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It has been established that the long-term infection of chronic hepatitis C leads to the increased risk of hepatic fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, histological diagnosis by invasive and painful liver biopsy is the gold standard for evaluating the hepatic fibrosis stage. Because of a side effect or patient inability to cope with the pain, it is difficult to assess the fibrosis stage frequently using liver biopsy. Recently, instead of liver biopsy, many articles have been published showing the usefulness of ultrasound elastography to evaluate the stage of hepatic fibrosis. We also reported the usefulness of real-time tissue elastography (RTE) for liver fibrosis staging in 2007. However, in our previous report, fibrosis classification was performed manually and the number of patients involved was also small. In the current study, the fibrosis staging is performed automatically using software by characterizing the elastography images. We have also increased the number of patients from 64 to 310. Thus, the aim of this study is to increase objectivity by using a newly developed automatic analysis method. We obtain the Liver Fibrosis Index (LFI), which is calculated from image features of RTE images, using multiple regression analysis performed on clinical data of 310 cases as the training data set. The correlation coefficient obtained between the LFI and the stage of hepatic fibrosis was r = 0.68, and significant differences exist between all stages of fibrosis (p < 0.001). Our new method seems promising since it has the ability to diagnose fibrosis even in the presence of inflammation.

Macrophages recognize oxidatively damaged autologous erythrocytes, and cell surface fibronectin of macrophages enhances the recognition (Beppu et al., FEBS Lett. 295 (1991) 135-140). In the present study, mechanisms of enhanced macrophage recognition of oxidatively damaged erythrocytes by fibronectin were investigated. Monolayers of thioglycollate-induced mouse peritoneal macrophages with cell surface fibronectin recognized autologous erythrocytes oxidized with an iron catalyst ADP/Fe(3+). The macrophage recognition of the oxidized erythrocytes was inhibited partially by pretreatment of the macrophage monolayers with a Ca(2+) channel blocker (diltiazem), calmodulin inhibitors (W-7, trifluoperazine, chlorpromazine and dibucaine), an inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase (ML-9), a microfilament formation inhibitor (cytochalasin B), phospholipase A(2) inhibitors (4-bromophenacyl bromide, mepacrine) and cyclooxygenase inhibitors (indomethacin and aspirin). Monolayers of macrophages depleted of fibronectin by trypsinization lost the ability of recognizing oxidized erythrocytes, but acquired the ability when stimulated with a fibronectin-coated coverslip. The recognition of fibronectin-stimulated trypsinized macrophages was also inhibited by the above inhibitors. On treatment with Ca ionophore A23187, trypsinized macrophages acquired the ability to recognize oxidized erythrocytes. The recognition of Ca ionophore-stimulated trypsinized macrophages was inhibited by the above inhibitors except the Ca(2+) channel blocker. These results indicate that the Ca(2+) signaling including Ca(2+) influx, calmodulin activation and myosin light chain phosphorylation are involved in the fibronectin stimulation of the recognition of macrophages for oxidized erythrocytes. Involvement of microfilament formation and arachidonate cascade in the fibronectin stimulation was also suggested.

C型慢性肝炎に対するインターフェロン (IFN) 療法の循環器系副反応を検討した. 123例のC型慢性肝炎患者に対し, IFN療法前後に心電図 (ECG), 心臓超音波検査 (UCG) を行い, 心筋障害の指標として, CPK, CPK-MB, ミオシン軽鎖を測定した. ECGでは不整脈の出現, PQ間隔の延長, ST変化等を認めた. UCGでは左室の拡張, %FSの低下, A/Eの変化を認めた. これらの変化の出現率は約15%程度であった. CPK, CPK-MB, ミオシン軽鎖の上昇はそれぞれ6.7%, 5.2%, 13.0%の症例にみられた. IFNの投与期間, 投与量による副反応出現率の差はみとめなかった. 自覚的に重篤な症状を呈した症例はみとめず, IFN投与の中止を余儀なくされた例もなかった. 以上より, C型慢性肝炎に対するIFN療法においては重篤ではないが, 比較的高率に循環器系に対する副反応がみられ, 基礎に心疾患, 糖尿病を有する例などでは厳重な観察が必要であると考えられた.

The magnetic susceptibilities of liquid Ag–In, Ag–Sn, Ag–Ga and Ag–Zn alloy systems have been measured over a wide temperature range from 600 to 1085° C. The magnetic susceptibility curves at 1010° C were plotted against the alloy composition, which are different from one another. The temperature coefficients of their magnetic susceptibilities against the composition were very similar, showing a sharp minimum at about 90 at%Ag and a broad maximum at about 70 at%Ag, except for those of the Ag–Zn system. The curve of the concentration-concentration fluctuation in the long wavelength limit S CC (0) of those alloys has been estimated by using the experimental EMF data compiled in the literatures. Two pronounced minima exist in the S CC (0) curves at about 35 and 70 at%Ag, except for the Ag–Ga system.

症例は32歳男性で,HCV抗体陽性肝硬変患者として外来通院中,血清AFP値の上昇を認めたため,腹部超音波検査,腹部CT,肝シンチグラムを施行するも肝癌が検出されず,血管造影にて腫瘍濃染像は認めなかったが直径6mmのlipiodol集積を認めたため肝癌と診断し,切除された.腫瘍はEdmondson I～II型肝細胞癌で被膜を有していた.この様な微小な肝細胞癌において高分化型で被膜を有する例は極めて稀で,早期肝細胞癌に於ける画像診断ならびに腫瘍の分化度と増殖形態面で,非常に興味のある症例と考えられた.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to clarify the most useful technique of MR imaging in demonstrating the collateral venous pathways due to portal hypertension. Subjects: Twenty-eight cirrhotic patients with collateral venous pathways due to portal hypertension and three patients without them were studied. We evaluated the detectability of collateral vessels of flow-enhanced transverse MR images by time of flight effect, projection MR angiography using the maximum intensity projection technique and three-dimensional (3D) computer graphic images, by using the arterial portography as the standard. Results: Flow-enhanced transverse MR images showed 98% of the collateral vessels detected by angiography, however, the connection of each vessel was obscure. Fully 81% of the collateral vessels were seen by projection MR angiography, and 98% of them by the 3D computer graphic images. Conclusion: The detectability of collateral vessels of 3D computer graphic imaging was better than that of the projection MR angiography and was as accurate as that of transverse MR imaging. 3D Computer graphic images provided complex anatomical information in a more easily understood fashion than either transverse MR images or projection MR angiography.

The magnetic susceptibilities of molten cuprous halides and their mixtures have been measured as a function of temperature. The temperature dependence of susceptibilities in molten CuBr and CuI show small paramagnetic deviations compared to those in molten potassium halides. The composition dependence of CuCl–CuI and CuBr–CuI melts obey the Wiedemann rule, while the molten CuCl–CuBr system exhibits a large deviation from this rule.

成人のHBV初感染からHBV carrierに移行した散発性B型肝炎の3症例を報告する.全例とも入院時の血清HBc抗体は陰性で,経過中にHBc抗体が出現,経過とともに高値を示し,HBs抗原およびHBe抗原はともに陽性,HBV DNA-polymerase活性は高値で,これらはGOT, GPTの上昇とともに1年以上持続した.いづれも免疫機能低下を伴なう疾患の合併および免疫抑制剤の投与はなかった.いづれの症例も他科で肝機能検査異常をみとめたか,あるいは定期検診で血清HBS抗原の陽転をみとめたなど全く偶然の機会に肝炎が発見された.末梢血リンパ球subpopulationではOKT4/OKT8比の低下,あるいは抗OKT4抗原欠損など細胞性免疫異常が疑われた.これら3症例はともに,無黄疸で,肝炎症状が典型的急性B型肝炎に比し軽度なことが特徴的であった.家族内単発性のHBV carrierの中にはかような症例が含まれていることが示唆された.

症例.60歳,男性.突然の心窩部痛を主訴に来院.初診時黄疸を認めたが,発熱,表在リンパ節腫脹はなかった.腹部USにて総胆管内に低エコーの腫瘤影があり,肝内胆管は著明に拡張していた.PTCにて同部にしめつけ型の狭窄を認め,腹部血管造影にて門脈は高度に狭窄していた.胆管癌,手術不能例と診断し,狭窄部を内瘻化し,化学療法を施行した.1年後に門脈の再開通をきたし,胆道狭窄病変の進行もなかったため開腹術を行った.総胆管周囲にリンパ節腫脹はなく,総胆管壁は内腔に向かって軟らかく肥厚していた.病理学的に,肝外胆管原発の非ホジキンリンパ腫,びまん性,中細胞型と診断された.本疾患はNguyeuの1例報告があるのみで,本邦では本例が第1例目の報告である.画像診断上本疾患と胆管癌の鑑別は困難であり,閉塞性黄疸の診断にあたっては,悪性リンパ腫を鑑別診断の一つにあげ,積極的な生検診断を試みるべきであると考えられた.

第1例は28歳男性,肺結核の既往あり.主訴は,右季肋部痛,発熱および黄疸であった.超音波およびCT検査にて,膵頭部腫大による閉塞性黄疸と診断し,PTCDにて減黄後開腹した.膿汁を含み腫大した下部胆管リンパ節により,総胆管は圧排されていた.第2例は20歳女性.主訴は,右上腹部痛であった.超音波にて膵頭部腫大を指摘され,開腹にて下部胆管に膿汁を伴つたリンパ節腫大を認めた.両者ともツベルクリン反応強陽性であった.胆道リンパ節結核は稀な疾患で,本邦での報告は自験例2例を含め,7例に過ぎず,術前診断は困難とされている.自験例では2例ともに,胆道造影では総胆管狭窄部は平滑で,CT検査では造影剤にて周辺はリング状に,内部は結節状にenhanceされた.このような画像診断所見は本症の診断に重要と考えられた.

Variational approach was considered for the energy band theory in the case of non-muffin-tin potentials. A functional was investigated for the variational procedure under the natural boundary condition. Matrix elements were obtained for the determination of energy bands in the general case of non-muffin-tin potentials. A model calculation was performed for the one dimensional empty case. Correct energy values were obtained.

The effective Hamiltonian for an electron trapped in a donor (acceptor) atom is derived from the Hamiltonian of the total system by taking account of the polarization effect of the medium on the basis of many-body treatment. As a result, an expression which enables us to calculate the impurity potential in the immediate vicinity of the impurity center is presented. One can also prove exactly by this expression that the impurity potential at a long distance from the impurity center is screened by the static dielectric constant of the host crystal for a uniform field.

The properties of the dielectric constants, defined by using many-body theory, are considered. Especially, their dependence upon wave vectors is discussed. Internal dielectric constant for impurity potential in an insulator is shown to have no anomalous behavior at reciprocal lattice vectors. It is also shown that contribution to the dielectric constant from Umklapp terms vanishes at k =0.

The wave-number-dependent dielectric function is calculated for crystalline KCl, on the basis of the expressions derived in a previous paper. The value, 2.383, is obtained for the static dielectric constant in long wave length limit, which is to be compared with the observed optical dielectric constant e ∞ =2.13. The contribution from the Umklapp terms has turned out to be rather small. An approximate analytical expression is presented for the screened Coulomb potential in KCl crystal.

A theoretical treatment of the edge structure of the fundamental optical absorption of alkali halide crystals is developed on the basis of Slater-Koster and Clogston's treatment of impurity levels. It is concluded that the absorption shoulder characteristic of alkali halides is attributed to the onset of band-to-band transition or to the transition to the excited exciton states with principal quantum number n =2. Numerical calculation is made for the absorption structure of KCl.

Deformation potential constants of wurtzite type CdS are calculated by the OPW method. The results are as follows: \begin{aligned} {D_{1}}^{1}-{D_{1}}^{6}{=}-6.2\ \text{eV} \text{and} {D_{2}}^{1}-{D_{2}}^{6}{=}-5.2\ \text{eV}. \end{aligned} The experimental values to be compared with these are respectively \begin{aligned} C_{1}+C_{3}/2{=}-3.05{\pm}0.5\ \text{eV} \text{and} C_{2}+C_{4}/2{=}-2.95{\pm}0.5\ \text{eV}. \end{aligned}

Energy bands of the crystalline Argon have been calculated with a potential based upon the Ewalt potential by MS method. Effects of the virial theoretical α were included in the core charge density. For the crystal, α was inccreased gradually up to 1 in the course of the self-consistent energy band calculation. The best band gap is obtained with α=1. Electron affinity was improved by about 2 eV.

The elastic K/sup +/-N ordinary scattering cross sections are almost constant up to about 2 Bev, while the charge exchange scattering cross section rises even at low energies. Therefore the s-wave interaction predominates in K/ sup +/-N scattering. Thus the simple second-order perturbation approximation taking recoil effect into account, was used to investigate the total cross sections. The results are plotted for three scattering amptitudes, where K+-N elastic total cross sections versus energy are plotted in comparison with experimental data. Another figure shows the differential cross section for K/sup +/-scattering, including the Coulomb part. (N.W.R.)