IC97, an intermediate chain of the flagellar dynein f/I1, is required for normal flagellar and cellular motility.

Unlabelled: Motile flagella (also called "motile cilia") play a variety of important roles in lower and higher eukaryotes, including cellular motility and fertility. Flagellar motility is driven by several species of the gigantic motor-protein complexes, flagellar dyneins, that reside within these organelles. Among the flagellar-dynein species, a hetero-dimeric dynein called "IDA f/I1" has been shown to be particularly important in controlling the flagellar waveform, and defects in this dynein species in humans cause ciliopathies such as multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella and asthenoteratozoospermia.

Shape variety of food can boost its visual appeal.

We investigated whether food shape and its variety within a group affect visual appeal using a four-shaped fast-food chicken product known as Chicken McNuggets®. In Experiment 1, participants rated the visual appeal of each nugget shape both individually and when presented in groups of variously shaped nuggets. The results revealed that the rounder nugget was less visually appealing than those of other shapes.

Distinct effects of heat shock temperatures on mitotic progression by influencing the spindle assembly checkpoint.

Heat shock is a physiological and environmental stress that leads to the denaturation and inactivation of cellular proteins and is used in hyperthermia cancer therapy. Previously, we revealed that mild heat shock (42 °C) delays the mitotic progression by activating the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC). However, it is unclear whether SAC activation is maintained at higher temperatures than 42 °C.

Plantainoside B in Bacopa monniera Binds to Aβ Aggregates Attenuating Neuronal Damage and Memory Deficits Induced by Aβ.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by dementia. The most characteristic pathological changes in AD brain include extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and neuronal loss. Particularly, cholinergic neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert are some of the first neuronal groups to degenerate; accumulating evidence suggests that Aβ oligomers are the primary form of neurotoxicity.

Retinal haemorrhages on ultra-widefield red channel images and perfusion status in central retinal vein occlusion.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between retinal haemorrhages detected on Ultra-widefield (UWF) red channel images and perfusion status in eyes with acute central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Methods: UWF fundus images were split into green and red channels using ImageJ software. The retinal haemorrhages were calculated quantitatively with both the green and red channel images, resulting in green channel haemorrhages (GCH) and red channel haemorrhages (RCH).

Innovative experimental animal models for real-time comparison of antithrombogenicity between two oxygenators using dual extracorporeal circulation circuits and indocyanine green fluorescence imaging.

Background: Antithrombogenicity of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) devices, particularly oxygenators, is a current problem, with numerous studies and developments underway. However, there has been limited progress in developing methods to accurately compare the antithrombogenicity of oxygenators. Animal experiments are commonly conducted to evaluate the antithrombogenicity of devices; however, it is challenging to maintain a steady experimental environment.

Identification and characterization of a serine racemase in the silkworm Bombyx mori.

The pupae of lepidopterans contain high concentrations of endogenous d-serine. In the silkworm Bombyx mori, d-serine is negligible during the larval stage but increases markedly during the pupal stage, reaching 50% of the total free serine. However, the physiological function of d-serine and the enzyme responsible for its production is unknown.

Endophthalmitis outbreak caused by Fusarium oxysporum after cataract surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate an outbreak of endophthalmitis caused by after cataract surgery.

Methods: In the present study, we conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of cases of endophthalmitis that developed after cataract surgery. All eyes underwent phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation (PEA + IOL) at a single eye clinic on the same date.

Using ultra-widefield red channel images to improve the detection of ischemic central retinal vein occlusion.

Purpose: To examine the usefulness of red channel fundus imaging to detect the ischemic status in eyes with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO).

Methods: Ultra-widefield (UWF) fundus images were obtained from 42 eyes with CRVO. Twenty-one eyes were ischemic, and 21 eyes were non-ischemic.

Foveal microstructure and visual function in patients with lamellar macular hole, epiretinal membrane foveoschisis or macular pseudohole.

Purpose: To compare the foveal microstructures, such as the prevalence of epiretinal proliferation (EP) and residual ellipsoid zone (EZ), in eyes with lamellar macular hole (LMH), epiretinal retinal membrane (ERM) foveoschisis and macular pseudohole (MPH), and to investigate the association of the foveal microstructure with visual functions.

Method: In addition to the prevalence of EP, we calculated the residual EZ index within 1mm and 3 mm (rEZ1 and rEZ3) in all examined eyes. Comparisons were conducted to baseline characteristics (logMAR visual acuity [logMAR VA], metamorphopsia score [Mave], central retinal thickness [CRT], the prevalence of EP, rEZ1 and rEZ3) between MPH, ERM foveoschisis and LMH subgroups.

A dynein-associated photoreceptor protein prevents ciliary acclimation to blue light.

Light-responsive regulation of ciliary motility is known to be conducted through modulation of dyneins, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Here, we report a novel subunit of the two-headed f/I1 inner arm dynein, named DYBLUP, in animal spermatozoa and a unicellular green alga. This subunit contains a BLUF (sensors of blue light using FAD) domain that appears to directly modulate dynein activity in response to light.

Mutations in PIH proteins MOT48, TWI1 and PF13 define common and unique steps for preassembly of each, different ciliary dynein.

Ciliary dyneins are preassembled in the cytoplasm before being transported into cilia, and a family of proteins containing the PIH1 domain, PIH proteins, are involved in the assembly process. However, the functional differences and relationships between members of this family of proteins remain largely unknown. Using Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model, we isolated and characterized two novel Chlamydomonas PIH preassembly mutants, mot48-2 and twi1-1.

The Oxidative Pathway to Dopamine-Protein Conjugates and Their Pro-Oxidant Activities: Implications for the Neurodegeneration of Parkinson's Disease.

Neuromelanin (NM) is a dark brown pigment found in dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra (SN) and in norepinephrinergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC). Although NM is thought to be involved in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) because its content decreases in neurodegenerative diseases such as PD, details are still unknown. In this study, we characterized the biosynthetic pathway of the oxidation of dopamine (DA) by tyrosinase in the presence of thiol peptides and proteins using spectroscopic and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods and we assessed the binding of DA via cysteine residues in proteins by oxidation catalyzed by redox-active metal ions.

Signaling between pancreatic β cells and macrophages via S100 calcium-binding protein A8 exacerbates β-cell apoptosis and islet inflammation.

Chronic low-grade inflammation in the pancreatic islets is observed in individuals with type 2 diabetes, and macrophage levels are elevated in the islets of these individuals. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the interactions between the pancreatic β cells and macrophages and their involvement in inflammation are not fully understood. Here, we investigated the role of S100 calcium-binding protein A8 (S100A8), a member of the damage-associated molecular pattern molecules (DAMPs), in β-cell inflammation.

In vitro apatite formation and drug loading/release of porous TiO2 microspheres prepared by sol-gel processing with different SiO2 nanoparticle contents.

Bioactive titania (TiO2) microparticles can be used as drug-releasing cement fillers for the chemotherapeutic treatment of metastatic bone tumors. Porous anatase-type TiO2 microspheres around 15 μm in diameter were obtained through a sol-gel process involving a water-in-oil emulsion with 30:70 SiO2/H2O weight ratio and subsequent NaOH solution treatment. The water phase consisted of methanol, titanium tetraisopropoxide, diethanolamine, SiO2 nanoparticles, and H2O, while the oil phase consisted of kerosene, Span 80, and Span 60.

Homogeneous perdehydrogenation and perhydrogenation of fused bicyclic N-heterocycles catalyzed by iridium complexes bearing a functional bipyridonate ligand.

Homogeneous perdehydrogenation of saturated bicyclic 2,6-dimethyldecahydro-1,5-naphthyridine and perhydrogenation of aromatic 2,6-dimethyl-1,5-naphthyridine with release and uptake of five molecules of H2 are efficiently achieved by iridium complexes bearing a functional bipyridonate ligand. Successive perhydrogenation and perdehydrogenation of 2,6-dimethyl-1,5-naphthryridine using a single iridium complex also proceed with the reversible interconversion of the catalytic species, depending on the presence or absence of H2.