Two cases of cerebral aneurysm detected after recanalization of the middle cerebral artery]

Two cases of aneurysm incidentally detected after recanalization of middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion are reported. Patient 1 was a 62-year-old male with sudden onset of left hemiparesis. We performed emergent intravascular surgery. The initial cerebral angiography revealed occlusion at the M1 portion of the right MCA. After partial recanalization with a microcatheter, carotid angiography revealed a right M1-M2 junction aneurysm. Due to the risk of aneurysmal rupture, the thrombolytic procedure was stopped. Follow up angiography after 1 month revealed complete recanalization of the right MCA and a persistent aneurysm. Patient 2 was a 65-year-old male with left hemiparesis. The initial cerebral angiography revealed occlusion at the M1 portion of the right MCA. After 1 month follow-up cerebral angiography revealed spontaneous recanalization of the right MCA and an incidental aneurysm at the M1-M2 junction. Neck clipping of the aneurysm was performed. When using a microcatheter or microballoon catheter to treat arterial occlusion, surgeons should consider the possibility of a rupture of a hidden aneurysm.     

Wideband optical transmission in smectic liquid crystal lightmodulator at room temperature

Video rate optical transmission at room temperature (RT) for smectic liquid crystal light modulators (SLCLMs) and filter circuits has been demonstrated. The bandwidth of this system has been determined to be 5.6 MHz. Optical transmission of the National Television System Committee (NTSC) video signal at RT has been realised     

Structure and expression of the human SM22alpha gene, assignment of the gene to chromosome 11, and repression of the promoter activity by cytosine DNA methylation

The pore-forming alpha 1 subunit of L-type calcium (Ca2+) channels is the molecular target of Ca2+ channel blockers such as phenylalkylamines (PAAs). Association and dissociation rates of (-)devapamil were compared for a highly PAA-sensitive L-type Ca2+ channel chimera (Lh) and various class A Ca2+ channel mutants. These mutants carry the high-affinity determinants of the PAA receptor site in a class A sequence environment. Apparent drug association and dissociation rate constants were significantly affected by the sequence environment (class A or L-type) of the PAA receptor site. Single point mutations affecting the high-affinity determinants in segments IVS6 of the PAA receptor site, introduced into a class A environment, reduced the apparent drug association rates. Mutation I1811M in transmembrane segment IVS6 (mutant AL25/-I) had the highest impact and decreased the apparent association rate for (-)devapamil by approximately 30-fold, suggesting that this pore-lining isoleucine in transmembrane segment IVS6 plays a key role in the formation of the PAA receptor site. In contrast, apparent drug dissociation rates of Ca2+ channels in the resting state were almost unaffected by point mutations of the PAA receptor site.     

Theoretical concentration of solar radiation by central receiver systems

Solar concentrations by central receiver systems have been calculated theoretically for various values of obliquity of the incident radiation, assuming that plane heliostat-mirrors, sufficiently small in dimension, cover a circular field without clearance. Through this calculation, the performance characteristics of this system such as the availability of the radiant energy incident on the heliostat-field, the distribution of interruption by an adjacent mirror, the optimum rim-angle for the mean area- and the mean volume-concentration and the attainable temperature were revealed. The study was extended towards the practical problem of decreasing the number of heliostats by increasing the dimensions of heliostat-mirrors, and the effect of increasing mirror-dimensions was argued for both plane and curved mirrors.     

Metabolic disturbance of tryptophan-nicotinamide conversion pathway by putative endocrine disruptors, bisphenol A and styrene monomer

Bisphenol A, a monomer of polycarbonate plastics, disturbed the conversion pathway of the amino acid tryptophan to the vitamin nicotinamide. The conversion ratio of tryptophan to nicotinamide was reduced to 1/15 by feeding a diet containing 1% bisphenol A. A putative disturbing reaction is kynurenine-->3-hydroxykynurenine, which is catalyzed by kynurenine monohydroxylase. This is an FAD-enzyme and requires NADPH as a coenzyme. Styrene monomer (1% addition to a normal diet) did not affect the food intake or the body weight, but slightly reduced the conversion ratio of tryptophan-nicotinamide.     

Construction of 144, 565 keV and 5.0 MeV monoenergetic neutron calibration fields at JAERI

Monoenergetic neutron calibration fields of 144, 565 keV and 5.0 MeV have been developed at the Facility of Radiation Standards of JAERI using a 4 MV Pelletron accelerator. The 7Li(p,n)7Be and 2H(d,n)3He reactions are employed for neutron production. The neutron energy was measured by the time-of-flight method with a liquid scintillation detector and calculated with the MCNP-ANT code. A long counter is employed as a neutron monitor because of the flat response. The monitor is set up where the influence of inscattered neutrons from devices and their supporting materials at a calibration point is as small as possible. The calibration coefficients from the monitor counts to the neutron fluence at a calibration point were obtained from the reference fluence measured with the transfer instrument of the primary standard laboratory (AIST), a 24.13 cm phi Bonner sphere counter. The traceability of the fields to AIST was established through the calibration.     

Kinetic parameters of the electrode reaction of chloropenta-amminecobalt(III) ions at a gold electrode

The cathodic reduction of chloropenta-amminecobalt(III) ions at active gold electrodes has been studied in 0.1 M HClO₄ + 0.1 M NaClO₄ by means of the potentiostatic method. Chloropentaamminecobalt(III) ions gave one irreversible reduction wave in the double layer potential region of gold electrodes. The kinetic parameters of the electrode reaction were measured at 5, 15, 25, 35 and 45°C, and the activation energy was calculated to be 19 kcal mol^?1 for the electron transfer process and 4.5 kcal mol^?1 for the diffusion process.     

Effect of Impurities on the Electronic Structure of Vortex Core Investigated by Microwave Surface Impedance Measurement

We investigated the microwave surface impedance in Zn doped YBa₂Cu₃O _y . For low Zn concentrations, crossover frequency _p and viscosity of vortex do not change significantly (at maximum, factor of 2). This is in sharp contrast to the dramatic change in the zero-field quasiparticle scattering time. The robust nature of viscosity on the impurity doping suggests that the quasiparticle scattering time in the vortex core is determined by a different mechanism from that outside the core.     

Spatial and Temporal Analysis of Hydrological Provision Ecosystem Services for Watershed Conservation Planning of Water Resources

Spatial planning for sustainable water resources development requires precise information on the local potential for providing water yield in a watershed. For water resource conservation, we analyzed spatial and temporal patterns of hydrological provision ecosystem services in the upper Teshio watershed of northernmost Japan. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to simulate hydrologic processes and determine parameters affecting the water cycle. The spatial increase of water yield at flat area near river channel in winter was explained by low field capacity of soil water, absence of water uptake by crops and gentle topography. The spatial patterns of snowmelt and rainfall were important drivers of the spatial pattern in water yield during other periods. The zonation model was applied to investigate dynamic changes in spatial conservation prioritization of hydrological provision ecosystem services, according to simulated water yields in February, April and October. The results showed that the conservation priority ranking dynamically changed spatially and temporally. Our economic assessment of hydrological provisioning services (irrigation, electricity production and household usage) indicated that the spatial pattern of the priority for water resources was different from that of economic value of the provisioning services. Our results indicated that a combination of hydrologic and cost zonation models would improve sustainable management planning of water resources and their hydrological ecosystem services have great spatiotemporal fluctuation.