Effect of diacylglycerol on the development of impaired glucose tolerance in sucrose-fed rats

The effects of DAG oil and TAG oil on impaired glucose tolerance in rats that were fed a diet containing high levels of sucrose were compared. Male Wistar rats (8 wk old and 32 wk old) were fed either high-sucrose (57.5% sucrose w/w) or control diets containing either 10% (w/w) DAG or TAG oil with a similar FA composition for 48 wk in 8-wk-old rats and for 24 wk in 32-wk-old rats. Plasma lipids, the size of the islets of Langerhans, and insulin, glucose, and adipocytokine levels were measured. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was carried out during the study period. For rats in both age groups that were fed a high-sucrose diet, the DAG oil group had lower plasma glucose and insulin response in an OGTT, and lower homeostasis model assessment-R levels, than the TAG oil group. Furthermore, in 8-wk-old rats that were fed a high-sucrose diet, the DAG oil group accumulated less visceral fat and showed decreases of plasma adiponectin and suppressed increases of plasma insulin, leptin, and the size of islet of Langerhans compared with the TAG oil group. No difference in the OGTT was found between the DAG and TAG oil groups in either age group of rats fed a control diet. In conclusion, these results suggest that DAG oil ingestion prevents the high-sucrose-diet-induced development of impaired glucose tolerance compared with TAG oil ingestion.     

Isolation and characterization of murine hepatocytes following collagenase infusion into left ventricle of heart

A method for obtaining mouse hepatocytes by infusing collagenase solution into the left ventricle was established. This technique was shown to be equivalent to the intra-portal infusion method and more practical, especially in postnatal mice with a small body size.     

Chromosomal DNA patterns and gene stability of Pichia pastoris

We have clearly resolved four chromosomal bands from four Pichia pastoris (Komagataella pastoris) strains by using contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis. The size of the P. pastoris chromosomal bands ranged from 1·7 Mb to 3·5 Mb and total genome size was estimated to be 9·5 Mb to 9·8 Mb; however, chromosome-length polymorphisms existed among four strains. Thirteen cloned genes isolated from strain GTS115 were assigned to the separated chromosomes, revealing that different hybridization patterns were observed in the AOX2 and URA3 genes among strains. P. pastoris is frequently used as an efficient host for heterologous gene expressions. We analysed chromosomal stability of strain GTS115-derived recombinant cell expressing human serum albumin during serial cultivation under the condition of vegetative and non-selective growth. No chromosomal rearrangements were observed and the expression constructs integrated into the his4 locus on chromosome I were very stable even at 83 generations, suggesting that stable expression would be carried out even in large-scale fermentation. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of antioxidant action of vitamin E

Vitamin E is the major lipophilic, radical-scavenging antioxidant in vivo and protects humans from the oxidative stress mediated by active oxygen and nitrogen species. The mechanisms of the inhibition of oxidation by vitamin E in vitro are now fairly well understood, but the dynamics of antioxidant action of vitamin E in vivo have not been well elucidated yet, primarily because of the inherent heterogeneity of biological systems. In this Account, the factors which determine the antioxidant capacity of vitamin E are discussed, and the importance of its localization and mobility in the membranes and lipoproteins is emphasized.     

Bacterial community structures in MBRs treating municipal wastewater: relationship between community stability and reactor performance

Bacterial community structures in pilot-scale conventional membrane bioreactors (CMBRs) and hybrid MBRs (HMBRs) which were combined with pre-coagulation/sedimentation were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. The results were compared with the community structure in a full-scale activated sludge (AS) process treating the same municipal wastewater. The Dice index (Cs) of similarity analysis of DGGE banding patterns demonstrated that the microbial community in AS was more similar to those in CMBR1 and CMBR2 than HMBR1 and HMBR2. This suggested that influent wastewater composition had a larger impact on bacterial community structures. Long-term community structure changes in the HMBRs and CMBRs were monitored and analyzed over 240 days by Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) analysis of DGGE banding patterns. The NMDS analysis revealed that both HMBRs and CMBRs had marked changes in community structures during the first about 100 days. Thereafter the perpetual fluctuations of bacterial community structures were observed in both HMBRs and CMBRs, even though the stable MBR performances (the performance was measured as membrane permeability and removal of dissolved organic carbon, DOC) were achieved. These results suggest that not only the stability, but also the adequate dynamics ("flexibility") of the bacterial community structure are important for the stable performance of the MBRs treating complex municipal wastewater.     

Development of stone tool use by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes).

At the age of 3.5 years, wild chimpanzees at Bossou, Guinea, begin to use hammer and anvil stones to crack oil-palm nuts to get the kernels. To clarify the developmental processes, the authors did a field experiment in which stones and oil-palm nuts were provided. Infant chimpanzees' stone–nut manipulation was observed and video recorded. Data were collected from 3 infants younger than 4 years old from 1992 to 1995. The authors analyzed 692 episodes of infants' stone–nut manipulation and 150 episodes of infants' observation of nut cracking performed by adults. Infants observed other chimpanzees' nut cracking and got the kernels from them. The stone–nut manipulation developed from a single action on a single object to multiple actions on multiple objects. Although infant chimpanzees at the age of 2.5 years already acquired basic actions necessary for nut cracking, they did not combine the actions in an appropriate sequence to perform actual nut cracking. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Preparation of inorganic-organic hybrid films containing particles using electrophoretic deposition method

The composite films of methylsiloxane inorganic-organic hybrid and MoS₂ particles have successfully been fabricated by electrophoretic deposition of MoS₂ particles in a mixed solution of methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and inorganic-organic hybrid sol. The addition of 20 vol% hybrid sol into a MEK suspension increased the amount of MoS₂ deposition twice as much as that of MoS₂ deposition in MEK alone. The fraction of particles deposited on a substrate in MEK-20 vol% sol was estimated to be much larger than that in MEK. The hydrolyzed methyltriethoxysilane in a hybrid sol modified MoS₂ particles, resulting in lower negative zeta potential, which reduces the repulsion force among particles and makes the incorporation of particles into a deposition film easier. The surface modification also enables the incorporation of particles into a deposit by the interaction of surface modifiers. These factors enhance the incorporation of MoS₂ particles in electrophoretic deposition in MEK-sol.     

A diffusive badge sampler for volatile organic compounds in ambient air and determination using a thermal desorption-GC/MS system.

A sensitive personal badge sampler packed with Carbopack B for ambient levels of volatile organic compounds and an analytical system using a thermal desorption-preconcentration-GC/MS have been developed. The capacity of the new sampler was sufficient for an 8-h sampling period, and the analytical method was sensitive enough for the measurement of sub-ppb levels for a 2-h sampling period. The samplers were compared to diffusive samplers (OVM 3500) for typical environmental concentrations. There was a good correlation between the results obtained with the new samplers and the OVM samplers.