Pharmacokinetic characteristics of the novel anticancer agent CPT-11 and its active metabolite in plasma and lung lymph fluid following intravenous administration to sheep

7-Ethyl-10-[4-(1-piperidino)-1-piperidino]-carbonyloxycamptothecin (CPT-11, 100286-90-6) is one of the most promising novel anticancer agents, especially for lung cancer. 7-Ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38), an active metabolic of CPT-11, has much stronger cytotoxicity than CPT-11. The present study was designed to evaluate the distribution and behavior of CPT-11 and SN-38 in lung lymph circulation following intravenous infusion. Awake sheep with chronically instrumented lung lymph fistulas were prepared. The concentrations of CPT-11 and SN-38 in plasma and lung lymph fluid were measured after intravenous infusion of 100 mg/body of CPT-11 for 90 min. SN-38 constantly showed higher lymph to plasma concentration ratios than those of CPT-11, and the % area under the curve (AUC) ratio of SN-38/CPT-11 in lymph fluid was significantly higher than that in plasma. These data indicated that SN-38 distributed in lung tissue moved more easily into lung lymph fluid than CPT-11, and might be more rapidly metabolized in lung tissue than plasma. CPT-11 may have favorable therapeutic effects on intrathoracic malignancies such as lung cancer and lymph metastasis.     

Application of the "imaging plate" to TEM image recording

The "imaging plate" is a highly sensitive image recording plate for X-ray radiography, which is coated with photo-stimulable phosphor. The imaging plate is exposed to electrons in a transmission electron microscope. Its fundamental properties (sensitivity, dynamic range and sharpness) have been estimated in detail. Also, the image quality of the imaging plate for some specimens in a transmission electron microscope has been estimated. As a result, it has been ascertained that the imaging plate has superior properties and high practicability as an image recording material in a transmission electron microscope.     

Effect of sample preparation and bacterial concentration on Salmonella enterica detection in poultry meat using culture methods and PCR assaying of preenrichment broths

We evaluated the sensitivity of a PCR assay in the detection of Salmonella enterica at the broth preenrichment step of poultry meat. A total of 162 retail poultry meat samples, which were prepared by manual massaging, stomacher or no homogenization were compared for Salmonella recovery. Using these homogenization methods, the PCR assay at the broth preenrichment step detected Salmonella in, respectively, 48.9%, 62.2% and 50.0% of meat and giblet samples detected as Salmonella-positive using the culture method. In ground chicken, however, Salmonella was detected in 21.7% of samples treated by stomacher homogenization, compared to 40.7% and 48% of untreated and hand-massaged samples, respectively. These results suggest that stomaching of ground chicken causes excessive effusion of food constituents, which affects PCR results. Using the most probable number (MPN) technique, Salmonella was detected at under 1.0 CFU/g in 12 ground chicken samples and under 10³ CFU/ml of broth in seven of the 12 broth-enriched samples, which considered the minimum concentration detectable by PCR assay. These results show that Salmonella detection using routine PCR assays is difficult in poultry meat, and in particular ground chicken, due to low amounts of Salmonella and the presence of inhibitors.     

Isolation and Identification of Antihypertensive Peptides from Antarctic Krill Tail Meat Hydrolysate

ABSTRACT:  Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ) obtained from the huge biomass in Antarctic waters is an important food product in Japan. Antarctic krill peptide powder (AKPP) prepared from the tail meat by enzymatic hydrolysis significantly decreased the systolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats by a single oral administration (1, 10, or 100 mg). Presumably, the effect of AKPP was through inhibition of the conversion of angiotensin, which mediates blood pressure elevation, from its inactive propeptide to the mature angiotensin. Two potent angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides were isolated from AKPP by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and identified as Val-Trp (IC₅₀= 2.75 μg/mL; 12.9 μM) and Leu-Lys-Tyr (IC₅₀= 4.26 μg/mL; 10.1 μM). Val-Trp and Leu-Lys-Tyr comprised 0.025%± 0.0023% (w/w) and 0.018%± 0.0023% (w/w) of AKPP, respectively, as measured by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). The contributions of Val-Trp and Leu-Lys-Tyr to the ACE inhibitor activity of AKPP were 17.7%± 1.60% and 8.04%± 1.03%, respectively, suggesting that these 2 peptides constitute a substantial portion of the overall ACE inhibitor potential of AKPP.     

Comparative analysis of cells and proteins of pumpkin plants for the control of fruit size

Common pumpkin plants (Cucurbita maxima) produce fruits of 1-2kg size on the average, while special varieties of the same species called Atlantic Giant are known to produce a huge fruit up to several hundred kilograms. As an approach to determine the factors controlling the fruit size in C.?maxima, we cultivated both AG and control common plants, and found that both the cell number and cell sizes were increased in a large fruit while DNA content of the cell did not change significantly. We also compared protein patterns in the leaves, stems, ripe and young fruits by two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis, and identified those differentially expressed between them with mass spectroscopy. Based on these results, we suggest that factors in photosynthesis such as ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase, glycolysis pathway enzymes, heat-shock proteins and ATP synthase play positive or negative roles in the growth of a pumpkin fruit. These results provide a step toward the development of plant biotechnology to control fruit size in the future.     

Melting behavior and thermal conductivity of solid sodium-concrete reaction product

This study revealed melting behavior and thermal conductivity of four samples generated by sodium-concrete reaction (SCR). We prepared the samples using two methods such as firing mixtures of sodium (Na) and grinded concrete powder, and sampling depositions after the SCR experiments. In the former, the mixing ratios were determined from the past experiment. The latter simulated the more realistic conditions such as the temperature history and the distribution of Na and concrete. The thermogravimetry-differential thermal analyzer (TG-DTA) measurement showed the temperatures of the onset of the melting (solidus temperatures) were 865–942°C, but those of the samples containing metallic Na could not be clarified. In the two more realistic samples, the compression moldings in a furnace were observed. The observation revealed the softening temperature was 800–840°C and the solidus temperature was 840–850°C, which was 10–20°C lower than the TG-DTA results. The thermodynamics calculation of FactSage 7.2 revealed the solidus temperature was caused by melting of the some components such as Na₂SiO₃ and/or Na₄SiO₄ and NaAlO₂. Moreover, the thermal conductivity was λ ~ 1–3 W/m-K, which was comparable to xNa₂O - (1 - x)SiO₂ (x = 0.5, 0.33, and 0.25), and that at 700°C was explained by NBO/T of Equation (1).     

Assemblies of biomaterials in mesoporous media

Assemblies of biomaterials onto mechanically stable inorganic structure are advantageous for the practical applications because of the potential to improve the stability and performance of biomaterials in the biocatalytic processes. Among many kinds of inorganic materials, mesoporous materials such as mesoporous silica and mesoporous carbon have attracted special attention owing to their well-defined structures and perfectly controlled pore geometries, which would lead to unique functions such as size selective adsorption of biomaterials. In the first part of this review, adsorption behaviors of proteins, enzymes, vitamins, and amino acids in aqueous solutions onto mesoporous media are systematically explained. Pore geometries (pore diameter and volume) of mesoporous materials are the crucial factors for the size selective adsorption of biomaterials, especially proteins, which often have a size comparable to pore dimension. The studies on the adsorption of biomaterials on the mesoporous carbon reveal that hydrophobic interaction between guest molecules and surface of the mesoporous materials is an important parameter which controls the amount of biomaterials adsorption. Enhanced adsorption of biomaterials was commonly observed at their isoelectric point, where electrostatic repulsion is minimized between the biomaterials. In addition, several functions such as biomolecular separation, reactor function, controlled drug release, and photochemical properties are discussed in the latter sections. Studies on assemblies of biomaterials in mesoporous media are still in initial stage, but the development of appropriately designed mesoporous materials would powerfully promote researches in these fascinating unexplored fields.     

Cell adhesion characteristics of chemically modified silicon nitride surfaces

We investigated the fundamental characteristics of cell adhesion during cell culture on the Si₃N₄ surface for using it as the gate insulator in field‐effect devices. The culture medium and the surface condition of Si₃N₄ were controlled for cell culture on the Si₃N₄ substrate. When we measure electrical characteristics of cell adhesion and cell function using field‐effect devices, we require a stable measurement of the electrical signals. The serum in the culture medium includes a number of proteins, which cause instability of the potential behavior. In this paper, we show that the cell‐adhesive molecules on the Si₃N₄ surface used as a gate insulator should be designed and controlled when cell culture is performed in the culture medium without the serum. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan© 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Preparation of α-mannoside hydrogel and electrical detection of saccharide-protein interactions using the smart gel-modified gate field effect transistor

The purpose of this study was to detect saccharide-protein interaction capitalizing on the gel-modified field effect transistor [FET]. A lectin-sensitive polymer gel that undergoes volume changes in response to the formation of molecular complex between ''pendant'' carbohydrate and a ''target'' lectin concanavalin A [Con A] was synthesized. It was revealed that direction and magnitude of the gel response (swelling or deswelling) could be readily designed depending on composition and network density of the gel. The Con A-sensitive polymer gel has shown the ability to transduce the detection of saccharide-protein interactions into electrical signals for FET.PACS: 87.85.jf, bio-based materials