The first case of recurrent ultra late onset group B streptococcal sepsis in a 3-year-old child

AbstractGroup B streptococcus (GBS) is a commonly recognized cause of sepsis and meningitis in neonatal and young infants. Invasive GBS infection is classified into early onset GBS disease (EOD, day 0–6), late onset GBS disease (LOD, day 7–89) and ultra late onset GBS disease (ULOD, after 3 months of age). ULOD is uncommon and recurrence is especially rare. We present the first recurrent case of ULOD GBS sepsis in 3-year-old girl with a past medical history of hydrops fetalis and thoracic congenital lymphatic dysplasia. The first episode presented as sepsis at 2 years 8 months of age. The second episode occurred as sepsis with encephalopathy at 3 years 1 months of age. During each episode, the patient was treated using intravenous antimicrobials and her condition improved. Serotype examination was not performed in the first episode, but GBS type V was serotyped in the second episode. ULOD over 1year of age is quite rare and may recur

Design and synthesis of amidine-type peptide bond isosteres: application of nitrile oxide derivatives as active ester equivalents in peptide and peptidomimetics synthesis.

Amidine-type peptide bond isosteres were designed based on the substitution of the peptide bond carbonyl (C=O) group with an imino (C=NH) group. The positively-charged property of the isosteric part resembles a reduced amide-type peptidomimetic. The peptidyl amidine units were synthesized by the reduction of a key amidoxime (N-hydroxyamidine) precursor, which was prepared from nitrile oxide components as an aminoacyl or peptidyl equivalent. This nitrile oxide-mediated C-N bond formation was also used for peptide macrocyclization, in which the amidoxime group was converted to peptide bonds under mild acidic conditions. Syntheses of the cyclic RGD peptide and a peptidomimetic using both approaches, and their inhibitory activity against integrin-mediated cell attachment, are presented

Intake of Calcium from Marine Resources for Prevention of Osteoporosis

（Abstract）In order to fill up the shortage of calcium intake,particular attention was paid to the absorbable calcium derived from fishes and she11fishes.The diets prepared from cuttlefish shell calcium(C-Ca),bonito head oil(fish oil)were administered to rats,and the bone metabolism and the bone modeling were investigated the calcium and inorganic phosphate contents and the measurement of the trabecular bone mineral density(BMD),the corticalBMD and the stress strain index(SSI)of rat femur.From these results the bone modeling was accelerated more effectively by the administration of cuttlefish calcium and fish oil,compared to the administration of control diet calcium. It is suggested that cuttlefish shell calcium was effective in bone modeling,and these are available as new calcium resources

Structure–activity relationship study on senktide for development of novel potent neurokinin-3 receptor selective agonists

Neurokinin B (NKB) regulates the secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the hypothalamus via activation of the cognate neurokinin-3 receptor (NK3R). The stimulatory effect of NKB and the derivatives on gonadotropin secretion can potentially be used for development of novel regulatory and therapeutic agents for reproductive dysfunctions. Here, we report a comprehensive structure–activity relationship study on the NK3R-selective agonist peptide, senktide. Substitution of the N-terminal succinyl-Asp substructure in senktide with oxalyl-Glu, oxalyl-D-Glu or oxalyl-L-2-aminoadipic acid (Aad) increased receptor binding and NK3R activation. Among these modifications, the oxalyl-D-Glu substructure prevented neutral endopeptidase (NEP) 24.11-mediated degradation, thus providing a novel NK3R agonist peptide with favourable biological and stability properties

エンドウの推定ZnフィンガーDNA結合性タンパク質のcDNAクローニング

We constructed cDNA library from pea epicotyls treated with fungal elicitor for 5hrs, and performed differential screening using the individual 32P-cDNA probe derived from poly(A)+ RNA prepared from elicitor- and water-treated epicotyls. As a result of the screening, we have isolated from elicitor- and water-treated epicotyls. As a results of the screening, we have isolated about 90 cDNA clones as candidates for elicitor-inducible genes, and their nucleotide sequences have been partially determined. One of these clones, E31 was a pea homolog of the putative zinc-finger proteins, Ljpzf in Lotus japonicus and Gmpz in soybean. E31 possesses 1,726bp insert, and encodes an open reading frame corresponding to position 82 amino acids from N-terminus to the C-terminal end in Ljpzf. The protein product of E31 was designated as Pspzf. Pspzf also possesses nuclear localization signal(NLS), HKRK, and Cys3His2Cys3(RIngH2) motif at the same position to LjpZF and putative C-terminal end of the deduced amino acid sequences, respectively. Since zinc-finger motif is one of the well-known DNA-binding domains, Ljpzf and Pspzf might be able to bins to a particular DNA sequence and regulate transcriptional activity in plants.エリシターを処理したエンドウの上胚軸からcDNAライブラリーを作成し、水処理上胚軸をコントロールに differential screening を行い、エリシター応答性cDNAの候補として90個のクローンを単離した。そららのクローンの1つE31は1,716bpのインサートを有し、ミヤコグサ、ダイズでcDNAがクローニングされているLjpzf、Gmpzfのエンドウにおけるホモローグをコードしていると考えられ、その推定翻訳産物をPspzfと命名した。E31は、Ljpzfの推定アミノ酸配列の82アミノ酸目からカルボキシル末端側をコードしていると考えられた。LjpzfやPspzfの推定アミノ酸配列中には核移行シグナルHKRKが存在していたこと、カルボキシル末端側にはCys3His2Cys3もモチーフとするRing H2 fingerドメインが存在していたことより、LjpzfやPspzfは、核内に局在するDNA結合性のZn fingerタンパク質の1種として遺伝子発現の制御に機能している可能性が示唆された

Delineation of musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome caused by dermatan sulfate epimerase deficiency

Background Musculocontractural Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (mcEDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder caused by biallelic loss-of-function variants in CHST14 (mcEDS-CHST14) or DSE (mcEDS-DSE), both of which result in defective dermatan sulfate biosynthesis. Forty-one patients with mcEDS-CHST14 and three patients with mcEDS-DSE have been described in the literature. Methods Clinical, molecular, and glycobiological findings in three additional patients with mcEDS-DSE were investigated. Results Three patients from two families shared craniofacial characteristics (hypertelorism, blue sclera, midfacial hypoplasia), skeletal features (pectus and spinal deformities, characteristic finger shapes, progressive talipes deformities), skin features (fine or acrogeria-like palmar creases), and ocular refractive errors. Homozygous pathogenic variants in DSE were found: c.960T>A/p.Tyr320* in patient 1 and c.996dupT/p.Val333Cysfs*4 in patients 2 and 3. No dermatan sulfate was detected in the urine sample from patient 1, suggesting a complete depletion of DS. Conclusion McEDS-DSE is a congenital multisystem disorder with progressive symptoms involving craniofacial, skeletal, cutaneous, and cardiovascular systems, similar to the symptoms of mcEDS-CHST14. However, the burden of symptoms seems lower in patients with mcEDS-DSE

Relationship between temporomandibular joint dynamics and mouthguards: feasibility of a test method

A test system was developed establishing the feasibility of collecting biomechanical data as they relate to the use of mouthguards. Previous experimental studies have examined the physical and mechanical properties of mouthguard materials. This information has been used as a guide for establishing material standards and specifications for the fabrication of mouthguards, but it lacks the key biomechanical parameters required for a thorough mouthguard evaluation. The current study was designed to assess whether the impact force, condylar deflection, and strain superior to the temporomandibular joint region could be measured. A drop test was conducted on a cadaveric specimen to simulate loading at the chin point. To measure the force of impact, an accelerometer was attached to an impactor of known mass. High-speed biplanar (1000 frames per second) radiographs were used to determine condylar displacement. Radio-opaque markers were inserted into the bone at predetermined locations. Total displacement of these markers was determined in reference to anatomical landmarks. Strain gauges were attached to the mandible and skull to monitor the effects of the condyle impacting the base of the skull. Based on the data collected, forces were calculated by determining the product of the time-based acceleration and known mass. A measurable change in force between the mouthguards and the control (no mouthguard) was demonstrated. The average condylar displacement was successfully measured and indicated as an increase in total deflection for impacts conducted with mouthguards. Quantifiable strain was measured in the region above the mandibular fossa with and without the insertion of a mouthguard at all impact conditions. However, it was determined that additional gauges would provide critical data. Key biomechanical parameters for chin-point impacts were determined in the current study. The technique demonstrated that both displacement within the mandibular fossa and loading of the condyles occur during the impact event. Although the current study established a technique that can be used to examine the relationship between mouthguards and jaw-joint injuries, the role, if any, mouthguards play in the reduction of injuries cannot be established until a thorough analysis is completed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74031/1/j.1600-9657.2004.00213.x.pd

Erythropoietin (EPO) increases myelin gene expression in CG4 oligodendrocyte cells through the classical EPO receptor

Erythropoietin (EPO) has protective effects in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases, including in animal models of multiple sclerosis, where EPO decreases disease severity. EPO also promotes neurogenesis and is protective in models of toxic demyelination. In this study, we asked whether EPO could promote neurorepair by also inducing remyelination. In addition, we investigated whether the effect of EPO could be mediated by the classical erythropoietic EPO receptor (EPOR), since it is still questioned if EPOR is functional in non-hematopoietic cells. Using CG4 cells, a line of rat oligodendrocyte precursor cells, we found that EPO increases the expression of myelin genes (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) and myelin basic protein (MBP)). EPO had no effect in wild-type CG4 cells, which do not express EPOR, whereas it increased MOG and MBP expression in cells engineered to overexpress EPOR (CG4-EPOR). This was reflected in a marked increase in MOG protein levels, as detected by western blot. In these cells, EPO induced by 10-fold the early growth response gene 2 (Egr2), which is required for peripheral myelination. However, Egr2 silencing with a siRNA did not reverse the effect of EPO, indicating that EPO acts through other pathways. In conclusion, EPO induces the expression of myelin genes in oligodendrocytes and this effect requires the presence of EPOR. This study demonstrates that EPOR can mediate neuroreparative effects