Changes of optical properties of retroreflector installed in LHD.

This article describes changes of optical properties of retroreflectors installed on the inner wall of the vacuum vessel of the Large Helical Device. They were made of stainless steel and were used for a CO(2) laser polarimeter. The reflectivity for a CO(2) laser beam dropped up to 40% after the start of glow discharge cleanings and main plasma experiments. Then it decreased gradually. The reflectivity in a wavelength range shorter than 10 mum decreased significantly through one experimental campaign (about 4 months). On the other hand the reflectivity in a wavelength range longer than 50 mum was larger than 70%. Decrease in the reflectivity in the central region of mirrors was more significant (the reflectivity for visible beams became almost zero) than that in the edge. The distribution of the reflectivity along the radial direction is expected to be related to the shape of the retroreflector. The parallelism of the reflected beam to an incident one also deteriorated. The changes in the polarization angle and in the ellipticity of reflected light polarization were not observed from the visible to the far infrared range.

Adult-onset vitamin D-resistant osteomalacia with the unresponsiveness to parathyroid hormone.

Serum immunoreactive parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels were increased in a 50-yr-old man with a unique variant of adult-onset vitamin D-resistant osteomalacia, presenting with high phosphate clearance, mild hypocalcemia, and blunted hypercalcemic and phosphaturic responses to exogenous parathyroid extract. After normalization of his serum calcium level with a large amount of 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol, a synthetic vitamin D analog, serum PTH levels and phosphate clearance returned to normal, and hypercalcemia as well as phosphaturia appeared when parathyroid extract was administered. Further studies demonstrated that the renal response could be restored by the administration of calcium with the suppression of PTH. The evidence presented suggests that the resistance of PTH in this patient was due to secondary hyperparathyroidism rather than to a defect of PTH-sensitive receptors of the kidney and bone or to inadequacy of vitamin D per se.

Distribution of protein kinase C (alpha, beta, gamma subtypes) in normal nerve fibers and in regenerating growth cones of the rat peripheral nervous system.

The distribution of protein kinase C (alpha, beta, gamma subtypes) was studied using immunocytochemical techniques in normal nerve fibers and in regenerating sprouts (growth cones) from the nodes of Ranvier following crush injuries to the rat peripheral nervous system. In normal nerves, for each protein kinase C subtype, immunoreactivity was present in both myelinated and unmyelinated axons. In myelinated axons, immunoreactivity for all three subtypes was patchy in the axoplasm and diffuse in the subaxolemmal peripheral zones. No immunoreactivity was found in the microtubule and neurofilament (cytoskeletal) domain. In contrast, in unmyelinated axons, immunoreactivity was distributed diffusely in the axoplasm. Schwann cells of myelinated fibers exhibited protein kinase C immunoreactivity, but those of unmyelinated fibers did not. In regenerating nerves, early sprouts and growth cones extending through the crushed site along Schwann cell basal laminae exhibited intense immunoreactivity for all three subtypes. Immunoreactivity was distributed diffusely throughout the axoplasm of the regenerating sprouts (growth cones), in which microtubules and neurofilaments were very rare. Thus, the subcellular localization of the protein kinase C immunoreactivity in growth cones of early regenerating nerves differed from that of normal parent axons. These findings suggest that protein kinase C (alpha, beta and gamma subtypes), whose subcellular distribution becomes more extensive in regenerating axons, may have important functional roles in axonal sprouting and in the regulation of growth cone activity in the peripheral nervous system.

Immunocytochemical distribution of Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C subtypes (delta, epsilon, and zeta) in regenerating axonal growth cones of rat peripheral nerve.

In the peripheral nerve, regenerating axonal sprouts usually emanate at nodes of Ranvier, and extend as growth cones along the inner surface of Schwann cells and/or through Schwann cell columns in the distal nerve segment. In order to elucidate the significance of Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C in nerve regeneration, localizations of delta, epsilon and zeta subtypes were examined immunocytochemically in sprouts and growth cones of regenerating axons, as well as in normal intact nerves in the rat sciatic nerve. In normal nerves, intense immunoreactivities of delta, epsilon and zeta subtypes were present in axons of both myelinated and unmyelinated fibres. Subcellularly, the distribution of these subtypes in the axoplasm was patchy, and discontinuous in the axolemma and subaxolemmal peripheral zones of myelinated nerves. Some thin myelinated axons showed no immunoreactivity for epsilon subtype. Schwann cells of both myelinated and unmyelinated fibres had moderate immunoreactivities for each subtype. In areas of nerve regeneration, axonal sprouts at nodes of Ranvier, and growth cones extending along Schwann cell basal laminae, had intense immunoreactivities for delta, epsilon and zeta subtypes which are distributed diffusely throughout the axoplasm, and on the entire axolemma. In the sprouts, immunoreactivity for epsilon subtype was strong on the axolemma, but weak or almost absent in the axoplasm. These data, together with those of our previous study, indicate that Ca(2+)-independent protein kinase C subtypes (delta, epsilon and zeta) have basically the same distribution patterns as those of Ca(2+)-dependent subtypes in sprouts and growth cones of regenerating axons, as well as in normal intact axons; albeit epsilon subtype is somewhat different in distribution and intensity from delta and zeta subtypes. It is suggested that Ca(2+)-independent subtypes are involved in maintaining growth cone activities along with the Ca(2+)-dependent subtypes.

Distribution of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 in nerve growth cones and reduction of neurite outgrowth by botulinum neurotoxin A without altering growth cone morphology in dorsal root ganglion neurons and PC-12 cells.

Synaptosomal-associated protein 25 has been regarded as one of the target-associated soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion attachment protein receptors essential for exocytosis of vesicles in synapses. We have previously reported that cleavage of syntaxin, which is another target-associated soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion attachment protein receptor, with botulinum neurotoxin C1 resulted in inhibition of neurite extension and morphological changes including growth cone collapse and large vacuole formation. As an attempt to explore the mechanism of growth cone extension, we examined the ultrastructural localization of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 in growth cones with or without treatment of botulinum neurotoxin A, which cleaves synaptosomal-associated protein 25. In dorsal root ganglion neurons, light microscopy demonstrated synaptosomal-associated protein 25 immunoreactivity throughout the neurons, including the cell bodies, neurites and growth cones. Using electron microscopy, gold signals immunoreactive for synaptosomal-associated protein 25 were identified diffusely in the cytoplasm of the growth cones. In contrast, in PC-12 cells, a large number of gold signals were localized on the plasma membranes. High levels of signal were also found in the cytoplasm in the central region of the growth cones. We also confirmed that botulinum neurotoxin A treatment reduced neurite extension by about 50%. However, both in dorsal root ganglion neurons and in PC-12 cells we found no differences in the ultrastructure nor in the localization of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 between growth cones with and without toxin treatment. These results indicate that cleavage of synaptosomal-associated protein 25 inhibits growth cone extension in a manner different than that of syntaxin cleavage. The results of this study suggest the possibility that synaptosomal-associated protein 25 is involved in growth cone extension through a process independent of vesicle fusion.

Differential expression of gap junction proteins connexin26, 32, and 43 in normal and crush-injured rat sciatic nerves. Close relationship between connexin43 and occludin in the perineurium.

We immunohistochemically and morphometrically examined the expression of gap junction protein connexin (Cx) in normal and crush-injured rat sciatic nerves using confocal laser scanning microscopy. Cx26 was localized in the perineurium and Cx43 was present in the perineurium and the epineurium, whereas Cx32 was confined to the paranodal regions of the nodes of Ranvier. Double labeling for connexins and laminin revealed that Cx43 was localized in multiple layers of the perineurium, whereas Cx26 was confined to the innermost layer. Double labeling for connexins and a tight junction protein, occludin, showed that occludin frequently coexisted with Cx43 but existed separately from Cx26 in the perineurium. After crush injury, the pattern of normal Cx32 expression was initially lost but recovered, whereas Cx43 rapidly appeared in the endoneurium and its expression was subsequently attenuated. Although crush injury produced no apparent alteration in Cx43 and occludin in the perineurium, a rapid increase and a subsequent decrease in the frequency of Cx26-positive spots during nerve regeneration were shown by morphometric analysis. These results indicate that Cx26, Cx32, and Cx43 are expressed differently in various types of cells in peripheral nerves and that their expressions are differentially regulated after injury. The expression of connexins and occludin in the perineurium suggests that perineurial cells are not uniform in type and that the regulation of gap junctions and tight junctions is closely related in the perineurium.

Mortality of registered A-bomb survivors in Nagasaki, Japan, 1970-1984.

A follow-up study of A-bomb survivors registered in Nagasaki was conducted from 1970 to 1984 by the Scientific Data Center of A-Bomb Disaster at Nagasaki University, which has collected medical and administrative data on A-bomb survivors with the help of Nagasaki City Hall and other organizations. The purpose of this study was to investigate the following two points. (1) Has the health screening program for A-bomb survivors reduced the mortality rate? (2) If so, how much has it reduced it, and what would the life-shortening effect of radiation be without the health screening program? The results revealed that the effect of radiation on mortality would be underestimated if the health screening factor were ignored. The estimated effect of radiation dose was compared with that estimated by the Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF).

Sprout formation at nodes of Ranvier of crush-injured peripheral nerves.

Sprouting from crush-injured rat sciatic nerves was studied by electron microscopy to clarify how regenerating sprouts are generated at the node of Ranvier and extended distally in the injured nerves. Three hours after injury, sprouting had already begun in a few nodes: part of the dense submembranous undercoat had disappeared from the nodal axolemma, and the axolemma was slightly evaginated where the undercoat was avoided. The sprout contained clear vesicles of about 50 nm in diameter in an amorphous axoplasm. In addition, vacuoles measuring 100-200 nm in diameter and multivesicular bodies were commonly found within or near these early sprouts. Six to 12 h after injury, nodes of Ranvier with sprouts increased in number in the region 1-1.5 mm proximal to the lesion. Sprouts grew toward the overlying Schwann cell basal lamina, and extended through the space between the basal lamina and Schwann cell plasmalemma (or myelin sheath). In the stem region continuous with the parent axon, regenerating sprouts displayed prominent neurofilaments, which were randomly arranged at 1 day post-injury, but oriented longitudinally by 5 days post-injury.

VAMP-2 promotes neurite elongation and SNAP-25A increases neurite sprouting in PC12 cells.

Recent studies suggest that the soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attached protein (SNAP) receptor (SNARE)-mediated membrane fusion system is involved in vesicle fusion in the plasma membrane that allows expansion for neurite elongation. There have been several reports analyzing the effects of neurite outgrowth by inhibition of SNAREs. In this study, we took the opposite approach by overexpressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fusion SNAREs, including VAMP-2, SNAP-25A, and syntaxin1A, in PC12 cells to investigate the role of SNAREs in the neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells. Neurite outgrowth analysis demonstrated that: (1) GFP-VAMP-2 increased the length of individual neurites, without changing the number of neurites per cell; (2) GFP-SNAP-25A increased the number of neurites per cell, with no change in the length of the individual neurites. In both cases, the total length of neurites per cell was increased; (3) GFP-syntaxin1A resulted in no significant change, either in neurite length, or in the number of neurites per cell. These findings suggest that when overexpressed in PC12 cells, VAMP-2 can promote neurite elongation, while SNAP-25A can stimulate neurite sprouting. On the other hand, overexpression of syntaxin1A neither promotes nor inhibits neurite outgrowth. Thus VAMP-2 and SNAP-25A play different roles in neurite elongation and sprouting.

Synaptophysin immunocytochemistry in the regenerating sprouts from the nodes of Ranvier in injured rat sciatic nerve.

Following crush injury of rat sciatic nerve, strong synaptophysin immunoreactivity was demonstrated in the regenerating sprouts that emerged from the proximal nodes of Ranvier and in their growth cones that extended through the space between Schwann cell basal lamina and myelin sheath of the parent axon. These findings suggest that synaptophysin is involved in the growth regulation of regenerating sprouts.

Localization of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in cultured mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons.

The present study, using confocal laser scanning microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy, examined the intracellular localization of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in cultured mouse dorsal root ganglion neurons with special reference to their growth cones. The growth cone is the specialized structure formed at the growing tip of the axon; characteristically highly motile with filopodia on the surface, it is responsible for the extension and guidance of the neurites to the appropriate targets during nerve regeneration. It has been suggested that protein-tyrosine phosphorylation plays an important role in the intracellular signal transduction that regulates the extension and motility of growth cones. By fluorescence immunocytochemistry, phosphotyrosine immunoreactivity was found in the growth cones and neurites. Some of the filopodia exhibited strong immunoreactivity at their tips. By immunoelectron microscopy, a large number of immunogold particles (gold particles conjugated to the secondary antibody) were seen to be distributed in the cytoplasm and some were observed on the plasma membrane in the growth cones, whereas in the neurites the density of immunogold particles was the same in the axoplasm as on the plasma membranes. These findings suggest that in the growth cones phosphotyrosines might mainly be involved in intracellular signaling for maintaining their high motility whereas in the neurites they might mostly be associated with the receptor proteins at the plasma membrane for adhesion as well as for growth of neurites. Thus, tyrosine phosphorylation might contribute to different functions for growth cones and neurites.

Kinetics of human pancreatic and salivary alpha-amylases with carboxymethylamyloses as substrates.

The enzymatic measurement of alpha-amylase in human serum with chemically modified amylose as substrate was studied. Several substitutions of carboxymethylamylose were prepared from amylose, suitable amounts of monochloroacetic acid, and sodium hydroxide. The relationship between the degree of substitution of the carboxymethylamylose and the kinetic parameters of human pancreatic, salivary and porcine pancreatic alpha-amylases was determined. The action of alpha-amylases on such modified amyloses in the presence of glucoamylase was measured by a specific enzymatic assay having glucose as the product. The kinetic parameters of human pancreatic alpha-amylase were similar to those of human salivary alpha-amylase. It was possible to determine suitable sensitivities for the alpha-amylase assay using this substrate. These results suggested a subsite model.

Hemodynamic responses to photic stimulation in neonates.

A three-channel near-infrared monitoring system was used to evaluate the regional hemodynamic responses to photic stimulation during spontaneous sleep in seven healthy neonates. Three pairs of parallel light guides, separated by 15 mm each, were placed over a 450-mm(2) occipital region of the head. Increases in oxygenated and total hemoglobin were observed during photic stimulation only in one channel, and no change or decreases in oxygenated, deoxygenated, and total hemoglobin were observed in the other two channels. The change in the direction of deoxygenated hemoglobin accompanying the increases in oxygenated and total hemoglobin (usually a decrease in adults) differed in each subject and also varied with each measurement even in the same subject. An increase, decrease, and no change were observed. The results imply that an increase in regional cerebral blood flow occurs because of stimulation specific to the visual cortex and that the increase in deoxygenated hemoglobin observed in the visual cortex of the neonatal brain is attributable to venous dilation.

Physical dosimetry at Nagasaki--Europium-152 of stone embankment and electron spin resonance of teeth from atomic bomb survivors.

Gamma-rays from thermal neutron-induced radionuclide of 152Eu in rocks near the ground center of the atomic bomb (A-bomb) explosion (hypocenter) in Nagasaki were measured with a pure germanium semiconductor detector. Depth profiles of 152Eu activity were obtained for 22 core samples taken from stone embankments on both sides of two rivers (the River Shimono-kawa and the River Urakami-gawa) within 500 m of the hypocenter since the activity in the rocks has a history of incident neutron energy. although the activities of the surface sections were varied from sample to sample, the slopes of depth profile in rock and the value of 152Eu activity in the depth of 240-280 mm were similar among the samples taken from the same location. On the other hand, neutron penetrating experiments using both a fast and a thermal neutron reactor were performed to obtain the relationship between the incident neutron energy spectra and the depth profiles of 152Eu activity in rock. The depth profiles in the bomb exposed samples were close to that obtained by using a 10 mm polyethelene moderator in the reactor experiments. Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements from teeth of A-bomb survivors were carried out to estimate the individual gamma-ray dose of the survivors. The absorbed dose of ten tooth samples was estimated by ESR dosimetry. The results of ESR dosimetry were consistent with the calculations of tissue dose in air of A-bombs and irradiated shielding configuration of individuals.

The effect of pictorial context on sentence memory in Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia.

Eighteen aphasic patients (8 Broca's and 10 Wernicke's aphasics), 11 right hemisphere damaged patients and 12 normal subjects were tested to assess the effect of pictorial context on verbal memory with a sentence recognition task. The subjects were read aloud a stimulus sentence describing a simple event and simultaneously shown a picture congruent or incongruent with the sentence. Immediately following or after an interval of 30 sec, the subjects were read aloud a second sentence and asked to judge whether this sentence was the same or different from the stimulus sentence. The results indicated that verbal memory was better retained in supportive situations than in distracting situations, and that this contextual effect was greater in aphasic patients than in any of the other groups. Verbal memory declined rapidly after an interval in aphasic patients, but not in normal subjects. The Broca's and the Wernicke's aphasics demonstrated different performance patterns when semantic analysis of sentences was critical.

Measurement of 239Pu in soil and plants in the Nishiyama District of Nagasaki.

Nishiyama district in Nagasaki is located approximately 3000 m east of the hypocenter of the atomic bomb that was dropped on 9 August 1945. This district is also known as an area where there was a concentrated radioactive fallout with the black rain that was carried by a westerly wind. The Nagasaki atomic bomb was a Pu bomb, and the fallout must have included 239Pu without fission in addition to fission products. The presence of 239Pu in Nishiyama district has been confirmed previously. In this study, the distribution of 239 + 240Pu concentration in the uncultivated soil and the transfer factor of 239 + 240Pu to agricultural products in Nishiyama district were examined. The concentration of 239 + 240Pu in the uncultivated soil was 20 Bq kg-1, which was approximately eight times as high as that in the control districts. The transfer factor of 239 + 240Pu to agricultural products was 10(-4) - 10(-3), which was 1/100-1/200 of that of 137Cs.

137Cs concentration among children in areas contaminated with radioactive fallout from the Chernobyl accident: Mogilev and Gomel oblasts, Belarus.

The level of radiation exposure in children in Belarus caused by the Chernobyl accident was investigated on the basis of whole body 137Cs count. The subjects were 10,062 children (4,762 boys and 5,300 girls) in Mogilev and Gomel, Belarus, who received Chernobyl Sasakawa Health and Medical Cooperation Project health examinations from May 1991 to December 1992 and who were 5-16 y old at the time of examination. The median whole body 137Cs count per body weight varied from 21-48 Bq kg-1 and from 28-126 Bq kg-1 in Mogilev oblast and Gomel oblast, respectively. (The "oblast" is the largest administrative district constituting the country. Belarus consists of 6 oblasts). Corresponding annual effective dose equivalents were all less than the public dose limit of 1 mSv y-1, but the observed levels in the children were considerably higher than the average level of 2.3 Bq kg-1 reported in the past for the former Soviet Union.

Relationship between the 137Cs whole-body counting results and soil and food contamination in farms near Chernobyl.

We measured the radioactivity in the soil and child food samples from farms near Mogilev (56-270 GBq km(-2) 137Cs), Gomel (36-810 GBq km(-2) 137Cs), and Klincy (59-270 GBq km(-2) 137Cs), who had whole-body 137Cs counting results measured as part of a health examination in the Chernobyl Sasakawa Health and Medical Cooperation Project. Soil contamination on the family farm seems to be the main source of human contamination because most of the people in the area live on small farms and they and their domestic animals eat crops from the farms. A clear correlation was found between the children's whole-body 137Cs counting results and the radioactivity in their food (correlation coefficient: 0.76; confidence level of correlation: 3.2 x 10(-9)). There were also significant correlations between the whole-body 137Cs counting results and both the radioactivity of the soil samples (correlation coefficient: 0.22; confidence level of correlation: 0.0107) and the average contamination level of their current residence (correlation coefficient: 0.20; confidence level of correlation: 0.0174).

[Study of erythrocyte sedimentation rate in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

We studied the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ERS) and related factors that influence ESR in 326 patients with Pulmonary tuberculosis. The ESR tended to be higher for aged subjects and showed a difference between patients under 59 years old and patients over 60 years old. Besides, patients under 30 years old tended to present lower ESR. It is suggested that they may be under the influence of inapparent infection. For The Japanese Society for Tuberculosis Classification, a significant difference was noted in the extent, but there was no difference about the presence of cavity. A significant correlation was detected between ESE and Gaffky scale, ESR and CRP, and ESR and period until sputum culture became negative. But CRP negative cases were observed in about 28%. CRP alone was not sufficient for the evaluation of the morbid condition of Mycobacterium infection. Receiver-Operator Characteristic curve analysis confirmed that ESR is useful among patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore evaluation of ESR together with CRP was needed.

Long-term tissue distribution and steady state activity ratios of 232Th and its daughters in rats after intravascular injection of Thorotrast.

To estimate the absorbed dose in the critical organs of Thorotrast patients, it is necessary to know not only the distribution and concentration of 232Th but also its daughter nuclides in the body. The present investigation was undertaken in order to clarify the long-term 232Th tissue distribution and steady state activity ratios between subsequent daughters in the critical tissues using about 30 Wister male rats, as a basis for estimating absorbed doses. The tissue distribution of thorium was examined by means of an autoradiography of the whole body and/or the gamma-ray spectrometry at various times during 2 to 24 months following injection. The concentrations of daughter nuclides in tissues were determined by repetitive gamma examination over a period from 1 hr to 35 days after being sacrificed. The data indicate (1) that approximately 90% of injected Thorotrast is retained in the body for a prolonged period, but about 50% of radium and 10% of radon produced from thorium are eliminated from the body, (2) that the mean steady state activity ratios of 224Ra and 212Pb to 228Th for liver are 0.56 and 0.28, and 0.54 and 0.16 for spleen, 0.58 and 0.82 for lungs, respectively, and (3) that the parent 228Th is translocated to the bone.