Species differences in lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities: comparative studies of animal models of lifestyle-related diseases.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) have an important role in lifestyle-related diseases. To evaluate species differences, we compared LPL and HTGL activities in different animal models of lifestyle-related diseases using the same assay kit. Normal animals (JW rabbits, ICR mice, and SD rats), a hypercholesterolemic animal model (WHHLMI rabbits), and obese animal models (KK-A mice and Zucker fatty rats) fed standard chow were used in this study.

An automated method for measuring lipoprotein lipase and hepatic triglyceride lipase activities in post-heparin plasma.

Background: Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and hepatic triglyceride lipase (HTGL) play a central role in triglyceride-rich lipoprotein metabolism by catalyzing the hydrolysis of triglycerides. Quantification of LPL and HTGL activity is useful for diagnosing lipid disorders, but there has been no automated method for measuring these lipase activities.

Methods: The automated kinetic colorimetric method was used for assaying LPL and HTGL activity in the post-heparin plasma using the natural long-chain fatty acid 2-diglyceride as a substrate.

Functionally undefined gene, yggE, alleviates oxidative stress generated by monoamine oxidase in recombinant Escherichia coli.

Real-time PCR analysis showed that yggE gene was about two and three times up-regulated in Escherichia coli cells exposed to UVA irradiation and thermal elevation, respectively, suggesting that this gene is responsive to physiological stress. The yggE gene was introduced into E. coli BL21 cells, together with a monoamine oxidase (MAO) gene as a model source for oxidative stress generation.

Observing quantum correlation of photons in Laguerre-Gauss modes using the Gouy phase.

The effect of the Gouy phase, which is one of the geometrical phases of photons, is observed through quantum correlation in Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) modes. In an experiment, the relative phase of two different LG modes of measurement basis states is manipulated via the Gouy phase, and the observed coincidence count rates agree well with theoretical predictions. This result suggests that the Gouy phase can be used as a new tool to manipulate multidimensional photonic quantum states.

Serum tenascin-C might be a novel predictor of left ventricular remodeling and prognosis after acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: We investigated clinical implications of serum tenascin-C (TN-C) levels in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Background: Tenascin-C, an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, is not normally expressed in the adult heart, but transiently appears during pathological conditions and plays important roles in tissue remodeling.

Methods: Serum TN-C levels were measured by ELISA in 105 AMI patients at various time points, in 10 old myocardial infarction (OMI) patients, and 20 normal controls.

Tenascin-C concentration in synovial fluid correlates with radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major cause of disability and represents the most common disease in the aging population. Although the course of the disease is generally assessed using standard radiographic images, biochemical markers may be employed to detect the disease and determine the degree of severity. We developed an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system using a monoclonal antibody specific for the large-splice variants of tenascin-C (TN-C) and examined whether TN-C in synovial fluid (SF) is an adequate biochemical marker of OA progression.