Atomic-Number (Z)-Correlated Atomic Sizes for Deciphering Electron Microscopic Molecular Images

With the advent of atomic-resolution transmission electron microscopy (AR-TEM) achieving sub-{\AA}ngstrom image resolution and submillisecond time resolution, an era of visual molecular science where chemists can visually study the time evolution of molecular motions and reactions at atomistic precision has arrived. However, the appearance of experimental TEM images often differs greatly from that of conventional molecular models, and the images are difficult to decipher unless we know in advance the structure of the specimen molecules. The difference arises from the fundamental design of the molecular models that represent atomic connectivity and/or the electronic properties of molecules rather than the nuclear charge of atoms and electrostatic potentials that are felt by the e-beam in TEM imaging. We found a good correlation between the atomic number (Z) and the atomic size seen in TEM images when we consider shot noise in digital images. We propose here Z-correlated (ZC) atomic radii for modeling AR-TEM images of single molecules and ultrathin crystals, with which we can develop a good estimate of the molecular structure from the TEM image much more easily than with conventional molecular models. Two parameter sets were developed for TEM images recorded under high-noise (ZCHN) and low-noise (ZCLN) conditions. The new molecular models will stimulate the imaginations of chemists planning to use AR-TEM for their research.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figure

Cinnamon extract induces tumor cell death through inhibition of NFκB and AP1

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Cinnamomum cassia </it>bark is the outer skin of an evergreen tall tree belonging to the family Lauraceae containing several active components such as essential oils (cinnamic aldehyde and cinnamyl aldehyde), tannin, mucus and carbohydrate. They have various biological functions including anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammation, anti-diabetic and anti-tumor activity. Previously, we have reported that anti-cancer effect of cinnamon extracts is associated with modulation of angiogenesis and effector function of CD8⁺T cells. In this study, we further identified that anti-tumor effect of cinnamon extracts is also link with enhanced pro-apoptotic activity by inhibiting the activities NFκB and AP1 in mouse melanoma model.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Water soluble cinnamon extract was obtained and quality of cinnamon extract was evaluated by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) analysis. In this study, we tested anti-tumor activity and elucidated action mechanism of cinnamon extract using various types of tumor cell lines including lymphoma, melanoma, cervix cancer and colorectal cancer <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>mouse melanoma model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cinnamon extract strongly inhibited tumor cell proliferation <it>in vitro </it>and induced active cell death of tumor cells by up-regulating pro-apoptotic molecules while inhibiting NFκB and AP1 activity and their target genes such as <it>Bcl-2</it>, <it>BcL-xL </it>and <it>survivin</it>. Oral administration of cinnamon extract in melanoma transplantation model significantly inhibited tumor growth with the same mechanism of action observed <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study suggests that anti-tumor effect of cinnamon extracts is directly linked with enhanced pro-apoptotic activity and inhibition of NFκB and AP1 activities and their target genes <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>mouse melanoma model. Hence, further elucidation of active components of cinnamon extract could lead to development of potent anti-tumor agent or complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of diverse cancers.</p

Time-resolved Atomistic Imaging and Statistical Analysis of Daptomycin Oligomers with and without Calcium Ion

Daptomycin (DP) is effective against multiple drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens because of its distinct mechanism of action. An accepted mechanism includes Ca2+-triggered aggregation of the DP molecule to form oligomers. DP and its oligomers have so far defied structural analysis at a molecular level, and we studied the process by the combined use of dynamic light scattering in water and atomic-resolution cinematographic imaging of DP molecules captured on a carbon nanotube on which the DP molecule is installed as a fishhook. We found that the DP molecule aggregates weakly into dimers, trimers, and tetramers in water, and strongly in the presence of calcium ions, and that the tetramer is the largest oligomer in a homogeneous aqueous solution. The dimer remains as the major species under a variety of conditions, and we propose a face-to-face stacked structure based on dynamic imaging using millisecond and angstrom resolution transmission electron microscopy. The tetramer is the largest oligomer observed both in the absence and in the presence of a large excess of calcium ions. Taken together with statistical data, the microscopic structural information obtained at a single-molecule level favors a cyclic form of the dimer and the tetramer over a linear or stacked form. Such experimental structural information is new and will serve as a platform for future drug design. The data also illustrate the utility of cinematographic recording of dynamic motions of molecules for the study of self-organization processes

Preoperative Radiation Therapy is an Independent and Strong Risk Factor for Late Non-cancer Death after Esophagectomy

Objective: The aim of this study was to reveal the factors that influence the prognosis of esophageal cancer patients, especially from the other causes than esophageal cancer in the follow-up period after esophagectomy.Method: All of 523 patients with esophageal carcinoma who underwent esophagectomy in a single institute between 1986 and 1999 were followed-up until the end of October 2003. Their prognoses were reviewed and compared by the presence of pre/post-operative radiation, pre/post-operative chemotherapy, surgical procedure, and pathological stages of tumors as well as preoperative general conditions by uni- and multivariate analyses. Results: Univariate analysis revealed that sex (male against female) (p=0.005), abnormality on ECG (p=0.012), and the presence of preoperative radiation (p=0.016) significantly increased the incidence of non-esophageal cancer death; on the other hand, thoracoscopic approach decreased the incidence of non-esophageal cancer death. Multivariate analyses revealed that the presence of preoperative radiation significantly increased mortality due to non-esophageal cancer causes to a 3.70 hazard ratio (95% CI [95% Confidence Interval]; 1.33～10.61).Conclusions: This study clearly showed the late effect of preoperative radiation for carcinoma of the esophagus on the postoperative prognosis, especially in terms of later mortality from causes other than esophageal carcinoma