Adsorption characteristics of tryptic fragments of bovine beta-lactoglobulin on a stainless steel surface

As a strategy for the analysis of the mode of protein adsorption onto stainless steel surfaces, peptides obtained by tryptic digestion of bovine beta-lactoglobulin were subjected to adsorption experiments after identification of their primary structures. In the presence of 1 mM KOH, the peptides were scarcely adsorbed onto the surfaces of stainless steel particles from the peptide mixture. The adsorption experiments on isolated peptides showed that the affinities of the peptides for stainless steel surfaces in the presence of 1 mM HNO3 were significantly different from each other. Peptides without any acidic amino acid residues were scarcely adsorbed onto the surface, whereas some peptides with acidic amino acid residues were found to be irreversibly adsorbed onto the surfaces in the acidic pH region. As for the latter peptides, the amount adsorbed on the surface increased with increasing ionic strength. These results indicated that the carboxyl groups on the side chains of the peptides play an important role in the adsorption. Furthermore, the adsorption behavior of beta-lactoglobulin itself was found to be very similar to that of one of the latter peptides.     

Dissecting the Roles of Cuticular Wax in Plant Resistance to Shoot Dehydration and Low-Temperature Stress in Arabidopsis

Cuticular waxes are a mixture of hydrophobic very-long-chain fatty acids and their derivatives accumulated in the plant cuticle. Most studies define the role of cuticular wax largely based on reducing nonstomatal water loss. The present study investigated the role of cuticular wax in reducing both low-temperature and dehydration stress in plants using Arabidopsis thaliana mutants and transgenic genotypes altered in the formation of cuticular wax. cer3-6, a known Arabidopsis wax-deficient mutant (with distinct reduction in aldehydes, n-alkanes, secondary n-alcohols, and ketones compared to wild type (WT)), was most sensitive to water loss, while dewax, a known wax overproducer (greater alkanes and ketones compared to WT), was more resistant to dehydration compared to WT. Furthermore, cold-acclimated cer3-6 froze at warmer temperatures, while cold-acclimated dewax displayed freezing exotherms at colder temperatures compared to WT. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis identified a characteristic decrease in the accumulation of certain waxes (e.g., alkanes, alcohols) in Arabidopsis cuticles under cold acclimation, which was additionally reduced in cer3-6. Conversely, the dewax mutant showed a greater ability to accumulate waxes under cold acclimation. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) also supported observations in cuticular wax deposition under cold acclimation. Our data indicate cuticular alkane waxes along with alcohols and fatty acids can facilitate avoidance of both ice formation and leaf water loss under dehydration stress and are promising genetic targets of interest.     

Saikosaponin b2 induces differentiation without growth inhibition in cultured B16 melanoma cells

Some patients of ischemic heart disease have low uptake in 123I-labeled beta methyl-iodophenyl penta-decanoic acid (BMIPP) SPECT in spite of normal uptake in thallium-201 (Tl) SPECT. To investigate their clinical significance, we performed both T1 and BMIPP myocardial SPECT in 26 cases with stable angina (n = 16) and unstable angina (n = 10), and compared with clinical backgrounds electrocardiogram (ECG) and left ventriculography (LVG). In 11 patients of them, the uptake of BMIPP was moderately reduced. We divided 26 cases into two groups according to uptake of BMIPP (normal/reduced). The two groups had no differences in length of angina attack and duration of disease, but they had a significant difference in the abnormality of either ECG or LVG. Three to six months after PTCA, we examined LVG in 18 cases, 12 of 16 cases with the abnormality of LVG showed the improvement of wall motion. We concluded the reduced uptake of BMIPP with normal uptake of Tl was related to more severe ischemia in cases with unstable angina.     

Reversible Shape Memory Alloy Film Fabricated by RF Sputtering

The fabrication and processing of an actuator with a TiNi Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) film are discussed and demonstrated. TiNi SMA films were deposited by using sputter deposition techniques, patterned and etched. These films were solution-treated and aging-treated, and then an inverse force layer of chromium was deposited on a SMA film. The frequency response of the beam type actuator was measured by resistance heating. The maximum amplitude was in proportion to the inverse force, and was therefore controlled by chromium thickness. The maximum displacement slightly decreased with an increase of frequency. The minimum displacement suddenly increased at more than 0.1 Hz, then showed a stability over 5 Hz. The maximum displacement was not decided by chromium thickness but TiNi thickness, because thickness of the latter was fifteen to forty times larger than that of the former. Because the frequency response depended on the heat radiation of an actuator, TiNi thickness was the most important factor to the actuation.     

Surgical treatment of lung cancer with chest wall invasion

From January 1986 to May 1998, 45 lung cancer patients with chest wall invasion (P3) underwent resection (40 male, 5 female), (median age 63.2 yrs (30-79)). Histological types were squamous cell carcinoma in 20, adenocarcinoma in 14, large cell carcinoma in 7, adenosquamous cell carcinoma in 2, and unknown in 2. Operative methods of lung resection were total pneumonectomy in 2, bilobectomy in 3, lobectomy in 38, and partial lung resection in 2. Resection was regarded as complete in 35 and incomplete in 10 patients. Thirty one patients had negative lymph nodes (N0), 9 had peribronchial or hilar lymph node metastases (N1), and 5 had mediastinal lymph node metastases (N2). The extent of tumor invasion to chest wall was P3a (invasion within parietal pleura) in 11, P3b-c (invasion to intercostal muscle) in 16, P3d (invasion to rib) in 18, patients. 5-year survival rate was totally 19.7%. Cisplatin based chemotherapy and concurrent thoracic radiation following surgery (CCRT) was performed in latest nine P3d cases. Partial response was observed in 5 of 9 cases (response rate 56%) and viable tumor cell in the primary site was not seen histologically in 5 of 9 cases. Three year survival rate was 46.9% for CCRT(+) 11.1% for CCRT(-). Acturial 5-year survival rate in P3a-d was 19.76%. P3d cases had poor survival, but CCRT improved prognosis of P3d cases.     

Ice-water two-phase flow behavior in ice heat storage systems

In this paper, we describe (1) the characteristics of ice-water two-phase flow created in a supercooling-type ice storage system, (2) the numerical analysis models for both processes of ice storing and melting within ice storage tanks, and (3) the design technologies for ice storage systems based on such predictive models, as well as the operational performance of actual equipment built with these design technologies. As the result of this technological development, it has been confirmed that the predictive approaches for the one dimensional ice accumulation in the given tanks and ice melting with low temperature water enough to air conditioning applications are reasonable and widely usable. Furthermore by the design conditions obtained here it is possible to simplify the construction of ice storage tanks and to realize high reliability in the actual equipment.     

Differential expression of rat brain bcl-2 family proteins in development and aging

1. The effects of YM-60828, a newly synthesized factor Xa inhibitor, were investigated to analyse the relationship between its antithrombotic effects and its prolongation of template bleeding time in rats. YM-60828 was compared with argatroban, heparin and dalteparin. All agents were intravenously administered as a bolus. 2. In ex vivo studies, YM-60828 and argatroban prolonged both prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time in a dose-dependent manner, while heparin and dalteparin prolonged only activated partial thromboplastin time. 3. In a venous thrombosis model, all agents exerted antithrombotic effects in a dose-dependent manner. The ID50 values of YM-60828, argatroban, heparin and dalteparin were 0.0081 mg kg(-1), 0.011 mg kg(-1), 6.3 iu kg(-1) and 4.7 iu kg(-1), respectively. 4. In an arterio-venous shunt model, all agents exerted antithrombotic effects in a dose-dependent manner. The ID50 values of YM-60828, argatroban, heparin and dalteparin were 0.010 mg kg(-1), 0.011 mg kg(-1), 10 iu kg(-1) and 4.2 iu kg(-1), respectively. 5. In bleeding time studies, all agents prolonged template bleeding time in a dose-dependent manner. ED2 values, the doses causing a 2 fold prolongation of bleeding time in the saline group, of YM-60828, argatroban, heparin and dalteparin were 0.76 mg kg(-1), 0.081 mg kg(-1), 18 iu kg(-1) and 25 iu kg(-1), respectively. 6. The ratio (ED2/ID50) of YM-60828 was more than 30 fold greater than that of heparin and more than 10 fold greater than those of argatroban and dalteparin. 7. These data show that YM-60828 can exert its antithrombotic effects with little prolongation of bleeding time compared with the other currently used anticoagulant agents.     

Effectiveness of the elcatonin transdermal system for the treatment of osteoporosis and the effect of the combination of elcatonin and active vitamin D3 in rat

The efficacy of percutaneous elcatonin (EC), a hypocalcemic peptide, in the treatment of experimental osteoporosis in rats was evaluated in vivo. Additionally, the effect of the combined use of EC and active vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) for the treatment was compared with those of three other groups: 1,25(OH)2D3 alone, estradiol plus 1,25(OH)2D3, and a placebo, and low calcium diet (low Ca). The EC transdermal system and the EC plus 1,25(OH)2D3 system, applied to the rat abdominal skin 6 times for 48 h, significantly increased the ash weight and calcium content of the tibia in the rats, compared with those of placebo group (p < 0.05). The EC systems also slightly lowered the alkaline phosphatase activity in plasma of the morbid rats, without a difference in the plasma calcium content. These EC systems were superior to the 1,25(OH)2D3 system and the estradiol plus 1,25(OH)2D3 system in improving osteoporotic parameters. Thus, the EC systems were concluded to be an efficient drug delivery system for Paget's disease and osteoporosis.