Citrus auraptene exerts dose-dependent chemopreventive activity in rat large bowel tumorigenesis: the inhibition correlates with suppression of cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation and with induction of phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes

In our previous short-term experiment, Citrus auraptene inhibited the development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci, which are precursor lesions for colorectal carcinoma. In the present study, the possible inhibitory effect of dietary administration of auraptene was investigated using an animal colon carcinogenesis model with a colon carcinogen AOM. Male F344 rats were given s.c. injections of AOM (15 mg/kg body weight) once a week for 3 weeks to induce colon neoplasms. They also received diets containing 100 or 500 ppm auraptene for 4 weeks in groups of "initiation" feeding, starting 1 week before the first dosing of AOM. The diets containing auraptene were also given to rats for 38 weeks in groups of "postinitiation" feeding. At the termination of the study (38 weeks), dietary administration of auraptene caused dose-dependent inhibition in AOM-induced large bowel carcinogenesis. Auraptene feeding during the initiation phase reduced the incidence of colon adenocarcinoma by 49% at 100 ppm (P = 0.099) and 65% at 500 ppm (P = 0.0075). Auraptene administration during the postinitiation phase inhibited the incidence of colon adenocarcinoma by 58% at 100 ppm (P = 0.021) and 65% at 500 ppm (P = 0.0075). Also, the multiplicity of colon carcinoma was significantly reduced by initiation feeding at a dose level of 500 ppm (P < 0.01) and postinitiation feeding at a level of 100 and 500 ppm (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively). Feeding of auraptene suppressed the expression of cell proliferation biomarkers (ornithine decarboxylase activity and polyamine content) in the colonic mucosa and reduced the production of aldehydic lipid peroxidation [malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal]. In addition, auraptene increased the activities of Phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes (glutathione S-transferase and quinone reductase) in the liver and colon. These findings suggest that the inhibitory effects of auraptene on AOM-induced colon tumorigenesis at the initiation level might be associated, in part, with increased activity of Phase II enzymes, and those at the postinitiation stage might be related to suppression of cell proliferation and lipid peroxidation in the colonic mucosa.     

Degradation of azo-containing polyurethane by the action of intestinal flora: its mechanism and application as a drug delivery system

Several segmented polyurethanes comprising azo aromatic and hydrophilic groups were synthesized by reaction of m-xylylene diisocyanate with a mixture of m,m′-dihydroxyazobenzene, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, M_a = 2000) and 1,2-propanediol (propylene glycol, PG). Their polymer films were made by solution casting, and pellets of a hydrophilic drug (FOY-305) were coated with these polymers. Both the films and the coated pellets were incubated anaerobically in a culture of human intestinal flora. It was found that the azo groups in the polymer were reduced to hydrazo groups during incubation, which induced degradation of the films and the coatings without decreasing the molecular weight of the polymer. The rate of drug release from the pellets depended on both the azo and PEG compositions. Based on these findings, a new degradation mechanism of the polyurethane films and coatings is proposed.     

Development of formation and growth models of CO2 hydrate film

This study aims to develop models to estimate the CO₂ hydrate film formation and growth for different temperature and flow velocity conditions. First, the CO₂ hydrate film thickness at the initial stage of its formation is experimentally measured under different temperature and flow velocity conditions using laser interferometry. Based on the results, the CO₂ hydrate film thickness was found to decrease with increasing temperature and flow velocity. Next, the CO₂ hydrate film formation model and growth model are developed, and the models are verified using the present experimental data. Finally, the long term growth of CO₂ hydrate film thickness is estimated by the proposed growth model of CO₂ hydrate film thickness. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 62: 4078–4089, 2016     

Fabrication of Aligned Poly(L‐lactide) Fibers by Electrospinning and Drawing

A new target collector was designed for taking up aligned nanofibers by electrospinning. The collector consists of a rotor around which several fins were attached for winding electrospun filaments continuously in large amounts. The alignment of the nanofibers wound on the collector was affected by the electrospinning conditions, such as the needle‐to‐collector distance and the applied voltage, but not by the rotation speed of the collector. At a voltage of 0.5 kV · cm^?1, about 60% of the fibers were found to be aligned within an angle of ± 5° relative to the rotational direction of the collector. The fiber alignment was improved to 90% by drawing the fiber bundle 2–3 times at 110 °C. The drawing was also effective for crystal orientation of the fibers as revealed by WAXD. The drawn fibers show improved mechanical properties.

     

Behavior and mechanisms of Ni/ScSZ cermet anode deterioration by trace tar in wood gas in a solid oxide fuel cell

In order to determine both the criterion for diagnosing the deterioration of Ni/ScSZ cermet anodes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) by tar contaminants in wood gas and the tolerance limit of tar in wood gas for such anodes, the influence of tar concentration in wood gas on anode deterioration behavior was examined by means of scanning electron microscopy. We found that the anode degradation mechanism consisted of three phenomena: the disappearance of Ni particles, the destruction of sintered ScSZ, and carbon deposition. Furthermore, the Ni particle disappearance occurred at lower tar concentrations than did sintered ScSZ destruction and apparent carbon deposition. Therefore, we propose that the disappearance of Ni particles be set as the criterion for confirming deterioration of Ni/ScSZ cermet anodes in SOFCs by tar. On the basis of this criterion, the tolerance limit of toluene in fuel gas was determined to be 3 g/Nm³ when the operating temperature, steam to carbon molar ratio, and current density were 1073 K, 1, and 0.5 A/cm², respectively. The tolerance limit for tar for the fuel cell constructed herein was one to two orders of magnitude higher than that for internal combustion engines.     

Derivation of consensus sequence for protein binding site in Yarrowia lipolytica centromere

The transmission of replicative plasmids in the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica is mediated solely by a part of its centromere DNA, in which an essential protein binding site has been analyzed recently. Here, we extended the analysis to other minimized centromeric regions, revealing a consensus sequence of a 17- to 21-bp imperfect palindrome.     

Influence of the impregnating property on mechanical properties of commingled yarn composites

Three types of glass/nylon 6 intermediate material forms-film stacking, uncommingled yarn, and commingled yarm-were selected study the correlations between the impregnating property and mechanical properties. The size of the glass fiber block to be filled with matrix and the porosity in glass fiber bundles by spearing out the fiber bundle was different in these materials. Unidirectional glass fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites were fabricated by compression molding. The being test was performed by using the three-point loading system, and the fracture behavior and the degree of impregnation were observed to examine the influence of processing conditions on the bending properties, relative to the form of the intermediate material. Bending strength increased, in accordance with the impregnating property, least in the film stacking form, second most in uncommingled yarn, and most in commingled yarn. The impregnating property was affected by the size of fiber blocks and the porosity in fiber bundles, because bending strength was improved by spreading out the fiber bundles. Commingled yarn is an excellent intermediate materials, which has both the fineness of matrix/fiber mixing and large porosity in fiber bundles.