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AIM To evaluate whether embryo selection using the early embryo viability assessment (EEVA) score increases the ongoing pregnancy rate of in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection patients. METHODS One hundred eighty-one patients whose serum anti mullerian hormone (AMH) level was greater than 0.5 ng/μL were enrolled in the study. All patients received oocyte retrieval repeatedly from June 2017 to January 2019. Transferred embryos were selected using the EEVA score and Veeck's criteria. We investigated the blastocyst rate according to the EEVA score and Veeck's criteria and also evaluated the clinical outcome following embryo transfer of the blastocysts. RESULTS Blastocyst development rate (48.7%) and high-quality blastocyst (42.4%) of Veeck 1 was statistically higher than others. The blastocyst rate (71.4%) and high-quality blastocyst rate (60.0%) for EEVA 1 was the highest, and a correlation between the EEVA score and the blastocyst rate was also identified in cases younger than 40 years. Blastocyst rate of EEVA 1 + 2 (69.8% 208/298) was statistically higher than that of Veeck 1 + 2 (40.1% 317/791) (p

Bradyrhizobium sp. S23321 is an oligotrophic bacterium isolated from paddy field soil. Although S23321 is phylogenetically close to Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110, a legume symbiont, it is unable to induce root nodules in siratro, a legume often used for testing Nod factor-dependent nodulation. The genome of S23321 is a single circular chromosome, 7,231,841 bp in length, with an average GC content of 64.3%. The genome contains 6,898 potential protein-encoding genes, one set of rRNA genes, and 45 tRNA genes. Comparison of the genome structure between S23321 and USDA110 showed strong colinearity; however, the symbiosis islands present in USDA110 were absent in S23321, whose genome lacked a chaperonin gene cluster (groELS3) for symbiosis regulation found in USDA110. A comparison of sequences around the tRNA-Val gene strongly suggested that S23321 contains an ancestral-type genome that precedes the acquisition of a symbiosis island by horizontal gene transfer. Although S23321 contains a nif (nitrogen fixation) gene cluster, the organization, homology, and phylogeny of the genes in this cluster were more similar to those of photosynthetic bradyrhizobia ORS278 and BTAi1 than to those on the symbiosis island of USDA110. In addition, we found genes encoding a complete photosynthetic system, many ABC transporters for amino acids and oligopeptides, two types (polar and lateral) of flagella, multiple respiratory chains, and a system for lignin monomer catabolism in the S23321 genome. These features suggest that S23321 is able to adapt to a wide range of environments, probably including low-nutrient conditions, with multiple survival strategies in soil and rhizosphere.

糖鎖修飾金ナノ粒子を利用し，レクチンの高感度な吸収・光散乱分光分析について検討した．マンノース修飾金ナノ粒子の水溶液にマンノース結合型レクチンを添加すると，糖鎖－タンパク質間の特異的な結合を介して金ナノ粒子が凝集し，吸収・散乱スペクトルが劇的に変化した．そのスペクトルフィッティング解析からマンノースとレクチン間の解離定数を算出したところ，単糖とレクチン間の結合力に比べ10000倍以上も増大しており，糖鎖とレクチン間の多価結合に由来する糖鎖クラスター効果が発現していることを明らかにした．このような金ナノ粒子を利用すれば，高感度なレクチンの検出が可能であり，吸収スペクトル測定ではレクチン濃度が12～45 nMの範囲で直線の検量線（r＝0.99）が得られ，検出限界は4.0 nMであった．散乱スペクトル測定では検出限界がさらに10倍程度向上し，0.4 nMとなることが分かった．

急性大動脈解離を契機に発見された大動脈弁置換術後吻合部仮性動脈瘤の1例を経験した.症例は66歳,男性.15年前に感染性心内膜炎による大動脈弁閉鎖不全に対し,大動脈人工弁置換術を施行された.胸痛で当科を受診したさい,胸部CTでStanford A型急性大動脈解離と上行大動脈前面の仮性動脈瘤が発見された.大動脈解離のprimary tearと仮性瘤のorificeとは関連はなかった.緊急で超低体温循環停止下に上行大動脈人工血管置換術を施行し,良好な結果を得た.大動脈弁置換術後の経過観察において仮性動脈瘤の合併も念頭において経過観察する必要があると思われた.

Reduced mental fatigue and ease of mind on caregivers are crucial in order to deliver safe bath care assistance in the elderly facility. In this paper, we present an experiment quantifying the eye gaze and field of view of the caregiver while performing bath care assistance. First, we used optical motion analyzing apparatus, head mounted gaze measuring apparatus, motion sensor (applied to 5 points: wrist, waist, neck, head and ankle in sequence) and compared data. Subjects imitated the motions of bathing assistance in a laboratory. Second, we clarified the validity of data by studying simultaneously recorded multiple people’s data taken under role play settings (caregiver role and care receiver role) in an actual bathroom setting. The findings of the study are highly relevant in outlining a safe and secure bathing assistance related to reducing the mental burden on caregivers as well as giving them “ease of mind” while performing bath care.

Although bleeding from gastroesophageal varices is common in patients with portal hypertension, bleeding from rectal varices is observed only occasionally. In some patients, however, rectal variceal hemorrhage is fatal.1 Several investigators have reported successful treatment of rectal variceal hemorrhage with interventional radiologic techniques such as transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS),2-4 whereas others have shown the usefulness of endoscopic therapy5-9 and surgical treatment.10,11 However, treatment for rectal varices has not been standardized. This is a report of a patient with bleeding rectal varices successfully treated by endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) after careful hemodynamic evaluation of the varices.

Adsorption behavior of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on hydrotalcite was investigated by measuring the amount of SDS adsorbed, ζ potential and pyrene fluorescence spectra of suspensions. The amount of SDS adsorbed increased sharply and then reached a plateau with SDS concentration, accompanying the change of ζ potential from positive to negative. The X-ray diffraction and fluorescence measurements show that the interlayer separation of hydrotalcite increases, while the microenvironment of SDS adsorbed layer becomes hydrophobic with SDS concentration. The amount of 2-naphthol adsolubilized increased considerably at low SDS concentration and then decreased gradually with SDS concentration. In addition, the amount of 2-naphthol adsolubilized increased proportionally with increasing feed concentration of 2-naphthol.

SummaryRecent studies have suggested that clot-bound thrombin plays an important role in thrombus growth. In this study, we examined the effects of recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (rhsTM) on clot-induced coagulation. rhsTM enhanced the activation of protein C by clots, and attenuated clot-induced thrombin generation and fibrinopep-tide A (FPA) production in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of rhsTM was abolished by anti-protein C antibody. The inhibitory effect of rhsTM on clot-induced thrombin generation continued for over 60 min after the addition of the clot, while an active site-directed thrombin inhibitor, argatroban, produced a more transient inhibition. rhsTM also inhibited the regrowth of the clot in 125I-fibrinogen-supplemented plasma. We also examined the effect of rhsTM by thromboelastography; rhsTM reduced the growth of the clot but had little effect on the time to begin clotting, while heparin and Fragmin (low molecular weight heparin) had effects opposite to those of rhsTM.These findings suggest that rhs-TM attenuates the growth of the clot by activating protein C and inhibiting further thrombin generation in the clot.

SummaryRecently, we demonstrated that the last three consecutive epidermal growth factor-like structures of human thrombomodulin form the minimum functional fragment for protein C activating activity. In this study, the recombinant minimum functional fragment of human thrombomodulin (E456) had similar activities for protein C activation and clotting time compared to the recombinant extracellular domains of human thrombomodulin (rhsTM) previously described. E456 had a shorter half-life (6-9 min) in animals, compared to rhsTM (5 h). To evaluate whether or not E456 is a suitable anticoagulant for extra-corporeal circulation, the effects of E456 were investigated in the extracorporeal circulation model in monkeys. The effect of E456 at a dose of 0.03 mg/kg plus 0.113 mg/kg/h on circuit pressure was as potent as that of low molecular weight heparin, Fragmin, at a dose of 30 IU/kg plus 15IU/kg/h. E456, however, also more effectively suppressed an increase of thrombin-antithrombin III complex than Fragmin. Also the APTT quickly returned to the pre-treatment level following E456, but did not when using Fragmin. Moreover, E456 had no influence on the plasma free fatty acid levels, while Fragmin significantly increased them. Thus, E456 appears to have anticoagulant properties which make it more suitable anticoagulant in extracorporeal circulation than Fragmin.

Stachybocins A, B and C, novel endothelin (ET) receptor antagonists, were isolated from the culture filtrate of Stachybotrys sp. M6222. They were extracted with ethyl acetate and then purified by alumina and silica gel column chromatographies. The molecular formulae of stachybocins were determined to be C52H70N2O10 (stachybocin A) and C52H70N2O11 (stachybocins B and C). It was supposed that they consisted of spirobenzofuran and terpene units from NMR spectra. They showed the inhibitory activity of 125I-ET-1 binding to rate ETA, human ETA and human ETB receptors.

Bradyrhizobium sp. S23321 is an oligotrophic bacterium isolated from paddy field soil. Although S23321 is phylogenetically close to Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA110, a legume symbiont, it is unable to induce root nodules in siratro, a legume often used for testing Nod factor-dependent nodulation. The genome of S23321 is a single circular chromosome, 7,231,841 bp in length, with an average GC content of 64.3%. The genome contains 6,898 potential protein-encoding genes, one set of rRNA genes, and 45 tRNA genes. Comparison of the genome structure between S23321 and USDA110 showed strong colinearity; however, the symbiosis islands present in USDA110 were absent in S23321, whose genome lacked a chaperonin gene cluster (groELS3) for symbiosis regulation found in USDA110. A comparison of sequences around the tRNA-Val gene strongly suggested that S23321 contains an ancestral-type genome that precedes the acquisition of a symbiosis island by horizontal gene transfer. Although S23321 contains a nif (nitrogen fixation) gene cluster, the organization, homology, and phylogeny of the genes in this cluster were more similar to those of photosynthetic bradyrhizobia ORS278 and BTAi1 than to those on the symbiosis island of USDA110. In addition, we found genes encoding a complete photosynthetic system, many ABC transporters for amino acids and oligopeptides, two types (polar and lateral) of flagella, multiple respiratory chains, and a system for lignin monomer catabolism in the S23321 genome. These features suggest that S23321 is able to adapt to a wide range of environments, probably including low-nutrient conditions, with multiple survival strategies in soil and rhizosphere.

A TiN film has been deposited on austenite stainless steel and high speed steel in arc ion plating system.Adhesion between the coating film and the substrate was measured by scratch tester, and internal stress of the coating film was determined by X-ray diffraction.The result showed that adhesion depended on film thickness and substrate hardness and that compressive internal stress of TiN film tends to weaken adhesion between film and substrate.Further, acoustic emission signals generated during scratch test was measured by the elastic wave measurement system connected to the scratch test equipment. The result showed that acoustic emission intensity linearly decreased with increasing compressive internal stress of coatings.The analysis by scratch test connected to the elastic wave measurement system will be useful to estimate mechanical properties of thin solid films.

This paper presents a hydroelastic analysis of pontoon-, semisubmersible-, and hybrid-type VLFS and its experimental validation. In the analysis, the detailed configuration of the experimental model is considered by using three dimensional finite element (FE) method. Experimental models measuring 15m in length, 3m in width and 0.03–0.23m in draft (depending on whether it is the pontoon and semisubmersible part) are built. The experiment has been made in the wave-basin with the bottom-slope of 1/75. At the same time, a hydroelastic analysis is carried out using the same models as the experimental ones in a wave-basin with flat as well as slanting bottom with slope of 1/75. By comparing the numerical results and experiment, the effect of bottom slope is verified. In the analysis of the semisubmersible part, the effect of viscous damping is considered by using the drag force formula with assumed drag force coefficient of 2.0. A comparison between the experiment and the analytical results indicates that numerical results from the semisubmersible part with additional effects of viscous damping agree better with the experimental results than those without. An experiment using irregular waves is also carried out and compared with the numerical predictions. Finally, the steady drift forces are analyzed using the far-field method and compared with the experiment.Copyright © 2008 by ASME

This paper presents a hydroelastic analysis of a hybrid-type VLFS in variable sea depth. The VLFS model is the prototype of a floating runway with dimension 3120m in length, 524m in width, 1.5m in draft for pontoon part and 11.5m in draft for semisubmersible part. A three dimensional Finite Element model using beams and quadrilateral plate elements are used in the hydroelastic analysis in order to obtain an accurate approximation. An equivalent plate model having the same eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes in air is also used in the analysis. The results using the 3D model and the plate model have been compared and their agreement is satisfying. In order to examine the variable sea depth at the expected site, the hydroelastic analysis is carried out for a flat bottom, a constant slope, and a variable sea depth case. The effect of variable sea depth is found to be significant.

It is important for practical use of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) to not only develop new materials including electrodes and proton exchange membranes but also to understand the bacterial community structure related to electricity generation. Here, four kinds of novel membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) were made. Four lactate fed MFCs equipped with the membranes were characterized by electrochemical, molecular-dependent and molecular-independent methods. MFC1 equipped with Nafion 117-type MEA (18 μm thickness) exhibited the highest performance. Although the other MEAs with different configurations of three kinds of polymers; poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride), polyallylamine hydrochloride and poly (2-acrylamino-2-methyl -1-propanesulfonic acid) had thicknesses of about 0.3 μm (MEA 2 and 3) and 1.0 μm (MEA4), their power densities were lower. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and phylogenetic analyses showed that anaerobic bacteria dominated in anode biofilms of MFC1. A bacterium completely corresponding to nucleotide sequence of one of the DGGE bands was isolated from the anode biofilm in MFC1. Interestingly, BLAST search indicated that the bacterium (named strain RO1) belonged to the genus of gram positive bacterium, Propioniferax. It was confirmed that strain RO1 was capable of producing electricity and constructing biofilm on the anode surface in pure culture MFC. These results suggested that the property of MEA affects significantly the bacterial community structure, thereby influencing the MFC-performance.

The structures of stachybocins A, B and C, new endothelin receptor antagonist, were determined by NMR spectral analysis using pulse-field-gradient technique. Stachybocin A consists of two spirobenzofuran units each fused to a substituted decalin, which were connected by a lysine residue. Stachybocins B and C are derivatives of stachybocin A with an additional hydroxy group at the same position in the different decalin unit.

Isolation of mutants with an enhanced productivity of 7β-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid acylase (penicillin amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.11) was attempted. A mutant, Ci-36, isolated by a method using glutarylamlide, produced approximately 5-times more acylase than did the parental strain. However, this acylase formation was still dependent on glutaric acid which was previously found to be essential in the case of the wild strain, Pseudomonas SY-77-1. The inducible-acylase formation was found to be firmly associated with the process of cell multiplication. Subsequently, a mutant, GK-16 was derived from Ci-36, which was shown to produce the acylase at maximum level without the addition of glutaric acid. The productivity of GK-16 was 2.4-times higher than that of Ci-36.

Isolation of mutants with an enhanced productivity of 7β-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid acylase (penicillin amidohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.11) was attempted. A mutant, Ci-36, isolated by a method using glutarylanilide, produced approximately 5-times more acylase than did the parental strain. However, this acylase formation was still dependent on glutaric acid which was previously found to be essential in the case of the wild strain, Pseudomonas SY-77-1. The inducible-acylase formation was found to be firmly associated with the process of cell multiplication. Subsequently, a mutant, GK-16 was derived from Ci-36, which was shown to produce the acylase at maximum level without the addition of glutaric acid. The productivity of GK-16 was 2.4-times higher than that of Ci-36.