Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant gene expression in the rat hypothalamus by osmotic stimulation

Cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) is one of the chemokines and has chemotaxity for neutrophils. Recently, we found the presence of stress-sensitive CINC expression in the hypothalamic nuclei such as the paraventricular nucleus. Since CINC was predominantly co-localized with vasopressin in the supraoptic nucleus (SON), we investigated the effect of hyperosmotic challenge on CINC mRNA in the hypothalamus. We found that CINC mRNA expression in the hypothalamus was augmented within 30 min following osmotic stimulation and immediately returned to the basal level. The suckling, which is a stimulation to oxytocin neurons in the SON, has no effect on CINC mRNA expression in the hypothalamus. This is the first evidence that the chemokine in the brain is activated by osmotic stimulation.     

Magnetic properties of iron-based materials (nitrogen interstitially modified 1:12 compounds and Fe3B-Nd) for low rare-earth bonded magnets

Hard magnetic properties of nitrogen interstitially modified NdM_xFe_12-xN_y compounds and Fe₃B-based ultra-fine crystalline Nd? Fe? Co? T? B alloys of low Nd content of 3 to 5 at. % are studied. The nitrogen-modified compounds have been prepared via the rapid solidification route and the mechanical alloying route both followed by gas nitrogenation using N₂. The Fe₃B-based materials have been prepared by means of rapid solidification and crystallization treatment. The latter materials appear promising as the base material for high-remanence, easy-to-magnetize bonded magnets with small temperature coefficients of remanence. Typical magnetic properties of compaction isotropic bonded magnets produced from this material are B_r = 0.80 T, H_cJ = 350 kA/m, and (BH)_max = 60.5 kJ/m³.     

Repeatable change in electrical resistance of Si surface by mechanical and electrical nanoprocessing

The properties of mechanically and electrically processed silicon surfaces were evaluated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Silicon specimens were processed using an electrically conductive diamond tip with and without vibration. After the electrical processing, protuberances were generated and the electric current through the silicon surface decreased because of local anodic oxidation. Grooves were formed by mechanical processing without vibration, and the electric current increased. In contrast, mechanical processing with vibration caused the surface to protuberate and the electrical resistance increased similar to that observed for electrical processing. With sequential processing, the local oxide layer formed by electrical processing can be removed by mechanical processing using the same tip without vibration. Although the electrical resistance is decreased by the mechanical processing without vibration, additional electrical processing on the mechanically processed area further increases the electrical resistance of the surface.     

Hydrogen production by combining two types of photosynthetic bacteria with different characteristics

The double-layer photobioreactor using two types of photosynthetic bacteria, Rhodobacter sphaeroides RV and its reduced-pigment mutant, MTP4, was developed for efficient hydrogen production. The two types of bacteria had different characteristics on light energy, hydrogen production rate and conversion efficiency. MTP4 produced hydrogen more efficiently under high light conditions and RV did so under low light conditions. Illuminated light toward the surface of a photobioreactor quasi-exponentially declines as it penetrates into the reactor. When two types of bacteria were placed using the developed reactor according to this light distribution, the hydrogen production rate reached 3.64 l/m²/h at a light intensity of 500 W/m² in 24 h and the conversion efficiency of light energy to hydrogen was 2.18%. These values were 33% higher than those of only using RV. The low light in the deep part of the reactor was utilized efficiently, resulting in a higher hydrogen production rate.     

Doubled layered ITO/SnO2 conducting glass for substrate of dye-sensitized solar cells

The effects of indium tin oxide (ITO) and ITO/SnO₂ conducting substrates on photovoltaic properties of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) using nanocrystalline TiO₂ were studied. The decrease in fill factor of the DSCs was correlated to the increase in resistance of conducting substrate. The heat stability of ITO conducting glass was improved by depositing SnO₂ on ITO layer. The efficiency of the cells using double layered ITO/SnO₂ substrate remarkably increased comparing with that of the cells using ITO substrates. It is worth mentioning that increasing in sintering time, which enhanced the electronic contact between substrate and TiO₂, also modified the cell performance of MP-TiO₂ cells. Our experimental finding suggests that 3000 Å ITO substrate, which was covered by 1000 Å SnO₂ layer, exhibited the best properties for the DSCs.     

Efficient hydrogen production using a multi-layered photobioreactor and a photosynthetic bacterium mutant with reduced pigment

A multi-layered photobioreactor (MLPR), where the light paths were formed by the localization of bacterial cells, was constructed for efficient hydrogen production. The performance was investigated under several conditions in order to clarify the effect of this reactor on hydrogen production. An analysis of the hydrogen production profile showed that the MPLR utilizes both the light that directly illuminates its surface and the light induced and diffused from its light paths for hydrogen production. It was also found that the hydrogen productivity in the MLPR was more than twice that in a plate-type reactor. When a photosynthetic bacterium mutant with reduced pigment, MTP4, was used, the maximum hydrogen production rate reached 2.0 l/m² h, which was 38% higher than that of a conventional plate-type reactor. The synergistic effect of the improvement in the reactor and the modification of the bacteria was brought about by the combination of the MLPR and MTP4, and resulted in an improvement in the hydrogen production.     

Photosensitized hydrogen evolution from water using a single-walled carbon nanotube/fullerodendron/SiO2 coaxial nanohybrid

A coaxial nanohybrid consisting of a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), fullerodendron, and SiO(2) shows high-efficiency light-driven hydrogen evolution from water. Upon visible light irradiation, SWCNT/fullerodendron/SiO(2) coaxial nanohybrid shows hydrogen evolution activity in the presence of methyl viologen (MV(2+)), benzyldihydronicotinamide (BNAH), and a colloidal polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)-Pt.     

Uniform culture in solid-state fermentation with fungi and its efficient enzyme production

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has attracted a lot of interest for carrying out high-level protein production in filamentous fungi. However, it has problems such as the fermentation heat generated during the culture in addition to the reduced mobility of substances. These conditions lead to a nonuniform state in the culture substrate and result in low reproducibility. We constructed a non-airflow box (NAB) with a moisture permeable fluoropolymer membrane, thereby making it possible to control and maintain uniform and optimal conditions in the substrate. For the NAB culture in Aspergillus oryzae, temperature and water content on/in the whole substrate were more consistent than for a traditional tray box (TB) culture. Total weight after the culture remained constant and dry conditions could be achieved during the culture. These data demonstrate the possibility of growing a uniform culture of the whole substrate for SSF. The NAB is advantageous because it allows for the control of exact temperature and water content in the substrate during the culture by allowing vapor with latent heat to dissipate out of the box. In addition, several enzymes in the NAB culture exhibited higher production levels than in the TB culture. We believe that culturing in the constructed NAB could become a standard technique for commercial SSF.     

Steric hindrance by 2 amino acid residues determines the substrate specificity of isomaltase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The structures of the E277A isomaltase mutant from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in complex with isomaltose or maltose were determined at resolutions of 1.80 and 1.40 Å, respectively. The root mean square deviations between the corresponding main-chain atoms of free isomaltase and the E277Α-isomaltose complex structures and those of free isomaltase and the E277A-maltose complex structures were found to be 0.131 Å and 0.083 Å, respectively. Thus, the amino acid substitution and ligand binding do not affect the overall structure of isomaltase. In the E277A-isomaltose structure, the bound isomaltose was readily identified by electron densities in the active site pocket; however, the reducing end of maltose was not observed in the E277A-maltose structure. The superposition of maltose onto the E277A-maltose structure revealed that the reducing end of maltose cannot bind to the subsite + 1 due to the steric hindrance from Val216 and Gln279. The amino acid sequence comparisons with α-glucosidases showed that a bulky hydrophobic amino acid residue is conserved at the position of Val216 in α-1,6-glucosidic linkage hydrolyzing enzymes. Similarly, a bulky amino acid residue is conserved at the position of Gln279 in α-1,6-glucosidic linkage-only hydrolyzing α-glucosidases. Ala, Gly, or Asn residues were located at the position of α-1,4-glucosidic linkage hydrolyzing α-glucosidases. Two isomaltase mutant enzymes – V216T and Q279A – hydrolyzed maltose. Thus, the amino acid residues at these positions may be largely responsible for determining the substrate specificity of α-glucosidases.