Systemic and mucosal immune responses of mice to aluminium-adsorbed or aluminium-non-adsorbed tetanus toxoid administered intranasally with recombinant cholera toxin B subunit

For the purpose of changing the immunization procedure of tetanus toxoid from intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, which has been in practice for a long time, to intranasal administration, we examined systemic and mucosal immune responses of mice to aluminium-adsorbed tetanus toxoid (aTT) and aluminium-non-adsorbed tetanus toxoid (nTT) inoculated intranasally with recombinant cholera toxin B subunit (rCTB). Intranasal immunization with aTT induced, at a concentration of 0.5 Lf, high levels of TT-specific serum IgG antibody titres and moderate levels of TT-specific serum IgA antibody titres in the presence and absence of rCTB. Induction of high or moderate levels of mucosal TT-specific IgA antibody responses was observed with and without rCTB in the lung, the nasal cavity, the small and large intestines and the vagina. Generally speaking, the co-administration of aTT and rCTB showed higher mucosal TT-specific IgA antibody titres when compared with the administration of aTT alone. In case of intranasal administration of nTT, the dose of 5 Lf was necessary and stimulated, only in the presence of rCTB (10 micrograms), high levels of tetanus toxoid (TT)-specific serum IgG antibody responses in all mice examined and moderate or slight levels of TT-specific IgA antibody responses in the nasal, pulmonary and small and large intestinal lavages of a few mice. All mice intranasally immunized with aTT alone or nTT and rCTB escaped onset of tetanus. This is the first report concerned with the mucosal adjuvant activity of an aluminium compound. Judging from these results, intranasal administration of aTT with and without rCTB or nTT with rCTB appears to be a very useful means for a vaccination against tetanus with respect to ease, safety, certainty, low cost and no need for an injection needle.     

Superconductivity of La2−x Sr x CuO4 with high strontium concentration by sulphur doping

The effects of sulphur substitution for oxygen on the structure and properties of nonsuperconducting La_2–x Sr _x CuO₄, where x=0.26 and 0.30, have been studied. In La_2–x Sr _x CuO _4–y -S _y , the sulphur-doped samples exhibit superconducting transition at 37–39 K and a larger Meissner effect than undoped samples. It was found that the superconductivity of La_2–x Sr _x CuO_4–y S _y is apparently determined by the value of x–y and the strontium concentration region in which La_2–x Sr _x CuO₄ shows superconductivity shifts to higher strontium concentrations with sulphur doping.     

Metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma to the colon demonstrated by Tc-99m PMT scintigraphy

A 57-year-old man was found to have a tumor in the ascending colon after hepatic segmentectomy for ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma. Colonoscopy was performed, and metastasis of the hepatocellular carcinoma to the ascending colon was suspected based on the biopsy specimens obtained from the tumor. On hepatobiliary scintigraphy using Tc-99m PMT performed to confirm this diagnosis, Tc-99m PMT was clearly observed to accumulate in the tumor. Thus, the tumor was diagnosed as metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Energy level of compensator states in (001) phosphorus-doped diamond

The energy level of acceptor-type compensator states in (001) phosphorus-doped diamond is examined by combining the techniques of cathodoluminescence analysis, Hall-effect measurements, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and capacitance-voltage measurements. The capacitance-voltage properties of metal/n-type semiconductor contact are known to be a sensitive tool for evaluating deep levels. The slope of the inverse of the square of capacitance provides the distribution of space charge density in the n-type layer, and this density strongly depends on the relationship between the deep level and the surface Fermi level. In this study, we use this relationship to characterize the energy level of compensator states. The donor and acceptor densities in (001) n-type diamond are determined by low-temperature cathodoluminescence analysis and Hall-effect measurements. The electrical activity of doped phosphorus atoms is also discussed.     

Optimal Logic for Multi-Channel Protective Systems During On-Line Maintenance

Protective systems have two kinds of failures: failed dangerous (FD) and failed-safe (FS). The former can lead to serious damage to the plant, while the latter can result in financial loss because of unnecessary protective actions. Frequently, protective system channels must be maintained and repaired during plant operation, ie, while they are in service. When this happens, one must choose whether the output of a channel being maintained should be set to the on or off position. On means the protective system protects against the FD failure, and is vulnerable to FS failures. We develop a systematic method to determine the output default values, and solve the more general problem of determining the optimal logic connections for the remaining channels. Analytic formulae are presented for transition failure rates are constant with time, and the channels are in voting configurations.     

Quantitative assessment of cerebral blood flow by 123I-IMP SPECT: venous sampling method with hand warming in the water bath

In order to establish a noninvasive, quantitative method for measuring regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) by N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) SPECT, we attempted to employ continuous venous sampling instead of arterial sampling. Forty two patients with cerebrovascular diseases were classified into two groups, with (group II: n = 35) and without (group I: n = 7) hand warming. In group II, either hand was warmed, wrapping in a hot blanket (group IIA) or immersed in a 44 degrees C water bath (group IIB). In each patient, immediately after intravenous bolus injection of 222 MBq IMP, arterial and venous blood samples were collected continuously for 5 min from the radial artery and the cubital vein, respectively. By octanol extraction, IMP was divided into the unmetabolized and metabolized fraction. The ratio of 123I-IMP radioactivity of venous blood compared to arterial blood (pass ratio, referred as %PR) was calculated in three fractions, whole blood, unmetabolized, and metabolized fraction. By using these parameters, we assessed the possibility to estimate the amount of unmetabolized IMP fraction of arterial blood, usually used as an input function, from venous samples. In group I, %PR demonstrated a considerable variation between individuals (whole IMP, 47.5 +/- 24.6% (mean +/- SD): unmetabolized IMP, 46.0 +/- 24.5%: metabolized IMP, 51.8 +/- 27.4%). In group II, especially in group IIB, both increase of %PR value and the decrease in variation (whole, 77.9 +/- 5.6%: unmetabolized, 75.7 +/- 5.7%: metabolized, 86.7 +/- 8.7%) were observed, which permitted the further calculation based on the assumption that %PR value was constant in each IMP fraction (whole blood and unmetabolized fraction).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Histopathological studies on the toxicity of ochratoxin A in rats. I. Acute oral toxicity

Traumatic spinal cord lesions in children are infrequent (2 to 5 per cent of all cases admitted to specialised paraplegic centres depending on whether the upper age limit is set at 10 or 15 years). Traffic accidents are responsible for at least 50 per cent of the lesions; playground accidents and various sports add another 35 per cent. A large proportion of the accidents have been found to be related to the child's normal desire for adventure and exploration. The segment most frequently involved in our own series of 18 cases was the cervical and upper thoracic spine. Histopathological studies have shown that splitting of the cartilaginous end-plate in the growth zone of the vertebrae is a common finding. Radiological signs of spinal trauma are less evident than in adults; they may be totally missing. Precise neurological assessment must rely on repeated examination and close clinical observation, especially in the comatous child with a head injury. Spinal cord involvement must be suspected and the child treated as a paraplegic until definite proof of a normal neurological status is available. Due to a highly labile water electrolyte balance in the early post-traumatic stage and considerable fluctuations in plasma volume and temperature regulation, permanent monitoring of the cardiovascular function, body temperature and diuresis is mandatory. In children below the age of 10, deep vein thrombosis and embolism are exceptional (sepsis creates a high-risk situation requiring anticoagulation). In the initial treatment of spinal injury only conservative measures should be considered; there are no indications for laminectomy, nor for spinal fusion. In the tetraplegic child below the age of 6, skull-traction should be avoided and immobilisation of the cervical segment achieved by bilateral padded head-rests.     

Thermodynamic properties of molten PbO−SiO2 systems

Thermodynamic properties of the molten PbO?SiO₂ systems were determined by electromotive force measurements employing solid electrolytes. The experiments were carried out in the temperature range 900° to 1000°C on the galvanic cells \(Pb_{(l)} + PbO_{(l)} \left| \begin{gathered} Electrolyte \\ ZrO_2 \times CaO \\ \end{gathered} \right|Pb_{(l)} + PbO - SiO_{2(l)} \) From the results the activities of PbO and SiO₂, the partial and integral free energies, entropies, and heats of mixing were determined. These experimental results are interpreted and compared with previous experimental data. Based on the present data and according to the model of Toop and Samis,¹the activity coefficients of the free oxygen ion O^2? concentration is reduced.