Japan study

Municipal incinerators are often targeted as a primary cause of acid rain. In fact, power plants burning fossil fuels, which produce sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, are actually the leading cause of acid rain, along with automotive exhaust (176,177). In Europe and Japan, studies show that only about 0.02% of all acid rain can be traced to incineration of PVC (178). 

The probably most striking example so far of solvent influence on enzyme selectivity has been found by Yoshihiko Hirose and co-workers at the Amano Corp. in Nagoya, Japan, studying nifedipines, which provide a befitting conclusion of this chapter and a transition to the next on use of enzyme catalysis in the pharma industry. Nifedipines, structurally 1-substituted dihydropyridine mono- or diesters, are used in cardiovascular therapy, where they are termed calcium antagonists (Goldmann, 1991) the most prominent representative is Adalat from Bayer (Leverkusen, Germany). While the simplest achiral dihydropyridines can be syn-... 

In Japan, studies suggest efficacy for negative symptoms of schizophrenia... 

An example of such a system is the sedimentary uranium deposit in Tono, Japan, studied by Nohara et al. The ground water moves through the area with a velocity of 0.001 to 1... 

Vinyl polymers and condensation polymers were studied for the production of synthetic fiber. In 1932, Carothers and Hill of Du Pont studied linear aliphatic polyester and showed that fibers of sufficiently good mechanical properties are obtained by melt-spinning and colddrawing [8]. Polyester fiber was considered unsuitable as a commercial fiber because it has a low melting point and hydrolyzes easily with water. Carothers therefore turned his investigation from polyester to polyamide, and, in 1938, Du Pont announced the success of a new fiber called nylon. In Japan, studies to produce textile fibers from PVA began in 1938 and were intensively promoted. 

After the final March 6 meeting the Navy representative at the colloquium reported discouragement The best minds of Japan, studying the subject from the point of view of their respective fields of endeavor as well as from that of national defense, came to a conclusion that can only be regarded as correct. The more they considered and discussed the problem, the more pessimistic became the atmosphere of the meeting. As a result the Navy dissolved the committee and asked its members to devote themselves to more immediately valuable research, particularly radar. 

The history of coordination chemistry in Japan is briefly presented. Yuji Shibata, founder of coordination chemistry in Japan studied extensively the absorption spectra of complexes of various metals from 1915 to 1917 after returning from Europe. His researches also included the spectro-chemical detection of complex formation in solution, coagulation of arsenic sulfide sols by complex cations, and catalytic oxidation and reduction by metal complexes in solution. Ryutaro Tsuchida published the "spectrochemical series" in 1938 based on the results of his measurements of absorption spectra of cobalt complexes. One of the most remarkable results after World War II is the determination of absolute configurations of cobalt complexes using X-rays in 1954 by Y. Saito and his coworkers. 

Works of Other Researchers. Before 1930 studies on coordination chemistry in Japan were almost exclusively concentrated in Yuji Shibata s laboratory, and only a few reports from other laboratories were published. For instance, Satoyasu limori (1885-1982), who later became the founder of radiochemistry in Japan, studied the replacement of CN- groups in the hexacyanoferrate(III) ion with water in 1915 (38) and photochemical reactions of cyano complexes of platinum and nickel and photochemical cells in 1918 (39). 

Yamasaki Emoto (1979) Yamasaki, K. Emoto, Y. Pigments used on Japanese paintings from the protohistoric period through the 9i aCeaXaty Ars Orientalis 11 (1979) 1-14 Yamasaki Nishkawa (1970) Yamasaki, K. Nishikawa, K. Polychromed Sculptures in Japan Studies in Conservation 15 (1970) 281... 

D. Y. Kwok, F. Y. H. Lin, and A. W. Neumann, Contact Angle Studies on Perfect and Imperfect Solid Surfaces, in Proc. 30th Int. Adhesion Symp., Yokohama Japan, 1994. 

Tree J 1975 Shock wave studies of elementary chemical processes Modern Deveiopments in Shock Tube Research ed G Kamimoto (Japan Shock Tube Research Society) pp 29-54... 

Research sponsored by BFRIP regarding the use of brominated flame retardants shows that there is no evidence that the use of decabromodiphenyl oxide leads to any unusual risk. In addition, a study by the National Bureau of Standards (now National Institute of Science and Technology) showed that the use of flame retardants significantly decreased the ha2ards associated with burning of common materials under reaUstic fire conditions (73). Work ia Japan confirms this finding (74). 

Epidemiologic studies in Japan indicate an increased risk of stomach cancer owing to consumption of broiled fish and meats (116). In the United States, stomach cancer incidence has steadily declined since the 1940s, whereas consumption of broiled food has increased (108). In addition, the average human intake of PAHs is only 0.002 of that required to produce cancer in half of animals fed. Test results are often contradictory (117) and many components of food, such as vitamin A, unsaturated fatty acids, thiols, nitrites, and even saUva itself, tend to inhibit the mutagenic activity of PAHs (118—120). Therefore, the significance of PAHs in the human diet remains unknown (121,109). 

Developments Outside Germany. In the late 1930s experimental work in England (29—31) led to the erection of large pilot faciHties for Fischer-Tropsch studies (32). In France, a commercial faciHty near Calais produced ca 150 m (940 bbl) of Hquid hydrocarbons per day. In Japan, two fijH-scale plants were also operated under Ruhrchemie Hcense. Combined capacity was ca 400 m (2500 bbl) of Hquids pet day. 

Aniracetam (6), launched in 1993 in both Japan and Italy for the treatment of cognition disorders, is in Phase II trials in the United States as of this writing. In clinical studies it has been shown to cause some improvement in elderly patients with mild to moderate mental deterioration (63), and in geriatric patients with cerebral insufficiency (64). In a multicenter double-blind placebo-controUed trial involving 109 patients with probable AD, positive effects were observed in 36% of patients after six months of treatment (65), a result repeated in a separate study of 115 patients (66). A review of the biological and pharmacokinetic properties, and clinical results of aniracetam treatment in cognitively impaired individuals is available (49). 

Other nootropic agents in some stage of clinical development include nebracetam (9), nefinacetam (10), and BMY 21502 (11). Nebracetam, an aminomethyl pyrrolidinone derivative, is expected to be approved in Japan in 1994 (73). In clinical studies involving patients having cerebrovascular or senile dementia of the Alzheimer s type, clinical symptoms such as spontaneous or emotional expression were enhanced in up to 71% of cases. Long-term treatment using nebracetam in patients with cerebral infarction also afforded marked improvement in most cases with few side effects (74). A review of this compound has beenpubUshed (75). 

Y. Shimizu and co-workers, "Life Span Study Report 11, Part 1, Comparison of Risk Coefficients for Site-Specific Cancer MortaUty," Technical Report RERF-TR-12-87, Radiation Effect Research Foundation, Hiroshima, Japan, 1987. 

In 1995, discussions among the United States, the European Community (EC), and Japan occurred to achieve harmonization of dmg and dmg product standards and to provide guidance to the worldwide pharmaceutical industry for acceptance of global regulatory filings. The International Committee on Harmonization (ICH) has proposed initial guidelines for the estabUshment of stabihty studies. 

Polycarbonates are prepared commercially by two processes Schotten-Baumaim reaction of phosgene (qv) and an aromatic diol in an amine-cataly2ed interfacial condensation reaction or via base-cataly2ed transesterification of a bisphenol with a monomeric carbonate. Important products are also based on polycarbonate in blends with other materials, copolymers, branched resins, flame-retardant compositions, foams (qv), and other materials (see Flame retardants). Polycarbonate is produced globally by several companies. Total manufacture is over 1 million tons aimuaHy. Polycarbonate is also the object of academic research studies, owing to its widespread utiUty and unusual properties. Interest in polycarbonates has steadily increased since 1984. Over 4500 pubflcations and over 9000 patents have appeared on polycarbonate. Japan has issued 5654 polycarbonate patents since 1984 Europe, 1348 United States, 777 Germany, 623 France, 30 and other countries, 231. 

To reduce or eliminate the scattering of cadmium in the environment, the disposal of nickel —cadmium batteries is under study. Already a large share of industrial batteries are being reclaimed for the value of their materials. Voluntary battery collection and reclaiming efforts are under way in both Europe and Japan. However the collection of small batteries is not without difficulties. Consideration is being given to deposit approaches to motivate battery returns for collection and reclamation. 

T. Sudo, Mineralogical Study on Clays of Japan, Mam2en Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 1959. 

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