Epitopes and motifs of the HLA-B*14 allele family products and related HLA-B14 cross-reactive specificities.

The split specificities of HLA-B14 (B64, B65) are assigned to the B*14:01 (B64) and B*14:02 (B65) products only. Of the further 50 B*14 expressed products, only B*14:03 and B*14:06 are officially designated as HLA-B14. The B*14:08 product differs from B64 by a single amino acid substitution of W97R, while the B*14:53 specificity (which is a "short" B14 and neither B64 nor B65) differs from B64 by three residues (W97S, Y113H and F116Y). Comprehensive testing of B*14:08:01 cells (using 49 alloantisera with B64 or B64, B65 specificities, and five monoclonal antibodies with B65 or B64, B65 activity) showed that the B*14:08 specificity is, like the B*14:53 product, neither B64 nor B65 and appears as a "short" B14 specificity. To help understand the serological reactivity of the B*14:08 and B*14:53 products, and B64 and B65, we identified seven published epitopes (11AV, 97W, 61ICT, 116F, 131S+163T, 170RH and 420) and, by inspection, 29 motifs, that encompass one or more of B64, B65 and various HLA-B14 cross-reactive group specificities. We then considered the possession of these epitopes and motifs by the products of B*14:01 to B*14:06, B*14:08 and B*14:53. Seventeen of the 29 motifs fully complied with the one-/two-patch functional epitope concept for amino acid proximity, as determined by Cn3D software, the remainder partially complied. The nature and patterns of epitopes and motifs possessed by both B*14:08 and B*14:53 specificities supported their designation as HLA-B14 but non-B64/B65. Also that epitope 97W, with 11S or 11A, is critical for serological B64 and B65 reactivity. And conversely, that epitope 116F, and several identified motifs, are probably unimportant for HLA-B14 antibody reactivity. The previous submission that the B*14:03 specificity is HLA-B65 was compatible with its epitope/motif pattern. B*14:04 cells would also be expected to react as B65, based on its epitope/motif pattern, and not as B64 as previously implied. Also, from their epitope/motif patterns, and external serological information, it is probable that the B*14:05 and B*14:06 specificities will both appear as "short" HLA-B14, non-B64/B65. Several epitopes and motifs encompassed a range of HLA-B specificities included in the serological HLA-B14 cross-reactive group, thus supporting these original serological findings.

Hölder regularity for parabolic fractional p-Laplacian.

Local Hölder regularity is established for certain weak solutions to a class of parabolic fractional p-Laplace equations with merely measurable kernels. The proof uses DeGiorgi's iteration and refines DiBenedetto's intrinsic scaling method. The control of a nonlocal integral of solutions in the reduction of oscillation plays a crucial role and entails delicate analysis in this intrinsic scaling scenario. Dispensing with any logarithmic estimate and any comparison principle, the proof is new even for the linear case.

Exploring a distinct group of analytical functions linked with Bernoulli's Lemniscate using the q-derivative.

This research presents a new group of mathematical functions connected to Bernoulli's Lemniscate, using the q-derivative. Expanding on previous studies, the research concentrates on determining coefficient approximations, the Fekete-Szego functional, Zalcman inequality, Krushkal inequality, along with the second and third Hankel determinants for this recently established collection of functions. Additionally, the study derives the Fekete-Szego inequality for the function ξ f ( ξ ) and obtains the inverse function f - 1 ( ξ ) for this specific class. This research advances our understanding in this area and suggests for further exploration.

Boundary regularity of an isotropically censored nonlocal operator.

In a bounded domain, we consider a variable range nonlocal operator, which is maximally isotropic in the sense that its radius of interaction equals the distance to the boundary. We establish C1,α boundary regularity and existence results for the Dirichlet problem.

Continuity of the temperature in a multi-phase transition problem.

Locally bounded, local weak solutions to a doubly nonlinear parabolic equation, which models the multi-phase transition of a material, is shown to be locally continuous. Moreover, an explicit modulus of continuity is given. The effect of the p-Laplacian type diffusion is also considered.

On the constancy theorem for anisotropic energies through differential inclusions.

In this paper we study stationary graphs for functionals of geometric nature defined on currents or varifolds. The point of view we adopt is the one of differential inclusions, introduced in this context in the recent papers (De Lellis et al. in Geometric measure theory and differential inclusions, 2019. arXiv:1910.00335; Tione in Minimal graphs and differential inclusions. Commun Part Differ Equ 7:1-33, 2021). In particular, given a polyconvex integrand f, we define a set of matrices C f that allows us to rewrite the stationarity condition for a graph with multiplicity as a differential inclusion. Then we prove that if f is assumed to be non-negative, then in C f there is no T N ' configuration, thus recovering the main result of De Lellis et al. (Geometric measure theory and differential inclusions, 2019. arXiv:1910.00335) as a corollary. Finally, we show that if the hypothesis of non-negativity is dropped, one can not only find T N ' configurations in C f , but it is also possible to construct via convex integration a very degenerate stationary point with multiplicity.

Harnack's inequality for doubly nonlinear equations of slow diffusion type.

In this article we prove a Harnack inequality for non-negative weak solutions to doubly nonlinear parabolic equations of the form ∂ t u - div A ( x , t , u , D u m ) = div F , where the vector field A fulfills p-ellipticity and growth conditions. We treat the slow diffusion case in its full range, i.e. all exponents m > 0 and p > 1 with m ( p - 1 ) > 1 are included in our considerations.

Moutan Cortex Radicis inhibits the nigrostriatal damage in a 6-OHDA-induced Parkinson's disease model.

The traditionally used oriental herbal medicine Moutan Cortex Radicis [MCR; Paeonia Suffruticosa Andrews (Paeoniaceae)] exerts anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, and analgesic effects. In the present study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of differently fractioned MCR extracts in a 6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA)-induced Parkinson's disease model and neuro-blastoma B65 cells. Ethanol-extracted MCR was fractionated by n-hexane, butanol, and distilled water. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were treated first with 20 µg of 6-OHDA, followed by three MCR extract fractions (100 or 200 mg·kg-1) for 14 consecutive days. In the behavioral rotation experiment, the MCR extract-treated groups showed significantly decreased number of net turns compared with the 6-OHDA control group. The three fractions also significantly inhibited the reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells in the substantia nigra pars compacta following 6-OHDA neurotoxicity. Western blotting analysis revealed significantly reduced tyrosine hydroxylase expression in the substantia nigra pars compacta in the 6-OHDA-treated group, which was significantly inhibited by the n-hexane or distilled water fractions of MCR. B65 cells were exposed to the extract fractions for 24 h prior to addition of 6-OHDA for 30 min; treatment with n-hexane or distilled water fractions of MCR reduced apoptotic cell death induced by 6-OHDA neurotoxicity and inhibited nitric oxide production and neuronal nitric oxide synthase expression. These results showed that n-hexane- and distilled water-fractioned MCR extracts inhibited 6-OHDA-induced neurotoxicity by suppressing nitric oxide production and neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity, suggesting that MCR extracts could serve as a novel candidate treatment for the patients with Parkinson's disease.

Neuroprotective effect of liquiritin as an antioxidant via an increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase expression on B65 neuroblastoma cells.

Glycyrrhiza (the roots and rhizomes of licorice) has been used worldwide as both an herbal nutraceutical and herbal medicine. In addition, it is well known that Glycyrrhiza contains various compounds with biological effects, such as anti-viral, anti-inflammatory, immunoregulatory, anti-tumor and neuroprotective effects. Among the various compounds in Glycyrrhiza, the active compounds that show biological activity are thought to include glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, glabridin, licochalcones and liquiritin. In the present study, we investigated the biological effects of three of these compounds (glycyrrhizin, liquiritin and isoliquiritin) on B65 neuroblastoma cells derived from serotonergic neurons. Among these three compounds, only liquiritin enhanced the proliferation of B65 neuroblastoma cells. In contrast, both glycyrrhizin and isoliquiritin, particularly at high concentrations had cytotoxic effects. Cells were treated with various cytotoxic agents and liquiritin could ameliorate the cytotoxicity induced by menadione sodium bisulfate in a dose-dependent manner. We also examined the effect of liquiritin on cell survival by evaluating the expression levels of phospho-p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase, cyclin-related proteins and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, which produces nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate. Under treatment with liquiritin, the protein expression level of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase increased in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, the protein expression level of cyclin-related proteins did not change at all under treatment with liquiritin. These results suggest that liquiritin, which is contained in Glycyrrhiza, may enhance cell survival by increasing the protein expression level of glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase.

Organic Photosensitizers Incorporating Rigid Benzo[1,2-b:6,5-b']dithiophene Segment for High-Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Benzo[1,2-b:6,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) entity with rigid skeleton is introduced into the conjugated spacer of organic dyes, with triphenylamine as the electron donor and 2-cyanoacrylic acid as the acceptor, have been prepared for dye-sensitized solar cells. Inserting an aromatic entity between BDT and the anchor extends the absorption wavelength of the dyes and improves the dark current suppression efficiency, and consequently leads to better cell performance. Addition of chenodeoxycholic acid coadsorbent alleviates dye aggregation and results in better cell efficiency. The dye inserted with 4H-cyclopenta[2,1-b:3,4-b']dithiophene entity achieves the best efficiency (9.11%) when I-/I3- was used as the electrolyte. When Co(phen)32+/3+ was used as the electrolyte, the efficiency further boosts to 9.88%.

Yokukansan enhances the proliferation of B65 neuroblastoma.

Yokukansan, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, has been considered to be a novel alternative treatment for several neurological diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, as well as neurosis, insomnia, and behavioral and psychological symptoms in Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, it has been shown that yokukansan has antidepressant-like and pain-relieving effects in animal models. Recently, several studies have shown that yokukansan has a neuroprotective effect. In this study, we focused on whether or no yokukansan influences cell proliferation related to cell-cycle progression by using B65 neuroblastoma cells derived from monoaminergic neurons. Under treatment with yokukansan, the proliferation rate of B65 neuroblastoma cells significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner. In particular, a proliferative effect was observed after treatment with yokukansan for 48 h and 72 h. Moreover, among seven medicinal herbs that comprise yokukansan, both Bupleuri Radix and Glycyrrhize Radix also enhanced the proliferation of B65 neuroblastoma cells. We assessed the effect of yokukansan on p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation in B65 neuroblastoma cells, and found that yokukansan increased p44/42 MAPK phosphorylation after treatment for 48 h. In contrast, neither Bupleuri Radix nor Glycyrrhize Radix altered the level of p44/42 MAPK phosphorylation, although they did increase cell proliferation. Our findings suggest that yokukansan has a cell-proliferative due to both Bupleuri Radix and Glycyrrhize Radix, and this is unrelated to the p44/42 MAPK signaling cascade.