Effects of KW-3902, a selective and potent adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, on renal hemodynamics and urine formation in anesthetized dogs

Smyth line (SL) chickens develop a spontaneous, autoimmune, posthatch loss of pigment cells (vitiligo) in regenerating feather tissue. Smyth line vitiligo (SLV) is associated with lymphocyte infiltrations prior to and throughout the development of the disorder. It was the purpose of this study to determine the type, relative amounts, and proportions of pulp-infiltrating lymphocytes at various times throughout the growth of regenerating feathers. Feathers were plucked from 8-week-old chickens with and without SLV. Feather pulp cell suspensions were prepared when the regenerating feathers were 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks of age. Cells were fluorescently labeled using a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies specific for chicken lymphocytes. Both T and B cells infiltrated the feather pulp of chickens with SLV. T cell levels remained elevated throughout the 6 weeks of feather growth, while B cell levels steadily declined to control levels over the same time. The pulp-infiltrating cells were primarily T cells with an alphabeta T cell receptor expressing the Vbeta1 gene (TCR2+). The ratio between CD4+ and CD8+ cells was 1.42 and 0.75 in 2- and 6-week-old regenerating feathers from chickens with autoimmune SLV, respectively. In non-vitiliginous chickens this ratio was always near 1. These data suggest that TCR2+ T cells play an important role in SLV. CD4+ cells may play a recruiting/activating role, whereas CD8+ cells may have cytotoxic activity specifically directed against melanocytes. Additionally, this is the first report demonstrating the infiltration of B cells into the feather pulp of vitiliginous chickens. These B cells may directly/indirectly contribute to melanocyte destruction in SLV.     

On the application of a machine learning technique to faultdiagnosis of power distribution lines

This paper presents one method for fault diagnosis of power distribution lines by using a decision tree. The conventional method, using a decision tree, applies only to discrete attribute values. To apply it to fault diagnosis of power distribution lines in practice, it must be revised in order to treat attributes whose values range over certain widths. This is because the sensor value or attribute value varies owing to the resistance of the fault point or is influenced by noise. The proposed method is useful when the attribute value has such a property, and it takes into consideration the cost of acquiring the information and the probability of the occurrence of a fault     

X-Ray Powder Diffraction Study on the Grinding Effect of the Polymorphs of a Novel and Orally Effective Uricosuric Agent: FR76505

The polymorphism of a novel and orally effective uricosuric agent, [3-(4-bromo-2-fluorobenzyl)-7-fluoro-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-quinazolin-1-yl] acetic acid, designated as FR76505, was characterized by X-ray powder diffractometry and thermal analysis. In the crystalline state, FR76505 exists in at least three polymorphic forms, Forms A, B and C. Among them, Form B is a stable form, and Forms A and C which are transformed to Form B are metastable forms. Form C was not stable enough to keep its state even at room temperature. Therefore, it was not suitable to be used for the pharmaceutical preparation, and further investigation for Form C was not carried out. The mechanochemical effect of grinding makes the crystallite size smaller and the lattice strain larger for both the Forms A and B crystals. After grinding for 60 minutes, both forms changed into noncrystalline powders. Thermal behavior of the ground sample was investigated by the X-ray powder diffractometry under the heating condition, as well as the thermal analysis. It is concluded that the mechanochemical effect of grinding made Form A change into Form B easily, and the increase of a grinding time led the transformation temperature lower.     

Hydrogenation of oleic acid to 9-octadecen-1-ol with rhenium-tin catalyst

A new supported bimetallic catalyst, rhenium-tin, is able to reduce oleic acid to 9-octadecen-1-ol (cis andtrans isomers) with appreciable yield under mild hydrogenation conditions. This paper reports investigations on the effects of catalyst preparation methods, types of support, catalyst raw materials, mole ratio of the metals, activation and reaction conditions on the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. Catalyst derived from the combination of ammonium perrhenate and stannic chloride on alumina gave the best performance, and the presence of tin in the catalyst is essential for the preservation of the olefinic bond of the oleic acid during hydrogenation.     

On the reduction of wave propagation loss in tunnels

The reduction of radio wave attenuation in two-dimensional tunnels is discussed. The attenuation of the dominant mode due to its field penetration into the lossy dielectric side wall is reduced by means of the attachment of periodically aligned metallic strips on the wall surface. The electric field distributions in tunnels with and without strips are illustrated to show the effect on the attenuation characteristics. The efficiency of attenuation reduction rate by the metallic-wall stripping method is summarized. The calculation results based on the boundary element analysis are verified by a laboratory experiment     

Estimation of respiratory muscle endurance using an inspiratory threshold loading device in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema and in elderly subjects

We studied respiratory muscle endurance with an inspiratory threshold loading (ITL) device using Martyn's method (2-min incremental loading test) in 9 patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema (CPE patients) and in 9 elderly subjects with no lung disease (NE subjects), and their endurance was compared with that of 9 normal young subjects (NY subjects). In 11 cases (8 CPE patients and 3 NE subjects) a treadmill exercise test was performed and cardiopulmonary parameters obtained from the ITL and treadmill tests were compared. The maximum weight tolerated for 2 minutes (Wmax) and the mean peak inspiratory mouth pressure/maximum inspiratory mouth pressure ratio at the maximum load (Ppk/MIP at Max Load) were used as indices of respiratory muscle endurance. CPE patients had significantly decreased Wmax compared with those of NE and NY subjects. Wmax in all cases positively correlated with Ppk/MIP at Max Load, and endurance time of both the ITL and treadmill tests. During both tests, SaO2 significantly decreased, and heart rate and mean blood pressure significantly increased. There was less change in SaO2 and heart rate during the ITL test than during the treadmill test, and neither arrhythmias nor ST changes on ECG were observed during the ITL test. These results indicate that the ITL test can be easily and safely employed in CPE patients and elderly subjects to estimate respiratory muscle endurance.     

Analysis on heterogeneity of squamous cell carcinoma antigen by two-dimensional electrophoresis

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen was separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis combined with immunoblotting into four spots: spot 1 with pI 6.4 and 44.5 kDa, spot 2 with pI 6.3 and 44.5 kDa, spot 3 with pI 6.0 and 44.5 kDa, and spot 4 with pI 5.9 and 45 kDa. In cancer and noncancerous tissues, it was common that spot 1 was the largest spot. In noncancerous tissues, spot 3 was the smallest spot and spot 2 was stained as densely as spot 4. In cancer tissues, however, spot 4 was apparently smaller than spot 2 and 3. Also, spots 2 and 3 in cancer tissues were larger than those in noncancerous tissues. When SCC antigen was treated with alkaline phosphatase prior to isoelectric focusing (IEF), spot 4 disappeared from the immunoblotting pattern. When the SCC antigen was treated with alkaline phosphatase after IEF, spot 4 changed its molecular weight to the same weight as that of the other three spots. These results strongly suggest that spot 4 is phosphorylated SCC antigen.     

On the Lamb Impulse Dynamics in Superfluid Turbulent HeII

Macroscopic dynamics of the hydrodynamic (Lamb) impulse J _V induced by the chaotic vortex filaments in the counterflowing superfluid turbulent HeII is studied. Both the Lamb impulse and its dynamics are considered on the basis of the Gaussian model of chaotic vortex tangle elaborated earlier by one of the authors (S.N.). The rate of change of the quantity J _V is shown to be equal to the force F _sn exerted by the normal component on the vortex tangle. That contradicts the obvious fact that in steady case the quantity J _V should have a constant value. Resolving that apparent paradox we draw some conclusions concerning the stochastic dynamics of the quantized vortex lines.     

Imaging of large early and early advanced hepatocellular carcinomas of more than 5 cm in diameter: report of two cases

In an attempt to clarify the imaging characteristics of large early and early advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we present two such cases which were greater than 5 cm in diameter. One case had four early HCCs and the other had early advanced HCC which was followed for five years and nine months. Multiphasic CT, CT arteriography (CTA), CT arterial portography (CTAP), and MR imaging were performed. Early HCC was shown as a low density mass by multiphasic contrast CT, CTAP and as a hyperintense mass on a T1-weighted image (WI) and isointense on T2WI. Early advanced HCC was demonstrated as a hypodense mass with hyperenhancing interior nodules on CTA, and isodense with hypodense internal foci on CTAP. One follow-up case showed a multi-step progression from early to early advanced HCC, and finally to overtly advanced HCC. Despite the unusually large size of these two tumors, the findings of multiphasic CT, CTA, CTAP, and MR imaging were consistent with those seen in common-sized (less than 2 cm) early and early advanced HCCs. Multi-step progression of hepatocarcinogenesis was observed in one case.