Acute pneumonitis caused by oral intake of incense.

Incense is typically burned for use, with bronchitis and pneumonia reported as potential side effects. Physicians should be cautious as inappropriate oral ingestion of incense can lead to acute pneumonitis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap in patient with adenocarcinoma.

A 67-year-old current smoker Japanese man, with no history of asthma, was diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma. He received first-line chemotherapy with carboplatin, pemetrexed, ipilimumab, and nivolumab in July 20XX-1, and subsequently a maintenance therapy with nivolumab. In October 20XX, he became aware of wheezy dyspnoea, and chest computed tomography demonstrated worsening bronchial wall thickenings. Eosinophilia was noted, and a pulmonary function test showed obstructive dysfunction insufficiently responding to beta-agonists, with 130 mL increase of forced expiratory volume in one second and high fractional exhaled nitric oxide level (85 ppb). He was clinically diagnosed with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap, secondary to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The inhibition of binding between programmed cell death-protein-1 (PD-1), expressed on T cells, and programmed cell death-ligand-2 (PD-L2), expressed on tumour and dendritic cells, can induce airway hyperresponsiveness. Physicians should be wary of asthmatic symptoms and chest image findings during ICIs therapy.

Site-controlled application of electric potential on a conducting polymer "canvas".

A novel patterning method for conducting polymer films was successfully demonstrated using the concept of bipolar electrochemistry. The local application of an anodic potential to poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) on a bipolar electrode (BPE) realized local electrochemical doping and reaction depending on the supporting salt used. The potential applied on the BPE was measured and corresponded well to the patterns. The array-type driving electrode system was able to draw complex patterns in a site-controlled manner.

Electro-Click Modification of Conducting Polymer Surface Using Cu(I) Species Generated on a Bipolar Electrode in a Gradient Manner.

The electro-click reaction of azide-functionalized poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT-N3) and a terminal alkyne was investigated using electrogenerated Cu(I) species on a bipolar electrode in a gradient manner. The introduction of a perfluoroalkyl group derived from the alkyne moiety onto the PEDOT surface only at the cathodic part of the bipolar electrode was successfully characterized by X-ray analyses and the surface properties of the modified film were studied. The spectroscopic analysis of the rhodamine-functionalized PEDOT prepared similarly in a gradient manner was also performed with a UV-vis spectrophotometer.

Gradient doping of conducting polymer films by means of bipolar electrochemistry.

In this paper, we report a novel electrochemical doping method for conducting polymer films based on bipolar electrochemistry. The electrochemical doping of conducting polymers such as poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMT), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT), and poly(aniline) (PANI) on a bipolar electrode having a potential gradient on its surface successfully created gradually doped materials. In the case of PEDOT film, the color change at the anodic side was also observed to be gradually transparent. PANI film treated by the bipolar doping gave a multicolored gradation across the film. The results of UV-vis and energy dispersive X-ray analyses for the doped films supported the distribution of dopants in the polymer films reflecting the potential gradient on the bipolar electrode. Furthermore, the reversibility of the bipolar doping of the PMT film was demonstrated by a spectroelectrochemical investigation.

Permeation and metabolism of a series of novel lipophilic ascorbic acid derivatives, 6-O-acyl-2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acids with a branched-acyl chain, in a human living skin equivalent model.

A series of novel lipophilic vitamin C derivatives, 6-O-acyl-2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acids possessing a branched-acyl chain of varying length from C(8) to C(16) (6-bAcyl-AA-2G), were evaluated as topical prodrugs of ascorbic acid (AA) with transdermal activity in a human living skin equivalent model. The permeability of 6-bAcyl-AA-2G was compared with those of the derivatives having a straight-acyl chain (6-sAcyl-AA-2G). Out of 10 derivatives of 6-sAcyl-AA-2G and 6-bAcyl-AA-2G, 6-sDode-AA-2G and 6-bDode-AA-2G exhibited most excellent permeability in this model. Measurement of the metabolites permeated from the skin model suggested that 6-bDode-AA-2G was mainly hydrolyzed via 6-O-acyl AA to AA by tissue enzymes, while 6-sDode-AA-2G was hydrolyzed via 2-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid to AA. The former metabolic pathway seems to be advantageous for a readily available source of AA, because 6-O-acyl AA, as well as AA, is able to show vitamin C activity.

[Study on the determination of pesticide residues in crops by ion-trap GC/MS/MS].

Ion-trap GC/MS/MS was evaluated for the multi-residue determination of pesticides in agricultural products. Matrices were extracted from samples (spinach, carrot, onion and brown rice) with acetone and submitted to gel permeation chromatography, followed by a clean-up step through a graphite carbon cartridge. Thirty-five pesticides were added to either matrix, and analyzed by GC/MS/MS. Detection limits of pesticides by GC/MS/MS was almost the same as those by GC/MS (SIM). Coefficients of variation of peak area in 5 measurements of each pesticide at 0.1 microgram/mL or 0.05 microgram/mL with or without matrices were mostly acceptable, though those of 20 pesticides out of 35 were higher than 10% at a concentration of 0.02 microgram/mL. It was indicated that matrix artifacts, which interfere with GC/MS-Scan analysis, could be eliminated in some cases by using GC/MS/MS.