Human myeloma cells freshly isolated from 40 patients with IgG multiple myeloma (MM, 10 in stage I and 30 in stage III), were cultured for 48 hours with recombinant B cell stimulatory factor 2 (rBSF-2)/interleukin- 6 (IL-6), which is considered a major growth factor for myeloma cells. Uptake of 3H-thymidine by these purified myeloma cells was measured, and BSF-2 response was evaluated by stimulation index and delta cpm induced by rBSF-2. Myeloma cells from cases in stage I responded to rBSF-2 better than those in stage III. Moreover rBSF-2 responders also showed better response to chemotherapy. Therefore, these results suggest that in vitro response of myeloma cells to BSF-2 correlates with disease progression and clinical response in patients of MM.

Port structures such as pile supported piers and quay walls generally face severe conditions, and deterioration of port structures is often observed. For an example, at a sheet pile quay wall, sheet pile is a structural component which is easily deteriorated by corrosion. As a result of deterioration of sheet pile, the backfilled soil would be washed out due to the tidal action. Suffusion, the phenomena of the washed out of fine particles and loosening of soil layer, is a problem to be considered in the maintenance of a quay wall. Therefore, a health monitoring method for the backfill of a sheet pile quay wall is necessary. In this study, the applicability of a surface-wave method for health monitoring of a sheet pile quay wall was examined. First, the variation of shear wave velocity in the ground due to suffusion and variation in water content is measured from bender element tests. Then, 2D finite element method (FEM) dynamic analysis was conducted to simulate a surface-wave measurement on a sheet pile quay wall. From the result of the analysis, the estimated shear wave velocity profile based on surface-wave method agrees fairly well with the assumed soil profile. Finally, surface-waves were measured at a sheet pile quay wall, and the measured results were compared with the result of Swedish weight sounding test at the site. Furthermore, the difference between the shear wave velocity profiles at ebb tide and that at high tide was successfully measured by the surface-wave method. Thus, the applicability of the surface-wave method for a sheet pile quay wall is demonstrated in this study.

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Human myeloma cells were purified from bone marrow aspirates from four patients having advanced myeloma, including one with common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen-positive myeloma. All of these myelomas had marked bone lytic lesions. From the culture supernatants of these purified myeloma cells, bone-resorbing activities were significantly revealed by 45Ca-release bone resorption assay, and IL-1 activities were also detected by IL-1 bioassay (mouse thymocyte comitogenic assay). Sandwich enzyme immunoassay for IL-1 alpha or IL-1 beta revealed that IL-1 beta was responsible for IL-1 activity of these culture supernatants. Furthermore, the bone resorbing activities of these culture supernatants were completely neutralized by pretreatment of anti-IL-1 beta, but not anti-IL-1 alpha antibody. By Northern blot analysis, IL-1 beta mRNA was identified from these myeloma cells. Therefore, it is concluded that myeloma cells produce IL-1 beta, which acts as bone-resorbing activity in multiple myeloma.

In this study, the applicability of surface-wave methods for health monitoring of port structures were examined. First, the variation of shear wave velocity in the ground due to suffusion and variation in water content is measured by bender element tests. Then, 2D FEM dynamic analysis was conducted for a simulation of surface-wave measurement on a sheet pile quaywall. As the result of the analysis, the estimated results of shear wave velocity profile by a surface wave method agree with the assumed soil profile in general. Finally, surface-waves were measured at a real field of a sheet pile quaywall, and the measured results were consistent with the result of swedish weight sounding test at the site. Furthermore, the difference between the shear wave velocity profiles at ebb tide and that at high tide was successfully measured by the surface wave method. Thus, the applicability of the surface wave method for port structures is demonstrated.