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In this study, the effects of chitosan and surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibrils (SDACNFs) on hair growth were evaluated. In human follicle dermal papilla cells in vitro, chitosan and SDACNFs were shown to increase cell growth on day 3 after the initiation of treatment, together with an increase in the production of fibroblast growth factor-7 (FGF-7) by these cells on day 3. Furthermore, in an in vivo study in mice, chitosan and SDACNF application promoted hair growth. The number of anagen follicles significantly increased compared with that in the control group, whereas the number of telogen follicles significantly decreased in the chitosan and SDACNF groups. In the chitosan and SDACNFs groups, moreover, the expression levels of FGF-7 and Sonic hedgehog were significantly upregulated in hair follicles. Overall, our results demonstrated that chitosan and SDACNFs promoted hair growth and therefore may have applications as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of hair loss in patients., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acylated anthocyanins are more stable than monomeric anthocyanins, but little is known about their physiological effects. We evaluated the hemodynamic effects of single intragastric doses of purple carrot (Daucus carota L.) anthocyanin (PCA) and two monomeric anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-O-glycoside (C3G) and delphinidin 3-O-ruthenoside (D3R). PCA, C3G, or D3R was administered orally to rat and blood flow in the cremaster artery was measured for 60 min using a laser Doppler blood flow meter. After measurements, the aorta of the animal was removed and the extent of phosphorylation of aortic epithelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and Akt were determined by western blotting. PCA (10 mg kg-1) or C3G (1 mg kg-1) significantly increased rat cremaster arteriole blood flow and phosphorylation of eNOS and Akt; D3G (1 mg kg-1) only slightly altered cremaster arteriole blood flow and did not affect the phosphorylation of eNOS and Akt in the aorta. These results suggest that hemodynamic alterations depend more on the chemical structure of anthocyanins, particularly the aglycon, than on the glycoside. In addition, increase of blood flow by a single oral dose of PCA was practically reduced with treatment of carvedilol (CR), a non-specific adrenaline blocker. Blood concentrations of cyanidin or its glycoside 15, 30, or 60 min after the administration of 10 mg kg-1 PCA were below the limit of detection. These hemodynamic changes may have been associated with an indirect adrenergic action induced following a single dose of PCA.

Wild animals typically exhibit defensive behaviors in response to a wider range and/or a weaker intensity of stimuli compared with domestic animals. However, little is known about the neural mechanisms underlying "wariness" in wild animals. Wild rats are one of the most accessible wild animals for experimental research. Laboratory rats are a domesticated form of wild rat, belonging to the same species, and are therefore considered suitable control animals for wild rats. Based on these factors, we analyzed structural differences in the brain between wild and laboratory rats to elucidate the neural mechanisms underlying wariness. We examined wild rats trapped in Tokyo, and weight-matched laboratory rats. We then prepared brain sections and compared the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA), the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), the main olfactory bulb and the accessory olfactory bulb. The results revealed that wild rats exhibited larger BLA, BNST and caudal part of the accessory olfactory bulb compared with laboratory rats. These results suggest that the BLA, BNST, and vomeronasal system potentially contribute to wariness in wild rats.

Emu is the second-largest extant bird native to Australia. Emu oil, obtained from the emu's fat deposits, is used as an ingredient in cosmetic skincare products. Emu oil has been reported to improve several inflammatory symptoms; however, the mechanisms of these anti-inflammatory effects are largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of emu oil on the inflammatory macrophage response in vitro. A murine macrophage cell line, RAW 264, was incubated in culture media supplemented with or without emu oil and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We determined phagocytic activity by measuring the number of fluorescent microspheres taken up by the cells. The phagocytic activity of RAW 264 cells in the presence of LPS was unaffected by emu oil. We also determined production of nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the culture medium using the Griess reaction and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, and the protein expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) using western blotting. The results indicated that emu oil reduced the LPS-induced production of NO, TNF-α, and iNOS expression in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggested that emu oil does not reduce the phagocytic clearance rate of inflammatory matter; however, it does reduce the production of NO and TNF-α in macrophages. These latter products enhance the inflammatory response and emu oil thereby demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties.

The data provided herein include flow-mediated vasodilation responses, represented by changes in arterial diameter, and blood pressure in young adults after a single oral dose of edible emu oil or placebo (cross-over design). Ten healthy men and 10 healthy women participated. Increased blood flow in the antebrachial region was induced by inflating a pressure cuff and subsequently releasing the pressure by deflating the cuff. After the release, the arterial diameter was continuously monitored for 110 sec using ultrasonic diagnostic equipment. The changes in the arterial diameter from 20 to 110 sec post-cuff deflation are described in line graphs and tables. In addition, systolic and diastolic blood pressure data are provided in a table.

This data article describes the flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) responses, represented by changes in arterial diameter, and blood pressure changes in young adults after a single oral dose of camu camu ( Myrciaria dubia ) pericarp extract or placebo (cross-over design). Ten healthy men and 10 healthy women participated in this study. Ultrasonic diagnostic equipment was used to monitor arterial diameter changes, indicative of FMD, for 110 s after the administration of the camu camu extract or placebo. In addition, the systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were recorded.

Fish sauce is a brownish liquid seasoning with a characteristic flavor that is produced in Asian countries and limited areas of Europe. The types of fish and shellfish and fermentation process used in its production depend on the region from which it derives. Variations in ingredients and fermentation procedures yield end products with different smells, tastes, and colors. For this data article, we employed an electronic panel (e-panel) technique including an electronic nose (e-nose), electronic tongue (e-tongue), and electronic eye (e-eye), in which smell, taste, and color are evaluated by sensors instead of the human nose, tongue, and eye to avoid subjective error. The presented data comprise clustering of 46 commercially available fish sauce products based separate e-nose, e-tongue, and e-eye test results. Sensory intensity data from the e-nose, e-tongue, and e-eye were separately classified by cluster analysis and are shown in dendrograms. The hierarchical cluster analysis indicates major three groups on e-nose and e-tongue data, and major four groups on e-eye data.

This data article reports the chemical properties (moisture, pH, salinity, and soluble solid content) and colors of fermenting materials in salmon fish sauce products. The fish sauce was produced by mixing salt with differing proportions of raw salmon materials and fermenting for three months; the salmon materials comprised flesh, viscera, an inedible portion, and soft roe. Chemical properties and colors of the unrefined fish sauce ( moromi ), and the refined fish sauce, were analyzed at one, two, and three months following the start of fermentation. Data determined for all products are provided in table format.

This article describes the analysis of volatile compounds in fermented materials used for salmon fish sauce production via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Ten types of fish sauces were produced from raw salmon materials, including various proportions of flesh, viscera, inedible portion (heads, fins, and backbones), and soft roe, by mixing them with salt and allowing them to ferment for up to three months. The volatile compounds were captured by a solid-phase microextraction method and then applied to GC/MS for separation and identification of the compounds in the fish sauce products. The number of volatile compounds identified in the starting materials varied from 15 to 29 depending on the ingredients. The number of compounds in the final fish sauce products was reduced by 3.4-94.7% of that in the original material. The retention times and names of the identified compounds, as well as their relative peak areas, are provided in a Microsoft Excel Worksheet.

This data article provides the results of skin sensitization testing for emu and macadamia nut oil on 20 participants (ages 22-59 years old), including 3 men and 17 women. The test was carried out by performing a standard patch test using a Finn Chamber on Scanpor tape. The oils were applied to the participant's back using the tape and left in place for 24 h. After 1- and 24-h from removal of the tape, the reaction of the participant's skin was judged based on a scoring method recommended by Japanese Patch Test Research Group. Results are shown in table format.

This data article reports on the chemical properties of commercial fish sauce products associated with the fish sauce taste and flavor. All products were analyzed in triplicate. Dried solid content was analyzed by moisture analyzer. Fish sauce salinity was determined by a salt meter. pH was measured using a pH meter. The acidity was determined using a titration assay. Amino nitrogen and total nitrogen were evaluated using a titration assay and Combustion-type nitrogen analyzer, respectively. The analyzed products originated from Japan, Thailand, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Italy. Data on the chemical properties of the products are provided in table format in the current article.

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) associates with nontoxic proteins, either a nontoxic nonhemagglutinin (NTNHA) or the complex of NTNHA and hemagglutinin (HA), to form M- or L-toxin complexes (TCs). Single BoNT and NTNHA molecules are associated and form M-TC. A trimer of the 70-kDa HA protein (HA-70) attaches to the M-TC to form M-TC/HA-70. Further, 1-3 arm-like 33- and 17-kDa HA molecules (HA-33/HA-17 trimer), consisting of 1 HA-17 protein and 2 HA-33 proteins, can attach to the M-TC/HA-70 complex, yielding 1-, 2-, and 3-arm L-TC. In this study, the purified 1- and 2-arm L-TCs spontaneously converted into another L-TC species after acquiring the HA-33/HA-17 trimer from other TCs during long-term storage and freezing/thawing. Transmission electron microscopy analysis provided evidence of the formation of detached HA-33/HA-17 trimers in the purified TC preparation. These findings provide evidence of reversible association/dissociation of the M-TC/HA-70 complex with the HA-33/HA-17 trimers, as well as dynamic conversion of the quaternary structure of botulinum TC in culture.

This data article describes a sensory evaluation of potatoes used in food processing from the Tokachi, Kamikawa, and Abashiri geographic areas of Hokkaido, Japan, performed by untrained young adults. We gathered sensory data on potatoes from the four cultivars 'Toyoshiro,' 'Kitahime,' 'Snowden,' and 'Poroshiri.' The sensory evaluation was performed on steamed potatoes from each cultivar; these potatoes were harvested from each of the three geographic areas. Table 1 provides the data from the evaluation of the five basic tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami), as well as the evaluation of the egumi taste, which is a Japanese term indicating a taste that is acrid, astringent, and slightly bitter.

The most recent and innovative silicon carbide (SiC) fiber ceramic matrix composites, used for lightweight high-heat engine parts in aerospace applications, are woven, layered, and then surrounded by a SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC). To further improve both the mechanical properties and thermal and oxidative resistance abilities of this material, SiC nanotubes and nanowires (SiCNT/NWs) are grown on the surface of the SiC fiber via carbon nanotube conversion. This conversion utilizes the shape memory synthesis (SMS) method, starting with carbon nanotube (CNT) growth on the SiC fiber surface, to capitalize on the ease of dense surface morphology optimization and the ability to effectively engineer the CNT-SiC fiber interface to create a secure nanotube-fiber attachment. Then, by converting the CNTs to SiCNT/NWs, the relative morphology, advantageous mechanical properties, and secure connection of the initial CNT-SiC fiber architecture are retained, with the addition of high temperature and oxidation resistance. The resultant SiCNT/NW-SiC fiber can be used inside the SiC ceramic matrix composite for a high-heat turbo engine part with longer fatigue life and higher temperature resistance. The differing sides of the woven SiCNT/NWs act as the "hook and loop" mechanism of Velcro but in much smaller scale.

Wild animals generally avoid even small and harmless novel objects and/or familiar objects moved to a novel position, which is termed "new-object reaction". Although new-object reaction appears to be a biologically important characteristic for animals, little progress has been made in understanding the neural mechanisms underlying new-object reaction. One reason might be the lack of effective experimental animals. Two strains of roof rats (Sj and Og strains) were established from wild roof rats caught in Shinjuku, Tokyo and one of the Ogasawara Islands, respectively, by a Japanese pest control company. Based on the rat caregivers' informal observations, we conducted behavioral and anatomical tests to assess the validity of Sj and Og strains for the analyses of new-object reaction. In Experiment 1, the Sj strain showed reduced food consumption compared with the Og strain when food was provided in a novel way, suggesting that the Sj strain had a stronger avoidance of novel objects compared with the Og strain. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the basolateral complex of the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis in experimental Sj rats had a larger percentage area compared with that of experimental Og rats, indicating these nuclei might be involved in the difference observed in avoidance of novel objects between the strains. Taken together, the present study suggests that Sj and Og strains are effective experimental animals for assessing new-object reaction.

This data article provides the weights, specific gravities and chemical compositions (moisture, protein, fat, ash, and carbohydrate) of potato tubers, for food processing use, from the Tokachi, Kamikawa and Abashiri areas of Hokkaido, Japan. Potato tubers of four cultivars ('Toyoshiro', 'Kitahime', 'Snowden' and 'Poroshiri') were employed in the current study. The weights and specific gravities of potato tubers from each cultivar, harvested from three areas, were measured, and those of near average weight and specific gravity from each group were analyzed for their chemical composition. In this article, weight, specific gravity, and chemical composition data are provided in tables.

This study investigated the prophylactic effects of orally administered surface-deacetylated chitin nanofibers (SDACNFs) and chitosan against 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced intestinal mucositis, which is a common side effect of 5-FU chemotherapy. SDACNFs and chitosan abolished histological abnormalities associated with intestinal mucositis and suppressed hypoproliferation and apoptosis of intestinal crypt cells. These results indicate that SDACNF and chitosan are useful agents for preventing mucositis induced by anti-cancer drugs.

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) depletion is a serious problem for plant growth. Membrane lipid remodeling is a defense mechanism that plants use to survive Pi-depleted conditions. During Pi starvation, phospholipids are degraded to supply Pi for other essential biological processes, whereas galactolipid synthesis in plastids is up-regulated via the transcriptional activation of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol synthase 3 (MGD3). Thus, the produced galactolipids are transferred to extraplastidial membranes to substitute for phospholipids. We found that, Pi starvation induced oil accumulation in the vegetative tissues of various seed plants without activating the transcription of enzymes involved in the later steps of triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis. Moreover, the Arabidopsis starchless phosphoglucomutase mutant, pgm-1, accumulated higher TAG levels than did wild-type plants under Pi-depleted conditions. We generated transgenic plants that expressed a key gene involved in TAG synthesis using the Pi deficiency-responsive MGD3 promoter in wild-type and pgm-1 backgrounds. During Pi starvation, the transgenic plants accumulated higher TAG amounts compared with the non-transgenic plants, suggesting that the Pi deficiency-responsive promoter of galactolipid synthase in plastids may be useful for producing transgenic plants that accumulate more oil under Pi-depleted conditions.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) disrupts movement of the left atrium (LA) and worsens the vital prognosis by causing thromboembolism. Ultrasound Doppler measurement, phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC MRI), as well as computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have revealed hemodynamic changes in the LA due to AF, such as stagnation of blood flow in the left atrial appendage (LAA). However, quantitative evaluation of the hemodynamics during AF has not been conducted, and the effects of important AF characteristics, such as a lack of active contraction of the LA (atrial kick) in late diastole and the occurrence of high-frequency fibrillation (>400bpm) of the atrial wall, on blood flow field and concomitant hemodynamic stresses have not been completely understood. In this study, the effects of the above-mentioned two characteristic phenomena of AF on blood flow and hemodynamic parameters were quantitatively investigated. Based on MRI of a healthy volunteer heart, one healthy LA model and two AF models (one without atrial kick, and one without atrial kick and with high-frequency fibrillation) were constructed to perform hemodynamic analysis, and the computational results were compared. The results revealed that each characteristic phenomenon of AF influenced hemodynamics. Especially, atrial wall movement by high-frequency fibrillation had a large impact on the stagnation of blood flow. The relative residence time (RRT), which is an indicator of stagnation of blood flow, increased in the upper part of the LAA during AF. This result implies that there is a local thrombus-prone site in LAA when AF occurs., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Rapamycin has been reported to inhibit mesenchymal cell proliferation in a murine model of pulmonary fibrosis. In the present study, we examined the effects of rapamycin on vascular remodeling including intraluminal myofibroblast proliferation in a murine model of allergic vasculitis with eosinophil infiltration., Methods: C57BL/6 mice were sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA) and alum. The positive controls were exposed to aerosolized OVA daily for 7 days. The other group of mice was administered with rapamycin (1mg/kg) intraperitoneally, in parallel with daily exposure to aerosolized OVA for 7 days. On the 3rd and 7th day, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed and the lungs were excised for pathological analysis. Cell differentials were determined and concentrations of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and TGF-β in the BAL fluid (BALF) were measured. Semi-quantitative analysis of pathological changes in the pulmonary arteries was evaluated according to the severity of vasculitis., Results: The number of eosinophils in BALF was reduced significantly in the mice treated with rapamycin compared to the positive control. There was a significant decrease in the TGF-β concentration of the BALF in the rapamycin-treated group compared to that of the positive control. The pathological scores were reduced significantly in the rapamycin-treated group compared to the positive control group. Intraluminal myofibroblasts in pulmonary arteries were reduced dramatically in the rapamycin-treated group compared to the positive control group., Conclusions: Rapamycin suppressed pulmonary vascular remodeling in a murine model of allergic vasculitis with eosinophil infiltration through reducing eosinophil infiltration and TGF-β production in the lung and inhibition against biological action of TGF-β.

Flower glycerolipids are the yet-to-be discovered frontier of the lipidome. Although ample evidence suggests important roles for glycerolipids in flower development, stage-specific lipid profiling in tiny Arabidopsis flowers is challenging. Here, we utilized a transgenic system to synchronize flower development in Arabidopsis. The transgenic plant PAP1::AP1-GR ap1-1 cal-5 showed synchronized flower development upon dexamethasone treatment, which enabled massive harvesting of floral samples of homogenous developmental stages for glycerolipid profiling. Glycerolipid profiling revealed a decrease in concentrations of phospholipids involved in signaling during the early development stages, such as phosphatidic acid and phosphatidylinositol, and a marked increase in concentrations of nonphosphorous galactolipids during the late stage. Moreover, in the midstage, phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate concentration was increased transiently, which suggests the stimulation of the phosphoinositide metabolism. Accompanying transcriptomic profiling of relevant glycerolipid metabolic genes revealed simultaneous induction of multiple phosphoinositide biosynthetic genes associated with the increased phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate concentration, with a high degree of differential expression patterns for genes encoding other glycerolipid-metabolic genes. The phosphatidic acid phosphatase mutant pah1 pah2 showed flower developmental defect, suggesting a role for phosphatidic acid in flower development. Our concurrent profiling of glycerolipids and relevant metabolic gene expression revealed distinct metabolic pathways stimulated at different stages of flower development in Arabidopsis., (© 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.)

Phosphate (Pi) limitation causes drastic lipid remodeling in plant membranes. Glycolipids substitute for the phospholipids that are degraded, thereby supplying Pi needed for essential biological processes. Two major types of remodeling of membrane lipids occur in higher plants: whereas one involves an increase in the concentration of sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol in plastids to compensate for a decreased concentration of phosphatidylglycerol, the other involves digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) synthesis in plastids and the export of DGDG to extraplastidial membranes to compensate for reduced abundances of phospholipids. Lipid remodeling depends on an adequate supply of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG), which is a substrate that supports the elevated rate of DGDG synthesis that is induced by low Pi availability. Regulation of MGDG synthesis has been analyzed most extensively using the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, although orthologous genes that encode putative MGDG synthases exist in photosynthetic organisms from bacteria to higher plants. We recently hypothesized that two types of MGDG synthase diverged after the appearance of seed plants. This divergence might have both enabled plants to adapt to a wide range of Pi availability in soils and contributed to the diversity of seed plants. In the work presented here, we found that membrane lipid remodeling also takes place in sesame, which is one of the most common traditional crops grown in Asia. We identified two types of MGDG synthase from sesame (encoded by SeMGD1 and SeMGD2) and analyzed their enzymatic properties. Our results show that both genes correspond to the Arabidopsis type-A and -B isoforms of MGDG synthase. Notably, whereas Pi limitation up-regulates only the gene encoding the type-B isoform of Arabidopsis, low Pi availability up-regulates the expression of both SeMGD1 and SeMGD2. We discuss the significance of the different responses to low Pi availability in sesame and Arabidopsis.

9,10-Phenanthraquinone (9,10-PQ) is abundant in diesel exhaust particles (DEP) and causes oxidative protein modification in cells. We previously reported that redox cycling of 9,10-PQ with dithiols leads to the generation of an excess of superoxide (O₂•⁻). Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD), which dismutates O₂•⁻ to hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), is sensitive to its own product, H₂O₂. In this study, incubating 9,10-PQ with dithiols, but not monothiols, for 24 hr, resulted in the conversion of native Cu,Zn-SOD to its charge isomers, some of which did not show enzyme activity. Exposing Cu,Zn-SOD to 9,10-PQ in the presence of dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA), a model for low molecular weight endogenous dithiols, caused a concentration-dependent decrease in the enzyme activity. Under these conditions, copper release from the active site and Cu,Zn-SOD oxidation were detected, the evidence for which was carbonyl formation. Experiments using agents that scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) indicated that the hydroxyl radical (•OH) derived from H₂O₂ plays a critical role in the fragmentation of the enzyme. The findings presented suggest that Cu,Zn-SOD readily undergoes oxidative modification associated with activity loss, caused by ROS generated by the redox cycling of 9,10-PQ with endogenous dithiols such as DHLA and, presumably, proximal protein thiols.

Drug metabolizing activities of cytochromes P450 (P450s, or CYPs) 3A4 and 3A5 in liver microsomes from the cynomolgus monkey [Macaca fascicularis (mf)] were investigated and compared with those of human P450 3A enzymes. Low activities for dealkylation of ethoxyresorufin and pentoxyresorufin were seen in recombinant monkey mfCYP3A4 and mfCYP3A5 and in recombinant human CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 expressed in bacterial membranes. Hydroxylation activities of mfCYP3A4 and mfCYP3A5 toward coumarin, paclitaxel, diclofenac, flurbiprofen, and S-mephenytoin were below detectable levels, as was also true for CYP3A4 and CYP3A5. Monkey mfCYP3A5 and mfCYP3A4 were highly active in bufuralol 1'-hydroxylation. mfCYP3A5 was efficient at dextromethorphan O-demethylation, although human CYP3A5 was unable to catalyze this reaction. Apparent bufuralol 1'-hydroxylation and dextromethorphan O-demethylation activities of monkey liver microsomes were higher than those of human liver microsomes, possibly because of contributions of mfCYP3A5 to these P450 2D-dependent drug oxidations. mfCYP3A5 and CYP3A5 catalyzed midazolam 1'-hydroxylation at a low substrate concentration more efficiently than the corresponding CYP3A4. mfCYP3A5 had higher testosterone 6beta-hydroxylase activity than mfCYP3A4, but the reverse relationship was observed in oxidation of nifedipine and hydroxylation of dexamethasone. These results demonstrate that monkey P450 3A enzymes have similar substrate selectivity to that of human P450 3A enzymes, but exhibit wider substrate selectivity toward P450 2D substrates.

Phosphate is an essential nutrient for plant viability. It is well-established that phosphate starvation triggers membrane lipid remodeling, a process that converts significant portion of phospholipids to non-phosphorus-containing galactolipids. This remodeling is mediated by either phospholipase C (PLC) or phospholipase D (PLD) in combination with phosphatidate phosphatase (PAP). Two PLC genes, NPC4 and NPC5, and PLD genes, PLDzeta1 and PLDzeta2, are shown to be involved in the remodeling. However, gene knockout studies show that none of them plays decisive roles in the remodeling. Thus, although this phenomenon is widely observed among plants, the key enzyme(s) responsible for the lipid remodeling in a whole plant body is unknown; therefore, the physiological significance of this conversion process has remained to be elucidated. We herein focused on PAP as a key enzyme for this adaptation, and identified Arabidopsis lipin homologs, AtPAH1 and AtPAH2, that encode the PAPs involved in galactolipid biosynthesis. Double mutant pah1pah2 plants had decreased phosphatidic acid hydrolysis, thus affecting the eukaryotic pathway of galactolipid synthesis. Upon phosphate starvation, pah1pah2 plants were severely impaired in growth and membrane lipid remodeling. These results indicate that PAH1 and PAH2 are the PAP responsible for the eukaryotic pathway of galactolipid synthesis, and the membrane lipid remodeling mediated by these two enzymes is an essential adaptation mechanism to cope with phosphate starvation.

A new chemiluminescence biochemical oxygen demand (BOD(CL)) determining method was studied by employing redox reaction between quinone and Baker's yeast. The measurement was carried out by utilizing luminol chemiluminescence (CL) reaction catalyzed by ferricyanide with oxidized quinone of menadione, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae using a batch-type luminometer. In this study, dimethyl sulfoxide was used as a solvent for menadione. After optimization of the measuring conditions, the CL response to hydrogen peroxide in the incubation mixture had a linear response between 0.1 and 100 microM H2O2 (r2=0.9999, 8 points, n=3, average of relative standard deviation; R.S.D.(av)=4.22%). Next, a practical relationship between the BOD(CL) response and the glucose glutamic acid concentration was obtained over a range of 11-220 mg O2 L(-1) (6 points, n=3, R.S.D.(av) 3.71%) with a detection limit of 5.5 mg O2 L(-1) when using a reaction mixture and incubating for only 5 min. Subsequently, the characterization of this method was studied. First, the BOD(CL) responses to 16 pure organic substances were examined. Second, the influences of chloride ions, artificial seawater, and heavy metal ions on the BOD(CL) response were investigated. Real sample measurements using river water were performed. Finally, BOD(CL) responses were obtained for at least 8 days when the S. cerevisiae suspension was stored at 4 degrees C (response reduction, 69.9%; R.S.D. for 5 testing days, 18.7%). BOD(CL) responses after 8 days and 24 days were decreased to 69.9% and 35.8%, respectively, from their original values (R.S.D. for 8 days involving 5 testing days, 18.7%).

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) has antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori in vitro and is effective to suppress bacterial colonization in mice. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy of orally administered bLF on H. pylori colonization in humans by a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Fifty-nine healthy subjects positive for H. pylori infection were recruited. Subjects were randomized into two groups. The bLF group received bLF tablets at a dosage of 200 mg b.i.d. for a period of 12 weeks, and the control group received placebo tablets without bLF. The (13)C-urea breath test (UBT) was performed before, during, and at the end of administration, and again 4 weeks after administration. Positive response was defined as more than 50% decrease of the UBT value at the end of administration. Positive response was observed in 10 of 31 bLF-treated subjects (32.3%) and 1 of 28 control subjects (3.6%), indicating that the rate of positive response in the bLF group was significantly higher than that in the control group (bLF vs. control, P < 0.01). These results suggested that bLF administration is effective to suppress H. pylori colonization.

A 59-year-old man was referred for evaluation of nephrotic syndrome. The patient was diagnosed to have rheumatoid arthritis and had been treated for 10 years. Renal biopsy showed mesangial proliferation with small nodular formations, which were determined as fibrillary deposits (average diameter: 20 nm) by electromicroscopy. Congo-red stain was negative. The laboratory findings revealed hypocomplementemia and lambda type of Bence-Jones protein in urine without other systemic diseases including multiple myeloma. Immunosuppressive therapy did not attenuate the nephrotic-range proteinuria. Such a case of fibrillary glomerulonephritis with hypocomplementemia is rare.

This study examined the mid-term (more than 5 years) results of cementless total hip arthroplasty (THA) using Biomet acetabular cups (locking mechanism: Hexloc type or Ringloc type). A series of 58 patients (70 hips) who had undergone cementless THA at our department were available for inclusion in this study. The average age at surgery was 55.2 years, and the average follow-up was 6 years 10 months. Osteolysis occurred in five cases. In the group with osteolysis, the average annual linear wear was 0.18 mm/year, and in the group without osteolysis it was 0.10 mm/year. The higher linear wear rate in the osteolysis group was statistically significant compared to that in the nonosteolysis group. The age of the patient was closely related to polyethylene (PE) wear in the Hexloc group but not in the Ringloc group. In the Ringloc group there was no close correlation between the thickness of the PE liner and the average annual linear wear, whereas in the Hexloc group the thicker liner had significantly less annual linear wear. It was thought that PE wear of the Hexloc cup was more susceptible to the age of the patient at surgery and the PE thickness than that of the Ringloc cup owing to several structural differences, such as rotational stability and conformity between the metal cup and the PE liner.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is involved in many pathologic conditions through its potent proinflammatory and vasoactive effects. Using a specific PAF antagonist, SM-12502, we investigated the role of PAF in rat experimental glomerular thrombosis. In this model, sequential injections of nephrotoxic serum (NTS) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) selectively induce glomerular fibrin deposition accompanied by neutrophil accumulation. SM-12502, when injected simultaneously with either NTS or LPS, strongly inhibited glomerular fibrin deposition in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, neutrophil invasion was similar in both SM-12502-injected and uninjected rats, suggesting that the antithrombotic effect was not mediated by inhibition of neutrophil migration. However, serum myeloperoxidase activity, a marker of neutrophil activation, was significantly suppressed by treatment with SM-12502. From a previous finding supporting the indispensable role of neutrophils in this model and the current observations, SM-12502 is suggested to attenuate glomerular thrombosis by inhibiting neutrophil activation. Thus, the present findings suggest an involvement of PAF in this glomerular thrombosis model., (Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel)

Ulinastatin is a potent protease inhibitor purified from the human urine that has been used clinically to treat acute pancreatitis and circulatory shock. In the current study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of Ulinastatin in a rat model of crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) and investigated its putative mechanisms. Wistar-Kyoto rats were injected with nephrotoxic serum and received daily intraperitoneal injection of Ulinastatin. Ulinastatin treatment significantly reduced proteinuria and glomerular crescentic formation. Moreover, glomerular infiltration of neutrophils and ED1+ cells (monocytes/macrophages) was significantly suppressed by Ulinastatin. In contrast, the glomerular deposition of heterologous (rabbit) and autologous (rat) antibodies was not changed. Neither serum complement activation nor the anti-rabbit immune response was affected by Ulinastatin administration. Our results suggest that Ulinastatin has preventive effects on rat experimental CrGN, mediated at least in part by inhibiting intraglomerular infiltration of inflammatory cells., (Copyright 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel)

We report the case of a 72 year-old female patient who suffered from biliary fistulae. The biliobiliary and bilioduodenal fistulae appeared after an operation for biliary bleeding. Conventional therapy for biliary fistula would be the disconnection of the fistula by either conservative or operative treatment. In the present case, however, it was preferable to enlarge the fistula to drain bile juice into the duodenum, rather than to close the fistula because it would have been difficult to achieve a tight adhesion with this operation. The enlargement by a plastic tube stent failed to drain the bile juice into the duodenum, because the sludge made the tube stenotic. Therefore, a self-expandable metallic stent was applied in this case. An expandable stent was used because a large final caliber is necessary to prevent stenosis of the fistula by sludge and mucosal hyperplasia. After insertion of a self-expandable metallic stent by the percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage route, the patient has not suffered from cholestasis and cholangitis for the last 30 months. It can therefore be concluded that enlargement of the fistula by a self-expandable metallic stent is a convenient therapy for such biliointestinal fistulae.

Doppler color flow imaging is a useful tool in evaluating mitral regurgitation (MR). However, it is frequently difficult to assess prosthetic valve MR by the conventional transthoracic approach using left parasternal or apical echo-windows, because of the interception of ultrasound by the prosthesis or artifacts produced by its motion. The purpose of this study is to determine the usefulness of the "right" parasternal approach (RPA) in the echo diagnosis of prosthetic MR. Six patients with pathological prosthetic MR determined by transesophageal approach (TEA) were studied. Transthoracic echo was performed using both the RPA and the conventional approach, and the presence or absence and the extent of MR signals by these transthoracic approaches were compared with those by TEA. Prosthetic MR was detected in five of six patients by the RPA and the extent of MR signals by the RPA was very similar to that by TEE in each of the five patients. MR could not be detected by the RPA only in one patient, whose MR was estimated to be very mild by TEE. By the conventional approach, MR could not be detected in three patients and the degree of MR was significantly underestimated in two of the remaining three patients. Thus, the transthoracic RPA is often as useful as TEA in diagnosing prosthetic MR, which is often undetectable or underestimated by the conventional approach. Because the RPA is less invasive than TEA, the RPA should be encouraged in patients with suspected prosthetic mitral valve dysfunction.

We treated a patient with a complete invagination of the appendix which contained one large laminated calcified fecalithy. Colonofiberscopy showed a dimpling submucosal tumor, which was palpated as a bony hard tumor at laparotomy. This finding suggested that the fecalith caused an intussusception of the appendix and that such an intussusception should be suspected when there is a bony hard dimpling submucosal tumor in the cecum.

Antitumor effect of MMC + UFT(A) and MMC + tegafur(B) therapies for advanced gastric carcinoma was compared from February 1985 to March 1988. UFT and tegafur were orally given at dose of 400 mg/m2 daily, and MMC was intravenously administered at dose of 6-8 mg/m2 every two weeks. The following results were obtained. 1. Twenty-nine cases entered in this study were divided into A or B therapies at random. All cases entered were eligible. Fourteen of 29 cases were randomized into A therapy and 15 cases into B therapy. One case treated with B was evaluated as incomplete. 2. There were no differences in the characteristics of patients between A and B therapies. 3. Among 29 eligible cases, a partial response was obtained in 3 out of 14 cases (21.4%) treated with A and in 3 out of 15 cases (20.0%) treated with B. Among 28 cases evaluated completely, a partial response was obtained in 3 out of 14 cases (21.4%) treated with each A and B. 4. Response rate with every ps or for every lesion did not differ between A and B therapies. 5. Median survival day treated with A and B therapies was 223 and 181 days, respectively. The survival curve did not differ significantly between the two therapies. 6. The frequency of adverse reactions within eight weeks after beginning the therapy was 64.2 and 73.3% with A and B therapies, respectively. From the results mentioned, it was concluded that the antitumor effect of UFT was not superior to that of tegafur for advanced gastric carcinoma.