Vitamin K2 selectively induces apoptosis of blastic cells in myelodysplastic syndrome: flow cytometric detection of apoptotic cells using APO2.7 monoclonal antibody

We have previously reported that vitamin K2 (VK2) but not VK1 has a potent apoptosis-inducing effect on freshly isolated leukemia cells from patients with various types of leukemia. By multi-color flow cytometric analysis using monoclonal antibody (mAb), APO2.7, which detects mitochondrial 7A6 antigen specifically expressed by cells undergoing apoptosis, we further investigated the apoptosis-inducing effect of VK2 on minor populations of leukemic blast cells in bone marrow from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and overt myeloid leukemia (post-MDS AML). Limiting dilution of CD95 (anti-Fas) mAb-treated apoptotic Jurkat cells with nonapoptotic CTB-1 cells revealed that APO2.7-positive Jurkat cells were consistently detectable by flow cytometry when present at levels of at least 5% in the CTB-1 suspension. In patient samples the gating area for leukemic clone was determined using cell surface antigen-specific mAbs conjugated with either fluorescein isothionate (FITC) or phycoerythrin (PE) and subsequently the cells stained with phycoerythrin cyanine (PE-Cy5)-conjugated APO2.7 mAb were assessed within the gating area of the leukemic clone for monitoring apoptosis. Treatment of the bone marrow mononuclear cells with 3-10 microM of VK2 (menaquinone-3, -4 and -5) in vitro potently induced apoptosis of the leukemic blast cells as compared with the untreated control cells in all 15 MDS patients tested. This effect was more prominent on blastic cells than that on mature myeloid cells such as CD34-/CD33+ gated cells. In addition, VK2 performed much less effectively on CD3-positive lymphoid cells. In contrast to VK2, VK1 did not show apoptosis-inducing activity. These data suggest that VK2 may be used for treatment of patients with MDS in blastic transformation.     

System efficiency of a water-splitting system synthesized by photochemical and thermoelectric conversion of solar energy

Valuable hybrid systems for hydrogen production by solar energy have been developed and the system efficiency has been estimated and discussed from various points of view. In order to decompose water into hydrogen and oxygen without the consumption of additional reactants, a steady stream of the reacting materials must be maintained in consecutive reaction processes and if the system has a rate determining step extra energy should be supplied to promote the reaction. In the Yokohama Mark 5 Process, the efficiency of the thermoelectric device is as low as 5 %; however, the overall efficiency of hydrogen production can be raised to 20 % by addition of extra electric power.The energetics of a hybrid system combining photochemical, thermochemical and electrochemical reactions have also been discussed.     

A finite element formulation for large elastic-plastic deformation analysis of polycrystals and some numerical considerations on polycrystalline plasticity

A finite element formulation for large elasto-plastic deformation of polycrystalline materials is proposed in incremental form. The effect of rotation of crystal axes besides usual element rotaion is taken into account. Some numerical considerations on polycrystalline plasticity (i.e. stress-strain curves for several proportional loadings, effect of change of loading path on stress-strain curve, subsequent yield loci for uniaxial and equi-biaxial loadings and so forth) are given for the case of small deformation by using a plate model which consists of 121 square FCC crystals.     

Experiment and analysis of practical-scale solar pond stabilized with salt gradient

A large-scale solar pond with salty water was constructed in the suburbs of Kitami in 1985. Its performance has been measured and analyzed by the authors after that. The solar pond body is circular of 44 m diameter, and the pond water is of 3 min total depth. After, 15 months, the depth of the salt gradient zone (S.G.Z.) was thinned by 10 cm in the top and by 20 cm in the bottom due to convection of the top and bottom zones. The temperature in the convective storage zone (C.S.Z.) reached 70°C, its maximum, at the beginning of September in 1985, however, it was not as high in 1986 due to contamination of the pond water. The temperature of the storage zone was reduced from November to April due to ice covering on the pond surface. The collected heat yielded largely and the collection efficiency reached more than 30% in summer, but decreased to negative values in winter. The thermal performance of the solar pond was predicted by a simulation calculation, and the calculated result compared well with the measurements.     

Single application extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is the first choice for patients with pancreatic duct stones

OBJECTIVES: We performed extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as the treatment of first choice on 32 chronic pancreatitis patients with main pancreatic duct (MPD) stones prospectively to establish more convenient and safer treatment. METHODS: All patients were treated in a prone position, and shock waves were discharged from the ventral side. ESWL was performed once or twice a week, and no other treatments before ESWL had been applied. RESULTS: Disintegration of all MPD stones to 3 mm or less in diameter could be achieved in all treated patients. Complete clearance of the stones was obtained in 24 patients (75%) without the necessity of endoscopic extraction of fragments. Reduction of MPD diameters after ESWL was statistically significant (p < 0.01). Epigastric and/or back pain complaints before ESWL were completely alleviated in 79% (periods of follow-up: 16-63 months, mean 44), and the pancreatic exocrine function also improved in 61%. No severe complications occurred in any of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: ESWL, which is comparatively easy to perform, is a safe and efficient approach that changes endoscopy's status as an indispensable pretreatment. Therefore, ESWL can be recommended as the first choice treatment for patients with chronic pancreatitis accompanied by MPD stones that should be tried before consideration of either surgical or endoscopic procedures.     

Photoinduced radical polymerization of styrene derivatives via their cation radicals

Summary It was found that radical polymerization occurs when the mixture of p-methoxystyrene and styrene in the presence of electron acceptors is photoexcited in basic solvents. Concomitantly, p-methoxystyrenestyrene co-dimers: trans-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-phenyl-cyclobutane and 1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene are produced. From the results of some polymerization runs and the co-dimer structure, it is considered that the linear co-dimer cation radical is the common precursor for both radical polymerization and cationic dimerization, and the radical polymerization is initiated by its radical end.     

Application of rigid polyurethane integral-skin foams to thermal insulating unit cases for car air conditioners

Integral-skin foams of rigid polyurethane are sandwich structures consisting of a core layer of closed cells enclosed in rigid surface layers on both sides. We examined the layer composition of integral-skin foam with the objective of maximum flexural strength, and then studied possibilities of reconciling the strength and thermal insulating properties in housings for evaporators in car air conditioners; i.e., unit cases. This examination showed that the most practical density range (250 ≦ ρ_pall ≦ 500 kg/m³) provides vibratile resistance and thermal insulating properties. In actual car-running tests, a maximum 0.1 MPa stress was generated on unit cases with overall densities of 350 kg/m³, We found this to be 0.4% of the flexural strength of an integral-skin foam and 2% of the fatigue strength. In the forcible vibratile test, a stress of 0.5 to 1.0 MPa was generated at the resonance point of a unit case with 250 to 500 kg/m³ overall density. We found that these values are 2 to 5% of integral-skin foam's flexural strength and 10 to 25% of its fatigue strength. These values are of the same level as the conventional unit case made of polypropylene blended with talc. An integral-skin foam with an overall density of 250 kg/m³, nearly equal to half the weight of polypropylene, has the same level of resistance to vibration.     

Representation of the size and shape of a single particle

A method for expressing three-dimensional bodies by a Fourier series expansion is proposed. The equivalent ellipsoid which has the same volume, surface area, and an average projected area as those of a test sample is made obtainable simultaneously. Computer application is explained using a cube as the test sample.     

Composition dependence of lithium ionic conductivity in lithium nitride-lithium iodide system

Two minima in the lithium ionic conductivity vs. composition curve in the lithium nitride-lithium iodide system are observed at Li₅NI₂ and Li₇N₂I. It is shown that ionic conductivity minimum at the stoichiometric Li₅NI₂ is caused by the increase in the lithium ion concentration.     

A random packing structure of equal spheres — statistical geometrical analysis of tetrahedral configurations

A random packing structure constructed by a computer simulation of the slow settling of rigid spheres into a randomly packed bed is investigated, where the bulk-mean volume fraction of the particles is 0.582. Each sphere settled on three others forms a tetrahedron, whose detailed geometrical configuration is successfully examined by a statistical geometrical analysis.