R.H. Coase is well known as having proposed what has come to be known as the " Coase Theorem". But he has also discussed what happens in the world in which transactions are too expensive and therefore the?gCoase Theorem?his not valid. In order to interpret and remove ambiguities of Coase's criticism of Pigou's position within the part of his argument about the world of high transactions cost, I improve the treatment of the government-enforced liability rules which was presented by K. Shea and T. Ihori. I also formulate and make clear the argument of W.J. Baumol and E. J. Mishan against the Coase's criticism of Pigou. This paper is the first step to examine the various problems which have stemmed from Coase's paper.

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The optical thickness of atmospheric aerosols was examined based on the measurement of extinction coefficient with a laser radar, what one calls lidar, at National Institute for Environment Studies, Tsukuba in Japan. Comparing these observed results in Japan with the aerosol optical thickness of the standard atmosphere compiled by LOWTRAN 6, we found that : (i) aerosol optical thickness in winter was less than that in summer, (ii) the observed value of aerosol optical thickness in spring in Tsukuba, Japan coincided with that of the midlatitude summer model atmosphere derived from LOWTRAN 6.

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A single dose of 5, 30 or 60μg/kg of 2, 3, 7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) reduced the thymus weight in a dose-dependent manner in female, 7-week-old C57BL/6 mice. The size and cellularity of the thymic cortex were reduced sharply on Day 3 after TCDD (30μg/kg) treatment, reached at a nadir on Day 7, and recovered to control levels on Day 35. TCDD (30μg/kg) treatment induced a significant decrease in the number and percentage of the L3T4⁺Ly-2⁺ and the PNA⁺ cells in parallel with a thymic cortical atrophy with thymocyte depletion. Concurrently, there was a proportional increase in the percentage of the L3T4⁺Ly-2^-, L3T4^-Ly-2⁺ and L3T4^-Ly-2^- subsets. The absolute number of each subset was decreased along with the reduction in the total thymocyte number. A slight but insignificant decrease in the number of the L3T4^-Ly-2⁺ cells continued by Day 14, despite restoration of the other three subsets. Unlike the thymocytes, there were no appreciable changes in each subpopulation of spleen cells, a few exceptions being a decreased Thy-1⁺ and an increased sIg⁺ cells on Day 3. In TCDD-treated mice that were immunized with SRBC on Day 3 or 7 posttreatment, the 4-day IgM plaque-forming cell (PFC) response was markedly impaired, whereas the delayed footpad response to SRBC was unaffected. By utilizing the modified Mishell-Dutton culture system, it was demonstrated that in vivo exposure to TCDD produced suppression of PFC induction by affecting B cells, perhaps directly, without affecting helper T cell function.

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A simple procedure for measuring acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) of soil has been developed on the basis of the results of soil column experiments with simulated acid rains (pH 3). The proposed procedure determines ANC of soil that is based on (1) carbonates, (2) exchangeable bases (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, and K⁺) and (3) sulfate adsorption (ligand exchange between SO₄^2- in acid precipitation and surface OH groups) using a batch technique. The column experiment results showed that Al³⁺ concentration of effluent increased abruptly when pH decreased as low as about 5. We considered this stage the threshold of possible environmental effects, and defined ANC as “the amount of H+ being consumed by 100g of soil until pH of soil pore water decreases as low as 4.7”. The amounts of carbonates plus exchangeable bases making up (ANC) c of soil are determined by treating the soil with acetic acid-ammonium acetate buffer solution (pH 4.7) followed by determining the concentration of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ in filtrate. The amount of exchangeable OH- making up (ANC) a was determined by treating the soil with potassium sulfate solution of which pH being adjusted to 4.7 using hydrochloric acid followed by determining the amount of SO₄^2- adsorbed by the soil. Because the extent to which (ANC) a contributes depends on the anion composition (the equivalent ratio of SO₄^2- a) of acid precipitation, ANC is calculated by the following equations: (1)ANC=(ANC)c/1-α, provided 0≤α<(ANC)a/(ANC)c+(ANC)a (2)ANC=(ANC)c+(ANC)a, provided(ANC)a/(ANC)c+(ANC)a≤α≤1 Results for ANC obtained using the proposed procedure were similar to those obtained using the conventional column technique for 10 soil samples with greatly differing ANC values (γ=0.98). The proposed procedure was superior to the column technique in that one can determine ANC in about 2 days and also can easily estimate the ANC values expected under different a conditions.

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To choose the best way to solve the problem of the green house effect, it is important to evaluate the techniques which have been proposed to take measures to meet the green house effect. By reviewing papers, making inquiries to researchers on the field of environment and energy, and considering by ourselves, 207 items of techniques have been listed. To make a standard to evaluate these techniques, an inquiries was made to choose important indices among 30 items to evaluate the techniques. From the result of the inquiries, it was pointed out that the important indices are 1) the balance between the amount of the effect and the energy to decrease the green house effect, 2) safety, 3) to suppress new pollution, 4) to be appropriate to the nature, 5) not to leave problems to descendants.

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