Tumor cell detection method using complement-mediated cytolytic reaction and imaging sensor system

A novel tumor-detection system consisting of complementmediated cytolytic reaction and an image processing system was developed for the simple and rapid determination of tumor cells. The present system consists of a CCD image sensor, image memory board, personal computer, and microscope. When monoclonal antibody 3C4, which is specific to the guinea pig hepatoma L-10, was added to cell suspension, only L-10 cytolysis occurred. Cytolysis caused a decrease in brightness of the cells observed by phase-contrast microscopy. The phase contrast image of the cells before cytolysis was converted to a digitalized signal and stored in computer memory. After cytolysis, a brightness threshold above that of lysed cells was subtracted from the digitalized signal and compared to the signal stored before reaction. L-10 cells in mixed cell suspension were determined specifically by the system. Measurement time was only 2 sec and overall time, including reaction time, was approximately 30 min. Since this method does not require a cell washing process, automation of the whole system is possible.     

Thermoosmosis of various electrolyte solutions through anion-exchange membranes

Thermoosmosis through anion-exchange membranes was measured for 10^-3 to 2 mol/kg of aqueous KCl, LiCl, and NH₄Cl and for 10^-3 to 3 x 10^-1 mol/kg of aqueous KIO₃ and K₂SO₄. For all electrolytes used the direction of thermoosmosis was from the cold side to the hot side over the whole range of concentrations. For KCl and LiCl the experimental results were analyzed with an extension of a previously published theory, using additional data for transport numbers of ions in membranes and for electroosmosis. The agreement between theory and experiment is satisfactory. The absolute value of thermoosmosis for KIO₃ is larger than that for other electrolytes because the pore volume fraction of the membrane for KIO₃ is larger than that for the other electrolytes.     

On permutations of wires and states

We characterize a permutation as a sequence of wire-cycle periods and a sequence of state-cycle periods. These sequences are called a wire-sequence and a state-sequence, respectively. A relation between wire-cycles and state-cycles is discussed and some combinatorial problems on cycle periods of permutations are solved. An efficient method for constructing the state-sequence corresponding to a given wire-sequence is also described.     

Determination of midazolam and its metabolite as a probe for cytochrome P450 3A4 phenotype by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

This study demonstrated the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) with a sonic spray ionization (SSI) interface. The analytical column was a YMC-Pak Pro C18 (50 mm x 2.0 mm i.d.) using 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 4.8)-methanol (1:1) at a flow rate of 0.2 ml min(-1). The drift voltage was 100 V. The sampling aperture was heated at 110 degrees C and the shield temperature was 230 degrees C. The lower limits for the detection of midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were 26.3 and 112.76 pg injected, respectively. The calibration curves for midazolam and 1'-hydroxymidazolam were linear in the range of 0.1-5 microg ml(-1). Within-day relative standard deviations was less than 7%. The method was applied to the determination of midazolam in monkey plasma, and the analysis of midazolam and its metabolites in an in vitro study with recombinant cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4. This method is sufficiently sensitive and useful to elucidate the kinetics of midazolam metabolite formation. We also investigated the effect of propofol on the metabolism of midazolam using recombinant CYP3A4. Propofol competitively inhibited the metabolism of midazolam to 1'-hydroxymidazolam by CYP3A4.     

Distribution of global fallout237Np,Pu isotopes,and241Am in lake and sea sediments

In order to investigate the sedimentary behaviour of neptunium,²³⁷Np together with Pu isotopes and²⁴¹Am have been measured for the sediment cores collected from Lake Mikata (freshwater) and from Lake Kugushi (brakish water) both belonging to the Mikata Five Lakes, and from Nyu Bay (sea water). In all sediment core samples²³⁷Np was detected, and its concentrations were far below those of^239,240Pu and²⁴¹Am measured for the same samples. Inventories of²³⁷Np in Lake Mikata, Lake Kugushi and Nyu Bay were estimated to be 0.53, 0.29 and 0.34 MBq/km², respectively. The activity ratio of²³⁷Np/^239,240Pu calculted from the inventories in each sediment core was 0.29% for Lake Mikata, 0.15% for Lake Kugushi and 0.10% for Nyu Bay. These values except for the value for Lake Mikata are two or three times lower than the value of 0.3–0.4% observed for surface soils of 0–20 cm depth, suggesting that Np is more soluble compared with Pu.     

Stable metallic behavior and antiferromagnetic ordering of Fe(III) d spins in (EDO-TTFVO)2.FeCl4

We report the crystal structure and physical properties of the 2:1 FeCl4- salt of a new donor molecule, EDO-TTFVO. Crystal structure analysis of this salt revealed that the donor molecules formed a beta' '-type two-dimensional conducting layer, and there is a short S...Cl contact between the donor molecules and the FeCl4- ions, which is expected to mediate a strong pi-d interaction. This salt showed a stable metallic conducting behavior down to 0.3 K and an antiferromagnetic ordering at TN approximately 3.0 K, indicating that this salt becomes a new antiferromagnetic molecular metal at ambient pressure. The appearance of the magnetic ordering is considered to originate from the strong pi-d interactions between the donor molecules and the FeCl4- ions because the field dependence of magnetoresistances was remarkably affected below the antiferromagnetic transition temperature.     

Synthesis and charge/discharge properties of polyacetylenes carrying 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinoxy radicals

The 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinoxy (TEMPO)-containing acetylenic monomers HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-(CONH-4-TEMPO)(2) (1), HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-(COO-4-TEMPO)(2) (2), (S,S,S,S)-HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(3)-p,m-[CO-NHCH{COO-(4-TEMPO)}CH(2)COO-(4-TEMPO)](2) (3), (S,S)-HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)CO-NHCH{COO-(4-TEMPO)}CH(2)COO-(4-TEMPO) (4), HC[triple bond]CC(6)H(4)-p-OCO-4-TEMPO (5), HC[triple bond]CCH(2)C(CH(3))(CH(2)OCO-4-TEMPO)(2) (6), HC[triple bond]CCH(2)NHCO-4-TEMPO (7), and HC[triple bond]CCH(2)OCO-4-TEMPO (8) were polymerized to afford novel polymers containing the TEMPO radical at high densities. Monomers 1, 3-6, and 8 provided polymers with average molecular weights of 10 000-136 500 in 62-99 % yield in the presence of a rhodium catalyst, whereas monomers 2 and 7 gave insoluble polymers in 100 % yield. The formed polymers were thermally stable up to approximately 274 degrees C according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). All the TEMPO-containing polymers demonstrated reversible charge/discharge processes, whose discharge capacities were 21.3-108 A h kg(-1). In particular, the capacity of poly(1)-, poly(4)-, and poly(5)-based cells reached 108, 96.3, and 89.3 A h kg(-1), respectively, which practically coincided with their theoretical values.