Spontaneous splitting of a quadruply charged vortex.

We studied the splitting instability of a quadruply charged vortex both experimentally and theoretically. The density defect, which is a signature of the vortex core, is experimentally observed to deform into a linear shape. The deformed defect is theoretically confirmed to be an array of four linearly aligned singly charged vortices. The array of vortices rotates and precesses simultaneously with different angular velocities. The initial state of the system is not rotationally symmetric, which enables spontaneous splitting without external perturbations.

Comparative morphological study on the tongue and lingual papillae of horses (Perissodactyla) and selected ruminantia (Artiodactyla).

A common characteristic of horses, Rocky Mountain goats, and cattle is that they all have a well developed lingual prominence on the dorsal surface of the posterior area of the tongue. Foliate papillae were found in the horse studied but not in the goat or in cattle. The horse filiform papillae had a long and slender external form with a thin and slender CTC, while in the goat and cattle the external form consisted of a large thick main process and the CTC consisted of a bundle of numerous rod-shaped protrusions. The special papilla found on the lingual prominence resembled larger filiform-like papillae in the horses; however, in the goat and cattle it was a very thick and large tongue like papillae. The horses had two large vallate papillae, while the goat and cattle had 15 or more vallate papillae at the posterior area of the lingual prominence. This suggests that the fine structure of horse tongues may display a more primitive pattern than that present in goats and cattle.

Spin squeezing via one-axis twisting with coherent light.

We propose a new method of spin squeezing of atomic spin, based on the interactions between atoms and off-resonant light which are known as paramagnetic Faraday rotation and the fictitious magnetic field of light. Since the projection process, squeezed light, or special interactions among the atoms are not required in this method, it can be widely applied to many systems. The attainable range of the squeezing parameter is zeta greater, similarS(-2/5), where S is the total spin, which is limited by additional fluctuations imposed by coherent light and the spherical nature of the spin distribution.

Photoassociation spectroscopy of laser-cooled ytterbium atoms.

We report the photoassociation spectroscopy of laser-cooled ytterbium atoms in an optical trap. We observed more than 90 photoassociation resonances of vibrational levels in the (1)Sigma(+)(u) state, including 80 consecutive series, up to 490 GHz detuning with respect to the atomic resonance. From the resonance frequencies we derived the atomic radiative lifetime of the (6s6p) 1P1 state to be 5.464+/-0.005 ns, which is about 2 orders of magnitude improvement over previous results. We also observed line broadening of resonances, which is ascribed to the predissociation to the triplet states, and estimated the transition probability to be 0.2. Furthermore, we observed the decrease of the photoassociation signal intensity, from which the scattering length is estimated to be equal to or less than 3 nm.

High-density trapping of cold ytterbium atoms by an optical dipole force.

We have succeeded in trapping a high density of rare-earth atom of ytterbium (Yb) in a crossed far-off resonance trap. The peak density reaches more than 10(14) cm(-3). With a new method of a delayed crossed far-off resonance trap, we have elucidated that the atoms became concentrated into the cross region by atom-atom collisions. We trap fermionic Yb atoms in the same way as bosonic ones.

Stereo-structural study of the lingual papillae and their connective tissue cores in relation to ageing changes in the human tongue.

This study describes the stereo structure of human lingual papillae along lifespan with particular emphasis to ageing. The following results were obtained. Numerous slender protrusions extend from the basal column of each filiform papilla of young human tongues and decrease in number with age. Many cases having an entirely flat area on the surface of the tongue without papillae were found in old age (Loss of protrusions and flattened epithelium). The number, thickness and length of each secondary protrusion of connective tissue core (CTC) of the filiform papilla decreases roughly proportionally with age (Ramification at the end of protrusions, and fused patterns of CTC of the filiform papilla). The CTC of fungiform papillae which have a corolliform structure, become thin with age. Numerous small rod-shaped secondary CTC are distributed under the epithelium of the vallate papillae in the young subjects and decrease in number and become irregularly distributed in older age. The fact that there is a great deal of individual variation of human lingual papillae regardless of age must be emphasized.

A case of effusive-constrictive pericarditis after cardiac surgery.

A 60-year-old woman who had undergone repair of an atrial septal defect was readmitted to the hospital with dyspnea, abdominal distention, and leg edema 31 months after surgery. An echocardiogram demonstrated massive pericardial effusion. Cardiac catheterization revealed elevation and equilibrium of the 4-chamber diastolic pressure and a dip-and-plateau pattern in the right and the left ventricular pressures. Despite removal of pericardial fluid by pericardiocentesis, the findings and symptoms did not improve. The patient underwent both parietal and visceral pericardiectomy after which striking hemodynamic and symptomatic improvement occurred. Effusive-constrictive pericarditis is uncommon but should be considered in patients with refractory heart failure and massive pericardial effusion showing no improvement after removal of pericardial fluid.

Odd mating-type substances may work as precursor molecules of even mating-type substances in Paramecium caudatum.

Mating-type substances are key molecules in the sexual recognition of the odd (O) and even (E) complementary mating-type cells in Paramecium caudatum. Indirect evidence suggested that the substances were proteins and were located on ventral surface cilia. Monoclonal antibodies inhibiting the mating reactivity of the O cells have been obtained. Using these antibodies, we tried to detect antigen molecules as dot-blot signals. Strong dot-blot signals of antigens were only detected from the mating reactive cells, but they were not detected from the well-fed and starved cells without mating reactivity. In addition to identifying the antigen on cilia and cytoplasm of the O cell, the antigen was detected from the cytoplasm of the E cells but never from their cilia. Furthermore, extracts of the E cells induced mating reaction with the living E cells but not with O cells. Thus, the O mating-type substances exist in the cytoplasm of the E mating-type cells, supporting strongly the hypothesis that O mating-type substances are precursor molecules of the E mating-type substances.

Ultrastructural study of the relationship between the morphogenesis of filiform papillae and the keratinization of the lingual epithelium in the mouse.

Tongues were removed from fetuses of mice on the 15th day of gestation (E15), from newborns (P0), and from juveniles on the 7th day (p7) and on the 21st day (P21) after birth for examination by light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. In the fetuses at E15, no rudiments of filiform papillae were visible on the dorsal surface of the tongue. No evidence of keratinization was recognized throughout the entire dorsal lingual epithelium. At P0, rudiments of filiform papillae were compactly distributed over the dorsal surface, as are the filiform papillae in the adult, but their tips were rounder than those of the filiform papillae in the adult. Cell columns in the epithelium, with different degrees of keratinization of the type observed in the matured adult were indistinct. However, a keratinized layer was clearly visible on the tip of each filiform papilla. In juveniles at P7, the filiform papillae on the anterior part of the tongue were long and slender, and the anterior and posterior cell columns of the filiform papillae were identical to those in the adult. These results indicate that, in mice, the morphogenesis of filiform papillae advances in parallel with keratinization of the lingual epithelium from the stage just before birth to a stage a few weeks after birth.

Left ventricular free wall rupture in acute fulminant myocarditis during long-term cardiopulmonary support.

A 77-year-old woman with acute myocarditis developed cardiogenic shock soon after admission and was given mechanical cardiopulmonary support. Echocardiography revealed severe global left ventricular hypokinesia. After 5 days of mechanical support, left ventricular wall motion gradually began to improve, but the patient died of cardiac tamponade on day 13. At necropsy, a free wall rupture was found where the apical akinetic area bordered the basal portion, an area which had shown better wall motion. Left ventricular free wall rupture in acute myocarditis has not been reported, but this case indicates that it may occur in fulminant myocarditis when a cardiopulmonary support system is used.

Fine structure of the tongue and lingual papillae of the penguin.

The tongue in four species of penguin was investigated by light microscopy and by scanning electron microscopy, with special reference to the lingual papillae. 1) The middle of the penguin tongue contains a pair of long cartilages and long tendons accompanied by striated muscle bundles. 2) Large, spine-like, and caudally directed lingual papillae (filiform-like papillae) densely cover the dorsal surface of the tongue, apparently serving to catch fishes. 3) By light microscopy, the dorsal lingual epithelium with the lingual papillae are seen as a thick cornified layer, but the lateral and lower surfaces have a thinner cornified layer. 4) The connective tissue core (CTC) under the epithelium of the lingual papilla shows a stereo structure similar to but smaller than the external form of the papilla. The CTC contains some blood vessels and nerve fibers; the lingual glands are found in the submucous layer only in the posterior tongue. 5) Bundles of nerve fibers in the lamina propria of the tongue were immunohistochemically positive for PGP 9.5, and it appeared that Merkel corpuscles were distributed in the connective tissue closely beneath the epithelium of the finger-like papillae, though they were only weakly immunoreactive for PGP 9.5. 6) Numerous fine filaments of elastic fibers are found closely beneath the epithelial cell layer of the dorsal surface of the tongue including the lingual papillae, while there are very few of them on the lateral and lower sides of the tongue.

Preparation of polymeric urease discs by an electron beam irradiation technique.

A preparation method of immobilized urease discs by an electron beam irradiation technique was developed, and the relationship between enzyme activity and preparation conditions was investigated. The immobilized urease disc was a thin circular film (200 microm, 5 mm phi) that is useful for biomedical applications. The activity of urease irradiated with 1 Mrad at room temperature was protected by the presence of cysteine. The activity of the immobilized urease discs was studied as a function of monomer concentration (80-90%) and the thicker disc gave a high activity. The durability of the immobilized urease discs gave a high activity. The durability of the immobilized urease discs was evaluated by repeated batch enzyme reactions, and a high activity yield (80-85%) was obtained.

Effect of calcium ions on the irradiation induced inactivation of cellulase.

Abstract The activity of cellulase irradiated at various temperatures was examined as a function of irradiation dose. The effect of calcium ions in radiation inactivation of cellulase at irradiation temperature of 30°C was studied by using calcium sulfate. The calcium ions have a protective ability against radiation caused inactivation of cellulase by scavenging species such as OH(-) formed by irradiation of cellulase aqueous solution, in which the effective concentration range of the calcium ions was ∼ 10(-3) M. The calcium ions do not act for the heat inactivation of the enzyme and the enzyme hydrolysis of filter paper or chaff as an activator because the calcium ions do not associate with the enzyme to form a calcium ion-enzyme complex.

Comparative observations on lingual papillae and their connective tissue cores in three primates. A scanning electron microscopic study.

The 3-D structure of the connective tissue cores (CTCs) of the lingual papillae in three primates (treeshrew, crab-eating monkey and man) was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Each filiform papilla has some slender protrusions on the top in the three kinds of primates. After removal of the epithelium, the CTC of the filiform papillae has a columnar primary core with some rod shaped secondary protrusions whose number and size vary among the three species. The number of secondary protrusions on the filiform CTC is generally small in the treeshrew and is the greatest in man. The stereo structure of the filiform CTC is fundamentally similar in all these three species and is different from those of other animal orders (i.e. Insectivora, Rodentia etc.). The fungiform CTC in man as well as in the crab-eating monkey is coralliform in shape and branched several times with small depressions for taste buds on the top of each one, though there were some differences between the two species in stereo structure. On the other hand, the fungiform CTC in the treeshrew was columnar in shape and was rather similar to that of Insectivora and Rodentia. In the treeshrew there are several finger-like processes in the region where foliate papillae are located in man as well as in the crab-eating monkey.

A case of giant cell myocarditis with evidence of cardiac autoimmunity.

A 45-year-old-woman with giant cell myocarditis showing high titer of circulating antiheart antibodies is reported. She experienced two recurrences of myocarditis and repeatedly responded to immunosuppressive therapy using prednisolone. The titer of antiheart antibodies went up and down appropriately according to the clinical responses to immunosuppressive therapy. This case suggested that giant cell myocarditis might be related to autoimmunity.

Appearance of high enzyme activity in immobilized urease disc by electron beam irradiation technique.

A new preparation method of immobilized urease discs for biomedical applications, which was a thin circular film (200 microns, 50mm phi), was developed. The method was achieved by electron beam irradiation of polyethyleneglycol diacrylate monomers in the addition of paper disc and bean powder as protective substance for irradiation by which a denaturation of the enzyme by irradiation was effectively prevented. The immobilized enzyme disc with a high enzyme activity (remaining activity yield), about 90%, was obtained. The enzyme activity was varied by the preparation conditions such as the thickness of paper disc, monomer concentration etc. The enzymes were trapped near the surface of the disc to be easily reacted with substrate. The trapped state of the enzymes appeared to be affected by a hydrophilicity of the polymers.

An ultrastructural study of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the rat snake, Elaphe quadrivirgata.

The histological characteristics and ultrastructure of the dorsal lingual epithelium of the rat snake, Elaphe quadrivirgata, were investigated by light microscopy and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Most of the surface of the bifurcated part of the tongue was relatively smooth. Dome-shaped, hemispherical bulges were compactly arranged on the epithelial cell surface of the basal area of this region. Intercellular borders were clearly recognizable as striations. Microridges were densely distributed on the epithelial cell surface of the lingual body. Intercellular borders were thickened. A keratinized layer was clearly visible in the epithelium of the anterior bifurcated area, namely, at the apex of the tongue. Although keratohyalin granules were not found in any layer of the epithelium in this area, the cells of the surface layer were filled with keratin filaments. The dorsal lingual epithelium of the posterior area, namely, the lingual body, did not show any evidence of keratinization. Each cell on the surface side still had a large, oval nucleus and intact organelles, such as mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, tonofibrils, and tonofilaments. Cellular interdigitation was evident between adjacent cells and clear microridges or microvilli were observed on the cell membranes on the free-surface side of cells located in the surface layer. The phylogenetic relevance of these findings is discussed.

Three-dimensional fine structure of the lingual papillae and their connective tissue cores in the human tongue.

The three-dimensional structure of the four types of lingual papillae and their connective tissue cores (CTCs) in the human tongue was studied by scanning electron microscopy after removal of the epithelial cell layer, and was compared to those of other mammalian species. Filiform papillae are densely distributed on the dorsal surface of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. Each filiform papilla has numerous slender protrusions on the top. After removal of the epithelium, the CTC of the filiform papilla has a columnar primary core with 10-30 rod-shaped small secondary cores surrounding an upper central depression. A few long spine-like protrusions are frequently found in the center of this upper depression. The number, thickness and length of each secondary protrusion of the filiform CTC show some variations at the region distributed on the tongue. Fungiform papillae with spherical heads are scattered among these filiform papillae and are numerous at the anterior margin of the tongue. The CTC of the fungiform papilla shows a coralliform structure with numerous small rod-shaped protrusions on the lateral surface, and its branched top has flat areas with a few small round depressions harboring taste buds. It must be emphasized that human fungiform papilla has some taste buds not only in the young, but also in the adult age. Several to 12 vallate papillae are distributed in front of the terminal groove and had the CTC of pinecone-like structure with numerous small thorns (secondary connective tissue cores). Foliate papillae consist of 10-15 parallel folds at the posterior margin of the tongue. The CTC of the foliate papillae appears as ridges and grooves. Small protrusions are scattered on the surface of the ridges. The underside view of the exfoliated epithelium of the vallate as well as the foliate papillae revealed numerous taste buds arranged in single file in the lateral epithelium. The dorsal surface of the root of the tongue has evenly distributed short rod-shaped protrusions of the connective tissue.