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Recently, navigation systems have been more widely utilized in total hip arthroplasty. However, almost all of these systems have been developed for cementless cups. In the case of cemented total hip arthroplasty using a navigation system, a special-ordered cemented holder is needed. We propose a novel cemented cup-holding technique for navigation systems using readily available articles. We combine a cementless cup holder with an inverted cementless trial cup. The resulting apparatus is used as a cemented cup holder. The upside-down cup-holding technique is useful and permits cemented cup users to utilize a navigation system for placement of the acetabular component.

Techniques for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds have been investigated such as solvent extraction, incineration, chemical dehalogenation and biodegradation, etc. Ultrasound has been found to be an attractive advanced technology for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds in water. In addition, the sonochemical reaction is enhanced by particle addition. However, the enhancement mechanism of particle addition has not been investigated well, because ultrasound enhances not only chemical reaction but also mass transfer. In this study, the degradation process of methylene blue as the model hazardous organic compound by ultrasonic irradiation was investigated. The effects of ultrasonic irradiation condition on degradation rate were investigated. The effect of ultrasonic frequency on improvement of degradation reaction by particle addition was also investigated. In addition, the effects of ultrasonic frequency on ultrasonic power and chemical efficiency were investigated by calorimetry and SE value. The degradation rate constants were estimated from the results of temporal change of the concentration of methylene blue assuming first order kinetics for the decomposition. There was a linear relation in the degradation rate and the ultrasonic power. In addition, the degradation rates at 127 kHz and 490 kHz were much larger than that at 22.8 kHz. The effect of ultrasonic frequency on sonochemical efficiency has been investigated, and the sonochemical effects in the range of frequency of 200 - 500 kHz are 10 times larger than those in the lower or higher frequency regions. Therefore, the degradation rate of methylene blue was considered to estimate using sonochemical efficiency. The degradation process of methylene blue was intensified by particle addition, and the degradation rate increased with increasing amount of particle. On the other hand, the enhancement of degradation rate by particle addition was influenced by both ultrasonic frequency and species of particle. The relationship between particle size and resonance diameter of ultrasound is considered to influence the enhancement of ultrasonic degradation process.

Phase diagrams of carbon dioxide (CO2)/tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) and CO2/tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) binary systems were measured. Liquid phase measurements were performed by observing the bubble point pressure with a synthetic method. Vapor phase measurements were conducted with a flow type apparatus. For the CO2/TMOS system, liquid phase lines were measured at temperatures from 313.2 to 393.2 K, and CO2 molar fractions from 0.15 to 0.85, and vapor phase lines were obtained at temperatures 313.2, 353.2 and 393.2 K and pressures up to 12 MPa. For the CO2/TEOS system, measurements were conducted only for liquid phase lines at temperatures from 313.2 to 373.2 K and CO2 molar fractions from 0.25 to 0.75. Phase behavior of these two systems was almost the same with each other. Experimental data were correlated with the Peng–Robinson equation of state (PR EoS), and the molecular interaction parameter kij and lij for both systems were determined. For large difference in the molecular size of CO2 and tetraalkoxysilanes, it was found that the lij could be negligible.

Electrostatic emulsification of an acidic chitosan solution into an organic solvent was examined for chitosan sphere production of controlled size ranging from nano to submicron scale. Droplets formation by the electrostatic emulsification was observed with a charge-coupled device camera. The diameters of generated water in oil emulsion droplets were measured by dynamic light scattering. At voltages greater than critical voltage, over which the electrostatic emulsification occurs, the droplet diameter “D” depended on the applied voltage “U”, the electrode distance “L”, and the flow rate of aqueous phase “F”. An empirical formula for the relationship between the “D” and “U”, “L” and “F” was obtained as D∝U−0.65 L0.43 F0.14. Further, the chitosan spheres were obtained by cross-linking the emulsion droplets with glutaraldehyde, and were observed by using a scanning electron microscope. The chitosan nano-spheres of the size equal to the emulsion droplet were successfully obtained by the cross-linking of the chitosan and controlling a specific gravity difference of dispersed phase and continuous phase. These results show that the electrostatic emulsification is an excellent technique for the preparation of functional particles of controlled size ranging from nano to submicron scale. © 2011 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The effect of lipid concentrated-butter serum (LC-BS) on the plasma and hepatic cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels of obese-model mouse (KK-Ay) was evaluated. The same analysis was done on the main lipid fractions from LC-BS, namely, ceramide rich fraction (Ceramide-fr), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) rich fraction (PE-fr), and sphingomyelin (SPM) rich fraction (SPM-fr). Plasma cholesterol of mice fed LC-BS and Ceramide-fr was significantly (P

小児橈骨骨幹端部骨折における徒手整復後再転位に影響を及ぼす因子について検討を行った．平成19年4月から平成22年3月までに当院で治療を行った15歳以下の小児橈骨骨幹端部骨折219例中，転位または10°以上の屈曲変形を認め，徒手整復を行い経過観察可能であった20例を対象とした．X線学的評価として，側面像で，橈骨骨軸と遠位骨片のなす角をangulation，橈骨径に対する骨片転位の割合をtranslationとして用いた．経過中に10°以上のangulation，または30％以上のtranslationを認めたものを再転位例とし，再転位あり群（11例）と再転位なし群（9例）を比較検討した．骨折型において2群間で有意差を認めた．完全骨折の場合多くが転位を伴っており，そのため解剖学的整復が得られにくく，場合によっては初期治療からK-wireによる手術加療を考慮すべきと考える．

対象は2008年4月から2010年4月まで当院にて施行した初回THA中，術後2日目，7日目に下肢静脈エコーを施行し術後6日目にD-ダイマーを施行した185例．男性38例，女性147例．平均年齢65.0歳．基本的にメドマーを術直後から開始し低分子ヘパリンを硬膜外チューブ抜去後から開始した．DVTを22例（11.9％）に認めたが症候性のPEは認めなかった．統計学的に術後6日目D-ダイマーのカットオフ値10μg/mlはDVT検出に有効であった．また術後7日目に初めてDVTを発症した5例はすべて術後6日目D-ダイマーが10μg/ml以上であった．当院における術後DVT発生率は11.9％であり他の研究と比較して遜色はなかった．今後も致死性のPEを防ぐため注意深く予防と検査を進めていく必要がある．

A new process for the demulsification of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion with high-pressure carbon dioxide (CO2) was proposed. For the confirmation of the concept, demulsification of O/W emulsion formed with a nonionic surfactant, Tween 20, was conducted. The behavior of O/W emulsion under high-pressure CO2 was examined with a visual observation and an electrical conductivity measurement of the emulsions. Efficiency of the demulsification was evaluated by the oil content of water-rich phases and the amount of water-rich phases separated from the emulsion by the creaming of the oil phases. Experimental results revealed that the high-pressure CO2 acts as a swelling reagent that lowers the density of the dispersed oil phase to induce the floatation of the oil droplet that leads to an efficient demulsification.

The aim of this work is to investigate the gelation behavior of chitosans which has various degree of acetylation (DA) of amino group to ensure the preparation of the designed membrane structure. The DA was controlled by the amount of acetic anhydride added to the solution of chitosan/acidified water/methanol mixture. The gelation behavior was evaluated by the gelation time and the quantity of syneresis. The mechanical strength of acetylated chitosan gels was also measured. The optimum condition for the formation of the membrane, i.e. chitosan concentration, acetic acid/ chitosan mass ratio, methanol/water mass ratio, and amount of acetic anhydride for acetylation, was determined. This composition gives low contractility, shorter gelation time, and high mechanical strength to the membrane and the gel. Useful information not only for a preparation of a membrane but also for an immobilized carrier or a chemical reaction system was obtained in this work.

Denitrification of paddy fields is a key process for improving water quality in fields where nitrate concentrations are high. The objective of the present study was to understand the effects of incorporating organic carbon (C) into soil on the denitrification rate of paddy fields in winter. On 11 December 2007, separate paddy field plots were prepared by incorporating 5 Mg ha−1 of rice straw (RS), 11 Mg ha−1 of rice straw compost (RSC) or a control. A field with a high concentration of nitrate in the water (averaging 18 mg N L−1) was irrigated until 29 March. During the experiment, the daily average soil temperature at a depth of 0.05 m ranged between 3 and 15°C. The nitrate concentration in the surface water in the RS plot, where the residence time was 2 days, decreased more than the concentration in the control or RSC plots. The total estimated nitrate removal from each plot in relation to the other plots was RS > RSC = control. Measurements of the soil from each plot on 29 February 2008 showed...

A novel model of the water permeation mechanism in an N-acetyl-chitosan membrane with a cellular structure is proposed. Although the entire membrane structure has a hydrophilic character, the cellular structure incorporates junction zones that practically prevent water permeation. Chitosan membranes with a controlled degree of deacetylation (DD) were prepared using a casting method. Changes in the water flux and total water content of the membrane were observed with a change in DD. The membrane properties were analyzed and evaluated using water permeability measurements, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). SEM observations indicated that the membrane structure was an individual cellular structure and that this cellular structure grew with decreasing DD. XRD measurements indicated the crystal structure of the membrane was amorphous regardless of the DD in the experimental range. The free water content (Wf), the freezable bound water (Wfb), and the bound water not able to freeze (Wb) were evaluated by DSC. The free water mainly contained inside the cellular structure, and resulted in swelling the chitosan membrane. Water flux was measured using ultrafiltration apparatus; it was dependent on the operational pressure, membrane thickness, and the feed solution viscosity, and obeyed the Hagen–Poiseuille flow. At a higher DD, water permeation proceeds due to degradation of the cellular structure; the amount of water in permeation channels was greater than that for lower DD membranes even though the total water content in the membrane was less. The water flux of the chitosan membrane was determined by the water content constructing channels through the membrane and not on the total water content in the membrane.

Antibacterial activity of chitosan membranes was investigated by a conductimetric assay using a Bactometer. The purpose of this investigation was to produce a practical, high-performance membrane for separation engineering. The antibacterial activity of powdered chitosan membrane was evaluated by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The MIC for Escherichia coli was almost 200 (mg-chitosan/ml-bacterial suspension), and for Staphylococcus aureus it was 40 (mg-chitosan/ml-bacterial suspension). Growth of the gram-positive sample (S. aureus) was more strongly inhibited by chitosan than the gram-negative sample (E. coli). This inhibitory effect was recognized as a bactericidal effect. Antibacterial activity was also observed and depended on the shape and the specific surface area of the powdered chitosan membrane. The influence of the deacetylation degree (DD) of the chitosan on inhibiting the growth of S. aureus was investigated by two methods: incubation using a mannitol salt agar medium, and a conductimetric assay. By both methods, chitosan with a higher DD successfully inhibited growth of S. aureus. Our findings regarding the dominant role of the DD of chitosan will be useful for designing long-life, hygienic, membrane-based processes.

This study investigated the organic matter that causes fouling in the forward osmosis (FO) membrane filtration system used in wastewater concentration processes. The development of the fouling of FO membranes caused by actual municipal wastewater was compared with that of the fouling caused by solutions containing artificial foulants (i.e. Aldrich humic acid, bovine serum albumin, and sodium alginate). This comparison shows that the development of the fouling was underestimated when using the artificial foulants. The characteristics of the foulants were investigated using fluorescence excitation-emission matrix spectra and liquid chromatography-organic carbon detection analyses. The results obtained by these advanced analytical methods indicated that the so-called biopolymers (i.e. organic macromolecules mainly comprising polysaccharides and proteins) were the major components of the foulants. In contrast, hydrophobic organic matter, such as humic substances, was not a dominant component.

Chitosan membrane was prepared by the casting method in combination with N-acetylation reaction. Deacetylation degree decreased linearly with increasing added amounts of acetic anhydride. The stoichiometric control of the deacetylation degree to the desired level was successfully performed. The maximum stress and strain were measured and were linearly depended on the deacetylation degree. The chitosan membrane produced by the casting method had an asymmetric cross-section in the thickness direction based on scanning electron microscope. The solubility of the chitosan membrane changed with pH. Ranging over pH 6.6, the chitosan membrane was still stable and had elasticity. The volumetric permeated water flux through the chitosan membrane increased linearly with operational pressure. It was exponentially dependent on the deacetylation degree and was satisfactory at a constant level after repeated use. The deacetylation degree was anticipated as a parameter for production of chitosan membrane for practical applications.

Sowing on elevated ridges is effective in reducing wet injury of soybean plants cultivated in upland fields converted from rice paddy fields. Therefore, we investigated the effect of ridge tillage (RT) on soybean N accumulation properties. We compared the amounts of plant N associated with N2 fixation of nodules and from soil and fertilizer in the RT treatment with amounts in conventional tillage (CT) in two fields in 2002–2003. Both fields were upland fields converted from rice paddy fields (Typic Hydraquents). The main difference between the fields was the presence of a field underdrain. The amounts of Rb and K accumulated in the shoots were also determined to estimate soybean root distribution. The grain yields with RT increased in both fields from 106% to 129% compared with CT. Increased pod number and seed weight were the major factors responsible for the yield increase. anova indicated that RT significantly increased the activities of both N2 fixation of nodules and N absorption by roots un...

Baseline metal ion levels are elevated in patients with metal-on-metal (MOM) hip arthroplasty. Interpretation of baseline levels is difficult as measurements are influenced by wear, corrosion, and metal ion release from stored metal in the body. Schmalzried et al. demonstrated that "wear is the function of use, not time." The specific research question we asked was: Does physiological exercise increase the wear of metal-on-metal articulation which can be measured from the plasma metal ion levels? Patients with three different well functioning MOM bearings [two types of resurfacing (BHR 46.8 mm and Cormet 48 mm) and Metasul 28 mm] were included. Blood samples were taken immediately before, immediately after, and 1 h after exercise to determine cobalt and chromium levels. A significant increase (p0.005) in serum cobalt and chromium of 13% and 11%, respectively, was noticed after the exercise. Rise of cobalt levels in patients with a resurfacing MOM was 8.5 times (BHR group) or 6.5 times (Cormet group) larger than in those with a Metasul MOM (p=0.021 and p=0.047). Neither rise of metal levels nor baseline levels correlated with any other factor (p0.27). Exercise-related elevations of plasma cobalt level provides information on current in vivo wear production that cannot be inferred from a baseline measurement of cobalt levels. Chromium levels cannot provide reliable information on the in vivo wear of the devices. Diameter was the important feature of the implant in determining exercise-related elevations of plasma cobalt level. Exercise-related elevations of plasma cobalt level is a potential in vivo tool to understand and improve the tribology of metal-metal bearings.

To relate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance of autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) in the knee in the 1st postoperative year with other knee features on MRI and with clinical outcome.Forty-nine examinations were performed in 49 patients at 1 year after ACI in the knee. Forty-one preoperative magnetic resonance (MR) examinations were also available. The grafts were assessed for smoothness, thickness in comparison with that of adjacent cartilage, signal intensity, integration to underlying bone and adjacent cartilage, and congruity of subchondral bone. Presence of overgrowth and bone marrow appearance beneath the graft were also assessed. Presence of osteophyte formation, further cartilage defects, appearance of the cruciate ligaments and the menisci were also recorded. An overall graft score was constructed, using the graft appearances. This was correlated with the knee features and the Lysholm score, a clinical self-assessment score. The data were analysed by a Kruskal-Wallis H test followed by a Mann-Whitney U test with Bonferroni correction as post-hoc test.Of 49 grafts, 32 (65%) demonstrated complete defect filling 1 year postoperatively. General overgrowth was seen in eight grafts (16%), and partial overgrowth in 13 grafts (26%). Bone marrow change underneath the graft was seen; oedema was seen in 23 grafts (47%), cysts in six grafts (12%) and sclerosis in two grafts (4%). Mean graft score was 8.7 (of maximal 12) (95% CI 8.0-9.5). Knees without osteophyte formation or additional other cartilage defects (other than the graft site) had a significantly higher graft score than knees with multiple osteophytes (P=0.0057) or multiple further cartilage defects (P=0.014). At 1 year follow-up improvement in the clinical scores was not significantly different for any subgroup. Knees with a graft score of 8 points or greater had a better improvement of the clinical score than those of 7 points or fewer.At 1 year follow-up after ACI, higher graft scores are associated with an overall better preserved knee joint. ACI improves the clinical outcome, but there is no statistically significant correlation of graft score and clinical outcome.

We investigated the use of chitosan for removing phenol oxide in the aqueous phase as a water-treatment process. We used p -quinone for the phenol oxide model material and investigated the capabilities of chitosan based on molecular weight (MW) and deacetylation degree (DD). We also examined reaction conditions (temperature and pH). The chitosan specifically removed p- quinone, rather than other phenols. The overall reaction rate constant was sufficiently high in the experimental range of 3.89 × 10 5 to 1.24 × 10 6 MW g mol −1 and from 83.1 to 88.6 DD%. Chitosan was suitable for separating p- quinone in the aqueous phase at basic pH levels. Activation energy was found to be 45 kJ mol −1 .

To evaluate magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) grafts and compare these with graft histologic features 1 year after ACI for treatment of femoral condylar defects.This study was approved by the regional ethics committee, and all patients gave informed consent. Forty-one patients (mean age, 35 years; 30 men, 11 women) underwent ACI for treatment of femoral condylar defects. One year later, knee joint MR imaging and graft biopsy were performed. Graft biopsy results were categorized into those showing hyaline, mixed fibrohyaline cartilage, fibrocartilage, and fibrous tissue. Standard T1-, T2-, T2*-, and intermediate-weighted sequences were performed, as well as three-dimensional (3D) fast low-angle shot (FLASH) and double-echo steady-state sequences for cartilage assessment. ACI grafts were assessed for signal intensity (with FLASH sequence), thickness, overgrowth, surface smoothness, integration to adjacent cartilage and underlying bone, bone marrow edema underneath graft, and contour of bone underneath graft. MR images were assessed by two observers, first independently and then in consensus. MR imaging findings were correlated with histologic findings.All 41 grafts were present at 1-year follow-up. The graft consisted of hyaline cartilage in four, mixed fibrohyaline cartilage in 10, fibrocartilage in 25, and fibrous tissue in two cases. Graft signal intensity was virtually always lower than adjacent normal cartilage signal intensity, and there was no relationship between graft signal intensity and histologic appearance (P = .34). Graft thickness (P = .83), overgrowth (P = .69), surface smoothness (P = .28), and integration with adjacent cartilage and underlying bone (P = .90); edema in bone marrow underneath graft (P = .63); and bone contour underneath graft (P = .94) at MR imaging had no correlation with graft histologic appearance. Graft overgrowth (n = 16; 39%) and edema-like signal in bone marrow underneath graft (n = 23; 56%) were common. The origin of graft overgrowth remains unclear.With the methods presented here, MR imaging findings cannot predict ACI graft histologic features, and graft histologic appearance determined at biopsy was not related to graft signal intensity, graft thickness, overgrowth, surface smoothness, integration with adjacent cartilage or underlying bone, signal intensity change in underlying bone marrow, or underlying bone contour. Overgrowth and bone marrow changes underneath the graft were common.

Phenol oxidant is successfully removed by using chitosan particles in the aqueous phase. Removal of p-quinone by chitosan from crab shells was investigated kinetically from molecular weight (MW) of chitosan, deacetylation degree (DD) and reaction temperature. The rate constant assuming first-ordered reaction on removal of p-quinone in aqueous phase primarily depended on the MW of chitosan, not on the DD. Quantities of chitosan exceeding 5 x 10(5) MW are able to obtain a sufficiently high rate constant (10(-3) s(-1)). At higher temperatures, higher rate constants were obtained in the entire experimental MW and DD. The activation energy obtained was 43.8 kJ x mol(-1).

"Uplandization" is the process that changes the physical and chemical properties in a paddy field into those of an upland field. There is a transitional period when a paddy field is converted to an upland field. We propose a new method to evaluate the degree of "uplandization" based on changes in crystallinity of free iron oxides. The iron oxides influence soil physical and chemical properties such as soil microstructure or phosphate retention. Iron crystallinity is evaluated by the amount of iron extraction over 120 min by 1 mol L pH 3.0 sodium acetate buffer, at solution to soil of 100 to I (Fe a c ). Fe a c decreases in proportion to the period after conversion to upland cultivation. Fe a c is significantly correlated with phosphate retention properties and iron reducibility of soils under submerged conditions, but acid-oxalate-extracted iron, which is used to extract amorphous free iron generally, is not. For this reason, Fe a c is considered to be more suitable for evaluation of the history of uplandization.

Adults of the rice leaf bug, Trigonotylus caelestialium (Kirkaldy), were labeled by feeding for 24 h on wheat seedlings sprayed with 10 gl−1 and 20 gl−1 rubidium solution. Rubidium levels in the adult bodies were measured by a atomic absorption spectrophtometer (780 nm). Elimination data showed that the rubidium levels were maintained above detectable levels (0.1 μg per bugs) for 2–3 d after bugs left the rubidium-enriched host plants. The adult longevity and female fecundity were not affected by the treatments of rubidium. These results show that rubidium can be used to mark adult bugs.

Methanogenic archaea are strict anaerobes and demand highly reduced conditions to produce methane in paddy field soil. However, methanogenic archaea survive well under upland and aerated conditions in paddy fields and exhibit stable community. In the present study, methanogenic archaeal community was investigated in fields where paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) under flooded conditions was rotated with soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) under upland conditions at different rotation histories, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and real-time quantitative PCR methods targeting 16S rRNA and mcrA genes, respectively. Soil samples collected from the fields before flooding or seeding, during crop cultivation and after harvest of crops were analyzed. The abundance of the methanogenic archaeal populations decreased to about one-tenth in the rotational plots than in the consecutive paddy (control) plots. The composition of the methanogenic archaeal community also changed. Most members of the methanogenic archaea consisting of the orders Methanosarcinales, Methanocellales, Methanomicrobiales, and Methanobacteriales existed autochthonously in both the control and rotational plots, while some were strongly affected in the rotational plots, with fatal effect to some members belonging to the Methanosarcinales. This study revealed that the upland conversion for one or longer than 1 year in the rotational system affected the methanogenic archaeal community structure and was fatal to some members of methanogenic archaea in paddy field soil.

We have found in our research so far that proliferation of leukemia cell, which is a typical cancer cell, was remarkably affected by irradiation of blue LED light. In this study, we made a special experimental apparatus which could irradiate blue light as strong as 100 W/m2 to the cells in culture medium. And it was found that the proliferation of leukemia cells (K562) was drastically surpressed. In order to educiate the cause, flow cytometry analysis was performed for the irradiated cells. The result showed that the cell suppression might be caused by the irregularity of cell cycle occurred by the strong blue light (© 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

We examined the relationship between the form of iron and the tillability (defined as the degree of ease of pulverizing a soil into small clods) of soils in upland fields that had been converted from paddy fields. The amount of iron (Fe.e) extractable with acetate buffer (pH 3.0) decreased from 0.959 g kg-1 in a field that has been continuously used as a paddy field to 0.104 g kg-I in a field that had been converted into an upland field for a period of 5 y. There was no significant change in the free iron oxide content under upland conditions. These results indicate that ferric iron oxides are gradually crystallized to less reactive forms after the conversion of a paddy field into upland conditions. Both soil tillability (represented by the mean clod diameter after tillage) and the stability of the soil microstructure (represented by the sediment volume) also increased during the 3-y period after conversion and then remained constant for the last 2-y period of the study. On the basis of these res...

Tuberculosis of the cervical spine is uncommon to arise in the whole apine. We report a case of tuberculous cervical spondylitis with Barre-Lieou syndrome.The case was a 61 year old female, who complained of mild muscle weakness and strong dizziness at motion, headache, nausea, so called Barre-Lieou syndrome. MRI showed rim enhancement of the retropharyngeal soft tissue and peridural abscess. We therefore performed the operation of curretage and anterior spinal body fusion by use of autogenous fibula bone, adding the chemotherapy of INH, RFP and SM. She gradually recovered from Barre-Lieou syndrome.The origin of Barre-Lieou syndrome in this case was unsidered the source of the irritation of the vertebral nerve by tuberculous abscess.

Ultrasound has been found to be an attractive advanced technology for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds in water. In addition, the sonochemical reaction is enhanced by particle addition. However, the enhancement mechanism of particle addition has not been investigated well, because ultrasound enhances not only chemical reactions but also mass transfer. In this study, the ultrasonic degradation of methylene blue was carried out, and the effects of the ultrasonic irradiation condition on the degradation rate were investigated. The effect of ultrasonic frequency on the improvement of degradation by particle addition was also investigated. The order of degradation rate with frequency was the same as the tendency of sonochemical efficiency value obtained using KI oxidation dosimetry method (SE KI). The degradation process of methylene blue was intensified by particle addition, and the degradation rate increased with increasing amount of particle addition. The enhancement of degradation rate by particle addition was influenced by both ultrasonic frequency and type or diameter of particles.

This study is performed in order to assess the molecular permeabilities of composite films of chondroitin sulfate C (CS) and chitosan (CHI) prepared by the hot press technique. Permeation behaviors are evaluated using horizontal diffusion cells and four substrates with different charges: methylene blue (MB), orange II (OR), l-tryptophan (Trp), and 4-methylumbelliferyl β-d-galactopyranoside (MUG). Permeability coefficients, diffusion coefficients, and partition coefficients are calculated from permeation curves. When MB and OR are used as the permeants, permeability coefficients in solutions with higher pH or ionic strength are greater than in those with lower pH or ionic strength. Permeability coefficients at pH 5.9 at which Trp carries zero net charge are as follows: Trp > MB ≈ MUG > OR. The diffusion coefficients and partition coefficients obtained indicate that CS/CHI films permeate these molecules based on a partition mechanism at lower pH and a pore model at higher pH. These characteristics appear to reflect the unique microenvironment of films consisting of polyion complexes of oppositely charged polysaccharides.

This study was designed to investigate the effect of an herbal medicine-goshajinkigan (GJ)-on the regulation of total body weight, as well as liver and adipose tissue weights in rats fed a highfat diet (HFD) and drinking of 30% sucrose (HFDS) (HFD; the rats received 19.6% energy from carbohydrates, 18.2% from proteins, and 62.2% from lipids; total energy, 506 kcal/100 g). Control rats were fed a standard diet (the rats received 60.5% energy from carbohydrates, 26.2% from proteins, and 13.3% from lipids; total energy, 360 kcal/100 g). Over a period of 12 weeks, rats were allowed free access to either the standard diet or HFDS containing 0, 1, or 3% GJ. In comparison with the control group, the HFDS rats showed a significant decrease in overall body weight and adipose tissue weight, and an increase in liver weight at 12 weeks. GJ treatment significantly reversed the HFDS-induced decrease in body and adipose tissue weight and reduced the elevated liver weight dose-dependently. Similarly, GJ reduced the elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase levels observed in HFDS rats. These results suggest that GJ may have the potential to alleviate damage to the liver in subjects with long-term consumption of HFDS.

To clarify the issues associated with promoting pharmacists' participation in home medical care(HMC), we performed a questionnaire survey for pharmacists who participated in a HMC training workshop. The cumulative number of participants in the workshop was 284; the majority of the participants was from mid-sized pharmacies and had been working for over 10 years. The rate of pharmacists engaged in HMC was 69% and their main practices were "drug delivery to patients" and "drug administration guidance for patients at home". Many participants responded that the key items for HMC were "cooperation with people with different type of jobs", "a wide pharmaceutical knowledge", and "effective involvement with patients and their families". The present main issues regarding HMC were "low pharmaceutical care fees", "deficiency of pharmacists", and "insufficient collaboration with people with different type of jobs". In order to resolve these issues, it is necessary to construct a cooperation system with other medical and welfare-related societies and to continuously organize such workshop.

CO 2 capture and storage is one of the effective countermeasures against global warming and sub-seabed geological storage of CO 2 in the form of gas hydrate is an attractive option for CCS because gas hydrate can stably exit in low-temperature and high-pressure condition and the risk of CO 2 leakage may be lower than the other CCS methods. For the effective design of storage system, it is necessary to model the formation of CO 2 -hydrate. In this study, a CO 2 -hydrate formation model in porous media was proposed and applied to two different types of formation — one is the hydrate formation in sand sediment without flow and the other is that in gas-water two-phase flow in sand sediment. Numerical studies, which simulated the experimental conditions of previous study, were conducted and formation behaviors of CO 2 -hydrate in sand sediment were revealed.

Techniques such as solvent extraction, incineration, chemical dehalogenation, and biodegradation have been investigated for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds. We found ultrasound to be an attractive technology for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds in water. However, the effects of ultrasonic frequency on degradation rate constants were not investigated quantitatively. In this study, the degradation process of a model for hazardous organic compound methylene blue was investigated using ultrasonic irradiation. The study focused on the effects of ultrasonic frequency and ultrasonic power on the degradation rate constant. The apparent degradation rate constants were estimated based on time dependence of methylene blue concentration assuming pseudo-first-order kinetics for the decomposition. A linear relationship between the apparent degradation rate constant and ultrasonic power was identified. In addition, the apparent degradation rate constants at frequencies of 127 and 490 kHz were much larger than those at 22.8 kHz. A relationship between the apparent degradation rate constant and the sonochemical efficiency value (SE value) was also found. Based on these results, a simple model for estimating the apparent degradation rate constant of methylene blue based on the ultrasonic power and the SE value is proposed in this study.

The authors devised two different types of cisplatin (CDDP) delivery systems; namely, System A and System B. The anticancer efficacy with each system was examined using cancer-bearing animals. Seventy-percent deacetylated chitin (DAC-70) was used as the drug carrier in the system. Cancer-bearing animals were prepared by intra-peritoneally (ip) inoculating the MM-46 cancer cells to C3H mice. Each novel system was also ip injected to the cancer-bearing mouse, and then survival time of each animal was recorded to evaluate the anti-cancer efficacy of the system. Both Systems A and B were viscoelastic sol at 25°C and slowly changed to gel at 37°C. Four-week survival rate of each animal treated with the System was as follows: System A 6/10 (60%), System B 10/11 (90.9%), conventional CDDP alone 3/9 (33.3%) and non-treated 0/7 (0%). No signs of recurrence of ascites were encountered in the long-term survived animals treated with System A and B. Our newly devised systems provided a favorable antitumor efficacy in vivo. Now, we will carry out further studies by making a clinically applicable novel conjugated system, DAC-70 and CDDP.

A case of aphalangic hand was reconstructed by nonvascularized toe proximal phalanx transfers to the augment length and to improve the function and appearance. As Goldberg and Watson recommended, an eight month-old boy underwent operation of toe proximal phalanx transfers which included intact epiphysis, periosteum and lateral collateral ligaments. Since the extensor and flexor tendons made a loop at the metacarpal head, it was incised longitudinary, and toe phalanx was inserted into this space. Lateral collateral ligaments were then sutured to the extensor and flexor tendons. Six months after operation, there has been no sign of bone absorption in the transplanted proximal toe phalanxes. This patient is now able to use his hands without any inconvenience in daily life.Past attempts at inserting bone grafts from various donor sites resulted in bone absorption. Even using proximal toe phalanx transfers without collateral ligaments resulted in the absorption of all toe phalanxes (Radocha et al.). For better functional results and to avoid bone absorption, suture of the lateral callateral ligaments to the recipient tendons should therefore be included in operations.

The second-generation, metal-on-metal (MOM) bearing for total hip replacements was launched in the 1980s, and resurfacing followed in the mid-1990s. Remaining challenges include long-term bone remodeling of the femoral resurfacing and consideration of adverse MOM wear conditions. Precise understanding of manufacturing variables such as alloy types, bearing diameters, design tolerances, and surface finish is imperative in obtaining clinical consistency and safety in the patient. This review examines femoral fixation, bone remodeling, and wear studies of MOM implants and provides a brief overview of the latest outcome and retrieval data and how these data integrate with the in vitro wear studies.

Case: A sixty-five-year-old man with diabetes mellitus had bilateral calcaneal avulsion fracture without a history of trauma. Both fractures were treated surgically with modified tension-band wiring, cerclage wiring, and screws. Six months after the surgery on the left side, the patient had a left Achilles tendon rupture proximal to its insertion into the calcaneus. Conclusion: Calcaneal avulsion fractures are rare but often have complications. Even if these fractures are managed by well-established treatment methods, an unanticipated complication, namely a delayed Achilles tendon rupture, can occur in patients with diabetes.

資料番号: SA1005041000

Ultrasound has been found to be an attractive advanced technology for the degradation of hazardous organic compounds in water. The ultrasonic degradation of dyes has been investigated by many researches, but the effects of ultrasonic frequency on degradation rate were not investigated quantitatively. In our previous study, we proposed a simple model for estimating the apparent degradation rate constant of methylene blue based on ultrasonic power and the SEKI value in the range of frequency between 20 kHz and 500 kHz. However, we have not investigated the ultrasonic degradation of methylene blue in high frequency region around 1 MHz. The effects of initial concentration of methylene blue have not been investigated yet, either. In this study, the degradation process using methylene blue as model hazardous organic compounds by ultrasonic irradiation was investigated. The ultrasonic frequency was operated in the range from 20 kHz to 1.6 MHz, and the initial concentration of methylene blue was in the range from 0.005 to 0.04 mM. Our proposed model can apply to this study which extended the frequency range. The effects of initial concentration can also be estimated in the range of 0.01 to 0.04 mM using this model.

The application of micelles as a drug carrier for chemical reaction processes was investigated from the viewpoint of process intensification. The effects of ultrasonic stimulation and thermal stimulation on the effluence of internal hydrophobic dye from Pluronic micelles were investigated by measuring the absorbance of sample solutions. Internal substances could be released from the micelle rapidly by ultrasonic irradiation, and the ultrasonic physical effect is important for the effluence of internal substances. The possibility of new chemical reaction process using Pluronic micelles as a reactant carrier is revealed.