Search

A 25-month-old female crossbred cow presented with astasia, emaciation, and stunted growth. Macroscopic examination revealed a large mass in the abdominal cavity, approximately 100 × 30 × 30 cm. Microscopic examination revealed that the mass consisted of multilobular mature and immature cartilaginous matrices with chondrocytic cells, surrounded by spindle to pleomorphic mesenchymal tumor cells. The cartilaginous matrices consisted of hyaline and elastic cartilages, as confirmed with Azan stain, and Victoria Blue and Van Gieson stain. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the chondrocytic and mesenchymal cells both expressed S-100. The tumor was diagnosed as an extraskeletal chondrosarcoma in the abdominal cavity of this cow.

In human and dogs, bladder cancer (BC) is the most common neoplasm affecting the urinary tract. Dog BC resembles human muscle‐invasive BC in histopathological characteristics and gene expression profiles, and could be an important research model for this disease. Cancer patient‐derived organoid culture can recapitulate organ structures and maintains the gene expression profiles of original tumor tissues. In a previous study, we generated dog prostate cancer organoids using urine samples, however dog BC organoids had never been produced. Therefore we aimed to generate dog BC organoids using urine samples and check their histopathological characteristics, drug sensitivity, and gene expression profiles. Organoids from individual BC dogs were successfully generated, expressed urothelial cell markers (CK7, CK20, and UPK3A) and exhibited tumorigenesis in vivo. In a cell viability assay, the response to combined treatment with a range of anticancer drugs (cisplatin, vinblastine, gemcitabine or piroxicam) was markedly different in each BC organoid. In RNA‐sequencing analysis, expression levels of basal cell markers (CK5 and DSG3) and several novel genes (MMP28,CTSE,CNN3,TFPI2,COL17A1, and AGPAT4) were upregulated in BC organoids compared with normal bladder tissues or two‐dimensional (2D) BC cell lines. These established dog BC organoids might be a useful tool, not only to determine suitable chemotherapy for BC diseased dogs but also to identify novel biomarkers in human muscle‐invasive BC. In the present study, for the 1st time, dog BC organoids were generated and several specifically upregulated organoid genes were identified. Our data suggest that dog BC organoids might become a new tool to provide fresh insights into both dog BC therapy and diagnostic biomarkers.

This study investigated the effect of exogenously administered polyphenolic antioxidant, α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ), on neural function in rats following dietary exposure at 0.5% from gestational day 6 to postnatal day 77, in comparison with nonpolyphenolic α-lipoic acid (ALA) at 0.2%. AGIQ-exposed offspring revealed enhanced fear extinction learning at the 3rd trial and transcript upregulation of Fos and Kif21b in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and Grin2d in the amygdala. AGIQ also increased the number of FOS-immunoreactive (+) hippocampal granule cells. While ALA showed fear extinction learning-related transcript expression changes, it changed neither fear extinction learning nor FOS+ cell numbers. The increases of FOS+ cells and Grin2d transcripts by AGIQ suggested an association with increase of synaptic plasticity, leading to enhancement of fear extinction learning. AGIQ may also upregulate KIF21B, a recently identified memory-rewriting molecule. The present study findings suggest a possible therapeutic use of AGIQ in mitigating some stress disorders.

Hypothyroidism during the developmental stage induces disruption of hippocampal neurogenesis in later life, as well as inducing oxidative stress in the brain. The present study investigated the preventive effect of co-exposure to an antioxidant on disruptive neurogenesis induced by developmental exposure to anti-thyroid agent in rats. For this purpose, we used two antioxidants, α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ) and α-lipoic acid (ALA). Mated female Sprague Dawley rats were either untreated (control) or treated with 12 ppm 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU), an anti-thyroid agent, in drinking water from gestational day 6 to postnatal day (PND) 21, the latter group being subjected to feeding basal diet alone or diet containing AGIQ at 5,000 ppm or ALA at 2,000 ppm during PTU exposure. On PND 21, PTU-exposed offspring showed reductions in a broad range of granule cell lineage subpopulations and a change in the number of GABAergic interneuron subpopulations. Co-exposure of AGIQ or ALA with PTU altered the transcript levels of many genes across multiple functions, suggestive of enhancement of synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis. Nevertheless, immunohistochemical results did not support these changes. PTU exposure and co-exposure of AGIQ or ALA with PTU did not alter the hippocampal lipid peroxidation level. The obtained results suggest a possibility that thyroid hormone depletion itself primarily disrupts neurogenesis and that oxidative stress may not be involved in the disruption during development. Transcript expression changes of many genes caused by antioxidants may be the result of neuroprotective actions of antioxidants rather than their antioxidant activity. However, no preventive effect on neurogenesis suggested impairment of protein synthesis via an effect on mRNA translation due to hypothyroidism.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by excessive deposition of droplets in hepatocytes. Patients with NAFLD can be at risk for nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to hepatocellular carcinoma. Autophagy is a cellular pathway that is crucial for survival and homeostasis, and which protects against pathophysiological changes like obesity and cancer. We determined the expression of autophagy markers in preneoplastic hepatic lesions and the effects of an autophagy repressor chloroquine (CQ) or inducer amiodarone (AM) in a steatosis-related hepatocarcinogenesis model. Male F344 rats were fed a control diet or high fat diet (HFD), and subjected to initiation and promotion steps with N-nitrosodiethylamine injection at week 0 and a partial hepatectomy at week 3. Several HFD-fed rats were administered 0.1% CQ and 0.5% AM in their drinking water during week 2 and 8. CQ and AM did not improve HFD-induced obesity. AM, but not CQ, significantly decreased the number of glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive preneoplastic liver foci in the liver. Autophagosome markers LC3 and the LC3-binding protein p62 were heterogeneously expressed in the preneoplastic foci. CQ might inhibit autophagy by significantly increased p62/LC3 ratio, while AM might have a potential of inducing autophagy by showing an increased gene expression of the autophagy regulator, Atg5. These results suggest that preneoplastic lesions express autophagosome markers and that AM might decrease steatosis-related early hepatocarcinogenesis by potentially inducing autophagy in HFD-fed rats, while inhibition of autophagy by CQ did not alter the hepatocarcinogenesis. However, an immunohistochemical trial revealed a technical limitation in detecting autophagosome markers because there were variations in each preneoplastic lesion.

Developmental hypothyroidism as a model of autism spectrum disorders disrupts hippocampal neurogenesis through the adult stage. The present study investigated the ameliorating effect of postweaning exposure to antioxidant on the hypothyroidism-induced disruptive neurogenesis. Mated female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 0 or 10 ppm 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU) as an anti-thyroid agent in drinking water from gestational day 6 to postnatal day (PND) 21 on weaning. PTU-exposed male offspring were fed either basal diet, diet containing α-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ) at 5,000 ppm or α-lipoic acid (ALA) at 1,000 ppm as an antioxidant from PND 21 to PND 77. PTU-exposure decreased DCX+ and NeuN+ granule cell lineage subpopulations, synaptic plasticity-related FOS+ granule cells, and hilar PVALB+ and GAD67+ GABAergic interneurons, increased hilar SST+ and CALB2+ interneurons, and upregulated Gria3, Otx2, and antioxidant enzyme genes in the dentate gyrus on PND 77. These results suggest disruption of neurogenesis remained in relation with increase of oxidative stress and compensatory responses to the disruption at the adult stage. AGIQ recovered expression of some antioxidant enzyme genes and was effective for restoration of NeuN+ postmitotic granule cells and PVALB+ and SST+ interneurons. In contrast, ALA was effective for restoration of all interneuron subpopulations, as well as postmitotic granule cells, and upregulated Grin2a that may play a role for the restoration. Both antioxidants recovered expression of Otx2 and AGIQ-alone recovered Gria3, suggesting a reversal of disruptive neurogenesis by compensatory responses. Thus, postweaning antioxidant exposure may be effective for ameliorating developmental hypothyroidism-induced disruptive neurogenesis by restoring the function of regulatory system.

New derivatives of pyridinyloxyphenoxypropionic acid were synthesizd, which have a keto group in their ester-alkyl structures. Some acylmethyl esters, e.g., acetylmethyl ester, hydroxyacetylmethyl ester and diazoacetylmethyl ester, were found to show outstanding herbicidal activity against grass weeds. A study of the hydrolysis rate of esters with regard to their pro-herbicide action is also discussed.

Despite many recent studies of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) structures, it is not yet well understood how these receptors activate G proteins. The GPCR assay using baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is an effective experimental model for the characterization of GPCR-Gα interactions. Here, using the yeast endogenous Gα protein (Gpa1p) as template, we constructed various chimeric Gα proteins with a region that is considered to be necessary for interaction with mammalian receptors. The signaling assay using the yeast pheromone receptor revealed that the chimeric Gα protein harboring 37 gustducin-specific amino acid residues at its C-terminus (GPA1/gust37) maintained functionality in yeast. In contrast, GPA1/gust44, a variant routinely used in mammalian experimental systems, was not functional.

We investigated the anti-tumor effects of a dry powder preparation of the antlered form of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum AF, rokkaku-reishi in Japanese), a variant type of G. lucidum, not only in allogeneic Sarcoma 180-bearing ddY mice, but also in syngeneic MM 46-bearing C3H/He mice. G. lucidum AF inhibited tumor growth and elongated the life span when orally administered to mice by free-feeding of a 2.5% G. lucidum AF-containing diet. It also showed anti-tumor activity in spite of post-feeding after tumor inoculation. G. lucidum AF significantly countered the depression of splenic CD8+ cells and protected the decrease in interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production in regional lymph nodes of MM 46-bearing mice, indicating that the anti-tumor activity of G. lucidum AF might be caused by its immunostimulating action. These results suggest that the ingestion of G. lucidum AF can be useful for the prevention and curing of cancer.

Flower color is most often conferred by colored flavonoid pigments. Aurone flavonoids confer a bright yellow color on flowers such as snapdragon ( Antirrhinum majus ) and dahlia ( Dahlia variabilis ). A. majus aureusidin synthase (AmAS1) was identified as the key enzyme that catalyzes aurone biosynthesis from chalcones, but transgenic flowers overexpressing AmAS1 gene failed to produce aurones. Here, we report that chalcone 4′- O -glucosyltransferase (4′CGT) is essential for aurone biosynthesis and yellow coloration in vivo . Coexpression of the Am4 ′ CGT and AmAS1 genes was sufficient for the accumulation of aureusidin 6- O -glucoside in transgenic flowers ( Torenia hybrida ). Furthermore, their coexpression combined with down-regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis by RNA interference (RNAi) resulted in yellow flowers. An Am4′CGT-GFP chimeric protein localized in the cytoplasm, whereas the AmAS1(N1-60)-RFP chimeric protein was localized to the vacuole. We therefore conclude that chalcones are 4′- O -glucosylated in the cytoplasm, their 4′- O -glucosides transported to the vacuole, and therein enzymatically converted to aurone 6- O -glucosides. This metabolic pathway is unique among the known examples of flavonoid, including anthocyanin biosynthesis because, for all other compounds, the carbon backbone is completed before transport to the vacuole. Our findings herein not only demonstrate the biochemical basis of aurone biosynthesis but also open the way to engineering yellow flowers for major ornamental species lacking this color variant.

(+)-Sesamin, a furofuran class lignan, is widespread in vascular plants and represented by Sesamum spp. (+)-Sesamin has been of rapidly growing interest because of its beneficial biological effects in mammals, but its biosynthesis and physiological roles in plants remain to be clarified. It is speculated to be synthesized from (+)-pinoresinol by means of (+)-piperitol by formation of two methylenedioxy bridges mediated by two distinct Sesamum indicum cytochrome P450 (SiP450) proteins. Here, we report an SiP450, CYP81Q1, that alone catalyzes (+)-sesamin biosynthesis from (+)-pinoresinol by means of (+)-piperitol by forming two methylenedioxy bridges. The CYP81Q1 gene expression profile was temporally consistent with the accumulation pattern of (+)-sesamin during seed development. The CYP81Q1-GFP chimera protein was colocalized with an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-targeting chimera protein, indicating that (+)-sesamin biosynthesis occurs on the ER cytoplasmic surface. Moreover, we isolated two CYP81Q1 homologs from other Sesamum spp. Sesamum radiatum CYP81Q2 showed dual (+)-piperitol/(+)-sesamin synthetic activity. CYP81Q2, as well as CYP81Q1, therefore, corresponds to a (+)-piperitol/(+)-sesamin synthase in lignan biosynthesis. In contrast, Sesamum alatum CYP81Q3 showed no activity, in accord with (+)-sesamin being deficient in S. alatum . Our findings not only provide insight into lignan biosynthesis but also unravel a unique mode of cytochrome P450 action.

The preventive effect of oolong tea on vigil stress was investigated in 55 Chinese women. The subjects received 4 servings of tea bag daily, the tea bags in each containing 2 g dry weight of oolong tea or barley tea, or else water, for a period of one week. The results of a questionnaire indicated that ingestion of oolong tea improved symptoms of stress such as stiffness of the shoulders, fatigue of the eyes and headaches, as well as ameliorated the stress-induced increase in the number of errors in calculation tasks compared with controls. In addition, plasma cortisol levels were significantly lower in the oolong tea group (17.84 ± 2.46 µg/dl) than in the barley tea group (21.33 ± 6.47 µg /dl) or water group (22.95 ± 6.98 µg/dl). Ingestion of oolong tea significantly alleviated the vigil stress-induced increase in plasma lipid peroxide levels, which may have been related to the stress-relieving effects of caffeine or antioxidant properties of polyphenols contained in the tea. These findings suggested that oolong tea has anti-stress effect, with no adverse effects on appetite or physical fitness.

This study examined the hypoglycaemic activity of Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja (C. paliurus) in ICR mice by oral glucose tolerance testing. The blood glucose level was significantly lower in the C. paliurus extract treatment group than in the control group after animals were given sucrose. This difference was not observed following the administration of glucose. We demonstrated that the chronological change in the level of blood glucose in genetically hyperglycemic obese KK-Ay mice is significantly lower when C. paliurus extract is administered daily for three weeks. An in vitro study showed that C. paliurus inhibits alpha-glucosidase, a disaccharide-degrading enzyme in the small intestinal mucosa, leading to a decrease in the absorption of glucose into the blood and a subsequent lowering of the blood glucose level.

In normal mice, plasma histamine levels were 29.4+/-10.1 pmol/ml. When 0.1 microg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was intravenously injected into Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes)-primed ICR mice, histamine levels increased remarkably to 61.2+/-15.9 pmol/ml (p

Characteristic cavity in a crystal part of poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) (PMP) has been investigated by gas permeation and 129Xe NMR measurements for PMP membranes with various crystallinities. For the cavity, permeability coefficients of He, N2, O2, CH4, and CO2 have shown finite values, whereas those of C3H8 and tert-C4H10 have shown zero. From the analysis of 129Xe NMR chemical shifts of 129Xe sorbed in PMP membranes, it has been able to evaluate the size of the cavity in PMP crystal as about 4.5 A. These findings have indicated that gas molecules less than about 4.5 A can permeate the cavity in PMP crystal.

We investigated the effects of oolong tea on the basic metabolism of plasma lipids in mice under restraint stress. When a lipid emulsion (Intralipid 20%; a lipid emulsion containing 20% soybean oil) was injected intravenously into mice, the restraint stress prolonged the half-life (T 1/2) of elimination for plasma triglyceride (TG) from 28.7 to 55.5 min. The elimination rate per minute was 48.2% in stressed mice with the rate in starved control mice as 100%. Therefore, TG metabolism was disrupted by the stress, and the use of TG as an energy source decreased. We found that the metabolism of lipids significantly response to the restrained stress in the present study. Plasma TG was 515.9 +/- 29.9mg/dl 35min after Intralipid administration in control stressed mice, 478.7 +/- 26.7 mg/dl in the stressed group given caffeine 100 mg/kg of body weight, and 418.3 +/- 18.4 mg/dl in the stressed group given 1,000 mg/kg oolong tea, an improvement by 7.2% and 18.9%, respectively, with the value for the untreated control group. The intake of oolong tea alleviated the stress-induced decrease in the rate of blood lipid metabolism; this effect may have arisen from some non-specific stress-relieving property of the tea or from acceleration of lipid metabolism by properties of polyphenols, etc. in tea. Oolong tea had anti-stress effects on plasma TG metabolism, and the effects did not depend on caffeine.

Introduction: There are some attempts to use tissue-engineered materials for heart valvular substitutes, but it is not clear what is determinant of successful implantation of the substitutes. It is generally thought that appropriate cell migration into an implanted graft tissue is essential in order to sufficiently exert the functions as a native valve. Hypothesis: We are developing a novel autologous aortic valve (Biovalve), using simple, safe and economical in-body tissue engineering which is based on a tissue encapsulation phenomenon in the living body. In this study, we investigated key factors in hitogenesis when the Biovalve was implanted in a large animal model with transcatheter technique. Methods: Biovalves were prepared by 2-month embedding of the molds, assembled using plastic rods in the subcutaneous spaces of goats. After extracting the molds and removing the plastic rods only, Biovalve were constituted from completely autologous connective tissues. We combined the Biovalve with a metaric stent for transcatheter implantation. Twenty Biovalve Stents were implanted in the aorta (n=16) and the pulmonary artery (PA) (n=4) in situ with transcatheter apical approach technique. Results: The Biovalve Stents were successfully implanted in both aortic and PA postion. They were extracted every month (maximum 6 months) after implantation to observe their cell migration process. The leaflets of the Biovalve kept their shape and elasticity even after 6 months and neither calcification nor thrombi were observed. Histological examination showed the cell migration inside the Biovalve body and laminar endothelialization on the surface of the valve leaflets even in 1 month after implantation. Their histogenesis have gradually advanced in 6 months without any hyperplasia, but were interrupted when the Biovalve tissues were not attached enough on the native vascular wall surface. Conclusions: The Biovalve satisfied the higher requirements of systemic and pulmonary circulation in goats for 6 months with the histogenic potential that was mainly induced by cell migration from the native vascular tissues contacting with the Biovalve.

We investigated the antihypertensive effect of Brand's Essence of Chicken (BEC), a popular chicken extract used as a traditional remedy, using deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. Animals were unilaterally nephrectomized, and then separated into a sham-operated group (sham group) and a DOCA-salt-treated group. The latter was further separated into a normal diet group and a BEC (freeze-dried powder, 0.1 w/w%)-containing diet group. Systolic blood pressure of the normal diet group progressively increased in comparison with that of the sham group. The DOCA-salt-induced hypertension was markedly suppressed by feeding a BEC-containing diet. Systolic blood pressure after 5 weeks was 128+/-2 mmHg in sham group, 181+/-4 mmHg in the DOCA-salt-treated normal diet group and 139+/-5 mmHg in the DOCA-salt-treated BEC diet group, respectively. The treatment with DOCA and salt for 5 weeks significantly increased the weights of heart and left ventricle, but these increases were significantly suppressed in the BEC group. When the degree of vascular hypertrophy of the aorta was histochemically evaluated, DOCA-salt-induced increases in wall thickness and wall area of the vessels were significantly decreased by the BEC-feeding. Histopathological renal damage of fibrinoid-like necrosis in glomeruli, thickening of small arteries and tubular dilatation were observed in the DOCA-salt-treated normal diet group, but this damage was efficiently reduced by the BEC-feeding. In addition, BEC-feeding decreased urinary excretion of protein, which was elevated by the treatment with DOCA and salt. Thus, BEC seems to be useful as a prophylactic treatment in the development of hypertension and related tissue injuries.

Some D-Amino acids such as D-tryptophan and D-phenylalanine are well known as naturally-occurring sweeteners. Photoreactive D-phenylalanine derivatives containing trifluoromethyldiazirinyl moiety at 3- or 4-position of phenylalanine, were designed as sweeteners for functional analysis with photoaffinity labeling. The trifluoromethyldiazirinyl D-phenylalanine derivatives were prepared effectively with chemo-enzymatic methods using L-amino acid oxidase and were found to have potent activity toward the human sweet taste receptor.

Exposure to sulfite, a well-known air pollutant, induces inflammatory reactions characterized by neutrophil infiltration into the airways. Using a simple and sensitive assay for sulfite concentration in biological fluids, we demonstrate herein that human neutrophils released significant amounts of sulfite (1.0 nmol/h/107 cells) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major component of bacterial endotoxin. A large proportion of the sulfite release by neutrophils was dependent on inorganic sulfate contained in culture media, suggesting production via the sulfate reducing pathway in this response. We also show that glucocorticoids and FK506 completely inhibit LPS-mediated sulfite release by neutrophils. Given the well-known antimicrobial activities of sulfite, our results suggest that sulfite acts as a neutrophil mediator of host defense. A putative role of sulfite as an endogenous biological mediator is further underscored by the observation that in vivo administration of LPS is associated with a marked increase in the serum concentration of sulfite in Wistar rats. Inhibition of sulfite release by immunosuppressive agents may contribute to increased susceptibility to bacterial infection commonly associated with the administration of these drugs. J. Leukoc. Biol. 64: 595–599; 1998.

The possible presence of an unknown prostacyclin synthesis inhibitory substance has been reported in some strains of rats. We purified the inhibitory substance from the heart of spontaneously hypertensive rats by collecting active fractions after gel-filtration column chromatography and two steps of reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid composition and automated gas-phase sequencing of the full-length substance and fragments cleaved by AspN indicated that the prostacyclin-inhibitory peptide was identical to coupling factor 6. Recombinant rat coupling factor 6, which was synthesized using a cleavable fusion protein strategy, attenuated base-line and bradykinin (10(-6) M)-induced prostacyclin synthesis and [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) release in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner (10(-9)-10(-7) M). Exogenous AA- and prostaglandin H2-induced prostacyclin synthesis were unchanged even after treatment with 10(-7) M recombinant coupling factor 6. Base-line and bradykinin-induced [3H]AA release were suppressed by arachidonyltrifluoromethyl ketone, a relatively specific inhibitor of cytosolic phospholipase A2 at 40 microM, and simultaneous administration of coupling factor 6 showed no further effect. Neither oleyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine at 1 microM nor bromoenol lactone at 1 microM affected AA release. Preincubation (1 min) with 10(-7) M recombinant coupling factor 6 had no influence on adenosine diphosphate- and collagen-induced platelet aggregations. We conclude that coupling factor 6 possesses a novel function of prostacyclin synthesis inhibition in endothelial cells via suppression of Ca2+-dependent cytosolic phospholipase A2, although it is unclear whether coupling factor 6 functions in normal conditions or only in pathophysiological states.

The structures of new photoreceptor molecules mediating the photobehavior of the unicellular organism, Blepharisma japonicum , were determined spectroscopically. These molecules had a 4-hydroxyphenyl-11H-dibenzo[a,o]cyclohepta[pqr]perylene moiety as a common chromophore structure.

— Photosensitivity for the step-up photophobic response of Blepharisma is localized in the anterior 1/5 of the cell body. Blepharismin pigment, which is believed to be a photoreceptor pigment mediating the step-up photophobic response of the cells, was separated into five types of blepharismin (BL-1, -2, -3, -4 and -5). Blepharismin-1, -3, -4 and -5 were localized in the posterior 4/5, while BL-2 was located over the entire cell body; the anterior end, which is the photosensitive region, contained only BL-2. The results indicate that a functional photoreceptor pigment mediating the step-up photophobic response is BL-2. Hydroxylapatite chromatography revealed that BL-2 was bound to a 200 kDa membrane protein. We concluded that a photoreceptor mediating the step-up photophobic response was a BL-2/200 kDa protein complex.

A cDNA encoding a precursor for a novel serine protease (neurosin) was cloned from a cDNA library prepared from a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, COLO 201. The sequence consisted of 155 bp 5′ non-coding region and a 732 bp open reading frame which was followed by a 551 bp 3′ non-coding region. The predicted protein consists of 244 amino acids which is possibly processed to an active enzyme of 223 amino acids that shows some similarity (

The effects of dietary supplementation of L-carnosine (beta-alanyl-L-histidine) on ischemia/reperfusion-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in rats were examined. Ischemic ARF was induced by occlusion of the left renal artery and vein for 45 min followed by reperfusion, 2 weeks after contralateral nephrectomy. Renal functional parameters such as blood urea nitrogen, plasma creatinine, creatinine clearance, urine flow, urinary osmolality and fractional excretion of sodium were measured. Renal function in ARF rats markedly decreased at 1 d after reperfusion. Prior feeding of L-carnosine-containing diet (0.0001 w/w%) for 2 weeks attenuated the ischemia/reperfusion-induced renal dysfunction. Histopathological examination of the kidney of ARF rats revealed severe renal damages, such as tubular necrosis, proteinaceous casts in tubuli and medullary congestion, which were also significantly suppressed by the dietary supplementation of L-carnosine. These findings strongly suggest that L-carnosine supplementation is useful as a prophylactic treatment in the development of the ischemic ARF.

Oolong tea extract (OTE) and the purified polymeric polyphenols from OTE have been found to inhibit glucosyltransferase (GTase) of mutans streptococci. In view of the partial fermentation characteristic of oolong tea, we describe here an in vitro model reaction system to produce partially fermented products of D-(+)-catechin or green tea extract (GTE) using horseradish peroxidase. A dimeric catechin molecule was identified as dehydro-dicatechin A by instrumental analyses. The molecular size of some oligomeric catechins was estimated by the elution profile with HPLC. These catechin oligomers markedly inhibited GTase from Streptococcus sobrinus 6715. As the degree of polymerization of catechin or GTE increased, GTase was inhibited more effectively. These results suggest that polymeric polyphenols found in OTE are synthesized by partial fermentation due to oxidases/peroxidases present in tea leaves.

Confocal fluorescence microscopic images were used to investigate the accumulation site of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) within liverwort cells (Marchantia polymorpha L.) treated with peroxidizing herbicides as acifluorfen methyl (AFM). A high level of PPIX accumulation was observed in the cells during 12 h to 24 h after the addition of AFM . The results obtained from confocal fluorescence microscopic images gave clear evidence that the accumulation of PPIX occurred only in the chloroplasts, but was not observed in the cytosol or at the plasma membrane. The presence of PPIX in the chloroplasts strongly suggests that protoporphyrino­ gen (Protogen) accumulates by inhibition of protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox) which is the target enzyme for peroxidizing herbicides. The plastidic occurrence of PPIX provides evidence of either the presence of an additional herbicide-resistant Protox or of a non-enzy-matic Protogen-oxidation system in the Marchantia chloroplast.

Chicken essence is widely used as a traditional remedy for several ailments including anaemia. To test this claim for objective evidence, a series of experiments was carried out in anaemic rats by supplementing iron deficient diets with either liquid or lyophilised essence, which contains mainly protein and peptides (83 mg/ml) and free amino acids (3.1 mg/ml), very little iron (1 microgram/ml), and no fat. Haemoglobin returned to normal significantly more rapidly in rats supplemented with ad libitum liquid BEC over a period of up to 27 days compared with controls fed only water in addition to the ad libitum iron deficient diet. Haemoglobin was also significantly increased after 1 week in animals fed ad libitum diets supplemented with lyophilised chicken essence than with controls fed the unsupplemented diet. The effect was greater with supplementation at the level of 0.2% than at 1% lyophilised essence. The results indicate that the effects were mediated by increased appetite and by enhanced availability of food iron. These studies provide objective evidence for the traditional belief that chicken essence remedies anaemia.

Investigation on fluidmechanic performance on a butterfly valve has been carried out. A practical valve model of a given thickness and a hub is used for the loss coefficient theory. A theoretical loss coefficient has been formulated from a contraction factor obtained by applying the generalized Borda mouthpiece theory. Cavitation stages (such as cavitation inception, supercavitation inception, cavitation damage inception, choking cavitation) have been theoretically predicted from the valve loss coefficient. The cavitation prediction has been carried out by applying the free streamline theory, where the relation between the loss coefficient and the critical cavitation factor has been formulated. The results of the theoretical prediction equations agree well with the experimental results.

The benzoxazine derivatives are a new chemical family of diphenyl ether herbicides, which exhibit a strong peroxidizing herbicidal activity on mono- and dicotyledonous species in preemergence and postemergence tests. Twenty derivatives were synthesized, and their herbicidal activity was determined to examine structure-activity relationships. Among the compounds investigated, it was found that the fluorine atom introduction into the trifluoromethylbenzene moiety together with an oxazine ring instead of a nitro group led to the most active herbicide.

We investigated the antihypertensive effect of sesamin, a lignan from sesame oil, using deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertensive rats. The animals were unilaterally nephrectomized, and then separated into a sham-operated group (sham group) and a DOCA-salt-treated group. The latter was further separated into a normal diet group (control group) and a sesamin-containing diet group (sesamin group). The systolic blood pressure of control group progressively increased in comparison with that of sham group. This DOCA-salt-induced hypertension was markedly suppressed by feeding a sesamin-containing diet. Systolic blood pressure after 5 weeks was 130.6 +/- 1.9 mmHg in the sham group, 198.1 +/- 7.3 mmHg in the control group and 152.5 +/- 8.4 mmHg in the sesamin group, respectively. The treatment with DOCA and salt for 5 weeks significantly increased the weight of the left ventricle plus the septum. However, this increase was significantly suppressed in the sesamin group. When the degree of vascular hypertrophy of the aorta and superior mesenteric artery was histochemically evaluated, there were significant increases in wall thickness, wall area and the wall-to-lumen ratio in the control group, compared with the sham. Sesamin feeding ameliorated the development of DOCA-salt-induced vascular hypertrophy in both the aorta and mesenteric artery. These findings strongly suggest that sesamin is useful as a prophylactic treatment in the development of hypertension and cardiovascular hypertrophy.

There are several stages of Cavitation phenomena in the flow around butterfly valves. The cavitation stage such as cavitation inception, supercavitation inception, cavitation damage inception, choking (or flashing) cavitation occurs for the various valve opening angles. In this paper, these cavitation stages were theoretically predicted for valve loss coefficient. The cavitation prediction was performed by applying the free streamline theory, where the relation between the loss coefficient and the critical cavitation factor were formulated. As for the experiment, the cavitation inception and critical supercavition were obtained from the vibration intensity rising and the noise level rising, and the flashing cavitation was observed by means of flow visuarization. The theoretical predicted characteristic curves and these experimental results were compared, and agreed very well with each other.

One of the most distinctive features of human sweet taste perception is its broad tuning to chemically diverse compounds ranging from low-molecular-weight sweeteners to sweet-tasting proteins. Many reports suggest that the human sweet taste receptor (hT1R2–hT1R3), a heteromeric complex composed of T1R2 and T1R3 subunits belonging to the class C G protein–coupled receptor family, has multiple binding sites for these sweeteners. However, it remains unclear how the same receptor recognizes such diverse structures. Here we aim to characterize the modes of binding between hT1R2–hT1R3 and low-molecular-weight sweet compounds by functional analysis of a series of site-directed mutants and by molecular modeling–based docking simulation at the binding pocket formed on the large extracellular amino-terminal domain (ATD) of hT1R2. We successfully determined the amino acid residues responsible for binding to sweeteners in the cleft of hT1R2 ATD. Our results suggest that individual ligands have sets of specific residues for binding in correspondence with the chemical structures and other residues responsible for interacting with multiple ligands.

A novel protein protease inhibitor (FPI-F) which is highly specific for fungal proteases and subtilisin was isolated from the silkworm hemolymph, and its amino acid sequence was determined by conventional methods. The inhibitor consisted of 55 amino acid residues and had a molecular weight of 6,100. The inhibitor included eight cysteine residues and relatively large amounts of acidic amino acids, but neither alanine, methionine nor tryptophan. The amino acid sequence of FPI-F was not homologous with those of other known protease inhibitors of microbe, plant or animal origin.

The antihypertensive effect of Brand's Essence of Chicken (BEC), a popular chicken extract used as a traditional health food, was examined with stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSPs). The animals were maintained from 6 to 25 weeks of age on drinking water with or without BEC. The BEC-fed group showed a significant reduction in the development of hypertension when compared with the control animals. The levels of blood urea nitrogen and plasma creatinine in the BEC-fed group were significantly lower than those in the control group, suggesting that the renal glomerular function had been improved by the daily administration of BEC. It thus seems likely that BEC would be useful as a prophylactic treatment against the development of hypertension and renal injury.

The blade number of pump guide vane is an important factor that affects hydraulic characteristics of the pumping system, since the diffusion angle after the impeller is larger than as usual. It is necessary to pay more attention for its calculation and analysis. By CFD method the numeric simulation was conducted to a bulb tubular pump with different guide vane blades and the three dimensional flow fields within whole passage of pumping system was obtained. There are five different number of guide vane blades (4 blades, 5 blades, 7 blades, 8 blades and improved 5 blades) selected for the simulation and performance prediction. The influences of the guide vanes numbers on the system performance are analyzed. The hydraulic losses increases with the increase of the number of guide vane blades while the efficiency of pumping system is not fully comply with this relationship. The system efficiency for which 5 guide vanes were adopted is higher than others with different number of guide vane blades; also the velocity and the pressure distribution of flow fields are more uniform. The system efficiency for which 5 improved guide vanes is the highest with lowest hydraulic losses. The recommended alternative of guide vane is presented for the pump impeller.Copyright © 2011 by JSME

Camelliatannin D (1), a new complex tannin which inhibits Ca release from mouse calvaria, was isolated from the leaves and fruits of Camellia japonica L. (Theaceae). This tannin is the first example of complex tannin composed of a dimeric hydrolyzable tannin and a flavan-3-ol.

The structures of new photoreceptor molecules mediating the photobehavior of the unicellular organism, Blepharisma japonicum , were determined spectroscopically. These molecules had a 4-hydroxyphenyl-11H-dibenzo[a,o]cyclohepta[pqr]perylene moiety as a common chromophore structure.

Cell suspension cultures of the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L. were found useful to study the influence of peroxidizing herbicides either on the greening process or on the fully green cells. The cells of both physiological stages exhibit a characteristic sensitivity to the herbicides. The sensitivity increased rapidly during the exponential phase of growth, reached a maximum during the late exponential phase, and then decreased in the stationary phase. We investigated the kinetics of accumulation of protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) in Marchantia cells treated with several peroxidizing herbicides at various stages of cell growth, and observed a correlation between accumulation of PPIX and herbicidal damage. The glutathione (GSH) content in the cell was also investigated to examine the role of GSH against herbicide treatment. In the light, GSH levels in the cells treated with AFM rose rapidly reaching a peak after 8 h, and rapidly decreased subsequently. The beginning of PPIX accumulation coincided with the decline of GSH after 8 h of treatment. Obviously, GSH plays a key role in protection against oxidative damage caused by AFM in the early treatment period. In the dark, AFM also induced an accumulation of GSH and PPIX, followed by a decline in GSH and PPIX contents during a 20 h incubation. The decline of PPIX was observed several hours after GSH starts to decrease, remaining at a constant level for the following 40 h, leading to accumulation of an other fluorescent still-unknown pigment.

Several prolinal derivatives were synthesized and examined for their inhibitory activity on post-proline cleaving enzymes from Flavobacterium meningosepticum and bovine brain and their possible properties as nootropic agents. Almost all the compounds tested inhibited the activity of both enzymes at low IC50 values of the order of nM, but a specificity difference was observed with alkylacyl-prolinal derivatives which strongly inhibited only the bacterial enzyme. Prolyl-prolinal derivatives were the most effective inhibitors for both enzymes. In the passive avoidance test using amnesic rats experimentally induced with scopolamine, the prolinal derivatives that have potent inhibitory activity toward post-proline cleaving enzymes showed also strong anti-amnesic activities at dose of 10-1000 micrograms/kg, i.p. Some of the compounds showed a bell-shape dose dependency. These results suggest that the post-proline cleaving enzymes play an important role in the regulation of learning and memory consolidation in the brain and inhibitors of these enzymes are suggested as possible candidates for nootropic agents, particularly for an anti-amnesic drug.

Eight different di- and tripeptidyl aldehyde derivatives, each having at its C-terminus an aldehyde analog of L-norleucine, L-methionine, or L-phenylalanine with a preceding L-leucine residue, were synthesized and tested for their inhibitory effects on several serine and cysteine endopeptidases. These compounds showed almost no inhibition of trypsin, and only weak inhibition of alpha-chymotrypsin and cathepsin H, while they exhibited marked inhibition of cathepsin B less than calpain II congruent to calpain I less than cathepsin L, being stronger in this order. The mode of inhibition of these cysteine proteinases was competitive for the peptide substrate used and inhibitor constants (Ki) were calculated from the Dixon plot. The best inhibitors found were: 4-phenyl-butyryl-Leu-Met-H for calpain I (Ki, 36 nM) and calpain II (Ki, 50 nM); acetyl-Leu-Leu-nLeu-H for cathepsin L (Ki, 0.5 nM); acetyl-Leu-Leu-Met-H for cathepsin B (Ki, 100 nM).

Theoretical pump head is discussed and the conservation low is introduced on Centrifugal force. Theoretical head obtained by the application of conservation law on fluid flow in rotating flow passage is formed as the difference between the head obtained at the impeller outlet and that at impeller inlet. Conservation low of Centrifugal force due to fluid particles rotational motion at constant angular velocity says that the magnitude of Centrifugal force caused by the rotational motion along the outside circular line is constructed from those caused by the rotational motions along two different kinds circular lines. One is that caused by the rotational motion along the inside circular line whose rotational center locates at the axis of rotation. And the other is that caused by the rotational motion along the circular line whose circular line touches internally with the outer circular line and locates its rotational center on the inside circular line.Copyright © 2006 by ASME

Even if the condition of water on the earth seems rest, if we look at the fluid particles condition in molecular level or atomic level, fluid particles might be in the condition rotational vortex motion around themselves or in the condition equivalent to rotational motion around themselves, and they act centrifugal forces or equivalent forces to them on the fluid particles vertical upward (radial outward) and their weight of masses that directs vertical downward (radial inward) is supported vertical upward (radial outward) and balanced everywhere all around at every depth along the radial line on the earth.Copyright © 2006 by ASME