Antimicrobial activities of ciprofloxacin against recently obtained clinical isolates

In order to evaluate antimicrobial activity of ciprofloxacin (CPFX), minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CPFX and other drugs were determined against clinical isolates that were obtained in our laboratory from January to December of 1991, and of 1993. The results are summarized as follows: 1. CPFX-resistant strains were on the increase in various strains, compared to those in the early 1980s. However, many of CPFX-resistant strains were multi-drug resistant including beta-lactams. In addition, they showed cross resistance to other fluoroquinolone agents. 2. MIC distribution of other drugs suggested that there were increased frequencies of benzylpenicillin (PCG)-insensitive Streptococcus pneumoniae (PISP) and CEPs-resistant Escherichia coli. However, MIC distribution of CPFX to these resistant strains were in a relatively low range. 3. When isolates of 1991 were compared to those of 1993, we confirmed that CPFX-resistant strains decreased among certain bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus. Also we confirmed that fewer CPFX-resistant strains were found among bacteria that may be highly related to infections encountered in daily medical care.     

Primary Sj?gren's syndrome followed by chronic myelogenous leukemia: a case report with a ten year history

We describe a female patient with primary Sj?gren's syndrome who subsequently developed chronic myelogenous leukemia. The patient received a bone marrow transplant (BMT) from a genotypically HLA-identical brother after pre-transplant preparation with busulfan and cyclophosphamide. Eighteen weeks later, cutaneous and mucosal chronic graft-versus-host disease developed, followed by death 11 months after transplantation. Anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies disappeared within 6 months post-BMT, but antinuclear antibodies remained positive through the post-transplant course.     

Peptide mimics of the CTLA4-binding domain stimulate T-cell proliferation

BACKGROUND: Treatment options for malignant gastric outlet obstruction are limited. Surgical gastrojejunostomy, commonly performed, has significant morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Over 2 years, we prospectively studied the safety, feasibility, and outcomes for use of a newly designed expandable metal stent (Wallstent Enteral; Schneider, Minneapolis, Minn.) to treat malignant gastric outlet obstruction. Stents 16 to 22 mm in diameter and 60 to 90 mm in length were deployed directly through the endoscope. RESULTS: Twelve patients (ten women, two men; mean age 59.7 years) underwent stenting. Thereafter, six patients were able to eat a regular diet; three could eat pureed food. In three patients, the procedure was unsuccessful because of multiple obstructions not recognized before stenting (one) and stents deployed too proximally (one) or too distally (one). CONCLUSIONS: Placement of a newly designed stent through the endoscope is safe and effective palliation for various types of malignant gastric outlet obstruction and significantly improves many aspects of patient quality of life.     

Micronucleus test and erythropoiesis: effect of cobalt on the induction of micronuclei by mutagens

The Children Act focuses attention on meeting the assessed needs of children with disabilities. General practitioners (GPs) and Community Child Health (CCH) doctors in one health district were asked by postal questionnaire who it was who currently assessed such needs and who would do so in the future. The involvement of GPs (15) varied from none (1) to regular reassessment (3). Nearly all (14) treated acute illnesses but educational assessments were assigned to CCH doctors. Community doctors (9) had a clearer idea of their role including regular reassessment (9), education assessment (9) and interagency liaison (3). Both groups complained of poor communication with each other and with hospital services. To fulfil the requirements of the Children Act, community child health services, family health services authorities and district health authorities will have to specify how and by whom children with disabilities are identified and assessed. Arrangements will vary according to local service development. These arrangements, and the resulting liaison with other agencies, should be specified in National Health Service contracts, thus improving communication and cooperation.     

Characteristics of modified CT injector for JFT-2M

The HIT-CTI mark II compact toroid (CT) injector employed for the JFT-2M tokamak facility at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI) has been upgraded to improve injection performance. The nozzle of the mark III injector now has a linear tube in place of the original focus cone to avoid rapid focus and deceleration, and the tapered outer electrode has been replaced with more gentle taper in the compression section in order to facilitate gradual compression. The dependence of CT velocity and electron density on poloidal bias flux and trigger time of CT acceleration have been investigated in the operable range of 70–230 km/s average CT velocity and electron density of 0.1–1.0 × 10²² m⁻³ at an accelerator bank voltage of 25 kV. The operation window is broader than that of the mark II injector. Emission of a CT plasmoid from the injector, and transport to the flux conserver as a high-density spheromak magnetic structure have also been confirmed.     

An evaluation of grinding force by the fracture toughness of carbon steel

Grinding force, which is a representative factor of the grindability of a workpiece, is discussed in this study. The metallurgical structures of different carbon steels were classified into two groups according to the magnitude of their grinding force. For each group, the fracture toughness (J_c), was measured. The method used for this measurement was to mount a strain gauge on the hammer of a Charpy impact test machine. The strain at impact fracture was measured and the fracture toughness was calculated, with the results shown on a load-displacement diagram.A comparison of the fracture toughness (J_c) of each material and its grinding force was done. It was found that the fracture toughness (J_c) can be used in estimating the grinding force.     

Effect of Substrate Temperature on Deposition Behavior of Copper Particles on Substrate Surfaces in the Cold Spray Process

The deposition behavior of sprayed individual metallic particles on the substrate surface in the cold spray process was fundamentally investigated. As a preliminary experiment, pure copper (Cu) particles were sprayed on mirror-polished stainless steel and aluminum (Al) alloy substrate surfaces. Process parameters that changed systematically were particle diameter, working gas, gas pressure, gas temperature, and substrate temperature, and the effect of these parameters on the flattening or adhesive behavior of an individual particle was precisely investigated. Deposition ratio on the substrate surface was also evaluated using these parameters. From the results obtained, it was quite noticeable that the higher substrate temperature brought about a higher deposition rate of Cu particles, even under the condition where particles were kept at room temperature. This tendency was promoted more effectively using helium instead of air or nitrogen as a working gas. Both higher velocity and temperature of the particles sprayed are the necessary conditions for the higher deposition ratio in the cold spraying. However, instead of particle heating, substrate heating may bring about the equivalent effect for particle deposition. This article is an invited paper selected from presentations at the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference and has been expanded from the original presentation. It is simultaneously published in Global Coating Solutions, Proceedings of the 2007 International Thermal Spray Conference, Beijing, China, May 14-16, 2007, Basil R. Marple, Margaret M. Hyland, Yuk-Chiu Lau, Chang-Jiu Li, Rogerio S. Lima, and Ghislain Montavon, Ed., ASM International, Materials Park, OH, 2007.     

Oxidation Behavior of a Re-Base Diffusion-Barrier/β-NiAl Coating on Nb–5Mo–15W at High Temperatures

A β-NiAl coating with or without a Re-base alloy layer was formed on a Nb–5Mo–15W alloy. The coated alloys were oxidized isothermally in air at 1373 and 1473 K. Electroplating of a high (more than 70at.%)-Re–Ni film, Cr-pack cementation, Ni plating, and then Al-pack cementation, in this sequence, formed a coating structure with Re-base alloy and β-NiAl layers. The Re-base alloy layers were comprised of an outer σ-phase in the Re–Cr(Ni) system and an inner χ-phase in the Re–Nb(Cr) system. It was found that reaction between the β-NiAl and the alloy substrate was significantly suppressed when the Re-base alloy layers were present. The Re-base σ and χ phases were found to be good candidates for a diffusion barrier against inward-Al diffusion because they have very low solubilities for Al.     

Using model uncertainty for robust optimization in approximate inference control

Recently, the optimization-by-inference approach has been proposed as a new means for solving high-dimensional optimization problems quickly. Approximate Inference COntrol (AICO) is one of the most successful and promising methods that implement the optimization-by-inference approach. AICO is able to solve stochastic optimal control problems and has already been successfully used in many applications. However, it is known that the iterative inference of AICO sometimes fails to converge to the optimal solution. To make the optimization more robust, in this paper, we propose to take model uncertainty into account. In AICO, the cost function to be minimized is accurate around a particular state of a given stochastic system, but the accuracy is uncertain in regions far from that state. Because using such an uncertain function is harmful to the convergence, we modify AICO, so that it does not use the function in uncertain regions. Our method is easy to implement and does not add much computational time to the original AICO. Experiments using two different scenarios show that our method substantially improves AICO in terms of the rate at which the algorithm produces convergent results.     

Electrocatalytic activities of metal electrodes in anodic oxidation of hydrazine in alkaline solution

The electrocatalytic activities of various metals and alloys in the anodic oxidation of hydrazine in alkaline solution have been studied by means of palladium membrane method in which the contact side of the membrane was electrodeposited with a thin layer of the electrocatalytic metals. The electrode materials studied can be divided into two groups. In the first group, platinum, rhodium, cobalt, cobalt—phosphor and cobalt—boron, anodic current of hydrogen oxidation on the diffusion side decreased remarkably with an increase of the electro-oxidation of hydrazine on the contact side. The anodic oxidation of hydrazine occurs through the preliminary stepwise dehydrogenation on this group metals.On the other hand, the amount of sorbed hydrogen in the palladium, gold, nickel and nickel—phosphor electrodes increased with an increase of the electro-oxidation of hydrazine on the contact side. Thus, the anodic oxidation of hydrazine on the latter group metals may proceed through the anodic formation of the intermediate radicals which readily decompose into hydrogen and the related compounds.