SENJU: a new time-of-flight single-crystal neutron diffractometer at J-PARC.

SENJU is a new single-crystal time-of-flight neutron diffractometer installed at BL18 at the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility of the Japan Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). The diffractometer was designed for precise crystal and magnetic structure analyses under multiple extreme sample environments such as low temperature, high pressure and high magnetic field, and for diffraction measurements of small single crystals down to 0.1 mm in volume.

X-ray phase contrast imaging by compact Talbot-Lau interferometer with a single transmission grating.

We performed x-ray phase contrast imaging (XPCI) by Talbot-Lau interferometer using only a single transmission grating. Multiline metal targets embedded in a diamond substrate were irradiated with electrons to generate an array of x-ray lines of 1 μm width, which allowed XPCI within a 1 m source-detector distance in a configuration without a source or absorption grating. We directly resolved the self-image of the phase grating of 3 μm pitch using an x-ray image detector of 24 μm pixel size and successfully obtained absorption, differential phase, and dark-field images for 8 keV x rays.

Differential localization of sphingomyelin synthase isoforms in neurons regulates sphingomyelin cluster formation.

Sphingomyelin (SM) plays important roles in regulating structure and function of plasma membrane, but how intracellular localization of SM is regulated in neuronal cells is not understood. Here we show that two isoforms of SM synthase (SMS) are differentially expressed in neuronal subtypes and that only SMS2 proteins localize in neurites of hippocampal neurons. Moreover, SMS proteins induce Lysenin-binding SM clusters exclusively in their vicinity although neurons hardly contain such cluster under control condition.

TCDD increases inhibin A production by human luteinized granulosa cells in vitro.

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is the most toxic of the halogenated dioxins and one of the most poisonous substances known to man. The major toxic effects of TCDD on reproduction are decreased fertility and diminished ability to maintain a pregnancy. Granulosa cells obtained from hormonally stimulated women participating in an in-vitro fertilization program were cultured with 3.

X-ray structural study of noncrystalline regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin.

X-ray diffraction measurements of regenerated Bombyx mori silk fibroin were carried out to determine its structural characteristic from an analysis of differential radial distribution functions (DRDFs). The temperature dependence of X-ray diffraction patterns from noncrystalline and crystal structures of regenerated silk fibroin was investigated using a high temperature furnace. Time resolved X-ray diffraction profiles were also obtained to construct kinematical models of structural changes caused by the addition of water.

Changes in expression of inhibin subunits in the cyclic golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) and the regulation of inhibin alpha subunit production by luteinizing hormone.

In the present study, changes in localization of each inhibin subunit in the ovary were investigated during the estrous cycle of the golden hamster. The effect of LH surge on changes in localization in inhibin alpha subunit in the ovary was also investigated. Inhibin alpha subunit was localized in granulosa cells of various stages of follicles throughout the estrous cycle.

Effects of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) on serum inhibin concentrations and inhibin immunostaining during follicular development in female Sprague-Dawley rats.

Intact and hypophysectomized immature rats were pretreated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; 0 or 32 microg/kg p.o.) and sacrificed throughout synchronized follicular development (0, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after equine chorionic gonadotropin, eCG).

Dynamics of messenger RNAs encoding inhibin/activin subunits and follistatin in the ovary during the rat estrous cycle.

Quantitative changes in ovarian inhibin/activin subunit and follistatin mRNAs during the rat estrous cycle were examined by ribonuclease protection assay using digoxygenin-labeled RNA probes. Levels of ovarian inhibin alpha subunit mRNA remained low throughout estrus, metestrus, and diestrus; abruptly increased on the morning of proestrus; then rapidly decreased when the primary gonadotropin surge occurred. A similar changing pattern was observed in inhibin/activin beta(A) subunit mRNA.