<ORIGINAL ARTICLE>Characterization of a new coagulant enzyme isolated from Trimeresurus okinavensis (Himehabu snake) venom

A potent, proteinaceous inducer of coagulation factors, has been purified to homogeneity from Trimeresurus okinavensis (Himehabu snake) by ion exchange chromatography and molecular sieving. It has an apparent molecular weight of 28,000 and it specifically converts fibrinogen to fibrin through an enzymatic reaction. This activity was confirmed by a method using synthetic substrate S-2238, though the fraction from a DEAE sephacel column chromatography shows amidolytic activity of S-2251 and S-2366, which are commonly used to measure plasmin and activated protein C activity, respectively, as well as S-2238. This thrombin-like activity of the final product was not affect by the addition of heparin and AT-III. This enzyme also aggregates normal platelets. It is considered that this purified enzyme would be useful as a hemostatic agent or research reagent

Development of the h-BN manufacturing process for3D-LSI

Hexagonal-BN (h-BN) based SOI structure with through silicon via (TSV) shows higher heat dissipation performance without degrading electrical characteristics compared with the conventional SOI structure. This paper evaluates the manufacturing process for 3D-LSI concluding h-BN. Hexagonal-BN etched by F2+ He shows useful top shapes of TSV for the 3D-LSI.10th IEEE CPMT Symposium Japan (ICSJ2021), November 10-12, 2021, Kyoto University (A Hybrid Event of On-site and Virtual Meetings

In Vivo Imaging of Septic Encephalopathy

Septic encephalopathy is a devastating symptom of severe sepsis. Many studies have been performed to uncover the pathophysiological mechanisms of septic encephalopathy; however, novel technical approaches are still required to overcome this complex symptom. Because patients are suffering from severe cognitive impairment, coma, or delirium, which burden not only patients but also caregivers, overcoming septic encephalopathy is still a major social problem worldwide, especially in the intensive care. Septic encephalopathy seems to be caused by cytokine invasion and/or oxidative stress into the brain, and this pathological state leads to imbalance of neurotransmitters. In addition to this pathophysiology, septic encephalopathy causes complicated symptoms (e.g., ischemic stroke, edema, and aberrant sensory function). For these pathophysiological mechanisms, electrophysiology using animal models, positron emission tomography (PET), computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging for septic patients has provided important clues. However, the research for septic encephalopathy is currently confronted with the difficulty of complex symptoms. To overcome this situation, in this chapter, we introduce our novel methods for in vivo imaging of septic encephalopathy using near infrared (NIR) nanoparticles, quantum dots. In addition to our recent progress, we propose a strategy for the future approach to in vivo imaging of septic encephalopathy

Long-Term Effect of Honeycomb beta-Tricalcium Phosphate on Zygomatic Bone Regeneration in Rats

In recent years, artificial bones with high biocompatibility have been developed for hard tissue reconstruction. However, current bone replacement methods are inadequate for large defects, causing infection, exposure, and damage. We have developed a new honeycomb beta-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) material, which achieved good bone regeneration after implantation in a rat complete zygomatic bone defect. In this study, we further investigated the ability of honeycomb beta- TCP for remodeling after bone regeneration as a long-term result. Bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-2-free honeycomb beta-TCP (TCP group) and honeycomb beta-TCP with BMP-2 (BMP group) were implanted in the zygomatic bone of rats. Micro-computed tomography was performed to track the zygomatic bone morphology, and specimens were histologically examined for osteogenesis and remodeling. In the TCP group, no bone formation was observed at 1 month, but it was observed at 6 months. Bone formation was observed in the BMP group at 1 month, and beta-TCP absorption reproducing the zygomatic bone morphology was observed at 6 months. This honeycomb beta-TCP with BMP-2 may provide appropriate remodeling that reproduces good bone formation in the early stage and good morphology in the long term, offering an alternative bone reconstruction material to vascularized bone grafts

Association of clinical findings in Yusho patients with serum concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated quarterphenyls and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran more than 30 years after the poisoning event

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Yusho poisoning incident, which was caused by rice bran oil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated quarterphenyls (PCQs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) generated by heat denaturation of PCB, occurred in 1968 in western Japan. Annual physical, dermatological, dental, ophthalmological and laboratory examinations were conducted for Yusho patients after the incident. From 2001, blood levels of individual PCDF congeners were also measured. The blood levels of 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF), PCBs and PCQs in Yusho patients were found to be significantly higher than those of the general population. We investigated the relationships between blood concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, PCBs and PCQs in Yusho patients and the items measured in the annual medical examination.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Medical and laboratory examination data from 501 Yusho patients enrolled in the study from 2001 to 2004 were analyzed. The relationships between blood 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, PCB and PCQ concentrations and medical/laboratory examination data were investigated using principal components and logistic regression analyses.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serum Concentrations of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, PCBs and PCQs in blood tended to correlate with either acneform eruptions, black comedones, cutaneous and mucosal pigmentation, and hypersecretion of meibomian glands as well as general fatigue, headaches, cough/sputum, abdominal pain, arthralgia, increased blood sugar, increased serum γ-GTP and decreased total bilirubin. The majority of these signs and symptoms are included in the diagnostic criteria for Yusho.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>After Yusho patients had suffered chronic exposure to these chlorinated compounds for more than 35 years, the serum concentration of 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF in blood was significantly related to arthralgia and decreased albumin/globulin (A/G) ratio; the serum concentration of PCBs was significantly related to ophthalmologic symptoms; and the serum concentration of PCQ to increased total cholesterol. These findings suggest that the co-contaminants may affect other functions than those originally associated with Yusho.</p

Cutaneous symptoms such as acneform eruption and pigmentation are closely associated with blood levels of 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorodibenzofurans in Yusho patients, using data mining analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Yusho an intoxication caused by oral dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls occurred in 1968. Patients suffered from various systemic symptoms, including general fatigue, nausea, muscular and articular pain, acneform eruptions, black comedones, cutaneous and oral pigmentation, and increased eye discharge. The major causative factor was the contamination of rice oil with 2,3,4,7,8-penta-chlorodibenzofuran (PeCDF). Recent technical advances have allowed us to measure blood levels of PeCDF. However, there is little information on which symptoms and laboratory data are directly associated with PeCDF levels.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Yusho patients underwent annual medical check-ups from 2001 to 2003. Blood PeCDF levels were correlated with the presence or absence of symptoms in medical, hematological, dermatological, dental and ophthalmological examinations. This study analyzed all combinations by using the association analysis. This is the most suitable method to evaluate all combinations of the data comprehensively. This method was used to determine the rate of patients with high PeCDF level in the population with each symptom, and to extract combinations of three symptoms which were strongly associated with high PeCDF level.</p> <p>Results and Conclusion</p> <p>The rate of the patients with high PeCDF level was high in populations with high uric acid, black comedones (face), second highest quartile of age, or high urea nitrogen. The combination of three symptoms associated with the highest rate of patients with high PeCDF level was "high uric acid, female sexuality, and history of acneform eruptions", followed by "history of Yusho in and after 1968, high cholesterol level, and subjective symptoms." This analysis newly suggested that PeCDF concentration may be associated with history of dermatological symptoms, high uric acid, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate.</p

Expression of ADAM15 in rheumatoid synovium: up-regulation by vascular endothelial growth factor and possible implications for angiogenesis

ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloproteinases) comprise a new gene family of metalloproteinases, and may play roles in cell-cell interaction, cell migration, signal transduction, shedding of membrane-anchored proteins and degradation of extracellular matrix. We screened the mRNA expression of 10 different ADAMs with a putative metalloproteinase motif in synovial tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA). Reverse transcription PCR and real-time quantitative PCR analyses indicated that among the ADAMs, ADAM15 mRNA was more frequently expressed in the RA samples and its expression level was significantly 3.8-fold higher in RA than in OA (p < 0.01). In situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting demonstrated that ADAM15 is expressed in active and precursor forms in the synovial lining cells, endothelial cells of blood vessels and macrophage-like cells in the sublining layer of RA synovium. There was a direct correlation between ADAM15 mRNA expression levels and vascular density in the synovial tissues (r = 0.907, p < 0.001; n = 20). ADAM15 was constitutively expressed in RA synovial fibroblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), and the expression level was increased in HUVECs by treatment with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)(165). On the other hand, ADAM15 expression in RA synovial fibroblasts was enhanced with VEGF(165 )only if vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR)-2 expression was induced by treatment with tumor necrosis factor-α, and the expression was blocked with SU1498, a specific inhibitor of VEGFR-2. These data demonstrate that ADAM15 is overexpressed in RA synovium and its expression is up-regulated by the action of VEGF(165 )through VEGFR-2, and suggest the possibility that ADAM15 is involved in angiogenesis in RA synovium

Spatially Resolving Substructures within the Massive Envelope around an Intermediate-mass Protostar: MMS 6/OMC-3

With the Submillimeter Array, the brightest (sub)millimeter continuum source in the OMC-2/3 region, MMS 6, has been observed in the 850 um continuum emission with approximately 10 times better angular resolution than previous studies (~0.3"; ~120 AU at Orion). The deconvolved size, the mass, and the column density of MMS 6-main are estimated to be 0.32"x0.29" (132 AUx120 AU), 0.29 Mo, and 2.1x10^{25} cm^{-2}, respectively. The estimated extremely high mean number density, 1.5x10^{10} cm^{-3}, suggests that MMS 6-main is likely optically thick at 850 um. We compare our observational data with three theoretical core models: prestellar core, protostellar core + disk-like structure, and first adiabatic core. These comparisons clearly show that the observational data cannot be modeled as a simple prestellar core with a gas temperature of 20 K. A self-luminous source is necessary to explain the observed flux density in the (sub)millimeter wavelengths. Our recent detection of a very compact and energetic outflow in the CO (3-2) and HCN (4-3) lines, supports the presence of a protostar. We suggest that MMS 6 is one of the first cases of an intermediate mass protostellar core at an extremely young stage. In addition to the MMS 6-main peak, we have also spatially resolved a number of spiky structures and sub-clumps, distributed over the central 1000 AU. The masses of these sub-clumps are estimated to be 0.066-0.073 Mo, which are on the order of brown dwarf masses. Higher angular resolution and higher sensitivity observations with ALMA and EVLA will reveal the origin and nature of these structures such as whether they are originated from fragmentations, spiral arms, or inhomogeneity within the disk-like structures/envelope.Comment: Accepted to Ap