Anti-inflammatory Effects of Limonene from Yuzu (Citrus junos Tanaka) Essential Oil on Eosinophils

ABSTRACT: Yuzu (Citrus junos Tanaka) has been used as a traditional medicine in Japan. We investigated in vitro anti-inflammatory effects of limonene from yuzu peel on human eosinophilic leukemia HL-60 clone 15 cells. To examine anti-inflammatory effects of limonene on the cells, we measured the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), nuclear factor (NF) kappa B, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). We found that low concentration of limonene (7.34 mmol/L) inhibited the production of ROS for eotaxin-stimulated HL-60 clone 15 cells. 14.68 mmol/L concentration of limonene diminished MCP-1 production via NF-kappa B activation comparable to the addition of the proteasomal inhibitor MG132. In addition, it inhibited cell chemotaxis in a p38 MAPK dependent manner similar to the adding of SB203580. These results suggest that limonene may have potential anti-inflammatory efficacy for the treatment of bronchial asthma by inhibiting cytokines, ROS production, and inactivating eosinophil migration.     

Research on Liquid Management Technology in Water Tank and Reactor for Propulsion System with Hydrogen Production System Utilizing Aluminum and Water Reaction

High pressure hydrogen produced by aluminum and water reaction is considered to be applied to space propulsion system. Water tank and hydrogen production reactor in this propulsion system require gas and liquid separation function under microgravity condition. We consider to install vane type liquid acquisition device (LAD) utilizing surface tension in the water tank, and install gas-liquid separation mechanism by centrifugal force which swirling flow creates in the hydrogen reactor. In water tank, hydrophilic coating was covered on both tank wall and vane surface to improve wettability. Function of LAD in water tank and gas-liquid separation in reaction vessel were evaluated by short duration microgravity experiments using drop tower facility. In the water tank, it was confirmed that liquid was driven and acquired on the outlet due to capillary force created by vanes. In addition of this, it was found that gas-liquid separation worked well by swirling flow in hydrogen production reactor. However, collection of hydrogen gas bubble was sometimes suppressed by aluminum alloy particles, which is open problem to be solved.     

Access concentration detection in click logs to improve mobile Web-IR

Effective ranking algorithms for mobile Web searches are being actively pursued. Due to the peculiar and troublesome properties of mobile contents such as scant text, few outward links, and few input keywords, conventional Web search techniques using bag-of-words ranking functions or link-based algorithms are not good enough for mobile Web searches. Our solution is to use click logs to clarify access-concentrated search results for each query and to utilize the titles and snippets to expand the queries. Many previous works regard the absolute click numbers as the degree of access concentration, but they are strongly biased such that higher-ranked search results are more easily clicked than lower-ranked ones. Therefore, it is considered that only higher-ranked search results are access-concentrated ones and that only terms extracted from them can be used to expand a query. In this paper, we introduce a new measure that is capable of estimating the degree of access concentration. This measure is used to precisely extract access concentration sites from many search results and to expand queries with terms extracted from them. We conducted an experiment using the click logs and data from an actual mobile Web search site. Results obtained show that our proposed method is a more effective way to boost the search precision than using other query expansion methods such as the top K search results or the most-often-clicked search results.     

Synthesis of state machine diagrams from communication diagrams using Petri nets

Service-oriented architecture is an architecture style to build up a large-scale networked system composed of a set of components or functions, each of which is called a service. A problem to construct behavioral models of services from given global interaction specifications, called choreography, is known as the choreography realization problem. The constructed model is still an intermediate model in the process of system developments; the model will be corrected, modified, and enhanced further by designers. Therefore, we also have to consider readability of the constructed model. In this paper, we proposed a method to construct state machine models from choreographies described by a set of communication diagrams using Petri nets. The proposed method will try to use the composite states and the orthogonal regions of UML state machines for the readability.     

Protein Modification with Ribose Generates Nδ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolone-2-yl)-ornithine

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with diabetes and its complications. AGEs are formed by the non-enzymatic reactions of proteins and reducing sugars, such as glucose and ribose. Ribose is widely used in glycation research as it generates AGEs more rapidly than glucose. This study analyzed the AGE structures generated from ribose-modified protein by liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Among these AGEs, N^δ-(5-hydro-5-methyl-4-imidazolone-2-yl)-ornithine (MG-H1) was the most abundant in ribose-glycated bovine serum albumin (ribated-BSA) among others, such as N^ε-(carboxymethyl) lysine, N^ε-(carboxyethyl) lysine, and N^ω-(carboxymethyl) arginine. Surprisingly, MG-H1 was produced by ribated-BSA in a time-dependent manner, whereas methylglyoxal levels (MG) were under the detectable level. In addition, Trapa bispinosa Roxb. hot water extract (TBE) possesses several anti-oxidative compounds, such as ellagic acid, and has been reported to inhibit the formation of MG-H1 in vivo. Thus, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of TBE on MG-H1 formation using ribose- or MG-modified proteins. TBE inhibited MG-H1 formation in gelatin incubated with ribose and ribated-BSA, but not in MG-modified gelatin. Furthermore, MG-H1 formation was inhibited by diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid. These results demonstrated that ribose reacts with proteins to generate Amadori compounds and form MG-H1 via oxidation.     

Effect of Sulfur Concentration on the Morphology of Carbon Nanofibers Produced from a Botanical Hydrocarbon

Carbon nanofibers (CNF) with diameters of 20–130 nm with different morphologies were obtained from a botanical hydrocarbon: Turpentine oil, using ferrocene as catalyst source and sulfur as a promoter by simple spray pyrolysis method at 1,000 °C. The influence of sulfur concentration on the morphology of the carbon nanofibers was investigated. SEM, TEM, Raman, TGA/DTA, and BET surface area were employed to characterize the as-prepared samples. TEM analysis confirms that as-prepared CNFs have a very sharp tip, bamboo shape, open end, hemispherical cap, pipe like morphology, and metal particle trapped inside the wide hollow core. It is observed that sulfur plays an important role to promote or inhibit the CNF growth. Addition of sulfur to the solution of ferrocene and turpentine oil mixture was found to be very effective in promoting the growth of CNF. Without addition of sulfur, carbonaceous product was very less and mainly soot was formed. At high concentration of sulfur inhibit the growth of CNFs. Hence the yield of CNFs was optimized for a given sulfur concentration.     

Effect of Mixed Grain Sizes on the Thermoelectric Properties of Ca0.9Yb0.1MnO3

Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃ has been identified as a material that might be suitable for thermoelectric applications. We fabricated micro/nanograined Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃ composites, with the aim of controlling the passage of electrons and phonons simultaneously. Micro/nanograined Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃ composites containing various fractions of nanosized powder were prepared by sintering mixtures of microparticulate and nanoparticulate Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃, obtained by solid-state reaction and by gas-phase reaction, respectively. The electrical resistivity increased markedly when the weight fraction of nanosized powder exceeded 50%, probably as a result of a percolation phenomenon. However, the thermal conductivity was considerably reduced when the weight fraction of nanosized powder exceeded 25%, but then remained almost constant. The absolute values of the Seebeck coefficient of micro/nanograined Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃ composites were larger than those of monolithic micro- or nanograin Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃, probably as a result of the effects of potential-barrier scattering. The highest dimensionless figure of merit ZT value of 0.09 at 973 K was achieved with a sample containing 50% nanosized powder, and this value is 10% larger than that of monolithic micrograined Ca_0.9Yb_0.1MnO₃.     

Resveratrol derivative-rich melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract suppresses multiple angiogenesis-related endothelial cell functions and tumor angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a promising target for cancer prevention and treatment. This study aimed to determine the antiangiogenic effects of melinjo (Gnetum gnemon L.) seed extract and its resveratrol derivative components, such as gnetin C (GC), gnetin L (GL), gnemonoside A (GMA), gnemonoside C (GMC), and gnemonoside D (GMD). An ethanol extract of melinjo seeds (EEMS) and the two gnetins markedly inhibited the proliferation and tube formation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) stimulated with vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The inhibitory effects of GC and GL were much stronger than those of resveratrol. GMC and GMD inhibited only proliferation, whereas GMA had almost no effect on the two endothelial cell functions. The EEMS and GC also reduced the cell viability of tube-forming HUVEC, with accompanying ERK1/2 inactivation, and suppressed the migration of HUVEC. Furthermore, dietary intake of EEMS significantly inhibited tumor angiogenesis in a mouse dorsal air sac assay. In conclusion, we found that the EEMS and its resveratrol derivatives, particularly GC, suppress multiple angiogenesis-related endothelial cell functions and/or tumor angiogenesis, indicating that the melinjo seeds and the natural resveratrol derivatives may be useful for cancer prevention and treatment.     

Nickel sulfides as a cathode for all-solid-state ceramic lithium batteries

The nickel sulfide, Ni₃S₂, was examined as a potential cathode material of the all-solid-state-lithium-batteries using thio-LISICON, Li₂S–GeS₂–P₂S₅, as the solid-electrolyte. Ni₃S₂and Li₂S–GeS₂–P₂S₅ system, was synthesized with a new sintering system, which proceed under a flowing argon in the reusable quartz tube. The highest ionic conductivity 2.39×10⁻³$2.39\times 10^{-3}$ S cm⁻¹ was observed for a sample prepared at 700 °C with 10% of excess P₂S₅, and bear comparison with the maximum conductivity reported for the thio-LISICON, Li_3.35Ge_0.35P_0.65S₄. An all-solid-state-lithium-battery based on, Ni₃S₂/Li_3.35Ge_0.35P_0.65S₄/Li–Al alloy, showed electrochemical capacities of greater than ∼$\sim$300 mAh g⁻¹ after 30 cycles. The cycling performances of the cells were found to be dependent on the Ni₃S₂/thio-LISICON compositions in the cathode mixture, with a cell containing 60 wt.% of Ni₃S₂ exhibiting the most stable reversible capacities. As the depth of the first discharge capacity also influences the cycling properties, Ni₃S₂ consumed during the discharge reaction may play an important role in the nickel reduction mechanism.     

Airborne respirable silica near a sand and gravel facility in central California: XRD and elemental analysis to distinguish source and background quartz

Despite the potential toxicity of respirable quartz to humans, little is known about the transport of airborne quartz from sources to receptors and how to distinguish anthropogenically generated quartz from natural background in a receptor sample. Airborne quartz emissions near a sand and gravel facility were determined using PM10 and PM2.5 filter samples collected at four downwind sites (D1: 22 m, D2: 62 m, D3: 259 m, and D4: 745 m from the facility) as well as one upwind site (U1: 1495 m) during summer sampling. X-ray diffraction was used to determine quartz concentration and elemental composition was analyzed using PIXE, XRF, PESA, and HIPS techniques. Elemental composition of the PM samples was used to determine the X-ray mass absorption coefficients that are essential for accurate quartz quantification by XRD. Elemental composition was found to be a useful tool to distinguish source and background crystalline silica. Both PM10 and PM2.5 samples collected at the D1, D2, and D3 sites contained more Si, Al, and Fe and less H, Na, and S, compared to those at the U1 site, whereas site D4 sample compositions were similar to those at the U1 site. A composite variable, SOIL/(H+Na+S), where SOIL = 2.20Al + 2.49Si + 1.63Ca + 1.94Ti + 2.42Fe, was used to distinguish source materials from background. Average dry season quartz concentrations in replicate PM10 samples were 4.6 +/- 0.9) microg m(-3) at U1, 60.6 (+/- 5.4) microg m(3) at D1, 62.4 (+/- 3.6) at D2, 32.6 (+/- 2.1) microg m(-3) at D3, and 9.41 (+/- 0.9) microg m(-3) at D4. The mass fraction of quartz was the highest at the D1 site and decreased with increasing distance from the facility. The mass of PM2.5 samples was too low to determine quartz concentrations. These results identify the facility as the main source of quartz and other silicate minerals downwind of the plant and that the air quality of the most remote sampling site, located approximately 750 m downwind, was still impacted by the facility's activity.