Antiplatelet activity of soy sauce as functional seasoning.

In seeking the functionality of foodstuffs applicable to medicine, soy sauce was found to show antiplatelet activity. Therefore, the active components in soy sauce were purified, structurally identified, and studied for their inhibitory effects on the aggregation of human platelets. Aqueous 2-fold diluents of soy sauce inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen and epinephrine depending on the dilution factor. Since a basic extract with diethyl ether completely inhibited collagen-induced aggregation, it was subjected to serial extractions and multistep HPLC fractionations for purifying antiplatelet components. The finally obtained isolates were identified as 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline and 1-methyl-beta-carboline on the basis of EI-MS, (1)H NMR, diode array, and fluorescence spectra. Their spectral data and chromatographic behaviors were the same as those of synthetic ones. 1-Methyl-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline showed mean concentrations (n = 5-6) of 4.6, 4.2, 28.6, 11.6, and 65.8 microgram/mL to produce 50% inhibition of the maximal aggregation response induced by epinephrine, platelet-activating factor, collagen, adenosine 5'-diphosphate, and thrombin, respectively. Its inhibitory effect was much greater than that of 1-methyl-beta-carboline on platelet aggregation by all the tested inducers. The quantitative HPLC analysis revealed that the significant amounts of both antiplatelet compounds were uniformly contained in commercially available soy sauce. From these results, soy sauce may be referred to as functional seasoning containing alkaloidal components with the potent preventive effect on thrombus formation.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of hepatoblastomas in B6C3F1 mice treated with diethylnitrosamine and sodium phenobarbital.

Hepatoblastomas (HBs) were induced in B6C3F1 male mice by diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and sodium phenobarbital (PB). Six-week-old mice received a single intraperitoneal dose of DEN followed by a continuous treatment with PB in diet at a concentration of 0 (group 1) or 500 (group 2) ppm for 50 weeks. HBs were observed in 13 of 21 (62%) group 2 mice, with typical histologic features as reported previously, while no such tumors were observed in group 1. Seven of 13 (54%) HBs were found in and/or adjacent to hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) or hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs). Immunohistochemically, all HBs were positive for S-100 protein but negative for keratin, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), albumin (ALB) and vimentin, while HCC cells occasionally reacted positively for AFP with a mosaic pattern. HCC and HCA cells were occasionally positive for ALB. Non-neoplastic hepatocytes and normal bile ducts were positively stained for ALB and keratin/S-100 protein, respectively. S-100 protein is known to be expressed in many mesenchymal tissues and neoplasms including neuroectodermal elements but negative in cells of the hepatic lineage. Thus, the present immunohistochemical results suggested that mesenchymal differentiation occurs in mouse HB cells as observed in human HBs, one of the most frequent infant liver tumors in humans. Although the susceptibility of mouse HBs to PB-promotion suggests a hepatocytic histogenesis, the present immunohistochemical results support the hypothesis that the mouse HB is derived from pluripotent endodermal stem-like cells.     

Nectins establish a checkerboard-like cellular pattern in the auditory epithelium

In the auditory epithelium of the cochlea, the sensory hair cells and supporting cells are arranged in a checkerboard-like fashion, but the mechanism underlying this cellular patterning is unclear. We found that mouse hair cells and supporting cells express the immunoglobulin-like adhesion molecules nectin-1 and -3, respectively, and that their interaction mediates the heterotypic adhesion between these two cell types. Genetic removal of nectin-1 or -3 disrupted the checkerboard-like pattern, inducing aberrant attachment between hair cells. When cells expressing either nectin-1 or -3 were cocultured, they arranged themselves into a mosaic pattern. Thus, nectin-1 and -3 promote the formation of the checkerboard-like pattern of the auditory epithelia.     

Frequency of euploids in different seed size classes of hexaploid triticale

Summary Bulk seeds of each of nine strains of hexaploid triticale were classified according to size by passing them over four round-holed sieves, 8/64, 9/64, 10/64 and 11/64-inch mesh. The actual size was different in different strains depending on the characteristic seed size of the strain (Table 2). Of the nine strains, six had low aneuploid frequency (11.8% average) and three had high aneuploid frequency (39.0% average) in the bulk populations. Chromosome numbers were counted in root-tip mitosis of germinating seeds.The frequency of euploids was highest in large-seed classes in all but one strain, UM 6608 (Group F). The euploid frequency was variable in medium- and small-seed classes. It was suggested that the screening of larger seeds would give a higher frequency of euploids, particularly in most populations with a low frequency of aneuploids.     

New perspectives on aquarium fish trade

ABSTRACT:   Since the 1990s, the international market for importing aquarium fish is suspicious of stock coming from South-East Asia. Fish catches are still executed with cyanide-based toxic products. In the present paper, the potential of the French Polynesian Islands to develop a marine aquarium fish business with a new approach is explored. Coral reef fish are captured at the larval stage with crest nets, then larvae are reared in aquaria before being put on the world ornamental fish market. This approach offers several advantages: (i) larvae are captured with a passive system placed on the reef crest (crest net) that does not destroy the environment and limits the stress on collected larvae; (ii) larvae are then put into farmed basins that allow them to be controlled sanitarily; and (iii) larvae are weaned at the farm and fed rapidly with artificial food. This method increases survival rates as it eliminates the food acclimatization problem of fish captured at adult stage (main cause of fish mortality in aquaria). Overall, reared larvae will constitute a new product in terms of species, sizes and quality of ornamental fish on the aquarium market.     

Detection of DNA of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' and Spiroplasma sp. in unfed ticks collected from vegetation in Japan

DNA fragments of 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum', a feline heamobartonella pathogen, were detected from unfed Ixodes ovatus collected from vegetation in Hokkaido, Fukushima and Yamaguchi Prefectures, and unfed Haemaphysalis flava in Yamaguchi Prefecture. This finding suggests that ixodid tick is a possible vector of 'C. Mycoplasma haemominutum'. Spiroplasma DNA was also detected from unfed I. ovatus in Hokkaido, Fukushima and Yamaguchi Prefectures. The analysis of nucleotides sequence suggested that this Spiroplasma was distinct from registered species.     

Molecular cloning, nucleotide sequence and characteristics of a xylanase gene (xynA) from Ruminococcus albus 7

A 2.6-kb DNA fragment encoding a xylanase gene ( xyn A) was cloned from the rumen hemicellulolytic bacterium Ruminococcus albus 7. The deduced primary structure of the protein (XynA) was divided into a signal peptide region and 3 domains. Domain A was identified as a family 11 (G) catalytic domain, but one amino acid residue was replaced by another in an active site signature 1 of family 11. Domain B is a stabilizing domain for the catalytic domains of families 10 and 11. Deletion of domain B reduced stability of the xylanase at high temperature and at high and low pH. Domain B may be useful for protein engineering of xylanase. Domain C has sequence similarity to deacetylases and NodB proteins.     

Atomic Control of the SrTiO3 Crystal Surface

The atomically smooth SrTiO(3) (100) with steps one unit cell in height was obtained by treating the crystal surface with a pH-controlled NH(4)F-HF solution. The homoepitaxy of SrTiO(3) film on the crystal surface proceeds in a perfect layer-by-layer mode as verified by reflection high-energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Ion scattering spectroscopy revealed that the TiO(2) atomic plane terminated the as-treated clean surface and that the terminating atomic layer could be tuned to the SrO atomic plane by homooepitaxial growth. This technology provides a well-defined substrate surface for atomically regulated epitaxial growth of such perovskite oxide films as YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta).