• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.8
• /
• pp.3495-3501
• /
• 2014

Melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) family genes have been considered as potentially promising targets for anticancer immunotherapy. MAGED4 was originally identified as a glioma-specific antigen. Current knowledge about MAGED4 expression in glioma is only based on mRNA analysis and MAGED4 protein expression has not been elucidated. In the present study, we investigated this point and found that MAGED4 mRNA and protein were absent or very lowly expressed in various normal tissues and glioma cell line SHG44, but overexpressed in glioma cell lines A172,U251,U87-MG as well as glioma tissues, with significant heterogeneity. Furthermore, MAGED4 protein expression was positively correlated with the glioma type and grade. We also found that the expression of MAGED4 inversely correlated with the overall methylation status of the MAGED4 promoter CpG island. Furthermore, when SHG44 and A172 with higher methylation were treated with the DNA demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-AZA-CdR) reactivation of MAGED4 mRNA was mediated by significant demethylation in SHG44 instead of A172. However, 5-AZA-CdR treatment had no effect on MAGED4 protein in both SHG44 and A172 cells. In conclusion, MAGED4 is frequently and highly expressed in glioma and is partly regulated by DNA methylation. The results suggest that MAGED4 might be a promising target for glioma immunotherapy combined with 5-AZA-CdR to enhance its expression and eliminate intratumor heterogeneity.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.121-124
• /
• 2009

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Lonicera etrusca resulted in the isolation of three iridoids including two aglycones, loganin aglycone (log-1) (1) and lonicerin (log-2) (2), and the known common glycoside loganin (4). The study also afforded a coumarin derivative, 7-hydroxycoumarin (3), and a flavonoid glycoside, luteolin-7-O-$\beta$-D-glucoside (5). The structures were determined utilizing physical, chemical and spectral methods.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.22-26
• /
• 2009

Phytochemical investigation of the roots of Echiochilon fruticosum resulted in the isolation of two naphthoquinone derivatives. Compound 1 was identified as anhydroalkanin while compound 2 was identified as a new derivative 5-hydroxy 8-methoxy 2-(4-methylpent-1,3-dienyl) naphthalene-1,4-dione named as echiochiloquinone. In addition, caffeic acid 3, caffeic acid methyl ester 4 were isolated. The structures were determined by physical, chemical and spectral methods. The anti-inflammatory activity of the root extracts and compound 2 was evaluated utilizing both cotton pellet-induced and carragenin-induced rat paw edema. The ulcerogenic effect was also studied.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.56-61
• /
• 2008

Bioactivity guided phytochemical study of the petroleum ether and butanol extracts of Clematis hirsuta resulted in the isolation of 12 compounds. Rat paw edema as a model of acute inflammation was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of the extracts and the chromatographic fractions. Five known sterols and triterpenes namely: ${\beta}-amyrin$ (1), lupeol (2), ${\beta}-sitosterol$ (3), oleanolic acid (4) and stigmasterol glycoside (5) were isolated from the petroleum ether extract. The n-butanol extract afforded two compounds reported for the first time from natural source: (S)-(+)-dihydro-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2(3H)-furanone (7) and (s)-(-)-5-hydroxymethyl-2(5H)-furanone (8). In addition, anemonin (6), dihydro-4-hydroxy-5-(hydroxymethyl)-2(3H)-furanone (2-deoxy-D-ribono-1,4-lactone) (9), biophenol (cimidahurin) (10), glucose (11) and sucrose (12) were also identified. The structures were determined from spectroscopic data including 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.4
• /
• pp.211-216
• /
• 2010

A new 3-indolyl propionate alkaloid; (-) abrine (1), was isolated from the alcohol extract of Erythrina caffra stem bark together with the alkaloid (-) hypaphorine (2). Phytochemical investigation of the chloroform extract led to the isolation of one fatty alcohol; 1-octacosanol, isolated for the first time from genus Erythrina, two dienoid alkaloids; erythraline and erysodine, and three isoflavonoids; 3S (+) 2'-O-methylphaseollidinisoflavan (3), (6aR, 11aR)- 3-hydroxy-10-dimethylallyl-9-methoxypterocarpan, known as sandwicensin (4) and 3R (-) rythbidin A (5). It is worth mentioning that this is the first report for the isolation of these isoflavonoids from E. caffra. The absolute configuration of 3S (+) 2'-O-methylphaseollidinisoflavan (3) was not previously reported. The isolated isoflavonoids showed promising antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.4 no.3
• /
• pp.152-160
• /
• 2004

This paper presents analysis, modeling, and design of a low-harmonic, isolated, active-clamped SEPIC for future avionics applications. Simpler converter dynamics, high switching frequency, zero voltage-Transition-PWM switching, and a single-layer transformer construction result. This paper describes complete design of a digital controller for a high-frequency switching power supply. Guidelines for the minimum required resolution of the analog-to-digital converter, the pulse-width modulator, and the fixed-point computational unit is derived. A design example based on a SEPIC converter operating at the high switching frequency is presented. The controller design is based on direct digital design approach and standard root-locus techniques.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.213-219
• /
• 2003

Five aromatic compounds, of which two are new glucosides, and six flavonols were isolated and identified for the first time from the flower heads and aerial shoots of Helichrysum conglobatum (Asteraceae). Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods including UV, MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR. Some fractions and isolates were screened for anti-microbial activities. This is the first report of the isolation of the chemical constituents of this species.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.317-321
• /
• 2007

Phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of Lotus ornithopodioloides L. resulted in the isolation of six known compounds. The structures were determined utilizing physical, chemical, spectral methods as well as direct comparison with reference materials whenever possible. The compounds were identified as: ${\beta}$-sitosterol; the two triterpenes oleanolic and betulinic acids; the two cyanogenic glycosides lotaustralin and linamarin in addition to the flavonol diglycoside kaempferitin.

• International Journal of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
• /
• v.4 no.4
• /
• pp.362-373
• /
• 2012

The ship recycling industry is growing rapidly. It is estimated that the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) decision to phase-out single hull tankers by 2015 will result in hundreds of ships requiring disposal. At present, the ship recycling industry is predominantly based in South Asia. Due to the bad practice of current scrapping procedure, the paper will highlight the harm occurring to health, safety and environment. The efforts of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) which led to the signing of the Hong Kong International Convention are also reviewed. The criteria and standards required to reduce the risk and damage to the environment are discussed and a proposed plan for the safe scrapping of ships is then presented. A technological and economic study for the ship recycling in Egypt is carried out as a case study. This includes the ship recycling facility size and layout. The equipment and staff required to operate the facility are also evaluated. A cost analysis is then carried out. This includes site development, human resources, machineries and equipment. A fuzzy logic approach is used to assess the benefits of the ship breaking yard. The use of the fuzzy logic approach is found suitable to make decisions for the ship breaking industry. Based on given constraints, the proposed model has proved capable of assessing the profit and the internal rate of return.

• Journal of Power Electronics
• /
• v.3 no.4
• /
• pp.230-238
• /
• 2003

Electric vehicles (EV) demands for greater acceleration, performance and vehicle range in pure electric vehicles plus mandated requirements to further reduce emissions in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) increase the appeal for combined on-board energy storage systems and generators. And the power electronics plays an important role in providing an interface between fuel cells (FC) and loads. This paper deals with a multiple input DC-DC power converter devoted to combine the power flowing of multi-source on energy systems. The multi-source is composed of (i) FC system as a prime power demands, (ii) super capacitor banks as energy storage devices for high and intense power demands, (iii) superconducting magnetic energy storage system (SMES), (iv) multiple input DC-DC power converter and (v) a three phase inverter-fed permanent magnet synchronous motor as a drive. In this system, It is used super capacitor banks and superconducting magnetic energy replaces from the battery system. The modeling and transient performance simulation is effective for reducing transient influence caused by sudden charge of effective load. The main purpose of power electronic converters is to convert the DC power output from the fuel cell and other to a suitable AC voltage, which can be connected to electric loads directly (PMSM). The fuel cell and other output is connected to the DC-DC converter, which regulates the DC link voltage.