Sampling, identification and sensory evaluation of odors of a newborn baby’s head and amniotic fluid

For baby odor analyses, noninvasive, stress-free sample collection is important. Using a simple method, we succeeded in obtaining fresh odors from the head of five newborn babies. These odors were chemically analyzed by two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC x GC-MS), and compared with each other or with the odor of amniotic fluid from the baby\u27s mother. We identified 31 chemical components of the volatile odors from neonate heads and 21 from amniotic fluid. Although 15 of these components were common to both sources, there was an apparent difference in the GC x GC patterns between the head and amniotic fluid odors, so the neonate head odor might be individually distinct immediately after birth. Therefore, we made artificial mixtures of the major odor components of the neonate head and maternal amniotic fluid, and used psychological tests to examine whether or not these odors could be distinguished from each other. Our data show that the artificial odor of a neonate head could be distinguished from that of amniotic fluid, and that the odors of artificial head odor mixtures could be correctly discriminated for neonates within an hour after birth and at 2 or 3 days of age

Properdin has an ascendancy over factor H regulation in complement-mediated renal tubular damage

BACKGROUND: Urinary (U)-complement components have been detected in patients with proteinuric renal diseases, and complement activation via the alternative pathway (AP) is believed to play a role in renal tubular damage. The present study aimed to examine the regulation of complement AP activation in patients with renal tubular damage by focusing on the balance between properdin (P) and factor H (fH). METHODS: In the in vivo studies, U concentrations of P, fH and membrane attack complex (MAC) were measured in patients with renal diseases using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and their relationships with the clinical data were evaluated. In the in vitro studies, human proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) were incubated with normal human serum (NHS), P-depleted serum (PDS), purified P and/or fH. Changes in cell morphology and phenotype were assessed by microscopy, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunostaining and a cell viability assay. RESULTS: The U-P, fH and MAC concentrations were significantly higher in patients with renal disease than in normal controls and correlated with the U-protein and tubular damage markers. Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed a relationship between P levels and tubular damage markers. There were no significant changes in morphology and mRNA expression in the AP components (P, fH, fB, C3, C5 and C9) after the addition of up to 25% NHS. Dose-dependent depositions of P or fH were observed after the addition of P or fH on PTECs. Depositions of P were not inhibited by fH in a mixture of a fixed concentration of P and a variable concentration of fH, and vice versa. Preincubation with the fixed concentration of P before the addition of NHS or PDS increased the depositions of P, C3 and MAC compared with incubation with intact NHS or intact PDS only; the depositions of C3 and MAC showed a serum-dependent trend. Preincubation with P before NHS addition significantly suppressed cell viability without causing morphological changes. CONCLUSIONS: In the pathogenesis of renal tubular damage, P can directly bind to PTECs and may accelerate AP activation by surpassing fH regulation

Pink-Colored Grape Berry Is the Result of Short Insertion in Intron of Color Regulatory Gene

We report here that pink grape berries were obtained by a short insertion in the intron of the MybA1 gene, a gene that regulates grape berry color. Genetic variation was detected among the MybA1 genes from grapes cultivated worldwide. PCR analysis of the MybA1 gene demonstrated that the size of the MybA1 gene in the red allele differs among grapes. Oriental V. vinifera bearing pink berries has the longest MybA1 gene among grapes, whereas the shortest MybA1 gene was detected in occidental V. vinifera grapes. The nucleotide sequences of the MybA1 genes demonstrated that oriental V. vinifera has two additional gene fragments (44 bp and 111 bp) in the promoter region of the MybA1 gene in the red allele and another 33 bp fragment in the second intron of the MybA1 gene in the red allele. The short insertion in the intron decreased the transcription activity in the model system and retained MybA1 transcripts with unspliced intron in the total RNA. From the experiments using deletion mutants of the 33 bp short insertion, 16 bp of the 3′ end in the insertion is a key structure for a defect in splicing of MybA1 transcripts. Thus, a weakly colored grape berry might be a result of the short insertion in the intron of a color regulatory gene. This is new evidence concerning the molecular mechanism of the fate of grape berry color. These findings are expected to contribute to the further understanding of the color variation in grape berries, which is correlated with the evolutional events occurring in the MybA1 gene of grapes

Intracrine activity involving NAD-dependent circadian steroidogenic activity governs age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction

新たなイントラクライン機構を用いた加齢性眼疾患治療へ --眼局所のホルモンの加齢変化とサーカディアンリズムが鍵--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-02-14.Canonically, hormones are produced in the endocrine organs and delivered to target tissues. However, for steroids, the concept of tissue intracrinology, whereby hormones are produced in the tissues where they exert their effect without release into circulation, has been proposed, but its role in physiology/disease remains unclear. The meibomian glands in the eyelids produce oil to prevent tear evaporation, which reduces with aging. Here, we demonstrate that (re)activation of local intracrine activity through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent circadian 3β-hydroxyl-steroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) activity ameliorates age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction and accompanying evaporative dry eye disease. Genetic ablation of 3β-HSD nullified local steroidogenesis and led to atrophy of the meibomian gland. Conversely, reactivation of 3β-HSD activity by boosting its coenzyme NAD+ availability improved glandular cell proliferation and alleviated the dry eye disease phenotype. Both women and men express 3β-HSD in the meibomian gland. Enhancing local steroidogenesis may help combat age-associated meibomian gland dysfunction

Volatile Constituents of 'Hitomi 5 sun' Carrots Stored in a Low Temperature, High Humidity Room Encased in Snow

試料の雪室貯蔵ニンジン'ひとみ五寸'(以下、'ひとみ五寸')は、圃場より収穫後シートなどで密封し、その上を2～3mの雪で覆った雪室の中で約3ヶ月半貯蔵されたものを用いた。また、'ひとみ五寸'の対照として、全国的に一番多く栽培されている品種・'向陽2号'ニンジン(徳島県内産、以下、'向陽2号')を選んだ。香気成分の分析は各ニンジンの香気成分のジクロロメタン抽出物を用い、常法に準じて、ガスクロマトグラフィー(以下、GC)およびガスクロマトグラフィー-質量分析(以下、GC-MS)によって行った。GCおよびGC-MS分析の結果、'ひとみ五寸'および'向陽2号'の香気成分として、それぞれ48、41化合物、総数として61化合物を同定し、これらのうち45化合物は著者らが初めてニンジンの香気成分として検出した。ニンジンの香気成分量の指標となるピーク総面積値は、'ひとみ五寸'の方が大きく、'向陽2号'の約1.6倍であった。各ニンジンの主なる香気成分として、両ニンジンに共通していた化合物は、β-caryophyllene、cis or trans- γ-bisabolene、trans-α-bisabolene、caryophyllene oxide、α-humulene、(E)-1,2-dichloroethene、geranyl acetone、chloroformなどであり、量的にはtrans -a- bisaboleneを除き、'ひとみ五寸'の方が'向陽2号'を上回っていた。'ひとみ五寸'のβ-caryophylleneは'向陽2号'の約2.1倍であり、その占める割合は'ひとみ五寸'および'向陽2号'共に最も大きく、それぞれ37.9%、28.0%であった。そして、β-caryophylleneに次いで多かったのがcis or trans-γ-bisaboleneで、'ひとみ五寸'および'向陽2号'に占めた割合は、それぞれ11.4%、15.3%であった。逆に'向陽2号'が上回ったtrans-α-bisaboleneは'ひとみ五寸'の約2.3倍で、その占める割合は12.7%であった。一方、'ひとみ五寸'にのみに同定された化合物は20あり、そのうちpropanol、isobutanol、butanol、2-methylbutanol、3-methylbutanol、heptanol、cuminyl alcoholのアルコール類が7種類と、ニンジン香気への寄与率が高いとされているoctanal、(E)-2-nonenal、(E)-2-decenalのアルデヒド類が3種類検出され、'向陽2号'に比べ大きな特徴を示した。また、'ひとみ五寸'ではβ-caryophylleneと共にmildでperfumy、すなわちマイルドで、芳香な香気を与えるとされるterpinoleneが認められたが量的には少なくその割合は0.1%であった。逆に、ニンジンの香気で青臭さを与えるとされるsabineneとmyrceneは、'ひとみ五寸'および'向陽2号'では共に検出されなかった。一方、'向陽2号'のみに認められた化合物は13で、そのうちアルコール類は3-methyl-2-buten-1-ol、octanol、dihydro-β-ionol、trans -nerolidolの4種類で、この13化合物のうちにはアルデヒド類は検出されずひとみ五寸との違いであった。なお、アルデヒド類の中でも最も有力な香気成分とされる(E, E)-2,4- decadienalに関しては、'ひとみ5寸'および'向陽2号'、それぞれ0.5%、0.1%認められた。また、ニンジンのエッセンシャルオイル中でその存在が珍しく、快い甘い芳香を持つというgeranyl 2 - methylbutanoateが向陽2号中で0.7%検出された。そして、各ニンジンでのみに認められた化合物の占める割合は、'ひとみ五寸'のelemicin (3.1%)、acetoin (2.0%)を除き他は全て1%未満であった。また、生ニンジンの香気成分の低沸点化合物として、dietyl ether、acetaldehyde、acetone、propanal、methanol、ethanolなどが報告されているが、これら化合物のうちacetoneのみが両ニンジンのジクロロメタン抽出物中で同定されたことから、低沸点化合物の分析には溶剤抽出法よりもヘッドスペース法の有利さが示唆された。謝辞 実験にご協力をいただいた本学の坂内弘子氏と本研究への社員の参加にご理解とご協力をいただいた、高田香料株式会社代表取締役社長高田正二氏に深く感謝申し上げます

Chromatophore Activity during Natural Pattern Expression by the Squid Sepioteuthis lessoniana: Contributions of Miniature Oscillation

Squid can rapidly change the chromatic patterns on their body. The patterns are created by the expansion and retraction of chromatophores. The chromatophore consists of a central pigment-containing cell surrounded by radial muscles that are controlled by motor neurons located in the central nervous system (CNS). In this study we used semi-intact squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana) displaying centrally controlled natural patterns to analyze spatial and temporal activities of chromatophores located on the dorsal mantle skin. We found that chromatophores oscillated with miniature expansions/retractions at various frequencies, even when the chromatic patterns appear macroscopically stable. The frequencies of this miniature oscillation differed between “feature” and “background” areas of chromatic patterns. Higher frequencies occurred in feature areas, whereas lower frequencies were detected in background areas. We also observed synchronization of the oscillation during chromatic pattern expression. The expansion size of chromatophores oscillating at high frequency correlated with the number of synchronized chromatophores but not the oscillation frequency. Miniature oscillations were not observed in denervated chromatophores. These results suggest that miniature oscillations of chromatophores are driven by motor neuronal activities in the CNS and that frequency and synchrony of this oscillation determine the chromatic pattern and the expansion size, respectively

Recent Results from LHD Experiment with Emphasis on Relation to Theory from Experimentalist’s View

he Large Helical Device (LHD) has been extending an operational regime of net-current free plasmas towardsthe fusion relevant condition with taking advantage of a net current-free heliotron concept and employing a superconducting coil system. Heating capability has exceeded 10 MW and the central ion and electron temperatureshave reached 7 and 10 keV, respectively. The maximum value of β and pulse length have been extended to 3.2% and 150 s, respectively. Many encouraging physical findings have been obtained. Topics from recent experiments, which should be emphasized from the aspect of theoretical approaches, are reviewed. Those are (1) Prominent features in the inward shifted configuration, i.e., mitigation of an ideal interchange mode in the configuration with magnetic hill, and confinement improvement due to suppression of both anomalous and neoclassical transport, (2) Demonstration ofbifurcation of radial electric field and associated formation of an internal transport barrier, and (3) Dynamics of magnetic islands and clarification of the role of separatrix