Prostaglandin E receptor subtypes in mouse osteoblastic cell line

PGE2 is one of the key molecules in the osteoblast. It is the major prostanoid in the bone, and its production is under the control of both systemic and local factors. PGE2 has been reported to have multiple actions in the osteoblast, such as growth promotion and cell differentiation. To better understand the action of PGE2 in the osteoblast, we determined the PGE receptor subtypes in MC3T3-E1, an osteoblastic cell line derived from the normal mouse calvaria. Northern blot analysis revealed that EP1 and EP4 subtypes are expressed in MC3T3-E1. In contrast, EP3 subtype was not detected by either Northern blot analysis or RT-PCR. The contribution of each subtype was evaluated by studying the effects of subtype-specific analogs on osteoblastic function at confluency and 5 days after confluency. An EP1 agonist, 17-phenyl-omega-trinor PGE2, increased DNA synthesis and decreased alkaline phosphatase activity. 11-Deoxy-PGE1, and EP2 and EP4 agonist, decreased DNA synthesis and increased alkaline phosphatase activity at both stages. Butaprost, an EP2-selective agonist, showed effects similar to those of 11-deoxy-PGE1 only at confluency. Another and more differentiated osteoblastic marker, osteocalcin production, was detectable and was stimulated by 11-deoxy-PGE1 only 5 days after confluency. The exposure of these cells to EP1 agonist changed the cell shape to a more fibroblastic appearance. These results indicate that EP1, EP4, and probably EP2 are present in MC3T3-E1 cells; EP1 promotes cell growth, and EP2 and EP4 mediate differentiation of the osteoblast. Furthermore, the decreased response to EP2-specific agonist 5 days after confluency suggests that the expression of PGE receptor subtype is dependent on the stage of osteoblastic differentiation. This is the first report to determine PGE receptor subtypes in the bone.     

Formation of phase structure and crystallization behavior in blends containing polystyrene–polyethylene block copolymers

The microphase separation structure in the molten state and the structure formation in crystallization from such ordered melt were investigated for the blends of polystyrene–polyethylene block copolymers (SE) with polystyrene homopolymer (PS) and polyethylene homopolymer (PE) and for the blends consisting of two kinds of SE with different copolymer compositions from each other, using synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering techniques (SAXS). The copolymer compositions of SE block copolymers employed were 0.34, 0.58 and 0.73 wt. fraction of PE, and their melt morphologies were cylindrical, lamellar and lamellar, respectively. Macrophase separation or the morphology change in the melt occurred depending on the molecular weight and the blend composition, as reported so far. In crystallization from such macrophase-separated and microphase-separated melts, the melt morphology was completely kept for all the blends. Crystallization behavior was also investigated for the blends. The crystallization within the spherical and cylindrical domains surrounded by glassy PS was not observed for SE/PS blends. In the crystallization from the macrophase-separated melt, two exothermal peaks were observed in the DSC measurements, while a single peak was observed for other blends. For the blends with PS, the degree of crystallinity was depressed and the apparent activation energy of crystallization was high, compared to those for the corresponding neat SE. For SE/PE and SE/SE blends, those were changed depending on the blend composition.     

Visualization of TiO2 Reduction Behavior in Molten Salt Electrolysis

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - An in situ observation technique of the TiO2 interfacial behavior in molten LiCl-KCl electrolysis was developed. The variation of the thin TiO2...     

Electrochemical behavior of Al in a non-aqueous alkyl carbonate solution containing LiBOB salt

Aluminum was studied as a current collector for rechargeable lithium batteries to understand electrochemical and passivation behavior. Electrochemical polarization tests, in situ scratch polarization tests and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) analysis in lithium bis-oxalato borate (LiBOB)-containing alkyl carbonate solution were conducted. The Al foil did not follow the alloy and de-alloy process with the LiBOB salt in electrolyte at 0 V vs. Li/Li⁺ in the cathodic sweep. During the anodic scan to the noble direction, the absence of an oxidation peak up to 3 V vs. Li/Li⁺ indicated that the air-formed oxide layer of Al was not reduced to metal. Oxide-free Al surfaces made by the in situ scratch test during the electrochemical polarization resulted in abrupt alloy formation with Li at 0 V vs. Li/Li⁺, but the newly formed surface formed passive films at higher potential with oxygen, namely, Al-O compound, as confirmed by ToF-SIMS.     

Contribution of brominated organic disinfection by-products to the mutagenicity of drinking water.

The activity inducing chromosomal aberrations of the mixture of brominated disinfection by-products (DBPs) was approximately three times higher than that of the chlorinated counterparts for the same hypohalous acid dose. With the combination of chromosomal aberration test and a new analytical technique to differentiate total organic chlorine (TOCl) and total organic bromine (TOBr), it was found that TOBr was correlated to the mutagenicity of chlorinated waters. It was also implied that for a bromide-to-TOC ratio of 0.1 (mg/mg C), brominated DBPs could account for at least 29% of the total toxicity of DBPs formed during chlorination. On the other hand, bromate ion, a major ozonation DBP, was not a major contributor to the activity inducing chromosomal aberrations of the water treated with an ozone/chlorine sequential process. Therefore, ozonation is one possible option to reduce the health risk caused by DBPs even in the presence of bromide.     

Electrochemical evaluation of the interaction between endocrine disrupter chemicals and estrogen receptor using 17,beta-estradiol labeled with daunomycin

A new electrochemical screening method for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) was developed. To evaluate the binding capacity of EDCs to the estrogen receptor (ER), 17beta-estradiol labeled with daunomycin as an electroactive compound was prepared. The electrochemical sensitivity of the prepared labeled estradiol (LE) was high, as compared with daunomycin. The interaction between LE and ER was observed by the decrease in the electrode response of LE, indicating the specific binding of LE with ER. The competitive reaction between LE and 17beta-estradiol for the limiting binding site on ER produced increases in the peak current of LE. The relative standard deviation at 1 x 10(-8) M 17beta-estradiol was about 10.0% (n = 7). The binding affinity between EDC and ER was also evaluated by comparison with 17beta-estradiol-ER interaction. Bisphenol A, p-nonylphenol and p,p'-DDT was used as a test compound. All test compounds demonstrated some ability to bind with ER. This electrochemical binding assay illustrates a new method for evaluating the binding capacity of EDCs to ER without the need for a separation procedure for the bound and free LE.     

Development of a new installation method along bridge for a 275 kVHPOF cable

A novel method was developed for installing a 275 kV high-pressure oil-filled (HPOF) cable along the 100 m long Yotsugibashi Bridge (Japan). Because of the length of the bridge there was not enough space to absorb the thermal expansion of the steel pipes. A splice and expansion joint were developed which could absorb the thermal expansion of pipes and the relative movement of the internal cable core. The system also permits an exchange of gasket in the event of an oil leak, without decreasing the oil pressure. The splice and joint are described, and test results are reported. Installation has shown the method to be practically applicable     

Analysis on Non‐Uniform Gas Flow in Blast Furnace Based on DEM‐CFD Combined Model

Blast furnace technology is currently aiming at low reducing agent operation so as to decrease CO₂ emissions. At the same time, the inner volume of blast furnaces has frequently been enlarged so as to increase production rate in some countries, including Japan. Operating conditions designed for low reducing agent in a large blast furnace tend to cause unfavorable phenomena such as slipping of the burden and gas channeling due to the decrease in coke rate. Mathematical models help to clarify the in‐furnace phenomena under these situations. From the above backgrounds, a new model has been developed that combines Discrete Element Method with Computational Fluid Dynamics (DEM‐CFD) to simulate precisely the gas flow and solid motion in a blast furnace. The present study aimed to develop a three‐dimensional mathematical model based on DEM‐CFD for simultaneous analysis of gas and solid flow in the whole blast furnace. The unbalanced gas flow in the case of clogging of the particular tuyere was analyzed to clarify the circumferential unevenness in the lower part of the blast furnace. Based on the combined DEM with CFD model, the non‐uniform gas flow in the lower part of the blast furnace was precisely evaluated.     

Generation mechanism of electrochemical migration in printed wiring board insulation

In order to study the generation mechanism of electrochemical migration in a printed wiring board, paper/phenol‐resin composites with and without an adhesive layer, epoxy resin, and a laminate of epoxy resin and a paper/phenol‐resin composite were aged at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity (RH) with and without application of a DC voltage, and the space charge distributions in the samples were observed by the pulsed electroacoustic method. In the case of the composite with the adhesive layer, a large amount of negative charge is induced at the interface between the composite and the adhesive layer on the anode. It was found that such formation of space charge enhances the electric field intensity at the anode. The reason for this is because the conductivity is much lower in the adhesive layer than in the composite. Electrochemical migration does not occur when the same electric field is applied to the composite without the adhesive layer, whereas it does occur if the adhesive layer was replaced by epoxy resin with a similar conductivity to the adhesive layer. These results clearly indicate that electrochemical migration generates because the electric field at the anode surface is enhanced due to the low conductivity of the adhesive layer. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.