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

Preliminary Report on the Join CaMgSi2O6-CaFe^[3+]AlSiO6 at Low Oxygen Fugacity

The join CaMgSi2O6-CaFe^[3+]AlSiO6 was studied by the ordinary quenching method at 10^-9, 10^-10, and 10^-11 atm fO2. The solubility limit of CaFe^[3+]AlSiO6 in diopside is 20 mol.% at 1100℃ and 10^-9 atm fO2, 10 mol.% at 1100℃ and 10^-10 atm fO2 and 5 mol.% at 1100℃ and 10^-11 atm fO2. The temperature of upper limit for clinopyroxene(ss) single phase field decrease with decreasing fO2. The phase assemblages below the solidus temperatures in this join change as follows with increasing CaFe^[3+]AlSiO6: clinopyroxene(ss), clinopyroxene(ss) + melilite, clinopyroxene(ss) + melilite + spinel(ss), clinopyroxene(ss) + melilite + spinel(ss) + anorthite. The composition of clinopyroxene(ss) crystallized from the composition Di(50)FATs(50) at 1100℃, 10^-10 atm fO2 is Ca0.96 (Mg0.48Fe0.12^[2+]Fe0.26^[3+]Al0.14) (Al0.44Si1.56)O6

Comprehensive Cell Adhesion Analysis Using Electrochemiluminescence Imaging and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Cell adhesion to culture substrates plays a crucial role in cellular activities, such as proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. Recently, electrochemiluminescence (ECL) imaging has been utilized for analyzing cell adhesion. In addition to ECL imaging, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is widely used as a conventional method for evaluating cell adhesion. However, the relationship between the results obtained from ECL imaging and EIS has not yet been investigated. In this study, the relationship between the results obtained using two methods is explored, and their advantages and disadvantages have been discussed. Endothelial cells were cultured on an extracellular matrix-coated indium tin oxide electrode for 24 h, which was further used for ECL imaging and EIS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ECL imaging and EIS of the same samples for cell adhesion analysis. This comprehensive analysis of cell adhesion using EIS and ECL imaging could be further used to evaluate drugs that target cell adhesion

Neutron imaging for magnetization inside an operating inductor

Abstract Magnetic components are key parts of energy conversion systems, such as electric generators, motors, power electric devices, and magnetic refrigerators. Toroidal inductors with magnetic ring cores can be found inside such electric devices that are used daily. For such inductors, magnetization vector M is believed to circulate with/without distribution inside magnetic cores as electric power was used in the late nineteenth century. Nevertheless, notably, the distribution of M has never been directly verified. Herein, we measured a map of polarized neutron transmission spectra for a ferrite ring core assembled on a familiar inductor device. The results showed that M circulates inside the ring core with a ferrimagnetic spin order when power is supplied to the coil. In other words, this method enables the multiscale operando imaging of magnetic states, allowing us to evaluate the novel architectures of high-performance energy conversion systems using magnetic components with complex magnetic states

Increased Red Blood Cell Distribution Width in the First Year after Diagnosis Predicts Worsening of Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease at 5 Years: A Pilot Study

The course of systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) varies among individuals. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) has been reported to be a predictor of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, there are no studies on the relationship between RDW and SSc-ILD. We conducted a retrospective study of 28 patients who were diagnosed with SSc-ILD on their first visit to our hospital and were followed-up for 5 years. The correlation between the changes in RDW, KL-6, and SP-D (ΔRDW, ΔKL-6, ΔSP-D) and the changes in percent-predicted forced lung volume and % carbon monoxide diffusion (Δ%FVC, Δ%DLco) was investigated. ΔRDW at 1 year after diagnosis was significantly inversely correlated with Δ%FVC at 5 years after diagnosis (r = −0.51, p < 0.001) and Δ%DLco at 5 years after diagnosis (r = −0.47, p < 0.001), whereas ΔKL-6 and ΔSP-D at 1 year were not correlated with Δ%FVC or Δ%DLco at 5 years. In the group of SSc-ILD patients with RDW increase in the first year after diagnosis, %FVC and %DLco were significantly lower than baseline at 3-, 4-, and 5-year assessments. In the group of patients without RDW increase in the first year, %FVC and %DLco did not decrease during the follow-up period. In conclusion, the changes in RDW in the first year after diagnosis may be useful surrogate markers to predict the long-term course of SSc-ILD

Activity Enhancement of a Carbon Electrode Material for Vanadium Redox Flow Battery by Electron-Beam Irradiation

The effective addition of surface oxygen groups, which are active sites for redox reactions, on carbon clothes as electrodes by electron beam irradiation in normal air which contains environmental humidity, dry air, or nitrogen atmosphere was carried out. The irradiation introduced 20 at% oxygen at the carbon surface as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and the phenol-type hydroxyl group, the carboxylic group, etc., were detected by temperature-programmed desorption. Single-cell measurements indicated the current density at 1.3 V-IR-corrected of the irradiated electrode in normal air was 28% higher than that of the as-received electrode. Since double-layer capacitance between the as-received carbon cloth and irradiated carbon cloth in normal air was similar, the improvement of current density is attributed to the increase of surface oxygen groups. In addition, the radiation in both normal air and dry air improved electrochemical activity similarly. This result suggests the radiation-chemical reaction in this study is dominated by the oxidation reaction with ozone or nitrogen oxides (NOx), while in the meantime, the contribution of the hydroxyl radical from water is considered to be negligible

Highly Active Electrode With Efficiently Added Surface Oxygen Groups for a Vanadium Redox Flow Battery

バナジウムレドックスフロー電池は、太陽光や風力などの時間変動の大きい再生可能エネルギーを利用するための電力貯蔵システムとして注目されている。しかし、電池内部抵抗（反応抵抗）が比較的大きく、反応抵抗低減による電流密度の向上が求められている。本研究では、電極材のカーボンクロスに対して、反応活性点となる酸素官能基を付与する目的に大気中熱処理を行い、電池内部抵抗の低減を目指した。実験では、熱処理温度（500℃－550℃）及び処理時間（1-6 h）をパラメータにカーボンクロスの熱処理を行った。さらに、Nafionを隔膜とする単セルに組み込み、電流-電圧測定及びオーム抵抗の測定により電池性能を評価した。その結果、550℃, 3hで熱処理した試料で最も高い発電性能が得られた。この結果から熱処理による反応面積増加及び反応活性点となる親水性の酸素官能基の付与が発電性能向上に有効であることが示された