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Novel copolymers containing the indolo [3,2-b]carbazole (INC) moiety were synthesized, and the effects of the INC content on their physical properties were investigated. The homopolymer of the INC-containing monomer, 1-octyl-7-(4-vinylbenzyl) indolo [3,2-b]carbazole and copolymers with styrene were prepared by radical polymerization. Four kinds of copolymers with different compositions were obtained. The glass transition temperatures (Tgs) were observed in the range of 101-112 1C, and the decomposition temperatures were nearly 400 1C. The photonic properties of the copolymers were also evaluated in solution in tetrahydrofuran and for spin-coated films on a fused silica substrate. In the ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra, maximum absorption peaks were observed at 340-345 nm in both the solutions and the films. In the case of the solutions, the photoluminescence intensities of the copolymers increased with increasing INC monomer units in the copolymer. On the contrary, the photoluminescence intensities of the copolymer films decreased with increasing INC content in the copolymer, which is likely due to the concentration quenching caused by the condensation of intermolecular interactions derived from INC components. The copolymer with a low content of the INC moiety exhibited high emission and good film-forming ability.

The findings suggest that a reduction in insulin sensitivity induces a poor response of sympathetic nervous activity in the postprandial phase and a reduction in postprandial energy expenditure.

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Thin TaS 2 has been prepared by the van der Waals growth technique coupled with the chemical vapor transport technique using the I 2 agent. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) and mica, which have layered crystal structures, were used as substrate materials. Thin TaS 2 was grown on layered substrates sealed in a quartz ampoule. A high-resolution X-ray diffractometer with a four-crystal monochrometer revealed that very thin 2H-TaS 2 film was grown on the surface of the Ag/BN substrate at 300 C, where Ag was evaporated on the h-BN substrate surface prior to the film growth. As for the mica substrate, very thin 2H-TaS 2 was grown on the substrates with and without Ag modification.

Pre-diabetes and the metabolic syndrome frequently coexist in relatively lean Japanese. This association seems to link with abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance.

A young female patient developed acute myocardial infarction during physical exercise. Coronary arteriography in the acute phase demonstrated a coronary fistula originating from the left coronary main trunk and communicating with the right atrium. Several branches of the left coronary artery were obstructed by thrombotic material originating from the fistula, causing an acute myocardial infarction.

A dihydropyridine calcium (Ca) antagonist, azelnidipine (CAS 123524-52-7, Calblock), exhibits hypotensive effects for a prolonged duration, and has been reported to have a strong antiarteriosclerotic action due to its high affinity for vascular tissues and antioxidative action. It has also been reported that azelnidipine does not cause tachycardia associated with the baroreceptor reflex due to vasodilatation. In this study, the antiarteriosclerotic and cardiac hypertrophy-inhibitory effects, and the autonomic nervous activity in essential hypertension of azelnidipine were investigated. The study was performed using the following 2 protocols: 1) Pulse wave velocity (PWV), carotid arterial intima media thickness (IMT), echocardiography, high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), adiponectin, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and 8-isoprostane were measured after an initial treatment with azelnidipine. 2) The treatment was switched to azelnidipine in patients who had previously been under treatment with amlodipine for essential hypertension, and 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine myocardial scintigraphy (123I-MIBG), measurements of plasma norepinephrine, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), and BNP, Holter electrocardiography, and heart rate variability analysis were performed. PWV, IMT, hs-CRP, IL-6, and TNF-alpha significantly decreased. The levels of 8-isoprostane, an antioxidative marker, were also significantly decreased, while adioponectin levels were significantly increased after the initial treatment with azelnidipine. After switching from amlodipine, azelnidipine exhibited a hypotensive effects comparable to amlodipine, and significantly decreased heart rate and the total number of extrasystoles. Noradrenaline levels and the LF/HF ratio were significantly decreased, and the washout rate was significantly reduced on 123I-MIBG myocardial scintigraphy. These findings suggest that azelnidipine inhibits the enhancement of sympathetic nervous activity and the progression of arteriosclerosis through its antioxidative effects.