-Carbamoylputrescine Amidohydrolase of , a Dominant Species of the Human Gut Microbiota.

Polyamines are bioactive amines that play a variety of roles, such as promoting cell proliferation and protein synthesis, and the intestinal lumen contains up to several mM polyamines derived from the gut microbiota. In the present study, we conducted genetic and biochemical analyses of the polyamine biosynthetic enzyme -carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (NCPAH) that converts -carbamoylputrescine to putrescine, a precursor of spermidine in which is one of the most dominant species in the human gut microbiota. First, gene deletion and complemented strains were generated, and the intracellular polyamines of these strains cultured in a polyamine-free minimal medium were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography.

A novel chondrocyte sheet fabrication using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived expandable limb-bud mesenchymal cells.

Background: Cell sheet fabrication for articular cartilage regenerative medicine necessitates a large number of chondrocytes of consistent quality as a cell source. Previously, we have developed human-induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived expandable PRRX1 limb-bud mesenchymal cells (ExpLBM) with stable expansion and high chondrogenic capacity, while in this study; our ExpLBM technology was combined with cell sheet engineering to assess its potential as a stable cell source for articular cartilage regeneration.

Methods: ExpLBM cells derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), including 414C2 and Ff-KVs09 (HLA homozygous), were seeded onto a culture plate and two-dimensional chondrogenic induction (2-DCI) was initiated.

Field evaluation of newly developed 3D-printed ultraviolet and green light-emitting diode traps for the collection of Culicoides species in Thailand.

Culcioides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) are vectors of various veterinary pathogens. Suction light traps are one of the most widely used tools for vector surveillance. The present aim was to compare the efficiency for the collection of Culicoides species between newly developed 3D-printed ultraviolet (Mahidol University (MU) UV LED) and green light-emitting diode (Mahidol University (MU) Green LED) traps baited with CO2 and UV LED Center for Disease Control (CDC) light trap (BioQuip 2770) baited with CO2.

Establishment of a human pluripotent stem cell-derived MKX-td Tomato reporter system.

Tendon regeneration is difficult because detailed knowledge about tendon progenitor cells (TPCs), which produce tenocytes to repair tendon tissue, has not been revealed. Mohawk homeobox (MKX) is a marker of TPCs or tenocytes, but a human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-based reporter system that visualizes MKX cells has not been developed. Here, we established an hPSC-derived MKX-tdTomato reporter cell line and tested the induction ratio of MKX-tdTomato cells using our stepwise/xeno-free differentiation protocol.

Application of buccal mucosal graft to establish a new urination passage in male cats with penile traumatic injury.

Two male cats were presented with penile part of urethra injury due to dog attacks to the perineum and genitalia area. Chronic wound around a remained penile part of urethra due to the dog bite and perineal area was evident due to urine irritation. The buccal mucosa was harvested and subsequently placed on the granulation tissue of the wound to reconstruct the urinary passage.

DNA barcode identification and molecular detection of bluetongue virus in Culicoides biting midges (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) from western Thailand.

Biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille are biological vectors of bluetongue virus (BTV), a member of family Reoviridae, genus Orbivirus. About 30 species of Culicoides have been identified as competent BTV vectors worldwide. Even though high seroprevalence of BTV has been reported among livestock ruminants from western Thailand, the Culicoides species which contribute to BTV transmission remain unclear.

Protonation State of a Histidine Residue in Human Oligopeptide Transporter 1 (hPEPT1) Regulates hPEPT1-Mediated Efflux Activity.

To clarify the role of an amino acid residue in the pH-dependent efflux process in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing the human oligopeptide transporter hPEPT1 (CHO/hPEPT1), we determined the effect of extracellular pH on the hPEPT1-mediated efflux process. The efflux of glycylsarcosine (Gly-Sar), a typical substrate for hPEPT1, was determined using an infinite dilution method after cells were preloaded with [H]-Gly-Sar. The efflux of [H]-Gly-Sar was stimulated by 5 mM unlabeled hPEPT1 substrates in the medium.

Global assessments of disease activity are age-dependent determinant factors of clinical remission in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the factors associated with clinical remission of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in daily clinical practice.

Methods: This analysis was based on the data of 304 RA patients in our center between May 2014 and March 2015. The following information was included: tender, swollen, and symptomatic joint counts, patient's and physician's global assessments, functional disability, laboratory and radiographic data, and RA treatments received.

Concordance of Patient-Reported Joint Symptoms, Physician-Examined Arthritic Signs, and Ultrasound-Detected Synovitis in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Ultrasonography has been prevalently used as a valid and objective modality for joint examination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to examine and compare the concordance between ultrasound, clinical assessment, and patient-reported assessment of joint synovitis in RA.

Methods: Fifty patients with RA (84% female, median age 69 years, median disease duration 31 months, and median Disease Activity Score in 28 joints 3.

Syntheses of water-soluble [60]fullerene derivatives and their enhancing effect on neurite outgrowth in NGF-treated PC12 cells.

Water-soluble [60]fullerene (C(60)) derivatives were synthesized to examine their bioactivities. PC12 cells were used as a model of nerve cells and the bioactivities of synthesized C(60) derivatives together with some reported ones were tested. Among the compounds tested, C(60)/(gamma-CyD)(2), C(60)-bis(gamma-CyD) (5) containing C(60)-mono(gamma-CyD) (5'), and C(60)/PVP were sufficiently soluble in water and showed an enhancing effect on the neurite outgrowth of NGF-treated PC12 cells.

The extracellular pH dependency of transport activity by human oligopeptide transporter 1 (hPEPT1) expressed stably in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells: a reason for the bell-shaped activity versus pH.

Human oligopeptide transporter (hPEPT1) translocates di/tri-peptide by coupling to movement of proton down the electrochemical gradient. This transporter has the characteristics that the pH-profile of neutral dipeptide transport shows a bell-shaped curve with an optimal pH of 5.5.

Measurement of electric current evoked by substrate transport via bi-directional H+/oligopeptide transporter over-expressed in HeLa cells: electrogenic efflux and existence of a newly observed channel-like state.

In the present study, we measured an electric current induced by substrate transport in a HeLa cell over-expressing a human intestinal di/tri-peptide transporter using the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. Gly-Sar, a typical substrate, induced an inward current associated with its uptake, which showed concentration-dependency following Michaelis-Menten-type kinetics with an apparent K(0.5) of 1.

1-amino-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and 1-amino-4-phenylpyridinium salt, the 1-amino analogues of neurotoxins, MPTP and MPP+, induce apoptosis in PC12 cells: detection of apoptotic cells by Comet assay and flow cytometric analysis.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is known to induce parkinsonism in humans when it is oxidized to the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium salt (MPP+). We previously reported the syntheses of 1-amino-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (APTP) and 1-amino-4-phenyl-pyridinium salt (APP+), the 1-amino analogues of the dopaminergic neurotoxins, MPTP and MPP+, respectively, and demonstrated that both APTP and APP+ are cytotoxic to PC12 cells. In this study, we found that both APTP and APP+ induce apoptotic cell death in PC12 cells.

Synthesis and properties of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing the new base pairs, Im-N(O):Na-O(N) and Im-O(N):Na-N(O), with the ability to form four hydrogen bonds.

Previously, we synthesized oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) containing novel base pairing motif consisting of tricyclic nucleosides, Im-N(O) and Im-O(N), with the ability to form four hydrogen bonds (H-bonds). When the base pair, Im-N(O):Im-O(N) pair, was incorporated into the duplex, thermal stability of the duplex depended on the sequence context. In this time, on the basis of previous results, we designed two new bicyclic nucleosides, Na-N(O) and Na-O(N) as complementary nucleobase of the tricyclic nucleobases.