Expression and regulatory effects on cancer cell behavior of NELL1 and NELL2 in human renal cell carcinoma

We thank Professors Michael Rehli, Yoshiaki Ito, and Kristian Helin for gifting plasmids, Dr. Alasdair MacKenzie (University of Aberdeen) for helpful discussion, and Mr. Takashi Mizukami, Ms. Ryoko Tokuda, and Ms. Sanae Funaoka (Kanazawa University) for technical assistance.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Phthalocyanine-based discotic liquid crystals switching from a molten alkyl chain type to a flying-seed-like type

first published on 29 Jun 2017We have synthesised a series of phthalocyanine-based discotic liquid crystals, (m-CnOPhO)(8)PcCu (n = 1-20: 2a-o), and investigated their mesomorphism by using a polarizing optical microscope (POM), a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and a temperature-dependent small angle X-ray diffractometer. We found that each of the derivatives 2a-o shows mesomorphism. However, the mesomorphism of the (m-CnOPhO)(8)PcCu derivatives strongly depends on the alkoxy chain length (n). The mesomorphism of the short chain-substituted derivatives 2a-e for n = 1-5 is a flying-seed-like type induced by flip-flop of the peripheral bulky substituents, whereas the mesomorphism of the long chain-substituted derivatives 2j-o for n = 10-20 is a conventional molten alkyl chain type induced by melting of the long alkyl chains. The moderately long chain derivatives (2f-i) for n = 6-9 in between show both types of mesophases. The detailed temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out for three representative derivatives, 2b (n = 2 for n = 1-5), 2h (n = 8 for n = 6-9), and 2o (n = 20 for n = 10-20). As a result, we revealed that the Col(ro)(P2m) mesophase in 2b (n = 2) gave a halo denoted as Halo(arom). at d congruent to 5.2 angstrom due to flip-flop of the bulky aromatic substituents, and that the Colho mesophase in 2o (n = 20) gave a halo denoted as Halo(alkyl) at d congruent to 4.6-4.8 angstrom due to melting of the long alkyl chains. Therefore, we can distinguish the type of mesophase from Halo(arom). and Halo(alkyl). Very interestingly, the (m-C8OPhO)(8)PcCu (2h) derivative having moderately long alkyl chains gave Halo(alkyl) at about 4.8 angstrom in the lower temperature mesophase of Col(ho), but Halo(arom). at about 5.2 angstrom in the higher temperature mesophase of Col(ro)(P2(1)/a). This means that melting of the alkyl chains induces the Col(ho) phase in the lower temperature region, but that flip-flop of the bulky aromatic substituents induces the Col(ro)(P2(1)/a) phase in the higher temperature region. This unusual reverse phase transition sequence from a higher symmetry of the Col(h) mesophase to a lower symmetry of the Col(r) mesophase on a heating stage is attributable to such a unique stepwise melting of these two different types of substituents. To the best of our knowledge, this mesogen (2h) is the first example switching mesomorphism from the molten alkyl chain type to the flying-seed-like type in a discotic liquid crystal.ArticleJOURNAL OF MATERIALS CHEMISTRY C. 5(29):7297-7306 (2017)journal articl

Monthly minodronate inhibits bone resorption to a greater extent than does monthly risedronate

AbstractAs a bisphosphonate, minodronate (MIN) is one of the strongest inhibitors of bone resorption. However, there have been no reports directly comparing the antiresorptive effects of monthly MIN with those of monthly risedronate (RIS). We enrolled 30 cases of osteoporosis (OP; 16 in the MIN group [mean age: 68.2 years] and 14 in the RIS group [mean age: 68.1 years]) to investigate the early effects of treatment by monthly MIN or RIS over a 4-month period using bone turnover marker values. Only female patients were enrolled to avoid gender bias. Urinary cross-linked N-telopeptide of type I collagen (NTX) before treatment and at 1, 2, and 4 months of therapy, as well as serum bone alkaline phosphatase and alkaline phosphatase before treatment and at 4 months afterwards, were evaluated. All bone turnover marker values were significantly decreased at 4 months in both groups. The changes in urinary NTX at the study end point for RIS and MIN were −30.1% and −63.1%, respectively. From 2 months of treatment, the antiresorptive effects on urinary NTX by MIN were significantly higher than those by RIS, indicating that MIN more immediately and strongly inhibited bone absorption. Thus, monthly MIN seems to suppress bone resorption faster and more strongly than RIS in OP treatment

Constraints on a vacuum energy from both SNIa and CMB temperature observations

We investigate the cosmic thermal evolution with a vacuum energy which decays into photon at the low-redshift. We assume that the vacuum energy is a function of the scale factor that increases toward the early universe. We put on the constraints using recent observations of both type Ia supernovae (SNIa) by Union-2 compilation and the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature at the range of the redshift 0.01 < z < 3. From SNIa, we find that the effects of a decaying vacuum energy on the cosmic expansion rate should be very small but could be possible for z < 1.5. On the other hand, we obtain the severe constraints for parameters from the CMB temperature observations. Although the temperature can be still lower than the case of the standard cosmological model, it should only affect the thermal evolution at the early epoch.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, 1 tables, submitted to Advances in Astronom

Modification of Cɛ mRNA Expression by EBV-Encoded Latent Membrane Protein 1

To evaluate the effect of expression of latent membrane protein (LMP) 1 encoded by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) on Cɛ mRNA expression, mRNA levels were examined by RT-PCR or Northern blot analysis upon transient transfection of LMP1 in the splenocytes derived from Brown-Norway rats with or without immunization with 2,4-dinitrophenyl-conjugated Ascaris suum antigen. Splenocytes were transfected with LMP1 expression vector, pSG5-LMP1, using lipofection method. Cɛ mRNA levels were considerably increased by transfection with pSG5-LMP1 in the splenocytes derived from the nonimmunized rats; however, Cɛ mRNA levels were decreased in the splenocytes derived from the immunized rats. Cɛ mRNA expression in IgE-producing cells are modulated by LMP1, which might depend on the differentiation status of B cells upon exposure to allergen

Intermediate-Mass-Elements in Young Supernova Remnants Reveal Neutron Star Kicks by Asymmetric Explosions

The birth properties of neutron stars yield important information on the still debated physical processes that trigger the explosion and on intrinsic neutron-star physics. These properties include the high space velocities of young neutron stars with average values of several 100 km/s, whose underlying "kick" mechanism is not finally clarified. There are two competing possibilities that could accelerate NSs during their birth: anisotropic ejection of either stellar debris or neutrinos. We here present new evidence from X-ray measurements that chemical elements between silicon and calcium in six young gaseous supernova remnants are preferentially expelled opposite to the direction of neutron star motion. There is no correlation between the kick velocities and magnetic field strengths of these neutron stars. Our results support a hydrodynamic origin of neutron-star kicks connected to asymmetric explosive mass ejection, and they conflict with neutron-star acceleration scenarios that invoke anisotropic neutrino emission caused by particle and nuclear physics in combination with very strong neutron-star magnetic fields.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Emission of continuous coherent terahertz waves with tunable frequency by intrinsic Josephson junctions

We present a mechanism for emission of electromagnetic terahertz waves by simulation. High $T_{c}$ superconductors form naturally stacked Josephson junctions. When an external current and a magnetic field are applied to the sample, fluxon flow induces voltage. The voltage creates oscillating current through the Josephson effect and the current excites the Josephson plasma. The sample works as a cavity, and the input energy is stored in a form of standing wave of the Josephson plasma. A part of the energy is emitted as terahertz waves.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Chlorido(12,17-dieth­oxy­carbonyl-11,18-dimethyl-2:3,6:7-dibutano­corrphycenato-κ4 N)iron(III)

The title complex, [Fe(C36H36N4O4)Cl], shows a domed structure with a slightly distorted trapezoidpyramidal core, in which the perpendicular displacements of the FeIII atom from the mean pyrrole N4 plane are 0.418 (3) and 0.465 (3) Å for the two crystallographically independent mol­ecules