Relationship between the components of mare breast milk and foal gut microbiome: shaping gut microbiome development after birth.

The gut microbiota (GM) is essential for mammalian health. Although the association between infant GM and breast milk (BM) composition has been well established in humans, such a relationship has not been investigated in horses. Hence, this study was conducted to analyze the GM formation of foals during lactation and determine the presence of low-molecular-weight metabolites in mares' BM and their role in shaping foals' GM.

STM/TERS observation of ()-type diphenyl[7]thiaheterohelicene on Ag(111).

The chiral recognition of a self-assembled structure of enantiopure ()-type 2,13-diphenyl[7]thiaheterohelicene (()-Ph-[7]TH) was investigated on a Ag(111) substrate by scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS). In contrast to previous research of thiaheterohelicene and its derivatives showing zigzag row formation on the Ag(111) substrate, the hexagonal ordered structure was observed by STM. The obtained TERS spectra of ()-Ph-[7]TH were consistent with the Raman spectra calculated on the basis of density functional theory (DFT), which suggests that ()-Ph-[7]TH was adsorbed on the substrate without decomposition.

Light Emission from M-Type Enantiomer of 2,13-bis(hydroxymethyl)[7]-thiaheterohelicene Molecules Adsorbed on Au(111) and C/Au(111) Surfaces Investigated by STM-LE.

Light emission from the M-type enantiomer of a helicene derivative (2,13-bis(hydroxymethyl)[7]-thiaheterohelicene) adsorbed on the clean Au(111) and the C-covered Au(111) surfaces were investigated by tunneling-current-induced light-emission technique. Plasmon-originated light emission was observed on the helicence/Au(111) surface and it was strongly suppressed on the area where the helicene molecules were adsorbed at the edges of the Au(111) terraces. To avoid luminescence quenching of excited helicene molecules and to suppress strong plasmon light emission from the Au(111) surface, C layers were used as decoupling buffer layers between helicene molecules and the Au(111) surface.

A chiral wedge molecule inhibits telomerase activity.

In addition to the Watson-Crick double helix, secondary DNA structures are thought to play important roles in a variety of biological processes. One important example is the G-quadruplex structure that is formed at the chromosome ends, which inhibits telomerase activity by blocking its access to telomeres. G-quadruplex structures represent a new class of molecular targets for DNA-interactive compounds that may be useful to target telomeres.

Highly silver ion selective fluorescence ionophore: fluorescent properties of polythiazaalkane derivatives bearing 8-(7-hydroxy-4-methyl)coumarinyl moiety in aqueous solution and in liquid-liquid extraction systems.

Two novel fluoroionophores, N-(7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-ylmethyl)-3,9-dithia-6-azaundecane (1) and N-(7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin-8-ylmethyl)-3,9-dithia-6-azaundecane (2), were synthesized as fluorescence extractants for selective silver determination. The absorption and fluorescence spectra were measured in aqueous 1,4-dioxane solution (28 v/v%) in the absence and presence of silver ion, and their acid dissociation constants were determined from the pH-dependent spectral changes. In the liquid-liquid extraction of some metal ions from neutral aqueous solution into dichloromethane phase, compounds 1 and 2 exhibited excellent silver ion selectivity, and dramatic fluorescence spectral changes were observed in the dichloromethane solutions containing these compounds.

A dopamine receptor antagonist L-745,870 suppresses microglia activation in spinal cord and mitigates the progression in ALS model mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by a selective loss of motor neurons in the motor cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord. It has been shown that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the progression of this motor neuron loss. We have previously reported that L-745,870, a dopamine D4 receptor antagonist, selectively inhibits oxidative stress-induced cell death in vitro and exerts a potent neuroprotective effect against ischemia-induced neural cell damage in gerbil.

ALS2/alsin deficiency in neurons leads to mild defects in macropinocytosis and axonal growth.

Loss of function mutations in the ALS2 gene account for a number of juvenile/infantile recessive motor neuron diseases, indicating that its gene product, ALS2/alsin, plays a crucial role in maintenance and survival for a subset of neurons. ALS2 acts as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the small GTPase Rab5 and is implicated in endosome dynamics in cells. However, the role of ALS2 in neurons remains unclear.

Synthesis and properties of a series of well-defined and polydisperse benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b']dithiophene oligomers.

Monodisperse and polydisperse oligomers of benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b']dithiophene (BDT) (1-14), including three types of oligomers with different spacers combining BDT units (direct linkage, vinylene spacers, and ethynylene spacers), were synthesized, and their thermal, optical, and electrochemical properties were investigated. The oligomers were synthesized using Suzuki, Stille, Wittig, and Sonogashira coupling reactions. All of the monodisperse oligomers showed high melting points and 5% weight loss temperatures (T(d) > 400 degrees C).

ALS2CL, a novel ALS2-interactor, modulates ALS2-mediated endosome dynamics.

ALS2, the causative gene product for a number of recessive motor neuron diseases, is a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor for Rab5, and acts as a modulator for endosome dynamics. Recently, we have identified a novel ALS2 homolog, ALS2CL, which is highly homologous to the C-terminal half of ALS2. In this study, we investigate the molecular features of ALS2CL and its functional relationship with ALS2.

The recognition of higher-order G-quadruplex by chiral cyclic-helicene molecules.

The G-quadruplex structures represent a new class of molecular targets for DNA-interactive compounds that might be useful for targeting telomeres. Here we describe a study on the structure-based design of cyclic helicenes displaying chiral and steric selection in binding to higher-order G-quadruplexes. We propose a new ligand-binding site for G-quadruplex-binding compounds.

The recognition of Z-DNA by chiral helicene.

Enantiomeric helicenes of (P)-A and (M)-A were synthesized. The binding of the helicenes to B- and Z-DNA was studied quantitatively by CD, equilibrium dialysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Enantiomeric (P)-A not only bound selectively to Z-DNA, but also effectively converted the B-DNA conformation to Z-DNA.

A dopamine D4 receptor antagonist attenuates ischemia-induced neuronal cell damage via upregulation of neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein.

Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP/BIRC1), the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP) family member, suppresses neuronal cell death induced by a variety of insults, including cell death from ischemia and stroke. The goal of the present study was to develop an efficient method for identification of compounds with the ability to upregulate endogenous NAIP and to determine the effects on these compounds on the cellular response to ischemia. A novel NAIP-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based in vitro drug-screening system is established.

(P)-helicene displays chiral selection in binding to Z-DNA.

Enantiomeric helicenes of (P)-A and (M)-A were synthesized. The binding of the helicenes to B- and Z-DNA was studied quantitatively by CD, equilibrium dialysis, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Enantiomeric (P)-A not only bound selectively to Z-DNA but also effectively converted the B-DNA conformation to Z-DNA.

ALS2, a novel guanine nucleotide exchange factor for the small GTPase Rab5, is implicated in endosomal dynamics.

ALS2 mutations account for a number of recessive motor neuron diseases including forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, primary lateral sclerosis and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Although computational predictions suggest that ALS2 encodes a protein containing multiple guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) domains [RCC1-like domain (RLD), the Dbl homology and pleckstrin homology (DH/PH), and the vacuolar protein sorting 9 (VPS9)], the functions of the ALS2 protein have not been revealed as yet. Here we show that the ALS2 protein specifically binds to small GTPase Rab5 and functions as a GEF for Rab5.

Elongation and contraction of molecular springs. Synthesis, structures, and properties of bridged [7]thiaheterohelicenes.

A series of bridged [7]thiaheterohelicenes 3a-c and 4 with a variety of helical pitches have been prepared from racemic and optical pure 2,13-bis(hydroxymethyl)dithieno[3,2-e:3',2'-e']benzo[1,2-b:4,3-b']bis[1]benzothiophene (1) in order to investigate the helical structures in solution. Recrystallizations of (PM)-3a, (PM)-3b, (PM)-3c, and (P)-4 from hexane-dichloromethane gave crystals suitable for X-ray crystallography, while recrystallization of (PM)-4 with benzene gave an inclusion complex with a stoichiometry of (PM-4)(4).(C(6)H(6)).

Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases improves CA1 neuronal survival and behavioral performance after global ischemia in the rat.

Increasing evidence suggests that cyclin-dependent kinases participate in neuronal death induced by multiple stresses in vitro. However, their role in cell death paradigms in vivo is not well characterized. Accordingly, the authors examined whether cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition resulted in functionally relevant and sustained neuroprotection in a model of global ischemia.

A gene encoding a putative GTPase regulator is mutated in familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis 2 (ALS2) is an autosomal recessive form of juvenile ALS and has been mapped to human chromosome 2q33. Here we report the identification of two independent deletion mutations linked to ALS2 in the coding exons of the new gene ALS2. These deletion mutations result in frameshifts that generate premature stop codons.

Identification and characterization of the miniature pig Huntington's disease gene homolog: evidence for conservation and polymorphism in the CAG triplet repeat.

Huntington's disease (HD) is associated with a significant expansion of a CAG trinucleotide repeat, which results in a lengthened polyglutamine tract in the single gene product, huntingtin, on human 4p16.3. We isolated cDNA clones that encompassed the entire coding sequence of the miniature pig HD gene (Sus HD) from two porcine testis cDNA libraries.

Cyclin-dependent kinases as a therapeutic target for stroke.

Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are commonly known to regulate cell proliferation. However, previous reports suggest that in cultured postmitotic neurons, activation of CDKs is a signal for death rather than cell division. We determined whether CDK activation occurs in mature adult neurons during focal stroke in vivo and whether this signal was required for neuronal death after reperfusion injury.

Neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) may enhance the survival of granulosa cells thus indirectly affecting oocyte survival.

In mammals, the postnatal loss of more than 99% of female germ cells is due mainly to the process of ovarian follicular atresia. Atresia is known to be mediated by apoptotic granulosa cell-death. Here we show the involvement of neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP) in ovarian folliculogenesis in which it prevents granulosa cell-death.

Non-Photochemical Route to Chiral Disubstituted [7]Thiaheterohelicenes via Biaryl- and Carbonyl-Coupling Reactions.

Non-photochemical syntheses of optically active dimethyl[7]thiaheterohelicenes (P)-(+)-14 and (M)-(-)-14 are described. The key transformations in the syntheses are the metal-mediated biaryl coupling reactions between two benzodithiophene units having oxazoline moieties and the intramolecular McMurry coupling reaction of the biaryl dialdehydes (S)-13 and (R)-13. The configuration of the atropisomer 10a obtained from the biaryl coupling reaction was shown to be S by X-ray analysis.

In vivo uptake of [3H]nimodipine into brain during cortical spreading depression.

We report autoradiographic measurements of the in vivo uptake of [3H]nimodipine during the nonischemic depolarization of cortical spreading depression (CSD) in rat brain. [3H]Nimodipine uptake in brain was determined regionally in rats undergoing CSD (n = 8) and was significantly increased in cortex (14 +/- 7%) and hippocampus (10 +/- 6%) on the stimulated side relative to the contralateral hemisphere when compared with the same measurements in a control group (n = 8). A similar measurement using the physiologically inert radiotracer [14C]iodoantipyrine to control for potential effects of CSD on radioligand distribution showed a minimal increase (2.

Relationship between extracellular glutamate concentration and voltage-sensitive calcium channel function in focal cerebral ischemia in the rat.

Ischemic cell death occurs when extracellular glutamate levels increase, causing tissue depolarization and an excessive rise in intracellular calcium concentrations. The relative occurrence of the depolarization events and the changes in glutamate concentration in ischemia have not been studied. In a model of focal cerebral ischemia in the rat, three measurements were made simultaneously in vivo: cerebral blood flow (CBF) by the H2-clearance method, extracellular glutamate concentration by microdialysis, and activation of the voltage-sensitive calcium channel (VSCC) by its binding to [3H]nimodipine.

Relevance of interstitial glutamate to selective vulnerability in focal cerebral ischemia.

Glutamate concentrations in striatum and cortex were measured by means of in vivo cerebral microdialysis before and for 4 h after middle cerebral and ipsilateral common carotid artery occlusion in rats. The peak glutamate concentration reached 7.28 +/- 3.

Hepatic portoenterostomy for congenital biliary atresia - method of dissection of porta hepatis, evaluation of revision, re-boring and supplementary operations.

A few guidelines for surgical dissection at the porta hepatis in hepatic portoenterostomy for congenital biliary atresia as evolved from our experiences on 52 cases are suggested. Indication for revision is also shown. Supplementary procedures in case of complications, such as ascending cholangitis and the onset of portal hypertension, are also described.