A potent hypotensive peptide, novokinin, induces relaxation by AT2- and IP-receptor-dependent mechanism in the mesenteric artery from SHRs

In this study, we found that novokinin (Arg-Pro-Leu-Lys-Pro-Trp), a potent hypotensive peptide acting through the AT(2) receptor, has vasorelaxing activity in the mesenteric artery isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats. The vasorelaxing activity was significantly blocked by PD123319, indomethacin, and CAY10441, which are an AT(2) receptor antagonist, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, and an IP receptor antagonist, respectively. N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, did not block the vasorelaxing activity. These results suggest that the vasorelaxing activity of novokinin, which contributes to the hypotensive effect, is mainly mediated by prostaglandin I(2) (prostacyclin) and the IP receptor downstream of the AT(2) receptor.     

Integrating Sphere Finger-Photoplethysmography: Preliminary Investigation towards Practical Non-Invasive Measurement of Blood Constituents

The aim of this study was to compare conventional photoplethysmography (PPG) in a finger with PPG using an integrating sphere (_ISPPG) to enhance scattered light collection. Two representative wavelengths were used; 1160 nm, a window through the absorption spectra of water and alcohol, and 1600 nm around where water absorption is high and there is an absorption peak of blood glucose. Simultaneous transmission-type measurements were made with conventional PPG and with _ISPPG for each wavelength in the tips of index fingers of both hands in a total of 10 healthy young male and female volunteers (21.7 ± 1.6 years old). During a 5 min period in which subjects were in a relaxed state we determined the signal-to-noise ratio, SNR, and the PPG detectability (or sensitivity) by the two techniques. SNR during the test period was significantly higher with _ISPPG as compared with conventional PPG, especially for the 1600 nm wavelength. PPG signals with 1600 nm could scarcely be detected by conventional PPG, while they could be detected with good sensitively by _ISPPG. We conclude that under controlled conditions _ISPPG has better SNR and higher sensitivity than conventional transmission PPG, especially in wavelength regions where water absorption is high but where there is potential for practical measurement of blood constituents including glucose.     

High Connectivity of Animal Populations in Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vent Fields in the Central Indian Ridge Relevant to Its Geological Setting

Dispersal ability plays a key role in the maintenance of species in spatially and temporally discrete niches of deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments. On the basis of population genetic analyses in the eastern Pacific vent fields, dispersal of animals in the mid-oceanic ridge systems generally appears to be constrained by geographical barriers such as trenches, transform faults, and microplates. Four hydrothermal vent fields (the Kairei and Edmond fields near the Rodriguez Triple Junction, and the Dodo and Solitaire fields in the Central Indian Ridge) have been discovered in the mid-oceanic ridge system of the Indian Ocean. In the present study, we monitored the dispersal of four representative animals, Austinograea rodriguezensis, Rimicaris kairei, Alviniconcha and the scaly-foot gastropods, among these vent fields by using indirect methods, i.e., phylogenetic and population genetic analyses. For all four investigated species, we estimated potentially high connectivity, i.e., no genetic difference among the populations present in vent fields located several thousands of kilometers apart; however, the direction of migration appeared to differ among the species, probably because of different dispersal strategies. Comparison of the intermediate-spreading Central Indian Ridge with the fast-spreading East Pacific Rise and slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge revealed the presence of relatively high connectivity in the intermediate- and slow-spreading ridge systems. We propose that geological background, such as spreading rate which determines distance among vent fields, is related to the larval dispersal and population establishment of vent-endemic animal species, and may play an important role in controlling connectivity among populations within a biogeographical province.     

Effects of Transport Stress on Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Beagle Dogs

Here, to determine the effects of transport stress on blood parameters in dogs, we investigated the changes in hematologic and serum chemical parameters in healthy beagle dogs transported from Beijing, China, to Osaka, Japan, to obtain the background data. Only the activity of serum alkaline phosphatase increased clearly upon arrival, a change attributed to transport stress, but the activity gradually reduced afterward. No marked changes in levels of other blood parameters were noted. Our findings here suggest that alkaline phosphatase is a useful tool for studying transport stress.     

Identification and characterization of a novel bacterial β-glucosidase that is highly specific for the β-1,2-glucosidic linkage of sesaminol triglucoside

A gene (PSTG2) coding for a novel β-glucosidase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 3 was identified in the vicinity of the previously identified β-glucosidase gene [sesaminol triglucoside (STG)-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase, PSTG1] in the genome of Paenibacillus sp. strain KB0549. Compared with PSTG1, recombinant PSTG2 more specifically acted on the β-1,2-glucosidic linkage of the STG molecule to transiently accumulate a larger amount of 6-O-(β-D-glucopyranosyl)-β-D-glucopyranosylsesaminol.     

Peroxisomes are involved in biotin biosynthesis in Aspergillus and Arabidopsis

Among the eukaryotes only plants and a number of fungi are able to synthesize biotin. Although initial events leading to the biosynthesis of biotin remain largely unknown, the final steps are known to occur in the mitochondria. Here we deleted the Aopex5 and Aopex7 genes encoding the receptors for peroxisomal targeting signals PTS1 and PTS2, respectively, in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae. In addition to exhibiting defects in the peroxisomal targeting of either PTS1 or PTS2 proteins, the deletion strains also displayed growth defects on minimal medium containing oleic acid as the sole carbon source. Unexpectedly, these peroxisomal transport-deficient strains also exhibited growth defects on minimal medium containing glucose as the sole carbon source that were remediated by the addition of biotin and its precursors, including 7-keto-8-aminopelargonic acid (KAPA). Genome database searches in fungi and plants revealed that BioF protein/KAPA synthase, one of the biotin biosynthetic enzymes, has a PTS1 sequence at the C terminus. Fungal ΔbioF strains expressing the fungal and plant BioF proteins lacking PTS1 still exhibited growth defects in the absence of biotin, indicating that peroxisomal targeting of KAPA synthase is crucial for the biotin biosynthesis. Furthermore, in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana, AtBioF localized to the peroxisomes through recognition of its PTS1 sequence, suggesting involvement of peroxisomes in biotin biosynthesis in plants. Taken together we demonstrate a novel role for peroxisomes in biotin biosynthesis and suggest the presence of as yet unidentified peroxisomal proteins that function in the earlier steps of biotin biosynthesis.     

Presence of putative Cycas necrotic stunt virus RNAs in Japanese primrose (Primula sieboldii E. Morren)

The study screened the putative viral RNA sequences in the cDNA library of Japanese primrose, and conducted a molecular approach in determining its presence in selected Primula sieboldii accessions showing characteristic viral symptoms. Three putatively viral non-homologous sequence groups of RNA were identified; however, coding for different proteins representing a complete virus structure, it was determined to be singly originating from Cycas necrotic stunt virus (CNSV). Subsequently, sequence-specific primers were customised based from the non-homologous-sequence groups; however, amplification data showed no association between the presence of the putative viral RNA sequences and the identified characteristic virus symptoms. Despite this, amplification of the three non-homologous sequences is fully correlated. Thus, Japanese primrose was potentially identified as an alternate host of CNSV.