Propofol inhibits human neutrophil functions

Neutrophils play important roles in the antibacterial host defense mechanism and in the pathogenesis of tissue injury. Propofol has been reported to impair the production of reactive oxygen species from neutrophils. We examined the effect of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol), at clinically relevant concentrations and at 10 and 100 times this concentration, on several aspects of human neutrophil functions using an in vitro system. Propofol significantly inhibited chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) (O2-, H2O2, OH) production of neutrophils in a dose-dependent manner. At clinically relevant concentrations, propofol suppressed these neutrophil functions, but it did not decrease ROS generation by the cell-free (xanthine-xanthine oxidase) system. Increase in intracellular calcium concentrations in neutrophils stimulated by N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine was dose-dependently attenuated by propofol. This decreasing effect on [Ca2+]i in neutrophils may represent one of the mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of neutrophil functions by propofol. IMPLICATIONS: Neutrophils play a pivotal role in the antibacterial host defense system and tissue injury. We found that at clinically relevant concentrations, propofol impaired neutrophil functions. Further studies may determine whether this impairment, observed in vitro, leads to clinical immunological suppression.     

Relationship between mandibular position and the coordination of masseter muscle activity during sleep in humans

Although bruxism has been regarded as having a possibly important role in the aetiology of craniomandibular disorders, the activity of masticatory muscles relative to mandibular position during sleep grinding as recorded by electromyography (EMG) has not yet been clarified. Surface EMGs of the bilateral superficial masseter muscles were recorded simultaneously with mandibular position during sleep from 12 volunteers for three consecutive nights. The incidence of two mandibular positions were recorded with magnetic sensors for both left- and right-sided mandibular grinding. One of the mandibular positions was the canine edge-to-edge position, and the other was the midpoint between the intercuspal position and the canine edge-to-edge position. The mode of the working/ balancing activity ratio ranged from 1/10 to 2/10, showing the marked predominance of balancing side masseter muscle activity during sleep grinding. During sleep grinding, EMG bursts of masseter muscle were observed mainly with mediotrusive mandibular movement from the canine edge-to-edge position. From the results of the present study, it is suggested that muscular dynamics during sleep are unique compared to that during voluntary clenching, and exert a greater mechanical load to the balancing side temporomandibular joint.     

PRESENT STATUS OF POWDER TECHNOLOGY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND RESEARCHES IN JAPAN

Tables to indicate the present status of powder technology educational programs in Japan are presented on the basis of a questionnaire style investigation by the Society of Powder Technology, Japan. Research activities in universities and research institutes are also included in the tables.

The activities of both the Society of Powder Technology and the Association of Powder Process Industry and Engineering in Japan are also introduced by explaining their organizations and annual events.     

An experimental investigation of minimum fluidization velocity at elevated temperatures and pressures

Minimum fluidization data at elevated temperatures and pressures are relatively scarce in the literature. This study was undertaken to provide some new data under these conditions. Minimum fluidization velocities at temperatures up to 800°K and pressures up to 5 MPa were measured for uniformly-sized glass beads with diameters between 0.2 mm and 4 mm in beds ranging in diameter from 30 mm to 50 mm. The experimental results are compared with a number of empirical correlations from the literature to determine the validity of the correlations under these elevated temperature and pressure conditions.     

Dynamic Revenue Management of a Toll Road Project under Transportation Demand Uncertainty

This study proposes a prototype quantitative method for dynamic revenue management of a private toll road, taking into account the long-term dynamics of transportation demand. This is first formulated as a stochastic singular control problem, in which the manager can choose the toll level from two discrete values. Each toll change requires nonnegative adjustment costs. Our analysis then reveals that the optimality condition reduces to standard linear complementarity problems, by using certain function transformation techniques. This enables us to develop an efficient algorithm for solving the problem, exploiting the recent advances in the theory of complementarity problems.     

Intimate relationships with former clients: National survey of attitudes and behavior among practitioners.

A national survey of American Psychological Association (APA) Division 29 (Psychotherapy) members was conducted to gain information about attitudes and behavior in regard to intimate relationships with former clients. The response rate was 39.5%. Among respondents, 44.7% felt that such relationships were highly unethical, 23.9% felt that they were somewhat unethical, 22.9% felt that they were neither ethical nor unethical, and the remaining respondents felt that they were somewhat or highly ethical. Respondents felt that time since termination was the major factor that should be taken into account in determining the ethics of the situation. Eleven percent of the sample acknowledged having had intimate relationships with former clients, which was nearly four times the rate admitting intimate relationships with current clients (3.1%). The need for the establishment of APA ethical guidelines is clearly indicated in the data. Suggestions in this regard, based on the current data, are made. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparation of Fe-Al Binary System Intermetallic Compounds by Multi-Layered Roll-Bonding

Iron aluminides exhibit good resistance to high-temperature sulfidizing and oxidizing environments and potential for structural applications at high temperatures under corrosive environments. In this study, Fe-Al intermetallic compound was prepared by multi-layered roll-bonding of elemental Fe and Al foils. The process consisted of the accumulative roll-bonding (ARB) for making a laminated Fe/Al sheet and the subsequent heat treatment promoting a solid phase reaction in the laminated Fe/Al sheet. The microstructures produced at each processing stage were characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Vickers microhardness testing was used for hardness determination. A homogeneous intermetallic compound of Fe3Al or FeAl could be obtained after the subsequent heat treatment for 1.8 ks at 973 K and for 10.8 ks at 1123 or 1173 K.     

Pulse‐width modulation with current uniformization for AM‐OLED micro‐displays on Si LSI chips

We have developed pulse‐width modulation (PWM) with current uniformization for active‐matrix organic light‐emitting diode (AM‐OLED) micro‐displays on Si large‐scale integration (LSI) chips. This driving method can simultaneously solve luminance unevenness and image sticking due to characteristic deviations and degradations of driving transistors and OLEDs. With the use of circuit simulation, it is verified that the PWM with current uniformization (PWM‐CU) can simultaneously achieve precise gray scale and exceedingly improve luminance uniformity. Moreover, an actual panel is designed and fabricated, where the OLEDs are layered on the Si LSI chip. It is found that the luminance uniformity can be improved within 2% to 3%. It is meaningful that the correct images can be displayed using the PWM‐CU for the first time for AM‐OLED micro‐displays on Si LSI chips.     

Scalability and homogeneity of slot die‐coated metal oxide semiconductor for TFTs

An indium oxide‐based precursor solution has been developed by spin coating method. In order to apply this material to mass production, material, process, and equipment optimizations for slot die coating have been implemented. Slot die coating is a cost‐effective and scalable process and already applied to photoresist materials in the display industry. The indium oxide‐based precursor solution has been coated on bare glasses and thin‐film transistor substrates by a mass production‐type slot die coater. Mobility of over 10 cm²/Vs is achieved for the first time for a large area at an annealing temperature of 350 °C. The homogeneity of the film will be presented.