Further observation on the lack of active uptake system for substance P in the central nervous system

Crude mitochondrial P2 fractions from bovine hypothalamus and substantia nigra, slices from rabbit spinal cord and mesencephalon and glial fractions from rabbit brain were incubated with [3H]-substance P and the uptake was measured and compared with those for 5-HT and GABA. Substance P was to some extent taken up into the fractions but this uptake was neither temperature nor time dependent and the pellet/medium ratios were less than 1. Similar results were obtained in high potassium treated slices from rabbit mesencephalon. The rate of uptake for [3H]-substance P increased linearly in proportion to the medium concentration, suggesting a non-saturable binding. These results, together with our previous observations provide strong evidence that nerve terminals and glial cells lack a temperature sensitive, active uptake system capable of terminating transmitter action of substance P at the synapse.     

The electrical properties of resistive and dielectric thin films prepared by reactive sputtering from a tantalum-titanium composite target

Resistive thin films of TaTiN and dielectric thin films of TaTiO prepared by reactive co-sputtering in ArN₂ or ArO₂ mixtures from a TaTi composite target were investigated in an effort to extend the data on the electrical properties of films prepared by reactive sputtering from tantalum targets. The composition of the thin films was controlled by changing the ratio of the tantalum area to the titanium area on the composite target surface.For the TaTiN films the resistivity, the temperature coefficient of resistance and the Hall coefficient were investigated as functions of the nitrogen partial pressure and the composition of the films.The dielectric constant, the temperature coefficient of capacitance and tan δ were studied as functions of composition in films of the TaTiO system.The resistivities of TaTiN films sputtered at a nitrogen partial pressure of 4 × 10^?4 Torr varied linearly from 50 to 270 μω cm as the tantalum weight percentage of the films increased from 10 to 90%. The temperature coefficient of resistance for these films decreased, again linearly, from 1000 to ?50 ppm °C^?1 over the same range of tantalum weight percentage.As the titanium weight percentage of the films increased from 10 to 90%, the dielectric constant and tan δ for the TaTiO films varied linearly from 30 to 70 and from 0.008 to 0.025 respectively.It is believed that these resistive and dielectric thin films will be valuable for producing thin film passive elements in hybrid integrated circuits.     

High temperature resistivity of pyrolytic graphite bromine residual compounds

The electrical resistivity of pyrolytic graphite (PG) deposited at 2300°C decreases in both the a- and c-axis directions as the temperature is increased up to 1000°C, but the high temperature resistivity of PG-bromine residual compounds differ somewhat from that of the original PG. When the temperature is increased, the a-axis resistivity remains nearly constant at the lower temperature range but increases rapidly between 300 and 500°C. Above 500°C the value of the resistivity approaches that of the original PG. On cooling, the change of the electrical resistivity of PG-bromine residual compounds is the same as that on heating, but its value is larger between 500 and 100°C. At room temperature, the a-axis resistivity of the compound before and after the cyclic heat-treatment is the same. This behaviour is closely related to the c-axis thermal expansion and is well explained by the same bromine vaporisation model. As to the c-axis direction, the electrical resistivity of PG-bromine residual compounds show a different behaviour. However, the factors affecting the electrical conduction in this case are complicated and cannot be resolved.     

Analysis of mode behavior in a waveguide with graded index and gain

Numerical analysis has been carried out for a waveguide with graded index and gain. It is shown that the radiation peak of the fundamental mode is deflected as the gradient of either the index or gain increases. The high-order modes also change their peak intensity ratio as the gradient of index or gain increases. The behavior of the fundamental mode is suitable for use in a beam scanner while that of higher-order modes is suitable for use in a deflection switching of laser beams. The analysis also shows that the modal gain of higher-order modes becomes larger than that of the fundamental mode as the gradient of the index and gain increases, which provides some explanation for the wide laser beam scanning observed by Scifres et al.     

Coupled mode analysis of dielectric planar branching waveguides

The mode conversion behavior of planar dielectric branching waveguides is studied as a function of branching angle, propagation direction of modes, and thickness ratio of branches. The multimode coupled equation and new step approximation method of branch taper are introduced, which give the accurate analysis of mode behavior in the branching waveguide of a large taper angle.     

Use of structure-controlled polymers as high performance powder dispersants in the silicone oil phase

A novel polymer dispersant with a tri-block structure was designed. The tri-block polymer was composed of polyglycerin (PGL) with two dimethylpolysiloxane chains (DMPS) at both ends of the molecular structure. The high dispersibility of the dispersant was confirmed in both a model silica system and a sunscreen formulation. The apparent silica particle size was employed as an index for the dispensability for the dispersants. The novel dispersant showed 5 times more effective than conventional one. The flow properties of a sunscreen formulation containing titanium dioxide with the novel dispersant was Newtonian, indicating that the dispersibility of the dispersant was excellent. On the other hand, the formulation with conventional dispersant showed shear-thinning flow due to aggregation of the powder. These results mean that such a tri-block copolymer would make it possible to develop consumer demanded sunscreens.     

Involvement of sensory neurons in bone defect repair in rats

We investigated bone repair in sensory-denervated rats, compared with controls, to elucidate the involvement of sensory neurons. Nine-week-old male Wistar rats received subcutaneous injections of capsaicin to denervate sensory neurons. Rats treated with the same amount of vehicle served as controls. A standardized bone defect was created on the parietal bone. We measured the amount of repaired bone with quantitative radiographic analysis and the mRNA expressions of osteocalcin and cathepsin K with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Quantitative radiographic analysis showed that the standard deviations and coefficients of variation for the amount of repaired bone were much higher in the capsaicin-treated group than in the control group at any time point, which means that larger individual differences in the amount of repaired bone were found in capsaicin-treated rats than controls. Furthermore, radiographs showed radiolucency in pre-existing bone surrounding the standardized defect only in the capsaicin-treated group, and histological observation demonstrated some multinuclear cells corresponding to the radiolucent area. Real-time PCR indicated that there was no significant difference in the mRNA expression levels of osteocalcin and cathepsin K between the control group and the capsaicin-treated group. These results suggest that capsaicin-induced sensory denervation affects the bone defect repair.     

Multi‐Enzymatic Synthesis of Optically Pure β‐Hydroxy α‐Amino Acids

A novel enzymatic production system of optically pure β‐hydroxy α‐amino acids was developed. Two enzymes were used for the system: an N‐succinyl L ‐amino acid β‐hydroxylase (SadA) belonging to the iron(II)/α‐ketoglutarate‐dependent dioxygenase superfamily and an N‐succinyl L ‐amino acid desuccinylase (LasA). The genes encoding the two enzymes are part of a gene set responsible for the biosynthesis of peptidyl compounds found in the Burkholderia ambifaria AMMD genome. SadA stereoselectively hydroxylated several N‐succinyl aliphatic L ‐amino acids and produced N‐succinyl β‐hydroxy L ‐amino acids, such as N‐succinyl‐L ‐β‐hydroxyvaline, N‐succinyl‐L ‐threonine, (2S,3R)‐N‐succinyl‐L ‐β‐hydroxyisoleucine, and N‐succinyl‐L ‐threo‐β‐hydroxyleucine. LasA catalyzed the desuccinylation of various N‐succinyl‐L ‐amino acids. Surprisingly, LasA is the first amide bond‐forming enzyme belonging to the amidohydrolase superfamily, and has succinylation activity towards the amino group of L ‐leucine. By combining SadA and LasA in a preparative scale production using N‐succinyl‐L ‐leucine as substrate, 2.3 mmol of L ‐threo‐β‐hydroxyleucine were successfully produced with 93% conversion and over 99% of diastereomeric excess. Consequently, the new production system described in this study has advantages in optical purity and reaction efficiency for application in the mass production of several β‐hydroxy α‐amino acids.

     

Inhibitory Effects of Saururus chinensis Extract on Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products-Dependent Inflammation and Diabetes-Induced Dysregulation of Vasodilation

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) are implicated in inflammatory reactions and vascular complications in diabetes. Signaling pathways downstream of RAGE are involved in NF-κB activation. In this study, we examined whether ethanol extracts of Saururus chinensis (Lour.) Baill. (SE) could affect RAGE signaling and vascular relaxation in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Treatment with SE inhibited AGEs-modified bovine serum albumin (AGEs-BSA)-elicited activation of NF-κB and could compete with AGEs-BSA binding to RAGE in a dose-dependent manner. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) secretion induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)—a RAGE ligand—was also reduced by SE treatment in wild-type Ager^+/+ mice as well as in cultured peritoneal macrophages from Ager^+/+ mice but not in Ager^−/− mice. SE administration significantly ameliorated diabetes-related dysregulation of acetylcholine-mediated vascular relaxation in STZ-induced diabetic rats. These results suggest that SE would inhibit RAGE signaling and would be useful for the improvement of vascular endothelial dysfunction in diabetes.