Varieties of antioxidant and antibacterial properties of Ecklonia stolonifera and Ecklonia kurome products harvested and processed in the Noto peninsula,Japan

Ecklonia stolonifera and Ecklonia kurome are traditional edible brown algae in the fisheries towns in Far East Asia. In the Noto Peninsula area, Ishikawa, Japan, both the Ecklonia are called ‘kajime’ and people believe that the algae improve the property of blood. To determine the varieties of antioxidant and antibacterial properties E. stolonifera and E. kurome products, assays for total phenolic content and antioxidant activities, including DPPH radical-scavenging activity, superoxide anion radical-generated by non-enzymatic system, ferrous-reducing power and WST-8, a tetrazolium salt, redox activity of four dried and two boiled E. stolonifera, and four dried and two raw E. kurome preparations were tested in this study. Furthermore, antibacterial activity of the products was tested. Though the total phenolic content, the antioxidant activity and the antibacterial activities of E. stolorifera and E. kurome products were high, these properties were varied by manufacturers or each product. Especially, two dried and two boiled products of E. stolonifera showed low activities. The results of this study indicate that the contents of functional compounds and their activities were affected or decreased greatly by the processing method.     

In vitro percutaneous absorptiometry by simultaneous measurement using the photoacoustic method and absorbance

A novel in vitro percutaneous absorptiometry utilizing a portable open-ended photoacoustic (PA) cell as the longitudinal diffusion cell was developed. With this system it was feasible to measure the reduction of drug applied to a membrane by the PA method and the amount of drug penetrating the membrane to the diffusion cell by absorbance, simultaneously in real time. A shikonin ointment prepared in a hydrocarbon vehicle was used as the model sample. The in vitro percutaneous absorptiometry was performed by means of a physiological saline solution and the skin of a hairless mouse. As a result, after the lag time the absorbance increased in proportion to time, whereas the PA signal reduced in proportion to the square root of time. As the signal obtained by the PA method corresponds to the amount of drug released from the ointment, a good correlation with Higuchi's theory is attained. Consequently, these results suggested the usefulness of this novel percutaneous absorptiometry technique which utilizes the PA method.     

J-integral estimate for biaxially stressed Mode I cracks based on COD strain

This paper proposes a simple equation for evaluating J-integral values for biaxially stressed Mode I cracks. Finite element analyses were carried out to obtain the relationship between J-integral and crack opening displacement by varying the inelastic constitutive relationship, crack length and stress/strain biaxiality. A quantitative relationship was derived between the J-integral and crack opening displacement for various kinds of stress–strain relationships. A new equation for estimating the J-integral was proposed based on the crack opening displacement. The equation evaluated J-integral values for biaxially stressed Mode I cracks within a 25% error if the yield stress, strain hardening coefficient and exponent were known.     

A surgical case of acute three-channeled aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome

We surgically treated a 35-year-old male with acute 3-channeled aortic dissection in Marfan syndrome. He had acute type A aortic dissection, and underwent Bentall's type operation, simultaneous graft replacement of the ascending aorta and total aortic arch. Pain recurred 5 years and 9 months after the first operation. CT scan showed two adjacent false lumens in the descending aorta. The morphology of the first and second dissections was Stanford type A + B. The second dissection was acute. In the second false lumen, a re-entry formation was observed in the abdominal aorta. Because severe pain was persistent, we immediately replaced the descending aorta using a femoro-femoral partial cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was doing well and was discharged. When pain recurs in a Marfan patient with an aortic dissection, a 3-channeled aortic dissection should be suspected, and we recommend emergency surgery.     

Japanese programs on novel concepts in PV

Japanese R&;D activities in photovoltaics (PV) and our R&;D activities with III-V compound multijunction (MJ) solar cells are presented. We have realized high-efficiency InGaP/InGaAs triple-junction solar cells with an efficiency of 36.5–37% (AM1.5G, 200 suns) and concentrator triple-junction solar cell modules with an outdoor efficiency of 27% as a result of designing a grid structure, developing low optical loss Fresnel lens and homogenizers, and designing low thermal conductivity modules. Our challenge now is to develop low-cost and high output power concentrator MJ solar cell modules with an output power of 400 W/m² for terrestrial applications.     

Low-energy proton-induced defects in n/p InGaP solar cells

The effects of low-energy proton-induced degradation of photovoltaic properties and generation of deep-level defects in n⁺/p InGaP solar cells have been investigated. Energy-dependent effects included decreased solar cell efficiency and increase the carrier removal rate with decreasing proton energy. The spectral response depicts that the degradation is more at longer wavelengths with the increase of proton fluence. A new majority (hole) trap HP1 has been observed in low-energy proton irradiated p-InGaP at 0.90±0.05 eV above the valence band for the first time. The carrier removal rates were found to be 61433 and 8640 cm⁻¹ for 100 and 380-keV proton irradiation, respectively.     

Evaluation of temperature characteristics of high-efficiency InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells under concentration

Temperature characteristics of the open-circuit voltage (V_oc) were investigated in the temperature range from 30°C to 240°C for the InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple-junction cells. Also, single-junction cells that had the similar structure to the subcells in the triple-junction cells were studied. In the high-temperature range (from 170°C to 240°C), the temperature coefficients of V_oc of the InGaP/InGaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cell (dV_oc/dT) were different from those in the low-temperature range (from 30°C to 100°C). This is because photo-voltage from the Ge subcell becomes almost 0 V in the high-temperature range. It was found that the open-circuit voltage of a Ge single-junction cell reduced to almost 0 V temperatures over 120°C under 1 sun condition.     

Operation for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism accompanied by thrombophilia in 8 patients

BACKGROUND: Medical therapy for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism is limited, and surgical treatment has become more frequent recently. We have performed pulmonary thromboendarterectomy on 8 patients with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism accompanied by thrombophilia. METHODS: The patients were 6 men and 2 women aged 21 to 56 years (mean, 35 years). Five patients had antiphospholipid syndrome, 2 had protein C deficiency, and 1 had congenital antithrombin III deficiency. The preoperative condition was New York Heart Association functional class III in 5 and class IV in 3. Hypoxemia, marked pulmonary hypertension (mean pulmonary artery pressure, 47+/-6.7 mm Hg), and low cardiac output were observed in all patients. After a median sternotomy, deep hypothermia was induced using a cardiopulmonary bypass, and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in the bilateral pulmonary arteries was performed under intermittent circulatory arrest. RESULTS: There were no operative deaths. Long-term respiratory management was needed postoperatively by 3 patients. In the remaining 5 patients, no reperfusion injury was observed. The arterial blood oxygen concentration improved, and the mean pulmonary pressure decreased to 16+/-5.5 mm Hg. The cardiac output also increased, and New York Heart Association functional class improved to I in 4 and II in 4 patients. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy under deep hypothermic intermittent circulatory arrest was effective for chronic pulmonary thromboembolism accompanied by thrombophilia for which medical treatment is of limited value.