Nanomechanical and optical properties of yttrium thin films by magnetron sputtering.

This Letter reports on nanomechanical and optical properties of yttrium thin films deposited on an Si (100) wafer. Elemental depth profiling by a secondary ion mass spectrometer revealed absence of formation of yttrium hydride, both on the surface and beneath. The optical properties were investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry, and the refractive indices extracted after suitable modeling were found to be 2.51 at 546 nm. Hardness and elastic modulus of these films were found to be 7 and 142 GPa, respectively. These studies indicate that yttrium thin films are suitable for x-ray mirrors, photocathode emitters in e-beam lithography, electron microscopes, and free-electron lasers.

Pulsed wire discharge apparatus for mass production of copper nanopowders.

A pulsed wire discharge (PWD) apparatus for the mass production of nanopowders has been developed. The apparatus has a continuous wire feeder, which is operated in synchronization with a discharging circuit. The apparatus is designed for operation at a maximum repetition rate of 1.4 Hz at a stored energy of 160 J. In the present study, Cu nanopowder was synthesized using the PWD apparatus and the performance of the apparatus was examined. Cu nanopowder of 2.0 g quantity was prepared in N(2) gas at 100 kPa for 90 s. The particle size distribution of the Cu nanopowder was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy and the mean surface diameter was determined to be 65 nm. The ratio of the production mass of the powder to input energy was 362 g/kW h.

High resolution NMR measurements using a 400MHz NMR with an (RE)Ba2Cu3O7-x high-temperature superconducting inner coil: Towards a compact super-high-field NMR.

Use of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) inner coils in combination with conventional low-temperature superconducting (LTS) outer coils for an NMR magnet, i.e. a LTS/HTS NMR magnet, is a suitable option to realize a high-resolution NMR spectrometer with operating frequency >1GHz. From the standpoint of creating a compact magnet, (RE: Rare earth) Ba2Cu3O7-x (REBCO) HTS inner coils which can tolerate a strong hoop stress caused by a Lorentz force are preferred. However, in our previous work on a first-generation 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet, the NMR resolution and sensitivity were about ten times worse than that of a conventional LTS NMR magnet. The result was caused by a large field inhomogeneity in the REBCO coil itself and the shielding effect of a screening current induced in that coil. In the present paper, we describe the operation of a modified 400MHz LTS/REBCO NMR magnet with an advanced field compensation technology using a combination of novel ferromagnetic shimming and an appropriate procedure for NMR spectrum line shape optimization. We succeeded in obtaining a good NMR line shape and 2D NOESY spectrum for a lysozyme aqueous sample. We believe that this technology is indispensable for the realization of a compact super-high-field high-resolution NMR.

Responses to TRH and T3 suppression tests in euthyroid subjects with a family history of Graves' disease.

The relationship of Graves' disease and heredity was studied in 97 clinically and biochemically euthyroid relatives (resin T3 uptake and serum T3, T4, and TSH within normal ranges) who had more than two thyrotoxic relatives within the second degree relationship. TRH tests were preformed in all 97 cases. In 56 of the 97, T3 suppression tests were performed shortly after the TRH test. Results revealed that 29 of the 97 (29.9%) showed an abnormal response to TRH. fourteen of these (14.4%) revealed no response or a hyporesponse, and 15 (15.5%) revealed a hyperresponse to TRH. Four of 56 (7.1%) were T3 nonsuppressible. Seven individuals who showed no response or a hyporesponse to TRH consisted of 2 nonsuppressible and 5 suppressible subjects. In 14 non- or hyporesponsive cases, serum T3 (1.51 +/- 0.05 ng/ml; mean +/- SE) and T4 (9.91 +/- 0.31 micrograms/dl) were significantly higher compared with those of normal responders (1.30 +/- 0.04 ng/ml, 8.57 +/- 0.21 micrograms/dl; P less than 0.001) or hyperresponders (1.16 +/- 0.06 ng/ml, 7.77 +/- 0.63 micrograms/dl; P less than 0.01). There was no correlation between TRH responsiveness and T3 suppressibility. A relatively high occurrence of thyroglobulin and microsomal antibodies was observed, further suggesting a hereditary predisposition. The findings indicate that even in euthyroid relatives with a family history of Graves' disease who have no clinical or biochemical abnormalities of thyroid dysfunction, many have abnormalities in TRH responsiveness, T3 suppressibility, and thyroidal antibodies.

Hemodynamic and endocrine responsiveness to mental arithmetic task and mirror drawing test in patients with essential hypertension.

To evaluate the reactivity to psychological stress in patients with essential hypertension we investigated hemodynamic and endocrinologic changes during a mental arithmetic task (MAT) and a mirror drawing test (MDT) in 10 hypertensive subjects. Hemodynamic changes were assessed continuously using an ambulatory radionuclide cardiac detector. There were significant increases in systolic blood pressure (deltaSBP: +37.8 +/- 11.1 and +41.0 +/- 9.4 mm Hg during MAT and MDT, respectively, P < .01) and diastolic blood pressure (deltaDBP: +17.5 +/- 3.1 and +21.2 +/- 3.9 mm Hg, P < .01) and in heart rate (deltaHR: +17.1 +/- 5.3 and +12.5 +/- 2.9 beats/min, P < .01) during both tasks in association with an increase in cardiac output (CO). The plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine increased during both the MAT (deltaNE: +0.074 +/- 0.022 ng/mL, P < .01; deltaEP: +0.068 +/- 0.025 ng/mL, P < .01) and the MDT (deltaNE: +0.067 +/- 0.034 ng/mL, P < .01; deltaEP: +0.030 +/- 0.011 ng/mL, .05 < P < .1). Although the deltaNE was similar in response to the MAT and MDT, the deltaEP during the MDT tended to be less than half the deltaEP during the MAT (.05 < P < .10). The deltaEP was positively correlated with the deltaDBP and the deltaCO during both tasks and with the deltaSBP and the deltaHR during the MAT. These findings suggest that MAT- and MDT-induced increases in BP were attributable mainly to an increase in CO, possibly as the result of stimulation of the sympathoadrenomedullary system. However, the sympathoadrenomedullary system appeared to be more closely associated with the hemodynamic responses during the MAT than during the MDT.

Purification and cDNA cloning of bovine liver 5'-nucleotidase, a GPI-anchored protein, and its expression in COS cells.

A glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein, 5'-nucleotidase [EC 3.1.3.5], was released from the membrane of bovine liver by use of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) of Bacillus thuringiensis and purified by several column chromatographies to a homogeneous state. The purified protein has an apparent molecular mass of 61 kDa, as estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. From the partial amino acid sequence of a tryptic peptide, mixed oligonucleotides were synthesized and used to screen a lambda gt11 liver cDNA library, and one positive clone, pE1, was isolated. Since the insert of the clone lacked the NH2-terminal coding region, another lambda gt11 liver cDNA library was screened by using a synthetic probe corresponding to the 5' region of the insert of pE1. Three additional cDNA clones were obtained. Sequencing of these cDNAs revealed an open reading frame that encodes a 574-residue polypeptide with a calculated mass of 63,084 Da. The predicted structure showed two highly hydrophobic stretches at both ends of the protein, like those of rat and human 5'-nucleotidases. The NH2-terminal 26 residues comprise a signal peptide and the COOH-terminal hydrophobic stretch may serve as a signal for the posttranslational GPI modification. An expression vector of the cDNA, pSVNT, was constructed in a mammalian expression vector pSVL and the 5'-nucleotidase activity was transiently expressed in COS-1 cells. The expressed activity was about 8 times higher than the pSVL-transfected control activity. PI-PLC released 45% of the transiently expressed 5'-nucleotidase activity, indicating that the cDNA isolated here encodes this enzyme expressed as a GPI-anchored protein.

Plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase activity and thyroid suppressibility in Graves' disease.

Plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH) activity, serum T4, T3, T3U, and the 24-hr thyroid uptake before triiodothyronine suppression testing were studied in 34 patients with treated Graves' disease. Although all of them were in the euthyroid state, there was a statistically significant difference in presuppression plasma DBH activity between those patients who showed suppression of their RAI uptake with triidothyronine and those who did not. This suggests a relationship between plasma DBH activity and thyroid suppressibility.

Epidemiological data on anorexia nervosa in Japan.

An epidemiological survey on anorexia nervosa was performed in Japanese hospitals in 1985 and 1992 using a questionnaire. The reported number of patients with anorexia nervosa was 2391 from 732 institutions. From these data, the total number of anorexia nervosa patients treated in 1985 in Japanese hospitals was estimated to be about 3500-4500. In 1992, the reported number of patients with AN was 2247. The total number of AN patients treated in 1992 was estimated to be about 4500-4600, which is a little higher than that in 1985 (3500-4500). The prevalence was 3.6-4.5 per 100000 among the general population, 6.3-9.7 per 10(5) among the female population, and 25.2-30.7 per 10(5) among the 13-29 year-old female population.

Comparison of gastric and duodenal lesions in dogs and cats with and without lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis.

OBJECTIVE--To compare histologic lesions in the stomach and duodenum of dogs and cats with and without lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis (LPE). DESIGN--Case-control study. ANIMALS--20 clinically normal dogs, 40 dogs with LPE, 10 clinically normal cats, and 20 cats with LPE. RESULTS--Unevenness of the mucosal surface was detected in the stomach of 4 of the 20 (20%) clinically normal dogs and 10 of the 40 (25%) dogs with LPE. Mucosal friability was detected in the duodenum of 16 (40%) of the dogs with LPE and 10 of the 20 (50%) cats with LPE. Histologically, clinically normal dogs and dogs with LPE had various degrees of fibrosis in the gastric lamina propria. All of the clinically normal cats and the cats with LPE had slight gastric fibrosis. Clinically normal cats had infiltrates of inflammatory cells similar to those seen in the clinically normal dogs. Significantly more plasma cells and lymphocytes were seen in the duodenal lamina propria of dogs and cats with LPE than in the duodenal lamina propria of clinically normal animals. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS--LPE should be diagnosed by counting the number of inflammatory cells in the duodenal lamina propria and then comparing that number with the number seen in clinically normal animals.

Comparison of gastric lesions in dogs and cats with and without gastric spiral organisms.

OBJECTIVES: To determine prevalence of gastric spiral organisms (GSO) in dogs and cats that were clinically normal or had primary gastrointestinal disease and to compare histologic lesions of the stomach in dogs and cats with and without GSO. ANIMALS: 21 dogs and 10 cats that were clinically normal and 56 dogs and 33 cats with gastrointestinal disease. DESIGN: Case-control study. RESULTS: Unevenness of the gastric mucosal surface was detected, using endoscopic techniques in 20 and 25% of clinically normal and abnormal dogs, respectively. On histologic examination, GSO were located on the mucosal surface within or beneath the mucus, in gastric pits, and within glandular lumina in 86 and 90% of clinically normal dogs and cats, respectively, and in 61 and 64% of clinically abnormal dogs and cats, respectively. Prevalence of GSO infection in dogs and cats that were clinically abnormal was not higher than in those that were clinically normal. Infection was detected in stomachs of > 60% of dogs and cats 1 year old or less. Helicobacter pylori was not isolated from any specimen; however, specimens in which GSO were found had positive results on a urease test. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Prevalence of GSO infection was high in clinically normal and abnormal dogs and cats, some of which were young. This should be considered during assessment of clinically normal animals with GSO as they can be a potential reservoir for infection in human beings.

[The frequency of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains and sensitivity surveillance for several antibiotics in Gifu Prefecture].

The frequency and the antibacterial sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from 6 key hospitals (in 5 areas) and 1 otorhinolaryngology clinic in Gifu Prefecture from February to March, 1999, were investigated with several antibiotics. A total of 128 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated throughout the study: 47 strains (36.7%) of penicillin-susceptible S. pneumoniae (PSSP), 51 strains (39.8%) of penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP), and 30 strains (23.4%) of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP); the resistant bacteria being relatively prominent. In these hospitals, PSSP was isolated by 38.8% in all the key hospitals and by 30% in the otolaryngology clinic with almost no discernible difference. PISP was isolated by 63.3%, higher in the otolaryngology clinic and PRSP by 28.6%, higher in the key hospitals conversely. The MIC90s in PISP and PRSP were determined with the antibiotics. In result, only cefditoren (CDTR) showed favorable antibacterial activities with the MIC90 of 0.78 microgram/ml among penicillins or oral cephems. The MIC90s of carbapenems such as imipenem (IPM), meropenem (MEPM), and panipenem (PAPM) were less than 0.39 microgram/ml; particularly, PAPM showed the highest antibacterial activities. Among new quinolones such as tosufloxacin (TFLX), levofloxacin (LVFX), sparfloxacin (SPFX), and ciprofloxacin (CPFX), TFLX showed the highest antibacterial activities with the MIC90 of 0.39 microgram/ml. Other agents showed very low antibacterial activities as the MIC90s were 25 micrograms/ml in minocycline (MINO) and more than 100 micrograms/ml in clarithromycin (CAM) and clindamycin (CLDM).

Coping skills in Japanese women with eating disorders.

The aim of this study was to investigate coping skills in the different types of eating disorders in Japan. Groups of patients with eating disorders diagnosed with DSM-IV and 22 controls were studied. Coping skills were assessed with the Stress Coping Inventory. The mean Problem-focused coping score tended to be lower in the bulimia nervosa purging-type group (n = 20) than in the control group. The former group and the bulimia nervosa nonpurging-type group (n = 6) used significantly less planful problem solving and less positive reappraisal coping than the control group, while the anorexia nervosa restricting-type group of 11 tended to use less positive reappraisal, and the anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging-type (n = 11) tended to use less planful problem solving and less positive reappraisal than the control group. As some uses of coping skills by patients with eating disorders were lower than those of the control group, developing coping skills may be useful in treatment for eating disorders in Japan.

[Panic disorder].

Panic episodes were described as a distinct form of anxiety by Freud almost 100 years ago, and the recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (D.S.M.-III), has provided the basis for the separate diagnostic entity of panic disorder. In this study, we showed the historical review of research and the result of our clinical study of panic disorder in 7 patients. The following results were obtained: 1) Abnormal DSTs were observed in only two of 5 patients. 2) Five of 6 patients showed high concentration of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine. 3) Anxiety was provoked by caffeine in two of 5 patients. 4) Depression of T-wave was shown in three of 5 patients with orthostatic E.C.G. 5) Sinus tachycardia was gained in one of 3 patients with Holter E.C.G. 6) Abnormal respiratory functions were observed in all two patients with Treadmill. 7) Only one small heart was observed on a chest radiograph. 8) Panic attacks were provoked by sodium lactate infusion in four of 7 patients.

[Panic disorder].

The recent publication of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, third edition (D.S.M-III) has provided the basis for the separate diagnostic entity of panic disorder. A panic attack is characterized by the abrupt onset of apprehension or fear accompanied by symptoms such as dyspnea, palpitation, chest discomfort, dizziness, sweating, feeling of unreality, and fear of dying. Panic disorder, defined as four panic attacks in a four week period, has a lifetime prevalence of 1 to 2 percent of the general population. In these patients, panic disorders can be provoked by pharmacological challenge with sodium lactate, yohimbine, caffeine and carbon dioxide inhalation. Recently, the relationship between panic disorder and depression became a subject of investigation from various points of view.

Operation of a 400MHz NMR magnet using a (RE:Rare Earth)Ba2Cu3O7-x high-temperature superconducting coil: Towards an ultra-compact super-high field NMR spectrometer operated beyond 1GHz.

High-temperature superconductors (HTS) are the key technology to achieve super-high magnetic field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers with an operating frequency far beyond 1GHz (23.5T). (RE)Ba2Cu3O7-x (REBCO, RE: rare earth) conductors have an advantage over Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10-x (Bi-2223) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8-x (Bi-2212) conductors in that they have very high tensile strengths and tolerate strong electromagnetic hoop stress, thereby having the potential to act as an ultra-compact super-high field NMR magnet. As a first step, we developed the world's first NMR magnet comprising an inner REBCO coil and outer low-temperature superconducting (LTS) coils. The magnet was successfully charged without degradation and mainly operated at 400MHz (9.39T). Technical problems for the NMR magnet due to screening current in the REBCO coil were clarified and solved as follows: (i) A remarkable temporal drift of the central magnetic field was suppressed by a current sweep reversal method utilizing ∼10% of the peak current. (ii) A Z2 field error harmonic of the main coil cannot be compensated by an outer correction coil and therefore an additional ferromagnetic shim was used. (iii) Large tesseral harmonics emerged that could not be corrected by cryoshim coils. Due to those harmonics, the resolution and sensitivity of NMR spectra are ten-fold lower than those for a conventional LTS NMR magnet. As a result, a HSQC spectrum could be achieved for a protein sample, while a NOESY spectrum could not be obtained. An ultra-compact 1.2GHz NMR magnet could be realized if we effectively take advantage of REBCO conductors, although this will require further research to suppress the effect of the screening current.