Trace elements in human transitory milk. Variation caused by biological attributes of mother and infant

Multielement analysis was performed on human milk collected on 5-9-d postpartum from 51 Japanese females using inductively coupled plasma (ICP) mass spectrometry (MS), ICP atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) and fluorometry. Thirty-one elements were detected by these analytical methods in milk. Twelve elements (Na, Mg, P, S, K, Ca, Cu, Zn, Se, Sr, Rb, and Mo) were detected in all of the samples. Al, Cs, and Ba were the elements detected by ICP-MS in more than half of the samples. Multiple regression analysis extracted biological attributes of mother and infant, such as maternal stature, maternal wt, or infant's birth wt, as statistically significant factors contributing to the variation in elemental concentration in milk. However, the rates of contribution were small in all cases. It was concluded that the biological attributes of mother and infant examined in this study were not the major factors that contribute to elemental variation in human milk.     

Development of `information collection and delivery sensor basesystem' for large-scale power systems

The authors present a real-time database system capable of collecting and delivering a large amount of information accurately at a high speed and by a simple method. This system has a microprocessor unit (MPU) for each private communication line around the main memory and coordinates the independent parallel operation for a number of these MPUs with the main memory access operation, using a fixed cyclic scan method and having all the MPUs perform multi-operation. Many advantages can be expected when this method is adopted, especially for the monitoring and control of power systems. Degradation of the system can be avoided during an information rush due to accidents, and it can be easily extended when adding to or expanding the power facilities in the future. Excellent daily maintainability can be assured, and a low overall cost can be expected     

Simulation study of eutrophication in Hiroshima Bay: Simulation of particulate and dissolved organic matter using cyclic transformation of carbon

A phytoplankton model, which includes a carbon cycle combined with a constant current obtained by the computation of tidal currents, was applied to the coastal region (Hiroshima Bay, Japan). The transformation rate constants for the carbon cycle were experimentally evaluated.The seasonal variations of particulate and dissolved organic matter by the simulation model were reasonably consistent with the field data. Carbon concentration increased by primary production in the upper layer was approx. 10 times that augmented by loading of carbon from land at the shore in summer. Sinking plays an important role in the elimination of particulate organic matter. On the other hand, horizontal advection and turbulent diffusion are important factors for the diminution of dissolved organic matter.     

Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-3-acetic acids. A new class of nonpeptide endothelin receptor antagonists

On the basis of structural information for the cyclic hexapeptide endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist, TAK-044, a series of thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione derivatives bearing a carboxyl group and aromatic rings that were important for receptor binding were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for ET receptor binding affinities and inhibitory activities against ET-induced vasoconstriction. Optimization of each substituent in the thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine ring led to the discovery of a novel and potent nonpeptide ET receptor antagonist, 6-(4-methoxymethoxyphenyl)-5-methylsulfonylaminomethyl-1-(2- methylthiobenzyl)-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-d]p yrimidine-3- acetic acid (32 g), which binded to human ETA and ETB receptor subtypes with affinities (IC50) of 7.6 and 100 nM, respectively. Compound 32 g effectively antagonized ET-induced vasoconstriction and the inhibitory effect mediated by the ETB receptor was more potent than that of bosentan, while the inhibitory effect mediated by the ETA receptor was slightly less potent than that of bosentan.     

Gender differences in FFM accumulation and architectural characteristics of muscle

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the existence and role of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in otitis media with effusion (OME). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. METHODS: The levels of two major TGF-beta isoforms, TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2, in the middle ear effusions (MEEs) of 44 children were evaluated using enzyme-linked immunospecific assays (ELISAs). Forty-eight MEEs were separated into three clinically relevant groups (i.e., serous, mucoid, and purulent), and TGF-beta levels were correlated with clinical parameters of disease for these MEEs. RESULTS: Both TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 were present in the samples. Mean levels of TGF-beta1 (920.36 +/- 437.75 pg/mg total protein) were generally 100-fold greater than those of TGF-beta2 (9.65 +/- 11.19 pg/mg total protein). TGF-beta1 levels were elevated in association with a history of previous tympanostomy tube placements (TTPs) (P = .029) and mucoid effusions (P = .042). TGF-beta2 levels were elevated in association with a history of previous TTPs (P = .100) and chronic (i.e., serous or mucoid) effusions (P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: TGF-beta1 is present in the MEEs of children with OME. Furthermore, TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta2 levels were elevated differentially in the presence of chronic disease indicators in OME, suggesting that these isoforms may have differing roles in the inflammatory processes that characterize OME.     

Bilateral polynomial matrix equations in two indeterminates

Two special cases of the bilateral 2-D polynomial matrix equationDU +VN=C whenC=I andC=I with being a -stable 2-D polynomial, which are related respectively to deadbeat and asymptotic control problems of 2-D systems, are first considered. By generalizing the concepts of factor coprimeness, zero coprimeness and zero skew primeness in the 2-D polynomial ring to the ring of causal -stable 2-D rational functions, a constructive solution of these two problems mentioned is proposed. Based on these results, we derive a solvability condition for the bilateral equiation whereC is a general 2-D polynomial matrix. The general solutions are investigated as well.     

Synthesis of Sn-Incorporated Folded Sheets Mesoporous Materials (Sn-FSM-16)

Sn-incorporated folded sheets mesoporous materials (Sn-FSM-16) with various contents of Sn were synthesized by using a mixture of water glass, SnCl₄ and NaOH as starting materials. Hexadecyltrimethyl-ammonium chloride (surfactant) was used to intercalate into the layered silicate. The reaction process was followed by measurements of XRD patterns of intermediates. The Sn-FSM-16 was formed via the following mechanism: (1) layered silicates such as - - and -Na₂Si₂O₅ were formed as intermediates by the calcination of the mixture of the starting materials; (2) the surfactant was intercalated into the layered silicates; (3) the surfactant-silicate complex with hexagonal structure was obtained as a precursor of Sn-FSM-16; (4) the precursor was calcined to decompose the surfactant in the interlayer and was changed to Sn-FSM-16. The structural aspect of Sn in Sn-FSM-16 was studied by XPS profiles of Sn 3d _5/2 and Si_2p, ²⁹ Si MAS NMR and FTIR. The content of Sn in Sn-FSM increased with increasing concentrations of both Sn and NaOH in the starting materials. The surface area of Sn-FSM-16 decreased with an increase of Sn content in Sn-FSM (1160–620 m²/g).     

Vapor phase hydroformylation of ethene over Co/SiO2 promoted by noble metals: dynamic in situ diffuse reflectance FT-IR study of surface species

An in situ diffuse reflectance FT-IR technique was employed to investigate the active surface species and the reaction mechanism of the oxygenate formation in the vapor phase hydroformylation of ethene on Co/SiO₂ promoted with various noble metals such as Ir, Rh, Pt, Re, Ru, and Pd. Co(A)/SiO₂ and Ir(CO)/SiO₂ which were derived from cobalt(II) acetate and Ir₄(CO)₁₂, respectively, were quite inactive in the reaction, and showed only quite small peaks of adsorbed CO under the conditions of 1.1 MPa of C₂H₄/CO/H₂ at 298 K. In contrast, Co(A)-Ir(CO)/SiO₂, which were very active in the reaction, exhibited strong absorption bands of linear and bridged CO species. At 423–463 K, propanal adsorbed on the catalyst and acyl species which is suggested as the intermediate for the formation of propanal were also observed on this catalyst. By exposing CO preadsorbed on this catalyst to C₂H₄/H₂ at 289 K and 0.1 MPa, the intensity of the linear CO band decreased, and the bands of propanal and acyl species emerged simultaneously, whereas that of the bridged CO band remained constant after the initial drop. These results suggested that the oxygenates are formed via the CO insertion into adsorbed ethyl species, and linear CO species plays a major role in the CO insertion on these noble metal-promoted cobalt catalysts.