Primary biliary cirrhosis complicated by severe hypoxemia

The case reported here is of a 61-year-old woman diagnosed with hepatopulmonary syndrome. She had had severe hypoxemia for 5 years. In room air, her arterial oxygen tension was low, and although we anticipated that treatment with oxygen would increase it, the treatment failed to do so. Pulmonary perfusion imaging with Tc-99m-labelled macroaggregated albumin showed an arterio-venous shunt in the lungs. Blood tests and liver scanning with Tc-99m-labelled galactosyl human serum albumin showed abnormalities of liver function, and per-rectal portal scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate showed severe portal hypertension. Inspection of a biopsy specimen taken under ultrasonographic guidance showed primary biliary cirrhosis of Scheuer stage I. The causes of hepatopulmonary syndrome are unknown, but seem to include a decrease in hepatic functional reserve, portal hypertension, or other factors. The development of hepatopulmonary syndrome due to portal hypertension in this patient is of interest.     

Local buckling of braces in tubular K-joints

The local buckling of compression braces is one of the recognized failure modes yet to be studied in three-member truss connections of circular tubular members. A series of tests was performed to examine the brace local buckling behavior. The test results demonstrate that the brace local buckling is influenced not only by the wall thickness of the braces but also by the stiffness of the joints. Simple prediction equations for both the resistance and the deformation capacity of the joints failing in this mode are presented on the basis of these test results. It is shown that joint deformation can have beneficial effects on the overall ductility of trusses, when diameter-to-thickness ratios of braces are limited within the range of this test.     

Synthesis and Self-Assembly Properties of Bola-Amphiphilic Glycosylated Lipopeptide-Type Supramolecular Hydrogels Showing Colour Changes Along with Gel–Sol Transition

Supramolecular hydrogels formed by self-assembly of low-molecular-weight amphiphiles (hydrogelators) have attracted significant attention, as smart and soft materials. However, most of the observed stimuli-responsive behaviour of these supramolecular hydrogels are limited to gel–sol transitions. In this study, we present bola-amphiphilic glycosylated lipopeptide-type supramolecular hydrogelators that exhibit reversible thermochromism along with a gel–sol transition. The bola-amphiphiles have mono-, di-, tri- or tetra-phenylalanine (F) as a short peptide moiety. We investigate and discuss the effects of the number of F residues on the gelation ability and the morphology of the self-assembled nanostructures.     

Sweet and bitter constituents of Wilbrandia species

Two novel cucurbitane glycosides, wilbrandisides A and B were isolated as sweet-taste substances from the root of Wilbrandia species (Cucurbitaceae) along with seven known cucurbitane glycosides. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic means, including two-dimensional NMR experiments. Their sweet-taste properties were evaluated by a human sensory panel test. Consequently, wilbrandiside A was shown to be 28 times sweeter than sucrose and was the compound having the most potent sweet taste of all the cucurbitane glycosides isolated from this plant.     

Leftover Superfluid 4He in Aerogel and Its Crystallization by Cooling

Using a variable volume cell, we were able to crystallize ⁴He in aerogels at a constant temperature. The entire crystallization process was monitored visually owing to the transparency of the aerogel. Two different crystallization processes of ⁴He in aerogels were observed: creep at high temperatures and avalanche at low temperatures. In a 96 % porosity aerogel, we noticed that ⁴He remained liquid in some parts of the cell even though other parts of the aerogel were completely crystallized. Once such a situation was formed, the application of additional pressure did not further crystallize the liquid. This is presumably because a supply path of ⁴He atoms from the bulk crystal was blocked by the crystals in the aerogel. This leftover liquid, however, was found to begin to crystallize via avalanches when cooled below a particular temperature. If the crystallization pressure in aerogel is temperature independent at low temperatures as the bulk crystallization pressure, the crystallization by cooling is rather unusual. Possible explanations would be a decrease of the crystallization pressure in aerogel in the low temperature region, or the supersolidity of crystals in aerogel playing some role in mass transport.     

Is coronary spasmodicity unchangeable?: a study with acetylcholine or ergonovine in patients with ischemic heart disease

In a prospective study we investigated the results of 18 patients with Kienb?ck's disease stage II as defined by Decoulx, treated with transposition of the pedicled pisiform. In eight cases of minus variance of the ulna, a radius shortening osteotomy was performed. There was an average follow-up of 30 months, X-ray investigations were done every six months after operation. 17 patients had less pain, 14 patients showed an improved range of motion of 30 degrees. Magnetic resonance imaging proved vitalizing of the pisiforme in 16 cases.     

Effect of alignment of the transplanted graft extracellular matrix on cellular repopulation and newly synthesized collagen

This study examines the effect of alignment of the transplanted graft extracellular matrix on cellular repopulation and new collagen synthesis. The lateral half of the patellar tendon was harvested as a tendon graft from Lewis rats and frozen at -80 degrees C. In order to maintain the original alignment of the graft extracellular matrix, the graft was transplanted to a same size defect in the patellar tendon of other Lewis rats (group I). For controls, the graft was transplanted in a lax condition after excision of only the distal half of the lateral side of a patellar tendon (group II). After transplantation, six animals in each group were killed at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days. Cellular repopulation was assessed by using fibrillar-actin (F-actin) labeling with rhodamine-phalloidin, and new collagen synthesis was detected by means of a polyclonal antibody against type III collagen aminopropeptide (pN collagen III). Collagen fibril profiles were observed under the transmission electron microscope. On the 3rd day after transplantation, no specific fluorescence was detected in either group. Specific labeling for F-actin and pN collagen III, however, was observed at both ends of the graft in both groups at 1 week and throughout the graft at 2 weeks after transplantation. Consistent with the actin bundles' orientation, pN collagen III was aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the graft in group I. Collagen fibrils with a smaller diameter, mixed evenly and everywhere with a larger diameter, increased gradually in group I. However, smaller collagen fibrils in group II increased more slowly and were distributed unevenly. In summary, the dense collagen arrangement in the native patellar tendon determined the alignment of the repopulating cells, and the distribution of newly synthesized collagen might be affected by the actin cytoskeleton within the repopulating cells.     

Florid periosteal reaction and focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia

Focal fibrocartilaginous dysplasia (FFCD) is a rare condition causing tibia vara in childhood. It is characterized by progressive tibia vara in young children with a characteristic radiographic lesion. This paper is thought to be the first to describe FFCD exhibiting florid periosteal reaction at the time of presentation with a subtle faint osteolytic lesion in the diametaphysis of the proximal tibia.