We present low-temperature specific heat and magnetization measurements of the S = 1/2 organic spin ladder 3-I-V 3-(3-iodophenyl)-1,5-diphenylverdazyl. Ab initio molecular orbital calculations ...indicate the existence of an intraladder diagonal interaction J sub(diag) and three types of interladder interactions. The ferromagnetic J sub(diag) induces frustration in the spin ladder, which has an essential contribution to the ground state. The obtained phase diagram exhibits a low-field three-dimensional order and a nontrivial phase near the saturation field. The absence of successive phase transition with decreasing temperature and the anomalous behavior of the magnetization curve near the saturation field suggest that these two phases are longitudinal spin-density-wave and spin-multipolar orders, respectively.
Although it is thought that perfluoro-2,4-dimethyl-3-isopropyl-3-pentyl (PFR-2) is a candidate for electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging agents because of its high stability, no study has ...been made yet on the EPR imaging of PFR-2. In this study, EPR imaging of a phantom including PFR-2 and mice that had received PFR-2 was performed by an in vivo EPR imaging system operating at an EPR frequency of 700 MHz equipped with a bridged loop-gap resonator (inner diameter, 41 mm; axial length, 10 mm). Because PFR-2 is insoluble in water, it was dissolved in perfluorocarbon. The PFR-2 solution was put in cylindrical sample tubes with various inner diameters, and these sample tubes were placed together in a larger cylindrical sample tube filled with a physiological saline solution, which was used as a phantom. The spatial resolution was estimated to be about 3 mm on the basis of EPR imaging of the phantom. EPR images of mice that had received a PFR-2 injection via the intraperitoneal route indicated that PFR-2 remained in the peritoneal cavity even 2 days after the injection. This finding suggests that it is possible to perform EPR imaging of experimental animals using PFR-2 as an imaging agent which persists in a biological system.
Abstract
In order to investigate spatial and temporal variations of fast and slow Z-mode waves frequently observed in the equatorial plasmasphere, statistical studies have been performed by using ...plasma wave observation data obtained by the Akebono satellite within a period from 1989 to 1995. It has been clarified that fast and slow Z-mode waves are intensified within ±5° of geomagnetic latitudes in an altitude range from 6000 km to the apogee (10500 km) of the satellite without obvious local time dependence. Long-term averaged intensity of fast Z-mode waves has almost the same orders of magnitude as that of slow Z-mode waves. These results indicate that significant part of fast Z-mode waves are not produced by the linear mode conversion process from slow Z-mode waves, but excited by more direct process. Furthermore, the region of intensified fast and slow Z-mode waves has been spread in a wider geomagnetic latitude range of ±10° during geomagnetic storms. These evidences suggest that one of the possible free energy sources is ring current particles injected into the equatorial region of the plasmasphere during geomagnetic storms.
1. We investigated the effect of KB-R7943, a Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange inhibitor, on the aggregation response induced by adrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), alone or in combination in human and ...rabbit platelets in the presence or absence of ouabain. 2. KB-R7943 inhibited aggregation induced by the combination of adrenaline and 5-HT in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC(50) values of KB-R7943 were 4.2+/-2.0 or 3.0+/-0.7 microM with washed rabbit platelets with or without ouabain pretreatment, respectively. 3. In platelet-rich human plasma, the aggregation was biphasic. The IC(50) value of KB-R7943 was 17.2+/-4.4 microM for the first phase aggregation. 4. KB-R7943 did not inhibit the first phase of aggregation induced by adrenaline alone, or the monophasic aggregation induced by 5-HT alone. 5. The aggregation of rabbit platelets depended on the presence of K(+) in the medium, and K(+)-dependent and K(+)-independent Ca(2+) influx were observed in resting platelets. Ouabain treatment increased only the K(+)-dependent but not the K(+)-independent Ca(2+) influx. 6. KB-R7943 inhibited K(+)-dependent Ca(2+) influx with or without ouabain pretreatment, but not K(+)-independent Ca(2+) influx. 7. From these results, we conclude that KB-R7943 inhibits the adrenaline plus 5-HT induced aggregation of rabbit and human platelets by inhibiting K(+)-dependent Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange (NCKX). Our results suggest that NCKX plays an important role in platelet aggregation.
Background
During mastication, the tongue presses the bolus into the pharynx by a "squeeze‐back" motion, known as stage II transport (St2Tr). However, the pressure of St2Tr tongue‐palate contact has ...not been examined.
Objectives
We aimed to clarify aspects of St2Tr occurrence and tongue‐palate contact during mastication by measuring tongue pressure.
Methods
Ten healthy adults (eight men, two women, aged 26.8 ± 2.2 years) were enrolled. Tongue pressure was measured (Swallow Scan) during mastication. Sensors were placed on the palate near the incisive papilla (Ch.1), in the middle (Ch.2), at the posterior (Ch.3), and near the first molars on the habitual (Ch.H) and non‐habitual (Ch.Nh) masticatory sides. Nasopharyngeal endoscopy confirmed St2Tr and swallowing. Tongue pressures were measured repeatedly, from mastication onset through the first swallow, until eight sets of data were obtained. Tongue‐palate contact frequencies, integrated values of tongue pressure, and mastication times were recorded for St2Tr(+) and St2Tr(−) mastication conditions.
Results
St2Tr occurred in 43 of 80 trials (53.8%). St2Tr(+) exhibited the highest tongue‐palate contact frequency at Ch.H; it exhibited higher contact frequencies at Ch.2, Ch.3 and Ch.H than St2Tr(−). St2Tr(+) exhibited higher tongue pressures at Ch.1, Ch.2 and Ch.H than at Ch.3; it exhibited higher tongue pressures at Ch.1 and Ch.2 than St2Tr(−).
Conclusion
The study suggested that during St2Tr, the tongue frequently touched the palate at the central and posterior regions, as well as at its habitual masticatory side. It applies the strongest pressure at the anterior and central palate to transport the bolus to the pharynx.
Deficiency of ADAMTS13 is found in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), and the genetic defects in the ADAMTS13 gene or the autoantibody against ADAMTS13 is thought to be ...responsible for the development of TTP. The clinical correlation and mechanisms of secondary ADAMTS13 deficiency in other disease states were investigated. In addition to TTP, ADAMTS13 levels were severely decreased in patients with sepsis-induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). The incidence of acute renal failure and serum creatinine levels in patients with ADAMTS13 activity levels lower than 20% (incidence, 41.2%; creatinine, 160 ± 150 μM 1.81 ± 1.70 mg/dL) (P < .05) were significantly higher than they were in patients with ADAMTS13 activity levels higher than 20% (incidence, 15.4%; creatinine, 84 ± 67 μM 0.95 ± 0.76 mg/dL) (P < .01). Additionally, unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers were detected in 26 (51.0%) of 51 patients with ADAMTS13 activity levels lower than 20%. Lower molecular weight forms of ADAMTS13 were found in the plasma of patients with sepsis-induced DIC, suggesting that the deficiency of ADAMTS13 was partially caused by its cleavage by proteases in addition to decreased synthesis in the liver. These data suggested that severe secondary ADAMTS13 deficiency can be associated with sepsis-induced DIC and may contribute to the development of renal failure.
To investigate irradiation-induced Si amorphization during its initial stages, we have performed a classical molecular-dynamics (MD) calculation for the case of self-irradiation by 5
keV ions at a ...low temperature of 100
K.
We examined the geometry of self-interstitial atom (SIA) clusters using the pixel mapping (PM) method, on the output data of MD calculations. Perfect crystalline silicon (c-Si) is amorphized by self-irradiation, and we observe that many SIA are produced. During sequential self-irradiation, the most frequently observed species were isolated SIA, i.e. I1 (monomer). The fractions of SIA clusters decreased as I2 (dimer), I3 (trimer), and I4 (tetramer) clusters, respectively. For I2 clusters, the 〈1
1
0〉 oriented I2’s were the dominant I2 species, which agree with previous predictions based on static calculations. Nevertheless, other I2’s with different orientations were also significant. Some of them have been proposed as intermediate I2’s in forming dislocations. The present results imply that irradiation-induced SIA’s play an important role in the triggering of amorphization, and MD combined with PM can reveal the intermediate processes underlying extended-defect formation.
PDF
