Comparison of single sample methods for determination of plasma clearance using 99mTc-MAG3

We compared relationship among three single blood sampling methods which have been proposed for determination of plasma clearance with 99mTc-MAG3. Russell's and Bubeck's algorithms were employed for 48 adults (average age: 53 years) and Bubeck's and Piepsz's algorithms were used in 9 children (average age: 5.8 years). Three methods showed very high correlation among them. However, Russell's and Piepsz's methods were about 1.4 times higher than Bubeck's method in calculating plasma clearance of 99mTc-MAG3. The present study indicates that three methods discussed here are useful for the determination of plasma clearance with 99mTc-MAG3. In addition, Bubeck's method may be preferable as a reference for single plasma sampling method because of common application to adults and children.     

Composite of Au nanoparticles and molecularly imprinted polymer as a sensing material

A molecularly imprinted polymer with immobilized Au nanoparticles (Au-MIP) is reported as a novel type of sensing material. The sensing mechanism is based upon the variable proximity of the Au nanoparticles immobilized in the imprinted polymer, which exhibits selective binding of a given analyte accompanied by swelling that causes a blue-shift in the plasmon absorption band of the immobilized Au nanoparticles. Using adrenaline as the model analyte, it was shown that molecular imprinting effectively enhanced the sensitivity and selectivity, and accordingly, Au-MIP selectively detects the analyte at 5 microM. The combination of molecular imprinting and the Au nanoparticle-based sensing system was shown to be a general strategy for constructing sensing materials in a tailor-made fashion due to wide applicability of the imprinting technique and the independence of the sensing mechanism from the analyte recognition system.     

金属结合剂#600金刚石砂轮的接触放电修锐实验研究

针对微细金刚石磨粒很难从金属结合剂砂轮的胎体中出刃的问题，开发出一种新修锐方法一接触放电修锐、它采用一种旋转复合电极修整轮与砂轮接触磨削，在金属结合剂胎体与电极间产生微小的脉冲放电，逐渐去除砂轮的金属结合剂，使微细金刚石在砂轮工作表面出刃，达到精密修锐的目的。通过对金属结合剂#600金刚石砂轮进行修锐实验，研究其有效性、修锐条件和实际应用。实验表明，该修锐方法不仅不损伤微细金刚石磨粒出刃刃角，而且还可以消除磨粒周围的结合剂尾状物，产生较好的容屑空间。磨削光学玻璃(BK10)的试验结果显示它比机械修锐能够更好地提高磨削表面质量，Ra达到0．12μm。     

Characterization of the brown pigment in sautéed onion by metal-chelating Sepharose 6B column chromatography and microbial decolorization

The brown pigment in sautéed onion was characterized by a microbiological procedure (involving microbial decolorization) and a chemical procedure (involving metal-chelating chromatography with a Sepharose 6B column). The suitability of the chemical procedure as a method for classifying brown pigments was also examined.The pigment from sautéed onion was about 40% decolorized by Coriolus versicolor IFO 30340, as were the model pigments caramel and model melanoidin (MM). The phenol-type model pigments (PTMP) were approximately 40-60% decolorized by Paecilomyces canadensis NC-1, but the sautéed-onion pigment, the MM and the caramel were merely 5% decolorized by it. The pigment from sautéed onion was separated into two components by Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺, or Zn²⁺-chelating chromatography, as were caramel and MM; the PTMP was not separated into multiple components by either Cu²⁺ or Fe²⁺-chelating chromatography. The results from both methods indicate that the pigment from sautéed onion is similar to MM and caramel but not the phenol-type pigment.     

The significance of colocalization of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and vitronectin in hepatic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: We examined the relationships among vitronectin (VN), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in liver diseases to evaluate the presence of plasmin cascade in human hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: Blood and liver tissues were obtained from 57 patients with liver disease. Plasma VN, PAI-1 antigen, and PAI-1 activity levels were evaluated. Biopsied liver specimens were observed by light and electron microscopy after immunohistochemical staining. Morphometric analysis was performed on these specimens. RESULTS: Plasma VN and PAI-1 activity levels decreased significantly with the progression of hepatic fibrosis and were particularly marked in the liver cirrhosis group. Plasma PAI-1 antigen level increased significantly. The immunolocalization of the active form of TGF-beta became more intense with the progression of hepatic fibrosis, whereas that of the dual-stained positive areas of PAI-1 and VN (PAI-1.VN) decreased. There was a positive correlation between TGF-beta and PAI-1, whereas there was a negative correlation between TGF-beta and PAI-1.VN. Immunoelectron microscopy showed the localization of PAI-1-VN in the extracellular space around the sinusoidal cells or surface of aggregating platelets, TGF-beta mainly in Ito cells, and VN in hepatocytes near the focal necrotic area or fibrous septa. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that VN and PAI-1 are related to the active form of TGF-beta and that it is possible that the plasmin cascade is present in the human liver.     

Serum concentrations of apolipoproteins in patients with thyroid dysfunction

We measured serum concentrations of apolipoproteins (apo A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III and E) in patients with thyroid disease (hyperthyroidism; n = 44, hypothyroidism; n = 15) and in normal subjects (n = 89). We found that apoA-II, B and C-III concentrations revealed significant difference among three groups of the normal (apoA-II; 31.4 +/- 4.9 mg/dl, apoB; 85.8 +/- 16.3 mg/dl, apoCIII; 7.45 +/- 2.99 mg/dl), hyperthyroidism (apoA-II; 29.8 +/- 5.4, apoB; 63.4 +/- 18.9, apoC-III; 6.28 +/- 2.45) and hypothyroidism (apoA-II; 27.5 +/- 5.3, apoB; 108.0 +/- 30.9, apoC-III; 9.43 +/- 2.74). Thyroid hormones showed clear negative correlation to apoB (r = 0.70, p < 0.001). Furthermore, apoC-III was also found to be negatively correlated with thyroid hormone concentrations (r = 0.47, p < 0.001).