MC180295 Inhibited Epstein–Barr Virus-Associated Gastric Carcinoma Cell Growth by Suppressing DNA Repair and the Cell Cycle

DNA methylation of both viral and host DNA is one of the major mechanisms involved in the development of Epstein–Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC); thus, epigenetic treatment using demethylating agents would seem to be promising. We have verified the effect of {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295, which was discovered by screening for demethylating agents. {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 inhibited cell growth of the EBVaGC cell lines YCCEL1 and SNU719 in a dose-dependent manner. In a cell cycle analysis, growth arrest and apoptosis were observed in both YCCEL1 and SNU719 cells treated with {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295. MKN28 cells infected with EBV were sensitive to {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 and showed more significant inhibition of cell growth compared to controls without EBV infection. Serial analysis of gene expression analysis showed the expression of genes belonging to the role of BRCA1 in DNA damage response and cell cycle control chromosomal replication to be significantly reduced after {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 treatment. We confirmed with quantitative PCR that the expression levels of BRCA2, FANCM, RAD51, TOP2A, and CDC45 were significantly decreased by {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295. LMP1 and BZLF1 are EBV genes with expression that is epigenetically regulated, and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 could up-regulate their expression. In conclusion, {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"MC180295","term_id":"1885105835","term_text":"MC180295"}}MC180295 inhibited the growth of EBVaGC cells by suppressing DNA repair and the cell cycle.     

Analysis of ultrasonic welding process of mild steel and 5052 aluminium alloy

Ultrasonic welding of mild steel sheet (SPCC) and aluminium alloy sheet (A5052) was conducted using two different weld tips of a knurled tip (K-tip) and a curved shape tip without knurled edges (C-tip). Behaviours of the weld tip and the welded materials during the weld process were analysed using a high-speed camera observation and an image correlation. The C-tip welding shows a completely different displacement behaviour from the K-tip welding; a relative motion between the tool tip and A5052 in contact with the tip predominantly occurs in the C-tip in contrast to a relative motion between A5052 and SPCC observed in the K-tip. The joint strength using the C-tip was higher than that using the K-tip under the weld conditions in this study. It is demonstrated that the relative motion behaviour in the C-tip causes a macroscopic deformation of A5052 in the vibration direction. This phenomenon promotes growth of a bonded region, resulting in the increase of joint strength. It is surmised that Fe–Al intermetallic layer forms at the weld interface, and the joint strength consequently decreases for the longer weld time condition.     

Insensitivity of a class of LQ regulators of neutral systems

It is well known that the linear quadratic regulators of finite dimensional linear systems have the insensitivity property. In this paper, as a particular class of infinite dimensional systems, a neutral delay‐differential system is considered as a plant. A class of linear quadratic regulators is constructed for the plant using a simple feedback law, which does not require real‐time either integral or derivative operations. The feedback gain is calculated by solving a finite dimensional linear matrix inequality. First, it is shown that the regulator satisfies the circle condition. Then, its sensitivity against the parameter variations is evaluated. In the single‐input case, it is done by calculating the absolute value of the sensitivity function. In the multi‐input case, it is done by the so‐called “comparison sensitivity” method where the sensitivities of the closed‐loop system and the open‐loop system are compared based on certain sensitivity indices. Procedures used for the investigation of the regulator's properties are based on natural extension of methods proposed by Perkins and Cruz for the finite dimensional case. As a result, it is found that the class of linear quadratic regulators of neutral systems, similarly to finite dimensional systems, has the insensitivity property. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 150(2): 28–34, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20013     

Development of Molecular Sieves‐Supported Palladium Catalyst and Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Bonds in the Presence of Nitro Groups

The chemoselective hydrogenation of unsaturated bonds and azide functionalities is achieved in the presence of nitro groups by a heterogeneous palladium catalyst supported on molecular sieves (MS3A). The present method shows a wide‐range of applicability with regard to substrates and the catalyst can be easily prepared and reused at least three times without any loss of activity.     

Exergetic life cycle assessment of new waste aluminium treatment system with co-production of pressurized hydrogen and aluminium hydroxide

A new system is proposed for the treatment of waste aluminium. The total exergy loss (EXL) in the system for the co-production of 1 kg of hydrogen at 30 MPa and 26 kg of aluminium hydroxide is evaluated from the viewpoint of life cycle assessment (LCA) by comparison with the EXLs in conventional systems. The exergy flow diagram reveals that the exergy of waste aluminium, which contains only 15 mass% metal, is still large, while that of pure aluminium hydroxide is relatively small. Therefore, the EXL in the proposed system (150.9 MJ) is 55% less than that in the conventional system (337.7 MJ) in which the gas compressor and production of aluminium hydroxide consume significantly more exergy. The results also indicate that exergy analysis should be applied to the LCA as a critical measure for practical use, in addition to the conventional LCA of carbon dioxide emission.     

Microbial conversion of glycerol into glycolipid biosurfactants, mannosylerythritol lipids, by a basidiomycete yeast, Pseudozyma antarctica JCM 10317(T)

Microbial conversion of glycerol into functional bio-based materials was investigated, aiming to facilitate the utilization of waste glycerol. A basidiomycete yeast, Pseudozyma antarctica JCM 10317, efficiently produced mannosylerythritol lipids (MELs) as glycolipid biosurfactants from glycerol. The amount of MEL yield reached 16.3 g l(-1) by intermittent feeding of glycerol.     

Effect of Risk Information Exposure on Consumers’ Responses to Foods with Insect Contamination

This study explores the impact that scientific information about insect contamination of food has on consumer perceptions. Participants (n = 320, Japanese consumers) were randomly assigned to 1 of 8 information‐type conditions: (1) information about insect type, (2) information about contamination processes, (3) information about the safety of contaminated food, (4, 5, 6) combinations of 2 of (1), (2), and (3) above, (7) all information, and (8) no‐information, and asked to rate their valuation, behavioral intention, and attitude toward food with insect contamination. Results demonstrated that some combinations of scientific information that include the safety of the contaminated food are effective to reduce consumers’ compulsive rejection of insect contamination in food, whereas the single presentation of information about insect type increases consumers’ explicit rejection of both the contaminated product and the manufacturer. These findings have implications for the coordination of risk communication strategies.     

Evaluation of drug toxicity with hepatocytes cultured in a micro-space cell culture system

A micro-space cell culture system was recently developed in which cells such as hepatocytes can be cultured and formed into a multicellular three-dimensional (3D) architecture. In this study, we assessed the performance of HepG2 cells cultured in this micro-space cell culture system in a drug toxicity test, and evaluated the effects of micro-space culture on their hepatocyte-specific functions. The micro-space cell culture facilitated the formation of 3D HepG2 cell architecture. HepG2 cells cultured in a micro-space culture plate exhibited increased albumin secretion and enhanced mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme compared to those cultured in a monolayer culture. When the cells were exposed to acetaminophen, a hepatotoxic drug, the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in micro-space culture was greater than the damage to the HepG2 cells grown in monolayer culture. In addition, human primary hepatocytes grown in micro-space culture also exhibited increased albumin secretion, enhanced CYP mRNA expression levels and increased sensitivity to acetaminophen compared to those grown in monolayer culture. These results suggest that this micro-space culture method enhances the hepatocyte-specific functions of hepatocytes, including drug-metabolizing enzyme activities, making hepatocytes grown in the micro-space culture system a useful tool for evaluating drug toxicity in vitro.     

Ironmaking with ammonia at low temperature

This paper describes the reduction of hematite with ammonia for ironmaking, in which the effect of temperature on the products was examined. The results showed that the reduction process began at 430 °C during heating, and with an increase in temperature, the reduction mechanism changed apparently from a direct reduction of ammonia (Fe(2)O(3) + 2NH(3) → 2Fe + N(2) + 3H(2)O) to an indirect reduction via the thermal decomposition of ammonia (2NH(3) → N(2) + 3H(2), Fe(2)O(3) + 3H(2) → 2Fe + 3H(2)O) at temperatures over 530 °C. The final product obtained at 600 and 700 °C was pure metallic iron, in contrast with that formed at 450 °C, that is, a mixture of metallic iron and iron nitride. The results suggest the possibility of using ammonia as a reducing agent for carbonless ironmaking, which is operated at a much lower temperature than 900 °C in conventional coal-based ironmaking.