Analysis of Iodothyronines in Dietary Supplements Containing Dried Thyroid by HPLC Using a Pre-column Derivative

A new method to determine the iodothyronines, 3,3′,5-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3), 3,3′,5,5′-tetraiodo-L-thyronine (L-thyroxine, T4), and 3,3′,5′-triiodo-L-thyronine (reverse-T3, rT3), in dietary supplements containing dried thyroid by high-performance liquid chromatography was developed using a pre-column derivative with 4-fluoro-7-nitrobenzofurazan (NBD-F) without using LC/MS. T3, T4, and rT3 were released from dried thyroid in dietary supplements by using protease. The protease reaction was finished in 18 h at 37 °C. Iodothyronines released from dried thyroid were treated on a polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) column. Iodothyronines adsorbed on PVPP were eluted with 60% acetonitorile. Iodothyronines present in the eluate from the PVPP column were then derivatized with NBD-F. The reaction of iodothyronines with NBD-F was completed in 30 min at 60 °C. These derivatives were measured by HPLC using an octadecylsilane column with a fluorescence detector. Phosphoric acid (0.1%) was added to 630 ml of acetonitrile to a final volume of 1,000 ml, and the mixture was used as the mobile phase. The excitation wavelength on the fluorescence detector was 470 nm, and the emission wavelength was 530 nm. The linearity of iodothyronines as a coefficient of the correlation value was 0.999, and the quantitation limit of iodothyronines was 0.001 μg/ml. The results confirmed that dried thyroid was added to seven dietary supplements. The recovery rate was in the range of 80.8–104.6%, 81.4–103.7%, and 82.2–104.5% for T3, T4, and rT3, respectively. Previously, dried thyroid in dietary supplements was examined by the combination of measuring T3 and T4 by LC/MS and confirmation of epithelial nuclei forming follicles by a microscope. However, microscopic confirmation of epithelial nuclei forming follicles can be complicated by physical alteration during dietary supplement processing. We suggest that the present of dried thyroid in dietary supplements can be confirmed by detecting rT3 without a microscope.     

Surface Deteriorations During Scuffing Process of Steel and Analysis of Their Contribution to Wear Using In Situ Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction and Optical Observations

In a previous study, we developed a novel in situ analysis and observation system that allows for simultaneous synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical observations of a frictional surface. This in situ system was used to investigate the scuffing phenomena of SUJ2 bearing steel (AISI 52100); characteristic surface deteriorations occurred during the scuffing process, including plastic flow, heat-spot formation, austenite transformation, and a decrease in the width of the XRD peaks (indicating a decrease of dislocations and strain). These surface deteriorations are not observed during normal wear, hence it is possible that they cause catastrophic wear during the scuffing of steel. In this study, to elucidate the scuffing mechanism of steel, we focused on the following two points: (1) whether the above surface deteriorations are unique to SUJ2 steel or whether they occur in general steels as well, and (2) the extent to which these surface deteriorations contribute to the wear amount. To achieve these objectives, we performed scuffing tests on four types of steel using the previously developed in situ system. In particular, we focused on the first stage of the scuffing process. The present test results suggest that these surface deteriorations also occur in general steels, and that plastic flow and heat-spot formation, which originate from the same phenomenon, are the dominant contributors to the wear amount during the scuffing of steel. Furthermore, the wear amount per unit plastic flow appears to be independent of steel composition.     

Creep test of type 304 stainless steel tube containing a notch subjected to internal pressure

This paper summarises the results of experimental creep tests of type 304 stainless steel tube subjected to internal pressure at 650°C. The equipment used was especially developed for these tests.

The tubes without notches were tested at pressures of 9·32 and 7·36 MPa. Test results indicate that the rupture time of the tubes without notches is in good agreement with that of uniaxial specimens when the maximum stress is taken as the rupture criterion. The tubes containing axial and circumferential surface notches were tested at a pressure of 7·36 MPa. Test results indicate that the ductile fracture theory is applicable to the life prediction in the case of axial notches.

An electric potential method was very useful for monitoring the creep crack growth from the notch root. The relationship between the creep crack growth rate and the fracture mechanics parameter, σ_net or K₁, was investigated.     

Development of a comprehensive city assessment tool: CASBEE-City

Conducting city assessments and disclosing those results to the public is important for supporting citizens' understanding of the actual condition of their city. Such assessment and disclosure could introduce a market mechanism that can be expected to provide city governments with strong incentives to improve their city conditions and also recognizes that local policy and strategy can be the most appropriate way to address specific urban and environmental problems. The latest Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) tool, referred to as CASBEE-City, is presented. Designed specifically for city assessment, it supports local governments and other stakeholders in identifying the environmental, social and economic characteristics of their city and in quantifying the effectiveness of their city-wide policies. CASBEE-City is based on the concept of environmental efficiency and it provides a combined evaluation of a city embracing two aspects: the environmental load imposed by the city on the wider environment outside its boundary, and the quality of life (environmental, social, economic) inside the city. A city with low environmental load and high quality receives a high Built Environment Efficiency (BEE) value and is regarded as a sustainable city within the CASBEE framework.

Il est important de mener des évaluations urbaines et d'en divulguer les résultats auprès du public pour aider les citoyens à comprendre ce qu'est la situation réelle de leur ville. Une telle évaluation et une telle divulgation pourraient introduire un mécanisme de marché dont on peut attendre qu'il fournisse aux municipalités de fortes incitations pour améliorer les conditions existant dans leur ville, en reconnaissant également le fait que les politiques et les stratégies locales peuvent être la manière la plus adaptée de s'attaquer à des problèmes urbains et environnementaux spécifiques. Le dernier outil proposé par le Système Exhaustif d'Evaluation de l'Efficacité du Cadre Bâti (CASBEE), dénommé CASBEE-City, est présenté. Spécialement conçu pour l'évaluation urbaine, il aide les collectivités locales et les autres parties prenantes à identifier les caractéristiques environnementales, sociales et économiques de leur ville et à quantifier l'efficacité de leurs politiques à l'échelle de la ville. CASBEE-City est basé sur le concept d'efficacité environnementale et assure une évaluation combinée d'une ville, englobant deux aspects : la charge environnementale imposée par la ville à son environnement élargi, au-delà de ses limites, et la qualité de la vie (environnementale, sociale, économique) à l'intérieur de la ville. Une ville offrant une charge environnementale faible et une qualité élevée reçoit une notation d'Efficacité du Cadre Bâti élevée et est considérée comme une ville durable dans le cadre du système CASBEE.

Mots clés: efficacité du cadre bâti, villes, changement climatique, évaluation environnementale, Système Exhaustif d'Evaluation de l'Efficacité du Cadre Bâti (CASBEE), émissions de gaz à effet de serre, sociétés bas carbone, développement durable, outils urbains     

Homozygous missense mutation (band 3 Fukuoka: G130R): a mild form of hereditary spherocytosis with near-normal band 3 content and minimal changes of membrane ultrastructure despite moderate protein 4.2 deficiency

The characteristics of phenotypic expression were studied in a Japanese family with hereditary spherocytosis and an extremely rare homozygous missense mutation of the band 3 gene (band 3 Fukuoka: G130R). The homozygous unsplenectomized proband was a 29-year-old male with compensated haemolytic anaemia (red cell count 4.21 x 10(12)/l, reticulocytes 278 x 10(9)/l, and indirect bilirubin 44 micromol/l). His red cell band 3 (B3) protein demonstrated a 9.3% reduction and his protein 4.2 (P4.2) level was substantially reduced (45.0%), compared to normal subjects. P4.2 protein was composed mostly of a wild type (72 kD) with a trace of 68 kD peptide. The binding properties of the mutated B3 to normal P4.2 were significantly impaired, which probably resulted in the substantial reduction of P4.2 in this proband, since no abnormalities were detected on the P4.2 gene. Electron microscopy (EM) using the freeze-fracture method demonstrated a mild decrease in intramembrane particles (IMPs) of near-normal size (8 nm in diameter) with no substantial increases in their oligomerization. Their distribution on the membrane P face was almost normal, although most of the IMPs could represent the homozygously mutated B3 protein. EM (quick-freeze deep-etching method) disclosed a skeletal network of near-normal size and size distribution of the skeletal units, suggesting that the mutated B3 protein itself did not have much effect on the skeletal network in situ. Therefore the reduced P4.2 content (45% of that of normal subjects), which remained on the red cell membrane of this proband, appeared to be nearly sufficient for maintaining the normal structure of the skeletal network and IMPs in situ, contrary to the marked abnormalities in both IMPs and the skeletal network in complete P4.2 deficiencies.     

Maternal thyroid function in multiple pregnancy: the variable thyrotropic activity of human chorionic gonadotropin

The present study was undertaken to evaluate thyroid function and thyrotropic action of hCG in multiple pregnancy. We examined serum samples from 9 multiple pregnant women (3 triplets and 6 twins) and 27 singleton pregnant women as control subjects. Serum hCG levels in multiple pregnancy were higher than those in singleton pregnancy in the second and third trimesters (P < 0.01). The mean free T3 and T4 concentrations in multiple pregnancy did not differ from those in singleton pregnancy in each trimester. Serum hCG levels showed a statistically significant positive correlation with free T3 and T4 levels in singleton pregnancy (P < 0.001). However, these correlations were not observed in multiple pregnancy. Thyroid stimulation activity (TSA) determined by cAMP accumulation in FRTL-5 cells in multiple pregnancy sera was significantly higher than that in singleton pregnancy in the first trimester (P < 0.05), but did not differ in the second and third trimesters. Moreover, TSA did not show any correlation with serum hCG levels in multiple pregnancy in contrast with the results in normal pregnancy. A bioactivity/immunoreactivity ratio of hCG in multiple pregnancy was lower than in singleton pregnancy in the second and third trimesters. The discrepancy between immunoreactivity and thyrotropic activity of hCG may be caused by the variable thyrotropic potency of heterogeneous hCG molecules in multiple pregnancy.     

Biofilm formation of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from impetigo and furuncle: role of fibrinogen and fibrin

Effective utilization of spiral computed tomography (CT) technology in imaging of the thorax requires an understanding of technical parameters that affect image and scan quality. This article discusses how operator-controlled scan parameters can be optimized to achieve diagnostic and cost-effective examinations appropriate for daily clinical practice.     

The significance of heparin concentration measurement during cardiopulmonary bypass--effect of heparin-coated circuit during normothermic bypass

Recently, use of heparin-coated circuits during normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass has become a trend in cardiovascular surgery. In light of this, heparin administration protocols during bypass should be reevaluated. In twenty patients who underwent cardiac surgery using a heparin-coated circuit under normothermia, heparin concentration was measured with Hepcon/HMS. Before initiating bypass, 300 IU/kg of heparin was administered with additional heparin to maintain activated clotting time (ACT) at more than 400 seconds. The heparin dose response (HDR) was measured before heparin administration. HDR is a heparin concentration calculated to correspond to an ACT of 480 seconds. As an index of heparin control during bypass, average heparin concentration/HDR (HC/HDR) was calculated. HC/HDR was correlated with Fibrinogen degradation products E (R = -0.52). D dimer (R = -0.45). Thrombin antithrombin complex (R = -0.54). Antithrombin III (R = 0.50) and platelet number (R = 0.44), but not with 24-hour postoperative blood loss. In conclusion, even when using a heparin-coated circuit plasma coagulation activity was not sufficiently suppressed by use of a conventional ACT monitoring protocol during normothermic bypass. Therefore, the maintenance of HC/HDR at a higher level may be indicated.     

Improvement of Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of Porous β-SiAlON Ceramics by Low Y2O3 Additions

Addition of Y₂O₃ as a sintering additive to porous β-SiAlON (Si_{6− z} Al _z O _z N_{8− z} , z = 0.5) ceramics has been investigated for improved mechanical properties. Porous SiAlON ceramics with 0.05–0.15 wt% (500–1500 wppm) Y₂O₃ were fabricated by pressureless sintering at temperatures of 1700°, 1800°, and 1850°C. The densification, microstructure, and mechanical properties were compared with those of Y₂O₃-free ceramics of the same chemical composition. Although this level of Y₂O₃ addition did not change the phase formation and grain size, the grain bonding appeared to be promoted, and the densification to be enhanced. There was a significant increase in the flexural strength of the SiAlON ceramics relative to the Y₂O₃-free counterpart. After exposure in 1 M hydrochloric acid solution at 70°C for 120 h, no remarkable weight loss and degradation of the mechanical properties (flexural and compression strength) was observed, which was attributed to the limited grain boundary phase, and with the minor Y₂O₃ addition the supposed formation of Y-α-SiAlON.     

Stevens-Johnson syndrome caused by a health drink (Eberu) containing ophiopogonis tuber

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is considered to be a severe type of erythema exsudativum multiforme. It is characterized by erythema with bullous and eroded lesions of skin and mucous membranes. We report a case of Steven-Johnson syndrome following consumption of a health drink containing ophiopogonis tuber. A 66-year-old female took an O.T.C. health drink for fever. The next morning, she noted erythema and swelling of her face, neck, and chest. She started to develop bullous and eroded lesions on the skin of her entire body and the mucous membranes of her oral cavity, conjunctiva, and cornea, and she became feverish. She had high degrees of corneal erosion and liver dysfunction. Skin biopsy showed diffuse necrosis of the epidermis. After admission to the hospital, steroid pulse therapy (1000 mg/day of methylprednisolone sodium succinate) was continued for 5 days. The health drink induced a positive drug lymphocyte stimulation test (DLST) and patch test. A challenge test was done with a one hundredth dose, and it was positive. We did patch tests with all components of the drink and found that Mai-Meu-Dong-Tang (ophiopogonis) alone was positive at 72 hours. There is no previous report of Stevens-Johnson syndrome caused by a health drink or Mai-Meu-Dong-Tang. Even though it is a health drink, we should be aware of the possibility of a severe reaction.