Centrifugal Filter for Aerosol Collection

Air filters collect particles by the mechanical collection mechanisms, namely, inertia, interception, gravitational settling, and Brownian diffusion. There exists the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) in submicron size range for which none of the collection mechanisms work effectively. In this study, we propose a new type of filter named as "centrifugal filter," which collects aerosol particles by centrifugal force together with the conventional mechanical collection mechanisms. The centrifugal filter proposed in the present work may be rotated by a motor or compressed air. Air passes through the filter in the axial direction of filter rotation. The filter rotates so does the air embedded in the filter, and therefore centrifugal force exerts on particles. In addition to the mechanical collection mechanisms, small migration of particles due to the centrifugal force enhanced the collection efficiency of submicron particles significantly without increasing the pressure drop. The performance tests of centrifugal filter were conducted by changing the fiber diameter, the air flow velocity and the rotation speed. We found that the collection efficiency of filter is enhanced significantly by rotating the filter without increasing the pressure drop and that the filter efficiency is well predicted by the conventional filtration theory accounting for the centrifugal force.Copyright 2015 American Association for Aerosol Research © 2015 Copyright © American Association for Aerosol Research

Mitochonic Acid 5 (MA-5) Facilitates ATP Synthase Oligomerization and Cell Survival in Various Mitochondrial Diseases

Mitochondrial dysfunction increases oxidative stress and depletes ATP in a variety of disorders. Several antioxidant therapies and drugs affecting mitochondrial biogenesis are undergoing investigation, although not all of them have demonstrated favorable effects in the clinic. We recently reported a therapeutic mitochondrial drug mitochonic acid MA-5 (Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2015). MA-5 increased ATP, rescued mitochondrial disease fibroblasts and prolonged the life span of the disease model “Mitomouse” (JASN, 2016). To investigate the potential of MA-5 on various mitochondrial diseases, we collected 25 cases of fibroblasts from various genetic mutations and cell protective effect of MA-5 and the ATP producing mechanism was examined. 24 out of the 25 patient fibroblasts (96%) were responded to MA-5. Under oxidative stress condition, the GDF-15 was increased and this increase was significantly abrogated by MA-5. The serum GDF-15 elevated in Mitomouse was likewise reduced by MA-5. MA-5 facilitates mitochondrial ATP production and reduces ROS independent of ETC by facilitating ATP synthase oligomerization and supercomplex formation with mitofilin/Mic60. MA-5 reduced mitochondria fragmentation, restores crista shape and dynamics. MA-5 has potential as a drug for the treatment of various mitochondrial diseases. The diagnostic use of GDF-15 will be also useful in a forthcoming MA-5 clinical trial

Gut microbiome-derived phenyl sulfate contributes to albuminuria in diabetic kidney disease

Diabetes is a major cause of kidney disease. Here Kikuchi et al. show that phenol sulfate, a gut microbiota-derived metabolite, is increased in diabetic kidney disease and contributes to the pathology by promoting kidney injury, suggesting phenyl sulfate could be used a marker and therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease