Uptake of secondary autoxidation products of linoleic acid by the rat

Incorporation of secondary autoxidation products (SP) of linoleic acid into the rat body was investigated. Radioactive SP was administered orally to a group of 5 rats, and excretions of radioactive substances in feces, urine and respiration were measured and compared with excretions from rats fed linoleic acid and its hydroperoxides. The SP-fed group excreted 45% and the other groups about 10% of the administered radioactivity through feces. Urinary excretion accounted for 52% of activity ingested in the SP group and less than 30% in the other groups. The¹⁴CO₂ produced in each group was about 25% of the ingested activity. Incorporation of the radioactive substances of SP into tissues and organs was measured periodically after administration of a single dose. The radioactive substances accumulated in the liver between 12–24 hr after administration and accounted for 2.6% of the total amount given, the highest level of all tissues and organs. This accumulation led to an elevation of serum transaminase activities, an increase in hepatic lipid peroxide, as determined by thiobarbituric acid test, and a slight hypertrophy of liver (1.5-fold). Therefore, absorbed SP appeared to contribute to the deleterious condition of the liver.     

Current Trends and Future Prospects of Molecular Targeted Therapy in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

In recent years, advances in drug therapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have progressed rapidly. In addition to cytotoxic anti-cancer agents such as platinum-based drug (cisplatin and carboplatin) and taxane-based drugs (docetaxel and paclitaxel), epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (cetuximab) and immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) antibodies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have come to be used. The importance of anti-cancer drug therapy is increasing year by year. Therefore, we summarize clinical trials of molecular targeted therapy and biomarkers in HNSCC from previous studies. Here we show the current trends and future prospects of molecular targeted therapy in HNSCC.     

Ab initio molecular orbital calculations on specific interactions between urokinase-type plasminogen activator and its receptor

Cancer invasions and metastases are controlled by various proteases. In particular, the binding of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) to the uPA receptor (uPAR) existing on the surface of cancer cell is considered to be a trigger for cancer invasions. In the present study, we determined the structure of uPA and uPAR complex in water and investigated the specific interactions between uPA and uPAR by ab initio molecular orbital (MO) calculations based on fragment MO method. The result indicates that the 20–26 amino acid residues of uPA are important for the binding between uPA and uPAR, and that the electrostatic interactions between the charged amino acid residues existing in both uPA and uPAR have large contribution to the binding. The influence of crystal water molecules existing between uPA and uPAR was also investigated to be significant on the specific interactions between uPA and uPAR. These results are expected to be informative for developing new medicines blocking the binding of uPA and uPAR.     

Crystallographic study on self-annealing of electroplated copper at room temperature

Self-annealing in electroplated Cu films is the dramatic evolution of the microstructure in electroplated Cu near room temperature, and it occurs during a transient period of hours following the electroplating process. This study discusses the change of grain size and orientation in self-annealing of Cu films electroplated by an additive-free sulfate bath using X-ray diffraction and electron backscatter diffraction techniques. We found that the self-annealing started at the interface between the substrate and the electroplated Cu film. Immediately after the electroplating process, orientation of the Cu grains in the region near the interface was similar to that of the substrate. This indicates that the grain growth was affected by the substrate. Then, grain growth and change in orientation of the electroplated Cu film at room temperature became independent from the orientation of the substrate. The electroplated Cu film had many high-angle-grain boundaries (HAGBs) before incubation, and the fraction of HAGBs reduced as incubation time increased. Self-annealed Cu grains in the electroplated Cu film had many multiple twins, which came from low stacking-fault energy of Cu.     

UV-induced switching behavior of novel fluoroalkyl end-capped vinyltrimethoxysilane oligomer/titanium oxide nanocomposite between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity with good oleophobicity

Fluoroalkyl end-capped vinyltrimethoxysilane oligomer suffered the sol–gel reaction under alkaline conditions in the presence of titanium oxide nanoparticles in tetrahydrofuran to afford the corresponding fluorinated oligomer/titanium oxide nanocomposites[R_F-(VM-SiO₂)_n-R_F/TiO₂] in excellent to moderate isolated yields. These fluorinated composites thus obtained were nanometer size-controlled fine particles, and exhibited good dispersibility and stability in traditional organic solvents except for water. These fluorinated nanocomposites were applied to the surface modification of glass to exhibit not only a completely superhydrophobic characteristic (a water contact angle: 180°) with a non-wetting property against water droplets but also a good oleophobicity imparted by fluoroalkyl segments in the composites on their surface. Of particular interest, we have found that the wettability for water can be switched between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity by alternation of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and dark storage with keeping a good oleophobicity on the modified surface treated with the anatase-type titanium oxide composite.     

Demonstration test on purification systems of contaminated water using liquid–solid settling technology by flocculants (decontamination technology using high-pressure water)

For the purpose of decontaminating residential buildings, roads, rubble, and so on, the high-pressure water washing decontamination system had been developed, which are composed of a recovery system for contaminated washing water and mobile purification system of liquid–solid settling technology by flocculants. The high-pressure washing technology applied in this demonstration test can be used for both high- and ultrahigh-pressure washing decontamination and water surface chipping, by changing pumps and attachments. These systems were applied to decontaminate pools, concrete floor and side ditch around the pool in an elementary school located at Motomiya, Fukushima Prefecture as a demonstration test. Additionally, to compare decontamination effects, the tests, to chip and decontaminate surfaces of outer concrete and asphalt pavement had been conducted. From the results, high-pressure water jet decontamination systems have been practically proven.     

Catalytic removal of acetaldehyde in saliva by a Gluconobacter strain

Acetaldehyde (AA) accumulates in the oral cavity after alcohol intake and is responsible for an increased risk of alcohol-related upper aerodigestive tract (UDAT) cancer among aldehyde dehydrogenase 2-inactive heterozygotes in particular. Thus, the removal of AA from the saliva to a level below its mutagenic concentration (50 μM) after drinking is a potentially straightforward method for reducing the risk of alcohol-related UDAT cancer. Although microbial cells with AA-decomposing activity could potentially serve as a useful agent for the catalytic removal of AA from the saliva without the supplemental addition of cofactors, these cells generally exhibit strong AA-producing activity from ethanol, which is present in excess (50mM) over AA (100 μM) in the saliva after drinking. In this study, we observed that Gluconobacter kondonii (GK) cells efficiently decomposed salivary AA (100-390 μM) without the supplemental addition of cofactors irrespective of the type of alcoholic beverages consumed, even in the presence of an excess of ethanol (63 mM). Hydrogen peroxide, which is carcinogenic in animal experiments, was not produced because of the AA removal. The GK cells incubated at 45 °C and pH 3.5 for 15 h were killed, but they retained 80% of their original AA-decomposing activity. The treated cells were used as nonviable microcapsules that harbor a membrane-bound AA-decomposing activity.     

The in vitro digestibility and absorption of magnesium in some edible seaweeds

BACKGROUND: Many edible seaweeds are rich in magnesium (Mg). However, Mg absorption is low in some seaweeds because fibers in these seaweeds suppress Mg absorption. We hypothesize that Mg absorption from some other seaweeds is not low because of the diversity of fibers. We measured Mg concentration and Mg solubility after in vitro digestion in edible seaweeds, Aosa (Ulvaceae pertusa), Kombu (Laminaria japonica) and Funori (Gloiopeltis furcata). Then we determined Mg absorption in rats given diets containing these seaweeds or magnesium oxide as the major source of Mg, and calculated Mg absorption from seaweeds. RESULTS: The fractional apparent absorption of Mg in seaweeds was Kombu = magnesium oxide > Aosa = Funori. Mg concentration was Aosa > Kombu and Funori had an intermediate amount of Mg, while Mg solubility after in vitro digestion was Funori = Kombu > Aosa. Consequently, the absorbable Mg concentration was Aosa = Kombu > Funori. CONCLUSION: The absorption of Mg from different seaweeds differs and is not affected by the Mg solubility alone. The absorbable Mg concentration was high in Aosa and in Kombu, indicating that Aosa and Kombu are good sources of Mg. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry     

PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTION OF 6H-BENZO[cd]PYREN-6-ONE (NAPHTHANTHRONE)

Fluorescence of naphthanthrone,6H-benzo[cd]pyren-6-one, in degassed organic solution increases on light irradiation, but it stays almost constant in aerated solution. To clarify this phenomenon, the absorption and emission spectra of naphthanthrone were measured in several organic solvents as a function of irradiation time at room temperature and 77 K. The fluorescence enhancement was observed only in solvents containing hydrogen such as ethanol and benzene, but not observed in non-hydrogen-containing solvents. On the basis of the experimental data we proposed the mechanism of the fluorescence enhancement. Naphthanthrone excited to the triplet state on irradiation attracts a near solvent molecule around its carbonyl group to form an association species, which provides strong fluorescence near the wavelength region of the fluorescence of naphthanthrone. The absorption energy and absorptivity calculated for the compound by the ZINDO method were consistent with the experimental results.