Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is sporadic in the Guangzhou city southern China. However, the evaluation of antibodies to HEV during consecutive time periods after infection has not been reported. We utilized enzyme immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to defect IgM and IgG anti-HEV in consecutive serum specimens from patients with acute hepatitis E and compared that data with detection rates of IgM and IgG anti-HAV in patients with acute hepatitis A. IgM anti-HEV can be detected as early as 4 days after onset of disease symptoms in some patients. The detection rate of IgM anti-HEV is significantly higher in specimens collected within 4 weeks (95%) of onset than in those specimens collected 4 to 18 weeks after onset (67.6%) (P < 0.005). IgM anti-HEV had a similar pattern to IgM anti-HAV and can be used as a marker of acute HEV infection. In contrast with IgG anti-HAV, 56.8% of the specimens did not contain detectable levels of IgG anti-HEV (P < 0.005). One should be cautioned against making a diagnosis of HEV infection solely by the currently available assays for IgG anti-HEV. In conclusion, IgM anti-HEV can be used as a reliable and sensitive marker for recent HEV infection, but serum specimens should be collected within 4 weeks after onset of symptoms to avoid false-negative results. In contrast, we should be aware of the failure to develop IgG anti-HEV in some patients. These patients carry the risk of reinfection.

Greater than 6-microm-oscillation was demonstrated by means of optical parametric oscillation with periodically poled LiNbO3 (PPLN). The interaction length and thickness were 40 mm and 500 microm. The pump source used was a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a pulse duration of 120 ns and a repetition rate of 1 kHz. The tuning ranges of the idler waves were 6.57-6.56, 6.22-6.12, and 6.06-5.94 microm for PPLN wafers of 20-, 21.3-, and 22-microm periods, respectively.

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The half-life and the magnetic moment were measured for the first excited state in 132 I, of which the inconsistent results on the half-life have been reported by several other groups. This time, measurements were performed on 132 I obtained as a decay product of a 132 Te radioactive beam from the ion guide at Tohoku University. The half-life of this level was determined to be T 1/2 = 1.120 ± 0.015 ns using a conventional coincidence technique with a pair of BaF 2 detectors. The time-differential perturbed angular correlation technique was successfully applied to the first excited state in 132 I implanted into nickel foils. The magnetic moment of this state was determined to be µ = +(2.06 ± 0.18)µ N . The present results are consistent with values reported by Gorodetzky et al. and Singh et al.