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Eight plants of the putative double monosomic addition line (DMAL, 2n =20) were developed by crossing a monosomic chromosome addition line of radish [f(A)-type monosomic addition line (MAL) (2n =19)] carrying the f chromosome of Brassica rapa (2n =20, AA) with another [e(C)-type MAL (2n =19)] having the echromosome of Brassica oleracea (2n =18, CC). The homoeological relationships between the two alien chromosomes were investigated by morphological, cytogenetic and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Seventeen morphological traits that were not present in the radish cv. `Shogoin' were observed in both MALs and these traits were substantially exhibited in DMAL plants. At the first metaphase of pollen mother cells (PMCs), the two parental MALs showed a chromosome configuration of 9II + 1I, demonstrating impossibility of recombination between the R and the added chromosomes. The DMALs formed 10II in approximately 73% of PMCs, with one bivalent showing loose pairing between two chromosomes differing in size. In an attempt to identify the two MALs by RAPD-specific markers using 26 selected random primers, 13 and 20 bands were specific for the f(A)-type and the e(C)-type MALs, respectively; 12 bands were common to both MALs (26.7%). In conclusion, the f chromosome of B. rapa is homoeologous to the e chromosome of B. oleracea . The genetic domain (genes) for 17 morphological traits are linked to each homoeologous chromosome bearing 27% of the corresponding RAPD markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) belong to the nuclear hormone receptor family, which is defined as transcriptional factors that are activated by the binding of ligands to their ligand-binding domains (LBDs). Although the three PPAR subtypes display different tissue distribution patterns and distinct pharmacological profiles, they all are essentially related to fatty-acid and glucose metabolism. Since the PPARs share similar three-dimensional structures within the LBDs, synthetic ligands which simultaneously activate two or all of the PPARs could be potent candidates in terms of drugs for the treatment of abnormal metabolic homeostasis. The structures of several PPAR LBDs were determined in complex with synthetic ligands, derivatives of 3-(4-alkoxyphenyl)propanoic acid, which exhibit unique agonistic activities. The PPARalpha and PPARgamma LBDs were complexed with the same pan agonist, TIPP-703, which activates all three PPARs and their crystal structures were determined. The two LBD-ligand complex structures revealed how the pan agonist is adapted to the similar, but significantly different, ligand-binding pockets of the PPARs. The structures of the PPARdelta LBD in complex with an alpha/delta-selective ligand, TIPP-401, and with a related delta-specific ligand, TIPP-204, were also determined. The comparison between the two PPARdelta complexes revealed how each ligand exhibits either a ;dual selective' or ;single specific' binding mode.

Background: Leptin's hematopoietic or proinflammatory role has been experimentally reported. We investigated whether serum leptin concentrations are associated with white blood cell (WBC) counts in humans., Methods: Serum leptin concentrations of Japanese civil servants aged 40 to 59 years (1082 men and 200 women) were analyzed in relation to their WBC count. Serum leptin concentrations and WBC counts were measured by radioimmunoassay and automated particle counter respectively, using samples obtained at the time of the participants' annual health checkups., Results: The geometric mean (+/-geometric standard deviation) leptin concentrations were 3.25 +/- 1.82 ng/mL and 6.25 +/- 3.99 ng/mL, and the geometric mean WBC counts, 5770 +/- 1269/mm(3) and 5107 +/- 1228/mm(3), in men and women respectively. The WBC count adjusted for age, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, and drinking and smoking habits increased together with the increase in leptin concentration. Multiple linear regression against WBC count by the leptin concentration and those covariates revealed a significant and independent association with serum leptin concentration especially in women (standardized beta = 0.31, p < 0.001), and also in men (standardized beta = 0.17, p < 0.001). BMI was not significantly associated with WBC counts in the multivariate model adjusting for leptin levels in both sexes., Conclusions: Our results are in line with leptin's hematopoietic or proinflammatory functions. The increased WBC counts often observed in obese people would be mediated by the increased leptin concentration., (Copyright 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

For degradation of chitosan, chitosan with an 80% degree of deacetylation and a weight-average molecular mass (Mw) of approx. 48 kDa was irradiated with gamma-rays at doses up to 200 kGy in a 10% (w/v) solution. The Mw of chitosan was reduced from 48 to 9.1 kDa by irradiation. The characteristics of irradiated chitosan were analysed by using Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy and an elemental analyser. The amino group was found to be stable, whereas the C-O-C group decreased with increase in the dose. The product of chitosan irradiated at 100 kGy with an Mw of approx. 16 kDa showed the strongest growth promotion effect on plants in vitro. For shoot culture, supplementation with irradiated chitosan increased the fresh biomass of shoot clusters (7.2-17.0%) as well as the shoot multiplication rate (17.9-69.0%) for Chrysanthemum morifolium (florist's chrysanthemum), Limonium latifolium (limonium or sea-lavender), Eustoma grandiflorum (lisianthus, tulip gentian or Texas bluebell) and Fragaria ananassa (modern garden strawberry). The optimum concentrations of irradiated chitosan were found to be approx. 70-100 mg/l for chrysanthemum, 50-100 mg/l for lisianthus and 30-100 mg/l for limonium. For the plantlet culture, the optimum concentrations were found to be approx. 100 mg/l for chrysanthemum, 30 mg/l for lisianthus, 40 mg/l for limonium and 50 mg/l for strawberry. Supplementation with optimum concentrations of irradiated chitosan resulted in a significant increase in the fresh biomass (68.1% for chrysanthemum, 48.5% for lisianthus, 53.6% for limonium and 26.4% for strawberry), shoot height (19.4% for chrysanthemum, 16.5% for lisianthus, 33.9% for limonium and 25.9% for strawberry) and root length (40.6% for chrysanthemum, 66.9% for lisianthus, 23.4% for limonium and 22.6% for strawberry). In addition, treatment with irradiated chitosan enhanced the activity of chitosanase in treated plants and also improved the survival ratio and growth of the transferred plantlets acclimatized for 10-30 days under greenhouse conditions.

Alginate with a weight-average molecular mass (Mw) of approx. 9.04 x 10(5) Da was irradiated at 10-200 kGy in 4% (w/v) aqueous solution. The degraded alginate product was used to study its effectiveness as a growth promoter for plants in tissue culture. Alginate irradiated at 75 kGy with an Mw of approx. 1.43 x 10(4) Da had the highest positive effect in the growth of flower plants, namely limonium, lisianthus and chrysanthemum. Treatment of plants with irradiated alginate at concentrations of 30-200 mg/l increased the shoot multiplication rate from 17.5 to 40.5% compared with control. In plantlet culture, 100 mg/l irradiated alginate supplementation enhanced shoot height (9.7-23.2%), root length (9.7-39.4%) and fresh biomass (8.1-19.4%) of chrysanthemum, lisianthus and limonium compared with that of the untreated control. The survival ratios of the transferred flower plantlets treated with irradiated alginate were almost the same as the control value under greenhouse conditions. However, better growth was attained for the treated plantlets.