Deep-Sea-Inspired Chemistry: A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Bottom of the Ocean for Chemists

「深海インスパイヤード化学」のコンセプトを発表 --カーボンニュートラル実現に向けた新たな深海利用の提案--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-06-09.The ocean constitutes approximately 70% of Earth’s surface. Its average depth is 3688 m, of which depths beyond 200 m are classified as the deep sea. The deep sea is distinct from the surface of the ocean in terms of pressure, temperature, and sunlight. The unique physicochemical processes under the extreme environment of the deep sea and the specialized biochemical mechanisms developed by organisms to survive in the deep sea can serve as a vast source of inspiration for scientific and technological advancements. In this Perspective, we discuss three examples of deep-sea-inspired chemistry: (1) soft materials that respond to high pressures such as those observed in the deep sea; (2) molecular self-assembly inspired by the chemistry of hot and compressed water in deep-sea hydrothermal vents; and (3) nanobiotechnology and biomimetics inspired by survival strategies of deep-sea organisms. Finally, we provide an outlook on deep-sea-inspired chemistry. This Perspective aims to promote the sustainable utilization of the ocean based on knowledge, as opposed to the conventional utilization of the ocean solely based on resources. We hope that this Perspective will encourage chemists to harness their inspiration gleaned from the deep sea

movement self-screening scores and pain

Background : Various musculoskeletal screening and functional performance tests are used to evaluate physical condition. However, validated analysis tools that can identify gaps in pain knowledge during athletes’ daily training are lacking. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between pain intensity in athletes during their daily training and the KOJI AWARENESS™ test in order to determine whether body dysfunction is related to pain among athletes. Methods : This cross-sectional study was conducted in a fitness center at the authors’ affiliated institution. Thirty-five athletes (17 women and 18 men) aged 20-40 years were selected for study participation. KOJI AWARENESS™ self-evaluated test scores and pain intensity during daily training, as assessed on the numerical rating scale (NRS), were recorded. Results : The KOJI AWARENESS™ score showed a strong negative correlation with the NRS score for pain intensity during daily training (r = −0.640, P < 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between KOJI AWARENESS™ and NRS scores, even when body mass index, sex, and age were entered as control variables. Conclusions : KOJI AWARENESS™ was highly accurate in detecting pain in athletes during their training

Interplay of Amygdala and Cingulate Plasticity in Emotional Fear

The amygdala is known to be a critical brain region for emotional fear. It is believed that synaptic plasticity within the amygdala is the cellular basis of fear memory. Recent studies demonstrate that cortical areas such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) may also contribute to the formation of fear memory, including trace fear memory and remote fear memory. At synaptic level, fear conditioning also triggers plastic changes within the cortical areas immediately after the condition. These results raise the possibility that certain forms of synaptic plasticity may occur within the cortex while synaptic potentiation takes place within synapses in the hippocampus and amygdala. This hypothesis is supported by electrophysiological evidence obtained from freely moving animals that neurons in the hippocampus/amygdala fire synchronous activities with cortical neurons during the learning. To study fear-related synaptic plasticity in the cortex and its functional connectivity with neurons in the amygdala and hippocampus will help us understand brain mechanisms of fear and improve clinical treatment of emotional disorders in patients

Effectiveness of KOJI AWARENESS tool

Background : The KOJI AWARENESS™ screening test is a self-administered screening tool for assessment of mobility, stability, and strength. It provides corrective exercises corresponding to the individual’s answers to the KOJI AWARENESS™ test questions. However, there is no evidence of the effectiveness of corrective exercises in improving KOJI AWARENESS™ screening test scores and activity-related pain. Methods : Twenty- six healthy subjects (11 female and 15 male ; age 20–50 years) were selected for participation. In a controlled laboratory setting, subjects were administered the KOJI AWARENESS™ test and were provided with individualized exercise programs based on the results of this first test. KOJI AWARENESS™ results were checked on the first day immediately after the first exercise session, and then again after the two-week program. Pain intensity was also assessed during daily training using a numerical rating scale. Results : Compared to pre-intervention, KOJI AWARENESS™ scores were significantly higher immediately after the first corrective exercise session and after 2 weeks of intervention (p < 0.001). Moreover, pain intensity was significantly lower after 2 weeks of intervention (p < 0.001). Conclusions : Individualized KOJI AWARENESS™ corrective exercises were effective immediately on the first day and also after the two-week program in improving the KOJI AWARENESS™ score and reducing pain intensity during daily training

Dilatonic Black Holes with Gauss-Bonnet Term

We discuss black holes in an effective theory derived from a superstring model, which includes a dilaton field, a gauge field and the Gauss-Bonnet term. Assuming U(1) or SU(2) symmetry for the gauge field, we find four types of spherically symmetric solutions, i.e., a neutral, an electrically charged, a magnetically charged and a ``colored'' black hole, and discuss their thermodynamical properties and fate via the Hawking evaporation process. For neutral and electrically charged black holes, we find critical point and a singular end point. Below the mass corresponding to the critical point, nosolution exists, while the curvature on the horizon diverges and anaked singularity appears at the singular point. A cusp structure in the mass-entropy diagram is found at the critical point and black holes on the branch between the critical and singular points become unstable. For magnetically charged and ``colored" black holes, the solution becomes singular just at the end point with a finite mass. Because the black hole temperature is always finite even at the critical point or the singular point, we may conclude that the evaporation process will not be stopped even at the critical point or the singular point, and the black hole will move to a dynamical evaporation phase or a naked singularity will appear.Comment: 31pages, 11figures, LaTex styl

Development of Kupffer cell targeting type-I interferon for the treatment of hepatitis via inducing anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions

Because of its multifaceted anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects, delivering type-I interferon to Kupffer cells has the potential to function as a novel type of therapy for the treatment of various types of hepatitis. We report herein on the preparation of a Kupffer cell targeting type-I interferon, an albumin-IFNα2b fusion protein that contains highly mannosylated N-linked oligosaccharide chains, Man-HSA(D494N)-IFNα2b, attached by combining albumin fusion technology and site-directed mutagenesis. The presence of this unique oligosaccharide permits the protein to be efficiently, rapidly and preferentially distributed to Kupffer cells. Likewise IFNα2b, Man-HSA(D494N)-IFNα2b caused a significant induction in the mRNA levels of IL-10, IL-1Ra, PD-L1 in RAW264.7 cells and mouse isolated Kupffer cells, and these inductions were largely inhibited by blocking the interferon receptor. These data indicate that Man-HSA(D494N)-IFNα2b retained the biological activities of type-I interferon. Man-HSA(D494N)-IFNα2b significantly inhibited liver injury in Concanavalin A (Con-A)-induced hepatitis model mice, and consequently improved their survival rate. Moreover, the post-administration of Man-HSA(D494N)-IFNα2b at 2 h after the Con-A challenge also exerted hepato-protective effects. In conclusion, this proof-of-concept study demonstrates the therapeutic effectiveness and utility of Kupffer cell targeting type-I interferon against hepatitis via its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions

The role of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway in endothelial dysfunction

Endothelial dysfunction is a key event in the development of vascular disease, and it precedes clinically obvious vascular pathology. Abnormal activation of the RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway has been found to elevate vascular tone through unbalancing the production of vasodilating and vasoconstricting substances. Inhibition of the RhoA/ROCK pathway can prevent endothelial dysfunction in a variety of pathological conditions. This review, based on recent molecular, cellular, and animal studies, focuses on the current understanding of the ROCK pathway and its roles in endothelial dysfunction