Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in essential hypertensive patients in Japanese population

Association between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene polymorphism and essential hypertension in a Japanese population with the same socioeconomic background was investigated. Insertion-deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the ACE gene located on intron 16 was detected by polymerase chain reaction. Association between ACE gene polymorphism and family history of essential hypertension as well as the development of vascular damage in eye fundi were also investigated. Variation at ACE loci did not contribute to essential hypertension and the vascular damages in eye fundi. These results suggest that the ACE gene was not directly responsible for essential hypertension in this particular Japanese population with the same socioeconomic background.     

Cryo-transfer TEM study of vacancy cluster formation in thin films of aluminum and copper elongated at low temperature

Kiritani et al. encountered a large number of vacancy clusters in heavily deformed thin metal films at room temperature. In the present work, thin films of aluminum and copper were loaded to fracture in liquid nitrogen and transferred directly to the TEM without warming up (Cryo-transfer TEM). In thin films of Al and Cu deformed at 78 K, many defect clusters were observed at 120 K. In thin Al films, small defect clusters disappeared by the 120 keV electron irradiation. Upon isochronal annealing, some of the dislocation loops grew in their size, which is much larger than those observed at 120 K. However, in regions that were not exposed to electron irradiation at 120 K, only a large number of stacking fault tetrahedra were observed after room temperature annealing. In copper, the 200 keV electron beam did not significantly change the defect clusters observed at 120 K.     

Ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma coexistent with benign and borderline endometrioid adenofibroma: a case report

The immunopharmacological profile of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) in DA rats was compared to that in Lewis rats, which are commonly used for the study of EAE. DA rats showed higher susceptibility to EAE than Lewis rats. The immunological studies indicate that DA rats showed higher humoral and cellular immune response to myelin basic protein (MBP) than Lewis rats. This is probably due to the susceptible T cells to mitogen and autoreactive T cells to MBP in DA rats. In pharmacological studies, cyclosporin A, FK-506 and prednisolone suppressed the development of EAE in both strains in a similar manner. These results suggest the existence of two different types of T cells with respect to the onset of EAE in DA rats: one is highly reactive to mitogen and MBP; the other is regulated by cyclosporin A and FK-506.     

Capillary gas-liquid chromatographic separation of oxo and oxo-hydroxy bile acid isomers of theallo and normal series

Capillary gas-liquid chromatographic separation was studied for 60 oxo and oxo-hydroxy bile acids of theallo (5α-H, A/B-trans) and normal (5β-H, A/B-cis) series, which differ from one another in the number, position, and configuration of oxo and hydroxy groups at positions C−3, C−4, C−6, C−7, and/or C−12. Good separation of the isomers was achieved by the use of an aluminum-clad fused-silica capillary column coated with bonded and cross-linked methyl polysiloxane.     

Characteristics of a Nonstoichiometric Gd3+δ(Al,Ga)5−δO12:Ce Garnet Scintillator

We have developed a new nonstoichiometric Gd_3+δ(Al,Ga)_5−δO₁₂:Ce garnet scintillator for an X-ray CT scanner. For commercially used scintillators, reproducible luminescence properties are of great importance. We have found that the afterglow properties of the garnet change drastically in the vicinity of the stoichiometric compositions. The most suitable properties are obtained at slightly excess (Gd,Ce) compositions from the stoichiometry. In order to investigate the afterglow properties, crystallography arrangements, phase equilibrium relationship between crystal phases, and luminescence characteristics of host material doped with different valence ions have been examined. The luminescence properties are explained by isoelectronic traps based on the difference in the electronegativity of the dopant and host ions, which would act as electron trap centers and hole trap centers within the band gap.     

Thickness-shear stress distributions of the oscillating planoconvex AT-cut quartz-crystal resonator

Thickness-shear stress distributions of a planoconvex AT-cut quartz-crystal resonator oscillating with the fundamental, 3rd overtone and 5th overtone thickness-shear vibration resonant frequencies are measured by means of a laser-beam modulation method. The measured stress distributions are compared with the stress values computed by the finite element method for a simulation study. The experimental values show good agreement with the computed stress distributions. The absolute value of the measured stress agrees with that in the experiment of Spencer.     

Sludge depositions in a long tube-high flow MSF test plant

During the operation of a multistage flash (MSF) evaporation plant, a rather rapid decrease was observed in the economy ratio of the plant when the dissolved oxygen (DO) content of the circulating brine was at a high level. This phenomenon was brought about by the reduction of heat transfer coefficients of condenser tubes due to sludge formation on the inside tube surface by the co-precipitation of ferric hydrous oxide with silica, alumina, and organic materials. The chemical analysis of the sludge and circulating brine showed a close relationship to DO values in the brine, the concentration of iron in the sludge, and the decreasing value of the heat transfer coefficient. The lowering of DO was found very effective for avoiding the sludge trouble.     

Fundamental characteristics of a synthesized light source for optical coherence tomography

We describe the fundamental characteristics of a synthesized light source (SLS) consisting of two low-coherence light sources to enhance the spatial resolution for optical coherence tomography (OCT). The axial resolution of OCT is given by half the coherence length of the light source. We fabricated a SLS with a coherence length of 2.3 microm and a side-lobe intensity of 45% with an intensity ratio of LED1:LED2 = 1:0.5 by combining two light sources, LED1, with a central wavelength of 691 nm and a spectral bandwidth of 99 nm, and LED2, with a central wavelength of 882 nm and a spectral bandwidth of 76 nm. The coherence length of 2.3 microm was 56% of the shorter coherence length in the two LEDs, which indicates that the axial resolution is 1.2 microm. The lateral resolution was measured at less than 4.4 microm by use of the phase-shift method and with a test pattern as a sample. The measured rough surfaces of a coin are illustrated and discussed.     

Interaction of tocored with unsaturated fatty esters

Tocored, an oxidation product of tocopherol and its model, 2,2,7,8-tetramethyl-5,6-chromanquinone reacted with methyl linoleate at an elevated temperature to form an adduct with isomerized linoleate. Oxidation of tocored in fatty esters produced a variety of products, depending on the degree of unsaturation of the esters. With methyl palmitate no addition product was detected but tocopurple and tocoreddimer were identified as minor products irrespective of the degree of saturation. A mechanism involving the interaction of tocored with lipid radicals to yield an adduct as the consequence of antioxidative action of tocored is postulated.     

绿茶饮料浓缩物缓解体力疲劳实验研究

目的:探讨绿茶饮料浓缩物缓解小鼠体力疲劳的作用。方法:240只清洁级雄性昆明小白鼠随机分为4组,分别以经口灌胃方式给予蒸馏水(对照组)、不同剂量绿茶饮料浓缩物[133mg/(kg·bw),665mg/(kg·bw),1995mg/(kg·bw)],每日1次,连续45d,进行负重游泳实验,测定血乳酸、血清尿素及肝糖原含量。结果:与对照组比,低、中剂量能够增加小鼠负重游泳时间(P<0.01);低剂量组可降低游泳后即刻的血乳酸水平(P<0.05),各剂量组均能降低游泳后20min的血乳酸水平(P<0.05);中剂量组能够增加小鼠肝糖原储备(P<0.05);各剂量组血清尿素水平没有明显变化(P>0.05)。结论:绿茶饮料浓缩物具有缓解小鼠体力疲劳的作用,以中剂量作用最强。