Quantum efficiency of Nd-doped glasses under sunlight excitation

The internal quantum efficiencies under sunlight and laser excitation were measured directly by an integrating sphere method for tellurite, borosilicate and fluoride glasses. The radiative quantum efficiency was also obtained by Judd–Ofelt analysis. The radiative quantum efficiency was almost 100% for tellurite and fluoride glasses and 50% for borosilicate glasses. The quantum efficiency under laser excitation was 86%, 34% and 88% for tellurite, borosilicate and fluoride glasses at a low Nd³⁺ content and decreased by concentration quenching. The quantum efficiency under sunlight excitation was up to 33%, 21% and 70% for tellurite, borosilicate and fluoride glasses. Nd³⁺-doped fluoride glass is a promising candidate for solar pumped laser applications since it has the high quantum efficiency under sunlight excitation.     

Identification and determination of unknown chemicals in crops by dual-column GC system equipped with MS and ECD

A dual-column GC system equipped with MS and ECD, using two identical columns (HP-1701), one connected to the MS and one to the ECD, has been developed. The carrier gas flow rate was adjusted to give the same retention time of each peak in both columns. Unknown peaks were detected and identified in 7 samples of crops using this system. It was confirmed that the unknown peaks were 5 pesticides, i.e., bromopropylate and others. The recoveries and CV of bromopropylate from spinach and Komatsuna were good. The results of determination of bromopropylate by both MS and ECD were the same. Unknown chemicals can be easily identified using GC equipped with MS and ECD, and this system should be useful in the field of food hygiene.     

Small heat shock protein of a hyperthermophilic archaeum, Thermococcus sp. strain KS-1, exists as a spherical 24 mer and its expression is highly induced under heat-stress conditions

Small heat shock proteins (sHsps) are the most ubiquitous molecular chaperones. Several sHsps have been shown to exhibit chaperone activity and protect proteins from thermal and chemical aggregation. We have characterized a small heat shock protein from a hyperthermophilic archaeum, Thermococcus sp. strain KS-1. Electron microscopy revealed that the protein exists as a spherical oligomer with a diameter of 14+/-1 nm. The molecular weight of the oligomer was determined to be 478.6 kDa by size exclusion chromatography-multiangle laser light scattering. Thus, the Thermococcus sHsp is likely to exist as a spherical 24meric oligomer with almost the same structure as the Methanococcus jannaschii sHsp. The Thermococcus sHsp homo-oligomer protected porcine heart citrate synthase from thermal aggregation. It also slightly enhanced the refolding of acid-denatured green fluorescent protein. While the Thermococcus sHsp could not be detected in cells grown at the optimal growth temperature or lower, the expression of the protein was highly induced when the cells were grown at temperatures higher than the optimal growth temperature. Since only group II chaperonins and sHsps exist in hyperthermophilic archaea as molecular chaperones, sHsps should have an important role in protecting cells from lesions caused by aggregates of thermally denatured cellular proteins.     

Carrier transport properties in highly ordered smectic liquid crystal phase

We have designed and synthesized a new liquid crystalline phenylbenzothienobenzothiphene derivative, Ph‐BTBT‐4S‐3, in order to investigate the carrier transport properties in highly ordered smectic liquid crystal phase at a wide temperature range lower than room temperature enough to analyze them. Ph‐BTBT‐4S‐3 exhibits smectic E (SmE) phase, which is the one of highly ordered smectic liquid crystal phases, at the wide temperature range from 200°C to under ?130°C. Thanks to its wide temperature range of SmE phase, we could reveal the carrier transport properties in the low temperature range, which were well explained on the basis of Gaussian disorder model having a Gaussian width, σ, of 87 meV, which was larger than those of typical nonpolar liquid crystals of 40?60 meV and was attributed to additional dipole of a thioether group in the side chain.     

A basic study of photodynamic therapy of experimental hepatoma with ME 2906

We have studied effects of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT) in hepatoma as confirmed by the existence of hepatoma when using a new photosensitizer mono-L-aspartyl chlorin e6. Japanese white rabbits were selected to perform abdominal incision under intravenous anesthesia and transplant VX2 tumor cells into the liver left lobe for the hepatoma model. Hepatoma of 1 cm in diameter (at one week after transplantation) was used experimentally to radiate a semiconductor laser (664 nm, 200 J/cm2) for treatment.     

Usefulness of bladder auto-augmentation in neurogenic bladder: a case report

A 41-year-old male with myelomenigocele underwent a bladder auto-augmentation and endoscopic collagen injections. He has been performing self intermittent catheterization for 10 years but urinary incontinence remained unchanged. Furthermore, he suffered from recurrent pyelonephritis due to the left vesicoureteral reflux. A preoperative fluoroscopic urodynamic study showed a poorly compliant bladder with the maximal bladder capacity of 200 ml at 60 cmH2O. The left vesicoureteral reflux was observed at 10 cmH2O. The low compliant bladder was treated with the bladder autoaugmentation and the left vesicoureteral reflux was treated with the endoscopic subureteral injection of collagen 5 months after the previous operation. A fluoroscopic urodynamic study 6 months postoperatively showed the increase of the maximal bladder capacity of 300 ml at 18 cmH2O and the reflux disappeared completely. The endoscopic periurethral injections of collagen improved his persisting urinary incontinence. In patient with neurogenic bladder having a lot of clinical problems, bladder auto-augmentation is less invasive and offers many advantages over enterocystoplasy.     

Central effects of iohexol and iopamidol, non-ionic contrast media

BACKGROUND: The relationship between uveitis anterior in childhood and juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA, respectively JRA) has been known since 1950. In a review, the clinical picture of uveitis anterior, its prevalence, pathogenesis, prognosis and current therapy of ocular complications are presented. In addition, we will report our results of a clinical study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, 64 patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) had an ophthalmological screening for eye complications either from the disease itself or from the treatment. RESULTS: In 16% of the patients, an iridocyclitis was found, in one case acute, in 9 cases chronic. The cases of chronic uveitis anterior showed in 43% a combination with the classic risk factors (ANA-positive, oligoarticular, female). At the beginning of uveitis, the patients had a mean age of 81 months, at the beginning of JCA disease a mean age of 37 months. Four of 10 patients (= 40%) had eye complications from uveitis (cataract, posterior synechiae, glaucoma). Complications from therapy were found in 27%, mostly cataract as a complication of systemic and topical steroid treatment. Eighteen % had a visual acuity of 0.4 or less. CONCLUSIONS: Because of the often asymptomatic progression of chronic uveitis anterior, the risk of severe undetected eye complications is high. Therefore, an intensive interdisciplinary cooperation between rheumatologists, pediatrics and ophthalmologists is required.     

Simultaneous assessment of the hemodynamic, cardiomechanical, and electrophysiological effects of terfenadine on the in vivo canine model

The G2 block is a major response of cells to DNA damage and seem to be induced independently of p53 status. It is thought that the G2 block has a protective function and allows cells to repair their DNA. The molecular events involved in the formation of the G2 block therefore are of great interest. We have used pentoxifylline, a potent G2 delay abrogator, to study the expression of an essential component of the mitosis promoting complex (MPF), cyclin B1. Cyclin B1/G2 ratios are used to show that irradiation induces a decrease in cyclin B1 expression and that pentoxifylline restores cyclin B1 expression to control level. This confirms that suppression of cyclin B1 plays a role in the formation of the G2 cell cycle delay, and that elevating cyclin B1 expression is part of the mechanism of action of pentoxifylline on G2 blocked cells.     

Some biochemical properties of the components of Staphylococcus aureus binding to human platelets

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether pulmonary function in children who were lifetime residents of the highly polluted district of Teplice in northern Bohemia was lower than that for children who were lifetime residents of the cleaner district of Prachatice in southern Bohemia. Forced expiratory spirometry was measured twice (February/March and April) in approximately 235 eighth-grade students in each district. On both testing occasions, height-adjusted forced expiratory volume in 1 s and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% forced vital capacity were significantly lower (p < .001) in children from Teplice than in those from Prachatice. These differences were not associated with parental smoking habits, presence of pets, heating/cooking fuels, private home/apartment residency, or rural/urban residency. In Teplice, no differences were observed between lung functions measured at the end of the high pollution season (February/March) and those measured after the children breathed much cleaner air for a 4-wk period (April). This result was suggestive of a condition of chronically depressed lung function. No differences across times were observed in Prachatice, indicating that our measurements were reliable.