TOXICITY OF SOME MARINE SNAILS RESPONSIBLE FOR RECENT FOOD POISONINGS IN VIETNAM

During the years of 2006 - 2007, about five food poisoning cases with fatalities caused by marine snails reported in coastal areas of Vietnam. From stock over of poisoning materials from three out of five cases, causative species were identified as Nassarius papillosus, Nassasius (Alectrion) glans glans, N. (Zeuxis) comptus and Natica (Natica) fasciata. These species also caused poisonings in several countries such as Japan, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan. High level of tetrodotoxin was found in the specimens of N. papillosus as the causative component for food poisoning with three patients including two deaths on October 17, 2006 in Quang Ngai province.  In contrast, no tetrodotoxin was detected in three other snail species which were eaten at the poisonings on December 17, 2007 in Ninh Thuan province and December 27, 2007 in Binh Thuan province. Although the origin of tetrodotoxin in marine snails has not been clarified yet, it is urgently necessary to warn potential risks from marine snails to public as some of them may become suddenly toxic with unknown mechanism. Tóm tắt: Có ít nhất 5 vụ ngộ độc thực phẩm do ăn ốc biển được ghi nhận tại các vùng ven biển Việt Nam trong các năm 2006-2007. Mẫu vật ốc biển còn sót lại của 3 trong số 5 vụ ngộ độc này được xác định thuộc các loài Nassarius papillosus, Nassasius (Alectrion) glans glans, N. (Zeuxis) comptus và Natica (Natica) fasciata. Đây cũng là những loài gây ra những vụ ngộ độc tương tự ở một số Quốc gia khác như Nhật Bản, Phi-lip-pin, Brunây và Đài Loan. Bằng phương pháp sắc ký lỏng hiệu năng cao (HPLC), đã xác định được hàm lượng khá cao độc tố tetrodotoxin (TTX)  trong mẫu vật của loài N. papillosus gây ra vụ ngộ độc cho 3 nạn nhân (2 tử vong) ngày 17 - 10 - 2006 tại tỉnh Quảng Ngãi. Ngược lại, không tìm thấy sự có mặt của độc tố TTX trong 3 loài ốc biển nghi ngờ gây ra 2 vụ ngộ độc khác vào 17 - 12 - 2007 tại Ninh Thuận và 27 - 12 - 2007 tại Bình Thuận. Mặc dù nguồn gốc của độc tố TTX trong ốc biển vẫn còn chưa được biết đến, nhưng một số loài ốc biển có thể trở nên độc một cách bất thường vào một thời điểm nhất định nào đó, do vậy cần thiết phải có cảnh báo về nguy cơ ngộ độc từ những loài sinh vật này

Disproportionally Impaired Diffusion Capacity Relative to Airflow Limitation in COPD

Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) is a standard physiological index of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but reflects emphysema and vascular abnormalities less sensitively than diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (D_LCO). This study tested whether a disproportionally impaired D_LCO relative to FEV₁ (FEV₁ z-score>-3 and D_LCO z-score≤-3) is a common functional COPD phenotype associated with distinct clinical and structural features and the prognosis of two cohorts. The cross-sectional analyses of the Korea COPD Subgroup Study (KOCOSS) cohort (multicenter study in Korea) included 743 males with COPD whose D_LCO was available. The cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of the Kyoto University Cohort (single-center study in Japan) included 195 males with COPD who were prospectively followed for 10 years. A disproportionally impaired D_LCO relative to FEV₁ was observed in 29% and 31% of patients in the KOCOSS and Kyoto University cohorts, respectively. In the multivariable analysis, the disproportionally impaired D_LCO was associated with worse symptoms, shorter 6-minute walking distance, paraseptal and centrilobular emphysema on computed tomography, and reduced arterial oxygen and carbon dioxide pressures compared to the reference (FEV₁ z-score>-3 and D_LCO z-score>-3). In the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, a higher long-term mortality was observed in the disproportionally impaired D_LCO group than in the reference group (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval] = 3.09 [1.52–6.29]) and similar to the D_LCO z-score≤-3 and FEV₁ z-score≤-3 group. The disproportionally impaired D_LCO relative to FEV₁ is common and associated with increased symptoms, emphysema, arterial blood gas abnormalities, and increased long-term mortality in patients with COPD

Kesadaran Lingkungan Anak Muda di Kota: Pelajaran dari Membaca Kota di Yogyakarta, Indonesia

ABSTRAK Bencana lingkungan telah membahayakan kota Yogyakarta. Penduduk muda kota ini telah dan akan terus terkena dampak dari bencana-bencana ini.  Namun, pendidikan lingkungan hidup (PLH) di kota ini kurang efektif dalam menciptakan kesadaran di kalangan anak-anak dan remaja tentang isu-isu lingkungan hidup di sekitar mereka. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk menilai dan meningkatkan peran anak muda di Yogyakarta untuk menghadapi permasalahan tersebut, proyek Membaca Kota dilaksanakan di Kampung Jogonegaran dengan menggunakan metode berikut: 1) survei kuantitatif pra-proyek; 2) kegiatan interaktif; dan 3) diskusi kelompok terarah pasca-kegiatan. Berdasarkan hasil pra-survei, para anak muda kampung menunjukkan kesadaran dan kepedulian mereka terhadap isu-isu lingkungan perkotaan seperti pengelolaan sampah dan ruang terbuka hijau. Selama kegiatan berlangsung, para peserta menunjukkan berbagai tingkat keterlibatan dan respon. Setelah penelitian selesai, para anak muda menunjukkan kesadaran yang lebih besar dan kesiapan untuk menyuarakan dan mengambil tindakan terkait masalah lingkungan di perkotaan. Setelah kegiatan yang dilakukan, beberapa wawasan ditemukan untuk meningkatkan program pendidikan lingkungan berbasis masyarakat: 1) melibatkan peserta dalam semua tahapan program sangat penting; 2) memastikan adanya saling pengertian antara peserta dan penyelenggara sangat penting; dan 3) penerapan pedoman standar untuk kegiatan manajemen proyek diperlukan. Kata Kunci: Lingkungan Urban, Pendidikan Lingkungan Interaktif, Agensi Anak Muda, Pengorganisasian Komunitas Anak Muda.ABSTRACT Environmental disasters have endangered the city of Yogyakarta. The city's young population has been and will continue to be affected by these disasters.  However, environmental education (PLH) in the city is less effective in creating awareness among children and adolescents about environmental issues around them. This research was conducted to assess and improve the role of young people in Yogyakarta to face these problems, the City Reading project was carried out in Jogonegaran Village using the following methods: 1) pre-project quantitative survey; 2) interactive activities; and 3) post-activity focus group discussions. Based on the pre-survey results, the village youths showed their awareness and concern for urban environmental issues such as waste management and green open spaces. During the activity, participants showed varying levels of engagement and response. After the study was completed, the young people showed greater awareness and readiness to voice and take action on environmental issues in urban areas. Following the activities undertaken, several insights were found to improve community-based environmental education programs: 1) involving participants in all stages of the program is essential; 2) ensuring mutual understanding between participants and organizers is essential; and 3) the implementation of standard guidelines for project management activities is necessary Keywords: Urban Environment, Interactive Environmental Education, Youth Agency, Youth Community Organizing.

Domoic acid in a bivalve Spondylus cruentus in Nha Trang Bay, Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam

Recently we have found that domoic acid (DA), a toxin responsible for amnesic shellfish poisoning, is always detected in bivalve species belonging to a genus Spondylus randomly collected from various parts of the tropical areas including Vietnam. In Vietnam, 10 species of Spondylus are known to grow. Among these species, S. cruentus is a commercially valuable species. Domoic acid in S. cruentus collected in Nha Trang Bay is analyzed by ELISA and LC/MS/MS. Remarkable individual difference was observed in DA level among 28 specimens of S. cruentus collected from the same area at the same time. The DA level in S. cruentus apparently showed a seasonal variation. However, the variation of DA content seems to be due to a large individual difference among the specimens. When the specimens were reared in plankton-free conditions, DA level in S. cruentus did not decreaseds for 45 days, showing that S. cruentus maintains DA for a long period

Vitamin D and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: Bones, Muscles, and Joints

Vitamin D3, or cholecalciferol, is the naturally occurring form of vitamin D that is converted in the skin and hydroxylated in the liver and kidney to the active form found in humans. The main role for vitamin D is calcium homeostasis, and low levels of vitamin D result in lower gastrointestinal absorption of calcium. Vitamin D is also critical for mineralization of bone tissue, muscle function, and coordination. Recent studies have found prevention of bone mass loss and reduction in falls and fractures in patients supplemented with vitamin D. A high percentage of systemic lupus erythematosus patients are reported to have insufficient or deficient levels of vitamin D. This paper reviews the biology of vitamin D, its role in calcium homeostasis, and how it contributes to the maintenance of bone, muscle, and joint function in older adults and individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus

Function of KAI2 signaling in plant drought adaptation

Drought causes substantial reductions in crop yields worldwide. Therefore, we set out to identify new chemical and genetic factors that regulate drought resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Karrikins (KARs) are a class of butenolide compounds found in smoke that promote seed germination, and have been reported to improve seedling vigor under stressful growth conditions. Here, we discovered that mutations in KARRIKIN INSENSITIVE2 (KAI2), encoding the proposed karrikin receptor, result in hypersensitivity to water deprivation. We performed transcriptomic, physiological and biochemical analyses of kai2 plants to understand the basis for KAI2-regulated drought resistance. We found that kai2 mutants have increased rates of water loss and drought-induced cell membrane damage, enlarged stomatal apertures, and higher cuticular permeability. In addition, kai2 plants have reduced anthocyanin biosynthesis during drought, and are hyposensitive to abscisic acid (ABA) in stomatal closure and cotyledon opening assays. We identified genes that are likely associated with the observed physiological and biochemical changes through a genome-wide transcriptome analysis of kai2 under both well-watered and dehydration conditions. These data provide evidence for crosstalk between ABA- and KAI2-dependent signaling pathways in regulating plant responses to drought. A comparison of the strigolactone receptor mutant d14 (DWARF14) to kai2 indicated that strigolactones also contributes to plant drought adaptation, although not by affecting cuticle development. Our findings suggest that chemical or genetic manipulation of KAI2 and D14 signaling may provide novel ways to improve drought resistance

Effects of the Molecular Weight and the Degree of Deacetylation of Chitosan Oligosaccharides on Antitumor Activity

Effects of the degree of deacetylation (DDA) and the molecular mass of chitosan oligosaccharides (CTS-OS), obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysis of high molecular weight chitosan (HMWC), on antitumor activity was explored. The DDA and molecular weights of CTS-OS were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis. The CTS-OS were found to be a mixture of mainly dimers (18.8%), trimers (24.8%), tetramers (24.9%), pentamers (17.7%), hexamers (7.1%), heptamers (3.3%), and octamers (3.4%). The CTS-OS were further fractionated by gel-filtration chromatography into two major fractions: (1) COS, consisting of glucosamine (GlcN)n, n = 3–5 with DDA 100%; and (2) HOS, consisting of (GlcN)5 as the minimum residues and varying number of N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc)n, n = 1–2 with DDA about 87.5% in random order. The cytotoxicities, expressed as the concentration needed for 50% cell death (CC50), of CTS-OS, COS, and HOS against PC3 (prostate cancer cell), A549 (lung cancer cell), and HepG2 (hepatoma cell), were determined to be 25 μg·mL−1, 25 μg·mL−1, and 50 μg·mL−1, respectively. The HMWC was approximately 50% less effective than both CTS-OS and COS. These results demonstrate that the molecular weight and DDA of chitosan oligosaccharides are important factors for suppressing cancer cell growth

Molecular basis for SMC rod formation and its dissolution upon DNA binding.

SMC condensin complexes are central modulators of chromosome superstructure in all branches of life. Their SMC subunits form a long intramolecular coiled coil, which connects a constitutive "hinge" dimerization domain with an ATP-regulated "head" dimerization module. Here, we address the structural arrangement of the long coiled coils in SMC complexes. We unequivocally show that prokaryotic Smc-ScpAB, eukaryotic condensin, and possibly also cohesin form rod-like structures, with their coiled coils being closely juxtaposed and accurately anchored to the hinge. Upon ATP-induced binding of DNA to the hinge, however, Smc switches to a more open configuration. Our data suggest that a long-distance structural transition is transmitted from the Smc head domains to regulate Smc-ScpAB's association with DNA. These findings uncover a conserved architectural theme in SMC complexes, provide a mechanistic basis for Smc's dynamic engagement with chromosomes, and offer a molecular explanation for defects in Cornelia de Lange syndrome

Unsupervised reduction of random noise in complex data by a row-specific, sorted principal component-guided method

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Large biological data sets, such as expression profiles, benefit from reduction of random noise. Principal component (PC) analysis has been used for this purpose, but it tends to remove small features as well as random noise.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We interpreted the PCs as a mere signal-rich coordinate system and sorted the squared PC-coordinates of each row in descending order. The sorted squared PC-coordinates were compared with the distribution of the ordered squared random noise, and PC-coordinates for insignificant contributions were treated as random noise and nullified. The processed data were transformed back to the initial coordinates as noise-reduced data. To increase the sensitivity of signal capture and reduce the effects of stochastic noise, this procedure was applied to multiple small subsets of rows randomly sampled from a large data set, and the results corresponding to each row of the data set from multiple subsets were averaged. We call this procedure Row-specific, Sorted PRincipal component-guided Noise Reduction (RSPR-NR). Robust performance of RSPR-NR, measured by noise reduction and retention of small features, was demonstrated using simulated data sets. Furthermore, when applied to an actual expression profile data set, RSPR-NR preferentially increased the correlations between genes that share the same Gene Ontology terms, strongly suggesting reduction of random noise in the data set.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>RSPR-NR is a robust random noise reduction method that retains small features well. It should be useful in improving the quality of large biological data sets.</p

Lung Cancer in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Tales of Epithelial Cell Plasticity

Lung epithelial cells exhibit a high degree of plasticity. Alterations to lung epithelial cell function are critically involved in several chronic lung diseases such as pulmonary fibrosis. Pulmonary fibrosis is characterized by repetitive injury and subsequent impaired repair of epithelial cells, which leads to aberrant growth factor activation and fibroblast accumulation. Increased proliferation and hyper- and metaplasia of epithelial cells upon injury have also been observed in pulmonary fibrosis; this epithelial cell activation might represent the basis for lung cancer development. Indeed, several studies have provided histopathological evidence of an increased incidence of lung cancer in pulmonary fibrosis. The mechanisms involved in the development of cancer in pulmonary fibrosis, however, remain poorly understood. This review highlights recently uncovered molecular mechanisms shared between lung cancer and fibrosis, which extend the current evidence of a common trait of cancer and fibrosis, as provided by histopathological observations. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base