Computational approach to grain boundary segregation engineering of nickel-base superalloys.

Grain boundary (GB) strengthening elements, such as B, C, and Zr have been added in small amounts to nickel-base superalloys. However, their strengthening effects have not been quantified and no specific design principles for GB chemistry have been reported. In this study, we propose a practical computational approach for the GB segregation engineering of nickel-base superalloys.

Synthesis and Shuttling Behavior of [2]Rotaxanes with a Pyrrole Moiety.

We synthesized [2]rotaxanes with a pyrrole moiety from a [2]rotaxane with a 1,3-diynyl moiety. The conversion of the 1,3-diynyl moiety of the axle component to the pyrrole moiety was accomplished by a Cu-mediated cycloaddition of anilines. The cycloaddition reaction was accelerated when the [2]rotaxane was used as the substrate.

Nanotherapy with hybrid liposomes for colorectal cancer along with apoptosis in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: We examined the therapeutic effects of hybrid liposomes (HL) composed of L-α-dimyristylphosphati-dylcholine (DMPC) and polyoxyethylene (25) dodecyl ether (C12(EO)25) on the growth of human colorectal cancer (WiDr) cells in vitro and in vivo.

Materials And Methods: HL composed of 95 mol% DMPC and 5 mol% C12(EO)25 were prepared by the sonication method and their therapeutic effects in xenograft mouse models of colorectal cancer liver metastases were examined in vivo.

Results: The inhibitory effects of HL-25 on the growth of WiDr cells along with apoptosis were assessed in vitro.

Therapeutic effects of autologous lymphocytes activated with trastuzumab for xenograft mouse models of human breast cancer.

Trastuzumab (TTZ) is molecular targeted drug used for metastatic breast cancer patients overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Therapeutic effects of lymphocytes activated with TTZ (TTZ-LAK) using xenograft mouse models of human breast cancer (MDA-MB-453) cells were examined in vivo. Remarkable reduction of tumor volume in a xenograft mouse models intravenously treated with TTZ-LAK cells after the subcutaneously inoculated of MDA-MB-453 cells was verified in vivo.

Monitoring of S protein maturation in the endoplasmic reticulum by calnexin is important for the infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is the etiological agent of SARS, a fatal pulmonary disorder with no effective treatment. We found that SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein (S protein), a key molecule for viral entry, binds to calnexin, a molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), but not to calreticulin, a homolog of calnexin. Calnexin bound to most truncated mutants of S protein, and S protein bound to all mutants of calnexin.

New cancer immunotherapy using autologous lymphocytes activated with trastuzumab.

It is well known that trastuzumab (TTZ) is molecular target drug for breast cancer overexpressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Novel immunotherapy by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activated with TTZ were examined. Proliferation of lymphocytes after adding of TTZ was obtained.

Fully human monoclonal antibody directed to proteolytic cleavage site in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus S protein neutralizes the virus in a rhesus macaque SARS model.

Background: There is still no effective method to prevent or treat severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which is caused by SARS coronavirus (CoV). In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of a fully human monoclonal antibody capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV in vitro in a Rhesus macaque model of SARS.

Methods: The antibody 5H10 was obtained by vaccination of KM mice bearing human immunoglobulin genes with Escherichia coli-producing recombinant peptide containing the dominant epitope of the viral spike protein found in convalescent serum samples from patients with SARS.

Therapeutic effects of hybrid liposomes on gastric carcinoma involve apoptosis.

Hybrid liposomes (HLs) composed of 90 mol% dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and 10 mol% polyoxyethylene(23)dodecyl ether (C(12)(EO)(23)), having a hydrodynamic diameter under 100 nm, were preserved for a period of one month. The inhibitory effects of HLs on the growth of gastric carcinoma (CoRa 622 G6) cells in vitro were investigated. Decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and activation of caspase-8, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were observed, indicating that apoptotic signals induced by HLs should pass through mitochondria and these caspases.

[Inhibitory effects of hybrid liposomes on the growth of gastric tumor cells established from cotton rats].

We established cell-line (CoRa 622 G6) of gastric carcinoma using cotton rats with spontaneous malignant gastric carcinoma with hypergastrinaemia. Inhibitory effects of hybrid liposomes (HL) composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcoline (DMPC) and polyoxyethylene (n) dodecyl ether (C(12)(EO)(n): n=21, 23, 25) on the growth of CoRa 622 G6 cells were clarified on the basis of WST-1 assay. Fusion and accumulation of HL including fluorescence probe into CoRa 622 G6 cell membrane were clarified using confocal laser microscopy and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy.

Dissection and identification of regions required to form pseudoparticles by the interaction between the nucleocapsid (N) and membrane (M) proteins of SARS coronavirus.

When expressed in mammalian cells, the nucleocapsid (N) and membrane (M) proteins of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) are sufficient to form pseudoparticles. To identify region(s) of the N molecule required for pseudoparticle formation, we performed biochemical analysis of the interaction of N mutants and M in HEK293 cells. Using a peptide library derived from N, we found that amino acids 101-115 constituted a novel binding site for M.