X-ray Detection Performance of 100-pixel Superconducting Tunnel Junction Array Detector in the Soft X-ray Region

The overall performance of a 100-pixel superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) array detector in the soft X-ray region was determined by measuring fluorescent X-rays from light elements. The yield of working STJs in the fabricated detector was?90%, and the leakage current for these 90?STJs was 11.6±2.5?nA. The STJs had an intrinsic energy resolution for O-Kα X-rays (524.9?eV) of 10.2±1.7?eV (FWHM). The deviation from energy linearity was ?0.042±0.45%, 0.793±0.91%, and 0.135±1.31% for O-Kα (524.9?eV), N-Kα (392.4?eV) and B-Kα (183.3?eV) X-rays, respectively. Most of the STJs exhibited uniform X-ray detection characteristics. In addition, the detector could discriminate the N-Kα peak in the fluorescent X-ray spectrum from n-type SiC doped with 300?ppm nitrogen.     

A study of bacterial culturability during bioaerosol challenge test using a test chamber

The bioaerosol challenge test using a chamber is performed to evaluate the specificity of air purifiers and samplers. Bacterial cells are exposed to various stresses in each step of the test and the detail of the influences by the stresses has been reported. These reports are very detailed but the change of the bacterial biological activity through the chamber test has not been referred yet. We followed the bacterial activity in each step through the practical bioaerosol challenge test for the specificity evaluation of an apparatus using Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli, and tried to estimate the degree to which bacterial cells are stressed during the test by investigating bacterial culturability and the redox dye reduction activity. We used the ratio of the culturable or active cell number to the total cell number as a common indicator through the test step. According to the results, culturability of S. epidermidis and E. coli decreased to 98% and 93% of initial value by nebulization, respectively, but the culturability change of each bacterium was not significantly different. On the other hand, 54% of the cells in the original suspension used for nebulization lost their culturability after aerosolization in S. epidermidis. Furthermore we observed that culturability changed after a centrifugation wash cycle during sample preparation in E. coli, but not in S. epidermidis. We do not intend just to report the bacterial viability or culturability change in our system as one of the case studies in this paper. Bacterial biological activity cannot be controlled completely every time even if the cells are prepared by the same protocols. For the purpose of accurate evaluation, we will discuss the importance to mind that the cells which the tested apparatus is measuring in each step of the test are the cells which exist in what status of bacterial activity with showing our actual results through the chamber test. The actual evaluation systems for the specificity confirmation of apparatuses will be commonly established based on the reported basic information. The difference of opinion about the bacterial activity through the chamber test could lead to misjudgment of the specificity of a tested apparatus.     

Optical properties and microstructures of Pd-free Ag–Au–Pt–Cu dental alloys

Nine experimental Pd-free Ag–Au–Pt–Cu dental alloys containing 10 at.% Pt and 10–35 at.% Au were prepared and their optical properties and microstructures were investigated by means of spectrophotometric colorimetry, optical microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. All the alloys were annealed at 850 °C and mirror-polished to observe their reflectance curves in the visible spectrum and three-dimensional color coordinates. All the alloys were composed of a major phase of Ag–Au-rich matrix and a minor and almost colorless Pt–Cu-rich phase. It was found that the color of the alloys was substantially controlled by the Ag–Au-rich matrix and that with increasing Au/Ag atomic ratio from 0.130 to 0.996, the yellow-blue chromaticity index b ^* increased from 8.0 to 14.4, giving a pale yellow color. This systematic increase in yellowness was caused by a continuous shift of the absorption edge of reflectance curve toward longer wavelengths with increasing Au/Ag atomic ratio.     

Glare constant Gw for the evaluation of discomfort glare from windows

This research work has been carried out in effort to establish the evaluation method for the discomfort glare from windows. The existing Glare constant formulas are determined from the glare source located on the line of sight and the exponents in the formulas have fixed values through the entire visual field. In order to apply the existing Glare constant formulas to windows, it is necessary to confirm that the exponents have suitable values at the positions elsewhere on the line of sight. The experiments were conducted to obtain the precise exponents at various positions. Sensitivity to glare was tested on the Glare Testing Instrument consisting of a semi-spherical screen and the optical fiber lamp. Twenty-five observers aged between 20 and 47 had participated in the experiments. The results show that the exponents are variable according to the source position, source size, and background luminance. The modified Glare Constant G_w formula is proposed considering the variation of the exponents. The charts for determining the exponents of source size and background luminance are also proposed. The modified G_w formula has the practical advantage in which the Glare Constant can be obtained directly at the position of the source.     

Antioxidant and cytotoxic flavonoids from the flowers of Melastoma malabathricum L.

Phytochemical and bioactivity studies of the flowers of Melastoma malabathricum L. (Melastomataceae) have been carried out. The ethyl acetate extract yielded three compounds, identified as naringenin, kaempferol and kaempferol-3-O-d-glucoside, and methanol extract gave kaempferol-3-O-(2″,6″-di-O-p-trans-coumaroyl)glucoside and kaempferol-3-O-d-glucoside. The crude extracts and isolated compounds were screened for their antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The antioxidant assay was carried out by the DPPH radical-scavenging electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopic method. The cytotoxicity was measured by the MTT assay against a MCF7 cell line. Naringenin, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-O-d-glucoside, kaempferol-3-O-(2″,6″-di-O-p-trans-coumaroyl) glucoside, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were found to be active as radical-scavengers with IC₅₀ values of 0.52 mM, 81.5 μM, 1.07 mM, 35.8 μM, 7.21 μg/ml and 6.59 μg/ml, respectively. Naringenin and kaempferol-3-O-(2″,6″-di-O-p-trans-coumaroyl)glucoside were also found to be active in inhibiting cell proliferation of MCF7 with IC₅₀ values of 0.28 μM and 1.3 μM, respectively.     

Proteins that underlie neoplastic progression of ulcerative colitis

Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) have an increased risk for developing colorectal cancer. Because UC tumorigenesis is associated with genomic field defects that can extend throughout the entire colon, including the non‐dysplastic mucosa, we hypothesized that the same field defects will include abnormally expressed proteins. Here, we applied proteomics to study the protein expression of UC neoplastic progression. The protein profiles of colonic epithelium were compared with (i) UC patients without dysplasia (non‐progressors), (ii) non‐dysplastic colonic tissue from UC patient with high‐grade dysplasia or cancer (progressors), (iii) high‐grade dysplastic tissue from UC progressors, and (iv) normal colon. We identified differential protein expression associated with UC neoplastic progression. Proteins relating to mitochondria, oxidative activity, and calcium‐binding proteins were some of the interesting classes of these proteins. Network analysis discovered that Sp1 and c‐myc proteins may play roles in UC early and late stages of neoplastic progression, respectively. Two over‐expressed proteins in the non‐dysplastic tissue of UC progressors, carbamoyl‐phosphate synthase 1 and S100P, were further confirmed by immunohistochemistry analysis. Our study provides insight into the molecular events associated with UC neoplastic progression, which could be exploited for the development of protein biomarkers in fields of non‐dysplastic mucosa that identify a patient's risk for UC dysplasia.     

Ethanol-tolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains isolated under selective conditions by over-expression of a proofreading-deficient DNA polymerase δ

Ethanol damages the cell membrane and functional proteins, gradually reducing cell viability, and leading to cell death during fermentation which impairs effective bioethanol production by budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To obtain more suitable strains for bioethanol production and to gain a better understanding of ethanol tolerance, ethanol-tolerant mutants were isolated using the novel mutagenesis technique based on the disparity theory of evolution. According to this theory evolution can be accelerated by affecting the lagging-strand synthesis in which DNA polymerase δ is involved. Expression of the pol3-01 gene, a proofreading-deficient of DNA polymerase δ, in S. cerevisiae W303-1A grown under conditions of increasing ethanol concentration resulted in three ethanol-tolerant mutants (YFY1, YFY2 and YFY3), which could grow in medium containing 13% ethanol. Ethanol productivity also increased in YFY strains compared to the wild-type strain in medium containing 25% glucose. Cell morphology of YFY strain cells was normal even in the presence of 8% ethanol, whereas W303-1A cells were expanded by a big vacuole. Furthermore, two of these mutants were also resistant to high-temperature, Calcofluor white and NaCl. Expression levels of TPS1 and TSL1, which are responsible for trehalose biosynthesis, were higher in YFY strains relative to W303-1A, resulting in high levels of intracellular trehalose in YFY strains. This contributed to the multiple-stress tolerance that makes YFY strains suitable for the production of bioethanol.     

Thalidomide increases both REM and stage 3-4 sleep in human adults: a preliminary study

OBJECTIVE: Methotrexate has been documented to accumulate in pleural effusions and ascitic fluid, resulting in severe local and systemic toxicity. In the following case report, we publish results of intraoperative measurements of methotrexate levels in serum and an ovarian cyst and attempt to determine if ovarian cysts similarly act as a depot for methotrexate. METHODS: After determining intraoperative measurements of serum and ovarian cystic levels of methotrexate, we compared demonstrated pharmacokinetics to those expected by using pharmacokinetic systems analysis software. RESULTS: Intraoperative measurement of methotrexate levels on day 3 of a 5-day methotrexate regimen revealed a serum methotrexate concentration of 1.6 x 10(-7) M and a concentration of 3.1 x 10(-7) M within the 166.4 ml ovarian cyst. CONCLUSIONS: The measured levels demonstrate that methotrexate is sequestered within an ovarian cyst resulting in higher local drug levels. Our pharmacokinetic analysis suggests that methotrexate doses less than 100 mg/m2 can be safely administered to patients with small ovarian cysts. However, computed simulations support the possibility of local and systemic toxicity arising from large ovarian cysts when using high doses of methotrexate.     

Neuron Membrane Trafficking and Protein Kinases Involved in Autism and ADHD

A brain-enriched multi-domain scaffolding protein, neurobeachin has been identified as a candidate gene for autism patients. Mutations in the synaptic adhesion protein cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) are also associated with autism spectrum disorder, a neurodevelopmental disorder of uncertain molecular origin. Potential roles of neurobeachin and CADM1 have been suggested to a function of vesicle transport in endosomal trafficking. It seems that protein kinase B (AKT) and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) have key roles in the neuron membrane trafficking involved in the pathogenesis of autism. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is documented to dopaminergic insufficiencies, which is attributed to synaptic dysfunction of dopamine transporter (DAT). AKT is also essential for the DAT cell-surface redistribution. In the present paper, we summarize and discuss the importance of several protein kinases that regulate the membrane trafficking involved in autism and ADHD, suggesting new targets for therapeutic intervention.