Techniques for measuring aberrations in lenses used in photolithography with printed patterns

In optical lithography, it is a serious problem that aberrations in projection lenses reduce the imaging quality. Therefore techniques to measure the aberrations are required that will predict the adverse effects of aberrations on lithographic imagery and reduce them. We present a measurement method that uses a fine grating and its imaging condition to quantify coma, astigmatism, and spherical aberration. With this method, these aberrations can be described with simple expressions from the measured results. Application of this method revealed the coma of Zernike polynomials for our krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer-laser scanner.     

Properties of graphite prepared from boron-doped pitch as an anode for a rechargeable Li ion battery

Boron-doped graphites were derived from a naphthalene-based pitch mixed with para-xylene glycol (PXG) or dimethyl para-xylene glycol (DMPXG) as a cross-linking agent and three types of boron-containing compounds as a graphitization catalyst, and their anode performances were investigated. The structural analysis of the obtained graphites revealed that PXG functioned mainly as a two-dimensional cross-linking agent during the heat treatment process and DMPXG functioned partially as a three-dimensional. The average interlayer spacing decreased and lattice constant, a₀, and graphitizability increased with increasing the amount of boron atoms added. The result indicated that the carbon atoms were replaced by boron atoms. The anode performance was improved by the enhancement of graphitizability. The structural parameters and anode performance of boron-doped graphites did not depend on the kind of boron-containing compounds but the amount of boron atoms added in pitch and the kind of cross-linking agent.     

Immediate-type heat urticaria: report of a case and study of plasma histamine release

We report a 68-year-old man who had immediate-type heat urticaria with systemic symptoms. Immersing his hand in water at 42 degrees C (heat challenge test) produced an urticarial response, with an increase in the plasma histamine level from 0.26 to 7.64 ng/mL. Administration of oral antihistamines alone did not suppress either the urticarial response or the increase in plasma histamine. However, a combination of antihistamines and desensitization improved the skin lesions and reduced the plasma histamine level. The heat challenge test subsequently provoked a negative response and there was no increase in plasma histamine level 3 months after starting the combination therapy. These results indicate that the histamine level reflected the result of the heat challenge test and the amelioration of the skin eruption.     

A case of cardiac sarcoidosis with remarkable atrophy of the left ventricular septum on two-dimensional echocardiography

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem granulomatous disorder of unknown etiology which mainly affects the lungs, skin, the lymphoreticular system, and the heart. We report a case of cardiac sarcoidosis in which a remarkably thin ventricular septum was demonstrated on two-dimensional echocardiography.     

High levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 in patients with colorectal cancer: association with disease progression

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Contribution of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) to tumor progression has been suggested. However, little is known about the role of TGF-beta 1 in colorectal cancer. Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels and its expression were analyzed in patients with colorectal cancer. METHODS: Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels were measured in 22 patients with colorectal cancer using a TGF-beta 1 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Expression of TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA and immunohistochemical distribution of the protein in colorectal cancer tissues were examined. RESULTS: Plasma TGF-beta 1 levels in patients with colorectal cancer (14.8 +/- 8.4 ng/mL) were significantly higher than in normal controls (1.9 +/- 1.4; n = 22) (P < 0.001). After curative surgical resection, plasma TGF-beta 1 levels decreased in examined patients from 11.9 +/- 6.7 to 3.8 +/- 1.2 ng/mL (P < 0.01). TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA was about 2 1/2 times more abundant in colorectal cancer tissues than in control (P < 0.01). TGF-beta 1 was detected in the cytoplasm of colorectal cancer cells immunohistochemically. Both TGF-beta 1 messenger RNA expression in colorectal adenocarcinoma tissues and its plasma levels were associated with tumor stage of Dukes' classification (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that plasma TGF-beta 1 levels may reflect overexpression of the gene in colon cancer tissues and are associated with disease progression.     

Distribution of bile acids in rats

Distribution and biliary and fecal excretion of bile acids were examined in Wistar strain male rats of about 300 g body weight. The pool size of the rats on ordinary diet was 40 mg/rat, biliary secretion was 14 mg/hr, and fecal excretion was 10 mg/day. Bile acids were mainly located in the small and large intestinal contents, 87% and 10%, respectively; but a portion was found in the intestinal wall and the liver. Rats fed 2% cholesterol-supplemented diet for a week showed similar values for pool size and biliary secretion with the rats on ordinary diet, but higher values for fecal excretion and distribution ratio in the large intestinal contents. Cholic acid was a major component in the bile, small intestinal wall, small intestinal content and liver, while the bile acid composition ratios were roughly similar to each other, although a relatively large amount of α-muricholic acid was found in the intentinal wall and liver. Both the wall and content compositions of the large intestine were similar to that of the feces, in which lithocholic, deoxycholic, α- and β-muricholic acids were the main components, although the ratios of α- and β-muricholic acids in the large intestinal wall were larger than those in the intestinal contents or feces. The high concentrations of these bile acids may indicate a difference of transport velocity across the cell membrane, but the mechanism is not known.     

Efficient synthesis of nonnatural mutants in Escherichia coli S30 in vitro protein synthesizing system

Factors that affect the efficiency of in vitro synthesis of mutant proteins that contain nonnatural amino acids were investigated. The process of the nonnatural mutagenesis consists of chemical aminoacylation of a tRNA that contains a 4-base anticodon, followed by in vitro synthesis in the presence of an mRNA that contains the corresponding 4-base codon. Detailed studies on the time courses of the synthesis revealed two major factors that suppress the yield of nonnatural mutants compared with the wild-type protein. First, a cyclic tRNA that exists as a by-product of the chemical aminoacylation inhibits the protein synthesis. Second, the very short lifetime of a tRNA aminoacylated with a nonnatural amino acid limits the protein yield. As a simple and practical way of surmounting these factors, aminoacyl tRNA was added into the in vitro system at 5 min after the start of the synthesis. The addition increased the protein yield up to the level of conventional proteins in the in vitro system.