Reaction of coal with quinoline during extraction

Yubari coal vitrite was extracted with quinoline at 420° C for 0–4 h and the products were separated into several fractions. Quinoline solubles (QS) and insolubles (QI) increased with time and the total recovered weight became nearly 200% of the original weight of the coal. A large part of this weight increase was due to the contribution of the formation of biquinoline and to quinoline addition to coal. Depolymerization to smaller molecules and polymerization to QI took place simultaneously via the addition of quinoline and the production of biquinoline.     

Hemostasis of gastric variceal hemorrhage by transileocoecal and transhepatic obliteration

On the basis of the latest achievements in anesthesia and reanimation, as well as the results of special military medical exercises and documents which depict the experience of local wars, the article shows the basic features of a conception about field anesthesia and reanimation. Taking into account the experience gained in Afghanistan the author determines the principles of its organization and approaches towards the solution of important tasks assigned to anesthesiological and reanimation service in combat conditions.     

Polarization-dependent refractive-index change induced bysuperlattice disordering

A model of the polarization-dependent refractive-index change that accompanies superlattice disordering is proposed for the first time. Calculated results agree well with experimental results in terms of the amount and direction of the refractive-index changes. In the GaAs-AlAs system, a simple diffusion model that considers the diffusion of group III atoms explains the experimental results. In a InGaAs-InP system, it is assumed that group V atoms mainly induce disordering, and the difference between the diffusion constant in wells and that in barriers is taken into account. The refractive-index changes induced by superlattice disordering are useful for fabricating polarization control devices and integrated optical circuits     

Substrate specificity and some other enzymatic properties of dihydroceramide desaturase (ceramide synthase) in fetal rat skin

Dihydroceramide desaturase, which catalyzes the introduction of a double bond at the 4,5-position of the sphingosine base in a dihydroceramide, was assayed in vitro using radiolabeled D-erythro-C18-dihydroceramide (N-stearoyl sphinganine) and homogenates of fetal rat skin, and some enzymatic properties, including substrate specificity, were determined. The ceramide structure, as the enzymatic product, was confirmed by (i) oxidation of the product with 2,3-dicyano-5,6-dichlorobenzoquinone, which revealed the conversion to 3-ketoceramide (3,3'-didehydroceramide), indicating that a double bond was introduced at the adjacent to the C-3 hydroxyl residue of sphinganine, and (ii) mass spectrometry of a long chain base released from the enzymatic product, which revealed a spectrum identical to that of authentic sphingenine. A short chain dihydroceramide, which was radiolabeled at sphinganine through a newly established method, having a C2- or C6-fatty acid was not desaturated by the skin enzyme, whereas that having a C10-, C14-, or C18-acid was desaturated, maximal reactivity being observed for the C14-dihydroceramide. Other enzymatic properties were confirmed: NAD(H) or NADP(H) and a detergent were required for elevation of the activity; the optimum pH was approximately 6.7; and metal cations were not essential, but Zn2+, Cu2+, and Fe2+ were rather inhibitory. These properties of rat skin desaturase were partly similar to those of rat liver microsomes, as reported recently, however, their substrate specificities were different.     

Syntheses and preventive effects of analogues related to 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-2beta-(3-hydroxypropoxy)vitamin D3 (ED-71) on bone mineral loss in ovariectomized rats

Analogues related to 1alpha,25-dihydroxy-2beta-(3-hydroxypropoxy)vitamin D3 (ED-71) (2), 26,27-dimethyl ED-71 (3) and 26,27-diethyl ED-71 (4), were synthesized from lithocholic acid (5). In the study of the preventive effects of these analogues and ED-71 (2) on bone mineral loss in ovariectomized rats, 26,27-dimethyl ED-71 (3) showed the most potent activity.     

Differential regulation of brain angiotensin II in genetically hypertensive and normotensive rats after nephrectomy

HLA-DR haplotypes in patients with scleroderma and vasculitis were compared with those in healthy controls from the Scottish population to investigate whether any associations exist between MHC antigens and development of specific autoantibodies. In patients with systemic vasculitis the presence of any antibodies against neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA) was associated with an increased frequency of DR8 [p < 0.004], and no patients expressed the DR5 antigen. However, no significant differences were observed when these patients were subdivided into those with anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies or anti-proteinase-3 (PR3) antibodies. Scleroderma patients as a whole showed a lower frequency of DR7 than controls [5.1% cf 28% in control population, p < 0.002]. Following subdivision by autoantibody profile, patients with circulating anti-centromere antibody (ACA) showed an increased frequency of DR1 compared to the control population [p < 0.001]. No scleroderma patient without ACA expressed this haplotype. Associations between MHC and some autoantibodies suggest that antigen presentation could lead to their production.     

Brasilinolide A, a new macrolide antibiotic produced by Nocardia brasiliensis: producing strain, isolation and biological activity

A new 32-membered macrolide antibiotic, brasilinolide A was isolated from the fermentation broth of Nocardia sp. IFM 0406. The producer was identified as Nocardia brasiliensis. The antibiotic was only active against Aspergillus niger, but not active against other fungi including yeasts as well as other filamentous like fungi and bacteria. Brasilinolide A exerted an immunosuppressive activity in the assay system of a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR).     

Polarization-insensitive optical amplifier withtensile-strained-barrier MQW structure

A new approach to achieving a polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifier is presented. The active layer consists of a tensile-strained-barrier MQW structure that enhances TM mode gain. Polarization sensitivity below 0.5 dB is realized at a wavelength of 1.56 μm. A signal gain of 27.5 dB is obtained along with a saturation output power of 14 dBm. Deriving the refractive indices of well and barrier layers from both experiment and theory, we succeed in separation of the effect of the confinement factor and the gain coefficient. It is determined that TM mode gain enhancement in this structure is primarily due to the increase in the confinement factor     

Analysis of common antigen of flagella in Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis

Flagellar antigen of Bacillus cereus H.1 was purified and tested for serodiagnostic antigen by ELISA. The antibody against the flagellar antigen of B. cereus H.1 reacted not only with the homologous specific antigen but also reacted with the flagellar antigens of 23 strains of B. cereus. This common flagellar antigen of B. cereus was found to be due to 61-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot assay. Monoclonal antibody H15A5 against common antigenic epitope of B. cereus also reacted with flagellar antigens of 21 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis by ELISA. This monoclonal antibody reacted with the 61-kDa protein of the flagella of B. cereus H.1 and H.2 and B. thuringiensis Kurstaki HD1, Alesti and Aizawai juroi by immunoblot analysis. These results indicated that the common antigenic epitope of the 61-kDa protein existed in the flagella both of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor at the human gastric ulcer margin and in cultured gastric fibroblasts: a new angiogenic factor for gastric ulcer healing

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in gastric ulcer repair. Several growth factors are involved in angiogenesis, and of these, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has received considerable attention, since it is the only factor that specifically acts on endothelial cells. However, the role of VEGF in gastric ulcer repair is not known. In the present study, we demonstrate the specific expression of VEGF at the gastric ulcer margin, using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The specific receptors of VEGF, flt-1 and KDR were also detected in gastric mucosa. We further demonstrate the expression of VEGF by cultured human gastric fibroblasts which is enhanced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These data suggest that VEGF may play a role in angiogenesis in the process of gastric ulcer healing.