Enantiomeric determination of amines by high-performance liquid chromatography using chiral fluorescent derivatization reagents

BACKGROUND: Despite increased awareness of risk factors, wound complications continue to be a problem following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. A minimally invasive alternative was therefore developed to reduce the risk of complications while providing the same benefits as the standard open vein harvest procedure. METHODS: Video-assisted endoscopic technique for vein harvest was introduced in our medical center in October 1996. The procedure was evaluated and compared with the standard open vein harvest procedure. With the endoscopic technique, small incisions were made, each about 2-3 cm at the selected access sites (groin and above and below the knee). An endopath subcutaneous dissector was subsequently inserted along the anterior surface of the saphenous vein with the assistance of an endoscope and video monitor. The venous side branches were detected and positioned using a vessel dissector. A ligaclip was applied and the branches were divided using endopath-scissors. In some cases, the venous branches were divided directly using the endopath-scissors. Therefore, the distal and proximal ends of the saphenous vein were isolated, ligated and divided. The harvested veins were used for CABG. Each patient was evaluated for length of surgery, hospital stay and morbidity. RESULTS: From October 1996 through May 1997, we performed 50 procedures using video-assisted endoscopic vein harvest. The results were compared with those from 106 patients who underwent standard open vein harvest during the same period. The rate of complications was 2% in the endoscopic group compared with 13.2% in the open group (p < 0.05). The average hospital stay was 7.2 days in the endoscopic group and 11.5 days in the open group (p < 0.05). Twelve weeks after the operation, all of the incisions healed with good cosmetic results in the endoscopic group. However, long visible scars were found in the patients in the open group. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic saphenous vein harvest provides a minimally invasive alternative to open vein harvest. It provides good cosmetic results without a hypertrophic scar and enables the patient to regain early ambulation.     

A heat denaturation study of the 11S globulin in soybean seeds

When the 11S globulin, one of the major storage proteins in soybean seeds (Glycine max), was heated at 0·5 ionic strength, the denaturation temperature was biologically estimated to be about 10 degrees higher than that at 0·1 ionic strength. The results also coincided well with those obtained by differential scanning calorimetry. The heat denaturation temperatures of the protein obtained by differential scanning calorimetry were estimated to be 78·1°C and 89·6°C at 0·1 and 0·5 ionic strength respectively. The enthalpies of heat denaturation were 2·0 cal/g and 3·2cal/g at 0·1 and 0·5 ionic strength, respectively. Correlation was not observed between the heat stability at high ionic strength and the content of the ordered secondary structure or a dissociation-association reaction of the protein with change of ionic strength. However, increase of the hydrophobic region at high ionic strength indicated the possibility of stabilisation of the quaternary structure of the 11S globulin by hydrophobic bonding during heat denaturation.     

Magnetization measurement of 3He film adsorbed on sintered silver powder

The static magnetization of ³He film adsorbed on sintered silver powder has been measured for coverages from 0.10 to 0.54 atoms/»² in steps of 0.02 atoms/»² and at a coverage of 4.5 atoms/»². Below 0.20 atoms/»² the magnetization well obeys the Curie law, while above that coverage a ferromagnetic tendency appears. The coverage dependence of the magnetization greatly differs from that for graphite. At 0.23 atoms/»² the magnetization has apeak like that for graphite; however, the magnitude of the peak is not so large. Furthermore, a multipeak structure is found in the isotherm of the magnetization at 0.2 mK. It has two prominent peaks at 0.23 and 0.29 atoms/»², and two other peaks are found at 0.35 and 0.41 atoms/»². These appear periodically with an interval of 0.06 atoms/»², which is nearly equal to the coverage of one liquid layer.     

Characteristics of fats in Japanese diets and current recommendations

Although there is no firm evidence to support the “ideal” or even “appropriate” healthy level of dietary fat, the habitual fat consumption pattern in Japan seems to be a criterion for the recommended allowance both in the quantitative and qualitative points of view as judged from the life expectancy and the incidence of degenerative diseases. The new recommended dietary allowance of Japan, fifth revision effective for five years starting in 1995, adopted dietary fat levels of 20–25 energy percent, the ratio of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids at 1∶1.5∶1 and the ratio of n-6/n-3 at 4. The recommended fat level is similar to that previously consumed in Japan, and is even lower than that in diets used to treat hyperlipidemia in Western countries, current recommendations in those countries being 30 energy percent fat. Convincing data for the beneficial effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on human health, in particular for healthy people, have been presented in only a few reports. However, the recommended n-6/n-3 ratio of 4 seems reasonable compared with the ratio of around 10 in other developed countries. In this context, it is more important to fully understand the nutritional and physiological roles of fat in healthy people rather than in those with chronic disease. At present, the low-fat dietary pattern in Japan appears to be a healthy way of eating.     

Synthetic peptide from the V3 loop consensus motif with a potent anti-HIV activity inhibits ristocetin-mediated vWF-GPIb interaction

The V3 loop consensus motif. Arg-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Val-Thr-Ile (HIV-1 IIIB), inhibits an interaction of HIV with CD4-positive lymphocytes. Recently, both proline-rich peptides and peptides containing proline-glycine loops (beta-turns) form a complex with ristocetin dimers. These peptides interact with ristocetin-loaded platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP) Ib and act as inhibitors of von Willebrand factor (vWF)-GPIb interaction by preventing the subsequent formation of ristocetin dimer bridges. The Pro-Gly sequence is also present in the V3 loop consensus motif, Arg-Gly-Pro-Gly-Arg-Ala-Phe-Val-Thr-Ile (HIV-1 IIIB). In this report, we have evaluated the effect of the HIV-1 IIIB peptide on vWF binding to GPIb. This peptide only inhibited vWF binding to GPIb as well as platelet aggregation in the presence of ristocetin while it had no effect on botrocetin-mediated vWF interaction with platelets. The peptide inhibited a binding of anti-vWF monoclonal antibody (RG-46) to immobilized vWF. Furthermore, ristocetin inhibited the binding of HIV-1 IIIB peptide to immobilized CXC-chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR-4) peptide. These results indicate that ristocetin may prevent HIV infection and would be useful a tool to understand the mechanism of HIV tissue tropism and infection.     

Inhibitory effects of procainamide and probenecid on renal excretion of sultopride enantiomers in rats

The effects of the coadministration of procainamide and probenecid on the pharmacokinetic behavior of sultopride, an antipsychotic agent, after intravenous administration were studied with rats. The areas under the concentration-time curve for and renal clearances of (+)-sultopride and (-)-sultopride, which exist as organic cations under physiological pH conditions, were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) by the coadministration of procainamide, an organic cation under physiological pH conditions. The renal clearance of (-)-sultopride was partially decreased (p < 0.05) by the coadministration of probenecid, an organic anion under physiological pH conditions. The results suggest that drug-drug interactions between organic cations and organic anions occur to a certain extent during the tubular secretion process in rats.     

Neocognitron: A new algorithm for pattern recognition tolerant of deformations and shifts in position

Suggested by the structure of the visual nervous system, a new algorithm is proposed for pattern recognition. This algorithm can be realized with a multilayered network consisting of neuron-like cells. The network, “neocognitron”, is self-organized by unsupervised learning, and acquires the ability to recognize stimulus patterns according to the differences in their shapes: Any patterns which we human beings judge to be alike are also judged to be of the same category by the neocognitron. The neocognitron recognizes stimulus patterns correctly without being affected by shifts in position or even by considerable distortions in shape of the stimulus patterns.     

An outbreak of giardiasis in a group of campers

Thirty-four of 54 campers on a 2 week trip in mountains of Utah had diarrhea during and after their trip. Twenty-two (79%) of 28 symptomatic campers' stools examined contained Giardia lamblia cysts, whereas 4 (29%) of 14 asymptomatic campers' stools had cysts. The temporal distribution of cases and the absence of clustering among food preparation subgroups suggested a common source exposure. Although the epidemiologic data and fecal coliform counts implicated the remote mountain stream used as water source by the group as the vehicle of transmission, Giardia lamblia cysts were not recovered from stream water nor were they found in intestines or feces of sampled mammals living in the drainage area. Twenty-five other campers had stools examined before and after a subsequent hiking trip in another area of Utah; none had Giardia cysts before, but 6 (24%) had them after return. Questionnaires returned by 133 of the campers showed that 5% had an illness compatible with giardiasis within 2 weeks after their trip. These surveys show that campers exposed to mountain stream water are at risk of acquiring giardiasis.     

A New Approach to Humanitarian Demining

Landmines can deprive whole areas of valuable resources, and continue to kill and cause injuries years after the end of armed conflicts. Armored vehicles are used for mine clearance, but with limited reliability. The final inspection of minefields is still performed by human deminers exposed to potentially fatal accidents. The aim of this research is to introduce automation as a way to improve the final level of humanitarian demining. This paper addresses mobility and manipulation, while sensing, communication and visualization shall be discussed in detail in a subsequent paper. After analyzing the merits and limitations of previous works, a new approach to tele-operated demining is considered, using off-road buggies equipped with combustion engines, and taking into account actual field requirements. Control of the automated buggies on rough terrain is also discussed, as well as the development of a new weight-balanced manipulator for landmine clearance operations.Paulo Debenest received the B. Eng. degree in mechanical engineering (major in automation and systems) from Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (EPUSP), Brazil, in 1998, and the M. Eng. degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), Japan, in 2002. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in mechanical science engineering at Tokyo Tech and member of IEEE. His current research activities include development of demining robots and mechanical design of machines for field applications.Edwardo F. Fukushima is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech). He received the B. Eng. degree in electric engineering (major in electronics and telecommunications) from Federal Center of Technological Education of Paraná (CEFET-PR), Brazil, in 1989, and M. Eng. degree in mechanical science engineering from Tokyo Tech in 1993. In 1994 he became a research associate in the same institute. During Sept.–Dec. 2001 he has been a Visiting Researcher at Stanford University, and during Aug.–Sept. 2004 Visiting Scientist at University of Zurich. He is also member of RSJ. His current research activities include development of demining robots, design of controllers for intelligent robots, and development of new brushless motors and drives.Yuki Tojo is a masters course student in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech). He received the B. Eng. degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from Tokyo Tech in 2003. His research interests include design and control of weight-compensated manipulator on mobile platform. He is also member of RSJ.Shigeo Hirose was born in Tokyo in 1947. He received his B.Eng. Degree with First Class Honors in Mechanical Engineering from Yokohama National University in 1971, and his M. Eng. and Ph.D. Eng. Degrees in Control Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology in 1973 and 1976, respectively. From 1976 to 1979 he was a Research Associate, and from 1979 to 1992 an Associate Professor. Since 1992 he has been a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. Since 2002, he has been Honorary Professor in Shengyang Institute of Technology, the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Fellow of JSME and IEEE. He is engaged in creative design of robotic systems. Prof. Hirose has been awarded more than twenty prizes.