Using severity factor as a parameter to optimize krill treatment under subcritical water conditions

The aim of this study was to optimize the conditions for subcritical water treatment of krill, as expressed with a single parameter: the severity factor (log R₀). Raw krill was treated under subcritical water conditions at various log R₀ values (1.54–3.75) by varying the treatment temperatures (120–180 °C) and times (0–10 min) in two different sizes of batch-type vessel (10 and 117 mL). The log R₀ value could efficiently describe changes in various properties of the obtained liquid extracts and solid residues. The most desirable shrimp-like flavor intensity and highest sensory preference were obtained for log R₀ values of 2.75–3.01. The results also proved that severity factor can be used as a single parameter to control subcritical water treatment conditions in differently sized batch-type vessels to produce shrimp-like flavor extract and residue from krill.     

Inhibitory effect of acylphloroglucinol derivatives on the replication of vesicular stomatitis virus.

The antiviral activity of natural phloroglucinols and of synthesized mono- and diacylphloroglucinols, and 2,6-diacyl-4,4-dialkylcyclohexa-1,3,5-triones was investigated. A correlation between the acyl chain length and inhibitory activity against vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) was observed. Potent antiviral activity was found in di-isovalerylphoroglucinol. 2,6-Diacyl-4,4-dialkylcyclohexa-1,3,5-triones inhibited replication of the virus with low cytotoxicity.     

Construction of a Quantitative Three-dimensional Model for Odor Quality using Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA)

A quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) studyof odorants was performed taking an odor as an activity. Asan example, we took the ‘green odor of pyrazine derivatives’as an activity. Conformational analysis of the pyrazine derivativeswas performed, and conformers were selected using the longestside-length of a circumscribed box (LLCB) as a criterion. Comparativemolecular field analysis (CoMFA) was used to elucidate the three-dimensional(3D) structural features of the derivatives. As a result, itwas found that the steric and electrostatic features of thederivatives were correlated with human olfactory detection thresholdvalues. We constructed a quantitative 3D model using the graphicviews of CoMFA and partial structures of the derivatives. Theprediction of human olfactory detection threshold values ofother pyrazine derivatives with green odor was possible by usingthe 3D model. As another example, we took the ‘sweet odorof compounds with various structures’ as an activity.A quantitative 3D model for sweet odor was constructed in thesame manner. Analysing the structural features of odorants byCoMFA and constructing 3D models for several important odorqualities would help to (i) explain or predict human olfactorydetection threshold values of interesting odorants, (ii) designnew odorants by suggesting the steric and electrostatic requirements,and (iii) elucidate the mechanism of odorant-receptor interaction.Chem Senses 21: 201–210, 1996.     

Metabolism of sodium 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholane-24-sulfonate in hamsters

Metabolism of sodium 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholane-24-sulfonate, the sulfonate derivative of chenodeoxycholic acid, was studied in hamsters. In bile fistula hamsters, the sulfonate analogue was efficiently absorbed from the ileum and secreted rapidly into the bile without any modification such as conjugation. However, absorption from the jejunum was smaller than that observed for the ileum. After oral administration, the sulfonate analogue of chenodeoxycholic acid was recovered quantitatively in the feces as the unchanged form in contrast to simultaneously administered chenodeoxycholic acid, which was entirely converted to lithocholic acid during its passage through the intestinal tract. These results demonstrate that the sulfonate analogue is absorbed mainly from the ileum by active transport, enters the enterohepatic circulation like the endogenous conjugated bile acids, and completely resists bacterial degradation.     

An Expression Profile of Active Genes in Human Colonic Mucosa

An expression profile of genes active in the human colonic mucosawas obtained by collecting 959 partial sequences from a 3'-directedcDNA library. Seven genes were found to produce mRNA each ofwhich comprized more than 1% of total mRNA. Four of these genesare novel, and are likely to be uniquely expressed in the colonicmucosa, and the other three have been identified as genes forfatty acid binding protein, immunoglobulin lambda chain, andcarcinoma-associated antigen GA733-2. In the remaining 952 clones,310 were composed of 118 species occurred recurrently but lessthan 1%, and 533 clones appeared only once. Because the 3'-directedcDNA library faithfully represents the mRNA population in thesource tissue, these numbers represent the relative activitiesof the gene expression. Altogether 156 gene species were identified in GenBank, anda significant portion of these genes encode proteins found inGolgi apparatus and lysosomes, chromosome-encoded mitochondrialproteins, cell surface proteins, and components in the proteinsynthesis machinery. The types and proportions of genes identifiedis consistent with the known major activities of the colonicmucosa such as mucous protein production, energy-dependent waterabsorption, and rapid cell proliferation and turnover.     

Expression of Activin Receptor-like Kinase 7 in Adipose Tissues

The tissue distribution of activin receptor-like kinase 7 (Alk7) expression, the signaling ability of Alk7 variants, and Alk7 expression in response to β₃-adrenergic receptor activation were examined. Expression levels of Alk7 varied greatly among tissues but were highest in white adipose tissue and brown adipose tissue. In addition to full-length Alk7 (Alk7-v1), Alk7-v3, an Alk7 variant, was expressed in adipose tissues, brain, and ovary. Nodal transmits signals via Alk7 in cooperation with its coreceptor, Cripto. Evaluation of the ability of Alk7 variants to confer Nodal signaling using luciferase-based reporter assays showed that Alk7-v3 does not transmit Nodal-Cripto-mediated signals. Expression of Alk7 was down-regulated in brown but not in white adipose tissue treated with CL316,243, a β₃-adrenergic receptor agonist. These results suggest involvement of Alk7 in modulation of metabolism in the adipose tissues in response to β₃-adrenergic receptor activation.