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The paper describes the novel aspects of deblocking filter in VVC. We demonstrate the insufficiency of HEVC deblocking filter when employing larger transform block sizes and describe the design changes made to enable reduction of the resulting blocking artifacts for both luma and chroma, while also allowing for parallel friendly processing. Additionally, VVC deblocking includes filtering based on local luma level to address blocking artifacts observed in high dynamic range content. The paper also describes modifications made in VVC deblocking to address blocking artifacts introduced by additional coding tools present in VVC (but not in HEVC). The additional coding tools result in prediction and transform block boundaries at disparate locations in a coded picture. Similar to previous generation of video coding standards, the deblocking in VVC, adaptively filters samples located at the block boundaries based on coding modes and local spatial activity.

This paper describes the in-loop deblocking filter used in the upcoming High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard to reduce visible artifacts at block boundaries. The deblocking filter performs detection of the artifacts at the coded block boundaries and attenuates them by applying a selected filter. Compared to the H.264/AVC deblocking filter, the HEVC deblocking filter has lower computational complexity and better parallel processing capabilities while still achieving significant reduction of the visual artifacts.

Poly{[bis(3,5-diethynylphenyl)silylene]- p -phenylene} was prepared by the reaction of poly[(diethoxysilylene)- p -phenylene] with 3,5-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)phenyllithium, followed by desilylation of the resulting substitution product. The present polymer exhibited extremely high heat-resistance and their thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in a nitrogen atmosphere showed the temperature of 5% weight loss (Td 5 ) of 791 °C. Total weight loss at 1000 °C in TGA was determined to be 6% based on the initial weight. Treatment of a polymer film on a quartz plate at 1200 °C in vacuo led to the formation of a conducting thin film with a thickness of 74 nm and a conductivity of 9 S/cm.

Because moderate or severe proteinuria is a representative factor indicative of longterm poor prognosis in IgA nephrology, an anti-proteinuric treatment which can be administered longterm with few side effects is necessary. We report here a comparison of antiproteinuric effects in two patient groups treated with different combination therapies.Group A comprised 12 patients with IgA nephropathy, who had 24-h proteinuria of 0.5 gm(2) or more, moderately severe renal histology, and normal renal function, and were treated with a combination of drugs, i.e., prednisolone, an immunosuppressant (mizoribine), an anti-platelet drug (dipyridamole), and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. Group B consisted of 18 patients who had baseline characteristics similar to those of the patients in group A and were treated with our previous protocol (a combination of prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, and dipyridamole). Twenty-four-hour proteinuria and creatinine clearance were measured every 6 months. The primary endpoint was reduction of 24-h proteinuria by less than 25% compared with the baseline value.The proportion of patients that exhibited the primary endpoint, as assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method, was found to be significantly higher in group A than in group B (logrank test; P = 0.024). None of the patients in the two groups experienced serious adverse effects.The results suggested that the use of drugs in combination with cyclophosphamide was beneficial for patients with moderately severe IgA nephropathy. Because moderate or severe proteinuria is a representative factor indicative of longterm poor prognosis in IgA nephropathy, an anti-proteinuric treatment which can be administered longterm with few side effects is necessary. We report here a comparison of antiproteinuric effects in two patient groups treated with different combination therapies.

YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ (YBCO) films with high critical current density ( J c ) were fabricated on nickel tapes buffered with bi-axially textured NiO prepared by surface-oxidation epitaxy (SOE). The effects of oxide cap layers, such as YSZ, CeO 2 and MgO, on the SOE-grown NiO were investigated to improve the superconducting properties of the YBCO films on NiO. By inserting a thin MgO cap layer between NiO layer and YBCO film, a J c of 3×10 5 A/cm 2 (77 K, 0 T) was achieved. This result indicates the potentiality of the SOE method. In this paper, the application of the NiO/Ni substrate to non-vacuum processings, such as metal-organic deposition (MOD) and liquid phase epitaxy (LPE) will be also introduced.

YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films with high critical current density (J c ) were successfully fabricated on nickel tapes buffered with epitaxial NiO prepared by the surface-oxidation epitaxy (SOE). To enhance the superconducting properties of the YBCO films on the SOE-grown NiO, depositions of thin oxide cap layers such as YSZ, CeO2, and MgO on Nio were investigated. These oxide cap layers were epitaxially grown on NiO. A substantially improved data of the critical temperature T c = 88K and J c = 3x105 A/cm2 (77K, 0T) and 1x104A/cm2 (77K, H//c, 4T) were obtained for YBCO film on NiO/Ni tape, by using a MgO cap layer with a thickness of 50 nm.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen (TIN-ag) is an extracellular matrix basement protein which was originally identified as a target antigen involved in anti-tubular basement membrane (TBM) antibody-mediated interstitial nephritis (TIN). Further investigations elucidated that TIN-ag plays a role in renal tubulogenesis and that TIN-ag is defected in hereditary tubulointerstitial disorder such as juvenile nephronophthisis. We previously isolated and characterized 54 kDa glycoprotein as TIN-ag. cDNA encoding rabbit and mouse TIN-ag has recently been identified. In the present study, the cDNA of the human homologue of TIN-ag was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined (Accession No. AB022277; the DDBJ nucleotide sequence database). Deduced amino acid sequence (476 aa) exhibited the presence of a signal peptide (1-18 aa), cysteine residues termed follistatin module, six potential glycosylation sites, and an ATP/GTP-binding site. Homology search revealed approximately 85% homology with both rabbit and mouse TIN-ag, and also some ( approximately 40%) similarity with C. elegans. Human TIN-ag contained a sequence similar to several classes of extracellular matrix molecules in amino terminal region and to cathepsin family of cysteine proteinases in the carboxyl terminal region. Northern blot analysis revealed exclusive expression of this molecule in human adult and fetal kidney tissues. Using a monoclonal antibody recognizing human TIN-ag, protein expression ( approximately 50 kDa) was identified in cultured COS-1 cells transfected with human TIN-ag cDNA. The human TIN-ag was mapped to chromosome 6p11.2-12 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. These results may provide further evidence for understanding TIN-ag molecule and clues for gene analysis of juvenile nephronophthisis.

To evaluate the pathways and barrier components in the stratum corneum (SC) for the permeation of ketotifen, the effect of delipidization on the permeation and partition was examined under several donor pHs. Assuming that ionized ketotifen (KTH+) and un-ionized ketotifen (KT) contribute independently in both permeation and partition, the intrinsic permeability coefficients and SC/water partition coefficients of both species were estimated. Delipidization enlarged the permeability of KTH+ 100 times. This suggested that the lipid phase functions as the barrier against KTH+. KT has an intrinsic permeability 100 times larger than that of KTH+. Delipidization did not result in a significant change in permeability of KT. This suggested that the permeability of KT through the lipid phase is comparable to that through the aqueous phase in delipidized SC; that is, the lipid phase functions as a highly permeable pathway for KT. On the other hand, the permeability coefficient of KT through delipidized SC was 1/34 of that through the pure aqueous layer, which had a thickness equivalent to SC. Since this suggests that the permeability of KT through the proteinaceous phase is much lower than that through the aqueous phase, the proteinaceous phase can be assumed to function as a barrier against the permeation of KT. From these results, it is concluded that the predominant permeation pathway for KT is through the lipid phase. The SC/water partition coefficient of KT was cut in half by delipidization, but the value was still more than 100. These results show that the proteinaceous phase functions not only as the barrier, but also as the depot for KT. The knowledge obtained here will be useful for formulation design and for the selection of enhancers in a transdermal therapeutic system of ketotifen.

Strongly in-plane aligned, c-axis oriented YBCO films were successfully grown on polycrystalline nickel tapes buffered with [100]-oriented NiO layers. The in-plane and out-of-plane alignments of the NiO layer were achieved by a surface-oxidation epitaxy (SOE) technique using a [100] cube-textured nickel tape. The in-plane textures of NiO layers fabricated so far with the full width half maximum (FWHM) values of 11-13 degrees are sufficient for the epitaxial growth of high-J/sub c/ YBCO films. Pulsed laser deposited YBCO layers on the NiO/Ni tapes were not only c-axis oriented with respect to the type surface, but also strongly in-plane aligned. The YBCO films on NiO/Ni tapes have a zero resistance T/sub c/=87 K and J/sub c/=10/sup 4/-10/sup 5/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 77 K.

In the multilayer conductor, the inner layers have higher impedance than the outer layers. As a result, the current concentrates in the outer layers. Our early study showed that its AC losses were reduced to one-tenth by making the current of each layer uniform. From such a point of view, a trial to realize the uniform current distribution was made by adjusting the winding pitches of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) tapes layer by layer. A 1 m long conductor was fabricated, where the inner layer had longer winding pitch than the outer layer. Experimental results showed that the currents flowing in individual layers were almost the same and that this conductor had lower AC losses than the nonuniform current distribution conductor.

Mechanical properties of HTS cable cores have been experimentally investigated. As is well known, HTS tapes with Ag-sheathed Bi-2223 have weak mechanical properties. Most attention to the weakness have been concentrated on the tape itself. However for realizing HTS cables, it is necessary to examine mechanical properties of the cable, because the performances of HTS cables are affected by stresses during cable production and their final uses. Three mechanical tests were performed; (1) a thermal cycle test, (2) a bending test and (3) a tensile test. In the thermal cycle test, Ic was not influenced. In the bending test, Ic depended on a bending radius, and a bending radius of less than 500 mm caused a significant problem to the conducting and shielding layers of the cable. It was also found that a flexible former was more suitable for the HTS cable than a copper pipe former, although its pressure drop was higher for liquid nitrogen. The tensile test indicated that tensile strains of up to 0.3% did not decrease Ic, and at 0.5% tensile strain Ic decreased to 10% of the initial Ic. These results are useful for HTS cable design.

A study on the effect of physico-chemical properties of drugs on their release behavior from copoly ( l -lactic/glycolic acid); (PLGA) matrix was performed. PLGA and drugs of acidic, neutral or basic nature were mixed and molded by heat compression method into a cylindrical matrix. The release rate of drugs from the rod depended on their physico-chemical properties. Basic drugs were found to show high PLGA/aqueous medium partition coefficients ( K app ), implying a strong ionic interaction with the polymer. This interaction kept these drugs dissolved in the matrix during the release studies. The interaction shielded the polymer terminal carboxyl residues resulting in the slower matrix erosion, and made the matrix less swellable, thus diminishing drug diffusion through the matrix. Consequently, K app could be regarded as the determinant parameter to evaluate the release rate of basic drugs. In contrast, acidic and neutral drugs had only weak interaction with PLGA, so that the drugs quickly precipitated out as crystals in the matrix during the release studies. In this case, the drugs did not affect the matrix erosion, and hence the solubility of each drug in the hydrated matrix became the predominant parameter affecting drug diffusion.

高温で焼成された炭素材料で,新規充てん剤の一つであるカーボン充てんカラムをアルカリ金属イオンの定量に応用した.種々のイオン相互作用試薬と溶離剤として硝酸を組み合わせた移動相を用い,5種アルカリ金属イオン(Li+,Na+,K+,Rb+及びCs+)の溶離挙動を調べた.移動相の組成,流量及びカラム温度の検討により,5種アルカリ金属イオンをいずれも理論段数4500段以上でピークの対称性も良好なクロマトグラムを得ることができた.各イオンの検量線は相関係数0.999以上,繰り返し注入による相対標準偏差は0.5～0.9%(n=10)であった.この方法を医薬品中のナトリウム及びカリウムの定量に応用した結果,組成式から求めた理論値に対して許容誤差0.3%以内と良好な値を示した.

The release of papaverine from poly ( l -lactic acid) (P(L)LA) matrix was investigated. A cylindrical matrix (rod; 1 mm diameter, 10 mm length) was prepared by the heat compression method from P(L)LA and papaverine. In the rod thus obtained, papaverine was dissolved in the P(L)LA matrix. It was revealed that papaverine release from the rods is controlled by drug diffusion, and not by polymer erosion. Furthermore, it was found that the release profile consisted of two sequential stages, suggesting that the environment for the diffusion changes during the course of release. X-ray diffraction, DSC measurements and gel permeation chromatography showed that initially the P(L)LA matrix was amorphous, but it became semicrystalline during the release study. The crystallization occurred at almost the same time as the transition from the first to the second release stage. In addition, a rod that had been precrystallized in humid air prior to the release study showed one monotonous release profile. These findings reveal that the transformation of P(L)LA matrix from amorphous to semicrystalline induces the transition from the first to the second release stage. The drug release rate was faster in the second stage than in the first stage. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the amorphous P(L)LA matrix at the first stage has a homogeneous structure. In contrast, the crystallized matrix at the second stage has a microporous structure. Therefore, it was concluded that in the second stage a drug can diffuse through water in the micropores of the crystallized matrix faster than through the homogeneous amorphous polymer matrix in the first stage.

The long conductor fabrication is one of key technologies to realize the High-T/sub c/ superconducting power cable. A 50-m long conductor was fabricated by helically winding the High-T/sub c/ superconducting tape onto a former with a winding machine. The conductor consisted of ten layers of Ag-sheathed Bi-2223 tape which had a high critical current density of 10,000 A/cm/sup 2/ (at 77 K). AC losses and layer-by-layer current distribution were measured, feeding AC current of 100 to 2,000 Arms to the conductor cooled by LN2. The results showed that most of the current flowed in the outer layers where the impedance was low, and that AC losses were remarkably reduced by making the current distribution uniform.

Four types of lipid emulsion for highly lipophilic antitumour agent RS-1541 (13-O-palmitoylrhizoxin) with mean particle diameters of 200-260 nm were prepared using soybean oil (SOY) or dioctanoyldecanoylglycerol (ODO) for the oil phase and lecithin (LEC) or polyoxyethylene-(60)-hydrogenated castor oil (HCO-60) for surfactants. The lipolysis rate of HCO-60-emulsified emulsions by lipoprotein lipase was much slower than that of LEC-emulsified emulsions. Particle sizes of emulsions incubated in plasma with the lipase for six hours were 75%, 79%, 101%, and 93% of initial values for SOY/LEC, ODO/LEC, SOY/HCO-60, and ODO/HCO-60 emulsions, respectively, showing an apparent size decrease for LEC-emulsified emulsions. In rats, uptake clearance values of SOY/LEC and ODO/LEC emulsions of RS-1541 in the reticuloendothelial system (RES) were 81.2 and 135.3 mL h(-1), respectively, and AUC values were 4.0 and 1.3 microg h mL(-1), respectively. In contrast, RES uptake clearances of HCO-60 emulsions of RS-1541 were considerably lower (4.2 mL h(-1) for SOY/HCO-60; 2.2 mL h(-1) for ODO/HCO-60), resulting in high AUC values (35.4 microg h mL(-1) for SOY/ HCO-60; 63.9 microg h mL(-1) for ODO/HCO-60). The concentrations of RS-1541 in tumour tissues after an intravenous administration of ODO/HCO-60 emulsions of RS-1541 to mice bearing solid tumour M5076 sarcoma were about ten times higher than those after the administration of SOY/LEC emulsions. These results indicate that HCO-60 emulsions, compared with conventional LEC emulsions, are more stable to lipoprotein lipase and show low uptakes by RES organs, long circulations in the plasma, and high distributions in tumours. Thus, these sterically stabilized emulsions could show potential as effective carriers for highly lipophilic antitumour agents to enhance the drug delivery in tumours.

Purpose. A highly lipophilic antitumor agent, 13-O-palmitoyl-rhizoxin (RS-1541), was incorporated into lipid emulsions of various sizes consisting of triglyceride ODO and surfactant HCO-60. Pharmacokinetics, toxicities, and antitumor activities were evaluated after intravenous administration to mice bearing subcutaneously inoculated M5076 sarcoma cells. Methods. The levels of RS-1541 in the plasma and tissues including tumor, were determined by HPLC. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD) was estimated by toxic death and change in body weight. The decrease in tumor diameter was measured for antitumor activity. Results. There existed large variations in pharmacokinetics of RS-1541, depending on the size of emulsion particles. Compared with a colloidal solution (reference solution), the small (110nm) and medium (230nm) size emulsions showed high concentrations of RS-1541 in the tumor, while the large emulsions (350nm–630nm) exhibited low concentrations. The MTD of RS-1541 was reduced, when incorporated in the emulsions larger than 220nm in size. At MTD, each size of emulsions (70nm–380nm) effectively retarded the tumor growth and increased survival time. The maximum effect was achieved for the 220 nm emulsions. Conclusions. When particle size is properly selected, these emulsions could be promising and effective as an injectable carrier for lipophilic antitumor agents in order to enhance the tumor delivery and efficacies while reducing toxicities.

Photoinduced ionic conductivity in poly(ethylene glycol) 400 (PEG400)/malachite green leuco hydroxide (MGLOH) was analyzed with photochemical reaction of MGLOH in its matrix. The resonance structure in photogenerated cation lay in the favor of 4,4′-(dimethylamino) triphenylmethylcation (MG+) under UV irradiation. The change in the ionic conductivity was discussed with that in glass transition temperature (Tg) of the matrix on UV irradiation.

The magnetization decay effect over time was studied for NbTi multifilamentary wires of various cross-sectional structures. It was found that the lower the electrical resistivity between filaments and the smaller the spacing between filaments of a specimen, the larger its magnetization decay rate. It was further found that the rate of magnetization decay was anisotropic with respect to the applied field, with rates being higher when the field was applied perpendicular to the wire axis. There was also a dependence of field profile, but results were complicated by supplemental magnetic flux. All these types of behavior were found to be attributable to the presence of a weakly superconductive portion induced by the proximity effect, and were explained by this model.

Two Japanese patients, belonging to unrelated families, with idiopathic low-molecular-weight proteinuria (LMWP; Japanese Dent's disease) showed novel mutations of the gene encoding renal-specific chloride channel 5 (CLC-5). Proteinuria was first noticed at the ages of 2 and 3 years in patients 1 and 2, respectively. During follow-up, marked increases in urinary ss(2)-microglobulin levels, hypercalciuria, and high levels of urinary excretion of growth hormone were observed in both patients. Nephrocalcinosis was detected in patient 2. Renal biopsy specimens from both patients showed minimal alterations in glomeruli and tubulointerstitium, except for mild mesangial proliferation in patient 2. DNA sequence analysis of the entire 2,238-bp coding region and exon-intron boundaries of the CLCN5 gene showed the presence of two novel mutations in exon 10, consisting of one missense mutation (I524K) in patient 1 and one nonsense mutation (R637X) in patient 2. DNA analysis and measurement of urinary ss(2)-microglobulin levels in family members indicated an X-linked mode of inheritance in patient 1 and sporadic occurrence in patient 2. These results have expanded our understanding of the association between idiopathic LMWP (Japanese Dent's disease) and mutations of the CLCN5 gene.

The purpose of this study was to prepare tablets that could evaluate the destructive force in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Many factors are known to affect in vivo drug release from oral dosage forms. There is still relatively little information on the mechanical destructive force in the GI tract. Press-coated tablets with an extremely brittle outer layer were developed using a unique, highly hydrophobic Teflon powder that could be shaped with weak compression force. A marker drug contained in the tablets was released only when the tablets received a force larger than its predetermined crushing strength. We referred to this type of tablet as a ‘destructive force dependent release system’ (DDRS). A total of nine healthy, male subjects were orally administered the tablets under fed and/or fasting conditions. Tablets with a predetermined crushing strength of 1.50 N were crushed by all of the four subjects who took them under fed conditions and two of the five subjects under fasting conditions. Tablets with a crushing strength of 1.89 N were crushed by two of the six subjects who took them under fed conditions and none of the five subjects under fasting conditions. The range of mechanical destructive force in the human stomach was obtained.

15m long textured nickel tapes were prepared as a possible substrate for epitaxial NiO growth by recently proposed surface-oxidation epitaxy (SOE) method. As cold-rolling and subsequent recrystallization heat treatment were properly done, that we obtained a highly {100} textured structure throughout the whole length of tapes. Since relatively low mechanical strength and ferromagnetism of nickel have been pointed out to be severe drawbacks for wire application, two kinds of Ni-based alloys, Ni-Cr and Ni-V, were investigated from the view point of magnetization and tensile mechanical property. It is shown that, compared with the case of pure nickel tape, both Ni-12wt%Cr and Ni-10wt%V tapes were much stronger and exhibited one order of magnitude smaller hysteresis loss.

YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films with high critical current density (J c ) were successfully fabricated on nickel tapes buffered with epitaxial NiO prepared by the surface-oxidation epitaxy (SOE). To enhance the superconducting properties of the YBCO films on the SOE-grown NiO, depositions of thin oxide cap layers such as YSZ, CeO2, and MgO on Nio were investigated. These oxide cap layers were epitaxially grown on NiO. A substantially improved data of the critical temperature T c = 88K and J c = 3x105 A/cm2 (77K, 0T) and 1x104A/cm2 (77K, H//c, 4T) were obtained for YBCO film on NiO/Ni tape, by using a MgO cap layer with a thickness of 50 nm.

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF), a new member of the EGF family, is mitogenic for several types of cells, through binding to cell surface heparan sulphate proteoglycans. This study has attempted to delineate HB-EGF expression by mesangial cells and to identify its role in experimental and human glomerulonephritis. Rat mesangial cells, cultured in the presence of phorbol acetate, hydrogen peroxide, interleukin-1beta, and tumour necrosis factor-alpha, expressed HB-EGF mRNA. Recombinant HB-EGF stimulated rat mesangial cells to proliferate and to express types I and III collagen. In the rat anti-Thy-1.1 nephritis, glomerular HB-EGF mRNA was up-regulated and peaked at days 5-7; its expression at the protein level in the glomerulus was prominent at days 5-10. By immunofluorescence, HB-EGF was positive predominantly in the mesangial area of renal tissues from 23 of 45 patients with various types of human glomerulonephritis, showing a significant correlation with the grade of mesangial proliferation; there was no staining in tissues from patients with minimal change nephrotic syndrome and normal kidney tissues. These data provide the evidence that HB-EGF is synthesized and expressed by mesangial cells and stimulates mesangial cell proliferation and collagen synthesis in vitro. HB-EGF is a potential mediator in mesangial cell proliferation and matrix expansion in experimental and human glomerulonephritis.

We investigated the effect of drug physico-chemical properties on the release of basic drugs from poly( l -lactic acid) (P(L)LA) cylindrical matrices (rods; 10 mm×1 mm diameter). All the rods were revealed to exhibit two-stage diffusion-controlled release profiles resulting from the transformation of P(L)LA from an amorphous to a semicrystalline state in aqueous medium. On the assumption that interactions between polymer carboxyl residues and basic drugs control the drug release rate, we evaluated the strength of these interactions by the drug partition between the polymer and the aqueous medium. In the first release stage, the drugs diffused through the swollen polymer matrix. The polymer–drug interactions shielded the polymer terminal carboxyl residues, thereby resulting in a less hydrated matrix and consequent diminishment of drug diffusion. In the second release stage, the drugs diffused through the water-filled micropores which had developed as a result of polymer crystallization. The stronger polymer–basic drug interactions reduced the drug diffusion rate by decreasing not only the porosity of the matrix, but also the drug partition to the water-filled micropores. It was also found that the fractional drug release rate in the second stage increased with drug content of the rod at the pH where both the polymer carboxyl residues and the drugs were ionized. Since the polymer–drug interactions must be close to saturation with increasing drug content, we believe this result to be due to an increase in the ratio of the drug partition to the water-filled micropores.

Bi-2223 multifilamentary tapes show the most progress among high temperature superconducting wires under development for power transmission cables, but still need to be improved in critical current density, mechanical properties and AC losses. To enhance mechanical properties, AgMg alloy was applied to the sheath of the tape. A strict control of the fabrication led to 2.6% of coefficient variation in Jc uniformity of tapes of 1.2km in total length. The alloy sheathed tape proved to be twice stronger in tensile strength than a pure Ag one, with a great improvement in the Jc degradation by tensile and bending strain. The improvement is considered to be assigned to a rise in filament compressive residual strain, besides the strengthened sheath. Moreover, the twisted, alloy sheathed tape with a pitch of 9mm produced about 50% of the AC losses arising from the untwisted one, with almost no sacrifice of Jc.

Effects of drug content and medium pH on the release of papaverine (PAP) from biodegradable poly(l-lactic acid) [P(L)LA] matrix were investigated to reveal the predominant factors affecting the two-stage diffusion-controlled release mechanism. A drug-dissolved cylindrical matrix (rod; 10 mmx1 mm diameter) was prepared by heat compression method. In the case of a PAP content below 10%, pH was found to have a strong effect on the release rate, and drug content was found to have no effect on the release profile. The release profile consisted of two sequential diffusion stages due to P(L)LA transformation from amorphous to the semicrystalline state prior to release. In the first release stage PAP diffused through the swollen matrix. The release accelerated with increasing medium pH due to an increase in water content in the acidic P(L)LA rod. In the second release stage PAP diffused through the water-filled micropores developed as a result of the polymer crystallization. On the assumption that the drug partition between the polymer and the medium in the micropores affects the diffusion and the partition is controlled by pH, we derived a modified diffusion kinetic equation. The observation that the release decelerated with increasing medium pH can be explained by the derived equation as resulting from the increase in the drug partition to the polymer. In the case where the rods contained more than 15% of PAP, the drug precipitated out as crystals during release. Accordingly, these rods showed a slower release.

Highly lipophilic antitumor agent, palmitoyl rhizoxin (RS-1541), was incorporated into stable lipid emulsions about 100-1000nm in mean diameter consisting of triglyceride ODO and surfactant HCO-60. The pharmacokinetics of RS-1541 were studied after i.v. injection in mice, rats, rabbits, and dogs. Dog showed characteristic pharmacokinetics of RS-1541, compared with other species. RS-1541 was much more rapidly eliminated from plasma with emulsion particles in dogs than in mice, rats, and rabbits. Most amounts of injected RS-1541 were recovered in the liver six hours after administration to dogs, while less than 20% recoveries were observed for mice and rats. To clarify this species variation, opsonization of emulsion particles were evaluated. When emulsions (about 200nm in size) were opsonized by dog plasma, and intravenously injected to rats, total clearance and liver uptake of RS-1541 were increased to 1.8 fold and 2.7 fold of control values, respectively. In contrasts, emulsions opsonized by mouse, rabbit and human plasma did not show such drastic changes in pharmacokinetics of RS-1541 in rats. Furthermore, total clearance of RS-1541 for emulsions opsonized by dog plasma was increased to 1.9 fold of controls after injection to rabbits. These results indicate that opsonizing activities of dog plasma for RS-1541 emulsions are high, compared with other species. This species variation in opsonizing process probably caused the species variation in the pharmacokinetics of RS-1541 incorporated in lipid emulsions.

In plane-aligned, c-axis-oriented YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films were deposited on polycrystalline Ni tapes buffered with self-oxidized NiO. The in-plane alignment of the NiO layer was achieved by the oxidation of textured pure (00l)Ni tapes in 1 atm O2 in the furnace. Significant improvement in (00l)NiO texturing was obtained in the temperature range above 1000°C. Pulsed laser deposited YBCO films on the NiO layer were not only c-axis oriented with respect to the film surface, but also strongly in-plane textured. The full width at half maximum of the x-ray diffraction peaks from the (103)YBCO ϕ scan is approximately 11 degrees. This is similar to the values reported with other texturing techniques.

This is a correction to the “HEVC deblocking filter” article published in IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, vol. 22, no. 12, Dec. 2012.

The effects of i.v. formulations on the pharmacokinetics were examined for two antitumor agents with different lipophilicities : rhizoxin and palmitoyl-rhizoxin (RS-1541). Blood disposition and tissue distributions in rats were evaluated using three formulations : polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG)/dimethylacetamide (DMA) solution, colloidal solution, and lipid emulsions composed of dioctanoyl decanoyl glycerol (ODO) and polyoxyethylene-(60)-hydrogenated castor oil (HCO-60). The effects of emulsion particle size on the pharmacokinetics were also investigated. Rhizoxin rapidly disappeared from the plasma and showed high distribution in the tissues, and in vitro rapidly degraded in the plasma independent of the formulations used. In in vitro plasma, rhizoxin was easily released from the emulsion particles. In contrast to rhizoxin, the pharmacokinetics of RS-1541 with greater lipophilicity changed considerably depending on the formulations. The emulsions showed high and sustained plasma concentrations for RS-1541. RS-1541 was stably incorporated in the emulsion droplets and protected from the degradation when it was applied as an emulsion. Tissue distributions of RS-1541 in rats after an injection as lipid emulsion were strongly affected by the emulsion particle size. Small size emulsions (100-110nm) showed the highest plasma concentrations of RS-1541, though they were unable to suppress distributions of the drug in peripheral tissues. Emulsions larger than 200nm (approx.) in size, on the contrary, effectively inhibited the drug from entering the bone marrow, small intestine and other non-reticuloendothelial system (non-RES) organs, where many cytotoxic compounds showed undesired toxicities. These results indicate that the lipid emulsions composed of ODO and HCO-60 could be a promising and effective DDS carrier for RS-1541, which is highly lipophilic and stabilized in the emulsions. This was not the case for rhizoxin, however, which was less lipophilic than palmitoyl analogue RS-1541. The work described herein has demonstrated that by properly selecting the particle size, these lipid emulsions can control the behavior of a drug in the body.

The magnetization decay over time in NbTi multifilamentary superconducting wires is thought to depend on the existence of the proximity effect coupling between NbTi filaments. The lower the electrical resistivity of the matrix and the shorter the spacing between filaments, the higher its magnetization decay rate. This is because the superconducting electrons leak into the normal metal and the weak superconductivity is induced by the proxmity effect even in the applied magnetic fields. The paper describes the proximity effect and the magnetization decay in the multifilamentary wires being under several conditions, which are the electical resistivity, the spacing distance, and so on.

Compacted strand cables of NbTi with large keystone angle have been developed for applications to superconducting dipole magnets of big hadron collider accelerators. The trial-fabricated cables have the keystone angle of 1.6 to 3.0 degrees and the packing factor of 90 to 95 %. Strands of 0.808 mm in diameter with the filament diameters of 4.8 and 6 μm were used. The fabrication of those cables has not met with serious problems. The degradation measurements of the critical current have been performed and the degradation less than 3 % is observed up to the angle of 3.0 degrees for the cables with the packing factor of 90 %.

The hydrolysis reaction of oxazolam, a representative of 1, 4-benzodiazepinooxazoles (BDOZ), was investigated kinetically. The reaction product was identified by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and it was concluded that irreversible hydrolytic cleavage took place at the diazepinone nucleus. The rate constant was determined by ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy. The reaction was a first-order process consisting of two parallel reactions with different reacting species of oxazolam, depending on the pH of the medium. The pH-rate profile obtained for the reaction suggested that the reaction was independent of hydrogen ion concentration in acidic media, while it was catalyzed by hydroxide ion in alkaline media. The nonlinear least-squares fit method was employed to determine the catalytic rate constants involved in the equation describing the pH-rate constant relationship. Activation energies as well as other thermodynamic parameters were obtained in media of pH 2.0 and 8.0, and the values confirmed that different chemical species of oxazolam were involved. The observed effect of buffer concentration indicated that general base catalysis was involved in the reaction of the ionized species of oxazolam. A mechanistic consideration indicated that the rate-determining step may be the nucleophilic attack of a water molecule or hydroxide ion at the 11b-position in the diazepinone nucleus.

The acid-base equilibrium reactions of oxazolam (10-chloro-2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 11b-hexahydro-2-methyl-11b-phenylbenzo [6, 7]-1, 4-diazepino [5, 4-b] oxazol-6-one) and thirteen other derivatives of 1, 4-benzodiazepinooxazole (BDOZ) were studied. Ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies were employed to obtain the equilibrium constants. In most BDOZs the protonated species were promptly cleaved at the oxazolidine ring fused to the diazepine nucleus, and equilibrated with the original species. A few exceptional compounds required an appreciable time lag for the equilibration. The effects of substituents on the pKa value are discussed from the viewpoint of physical organic chemistry.

This paper summarizes our research on newly-developed multifilamentary V 3 Ga and Nb 3 Sn compound superconductors, including their design, processing, and characteristics such as mechanical and superconducting properties, and coil performance.

A superconducting pancake coil was wound from a newly-developed multifilamentary V3Ga tape and its coil characteristics was investigated by comparing with that of a conventional surface-diffusion Nb3Sn tape. The V3Ga tape are 0.16 mm in thickness and 5 mm in width, including about 2,500 V3Ga filaments and a copper stabilizer. The coil consists of 6 double pancake modules of 30 mm in bore diameter. The coil was tested in a Nb-Ti magnet having a bore diameter of 124 mm. It was able to produce a magnetic field of 12 Tesla at a coil current of 142 A without any training, while a Nb3Sn coil of similer dimensions exhibited several premature quenches. The other characteristics on sweep rate dependences upon quench currents, flux jump phenomena, hystereses and remanent fields, were also investigated. It has been confirmed that multifilamentary tape has a superior performance to surface-diffusion tape.

The MFTF-B magnet system requires two 12.5T, 36 cm bore, insert coils. These coils are being constructed with a cryostable Nb 3 Sn conductor manufactured by Furukawa Electric Co. The conductor consists of a core soldered into a cold-worked copper housing, which provides strength. The Nb 3 Sn core is made by a triple extrusion bronze process. A total of 57 lengths, each 295 m long, have been made and tested. We have made extensive tests on this conductor; these tests include critical current, ambient and 4.2 K mechanical property measurements, critical current as a function of tensile strain, and bending tolerance tests. The critical current density was found to be quite anisotropic in this conductor, with J c (12T) = 650A/mm2for field perpendicular to the conductor wide face, and J c (12T) = 500A/mm2for field parallel to the conductor wide face. These values are among the highest reported for a production lot of Nb 3 Sn conductor.

The approximate self-consistent molecular orbital method has been applied to the analysis of the vibrational spectrum of HCN. The frequencies of the fundamental, overtone, and combination bands in the region from about 700 to 12000 cm−1 have been calculated, and their absolute infrared absorption intensities have been estimated, the variational method being used in this calculation. Also, the frequencies and absorption intensities of hot bands, referring to the bending vibration, have been calculated. In comparison with the experimental results, the calculated frequencies were not always appropriate. However, it was found that these results are effective in the analysis of the molecular vibration if the calculated frequencies are discussed along with their infrared absorption intensities.