Multifunctional Hydrophobized Microparticles for Accelerated Wound Healing after Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) provides strong therapeutic benefits for early gastrointestinal cancer as a minimally invasive treatment. However, there is currently no reliable treatment to prevent scar contracture resulting from ESD which may lead to cicatricial stricture. Herein, a multifunctional colloidal wound dressing to promote tissue regeneration after ESD is demonstrated. This sprayable wound dressing, composed of hydrophobized microparticles, exhibits the multifunctionality necessary for wound healing including tissue adhesiveness, blood coagulation, re‐epithelialization, angiogenesis, and controlled inflammation based on hydrophobic interaction with biological systems. An in vivo feasibility study using swine gastric ESD models reveals that this colloidal wound dressing suppresses fibrosis and accelerates wound healing. Multifunctional colloidal and sprayable wound dressings have an enormous therapeutic potential for use in a wide range of biomedical applications including accelerated wound healing after ESD, prevention of perforation, and the treatment of inflammatory diseases.     

Effect of practice on similar and dissimilar skills in patient transfer through training with a robot patient

With the number of hospital stays increasing, nurses require more training to handle a variety of patients. However, time for training in nursing schools is limited, and students lack the opportunity to practice on a diverse variety of patients. Using a robot to simulate actual patients, this study observes the learning transfer effect of practice on practice-similar and practice-dissimilar skills from one patient to another, and investigates which types of practice suit which kinds of training. An experiment was conducted by administering a pre-test, practice, a post-test, and a transfer test to two groups (N?=?8), each with different practice-related skills. The evaluation used a checklist covering required skills that were either similar or dissimilar across groups, depending on their practice. The effect of practice can be observed through a comparison of skills similar to one group but dissimilar to the other. The results show that practice facilitates learning transfer on similar skills but not, or to a lesser degree, on dissimilar skills. Furthermore, if skills needed to handle given symptoms are unfamiliar or inaccessible to students, practice related to those symptoms should be emphasized through simulated training with robots.     

Novel gene assay by probe-regulated simultaneous separation using capillary electrophoresis (CE-PRESS)

A novel methodology, a probe-regulated simultaneous separation using capillary electrophoresis (CE-PRESS), was developed for simultaneous assay of multiple genes. The single-stranded (ss) DNA-polymer conjugate-probes were placed in a capillary, and then a mixture of target ssDNAs was injected. These ssDNAs were hybridized with corresponding complementary ssDNA-polymer conjugate-probes after charging the capillary. Two resulting double-stranded (ds) complexes of ssDNAs and ssDNA-polymer conjugate-probes were detected at different migration times. We found that the electrophoretic mobilities of two ssDNA-poly(acrylamide) conjugate-probes [-(5'-GCCACCAGC-3')m-AAm(n)- and -(5'-ACCTTCACT-3')p-AAm(q)-; AAm, acrylamide] obtained by copolymerizing 5'-methacryloyl-modified ssDNA and AAm were different, depending on their molar fraction of ssDNA, although the ssDNAs chain lengths were the same. Two ssDNAs (5'-GCTGGTGGC-3' and 5'-AGTGAAGGT-3') having the same chain length were successfully separated with our novel system, although the separation of these ssDNAs is impossible in conventional capillary electrophoresis systems.     

Photoluminescence enhancement by isolating β-FeSi2 layers from defective layers

We have investigated an optimal annealing process in order to enhance 1.55 μm light emission from semiconducting β-FeSi₂ and found that two steps annealing at 600 °C and 800 °C is effective to its enhancement. Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy and SEM observations revealed that pronounced surface segregation of Fe atoms during annealing at 600 °C caused surface precipitate of β-FeSi₂. The enhancement of light emission is attributed spatial isolation of the surface β-FeSi₂ (light emitting layer) from damaged and defective layers with nonradiative recombination centers.     

Observation of Mode Patterns for High Purity Mode Operation in the Submillimeter Wave Gyrotron FU VA

Operation tests of a cavity designed for high purity mode operation of the submillimeter wave gyrotron FU VA has been carried out successfully. The observed emission patterns of several cavity modes appear very pure and are compared with calculated results. High purity mode operation has the advantage of making the conversion to Gaussian-like beams more efficient.     

Sonochemical decomposition of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are shown to be globally distributed, environmentally persistent, and bioaccumulative. Although the toxicities of these compounds were reported, the cleanup procedure from the environment is not developed because of their inertness. In this report the sonochemical degradations of PFOS and PFOA to the products through the fission of the perfluorocarbon chains were observed and the half-life times of the PFOS and PFOA degradations under an argon atmosphere determined to be 43 and 22 min, respectively. The shortening of perfluorocarbon chain of PFOS and PFOA leads to the lowering of the toxicity in view of the decrease of the persistence, and the technique would contribute to the remediation of the environmental pollution by these compounds.     

Carbonization of aromatic hydrocarbons—V: Microscopic features of carbons obtained by the aid of catalysts

Microscopic observation of carbons obtained from pure aromatic hydrocarbons by the aid of carbonization catalysts was carried out to clarify the microstructure of these carbons of different features. Reflected polarized-light microscopy distinguished needle, mosaic and isotropic cokes, former two of which were produced with aluminum chloride and the last with potassium. High resolution microscopy revealed that these carbons calcined at 1250° had different degree of layered structure, corresponding to the crystallographic parameters of these samples graphitized at 2500°C. The reasons for the carbons produced with potassium to be non-graphitizable are discussed from the macro- and micro-features of the carbons.     

Modifying carbonization properties of pitches. 3. Carbonization of modified quinoline-insoluble matter from pitches

The carbonization of solubilized matter obtained from the hydrogenated and reductively alkylated quinoline-insolubles of pitches was studied to clarify the different carbonization properties shown by these materials. Dehydrogenation of hydrogenated QI started at 200 °C but continued until 400 °C, passing through a fused phase to give graphitizable carbon. In contrast, alkylated QI gave non-graphitizable carbon because it readily reverted to QI by dealkylation below 300 °C, before fusion. QI alkylated with butyl or benzyl groups was found to be nearly 80% soluble in benzene.     

Mechanism of the Photofading of Stilbene–fluorescent Dyes. Contribution of Singlet Oxygen to the Photofading of 4, 4‘–Bisacetamidostilbene

Self—sensitized and Rose Bengal—sensitized photo—oxidation of 4, 4′-bisacetamidostilbene (BAAS) in solution gives p—acetamidobenzaldehyde and p—acetamidobenzoic acid via the reaction of singlet oxygen with the trans isomer (la). The rate of the photo—oxidation is retarded in the presence of effective singlet oxygen quenchers. On the other hand, cls—BAAS (lb) is more stable to visible light under the conditions of Rose Bengal—sensitized photo—oxidation than trans—stilbene.     

Effect of long term ingestion of gum arabic on the adipose tissues of female mice

Abdominal obesity is the most prevalent manifestation of metabolic syndrome. The anti-obese effects of dietary fiber is generally accepted, but specifically the anti-obese properties of the dietary fiber, gum arabic (GA) has not been well studied. In this investigation, we offered GA to the female 90 days old mice in the form of drink (1% w/v) for 180 days. Such GA in drinking water reduced age-dependent fat deposition in the visceral adipose tissue and improved the gastrocnemius muscle reduction. This inhibition of fat deposition effect is due to the β3-adrenergic stimulation of adipocytes in which TNFα down-regulation is probably involved. Modification of large intestinal microflora, as evidenced by a modification of cecal short-chain fatty acid profile and of 16S rDNA profile, may contribute to such reduction in TNFα expression in the adipose tissues.