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Objectives: The incidence of remdesivir-induced renal dysfunction has not been investigated until now. The present study explored the clinical factors and laboratory data that predict remdesivir-induced renal dysfunction. The subjects were COVID-19 patients and we determined the endpoint as dialysis or death within 29 days. Background status parameters included (1) estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, (2) serum creatinine (SCr) ratios to baseline > 1.5, (3) SCr ratios to upper limits > 1.5, (4) alanine aminotransferase ratios to upper limits > 5, (5) administration days, (6) sex, (7) age, (8) height, (9) weight, (10) dexamethasone use, and (11) SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Results: In a total of 490 patients, a multivariate analysis showed that status (2) (odds ratio [OR] 8.342, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.589-43.788, P=0.012) and status (7) (OR 7.620, CI 1.181-49.169, P=0.033) at 72 years or more were significant factors for remdesivir-induced renal dysfunction. To monitor renal function after remdesivir administration in COVID-19 patients, SCr ratios to baseline may work better than those to the upper limits.

Background: To see how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the 3-year use of parenteral antimicrobials, we attempted a historical control study. Main body: Materials were the electronic medical record on the use of a total of 33 antimicrobials. We compared antimicrobial use density (AUD) of pre-pandemic 1 year (PreY), the first pandemic year (Pan1Y), and the second pandemic year (Pan2Y). Our antimicrobial team monitored all in-patients and COVID-19 patients underwent clinical pathways with antivirals. Results: showed that in a total of 20,013 patients (7,534, 6,146, and 6,333 for PreY, Pan1Y, and Pan2Y), sepsis-3 was diagnosed in 152, 132, and 283 patients while Clostridioides difficile toxin tests were positive in 17, 5, and 7 patients, respectively. Among patients with COVID-19 (N=622) at a median age of 58 (range, 1-99), 11 (1.8%) died; parenteral antimicrobials were given in 59 patients (9.5%) preceded by bacteriological tests in 48 (81.4%). Comparing before and during the pandemic, parametric analyses showed that the means of total AUD decreased from 16.767 (PreY) to 15.62 (Pan1Y+Pan2Y) (P=0.034). Likewise, the means of carbapenems’ AUD showed decrease from 0.773 (PreY) to 0.462 (Pan1Y) but increase into 0.777 (Pan2Y) (P=0.001).The non-parametric comparison between COVID-19 and other wards showed that the medians of AUD in the COVID-19 wards were significantly (PConclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic stewardship decreased the total AUD and may have contributed to decrease ESBL-producing microbes and C. difficile infection. The burden of sepsis-3 may have fluctuated the carbapenems’ use.

Background Sotrovimab has been developed to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 which remained effective at the advent of B.1 lineage of the Omicron variant. To investigate post-infusion clinical events and their risk factors, we performed a retrospective study.Methods Subjects were a consecutive series of inpatients with COVID-19 undergoing an infusion of sotrovimab in our institute. In accordance with previous clinical trials, we included patients at risk but permitted SARS-CoV-2 vaccinees. For statistical analyses, we reviewed background factors of demographics, imaging, and laboratory findings for the outcome of post-infusion events such as temperature over 38 degrees Celsius (Temp38) and pulse oximetry below 94%.Results Of a total of 136 patients, the median follow-up was 47 days. Among 110 fully vaccinated patients (80.9%) for SARS-CoV-2, 2-time vaccinees accounted for 88 while 3-time vaccinees were 22. Three patients (2.2%) showed worsening of COVID-19; one developed hypoxia and two died. For the outcome of Temp38 (N=41), multivariate analysis showed that factors at risk were younger age (2) (OR 8.657, 95% CI 1.030 – 72.786, P=0.047) and pulse oximetry (

Purpose To reduce Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), we implemented interprofessional antimicrobial, infection control, and diagnostic stewardship (ipAS) conducted by physicians/pharmacists, infection control nurses, and medical technologists, respectively. As a numerical indicator for ipAS, we used antimicrobial use density (AUD) in an 8-year study to validate its efficacy in CDI reduction. Patients and methods This was an observational study. CDI was defined as stool samples or C. difficile isolates containing toxin A and/or B from a patient with diarrhea occurring three or more times per day. From 2011-2018 at a 10-ward single site the subjects were in-patients with CDI, and the following data were collected: AUDs for 23 antibiotics, and antimicrobial test results. By 2015, we had established ipAS, consisting of culture submission before the administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, the promotion of point-of-care testing for diagnosis-based antimicrobials, perioperative prophylactic antibiotics, intervention at positive diagnosis of blood culture, team round for diarrhea, and inspection on contact precautions and disinfection in CDI cases. The study outcomes included annual numbers of CDI patients and blood culture sets. We compared annual AUDs between former (2011-14) and latter (2015-18) periods using Kruskal-Wallis tests and examined the correlation between AUDs and CDI numbers. Results Of a total 50,970 patients, 1,750 patients underwent C. difficile toxin tests, of whom 171 patients (9.8%) were positive for CDI. Between the former and latter periods, AUDs for flomoxef (11.96 to 2.71 by medians), panipenem/betamipron (0.30 to 0.00), and clindamycin (3.87 to 2.19) significantly decreased (P

Purpose To reduce Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI), we implemented interprofessional antimicrobial, infection control, and diagnostic stewardship (ipAS) conducted by physicians/pharmacists, infection control nurses, and medical technologists, respectively. As a numerical indicator for ipAS, we used antimicrobial use density (AUD) in an 8-year study to validate its efficacy in CDI reduction. Patients and methods This was an observational study. CDI was defined as stool samples or C. difficile isolates containing toxin A and/or B from a patient with diarrhea occurring three or more times per day. From 2011–2018 at a 10-ward single site the subjects were in-patients with CDI, and the following data were collected: AUDs for 23 antibiotics, and antimicrobial test results. By 2015, we had established ipAS, consisting of culture submission before the administration of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, the promotion of point-of-care testing for diagnosis-based antimicrobials, perioperative prophylactic antibiotics, intervention at positive diagnosis of blood culture, team round for diarrhea, and inspection on contact precautions and disinfection in CDI cases. The study outcomes included annual numbers of CDI patients and blood culture sets. We compared annual AUDs between former (2011–14) and latter (2015–18) periods using Kruskal–Wallis tests and examined the correlation between AUDs and CDI numbers. Results Of a total 50,970 patients, 1,750 patients underwent C. difficile toxin tests, of whom 171 patients (9.8%) were positive for CDI. Between the former and latter periods, AUDs for flomoxef (11.96 to 2.71 by medians), panipenem/betamipron (0.30 to 0.00), and clindamycin (3.87 to 2.19) significantly decreased (P

Junichi Yoshida, Yukiko Harada, Tetsuya Kikuchi, Ikuyo Asano, Takako Ueno, Nobuo Matsubara Infection Control Committee, Shimonoseki City Hospital, Shimonoseki, Japan Abstract: The aim of this study was to elucidate risk factors, including ward antimicrobial use density (AUD), for central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in a 430-bed community hospital using central venous lines with closed-hub systems. We calculated AUD as (total dose)/(defined daily dose × patient days) ×1,000 for a total of 20 drugs, nine wards, and 24 months. Into each line day data, we inputed AUD and device utilization ratios, number of central line days, and CLABSI. The ratio of susceptible strains in isolates were subjected to correlation analysis with AUD. Of a total of 9,997 line days over 24 months, CLABSI was present in 33 cases (3.3 ‰), 14 (42.4%) of which were on surgical wards out of nine wards. Of a total of 43 strains isolated, eight (18.6%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); none of the MRSA-positive patients had received cefotiam before the onset of infection. Receiver-operating characteristic analysis showed that central line day 7 had the highest accuracy. Logistic regression analysis showed the central line day showed an odds ratio of 5.511 with a 95% confidence interval of 1.936–15.690 as did AUD of cefotiam showing an odds ratio of 0.220 with 95% confidence interval of 0.00527–0.922 (P=0.038). Susceptible strains ratio and AUD showed a negative correlation (R2=0.1897). Thus, CLABSI could be prevented by making the number of central line days as short as possible. The preventative role of AUD remains to be investigated. Keywords: bloodstream infection, central line, antimicrobial use density

Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infectious diarrhea in the developed world. Retrospective studies have shown a lower incidence of C. difficile infection (CDI) in Japan than in Europe or North America. Prospective studies are needed to determine if this is due lack of testing for C. difficile or a true difference in CDI epidemiology. A prospective cohort study of CDI was conducted from May 2014 to May 2015 at 12 medical facilities (20 wards) in Japan. Patients with at least three diarrheal bowel movements (Bristol stool grade 6–7) in the preceding 24 h were enrolled. CDI was defined by positive result on enzyme immunoassay for toxins A/B, nucleic acid amplification test for the toxin B gene or toxigenic culture. C. difficile isolates were subjected to PCR-ribotyping (RT), slpA-sequence typing (slpA-ST), and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The overall incidence of CDI was 7.4/10,000 patient-days (PD). The incidence was highest in the five ICU wards (22.2 CDI/10,000 PD; range: 13.9–75.5/10,000 PD). The testing frequency and CDI incidence rate were highly correlated (R2 = 0.91). Of the 146 isolates, RT018/018″ was dominant (29%), followed by types 014 (23%), 002 (12%), and 369 (11%). Among the 15 non-ICU wards, two had high CDI incidence rates (13.0 and 15.9 CDI/10,000 PD), with clusters of RT018/slpA-ST smz-02 and 018”/smz-01, respectively. Three non-RT027 or 078 binary toxin-positive isolates were found. All RT018/018” isolates were resistant to moxifloxacin, gatifloxacin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. This study identified a higher CDI incidence in Japanese hospitals than previously reported by actively identifying and testing patients with clinically significant diarrhea. This suggests numerous patients with CDI are being overlooked due to inadequate diagnostic testing in Japan.

Background The optimal and practical laboratory diagnostic approach for detection of Clostridioides difficile to aid in the diagnosis of C. difficile infection (CDI) is controversial. A two-step algorithm with initial detection of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) or nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) alone are recommended as a predominant method for C. difficile detection in developed countries. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) detecting toxins A and B, NAAT detecting the toxin B gene, and GDH compared to toxigenic culture (TC) for C. difficile as the gold standard, in patients prospectively and actively assessed with clinically significant diarrhea in 12 medical facilities in Japan. Methods A total of 650 stool specimens were collected from 566 patients with at least three diarrheal bowel movements (Bristol stool grade 6–7) in the preceding 24 h. EIA and GDH were performed at each hospital, and NAAT and toxigenic C. difficile culture with enriched media were performed at the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. All C. difficile isolates recovered were analyzed by PCR-ribotyping. Results Compared to TC, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of EIA were 41%, 96%, 75% and 84%, respectively, and for NAAT were 74%, 98%, 91%, and 92%, respectively. In 439 specimens tested with GDH, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 73%, 87%, 65%, and 91%, and for an algorithm (GDH plus toxin EIA, arbitrated by NAAT) were 71%, 96%, 85%, and 91%, respectively. Among 157 isolates recovered, 75% of isolates corresponded to one of PCR-ribotypes (RTs) 002, 014, 018/018”, and 369; RT027 was not isolated. No clear differences in the sensitivities of any of EIA, NAAT and GDH for four predominant RTs were found. Conclusion The analytical sensitivities of NAAT and GDH-algorithm to detect toxigenic C. difficile in this study were lower than most previous reports. This study also found low PPV of EIAs. The optimal method to detect C. difficile or its toxins to assist in the diagnosis of CDI needs further investigation.

Prolonged use of totally implantable access ports (APs) and central lines (CLs) has been known to carry a risk of bloodstream infection (BSI), but the safe cutoff day for discontinuing use remains unknown. We performed a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis to determine this cutoff.A retrospective 24-month study covered a total of 22,481 days of device use. For each day of use, the following findings were recorded: patient age and sex; presence or absence of diabetes mellitus, preexisting sepsis, and renal disease; and occurrence of device-associated BSI. BSI was defined in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definition of catheter-related infection.BSIs occurred in 81 patients with an AP, for a BSI rate of 2.81 cases per 1,000 days of use. Among the 896 patients with a CL, the BSI rate was 5.60 cases per 1,000 days of use. The ROC analysis found a cutoff time of 33 days for APs (median days of use, 48) and 10 days for CLs (median days of use, 20.5). For the total 22,481 days of use, the odds ratio between APs and CLs with respect to BSI was 0.556 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.256-1.208; P = .138). Days of use beyond the cutoff had an odds ratio of 2.867 (95% CI, 1.823-4.507; P.001). Among the risk factors, preexisting sepsis had an odds ratio of 7.843 (95% CI, 4.666-13.184; P.001).Use of an AP for more than 33 days and a CL for more than 10 days may carry an increased risk of device-associated BSI. These cutoff periods are longer than those expected at the time of device placement and indicate the importance of postplacement care.

The effects of hypnotics are one of the many causes of falls.However few studies have been done on a relationship between falls and hypnotics use in Japan.We studied 109 patients who had experienced falls in hospital.The male to female ratio was 6:4,mean age was 67 years,22% of them had hepatic dysfunction,and 12% had renal dysfunction.Among them,38.5% were on hypnotics,and other frequently prescribed drugs were diuretics,analgesic antipyretics and laxatives.The incidence of falls for hypnotics was higher in subjects on the ultra-short-acting type (1.6 to 6.2%) than in those on the short-acting type (5.0 to 6.8%).For ultra-short-acting hypnotics,the incidences were similar in the daytime and nighttime,but for short-acting hypnotics,the incidence was higher in the daytime than in the nighttime,suggesting a persistent diurnal effect.A questionnaire survey of physicians revealed that they selected hypnotics mainly based on the types of insomnia,duration of the hypnotic’s effect and the age of patients.They paid only a little attention to hepatic or renal function or metabolic pathways in patients.In order to prevent falls,we posted a recommendation in our electronic medical records system that physicians prescribe ultra-short-acting hypnotics whenever possible.Afterwards,the number of patients prescribed ultrashort-acting hypnotics increased by 75% and the number of patients who experienced falls during treatment with hypnotics decreased from 42 to 25 over a 4-month observation period.Our findings suggest that it is important to select hypnotics for elderly patients in consideration of hepatic function,which may influence the lingering effects of hypnotics.

We aimed to evaluate the risk factors, including the hospital epidemiology of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), for central venous line-associated and laboratory-confirmed bloodstream infections (CLA-BSI and LC-BSI, respectively). The risk factors examined included the age and sex of patients, whether or not they were in the surgery service, the number of days of central line (CL) placement, the monthly number of inpatients and those positive for MRSA, and whether the standard or maximal barrier precautions were observed at CL insertion. As the outcome factors, we selected CLA-BSI and LC-BSI, while precluding repeated isolation within 28 days. Of a total of 22 723 device days in 927 patients with CL placement, we observed 81 CLA-BSIs and 40 LC-BSIs, rates of 3.56 and 1.76 (/1000 device-days), respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed a single significant factor, CL placement of more than 30 days, with odds ratios of 3.038 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.733–5.326; P

Scaling symmetry of \({\widehat{\mathfrak{gl}}_n}\) -type Drinfel’d–Sokolov hierarchy is investigated. Applying similarity reduction to the hierarchy, one can obtain the Schlesinger equation with (n + 1) regular singularities. Especially in the case of n = 3, the hierarchy contains the three-wave resonant system and the similarity reduction gives the generic case of the Painleve VI equation. We also discuss Weyl group symmetry of the hierarchy.

The hierarchy structure of a derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation is investigated in terms of the Sato-Segal-Wilson formulation. Special solutions are constructed as ratios of Wronski determinants. Relations to the Painleve IV and the discrete Painleve I are discussed by applying a similarity reduction.

We study a pair of commuting difference operators arising from the elliptic solution of the dynamical Yang-Baxter equation of type C2. The operators act on the space of meromorphic functions on the weight space of (4,). We show that these operators can be identified with the system by van Diejen and by Komori-Hikami with special parameters. It turns out that our case can be related to the difference Lame operator (two-body Ruijsenaars operator) and thereby we diagonalize the system on the finite-dimensional space spanned by the level-one characters of the C2(1)-affine Lie algebra.

A series of 61 cases of achalasia of the esophagus underwent cardioplasty at the hospital from January 1985 to December 1996, and of these 61 cases, there were 11 cases of reoperation and 50 cases of initial operation. Reoperations were conducted by modified Jekler method in nine cases in which myotomy was possible, by fundic patch method advocated by Thal-Hatafuku and others in the remaining two cases in which myotomy was impposible. Esophageal inner pressure was measured before, during and after the operation to gain the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) and high pressure zone (HPZ). There was no remakable difference in LESP and HPZ among initial operation cases, whole reoperation cases, and reoperation cases by modified Jekler method. On the overall evaluation according to Payne' s criteria, however, all cases of initial operation were rated as excellent, but among reoperated cases two cases undergoing modified Jekler method and one cases undergoing fundic patch were rated as good and one case undergoing fundic patch was rated as fair due to regurgitant esophagitis. Compared with modified Jekler method, fundic patch tended to make severe degree of cicatrization that might cause the difference in surgical outcome. It is thought that the reoperation for esophageal alachasia may result in relatively favorable outcome by performing myotomy as possible as we can.

This study was performed to elucidate the relationship between antimicrobial use density (AUD) and Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) manifesting as antimicrobial-associated diarrhea (AAD) in hospital wards during a 4-year period. Case definition of CDI was an adult exhibiting AAD with a daily stool frequency of three or more, arising at least 48 hours after ward admission, and fecal samples testing positive for toxin (A and/or B). Metronidazole or vancomycin was orally administered as treatment. AUDs were calculated for a total of 21 antimicrobials in a span of 48 months and nine wards. We included the average value of AUDs, representing two succeeding months of sample submission into the sample information. We also entered data on the 2-year division and intensified contact precaution for statistical analysis. Of a total of 463 cases, 95 (20.5%) were CDI-positive. Multivariate regression analysis showed odds ratios [OR] of 1.739 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.050 - 2.881, P = 0.032) and 1.598 (95% CI of 1.006 -2.539, P = 0.047) for clindamycin and piperacillin, respectively in AUD. Thus increased ward AUDs of clindamycin and piperacillin may run the risk of CDI.

Junichi Yoshida, Tetsuya Kikuchi, Nobuo Matsubara, Ikuko Asano, Nobumichi Ogami Infection Control Committee, Shimonoseki City Hospital, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi, Japan Abstract: It is not known whether or not ward-specific antimicrobial use density (AUD) affects the ratio of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in culture-positive S. aureus. A 60-month study was attempted to ascertain the association between inpatient MRSA ratio and ward-specific AUDs as well as the former and latter study intervals, specimen types, and ward specialty. During the study, the professionals in infection control regulated the use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials and those for MRSA. By both month and ward, the ratio of inpatients positive for MRSA to those positive for S. aureus was calculated. Factors associated with MRSA ratio included AUDs averaged for the sampling month and its previous month, outpatient MRSA ratio by age, ward specialty, specimen type, and half intervals to represent historical changes. Of a total of 4,245 strains of S. aureus isolated during the 5-year study, 2,232 strains (52.6%) were MRSA. By year, outpatient MRSA ratio at age ≥15 decreased in later years, as did inpatient MRSA ratio. Multivariate analysis for inpatient MRSA ratio revealed a positive risk in AUDs for meropenem (odds ratio [OR] 1.761; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.761–2.637, P = 0.01), imipenem-cilastatin (OR 1.583; 95% CI 1.087–2.306, P = 0.02), ampicillin-sulbactam (OR 1.623; 95% CI 1.114–2.365, P = 0.01), and minocycline (OR 1.680; CI 1.135–2.487, P = 0.01), respiratory care ward (OR 2.292; 95% CI 1.085–4.841, P = 0.03), and outpatient MRSA ratio (OR 1.536; 95% CI 1.070–2.206, P = 0.02). Use of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, such as meropenem, imipenem-cilastatin, and ampicillin-sulbactam may increase inpatient MRSA ratio. Ward factor should be included in MRSA surveillance because of the possible effect on AUD and considering patients' backgrounds. Keywords: surveillance, respiratory tract, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

1985～93年までに縦隔全長を郭清した胸部食道癌切除例426例を対象に3領域郭清 (3F) 184例, 上縦隔重点2領域郭清 (2F) 137例, その他2領域郭清 (2S) 105例に分け, 手術成績および遠隔成績を検討した. 3Fの選択基準はIu例, USで頸部転移を疑う症例, 上縦隔転移例とした. 転移率は3F80.9%, 2F 60.9%, 2S 56.2%, 3F の頸部転移率は30.4%であった. 3Fの手術死亡率の増加はなかった. 拡大郭清導入後の5生率は40.2%で従来の右開胸標準2領域郭清の23.4%より有意の向上をみた. 1985年以降のC3-1切除例の5生率は3F 42.9%, 2F 56.5%, 2S 40.4%で有意差はなかった. 3Fの予後向上因子の検討ではn (+), stage IV, 転移個数1～3個で3Fが2Fより有意差はないが高い生存曲線を示した. 3Fで頸部転移例の5生率は31.3%で縦隔や胃周囲転移例と同等であり, 頸部郭清の有効性が認められた. 一方, n (-), smでは3Fと2Fに差はなく, 進行度診断で郭清する我々の選択基準の妥当性が示された.

From 1998, 61 (11%) patients aged 74 years out of 558 patients who underwent esophagectomy for thoracic esophageal cancer were studied at postoperative pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage were more frequent in aged patients than younger patients, especially pulmonary complications (p

We propose a modification of the AKNS hierarchy that includes the "modified" Pohlmeyer-Lund-Regge (mPLR) equation. Similarity reductions of this hierarchy give the second, third, and fourth Painlev\'e equations. Especially, we present a new Lax representation and a complete description of the symmetry of the third Painlev\'e equation through the similarity reduction. We also show the relation between the tau-function of the mPLR hierarchy and Painlev\'e equations., Comment: 23 pages

We study a similarity reduction of the modified Yajima-Oikawa hierarchy. The hierarchy is associated with a non-standard Heisenberg subalgebra in the affine Lie algebra of type A_2^{(1)}. The system of equations for self-similar solutions is presented as a Hamiltonian system of degree of freedom two, and admits a group of B\"acklund transformations isomorphic to the affine Weyl group of type A_2^{(1)}. We show that the system is equivalent to a two-parameter family of the fifth Painlev\'e equation., Comment: latex2e file, 18 pages, no figures; (v2)Introduction is modified. Some typos are corrected

We study a pair of commuting difference operators arising from the elliptic C_2^{(1)}-face model. The operators, whose coefficients are expressed in terms of the Jacobi's elliptic theta function, act on the space of meromorphic functions on the weight space of the C_2 type simple Lie algebra. We show that the space of functions spanned by the level one characters of the affine Lie algebra sp(4,C) is invariant under the action of the difference operators., Comment: latex2e file, 19 pages, no figures; added references

A generalization of the Drinfel'd-Sokolov hierarchies is proposed using the framework of Sato-Wilson dressing method. In the case of the A1(1)-type affine Lie group, we obtain the hierarchy that includes the derivative nonlinear Schrodinger equation. We give two types of affine Weyl group symmetry of the hierarchy based on the Gauss decomposition. The fourth Painleve equation and its Weyl group symmetry are obtained as a similarity reduction. We also discuss the connection between the reduced system and monodromy-preserving deformations.

This paper describes the experimental results on the orthogonally polarized mode conversion in a YIG rib channel waveguide, in which a small magnetic field induced around the electrode deposited on the waveguide was used. The dependence of mode conversion efficiency on the coupling length and the effect of a d.c. bias field applied to the waveguide were investigated. The Faraday rotation angle of the fabricated YIG rib channel waveguide was found to be 160° cm−1, which was a reasonable value compared with that in the YIG planar waveguide reported previously. Furthermore, an increase in conversion efficiency and a decrease in switching time were found in the presence of a d.c. magnetic bias field.

スキンーコア各部の機械的性質にはたす役割は古くより論ぜられ,一般にスキン部の強度が大きいと考えられてきた。Chamberlainらは,不均一酢化法により剥皮した人絹につきこの傾向を実際に呈示した。しかし,この方法では酢化中の崩壊はまぬかれず,またケン化をアルカリ性で行うため,その影響が懸念される。そこで,著者らは,不均一硝化法により剥皮した人絹につき,剥皮操作中の繊維の劣化を検討しつつ機械的性質を測定し,その分布状態を調べた。ビスコース人絹の最外層部はほとんど強度を負っていず,いわゆるスキン部付近に最大値があり,内部に至ると次第に減少する。タイヤコード人絹では一般に衣料用ビスコース人絹より分布は小さい。ベンベルグ人絹の分布はまた特有の分布形態をもっているが,これらの分布様式と繊維の微細構造につき,その関連を考察した。

熱処理により人絹の膨潤度を低下させる研究はいろいろ試みられているが,ここでは熱処理時の水の存在状態におもに着目した。すなわち,一方は封管中で繊維と所定量の水を十分平衡状態としたのち熱処理し(I形式)他方は封管中に繊維と水を分離して入れ,熱処理時にアンプルを毀し過熱水を繊維と接触させた(II形式)。そして,水分量を変えた一連の試料をえた。これらの試料につき,X線,ヨウ素吸着等より結晶性を調べ,膨潤度を測定し,また機械的性質,赤外線吸収スペクトルを検討した。その結果,この2形式は,熱処理時の挙動を異にしていることを認めた。I形式処理の方が,より少ない水量で低い膨潤度を示し,繊維の崩壊も少ない。また,赤外線吸収スペクトルにおいて,11μ の吸収強度は膨潤度の低下とともに増大する。

紡糸後,一度も乾燥をうけていない人絹の最初の乾燥条件と微細構造との関連を明らかにするため,まず対照的な二,三の条件で乾燥した人絹の膨潤度, ヨウ素吸着量, 重水に対するAccessibilityを測定し, 更に硝化剥皮法により剥皮した人絹につき,重合度およびヨウ素吸着量を測定し,それらの半径方向の分布を求め,スキンーコア形成に及ぼす乾燥条件の影響をしらべた。その結果,乾燥条件はX線,重水に対するAccessibilityには余り反映しないが,ヨウ素吸着量には著しい差異を示している。また,ゆるやかに乾燥した糸ほど半径方向の重合度分布はゆるやかで,同時にスキンの厚さも厚い。この事実は繊維の断面写真からも観察された。これらの結果は,乾燥条件を検討する際,スキンーコア形成の因子をも考慮すべきことを示すものである。

人絹の半径方向の不均一性の一つとして, 結晶度の分布があげられるが, 従来からスキン部よりもコア部の結晶性がすぐれており,それが人絹の物性に大きく寄与していると考えられてきた。そこで著者らは, 不均一硝化法により剥皮した人絹についてヨウ素吸着量を測定し, 半径方向に著しい分布があり, しかもそれが重合度分布に対応しており, 人絹の種類により分布様式の異なることを知った。一般に,ビスコース人絹ではスキン部の吸着量が大きく,コア部では小さいが,ベンベルグ人絹では表面の吸着量は小さい。吸着量の絶対値は,べンベルグ人絹,衣料用ビスコース人絹,タイヤコード人絹の順に大きい。

A non-radioisotopic and sensitive method for quantification of specific DNA immobilized in microtiter wells has been developed. This method is based upon the immobilization of DNA in microtiter wells and hybridization with biotinylated DNA probe which is followed by complexing with avidin-β-galactosidase. By measuring fluorescence emitted from the hydrolyzed product by β-galactosidase of 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-D-galactoside, it has become possible to quantify a few picograms of specific DNA in DNA samples immobilized in plastic microtiter wells.

Sympathectomy enhanced carbonic anhydrase activity, increased the rate of oxidative phosphorylation and the ATP and potassium contents of the canine gastric mucosa. Vagotomy was essentially without effect.