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Objectives Echinocandins are widely used for the treatment of invasive fungal diseases. While they bind strongly to plasma proteins, our knowledge of this process is not sufficient to permit their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics targets to be discussed. In this study, we characterized the binding of two echinocandins, caspofungin and micafungin, to plasma proteins, human serum albumin (HSA) and human α 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG). Methods The binding parameters, number of binding sites (n) and association constant (K) for caspofungin and micafungin to HSA and AAG were determined by equilibrium dialysis. The binding site on HSA for these echinocandins was identified by conducting inhibition experiments. Key findings Caspofungin was found to bind strongly to a single site on HSA (n = 1.26, K = 0.45 × 106 M−1) and AAG (n = 0.99, K = 0.29 × 106 M−1). Micafungin was found to bind more strongly to HSA (n = 1.35, K = 1.44 × 106 M−1) and AAG (n = 1.32, K = 1.16 × 106 M−1). The binding site for these drugs on HSA appears to be within subdomain IA. Conclusions Free fraction of caspofungin and micafungin in patients may not be substantially affected due to the contribution of AAG to the overall protein binding and the binding to subdomain IA on HSA, which is different from the major drug-binding sites within subdomains IB, IIA and IIIA.

Nafamostat mesilate (NFM) is used as an anticoagulant during hemodialysis in patients who have had complications due to hemorrhages. The formation of precipitates, which could lead to the interruption of hemodialysis has been reported when NFM is infused into blood during hemodialysis. We report herein on an examination of possible factors that could cause this. The effects of electrolytes such as phosphates, citrates or succinates on the formation of precipitates were examined by mixing NFM with aqueous solutions or plasma that contained these electrolytes. The formation of precipitates was observed in all electrolyte solutions when higher concentrations of NFM were mixed at around physiological pH. In the case of plasma, precipitates were observed when solutions containing higher concentrations of NFM were mixed with plasma that contained phosphate and citrate. In addition, the formation of precipitates under dynamic conditions where NFM was infused into flowing electrolyte solutions was also evaluated. The data suggested that such precipitates might be formed and disrupt the blood flow and/or an NFM infusion when NFM is infused into blood flowing in the hemodialysis circuit. The findings presented herein suggest the serum levels of anionic electrolytes (e.g., phosphate), the type of excipients present in pharmaceutical products (e.g., succinic acid or citric acid), the concentration of NFM used for the infusion or the rates of NFM infusion and blood flow are all factors that could affect precipitate formation during NFM infusions for hemodialysis.

Benzbromarone has been used for the treatment of gout for more than 30 years. Although it shows a high level of binding to plasma proteins (>99%), our knowledge of this binding is not sufficiently extensive to permit us to understand its pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. To address this issue in more detail, we characterized the binding of benzbromarone to human serum albumin (HSA), the most abundant protein in plasma. Equilibrium dialysis and circular dichroism findings indicated that benzbromarone binds strongly to one primary as well as to multiple secondary sites on HSA and that the bromine atoms of benzbromarone play important roles in this high affinity binding. An X-ray crystallographic study revealed that benzbromarone molecules bind to hydrophobic pockets within subdomains IB, IIA, and IIIA. Inhibition experiments using site specific ligands (subdomain IB; fusidic acid, IIA; warfarin, IIIA; diazepam) indicated that the primary and secondary binding sites that benzbromarone binds to are within subdomains IIIA and IB/IIA, respectively. Lastly, a study of the effect of fatty acids on the benzbromarone-HSA interaction suggested that benzbromarone, when displaced from subdomain IIIA by sodium oleate, could transfer to subdomains IB or IIA. Thus, these data will permit more relevant assessments of the displacement interactions of benzbromarone especially in cases of co-administered drugs or endogenous compounds that also bind to subdomain IIIA. In addition, the findings presented herein will also be useful for designing drug combination therapy in which pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic performance need to be controlled.

Lactoferrin (Lf) nanoparticles have been developed as a carrier of drugs and gene. Two main methods, desolvation technique and emulsification method, for preparation of protein nanoparticles have been reported so far, but most of the previous reports of Lf nanoparticles preparation are limited to emulsification method. In this study, we investigated the optimal conditions by desolvation technique for the preparation of glutaraldehyde-crosslinked bovine Lf (bLf) nanoparticles within the size range of 100-200 nm, and evaluated their properties as a carrier for oral and intravenous drug delivery. The experimental results of dynamic light scattering and Transmission Electron Microscope suggested that glutaraldehyde-crosslinked bLf nanoparticles with 150 nm in size could be produced by addition of 2-propanol as the desolvating solvent into the bLf solution adjusted to pH 6, followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. These cross-linked bLf nanoparticles were found to be compatible to blood components and resistant against rapid degradation by pepsin. Thus, cross-linked bLf nanoparticles prepared by desolvation technique can be applied as a drug carrier for intravenous administration and oral delivery.

Objectives Grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) juice enhances the oral bioavailability of drugs that are metabolized by intestinal cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). Patients are advised to avoid drinking grapefruit juice to prevent this drug–grapefruit juice interaction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether processing grapefruit juice with cyclodextrins (CDs) would result in preventing or inhibiting this interaction. Methods Grapefruit juice and the major furanocoumarins found in grapefruit, bergamottin (BG) and 6′, 7′-dihydroxy bergamottin (DHBG) were mixed with α, β and γCDs. The effects of these processed juice samples and furanocoumarins on CYP3A activity were compared with the corresponding values for unprocessed juices and furanocoumarins. Interactions between CDs and these furanocoumarins were also investigated by phase solubility and 1H NMR studies. Key findings The inhibition of CYP3A by grapefruit juice was significantly attenuated by processing particularly with γCD. Similar attenuation effects by γCD were observed in the cases of BG and DHBG. Furthermore, BG and DHBG were suggested to be strongly encapsulated in the cavity of γCD. Conclusion The encapsulation of BG and DHBG by γCD and the resulting attenuation of the inhibition of CYP3A activity by grapefruit juice may be applicable to juice processing for preventing drug-grapefruit juice interactions.

Nanosize plasma proteins could be used as a biomimetic drug delivery system (DDS) for cancer treatment when loaded with anticancer drugs based on the fact that plasma proteins can serve as a source of nutrients for cancer cells. This prompted us to investigate the potential of α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) for this role because it is a nanosize plasma protein and binds a variety of anticancer agents. Pharmacokinetic analyses indicated that AGP is distributed more extensively in tumor tissue than human serum albumin, which was already established as a cancer DDS carrier. AGP is possibly being incorporated into tumor cells via endocytosis pathways. Moreover, a synthetic AGP-derived peptide which possesses a high ability to form an α-helix, as deduced from the primary structure of AGP, was also taken up by the tumor cells. AGP loaded with anticancer agents, such as paclitaxel or nitric oxide, efficiently induced tumor cell death. These results suggest that AGP has the potential to be a novel DDS carrier for anticancer agents.

Conjugated network polymer emitters are potential materials for use as solid detectors of chemicals. We demonstrated the synthesis of fluorescent network polymers through a facile route. Solid-state fluorescent network polymer emitters were synthesized through the Knoevenagel polycondensation of an arylaldehyde (tris(p-formylphenyl)amine) with an arylacetonitrile (phenylenediacetonitrile) in good yields. The molecular structure based on the electron-donor triphenylamine and electron-acceptor cyano-substituted phenylene-vinylene showed a highly efficient solid-state fluorescence. The synthesized model small molecule showed a well-defined solvatofluorochromism: the dielectric constants were esol of approximately 0–50 at λfl of 480–560 nm. The response to solvent chemicals was also shown for the network polymers. Surprisingly, the network polymer linked with para-phenylene-vinylene was only responsive to the solvents with a low dielectric constant (esol ca.

Mycoplasma bovis(M. bovis) is a significant worldwide pathogen of cattle. Neutrophils have an important role in the innate immune response during infection withM. bovis. However, even though neutrophils accumulate inM. bovisinfection, the interaction ofM. bovisand neutrophils has not been fully elucidated. We attempted to elucidate the innate immune response of neutrophils stimulated withM. bovisand evaluate the transcriptome and functional analysis of bovine neutrophils stimulated withM. bovis. Proinflammatory cytokines, such as inducible nitric oxide (iNOS), which was the most increased gene in transcriptome analysis, were increased in quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of bovine neutrophils stimulated with live or heat-killedM. bovis. Nitric oxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species production of neutrophils stimulated withM. boviswas significantly increased. Neutrophils stimulated withM. bovisshowed an increased ratio of nonapoptotic cell death compared to unstimulated controls. We demonstrated that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation was not recognized in neutrophils stimulated with liveM. bovis. However, heat-killedM. bovisinduced NETs formation. We also showed the interaction withM. bovisand bovine neutrophils regarding proinflammatory cytokine gene expression and functional expression related to NETs formation. Live and killedM. bovisinduced innate immune responses in neutrophils and had the potential to induce NETs formation, but liveM. bovisescaped NETs.

Mycoplasma bovis is a significant pathogen in bovine infections including mastitis, pneumonia, arthritis and otitis media, and is the cause of large economic losses in beef and dairy farms. During infection with M. bovis, recruited neutrophils are not sufficient to eradicate M. bovis from the infection site. The release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is one of the innate immune responses of neutrophils but the effect of M. bovis on NET formation by bovine neutrophils has not yet been clarified. The objective of our research was to examine the effect of M. bovis on NET formation and the killing activity of bovine neutrophils. We showed that NETs were not detected following stimulation of neutrophils by M. bovis alone or with Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetat (PMA). Reactive oxygen species production is essential for NET formation but the levels in neutrophils stimulated with M. bovis at multiplicity of infections of 10, 100, and 1000 were similar to those of unstimulated cells. NET formation induced by PMA stimulated neutrophils disappeared following the addition of M. bovis but this phenomenon was not observed when ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was added. M. bovis colony forming units were significantly decreased by the addition of EDTA in the presence of NETs. Our results suggested that M. bovis infection alone did not induce NETs and that M. bovis nucleases, as hypothesis-based, contributed to resistance against the killing activity of NETs.

Cancer cells tend to have a high requirement for lipids, including fatty acids, cholesterol and triglyceride, because of their rapid proliferative rate compared to normal cells. In this study, we investigated the effects of inhibition of lipid synthesis on the proliferation and viability of human pancreatic cancer cells. Of the inhibitors of lipid synthesis that were tested, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), which is an inhibitor of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and the fatty acid synthase (FAS) inhibitors cerulenin and irgasan, significantly suppressed the proliferation of MiaPaCa-2 and AsPC-1 cells. Treatment of MiaPaCa-2 cells with these inhibitors significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells. In addition, TOFA increased caspase-3 activity and induced cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in MiaPaCa-2 cells. Moreover, addition of palmitate to MiaPaCa-2 cells treated with TOFA rescued cells from apoptotic cell death. These results suggest that TOFA induces apoptosis via depletion of fatty acids and that, among the various aspects of lipid metabolism, inhibition of fatty acid synthesis may be a notable target for the treatment of human pancreatic cancer cells.

We have successfully synthesized π-conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) via direct arylation of fluoroarenes with 2,4,6-tris(4-bromophenyl)-1,3,5-triazine. Both 1,2,4,5-tetrafluorobenzene and 1,3,5-trifluorobenzene were good monomers to give the networks, CMP1 and CMP2, respectively. Characterization of the insoluble materials was successfully achieved by high performance solid-state 13C and 19F CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The signals appeared in the aromatic region. No end group signals were observed in the 13C NMR spectrum of CMP1, but CMP2 showed the unreacted C–H signal of the trifluorobenzene unit. CMP2 showed higher Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area than CMP1. The number of branch controlled (or tailored) the porosity of the polymer networks. The polymers have microporocity with CO2 capture capacity. The CO2 capture capacity of CMP2 (16.75 cm3 g-1) was higher than that of CMP1 (11.49 cm3 g-1) at 1.0 bar.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest human cancers. In the current study, we investigated the possibility of a new treatment strategy using a combination of the new fluoroquinolone, enoxacin, and mild ultraviolet A (UVA) irradiation. Enoxacin with UVA irradiation increased the number of annexin V-positive (apoptotic) pancreatic cancer cells in time- and concentration-dependent manners, whereas alone neither had these effects. In addition, enoxacin with UVA irradiation induced cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase in AsPC1 human pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, the singlet oxygen scavengers, histidine and sodium azide, and the hydroxyl radical scavenger, mannitol, significantly suppressed apoptosis induced by enoxacin and UVA irradiation, respectively. These results suggest that UVA irradiation activates enoxacin, after which activated enoxacin induces apoptosis of AsPC1 cells through generation of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the combination of enoxacin with mild UVA irradiation may be a useful method for treating pancreatic cancer.

The most stable sorption site of dimethyl ether on silicalite-1 is the sinusoidal channel. The configuration of guest molecules (linear or bent) plays an important role in determining where the stable sorption site is situated., The adsorption structures of dimethyl ether (DME) on silicalite-1 zeolite (MFI-type) are determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structure of low-loaded DME-silicalite-1 indicates that all DME molecules are located in the sinusoidal channel, which is the most stable sorption site based on the van der Waals interaction between DME and the framework. The configuration of guest molecules (linear or bent) plays an important role in determining where the stable sorption site is in the pore system of MFI-type zeolites. Bent molecules favor the sinusoidal channel, while linear molecules favor the straight channel. The contribution of DME–DME interactions is considerable in the high-loaded DME-silicalite-1 structure.

Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising semiconductor for high-power devices due to its superior material properties; high breakdown field, high electron saturation velocity, and high thermal conductivity. To implement SiC power devices, pn junction must be formed in the SiC. However, ion implantation for impurity doping has several issues for the SiC. For example, while a high-temperature (~1700 °C) post-implantation annealing is required to electrically activate implanted species [, it induces generation of crystallographic defects in the SiC, such as segregation of carbon atoms at the surface from the SiC bulk [. Therefore, development of new technology for local doping of SiC is highly demanded.

The actual adsorption structures of non-aromatic hydrocarbons on the MFI-type zeolites have not yet been determined. This is due to the presence of twinning, which makes crystallographic analysis difficult. We recently overcame this problem, and now report the various adsorption structures of n-butane, n-pentane, n-hexane, 1-butene, cis and trans-2-butene, 2-butyne and isopentane on silicalite-1 (MFI-type zeolite) as determined via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The structures were elucidated for both low and high loadings of each guest molecule in order to clarify the adsorption process. The low-loaded structures provide valuable insight into guest-framework interactions and initial adsorption behavior. The n-alkanes are initially adsorbed in the sinusoidal channel, while 2-butyne is adsorbed in the straight channel. In the case of the normal hydrocarbons, the molecular configuration (bent or linear) of the compound determines which channel is the preferred adsorption site. Bent molecules prefer the sinusoidal channel and linear molecules prefer the straight channel. In contrast, isopentane is initially adsorbed at the intersection, since the channels are too narrow to maintain the preferred distance between the framework and the bulky isopentane molecule. In the high-loaded structures, the guest molecules occupy additional sites, such that the normal hydrocarbons are located in both channels and isopentane is found at the intersection and the sinusoidal channel.

The adsorption process of phenol on silicalite-1 was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The loading of phenol on silicalite-1 was performed for 24, 48, 72, and 168 h. Phenol molecules first diffused through the intersection forming hydrogen bonds with the oxygen atoms of the framework and then subsequently turned into the sinusoidal channel. As adsorption progressed, phenol molecules were located at the intersection and in the sinusoidal channel, and these two kinds of phenols interacted with each other. High-loaded phenol–silicalite-1 (8.0 molecules/unit cell) was obtained after 168 h of adsorption. It is clear that hydrogen bonds were present in the framework, based on the results of the single-crystal XRD measurements and an IR study.

An orthorhombic benzene-silicalite-1 single crystal was obtained from a monoclinic twin crystal, and the structure was determined by a single-crystal method for the first time., A simple method for preparing orthorhombic single crystals of benzene-silicalite-1 was developed. A silicalite-1 crystal was pressed with a weight of 2 g along the +c and −c crystallographic axes while the temperature was increased to 473 K. The temperature was then slowly reduced to 313 K, and these heating and cooling steps were repeated three times. After the orthorhombic single crystals adsorbed benzene, the crystal structure of the resulting benzene-silicalite-1 was determined. There were two kinds of benzene molecules in the asymmetric unit. One was located at the intersection of the straight channels and the sinusoidal channels with the benzene ring parallel to the ac plane. The other benzene was located in the middle of the straight channel.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related mortality in Japan. Although the standard chemotherapy regimens, FOLFIRINOX (fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan and oxaliplatin), gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel, are widely used to treat patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, their antitumor effects (progression and survival rates) are less potent against this cancer type than other solid tumors. Previously, we found that inhibition of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), a major rate-controlling enzyme of fatty acid synthetic pathway, suppressed the proliferation of PC cells. However, in this study, we found the tolerance to the inhibition in a part of PC cells. Therefore, we investigated the mechanism of the tolerance to ACC inhibition in PC cells. The human PC cell lines, AsPC-1, BxPC-3 and PANC-1 were obtained from the American Type Culture Collection. Live and apoptotic cell numbers were determined using the MUSE Annexin V and Dead Cell Kit according to the manufacturer's instructions. PANC-1 cells showed the tolerance to inhibition of fatty acid synthesis by ACC inhibitor, 5-(tetradecyloxy)-2-furoic acid (TOFA), whereas TOFA induced apoptosis in AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. In addition, PANC-1 did not show autophagy even under the condition of fatty acid starvation. Next, we investigated whether PANC-1 has the tolerance to nutrient starvation in nutrient-depletion medium, Earle's Balanced Salt Solution (EBSS) and serum-free medium respectively. PANC-1 showed the survival even in such mediums, whereas AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 almost dead. This result suggests that the tolerance of fatty acid starvation of PANC-1 are related to that of nutrient starvation. Interestingly, proliferation of PANC-1 cultured in glutamine-depletion medium dramatically was suppressed, even though low glucose medium did not affect. BPTES, a selective inhibitor of glutaminase, also suppressed the proliferation and induced apoptosis in PANC-1, whereas there are little effects of 2-dexy-glucose, inhibitor of glycolysis, on them. These results suggest that the TCA cycle plays an important role on the tolerance to inhibition of fatty acid synthesis and nutrient starvation of PANC-1, and can be novel therapeutic target of PC cells which have the tolerance to nutrient starvation like PANC-1. Citation Format: Koji Nishi, Mina Suzuki, Noriko Yamamoto, Yumiko Iwase, Nagahiko Yumita. Involvement of glutamine in tolerance of human pancreatic cancer cell to inhibition of fatty acid synthesis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2323.

Alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) is an acute phase protein. Whereas the expression of AGP in an inflammatory state is enhanced by inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1, 6 (IL-1 and IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), the biological significance of AGP remains unclear. In the current study, the anti-inflammatory effect of AGP on the acute inflammatory state was examined in vivo and in vitro. AGP suppressed carrageenan-, dextran- and kaolin-induced paw edema and vascular permeability in rat. These results suggest that both initial inflammatory mediators (serotonin and histamine) and later inflammatory mediators (prostaglandin and bradykinin) are involved in the anti-inflammatory effects of AGP. In fact, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) generation in plasma was significantly inhibited by AGP. Moreover, AGP inhibited the migration of neutrophils treated with N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) through membrane filter. In addition, AGP significantly suppressed superoxide generation from neutrophils that has been treated with fMLP or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. These results imply that the anti-inflammatory effect of AGP may involve the inhibition of neutrophils migration. The data obtained in this study support a scenario in which an increase in AGP concentration in pathological conditions suppresses inflammation reactions induced by autacoids and neutrophils activities and that AGP plays an important role in the maintenance in the body.

The structure of a high-loading complex of ZSM-5 with 6.4 toluene molecules per unit cell has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. At least three kinds of toluene molecules were identified in the unit cell. Two disordered toluene molecules were located at the intersection of the straight and sinusoidal channels, the third in the sinusoidal channel. One (TOL1) of the two toluene orientations at the intersection was similar to that of p-dichlorobenzene at the intersection in high-loaded H-ZSM-5/p-xylene (hereafter 8PARA) and high-loaded H-ZSM-5/p-dichlorobenzene (hereafter 8PDCB) complexes, respectively. The other toluene orientation (TOL2) at the intersection was similar to those of p-xylene or p-dichlorobenzene at the intersection in the low-loaded p-dichlorobenzene complex (hereafter 2.6PDCB). A third toluene orientation (TOL3) existed in the sinusoidal channel; its orientation was similar to those of p-xylene and p-dichlorobenzene in the sinusoidal channels in 8PARA and 8PDCB complexes, respectively. If the occupancy of TOL2 at the intersection increases with temperature, TOL2 will connect with TOL3 in the sinusoidal channel and form the intermediate diphenylmethane

The sonodynamically induced antitumor effect of functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNT) combined with ultrasound through reactive oxygen species generation was investigated. Both in vitro and in vivo antitumor effects were tested in combination with ultrasound at 2 MHz. The rate of ultrasonically induced damage on isolated sarcoma 180 cells was enhanced by twice with 80 mM CNT. This enhancement was significantly inhibited by histidine, which may suggest it was mediated by ultrasonically induced oxidation. The coadministraion of 25 mg/kg and ultrasonic exposure suppressed the growth of implanted colon 26 tomors at an intensity with which ultrasound alone showed only a slight antitumor effect. In addition, the combination of CNT and ultrasound substantially enhanced singlet oxygen generation. Sonodynamically induced cell damage and singlet oxygen generation were significantly suppressed by histidine and NaN3. These results indicate singlet oxygen plays an important role in sonodynamically induced antitumor effect. In conclusion, the presented results suggest that CNT is a potential sensitizer for sonodynamic tumor treatment.

The structure–activity relationship in the dehydrogenation steps in propane-aromatization was examined by using MFI-type gallosilicate catalysts containing various amounts of gallium and calcined at various temperatures. The characterization by TPD of ammonia and TEM indicated that, with increasing gallium content, both the zeolitic acidity and the extraframework Ga 2 O 3 increased, and that, with increasing calcination temperature, the number and the particle size of extraframework Ga 2 O 3 species increased while the strong acidity decreased. The reactions of propane and cyclohexane were conducted to evaluate the catalytic activity, especially in the dehydrogenation steps in propane-aromatization, and it was found that the activity was strongly influenced by the calcination temperature. In the case of high gallium content, the conversions of propane and cyclohexane decreased with the calcination temperature, while in the case of low gallium content the conversions increased. The former result was attributed to the decrease in the acid amount due to the extraction of gallium from the MFI-framework, and the latter result to the increase in the number and the size of extraframework Ga 2 O 3 particles.

The entrance and diffusion pathway of CO2and dimethyl ether (DME) in MFI-type zeolite channels were investigated by a selective sealing method using large silicalite-1 crystals. The MFI-type zeolite has two kinds of orthogonal channels: straight channels and sinusoidal channels. The mouths of the straight channels are on (010) crystal faces, while those of the sinusoidal channels are on (100) faces. The channel mouths are directly sealed by silicone resin on the (100) and (010) faces so as to restrict the entrance and diffusion pathways to straight and sinusoidal channel pathways, respectively. The locations and loadings of the guest CO2and DME molecules are determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction structural analysis. The loadings show the difference of the adsorption rates between the pathways. The straight channel pathway is 4.2 times faster than the sinusoidal channel pathway for the CO2, and the sinusoidal channel pathway is 5.1 times faster than the straight channel pathway for the DME. It reveals their dominant pathways and the anisotropy of adsorption. The dominant pathway correlates to the stability of the channel as adsorption sites.

A quantitative analysis of gallium species (GaO4 tetrahedra and GaO6 octahedra) by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XANES and EXAFS) at the Ga K-edge was performed on a series of gallium oxides with various phases and SiO2-supported ones. XANES spectra of gallium oxides showed two distinguishable peaks that were assigned to tetrahedral and octahedral gallium oxide species on the basis of a comparison with those of reference compounds. A deconvolution analysis of XANES spectra was carried out on the assumption that the absorption due to each species is expressed by a set of Gaussian and arctangent functions, and the tetrahedral/octahedral ratios were quantitatively estimated from the ratio of the peak areas. By the EXAFS curve-fitting analysis, the tetrahedral/octahedral ratios were also estimated, and they were in good agreement with those obtained by XANES analysis. It was concluded that the Ga atoms with a different coordination symmetry (tetrahedral or octahedral) can be estimated quantitatively...

The influences of zeolite pore structure, dealumination and Na ion exchange on the product distribution were examined in order to explore the possibility of selective formation of multi-branched-chain aliphatics, such as iso-octane, in methanol conversion. On H-form mordenite, the selectivity of multi-branched-chain aliphatics was higher than those on other type zeolites such as ZSM-5 and Y zeolites. Modification of mordenite by using both Na ion exchange and dealumination promoted the formation of multi-branched-chain aliphatics. The effect of the modifications in the formation of multi-branched-chain aliphatics is discussed in reference to methylation of 1-hexene with methanol.

The Fukushima nuclear accident has highlighted the importance of finding a better final storage method for radioactive cesium species. Cs is highly soluble in water, and can easily exchange with other alkali ions in zeolites or clays to form stable complexes. However, Cs(+) is released from Cs(+) complexes into water when surrounded by an excess of water. Pollucite may be the best final storage option for Cs(+), but its typical synthesis requires heating to about 1200 °C in air. Here, we show that the hydrothermal synthesis of pollucite can be completed at 300 °C in three hours from any zeolite or clay. Furthermore, our procedure does not require ion exchange before synthesis. Radioactive Cs is usually found in complexes with clays. At that time, this method only requires calcium hydroxide, water, and three hours of hydrothermal synthesis, so the process is both inexpensive and practical for large-scale application. Pollucite is an analog of analcime zeolite, and contains a channel system 2.8 A in diameter, which is formed by 6-oxygen rings. As the diameter of Cs(+) is 3.34 A and each Cs(+) exists independently within a separate portion of the channel, Cs(+) cannot exit the pollucite framework without breaking it.

In this report, we extend our investigation to characterization of junctions produced by the excimer laser irradiation to 4H-SiC immersed in phosphoric acid.

For the purpose of examining the possibility of promoting the aromatization of ethane in the presence of carbon dioxide, the reaction of ethane and carbon dioxide on Ga-, Zn- and Pt-loaded HZSM-5 catalysts were conducted. The catalytic test on Ga-HZSM-5 revealed that the introduction of carbon dioxide improved the formation of aromatics, in particular, the aromatics formation from ethylene consisting of oligomerization of ethylene and dehydrocyclization of alkenes. The strength of adsorption of ethylene and carbon dioxide were approximately equal in magnitude on Ga2O3. On the other hand, carbon dioxide preferentially adsorbed on ZnO, and so did ethylene on Pt/SiO2, respectively. Although the hydrogen consumption through the reverse water-gas shift conversion improved in the catalytic run on Ga-HZSM-5-V2O5 composite catalyst, the yield of aromatics and the selectivities of ethylene and aromatics remained essentially unchanged. These results indicate that the balance of strength of adsorption of both substrates on metal species is significant in order to promote aromatization of ethane in the presence of carbon dioxide, and that promotion of aromatization by the introduction of carbon dioxide is not attributed to thermodynamic effect, but to kinetic effect.

Oxide-zeolite composite catalysts were designed for the reduction of CO 2 with simultaneous aromatization of C 3 H 8 . Oxides of Fe and V were selected as the oxide components which are active for the reduction of CO 2 and inactive for the decomposition of C 3 H 8 , and Ga-loaded HZSM-5 was selected as the zeolite component selectively aromatizing C 3 H 8 . Composite catalysts containing these components were revealed to exhibit high activity for the reduction of CO 2 and high selectivity for the aromatization of C 3 H 8 .

In this study, the sonodynamically induced antitumor effect of pyrrolidine tris-acid fullerene (PTF) was investigated. Sonodynamically induced antitumor effects of PTF by focused ultrasound were investigated using isolated sarcoma-180 cells and mice bearing ectopically-implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Cell damage induced by ultrasonic exposure was enhanced by 5-fold in the presence of 80 µM PTF. The combined treatment of ultrasound and PTF suppressed the growth of the implanted colon 26 carcinoma. Ultrasonically induced 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone-1-oxyl (4oxoTEMPO) production in the presence and absence of PTF was assessed, and it was shown that 80 µM PTF enhanced 4oxoTEMPO production as measured by ESR spectroscopy. Histidine, a reactive oxygen scavenger, significantly reduced cell damage and 4oxoTEMPO generation caused by ultrasonic exposure in the presence of PTF. These results suggest that singlet oxygen is likely to be involved in the ultrasonically induced cell damage enhanced by PTF.

Summary: Human α 1 -acid glycoprotein (AGP), a serum glycoprotein, is thought to have anti-inflammatory effects by a mechanism that is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the pharmacokinetics of AGP in mice using enzymatically modified AGP (AGP with the sialic acids removed, asialo-AGP, and with both sialic acids and galactose removed, agalacto-AGP). It was observed that AGP was eliminated from the circulation slowly, and was mainly taken up by the liver. The elimination of labeled AGP, asialo-AGP and agalacto-AGP from the circulation was suppressed in the presence of excess unlabeled AGP, asialo-AGP and agalacto-AGP, respectively, suggesting the receptor-mediated uptake of these AGPs. Interestingly, the up-take of AGP by the liver competed with agalacto-AGP, but not with asialo-AGP, while agalacto-AGP competed with asialo-AGP. These results suggest that agalacto-AGP binds to at least two types of receptors, namely asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) and an as yet unidentified receptor that is shared with AGP, and that AGP is directly taken up by the liver through such a receptor and not via ASGPR. These findings help improve our understanding of the clearance mechanism of AGP.

The binding site of 7-hydroxystaurosporine (UCN-01) on alpha-acid glycoprotein (AGP) was studied by fluorescence and ultracentrifugation experiments. Three ligands, propranolol, warfarin and progesterone were employed as marker ligands and quinaldine red was employed as a fluorescent probe. The presence of UCN-01, pro- pranolol, warfarin and progesterone resulted in a significant quenching of the fluorescence of quinaldine red, when bound to AGP, depending upon the potency of the binding to AGP. The construction of Klotz plots indicated that the displacement effects of propranolol, warfarin and progesterone on UCN-01-AGP binding were competitive in nature. These data suggest that the binding site of UCN-01 on the AGP partly overlaps the binding site for basic drugs, acidic drugs, as well as steroid hormones.

The present study aims to investigate sonodynamically-induced apoptosis using the phthalocyanine, chloroaluminum phthalocyanine tetrasulfonate (AlPcTS). HL-60 cells were exposed to ultrasound for up to 3 min in the absence and presence of AlPcTS. Apoptosis was analyzed by cell morphology, DNA fragmentation, and caspase-3 activity. Electron spin resonance was used to measure reactive oxygen species. The number of apoptotic cells showing membrane blebbing and cell shrinkage after combined treatment (ultrasound and AlPcTS) was significantly higher than following other treatments, including ultrasound alone and AlPcTS alone. Furthermore, DNA ladder formation, caspase-3 activation and enhanced nitroxide generation were observed in cells treated with ultrasound and AlPcTS. Sonodynamically induced apoptosis, caspase-3 activation, and nitroxide generation were significantly suppressed by histidine. The significant reduction by histidine indicated that ultrasonically generated reactive oxygen species, such as singlet oxygen, is an important mediator of sonodynamically-induced apoptosis.

Contributions of three types of Ga sites to propane conversion into aromatics were examined by using model catalysts, i.e., gallosilicate of MOR structure with deposited Ga 2 O 3 particles. The rates of propane conversion and aromatics formation were correlated with the densities of three types of Ga sites determined by NH 3 -TPD, and it was shown that the propane conversion and the aromatics formation were limited by Ga sites on Ga 2 O 3 surface.

Alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AGP) is a serum glycoprotein that mainly binds basic drugs. Previous reports have shown that AGP converts from a beta-sheet to an alpha-helix upon interaction with biomembranes. In the current studies, we found that alkanols, diols, and halogenols all induce this conformational change. Increased length and bulkiness of the hydrocarbon group and the presence of a halogen atom promoted this conversion, whereas the presence of a hydroxyl group inhibited it. Moreover, the effect was dependent on the hydrophobic and electrostatic properties of the alcohols. These results indicate that, in a membrane environment, hydrophobic and electrostatic factors cooperatively induce the transition of AGP from a beta-sheet to an alpha-helix.

The binding of flunitrazepam (FNZP) by human α1-acid glycoprotein (hAGP) and the relationships between the extent of drug binding and desialylation and the genetic variants of hAGP were examined. The photolabeling specificity of [3H]FNZP was confirmed by findings in which other hAGP-binding ligands inhibited the formation of covalent bonds between [3H]FNZP and hAGP. The photolabeling of asialo-hAGP suggested that sialic acid does not involve in the binding of [3H]FNZP. No difference in the labeling could be found between the F1 * S variants and A variant. Similarly, FNZP did not show a difference in binding affinity to the two genetic variants of hAGP. Sequence analysis of the photolabeled peptide indicated a sequence corresponding to Tyr91-Arg105 of hAGP.

Reversible thermal denaturation of 33 genetic variants of human serum albumin (HSA) appeared to be a two-state process when studied by circular dichroism (CD). Fourteen single-residue variants have Tm values (midpoint of denaturation) higher than, and nine have Tm values lower than, their endogenous, wild-type counterpart. Nine single-residue variants have DeltaHv values (van't Hoff enthalpy) higher than, and 14 have DeltaHv values lower than, normal albumin. All types of combinations of positive and negative DeltaTm values and Delta(DeltaHv) values were found. Good linear correlations between mutation-induced changes of alpha-helical content and Delta(DeltaHv) values, but not DeltaTm values, were found especially for the variants mutated in domains I and III. The effect of altered chain length and glycosylation on Tm and DeltaHv was also studied. For all variants, no clear relationship was found between the changes in the thermodynamic parameters and the type of substitution, changes in protein charge or hydrophobicity. However, the protein changes taking place in domain I have a rather uniform effect (almost all of the nine variants have positive DeltaTm values and negative Delta(DeltaHv) values, i.e., they denature more easily than normal albumin but they do so at a higher temperature). The present results can be of both protein chemical relevance and of clinical interest, because they could be useful when designing stable, recombinant HSAs for clinical applications.

We developed a method to dope phosphorus into 4H-SiC by irradiating excimer laser light to 4H-SiC immersed in phosphoric acid solution. A KrF excimer laser was used. The surface is slightly ablated by the laser irradiation. However, no amorphous layer is generated near the surface. Phosphorous is introduced at a concentration of over 1020 cm-3 near the crystal surface. The laser irradiation in phosphoric acid solution significantly improves the ohmic contact characteristic between metal and 4H-SiC. Hall effect measurement shows that the irradiation produces an n-type layer at the surface whose sheet carrier concentration is 2.25×1012 cm-2. In addition, we produce a pn junction by irradiating p-type 4H-SiC. The pn junction shows a rectifying characteristic whose on/off ratio is over 8 decades and ideality factor is 1.06.

Phosphorus doping of 4H SiC is performed by KrF excimer laser irradiation of 4H SiC immersed in phosphoric acid. Phosphorus is incorporated to a depth of a few tens of nanometers at a concentration of over 1020/cm3 without generating significant crystal defects. Formation of a pn junction diode with an ideality factor of 1.06 is demonstrated.