Preparation of highly crystalline nanofibers on Fe and Fe-Ni catalysts with a variety of graphene plane alignments

The present study confirmed that highly crystalline nanofibers with controlled structure may be prepared over Fe and Fe-Ni alloy catalysts. The degree of graphitization of various carbon nanofibers (CNFs) was analyzed by using C(0 0 2) peaks from the XRD profiles. The C(0 0 2) peaks of CNFs over Fe catalyst shifted to higher angle and became narrower as the preparation temperature increased from 560 to 620 °C. Tubular CNFs prepared at temperature higher than 630 °C showed lower 2θ angles compared to those of platelet fibers. CNFs prepared over Fe-Ni catalysts tended to resemble those prepared over Fe catalysts. The degree of graphitization of platelet CNFs resembled natural graphite, while d_0 0 2 of the tubular CNFs showed values below the 3.39 Å reported as a theoretical minimum for a cylindrical alignment. Lc_0 0 2 of platelet and tubular CNFs increased by heat treatment at 2000 and 2800 °C though d_0 0 2 changed little. A transverse section of platelet and tubular CNFs had a hexagonal shape, not a round shape. The hexagonal column allows AB stacking of hexagonal planes that can give perfect hexagonal alignment.     

Temperature Dependence of Young's Modulus and Internal Friction in Alumina, Silicon Nitride, and Partially Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics

The temperature dependence of Young's modulus and internal friction (Q⁻¹)in alumina, silicon nitride, and partially stabilized zirconia (Y-PSZ) ceramics was studied. Little change in Q⁻¹ was found for alumina, whereas Q⁻¹ for silicon nitride ceramics increased above 700°C. The Q⁻¹ of Y-PSZ increased markedly with increasing temperature up to a peak at ∼200°C.     

A polar coordinate integration scheme with a hierachical correction procedure to improve numerical accuracy on the boundary element method

In order to calculate accurate physical values of interior region by the boundary element method, a new approach is proposed to singular kernel integration which is applicable to general isoparametric elements and never fails, no matter where the internal point under consideration may be located. The integration scheme consists of two parts.First, the singular kernel functions are assumed to be reciprocal of the distance types. Then the present scheme describes on the quadrate boundary element. The element is subdivided into four triangular regions for which Gauss-Legendre numerical quadrature is applied.Secondly, a method is proposed to reduce residual errors in the application of the above mentioned numerical scheme. The boundary integrals to calculate interior physical values are expressed formally with exact and numerical error terms, and boundary values in error terms are expanded by a Taylor series around the interior point. To evaluate the coefficient of each derivative in the series, a boundary integral form of an identity with respect to a vector from the interior point to the boundary surface is derived. Error resulting from numerical integration of the identity is found to coincide with the coefficient of the derivative in the Taylor series. Thus, the correction factor for numerical errors is obtained.The present scheme was verified to be quite effective such that both the numerical error and CPU time became 1/100 less than those by the double exponential quadrature. Moreover, the present numerical scheme is applicable to general curved elements.     

Psychological Stress Exacerbates Inflammation of the Ileum via the Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone-Mast Cell Axis in a Mouse Model of Eosinophilic Enteritis

The effects of psychological stress on eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders have not been elucidated. This study investigated the effects of psychological stress in a mouse model of eosinophilic enteritis (EoN). BALB/c mice were treated with ovalbumin (OVA) to create an EoN model and subjected to either water avoidance stress (WAS) or sham stress (SS). Microscopic inflammation, eosinophil and mast cell counts, mRNA expression, and protein levels of type 2 helper T cell (Th2) cytokines in the ileum were compared between groups. We evaluated ex vivo intestinal permeability using an Ussing chamber. A corticotropin-releasing hormone type 1 receptor (CRH-R1) antagonist was administered before WAS, and its effects were analyzed. WAS significantly increased diarrhea occurrence and, eosinophil and mast cell counts, and decreased the villus/crypt ratio compared to those in the SS group. The mRNA expression of CRH, interleukin IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, eotaxin-1, and mast cell tryptase β2 significantly increased, and the protein levels of IL-5, IL-13, and OVA-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) also significantly increased in the WAS group. Moreover, WAS significantly increased the intestinal permeability. The CRH-R1 antagonist significantly inhibited all changes induced by WAS. Psychological stress exacerbated ileal inflammation via the CRH-mast cell axis in an EoN mouse model.     

Slc25a39 and Slc25a40 Expression in Mice with Bile Duct Ligation or Lipopolysaccharide Treatment

SLC25A39/40, involved in mitochondrial GSH (mGSH) import from the cytoplasm, is essential for protection against oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. We examined the effects of cholestasis, through bile duct ligation (BDL) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in mice, on Slc25a39/40 expression. Additionally, we used human clear cell renal carcinoma (KMRC-1) cells to elucidate the mechanism of regulation of SLC25A39/40 expression in the kidneys after LPS treatment. BDL resulted in a decrease in Slc25a39 mRNA in the liver and a decrease in Slc25a39/40 mRNA and protein in the kidneys. Consequently, there was a significant decrease in mGSH levels in the kidneys of BDL mice compared with those in sham mice. LPS treatment resulted in increased Slc25a40 expression in the kidneys. In KMRC-1 cells, the combination treatment of LPS-RS or FPS-ZM1 with LPS suppressed the LPS-induced increase in SLC25A40, suggesting that SLC25A40 expression could be regulated by the signaling pathway via toll-like receptor 4 and the receptor for advanced glycation end products, respectively. Our findings contribute to understanding the role of mGSH in the maintenance of the mitochondrial redox state. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates the changes in Slc25a39/40 expression in mice with cholestasis-associated renal injury and LPS-induced inflammation.     

Properties of Starch Films and their Improvement

The tensile strengths and elongations of starch films prepared from various unmodified and modified starches were measured. These properties were improved by addition of urea and polyvinyl alcohol to the starch paste. The results obtained were as follows.

• 1 The heating temperature greatly affected the tensile strength and elongation of various unmodified starches. Potato starch gave the best film.
• 2 Introduction of hydroxyethyl groups into corn starch had unexpectedly little affect on the properties of the films.
• 3 A combination of hydroxyethylation and acid-modification slightly improved the properties of the films.
• 4 No film could be obtained after combinations of hydroxyethylation and hypochlorite-oxidation, pyrodextrinization or α-amylase-dextrinization. However, addition of urea to these modified starches resulted in good films.
• 5 On addition of urea the elongation of starch films increased and the pastes adhered uniformly to water repellent surfaces.
• 6 A film with the best properties was prepared from a mixture of 67% acid-modified hydroxyethyl starch, 13% urea and 20% polyvinyl alcohol.

     

Development and Evaluation of a Robust Sandwich Immunoassay System Detecting Serum WFA-Reactive IgA1 for Diagnosis of IgA Nephropathy

Aberrant glycosylation of IgA1 is involved in the development of IgA nephropathy (IgAN). There are many reports of IgAN markers focusing on the glycoform of IgA1. None have been clinically applied as a routine test. In this study, we established an automated sandwich immunoassay system for detecting aberrant glycosylated IgA1, using Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) and anti-IgA1 monoclonal antibody. The diagnostic performance as an IgAN marker was evaluated. The usefulness of WFA for immunoassays was investigated by lectin microarray. A reliable standard for quantitative immunoassay measurements was designed by modifying a purified IgA1 substrate. A validation study using multiple serum specimens was performed using the established WFA-antibody sandwich automated immunoassay. Lectin microarray results showed that WFA specifically recognized N-glycans of agglutinated IgA1 in IgAN patients. The constructed IgA1 standard exhibited a wide dynamic range and high reactivity. In the validation study, serum WFA-reactive IgA1 (WFA+-IgA1) differed significantly between healthy control subjects and IgAN patients. The findings indicate that WFA is a suitable lectin that specifically targets abnormal agglutinated IgA1 in serum. We also describe an automated immunoassay system for detecting WFA+-IgA1, focusing on N-glycans.     

Theranostic Agent Combining Fullerene Nanocrystals and Gold Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic Imaging and Photothermal Therapy

Developing photoactivatable theranostic platforms with integrated functionalities of biocompatibility, targeting, imaging contrast, and therapy is a promising approach for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Here, we report a theranostic agent based on a hybrid nanoparticle comprising fullerene nanocrystals and gold nanoparticles (FGNPs) for photoacoustic imaging and photothermal therapy. Compared to gold nanoparticles and fullerene crystals, FGNPs exhibited stronger photoacoustic signals and photothermal heating characteristics by irradiating light with an optimal wavelength. Our studies demonstrated that FGNPs could kill cancer cells due to their photothermal heating characteristics in vitro. Moreover, FGNPs that are accumulated in tumor tissue via the enhanced permeation and retention effect can visualize tumor tissue due to their photoacoustic signal in tumor xenograft model mice. The theranostic agent with FGNPs shows promise for cancer therapy.     

Spin-vortex Superconductivity

We present a theory of superconductivity based on the theoretical prediction that a macroscopic persistent current is generated by spin-vortices. It explains the origin of the phase variable θ that is canonical conjugate to the superfluid density as a Berry phase arising from the spin-vortex formation. This superconductivity does not require Cooper-pairs as charge carriers, thus, is not directly related to the standard theory based on the BCS one; however, it exhibits the flux quantization in the unit Φ ₀=hc/2|e|, where h is Planck’s constant, c the speed of light, and e the electron charge; and the AC Josephson frequency, f _J=2|e|V/h, where V is the voltage of the battery connected to the superconductor–insulator–superconductor junction. In due course, it is found that the standard derivation of the AC Josephson frequency misses a term arising from the flow of particles through the leads connected to the junction. If this contribution is included, the observed f _J indicates that the phase θ is a variable conjugate to the number density of charge e carriers instead of the currently accepted charge 2e carriers. We propose an experiment that discriminates whether it is e or 2e. If the above claim is verified, it means that the BCS theory cannot predict whether a particular compound is a superconductor or not since it does not explain the origin of θ. A connection between the present mechanism and the BCS mechanism is discussed; the fact that the BCS theory gives an excellent estimate of T _c is attributed to the fact that it predicts the temperature at which spin-vortices become long-lived due to the energy gap formation; since the stabilization by the electron-pair formation is compatible with the present mechanism, asymmetries observed in the even and odd number of electron systems are preserved. The most notable difference is that the persistent current generation is formulated in a strictly particle-number-conserving manner. Thus, it does not violate the superselection rule for the total charge.