Ulcerative colitis associated with Weber-Christian panniculitis and musculitis: a case report

A case of 22-year-old man suffering from ulcerative colitis, in whom Weber-Christian panniculitis and musculitis occurred simultaneously, is reported. He had suffered from ulcerative colitis for 7 years and he again had bloody stools 1 month before being admitted. Two weeks before admission, large (2-4 cm) subcutaneous tumors appeared. Weber-Christian panniculitis, musculitis, and active stage ulcerative colitis were diagnosed. All the symptoms went into remission after steroid therapy. The possibility of the existence of a common antigen in enterobacterial wall, colonic epithelium, and adipose tissue was suggested.     

In vivo effect of growth-inhibitor produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates and anti-pseudomonal drugs on model infection due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Nos. 1 and 5, each co-existing growth-inhibitor-producing and -nonproducing cells, were used in this study. An equal number of both cells (each 10(8) CFU/mouse) was challenged intraperitoneally to mice, and these cells in the heart blood and kidneys of mice were determined. Furthermore, the effect of piperacillin, ceftazidime and sisomicin on the cell distribution in mice was studied in the model infection due to P. aeruginosa Nos. 1 and 5. As a control experiment both cells of P. aeruginosa No. 1 were each challenged intraperitoneally at a dose of 10(8) CFU/mouse to mice of two groups, but there were no marked differences between the two types in cell counts of the heart blood or kidneys 9 hours after challenge. When a concomitant challenge of both cells (each 10(8) CFU/mouse) was performed in mice, the number of growth-inhibitor-producing cells of the heart blood and kidneys was about 100 times greater than that of the non-producing cells. These in vivo results were well comparable to the previous in vitro results and indicated that the inhibitor affected the invasion of the non-producing bacteria in the body in the model infection due to P. aeruginosa isolates consisting of the two types of cells. Similar results were obtained in mice with the model infection due to P. aeruginosa No. 5. Anti-pseudomonal drugs such as piperacillin (50 mg/mouse) and ceftazidime (50 mg/mouse) and sisomicin (1 mg/mouse) were given intramuscularly to mice infected concomitantly with both cells of P. aeruginosa No. 1.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

On the accuracy and efficiency of substrate current calculationsfor sub-μm n-MOSFET's

The accuracy and efficiency of the self-consistent (regarding the electric field) Monte Carlo model, nonself-consistent Monte Carlo model, and the soft-threshold lucky electron model (LEM) for the calculation of substrate currents in deep sub-μm n-MOSFET's are investigated. While the two Monte Carlo models are in good agreement with the experiment, the simpler LEM model still gives reasonable results even for a 0.16 μm n-MOSFET. On the other hand, huge differences in the CPU time consumption are found and the LEM is about four orders of magnitude faster than the self-consistent Monte Carlo simulations. The nonself-consistent calculations are only one order of magnitude slower than the LEM. The good agreement with the experiment is obtained without considering the so-called surface impact ionization or any fitting of parameters on the device level     

Bone and calcium metabolism in Werner''s syndrome

Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, the causative agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), was first isolated from armadillos from the Amazonian region where the mycosis is uncommon. In the present study, we report on the high incidence of PCM infection in armadillos from a hyperendemic region of the disease. Four nine-banded armadillos (Dasypus novemcinctus) were captured in the endemic area of Botucatu, Sao Paulo, Brazil, killed by manual cervical dislocation and autopsied under sterile conditions. Fragments of lung, spleen, liver, and mesenteric lymph nodes were processed for histology, cultured on Mycosel agar at 37 degrees C, and homogenized for inoculation into the testis and peritoneum of hamsters. The animals were killed from week 6 to week 20 postinoculation and fragments of liver, lung, spleen, testis, and lymph nodes were cultured on brain heart infusion agar at 37 degrees C. Paracoccidioides brasiliensis was isolated from three armadillos both by direct organ culture and from the liver, spleen, lung, and mesenteric lymph nodes of hamsters. In addition, one positive armadillo presented histologically proven PCM disease in a mesenteric lymph node. The three armadillos isolates (Pb-A1, Pb-A2, and Pb-A4) presented thermodependent dimorphism, urease activity, and casein assimilation, showed amplification of the gp43 gene, and were highly virulent in intratesticularly inoculated hamsters. The isolates expressed the gp43 glycoprotein, the immunodominant antigen of the fungus, and reacted with a pool of sera from PCM patients. Taken together, the present data confirm that armadillos are a natural reservoir of P. brasiliensis and demonstrate that the animal is a sylvan host to the fungus.     

Transiliac catheterization of the inferior vena cava for long-term venous access in children

In infants and children requiring prolonged, multiple central venous (CV) catheterizations, the superior (SVC) and inferior vena cava may become thrombosed or stenotic, making CV access a difficult problem. Use of the iliac vein may be an acceptable alternative. We report a patient with thrombosis of the SVC in whom the external iliac vein was accessed through a retroperitoneal approach for placement of an implantable port. This technique is easy to perform, and there are no special materials or patient positioning required.     

Path planning for an autonomous mobile robot considering a region with a velocity constraint in a real environment

Recently, many research projects and competitions have attempted to find an autonomous mobile robot that can drive in the real world. In this article, we consider a path-planning method for an autonomous mobile robot that would be safe in a real environment. In such a case, it is very important for the robot to be able to identify its own position and orientation in real time. Therefore, we applied a localization method based on a particle filter. Moreover, in order to improve the safety of such autonomous locomotion, we improved the path-planning algorithm and the generation of the trajectory so that it can consider a region with a limited maximum velocity. In order to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method, we participated in the Real World Robot Challenge 2010. The experimental results are given.     

Synthesis of metal nitrides and carbide powders by a spark discharge method in liquid media

Metal nitrides and carbides powders were synthesized by the spark discharge method in liquid ammonia at 100 °C and 11 kV of the spark discharge voltage and in n-heptane at 25 °C and 7.5 kV using the pellets of aluminum, titanium, iron and chromium as the starting material. The main products were AlN, TiN_0.51, -Fe, -Cr₂N in liquid ammonia, and Al₄C₃, TiC, -Fe, Fe₂C and Cr₇C₃ in n-heptane. The agglomerated particle size decreased with increasing melting point of the metal used as the starting material.     

Enhancement of superconductivity in Pb-Bi-Sn and Pb-Bi-In alloy filaments produced by glass-coated melt spinning

The enhancement ofT _c in Pb-Bi-Sn and Pb-Bi-In system alloy filaments produced by glass-coated melt spinning was investigated as a means of producing a new type of superconducting filament with highT _c. Long filaments of Pb-Bi-Sn alloy withT _c higher than 10 K and Pb-Bi-In alloy withT _c higher than 9 K were obtained from the molten state at a temperature of 1500 K with a winding speed of 2.63 m sec^–1. For example, a Pb₄₅Bi₃₅Sn₂₀ filament withT _c of 10.1 K was 15 m in diameter and polycrystalline with a grain size of 100 nm. The structure of the filament was a mixture of , tin and bismuth phases and a metastable phase of mixed structure of bismuth and supersaturated solid solution of tin in -phase was detected. TheT _c of the filament decreased on heat treatment. A metastable phase of mixed structure of bismuth and -phase was also detected for a Pb₄₅Bi₄₅In₁₀ filament withT _c of 9.3 K. As the metastable phase for the Pb-Bi-In filament was more unstable than that for the Pb-Bi-Sn filament, theT _c of the filament was drastically decreased by heat treatment. The metastable phase was considered to play an important role in the enhancement ofT _c for Pb-Bi-Sn and Pb-Bi-In alloy filaments.     

Cyclic Nigerosyl-Nigerose as Oxygen Nanocarrier to Protect Cellular Models from Hypoxia/Reoxygenation Injury: Implications from an In Vitro Model

Heart failure (HF) prevalence is increasing among the aging population, and the mortality rate remains unacceptably high despite improvements in therapy. Myocardial ischemia (MI) and, consequently, ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI), are frequently the basis of HF development. Therefore, cardioprotective strategies to limit IRI are mandatory. Nanocarriers have been proposed as alternative therapy for cardiovascular disease. Controlled reoxygenation may be a promising strategy. Novel nanocarriers, such as cyclic nigerosyl-nigerose (CNN), can be innovative tools for oxygen delivery in a controlled manner. In this study we analyzed new CNN-based formulations as oxygen nanocarriers (O₂-CNN), and compared them with nitrogen CNN (N₂-CNN). These different CNN-based formulations were tested using two cellular models, namely, cardiomyoblasts (H9c2), and endothelial (HMEC) cell lines, at different concentrations. The effects on the growth curve during normoxia (21% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 74% N₂) and their protective effects during hypoxia (1% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 94% N₂) and reoxygenation (21% O₂, 5% CO₂ and 74% N₂) were studied. Neither O₂-CNN nor N₂-CNN has any effect on the growth curve during normoxia. However, O₂-CNN applied before hypoxia induces a 15–30% reduction in cell mortality after hypoxia/re-oxygenation when compared to N₂-CNN. O₂-CNN showed a marked efficacy in controlled oxygenation, which suggests an interesting potential for the future medical application of soluble nanocarrier systems for MI treatment.     

Current Understanding of the Structure,Stability and Dynamic Properties of Amyloid Fibrils

Amyloid fibrils are supramolecular protein assemblies represented by a cross-β structure and fibrous morphology, whose structural architecture has been previously investigated. While amyloid fibrils are basically a main-chain-dominated structure consisting of a backbone of hydrogen bonds, side-chain interactions also play an important role in determining their detailed structures and physicochemical properties. In amyloid fibrils comprising short peptide segments, a steric zipper where a pair of β-sheets with side chains interdigitate tightly is found as a fundamental motif. In amyloid fibrils comprising longer polypeptides, each polypeptide chain folds into a planar structure composed of several β-strands linked by turns or loops, and the steric zippers are formed locally to stabilize the structure. Multiple segments capable of forming steric zippers are contained within a single protein molecule in many cases, and polymorphism appears as a result of the diverse regions and counterparts of the steric zippers. Furthermore, the β-solenoid structure, where the polypeptide chain folds in a solenoid shape with side chains packed inside, is recognized as another important amyloid motif. While side-chain interactions are primarily achieved by non-polar residues in disease-related amyloid fibrils, the participation of hydrophilic and charged residues is prominent in functional amyloids, which often leads to spatiotemporally controlled fibrillation, high reversibility, and the formation of labile amyloids with kinked backbone topology. Achieving precise control of the side-chain interactions within amyloid structures will open up a new horizon for designing useful amyloid-based nanomaterials.