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The potential liability to hypercatabolism in lipodystrophy remains to be fully elucidated. Here we report a 28‐year‐old Japanese woman with acquired generalized lipodystrophy, who presented with recurrence of panniculitis and anemia. After corticosteroid treatment was started, she showed rapid reductions in body weight and lean mass by 15% at maximum, accompanied by an elevated urea nitrogen/creatinine ratio, which recovered almost fully as the corticosteroid treatment was tapered and discontinued. She had multiple risk factors for hypercatabolism: lack of metabolic reserves, insulin resistance, and hyperglycemia due to lipodystrophy, lowered daily activity due to anemia, persistent inflammation, and wasting associated with panniculitis, and relatively insufficient energy and protein intake during hospitalization. More attention should be paid to the potential liability to hypercatabolism in patients with lipodystrophy, and to skeletal muscle loss as an adverse effect of corticosteroid treatment in patients at high risk, such as those with diabetes or decreased metabolic reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess deposition of extracellular matrix in the myocardium is a predictor of reduced left ventricular function. Although reducing the hemodynamic load is known to improve myocardial fibrosis, the mechanisms underlying the reversal of the fibrosis have not been elucidated. We focused on the elasticity of myocardial tissue, which is assumed to influence the fibroblast phenotype. Normal and fibrotic myocardium were cultured in 16 kPa and 64 kPa silicone gel‐coated dishes supplemented with recombinant TGFβ protein, respectively. Matrix‐degrading myocardium was cultured in 64 kPa silicone gel‐coated dishes with recombinant TGFβ protein and then in 16 kPa silicone gel‐coated dishes. Cardiac fibroblasts were cultured in this three‐part in vitro pathological models and compared. Fibroblasts differentiated into activated or matrix‐degrading types in response to the pericellular environment. Comprehensive gene expression analysis of fibroblasts in each in vitro condition showed Selenbp1 to be one of the genes responsible for regulating differentiation of fibroblasts. In vitro knockdown of Selenbp1 enhanced fibroblast activation and inhibited conversion to the matrix‐degrading form. In vivo knockdown of Selenbp1 resulted in structural changes in the left ventricle associated with progressive tissue fibrosis and left ventricular diastolic failure. Selenbp1 is involved in regulating fibroblast differentiation and appears to be one of the major molecules regulating collagen turnover in cardiac fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rheological properties and processability at injection molding were studied for bisphenol-A polycarbonate (PC) that was modified by low-density polyethylene (LDPE) having a low shear viscosity. The LDPE addition significantly decreased the steady-state shear viscosity, especially in the high shear rate region. The decrease did not originate from slippage on the die wall but due to interfacial slippage between the PC and dispersed LDPE droplets that deformed to the flow direction to a great extent. As a result of the viscosity decrease, injection pressure largely decreased from 150 to 110 MPa with the addition only 5 wt.% of LDPE. The enhanced flowability also reduced the warpage of the molded product significantly, demonstrating that the processability at injection molding was improved by the addition of LDPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable plastics must be sufficiently stable to maintain functionality during use but need to be able to degrade rapidly after use. We previously reported that treatment with an enzyme named PaE, secreted by the basidiomycete yeast Pseudozyma antarctica can speed up this degradation. To facilitate the production of large quantities of PaE, here, we aimed to elucidate the optimal conditions of ethanol treatment for sterilization of the culture supernatant and for concentration and stabilization of PaE. The results showed that Pseudozyma antarctica completely lost its proliferating ability when incubated in ≥20% (v/v) ethanol. When the ethanol concentration was raised to 90% (v/v), PaE formed a precipitate; however, its activity was restored completely when the precipitate was dissolved in water. To reduce ethanol use, PaE was successfully concentrated and recovered by sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation and ethanol precipitation steps. Over 90% of the activity in the original culture supernatant was recovered and the specific activity was increased 3.4-fold. By preparing the enzyme solution at a final concentration of 20% (v/v) ethanol, about 60% of the initial activity was maintained at ambient temperature for over 6 months without growth of microbes. We conclude that ethanol treatment is effective for sterilization, concentration, and stabilization of PaE, and that concentrating PaE by sequential ammonium sulfate precipitation and ethanol precipitation substantially increases the PaE purity and decreases ethanol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much attention has been paid to the effects of study abroad, especially because of recent increases in participation in such programs. One problem, however, is the selection bias of participants inherent in study abroad programs. The present study examines whether participation in a short-term study abroad program leads to participation in further long-term study abroad programs. Data were obtained from 705 applicants in the 2013-2015 academic year at a Japanese university, 300 of whom were assigned randomly to participate in a short-term study abroad program. The study results showed a significantly higher participation rate among previous participants than among nonparticipants. The results of a questionnaire completed by the former participants of the short-term program showed that they were more likely to translate plans for participating in the long-term study abroad program into action based on their prior overseas experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a simple model for optical constants of CdxZn1-xSe ternary alloys. Information on the use of Dielectric-function-related optical constants; Examination of refractive-index dispersion of ternary alloys; Details on the function of the Se alloy system.

Discusses the thermoreflectance (TR) spectra of Te-based II-VI compounds of zinc telluride (ZnTe) and CdTe crystals. Experimental procedures; Structure of the electronic energy band; Interpretation of TR line shaped based on fractional coefficients.

Keratin genes belong to the intermediate filament superfamily and their expression is altered following morphological and physiological changes in vertebrate epithelial cells. Keratin genes are divided into two groups, type I and II, and are clustered on vertebrate genomes, including those of Xenopus species. Various keratin genes have been identified and characterized by their unique expression patterns throughout ontogeny in Xenopus laevis ; however, compilation of previously reported and newly identified keratin genes in two Xenopus species is required for our further understanding of keratin gene evolution, not only in amphibians but also in all terrestrial vertebrates. In this study, 120 putative type I and II keratin genes in total were identified based on the genome data from two Xenopus species. We revealed that most of these genes are highly clustered on two homeologous chromosomes, XLA9_10 and XLA2 in X. laevis , and XTR10 and XTR2 in X. tropicalis , which are orthologous to those of human, showing conserved synteny among tetrapods. RNA-Seq data from various embryonic stages and adult tissues highlighted the unique expression profiles of orthologous and homeologous keratin genes in developmental stage- and tissue-specific manners. Moreover, we identified dozens of epidermal keratin proteins from the whole embryo, larval skin, tail, and adult skin using shotgun proteomics. In light of our results, we discuss the radiation, diversification, and unique expression of the clustered keratin genes, which are closely related to epidermal development and terrestrial adaptation during amphibian evolution, including Xenopus speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of molecular aggregation structures during stretching deformation and local structure mapping around a crack tip of a segmented polyurethane elastomer film were investigated by in situ simultaneous small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and by micro-beam WAXD, respectively. Both the hard segment (HS) domain orientation and the strain-induced crystallization of poly(ε-caprolactone) chains were tracked by the WAXD pattern due to the high crystallinity of the symmetric non-bulky aliphatic HS structure. Strain-induced crystallization occurred locally at the vicinity of the crack tip, and the crystallinity immediately decayed in the exterior, whereas the HS domain orientation was observed throughout the stretched film. The mechanisms underlying crack arrest and the mechanical strength of polyurethane elastomer films are associated with the local strain-induced crystallization at the crack tip, the mechanical stability of the HS domains, and the avoidance of local stress concentration through the HS domain orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clopidogrel (Plavix ® , Sanofi-Aventis), the adenosine diphosphate P2Y 12 receptor antagonist, is reported to be effective in the prevention of cardiovascular events and is often used in combination with aspirin, particularly in high-risk patients. ASP6537 is a reversible cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 inhibitor that is under investigation as an anti-platelet agent. First, we investigated the reversibility of the antiplatelet effect of ASP6537 and its interaction with ibuprofen to compare the usability of ASP6537 with that of aspirin. We then evaluated the antithrombotic effect of ASP6537 in combination with clopidogrel using a FeCl 3 -induced thrombosis model in guinea pigs. ASP6537 exerted reversible antiplatelet activity, and no pharmacodynamic interaction with ibuprofen was noted. When administered as monotherapy, ASP6537 exerted a significant antithrombotic effect at ≥3 mg/kg, while aspirin inhibited thrombosis at 100 mg/kg. ASP6537 exerted significant additive effects in combination with clopidogrel, and the minimum antithrombotic dose was reduced by concomitant administration of clopidogrel. Our study showed that ASP6537 did not interact with ibuprofen and has clear additive effects in combination with clopidogrel. ASP6537 may therefore represent a promising antiplatelet agent for use in clinical settings in combination with clopidogrel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ASPECT consortium (Adaptable Spectrometer Enabled by Cryogenic Technology) is currently constructing a generalised cryogenic platform for cryogenic detector work which will be able to accommodate a wide range of sensors. The cryogenics system is based on a small mechanical cooler with a further adiabatic demagnetisation stage and will work with cryogenic detectors at sub-Kelvin temperatures. The commercial aim of the consortium is to produce a compact, user-friendly device with an emphasis on reliability and portability which can easily be transported for specialised on-site work, such as beam-lines or telescope facilities. The cryogenic detector platform will accommodate a specially developed cryogenic sensor, either a metallic magnetic calorimeter or a magnetic penetration-depth thermometer. The detectors will be designed to work in various temperatures regions with an emphasis on optimising the various detector resolutions for specific temperatures. One resolution target is of about 10 eV at the energies range typically created in kaonic atoms experiments (soft x-ray energies). A following step will see the introduction of continuous, high-power, sub-Kelvin cooling which will bring the cryogenic basis for a high resolution spectrometer system to the market. The scientific goal of the project will produce an experimental set-up optimised for kaon-mass measurements performing high-resolution x-ray spectroscopy on a beam-line provided foreseeably by the J-PARC (Tokai, Japan) or DAΦNE (Frascati, Italy) facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advances in genome editing using programmable nucleases have revolutionized gene targeting in various organisms. Successful gene knock-out has been shown in Xenopus, a widely used model organism, although a system enabling less mosaic knock-out in founder embryos (F0) needs to be explored in order to judge phenotypes in the F0 generation. Here, we injected modified highly active transcription activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) mRNA to oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, followed by in vitro maturation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection, to achieve a full knock-out in F0 embryos. Unlike conventional injection methods to fertilized embryos, the injection of TALEN mRNA into GV oocytes allows expression of nucleases before fertilization, enabling them to work from an earlier stage. Using this procedure, most of developed embryos showed full knock-out phenotypes of the pigmentation gene tyrosinase and/or embryonic lethal gene pax6 in the founder generation. In addition, our method permitted a large 1 kb deletion. Thus, we describe nearly complete gene knock-out phenotypes in Xenopus laevis F0 embryos. The presented method will help to accelerate the production of knock-out frogs since we can bypass an extra generation of about 1 year in Xenopus laevis. Meantime, our method provides a unique opportunity to rapidly test the developmental effects of disrupting those genes that do not permit growth to an adult able to reproduce. In addition, the protocol shown here is considerably less invasive than the previously used host transfer since our protocol does not require surgery. The experimental scheme presented is potentially applicable to other organisms such as mammals and fish to resolve common issues of mosaicism in founders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular aggregation structure evolution during uniaxial stretching deformation and the uniaxial tensile mechanical properties for an environmentally benign and biodegradable segmented poly(urethane-urea) (SPUU) elastomer based on an α-amino acid lysine-based diisocyanate (LDI) was investigated. The performance was compared with a conventional SPUU elastomer consisting of a symmetric aliphatic short chain diisocyanate (1,4-butane diisocyanate). Both SPUUs contain a 1,4-butanediamine chain extender and poly(ε-caprolactone) soft segments. The evolution of molecular aggregation structure during stretching was monitored using in-situ simultaneous small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The LDI-based SPUU film contains weakly aggregated, disordered hard segment domains that readily dissociate upon mechanical deformation. The permanent deformation through fragmentation of the hard segment domains and strain-induced crystallization are associated with the low strength and large hysteresis loss of the LDI-based SPUU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is responsible for susceptibility to its ligand-dependent responses. However, the effect of non-AHR factors is less clear. To explore the non-AHR factors, we used two mouse strains with different AHR genetic variants, namely C3H/ lpr and MRL/ lpr strains with Ala and Val as the 375th amino acid residue, respectively. To assess the contribution of AHR alone, COS-7 cells transiently expressing AHR from each strain were treated with 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin (TCDD), and xenobiotic-responsive element (XRE)-driven reporter gene activities were measured. FICZ-EC values for the C3H/ lpr and MRL/ lpr AHR-mediated transactivation were 0.023 and 0.046 nM, respectively, indicating a similar susceptibility in both AHR genotypes. In contrast, C3H/ lpr AHR was fourfold more sensitive to TCDD than MRL/ lpr AHR. By a pull-down assay using a XRE-containing PCR product as bait and the hepatic nuclear extracts of both FICZ-treated mouse strains, we identified two interacting proteins as heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNP- A2) and its splicing variant (hnRNP- A2b). Immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated the AHR interaction with hnRNP- A2/B1. When hnRNP- A2 was co-expressed with the MRL/ lpr or C3H/ lpr AHR in COS-7, FICZ treatment decreased EC to about threefold in both AHR genotypes, compared with EC in AHR alone. Similarly, hnRNP- A2b co-expression also lowered the FICZ-EC values. In TCDD-treated COS-7, responses depended on the AHR genotype; while no change in TCDD-EC was observed for C3H/ lpr AHR when hnRNP- A2 was co-expressed, the value was reduced to nearly tenfold for MRL/ lpr AHR. Co-transfection with hnRNP- A2b attenuated the AHR sensitivity to TCDD. In conclusion, the hnRNP- A2/ B1 interacting with AHR may be a modulator of the AHR ligand sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yeast strain, Cryptococcus flavus GB-1, isolated from rice husks as a candidate producer of a biodegradable plastic (BP)-degrading enzyme. The genomic DNA sequence encoding the BP-degrading enzyme of GB-1 was determined. The enzyme was named CfCLE because the deduced amino acid sequence (239 amino acids) was found to be 93% identical to that of CLE of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 (accession No. BAK82405.1 ). The strain GB-1 forms a clear zone (halo) around its colonies on emulsified polybutylene succinate- co -adipate (PBSA) agar plates containing soybean oil but not on plates containing glucose. A UV-induced mutant from this strain, designated as GB-1-DMC1, formed halos on emulsified PBSA plates containing glucose and showed 1.53 U/ml of PBSA-degrading activity in liquid culture with glucose, which was more than 2.5-fold higher than that of the parent strain GB-1 (0.58 U/ml). Moreover, using xylose as a carbon source enhanced the PBSA-degrading activity of both strains. Xylose fed-batch cultivation of GB-1 and GB-1-DMC1 using a 5-l jar fermentor for 72 h produced 12.1 and 21.2 U/ml of CfCLE, respectively. Purified CfCLE has a molecular mass of 22 kDa, and its optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity is 7.8 and 45 °C, respectively. CfCLE degraded various BP cast films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: After chemotherapy for metastatic testicular tumors, masses may remain, often in the metastatic sites. This study analyses the role of resections for the residual masses. Methods: Seventy-seven patients with advanced (stage II, III) testicular tumors were treated. Of these, 38 patients, including eight with seminoma and 30 patients with non-seminomatous germ cell tumors, underwent resection of residual masses after chemotherapy and have been followed for a median of 41.5 months (range 2–138) after the resection. Results: Residual masses were necrosis/fibrosis in 19 patients, mature teratoma in 11 and cancer in eight. The ratio of cancer in stage III (41.2%) was significantly higher than that in stage II (4.8%). Ten of 38 (26.3%) patients experienced recurrences in sites other than the resected sites, and five of 10 patients have died of cancer. Most recurrences (80%) occurred within two years. Recurrences after resection were detected in 4.8% of stage II patients, 52.9% of stage III, 16.7% of necrosis/fibrosis and mature teratoma, and 62.5% of cancer. The survival rate of patients with cancer was significantly lower in spite of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery. Conclusions: Resection for residual masses after chemotherapy in metastatic testicular tumors was useful in confirming the tissue and in controlling the metastatic sites. Recurrences were often found in patients with cancer in the residual mass and the prognosis of patients with cancer was poor, therefore the development of more effective therapy for patients with cancer is required to improve the prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paraphoma-related fungal strain B47-9 secreted a biodegradable plastic (BP)-degrading enzyme which amounted to 68 % ( w/ w) of the total secreted proteins in a culture medium containing emulsified poly(butylene succinate- co-adipate) (PBSA) as sole carbon source. The gene for this enzyme was found to be composed of an open reading frame consisting of 681 nucleotides encoding 227 amino acids and two introns. Southern blot analysis showed that this gene exists as a single copy. The deduced amino acid sequence suggested that this enzyme belongs to the cutinase (E.C.3.1.1.74) family; thus, it was named P araphoma-related fungus cutinase- like enzyme (PCLE). It degraded various types of BP films, such as poly(butylene succinate), PBSA, poly(butylene adipate- co-terephthalate), poly( ε-caprolactone), and poly( dl-lactic acid). It has a molecular mass of 19.7 kDa, and an optimum pH and temperature for degradation of emulsified PBSA of 7.2 and 45 °C, respectively. Ca ion at a concentration of about 1.0 mM markedly enhanced the degradation of emulsified PBSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Administration of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is an innovative approach for the treatment of a range of diseases that are not curable by current therapies including heart failure. A number of clinical trials have been completed and many others are ongoing; more than 2, 000 patients worldwide have been administered with culture-expanded allogeneic or autologous MSCs for the treatment of various diseases, showing feasibility and safety (and some efficacy) of this approach. However, protocols for isolation and expansion of donor MSCs vary widely between these trials, which could affect the efficacy of the therapy. It is therefore important to develop international standards of MSC production, which should be evidence-based, regulatory authority compliant, of good medical practice grade, cost-effective, and clinically practical, so that this innovative approach becomes an established widely adopted treatment. This review article summarizes protocols to isolate and expand bone marrow-derived MSCs in 47 recent clinical trials of MSC-based therapy, which were published after 2007 onwards and provided sufficient methodological information. Identified issues and possible solutions associated with the MSC production methods, including materials and protocols for isolation and expansion, are discussed with reference to relevant experimental evidence with aim of future clinical success of MSC-based therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two yeast strains, which have the ability to degrade biodegradable plastic films, were isolated from the larval midgut of a stag beetle, Aegus laevicollis. Both of them are most closely related to Cryptococcus magnus and could degrade biodegradable plastic (BP) films made of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and poly(butylene succinate- co-adipate) (PBSA) effectively. A BP-degrading enzyme was purified from the culture broth of one of the isolated strains employing a newly developed affinity purification method based on the binding action of the enzyme to the substrate (emulsified PBSA) and its subsequent degradative action toward the substrate. Partial amino acid sequences of this enzyme suggested that it belongs to the cutinase family, and thus, the enzyme was named CmCut1. It has a molecular mass of 21 kDa and a degradative activity for emulsified PBSA which was significantly enhanced by the simultaneous presence of Ca or Mg at a concentration of about 2.5 mM. Its optimal pH was 7.5, and the optimal temperature was 40 °C. It showed a broad substrate specificity for p-nitrophenyl (pNP)-fatty acid esters ranging from pNP-acetate (C2) to pNP-stearate (C18) and films of PBSA, PBS, poly( ε-caprolactone), and poly(lactic acid). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidative transformation of primary amines to their corresponding oximes proceeds with high efficiency under molecular oxygen diluted with molecular nitrogen (O2/N2 = 7/93 v/v, 5 MPa) in the presence of the catalysts 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and tungusten oxide/alumina (WO3/Al2O3). The method is environmentally benign, because the reaction requires only molecular oxygen as the terminal oxidant and gives water as a side product. Various alicyclic amines and aliphatic amines can be converted to their corresponding oximes in excellent yields. It is noteworthy that the oxidative transformation of primary amines proceeds chemoselectively in the presence of other functional groups. The key step of the present oxidation is a fast electron transfer from the primary amine to DPPH followed by proton transfer to give the α-aminoalkyl radical intermediate, which undergoes reaction with molecular oxygen and hydrogen abstraction to give α-aminoalkyl hydroperoxide. Subsequent reaction of the peroxide with WO3/Al2O3 gives oximes. The aerobic oxidation of secondary amines gives the corresponding nitrones. Aerobic oxidative transformation of cyclohexylamines to cyclohexanone oximes is important as a method for industrial production of ε-caprolactam, a raw material for Nylon 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ring-opening polymerizations of THF using V(NR)(CH2SiMe3)(OAr)2[R = 2,6-Me2C6H3, 1-adamantyl (Ad), Ph; Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3, C6F5] proceededin a livingmanner in the presence of [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4], affording high molecular weight polymers with lowPDI (Mw/Mn) values: the observed activity (initiation efficiency) was affectedby the arylimido and aryloxo ligands employed. A new vanadium(V)-alkylidene,V(CHSiMe3)(NAd)(OC6F5)(PMe3)2, prepared from V(NAd)(CH2SiMe3)2(OC6F5) by α-hydrogen eliminationin n-hexane in the presence of PMe3at25 °C, exhibited remarkable catalytic activity for ring-openingmetathesis polymerization of norbornene: the activity at 25 °Cwas higher than those by the reported vanadium(V)-alkylidenes andordinary Mo(CHCMe2Ph)(N-2,6-iPr2-C6H3)(OtBu)2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DISTO data of p + p→ p + Λ + K reactions at several beam energies were studied. We found in the missing-mass Δ M( K) spectrum and the Λ p invariant-mass spectrum at 2.85 GeV a broad resonance with M = 2267 MeV/ c and Γ = 118 MeV, associated with a mono energetic kaon spectrum, indicating that a dibaryonic state ( X) with strangeness − 1 is produced in the p + p→ X + K reaction with X decaying into p + Λ. The energy dependence of the X production rate and the preliminary result of the recently analyzed p + p→ p + Λ + K data at T = 2.5 GeV is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Various (adamantylimido)vanadium(V) dialkyl complexes containing aryloxo ligands, V(NAd)(CH2SiMe3)2(OAr) [Ad = 1-adamantyl (1); Ar = Ph (a), 4-FC6H4 (b), 2,6-F2C6H3 (c), 2,6-Me2C6H3 (d), C6F5 (e)], have been prepared and identified. These complexes were employed as the catalyst precursors for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of norbornene (NBE) in the presence of PMe3 at 80 °C. The activity was strongly affected by the aryloxo substituent and increased in the order: C6H5 < 4-FC6H4 < 2,6-Me2C6H3 << 2,6-F2C6H3, C6F5. The same trend was observed in the ROMPs by the arylimido–aryloxo analogues, V(NAr′)(CH2SiMe3)2(OAr) (2a–e; Ar′ = 2,6-Me2C6H3), under the same conditions, and the activities by the arylimido analogues were generally higher than the adamantylimido analogues in most case. The (imido)vanadium(V) complexes containing O-2,6-F2C6H3 (1,2c) or OC6F5 (1,2e) exhibited high catalytic activities, and these results strongly suggest that electronic as well as steric factors play a role. Living ring-opening polymerization of THF proceeded in the presence of V(NAd) (CH2SiMe3)(OAr)2 (Ar = 2,6-Me2C6H3, C6F5) and [Ph3C][B(C6F5)4], affording high molecular weight polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (ex. Mn  = 2.11 × 105, Mw /Mn  = 1.18). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Eltrombopag, an orally-active small molecule thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist, was used for the first time in 2008 to treat patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Here, we investigated the pharmacological effect of a new orally-active small molecule TPO receptor agonist which may be effective in treating these patients. 50% effective concentration values for cell proliferation with AS1670542 or eltrombopag were 1.9 and 13nM, respectively, while those for megakaryocyte colony formation from human cord blood CD34+ cells with AS1670542 or eltrombopag were 260 and 950nM, respectively. On Day 14 after the start of administration, AS1670542 significantly increased the number of human platelets in non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice with transplanted human hematopoietic stem cells at 0.3 (P <0.05); in contrast, while administration of eltrombopag also increased the numbers of these platelets at 30mg/kg/day (P =0.058), no statistical significance was noted in the increase. Here, we identified AS1670542, a novel orally-active TPO receptor agonist which mimics the biological activity of TPO and may demonstrate greater in vitro and in vivo pharmacologically efficacy than eltrombopag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer-stabilised blue phase (PSBP) is one of the most promising materials for display devices because of its superior electro-optical properties compared with conventional nematics. However, the application of the PSBP has a serious practical issue in that the driving voltage required is too high to drive with thin film transitors, that is, the magnitude of the Kerr constant of PSBPs is insufficient. We present a useful method for increasing the Kerr constant based on the control of polymer aggregation structure using a cross-linker with a chiral structure. The director distortion arising from polymer networks in the PSBP seems to be responsible for the resulting improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The conductivity and elastic modulus of (CeO2)1− x (YO1.5) x for x values of 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.30, and 0.40 were investigated by experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. The calculated conductivity exhibited a maximum value at approximately 15 mol% Y2O3; this trend agreed with that of the experimental results. In order to clarify the reason for the occurrence of the maximum conductivity, the paths for the transfer of oxygen vacancies were counted. The numerical result revealed that as the content of Y2O3 dopant increases, the number of paths for the transfer of oxygen vacancies decreases, whereas the number of oxygen vacancies for conductivity increases. Thus, the trade-off between the increase in the number of vacancy sites and the decrease in the vacancy transfer was considered to be the reason for the maximum conductivity occurring at the Y2O3 dopant content of approximately 15 mol%. The calculated elastic modulus also exhibited a minimum value at approximately 20 mol% Y2O3, which also agreed with the experimental results. It was shown that the Y–O–Y bonding energy increased with the increasing content of Y2O3 dopant. Thus, the trade-off between the increase in the number of vacancy sites and that in the Y–O–Y bonding energy was considered to be the reason for the minimum elastic modulus occurring at the Y2O3 dopant content of approximately 20 mol%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Amphibian body skin provides an opportunity to investigate the molecular mechanism of thyroid hormone (TH)-dependent organ remodeling during metamorphosis. Global gene expression changes in the TH-dependent body skin remodeling were studied with microarray analysis. We identified 401 genes that were differentially expressed more than fourfold for 7 days after TH-treatment. As expected, larval- and adult-type keratin genes were significantly inactivated and activated, respectively. The expression changes of the Gene Ontology annotated genes demonstrated significant correlation with the morphological and physiological changes in body skin metamorphosis. The ‘transcription and proteolysis’ category genes were first upregulated 1 day after TH-treatment. Subsequently, the ‘cell cycle’ category genes were activated at 3 days. The ‘defense response’ and ‘immune response’ category genes were the late TH-response genes, which were downregulated and upregulated at 5 and 7 days, respectively. From these genes, adult-type keratin-c (xak-c) gene was selected as a suitable gene to visually monitor the emergence of adult-type epidermal cells during skin remodeling, because the gene is specifically expressed in adult epidermal basal cells. We generated enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-transgenic Xenopus laevis driven by the promoter of xak-c gene. The keratin promoter faithfully expressed the EGFP gene in adult-type basal cells. Spatial and temporal EGFP-fluorescence patterns of filial 1 (F1)-offspring tadpoles visually demonstrated an event of sequential replacement of larval keratinocytes with the newly generated adult counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The initiation of stress corrosion cracking in fcc Fe–Cr–Ni ternary alloys was studied by means of quantum chemical molecular dynamics at 288°C. This study showed that the iron and chromium atoms segregate faster than nickel atoms at the surfaces. The atomic model showed that nickel enrichment occurred at the inner oxide layer. The binding energy helps reduce the mobility of the nickel atoms. The surface morphology showed that Fe, Cr, and O accumulate on the very top surface while Fe, Cr, Ni, and O bonding takes place beneath this revealing the formation of an outer and inner oxide film. The diffusion of oxygen and hydrogen into the surface increases when it is under strain. The deeply diffused hydrogen becomes negatively charged by taking electron from metal atoms. Consequently, the process weakens the metallic bonds following with the result that oxygen can diffuse easily into the surface. It seems that hydrogen effectively functions as an oxygen carrier. This kind of reaction process can take place in the molecular domain of a crack tip and thus play a vital role in initiating the SCC process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thrombopoietin (TPO) is the principal physiologic regulator of platelet production. We have searched for small molecule compounds that mimic the action of TPO by using human TPO receptor-expressed in Ba/F3 cells, resulting in the discovery of AKR-501 (YM477). AKR-501 specifically targeted the TPO receptor and stimulated megakaryocytopoiesis throughout the development and maturation of megakaryocytes just as rhTPO did. AKR-501, however, was shown to be effective only in humans and chimpanzees with high species specificity. Therefore, we examined the in vivo platelet-increasing effect of AKR-501 in human platelet producing non-obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficiency (NOD/SCID) mice transplanted with human fetal liver CD34+ cells. Daily oral administration of AKR-501 dose-dependently increased the number of human platelets in these mice, with significance achieved at doses of 1 mg/kg and above. The peak unbound plasma concentrations of AKR-501 after administration at 1 mg/kg in NOD/SCID mice were similar to those observed following administration of an active oral dose in human subjects. These results suggest that AKR-501 is an orally-active TPO receptor agonist that may be useful in the treatment of patients with thrombocytopenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: AKR-501 (YM477) is an orally active thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist that mimics the biological effect of TPO in vitro and in vivo. Here, we report that AKR-501 in combination with TPO has additive effect on megakaryocytopoiesis. Materials and Methods: Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor–mobilized human peripheral blood CD34+ cells were cultured with AKR-501, TPO, or a combination of the two in serum-free liquid culture system. The numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells, megakaryocytic progenitor cells, and megakaryocytes were measured using flow cytometry. Further, the effect of AKR-501 on TPO binding to TPO receptor was examined. Results: Both AKR-501 and TPO alone increased the number of megakaryocytes, and the maximum activities of AKR-501 and TPO were similar. Interestingly, in the presence of TPO concentrations producing maximal stimulation, the addition of AKR-501 increased the number of megakaryocytes to about 200% of that generated with TPO only. In the time course experiment, the combination of AKR-501 and TPO augmented the numbers of hematopoietic progenitor cells and colony-forming unit in culture in the early stages. Thus, the combination of AKR-501 and TPO enhanced not only the differentiation into megakaryocytes, but also the expansion of human hematopoietic progenitor cells. Further, AKR-501 did not inhibit TPO binding to the TPO receptor. This result indicated the possibility that AKR-501 and TPO may act simultaneously on the TPO receptor, and this could be responsible for their additive effect of on megakaryocytopoiesis. Conclusions: This study suggests that AKR-501 would be useful for the treatment of thrombocytopenia even at high plasma levels of endogenous TPO following chemotherapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The most appropriate time for screening for Fabry disease (FD) is school age. For this reason, we developed non-invasive methods for measuring urinary α-galactosidase A (α-gal A) protein, using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and for globotriaosylceramide (GL-3), using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). We measured these two biomarkers in the urine of previously diagnosed FD hemizygotes and heterozygotes, and in controls. All the classic FD hemizygotes were clearly distinguished from controls by either method alone, and combining the two assays produced 96% sensitivity for detecting heterozygotes. To assess the utility of these methods for screening school children and adults at high risk of FD, a pilot study was conducted. To distinguish FD from 432 controls, cut-off values for α-gal A protein and GL-3 were set at the 5th and 95th centile values of the controls, respectively. Among the high-risk patients, the measurements exceeded the cut-off values for both biomarkers in male and female subjects and were strong indicators for Fabry hemizygotes and heterozygotes. However, we recommend that if the results of the first measurements exceed the cut-off values for only one of these biomarkers, another urine sample should be requested for re-assay to confirm the result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new ligand, diphenylmethylcyclopropylphosphine, has successfully been applied in the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and α-arylation of ketones with aryl chlorides in moderate to high yields. An asymmetric coupling between anisyl chloride and 2-methylindan-1-one was also tested as the first trial, giving 80% yield and 41% ee with 1 mol% of Pd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Quantum chemical molecular dynamics simulation was applied to study the oxidation of bare Fe (111) and Fe–Cr (111) surfaces with strain in high temperature water. Simulation results implied the surface morphologies differ from Fe to Fe–Cr because of strong bond between oxygen and chromium atoms. Oxygen atoms were trapped around chromium atoms at Fe–Cr surface, whereas oxygen penetrated into the lattice of Fe bare surface. As a result, the oxygen diffusivity into the Fe–Cr crystal surface reduced. It indicated that the preferential oxidation of chromium would take place on Fe–Cr clean surface at the beginning of the oxidation process. Diffusion of hydrogen and oxygen significantly increased when strain applied to the defective surface. Hydrogen atoms being in the lattice of metal possessed the highly negative charge which indicated the surface oxidized by this negative charge H. Negative charged oxygen atoms make bond with the metallic atom which breakage ultimate metal–metal bond. These bond breakages indicated the formation of oxide layer on the surface and play a key role in subsequent localized corrosion nucleation like stress corrosion cracking. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are thought to have unique chromatin structures responsible for their capacity for self-renewal and pluripotency. To examine this possibility, we sought nuclear proteins in mouse ES cells that specifically bind to histones using a pull-down assay with synthetic peptides of histone H3 and H4 tail domain as baits. Nuclear proteins preferentially bound to the latter. We identified 45 proteins associated with the histone H4 tail and grouped them into four categories: 10 chromatin remodeling proteins, five histone chaperones, two histone modification-related proteins, and 28 other proteins. mRNA expression levels of 20 proteins selected from these 45 proteins were compared between undifferentiated and retinoic acid (RA)-induced differentiated ES cells. All of the genes were similarly expressed in both states of ES cells, except nucleoplasmin 3 (NPM3) that was expressed at a higher level in the undifferentiated cells. NPM3 proteins were localized in the nucleoli and nuclei of the cells and expression was decreased during RA-induced differentiation. When transfected with NPM3 gene, ES cells significantly increased their proliferation compared with control cells. The present study strongly suggests that NPM3 is a chromatin remodeling protein responsible for the unique chromatin structure and replicative capacity of ES cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Glycoside-hydrolase-family 9 (GHF9) cellulases are known to be widely distributed in metazoa. These enzymes have been appreciably well investigated in protostome invertebrates such as arthropods, nematodes, and mollusks but have not been characterized in deuterostome invertebrates such as sea squirts and sea urchins. In the present study, we isolated the cellulase from the Japanese purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus nudus and determined its enzymatic properties and primary structure. The sea urchin enzyme was extracted from the acetone-dried powder of digestive tract of S. nudus and purified by conventional chromatographies. The purified enzyme, which we named SnEG54, showed a molecular mass of 54kDa on SDS–PAGE and exhibited high hydrolytic activity toward carboxymethyl cellulose with an optimum temperature and pH at 35°C and 6.5, respectively. SnEG54 degraded cellulose polymer and cellooligosaccharides larger than cellotriose producing cellotriose and cellobiose but not these small cellooligosaccharides. From a cDNA library of the digestive tract we cloned 1822-bp cDNA encoding the amino-acid sequence of 444 residues of SnEG54. This sequence showed 50–57% identity with the sequences of GHF9 cellulases from abalone, sea squirt, and termite. The amino-acid residues crucial for the catalytic action of GHF9 cellulases are completely conserved in the SnEG54 sequence. An 8-kbp structural gene fragment encoding SnEG54 was amplified by PCR from chromosomal DNA of S. nudus. The positions of five introns are consistent with those in other animal GHF9 cellulase genes. Thus, we confirmed that the sea urchin produces an active GHF9 cellulase closely related to other animal cellulases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A suitable model for the preclinical study of human platelet production in vivo has not been available. NOD/SCID mice were characterized as representing an efficient engraftment model for human hematopoietic stem cells, which resulted in the production of human platelets. Here, we evaluated in vivo human thrombopoiesis and ex vivo human platelet functions in NOD/SCID mice transplanted with human cord blood (CB) CD34+ cells. Human platelets and human CD45+ cells appeared in peripheral blood of NOD/SCID mice from 4 wk after transplantation. Human platelets produced in these mice showed CD62P expression and the activation of GPIIb/IIIa on human platelets on stimulation with an agonist. PEG-rHuMGDF (0, 0.5 and 5 μg/kg/d s.c.) was injected for 14 d into mice that had been confirmed to produce human platelets stably. The number of human platelets increased about twofold at 0.5 μg/kg/d and about fivefold at 5 μg/kg/d after 14 d. Withdrawal of PEG-rHuMGDF administration caused the human platelet count to return to the pretreatment level. Further, re-administration of PEG-rHuMGDF induced a similar human thrombopoietic response as it did on initial administration. These results suggest that NOD/SCID mice engrafted with human CB CD34+ cells will be useful for the study of human platelet production in vivo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We previously reported the isolation and cDNA cloning of an endolytic alginate lyase, HdAly, from abalone Haliotis discus hannai [Carbohydr. Res. 2003, 338, 2841–2852]. Although HdAly preferentially degraded mannuronate-rich substrates, it was incapable of degrading unsaturated oligomannuronates smaller than tetrasaccharide. In the present study, we used conventional chromatographic techniques to isolate a novel unsaturated-trisaccharide-degrading enzyme, named HdAlex, from the digestive fluid of the abalone. The HdAlex showed a molecular weight of 32,000 on SDS-PAGE and could degrade not only unsaturated trisaccharide but also alginate and mannuronate-rich polymers at an optimal pH and temperature of 7.1 and 42°C, respectively. Upon digestion of alginate polymer, HdAlex decreased the viscosity of the alginate at a slower rate than did HdAly, producing only unsaturated disaccharide without any intermediate oligosaccharides. These results indicate that HdAlex degrades the alginate polymer in an exolytic manner. Because HdAlex split saturated trisaccharide producing unsaturated disaccharide, we considered that this enzyme cleaved the alginate at the second glycoside linkage from the reducing terminus. The primary structure of HdAlex was deduced with cDNAs amplified from an abalone hepatopancreas cDNA library by the polymerase chain reaction. The translational region of 822 bp in the total 887-bp sequence of HdAlex cDNA encoded an amino-acid sequence of 273 residues. The N-terminal sequence of 16 residues, excluding the initiation methionine, was regarded as the signal peptide of this enzyme. The amino-acid sequence of the remaining 256 residues shared 62–67% identities with those of the polysaccharide lyase family-14 (PL14) enzymes such as HdAly and turban-shell alginate lyase SP2. To our knowledge, HdAlex is the first exolytic oligoalginate lyase belonging to PL14. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A stoichiometric amount of hydrogen was generated by catalytic hydrolysis reaction of lithium borohydride solution over nano-sized platinum dispersed on LiCoO2 (Pt-LiCoO2). The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Analysis showed that the particles size of platinum was about 2nm and they are dispersed on LiCoO2. The H2 generation rate was expressed by the zero order rate equation and increased with an increase of the catalyst content. Compared with a mixture of Pt and LiCoO2, catalytic properties of Pt-LiCoO2 was superior. The reason proposed for the higher catalytic activity of Pt-LiCoO2 was the small platinum particle size. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

One of the major issues in myocardial gene therapy is poor transfection efficiency. The herpes simplex virus protein VP22 is known to facilitate intercellular protein transport. Not only VP22 but also VP22-linked protein are exported from the cytoplasm of cells, in which it is synthesised endogenously, and transferred to surrounding cells, where it is translocated into the nuclei. However, the feasibility and efficiency of the intercellular trafficking properties of VP22-linked protein in the myocardium has not been clarified. Rat hearts were transfected by direct intramyocardial injection of naked plasmid vectors encoding either lacZ or VP22-linked lacZ. At day 5 following transfection, similar numbers of cardiomyocytes surrounding the injection sites showed β-galactosidase (β -gal) expression in the cytoplasm in both groups. In addition to this, following transfection of VP22-linked lacZ, most of the cardiomyocytes adjacent to the cytoplasmic-positive cells demonstrated nuclear-localised β-gal expression. The number of these nuclear-positive cardiomyocytes, which are thought to be secondary protein-transported cells, was 4.3-fold greater than that of primary transfected, cytoplasmic-positive cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the amount of targeted protein expression is 2.9-fold greater following VP22-lacZ transfection (VP22-linked β-gal; approximately 40 kDa bigger than wild-type β-gal) compared with lacZ transfection (wild-type β-gal). This data highlights the efficiency of the VP22-mediated intercellular protein delivery in the myocardium following in vivo gene transfection and suggests that the VP22-mediated effect is useful in enhancing the efficacy of myocardial gene therapy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

After myocardial infarction (MI), adverse remodeling with left ventricular (LV) dilatation is a major determinant of poor outcome. Skeletal myoblast (SkM) implantation improves cardiac function post-MI, although the mechanism is unclear. IL-1 influences post-MI hypertrophy and collagen turnover and is implicated in 5kM death after grafting. We hypothesized that 5kM expressing secretory IL-1 receptor antagonist (slL-1ra) at MI border zones would specifically attenuate adverse remodeling and exhibit improved graft cell number. Stable murine male 5kM lines (5 × 105 cells), expressing or nonexpressing (cont) for sIL-1ra, were implanted into infarct border zones of female nude mice immediately after left coronary artery occlusion. LV ejection fraction (LVEF), end-diastolic diameter, and transmitral peak early/late (E/A) flow velocity ratio were determined by echocardiography. Cardiac myocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis were assessed by morphometry, picrosirius red staining, and hydroxyproline assay. At 3 weeks, cont-SkM-engrafted hearts showed reduced hypertrophy, improved LVEF (55.7 ± 1.2% vs. MI-only: 40.3 ± 2.9%), and preserved E/A ratios. slL-1ra-SkM implantation enhanced these effects (LVEF, 67.0 ± 2.3%) and significantly attenuated LV dilatation (LV end-diastolic diameter, 4.0 ± 1.1 mm vs. cont-SkM, 4.5 ± 1.2 mm vs. MI-only, 4.8 ± 1.8 mm); this was associated with greater graft numbers, as shown by PCR for male-specific smcy gene. Enzyme zymography showed attenuated matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 up-regulation post-MI by either donor 5kM type, although infarct-remote zone collagen was reduced only with slL-1ra-SkM. These results suggest that 5kM implantation improves cardiac function post-MI by modulation of adverse remodeling, and that this effect can be significantly enhanced by targeting IL-1 as a key upstream regulator of both adverse remodeling and graft cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed a hydrogen generator that generates high purity hydrogen gas from the aqueous solution of sodium borohydride, NaBH4. This paper discussed the performance testing of the hydrogen generator using a Pt-LiCoO2-coated honeycomb monolith. The NaBH4 solution hydrolyzed to generate H2 and sodium metaborate when it contacted the monolith. The gravimetric and the volumetric H2 densities of the system were 2 wt.% and 1.5 kg H2/100 l, respectively. The volumetric density was similar to that of the compressed H2 at 25 MPa. The hydrogen generator successfully provided a maximum H2 generation rate of 120 nl/min. Assuming a standard PEM (polymer electrolyte fuel cell, PEFC) fuel cell operated at 0.7 V, generating 120 nl/min was equivalent to12 kW. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Anuran larval skin undergoes a process of metamorphosis into preadult and adult skin. Basal skein, larval basal and adult basal cells are basement membrane-attaching cells in the larval, preadult and adult epidermis, respectively, and are identified as cells expressing genes of RLK ( Rana larval keratin), both RLK and RAK ( Rana adult keratin), and RAK. Larval to preadult skin conversion takes place in the histological entity called the skin transformation center (STC). The present study performed a cDNA subtractive gene screening on cDNA of the larval and the preadult skin, and cloned the secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) gene as an upregulated gene in the larva to preadult skin conversion. RAK gene-positive basal skein cells and fibroblasts in and around the STC were weakly and strongly sparc-positive, respectively. Using sparc and rak, we redefined the STC and visualized it on a histological section as an approximately 150 µm-long region that contained about 20 rak-negative and weakly sparc-positive basal cells. Intense sparc expression was observed in basal skein cells, but not in larval basal cells, suggesting that SPARC acts as a suppressor of rak during epidermal differentiation. This suggestion was tested by investigating the effect of SPARC on cultured larval basal cells. We observed that SPARC suppressed the expression of rak, but not rlk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cellulase [endo-β-1,4-d-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4)] was isolated from the hepatopancreas of abalone Haliotis discus hannai by successive chromatographies on TOYOPEARL CM-650M, hydroxyapatite and Sephacryl S-200 HR. The molecular mass of the cellulase was estimated to be 66 000 Da by SDS/PAGE, thus the enzyme was named HdEG66. The hydrolytic activity of HdEG66 toward carboxymethylcellulose showed optimal temperature and pH at 38 °C and 6.3, respectively. cDNAs encoding HdEG66 were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction from an abalone hepatopancreas cDNA library with primers synthesized on the basis of partial amino-acid sequences of HdEG66. By overlapping the nucleotide sequences of the cDNAs, a sequence of 1898 bp in total was determined. The coding region of 1785 bp located at nucleotide position 56–1840 gave an amino-acid sequence of 594 residues including the initiation methionine. The N-terminal region of 14 residues in the deduced sequence was regarded as the signal peptide as it was absent in HdEG66 protein and showed high similarity to the consensus sequence for signal peptides of eukaryote secretory proteins. Thus, matured HdEG66 was thought to consist of 579 residues. The C-terminal region of 453 residues in HdEG66, i.e. approximately the C–terminal three quarters of the protein, showed 42–44% identity to the catalytic domains of glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GHF9)-cellulases from arthropods and Thermomonospora fusca . While the N-terminal first quarter of HdEG66 showed 27% identity to the carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) of a Cellulomonas fimi cellulase, CenA. Thus, the HdEG66 was regarded as the GHF9-cellulase possessing a family II CBM in the N-terminal region. By genomic PCR using specific primers to the 3′-terminal coding sequences of HdEG66-cDNA, a DNA of 2186 bp including three introns was amplified. This strongly suggests that the origin of HdEG66 is not from symbiotic bacteria but abalone itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our tight-binding quantum chemical molecular dynamics (TBMD) program was applied to the investigation of the structural and electronic properties of LixMn2O4. The calculated lattice constants of the LiMn2O4 and λ-MnO2 were 8.17 and 8.08 A˚, respectively, which are in good agreement with experimental results. The electronic analysis showed that the manganese atoms in the LiMn2O4 were separated into two groups based on their electronic states, which correspond to Mn3+ and Mn4+. We calculated the average potential for the reaction of Li+Mn2O4→LiMn2O4 and obtained the average potential of 4.2 V. The experimental value of the potential is approximately 4.0 V, indicating that our program is a powerful tool to predict the potential of various materials, as well as their atomistic and electronic structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) reacted slowly with water to liberate 4 mol of hydrogen/mol of the compound at room temperature. Hydrogen generation was accelerated by applying metal–metal oxide catalysts such as Pt–TiO2, Pt–CoO and Pt–LiCoO2. As the metal crystallites size decreased and the amount increased, the hydrogen generation rate increased. It was indicated that the hydrogen generation rates using Pt and LiCoO2 were high compared with those using other metal and metal oxide, respectively. It seemed that a key finding was that use of the supercritical CO2 method produced a superior catalyst.Borohydride ion was stabilized in alkaline solution containing at least 5% by weight of NaOH. Alkaline stabilized solution of NaBH4 can be applied as a hydrogen source. We found that Pt–LiCoO2 worked as an excellent catalyst for releasing hydrogen from the stabilized NaBH4 solution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes play important roles in the biosynthesis of flavonoids that determine flower color. Three P450s, flavonoid 3′-hydroxylase (F3′H), flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase (F3′,5′H) and flavone synthase II (FNSII), are involved in torenia flavonoid biosynthesis. In this study, we isolated a full-length cDNA of F3′H from a torenia petal cDNA library. The deduced amino acid sequence of torenia F3′H has 82 and 80% identity to those of Arabidopsis and petunia F3′Hs, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that F3′H and F3′,5′H genes diverted before speciation of higher plants during evolution. Expression of torenia F3′H cDNA in yeast demonstrated that torenia F3′H catalyzed hydroxylation at the 3′ position of naringenin, dihydrokaempferol, kaempferol and apigenin. Km values for these compounds were 0.83, 3.95, 2.96 and 21.5 μM, respectively. Northern analysis showed that the accumulation of anthocyanins and flavones was transcriptionally regulated and that the transcription of the FNSII gene was differently regulated from F3′H and F3′,5′H genes. The torenia, whose F3′,5′H expression had been suppressed, was further transformed with the F3′H gene driven by a constitutive promoter. Some of the transgenic torenia plants had an elevated amount of cyanidin-type anthocyanins and thus redder flower color. Co-suppression of the FNSII gene in the torenia successfully decreased the amount of flavones and increased the amount of flavanones, and yielded paler flower color. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Combinational chemistry is an efficient technique to find materials with novel properties by synthesizing and screening a large number of compounds in a short time. Recently, we introduced the concept of combinational approach into computational chemistry and proposed a novel approach, “combinatorial computational chemistry”. In the present study, we applied combinatorial computational chemistry to investigate the structural properties of lithium transition metal oxides, LiMO2 (M=3d transitional metal), with a layered rocksalt structure. LiMO2 is a promising material as positive electrodes in rechargeable lithium batteries. Density functional calculations on periodic models were performed to investigate the structural properties of LiCoO2, LiNiO2, and doped LiNiO2, revealing that the poor charge–discharge cyclic reversibility of LiNiO2 resulted from the large change in the structure due to the difference in the bond length between Ni3+–O and Ni4+–O. The analysis of the structural properties of Li0.66Ni0.5Me0.5O2 (Me=dopant) revealed that doping with Co decreased the change in the structure of LiNiO2 during cycling. Doping of Ni with Al was also found to stabilize LiNiO2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractBackground: Simultaneous determinations of human chorionic gonadotropin hormone (hCG) and hCG-β frequently produce discrepancies, that is when hCG or hCG-β is normal, the other is elevated. Accordingly, we examined the significance of simultaneous determination of serum hCG and hCG-β in testicular tumors. Methods: Simultaneous determination of hCG and hCG-β was performed in 54 patients with testicular seminoma and 74 with non-seminomatous testicular tumors. Results: For detection of seminoma patients, hCG-β was more effective than hCG because hCG-β was positive in 83% (45/54) of the patients and hCG was positive in 50% (27/54). In non-seminomatous testicular tumor cases, hCG-β was positive in 74% (55/74) and hCG was positive in 82% (61/74). The cases of hCG <1.0 mIU/mL and HCG-β > 0.1 ng/mL were significantly more frequently seen in patients with seminoma than in those with non-seminomatous testicular tumor (P < 0.001). Fourteen patients had recurrent tumor. At recurrence, only hCG was elevated in nine cases, only hCG-β was elevated in two cases and both in one case. For diagnosis of falsely positive hCG, testosterone administration was effective because after testosterone administration, serum hCG levels became undetectable (< 1.0 mIU/mL) within one week in three examined cases. Conclusion: Human chorionic gonadotropin-β was a better marker of seminoma than hCG. For earlier detection of recurrence, both markers should be examined. For diagnosis of falsely positive hCG, testosterone administration was effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract--Using UV-inactivated whole HVJ (Hemagglutinating Virus of Japan; Sendai virus), we have developed HVJ-liposomes that are efficient in vitro and in vivo gene delivery vehicles based on cell fusion properties of the Sendai virus. However, all the proteins and the genome of HVJ remain within the HVJ-liposomes, although replication of the viral genome is severely impaired by prior UV-irradiation of HVJ particles. To construct more complete synthetic vehicles, we developed reconstituted fusion liposomes. Fusion proteins F1 and HN of HVJ were extracted by mild lysis of the viral particles and purified by ion-exchange column chromatography. Purified viral fusion proteins were inserted into liposome membranes by detergent-solubilization and dialysis to construct the reconstituted fusion particles. These particles retained fusion activity during more than 4 weeks. DNA-loaded liposomes, which were prepared by vortexing-sonication, were fused with the reconstituted fusion particles to deliver DNA to cells. Using the reconstituted vehicle, fluorescent isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled oligonucleotides were introduced into 100% of the nuclei of target human amniotic FL cells. In addition, luciferase gene expression upon transfection of human 293 cells with reconstituted fusion liposomes was almost the same as with standard HVJ-liposomes. On the other hand, the LacZ gene was introduced into mouse skeletal muscle by the new vector, and 40 to 50% of the muscle fibers showed LacZ gene expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]