Nutrient Imbalance of the Host Plant for Larvae of the Pale Grass Blue Butterfly May Mediate the Field Effect of Low-Dose Radiation Exposure in Fukushima: Dose-Dependent Changes in the Sodium Content.

The pale grass blue butterfly is sensitive to low-dose radioactive pollution from the Fukushima nuclear accident in the field but is also highly tolerant to radioactive cesium (Cs) in an artificial diet in laboratory experiments. To resolve this field-laboratory paradox, we hypothesize that the butterfly shows vulnerability in the field through biochemical changes in the larval host plant, the creeping wood sorrel , in response to radiation stress. To test this field-effect hypothesis, we examined nutrient contents in the host plant leaves from Tohoku (mostly polluted areas including Fukushima), Niigata, and Kyushu, Japan.

Phosphorylation of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine with inorganic phosphorylating agents.

The phosphorylation of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (doxifluridine, 5'-DFUR) has been achieved using inorganic cyclo-triphosphate (P(3m), Na(3)P(3)O(9)) and monoimido-cyclo-triphosphate (MCTP, Na(3)P(3)O(8)NH) in aqueous solution. In the reaction of 5'-DFUR with P(3m), 2'-monophospho-5'-DFUR and 3'-monophospho-5'-DFUR were synthesized with a total yield of more than 95%. In the reaction of 5'-DFUR with MCTP, 2'-diphosphoramidophosphono-5'-DFUR and 3'-diphosphoramidophosphono-5'-DFUR were synthesized with a total yield of more than 40%.

Encapsulation of nucleotides and DNA into Mg-Al layered double hydroxide.

The encapsulation of mononucleotides and DNA into Mg-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH, also known as hydrotalcite) by intercalation reaction, and release profile of mononucleotides and DNA was examined. Screening of the intercalation conditions (mononucleotide concentration, reaction temperature, reaction time, and pH) was carried out in order to determine precisely the optimal conditions. Intercalation of all examined mononucleotides and DNA into the chloride form of LDH was found to be possible using the ion-exchange method.

Tempol ameliorates murine viral encephalomyelitis by preserving the blood-brain barrier, reducing viral load, and lessening inflammation.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive inflammatory and/or demyelinating disease of the human central nervous system (CNS). Most of the knowledge about the pathogenesis of MS has been derived from murine models, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and viral encephalomyelitis. Here, we infected female C57BL/6 mice with a neurotropic strain of the mouse hepatitis virus (MHV-59A) to evaluate whether treatment with the multifunctional antioxidant tempol (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperidinyloxy) affects the ensuing encephalomyelitis.

Phosphorylation of nucleosides and nucleotides with inorganic monoimido-cyclo-triphosphate.

The phosphorylation of nucleosides (adenosine, guanosine, cytidine, and uridine) and nucleotides (adenosine 5'-monophosphate, guanosine 5'-monophosphate, cytidine 5'-monophosphate and uridine 5'-monophosphate) has been achieved using inorganic monoimido-cyclo-triphosphate (MCTP, Na(3)P(3)O(8)NH) in aqueous solution. In this reaction, the 2'-OH or 3'-OH group of the beta-D-ribofuranose unit was phosphorylated and the total yield was more than 30% and 14%, respectively. The main products were 2'-diphosphoramidophosphononucleoside and 2'-diphosphoramidophosphononucleoside 5'-monophosphate.