MALDI-TOF MS/MS Analysis of Permethylated O-Glycan Alditols Released from Mucins.

Mucin glycans are associated with the function of mucin in maintaining mucosal homeostasis. Therefore, the glycomic analysis of mucins is crucial. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is one of the most suitable methods for the glycomic analysis of mucin O-glycans.

Preparation of O-Glycans from Mucins Using Hydrazine Treatment.

Mucin glycomic analysis is crucial owing to the participation of mucin O-glycans in several biological functions. Liquid chromatographic analysis of fluorescently labeled glycans is an effective tool for glycomic analysis. The first step of this analysis involves the release of O-glycans from mucins.

Improvement of spatial resolution in photoacoustic microscopy using transmissive adaptive optics with a low-frequency ultrasound transducer.

Maintaining a high spatial resolution in photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) of deep tissues is difficult due to large aberration in an objective lens with high numerical aperture and photoacoustic wave attenuation. To address the issue, we integrate transmission-type adaptive optics (AO) in high-resolution PAM with a low-frequency ultrasound transducer (UT), which increases the photoacoustic wave detection efficiency. AO improves lateral resolution and depth discrimination in PAM, even for low-frequency ultrasound waves by focusing a beam spot in deep tissues.

Comparison of Methods to Release Mucin-Type O-Glycans for Glycomic Analysis.

Mucin-type O-glycans (O-glycans) are one of the most common glycans attached to proteins. To develop an optimized glycomic analysis protocol, O-glycans were released from glycoproteins using hydrazine, ammonia, or sodium hydroxide treatment, followed by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography to evaluate O-glycan release. We found that porcine gastric mucin or bovine fetuin treated at 60 °C for 6 h with hydrazine gas in the presence of malonic acid yielded O-glycans with only a small amount of degraded, so-called "peeled" products.

Transmissive liquid-crystal device for correcting primary coma aberration and astigmatism in biospecimen in two-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy.

All aberrations produced inside a biospecimen can degrade the quality of a three-dimensional image in two-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy. Previously, we developed a transmissive liquid-crystal device to correct spherical aberrations that improved the image quality of a fixed-mouse-brain slice treated with an optical clearing reagent. In this study, we developed a transmissive device that corrects primary coma aberration and astigmatism.

Discrimination of rat Brunner's gland carbohydrate antigens by site-specific monoclonal antibodies.

Mucus produced and secreted by gastrointestinal mucosa contains various types of mucins equipped with unique sugar chains considered to play critical roles in protecting mucous membranes; therefore, the identification and verification of mucin sugar chains is important for understanding the underlying mechanisms. In our previous work, we generated three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), RGM22, RGM26, and RGM42, which recognize sugar chains in rat gastric mucin. Here, we immunohistochemically analyzed the rat gastrointestinal mucosa and found that the antigens recognized by RGM22 and RGM42 were expressed in the rat antrum and Brunner's glands, whereas that recognized by RGM26 was detected in the antrum, but rarely in Brunner's glands.

Analysis of a segmented q-plate tunable retarder for the generation of first-order vector beams.

In this work we study a prototype q-plate segmented tunable liquid crystal retarder device. It shows a large modulation range (5π rad for a wavelength of 633 nm and near 2π for 1550 nm) and a large clear aperture of one inch diameter. We analyze the operation of the q-plate in terms of Jones matrices and provide different matrix decompositions useful for its analysis, including the polarization transformations, the effect of the tunable phase shift, and the effect of quantization levels (the device is segmented in 12 angular sectors).

Ultra sensitive firefly luciferase-based protein-protein interaction assay (FlimPIA) attained by hinge region engineering and optimized reaction conditions.

Detecting and assaying protein-protein interactions are significant research procedures in biology and biotechnology. We recently reported a novel assay to detect protein-protein interaction, i.e.

Correcting spherical aberrations in a biospecimen using a transmissive liquid crystal device in two-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy.

Two-photon excitation laser scanning microscopy has enabled the visualization of deep regions in a biospecimen. However, refractive-index mismatches in the optical path cause spherical aberrations that degrade spatial resolution and the fluorescence signal, especially during observation at deeper regions. Recently, we developed transmissive liquid-crystal devices for correcting spherical aberration without changing the basic design of the optical path in a conventional laser scanning microscope.

Two-photon excitation STED microscopy by utilizing transmissive liquid crystal devices.

Transmissive liquid crystal devices (tLCDs) enable the modification of optical properties, such as phase, polarization, and laser light intensity, over a wide wavelength region at a high conversion efficiency. By utilizing tLCDs, we developed a new two-photon excitation stimulated emission depletion microscopy technique based on a conventional two-photon microscope. Spatial resolution was improved by compensating for phase shifts distributed in the optical path.

In-line FINCH super resolution digital holographic fluorescence microscopy using a high efficiency transmission liquid crystal GRIN lens.

We report a new optical arrangement that creates high-efficiency, high-quality Fresnel incoherent correlation holography (FINCH) holograms using polarization sensitive transmission liquid crystal gradient index (TLCGRIN) diffractive lenses. In contrast, current universal practice in the field employs a reflective spatial light modulator (SLM) to separate sample and reference beams. Polarization sensitive TLCGRIN lenses enable a straight optical path, have >90% transmission efficiency, are not pixilated, and are free of many limitations of reflective SLM devices.

Flow injection determination of hydrogen peroxide using catalytic effect of cobalt(II) ion on a dye formation reaction.

A novel flow injection photometric method was developed for the determination of hydrogen peroxide in rainwater. This method is based on a cobalt(II)-catalyzed oxidative coupling of 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone (MBTH) with N-ethyl-N-(2-hydroxy-3-sulfopropyl)-3,5-dimethoxyaniline (DAOS) as a modified Trinder's reagent to produce intensely colored dye (λ(max)=530nm) in the presence of hydrogen peroxide at pH 8.4.

Rapid and specific alterations of goblet cell mucin in rat airway and small intestine associated with resistance against Nippostrongylus brasiliensis reinfection.

The intestinal parasitic nematode Nippostrongylus brasiliensis is expelled rapidly from the rat in reinfection challenge compared with that of the primary infection owing to the host defense mechanisms raised against the pre-intestinal- and intestinal-stage larvae. We examined the relationship between the mucin alterations in airway and jejunal mucosae and the worm expulsion after third-stage larva reinfection. When rats had been inoculated with fourth-stage larvae and immunized with only the intestinal-stage worms for more than 8 days, the challenge larvae were expelled during the intestinal stage along with a rapid increase of the specific sialomucin in jejunal mucosa, without any effect on the bronchial mucus.

The monoclonal antibody HCM31 specifically recognises the Sd(a) tetrasaccharide in goblet cell mucin.

Rat small intestinal goblet cell mucins reacting with monoclonal antibody HCM31 increase significantly during regeneration from experimental mucosal damage and at the period of expulsion of parasitic nematode, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis (N.b). The reduction in reactivity of HCM31 with mucin upon neuraminidase treatment, suggested that HCM31 recognizes sialylated oligosaccharide on mucin.

Lateral resolution enhancement of laser scanning microscopy by a higher-order radially polarized mode beam.

We demonstrate that the lateral resolution of confocal laser scanning microscopy is dramatically improved by a higher-order radially polarized (HRP) beam with six concentric rings. This beam was generated simply by inserting liquid crystal devices in front of an objective lens. An HRP beam visualized aggregated 0.

Protective effect of geranylgeranylacetone against loxoprofen sodium-induced small intestinal lesions in rats.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs induce small intestinal ulcers but the preventive measures against it remain unknown. So we evaluated the effect of geranylgeranylacetone (GGA), a mucosal protectant, on both the mucus content and loxoprofen sodium-induced lesions in the rat small intestine. Normal male Wistar rats were given GGA (200 or 400mg/kg p.

Nippostrongylus brasiliensis: increase of sialomucins reacting with anti-mucin monoclonal antibody HCM31 in rat small intestinal mucosa with primary infection and reinfection.

Infections with the parasitic helminth, Nippostrongylus brasiliensis, cause changes in rat small intestinal goblet cell mucin, particularly in the peripheral sugar residues of oligosaccharide. These changes may correlate with expulsion. In this study, we examined changes in mucin oligosaccharides caused by primary infection and reinfection with N.

A monoclonal antibody, PGM34, against 6-sulfated blood-group H type 2 antigen, on the carbohydrate moiety of mucin.

Mucin, a major component of mucus, is a highly O-glycosylated, high-molecular-mass glycoprotein extensively involved in the physiology of gastrointestinal mucosa. To detect and characterize mucins derived from site-specific mucous cells, we developed a monoclonal antibody, designated PGM34, by immunizing a mouse with purified pig gastric mucin. The reactivity of PGM34 with mucin was inhibited by periodate treatment of the mucin, but not by trypsin digestion.

Quantitative determination of gland mucous cells-type mucin using a monoclonal antibody, HIK1083: its pathophysiological changes in human gastric juice.

Background: Pathological alteration in gastric mucosa is caused by Helicobacter pylori infection and is detectable by histological analysis. In particular, the alteration of gland mucous cells (GMCs)-type mucin, which plays a protective role against H. pylori infection, is critical in the pathogenesis of H.

Nocturnal enuresis and overactive bladder in children: an epidemiological study.

Aims: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of nocturnal enuresis (NE) and to examine the prevalence of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms in primary schoolchildren.

Methods: After conducting an anonymous questionnaire survey about voiding habits and bowel habits in primary schoolchildren, a total of 6917 schoolchildren belonging to 11 primary schools were randomly enrolled in the survey. According to the International Continence Society, we defined NE as any involuntary loss of urine during sleep, occurring more frequently than once per month.

Appearance of specific mucins recognized by monoclonal antibodies in rat gastric mucosa healing from HCl-induced gastric mucosal damage.

Background: Mucus is an important factor in the physiological defense mechanism of the gastrointestinal tract. We have reported that two distinct antigenicities reacting with anti-mucin monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), HCM31 and RGM26, emerged in epithelial cells regenerating from acetic acid-induced gastric damage in the rat. Here, we examined whether the expression of specific mucins occurred during the healing stage of acute gastric mucosal lesions, and what was the principal alteration of the mucus in the regenerating process of gastric epithelia from slight mucosal lesions.

Lack of the complete circular rhabdosphincter and a distinct circular smooth muscle layer around the proximal urethra in elderly Japanese women: an anatomical study.

Histological observations of semiserial sections obtained from the cadavers of 30 elderly Japanese women (aged 61-93 years) found that the urethral rhabdosphincter (URS) usually occurred as a ventrally localized structure instead of exhibiting the normal completely circular configuration. The superoinferior length, thickness and muscle fiber density of the URS area showed significant interindividual variation. A thick fascicle, extending posterolaterally from the URS and radiating to the lateral vaginal wall and other perineal tissues, was usually observed.

The micturition habits and prevalence of daytime urinary incontinence in Japanese primary school children.

Purpose: We assessed the prevalence of daytime urinary incontinence (DUI) and the daytime frequency of voiding by age and sex in neurologically normal children in primary school. We also investigated the association of DUI with background factors.

Materials And Methods: We performed an anonymous questionnaire survey of DUI in primary school children.

[A rapid determination kit for acetaminophen].

Acetaminophen (APAP: N-Acetyl-p-amino-phenol) is widely used as a nonprescription analgesic and antipyretic drug. Although APAP is usually well tolerated when used at the recommended dose, overdose has been associated with lethal hepatic necrosis. This toxicity has been correlated with elevated serum or plasma APAP levels and/or a halftime of elimination from these fluids exceeding four hours.