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A 1-V-input 0.45-V-output switched-capacitor (SC) voltage converter with voltage-reference-free pulse-density modulation (VRF-PDM) is proposed. The all-digital VRF-PDM scheme improves the efficiency from 17% to 73% at 50- \mu\A output current by reducing the pulse density and eliminating the voltage reference circuit. An output voltage trimming by the hot-carrier injection to a comparator and a periodic activation scheme of the SC voltage converter are also proposed to solve the problems attributed to VRF-PDM. The proposed voltage converter is fabricated in 65-nm CMOS and achieves an efficiency value of 73%–86% at 50 \mu\A–10 mA output current range. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper describes the assessment of CFD simulations for the film cooling on the blade leading edge with circular cooling holes in order to contribute durability assessment of the turbine blades. Unsteady RANS applying a k-ϵ-v2-f turbulence model and the Spalart and Alimaras turbulence model and detached-eddy simulation (DES) based on the Spalart and Ailmaras turbulence model are addressed to solve thermal convection. The CFD calculations were conducted by simulating a semicircular model in the wind tunnel experiments. The DES and also the k-ϵ-v2-f model evaluate explicitly the unsteady fluctuation of local temperature by the vortex structures, so that the predicted film cooling effectiveness is comparatively in agreement with the measurements. On the other hand, the predicted temperature fields by the Spalart and Ailmaras model are less diffusive than the DES and the k-ϵ-v2-f model. In the present turbulence modeling, the DES only predicts the penetration of main flow into the film cooling hole but the Spalart and Alimaras model is not able to evaluate the unsteadiness and the vortex structures clearly, and overpredict fun cooling effectiveness on the partial surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A bomb-rich basaltic pyroclastic flow deposit, the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit, occurs at the northeastern foot of Nakadake Volcano, which is the only active central cone of Aso caldera, southwestern Japan. The pyroclastic flow deposit covers a fan-shaped area of about 1.9 km2, and the bulk volume is estimated at 9.4×106 m3. The deposit is poorly sorted, and consists of subangular faceted clasts and spherical cauliflower bombs set in a sandy non-cohesive matrix. The deposit forms two different facies: a black reversely graded lower unit; and a reddish-gray reversely graded upper unit. The cauliflower bombs, which have slightly vesiculated crusts (1.0–1.5 cm thick) and denser interiors, are more abundant in the lower unit than in the upper unit. The presence of cauliflower bombs suggests that the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow was generated by an explosion at the source lava lake or conduit, which was filled with mixture of solidified and molten lavas. We propose the term “bomb-and-ash flow deposit” to describe this type of deposit. The age of the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit was estimated at ca. 19 cal ka, based on a 14C age obtained from charred wood fragments in the deposit. Although all recent activity of Nakadake has been ash eruptions, strombolian eruptions and phreatomagmatic explosions, the Izumikawa pyroclastic flow deposit underscores the hazard of bomb-rich pyroclastic flows that rush down the flanks of the volcano. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transfer RNA (m7G46) methyltransferase catalyzes the methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine to N7 atom of the guanine 46 residue in tRNA. Analysis of the Aquifex aeolicus genome revealed one candidate open reading frame, aq065, encoding this gene. The aq065 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to homogeneity on 15% SDS-polyacrylamide gel elec- trophoresis. Although the overall amino acid sequence of the aq065 protein differs considerably from that of E. coli YggH, the purified aq065 protein possessed a tRNA (m7G46) methyltransferase activity. The modified nucleoside and its location were determined by liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy. To clarify the RNA recognition mechanism of the enzyme, we inves- tigated the methyl transfer activity to 28 variants of yeast tRNAPhe and E. coli tRNAThr. It was confirmed that 5′-leader and 3′-trailer RNAs of tRNA precursor are not required for the methyl transfer. We found that the enzyme specificity was critically dependent on the size of the variable loop. Experiments using truncated variants showed that the variable loop sequence inserted between two stems is recognized as a substrate, and the most important recognition site is contained within the T stem. These results indicate that the L- shaped tRNA structure is not required for methyl ac- ceptance activity. It was also found that nucleotide substitutions around G46 in three-dimensional core decrease the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: We examined the bone movement in the forepaw and hind paw in the aardvark (Orycteropus afer) by using three-dimensional (3D)-computed tomography (CT) techniques and osteometrical methods to confirm the functional adaptation of the extremities as a digging system. The four metacarpal bones could be strongly bent from the distal carpal bones. The distal end of the second and third metacarpal bones possessed enlarged smooth articulation surfaces that allowed the proximal phalanx to bend at a sharp angle. However, the articulation surface was not well-developed in the distal end of the fourth and fifth metacarpal bones and the proximal phalanx could bend at smaller angle in these two lateral digits. The proximal phalanges sharply crook from the metatarsal in the first, second, third and fourth digits in the hind paw. We suggest that the medial two digits in the forepaw directly contribute to the crushing, when these proximal phalanges crook in the phase of power stroke. In contrast the lateral third and fourth digits may act as sweeper of the crushed soil. These suggestions regarding the different functional adaptation between medial two digits and lateral two digits are consistent with the anatomical data of the forearm musculature. In the hind paw, we suggest that the second, third and fourth digits are functionally similar and that the hind paw may not act as a crushing apparatus but as a running motor or soil-sweeper similarly using these main three digits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Stress resistance mechanisms include upregulation of heat shock proteins (HSPs) and formation of granules. Stress-induced granules are classified into stress granules and nuclear stress bodies (nSBs). The present study examined the involvement of nSB formation in thermal resistance. We used chemical compounds that inhibit heat shock transcription factor 1 (HSF1) and scaffold attachment factor B (SAFB) granule formation and determined their effect on granule formation and HSP expression in HeLa cells. We found that formation of HSF1 and SAFB granules was inhibited by 2,5-hexanediol. We also found that suppression of HSF1 and SAFB granule formation enhanced heat stress-induced apoptosis. In addition, the upregulation of HSP27 and HSP70 during heat stress recovery was suppressed by 2,5-hexanediol. Our results suggested that the formation of HSF1 and SAFB granules was likely to be involved in the upregulation of HSP27 and HSP70 during heat stress recovery. Thus, the formation of HSF1 and SAFB granules was involved in thermal resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostaglandin (PG) F synthase forms PGF2α and 9α, 11β-PGF2 from PGH2 and PGD2, respectively. PGH2 is synthesized from arachidonic acid by cyclooxygenase (COX) and then metabolized to various PGs and thromboxane by specific enzymes. PGD2 is synthesized from PGH2 by PGD synthase. To identify PGF2-producing cells in the rat liver, the occurrence and localization of PGF synthase and COX were studied with immunochemical and immunohistochemical techniques using anti-liver-type PGF synthase and anti-COX antibodies. In Western blot analyses, positive bands of liver-type PGF synthase and constitutive COX-1 were observed at positions approximately 37 kDa and 70–72 kDa, respectively. However, inducible COX-2 was not detected. In the immunohistochemical study, PGF synthase was present in the cytoplasm of the sinusoidal endothelial cells. COX-1 was present on the membranes of the nucleus and endoplasmic reticulum of the endothelial cells and Kupffer cells. Double immunostaining for PGF synthase and COX-1 showed that both enzymes were present in the same endothelial cells. These results suggest that the main site of PGF2 synthesis in the liver is the sinusoidal endothelial cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antiserum toward soybean meal was prepared by feeding a soybean meal diet containing large amounts of antigens to calves. The antiserum was used to develop a sensitive detection method for soybean meal antigens by competitive inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. With this method, the effectiveness of twin-screw extrusion cooking in reducing antigenicity in soybean meal was examined. Antigenicity was reduced to 0.1% of the original activity by extrusion cooking with screws containing kneading-disc elements and die-end temperatures exceeding 66°C. Electrophoretic analysis of the cooked meal indicated that the reduction in antigenicity was due to degradation of protein structures, particularly those with molecular weights exceeding 40 kDa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pro-apoptotic peptides may be promising agents for cancer therapy owing to their ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. TatBim, a fusion peptide of Tat cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) and the BH3 domain derived from Bim apoptosis-inducing protein, is a pro-apoptotic peptide. In this study, based on the TatBim sequence, we attempted to minimize the CPP-Bim peptide while retaining apoptosis-inducing activity. The CPP and Bim parts were systematically shortened, and the pro-apoptotic activities of the shortened peptides were examined. We obtained TatBim-N1C2 and R8Bim-N1C2 as minimized peptides with efficient apoptotic activity. These peptides may have potential applications in future biomedical studies, such as cancer therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endosomal escape in cell-penetrating peptide (CPP)-based drug/macromolecule delivery systems is frequently insufficient. The CPP-fused molecules tend to remain trapped inside endosomes and end up being degraded rather than delivered into the cytosol. One of the methods for endosomal escape of CPP-fused molecules is photochemical internalization (PCI), which is based on the use of light and a photosensitizer and relies on photoinduced endosomal membrane destabilization to release the cargo molecule. Currently, it remains unclear how this delivery strategy behaves after photostimulation. Recent findings, including our studies using CPP-cargo-photosensitizer conjugates, have shed light on the photoinduced endosomal escape mechanism. In this review, we discuss the structural design of CPP-photosensitizer and CPP-cargo-photosensitizer conjugates, and the PCI mechanism underlying their application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of the relevance between cell cycle status and the bioactivity of exogenously delivered biomacromolecules is hindered by their time-consuming cell internalization and the cytotoxicity of transfection methods. In this study, we addressed these problems by utilizing the photochemical internalization (PCI) method using a peptide/protein-photosensitizer conjugate, which enables immediate cytoplasmic internalization of the bioactive peptides/proteins in a light-dependent manner with low cytotoxicity. To identify the cell-cycle dependent apoptosis, a TatBim peptide-photosensitizer conjugate (TatBim-PS) with apoptotic activity was photo-dependently internalized into HeLa cells expressing a fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (Fucci2). Upon irradiation, cytoplasmic TatBim-PS internalization exceeded 95% for all cells classified in the G1, S, and G2/M cell cycle phases with no significant differences between groups. TatBim-PS-mediated apoptosis was more efficiently triggered by photoirradiation in the G1/S transition than in the G1 and S/G2/M phases, suggesting high sensitivity of the former phase to Bim-induced apoptosis. Thus, the cell cycle dependence of Bim peptide-induced apoptosis was successfully investigated using Fucci2 indicator and the PCI method. Since PCI-mediated cytoplasmic internalization of peptides is rapid and does not span multiple cell cycle phases, the Fucci-PCI method constitutes a promising tool for analyzing the cell cycle dependence of peptides/protein functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the effects of dietary extruded soybean meal on the growth performance of Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus juveniles. Proximate composition of the diets; Survival rates in diet groups; Final body weight; Weight gain; Taurine as feeding stimulant.

Cancer cells have higher heat sensitivity compared to normal cells; therefore, hyperthermia is a promising approach for cancer therapy because of its ability to selectively kill cancer cells by heating them. However, the specific and rapid heating of tumor tissues remains challenging. This study investigated the potential of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) modified with tumor-homing peptides (THPs), specifically PL1 and PL3, for tumor-specific magnetic hyperthermia therapy. The synthesis of THP-modified MNPs involved the attachment of PL1 and PL3 peptides to the surface of the MNPs, which facilitated enhanced tumor cell binding and internalization. Cell specificity studies revealed an increased uptake of PL1- and PL3-MNPs by tumor cells compared to unmodified MNPs, indicating their potential for targeted delivery. In vitro hyperthermia experiments demonstrated the efficacy of PL3-MNPs in inducing tumor cell death when exposed to an alternating magnetic field (AMF). Even without exposure to an AMF, an additional ferroptotic pathway was suggested to be mediated by the nanoparticles. Thus, this study suggests that THP-modified MNPs, particularly PL3-MNPs, hold promise as a targeted approach for tumor-specific magnetic hyperthermia therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since a displaced bronchus related to the left upper lobe is an uncommon anatomical anomaly, it has a risk of being accidentally resected during left upper lobe resection unless they are identified preoperatively. A case of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy that was safely performed under preoperative identification of a displaced subsegmental bronchus and anomalous pulmonary vessels is presented. Case presentation: A 48-year-old woman visited our hospital because of an abnormal shadow on a radiograph on a health check. The chest computed tomography (CT) showed a multicystic mass with a diameter of 35 mm on dorsal interlobar parenchyma between the S1+2 and S6 segments in the left lung. The three-dimensional (3D) CT with multiplanar reconstruction showed that B1+2b+c passed to the dorsal side of the left main pulmonary artery (PA), which was considered a displaced bronchus. The branch of A6 arose from the left main PA at the level of the branches of A3 and A1+2, more proximal than the normal anatomy, and passed to the dorsal side of a displaced B1+2b+c. The branch of V1+2 passed between B6 and the bronchus to the basal segment and joined V6 at the dorsal side of the pulmonary hilum. Intraoperative findings of the anatomy of the bronchi and pulmonary vessels were exactly the same as the preoperative 3D CT findings, so segmentectomy of S1+2b+c and S6 by VATS was performed safely. Then there were accessory fissures between S1+2 and S3 and between S6 and the basal segment. The pathological diagnosis was a left lung abscess. Conclusions: A preoperative 3D CT may be helpful for identifying anatomical anomalies. An anatomical anomaly should be suspected if accessory fissure is found during surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic anisotropies of ferromagnetic thin films are induced by epitaxial strain from the substrate via strain-induced anisotropy in the orbital magnetic moment and that in the spatial distribution of spin-polarized electrons. However, the preferential orbital occupation in ferromagnetic metallic La1−xSrxMnO3 (LSMO) thin films studied by x-ray linear dichroism (XLD) has always been found out-of-plane for both tensile and compressive epitaxial strain and hence irrespective of the magnetic anisotropy. In order to resolve this mystery, we directly probed the preferential orbital occupation of spin-polarized electrons in LSMO thin films under strain by angle-dependent x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD). Anisotropy of the spin-density distribution was found to be in-plane for the tensile strain and out-of-plane for the compressive strain, consistent with the observed magnetic anisotropy. The ubiquitous out-of-plane preferential orbital occupation seen by XLD is attributed to the occupation of both spin-up and spin-down out-of-plane orbitals in the surface magnetic dead layer. Magnetic anisotropy: spatial anisotropy of spin-polarized electrons probed Enabled by an angular dependent magneto-optical technique, the orbital states of spin-polarized electrons in La1-xSrxMnO3 thin films are directly probed. Goro Shibata from University of Tokyo and colleagues in Japan use an angular dependent x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) technique to study the magnetic anisotropy of epitaxial La1−xSrxMnO3 (LSMO) thin films grown on SrTiO3 (STO) or LaAlO3 (LAO) substrate. The different substrates provide either tensile (STO) strain or compressive (LAO) strain. The strain modifies the orbital shapes of the spin-polarized electrons in LSMO layer, which can be directly probed by XMCD. The results show that the LSMO thin film under tensile (compressive) strain has in-plane (out-of-plane) spin-density distribution, which can be attributed to the preferential occupation of out-of-plane spin states at the surface. This helps to understand the strain controlled magnetic anisotropy in related materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]