Immobilization of Baeyer–Villiger monooxygenase from acetone grown Fusarium sp.

Biotechnology Letters - A novel biocatalyst for Baeyer–Villiger oxidations is necessary for pharmaceutical and chemical industries, so this study aims to find a Baeyer–Villiger...     

Stream water acidification in the Far East of Russia under changing atmospheric deposition and precipitation patterns

Limnology - Despite the reduction in S and N emissions, acid deposition continues to be a problem for the inland water in Northeast Asia. However, catchment-scale studies on acid deposition in the...     

Biomass-dependent emission of environmental DNA in jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus juveniles

Environmental DNA (eDNA) from juvenile jack mackerel Trachurus japonicus was detected in tanks with 1, 3, 10, or 30 individuals per tank. Quantitative PCR using a set of species-specific primers and a probe revealed that the concentration of eDNA increased almost linearly with the density of fish. The coefficient of determination (R²) in the linear regression was lower than values previously reported for freshwater fishes in similar settings.     

Syntheses and evaluation of a homologous series of aza-vesamicol as improved radioiodine-labeled probes for sigma-1 receptor imaging

Sigma-1 receptor imaging probes for determining the expression levels are desirable for diagnoses of various diseases and companion diagnoses of therapeutic agents targeting the sigma-1 receptor. In this study, we aimed to develop probes with higher affinity for the sigma-1 receptor. For this purpose, we synthesized and evaluated compounds, namely, vesamicol derivatives, in which alkyl chains of varying chain length were introduced between a piperazine ring and a benzene ring. The binding affinity of the vesamicol derivatives for the sigma-1 receptor tended to increase depending on the length of the alkyl chain between the benzene ring and the piperazine ring. The sigma-1 receptor of 2-(4-(3-phenylpropyl)piperazin-1-yl)cyclohexan-1-ol (5) (K_i?=?5.8?nM) exhibited the highest binding affinity; therefore, we introduced radioiodine into the benzene ring in 5. The radioiodine labeled probe [¹²⁵I]2-(4-(3-(4-iodophenyl)propyl)piperazin-1-yl)cyclohexan-1-ol ([¹²⁵I]10) showed high accumulation in the sigma-1 receptor expressing DU-145 cells both in vitro and in vivo. Co-injection of [¹²⁵I]10 with an excess level of a sigma receptor ligand, haloperidol, resulted in a significant decrease in the tumor accumulation in vitro and in vivo, indicating sigma receptor-mediated tumor uptake. These results provide useful information for developing sigma-1 receptor imaging probes.     

Development and validation of bioanalytical methods for Imidafenacin (KRP-197/ONO-8025) and its metabolites in human plasma by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

Imidafenacin (KRP-197/ONO-8025, IM), 4-(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)-2,2-diphenylbutanamide, is a new antimuscarinic agent currently under application for the indication of treatment of overactive bladder in Japan. We developed and validated the sensitive and selective bioanalytical methods for the extremely low levels of IM and its metabolite, M-2 (Method 1), M-4 (Method 2) and M-9 (Method 3) in human plasma using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In each method, plasma sample was extracted by solid phase extraction, separated on a semi-micro high performance liquid chromatography column and detected by tandem mass spectrometer with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization or ionspray interface. Selected reaction monitoring mode was used for quantification. Each method was found to have acceptable accuracy, precision, stability, selectivity and linearity over the concentration range of 10-500 pg/mL for IM and M-2, 10-1000 pg/mL for M-4 and 50-5000 pg/mL for M-9. Using these analytical methods, concentration profiles of IM and its metabolites in human plasma were successfully determined even in the low pg/mL levels after oral administration of IM at the therapeutic dosage of 0.1 mg.     

Dark-induced mRNA instability involves RNase E/G-type endoribonuclease cleavage at the AU-box and SD sequences in cyanobacteria

Light-responsive gene expression is crucial to photosynthesizing organisms. Here, we studied functions of cis-elements (AU-box and SD sequences) and a trans-acting factor (ribonuclease, RNase) in light-responsive expression in cyanobacteria. The results indicated that AU-rich nucleotides with an AU-box, UAAAUAAA, just upstream from an SD confer instability on the mRNA under darkness. An RNase E/G homologue, Slr1129, of the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 was purified and confirmed capable of endoribonucleolytic cleavage at the AU- (or AG)-rich sequences in vitro. The cleavage depends on the primary target sequence and secondary structure of the mRNA. Complementation tests using Escherichia coli rne/rng mutants showed that Slr1129 fulfilled the functions of both the RNase E and RNase G. An analysis of systematic mutations in the AU-box and SD sequences showed that the cis-elements also affect significantly mRNA stability in light-responsive genes. These results strongly suggested that dark-induced mRNA instability involves RNase E/G-type cleavage at the AU-box and SD sequences in cyanobacteria. The mechanical impact and a possible common mechanism with RNases for light-responsive gene expression are discussed. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Intra- and extra-familial adverse childhood experiences and a history of childhood psychosomatic disorders among Japanese university students

Many patients with somatoform disorders are frequently encountered in psychosomatic clinics as well as in primary care clinics. To assess such patients objectively, the concept of somatosensory amplification may be useful. Somatosensory amplification refers to the tendency to experience a somatic sensation as intense, noxious, and disturbing. It may have a role in a variety of medical conditions characterized by somatic symptoms that are disproportionate to demonstrable organ pathology. It may also explain some of the variability in somatic symptomatology found among different patients with the same serious medical disorder. It has been assessed with a self-report questionnaire, the Somatosensory Amplification Scale. This instrument was developed in a clinical setting in the U.S., and the reliability and validity of the Japanese and Turkish versions have been confirmed as well.     

Wildfire damage evaluation by merging remote sensing with a fire area simulation model in Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan

Not only wildfire damage, but the failure of post-fire forest restoration is also one of the major threats for the conservation of forest ecosystems. Therefore, it is required to estimate wildfire damaged potential and recovery capacity to orientate the management of a post-fire community. The aim of our research is to estimate the resistibility against wildfire and the post-fire regeneration capacity by merging field observation data with Terra/ASTER Level1B satellite data and a fire area simulation model (FARSITE). As a result, the resistibility against wildfire and the post-fire regeneration capacity were high in the high prior-fire normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) areas, where the trees had been thriving. Also, after the fire, the well developed surface soil (the A horizon) provided a good environment for resprouting from unburned stumps and the rhizome. It is suggested that the thriving forests have a strong resistance against wildfire and have large regeneration capacity.     

Trabecular angle of the human talus is associated with the level of cartilage degeneration

The architecture of bone trabeculae is based on the direction of stresses applied to the bone. The human talar dome receives compressive forces from the tibia and, to a much lesser extent, the fibula when standing, walking, and running, and transmits the force downward to the calcaneus through the talar body and anterior to the navicular via the talar head. As a result, the body of the talus has predominately vertical trabeculae. However, here we hypothesize that cartilage degeneration at the articular surface is associated with trabecular angle within the associated bone, as a reflection of joint alignment and/or biomechanics (stability, congruence, angulation, etc). Through measurement of trabecular angle with Fast Fourier Transform Analysis, we show a positive correlation between the cartilage degeneration score of the articular surface of the talar dome and the angle of trabecular deviation from the perpendicular axis of the dome (right talus R=0.75, p<0.01; left talus R=0.79, p<0.01).