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Group B streptococcus (GBS) is an important pathogen that causes neonatal sepsis and meningitis, which have high mortality and morbidity. Cellulitis is a rare presentation of late-onset neonatal GBS infection. We report the case of an extremely low birthweight infant with facial cellulitis caused by late-onset GBS infection. A 590-g male neonate was delivered by Cesarean section at 23 gestational weeks due to intrauterine GBS infection. Although he was effectively treated with 2 weeks of antimicrobial therapy for early-onset GBS sepsis, he subsequently developed facial and submandibular cellulitis caused by GBS at 44 days of age. He was treated with debridement and antibiotic therapy, and after 2 months his facial involvement had improved, but cosmetic issues remained. Neonatal GBS infection requires a prompt sepsis workup followed by the initiation of empiric antibiotic therapy. Additionally, lifesaving surgical debridement is sometimes necessary for cellulitis, even in premature infants.

Introduction Women aged ≥ 45 years are known to experience various menopausal symptoms due to reduced oestrogen levels. Changes associated with cutaneous ageing, such as wrinkles and sagging, are also prominent in women in this age group. Numerous studies have evaluated the usefulness of individual basic nutrients and essential components, such as amino acids and vitamins, in menopausal women. The aim of this study was to comprehensively assess the effects of supplements containing amino acid and vitamin combinations on menopausal symptoms and age-related changes in the skin. Methods This is a randomised, placebo-controlled study on the effects of a supplement containing three types of amino acids [leucine, glutamine and arginine (LGA)] and 11 types of vitamins in 37 middle-aged women. The participants ingested either the test substance or a placebo twice daily for 8 consecutive weeks, at the end of which time the efficacy and safety of the test substance were assessed based on subjective symptoms of fatigue, Simplified Menopausal Index (SMI) score, the grade and number of wrinkles at the corners of the eyes, results of an analysis of the stratum corneum of the cheek and blood test results. Results None of the participants experienced adverse events, and all items assessed in our survey of subjective symptoms of fatigue showed a significant decrease in the test substance group (LGA group). Additionally, the SMI score of the LGA group was significantly lower than that of the placebo group. The LGA group showed significant improvement in the grade of the wrinkles in the corners of the eyes and the number of wrinkles, and the stratum corneum cell area declined significantly in the LGA group compared to the placebo group at the end of the study. Conclusion These results indicate that the vitamin-containing amino acid supplement improved menopausal symptoms and age-related changes in the skin (wrinkles). Trial Registration UMIN000029830.

Daidai (bitter orange, Citrus aurantium) is characterized by its fresh citrus scent. In Japanese cuisine, its juice is an important ingredient. As tons of industrial waste is obtained while processing the daidai juice, additional utilization of this waste has great social value. In our study, we prepared the essential oil from the waste obtained during daidai juice processing and demonstrated that the oil activates human TRPA1 (hTRPA1). This oil contains 10 types of terpenes, all of which activated hTRPA1 with an EC50 value of 6–167 µM. To our knowledge, this study is the first to show a hTRPA1 activation by five terpenes: linalyl acetate, geranyl acetate, osthole, geranyl propionate, and neryl acetate. Because physiological benefits of TRPA1 agonists, such as enhancement of energy metabolism and promotion of skin barrier recovery, have been reported, the oil could be a promising ingredient for anti-obesity food products and cosmetics. Graphical Abstract Human TRPA1 activation by terpenes contained in the peel of daidai.

Bamboo-derived activated carbon prepared by superheated steam (BAC) exhibited performance for utilization as an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) electrode. Pore structure and EDLC performances were investigated by comparison with phenol resin-derived activated carbon (MSP-20), which is commercially available and often used for the purpose. The nitrogen adsorption isotherm showed that BAC had a large BET-specific surface area of 1268 g/m2 with a developed pore structure, especially of the mesopore, in comparison with MSP-20. It is considered that inherent ash in bamboo promoted activation, in addition to physical activation by superheated steam. Capacitance per electrode volume (CV) was 52 F/cm3 with BAC. Because the density of BAC is high (0.78 g/cm3) compared with that of MSP-20 (0.58 g/cm3), sufficient CV for usage was obtained, although the capacitance per electrode mass (CM) at 5 mA/cm2 itself of BAC (67 F/g) was lower than that of MSP-20 (126 F/g). With IR drop, the resistance value of BAC (9.7 Ω) was lower than that of MSP-20 (10.5 Ω). Especially, the diffusion resistance of BAC disclosed to be smaller than that of MSP-20. These results indicated that BAC produced by steam activation is a promising material with a pore structure suitable for ion transfer in EDLC.

AIM To investigate the effects of Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma cultured in amniotic fluid on perinatal characteristics in preterm delivery between 22 and 33 weeks of gestation. METHODS The study was conducted in a tertiary perinatal center and involved 38 pregnant women who had undergone amniocentesis to evaluate intrauterine infection due to preterm labor or premature rupture of membranes. The subjects were divided into three groups based on the culture results: negative (Negative Group, n = 24), positive for Mycoplasma/Ureaplasma (M/U Group, n = 6), and positive for other pathogens (Other Pathogens Group, n = 8). One-way analysis of variance was used to compare the three groups. RESULTS The incidence of histological chorioamnionitis and neonatal sepsis was significantly different among the three groups (the Negative Group and the Other Pathogens Group, P

The tetramethylammonium salts of diplatinum(II) complexes composed of mono-lacunary Keggin-type silico and germanotungstates, [(CH3)4N]4[α-SiW11O39{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2]·13H2O (TMA-Si-Pt) and [(CH3)4N]4[α-GeW11O39{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2]·11H2O (TMA-Ge-Pt), were synthesized and crystallized. Single crystals of a tetramethylammonium salt of Keggin-type diplatinum(II)-coordinated phosphotungstate [(CH3)4N]3[α-PW11O39{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2]×10H2O (TMA-P-Pt) were also obtained. The X-ray structural analyses revealed that the two cis-platinum(II) moieties, [cis-Pt(NH3)2]2+, were each coordinated to two oxygen atoms in a mono-vacant site of [XW11O39](12-n)- (Xn+ = Si4+, Ge4+, P5+). FTIR spectra of TMA-Si-Pt and TMA-Ge-Pt also suggested that the two platinum(II) moieties were coordinated to the vacant site of [SiW11O39]8- and [GeW11O39]8-. The 1H NMR spectra in DMSO-d6 of TMA-Si-Pt and TMA-Ge-Pt showed signals assigned to the two sets of NH3 ligands coordinated to the platinum sites. These three platinum compounds showed hydrogen evolution from aqueous triethanolamine solution under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 400 nm) in the presence of eosin Y, α-Keggin mono-aluminum-substituted silicotungstate, and titanium dioxide. The catalytic activities were influenced by the central atoms, and TMA-P-Pt showed the highest activities among the three platinum compounds.

We report a case of marked elevation of the procalcitonin level in umbilical blood and neonatal blood at birth. The mother did not perceive fetal motion. Antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring showed a loss of variability and absence of acceleration. No fetal breathing movement, fetal movement, or fetal tone were observed by ultrasonography. The female neonate was delivered by cesarean section at 25 weeks of gestation, with birthweight 774 g. The umbilical arterial pH value at birth was 7.29. Mild elevation in interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in umbilical blood were observed. Cytochrome c showed a high level in umbilical and neonatal blood at birth. Placental histopathology revealed multiple fetal vessel thrombosis in the large stem villi and chorionic vessels. The neonate showed no infectious signs throughout the neonatal period. Computed tomography at 3 months of age revealed atrophy in the cerebrum and cerebellum. At 1 year after birth, the infant showed spastic quadriplegia. In this case, antepartum asphyxia due to fetal vessel thrombosis may have influenced the elevation of procalcitonin level in umbilical blood and neonatal blood at birth.

Aim Intrapartum fetal bradycardia necessitates immediate operative delivery. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis that some non-reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns were present before the onset of terminal bradycardia in infants who developed subsequent brain damage. Material and Methods From a population-based study of 65 197 deliveries, 190 stillbirths, 115 neonatal deaths, and 136 neurologically high-risk infants were registered by the Miyazaki Perinatal Conference. There were 15 cases of neurologically high-risk infants born at >34 weeks of gestation exhibiting intrapartum terminal bradycardia. Focusing on the brain-damaged infants, we retrospectively analyzed FHR patterns for at least 1 h prior to the bradycardia. Results Brain damage (cerebral palsy [n = 11] and mental retardation [n = 2]) was diagnosed at 2 years old in 13 out of 15 neurologically high-risk infants. Two infants had bradycardia on admission. In the remaining 11 infants, FHR patterns were reassuring in six (55%) and non-reassuring in five (45%), including late decelerations (n = 4) and variable decelerations (n = 2). Clinically relevant factors in the non-reassuring group included intrauterine infection (n = 3), malpresentation with umbilical cord coiling (n = 1), and unknown causes (n = 1). Clinically relevant features in the reassuring group included cord prolapse (n = 1), vaginal breech delivery (n = 1), shoulder dystocia (n = 1), rupture of membranes (n = 1), and unknown causes (n = 2). Conclusion More than half of the brain-damaged infants born at >34 weeks of gestation who exhibited intrapartum terminal bradycardia had unremarkable FHR patterns before abrupt-onset bradycardia. For those with non-reassuring patterns preceding bradycardia, intrauterine infection was the major sentinel event.

Aim The aim of this study was to clarify the mortality and long-term outcomes of extremely low-birthweight infants according to the process of maternal or infant transport and indications for maternal transport. Material and Methods We conducted a population-based study between 2005 and 2009. The collected data included the process and indications for maternal or neonatal transport, maternal and infant characteristics and the prognosis of extremely low-birthweight infants. Intergroup comparisons were made using the Mann–Whitney U-test, while multiple group comparisons were made using the Kruskal–Wallis test followed by the post-hoc paired t-test according to the Dunn procedure. Comparisons of the cumulative survival rates based on postnatal age according to the process of maternal or neonatal transport were performed using a Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and the log–rank test. Results The study subjects included 195 infants from 189 mothers following 50 632 deliveries during the study period. Overall, 32 (16.4%) infants died and 33 (20.2%) infants had neurological impairments. The rates of mortality and handicaps among the infants in the maternal transport group were 15.2% and 23.2%, respectively, compared to 25% and 44%, respectively, in the neonatal transport group. There were no differences in the prognoses of the infants according to the process of maternal transport, although more premature neonates were managed in the tertiary center. There were no differences in the cumulative survival rates based on the institution that managed the neonate. The incidence of a poor prognosis was significantly higher among the infants born from mothers transported to the tertiary center due to bulging membranes (P = 0.047). All mothers with placental abruption were transported to the nearest secondary center. Conclusion The morbidity and mortality of extremely low-birthweight infants demonstrated a low incidence following the regionalization of high-risk pregnancies in our region. Further reductions in severe neonatal morbidities may depend on reducing the rate of neonatal transport.

We describe a prenatally diagnosed case with congenital infantile fibrosarcoma, which is a rare malignant tumor, of which there have been only 14 cases reported in the English literature. A giant mass on the left thigh was detected at 24 weeks' gestation by prenatal ultrasonography. Because of its rapid growth and nonreassuring fetal status in utero, the baby was delivered by cesarean delivery at 27 weeks' gestation. The case was complicated by hemorrhagic anemia, coagulopathy, and cardiac failure, and a tumor resection was performed on day 3. As of age 2.5 years, he was healthy without evidence of recurrence. Because some fetal cases with congenital infantile fibrosarcoma have a poor prognosis, termination of pregnancy at an appropriate time and postnatal early treatment are crucial for successful treatment.

The aim of this study was to collect data on immunological parameters from Wistar Hannover rats at 8, 10, 19, and 32 weeks of age. Low leukocyte parameter cell counts, serum globulin concentration, and T, B, and NK lymphocyte counts in peripheral blood at each time point; low T, B, and NK splenocyte counts; and high, or tendencies toward high, thymocyte counts at 10 weeks of age were noted in females when compared with males. KLH-specific antibody production increased gradually with age in both sexes. The immunological data noted for leukocyte parameters, the serum globulin concentration, and immunophenotyping (peripheral blood, spleen, and thymus) relating to chronological changes and sex differences may be useful in assessing drug-related immunotoxicity in this strain.

Background: Melasma still presents as a difficult entity to treat, especially in the Asian skin phe-notype. Recently laser toning with the Q-switched Nd:YAG has attracted attention. The present study investigated the efficacy of Q-switched Nd:YAG laser toning for melasma, with a histopathological comparison with the Q-switched ruby laser. Subjects and Methods: Eight Japanese females (41–57 yr, mean 52.5 yr) with Fitzpatrick skin type III and bilateral melasma participated in the study. One half of each subject's face (randomly chosen) was treated with Q-switched 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser toning (pulse width 5–20 ns; spot size, 6 mm diameter; fluence, 3.0 J/cm2, 5–7 passes, once/week, 4 weeks: QS:YAG group), and the contralateral half with a single treatment using a Q-switched ruby laser (694.5 nm, pulse width 20 ns, spot size 4 mm diameter; fluence 4.0 J/cm2, 1 pass with approximately 20% overlap: QS:Ruby group). Skin biopsies were taken immediately after the 4th Nd:YAG session and the single ruby session, and histopathological comparison was performed with light- and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Results: Improvement in melasma pigmentation was seen in both the QS:YAG- and QS:Ruby-treat-ed sides, and this was well-maintained in the QS:YAG group. Ultrastructurally, melanin granules were destroyed in both groups, but there was considerably more morphological epidermal and dermal damage in the QS:Ruby specimens compared with minimal epidermal disruption and cellular damage in the QS:YAG specimens. Conclusions: Q-switched 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser toning offered superior results in the treatment of melasma in the Japanese skin type compared with the Q-switched ruby laser, both ultrastructurally with less immediately post-treatment cellular damage and macroscopically, and a longer recurrence-free interval.

The aim of this study was to collect data on chronological changes in clinical laboratory tests, pathological examinations, and hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes from Wistar Hannover rats at 8, 10, 19, and 32 weeks of age. The serum triglyceride concentration and the serum LDL cholesterol level were higher in males than in females at all ages. In contrast, serum total protein and creatinine concentrations and cholinesterase activity were lower in males than in females. In addition, sex differences were confirmed in pituitary weight and hepatic CYP3A2 and CYP2C11 activities. In conclusion, the general toxicological data noted in clinical laboratory tests, pathological examinations, and hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes relating to chronological changes and sex differences may be useful in assessing drug-related toxicity in this strain.

The adsorption properties of wood carbonized at various temperatures were investigated using a mixed gas containing toluene and α-pinene. Hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtusa) samples carbonized at 500°–1100°C were exposed to gas mixtures of toluene and α-pinene at 20°C. The samples carbonized at 500°–700°C only adsorbed toluene, whereas those carbonized at 800°–1100°C adsorbed both toluene and α-pinene. Analysis of the surface structure of the carbonized wood by nitrogen adsorption at liquid nitrogen temperature indicated that the sample carbonized at 700°C had micropores mainly 0.6 nm in diameter and few mesopores, whereas the samples carbonized at 900°C and 1100°C had mesopores and micropores larger than 0.8 nm in diameter. With the sample carbonized at 700°C, the flat-shaped toluene molecules could probably penetrate into the narrower pores, 0.8 nm in diameter, whereas the bulky globular-shaped α-pinene molecules could not. Carbonization at temperatures higher than 900°C probably enlarged the pore size and thereby reduced the selectivity of adsorption. The results revealed that wood carbonized below activation temperature has a unique flat-pore structure that seems to work as a kind of molecular sieving carbon, successfully removing only the harmful volatile organic compound (VOC), toluene, and leaving behind a pleasant aroma of α-pinene in the atmosphere.

美容医学でのアンチエイジング治療の中で，レーザー治療の進歩はめざましい．顔面には，加齢とともに多種のシミやシワが生じる．シミの治療は，診断をつけ，疾患ごとに治療を行い，シワは部位別に治療を選択することが重要である．今回，シミの中でも多い，老人性色素斑，肝斑，雀卵斑，遅発性太田母斑様色素斑，日光角化症のレーザー治療およびシワ・タルミのレーザーおよび類似機器治療の現況に関して報告する．

The objectives of this study were to clarify the influences of nitrogen (N) load on the growth and photosynthetic responses of Quercus serrata seedlings to O3 and to obtain basic data for evaluating the critical levels of O3 for protecting Q. serrata forests in Japan. The effects of O3 and/or N load on growth and photosynthetic activity of Q. serrata seedlings were investigated during the two growing seasons. Two-year-old seedlings were assigned to 12 experimental treatments, which were comprised of the combination of four gas treatments (charcoal-filtered air and three levels of O3 at 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 times ambient concentration) and three N treatments (0, 20 and 50 kg ha−1 year−1). During the second growing season, no significant interactive effects of O3 and N load on the growth and net photosynthetic rate of the seedlings were detected. Threrfore, we concluded that N supply to the soil at ≤50 kg ha−1 year−1 does not significantly influence the growth and photosynthetic responses of Q. serrata seedlings to O3. Based on the O3 exposure-response relationships for the whole-plant growth of the seedlings, the critical level of O3 for Q. serrata was estimated to be approximately 36 nmol mol−1 as the average 15-h O3 concentration during the one growing season.

We report a case of marked elevation of the procalcitonin level in umbilical blood and neonatal blood at birth. The mother did not perceive fetal motion. Antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring showed a loss of variability and absence of acceleration. No fetal breathing movement, fetal movement, or fetal tone were observed by ultrasonography. The female neonate was delivered by cesarean section at 25 weeks of gestation, with birthweight 774 g. The umbilical arterial pH value at birth was 7.29. Mild elevation in interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in umbilical blood were observed. Cytochrome c showed a high level in umbilical and neonatal blood at birth. Placental histopathology revealed multiple fetal vessel thrombosis in the large stem villi and chorionic vessels. The neonate showed no infectious signs throughout the neonatal period. Computed tomography at 3 months of age revealed atrophy in the cerebrum and cerebellum. At 1 year after birth, the infant showed spastic quadriplegia. In this case, antepartum asphyxia due to fetal vessel thrombosis may have influenced the elevation of procalcitonin level in umbilical blood and neonatal blood at birth.

Intrapartum fetal bradycardia necessitates immediate operative delivery. Our aim was to investigate the hypothesis that some non-reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR) patterns were present before the onset of terminal bradycardia in infants who developed subsequent brain damage.From a population-based study of 65,197 deliveries, 190 stillbirths, 115 neonatal deaths, and 136 neurologically high-risk infants were registered by the Miyazaki Perinatal Conference. There were 15 cases of neurologically high-risk infants born at34 weeks of gestation exhibiting intrapartum terminal bradycardia. Focusing on the brain-damaged infants, we retrospectively analyzed FHR patterns for at least 1 h prior to the bradycardia.Brain damage (cerebral palsy [n = 11] and mental retardation [n = 2]) was diagnosed at 2 years old in 13 out of 15 neurologically high-risk infants. Two infants had bradycardia on admission. In the remaining 11 infants, FHR patterns were reassuring in six (55%) and non-reassuring in five (45%), including late decelerations (n = 4) and variable decelerations (n = 2). Clinically relevant factors in the non-reassuring group included intrauterine infection (n = 3), malpresentation with umbilical cord coiling (n = 1), and unknown causes (n = 1). Clinically relevant features in the reassuring group included cord prolapse (n = 1), vaginal breech delivery (n = 1), shoulder dystocia (n = 1), rupture of membranes (n = 1), and unknown causes (n = 2).More than half of the brain-damaged infants born at34 weeks of gestation who exhibited intrapartum terminal bradycardia had unremarkable FHR patterns before abrupt-onset bradycardia. For those with non-reassuring patterns preceding bradycardia, intrauterine infection was the major sentinel event.

A glass fiber filter coated with TiO2 was adopted as a photocatalyst to remove methyl mercaptan and ammonia gases under black light irradiation. A single filter alone had a high capacity to remove about 30% of both gases within 3–4 h. Sulfate ion (SO42-) from the methyl mercaptan, nitrogen oxide (NOx) and nitrate ion (NO3-) from ammonia were generated due to the photocatalyst reaction. However, the majority of ammonia gas trapped on the filter was stuck to the surface without any reactions. Rinsing with distilled water was a very effective procedure for cleaning the filter.

Improvement in the oxidation resistance of SUS304 stainless steel was accomplished by electrodeposition of La in a molten salt. The electrolysis of La was conducted using a potentiostatic-polarization method in an equimolar NaCl–KCl melt containing 3.5 mol. LaF 3 at 1023 K. Observation of the specimen surface after polarization at −1.8 V (vs. Ag/Ag+ (0.1)) for 0.18 ks showed that La particles were uniformly dispersed on the surface. The oxidation resistance of the electrodeposited stainless steel was significantly improved as compared with the untreated stainless steel. The scale formed on the untreated stainless steel after oxidation was thick and consisted of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4, whereas the scale formed on the elecrodeposited stainless steel was extremely thin, and mainly consisted of Cr2O3.

The aim of this study was to clarify the mortality and long-term outcomes of extremely low-birthweight infants according to the process of maternal or infant transport and indications for maternal transport.We conducted a population-based study between 2005 and 2009. The collected data included the process and indications for maternal or neonatal transport, maternal and infant characteristics and the prognosis of extremely low-birthweight infants. Intergroup comparisons were made using the Mann-Whitney U-test, while multiple group comparisons were made using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the post-hoc paired t-test according to the Dunn procedure. Comparisons of the cumulative survival rates based on postnatal age according to the process of maternal or neonatal transport were performed using a Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test.The study subjects included 195 infants from 189 mothers following 50,632 deliveries during the study period. Overall, 32 (16.4%) infants died and 33 (20.2%) infants had neurological impairments. The rates of mortality and handicaps among the infants in the maternal transport group were 15.2% and 23.2%, respectively, compared to 25% and 44%, respectively, in the neonatal transport group. There were no differences in the prognoses of the infants according to the process of maternal transport, although more premature neonates were managed in the tertiary center. There were no differences in the cumulative survival rates based on the institution that managed the neonate. The incidence of a poor prognosis was significantly higher among the infants born from mothers transported to the tertiary center due to bulging membranes (P = 0.047). All mothers with placental abruption were transported to the nearest secondary center.The morbidity and mortality of extremely low-birthweight infants demonstrated a low incidence following the regionalization of high-risk pregnancies in our region. Further reductions in severe neonatal morbidities may depend on reducing the rate of neonatal transport.

We present a case of fulminant neonatal sepsis caused by nontypable Haemophilus influenzae and discuss some potential prevention measures. A 33-year-old pregnant woman delivered a 1,166 g male neonate at 27 weeks and 2 days of gestation. He died 5 hours after birth. Haemophilus influenzae was isolated from the amniotic fluid, maternal vaginal discharge, placenta, neonatal oral cavity, neonatal skin, and neonatal stool. These isolates were found to be nontypable by polymerase chain reaction and sensitive to ampicillin. Placental histopathology revealed acute chorioamnionitis without cord phlebitis or arteritis. An autopsy found no colonization of gram-negative cocobacilli in the organs including the lungs. These results suggest that acute intrapartum nontypable Haemophilus influenzae infection can cause fulminant and invasive neonatal sepsis. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis may be useful for prevention.

Recently, various types of allogeneic skin substitutes including cultured epidermal substitute (CES), cultured dermal substitute (CDS), and cultured skin substitute (CSS), which are composed of keratinocytes and/or fibroblasts as the cellular component(s), have been used as biological wound dressings. In our study, the allogeneic CDS was prepared by plating fibroblasts on a spongy collagen. The clinical evaluation was conducted using fresh or cryopreserved allogeneic CDS. In 145 of our clinical cases, 95% (138/145) of various wounds were evaluated as achieving good or excellent results, including 96% (22/23) of deep dermal burns (DDB) and dermal burns (DB), 100% (53/53) of partial-thickness donor wounds, 91% (21/23) of traumatic skin defects, 100% (5/5) of pressure ulcers, 82% (9/11) of chronic skin ulcers, 100% (6/6) of coverage for debrided DB, and 92% (22/24) of coverage for autologous meshed graft. The results obtained in our study suggest that the allogeneic CDS is able to provide an effective therapy for patients with partial and/or full-thickness skin defects.

An asymmetric synthesis of an α-substituted serine derivative was achieved by employing PLE-catalyzed hydrolysis of a prochiral malonate derivative, and the absolute configuration of the hydrolyzed product was unambiguously determined by the X-ray analysis of a camphorsulfonic acid derivative.

Catalase from bovine liver was lyophilized from an aqueous solution containing chitin-graft-poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (3), which was synthesized by the reaction of 52% deacetylated chitin (1) with living poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (2). The rate of consumption of H2O2 in chloroform catalyzed by the lyophilized catalase with 3 was enhanced more than 10 times that by catalase without 3. The dispersibility and solubility of lyophilized catalase with 3 in chloroform were improved in comparison with catalase itself.

To develop an automatic device for the preparation of fibronectin eyedrops a basic study was performed to establish the optimum conditions for the preparation procedures. Fibronectin eyedrops were prepared according to the method of Nishida et al. In the first step with gelatinsepharose 4B (GS4B), the optimum conditions were as follows:(1) At least five and 15 ml of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) containing citrate were needed to wash the GS4B before and after plasma treatment, respectively;(2) The economical optimum ratio of GS4B vs. human plsama was 1: 10;(3) Preparations at either low or high temperatures should be avoided (optimum temperature 22°C); and (4) Higher yields of fibronectin were obtained with slower plasma flow rates. In the second step with sephadex-G25 (PD-10):(1) 20 ml of PBS were needed for pre-washing of PD-10; and (2) A high concentration and high yield fraction of fibronectin could be obtained when the eluate of 4 M urea from GS4B containing fibronectin was directly infused into PD-10. These results are considered important for the effective preparation of fibronectin eyedrops either automatically or manually.

A computer system was developed to improve the preparation procedures of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) for patients with such affections as acute renal failure and short-bowel syndrome, and its utility was evaluated with the novel indices: compatibility of prescription (C), ease of IVH preparation (E), design time of prescription (t), and objective index (C*E/t). The computer system was developed using the d-Base III programming software. The mixing volume of elemental solutions were either calculated with this computer system or hand calculated depending on the kind of IVH prescription. The mixing volumes of each component could be easily and quickly determined and the prescriptions satisfactorily prepared. While in the novel indices, the compatibility and ease of preparation were slightly improved, the design time was markedly shortened and the objective index was markedly improved using the computer system compared with the hand calculation. When this program was used to educate new pharmacists, the key points of IVH preparations were more rapidly understood. These results indicate that our computer system was very useful to the preparation of specific IVH prescriptions for severe patients, was also very effective in the education of IVH preparations to new pharmacists, and that the novel indices were more useful in evaluating the IVH preparation procedures.

Peptide-containing block copolymers poly(N-acetyliminoethylene)-block-poly(L-phenylalanine)s (1) form water-soluble large aggregates in water due to the hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding nature of the poly(L-phenylalanine) block. The solution properties were studied by size exclusion chromatography, dynamic light scattering, 1 H NMR spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results were compared with those of the block copolymers poly(N-acetyliminoethylene)-block-poly(N-benzoyliminoethylene)s (2) as analogous structures of poly(L-phenylalanine). The peptide-containing block copolymers 1 form aggregates in water even though only short segments of poly(phenylalanine) are provided. The hydrogen-bonding character of the amide bond in the poly(phenylalanine) segment may induce strong interactions with each polymer chain in water. The interaction of Lipase P with the polymer aggregates in water was studied by means of size exclusion chromatography. The aggregates have a strong capability of incorporating Lipase P and largely increase the hydrolysis activity of Lipase P against p-nitrophenyl propionate compared with free Lipase. The guest-binding ability of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid for the polymer aggregates was also studied.

The peptide-containing block copolymer poly(N-acetyliminoethylene)-block-poly(L-phenylalanine) (1) formed large water-soluble aggregates in water due to the hydrophobic and hydrogen-bonding character of the poly(L-phenylalanine) block. The solution properties of 1 were compared with those of the block copolymer poly(N-acetyliminoethylene)-block-poly(N-benzoyliminoethylene) (2) with an analogous structure. 1 formed aggregates even though the poly(phenylalanine) segment was short as compared with 2 in which hydrophobic interaction may be the only driving force to form aggregates. The aggregates have strong capability of incorporating Lipase P and largely increase the hydrolysis activity against p-nitrophenyl propionate as compared with that of free Lipase P.