Design and performance of an angled physical contact typemultifiber connector

An angled, physical contact type multifiber connector is developed on the basis of a structural design which enables direct fiber endface contact between multifiber arrays. The direct contact is achieved by utilizing the elastic nature of a ferrule material under compressive force. The fabricated connector provides a low insertion loss of 0.2 dB and a high return loss of 58.8 dB without index-matching. This connector is used in the successful development of push-on type and backpanel type 16-fiber connectors with a low insertion loss of 0.25 dB and a high return loss of 58.0 dB for future subscriber networks     

Prodrugs of nitroxyl and nitrosobenzene as cascade latentiated inhibitors of aldehyde dehydrogenase

The prototypic aromatic C-nitroso compound, nitrosobenzene (NB), was shown previously to mimic the effect of nitroxyl (HN=O), the putative active metabolite of cyanamide, in inhibiting aldehyde dehydrogenase (AlDH). To minimize the toxicity of NB in vivo, pro-prodrug forms of NB, which were designed to be bioactivated either by an esterase intrinsic to AlDH or the mixed function oxidase enzymes of liver microsomes, were prepared. Accordingly, the prodrug N-benzenesulfonyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine (3) was further latentiated by conversion to its O-acetyl (1a), O-methoxycarbonyl (1b), O-ethoxycarbonyl (1c), and O-methyl (2) derivatives. Similarly, pro-prodrug forms of nitroxyl were prepared by derivatization of the hydroxylamino moiety of methanesulfohydroxamic acid with N, O-bis-acetyl (7a), N,O-bis-methoxycarbonyl (7b), N, O-bis-ethoxycarbonyl (7c), and N-methoxycarbonyl-O-methyl (7d) groups. It was expected that the bioactivation of these prodrugs would initiate a cascade of nonenzymatic reactions leading to the ultimate liberation of NB or nitroxyl, thereby inhibiting AlDH. Indeed, the ester pro-prodrugs of both series were highly active in inhibiting yeast AlDH in vitro with IC50 values ranging from 21 to 64 microM. However, only 7d significantly raised ethanol-derived blood acetaldehyde levels when administered to rats, a reflection of the inhibition of hepatic mitochondrial AlDH-2.     

Cloning, expression, and characterization of a cDNA encoding a novel human growth factor for primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells

Multiple growth factors synergistically stimulate proliferation of primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells. A human myeloid cell line, KPB-M15, constitutively produces a novel hematopoietic cytokine, termed stem cell growth factor (SCGF), possessing species-specific proliferative activities. Here we report the molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of a cDNA encoding human SCGF using a newly developed lambdaSHDM vector that is more efficient for differential and expression cloning. cDNA for SCGF encodes a 29-kDa polypeptide without N-linked glycosylation. SCGF transiently produced by COS-1 cells supports growth of hematopoietic progenitor cells through a short-term liquid culture of bone marrow cells and exhibits promoting activities on erythroid and granulocyte/macrophage progenitor cells in primary semisolid culture with erythropoietin and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, respectively. Expression of SCGF mRNA is restricted to myeloid cells and fibroblasts, suggesting that SCGF is a growth factor functioning within the hematopoietic microenvironment. SCGF could disclose some human-specific mechanisms as yet unidentified from studies on the murine hematopoietic system.     

100 Å-thick tunnel junction by double impurity doping liquid phase epitaxy for V-band TUNNETT oscillation

The tunnel injection transit time (TUNNETT) diodes with p⁺p⁺n⁺n⁻n⁺ structure were fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy (LPE). About 100 Å tunnel junction (p⁺n⁺) was successfully prepared by the double impurity diffusion of Ge and S during LPE growth. Continuous wave (CW) oscillation was realized at 51.520 GHz in the V-band cavity with the phase noise of −60 dBc/Hz at 1 kHz bandwidth.     

Aprotinin inhibits plasmin-induced platelet activation during cardiopulmonary bypass

PURPOSE: We correlated the expression of bcl-2 with accumulation of p53 protein in bone marrow metastases from patients with androgen independent prostate cancer and a history of hormonal ablation therapy. These results were correlated with clinical parameters, including the extent of bone marrow metastases and patient survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All 43 patients studied had evidence of prostate cancer progression following androgen deprivation therapy and histologically confirmed bone marrow metastases. Decalcified tissue sections were used for immunohistochemical evaluation of bcl-2 protein and p53 protein accumulation. RESULTS: We previously established that p53 protein accumulation as detected by immunohistochemistry is a reliable indicator of p53 gene mutation in prostate cancer. Immunoreactivity was demonstrated for p53 protein in 22 of 43 cases and for bcl-2 protein in 14. A total of 28 cases (65%) exhibited immunohistochemical evidence of p53 and/or bcl-2 expression, and 15 (35%) were negative for p53 and bcl-2. The expression of bcl-2 and accumulation of p53 were independent events (p < 0.01). The expression of bcl-2 or accumulation of p53 protein in prostate cancer metastases did not significantly influence patient survival or the extent of metastatic disease. CONCLUSIONS: The presence or absence of p53 protein accumulation and/or bcl-2 expression did not correlate with tumor burden or patient survival in stage D androgen independent prostate cancer bone marrow metastases. The expression of bcl-2 protein occurs independently of and is inversely correlated with p53 mutations in advanced prostate cancer.     

Influence of Carbon Forms and Doped Elements in the Electrodes for the Production of Fullerenes

Production of fullereries using electrodes made of four kinds of pure carbon bearing materials and artificial graphite doped with seven kinds of elements such as B, Y, La, Gd, Ce, Pr and Nd have been examined. The yields of fullerenes were in a range between 12-20% of the soot produced for all pure carbon electrodes, even though the vaporization rate of amorphous carbon electrodes was about ten times higher than that of the natural graphite electrodes. However, for the doped graphite electrodes, the yield of fullerenes was less than 5%. From the above results it is concluded that fullerenes can be effectively produced with the pure carbon electrodes made of any form of carbon bearing materials used in this study and there is little material dependence on the yield of fullerences. Furthermore, the experiments using the artificaial graphite electrodes doped with metal elements suggests that the purity of the carbon electrodes affects the yeld of fullerenes greatly.     

Possibility of closed loop material recycling for fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites

It becomes significantly important to preserve ecological balance of the earth and protect the environment from getting worse. One of the urgent issues to be tackled will be to develop and establish recycling technology for polymeric composite materials. The expression of recycling technology in this case is that after the life of industrial products of fiber reinforced thermoplastic (FRTP) is completed, instead of being thrown away as wastes, they are reused as a raw material for new applications. An additional goal is that of saving valuable resources and not consuming further energy. This paper deals with a possibility of closed-loop recycling technologies for FRTP. The key factor is the fiber length which is expected to reduce in each recycling step. Materials tested here are continuous FRTPs, long FRTPs, short FRTPs, and powder reinforced plastics. The effect of fiber length on the reinforcing mechanism is first examined. The correlation between outdoor exposure test and accelerated weathering test is the second subject to covered. The third subject is to make clear the influence of crushing and heat history which are inevitable during each recycling stage. Throughout the above investigation, the concept of closed-loop recycling technologies has been established, although it is still in a preliminary stage.Abbreviations FRTP fiber reinforced thermoplastic - C-, L-, S-, P-FRTP continuous-, long-, short-FRTP, powder-RTP - FRP fiber reinforced thermosetting plastic - UD unidirectional - PP polypropylene - CF carbon fiber - GF glass fiber - V _f volume fraction of fiber     

A case of hypoxemic acute bronchiolitis presenting with diffuse nodular shadows caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae

A fifty year-old female who had previously been well presented with a productive cough and a high fever. Her initial chest X-ray film showed no abnormal lung shadows. Despite partial improvement of the fever and the serum level of acute phase reactant (CRP) in response to intravenous administration of piperacillin, she complained of increasing severity of cough and dyspnea. Follow-up chest X-ray films taken five days after therapy with piperacillin showed diffuse nodular shadows in the mid-to-lower lung fields bilaterally. Chest CT scan disclosed diffuse miliary nodules at the lung periphery and thickening of bronchovascular markings. Chest auscultation revealed late inspiratory coarse crackles and expiratory wheezing, and the patient's arterial oxygen tension was 61 mmHg. Suspected of suffering from primary atypical pneumonia, she was started on therapy with intravenous minocyclin (200 mg/day), two days after treatment her symptoms began improving significantly. Anti-mycoplasma antibody was found to be x 1280, and cold hemoagglutinin x 1024, establishing the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The patient's condition completely recovered following a one week treatment with minocyclin. We concluded that her respiratory infection was caused by piperacillin-sensitive mico-organism, and also Mycoplasma pneumoniae which brought about hypoxic acute bronchiolitis to the patient.     

Fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products in serum of patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: elevated levels during severe thrombocytopenic phase of the disease

Sera from 23 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 14 patients with aplastic anemia with severe thrombocytopenia and healthy control subjects were tested for the presence of fibrinogen/fibrin degradation products (FDP), using the tanned red cell hemagglutination inhibition immunoaassay. The concentrations of circulating FDP of ITP patients (mean 12.01 mug/ml) were significantly higher than those of the patients with aplastic anemia (mean 4.01 mug/ml, p less than 0.05) or normal controls (mean 3.10 mug/ml, p less than 0.001). The patients with untreated ITP with very low platelet counts had higher levels of FDP than those of the treated group (p less than 0.01). Serum FDP and a battery of other coagulation-fibrinolysis tests were serially carried out over a period of 10 weeks in two patients with ITP. The initially high FDP promptly decreased as circulating platelets increased in response to steroid in both patients, while plasma fibrinogen, euglobulin lysis time, prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time remained essentially normal during the course of observation. The exact source of the increased serum FDP in ITP was not established, but a few possible mechanisms responsible for this abnormality were discussed.