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Imidafenacin (IM), 4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2,2-diphenylbutanamide, is a newly synthesized antimuscarinic drug developed for the treatment of overactive bladder. To predict clinically relevant drug interactions in the metabolism of IM, the paper investigated: (1) the major enzymes responsible for the metabolism of IM, (2) the effects of concomitant drugs on the inhibition of metabolism of IM, and (3) the effects of IM and its metabolites on the inhibition of human cytochrome P450 (CYP). The elimination of IM and production of oxidative metabolites were mainly catalysed by recombinant CYP3A4, and the elimination of IM by human liver microsomes (HLM) was markedly inhibited by co-incubation with ketoconazole. The production of the N-glucuronide metabolite was only catalysed by recombinant UGT1A4. Clinically established CYP3A4 inhibitors including itraconazole, ketoconazole, erythromycin and clarithromycin inhibited the elimination of IM in HLM. IM and its major metabolites did not affect the activities of CYP enzymes in vitro. The results suggest that the major enzymes responsible for the metabolism of IM are CYP3A4 and UGT1A4, and oxidative metabolism of IM is reduced by concomitant administration of CYP3A4 inhibitors. In contrast, IM and its metabolites have no inhibitory effect on the CYP-mediated metabolism of concomitant drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Austenitic stainless steel or high nitrogen austenitic steel are used extensively as structural non-magnetic materials. The former, because of their low surface hardness, have low wear resistance. Recently developed plasma (ion)-carburizing improves the surface of austenitic stainless steel by removing the oxide scale. In contrast, high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel are expected as wear-resistance material because the hardness is higher than that of conventional austenitic stainless steel. In this study, two kinds of austenitic stainless steel were plasma (ion)-carburized in an atmosphere of CH4 +H2 plasma at 1303 K for 14.4 ks. The metallurgical characteristics were then investigated using XRD (X-ray diffraction method), OM (optical microscopy), hardness testing, glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (GDOES) and a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the plasma (ion)-carburized low nitrogen austenitic stainless steel had the layer with structure similar to the common austenitic stainless steel. The plasma (ion)-carburized high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel had the carbide layer at the top surface, carbide dispersed layer in the matrix, and then lamellar structure of carbides toward the inner layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The recently developed technique for the low-temperature plasma (ion) carburizing of austenitic stainless steel improves not only wear properties, but also corrosion resistance. Conventional plasma (ion) carburizing of austenitic stainless steel has attracted less attention, however, as the formation of chromium carbides decreases the corrosion resistance of the materials. In this study, we carried out the high-temperature plasma (ion) carburizing of austenitic stainless steel SUS316L, which is the specification of Japanese Industrial Standard on steel for special purpose, at a temperature of 1303 K under a pressure of 346 Pa in an atmosphere of CH4+H2 plasma for a duration of 14.4 and 28.8 ks. As a result, two interesting metallurgical phenomena occurred in the plasma (ion)-carburized layer of the SUS316L austenitic stainless steel. First, the volatilization of the manganese from the specimen surfaces decreased the manganese concentration at the surface of the plasma (ion)-carburized layer. In comparing the CH4+H2 plasma with the CH4-free plasma (i.e., the Ar+H2 plasma), the depth of affected layer of the former in which the manganese concentration is lower than that in the matrix was two times deeper than that of the latter. This suggests that the manganese in the plasma (ion)-carburized layer of austenitic stainless steel SUS316L diffuses more rapidly than that in the matrix. Secondly, measurements taken by Glow Discharge Optical Emission Spectroscopy (GDOES) indicated an “uphill” diffusion phenomenon similar to that reported by L. S. Darken in 1949. According to the carbon distribution profile of the plasma (ion)-carburized specimen moving from the surface to the inner part, the intensity of the carbon initially lowered within the first few microns of depth, reached its nadir, and thereafter rose. The carbon in the layer seemed to be affected by silicon, nickel, and iron, as the intensities of these elements peaked in the plasma (ion)-carburized layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We hypothesised that long term epidural anaesthesia suppresses sympathetic overactivity in pre-eclampsia. Two equal groups of severe pre-eclamptic patients were treated either with long-term epidural anaesthesia (epidural group) or bed rest, diet control, and an antihy-pertensive drug (control group). After 7 days of epidural block, mean arterial blood pressures decreased, platelet count and serum total protein increased in all cases while proteinuria decreased in four cases. All patients treated with a long-term epidural therapy continued their pregnancies for more than 3 weeks after admission. The infants in the epidural group had 1-min Apgar scores above 8, a body weight of 2240 ± 310 g (mean ± s.d.) and normal neonatal progress. In contrast, the pregnancies of eight patients in the control group were terminated within 2 weeks of admission due to severe pre-eclampsia or foetal distress, the birth weight of the infants was 1590 ± 380 g (mean ± s.d.) and four had neonatal distress. Progressive worsening in the mean arterial pressure, proteinuria, platelet count and serum total protein was found in these patients. Long-term epidural anaesthesia suppresses the sympathetic hyperactivity and thus improves pre-eclamptic condition which may open a new treatment in case of progressive severe pre-eclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new active sensor system (active antenna) that can detect not only the contact location between an insensitive flexible beam and an environment but also the information of the environment's surface where the beam makes contact. The active antenna is simply composed of a flexible beam, actuators to move the beam, position sensors to measure the rotational angle of the beam, and a moment sensor. We first show that the contact distance under no lateral slip is proportional to the rotational compliance that the beam can sense at the rotational center. The lateral slip, which possibly occurs according to the pushing direction and the environment's geometry, overestimates the rotational compliance, and as a result, brings a large sensing error for the localizing contact point. The goal of this paper is to find the contact location under such conditions. We explore how to detect a lateral slip and how to determine the new pushing direction to avoid it. We show an algorithm that can search for the pushing direction which can avoid any lateral slip. The convergence of this algorithm is shown and a practical utilization of this algorithm is also discussed with a trade-off between the number of trials and the sensing accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aim: To evaluate the effect of the saline flush (SF) technique on the depiction of lesions and the reduction of perivenous artefacts in the head and neck region using dual-energy computed tomography (CT) with virtual monochromatic imaging (VMI).Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with head and neck cancer were divided into two groups: group A, without a SF and group B, with a 30-ml SF. All images were acquired using fast kilovolt-switching CT (Revolution HD, GE Healthcare, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) of the lesions were calculated at VMI energy levels ranging from 40 to 80 keV. Subjective analysis of overall image quality, delineation of lesions, and perivenous artefacts was conducted by two reviewers at both VMI energy level 40 keV and the optimal energy level (which showed optimal CNR by objective analysis).Results: Optimal energy level was 63 keV for group A and 61 keV for group B. At VMI energy levels ranging from 40 to 80 keV, the CNR was higher for group B. The highest subjective overall image quality was shown for group B at the optimal energy level (subjective image quality mean value, 3.40). Subjective delineation of lesions was comparable. The perivenous artefact score was significantly higher for group B (2.44 versus 2.74 [p<0.05] at 40 keV, 3.20 versus 3.46 [p<0.05] at the optimal energy level).Conclusion: The SF technique results in an improvement of lesion CNR and a reduction of perivenous artefacts in VMI using duel-energy CT, especially at 40 keV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the dendritic cell (DC) differentiation in embryonic rat liver utilizingin situultrastructural characterization and immunohistochemistry. The study revealed the existence of DCs early in hepatic ontogeny with positive immune staining to the OX-62 monoclonal antibody. DCs existed in three differentiating stages: immature, mature and transitional forms in between. At 14 and 16 days of gestation, immature and transitional forms of DCs dominated. Mature cells increased significantly in number through late gestational days (18 days onwards). DCs (particularly mature and moderate mature forms) revealed signs of active phagocytosis manifested by the existence of cytoplasmic phagosomes and heterophagosomes. At 18 days of gestation as well as newborn liver mature DCs displayed two distinct morphological phenotypes according to the degree of development of either the smooth endoplasmic reticulum or the lysosomal compartment. Mature DCs delineated close appositions to other DCs, hepatocytes, and clustering with lymphocytes especially through their cellular processes. The features of phagocytosis and DC–T-cell contacts may signify a role of DCs in immune surveillance in the embryonic liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A case study is presented on three successful deliveries involving a pregnant woman with congenital afibrinogenaemia - conventional fibrinogen concentrate infusion vs. 'as required' fibrinogen concentrate infusion based on changes in fibrinogen clearance. Topics include the case being the first in the world in which a pregnancy involving a patient with congenital afibrinogenaemia was successfully managed and 'as required' fibrinogen replacement found to be easy to manage.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin treatment in mouse neonates on glucose metabolism in adulthood. Leptin was administered subcutaneously to normally nourished neonates, from 5.5 to 10.5 days of age, to mimic the premature surge observed in neonates undernourished in utero. At 15-16 weeks of age, we measured blood glucose or insulin levels after the intraperitoneal administration of glucose or insulin. After the intraperitoneal administration of glucose, the levels of blood glucose, but not insulin, in adult mice that received the neonatal leptin treatment were significantly higher than that of those which received vehicle control. After the intraperitoneal administration of insulin, the levels of blood glucose in adult mice that underwent neonatal leptin treatment were significantly higher than that of those which received vehicle control. These findings suggest that the premature leptin surge plays an essential role, as a programming signal during the early neonatal period, as well as in the developmental origins of impaired insulin sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response to a letter to the editor about an article on pregnancy is presented.

TlGaAs and GaAs were grown by molecular-beam epitaxy at temperatures lower than 350°C and were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction as well as by secondary ion mass spectrometry combined with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. At the growth temperature of 250°C, the incorporation of Tl into TlxGa1-xAs was limited to x=1.2%, while the limit was extended beyond 2.8% at the growth temperature of 200°C. Taking into account the lattice expansion effect of As antisites, the expression of the lattice mismatch of TlxGa1-x-ω As1+ω to GaAs is deduced as a function of the Tl content x. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poster: Clinical track: Gynaecological (endometrium, cervix, vagina, vulva) PO-1129: Impact of individualized ITV margins for IMRT of cervical cancer on target coverage K. Wada, E. Nakanishi, M. Toratani, T. Ikawa, N. Kanayama, M. Morimoto, K. Konishi, T. Teshima. [Extracted from the article]