Transthyretin amyloidosis: a new mutation associated with dementia

NaCl-tolerant lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains LC-10 (Lactobacillus casei) and LP-15 (Lact. plantarum) and NaCl were used as additives to sorghun (Sorghum bicolor). Numbers of LAB were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in all the additive-treated silages than in the control silage at an early stage of ensiling. During the fermentation process, addition of NaCl or LAB effectively inhibited the growth of aerobic bacteria and clostridia, but not yeasts. All the additive-treated silages had significantly (P < 0.05) lower pH, ammonia nitrogen content, dry matter loss and gas production but significantly (P < 0.05) higher lactic acid content and residual water soluble carbohydrates compared with the control silage. The improvement in silage quality was in the order: LAB > NaCl > control. Yeast counts were high in all additive-based silages and they increased during the exposure of the silages to air. As a result, these silages suffered aerobic deterioration, whereas the control silage was stable. The results confirmed that the NaCl or LAB improved fermentation quality but did not prevent aerobic deterioration of the silage.     

Antimicrobial and antifungal agents derived from clay minerals

A silver chelate of 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole, dodecyltrimethylammonium cation and hexadecylpyridinium cation have been intercalated between montmorillonite, and the resulting samples were subjected to examination of their thermostabilities by thermogravimetry and carbon dioxide evolution analysis up to 500 °C in air. The degradation behaviour of the intercalant was significantly changed by intercalating between the montmorillonite layers. Two quaternary ammonium cations were released from the montmorillonite both at the same temperature, which was higher than those for the quaternary ammonium cations themselves. This relation was also observed in the case of 2-(4-thiazolyl)-benzimidazole. The improvement of the thermostability after intercalation can be attributed to the bonding between the intercalant and the host montmorillonite layers.     

Is it possible to differentiate between choledochal cyst and congenital biliary atresia (type I cyst) by antenatal ultrasonography?

Both choledochal cyst and congenital biliary atresia (type I cyst) may share the same ultrasonographic pattern. We report 2 cases which were shown to have cystic structures on the upper abdomen by antenatal ultrasonography. The size of the choledochal cyst found at 24 weeks' gestation increased steadily as gestational age advanced. But the size of the cyst in congenital biliary atresia found at 29 weeks' gestation remained unchanged throughout the remaining pregnancy. Cyst enlargement, therefore, may suggest the possibility of a choledochal cyst.     

The gene encoding human glutathione synthetase (GSS) maps to the long arm of chromosome 20 at band 11.2

Two forms of glutathione synthetase deficiency have been described. While one form is mild, causing hemolytic anemia, the other more severe form causes 5-oxo-prolinuria with secondary neurological involvement. Despite the existence of two deficiency phenotypes, Southern blots hybridized with a glutathione synthetase cDNA suggest that there is a single glutathione synthetase gene in the human genome. Analysis of somatic cell hybrids showed the human glutathione synthetase gene (GSS) to be located on chromosome 20, and this assignment has been refined to subband 20q11.2 using in situ hybridization.     

Protein modification by a Maillard reaction intermediate methylglyoxal. Immunochemical detection of fluorescent 5-methylimidazolone derivatives in vivo

Methylglyoxal (MG), an endogenous metabolite that increases in diabetes, is a common intermediate in nonenzymatic glycation (Maillard reaction) in vivo. Here we describe the immunochemical approach to the detection of MG adducts in proteins in vitro and in atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta in vivo. The reaction of protein (bovine serum albumin) with MG led to selective loss of arginine and lysine residues, accompanied by the formation of 5-methylimidazolone (N delta-(5-methylimidazolon-2-yl)ornithine) and imidazolysine (1,3-di-lysino-4-methylimidazole) derivatives, respectively. The anti-5-methylimidazolone antibody was prepared by immunizing rabbits with a MG-keyhole limpet hemocyanin conjugate and purifying the serum on an affinity gel prepared by covalent attachment of the 5-methylimidazolone derivative. The antibody cross-reacted with the proteins treated with not only MG but trioses, such as hydroxyacetone, dihydroxyacetone, and glyceraldehyde. The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that atherosclerotic lesions of human aorta contained 5-methylimidazolone derivatives whose distributions were identical to those of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) detected by the anti-AGE antibody.     

In search of a reliable marker of tissue injury during heart surgery

We report on a new patient with d-transposition of the great arteries who was found to have deletion of 22q11.2. He had minor facial anomalies, normal T- and B-cell subsets, and transient hypocalcemia. Similar to rare previous reports, our patient's extracardiac manifestations were relatively mild.     

Carbon nanotubes prepared from three-layered copolymer microspheres of acrylonitrile and methylmethacrylate

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized from fine three-layered copolymer microspheres using the polymer blend technique. Diameter of PMMA core/Poly(AN-co-MMA) shell-1/PMMA shell-2 microspheres, prepared by a radical soap-free emulsion polymerization of methylmethacrylate (MMA) and acrylonitrile (AN), was between 400 nm and 500 nm. Microspheres were subjected to melt-spinning at 305 °C, stabilizing in oxygen at 220 °C for 4 h, and finally carbonizing at 1000 °C for 30 min. FE-SEM study of carbonized sample revealed the presence of CNTs arrays on carbon blocks. Similar arrays were observed in a comparative CNTs sample prepared from three-layered microspheres with the pure PAN shells-1 layers. HRTEM showed that the CNTs derived from copolymer microspheres had different structure when compared to the control sample, i.e. CNTs often adhered to each other and contained the internal compartments. The insufficient PMMA shell-2 coating of copolymer microspheres is believed to be a reason for CNTs adhesion. The possible mechanisms of the carbon block formation and the adhesion of CNTs are introduced.     

Release of salicylic acid through poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly(vinyl alcohol‐g‐N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone) membranes

A controlled release profile of salicylic acid (SA) for transdermal administration has been developed. Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and Poly(vinyl alcohol)/Poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) blended preparations were used to prepare the membranes by solvent‐casting technique. The release of the drug from the membranes was evaluated at in vitro conditions. The effects of PVA/PVP (v/v) ratio, pH, SA concentration and temperature were investigated. 60/40 (v/v) PVA/PVP ratio was found to be the best ratio for the SA release. Increase in pH and temperature was observed to increase the transport of SA. Instead of blending PVA with PVP, N‐Vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (VP) was grafted onto the PVA and the delivery performance for SA was compared with that of the blended PVA/PVP membranes. Grafted membranes gave higher transport percentages than the blended membranes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102:1244–1253, 2006     

Ionic liquids as electrolytes

Salts having a low melting point are liquid at room temperature, or even below, and form a new class of liquids usually called room temperature ionic liquids (RTIL). Information about RTILs can be found in the literature with such key words as: room temperature molten salt, low-temperature molten salt, ambient-temperature molten salt, liquid organic salt or simply ionic liquid. Their physicochemical properties are the same as high temperature ionic liquids, but the practical aspects of their maintenance or handling are different enough to merit a distinction. The class of ionic liquids, based on tetraalkylammonium cation and chloroaluminate anion, has been extensively studied since late 1970s of the XX century, following the works of Osteryoung. Systematic research on the application of chloroaluminate ionic liquids as solvents was performed in 1980s. However, ionic liquids based on aluminium halides are moisture sensitive. During the last decade an increasing number of new ionic liquids have been prepared and used as solvents. The general aim of this paper was to review the physical and chemical properties of RTILs from the point of view of their possible application as electrolytes in electrochemical processes and devices. The following points are discussed: melting and freezing, conductivity, viscosity, temperature dependence of conductivity, transport and transference numbers, electrochemical stability, possible application in aluminium electroplating, lithium batteries and in electrochemical capacitors.