Effective factor on antibacterial characteristics of Mg1−XNiXO solid solution

Mg_1−XNi_XO solid solution powder samples with different chemical compositions were prepared by heating MgO–NiO mixtures at 1300 °C for 12 h in air. From XRD measurement, all powder samples were indexed as a single phase of cubic structure, of which the diffraction peaks shifted to high-angle side with the increase of doping amount of NiO. The pH values of the solution dispersed with the powder samples decreased when the doping amount of NiO in solid solution was increased. Antibacterial activity of the powder samples was examined by colony count method. In the result, the antibacterial activity of Mg_1−XNi_XO was remarkably weaker than original MgO powders, irrespective of the kind of bacteria. In addition, it was found that the antibacterial activity of Mg_1−XNi_XO reduced with increasing the doping amount of NiO. Two factors, the generated amount of O₂⁻ and the eluted amount of Ni²⁺ ions affected the antibacterial activity of Mg_1−XNi_XO solid solution. Especially, the stability of O₂⁻ in aqueous solution is dependent on pH value. Therefore, the strength of antibacterial activity was associated with the pH values in the dispersed solution of Mg_1−XNi_XO.     

Effect of repetitive stimulation on lateral spreads and F-waves in hemifacial spasm

The lateral spread (LS) response, which can be elicited in muscles innervated by other branches of the facial nerve, is electromyographycally specific for patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS), occurring about 10 ms after stimulus. The F-wave in facial muscles, which is a late response that antidromicaly propagates to the facial motonucleus and returns orthodromicaly down the same axon, revealed a trend toward enhancement in patients with HFS. The LSs were facilitated by repetitive stimulation during the microvascular decompression (MVD) operation, which has proved to be a successful treatment, and the F-waves were also facilitated by repetitive stimulation on the spasm side more than on the normal side. Greater facilitation of these responses was in direct proportion to higher stimulation rates and greater numbers of stimulations. The repetitive stimulation of the facial nerve may result in activation of the motoneuron pool and in the lowering of the threshold of somatic membranes. These results support the hypothesis that hemifacial spasm is caused by hyperexcitability of the facial motonucleus, which is increased by antidromic repetitive stimulation.     

Unrelated umbilical cord-blood stem cell transplantation: a report from Kanagawa Cord Blood Bank, Japan

Cell seeding of three-dimensional polymer scaffolds is the first step of the cultivation of engineered tissues in bioreactors. Seeding requirements of large scaffolds to make implants for potential clinical use include: (a) high yield, to maximize the utilization of donor cells, (b) high kinetic rate, to minimize the time in suspension for anchorage-dependent and shear-sensitive cells, and (c) high and spatially uniform distribution of attached cells, for rapid and uniform tissue regeneration. Highly porous, fibrous polyglycolic acid scaffolds, 5-10 mm in diameter and 2-5 mm thick, were seeded with bovine articular chondrocytes in well-mixed spinner flasks. Essentially, all cells attached throughout the scaffold volume within 1 day. Mixing promoted the formation of 20-32-micron diameter cell aggregates that enhanced the kinetics of cell attachment without compromising the uniformity of cell distribution. The kinetics and possible mechanisms of cell seeding were related to the formation of cell aggregates by a simple mathematical model that can be used to optimize seeding conditions for cartilage tissue engineering.     

A NotI restriction map of the entire long arm of human chromosome 21

A variety of maps of the human genome have been constructed, including cloned DNA maps. We have isolated 40 of the 42 NotI sites that exist on the long arm of human chromosome 21, as NotI linking clones and constructed a complete NotI restriction map spanning the entire region. This map, which provides the most reliable ordering and distance estimation in the region from a pericentromeric locus to the terminus, demonstrates the usefulness of linking clone mapping for analysing human chromosomes.     

Effects of muscle length on the response to unloading

Muscle mass, distribution of fiber types, fiber cross-sectional areas (CSA) and selected enzyme activities were determined in rats hindlimb-suspended free of immobilization (Susp-Free), suspended with the ankle dorsiflexed (Susp-DF, soleus stretched) or plantarflexed (Susp-PF, soleus shortened) for 10 days and compared to cage-control (Con) rats. Reduction of muscle weight associated with suspension was prevented in Susp-DF rats. The mean CSAs of slow fibers were Con = Susp-DF > Susp > PF > Susp-Free and of fast and intermediate fiber tended to be Susp-DF > Con > Susp-PF = Susp-Free. Mean activities of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) and myofibrillar adenosine triphosphatase (mATPase) in slow and fast fibers were similar in Con and Susp-Free rats. Mean SDH activity in slow fibers was higher in Susp-DF and Susp-PF than in Con and Susp-Free. No significant differences in SDH activities of fast fibers were observed among groups. GPD activity was higher in slow fibers of Susp-DF and Susp-PF compared to Con. The mATPase activity was higher in slow fibers of Susp-DF compared to Con and Susp-Free rats and lower in fast fibers of Susp-DF compared to Con rats. Thus, when compared to control, the patterns of adaptation were more similar in the Susp-DF and Susp-PF than in the Susp-Free. Although these results are consistent with previous studies demonstrating that the load placed on a muscle can affect protein metabolism, the direction and magnitude of the adaptive responses observed in the present study were closely associated with the chronically imposed changes in muscle length, i.e. fixed at either a shortened or a lengthened position.     

Angular spectral approach to reflection of focused beams with oblique incidence in spherical-planar-pair lenses

The characteristics of the output signal from spherical-planar-pair (SPP) lenses in the ultrasonic microspectrometer (UMSM) are described. The angular spectral approach is used to obtain the mathematical formula of the output signal. Although isotropic specimens are assumed, anisotropic materials can be treated as well with a small modification. A 2-D approximation is introduced to analyze the specular reflection, the Rayleigh critical angular phenomenon, and V (z) of the specular reflection. Numerical calculations are also performed for specimens with copper substrate, steel substrate, and layered structures, by numerically integrating the 2-D formulas of the output signal. It is found that a ray optical treatment is a good approximation of the wave propagation in the SPP lenses. The incident angular dependence of a reflection coefficient can be estimated by tilting the sensor unit.     

μ+SR Study on Bi2Sr2Ca1−x Y x (Cu1−y Zn y )2O8+δ around the Hole Concentration of \frac{1} {8} per Cu

In order to study the effect in different high-T _c oxides from the La-system, muon spin relaxation measurements were applied to the Zn-substituted Bi-2212 system, Bi ₂ Sr ₂ Ca _1–x Y _x (Cu _1–y Zn _y ) ₂ O ₈₊ , around the hole concentration p= per Cu. It has been revealed that the magnetic correlation between Cu spins is anomalously enhanced in the Zn-substituted samples at per Cu, proving the existence of the effect" in the Bi-2212 system as well.     

Effect of Firing Temperature on Bending Strength of Porcelains for Tableware

Porcelains for tableware in the quartz–feldspar (sericite)–kaolin system were investigated to study the effect of firing temperature on the bending strength. The maximum bending strength of a body was attained at about 75°C below the temperature of complete sintering; therefore, its apparent porosity and the total porosity were almost 0% and 8.0%, respectively. Control of the finely dispersed, round, and isolated pores in the body was found to be necessary to attain strengthening of the body despite its relatively large porosity, and at the same time it was important that a large amount of fine quartz particles remain undissolved. Furthermore, a dense layer, formed close to the surface, was observed to strengthen the body more than that expected from its relative density when the body was fired above 1200°C.     

Effects of Postsintering Hot Isostatic Pressing on the Strength of an Aluminosilicate Ceramic

Postsintering treatments of annealing and hot isostatic pressing were applied to an aluminosilicate ceramic body. The strength parameters and the structure were monitored, and their changes were related to the reduction of surface residual compressive stresses. It is concluded that property improvements to ceramic bodies through postsintering hot isostatic pressing treatments are material-specific, depending on the availability of appropriate processes and mechanisms for improvement or change.