Inhibition of the growth of cariogenic bacteria in vitro by plant falvanones

Phytoalexins, defensive compounds produced by plants against microbial infections, were purified fromSophora exigua (Leguminosae) and their growth inhibitory effects on oral cariogenic bacteria were determined in vitro. Among three isolated compounds, 5,7,2,4-tetrahydroxy-8-lavandulylflavanone completely inhibited the growth of oral bacteria including primary cariogenic mutans streptococci, other oral streptococci, actinomycetes, and lactobacilli, at concentrations of 1.56 to 6.25 g/ml.     

The Rab8 GTPase regulates apical protein localization in intestinal cells

A number of proteins are known to be involved in apical/basolateral transport of proteins in polarized epithelial cells. The small GTP-binding protein Rab8 was thought to regulate basolateral transport in polarized kidney epithelial cells through the AP1B-complex-mediated pathway. However, the role of Rab8 (Rab8A) in cell polarity in vivo remains unknown. Here we show that Rab8 is responsible for the localization of apical proteins in intestinal epithelial cells. We found that apical peptidases and transporters localized to lysosomes in the small intestine of Rab8-deficient mice. Their mislocalization and degradation in lysosomes led to a marked reduction in the absorption rate of nutrients in the small intestine, and ultimately to death. Ultrastructurally, a shortening of apical microvilli, an increased number of enlarged lysosomes, and microvillus inclusions in the enterocytes were also observed. One microvillus inclusion disease patient who shows an identical phenotype to Rab8-deficient mice expresses a reduced amount of RAB8 (RAB8A; NM_005370). Our results demonstrate that Rab8 is necessary for the proper localization of apical proteins and the absorption and digestion of various nutrients in the small intestine.     

热处理对环境半导体材料β-FeSi2形成的影响

作者对采用非质量分离离子束注入沉积法(IBD)在Si(100)上制备的β-FeSi2薄膜进行了研究,通过X射线衍射(XRD)和扫描电镜(SEM)以及原子力显微镜(AFM)分析表明:当退火温度在600℃和700℃附近时有利于β-FeSi2的形成。     

A review of three species of Hesperonoe (Annelida: Polynoidae) in Asia,with descriptions of two new species and a new record of Hesperonoe hwanghaiensis from Korea

A taxonomic review of three Asian species of Hesperonoe (Annelida: Polynoidae) is presented. Hesperonoe hwanghaiensis Uschakov and Wu, 1959 Uschakov PV, Wu B. 1959. [The polychaete worms of the families Phyllodocidae and Aphroditidae (Polychaeta, errantia) from the Yellow Sea]. Arch Inst Oceanol Sinica. 1:1–40, pls. I–X. (In Chinese and Russian). [Google Scholar] (type locality: Qingdao, China) is redescribed based on five specimens collected from an intertidal site in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea, as a new record of this species from Korea, which is the only known habitat outside the type locality. Hesperonoe coreensis sp. nov. is described based on nine specimens collected from two intertidal sites in the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea, including the same site as the habitat of H. hwanghaiensis. Hesperonoe japonensis sp. nov. is described by re-examination of many specimens collected from eight intertidal sites and a subtidal one in Japan, which was previously misidentified as H. hwanghaiensis. The three species are clearly distinguishable from one another by the species-specific morphology of the macrotubercles (or marked ridges) on the surface of elytra. All of the three species seemed to be commensal with the burrowing mud shrimp Upogebia major in intertidal flats, except for an additional probable host of another upogebid shrimp Austinogebia narutensis for H. japonensis sp. nov. in a subtidal habitat. The morphological characteristics and host species of the three Asian species are compared with all of the other five congeners known from the North American Pacific and Arctic Sea.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:51CB5C5B-0838-48AC-A0BA-8E63AA7628CB     

ITPKC functional polymorphism associated with Kawasaki disease susceptibility and formation of coronary artery aneurysms

Kawasaki disease is a pediatric systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology for which a genetic influence is suspected. We identified a functional SNP (itpkc_3) in the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate 3-kinase C (ITPKC) gene on chromosome 19q13.2 that is significantly associated with Kawasaki disease susceptibility and also with an increased risk of coronary artery lesions in both Japanese and US children. Transfection experiments showed that the C allele of itpkc_3 reduces splicing efficiency of the ITPKC mRNA. ITPKC acts as a negative regulator of T-cell activation through the Ca2+/NFAT signaling pathway, and the C allele may contribute to immune hyper-reactivity in Kawasaki disease. This finding provides new insights into the mechanisms of immune activation in Kawasaki disease and emphasizes the importance of activated T cells in the pathogenesis of this vasculitis.     

A morphometric study of spermatogenesis in the testes of mice of a senescence accelerated strain

The morphometric parameters of spermatogenic cells in a mouse strain prone to accelerated senescence (SAM-P), a novel murine model of spontaneously promoted aging, were compared with those of a SAM resistant strain (SAM-R) after birth until 40 weeks (mean life span of SAM-P). A mixture of gonocytes and spermatogonia were present in the testis in 1-week-old mice, and no gonocytes were observed in 2-week-old mice. At 6 weeks of age, the absolute number of spermatogonia in SAM-P was 27% greater than that in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in 40-week-old SAM-P was 17% less than in SAM-R. Primary spermatocytes were first observed in 3-week-old animals, and the cell numbers in SAM-P at 3, 5 and 6 weeks were 78%, 31% and 25%, respectively, greater than in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in SAM-P at 40 weeks was 30% less than SAM-R. Round spermatids were first observed in all SAM-P at 4 weeks old, but 20% of SAM-r had no spermatids and the rest had only a few. At 5 and 6 weeks old, the absolute numbers of round spermatids in SAM-P was about 34% and 41%, respectively, greater than in SAM-R, whereas the cell number in 40-week-old SAM-P was about 34% less than SAM-R. These results indicate that testicular maturation begins at an earlier age in SAM-P than SAM-R. Furthermore, at the age of 40 weeks signs of testicular deterioration are evident in SAM-P mice only     

The genome sequence and structure of rice chromosome 1

The rice species Oryza sativa is considered to be a model plant because of its small genome size, extensive genetic map, relative ease of transformation and synteny with other cereal crops. Here we report the essentially complete sequence of chromosome 1, the longest chromosome in the rice genome. We summarize characteristics of the chromosome structure and the biological insight gained from the sequence. The analysis of 43.3 megabases (Mb) of non-overlapping sequence reveals 6,756 protein coding genes, of which 3,161 show homology to proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana, another model plant. About 30% (2,073) of the genes have been functionally categorized. Rice chromosome 1 is (G + C)-rich, especially in its coding regions, and is characterized by several gene families that are dispersed or arranged in tandem repeats. Comparison with a draft sequence indicates the importance of a high-quality finished sequence.