Isolation identification and quantitative culture of Helicobacter pylori from gastric mucosa

The biopsy specimens were homogenized and diluted ten-fold serially in Hank's solution. Each dilution samples were streaked on Skirrow's selective medium. The plates were incubated at 37 degrees C 5 to 7 days under micro-aerobic condition and counting the viable cell of H. pylori. The positive rate of specimens with H. pylori in active gastric ulcer tissue (62.0%) was higher than that in scarred tissue (51.9%). Number of H. pylori viable cells in active ulcer tissue was significantly larger than in scarred tissue. The positive correlation between Raw's gastritis score of specimens from patients with erosive gastritis and number of H. pylori viable cells was clearly noticed.     

Influence of buried structure on polarization sensitivity instrained bulk semiconductor optical amplifiers

In order to achieve an accurate design of polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifiers based on tensile strained bulk InGaAsP, the reduction of strain in the active layer of the buried heterostructure and its influence on polarization sensitivity are analyzed numerically for the first time. The gain calculation, including the strain distribution in the active layer, is examined based on the k · p method for the different active layers. It is found that the strain introduced during the epitaxial growth is strongly reduced after regrowth of the burying layer. In an active layer having the aspect ratio of 1 : 4, the strain reduction causes more than a 0.5-dB deviation in the polarization sensitivity of the gain. From a comparison with the experimental results, it is shown that including the effect of the burying layer in the calculation gives an accurate determination of the amount of strain for the polarization independence     

Thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-3-acetic acids. A new class of nonpeptide endothelin receptor antagonists

On the basis of structural information for the cyclic hexapeptide endothelin (ET) receptor antagonist, TAK-044, a series of thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione derivatives bearing a carboxyl group and aromatic rings that were important for receptor binding were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for ET receptor binding affinities and inhibitory activities against ET-induced vasoconstriction. Optimization of each substituent in the thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine ring led to the discovery of a novel and potent nonpeptide ET receptor antagonist, 6-(4-methoxymethoxyphenyl)-5-methylsulfonylaminomethyl-1-(2- methylthiobenzyl)-2,4-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-d]p yrimidine-3- acetic acid (32 g), which binded to human ETA and ETB receptor subtypes with affinities (IC50) of 7.6 and 100 nM, respectively. Compound 32 g effectively antagonized ET-induced vasoconstriction and the inhibitory effect mediated by the ETB receptor was more potent than that of bosentan, while the inhibitory effect mediated by the ETA receptor was slightly less potent than that of bosentan.     

Veno-right ventricular extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for thoracic surgery: an experimental study in dogs

Different photoactivatable derivatives of toxin 3 (CTX) Naja naja siamensis were obtained after CTX reaction with N-hydroxysuccinimide esters of p-azidobenzoic, p-azidotetraflourobenzoic, p-benzoylbenzoic and p-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3-yl]benzoic acids. The ion-exchange HPLC profiles for the reaction products were very similar in four cases, with one predominant peak corresponding to the derivative containing the label at Lys23. After [125I]iodination, CTX photoactivatable derivatives were cross-linked to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica under optimized conditions. The highest cross-linking yield (up to 16% of the bound toxin) was observed for azidobenzoyl-Lys23-CTX. Different receptor subunits were found to be labelled depending on the nature of the photoactivatable group: the azido derivatives labelled the gamma and delta subunits, benzoylbenzoyl derivative labelled the alpha and delta subunits, while p-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3-yl]benzoyl derivative reacted with alpha, gamma and delta subunits. The cross-linking experiments in the presence of varying concentrations of (+)-tubocurarine demonstrated that the Lys23-attached diazirinyl group contacts the delta and alpha subunits in one ligand-binding site, whereas at the other site, for another CTX molecule, the contacts of the Lys23-diazirinyl are with gamma and alpha subunits. This means that the central loop in the two CTX molecules binds at the alpha/gamma and alpha/delta interfaces. Calculation of the sterically possible displacement of diazirinyl nitrogen, basing on the known X-ray structure of CTX, showed that this value does not exceed 13 A. The results obtained favor the disposition of the ligand-binding sites at the subunit interfaces, with the distance between alpha and delta, or alpha and gamma subunits at these sites being not more than 13 A.     

Optical Energy Gap and Below Gap Optical Absorption of Fullerene Films Measured by the Constant Photocurrent Method and Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy

The CPM spectra of fullerene films was measured to obtain the below gap absorption. The optical energy gap E_o was obtained by using the Tauc's plots. E_o did not change greatly with intercalated impurities. The absorption due to intercalated impurities was found below 1.6eV.     

Preparation of TiB2 sintered compacts by hot pressing

A sintered compact of titanium diboride (TiB₂) was prepared by hot pressing of the synthesized TiB₂ powder, which was obtained by a solid-state reaction between TiN and amorphous boron. Densification of the sintered compact occurred at 20 MPa and 1800° C for 5 to 60 min with the aid of a reaction sintering, including the TiB₂ formation reaction between excess 20 at % amorphous boron in the as-synthesized powder (TiB₂ + 0.2B) and intentionally added 10 at % titanium metal. A homogeneous sintered compact of a single phase of TiB₂, which was prepared by hot pressing for 30 min from the starting powder composition [(TiB₂ + 0.2B) + 0.1 Ti], had a fine-grained microstructure composed of TiB₂ grains with diameters of 2 to 3 m. The bulk density was 4.47 g cm^–3, i.e. 98% of the theoretical density. The microhardness, transverse rupture strength and fracture toughness of the TiB₂ sintered compact were 2850 kg mm^–2, 48 kg mm^–2 and 2.4 MN m^–3/2, respectively. The thermal expansion coefficient increased with increasing temperature up to 400° C and had a constant value of 8.8 x 10^–6 deg^–1 above 500° C.     

Reaction control of TiB2 formation from titanium metal and amorphous boron

TiB₂ powder was synthesized by a controlled formation reaction from titanium metal and amorphous boron. Precursory TiB₂ formed by the pretreatment of the mixed powder (mole ratio: B/Ti=2.0) at 600° C for 60 min in an argon stream. Hollow TiB₂ powder with an average grain size of 15m was obtained by subsequent heat treatment above 900° C for more than 60 min in an argon stream. The formation reaction of TiB₂ powder was further controlled by pretreatment of the mixed powder at 600° C for 60 min in a hydrogen and argon stream and subsequent heat treatment at 1000° C for 360 min in an argon stream, when hollow-free TiB₂ powder was formed by a milder formation reaction between amorphous boron and the reformed titanium metal with hydrogen diffused lattice.