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We aimed to understand the effect of biological interactions on the distribution of small pelagic fishes. Surveys were conducted during 2003-2019 using sea surface trawl nets in the western and central North Pacific Ocean, covering an area between 143° E and 165° W, to estimate the distributions of 4 small pelagic fishes: Pacific saury Cololabis saira, Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, and Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus. These species are potential competitors, as they all occupy a similar niche. Japanese anchovy was abundant during 2003-2012, while Japanese sardine and chub mackerel were abundant during 2013-2019. Only Pacific saury was distributed throughout the survey area, while the others occurred within the area west of 180° longitude (WA). Pacific saury and its potential competitors showed adjacent distributions, with a slight overlap along sea surface temperature gradients in the WA. This distribution pattern remained even when Japanese sardine expanded its distribution to colder waters and increased in abundance after 2013, resulting in a shift in the distribution of Pacific saury to colder waters and a period of high densities of Japanese sardine. Such a distribution shift of Pacific saury was not observed in the area east of 180° longitude, where no Japanese sardine was observed. These results suggest the possibility that biological interactions such as inter-species competition can be an important factor in determining the distribution of small pelagic fishes.

Sp2-bonded boron nitride (BN) films with different B-to-N ratios are deposited on Si and Ni substrates at an ion impact energy of around 50 eV by surface-wave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The overall crystallinity and order of sp2 bonding structure are almost retained with increasing BF3/N2 gas flow ratio in the plasma, while the B-to-N ratio in the film is varied from 0.89 to 0.96. The electrical resistivity of the films measured at room temperature for Ni-BN-Ni structures shows a large increase up to the order of 1010 Ω cm when the B-to-N ratio in the film is increased closer to the stoichiometry due to a lower density of defect states related to the boron vacancy. The characteristics of leakage current vs. applied bias voltage show Ohmic behavior at low fields and non-Ohmic behavior governed by the thermionic emission mechanism at high fields for any B-to-N ratio.

The present study demonstrates for the first time, the development of mesoporous zirconium hydroxide with high CO2 capacity and sustainable adsorption-desorption performance within a broad range of pressures (100-3000 kPa). Mesoporous zirconium hydroxide with a high surface area of ∼400 m(2) g(-1) was prepared by a simple and easy-to-handle precipitation route. The prepared high surface area mesoporous zirconium hydroxide exhibited significantly higher CO2 adsorption uptake and working adsorption capacity on a volumetric basis within a wide range of operating pressures of 100-3000 kPa than commercially available zeolite 13X. Reversible CO2 desorption was easily achieved by a pressure swing at moderate temperatures (298.15 K). Additionally, the prepared mesoporous zirconium hydroxide was adequately stable and strong to effectuate CO2 capture over multiple adsorption-desorption cycles without major reductions in its CO2 adsorption capacity. Furthermore, the effect of co-adsorbed water on the CO2 adsorption properties of mesoporous zirconium hydroxide was investigated. In the presence of co-adsorbed water, mesoporous zirconium hydroxide displayed reversible CO2 adsorption-desorption behavior in contrast to zeolite 13X that exhibited negligible CO2 adsorption within the wide range of pressures examined. The present study demonstrates the potential of high surface area mesoporous zirconium hydroxide toward efficient CO2 capturing processes.

We have computed Peierls stresses of dislocations in a variety of crystals by applying a new discretized Peierls-Nabarro model (D-PN model) of the dislocation using the calculated ab-initio γ-surface. In the D-PN model, the disregistry distribution of atomic-row pairs facing at the glide plane is determined by the balance between the restoring stress due to the disregistry and the internal stress by an array of small dislocations placed at every intermediate position of atomic-row pairs, instead of continuous distribution of infinitesimal dislocations in the original PN model. Peierls stresses have been obtained by applying the shear stress to the model under which the structure is allowed to relax. The calculated Peierls stresses are largely reduced compared with those previously obtained by the original PN model (Y. Kamimura et al., Acta Mater. 148 (2018) 355-362), although the dislocation widths of the two models are almost the same. They have a good correlation with those experimentally estimated by Y. Kamimura et al. (Acta Mater. 61 (2013) 294-306) except for some very soft crystals, though the calculated Peierls stresses are generally still larger than those of experiments by a few factor.

The Layer-by-Layer (LbL) method using polyelectrolytes is a typical strategy for preparing functional polymeric multi-layered films. Besides the electrostatic force between positively and negatively charged polyelectrolytes, the hybridization force between complementary DNA strands can be also used for building the DNA LbL films. Herein, we report the thermal responsible DNA LbL film that is designed to release specific DNA oligomers (10 bases) at an elevated temperature. Because the temperature and the ionic strength (IS) of the medium affect the hydrogen bonds in the double stranded DNA, the structural stability of the film against temperature and IS was investigated. The loading and release of the releasable oligomers were repeatedly performed on the DNA LbL film.

Hierarchically porous MFI zeolites (ZSM-5) have been synthesized by hydrothermal treatment in the presence of trialkoxysilylated-derivatives of nonionic poly(oxyethylene) alkyl ether or alkyl quaternary ammonium cation as mesopore-generating agent, along with tetrapropylammonium cation as zeolite structure-directing agent. Powder X-ray diffraction revealed that zeolites have been crystallized, and scanning electron microscopy showed rugged surface morphology that was quite different from conventional ZSM-5. The mesoporosity was confirmed by nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurement showing type IV isotherms with narrow distribution of mesopore diameters. The catalytic activity of these mesoporous ZSM-5 was tested in liquid-phase esterification of benzyl alcohol with hexanoic acid. The conversion of benzyl alcohol on mesoporous ZSM-5 prepared via cationic-templating route was almost 100%, being much higher than on mesoporous ZSM-5 prepared with silylated nonionic surfactant as well as on conventional ZSM-5 with no mesopores. The presence of Brønsted acid sites, together with the mesopores, was responsible for this catalytic conversion, as confirmed by pyridine adsorption monitored by in situ infrared and 27Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

The giant dielectric response in Cd-doped CaCu3Ti4O12 ceramics was studied over the temperature range from 40 K to 850 K. In all Ca x Cd1−x Cu3Ti4O12 system, two broad dielectric dispersions around 150 K and 650 K and a dielectric anomaly at T 1 were observed. The T 1 decreases linearly with increasing Cd-molar ratio (x) from 733 K for CaCu3Ti4O12 to 632 K for CdCu3Ti4O12. CdCu3Ti4O12 exhibits ϵ ∼ 0.6 × 104 at room temperature and 1.4 × 104 at T 1 (1 MHz). This evidence shows CdCu3Ti4O12 is still a member of high-dielectric materials in contrast to a previous work (ϵ ∼ 409 at 100 kHz).

B7 ligands deliver both costimulatory and coinhibitory signals to the CD28 family of receptors on T lymphocytes, the balance between which determines the ultimate immune response. Although B7-H4, a recently discovered member of the B7 family, is known to negatively regulate T cell immunity in autoimmunity and cancer, its role in solid organ allograft rejection and tolerance has not been established. Targeting the B7-H4 molecule by a blocking antibody or use of B7-H4(-/-) mice as recipients of fully MHC-mismatched cardiac allografts did not affect graft survival. However, B7-H4 blockade resulted in accelerated allograft rejection in CD28-deficient recipients. B7-1/B7-2-double-deficient recipients are truly independent of CD28/CTLA-4:B7 signals and usually accept MHC-mismatched heart allografts. Blockade of B7-H4 in these mice also precipitated rejection, demonstrating regulatory function of this molecule independent of an intact CD28/CTLA-4:B7 costimulatory pathway. Accelerated allograft rejection was always accompanied by increased frequencies of alloreactive IFN-γ-, IL-4- and Granzyme B-producing splenocytes. Finally, intact recipient, but not donor, B7-H4 is essential for prolongation of allograft survival by blocking CD28/CTLA4:B7 pathway using CTLA4-Ig. These data are the first to provide evidence of the regulatory effects of B7-H4 in alloimmune responses in a murine model of solid organ transplantation.

Crude enzyme extract was obtained from a low-pH soil from a tea field by shaking with 0.1 M PO43– buffer (pH 7.0). Hydrolytic activity toward benzyloxycarbonyl-L-Phe-L-Leu (Z-L-Phe-L-Leu) and Z-L-Phe-L-Tyr-L-Leu showed two pH optima, at about pH 5 and 9, suggesting that the soil contained at least two protease components. The acid-type protease in the extract was assumed to be Ser-carboxypeptidase because phenylmethanesulphonyl fluoride and diisopropylphosphoro fluoridate inhibited its activity. Peptide bonds in the C-terminal residues of Leu-enkephalin and angiotensin I were split more by protease than those in the N-terminal residue. The apparent molecular weight of the acid-type protease was estimated to be 75 kDa by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and the isoelectric point 4.4 by isoelectric focusing. A neutral-type protease in the extract was assumed to be a metallocarboxypeptidase because only o-phenanthrorine inhibited its activity. Peptide bonds in the C-terminal residues of Leu-enkephalin and angiotensin I were hydrolyzed to a greater extent than those in the N-terminal residues. The apparent molecular weight of the neutral-type protease was estimated to be 37 kDa and the isoelectric point 5.8, 8.0 and 9.4. The isoelectric point 9.4 fraction showed the highest relative activity.

Boron-nitride and gallium-nitride with cubic (zincblende) structure are industrial materials with great potential. The only mechanical parameters that have been measured are the Vickers and Knoop hardnesses of cubic boron-nitride (c-BN), 49 GPa and 43 GPa, respectively. They are larger than the values for SiC. No hardness values of c-GaN have been published. This paper predicts the temperature dependence of the critical shear stress {tau}{sub c} and the brittle-to-ductile transition (BDT)-temperature of c-BN and c-GaN by use of the universal relation which was recently found for tetrahedrally bonded crystals.

The temperature dependence of the yield stress T c of four bcc transition metals α-Fe, Nb, Mo and Ta, and an alkali metal K as well, follows a scaling relation of T c/T p against kT/b 3(TpKT)½, where T p is the Peierls stress, b the length of the Burgers vector and K T the line tension factor for a screw dislocation calculated for elastic anisotropy. The same relation seems to apply for the other three bcc transition metals V, Cr and W, suggesting its general applicability at least for low strain rates (about 10−4 s−1). The result implies that the plasticity of bcc metals is characterized by only one non-elastic parameter, the Peierls stress T p.

Speckle Velocimetry or high-image density PIV gives a velocity vector map of a two-dimensional flow field by point-by-point spatial frequency analysis of local pattern at an interrogation spot in a double- or a multiple-exposed image of laser speckle or pseudo-speckle pattern generated by pulsed laser-light-sheet illuminations of a plane in the flow densely seeded with fine particles. The whole field spatial frequency analysis of the double- or multiple-exposed PIV image gives more useful information of the flow field. Optical Fourier transform is a conventional technique not only for the local spatial frequency analysis but for the whole field analysis. Filtering of spatial frequency is one of the typical techniques for the latter which can reconstruct a velocity contour or a component velocity contour map of the flow. Fundamentally this technique is a simple and efficient analogue method to get more information in the velocity field analysis of the flow than a digital image processing, but in practical applications the measurement is restricted to simple flows because of optical noise and low spatial resolution. In order to improve the technique, the fundamental characteristics of the filtering and the noise yielded in the filtering process must be investigated. Meanwhile, wavelet analysis can also be applied to the whole field spatial frequency analysis of PIV image. In this paper the filtering technique is examined by numerical convolution integral, and the results obtained are compared with ones obtained by the wavelet analysis.

When confronted with starvation, the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum survives by undergoing multicellular development and sporulation. The coordination of these processes is achieved in part through intercellular communication using secreted adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and a family of cell-surface cAMP receptors (cARs). The cARs are examples of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), which enable eukaryotic cells in general to sense and respond to a wide array of environmental and hormonal signals ranging from single photons to large glycoprotein hormones. Due to their involvement in diverse physiological processes, GPCR-targeted drugs are frequently employed in medicine to treat many common conditions, including inflammation, hypertension, heart failure, and neurologic and psychiatric disorders. Because GPCRs and the pathways they regulate are conserved in virtually all eukaryotes examined to date, genetically tractable microbes such as Dictyostelium have contributed significantly to our understanding of GPCR function and regulation.

Acute ocular damage threshold of 40 GHz millimeter wave (MMW) exposure was investigated. Pigmented rabbits were exposed unilaterally to 400, 300, 200 or 100 mW/cm2 40 GHz MMW for 6 minutes by a lens antenna under systemic anesthesia. Ocular changes were evaluated by slit-lamp biomicroscopy. Miosis and corneal epithelial damage except corneal stromal opacification were observed immediately after 6 min exposure to 400 mW/cm2. Corneal stromal opacification and corneal epithelial damage occurred from 1 to 2 days after exposure. No miosis, but slight corneal epithelial damage was evident immediately after 6 min exposure to 300 mW/cm2. This slight epithelial damage healed within 24 hours. No ocular changes were seen in the 200 mW/cm2 exposure group from immediately after to 2 days after exposure upon slit-lamp examination. Acute ocular damage threshold of 40 GHz millimeter exposure was investigated using in vivo rabbit model. The ocular damage threshold of 40 GHz millimeter exposure seems to lie between 100 to 200 mW/cm2 irradiation.

Sex allocation theories provide excellent opportunities to investigate not only the extent to which individuals' behaviour is adaptive, but also how they use relevant information for their decision-making. Here, we investigated whether female parasitoid wasps recognize the sex ratios of other females and adjust their laying sex ratios accordingly. Specifically, we tested the prediction of reciprocal cooperation over sex allocation. Theory predicts more female-biased (cooperative) sex ratios than in the interest of individual benefit, when a restricted number of ovipositing females interact for a long period and their offspring mate within the natal patch. This is because the female-biased sex ratio reduces competition for mates among the male offspring of the females and increases the overall reproductive productivity of the patch. In this case, females would be expected to respond to more even (noncooperative) sex ratios by others and to retaliate by also producing a less female-biased sex ratio to avoid exploitation by defectors. However, contrary to this prediction, our experiment using a sterile male technique showed that female Melittobia australica did not change their offspring sex ratios in response to the sex ratios produced by other females. This suggests that their extremely female-biased sex ratios cannot be explained by reciprocity. A meta-analysis of studies examining sex recognition ability in parasitoid wasps also did not support the predicted pattern of relevant sex ratio adjustment, suggesting that parasitoid females do not possess this ability. Here, we discuss the conditions necessary for the evolution of reciprocity linked to recognition ability.

Single-point machining technology using a flying tool has been proposed in order to turn a supersmooth surface independently of error motions on the machine tool in use. In the process, a discoid slider with a sapphire chip follows the prefinished surface by the action of a hydrodynamic bearing. The cutting mechanism of the technology was investigated: the height of the cutting edge was maintained between the peak and the valley of the surface roughness so the surface finish was improved due to the truncation; the cutting depth was varied following the vertical acceleration of the workpiece surface with small delay, which may improve the waviness.

Male and female genitalia generally show a rapid evolutionary rate, which raises the problems related to homologization and the determination of the polarities of evolutionary changes. In earwigs (Dermaptera), multiple or branched female sperm-storage organs (spermathecae) have been reported for members of the Karschiellidae, Pygidicranidae, and Diplatyidae, collectively termed the “basal” Dermaptera. Whether the complicated spermathecae represent a plesiomorphy or an apomorphy has not been resolved. Here I report the occurrence of multiple or branched spermathecae in gamma-irradiated samples of two earwig species, Euborellia plebeja (Dohrn, 1863) (Anisolabididae) and Proreus simulans (Stal, 1860) (Chelisochidae), which belong to the “higher” Dermaptera (Apachyidae, Labiduridae, Anisolabididae, Spongiphoridae, Chelisochidae, and Forficulidae). Females belonging to the higher Dermaptera normally have a single-unbranched spermatheca. I discuss examples of possible atavisms in relation to the evolutionary pathways of spermathecal morphology. Possible atavisms in the number of male organs for sperm transfer (virgae) are also reported.

A method of holographic reconstruction of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) images by making a hologram directly from the NMR signal is described. Since the signal obtained in NMR Fresnel transform technique is given by an equation similar to that of the Fresnel diffraction equation in light, it is possible to reconstruct NMR images by recording the NMR signal as a hologram and using a coherent optical system. We propose a new image reconstruction technique using a liquid crystal spatial light modulator for displaying holograms in a coherent optical system, which would realize a real-time reconstruction of NMR images. In the experiment, it is shown that good images were obtained by electrically displayed hologram.

A method for analysing the phase propagation in autonomic oscillation of Physarum polycephalum is described. Physarum polycephalum is often used for the study of autonomous distributed systems of natural organisms. When it moves coordinatively approaching to or from from the local stimulation, the propagation of the phase wave is observed in the surface. By analyzing spatial and temporal propagation of phase wave, we can find the rules of interaction between the oscillators. In this paper, which is about the analysis methods for the propagation of phase, the contour pattern of the analysis almost corresponds to that of the fundamental harmonic frequency series. Also, it is confirmed that Physarum polycephalum has the characteristic of a non-local connection. Phase propagation for repellent stimulation shows a discontinuity of phase which is not observed for attractant stimulation by using mutual information analysis.

A method of real-time holographic reconstruction of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) images by making a hologram directly from the NMR signal is described. Since the signal obtained in the NMR Fresnel transform technique is given by an equation similar to that of the Fresnel diffraction equation in light, holographic reconstruction of NMR images is possible by recording the NMR signal as a hologram and using a coherent optical system. In this paper, the authors propose a new fast image reconstruction technique in which NMR signal is directly recorded on a liquid crystal-spatial light modulator (LCSLM) as a hologram, and NMR images are reconstructed instantaneously by illuminating the hologram with a coherent laser light. In the simulation experiment, it is shown that image reconstruction from 256/spl times/256 data-matrix was performed at a rate of about 30 msec.

Advantages of the use of directional antenna patterns for portable telephones are demonstrated. They contribute to (1) reduction of power absorption into the head, (2) reduction of multipath interference, and (3) power saving and increase of battery lifetime. The paper compares directional and omni-directional antennas with the human head existing near them, in terms of radiation patterns and absorbed power. It is pointed out that overall radiation patterns are more or less directive for both types of patterns, while power absorption into the head is much smaller for directional antenna.

We studied the bioavailability of magnesium (Mg) in spinach after boiling with distilled water, using Mg-deficient growing male rats. The rats were fed a semipurified diet (Mg:0.063 per cent (w/w)) for 3 days. then a Mg-deficient diet (Mg:0.001 per cent (w/w)) for 5 days. They were then divided randomly into 7 groups of 6 rats each, and fed the semipurified diet (Mg: 0.063, 0.045 or 0.027 per cent (w/w)), or the spinach-supplemented diet (10 per cent (w/w) dried and powdered spinach after boiling with distilled water for 3 min at 100 degrees C). The Mg content of the diets supplemented with spinach grown on chemical nutrients, and on manure from pigs, cattle and fowl, was 0.069, 0.051, 0.043 and 0.036 per cent (w/w), respectively. Water intake and volumes of urine and faeces were significantly greater in the rats fed the spinach-supplemented diets than in those fed the semipurified diets. Apparent absorption of Mg, and urinary and faecal excretions of Mg were directly related to Mg intake: no significant difference was observed amongst the groups. Both the ratios of Mg absorption and retention were significantly lower in the rats fed diets supplemented with spinach than in those fed semipurified diets. The plasma Mg level was directly related to Mg intake in the rats fed the semipurified diets and the spinach-supplemented diets. However, the plasma Mg level in the rats fed spinach grown organically on manure from fowl tended to be higher than in the other groups. From these results, it was concluded that bound Mg in spinach was effectively utilized by Mg-deficient rats, however, the absorption and retention rates of Mg in rats fed diets supplemented with spinach were decreased. Possible explanations were discussed.

The aim of this study was to clarify the effects on the grieving process of bereaved families, and to investigate what visiting nurses should do to provide support. Twelve cases in which nurses from our station provided home care in 1998 were analyzed with regard to the grieving state of the families, the families' physical conditions, social situations, and support systems. The results showed that the number of carers during the patient's period of illness, the support system, and level of communication with medical providers affected the grieving process. To minimize the load on the grieving family and help them achieve closure at an early stage, it is necessary to begin developing care ability and preparing a support system during the period of home treatment. Sufficient emotional care must also be provided for the family, including education in preparing for death. The families lean heavily on medical staff for this, and building a good relationship is therefore vital.

Home patients have few chances for going out, so communication with their family means a lot. Talking and eating are particular pleasures. Therefore, oral and dental health and oral and dental support are very important for home patients. A dental hygienist from our clinic visits and offers oral and dental health (oral care) and oral and dental support (oral rehabilitation) to home patients as part of a care plan with home care nurses. Moreover, as general conditions are closely related with oral function, maintaining oral and dental health and regular oral and dental support are very important in order to improve the quality of life (QOL) of home patients.

In the present collaborative study, popliteal lymph node (PLN) responses to penicillin G (an allergenic chemical), D-penicillamine (an autoimmunity-inducing chemical), and barbital (a negative reference chemical) were investigated in three different mouse strains by ten pharmaceutical companies. Two inbred mouse strains (BALB/c and A/J) and one outbred strain (ICR) were subcutaneously injected with saline solutions containing penicillin G (1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg/mouse), D-penicillamine (0.5, 1 and 2 mg/mouse), or barbital (2 mg/mouse) into one hind footpad and saline only was injected into the contralateral footpad. PLN cellularity indices were determined on day 7. In the three strains tested, the penicillin G and D-penicillamine injections resulted in approximately dose-dependent responses. In contrast, barbital failed to generate a significant PLN reaction. In the typical data from one of the participating laboratories, the PLN responses of A/J, BALB/c, and ICR to penicillin G were high, intermediate and low, respectively, while their PLN responses to D-penicillamine were all high. Some variation in PLN cellularity indices was observed among the participating laboratories, but reproducibility of the popliteal lymph node assay (PLNA) evaluation was partly confirmed. Although the appropriate selection of mouse strains and drug dosage levels has to be considered, these results suggest that the PLNA may be an appropriate screening system for prediction of the allergic or autoimmunity-inducing potentials of low-molecular-weight drugs.

When a patient difficult to eat, he will not be only malnutrition, but loses a volition of his life and falls into depression. This time, we present a patient with relapse advanced pharynx cancer, who could not ingestion. Therefore she had said "DEATH". She tried eagerly rehabilitation of ingestion, swallowing and breathing, and she was able to eat again and could be positive posture. Ingestion is very important for human, and the patient found a meaning of her life and she was able to take home care nursing.

Perovskite oxides with higher phase transition temperature receive much attention as promising candidates which possess excellent and stable dielectric properties over wide temperature range. In the present research, dense ceramics of Ba-based perovskite oxides of Ba(Cu1/3Nb2/3)O3 (BCN) were fabricated by powder sintering. Mn-substituted BCN (Mn-BCN) ceramics were also fabricated for improving the insulating property of the BCN ceramics. Mn-BCN ceramics were fabricated by powder sintering using fine precursor powders derived from sol-gel solutions. The chemical composition of the precursors were Ba[(Cu1/3Nb2/3)1-yMny]O3 with Mn content of y = 0-0.05. The cylindrical compacts of the powders were heat-treated at 1200-1350°C for 1-6 h for sintering. All of Mn-BCN ceramics consisted of perovskite-type crystal structure in tetragonal system at room temperature. The relative density of the pure and Mn-BCN ceramics sintered at 1300°C for 1 h were higher than 90%. The densities were degraded by firing at higher temperature and/or for longer time, owing to the thermal decomposition of the BCN crystalline phase. The Mn-substitution for BCN ceramics resulted in disappearing the dielectric relaxation and suppressing the leakage current conduction.

It is important to detect predictive factors for in-hospital and delayed mortality of patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) due to ruptured aneurysm. Forty-eight patients with initial bleeding of aneurysmal SAH were referred to our hospital from January 1982 to December 1985. In-hospital mortality was 16.7% (8 to 48), and 15% (6) of forty patients died later during the follow-up period. Using the Kaplan-Meier method we were able to conclude that, cumulatively, there was 70.8% probability that much patients would survive for 10 years. We analysed predictive factors of in-hospital and delayed mortality retrospectively. The most significant predictive factor for in-hospital mortality was SAH grading on admission, and for delayed mortality (29.2%) age on admission was the best predictive factor. In fact, two patients died with cardiac event during the follow-up period. This result suggests that, although the SAH grading on admission was the second most significant factor for delayed mortality, patients who survived in the acute phase had a survival probability similar to those in a normal control group.

To examine the effects of endothelin-1(ET-1) on bile canalicular contractions, rat hepatocytes were isolated by a collagenase perfusion technique and cultured on p-n-p-vinylbenzenyl-D-lactonamide-coated dishes under serum-free conditions. The frequency of bile canalicular contractions was expressed by the percentage of the number of bile canaliculi(BC) that contracted compared to the total number of BC observed for 10 min. The treatment of the hepatocytes with ET-1 increased the frequency of contraction of the BC in a dose-dependent manner up to 2nM, control:10.4%; 0.5nM ET-1:31.6%; mM ET-1:54.0%; 2nM ET-1:58.0%; 4nM ET-1:58.9%. The contraction, once it occurred, lasted for rest of the observation period. We also observed a transient increase in the concentration of intracellular Ca in cultured hepatocytes upon the addition of ET-1 to the medium. These results suggest that ET-1 plays an important role in the mortility of BC in vivo.

A 14- × 12- × 6-cm (approximately 600 g) cryptorchid testis was surgically removed with the omentum from the posterior portion of the abdominal cavity of a 2-year-old male American Shorthair cat. At the time of a previous orchiectomy, a unilateral testis had been discovered in the scrotum. The cut surface of the cryptorchid testis consisted of solid areas with many cysts containing fluid and spongy soft areas. Histologically, the cryptorchid testis was composed of neuroectodermal components and diffuse immature glial tissues, cystic, tubular, and papillary epithelial tissues, and immature cartilaginous tissues. A metastatic mass in the omentum had histologic structures similar to those of the cryptorchid testis. The present case was diagnosed as teratoma in a feline unilateral cryptorchid testis.

In the process of industrial preparation of quartz crystal oscillators, fine adjustment of the resonant frequency of the crystal wafers is usually performed by the evaporation technique; one surface of the base electrode of the wafer is exposed to the evaporation source and small quantities of metal film are repeatedly deposited on it until the resonant frequency reaches the desired value exactly. However, the evaporation technique is not always satisfactory because the deposition rate is too high fine adjustment and the film formed on the metal electrode is not strong enough. Thus, the authors developed a fine adjustment method with Penning discharge sputtering. The results obtained indicated that for a spot-sized gold film, the speed of fine adjustment was 0.14 kHz/s and the frequency shift after an annealing process (150°C, 5h) was as small as 3 ppm, and the adherence of the film was improved. As the results were significant for practical manufacturing purposes, a pilot apparatus for industrial use was developed.

The value of gonadotropin in the body fluids of germ cell tumor patients is its usefulness as a tumor marker. It is also used for differential diagnosis and/or judgement of therapeutic effects. In order to clarify the most effective value of gonadotropin as a tumor marker in the body fluids, we compared the value in serum, liquor and urine with one another. The liquor contained highest (1650 IU/l) value of gonadotropin in the primary intracranial germ cell tumors, mostly in choriocarcinoma. But the gonadotropin value was highest (3050 IU/l) in the serum of secondary intracranial choriocarcinoma. Chiasmal germ cell tumor, except choriocarcinoma, which does frequently secrete gonadotropin (alpha, beta) showed moderate or very high values in the liquor. However, pineal germ cell tumors rarely secrete gonadotropin and sometimes mild high value are obtained in the serum without gonadotropin secretion immunohistochemically. In such cases, the gonadotropin may be increased by indirect mechanism of gonadotropin-secretion following pineal disorder. In most of such cases, the gonadotropin was not human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) but lutein hormone (LH). Because alpha-subunit of such gonadotropin has the same structure, their antibodies show immunologic cross reaction. So, a count of beta-subunit gonadotropin in the serum or liquor is the best way for differential diagnosis or judgement of therapeutic effects. From our results, it is considered that the tumor secretes HCG if the serum beta-HCG value was higher than 30 IU/l, and that it doesn't secrete HCG if beta-HCG value was lower than 10 IU/l or non calculable. The mild increased HCG may be caused by hypothalamo-diencephalic disorder such as pineal tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)