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AbstractObjective:Prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) is increasing alarmingly worldwide. Slowing down the progression of OA and diverse locomotive organ disorders is gaining interest in improving the quality of life (QOL) and extending healthy life-span. In a pilot study, intake of a small amount of undenatured type II collagen exhibited suppression of damage to the articular cartilage via oral immune tolerance. It also demonstrated improvement of knee and joint flexibility and mobility with continued intake of undenatured type II collagen (NEXT-II®) derived from chicken sternum cartilage. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical investigation (RCT) evaluated the efficacy and safety of 12 weeks of regular intake of NEXT-II®on joint and motor function in healthy Japanese male and female participants (aged 20 to <75 years).Method:Sixty-four participants were randomized to receive either NEXT-II®(undenatured type II collagen 3.2 mg/d) or placebo over a period of 12 consecutive weeks. Efficacy on joint and motor functions were evaluated measuring knee passive range of motion as the primary outcome; the Japan Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for knee discomfort, and motor functions (10-meter walking and stair-climbing test) as the secondary outcomes; and Japan Low back pain Evaluation Questionnaire (JLEQ) and VAS for lower back discomfort as the exploratory outcomes.Results:Fifty-eight participants (placebo = 28; NEXT-II®group = 30) completed the study. In the assessment of knee passive range of motion, significant improvements in “flexion” and “flexible angle (range)” were observed in the NEXT-II®group at 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment. NEXT-II®induced significant improvements in JKOM, VAS for knee and lower back discomfort, 10-meter walking test, stair-climbing test, and JLEQ.Conclusions:Results demonstrate that undenatured type II collagen is safe and efficacious in improving knee flexibility and mobility, reducing knee and lower back pain, and enhancing motor function.

AbstractBackgroundCognitive dysfunctions are increasing alarmingly around the world, and researchers are exploring preventive measures for improving brain performance. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a naturally occurring coenzyme in foods, exhibits potent antioxidant activity, and improves diverse functions which include mitochondrial activation, growth, repair, protection of nerve cells by increased expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and NGF receptors; and suppression of fibril formation and aggregation of amyloid β.ObjectiveThis randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical investigation (RCT) evaluated the efficacy and safety of PQQ disodium salt powder (mnemoPQQ®) for improved cognitive function after 12 weeks of supplementation in healthy Japanese male and female (age 40 to <80 Y). Methods64 healthy subjects were randomly assigned to receive either mnemoPQQ®(PQQ disodium salt: 21.5 mg/day) or a placebo over a period of 12 weeks. The efficacy of mnemoPQQ®on cognitive performance (memory, attention, judgment, and cognitive flexibility) was examined using Cognitrax as the primary outcome (primary endpoint), and forgetfulness questionnaire (DECO: Deterioration Cognitive Observee) and Mini-Mental State Examination-Japanese (MMSE-J) as the secondary outcome (secondary endpoint).ResultsA total of 58 subjects (placebo = 31; Age = 70.91 ± 3.06 Y; mnemoPQQ®group = 27; Age = 72.10 ± 3.77 Y) completed the study over a period of 12 weeks of supplementation. Significant improvements were observed on the Cognitrax’s cognitive function domain score on “composite memory”, “verbal memory”, “reaction time”, “complex attention”, “cognitive flexibility”, “executive function”, and “motor speed” in the mnemoPQQ®group as compared to the placebo group. The DECO and the MMSE-J scores were also significantly improved in the mnemoPQQ®group. No adverse events were observed.ConclusionsStudy demonstrates that supplementation of PQQ disodium salt is useful in improving memory, attention, judgment, and cognitive function, in middle-aged to elderly population, who feel they have become more forgetful because of aging.

Flexible, foldable, and rollable displays aim to serve emerging user's needs.

With the strong increase of mobile data‐communication needs, mobile devices become more important than ever. To be able to provide the users the best experience, display sizes will need to increase while portability needs to be maintained. Flexible, foldable and rollable displays are serving these emerging user needs. This challenges every layer in the display, requiring the display panel to become thinner and thinner while maintaining robustness and reliability. This paper will talk about highly reliable photo patternable interlayers in TFT stacks and touch sensor layers based on inorganic‐organic hybrid polymers. A novel solution, that improves process‐ability for flexible display devices. In addition, hybrid polymer‐based films provide good process durability, higher transparency, and higher environmental durability. Therefore, these new formulations are a key enabler for foldable and rollable OLED and e‐paper displays.

Development of delirium during hospitalization impairs the activities of daily living in elderly hospitalized patients. In clinical practice, early mobilization from bed is recommended to reduce delirium incidence and hospitalization stay. However, the effects of early mobilization on elderly inpatients with delirium have not been established yet. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between early mobilization and the duration of delirium in elderly inpatients with delirium. This retrospective cohort pilot study examined 45 participants (23 males, 22 females; mean age: 84.5 ± 6.6 years), who developed delirium during hospitalization. Of the participants, 28 were surgically treated and 17 were non-surgically treated. We classified early or delayed mobilization based on the median number of days until the start of mobilization and compared after propensity score matching to adjust for baseline characteristics. Additionally, we examined the correlation between the number of days until the start of mobilization and the duration of delirium. The duration of delirium was significantly shorter in the early mobilization group, particularly in terms of sitting on the bed and wheelchair use than that in the delayed mobilization group {median: 4.0 [interquartile range (IQR): 2.0–6.0] vs 8.0 [IQR: 7.0–14.5] days, P = .013; median: 3.0 [IQR: 2.0–5.5] vs 11.0 [IQR: 7.5–14.5] days, P = .004, respectively}. Moreover, the duration of delirium significantly positively moderate correlated with the time until the start of sitting on the bed and wheelchair use (Spearman r = 0.527; P = .012, Spearman r = 0.630; P = .002, respectively). The results of this study suggest that early mobilization from sitting on the bed or wheelchair use after hospitalization or surgery may shorten the duration of delirium. Because the sample size of this pilot study is small, careful interpretation is needed, and further research is warranted.

Although it is controversial that seizure duration can influence the efficacy of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), a missed or brief seizure is considered less effective ECT. Of the background in the practice of ECT, hyperventilation may augment the seizure duration. To elucidate these hypotheses, we performed double-blind randomized controlled trial for 19 patients. They were divided into 2 groups, according to the end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide (ETCO2) The moderate hyperventilation group with ETCO2of 30 mm Hg and the normal ventilation group with ETCO2of 40 mm Hg. ECT was performed under general anesthesia with propofol and suxamethonium. During ECT electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram were recorded. The Global Assessment of Functioning scores were also analyzed before and after 6 sequential ECT. The moderate hyperventilation group showed a significant increase in EEG seizure duration in the first treatment compared with the normal ventilation group (P< 0.05). However, EEG seizure duration in the subsequent treatments and electromyogram seizure duration in all the treatments did not differ between 2 groups. The moderate hyperventilation did not prevent the increase in seizure threshold or shortening of seizure duration. No complications or sever adverse effects were observed after ECT in any of the 6 treatments. The Global Assessment of Functioning scores were not significantly changed with moderate hyperventilation. We conclude that moderate hyperventilation is safe and may be useful for seizure augmentation before the restimulation with higher intensities.

Abstract: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy are two major clinical phenotypes of “idiopathic” cardiomyopathy. Recent molecular genetic analyses have now revealed that “idiopathic” cardiomyopathy is caused by mutations in genes for sarcomere components. We have recently reported several mutations in titin/connectin gene found in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or dilated cardiomyopathy. A hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-associated titin/connectin mutation (Arg740Leu) was found to increase the binding to actinin, while other dilated cardiomyopathy-associated titin/connectin mutations (Ala743Val and Val54Met) decreased the binding to actinin and Tcap/telethonin, respectively. We also reported several other mutations in the N2-B region of titin/connectin found in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and dilated cardiomyopathy. Since the N2-B region expresses only in the heart, it was speculated that functional alterations due to the mutations cause cardiomyopathies. In this study, we investigated the functional changes caused by the N2-B region mutations by using yeast-two-hybrid assays. It was revealed that a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy-associated mutation (Ser3799Tyr) increased the binding to FHL2 protein, whereas a dilated cardiomyopathy-associated mutation (Gln4053ter) decreased the binding. In addition, another TTN mutation (Arg25618Gln) at the is2 region was found in familial DCM. Because FHL2 protein is known to tether metabolic enzymes to N2-B and is2 regions of titin/connectin, these observations suggest that altered recruitment of metabolic enzymes to the sarcomere may play a role in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathies.

Approximately 30% of patients with hemophilia in Japan were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in early 1980s through contaminated blood products. In 1995, a cohort of HIVinfected, asymptomatic patients with hemophilia was set up for follow-up study. Although the patients met the criteria for long-term non-progressor (LTNP) at the entry to the cohort, some of them later developed lymphopenia during five more years of observation. We collected blood samples from 80 long-term survivors; 42 of them did not require antiviral therapy, but the rest were under treatment. Analysis of HLA-B genotype revealed that carriers of known HIV-resistant alleles such as HLA-B*5701, B*5801, and alleles of B27 antigenic group were not increased in frequency, but that HLA-B*1507 was increased in the cohort (6.25% vs. 1.03%, OR = 6.40, p= 0.039). We also observed the decrease in carriers of HLA-B*5401 (3.75% vs. 14.95%, OR = 0.22, p= 0.016). HLAB* 5401 is a relatively common allele in East Asian populations and belongs to the same B22 antigenic group as B55 and B56 which were reported to associate with rapid progression. Our data indicated that HLA class I is one of the host factors involved in the retardation of HIV disease progression as also reported in the previous studies; however, the alleles associated with this resistance were not the same because of divergent host genetic background.

Purpose. This study was performed to evaluate the involvement of P-glycoprotein in disposition kinetics of tacrolimus (FK506), a substrate of P-glycoprotein, in the body. Methods. The blood and tissue concentrations of FK506 after i.v. or p.o. administration (2 mg/kg) to normal andmdrla knockout mice were measured by competitive enzyme immunoassay. Results. The blood concentrations in knockout mice were significantly higher than those in normal mice. The value of the total clearance (CLtot) for knockout mice (19.3 mL/min/kg) was about 1/3 of that for normal mice (55.8 mL/min/kg)(P < 0.001), although there was no significant difference in the distribution volume at the steady-state (Vdss) (about 4.6 L/kg) between both types of mice. FK506 rapidly penetrated the blood-brain barrier and the brain concentration reached a maximum, which was about 10 times higher in knockout mice than in normal mice, 1 hr after administration. The brain concentration in normal mice thereafter decreased slowly, whereas in knockout mice, an extremely high concentration was maintained for 24 hr. Conclusions. The pharmacokinetic behavior of FK506 in the tissue distribution is related with the function of P-glycoprotein encoded by themdrla gene. The brain distribution of FK506 is dominated by the P-glycoprotein-mediated drug efflux and presumably also by the binding to FK-binding proteins (immunophilins) in the brain.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is characterized by ventricular hypertrophy accompanied by myofibrillar disarrays. Molecular genetic analyses have revealed that mutations in 8 different genes cause HCM. Mutations in these disease genes, however, could be found in about half of HCM patients, suggesting that there are other unknown disease gene(s). Because the known disease genes encode sarcomeric proteins expressed in the cardiac muscle, we searched for a disease-associated mutation in the titin gene in 82 HCM patients who had no mutation in the known disease genes. A G to T transversion in codon 740, from CGC to CTC, replacing Arginine with Leucine was found in a patient. This mutation was not found in more than 500 normal chromosomes and increased the binding affinity of titin to α-actitin in the yeast two-hybrid assay. These observations suggest that the titin mutation may cause HCM in this patient via altered affinity to α-actinin.

Glutamate has been shown to function as a toxic agent in neuronal and glial cells, as well as an excitatory neurotransmitter throughout the central nervous system. In the present study, we examined the effect of increasing glutamate concentration on the induction of apoptosis in the two human glioblastoma cell lines GB-4 and GB-12. Glutamate exposure caused cell death of GB-4 and GB-12 in a dose-dependent manner. The cells were found to die via apoptosis in response to glutamate based on the following criteria: propidium iodide (PI) staining, H–E staining, electron microscopic analysis, and the TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. The glutamate-induced apoptosis appears to involve the modulation of Bcl-2 family gene products such as Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Bax-α. Both Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL were down-regulated by glutamate at 24 h and further at 48 h. The apoptosis-promoting product p21 Bax-α was also down-regulated in GB-12 but slightly up-regulated in GB-4, accompanied by generation of variant form of p18 Bax-α in both cell lines. These findings suggest that glutamate toxicity results in cellular death via an apoptotic mechanism which appears to involve the Bcl-2/Bax-α molecular complex.

We compared the phenotypic characterization of antibody-secreting cells in the liver, the spleen, and Peyer's patch that had been subjected to various treatments in mice. The highest proportion of IgA-secreting cells was found in the liver mononuclear cells (MNC). They contained IgM-secreting cells in similar proportions to those in Peyer's patch but at lower proportions than in the spleen. In immunized mice, levels of IgG-secreting cells in the spleen and the liver were about 10 times higher than those in normal mice. The distribution pattern of immunoglobulin-secreting cells in Peyer's patch was virtually unchanged by any treatment. In the normal mice there were no significant differences among these organs in the distribution of the surface immunoglobulin phenotype in MNC. IgA-secreting cells in Peyer's patch secreted more antibodies per cell than those in the spleen or the liver.

Abstract: The catalytic activity and selectivity for hydrogenation of linoleic acid were studied on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts. A detailed analysis of the reaction product was performed by a gas-liquid chromatograph, equipped with a capillary column, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. Geometrical and positional isomerization of linoleic acid occurred during hydrogenation, and many kinds of linoleic acid isomers (trans-9,trans-12; trans-8,cis-12 orcis-9,trans-13; cis-9,trans-12; trans-9,cis-12 andcis-9,cis-12 18∶2) were contained in the reaction products. The monoenoic acids in the partial hydrogenation products contained eight kinds of isomers and showed different isomer distributions on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts, respectively. The positional isomers of monoenoic acid were produced by double-bond migration during hydrogenation. On Ni and Pd catalysts, the yield ofcis-12 andtrans-12 monoenoic acids was larger than that ofcis-9 andtrans-9 monoenoic acids. On the contrary, the yield ofcis-9 andtrans-9 monoenoic acids was larger than that ofcis-12 andtrans-12 monoenoic acids on Cu catalyst. From these results, it is concluded that the double bond closer to the methyl group (Δ12) and that to the carboxyl group (Δ9) show different reactivity for hydrogenation on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts. Monoenoic acid formation was more selective on Cu catalyst than on Ni and Pd catalysts.

Selective and differential media were designed for each species of Pityrosporum; P. pachydermatis, P. ovale, and P. orbicularein order to make feasible a quantitative cultivation.

A new selective medium, Bacteroides fragilisammonium‐sulfate gentamicin (BFAG) agar, for isolation and presumptive identification of the Bacteroides fragilisgroup is presented in this paper. This semisynthetic medium includes 0.2 g of ammonium sulfate, 0.7 g of lactose, 10 mg of gentamicin, 0.1 mg of aminobenzylpenicillin, 60 units of bacitracin, 20 mg of sodium cholate and 1 mg of sodium azide per 100 ml of medium. Stock cultures of the B. fragilisgroup grew well on this medium. None of the other 126 gram‐positive or negative strains belonging to 40 aerobic or 45 anaerobic species tested grew on this medium. Three of the seven specimens in the clinical trials yielded colonies of only the B. fragilisgroup on BFAG agar plates. Also BFAG agar plates inoculated with human feces and contents of the alimentary tract (stomach, small intestine, cecum and colon) of mice gave rise to colonies of only the B. fragilisgroup. The high selectivity and good plating efficiency of BFAG agar enabled us to isolate the B. fragilisgroup rapidly from various clinical specimens.

Catalytic activity and selectivity for hydrogenation of linoleic acid (cis-9,cis-12 18:2) were studied on Pt, Pd, Ru, and Ir supported on Al2O3. Stearic acid (18:0) and 10 different octadecenoic isomers (18:1) in the products could be separated completely by using a new capillary column coated by isocyanopropyl trisilphenylene siloxane for gas-liquid chromatography. The monoenoic acid isomers and dienoic acid isomers in the products on the various catalysts showed different distributions. The catalysts exhibited nearly equal selectivity for stearic acid formation. The 12-position double bond in linoleic acid has higher reactivity than the 9-position double bond in catalytic hydrogenation on platinum-group metal catalysts. In addition to hydrogenation products of linoleic acid, geometrical and positional dienoic acid isomers (trans-9,trans-12; trans-8,cis-12; cis-9,trans-13; trans-9,cis-13; cis-9,trans-12 18:2), due to isomerization of linoleic acid during hydrogenation, were contained in the reaction products. Ru/Al2O3exhibited the highest activity for isomerization of linoleic acid with the noble metal catalysts. Conjugated octadecadienoic acid isomers have been observed in products of the reaction on Pt/Al2O3, Ru/Al2O3, and Ir/Al2O3. Catalytic activities of noble metals for positional and geometric isomerization of linoleic acid during hydrogenation decreased in the sequence of Ru ≥ Pt > Ir » Pd.

The aim of this study was to determine whether lipids are damaged by myeloperoxidase (MP) not only with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), but also with a H2O2-generating system. Using the hypoxanthine–xanthine oxidase–Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (HX–XO–SOD) system as an effective H2O2-generating system, we observed a reduction in the ability of MP to produce peroxylipids in the HX-XO-SOD-MP system, compared with the H2O2-MP system. We also noted that MP inhibited the production of monoepoxide by the H2O2-cytochromec(Cytc) system. These results suggest that MP plays a role as an absorber of active oxygen species and prevents phagocytes from self-destruction.

The catalytic activity and selectivity for hydrogenation of linoleic acid were studied on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts. A detailed analysis of the reaction product was performed by a gas-liquid chromatograph, equipped with a capillary column, and Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy. Geometrical and positional isomerization of linoleic acid occurred during hydrogenation, and many kinds of linoleic acid isomers (trans-9,trans-12; trans-8,cis-12orcis-9,trans-13; cis-9,trans-12; trans-9,cis-12andcis-9,cis-1218:2) were contained in the reaction products. The monoenoic acids in the partial hydrogenation products contained eight kinds of isomers and showed different isomer distributions on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts, respectively. The positional isomers of monoenoic acid were produced by double-bond migration during hydrogenation. On Ni and Pd catalysts, the yield ofcis-12 andtrans-12 monoenoic acids was larger than that ofcis-9 andtrans-9 monoenoic acids. On the contrary, the yield ofcis-9 andtrans-9 monoenoic acids was larger than that ofcis-12 andtrans-12 monoenoic acids on Cu catalyst. From these results, it is concluded that the double bond closer to the methyl group (?12) and that to the carboxyl group (?9) show different reactivity for hydrogenation on Ni, Cu, and Pd catalysts. Monoenoic acid formation was more selective on Cu catalyst than on Ni and Pd catalysts.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common cause of sudden death in the young, is an autosomal dominant disease characterized by ventricular hypertrophy accompanied by myofibrillar disarrays1. Linkage studies and candidate-gene approaches have demonstrated that about half of the patients have mutations in one of six disease genes: cardiac (β-myosin heavy chain (cβMHQ2,3)cardiac troponin T (cThT)4,5, α-tropomyosin (αTM)5'6, cardiac myosin binding protein C (cMBP-C)7–9, ventricular myosin essential light chain (vMLC1)10and ventricular myosin regulatory light chain (vMLC2)10genes. Other disease genes remain unknown. Because all the known disease genes encode major contractile elements in cardiac muscle11, we have systematically characterized the cardiac sarcomere genes, including cardiac troponin I (cTnl), cardiac actin (cACT) and cardiac troponin C (cTnC)12in 184 unrelated patients with HCM and found mutations in the cTnl gene in several patients13. Family studies showed that an Arg145Gly mutation was linked to HCM and a Lys206Gln mutation had occurred de novo, thus strongly suggesting that cTnl is the seventh HCM gene.

Catalytic hydrogenation of linoleic acid was studied on Ir/Al2O3. A detailed analysis of geometrical and positional isomers of octadecenoic acid (18:1) in the products was performed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography with a new capillary column coated with isocyanopropyl trisilphenylene siloxane (TC-70). Well-resolved peaks of 10 species of 18:1 were observed in the product. In addition to monoenoic acid isomers, four species of trans-dienoic isomers and conjugated dienoic isomers were found. From the distribution of 18:1 isomers, it was found that the double bond closer to the methyl end (?12) showed higher reactivity than that closer to the carboxyl end (?9) for hydrogenation. Because cis-8 18:1 and trans-8 18:1 were not observed but cis-10 18:1 and trans-10 18:1 were observed in the products, the double-bond ?9 did not migrate to the carboxyl end but migrated to the methyl end. On the other hand, the ?12 bond migrated to both methyl and carboxyl ends. From the distribution of 18:1 isomers in the reaction pathway, the hydrogenation of linoleic acid proceeds viahalf-hydrogenation states. Cis-18:1 isomers were produced predominantly in the initial stage of the reaction, while trans-18:1 isomers were produced during progress of the reaction. The cis/transand positional isomerization took place by readsorption of 18:1 produced by the partial hydrogenation of linoleic acid.

Catalytic activity and selectivity for hydrogenation of linoleic acid (cis-9,cis-12 18:2) were studied on Pt, Pd, Ru, and Ir supported on Al2O3. Stearic acid (18:0) and 10 different octadecenoic isomers (18:1) in the products could be separated completely by using a new capillary column coated by isocyanopropyl trisilphenylene siloxane for gas-liquid chromatography. The monoenoic acid isomers and dienoic acid isomers in the products on the various catalysts showed different distributions. The catalysts exhibited nearly equal selectivity for stearic acid formation. The 12-position double bond in linoleic acid has higher reactivity than the 9-position double bond in catalytic hydrogenation on platinum-group metal catalysts. In addition to hydrogenation products of linoleic acid, geometrical and positional dienoic acid isomers (trans-9,trans-12; trans-8,cis-12; cis-9,trans-13; trans-9,cis-13; cis-9,trans-12 18:2), due to isomerization of linoleic acid during hydrogenation, were contained in the reaction products. Ru/Al2O3exhibited the highest activity for isomerization of linoleic acid with the noble metal catalysts. Conjugated octadecadienoic acid isomers have been observed in products of the reaction on Pt/Al2O3, Ru/Al2O3, and Ir/Al2O3. Catalytic activities of noble metals for positional and geometric isomerization of linoleic acid during hydrogenation decreased in the sequence of Ru = Pt > Ir » Pd.

Catalytic hydrogenation of linoleic acid was studied on Ir/Al2O3. A detailed analysis of geometrical and positional isomers of octadecenoic acid (18:1) in the products was performed by capillary gas-liquid chromatography with a new capillary column coated with isocyanopropyl trisilphenylene siloxane (TC-70). Well-resolved peaks of 10 species of 18:1 were observed in the product. In addition to monoenoic acid isomers, four species of trans-dienoic isomers and conjugated dienoic isomers were found. From the distribution of 18:1 isomers, it was found that the double bond closer to the methyl end (Δ12) showed higher reactivity than that closer to the carboxyl end (Δ9) for hydrogenation. Because cis-8 18:1 and trans-8 18:1 were not observed but cis-10 18:1 and trans-10 18:1 were observed in the products, the double-bond Δ9 did not migrate to the carboxyl end but migrated to the methyl end. On the other hand, the Δ12 bond migrated to both methyl and carboxyl ends. From the distribution of 18:1 isomers in the reaction pathway, the hydrogenation of linoleic acid proceeds viahalf-hydrogenation states. Cis-18:1 isomers were produced predominantly in the initial stage of the reaction, while trans-18:1 isomers were produced during progress of the reaction. The cis/transand positional isomerization took place by readsorption of 18:1 produced by the partial hydrogenation of linoleic acid.

Biotypes 1–5 Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)strains were grown in the presence of 1/10 minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub‐MIC) of erythromycin (EM), tetracycline (TC), clindamycin (CLDM), or minocycline (MINO) and their culture filtrates were assayed for human neutrophil chemotactic activity using Boyden chamber methods.

Electrochemical reduction of alkyl mesylates was successfully carried out by using an undivided cell equipped with a Pt cathode and an Mg anode in the presence of biphenyl and t-BuOH. The reaction could proceed efficiently under mild conditions to give the corresponding alkanes in moderate to good yields. This procedure could also be applicable to chemoselective reduction of mesylates having functional groups such as epoxide, olefin, acetal, hydroxy, or cyano groups.

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.

1 mol% Nb-doped Pb[(Sc1/2Nb1/2)0.58Ti0.42]O3(PSNTN) ceramics with the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) composition were prepared by the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) method to improve their physical and ferroelectric properties. Sintering, hot isostatic pressing, and annealing conditions were optimized to produce high-density PSNTN ceramics and utilize their excellent dielectric and piezoelectric properties. Using hot isostatic pressing after conventional sintering at 1275° C for 2 h, the achieved density of PSNTN hot-isostatically pressed at 1000° C was 8.00 g/cm3, which was approximately 99.5% of the theoretical value. The maximum dielectric constant of ?T33/?0was 2900 at room temperature, and its dissipation factor was 1.5%. Large electromechanical coupling factors of kp=70% and kt=55% were obtained. The remanent polarization Prand coercive field Ecwere 27 µ C/cm2and 6.9 kV/cm, respectively. The PSNTN ceramic is a promising material for applications to electromechanical bulk transducers, because of its large coupling, high dielectric constant and low mechanical quality factor.