Polymeric pseudo-crown ether for cation recognition via cation template-assisted cyclopolymerization.

Cyclopolymerization is a chain polymerization of bifunctional monomers via alternating processes of intramolecular cyclization and intermolecular addition, to give soluble linear polymers consisting of in-chain cyclic structures. Though cyclopolymers comprising in-chain multiple large rings potentially show unique functionality, they generally require the elaborate design of bifunctional monomers. Here we report cation template-assisted cyclopolymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylates as an efficient strategy directly yielding polymeric pseudo-crown ethers with large in-chain cavities (up to 30-membered rings) for selective molecular recognition. The key is to select a size-fit metal cation for the spacer unit of the divinyl monomers to form a pseudo-cyclic conformation, where the two vinyl groups are suitably positioned for intramolecular cyclization. The marriage of supramolecular chemistry and polymer chemistry affords efficient, one-pot chemical transformation from common chemical reagents with simple templates to functional cyclopolymers

Nesting and post-nesting studies of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) at Omaezaki, Japan

Organized by Graduate School of Informatics, Kyoto University ; JSPS Bangkok Liaison Office ; Japanese Society of Bio-logging Science ; Informatics Research Center for Development of Knowledge Society InfrastructureDecember 13-15, 2004, Imperial Tara Hotel, Bangkok, ThailandNesting biology, measurement of body size and mitochondrial (mt) DNA haplotypes of loggerhead turtle, Caretta caretta at Omaezaki Beach, Japan were investigated by collecting data and samples during night observations from 6 July to 6 August 2004. In addition, seven post-nesting females, which nested during this observation period, were tracked by satellite telemetry. A total of 33 females were identified in this observation period. Seven females nested twice, with a mean inter-nesting interval of 18.0 days. Even though our observations did not cover the entire nesting beach and period, the frequency of nesting was estimated at three, using a calculation based on the total number of nests at this beach in this nesting season. The range of straight carapace length (SCL) was from 65.8 to 91.6 cm, and the mean (±SD) size was 81.5±5.83 cm. The SCL of females at Omaezaki Beach is significantly lower than at other nesting sites in Japan based on calculation of 90% confidence intervals for mean SCLs. Two haplotypes were detected among 33 females using mitochondrial (mt) DNA analysis. Composition of these two haplotypes of nesting females at Omaezaki Beach was similar to nesting females at other nesting beaches in Japan. Post-nesting feeding grounds of seven loggerhead turtles released from Omaezaki consist of two areas, the northwestern North Pacific and the East China Sea. It is confirmed that nesting females at Omaezaki Beach were from the two groups using the different post-nesting feeding grounds and these two groups can be distinguished by their body size criterion of 85 cm. If different factors impact females in each feeding ground, monitoring the number of females and the composition of body size can be useful in assessing the impact to females

Tsunami-generated magnetic fields have primary and secondary arrivals like seismic waves

A seafloor geomagnetic observatory in the northwest Pacific has provided very long vector geomagnetic time-series. It was found that the time-series include significant magnetic signals generated by a few giant tsunami events including the 2011 Tohoku Tsunami. Here we report that the tsunami-generated magnetic fields consist of the weak but first arriving field, and the strong but second arriving field&mdash;similar to the P- and S-waves in seismology. The latter field is a result of coupling between horizontal particle motions of the conductive seawater and the vertical component of the background geomagnetic main field, which have been studied well so far. On the other hand, the former field stems from coupling between vertical particle motions and the horizontal component of the geomagnetic main field parallel to tsunami propagation direction. The former field has been paid less attention because horizontal particle motions are dominant in the Earth&rsquo;s oceans. It, however, was shown that not only the latter but also the former field is significant especially around the magnetic equator where the vertical component of the background magnetic field vanishes. This implies that global tsunami early warning using tsunami-generated magnetic fields is possible even in the absence of the background vertical geomagnetic component. &nbsp;</p

第IX(a)因子および第X因子に対する二重特異性抗体であるエミシズマブはin vitroで第XI因子欠乏血漿における凝固機能を増強する

Essentials Emicizumab mimics factor (F)VIIIa cofactor function, augments the intrinsic tenase activity. We assessed the emicizumab-driven hemostatic function in FXI-deficient plasmas. Emicizumab improved the coagulation potentials in severe FXI-deficient plasma. Emicizumab may provide a possibility for clinical application in patients with FXI deficiency. SUMMARY: Background Patients with factor (F)XI deficiency commonly present with markedly prolonged activated partial thromboplastin times (APTT), although bleeding phenotypes are heterogeneous. Emicizumab, a bispecific monoclonal antibody to FIX/FIXa and FX/FXa, mimics FVIIIa cofactor function on phospholipid (PL) surfaces. Antibody reactions were designed, therefore, to augment mechanisms during the propagation phase of blood coagulation. Aim To assess emicizumab-driven hemostatic function in FXI-deficient plasmas. Methods and Results Standard ellagic acid (Elg)/PL-based APTTs of different FXI-deficient plasmas (n = 13; FXI activity, < 1 IU dl-1 ) were markedly shortened dose dependently by the presence of emicizumab. To further analyze the effects of emicizumab, clot waveform analysis (CWA) in FXI-deficient plasmas with emicizumab, triggered by tissue factor (TF)/Elg demonstrated improvements in both clot times, reflecting the initiation phase, and coagulation velocity, which represents the propagation phase. Emicizumab also enhanced the TF/Elg-triggered thrombin generation in FXI-deficient plasmas dose-dependently although the degree of enhancement varied in individual cases. Thrombin generation with either FVII-deficient plasma or FIX-deficient plasma treated with anti-FXI antibody showed little or no increase by the co-presence of emicizumab, suggesting that the accelerated thrombin generation in FXI-deficient plasmas by emicizumab should depend on the FIXa-involved coagulation propagation initially triggered by FVIIa/TF. The ex vivo addition of emicizumab to whole blood from three patients with severe FXI deficiency demonstrated modest, dose-dependent improvements in Ca2+ -triggered thromboelastograms (NATEM mode). Conclusion Emicizumab appeared to improve coagulation function in severe FXI-deficient plasma, and might provide possibilities for clinical application in patients with FXI deficiency.博士（医学）・乙第1427号・平成31年3月15日© 2018 International Society on Thrombosis and HaemostasisThis is the pre-peer reviewed version of the following article: [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jth.14334], which has been published in final form at [http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jth.14334]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions

Increased nitric oxide levels in exhaled air of rat lung allografts

AbstractIn organ transplantation nitric oxide has been reported to be involved in allograft rejection. We examined in a rat lung transplantation model whether nitric oxide is overproduced in acute rejection and can be detected in exhaled air. Thirteen rat right lung transplants were separated into three groups: group 1 (n = 5), untreated allografts (Brown-Norway [RT1n] to Lewis [RT1l]); group 2 (n = 4), cyclosporine-treated allografts; and group 3 (n = 4), isografts (Lewis to Lewis). We examined exhaled nitric oxide levels with a chemiluminescence analyzer and chest roentgenograms on days 2 through 5. Histologic samples were obtained on days 3 and 5. On day 5, the recipients were killed and we measured exhaled nitric oxide from the right and left lungs separately. Blood samples were also obtained for measurement of serum nitrite/nitrate. The exhaled nitric oxide level in untreated allografts increased significantly from day 5 (63.9 ± 39.2 ppb, p = 0.0095) and was significantly higher than that in treated allografts (9.1 ± l.6 ppb) (p = 0.0085) and isografts (6.9 ± 0.5 ppb) (p = 0.0068). The nitric oxide level in untreated allografts (826.5 ± 416.1 ppb) was 75 times as high as that from the contralateral normal left lungs (11.2 ± 2.6 ppb) (p = 0.0118). The level of exhaled nitric oxide correlated significantly with the histologic rejection grade (p = 0.0001). There was no significant difference in the serum nitrite/nitrate levels between allografts and isografts. These data suggest that increased exhaled nitric oxide levels might reflect acute rejection in lung transplants. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1997;113:830-5

Excellent electrical properties of TiO2/HfSiO/SiO2 layered higher-k gate dielectrics with sub-1 nm equivalent oxide thickness

Equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) scaling, as well as improved interface properties, of metal/higher- k gate stacks for the sub- 1 nm region was achieved using a TiO_2/HfSiO/SiO_2 layered dielectric structure. Ti diffusion into the bottom oxides was found to form electrical defects, which lead to an increase of leakage current, fixed charge, interface trap density (Dit), and reliability degradation of the gate stacks. By controlling Ti diffusion and terminating Ti-induced defects using forming gas annealing, we successfully obtained a superior interface property (Dit =9.9× 10^{10} eV^{-1} cm^{-2}) and reduced gate leakage (Jg =7.2× 10^{-2} A/cm^2) at the 0.71-nm -EOT region.Hiroaki Arimura, Naomu Kitano, Yuichi Naitou, Yudai Oku, Takashi Minami, Motomu Kosuda, Takuji Hosoi, Takayoshi Shimura and Heiji Watanabe, "Excellent electrical properties TiO_2/HfSiO/SiO_2 of higher-k gate dielectrics with sub-1nm equivalent oxide thickness", Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 212902 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1063/1.292968