Clinical characteristics of scleritis patients with emphasized comparison of associated systemic diseases (anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis and rheumatoid arthritis).

Purpose: We evaluated patient profiles, clinical features, associated systemic diseases, treatment modalities, and ocular complications in cases of scleritis and episcleritis.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Methods: Clinical data of 128 patients referred to the ophthalmology clinic at Jichi Medical University Hospital during the 4-year period from April 2011 to March 2015, and diagnosed with scleritis or episcleritis were examined.

Uveitis incidence in Jichi Medical University Hospital, Japan, during 2011-2015.

Purpose: To investigate uveitis incidence of new patients who visited Jichi Medical University Hospital, Tochigi, north of Tokyo, during 2011-2015, and to compare the results with previously reported data from other facilities.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed clinical records of new patients with uveitis from April 2011 to March 2015 and compared the uveitis incidence with those from other hospitals.

Results: A total of 502 patients were enrolled in the study; definite diagnoses were made in 262 patients (52.

Determination of monosaccharides derivatized with 2-aminobenzoic Acid by capillary electrophoresis.

Reducing monosaccharides were derivatized with 2-aminobenzoic acid (2-AA) through reductive amination using sodium cyanoborohydride as a reductant, and the derivatives were separated by capillary zone electrophoresis with UV detection using 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 5.5) or 150 mM sodium borate-50 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.0) running buffer.

Boron-assisted transformation to rod-like graphitic carbons from multi-walled carbon nanotubes in boron-mixed multi-walled carbon nanotube solids.

We produced boron-mixed multi-walled carbon nanotube solids (B-mixed MWCNT solids) by heating and pressing the powder of purified MWCNTs mixed with 1, 5, and 10 wt % boron in the temperature range 1400-1800 °C every 200 °C under a constant pressure of 20 MPa in vacuo, and investigated the influence of boron addition on nanotube structure and the mechanical and electrical properties of the resulting B-mixed MWCNT solids. The structure of the prepared material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy-electron energy loss spectroscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction, and their mechanical properties and conductivity were measured using a mechanical and Vickers indentation tester and an electric resistor, respectively. It is notable that part of the nanotubes in the B-mixed MWCNT solids solidified at 1800 °C had dramatically changed into rod-like graphitic carbons (RLGCs).

Influence of borate complexation on the electrophoretic behavior of 2-AA derivatized saccharides in capillary electrophoresis.

A complete separation with baseline resolution of the 2-AA derivatized saccharides, including mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides, was achieved using 50 mM sodium phosphate-150 mM borate solution, pH 7.0 as running buffer by capillary electrophoresis. It was thought to be a result of the inclusion of 150 mM borate in the running electrolyte solution.

Super-robust, lightweight, conducting carbon nanotube blocks cross-linked by de-fluorination.

We produced large binder-free multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) blocks from fluorinated MWNTs using thermal heating and a compressing method in vacuo. This technique resulted in the formation of covalent MWNT networks generated by the introduction of sp(3)-hybridized carbon atoms that cross-link between nanotubes upon de-fluorination. The resulting carbon nanotube blocks are lighter than graphite, can be machined and polished, and possess average bending strengths of 102.

Capillary electrophoretic analysis of dimethylsulfoniopropionate in sugarcane and marine algal extracts.

A simple and high-resolution analytical method for the determination of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) in sugarcane and marine algae is described. Effective extraction of DMSP from plant samples was also investigated using organic solvents, 5% perchloric acid or deionised water. To increase the sensitivity, DMSP in the extracts was first converted to a phenacyl ester, and the reaction mixture was applied directly to capillary electrophoresis without any pretreatment.

Role of trehalose synthesis pathways in salt tolerance mechanism of Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans IL106.

The photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides (R. sphaeroides) f. sp.

Microbioassay system for antiallergic drug screening using suspension cells retaining in a poly(dimethylsiloxane) microfluidic device.

This article describes an antiallergic drug-screening system by the detection of histamine released from mast cells (suspension cells) on a multilayer microchip. In this study, the elastmeric material, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), was employed to fabricate microchannels and microchambers. The microchip consists of two sections: a histamine-releasing one, which has a cell chamber, and a histamine-derivatizing one.

Separation of 2-aminobenzoic acid-derivatized glycosaminoglycans and asparagine-linked glycans by capillary electrophoresis.

A capillary electrophoresis method was developed for the analysis of oligosaccharides combined with derivatization with 2-aminobenzoic acid. Glycosaminoglycan delta-disaccharides were effectively resolved on a fused-silica capillary tube using 150 mM borate, pH 8.5, as a running electrolyte solution.

An improved method for the analysis of dimethyl sulfoxide in water samples.

An analytical method for dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in aqueous samples at nanomolar levels has been improved. DMSO was reduced to dimethyl sulfide (DMS), concentrated on an adsorbent, and measured by gas chromatography. In the presence of iron chloride, the sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reduction of DMSO proceeded smoothly and efficiently, and the repeatability of this reaction was significantly improved.

Fluorometric determination of sulfite and nitrite in aqueous samples using a novel detection unit of a microfluidic device.

On-chip fluorescence determination of sulfite and nitrite with N-(9-acridinyl)maleimide (NAM) and 2,3-diaminonaphthalene (DAN) has been developed using a novel fluorescence detection unit for microchip analysis. Usually, these fluorescence reagents are derivatized and detected separately in microchip analysis because different fluorescence wavelengths are emitted. The proposed fluorescence detection unit has optical fibers with no optical filter, and plural wavelengths of fluorescence were detected sensitively, even in the microchip.

Development of dimethyl sulfoxide biosensor using a mediator immobilized enzyme electrode.

A mediator immobilized dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) sensor using DMSO reductase (DMSO-R) was constructed. Methyl viologen (MV) was used as a mediator and immobilized on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode with Nafion polymer. DMSO-R from Rhodobacter sphaeroides f.

Ontogenetic changes of the water status in the heated quail's egg as studied by nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.

The 1H-magnetic resonance imaging technique was applied for monitoring the extent of the heat coagulation in the shell egg. It is demonstrated that spin-spin relaxation time (T2) is an effective marker to observe the extent of coagulation in egg white and yolk and that the T2 value image is quite useful to recognize non-destructively the extent and status of coagulation of the heated eggs. This technique can also be applied to the material science as well as food science for observation of the inner status of the objects.

Amperometric dimethyl sulfoxide sensor using dimethyl sulfoxide reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides.

An amperometric dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) sensor was constructed based on DMSO reductase (DMSO-R). DMSO-R from Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp.

Separation of saccharides derivatized with 2-aminobenzoic acid by capillary electrophoresis and their structural consideration by nuclear magnetic resonance.

Saccharides including mono- and disaccharides were quantitatively derivatized with 2-aminobenzoic acid (2-AA). These derivatives were then separated by capillary zone electrophoresis with UV detection using 50mM sodium phosphate buffer as the running electrolyte solution. In particular, the saccharide derivatives with the same molecular weight as 2-AA aldohexoses (mannose and glucose) and 2-AA aldopentoses (ribose and xylose) were well separated.

Development of an analytical method for the determination of betaines in higher plants by capillary electrophoresis at low pH.

In recent years the role of betaines in higher plants has been extensively investigated in relation to environmental stress response. This paper reports the establishment of a simple, rapid and reliable method for the determination of betaines using capillary electrophoresis (CE) at low pH. Betaines were first converted to their phenacyl esters and the crude reaction mixture was then applied directly to CE without any pre-treatment.