Differential diagnosis of macular breaks by microperimetry using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope

To improve the differential diagnosis of macular breaks by microperimetry using the scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO), we studied 50 consecutive breaks detected by biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy. The full-thickness macular break was easily diagnosed using only biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy because the macular break had a cuff in 22 of the eyes. SLO microperimetry also showed an absolute scotoma within the macular break and a relative scotoma on the cuff in these 22 eyes. However, in the other 28 eyes it was impossible to distinguish between the full-thickness macular breaks and pseudo-macular breaks or lamellar macular breaks using only biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy because of the absence of a cuff. However, SLO microperimetry differentiated full-thickness macular breaks from pseudomacular breaks or lamellar macular breaks in these 28 eyes. SLO microperimetry is indispensable for determining the prognosis of and the surgical indication requirements for idiopathic macular breaks.     

采用圆二色谱法研究冬夏鲢鱼鳞胶原蛋白的稳定性

采用圆二色谱法,研究比较了冬夏季鲢鱼鳞胶原蛋白的热稳定性。结果表明,对胶原蛋白溶液于30℃,33℃加热时,冬季鱼鳞胶原蛋白发生解螺旋现象,而夏季鱼鳞胶原仍保持完整的三螺旋结构;变性温度曲线显示,夏季样品的变性温度为36℃,而冬季样品出现2个峰值,分别为30℃和34℃。结果表明,夏季鲢鱼鳞胶原蛋白的热稳定性高于冬季胶原蛋白,这种不同可能与冬夏季鲢鱼生长环境温度的差异有关。     

Studies of sustained release cephalexin (S-6437) in pediatrics (author's transl)

S-6437 is granule of sustained-release cephalexin which is prepared as longer acting cephalexin. Each gram of the granule contains 200 mg of cephalexin. Absorption and excretion study of this preparation was performed in 8 patients (3 school children, 3 infants and 2 babies). Mean blood levels of cephalexin following a single oral administration of 25 mg/kg in the school children, for instance, were 1.73, 2.47, 3.11, 2.28, 3.84 and 2.86 mcg/ml at 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 8.0 hours, respectively. Fifty-two patients with acute respiratory tract infections were treated with this preparation and out of the 52, 33 were evaluable cases. The daily dose used was 50 mg/kg divided in two doses. Of the 33 patients 29 responded to this preparation showing 87.8% of effectiveness. Four patients who did not respond were 1 with acute pharyngitis, 2 with acute tonsillitis, and 1 with acute bronchitis. No severe side effects due to this preparation were observed.     

Surface properties of O2-plasma-treated thermoplastic fluoroelastomers under mechanical stretching

Surface properties and structure of an oxygen-plasma-treated thermoplastic fluoroelastomer film under mechanical stretching were investigated using dynamic contact angle, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The contact angle of water on the surface decreased from 96° to 36° by the plasma treatment. The contact angle increased under uniaxial stretching: the plasma treatment effect decreased. This was considered to be due to a dilution of the plasma-oxidized chains through the surface exposure of the matrix embedded chains by stretching. In other words, under stretching, the surface of plasma-treated films can be regarded as being chemically heterogeneous and being composed of treated and untreated parts. On the contrary, by the new surface modification procedure, that is, in situ plasma treatment under stretching, high hydrophilicity and high surface oxygen concentration were found to be maintained even at a high stretching ratio.     

No. 5Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 110–120, 2008Design and development of an innovative hybrid powder based on a computer simulation and its application to base make up products

An innovative hybrid powder prepared through computer simulation allowed a new foundation to be developed having a fine, smooth texture that has never been achieved before. The optical structure/design of the powder was based on the results of measurements and analyses conductedon the optical characteristics of a baby's fine skin that is the envy of many women. In order to achieve the optimal optical characteristics, the Finite Differential Time Domain (FDTD) method to solve Maxwell's differential equation by difference and time domain was applied to the computer simulation method. For the synthesis of the hybrid powder based on the optical model, a proprietary shape regulation coating technology was used, in which flaky substrates were coated with micro-spherical forms of barium sulfate crystals. The developed hybrid powder exhibited optical characteristics that showed a significant diffusion characteristic in the visible light region. The foundation containing this powder could conceal pores, fine wrinkles, freckles, and spots, and provided a fine, smooth texture owing to its microscopic reflection characteristics that has never been available from a conventional foundation.     

Significance of Chloroflexi in performance of submerged membrane bioreactors (MBR) treating municipal wastewater

We operated pilot-scale submerged membrane bioreactors (MBR) treating real municipal wastewater for over 3 months and observed an interesting phenomenon that carbohydrate concentrations in the MBRs rapidly increased, which consequently resulted in membrane fouling, when relative abundance of the member of uncultured Chloroflexi decreased from over 30% of total Bacteria to less than 10%. We, therefore, hypothesized that the uncultured Chloroflexi present in the MBRs could preferentially degrade carbohydrates and consequently prevent membrane fouling. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the phylogenetic identity, diversity, and in situ physiology (substrate utilization characteristics) of Chloroflexi residing in the MBR by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis and microautoradiography combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (MAR-FISH) technique. Most of the clones related to the phylum Chloroflexiwere affiliated with the Chloroflexi subphylum 1 containing only a few cultured representatives. The MAR-FISH revealed that the members of Chloroflexi were metabolically versatile and could preferentially utilize glucose and N-acetyl glucosamine (a main substantial constituent of the cell wall peptidoglycan) under oxic and anoxic conditions. The utilization of these compounds was low at low pH. These findings suggest that the members of Chloroflexi are ecologically significant in the MBR treating municipal wastewater and are responsible for degradation of SMP including carbohydrates and cellular materials, which consequently reduces membrane fouling potential.     

Solubilization of Myofibrils and Inhibition of Autolysis of Squid Mantle Muscle by Sodium Citrate

ABSTRACT:  The effects of organic salts (sodium (Na)-citrate, Na-gluconate, and Na-succinate) on the solubilization of myofibrillar proteins and the inhibition of autolysis of squid mantle muscle were investigated. All of the organic compounds dissolved myofibrils as NaCl did. Na-citrate showed the strongest ability with half dissolving at 0.06 M. Half dissolving by Na-gluconate, Na-succinate, and NaCl were 0.27, 0.21, and 0.27 M, respectively. Dissolving myofibrils by Na-citrate was not accompanied by the acceleration of autolysis. Na-citrate above 0.25 M almost completely inhibited the autolysis. The inhibition of autolysis by Na-gluconate and Na-succinate was much less than that of Na-citrate. Consequently, it was concluded that Na-citrate was the organic salt to dissolve squid myofibrils without inducing autolysis.     

Stability of the SnO2/MgO dye-sensitized photoelectrochemical solar cell

Dye-sensitized solar cells made of TiO₂ are extensively studied as a cheap alternative to conventional photovoltaic cells. The other familiar stable oxide material of similar band gap suitable for dye sensitization is SnO₂. Although cells based only of SnO₂ are prone to severe recombination losses, the cells made of SnO₂/MgO films where the SnO₂ crystallite is surface covered with an ultra-thin shell of MgO, deliver reasonably high efficiencies. It is found that SnO₂/MgO cells resist dye and electrolyte degradation better than TiO₂ cells. Furthermore, the ultra-thin barrier of MgO on SnO₂ remains intact during prolonged usage or storage of the cell.     

Temperature dependence of polymer chain dimensions in the polystyrene-cyclopentane system

The limiting viscosity number in polystyrene-cyclopentane system has been determined over the temperature range of θ_u to θ_l in which θ_u and θ_l are the θ or Flory temperature for the upper and lower critical solution temperatures. The temperature coefficient of unperturbed mean square end-to-end distance observed for the polystyrene (M_w=20×10⁴, $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{<1·06}$ and M_w=67×10⁴, $\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{M}{}_{\mathrm{n}}\text{<1·10}$) in cyclopentane is negligibly small. The observed temperature dependence of the polymer chain dimension over the temperature range of θ_u=19·6° to θ_l=154·2°C shows a parabolic curve with a maximum in the neighbourhood of 90°C and is qualitatively interpreted by the free volume theory of polymer solution, which gives a new χ₁-temperature function.