Alexithymia and regional gray matter alterations in schizophrenia.

Alexithymia is characterized by deficits in emotional self-awareness. Although alexithymia refers to a deficit in recognizing one's own emotions, some studies have focused on the relation between alexithymia and impaired social cognition. An association between alexithymia and schizophrenia has been previously reported, but the brain structures involved remain unclear.

Age-related cortical thinning in schizophrenia.

Although the effects of aging on the neural correlates of schizophrenia have been researched for many years, no clear conclusion has been reached. While some studies have demonstrated progressive age-related gray matter reductions in schizophrenia, other studies have not found evidence of progression. Moreover, it remains unclear whether the influence of aging on global or regional cortical thickness differs between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.

X-ray crystallographic analysis of the 6-aminohexanoate cyclic dimer hydrolase: catalytic mechanism and evolution of an enzyme responsible for nylon-6 byproduct degradation.

We performed x-ray crystallographic analyses of the 6-aminohexanoate cyclic dimer (Acd) hydrolase (NylA) from Arthrobacter sp., an enzyme responsible for the degradation of the nylon-6 industry byproduct. The fold adopted by the 472-amino acid polypeptide generated a compact mixed alpha/beta fold, typically found in the amidase signature superfamily; this fold was especially similar to the fold of glutamyl-tRNA(Gln) amidotransferase subunit A (z score, 49.

Involvement of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger in pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion by use of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger knockout mice.

Involvement of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) in pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced convulsion by use of NCX knockout mice and the selective ligand SEA0400 to NCX was examined. In the SEA0400-administered group, the latency to clonic convulsion was extended into 210 s, although the latency to clonic convulsion was observed until 100 s in control group. SEA0400 had little effect on bicuculline-induced clonic seizure nicotine-induced wild running and 4-aminopyridine-induced tonic flexion, respectively.

Nanoparticulation of poorly water soluble drugs using a wet-mill process and physicochemical properties of the nanopowders.

In order to improve the dissolution and oral absorption properties of poorly water soluble drugs such as omeprazole, albendazole and danazol, various dispersing agents were added to prepare nanopowder formulations using an ULTRA APEX MILL, which is a wet-mill instrument, and their physicochemical properties were evaluated. Using Pluronic F-108 or F-68 as dispersing agents, slurries containing drug particles having nanometer size were obtained for all model drugs tested. Omeprazole, a heat labile drug, was not degraded by wet-milling and the omeprazole nanoparticles in a milled slurry did not aggregate for 24 h after wet-milling.

Investigating association of brain volumes with intracranial capacity in schizophrenia.

Intracranial volume (ICV) is usually treated as a global or nuisance covariate in almost all volumetric studies of schizophrenia. However, validation for this analytic method has seldom been accomplished. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of ICV on gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes.

PAR2 triggers IL-8 release via MEK/ERK and PI3-kinase/Akt pathways in GI epithelial cells.

Proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2) plays pro-inflammatory roles in many organs including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To clarify the downstream pro-inflammatory signaling of PAR2 in the GI tract, we examined interleukin-8 (IL-8) release and the underlying cellular signaling following PAR2 stimulation in human colorectal cancer-derived HCT-15 cells and human gastric adenocarcinoma-derived MKN-45 cells. A PAR2-activating peptide, but not a PAR2-inactive scrambled peptide or a PAR1- activating peptide, caused IL-8 release in these GI epithelial cells.

A chemically modified glass surface that facilitates transglutaminase-mediated protein immobilization.

An amino-modified glass surface for enzymatic protein immobilization by microbial transglutaminase (MTG) was developed. Diamine substrates with secondary amino groups in the linker moiety, like triethylenetetramine (TETA), exhibited at most a 2-fold higher reactivity in the MTG-catalyzed reaction compared to those with the alkyl linker. A 96-well glass plate was subsequently modified with selected diamine substrates.

Functional immobilization of recombinant alkaline phosphatases bearing a glutamyl donor substrate peptide of microbial transglutaminase.

Covalent and site-specific protein immobilization catalyzed by microbial transglutaminase (MTG) was investigated using recombinant Escherichia coli alkaline phosphatase (AP) tagged with a glutamyl donor substrate peptide (MLAQGS) of MTG. A polystyrene surface physically coated with beta-casein or bovine serum albumin (BSA) was employed as an MTG-specific surface displaying reactive lysine residues. MTG-mediated protein immobilization through catalytic epsilon-(gamma-glutamyl)lysine bond formation between the peptide tag of recombinant APs and beta-casein- or BSA-coated surface was verified by the detection of AP activity on the surface.

Acid-free, aminoborane-mediated Ugi-type reaction leading to general utilization of secondary amines.

A variety of secondary amines have become utilized in the Ugi reaction by using aminoborane 1 as an iminium ion generator. Aldehydes, secondary amines, and isocyanides are coupled in the presence of 1 at room temperature, giving the corresponding alpha-amino amides in good yields. The nonacidic reaction conditions are beneficial for unique chemoselectivity, where the aldimine functionality is left intact in the present Ugi-type reaction.

Exploring enzymatic catalysis at a solid surface: a case study with transglutaminase-mediated protein immobilization.

The factors affecting enzymatic protein immobilization with microbial transglutaminase (MTG) were explored. As model proteins, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were chosen and tagged with a neutral Gln-donor substrate peptide for MTG (Leu-Leu-Gln-Gly, LLQG-tag) at their C-terminus. To create a specific surface, displaying reactive Lys residues, to be cross-linked with the Gln residue in the LLQG-tag of target proteins by MTG catalysis, a polystyrene surface was physically coated with beta-casein.

An enzymatic method for site-specific labeling of recombinant proteins with oligonucleotides.

DNA was site-specifically conjugated to a substrate peptide of microbial transglutaminase fused to the N- or C-terminus of target proteins without the loss of the proteins' functions of interest.

Identification of the single specific IQ motif of myosin V from which calmodulin dissociates in the presence of Ca2+.

Each heavy chain of dimeric chick brain myosin V (BMV) has a neck domain consisting of six IQ motifs with different amino acid sequences. The six IQ motifs form binding sites for five calmodulin (CaM) molecules and one essential light chain (either 17 or 23 kDa). When the calcium concentration is high, a small fraction of the 10 total CaM molecules dissociates from one molecule of BMV, resulting in loss of actin-based motor activity.

Site of drug absorption after oral administration: assessment of membrane permeability and luminal concentration of drugs in each segment of gastrointestinal tract.

This study was conducted to assess the site of drug absorption in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract after oral administration. Drug permeability to different regions of rat intestine, jejunum, ileum and colon, was measured by in situ single-pass perfusion method. It was revealed that the epithelial surface area should not be a determinant of the regional difference in the intestinal permeability of highly permeable drugs.

Wormlike micelles and microemulsions in aqueous mixtures of sucrose esters and nonionic cosurfactants.

A study of the phase and rheological behavior of sucrose hexadecanoate (C16SE)/cosurfactant/water systems in the presence of solubilized oil, using complementary techniques such as dynamic light scattering and small angle X-ray scattering, is presented. Viscoelastic wormlike micellar solutions are found when a nonionic lipophilic cosurfactant is added to C16SE aqueous systems. Contrary to previous reports, the effect of oil solubilization on these wormlike micelles is not unique and depends on several factors.

Two kinds of chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase from 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate-degrading Sphingomonas sp. strain TFD44.

Two kinds of chlorocatechol 1,2-dioxygenase (CCD), TfdC and TfdC2 were detected in Sphingomonas sp. strain TFD44. These two CCDs could be simultaneously synthesized in TFD44 during its growth with 2,4-D as the sole carbon and energy sources.

Effects of added nonionic surfactant and inorganic salt on the rheology of sugar surfactant and CTAB aqueous solutions.

The effect of adding tri(oxyethylene) dodecyl ether (C12EO3) on the phase and rheological behavior of sucrose hexadecanoate and CTAB aqueous solutions in the presence of added salt (NaBr) was investigated. Viscoelastic solutions are formed in CTAB and C16SE systems upon addition of lipophilic nonionic surfactant C12EO3. The zero-shear viscosity shows a maximum at a certain mixing fraction of C12EO3, except in the case of the aqueous CTAB/C12EO3 system in the absence of salt.

Genomic organization and transcripts of the zebrafish Protocadherin genes.

We have examined the protocadherin (Pcdh) gene clusters of the zebrafish (Danio rerio). At least three sets of the Pcdh gene cluster were found in the zebrafish genome. Here, we describe the complete organization of the DrPcdh2 gene clusters.

Visual responses in the temporal cortex to moving objects with invariant contours.

We were interested in how the visual attributes of motion and shape are integrated in the temporal cortex of monkeys. We recorded neural activity in the middle portion of the superior temporal sulcus (STS) of monkeys during a sequential visual discrimination task while the animals maintained fixation. We used images of objects with invariant outlines rotating in 3D space either clockwise or counterclockwise as visual stimuli.