Ordered fullerene nanocylinders in large-diameter carbon nanotubes.

A new ordered fullerene phase encapsulated by large-diameter CNTs is systematically investigated by combining a growth technique by chemical vapour deposition, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and molecular-dynamics simulations. In contrast to fullerenes in smaller (1-2 nm) diameter CNTs, where fullerenes are packed in linear or helical chains, fullerenes form a nanoscale cylinder in double-walled CNTs with diameters of ∼4 nm. The fullerenes were shown to form a nanocylinder with a side wall that resembled the (111) plane of solid C(60). This ordered phase is different from peapods or fullerene solids known so far, and a result of the interaction between the CNT wall and fullerenes. This finding will open up a new field of fullerene science.

Evaluating stream water quality through land use analysis in two grassland catchments: impact of wetlands on stream nitrogen concentration.

We evaluated the impacts of natural wetlands and various land uses on stream nitrogen concentration in two grassland-dominated catchments in eastern Hokkaido, Japan. Analyzing land use types in drainage basins, measuring denitrification potential of its soil, and water sampling in all seasons of 2003 were performed. Results showed a highly significant positive correlation between the concentration of stream NO3-N and the proportion of upland area in drainage basins in both catchments. The regression slope, which we assumed to reflect the impact on water quality, was 24% lower for the Akkeshi catchment (0.012 +/- 0.001) than for the Shibetsu catchment (0.016 +/- 0.001). In the Akkeshi catchment, there was a significant negative correlation between the proportion of wetlands in the drainage basins and stream NO3-N concentration. Stream dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and carbon (DOC) concentrations were significantly higher in the Akkeshi catchment. Upland and urban land uses were strongly linked to increases in in-stream N concentrations in both catchments, whereas wetlands and forests tended to mitigate water quality degradation. The denitrification potential of the soils was highest in wetlands, medium in riparian forests, and lowest in grasslands; and was significant in wetlands and riparian forests in the Akkeshi catchment. The solubility of soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil moisture tended to determine the denitrification potential. These results indicate that the water environment within the catchments, which influences denitrification potential and soil organic matter content, could have caused the difference in stream water quality between the two catchments.

Usefulness of epidural anesthesia in gynecologic laparoscopic surgery for infertility in comparison to general anesthesia.

BACKGROUND: Although the advantages of epidural anesthesia in open surgery have been established, its usefulness in the setting of laparoscopic surgery remains to be studied. METHODS: Patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for infertility were randomly administered epidural anesthesia (group A, n = 11) or general anesthesia (group B, n = 9). The operation was performed under 4 mmHg pneumoperitoneum and in the 20 degrees Trendelenburg position. Respiratory function tests using a spirometer and blood gas analysis were performed during the intra- or perioperative period. Pain status was evaluated with visual analog scale scoring. The number of postoperative recovery days needed to resume daily activities was obtained by a questionnaire. RESULTS: Respiratory rate, minute volume, P(a)CO2, % vital capacity (VC), and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % were virtually constant throughout the study period in group A, whereas %VC was decreased immediately after operation in group B (p < 0.05). Minute volume immediately after operation was significantly increased in group B compared with group A (p < 0.01), suggesting shallow respiration in women undergoing general anesthesia. Observed pain scores on abdominal pain, shoulder pain, and dyspnea were very low during operation in group A. Pain scores immediately and 3 h after operation were also minimal in group A, whereas abdominal pain scores at these points were significantly higher in group B than those in group A (both p < 0.01). The number of days required for a half reduction in wound pain, trotting, and full recuperation for group A were less than those for group B (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Epidural anesthesia, when used in laparoscopic surgery for infertility treatment, has advantages over general anesthesia in terms of analgesic effects, postoperative respiratory function, and a return to preoperative daily activities.

Effect of the sialyl Lewis X (SLe(x)) moiety on splenic accumulation of SLe(x)-carboxymethylpullulan conjugate.

Sialyl Lewis X (SLe(x)), an E-selectin ligand, was conjugated with carboxymethylpullulan (CMPul) and the disposition characteristics of this conjugate after intravenous administration were investigated using mice with ear edema. The concentration of 3H-labeled SLe(x)-CMPul in the spleen was significantly high. When CMPul was modified with a saccharide unable to bind to E-selectin, this splenic accumulation was not observed. The uptake of radiolabeled SLe(x)-CMPul by the spleen was completely inhibited by a 100-fold molar of cold SLe(x)-CMPul but not by a sialyl N-acetyllactosamine-CMPul conjugate (SLN-CMPul). Microautoradiography analyses revealed that SLe(x)-CMPul accumulated in the marginal zone of the spleen.

Survival, ovarian development and bloodmeal size for the horn fly Haematobia irritans irritans reared in vitro.

Horn flies, Haematobia irritans irritans (Linneaus) (Diptera: Muscidae) were reared in vitro using cattle, pig, horse, rabbit, sheep, goat or chicken blood. The highest survival, bloodmeal size and rate of ovarian development were recorded for both female and male flies fed cattle blood. Flies fed pig, rabbit, sheep and goat blood showed intermediate survival. Flies fed chicken blood showed the lowest survival rates, ingested the smallest bloodmeals and did not develop ovaries. The relationship between dietary factors and host specificity of the horn fly, and the efficiency of vertebrate blood source of several animals for laboratory colonization of horn fly are discussed.

Epolactaene, a novel neuritogenic compound in human neuroblastoma cells, selectively inhibits the activities of mammalian DNA polymerases and human DNA topoisomerase II.

We chemically synthesized epolactaene, a neuritogenic compound in human neuroblastoma cells, and investigated its biochemical action in vitro. Epolactaene and its derivatives selectively inhibited the activities of mammalian DNA polymerase alpha and beta and human DNA topoisomerase II, with IC(50) values of 25, 94, and 10 microM, respectively. By comparison with its structural derivatives, the long alkyl side chain in epolactaene seemed to have an important role in this inhibitory effect. The compound did not influence the activities of plant or prokaryotic DNA polymerases or of other DNA metabolic enzymes such as telomerase, RNA polymerase, and deoxyribonuclease I. Epolactaene did not intercalate into DNA. These results suggested that the neuritogenic compound epolactaene influences both DNA polymerases and topoisomerase II despite the dissimilarity in both structure and properties of these two enzymes and that inhibition of these enzymes could be related to the neuritogenic effect in human neuroblastoma cells. The relationship between the neuritogenic mechanism and cell cycle regulation by epolactaene was also discussed.

Ovipositional behavior of the horn fly (Diptera: Muscidae) in the field.

In the field, the female horn fly obtained blood meals from the bovine host before oviposition. The female flies moved to the lower portion of the hind legs as the legs were spread, and the tail was raised before excretion. Females deposited their eggs on the manure after excretion. The fly flew onto the manure pat for oviposition as the cow walked forward after excretion. It appeared that flies located on the belly received some stimuli for oviposition from the cow just before excretion. The horn fly deposited most of its eggs during the day with occasional deposition at night. Egg deposition increased at 10 degrees C. Fewer flies were observed on manure pats that contained >90% or <84% water. The location of horn flies on the cow and environmental factors associated with oviposition in the field are discussed.

Enhanced accumulation of sialyl Lewis X-carboxymethylpullulan conjugate in acute inflammatory lesion.

PURPOSE: E-selectin is a cell adhesion molecule that is specifically expressed in the inflammatory vascular endothelium in response to cytokines such as IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha, and interacts with specific ligands containing sialyl Lewis X (Neu5Ac alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4(Fuc alpha 1-3)GlcNAc-, SLex). In order to investigate the ability of E-selectin ligands to target the inflammatory site, the tissue distribution of carboxymethylpullulan (CMPul) modified with SLex was studied. METHODS: CMPul conjugates with various saccharides containing SLex and monovalent SLex were intravenously administered to mice with ear edema induced by arachidonic acid, and their distributions to the inflamed ear and other tissues were studied. To determine the microdistributions of these compounds, the inflamed ear was subjected to microautoradiography. RESULTS: After intravenous administration AUC0-24h of SLex-CMPul, which binds to E-selectin, in the inflamed ear was about 300-fold and 2.5-fold higher than that of monovalent SLex and CMPul conjugated with other saccharides, which can not serve as ligands for E-selectin. Microautoradiography also revealed SLex-CMPul accumulated at the microvessels in the inflammatory lesions. CONCLUSIONS: SLex-CMPul was found to have the potential to target drugs to the inflammatory lesion.

[Other perception and play-group entry in a preschoolers class].

Kindergarten children accumulate classmate information through their experience of spending time and doing things together. In the course of preschool lives, a class changes from an aggregation of children to a peer group with own history of interaction and involvement. In such a peer group, whether a child becomes a play-group member is likely to depend not only on his/her social skills, but also on perception based on classmate information, especially whether the other is seen as someone whom the child would like to play with. Relationship between such perception and play-group entry was investigated in a kindergarten class for two years, from entrance as four-year olds to graduation. At the beginning, the two were unrelated, but they became related in later periods. A child was accepted into a play group without trouble when the group members thought he/she was someone they would like to play with. These results supported the hypothesis that other perception based on classmate experience and group history influenced the entry into classroom play groups.

Successful laparoscopic management of primary abdominal pregnancy.

Overall, approximately 1% of ectopic pregnancies are abdominal pregnancies, which can be life-threatening even when surgical intervention with laparotomy is performed. We present a case in which abdominal pregnancy was successfully managed by operative laparoscopy. A 25 year old Japanese woman presented 6 weeks after her last menstruation with elevated basal body temperature, lower abdominal pain, and light vaginal bleeding. The urinary human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) concentration was 2137 IU/I, and laparoscopic findings (i.e. the implantation site was the posterior serosa of the uterus with normal adnexae) established a diagnosis of primary abdominal pregnancy. The gestational product was completely removed by laparoscopic surgery with no uncontrollable loss of blood. The urinary concentration of HCG declined rapidly and the patient made an uneventful recovery. Operative laparoscopy is a safe alternative for the management of appropriately selected patients with early abdominal pregnancy.

Noonan syndrome presenting growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction.

Noonan syndrome has been diagnosed by the characteristic physical stigmata for more than two decades. Recent studies of growth hormone secretory pattern provide a new category of growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction to characterize short stature. We describe herein a case of growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction in a 16-year-old boy with Noonan syndrome. Growth hormone neurosecretory dysfunction was diagnosed primarily based on the low amplitude and small numbers of the spontaneous bursts of growth hormone secretion during 12-hour nocturnal growth hormone sampling. Treatment with synthetic human growth hormone has markedly accelerated the growth velocity for one year and a half. This case notes the wide spectrum of short stature in Noonan syndrome and the effectiveness of treatment with human growth hormone.

[Evaluation of cardiac function at rest and under acute loading in patients with essential hypertension using pulsed Doppler echocardiography].

We studied 45 untreated patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension (EH) and 27 normotensive controls to assess the relationship between pulsed Doppler echocardiographic parameters and cardiac function, and the effects of acute changes in preload or afterload on these parameters. The following pulsed Doppler parameters were measured: as left ventricular (LV) inflow parameters, rapid filling peak velocity (R), presystolic peak velocity (A), and A/R; as LV outflow parameters, preejection period (PEP), ejection period (ET), ET/PEP, and peak velocity (PV). These parameters were compared with those relating to cardiac function, such as age, interventricular septal thickness (IVST), LV mass index (LVMI), % fractional shortening (%FS), LV end-systolic wall stress (WS), blood pressure, and heart rate. The changes in preload and afterload were induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) or phenylephrine infusion, which caused decreases or increases in the mean blood pressure by approximately 15%. 1. LV inflow parameters: Compared to normals, A and the A/R were higher in the group EH (p less than 0.01). IVST in the group EH correlated with R and the A/R, but LVMI did not correlate with these parameters. In normals, A correlated with %FS and WS, but did not in the group EH. R and the A/R correlated with age in normals, but not in the group EH. 2. LV outflow parameters: There were no significant differences between the two groups. PV in the group EH correlated positively with %FS, and negatively with WS. The ET/PEP in normals correlated with %FS and WS, but not in the group EH. 3. Effects of SNP: Reduction in preload caused a decrease in R and an increase in the A/R in both the groups (p less than 0.01). At the same time, reduction in afterload induced increase in PV. 4. Effects of phenylephrine: An increase in afterload did not change A, R or the A/R, though PV decreased significantly in normals and tended to decrease in the group EH. In summary, though the significance of the pulsed Doppler parameters of the LV was not always the same between the two groups, these parameters may be used to evaluate cardiac function in EH, if we pay attention to the influence of preload and afterload.

Human monoclonal antibodies against cytokeratin 18 generated from patients with gastric cancer.

By co-culturing regional lymph node B-cells and HAT-sensitive mutant cells obtained from RPMI-1788 cells, no less than 20,000 Epstein-Barr (EB)-transformed colonies were obtained from 32 patients with gastric cancer. From B-cell cultures generating antibodies reactive with gastric cancer tissues as well as cultured gastric cancer cells, two EB-transformed cell clones termed C418-59 and C1218-39 were isolated. Both of them produced human IgM-class antibodies, termed Mab418-59 and Mab1218-39, respectively. Both antibodies reacted with an antigen with a molecular weight of 45 kd existing in gastric cancer MKN-45, MKN-1, and Kato-III cells, and also with all of 4 adenocarcinomas of the stomach in paraffin sections. The antigen recognized by both antibodies was identified as a kind of cytoskeletal protein, cytokeratin 18. In this study, it was confirmed that B-cell clones generating autoantibodies against cytokeratin 18 were present in some patients with gastric cancer.

[Differences in hemodynamic responses to dynamic exercise between borderline and sustained hypertension].

To observe the effects of anatomical distribution of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and the differences in blood pressure on cardiac function, borderline hypertensives (group A) and mild or moderate sustained hypertensives (group B) were studied at rest and during dynamic exercise and their results were compared with those of normal controls (group C). LVH was estimated by M-mode echocardiography, and cardiac function was assessed by radionuclide (RI) first pass and multigate methods. In each subjects, 0.5 watt/kg and 1.0 watt/kg loads of ergometer exercise were administered for 16 min in the supine position. The main results were as follows: 1. In borderline hypertension, there was significant hypertrophy of the interventricular septum, and the left ventricular mass index was greater than that in normal controls. 2. The cardiac index in borderline hypertension did not differ from that of normal controls, but that of sustained hypertension was significantly reduced. 3. Significant positive correlations were observed between blood pressure and the left ventricular mass index at rest and during exercise. 4. No difference in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) at rest was observed among the three groups, but that in sustained hypertension during exercise was markedly less than that of the other groups. LVEF at 1.0 watt/kg load and delta LVEF correlated inversely with the left ventricular mass index. 5. Left ventricular end-systolic volume determined by an RI count method decreased significantly during exercise in normals and borderline hypertension, while that in sustained hypertension was not reduced during exercise. Accordingly, cardiac function in the latter group was judged to be impaired. 6. In borderline hypertension, regional LVEF in the septal portion was slightly reduced at rest and during exercise. This reduction might have been caused by an imbalance of hypertrophy between the septal and free wall portions. In sustained hypertension, regional septal LVEF was maintained at rest, but was markedly less during exercise as compared with the other groups. Regional LVEF in the free wall portion was similar in degree to that of LVEF at rest and during exercise in the three groups. 7. Though the peak filling rate (PFR) in borderline hypertension did not differ from that in controls, that of sustained hypertension was significantly reduced at rest and during exercise. Significant positive correlations were obtained between PFR and LVEF at rest and during exercise. In summary, elevated blood pressure at rest and during exercise was thought to be the most important causative factor of LVH in hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Impalement wounds of the head and chest by reinforced steel bars with recovery: an unusual case report.

A 31-year-old male who sustained completely penetrating impalement wounds of the head and chest by reinforced steel bars in a fall at a ferroconcrete building construction with a miraculous survival is reported. The bars were successfully removed; a surgical mallet was required to loosen the bar impacted in the patient's head. After 12 days he was discharged, and he has returned to construction work and is well 3 years postinjury.