Near-Infrared Light Photodynamic Therapy with PEI-Capped Up-Conversion Nanoparticles and Chlorin e6 Induces Apoptosis of Oral Cancer Cells.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common malignancy in the oral cavity. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new alternative for the treatment of diseases using photosensitizers (PS) and light. In this study, we used a photosensitizer complex (Ce6-MnNPs-Chlorin e6 combined with up-conversion nanoparticles NaYF:Yb/Er/Mn) to investigate the therapeutic effectiveness of this treatment against oral cancer cells.

Simultaneous Hydrogenation of an Insulated Diarylacetylene Dimer Incorporated as Axle Molecules in a Cyclodextrin-Based [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxane.

The [c2]daisy chain rotaxane is an attractive interlocked molecule for the development of functional materials because of its unique mechanical properties that respond to various external stimuli, resulting in extension and contraction motions along the molecular axis. The synthesis of several 'impossible' [2]rotaxanes that do not exhibit obvious binding motifs between their axle and wheel moieties has been achieved through further chemical modification of their axle moieties within pre-prepared [2]rotaxanes. However, no 'impossible' [c2]daisy chain rotaxane has been synthesized using similar strategies until now.

Identification of histidine residues that affect the T/R-state conformations of human hemoglobin using constant pH molecular dynamics simulations.

Human hemoglobin (Hb) is a tetrameric protein consisting of two α and two β subunits that can adopt a low-affinity T- and high-affinity R-state conformations. Under physiological pH conditions, histidine (His) residues are the main sites for proton binding or release, and their protonation states can affect the T/R-state conformation of Hb. However, it remains unclear which His residues can effectively affect the Hb conformation.

The anatomy and feeding mechanism of the Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus).

The fully aquatic Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) is a member of the Cryptobranchidae, and is currently distributed in western Japan, with other members of this group restricted to China and North America. Their feeding behaviour is characterized by a form of suction feeding that includes asymmetric movements of the jaw and hyobranchial apparatus. Previous studies on the North American species, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis, have suggested that this specialized jaw movement is produced by a flexible quadrate-articular joint combined with a loosely connected lower jaw symphysis including two small fibrocartilaginous pads.

Boron Clusters Alter the Membrane Permeability of Dicationic Fluorescent DNA-Staining Dyes.

Membrane-permeable fluorescent dyes that stain DNA are useful reagents for microscopic imaging, as they can be introduced into living cells to label DNA. However, the number of these dyes, such as Hoechst 33342, is limited. Here, we show that the icosahedral dodecaborate BBr, a superchaotropic carrier that delivers different types of molecules into cells, functions as an excellent carrier for membrane-impermeable fluorescent dyes.

Fossorial mammals emphasise the forelimb muscle moment arms used for digging: New indices for reconstruction of the digging ability and behaviours in extinct taxa.

Among fossorial mammals, forelimbs are major digging apparatuses for dwelling, sheltering and foraging underground. Forelimb-diggers have independently evolved in many lineages of mammals; thus, the method of digging with forelimbs varies by taxon. Therefore, the reconstruction of digging behaviours in extinct animals leads us to understand the evolutionary process of fossorial adaptation in each lineage.

Coracoid strength as an indicator of wing-beat propulsion in birds.

Birds generate a propulsive force by flapping their wings. They use this propulsive force for various locomotion styles, such as aerodynamic flight, wing-paddle swimming and wing-assisted incline running. It is therefore important to reveal the origin of flapping ability in the evolution from theropod dinosaurs to birds.

Serum pepsinogen cut-off values in Helicobacter pylori-infected children.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the standard values for gender- and age-stratified serum pepsinogen (sPG) in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) non-infected children and to determine the optimal cut-off values of sPG for predicting H. pylori-infected gastritis in children.

Feeding behaviour and functional morphology of the neck in the long-snouted aquatic fossil reptile Champsosaurus (Reptilia: Diapsida) in comparison with the modern crocodilian Gavialis gangeticus.

The extinct freshwater choristoderan reptiles Champsosaurus and Simoedosaurus are characterised by large body size and an elongated snout. They have often been considered as eco-analogues of crocodilians based on superficial similarities. The slender-snouted Champsosaurus has been described as a 'gavial-like reptile', which implies it feeds underwater with a lateral swipe of the head and neck, as in the living slender-snouted crocodilians such as Gavialis gangeticus.

Bio-inspired asymmetric aldehyde arylations catalyzed by rhodium-cyclodextrin self-inclusion complexes.

Transition-metal catalysts are powerful tools for carbon-carbon bond-forming reactions that are difficult to achieve using native enzymes. Enzymes that exhibit inherent selectivities and reactivities through host-guest interactions have inspired widespread interest in incorporating enzymatic behavior into transition-metal catalytic systems that highly efficiently produce enantiopure compounds. Nevertheless, bio-inspired transition-metal catalysts that are highly enantioselective and reactive have rarely been reported.

Absent X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein expression in T cell blasts and causal mutations including non-coding deletion.

Background: X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) deficiency is one of inborn errors of immunity characterized by recurrent hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), mimicking Crohn's disease. The aim of this study is to make an accurate diagnosis of XIAP deficiency based on genetic and XIAP expression studies and to investigate endoscopic findings shared by patients with this disease.

Methods: Four male patients with recurrent hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and long-term refractory IBD were studied for the diagnosis of XIAP deficiency.

Cyclodextrin-Based [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxane Insulating Two Diarylacetylene Cores.

A [c2]daisy chain rotaxane with two diarylacetylene cores was efficiently synthesized in 53 % yield by capping a C -symmetric pseudo[2]rotaxane composed of two diarylacetylene-substituted permethylated α-cyclodextrins (PM α-CDs) with aniline stoppers. The maximum absorption wavelength of the [c2]daisy chain rotaxane remained almost unchanged in various solvents, unlike that of the stoppered monomer, indicating that the two independent diarylacetylene cores were insulated from the external environment by the PM α-CDs. Furthermore, the [c2]daisy chain rotaxane exhibited fluorescence emission derived from both diarylacetylene monomers and the excimer, which implies that the [c2]daisy chain structure can undergo contraction and extension.

Effect of Orento, a Traditional Japanese Medicine, on IL-6, IL-8 Secretion, Type 1 Collagen Production and Alkaline Phosphatase Secretion in the Human Osteosarcoma Cell Line Saos-2.

Orento, a traditional Japanese medicine, is known as Kampo medicine in Japan. We investigated the possible efficacy of Kampo medicine for periodontal disease. In this study, we examined the in vitro effects of orento on the proliferation of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8, the production of type 1 collagen, and the secretion of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in the human osteosarcoma cell line Saos-2 (Saos-2 cells).

Comprehensive Targeted Sequencing Identifies Monogenic Disorders in Patients With Early-onset Refractory Diarrhea.

Objectives: Causes of early-onset refractory diarrhea include exudative diarrhea associated with very early-onset inflammatory bowel diseases, osmotic or secretory diarrhea, and protein-losing enteropathy. Monogenic disorders are included in these diseases, yet a comprehensive genetic analysis has not been fully established.

Methods: We established targeted gene panels covering all responsible genes for early-onset diarrhea.

The range of atlanto-occipital joint motion in cetaceans reflects their feeding behavior.

The cetaceans display a wide variety of lifestyles, especially with regard to their feeding behavior. However, the evolutionary process of the feeding behavior in cetaceans is still poorly understood, in part because reconstructing the feeding behavior of extinct taxa remains difficult. In cetaceans, cranium mobility relative to the trunk largely depends on the range of motion permitted by the atlanto-occipital joint, given the lack of flexibility of the cervical series.

Physical constraints on sand crab burrows: Mechanical properties of wet sand explain the size and spatial distributions of burrows on beaches.

The diameter and vertical depth of sand crab tunnels in sandy beaches are usually restricted to a few centimeters scale and several tens of centimeters, respectively. We designed a study to determine what physical factors restrict tunnel diameter and predict the maximum attainable tunnel diameter and depth. We collected field data on the size and spatial distributions of ghost crab (Ocypode spp.

The sandwich structure of keratinous layers controls the form and growth orientation of chicken rhinotheca.

The upper beak bone of birds is known to be overlain by the rhinotheca, which is composed of the horny sheath of keratinous layers. However, the details of the structure and growth pattern of the rhinotheca are yet to be understood. In this study, the microstructure of the rhinotheca from chicken specimens of different growth stages (ranging from 1 to ~ 80 days old) was analyzed using a combination of thin section and scanning electron microscopy observations, and small-angle X-ray scattering analysis.

Void structure stability in wet granular matter and its application to crab burrows and cometary pits.

Cohesive granular matter can support stable void structures, which can universally be found in various scenes from everyday lives to space. To quantitatively characterize the stability and strength of a void structure in cohesive granular matter, we perform a simple tunnel-compression experiment with wet granular matter. In the experiment, a horizontal tunnel in a wet granular layer is vertically compressed with a slow compression rate.

How does the curvature of the upper beak bone reflect the overlying rhinotheca morphology?

The beak has independently been evolved accompanied by the edentulism in many tetrapod linages, including extant Testudinata and Aves, and its form and function have been greatly diversified. The beak is formed by beak bones and the overlying keratinous cover, although their profiles are different from each other. Therefore, it is difficult to reliably reconstruct the entire profile of the beak in extinct taxa, whose keratinous tissues are rarely preserved.

Fitting unanchored puzzle pieces in the skeleton: appropriate 3D scapular positions for the quadrupedal support in tetrapods.

Deducing the scapular positions of extinct tetrapod skeletons remains difficult, because the scapulae and rib cage are connected with each other not directly by skeletal joint, but by thoracic muscles. In extant non-testudine quadrupedal tetrapods, the top positions of the scapulae/suprascapulae occur at the anterior portion of the rib cage, above the vertebral column and near the median plane. The adequacy of this position was tested using three-dimensional mechanical models of Felis, Rattus and Chamaeleo that assumed stances on a forelimb on a single side and the hindlimbs.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of steroidal derivatives bearing a small ring as vitamin D receptor agonists.

A novel series of 3-ketolithocholic acid derivatives as well as estrone derivatives bearing a small ring for the conformational fixation of the side chain were synthesized by using a catalytic [2+2] cycloaddition and a ring-contraction rearrangement. The steroidal derivatives were evaluated for transcriptional activation of vitamin D receptor by luciferase reporter assays. Among them, two estrone derivatives showed a higher efficacy of the transactivation of vitamin D receptor than 3-ketolithocholic acid, and the small ring moieties were found to be important for the efficacy.

Evaluation of the Bitterness-Masking Effect of Powdered Roasted Soybeans.

The masking of bitterness is considered important because many pharmaceutical compounds have a bitter taste. The bitterness-masking effect of powdered roasted soybeans (PRS) was investigated using a bitter taste sensor. PRS was revealed to significantly suppress the bitterness of quinine hydrochloride and denatonium benzoate.

Crabs grab strongly depending on mechanical advantages of pinching and disarticulation of chela.

A small morphological variation of an organ may cause a major change of its function in animal evolution. The function of decapod chela varies considerably among taxa, between sex, and even within an individual, but also retains a simple mechanism of motion. Therefore, the decapod chela is a suitable structure to study the evolutionary process of functional diversifications, although the relationship of form and function is inadequately understood, yet.

Farewell to life on land - thoracic strength as a new indicator to determine paleoecology in secondary aquatic mammals.

Habitat shifts from land to water have occurred independently in several mammal lineages. However, because we do not know completely about the relationship between skeletal morphology and function, both reliable life reconstructions of each extinct taxon and the timing of those shifts in locomotor strategies are yet to be fully understood. We estimated the strengths of rib cages against vertical compression in 26 extant and four extinct mammal specimens including cetartiodactyls, paenungulates, and carnivorans, representing 11 terrestrial, six semi-aquatic, and nine obligate aquatic taxa.