Lipid components,fatty acids and triacylglycerol molecular species of black and red rices

Extracted lipids obtained from black and red rices were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), for endogenous tocochromanols. The molecular species and fatty acid (FA) distribution of triacylglycerols (TAG) isolated from these total lipids were analysed by a combination of AgNO₃ thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography (GC), and were investigated in relation to the content of endogenous tocochromanols. With a few exceptions, the predominant tocols were γ-tocotrienol and α-tocopherol, followed by α-tocotrienol (red) and γ-tocopherol (black) with much smaller amounts of β-, δ-tocopherols and δ-tocotrienol. The lipids of these rices were comprised mainly of TAG (76.4–80.5%), free FA (7.2–9.8%), and phospholipids (3.5–3.6%), whilst other components were present in minor proportions (0.1–4.1%). The principal FA components were palmitic (16:0), oleic (18:1n − 9) and linoleic (18:2n − 6) acids. Fifteen different TAG molecular species were detected and quantified by successive applications of AgNO₃-TLC and GC. The major TAG components were S₂M (7.0–7.8%), SM₂ (12.6–12.9%), M₃ (15.7–16.5%), SMD (23.5–23.7%), SD₂ (5.7–5.8%), M₂D (9.3–9.8%), MD₂ (8.1–8.6%) and D₃ (5.8–7.4%) (where S, M, D, and T denote a saturated FA, a monene, a diene, and a triene, respectively). The results suggested that these rice lipids contain large amounts of nutraceuticals with proven positive health effects.     

Inhibitory effect of anthraquinones isolated from the Noni (Morinda citrifolia) root on animal A-, B- and Y-families of DNA polymerases and human cancer cell proliferation

During the course of our studies to develop new uses for the Noni (Morinda citrifolia) root, 10 anthraquinones, rubiadin (1), rubiadin 1-methyl ether (2), lucidin (3), damnacanthol (4), 1,3-dihydroxy-2-methoxymethylanthraquinone (5), 3-hydroxy-1-methoxy-2-methoxymethylanthraquinone (6), nordamnacanthal (7), damnacanthal (8), sorandidiol (9) and morindone (10), were isolated. Compounds 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 exhibited remarkable inhibition against the activities of animal pols, and compound 10 was the strongest inhibitor in the anthraquinones investigated. Among mammalian pols, compound 10 inhibited the pol activities of A- (pol γ), B- (pols α, δ and ε) and Y- (pols η, ι and κ) families, but did not influence the activities of X-family pols (pols β, λ and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase). The tendency of pol inhibition showed a positive correlation with the suppression of human colon cancer cell HCT116 growth. These results suggested that the Noni root containing anthraquinones may be used as an anticancer functional food.     

Molecular typing to trace Listeria monocytogenes isolated from cold-smoked fish to a contamination source in a processing plant

In this study, Listeria monocytogenes contamination in a cold-smoked fish processing plant in Osaka, Japan, was examined from 2002 to 2004. A total of 430 samples were collected and divided into five categories: raw fish, materials during processing, processing equipment, environment, and finished products. A total of 59 finished products were examined throughout this study. L. monocytogenes was isolated from four of these samples during summer and autumn but was not found during winter or spring. During the warmer seasons, L. monocytogenes was more prevalent on processing equipment, especially slicing machines (8 of 54 samples in summer and autumn versus 1 of 50 samples in winter and spring). L. monocytogenes was not detected on whole skins removed from 23 frozen raw fish. L. monocytogenes strains isolated from 56 samples were characterized by serotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and three PCR-based methods. Seventy-seven L. monocytogenes strains were recognized as contaminants of the samples: 2 distinguishable strains were identified in each of 13 samples, 3 strains were identified in 2 samples, 5 strains were identified in 1 sample, and the other 40 strains were identified in 40 samples. Combining the results from these techniques, 77 strains were classified into 13 different types. Three of these types prevailed throughout the plant, and two of the three were also isolated from final products. The DNA subtype found in the product was also found on the slicing machines. Our findings suggest that the slicing machines at this plant were the source of the product contamination. Implementing an appropriate cleaning regime for the slicing machines was effective in preventing contamination.     

Detection and activity of iodine-131 in brown algae collected in the Japanese coastal areas

Iodine-131 (physical half-life: 8.04 days) was detected in brown algae collected off the Japanese coast. Brown algae have been extensively used as bioindicators for radioiodine because of their ability to accumulate radionuclides in high concentration factors. The maximum measured specific activity of ¹³¹I in brown algae was 0.37 ± 0.010 Bq/kg-wet. Cesium-137 was also detected in all brown algal samples used in this study. There was no correlation between specific activities of ¹³¹I and ¹³⁷Cs in these seaweeds. The specific activity of ¹³⁷Cs ranged from 0.0034 ± 0.00075 to 0.090 ± 0.014 Bq/kg-wet. Low specific activity and minimal variability of ¹³⁷Cs in brown algae indicated that past nuclear weapon tests were the source of ¹³⁷Cs. Although nuclear power stations and nuclear fuel reprocessing plants are known to be pollution sources of ¹³¹I, there was no relationship between the sites where ¹³¹I was detected and the locations of nuclear power facilities. Most of the sites where ¹³¹I was detected were near big cities with large populations. Iodine-131 is frequently used in diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine. On the basis of the results, we suggest that the likely pollution source of ¹³¹I, detected in brown seaweeds, is not nuclear power facilities, but nuclear medicine procedures.     

In Situ PD-L1 Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Is Induced by Heterogeneous Mechanisms among Patients

The expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is controlled by complex mechanisms. The elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of PD-L1 expression is important for the exploration of new insights into PD-1 blockade therapy. Detailed mechanisms of the in situ expression of PD-L1 in tissues of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) have not yet been clarified. We examined the mechanisms of PD-L1 expression focusing on the phosphorylation of downstream molecules of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) signaling in vitro and in vivo by immunoblotting and multi-fluorescence immunohistochemistry (MF-IHC), respectively. The in vitro experiments demonstrated that PD-L1 expression in OSCC cell lines is upregulated by EGF via the EGF receptor (EGFR)/PI3K/AKT pathway, the EGFR/STAT1 pathway, and the EGFR/MEK/ERK pathway, and by IFN-γ via the JAK2/STAT1 pathway. MF-IHC demonstrated that STAT1 and EGFR phosphorylation was frequently shown in PD-L1-positive cases and STAT1 phosphorylation was correlated with lymphocyte infiltration and EGFR phosphorylation. Moreover, the phosphorylation pattern of the related molecules in PD-L1-positive cells differed among the cases investigated. These findings indicate that PD-L1 expression mechanisms differ depending on the tissue environment and suggest that the examination of the tissue environment and molecular alterations of cancer cells affecting PD-L1 expression make it necessary for each patient to choose the appropriate combination drugs for PD-1 blockade cancer treatment.     

城市轨道交通梯形轨枕轨道高架桥梁试验研究

作为一种新型的减振轨道,梯形轨枕轨道已在国内的城市轨道交通中有所应用.该文介绍了在北京地铁五号线高架桥梯形轨枕轨道试验段进行的一系列现场试验,以及为验证其减振特性进行的室内试验.通过对轨道不平顺进行测量,并测试了当列车分别运行在梯形轨枕轨道和普通无碴板式轨道上时钢轨、轨枕和桥面的振动响应,该文对测试数据在时域和频域进行...     

Deformation behaviors and fracture strength of β$\ubeta$-Si3N4 single crystals

In this study, the yield stress and fracture strength of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals were directly measured by bending tests of microcantilever beam specimens that were prepared by a focused ion beam method. The $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals were plastically deformed at room temperature under high bending stress, and the yield stress depended on the crystal orientation. Transmission electron microscopy observation of the specimens after bending tests indicates that the plastic deformation resulted from dislocations in the primary slip system $\{10\overline{1}0\}$<0001>, and the critical resolved shear stress of this slip system determined from the yield stress was 1.34 GPa. The fracture strength of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals ranged approximately up to 20 GPa, depending on the crystal orientation as with the yield stress. The fracture behavior of $\beta$-Si₃N₄ single crystals was discussed in terms of the accumulation of dislocations.