The Apoptotic Volume Decrease Is an Upstream Event of MAP Kinase Activation during Staurosporine-Induced Apoptosis in HeLa Cells

Persistent cell shrinkage, called apoptotic volume decrease (AVD), is a pivotal event of apoptosis. Activation of the volume-sensitive outwardly rectifying Cl(-) channel (VSOR) is involved in the AVD induction. On the other hand, activation of the MAP kinase (MAPK) cascade is also known to play a critical role in apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between the AVD induction and the stress-responsive MAPK cascade activation during the apoptosis process induced by staurosporine (STS) in HeLa cells. STS was found to induce AVD within 2-5 min and phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 MAPK after over 20-30 min. VSOR blockers suppressed not only STS-induced AVD but also phosphorylation of JNK and p38 as well as activation of caspase-3/7. Moreover, a p38 inhibitor, SB203580, and a JNK inhibitor, SP600125, failed to affect STS-induced AVD, whereas these compounds reduced STS-induced activation of caspase-3/7. Also, treatment with ASK1-specific siRNA suppressed STS-induced caspase-3/7 activation without affecting the AVD induction. Furthermore, sustained osmotic cell shrinkage per se was found to trigger phosphorylation of JNK and p38, caspase activation, and cell death. Thus, it is suggested that activation of p38 and JNK is a downstream event of AVD for the STS-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells.     

Examination of catalytic roles of inherent metallic species in steam reforming of nascent volatiles from the rapid pyrolysis of a brown coal

In-situ steam reforming of tar from the rapid pyrolysis of a Victorian brown coal was studied, employing a single-stage drop-tube reactor and a particular type of two-stage reactor, in which the nascent tar underwent steam reforming and thermal cracking in the presence and absence of nascent char particles, respectively. Na was the most abundant inherent metallic species contained in the coal, and a significant proportion of Na (60–80%) was volatilized during the pyrolysis. However, the Na dispersed in the vapor phase seemed to have no significant catalytic effect on the steam reforming. Na, and/or Ca remaining on the surface of char particles were responsible for rapid and extensive steam reforming of the nascent tar into gases, resulting in tar yield decrease by nearly 90%. The presence of steam alone was effective for suppressing soot formation from the tar vapor by approx. 80%, but in the absence of char particles containing metallic species, the addition of steam led to an increase in the yield of poly-nuclear aromatics.     

Epitaxial growth of lithium niobate film using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

Lithium niobate films grown epitaxially on sapphire substrate were prepared using a thermal chemical vapor deposition method from the metalorganic compounds Li(C₁₁H₁₉O₂) and Nb(OC₂H₅)₅. The range of operating conditions for obtaining pure epitaxially grown LiNbO₃ without other oxides is within that for obtaining pure polycrystalline LiNbO₃ grown on silicon substrate. On analyzing the composition of the epitaxially grown LiNbO₃ film, the composition of the film was similar to that of the LiNbO₃ solid solution in the phase diagram of the Li-Nb composite oxide obtained for crystal growth from a molten solution.     

Self—Induced Oscillation of Supersonic Jet During Impingement on Cylindrical Body

INTaoDUCTIONThephenomenaoftheinteractionbetweenthesu-personicjetandanobstaclearerelatedtotheproblemSoftheaeronauticalengineeringsuchasthedesignoftherocketlaunchersysteml1]andillterestinginrela-tiontotheindustrialengineerings.Thefiowisshowntobethehsocomplexthreedimensionalwavpat-terncolit~shodwavesduetotheimpingemelltofasuPersonicjetonanobstacle,ManystudiesontheinteractionbrtweenthesuPersonicjetandanobstaclehavebeenreportedconcerningtheinteractionsoftheshodwaves[l]-I5l,theflowcharacteristi…     

Repair system where the repairmen change depending on the failed machines

In this study, the repair system of the machines having multi-input sources is analyzed in the steady state by assuming that the repairmen change is dependent on the failed machines. In the cases of two and three repairmen, it is assumed that the service abilities of each repairman differ. The mean number of failed machines and the mean waiting failed machines are derived as the characteristic values of the system.     

Estimation of endotoxin-like substances in deep seawater by using bioassay.

Deep seawater has recently been under trial as a fundamental material for mineral water, food, face lotion and an efficacious reagent for the cure of atopic dermatitis in Japan. However, little is known about the biologically effective substances, including toxic compounds in deep seawater. In this study, we investigated the effects of deep seawater on the function of murine macrophages in vitro, and examined the endotoxin-like substances in seawater. Mitochondrial activity and NO production in macrophage cells cultured with stimulants were enhanced in a depth dependent manner by pretreatment with deep seawater. In addition, fractions from deep seawater, enriched by hydrophobic column chromatography, activated the macrophage cells much more than the corresponding fractions from surface seawater. Furthermore, the effects of the fractions on macrophage cells remained significant, even with the addition of polymyxin B. which is a specific inhibitor of endotoxins. These results indicate that endotoxins and unknown substances, which affect macrophage functions, exist in a depth dependent manner in seawater.     

Novel FePBNbCr glassy alloys “SENNTIX” with good soft-magnetic properties for high efficiency commercial inductor cores

According to a recent study, Fe-based glassy alloys are expected good soft-magnetic properties such as high saturation magnetization and lower coercive force. We focused on Fe-based glassy alloys and have succeeded in developing novel glassy Fe_97?x?yP_xB_yNb₂Cr₁ (x = 5–13, y = 7–15) alloys for an inductor material. The glassy alloy series of Fe_97?x?yP_xB_yNb₂Cr₁ (x = 5–13, y = 7–15) have high glass-forming ability with the large critical thickness of 110–150 μm and high B_s of 1.25–1.35 T. The glassy alloy powder with chemical composition Fe₇₇P_10.5B_9.5Nb₂Cr₁ exhibits an excellent spherical particle shape related to the lower melting point and liquid phase point. In addition, Fe–P–B–Nb–Cr powder/resin composite core has much lower core loss of 653–881 kW/m³, which is approximately 1/3 lower than the conventional amorphous Fe–Si–B–Cr powder/resin composite core and 1/4 lower than the conventional crystalline Fe–Si–Cr powder/resin composite core due to the lower coercive force of 2.5–3.1 A/m. Based on above results, the glassy Fe₇₇P_10.5B_9.5Nb₂Cr₁ alloy powder enable to achieve ultra-high efficient and high quality products in a commercial inductor. In fact, the surface mounted inductor using Fe–P–B–Nb–Cr powder/resin exhibits the high efficiency of approximately 2.0% compared with the conventional inductors made of the crystalline Fe–Si–Cr powder/resin composite core.     

Comparison of Monte Carlo calculation methods for effective delayed neutron fraction

Monte Carlo calculation methods to estimate the effective delayed neutron fraction β_eff are investigated: one is proposed by Meulekamp et al. and the other is by Nauchi et al. It is revealed that both the methods calculate the delayed neutron fraction weighted with the importance functions defined by Kobayashi. The accuracy of the methods are also examined for several simple benchmark systems. Consequently, it is found that Meulekamp’s method causes ∼5% discrepancies in the β_eff values for fast systems; Nauchi’s method gives good results for fast bare systems but ∼10% discrepancies for fast reflected systems. Both the methods calculate the β_eff values approximately within the accuracy of ∼2% for thermal systems.     

Recovery characteristics of a YBCO high-temperature superconducting current-limiting element for use in low-voltage distribution systems

Recovery characteristics of a YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y high-temperature superconductor after its quenching are investigated experimentally in this paper. The zigzag-shape superconducting elements 310 mm in effective length and 1.5 mm × 1 mm in cross section are examined. AC current injection tests are carried out. It is clarified that the high-temperature superconducting element has a quick transition characteristic between the super- and normal-conducting states. The test elements recover to zero impedance state from high impedance state just after removing the over-current when the magnitude of accumulated heats due to the over-current during the quenching period is less than 1 J. Furthermore, it is found from experiments that the critical current level might be reduced by some self-magnetization due to a high current during the quenching period.     

Quenching current level coordination in superconducting power transmission systems

In the present power transmission system, electric power devices are equipped under the concept of insulation coordination and are protected from lightning overvoltage and switching surge by the arrester. However, the future superconducting power transmission system is characterized by the heavy current transmission capability, the lower transmission loss and lightning-surge-free circumstances. Thus, in the superconducting power transmission system, superconducting devices should be protected rather from quenching by the overcurrent of a short-circuit fault than from the breakdown by over-voltage. In this paper, a new concept of the coordination for the superconducting transmission system is proposed as a “quenching current level coordination” instead of the insulation coordination. Furthermore, it is pointed out that the quenching current level coordination has the duality relationship with the present insulation coordination. A superconducting fault current limiter should play an important part of the quenching current level coordination to prevent the other superconducting devices from quenching.