Seasonal dynamics of Callibaetis willineri (Ephemeroptera, Baetidae) associated with Eichhornia azurea (Pontedericeae) in Guaraná Lake of the Upper Paraná River, Brazil

The micro-anatomy of the cephalon is described in the troglobic asellotan isopod Craseriella anops from the Nohoch Nah Chich anchialine cave system in southeast Mexico. The cephalon is entirely covered by cuticular scales bordered by marginal spines. The anterior end of the cephalon is bordered by a carina that is wider medially. The isopod is eyeless. The distal seventh portion of the cephalon is characterized by the presence of two sutures and six setae. A suture is found on each side of the distal margin of the cephalon.Each suture is bordered by microtrichs. Two simple setae with a sensory hair, articulated on the base by a socket, are found one on each side of each of the sutures. Two additional setae, similar in shape and size, occur medially on the cephalon. A terminal pore is absent on the sensory hairs of all setae. These setae are suggested to be mechanoreceptors that provide directional sensitivity and enhance the sensibility of turbulent motion, viscosity and changes of hydrostatic pressure.     

Development of a highly sensitive in vitro assay method for biological activity of endotoxin contamination in biological products.

The pyrogen test in rabbits has been replaced by the bacterial endotoxin test. The endotoxin test, however, showed a considerable discrepancy with pyrogenicity and was, therefore, assumed to have an efficacy limitation in directly predicting harmful biological effects of endotoxin. We developed a sensitive in vitro assay method by making use of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) induction in RAW264.7 cells, which showed a fine correlation with pyrogenicity in rabbits. RAW264.7 cells maintained by serial subculture under an endotoxin-free condition have gained the similar level of sensitivity as the endotoxin test to allow extensive dilutions of a drug for eliminating adverse effects on the cells. The in vitro TNF-alpha induction assay was shown to be capable to detect quantitatively a synergistic effect of a drug and endotoxin. The synergy is assumed necessary to be taken into consideration to define the limit value for the endotoxin test for guaranteeing the similar level of safety as by the pyrogen test.     

类黄酮化合物对糖基化反应终产物AGE的抑制作用

本研究比较了芸香苷 (G Rutin)、地奥明糖苷 (G Diosmin)、柚苷 (G Naringin)、橘皮苷 (G Hes peridin)对蛋白质糖基化反应的终产物AGE包括荧光性AGE、CML、Pentosidine的抑制作用。结果表明 ,各种类黄酮化合物对荧光性AGE、CML均有抑制作用 ,其抑制效果依次为芸香苷、地奥明糖苷、柚苷、橘皮苷 ,且比氨基胍的抑制作用相对持久。在对Pentosidine的抑制作用中 ,地奥明糖苷、柚苷、橘皮苷仅有微弱的抑制作用 ,而芸香苷则相反有一个促进作用。这可能是由于Pentosidine的生成路径与荧光性AGE和CML有所不同 ,有待进一步探讨。类黄酮化合物对AGE的抑制机理与其抗氧化性、消自由基作用有关。根据实验结果 ,笔者认为 ,芸香苷、地奥明糖苷、柚苷、橘皮苷等化合物对蛋白质的糖基化反应有抑制作用 ,并且这种抑制作用主要发生在蛋白质糖基化反应的前期阶段     

Ultrafast Red Light Activation of Synechocystis Phytochrome Cph1 Triggers Major Structural Change to Form the Pfr Signalling-Competent State

Phytochromes are dimeric photoreceptors that regulate a range of responses in plants and microorganisms through interconversion of red light-absorbing (Pr) and far-red light-absorbing (Pfr) states. Photoconversion between these states is initiated by light-driven isomerization of a bilin cofactor, which triggers protein structural change. The extent of this change, and how light-driven structural changes in the N-terminal photosensory region are transmitted to the C-terminal regulatory domain to initiate the signalling cascade, is unknown. We have used pulsed electron-electron double resonance (PELDOR) spectroscopy to identify multiple structural transitions in a phytochrome from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 (Cph1) by measuring distances between nitroxide labels introduced into the protein. We show that monomers in the Cph1 dimer are aligned in a parallel ‘head-to-head’ arrangement and that photoconversion between the Pr and Pfr forms involves conformational change in both the N- and C-terminal domains of the protein. Cryo-trapping and kinetic measurements were used to probe the extent and temporal properties of protein motions for individual steps during photoconversion of Cph1. Formation of the primary photoproduct Lumi-R is not affected by changes in solvent viscosity and dielectric constant. Lumi-R formation occurs at cryogenic temperatures, consistent with their being no major structural reorganization of Cph1 during primary photoproduct formation. All remaining steps in the formation of the Pfr state are affected by solvent viscosity and dielectric constant and occur only at elevated temperatures, implying involvement of a series of long-range solvent-coupled conformational changes in Cph1. We show that signalling is achieved through ultrafast photoisomerization where localized structural change in the GAF domain is transmitted and amplified to cause larger-scale and slower conformational change in the PHY and histidine kinase domains. This hierarchy of timescales and extent of structural change orientates the histidine kinase domain to elicit the desired light-activated biological response.     

Phospholipid Acyl-hydrolases from a Mold,Corticium centrifugum

The activities of phospholipids acyl-hydrolases in an enzyme preparation from a mold, Corticium centrifugum, were examined. Lecithin acyl-hydrolase had an optimal pH at 3.5. The reaction proceeded beyond the range of 50%. Sigmoidal curves observed suggested the presence of lysophospholipase in the preparation. The latter enzyme activity was found to be seven times as strong as the former at the same pH. Fractionation by DEAE-Sephadex chromatography and analysis of the reaction products demonstrated that the main component of lecithin acyl-hydrolase was phospholipase B, which hydrolyzed both of fatty acyl ester groups of lecithin. This activity was found to be present as a separate enzyme from most of lysophospholipase.     

Awareness of comfort immediately after a relaxation therapy session affects future quality of life and autonomic function: a prospective cohort study on the expectations of therapy

Background

High expectations regarding therapy are reported to have positive effects on future therapeutic course and related behavior. Some individuals are aware of feelings of comfort immediately after a relaxation therapy session.

Methods

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF) therapy using a relaxation technique called resonant breathing was administered to 44 family caregivers who felt burdened by their work caring for family members with cancer. We prospectively evaluated how the level of comfort participants were aware of immediately after an initial therapy session affected their expectations regarding the therapy, as well as future quality of life (QOL) and autonomic function. This study was a secondary analysis of a randomized, open-label study titled “Self-care system for family caregivers of cancer patients using resonant breathing with a portable home device”.

Results

Among the participants, 56.8% were aware of a feeling of comfort immediately after an initial therapy session. Participants were then divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of their awareness of comfort. Expectation levels regarding the therapy were significantly increased in the awareness group after the therapy session (P?=?0.003). No main effect between groups was observed for heart rate variability (HRV) during therapy (P?=?0.949). Four weeks after the initial therapy session, QOL improved and HRV increased in the awareness group (P?<?0.001).

Conclusions

Better outcomes in the awareness group were not associated with HRV during therapy. A feeling of comfort immediately after a therapy session may have positive effects on future QOL and autonomic function by raising participants’ expectations of the therapy.

Trial registration

UMIN000021639. Registered 27 March 2016

     

Cooperation between ER stress and calcineurin signaling contributes to the maintenance of cell wall integrity in Candida glabrata

Candida glabrata is the second most common source of Candida infections in humans. In this pathogen, the maintenance of cell wall integrity (CWI) frequently precludes effective pharmacological treatment by antifungal agents. In numerous fungi, cell wall modulation is reported to be controlled by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, but how the latter affects CWI maintenance in C. glabrata is not clearly understood. Here, we characterized a C. glabrata strain harboring a mutation in the CNE1 gene, which encodes a molecular chaperone associated with nascent glycoprotein maturation in the ER. Disruption of cne1 induced ER stress and caused changes in the normal cell wall structure, specifically a reduction in the β-1,6-glucan content and accumulation of chitin. Conversely, a treatment with the typical ER stress inducer tunicamycin up-regulated the production of cell wall chitin but did not affect β-1,6-glucan content. Our results also indicated that C. glabrata features a uniquely evolved ER stress-mediated CWI pathway, which differs from that in the closely related species Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ER stress-mediated CWI pathway in C. glabrata is also induced by the disruption of other genes encoding proteins that function in a correlated manner in the quality control of N-linked glycoproteins in the ER. These results suggest that calcineurin and ER quality control system act as a platform for maintaining CWI in C. glabrata.     

A 3-Mb Sequence-Ready Contig Map Encompassing the Multiple Disease Gene Cluster on Chromosome 11q13.1-q13.3

Despite the presence of several human disease genes on chromosome11q13, few of them have been molecularly cloned. Here, we reportthe construction of a contig map encompassing 11q13.1–q13.3using bacteriophage P1 (P1), bacterial artificial chromosome(BAC), and P1-derived artificial chromosome (PAC). The contigmap comprises 32 P1 clones, 27 BAC clones, 6 PAC clones, and1 YAC clone and spans a 3-Mb region from D11S480 to D11S913.The map encompasses all the candidate loci of Bardet-Biedlesyndrome type I (BBS1) and spinocerebellar ataxia type 5 (SCA5),one-third of the distal region for hereditary paraganglioma2 (PGL2), and one-third of the central region for insulin-dependentdiabetes mellitus 4 (IDDM4). In the process of map construction,61 new sequence-tagged site (STS) markers were developed fromthe Not I linking clones and the termini of clone inserts. Wehave also mapped 30 ESTs on this map. This contig map will facilitatethe isolation of polymorphic markers for a more re.ned analysisof the disease gene region and identi.cation of candidate genesby direct cDNA selection, as well as prediction of gene functionfrom sequence information of these bacterial clones.