Evidence for the existence of L-dopa-immunoreactive neurons in the human mesencephalic region

Radioactive end labeling can be used to determine the hydrolytic rates of nuclease mimics on moderate to long lengths of RNA or DNA. However, the reliability of end labeling as an assay can vary depending on how well the unincorporated label is removed from the labeled RNA or DNA products. Therefore, gel filtration, acid precipitation, membrane diafiltration, and paper chromatography were tested to determine which technique was the most effective at such separation. The results in order of decreasing contamination by [gamma-32P]ATP were gel filtration (40%), acid precipitation (5%), diafiltration (2%), and paper chromatography (1%); and, in order of decreasing loss of RNA, were acid precipitation (30%), diafiltration (11%), gel filtration (10%), and paper chromatography (1%). In order for the resultant radioactive counts to be linearly proportional to the number of cleavage sites, the total ATP in the end-labeling reaction should be in excess of 5'-hydroxyl ends by a factor of 10 or more. Interference by nuclease mimics in the end-labeling reaction should be accounted for by including the mimics when developing a standard curve based on known concentrations of 5'-hydroxyl ends.     

Chirping compensation using a two-section semiconductor laseramplifier

Compensation of light source chirping and optical fiber dispersion using semiconductor laser amplifiers (SLAs) is investigated using a modeling equation that describes the opposite phase characteristics of light sources to SLAs with self phase modulation. A two-section SLA was fabricated in order to achieve an amplifier with both high gain and phase compensation properties. Preliminary experimental results are presented, confirming the theoretically derived phase compensation effect     

A case of acquired petrous cholesteatoma associated with insidious middle ear infection treated by staging the surgical procedures

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of preincision wound infiltration with bupivacaine to wound infiltration at the end of the operation. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, double-blind study. SETTING: University medical center. PATIENTS: 56 ASA status I and II women scheduled for abdominal hysterectomy were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups. INTERVENTIONS: Group 1 (control) received no local anesthetic infiltration. Group 2 received subcutaneous infiltration with 40 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% (pH 6.9) 15 minutes prior to incision. Group 3 received wound infiltration with a similar solution at the end of surgery. Anesthesia was induced with thiopental 3.0 mg/kg i.v., droperidol 50 micrograms/kg i.v., and sufentanil 0.5 microgram/kg i.v. and maintained with nitrous oxide 67% in oxygen and sufentanil 0.1 microgram/kg IV boluses as required. Postoperative pain was treated with morphine via a patient-controlled analgesia delivery system for 24 hours, followed by oral hydrocodone for 3 days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The opioid consumption was recorded for 4 days postoperatively. Pain scores were measured at 4 to 8-hour intervals using 100 mm visual analog scales. There was no difference in either the opioid analgesic requirements or the pain scores between the three study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Wound infiltration, either preincision or postincision, had no clinically significant effect on the pain scores or analgesic requirements following abdominal hysterectomy.     

Effect of ductile fracture criteria on chevron crack formation and evolution in drawing

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanics of ductile fracture in bulk metal forming processes by finite-element analysis and experiments. The author has developed a computer program, based on a conventional computer program involving the finite-element method, by which the behavior of crack propagation after ductile fracture can be analyzed. The phenomenon in which a ‘chevron crack’ appears periodically in the axial direction during drawing has been simulated using the developed computer program. Special attention is focused on the effect of various kinds of ductile fracture criteria on chevron crack formation and evolution during drawing. Results obtained are summarized as follows. First, the analytical results obtained using Gurson's fracture criterion and using Oyane's fracture criterion agree well with the experimental result. Second, the analytical results using Cockcroft and Latham's fracture criterion and using Brozzo et al.'s fracture criterion agree somewhat with the experimental result. Finally, the analytical result obtained using Freudenthal's fracture criterion does not agree with the experimental result.     

A GaInAsP/InP tapered-waveguide semiconductor laser amplifierintegrated with a 1.5 μm distributed feedback laser

A GaInAsP/InP index-guided type tapered-waveguide traveling-wave semiconductor laser amplifier (TTW-SLA) with exponential taper structure was realized for the first time and its integration with a 1.5 μm wavelength phase adjusted DFB laser was demonstrated. A reasonable amount of the single-pass gain, which was limited by the residual reflectivity at the output end of the amplifier region, was obtained with no serious problem with the lasing spectrum. A narrow beam divergence of FWHM=5.5° and stable longitudinal mode operation were obtained with the output waveguide width of 20 μm by adopting both a window structure and 7° angled facets. This value agrees well with the theoretically calculated one and proves that single transverse-mode propagation can be attained by an exponentially tapered TTW-SLA with a very wide output end     

Recent developments in processing systems for cell and tissue cultures toward therapeutic application

Innovative techniques of cell and tissue processing, based on tissue engineering, have been developed for therapeutic applications. Cell expansion and tissue reconstruction through ex vivo cultures are core processes used to produce engineered tissues with sufficient structural integrity and functionality. In manufacturing, strict management against contamination and human error is compelled due to direct use of un-sterilable products and the laboriousness of culture operations, respectively. Therefore, the development of processing systems for cell and tissue cultures is one of the critical issues for ensuring a stable process and quality of therapeutic products. However, the siting criterion of culture systems to date has not been made clear. This review article classifies some of the known processing systems into ‘sealed-chamber’ and ‘sealed-vessel’ culture systems based on the difference in their aseptic spaces, and describes the potential advantages of these systems and current states of culture systems, especially those established by Japanese companies. Moreover, on the basis of the guidelines for isolator systems used in aseptic processing for healthcare products, which are issued by the International Organization for Standardization, the siting criterion of the processing systems for cells and tissue cultures is discussed in perspective of manufacturing therapeutic products in consideration of the regulations according to the Good Manufacturing Practice.     

Failure analysis of multilevel metallized lsi using optical beam induced current

In order to analyse failures caused in multilevel metallized LSI devices. we developed the OBIC (optical beam induced current) observation technique using an infrared laser incident upon a backside of the chip which appears from a plastic package by being lapped and polished. We analysed the electrical rejects in the reliability stressing of surface mount plastic packages with this technique. The latch-up phenomenon in 4Mbit dynamic RAM with retrograded-well fabricated by a high energy (MeV) ion-implantation was also examined. The high latch-up immunity of the device with retrograded-well is confirmed by this analysis.     

Decreased cerebrospinal fluid levels of beta-endorphin in Japanese patients with Joseph disease

We measured the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of beta-endorphin in 7 Japanese patients with Joseph disease and compared them with control values. The 7 patients included 4 with type I and 3 with type II disease; their mean age was 45.7 +/- 12.09 years. Diseased controls were matched in age to the patients studied. In these patients, CSF beta-endorphin level was significantly lower than in the controls (40% of normal values). An alteration in CSF beta-endorphin level may explain some of the neurological impairment found in Joseph disease.     

Heat transfer and fluid flow of natural convection along a vertical flat plate in the transition region: experimental analysis of the wall temperature field

Heat transfer and fluid flow of natural convection along a vertical flat plate were experimentally investigated in the transition region. Local heat transfer coefficients along a vertical flat plate were measured to distinguish the first transition region. The wall temperature and fluid flow were then visualized using a liquid crystal sheet and water-soluble fluorescent paint. Also discussed are the characteristic statistical quantities with the aid of visualizations for the velocity and temperature fields. It was revealed from a series of experiments that horseshoe-shaped low-temperature patterns appear on the wall and that they play a significant role in heat transfer. When the data was ensemble-averaged it was found that the characteristic time-and-space scales of the patterns are statistically independent of not only heat flux but also the position in which they occur. Moreover, W-shaped flow patterns, which possess three-dimensional and unstable structures, appear in the near-wall region. They play a significant role in the laminar to turbulent transition.