Effect of purification method of β-chitin from squid pen on the properties of β-chitin nanofibers

Published online 20 June 2016The relationship between purification methods of β-chitin from squid pen and the physicochemical properties of β-chitin nanofibers (NFs) were investigated. Two types of β-chitin were prepared, with β-chitin (a → b) subjected to acid treatment for decalcification and then base treatment for deproteinization, while β-chitin (b → a) was treated in the opposite order. These β-chitins were disintegrated into NFs using wet pulverization. The β-chitin (b → a) NF dispersion has higher transmittance and viscosity than the β-chitin (a → b) NF dispersion. For the first time, we succeeded in obtaining 3D images of the β-chitin NF dispersion in water by using quick-freeze deep-etch replication with high-angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy. The β-chitin (b → a) NF dispersion has a denser and more uniform 3D network structure than the β-chitin (a → b) NF dispersion. Widths of the β-chitin (a → b) and (b → a) NFs were approximately 8–25 and 3–10 nm, respectively.ArticleINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES. 91:987-993 (2016)journal articl

Phenotyping the brain, the face, and their genetic interaction over development

The development of the brain and the face is intimately coordinated through a continuous physical and molecular interaction during morphogenesis. Understanding how dynamic spatio-temporal regulation of gene expression patterns guide this process is crucial to reveal mechanisms that may have contributed to human evolution

Comparison between Integrated Backscatter Intravascular Ultrasound and 64-Slice Multi-Detector Row Computed Tomography for Tissue Characterization and Volumetric Assessment of Coronary Plaques

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the cut-off values of Hounsfield units (HU) for the discrimination of plaque components and to evaluate the feasibility of measurement of the volume of plaque components using multi-detector row computed tomography (MDCT). Methods: Coronary lesions (125 lesions in 125 patients) were visualized by both integrated backscatter intravascular ultrasound (IB-IVUS) and 64-slice MDCT at the same site. The IB values were used as a gold standard to determine the cut off values of HU for the discrimination of plaque components. Results: Plaques were classified as lipid pool (n =50), fibrosis (n =65) or calcification (n =35) by IB-IVUS. The HU of lipid pool, fibrosis and calcification were 18 ± 18 HU (−19 to 58 HU), 95 ± 24 HU (46 to 154 HU) and 378 ± 99 HU (188 to 605 HU), respectively. Using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, a threshold of 50 HU was the optimal cutoff values to discriminate lipid pool from fibrosis. Lipid volume measured by MDCT was correlated with that measured by IB-IVUS (r =0.66, p <0.001), whereas fibrous volume was not (r =0.21, p =0.059). Conclusion: Lipid volume measured by MDCT was moderately correlated with that measured by IB-IVUS. MDCT may be useful for volumetric assessment of the lipid volume of coronary plaques, whereas the assessment of fibrosis volume was unstable

2017ネン スウェーデン シサツ ホウコク : ホクオウ ノ ジッセンテキ フクシ キョウイク セイサク オヨビ シンリテキ シエン ノ リカイ

本稿の主たる目的は、スウェーデンのストックホルム市およびモータラ市の福祉および教育の実践を詳細に記録し、心理学的な観点から評価・検討することであった。我々は、2017年3月21日から10日間、スウェーデン王立リンショーピング大学アウトドア環境教育センターが提供するプログラムを中心として、北欧の福祉および教育の現状と課題を抽出することを目的として本研修に参加した。本稿では、（1）オンラインカウンセリングサービス、（2）ネイチャースクール、（3）小学校、（4）こども園、（5）家族センター、（6）高齢者ホーム、の6施設の視察詳細を報告することで、スウェーデンでの福祉政策と教育政策の特性をまとめ、子どもの発達や学習過程の実践的理解と心理的支援の方向性を示した

Chronic coadministration of carbamazepine together with imipramine produces antidepressant-like effects in an ACTH-induced animal model of treatment–resistant depression: Involvement of 5-HT 2A receptors?

The use of carbamazepine has been reported to be an effective treatment for severe depression. We have already shown that the antidepressant-like effects of tricyclic antidepressants in the rat forced swim test (FST) are blocked by chronic treatment with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). In the present study, we examined the effect of the chronic administration of carbamazepine on the FST and the wet-dog shakes induced by (+/-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aiminopropane (DOI), a 5-HT2A receptor agonist, in ACTH-treated rats. Chronic administration of carbamazepine did not affect the duration of immobility in saline-treated and ACTH-treated rats. The reduction of immobility, induced by chronic administration of imipramine, was blocked by treatment with ACTH. When carbamazepine was administered concurrently with imipramine, we observed a significant decrease in immobility in rats treated with ACTH. Chronic ACTH treatment increased the number of the wet-dog shakes induced by DOI. This effect of ACTH was significantly increased by the coadministration of carbamazepine and imipramine. These results suggest that the use of carbamazepine together with tricyclic antidepressants had the effect of reducing immobility time in the FST in a tricyclic antidepressant-treatment-resistant depressive model induced by chronic ACTH treatment. </p

Three minute, but not one minute, ischemia and nicorandil have a preconditioning effect in patients with coronary artery disease

AbstractOBJECTIVESThis study focused on 1) the determination of the optimal preconditioning (PC) duration, and 2) the protective effect of nicorandil (NC), a hybrid nitrate with a Katpchannel opening effect, during a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) model in humans.BACKGROUNDThe ischemic PC effect is induced in 180 s ischemia, but not in 120 s ischemia in rabbit hearts. However, the duration of ischemia that induces PC effect and the role of the Katpchannel in the PC effect in humans are still unclear.METHODSForty-six patients with stable angina were randomly allocated to four groups: the duration of the first inflation as PC ischemia was 60 s in the PC60 group (n = 12), and 180 s in the PC180 group (n = 12). In the other groups, NC (80 μg/kg) was intravenously given for 1 min in the NC group (n = 12), and isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) (40 μg/kg) was given in the ISDN group (n = 10). Five minutes after first inflation or drug administration, a second inflation was conducted for 120 s in each group. In the ECG, the lead with the largest shift in ST segment (deltaST max), and the sum of elevated ST levels in all leads (sigmaST) were determined.RESULTSIn the PC60 group, no significant difference was observed in either deltaST max or sigmaST between the first and second inflation. However, the second inflation in the PC180 group showed significantly lower levels of deltaST max and sigmaST compared with those of the first inflation. In the NC group, both deltaST max and sigmaST measured at 30 s and 60 s after balloon inflation were significantly lower than those of the first inflation in the PC60 and PC180 control groups. In the ISDN group, no significant difference was observed in deltaST max or sigmaST.CONCLUSIONIn human PTCA models, a PC effect is observed in 180 s ischemia, but not in 60 s ischemia. A pharmacological PC effect is induced by NC, a Katpchannel opener with a nitrate-like effect but not ISDN. This suggests that the opening of Katpchannels plays an important role in the protecting effect of NC

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In Aplysia abdominal ganglion cells, application of 5-hydroxytriptamine (5HT) prolongs the spike duration evoked by artificial depolarizing pulses in the presence of tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA). In contrast, it does not alter the spike duration in normal perfusing media. In attempt to clarify this lack of effect of 5HT in the normal media, voltage clamp method was used. Application of 5HT induced slow voltage-dependent inward current carried by Na+ in the cells clamped at resting level. Furthermore, 5HT augmented a transient inward current followed by slow outward current response elicited by depolarizing pulse from resting level to + 10mV. Application of 10mM TEA markedly depressed the outward current component without affecting the fast inward component, indicating the outward current component sensitive to TEA to be mainly Ca^-activated K^+-current. In the presence of TEA, 5HT rather depressed the remaining outward current component and shifted the maximum level to inward. The apparent inward shift of the outward current by 5HT was inhibited by Cd^, a typical Ca^-channel blocker, suggesting the inward shift was due to increase in Ca^ alone dissolved in normal media. These results suggested that 5HT facilitate the opening f voltage-dependent Cd^_channel, causing an increase in Cd^_current, and subsequently enhancing the TEA-sensitive Cd^_activated K^+-current. Our model explains why 5HT in normal media lacks the prolonging effect on the spike duration