Automated bone marrow analysis using the CD4000 automated haematology analyser

At present, bone marrow analysis is performed microscopically, but is time consuming and labour intensive. No automated methods have been successfully applied to classification of bone marrows cells because automated blood cell analysers have been incapable of identifying erythroblasts. The present study was designed to evaluate automated analysis of bone marrow aspirates with the CELL-DYN 4000 (CD4000) haematology analyser, which enables automated determination of erythroblast counts in both the normal mode (haemolytic time; 11.5s) and the resistant RBC mode (34.0s). The percentages of subpopulations including lymphocytes, neutrophils and erythroblasts were obtained with the CD4000, and as a reference, differential counts by microscopic observation of May-Grünwald-Giesa-stained films of bone marrow aspirates were performed (n=98). Significant correlations (P < 0.01) between the results obtained with the two methods were observed for total nucleated cell count and lymphocytes, neutrophils, erythroblasts and myeloid/erythroid (M/E) ratio. However, there were biases in the average percentages of erythroblasts, lymphocytes and M/E ratio obtained using the normal mode with the CD4000 toward values lower than those obtained with the microscopic method. Using the RBC resistant mode with the CD4000, the average percentages of erythroblasts, lymphocytes and M/E ratio approximated those obtained with the microscopic method. In conclusion, the CD4000 in resistant RBC mode is more useful for analysis of bone marrow aspirates than is the normal mode, because the former better approximates the M/E ratio than the latter.     

Effects of poly(propylene carbonate) additive prepared from carbon dioxide on the tensile properties of polypropylene

We investigated the effect of a rubbery poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) additive on the tensile properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP). PPC materials were produced from carbon dioxide gas. Although the elongation of iPP was reduced at higher elongation speeds, PPC addition improved the elongation at break at higher elongation speeds. iPP/PPC blends showed a high drawability while maintaining a high stress level. The failure mechanisms at high elongation speeds were different between the iPP and iPP/PPC samples. Craze‐like voids appeared along the stretching direction for pure iPP, whereas the PPC additive yielded craze‐like voids that were perpendicular to the stretching direction. The addition of PPC doped with carbon nanodots enhanced the yield toughness of iPP at high elongation speeds. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45266.     

Experimental investigation of plastic deformation of stainless steel for cyclic loading at low temperature

Cyclic plastic deformation of stainless steel SUS 304 is experimentally investigated at low temperature of liquid nitrogen (77 K) under various cyclic loading conditions Thin walled tubular specimens are subjected to cyclic loading under constant strain ranges. At low temperature, the material shows remarkable hardening by cyclic loading comparing with cyclic loading at room temperature. The hysteresis curves of stress-strain relations by cyclic loading are saturated by increasing the cycle numbers. The saturation tendency depends on loading direction. The saturated stress values are related with cumulative plastic strain of cyclic loading. The prestraining is given at 77 K by axial and torsional loadings, and subsequent cyclic loading under constant strain range is conducted at 77 K. The cyclic stress-strain curves are saturated by increasing cyclic numbers. At small cyclic numbers, cyclic plastic deformation depends on the prestrain direction. The directional effect of pre-strain on cyclic loading becomes small with increasing number of cycles.     

Serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 in hemodialysis patients with dialysis-related amyloidosis

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase‐3 (MMP‐3) has been linked to osteoarticular destruction in rheumatic arthritis. To investigate the role of MMP‐3 in dialysis‐related amyloidosis (DRA), we determined serum MMP‐3 in long‐term hemodialysis (HD) patients with and without clinical manifestations of DRA. Methods: Thirty‐three subjects (63% female, 3% diabetic) enrolled in the study between September 2001 and June 2003. All patients underwent standard HD three times per week, using high‐flux dialyzers. Four patients had active DRA complications (DRA patients), whereas the others (n = 29) had no evidence of DRA. We determined serum concentrations of MMP‐3, C‐reactive protein (CRP), β₂‐microglobulin (β₂M), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6). We also studied the effects of hemodiafiltration (HDF) on inflammatory measures by transferring the DRA patients from regular HD to predilution HDF. Results: The DRA group had been on dialysis significantly longer than the control group. Significant positive correlations were observed between MMP‐3 and IL‐6 (R² = 0.5143, p < 0.0001) and MMP‐3 and CRP (R² = 0.6492, p < 0.0001). IL‐6 levels increased after a single dialysis treatment, but this effect was minimal with predilution HDF (the increment of IL‐6 levels did not exceed 10 pg/mL). Serum MMP‐3 levels decreased in parallel with the decrease of IL‐6. Conclusions: MMP‐3 serum levels increase in accordance with clinical manifestations of DRA and elevated circulating levels of IL‐6. For the evaluation of the pathophysiologic state of DRA, serum MMP‐3 may be a useful predictor indicative of chronic inflammation and osteoarticular disorders in DRA patients.     

Chemical modification of flexible and rigid poly(vinyl chloride) by nucleophilic substitution with thiocyanate using a phase-transfer catalyst

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a phase-transfer catalyst on the chemical modification of flexible and rigid poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) by substituting chloride with thiocyanate (SCN) in order to develop a new process for recycling PVC. The effects of temperature and time on the reaction of a SCN/ethylene glycol (EG) solution on PVC were investigated in the presence and absence of tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) as a phase-transfer catalyst. TBAB was found to accelerate the dehydrochlorination of both flexible and rigid PVC, thus allowing the reaction to take place over shorter reaction times. The substitution yield and substitution/dehydrochlorination ratio were higher in the presence of TBAB than in its absence. By reducing the reaction temperature, the substitution/dehydrochlorination ratio increased, and substitution occurred more rapidly when TBAB was present. The differences between flexible and rigid PVC were negligible. Together, these results indicate that the phase-transfer catalyst TBAB is effective in accelerating the substitution of chloride by SCN. This two-phase reaction allows for the easy separation of the polymer from the solvent without using other chemicals or thermal processes.     

What is a surrogate marker for optimal dialysis?

To find a surrogate marker to obtain optimal dialysis delivery from the viewpoint of nutrition, 180 maintenance hemodialysis patients (109 males/71 females) were enrolled between October 1999 and June 2006 at our kidney center. In the 449 hemodialysis treatments, ultrapure dialysis solutions and high-flux synthetic membranes were utilized. Parameters were measured by Kt/V(urea) and postdialysis urea rebound, Kc (the cellular membrane clearance for urea), urea clear space (CS), %creatinine generation rate, %lean body mass, total body water, and so on. We examined the correlation between dialysis delivery and nutritional parameters: Kt/V(urea) and postdialysis urea rebound were found to be strongly and negatively correlated with nutritional parameters. However, Kc and CS have shown positive and strong correlations with nutritional parameters such as %creatinine generation rate, %lean body mass, and total body water as well. In addition, the age factor was correlated with Kt/V(urea) positively, and it influenced Kc and CS negatively. As a conventional dialysis parameter, Kt/V(urea) did not reflect nutrition, but Kc was found to improve nutrition due to the increase of the dialysis delivery. Therefore, Kc might be a reliable surrogate marker for optimal dialysis.     

Fast calculation approach to semi-empirical molecular orbital method using real space division method

The authors have developed a new approach for large-scale systems including over 100,000 atoms to obtain physical strength from the viewpoint of atom–atom bonding energy. Combining the semi-empirical molecular orbital method with real space division method makes it possible to estimate structural parameters, electronic structures and bonding energy for various large systems. With this method, various quantum physical properties can be obtained quickly using the semi-empirical molecular orbital method, while adopting real space division improves the computational efficiency of parallelization. In this study, the authors applied this method to SiH₄ molecule and crystalline silica system, and carried out bond order and bonding energy analyses. In this analysis, the developed method offered almost the same analytical accuracy as the first principle method, while its calculation speed was much faster than that of the latter. The developed method was also suitable for parallel computing.     

Injection of tridocosahexaenoyl-glycerol emulsion and fatty acid composition of blood cells

An injectable emulsion of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was prepared. One hundred ml of the emulsion contained 3 g of 93%-pure 1,2,3-tridocosahexaenoylglycerol (DHA-TG), 1.2 g of 93%-pure 2-docosahexaenoyl-phosphatidylcholine as an emulsifier and 2.5 g of glycerol. Thirty ml of the emulsion of DHA-TG was injected into three rabbits on days 1 and 4 of the study. Blood was taken on day 0, on day 4 just before the second injection and on day 7. The percentage of DHA in the total phospholipid fraction of platelets increased from 0.46% (day 0) to 1.88% (day 4, p<0.05) and 3.66% (day 7; p<0.02 vs day 0). The percentage of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) increased from 0.46% (day 0) to 1.03% (day 4, p<0.02) and 1.63% (day 7: p<0.05 vs day 0). The percentage of arachidonic acid (AA) decreased from 9.45% (day 0) to 4.31% (day 4, p<0.05) and 6.68% (day 7; p<0.02 vs day 0). The percentage of DHA in the total phospholipid fraction of erythrocyte membranes increased from 0.23% (day 0) to 0.91% (day 4, p<0.05) and 1.52% (day 7; p<0.005 vs day 0); that of EPA increased from 0.21% (day 0) to 0.34% (day 4, p<0.005%) and 0.52% (day 7, p<0.01 vs day 0); that of AA was unchanged. Blood lipids were the same before and after the two injections of the emulsion, except that free fatty acids decreased markedly from 0.32 to 0.06 mEq/1 (p<0.02). On day 8, free AA (2 mg/kg) was injected into ear veins of the three treated rabbits and of four control rabbits (not treated with DHA-TG). All the control rabbits died a few minutes after the AA injection, but none of the DHA-treated rabbits died after AA injection (p<0.01). An emulsion of DHA-TG may be useful for patients having immediate risk of thrombosis or for those who need DHA but cannot take it orally.     

Photoemission Spectroscopy of Ta2NiSe5

We report temperature-dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurement of Ta₂NiSe₅ which shows a semiconductor-semiconductor structural phase transition at around 330?K. Characteristically, flat band at the top of the valence band is observed, which is ascribed to the excitonic insulator effect. The top valence band shifts to higher binding energy and its bandwidth increases as the temperature decreases. As the system exceeds the transition temperature, the flat feature of the valence band weakens though the exciton fluctuations remain finite.     

New method of treating dilute mineral acids using magnesium-aluminum oxide

Mineral acids, such as H(3)PO(4), H(2)SO(4), HCl, and HNO(3,) were treated with magnesium-aluminum oxide (Mg-Al oxide), which behaved as a neutralizer and fixative of anions. Anion removal increased with increasing Mg-Al oxide quantity, time, Mg/Al molar ratio, and initial acid concentration. Up to 95% removal of anions was achieved in 0.5 N acids using a stoichiometric quantity of Mg(0.80)Al(0.20)O(1.10) for H(3)PO(4), 1.75 stoichiometric quantities for H(2)SO(4), or 2.5 stoichiometric quantities for HCl or HNO(3) at 20 degrees C over a period of 6 h. The final solutions were found to have a pH in the range of 8-12. Selectivity of acid removal was found to follow the following order: H(3)PO(4) > H(2)SO(4) > HCl > HNO(3). The equivalent of acid removal per 1 g of Mg-Al oxide decreased as the Mg/Al molar ratio of Mg-Al oxide increased.