Differential regulation of the sphere formation and maintenance of cancer-initiating cells of malignant mesothelioma via CD44 and ALK4 signaling pathways.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) has a poor prognosis and is largely resistant to standard treatments, so it is important to seek novel therapeutic strategies for this disease. Cancer-initiating cells (CICs) were previously identified in MM using stem cell-associated markers in combination with spheroid cultures. However, the mechanisms underlying the induction and maintenance of CICs in MM remain to be fully explored.

2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-polymer suppresses an increase of oral bacteria: a single-blind, crossover clinical trial.

Objectives: The biocompatible 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)-polymers, which mimic a biomembrane, reduce protein adsorption and bacterial adhesion and inhibit cell attachment. The aim of this study is to clarify whether MPC-polymer can suppress the bacterial adherence in oral cavity by a crossover design. We also investigated the number of Fusobacterium nucleatum, which is the key bacterium forming dental plaque, in clinical samples.

Correlation between Odor Concentration and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) Composition of Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS).

We examined the correlation between the odor concentration and the chemical composition of environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Three types of ETS samples were prepared: secondhand smoke (SHS), thirdhand smoke (THS), and field ETS samples from an outside smoking area. The odor concentrations of the ETS, SHS, and THS samples were determined by the triangle-odor-bag method, and the chemical compositions were determined by proton transfer mass spectrometry.

Serum soluble CD163 levels in patients with influenza-associated encephalopathy.

Background: Influenza-associated encephalopathy (IE) is a serious complication during influenza viral infection. Common clinical symptoms of IE include seizures and progressive coma with high-grade fever. We previously reported that hypercytokinemia and monocyte/macrophage activation may play an important role in the pathogenesis of IE.

Visible light-induced water oxidation catalyzed by molybdenum-based polyoxometalates with mono- and dicobalt(III) cores as oxygen-evolving centers.

The Mo-based polyoxometalates containing mono- and dicobalt(III) catalyst cores, [CoMo(6)O(24)H(6)](3-) and [Co(2)Mo(10)O(38)H(4)](6-), were found to serve as O(2)-evolving catalysts in a system consisting of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)) and sodium persulfate (S(2)O) in an aqueous borate buffer solution at pH 8.0. Kinetics of O(2) evolution reveals that the higher cobalt nuclearity is not necessary to attain the highly active nature of the catalyst.

Intraneuronal amyloid β oligomers cause cell death via endoplasmic reticulum stress, endosomal/lysosomal leakage, and mitochondrial dysfunction in vivo.

Intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) is an early pathological change in Alzheimer's disease. Previously, we showed that the E693Δ mutation (referred to as the "Osaka" mutation) of amyloid precursor protein (APP) caused intracellular accumulation of Aβ oligomers and apoptosis in transfected COS-7 cells. We also showed that transgenic mice expressing APP(E693Δ) (APP(OSK) ) displayed both an age-dependent accumulation of intraneuronal Aβ oligomers from 8 months of age and apparent neuronal loss in the hippocampus at 24 months of age.

Photochemical and thermal hydrogen production from water catalyzed by carboxylate-bridged dirhodium(II) complexes.

A series of dinuclear Rh(II) complexes, [Rh(2)(μ-OAc)(4)(H(2)O)(2)] (HOAc = acetic acid) (1), [Rh(2)(μ-gly)(4)(H(2)O)(2)] (Hgly = glycolic acid) (2), [Rh(2)(μ-CF(3)CO(2))(4)(acetone)(2)] (3), and [Rh(2)(bpy)(2)(μ-OAc)(2)(OAc)(2)] (4), were found to serve as H(2)-evolving catalysts in a three-component system consisting of tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II) (Ru(bpy)(3)(2+)), methylviologen (MV(2+)), and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA). It was also confirmed that thermal reduction of water into H(2) by MV(+)˙, in situ generated by the bulk electrolysis of MV(2+), is effectively promoted by 1 as a H(2)-evolving catalyst. The absorption spectra of the photolysis solution during the photocatalysis were monitored up to 6 h to reveal that the formation of photochemical or thermal byproducts of MV(+)˙ is dramatically retarded in the presence of the Rh(II)(2) catalysts, for the H(2) formation rather than the decomposition of MV(+)˙ becomes predominant in the presence of the Rh(II)(2) catalysts.