Collaborative work to determine the optimal administration period and parameters to detect drug effects on male rat fertility--study on estradiol benzoate effects

In order to examine the optimal administration period and parameters for male fertility assessment, male rats were subcutaneously administered 0.2, 2 or 20 micrograms/kg of estradiol benzoate (E2B), a known testicular toxicant, for 4 weeks or 9 weeks before mating. After 4 weeks administration, suppression of body weight gain and food consumption, decreases in prostate and seminal vesicle weights, atrophy of Leydig cells, and mature spermatid retention at stages IX, X and XI were observed in the 2 and 20 micrograms/kg groups. In the 20, micrograms/kg group, decreases in epididymides weight and copulation index were also found but the number of sperm and sperm motility were not affected. In the 0.2 micrograms/kg group, no changes were noted in any parameters. After 9 weeks administration, decreases in testis weight and the number and motility of sperm were observed in the 20, micrograms/kg group, in addition to the changes found after 4 weeks administration. These results suggest that detailed histopathological evaluation and determination of accessory sex organ weights are sensitive for evaluating the effects of E2B on male fertility. Results with the 4-weeks treatment were comparable to those with the 9-weeks treatment in terms of these parameters.     

Anaesthesia record system on handheld computers--pilot experience and uses for quality control and clinical guidelines

This paper describes a mobile information system to collect patient information for anesthesia quality control. In this system, a mobile database program was designed for use on handheld computers (Pocket PC). This program is used to collect patient data at the bedside on the handhelds, with a daily synchronization of the data between the anaesthesiologists' handhelds with the anaesthesia database. All collected data are later used for quality control analysis. Furthermore, clinical guidelines will be included on these same handhelds. During the pilot phase, data from a sample set of about 300 patients were incorporated. The processes and interfaces of the system are presented in the paper. The current mobile database system has been designed to replace the original paper-based data collection system. The individual anaesthesiologist's handheld synchronizes patient data daily with anaesthesia database center. This information database is analyzed and used not only to give feedback to the individual doctor or center, but also to review the use of the guidelines provided and the results of their utilization.     

Adaptive internal model of intrinsic kinematics involved in learning an aiming task.

The elbowjoint angle and the shoulder joint angle of participants aiming at targets were multiplied in an experiment that used a position-recording system and a cathode-ray tube screen. The linear transformation in joint angles (intrinsic coordinates) corresponded to a nonlinear transformation between the hand coordinates and the screen coordinates (extrinsic coordinates). We examined whether participants could learn this transformation in the intrinsic coordinates or in the extrinsic coordinates by investigating intermanual (between-hands) transfer under an intrinsically consistent condition and an extrinsically consistent condition. Positive intermanual transfer was observed in the former condition but not in the latter condition. Results suggest that participants can learn the linear transformation in joint angles under the intrinsic coordinates and that the central nervous system adaptively represents the intrinsic kinematics. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Clinical significance of electrically evoked auditory brainstem response

Electrically evoked auditory brainstem responses (EABR) were recorded in 31 postlingually deafened adults, who had recently received cochlear implants (mini-system, Cochlear Ltd). The wave consisted of three distinct positive peaks labeled P1, P2, and P3 with latency of 1.35 (+/- 0.14), 2.17 (+/- 0.18) and 4.08 (+/- 0.31) ms, respectively. The P3 threshold (EABR-T) and slope (EABR-S) were 0.9 (+/- 0.47) mA and 0.6 (+/- 0.28) muv/mA, respectively. The relationships between the EABR parameters (EABR T and -S of the P3 wave) and age, duration of deafness, promontory test and subjective response (T and C-level) were investigated. The scattergram showed a strong negative linear relationship between EABR-S and subjective T-level. This finding suggests that EABR-S is good measure of postoperative perception.     

Study on critical dimension of printable phase defects using an EUV microscope

We constructed an extreme ultraviolet microscopy (EUVM) system for actinic mask inspection that consists of Schwarzschild optics and an X-ray zooming tube. This system was used to inspect finished extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) masks and Mo/Si glass substrates. A clear EUVM image of a 300-nm-wide pattern on a 6025 glass mask was obtained. The resolution was estimated to be 50 nm or less from this pattern. Programmed phase defects on the glass substrate were also used for inspection. The EUV microscope was able to resolve a programmed pit defect with a width of 40 nm and a depth of 10 nm and also one with a width of 70 nm and a depth of 2 nm. However, a 75-nm-wide 1.5-nm-deep pit defect was not resolved. Thus, in this study, one critical dimension of a pit defect was estimated to be a depth of 2 nm.     

Enzyme-Assisted Synthesis of Titania under Ambient Conditions

A low-temperature procedure for the synthesis of TiO₂ was developed using a water-soluble titanium complex and enzymes. Titanium–lactate and titanium–glycolate complexes were used as precursors of TiO₂. Digestive enzymes were chosen as biocatalysts for the synthesis of TiO₂ in aqueous solutions. TiO₂ powders were deposited from reaction solutions having optimal pH values for the enzymes to exhibit their catalytic activities for their original substrates. TiO₂ has been synthesized by an enzymatic reaction in an aqueous solution under ambient conditions. The XRD measurements indicated that TiO₂ powders thus obtained usually have an amorphous phase. However, after calcination at 550°C, the anatase phase was confirmed. Interestingly, the minor phase of TiO₂, brookite, was found in the sample obtained from the titanium–glycolate complex catalyzed by lipase at pH 10 after calcination at 550°C.