Application of a bio-electrochemical reactor process to direct treatment of metal pickling wastewater containing heavy metals and high strength nitrate.

The fundamental performance of a bio-electrochemical reactor for the direct treatment of metal pickling wastewater was investigated experimentally. In the reactor, carbon anode and cathode were installed. On the cathode, denitrifying microorganisms were immobilized. Continuous experiments were carried out by feeding a synthetic wastewater containing nitrate and binary heavy metal ions, copper and lead, under different operating conditions. Acetate as well as the electric current was supplied at the minimum amount for stoichiometry of the dissimilatory denitrification reaction. The results indicated that the dissolved copper and lead removal, denitrification and neutralization could be achieved simultaneously in a single bio-electrochemical reactor. The dissolved heavy metals were removed by electrochemical deposition on cathode and by the other phenomena such as the formation of insoluble suspensions and the sorption on suspended bacterial sludge. Denitrification proceeded effectively with the utilization of both added acetate and hydrogen gas generated by electrolysis of water. The pH value increased up to around neutral due to the occurrence of denitrification in the reactor, although the influent pH was less than 3. The removal efficiencies of heavy metals and nitrate increased with increasing the current density. The applied electric current was indispensable for sustaining the stable treatment in the reactor.     

VLIW DSP for mobile applications

We have developed a new digital signal processor (DSP) core for handheld terminals, the SPXK5 performance and flexibility, is compatible with high-level languages, and its architecture features low-power consumption. We describe the SPXK5 architecture and its performance in DSP applications. We also consider the question of application-specific enhancements. Such architecture enhancements as add-compare-select instructions or coprocessors for the Viterbi (1995) decoding algorithm are employed in some programmable DSPs, and for video codecs, other architectures include either single-instruction multiple-data (SIMD) instructions or media coprocessors. While such application-specific enhancements are valuable when their applications are actually in use, they do nothing to enhance the performance of other applications, and the more they are added, the greater the increase in chip size and energy requirements. In other words, for handheld terminals, such enhancements need to be chosen in a careful and balanced way. We have done this in developing the SPXK5, in which a wide range of signal processing algorithms are efficiently implemented     

Coexpression of hepatocyte growth factor and c-Met proto-oncogene product in synovial sarcoma

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a heterodimeric polypeptide growth factor that has pleiotropic roles, including those of mitogen, motogen and morphogen. The HGF receptor is characterized as a c-Met proto-oncogene product (c-Met), which is a heterodimeric tyrosine kinase receptor. Hepatocyte growth factor acts as a mediator between the mesenchymal and epithelial tissues because HGF is produced by mesenchymal cells and c-Met is mainly expressed on various epithelial cells. Furthermore, the HGF/c-Met system plays an important role in embryogenesis and the regeneration of various organs. Synovial sarcoma (SS) are unique sarcoma that show epithelial differentiation, but little is known about their histogenesis. The expression of HGF and c-Met was examined by immunohistochemistry in SS specimens from 12 patients (six each of biphasic and monophasic fibrous types). Immunohistochemical coexpression of HGF and c-Met was demonstrated in the epithelial component of five biphasic SS, while only c-Met was expressed in the epithelioid nests of three monophasic fibrous SS. The spindle cell component was negative for HGF and c-Met. In SS, positivity for epithelial markers, such as cytokeratins and epithelial membrane antigen, was diffusely observed in the epithelial component and was focally observed in spindle cells, while vimentin was positive predominantly in the spindle cell component. The areas expressing HGF and c-Met corresponded to distinct epithelial structures; however, HGF and c-Met expression were not found in any other tumor cells expressing epithelial markers in the spindle cell component of SS. Considering the morphogenic effect of HGF, which has been known to be one of its most important roles, the unique immunohistochemical localization of HGF and c-Met in SS suggests that the HGF/c-Met system may be closely related to the formation of epithelial (glandular) structures in biphasic SS.     

Daily wheel running activity modifies the period of free-running rhythm in rats via intergeniculate leaflet

The period of free-running rhythms (tau) in rats, as measured using a running wheel, is different from that measured using an Automex. The aim of this work was to examine the effects of lesions of the intergeniculate leaflet (IGL) on the tau of these two activity rhythms. When blind rats were transferred from a cage with a running wheel to a cage without a running wheel, the tau lengthened. The tau of the wheel-running activity was associated with the number of wheel revolutions per day. A complete lesion of the IGL lengthened the tau of the wheel-running activity, and caused a reduction in the number of wheel revolutions per day in all rats. In rats housed in cages without a running wheel, locomotor activity was reduced by IGL lesions, although the tau was unaffected. When IGL-lesioned rats were transferred from a cage with a running wheel to a cage without a running wheel, no further change was observed. These results indicate that the tau is modified by the daily activity of wheel-running, but not by general locomotor activity, and that the IGL may be involved in this modification.     

Effect of oral protease inhibitor administration on gallbladder motility in patients with mild chronic pancreatitis

Oral administration of a protease inhibitor (camostat) induces pancreatic hypersecretion via hormonal and neural systems in humans. Camostat may also affect gallbladder motility via these systems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of camostat on gallbladder function. Gallbladder emptying in response to caerulein administration and to egg yolk ingestion was examined ultrasonographically in 15 patients with mild chronic pancreatitis before and after 6 months of camostat treatment, and in 10 control subjects. The plasma cholecystokinin concentration after yolk ingestion was measured by radioimmunoassay. Fasting gallbladder volume and contractile function, whether stimulated by caerulein or yolk, did not differ between pancreatitis patients before camostat treatment and controls. Plasma cholecystokinin levels, basal and yolk-stimulated, did not differ between nontreated pancreatitis patients and control subjects. Fasting volume had decreased significantly by 1, 3, and 6 months of camostat treatment, while contractile function was not affected. Camostat did not influence plasma cholecystokinin levels. Oral administration of a protease inhibitor appears to decrease fasting gallbladder volume via a mechanism other than cholecystokinin release.     

Plastic deformation in diacetylene (PTS) monomer single crystals

The slip systems of diacetylene (PTS) monomer crystals which were deformed with a shear deformation and a micro indentation were determined. The (1 0 0) [0 0 1], (1 0 0) [0 1 0] and (1 0 2) [0 1 0] slip systems eventually were identified as the main slip systems from the stress-strain curves, slip lines and etch-pit arrangements.     

Stereoselective determination of free warfarin concentration in protein binding equilibrium using direct sample injection and an on-line liquid chromatographic system

A new on-line high-performance liquid chromatography system was developed for the stereoselective determination of free drug concentration in drug-protein binding equilibrium. When a 40-300-microL portion of a sample solution containing 50-200 microM racemic warfarin (Wf) and 100-550 microM human serum albumin was directly injected into the internal-surface reversed-phase silica column, Wf gave a trapezoidal peak exhibiting a plateau region. The concentration in the plateau region was equal to the free Wf concentration in the initial sample solution. By the delivery of a portion (90 microL) of the eluent in the plateau region into the chiral separation column (Chiral AGP column) by column switching, the free concentrations of respective enantiomers of Wf were determined. The results agreed well with those obtained by the conventional ultrafiltration method. The precision was also confirmed by the within-run and day-to-day reproducibilities (coefficient of variation less than or equal to 3.05%, n = 5). The present method is simple and rapid and four sample solutions can be analyzed within 1 h without pretreatment.     

Interaction of the delta and b subunits contributes to F1 and F0 interaction in the Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase

Interactions of the F1F0-ATPase subunits between the cytoplasmic domain of the b subunit (residues 26-156, bcyt) and other membrane peripheral subunits including alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and putative cytoplasmic domains of the a subunit were analyzed with the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro reconstitution of ATPase from the purified subunits as well. Only the combination of bcyt fused to the activation domain of the yeast GAL-4, and delta subunit fused to the DNA binding domain resulted in the strong expression of the beta-galactosidase reporter gene, suggesting a specific interaction of these subunits. Expression of bcyt fused to glutathione S-transferase (GST) together with the delta subunit in Escherichia coli resulted in the overproduction of these subunits in soluble form, whereas expression of the GST-bcyt fusion alone had no such effect, indicating that GST-bcyt was protected by the co-expressed delta subunit from proteolytic attack in the cell. These results indicated that the membrane peripheral domain of b subunit stably interacted with the delta subunit in the cell. The affinity purified GST-bcyt did not contain significant amounts of delta, suggesting that the interaction of these subunits was relatively weak. Binding of these subunits observed in a direct binding assay significantly supported the capability of binding of the subunits. The ATPase activity was reconstituted from the purified bcyt together with alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon, or with the same combination except epsilon. Specific elution of the ATPase activity from glutathione affinity column with the addition of glutathione after reconstitution demonstrated that the reconstituted ATPase formed a complex. The result indicated that interaction of b and delta was stabilized by F1 subunits other than epsilon and also suggested that b-delta interaction was important for F1-F0 interaction.     

The long-term results of percutaneous isolated hepatic perfusion for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma

We studied the long-term outcome of percutaneous isolated hepatic perfusion (PIHP) for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. This study included 31 patients with Stage IVA and 5 with IVB disease treated by PIHP until December, 1997. The mean age and tumor diameter were 55 and 7.7 cm, respectively. Twenty-two had portal vein invasion, 13 had hepatic vein invasion, and all patients had multiple intrahepatic metastases of more than 5 tumor foci. The PIHP with adriamycin or cisplatin was undertaken in a total of 50 treatments in these 36 patients. CR was observed in 6 and PR in 13 with an overall response rate of 59%, excluding 4 patients who were not evaluable. Five of 6 patients with CR remain free of disease at 7 to 54 months after the first treatment. The overall survival rate was 67% at 1 year and 32% at 5 years. The survival rates of Stage IVA patients (1-year = 71%, 5-year = 36%) were higher than Stage IVB patients (1-year = 20%, 5-year = 0%). The 5-year survival rates of patients with vascular invasion (Vp1-3 = 23%, Vv1-3 = 8%) were lower than those without it (Vp0 = 47%, Vv0 = 51%). These results indicated that PIHP achieved a 5-year survival rate of approximately 40% in patients with multiple advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the absence of distant organ metastases and marked vascular invasion, and yielded complete long-term remission in some of these patients.