Possible involvement of a sperm-associated body in the process of fertilization in quail

The present paper describes a novel structure, termed the sperm-associated body, which is found both in the lumen at the oviductal infundibulum and in the vitelline membrane of the ovum in the quail Coturnix japonica. The fully developed sperm-associated body, which is about 100 microm long, consisted of two parts; a core of concentric-circular appearance and a cortex of needle-like projections. The outer surface of the body was coated with CaCO3. The body was always accompanied by spermatozoa. About 70 sperm-associated bodies were observed in a single ovum. Electron-microscopically, small numbers of holes were detected in the vitelline membranes of a fertile ovum, and the sperm-associated bodies were always present in these holes. Frequently observed in the vitelline membranes was a disk speculated to be a portion of the inner layer of the membrane partially affected by spermatozoa. However, neither sperm-associated bodies nor spermatozoa were observed there. It was suggested that the sperm-associated bodies assist fertile spermatozoa in binding the inner layer of the vitelline membrane and penetrating it.     

RESOURCERER: a database for annotating and linking microarray resources within and across species

Microarray expression analysis is providing unprecedented data on gene expression in humans and mammalian model systems. Although such studies provide a tremendous resource for understanding human disease states, one of the significant challenges is cross-referencing the data derived from different species, across diverse expression analysis platforms, in order to properly derive inferences regarding gene expression and disease state. To address this problem, we have developed RESOURCERER, a microarray-resource annotation and cross-reference database built using the analysis of expressed sequence tags (ESTs) and gene sequences provided by the TIGR Gene Index (TGI) and TIGR Orthologous Gene Alignment (TOGA) databases [now called Eukaryotic Gene Orthologs (EGO)].     

An isopyoverdin from Pseudomonas putida CFML 90-44

From Pseudomonas putida CFML 90-44 an isopyoverdin was isolated. Its structure could be elucidated by chemical degradation and spectroscopic data.     

A pyoverdin from Pseudomonas sp. CFML 95-275

From Pseudomonas sp. CFML 95-275 a pyoverdin was isolated with a cyclopeptidic substructure. It could be shown that this pyoverdin is identical with one obtained from Pseudomonas fluorescens BTP 7 for which a lactone structure had been deduced from the interpretation of a FAB spectrum. The elucidation of the correct structure of the pyoverdin is described.     

Disinsertion of the levator aponeurosis from the tarsus in growing children

To confirm when the levator aponeurosis is disinserted and how the disinsertion is compensated for in growing children, the earliest and latest photographs of the same children were the subjects of a retrospective comparative study regarding upward displacement of the superior palpebral crease and the eyeball in the palpebral fissure. Ninety-four children (48 boys and 46 girls) were selected from 615 patients with cleft lip and palate who were followed for more than several years at our outpatient clinic and whose 58,000 photographs were digitized. The earliest and latest photographs of the patients were taken in primary gaze position; the former, taken at less than 3 years of age, and the latter, taken at more than 6 years of age, were selected for this study. The intervals between the two photographs ranged from 3 to 14 years (mean, 9.61 years; SD, 3.11). The superior palpebral crease moved upward parallel with the growth of the children (p < 0.0001) as well as with the length of the growth period (p = 0.0141). The lower eyelid did not move downward (p < 0.0001). The eyeball also displaced upward parallel with growth (p < 0.0001) and with the length of the growth period (p = 0.0302). The more the superior palpebral crease was displaced upward, the more the eyeball was displaced upward (p = 0.0005). The levator aponeurosis may be likely to disinsert from the tarsus in growing children, thus requiring compensatory, excessive contraction of the levator muscle, which may cause upward displacement of the superior palpebral crease. Subsequently, excessive contraction of the superior rectus muscle in conjunction of the levator muscle may rotate the eyeball upward, which may incline the head. When the head is not inclined in the primary gaze position, compensatory contraction of the inferior rectus muscle to maintain the horizontal visual axis may displace the eyeball upward in the orbit by means of the inferior suspensory ligament of Lockwood.     

Effects of protease activated receptor (PAR)2 blocking peptide on endothelin-1 levels in kidney tissues in endotoxemic rat mode

Aims

Septic shock, the severe form of sepsis, is associated with development of progressive damage in multiple organs. Kidney can be injured and its functions altered by activation of coagulation, vasoactive-peptide and inflammatory processes in sepsis. Endothelin (ET)-1, a potent vasoconstrictor, is implicated in the pathogenesis of sepsis and its complications. Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are shown to play an important role in the interplay between inflammation and coagulation. We examined the time-dependent alterations of ET-1 and inflammatory cytokine, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in kidney tissue in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced septic rat model and the effects of PAR2 blocking peptide on the LPS-induced elevations of renal ET-1 and TNF-α levels.

Main methods

Male Wistar rats at 8 weeks of age were administered with either saline solution or LPS at different time points (1, 3, 6 and 10 h). Additionally, we treated LPS-administered rats with PAR2 blocking peptide for 3 h to assess whether blockade of PAR2 has a regulatory role on the ET-1 level in septic kidney.

Key findings

An increase in ET-1 peptide level was observed in kidney tissue after LPS administration time-dependently. Levels of renal TNF-α peaked (around 12-fold) at 1 h of sepsis. Interestingly, PAR2 blocking peptide normalized the LPS-induced elevations of renal ET-1 and TNF-α levels.

Significance

The present study reveals a distinct chronological expression of ET-1 and TNF-α in LPS-administered renal tissues and that blockade of PAR2 may play a crucial role in treating renal injury, via normalization of inflammation, coagulation and vaso-active peptide.     

Primary structure of hemoglobin β-chain fromColumba livia (gray wild pigeon)

Primary structure of β-chain of pigeon is presented. It was determined by amino acid sequence analysis of intact β-chain and its peptides obtained by the enzymatic and chemical cleavage. Comparison of amino acid sequence of the chain with other available data shows β 14 Ile, β61 Lys, and β113 Ile as residues specific to pigeon. One important replacement at α₁β₁ contact is β55 Met→Ser.