This study was aimed to evaluate whether renal tubular function is impaired by exposure to relatively low concentrations of arsenic. Mean urinary arsenic concentrations and ...N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (NAG) activities were compared among 365 and 502 Korean men and women, respectively, in relation to gender, smoking, alcohol consumption, and recent seafood consumption. The study subjects were divided into 4 groups according to urinary NAG activity and seafood consumption prior to urine sampling, and the correlation between arsenic concentration and urinary NAG activity was tested for each group. The mean urinary arsenic level was higher in women, non-smokers, and non-drinkers in comparison to men, smokers, and drinkers, respectively. Individuals who consumed seafood within 3 days prior to urine sampling showed a higher mean urinary arsenic level than those who did not. The correlation between urinary arsenic concentration and NAG activity in urine was significant only in subjects who did not consume seafood within 3 days prior to urine sampling and whose urinary NAG activity was 7.44 U/g creatinine (75th percentile) or higher. The urinary arsenic concentration was a significant determinant of urinary NAG activity in subjects with NAG activity higher than 7.44 U/g creatinine and especially in those who had not consumed seafood recently. These facts suggest that a relatively low-level exposure to inorganic arsenic produces renal tubular damage in humans. PUBLICATION ABSTRACT
A heterostructure of (001)PZT(53/47)/(110)SrRuO
3
(SRO) was deposited on a miscut (001)SrTiO
3
(ST) substrate by a magnetron sputtering. The film thickness of the PZT and SRO ranged from 100nm to ...200nm. The miscut angles were typically 1.7°. The heterostructure was grown on the miscut ST substrates under a step-flow growth. The heterostructure was tightly bonded to the ST substrate without an interfacial layer. The sputtered PZT thin films were tetragonally deformed with c=4.16 Å (bulk c-lattice parameter, 4.14 Å). A room temperature dielectric constant of the PZT thin films was 200 to 300 at 1kHz. The P/E hysteresis measurements indicated that the saturation polarization P
s
was 40 μ C/cm
2
with a coercive field E
c
of 400 kV/cm to 500 kV/cm. The E
c
observed was one order of magnitude higher than a bulk value for PZT. The high values of E
c
were observed in a perfect c-domain orientation without an interfacial layer or 90° domains.
Synopsis Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum has long been used as a rheumatic remedy, as an anti‐pyretic and as an anti‐ulcer treatment, and for the alleviation of local pain and fever in Korea ...and Malaysia. In order to investigate the possibility of Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum extract as a cosmetic ingredient, we measured its anti‐inflammatory effect by its inhibition of iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) and the release of PGE2, IL‐6, and IL‐8. We also measured its anti‐allergic effect by its inhibition of beta‐hexosamidase release. An HPLC experiment after extraction with 95% EtOH at pH 3.5 showed that Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum was mainly composed of lycorine (up to 1%), a well‐known immunosuppressor. The content of lycorine varied, depending on the type of plant tissue analysed and the extraction method. In an anti‐inflammatory assay for inhibition of nitric oxide formation on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐activated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells, the ethanol extract of Crinum asiaticum showed an inhibitory activity of NO production in a dose‐dependent manner (IC50 = 58.5 μg ml‐1). Additional study by RT‐PCR demonstrated that the extract of Crinum asiaticum significantly suppressed the expression of the iNOS gene. Moreover, the extract of Crinum asiaticum did not show any cytotoxicity, but did show a cell proliferation effect against LPS (a 10–60% increase in cell viability). In an assay to determine inhibition of the H2O2‐activated release of PGE2, IL‐6, and IL‐8 in human normal fibroblast cell lines, the release of PGE2 and IL‐6 was almost completely inhibited above concentrations of 0.05% and 1%, respectively. Moreover, the release of IL‐8 was completely inhibited over the entire range of concentration (> 0.0025%). In order to investigate the skin‐sensitizing potentials of the extract of Crinum asiaticum, a human clinical test was performed after repeated epicutaneous 48‐h applicaticons under an occlusive patch (RIPT). The repeated and single cutaneous applications of Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum extract under the occlusive patch did not provoke any cumulative irritation and sensitization reactions. The result showed that the extract of Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum has a sufficient anti‐inflammatory effect. Therefore, Crinum asiaticum Linne var. japonicum extract may be useful for development as an ingredient in cosmetic products.
Van der Waals forces that bind C
60
molecular solids are found to be sufficiently strong to allow the reproducible fabrication of free-standing C
60
membranes on (100) silicon wafers. Membranes, 2000 ...to 6000 angstroms thick, were fabricated by a modified silicon micromachining process and were found to be smooth, flat, and mechanically robust. An important aspect of the silicon-compatible fabrication procedure is the demonstration that C
60
films can be uniformly and nondestructively thinned in a CF
4
plasma. Young's modulus and fracture strength measurements were made on membranes with areas larger than 6 millimeters by 6 millimeters. It may be possible to use C
60
membranes for physical property measurements and applications.
Van der Waals forces that bind C sub(60) molecular solids are found to be sufficiently strong to allow the reproducible fabrication of free-standing C sub(60) membranes on (100) silicon wafers. ...Membranes, 2000 to 6000 angstroms thick, were fabricated by a modified silicon micro-machining process and were found to be smooth, flat, and mechanically robust. An important aspect of the silicon-compatible fabrication procedure is the demonstration that C sub(60) films can be uniformly and nondestructively thinned in a CF sub(4) plasma. Young's modulus and fracture strength measurements were made on membranes with areas larger than 6 millimeters by 6 millimeters. It may be possible to use C sub(60) membranes for physical property measurements and applications.
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