[Toxicity study of cefmatilen hydrochloride hydrate (S-1090) (7)--Three-month repeated oral dose toxicity study in juvenile dogs].

To evaluate the repeated oral dose toxicity of Cefmatilen hydrochloride hydrate (S-1090) in juvenile dogs, S-1090 was administered to juvenile beagle dogs at dose levels of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg potency/kg/day for 3 months. No deaths occurred. Urinalysis in the 400 mg potency/kg group revealed positive reactions of occult blood and protein, and erythrocytes in sediments. Cystitis was observed in the 200 and 400 mg potency/kg groups. In the thyroids, an increased weight in some animals in the groups dosed at 100 mg potency/kg or more and an increased follicular colloid in the 400 mg potency/kg group were observed. However, no related changes were noted in other examination items. Red to dark-red feces (due to chelated products of S-1090 or its decomposition products with Fe3+ in the diet) were observed in all treated groups. Plasma S-1090 concentrations increased in a manner less than dose-proportional. The lesions of urinary bladder were judged as S-1090-induced toxic changes and the NOAEL of S-1090 in this study was assessed to be 100 mg potency/kg/day.

Direct pattern recognition of a motion picture by hole-burning holography of Eu(3+):Y(2)SiO(5).

We propose and demonstrate a novel technique for direct pattern recognition of motion pictures based on frequency- and spatial-domain holography using a cryogenic Eu(3+):Y(2)SiO(5) crystal. The fast hole-burning speed of the crystal allows a moving image to be continuously recorded in it by a frequency-scanned laser. Using Fourier transform holography permitted direct pattern recognition of a 25-s movie stored in the crystal to be realized. The correlation spot continuously followed the moving object with the same time resolution (10 ms) as the reproduced movie.

Organogels Formed by N-Benzyloxycarbonyl-l-alanine 4-Hexadecanoyl-2-nitrophenyl Ester and Related Compounds

Organogels of low molecular weight compounds, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-l-alanine 4-hexadecanoyl-2-nitrophenyl ester (BLAHN) and related compounds, in methanol and cyclohexane solvents were studied by FT-IR, circular dichroism (CD), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The gels exhibited a thermally reversible sol-to-gel phase transition, which gave the thermodynamic parameters for the transition. The FT-IR spectroscopic results suggested that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between N-H and C=O of urethane bond played a vital role in gelation. The aggregates for gelation were mainly assembled by pi-pi interaction, dipole-dipole interaction, and the hydrophobic interaction as well as hydrogen bonding for BLAHN. The comparison of CD spectra of BLAHN, N-benzyloxycarbonyl-d-alanine 4-hexadecanoyl-2-nitrophenyl ester (BDAHN), and related molecules indicated that the self-aggregation of gelator molecules gradually proceeds and the component molecules are cooperatively organized to form a chiral aggregate. The three-dimensional interlocking structures and tree-branched structures responsible for the immobilization of fluid were observed by TEM and SEM. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press

Improvement of interference fringes of a laser diode interferometer by controlling chaos with sinusoidally modulated injection.

Interference fringes of a laser diode Michelson interferometer are distorted by the external reflection oflight to the laser diode. We demonstrate by a numerical model that one can stabilize the interference fringes by controlling chaos with a sinusoidal modulation of the injection current. We optimized the modulation frequency by referring to an AM power spectrum of the intrinsic fluctuation of a compound-cavity laser diode output and optimized the modulation depth by referring to a bifurcation diagram plotted against modulation depth. The controlled system with optimally tuned sinusoidal modulation is stable with changes in external power reflection. A small perturbation of dc bias of less than 2% can improve the stability of the interference fringes.

Holographic motion picture by Eu(3+):Y(2)SiO(5).

Real-time recording of a moving object was made with persistent spectral hole burning of a cryogenic Eu(3+):Y(2)SiO(5) crystal. In a basic holographic configuration the ultrastable laser frequency was continuously scanned within the (7)F(0)-(5)D(0) absorption line (typically 200 MHz in 20 s) while the object was in motion, thus permitting the storage and reconstruction of the moving image. The success of this motion picture is attributable to (1) the kilohertz-wide hole width, (2) the quasi-persistent hole lifetime, and (3) the high hole-burning quantum efficiency of this material.

[Clinical usefulness of tumor markers in breast cancer].

Currently, many tumor markers are routinely measured in patient serum, but none appears to adequately detect cancer-specific substances for breast cancer. Four tumor markers (CEA, CA15-3, BCA225, c-erbB-2) were compared for sensitivity and specificity to breast cancer in 393 patients with breast disease (fibrocystic disease; 40, benign tumor; 21, primary cancer; 22, recurrent or advanced cancer; 22, non-recurrent; 288), and the following results were obtained: In cases of primary breast cancer excluding stage IV cases, the positive rates of CEA, CA15-3 and BCA225 were 4.5%, 13.6% and 13.6%, respectively. These rates were not higher than the positive rates found in fibrocystic disease or benign tumor. In cases of recurrent or advanced breast cancer, the positive rates of CEA, CA15-3, BCA225 and c-erbB-2 were 31.8%, 50.0%, 40.9% and 27.3%, respectively. In the recurrent cases, the combination assay using CA15-3, BCA225 and c-erbB-2, showed more useful diagnostic value (72.7%) than other combination assays with three tumor markers. High levels of CA15-3 in eight cases, BCA225 in five and CEA in one were found during the follow up of 15 patients with initial recurrence. Serum c-erbB-2 exceeded the normal range in 6 of 7 cases with advanced breast cancer. Serum c-erbB-2 should be considered a marker of progressive breast cancer. These results suggested that CA15-3, BCA225, c-erbB-2 and combination assays are useful tumor markers for not only detecting the recurrence of breast cancer, but also diagnosing the progression of primary breast cancer.

[Bacteriological and clinical studies of cefoxitin with special reference to anaerobic infections in the patients of abdominal surgery (author's transl)].

Both bacteriological and clinical studies of the effectiveness of cefoxitin (CFX) in the treatment of infections associated with abdominal surgery have been carried out at Tokyo Metropolitan Toshima Hospital from September 1979 through August 1980. The results of these studies are summarized in the following: 1. The clinical isolates from the 29 surgical patients were studied and anaerobes were found in 16 patients (55% of the patients). B. fragilis was found in 11 of the 16 patients (69%) from whom anaerobes were isolated. In all of these patients, aerobes were also isolated--most frequently E. coli or K. pneumoniae. 2. The in vitro antibacterial activity of cefoxitin (CFX) against 83 clinical isolates was compared to that of cephalothin (CET), cefazolin (CEZ) and carbenicillin (CBPC). The activity of CFX against Gram-positive bacteria was generally slightly inferior to that of the other 3 antibiotics. Among the Gram-negative aerobic organisms, CEZ was the most active against E. coli and CFX and CEZ against K. pneumoniae. However, CFX, with MIC's of 0.78-12.5 micrograms/ml, showed the greatest activity against B. fragilis, followed by CBPC, CEZ and CET, in order of decreasing activity. 3. CFX was administered in a 1-hour drip infusion to 3 patients following abdominal surgery, and concentrations of CFX in the serum and the exudate were measured. Peak serum concentrations were obtained at the end of the infusion, with a mean peak level of 97.93 micrograms/ml. Peak concentrations in the exudate were observed 30 to 60 minutes later and varied from 21.10 to 56.25 micrograms/ml. 4. Of the 20 patients administered of CFX, complete clinical and bacteriological data of anaerobic infections were available in 8 patients. The clinical evaluation was 'good' in 7 patients and 'fair' in 1. The bacteriological evaluation was 'eradicated' in 5 patients and 'decreased' in 3. As for side effects, elevations of S-GOT and S-GPT were observed in 4 of the 20 patients received CFX, but these abnormalities might also be attributable to other factors such as underlying disease, surgical intervention etc. No other side effects were found in these patients.