Zeta potential of coal fine-particles in aqueous suspension

The relation between the zeta potential of coal fine-particles and pH value of suspension in aqueous suspension for different kinds of coal samples was determined by using a rectangular micro-electrophoresis cell.

The empirical equation of the relation between the zeta potential of the particles and the chemical components of coal samples was determined in aqueous suspension of different pH values. The equation is represented as follows: Z = B_C × (C) + B_H × (H) + B_O × (O) + B_N X × (N) + B_S × (S) + B_A × (A) where Z is the zeta potential of the particles, (C), (H), (O), (N), (S) and (Ash) are weight percent of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulphur and ash, respectively, and B_C, B_H, B_O, B_N, B_S and B_A are coefficients of each of the respective components of coal samples.

The above coefficients were calculated numerically by the least-square method in suspensions with different pH values. The values of the coefficients, B_C, B_H, etc., (mV/%), indicate the zeta potential of each respective single component; viz. carbon, hydrogen, etc., of the coal samples. When the chemical components of a coal sample are known, the zeta potential of the coal fine-particles can be determined by the equation with the coefficients obtained in suspensions with different pH values.     

Antiproliferative constituents in umbelliferae plants. III. Constituents in the root and the ground part of Anthriscus sylvestris Hoffm

To test whether mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are involved in microglial activation, pure microglia prepared from 1- to 3-day-old rat brains were activated with either 100 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or 5 nM synthetic beta-amyloid (Abeta) (25-35). The patterns of MAPK activation following LPS and Abeta treatment were very similar. Three MAPK subtypes, p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/SAPK) were activated within 15 min and the activities of p38 and ERK were rapidly reduced to background level within 30 min while that of JNK was maintained for over 1 h. Both inhibitors of p38 (SB203580) and ERK pathway (PD098059) reduced LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) release and Abeta-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release. Furthermore, co-treatment of SB203580 and PD098059 additively reduced NO and TNF-alpha release. These results suggest that MAPK, at least p38 and ERK, mediate LPS-, and Abeta-induced microglial activation.     

Evaporation of a volatile-liquid lens floating on the surface of a stagnant immiscible liquid

The paper presents experimental results of evaporation of isolated lenses on n-pentane or R 113 (C₂C?₃F₃) at a horizontal interface between a hot water and the common vapors of the two fluid substances. n-Pentane lenses often became unstable and even split into smaller lenses during evaporation process, while R 113 lenses were always stable. Corresponding to this fact, the evaporation rate of n-pentane lenses was typically 10 times higher than that of R 113 lenses under the same temperature driving force. A variation in the water layer thickness exhibited no appreciable effect on the evaporation rate. These findings indicate that the primary factor for enhancing the heat transfer from the water to lenses is such an interfacial turbulence, with an unidentified mechanism, as to give lenses the unstable behavior rather than a buoyancy-driven convection in the water bulk.     

Increased expression of 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase gene in brain of epilepsy-prone El mice

The El mouse is an established animal model for human epilepsy. We previously reported that the level of quinolinic acid (QUIN), an excitotoxin, was high in the brain of epilepsy-prone El mice and that the increased production of QUIN was secondary to an increased activity of 3-hydroxyanthranilate 3,4-dioxygenase (3-HAO, EC 1.13.11. 6) in the brains of these mice. In this study, we cloned and sequenced the cDNA for 3-HAO and showed that its expression in the brain of El mice was higher than that of control ddY mice. These results suggest that a genetic defect leading to derepression of the 3-HAO gene expression in the brain may be involved in the pathogenesis for the epileptic diseases of El mice.     

Structural Analysis of a New Layered Compound: La0.05Sr0.95MnO3

We have found a new phase of La_0.05Sr_0.95MnO₃ with a 30-layer rhombohedral structure by using electron microscopy. The lattice constants were hexagonal axes of a = 0.5444 nm and c = 6.7582 nm. Both weak and strong intensities appeared in selected area diffraction (SAD) patterns. The strong intensities were caused by the periodicity of 15 (Sr,La)O₃ layers that had a new stacking sequence of (cchch)₃. However, the weak intensities indicated that the 15-layer structure has modulation along the c -direction that is twice as long as that of the structure indicated by the strong intensities. We concluded that the modulation of the 30-layer structure was produced by the introduction of two kinds of oxygen octahedra, Mn³⁺O₆ and Mn⁴⁺O₆.     

A case of Rathke''s cleft cyst with apoplexy

OBJECTIVE: To develop and evaluate a model of integrated primary dental and medical care. DESIGN: 3-year prospective study. SETTING: A general dental practice and a general medical practice occupying the same building in Glasgow. INTERVENTION: Regular staff meetings, joint use of patient records systems and information derived from patient questionnaires. Dentistry was included in established screening programmes such as child health surveillance and care of elderly. Staff were encouraged to participate in joint work practices and joint consultations were carried out. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient registration, avoidance of discrepancies in information, reduction of secondary referrals, joint work practices. RESULTS: The number of registered joint patients attending both medical and dental practices increased by 90%. The joint use of patient record systems avoided discrepancies in patient information which would have affected the quality of patient care. Including dentistry in child health surveillance and care of elderly screening programmes resulted in an increase in 0-5 year olds registering with dentists from 36% to 68% (P < 0.001) and with > 75 year olds from 47% to 71% (P < 0.001). Joint consultations reduced the need for secondary referrals. CONCLUSIONS: This model of health care demonstrated the potential for coordination and integration of functions between the dental team and the primary care team. Integrated primary dental and medical care requires attitudinal change in health care professionals and requires greater emphasis in education and training of health care professionals in the future.     

Middle-term results of anatomic medullary locking total hip arthroplasty

We report the results of cementless, anatomic, medullary locking hip prosthesis application in our first consecutive series. We used the so-called Asian size of prosthesis with proportionally smaller stem sizes in both diameter and length. Forty-seven stems and sockets were analyzed with a mean follow-up of 69 months. The mean Merle d'Aubigné hip scores were 8 points preoperatively and 16 points at the final follow-up. Radiologically, the stems showed excellent stability without loosening. Stress shielding around the stems did occur in most cases but did not progress. Preoperative bone quality influenced the extent of stress shielding evaluated at the final follow-up: higher stress shielding was noted in poorer quality bones at the time of operation. There were problems with the sockets. The shallow socket and impingement at the protruded rim seemed to cause a high incidence of dislocation (13%). Massive polyethylene wear occurred in 5 sockets. These sockets were 48 and 46 mm in diameter with 26 mm heads. In conclusion, the stems of the anatomic medullary locking hip prostheses used in Japan showed satisfactory stability even in poor quality bones, but there were problems with the polyethylene liners. Our solution was to use larger sockets with 22 mm heads.     

Evidence that cyclosporin A and dexamethasone inhibit allergic airway eosinophilic inflammation via suppression of interleukin-5 synthesis by T cells

The action of reducing, oxidizing and thiol-alkylating agents on early steps of Junin virus (JV) multiplication in Vero cells was investigated. The presence of reducing agents during virus adsorption as well as incubation of viral particles with these compounds before infection enhanced JV infectivity. On the contrary, the thiol-alkylating agent 5,5' dithiobis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) and the oxidizing compound potassium periodate showed an inhibitory effect, suggesting that sulfhydryl groups, and certain sugar moieties of viral glycoproteins play an important role in the first steps of JV infection. Also enzymatic treatment of cell monolayers and addition of concanavalin A to cultures prior to infection suggest that cellular glycoproteins are involved in virus attachment.     

Planning for PACS at Osaka University Hospital.

We have a plan to adopt PACS as a medical image information system in the new hospital. In order to construct PACS suitable for our hospital, a preliminary survey was carried out to determine how PACS should be introduced and what are the physicians requirements for a new medical image system. The most important requirement of the physicians was a good quality workstation. Our plan of a new medical image information system is as follows. A primary database will be constructed according to each of modalities in the Department of Radiology. In the Department of Medical Information Science, we will make a secondary database according to the patient. Although it may be difficult for us to obtain a sufficient budget digitalizing all medical images by our move to the new hospital, our goal is to establish total PACS throughout the new hospital in 1995.