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Colloidal metal nanoparticles were examined for reductive amination of phenol by ammonia under mild reaction conditions. The results showed that Rh-PVP was the most active catalyst for reductive am...

The synthesis of pyrrolidones via reductive amination of levulinic acid with aniline was examined over polypyrrolidone-stabilized metal nanoparticle catalysts. Among them, Ir metal was the most effective and applicable for the reductive amination of levulinic acid with nitroarenes/nitriles. Importantly, this catalyst was used for the one-pot synthesis of the anti-inflammatory drug indoprofen from 2-formylbenzoic acid and 2-(4-nitrophenyl)propanoic acid.

Paragangliomas of the cauda equina are very rare. Preoperatively, they are usually diagnosed as schwannoma. We report 2 cases that exhibited unusual histopathologic structure as well as a typical Zellballen pattern with a highly vascular stroma. The unusual features included papillary, ribboning, and pseudorosette patterns, ganglion cell nests, and melanin pigment. Pathological diagnosis of paraganglioma may be especially difficult when such unusual histopathological features are seen. Correct histopathological diagnosis is important as paraganglioma has a better prognosis than other tumors included in the differential diagnosis for this location.

【目的】65歳以上の大腿骨近位部骨折手術症例の生命予後および予後因子について検討すること．【対象と方法】2003年1月から2008年12月までに当院で手術を行った627例を対象に，カルテ・郵送質問による調査を行い，死亡率の推移，死因，手術待機日数，術式について検討した．【結果】5年生存率は63.5％，術後1年死亡率は14.1％で最も高かった．死因の83.5％は術後新たに発症した疾患で，肺炎が最多だった．術前合併症の有無，手術待機日数により死亡率に有意差は認めなかった．1年死亡率は年々減少しており，術式の推移と相関していた．sliding hip screw（以下CHSタイプ）はshort femoral nail（以下γタイプ）の1.4倍死亡率が高かったが，調査当時当院ではCHSタイプはγタイプよりも離床時期が遅かった．【結論】大腿骨近位部骨折は生命予後不良因子であり，特に術後1年死亡率が高かった．術前合併症の有無，手術待機日数は死亡率に影響せず，術後早期離床により新たな合併症の発症を防止することで死亡率が減少する可能性が示唆された．

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are eco-friendly plastics that are synthesized by bacteria as an intracellular storage material. Ethanol is a key compound in molecular weight regulation of PHA during biosynthesis. In this study, three strains of Escherichia coli expressing PHA synthase (PhaCRe, PhaCAc or PhaCHe) were cultured to compare the effect of ethanol level on PHA molecular weight. As a result, it was revealed that PhaCAc tends to produce low molecular weight PHA due to its high ethanol sensitivity whereas PhaCHe produces high molecular weight PHA even in the presence of ethanol.

We treated a comparatively rare case of septic arthritis of the knee joint followed by common cold in an infant, caused by β-lactamase-negative ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae (BLNAR). The patient was 9 months of age. Knee joint arthritis symptoms appeared following common cold and middle ear infection. We detected H. influenzae from the fluid of the knee joint, and from the effusion of the middle ear and throat. The results of bacteriological tests indicated BLNAR. It was treated by surgical drainage and antibiotics injection. BLNAR is rapidly increasing in recent years. BLNAR can therefore be suspected when infantile septic arthritis especially following common cold. In this case, it is very important to detect the joint fluid by bacteriological tests and carefully select the antibiotics to use without residual disability.

Delphinium spp. L florets are known to undergo severe senescence a few days after harvesting as cut flowers. Using a cDNA library made from mRNA extracted from Delphinium florets 4 d harvesting, we isolated and identified cDNAs encoding ethylene response sensor (ERS)-type ethylene receptors, which contained an open reading frame of 1821 bp encoding a polypeptide of 606 amino acid residues. These were classified into two types with minor differences; Dl-ERS1 ( Delphinium little-strain ERS1 ) type-1 (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank AB055429) and Dl-ERS1 type-2 (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank AB055430). We were able to identify only ERS1 in Delphinium using the cDNA library screening, 3′ RACE (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank AB106892, AB106893), and genomic PCR (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank AB106891). Northern blot analysis showed that the transcription of ERS1 gene doubled between 0 and 3 d after harvesting, increased sharply to a maximum at 4 d, and then declined, while abscission of florets increased slowly until 3 d, and then increased rapidly at 4–5 d after cutting. Ethylene evolution increased until 4 d, and then decreased at 6 d after cutting. From these results, we postulate that abscission of florets in Delphinium is caused by the elevated levels of ethylene receptor, ERS1, and that these will be influenced by endogenous ethylene generated after cutting the stem.

A comparative study of the mouthparts of Panonychus citri (McGregor) and Agistemus terminalis (Quayle) were conducted under scanning electron microscope. In P. citri, the palpus is five segmented and irregularly striated. The palpotarsus has three setae, three sensory organs and one smooth surfaced palpotarsal eupathidial spinneret. The palpotibia has comparatively small claws. The stylophore is comprised of irregularly striated basal and horizontally striated distal segments. The stylets are smoothly surfaced and originate from the ventral portion of fixed digits. The rostrum has an elevated lip of rostral gutter on its dorsal surface and a membranous flap on the ventral and lateral sides. The cheliceral stylets are cylindrically concave and reveal a rod-shaped food channel in the mesal region. While in A. terminalis, the palpus is also five segmented, a portion of the second segment is striated and the others are smoothly surfaced. The palpotarsus has a cylindrical and roughly surfaced sensory organ which exhibits a branched slender trifid sensillum at the apex. The palpotibia has bigger sharp claws, thicker at the base and roughly surfaced. The stylophore consists of a membranous basal and smoothly surfaced distal segments. The rostrum has a membranous overlap on the dorsal surface extending up to the rostral cavity.

The effects of foliar application of marine algae extract (RIC-1) on the growth and development of roots and shoots in satsuma mandarin were studied under plastic house conditions. The 500 times diluted sprays of this extract enhanced the formation of fibrous roots and at higher concentration (300 times diluted), root rotting occurred. While at lower concentration (1000 times diluted), the roots became comparatively thicker. The formation of new branches and their lengths were higher in all treated trees with maximum value at 500 times diluted spray compared to those of control. The number of leaves and their size in terms of length and width were significantly,higher in the treated trees having the maximum output under 500 times diluted treatment. Light microscopic observation revealed the accumulation of numerous starch grains in the mesophyll cells of leaves in the treated trees. The starch grain number/cell increased along the increased concentration of RIC-1 sprays from 1000 times diluted to 300 times diluted. The width of mesophyll cell layer also similarly increased in RIC-1 treated leaves, This study suggested 500 times diluted RIC-1 spray as optimum for the growth and development of roots, branches and leaves of satsuma mandarin trees under plastic house conditions.

The alleviating effects of calcium compounds on fruit puffing were investigated in satsuma mandarin. The ultrastructural changes in the subepidermal cell walls of puffy fruits and the inhibiting strategies of calcium against these changes were also observed under transmission electron microscope. Although puffing occurred in both treated and non-treated fruits under certain environmental conditions, pre-harvest applications of CS-2H (CaSO4·2H2O, CaCl2) and CS-1B (CaCO3 microcrystal suspension) significantly reduced it and with the exception of peel puffing these chemicals did not affect other fruit characteristics. The subepidermal cells of non-treated puffy fruits had bigger intercellular spaces in the cell corners and schizogenous intercellular spaces between adjacent walls. Occasionally, cell corners and abutting walls did not possess these spaces, but the disintegration of middle lamella therein was distinct. The disintegration caused loosening of the intercellular connection and swelling of walls. The sporadic destruction of the cell wall was also found near the plasma membrane. The fibrillar materials of loose cell walls separated distinctly in the longitudinal direction ; this separation was crosswise near the plasma membrane. In a few cases, the middle lamella and its adjoining walls had disintegrated. The application of calcium compound (CS-2H) prevented these ultrastructural disorders so that intercellular spaces remained small, schizogenous intercellular spaces did not develop, and the dissolution of middle lamella was checked considerably. The cell corners retained their middle lamella or sometimes developed small intercellular spaces. The fibrillar materials in the cell walls were compact and their destruction was not evident. Cell wall swelling was rarely observed, and cellular separation was not found.

Accumulation and utilization of storage starch and epidermis-related development in roots of vigorous and non-vigorous satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc. cv. Miyagawa Wase) were compared anatomically from early winter to early summer. Only a few starch grains were deposited in the cortex of the pioneer roots of both kinds of trees in December. In vigorous trees, the number of starch grains per cortical cell and the ratio of areas of starch grain to the area of cortex (area-ratio) increased considerably during January and February, attaining a maximum in March. Area-ratio gradually decreased from April to May ; by June, it approached zero as the starch grains almost disappeared. In contrast, the area-ratio in non-vigorous trees was unchanged from January to February and increased slightly in March. The area-ratio reached the highest level in April, followed by rapid reduction in May, as the starch grains disappeared in June. Neither the vigorous nor the non-vigorous trees contained starch grains in July. Fibrous roots on vigorous trees were filled with many starch grains up to April, then the grains disappeared completely in June ; whereas in non-vigorous trees starch grain depletion started in June but the grains persisted until July. The pioneer roots on vigorous trees had but one layer of phellogen cells beneath the epidermis in January. The periderm was distinct with the formation of phellem, phellogen, and phelloderm in March. Periderm formation in non-vigorous trees was initiated in March, and it continued slowly into April. Root hair and epidermal development was faster in roots of vigorous tree.

Postoperative results were evaluated in 7 patients (5 males and 2 females) with ossification of the ligamentum flavum. The mean follow-up period was 2 years. Age at the time of operation ranged from 41 to 74 years with a mean of 57 years.Mean recovery rate using Hirabayashi's method was 43.1%. In this series, the factors influencing the postoperative results were unclear. CTM findings correlated with preoperative severity.

We reviewed sixteen cases using the modified Bristow procedure for treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder dislocation. Twelve patients were male and four were female. All patients had the procedure performed laterally. Ten shoulders were on the right and eleven shoulders were on the dominant side. The follow-up period ranged from one to 11yaers and one month (mean, 5 years and 5 months).Postoperatively, one patient had subluxation on one occasion but none had redislocation. Evaluation using the shoulder evaluation sheet of the Japan Orthopedic Association resulted in an average point score of 94.4, and 15 patients were subjectively satisfied with this procedure. The mean loss of external rotation was 12.2 degrees with the arm at the side and 7.5 degrees with the arm at 90 degrees of abduction.Roentgenograms at the final follow-up did not show any problems with the screw or non-union.