High Corticosterone, Not High Energy Cost, Correlates with Reproductive Success in the Burrow-Nesting Ancient Murrelet

Theory and observations suggest that offspring abandonment in animals may occur when the costs to future reproductive output of current reproductive effort outweigh the fitness benefits of rearing the current brood. While hormonal cues (i.e. corticosterone) or energy reserves are believed to be involved, few studies have directly focused on the proximate cues influencing behaviours directly related to reproductive success. To address this information gap, we determined the incubation metabolic rates and corticosterone (CORT) levels of naturally fasting and freely incubating ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus). Respiratory quotient (RQ) increased with date, suggesting that incubating ancient murrelets shifted from strictly lipid-based metabolism towards more protein-based metabolism as incubation progressed. Birds that hatched only one nestling had higher levels of circulating CORT than those which hatched two, suggesting that birds which laid only a single egg found incubation more stressful than those which laid two. However, CORT levels and incubation shift lengths were not correlated, suggesting that birds that undertook prolonged incubation shifts did so only when their energy stores were not jeopardized

On-site analysis for nitrogen oxides using a newly developed portable flow injection analyzer

A new portable flow injection system was developed for on-site chemical analysis, which allows the rapid analysis of aqueous samples at sampling sites. The system comprises a newly designed double-plunger micro pump, a six-way sample injector, a reaction coil in a thermostated compartment and a detector. All of these units are connected with 0.5 mmi.d. PTFE tubing. A visible detector is assembled using a maximum wavelength of 525 nm of a light-emitting diode (LED) and 540 nm of an interference filter. The system is of the one-box type, whose dimensions are 160(W) x 160(H) x 320(D) mm, and is easy to carry to the analysis site; the weight is 8 kg. A thermostated compartment is incorporated into the proposed system in order to be used outdoors, where temperatures are changeable. The system can workwith DC 12Vas well as AC 100V; therefore, a car battery or a portable battery can be used as the power source. The analytical data can be memorized in IC cards or a note-book personal computer connected with a RS232C cable. Furthermore, software on the market can be easily used. By using the proposed system, the on-site determination of nitrogen oxides, such as nitrate and nitrite, could be carried out. Calibration graphs for nitrate and nitrite ions were linear over ranges of 0 to 1.0ppm and 0 to 100ppb ofN-NOs and N-NO2 with good precision; the sampling rate was 40~50 samples per hour. The detection limit for N-NO3 and N-NO2 was 0.5 ppb. By using the proposed system, the on-site determination of nitrate and nitrite in river water samples was carried out. The relative standard deviations of ten injections were 0.65% for nitrate and 0.15% for nitrite. Furthermore, nitrate and nitrite in biological samples as a metabolic products of nitric oxide, which have attracted a lot of attension as a messenger of diverse physiological processes, were also determined on-site with high sensitivity. By using a car battery as a power source, the proposed system worked continuously. In addition, it worked for about 5 hours continuously with a portable battery.試料採取現場での迅速な分析，すなわちオンサイト分析のための新しいポータブルフローインジェクション分析計の開発を行った・このFIA装置では，160×160誉320（mm）の箱の中にダブルプランジ ャーマイクロポンプ，試料注入語検出器及び反応恒温槽を組み入れ，重量8kgと小型・軽量化を達成し，持ち運び容易な分析計とした．特に，525nmの発光ダイオード（LED）を光源とする新規検出 器を開発することにより，小型，省電力化が可能となった．温度変化の大きな屋外での測定に耐えられるように，反応恒温槽も装備した．本FIA装置は交流100Vでのほか，直流12Vでも稼働し，カーバ ッテリーや市販のポータブルバッテリーを電源とするオンサイト分析に対応できるよう設計した．カーバッテリーを電源とした場合は長時間の連続運転が可能である．測定データはメモリーカードや RS232Cによりノート型パーソナルコンピュータへの通信も可能で，更に市販の表計算ソフトを利用してデータ処理が可能である．本装置を窒素酸化物のオンサイト分析に応用した．硝酸，亜硝酸イオン標準液による検量線は，0～1・Oppm，0～100ppbの範囲で直線性，再現性共に良好で，1時間当たり40～50試料の分析が可能であった・検出限界（5／Ⅳ＝3）は硝酸，亜硝酸態窒素として0．5ppbと通常のFIAシステムを用いる場合と全く変わらない優れた性能を有することが分かった．河川水中の硝酸，亜硝酸イオンのオンサイト分析では10回の繰り返し測定における相対標準偏差は0．65％及び0．15％と良好な結果が得られた．また，血清中の一酸化窒素（NO）の酸化代謝物としての硝酸，亜硝酸イオン濃度のオンサイト分析を行い，良好な結果を得た．本研究で検討したポータブルバッテリーでは1回の充電で5時間の連続運転が可能であった

(2,7-Dimethoxy­naphthalene-1,8-di­yl)bis­(4-fluoro­benzo­yl)dimethanone

The title compound, C26H18F2O4, is a naphthalene derivative in which the two aroyl groups at the 1- and 8-positions (peri positions) are anti to each other. There is an appreciable difference in the dihedral angles between the naphthalene ring system and the two benzene rings [66.88 (7)° and 88.09 (6)°]. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O inter­actions involving one of the carbonyl groups and an aromatic C—H group ortho to the F atom seem to stabilize the packing of the mol­ecules

1,8-Dibenzoyl-2,7-dimethoxy­naphthalene

The mol­ecule of the title compound, C26H20O4, is located on a twofold rotation axis. The two benzoyl groups are situated in an anti orientation. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the phenyl ring and the naphthalene ring system is 80.25 (6)°. The phenyl and carbonyl groups in each benzoyl group are almost coplanar. The mol­ecular packing is stabilized by weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and a π–π stacking inter­action between the phenyl rings [centroid–centroid and inter­planar distances of 3.6383 (10) and 3.294 Å, respectively]

(8-Bromo-2,7-dimeth­oxy-1-naphth­yl)(4-chloro­phenyl)methanone

In the title compound, C19H14BrClO3, the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring make a dihedral angle of 77.36 (10)°. The conformation around the central C=O group is such that the C=O bond vector forms a larger angle to the plane of the naphthalene ring system than to the plane of the benzene ring, viz. 75.73 (15)° versus 2.33 (17)°. In the crystal structure, a π–π inter­action is formed between naphthalene ring systems, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.8363 (14) Å and a lateral offset of 1.606 Å. Inter­molecular C—H⋯Br and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds and a C—H⋯π contact are present in the crystal structure

Methyl 4-(2,7-dimeth­oxy-1-naphtho­yl)benzoate

In the title compound, C21H18O5, the dihedral angle between the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring is 86.65 (6)°. The bridging carbonyl C—C(=O)—C plane makes dihedral angles of 83.57 (7) and 20.21 (8)°, respectively, with the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring. The ester O—C=O plane and the benzene ring are almost coplanar, making a dihedral angle of 3.81 (18)°. The two meth­oxy groups lie essentially in the naphthalene ring plane [C—O—C—C torsion angles = 2.1 (2) and −1.44 (19)°]. In the crystal structure, a centrosymmetric dimer is formed through C—H⋯O bonds connecting the 7-meth­oxy group and the carbonyl O atom of the ester group. The dimers are further linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the methoxy­carbonyl group and the bridging carbonyl O atom

Transforming growth factor-β1 stimulates collagen matrix remodeling through increased adhesive and contractive potential by human renal fibroblasts

AbstractRenal tubulointerstitial fibrosis is the common final pathway leading to end-stage renal failure. Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is characterized by fibroblast proliferation and excessive matrix accumulation. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) has been implicated in the development of renal fibrosis accompanied by α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) expression in renal fibroblasts. To investigate the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in tubulointerstitial fibrosis, we examined the effect of TGF-β1 on collagen type I (collagen) gel contraction, an in vitro model of scar collagen remodeling. TGF-β1 enhanced collagen gel contraction by human renal fibroblasts in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Function-blocking anti-α1 or anti-α2 integrin subunit antibodies significantly suppressed TGF-β1-stimulated collagen gel contraction. Scanning electron microscopy showed that TGF-β1 enhanced the formation of the collagen fibrils by cell attachment to collagen via α1β1 and α2β1 integrins. Flow cytometry and cell adhesion analyses revealed that the stimulation of renal fibroblasts with TGF-β1 enhanced cell adhesion to collagen via the increased expression of α1 and α2 integrin subunits within collagen gels. Fibroblast migration to collagen was not up-regulated by TGF-β1. Furthermore, TGF-β1 increased the expression of a putative contractile protein, α-SMA, by human renal fibroblasts in collagen gels. These results suggest that TGF-β1 stimulates fibroblast–collagen matrix remodeling by increasing both integrin-mediated cell attachment to collagen and α-SMA expression, thereby contributing to pathological tubulointerstitial collagen matrix reorganization in renal fibrosis

NMR verification of Dirac nodal lines in a single-component molecular conductor

The Dirac nodal line (DNL) is a novel form of massless Dirac fermions that reside along lines in momentum space. Here, we verify genuine DNLs in the molecular material, [Ni(dmdt)$_2$], with the combined NMR experiments and numerical simulations. The NMR spectral shift and spin-lattice relaxation rate divided by temperature, $1/T_1T$, decrease linearly and quadratically with temperature, respectively, and become constant at low temperatures, consistent with slightly dispersive DNLs with small Fermi pockets. Comparison of these results with model simulations of DNLs reveals the suppression of the Fermi velocity and the enhancement of antiferromagnetic fluctuations due to electron correlation as well as the influence of the Landau quantization. The present study offers a demonstration to identify the DNL and evaluate the correlation effect with NMR.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

(2,7-Dimeth­oxy­naphthalen-1-yl)(4-fluoro­phen­yl)methanone

In the title compound, C19H15FO3, the dihedral angle between the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring is 80.46 (4)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into chains parallel to the b axis

2-(2,7-Dimeth­oxy-1-naphtho­yl)benzoic acid

In the title compound, C20H16O5, the dihedral angle between the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring is 67.43 (5)°. The bridging carbonyl C—C(=O)—C plane makes dihedral angles of 82.64 (6) and 41.79 (7)°, respectively, with the naphthalene ring system and the benzene ring. The dihedral angle between the carb­oxy O—C(=O)—C plane and the benzene ring is 36.38 (7)° and that between the bridging carbonyl C—C(=O)—C plane and the carb­oxy O—C(=O)—C plane is 51.88 (8)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions. An intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond occurs between a naphthalene H atom and the carbonyl O atom of the carb­oxy group