S-Nitrosation of Cellular Proteins by NO Donors in Rat Embryonic Fibroblast 3Y1 Cells: Factors Affecting S-Nitrosation

The mechanism of protein S-nitrosation in cells is not fully understood. Using rat 3Y1 cells, we addressed this issue. Among S-nitrosothiols and NO donors tested, only S-nitrosocysteine (CysNO) induced S-nitrosation when exposed in Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) and not in serum-containing general culture medium. In HBSS, NO release from CysNO was almost completely abolished by sequestering metal ions with a metal chelator without affecting cellular S-nitrosation. In contrast, L-leucine, a substrate of L-type amino acid transporters (LATs), significantly inhibited S-nitrosation. The absence of S-nitrosation with CysNO in general culture medium resulted not only from a competition with amino acids in the medium for LATs but also from transnitrosation of cysteine residues in serum albumin. Collectively, these results suggest that in simple buffered saline, CysNO-dependent S-nitrosation occurs through a cellular incorporation-dependent mechanism, but if it occurs in general culture media, it may be through an NO-dependent mechanism

Analysis of the phenomenon of speculative trading in one of its basic manifestations: postage stamp bubbles

We document and analyze the empirical facts concerning one of the clearest evidence of speculation in financial trading as observed in the postage collection stamp market. We unravel some of the mechanisms of speculative behavior which emphasize the role of fancy and collective behavior. In our conclusion, we propose a classification of speculative markets based on two parameters, namely the amplitude of the price peak and a second parameter that measures its ``sharpness''. This study is offered to anchor modeling efforts to realistic market constraints and observations.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures and 2 tables, in press in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Efficacy of soft palatal augmentation prosthesis for oral functional rehabilitation in patients with dysarthria and dysphagia: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction Palatal augmentation prosthesis (PAP) is used in patients with articulation and swallowing disorders caused by postoperative loss of tongue tissue due to tongue cancer, cerebrovascular disease sequelae and age-related hypofunction. We have previously reported a newly designed soft PAP fabricated using an thermoplastic material that is particularly appropriate for early intervention. However, the effect of soft PAP on oral function improvement remains to be elucidated. The aim of this study is to investigate whether soft PAP can improve dysarthria and dysphagia occurring as cerebrovascular disease sequelae. Methods and analysis This prospective, randomised, controlled trial will compare the immediate and training effects of rehabilitation using soft PAP with those of rehabilitation without using it. Primary outcomes are the single-word intelligibility test score and pharyngeal transit time (PTT). Secondary outcomes are tongue function (evaluated based on maximum tongue pressure, repetitions of tongue pressure and endurance of tongue pressure), articulation function (evaluated based on speech intelligibility, oral diadochokinesis, Voice-Related Quality of Life (V-RQOL)) and swallowing function (evaluated using Eating Assessment Tool-10). The study results will help determine the efficacy of Soft PAP in improving functional outcomes of word intelligibility and PTT. We hypothesised that early rehabilitation using Soft PAP would more effectively improve articulation and swallowing function compared with conventional rehabilitation without using soft PAP. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the Okayama University Certified Review Board. The study findings will be published in an open access, peer-reviewed journal and presented at relevant conferences and research meetings

A Case of Myomatous Erythrocytosis Syndrome Associated with a Large Uterine Leiomyoma

Several etiologies have been proposed for erythrocytosis associated with uterine leiomyoma. We report a case of erythrocytosis associated with a large uterine leiomyoma, in which specific immunostaining for erythropoietin was positive. A 55-year-old woman, gravida 0, para 0, was referred to our hospital for treatment for a large uterine myoma and erythrocytosis. She had no vaginal bleeding after she reached menopause at 50 years old. She had severe polycythemia: hemoglobin (Hb), 19.9 g/dL; red blood cell count (RBC), 6.65 × 10(6)/mm(3); hematocrit, (Hct) 59.1%. An abdominal simple hysterectomy was performed, and a pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyoma of the uterus. In addition, immunostaining demonstrated that the cytoplasm of the leiomyoma cells was strongly positive for erythropoietin. After the operation, the patient's hemoglobin and hematocrit levels normalized, and we diagnosed her condition as myomatous erythrocytosis syndrome

Multivesicular Body Formation Requires OSBP–Related Proteins and Cholesterol

In eukaryotes, different subcellular organelles have distinct cholesterol concentrations, which is thought to be critical for biological functions. Oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins (ORPs) have been assumed to mediate nonvesicular cholesterol trafficking in cells; however, their in vivo functions and therefore the biological significance of cholesterol in each organelle are not fully understood. Here, by generating deletion mutants of ORPs in Caenorhabditis elegans, we show that ORPs are required for the formation and function of multivesicular bodies (MVBs). In an RNAi enhancer screen using obr quadruple mutants (obr-1; -2; -3; -4), we found that MVB–related genes show strong genetic interactions with the obr genes. In obr quadruple mutants, late endosomes/lysosomes are enlarged and membrane protein degradation is retarded, although endocytosed soluble proteins are normally delivered to lysosomes and degraded. We also found that the cholesterol content of late endosomes/lysosomes is reduced in the mutants. In wild-type worms, cholesterol restriction induces the formation of enlarged late endosomes/lysosomes, as observed in obr quadruple mutants, and increases embryonic lethality upon knockdown of MVB–related genes. Finally, we show that knockdown of ORP1L, a mammalian ORP family member, induces the formation of enlarged MVBs in HeLa cells. Our in vivo findings suggest that the proper cholesterol level of late endosomes/lysosomes generated by ORPs is required for normal MVB formation and MVB–mediated membrane protein degradation

An Analysis of Industrial Structure and its linkage in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region : Economic Development of a Landlocked Economy in the Contemporary World

departmental bulletin pape

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the Faculty of International Relations

学部開設30周年記念号30th Anniversary Commemorative Issuedepartmental bulletin pape

A Send-Off Celebration for Professor Egawa

江川美紀夫先生・永綱憲悟先生の退職記念号Commemorative Issue for the Retirement of Prof. Egawa and Prof. Nagatsunadepartmental bulletin pape