Differential regulation of coproporphyrinogen oxidase gene between erythroid and nonerythroid cells

Coproporphyrinogen oxidase (CPO) catalyzes the sixth step of the heme biosynthetic pathway. To assess the tissue-specific regulation of the CPO gene promoter, mouse genomic DNA clones for CPO were isolated. Structural analysis demonstrated that the mouse CPO gene spans approximately 11 kb and consists of seven exons, just like its human counterpart. Functional analysis of the promoter by transient transfection assays indicated that synergistic action between an SP-1-like element at -21/-12, a GATA site at -59/-54, and a novel regulatory element, CPRE (-GGACTACAG-) at -49/-41, is essential for the promoter activity in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells. In nonerythroid NIH3T3 cells, however, the GATA site is not required. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated that specific DNA-protein complexes can be formed with each element, and that there are cell-specific differences in factors, which bind to the SP-1-like element between MEL and NIH3T3 cells. These results provide evidence for differential regulation of the promoter function of CPO gene between erythroid and nonerythroid cells.     

Gastrin-releasing peptide-like immunoreactive substance in bronchoalveolar lavage of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and sarcoidosis

The neuropeptide gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) is present in the lung, and functions as a modulator of tissue growth and repair in fibrotic processes, or as a modulator of cell movement and differentiation in various inflammatory processes, including granulomatous ones. In idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), changes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) content of GRP can be expected. We measured GRP-like immunoreactive substances (GRP-IS) and another neuropeptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-IS in BAL by enzyme immunoassay. Our results showed a decrease in BAL GRP-IS in patients with IPF (26.5 +/- 5.5 pg.mg-1 protein) and sarcoidosis (35.9 +/- 9.2 pg.mg-1), compared to healthy nonsmokers (63.4 +/- 9.0 pg.mg-1). When data were expressed as pg.ml-1 BAL fluid recovered, a decrease was only seen in IPF, not in sarcoidosis. The levels of VIP-IS in BAL were not different between the groups studied. Increased protein levels in BAL had no correlation with the levels of GRP-IS or VIP-IS in BAL. Furthermore, BAL neutrophil percentages had no correlation with the levels of GRP-IS in BAL of patients with IPF. Using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), several kinds of GRP-IS were detected in BAL. These findings suggest that the decreased level of GRP-IS in BAL may reflect a loss of GRP-producing cells due to chronic lung injury and fibrosis in patients with IPF.     

Preferred Orientation of β-Lead Fluoride Grains Formed within Micropores of Porous Alumina

A PbF₂–Al₂O₃ composite was obtained by reaction between Pb(NO₃)₂ and NH₄F solutions within micropores of a porous alumina pellet. The reaction resulted in the formation of a PbF₂ deposit layer in the interior region of the pellet close to the surface at the Pb(NO₃)₂ solution side, toward which the deposit grew preferentially with time. It suggested that the diffusion of Fusions in the deposit would play an important role in this method because β-PbF₂ is known as a moderate F^- ion conductor at room temperature. The deposit was identified to be †-PbF₂ with the fluorite structure, using both XRD and EPMA, although a small amount of α-PbF₂ with the rutile structure also existed. The β-PbF₂ grains in the initially formed deposit showed essentially no preferred orientation, while the subsequently formed part showed significant preferred orientation with the [ hh O] direction parallel to the growing direction. The degree of preferred orientation increased with distance from the initially formed position and reached a saturated value. The orientation was presumed to be associated with the faster growth rate of the deposited grains along the [ hh O] direction than the others.     

Physiological and psychological effects of head heating during rest and work

The purpose of this study is to obtain some knowledge related to physiological and psychological effects of head heating by radiation on the vital body under varying conditions of the environmental temperature and physical activity. The study was proceeded with experiments 1 and 2 using 8 women, all in good health as subjects. In experiment 1, firstly the subject at rest was kept at an ambient temperature of 28 degrees C for 40 minutes. The, moving to a room kept at an ambient temperature of 18 degrees C or 28 degrees C, the state at rest was maintained with head heating at 3 radiant intensities (without radiation, 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C of globe temperature) for a further 40 minutes. In experiment 2, continued from the same procedure of experiment 1, work on the ergometer was performed for 30 minutes with head heating at 2 radiant intensities (without radiation and 35 degrees C of globe temperature). Items measured were tympanic temperature, skin temperatures, heart rate, and subjective sensations. The principal results obtained are as follows: 1) Tympanic temperature, forehead skin temperature and score of thermal sensation of head increased, while the others decreased at 18 degrees C. 2) Decrease of scores was inhibited by head heating in finger skin temperature, toe skin temperature and heart rate. 3) When radiant intensities at 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C were compared, statistical significant difference was noted in forehead skin temperature only, the difference of radiant conditions gives a little effect to the vital body. 4) Effects brought by head heating during rest decreased owing to the addition of work.     

Development of LOcal-scale High-resolution atmospheric DIspersion Model using Large-Eddy Simulation. Part 5: detailed simulation of turbulent flows and plume dispersion in an actual urban area under real meteorological conditions

We have developed a LOcal-scale High-resolution atmospheric DIspersion Model using Large-Eddy Simulation (LOHDIM-LES) to assess the safety at nuclear facilities and to respond to emergency situations resulting from accidental or deliberate releases of radioactive materials (e.g., a terrorist attack in an urban area). In parts 1–4, LESs of turbulent flows and plume dispersion over a flat terrain, around an isolated building, within building arrays with different obstacle densities, and within an actual urban area were performed, which showed the basic performance comparable to wind tunnel experimental technique. In this study, we extend the LOHDIM-LES to turbulent flows and plume dispersion in an actual urban area under real meteorological conditions by coupling with a meso-scale meteorological simulation model. The LES results of wind speed, wind direction, and concentration values are generally reproduced well. It is concluded that our coupling approach between LES and meso-scale meteorological models is effective in detailed simulations of turbulent flows and plume dispersion in urban areas under real meteorological conditions.     

Improving interactive reinforcement learning: What makes a good teacher?

Interactive reinforcement learning (IRL) has become an important apprenticeship approach to speed up convergence in classic reinforcement learning (RL) problems. In this regard, a variant of IRL is policy shaping which uses a parent-like trainer to propose the next action to be performed and by doing so reduces the search space by advice. On some occasions, the trainer may be another artificial agent which in turn was trained using RL methods to afterward becoming an advisor for other learner-agents. In this work, we analyse internal representations and characteristics of artificial agents to determine which agent may outperform others to become a better trainer-agent. Using a polymath agent, as compared to a specialist agent, an advisor leads to a larger reward and faster convergence of the reward signal and also to a more stable behaviour in terms of the state visit frequency of the learner-agents. Moreover, we analyse system interaction parameters in order to determine how influential they are in the apprenticeship process, where the consistency of feedback is much more relevant when dealing with different learner obedience parameters.     

Palladium‐Catalyzed Benzylic C?H Benzylation via Bis‐Benzylpalladium(II) Complexes in Water: An Effective Pathway for the Direct Construction of N‐(1,2‐Diphenylethyl)anilines

A strategy for the N‐benzylation/benzylic C H benzylation cascade of anilines by the π‐benzylpalladium system using a water‐soluble palladium(0)/sodium diphenylphosphinobenzene‐3‐sulfonate (TPPMS) catalyst and benzyl alcohol in water has been developed. This tandem process is devised as a novel and efficient synthetic route for N‐(1,2‐diphenylethyl)anilines. Benzylic C H activation of a mono‐N‐benzylated intermediate with a π‐benzylpalladium(II) complex affords a bis‐π‐benzylated palladium(II) intermediate. The nucleophilic η¹‐σ‐benzyl anion ligand attacks the electrophilic η³‐π‐benzyl ligand to give a dibenzylated product. The intermolecular competition between mono‐N‐benzylaniline and its monodeuterated form (monodeuterated at the benzylic group) with benzyl alcohol gave a KIE=4.6, suggesting that C H bond cleavage was involved in the rate‐determining step. Hammett studies on the rate constants of benzylation by various substituted anthranilic acids and mono‐N‐benzylanilines show a good correlation between the log(k_X/k_H) and the σ values of the respective substituents. From the slope, negative ρ values are obtained, suggesting that there is a build‐up of positive charge in the transition state. The reaction of anilines with electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing groups affords the corresponding N‐(1,2‐diphenylethyl)anilines in moderate to good yields (54–86%). Interestingly, the reaction of anthranilic acids proceeded smoothly to give only the corresponding dibenzylated products in good to excellent yields (70–87%). The carboxyl group of the anthranilic acids acts as a directing group in the benzylic C H activation process.

     

A crystallographic model of fcc/bcc martensitic nucleation and growth

A crystallographic model of face-centered cubic/body-centered cubic martensitic nucleation and growth has been developed in which the glissile martensitic interface is described in terms of discrete transformation and misfit dislocations within the framework of the Frank–Bilby equation. In the present model heterogeneous nucleation of a martensitic embryo occurs spontaneously by dissociation of an existing perfect dislocation under certain conditions, such as the catalysis on grain boundaries. Autocatalytic dislocation is proposed to be responsible for embryo growth, then nucleation and subsequent growth of a single embryo can be regarded as an autocatalytic process. As a natural result the crystallographic features of grown martensite are consistent with the phenomenological theory of martensite crystallography. Martensitic nucleation in this model agrees with many experimental observations.     

Control of third-order nonlinear optical properties of singlet diradical square planar metal complexes involving o-semiquinonato type ligands

We investigate the longitudinal static second hyperpolarizabilities (γ) of several square planar nickel, palladium and platinum complexes involving two bidentate o-semiquinonato type ligands. It turns out that the diradical character and γ value of this type of complex can be controlled by modifying the donor atoms and the metal core.