Nucleotide sequence of the genes, encoding the pentaheme cytochrome (dmsC) and the transmembrane protein (dmsB) involved in dimethyl sulfoxide respiration from Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans

AbstractThe nucleotide sequence of the genes encoding a pentaheme cytochrome (dmsC) and a transmembrane protein (dmsB) were determined upstream of the dmsA gene encoding dimethyl sulfoxide reductase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans. dmsC and dmsB encode proteins of 404 and 226 amino acid residues, which show 40% and 26% identity to the pentaheme cytochrome TorC and the transmembrane protein TorD, respectively, of the trimethylamine N-oxide reduction system in Escherichia coli

Striped dolphin detoxificates mercury as insoluble Hg(S, Se) in the liver

Sea mammals are known to contain high concentrations of mercury and selenium especially in the liver with no apparent symptoms of poisoning. We examined the chemical form of mercury and selenium in the liver of striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba. Neither mercury nor selenium could be extracted with acetone, 80% ethanol or 0.2 M ammonium acetate. The residue after extraction was digested most effectively with alkaline protease, resulting in solubilization of almost all the material (99% by weight) but still leaving a small amount of insoluble material (1%), which contained 80% of mercury and 66% of selenium of the original amount. This insoluble material was subjected to transmission electron microscopic analysis, X-ray microanalysis, X-ray diffraction analysis and elemental analysis, which revealed that the material contained spherical crystals of Hg(S 0.34, Se 0.66) with 5-10 nm in diameter as a major component. These crystals may be the final detoxification product of mercury

Striped dolphin detoxificates mercury as insoluble Hg(S, Se) in the liver

Sea mammals are known to contain high concentrations of mercury and selenium especially in the liver with no apparent symptoms of poisoning. We examined the chemical form of mercury and selenium in the liver of striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba. Neither mercury nor selenium could be extracted with acetone, 80% ethanol or 0.2 M ammonium acetate. The residue after extraction was digested most effectively with alkaline protease, resulting in solubilization of almost all the material (99% by weight) but still leaving a small amount of insoluble material (1%), which contained 80% of mercury and 66% of selenium of the original amount. This insoluble material was subjected to transmission electron microscopic analysis, X-ray microanalysis, X-ray diffraction analysis and elemental analysis, which revealed that the material contained spherical crystals of Hg(S 0.34, Se 0.66) with 5-10 nm in diameter as a major component. These crystals may be the final detoxification product of mercury

Introduction to the annual S&T poster for everyone, titled "Glass - One S&T poster for Every Household" and its related activities

As an anniversary event of International Year of Glass (IYOG), especially to help advertisement of IYOG in Japan, we devoted ourselves for half a year of making a glass poster, called Ikka-ni Ichimai [the annual S&T (Science and Technology) poster for everyone, in Japanese]. The title of the poster is GLASS - The most universal modern material, and is already distributed, by Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), to all over Japan from elementary to high school, and even university. The distribution is done to promote their interests for science and technology. The final products, the poster, the corresponding webpage, and the movies to explain how to enjoy the poster, are very much welcomed by many people including kids and students who do not major in glass. The poster shows how glass has been evolved by humankind, and how it supported human life to develop. We are quite confident that people can understand, by looking through this poster, how inevitable glass is, in various fields; from culture and art, medicine, science, and technology. Our hopes are to evoke interests of children to glass and material science, which, in a long term, help continuous evolution of glass for the future which supports the humankind. (C)2022 The Ceramic Society of Japan. All rights reserved

Association of Fine Particulate Matter Exposure With Bystander-Witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest of Cardiac Origin in Japan

PM2.5濃度上昇が心停止の発生に影響することを解明 --日本全国規模の人を対象とした疫学研究の成果--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2020-05-11.Importance: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are a major public health concern and a leading cause of death worldwide. Exposure to ambient air pollution is associated with increases in morbidity and mortality and has been recognized as a leading contributor to global disease burden. Objective: To examine the association between short-term exposure to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or smaller (PM2.5) and the incidence of OHCAs of cardiac origin and with the development of initial cardiac arrest rhythm. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study used data from cases registered between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2016, in the All-Japan Utstein Registry, a prospective, nationwide, population-based database for OHCAs across all 47 Japanese prefectures. These OHCA cases included patients who had bystander-witnessed OHCAs and for whom emergency medical services responders initiated resuscitation before hospital transfer. A case-crossover design was employed for the study analyses. A prefecture-specific, conditional logistic regression model to estimate odds ratios was applied, and a random-effects meta-analysis was used to obtain prefecture-specific pooled estimates. All analyses were performed from May 7, 2019, to January 23, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures: The main outcome was the association of short-term PM2.5 exposure with the incidence of bystander-witnessed OHCAs of cardiac origin. The differences in the distribution of initial cardiac arrest rhythm in OHCAs among those with exposure to PM2.5 were also examined. Results: In total, 103 189 OHCAs witnessed by bystanders were included in the final analysis. Among the patients who experienced such OHCAs, the mean (SD) age was 75 (15.5) years, and 62 795 (60.9%) were men. Point estimates of the percentage increase for a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 at lag0-1 (difference in mean PM2.5 concentrations measured on the case day and 1 day before) demonstrated a statistically significantly higher incidence of OHCA across most of the 47 prefectures, without significant heterogeneity (I2 = 20.1%; P = .12). A stratified analysis found an association between PM2.5 exposure and OHCAs (% increase, 1.6; 95% CI, 0.1%-3.1%). An initial shockable rhythm, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (% increase, 0.6; 95% CI, –2.0% to 3.2%), was not associated with PM2.5 exposure. However, an initial nonshockable rhythm, such as pulseless electrical activity and asystole, was associated with PM2.5 exposure (% increase, 1.4; 95% CI, 0.1%-2.7%). Conclusions and Relevance: Findings from this study suggest that increased PM2.5 concentration is associated with bystander-witnessed OHCA of cardiac origin that commonly presents with nonshockable rhythm. The results support measures to reduce PM2.5 exposure to prevent OHCAs of cardiac origin