The Alleviating Effect of Lagerstroemia indica Flower Extract on Stretch Marks through Regulation of Mast Cells

Striae distensae (SD) or stretch marks are common linear scars of atrophic skin with disintegrating extracellular matrix (ECM) structures. Although fibroblasts contribute to the construction of ECM structure in SD, some studies have reported that mast cell degranulation causes the disruption of ECM in early SD lesions. Lagerstroemia indica flower (LIF) has traditionally been used in India as a diuretic. However, little is known about the effect and molecular action of Lagerstroemia indica flower extract (LIFE) on alleviating SD. This study evaluated the effects of LIFE on mast cell degranulation and the synthesis of ECM components in fibroblasts. LIFE inhibits the adhesion of rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells, RBL-2H3 on fibronectin (FN) and the expression of integrin, a receptor for FN, thereby reducing focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation. In addition, LIFE attenuated the allergen-induced granules and cytokine interleukin 3 (IL-3) through the adhesion with FN. Moreover, the conditioned medium (CM) of activated mast cells decreases the synthesis of ECM components, and LIFE restores the abnormal expressions induced by activated mast cells. These results demonstrate that LIFE suppresses FN-induced mast cell activation and promotes the synthesis of ECM components in fibroblast, which indicates that LIFE may be a useful cosmetic agent for SD treatment.     

Synthesis and property of diazocine derivatives substituted with imidazole in various positions

ABSTRACT

TIACA-I, TIACA-II were synthesized by changing the substitution position of the imidazole group in the diazocine core. TIACA-I, TIACA-II in the film state showed absorption in the range of 354 to 392 nm and exhibited blue photoluminescence (PL) emissions at 448 and 462 nm, respectively. The PL wavelength of TIACA-II is red-shifted by 14 nm than that of TIACA-I due to the electron-donating intensity depending on the position of the imidazole group. The use of TIACA-II in a non-doped OLED device resulted in blue emission with current efficiency of 2.84 cd/A and CIE of (0.15, 0.18).     

The unification of inflation and late-time acceleration in the frame of <Emphasis Type="Italic">k</Emphasis>-essence

By using the formulation of the reconstruction, we explicitly construct models of k-essence, which unify the inflation in the early universe and the late accelerating expansion of the present universe by a single scalar field. Due to the higher derivative terms, the solution describing the unification can be stable in the space of solutions, which makes the restriction for the initial condition relaxed. The higher derivative terms also eliminate tachyon. Therefore we can construct a model describing the time development, which cannot be realized by a usual inflaton or quintessence models of the canonical scalar field due to the instability or the existence of tachyon. We also propose a mechanism of the reheating by the quantum effects coming from the variation of the energy density of the scalar field.     

Generation and stabilization of ultrafast optical pulse trains with monolithic mode-locked laser diodes

In this paper, we report on the generation and the stabilization of ultrafast optical pulse trains exceeding 100 GHz from monolithic mode-locked laser diodes (MLLDs) combined with some new techniques such as subharmonic synchronous mode-locking (SSML) and repetition-frequency multiplication (RFM) method. Key subjects to increase the pulse repetition frequencies of the MLLDs such as fast absorption recovery and harmonic mode-locking operation are discussed. 500 GHz optical pulse generation from a short-cavity, graded-index separated confinement heterostructure MLLD and THz-rate pulse generation by harmonic mode-locking are reported. We also demonstrate the stabilization of a 160 GHz MLLD by the SSML with subharmonic-frequency optical pulse injection and reveal that the SSML is very promising as a stabilization technique of the ultrafast MLLD beyond the limitations by the electronic device speed. A method to accurately measure the timing jitter of such ultrafast optical pulse train, all-optical down converting using a nonlinear optical device, is also presented. We also mention another choice for ultrafast optical pulse generation using the MLLD combined with a dispersive medium such as an optical fiber. We demonstrate here the generations of stable 84–256 GHz optical pulse trains by the RFM method of the MLLD stabilized by the SSML.     

Erratum to Formation and control of Au and Ag nanoparticles inside borate glasses using femtosecond laser and heat treatment

We report the spectroscopic properties of femtosecond laser-irradiated sodium-alumino-borate glass doped with silver and gold ions. We precipitated gold and silver nanoparticles by laser irradiation and annealing at 400°C for 30 min. The irradiation and annealing treatment produced different absorption and emission characteristics in Au³⁺ doped and Au³⁺, Ag⁺ codoped glasses, and the possible mechanisms of the observed results are discussed. The size of the nanoparticles was estimated by TEM and absorption band analysis.     

Comparative study on the thermal behavior of structural concretes of sodium-cooled fast reactor

Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry - Thermal behaviors of two different siliceous concretes used in a sodium-cooled fast reactor were comparatively investigated in a temperature range from...     

Okamoto model for necrosis and its expansions,CD38-cyclic ADP-ribose signal system for intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and Reg (Regenerating gene protein)-Reg receptor system for cell regeneration

In pancreatic islet cell culture models and animal models, we studied the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of insulin-dependent diabetes. The diabetogenic agents, alloxan and streptozotocin, caused DNA strand breaks, which in turn activated poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase/synthetase (PARP) to deplete NAD⁺, thereby inhibiting islet β-cell functions such as proinsulin synthesis and ultimately leading to β-cell necrosis. Radical scavengers protected against the formation of DNA strand breaks and inhibition of proinsulin synthesis. Inhibitors of PARP prevented the NAD⁺ depletion, inhibition of proinsulin synthesis and β-cell death. These findings led to the proposed unifying concept for β-cell damage and its prevention (the Okamoto model). The model met one proof with PARP knockout animals and was further extended by the discovery of cyclic ADP-ribose as the second messenger for Ca²⁺ mobilization in glucose-induced insulin secretion and by the identification of Reg (Regenerating gene) for β-cell regeneration. Physiological and pathological events found in pancreatic β-cells have been observed in other cells and tissues.     

Linear-cavity fiber laser using subring-cavity incorporated saturable absorber for single-frequency operation

By using a subring cavity incorporated with a saturable absorber, a stable single-frequency selection is realized in a linear-cavity fiber laser, which is constructed using a broadband fiber mirror and a partial reflectance fiber Bragg grating as the cavity ends. At 1550.33 nm, the laser has an optical signal-to-noise-ratio of >53.28 dB and with linewidth less than 1 MHz. The pumping efficiency is 25% improved by recycling the residual pump power to gain medium. The power stability and wavelength stability have also been studied.     

In-Solution Derivatization and Headspace Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry for 56 Carbonyl Compounds in Tobacco Heating Products,Traditional Tobacco Products and Flavoring Capsules

Chromatographia - Optimal derivatization conditions were established for the simultaneous determination of 12 aliphatic saturated aldehydes, 8 aliphatic saturated ketones, 4 cyclic ketones, 3...     

Absorption, first-pass metabolism, and disposition of itraconazole in rats

This study examined the pharmacokinetic disposition, oral absorption and hepatic extraction of itraconazole and its active metabolite, hydroxyitraconazole, in rats. After i.v. injection, serum itraconazole concentrations decreased biexponentially, with an average terminal elimination half-life, volume of distribution and systemic clearance of 4.9 h, 6.0 l/kg and 14.2 ml/min/kg, respectively. When given orally, its absorption was low, with a mean absolute bioavailability of 16.6%. The metabolite to parent drug area under the curve (AUC) ratio was higher after oral administration compared with i.v. injection (mean ratio, 2.7 vs. 0.9). The hepatic drug extraction ratio determined after femoral and portal vein administration averaged 18.5%. When hydroxyitraconazole was injected i.v., the elimination half-life, volume of distribution and systemic clearance of itraconazole averaged 10.0 h, 2.4 l/kg and 3.4 ml/min/kg, respectively. The fraction of the systemically available itraconazole that was metabolized to hydroxyitraconazole was 21.0% and 76.0% after i.v. and oral administration, respectively. In summary, this study is the first reporting the hepatic extraction of itraconazole and the i.v. disposition characteristics of hydroxyitraconazole in rats. Itraconazole is a drug with a low hepatic extraction ratio and its systemic clearance appears to be largely accounted for by hepatic metabolism.