A strongly inhomogeneous superfluid in an iron-based superconductor.

Although the possibility of spatial variations in the superfluid of unconventional, strongly correlated superconductors has been suggested1-7, it is not known whether such inhomogeneities-if they exist-are driven by disorder, strong scattering or other factors. Here we use atomic-resolution Josephson scanning tunnelling microscopy to reveal a strongly inhomogeneous superfluid in the iron-based superconductor FeTe0.55Se0.45. By simultaneously measuring the topographic and electronic properties of the superconductor, we find that this inhomogeneity in the superfluid is not caused by structural disorder or strong inter-pocket scattering and is not correlated with variations in the energy required to break electron pairs. Instead, we see a clear spatial correlation between the superfluid density and the quasiparticle strength (the height of the coherence peak) on a local scale. This result places iron-based superconductors on equal footing with copper oxide superconductors, where a similar relation has been observed on the macroscopic scale. Our results establish the existence of strongly inhomogeneous superfluids in unconventional superconductors, excluding chemical disorder and inter-band scattering as the causes of the inhomogeneity, and shed light on the relation between quasiparticle character and superfluid density. When repeated at different temperatures, our technique could further help to elucidate what local and global mechanisms limit the critical temperature in unconventional superconductors.

Natural magnetic nanoparticle containing droplet for smart drug delivery and heat treatment.

Biodegradable polymer droplet containing natural magnetic nanoparticle is composed for smart drug delivery and heat treatment. For selective and efficient drug delivery to the target tissue, direct high magnetic field will be applied near the target tissue. For drug release control and heat treatment, alternative high magnetic field will be applied. Magnetosome, natural magnetic nanoparticle, is extracted from magnetotactic bacteria, AMB-1. Mixture of magnetosome and sodium alginate composes into droplet using the microfluidic device applied Plateau-Rayleigh instability principle. The magnetosome contained droplet selected its rout at the bifurcate microchannels by direct high magnetic field. High alternative magnetic field generating circuit is designed with 18 mT and 4 Hz magnetic wave. The generated magnetic wave was applied to the extracted magnetosomes so that temperature of the magnetosomes increased from 15.2°C to 17.6°C.

Relationship between inspiratory muscle strength and cough capacity in cervical spinal cord injured patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective single centre study. OBJECTIVES: Pulmonary rehabilitation focuses on improving the expiratory muscle function in order to increase the reduced cough capacity in patients with cervical spinal cord injuries (SCI). However, an improvement in the inspiratory function is also important for coughing effectively. Therefore, this study was to examine the significance of the inspiratory muscle strength on the cough capacity in the patients with a cervical SCI. SETTING: SCI unit, Yonsei Rehabilitation Hospital, Seoul, Korea. METHODS: The vital capacity (VC), maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), and maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured. Moreover, the unassisted peak cough flow (PCF) and assisted PCF under three conditions were evaluated. RESULTS: All three assisted cough methods showed a significantly higher value than the unassisted method (P < 0.001). The VC correlated with the voluntary cough capacity and the MIP (R = 0.749) correlated more significantly with the VC than the MEP (R = 0.438) (P < 0.01). The MIP showed a higher correlation with both the unassisted PCF and all three assisted PCFs than the MEP (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The management of the inspiratory muscle strength should be considered in the pulmonary rehabilitation at cervical SCI patients.

Expression of thymidylate synthase in gastric cancer patients treated with 5-fluorouracil and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection.

We evaluated the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) in locally advanced gastric cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection and investigated the association between TS expression and clinicopathologic characteristics including prognosis of the patients. TS expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining using TS106 monoclonal antibody in 103 locally advanced gastric cancer patients (stage IB-IV) who underwent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection. 65 patients (63%) had primary tumours with high TS expression (> or = 25% of tumour cells positive), and 38 patients (37%) demonstrated low TS expression (< 25% of tumour cells positive or no staining). High TS expression was associated with male gender (P = 0.002), poorly differentiated histology (P = 0.015), and mixed type in Lauren's classification (P = 0.027). There were no statistically significant differences in 4-year disease-free survival (60.0% vs. 57.2%, P = 0.548) and overall survival (59.6% vs. 59.3%, P = 0.792) between high-TS group and low-TS group. In conclusion, although high TS expression was associated with poorly differentiated histology and mixed type in Lauren's classification, it did not predict poor disease-free and overall survival in gastric cancer patients treated with 5-FU and doxorubicin-based adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection. Further prospective studies including the evaluation of other biological markers associated with the resistance to 5-FU and doxorubicin are necessary.

Identification and characterization of inhibitors of multidrug resistance efflux pumps in Pseudomonas aeruginosa: novel agents for combination therapy.

Whole-cell assays were implemented to search for efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) of the three multidrug resistance efflux pumps (MexAB-OprM, MexCD-OprJ, MexEF-OprN) that contribute to fluoroquinolone resistance in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Secondary assays were developed to identify lead compounds with exquisite activities as inhibitors. A broad-spectrum EPI which is active against all three known Mex efflux pumps from P. aeruginosa and their close Escherichia coli efflux pump homolog (AcrAB-TolC) was discovered. When this compound, MC-207,110, was used, the intrinsic resistance of P. aeruginosa to fluoroquinolones was decreased significantly (eightfold for levofloxacin). Acquired resistance due to the overexpression of efflux pumps was also decreased (32- to 64-fold reduction in the MIC of levofloxacin). Similarly, 32- to 64-fold reductions in MICs in the presence of MC-207,110 were observed for strains with overexpressed efflux pumps and various target mutations that confer resistance to levofloxacin (e.g., gyrA and parC). We also compared the frequencies of emergence of levofloxacin-resistant variants in the wild-type strain at four times the MIC of levofloxacin (1 microg/ml) when it was used either alone or in combination with EPI. In the case of levofloxacin alone, the frequency was approximately 10(-7) CFU/ml. In contrast, with an EPI, the frequency was below the level of detection (<10(-11)). In summary, we have demonstrated that inhibition of efflux pumps (i) decreased the level of intrinsic resistance significantly, (ii) reversed acquired resistance, and (iii) resulted in a decreased frequency of emergence of P. aeruginosa strains that are highly resistant to fluoroquinolones.

Anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory triterpenes from the herb of Prunella vulgaris.

The activity-guided fractionation of the extract of the herb of Prunella vulgaris (Labiatae) led to the isolation of four triterpenes, i.e., betulinic acid, ursolic acid, 2 alpha,3 alpha-dihydroxyurs-12-en-28-oic acid, and 2 alpha-hydroxyursolic acid. One of these compounds, 2 alpha,3 alpha-dihydroxyursolic acid, demonstrated significant inhibition on the release of beta-hexosaminidase from the cultured RBL-2H3 cells in a dose-dependent manner; the IC50 value was calculated to be 57 microM. When the isolated compounds were tested for their effects on the production of nitric oxide from cultured murine macrophages, RAW 264.7 cells, ursolic acid and 2 alpha-hydroxyursolic acid exhibited strong inhibitory activities (IC50 values, 17 and 27 microM, respectively).

Protective effects of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae) on H2O2-induced apoptosis in GT1-1 mouse hypothalamic neuronal cell line.

Oxidative stress is a major cause of neurodegenerative diseases, so the protection of neuronal cells from reactive oxygen species can be beneficial for the prevention and treatment of these diseases. Methanol extract of Orostachys japonicus A. Berger (Crassulaceae), a traditional oriental medical herb, was shown to have a protective effect on H2O2-induced apoptosis in GT1-1 mouse hypothalamic neuronal cell line which was detected by flow cytometry after propidium iodide staining. Among fractions of O. japonicus, chloroform fraction had the highest protective effect, and water fraction had no protective effect suggesting that the active ingredients might be hydrophobic compounds.

Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 protein in human gastric carcinoma.

Gastric adenocarcinoma is one of the most common malignancies in the world, and yet little is known about its molecular process of development and progression. Recent studies have suggested that ingestion of nonsteroid anti-inflammatory drugs reduces the risk of colon cancer, presumably by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme. COX-2, one isoform of the COX enzyme, is the rate-limiting enzyme in prostaglandin synthesis, and the function of this enzyme is thought to relate to inflammatory processes and carcinogenesis. To understand the role of COX enzyme in gastric cancer, we measured COX-2 expression in 104 human gastric carcinoma tissues by immunohistochemical analysis. We obtained tissue specimens from 104 surgically resected gastric adenocarcinoma patients. We performed immunohistochemical stain for human COX-2 with polyclonal antibody in gastric carcinoma. After curative resection and extensive lymph node dissection, all patients received adjuvant chemotherapy containing 5-fluorouracil. Expression of COX-2 showed cytoplasmic staining, not only in cancer cells but also in precancerous lesions such as metaplastic and adenomatous cells. We confirmed up-regulation of COX-2 in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal paired mucosa using Western blot analysis. There was no correlation between clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer patients and intensity of COX-2 protein expression. This study indicates that COX-2 protein over-expression may contribute to an early event of gastric cancer development, and it further suggests that selective inhibition of COX-2 may provide a chemopreventive effect against gastric carcinogenesis.

Randomized comparison of mefloquine-artesunate versus quinine in the treatment of multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria in pregnancy.

Since no effective malaria prevention measures have been identified for pregnant women living on the western border of Thailand, prompt diagnosis and efficient treatment are paramount, although drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum has narrowed the treatment options. An open randomized comparison of supervised quinine (10 mg salt/kg every 8 h) for 7 days (Q7) versus mefloquine 25 mg base/kg (total dose) plus artesunate 4 mg/kg per day for 3 days (MAS3) was conducted in 1995-97 in 108 Karen women with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in the second or third trimesters of pregnancy. The MAS3 regimen was more effective than the Q7 regimen: day 63 cure rates were 98.2% (95% CI 94.7-100) (n = 65) for MAS3 and 67.0% (95% CI 43x3-90x8) (n = 41) for Q7, P = 0x001. The MAS3 regimen was also associated with less gametocyte carriage; the average person-gametocyte-weeks for MAS3 was 2.3 (95% CI 0-11) and for Q7 was 46x9 (95% CI 26-78) per 1000 person-weeks, respectively (P < 0.001). MAS3 was significantly better tolerated. These evident advantages must be balanced against a possible increased risk of stillbirth with the use of mefloquine in pregnancy. Further randomized studies assessing the safety and efficacy of other artemisinin-containing combination regimens in pregnancy are needed urgently.

Blockade by ginseng total saponin of methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity and conditioned place preference in mice.

Ginseng total saponin (GTS) inhibited methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity and conditioned place preference (CPP). Dopamine (DA) receptor supersensitivity was developed in methamphetamine-induced CPP mice and it was inhibited by GTS. GTS also inhibited apomorphine-induced climbing behavior, showing the antidopaminergic activity of GTS. These results suggest that GTS inhibition of the methamphetamine-induced hyperactivity and CPP may be closely related with the inhibition of dopaminergic activation induced by methamphetamine.

Blockade by ginseng total saponin of the development of methamphetamine reverse tolerance and dopamine receptor supersensitivity in mice.

Repeated administration of methamphetamine (2 mg/kg) developed reverse tolerance to the ambulation-accelerating effect. Intraperitoneal administration of ginseng total saponin (GTS, 200 mg/kg of body weight) prior to and during chronic administration of methamphetamine inhibited the development of reverse tolerance. Dopamine receptor supersensitivity was also developed in reverse tolerant mice which had received the same methamphetamine. The development of dopamine receptor supersensitivity was evidenced by the enhanced hypothermic response to apomorphine (1 mg/kg) and the enhanced ambulatory activity of apomorphine (4 mg/kg). GTS also prevented the development of dopamine receptor supersensitivity induced by the chronic administration of methamphetamine. These results show that GTS may be useful for the prevention of and therapy for the adverse action of methamphetamine. It is concluded that the development of reverse tolerance to methamphetamine may be associated with the enhanced dopamine receptor supersensitivity since both phenomena were blocked by GTS.

Effects of rehmanniae radix water extract on renal function and renin secretion rate in unanesthetized rabbits.

This study was undertaken to explore the effects of different preparations of Rehmanniae Radix on renal function and renin secretion rate. Steamed Rehmanniae showed a decrease in urine volume, renal hemodynamics, and urinary excretion of electrolytes confined to the infused kidney, and was followed by an increase in urinary excretion of electrolytes from both kidneys. Dried Rehmanniae showed a decrease in urine volume, glomerular filtration rate, and urinary excretion of electrolytes, while raw Rehmanniae showed only an increase in urinary excretion of electrolytes. Steamed Rehmanniae and dried Rehmanniae decreased renin secretion rate, but raw Rehmanniae tended to increase renin secretion. These results suggest that the Rehmanniae Radix preparations have different effects on renal function and renin secretion rate.