Porphyromonas gingivalis Components/Secretions Synergistically Enhance Pneumonia Caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae in Mice

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important causative organism of respiratory tract infections. Although periodontal bacteria have been shown to influence respiratory infections such as aspiration pneumonia, the synergistic effect of S. pneumoniae and Porphyromonas gingivalis, a periodontopathic bacterium, on pneumococcal infections is unclear. To investigate whether P. gingivalis accelerates pneumococcal infections, we tested the effects of inoculating P. gingivalis culture supernatant (PgSup) into S. pneumoniae-infected mice. Mice were intratracheally injected with S. pneumoniae and PgSup to induce pneumonia, and lung histopathological sections and the absolute number and frequency of neutrophils and macrophages in the lung were analyzed. Proinflammatory cytokine/chemokine expression was examined by qPCR and ELISA. Inflammatory cell infiltration was observed in S. pneumoniae-infected mice and S. pnemoniae and PgSup mixed-infected mice, and mixed-infected mice showed more pronounced inflammation in lung. The ratios of monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils were not significantly different between the lungs of S. pneumoniae-infected mice and those of mixed-infected mice. PgSup synergistically increased TNF-α expression/production and IL-17 production compared with S. pneumoniae infection alone. We demonstrated that PgSup enhanced inflammation in pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae, suggesting that virulence factors produced by P. gingivalis are involved in the exacerbation of respiratory tract infections such as aspiration pneumonia.     

Effects of changes in agricultural activities on the nitrogen cycle in Khon Kaen Province,Thailand between 1990–1992 and 2000–2002

As the Thai economy grew rapidly after 1985, agriculture became more intensive through the increasing use of chemical fertilizer and mechanization. This study aimed to analyze the nitrogen (N) cycle related to agricultural activities in Khon Kaen Province in Thailand during 1990–1992 and 2000–2002, and on the changes in utilization of local organic resources and the N load to the environment. A model of the N cycle was constructed including compartments for farmland, crop yield, crop residue, food factory, livestock, humans, market, hydrosphere and atmosphere. N flows among the compartments in the model were estimated from data derived from Thai agricultural statistics, related reports and journal articles, interviews with farmers and food factory staff, field observation and information from Thai experts. N flow through livestock declined because of a decrease in the number of buffalo raised, which reduced the production of animal manure. N returned to farmland in crop residues increased because sugarcane cultivation, and crop residues, increased and the burning of rice straw decreased. An increase in chemical fertilizer application increased N input to farmland for crop production. N balance in farmland changed from −27 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 1990–1992 to +6 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ in 2000–2002, which improved soil N depletion. Because N leaching and erosion from farmland were low, water pollution in farmland is expected to be low. Human waste was not used or treated, and water pollution from human waste would be expected in housing areas. Analysis of indices of the N cycle showed that the stock of soil N in farmland supported agricultural production in 1990–1992, and that N inflow from outside the area (chemical fertilizer) supported agricultural production in 2000–2002. However, efficiency of N use for agricultural production did not improve.     

E8002 Reduces Adhesion Formation and Improves Joint Mobility in a Rat Model of Knee Arthrofibrosis

Knee arthrofibrosis is a common complication of knee surgery, caused by excessive scar tissue, which results in functional disability. However, no curative treatment has been established. E8002 is an anti-adhesion material that contains L-ascorbic acid, an antioxidant. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of E8002 for the prevention of knee arthrofibrosis in a rat model, comprising injury to the surface of the femur and quadriceps muscle 1 cm proximal to the patella. Sixteen male, 8-week-old Sprague Dawley rats were studied: in the Adhesion group, haemorrhagic injury was induced to the quadriceps and bone, and in the E8002 group, an adhesion-preventing film was implanted between the quadriceps and femur after injury. Six weeks following injury, the restriction of knee flexion owing to fibrotic scarring had not worsened in the E8002 group but had worsened in the Adhesion group. The area of fibrotic scarring was smaller in the E8002 group than in the Adhesion group (p < 0.05). In addition, the numbers of fibroblasts (p < 0.05) and myofibroblasts (p < 0.01) in the fibrotic scar were lower in the E8002 group. Thus, E8002 reduces myofibroblast proliferation and fibrotic scar formation and improves the range of motion of the joint in a model of knee injury.     

Mass transfer coefficient of tubular ultrafiltration membranes under high‐flux conditions

The effect of suction flow on the mass transfer coefficient of tubular ultrafiltration membranes, in particular that under a high‐flux condition, was studied. We pointed out that is proportional to under turbulent conditions, and that the proportional constant, b, exceeds 0.023 when the effect of suction flow is not negligible. We conducted the velocity variation method using ultrafiltration membranes with MWCOs of 20k and 100k and dextrans having molecular weights of 40,000 and 70,000 at the conditions, where exceeded . We demonstrated that the effect of suction flow includes not only flux but also the diffusion coefficient of solute, and that the ratio of the flux to the diffusion coefficient, expressed as , is an important index. Finally, we concluded that , when is smaller than , giving the Deissler equation itself, and that , when exceeds . © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 64: 1778–1782, 2018     

Tn Antigen Expression Defines an Immune Cold Subset of Mismatch-Repair Deficient Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) cells often express Tn antigen, a tumor-associated truncated immature O-glycan (GalNAcα-O-Ser/Thr) that can promote tumor progression. Immunotherapies against Tn antigen have been developed and are being evaluated in clinical trials. Tn antigen can also be considered a novel immune checkpoint that induces immunosuppressive signaling through glycan-biding lectins to lead effector T cell apoptosis. We evaluated the correlation of Tn antigen expression by immunohistochemistry with mismatch-repair (MMR) status, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, tumor cell PD-L1 expression, and clinicopathological characteristics in 507 CRC patients. Although 91.9% of CRCs showed negative or weak Tn antigen staining (Tn-negative/weak), we identified a small subset of CRCs (8.1%) that displayed particularly intense and diffuse distribution of Tn antigen immunoreactivity (Tn-strong) that closely related to deficient MMR (dMMR). Moreover, 40 dMMR CRCs were stratified into 24 Tn-negative/weak dMMR tumors (60.0%) exhibiting dense CD8+ lymphocyte infiltrate concomitant with a high rate of PD-L1 positivity, and 16 Tn-strong dMMR tumors (40.0%) that demonstrated CD8+ T cell exclusion and a lack of PD-L1 expression, which was comparable to those of proficient MMR. Our finding suggests that the immune cold subset of patients with Tn-strong dMMR CRC may be effectively treated with immune checkpoint blockade therapy or cellular immunotherapy targeting Tn antigen.     

Design and Synthesis of Chiral Zn2+ Complexes Mimicking Natural Aldolases for Catalytic C–C Bond Forming Reactions in Aqueous Solution

Extending carbon frameworks via a series of C–C bond forming reactions is essential for the synthesis of natural products, pharmaceutically active compounds, active agrochemical ingredients, and a variety of functional materials. The application of stereoselective C–C bond forming reactions to the one-pot synthesis of biorelevant compounds is now emerging as a challenging and powerful strategy for improving the efficiency of a chemical reaction, in which some of the reactants are subjected to successive chemical reactions in just one reactor. However, organic reactions are generally conducted in organic solvents, as many organic molecules, reagents, and intermediates are not stable or soluble in water. In contrast, enzymatic reactions in living systems proceed in aqueous solvents, as most of enzymes generally function only within a narrow range of temperature and pH and are not so stable in less polar organic environments, which makes it difficult to conduct chemoenzymatic reactions in organic solvents. In this review, we describe the design and synthesis of chiral metal complexes with Zn²⁺ ions as a catalytic factor that mimic aldolases in stereoselective C–C bond forming reactions, especially for enantioselective aldol reactions. Their application to chemoenzymatic reactions in aqueous solution is also presented.     

Simultaneous Estimation and Modeling of Thermophysical Properties of Big-Eyed Tuna and Pacific Cod

The thermophysical properties (thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat) of big-eyed tuna and pacific cod were measured at various temperatures (5–50°C) by the modified version of current probe method. The optimal prediction models for these thermophysical properties were determined. The random model was applied to predict the thermal conductivity of seafood in a wide range of temperature and it provided the accurate predictions for the samples. The thermal diffusivities of the samples could be predicted by Martens’s equation. An additive relationship exists between the specific heat of the sample, the composition, and the specific heat of each component.     

Structural change of polydiacetylene Langmuir film during compression process

The conformational change and the alignment behavior of poly-4BCMU were investigated in compression, de-compression and re-compression process using LB method. In compression process, the conformation of poly-4BCMU changed from random-coil conformation to rigid-rod one. With the increase of surface pressure, poly-4BCMU with rigid-rod conformation gathered into bundles and they aligned perpendicular to the compressing direction. Once stopping the compression and releasing the surface pressure, the bundle textures released packing. In this process (de-compression process), the conformational change never occurred. Discrete slender fibrils gathered again in re-compression process, resulting in the formation of close-packed bundles with high molecular ordering.     

Control of the asymmetric flow in rocket nozzles

In some rocket nozzle flows, the existence of the transition from FSS to RSS and the occurrence of asymmetric flow are known in previous researches. As a result, the transition causes excessive side-loads that may damage the nozzle. Thus, it is important to investigate the method in order to control the asymmetric flow separation. In the present study, the relationship between the asymmetric separation and the rate of change of the pressure ratio with time was investigated from the point of view of the transition from FSS to RSS in the supersonic nozzle experimentally. Further, change of the flow separation by using step and cavity, and the possibility of the control was demonstrated. As a result, it was shown that the method using a cavity was effective for the control of the separation pattern.     

Facile and versatile method for preparing core–shell microspheres with controlled surface structures based on silica particles-monolayer

This paper introduces a facile method for preparing core–shell type particles composed of a polymer core and a controlled layer shell with inorganic particles such as SiO₂, TiO₂ and Fe₃O₄. This method can be characterized as a one-pot synthesis procedure based on self-assembling copolymerization. By choosing particle diameters and adjusting the chemical modification of inorganic shell components, the method enables precise control of a shell layer such as single, double and multi-layer structures.