentrations of ir-inhibin, FSH and LH occurred between Day 220 and Day 300 of gestation but the concentrations of all three hormones returned to baseline by about Day 320 (three weeks before parturition). In contrast, circulating concentrations of the three placental hormones, oestradiol-17 beta, progesterone and relaxin, increased during the final weeks of pregnancy and then decreased markedly to basal values within two days of parturition. There was a positive correlation between circulating concentrations of ir-inhibin and FSH (r = 0.75, P < 0.01) rather than the expected negative correlation. ir-inhibin was not detected in homogenates obtained at Day 190 of pregnancy and form term placenta, but high concentrations of ir-inhibin were present in homogenates of fetal and newborn gonads. Despite the high concentrations of ir-inhibin in these homogenates, they failed to exert any suppressive bioactivity on FSH secretion by rat pituitary cells cultured in vitro. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining revealed the presence of inhibin in the interstitial cells of equine fetal gonads at Day 190 of gestation. These findings demonstrate for the first time that high concentrations of ir-inhibin, LH and FSH are secreted into the peripheral circulation of the mare during the second half of pregnancy. However, ir-inhibin present in the plasma of pregnant mares appears to be biologically inactive. This hormone is not presumed to be of placental origin but it is proposed that either the enlarged fetal gonads or the maternal ovaries, or both of these organs, may be a source of inhibin in response to the coincident increase in circulating concentrations of LH and FSH.

A series of acyclic nucleosides with two hydroxymethyl groups mimicking the 3‘- and 5‘-hydroxyl groups of the 2‘-deoxyribose moiety were prepared and evaluated for their antiherpetic activity. Among those, 9-[[cis-1‘,2‘-bis(hydroxymethyl)cycloprop-1‘-yl]methyl]guanine (3) showed extremely potent antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) with good selectivity. Both enantiomers of 3 were synthesized starting from chiral epichlorohydrins, and only one of the enantiomers with 1‘S,2‘R-configuration (3a) exhibited strong antiherpetic activity (IC50 of 0.020 μg/mL against HSV-1 Tomioka vs 0.81 μg/mL for acyclovir). Enantiomer 3a was also more inhibitory than acyclovir against varicella-zoster virus (VZV) but ineffective against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Compound 3a is phosphorylated by HSV-1 thymidine kinase (TK) very efficiently. The relationship between conformation and antiherpetic activity in this series of compounds is discussed.

K18 is an anticancer drug for oral administration comprising about five molecules of melphalan, an alkylating drug, covalently bonded to human immunoglobulin G. This study measured the in vitroantitumour activity of K18, melphalan and immunoglobulin G on human myeloma cells (RPMI-8226) and the in vivoantitumour effects of K18 and melphalan in BALB/c nude mice bearing human lung cancer cells (LC-10). The relative tumour-inhibitory effect, in vitro, was found to be: immunoglobulin G

The instability properties of weakly nonlinear wave packets show a strong directional dependence. The presence of shear is found to enhance the importance of three dimensional effects.

The planar microlens is a 2-D integrated microlens fabricated by the selective ion exchange technique. This paper demonstrates a new class of planar microlens which has a high numerical aperture. The new planar microlens uses a swelling structure and index distribution which comes from replacing ions with different ion volumes. Lens diameters from 10 to 400 μm can be fabricated. A numerical aperture larger than 0.5 is achieved when the lens diameter is smaller than 100 μm. Use of this microlens in light coupling between an LD and a single-mode fiber is also evaluated.

Eight young thoroughbred horses, taken 1858 km by road (travelling time, 41 h), were exmanined toassess the pathological nature of respiratory disease associated with transport. Three of the horses showed clinical abnormalities including pyrexia, coughing, leucocytosis and neutrophilia after the first 20 h of transportation. Endoscopical examination of the trachea revealed exacerbation of airway inflammation as a result of transport in two of the three affected horses. A consistent finding in the affected horses was focal serous neutrophilic pneumonia affecting the cranio-ventral portion of the caudal lung lobe with a propensity to affect the right lung. Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus was isolated from the pneumonic areas, in which corresponding bacterial antigens were identified immunohistochemically. Viral cultures from the pneumonic lesions proved negative for respiratory viruses. It is suggested that transport predisposes the upper respiratory tract and the lower airways to invasion by the bacterium, with episodic pyrexia and acute pneumonia.

Abstract: A dc photovoltaic effect has been observed in thin films of Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 evaporated on stainless steel, in the absence of applied field. The spectral photovoltaic response of the film has a peak sensitivity around 4000 . The photovoltage exists only below the Curie temperature. The film device becomes semiconductive under illumination.

We demonstrate the use of graded-index lenses for matched spatial filtering. A matrix of matched filters is constructed, using a Selfoc lens array and Fourier-reflection holography. This combination of stacked planar optics and reflection holography provides a rugged, easily fabricated spatially distributed matched-filter system. Preliminary correlation results demonstrate the feasibility of this system.

Monolithic fabrication of a new distributed index planar microlens array by means of a deep electromigration technique in a glass substrate is reported. The array consists of distributed index lenses of 1.2 mm in diameter with 6.8 mm focal length. The focused spot is as small as 16 μm for λ=0.63 μm. The coupling efficiency of 60% to a multimode VAD fibre has been obtained.

The letter describes a novel optical tap array by using a two-dimensional array of planar microlenses. The present device is used to monitor a part of light which is transmitted through optical fibres. Planar microlenses to focus the light have been monolithically fabricated by the use of the electromigration technique; the focal length is 3 mm and NA is 0.15. The coupling efficiency of the initial device was 52% for coupling multimode graded-index fibres.

A novel mode scrambler for multimode optical waveguides is proposed to stabilise branching characteristics against the mode excitation conditio. A 2 × 2 optical star coupler is fabricated using this mode scrambler, and a stable branching ratio is realised with an excess insertion loss of 2.7 dB.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.

Abstract: It is shown that generation of the rogue waves in the ocean may be described in framework of non-linear two-dimensional shallow water theory where the simplest two-dimensional long wave non-linear model corresponds to the Kadomtsev–Petviashvili (KP) equation. Numerical solution of the KP equation is obtained to account for the formation of localized abnormally high amplitude wave due to a resonant superposition of two incidentally non-interacting long-crested waves. Peculiarities of the solution allow to explain rare and unexpected appearance of the rogue waves. However, our solution differs from the exact two-solitary wave solution of the KP equation used before for the rogue waves description. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]