Ovulation and oocyte-pick-up are essential processes in fertilization. Herein, we found associations between autoimmune disease and the aforementioned processes in mice. At three and six months, along with the evaluation of autoimmune disease indices, the ovary, mesosalpinx, and oviducts were histologically examined in C57BL/6, MRL/MpJ, and MRL/MpJ-Fas mice as healthy control, mild and severe models of autoimmune disease, respectively. In superovulated mice, the number of "oocyte cumulus complexes" found in the ampulla was macroscopically counted, and that of "ovulated oocytes" was histologically evaluated, as indicated by ruptured follicles or corpora hemorrhagica in ovaries. Finally, the oocyte-pick-up rate was calculated. In MRL/MpJ-Fas mice, the oocyte-pick-up rate decreased with disease-related deterioration, unlike in other mouse strains. Further, more ovulated oocytes were found in MRL/MpJ mice than in C57BL/6 mice, and this number significantly decreased with aging in MRL/MpJ-Fas mice. Numerous T-cells infiltrated into the infundibulum or a part of the mesosalpinx in aged MRL/MpJ-Fas mice, and their infundibulum showed swelling and fewer ciliated epithelial cells compared to that of C57BL/6 mice. In conclusion, the progression of severe autoimmune disease affected the oocyte-pick-up process through histopathological changes in the infundibulum. These results provide important insights into female infertility associated with autoimmune disease.

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Sy nopsis A. marked improvement in toughness oj weld Jusion zone in large heat input welding processes such as one-side submerged arc welding, electrogas welding, and electroslag welding has been accomplished through reJining oj Jusion zone microstructure by the aid oj Jine TiN jJl'ecijJitates. The Jollowing results have been obtained : (1) Fine TiN precipitates, particularly those smaller than ca. 0.051" are 4!ective in jJl'eventing austenite grain coarsening. Austellite grain diameter d r at J 400°C can be expressed by d r = K(rlJ) where, r: mean diameter oJTiN remaining undissolved at J 400 C J: volume Jraction oj the undissolved TiN smaller than 0.0511 at J 400 ' C K: 0.12 (experimental determination). (2) The Jine TiN precipitates are also 4fective in stimulating Jerrite Jormation. At jJlaces where there are Jine TiN precip itates congregated in a high concentration prior to cooling transJormation, the austenite transforms into a fine structure. (3) As the result, the diameter oj brittle fracture, revealed by the (100) etch Pits as to be in the same orientation, becomes smaller. Thu s toughness oj Jusion zone in large heat input welding is greatly imjJroved. (4) Using these two speciJic ~f!ects oj Jine TiN precijJitates, Jusion z one toughness oj commercial 40, 50 and 60 kg/mm' class steels has been improved Jor a wide range oj welding conditions covering small to large heat input.

As already reported in the previous paper, the steel containing about 0.03% Nb and about 0.55% Mo can achieve a sufficiently high strength by tempering even after quenching from a rather low austenitizing and its mechanism is discussed from the viewpoint of its precipitate.As a means of experiment, acid extraction, electrolytic extraction, X-ray diffraction and chemical analysis of the residue have been carried out as well as the hardness measurement of steels in the various heat-treated conditions.The steel strengthening is found to be mainly caused by the precipitation of (NbMo) (CN), NaCl-type NbC (N) containing Me, in the process of tempering. It is also found that the amount of precipitates in tempering is greater in Nb-Mo steel than in Nb steel or Me steel and the size of precipitate is smaller in this new steel.

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