[Social and health conditions in a former coal mining area in Fukuoka, Japan].

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the residual effect of the former coal mining industry upon the social and health conditions of an area that was the side of a once prospering coal mining industry. The area was partitioned into two types of districts according to the percentage of residential housing that was for coal miners. The first district consisted predominantly of tenant homes for the coal miners (coal miner district) and the remaining area made up the second district (other district). Health conditions in the two districts were compared by standard mortality rates (SMR), and age-specific death rates for all disease and non-disease related deaths. Social conditions were compared based upon sex, age, employment stauts, and job type. The results were as follows: (1) Total unemployment rate, the percentage of households with no income earner, and single-family households, was higher in the coal miner district than in the other district. (2) The SMRs for all deaths in the coal miner district were significantly higher than in the other district. (3) While not significant the SMRs for disease related deaths were higher in the coal miner district. (4) Even in the younger age group (both male and female), while having no direct relationship with the coal mining industry, the SMRs were higher in the coal mine district. (5) The SMRs for suicides and homicides that occurred among the men residing in the coal miner district were higher. In conclusion, the social and health conditions in this former coal mining residential area were poorer than in the other area.

Incipient space weathering observed on the surface of Itokawa dust particles.

The reflectance spectra of the most abundant meteorites, ordinary chondrites, are different from those of the abundant S-type (mnemonic for siliceous) asteroids. This discrepancy has been thought to be due to space weathering, which is an alteration of the surfaces of airless bodies exposed to the space environment. Here we report evidence of space weathering on particles returned from the S-type asteroid 25143 Itokawa by the Hayabusa spacecraft. Surface modification was found in 5 out of 10 particles, which varies depending on mineral species. Sulfur-bearing Fe-rich nanoparticles exist in a thin (5 to 15 nanometers) surface layer on olivine, low-Ca pyroxene, and plagioclase, which is suggestive of vapor deposition. Sulfur-free Fe-rich nanoparticles exist deeper inside (<60 nanometers) ferromagnesian silicates. Their texture suggests formation by metamictization and in situ reduction of Fe(2+).

[Applied DNA-DNA hybridization in determination of oral Streptococcus.].

Quantitative measurement of DNA-DNA hybridization is a new technique for determination of unknown bacteria.It is more valuable how to identify strains which is rare difference on phenotypic characteristics.It is important to resolve bactericial taxionmy and identify new strain.Four strain of Streptiococcus are determined by hybridization of DNA.Some technique problems are discussed.Such as purification,precision of DNA and temperature as well as time of DNA hybridization and standard of judgment.

[Case report of three impacted supernumerary teeth in the premaxillary region].

A case is presented of a six-year-six-month-old boy with three impacted supernumerary teeth in the premaxillary region. The radiographic examination showed one mesiodens resorbing the root of the left primary central incisor and two inverted supernumerary teeth, also displacement of the unerupted permanent central incisors. Surgical treatment was performed to remove these supernumerary teeth. The forms of the mesiodens exhibited tubercularly shaped crown with four-conical cusp and two inverted supernumerary teeth showed a conicalshaped crown with incomplete root. According to the family history, a sibling had a supernumerary tooth in the same region which had been extracted in the past.

Echocardiographic features of Uhl's anomaly. A case report.

M-mode echocardiography on a fifty-eight year old female with Uhl's anomaly showed several characteristic findings, which were considered to be useful in differentiating Uhl's anomaly from Ebstein's. Those findings were normal tricuspid diastolic closing velocity, the relatively early tricuspid valve opening, easy visualization of the tricuspid valve in usual position and the unusual mid-diastolic pulmonic valve full opening. The premature opening of the pulmonic valve correlated with the right atrial and ventricular mid-diastolic pressure exceeding that of the pulmonary artery.

[Low energy tail spectra of characteristic X-rays detected by a Si(Li) X-ray detector].

Characteristic X-ray spectra are inherently accompanied by the tail spectra in the low energy side when X-rays are detected with a semiconductor X-ray detector. The tail spectra of Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr and Mn KX-rays have been observed using two different Si(Li) X-ray detectors. An annular source of 55Fe has been used to excite the Mg (1.25 keV) to Ti (4.5 keV) KX-rays, and 54Mn and 55Fe sources have been used for the detection of Cr (5.4 keV) and Mn (5.9 keV) KX-rays, respectively. Observed intensity ratios of the tail area Nt to the Gaussian X-ray peak area NP have exhibited to change remarkably at the Si-K adsorption edge energy 1.84 ke V. When X-ray spectra detected with different Si(Li) detectors are compared at some specific characteristic X-ray, different values of Nt/Np intensity ratios as well as different line shapes of tail spectra have been observed. Using a simple model, the thickness of Si layer which generates the tail spectrum has been estimated, i.e., the thicknesses are about 0.05 micron for one detector and 0.09 micron for the other detector. The generation of the tail spectrum is known to be partially due to the escape effect of photoelectrons or Auger electrons from the intrinsic region.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Novel malonamide derivatives as alpha v beta 3 antagonists. Syntheses and evaluation of 3-(3-indolin-1-yl-3-oxopropanoyl)aminopropanoic acids on vitronectin interaction with alpha v beta 3.

In attempt to find novel integrin alphavbeta3 antagonists, we selected SC65811 and its guanidine analogue (1) as lead compounds. Modification of the glycine part of SC65811 led to a new series of malonamide derivatives that exhibited alphavbeta3 inhibitory activity. Among them, (R,S)-3-[3-[6-(3-benzylureido)indolin-1-yl]-3-oxopropanoylamino]-3- (pyridin-3-yl)propanoic acid (43a) showed not only potent activity with an IC50 value of 3.0 nM but also good selectivity for alphavbeta3 relative to alphaIIbbeta3, alpha5beta1, and alphavbeta5 with IC50 values of 19,000, 11,000, and 14 nM, respectively. Furthermore, optimization of 43a led to the most potent alphavbeta3 antagonist, (R,S)-3-(3-[6-[(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)amino]indolin-1-yl]-3-oxopropanoylamino)-3-(quinolin-3-yl)propanoic acid (431) with an IC50 value of 0.42 nM. The synthesis and the structure-activity relationships of these malonamide derivatives are presented.