Inhibition sensitivity of in vitro firefly bioluminescence quantum yields to Zn and Cd concentrations in aqueous solutions.

To elucidate the inhibition effects of Zn and Cd on the luciferin-luciferase reaction, we performed quantitative measurements of quantum yields and spectral shapes for in vitro firefly bioluminescence in aqueous solutions containing ZnSO, ZnCl, CdSO, and CdCl at different concentrations. Particular care was taken toward the equilibrium between metal ions and enzyme proteins, anion difference, solubility, and uncertainty evaluation. The bioluminescence quantum yields decreased almost linearly to the concentration of Zn and Cd below 0.

Experimental and Theoretical Study for Core Excitation of Firefly Luciferin in Carbon K-Edge Spectra.

Carbon (C) K-edge X-ray absorption spectra for firefly luciferin were measured and assigned using time-dependent density functional theoretical calculations for luciferin anion and dianion to elucidate the effect of hydroxy-group deprotonation. It was found that the C K-edge spectra for luciferin had four characteristic peaks. The effect of deprotonation of the hydroxy group appears in the energy difference of the first and second peaks of these spectra.

Partial male-to-female reprogramming of mouse fetal testis by Sertoli cell ablation.

Temporal transcription profiles of fetal testes with Sertoli cell ablation were examined in 4-day culture using a diphtheria toxin (DT)-dependent cell knockout system in AMH-TRECK transgenic (Tg) mice. RNA analysis revealed that ovarian-specific genes, including Foxl2, were ectopically expressed in DT-treated Tg testis explants initiated at embryonic days 12.5-13.

Distinct seed topologies enable comparison of elongation and secondary nucleation pathways in seeded supramolecular polymerization.

The influence of seed topologies on seeded supramolecular polymerization was examined using helicoidal and toroidal supramolecular polymer seeds. The addition of these seeds to a supersaturated solution of monomers led to distinct nucleation-growth kinetics, which were attributed to the significant difference between the elongation from helicoid termini and secondary nucleation catalyzed by the toroid surface.

Perinatal and neonatal characteristics of Prader-Willi syndrome in Japan.

Background: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is suspected at birth if extreme hypotonia, difficulty in feeding, hypogonadism, and failure to thrive are present. Genetic diagnosis of PWS can generally be made within the first few months of life; however, a delayed diagnosis of PWS is frequently reported. Although the clinical characteristics of perinatal and neonatal patients with PWS have been reported, there are no such reports on the clinical characteristics of these patients in Japan.

Fine-tuning of the size of supramolecular nanotoroids suppresses the subsequent catenation of nano-[2]catenane.

A judicious combination of ring-closing supramolecular polymerization and secondary nucleation can hierarchically organize a diphenylnaphthalene barbiturate monomer bearing a 3,4,5-tri(dodecyloxy)benzyloxy unit into self-assembled nano-polycatenanes composed of nanotoroids. In our previous study, nano-polycatenanes of variable length have been formed uncontrollably from the monomer that provides nanotoroids with sufficiently wide inner void space wherein secondary nucleation is driven by non-specific solvophobic interaction. In this study, we found that the elongation of the alkyl chain length of the barbiturate monomer decreases the inner void space of nanotoroids while increasing the frequency of secondary nucleation.

Direct conversion of lignin to high-quality graphene-based materials catalytic carbonization.

Methods for effectively utilizing lignin are necessary for the realization of a sustainable society. Herein, we report a method for directly converting lignin to graphene-based materials. Fe-supported lignin is prepared by dissolving lignin in an aqueous FeCl solution, followed by freeze drying.

Absorption Spectra for Firefly Bioluminescence Substrate Analog: TokeOni in Various pH Solutions.

AkaLumine hydrochloride, named TokeOni, is one of the firefly luciferin analogs, and its reaction with firefly luciferase produces near-infrared (NIR) bioluminescence. Prior to studying the bioluminescence mechanism, basic knowledge about the chemical structures, electronic states, and absorption properties of TokeOni at various pH values of solution has to be acquired. In this paper, the absorption spectra for TokeOni and AkaLumine at pH 2-10 were measured.

Successful treatment of Gaucher disease type 1 by enzyme replacement therapy over a 10-year duration in a Japanese pediatric patient: A case report.

The prevalence of Gaucher disease (GD) in Japan is much lower than that in Western countries; therefore, data on Japanese pediatric patients with GD type 1 are currently limited. The present study reports on the case of a Japanese pediatric patient with GD type 1 who was diagnosed when she presented with hepatosplenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and slight anemia at the age of 2 years. Serology tests revealed high levels of acid phosphatase (ACP) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE).

Simultaneous capillary electrophoresis of anions and cations in a single injection using an anion exchanger-modified capillary for determination of salivary ions in combination with statistical analyses.

This paper describes the simultaneous capillary electrophoresis (CE) of anions and cations using an anion exchange-modified capillary, which was prepared by chemical coating with a cationic silylating reagent, and its application to saliva analysis. The CE method provides high-throughput (5 min for a single sample injection) analysis by generating a high-velocity electroosmotic flow at pH 3.0-3.

Variations in Cadmium Concentrations in Rice and Oxidation-Reduction Potential at the Soil Surface with Supplementation of Fermented Botanical Waste-based Amendment in Large-scale Farmland.

We monitored the relationship between the cadmium (Cd) concentration uptake of rice and the oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) at the soil surface with the supplementation of fermented botanical waste-based amendment (FBWA), an organic fertilizer prepared from woody and food wastes. This study was carried out for 3 years in the western part of Jiangsu Province, China. It was found that the Cd concentration taken up by rice was correlated to a decreased the ORP of the cultivated soil.

Utilization of Anion-exchange Guard Column as an Ion Chromatographic Column of Anions Including Application to Simultaneous Separation of Anions and Cations.

This study demonstrated that a guard column containing anion-exchange resin has the potential for use as a separation column for acid eluent. Specifically, a 1-cm long anion-exchange guard column with a 4.6-mm internal diameter provided good separation of monovalent inorganic anions, by elution of 8 mM tartaric acid or 4 mM malic acid.

Dynamic Four-step Sequential Extraction Procedure Using a Four-channel Circulating Flow System for Extracting Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn from Solid Environmental Samples.

A method for extracting metals from solid samples was developed. The system had four flow channels (each containing a column packed with a solid sample), a single-flow peristaltic pump, and eight six-port valves. An extractant was passed into each channel for a specified period, then the valves were closed.

Simultaneous suppression of magnetic nanoscale powder and fermented bark amendment for arsenic and cadmium uptake by radish sprouts grown in agar medium.

In this study, we effectively suppressed arsenic and cadmium uptake into a plant using magnetic nanoparticle powder (MNP) and fermented bark amendment (FBA) in agar medium. The MNP (which consists of FeO·FeO) quantitatively adsorbed arsenite (As(III)) and the FBA (which mainly consists of bark waste) adsorbed cadmium, regardless of the pH. The properties of MNP and FBA in agar medium were compared based on the amounts of arsenic and cadmium in cultivated radish sprouts.

Enhanced radiocesium uptake by rice with fermented bark and ammonium salt amendments.

There are ongoing problems with radioactive cesium (Cs) contaminated agricultural soil after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. In this study, the behavior of Cs uptake by rice plants grown in soil sprayed with fermented bark amendment (FBA) was investigated. In rice cultivation by pot, the application of FBA resulted in the acceleration of Cs uptake by rice plants.

Evaluation of Photocatalytic Abilities by Variation of Conductivity and Dimethyl Sulfoxide: Photocatalytically Active TiO-coated Wire Mesh Prepared via a Double-layer Coating Method.

Herein, we evaluated the quality of a double-layer coating method to stably immobilize photocatalysts by photodecomposition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) on a stainless-steel wire mesh using a flow analytical system, which included the reactor and conductimetric detector (FAS-CD). The prepared photocatalyst consisted of an amorphous titanium peroxide sol layer and a layer of a sol mixture containing TiO and amorphous titanium peroxide. Stable photocatalytic activity was demonstrated through successive photodecomposition tests of DMSO using FAS-CD/equipment.

Monitoring of the Palladium Concentration in River Water and Sediment at an Acidic Hot Spring Spa Area in Gunma Prefecture.

In an effort to elucidate the deposition pathway of Pd in river sediments, we analyzed the amount of Pd in the river water and sediments of the Yukawa and Yazawa rivers, as well as in the sediments of the Shinaki dam-lake of the Kusatsu hot-spring area, which is located northwest in Gunma Prefecture of Japan. The crystal structures and elemental compositions of the river sediment samples differed significantly before and after neutralization. This was attributed to the lime input, which also affected the Pd abundance ratio obtained by the sequential extraction procedure.

Differences in sleep architecture between left and right temporal lobe epilepsy.

To investigate whether seizure lateralization affects sleep macrostructure in patients with left and right temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is shorter in patients with right hemispheric cerebral infarction than with left. We retrospectively analyzed data from 16 patients with TLE (6 men and 10 women aged 34.9 ± 11.

Use of capillary electrophoresis with dual-opposite end injection for simultaneous analysis of small ions in saliva samples from wrestlers undergoing a weight training program.

Capillary electrophoresis-capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C4D), conducted using an in-house-developed polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)-coated capillary system, was applied for the simultaneous analysis of small anions and cations in saliva samples from wrestlers undergoing a weight training program. Use of the PVA capillary for CE provided good reproducible ion separation with minimization of the electroosmotic flow and suppression of protein adsorption onto the capillary wall. Four cations and eight anions were separated in 12min, using a background electrolyte of 20mM MES/20mM histidine and 18-crown-6 ether (pH 6) at 20kV.

Suppression of cadmium uptake in rice using fermented bark as a soil amendment.

The contamination of rice paddies with heavy metals has become a serious concern due to their high toxicity to human health. In this study, we developed a chemical-free, fermented bark amendment (FBA) and used it for organic rice cultivation. The application of FBA resulted in the fixation of heavy metals, especially cadmium (Cd), in the soil and suppressed their uptake in brown rice.

Simultaneous analysis of silicon and boron dissolved in water by combination of electrodialytic salt removal and ion-exclusion chromatography with corona charged aerosol detection.

Selective separation and sensitive detection of dissolved silicon and boron (DSi and DB) in aqueous solution was achieved by combining an electrodialytic ion isolation device (EID) as a salt remover, an ion-exclusion chromatography (IEC) column, and a corona charged aerosol detector (CCAD) in sequence. DSi and DB were separated by IEC on the H(+)-form of a cation exchange resin column using pure water eluent. DSi and DB were detected after IEC separation by the CCAD with much greater sensitivity than by conductimetric detection.

Dynamic leaching and fractionation of trace elements from environmental solids exploiting a novel circulating-flow platform.

A dynamic flow-through microcolumn extraction system based on extractant re-circulation is herein proposed as a novel analytical approach for simplification of bioaccessibility tests of trace elements in sediments. On-line metal leaching is undertaken in the format of all injection (AI) analysis, which is a sequel of flow injection analysis, but involving extraction under steady-state conditions. The minimum circulation times and flow rates required to determine the maximum bioaccessible pools of target metals (viz.