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Several recent studies have reported a strong association between Sc and goethite (α-FeOOH) in synthetic analogs and natural samples. However, the mechanism of Sc immobilization by goethite and controlling factors remain unclear. This study investigated the adsorption behavior and molecular-scale immobilization mechanisms of Sc at water/goethite interfaces through a combination of batch adsorption and desorption experiments, X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) analyses, and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Results indicate that Sc is preferentially adsorbed on goethite with the formation of bidentate-binuclear inner-sphere complexes at the corner-sharing sites. Bulk Sc K-edge XAFS analyses suggest that Sc is incorporated into the goethite structure by substituting for Fe(III) within the crystal in synthetic Sc-substituted goethite, which is further confirmed in natural goethite particles in the laterite by using micro-focused XAFS (μ-XAFS). Furthermore, we demonstrate that the adsorbed Sc on the goethite surface can be structurally incorporated into the goethite lattice in the presence of aqueous Fe(II) possibly through goethite recrystallization induced by aqueous Fe(II). This process may affect the (re)partitioning of Sc between the goethite surface and the mineral bulk, which could be used to rationally explain disparate Sc speciation in laterites from different regions. Our study elucidates the molecular-scale mechanisms underlying Sc adsorption on and structural incorporation into goethite, providing critical insights into the understanding of geochemical behavior and environmental fates of Sc.

An intramolecular benzyne-phenolate [4+2] cycloaddition is reported. Benzyne precursors, having vicinal halogen-sulfonate functionalities, linked with a phenol(ate) by various tether groups undergo efficient intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition by treatment with either Ph3 MgLi or nBuLi for halogen-metal exchange to form various benzobarrelenes.

Most scorpions fluoresce under UV light. To date, two types of fluorescent compounds have been identified in scorpions, but it has been assumed that other unknown compounds may be responsible for the fluorescence. In this study, we isolated a fluorescent compound from the exuviae of the scorpion Liocheles australasiae identified as a macrocyclic diphthalate ester with a molecular mass of 496.2 Da. The same compound was also detected in extracts from four other scorpion species. This suggests that this compound is shared by multiple scorpion species, although its contribution to the cuticle fluorescence may be relatively small.

The reaction of cyclic organobismuth compounds, 12-phenyl- and 12-chloro-5,6,7,12-tetrahydrodibenz[c,f][1,5]azabismocines, with Pt(PEt3)3 was examined. Oxidative addition of the exocyclic Bi-C bond to Pt(0) selectively took place in the reaction of the 12-phenyl derivative. Oxidative addition of the exocyclic Bi-Cl bond reversibly took place and was kinetically preferred, while endocyclic Bi-C bond oxidative addition products were thermodynamically favored and became the final products in the reaction of 12-chloro derivatives. These results demonstrate the oxidative addition of a Bi-C bond to a transition metal complex for the first time.

Designer receptor activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) techniques are widely used to modulate the activities of specific neuronal populations during behavioural tasks. However, DREADDs-induced modulation of histaminergic neurons in the tuberomammillary nucleus (HATMN neurons) has produced inconsistent effects on the sleep–wake cycle, possibly due to the use of Hdc-Cre mice driving Cre recombinase and DREADDs activity outside the targeted region. Moreover, previous DREADDs studies have not examined locomotor activity and aggressive behaviours, which are also regulated by brain histamine levels. In the present study, we investigated the effects of HATMN activation and inhibition on the locomotor activity, aggressive behaviours and sleep–wake cycle of Hdc-Cre mice with minimal non-target expression of Cre-recombinase. Chemoactivation of HATMN moderately enhanced locomotor activity in a novel open field. Activation of HATMN neurons significantly enhanced aggressive behaviour in the resident–intruder test. Wakefulness was increased and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep decreased for an hour by HATMN chemoactivation. Conversely HATMN chemoinhibition decreased wakefulness and increased NREM sleep for 6 hours. These changes in wakefulness induced by HATMN modulation were related to vigilance status transition. These results indicate the influences of HATMN neurons on exploratory activity, territorial aggression, and wake maintenance.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are web-like structures consisting of decondensed chromatin DNA and contents of granules, such as myeloperoxidase (MPO) and neutrophil elastase (NE). NETs are usually released from neutrophils undergoing NETosis, a neutrophil-specific cell death mode characterized by the collapse and disappearance of cell membranes and nuclear envelopes. It is well known that production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) triggers NETosis and NET formation. However, details of intracellular signaling downstream of ROS production during NETosis and NET formation remains uncertain. Here, we demonstrated that the peroxidation of phospholipids plays a critical role in NETosis and NET formation induced by phorbol 12-myristate13-acetate (PMA) or immune complex in vitro and by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vivo. This phospholipid peroxidation is mediated by the enzymatic activity of MPO. On the other hand, NE, which was previously reported to be released from granules to cytosol by MPO during NET formation, is not required for either the peroxidation of phospholipids or the execution of NETosis, but contributes to chromatin decondensation and nuclear swelling independently of MPO-mediated oxidized phospholipids. Analysis of isolated nuclei clearly demonstrated that oxidized phospholipids and NE differently yet synergistically execute chromatin decondensation and nuclear swelling, and the subsequent release of nuclear contents. These findings indicate the dual roles of MPO in NETosis and NET formation, and provide new insight into the molecular mechanism of these phenomena.

Diffuse-type gastric carcinoma (DGC) has a poor prognosis due to its rapid diffusive infiltration and frequent peritoneal dissemination. DGC is associated with massive fibrosis caused by aberrant proliferation of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). Previously, we reported that direct heterocellular interactions between cancer cells and CAFs is important for the peritoneal dissemination of DGC. In this study, we aimed to identify and target the molecules that mediate such heterocellular interactions. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against intact DGC cells were generated and subjected to high-throughput screening to obtain several mAbs that inhibit the adhesion of DGC cells to CAFs. Immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry revealed that all mAbs recognized integrin α5 complexed with integrin β1. Blocking integrin α5 in DGC cells or fibronectin, a ligand of integrin α5β1, deposited on CAFs abrogated the heterocellular interaction. Administration of mAbs or knockout of integrin α5 in DGC cells suppressed their invasion led by CAFs in vitro and peritoneal dissemination in a mouse xenograft model. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that integrin α5 mediates the heterotypic cancer cell-fibroblast interaction during peritoneal dissemination of DGC and may thus be a therapeutic target.

The indolylmaleimide (IM) derivative IM-17 shows inhibitory activity against oxidative-stress-induced necrotic cell death and cardioprotective activity in rat ischemia-reperfusion injury models. In order to develop a more potent derivative, we conducted a detailed structure–activity relationship study of IM derivatives and identified IM-93 as the most potent derivative with good water solubility. IM-93 inhibited ferroptosis and NETosis, but not necroptosis or pyroptosis. In contrast, ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), a ferroptosis inhibitor, did not inhibit NETosis, although the accompanying lipid peroxidation was partially inhibited by Fer-1, as well as by IM-93. Thus, IM derivatives have a unique activity profile and appear to be promising candidates for in vivo application.

Marine ferromanganese crusts and nodules as potential mineral deposits have received increasing attention. However, much less knowledge is available concerning the incorporation and enrichment mechanisms for antimony (Sb) and arsenic (As) in marine ferromanganese oxides. In this study, the surface complexations of Sb(V) and As(V) on synthetic ferrihydrite and Mn oxides (δ-MnO2 and birnessite) were investigated by a combination of adsorption experiments, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses, and quantum chemical calculations. The speciation, distribution, and local structure of Sb and As in different types of natural marine ferromanganese oxides were determined by X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and EXAFS analyses to reveal the enrichment mechanisms for the two elements in ferromanganese oxides at the molecular level. To the best of our knowledge, the Sb EXAFS analyses for different types of marine ferromanganese oxides are herein reported for the first time. Results showed that Sb(V) is preferentially adsorbed on Mn oxides through energetically favorable bidentate–mononuclear complexation because of the structural similarity between the octahedron SbV(OH)6− and MnO6 unit, although bidentate–binuclear (corner-sharing) and bidentate–mononuclear (edge-sharing) complexes can be formed on ferrihydrite and Mn oxides for the adsorption of Sb(V). By contrast, tetrahedral AsVO43− is mostly adsorbed on ferrihydrite and Mn oxides with the formation of bidentate–binuclear complexes. In natural marine ferromanganese oxides, Sb and As can be retained by Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxide components, and the disparate distribution of the two elements to Mn oxides may largely depend on the Mn/Fe ratio and constituent minerals. The larger enrichment factor of Sb than that of As in marine ferromanganese oxides may result from their preferential attachment modes onto the Fe and Mn phases and different inhibition effects from coexisting anions in seawater. Compared with As, a part of Sb may be strongly associated with the lateral sites in Mn oxides via the formation of bidentate edge-sharing complexes, with which anions such as sulfate in seawater do not significantly compete. The findings from this study provide the molecular-scale insights into the enrichment processes and mechanisms of Sb and As in marine ferromanganese oxides. Our study also helps elucidate the incorporation mechanisms and geochemical behaviors of other oxyanions in marine and surface environments.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease of the intestinal tract in which excessive activation of inflammatory response is correlated. Cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (C3G) is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, widely existing in fruits and vegetables. However, the role of C3G has rarely been investigated in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)–induced colitis. Methods In an attempt to elucidate the possible mechanism of IBD and develop new efficient therapeutic methods for colitis, we evaluated the effects of C3G on DSS-induced colitis. DSS-induced colitic C57BL/6 mice were intraperitoneal injected with 1ug C3G or phosphate buffer every 2 days, a total of 3 times; the changes in macrophages and regular T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. Cytokines and chemokines were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results The results showed that C3G treatment did not cause changes in body weight and colon length as much as those of DSS-treated mice only. Cytokine expression levels such as interleukin (IL)- 6, IL-1β, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor α, interferon γ (IFN γ) in colons and mesenteric lymph nodes (mLNs) from C3G-treated mice were lower than those from colitic mice. Meanwhile, C3G injection inhibited the decrease in CCL22 levels and Tregs induction in colitic mice. Furthermore, the activation of macrophages by LPS and increase of CD169+ cells induced by type I IFN could be inhibited by C3G directly in vitro. Conclusions The study is the first to demonstrate strong effects of C3G to alleviate DSS-induced colonic damage in mice. The effect of C3G on DSS-induced colitis clearly showed a decrease of CD169+ macrophages in both the colon and mLNs. An increase of CD169+ cells induced by type I IFN could be inhibited by C3G. All these data suggest that the role of C3G in colitic inflammation was mediated at least partially by CD169+ cells and the type I IFN pathway.

Marine ferromanganese oxides contain a large amount of trace elements, such as arsenic (As) and molybdenum (Mo). However, the host phases of tetrahedral AsO43– and MoO42– oxyanions therein have not been clearly identified thus far. In this work, we explored the mineralogical components of hydrogenetic (HG) ferromanganese nodules and compared the distribution behaviors of As and Mo. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) analyses showed that the predominant manganese and iron phases were vernadite (δ-MnO2) and ferrihydrite, respectively. According to the sequential extraction examination, both As and Mo were associated with the iron (oxyhydr)oxide phases. However, the XAS analyses indicated that As was retained by the ferrihydrite phase via double corner-shared complexation, while Mo was preferentially adsorbed on δ-MnO2 via edge-shared complexation. The immobilization of As and Mo by HG ferromanganese samples was attributed to specific chemical binding (ΔGchem) rather than Cou...

Roundabout guidance receptor 4 (Robo4) is an endothelial-specific membrane protein that suppresses pathological angiogenesis and vascular hyperpermeability by stabilizing endothelial cells. Robo4 suppresses severe systemic inflammation induced by pathogens and endotoxins and inhibits tumor growth and metastasis, therefore serving as a potential therapeutic target. Although the regulation of Robo4 expression through transcription factors and epigenetic mechanisms has been studied, the role of histone deacetylases (HDACs) has not been explored. In the present study, we investigated the involvement of HDACs in the regulation of Robo4 expression. An HDAC inhibitor, MS-275, which inhibits HDAC1, HDAC2, and HDAC3, was found to suppress Robo4 expression in endothelial cells. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of HDAC3, but not of HDAC1 and 2, also decreased its expression level. MS-275 downregulated the expression of the transcription factor complex GABP, in addition to suppressing Robo4 promoter activity. GABP expression was also downregulated by the siRNA against HDAC3. MS-275 decreased the transendothelial electrical resistance of a monolayer of mouse endothelial cells and increased the rate of leakage of Evans blue dye in the mouse lungs. In addition, MS-275 accelerated cell migration through the endothelial cell monolayer and augmented cell extravasation in the mouse lungs. Taken together, we demonstrated that MS-275 suppresses Robo4 expression by inhibiting HDAC3 in endothelial cells and enhances endothelial and vascular permeability. Thus, we demonstrated a novel mechanism regulating Robo4 expression and vascular permeability, which is anticipated to contribute to future therapies for infectious and inflammatory diseases.

Immunostaining has been widely used in cancer prognosis for the quantitative detection of cancer cells present in the bloodstream. However, conventional detection methods based on the target membrane protein expression exhibit the risk of missing cancer cells owing to variable protein expressions. In this study, the resistive pulse method (RPM) was employed to discriminate between cultured cancer cells (NCI-H1650) and T lymphoblastoid leukemia cells (CCRF-CEM) by measuring the ionic current response of cells flowing through a micro-space. The height and shape of a pulse signal were used for the simultaneous measurement of size, deformability, and surface charge of individual cells. An accurate discrimination of cancer cells could not be obtained using 1.0 × phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) as an electrolyte solution to compare the size measurements by a microscopic observation. However, an accurate discrimination of cancer cells with a discrimination error rate of 4.5 ± 0.5% was achieved using 0.5 × PBS containing 2.77% glucose as the electrolyte solution. The potential application of RPM for the accurate discrimination of cancer cells from leukocytes was demonstrated through the measurement of the individual cell size, deformability, and surface charge in a solution with a low electrolyte concentration.

With-no-lysine kinase (WNK) plays important roles in regulating electrolyte homeostasis, cell signaling, survival, and proliferation. It has been recently demonstrated that WNK1, a member of the WNK family, modifies the function of immune cells. Here we report that in macrophages, WNK1 has suppressive effects on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses via TGFβ-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)-mediated activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. We found that WNK1 heterozygous (WNK1+/-) mice produced excessive proinflammatory cytokines in an experimental LPS-induced sepsis model, and peritoneal macrophages isolated from WNK1+/- mice produced higher levels of LPS-induced cytokines and NOS2 expression as canonical proinflammatory M1 macrophage markers. We confirmed that small hairpin RNA (shRNA)-mediated knockdown of WNK1 activated LPS-induced cytokine production and NOS2 expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Moreover, we demonstrated that WNK1 knockdown increased the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and activated the p38 and Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK signaling pathway and that a TAK1 inhibitor diminished these effects of WNK1 knockdown. These results suggest that WNK1 acts as a physiologic immune modulator via interactions with TAK1. WNK1 may be a therapeutic target against the cytokine storm caused by sepsis.

DNA vaccinations are promising strategies for treating diseases that require cellular immunity (i.e., cancer and protozoan infection). Here, we report on the use of a liposomal nanocarrier (lipid nanoparticles (LNPs)) composed of an SS-cleavable and pH-activated lipidlike material (ssPalm) as an in vivo DNA vaccine. After subcutaneous administration, the LNPs containing an ssPalmE, an ssPalm with vitamin E scaffolds, elicited a higher gene expression activity in comparison with the other LNPs composed of the ssPalms with different hydrophobic scaffolds. Immunization with the ssPalmE-LNPs encapsulating plasmid DNA that encodes ovalbumin (OVA, a model tumor antigen) or profilin (TgPF, a potent antigen of Toxoplasma gondii) induced substantial antitumor or antiprotozoan effects, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis of the cells that had taken up the LNPs in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) showed that the ssPalmE-LNPs were largely taken up by macrophages and a small number of dendritic cells. We found that the transient deletion of CD169+ macrophages, a subpopulation of macrophages that play a key role in cancer immunity, unexpectedly enhanced the activity of the DNA vaccine. These data suggest that the ssPalmE-LNPs are effective DNA vaccine carriers, and a strategy for avoiding their being trapped by CD169+ macrophages will be a promising approach for developing next-generation DNA vaccines.

A computational method is proposed in order to predict mechanical properties of discontinuous fiber composites (DFCs) based on computational homogenization with statistically similar representative volume elements (SSRVEs). The SSRVEs are obtained by reducing the complexity of real microstructures based on statistical measures. Specifically, they are constructed by minimizing an objective function defined in terms of differences between the power spectral density of target microstructures and that of the SSRVEs. In this paper, an extended construction method is proposed based on the reformulation of the objective function by integer design variables. The proposed method is applied to the representation of a real material, namely glass fiber reinforced nylon 6. The results show that the mechanical properties computed by numerical material tests using the SSRVEs agree with experimental results. Therefore, it is found that the nonlinear mechanical properties of the DFC can be suitably predicted by the proposed method without any special calibration to experiments performed on the composites.

Selenium (Se) is an important trace element in the environment, but the interaction of Se with calcite that may control the fate and geochemical behavior of Se is not fully understood. In this study, the molecular-scale mechanism for the uptake of selenite in calcite was investigated by a combination of laboratory experiments, extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, and quantum chemical calculations. Results showed that selenite can be largely distributed to calcite at circumneutral pH. The local structure of Se in calcite obtained from EXAFS analyses, in combination with quantum chemical calculations, demonstrated that selenite can be incorporated into calcite by substituting for the carbonate, and that the geometric incompatibility of selenite could be accommodated by a slight expansion of crystal volume. The findings from this study suggest that calcite could be a potential Se sink, providing an important insight into the understanding of the mobility and geochemical behavior of Se in the subsurface environments particularly in the groundwater system.

This study aims to investigate adsorption mechanisms of As(V) and Sb(V) on calcined Mg/Al layered double hydroxide (LDH). The calcination process of Mg/Al LDH (CLDH) considerably enhanced the adsorption capacity of As(V) and Sb(V) via reconstruction and new formation of brandholzite-like compound, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity for As(V) and Sb(V) by CLDH was 102.9 mg/g and 303.3 mg/g, respectively. The regeneration efficiency of As(V) by 0.5 M NaOH with 5 M NaCl mixed solution reached 72.3% during five regeneration cycles, while Sb(V) regeneration gradually decreased to 32.0% at the fifth regeneration cycles due to the irreversible surface complexation mechanism. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data displayed that Al plays a dominant role in the adsorption of As(V) on CLDH through bidentate-binuclear inner-sphere complex. On the other hand, XRD and EXAFS data revealed that Sb(V) formed a brandholzite-like structure Mg[Sb(OH)6]2·6H2O which forms outer-sphere complex by the hydrogen bonding between hexagonal plates of magnesium and antimony hydroxide. Although the formation of brandholzite-like structure causes the partial transformation of original structure of Mg/Al LDH during reconstruction process with decreasing regeneration efficiency, it could be attributed to high binding affinity between Sb(V) and Mg/Al LDH.

A large mass-dependent isotope fractionation of molybdenum (Mo) during its adsorption on marine ferromanganese oxides, which are mixtures of iron (Fe) (oxyhydr)oxide and manganese (Mn) oxide, is most likely caused by a geometrical change from tetrahedral (Td) to distorted octahedral (Oh) during adsorption based on X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy. However, the understanding of such fractionation can be enhanced further. In this study, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were conducted to examine models of distorted Oh species on Mn oxide which are related to our proposed adsorption mechanism of molybdate. Results showed that even monomeric adsorbed species can reasonably explain highly distorted geometries observed by XAFS spectroscopy with large isotope fractionation. This finding indicates that the formation of polymolybdate, such as heptamolybdate, under circumneutral experimental condition (pH ∼ 8) at low Mo concentration in seawater is not required to explain the experimen...

This article presents a set of equations that enables the prediction of sulfate adsorption behavior on all oxide minerals over a wide range of pH, ionic strength, sulfate concentration, and solid/water ratio based on the extended triple-layer model (ETLM). Although surface complexation models including the ETLM have been frequently applied to describe sulfate–surface interactions on oxides, the proposed adsorption stoichiometries and equilibrium constants have been mutually inconsistent even in a specific sulfate–oxide system. Here, we show that the outer-layer capacitance (C2), a TLM parameter that has been traditionally set to 20 µF cm−2, has a significant impact on the model prediction of sulfate adsorption. With the capacitance value being the same as the inner-layer one (i.e., C2 = C1), which is a theoretically and spectroscopically reasonable assumption, our ETML calculation adequately represents all adsorption, surface titration, and proton co-adsorption data for various sulfate–oxide systems reported in the literature (i.e., oxides; goethite, ferrihydrite, γ-alumina, gibbsite, and hematite) and those obtained in the present study (i.e., oxide; anatase). The combination of a monodentate-mononuclear inner-sphere (MMin) and a bidentate-binuclear outer-sphere (BBout) surface complex was found to explain all experimental data. Analysis of the retrieved equilibrium constants for the two surface species with the Born solvation theory led to the development of predictive equations for sulfate adsorption constants on all oxides. Considering the ubiquity of sulfate in natural environments, our proposed model should significantly contribute to a better understanding of the geochemical processes occurring at the mineral–water interface.

This study aimed to reveal local structures of strontium (Sr) and cesium (Cs) adsorbed on clay minerals (vermiculite and montmorillonite), which suggests stabilities of the adsorbed species of 90Sr and 137Cs in the environment. Adsorption experiments to determine solid-water distribution, XRD for interlayer distances of the clay minerals, and EXAFS for speciation of Sr and Cs were conducted. They showed that Sr and Cs formed outer- and inner-sphere complexes, respectively, in the interlayer, which explains the different degree of mobility of 90Sr and 137Cs in the environment and indicates larger contribution of electrostatic effect for Sr2+ than for Cs+.

X-shaped 1,4-phenyleneethynylenes containing a combination of two main group element moieties of B, Si, or P as part of the side chain have been synthesized. The halogen–lithium exchange of 2-bromo-5-dimethylphenylsilyl-1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene followed by addition of fluorodimesitylborane or chlorodiphenylphosphine gave the “X-shaped” B/Si and Si/P, respectively. The P-containing molecule was oxidized to afford a P(═O) derivative. The B/PO moieties were introduced to the 1,4-phenyleneethynylene unit by 3 steps, i.e., the halogen–lithium exchange of 2,5-dibromo-1,4-bis(trimethylsilylethynyl)benzene followed by sequential addition of fluorodimesitylborane and chlorodiphenylphosphine oxide, desilylation, and the Sonogashira coupling with aryl iodides. Then, the reduction of the B/PO gave “X-shaped” B/P derivative. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of the “X-shaped” molecules showed the molecules have two-dimensional conjugation systems, i.e., the π-conjugation of the original π-conjugation backbo...

It was tried to microencapsulate camellia oil using heterocoagulation between fatty acid dissolved in camellia oil and chitosan dissolved in the continuous water phase. Oleic acid as a fatty acid was dissolved in camellia oil in order to certainly form the microcapsule shell made from oleic acid and chitosan. The microcapsules were observed with optical microscope and characterized about the diameters, ζ-potential, FTIR analysis and adhesion feature on human hair. Microcapsules with the mean diameter in the range from ca. 1.5 μm to 4.5 μm could be prepared with the preparation method presented in this study. The oil droplets of camellia oil charged negatively to be -54.6 mV and the microcapsules charged positively to be 59.6 mV. The microcapsules adhered well on the negatively charged human hair and were kept stably before and after drying at room temperature for 24 h and blowing.

Cerium (Ce) can be used as a plaeoredox proxy as shown by a recent study of stable isotopic fractionation of Ce during adsorption and precipitation. However, the experiments in that study were performed at pH conditions lower than that of natural seawater. In the current study, adsorption and precipitation experiments were performed at pH 6.80, 8.20, and 11.00 with 2.25 mM dissolved carbonate to simulate Ce isotopic fractionation in the natural environment and examine the relationship between isotopic fractionation and Ce speciation in the liquid phase. Mean isotopic fractionation factors between liquid and solid phases (α Lq-So ) of Ce adsorbed on ferrihydrite did not depend on pH conditions or dissolved Ce species. In the Ce/δ-MnO 2 system,α Lq-So values decreased from 1.000411 (±0.000079) to 1.000194 (±0.000067) with increasing pH or number of carbonate ions, from Ce 3+ to Ce(CO 3 ) 2 − . In the Ce/precipitation system at pH 8.20 and 11.00 where Ce(CO 3 ) 2 − is present in solution, the α Lq-So values were 0.999821 (±0.000071) and 0.999589 (±0.000074), respectively, meaning that lighter isotope enrichment was observed in the liquid phase, which is the contrary to those of the other systems. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses were also performed to investigate the coordination structure of the adsorbed or precipitated Ce species that control the isotopic fractionation during adsorption. Even at higher pH, where Ce(CO 3 ) + or Ce(CO 3 ) 2 − are the dominant dissolved species, the first coordination sphere of Ce in the solid phase in the Ce/ferrihydrite and Ce/precipitation systems was similar to that observed at pH 5.00 where Ce 3+ was the main species in solution. A slight elongation in the Ce O bond length in the solid phase at pH 11.00, where negatively charged dissolved species are dominant in the liquid phase, may cause a decrease in isotopic fractionation in the Ce/δ-MnO 2 system. The coordination environment of Ce may not change significantly during the adsorption onto ferrihydrite, because Ce binds to the neutral surface OH group on ferrihydrite at pH below 8.5–8.8 (i.e. the pH of the point of zero charge (PZC) for ferrihydrite), similar to other cations when the metal–O distance was similar in hydrated and adsorbed species. At pH above PZC, Ce bonds to the negatively charged surface OH group, while Ce also bonds with CO 3 2− in dissolved species. The reduced partition functions (ln β ) for dissolved species (ln β Lq ) and adsorbed species (ln β So ) with the same trends canceled each other, because ln β of hydrated cation was reduced by the binding anion, resulting in small isotope fractionations. Thus, isotope fractionations for Ce/ferrihydrite may be quite small at the entire pH conditions in this study. The direction of the isotopic fractionation was estimated based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, which confirmed that lighter Ce is enriched in the liquid phase when Ce forms a complex with carbonate ions. Therefore, this study indicates that the dissolved species can control stable Ce isotopic fractionation during precipitation reactions.

Traceability analysis, such as identification and discrimination of yeasts used for fermentation, is important for ensuring manufacturing efficiency and product safety during brewing. However, conventional methods based on morphological and physiological properties have disadvantages such as time consumption and low sensitivity. In this study, the resistive pulse method (RPM) was employed to discriminate between Saccharomyces pastorianus and Dekkera anomala and S. pastorianus and D. bruxellensis by measuring the ionic current response of cells flowing through a microsized pore. The height and shape of the pulse signal were used for the simultaneous measurement of the size, shape, and surface charge of individual cells. Accurate discrimination of S. pastorianus from Dekkera spp. was observed with a recall rate of 96.3 ± 0.8%. Furthermore, budding S. pastorianus was quantitatively detected by evaluating the shape of the waveform of the current ionic blockade. We showed a proof-of-concept demonstration of RPM for the detection of contamination of Dekkera spp. in S. pastorianus and for monitoring the fermentation of S. pastorianus through the quantitative detection of budding cells.

The soft microcapsules containing eucalyptus oil, ubiquinone and the fine water droplets could be prepared with interfacial dehydration reaction between hydroxy methyl cellulose and tannic acid using the water-in-oil-in-water type multiple (W/O)/W emulsion. The diameters of the microcapsules and the content and the microencapsulation efficiency of the core materials were significantly affected by the revolution velocity (Nr1) to form the (W/O) emulsion and the revolution velocity (Nr2) to form the (W/O)/W emulsion and the lecithin concentration. The mean diameters of the inner water droplets and those of the microcapsules were proportional to Nr1-1.25 and Nr1-0.11 for the revolution velocity (Nr1), respectively. With increasing the revolution velocity (Nr1), the content and the microencapsulation efficiency of the inner water droplets increased, while those of the oil phase decreased. The mean diameters of the microcapsules were proportional to Nr2-1.1. The content and the microencapsulation efficiency of the inner water droplets and those of the oil phase decreased with the revolution velocity (Nr1) and increased with the lecithin concentration.

Because neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation is involved in the pathology of a wide variety of diseases, NET-regulating compounds are expected to be useful for the therapies of these diseases. In this study, we identified sulfasalazine (SSZ) as a potent enhancer of NET formation both in vitro and in vivo. Although SSZ did not increase the amount of ROS generated, it accelerated the generation of ether-linked oxidized phospholipids, such as PE (18;1e/15-HETE) and PC (16;0e/13-HODE). Trolox, but not 2-ME, effectively suppressed lipid oxidation and NET formation that were induced by SSZ. SSZ is known as a potent inducer of ferroptosis in cancer cells by inhibiting xCT, a component of the cystine transporter. However, we found that SSZ accelerated NET formation in an xCT-independent manner. Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that the sulfapyridine moiety of SSZ plays a central role in enhancing NET formation. Furthermore, we found that two additional sulfonamide and sulfone derivatives possess NET-inducing activity by accelerating lipid oxidation. These results indicate that the hyperoxidation of ether-linked phospholipids is a key mechanism for accelerating NET formation.

Palladium is highly accumulated in ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) nodules and crusts relative to its concentration in seawater but the mechanism by which Pd(II) is incorporated remains poorly understood, probably because the Pd concentration in Fe-Mn nodules and crusts is fairly low. In this study, we investigated the local coordination structure of Pd(II) adsorbed on δ-MnO 2 , using X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy to clarify the mechanism by which Pd is incorporated into Fe-Mn nodules and crusts. Adsorption experiments of Pd(II) on δ-MnO 2 were conducted in 0.1 and 0.5 M NaCl solutions, in which the negatively charged chloride complexes PdCl 4 2 − , PdCl 3 − , and PdCl 3 OH 2 − were predominant species. The distribution coefficient of Pd between δ-MnO 2 and solution, K d (Pd) = [Pd] solid / [Pd] solution (L/kg), increased from ~ 2 × 10 3 to ~ 4 × 10 6 with increasing pH. X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analyses indicated that Pd was adsorbed on δ-MnO 2 through ligand exchange, from Cl coordination to O coordination. Furthermore, curve fitting of EXAFS spectra demonstrated the formation of two different inner-sphere complexes, bidentate-mononuclear and bidentate-binuclear complexes, and this finding was supported by density functional theory calculations. The formation of inner-sphere complexes is reasonable given the relatively large K d (Pd) values obtained from adsorption experiments and the large apparent K d (Pd) values calculated from reported data on Fe-Mn nodules and crusts and seawater.

The similar, but not identical chemical properties of W compared with Mo suggest that the stable isotope system of W could be a novel proxy to explore the modern and ancient ocean as is the case in the well-established utility of Mo isotopes. We experimentally investigated the isotopic fractionation of W during adsorption on Fe and Mn (oxyhydr)oxides (ferrihydrite and δ-MnO 2 ), a key process in the global ocean budget of this element. Our adsorption experiments confirmed that W isotopes fractionate substantially on both ferrihydrite and δ-MnO 2 : lighter W isotopes are preferentially adsorbed on both oxides as a result of equilibrium isotopic exchange between dissolved and adsorbed species, and the obtained values of Δ 186/183 W liquid–solid ( = δ 186 W dissolved − δ 186 W adsorbed ) are 0.76 ± 0.09‰ for ferrihydrite and 0.88 ± 0.21‰ for δ-MnO 2 (2 σ , n = 6). Compared with the case of Mo isotopes, fractionation of W isotopes is (i) of comparable magnitude between ferrihydrite and δ-MnO 2 , and (ii) much smaller than that of Mo on δ-MnO 2 . Our previous XAFS observations and newly-performed DFT calculations both indicate that the observed W isotopic fractionations are caused by the symmetry change from Td (tetrahedral) WO 4 2− to distorted Oh (octahedral) monomeric W species via formation of inner-sphere complexes on both ferrihydrite and δ-MnO 2 . The similar isotopic fractionations between the two oxides relate to the strong tendency for W to form inner-sphere complexes, which causes the symmetry change, in contrast to the outer-sphere complex of Mo on ferrihydrite. The smaller isotopic fractionation of W compared with Mo on δ-MnO 2 despite their similar molecular symmetry seems to be due to their different degrees of distortion of Oh species. Our findings imply that the isotopic composition of W in modern oxic seawater is likely to become heavier relative to the input by removal of lighter W isotopes via adsorption on ferromanganese oxides in analogy with the Mo isotope budget. In contrast, the isotopic composition of W in ancient seawater should have evolved in response to the extent of deposition of both Fe and Mn oxides; this is likely to be different compared with that of the Mo isotopes, which is strongly associated with the occurrence of Mn oxides relative to Fe oxides.

Resveratrol (3,5,4-trihydroxystilbene) is a natural polyphenolic compound found in grapes and red wine and has been shown to exert protective effects on the liver preventing lipid accumulation induced by a high-fat diet. However, no studies have shown that the nutritional resveratrol intake by the parental generation has modified lipogenesis in an adult offspring. The aim of this study was to investigate whether maternal resveratrol intake during lactation affects lipogenesis in adult male rat offspring, and if it does, what is the molecular mechanistic basis. Six male pups born from mothers given a control diets during lactation (CC group) and six male pups born from mothers given a control diet as well as resveratrol during lactation (CR group) were fed a standard diet until sacrifice at 36 weeks. Adult male offspring from mothers given resveratrol during lactation (CR group) had lower body weight from the fourth week of lactation until adulthood, but no significant change was observed in the relative food intake. Low levels of plasma triacylglycerol were found in the CR group compared to the CC group. Histopathological analysis of the livers of adult male rat offspring revealed lipid accumulation in hepatocytes in the CC group, whereas lipid droplets were rare in the CR group. Hepatic protein levels of AMPK-phosphorylated at ser403, Sirt1, and Nampt in the CR group were upregulated significantly compared to the CC group. These results indicated the maternal resveratrol intake during lactation-induced activation of AMPK through Sirt1 upregulation. In this study, significant upregulation of the levels of precursor of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and downregulation of the ratio of active-SREBP-1c/precusor-SREBP-1c were observed in the CR group compared to the CC group. These results suggested that proteolytic processing of SREBP-1c was suppressed by AMPK in the livers of the CR group. It is well known that SREBP-1c regulates the lipogenic pathway by activating genes involved in triglyceride and fatty acid synthesis. The present study showed significant downregulation of hepatic fatty acid synthase (FAS) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) levels in the CR group. These results indicated that maternal resveratrol intake during lactation suppressed SREBP-1c cleavage and nuclear translocation and repressed SREBP-1c target gene expression such as FAS and ACC in the livers of adult male offspring. These changes attenuate hepatic triacylglycerol and fatty acid synthesis in adult male offspring., Highlights • Maternal resveratrol intake during lactation attenuates hepatic triglyceride and fatty acid synthesis in adult male rat offspring. • Maternal resveratrol intake during lactation induces the activation of AMPK through Sirt1 upregulation in the livers of adult male rat offspring. • Maternal resveratrol intake during lactation suppressed the proteolytic processing of SREBP-1c and SREBP-1c target gene expression, such as FAS and ACC, in the livers of adult male rat offspring.

The research work was conducted in order to establish the optimum conditions for preparing the expanded polystyrene beads without harmful substances and was aimed at the preparation of the microcapsules containing water and investigation of the effect of the water content on the expansion behavior of microcapsules. Microcapsules were prepared with the suspension polymerization method and the suspension polymerization in parallel with interfacial polycondensation method using the multiple emulsion (W/O)/W and adding a few additives. With increasing the crosslinking agent concentration in the suspension polymerization method, the water content increased from R = 5.8 wt% (CT = 0) to R = 8.2 wt% (CT = 4 wt%) and then, decreased to R = 7.5 wt% (CT = 9.0 wt%), while the expansion ratio increased from E = 1.01 (CT = 0) to E = 2.20 (CT = 4 wt%) and then, decreased to E = 1.01 (CT = 7.0 wt%). With increasing the added amount of wax in the suspension polymerization method, the water content gradually increased from R = 2.5 wt% to R = 8.0 wt%, while the expansion ratio increased from E = 1.01 to E = 1.5 and then, decreased. The water content and the expansion ratio could be increased by conducting suspension polymerization in parallel with interfacial polycondensation reaction from R = 5.0 wt % to R = 8.0 wt % and from E = 1.01 to E = 1.3, respectively. The maximum expansion ratio of E = 2.58 in this work was obtained under the conditions of crosslinking agent concentration of CT = 4.0 wt %, the added amount of wax of 3.0 g, addition of Agarose and the expansion temperature of T = 150°C.

The novel method for preparing the polymer composite particles has been developed. It was tried to prepare polymer composite particles composed of polystyrene and carbon black with the phase separation method followed by suspension polymerization. In order to prepare the polymer composite particles with the more uniform diameter, the styrene monomer droplets containing carbon black were formed with phase separation emulsification in which ethyl alcohol and water were used as the good solvent and the poor solvent for styrene monomer, respectively. In the experiment, the surfactant species and their concentrations, the pouring velocity of water and the weight ratio of carbon black to styrene monomer were mainly changed. Water was poured at the given pouring velocity into ethyl alcohol in which styrene monomer and an initiator were dissolved and carbon black was dispersed beforehand. The spherical polymer composite particles containing carbon black were prepared with Tween 20 and Tween 80 of nonionic surfactants and the irregular polymer composite particles were prepared with PVA, SDS and Kotamine. The diameters of polymer composite particles increased with the pouring velocity of water and with the weight ratio of carbon black to styrene monomer.

The microcapsules containing the artificial diet for tropical fishes were prepared with the spray gelling method in order to prevent water environmental pollution. The carboxymethyl cellulose sodium aqueous solution, in which α-tocopherol droplets containing the powdery artificial diet were dispersed, was dropped or sprayed into the chitosan aqueous solution. Microcapsules were prepared by forming polyionic complex shell made from chitosan and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium. In the experiment, the concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium (CMCNa) was mainly changed to investigate the effect on the diameters of microcapsules, the content and the microencapsulation efficiency. The microcapsules couldn’t be prepared with the concentration of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium less than 3.0 wt%. The microcapsules were the core-shell type. The diameters of microcapsules were increased with the concentration of CMCNa and the microencapsulation efficiency of ca. 100% could be obtained by the preparation method presented in this study. The microcapsules were found to be eaten well by tropical fishes and to prevent water environmental pollution.

Microcapsules containing the dye aqueous solution were prepared with three kinds of preparation methods and the release feature of microcapsules with each preparation method was mainly investigated. As a dye tried to microencapsulate, methylene blue was adopted, because methylene blue aqueous solution was changed in color with light irradiation and utilized in order to check the degree of river pollution. Microencapsulation using multiple emulsion was performed with the suspension polymerization method, the inverse interfacial polycondensation method and the suspension polymerization in parallel with the interfacial polymerization method, respectively. The release feature of microcapsules prepared with each preparation method was estimated with the solute permeability coefficient. It was found that the release feature of dye aqueous solution was different according to the preparation method and could be delicately controlled by microencapsulating with the suspension polymerization in parallel with interfacial polycondensation reaction and forming the polyurethane shell on the surface of the dye aqueous solution droplets.

The synthesis and photophysical properties of a series of phenyleneethynylenes containing a main group element moiety of B, Si, or P on the side chain as a simple model are reported. The HOMO-LUMO energy levels are significantly altered due to a rise of the HOMO level (P) or a lowering of the LUMO level (B and PO) compared with the parent phenyleneethynylene, which is also supported by density functional theory calculations. In addition, the optical properties of boron- and phosphorus-containing π systems are dramatically changed by the coordination of fluoride ion and oxidation, respectively.

Study design Retrospective case series of one institute database. Objective To investigate the differences in the metallic strength of rods used for implant failure in the dual growing rod technique and evaluate clinical outcomes. Summary of background data The dual growing rod technique in which implanted rods extend with the growth of the spine is a useful treatment for early onset scoliosis. However, many complications, particularly those associated with rods, exist. Especially, the implant failure of growing rod focused on metallic strength is unknown. Methods Thirteen patients (42 lengthening surgeries) who underwent surgery by this technique at our hospital from 2007 were divided into a titanium rod plus titanium connector group (T group, n = 4, 26 lengthening surgeries) and cobalt-chromium rod plus titanium connection group (C group, n = 9, 16 lengthening surgeries). The incidence of implant failure and the site of fracture were retrospectively investigated. Results Implant failure occurred in three patients in the T group, because of rod fracture in two patients and connector fracture in one. In the C group, implant failure occurred in six patients, because of rod fracture in one patient and connector fracture in seven. Fracture occurred twice in two patients. The rod fracture rate decreased with the use of cobalt-chromium rods but the rate of connector fracture increased. We performed a stress distribution analysis using the finite element method to clarify the mechanisms underlying implant failure in both groups. Regardless of the rod type, the greater load was placed on the distal rod. However, differences in the metallic strength caused the rod to fracture when titanium rods were used and connectors (weak metallic strength) to fracture when cobalt-chromium rods were used. Conclusion Rod fractures occurred more commonly with titanium rods and connector fractures with cobalt-chromium rods.

A significant amount of scandium (Sc) has been found in the laterites developed over ultramafic and mafic rocks, but much less knowledge is available regarding Sc speciation in laterites. The geochemistry of Sc is unique compared with other rare earth elements (REE), however, the controls of their different partitioning behaviors are still poorly understood. In this study, the distribution and speciation of Sc and yttrium (Y) in the Philippine nickel (Ni) laterites were determined by a combination of sequential extraction, synchrotron-based micro-focused X-ray fluorescence (μ-XRF) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) techniques, to clarify different geochemical behaviors between Sc and other REE in Ni laterites. Here we demonstrate that Sc can be structurally incorporated into goethite in Ni laterites apart from the adsorption on the goethite surface, while Y is mainly adsorbed on goethite via the bidentate-binuclear inner-sphere complexation. The striking disparity regarding the speciation could result from ionic radius of Sc3+ and Y3+ (REE3+) with respect to Fe3+ in iron (oxyhydr)oxides, which is likely responsible for the relatively lower mobilization and (re)distribution of Sc than other REE in Ni laterites. Our study firstly reports disparate chemical speciation of Sc and Y in Ni laterites and provides molecular-scale insights into the control of different solubility and partitioning behaviors of Sc and other REE.

Macrophages are recognized as one of the major cell types in tumor microenvironment, and macrophage infiltration has been predominantly associated with poor prognosis among patients with breast cancer. Using the murine models of triple-negative breast cancer in CD169-DTR mice, we found that CD169+ macrophages support tumor growth and metastasis. CD169+ macrophage depletion resulted in increased accumulation of CD8+ T cells within tumor, and produced significant expansion of CD8+ T cells in circulation and spleen. In addition, we observed that CD169+ macrophage depletion alleviated tumor-induced splenomegaly in mice, but had no improvement in bone loss and repression of bone marrow erythropoiesis in tumor-bearing mice. Cancer cells and tumor associated macrophages exploit the upregulation of the immunosuppressive protein PD-L1 to subvert T cell-mediated immune surveillance. Within the tumor microenvironment, our understanding of the regulation of PD-L1 protein expression is limited. We showed that there was a 5-fold higher relative expression of PD-L1 on macrophages as compared with 4T1 tumor cells; coculture of macrophages with 4T1 cells augmented PD-L1 levels on macrophages, but did not upregulate the expression of PD-L1 on 4T1 cells. JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway was activated in macrophages after coculture, and we further identified the JAK2 as a critical regulator of PD-L1 expression in macrophages during coculture with 4T1 cells. Collectively, our data reveal that breast cancer cells and CD169+ macrophages exhibit bidirectional interactions that play a critical role in tumor progression, and inhibition of JAK2 signaling pathway in CD169+ macrophages may be potential strategy to block tumor microenvironment-derived immune escape.

Interleukin (IL)-11 belongs to the members of the IL-6 family of cytokines and is involved in a variety of biological responses, including hematopoiesis, bone development, and carcinogenesis. However, the cellular sources of IL-11 and regulation of IL-11 expression under physiological and pathological conditions are not fully understood. One of the causes to prevent characterization of IL-11 in vivo is due to the lack of reliable antibodies that detect IL-11 by immunohistochemistry. Moreover, although mice lacking Il11ra have been generated and extensively characterized, Il11-deficient mice have not been characterized yet. Here we generated two anti-IL-11 antibodies that blocked biological activities of IL-11 and detected IL-11 by immunohistochemistry, respectively. One clone of anti-IL-11 antibodies blocked IL-11-, but not IL-6-induced cell proliferation and IL-11-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 of an IL-11-dependent cell line. Moreover, we used recently established Il11-deficient mice to test the specificity of anti-IL-11 antibodies for immunohistochemistry. Another clone of anti-IL-11 antibodies stained stromal cells surrounding tumors of the colon of wild-type, but not Il11-deficient mice following treatment with Azoxymethane plus dextran sulfate sodium. Together, these newly developed anti-IL-11 antibodies provide a better understanding of the functions of IL-11 in vivo under various physiological and pathological conditions.

Background Five species of Plasmodium are known to infect humans. For proper treatment of malaria, accurate identification of the parasite species is crucial. The current gold standard for malaria diagnosis is microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears. Since the parasite species are identified by microscopists who manually search for the parasite-infected red blood cells (RBCs), misdiagnosis due to human error tends to occur in case of low parasitaemia or mixed infection. Then, molecular methods, such as polymerase chain reaction or loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are required for conclusive identification of the parasite species. However, since molecular methods are highly sensitive, false-positive results tend to occur due to contamination (carry over) or the target gene products may be detected even after clearance of the parasites from the patient’s blood. Therefore, accurate detection of parasites themselves by microscopic examination is essential for the definitive diagnosis. Thus, the method of in situ LAMP for the parasites was developed. Results Red blood cell suspensions, including cultured Plasmodium falciparum, strain 3D7, infected-RBCs, were dispersed on cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) plate surfaces rendered hydrophilic by reactive ion-etching treatment using a SAMCO RIE system (hydrophilic-treated), followed by standing for 10 min to allow the RBCs to settle down on the plate surface. By rinsing the plate with RPMI 1640 medium, monolayers of RBCs formed on almost the entire plate surface. The plate was then dried with a hair drier. The RBCs were fixed with formalin, followed by permeabilization with Triton X-100. Then, amplification of the P. falciparum 18S rRNA gene by the LAMP reaction with digoxigenin (DIG)-labelled dUTP and a specific primer set was performed. Infected RBCs as fluorescence-positive cells with anti-DIG antibodies conjugated with fluorescein using fluorescent microscopy could be detected. Conclusions The present work shows that the potential of in situ LAMP for the identification of Plasmodium species at the single cell level on hydrophilic-treated COC palates, allowing highly sensitive and accurate malaria diagnosis. The findings will improve the efficacy of the gold standard method for malaria diagnosis.

The treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) is currently a significant challenge. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a multipotent neurotrophic and neuroregenerative factor that can be beneficial for the treatment of SCI. However, immobilized HGF targeted to extracellular matrix may be more effective than diffusible, unmodified HGF. In this study, we evaluated the neurorestorative effects of an engineered HGF with a collagen biding domain (CBD-HGF). CBD-HGF remained in the spinal cord for 7 days after a single administration, while unmodified HGF was barely seen at 1 day. When a gelatin-furfurylamine (FA) hydrogel was applied on damaged spinal cord as a scaffold, CBD-HGF was retained in gelatin-FA hydrogel for 7 days, whereas HGF had faded by 1 day. A single administration of CBD-HGF enhanced recovery from spinal cord compression injury compared with HGF, as determined by motor recovery, and electrophysiological and immunohistochemical analyses. CBD-HGF alone failed to improve recovery from a complete transection injury, however CBD-HGF combined with gelatin-FA hydrogel promoted endogenous repair and recovery more effectively than HGF with hydrogel. These results suggest that engineered CBD-HGF has superior therapeutic effects than naïve HGF. CBD-HGF combined with hydrogel scaffold may be promising for the treatment of serious SCI.

It was tried to form Pickering emulsion by use of paraffin wax as a phase change material (PCM) and SiC as solid powder and to apply to the preparation of the hybrid microcapsules with the interfacial polycondensation reaction. Pickering emulsion could be formed by stirring PCM and SiC in the continuous water phase. The mean diameter of PCM droplets in the (O/W) emulsion decreased with the added amount of SiC. The SiC weight adhered on the surface of PCM droplets become the maximum in the continuous phase with pH 6.8. The hybrid microcapsules with the shell made of SiC and polyurea resin film could be prepared by using Pickering emulsion. There was a critical adhesion weight of SiC, above which the hybrid microcapsules could not be formed. Thermal conductivity of hybrid microcapsules could be improved as compared with the PCM microcapsules. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Anti-C-reactive protein antibody is used to quantify C-reactive protein in diagnostic tests for assessing inflammation levels. In order to develop a practical chip for diagnostic tests, anti-C-reactive protein antibody was continuously ejected using a piezoelectric injector and microdeposition was monitored on a shot-by-shot basis using a 30 MHz quartz crystal microbalance. Background noise due to external sources such as air flow and temperature fluctuations were largely eliminated by covering the quartz crystal microbalance with a stainless-steel cover and maintaining a fixed distance between the optical microscope lamp and the piezoelectric injector. Each shot of a 1 mg ml−1 solution of anti-C-reactive protein antibody solution delivered approximately 30 pl to the quartz crystal microbalance. The frequency change per shot was 2.21 ± 0.97 Hz and the injected mass was estimated to be 44.2 pg using the Sauerbrey equation. This approach simplifies the experimental evaluation of inkjet bioprinting by allowi...

It was tried to prepare the microcapsules containing grape polyphenol with the spray drying method followed by the layer-by-layer method. As grape polyphenol was water soluble, the spray drying method was adopted to obtain the higher content. As the shell material of the first microcapsules prepared by the spray drying method, palmitic acid with the melting point of 60&degC was adopted in order to prevent grape polyphenol from dissolution into water. As the shell material of the second microcapsules prepared by the layer-by-layer method, chitosan was used to coat the first microcapsules and to give the microcapsules alcohol resistance. In the experiment, the spray drying conditions such as the inlet temperature and the spraying pressure, the oil soluble surfactant species and the chitosan concentration were changed. The mean diameters of microcapsules could be controlled in the range from 5 μm to 35 μm by changing the spraying pressure and the inlet temperature. The yield of microcapsules and the microencapsulation efficiency over 50% could be obtained under the conditions of P = 1.0 kgf/cm2 and Tin = 100&degC. Furthermore, the microencapsulation efficiency could be increased by adding the oil soluble surfactant with the larger HLB value. Coating with chitosan could considerably increase alcohol resistance.