Mechanical Methods of Producing Biomaterials with Aligned Collagen Fibrils

Collagen has been used in various therapeutic medical devices, such as artificial dermis, bone, and cartilage, wherein the effectiveness of collagen mainly depends on its biological features of biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioresorbability, cell affinity, and weak antigenicity. Collagen is the main structural protein in the human body and is responsible for the mechanical properties of tissues and organs. The fundamental structural component of tendon tissue is uniaxially aligned collagen fibrils that run parallel to the geometrical axis. Thus, the fabrication of artificial tendons is an excellent example of developing biomaterials using collagen as a structural backbone. Previous attempts to construct aligned fibril-based biomaterials involved electrospinning, freeze drying, using a strong magnetic field, and mechanical methods, including shearing and tension during wet extrusion. Among these, mechanical methods have been extensively studied owing to their simplicity and effectiveness suitable for mass production. However, few review articles have focused on these mechanical methods. Thus, this article reviews the mechanical methods for creating biomaterials from aligned collagen fibril while discussing the other fabrication methods in brief

Real-Time Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Microwave Coagulation Therapy for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Color Doppler Imaging

Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) is a new technique for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, it is difficult to distinguish those lesions in which necrosis has been induced from the viable residual lesions during the procedure, because the margin of the tumor becomes unclear during PMCT. We determined the area of necrotic lesions during the procedure using color Doppler imaging. PMCT was performed on 10 patients (17 lesions) with recurrent HCC. The electrode of the microwave delivery system was moved around the tumor and the surrounding area until color mosaic images disappeared from the entire area of the tumor. The areas in which necrotic tissue was indicated by color Doppler imaging were later confirmed by other modalities such as angiography or contrast-enhanced computed tomography. This leads us to believe that real-time, effective evaluation of PMCT is possible with color Doppler imaging.</p

Intraluminal implantation of rectal carcinoma successfully resected by endoscopy.

A 55-year-old Japanese woman presented at our hospital complaining of hematochezia 4 months after surgery for a rectal carcinoma. A proctoscopy revealed 2 protuberant lesions in the rectum, 5 mm anally from the anastomotic suture line. The diagnosis of adenocarcinoma was confirmed by biopsy. It was considered that these lesions were caused by intraluminal implantation from the primary rectal carcinoma. The patient underwent an endoscopic resection for these recurrent lesions and has remained stable, with neither recurrence nor metastasis, in the 7 years since the resection. For rectal carcinoma, we propose early follow-up by proctoscopy, namely within 4 months after surgery.</p

ショクヒンンチュウ ビリョウ ゲンソ ノ キョウチンホウ オ オウヨウシタ タゲンソ ドウジ ブンセキホウ オヨビ ショクヒンチュウ ノ リンサン ジョキョ ニヨル エイキョウ

In order to carry out multielement determiation method of ten trace elements (Pb, Cd, Sn, Sb, Bi, Be,As, Se, Cr and Ge) in total diet samples by the polarized Zeeman atomic absorption spectrometry, the mostsuitable condition of ashing temprature, atomization temperature was dicided and effects of phosphoruselimination from total diet samples on copreecipitation were studied. The most suitable condition of ashing and atomization temperature was 500℃, 600℃, for Pb and Cd;600℃, 2200℃ for Sn, Sb and Bi ; 400℃, 2700℃ for Be, As and Se ; 800℃, 2800℃ for Cr and Ge,respetively. The most effective preconcentration of each element was the coprecipitation method with addinghydroxide zirconium as 10mg of zirconium at pH 9.5. The effects of the phosphorus elimination from total diet samples on recovery rates of trace elementswere compared among three preconcentration methods, which were non phosphoras elimination, hydroxidezirconium and ammonium molybdenic acid coprecipitation method. Recovery rates of Pb, Cd, Bi and Bewere no effects of phosphorus relimination. Recovery rates of Cr and Ge in hydrooxide zirconiumcoprecipitation method, and those of Sn, Sb, As, Se and Cr in ammonium molybdenic acid coprecipitationmethod clearly increased

シロ ネズミ ニオケル ショクモツ センイ オヨビ ストロンチウム セッシュリョウ ト ハイベン トノ カンケイ

The rats were fed on the each feed contained 0, 1%, 3%, 5%, 10% dietary fiber and 10 ～300mg strontium. These researches were studied that the taking of dietary fiber wereaffected the gastrointestinal transit time, the percentage of water content in feces, thequantity of short chain fatty acids in serum. The increasing weights of air dried feces wereaccompanied with increasing dietary fiber in diet. The quantity of short chain fatty acids inserum was increased in case of feed contained over 5% dietary fiber in diet

ショクモツ センイ ノ イチョウ ツウカ ジカン フンベン ヘノ エイキョウ

The rats were fed for three weeks on the each feed contained 1%, 3% and 5% dietary fiber fromcellulose, Chinese cabbage, radish, Cortinellus shiitake, and Undaria pinnatifida. The effects of the dietary fibers intake by the quantities and the kinds on the gastrointestinal transit time,percentage of water content in stools, the faecal weight of 100 pieces, the using rate of air dried feed wereevaluated. The shortening of gastrointestinal transit times were affected by the ratio of soluble andinsoluble dietary fiber, fermentation by intestinal microflora, increase of intestinal contents

Studies on β(2)-microglobulin in human beings Report I. The distribution types, mean values and standard deviation of the serum and urinary β(2)-microglobulin levels of senior high school students

The serum β(2)-microglobulin levels of 112 senior high school students were determined by radioimmunoassay and were analyzed statistically. Its measured values were transformed into logarithms and the distribution type was decided and also mean values. (m), standard deviation (SD), 95% confidence intervals and 5% rejection limit of logarithm transformed values and the actual values were calculated. The urinary β(2)-microglobulin levels of 18 senior high school students were statistically analyzed, and its measured values were transformed into logarithms and then the same calculations were performed. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The distribution type of the serum β(2)-microglobulin level was adapted by x(2)-test to the log normal type rather than to the normal distribution. 2. The statistical values of the serum β(2)-microglobulin, as they are adapted to the log normal type, were as follows: The logarithm transformed mean value was 0.158 mg/l, m±SD (logarithm) was 0.158±0.088 mg/l, m±2SD was -0.018-0.334 mg/l, 95% confidence interval was 0.142-0.175 mg/l and 5% rejection limit was -0.335 (upper) mg/l. The actual mean value (antilog) was 1.44 mg/l, m±SD (antilog) was 1.44±0.82 mg/l, m±2SD (antilog) was 0.96-2.16mg/l, 95% confidence interval was 1.39-1.50 mg/l and 5% rejection limit (upper) was 2.16 mg/l. 3. The statistical values of urinary β(2)-microglobulin, as adapted to the log normal type, were as follows: The logarithm transformed mean value was 2.114 μg/l, m±SD (logarithm) was 2.114±0.179 μg/l, m±2SD (logarithm) was 1.758-2.472 μg/l, 95% confidence interval (logarithm) was 2.023-2.205 μg/l and 5% rejection limit (upper, logarithm) was 2.513 μg/l. The actual mean value (antilog) was 130 μg/l, m±SD (antilog) was 130±1.51 μg/l, m±2SD (antilog) was 57.3-296 μg/l, 95% confidence interval (antilog) was 105-160 μg/l and 5% rejection limit (upper, antilog) was 326 μg/l

Studies on β(2)-microglobulin in human beings Report 3. Comparison of β(2)-microglobulin levels in the urine of healthy and pregnant women

Urinary levels of β(2)-microglobulin in healthy non-pregnant and pregnant women were determined. None of the women showed urinary protein, urinary glucose or urobilinogen. The results were: 1. The actual amount of urinary β(2)-microglobulin, the amount corrected for specific gravity (1.024), and β(2)-microglobulin / creatinine ratios were significantly higher in pregnant women than in non pregnant women. 2. The logarithms of corrected urinary β(2)-microglobulin levels were significantly higher in pregnant women than in non-pregnant women

Studies on β(2)-microglobulin in human beings Report 2. Increase in urinary β(2)-microglobulin after exercise

In order to quantitate the increase in urinary β(2)-microglobulin after exercise urine samples were taken immediately before and after soccer or judo. The titers of β(2)-microglobulin were measured by radioimmunoassay. The results were: 1. Both the acutual and the corrected β(2)-microglobulin levels increased significantly after exercise soccer, although not before. 2. The total protein tended to be increased after hard exercise soccer. 3. Urinary β(2)-microglobulin levels showed similar tends whether the exercise was soccer or judo

Studies on β(2)-microglobulin in human beings Report 2. Increase in urinary β(2)-microglobulin after exercise

In order to quantitate the increase in urinary β(2)-microglobulin after exercise urine samples were taken immediately before and after soccer or judo. The titers of β(2)-microglobulin were measured by radioimmunoassay. The results were: 1. Both the acutual and the corrected β(2)-microglobulin levels increased significantly after exercise soccer, although not before. 2. The total protein tended to be increased after hard exercise soccer. 3. Urinary β(2)-microglobulin levels showed similar tends whether the exercise was soccer or judo