Whole body hyperthermia selectively induces heat shock protein 72 in neurons of the rat spinal cord

Rabbits with lesions of either medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) or amygdala central nucleus (ACN) were compared with sham-lesioned animals during differential and reversal classical conditioning of the eyeblink (EB) and heart rate (HR) response. Lesions of the mPFC, but not ACN, produced a severe impairment in EB reversal conditioning, but neither lesion affected original discrimination. However, both mPFC and ACN lesions produced a severe attenuation of accompanying HR decelerations during both initial differentiation and reversal. These results suggest that mPFC processing of Pavlovian conditioning contingencies affects not only the autonomic component of learning but preservative somatomotor conditioning as well, whereas ACN processing affects only the autonomic component.     

Genetic polymorphisms detectable in human urine: their application to forensic individualization

The issue of consistency in human personality is reviewed. Attention is given to personality both as a fixed entity and as something mediated by situational factors. Mischel's reinvention of the person-situation debate is noted as well as the seminal contributions of Allport, Eysenck and the 'forgotten figure' of Henry Murray. The discussion is resolved largely in favour of 'the whole person' in psychology but not before central issues of conflict, consistency and fulfillment are accounted for. In particular, the manner by which an evolving 'scientific' psychology chooses to ignore person psychology is seen to be pertinent. The topic is especially relevant to those psychiatric practitioners who espouse a whole person or 'fulfillment psychology' in their practice. However, the overall intention is to reintroduce material that extends the usual humanistic confines of the discussion.     

Experimental study of percutaneous hot ethanol injection therapy (PHEIT) by continuous heating device for hepatocellular carcinoma

Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) is widely used as a local treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, because only a small amount of ethanol can be used in one PEIT session and because the antitumor effect is limited, this modality is indicated only when there are three or fewer tumors and when the tumor diameter is < or = 3 cm. To obtain a more potent and certain antitumor effect, we have devised a new treatment called percutaneous hot ethanol injection therapy (PHEIT), and developed a Continuous Heating Device with which ethanol can be heated and locally injected at a specified temperature. The continuous Heating Device is composed of three major components: a syringe heater, a needle thermocontroller, and a needle tip thermosensor. A disposable syringe filled with liquid is inserted into the syringe heater, which heats the liquid to a desired temperature by adjusting the voltage. The needle thermocontroller is a puncture guide needle to which a heating device has been attached. The needle-tip thermosensor constantly measures, displays and records the temperature of the liquid at the needle tip during injection. Also, because the Continuous Heating Device is a closed-circuit system, there is no risk of accidental a fire, which ensures procedural safety. It is also possible to use this device to safely heat and inject a variety of other liquids, such as physiological saline and anticancer agents and thus contribute to the widespread development of ultrasound-guided injection therapy.     

Tissue distribution of macromolecular conjugate, adriamycin linked to oxidized dextran, in rat and mouse bearing tumor cells

Tissue distribution of the radioactivities after intravenous administration of [14C]adriamycin ([14C]ADM) or [14C]ADM linked to oxidized dextran ([14C]ADM-OXD) in mouse bearing Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and rat bearing Walker 256 carcinosarcoma was studied. ADM conjugated with OXD increased plasma half-life and gave high area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC). The AUC values were 13.0 and 5.8 times higher than those of the [14C]ADM group in mice and rats, respectively. In the tumor tissues, AUC values of the [14C]ADM-OXD group were also respectively 1.6 and 1.9 times higher than those of the [14C]ADM group. However, the AUC values in the heart of the [14C]ADM-OXD group were about half those of [14C]ADM group in both animals. Thus the distribution of ADM was changed by the conjugation with OXD. The excretion profile of ADM was also changed by the conjugation. During 6 h after administration, [14C]ADM-OXD was mainly excreted into rat urine at 45.2% of the original dose, but in the [14C]ADM group recovery in urinary excretion was 4.2%. Using [14C]ADM-OXD and ADM-[14C]OXD, the respective tissue distribution of ADM and OXD portions in the ADM-OXD was studied in rats bearing Walker 256. The radioactivities of both [14C]ADM-OXD and ADM-[14C]OXD groups increased in tumor and liver within 1 h after administration. In the liver, both radioactivities were retained for 24 h, which suggested that ADM and OXD were retained as conjugated form, however, different behavior was observed between the two groups in tumor tissues.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Influence of powder characteristics on gas pressure sintering of Si3N4

The sintering behaviours of four kinds of Si₃N₄ powders were investigated by dilatometry in 10 atm N₂ at 1890, 1930 and 2050° C. The sinterabilities of powders were compared and discussed in relation to the powder characteristics. A large size distribution in the powder accelerated grain and pore growth at <1800° C, which resulted in the inhibition of further densification at >1800° C. The presence of carbon in a powder prevented densification. A powder with a uniform grain size kept the microstructure of the sintered material uniform during sintering at <1800° C and gave a high degree of shrinkage at >1800° C. Densification at >1800° C was accompanied by the dissolution of equi-axial -Si₃N₄ grains and reprecipitation as elongated -Si₃N₄ grains from the oxynitride liquid. The relation between the densification and microstructure is discussed in terms of the relative rates of densification and grain growth.     

Oxidation behaviour of Β-sialon fabricated from α-Si3N4 and aluminium iso-propoxide

-sialon with z=0.5 was fabricated by hot pressing of a spray-dried mixture of -Si₃N₄ and aluminium iso-propoxide solution. The oxidation behaviour of this -sialon was investigated, comparing it with commercial -sialon containing Y₂O₃ as a sintering aid. Oxidation tests were carried out at 1200 and 1400C for 25 to 200 h in air. The oxide layer of aluminium isopropoxide-derived -sialon was thin, dense, smooth and homogeneous without bubbles and cracks. The strength after oxidation at 1400C for 200 h was about 800 MN m^–2, almost the same value as before oxidation. The oxide layer of Y₂O₃-doped -sialon was thick and inhomogeneous, containing many bubbles, cracks and grown needle-like crystallites (Y₂Si₂O₇). The strength after oxidation at 1200C for 200 h fell to 1/2(440 MN m^–2) because of pit formation in the oxide layer, and at 1400C for 200 h fell to 1/4(200 MN m^–2) because of severe swelling and flaking of the oxide layer. The high oxidation resistance of aluminium iso-propoxide derived -sialon was mainly due to its homogeneous microstructure and freedom from foreign constituents such as Y₂O₃.     

Spatial light modulators for projection displays

Spatial light modulators (SLM's) consisting of a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal (PDLC) film and a Bi(12)SiO(20) photoconductor are discussed and demonstrated. This device, which uses light scattering in the PDLC film, has several advantages including no polarizer, a low optical loss, and video-rate operation. The device was designed by use of an electrical-image method. High-definition SLM's with a limiting resolution (36-50 line pairs/mm) were fabricated by stacking of an optimized mirror and the PDLC film. The device, which was incorporated into a Schlieren system with a 1-kW xenon lamp, provided high-contrast video images and a total luminous flux of 1000 lm.     

Detailed study of nonlinear wave front distortion of focused sound in superfluid4He

We have investigated a nonlinear phenomenon which appears in a focused sound in superfluid⁴He under pressure higher than 18 atm. Wave front distortion of the focused ultrasound by nonlinear effect was obtained by the Fourier transform of the transducer output as a function of the defocusing length. The wave was found to suffer discontinuous wave front distortion for the input power above a certain value. This distortion is well represented by the picture that a second wave whose phase is shifted by approx. develops, and interferes with the original wave. The amplitude of this second wave decreases suddenly as the pressure is lowered below 18 atm and the nonlinear wave front distortion also disappears. The possible mechanism of this second wave generation are discussed.     

Distribution of ubiquinone and ubiquinol homologues in rat tissues and subcellular fractions

The oxidized (UQ_ox) and reduced (UQ_red) forms of ubiquinone (UQ) homologues in rat tissues and subcellular fractions were analyzed to elucidate their distribution and physiological role. UQ-9 and UQ-10 were detected in all tissues studied, and UQ-9 was the predominant homologue. The total amount of UQ_ox-10 and UQ_red-10 was 20–50% that of UQ_ox-9 and UQ_red-9. The levels of these homologues were highest in heart with lesser amounts occurring in kidney, liver and other organs. In liver and blood plasma, the UQ_red homologue amounted to 70–80% of the total UQ (UQ_ox+UQ_red=t-UQ). UQ_red was less than 30% of t-UQ in other tissues and blood cells. t-UQ was much higher in leukocytes and platelets in blood than in erythrocytes. In erythrocytes, t-UQ was exclusively located in the cell membranes. UQ_ox and UQ_red were also found in all subcellular fractions isolated from liver and kidney in about the same ratio as UQ_red/t-UQ was present in the whole organ. The levels of UQ_ox and UQ_red per mg protein in subcellular fractions from liver were highest in mitochondria, with lesser amounts present in plasma membranes, lysosomes, Golgi complex, nuclei, microsomes and cytosol. In the mitochondria, the outer membranes were richer in t-UQ than the inner membranes. In the Golgi complex, the light and intermediate fractions were rich in t-UQ when compared to the heavy fraction. The possible physiological role of UQ_ox and UQ_red in tissues and subcellular fractions is discussed.     

Preparation and hydration of β-C2S without stabilizer

The preparation method of β-C ₂S without stabilizer, and their hydration characteristics were studied. β-C₂S is formed when γ-C₂S is heated at about 1000°C or about 1500°C. The hydration kinetics of β-C₂S produced from α′-C₂S is markedly different from that from α-phase. Ca(OH)₂ is hardly produced in the hydration of β-C₂S without stabilizer. Formed C-S-H has a composition of $\text{C/S}\text{? 2}$.