Leukemia inhibitory factor induces apoptosis and proliferation of human carcinoma cells through different oncogene pathways

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a high ambient pressure of He on vascular contraction induced by noradrenaline and to distinguish the effects of ambient pressure per se from those of increased pressure of inert gas. Rings of thoracic aorta were isolated from male Wistar rats. Isometric tension was measured in preparations exposed to 7.1 MPa (absolute pressure) of He. Dose-response curves for noradrenaline and contractions elicited by 120 mM KCl were compared with time-matched experiments performed at atmospheric pressure. The same protocol was also carried out under 7.1 MPa of N2. At the high pressure of He, the contraction elicited by noradrenaline was increased with no change in the response to K(+)-evoked depolarization. The tension developed in response to noradrenaline also increased under 7.1 MPa of N2 but the effects were less marked than during the He experiments. Moreover, the response to KCl was reduced in this circumstance. Hyperbaric conditions enhance the noradrenaline-induced contraction of rat aorta in vitro. This effect probably results from an action of pressure per se on activation of adrenoceptors. However, the hyperbaric-induced increase in vascular smooth muscle contraction is partially counteracted by high pressures of inert gases (N2, but also probably He), which impair the efficiency of the contractile machinery.     

Development of an improved two-dimensional finite-element code forcylindrically symmetric eigenmodes

A new two-dimensional finite-element (FE) eigenmode solver has been developed, which is suitable for calculating cylindrically symmetric modes. The quantity H_&thetas;/r is used in the code to describe the electromagnetic fields instead of H_&thetas; or rH_&thetas;, which is preferentially used in the existing codes, and the new formulation with H_&thetas;/r is found to show higher accuracy and smoother convergence with respect to the number of mesh points. Comparison is also made between linear and quadratic elements, resulting in remarkably higher accuracy by the latter     

Influence of fluid replacement on serum magnesium concentration and proper magnesium supplementation during general anesthesia

We have established a convenient synthesis process for the synthesis of[18F]haloperidol using a single-step 18F-for-Cl exchange reaction and a new elution system for the preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using C18 bonded vinylalcohol copolymer gel (ODP) and a basic eluent. We successfully applied the product to cat-PET study and got clear images of the striatum, showing the usefulness of this synthesis.     

Storage technology of onion bulbs c.v. Rouge Amposta: effects of irradiation, maleic hydrazide and carbamate isopropyl, N-phenyl (CIP) on respiration rate and carbohydrates

The effects of γ-irradiation, maleic hydrazide (MH) and carbamate isopropyl, N-phenyl (CIP) on the carbohydrate content, respiration rate (RR) sprouting and rotting of red onion bulbs ( Allium cepa L.) c.v. Rouge Amposta stored at 4, 10 and 20 °C were investigated. Between 6 and 8 weeks soluble sugars increased in concentration and varied between 6.0 and 6.5% fresh weight both at 10 and 20 °C. However, this peak did not exceed 6.0% fresh weight at 4 °C. The basal amount of soluble sugars was about 3% fresh weight. The content appeared to be influenced by temperature, with greater accumulation at 10 and 20 °C than at 4 °C. The RR increased when the bulbs sprouted, whereas it was reduced by the following treatments: irradiation, MH and CIP, the respiration of irradiated bulbs decreased during the final stage of storage because of the death of the sprouts. The chemical treatment used were effective in controlling sprouting of the bulbs during storage, although not as effective as irradiation and chilling.     

Analysis of impedance on platinum and gold anodes in glacial acetic acid

The analysis of impedance with an adsorbed intermediate for the Kolbe reaction was studied on platinum and gold in glacial acetic acid saturated with potassium acetate. The analysis by the complex impedance plane and complex capacitance plane plot showed that the rate-determining step of the Kolbe reaction is the process of the electrochemical desorption of radical-ion for both anodes, and that the value of double layer capacity C_dl is 7–10 μF/cm² at more noble potentials than 2.00 V where the Kolbe dimer products are obtained. It was found that the capacity peak at around 1.50 V for platinum and capacity hump for gold appear in the parallel capacity—potential curves in acetic acid containing small amounts of water, respectively. These phenomena are considered to be caused by the competitive adsorption reaction of CH₃COO⁻ and water.     

Studies to determine the usefulness of the zinc clearance test to diagnose marginal zinc deficiency and the effects of oral zinc supplementation for short children

Endogenous or metastatic bacterial endophthalmitis is a severe, sight-threatening infection of the vitreous humor that is only rarely due to Serratia marcescens. We report the case of a hemodialysis-dependent diabetic patient who had endogenous endophthalmitis of the right eye due to S marcescens, presumably from an infected dialysis catheter. The patient had total visual loss in the affected eye, which required enucleation.     

Preventive effects of diclofenac ophthalmic solution on post-cataract-surgical cystoid macular edema

Using eyes undergoing phacoemulsification followed by implantation of a foldable acrylic intraocular lens (IOL) designed for small-incision cataract surgery, a multi-center study was performed to compare a non-steroidal ophthalmic solution (0.1% diclofenac) to a steroidal ophthalmic solution (0.1% fluorometholone) in preventing cystoid macular edema (CME) and inducing disruption of the blood-aqueous barrier determined by laser flare cellmetry. The incidence of CME, noted in 3 out of 53 eyes (5.7%) receiving diclofenac and in 29 out of 53 eyes (54.7%) receiving fluorometholone, was significantly lower in the diclofenac group. The flare in the anterior chamber was also significantly lower in the diclofenac group; when compared between eyes with and without CME, the amount of flare was significantly higher in the former group. These findings suggest that diclofenac effectively prevents CME following cataract surgery and that CME is closely related to the breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier.     

Significant prognostic factors for 5-year survival after curative resection of renal cell carcinoma

The aim of this study was, (1) to characterize the serum protein binding of lerisetron, a new 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT3) receptor antagonist under investigation as an antiemetic agent, and (2) to measure the percentage of unbound lerisetron in cancer patients. The binding parameters were determined in human serum albumin (HSA), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) and in pooled serum from six healthy volunteers. Concentrations of lerisetron ranging from 50 ng/ml to 2 microg/ml were used. The serum protein binding of 14C-lerisetron (2 microg/ml) was determined by ultrafiltration in three groups of individuals. Group I comprised healthy subjects (n = 11), group II comprised cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (n = 9), and group III comprised cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (n = 18). The unbound concentration of lerisetron was measured in all samples by liquid scintillation counting. Concentrations of both AAG and HSA were also measured in all serum samples. The drug was extensively bound in pooled serum, involving a nonsaturated process. In HSA, lerisetron was also highly bound (4.04+/-0.8% unbound) and the protein binding was essentially unchanged within the studied concentration range of lerisetron. The extent of binding to AAG was high but significantly lower than in serum and in HSA and was also independent of lerisetron concentration. The unbound lerisetron was significantly decreased in group II cancer patients when compared with group I subjects (2.38+/-0.64% vs 3.70+/-0.70%; P < 0.001). No significant changes in lerisetron binding were observed in group III patients. HSA was diminished in both groups of patients and AAG was only significantly increased in group II. Unbound lerisetron was correlated with AAG in group II and with HSA in group III.