A new porto-systemic bypass technique for hepatopancreatoduodenectomy with portal vein resection

When reconstructing the portal vein (PV) following hepatopancreatoduodenectomy (HPD) with PV resection, a new porto-systemic bypass (PSB) technique can be employed to prevent intestinal vascular congestion. The Whipple procedure is performed in a standard manner, as long a portion of the gastrocolic trunk is preserved for insertion of an antithrombogenic catheter (ATC). After harvesting the left external iliac vein and exposing the right great saphenous vein, the end of the ATC is inserted in the superior mesenteric vein via the gastrocolic trunk in the distal direction and the other end of the ATC is inserted in the greater saphenous vein. PSB is achieved as a result of the venous pressure gradient. By employing this technique, an ATC can be inserted without damaging another mesenteric venous branch and with minimal damage to the endothelium, and the small intestine is not exposed in the operative field until enteric reconstruction is started. This technique is a promising option for PSB during HPD with PV resection.     

Graft copolymerization to cellulose. Effect of sodium thiosulfate on hydrogen peroxide initiator system

The effect of sodium thiosulfate on the graft copolymerization of methyl methacrylate to cellulose in the hydrogen peroxide initiator system was investigated. The addition of sodium thiosulfate in general was effective for decreasing the per cent grafting and the average molecular weight of grafts and increasing the formation of homopolymer, and the effects became pronounced with increasing hydrogen peroxide concentration. Moreover, the addition of sodium thiosulfate slightly suppressed the formation of grafts at a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 3 mmole/l., but greatly promoted it at 20 mmole/l. Traces of metallic ions present in cellulose could not be eliminated sufficiently by treatment with 3N hydrochloric acid. Such ions were found to interact with hydrogen peroxide and thus participate directly in the initiation and termination of the polymerization reaction. EDTA, the chelating agent, was highly effective for suppressing such participation of metallic ions. In the hydrogen peroxide initiator system applied to the EDTA-treated samples, sodium thiosulfate caused an effective initiation of graft formation.     

Cellulose peroxides derived from carbonylated cellulose and hydrogen peroxide

Cellulose peroxides derived from hydrogen peroxide and cellulose derivative into which a ketone group is introduced by reaction with methyl vinyl ketone were investigated. The amount of peroxide formed on the cellulose substrate increased linearly with increasing carbonyl content of the sample, and sulfuric acid activated the formation of peroxide. The cellulose peroxide was gradually decomposed at 60°C in aqueous medium, and the decomposition was accelerated by addition of ferrous salt or irradiation with light of λ > 300nm. Grafting was initiated by adding methyl methacrylate to the thermal decomposition system under nitrogen. The formation, stability, thermal decomposition, and structure of the cellulose peroxide were discussed in comparison with one derived from aldehyde cellulose and hydrogen peroxide.     

Flame Penetration into Solid Propellant Holes

The phenomenon of flame penetration into solid propellant holes has been observed in a nitrogen pressurized strandburner. The phenomenon is largely dependent on the size of the holes, the burning rate (or pressure), and the burned gas temperature. Flame penetration was never observed when the holes were not perforated. The pressure difference between the ends of the hole which is induced by the propellant burning causes the gas to flow into the hole and ignite the interior surface of the hole.     

Combustion Mechanism of Azide Polymer

The combustion wave structure and thermal decomposition process of azide polymer were studied to determine the parameters which control the burning rate. The azide polymer studied was glycidyl azide polymer (GAP) which contains energetic – N₃ groups. GAP was cured with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) and crosslinked with trimethylolpropane (TMP) to formulate GAP propellant. From the experiments, it was found that the burning rate of GAP propellant is significantly high even though the adiabatic flame temperature of GAP propellant is lower than that of conventional solid propellants. The energy released at the burning surface of GAP propellant is caused by the scission of N N₂ bond which produces gaseous N₂. The heat flux transferred back from the gas phase to the burning surface is very small compared with the heat generated at the burning surface. The activation energy of the decomposition of the burning surface of GAP propellant, E_s, is determined to be 87 kJ/mol. The burning rate is represented by r = 9.16 × 10³ exp(–E_s/RT_s) where r (m/s) is burning rate, T_s (K) is the burning surface temperature, and R is the universal gas constant. The observed high temperature sensitivity of burning rate is correlated to the relationship of (∂T_s/∂T₀)_p = 0.481 at 5 MPa, where T₀ is the initial propellant temperature.     

Determination of the absolute configurations of 4-mercapto-2-alkanones using the <Superscript>1</Superscript>H NMR anisotropy method and enzyme-catalyzed kinetic resolution of the corresponding 4-acetylthio-2-alkanones

To determine the capillary gas chromatographic (GC) elution order of the enantiomers of 4-mercapto-2-alkanones, racemic 4-acetylthio-2-alkanones were synthesized and hydrolyzed by lipases to get enantio-enriched 4-mercapto-2-alkanones that were resolved by capillary gas chromatography using a chiral stationary phase. The obtained enantio-enriched 4-mercapto-2-alkanones were esterified with (S)-2-methoxy-2-(1-naphthyl)propionic acid ((S)-MαNP acid), and the HPLC analysis of MαNP thioesters revealed the same isomeric ratios as the chiral GC analysis of the corresponding thiol enantiomers. The diastereoisomeric thioesters obtained were resolved by HPLC, and the absolute configurations were determined on the basis of ¹H NMR anisotropy effects. On the basis of these results, the GC elution order of the enantiomers of 4-mercapto-2-alkanones and of the corresponding 4-acetylthio-2-alkanones could be determined. The combination of enzymatic resolution and MαNP thioesterification proved to be a useful tool to determine the absolute configuration of secondary thiols.     

C57BL/KsJ-db/db-Apc Mice Exhibit an Increased Incidence of Intestinal Neoplasms

The numbers of obese people and diabetic patients are ever increasing. Obesity and diabetes are high-risk conditions for chronic diseases, including certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to develop a novel animal model in order to clarify the pathobiology of CRC development in obese and diabetic patients. We developed an animal model of obesity and colorectal cancer by breeding the C57BL/KsJ-db/db (db/db) mouse, an animal model of obesity and type II diabetes, and the C57BL/6J-Apc(Min/+) (Min/+) mouse, a model of familial adenomatous polyposis. At 15 weeks of age, the N9 backcross generation of C57BL/KsJ-db/db-Apc(Min/+) (db/db-Min/+) mice developed an increased incidence and multiplicity of adenomas in the intestinal tract when compared to the db/m-Min/+ and m/m-Min/+ mice. Blood biochemical profile showed significant increases in insulin (8.3-fold to 11.7-fold), cholesterol (1.2-fold to 1.7-fold), and triglyceride (1.2-fold to 1.3-fold) in the db/db-Min/+ mice, when compared to those of the db/m-Min/+ and m/m-Min/+ mice. Increases (1.4-fold to 2.6-fold) in RNA levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, IRF-1R, and IGF-2 were also observed in the db/db- Min/+ mice. These results suggested that the IGFs, as well as hyperlipidemia and hyperinsulinemia, promoted adenoma formation in the db/db-Min/+ mice. Our results thus suggested that the db/db-Min/+ mice should be invaluable for studies on the pathogenesis of CRC in obese and diabetes patients and the therapy and prevention of CRC in these patients.     

Real-Time Duplex Applications of Loop-Mediated AMPlification (LAMP) by Assimilating Probes

Isothermal nucleic-acid amplification methods such as Loop-Mediated isothermal AMPlification (LAMP) are increasingly appealing alternatives to PCR for use in portable diagnostic system due to the low cost, weight, and power requirements of the instrumentation. As such, interest in developing new probes and other functionality based on the LAMP reaction has been intense. Here, we report on the development of duplexed LAMP assays for pathogen detection using spectrally unique Assimilating Probes. As proof of principle, we used a reaction for Salmonella enterica as a model coupled with a reaction for λ-phage DNA as an internal control, as well as a duplexed assay to sub-type specific quarantine strains of the bacterial wilt pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum. Detection limits for bacterial DNA analyzed in individual reactions was less than 100 genomic equivalents in all cases, and increased by one to two orders of magnitude when reactions were coupled in duplexed formats. Even so, due to the more robust activity of newly available strand-displacing polymerases, the duplexed assays reported here were more powerful than analogous individual reactions reported only a few years ago, and represent a significant advance for incorporation of internal controls to validate assay results in the field.