Galactosylceramide containing omega-amino-fatty acids: preparation, characterization, and sulfotransferase acceptor.

For preparation of an affinity ligand, an N-fatty acyl moiety of galactosylceramide (GalCer) was chemically replaced with omega-amino-fatty acid including amino-n-hexanoic acid or amino-n-dodecanoic acid to obtain omega-aminoGalCer. For the synthesis of the compound, galactosylsphingosine (GalSph) was coupled with N-trifluoroacetyl omega-amino-fatty acid which was prepared by a reaction with S-ethyltrifluorothioacetate. After removal of the N-trifluoroacetyl group in a mild alkaline solution, in which an N-fatty acyl group was retained, aminoGalCer composed of an N-hexanoyl or an N-dodecanoyl group was obtained with an overall yield of 90%. Their chemical structures were confirmed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometries. These aminoGalCers and GalSph as well as immobilized aminoGalCer were sulfated by a glycolipid sulfotransferase from rat kidney. Furthermore, immobilized aminoGalCer on gel matrix was used for affinity chromatography of the sulfotransferase, resulting in an excellent increase in the purification (14,000-fold) with a recovery rate of 40%.     

Lumbar back muscle activity during walking with a leg inequality

The influence of an artificial leg length discrepancy (= ALLD) on stride times, pelvic rotations and activity of the intrinsic lumbar back muscles (= ILBM) was investigated for 20 subjects. An ALLD was created by shoes with a raised sole. Walking with an ALLD produced an increase of the swing phase time and a decrease of the stance phase time for both feet. The influence of an ALLD on pelvic rotations in the sagittal and frontal plane and on ILBM-activity was small. Changes in pelvic rotations in the sagittal plane were too small to observe. The mean pelvic rotation angle in the frontal plane was changed 1.52 degrees when walking with an ALLD of 40 mm (6.9 degrees while standing with an ALLD of 40 mm with extended knees). Only small changes were found in activity time due to an ALLD (not in EMG-amplitude). The activity time of the ILBM around heel strike of the raised limb was increased and unilaterally shifted from toe off in the direction of heel strike with the raised limb.     

Sex Difference in Contusion of the Medial Femoral Condyle Rim-Association with MRI Occult Meniscal Tears in the ACL Deficient Knee

BackgroundMeniscal tears, specifically lateral meniscal tears, have a larger than expected un-derdiagnosis rate in the presence of an ACL tear. The purpose of our study was to search for an MRI bone contusion pattern associated with MRI occult meniscal tears in patients with an ACL tear, specifically a contusion of the rim of the medial femoral condyle (RMFC). Our hypothesis was that there would be a significant association between RMFC contusions and MRI occult meniscal tears in patients with an ACL tear. We also searched for a difference between sexes with respect to the presence of the RMFC contusion in the setting of an occult meniscal tear. We also categorized the type, size, and location of these occult meniscal tears in the setting of an ACL tear.Methods This was a retrospective study that examined characteristics of occult meniscal tears and their association with a RMFC bone contusion. IRB approval was obtained. The date range of the study was June 2009 through December 2015. 6392 consecutive knee MRI reports in patients with an ACL deficient knee were reviewed. The study group included 22 patients with MRI occult meniscal tears, the control group included 110 patients. Relevant statistical values were calculated.ResultsThe most common type of occult meniscal tears were small radial and small longitudinal tears of the lateral meniscus. Occult meniscal tears were associated with an RMFC contusion in the study group (p=0.0457), particularly in males (p = 0.0003). In males with a torn ACL, the sensitivity of an RMFC contusion for an occult meniscal tear was 80%.ConclusionIn males with an ACL tear, there was a significant association between a contusion of the RMFC and an occult meniscal tear (commonly small radial or small peripheral partial-thickness longitudinal tears). RMFC contusions were reliably identified by radiologists in this study.Level of Evidence: II     

Sex-Specific Audience Effect in the Context of Mate Choice in Zebra Finches

Animals observing conspecifics during mate choice can gain additional information about potential mates. However, the presence of an observer, if detected by the observed individuals, can influence the nature of the behavior of the observed individuals, called audience effect. In zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata castanotis), domesticated males show an audience effect during mate choice. However, whether male and female descendants of the wild form show an audience effect during mate choice is unknown. Therefore, we conducted an experiment where male and female focal birds could choose between two distinctive phenotypes of the opposite sex, an artificially adorned stimulus bird with a red feather on the forehead and an unadorned stimulus bird, two times consecutively, once without an audience and once with an audience bird (same sex as test bird). Males showed an audience effect when an audience male was present and spent more time with adorned and less time with unadorned females compared to when there was no audience present. The change in time spent with the respective stimulus females was positively correlated with the time that the audience male spent in front of its cage close to the focal male. Females showed no change in mate choice when an audience female was present, but their motivation to associate with both stimulus males decreased. In a control for mate-choice consistency there was no audience in either test. Here, both focal females and focal males chose consistently without a change in choosing motivation. Our results showed that there is an audience effect on mate choice in zebra finches and that the response to a same-sex audience was sex-specific.     

The role of oestrogen in the control of ciliated cells of the human endometrium.

The incidence of ciliated cells in the human endometrium was determined. Conditions associated with an excess of oestrogenic activity were characterized by an increased incidence of ciliated cells, whilst oestrogen deficiency was associated with decreased numbers. When endometrium was cultured, addition of oestradiol-17 beta caused an increase in the ciliated cell population.     

Structure and expression of a cyanobacterial ilvC gene encoding acetohydroxyacid isomeroreductase.

Acetohydroxyacid isomeroreductase (AHAIR) is the shared second enzyme in the biosynthetic pathways leading to isoleucine and valine. AHAIR is encoded by the ilvC gene in bacteria. A 1,544-bp fragment of genomic DNA containing the ilvC gene was cloned from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, and the complete nucleotide sequence was determined. The identity of the gene was established by comparison of the nucleotide and derived peptide sequences with those of other ilvC genes. The highest degree of sequence similarity was found with the ilvC gene from Rhizobium meliloti. The isolated Synechocystis ilvC gene complemented an Escherichia coli ilvC mutant lacking AHAIR activity. The expressed Synechocystis gene encodes a protein that has a molecular mass of 35.7 kDa and that has AHAIR activity in an in vitro assay. Polyclonal antibodies raised against purified Synechocystis AHAIR produced a single band on a Western blot (immunoblot) of a Synechocystis cell extract and detected the protein in an extract of an E. coli ilvC mutant strain that was transformed with a plasmid containing the Synechocystis ilvC gene. The antibody did not react with an extract of an E. coli ilvC mutant strain that was transformed with a control plasmid lacking the Synechocystis ilvC gene or with an extract of an E. coli IlvC+ control strain.     

Causes of Hypertension in the Young

Of 127 hypertensive patients aged 12 to 40 investigated by intravenous pyelography, abdominal aortography, and renal biopsy an underlying cause was found in 57%. The proportion with secondary hypertension was higher in young patients and in those with severe hypertension. Primary arteritis of the aorta was an important cause of renovascular hypertension in an Asian population.     

Characterization of sialyltransferases from serum of normal and hepatoma Mc-29 bearing chickens

Sialyltransferase was measured in serum of normal and hepatoma Mc-29 bearing chickens. By preparative isoelectric focusing the multiple forms of sialyltransferase from both kind of serums was studied as well. By using influenza virus neuraminidase an attempt was made for partial structural characterization of the sialylation sites in asialofetuin applied as exogenous acceptor for sialyltransferase determination. It was established an elevated serum sialyltransferase activity in tumor bearing chickens with tumor an enzyme form was detected with pI-4.99 identical with an enzyme form described previously in solubilized plasma membrane preparations from hepatoma Mc-29. Monitoring of multiple forms of serum glycosyltransferases may be of value in answering the problem concerning the tissue origin of serum enzymes.     

Intestinal uptake of fatty acids, cholesterol and decanol in ileal resected rabbits: effect of Isocal and Portagen

Isocal, but not Portagen, is associated with increased villus surface area in control rabbits and in animals with an ileal resection. In control animals, Isocal feeding was associated with an increased in vitro jejunal uptake of short and medium-chain length fatty acids and cholesterol, whereas Portagen feeding was associated with a decline in the uptake of short-, medium- and long-chain fatty acids, but an increase in the uptake of cholesterol. In animals with an ileal resection both diets were associated with an increased uptake of long-chain fatty acids and cholesterol. These changes in lipid uptake are not explained by alterations in villus surface area or unstirred water layer resistance.     

Glucose turnover in adult non-growing tumour-bearing mice

[6-3H]glucose was used for measurements of plasma glucose turnover in adult non-growing mice with sarcoma-induced malnutrition. Plasma glucose turnover was increased in freely-fed tumour-bearing mice but not in starved tumour-bearing mice. Elevated glucose turnover in freely-eating sarcoma-bearing mice was associated with an increased glucose pool, the latter not only being due to an expanded distribution volume of glucose. Plasma lactate was elevated in sarcoma-bearing mice independently of their food intake. The results show that elevated plasma glucose turnover in an anorectic tumour-bearing host is not due to insufficient adaptation to food depression. Increased glucose turnover in tumour-bearing mice was associated with an altered intermediary whole body metabolism of glucose which is not entirely accounted for by the state of malnutrition of the host.     

Sow-level risk factors for stillbirth of piglets in organic sow herds

In Danish organic pig production, one-third of total born piglets die before weaning, and stillbirth has previously crudely been estimated to account for 27% of the total preweaning mortality. The objective of this study was to evaluate season, litter size, parity and body condition of the sow as risk factors for stillbirth in nine commercial Danish organic pig herds. The study was conducted over a 1-year period, and the data included registrations on 5170 farrowings with 82 906 total born piglets. The average number of total born piglets per litter was 16.0, and the number of stillborn piglets per litter was 1.1. A significant effect of season was seen with an odds ratio for stillbirth of 1.15 during summer (May to August) compared with the remaining part of the year. A non-linear effect of litter size was seen where an increase in litter size from 11 to 16 resulted in an odds ratio of stillbirth of 1.11. An increase in litter size from 16 to 21 resulted in an odds ratio of stillbirth of 1.45. A significant interaction between body condition and parity was present. In first parity sows, an increase in body condition score from 2 (thin) to 3 (moderate) and from 3 to 4 (fat) increased the probability of stillbirth with an odds ratio of 1.23 and 1.36, respectively. In sows with parity above 4, an increase in body condition score from 2 to 3 and from 3 to 4 decreases the probability of stillbirth with an odds ratio of 0.68 and 0.79, respectively. In conclusion, increasing litter size and being born during the summer months of May to August were found to be risk factors for stillbirth. Furthermore, an interaction between body condition and parity showed that thin sows with parity above 4 had a substantially increased risk of stillbirth compared with normal and fat sows with parity above 4. In contrast, for parity 1 sows risk of stillbirth was increased in fat sows.     

太湖沉积物微生物生物量及其与碳、氮、磷的相关性

对太湖沉积物中微生物生物量碳(MBc)、氮(MBN)、磷(MBp),以及沉积物总有机碳(TOC)、总氮(TN)、总磷(TP)进行测定并进行相关性分析,揭示太湖沉积物微生物对太湖沉积物营养盐的响应及反馈特征.结果表明:沉积物微生物生物量(MB)在湖体沿岸地区大于湖心区,平均值为184.66 mg·kg-1,MBc在西部沿岸区以及竺山湾和梅梁湾区域较高,平均值为127.57 mg·kg-1;MBN在梅梁湾、贡湖部分区域以及靠近梅梁湾和贡湖的湖心区域和东部沿岸区较高,平均值为19.25 mg·kg-1;MBp在东部沿岸区及其附近的湖心区最高,平均值为19.09 mg·kg-1;沉积物TOC高值区(≥2.30 g· kg-1)主要集中在竺山湾、西部沿岸区、梅梁湾、贡湖地区,平均值为1.59 g·kg-1;沉积物TN高值区(≥0.30g· kg-1)主要集中在贡湖、梅梁湾、竺山湾部分地区以及西部沿岸区,平均值为0.21 g·kg-1;沉积物TP高值区(≥1.20g·kg-1)主要集中在东部沿岸区以及湖心部分区域,平均值为0.55 g·kg-1;太湖沉积物TOC/TN在7～19,平均值为8.97,表明太湖沉积物中的有机质具有明显的双重来源,其中陆源有机质主要集中在西部沿岸区;太湖沉积物MB与沉积物TOC和TN呈显著正相关,与沉积物TP相关性不显著;沉积物MBc/MBN与沉积物TOC/TN显著相关.太湖沉积物微生物主要受沉积物TOC、TN影响,且沉积物TOC/TN的变化显著影响微生物群落结构.     

QOL models constructed for the community-dwelling elderly with ikigai (purpose in life) as a composition factor, and the effect of habitual exercise

The purpose of this study was to construct QOL models for the elderly that included ikigai as a composition factor and to clarify differences in two kinds of models, one constructed for the elderly with habitual exercise and the other for those without it.The subjects were 1,566 healthy community-dwelling independent people aged 60 years or more (752 males, 814 females). First, the ratio of subjects with ikigai was calculated. The ratios of subjects with different kinds of objects of ikigai were also calculated. Next, structural equation models (SEM) were constructed on the basis of social, physical, and mental QOL and ikigai. Fits of the models were evaluated. To examine whether the presence or absence of habitual exercise caused any difference in the QOL model, subjects were divided into 4 groups according to whether they were male or female and whether they had or did not have an exercise habit. Multi-population group simultaneous analysis was then performed among the four groups.More than 85% of the subjects had objects of ikigai. Ikigai is an important factor for comprehending the QOL of the elderly. It was possible to construct QOL models for the elderly with ikigai as a composition factor. The effect of physical QOL on mental QOL was negligible in females irrespective of whether they had an exercise habit. The effect of social QOL on mental QOL was profound in aged females with an exercise habit. The effect of the living situation on mental QOL was profound in aged females without an exercise habit. The effect of mental QOL on ikigai was more marked in subjects without an exercise habit than in those with an exercise habit.     

Use of a Technovit 7200 VLC to Facilitate Integrated Determination of Aluminum by Light and Electron Microscopy

Technovit 7200 VLC is an excellent embedding medium for both inorganic histochemistry by light microscopy and X-ray microanalysis by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Liver samples from rats after intraperitoneal treatment with aluminum chloride were fixed in glutaraldehyde and embedded in the resin. Thick sections were easily cut on an ultramicrotome and stained with aluminon for aluminum (Al). An intense positive reaction with aluminon was observed in the Kupffer cells by light microscopy. The surface structures of the same resin block cut for light microscopy were observed under a scanning electron microscope fitted with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. The Kupffer cells appeared white in the backscattered mode. Localization of Al in the Kupffer cells was confirmed by an X-ray distribution map in the scanning electron microscope. Subcellular localization of Al in the Kupffer cells was performed on the same semithin sections using a transmission electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer. Most Al was found in lysosomes of the Kupffer cells. The resin was stable in the electron beam and chlorine-free.     

Types of Systemic Reactions of Human Hemodynamics and Hemostasis to Multiple Occupational Migrations to the Polar Circle Regions

Effects of meridional migrations in shuttle from middle latitudes to regions beyond the Polar Circle, where an expedition and the organization of work shifts were being conducted, were studied. Three main types of systemic reactions of human hemodynamics and hemostasis were established. The first type was characterized by a moderate increase in the arterial blood pressure (BP) at the beginning of the shift with its subsequent normalization; by hypocoagulemia; and by an increase in the total phospholipid content, with a significant increase in the content of lysolecithins (an adaptive type). The second type was characterized by hypertension throughout the whole shift, by hypercoagulemia with significant changes in the phospholipid spectrum, and with a pronounced increase in the lysolecithin and cardiolipin fractions (a hypertensive type). The third type was characterized by a decrease in BP and an increase in heart rate (HR), by hypocoagulemia and an asthenic state associated with sleep disorders, and a decreased mental capacity (an asthenic type).     

The Regulation of Homopolar Doublets to Singlets in Glaucoma

ABSTRACT. In the ciliate Glaucoma scintillans , the process of transformation of unbalanced homopolar doublets to singlets was investigated. Cells were fixed 1–3 days after inoculation and impregnated with silver according to the Chatton-Lwoff technique. The two oral apparatuses (OAs) approached each other partly due to a loss of ciliary rows in one of the two components (semicells) consisting of a doublet. The contractile vacuole pore (CVP) in the narrow semicell (sc1) was lost at an early stage of regulation, while the position of CVP in the broad semicell (sc2) shifted toward the right after the loss of sc1. The sc1 of 20 row-intervals in breadth was a transition point above which the sc1 was able to persist for awhile, and beneath which it was actively lost. There was no evidence for an independent effect of sc2 on the transformation of doublets to singlets. In cell division, an additional reversed oral primordium (sOP) was formed in unbalanced doublets, usually within a narrow sc1 of 11–20 row-intervals. The position of the sOP was generally 4–6 row-intervals distant from the right side of the oral meridian (OM1) with the cell's left OA. Most of the doublets with an sOP lacked an oral primordium in the OM1. No mature triplet with 2 normal OAs and an abnormal OA was found in these preparations. The pathway of regulation, the movement of the CVP, and the formation of an sOP are discussed.     

Effect of environmental acidity and alkalinity on the physiology of Tilapia mossambica during acclimation

The pattern of carbohydrate metabolism in the muscle of the freshwater fish, Tilapia mossambica (Peters) varied according to the pH of the environmental medium. On acclimation to a more acidic water, the white muscle showed an elevated glycogen content with suppressed glycolysis. In contrast, the muscle tissue showed an accelerated glycolytic pathway with the accumulation of metabotic acids on acclimation to a basic water. In an acidic medium phosphorylase activity was inhibited with an elevated LDH activity, while the reverse pattern was observed in an alkaline medium. The oxidative pathway was elevated in both. Acclimation to acidic and basic environmental waters leads to an adaptive compensatory mechanisms providing increased resistance capacity to the fish under pH stress.     

The Origin of the Achiasmatic XY Sex Chromosome System in Cacopsylla peregrina (Frst.) (Psylloidea, Homoptera)

The status of an extra univalent, if it is a B chromosome or an achiasmatic Y chromosome, associating with the X chromosome in male meiosis of Cacopsylla peregrina (Frst.) (Homoptera, Psylloidea) was analysed. One extra univalent was present in all males collected from three geographically well separated populations, it was mitotically stable, and showed precise segregation from the X chromosome. These findings led us to propose that the univalent represents in fact a Y chromosome. The behaviour of the X and Y chromosomes during meiotic prophase suggested that their regular segregation was based on an achiasmatic segregation mechanism characterised by a 'touch and go' pairing of segregating chromosomes at metaphase I. To explain the formation of the achiasmatic Y within an insect group with X0 sex chromosome system, it was suggested that the Y chromosome has evolved from a mitotically stable B chromosome that was first integrated into an achiasmatic segregation system with the X chromosome, and has later become fixed in the karyotype as a Y chromosome.