Amniotic fluid embolism and leukotrienes--the role of amniotic fluid surfactant in leukotriene production.

Surfactant rich lipid (lipid) was extracted from cell free 10,000 x g pellets of amniotic fluid. White blood cells (WBC) were isolated from human donors. 36 x 10(7) WBC and 5 g rabbit lung were incubated with pretreated lipid or dipalmitoyl lecithin (lecithin). Leukotrienes (LTs) were identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and bioassay, and quantified by radioimmunoassay. Peaks of LTC4 and LTD4 on HPLC and guinea-pig ileum contraction could be identified in lipid and lecithin groups, but not in the control group. LTC4 production by lipid and lecithin groups was significantly higher than that by the control group. An involvement of amniotic fluid surfactant in leukotriene production is suggested.     

Gender and Age Differences in the Suppressive Effect of a 50 Hz Electric Field on the Immobilization-Induced Increase of Plasma Glucocorticoid in Mice

We developed an experimental system to characterize the suppressive effect of extremely low-frequency (ELF) electric fields (EFs) on the stress response. We assessed differences in the EF effects by age and gender. Control, EF-alone, immobilization-alone, and co-treated groups were subjected to an EF (50 Hz, 10 kV/m). Co-treated mice were exposed to the EF for 60 min, with immobilization during the latter half. Our results indicate that the suppressive effects of ELF EFs on the stress response in immobilized mice occur regardless of gender or age. As stress plays an important role in the onset and progression of various diseases, these findings may have broad implications for understanding the efficacy of EFs in animal, and perhaps human, health. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:156–163. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics Society.     

Identification of two metabolites induced by a butyrolactone autoregulator IM-2 in Streptomyces sp. FRI-5

Abstract In order to determine whether non-elastase-producing strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa such as N-10, PA103 and IFO3080 can express foreign elastase genes, we introduced elastase genes from P. aeruginosa IFO3455 (elastase-producing) as well as from PA103 and N-10 into non-elastase-producing P. aeruginosa strains. Results suggested that gene expression, secretion, and precursor processing systems of elastase were essentially normal in P. aeruginosa N-10 and IFO3080. Our studies using various elastase genes showed that both the elastase structural gene and 5'-upstream regions of P. aeruginosa PA103 were also normal. This was confirmed by the finding that P. aeruginosa N-10 and IFO3080 which carry the PA103 elastase gene produced elastase. Several deleted or chimeric genes were constructed using the 5'-upstream regions of elastase genes from P. aeruginosa N-10 or PA103 and studies of expression revealed that two individual DNA bases seem to be important in suppressing P. aeruginosa N-10 elastase gene expression. Possible reasons for the lack of elastase in these non-elastase-producing strains are discussed.     

Effects of winter flooding on phosphorus dynamics in rice fields

Limnology - Controlling phosphorous (P) loads from rice fields is important for the conservation of aquatic ecosystems, in part because P is relatively concentrated at its sources. Recently, winter...     

A Novel Acylaminoimidazole Derivative,WN1316, Alleviates Disease Progression via Suppression of Glial Inflammation in ALS Mouse Model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is an adult-onset motor neuron degenerative disease. Given that oxidative stress and resulting chronic neuronal inflammation are thought to be central pathogenic, anti-oxidative agents and modulators of neuronal inflammation could be potential therapies for ALS. We report here that the novel small molecular compound, 2-[mesityl(methyl)amino]-N-[4-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-imidazol-2-yl] acetamide trihydrochloride (WN1316) selectively suppresses oxidative stress-induced cell death and neuronal inflammation in the late-stage ALS mice. WN1316 has high blood-brain-barrier permeability and water solubility, and boosts both neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) and NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) which governed glutathione (GSH)-related anti-oxidation pathway protecting motor neurons against oxidative injuries. Post-onset oral administration of low dose (1–100 µg/kg/day) WN1316 in ALS(SOD1^H46R) and ALS(SOD1^G93A) mice resulted in sustained improved motor function and post onset survival rate. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed less DNA oxidative damage and motor neuronal inflammation as well as repression of both microgliosis and astrocytosis, concomitant down regulation of interleukin-1β and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and preservation of the motoneurons in anterior horn of lumbar spinal cord and skeletal muscle (quadriceps femoris). Thus, WN1316 would be a novel therapeutic agent for ALS.     

Unconjugated estradiol, estriol and total estriol in maternal peripheral vein, cord vein, and cord artery serum at delivery in pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardation

The levels of unconjugated estradiol (E2), estriol (E3) and total (conjugated plus unconjugated) E3 in maternal vein serum during labor, cord vein serum, and cord artery serum were measured in normal singleton and twin pregnancies with appropriate for dates babies (AFD) and with light for dates babies (LFD). The mean level of total E3 in the maternal vein serum in singleton pregnancy was significantly lower in the LFD group than in the AFD group, but no differences were seen in the mean levels of unconjugated E2 or E3 between the groups. The concentration of unconjugated E2 in the maternal vein serum was significantly higher in the twin group with a large placenta than in the singleton group with a smaller placenta, while the concentration of total E3 in the case of twin pregnancy with LFD was lower than that in singleton pregnancy with AFD but not significantly. No difference in the concentration of total E3 was observed between the cord vein serum and cord artery serum. The present data suggest that the total E3 level in maternal vein serum may be used in evaluating fetal states such as intrauterine growth retardation.     

Ultrastructure of perivascular amyloid fibrils in Alzheimer’s disease

Perivascular amyloid fibrils in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease have been examined by electron microscopy. The amyloid fibrils showed a hollow rod structure and consisted of globular substances. Each turn appeared to be composed of five globular subunits. These findings coincide with the ultrastructure of amyloid fibrils obtained from replicas made by a rapid freezing method.     

INFERRING THE RATES OF BRANCHING AND EXTINCTION FROM MOLECULAR PHYLOGENIES

Molecular techniques provide ancestral phylogenies of extant taxa with estimated branching times. Here we studied the pattern of ancestral phylogeny of extant taxa produced by branching (or cladogenesis) and extinction of taxa, assuming branching processes with time-dependent rates. (1) If the branching rate b and extinction rate c are constant, the semilog plot of the number of ancestral lineages over time is not a straight line but is curvilinear, with increasing slope toward the end, implying that ancestral phylogeny shows apparent increase in the branching rate near the present. The estimate of b and c based on nonlinear fitting is examined by computer simulation. The estimate of branching rate can be usable for a large phylogeny if b is greater than c, but the estimate of extinction rate c is unreliable because of large bias and variance. (2) Gradual decrease in the slope of the semilog plot of the number of ancestral lineages over time, as was observed in a phylogeny of bird families based on DNA hybridization data, can be explained equally well by either the decreasing branching rate or the increasing extinction rate. Infinitely many pairs of branching and extinction rates as functions of time can produce the same ancestral phylogeny. (3) An explosive branching event in the past would appear as a quick increase in the number of ancestral lineages. In contrast, mass extinction occurring in a brief period, if not accompanied by an increase in branching rate, does not produce any rapid change in the number of ancestral lineages at the time. (4) The condition in which the number of ancestral lineages of extant species changes in parallel with the actual number of species in the past is derived.