Effects of highly ripened cheeses on HL-60 human leukemia cells: Antiproliferative activity and induction of apoptotic DNA damage

To establish cheese as a dairy product with health benefits, we examined the multifunctional role of cheeses. In this report, we clarify whether different types of commercial cheeses may possess antiproliferative activity using HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cell lines as a cancer model. Among 12 cheese extracts tested, 6 (Montagnard, Pont-l’Eveque, Brie, Camembert, Danablue, and Blue) revealed strong growth inhibition activity and induction of DNA fragmentation in HL-60 cells. Based on the quantification of nitrogen contents in different cheese samples, a positive correlation between the ripeness of various cheeses and their antiproliferative activity tested in HL-60 cells was displayed. Four varieties of Blue cheese ripened for 0, 1, 2, or 3 mo demonstrated that the Blue cheese ripened for a long term was capable of causing the strong suppression of the cell growth and the induction of apoptotic DNA damage as well as nucleic morphological change in HL-60 cells. Collectively, these results obtained suggest a potential role of highly ripened cheeses in the prevention of leukemic cell proliferation.     

IL-10 in Mast Cell-Mediated Immune Responses: Anti-Inflammatory and Proinflammatory Roles

Mast cells (MCs) play critical roles in Th2 immune responses, including the defense against parasitic infections and the initiation of type I allergic reactions. In addition, MCs are involved in several immune-related responses, including those in bacterial infections, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, cancers, allograft rejections, and lifestyle diseases. Whereas antigen-specific IgE is a well-known activator of MCs, which express FcεRI on the cell surface, other receptors for cytokines, growth factors, pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and damage-associated molecular patterns also function as triggers of MC stimulation, resulting in the release of chemical mediators, eicosanoids, and various cytokines. In this review, we focus on the role of interleukin (IL)-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine, in MC-mediated immune responses, in which MCs play roles not only as initiators of the immune response but also as suppressors of excessive inflammation. IL-10 exhibits diverse effects on the proliferation, differentiation, survival, and activation of MCs in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, IL-10 derived from MCs exerts beneficial and detrimental effects on the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and in several immune-related diseases including contact hypersensitivity, auto-immune diseases, and infections. This review introduces the effects of IL-10 on various events in MCs, and the roles of MCs in IL-10-related immune responses and as a source of IL-10.     

Developing a system to cover OTHER via rudimentary objective–subjective distinction

In this paper, we propose that the human brain develops a system to cover OTHER. This capital “OTHER” represents the transcendental other in infancy and the latent other later in life. The system grows to cover the transcendental other through the developmental process of objective–subjective distinction, and thereafter the latent other is found as a duality of the system later in life. To argue the emergence of such system regarding social conceptualization, we introduce experiments in which we verify that preschoolers abstract, categorize, and evaluate social relationships. The results show that children around 6 years old exhibit early social conceptualization and rudimentary objective–subjective distinction. Moreover, we claim that early social conceptualization is acquired through developing the heterarchical system when the experiments are regarded as communication between the participant and experimenter. Human beings may regard this heterarchical system as the self.     

Measurement of axial neutral density profiles in a microwave discharge ion thruster by laser absorption spectroscopy with optical fiber probes

In order to reveal the physical processes taking place within the "μ10" microwave discharge ion thruster, internal plasma diagnosis is indispensable. However, the ability of metallic probes to access microwave plasmas biased at a high voltage is limited from the standpoints of the disturbance created in the electric field and electrical isolation. In this study, the axial density profiles of excited neutral xenon were successfully measured under ion beam acceleration by using a novel laser absorption spectroscopy system. The target of the measurement was metastable Xe I 5p(5)((2)P(0) (3/2))6s[3/2](0) (2) which absorbed a wavelength of 823.16 nm. Signals from laser absorption spectroscopy that swept a single-mode optical fiber probe along the line of sight were differentiated and converted into axial number densities of the metastable neutral particles in the plasma source. These measurements revealed a 10(18) m(-3) order of metastable neutral particles situated in the waveguide, which caused two different modes during the operation of the μ10 thruster. This paper reports a novel spectroscopic measurement system with axial resolution for microwave plasma sources utilizing optical fiber probes.     

Fuel and emissions properties of Stirling engine operated with wood powder

From viewpoints of the environment and fuel cost reduction, small-scale biomass combined heat and power (CHP) plants are in demand, especially wood-waste fueled system, which are simple to operate and maintenance-free with high thermal efficiency similar to oil fired units. These are requested by wood and other industries located in mountainous region. To meet these requirements, a Stirling engine CHP system combined with simplified biomass combustion process with pulverized wood powder was developed.In an R&D project started in 2004 considering wood powder properties as a fuel, combustion performance and emissions in combustion flue gas were tested using combustion test apparatus with commercial size units. The wood powder combustion system was modified and optimized during the combustion test results, and the design of the demonstration plant combined with 55 kW_e Stirling engine power unit was considered. The demonstration plant was finally completed in March of 2006, and test operation has been progressed for the future commercial CHP system.In the wood powder combustion test, wood powder of less than 500 μm is mainly used, and a combustion chamber length of 3 m is applied. In these conditions, the air ratio can be reduced to 1.1 without increasing CO emission of less than 10 ppm and combustion efficiency of 99.9%. In the same conditions, NO_x emission is estimated to be less than 120 ppm (6% O₂ basis). Wood powder was confirmed to have excellent properties as a fuel for Stirling engine CHP system. This paper summarizes the wood powder combustion test, and presents the evaluation of the burner design parameters for the biomass Stirling engine system.     

Active sites deterioration of MgCl2‐supported catalyst induced by the electron donor extraction by alkylaluminium

To investigate the role of the internal donor in a Ziegler–Natta catalyst, the nature and existing states of the internal donor were intentionally varied by alkylaluminium treatment before polymerization, and the catalytic properties during propene polymerization were accurately evaluated using the stopped‐flow method. A significant decrease in the amount of the remaining internal donor was observed during the initial stage of the extraction. The polymerization results show a gradual decrease in the polymer isotacticity with an increase in the extraction time. These different patterns, as a function of the extraction time, indicate that the amount of the remaining internal donor is not directly related to the isotacticity of the produced polymer. © 2002 Society of Chemical Industry