A patient with acromegalic heart disease--a case report

A perioperative anesthetic management of a 69 year old woman with acromegaly whose clinical course was characterized by severe heart failure is described. The patient showed symptoms of massive cardiomegaly. Endocrine studies indicated that her pituitary tumor was active with hyperproduction of growth hormone. There was no demonstrable evidence for other known causes of heart disease. Following hormonal therapy using continuous subcutaneous infusion of somatostatin for about two months, there was improvement in daily activity and reduction in heart size. After the improvement of cardiac function, transsphenoidal hypophysectomy was performed under general anesthesia and its perioperative course was quite uneventful. We conclude that because cardiac involvement such as left ventricular dilatation in acromegaly might be reversible with proper treatment, any surgical procedure, as long as the case is elective, should be considered after hormone therapy.     

Low-noise 0.78 μm-band laser diode unit containing Faradayrotator

A small, low-noise 0.78 μm-band laser diode unit, containing a Faraday rotator which suppresses optical feedback, was developed. Stable low-noise characteristics were realised within the 3 mW to 10 mW output power. Greater than 40 dB signal/noise ratio was obtained in an optical video disc with this unit     

Investigations of optically pumped submillimeter wave laser modes

A complete theory for waveguide laser modes for oversized metallic and dielectric waveguides with circular cross section has been developed for the submm wavelength region. The experimental investigations have been done by a submm heterodyne technique for the first stage using a Schottky barrier diode in an open structure mixer.     

Mechanism of superconductivity in the polyhedral-network compound Ba8Si46

The silicon clathrates--materials composed of metal-doped Si(20) dodecahedra--were identified as the first superconductors based on pure silicon networks. The mechanism of superconductivity in these materials can be obtained by studying their phonon modes, as modified by isotope substitution, and specific-heat measurements. Here, we present experimental studies that provide strong evidence that superconductivity in Ba(8)Si(46) is explained in the framework of phonon-mediated Bardeen-Cooper-Schriefer theory. Analyses using the McMillan approximation of the Eliashberg equation indicate that the superconducting mechanism is in the medium coupling regime, but at the high-end limit. The large density of states at the Fermi level, which arises from hybridization of the Si(20) cluster and Ba orbitals, is responsible for the unexpectedly high superconducting temperature. The temperature evolution of the specific heat unambiguously shows that this is an s-wave symmetry superconductor.     

Effect of clenbuterol on sulfur dioxide-induced acute bronchitis in guinea pigs

When guinea pigs were exposed to sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas (800 ppm, 2 h), they showed hyperresponsiveness to intravenously administered serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)). This hyperresponsiveness continued for over 24 h after the exposure to the gas. The degeneration, desquamation of epithelium, and edema of the lamina propria of the trachea and bronchi were observed in animals after a 2-h exposure of SO2 histopathologically. These changes seemed to be the early phase of acute bronchitis. Then, we examined the effect of clenbuterol, a selective beta-2 adrenoceptor agonist, on the SO2-induced bronchial hyperresponsiveness in these animals. Orally administered clenbuterol (1-10 micrograms/kg) suppressed the hyperresponsiveness to 5-HT in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that clenbuterol might inhibit the hyperresponsiveness that accompanies acute bronchitis and that this agent may be useful for remission of broncho-spasm.     

Thermotropic polyarylates derived from substituted hydroquinones and p-terphenyl-4,4″-dicarboxylic acid

Polyarylates from substituted hydroquinones (HQs) and p-terphenyl-4,4″-dicarboxylic acid (TPDA) that were modified with 1,2-bis(phenoxy)ethane-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (PEC), 1,2-bis(2-chlorophenoxy)ethane-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (ClPEC), terephthalic acid (TA) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) were prepared and their thermal and mechanical properties were investigated. These polyarylates exhibited liquid crystallinity at about the same temperatures as polyarylates derived from substituted HQs and 4,4′-diphenyldicarboxylic acid (BB). However, as-spun fibers and injection-molded specimens of these polyarylates exhibited lower moduli than those of substituted HQs and BB that were modified with PEC, Cl-PEC and TA.     

Links between Immune Cells from the Periphery and the Brain in the Pathogenesis of Epilepsy: A Narrative Review

Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the pathogenesis of epilepsy is linked to neuroinflammation and cerebrovascular dysfunction. Peripheral immune cell invasion into the brain, along with these responses, is implicitly involved in epilepsy. This review explored the current literature on the association between the peripheral and central nervous systems in the pathogenesis of epilepsy, and highlights novel research directions for therapeutic interventions targeting these reactions. Previous experimental and human studies have demonstrated the activation of the innate and adaptive immune responses in the brain. The time required for monocytes (responsible for innate immunity) and T cells (involved in acquired immunity) to invade the central nervous system after a seizure varies. Moreover, the time between the leakage associated with blood–brain barrier (BBB) failure and the infiltration of these cells varies. This suggests that cell infiltration is not merely a secondary disruptive event associated with BBB failure, but also a non-disruptive event facilitated by various mediators produced by the neurovascular unit consisting of neurons, perivascular astrocytes, microglia, pericytes, and endothelial cells. Moreover, genetic manipulation has enabled the differentiation between peripheral monocytes and resident microglia, which was previously considered difficult. Thus, the evidence suggests that peripheral monocytes may contribute to the pathogenesis of seizures.     

Split Enzyme-Based Biosensors for Structural Characterization of Soluble and Insoluble β-Glucans

β-Glucan is widely distributed in various plants and microorganisms and is composed of β-1,3-linked d-glucose units. It may have a branched short or long side chain of glucose units with β-1,6- or β-1,4-linkage. Numerous studies have investigated different β-glucans and revealed their bioactivities. To understand the structure-function relationship of β-glucan, we constructed a split-luciferase complementation assay for the structural analysis of long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan. The N- and C-terminal fragments of luciferase from deep-sea shrimp were fused to insect-derived β-1,3-glucan recognition protein and fungal endo-β-1,6-glucanase (Neg1)-derived β-1,6-glucan recognition protein, respectively. In this approach, two β-glucan recognition proteins bound to β-glucan molecules come into close proximity, resulting in the assembly of the full-length reporter enzyme and induction of transient luciferase activity, indicative of the structure of β-glucan. To test the applicability of this assay, β-glucan and two β-glucan recognition proteins were mixed, resulting in an increase in the luminescence intensity in a β-1,3-glucan with a long polymer of β-1,6-glucan in a dose-dependent manner. This simple test also allows the monitoring of real-time changes in the side chain structure and serves as a convenient method to distinguish between β-1,3-glucan and long-chain β-1,6-branched β-1,3-glucan in various soluble and insoluble β-glucans.