Studies on fungal polysaccharide XVII. A new glucuronan “protuberic acid” produced by a fungus Kobayashi Nipponica

A water-soluble glucuronan “protuberic acid”, [α]_d²² −83.6° and purified from Kobayashia Nipponica, and its physicochemical properties were investigated.The purified protuberic acid was homogeneous as shown by zone electrophoresis, gel filtration over Sepharose 4B, and ultracentrifugation. The sedimentation coefficient was 1.8 S and its intrinsic viscosity was 1.1 dl/g. By gel filtration the molecular weight was estimated to be about 170 000. The results of periodate oxidation, methylation analysis, and partial acid hydrolysis indicated that this acidic polysaccharide has a linear structure of mainly 1,4-linkages and containing an acid-labile linkage. Reduced protuberic acid, [α]_d²² −44°, is also described.     

Purification and characterization of macrolide 2''-phosphotransferase type II from a strain of Escherichia coli highly resistant to macrolide antibiotics

Hyperimmune and high-titered polyclonal pneumococcal antisera, specific for cross-reactive types within groups, were produced in adult rabbits. Purified capsular polysaccharide was injected intravenously into adult rabbits. One week later, these rabbits were given multiple intravenous injections of formalin-inactivated pneumococci of the cross-reactive type by an established method. Each of the resultant antisera were specific for the cross-reactive type indicating that the previous injection of the polysaccharide had induced epitope-specific tolerance. This method was successful for production of antisera against pneumococcal types 6A, 6B, 9N, 9V, 19F and 19A. Polyclonal rabbit pneumococcal antisera have some advantages over murine monoclonal antibodies for serologic studies and this method should be applicable for producing type-specific antibodies to cross-reactive polysaccharides of clinical interest. Further, this method is simpler and generally produces higher titered monovalent (factor) reagents than absorbed antisera.     

Correlation between the compact regions predicted by the Average Distance Map (ADM) and the biologically active sites in atrial natriuretic peptide

The prediction of the short-range compact regions of human atrial natriuretic peptide (a-hANP), one of the biologically active peptides, has been made by means of the Average Distance Map(ADM). We found out that the location of the predicted short-range compact regions is consistent with the structural units determined by the NMR analysis (Kobayashiet al., 1988). Furthermore, the short-range compact regions correspond well to the biologically active areas of atriopeptin (103–125)-amide (which is homologous peptide toa-hANP), detected by the glycine substitution technique (Konishiet al., 1987). The results suggest that a predicted short-range compact region can be regarded as a possible active site in a biologically active peptide.     

Modelling and analyzing density-dependent population processes: Comparison between wild and laboratory strains of the bean weevil,Callosobruchus chinensis (L.)

Three models were constructed for analyzing the population characteristics ofC. chinensis on stored beans; model A describing the whole reproductive process with a single equation, model B describing the three age-specific processes (oviposition, egg survival and larval survival) with separate equations, and model C which describes all these processes not for the whole habitat but for the individual beans comprizing it. The logit equation was employed here as a common basis to describe the density-response relationship involved. All three models showed very good fit to the experimental data obtained for both laboratory and wild strains of the weevil. The parameter values characterizing the population dynamics were, however, widely different between the two strains; the laboratory one which had been reared for some 500 generations showed significantly higher reproductive capacity, less sensitive and gentler response to crowding in both adult and egg stages, and more uniform egg distribution among individual beans, as compared with the wild strain newly introduced. Sensitivity analyses using these models suggested that these changes in population characteristics have been attained by the process of domestication or adaptation to stable laboratory conditions through a long period of time. This process seemed in effect to have optimized the population's performances in the laboratory environment. Evolutionary significance of such optimization was discussed with reference to the selection pressure which may have acted upon individuals.     

Regional differences in mitotic activity due to injury in mouse skin

Summary Mitotic activity adjacent to a wound inflicted at different sites in the mouse skin was measured 24 h after injury. A regional difference in the epidermal mitotic activity due to injury was noted. Mitotic activity was high in the anterior parts of the body including the head, lower in the middle to posterior regions of the body and lowest in the posterior-most parts of the body. Regional differences in epidermal mitotic activity due to injury were demonstrated in both female and male mice. The existence of a cranio-caudal gradient in epidermal response to injury is suggested.     

Proton magnetic resonance identification and discrimination of stereoisomers of C27 steroids using lanthanide shift reagents.

A simple proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic method is described for the identification and and confirmation of several stereoisomeric paris of C27 stanols as well as their keto and acetate derivatives related to cholesterol. The method, which involves the use of lanthanide shift reagents, is useful in distinguishing clearly between the isomeric pairs differing only in the geometry of a functional group and/or of the A/B-ring junction in the steroid skeleton.     

Effectiveness of enhanced cognitive behavior therapy for bulimia nervosa in Japan: a randomized controlled trial protocol

Although fatigue is a common and distressing symptom in cancer survivors, the mechanism of fatigue is not fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the relation between the fatigue and mindfulness of breast cancer survivors using anxiety, depression, pain, loneliness, and sleep disturbance as mediators. Path analysis was performed to examine direct and indirect associations between mindfulness and fatigue. Participants were breast cancer survivors who visited a breast surgery department at a university hospital in Japan for hormonal therapy or regular check-ups after treatment. The questionnaire measured cancer-related-fatigue, mindfulness, anxiety, depression, pain, loneliness, and sleep disturbance. Demographic and clinical characteristics were collected from medical records. Two-hundred and seventy-nine breast cancer survivors were registered, of which 259 answered the questionnaire. Ten respondents with incomplete questionnaire data were excluded, resulting in 249 participants for the analyses. Our final model fit the data well (goodness of fit index = .993; adjusted goodness of fit index = .966; comparative fit index = .999; root mean square error of approximation = .016). Mindfulness, anxiety, depression, pain, loneliness, and sleep disturbance were related to fatigue, and mindfulness had the most influence on fatigue (β = − .52). Mindfulness affected fatigue not only directly but also indirectly through anxiety, depression, pain, loneliness, and sleep disturbance. The study model helps to explain the process by which mindfulness affects fatigue. Our results suggest that mindfulness has both direct and indirect effects on the fatigue of breast cancer survivors and that mindfulness can be used to more effectively reduce their fatigue. It also suggests that health care professionals should be aware of factors such as anxiety, depression, pain, loneliness, and sleep disturbance in their care for fatigue of breast cancer survivors. This study was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN number. 000027720) on June 12, 2017.     

Toward more comprehensive environmental impact assessments: interlinked global models of LCIA and IAM applicable to this century

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Despite the long-standing demand for research on dynamic lifecycle assessment (LCA) for policymaking, only a few studies have addressed this...