Adsorption properties of oxygen and methane on Ga-ZSM-5; the origin of the selectivity of NOx reduction using methane

The adsorption properties of oxygen and methane on Ga-ZSM-5 and Cu-ZSM-5 catalysts were examined by a TPD method to clarify the extraordinary selectivity of HC-SCR using methane on Ga-ZSM-5. It was observed that Ga-ZSM-5 did not adsorb oxygen but adsorbed methane dissociatively, while on Cu-ZSM-5 oxygen was dissociatively adsorbed and reacted with adsorbed ethylene.     

Molecular Hydrogen Enhances Proliferation of Cancer Cells That Exhibit Potent Mitochondrial Unfolded Protein Response

Molecular hydrogen ameliorates pathological states in a variety of human diseases, animal models, and cell models, but the effects of hydrogen on cancer have been rarely reported. In addition, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of hydrogen remain mostly unelucidated. We found that hydrogen enhances proliferation of four out of seven human cancer cell lines (the responders). The proliferation-promoting effects were not correlated with basal levels of cellular reactive oxygen species. Expression profiling of the seven cells showed that the responders have higher gene expression of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) molecules than the non-responders. In addition, the responders have higher mitochondrial mass, higher mitochondrial superoxide, higher mitochondrial membrane potential, and higher mitochondrial spare respiratory capacity than the non-responders. In the responders, hydrogen provoked mitochondrial unfolded protein response (mtUPR). Suppression of cell proliferation by rotenone, an inhibitor of mitochondrial ETC complex I, was rescued by hydrogen in the responders. Hydrogen triggers mtUPR and induces cell proliferation in cancer cells that have high basal and spare mitochondrial ETC activities.     

Site-specific functionalization of proteins by organopalladium reactions

A new carbon-carbon bond has been regioselectively introduced into a target position (position 32 or 174) of the Ras protein by two types of organopalladium reactions (Mizoroki-Heck and Sonogashira reactions). Reaction conditions were screened by using a model peptide, and the stability of the Ras protein under the reaction conditions was examined by using the wild-type Ras protein. Finally, the iF-Ras proteins containing a 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine residue were subjected to organopalladium reactions with vinylated or propargylated biotin. Site-specific biotinylations of the Ras protein were confirmed by Western blot and LC-MS/MS.     

Rapid separation and counting of viable microbial cells in food by nonculture method with bioplorer, a focusing-free microscopic apparatus with a novel cell separation unit

A nonculture method utilizing a novel apparatus, the bioplorer, was developed. The bioplorer is composed of an efficient cell separation unit, a focusing-free microscopic device, and an image analysis program. A meat or vegetable suspension is poured into the cell separation funnel, and insoluble matter in the sample suspension is trapped by prefilters. Microbial cells passing through the two prefilters are then trapped by the membrane filter (pore size, 0.4 microm). Trapped cells are double-stained with 4',6'-diamidino-2-phenylindole and propidium iodide, and the membrane filter is removed and set on the focusing-free microscope. A fluorescent image is then recorded. Total numbers of viable and dead cells on the membrane filter can thus be determined automatically. One assay can be performed within 10 min, which is much faster than the culture method. The results obtained with both the nonculture method and the culture method for meat and vegetable samples were highly correlated (r = 0.953 to 0.998). This method is feasible for the practical purpose of food safety control.     

Regioselective carbon-carbon bond formation in proteins with palladium catalysis; new protein chemistry by organometallic chemistry

Palladium-catalyzed reactions have contributed to the advancement of many areas of organic chemistry, in particular, the synthesis of organic compounds such as natural products and polymeric materials. In this study, we have used a Mizoroki-Heck reaction for site-specific carbon-carbon bond formation in the Ras protein. This was performed by the following two steps: 1) the His6-fused Ras protein containing 4-iodo-L-phenylalanine at position 32 (iF32-Ras-His) was prepared by genetic engineering and 2) the aryl iodide group on the iF32-Ras-His was coupled with vinylated biotin in the presence of a palladium catalyst. The biotinylation was confirmed by Western blotting and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The regioselectivity of the Mizoroki-Heck reaction was furthermore confirmed by LC-MS/MS analysis. However, in addition to the biotinylated product (bF32-Ras-His), a dehalogenated product (F32-Ras-His) was detected by LC-MS/MS. This dehalogenation resulted from the undesired termination of the Mizoroki-Heck reaction due to steric and electrostatic hindrance around residue 32. The biotinylated Ras showed binding activity for the Ras-binding domain as its downstream target, Raf-1, with no sign of decomposition. This study is the first report of an application of organometallic chemistry in protein chemistry.     

Comprehensive Research on Past and Future Therapeutic Strategies Devoted to Treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rapidly debilitating fatal neurodegenerative disorder, causing muscle atrophy and weakness, which leads to paralysis and eventual death. ALS has a multifaceted nature affected by many pathological mechanisms, including oxidative stress (also via protein aggregation), mitochondrial dysfunction, glutamate-induced excitotoxicity, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, axonal degeneration, skeletal muscle deterioration and viruses. This complexity is a major obstacle in defeating ALS. At present, riluzole and edaravone are the only drugs that have passed clinical trials for the treatment of ALS, notwithstanding that they showed modest benefits in a limited population of ALS. A dextromethorphan hydrobromide and quinidine sulfate combination was also approved to treat pseudobulbar affect (PBA) in the course of ALS. Globally, there is a struggle to prevent or alleviate the symptoms of this neurodegenerative disease, including implementation of antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), CRISPR-9/Cas technique, non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) or ALS-on-a-chip technology. Additionally, researchers have synthesized and screened new compounds to be effective in ALS beyond the drug repurposing strategy. Despite all these efforts, ALS treatment is largely limited to palliative care, and there is a strong need for new therapeutics to be developed. This review focuses on and discusses which therapeutic strategies have been followed so far and what can be done in the future for the treatment of ALS.     

Removal of sulfuroxyanions by magnesium aluminium oxides and their thermal decomposition

The behaviour of the removal of the sulfuroxyanions, SO^2?₄, S₂O^2?₃, S₂O^2?₆ and S₄O^2?₆, in aqueous solutions by Mg_0.61Al_0.26□_0.13O (□:vacancy) was investigated at 40–80°C. All the sulfuroxyanions were removed from solution competitively with OH^? to form the hydrotalcite-like compounds. The rate of the removal was first order with respect to the concentration of the sulfuroxyanion in the solution, and the apparent activation energy was about 60 kJ mol^?1. All the sulfuroxyanions intercalated in the interlayer of hydrotalcite structure decomposed to SO^2?₄ at 100–300°C.     

The Influence of ZrO2 Additions on Al2O3 Evaporation and AlN Crystal Growth by Thermal Nitridation of Al2O3–ZrO2 Pellets

The effects of ZrO₂ additions to Al₂O₃ were investigated to improve the evaporation rate of Al₂O₃ for bulk AlN crystal growth. The evaporation rate of Al₂O₃ increased concomitantly with increasing ZrO₂ concentration under a nitrogen gas stream at 2223 K. The ZrO₂ was predominantly nitrided. The nitridation of ZrO₂ kept the local oxygen partial pressure high at the pellet surface, which suppressed the nitridation of Al₂O₃. The nitridation of ZrO₂ caused the outward diffusion of ZrO₂ (Zr⁴⁺ and O^2?) in the pellet, which was accelerated further by the presence of Al₂O₃–ZrO₂ liquid phase in grain boundaries, leading to the prompt formation of ZrN porous layer on the pellet surface. The suppressed nitridation of Al₂O₃ and the formation of porous ZrN layer were the reasons for the enhanced evaporation of Al₂O₃, leading to enhanced bulk AlN growth.