CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SLUDGE PARTICLES IN REMOVAL PROCESS OF RADIOACTIVE CESIUM FROM OCEAN SLUDGE BY DECOMPOSITION SYSTEM WITH CIRCULATION TYPE USING MICRO BUBBLES AND ACTIVATING MICROORGANISMS

ABSTRACT: The Fukushima nuclear accident of March 11, 2011, soil and water had been contaminated by radioactive cesium. Moreover, radioactive cesium was found in the ocean sludge in Tokyo Bay flowing from rivers. Cesium which is adsorbed to the sludge cannot be easily removed. One of the authors developed decomposition and purification system, a circulation-type system by micro bubbles, that is, by creating aerobic state, aerobic bacteria are activated resulting to decomposition and purification of ocean sludge. Based on the hypothesis that radioactive cesium is adsorbed on the surface of the sludge deposition. It is considered cesium can be eluted after decomposing the deposited sludge. Once the cesium is eluted in the water, it can fix to a mineral such as zeolite. Now we need the properties of sludge in removal process by decomposition system with circulation type. In this study, our objects is to check the characteristics of the sludge particle in removal process of radioactive cesium from ocean sludge by decomposition system with circulation type using micro bubbles and activating microorganisms. As the results of this experiments, we had very good purification ratio on total nitrogen and had made 40 times of smaller size on diameter of the particle of sludge

Nicotine promotes lymph node metastasis and cetuximab resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is overexpressed in many cancers and is associated with worse prognosis. EGF binds to its cell surface receptor (EGFR), which induces EGFR phosphorylation. Phosphorylated EGFR (p‑EGFR) is translocated into the nucleus, which increases cancer cell activity. Nicotine, which is one of the main components of tobacco, is absorbed through pulmonary alveoli and mucosal epithelia in the head and neck region by smoking and moves into the blood. Nicotine in blood binds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in the central nervous system and serves a crucial role in tobacco addiction. Although nAChR localization is thought to be limited in the nervous system, nAChR is present in a wide variety of non‑neuronal cells, including cancer cells. Recent studies suggest that nicotine contributes to the metastasis and resistance to anti‑cancer drugs of various cancer cells. However, it remains unknown whether head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells can utilize nicotine‑nAChR signaling to metastasize and acquire resistance to anti‑cancer drugs, even though the mucosal epithelia of the head and neck region are the primary sites of exposure to tobacco smoke. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to demonstrate the role of nicotine in metastasis and anti‑EGFR‑therapy resistance of HNSCC. The present findings demonstrated that nicotine increased proliferation, migration, invasion, p‑EGFR nuclear translocation and protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation in HNSCC cells. It was also demonstrated that nicotine restored cetuximab‑inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of HNSCC cells. Finally, an in vivo experiment revealed that nicotine increased lymph node metastasis of xenografted tumors, whereas an nAChR inhibitor suppressed lymph node metastasis and p‑EGFR nuclear localization of xenografted tumors. Taken together, these results demonstrated that nicotine induced nuclear accumulation of p‑EGFR, and activation of Akt signaling. These signaling pathways elevated the activities of HNSCC cells, causing lymph node metastasis and serving a role in cetuximab resistance

A New Serum Biomarker Set to Detect Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease by Peptidome Technology

Background: Because dementia is an emerging problem in the world, biochemical markers of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and radio-isotopic analyses are helpful for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Although blood sample is more feasible and plausible than CSF or radiological biomarkers for screening potential AD, measurements of serum amyloid- β (Aβ), plasma tau, and serum antibodies for Aβ1 - 42 are not yet well established. Objective: We aimed to identify a new serum biomarker to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD in comparison to cognitively healthy control by a new peptidome technology. Methods: With only 1.5μl of serum, we examined a new target plate “BLOTCHIP®” plus a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) to discriminate control (n = 100), MCI (n = 60), and AD (n = 99). In some subjects, cognitive Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were compared to positron emission tomography (PET) with Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) and the serum probability of dementia (SPD). The mother proteins of candidate serum peptides were examined in autopsied AD brains. Results: Apart from Aβ or tau, the present study discovered a new diagnostic 4-peptides-set biomarker for discriminating control, MCI, and AD with 87% of sensitivity and 65% of specificity between control and AD (***p  Conclusion: The present serum biomarker set provides a new, rapid, non-invasive, highly quantitative and low-cost clinical application for dementia screening, and also suggests an alternative pathomechanism of AD for neuroinflammation and neurovascular unit damage

Molecular Pathogenesis of Cardiac Arrhythmia

The heart is a necessary organ for sustaining life in mammals, and it is the first organ to function during early development [...

ISOLATION OF PROLACTIN BY ACRYLAMIDE GEL ELECTROPHORESIS OF THE RAT PITUITARY TISSUE CULTURE MEDIUM

Biological, chemical, or immunological properties of prolactin are not yet completely understood. The relationship between pituitary prolactin and growth hormone or prolactin-like substance in the fluids such as blood and urine in human is another important problem to study. The relationship between pituitary prolactin and growth hormone or prolactin-like substance in the fluids such as blood and urine in human is another important problem to study. In the present experiment isolation of prolactin from the rat pituitary tissue culture medium was attempted by acrylamide gel electrophoresis, utilizing the fact that the pituitary separated from hypothalamic connection secreted almost exclusively prolactin and that pituitary prolactin increased by estrogen administration. As a result of 7-day culture prolactin band was obtained separately. Presence of growth hormone band even after 7-day culture indicated existence of GIF (growth hormone-inhibiting factor) in the hypothalamus