Adsorption and Fluid-mixing Characteristics of Packed Bed Catalysts with Blow-by Sections Part II. A Theoretical Approach to the Concentration Distribution

A theoretical analysis of the fluid-mixing and adsorption characteristics in packed bed catalysts with blow-by sections was conducted. A modified model of a partition gas chromatography that incorporates the effects of the blow-by section is proposed. A strong correlation between the simulated concetration-time curve predicted from this theoretical model and the experimental data was obtained

A Physico-chemical Study of Elastomeric Polyurethans

Polyurethan prepolymers prepared by the reaction of polypropylene glycol (PPG) with tolylene diisocyanate (TDI) are cross-linked with trimethylol propane (TMP) to afford elastomeric polyurethans. Although the reaction rate of TDI with PPG increases remarkably with TDI/PPG molar ratio (R), the reaction does not follow a simple second-order mechanism. The curing of the prepolymers with TMP is influenced greatly by R, by the time (t) of prepolymer formation, and also by the amount of TMP. On the other hand, the effects of other curing agents, temperature and inorganic fillers upon the curing are examined

対称関数,Schur関数の立場からみた結び目と3次元多様体の量子不変量の研究

金沢大学理工研究域3次元球面内の絡み目の不変量としてHomfly多項式とKauffman多項式の二つがよく知られている.3次元球面のかわりにアニュラス上で同じように絡み目の不変量が定義される.アニュラス上の絡み目全体の空間を考えるとpartitionでパラメトライズされたベクトル空間と同一視され,Homfly多項式はA型のSchur函数,Kauffman多項式はBCD型のSchur函数と対応させると,トポロジカルな意味で性質のよい基底が構成出来た.この性質を応用すると3次元球面内のグラフの位相不変量の構成でき,いくつかのグラフの不変量の計算を行った.(発表予定)3次元球面内の絡み目の補空間から,お互いにどれくらい絡みあっているかを量るその度数,すなわち絡み目数という量が定義できる。今回,その絡み目数を補空間の表現を通して再解釈を行った.今までの古典的な絡み目数は補空間の表現を自明な表現とした時に対応している.また計算結果により絡み目数が自明でも,自明でない表現を考えれば,non-trivialな量を引き出せることが分かった.出典：「対称関数,Schur関数の立場からみた結び目と3次元多様体の量子不変量の研究」研究成果報告書　課題番号11740037（KAKEN：科学研究費助成事業データベース（国立情報学研究所））（https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/ja/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-11740037/)を加工して作

Calcium ions function as a booster of chromosome condensation

Phengchat, R., Takata, H., Morii, K. et al. Calcium ions function as a booster of chromosome condensation. Sci Rep 6, 38281 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38281

Serum biotin level during pregnancy

Background : Biotin is a water-soluble vitamin that plays various biological roles through histone modification, such as immune functions and fetal growth. Mammalian maternal biotin deficiency during gestation induces fetal growth restriction. Preterm infants are known to be marginal biotin deficiency. However, studies on the biotin status of pregnant women under various conditions are lacking. Method : This was a retrospective case control study to analyze serum biotin concentration during pregnancy and cord blood in normal pregnancy, preterm delivery and small-for-gestational-age (SGA). Results : Twenty pregnant women with normal term delivery, 35 with preterm delivery, 24 with SGA, and 10 non-pregnant adult women were enrolled. Serum biotin concentrations of pregnant women remained low from first to third trimester. The levels of serum biotin in cord blood showed a significant positive correlation with gestational age, and that of pregnant women showed a weak positive correlation with gestational age. The maternal serum biotin levels during second and third trimester of SGA group were significantly lower than those of normal term delivery. Conclusion : This study suggests that maternal biotin deficiency during pregnancy might be the risk of preterm labor or fetal growth restriction. Further studies are required to clarify the roles of biotin in perinatal medicine

A Case of Lobulated and Pedunculated Duodenal Hyperplastic Polyp Treated with Snare Polypectomy

We report herein the case of a lobulated and pedunculated hyperplastic polyp in the third portion of the duodenum causing anemia and occult blood in stools, which was detected by capsule endoscopy (CE) and treated with snare polypectomy. A 71-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of anemia and occult blood in stools. Three months earlier, he had been admitted to another hospital because of hemorrhage from gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE). Despite being treated for GAVE, hemoglobin decreased gradually. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) and colonoscopy revealed no source of bleeding. However, CE revealed a polyp at the distal duodenum. Barium meal and EGD revealed a lobulated and pedunculated polyp in the third portion of the duodenum. The polyp was treated with snare polypectomy. Histopathological examination of the polyp revealed hyperplasia. After treatment of the polyp, the anemia improved gradually. To our knowledge, there are only 6 reported cases of a duodenal hyperplastic polyp, including our case. The polyp was pedunculated in only 2 cases and lobulated only in our case. Moreover, our case was diagnosed by CE. When a patient presents with anemia or obscure gastrointestinal bleeding undiagnosed by EGD and colonoscopy, CE is useful for detecting the bleeding lesion

Renal shear wave velocity by acoustic radiation force impulse did not reflect advanced renal impairment

[Aim] Acoustic radiation force impulse is a noninvasive method for evaluating tissue elasticity on ultrasound. Renal shear wave velocity measured by this technique has not been fully investigated in patients with renal disease. The aim of the present study was to compare renal shear wave velocity in end‐stage renal disease patients and that in patients without chronic kidney disease and to investigate influencing factors. [Methods] Renal shear wave velocities were measured in 59 healthy young subjects (control group), 31 subjects without chronic kidney disease (non‐CKD group), and 39 end‐stage renal disease patients (ESRD group). Each measurement was performed 10 times at both kidneys, and the mean value of eight of 10 measurements, excluding the maximum and minimum values, was compared. [Results] Renal shear wave velocity could be measured in all subjects. Renal shear wave velocity in the control group was higher than in the non‐CKD group and in the ESRD group, and no difference was found between the non‐CKD group and the ESRD group. Age and depth were negatively correlated to the renal shear wave velocity. In multiple regression analysis, age and depth were independent factors for renal shear wave velocity, while renal impairment was not. There was no difference between the non‐CKD group and the ESRD group, even when ages were matched and depth was adjusted. [Conclusion] Renal shear wave velocity was not associated with advanced renal impairment. However, it reflected alteration of renal aging, and this technique may be useful to detect renal impairment in the earlier stages

Circulating CD34+ cells and active arterial wall thickening among elderly men: A prospective study

Age-related physical changes, such as low-grade inflammation and increased oxidative stress, induce endothelial repair and cause active arterial wall thickening by stimulating the production of CD34+ cells (the principal mediators of atherosclerosis). Despite this, aggressive endothelial repair (progressing atherosclerosis) might cause a wasting reduction in CD34+ cells, which could result in a lower capacity of endothelial repair and hypertension. As yet, no prospective study has clarified the association of circulating CD34+ cells with active arterial wall thickening. We conducted a prospective study of 363 men aged 60?69 years who participated in a general health check-up at least twice from 2014?2017. The circulating CD34+ cell count was significantly positively associated with active arterial wall thickening among subjects without hypertension (n = 236), but not among subjects with hypertension (n = 127). The fully adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of active arterial wall thickening for the logarithmic circulating CD34+ cell count were 1.83 (1.19, 2.84) and 0.69 (0.36, 1.32) for subjects without and with hypertension, respectively. Circulating CD34+ cells are positively associated with active arterial wall thickening in subjects without hypertension. This study demonstrates a means to clarify the mechanisms of endothelial repair in elderly subjects

Pneumonia Caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 and Influenza Virus: A Multicenter Comparative Study

Background: Detailed differences in clinical information between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia (CP), which is the main phenotype of SARS-CoV-2 disease, and influenza pneumonia (IP) are still unclear. Methods: A prospective, multicenter cohort study was conducted by including patients with CP who were hospitalized between January and June 2020 and a retrospective cohort of patients with IP hospitalized from 2009 to 2020. We compared the clinical presentations and studied the prognostic factors of CP and IP. Results: Compared with the IP group (n = 66), in the multivariate analysis, the CP group (n = 362) had a lower percentage of patients with underlying asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P < .01), lower neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (P < .01), lower systolic blood pressure (P < .01), higher diastolic blood pressure (P < .01), lower aspartate aminotransferase level (P < .05), higher serum sodium level (P < .05), and more frequent multilobar infiltrates (P < .05). The diagnostic scoring system based on these findings showed excellent differentiation between CP and IP (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.889). Moreover, the prognostic predictors were different between CP and IP. Conclusions: Comprehensive differences between CP and IP were revealed, highlighting the need for early differentiation between these 2 pneumonias in clinical settings