This study experimentally investigated two-phase acoustic streaming and droplet properties of aerosols, which were generated by a dental ultrasonic scaler. The velocity field of acoustic streaming was measured using p...This study experimentally investigated two-phase acoustic streaming and droplet properties of aerosols, which were generated by a dental ultrasonic scaler. The velocity field of acoustic streaming was measured using particle image velocimetry with the generated liquid droplets as tracers, and the shadowgraph technique was adopted to measure the droplet diameter. In the PIV measurement of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, the injection of oil smoke substantially suppressed the number of invalid vectors. The acoustic streaming of the ultrasonic scaler showed maximum velocity at a region away from the scaler tip, and the maximum velocity increased with an increase in the liquid flow rate. The droplets of the ultrasonic scaler were generated by capillary waves and had a diameter on the order of tens of micrometers. These droplets effectively enhanced the velocity of the acoustic streaming in the two-phase case compared to the single-phase case without the droplets.展开更多
Skin toxicity is a common symptom of anti-epidermal rowth factor receptor(EGFR) antibody treatment and is also a predictive marker of its efficacy in colorectal cancer patients. However, severe skin disorders induced ...Skin toxicity is a common symptom of anti-epidermal rowth factor receptor(EGFR) antibody treatment and is also a predictive marker of its efficacy in colorectal cancer patients. However, severe skin disorders induced by such antibodies negatively impact on the quality of life of patients and decreases drug compliance during treatment. If we can predict the high-risk group susceptible to severe skin toxicity before treatment, we can undertake the early management of any arising skin disorders and formulate a more accurate prognosis for anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Previous studies have identified molecular markers of skin toxicity induced by anti-EGFR antibody, such as EGFR polymorphisms, the expression of inflammatory chemokines and serum levels of EGFR ligands. A clinical trial was undertaken involving the escalation of cetuximab doses, guided by the grade of skin toxicity observed, such as no or low-grade, in metastatic colorectal cancer(the EVEREST study). The dose escalation of cetuximab was confirmed by a safety profile and had the tendency to achieve a higher response rate in KRAS wild-type patients. A large, prospective randomized trial is now ongoing(EVEREST 2) and the results of this trial may contribute to personalized medicine in KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer patients.展开更多
Formation of copper wiring on a polyimide film by laser irradiation to a stable copper-complex film consisting of glyoxylic acid copper complex and methylamine copper complex in air has been investigated. A stable met...Formation of copper wiring on a polyimide film by laser irradiation to a stable copper-complex film consisting of glyoxylic acid copper complex and methylamine copper complex in air has been investigated. A stable metallic copper on the polyimide film was precipitated even in air. Since this copper was generated only in the laser-irradiated parts, direct patterning of copper wiring was possible. It was also found that copper was precipitated by electroless copper plating on the laser-deposited copper wiring and it was possible to thicken the copper wiring by this precipitation. The resistivity of the copper wiring was almost the same as that of the bulk of metallic copper. The developed method—combining laser irradiation to a copper-complex-coated film and electroless copper plating—enables the high-speed deposition of fine copper wiring on a polyimide film in air by a printing process, indicating an inexpensive and useful process for fabricating copper wiring without high vacuum facility and heat-treatment under inert gas.展开更多
Liposomes, closed vesicles composed of lipid bilayers, have been widely used as pharmaceutical carriers. Liposomal formulations containing doxorubicin (DOX) of an anticancer drug are developed to reduce toxic side eff...Liposomes, closed vesicles composed of lipid bilayers, have been widely used as pharmaceutical carriers. Liposomal formulations containing doxorubicin (DOX) of an anticancer drug are developed to reduce toxic side effects and to improve drug accumulation at tumor tissues. An encapsulation of DOX into the inner water phase of liposomes results in the formations of fibrous DOX bundles and the elongation of the liposomes [1].In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM).展开更多
Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide （N2O） efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the e...Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide （N2O） efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the emergence of N2O emitters in soil microbial communities remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to reveal the vertical distribution of N2O emission potential and its correlation with mineral nitrogen contents in reclaimed soils. Using a culture-based N2O emission assay, the N2O emission potentials of soil at various depths （0-450 cm） were investigated in two oil palm plantations in Sarawak, Malaysia, which had elapsed times of two years （E2Y） and 10 years （El 0Y） after deforestation, respectively. On the basis of the relationship between the vertical profiles of N2O emission potentials and the contents of mineralized nitrogen in the peat soils at various depths, the impact of land management on soil microbial communities was discussed. The peat soil at plantation site E2Y showed a trend of high N2O production in deep layers （200-400 cm）, whereas the older plantation site E10Y showed considerably more active N2O emission in shallow soil （10-50 cm）. N2O emission potentials among the soil microbial communities at different soil depths at the E10Y site showed positive correlations with NO3- and NH4＋ contents, whereas, soils obtained from the E2Y site had N2O emission potentials that were inversely proportional to the contents of NO3-. This contrasting vertical correlation between N2O-emitting potentials and mineralized nitrogen contents in bulk soils suggests that active N2O emission in deep soil at the E2Y site has maintained the original carbon-nitrogen （C/N） ratio of the peat soil, whereas at EIOY, such a regulatory system has been lost due to advanced soil degradation, leading to dynamic changes in the nitrogen cycle in shallow soil.展开更多
Monoclonal antibodies(mAbs)are widely utilized as therapeutic drugs for various diseases,such as cancer,autoimmune diseases,and infectious diseases.Using the avian-derived B cell line DT40,we previously developed an a...Monoclonal antibodies(mAbs)are widely utilized as therapeutic drugs for various diseases,such as cancer,autoimmune diseases,and infectious diseases.Using the avian-derived B cell line DT40,we previously developed an antibody display technology,namely,the ADLib system,which rapidly generates antigen-specific mAbs.Here,we report the development of a human version of the ADLib system and showcase the streamlined generation and optimization of functional human mAbs.Tailored libraries were first constructed by replacing endogenous immunoglobulin genes with designed human counterparts.From these libraries,clones producing full-length human IgGs against distinct antigens can be isolated,as exemplified by the selection of antagonistic mAbs.Taking advantage of avian biology,effective affinity maturation was achieved in a straightforward manner by seamless diversification of the parental clones into secondary libraries followed by single-cell sorting,quickly affording mAbs with improved affinities and functionalities.Collectively,we demonstrate that the human ADLib system could serve as an integrative platform with unique diversity for rapid de novo generation and optimization of therapeutic or diagnostic antibody leads.Furthermore,our results suggest that libraries can be constructed by introducing exogenous genes into DT40 cells,indicating that the ADLib system has the potential to be applied for the rapid and effective directed evolution and optimization of proteins in various fields beyond biomedicine.展开更多
It is poorly understood how plants control their growth by cell division, elongation, and differentiation. We have characterized a seedling-lethal mutant segregation distortion 3 （sd3） that showed a very dwarf pheno...It is poorly understood how plants control their growth by cell division, elongation, and differentiation. We have characterized a seedling-lethal mutant segregation distortion 3 （sd3） that showed a very dwarf phenotype when grown in the light and, in the dark, had short hypocotyls with reduced ploidy levels. The corresponding gene of SD3 encodes a protein with high similarity to yeast translocase on the inner mitochondrial membrane 21 （TIM21）, which is a component of the TIM23 complex. Indeed, SD3 protein fused to GFP localized in the mitochondria. SD3 overexpression increased cotyledon size in the light and hypocotyl thickness in the dark. The expression of genes for several subunits of the respiratory-chain complexes III and IV was up-regulated in SD3-overexpressing plants. Furthermore, these plants showed high levels of ATP whereas those of sd3 were low. These results suggested that SD3 induced an increase in cell size by raising the expression of the respiratory-chain subunit genes and hence increased the intracellular ATP levels, We propose that intracellular ATP levels regulated by mitochondria control plant organ size.展开更多
文摘This study experimentally investigated two-phase acoustic streaming and droplet properties of aerosols, which were generated by a dental ultrasonic scaler. The velocity field of acoustic streaming was measured using particle image velocimetry with the generated liquid droplets as tracers, and the shadowgraph technique was adopted to measure the droplet diameter. In the PIV measurement of the gas-liquid two-phase flow, the injection of oil smoke substantially suppressed the number of invalid vectors. The acoustic streaming of the ultrasonic scaler showed maximum velocity at a region away from the scaler tip, and the maximum velocity increased with an increase in the liquid flow rate. The droplets of the ultrasonic scaler were generated by capillary waves and had a diameter on the order of tens of micrometers. These droplets effectively enhanced the velocity of the acoustic streaming in the two-phase case compared to the single-phase case without the droplets.
文摘Skin toxicity is a common symptom of anti-epidermal rowth factor receptor(EGFR) antibody treatment and is also a predictive marker of its efficacy in colorectal cancer patients. However, severe skin disorders induced by such antibodies negatively impact on the quality of life of patients and decreases drug compliance during treatment. If we can predict the high-risk group susceptible to severe skin toxicity before treatment, we can undertake the early management of any arising skin disorders and formulate a more accurate prognosis for anti-EGFR antibody treatment. Previous studies have identified molecular markers of skin toxicity induced by anti-EGFR antibody, such as EGFR polymorphisms, the expression of inflammatory chemokines and serum levels of EGFR ligands. A clinical trial was undertaken involving the escalation of cetuximab doses, guided by the grade of skin toxicity observed, such as no or low-grade, in metastatic colorectal cancer(the EVEREST study). The dose escalation of cetuximab was confirmed by a safety profile and had the tendency to achieve a higher response rate in KRAS wild-type patients. A large, prospective randomized trial is now ongoing(EVEREST 2) and the results of this trial may contribute to personalized medicine in KRAS wild-type colorectal cancer patients.
文摘Formation of copper wiring on a polyimide film by laser irradiation to a stable copper-complex film consisting of glyoxylic acid copper complex and methylamine copper complex in air has been investigated. A stable metallic copper on the polyimide film was precipitated even in air. Since this copper was generated only in the laser-irradiated parts, direct patterning of copper wiring was possible. It was also found that copper was precipitated by electroless copper plating on the laser-deposited copper wiring and it was possible to thicken the copper wiring by this precipitation. The resistivity of the copper wiring was almost the same as that of the bulk of metallic copper. The developed method—combining laser irradiation to a copper-complex-coated film and electroless copper plating—enables the high-speed deposition of fine copper wiring on a polyimide film in air by a printing process, indicating an inexpensive and useful process for fabricating copper wiring without high vacuum facility and heat-treatment under inert gas.
文摘Liposomes, closed vesicles composed of lipid bilayers, have been widely used as pharmaceutical carriers. Liposomal formulations containing doxorubicin (DOX) of an anticancer drug are developed to reduce toxic side effects and to improve drug accumulation at tumor tissues. An encapsulation of DOX into the inner water phase of liposomes results in the formations of fibrous DOX bundles and the elongation of the liposomes [1].In this study, atomic force microscopy (AFM).
文摘Tropical peat swamp forest beds that have been reclaimed for agricultural use are generally an active source of nitrous oxide （N2O） efflux, however, the mechanism by which reclaimed tropical peat soils promote the emergence of N2O emitters in soil microbial communities remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to reveal the vertical distribution of N2O emission potential and its correlation with mineral nitrogen contents in reclaimed soils. Using a culture-based N2O emission assay, the N2O emission potentials of soil at various depths （0-450 cm） were investigated in two oil palm plantations in Sarawak, Malaysia, which had elapsed times of two years （E2Y） and 10 years （El 0Y） after deforestation, respectively. On the basis of the relationship between the vertical profiles of N2O emission potentials and the contents of mineralized nitrogen in the peat soils at various depths, the impact of land management on soil microbial communities was discussed. The peat soil at plantation site E2Y showed a trend of high N2O production in deep layers （200-400 cm）, whereas the older plantation site E10Y showed considerably more active N2O emission in shallow soil （10-50 cm）. N2O emission potentials among the soil microbial communities at different soil depths at the E10Y site showed positive correlations with NO3- and NH4＋ contents, whereas, soils obtained from the E2Y site had N2O emission potentials that were inversely proportional to the contents of NO3-. This contrasting vertical correlation between N2O-emitting potentials and mineralized nitrogen contents in bulk soils suggests that active N2O emission in deep soil at the E2Y site has maintained the original carbon-nitrogen （C/N） ratio of the peat soil, whereas at EIOY, such a regulatory system has been lost due to advanced soil degradation, leading to dynamic changes in the nitrogen cycle in shallow soil.
基金Financial supports were provided in part by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization(NEDO)and by a Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology(CREST)grant from the Japan Science and Technology Corporation(JPMJCR18S3).
文摘Monoclonal antibodies(mAbs)are widely utilized as therapeutic drugs for various diseases,such as cancer,autoimmune diseases,and infectious diseases.Using the avian-derived B cell line DT40,we previously developed an antibody display technology,namely,the ADLib system,which rapidly generates antigen-specific mAbs.Here,we report the development of a human version of the ADLib system and showcase the streamlined generation and optimization of functional human mAbs.Tailored libraries were first constructed by replacing endogenous immunoglobulin genes with designed human counterparts.From these libraries,clones producing full-length human IgGs against distinct antigens can be isolated,as exemplified by the selection of antagonistic mAbs.Taking advantage of avian biology,effective affinity maturation was achieved in a straightforward manner by seamless diversification of the parental clones into secondary libraries followed by single-cell sorting,quickly affording mAbs with improved affinities and functionalities.Collectively,we demonstrate that the human ADLib system could serve as an integrative platform with unique diversity for rapid de novo generation and optimization of therapeutic or diagnostic antibody leads.Furthermore,our results suggest that libraries can be constructed by introducing exogenous genes into DT40 cells,indicating that the ADLib system has the potential to be applied for the rapid and effective directed evolution and optimization of proteins in various fields beyond biomedicine.
文摘It is poorly understood how plants control their growth by cell division, elongation, and differentiation. We have characterized a seedling-lethal mutant segregation distortion 3 （sd3） that showed a very dwarf phenotype when grown in the light and, in the dark, had short hypocotyls with reduced ploidy levels. The corresponding gene of SD3 encodes a protein with high similarity to yeast translocase on the inner mitochondrial membrane 21 （TIM21）, which is a component of the TIM23 complex. Indeed, SD3 protein fused to GFP localized in the mitochondria. SD3 overexpression increased cotyledon size in the light and hypocotyl thickness in the dark. The expression of genes for several subunits of the respiratory-chain complexes III and IV was up-regulated in SD3-overexpressing plants. Furthermore, these plants showed high levels of ATP whereas those of sd3 were low. These results suggested that SD3 induced an increase in cell size by raising the expression of the respiratory-chain subunit genes and hence increased the intracellular ATP levels, We propose that intracellular ATP levels regulated by mitochondria control plant organ size.
