Anti-influenza Activity of Povidone-Iodine-Integrated Materials.

Personal protective equipment (PPE), including medical masks, should be worn for preventing the transmission of respiratory pathogens via infective droplets and aerosols. In medical masks, the key layer is the filter layer, and the melt-blown nonwoven fabric (NWF) is the most used fabric. However, the NWF filter layer cannot kill or inactivate the pathogens spread via droplets and aerosols. Povidone-iodine (PVP-I) has been used as an antiseptic solution given its potent broad-spectrum activity against pathogens. To develop PPE (e.g., medical masks) with anti-pathogenic activity, we integrated PVP-I into nylon-66 NWF. We then evaluated its antiviral activity against influenza A viruses by examining the viability of Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells after inoculation with the virus strains exposed to the PVP-I-integrated nylon-66 NWF. The PVP-I nylon-66 NWF protected the MDCK cells from viral infection in a PVP-I concentration-dependent manner. Subsequently, we found to integrate PVP-I into nylon-66 and polyurethane materials among various materials. These PVP-I materials were also effective against influenza virus infection, and treatment with PVP-I nylon-66 NWF showed the highest cell survival among all the tested materials. PVP-I showed anti-influenza A virus activity when used in conjunction with PPE materials. Moreover, nylon-66 NWF integrated with PVP-I was found to be the best material to ensure anti-influenza activity. Therefore, PVP-I-integrated masks could have the potential to inhibit respiratory virus infection. Our results provide new information for developing multi-functional PPEs with anti-viral activity by integrating them with PVP-I to prevent the potential transmission of respiratory viruses.

IL-33 deficiency suppresses alveolar bone loss in a ligature-induced periodontitis model.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a member of the IL-1 cytokine family that has been studied primarily in the context of type 2 immune responses. Recent reports suggest that IL-33 also enhances the func- tions of various immune cells and contributes to the development of different inflammatory diseas- es. Interestingly, IL-33 and its receptor ST2 axis exerted either inhibitory or promotional effects on alveolar bone loss in various periodontitis models. Using a mouse model of ligature-induced periodontitis, we found that the levels of mRNAs encoding IL-33 and other inflammatory cyto- kines (IL-1α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNFα) were augmented in gingival tissues of wild-type (WT) mice, and that the alveolar bone loss amount was lower in IL-33-deficient than WT mice. The numbers and proportions of IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T and regulatory T cells were decreased while those of Th17 cells were increased in the draining lymph nodes of IL-33-deficient mice compared to WT mice. Additionally, the level of RNA encoding an osteoclastogenic molecule, i.e., receptor activa- tor of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), in ligated gingival tissue was higher in IL-33-defi- cient than WT mice. These results suggest that IL-33 is involved in alveolar bone loss in the ligature-induced periodontitis model, although IL-33 may inhibit osteoclast differentiation.

Subgingival titanium wire implantation induces weak inflammatory responses but does not promote substantial T cell activation.

Titanium is a biocompatible material commonly used for dental treatments. However, the detailed mechanism underlying the weak biological activity of titanium has not been elucidated. We investigated both the inflammatory responses and T cell activation induced by solid titanium in the gingiva in mice. Both titanium and nickel wire implantation promoted neutrophil infiltration into the gingiva on day 2. Nickel, but not titanium, wire implantation enhanced proinflammatory cytokine expression and dendritic cell activity in gingival tissue by day 2. Nickel wire implantation enhanced the activity of T cells in draining lymph nodes on day 5. Moreover, T cell and neutrophil infiltration and elevated proinflammatory cytokine expression in the gingival tissue were still observed on day 5. However, no such augmented biological responses were observed after titanium wire implantation. These findings suggest that, unlike nickel, solid titanium does not induce sufficient inflammatory responses leading to T cell activation in gingival tissue.

Convenient and Simple Esterification in Continuous-Flow Systems using g-DMAP.

The utility and applicability of polyethylene-g-polyacrylic acid-immobilized dimethylaminopyridine (g-DMAP) as a catalyst in a continuous-flow system were investigated for decarboxylative esterification. High catalytic activity toward acylation was provided by g-DMAP containing a flexible grafted-polymer structure. During decarboxylation, carboxylic acids and alcohols were converted cleanly using di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (Boc2O) as a coupling reagent, which reduced by-products. In addition, the use of Boc2O resulted in the formation of tert-butyl esters. These esterifications dramatically reduced the reaction time under continuous-flow conditions, with a residence time of approximately 2 min. This highly efficient esterification procedure will provide more practical industrial applications.

Dimethylaminopyridine-supported graft polymer catalyst and its flow system.

A new heterogeneous organocatalyst, graft polymer supported dimethylaminopyridine (g-DMAP), is developed. This catalyst has a flexible structure and comprises DMAP anchored to the polyethylene-graft-polyacrylic acid (PE-g-PAA). It exhibits higher activity than DMAP supported on polystyrene cross-linked with divinylbenzene and can be recovered in batch mode acetylation. The activity and stability of this catalyst allow its application in continuous flow systems. Continuous acetylation proceeds with excellent conversion, and a turnover number of 560 can be achieved using g-DMAP. Parallel fixed bed reactors were used to scale up the synthesis of this continuous flow system. Eight parallel fixed bed reactors displayed excellent conversion.

Differential changes in cell wall matrix polysaccharides and glycoside-hydrolyzing enzymes in developing wheat seedlings differing in drought tolerance.

The growth kinetics and variations in cell wall matrix polysaccharides and glycoside hydrolases during seedling development of the drought-tolerant wheat cultivar (cv. Hong Mang Mai) were compared with the drought-sensitive cultivar (cv. Shirasagikomugi). After 15 d of culture in water at 22 degrees C under constant irradiance of 98 micromol m(-2) s(-1), the length of the coleoptile and leaf sheath of Hong Mang Mai seedlings was 1.7 times longer than those of Shirasagikomugi seedlings. In the cell walls isolated from coleoptiles and leaf sheaths of the seedling of the two cultivars, the contents of arabinose, xylose, and glucose changed during development. The cell walls were fractionated progressively with 50 mM CDTA, 50 mM Na(2)CO(3), 1 M KOH and 4 M KOH, and sugar composition was determined. The amount of CDTA-soluble fraction from the Hong Mang Mai cell walls was 2.4-fold higher than that from the Shirasagikomugi cell walls at 6 d of culture, and a considerable decrease was observed during development. The ratio of arabinose to xylose in 1 M KOH-soluble fraction from the two cultivars decreased. The amount of 4 M KOH-soluble fraction from the Shirasagikomugi cell walls was affected much more than those of the Hong Mang Mai cell walls. Many glycoside hydrolase activities were detected in the protein fractions from coleoptiles and leaf sheaths of the two cultivars, and the activities of licheninase, 1,3-1,4-beta-glucanase, and 1,3-beta-glucanase in the LiCl-soluble protein fraction increased drastically during development of the Shirasagikomugi seedlings. These findings suggest that the metabolism of the cell wall matrix polysaccharides of the drought-tolerant wheat cultivar is far different from that of the drought-sensitive wheat cultivar during seedling development.