A blood group substance (BGS), a protein with ABH antigenic activity, was isolated from human seminal plasma and designated as p 84 (Sato, 1995) (1) We have developed a method for determining the ABO blood type of semen by performing a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in which p 84 is captured with an anti-p 84 monoclonal antibody, and evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of this method. Although BGS activity was detected in semen sensitively by this method, it was not detected in saliva, urine, breast milk, blood or vaginal secretions. Since the concentration of p 84 in semen was independent of the secretion status, the status can be determined as non-secretor when p 84 but not BGS activity was detected. To determine the stability of BGS activity on p 84, dried stains of semen on filter paper were kept at 4, 26, and 37°C for 8 months, 2 years and 1 month, respectively, and their BGS activities were examined. After 8 months at 4°C, over 60% of the original BGS activity was recovered from the stain. The activity could be detected even from a square as small as 0.25 by 0.25 cm. After 1 month at 37°C and 2 years at 26°C, 31 and 20% of the BGS activity, respectively, still remained. It could be detected from the pieces of 1.0 by 1.0 cm and 0.5 by 0.5 cm squares, kept for 1 month at 37°C and 2 years at 26°C, respectively. Finally, semen was mixed with saliva or blood at varying volumetric ratios and used for the sources of dried stains. The BGS activity of p 84 could be detected in the stains until the ratio between semen and saliva or blood reached 1:4. We conclude that this sandwich ELISA offers a more sensitive and specific method for determining the ABO blood type of semen samples obtained from sexual assault victims than existing methods, such as the conventional absorption-elution and classical hemagglutination-inhibition tests.

We describe a case of fatal methemoglobinemia (MetHb-emia) resulting from application of liniment solution containing large quantities of sodium nitrite. As a remedial treatment of atopic dermatitis, the liniment solution was applied all over the boy's body. Autopsy findings showed no significant macroscopic or microscopic findings except blood tinted chocolate brown color and chronic atopic dermatitis over the whole surface of the body. Quantitation of the methemoglobin (MetHb) in the blood was performed using spectrophotometer; MetHb concentration of the blood was 76%. Ion chromatographic determination revealed a nitrite concentration of 1 mg/L in the serum. Such a liniment solution is not authorized by the Ministry of Public Welfare.

Low activation austenitic steels of Fe-Cr-Mn-Ni-C-N were designed using the d-electron concept, which was devised on the basis of the molecular orbital calculation of transition-metal based alloys. In this design two calculated parameters are mainly utilized. The one is the d-orbital energy level (Md) of alloying transition elements, and the other is the bond order (Bo) that is a measure of the covalent bond strength between atoms. Alloying effects on the microstructures and physical properties of steels are well understood using these parameters. The phase stability of various austenitic steels containing chromium, manganese, nickel, carbon, and nitrogen were examined experimentally. The results were interpreted using these parameters, and a new phase stability index diagram was proposed for the austenitic steels. In this diagram, the ?/? + ?M and the ?/? + ?(?) phase boundaries are well represented for solution-treated alloys, and also the ?/? + ? phase boundary is denned for aged alloys. Here, ? is the face centered cubic (fcc) matrix phase, and ?M, ?(?) and ? are the martensite, ferrite, and sigma phases, respectively. Computer-aided design was performed so that the steel could contain the least amount of high activation elements such as nickel and nitrogen, and several alloys were selected as potential materials for fusion reactor.