Intermittent Hypoxia Increased the Expression of DBH and PNMT in Neuroblastoma Cells via MicroRNA-375-Mediated Mechanism

Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), characterized by recurrent episodes of oxygen desaturation and reoxygenation (intermittent hypoxia (IH)), is a risk factor for hypertension and insulin resistance. We report a correlation between IH and insulin resistance/diabetes. However, the reason why hypertension is induced by IH is elusive. Here, we investigated the effect of IH on the expression of catecholamine-metabolizing enzymes using an in vitro IH system. Human and mouse neuroblastoma cells (NB-1 and Neuro-2a) were exposed to IH or normoxia for 24 h. Real-time RT-PCR revealed that IH significantly increased the mRNA levels of dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) in both NB-1 and Neuro-2a. Western blot showed that the expression of DBH and PNMT in the NB-1 cells was significantly increased by IH. Reporter assays revealed that promoter activities of DBH and PNMT were not increased by IH. The miR-375 level of IH-treated cells was significantly decreased relative to that of normoxia-treated cells. The IH-induced up-regulation of DBH and PNMT was abolished by the introduction of the miR-375 mimic, but not by the control RNA. These results indicate that IH stress increases levels of DBH and PNMT via the inhibition of miR-375-mediated mRNA degradation, potentially playing a role in the emergence of hypertension in SAS patients.     

Mutated KIT Tyrosine Kinase as a Novel Molecular Target in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

KIT is a type-III receptor tyrosine kinase that contributes to cell signaling in various cells. Since KIT is activated by overexpression or mutation and plays an important role in the development of some cancers, such as gastrointestinal stromal tumors and mast cell disease, molecular therapies targeting KIT mutations are being developed. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), genome profiling via next-generation sequencing has shown that several genes that are mutated in patients with AML impact patients’ prognosis. Moreover, it was suggested that precision-medicine-based treatment using genomic data will improve treatment outcomes for AML patients. This paper presents (1) previous studies regarding the role of KIT mutations in AML, (2) the data in AML with KIT mutations from the HM-SCREEN-Japan-01 study, a genome profiling study for patients newly diagnosed with AML who are unsuitable for the standard first-line treatment (unfit) or have relapsed/refractory AML, and (3) new therapies targeting KIT mutations, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and heat shock protein 90 inhibitors. In this era when genome profiling via next-generation sequencing is becoming more common, KIT mutations are attractive novel molecular targets in AML.     

Decomposition Characteristics of an Artificial Biogas in a Low‐Pressure DC Glow Discharge

The decomposition characteristics of an artificial biogas, which is a mixture of CH ₄, CO ₂, and H ₂ S, using a low‐pressure DC glow discharge have been investigated. It is found that H ₂, CO, C ₂ H ₂, H ₂ O, CS ₂, and COS are produced from the artificial biogas in the glow discharge. About 65% of the hydrogen atoms in CH ₄ are converted into H ₂ at an input energy of 800 J, at which CH ₄ is completely decomposed, and the decomposition characteristics of the artificial biogas are minimally dependent on the H ₂ S additive. Further, H ₂ S has a tendency to be decomposed earlier than the other components of the artificial biogas. When the glow discharge is generated in the artificial biogas with H ₂ S, some of the carbon atoms are found to deposit on the electrodes and the wall of the discharge chamber. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 186(1): 26–33, 2014; Published online in Wiley Online Library ( wileyonlinelibrary.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.22304     

Ge quantum dots light-emitting devices

Si photonics becomes one of the research focuses in the field of photonics.Si-based light-emitting devices are one of the most important devices in this field.In this paper,we review the Si-based light...     

Preparation of bismuth nanowire encased in quartz template for Hall measurements using focused ion beam processing

ABSTRACT: Forming electrodes on opposite sides of an individual bismuth nanowire was attempted to prepare for Hall measurements. Although a 1-mm-long bismuth nanowire which is completely covered with a quartz template has been successfully fabricated to prevent oxidation, it is very difficult to attach Hall electrodes on the opposite sides of the nanowire due to the quartz covering. One side of the cylindrical quartz template was removed by polishing without exposure of the nanowire to the atmosphere; the thickness between the polished template surface and the nanowire was estimated to be several micrometers. Focused ion beam processing was successfully employed to expose both surfaces of the nanowire under high vacuum by removing part of the quartz template. A carbon thin film was then deposited in situ on the wire surface to fabricate an electrical contact on the bismuth nanowire sample. Furthermore, the energy dispersive X-ray analysis was performed to the area processed by focused ion beam, and the bismuth component of the nanowire was successfully detected. It was confirmed that the focused ion beam processing was applicable to attach electrodes to bismuth nanowire for Hall measurement.     

Measurement of Flow Stress in Supercooled Austenite for High Hardenability Steel

In this article, the isothermal flow stress in supercooled austenite was measured for a high hardenability steel. Supercooled austenite forms at the nonequilibrium phase and changes into other phases within a short time. It was confirmed that conventional tensile tests, which require maintaining a constant temperature before stretching, cannot accurately measure the flow stress in supercooled austenite. Therefore, a new tensile test named “the continuous cooling tensile test” was developed. In this test, stretching is conducted during continuous cooling. In the continuous cooling tensile test, the flow stress between 673 K and 973 K (400 °C and 700 °C) was measured. Microscopic observations of the continuous cooling test results verified that the microstructures were supercooled austenite.     

含黏粒砂土场地液化离心机振动台试验研究

提出了含黏粒砂土模型地基制备、饱和与均匀性监测技术,利用ZJU-400土工离心机振动台开展了相同相对密度含黏粒砂土（黏粒含量10%）和洁净砂的地震液化模型试验,再现了水平场地地震液化现象,揭示了含黏粒砂土场地液化灾变特点。弯曲元波速监测表明,模型制备均匀性良好,相同条件下含黏粒砂土剪切波速比洁净砂低。而根据超静孔压消散与固结沉降观测分析发现,含黏粒砂土渗透系数比洁净砂低一个数量级,从而影响其液化前后超静孔压响应和应力应变行为。渗透性差异导致模型内超静孔压产生模式和消散速率显著不同,振动时含黏粒砂土模型浅层超静孔压累积比洁净砂慢,而深层则相反;震后含黏粒砂土孔压消散时间是洁净砂的15倍。液化过程中含黏粒砂土剪应力应变响应比相同深度处的洁净砂更显著,液化后其滞回圈应变较大、割线模量较小且阻尼比较大。土体液化沉降主要发生在液化后超静孔压消散过程,含黏粒砂土模型超静孔压消散时间更长,沉降量更大。上述成果为进一步研究含黏粒砂土地震响应分析及其液化判别提供了科学依据。     

Improving the gas recovery and separation efficiency of a hydrate-based gas separation

Efficient gas recovery and separation in a hydrate-based system was investigated for a model gaseous mixture of R22 and nitrogen. The formed hydrate settled in the recovery vessel; excess water was recycled and the hydrate was subsequently decomposed by releasing pressure from the vessel. The gas uptake rate of R22 gas from the vapor phase and the gas recovery rate from the hydrate were determined from hydrate formation and decomposition, respectively. The gas recovery rate of R22 gas gradually increased with time. On the contrary, the nitrogen gas recovery rate was a maximum in the initial stage of hydrate decomposition. A high separation factor (S.F.) was achieved by first separating the N₂-rich gas generated during initial hydrate decomposition. An efficient hydrate-based gas separation and recovery process is proposed.     

Application of Near-Infrared Spectroscopy for Evaluation of Drying Stress on Lumber Surface: A Comparison of Artificial Neural Networks and Partial Least Squares Regression

This study aimed to examine the feasibility of evaluating the stress level at the surface of lumber during drying using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy combined with artificial neural networks (ANNs). Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica D. Don) lumber with an initial moisture content ranging from 41.1 to 85.8% was dried using a commercial drying schedule. An ANN model for predicting surface-released strain (SRS) was developed based on NIR spectra collected from the lumber during drying. The predictive ability of the ANN model was compared with a partial least squares (PLS) regression model.

The ANN model showed good correlation between laboratory-measured SRS and predicted SRS with an R ² of 0.79, a root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP) of 0.0009, and a ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) of 1.81. The PLS regression model gave a lower R ² of 0.69, a higher RMSEP of 0.0010, and a lower RPD of 1.38 than the ANN model, suggesting that the predictive performance of the ANN model was superior to the PLS regression model. The SRS evolution during drying as predicted by the models showed a similar trend to the laboratory-measured one. The predicted elapsed times to reach maximum tensile SRS and stress reversal roughly coincided with the laboratory-measured times. These results suggest that NIR spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis has the potential to predict the drying stress level on the lumber surface and the critical periods during drying, such as the points of maximum tensile stress and stress reversal.