Biochemical Functions and mRNA Expression of Rat Hepatocytes in a Bioartificial Liver Module

Evaluation of hepatic functions of the bioartificial liver (BAL) module is essential for developing an optimal BAL system which can be applied to a patient with fulminant hepatic failure. Although hepatic function in BALs has been evaluated only in biochemical activities in previous reports, we assessed a newly designed BAL from a hollow fiber type not only in biochemical activities such as gluconeogenesis, ureogenesis and albumin synthesis but also in the expressions of albumin messenger RNA (mRNA) and cytochrome P450 2B1 mRNA by Northern blot analysis. One to 3 × 108 hepatocytes isolated from adult rats were suspended in hydrated collagen, loaded into a hollow fiber module and perfused with L-15 medium supplemented with various hormones for 2 to 13 days. Both production rates of glucose and urea nitrogen were highest on day 1 (610 ?g glucose/107 cells/h and 76.1 ?g urea nitrogen/107 cells/h, respectively). Ureogenesis was maintained for 8 days in BAL, but gluconeogenesis decreased after 7 days. Albumin production rate increased to day 3, reached its maximum (11.0 ?g/107 cells/h) and then gradually decreased. The expression of albumin mRNA was highest on day 2 and detectable until day 11. Cytochrome P450 2B1 mRNA was detected only on day 2. Northern blot analysis showed that the maintenance period in each hepatic function was different. These results suggested that assessment of the functions at a molecular level was invaluable in the development of a potential BAL for clinical use. It might be necessary to reconstruct the lobular system as well as a 3-dimensional environment for hepatocytes in the BAL to maintain the ability of detoxification such as cytochrome P450s

High-density Integrated Linkage Map Based on SSR Markers in Soybean

A well-saturated molecular linkage map is a prerequisite for modern plant breeding. Several genetic maps have been developed for soybean with various types of molecular markers. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) are single-locus markers with high allelic variation and are widely applicable to different genotypes. We have now mapped 1810 SSR or sequence-tagged site markers in one or more of three recombinant inbred populations of soybean (the US cultivar ‘Jack’ × the Japanese cultivar ‘Fukuyutaka’, the Chinese cultivar ‘Peking’ × the Japanese cultivar ‘Akita’, and the Japanese cultivar ‘Misuzudaizu’ × the Chinese breeding line ‘Moshidou Gong 503’) and have aligned these markers with the 20 consensus linkage groups (LGs). The total length of the integrated linkage map was 2442.9 cM, and the average number of molecular markers was 90.5 (range of 70–114) for the 20 LGs. We examined allelic diversity for 1238 of the SSR markers among 23 soybean cultivars or lines and a wild accession. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 7, with an average of 2.8. Our high-density linkage map should facilitate ongoing and future genomic research such as analysis of quantitative trait loci and positional cloning in addition to marker-assisted selection in soybean breeding

自然風景の映像を視聴して実施する運動プログラムが健常成人の心身へ与える影響

【目的】自然風景の映像を視聴しながら運動を実施することによる心身に与える影響を明らかにする．【方法】平成28年7月～8月に，健常大学生7名（平均年齢22.3 歳±0.8 歳，うち男性3名）を対象とし，男性80W，女性50Wの負荷で自転車エルゴメーターを20分間施行した．運動中に自然風景の映像視聴と非視聴の2施行を，1週間ずつ同刻に行うクロスオーバーデザインで実施した．測定項目は生理学的指標として運動前後の唾液アミラーゼ，クロモグラニンA，二重積（DP）であり，主観的指標として多面的感情状態尺（MMS）と自覚的運動強度（Borg指数）を測定した．　【結果】唾液アミラーゼ，クロモグラニンAは映像視聴と非視聴の2条件下で有意差を認めなかった．運動習慣の有無による運動前後の唾液アミラーゼ値とクロモグラニンA値の経時変化をみたとき，運動習慣のない者において，映像視聴時に比べて，非視聴時には，アミラーゼ値は運動直後に最高値を示し，クロモグラニンA値は運動直後より上昇傾向がみられた．また運動終了後のDPの減衰は，映像視聴で早期傾向を示した．MMSは，映像視聴ではネガティブな感情を表す「倦怠」が低下し，ポジティブな感情を表す「活動的快」「親和」が上昇する傾向を示した．非視聴では，ネガティブな感情を表す「倦怠」が上昇し，ポジティブな感情を表す「活動的快」「非活動的快」が低下する傾向を示したが，いずれも2群間で有意差は認めなかった．最大運動時のBorg指数は，映像視聴12.0±1.4，非視聴12.3±2.5 であり，映像視聴で低値を示す傾向が認められた．運動後の感想では，映像視聴で「気が紛れた」「疲れを感じにくかった」などが聞かれた．【結論】映像視聴は，副交感神経活動の早期回復とポジティブな感情を示す傾向がみられた．以上より運動中の自然風景の視聴は，心身の安静と快適性やリラックス効果が得られ，運動療法における相乗効果をもたらす可能性があることが示唆された

Evaluation of a Rapid Immunochromatographic ODK-0901 Test for Detection of Pneumococcal Antigen in Middle Ear Fluids and Nasopharyngeal Secretions

Since the incidence of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has been increasing at an astonishing rate throughout the world, the need for accurate and rapid identification of pneumococci has become increasingly important to determine the appropriate antimicrobial treatment. We have evaluated an immunochromatographic test (ODK-0901) that detects pneumococcal antigens using 264 middle ear fluids (MEFs) and 268 nasopharyngeal secretions (NPSs). A sample was defined to contain S. pneumoniae when optochin and bile sensitive alpha hemolytic streptococcal colonies were isolated by culture. The sensitivity and specificity of the ODK-0901 test were 81.4% and 80.5%, respectively, for MEFs from patients with acute otitis media (AOM). In addition, the sensitivity and specificity were 75.2% and 88.8%, respectively, for NPSs from patients with acute rhinosinusitis. The ODK-0901 test may provide a rapid and highly sensitive evaluation of the presence of S. pneumoniae and thus may be a promising method of identifying pneumococci in MEFs and NPSs

Poster Session: Abstracts

The 3rd International Symposium on Carcinogenic Spiral & International Symposium on Tumor Biology in Kanazawa, [DATE]: January 24(Thu)-25(Fri),2013, [Place]:Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tpkyu, Kanazawa, Japan, [Organizers]:Infection/Inflammation-Assisted Acceleration of the Carcinogenic Spiral and its Alteration through Vector Conversion of the Host Response to Tumors / Scientific Research on Innovative Areas, a MEXT Grant-in Aid Projec

Anthocyanins in perilla plants and dried leaves

High-quality perilla leaves are purple on upper and lower surfaces and have a good aroma. The Japanese Pharmacopoeia specifies the content of essential oils in perilla leaves but not that of anthocyanins. Several reports have described the chemical species of anthocyanins in red perilla, but a complete analysis of anthocyanins in perilla has not been reported. In this study, the anthocyanins in the leaves of cultivated and wild species of perilla and those in commercially available perilla herbs were studied. Red perilla and most P. citriodora strains accumulate cyanidin derivatives that differ in the acyl group on the glucose moiety at the 3-O- and 5-O-positions of the anthocyanins. Several strains of P. citriodora contain cyanidin derivatives that are different from those in red perilla and most P. citriodora species. Green perilla and wild species other than P. citriodora do not contain foliar anthocyanins. The anthocyanins in commercially available perilla herbs and natural dyes made from red perilla were in agreement with those in fresh red perilla leaves and most P. citriodora samples. The amounts and types of anthocyanins were not associated with place of cultivation, although some changes occurred due to degradation during storage. These results provide clues regarding the biosynthesis of anthocyanins in perilla and the evolution of red perilla. The characteristics and stability of anthocyanins are discussed