Characterization of Polystyrene in Methyl Ethyl Ketone by Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering

Molecular and thermodynamic properties of polystyrene in methyl ethyl ketone were studied by a small-angle X-ray scattering with a Kratky camera. The molecular weight, radius of gyration, second virial coefficient, mass per unit length, hydrodynamic length, radius of gyration of cross section, persistence length, and radius of cross section were estimated. Some of these values were compared with the values determined by other methods. Both values agreed well each other

Leukemia autopsies in Japan

For the purpose to know whether the annual increase of leukemia incidence in Japan is due to some leukemogenic factors or due to the increased detection rate, the authors made some statistical survey of autopsy cases in which the diagnosis is reliable and not any type of leukemias escape the detection. The results showed that acute leukemias, which are found mostly in younger age, is actually increasing. In addition, it has been deduced that among the suspected factors the increase in ionizing radiation will be one of the most probable factors for the increase in leukemia incidence</p

A Pilot Study: The Beneficial Effects of Combined Statin-exercise Therapy on Cognitive Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Mild Cognitive Decline.

Objective Hypercholesterolemia, a risk factor in cognitive impairment, can be treated with statins. However, cognitive decline associated with "statins" (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) is a clinical concern. This pilot study investigated the effects of combining statins and regular exercise on cognitive function in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with prior mild cognitive decline. Methods We recruited 43 consecutive CAD patients with mild cognitive decline. These patients were treated with a statin and weekly in-hospital aerobic exercise for 5 months. We measured serum lipids, exercise capacity, and cognitive function using the mini mental state examination (MMSE). Results Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly decreased, and maximum exercise capacity (workload) was significantly increased in patients with CAD and mild cognitive decline after treatment compared with before. Combined statin-exercise therapy significantly increased the median (range) MMSE score from 24 (22-25) to 25 (23-27) across the cohort (p&lt;0.01). Changes in body mass index (BMI) were significantly and negatively correlated with changes in the MMSE. After treatment, MMSE scores in the subgroup of patients that showed a decrease in BMI were significantly improved, but not in the BMI-increased subgroup. Furthermore, the patients already on a statin at the beginning of the trial displayed a more significant improvement in MMSE score than statin-naïve patients, implying that exercise might be the beneficial aspect of this intervention as regards cognition. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age &gt;65 years, sex, and presence of diabetes mellitus, a decrease in BMI during statin-exercise therapy was significantly correlated with an increase in the MMSE score (odds ratio: 4.57, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-20.0; p&lt;0.05). Conclusion Statin-exercise therapy may help improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with CAD and pre-existing mild cognitive decline

PCR-Dipstick-Oriented Surveillance and Characterization of mcr-1- and Carbapenemase-Carrying Enterobacteriaceae in a Thai Hospital

Colistin is used as an alternative therapeutic for carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) infections which are spreading at a very high rate due to the transfer of carbapenemase genes through mobile genetic elements. Due to the emergence of mcr-1, the plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene, mcr-1-positive Enterobacteriaceae (MCRPEn) pose a high risk for the transfer of mcr-1-carrying plasmid to CPE, leading to a situation with no treatment alternatives for infections caused by Enterobacteriaceae possessing both mcr-1 and carbapenemase genes. Here, we report the application of PCR-dipstick-oriented surveillance strategy to control MCRPEn and CPE by conducting the PCR-dipstick technique for the detection of MCRPEn and CPE in a tertiary care hospital in Thailand and comparing its efficacy with conventional surveillance method. Our surveillance results showed a high MCRPEn (5.9%) and CPE (8.7%) carriage rate among the 219 rectal swab specimens examined. Three different CPE clones were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) whereas only two MCRPEn isolates were found to be closely related as shown by single nucleotide polymorphism-based phylogenetic analysis. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and plasmid analysis showed that MCRPEn carried mcr-1 in two plasmids types—IncX4 and IncI2 with ~99% identity to the previously reported mcr-1-carrying plasmids. The identification of both MCRPEn and CPE in the same specimen indicates the plausibility of plasmid-mediated transfer of mcr-1 genes leading to the emergence of colistin- and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae. The rapidity (&lt;2 h) and robust sensitivity (100%)/specificity (~99%) of PCR-dipstick show that this specimen-direct screening method could aid in implementing infection control measures at the earliest to control the dissemination of MCRPEn and CPE

On the Relationship Between Function and Ribonucleic Àcid of Cerebral Ganglion Cell Part 2. Relatioship of RNA to the motor function of mouse brain

In a previous paper it was revealed that either the injection of RNase directly into the cerebral tissue or into liquor by cisternal puucture caused similar changes on tbe reduction of RNA level of the cerebral ganglion cells in the brain of guinea pigs, and the behavioral changes of the animals. It was thought that the same method might also be applicable to the mouse in which further paychological and behavioral analysis are more readily accomplished. In the present experiment RNase was injected directly into cerebral tissue of the mouse and the motor function of the mouse brain was analyzed. As the result it was found that on the injection of 0.05ml of 1% RNase directly into the cerebral tissue of the mouse, severe motor disturbance was induced, and in addition, the degree of the functional disturbance paralleled with the decreased leve of RNA on the cerebral ganglion cells

On the Relationship Between Function and Ribonucleic Àcid of Cerebral Ganglion Cell Part 2. Relatioship of RNA to the motor function of mouse brain

In a previous paper it was revealed that either the injection of RNase directly into the cerebral tissue or into liquor by cisternal puucture caused similar changes on tbe reduction of RNA level of the cerebral ganglion cells in the brain of guinea pigs, and the behavioral changes of the animals. It was thought that the same method might also be applicable to the mouse in which further paychological and behavioral analysis are more readily accomplished. In the present experiment RNase was injected directly into cerebral tissue of the mouse and the motor function of the mouse brain was analyzed. As the result it was found that on the injection of 0.05ml of 1% RNase directly into the cerebral tissue of the mouse, severe motor disturbance was induced, and in addition, the degree of the functional disturbance paralleled with the decreased leve of RNA on the cerebral ganglion cells

On the Relationship Between Function and Ribonucleic Àcid of Cerebral Ganglion Cell Part 1. Biological effect of RNase on the brain of guinea pig

It is well recognized that those cells, requiring protein synthesis as growing immature cells or the secretory gland cells, contain a large amount of RNA in their cytoplasm, thus ribonucleic acid in the cytoplasm plays a very important role in the protein synthesis. Altho ugh cerebral ganglion cells contain a fairly large amount of RNA in their cytoplasm, the cell growth, cell division and protein secretion are not usually observed in these particular cells. High level of RNA of the cerebral ganglion cells may have an intimate relation with the highly differentiated cell function of the cerebral ganglion. For the purpose to elucidate the high level of RNA in the cerebral ganglion cells and its function, the author injected ribonuclease into the brain and liquor of guinea pigs to decompose RNA in the brain tissue. The behaviors of the animal under these conditions were observed, and also histological examinations were performed with each animal. As the result the following points were clarified. 1) when over 1 mg of RNase was injected into the brain, it caused lytic change of RNA in the cerebral ganglion cells and functional disturbances such as immobility, but the animal still retained the orientation ability. 2) It was confirmed that neither reduction nor disappearance of RNA in the cerebral ganglion cells could be the real cause of the experimental guinea pigs. These results suggest that this method would serve adequately for the analysis of the role of RNA in the brain cells