Height measurement of solder bumps using two-wavelength parallel four-step phase shifting digital holography.

Digital holography (DH) with two wavelengths (TW) that are close to each other was applied to height measurement of solder bumps having spherical specular surfaces with diameters of ∼20µm and heights of ∼20µm. We employed the parallel phase shifting method for instantaneous image capturing, and we improved the spatial resolution of our TW-DH system having two beams with different wavelengths that traveled in opposite directions in the interferometer. It gave 74-times higher repetition and 2.4-times higher spatial resolution than those in our previous DH system based on the Fourier transform method.

Accommodative load from handheld game consoles in kindergarten children.

We analyzed and compared the visual accommodation of kindergarten children who were gazing fixedly at images from three different sources: Nintendo Game Boy DMG-01(TM) (non-backlit type game console: NBGC), NEC PC EnginePI-TG6(TM) (color backlit-type game console: CBGC) and a cartoon drawing (drawing). Subjects for the experiment were 13 4- to 5-year-old kindergarten children. The contrast ratios were, in the order, 1.1 (NBGC), 3.1 (drawing), and 3.4 (CBGC). These values show that the contrast of the NBGC screen was considerably lower than the others. The mean accommodative power increased when looking at all three types of image: a drawing (1.75±0.52 D; mean±S.D.), CBGC (1.82±0.61 D), and NBGC (2.26±0.50 D). Compared with the other 2 targets, NBGC required stronger accommodation, indicating that the legibility of the NBGC was poor. Repeated measures ANOVA was used for the values of accommodation for each type of target. There were significant differences among the 3 targets (p<0.01). Significant differences were seen between NBGC and drawings (p<0.01) and NBGC and CBGC (p<0.05) using paired Scheffe test, but not between CBGC and drawings. This supports the finding that the legibility of NBGC is low due to dark and low contrast screens with poor resolution.

Clinical and analytical evaluation of the simultaneous HPLC assay of retinol and alpha-tocopherol.

We describe a method for the simultaneous assay of retinol and alpha-tocopherol using normal-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our normal-phase HPLC method gave better resolution (Rs) of retinol (Rs= 1.58) and alpha-tocopherol (Rs = 1.40) when compared with the Rs values for a-tocopherol and retinol from literature. Also, the alpha-tocopherol concentrations obtained by our method agreed well with another normal-phase HPLC method that used fluorometric detection (r = 0.951, p<0.001. Sy.x=0.58 mg/L). The concentrations of retinol in our method agreed well with those determined by a reversed-phase HPLC procedure, although the correlation (r=0.646, p<.001, Sy.x=62 microg/L) was not as good as the method proposed. Our procedure gave acceptable precision: the within-run CV was 7.7% for alpha-tocopherol and 5.9% for retinol. The between-day CV was 9.0% for alpha-tocopherol and 6.8% for retinol. The mean recoveries were 97% for alpha-tocopherol and 107% for retinol. Our assays were linear for alpha-tocopherol concentrations from 0.1 to 30 mg/L and for retinol concentrations from 20 to 2,000 microg/L. In children ages 7 to 12 y, and in adolescents ages 14 to 16 y, the alpha-tocopherol and retinol concentrations in the blood were significantly lower than the concentrations in normal adults. Individuals over 70 y old also showed alpha-tocopherol and retinol values that were lower than those of normal adults between ages 30 and 40 y. In female university students, the inter-individual variation of alpha-tocopherol was reduced by dividing the alpha-tocopherol results by their total cholesterol or total lipid concentrations; however, this was not obtained for retinol. In cancer patients undergoing surgery, the ratio of retinol to retinol-binding protein (RBP) remained fairly constant, although the concentrations of both retinol and RBP decreased to about one-half the preoperative values after surgery. We conclude that our normal-phase HPLC method is a stable and reproducible method for alpha-tocopherol and retinol, and is an easy-to-use analytical tool.

Purification and characterization of a novel cold-regulated protein from an ice-nucleating bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens KUIN-1.

The psychrotrophic ice-nucleating bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens KUIN-1 respond to a decrease in temperature with the induction of proteins that are classified as cold shock proteins (CSPs). We found the function of a 26-kDa protein of the CSPs in the strain KUIN-1. In strain KUIN-1, a cold shock from 18 to 4 degrees C induced the synthesis of the 26-kDa protein. By analysis with SDS-PAGE, it was then demonstrated that the 26-kDa protein was produced by the cells after treatment at 4 degrees C. The 26-kDa protein was purified to apparent homogeneity by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and some chromatographies (QA52, phenyl Superose, Superose 12, and Mono Q). The purified 26-kDa protein is composed of 6 subunits of 26.5-kDa with a molecular mass of approximately 159-kDa according to gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. The N-terminal sequence of the 26-kDa protein was Gln-Ala-Ala-Tyr-Tyr-Pro-Ala-His-His-His-Gln- Gln-Val-Gln-Gln-His-Trp-Gly-His-His-. Specifically, 26-kDa protein of the CSPs of strain KUIN-1 was very effective in protecting the cold-labile enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase against denaturation by freezing. The characteristics of 26-kDa protein are analogous to the cold-regulated protein of the plants.

[The statistics of inpatients at Department of Neuropsychiatry in Sapporo Medical University Hospital (October, 1983 - March, 1996)].

The role of university hospitals should be re-examined considering the recent situation in psychiatrical health care. In this report, we investigated inpatients of neuropsychiatry in Sapporo Medical University Hospital from various aspects. Statistics were gathered on 1) age and sex, 2) address, 3) admission form based on the mental health law, 4) the number of admissions and discharges per year, 5) hospitalization term, 6) diagnostic group, 7) diagnosis, 8) rates of re-admission and re-admission within three months, 9) age and sex of schizophrenia patients and 10) age and sex of patients with affective disorders from October 31, 1983 to March 31, 1996. In our hospital, the rates of the inpatients with dementia and personality disorders are higher than those in other university hospitals. The reason for the high rate of personality disorders is elusive; however, most of the dementia patients enter our hospital mainly because we concentrate on a special research project about dementia. These data indicate that a specific function is required in university hospitals. In recent years, however, the surroundings of people with mental disorders have become more complicated, and the services for them have become diversified. However, it is very difficult for university hospitals to provide them with all such services, as the hospitals fulfill just one specialized function among the necessary services.

A new method for evaluating right ventricular dimensions and volume by cineangiography.

The aim of the present study was to establish a new method to evaluate the right ventricular dimensions and volume. Biplane right ventriculography of steep left anterior oblique view (LAO) and right anterior oblique view perpendicular to LAO were performed in 32 patients. The right ventricular volume and ejection fraction calculated from the three axial dimensions of the right ventricular cavity (the septum-free wall dimension, the anterior-posterior dimension, and either the long axis dimension or the tricuspid valve-apex dimension at end-diastole and end-systole) were well correlated to those from Simpson's method. In conclusion, we developed a new method for estimating right ventricular dimensions and volume.

[A case of volatile solvent psychosis accompanied with multiple neurological and psychological symptoms].

A case of psychosis accompanied with variable symptoms induced by chronic volatile solvent inhalation is reported in this study. The patient was a 27-year-old male who had abused volatile solvents for 15 years, and was sent to the hospital because of a tonic-clonic seizure. Severe psychomotor excitement was observed on the first day and the 7th day after admission. After 10 days of admission, we observed visual transformation and hyperthermia, which suggested acute toxic symptoms due to a volatile solvent. Furthermore, symptoms such as incoherence, delusions of persecution, and catalepsy were also observed in this case. There have been few reports of multiple neurological and mental symptoms appearing in cases of volatile solvent psychosis. Although we sometimes experience cases of solvent abuse with acute mental symptoms and recurrent excitement after sedation, such symptoms are not always observed because of flashback in the strict sense. Therefore, careful early treatment should be employed to prevent 'secondary excitement'.

On the focal distance of the eye during sighting in pistol shooting.

We measured the focal distance and pupil diameter on the eyes of 11 marksmen sighting a pistol target at 23 m distance. Both upon the focal distance and pupil diameter of the subjects, we estimated the point at which they were looking during sighting. Calculation based on depth of field which can be divided from the pupil diameter of 4.5 mm suggested that the subjects were looking at the foresight of the pistol approximately 80 cm in front of the eye during sighting.

Fibrovascular polyp of the sigmoid colon.

A case of a fibrovascular polyp of the sigmoid colon is reported. The patient tested positively for fecal occult blood on a mass survey for colorectal cancer, and underwent colonoscopic examination which revealed a pedunculated submucosal tumor in the sigmoid colon. The tumor, about 10 mm in diameter, had a short thin stalk and was removed endoscopically; the histological diagnosis was fibrovascular polyp. This extremely rare polyp is discussed, and particular attention is focused on the unusual endoscopic features and on the appropriate management.

Effect of a low dose of alcohol on dynamic visual acuity.

An experiment was carried out to investigate the relationship between dynamic visual acuity and a low dose of alcohol. For the study, 18 subjects ranging from 18 to 25 years of age were chosen. The subjects' dynamic visual acuities were compared before and after drinking 16.5 ml of alcohol, the amount in one standard can of beer. It was found that the acuity improved 30 min. after consuming this low volume of alcohol.

Implications for dynamic visual acuity with changes in aged and sex.

Using a Landolt ring with a gap of 40' of arc which moved at a decreasing velocity until the gap was discriminated, we measured the dynamic visual acuity of 826 subjects, males and females ages 5 to 92 years, and found rapid development between the ages of 5 and 15 years. This experiment showed that dynamic discrimination peaked at age 15 and then declined at a constant rate from age 20 on. The discrimination of male subjects was superior to that of female subjects at most ages, but a significant sex difference was observed only at age 5. We speculate that males may have better discrimination than females but variability is substantial.

[A case of Wernicke's encephalopathy which accompanied a passing blindness].

The case of a chronic alcoholic patient with Wernicke's encephalopathy accompanied by passing blindness is reported and the alcoholic amblyopia is discussed in this study. The patient was a 39 year-old male who had been a heavy drinker for 13 years, and was habitually inebriated for the last one year. Disturbance of consciousness ataxia of gait, nystagmus and blindness were manifested on admission. Decreased level of serum vitamin B1 was also recognized at admission. The symptoms diminished from about a month after admission except for horizontal nystagmus. Since the patient had racket-like scotoma in his central visual field, his blindness was thought to be alcoholic amblyopia. Although alcohol dependence is associated with many physical disabilities, there are few reports about Wernicke's encephalopathy with alcoholic amblyopia. This case demonstrates the importance of careful physical examination for understanding alcohol-related disabilities and alcohol dependence.

Differences in dynamic visual acuity between athletes and nonathletes.

We surveyed the dynamic visual acuity of 53 university athletes and 46 nonathlete university students, using a Landolt C ring as a target. The target moved from left to right on screen initially at the maximum angular velocity of 300 degrees/sec. and then gradually decreased in velocity until the subject recognized the direction of the gap in the Landolt C ring. The angular velocities at which the subject correctly recognized the direction of the gap were used as the parameters of the acuity measure. When the sizes of the gap in the Landolt C ring were 42' and 28', there were no differences in the performances of the athletes and nonathletes. However, when the gap sizes were 14' and 8', athletes could recognize the gap at significantly higher velocities than the nonathletes. In this case the dynamic visual acuity of athletes was superior to that of the nonathletes.

Psychology of computer use: XXX. Effects of presentation speed on pupil size using negative and positive CRTS.

The effects of presentation speed and both positive and negative CRT (cathode ray tube) displays on pupil size were studied. The pupillary areas of 12 female student volunteers were measured by infrared videopupillography. The three presentation speeds were no change for 12 sec., a change every 2 sec. for 12 sec., and a change every 1/2 sec. for 12 sec. Two-way analysis of variance showed that the pupil size in the negative displays was significantly larger than that in the positive displays. A difference in pupillary area results from different display speeds, irrespective of a difference in polarity.

The responses of left ventricular end-systolic pressure-diameter relationship to acute pressure overload induced by aortic constriction.

The aim was to investigate the responses of the left ventricular (LV) end-systolic pressure-diameter relationship (ESPDR) to acute pressure overload. ESPDRs were made by 2-min ascending and descending aortic constrictions before and after administration of propranolol and atropine sulphate (both 0.2 mg kg-1 i.v.) in eight open-chest dogs with the pericardium preserved. LV anterior-posterior diameter was measured with ultrasonic crystals. In the ascending aortic constriction, end-diastolic pressure (EDP) and end-diastolic diameter (EDD) were unchanged and ESPDR shifted to the left. In the descending aortic constriction, EDP and EDD increased from 6.8 +/- 0.7 to 8.8 +/- 0.9 mmHg (P < 0.01) and from 32.7 +/- 1.4 to 34.5 +/- 1.6 mm (P < 0.05) and ESPDR shifted to the right. After administration of propranolol and atropine sulphate, cases having smaller changes in EDD during 2 min constriction (0.3 +/- 0.3 mm in all cases of ascending, 0.3 +/- 0.2 mm in four cases of descending aorta) showed a leftward shift of ESPDR. The remaining four cases of descending aortic constriction with larger changes in EDD (1.8 +/- 0.8 mm, P < 0.05) showed a rightward shift of ESPDR. An inverse curvilinear correlation was found between percentage changes in EDD and in the slopes. These results suggest that the responses in ESPDR to acute pressure overload were determined by not only changes in the contractile state but also the interplay between adaptation to acute pressure overload (the Anrep effect) and pre-load.

Effects of changes in afterload on regional wall motion in acute ischemic canine heart.

The aim of the present study was to examine effects of changes in afterload on regional myocardial motion in acute ischemia. Ischemic and non-ischemic segment lengths of the left ventricular free wall were measured by miniature ultrasonic gauges in eleven open chest dogs with the pericardium preserved. In a stable state after left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion, peak left ventricular pressure was varied by the infusion of angiotensin II (n = 8) and sodium nitroprusside (n = 8). To exclude effects of preload on the responses, end-diastolic lengths of the non-ischemic region before and during infusion of each drug were matched with vena caval occlusion. When peak left ventricular pressure elevated from 113 +/- 2 (mean +/- S.E.)mmHg to 145 +/- 6, in isovolumetric contraction phase, degree of active shortening in the non-ischemic region and that of paradoxical expansion of the ischemic region did not change. In ejection phase, active shortening of the non-ischemic region decreased from 1.38 +/- 0.11 mm to 1.06 +/- 0.10 but that of the ischemic region remained unchanged. Stroke volume decreased from 14.5 +/- 1.3 ml to 10.8 +/- 1.0. When peak left ventricular pressure decreased from 111 +/- 4 mmHg to 101 +/- 6, in isovolumetric contraction phase, active shortening of the non-ischemic region decreased from 0.90 +/- 0.13 mm to 0.76 +/- 0.15 and paradoxical expansion of the ischemic region reduced from -0.95 +/- 0.11 mm to -0.80 +/- 0.11. In ejection phase, shortening of the non-ischemic region increased from 1.05 +/- 0.13 mm to 1.31 +/- 0.15 but that of the ischemic region did not change. Stroke volume increased from 11.5 +/- 1.3 ml to 14.0 +/- 1.4. These results indicate that in acute ischemia, changes in isovolumetric shortening of the non-ischemic region and paradoxical expansion of ischemic region are related with each other in isovolumetric contraction phase when afterload is altered and suggest that stroke volume is affected by the shortening of ejection phase in the non-ischemic region.

Maximum stress-volume index ratio of the left ventricle in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

To evaluate the left ventricular contractile state in patients with nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), we analyzed the maximum stress-volume index ratio (MSVR) using catheter-tip cineangiography in 11 patients with HCM and 16 normal subjects. The value of the MSVR in normal subjects was 6.48 +/- 1.25 kdyn/cm5/m2 (mean +/- SD) and we defined the range of the mean +/- 2 SD as the normal MSVR range. Six patients with HCM placed inside the normal MSVR range (IN), but the other 5 patients placed outside and to the right of the normal range (RIGHT). This suggests that the contractile states of the patients of the RIGHT group were depressed. Compared with IN, the end-diastolic and end-systolic volume indices of RIGHT were larger (EDVI; 69.3 +/- 6.9 vs. 96.1 +/- 11.1 ml/m2, p less than 0.01, ESVI; 18.2 +/- 3.2 vs. 29.1 +/- 8.3 ml/m2, p less than 0.05), but the ejection fraction did not differ (IN 73.5 +/- 5.7 vs. RIGHT 69.6 +/- 8.3%, NS). End-diastolic pressure of IN and RIGHT was higher than that of normal subjects (IN 16.5 +/- 4.5, RIGHT 16.7 +/- 4.6 vs. 8.3 +/- 2.5 mm Hg, both p less than 0.05), but there was no difference between the two groups in HCM. End-systolic pressure did not differ among the three groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Change of pupil size as a function of exercise.

Exercise was found to dilate the pupil area while the exercise took place, while the area showed constriction following the exercise period. Exercise-induced change in the size of the pupil was minimal. Pupillary dilation was greatest under conditions of maximal exercise. In exercise under a consistent load, pupillary dilation increased as the exercise time was prolonged. With lower lighting, there was virtually no dilation with exercise.