Preparation of α-mannoside hydrogel and electrical detection of saccharide-protein interactions using the smart gel-modified gate field effect transistor

The purpose of this study was to detect saccharide-protein interaction capitalizing on the gel-modified field effect transistor [FET]. A lectin-sensitive polymer gel that undergoes volume changes in response to the formation of molecular complex between 'pendant' carbohydrate and a 'target' lectin concanavalin A [Con A] was synthesized. It was revealed that direction and magnitude of the gel response (swelling or deswelling) could be readily designed depending on composition and network density of the gel. The Con A-sensitive polymer gel has shown the ability to transduce the detection of saccharide-protein interactions into electrical signals for FET

Is Adenosine Deaminase in Pleural Fluid a Useful Marker for Differentiating Tuberculosis from Lung Cancer or Mesothelioma in Japan, a Country with Intermediate Incidence of Tuberculosis?

The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of the determination of adenosine deaminase (ADA) level in pleural fluid for the differential diagnosis between tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE) and malignant pleural effusion (MPE) in Japan, a country with intermediate incidence of tuberculosis (TB). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 435 patients with pleural effusion and investigated their pleural ADA levels as determined by an auto analyzer. ROC analysis was also performed. The study included patients with MPE (n＝188), TPE (n＝124), benign nontuberculous pleural effusion (n＝94), and pleural effusion of unknown etiology (n＝29). The median ADA level in the TPE group was 70.8U/L, which was significantly higher than that in any other groups (p＜0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) in ROC analysis was 0.895. With a cut-off level for ADA of 36U/L, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 85.5%, 86.5%, 69.7%, and 93.6%, respectively. As many as 9% of patients with lung cancer and 15% of those with mesothelioma were false-positive with this ADA cutoff setting. Although the ADA activity in pleural fluid can help in the diagnosis of TPE, it should be noted that some cases of lung cancer or mesothelioma show high ADA activity in geographical regions with intermediate incidence of TB, in contrast to high prevalence areas

A method for automatic creation of a vegetation map using high-resolution aerial photographs of unmanned aerial vehicles

Woodland overgrowth caused by the reduced flood disturbance and succession resets are critical technical issues to ensure effective river management in Japan. Woodland overgrowth can increase the risk of flooding and decrease the bio-diversity. Japanese river managers must control the woodland overgrowth and maintain the condition of vegetation. To maintain the woodland in a good condition, Japanese river managers must monitor the state of vegetation dynamics. Currently, Japanese river management uses vegetation maps to monitor the state of vegetation dynamics. Although vegetation maps are effective in monitoring the state of vegetation dynamics, creating vegetation maps will incur high cost. Unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) exhibit strong potential to monitor the status of vegetation conditions. As an example of strong potential, we consider the potential of high-resolution aerial photographs. High-resolution aerial photographs provide detailed information about the vegetation growth conditions such as surface solid material and vegetation invasion on the river terrace. The high-resolution aerial photographs aid in understanding the vegetation dynamics in a limited area. If we are attempting to monitor the condition of vegetation dynamics across a large area, analysis of the images will enhance the quantitative monitoring of large spatial heterogeneous areas that are located within the river environment.Based on this background, we conducted image analysis using the high-resolution aerial photographs and applied decision tree analysis to the image analysis results (objects) after which we verified whether it is possible to create an automatic vegetation map. First, we apply object-based segmentation methods, which group together individual image pixels to objects with common characteristics using the image spectrum information (RGB information and brightness) and shapes. Second, we applied the machine learning methods (such as decision tree analysis) to the objects along with cross validation methods.We classified the objects into training data (supervised data) and validation data. After applying machine learning based on the training data, the accuracies of the machine learning methods were evaluated.From the results, we successfully created some approximate automatic vegetation maps. The automatic vegetation map represents the main part (dominating part) of the landscape (water area, gravel bed condition, annual vegetation community) and monitors the investigation and initial succession of the woodlands. The precision of the automatically created vegetation map is approximately 65%, and 35% of the errors are observed to be concentrated among minor objects. These results are produced by minor segmentation, and we hypnotize that reconsidering the initial step will improve the precision

Does the tube-compensation function of two modern mechanical ventilators provide effective work of breathing relief?

OBJECTIVE: An endotracheal tube (ETT) imposes work of breathing on mechanically ventilated patients. Using a bellows-in-a-box model lung, we compared the tube compensation (TC) performances of the Nellcor Puritan-Bennett 840 ventilator and of the Dräger Evita 4 ventilator. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Each ventilator was connected to the model lung. The respiratory rate of the model lung was set at 10 breaths/min with 1 s inspiratory time. Inspiratory flows were 30 or 60 l/min. A full-length 8 mm bore ETT was inserted between the ventilator circuit and the model lung. The TC was set at 0%, 10%, 50%, and 100% for both ventilators. Pressure was monitored at the airway, the trachea, and the pleura, and the data were recorded on a computer for later analysis of the delay time, of the inspiratory trigger pressure, and of the pressure–time product (PTP). The delay time was calculated as the time between the start of inspiration and minimum airway pressure, and the inspiratory trigger pressure was defined as the most negative pressure level. The same measurements were performed under pressure support ventilation of 4 and 8 cmH(2)O. The PTP increased according to the magnitude of inspiratory flow. Even with 100% TC, neither ventilator could completely compensate for the PTP imposed by the ETT. At 0% TC the PTP tended to be less with the Nellcor Puritan-Bennett 840 ventilator, while at 100% TC the PTP tended to be less with the Dräger Evita 4 ventilator. A small amount of pressure support can be equally effective to reduce the inspiratory effort compared with the TC. CONCLUSION: Although both ventilators provided effective TC, even when set to 100% TC they could not entirely compensate for a ventilator and ETT-imposed work of breathing. The effect of TC is less than that of pressure support ventilation. Physicians should be aware of this when using TC in weaning trials

The EP4-ERK-dependent pathway stimulates osteo-adipogenic progenitor proliferation resulting in increased adipogenesis in fetal rat calvaria cell cultures

We previously reported that fetal rat calvaria (RC) cells are osteo-adipogenic bipotential and that PGE2 receptors EP2 and EP4 are involved in bone nodule formation via both common and distinct MAPK pathways in RC cell cultures. Because PGE2 participates in multiple biological processes including adipogenesis, it is of interest to determine the additional role(s) of PGE2 in RC cells. PGE2 increased the number of adipocyte colonies when RC cells were treated during proliferation but not other development stages. Of four EP agonists tested, the EP4 agonist ONO-AE1-437 (EP4A) was the most effective in promoting adipogenesis. Concomitantly, EP4A increased the number of cells with BrdU labeling and gene expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)δ and c-fos but not peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ2 and C/EBPα. Amongst MAPK inhibitors, U0126, an inhibitor of MEK1/2, abrogated the EP4A-dependent effects. Our results suggest that the PGE2–EP4-ERK pathway increases the number of osteo-adipogenic bipotential progenitor cells, with a resultant increase in adipogenesis in RC cell cultures.This work was supported in part by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture of Japan (13771074 to YY)and Ono Pharmaceutical Co. (to YY), and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR; FRN 83704 to JEA)

The PPARgamma-selective ligand BRL-49653 differentially regulates the fate choices of rat calvaria versus rat bone marrow stromal cell populations

Abstract Background Osteoblasts and adipocytes are derived from a common mesenchymal progenitor and an inverse relationship between expression of the two lineages is seen with certain experimental manipulations and in certain diseases, i.e., osteoporosis, but the cellular pathway(s) and developmental stages underlying the inverse relationship is still under active investigation. To determine which precursor mesenchymal cell types can differentiate into adipocytes, we compared the effects of BRL-49653 (BRL), a selective ligand for peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR)γ, a master transcription factor of adipogenesis, on osteo/adipogeneis in two different osteoblast culture models: the rat bone marrow (RBM) versus the fetal rat calvaria (RC) cell system. Results BRL increased the number of adipocytes and corresponding marker expression, such as lipoprotein lipase, fatty acid-binding protein (aP2), and adipsin, in both culture models, but affected osteoblastogenesis only in RBM cultures, where a reciprocal decrease in bone nodule formation and osteoblast markers, e.g., osteopontin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone sialoprotein, and osteocalcin was seen, and not in RC cell cultures. Even though adipocytes were histologically undetectable in RC cultures not treated with BRL, RC cells expressed PPAR and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) mRNAs throughout osteoblast development and their expression was increased by BRL. Some single cell-derived BRL-treated osteogenic RC colonies were stained not only with ALP/von Kossa but also with oil red O and co-expressed the mature adipocyte marker adipsin and the mature osteoblast marker OCN, as well as PPAR and C/EBP mRNAs. Conclusion The data show that there are clear differences in the capacity of BRL to alter the fate choices of precursor cells in stromal (RBM) versus calvarial (RC) cell populations and that recruitment of adipocytes can occur from multiple precursor cell pools (committed preadipocyte pool, multi-/bipotential osteo-adipoprogenitor pool and conversion of osteoprogenitor cells or osteoblasts into adipocytes (transdifferentiation or plasticity)). They also show that mechanisms beyond activation of PPARγ by its ligand are required for changing the fate of committed osteoprogenitor cells and/or osteoblasts into adipocytes

1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 acts predominately in mature osteoblasts under conditions of high extracellular phosphate to increase fibroblast growth factor 23 production in vitro

Osteoblasts/osteocytes are the principle sources of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23), a phosphaturic hormone, but the regulation of FGF23 expression during osteoblast development remains uncertain. Because 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) and inorganic phosphate (Pi) may act as potent activators of FGF23 expression, we estimated how these molecules regulate FGF23 expression during rat osteoblast development in vitro. 1,25(OH)2D3-dependent FGF23 production was restricted largely to mature cells in correlation with increased vitamin D receptor (VDR) mRNA levels, in particular, when Pi was present. Pi alone and more so in combination with 1,25(OH)2D3 increased FGF23 production and VDR mRNA expression. Parathyroid hormone, stanniocalcin 1, prostaglandin E2, FGF2, and foscarnet did not increase FGF23 mRNA expression. Thus, these results suggest that 1,25(OH)2D3 may exert its largest effect on FGF23 expression/production when exposed to high levels of extracellular Pi in osteoblasts/osteocytes

Nursing students' perception of their acquired basic skills in nursing practices : a comparison between a new and an old curriculum

平成2年度改正の新カリキュラムで学んだ学生と旧カリキュラムで学んで学生間に、卒業時の基礎看護技術の到達度に違いがあるかを明らかにするために、看護技術の基本的要素、日常生活の援助技術、診療時の援助技術の49項目の到達度について、3年制課程の3年生に質問紙調査を行った。対象者全体では、到達度の上位10位以内に日常生活の援助技術項目の37％が含まれ、到達度の下位10位以内に診療時の援助技術項目の37％が含まれていた。新カリキュラム群と旧カリキュラム群の比較では、21項目に有意差があった。新カリキュラム群の高い15項目は日常生活の援助技術と看護技術の基本的要素に関するものが多く、旧カリキュラム群が高い6項目は診療時の援助技術が多かった。カリキュラム改正に関係なく、日常生活の援助技術の到達度は高く診療時の援助技術は低い傾向にあったが、カリキュラム改正後はその傾向が強まり、さらに看護技術の基本的要素の到達度はカリキュラム改正後に比較的高くなっていることが明らかになった。新カリキュラムでは臨地実習時間を削減しているが、基礎教育で重視する日常生活の援助技術と看護技術の基本的要素は習得できていると考えられる。A revision was made in a nursing curriculum in 1990. This study examined nursing students' perceived level of acquired 49 basic skills in nursing practices consisting of 11 basal elements of nursing skill, 19 skills in helping patients' daily activities, and 19 skills required in medical situations, comparing students receiving a new curriculum with those receiving an old one. Findings showed that in the rank ordering of all items from the best acquired to the least, collapsed across the two groups of students, 37% of the upper 10 items cocerned the skills in helping patients' daily activities, while 37% of the bottom 10 items concerned the skills required in medical situation. The students receiving the new curriculum perceived themselves better than those reseiving the old one for 15 items that were related with the basal elements of nursing skill and the skills in helping patients' daily activities, while the 6 items in the skills required in medical situations were perceived to be better acquired for the latter than the former students. The finding suggest that the new curriculum produced students who perceive themselves to be better achievers in the basic skills in nursing practices