Primary structures of the mRNAs encoding the rat precursors for bradykinin and T-kinin. Structural relationship of kininogens with major acute phase protein and alpha 1-cysteine proteinase inhibitor

Three types of cloned cDNA sequences for rat low molecular weight prekininogens were isolated and determined by molecular cloning and sequence analysis. The deduced amino acid sequences indicated that one, termed K-prekininogen, represents the counterpart of the known low molecular weight prekininogen present in other mammals, while the other two, called T-prekininogens, contain a novel T-kinin sequence which was recently identified from rat plasma. Although T- and K-prekininogens are highly homologous with each other, both of the T-prekininogens contain methionine, instead of arginine or lysine, as an amino acid preceding T-kinin and exhibit two consecutive amino acid deletions in the preceding region of T-kinin as compared with K-prekininogen. The former finding accounts for the previous observation of strong resistance of T-kininogens to cleavage with trypsin or kallikreins, while the latter finding has been explained by the structural analysis of genomic clones in which T-kinin-coding exon is contracted at its intron junction. A partial nucleotide sequence reported recently for the rat major acute phase protein (alpha 1-MAP) mRNA was found to be extremely related to the corresponding portion of the rat T-prekininogen mRNA. Furthermore, consistent with the previous report of the structural identity of major acute phase protein and alpha 1-cysteine proteinase inhibitor, kininogen closely resembles not only the former but also the latter in the amino acid compositions. The interrelationship among the triad of these proteins has been discussed.     

Ultrastructure of a Hexagonal Array in Exosporium of a Highly Sporogenic Mutant of Clostridium botulinum Type A Revealed by Electron Microscopy Using Optical Diffraction and Filtration

The ultrastructure of a hexagonal array in the exosporium from spores of a highly sporogenic mutant of Clostridium botulinum type A strain 190L was studied by electron microscopy of negatively stained exosporium fragments using optical diffraction and filtration. The exosporium was composed of three or more lamellae showing an equilateral, hexagonal periodicity. Images of the single exosporium layer from which the noise had been filtered optically revealed that the hexagonally arranged, morphological unit of the exosporium was composed of three globular subunits about 2.1 nm in diameter which were arranged at the vertices of an equilateral triangle with sides of about 2.4 nm. The morphological units were arranged with a spacing of about 4.5 nm. The adjacent globular subunits appeared to be interconnected by delicate linkers.     

Light and electron microscopic studies on capillaries of the goat cardiac muscle with special reference to the topographical relationship between the vessels and Purkinje fibers

The capillaries of the cardiac muscle were investigated in the goat by means of light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the following results were obtained. The capillaries of the working cardiac muscles were numerous, arranged mainly parallel to the long axis of muscle cells and formed dense elongated networks. On the contrary, those of the terminal Purkinje fibers were relatively few in number, oriented in various directions and formed loose and circularly meshed networks surrounding the fibers. Such findings were discussed in correlation with the physiology and functional morphology of various types of the cardiac muscle cells.     

Fate of recombinants of the rat mandibular epithelium with cranial ectomesenchymal cells of different sources in vitro

The recombinants of the mandibular molar bud epithelia with cranial ectomesenchymal cell groups from several different sources--mandibular molar area, tongue anlagen, and lateral nasal process--were cultured. Dental laminalike buds were developed in each of the recombinants (incidence of development 38-86%). In the heterotrophic recombinants, heterotypic differentiation of mandibular epithelium was also induced. However, the foreign ectomesenchymal cells were not induced heterotypically by the epithelial genetic factor, but the mesenchymal genetic factor is maintained. It is suggested that mandibular molar bud epithelia have potency to proliferate into mesenchyme under non-organ-specific influences of ectomesenchymal cells and that presumptive mandibular mucosal epithelia have multipotency for differentiation sensitive to inductive influences by the heterotypic cranial ectomesenchymal cells but that the mandibular molar bud epithelia have no heterotypic inductive activity for the differentiation of cranial ectomesenchymal cells.     

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α regulates branching morphogenesis during kidney development

The kidneys are exposed to hypoxic conditions during development. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), an important mediator of the response to hypoxia, is believed to have an important role in development. However, the relationship between HIF and branching morphogenesis has not been elucidated clearly.     

Isolation of Nontoxigenic Variants Associated with Enhanced Sporulation and Alteration in the Cell Wall from Clostridium botulinum Type A 190L by Treatment with Detergents

Nontoxigenic variants were isolated from Clostridium botulinum type A strain 190L after treatment with detergents such as deoxycholate, sodium dodecyl sulfate, Tween 80 and Brij-58. Deoxycholate was most effective for obtaining the variants. The variants exhibited a markedly increased frequency of sporulation compared with the oligosporogenic parent strain. The cell wall of the parent strain was composed of an outer layer and an inner layer, whereas that of the variants lost the outer layer. After treatment with mitomycin C the parent strain was subjected to lysis and produced bacteriophages with a hexagonal head and a contractible tail, while the nontoxigenic variants did not yield bacteriophages or phage-like structures. There appears to be a close relationship among the toxigenic and sporogenic properties, formation of the outer cell wall layer and lysogeny.     

Conversion of Farnesol into Methyl dl-12-Homo-10-trans-juvenate,the 10-trans-lsomer of dl-C17-Cecropia Juvenile Hormone

Methyl dl-12-homo-10-trans-juvenate (III) was synthesized from farnesol (IV) in eight steps involving stereoselective conversion of the trans-terminal methyl group to an ethyl group. The product (III) was less active than dl-C₁₇-Cecropia juvenile hormone on both Tenebrio molitor and Galleria mellonella.     

Association between light exposure at night and manic symptoms in bipolar disorder: cross-sectional analysis of the APPLE cohort

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have found that keeping the room dark at night was associated with a decrease in manic symptoms for patients with bipolar disorder (BD). However, the association between light at night of real-life conditions and manic symptoms is unclear. We investigated the association between bedroom light exposure at night and manic symptoms in BD patients. One-hundred and eighty-four outpatients with BD participated in this cross-sectional study. The average light intensity at night during sleep was evaluated using a portable photometer for seven consecutive nights. Manic symptoms were assessed using the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and scores ≥5 were treated as a “hypomanic state.” The median (interquartile range) YMRS score was 2.0 (0–5.0), and 52 (28.2%) participants were in a hypomanic state. The prevalence of a hypomanic state was significantly higher in the participants with an average light intensity at night exposure of ≥3 lux than in those with <3 lux (36.7% versus 21.9%; P = .02). In multivariable logistic regression analysis adjusted for BD type, depressive symptoms, sleep duration, and daytime physical activity, the odds ratio (OR) for a hypomanic state was significantly higher for the participants with an average light intensity at night exposure of ≥3 lux than for those with <3 lux (OR: 2.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.09–4.22, P = .02). This association remained significant at the cutoff value of YMRS score ≥6 (OR: 2.51, 95% confidence interval: 1.15–5.46; P = .02). The findings of this study indicate bedroom light exposure at night is significantly associated with manic symptoms in BD patients. Although the results of this cross-sectional investigation do not necessarily imply causality, they may serve to inform beneficial nonpharmacological intervention and personalized treatment of BD patients.     

Solution Radioactivated by Hadron Radiation Can Increase Sister Chromatid Exchanges

When energetic particles irradiate matter, it becomes activated by nuclear reactions. Radioactivation induced cellular effects are not clearly understood, but it could be a part of bystander effects. This investigation is aimed at understanding the biological effects from radioactivation in solution induced by hadron radiation. Water or phosphate buffered saline was activated by being exposed to hadron radiation including protons, carbon- and iron-ions. 1 mL of radioactivated solution was transferred to flasks with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells cultured in 5 mL of complete media. The induction of sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) was used to observe any increase in DNA damage responses. The energy spectrum and the half-lives of the radioactivation were analyzed by NaI scintillation detector in order to identify generated radionuclides. In the radioactivated solution, 511 keV gamma-rays were observed, and their half-lives were approximately 2 min, 10 min, and 20 min. They respectively correspond to the beta+ decay of ¹⁵O, ¹³N, and ¹¹C. The SCE frequencies in CHO cells increased depending on the amount of radioactivation in the solution. These were suppressed with a 2-hour delayed solution transfer or pretreatment with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Our results suggest that the SCE induction by radioactivated solution was mediated by free radicals produced by the annihilated gamma-rays. Since the SCE induction and DMSO modulation are also reported in radiation-induced bystander effects, our results imply that radioactivation of the solution may have some contribution to the bystander effects from hadron radiation. Further investigations are required to assess if radioactivation effects would attribute an additional level of cancer risk of the hadron radiation therapy itself.     

Analysis of common antigen of flagella in Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis

Abstract Flagellar antigen of Bacillus cereus H.1 was purified and tested for serodiagnostic antigen by ELISA. The antibody against the flagellar antigen of B. cereus H.1 reacted not only with the homologous specific antigen but also reacted with the flagellar antigens of 23 strains of B. cereus . This common flagellar antigen of B. cereus was found to be due to 61-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot assay. Monoclonal antibody H15A5 against common antigenic epitope of B. cereus also reacted with flagellar antigens of 21 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis by ELISA. This monoclonal antibody reacted with the 61-kDa protein of the flagella of B. cereus H.1 and H.2 and B. thuringiensis Kurstaki HD1, Alesti and Aizawai juroi by immunoblot analysis. These results indicated that the common antigenic epitope of the 61-kDa protein existed in the flagella both of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis .