Swelling of Doubly Magic

Interaction cross sections for ^{42-51}Ca on a carbon target at 280 MeV/nucleon have been measured for the first time. The neutron number dependence of derived root-mean-square matter radii shows a significant increase beyond the neutron magic number N=28. Furthermore, this enhancement of matter radii is much larger than that of the previously measured charge radii, indicating a novel growth in neutron skin thickness. A simple examination based on the Fermi-type distribution, and mean field calculations point out that this anomalous enhancement of the nuclear size beyond N=28 results from an enlargement of the core by a sudden increase in the surface diffuseness of the neutron density distribution, which implies the swelling of the bare ^{48}Ca core in Ca isotopes beyond N=28.

Mechanism of acute lung injury caused by inhalation of fabric protector and the effect of surfactant replacement.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of surfactant in the mechanism and treatment of acute lung injury caused by inhalation of fabric protector. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study. SETTING: University laboratory. INTERVENTIONS: In vitro experiment: a porcine surfactant suspension (10 mg.ml-1) was exposed to a fabric protector aerosolized with an ultrasonic nebulizer for 1 min. Minimum surface tension (gamma min) was sequentially measured using pulsating bubble equipment. Animal experiment: 14 adult rats were anesthetized with pentobarbital and mechanically ventilated with pure oxygen. Then, all rats inhaled fabric protector aerosolized with the nebulizer for five breaths. Three hours after inhalation, the rats were randomly assigned to two groups: a surfactant group (n = 7), in which surfactant (100 mg.kg-1) was replaced, and a control group (n = 7), in which no substance was given. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: In vitro experiment: exposure to fabric protector aerosol increased the mean gamma min of the surfactant from 1.7 to 19.2 mN.m-1 (n = 5, p < 0.05). Animal experiment; the mean partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) in all rats decreased from 62.8 to 17.1 kPa at 3 h after inhalation. The PaO2 in the surfactant group increased to 49.8 +/- 11.1 (SD) kPa at 30 min after surfactant replacement (p < 0.05), while the PaO2 in the control group remained below 20 kPa. CONCLUSIONS: Impairment of surfactant is a factor involved in the development of acute lung injury caused by inhalation of fabric protector. Surfactant replacement may be therapeutic for such injuries.

Dextran restores albumin-inhibited surface activity of pulmonary surfactant extract.

We examined the effect of dextran (molecular weight 71,000) in counteracting the surfactant inhibitory action of plasma albumin. The surface adsorption time of 0.5 mg/ml modified natural surfactant (MNS; porcine lung extract consisting of phospholipids and hydrophobic surfactant proteins) with 7.5 mg/ml albumin decreased from 681 to 143 s by addition of dextran at a concentration of 10 mg/ml (P < 0.01). The minimum surface tension of 2.0 mg/ml MNS with 30 mg/ml albumin decreased from over 21 mN/m to below 3 mN/m when dextran was added at a concentration of 10 mg/ml (P < 0.01). Surfactant-deficient newborn rabbits given 10 ml/kg of a liquid containing 2.0 mg/ml MNS with 30 mg/ml albumin had a mean tidal volume 13 ml/kg (P < 0.05). Although the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated, we conclude that dextran restores the albumin-inhibited surface activity of MNS.

[Ophthalmic use of clindamycin-2-phosphate (author's transl)].

Bacterial and clinical experiments for ophthalmic use of clindamycin-2-phosphate (CLDM-2-P) were performed and the results were summarized as follows. 1. The distribution of sensitivity for 100 strains of Staphylococcus aureus isolated in 1975 was in the range of less than or equal to 0.19 approximately greater than or equal to 100 mug/ml, and majority of them (96.0%) were in less than or equal to 0.39 mug/ml. 2. The serum concentration by intramuscular injection of 300 mg and 600 mg CLDM-2-P in a single dose respecitvely reached the peak level after 2 hours and decreased gradually until 12 hours in both of them. 3. Ocular penetrations were examined in rabbit eyes. (1) After instillation of 1% CLDM-2-P solution, the aqueous level reached the highest after 1 hour and measurable after 6 hours. (2) After subconjunctival injection of 5 mg/0.5 ml CLDM-2-P, the aqueous level reached the highest after 2 hours and decreased until 6 hours. (3) After intramuscular injection of 100 mg/kg, the aqueous concentration was recognized from 1 to 8 hours, and peak was reached after 1 hour. 1 to 8 hours, and peak was reached after 1 hour. Aqueous-serum ratio in 1 hour was 37.13%. The ocular tissue concentrations at 2 hours showed relatively high levels in both of outer and inner parts of the eye. 4. The intramuscular injection of CLDM-2-P, 300 approximately 1800 mg daily, against suppurative ocular infections revealed excellent effects on cases of external hordeolum, acute chalazion, lid abscess, orbital phlegmone, corneal infiltration, corneal ulcer, and iridocyclitis purulenta. 5. Side effects: Two cases out of 22 cases complained of diarrhoea and bitter taste after injection, and able to be treated continuously by the drug. No abnormal findings in hepatic and renal tests were observed and no servere side effects like allergic reactions were recognized.

[Ophthalmic application of intravenous cephradine (author's transl)].

Basic and clinical experiments were performed on intravenous cephradine (CED) in ophthalmological field. The results are summarized as follows. 1. Serum concentration: After intravenous injection of 1.0 g CED, in a single dose, to a healthy adult, the peak of serum level (34.0 mug/ml) was attained at 15 minutes, then decreased quickly to 2.3 mug/ml by 6 hours. 2. Ocular penetration in rabbit eye: (1) Aqueous humor concentrations: The peak level of aqueous humor (13.45 mug/ml) was obtained at 30 minutes after intravenous injection of 50 mg/kg, in a single dose. Aqueous/Serum ratio was 38.07%. After instillation of 5 mg/ml solution of CED, 5 times every 5 minutes, the aqueous level was recognized 30 minutes and 1 hour, and no detectable 4 hours. After 50 mg/0.5 ml CED subconjunctival injection, in a single dose, the high aqueous levels were observed at 30 minutes and 1 hour, and still detectable 4 hours later. (2) Ocular tissue concentrations: The ocular tissue concentrations at 30 minutes after intravenous injection of 50 mg/kg CED were high in both outer and inner parts of the eye. After 4 hours, the tissue levels remained relatively high concentrations. (3) CLINICAL RESULTS: Intravenous administration of 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 g CED 1 or 2 times daily revealed excellent or good effects in 8 of 12 cases, such as external hordeolum, internal hordeolum, lid abscess, chronic dacryocystitis, orbital abscess and corneal ulcer. (4) Side effects: Three cases out of 12 complained burning sensation by intravenous injection of CED, but in neither case was it found necessary to withdraw the drugs. No severe side effects such as allergic reactions were observed. No abnormal findings in hepatic and renal function tests were observed.

[Clinical evaluation of cefroxadine in bacterial infections of the eye].

Cefroxadine (CXD) capsules and dry syrup, an oral cephem antibiotic, were administered into 120 cases with ocular infections and the following results were obtained: The daily dose of CXD capsule was ranged from 500 to 1,500 mg and that of CXD dry syrup from 17.9 to 85.7 mg/kg, and the duration of CXD administration was from 2 days to 14 days. Clinical response rates classified by diagnosis The clinical response rates were 77.8% (14/18) in blepharitis, 86.7% (26/30) in hordeolum, 62.5% (5/8) in meibomianitis, 74.6% (44/59) in conjunctivitis, 100% (2/2) in corneal infiltration, 100% (1/1) in cellulitis of the lid, in dacryocystitis and in corneal ulcer, respectively. Clinical response classified by isolated organisms The response rates on S. aureus were 80.0% (20/25), on S. epidermidis 75.8% (47/62) and on S. pneumoniae 66.7% (2/3), respectively. The overall clinical response rate on Gram-positive bacteria was 78.3% (94/120). The response rates on H. influenzae, Acinetobacter spp., P. mirabilis, E. coli and Moraxella spp. were ranged from 42.9 to 100%. The sensitivity distributions of clinically isolated S. aureus and S. epidermidis to CXD were ranged from 1.56 to greater than 100 micrograms/ml and from 0.39 to 12.5 micrograms/ml, respectively. The former showed a peak at 3.13 micrograms/ml and the latter in 1.56 micrograms/ml. Side effects in 3 cases (2.3%) out of 129 were observed. That is; glossitis, thirst feeling and palpitation in each case, respectively.

Modified natural and synthetically reconstituted surfactant therapies for acute lung injury caused by endotoxin in rats.

BACKGROUND: Impairment of surfactant is involved in development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. To develop artificial surfactant substitute for clinical use, we prepared synthetically reconstituted surfactant (SRS) by adding porcine surfactant-associated protein B and C (SP-B and SP-C) to synthetic phospholipids, and compared its effect with that of modified natural surfactant (MNS) in rats with acute lung injury caused by endotoxin. METHODS: Escherichia coli endotoxin (71+18 mg x kg(-1), mean+/-SD) was injected into the tracheas of 27 anesthetized and mechanically ventilated rats (FI(O2) of 1.0). When the PaO2 had decreased to below 26.7 kPa, the rats were randomly assigned to three groups. The MNS and SRS groups (n=9, each) were given 100 mg x kg(-1) of MNS and SRS through the airway, respectively. The control group (n=9) was given air in the same volume. RESULTS: The PaO2 of the control group remained below 13.3 kPa until the end of the experiment (6 h after the assignment). The PaO2 of the MNS group increased to 45.3+/-9.5 kPa and that of the SRS group to 45.5+/-3.7 kPa 0.5 h after the assignment (P<0.05 vs. control group). The PaO2 of both groups remained above 40 kPa throughout the experiment. CONCLUSION: In this acute lung injury model, the effects of replacement therapy with surfactant consisting of synthetic phospholipids, SP-B and SP-C, were the same as those observed with MNS. These results warrant development of surfactant substitutes based on natural SP-B and SP-C, and synthetic phospholipids.