ヒトの心臓血管系の機能障害における自己コントロールの試み

It was suggested that human subjects were able to regulate own HR with an assistance of apparatus in several kinds of cardiovascular dysfunctions, such as sinus tachycardia when the cardiac conduction system was within normal limits. With regards to the mechanism of HR BFT, subjects seem to use variety of strategies as influences of central nervous function, endocrine system as plasma catecholamines (specially epinephrine), psychological cues and cognition.特集 : 「動物の心拍リズム」国際シンポジウム発表論文選

The Influence of D-penicillamine on Granuloma Formation in Implanted Collagen Sponges in Ferritin-sensitized and Non-sensitized Guinea Pigs

In ferritin-sensitized and non-sensitized guinea pigs, using the method of granuloma formation within peritoneally implanted collagen sponges that were either impregnated or not impregnated with ferritin, the effects of D-penicillamine on the cellular aspects of thus created granulomas were quantitatively evaluated by scheduled administration. Daily administration of D-penicillamine (200 mg/kg) for 14 days before and 10, 14 or 18 days after the sponge implantation decreased small mononuclear cell population (SMN) which consisted of lymphocytes, small monocytes and plasma cells, on the 10th-18th days in sponge granulomas in both sensitized and non-sensitized groups, but the administration for 14 days before the sponge implantation higher increased SMN infil- tration on the 14th day in sensitized group. This phenomenon disclosed a close association with a marked infiltration of perivascular lymphocytes and plasma cells in the presence of granulomatous inflammation with the involvement of the delayed hypersensitivity reaction. The enhancement of the dominant lymphocytes infiltrating perivascularly by D-penicillamine may be mediated by chemotactic factors such as lymphokines inducing the delayed hypersensitivity reaction. On the other hand, the frequency of foreign body multinucleated giant cells was decreased by daily administration of D-penicillamine before and after implantation in both groups. This decrease in the number of the giant cells is considered to be due to inhibition of accumulation in the sponges of macrophages and/or monocytes to be fused

KIFC3, a microtubule minus end–directed motor for the apical transport of annexin XIIIb–associated Triton-insoluble membranes

We have identified and characterized a COOH-terminal motor domain–type kinesin superfamily protein (KIFC), KIFC3, in the kidney. KIFC3 is a minus end–directed microtubule motor protein, therefore it accumulates in regions where minus ends of microtubules assemble. In polarized epithelial cells, KIFC3 is localized on membrane organelles immediately beneath the apical plasma membrane of renal tubular epithelial cells in vivo and polarized MDCK II cells in vitro. Flotation assay, coupled with detergent extraction, demonstrated that KIFC3 is associated with Triton X-100–insoluble membrane organelles, and that it overlaps with apically transported TGN-derived vesicles. This was confirmed by immunoprecipitation and by GST pulldown experiments showing the specific colocalization of KIFC3 and annexin XIIIb, a previously characterized membrane protein for apically transported vesicles (Lafont, F., S. Lecat, P. Verkade, and K. Simons. 1998. J. Cell Biol. 142:1413–1427). Furthermore, we proved that the apical transport of both influenza hemagglutinin and annexin XIIIb was partially inhibited or accelerated by overexpression of motor-domainless (dominant negative) or full-length KIFC3, respectively. Absence of cytoplasmic dynein on these annexin XIIIb–associated vesicles and distinct distribution of the two motors on the EM level verified the existence of KIFC3-driven transport in epithelial cells

A screening method for detecting formaldehyde emitted from textile products

Formaldehyde is widely used to improve textile quality, but it is categorized as a potential carcinogen in humans. The concentration of formaldehyde emitted from textile products therefore has implications for public health. The standard method uses acetylacetone for determining formaldehyde extracted from textile products, but requires a water solution and the use of an analyzer. In this study, we present a method for screening textile-emitted formaldehyde via a porous glass sensor that we previously developed. Our method is suitable for on-site screening, whereas the commonly used method is not. The glass sensor was used to measure formaldehyde concentrations emitted from several kinds of textile products. The results showed good agreement (coefficient 0.92) with those of the acetylacetone method. Moreover, we estimate the effects of temperature, and suggest a formula to calculate concentration including temperature correction

Inadequate Folic Acid Intake Among Women Taking Antiepileptic Drugs During Pregnancy in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study aimed to assess characteristics of pregnant women taking antiepileptic drugs with inadequate folic acid intake. This cross-sectional study examined pregnant women taking antiepileptic drugs who were registered in the Japanese Drug Information Institute in Pregnancy (JDIIP) database between October 2005 and December 2016. Participants were classified into two groups according to when they started folic acid supplementation (before pregnancy: ‘adequate’, after pregnancy or never: ‘inadequate’). Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors associated with inadequate folic acid intake. Of 12,794 registrants, 468 pregnant women were taking antiepileptics during the first trimester. Of these, we analysed data from 456 women who had no missing data. As a result, inadequate folic acid intake was noted among 83.3% of them, suggesting that the current level of folic acid intake is insufficient overall. Younger age, smoking, alcohol drinking, multiparity, unplanned pregnancy, and being prescribed AEDs by paediatric or psychiatric departments were independent factors associated with inadequate folic acid intake. As planned pregnancy was the strongest factor, healthcare professionals should ensure that childbearing women taking antiepileptics are informed of the importance of planned pregnancy. In addition, healthcare professionals must gain a better understanding of folic acid intake, as the prevalence of adequate intake differed according to which departments prescribed antiepileptic drugs

VISUAL-CC system uncovers the role of GSK3 as an orchestrator of vascular cell type ratio in plants

The phloem transports photosynthetic assimilates and signalling molecules. It mainly consists of sieve elements (SEs), which act as "highways" for transport, and companion cells (CCs), which serve as "gates" to load/unload cargos. Though SEs and CCs function together, it remains unknown what determines the ratio of SE/CC in the phloem. Here we develop a new culture system for CC differentiation in Arabidopsis named VISUAL-CC, which almost mimics the process of the SE-CC complex formation. Comparative expression analysis in VISUAL-CC reveals that SE and CC differentiation tends to show negative correlation, while total phloem differentiation is unchanged. This varying SE/CC ratio is largely dependent on GSK3 kinase activity. Indeed, gsk3 hextuple mutants possess many more SEs and fewer CCs, whereas gsk3 gain-of-function mutants partially increase the CC number. Taken together, GSK3 activity appears to function as a cell-fate switch in the phloem, thereby balancing the SE/CC ratio. Tamaki et al. develop VISUAL-CC to study SE-CC (sieve elements-companion cells) complex formation. They show that the balance in the SE/CC ratio is dependent on GSK3 activity using different genetic backgrounds. Their work provides insights on the role of GSK3 as a cell-fate switch in the phloem.Peer reviewe

Terpenoids from Ligularia virgaurea collected in China: the first example of two bakkane derivatives with an anhydride-type ring C and nineteen new chemical constituents

Further chemical investigation of two Ligularia virgaurea samples collected in China resulted in the isolation of 21 new compounds, two of which were bakkane-type sesquiterpenoids bearing an anhydride-type ring C, which was a previously unknown partial structure. These samples belonged to the V-type (the major component was virgaurenone) among the five chemotypes found in this species

Effects of Green Tea Fractions on Oxygen-Induced Retinal Neovascularization in the Neonatal Rat

This study aimed to investigate the preventive effects of green tea fractions (GTFs) on rat model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to daily cycles of 80% oxygen (20.5 h), ambient air (0.5 h), and progressive return to 80% oxygen (3 h) until postnatal day 12 (P12), then the rats were placed in ambient air until P18. The green tea was fractionated by DM-A50, DM-W, M-B, and M-W. The rats were treated once daily from P6 to P17 by gastric gavage of GTFs (0.05 or 0.01 g/ml) or distilled water (DW) at 50 µl/10 g body weight. On P18, the rats were sacrificed and the retinal samples were collected. The retinal neovascularization (NV) was scored and avascular areas (AVAs) were measured as a % of total retinal area (%AVAs) in ADPase stained retinas. The NV scores in 0.01 g/ml M-W were significantly lower than those in DW. The %AVAs in 0.05 g/ml DM-A50 and in 0.05 g/ml and 0.01 g/ml M-W were significantly lower than those in DW. There were less catechins, and less caffeine in M-W fraction compared with other GTFs, suggesting components of green tea except for catechins and caffeine might suppress the neovascularization in rat model of OIR