Localization of types I, II and X collagen and osteocalcin in intramembranous, endochondral and chondroid bone of rats

We explored and studied cryoglobulins and autoantibodies in 149 patients with hepatitis C. 49% of untreated patients have cryoglobuliemia (36% polyclonal cryoglobulins) and 76% of ineffectively treated patients since more than 6 months (50% polyclonal cryoglobulins). Other observed cryoglobulins are half of type II and half oligoclonal. In 22 cryoglobulinemic patients before treatment, a good clinical response to IFN is induced only among patients for which cryoglobulins are negative at the end of treatment. Cryoglobulins could be indicators of viremia. The prevalence of autoantibodies is low and without clinical significance (they are more frequently detected in cryoglobulinemic patients, except anti-thyroid autoantibodies). Nevertheless, autoantibodies induced by IFN in our study (anti-thyroid autoantibodies, ANCA) are associated with clinical symptoms.     

CMO I deficiency caused by a point mutation in exon 8 of the human CYP11B2 gene encoding steroid 18-hydroxylase (P450C18)

Corticosterone methyloxidase I (CMO I) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder of aldosterone biosynthesis. To determine further the molecular genetic basis of CMO I deficiency, a patient of Turkish origin that suffered from CMO I deficiency was studied. Nucleotide sequencing of the PCR-amplified exons from the genomic DNA of this patient revealed a single point mutation CTG (leucine) CCG (proline) at codon 461 in exon 8 of CYP11B2, which is involved in the putative heme binding site of steroid 18-hydroxylase (P450(C18)). The expression study using a cDNA introducing the point mutation revealed that the amino acid substitution totally abolishes the P450(C18)p3 enzyme activities required for conversion of 11-deoxycorticosterone to aldosterone, even though the mutant product was detected in the mitochondrial fraction of the transfected cells. These results suggest that this point mutation causes CMO I deficiency.     

Real-Time Integral Imaging Based on Extremely High Resolution Video System

The authors discuss practical problems, focusing, and accuracy of lens arrays involved in constructing integral imaging systems. In general, it is recommended to set the focusing for the object during capture to infinity. The positional error of the elemental lens arrangement significantly affects the image quality when the image is reconstructed near the observer. An experimental system in consideration of the practical problems that uses an extremely high resolution video system is described. Some pictures obtained by the system show the specific characteristics of this spatial imaging type of system.     

Power system stabilizing control by a superconducting magnetic energy storage with a high-speed phase shifter

Electric power demand has increased rapidly and this is expected to continue. Undamped power swings with low frequency tend to occur in large power systems with complex configuration. Therefore, several stabilizing control schemes, e.g., a power system stabilizer (PSS), have already been investigated. On the other hand, superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) is expected to be an effective apparatus in power systems since any SMES located in power systems is capable of leveling load demand, compensating for load changes, maintaining bus voltages and stabilizing power swings. The effectiveness of each function, however, depends upon the location of the SMES in the power system because output power from the SMES is distributed according to the impedance ratio of the transmission line at the SMES location. Therefore, it is difficult for SMES to serve two different purposes simultaneously. This paper proposes a combination of SMES with a high-speed phase shifter (HSPS). The HSPS, which consists of a phase shift transformer and a set of power converters, is capable of controlling the power flow of the transmission line by adjusting the phase angle of a phase shift transformer. Therefore, it is expected that the combination of SMES and HSPS can realize a highly effective controller independent of its location. Numerical examples demonstrate that the proposed apparatus located far from a generator in a long distance bulk power transmission system is capable of stabilizing the power swing as effectively as the SMES located at a generator terminal. In addition, the effectiveness of both load change compensation and power system stabilization is confirmed numerically.     

Japanese commercial tdma system

This paper reviews two TDMA systems which have been developed at NTT (Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation) for domestic use in Japan. The first system uses K-Bands (30/20 GHz) and is called the TDMA-65M system. This system constructs a variable channel capacity network between 8 major cities (regional centres). The second system uses C-Bands (6/4 GHz) and is called the TDMA-100M system. This system provides remote island communication links for simultaneous transmission of voice and colour television signals. These two TDMA systems were put into commercial operation in summer 1983 by using, respectively, the Communication Satellite-2s, CS-2a which was launched in February 1983 and CS-2b which was launched in August 1983.