A Robust Mesoporous Al O -Based Nanocomposite Catalyst for Abundant NO Storage with Rational Design of Pt and Ba Species.

The nanostructural design of heterogeneous catalysts has often been demanded for assessing synergetic effects, which should be developed further by using high-surface-area porous metal oxide supports. However, such opportunities have been undermined by the poor stability of ordered mesoporous structures. Herein, rational design is demonstrated to obtain nanocomposite catalysts showing improved NO storage properties owing to the presence of Ba species over a well-designed mesoporous alumina (Al O ) support.

Understanding of NOx storage property of impregnated Ba species after crystallization of mesoporous alumina powders.

The regulation of automobile exhaust gas, especially that concerning hazardous nitrogen oxide (called as NOx) becomes stricter year-by-year, which should be urgently corresponded for cleaning the NOx containing emission. According to surface affinity of γ-alumina to metal catalysts and its thermal stability, crystalline γ-alumina has been frequently utilized as catalyst supports showing relatively high specific surface area. From the viewpoint, we consider that highly porous alumina powders prepared using amphiphilic organic molecules are potential as such a catalyst support for improving NOx removing property.

Mesopore Connectivity Improving Aerosol-Assisted Synthesis of Mesoporous Alumina Powders with High Surface Area.

Considering the closed packing of supramolecular mediated cage-type (spherical) mesopores inside spherical particles that are typically obtained by the aerosol-assisted process, uniform mesopores cannot be packed so periodically and then the mesopores are less connected and/or occasionally isolated, leading to the formation of low-surface-area mesoporous particles. In this study, we proposed the controlled swelling of such cage-type mesopores for improving their connectivity. Actually, we succeeded in preparing high-surface-area mesoporous alumina powders using poly(oxyethylene)- block-poly(oxypropylene)- block-poly(oxyethylene) (EO PO EO ) type triblock copolymers such as Pluronic P123.

Rocuronium pharmacodynamic models for published five pharmacokinetic models: age and sex are covariates in pharmacodynamic models.

Purpose: Equilibration rate constant is necessary to calculate effect-site concentration, which is useful to control drug effect. We developed pharmacodynamic models for published five compartmental pharmacokinetic models published by Wierda, Szenohradszky, Cooper, Alvarez-Gomez, and McCoy.

Methods: We used 3848 train-of-four ratios from 15 male and nine female patients (21-76 years; 44-93 kg body weight; 148-181 cm height; and 17.

Dysbiosis in the Gut Microbiota of Patients with Multiple Sclerosis, with a Striking Depletion of Species Belonging to Clostridia XIVa and IV Clusters.

The pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease affecting the brain and spinal cord, remains poorly understood. Patients with MS typically present with recurrent episodes of neurological dysfunctions such as blindness, paresis, and sensory disturbances. Studies on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) animal models have led to a number of testable hypotheses including a hypothetical role of altered gut microbiota in the development of MS.

Fe K-Edge X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Determination of γ-Al2 O3 -Supported Iron-Oxide Species.

The structure of FeOx species supported on γ-Al2 O3 was investigated by using Fe K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The samples were prepared through the impregnation of iron nitrate on Al2 O3 and co-gelation of aluminum and iron sulfates. The dependence of the XRD patterns on Fe loading revealed the formation of α-Fe2 O3 particles at an Fe loading of above 10 wt %, whereas the formation of iron-oxide crystals was not observed at Fe loadings of less than 9.

Characteristics of bacterial and fungal growth in plastic bottled beverages under a consuming condition model.

Microbial contamination in unfinished beverages can occur when drinking directly from the bottle. Various microorganisms, including foodborne pathogens, are able to grow in these beverages at room temperature or in a refrigerator. In this study, we elucidated the characteristics of microorganism growth in bottled beverages under consuming condition models.

CCR2(+)CCR5(+) T cells produce matrix metalloproteinase-9 and osteopontin in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of the CNS that is presumably mediated by CD4(+) autoimmune T cells. Although both Th1 and Th17 cells have the potential to cause inflammatory CNS pathology in rodents, the identity of pathogenic T cells remains unclear in human MS. Given that each Th cell subset preferentially expresses specific chemokine receptors, we were interested to know whether T cells defined by a particular chemokine receptor profile play an active role in the pathogenesis of MS.

Increase of Ki-67+ natural killer cells in multiple sclerosis patients treated with interferon-β and interferon-β combined with low-dose oral steroids.

Interferon-β (IFN-β) is known to expand regulatory CD56(bright) natural killer (NK) cells in multiple sclerosis (MS). In this cross-sectional study we show that MS patients treated with IFN-β alone or in combination with low-dose prednisolone displayed increased proportion of all NK cell subsets in the active phase of the cell cycle (Ki-67+). There was no difference in NK cell apoptosis markers.

Multiple cases of cutaneous Mycobacterium massiliense infection in a "hot spa" in Japan.

Seven body polishers working in the same "hot spa" presented with multiple red nodules and papules on their hands and forearms. A causative agent was successfully isolated from two of the subjects and from a swab sample collected from the underside of a bed cover in the body-polishing facility. The two cutaneous isolates and the environmental isolate were rapidly growing mycobacteria that formed nonphotochromogenic smooth or smooth/rough colonies on Ogawa egg slants.

[Inadvertent arterial misplacement of a large-caliber cannula during jugular vein catheterization].

We report a case of inadvertent arterial misplacement of a large-caliber cannula during jugular vein catheterization. A tip of a 9F cannula was inadvertently placed into the brachiocephalic trunk via the subclavian artery. The arterial trauma was managed by cannula removal and external compression without secondary traumas.

Siblings with the adult-onset slowly progressive type of pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration and a novel mutation, Ile346Ser, in PANK2: clinical features and (99m)Tc-ECD brain perfusion SPECT findings.

Pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN), formerly known as Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome (HSS), is an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by iron accumulation in the brain. Mutations in the pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2) gene are known to be responsible for PKAN. Several studies have revealed correlations between clinical phenotypes and particular PANK2 mutations.

Components of protocyanin, a blue pigment from the blue flowers of Centaurea cyanus.

The components involved in the formation of protocyanin, a stable blue complex pigment from the blue cornflower, Centaurea cyanus, were investigated. Reconstruction experiments using highly purified anthocyanin [centaurocyanin, cyanidin 3-O-(6-O-succinylglucoside)-5-O-glucoside], flavone glycoside [apigenin 7-O-glucuronide-4'-O-(6-O-malonylglucoside)] and metals, Fe and Mg, showed the presence of another factor essential for the formation of protocyanin. The unknown factor was revealed to be Ca.