Abstract

Microorganisms can clog pores in soils and decrease hydraulic conductivity and infiltration. We did three column experiments to clarify the effects. In all three columns, glucose solution of 50 μg cm−3 was percolated for 120 days, and both the saturated hydraulic conductivity, Ks, and the volume ratio of the gas phase, a, were measured continuously. The Ks decreased rapidly for the initial 10 days, and it slowly decreased for the following 110 days. By adding chloramphenicol to the second column as bactericide and cycloheximide to the third column as fungicide, we observed clogging by bacteria and fungi, respectively, bacterial clogging proceeding more rapidly than the fungal clogging. The volume of the gas phase increased and reached the maximum value of 30.6% after 103 days from the beginning of percolation. This large amount of gas was retained in the soil pores as bubbles and occluded the pathways of water, resulting in the decrease in Ks. When the percolating solution was changed to sodium azide (a strong biocide), after 120 days the volume of the gas phase decreased rapidly, and Ks increased simultaneously.

In the present study, we investigated the potential toxic effects of 2-week oral treatment with T-0126, a novel microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) inhibitor, on the liver and intestine in male and female rats. Administration of T-0126 decreased serum lipids and resulted in fat accumulation in the liver and the small intestine. In addition, slight changes in the liver, including an increase in serum aminotransferase (AST and ALT) activity, presence of focal inflammatory lesions, and prolongation of PT and APTT were observed after treatment with T-0126. These changes may be related to a mechanism based on malabsorption of fat, fat-soluble antioxidants, and vitamin K, although we cannot exclude other potential mechanisms such as direct cytotoxicity of T-0126.

In this paper, we propose a novel method to recover the surface shape of transparent objects.

We review three patients who developed chronic radiodermatitis subsequent to undergoing multiple percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasties (PTCAs). All patients had had chronic ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and had undergone lengthy PTCA on several occasions. The skin eruption was characterized by an atrophic rectangular plaque on the left upper back, presenting as mottled hyper- and hypopigmentation with reticulate telangiectasia. Histologically, the eruption demonstrated epidermal atrophy, hyalinized and irregularly stained collagen, and telangiectasia of superficial vessels in the dermis. Although the risk of radiation injury in most patients undergoing cardiac catheterization is low, this danger should not be ignored. In particular, patients with long-standing IHD and numerous repeated catheterizations to only one or two occluded coronary arteries should be considered at high risk.

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Tolerance against single-event burnout (SEB) caused by terrestrial neutrons is one of the urgent issues in practical application of SiC power devices. This paper presents evaluation results of neutron-induced SEB in SiC power diodes and differences between SiC and Si devices from the SEB stand point of view.