A photoimmobilizable sulfobetaine-based polymer for a nonbiofouling surface.

A novel photoreactive polymer containing sulfobetaine polar groups was prepared by copolymerization of two kinds of methacrylic acids with sulfobetaine and azidoaniline. The polymer was photoimmobilized on polyester and polystyrene surfaces. Its effects on surface modification were investigated from its interactions with water, proteins and cells.

Intragastric infusion of glucose enhances the rewarding effect of sorbitol fatty acid ester ingestion as measured by conditioned place preference in mice.

We investigated substances that induce a rewarding effect during the postingestive process using the conditioned place preference (CPP) test. Although mice showed high affinity for a low-energy fat substitute--sorbitol fatty acid esters and low-concentration linoleic acid solution--they did not exhibit a place preference toward a voluntary intake of fat substitute in the CPP test. However, during a conditioning session of CPP that involved intragastric administration of corn oil immediately before the intake of the fat substitute, the test mice displayed a place preference.

Blue color formation of cyanobacteria with beta-cyclocitral.

Volatile compounds, such as beta-cyclocitral, geosmin, and 2-methylisoborneol, from cyanobacteria showed a lytic activity against cyanobacteria. Particularly, beta-cyclocitral caused an interesting color change in the culture broth from green to blue during the lysis process. In the present study, the lytic behavior of various cyanobacteria with beta-cyclocitral was investigated, and a mechanism for the blue color formation was developed.

Fluorescence spectroscopic properties of nitro-substituted diphenylpolyenes: effects of intramolecular planarization and intermolecular interactions in crystals.

The steady-state absorption and fluorescence properties of (E,E,E)-1,6-diaryl-1,3,5-hexatrienes (2, aryl = 2-nitrophenyl; 3, aryl = 3-nitrophenyl; 4, aryl = 4-nitrophenyl) have been investigated in solution and in the crystalline state. The solid-state absorption spectra of 2-4 shifted to longer wavelengths than those in solution. A combination of theoretical calculations and single-crystal X-ray structure analyses shows considerable planarization of molecules in the solid state, which is mainly responsible for the spectral red shifts.

The optimal activity of a pseudozymogen form of recombinant matriptase under the mildly acidic pH and low ionic strength conditions.

Matriptase is a transmembrane serine protease that is strongly expressed in epithelial cells. The single-chain zymogen of matriptase is considered to have inherent activity, leading to its own activation (i.e.

The occurrence of matriptase C-terminal fragments on the apical and basolateral sides of Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells.

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease. In the present study, matriptase C-terminal fragments containing the catalytic serine protease domain were found to occur on the apical and basolateral sides of Madin-Darby canine kidney epithelial cells transfected with a cDNA encoding the protease. This suggests that matriptase interacts with various potential substrates when expressed in simple epithelia.

The role of asparagine-linked glycosylation site on the catalytic domain of matriptase in its zymogen activation.

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease containing one potential site for asparagine-linked glycosylation (N-glycosylation) on the catalytic domain (Asn772). It has been found that the activation of matriptase zymogen occurs via a mechanism requiring its own activity and that the N-glycosylation site is critical for the activation. The present study aimed to determine the underlying reasons for the site requirement using Madin-Darby canine kidney cells stably expressing recombinant variants of rat matriptase.

Distinctive cell properties of B cells carrying the BCL2 translocation and their potential roles in the development of lymphoma of germinal center type.

The BCL2/IGH translocation is a hallmark of follicular lymphoma and germinal center B-cell type diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Although a strong determinant of these histological subtypes, this translocation is insufficient by itself for lymphomagenesis, so that other genetic alterations are required. To clarify how the BCL2 translocation contributes to the development of specific lymphoma subtypes, we used chimeric mouse models and a bone marrow transplantation system to examine the biological features of BCL2-overexpressing B cells.

Requirement of the activity of hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type 1 for the extracellular appearance of a transmembrane serine protease matriptase in monkey kidney COS-1 cells.

Hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type I (HAI-1) is a membrane-bound, serine protease inhibitor with two protease-inhibitory domains (Kunitz domain I and II). HAI-1 is known as a physiological inhibitor of a membrane-bound serine protease, matriptase. Paradoxically, however, HAI-1 has been found to be required for the extracellular appearance of the protease in an expression system using a monkey kidney COS-1 cell line.

TNFAIP3/A20 functions as a novel tumor suppressor gene in several subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

The constitutive activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been implicated in tumorigenesis of lymphoid malignancies. We have previously shown that chromosome 6q was frequently deleted in ocular marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and identified TNFAIP3/A20, a negative regulator of NF-kappaB pathways, as the primary target for 6q deletion. In the study reported here, we extended the analysis to other subsets of non-Hodgkin lymphomas and found that A20 is frequently deleted in mantle cell lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Molecular dynamics simulations of ionic liquids: cation and anion dependence of self-diffusion coefficients of ions.

Molecular dynamics simulations of a series of ionic liquids [1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium (alkyl = methyl, ethyl, butyl, hexyl, and octyl), 1-butylpyridinium, N-butyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium and N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium cations combined with a (CF(3)SO(2))(2)N(-) anion ([mmim][TFSA], [emim][TFSA], [bmim][TFSA], [C(6)mim][TFSA], [C(8)mim][TFSA], [bpy][TFSA], [(n-C(4)H(9))(CH(3))(3)N][TFSA], and [bmpro][TFSA]) and a 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium combined with BF(4)(-), PF(6)(-), CF(3)CO(2)(-), CF(3)SO(3)(-), and (C(2)F(5)SO(2))(2)N(-) anions ([bmim][BF(4)], [bmim][PF(6)], [bmim][CF(3)CO(2)], [bmim][CF(3)SO(3)], and [bmim][BETA])] were carried out using the OPLS force field for ionic liquids. The force field was refined on the basis of ab initio molecular orbital calculations of isolated ions and experimental densities for four ionic liquids. The densities calculated for the 13 ionic liquids agreed with the experimental values within a 2% error.

Beta-adrenergic-AMPK pathway phosphorylates acetyl-CoA carboxylase in a high-epinephrine rat model, SPORTS.

We established a new animal model called SPORTS (Spontaneously-Running Tokushima-Shikoku) rats, which show high-epinephrine (Epi) levels. Recent reports show that Epi activates adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in adipocytes. Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate-limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis, and the enzymatic activity is suppressed when its Ser-79 is phosphorylated by AMPK.

Relationships between center atom species (N, P) and ionic conductivity, viscosity, density, self-diffusion coefficient of quaternary cation room-temperature ionic liquids.

The physicochemical properties (ionic conductivity, viscosity, density, and self-diffusion coefficient) of tri-n-ethylpentylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TEPP-TFSA) ionic liquid were compared with those of tri-n-ethylpentylammonium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide (TEPA-TFSA). Compared with the TEPA-TFSA ionic liquid, the density and viscosity of the phosphorus ionic liquid are lower, although the ionic conductivity and self-diffusion coefficient are higher. The molar conductivities were compared for the values obtained by the electrochemical impedance method (electrochemical conductivity) and the calculated from the pulsed-gradient spin-echo nuclear magnetic resonance method (diffusive conductivity).

Activation of a membrane-bound serine protease matriptase on the cell surface.

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease. The activation (i.e.

Assessing palatability of long-chain fatty acids from the licking behavior of BALB/c mice.

Dietary oils such as corn oil, olive oil, and canola oil, which primarily contain triacylglycerol and small quantities of fatty acids, are highly palatable to animals. In a previous study, we examined the short-term (60 s) licking behavior of mice and observed that they exhibited a high licking response to a low concentration of fatty acid (linoleic acid), which is comparable to that observed for pure corn oil. This finding suggests that fatty acids contribute to the palatability of dietary oils.

[Severe hypoglycemia after resection of adrenal pheochromocytoma: a case report].

A 55-year-old female presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage and was admitted to the department of neurosurgery. Because she had severe hypertension, systemic evaluation was performed. Computed tomography showed a right adrenal tumor which was suspected to be a pheochromocytoma because catecholamine levels were very high in both serum and 24-hour urine.

Magnitude and nature of carbohydrate-aromatic interactions: ab initio calculations of fucose-benzene complex.

The stable geometries of fucose-benzene complex and the stabilization energies by formation of the complex (E(form)) were studied by ab initio molecular orbital calculations. The benzene ring has close contact with an O-H or C-H bond of fucose in the optimized geometries (OH/pi hydrogen-bonded structures and CH/pi contact structures). The E(form) calculated for the most stable OH/pi hydrogen-bonded structure was -5.

Preference for dietary fat induced by release of beta-endorphin in rats.

Aims: To determine whether beta-endorphin contributes to the ingestion of and preference for dietary oil, we examined the relationship between the dynamics of beta-endorphin, before and after the ingestion of corn oil, and the intake volume of corn oil.

Main Methods: Rats were offered 5% corn oil for 20 min for 5 consecutive days so they could acquire a preference for corn oil. On day 6, seven groups of rats were presented with the oil for defined time periods, and we measured the beta-endorphin levels in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) before and after the presentation of corn oil as well as the consumed volume of corn oil at defined time points.

Role of the stem domain of matriptase in the interaction with its physiological inhibitor, hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type I.

Matriptase is a type II transmembrane serine protease containing the non-catalytic domains (stem domain) and catalytic domain in the extra-cellular region. Our aim is to address the role of the stem domain in the interaction between matriptase and its physiological inhibitor, hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor type I (HAI-1). We prepared secreted variants of recombinant matriptase containing the entire extra-cellular domain (HL-matriptase) or only the catalytic domain (L-matriptase), and compared the inhibition activities of a cell membrane-anchored form of recombinant HAI-1 (maHAI-1) against the matriptase variants in the hydrolysis of peptidyl-4-methyl-coumaryl-7-amide (MCA) substrates.

The activity of a type II transmembrane serine protease, matriptase, is dependent solely on the catalytic domain.

Matriptase is a transmembrane serine protease comprising multiple domains in the extracellular region, including a stem domain and a catalytic domain. Using soluble matriptase variants containing entire extracellular domains or only the catalytic domain, the activity of this protease was found to depend solely on the catalytic domain. The stem domain had no significant effect on the activity.

Automated microfluidic assay system for autoantibodies found in autoimmune diseases using a photoimmobilized autoantigen microarray.

Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and autoimmune diabetes are characterized by the production of autoantibodies that serve as useful diagnostic markers, surrogate markers, and prognostic factors. We devised an in vitro system to detect these clinically pivotal autoantibodies using a photoimmobilized autoantigen microarray. Photoimmobilization was useful for preparing the autoantigen microarray, where autoantigens are covalently immobilized on a plate, because it does not require specific functional groups of the autoantigens and any organic material can be immobilized by a radical reaction induced by photoirradiation.

Colocalization of GPR120 with phospholipase-Cbeta2 and alpha-gustducin in the taste bud cells in mice.

A recent study has demonstrated that the G-protein coupled receptor GPR120 is expressed in the taste bud cells in rats. In this study, we have identified the types of taste cell that express GPR120 in C57/BL6 mice. Double immunostaining for GPR120 and the markers of type II taste cells (phospholipase-Cbeta2 and alpha-gustducin) revealed that the majority of the GPR120-positive taste cells are type II taste cells.

Ion pair formation in [bmim]I ionic liquids.

Ion pair formation between [bmim](+) and iodide has been studied in acetonitrile solutions and in ionic liquids. In solution, absorption spectra change remarkably with concentration, indicating the formation of charge transfer (CT) complexes. The shape of CT complex spectra can be explained by ab initio molecular orbital calculations.