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Biomedical subjects

T Imasaka

Publications and source records attributed to T Imasaka.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Residual formaldehyde on plastic materials and medical equipment following low-temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilization.

We measured the amount of residual formaldehyde on 16 plastic materials and five medical devices following low-temperature steam and formaldehyde (LTSF) sterilization, based on the European Standard EN14180. The amounts of formaldehyde residue on the plastic materials were compared with that on a filter paper of similar dimensions. The amount of residual formaldehyde on polyamide 6, polyurethane, natural rubber and polyacetal was higher (21.9, 15.2, 3.0 and 2.1 times, respectively) than that on the filter paper. The amount of formaldehyde recovered from a breathing circuit, anaesthesia circuit, oxygen tubing, airway tube and tweezers was 260, 240, 594, 56 and 0 microg, respectively, following LTSF sterilization. Our results emphasize the need to verify the main material composing the medical equipment before LTSF sterilization, as the amount of formaldehyde retrieved following sterilization varies according to the material used for construction.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed2003

Evaluation of a low-temperature steam and formaldehyde sterilizer.

We evaluated a low-temperature steam and formaldehyde (LTSF) sterilizer based on the draft European Standard prEN 14180. Microbiological tests were conducted on small and full loads using process challenge devices in five programs (P1-P5). With small loads all tests showed no growth of Bacillus stearothermophilus (ATCC7953) spores. However, positive cultures were observed with full-load tests using P5 (sterilization temperature, 50 degrees C). Our data indicated that the load influenced the efficacy of the LTSF sterilizer. Desorption tests were conducted to determine residual formaldehyde in indicator strips. The mean concentrations of formaldehyde in P1-P5 were 31.9, 56.3, 54.9, 82.2 and 180.6 microg, respectively, which are below the limits allowed by the draft Standard. Our results indicate that the LTSF sterilizer is useful for sterilization because of its excellent efficacy, short handling time, and safety.

Disinfectants↗
PubMed2001

An "optical channel": a technique for the evaluation of biological cell elasticity.

The development of an optical channel, a new analytical technique for evaluating the elasticity of biological cells, is described in this study. Two types of erythrocyte cells, i.e., young and old cells, were examined via their introduction into a flowing medium, to which a laser beam was focused in the opposite direction. An erythrocyte cell is trapped in a laser beam by a gradient force, moves in the downstream direction, and is then elongated at the beam waist. The change in shape was measured directly using a microscope equipped with a charge-coupled-device camera. It is probable the main driving force for the cell deformation is a shear stress generated by a medium flow, since an estimate of the gradient force suggests that it is too small to change the shape of an erythrocyte. The average values of the elongation of young and old cells were 2.4+/-0.6 and 2.1+/-0.5, respectively. These values are in reasonably good agreement with values obtained using a rheoscope method. The deformation was measured without any physical contact to the solid surface, and therefore, damage to cells such as these are minimal.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2001

Characterization of phosphor materials for use in plasma display panel by time-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet laser spectrometry.

Phosphor materials that were manufactured for use in a plasma display panel (PDP) were investigated by employing a newly designed time-resolved vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer, which consists of a pulsed VUV laser and a fast photodetector. The VUV spectrometer was used to collect quantum efficiency data as well as the rise and decay times for the PDP phosphor luminescence. Both the rise and decay times increased with decreasing excitation wavelength in the VUV region. This result can be explained by a change in the mechanisms of photoexcitation and luminescence, that is, from charge-transfer excitation to host-lattice excitation below 200 nm. The present instrument was also used for an evaluation of the phosphor materials (Ba(1 - x)MgAl10O17:Eu2+(x)) by changing the Eu2+ concentration. The obtained data suggest that the impurities and defects are located inside the host crystal. Thus, the VUV spectrometer constructed in this study has considerable potential for use in investigating the nature of PDP phosphor materials.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Generation of highly repetitive optical pulses based on intracavity four-wave Raman mixing.

An extremely long train of highly repetitive pulse (17 THz) is obtained by the rotational four-wave Raman mixing of molecular hydrogen in a resonator using a computer simulation. This highly repetitive pulse can be obtained only when the laser wavelength and the resonator are adjusted to specified values. This pulse train has potential for use in ultrafast data communication because of the accurately determined repetition rate or even as a frequency standard, since the frequencies of the emission lines can be stabilized and locked to the above values.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Development of tunable picosecond dye laser for multiphoton ionization of dioxin precursors in supersonic jet/time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

A distributed-feedback dye laser has been developed for achieving the efficient multiphoton ionization of chlorobenzene and dichlorobenzene, that is, precursor molecules of dioxins. This tunable picosecond laser with a narrow spectral line width, that is, a nearly transform-limited pulse, provides a more efficient ionization than the nanosecond laser, which is currently in use in supersonic jet spectrometry. The advantage of picosecond over nanosecond and femtosecond lasers is also discussed on the basis of the theoretical model reported in a previous paper.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed2001

Immunoassay for human serum albumin using capillary electrophoresis-semiconductor laser-induced fluorometry.

Capillary electrophoresis combined with semiconductor laser-induced fluorometry was applied to an immunoassay of human serum albumin. Human serum albumin was labeled with a fluorescent molecule (Cy5), which has an absorption maximum at 649 nm. The labeled albumin was purified by ultrafiltration in order to reduce signals, which are unreacted labeling reagent, product, and fragment products derived there from. After the purification, no signal for unreacted labeling reagent and fragment products was detectable in the electropherogram of the labeled albumin. The labeled albumin was then reacted with anti-albumin to form an immunocomplex, which was separated from the excess free albumin. The competitive immunoassay was used in the determination of human serum albumin in a controlled serum sample, using the labeled albumin. The obtained value was found to be 0.21 +/- 0.02 mg/ml, which is in good agreement with other known values.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗
PubMed2000

Supersonic jet/multiphoton ionization/mass spectrometry of dioxins formed by the thermal reaction of phenols in the absence and presence of an FeCl3 catalyst.

Dioxins, which are thermally produced from several precursor molecules, were investigated by supersonic jet/multiphoton ionization/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SSJ/MPI/TOF-MS). Dibenzofuran and dibenzo-p-dioxin were efficiently generated from o-chlorophenol and also from phenol after a chlorination reaction with FeCl3. The present technique was employed for the continuous monitoring of a specified isomer, e.g., m-chlorophenol, which is formed at relatively low temperatures by chlorination of phenol with FeCl3. A dimerization reaction that forms a dibenzo-p-dioxin, e.g., dichlorodibenzo-p-dioxin from 2,4-dichlorophenol, at relatively high temperatures was also investigated. The number of chlorine atoms in the dioxin molecule was largely correlated with the number of chlorine atoms in the precursor molecule. However, some unexpected compounds, which probably occur by dechlorination and rearrangement reactions, were also found. Thus, the SSJ/MPI/TOF-MS technique represents a sensitive, as well as selective, analytical method for monitoring thermally generated dioxins.

Catalysis↗
PubMed2000

Determination of motility forces of bovine sperm cells using an "optical funnel".

An optical funnel, a new technique for the evaluation of the force of a microorganism, was applied to the determination of the motility force of bovine sperm cells. In this approach, sperm cells, suspended in an aqueous solution, are introduced into a flow cell, to which radiation pressure is applied from the direction opposite to a medium flow. The sperm cell, which is moving in a stream, is captured by radiation pressure and forced to move to the position at which the force induced by the laser radiation is equal to the force induced by a medium flow. The sperm cell then escapes by its own power on the way to this equilibrium (entrapping) position. The radiation force increases with decreasing distance from the focal point, and as a result, the force of the sperm cell can be determined by measuring the position where the sperm cell escaped against the laser irradiation field. The motility force of the sperm cell was measured in aqueous solution at different pH values and potassium ion concentrations. It was possible to measure more than 250 sperm cells in 3 h. Thus, the optical funnel has potential for use as a rapid and repetitive means for the determination of the motility force of the sperm cell.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

Theory of optical chromatography.

To evaluate the performance of optical chromatography, a number of equations are theoretically derived using a ray-optics model. These mathematical formalisms are experimentally verified by determining the relationship between the velocity of motion of a polystyrene bead with respect to the intensity of an applied radiation force under the condition where there exists no applied fluid flow. The force is confirmed to be at a maximum at the focal point and to decrease with increasing distance from this position. The radiation force is verified to be proportional to the square of the particle size when the particle diameter is much smaller than the beam diameter. In addition, the radiation force is ascertained to be proportional to the laser power. These results are in excellent agreement with the proposed theoretical model, which is based on ray optics. Furthermore, by analogy with conventional chromatography, fundamental parameters such as retention distance, selectivity, theoretical plate number, and resolution are calculated, and optimum conditions for chromatographic separation are discussed. Based on the results obtained, the dynamic range can be extended by increasing laser power and decreasing flow rate. Peak broadening is primarily caused by variations in laser power and flow rate of the medium for large particles (< 1 microm). It is possible, in theory, to distinguish particles whose diameters differ by less than 1% for particles with a diameter larger than 1 microm. Three sizes of polystyrene beads are well separated at a flow rate of 20 microm s(-1) and a laser power of 700 mW. This technique is also applied to the separation of human erythrocytes. Two fractions, one consisting of cells ranging from 1.5 to 2.4 microm in diameter and another consisting of cells ranging from 3.5 to 5.7 microm in diameter, are observed. Optical chromatography is useful for separation and size measurement of particles and biological cells.

Cell Separation↗
PubMed1997

Application of optical chromatography to immunoassay.

Optical chromatography, a new separation technique involving the use of a radiation force and a medium flow, is used for trace analysis of protein. Two polystyrene beads, coated with antibody (anti-mouse IgG), are combined in the presence of an antigen (mouse IgG). The bound (B) and free (F) beads are readily separated by optical chromatography, and the B/F ratio can be correlated with the concentration of antigen (protein). Nanomolar concentrations of protein can be measured by this technique. The rates of the forward and reverse immunological reactions were independently determined by measuring the time of formation and dissociation, respectively, of the immunobeads.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Purification and properties of D-aspartate oxidase from Cryptococcus humicolus UJ1.

D-Aspartate oxidase (EC 1.4.3.1), which is highly specific to D-aspartate, was inducibly produced by a yeast strain which was isolated from soil and identified as Cryptococcus humicolus UJ1. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity as indicated on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular mass of the monomer subunit was determined to be 40 kDa. The native enzyme was suggested to be a homotetramer by its behavior on gel filtration. The enzyme was shown to be a flavoprotein by its absorption spectral properties, and the flavin was found to be tightly, but not covalently, bound FAD. The purified preparation had a specific activity of 76.1 mumol/min per mg protein with D-aspartate as substrate. Optimum pH was 7.5 and optimum temperature was around 35 degrees C. D-Glutamate was a very poor substrate for the enzyme. N-Methyl-D-aspartate was better than D-glutamate as substrate but markedly poorer than D-aspartate. Malonate was the most effective competitive inhibitor of the compounds tested. The N-terminal amino-acid sequence of the enzyme showed a significant homology with those of D-aspartate oxidases from beef kidney and Octopus vulgaris and those of D-amino-acid oxidases from various sources.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1996

Laser spectroscopy on organic molecules.

Various laser spectrometric methods have been developed until now. Especially, laser fluorometry is most sensitive and is frequently combined with a separation technique such as capillary electrophoresis. For non-fluorescent compounds, photothermal spectrometry may be used instead. A diode laser is potentially useful for practical trace analysis, because of its low cost and long-term trouble-free operation. On the other hand, monochromaticity of the laser is essential in high-resolution spectrometry, e.g. in low temperature spectrometry providing a very sharp spectral feature. Closely-related compounds such as isomers can easily be differentiated, and information for assignment is obtained from the spectrum. Multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry is useful for soft ionization, providing additional information concerned with molecular weight and chemical structure. A short laser pulse with a sufficient energy is suitable for rapid heating of the solid surface. A matrix-assisted laser desorption/ion-ization technique is recently employed for introduction of a large biological molecule into a vacuum for mass analysis. In the future, laser spectrometry will be developed by a combination with state-of-the-art laser technology. In the 21st century, new laser spectrometry will be developed, which may be based on revolutionary ideas or unexpected discoveries. Such studies will open new frontiers in analytical laser spectroscopy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Indirect detection of aromatic hydrocarbons by semiconductor laser fluorometry in micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A semiconductor laser is used as an exciting light source in indirect fluorescence detection of neutral samples separated by micellar electrokinetic chromatography. A surfactant, tetradecyltrimethylammonium chloride, is used to form micelles, which act as a pseudostationary phase in the chromatographic separation. This surfactant has a positive charge, thus preventing adsorption of a visualizing agent, oxazine 750 (which contains a positive charge), to the capillary wall (which is negatively charged). The detection mechanism is based on the exclusion of the fluorophore, which is located in the hydrophilic part of the micelle, by a hydrophilic sample. The fluorescence intensity is reduced when the fluorophore is released into the aqueous solution. Separations of several aromatic compounds are demonstrated, and the parameters affecting the selectivity are discussed.

Chromatography↗
PubMed1994

Effect of organic modifier on resolution of hydrophobic compounds by micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

Three organic modifiers, methanol, acetonitrile, and dimethylformamide, were used as organic modifiers to improve the resolution of hydrophobic compounds in micellar electrokinetic chromatography. The capacity factor decreased with increasing concentration of organic modifier. Acetonitrile and dimethylformamide were more effective modifiers to decrease the capacity factor than methanol. Maximum resolution was obtained when the capacity factor was reduced to about 2. Methanol enhanced the resolution for less hydrophobic compounds, while acetonitrile and dimethylformamide were better modifiers to improve the resolution for strongly hydrophobic compounds.

Acetonitriles↗