Elevation of plasma levels of L-dopa in transdermal administration of L-dopa-butylester in rats

To increase delivery of L-dopa in its transdermal absorption, a new lipophilic derivative of L-dopa, L-dopa-butylester, was synthesized. An in-vitro study employing two-chamber diffusion cells, in which the excised rat abdominal skin was mounted, revealed that, in the presence of L-menthol and ethanol, L-dopa-butylester penetrated in its original form more effectively than L-dopa. L-Dopa-butylester sheets were made by immersing wiper sheets in methanol containing the compound, and then evaporating the methanol. An extraction study of the compound from the sheets revealed that its stability was maintained for at least 12 weeks. In an in-vivo cutaneous absorption study, an L-dopa-butylester sheet was attached to the shaved rat abdominal skin. A hydrogel containing L-menthol and ethanol was spread on vinyl tape, and this sheet was placed over it. In plasma, the L-dopa level rose linearly between 30 and 180 min after the cutaneous application; L-dopa-butylester was not detected. The L-dopa level was higher than that in which L-dopa was applied. These findings indicated that the lipophilic nature of L-dopa-butylester further increased its penetration through the skin, and that L-dopa-butylester that was taken up into the general circulation system was rapidly converted to L-dopa by hydrolysis in the body.     

Composition dependence of young’s modulus in Ti-V, Ti-Nb, and Ti-V-Sn alloys

The Young’s modulus of Ti-V and Ti-V-Sn alloys quenched from the β-phase region after solution treatment and cold rolling was investigated in relation to alloy compositions, microstructures, and constituent phases. The composition dependence of the Young’s modulus for quenched Ti-V binary alloys shows two minima of 69 GPa at Ti-10 mass pct V and 72 GPa at Ti-26 mass pct V. Between the two compositions, athermalω or stress-induced ω is introduced in retainedβ phase and increases Young’s modulus. That is, a low Young’s modulus is attained unless alloys undergoω transformation. In Ti-5 and -8 mass pct V, which under goα′ (hcp) martensitic transformation on quenching, the Young’s modulus further decreases by cold rolling, which can be reasonably explained by the formation ofα′ rolling texture. Comparing Young’s modulus in Ti-V binary alloy with that in Ti-Nb binary alloy, it is found that Young’s modulus is remarkably increased by athermal- or stress inducedω phase, and it shows a minimum when both martensitic andω transformation are suppressed during quenching in metastableβ alloys. The Sn addition to Ti-V binary alloy retards or suppresses athermal and stress-inducedω transformation, thereby decreasing Young’s modulus. Young’s modulus exhibits minimum values of 51 GPa in quenched (Ti-12 pct V)-2 pct Sn and of 57 GPa in cold-rolled (Ti-12 pct V)-6 pct Sn.     

Hydrolysis of beta-glucosyl ester linkage of p-hydroxybenzoyl beta-D-glucose, a chemically synthesized glucoside, by beta-glucosidases

To investigate the hydrolysis of glucosyl esters by beta-glucosidase, p-hydroxybenzoyl beta-D-glucose (pHBG) was chemically synthesized. The hydrolytic activity of some beta-glucosidases for pHBG was compared to that for p-nitrophenyl beta-glucoside (pNPG). The Clavibacter michiganense and Flavobacterium johnsonae enzymes could hydrolyze pHBG and steviol glycosides which are natural glucosyl esters. The commercial beta-glucosidase originating from Caldocellum saccharolyticum also hydrolyzes pHBG despite having no activity for steviol glycosides. The beta-glucosidase from Aspergillus niger cleaved the glucosyl ester linkage much more weakly than the glucosidic linkage. The pH-activity profile for the hydrolysis of pHBG was similar to that of pNPG by the C. saccharolyticum beta-glucosidase. The similar profiles for these substrates suggested that the active site for the glucosyl ester chemically resembles that for glucoside with respect to catalysis. Kinetic analysis of the C. saccharolyticum beta-glucosidase for mixed substrates of pHBG and pNPG showed that the hydrolysis of pHBG competed with that of pNPG. This result indicated that there is only one active site for both the glucosyl ester and glucoside. Mass spectroscopic analysis of the hydrolysates of pHBG in H218O suggested that beta-glucosidase hydrolyzes glucosyl esters between the anomeric carbon of glucose and the carbonyl oxygen, not between the carbonyl carbon and the carbonyl oxygen.     

On-line derivative estimation for the multiclass single-serverpriority queue using perturbation analysis

Gradient estimation via smoothed perturbation analysis (SPA) is considered for the multiclass single-server priority queue. Although the problem like this requires additional subpaths, generally it is shown that the estimators can be derived without any additional sample paths     

Thin oxide films of silicon by high pressure oxidation

High pressure oxidation of silicon was performed at an oxidation temperature range of 650 to 800°C for thin oxide films with about 300 å thickness. The index of refraction was dependent on an oxidation temperature but independent of the oxidation pressure as 1.475 at 750°C. The dielectric breakdown strength of the oxide film was measured by the voltage ramping,method. The fixed oxide charge about 1.0 × 10¹¹ cm^?2 was also measured from the high frequency C-V measurement. The pulse scanning C-V measurement technique was used to measure the minority carrier generation rate in the depleted surface. The surface generation velocity was slightly dependent on the oxidation temperature and indicated that the fast surface states increased with decreasing oxidation temperature.     

Reversible crosslinking in cellulose. I. Determination of mercaptan and disulfide in modified cotton

Mercaptan and disulfide contents of modified cotton fabrics could be determined by application of Leach's polarographic method for wool, with minor modification. It was found that mercaptocellulose prepared by the reaction of tosyl cellulose and potassium thiolacetate followed by alkaline hydrolysis contained considerable amounts of disulfided in addition to mercaptain. Iodometric titration of mercaptocellulose gave a higher value of mercaptan than that obtained by the polarographic method. The mercaptan and disulfide contents and methylene blue uptake of the iodine-treated samples indicate that some of the mercaptan groups further undergo oxidation to acidic groups as a result of the iodine treatment. The spatial effect in the oxidation of mercapto groups in modified cotton is briefly discussed.     

The dependence of structure and conductivity in three-dimensional phosphate ionic conductors on composition

Two series of solid solutions, Na _x Ca_(1−x)/2Zr₂(PO₄)₃ (NCZP(x), 0⩽x⩽1) and Na _x Nb_1-x Zr_1+x (PO₄)₃(NNZP(x), 0⩽x⩽1), were synthesized. They were examined by powder X-ray diffraction, infra-red (i.r.) absorption and Raman scattering. Ionic conductivities of graphite coated samples were measured. A complete series of solid solutions was formed for NCZP(x), while a second phase was found forx<0.1 for NNZP(x). The i.r. and Raman spectra of their solid solutions consistently showed the formation of PO₄ tetrahedra with different geometries. The composition dependence of conductivity is interpreted on the basis of a structural change around Na⁺.     

Composite of Au nanoparticles and molecularly imprinted polymer as a sensing material

A molecularly imprinted polymer with immobilized Au nanoparticles (Au-MIP) is reported as a novel type of sensing material. The sensing mechanism is based upon the variable proximity of the Au nanoparticles immobilized in the imprinted polymer, which exhibits selective binding of a given analyte accompanied by swelling that causes a blue-shift in the plasmon absorption band of the immobilized Au nanoparticles. Using adrenaline as the model analyte, it was shown that molecular imprinting effectively enhanced the sensitivity and selectivity, and accordingly, Au-MIP selectively detects the analyte at 5 microM. The combination of molecular imprinting and the Au nanoparticle-based sensing system was shown to be a general strategy for constructing sensing materials in a tailor-made fashion due to wide applicability of the imprinting technique and the independence of the sensing mechanism from the analyte recognition system.     

Dose evaluation in criticality accident conditions using transient critical facilities fueled with a fissile solution

Neutron dose measurement and evaluation techniques in criticality accident conditions using a thermo luminescence dosemeter (TLD) was studied at the Transient Experiment Critical Facility (TRACY) of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). In the present approach, the absorbed dose is derived from the ambient dose equivalent measured with a TLD, using the appropriate conversion factor given by computation. Using this technique, the neutron dose around the SILENE reactor of the Institute for Radioprotection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) of France was measured in the Accident Dosimetry Intercomparison Exercise (June 10-21, 2002) organized by OECD/NEA and IRSN. In this exercise, the gamma dose was also measured with a TLD. In this report, measurements and evaluation results at TRACY and SILENE are presented.     

Phase relations and thermodynamic properties of the uranium-nitrogen system

The present state of knowledge of the phase relations and thermodynamic properties of the uranium-nitrogen system is given. Emphasis is placed on the nonstoichiometric and thermodynamic properties of uranium sesquinitride. The present paper consists of two parts. The first part is on the phase relations; an equilibrium phase diagram is proposed, and the relationship between structure and lattice parameter for the α-U₂N₃-UN₂ system is shown. The second part deals with thermodynamic properties of UN and α-U₂N₃; the data on decomposition pressures, specific heats, and heats and free energies of formation are summarized and evaluated.