Sediment remediation for ecosystem in eutrophic lakes.

The remediation method--namely, a hybrid system combined with DAF and CRM--is studied in this paper for the size reduction of aqua-ecological circulation and for the elution control in lakes. Results show that two effects on water quality purification, the sediment washout effect and the elution control effect, can be induced by this system, and the biota inhabiting the lake is therefore shifted into an oligotrophic aspect, from blue algae to green algae and/or diatoms.

Effect on locomotion of indole alkaloids from the hooks of uncaria plants.

Three predominant Uncariae plants, Uncaria rhynchophylla U. sinensis and U. macrophylla and their indole and oxindole alkaloid constituents were studied for their effect on locomotor response. Water extracts of U. macrophylla and U. sinensis and four indole alkaloids, corynoxine, corynoxine B, isorhynchophylline and geissoschizine methyl ether, significantly decreased locomotor activity after oral administration to mice. The depression of locomotor activity upon administration of these alkaloids appears to be due to mediating of the central dopaminergic system.

Vascular changes in acute Wernicke's encephalopathy.

The nature and distribution of vascular changes in acute Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) were analyzed in three autopsy cases. Lesions of the lateral vestibular nucleus of the medulla oblongata (three cases) and lateral ventricular wall (one case) were examined by reconstruction of 200 serial sections, and the capillary diameter in the tegmentum of the medulla oblongata was measured morphometrically in all cases. The vascular changes commonly found in and around the parenchymal lesions in all cases were: (1) dilatation and endothelial swelling of almost all vessels ranging from small arteries to veins, being especially severe with undulation in small arteries and arterioles, and (2) fibrinoid degeneration and hemorrhage involving selectively the arterioles and capillaries on the arterial side. These vascular changes in the medulla oblongata were essentially the same as those in the third ventricular wall, but differed in their severity. Capillary diameter in these cases was significantly larger than that in seven control cases. Such vascular changes, especially a dysoric change on the arterial side, could not be ascribed to secondary change following changes in the parenchyma, and were, therefore, considered to be a lesion essential to WE, as in the case of the parenchymal lesion.

[Use of iontophoretic anesthesia for venipuncture].

The usefulness of iontophoretic anesthesia with 10% lidocaine was evaluated on insertion of venous catheters on 38 blood donors in a blood bank and on 41 patients in a hospital, after the arm was charged for 3, 6 or 9 minutes with 1.5 mA of electricity by using a hand-made iontophoretic anesthesia apparatus. In the blood donor group, the pain-relief effect was observed in 25% of donors after charging for 3 min; in 68% after 6 min; and in 93% after 9 min. In the patient group, anesthesia was observed in 14% of patients after 6 min and in 65% after 9 min though the effect was observed in 81% after 6 min and in 65% after 9 min. But only 45-48% of subjects in both groups requested the anesthesia after charging for either 6 or 9 min. This suggests that the duration for 9 min was not liked by the subject despite the pain on insertion. Therefore it is concluded that the charging duration of the iontophoresis must be shorter for this method to become useful as local anesthesia.

[A clinical study of amino acid metabolism in cancerous hypoproteinemia--the role of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) and appropriate compositions of BCAA in parenteral nutrition].

In order to determine the nutritional effects of BCAA compositions in the treatment of cancerous hypoproteinemia, the appropriate ratio of I-leu: Leu: Val and the proportion of BCAA to Total Amino Acids were investigated. As for results, indices such as the serum albumin, the RBP and N-balance quickly recovered to normal levels when the ratio of I-leu: Leu: Val was 1.0:1.8:1.0 and the proportion o BCAA to TAA was 31%. These composition thus may be suitable for the treatment of cancerous hypoproteinemia.

Syntheses of selenium labelled compounds--II. The exchange reaction with elemental selenium.

73Se labelled 2-selenouracil was prepared by the isotope exchange reaction method. It has been well known that in order to prepare labelled compounds in high specific activity by exchange reaction, the substrate compounds have to be used in small quantities. For 2-selenouracil, however, the reaction in low concentration is not always preferable for the labelling of high specific activity within a limited time. The optimum conditions for the preparation of [2-73Se]-2-selenouracil of maximum specific activity were determined.