Neural activation of the brain with hemodynamic insufficiency

Little is known about how ischemia affects hemodynamic responses to neural activation in the brain. We compare the effects of a motor activation task and a cerebral vasodilating agent, acetazolamide (ACZ), on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in primary sensorimotor cortex (PSM) in six patients with major cerebral artery steno-occlusive lesions without paresis of the upper extremities. Quantitative rCBF was measured in all patients using H2(15)O autoradiographic method and positron emission tomography. The CBF was determined at rest, during a bimanual motor activation task, and 10 minutes after ACZ administration. With bimanual motor activation, rCBF increased significantly in both PSM compared with at rest (P < 0.01 on lesion side, and P < 0.02 on contralateral side). However, rCBF did not increase after ACZ injection in the PSM on the lesion side, whereas rCBF increased significantly in the contralateral PSM after ACZ injection compared with the level at rest. This result suggests that despite a decreased hemodynamic reserve, there is a nearly normal flow response to neural activation, indicating that the mechanism of vasodilation responsible for perfusion change is different for acetazolamide and neural activation. The relations among neural activation, hemodynamic status, and cerebral metabolism in the ischemic stroke patients are discussed.     

Pharmacological properties of YM461, a new orally active platelet-activating factor antagonist

The antagonistic effect of YM461 [1-(3-phenylpropyl)-4-[2-(3-pyridyl)thiazolidin-4-ylcarbonyl]piperazine fumarate] against platelet-activating factor (PAF) was examined in severalin vitro andin vivo systems. We found that YM461 inhibited [³H]PAF binding to rabbit platelet membranes with a pK_i value of 8.90. YM461 inhibited PAF induced rabbit and human platelet aggregation with pA₂ values of 7.52 and 7.29, respectively; the slopes of the Schild plots were 1.07 and 1.01, respectively. However, YM461 at 10⁻⁴M did not affect rabbit and human platelet aggregation induced by ADP, collagen, arachidonic acid or epinephrine. YM461 inhibited PAF induced death in mice with an ED₅₀ (50% effective dose) value of 0.35 mg/kgp.o. YM461 at doses above 0.3 mg/kgi.v. inhibited PAF induced hypotension in rats. YM461 showed a dose-dependent inhibition of PAF induced hemoconcentration in rats with ED₅₀ values of 0.15 and 0.21 mg/kgp.o., respectively, at 0.5 and 1 hr after oral administration. The anti-PAF effect of YM461 persisted more than 6 hr after 3 mg/kgp.o. in rats. YM461 inhibited the bronchoconstriction induced by PAF with an ED₅₀ value of 1.2 mg/kgp.o. in anesthetized guinea pigs. Furthermore, the compound at doses above 3 mg/kgp.o. significantly inhibited antigen-induced anaphylactic asthma in conscious guinea pigs pretreated with mepyramine and propranolol. These results indicate that YM461 is a selective, potent and orally active PAF antagonist. Based on a paper presented at the Third International Conference on Platelet-Activating Factor and Structurally Related Alkyl Ether Lipids, Tokyo, Japan, May 1989.     

Compact ellipsometer employing a static polarimeter module with arrayed polarizer and wave-plate elements

A portable ellipsometer with a compact static polarimeter using an arrayed polarizer, an arrayed wave plate, and a CCD image sensor is developed. A high level of repeatability at a measurement speed of 0.3 s is demonstrated by measurement of SiO(2) films ranging from 2 to 300 nm in thickness deposited on an Si wafer. There is the potential to realize an ultracompact ellipsometer module by integrating the optical source and receiver, suitable for deployment in a variety of manufacturing equipment and measurement instruments.     

High Magnetic Field Dependence of Magnetodielectric Properties in Sr2CoSi2O7 Crystal

We have investigated magnetic and dielectric properties of åkermanite Sr₂CoSi₂O₇ single crystal in which the orbital hybridization is controllable by external magnetic fields. Sr₂CoSi₂O₇ shows the electric polarization that is originated from asymmetric orbital hybridization induced by magnetic field. This induced electric polarization was observed even at temperatures considerably higher than the magnetic transition temperature. The polarization data obtained for the paramagnetic phase are scaled with the square of the induced magnetization. By the discussion of the crystal symmetry, the space group of a polar state of åkermanite materials is probably Cmm2.     

Effect of Microstructure on the Electrochemical Behavior of Ti-10 Mass% Mn Alloys in High Chloride Solution

The effect of microstructure on the corrosion of heat-treated Ti-10 mass% Mn alloys was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 10% NaCl solution of pH 0.5 at 97 °C. Sample of solution heat treatment (ST) had a single β phase, and samples subjected to the aging heat treatment at 600 °C had α phase precipitation in β phases. The EIS measurements showed that the corrosion resistance of the aging heat-treated samples showed lower values than ST sample, however, much higher values than pure Ti. Thus, Mn was effective to increase the corrosion resistance of Ti alloys. Laser micrographs of heat-treated samples indicated that α phase was selectively corroded and made the pit after the corrosion test. The transmission electron microscope (TEM)-energy dispersive x-ray spectrometry (EDXS) analyses showed that the Mn content was 9 mass% in the β phase and 0.7 mass% in α phase. Hence, it was understood that less-Mn α phase was selectively corroded in the corrosion test. However, as compared with pure Ti, the aging heat-treated samples showed much higher resistance against the corrosion by the 0.7 mass% Mn in α phase. Finally, it was concluded that it was possible to keep the high corrosion resistance for heat-treated Ti-10 mass% Mn alloy by controlling the microstructure of α phase.     

Structural elucidation of a tadalafil analogue found in a dietary supplement

A tadalafil analogue was detected in a dietary supplement marketed for tonic effect, along with hydroxyhomosildenafil and aminotadalafil. The tadalafil analogue was isolated by preparative thin layer chromatography (TLC) and its structure was elucidated using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), liquid chromatography electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS), Fourier transform-ion cyclotron resonance-mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The compound was determined to be methyl-1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-(chloroacetyl)-2,3,4,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole-3-carboxylate.     

Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 in human immunodeficiency virus 1-positive and human immunodeficiency virus 1-negative populations in Japan

To determine the seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) among human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1)-positive (HIV-1+) and HIV-1-negative (HIV-1-) populations in Japan, 276 HIV-1+ patients and 1,000 HIV-1- blood donors were enrolled in this study. Antibodies against HHV8 latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) were examined through indirect immunofluorescent assay by using a B-cell line that was infected latently with HHV8 (body cavity-based lymphoma 1). An HHV8- and Epstein-Barr virus-negative B-cell line (Ramos) was used as a control. Thirty-two seropositive cases against LANA (anti-LANA+) were identified among the 276 HIV-1+ patients who were studied. Five cases were foreigners living in Japan. The risk factor of all 27 Japanese cases was unprotected sexual intercourse, and the great majority of these cases (23 in 27; 85%) reported homosexual/bisexual behavior. Anti-LANA+ status correlated with the presence of sexually transmitted diseases, such as amoeba and HBV infection, further suggesting male homosexual behavior as the main route of HHV8 transmission in Japan. Only two LANA+ cases were identified among 1,000 HIV- blood donors in Japan; thus, seroprevalence of HHV8 identified by LANA was estimated to be 0.2% among HIV-1- populations in this country.     

Roles of nuclear energy in Japan's future energy systems

The roles of nuclear energy in Japan's future energy systems were analyzed from the viewpoint of securing stable energy supply and reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. The MARKAL model, developed in the Energy Technology Systems Analysis Programme (ETSAP) of the IEA, was used for establishing several energy scenarios with different assumptions on the availability of nuclear energy, natural gas, and a CO₂ disposal option. Nuclear energy was assumed to apply for synthetic fuel production as well as for conventional electric power generation. By comparing the CO₂ emission and system costs between these energy scenarios, following results were obtained. Without nuclear energy, the CO₂ emissions will hardly be reduced because of substantial increases in coal utilization. CO₂ disposal will be effective in reducing the emissions, however at much higher costs than the case with nuclear energy. The expansion of natural gas imports, if alone, will not reduce the emissions at enough low levels.     

In vitro osteogenic differentiation of HOS cells on two types of collagen gels

HOS cell is a model strain of human osteoblasts derived from human osteosarcoma. We cultured the HOS cells on both the conventional collagen gel (neutral gel), and the gamma-crosslinked collagen gel without collagen fibrils (acidic gel). The shape of HOS cells on the neutral gel was similar to that on the culture dish. However, HOS cells on acidic gel had an elongated shape and attached each other to form a mesh-like pattern. The cells attached to the surface of both gels but scarcely penetrated their depths. We measured the biochemical markers for osteogenic differentiation in the HOS cells cultured on both the neutral gel and the acidic gel. The expressions of alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were detected in the HOS cells on both types of collagen gel. Deposition of the calcium also occurred on both gels although it was higher in the neutral gel than the acidic one. These results indicate the importance of collagen for the differentiation of HOS cells, but it is not dependent on the molecular structure (fibril formation) of collagen.