Presence of Carotenoid-protein Complex in certain Invertebrates

3種の無脊椎動物のカロチノイド－蛋白質複合体を抽出し,吸収スペクトル,セルロースアセテート電気泳動,補欠分子族カロチノイドの分析を行った。又,加熱前後の物理化学的性状の変化を調べた。 1) アカテガニ甲殻から得た赤い色素は455nmに吸収をもち,アスタキサンチン他を補欠分子族とするカロチノプロテインである。加熱すると吸収極大は475nmに移り,電気泳動易動度も減少した。 2) バフンウニ卵巣の色素は黄色のカロチノイド－リポ蛋白質複合体であって,加熱すると電気泳動易動度の減少がみられたが,最大吸収波長には大きな変化は認められなかった。カロチノイドの組成は,卵巣のカロチノイド組成にほぼ等しく,エキネノンの他に数成分のカロチノイドが認められた。 3) イトマキヒトデの表皮の赤い部分と青い部分から抽出した色素は数種のカロチノプロテインの混合物であって,赤い表皮から得たものは400と600nmに最大吸収を有し,青い表皮から得たものは400pnmに大きな吸収をもち,他に475,515,600,640nmにも小さな吸収が認められた。それぞれの色素を加熱すると,最大吸収は465nmに移り,電気泳動的にも単一の成分となった。補欠分子族カロチノイドとしてアスタキサンチンの他に未同定の2成分のキサントフィルを認めた。Carotenoid-protein complexes were extracted with 0.6 M ammonium sulfate from the exoskeleton of crab, Sesarma haematocheir, from the epidermis of starfish, Asterina spectinitera, and from the ovaries of sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. These pigmented proteins were salted out by ammonium sulfate fractionation. The absorption spectra at visual region, the electrophoretic behavior on a cellulose acetate film, and the prosthetic group carotenoid composition of the proteins were determined successively. The results are as follows. 1) A faint red protein of the crab exoakeleton was determined as a carotenoprotein having an absorption maximum in visual region at 455 nm in phosphate buffer pH 7.3. Heated at 100°C for 10 min., it yielded a shift of the absorption maximum to 475 nm accompanied by a decrease in electrophoretic mobility. Carotenoid analysis by silicagel thin-layer chromatography showed the presence of astaxanthin and another xanthophyll component as the prosthetic group of the carotenoprotein. 2) The pigment obtained from the sea urchin ovaries was a kind of lipoprotein with yellow color. The absorption spectrum of the carotenoid-lipoprotein complex was similar to that of the acetone extract from the ovaries. While the heating caused a decrease of electrophoretic mobility of the lipoprotein, the color and absorption maxima remained unchanged. The carotenoid composition of the pigment somewhat resembled that of the whole extract with acetone from the ovaries. 3) In the starfish, the pigmented protein was separately extracted from the blue and the red parts of epidermis. The carotenoproteins extracted from both parts were a mixture of various pigmented carotenoproteins. The carotenoproteins in the red epidermis showed the absorption maxima at 400 and 600 nm. And those extracted from the blue epidermis showed absorption maxima at 400, 600, 640 nm with small peaks at 475, 515 nm. However, after heating these carotenoprotein became undifferentiated in absorption spectra and electrophoretic behavior. Carotenoid analysis showed the presence of astaxanthin and two other unidentified xanthophylls as the prosthetic group of these carotenoproteins

Flexural anisotropy of rift-sawn softwood boards induced by the end-grain orientation

Inspired by the use of rift-sawn softwood board for covering curved surfaces in Kokerabuki, a traditional Japanese roofing method, we investigated the flexural anisotropy of wood caused by its end-grain orientation. We measured the flexural displacement of softwood species, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Cryptomeria japonica, and hardwood species, Populus suaveolens and Cerasus serrulata. For the softwood species, this was approximately five times longer for the rift-sawn specimens than for the other grain patterns. Using the replica method to measure the softwood tracheid deformation with different flexural displacements, we confirmed the different deformation mechanisms of the tracheid in the flat- and quarter-sawn specimens, and rift-sawn specimens. In the flat- and quarter-sawn woods, on-axis loading was generated, in which the stress was concentrated on the radial and tangential cell walls parallel to the direction of tension or compression. By contrast, in the rift-sawn wood, off-axis loading was generated, in which the stress was evenly distributed throughout the corner cell walls without the wall directly resisting the tensile and compressive forces. We also concluded that the tapered shape of the tracheid walls contributes to the excellent flexibility of rift-sawn softwood

Introduction(<Survey of the Studies in the Law of International Relations)

This issue features four reviews of the study of the law of international relations. International events during the past decade have forced international lawyers to rethink the adequacy of the fundamental normative framework of international society. The four reviews try to perform this task by analyzing a limited number of excellent studies on such fields of the law of international relations as the law of war, relation between international law and domestic law, the concept of norms in international relations, and the reservations to international human rights conventions

Transient Effectiveness of an Oral 5-Fluorouracil Derivative, S-1, for Epirubicin, Cyclophosphamide and Paclitaxel Refractory Skin Metastases from Possible Occult Breast Cancer in a Male

Recent chemotherapies for skin metastases from breast cancer have shown to be effective for regression, disappearance, and favorable quality of life. We describe the case of a 76-year-old male showing transient effectiveness with an oral 5-fluorouracil derivative, S-1 (tegafur, 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine and potassium oxonate), for epirubicin, cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel refractory skin metastases from possible occult breast cancer. The male patient was initially diagnosed as having lymph node metastases in the left axilla as possible occult breast cancer. The skin metastases developed after chemotherapy with a combination of epirubicin and cyclophosphamide, subsequent chemotherapy with paclitaxel, and radiotherapy. Chemotherapy with paclitaxel was resumed for skin metastases, but it was not effective. Alternative chemotherapy with the oral agent S-1 was administered. The skin metastases completely disappeared after the second course, but recurred at the end of the third course. This case suggests that S-1 may be a candidate for chemotherapy for skin metastases from occult breast cancer in males

Association Between SLFN11 and Antitumor Activity of Trabectedin

Background/Aim: Trabectedin is a DNA-damaging agent and has been approved for the treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Schlafen 11 (SLFN11) was identified as a dominant determinant of the response to DNA-damaging agents. The aim of the study was to clarify the association between SLFN11 expression and the antitumor activity of trabectedin. Materials and Methods: The antitumor activity of trabectedin was evaluated under different expression levels of SLFN11 regulated by RNA interference and CRISPR-Cas9 systems, and the combined antitumor activity of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein kinase (ATR) inhibitor and trabectedin in sarcoma cell lines using in vitro a cell viability assay and in vivo xenograft models. Results: SLFN11-knockdown cell lines had a lower sensitivity to trabectedin, compared to parental cells. ATR inhibitor enhanced the antitumor activity of trabectedin in SLFN11-knockdown cells and in a SLFN11-knockout xenograft model. Conclusion: SLFN11 expression might be a key factor in the antitumor activity of trabectedin

後筋筋電図法

The posterior cricoarytenoid muscle (PCA) is the major laryngeal vocal cord abductor, and electromyography (EMG) of this muscle plays an important role in investigating the mechanism of speech and respiration. However, the EMG study of this muscle has been limited, because it's location makes it difficult to record a signal from the muscle. Different PCA recording techniques have been developed. The approach to the muscle developed along three main lines: per oral, percutaneous and per nasal approach. Three kinds of electrodes; a bipolar needle electrode, a surface electrode and a hooked wire electrode have been used for the recording. Techniques of electrode placement in the PCA are reviewed

Feasibility study of two schedules of sunitinib in combination with pemetrexed in patients with advanced solid tumors

Background Sunitinib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptors, as well as of other receptor types. We have performed a feasibility study to investigate the safety of sunitinib in combination with pemetrexed for treatment of advanced refractory solid tumors. Methods Sunitinib was administered once daily on a continuous daily dosing (CDD) schedule (37.5 mg/day) or a 2-weeks-on, 1-week-off treatment schedule (50 mg/day, Schedule 2/1) in combination with pemetrexed at 500 mg/m2 on day 1 of repeated 21-day cycles. Results Twelve patients were enrolled in the study: six on the CDD schedule and six on Schedule 2/1. None of the treated patients experienced a dose-limiting toxicity. Toxicities were manageable and similar in type to those observed in monotherapy studies of sunitinib and pemetrexed. Pharmacokinetic analysis did not reveal any substantial drug–drug interaction. One patient with squamous cell lung cancer showed a partial response and five patients had stable disease. Conclusions Combination therapy with sunitinib administered on Schedule 2/1 (50 mg/day) or a CDD schedule (37.5 mg/day) together with standard-dose pemetrexed (500 mg/m2) was well tolerated in previously treated patients with advanced solid tumors

Mossbauer Spectrometer for Measurements in High Magnetic Fields(Part II. Several Instruments and Techniques Developed in HFLSM)

A Mossbauer spectrometer has been designed and constructed for measurements in high magnetic fields beyond 20 T which are generated by a hybrid magnet in the High Field laboratory for Superconducting Materials at Tohoku University. Simple ways were adopted in order to avoid some obstacles for the spectroscopy. The most serious problem was electromagnetic inductions occurring at metallic components in a source drive system. It was found that the replacement of an aluminum drive-rod to a Bakelite one improved remarkably the Mossbauer spectrum. Test measurements of a-Fe at room temperature were satisfactorily performed under the magnetic fields up to 10 T. The results agreed well with the theoretical expectation

喉頭ストロボスコピー所見の定量的評価

A computer system was introduced for quantitative evaluation of laryngeal images in normal volunteers and laryngeal paralysis patients. The subjects consisted of 10 normal volunteers and 10 patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis (5 median fixation cases and 5 paramedian fixation cases). For phonatory examination, the sustained vowel /e/ with an easy phonation level was used. A glottal area was measured in digitized laryngeal stroboscopic images and normalized by the square of the vocal fold length. The average glottal area was defined to be as the average of the maximum and the minimum normalized glottal areas. In laryngeal paralysis patients, the average glottal area became larger as the paralyzed vocal fold position deviated from the median. Furthermore, the observation methods for vocal fold vibration was reveiwed and discussed. It emphasized that laryngeal stroboscopy was the most useful clinical testing methods

Contribution of visceral adiposity and insulin resistance to metabolic risk factors in Japanese men

金沢大学大学院医学系研究科北陸中央病院内科We investigated the relative impacts of visceral adiposity and insulin resistance on the metabolic risk profile in middle-aged Japanese men. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 636 nondiabetic Japanese men with a mean age of 51.6 years. Visceral adipose tissue (AT) was assessed using computed tomography, and insulin resistance was determined by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Metabolic risk factors were diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III metabolic syndrome criteria: (1) hypertriglyceridemia, (2) low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, (3) hypertension, (4) impaired fasting glucose, and (5) impaired glucose tolerance. Visceral AT and HOMA-IR were significantly and positively correlated with each other (r = 0.41, P < .001). Using the 75th percentile value as a cut point, those with isolated large visceral AT showed significantly greater odds ratios for each of the 5 risk factors measured except impaired fasting glucose, whereas those with isolated high HOMA-IR showed significantly greater odds ratios for each of the 5 risk factors except hypertriglyceridemia and impaired glucose tolerance, compared with the control group. The combined group (increased visceral AT and HOMA-IR) had the highest odds ratios for all studied risk factors. On logistic regression analysis using visceral AT and HOMA-IR as continuous independent variables, they were each independently associated with most of the metabolic risk factors and their clustering. In conclusion, neither visceral AT nor HOMA-IR stands out as the sole driving force of the risk profile; each makes a significant contribution to metabolic abnormalities in Japanese men. © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved