Low temperature synthesis of silver-palladium alloy powders internal electrodes for multilayer ceramic devices

Physical and electrical properties of three types of Ag-Pd pastes, which consist of different metal fine powders, i.e., a coprecipitated powder, an agglomerated alloy powder made by heat treatment and a pulverized alloy powder produced by improved pulverization method, have been studied. The paste prepared from pulverized alloy powder showed a higher film packing density (6.3 g/cm³) than those made of the other powders. The film consisting of pulverized alloy powder showed a lower expansion at around 500 °C, a lower shrinkage from 700 °C to 1100 °C and a lower electric resistivity. The results indicated that the paste which consists of an pulverized Ag-Pd alloy powder was superior in performance to the other two pastes for an internal electrode material of multilayer ceramic device.     

Asymptotic properties on codeword lengths of an optimal FV code for general sources

This correspondence is concerned with asymptotic properties on the codeword length of a fixed-to-variable length code (FV code) for a general source {X/sup n/}/sub n=1//sup /spl infin// with a finite or countably infinite alphabet. Suppose that for each n /spl ges/ 1 X/sup n/ is encoded to a binary codeword /spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/) of length l(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)). Letting /spl epsiv//sub n/ denote the decoding error probability, we consider the following two criteria on FV codes: i) /spl epsiv//sub n/ = 0 for all n /spl ges/ 1 and ii) lim sup/sub n/spl rarr//spl infin///spl epsiv//sub n/ /spl les/ /spl epsiv/ for an arbitrarily given /spl epsiv/ /spl isin/ [0,1). Under criterion i), we show that, if X/sup n/ is encoded by an arbitrary prefix-free FV code asymptotically achieving the entropy, 1/nl(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)) - 1/nlog/sub 2/ 1/PX/sup n/(X/sup n/) /spl rarr/ 0 in probability as n /spl rarr/ /spl infin/ under a certain condition, where P/sub X//sup n/ denotes the probability distribution of X/sup n/. Under criterion ii), we first determine the minimum rate achieved by FV codes. Next, we show that 1/nl(/spl phi//sub n/(X/sup n/)) of an arbitrary FV code achieving the minimum rate in a certain sense has a property similar to the lossless case.     

Direct modulation of InGaAsP/InP double heterostructure lasers

Direct modulation of an InGaAsP/InP double heterostructure laser was investigated experimentally. Sinusoidal modulation up to 2.5 GHz was achieved with almost constant modulation efficiency. Pulse responses showed that the damped relaxation oscillation in light output was well suppressed.     

Unkeito Suppresses RANKL-Mediated Osteoclastogenesis via the Blimp1–Bcl6 and NF-κB Signaling Pathways and Enhancing Osteoclast Apoptosis

Osteoporosis is a common bone disease, particularly in menopausal women. Herein, we screened four Kampo medicines (Unkeito (UKT), Kamishoyosan (KSS), Kamikihito (KKT), and Ninjinyoeito (NYT)), frequently used to treat menopausal syndromes, for their effects on receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW 264 cells. Considering that UKT exhibited the most potent effect, we examined its effect on RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis, the induction of osteoclast apoptosis, and the mechanisms underlying its effects. UKT inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in the early stage and decreases osteoclast-related genes, including tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (Trap), dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (Dcstamp), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (Mmp9), and cathepsin K (Ctsk). Specifically, UKT inhibits the nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1), which is essential for osteoclastogenesis. UKT increases Bcl6, which antagonizes NFATc1 and Dc-stamp, thereby blocking the progression of osteoclasts to maturation. UKT also decreased nuclear translocation by downregulating the activity of p65/NF-κB. In addition, UKT enhances mononuclear osteoclast apoptosis via activation of caspase-3. Herein, we demonstrate that UKT suppresses RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis via the Blimp1–Bcl6 and NF-κB signaling pathways and enhances mononuclear osteoclast apoptosis. Furthermore, UKT prevents bone loss in OVX mice. Thus, UKT might be a potential therapeutic agent for postmenopausal osteoporosis.     

Functional and Structural Insights into Human PPARα/δ/γ Subtype Selectivity of Bezafibrate,Fenofibric Acid,and Pemafibrate

Among the agonists against three peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) subtypes, those against PPARα (fibrates) and PPARγ (glitazones) are currently used to treat dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes, respectively, whereas PPARδ agonists are expected to be the next-generation metabolic disease drug. In addition, some dual/pan PPAR agonists are currently being investigated via clinical trials as one of the first curative drugs against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Because PPARα/δ/γ share considerable amino acid identity and three-dimensional structures, especially in ligand-binding domains (LBDs), clinically approved fibrates, such as bezafibrate, fenofibric acid, and pemafibrate, could also act on PPARδ/γ when used as anti-NAFLD drugs. Therefore, this study examined their PPARα/δ/γ selectivity using three independent assays—a dual luciferase-based GAL4 transactivation assay for COS-7 cells, time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based coactivator recruitment assay, and circular dichroism spectroscopy-based thermostability assay. Although the efficacy and efficiency highly varied between agonists, assay types, and PPAR subtypes, the three fibrates, except fenofibric acid that did not affect PPARδ-mediated transactivation and coactivator recruitment, activated all PPAR subtypes in those assays. Furthermore, we aimed to obtain cocrystal structures of PPARδ/γ-LBD and the three fibrates via X-ray diffraction and versatile crystallization methods, which we recently used to obtain 34 structures of PPARα-LBD cocrystallized with 17 ligands, including the fibrates. We herein reveal five novel high-resolution structures of PPARδ/γ–bezafibrate, PPARγ–fenofibric acid, and PPARδ/γ–pemafibrate, thereby providing the molecular basis for their application beyond dyslipidemia treatment.     

Sulfated Hyaluronan Binds to Heparanase and Blocks Its Enzymatic and Cellular Actions in Carcinoma Cells

We examined whether sulfated hyaluronan exerts inhibitory effects on enzymatic and biological actions of heparanase, a sole endo-beta-glucuronidase implicated in cancer malignancy and inflammation. Degradation of heparan sulfate by human and mouse heparanase was inhibited by sulfated hyaluronan. In particular, high-sulfated hyaluronan modified with approximately 2.5 sulfate groups per disaccharide unit effectively inhibited the enzymatic activity at a lower concentration than heparin. Human and mouse heparanase bound to immobilized sulfated hyaluronan. Invasion of heparanase-positive colon-26 cells and 4T1 cells under 3D culture conditions was significantly suppressed in the presence of high-sulfated hyaluronan. Heparanase-induced release of CCL2 from colon-26 cells was suppressed in the presence of sulfated hyaluronan via blocking of cell surface binding and subsequent intracellular NF-κB-dependent signaling. The inhibitory effect of sulfated hyaluronan is likely due to competitive binding to the heparanase molecule, which antagonizes the heparanase-substrate interaction. Fragment molecular orbital calculation revealed a strong binding of sulfated hyaluronan tetrasaccharide to the heparanase molecule based on electrostatic interactions, particularly characterized by interactions of (−1)- and (−2)-positioned sulfated sugar residues with basic amino acid residues composing the heparin-binding domain-1 of heparanase. These results propose a relevance for sulfated hyaluronan in the blocking of heparanase-mediated enzymatic and cellular actions.     

Mutated KIT Tyrosine Kinase as a Novel Molecular Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

KIT is a type-III receptor tyrosine kinase that contributes to cell signaling in various cells. Since KIT is activated by overexpression or mutation and plays an important role in the development of some cancers, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mast cell disease, molecular therapies targeting KIT mutations are being developed. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), genome profiling via next-generation sequencing has shown that several genes that are mutated in patients with AML impact patients’ prognosis. Moreover, it was suggested that precision-medicine-based treatment using genomic data will improve treatment outcomes for AML patients. This paper presents (1) previous studies regarding the role of KIT mutations in AML, (2) the data in AML with KIT mutations from the HM-SCREEN-Japan-01 study, a genome profiling study for patients newly diagnosed with AML who are unsuitable for the standard first-line treatment (unfit) or have relapsed/refractory AML, and (3) new therapies targeting KIT mutations, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and heat shock protein 90 inhibitors. In this era when genome profiling via next-generation sequencing is becoming more common, KIT mutations are attractive novel molecular targets in AML.     

Room temperature c.w. operation of InGaAsP/InP heterostructure lasers emitting at 1.56 ?m

Room-temperature c.w. operation of InGaAsP/InP heterostructure lasers grown by liquid-phase epitaxy was achieved at 1.56 ?m. An active InGaAsP layer was essentially sandwiched by InP, though a thin InGaAsP buffer layer was deposited to prevent the melt-back of the active layer. Threshold current was typically 300 mA for a 17 ?m wide oxide-defined stripe laser.     

The drying shrinkage of cellulosic fibres and isotropic paper sheets

We present theory for the shrinkage on drying of the cross-sectional area of cellulosic fibres and show that this depends on their initial moisture content only. For the linear shrinkage of cross-sectional dimensions, an additional parameter is required, which we estimate from comparison of the theory with experimental data from the literature. We proceed to combine our model of fibre shrinkage with probabilistic theory for fibre contacts in random fibrous networks to obtain a model for the unrestrained shrinkage of isotropic paper sheets. The expression obtained depends only on the moisture content of fibres and the extent of inter-fibre contact and exhibits good agreement with experimental data for laboratory-formed paper sheets. The results have relevance to the commercial manufacture of paper and potential for application to the study of cellulose nano-composites.     

Classification of particles by centrifugal separator and analysis of the fluid behavior

This study gives fundamental knowledge on the particle classification performance by centrifugal separator.It is found that the cut size of a centrifugal separator decreases as the rotational speed increases and the liquid flow rate decreases. Fitting our experimental results with the theory, they agree with each other at high flow rate. However, the difference between them generates at low flow rate. This is because dead spaces are generated in the centrifugal separator at the low flow rate. Also, the computer simulation of the fluid behavior in the centrifugal separator can find the decrease of the velocity near the wall under the low flow rate, which suggests the possibility of the formation of dead spaces in the separator.