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Background In Japan, rituximab (RTX) has become one of the dominant alternatives for ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV) even for elderly patients. Objectives The efficacy and safety of RTX for AAV patients was determined at our hospital. Methods Nineteen patients with AAV, including 14 newly diagnosed patients and 6 relapsed patients, had been treated with RTX. There were 10 males and 9 females. They were all MPO-ANCA positive; 16 were diagnosed with microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), 2 with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and 1 with undifferentiated, according to the EMA classification of AAV. The mean age at RTX induction was 71.3 years (range: 40 – 82 years). The efficacy was evaluated by the BVAS score at the time of first induction and after 6 month treatment. Adverse events were recorded during the 6-month treatment. Results The mean of BVAS decreased from 17.3 (range: 7–35) at the first induction to 1.2 (0–4) at 6 month of RTX treatment. Of the 10 patients who could be followed-up for over 6 months, 7 patients achieved remission (BVAS=0) (remission rate: 70.0%). The titer of mean MPO-ANCA decreased 136.1 IU/mL (9.9–300 IU/mL) to 44.4 IU/mL (1.0–114.0 IU/mL) at 6 month. The dose of prednisolone decreased from 34.4mg/day (5–60mg/day) at baseline to 5.5mg/day (0–10 mg/day) at 6 month. The adverse events were as follows: 3 patients experienced reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) with a CMV colitis, one patient with sepsis following urinary-tract infection, and one patient with bacterial pneumonia. One patient with PMA died of exacerbation of the disease itself. Conclusions In Japan, AAV, mostly MPO-ANCA-positive PMA, affects elderly persons. The results suggest that RTX may provide a therapeutic option for elderly patients at the age of over 70 years with severe MPA, with an acceptable safety profile and rapid glucocorticoid tapering. However, careful monitoring for infectious diseases will be needed. Disclosure of Interest None declared

One of the reasons of the deterioration of the power generation efficiency of the thermal power generation is the adhesion of the iron scale generated by the corrosion of the pipe to the inner wall of the feed-water system. Focusing on the magnetic property of scale, we studied on the removal of scales in the feed-water system by high gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) using the superconducting magnet. In this study, we targeted the thermal power plants adopting oxygenated treatment (OT). In order to determine the installation site and the magnetic separation condition of the HGMS system, we analyzed the OT scale and then clarified the aggregation/composite states by magnetic separation experiment. It is concluded that low-pressure feed-water heater drain is suitable for installation site of HGMS system. In addition, it was clarified that homogeneous aggregation particles existed in the OT scale.

Aims: To investigate the influence of heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 on changes in respiratory immune function and intestinal microbiota in a diet-induced obese mouse model. Methods and Results: Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. After 8 weeks, the high-fat-diet-induced obese mice (DIO mice) were randomly divided into two 0067roups, the DIO and DIO0356 groups. DIO0356 group mice were orally fed with heat-killed TMC0356 every day for 8 weeks, while DIO group mice were exposed to 0·85% NaCl over the same time period as controls. After intervention, the pulmonary mRNA expression of cytokines and other immune molecules in DIO0356 mice compared to those in DIO group mice was significantly increased (P

Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of heat treatment and culture media on the immunoregulatory effects of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356). Methods and Results: TMC0356 cultured in deMan–Rogosa–Sharpe and same food grade (FG) media were inactivated with the heat treatment at 70 and 90°C. Viable and heat-killed TMC0356 were tested for their ability to induce interleukin (IL)-12 production in the murine macrophage cell line J774.1. These TMC0356 were examined for their resistance to N-acetylmuramidase. Their morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The heat-killed TMC0356 significantly induced IL-12 production in J774.1 cells and exhibited enhanced resistance to N-acetylmuramidase compared with viable TMC0356. Morphological changes were observed in TMC0356 when cultured in FG medium. Cell morphology and induction of IL-12 production in J774.1 cells were also associated. Conclusions: These results suggest that heat treatment and culture medium composition modified the immunoregulatory effects of TMC0356 to induce IL-12 production in macrophages. Significance and Impact of the Study: These results demonstrate that probiotic immunoregulatory effects may be modified by the processing technology of cell preparation.

Aims: To investigate whether intranasal Lactobacillus administration protects host animals from influenza virus (IFV) infection by enhancing respiratory immune responses in a mouse model. Methods and Results: After 3 days of intranasal exposure to Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), BALB/c mice were infected with IFV A/PR/8/34 (H1N1). Mice treated with LGG showed a lower frequency of accumulated symptoms and a higher survival rate than control mice (P

In order to study how outflows from protostars influence the physical and chemical conditions of the parent molecular cloud, we have observed Barnard 1 (B1) main core, which harbors four Class 0 and three Class I sources, in the CO (J=1-0), CH3OH (J_K=2_K-1_K), and the SiO (J=1-0) lines using the Nobeyama 45 m telescope. We have identified three CO outflows in this region; one is an elongated (~ 0.3 pc) bipolar outflow from a Class 0 protostar B1-c in the submillimeter clump SMM 2, another is a rather compact (~ 0.1 pc) outflow from a Class I protostar B1 IRS in the clump SMM 6, and the other is an extended outflow from a Class I protostar in SMM 11. In the western lobe of the SMM 2 outflow, both the SiO and CH3OH lines show broad redshifted wings with the terminal velocities of 25 km/s and 13 km/s, respectively. It is likely that the shocks caused by the interaction between the outflow and ambient gas enhance the abundance of SiO and CH3OH in the gas phase. The total energy input rate by the outflows (1.1x10^{-3} Lsun) is smaller than the energy loss rate (8.5x10^{-3} Lsun$) through the turbulence decay in B1 main core, which suggests that the outflows can not sustain the turbulence in this region. Since the outflows are energetic enough to compensate the dissipating turbulence energy in the neighboring, more evolved star forming region NGC 1333, we suggest that the turbulence energy balance depends on the evolutionary state of the star formation in molecular clouds., 34 pages, 8 figures, accepted for the publication in ApJ

Historically, total pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy has been the standard radical surgical treatment for synchronous cancer of the thoracoabdominal esophagus and pharyngolaryngeal region, and for cancer of the cervical esophagus that has invaded as far as the thoracic esophagus. Although definitive chemoradiotherapy that enables preservation of the larynx has often been the first choice of treatment for cancers involving the cervical esophagus, total pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy is required as a salvage therapy for cases involving failure of complete remission or locoregional recurrence after chemoradiotherapy. However, salvage esophageal surgery after definitive high-dose chemoradiotherapy is generally associated with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to examine the short-term outcome of salvage total pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy. From 2001 to 2014, nine patients underwent salvage total pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy at the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Nagoya University. The mortality and morbidity rates were high at 22% and 89%, respectively. Four patients (44%) developed tracheal necrosis, which in two patients eventually led to lethal hemorrhage. Salvage total pharyngolaryngectomy with total esophagectomy is an uncommon and highly demanding surgical procedure that should be carefully planned and conducted in selected centers of excellence. Measures must be taken to preserve the tracheal blood supply, thus avoiding fatal complications.

We obtained the first view in H$^{13}$CO$^+$ $J=1-0$ and a high resolution map in thermal SiO lines of G0.11$-$0.11, which is a molecular cloud situated between the Galactic Center radio arc and Sgr A. From a comparison with previous line observations, we found that the H$^{13}$CO$^+$ $J=1-0$ line is optically thin, whereas the thermal SiO lines are optically thick. The line intensity in H$^{13}$CO$^+$ $J=1-0$ shows that the cloud has a large column density, up to $N(\mathrm{H}_2)=(6-7)\times10^{23} \mathrm{cm^{-2}}$, which corresponds to about 640--740 mag in $A_{\mathrm{V}}$ or 10--12 mag in $A_{25\mu\mathrm{m}}$. The estimated column density is the largest known of any even in the Galactic center region. We conclude from the intensity ratio of SiO $J=1-0$ to CS $J=1-0$ that emitting gas is highly inhomogeneous for SiO abundance on a scale smaller than the beam width $\sim$35\arcsec., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure pages, accepted for publication in ApJ

著者人数: 248名, Accepted: 2015-04-10, 資料番号: SA1150145000

Summary: Purpose: To examine the change of 8′-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels, which are used as a marker for oxidative DNA damage, in iron-induced epileptogenic foci of the rat cerebrum. Method: Male Wistar rats were given a cortical injection of ferric chloride, and their 8-OHdG levels were determined over time. Additional animals were pretreated with the antiepileptic drug zonisamide (ZNS) before the ferric chloride injection, and their 8-OHdG levels were compared with the nonpretreated rats. Results: Fifteen minutes after ferric chloride solution injection, the level of 8-OHdG increased, reaching a maximum 30 minutes after injection. Sixty minutes after injection, the levels coincided with those of controls. ZNS, in concentrations of 50 and 100 mg/kg body weight, prevented the increase of 8-OHdG levels within the cerebrum 30 minutes after iron solution injection. Conclusions: These results indicate that the formation of iron-induced epileptogenic foci in rats is related to DNA-damage-induced reactive oxygen species and that the inhibition of 8-OHdG formation by ZNS after iron injection may be due to the drug's antioxidant activity. The data suggest that free radical species known to be formed during iron salts–induced focal epileptogenesis cause damage to isocortical DNA. Furthermore, ZNS appears to inhibit the focal injuring response to DNA that occurs following iron salts–induced acute epileptogenesis.

Mixed natural antioxidants can be combined in a prophylactic food against age related disease involving reactive oxygen species. beta-Catechin is an antioxidant drink, having free radical scavenging activities. It contains green tea extract as a main component as well as ascorbic acid, sunflower seed extract, dunaliella carotene and natural vitamin E. In the present study, we examined the effect of beta-catechin on lipid peroxide formation and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in aged rat brain and the effect on 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in ipsilateral cortex, 30 min after ferric chloride solution was injected into the left cortex of rats. beta-Catechin solution was orally administered to aged rats and normal rats for 1 month. One-month administration of beta-catechin solution increased SOD activity in the mitochondria fraction of striatum and midbrain and decreased thiobarbiturate reactive substance formation in the cortex and cerebellum of aged rats. It also inhibited 8-OHdG formation in the ipsilateral cortex 30 min after injection of ferric chloride solution. These results suggest that beta-catechin is a suitable prophylactic beverage against age-related neurological diseases associated with reactive oxygen species.

A 38-year-old male with history of trauma in the left gluteal region 20 years ago presented with a dark red skin eruption at the traumatized area. It gradually grew to form an erythematous plaque with a well-defined border. Clinical findings and mycological cultures resulted in the diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis due to Fonsecaea pedrosoi. After initial administration of 5-fluorocytosine and local heat an almost complete cure was achieved with terbinafine combined with local heat therapy. A review is given on the chromoblastomycosis cases observed in the Kitasato region in Japan.

Diamond films were successfully synthesized in both parallel-plate radio frequency (rf: 13.56 MHz) CH_4 and CH_3OH plasmas with injection of H and OH radicals generated in the remote microwave (2.45 GHz) H_2 /H_2O plasma. Effects of H, OH, and CH_3 radicals on the diamond film formation in the rf plasma reactor were investigated by the formation of diamond films employing radical injection technique and the measurement of density in the plasma. Under the condition of diamond film formation, CH_3 density was measured by infrared diode laser absorption spectroscopy (IRLAS). The kinetics of CH_3 in rf CH_4 and CH_3OH plasmas with injection of H and OH radicals were evaluated from the results of optical emission spectroscopy and lifetime of CH_3 radicals estimated by IRLAS.

Aims Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common clinical problem in diabetic patients; however, the relationship between UTI and glucosuria remains uncertain. To investigate the relationship, we examined the effect of glucosuria induced by sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors on the progression of UTI in mice. Methods From 1 day before transurethral inoculation with Candida albicans, female mice were treated orally once a day with an SGLT2 inhibitor in different treatment regimens: (i) dapagliflozin at 10 mg/kg for 2, 3 or 7 days, (ii) dapagliflozin at 0.1, 1 or 10 mg/kg for 3 days and (iii) dapagliflozin, canagliflozin or tofogliflozin at 10 mg/kg for 3 days. To evaluate the ascending UTI, the kidneys were removed 6 days after the inoculation, and the number of viable C. albicans cells in kidney was measured as colony-forming units (CFU). Results In mice treated with dapagliflozin, the number of C. albicans CFU in kidney increased in accordance with both treatment duration and dose. The number of CFU significantly increased when mice were treated with 10 mg/kg dapagliflozin or canagliflozin but not tofogliflozin. With dapagliflozin and canagliflozin, urine glucose concentration (UGC) significantly increased up to 24 h after drug administration; with tofogliflozin, UGC significantly increased only up to 12 h after drug administration. Conclusions Our data indicate that increased susceptibility to UTI is associated with a persistent increase in UGC.

Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined as an increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPm) greater than or equal to 25 mmHg at rest as assessed by right heart catheterization (RHC), but RHC is not routinely performed for the diagnosis of PH in a “real world” setting in Japan. Objectives The aim of this study is to assess the change of frequency of RHC for the diagnosis of PH among patients with connective tissue diseases in our hospital, and to know if the decision to prescribe pulmonary hypertension drugs is affected by whether we perform RHC. Methods Clinical records of admitted patients describe both the main diseases which were constantly followed by physicians and the actual diseases which were the reasons for admission. We analyzed the clinical records retrospectively of who was admitted to the wards of our rheumatology section for 10 years from Aug 1, 2005 to July 31, 2015. These 10 years were divided into two periods: the first half is from Aug 1, 2005 to July 31, 2010 (period A) and the latter half is from Aug 1, 2010 to July 31, 2015 (period B). We checked echocardiography, RHC and prescription for PH drugs. PH drugs include prostacyclin pathway agonists, endothelin receptor antagonists, and nitric oxide-cGMP enhancers. Results We reviewed clinical records of 5,428 patients for ten years and we found 57 patients with the diagnosis of PH either in the section of main diseases or actual diseases. We used the label “tentative pulmonary hypertension (tentative PH)” for patients who showed peak tricuspid regurgitation gradient in thoracic echocardiography of more than or equal to 30 mmHg. Among the tentative PH patients, those whose PAPm were confirmed by RHC were labeled “true pulmonary hypertension (true PH)”. Forty patients among the 57 selected patients were categorized as having tentative PH and their original diseases were 20 with systemic sclerosis, 4 with Sjogren9s syndrome, 3 with mixed connective tissue disease, and 2 with systemic lupus erythematosus, and so on. Among these 40 patients, 25 belonged to period A and 15 belonged to period B. RHC was performed for 9 patients (36.0%) in period A and true PH was diagnosed in 5 of those 9 patients (55.6%). Also RHC was performed for 12 patients (80.0%) in period B and 7 patients were found to have true PH (58.3%). In period A, 60% of true PH patients (3/5) and 60% of tentative PH patients (12/20) took PH drugs, and in period B, 71.4% of true PH patients (5/7) and 37.5% of tentative PH patients (3/8) took PH drugs. Conclusions The frequency of RHC increased from 36% in the first half period to 80% in the latter half period in our hospital. In addition, the use of PH drugs did not depend on the confirmation of PH by RHC, particularly in the first half period. In Japan rheumatologists, including doctors at our hospital have a tendency to prescribe PH drugs without RHC data, but recently this tendency is changing. This tendency to not always perform RHC may be partly explained by the content of the guidelines from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor in Japan. Acknowledgement The authors thank Ms. Ayumi Kondou for her excellent secretarial assistance. Disclosure of Interest None declared

Background There are pathogenetic and clinical differences between elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA) and young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA). Objectives To compare the efficacy and safety of biologic agents between patients with EORA and those with YORA. Methods A total of 61 patients with RA, who started biologic agents after the age of 65 years, have been enrolled from April 2011 to August 2015, and divided into two groups according to the age at disease onset; i.e. EORA ≥65 years and YORA Results The EORA patient group did respond better to biologic agents than the YORA patient group; the SDAI was significantly lower in the former than in the latter. At present, there were no significant differences in responses to TNFi, ABT and TCZ between the 2 patient gourps (Table 1). Both patient groups developed adverse events during biologic therapy, and severe adverse events including cholecystitis, pulmonary cryptococcosis, diverticulitis, malignant lymphoma, Pneumocystis pneumonia, organizing pneumonia and so on. Conclusions The results indicate that biologic agents are similarly effective for both EORA and YORA patients, irrelevant to different classes, but patients with EORA appears to be more responsive to biologics than YORA patients, presumably due to their shorter disease duration. Disclosure of Interest None declared

To investigate the influence of heat-killed Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 on changes in respiratory immune function and intestinal microbiota in a diet-induced obese mouse model. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet for 16 weeks. After 8 weeks, the high-fat-diet-induced obese mice (DIO mice) were randomly divided into two 0067roups, the DIO and DIO0356 groups. DIO0356 group mice were orally fed with heat-killed TMC0356 every day for 8 weeks, while DIO group mice were exposed to 0·85% NaCl over the same time period as controls. After intervention, the pulmonary mRNA expression of cytokines and other immune molecules in DIO0356 mice compared to those in DIO group mice was significantly increased (P 0·05, P 0·01). In faecal bacterial profiles, analysed using the terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method, T-RFLP patterns in 75% of the DIO0356 group mice were apparently changed compared with those in control group mice. These results suggest that inactive lactobacilli may stimulate the respiratory immune responses of obese host animals to enhance their natural defences against respiratory infection, partially associating with their potent impact on intestinal microbiota. We have demonstrated that oral administration of inactive lactobacilli may protect host animals from the lung immune dysfunction caused by obesity.

Ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy using a ring dye laser and a hollow cathode lamp was applied to measurement of Si(3p2, 1D2) and Si(3p2, 3P2) atom density decay in the afterglow of a radio frequency SiH4-Ar plasma. The dependence of the Si density decay rate on SiH4 and Ar partial pressure and also on the radio frequency input power was investigated, from which Si(3p2,1D2)-SiH4 reaction rate constant was determined to be (7.4+or-0.4)*10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1, the Si(3p2, 3P2)-SiH4 reaction rate constant (3.5+or-1.0)*10-10 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 and the diffusion coefficient for Si(3p2, 1D2) in Ar (at 320 K) (4.0+or-0.8)*104 cm2 Pa s-1.

The capacity of the malate-aspartate shuttle was evaluated in periportal (PP-H) and perivenous subfraction of rat hepatocytes (PV-H). The rate of glutamine production from alanine was 34-fold higher in PV-H than in PP-H. Statistically significant differences between PP-H and PV-H were found for the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase but not for the activities of NAD + -malate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, and mitochondrial alanine aminotransferase. The rate of glucose production from sorbitol and the rate of ethanol utilization were higher in PP-H than in PV-H. In the presence of phenazine methosulfate (PMS), the increments in these rates were significantly greater in PV-H than in PP-H. The capacity of malate-aspartate shuttle in the presence of alanine was significantly higher in PP-H than in PV-H but in the presence of asparagine was similar in PP-H and PV-H. The results suggest that the capacity of malate-aspartate shuttle distributes heterogeneously along liver lobules with the dominance in periportal zone and that the difference of the capacity may result from the difference in the transport of aspartate across the mitochondrial membrane.

The γ- cis effect is identified for the first time in the 199Hg NMR data presented here, being proposed as a new criterion for the distinction between E and Z isomers of substituted vinylmercury compounds.

We previously showed that the C→T polymorphism (rs6929846) of BTN2A1 was significantly associated with myocardial infarction in Japanese individuals by a genome-wide association study. Given that diabetes mellitus is an important risk factor for myocardial infarction, the association of rs6929846 of BTN2A1 with myocardial infarction might be attributable, at least in part, to its effect on susceptibility to diabetes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of rs6929846 of BTN2A1 to Type 2 diabetes mellitus.A total of 8650 Japanese individuals from two independent subject panels were examined: Panel A comprised 1141 individuals with Type 2 diabetes and 3161 control subjects and panel B comprised 1664 individuals with Type 2 diabetes and 2684 control subjects.The chi-square test revealed that rs6929846 of BTN2A1 was significantly related to the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes in subject panel A (P = 0.0002) and subject panel B (P=0.006). Multivariable logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, sex, body mass index and smoking status revealed that rs6929846 was significantly associated with Type 2 diabetes (P = 0.0006; odds ratio 1.25) in all individuals, with the T allele representing a risk factor for this condition. Multiple regression analysis with adjustment for age, sex and body mass index revealed that rs6929846 was significantly (P=0.04) related to blood glycosylated haemoglobin content in control subjects.BTN2A1 may be a susceptibility gene for Type 2 diabetes in Japanese individuals.

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) and Ménière's disease are the most common inner ear diseases in which the causes are unknown. As recent magnetic resonance imaging has demonstrated disruption of the blood-labyrinth barrier in these inner ear diseases, inflammatory reaction associated with increased permeability of the blood vessels may be involved. The genotypes of interleukin 1A (IL1A) (-889C/T; rs1800587) and interleukin 1B (IL1B) (-511C/T; rs16944) were determined using an allele-specific primer-polymerase chain reaction method in 72 patients with SSNHL, 68 patients with Ménière's disease, and 2202 control subjects living almost in the same area as the patients. A significantly higher prevalence of the IL1A-889T allele was observed in SSNHL and Ménière's disease compared with controls, although no significant difference in distribution of IL1B-511C/T genotypes was observed between the patients and controls. Adjusted odd ratios for SSNHL and Ménière's disease risks in the -889TT genotypes were 25.89 (95% confidence interval (CI) 12.19-54.98) and 18.20 (95% CI 7.80-42.46), respectively, after age and gender were taken as moderator variables. Our results suggested that IL1A is closely associated with susceptibility of SSNHL and Ménière's disease.

Our study was conducted to evaluate the potent protective effects of oral administration of probiotic Lactobacillus strains against influenza virus (Flu) infection in a mouse model.Lyophilized Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) were orally administered to BALB/c mice for 19 days. The test mice were intranasally infected with Flu A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) on day 14, and any changes in clinical symptoms were monitored. After 6 days of infection, the mice were killed and pulmonary virus titres were determined. The clinical symptom scores of mice administered oral LGG and TMC0356 were significantly ameliorated, compared to those of the control mice (P0.01). The pulmonary virus titres of the mice fed LGG and TMC0356 were also significantly decreased compared to those of control mice (P0.05).These results indicate that oral administration of lactobacilli, such as LGG and TMC0356, might protect a host animal against Flu infection.These results demonstrate that oral administration of selected lactobacilli might protect host animals from Flu infection by interactions with gut immunity.

Aims: Our study was conducted to evaluate the potent protective effects of oral administration of probiotic Lactobacillus strains against influenza virus (Flu) infection in a mouse model. Method and Results: Lyophilized Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Lactobacillus gasseri TMC0356 (TMC0356) were orally administered to BALB/c mice for 19 days. The test mice were intranasally infected with Flu A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) on day 14, and any changes in clinical symptoms were monitored. After 6 days of infection, the mice were killed and pulmonary virus titres were determined. The clinical symptom scores of mice administered oral LGG and TMC0356 were significantly ameliorated, compared to those of the control mice (P

A large-capacity superconducting cable for 1000-kVA-class power transformers has been designed and fabricated. The cable is a triply stacked multistrand (6*6*6) type. The elementary strand has 19050 NbTi filaments 0.63-mm thick in a CuNi matrix. The test cable is installed as the secondary winding in a superconducting transformer with iron core in a room-temperature space. The primary winding is the second-level subcable of the secondary one and the turn ratio is nearly 14. The designed capacity of the test cable is 4.545 kA at the secondary voltage of 220 V. The peak value of the current, 6.43 kA, is 78% of the critical current on the load line. The maximum current of the cable at 60-Hz operation was 3.78 kA (peak). The experimental results suggest that the degradation in maximum current of the test cable is related to current transfer between the cable and the copper terminal plate. >

Determination of the absorption profile of the Si 288.2 nm line (3p2 1D2-3p4s 1P1 transition) in the radio frequency SiH4/Ar plasma generated in a plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition chamber was performed by using UV absorption spectroscopy with the second harmonic generation of a ring dye laser excited by a CW argon ion laser as a light source. The Si atom density at the 3p2 1D2 level and the Si translational temperature were obtained from the measured absorption intensity and line width of the absorption coefficient of the 288.2 nm line respectively.

Guillingji powder, a complex prescription of traditional Chinese medicines, has been pharmacologically shown to be a possible anti-aging agent, and also used for the treatment of male hypogonadism and female dysgenesis. Since the levels of numerous brain monoamines and their metabolites such as norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) have been correlated with aging, we examined the effects of Guilingji powder and its extract on such monoamines and metabolites in the cerebrum and the cerebellum of mice using HPLC-ECD. The results showed that dietary intake of Guilingji powder had the effect of increasing the NE level and the DOPAC/DA ratio, and decreasing the 5-HT level and 5-HT/NE ratio in the cerebrum. In the cerebellum, the powder did not produce any changes in the levels of the compounds investigated. The extract of Guilingji, on the other hand, not only increased the NE level and the DOPAC/DA ratio but also the 5-HIAA/5-HT ratio in the cerebrum. However, the extract did not decrease the 5-HT in the cerebrum, although it decreased the 5-HT/NE. Unlike the powder, the extract had an effect in the cerebellum, which increased the DOPAC/DA ratio. These results suggest that Guilingji may have the action of modulating the levels and the metabolism of monoamines.

A picosecond time‐resolved absorption spectrometer is described. The apparatus consisting of a probe light source, a polychromator, and a streak camera enables us to observe time‐resolved absorption spectra in the range from picoseconds to several nanoseconds, with 50 ps time resolution. The probe light has the properties of a wide range continuum spectrum from UV to near IR and is of several tens of nanoseconds in duration. Using this apparatus, with only a single laser shot, we can observe transient absorption both temporal and spectral simultaneously. This apparatus is useful for studying the primary process of photochemical dynamics.

This retrospective study evaluated the safety and efficacy of combination chemotherapy using docetaxel and nedaplatin in an outpatient setting compared with those of chemotherapy using cisplatin (CDDP) and 5-Fu under hospitalization. Subjects comprised 21 patients who had been diagnosed with recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), with 10 patients receiving combination chemotherapy comprising CDDP and 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) under hospitalization (FP group; n = 10), and 11 patients receiving combination chemotherapy comprising docetaxel and nedaplatin in an outpatient setting (Doc/Ned group; n = 11). In the Doc/Ned group, patients received 30 mg/m(2) of docetaxel over a 1-h infusion on day 1, followed by 40 mg/m(2) of nedaplatin over a 2-h infusion on day 1 in an outpatient setting. In the Doc/Ned group, complete response was observed in two patients (18.1%), one with liver metastasis and one with abdominal lymph node metastasis, and two (18.1%) achieved partial response. In contrast, no complete responses were obtained in the FP group, and partial response was observed in only one patient (10.0%) with local recurrence. Response rates were thus 36.3% for the Doc/Ned group and 10.0% for the FP group. With a median follow-up of 234 days in the Doc/Ned group and 279 days in the FP group, median survival time (MST) was 234 days in the Doc/Ned group and 378 days in the FP group. No significant differences in MST were identified between groups. Thus regimen based on docetaxel and nedaplatin allows administration on an outpatient basis and appears feasible for recurrent ESCC as a second-line chemotherapy.

We previously reported that (-)-nicotine and kappa-opioid receptor agonists lessened impairment of learning and/or memory in several animal models. Furthermore, these drugs prevented neurodegenerative damage induced by ischemia or beta-amyloid peptide (25-35). In the present study, we tested whether (-)-nicotine and U-50,488H prevent delayed-memory impairment induced by beta-amyloid peptide (25-35), and changes of expression of alpha7-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mRNA and prodynorphin mRNA. Seven days after treatment with beta-amyloid peptide (25-35) (9 nmol/mouse, i.c.v.), memory impairment was observed in the Y-maze test. Memory impairment was prevented when (-)-nicotine (6.16 micromol/kg, s.c.) or U-50,488H (21 micromol/kg, s.c.) was administered 1 h before, but not 1 h after, beta-amyloid peptide (25-35) treatment. There was no change in prodynorphin mRNA or alpha7-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor mRNA expression in the hippocampus 10 days after beta-amyloid peptide (25-35) treatment alone. Of interest, mRNA expression of not only prodynorphin, but also the alpha7-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, was significantly decreased when U-50,488H was administered 1 h before, but not 1 h after, treatment with beta-amyloid peptide (25-35). However, these changes were not observed after the administration of (-)-nicotine. These results suggest that activation of the kappa-opioid system, but not beta7-type nicotinic receptors has a neuroprotective effect on beta-amyloid peptide (25-35)-induced memory impairment, and may be involved in the long-lasting changes in the expression of these mRNAs.

Aims: To develop an economical, safe and simple vaccination system against swine erysipelas using SpaA-antigen producing Lactococcus lactis. Methods and Results: The spaA gene of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was inserted into a shuttle plasmid pSECE1 to construct pSECE1·3. The SpaA produced in L. lactis maintained a stable antigenicity without degrading in growth. After mice were inoculated intranasally and orally with pSECE1·3-carrying L. lactis cells, IgG and IgA specific to SpaA were detected, and all the mice survived a challenge with 100 LD50 of E. rhusiopathiae Tama-96 in the inner thigh. Conclusions: SpaA-producing L. lactis appears useful as an effective subunit vaccine against swine erysipelas. Significance and Impact of the Study: In this vaccination system, purification of the antigen and injection are unnecessary, leading to a reduced production cost, reduced labour and less stress to the animals. This vaccination system of the lactic acid bacteria should be a safe and suitable vehicle for a polyvalent vaccine.

In this study, we measured free radicals and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in hepatocellular carcinoma and in non-cancerous liver parenchyma. There was a higher concentration of free radicals in malignant tissue than in non-cancerous tissue. In contrast, the level of TBARS was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than non-cancerous liver parenchyma. These paradoxical results suggested that antioxidative enzyme activity and/or inhibition of lipid peroxidation were higher in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The finding that 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) elicits parkinsonism in human beings suggests that endogenous or xenobiotic neurotoxic compounds may be involved in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). We have shown that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of newly diagnosed and drug untreated patients with PD contains a low molecular weight substance(s) which inhibits the growth and function of dopaminergic neurons in culture. In addition, selegiline in a dosage below the level that inhibits monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), protects dopaminergic neurons in culture against toxic factor(s) present in the CSF of patients with PD, and the said effect is mediated via elaboration of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In view of the fact that 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or MPTP causes parkinsonism by generating free radicals, and inducers of metallothionein (MT) isoforms avert the said neurotoxicity, we intended to learn whether MT isoforms were capable of scavenging free radicals. By employing electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR), we examined for the first time the free radical scavenging effects of MT-I and MT-II isoforms on four types of free radicals. Solutions of 0.15 mM of MT-I and 0.3 mM of MT-II scavenged the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals completely. Furthermore, they were able to scavenge hydroxyl radicals generated in a Fenton reaction. Moreover, MT-I scavenged almost 90% of the superoxide generated by the hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase system, while MT-II could only scavenge 40%. By using 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone as a "spin-trap" for the reactive oxygen species (containing singlet oxygen, superoxide and hydroxyl radicals) generated by photosensitized oxidation of riboflavin, and measuring the relative signal intensities of the resulting stable nitroxide adduct, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone-1-oxyl, we observed that MT-II could scavenge 92%, while MT-I could completely scavenge all the reactive species generated. The results of this investigation are interpreted to suggest that selegiline by preventing the generation of free radicals, MT isoforms by scavenging free radicals, and neurotrophins by rescuing dopaminergic neurons are capable of attenuating oxidative stress and of providing neuro-protection in PD.

It is now possible to produce considerable improvement of information for topography, classification of geological materials, discrimination of vegetation and precise image, etc., by decoding the large volume of data being sent back by the recent observations of the LANDSAT TM, SPOT HRV, and JERS-1 OPS. Therefore, future Earth observation sensors must be equipped with high spatial resolution, high enough to be able to draw a map, and high repetitional observability in order to react quickly to phenomena that occur during disasters. The results are presented of a conceptual design of a Very High Resolution Stereoscopic Imager (VHRSI) capable of drawing a map at 1/25,000 scale, another step forward for the investigation of the next generation high resolution visible and near infrared radiometer (S-VNIR). From the investigation of the high quality integrated CCD in a staggered manner and data compression in particular, it is now possible to consider that a radiometer with a 2 meter resolution can be made. >

A 64-bit CMOS mainframe execution unit macrocell with error detecting circuits is proposed. It adopts a parity predicting logic structure in order to reduce the number of circuit stages in the ALU (arithmetic and logic unit) critical path. By utilizing this structure, a one-bit-error detecting function is integrated. A novel CMOS precharged circuit is also developed to shorten the time required to precharge the whole circuit. Through the use of these techniques, 30% faster operation is achieved. >

We present new, wide, and deep images in the AzTEC/ASTE 1.1 mm continuum and the 12 CO (J = 1–0) emission toward the northern part of the Orion-A GMC. We have found evidence for interactions between molecular clouds and the external forces that may trigger star formation. Two types of possible triggers were revealed: (1) Collisions of the diffuse gas on the cloud surface, particularly at the eastern side of the OMC-2/3 region, and (2) Irradiation of UV on the pre-existing filaments and dense molecular cloud cores. Our wide-field and high-sensitivity imaging has provided the first comprehensive view of the potential sites of triggered star formation in the Orion-A GMC.

Allozyme diversity on 13 isozyme loci was investigated for two bulbous species, Lilium longiflorum and L. formosanum, endemic to the subtropical archipelago of continental origin located in East Asia. Degrees of allozyme variability and divergence for L. longiflorum were very high for insular endemic species, indicating relatively longtime persistence of the present widespread distribution across many islands in this phenotypically little-changed species. Lilium formosanum exhibited rather lower variability and divergence than did L. longiflorum and was genetically close to the southern peripheral populations of L. longiflorum with 0.978 as its highest genetic identity value. Combined with other biological and insular geohistorical information, our results suggest that L. longiflorum was established around the end of the Pliocene when the current distribution area was still a continuous part of the ancient Asian continent, and L. formosanum was derived from southern populations of L. longiflorum around the late Pleistocene when the mainland of Taiwan was completely separated from the adjacent islands and the main continent. Depauperization of allozyme variability in some L. longiflorum populations was found on islands with lower altitudes. This reflects bottleneck effects after the complete or almost complete submergence of such low islands during the archipelago's development.

Tyr-D-Ala-Phe-Leu-Arg psi (CH(2)NH) Arg-NH(2) (SK-9709) is a dynorphin derivative in which the peptide bond was replaced with a psi (CH(2)NH) bond. In the present study, the antinociceptive effects of SK-9709 were determined in an acetic acid-induced writhing test and a hot-plate test. In the acetic acid-induced writhing test, significant antinociceptive effects were observed after subcutaneous (s.c.), intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) and intrathecal (i.t.) injection of SK-9709, with maximal effects at 120, 30 and 15 min, respectively. The antinociceptive effects were dose-dependent and ED(50) values (range of 95% confidence limits) after s.c., i.c.v. and i.t. injection were 1.36 (0.61 - 3.02) micromol kg(-1), 2.11 (1.18 - 3.79) and 0.79 (0.61 - 1.03) nmol per mouse, respectively. The effects of SK-9709 (s.c., i.c.v. and i.t.) were reversed by the opioid receptor antagonist naloxone (1.36 micromol kg(-1), s.c.). The effects of SK-9709 (s.c.) were also reversed by the selective mu-opioid receptor antagonist beta-funaltrexamine (4.7 nmol per mouse, i.c.v.), and kappa-opioid receptor antagonist nor-binaltorphimine (4.9 nmol per mouse, i.t.). In the hot-plate test, the antinociceptive effect of SK-9709 (s.c., i.c.v. and i.t.) was also dose-dependent with the maximal peak effect at 120, 15 and 15 min similarly to the acetic acid-induced writhing test. The antinociceptive effects were dose-dependent and ED(50) values (range of 95% confidence limits) after s.c., i.c.v. and i.t. injection were 39.1 (5.4 - 283.0) micromol kg(-1), 6.5 (4.0 - 10.7) and 7.4 (5.0 - 11.0) nmol per mouse, respectively. These findings indicated that systemically administered SK-9709 produced long-lasting antinociceptive effects and these effects were mediated by both supra-spinal mu- and spinal kappa-opioid receptors.

The high concentration of zinc in the hippocampal mossy fiber axon boutons is localized in the vesicles and is mobilized by exocytosis of the zinc-laden vesicles. Furthermore, the mammalian hippocampi contain metallothionein (MT) isoforms which regulate the steady state concentration of zinc, an important antioxidant. Indeed, zinc deprivation leads to an increased lipid peroxidation, reduces the activity of Cu++-Zn++ superoxide dismutase, and protect against oxidative stress such as exposure to ultraviolet A irradiation. By employing electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy, we have demonstrated that rat hippocampal MT isoforms 1 and 2 were able to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals (DPPH), hydroxyl radicals (*OH) generated in a Fenton reaction, and superoxide anions (O2*-) generated by the hypoxanthine and xanthine oxidase system. In addition, MT-1 isoform protected the isolated hepatocytes from lipid peroxidation as determined by thiobarbituric acid bound malondialdehyde. MT antibodies scavenged DPPH radicals, hydroxyl radicals and reactive oxygen species but not superoxide anions. The results of these studies suggest that although both isoforms of MT are able to scavenge free radicals, the MT-1 appears to be a superior scavenger of superoxide anions and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals. Moreover, antibodies formed against MT isoform retain some, but not all, free radical scavenging actions exhibited by MT-1 and MT-2.