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Research demonstrates that the outer membrane instability, due to a defect in the biosynthesis of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonic acid (KDO), affects FtsZ-ring formation in Escherichia coli as shown by missense mutations in kdsA gene. The gene encodes KDO 8-phosphate synthetase involved in the biosynthesis of KDO.

A model was used in numerical investigations in the properties of the inter-layer current distribution and AC losses in co-axial multi layer cable conductors with superconducting magnetic shields.

This article discusses parietal cell dysfunction (PCD), a newly identified disease that has been found to cause multiple gastric neuroendocrine tumors (GNETs). PCD is characterized by a decrease in gastric acid secretion due to malfunctioning proton pumps in parietal cells. This leads to an increase in G cells in the pylorus, resulting in hypergastrinemia and potentially causing the transformation of enterochromaffin-like cells in the stomach fundus. The article presents four cases of PCD with multiple GNETs and analyzes their clinical characteristics, including endoscopic findings. The authors suggest that PCD should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients with multiple GNETs and that endoscopic findings related to hypergastrinemia may aid in the diagnosis of PCD. [Extracted from the article]

In rats, maternal exposure to restraint stress during pregnancy can induce abnormalities in the cardiovascular and central nervous systems of the offspring. These effects are mediated by long-lasting hyperactivation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. However, little is known about the potential effects of stress during pregnancy on metabolic systems. We examined the effect of restraint stress in pregnant mice on the liver function of their offspring. The offspring of stressed mothers showed significantly higher lipid accumulation in the liver after weaning than did the controls; this accumulation was associated with increased expression of lipid metabolism-related proteins such as alanine aminotransferase 2 diglyceride acyltransferase 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and glucocorticoid receptor. Additionally, we observed increased levels of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1, an intercellular mediator that converts glucocorticoid from the inactive to the active form, in the foetal and postnatal periods. These results indicate that restraint stress in pregnancy in mice induces metabolic abnormalities via 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1-related pathways in the foetal liver. It is therefore possible that exposure to stress in pregnant women may be a risk factor for metabolic syndromes (e.g. fatty liver) in children. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background and study aim: Endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) and endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) are being used increasingly to treat superficial oropharyngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas. The aim of this study was to clarify whether ESD provided better results than EMR for en bloc and complete resection of superficial pharyngeal carcinomas. Patients and methods: A total of 76 superficial pharyngeal carcinomas in 59 consecutively treated patients were included. Patients underwent either conventional EMR (using a transparent cap or strip biopsy) (n=45 lesions) or ESD (n=31 lesions) between October 2006 and January 2011. The rates of en bloc resection, complete resection (defined as en bloc resection with tumor-free margins), major complications, and local recurrence were evaluated retrospectivelyas the therapeutic outcomes. Results: ESD yielded significantly higher rates of both en bloc and complete resection compared with EMR (en bloc 77.4% [24/31] vs. 37.8% [17/ 45], P=0.0002; complete 54.8% [17/31] vs. 28.9% [13/45], P=0.0379). ESD was more frequently complicated by severe laryngeal edema (4/21 [19.0%] vs. 1/31 [3.2%], P=0.1446) and was also more time-consuming (124.9±65.1 minutes vs. 57.2±69.6 minutes; P=0.0014). Local recurrence was observed more often after EMR than after ESD (3/45 [6.7%] vs. 0/31 [0%]), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (P= 0.2658). Conclusions: ESD appears to be a superior method of endoscopic resection of superficial pharyngeal carcinomas for achieving both en bloc and complete resection, although these benefits were also associated with a higher incidence of complications and a significantly longer procedure time. Large prospective studies are needed to compare ESD with conventional EMR for superficial phar-yngeal carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Embryonic and neonatal neocortical neurons already express functional N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors before they form synapses. To elucidate the role of NMDA receptors in neuronal migration in the developing neocortex, we visualized radially migrating neurons by transferring the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene into the ventricular zone (VZ) of the mouse neocortex using in utero electroporation at E15.5. Two days later, we prepared neocortical slices and examined the EGFP-positive cells using time-lapse imaging in the presence of the NMDA receptor antagonist Cerestat. The EGFP-positive cells generated in the VZ in the control slices exhibited a multipolar morphology, but within several hours they became bipolar (with a leading process and an axon-like process) and migrated toward the pial surface. By contrast, many of the multipolar cells in the Cerestat-treated slices failed to extend either process and become bipolar, and frequently changed direction, although they ultimately reached their destination even after Cerestat-treatment. To identify the molecules responding for mediating NMDA signaling during neuronal migration and the changes in morphology observed above, we here focused on Src family kinases (SFKs), which mediate a variety of neuronal functions including migration and neurite extension. We discovered that the activity of Src and Fyn was reduced by Cerestat. These findings suggest that NMDA receptors are involved in neuronal migration and morphological changes into a bipolar shape, and in the activation of Src and Fyn in the developing neocortex. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Gene regulatory dynamics involves several stochastic chemical reactions. As a consequence, the copy number of given protein varies greatly among cells even in the case of isogeneic cells. Recently, the characteristics of noise in gene expressions were studied by using simple artificial gene networks. However, the noise characteristics in natural regulatory networks having complex interactions still remain unclear. In this study, we have focused on the noise in natural regulatory networks to understand the relationship between the characteristics of the noise and the structures of regulatory interactions. We targeted the expressions of genes related to amino acid biosynthesis (AAB) because of their well known regulatory structures. By measuring the noise of AAB genes in isogeneic Escherichia coli cells using flow cytometry, we found the noise amplitude in AAB genes to depend on the structure of the regulatory network. We categorised the regulatory networks with feedback regulation into two cases. In one case, the gene expression is negatively regulated by the final products of the AAB pathway known as feedback repression, whereas in another case, the gene expression is negatively regulated as a result of depletion of the substrate that is located upstream of the AAB pathway and activates the expression of the corresponding gene. Our data revealed that the noise amplitude of AAB genes in the former case is significantly smaller than the noise amplitude in the latter case. Furthermore, we found that the response time as a result of environmental changes is generally longer in the former case. This result provides a basis for understanding the role of natural regulatory networks better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: To date, there has not been an in-depth investigation to identify differences in the effects of bleeding prevention among different routes of administration of H2 receptor antagonists to treat gastric ulcers following endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).: To prospectively compare the frequency of bleeding following EMR between patients treated with intravenous(IV) famotidine and those with oral famotidine.: Fifty-three patients with neoplastic gastric lesions (33 carcinoma and 20 adenoma) treated by EMR were included. Subjects underwent EMR with circumferential mucosal incision assisted by submucosal injection of sodium hyaluronate (EMRSH), followed by IV or oral (PO) administration of famotidine at a dosage of 40 mg/day for 2 days. Patients with odd ID numbers were assigned to IV therapy (30 cases) while even numbers were given PO therapy (23 cases). Frequencies and endoscopic findings of bleeding during the first 2 days after EMR were examined.: Frequency of bleeding within 2 days after EMR was 3 and 4% in IV and PO patients, respectively, showing no significant difference. No significant difference was seen in the endoscopic findings of bleeding and therapy, either, with respective IV and PO findings at 23 and 26%.: No significant difference was observed in frequency of bleeding within 2 days after gastric EMR between IV and oral administrations of famotidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DS -- Nh mice raised under conventional conditions spontaneously develop dermatitis similar to human atopic dermatitis (AD), which is associated with staphylococcal infection. In the present study, we show that Staphylococcus aureus producing staphylococcus exotoxin C (SEC) was recovered from the culture of the skin lesions of DS -- Nh mice with AD-like dermatitis and that the serum levels of anti-SEC antibodies from these mice were elevated. We describe here how to promote experimental AD by epicutaneous injection with SEC-producing S. aureus to DS -- Nh mice. In order to assess the role of SEC in the pathogenesis of AD, the mitogenic activity, TCRBV repertoire analysis and the production of IL-4 and IFN-γ from spleen mononuclear cells (MNC) from DS -- Nh stimulated by SEC were compared with those due to SEA, SEB and TSST. The weakest was the mitogenic activity of SEC, and higher IL-4 responses and lower IFN-γ responses to SEC showed correlation with TCRBV8S2-positive T cells, which were selectively stimulated by SEC. We also demonstrate that SEC-producing S. aureus was able to survive in DS -- Nh after intradermal injection. These results suggest a possible role for SEC in the pathogenesis of AD through host -- S. aureus relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg-shell calcium (Ca) is one of the effective Ca sources for bone metabolism. In the present study, we investigated whether egg-shell Ca had similar effects compared with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) when vitamin D3 (1alpha(OH)D3) treatment was given to an osteoporotic rat model. In both 1alpha(OH)D3-supplemented and -unsupplemented rats, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumber spine in the vitamin-supplemented group increased significantly compared with the unsupplemented group. In a Ca balance study, there were also significant differences in intestinal Ca absorption, urinary Ca and fecal Ca between the vitamin-supplemented and -unsupplemented groups. These results show that egg-shell Ca could have similar effects to CaCO3 on bone metabolism. In contrast with CaCO3, vitamin D3 supplementation did not significantly increase serum Ca levels in the egg-shell Ca group; however, the mechanism of Ca absorption is still unclear. Our results suggest that egg-shell Ca may be an effective nutrient in Ca metabolism for people treated with vitamin D3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrotropic bending of roots of an ageotropic pea mutant, ageotropum, was studied in humid air in a chamber with a steady humidity gradient. We examined the effects of atmospheric humidity around the root on the water status of root tissues, as well as the wall growth and the hydraulic properties of the elongating tissues. Atmospheric humidity at the surface of the root was clearly lower on the side orientated towards the air with lower humidity than on the side orientated towards the air with higher humidity. However, there were no differences in water potential and osmotic potential between the tissues that faced air with higher and lower humidities in the elongating and mature regions. Plastic extensibility was higher in the tissues that faced the air with lower humidity than in the tissues that faced the air with higher humidity. No differences in turgor pressure and yield threshold were observed between the tissues that faced air with higher and lower humidities. Therefore, the extensibility of the cell wall appeared to be responsible for the different growth rates of tissues in root hydrotropism. A further probable cause of the hydrotropical bending of roots is changes in the hydraulic conductance in the elongating tissues. Since the hydrotropic bending of roots occurred only when a root tip was exposed to a humidity gradient, hydrotropism might occur after perception of a difference in humidity by the root tip, with accompanying changes in cell wall extensibility and hydraulic conductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the expansion of restorative composite resins associated with water sorption was conducted. The results show that this expansion depends upon the mass of water absorbed by the composite restorative. Although polymerization shrinkage can be compensated by expansion due to water sorption, the length of time involved in achieving this compensation is approximately seven d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevalence of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) in Japanese dogs and genomic variations among the virus strains were examined. Two-step polymerase chain reaction with double-nested primer pairs designed in the NS and VP1/VP2 genes of CPV-2 was developed for the detection of the viral genome in faecal samples. A total of 74 samples obtained from diarrhoeal house dogs between 1993 and 1995 were tested by the PCR. The virus-positive rate was 54.1 %, showing that CPV-2 is still involved in many cases of acute infectious diarrhoea in Japanese dogs. The VP1/VP2 gene of the positive samples was subjected to restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and nucleotide sequencing. RFLP patterns of the samples were almost identical to those of one CPV-2 strain (TDKet-91-42) isolated in 1991, but different from those of the CPV-2 in the late 1970s and 1980s. The results suggest that a new genotype of CPV-2 appeared and spread among Japanese dogs in the early 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymerase-chain reaction (PCR) and restriction-fragment-length-polymorphism (RFLP) analysis were used to differentiate the wild- and vaccine-type of canine parvovirus (CPV) in Japan. The entire coding region of the CPV genome was enzymatically amplified, and the PCR products of three wild strains and four vaccine strains were analysed using RFLP assay. Then, two polymorphic regions in the VP1/VP2 gene were selected to generate strain-specific RFLP patterns. By using four restriction enzymes, wild and vaccine strains were clearly differentiated; only two vaccine strains, probably of the same origin, were indistinguishable from each other. The wild strains retained strain-specific RFLP patterns throughout in vitro passage, and there was no diversity of RFLP patterns among the different lots of vaccine strains. A total of 21 recent field samples were tested, showing RFLP patterns identical to those of a wild strain isolated in 1991. These results suggest that the PCR-RFLP analysis is a practical and reliable method of differentiating wild- and vaccine-type CPVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A virus which produced cytopathic effect with syncytium formation was isolated from the faeces of apparently healthy mice by mouse brain tumour cell culture, DBT cells. The isolate was virologically and serologically identified as mouse coronavirus. It grew well in DBT cells, and formed clear plaques much smaller in size than those of other low-virulent strains. In experimental infections, the isolate could produce only a mild hepatitis in cortisone-treated weanling mice. Fatal hepatitis was not observed even in mice treated with 10 mg cortisone; whereas many mice were killed by other low-virulent strains. Zusammenfassung Charakterisierung eines aus Kotproben isolierten, schwach virulenten Mäusehepatitisvirus (MHV) Aus dem Kot klinisch gesunder Mäuse konnte in einer murinen Hirntumorzellinie (DBT-Zellen) ein cytopathogenes Virus isoliert und aufgrund seiner virologischen und serologischen Eigenschaften als Mäusehepatitisvirus identifiziert werden. Deutlich kleinere Plaques in DBT-Zellkulturen sowie lediglich milde Verlaufsformen einer Hepatitis nach experimenteller Infektion immunsupprimierter Mäuse unterscheiden dieses Isolat von anderen schwach virulenten Stämmen. Auch nach Vorbehandlung der Mäuse mit 10 mg Cortison traten keine schweren Verlaufsformen einer Hepatitis auf, wohingegen die meisten der mit anderen schwach virulenten Stämmen infizierten Mäuse starben. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe canine parvovirus (CPV) infection occurred in a closed beagle dog colony. The infection was confirmed by virological, serological and histopathological examinations. Of 356 dogs, 188 (52.8%) showed clinical signs, 29 (8.1%) died, and 41 affected dogs (11.5%) were euthanized. Dogs of all ages became ill, but both the morbidity and mortality were highest in pups 3-4 months of age. Clinical signs were variable. Anorexia was most frequent, and other main signs were diarrhoea, depression and vomiting. Sudden death of pups due to myocarditis was not observed. When the disease ceased, nearly all the surviving dogs (98.0%) had HI antibody to CPV. In the dogs with high HI titres, the antibody persisted for at least 1.5 years. The virus was eliminated by intense disinfection, vaccination, cessation of mating and sacrifice of pups. Zusammenfassung Ausbruch und Bekämpfung einer Parvovirus-Infektion in einer geschlossenen Beagle-Kolonie In einer geschlossenen Beagle-Zucht traten schwer verlaufende Canine Parvovirus (CPV)-Infektionen auf. Die klinischen Befunde wurden durch virologische, serologische und histopathologische Untersuchungen bestätigt. Von 356 Hunden zeigten 188 (52,8%) klinische Symptome, 29 (8,1%) verendeten und 41 erkrankte Hunde (11,5%) wurden euthanasiert. Es erkrankten Hunde aller Altersstufen, jedoch waren sowohl Morbidität als auch Mortalität bei den drei bis vier Monate alten Welpen am höchsten. Das klinische Bild war variabel; die Tiere zeigten am häufigsten Anorexie, daneben hauptsächlich Depression, Durchfall und Erbrechen. Durch Myokarditis verursachte plötzliche Todesfälle wurden nicht beobachtet. Nach Erlöschen der Krankheit hatten nahezu alle überlebenden Tiere (98,0%) Hah-Antikörper gegen CPV. Bei Tieren mit hohen Hah-Antikörper-Titern waren nach mindestens 1,5 Jahren noch Antikörper zu finden. Viruselimination erfolgte durch intensive Desinfektion, Impfungen, Unterbrechung des Zuchtbetriebes und Keulung von Welpen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of children with mild neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, has been recently increasing in advanced countries. This increase is probably caused by environmental factors rather than genetic factors, because it is unlikely that genetic mutation rates suddenly increased within a short period. Epigenetics is a mechanism that regulates gene expression, depending not on the underlying DNA sequence but on the chemical modifications of DNA and histone proteins. Because mental stress can alter the epigenetic status in neuronal cells, environmental factors may alter brain function through epigenetic changes. However, one advantage of epigenetic changes is their reversibility. Therefore, diseases due to abnormal epigenetic regulation are theoretically treatable. In fact, several drugs for treating mental diseases are known to have restoring effects on aberrant epigenetic statuses, and a novel therapeutic strategy targeting gene has been developed. In this review, we discuss epigenetic mechanisms of congenital and acquired neurodevelopmental disorders, drugs with epigenetic effects, novel therapeutic strategies for epigenetic diseases, and future perspectives in epigenetic medicine.