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Standard treatment for diffuse peritonitis due to colorectal perforation may be insufficient to suppress inflammatory reaction in sepsis. Thus, developing new treatments is important. This study aimed to examine whether intraperitoneal irradiation by artificial sunlight suppresses inflammatory reaction in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced peritonitis model after surgical treatments. Mice were divided into naive, nontreatment (NT), and phototherapy (PT) groups. In the latter two groups, LPS was intraperitoneally administered to induce peritonitis and removed by intraperitoneal lavage after laparotomy. The PT group was irradiated with artificial sunlight intraperitoneally. We evaluated the local and systemic inflammatory reactions. Murine macrophages were irradiated with artificial sunlight after stimulation by LPS, and cell viability and expression of tumor necrotizing factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated. As a local inflammatory reaction, the whole cell count, the expression of interleukin-6 and TNF-α in the intra-abdominal fluid, and the peritoneal thickness were significantly lower in the PT group than in the NT group. As a systematic inflammatory reaction, the expression of serum TNF-α, granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, and MIP-1β were significantly lower in the PT group than in the NT group. Irradiation by artificial sunlight suppressed the expression of TNF-α in murine macrophages without affecting cell viability. Intraperitoneal irradiation by artificial sunlight could suppress local and systemic inflammatory reactions in the LPS-induced peritonitis murine model. These effects may be associated with macrophage immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new digital terrestrial television transmission signals use the OFDM system. This system has the fundamental problem that the peak power to average power ratio (PAPR) of the signal is significant. In this paper, a satellite communication system is proposed as a supplemental network for digital terrestrial broadcasting. It is shown that effective use of the satellite power becomes possible at a large PAPR by using the FM system with a constant signal envelope as the secondary modulation, so that the problem can be resolved. It is shown analytically that a larger FM gain can be obtained by limiting the peak voltage of the OFDM signal by clipping. The degradation of the BER caused by clipping is derived by simulation and the system is optimized with regard to the degree of clipping. Taking the size and operational cost of the receiving station into account, channel design is performed assuming a real satellite channel. The overall transmission characteristics such as the transmission capacity of the satellite repeater and the channel quality are discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 90(11): 74–84, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.20385 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The permeability of the plasma membrane plays a crucial role in the successful cryopreservation of oocytes and embryos. Several efforts have been made to facilitate the movement of water and cryoprotectants across the plasma membrane of fish oocytes/embryos because of their large size. Aquaporin-3 is a water/solute channel that can also transport various cryoprotectants. In this study, we tried to improve the permeability of immature medaka (Oryzias latipes) oocytes to water and cryoprotectants by artificially expressing aquaporin-3. The oocytes were injected with aquaporin-3 cRNA and cultured for 6–7h. Then, hydraulic conductivity (L P) and cryoprotectant permeability (P S) were determined from volume changes in a hypertonic sucrose solution and various cryoprotectant solutions, respectively, at 25°C. The L P value of the cRNA-injected oocytes was 0.22±0.04μm/min/atm, nearly twice larger than that of intact or water-injected oocytes (0.14±0.02 and 0.14±0.03μm/min/atm, respectively). P S values of intact oocytes for ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and DMSO were 1.36±0.34, 1.97±0.20, and 1.17±0.52×10−3 cm/min, respectively. The permeability to glycerol could not be calculated because oocytes remained shrunken in the glycerol solution. On the other hand, cRNA-injected oocytes had significantly higher P S values (glycerol, 2.20±1.29; ethylene glycol, 2.98±0.36; propylene glycol, 3.93±1.70; DMSO, 3.11±0.74×10−3 cm/min) than intact oocytes. When cRNA-injected oocytes were cultured for 12–14h, 51% matured to the metaphase II stage, and 43% of the matured oocytes were fertilized and hatched following in vitro fertilization and 14 days of culture. Thus, the permeability of medaka oocytes to water and cryoprotectants was improved by the artificial expression of aquaporin-3, and the oocytes retained the ability to develop to term. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The method of frame synchronization in which the acquisition time is drastically reduced by using multi-component code is well known. There is a danger in this method, however, that large acquisition delays may occur in a low C/N environment due to errors of the partial correlation values. The purpose of this paper is to apply a multi-component code to acquisition in an effort to improve the performance of TDMA systems. The operation of the proposed acquisition method and the acquisition time performance in a low C/N environment are evaluated by experiment, theoretical analysis, and computer simulation and guidelines for acquisition system design to achieve fast and stable operation are proposed. The S/N value at the correlator output required for realizing the desired performance is determined. It is also shown here that performance can be improved greatly by providing a correlation detector with hysteresis. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 88(5): 50–66, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.20157 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conventional TDMA satellite communication system generally involves operations in which a sufficient amount of back-off is provided by using a large-scale high-power amplifier (HPA) in the earth station. However, if the HPA in the earth station can be operated at the saturation point, the earth station can be downsized and rendered into a low-power consumption station, with considerable benefits in terms of earth station installation and economy of operation. The authors have proposed a system combining an optimized transmission system and error-correction code, using burst modem filters and other devices, in a transmission system including two nonlinear devices of an earth station HPA and a satellite traveling-wave tube amplifier (TWTA), and have confirmed by computer simulations and experiments that it is feasible to operate the earth station HPA at its saturation point. The authors have also demonstrated that adequate performance characteristics can be attained in terms of burst-to-burst interference and cycle-skipping characteristics in the carrier recovery system. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 1, 87(8): 47–62, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecja.10149 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The first successful cryopreservation of fish embryos was reported in the Japanese flounder by vitrification [Chen and Tian, Theriogenology, 63, 1207–1219, 2005]. Since very high concentrations of cryoprotectants are needed for vitrification and fish embryos have a large volume, Japanese flounder embryos must have low sensitivity to cryoprotectant toxicity and high permeability to water and cryoprotectants. So, we investigated the sensitivity and the permeability of Japanese flounder embryos. In addition, we assessed the survival of flounder embryos after vitrification with solutions containing methanol and propylene glycol, following Chen and Tian’s report. The embryos were relatively insensitive to the toxicity of individual cryoprotectants at lower concentrations, especially methanol and propylene glycol as their report. Although their permeability to water and cryoprotectants could not be measured from volume changes in cryoprotectant solutions, the embryos appeared to be permeable to methanol but less permeable to DMSO, ethylene glycol, and propylene glycol. Although vitrification solutions containing methanol and propylene glycol, which were used in Chen and Tian’s report, were toxic to embryos, a small proportion of embryos did survived. However, when vitrified with the vitrification solutions, no embryos survived after warming. The embryos became opaque during cooling with liquid nitrogen, indicating the formation of intracellular ice during cooling. When embryos had been kept in vitrification solutions for 60min after being treated with the vitrification solution, some remained transparent during cooling, but became opaque during warming. This suggests that dehydration and/or permeation by cryoprotectants were insufficient for vitrification of the embryos even after they had been over-treated with the vitrification solutions. Thus, Chen and Tian’s cryopreservation method lacks general application to Japanese flounder embryos. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: As an essential step toward cryopreservation of fish embryos, we examined the chilling sensitivity of medaka (Oryzias latipes) embryos at various developmental stages. Embryos at the 2–4 cell, 8–16 cell, morula, blastula, and early gastrula stages were suspended in Hanks solution. They were chilled to various temperatures (usually 0°C), kept for various periods (usually 20min), then cultured for up to 14 d to determine survival (assessed by the ability to hatch). Embryos at the 2–4 cell stage were the most sensitive to chilling to 0°C, but sensitivity decreased as development proceeded. The survival rate of 2–4 cell embryos was affected after 2min of chilling at 0°C; although the rate decreased gradually as the duration of chilling increased, 38% of them still survived after 40min of chilling. Embryos at the 2–4 cell stage were sensitive to chilling at 0 or −5°C, but much less sensitive at 5 or 10°C. The survival rate of 2–4 cell embryos subjected to repeated rapid cooling and warming was similar to that of those kept chilled. When early gastrula embryos were preserved at 0 or 5°C, the hatching rate did not decrease after 12 and 24h of chilling, respectively, but then decreased gradually as storage was prolonged; however, 3–10% of the embryos hatched even after storage for 10 d. In conclusion, although later-stage medaka embryos would be suitable for cryopreservation (from the perspective of chilling sensitivity), chilling injury may not be serious in earlier stage embryos. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The permeability of the plasma membrane plays a crucial role in the successful cryopreservation of oocytes/embryos. To identify a stage feasible for the cryopreservation of teleost oocytes, we investigated the permeability to water and various cryoprotectants of medaka (Oryzias latipes) oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) and metaphase II (MII) stages. In sucrose solutions, the volume changes were greater in GV oocytes than MII oocytes. Estimated values for osmotically inactive volume were 0.41 for GV oocytes and 0.74 for MII oocytes. Water-permeability (μm/min/atm) at 25°C was higher in GV oocytes (0.13±0.01) than MII oocytes (0.06±0.01). The permeability of MII oocytes to various cryoprotectants (glycerol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and DMSO) was quite low because the oocytes remained shrunken during 2h of exposure in the cryoprotectant solutions at 25°C. When the chorion of MII oocytes was removed, the volume change was not affected, except in DMSO solution, where dechorionated oocytes shrunk and then regained their volume slowly; the P DMSO value was estimated to be 0.14±0.01×10−3 cm/min. On the other hand, the permeability of GV oocytes to cryoprotectants were markedly high, the P s values (×10−3 cm/min) for propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and DMSO being 2.21±0.29, 1.36±0.18, and 1.19±0.01, respectively. However, the permeability to glycerol was too low to be estimated, because GV oocytes remained shrunken after 2h of exposure in glycerol solution. These results suggest that, during maturation, medaka oocytes become less permeable to water and to small neutral solutes, probably by acquiring resistance to hypotonic conditions before being spawned in fresh water. Since such changes would make it difficult to cryopreserve mature oocytes, immature oocytes would be more suitable for the cryopreservation of teleosts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Iatrogenic inferior vena cava (IVC) injury is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication during laparoscopic surgery. This experimental study aimed to assess the hemostatic ability of a new device, double balloon-equipped central venous (DB-CV) catheter, for IVC injury.Methods: The DB-CV catheter comprises a triple-lumen sphincterotome combined with two dilating balloons having a diameter of 25 mm. The experimental procedures were performed in five pigs. The DB-CV catheter was inserted via the right femoral vein. For the IVC occlusion test, correct placement of the balloons was confirmed by indocyanine green fluorescence imaging, and hemodynamic data were recorded. For the IVC injury test, a 3- to 4-mm circumferential incision was created in IVC, and hemostasis was initiated using balloon inflation 5 s after the injury.Results: Hemodynamic changes were minimal, with a 20 mmHg reduction in the mean arterial pressure because of IVC occlusion. All bleeding from IVC injuries was successfully temporarily stopped by direct balloon compression, with a mean time to hemostasis of 69 s and mean blood loss of 32 ml. Subsequently, the positioning of IVC injuries between two balloons made it possible to suture the injured IVC.Conclusions: Balloon occlusion using the DB-CV catheter provides a rapid temporal hemostatic effect and can overcome the serious condition of massive hemorrhage from IVC injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To identify a stage feasible for the cryopreservation of zebrafish oocytes, we investigated the permeability to water and cryoprotectants of immature (stage III) and mature (stage V) oocytes. The permeability to water (μm/min/atm) of immature oocytes at 25°C (0.37) was significantly higher than that of mature oocytes (0.10). The permeability (×10−3 cm/min) of immature oocytes to ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and Me2SO (1.49–3.03) at 25°C was substantially higher than that of mature oocytes ∼0. The permeability of immature oocytes to glycerol was also high (1.75), although the permeability could not be measured in mature oocytes. Immature oocytes would be more suitable than mature oocytes for conservation of the zebrafish. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Alzheimer''s disease (AD) has been treated with acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors such as donepezil. However, the clinical usefulness of AChE inhibitors is limited mainly due to their adverse peripheral effects. Depression seen in AD patients has been treated with serotonin transporter (SERT) inhibitors. We considered that combining SERT and AChE inhibition could improve the clinical usefulness of AChE inhibitors. In a previous paper, we found a potential dual inhibitor, 1, of AChE (IC50=101 nM) and SERT (IC50=42 nM), but its AChE inhibition activity was less than donepezil (IC50=10 nM). Here, we report the conformationally restricted (R)-18a considerably enhanced inhibitory activity against AChE (IC50=14 nM) and SERT (IC50=6 nM). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have designed and synthesized a dual inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and serotonin transporter (SERT) as a novel class of treatment drugs for Alzheimer''s disease on the basis of a hypothetical model of the AChE active site. Dual inhibitions of AChE and SERT would bring about greater therapeutic effects than AChE inhibition alone and avoid adverse peripheral effects caused by excessive AChE inhibition. Compound (S)-6j exhibited potent inhibitory activities against AChE (IC50=101 nM) and SERT (IC50=42 nM). Furthermore, (S)-6j showed inhibitory activities of both AChE and SERT in mice brain following oral administration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]