On-line recognition of physiological state in a yeast fed-batch culture

The physiological states with respect to cell growth and ethanol production in a yeast fed-batch culture can be recognized on-line by fuzzy inferencing. The error vector is newly defined in a macroscopic elemental balance equation and utilized for the on-line recognition of the physiological state of the micro-organisms. Fuzzy membership functions are constructed from the error vectors and state recognition is performed successfully by fuzzy inferencing. In particular, a usual physiological state for yeast cultivation in which aerobic ethanol production is accompanied by very low cell growth can be recognized accurately.     

Syntheses and antitumor activity of cis-restricted combretastatins: 5-membered heterocyclic analogues

A series of cis-restricted combretastatin analogues with 5-membered heterocycles were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against microtubule assembly and cytotoxic activity against the colon 26 adenocarcinoma cancer cell line were evaluated. Some of the heterocyclic analogues showed potent antitubulin activity and cytotoxicity. Compounds 16 and 35 showed marked tumor growth suppression in the colon 26 murine tumor model.     

A novel helix termination mutation in keratin 10 in annular epidermolytic ichthyosis, a variant of bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma

Annular epidermolytic ichthyosis is a distinct phenotypic variant of bullous congenital ichthyosiform erythroderma that has recently been described in two separate kindreds. Individuals with this variant present with bullous ichthyosis in early childhood and hyperkeratotic lichenified plaques in the flexural areas and extensor surfaces at later ages. Characteristically, they also develop intermittent bouts of annular and polycyclic, erythematous, scaly plaques on the trunk and proximal extremities. We now describe a third kindred with annular epidermolytic ichthyosis. Molecular analysis of this family revealed a novel mutation resulting in an isoleucine to threonine substitution at residue 107 (codon 446) within the highly conserved helix termination motif at the end of the rod domain of keratin 10.     

Novel Conjugated Organic Dyes for Efficient Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells

Novel conjugated organic dyes that have N,N‐dimethylaniline (DMA) moieties as the electron donor and a cyanoacetic acid (CAA) moiety as the electron acceptor were developed for use in dye‐sensitized nanocrystalline‐TiO₂ solar cells (DSSCs). We attained a maximum solar‐energy‐to‐electricity conversion efficiency (η) of 6.8 % under AM 1.5 irradiation (100 mW cm^–2) with a DSSC based on 2‐cyano‐7,7‐bis(4‐dimethylamino‐phenyl)hepta‐2,4,6‐trienoic acid (NKX‐2569): short‐circuit photocurrent density (J_sc) = 12.9 mA cm^–2, open‐circuit voltage (V_oc) = 0.71 V, and fill factor (ff) = 0.74. The high performance of the solar cells indicated that highly efficient electron injection from the excited dyes to the conduction band of TiO₂ occurred. The experimental and calculated Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) absorption spectra clearly showed that these dyes were adsorbed on the TiO₂ surface with the carboxylate coordination form. A molecular‐orbital calculation indicated that the electron distribution moved from the DMA moiety to the CAA moiety by photoexcitation of the dye.     

An attempt to add biological functions by genetic engineering in order to produce high-performance bioreactor cells for hybrid artificial liver: transfection of glutamine synthetase into Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell

Ureteral triplication is a rare congenital anomaly of the upper urinary tract. It is reported to be associated with an increased incidence of congenital anomalies as well as a predisposition to infection and calculus formation. We report a case of type 1 variant of ureteral triplication associated with vesicoureteral reflux into lower and mid pole ureters in a solitary kidney. To our knowledge ureteral triplication in a solitary kidney has not been described previously.     

Evaluation of a microfabricated thermal modulator for comprehensive two-dimensional microscale gas chromatography

A microfabricated thermal modulator (μTM) designed for ultimate use in a comprehensive two-dimensional microscale gas chromatography (μGC × μGC) system is evaluated. The 2-stage device measures 13 mm (l) × 6 mm (w) × 0.5 mm (h) and consists of two interconnected serpentine etched-Si microchannels suspended from a thin Pyrex cap and wall-coated with PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane). The chip is mounted within a few tens of micrometers of a thermoelectric cooler that maintains both stages at a baseline temperature between -35 and -20 °C in order to focus analytes eluting from an upstream separation column. Each stage is heated to 210 °C sequentially at a rate as high as 2400 °C/s by independent thin-film resistors to inject the analytes in consecutive fractions to a downstream column, and then cooled at a rate as high as -168 °C/s. The average power dissipation is only ～10 W for heating and 21 W for cooling without using consumable materials. In this study, the outlet of the μTM is connected directly to a flame ionization detector to assess its performance. Following a demonstration of basic operation, the modulated peak amplitude enhancement (PAE) and full-width-at-half-maximum (fwhm) are evaluated for members of a series of n-alkanes (C(6)-C(10)) as a function of the rim and stage temperatures; modulation period, phase, and offset; analyte concentration; and carrier-gas flow rate. A PAE as high as 50 and a fwhm as narrow as 90 ms are achieved for n-octane under optimized conditions.     

Urolithiasis associated with Crohn's disease: a case report

We report a case of urolithiasis caused by surgical treatment for Crohn's disease. A 28-year-old woman was referred to our department for further examination of renal stones from the medical department in September, 1995. She suffered from Crohn's disease and had a history of jejuno-ileal resection because of perforation of the ileum in 1988. Radiographs revealed multiple bilateral renal stones, and the urine oxalate concentration was elevated. She was treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy and the administration of sodium bicarbonate and citrate, but these treatments did not prevent recurrence and enlargement of stones. Renal function was gradually worsened and we performed transurethral lithotomy and percutaneous nephrolithotripsy. The stones were mainly composed of oxalate calcium monohydrate. A renal biopsy was performed at the operation, showing deposition of crystals in almost all renal tubules. Diet therapy (low oxalate and low fat) and the administration of sodium bicarbonate and citrate were performed strictly and recurrence was not recognized 10 months after complete removal of the stones.     

Bradykinin generation triggered by Pseudomonas proteases facilitates invasion of the systemic circulation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

To elucidate the mechanism of bacterial exoprotease in promotion of the intravascular dissemination of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, we examined the possible involvement of bradykinin (whose generation is induced by pseudomonal proteases in septic foci) in the invasion by bacteria, and in access of bacterial toxins to systemic blood circulation. P. aeruginosa 621 (PA 621), which produces very little protease, was injected intraperitoneally into mice together with pseudomonal exoproteases (elastase/alkaline protease). Dissemination of bacteria from the peritoneal septic foci to the blood was assessed by counting viable bacteria in the blood and spleen by use of the colony-forming assay. The results showed that pseudomonal proteases markedly enhanced (10- to 100-fold) intravascular dissemination of bacteria in mice. This enhancement was induced not only by pseudomonal proteases but also by bradykinin. More importantly, the increased spread of PA 621 induced by pseudomonal protease and bradykinin was significantly augmented by the addition of kininase inhibitors, indicating the direct involvement of bradykinin in bacterial dissemination. Similarly, bradykinin caused effective dissemination of pseudomonal toxins such as endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) and exotoxin A when the toxins were injected into the peritoneal cavity with bradykinin. Furthermore, the lethality of the infection with PA 621 was strongly enhanced by pseudomonal proteases given i.p. simultaneously with PA 621. On the basis of these results, it is strongly suggested that pseudomonal proteases as well as bradykinin generated in infectious foci are involved in facilitation of bacterial dissemination in vivo.     

Effect of the surface treatment on the room-temperature bonding of Al to Si and SiO2

Bonding of polycrystalline Al to Si(1 0 0) and SiO2 (fused silica) was carried out at room temperature by means of surface-activated bonding method. In the present work, different means of surface activation such as irradiation of an argon fast atom beam (FAB) and a hydrogen radical beam (RB) were used. Influence of the exposure to a vacuum atmosphere of the activated surfaces by fast atom irradiation on the bonding behaviour was investigated. The strength of the Al–Si joints sputter cleaned by FAB before bonding reaches as much as 32 MPa. When the activated surfaces were exposed to 30 L (where L is the abbreviation for langmuir (1.33×10-4 Pa s)) in the residual gases (mainly vapour), the strength of the Al–Si joint decreased to 20 MPa and approached that of the Al–SiO2 joint. This indicates that the fracture strength of the joint of Al and Si with an intermediate layer of OH groups and oxide is close to that of Al and Si oxide. The adhesion between Al and Si deteriorated strongly because of hydrogen termination on the Si surface which had been irradiated by the hydrogen RB. On the contrary, bonding of Si with native oxides to Al was successful with the hydrogen RB irradiation.