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Background Serum angiotensin converting enzyme (SACE) is considered to reflect disease activity in sarcoidosis. SACE activity is increased in many patients with active sarcoid lesions. The mechanism for the increased SACE activity in this disease has not been clarified. ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism has been reported to have an association with SACE levels in sarcoidosis, but no evidence of an association between angiotensin II receptor gene polymorphism and SACE in this disease has been found. A study of the association of angiotensin II receptor gene polymorphisms with sarcoidosis was therefore undertaken. Methods ACE (I/D), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AGTR1), and angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AGTR2 ) gene polymorphisms were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and SACE levels were measured in three groups of patients: those with sarcoidosis or tuberculosis and normal controls. Results There was no difference in allele frequency of AGTR1 and AGTR2 polymorphism among the three groups. Neither AGTR1 nor AGTR2 polymorphisms were associated with sarcoidosis. SACE activity was higher in patients with sarcoidosis with the AGTR1 A/C genotype than in others. However, this tendency was not detected in patients with tuberculosis. Conclusions The AGTR1 allele C is associated with high activity of SACE in patients with sarcoidosis. It is another predisposing factor for high levels of SACE in patients with sarcoidosis and is considered to be an independent factor from the ACE D allele for high levels of SACE in sarcoidosis. This fact could be one of the explanations for the increased SACE activity in sarcoidosis.

The Honda New Prelude is described. The various features and improvements in design and construction since the Prelude was first issued in November 1978, which take account of modern vehicle design practice and technology are outlined.

The upper limit of steam temperature which 12Cr steel rotors can withstand has been considered to be 566°C, but the recent projects on the advanced steam turbine of large capacity demand to raise it. The key factor in upgrading the creep rupture strength of the existing 12Cr steel rotors is to adjust “Equivalent Molybdenum Content” to the optimum, which is 1.5 percent in case no tungsten is contained. A HP-IP rotor, of 11 tons in final machined weight, for EPDC’s Wakamatsu high-temperature turbine to be operated with 593/593°C steam, has been manufactured with the chemical composition of C 0.14, Si 0.08, Mn 0.51, P 0.013, S 0.001, Ni 0.60, Cr 10.23, Mo 1.48, V 0.17, Nb 0.056, N 0.045, and Al 0.002 percent, respectively, through ESR process, Its creep rupture strength after heat treatment is 122 MPa for 593°C and 105 hr. The paper reports the concept of this material and the actual achievement in Wakamatsu rotor forging, referring to the working condition expected on the rotors for 1000 MW-class advanced steam turbine.