Chitosan-hybridized acrylic resins prepared in emulsion polymerizations and their application as interior finishing coatings

Chitosan was used to introduce formaldehyde adsorption abilities into an emulsion binder for interior finishing coatings. Chitosan-hybridized acrylic emulisions were prepared by two methods. To produce stable chitosan-hybridized acrylic emulsions, the pre-emulsion dropping method is superior to the monomer dropping method. The adsorption performances for fonnaldehyde in chitosan-hybridized acrylic resin films increased with increasing chitosan contents; the films also had adsorption abilities for hydrogen sulfide and ammonia. Tensile strengths and elongation at breaking points decreased with increasing chitosan contents. Interior finishing coatings made from chitosan-hybridized acrylic resin emulsions have the qualities necessary for an interior finishing coating and showed excellent adsorption abilities for formaldehyde.     

Malignant mesenchymoma arising in an incisional scar of the abdominal wall

A case of malignant mesenchymoma of the anterior abdominal wall, composed of leiomyosarcoma, chondrosarcoma and osteosarcoma is described. The tumour, arising in the old scar of a previous operation, was completely removed surgically. Eleven months after the operation the patient is well with no evidence of recurrence. There have been no previous reports of malignant mesenchymoma developing in operation scars. We believe that this traumatic factor played a significant role in the aetiology of this rare soft-tissue neoplasm.     

Serum androgen levels in hyperthyroid women

PURPOSE: We retrospectively evaluated the results of combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy through scleral tunnel incision in comparison with those of goniotrephination alone. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 27 eyes of 20 patients (78.3 +/- 7.45 years) underwent a combined trabeculectomy and phacoemulsification with IOL-implantation (PT-group). The trabeculectomy was performed by excision of 2 mm middle part of the lower tunnel lip. In comparison with the TP-group 29 eyes of 28 patients (69.3 +/- 8.1 years) underwent a goniotrephination (Fronimopoulos), (G-group). The median of follow up was 8 weeks. RESULTS: In both groups a significant reduction of the IOP was achieved; in the PT-group the IOP was reduced from 31.0 +/- 5.42 to 15.0 +/- 4.5 mm Hg, in the G-group from 31.4 +/- 6.3 to 11.6 +/- 4.12 mmHg. In the PT-group the visual acuity increased significantly from 0.25 +/- 0.14 to 0.37 +/- 0.27 and decreased significantly from 0.46 +/- 0.28 to 0.32 +/- 0.25 in the G-group. 3 patients (= 11%) needed topical medication in the PT-group and 6 (= 24%) in the G-group. Four patients (= 15%) of the PT-group underwent a secondary surgery and 7 (= 24%) of the G-group. CONCLUSIONS: The combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy is a successful method of IOP control and visual rehabilitation. Due to the decrease of visual acuity and a higher frequency of secondary surgery after goniotrephination alone the combined procedure should be preferred even in presence of a moderately visual acuity reducing cataract.     

Excellent acceleration of the Diels-Alder reaction by microwave irradiation for the synthesis of new fluorine-substituted ligands of NMDA receptor

A series of 6,11-ethanobenzo[b]quinolizinium derivatives was synthesized through the Diels-Alder reaction between azoniaanthracne and the corresponding 1,1-disubstituted olefin. After a systematic investigation for achieving rapid synthesis, it was found that the reaction is accelerated in polar media such as H2O and trifluoroethanol. In particular, excellent acceleration was effected by microwave irradiation. The new fluorine-substituted ligands thus obtained exhibited potential affinity toward NMDA receptors.     

Parallel three-step phase-shifting digital holography

We propose parallel three-step phase-shifting digital holography as a technique capable of noiseless instantaneous measurement of three-dimensional objects based on phase-shifting interferometry. The proposed digital holography carries out three-step phase shifting at the same time by using a phase-shifting array device located in the reference beam. The array device has a periodic three-step phase distribution, and its configuration is simplified compared with that required for conventional parallel phase-shifting digital holography. Therefore the optical system of the proposed parallel phase-shifting digital holography is more suitable for the realization of the proposed holography. We conduct both a numerical simulation and a preliminary experiment. The results of the simulation and experiment agree well with those of the conventional phase-shifting method and are superior to the results obtained by conventional digital holography by using the Fresnel transform alone. Thus the effectiveness of the proposed technique is verified.     

Molecular cloning and functional analysis of minD gene from streptomyces lavendulae ATCC25233

The minD gene encodes an inhibitor of cell division, which is involved in the regulation of the placement of the proper cell division site in rod-shaped bacteria. In the present study, we cloned the MinD homolog from the filamentous bacterium Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC25233. We showed that the protein exhibits ATPase activity and gives rise to a filamentous phenotype in Escherichia coli. However, the introduction of minD into Streptomyces lividans gave no apparent morphological alternation. We purified the Streptomyces minD gene product, expressed it in E. coli, and characterized it by enzyme kinetics. This is the first report characterizing the Streptomyces MinD homolog.     

Reliability of 1.3 ?m V-grooved inner-stripe laser diodes under high-power operation

Aging tests of 1.3 ?m laser diodes were performed under extremely high power levels up to 85% of the maximum CW output powers. We have verified high reliability under high power levels as high as 75% of the maximum CW output powers at room temperature. The median lifetime is estimated to be 7×104 h at 75% of the maximum CW output power.     

The role of cell mediated immunity in coxsackie B viral myocarditis

The role of cell mediated immunity (CMI) in the pathogenesis of coxsackie B (Cox. B) viral myocarditis in the adult were immunologically investigated. The number of types of neutralizing antibody in patients with Cox. B viral myocarditis was more than that in controls. This fact suggested that these patients had a history of previous Cox. B viral infections. In the patient with Cox. B viral myocarditis, neutralizing antibody titer was increased as 20 folds by the reinfection. And also macrophage migration inhibition test showed that CMI was enhanced not only against the same type but also against the other types of Cox.B group viruses. In conclusion, it may be essential in the occurrence of adult myocarditis that the patient has been infected by Cox.B virus and immunized against the other types as well as the same type of Cox.B group viruses. CMI may also play a critical role in the occurrence of Cox.B viral myocarditis.