Increased bioavailability of diosmetin-7-glucoside-γ-cyclodextrin inclusion complex compared with diosmin in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Diosmin (DSN) is found mainly in citrus fruits, and has potent antioxidant effects. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacokinetics of diosmetin-7-glucoside-γ-cyclodextrin (DIOSG-CD) inclusion complex. The area under the curve values from AUC0-24 of DIOSG-CD, prepared by reacting DSN and naringinase with γ-CD, were approximately 800-fold higher than those of DSN following their administration in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Mutagenic, Acute, and Subchronic Toxicity Studies of the Hesperetin-7-Glucoside-β-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex.

Hesperetin glucosides such as hesperidin and hesperetin-7-glucoside are abundantly present in citrus fruits and have various pharmacological properties. However, the potential toxicity of hesperetin glucosides remains unclear. An initial assessment of the safety of hesperetin-7-glucoside-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complex (HPTGCD) as a functional food ingredient was undertaken to assess toxicity and mutagenic potential.

Bioavailability comparison between a compound comprising hesperetin-7-glucoside with β-cyclodextrin and a mixture of hesperidin and dextrin in healthy adult human males.

The pharmacokinetics of compounds comprising hesperetin-7-glucoside with β-cyclodextrin and physically mixed hesperidin/dextrin was compared in 8 healthy adult male subjects in a nonrandomized, double-blind, cross-over, controlled study. For 0-24 h, the area under the curve of the total plasma hesperetin concentration after hesperetin-7-glucoside with β-cyclodextrin consumption was >100-fold higher than that after hesperidin/dextrin consumption.

Distribution of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria in the soil environment and their contribution to bioremediation.

A real-time PCR quantification method for indigenous hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria (HDB) carrying the alkB gene in the soil environment was developed to investigate their distribution in soil. The detection limit of indigenous HDB by the method was 1 × 10(6) cells/g-soil. The indigenous HDB were widely distributed throughout the soil environment and ranged from 3.

Analysis of nitrification in agricultural soil and improvement of nitrogen circulation with autotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.

Accumulations of inorganic nitrogen (NH₄⁺, NO₂⁻, and NO₃⁻) were analyzed to evaluate the nitrogen circulation activity in 76 agricultural soils. Accumulation of NH₄⁺ was observed, and the reaction of NH₄⁺→ NO₂⁻ appeared to be slower than that of NO₂⁻ → NO₃⁻ in agricultural soil. Two autotrophic and five heterotrophic ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were isolated and identified from the soils, and the ammonia-oxidizing activities of the autotrophic AOB were 1.

Analysis of peptide uptake and location of root hair-promoting peptide accumulation in plant roots.

Peptide uptake by plant roots from degraded soybean-meal products was analyzed in Brassica rapa and Solanum lycopersicum. B. rapa absorbed about 40% of the initial water volume, whereas peptide concentration was decreased by 75% after 24 h.

Further stabilization of Leu¹⁵⁵ mutant thermolysins by mutation of an autodegradation site.

The autodegradation-resistant mutant thermolysins (TLNs), L155A (Leu(155) to Ala) and L155S (Leu(155) to Ser), were previously constructed by site-directed mutagenesis to enhance thermostability. These mutations suppressed autodegradation at position 154-155, resulting in increased thermostability. However, a new autodegradation site became apparent in these mutant TLNs, at position 155-156.

Expression in Escherichia coli, refolding, and purification of the recombinant mature form of human matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7).

In the latent pro-form of matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP-7), the cysteine residue in the pro-peptide binds the active-site zinc ion. Hence, recombinant active MMP-7 was prepared from pro-MMP-7 by modification of this cysteine residue with a mercuric reagent. In this study, mature MMP-7 was expressed in Escherichia coli as inclusion bodies, solubilized, and refolded with 1 M L-arginine.

Analysis of relationship between microbial and methanogenic biomass in methane fermentation.

To analyze the relationship between biomass of microorganisms and methane production, the total biomass of bacteria and archaea (BA) during methane fermentation was analyzed by the environmental DNA analysis method. In the case of using methanogenic sludge as a seed which is generally used for methane fermentation, the total BA biomass reached to 1.5 x 10(8) to 3.

Phylogenetic analysis of long-chain hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and evaluation of their hydrocarbon-degradation by the 2,6-DCPIP assay.

Thirty-six bacteria that degraded long-chain hydrocarbons were isolated from natural environments using long-chain hydrocarbons (waste car engine oil, base oil or the c-alkane fraction of base oil) as the sole carbon and energy source. A phylogenetic tree of the isolates constructed using their 16S rDNA sequences revealed that the isolates were divided into six genera plus one family (Acinetobacter, Rhodococcus, Gordonia, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Bacillus and Alcaligenaceae, respectively). Furthermore, most of the isolates (27 of 36) were classified into the genera Acinetobacter, Rhodococcus or Gordonia.

Effect on epidermal cell of soybean protein-degraded products and structural determination of the root hair promoting peptide.

Peptide(s) produced from degraded soybean protein by an alkaline protease from Bacillus circulans HA12 (degraded soybean-meal products; DSP) increased the number of both the root hair cells (trichoblasts) and hairless cells (atrichoblasts) of Brassica rapa by about 4.4 times and 1.9 times, respectively.

Isolation and characterization of a lipid-degrading bacterium and its application to lipid-containing wastewater treatment.

To construct an efficient lipid-containing wastewater treatment system, microorganisms that degrade lipids efficiently were isolated from various environmental sources. Strain DW2-1 showed the highest rate of degradation of 1% (w/v) salad oil among the isolated strains. Strain DW2-1 was identified as Burkholderia sp.

Isolation and characterization of a bluegill-degrading microorganism, and analysis of the root hair-promoting effect of the degraded products.

Bluegill-degrading bacteria were isolated from various environmental sources. Brevibacillus sp. BGM1 degraded bluegill efficiently at 50 degrees C, and its culture supernatant showed the highest peptide and amino acid concentrations as trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble fraction (ASF) (10.

Analysis of autodegradation sites of thermolysin and enhancement of its thermostability by modifying Leu155 at an autodegradation site.

The relationship between the autodegradation and thermostability of thermolysin (TLN) was studied. Four autodegradation sites in TLN were identified in the presence of Ca(2+). One of the sites was identified as Gly(154)-Leu(155), and Leu(155) was substituted with various amino acids, X = Ala, Ser, Phe, and Gly, by site-directed mutagenesis.