Coatings of Nb-based Alloy by Cr and/or Al Pack Cementations and Its Oxidation Behavior in Air at 1273-1473 K

An Nb–5Mo–15W alloy (mass%) was surface-treated in vacuum by Cr and/or Al pack cementations, and the oxidation behavior of the coated alloys was investigated in air at temperatures up to 1473K for 32.4 ks. The Al packed alloy formed a coating layer with the outer NbAl2 and the inner Nb3Al, and showed poor oxidation resistance. The Cr packed alloy formed a coating with outer -Cr and inner Cr2Nb layer, and showed good oxidation resistance up to 1373K. The alloy packed with Cr and then Al formed a coating layer with outermost -Cr(Al), outer -Cr(Nb), and inner Cr2Nb layers, and this coated alloy showed good oxidation resistance up to 1473K by forming an Al2O3 scale

Changes in serum LDL, PCSK9 and microRNA?122 in patients with chronic HCV infection receiving Daclatasvir/Asunaprevir

The present study evaluated the changes in lipid profile, and the associations between serum protein convertase subtilisin/kexin 9 (PCSK9),microRNA (miR)122 and low?density lipoprotein variation following treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1b infection with Daclatasvir/Asunaprevir. A total of 39 patients with HCV genotype 1b infection with chronic hepatitis received a 24?week treatment regimen of Daclatasvir/Asunaprevir. Laboratory data were obtained for each subject every 4 weeks during treatment and every 12 weeks after treatment.Serum miR122 and PCSK9 were measured at the start of treatment (week 0), end of treatment (week 24), 4 weeks after the end of treatment (week 28),12 weeks after the end of treatment (week 36) and 28 weeks after the end of treatment (week 52). LDL was increased at week 4 after the start of treatment to week 52. The increased LDL/HDL ratio at week 52 compared with week 4 was also associated with relative miR122 at week 52 At week 4,PCSK9?active form (A) was lower than that at other time points, and PCSK9?inactive form (I) exhibited the greatest increase. At week 52,PCSK9?A was higher than that during treatment, but PCSK9?I level at week 52 did not markedly differ from that any time point except for week 4. Relative miR122 at week 4 was associated with increased PCSK9?A at weeks 36 and 52 from the start of DAA. In summary, treatment of HCV with Daclatasvir/Asunaprevir resulted in elevated LDL, and relative miR122 and PCSK9?A levels in serum appeared to have some association with LDL increase

Carotid Intima-media Thickness and Small Dense Low-density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Increase after One Year of Treatment with Direct-acting Antivirals in Patients with Hepatitis C Virus Infection

Objective Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for treating hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection exert a significantly high sustained viral response (SVR), and patients experience a rebound increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) and total cholesterol levels. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) is a highly reproducibleand non-invasive parameter for assessing the atherosclerotic process, and the small dense (sd) LDL level is useful for clinically evaluating the atherogenic risk.Methods A total of 48 patients with chronic HCV infection were treated with DAAs. All patients exhibited an SVR 24 weeks later. We compared the metabolic profiles of the patients, including the sdLDL and IMTvalues, at the start of DAA treatment with those after one year of treatment. We verified whether the HCV clearance after the administration of DAAs is associated with the development of atherosclerosis.Results The sdLDL, %sdLDL (sdLDL/LDL), and LDL values were exacerbated after a year of treatment;however, the triglyceride level, glycated hemoglobin level, insulin resistance, and body weight remained unaltered.The max-IMT was increased after a year compared to that at the start of treatment. Differences in the max-IMT (dmax-IMT) were greater in men than in women; however, no correlation was observed betweenthe dmax-IMT and genotype, fibrosis, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and dialysis status. The %sdLDL at the start and a year later was positively correlated with the dmax-IMT. No correlation was observed among various factors including the LDL, triglyceride, body mass index, insulin resistance and dmax- IMT. In uni- and multivariate analyses, a significant correlation was observed between %sdLDL 16% at the start of treatment and the sex and dmax-IMT.Conclusion Because the sdLDL and IMT values were exacerbated after a year of DAA treatment, atherosclerosis must be evaluated in patients achieving an SVR

Phenotypic Analysis of a Novel chordin Mutant in Medaka

We have isolated and characterized a ventralized mutant in medaka (the Japanese killifish; Oryzias latipes), which turned out to have a mutation in the chordin gene. The mutant exhibits ventralization of the body axis, malformation of axial bones, over-bifurcation of yolk sac blood vessels, and laterality defects in internal organs. The mutant exhibits veriability of phenotypes, depending on the culture temperature, from embryos with a slightly ventralized phenotype to those without any head and trunk structures. Taking advantages of these variable and severe phenotypes, we analyzed the role of Chordin-dependent tissues such as the notochord and Kupffer\u27s vesicle (KV) in the establishment of left-right axis in fish. The results demonstrate that,in the absence of the notochord and KV, the medaka lateral plate mesoderm autonomously and bilaterally expresses spaw gene in a default state