Evaluation of the Anti-Proliferative Activity of Rare Aldohexoses against MOLT-4F and DU-145 Human Cancer Cell Line and Structure-Activity Relationship of D-Idose

D-Allose (D-All), a C-3 epimer of D-glucose (D-Glc), is a naturally rare monosaccharide, which shows anti-proliferative activity against several human cancer cell lines. Unlike conventional anticancer drugs, D-All targets glucose metabolism and is non-toxic to normal cells. Therefore, it has attracted attention as a unique “seed” compound for anticancer agents. However, the anti-proliferative activities of the other rare aldohexoses have not been examined yet. In this study, we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of rare aldohexoses against human leukemia MOLT-4F and human prostate cancer DU-145 cell lines. We found that D-All and D-idose (D-Ido) at 5 mM inhibited cell proliferation of MOLT-4F cells by 46 % and 60 %, respectively. On the other hand, the rare aldohexoses at 5 mM did not show specific anti-proliferative activity against DU-145 cells. To explore the structure–activity relationship of D-Ido, we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of D-sorbose (D-Sor), 6-deoxy-D-Ido, and L-xylose (L-Xyl) against MOLT-4F cells and found that D-Sor, 6-deoxy-D-Ido, and L-Xyl showed no inhibitory activity at 5 mM, suggesting that the aldose structure and the C-6 hydroxy group of D-Ido are important for its activity. Cellular glucose uptake assay and western blotting analysis of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) expression suggested that the anti-proliferative activity of D-Ido is induced by inhibition of glucose uptake via TXNIP-independent pathway.     

Three-dimensional modeling of removal torque and fracture progression around implants

In the present study, a model for simulations of removal torque experiments was developed using finite element method. The interfacial retention and fracturing of the surrounding material caused by the surface features during torque was analyzed. It was hypothesized that the progression of removal torque and the phases identified in the torque response plot represents sequential fractures at the interface. The 3-dimensional finite element model fairly accurately predicts the torque required to break the fixation of acid-etched implants, and also provides insight to how sequential fractures progress downwards along the implant side.     

Estimating the imageability of words by mining visual characteristics from crawled image data

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Natural Language Processing and multi-modal analyses are key elements in many applications. However, the semantic gap is an everlasting problem, leading to...     

Effects of triton WR 1339 and orotic acid on lipid metabolism in rats

In order to investigate the effect of hepatic cholesterol flux on biliary bile acids, Triton WR 1339 and orotic acid were administered to rats, and the biliary cholesterol, phospholipids and bile acids were analyzed together with serum lipoproteins and hepatic lipids. Triton, which raised serum very low density lipoprotein and lipid levels and decreased serum high density lipoprotein liver lipid levels, increase the biliary cholic acid group/chenodeoxycholic acid group ratio (CA/CDCA) in the bile without affecting the total amount of bile acids and the other biliary lipids. Orotic acid, which decreased serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and increased liver lipid levels, increased the biliary excretion of cholesterol and phospholipids, but produced no significant change in the total amount of bile acids and in the CA/CDCA ratio in bile.     

Attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption microspectroscopy for identification of small thin layers on material surfaces

Attenuated total reflection surface-enhanced infrared absorption microspectroscopy (micro-ATR-SEIRA) was developed for the identification of sub-mm size and nm-thick layers on material surfaces by using gold island films deposited on the surface of micro-ATR crystals. A thin layer of triphenyl phosphate (TPP) on a poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) membrane filter was used to evaluate the enhancement of the absorption bands. Three types of crystals: diamond, silicon, and germanium, were evaluated. Diamond gave the greatest enhancement with a 12 nm thick gold island film. The enhancement factor was 200 times compared to bare diamond crystal, whereas it was 10 times for germanium crystal. This variation of enhancement factor according to crystal types was presumed to be due to the morphology of the gold films on the crystals. We also obtained an enhanced ATR map over an area of approximately 2 x 6 mm for a thin layer (approximately 1 nm thick) of di-2-ethylhexylphthalate on PTFE using gold-coated hexagonal silicon micro-ATR crystals. This micro-ATR-SEIRA technique has major potential for analyzing small and thin substances on material surfaces.     

Reduced blood flow in abdominal viscera measured by Doppler ultrasound during one-legged knee extension

The redistribution of blood flow (BF) in the abdominal viscera during right-legged knee extension-flexion exercise at very low intensity [peak heart rate (HR), 76 beats/min] was examined by using Doppler ultrasound. While sitting, subjects performed a right-legged knee extension-flexion exercise every 6 s for 20 min. BF was measured in the upper abdominal aorta (Ao), right common femoral artery (RCFA), and left common femoral artery (LCFA). Visceral BF (BFVis) was determined by the equation [BFAo - (BFRCFA + BFLCFA)]. A comparison with the change in BF (DeltaBF) preexercise showed a greater increase in DeltaBFRCFA than in DeltaBFAo during exercise. This resulted in a reduction of BFVis to 56% of its preexercise value or a decrease in flow by 1,147 +/- 293 (+/-SE) ml/min at the peak workload. Oxygen consumption correlated positively with DeltaBFAo, DeltaBFRCFA, and DeltaBFLCFA but inversely with DeltaBFVis during exercise and recovery. Furthermore, BFVis (% of preexercise value) correlated inversely with both an increase in HR (r = -0.89), and percent peak oxygen consumption (r = -0.99). This study demonstrated that, even during very-low-intensity exercise (HR <90 beats/min), there was a significant shift in BF from the viscera to the exercising muscles.     

Ytterbium-decreasing Streptomyces sp. and its naphthoquinone-pigment production in the presence of rare-earth elements

We screened for oligotrophic microorganisms capable of decreasing the concentration of ytterbium (Yb), a representative of the heavy rare-earth elements, in a culture medium. From 476 strains of oligotrophic microorganisms (grown on 1/100 diluted nutrient agar) isolated from soil and river water samples, 5 strains capable of reducing the concentration of Yb in diluted nutrient broth containing 5 ppm Yb were selected. Among them, a strain capable of reducing the concentration of all rare-earth elements to a great extent was identified as Streptomyces sp. (strain YB-1). This strain produced redish-purple pigment(s) only in the presence of rare earths, but not in that of other metals. The pigment was extracted with ethyl acetate and purified by a series of column chromatography steps. From the results of structural analysis using ultraviolet or infrared absorption spectrometry and 13C-NMR, the pigment was determined to be a kind of naphthoquinone similar to nanaomycin produced by a Streptomyces sp. These results suggested that rare earths might affect the physiological activity of this strain.     

Autonomous mobile robot based on behavior decision skill and control skill of the operator

This paper introduces a human skill base control algorithm using artificial neural networks and fuzzy reasoning for an autonomous mobile robot. Neural networks are used to select a suitable motion control pattern in actual environments. The back propagation algorithm adjusts the weights of the neural networks so that the selected motion control pattern corresponds to the action, which is obtained by the operator's behavior decision skill. To realize the selected motion control pattern, the orientation angle and the speed of the mobile robot are determined by fuzzy reasoning in which fuzzy rules are also automatically tuned so as to simulate the operator's control skill. We have implemented and tested the proposed control algorithm on an autonomous mobile robot and some experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control algorithm for the autonomous mobile robot. © 2000 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 131(2): 30–39, 2000     

Proposal of new iterative scheme in GMRES

In the paper, GMRES is applied to various large matrices appearing in 3D field analyses. By changing the condition of the matrices, effective preconditioning of the matrix is sought. Also studied is a relationship between the residual norm and the precision evaluated during GMRES. The paper shows that the residual norm, which is indirectly computed in GMRES and has so far been used as a measure of precision, cannot be used as an indicator of the solution's accuracy. After discussing deterioration of precision, GMRES(m1), which solves matrices with a modified iterative scheme, is proposed. It is to be confirmed that GMRES(m1) is faster and more accurate than any of GMRES and its modified version, GMRES(m). © 1998 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 123(4): 15–24, 1998