Structural and functional insights into IZUMO1 recognition by JUNO in mammalian fertilization

Kato, K., Satouh, Y., Nishimasu, H. et al. Structural and functional insights into IZUMO1 recognition by JUNO in mammalian fertilization. Nat Commun 7, 12198 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1219

Contamination by arsenic and other trace elements in drinking water and residents in Vietnam

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

Individual Variations in Inorganic Arsenic Metabolism Associated with AS3MT Genetic Polymorphisms

Individual variations in inorganic arsenic metabolism may influence the toxic effects. Arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT) that can catalyze the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) to trivalent arsenical, may play a role in arsenic metabolism in humans. Since the genetic polymorphisms of AS3MT gene may be associated with the susceptibility to inorganic arsenic toxicity, relationships of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in AS3MT with inorganic arsenic metabolism have been investigated. Here, we summarize our recent findings and other previous studies on the inorganic arsenic metabolism and AS3MT genetic polymorphisms in humans. Results of genotype dependent differences in arsenic metabolism for most of SNPs in AS3MT were Inconsistent throughout the studies. Nevertheless, two SNPs, AS3MT 12390 (rs3740393) and 14458 (rs11191439) were consistently related to arsenic methylation regardless of the populations examined for the analysis. Thus, these SNPs may be useful indicators to predict the arsenic metabolism via methylation pathways

A Path Model Analysis of the Causal Relationship between Self-care Agency and Healthy Behavior in Community-dwelling Older People from the GAINA Study

[Background] Self-care agency is an important determinant of self-care behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify the causal relationship between self-care agency and healthy behavior, and to construct a conceptual model of healthy behavior among older people living in a rural community. [Methods] This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey at the Hino, a town in western Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Participants who were enrolled in the Good Ageing and Intervention against Nursing Care and Activity Decline (GAINA) study from 2014 to 2018 (467 new participants) were initially investigated. Of 398 participants aged ? 65 years, 5 were excluded due to missing data, and thus 393 were analyzed. Nurse researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to check the accuracy of data obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic information, physical condition (comorbidities, knee pain, low back pain, and locomotive syndrome), healthy behavior, and self-care agency. Correlations among variables were investigated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, and path analysis was performed to assess causal relationships. [Results] A total of 393 persons (160 men and 233 women) were investigated, ranging in age from 65 to 92 years, with a mean age of 75.1 years (SD: 6.9 years). Path analysis revealed poor fit of a model in which pain and locomotive syndrome were factors inhibiting healthy behavior. When the model included only self-care agency, the indices of model fit were almost satisfactory (Goodness-of-fit index = 0.967, Adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.900, Comparative fit index = 0.951, and Root mean square error of approximation = 0.088), and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.38. The self-care agency items with the greatest influence on healthy behavior were the ability to “grasp the techniques/tips needed to maintain health,” and the ability to “persist with healthy behavior.” [Conclusion] Self-care agency can promote healthy behavior among community-dwelling older people. Regardless of physical problems such as pain and locomotive syndrome, older people have the potential to adopt positive healthy behavior if they acquire self-care agency

Distribution and toxicity evaluation of ZnO dispersion nanoparticles in single intravenously exposed mice

ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in various commercial products. Application of ZnO NPs is expected to apply to cancer diagnosis and therapy, used as drug delivery carriers. In the present study, the lethal dose 50 (LD50) of intravenously administered ZnO NPs (0.3 mg/kg) was calculated in mice. Blood kinetics and tissue distribution of a toxic dose of ZnO NPs (0.2 mg/kg, 0.05 mg/kg) were investigated after intravenous exposure. In addition, 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was evaluated. Following the injection, ZnO NPs were rapidly removed from the blood and distributed to organs. Pulmonary emphysema was observed pathologically study in mice at 3 days after the 0.2 mg/kg dose and at 6 days after the 0.05 mg/kg dose. ZnO NPs were mainly accumulated in the lung and spleen within 60 min. From the long-term tissue distribution study, the liver showed peak concentration at 6 days, and spleen peaked at 1 day. The lungs kept high levels until 6 days. Tissue distribution and pathological study showed that the spleen, liver, and lungs are target organs for ZnO NPs. Accumulation in the liver and spleen may be due to the phagocytosis by macrophages. A dose-dependent increase in 8-OHdG was observed in mice treated with ZnO NPs. This study is the first to show information on kinetics and target organs following intravenous ZnO injection

Replication study of the association of SNPs in the LHX3-QSOX2 and IGF1 loci with adult height in the Japanese population; wide-ranging comparison of each SNP genotype distribution

Adult height is a highly heritable trait involving multiple genes. Recent genome-wide association studies have identified that SNP rs12338076 in the LHX3-QSOX2 locus, and rs1457595 and rs17032362 in the IGF1 locus are associated with human height in the Japanese population (Okada et al. (2010)[9]). We performed a replication study to examine the associations between these three SNPs and adult height in the Japanese population based on autopsy cases. However, it was not possible to confirm that all these SNPs influenced adult height in the study population. We first conducted a wide-ranging survey of these three SNPs in the above genes using nine different populations including Asians, Africans and Caucasians, and demonstrated that the genotypes of rs12338076 and rs17032362 were distributed in an ethnicity-dependent manner; even within Asian populations, the genotype distributions of the SNPs differed widely. Although there are differences in height distribution between different populations, possibly due to genetic factors and/or gene-environmental interactions, the contradictory results of the association study and ethnic differences in genotype distribution allow us to assume that these height-related SNPs in the genes may contribute to adult height to a slight extent, at least in the Japanese population. It is anticipated that the present information will be useful for developing a reliable tool for personal identification through elucidation of the genetic basis of human height

Validação de método não-invasivo para análise de hormônios ligados ao estresse em papagaio-verdadeiro(Amazona aestiva)

A validação da técnica de enzimoimunoensaio (EIA) para dosagem de metabólitos de cortisol fecal e de radioimunoensaio (RIA) para dosagem de metabólitos de corticosterona fecal em papagaio-verdadeiro (Amazona aestiva) foi considerada eficiente em predizer os valores hormonais, comprovada pelas curvas de paralelismo, dose resposta e coeficientes de variação intra e interensaio. A estimulação da adrenal com 25UI/animal de ACTH resultou na elevação das concentrações de metabólitos de cortisol e corticosterona fecal. Embora não tenha sido observada uma padronização nos picos de excreção fecal, nos animais analisados, houve duas concentrações de picos de excreção, uma entre duas e quatro horas e outra entre oito e dez horas. Não foram detectados efeitos de Grupos (Tratamento x Controle), momento (horas de coleta) ou sexo (macho x fêmea) nos resultados observados nos níveis de cortisol, exceto quando comparados fêmeas e machos de grupos distintos.Validation of enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure metabolite of cortisol and radioimmunoassay (RIA) to measure metabolites of corticosteroid in Amazon parrots (Amazona aestiva) feces showed that this techniques can be used to measure feces hormones in this specie. These techniques were considered efficient to measure hormones values, proved by parallelism, standart curve and intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation. Adrenal stimulation was showed by increase metabolic levels of cortisol and corticosterone in feces after ACTH administration (25UI/animal). In spite of didn’t have standards in picks of excretion, this study show concentration of picks in 2-4 hour and 8-10h for hormones metabolites. For cortisol measure, there aren’t significantly differences between Control Group and Treatment Group, moments and sex, but there are significantly differences between female and male in different groups.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES

Validação fisiológica da dosagem dos metabólitos de glucocorticóides em fezes de Papagaio-verdadeiro (Amazona aestiva)

O estímulo estressante promove ativação do eixo neuronal e hormonal em todos os animais. No eixo hormonal observa-se a ativação do eixo Hipotalâmico-Hipofisário-Adrenal (HHA), havendo a liberação de glucocorticóides na corrente sanguínea, que visam a disponibilização de energia para o animal lutar ou fugir contra o agente estressor. Em aves o principal glucocorticóide produzido pela córtex da adrenal é a corticosterona. Após o término do evento estressor, as concentrações plasmáticas retornam aos niveis basais pelo processo de retroalimentação e metabolização. Devido a variabilidade na porcentagem de produção, metabolização e excreção dos hormônios ligados ao estresse, é impressindível realizar a validação, tanto laboratorial quanto fisiológica dos métodos de dosagem a serem empregados para cada espécie. Com o objetivo de realizar a validação fisiológica da dosagem de metabólitos urofecais pela técnica de Enzimaimunoensaio em Papagaio-verdadeiro (A. aestiva), foram utilizados 24 animais (12 machos e 12 fêmeas) separados nos seguintes experimentos: Experimento I – 02 machos e 02 fêmeas, separados em dois grupos (01 macho/ 01 fêmeas) de acordo com o tipo de anticorpos (Corticosterona 72T e Cortisona 32a) utilizado no ensaio, as amostras urofecais de cada animal foram coletadas no momento da administração de hormonio adrenocorticotrófico (ACTH) e a cada 03 horas (h), por 21 h consencutivas; Experimento II – 12 machos e 12 fêmeas separados em quatro grupos (03 machos/03 fêmeas) de acordo com o desafio empregado (Controle, ACTH, Dexametasona, Salina), foram coletadas amostras urofecais no momento da administração intramuscular da solução correspondente para cada grupo e a cada 03 horas, por 24 horas consecutivas; Experimento III – 12 machos...Stress stimulate neuronal and hormonal axis in all animals. In the hormonal axis is observed activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA), with the release of glucocorticoids into the bloodstream, providing energy for the animal fly or fight in the front of stressor. Corticosterone is the major glucocorticoid produced by adrenal cortex in birds. After the stressor event, plasma concentrations returned to baseline levels by feedback process and metabolism. Due to variability in production, metabolism and excretion percentage of stress hormones, laboratorial and physiological validation are necessary for use methods of dosage for each species. In order to perform physiological validation of urofecal metabolites measurement by enzyme immunoassay in Blue-fronted parrot (A. aestiva), we used 24 animals (12 males and 12 females) separated in the following experiments: Experiment I - 02 males and 02 females, divided into two groups (01 male/01 female) according to type of antibodies (72T Corticosterone and Cortisone 32a). Urofecal samples from each animal were collected at the time of administration of ACTH and every 03 hours (h), during 21 h; Experiment II - 12 males and 12 females divided into four groups (03 males/03 females) according to the solution administared (control, ACTH, dexamethasone, Salina), urofecal samples were collected at the time of intramuscular administration, corresponding for each group and every 03 hours for 24 consecutive hours; Experiment III - 12 males and 11 females divided into two groups (06 males/05 females) according to the sample type (fecal and urofecal), samples were collected at the time of intramuscular injection of ACTH and every 03 hours for 24 consecutive hours. We observed the following results: Cortisone 32a presented increased sensitivity to measure corticosterone... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Thallium - poisoner’s poison: An overview and review of current knowledge on the toxicological effects and mechanisms

Thallium (Tl) is one of the most toxic metals and its historic use in homicides has led it to be known as “the poisoner’s poison.” This review summarizes the methods for identifying Tl and determining its concentrations in biological samples in recently reported poisoning cases, as well as the toxicokinetics, toxicological effects, toxicity mechanisms, and detoxication methods of Tl. Recent findings regarding Tl neurotoxicological pathways and toxicological effects of Tl during pregnancy are also presented. Confirmation of elevated Tl concentrations in blood, urine, or hair is indispensable for diagnosing Tl poisoning. The kidneys show the highest Tl concentration within 24 h after ingestion, while the brain shows the highest concentration thereafter. Tl has a very slow excretion rate due to its large distribution volume. Following acute exposure, gastrointestinal symptoms are observed at an early stage, and neurological dysfunction is observed later: Tl causes the most severe damage in the central nervous system. Alopecia and Mees’ lines in the nails are observed within 1 month after Tl poisoning. The toxicological mechanism of Tl is considered to be interference of vital potassium-dependent processes with Tl+ because its ionic radius is similar to that of K+, as well as inhibition of enzyme reactions by the binding of Tl to -SH groups, which disturbs vital metabolic processes. Tl toxicity is also related to reactive oxygen species generation and mitochondrial dysfunction. Prussian blue is the most effective antidote, and metallothionein alone or in combination with Prussian blue was recently reported to have cytoprotective effects after Tl exposure. Because Tl poisoning cases are still reported, early determination of Tl in biological samples and treatment with an antidote are essential

R Re ev vi ie ew w a ar rt ti ic cl le e Involvement of polyamines in the root nodule regulation of soybeans (Glycine max)

Abstract: In leguminous plants, infection with rhizobia leads to the formation of root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen and supply it as ammonium to the host plant cells. The formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules is nutritionally beneficial, but excessive nodule production appears to be detrimental to the host legumes because of the resultant over-consumption of photosynthetic products. Therefore, the number of root nodules in leguminous plants is tightly regulated by shoot-root signaling known as a feedback or autoregulation of nodulation. Recently, we found that foliar application of polyamines and an effective inhibitor of polyamine biosynthesis regulates the number of nodules in soybean plants. In this review, we discuss the possible function of polyamines as a systemic regulator of nodule formation