Elucidating the Mechanistic Origin of a Spin State-Dependent FeNx-C Catalyst toward Organic Contaminant Oxidation via Peroxymonosulfate Activation

Atomically dispersed metals on nitrogen-doped carbon matrices have attracted extensive interest in the removal of refractory organic pollutants. However, a thorough exploration of the particular structure for each active site and specific effects of these sites still remains elusive. Herein, an Fe-pyridinic N₄ structure in a single-atom catalyst (FeN_x-C) was constructed using a facile pyrolysis strategy, and it exhibited superior catalytic activity in peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation toward organic contaminant oxidation. The various Fe species and relative amounts of each Fe site in the FeN_x-C catalyst were validated using X-ray absorption spectroscopy and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, which showed critical dependencies on the precursor ratio and calcination temperature. The positive correlations between relative content of high-spin state species (Fe^II and Fe^III) and catalytic performance were found to determine the reactive species generation and electron transfer pathway in the FeN_x-C/PMS system. Moreover, catalytic performance and theoretical calculation results revealed that Fe^II-N₄ in the high-spin state (S = 2) tends to activate PMS to form sulfate and hydroxyl radicals via a one-electron transfer process, while the Fe^III-N₄ moiety (S = 5/2) is prone to high-valent iron species generation with lower free energy. Benefiting from finely tuned active sites, a single-atom FeN_x-C catalyst achieved favorable applicability in actual wastewater treatment with efficient resistance of the common water matrix. The present work advances the mechanistic understanding of spin state-dependent persulfate activation in single-atom catalysts and provides guidance to design a superior catalyst based on spin state descriptions.

Self-Assembly of Nanosheet-Supported Fe-MOF Heterocrystals as a Reusable Catalyst for Boosting Advanced Oxidation Performance via Radical and Nonradical Pathways

Heterojunction catalysts have drawn increasing interest for the visible light-driven Fenton reaction and bring tremendous opportunities for environmental remediation. Herein, a BiOI/MIL-53(Fe) Z-scheme heterojunction (named BMFe) was synthesized for the first time via a facile strategy. Compared with pristine BiOI and MIL-53(Fe) catalysts, the two-dimensional/three-dimensional (2D/3D) heterojunction catalyst manifested remarkable catalytic performance toward degradation of phenol, bisphenol A, methylene blue, and carbamazepine, which is attributed mainly to the interfacial integration and efficient charge separation. By virtue of coupling at the interface, as confirmed by XPS, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy, and DFT calculations, the BMFe catalyst promoted the transfer of electron-hole pairs via Z-scheme and improved the chemical activation of hydrogen peroxide. The subsequent holes, free radicals, and nonradicals can effectively and continuously decompose pollutants, achieving a positive synergistic effect between photocatalysis and Fenton reactions. Simultaneously, the specially designed BiOX(X = Br, Cl)/MIL-53(Fe) and BiOI/Fe-MOFs(MIL-101, MIL-88) heterojunctions also exhibited advanced oxidative capacity for organic pollutants. Given their practical value for industrial applications, BMFe beads (1.0 ± 0.15 mm) synthesized via a blend cross-linking method can significantly advance long-term stability and recyclability. The integration of Fe-based metal-organic frameworks with bismuth oxyhalide semiconductors provides a new perspective on developing heterojunction catalysts for environmental remediation.

Photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes and phenol by iron-silicate glass prepared by the sol–gel method

A highly efficient photo-Fenton catalyst iron silicate glass was successfully prepared by a simple sol–gel method.

A genome-wide association study identifies two novel susceptibility loci and trans population polygenicity associated with bipolar disorder

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified several susceptibility loci for bipolar disorder (BD) and shown that the genetic architecture of BD can be explained by polygenicity, with numerous variants contributing to BD. In the present GWAS (Phase I/II), which included 2964 BD and 61 887 control subjects from the Japanese population, we detected a novel susceptibility locus at 11q12.2 (rs28456, P=6.4 × 10-9), a region known to contain regulatory genes for plasma lipid levels (FADS1/2/3). A subsequent meta-analysis of Phase I/II and the Psychiatric GWAS Consortium for BD (PGC-BD) identified another novel BD gene, NFIX (Pbest=5.8 × 10-10), and supported three regions previously implicated in BD susceptibility: MAD1L1 (Pbest=1.9 × 10-9), TRANK1 (Pbest=2.1 × 10-9) and ODZ4 (Pbest=3.3 × 10-9). Polygenicity of BD within Japanese and trans-European-Japanese populations was assessed with risk profile score analysis. We detected higher scores in BD cases both within (Phase I/II) and across populations (Phase I/II and PGC-BD). These were defined by (1) Phase II as discovery and Phase I as target, or vice versa (for 'within Japanese comparisons', Pbest~10-29, R2~2%), and (2) European PGC-BD as discovery and Japanese BD (Phase I/II) as target (for 'trans-European-Japanese comparison,' Pbest~10-13, R2~0.27%). This 'trans population' effect was supported by estimation of the genetic correlation using the effect size based on each population (liability estimates~0.7). These results indicate that (1) two novel and three previously implicated loci are significantly associated with BD and that (2) BD 'risk' effect are shared between Japanese and European populations.

Isolation of new ligands for orphan receptor MRGPRX1-hemorphins LVV-H7 and VV-H7

The human MAS-related G protein-coupled receptor X1 (MRGPRX1) is a member of the GPCR family. The receptor is primate specific and expressed in the sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglion and trigeminal ganglion, where it is considered to be involved in the pain perception. The MRGPRX1 has unusual binding mechanism, as it is activated by several different ligands as well as several different fragments of precursor proteins. Thus, we hypothesize that it is activated by several unknown compounds as well since the receptor is still classified as orphan. Here, we describe the isolation of two novel endogenous ligands for the MRGPRX1 from human platelet preparation. The isolated ligands are hemoglobin β-chain fragments, known members of the hemorphin family.

Determination of genotoxic potential by comparison of structurally related azo dyes using DNA repair-deficient DT40 mutant panels

Azo dyes, including Sudan I, Orange II and Orange G, are industrial dyes that are assumed to have genotoxic potential. However, neither the type of DNA damage induced nor the structural features responsible for toxicity have been determined. We used a panel of DNA-repair-pathway-deficient mutants generated from chicken DT40 cells to evaluate the ability of these azo dyes to induce DNA damage and to identify the type of DNA damage induced. We compared the structurally related azo dyes Sudan I, Orange II and Orange G to identify the structural features responsible for genotoxicity. Compared with wild type cells, the double-strand break repair defective RAD54^-/-/KU70^-/- cells were significantly more sensitive to Sudan I, but not to Orange II or Orange G. The quantum-chemical calculations revealed that Sudan I, but not Orange II or Orange G, has a complete planar aromatic ring structure. These suggest that the planar feature of Sudan I is critical to the inducing of double-strand breaks. In summary, we used a DNA-repair mutant panel in combination with quantum-chemical calculations to provide a clue to the chemical structure responsible for genotoxicity.

Biochemical Characterization of Function and Structure of RseP, an Escherichia coli S2P Protease

Intramembrane-cleaving proteases (I-CLiPs) are a group of membrane-associated proteases with a unique feature: they are believed to cleave their substrate within the hydrophobic lipid bilayer, even though peptide bond hydrolysis requires a water molecule. Escherichia coli RseP, which belongs to the S2P zinc metalloprotease family of I-CLiPs, plays an essential role in activation of a cell envelope stress response through cleavage of anti-σ^E protein RseA, a single-span transmembrane protein. A recent study showed that it also cleaves remnant signal peptides generated upon membrane translocation of secretory proteins. Here, we describe several methods for characterization of the proteolytic functions and structure of RseP mainly in vivo, including a proteolytic activity assay using model substrates, an in vitro analysis of cleavage of signal peptides in a detergent solution and in the membrane vesicles, structural analysis of membrane-embedded RseP based on the thiol modifiability of introduced cysteine residues, and the protein interaction analysis by in vivo cross-linking protocols.

Molecular-based allergy diagnosis of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis in Aspergillus fumigatus-sensitized Japanese patients

BACKGROUND

Distinguishing between patients with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and Aspergillus fumigatus (Af)-sensitized asthmatic patients without ABPA is sometimes difficult owing to the IgE-cross-reactivity between Af and other fungal allergens.

OBJECTIVE

To establish the usefulness of molecular-based allergy diagnostics using allergen components from Af in distinguishing ABPA from Af-sensitized asthma without ABPA.

METHODS

Sera from Japanese patients with ABPA (n = 53) and Af-sensitized asthma without ABPA (n = 253) were studied. The levels of IgE and IgG antibodies to allergen components from Af and IgE antibodies to different fugal allergen extracts were measured by ImmunoCAP. Comorbid atopic dermatitis (AD) was taken into consideration in the sensitization profile analysis.

RESULTS

Patients with ABPA possessed significantly higher levels of IgE antibodies to Asp f 1, and Asp f 2 than asthmatic patients without ABPA. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the levels of IgE to Asp f 1 and Asp f 2 as diagnostic markers of ABPA were 0.75 and 0.78, respectively. The presence of IgE positivity to Asp f 1 and/or Asp f 2 resulted in increased sensitivity while losing little specificity. Comorbid AD was associated with higher levels of IgE to Asp f 6 (manganese superoxide dismutase from Af, a ubiquitous pan-allergen in fungi) and low but positive levels of IgE to other Af-components, which hampered the serological discrimination of ABPA.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The levels of IgE to Asp f 1 and/or Asp f 2 can effectively differentiate ABPA from Af-sensitized asthma, suggesting that the amounts of IgE specific for these molecules are markers for genuine Af-sensitization in ABPA. However, comorbid AD must be taken into consideration in the interpretation of high IgE to Asp f 6. Establishing of IgE-sensitization profiles using panel of Af-allergen components provides valuable information for distinguishing genuine vs. cross-reactive sensitization in Af-sensitized patients.

Changes in axial alignment of the ipsilateral hip and knee after total hip arthroplasty

AIMS

We investigated changes in the axial alignment of the ipsilateral hip and knee after total hip arthroplasty (THA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We reviewed 152 patients undergoing primary THA (163 hips; 22 hips in men, 141 hips in women) without a pre-operative flexion contracture. The mean age was 64 years (30 to 88). The diagnosis was osteoarthritis (OA) in 151 hips (primary in 18 hips, and secondary to dysplasia in 133) and non-OA in 12 hips. A posterolateral approach with repair of the external rotators was used in 134 hips and an anterior approach in 29 hips. We measured changes in leg length and offset on radiographs, and femoral anteversion, internal rotation of the hip and lateral patellar tilt on CT scans, pre- and post-operatively.

RESULTS

The mean internal rotation increased by 11° (-15° to 46°) and was associated with underlying disease (OA), pre-operative range of internal rotation, gender, surgical approach, leg lengthening, and change of femoral anteversion (adjusted R(2) : 0.253, p < 0.001). The mean lateral patellar tilt increased by 4° (-5° to 14°) and was associated with age, leg lengthening, and increment of hip internal rotation (adjusted R(2): 0.193, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Both internal rotation of the hip at rest and lateral patellar tilt are increased after THA. Changes in rotation after THA may affect gait, daily activities, the rate of dislocation of the hip, and ipsilateral knee pain.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Internal rotation of the hip at rest and lateral patellar tilt increase after THA.

Epidemiological link between wheat allergy and exposure to hydrolyzed wheat protein in facial soap

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of extra-intestinal routes of sensitization to food-related allergens as the cause of epidemics of food allergy. Instances of Japanese women developing food allergy to wheat after exposure to hydrolyzed wheat protein (HWP) present in facial soap have been reported. However, the epidemiologic impact of these ingredients as a cause of food allergy has not been well studied.

METHODS

To clarify the epidemiological relationship between food allergy to wheat and contact exposure to HWP, a case-control study of Japanese women aged 20-54 years with self-reported wheat allergy (WA) (cases, n = 157) and age-matched control subjects without WA (controls, n = 449) was performed using a large-scale Web-based research panel. Subjects answered a Web-based questionnaire regarding the use of skin and hair care products, as well as other possible risk factors.

RESULTS

Current use of an HWP-containing facial soap (Cha no Shizuku; Yuka) was significantly associated with an increased risk of WA (adjusted odds ratio, 2.6; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-5.7; frequencies of current use in cases and controls; 11% and 6%, respectively). Use of Cha no Shizuku was more common in subjects with more recent-onset WA, implying that this soap may have contributed to the recent epidemic of WA.

CONCLUSIONS

An epidemiological relationship between WA and contact exposure to HWP has been documented. This study implicates a possible role of contact exposure to food-derived protein hydrolysates as a risk factor for the development of food allergy manifesting itself as anaphylaxis.

Mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell isolation from tooth extraction sockets

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/progenitor cells (BMSCs) are commonly used in regeneration therapy. The current primary source of BMSCs is the iliac crest; however, the procedure is associated with various burdens on the patient, including the risk of pain and infection. Hence, the possibility to collect BMSCs from other, more accessible, sources would be an attractive approach. It is well known that stem cells migrate from surrounding tissues and play important roles in wound healing. We thus hypothesized that stem/progenitor cells could be isolated from granulation tissue in the dental socket, and we subsequently collected granulation tissue from dog dental socket 3 d after tooth extraction. After enzyme digestion of the collected tissue, the cells forming colonies constituted the dental socket-derived stem/progenitor cells (dDSCs). Next, dDSCs were compared with dog BMSCs (dBMSCs) for phenotype characterization. A flow cytometric analysis showed that dDSCs were positive for CD44, CD90, and CD271 but negative for CD34 and CD45, similar to dBMSCs. dDSCs also exhibited osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic differentiation ability, similar to dBMSCs, with a higher capacity for colony formation, proliferation, and motility than dBMSCs. In addition, an in vivo ectopic bone formation assay showed that dDSCs and dBMSCs both induced hard tissue formation, although only dDSCs formed a fibrous tissue-like structure connected to the newly formed bone. Finally, we tested the ability of dDSCs to regenerate periodontal tissue in a one-wall defect model. The defects in the dDSC-transplanted group (β-TCP/PGA/dDSCs) were regenerated with cementum-like and periodontal ligament-like tissues and alveolar bone, whereas only bony tissue was observed in the control group (β-TCP/PGA). In conclusion, we identified and characterized a population of stem/progenitor cells in granulation tissue obtained from the dental socket that exhibited several characteristics similar to those of BMSCs. Dental sockets could therefore be a novel source for isolating stem/progenitor cells from bone.

Gingivae contain neural-crest- and mesoderm-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Gingivae represent a unique soft tissue that serves as a biological barrier to cover the oral cavity side of the maxilla and mandible. Recently, the gingivae were identified as containing mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs). However, it is unknown whether the GMSCs are derived from cranial neural crest cells (CNCC) or the mesoderm. In this study, we show that around 90% of GMSCs are derived from CNCC and 10% from the mesoderm. In comparison with mesoderm MSCs (M-GMSCs), CNCC-derived GMSCs (N-GMSCs) show an elevated capacity to differentiate into neural cells and chondrocytes and induce activated T-cell apoptosis in vitro. When transplanted into mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, N-GMSCs showed superior effects in ameliorating inflammatory-related disease phenotype in comparison with the M-GMSC treatment group. Mechanistically, the increased immunomodulatory effect of N-GMSCs is associated with up-regulated expression of FAS ligand (FASL), a transmembrane protein that plays an important role in MSC-based immunomodulation. In summary, our study indicates that the gingivae contain both neural-crest- and mesoderm-derived MSCs with distinctive stem cell properties.

Immune therapeutic potential of stem cells from human supernumerary teeth

Discoveries of immunomodulatory functions in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have suggested that they might have therapeutic utility in treating immune diseases. Recently, a novel MSC population was identified from dental pulp of human supernumerary teeth, and its multipotency characterized. Herein, we first examined the in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory functions of human supernumerary tooth-derived stem cells (SNTSCs). SNTSCs suppressed not only the viability of T-cells, but also the differentiation of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-secreting helper T (Th17)-cells in in vitro co-culture experiments. In addition, systemic SNTSC transplantation ameliorated the shortened lifespan and elevated serum autoantibodies and nephritis-like renal dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model MRL/lpr mice. SNTSC transplantation also suppressed in vivo increased levels of peripheral Th17 cells and IL-17, as well as ex vivo differentiation of Th17 cells in MRL/lpr mice. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that SNTSC-transplanted MRL/lpr mouse-derived T-cell-adopted immunocompromised mice showed a longer lifespan in comparison with non-transplanted MRL/lpr mouse-derived T-cell-adopted immunocompromised mice, indicating that SNTSC transplantation suppresses the hyper-immune condition of MRL/lpr mice through suppressing T-cells. Analysis of these data suggests that SNTSCs are a promising MSC source for cell-based therapy for immune diseases such as SLE.

Non-HPLC rapid separation of metallofullerenes and empty cages with TiCl4 Lewis acid

Rapid and efficient separation/purification of pure metallofullerenes M(x)@C(n) (M = metal; x = 1, 2; n > 70) and carbide metallofullerenes of the type M(y)C(2)@C(n-2) (y = 2, 3, 4; n - 2 > 68) has been reported. The present method utilizes rapid and almost perfect preferential formation of TiCl(4) (generally known as a Lewis acid)-metallofullerene complexes, which easily decompose to provide pure metallofullerene powders by a simple water treatment. The present method enables one to separate the metallofullerenes up to >99% purity within 10 min without using any type of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). It is found that the oxidation potentials of the metallofullerenes are crucial factors for efficient purification. The current separation/purification technique may open a brand-new era for inducing further applications and commercialization of endohedral metallofullerenes.

The prevalence of rhinitis and its association with smoking and obesity in a nationwide survey of Japanese adults

BACKGROUND

Rhinitis is a common disease, and its prevalence is increasing worldwide. Several studies have provided evidence of a strong association between asthma and rhinitis. Although smoking and obesity have been extensively analyzed as risk factors of asthma, associations with rhinitis are less clear.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of our study were (i) to evaluate the prevalence of rhinitis using the European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire in Japanese adults and (ii) to evaluate the associations of smoking and body mass index (BMI) with rhinitis.

METHODS

Following our study conducted in 2006-2007 to determine the prevalence of asthma using the ECRHS questionnaire, our present analysis evaluates the prevalence of rhinitis and its association with smoking and BMI in Japanese adults 20-79 years of age (N = 22819). We classified the subjects (20-44 or 45-79 years) into four groups as having (i) neither rhinitis nor asthma; (ii) rhinitis without asthma; (iii) asthma without rhinitis; or (iv) rhinitis with asthma. We then evaluated associations with smoking and BMI in each group.

RESULTS

The overall age-adjusted prevalence of rhinitis was 35.1% in men and 39.3% in women. A higher prevalence was observed in the younger population than in the older population. Active smoking and obesity were positively associated with asthma without rhinitis. In contrast, particularly in the 20- to 44-year age-group, active smoking and obesity were negatively associated with rhinitis without asthma.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study suggest that smoking and obesity may have different effects on the development of rhinitis and asthma.