Assay of phosphatase activity and ATP biomass in tideland sediments and classification of the intertidal area using chemical values.

Detailed studies of the phosphatase activity in the tidelands were examined including the localization of the phosphatase activities and the spatial distributions of the activity in the tidelands around Hiroshima Bay, the Aki-Bingo Open Sea and Isahaya Bay of Kyushu on the western side of Japan. The results indicate that the phosphatase activity of the sediment fraction accounts for 98% of the tideland activity. Furthermore, we classified 19 tidelands into four groups by a cluster analysis using two parameters: phosphatase activities and ATP (adenosine 5(')-triphosphate) biomass.

VO(2) kinetics in heavy exercise is not altered by prior exercise with a different muscle group.

We examined whether lactic acidemia-induced hyperemia at the onset of high-intensity leg exercise contributed to the speeding of pulmonary O(2) uptake (VO(2)) after prior heavy exercise of the same muscle group or a different muscle group (i.e., arm).

Estimating the parameters of aerobic function during exercise using an exponentially increasing work rate protocol.

A new exercise protocol has been proposed, with respect to cardiopulmonary exercise testing, which starts at a low work rate (WR) and increases exponentially by a standard percentage of the previous work rate every minute: the test is termed STEEP (standardised exponential exercise protocol). The potential advantage of this protocol is that it can accommodate a wide range of subjects, since it allows a maximum to be attained with a relatively narrow variation of tolerance time, regardless of subjects exercise capacity. To date, only the VO2max has been compared with that from the current standard ramp protocol.

The effect of dietary restriction and menstrual cycle on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in young women.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of acute dietary restriction on excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) in young women at two different phases of the menstrual cycle. Five young sedentary women (age 21-22 years) participated in this study. Each subject visited the laboratory eight times for measurement of EPOC.

The effect of glycogen depletion on the curvature constant parameter of the power-duration curve for cycle ergometry.

For high-intensity cycle ergometer exercise, the relation between power (P) and its tolerable duration (t) has been well characterized by the hyperbolic relationship: (P-thetaF) t = W', or P = W' (1/t)+thetaF, where thetaF may be termed the 'fatigue threshold'. The curvature constant (W') reflects a constant amount of work which is postulated to be equivalent to a finite energy store that relates to the oxygen-deficit: phosphagen pool, anaerobic glycolysis and oxygen stores. Compared to thetaF, the physiological nature of W' has received little consideration.

Adenylate kinase is tightly bound to axonemes of Tetrahymena cilia.

Cilia of Tetrahymena thermophila possess adenylate kinase [ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.

Heart rate dynamics during sinusoidal exercise: comparison of the control system between children and adults.

The aim was to model the dynamics of heart rate (HR) response to sinusoidal work rate (WR) forcing in children and adults. Seven pre-pubertal boys (aged 10-13) and five adult males (aged 22-37) were studied. Continuous ECG recordings were obtained during the following physiological manoeuvres: five constant amplitude ergometer exercises with WR varying sinusoidally with periods of 0.

The effect of oral creatine supplementation on the curvature constant parameter of the power-duration curve for cycle ergometry in humans.

For high-intensity cycle ergometer exercise, the tolerable duration (t) is well characterized as a hyperbolic function of power output, P : t = W'/(P-thetaF), where thetaF may be termed the "fatigue threshold." The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of oral creatine (Cr) supplementation on the curvature constant parameter (W') of the power-duration curve. A double-blind research method and a cross-over design were employed for creatine/placebo supplementation.

Novel dolichyl derivatives in rat spleen.

Novel dolichyl derivatives were found in rat spleen. The compounds were eluted from reverse phase HPLC after eluting dolichyl fatty acid ester. The elution profiles of the unsaponified forms of the unknown compounds were coincident with that of dolichol from spleen on reverse phase HPLC.

The erythrophore in the larval and adult dorsal skin of the brown frog, Rana ornativentris: its differentiation, migration, and pigmentary organelle formation.

To determine whether or not the erythrophore originates from xanthophores in the dorsal skin of the brown frog, Rana ornativentris, we morphologically examined the differentiation and migration of the two chromatophore types and their pigmentary organelle formation. At an early tadpole stage, three kinds of chromatophores, xanthophores, iridophores, and melanophores, appeared in the subdermis, whereas the erythrophore did so just before the foreleg protrusion stage. By the middle of metamorphosis, most chromatophores other than erythrophores had migrated to the subepidermal space.

The effect of high-salt diet intake on muscular exercise ability in young Japanese women.

This study was designed to test whether high-salt diet intake has some acute impaired effect to the muscular exercise ability due to the calcium deficit in muscle cell via the accelerated sodium-calcium exchanger. Six healthy young Japanese women (aged: 22.3 +/- 1.

The association of the subunits of component C3 of hagfish complement is unstable and leads to novel degradation during electrophoresis.

An opsonic molecule that is designated the third component of hagfish complement (HC3), and a fragment of HC3 known as HC3b have recently been identified in the hagfish, Eptatretus burgeri. These proteins were purified from plasma and generated a set of several bands and/or smears during SDS-PAGE under standard, non-reducing conditions. Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of the proteins under non-reducing and reducing conditions revealed the breakdown of polypeptides at the site of a thioester bond and the concomitant partial release of a split product, depending on the weak covalent or non-covalent association of polypeptide chains, in a large fraction of molecules of HC3 during SDS-PAGE.

Effects of aging and diet on the accumulation of dolichol in rat tissues.

A diet containing 15% (w/w) fat and 20% (w/w) of either casein or soy protein was fed to rats between 1 and 18 months of age. The effects of these dietary proteins on the accumulation of cholesterol and dolichols in kidney, spleen, brain, and heart were studied. The amount of cholesterol in these tissues was not influenced by the diet.

Proteolysis of tubulin isotypes within Tetrahymena axonemes.

In the axonemes of Tetrahymena cilia, beta-tubulin was digested more rapidly by chymotrypsin than alpha-tubulin. On the other hand, in the solubilized state, both tubulins were digested by the protease at almost the same rate. Among alpha-tubulin isotypes within the axonemes, alpha 5-tubulin was more rapidly digested by chymotrypsin than other alpha-tubulin isotypes.

Comparison of axonemal proteins from two kinds of Tetrahymena. I. Different characteristics of dyneins in heat stability.

Tetrahymena thermophila could still swim after incubation of the cell body at 40 degrees C for 30 min, whereas Tetrahymena pyriformis did not show any motility after the treatment. Turbidity measurements revealed that axonemes of T. pyriformis lost ATP-dependent sliding activity by the heat treatment, whereas those of T.

Component C3 of hagfish complement has a unique structure: identification of native C3 and its degradation products.

A protein from hagfish serum that cross-reacted with the third component of hagfish complement (C3) was purified to homogeneity and its structural properties were compared with those of C3 which has a two-subunit chain structure (115 and 72 kDa). This protein (designated C3b), when purified from plasma, consisted of three disulfide-linked polypeptide chains (77, 72 and 30 kDa). On immunoelectrophoresis, purified C3b migrated more rapidly towards the anode than the beta mobility of C3.

Daily intakes of fatty acids, sterols, and phospholipids by Japanese women and serum cholesterol.

The daily intakes of various lipids by 72 Japanese women (40-59 years of age) were measured directly from mock samples of food actually consumed (this method is similar to the duplicate portion method). One sample was collected from each of 12 subjects every 2-months for a period of 1 year. The daily intakes of total fatty acid (FA), cholesterol, plant sterol, phospholipid (PL), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were 37.

Effects of casein and soy protein on accumulation of cholesterol and dolichol in rat liver.

A diet containing 15% (w/w) fat and 20% (w/w) of either casein (CAS) or soy protein (SOY) was fed to 4-week-old rats for a period of 18 months. The effects of these dietary proteins on the accumulation of cholesterol and dolichol in livers were studied. After 1 month, the amount of liver cholesterol was about 5 mg/g of liver.

Engrailed Expression during Development of a Lamprey, Lampetra japonica: A Possible Clue to Homologies between Agnathan and Gnathostome Muscles of the Mandibular Arch: (lamprey/engrailed/mandibular arch/myogenesis/homology).

Developing lampreys were fixed at frequent intervals between the gastrula stage (6 days) and the earliest ammocoete larva (31 days). Expression of lamprey engrailed (en) gene was studied by labeling with a polyclonal antiserum (αEnhb-1) raised against mouse en protein. Western blotting of proteins from developing lampreys reveals a major band (40±10 M ), which is probably lamprey en protein.

Autoxidation of human hemoglobin: kinetic analysis of the pH-profile.

The autoxidation reaction of human hemoglobin A was studied over the pH range of 5.3-10.4 in 0.

Analysis of tubulin isoforms by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the first dimension.

A two-dimensional electrophoretic system using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) in the first dimension and isoelectric focusing (IEF) in the second dimension was devised. In spite of its simplicity, this method could show a markedly high resolution for tubulin isoforms and moreover could classify them into alpha- or beta-tubulin as a two-dimensional profile. With this method, seven alpha- and four beta-tubulin isoforms could be detected within axoneme from Tetrahymena cilia.

Changes of dolichol and dolichyl fatty acyl esters during the germination and development of soybeans.

The amounts of dolichol and dolichyl fatty acyl esters and their composition in various parts of soybean seedlings were determined during germination and development. The dolichol content of cotyledons decreased during germination. Dolichyl fatty acyl esters were identified in cotyledons and the amount was estimated by high performance liquid chromatography.

Isolation and characterization of a protein from hagfish serum that is homologous to the third component of the mammalian complement system.

The 192-kDa protein HX, a major component of serum that specifically binds to zymosan particles, was prepared from the plasma of the hagfish (Eptatretus burgeri) by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. HX, present at a concentration of 0.8 mg/ml in the original plasma, was composed of two distinct subunits of 115 kDa and 77 kDa, respectively, which were linked by disulfide bonds.

Molecular species of phospholipid in rats in primary and transplanted fibrosarcomas induced by soybean oil containing tocopherol acetate.

When soybean oil containing tocopherol acetate was given to rats once a week subcutaneously for 10-12 months, it caused the development of fibrosarcomas at the injection site in 11 of 15 rats. A tumor produced in this manner proved eminently transplantable into other rats. The molecular species of phospholipid subclasses were determined in primary and transplanted tumors.