Alzheimer’s Disease and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: The Use of MCT Oil and a Ketogenic Diet

Recently, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported to be strongly associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This is partly due to insulin resistance in the brain. Insulin signaling and the number of insulin receptors may decline in the brain of T2DM patients, resulting in impaired synaptic formation, neuronal plasticity, and mitochondrial metabolism. In AD patients, hypometabolism of glucose in the brain is observed before the onset of symptoms. Amyloid-β accumulation, a main pathology of AD, also relates to impaired insulin action and glucose metabolism, although ketone metabolism is not affected. Therefore, the shift from glucose metabolism to ketone metabolism may be a reasonable pathway for neuronal protection. To promote ketone metabolism, medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) oil and a ketogenic diet could be introduced as an alternative source of energy in the brain of AD patients.     

Development of a controller for a high‐power electrostatic motor

Development of a controller for high‐power electrostatic motors is described in this paper. The controller includes stereo audio amplifiers, small transformers, and an operation signal generator. The signal generator generates controlled operation signals for dual‐frequency operation methods so that a motor can generate commanded thrust force. By using frequencies of several kilohertz for operation signals and by using resonance between an electrostatic motor and transformers, it became possible to use commercially available audio amplifiers as power sources and to use small transformers, resulting in an inexpensive and compact controller. This paper mainly discusses the design of the signal generator and the transformers. Some experimental results are also shown. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 133(4): 91–99, 2000     

A design of magnetic shielding for a superconducting magnetically levitated train

For EDS-type magnetically levitated trains, magnetic shielding of stray fields produced by superconducting magnets is an important task. We seek the “optimal” thickness distribution (configuration) of magnetic material, which is the lightest and keeps the magnetic field at tolerable levels in the vehicle. In many cases, trial-and-error methods have been adopted for this purpose. In this paper, we propose a new method for preliminary design of the magnetic shielding. In this method, we simplify the magnetic shielding problem, assuming infinite permeability of the magnetic material, and calculate the magnetic flux going into or out of the shield surface. In this case, we can design an optimal magnetic shield (distribution and configuration of the magnetic material) and know the minimum weight of the magnetic shielding. We finally present an example of the magnetic shielding designed by this method and investigate its characteristics in a magnetically levitated train. © 1998 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 124(1): 42–54, 1998     

Synthesis and photo-induced transformation of helical aromatic polyamides consisting of axially dissymmetric biphenylene joints and azobenzene segments in the backbone

Wholly aromatic polyamides having a novel helical structure were prepared by the reaction of axially dissymmetric (R)- or (S)-6,6′-dimethylbiphenyl-2,2′-dicarbonyl chloride with aromatic diamines, which are soluble in common solvents such as tetrahydrofuran and N,N-dimethylformamide. Photo-irradiation of a tetrahydrofuran solution of the polymer obtained with 4,4′-diaminoazobenzene induced a change of the helical conformation because of the trans–cis isomerization of the azobenzene units in the polymer chain. No change in the specific rotation of the polymer was observed on heating at 100°C for 4h, indicating thermal stability of its helical structure. CD spectra showed that the helical conformation was maintained in methanesulphonic acid. © 1998 SCI.     

Stress distributions in an elastic body due to molecular interactions considering one-dimensional periodic material distribution based on Mindlin’s solution

A method to calculate the stress distributions in a semi-infinite elastic body caused by molecular interactions has been established based on Mindlin’s solution. A molecular interaction force derived from the Lennard-Jones potential considering a one-dimensional periodic material distribution in the in-plane direction, i.e., x-direction, was used as a concentrated force in Mindlin’s solution. The stresses acting on the (100) and (001) surfaces (σ_x, σ_z, and τ_zx) for the distribution of two materials were calculated as a typical example of a periodic material distribution. The stress distributions were shown by color maps and the basic characteristics of the stress distribution, especially the effects of the surface distance, were quantitatively clarified. The asymptotic values of σ_x, σ_z, and τ_zx at the position far from the surface were analytically derived. Those of σ_x and σ_z had the same value, depending on the surface distance, while that of τ_zx was always zero. This difference comes from the existence of a non-fluctuation contribution.

     

Removal of formaldehyde by hydroxyapatite layer biomimetically deposited on polyamide film

Some harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as formaldehyde, are regulated atmospheric pollutants. Therefore, development of a material to remove these VOCs is required. We focused on hydroxyapatite, which had been biomimetically coated on a polyamide film, as an adsorbent and found that formaldehyde was successfully removed by this adsorbent. The amount of formaldehyde adsorbed increased with the area of the polyamide film occupied by hydroxyapatite. The amount of adsorbed formaldehyde and its rate of adsorption were larger for hydroxyapatite deposited on polyamide film than for the commercially available calcined hydroxyapatite powder. This high adsorption ability is achieved by the use of nanosized particles of hydroxyapatite with low crystallinity and containing a large number of active surface sites. Therefore, hydroxyapatite biomimetically coated on organic substrates can become a candidate material for removing harmful VOCs such as formaldehyde.     

Highly Active and Selective Semihydrogenation of Alkynes with the Palladium Nanoparticles‐Tetrabutylammonium Borohydride Catalyst System

Palladium nanoparticles are prepared from palladium(II) acetate and 2 equivalents of potassium tert‐butoxide in the presence of 4‐octyne. The palladium nanoparticles‐tetrabutylammonium borohydride system shows excellent catalytic activity and selectivity in the semihydrogenation of alkynes to the [(Z)‐]alkenes. The hydrogenation of 4‐octyne is conducted with the catalyst system at a substrate‐to‐palladium molar ratio of 10,000–200,000 under 8 atm of hydrogen to give (Z)‐4‐octene in>99% yield. Isomerization and over‐reduction of the Z‐alkene are very slow even after consumption of the alkyne.     

Solid-State Characterization of a Fused Salphen–Nickel Metallopolymer Prepared via Transmetalation in a Heterogeneous Reaction System

A nickel-containing metallopolymer with fully π-conjugated fused salphen ligands was prepared from the corresponding zinc-containing metallopolymer by means of transmetalation. As a model for the metallopolymer, an analogous fused tetrasalphen–nickel complex was also prepared. Solid-thin-film absorption microspectroscopy was used to confirm that the transmetalation reaction had occurred and to determine the degree of polymerization, which was estimated to be 8–15. Combined with theoretical normal-mode analysis, comparison of the FT-IR spectra of a series of model complexes with different nuclearities revealed two diagnostic peaks that could be used to validate the polynuclearity of the nickel-containing metallopolymer.     

MicroRNAs in Salivary Exosome as Potential Biomarkers of Aging

The aim of this study was to examine whether salivary exosomal miRNAs could be identified as aging biomarkers. Fifteen young healthy volunteers (median age, 21.0 years) and 13 old individuals (median age, 66.0 years) were recruited. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected, salivary exosomes were isolated, and total RNA was extracted. In a microarray, 242 miRNAs were commonly detected in these two mixed samples. Based on the cut-off values of 2- or 0.5-fold changes (FC) and regulatory power for aging process, six candidate miRNAs (miR-24-3p, miR-371a-5p, miR-3175, miR-3162-5p, miR-671-5p, and miR-4667-5p) were selected. After comparing each total RNA obtained by the 15 young and 13 old individuals to validate the FC values using quantitative real-time PCR, miR-24-3p was identified as a novel candidate aging biomarker. This pilot study suggested that salivary exosomal miRNAs could be identified as candidate aging biomarkers. To confirm whether miR-24-3p in salivary exosomes are suitable biomarkers of aging, further validation research is required.