On the adsorption and reactivity of element 114, flerovium.

Flerovium (Fl, element 114) is the heaviest element chemically studied so far. To date, its interaction with gold was investigated in two gas-solid chromatography experiments, which reported two different types of interaction, however, each based on the level of a few registered atoms only. Whereas noble-gas-like properties were suggested from the first experiment, the second one pointed at a volatile-metal-like character. Here, we present further experimental data on adsorption studies of Fl on silicon oxide and gold surfaces, accounting for the inhomogeneous nature of the surface, as it was used in the experiment and analyzed as part of the reported studies. We confirm that Fl is highly volatile and the least reactive member of group 14. Our experimental observations suggest that Fl exhibits lower reactivity towards Au than the volatile metal Hg, but higher reactivity than the noble gas Rn.

First Study on Nihonium (Nh, Element 113) Chemistry at TASCA.

Nihonium (Nh, element 113) and flerovium (Fl, element 114) are the first superheavy elements in which the 7p shell is occupied. High volatility and inertness were predicted for Fl due to the strong relativistic stabilization of the closed 7p 1/2 sub-shell, which originates from a large spin-orbit splitting between the 7p 1/2 and 7p 3/2 orbitals. One unpaired electron in the outermost 7p 1/2 sub-shell in Nh is expected to give rise to a higher chemical reactivity. Theoretical predictions of Nh reactivity are discussed, along with results of the first experimental attempts to study Nh chemistry in the gas phase. The experimental observations verify a higher chemical reactivity of Nh atoms compared to its neighbor Fl and call for the development of advanced setups. First tests of a newly developed detection device miniCOMPACT with highly reactive Fr isotopes assure that effective chemical studies of Nh are within reach.

Study of Quasielastic Barrier Distributions as a Step towards the Synthesis of Superheavy Elements with Hot Fusion Reactions.

The excitation functions for quasielastic scattering of ^{22}Ne+^{248}Cm, ^{26}Mg+^{248}Cm, and ^{48}Ca+^{238}U are measured using a gas-filled recoil ion separator. The quasielastic barrier distributions are extracted for these systems and are compared with coupled-channel calculations. The results indicate that the barrier distribution is affected dominantly by deformation of the actinide target nuclei, but also by vibrational or rotational excitations of the projectile nuclei, as well as neutron transfer processes before capture. From a comparison between the experimental barrier distributions and the evaporation residue cross sections for Sg (Z=106), Hs (108), Cn (112), and Lv (116), it is suggested that the hot fusion reactions take advantage of a compact collision, where the projectile approaches along the short axis of a prolately deformed nucleus. A new method is proposed to estimate the optimum incident energy to synthesize unknown superheavy nuclei using the barrier distribution.

Biochemical and cellular activity of chemically synthesized elastase inhibitor (S-AFUEI) from Aspergillus fumigatus.

PURPOSE: Elastase, produced by Aspergillus fumigatus and A. flavus, is an important pathogenic factor in pulmonary aspergillosis. We investigated the possibility of using A. fumigatus-derived A. fumigatus elastase inhibitor (AFUEI) as a therapeutic agent. As native-AFUEI (N-AFUEI) has an extremely low yield, we generated a synthetic-AFUEI (S-AFUEI) and investigated whether S-AFUEI has a biological activity against A. fumigatus elastase (AFUE) and inhibits cytotoxicity. METHODOLOGY: A. fumigatus was cultured in Yeast Carbon Base (YCB) -elastin culture medium for 3-7 days, and AFUE was purified by chromatography using DE52 cellulose and Sephadex G-75 column. Elastolytic activity was examined using Glt-Ala-Ala-Pro-Leu-pNA (GAAPLNA) as the substrate. The hydrolytic activity of AFUE was determined using the characteristic substrates, fibrinogen and collagen (Type IV), and human cell cytotoxicity was measured colorimetrically. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of S-AFUEI on these activities was examined. RESULTS: We confirmed that S-AFUEI demonstrated elastase inhibitory activity and heat stability equivalent to that demonstrated by N-AFUEI, and inhibited human collagen hydrolytic activity and human fibrinogen hydrolytic activity. Further, S-AFUEI inhibited cytotoxicity in AFUE human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAEC), human small airway epithelial cells (HSAEC), and human pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells (HPAEpiC). CONCLUSION: As S-AFUEI strongly inhibited cytotoxicity induced by elastase in human-derived cells, it could prove beneficial for the treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis.

Production cross sections of Mo, Nb and Zr radioisotopes from α-induced reaction on natZr.

Cross sections of α-induced reactions on natural zirconium were measured up to 50 MeV using the stacked-foil technique, activation method and high resolution γ-ray spectrometry. The production cross sections of 93m,99Mo, 90g,92m,95g,95m,96Nb and 88,89g,95Zr were determined and compared with other experimental data measured earlier and result of theoretical calculations. The integral thick target yield of 99Mo was deduced from the measured cross section data.

Measurement of activation cross sections of alpha particle induced reactions on iridium up to an energy of 50 MeV.

Cross sections of alpha particle induced nuclear reactions on iridium were investigated using a 51.2-MeV alpha particle beam. The standard stacked-foil target technique and the activation method were applied. The activity of the reaction products was assessed without chemical separation using high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. Excitation functions for production of gold, platinum and iridium isotopes (196m2Au, 196m,gAu, 195m,gAu, 194Au, 193 m,gAu, 192Au, 191m,gAu, 191Pt, 195mPt, 194gIr, 194mIr, 192gIr, 190gIr and 189Ir) were determined and compared with available earlier measured experimental data and results of theoretical calculations using TALYS code system. Cross section data were reported for the first time for the natIr(α,x)196m2Au, natIr(α,x)196m,gAu, natIr(α,x)191Pt, natIr(α,x)195mPt, natIr(α,x)194gIr, natIr(α,x)194mIr, natIr(α,x)190gIr and natIr(α,x)189Ir processes. A possible production route for 195mPt, the potentially important radionuclide in nuclear medicine, is discussed.

Production cross sections of 169Yb and Tm isotopes in deuteron-induced reactions on 169Tm.

The excitation functions of deuteron-induced reactions on 169Tm were measured using the stacked-foil method and high resolution gamma-ray spectrometry. The production cross sections of a medical radionuclide 169Yb were investigated. The result was compared with the previous experiments and found to be in good agreement. In addition to 169Yb, the production cross sections of Tm isotopes, 170Tm, 168Tm and 167Tm, were measured. These results were compared with the TALYS calculations taken from the TENDL-2015 online data library.

Cross section measurement of alpha particle induced nuclear reactions on natural cadmium up to 52MeV.

Cross sections of alpha particle induced nuclear reactions have been measured on thin natural cadmium targets foils in the energy range from 11 to 51.2MeV. This work was a part of our systematic study on excitation functions of light ion induced nuclear reactions on different target materials. Regarding the cross sections, the alpha induced reactions are not deeply enough investigated. Some of the produced isotopes are of medical interest, others have application in research and industry. The radioisotope 117mSn is a very important theranostic (therapeutic + diagnostic) radioisotope, so special care was taken to the results for that isotope. The well-established stacked foil technique followed by gamma-spectrometry with HPGe gamma spectrometers were used. The target and monitor foils in the stack were commercial high purity metal foils. From the irradiated targets 117mSn, 113Sn, 110Sn, 117m,gIn, 116mIn, 115mIn, 114mIn, 113mIn, 111In, 110m,gIn, 109mIn, 108m,gIn, 115gCd and 111mCd were identified and their excitation functions were derived. The results were compared with the data of the previous measurements from the literature and with the results of the theoretical nuclear reaction model code calculations TALYS 1.8 (TENDL-2015) and EMPIRE 3.2 (Malta). From the cross section curves thick target yields were calculated and compared with the available literature data.

Neuropeptide Y signaling in the dorsal raphe nucleus inhibits male sexual behavior in mice.

Animals change their biological activities depending on their nutritional state. Reproductive functions, including sexual behavior, are suppressed under low-energy conditions; however, the underlying neuronal mechanism is poorly understood. Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an orexigenic molecule released in response to low-energy conditions and has an inhibitory effect on sexual behavior. We examined how NPY is involved in energy state-dependent regulation of male sexual behavior. Mounting, intromission, and ejaculation were evaluated as parameters of sexual behavior. Almost all parameters indicated that fasting for 24h suppressed male sexual behavior. Intracerebroventricular injection of NPY inhibited sexual behavior in males that free-fed for 8h following 24-h fasting (fed males). We next examined whether the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), in which serotonergic (5-HT) neurons are distributed, is involved in NPY-mediated inhibition of male sexual behavior. NPY-positive processes immunoreactive for a presynaptic marker, synaptophysin, were distributed in the DRN of both fed and fasted males. Expression of the NPY Y1 receptor in 5-HT neurons was also observed. Direct injection of NPY or 8-OH-DPAT (a 5-HT1A receptor agonist that inhibits the activity of 5-HT neurons) into the DRN inhibited male sexual behavior in fed males. In contrast, injection of BIBP-3226, a NPY Y1 receptor antagonist, or (+)-DOI hydrochloride (DOI), a 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist that activates 5-HT neurons, into the DRN partially recovered male sexual behavior in 24-h fasted males. These results suggest that NPY inhibits serotonergic neuronal activity via the Y1 receptor in the DRN, resulting in suppression of male sexual behavior in low-energy conditions.

Suppression of ß-particle events using a capillary tube in liquid scintillation α spectrometry.

A method to decrease photons generated by ß particles by using a capillary tube in liquid scintillation α spectrometry is presented. Liquid scintillation counting of (241)Am and (152)Eu was performed with 200, 300, and 500 µm inner diameter (i.d.) PFA tubes as the detection cell. It was observed that the ß component in the energy spectrum is located at the lower-energy region with a decreasing i.d. of the PFA tubes, and the α peak of (241)Am was separated from the ß component.

Immunostaining of thymidylate synthase and p53 for predicting chemoresistance to S-1/cisplatin in gastric cancer.

High expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) and inactivation of p53 are allegedly associated with chemoresistance. The authors evaluated TS and p53 expression in gastric cancer treated with neoadjuvant S-1/cisplatin chemotherapy. Paraffin sections of pretreatment biopsy and surgical specimens from 41 gastric cancers were immunostained for TS and p53 protein after appropriate antigen retrieval. Fifty-one cases without neoadjuvant chemotherapy were also studied. In the pretreatment biopsies, high expression of TS was seen in 8% of the histologic responders, in 28% of the nonresponders and in 31% of the controls. High expression of p53 was observed in 56% of the nonresponders, but in 8% of the responders and in 29% of the controls (P<0.01 and P<0.05, respectively). The TS- and/or p53-high phenotype was seen in 76% of the nonresponders and in 54% of the controls, but in 8% of the responders (P<0.0001 and P<0.005, respectively). The data of the surgical specimens were consistent with those of the pretreatment biopsies. These results suggest that immunostaining for TS and p53 protein is useful for pretreatment selection of gastric cancer patients unresponsive to S-1/cisplatin chemotherapy.

Laparoscopic side-to-side esophagogastrostomy using a linear stapler after proximal gastrectomy.

In order to improve anastomotic procedures, we performed laparoscopic side-to-side esophagogastrostomy, using a linear stapler, after proximal gastrectomy in two patients with gastric cancer located in the upper third of the stomach. The patients' postoperative courses were excellent. During postoperative recovery, the patients experienced very little pain, used no analgesic medications, and never experienced reflux esophagitis. This procedure is technically feasible and is an excellent option, given the less involved anastomotic procedure and better postoperative quality of life compared with these features in end-to-side anastomosis using a circular stapler.

Construction of a series of mutants lacking all of the four major mex operons for multidrug efflux pumps or possessing each one of the operons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1: MexCD-OprJ is an inducible pump.

We constructed a series of deletion mutants lacking all of the four major mex operons for Mex multidrug efflux pumps or possessing each one of the operons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The drug specificity of MexAB-OprM, MexXY-OprM and MexCD-OprJ was investigated. Surprisingly, we found that the MexCD-OprJ was an inducible pump, inducers of which were tetraphenylphosphonium chloride, ethidium bromide, rhodamine 6G and acriflavine. Fluoroquinolones, chloramphenicol, erythromycin and tetracycline were not inducers although they were substrates of MexCD-OprJ.

Thrombin-like enzyme, flavovilase, with kinin-releasing activity from Trimeresurus flavoviridis (habu) venom.

A thrombin-like enzyme, flavovilase, with kinin-releasing activity was isolated, purified, and characterized from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis (habu) using Sephadex G-100, DEAE-Cellulose, and CM-Cellulose column chromatographies. The final preparation was homogeneous as demonstrated by a single band on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and isoelectric focusing electrophoresis. The enzyme possesses a molecular weight of 26,500, an isoelectric point of 5.0, and consists of 247 total amino acid residues. Specific electrolytic activities of this enzyme on N-tosyl-L-arginine methyl ester (TAME) and N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) were determined to be 50.9 and 17.4 micromol/min/mg, respectively. The enzyme was inhibited by p-APMSF (p-amidinophenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride hydrochloride), beta-mercaptoethanol, and N-bromosuccinimide. Additionally, the enzyme was found stable to heat treatment. It was also observed that the enzyme cleaved a kininogen analog with the release of bradykinin.

Hemorrhagic activity and muscle damaging effect of Pseudomonas aeruginosa metalloproteinase (elastase).

Pseudomonas aeruginosa elastase, a Bacillus subtilis thermolysin-like zinc-proteinase was examined for hemorrhagic activity and its effect on muscle and endothelial cells. Subcutaneous and intramuscular injections of elastase into mice caused severe hemorrhage with an acute increase of creatine phosphokinase activity in serum. The elastase also possessed fibrinogenolytic and fibrinolytic activities. The Aalpha and Bbeta chains of fibrinogen were completely hydrolyzed as demonstrated by their electrophoretic disappearance on SDS polyacrylamide gels. The pathological study indicates that elastase induces changes in the structure of the vascular wall and causes leakage of the plasma component and red and white blood cells into the extravascular tissue. This is further supported by results showing injury to cultured endothelial cells and macrophages. These data indicate that P. aeruginosa elastase directly affects endothelial cells and destroys the basement membrane of blood vessels to cause hemorrhage. Since fibrinogenolytic activity is an additional component of this elastase and this activity induces the hemorrhagic tendency, the damage in tissues could become increasingly severe.

Characterization of coagulase from Staphylococcus intermedius.

A protein coagulase was isolated from Staphylococcus intermedius 6131 using bovine prothrombin-Sepharose 4B and Bio-gel P-4 column chromatographies. Homogeneity was demonstrated by the formation of a single band in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing. The purified preparation possesses a molecular weight of 64,500, an isoelectric point of 4.1, consists of 615 total amino acid residues and demonstrates coagulase activity for human and rabbit fibrinogen, but does not show the activity for rat or guinea pig fibrinogens. This purified protein contains galactose and fucose, and the amino-terminal amino acid sequence was determined. The coagulase activity is inhibited by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS), suggesting that tryptophan is involved in this activity. The coagulase was heat stable to 80 degrees C and stable to pH over the range of 7-9. This is the first report of coagulase from Staphylococcus intermedius.

Laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with radical lymph node dissection using the no-touch isolation technique for advanced colon cancer.

The treatment of advanced right-sided colon cancer presents numerous challenges for the surgeon who must aim to minimize the invasiveness of surgery, achieve curative resection, and prevent port-site recurrences. To overcome these issues, we performed a totally intra-abdominal laparoscopic right hemicolectomy with radical lymph node dissection based on a no-touch isolation technique. To perform this no-touch technique, we initially dissected the lymph nodes along the surgical trunk, then transected the transverse colon, terminal ileum, and mesentery without tumor manipulation. Finally, the right side of the colon was freed retroperitoneally. We performed this surgical technique on three patients and no intraoperative complications were encountered. Curative resection was achieved in all three patients, as curability A according to the Japanese Classification of Colorectal Carcinoma, and their postoperative courses were uneventful. Therefore, this novel technique proved to be both feasible and safe. Furthermore, it enabled us to minimize the invasiveness of surgery, while providing clear access to resect the right-sided advanced colon cancer.

[The trend of the drug eruptions in the last fifteen years].

The drug eruptions are known to often become more severe by the readministration of causative drugs. It is an important theme to prevent the relapse of the drug eruptions. We have been monitoring drug adverse reactions at our hospital since October, 1980. We divided fifteen years from October, 1980 to September, 1995 into three periods; the first period (Oct., 1980-Sep. 1985), the second period (Oct., 1985-Sep., 1990), and the third period (Oct., 1990-Sep., 1995), and discussed the trend of the drug eruptions appeared among these three periods. The number of the drug eruptions increased. But the proportion to the total drug adverse reactions and to the number of patients slightly decreased. The eruptions in women much increased and in the patients of forties or older generations also increased. But in patients of thirties or younger generations decreased. While nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) other than pyrines, antibiotics other than penicillins and cephalosporins and drugs affecting the cardiovascular system and the metabolism tend to increase, pyrines, penicillins, iodic and biliary contrast media tend to decrease. The incubation period before the eruption appeared is less than three days in most antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. But it is more than four days in most drugs for chronic diseases. Other symptoms such as nausea, fever and liver dysfunction were shown in 9.2% of the drug eruptions. In 8.9% of the drug eruptions a relapse of allergic reactions included eruptions were also found. In some cases the drug eruptions exacerbate by re-administration of beta-lactam antibiotics. In the case of administration of drugs, it is necessary to pay attention to dermatitis caused by the drugs. And we recognized the importance of the system for the prevention of the relapse of drug eruptions including injections.

Laparoscopic pancreas-preserving total gastrectomy for proximal gastric cancer. A case and technical report.

Although total gastrectomy with distal pancreatectomy has been the standard surgical treatment for advanced gastric cancer, this procedure is frequently complicated by leakage of pancreatic juice and postoperative diabetes mellitus. We present the case of a 74-year-old woman with proximal gastric cancer who underwent a laparoscopic modification of an open pancreas-preserving procedure first described by Maruyama et al. in 1995. With this novel technique, there is no pancreatic leakage, and at 12-month follow-up our patient remains free of diabetes. Herein we give the details of our new method and offer some caveats for its performance.