Normal chemotactic activity of granulocytes obtained by filtration leucapheresis

The chemotactic activity of granulocytes obtained by the Terumo Filtration Leucapheresis System (F.L.) was examined by the method of Boyden's chamber. The number of cells migrating through the Millipore filter was expressed as the chemotactic activity. The mean values were 117 for the F.L. and 122 in a control, in which cells were collected from the same donor blood using dextran sedimentation. The results suggested that the in vitro chemotactic function of granulocytes obtained by F.L. was within normal limits.</p

The relationship of cellular immunity to prognosis in acute leukemia

Forty-five patients with acute leukemia were compared on cellular immunity measures versus prognosis. The patients were treated according a multicombination therapy protocol. The purified protein derivative (PPD) test and dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) test on admission indicated low positive percentages. In acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) patients, the 50% survival durations were 11 months in the PPD positive group and 6 months in the PPD negative group. In acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients, the 50% survival durations were 21 months in the PPD positive group and 13 months in the PPD negative group. Peripheral lymphocyte blastogenesis by phytohemagglutinin (PHA) stimulation was examined at various clinical stages. The stimulation indices were generally low, and no correlation was found between the PHA test and clinical stages. These cellular immunity measures appeared to reflect one aspect of the clinical condition in acute leukemia patients, and further studies are needed for predicting prognosis.</p

A crowdsourcing approach to collecting photo-based insect and plant observation records

Scientific field observation by members of the public is known as citizen science and has become popular all across the world. Citizen science is advantageous for collecting large amounts of scientific data and can be seen as a crowdsourcing approach to data collection. Information and communications technology is enhancing the availability of citizen science. Mobile devices, such as mobile phones, that have a digital camera with a global positioning system (GPS) are necessities for contemporary life and can be utilised as powerful observation tools in citizen science. A web-based system has been developed as a data collection tool for citizen science. Participants submit an e-mail with a photo taken by their mobile phones. The photos contain location information, which can be easily and automatically embedded if the mobile phone is equipped with GPS. Collaboration has been undertaken with regional event managers, such as museum curators and held citizen science events in each region and for various target taxonomic groups. All photos were stored in the data server and the organisms were taxonomically identified by citizen scientists, regional managers and the authors. In total, 154 species and 843 data records were collected in this project conducted from 2011 to 2016

Enzyme systems involved in glucosinolate metabolism in Companilactobacillus farciminis KB1089

Cruciferous vegetables are rich sources of glucosinolates (GSLs). GSLs are degraded into isothiocyanates, which are potent anticarcinogens, by human gut bacteria. However, the mechanisms and enzymes involved in gut bacteria-mediated GSL metabolism are currently unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the enzymes involved in GSL metabolism in lactic acid bacteria, a type of gut bacteria. Companilactobacillus farciminis KB1089 was selected as a lactic acid bacteria strain model that metabolizes sinigrin, which is a GSL, into allylisothiocyanate. The sinigrin-metabolizing activity of this strain is induced under glucose-absent and sinigrin-present conditions. A quantitative comparative proteomic analysis was conducted and a total of 20 proteins that were specifically expressed in the induced cells were identified. Three candidate proteins, β-glucoside-specific IIB, IIC, IIA phosphotransferase system (PTS) components (CfPttS), 6-phospho-β-glucosidase (CfPbgS) and a hypothetical protein (CfNukS), were suspected to be involved in sinigrin-metabolism and were thus investigated further. We hypothesize a pathway for sinigrin degradation, wherein sinigrin is taken up and phosphorylated by CfPttS, and subsequently, the phosphorylated entity is degraded by CfPbgS. As expression of both pttS and pbgS genes clearly gave Escherichia coli host strain sinigrin converting activity, these genes were suggested to be responsible for sinigrin degradation. Furthermore, heterologous expression analysis using Lactococcus lactis suggested that CfPttS was important for sinigrin degradation and CfPbgS degraded phosphorylated sinigrin

Nicotinamide benefits both mothers and pups in two contrasting mouse models of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE), high blood pressure and protein in the urine in the last third of pregnancy, complicates about 1 in 20 human pregnancies, and it is one of the leading causes of pregnancy-related maternal deaths. The only definitive treatment, induced delivery, invariably results in premature babies. Blood pressure-lowering drugs help, but results in preventing preterm delivery and correcting the fetal growth restriction (FGR) that also occurs in PE have been disappointing. Here we show that feeding high doses of nicotinamide, a vitamin, improves the maternal condition, prolongs pregnancies, and prevents FGR in mice having PE-like conditions due to two contrasting causes. Because nicotinamide benefits both mothers and pups, it merits evaluation for preventing or treating PE in humans

Stereoselectivities in Catalytic Hydrogenation of Several Branched-Chain 6-Deoxyhex-5-enopyranosides. A Synthesis of Branched-Chain Methyl 6-Deoxy-β-L-hexopyranoside

Hydrogenation of several 2-C, 3-C, and 4-C-methyl-branched 6-deoxyhex-5-enopyranosides in the presence of palladium–carbon in ethanol showed stereoselective formation of the corresponding 6-deoxy-β-L-hexopyranosides

シセツ サイバイ ニ オケル トマト カジツ レッカ ハッセイ ヨウイン ノ カイセキ

収穫直前に発生するトマト果実の裂果について発生要因を探るため,埼玉県滑川町の農業生産法人において3年間の果実収量,裂果率,および当該地域の気象条件を踏まえ,温室内における気象条件の推移と裂果発生との関係について調査検討した。トマト果実の裂果は,例年4月から6月に発生頻度が高くなるが,温室内の気温および湿度が大きく変動する時期であり,1日における,気温および湿度も日ごとに大きく変動する。これら日中の気温および湿度から飽差を算出し裂果発生との関係について検討した結果,日毎の飽差の差と裂果発生との間には正の相関がみられた。このことから,裂果の発生には,飽差の変動が関与している可能性が示唆された。Fruit cracking occurring just before harvesting is one of the most delicate problems in tomato greenhouse cultivation. In this study we investigated the relationship between fruit cracking and meteorological factors in the greenhouse. As a result, it was suggested that the sharp fluctuations of temperature and humidity of the greenhouse were closely associated with fruit cracking. In particular the vapor pressure of deficit (VPD) in the greenhouse calculated from value of temperature and humidity was indicated to have a significant correlation with fruit cracking. Therefore the control of VPD can be a possible countermeasure to suppress Tomato fruit cracking