A Smart Hyperthermia Nanofiber-Platform-Enabled Sustained Release of Doxorubicin and 17AAG for Synergistic Cancer Therapy

This study demonstrates the rational fabrication of a magnetic composite nanofiber mesh that can achieve mutual synergy of hyperthermia, chemotherapy, and thermo-molecularly targeted therapy for highly potent therapeutic effects. The nanofiber is composed of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) with doxorubicin, magnetic nanoparticles, and 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin. The nanofiber exhibits distinct hyperthermia, owing to the presence of magnetic nanoparticles upon exposure of the mesh to an alternating magnetic field, which causes heat-induced cell killing as well as enhanced chemotherapeutic efficiency of doxorubicin. The effectiveness of hyperthermia is further enhanced through the inhibition of heat shock protein activity after hyperthermia by releasing the inhibitor 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin. These findings represent a smart nanofiber system for potent cancer therapy and may provide a new approach for the development of localized medication delivery.     

Direct Injection of CRISPR/Cas9-Related mRNA into Cytoplasm of Parthenogenetically Activated Porcine Oocytes Causes Frequent Mosaicism for Indel Mutations

Some reports demonstrated successful genome editing in pigs by one-step zygote microinjection of mRNA of CRISPR/Cas9-related components. Given the relatively long gestation periods and the high cost of housing, the establishment of a single blastocyst-based assay for rapid optimization of the above system is required. As a proof-of-concept, we attempted to disrupt a gene (GGTA1) encoding the α-1,3-galactosyltransferase that synthesizes the α-Gal epitope using parthenogenetically activated porcine oocytes. The lack of α-Gal epitope expression can be monitored by staining with fluorescently labeled isolectin BS-I-B₄ (IB4), which binds specifically to the α-Gal epitope. When oocytes were injected with guide RNA specific to GGTA1 together with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and human Cas9 mRNAs, 65% (24/37) of the developing blastocysts exhibited green fluorescence, although almost all (96%, 23/24) showed a mosaic fluorescent pattern. Staining with IB4 revealed that the green fluorescent area often had a reduced binding activity to IB4. Of the 16 samples tested, six (five fluorescent and one non-fluorescent blastocysts) had indel mutations, suggesting a correlation between EGFP expression and mutation induction. Furthermore, it is suggested that zygote microinjection of mRNAs might lead to the production of piglets with cells harboring various mutation types.     

Computer simulation of morphological changes of grain boundary precipitates growing by the ledge mechanism

A previously developed computer model was modified to simulate the growth of grain boundary precipitates which grow by the ledge mechanism. The ledges were assumed to be nucleated in the grain boundary region at constant, parabolically decreasing, and random rates and to grow under the control of volume diffusion of solute to or from the riser of ledges. At lower under coolings at which the motion of individual ledges is slow, late-nucleated ledges soon catch up with first-nucleated ones, and precipitates tend to extend along the grain boundary: the overall precipitate shape is essentially that of a grain boundary allotriomorph. At larger undercoolings, first-nucleated ledges move fast to form a protuberance similar to Widmanstätten sideplates, while late-nucleated ones stay near the grain boundary region. The transition of precipitate shape from one to the other occurs in a very narrow range of supersaturation. The results are compared with various characteristics of the growth of proeutectoid ferrite allotriomorphs and sideplates in Fe-C alloys documented in the literature.     

Photocatalytic Property and Electronic Structure of Lanthanide-based Oxysulfides

Lanthanide-based oxysulfides and sulfide, LnTaO_3.5S_0.5, Ln₁₀OS₁₄ (Ln = La, Pr, Nd, Sm) and La₄In₅S₁₃, were successively synthesized by sulfurization in a flowing H₂S. The sulfurization decreased the band-gap energies from >4 eV to <3eV, because of the formation of occupied S3p orbitals on the top of valence band. In accordance with the small band gap, the H₂ evolution from a 0.01 M Na₂S and 0.01 M Na₂SO₃ solution system was observed under irradiation of light up to >500 nm. The rate of H₂ evolution under light irradiation of >500 nm increased in the order of Ni/LaTaO_3.5S_0.5 < Ru/La₁₀OS₁₄ < Pt/La₄In₅S₁₃.     

Local droplet diameter variation in a stirred tank

The local variation of droplet diameter in a stirred tank was measured in the vicinity of the impeller and at another region. The degree of difference in droplet diameter between regions increases with the impeller speed. A correlation equation between the local difference in droplet diameter and the frequencies of coalescence and circulation of the droplet was derived according to the circulation interaction model. The degree of local difference in droplet diameter was found to be controlled strongly by the ratio of coalescence to circulation frequency.     

Carbon Nanotubes Grown on the Surface of Cathode Deposit by Arc Discharge

Carbon nanotubes prepared by de arc discharge of graphite electrodes in He and CH₄ gas took markedly different morphology. Thick nanotubes embellished with many carbon nanoparticles were obtained by evaporation under high CH₄ gas pressure and high arc current. Thin and long carbon nanotubes were obtained under a CH₄ gas pressure of 50Torr and an arc current of 20A for the anode with a diameter of 6mm.     

Binary Adsorption Isotherms of Water and Ethyl Acetate Vapor for Materials Contained in a Box of a Tobacco Product

An experimental study has been carried out on the characteristics of binary adsorption isotherms of water and volatile flavor for typical materials used in a box of a tobacco product or cigarettes. Ethyl acetate chosen as a model for water-soluble volatile flavor. Binary adsorption isotherms for the tobacco, papers, filters, and activated carbons were measured with a flow-type multi-component adsorption system under the canstant conditions of temperature a t 303 K and vapor pressure of water a t 2.5 kPain the vapor pressure range of ethyl acetate from 0 to 4.2 kPa. A linear equation was applied to express the binary adsorption isotherms for the tobacco, papers and filters, while a Dubinin-Astakhov equation was applied for the activated carbons. The binary adsorption was characterized into three groups, depending on the selectivity as well as the mechanism of adsorption; i.e.(l) for tobacco and papers, water was adsorbed much greater rather than ethyl acetate, (2) for filters, ethyl acetate was adsorbed on the surface as great as water, (3) for activated carbons, ethyl acetate was adsorbed much greater onto their micropores rather than water. The results showed that ethyl     

Three-dimensional pin power reconstruction for the axially heterogeneous region in BWR

A three-dimensional pin power reconstruction method was proposed and verified by applying to the axially heterogeneous region problem of the BWR core calculation. Because the production assembly calculation has been carried out by two-dimensional deterministic calculation methods like current coupling collision probability or the method of characteristics, it has been difficult to predict the detailed three-dimensional heterogeneous pin power distribution of the axially heterogeneous region. Consequently, only radial intranodal homogeneous power distributions have been considered, and axial intranodal homogeneous power distributions have not been considered in the estimation of linear-heat-generation-ratio at common BWR core calculations.     

Control of Wind-Induced Self-Excited Oscillations by Transfer of Internal Energy to Higher Modes of Vibration. II: Application to Taut Cables

In Part I of this paper, a theoretical basis is presented using a two-degrees-of-freedom model. In this second part of the study, the passive control and the two types of semiactive controls introduced in Part I are examined numerically for a taut cable experiencing wind-induced galloping motion. The passive and the semiactive control schemes for taut cables show a good similarity with the results obtained for the two-degrees-of-freedom model. The potential of using these control schemes in practical applications to flexible structures is demonstrated.     

Evaluation of constructed wetlands by wastewater purification ability and greenhouse gas emissions.

Domestic wastewater is a significant source of nitrogen and phosphorus, which cause lake eutrophication. Among the wastewater treatment technologies, constructed wetlands are a promising low-cost means of treating point and diffuse sources of domestic wastewater in rural areas. However, the sustainable operation of constructed wetland treatment systems depends upon a high rate conversion of organic and nitrogenous loading into their metabolic gaseous end products, such as N2O and CH4. In this study, we examined and compared the performance of three typical types of constructed wetlands: Free Water Surface (FWS), Subsurface Flow (SF) and Vertical Flow (VF) wetlands. Pollutant removal efficiency and N2O and CH4 emissions were assessed as measures of performance. We found that the pollutant removal rates and gas emissions measured in the wetlands exhibited clear seasonal changes, and these changes were closely associated with plant growth. VF wetlands exhibited stable removal of organic pollutants and NH3-N throughout the experiment regardless of season and showed great potential for CH4 adsorption. SF wetlands showed preferable T-N removal performance and a lower risk of greenhouse gas emissions than FWS wetlands. Soil oxidation reduction potential (ORP) analysis revealed that water flow structure and plant growth influenced constructed wetland oxygen transfer, and these variations resulted in seasonal changes of ORP distribution inside wetlands that were accompanied by fluctuations in pollutant removal and greenhouse gas emissions.