Useful High-Entropy Source on Spinel Oxides for Gas Detection.

This study aimed to identify a useful high-entropy source for gas detection by spinel oxides that are composed of five cations in nearly equal molar amounts and free of impurities. The sensor responses of the spinel oxides [1# (CoCrFeMnNi)3O4, 2# (CoCrFeMnZn)3O4, 3# (CoCrFeNiZn)3O4, 4# (CoCrMnNiZn)3O4, 5# (CoFeMnNiZn)3O4, and 6# (CrFeMnNiZn)3O4] were evaluated for the test gases (7 ppm NO2, 5000 ppm H2, 3 ppm NH3, and 3 ppm H2S). In response to NO2, 1# and 2# showed p-type behavior while 3-6# showed n-type semiconductor behavior. There are three p-type and one n-type AO structural compositions in AB2O4[AO·B2O3] type spinel, and 1# showed a stable AO composition because cation migration from site B to site A is unlikely. Therefore, it was assumed that 1# exhibited p-type behavior. The p-type behavior of 2# was influenced by Cr oxide ions that were present at the B site and the stable p-type behavior of zinc oxide at the A site. The spinel oxides 3# to 6# exhibited n-type behavior with the other cationic oxides rather than the dominant p-type behavior exhibited by the Zn oxide ions that are stable at the A site. In contrast, the sensor response to the reducing gases H2, NH3, and H2S showed p-type semiconductor behavior, with a particularly selective response to H2S. The sensor responses of the five-element spinel oxides in this study tended to be higher than that of the two-element Ni ferrites and three-element Ni-Zn ferrites reported previously. Additionally, the susceptibility to sulfurization was evaluated using the thermodynamic equilibrium theory for the AO and B2O3 compositions. The oxides of Cr, Fe, and Mn ions in the B2O3 composition did not respond to H2S because they were not sulfurized. The increase in the sensor response due to sulfurization was attributed to the decrease in the depletion layer owing to electron sensitization, as the top surface of the p-type semiconductors, ZnO and NiO, transformed to n-type semiconductors, ZnS and NiS, respectively. High-entropy oxides prepared using the hydrothermal method with an equimolar combination of five cations from six elements (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) can be used as a guideline for the design of high-sensitivity spinel-type composite oxide gas sensors.

Complete rectal prolapse in wild anubis baboons (Papio anubis).

This report describes two cases of rectal prolapse in wild anubis baboons (Papio anubis), with one spontaneous resolution. Both occurred after individuals consumed low-water, high-fibre dried maize during provisioning prior to capture, while one also experienced distress during capture.

How the physical properties of food influence its selection by infant Japanese macaques inhabiting a snow-covered area.

Dietary differences exist between infant and adult female non-human primates. These differences are considered to be related to the low ability of infants to bite, handle, and obtain food items. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive examination of how the physical properties of food items (fracture toughness, size, processing, and height) influence food selection by infant primates. In this study, four mother-infant Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) pairs were investigated in a snow-covered area during winter. The feeding behavior of both mothers and infants was recorded. The size, need for processing, and height of food items were recorded by direct observation, while the fracture toughness of food items (evaluating the required bite force by incisors) was measured using a rheometer. On average, infants spent 14% less time feeding than their mothers, and there were dietary differences between mothers and infants. Compared to their mothers, infants fed relatively more frequently on food items that were small, at a low position, or that could be consumed without processing. In addition, infants spent less time feeding on food items that were tougher than 2,000 J/m(2) . Thus, infants fed relatively more frequently on food items that are easy to obtain. This food selection by infants reduced the costs of feeding and allowed them to avoid falling from high trees.

Generation of rabbit single-chain variable fragments with different physicochemical and biological properties by complementary determining region-grafting technology.

In this study, we have demonstrated a complementary-determining region (CDR) grafting technology for the generation of rabbit scFvs with different antigen recognition and physicochemical properties. The antigen-binding affinity of the CDR-grafted anti-CRP scFv, C1R/B1R (V1), which was generated by the CDR/framework region (CDR/FR) definition based on the traditional numbering rule, was insufficient when compared to that of the original clone, C1R, suggesting that the amino acid residues outside the original CDRs might significantly contribute to antigen recognition in rabbit scFvs. We redefined new CDRs and FRs to maintain antigen-binding affinities through the extension of multiple amino acid residues for CDRH1 and CDRH2, based on the amino acid sequence alignments of rabbit scFvs isolated from phage libraries. The new version successfully maintained the antigen binding affinity. CDR-grafted scFvs possessing a common CDR sequence and different FR sequences were successfully generated based on this new CDR/FR definition, and their physicochemical properties were further investigated. The antigen-binding activities of rabbit scFvs on Maxisorp varied between the tested clones in sandwich ELISA, supporting the idea that the combination of CDR with different FRs might change the physicochemical properties of scFvs on a solid material. The CDR-grafted scFvs possessing a frame sequence of anti-CRP scFv C2R maintained the ability to bind to protein L and were successfully purified. Expression titers showed improved solubility by diminishing the amount of insoluble scFvs. Thus, the method developed in this study is promising for generating alternatives with strict antigen binding recognition and different physicochemical properties.

Wound healing in wild male baboons: Estimating healing time from wound size.

Wound healing in animals is important to minimize the fitness costs of infection. Logically, a longer healing time is associated with higher risk of infection and higher energy loss. In wild mammals, wounds caused by aggressive intraspecific interactions can potentially have lethal repercussions. Clarifying wounding rate and healing time is therefore important for measuring the severity of the attacks. In addition, impact of secondary damage of wounds (e.g., accidental peeling off of scabs) on heeling time is unknown despite the risk of infection in wild mammals. In baboons, most male injuries have been reported to result from male to male fights. Here, we investigated the relationship between wound size and healing time in wild anubis baboons to clarify the healing cost of physical attacks including secondary damage of wounds. Observations were conducted daily between August 2016 and July 2017 in Kenya for seven adult male anubis baboons. The individual wound rate was one per month on average. In 16 cases, we were able to assess the number of days required for wound healing, and the median healing time was 13 d. Wound healing time was longer for larger wounds. When the scab was peeled off accidentally because of external factors, healing time became longer. One of the causes of scabs' peeling off was baboons' scab-picking behavior, and the behaviour was considered self-injurious behavior. However, its predicted healing cost might not be high. We concluded that wounds less than 800 mm2 (the largest observed in this study) in baboon males have little effect on survival. Our results suggest that lethal wounds by physical attacks rarely occur in male baboons, and that healing time and delay caused by secondary damages can be estimated by measuring wound area.

Design and Synthesis of Novel Amino-triazine Analogues as Selective Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a promising drug target for the treatment of multiple diseases, such as B-cell malignances, asthma, and rheumatoid arthritis. A series of novel aminotriazines were identified as highly selective inhibitors of BTK by a scaffold-hopping approach. Subsequent SAR studies of this series using two conformationally different BTK proteins, an activated form of BTK and an unactivated form of BTK, led to the discovery of a highly selective BTK inhibitor, 4b. With significant efficacy in models in vivo and good ADME and safety profiles, 4b was advanced into preclinical studies.