Basement geological research of East Antarctica

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Special session: [S] Future plan of Antarctic research: Towards phase X of the Japanese Antarctic Research Project (2022-2028) and beyond, Tue. 3 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor) at National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR

d-Val22 containing human big endothelin-1 analog, [d-Val22]Big ET-1[16–38], inhibits the endothelin converting enzyme

AbstractEndothelin converting enzyme (ECE) is essential for generation of the biological effects of endothelin-1 (ET-1) from a precursor, big endothelin-1 (Big ET-1). We synthesized four analogs of human Big ET-1[16–38], substituted with single d-amino acids at P1, P2, P1′and P2′ positions. ECE activity was determined using an ET-1 specific radioimmunoassay system. None of the d-amino acid containing Big ET-1 analogs were apparently cleaved by ECE, however, one of the synthetic peptides, [d-Val22]Big ET-1[16–38], strongly inhibited the ECE activity. Furthermore, when this d-Val22 containing peptide was preadministrated to rat striatum, it was found to inhibit the dopamine release induced by Big ET-1. This result suggests that the d-Val22 containing peptide inhibits the ECE activity in vivo. The d-Val22 containing inhibitor offers hope of developing more potent and highly specific ECE inhibitors of therapeutic significance

Geologic connection between Dronning Maud Land and Enderby Land

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OG] Polar Geosciences, Wed. 4 Dec. / Entrance Hall (1st floor), National Institute of Polar Researc

Design and synthesis of amidine-type peptide bond isosteres: application of nitrile oxide derivatives as active ester equivalents in peptide and peptidomimetics synthesis.

Amidine-type peptide bond isosteres were designed based on the substitution of the peptide bond carbonyl (C=O) group with an imino (C=NH) group. The positively-charged property of the isosteric part resembles a reduced amide-type peptidomimetic. The peptidyl amidine units were synthesized by the reduction of a key amidoxime (N-hydroxyamidine) precursor, which was prepared from nitrile oxide components as an aminoacyl or peptidyl equivalent. This nitrile oxide-mediated C-N bond formation was also used for peptide macrocyclization, in which the amidoxime group was converted to peptide bonds under mild acidic conditions. Syntheses of the cyclic RGD peptide and a peptidomimetic using both approaches, and their inhibitory activity against integrin-mediated cell attachment, are presented

The Hypervariable Region 1 Protein of Hepatitis C Virus Broadly Reactive with Sera of Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C Has a Similar Amino Acid Sequence with the Consensus Sequence

AbstractHypervariable region 1 (HVR1) proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV) have been reported to react broadly with sera of patients with HCV infection. However, the variability of the broad reactivity of individual HVR1 proteins has not been elucidated. We assessed the reactivity of 25 different HVR1 proteins (genotype 1b) with sera of 81 patients with HCV infection (genotype 1b) by Western blot. HVR1 proteins reacted with 2–60 sera. The number of sera reactive with each HVR1 protein significantly correlated with the number of amino acid residues identical to the consensus sequence defined by Puntoriero et al. (G. Puntoriero, A. Lahm, S. Zucchelli, B. B. Ercole, R. Tafi, M. Penzzanera, M. U. Mondelli, R. Cortese, A. Tramontano, G. Galfre', and A. Nicosia. 1998. EMBO J. 17, 3521–3533.) (r = 0.561, P < 0.005). The most widely reactive HVR1 protein, 12-22, had a sequence similar to the consensus sequence. The peptide with C-terminal 13-amino-acids sequence of HVR1 protein 12-22 (NH2-CSFTSLFTPGPSQK) was injected into rabbits as an immunogen. The rabbit immune sera reacted with 9 of 25 HVR1 proteins of genotype 1b including HVR1 protein 12-22 and with 3 of 12 proteins of genotype 2a. These results indicate that the HVR1 protein broadly reactive with patients' sera has a sequence similar to the consensus sequence, can induce broadly reactive sera, and could be one of the candidate immunogens in a prophylactic vaccine against HCV

Viscous Flow around an Equi1ateral Triangle Cylinder

The flow field around an equilateral triangle(ELT) cylinder moving slowly with a constant velocity along the parallel to side-walls of channel was studied by the flow visualization and the numerical analysis. The effect of the relative speed of cylinder. the cylinder attitude and the channel side-wall to the flow field was discussed in Reynolds number Re= 10～30， the attack angle α=0～120° and the side-wall parameter h=3～10. Besides， fluid forces acting ELT cylinder were calculated on the basis of numerical results on the f10w field and their characteristics were clarified. The main results obtained are as follows ;(1) Twin eddies in the wake of ELT cylinder grow with an increase of Reynolds number and its degree is affected by the cylinder attitude， (2) The channel side-walls suppress the development of twin eddies， (3) The drag of ELT cylinder varies with the attack angle of cylinder and becomes maximum at α=600 and minimum at α=0°,(4) The lift　of　ELT cylinder changes its magnitude and direction by the cylinder attitude and the friction lift has a large influence to the total lift

Survey Research for Awareness of Particulate Matter 2.5 in Japan and China : Case of a University in Osaka Prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture, and Nanjing City

This study examined awareness of the health risks posed by PM2.5 in Osaka Prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture, and Nanjing City. A questionnaire survey was administered to respondents of several universities. Respondents were asked to rate their awareness of PM2.5, including the perceived health risk presented by PM2.5 in several countries, fears regarding PM2.5, behavioral intention to take protective actions, effectiveness of their protective actions regarding PM2.5, cost-benefit for their protective actions, and trustworthiness of the information received about PM2.5. The results showed that the respondents of Okinawa Prefecture perceive a higher degree of health risk due to PM2.5 in Japan than the respondents of Osaka Prefecture and Nanjing City. On the other hand, the respondents of Osaka Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture have a lower level of fear and a lesser amount of behavioral intention to take protective actions than the respondents of Nanjing City. The results suggested that the difference in attitudes toward PM2.5 between the areas is related to differences in their conditions and social systems

U-Pb geochronology in western part of the Rayner Complex, East Antarctica

第2回極域科学シンポジウム/第31回極域地学シンポジウム 11月17日（木） 国立極地研究所　2階大会議室前フロ

Report on "the Project to Learn from the Field Study on the Affected Area of Great East Japan Earthquake"

This paper reports on "the project to learn from the field study on the affected area of Great East Japan Earthquake" conducted by the Faculty of Safety Science Kansai University. The purposes of the project are to support the students which try to study on site and let them get practical findings through the study. Those are successfully accomplished.平成23年度関西大学特別研究・教育促進費「災害研修プログラムの企画･実施，及び災害対応経験の記録化を通じた実習型授業の充実化」（研究代者・菅磨志保

カワラヨモギの「ほふく型」と「直立型」の開花日, 頭花サイズ, 頭花中の利胆成分含量及び分子レベルの相違について

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