Actin-Associated Proteins and Small Molecules Targeting the Actin Cytoskeleton

Actin-associated proteins (AAPs) act on monomeric globular actin (G-actin) and polymerized filamentous actin (F-actin) to regulate their dynamics and architectures which ultimately control cell movement, shape change, division; organelle localization and trafficking. Actin-binding proteins (ABPs) are a subset of AAPs. Since actin was discovered as a myosin-activating protein (hence named actin) in 1942, the protein has also been found to be expressed in non-muscle cells, and numerous AAPs continue to be discovered. This review article lists all of the AAPs discovered so far while also allowing readers to sort the list based on the names, sizes, functions, related human diseases, and the dates of discovery. The list also contains links to the UniProt and Protein Atlas databases for accessing further, related details such as protein structures, associated proteins, subcellular localization, the expression levels in cells and tissues, mutations, and pathology. Because the actin cytoskeleton is involved in many pathological processes such as tumorigenesis, invasion, and developmental diseases, small molecules that target actin and AAPs which hold potential to treat these diseases are also listed.     

Collision response for deformable models based on hertz's contact theory

This paper presents an animation technique of collision response for deformable models defined as a spring-mass-damper system. Our approach is to calculate impulsive forces to prevent penetration of colliding objects by means of Hertz's contact theory. With this theory, contact duration and deformation in collision are obtained according to physical properties such as mass and elasticity. Animators, therefore, can represent the differences between materials such as rubber and steel in the sequence of collision animations with a few intuitive physical parameters. We also describe a deformation mapping technique which reduces the computational time of dynamic analysis and realizes the effect of global deformation.     

Levels of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and thermostable direct hemolysin gene-positive organisms in retail seafood determined by the most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method

The incidence and levels of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and thermostable direct hemolysin gene (tdh)-positive organisms in retail seafood were determined. The most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) method using a PCR procedure targeting the species-specific thermolabile hemolysin gene (tlh) and tdh was used to determine the levels of V. parahaemolyticus and tdh-positive organisms, respectively. In seafood for raw consumption, V. parahaemolyticus was found in four (13.3%) of 30 fish samples, 11 (55.0%) of 20 crustacean samples, and 29 (96.7%) of 30 mollusc samples. Levels of V. parahaemolyticus were below 10(4) MPN/100 g in all fish and crustacean samples tested. However, they were above 10(4) MPN/100 g in 11 (36.7%) of the 30 mollusc samples. In all seafood for raw consumption, the level of tdh-positive organisms was below the limit of detection (< 30 MPN/100 g). In seafood for cooking, V. parahaemolyticus was found in 15 (75.0%) of 20 fish samples, nine (45.0%) of 20 crustacean sample, and 20 (100%) of 20 mollusc samples. Levels of V. parahaemolyticus were above 10(4) MPN/100 g in only three (15.0%) and one (5.0%) of the 20 fish and 20 crustacean samples, respectively. However, they were above 10(4) MPN/100 g in 18 (90.0%) of the 20 mollusc samples. In seven (35.0%) of the 20 mollusc samples, tdh-positive organisms were found and their levels ranged from 3.6x10 to 1.1 x 103 MPN/100 g. From four of seven tdhpositive samples, tdh-positive V. parahaemolyticus was isolated.     

Morphology of CuO through precipitation process under 2.45 GHz microwave irradiation

The morphology of CuO powders formed by a homogeneous precipitation process from aqueous copper precursor complex was investigated. The effect of 2.45 GHz microwave irradiation appeared in the characteristic morphology of the CuO microcrystal with comparison of an ordinal synthesis process. The crystallographic orientation of CuO microcrystals in the particle was examined by HRTEM. Using microwave irradiation, it was demonstrated that the morphology of the particles was kept through the decomposition of the precursor. Also the rapid transformation of a precursor to CuO in aqueous solution under microwave irradiation condition was discussed.     

Direct projections from the entorhinal cortical layers to the dentate gyrus, hippocampus, and subicular complex in the cat

Projections from each layer of the entorhinal cortex (EC) of the cat were traced to the dentate gyrus (DG), Ammon's horn (CA), prosubiculum (ProSb), subiculum (Sb), presubiculum (PreSb) and parasubiculum (ParaSb); the anterograde or retrograde labeling method was used after stereotaxic injection of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase, cholera toxin B subunit, or Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. On the side ipsilateral to the tracer-injection, layer II of the EC projected most abundantly to the outer half of the molecular layer (ML) of the DG, less abundantly to the almost entire thickness of the stratum lacunosum-moleculare (SLM) of CA2-3, moderately to the almost entire thickness of the SLM of CA1, and less to the outer part of the ML of the ProSb and Sb. Layer III projected abundantly to the almost entire thickness of the SLM of CA1 and outer part of the ML of the ProSb and Sb, and sparsely to the SLM of CA2-3. Layer IV projected sparsely to the pyramidal cell layer of the ProSb and Sb; Layer IV of the medial part (toward the ParaSb) of the EC projected further to the ML of the DG. Layer VI projected sparsely to the outer part of the ML of the DG, almost entire thickness of the SLM of CA1-3, and outer part of the ML of the ProSb and Sb. More temporal parts of the hippocampal region received the projections from progressively more medial and more rostral parts of layers II and III, and from progressively more rostral parts of layers IV and VI. The ML of the PreSb and ParaSb received projections from all layers of the medial part of the ipsilateral EC. The SLM of CA1 and ML of the ProSb, Sb and ParaSb received projections from layer II and/or III of the contralateral medial entorhinal area.     

Two distinct patterns of peritoneal involvement shown by in vitro and in vivo ovarian cancer dissemination models

We established an in vitro peritoneal dissemination model using six ovarian cancer cell lines and cultured mesothelial cells. Ovarian cancer cells were classified into two types, invasive or adhesive, on the basis of their interaction with the mesothelial cell monolayer. The ovarian cancer cell lines derived from mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma, which belonged to the invasive type, began to invade beneath the mesothelial monolayer from several hours after seeding in vitro, expelling the mesothelial cells at the periphery and forming colonies directly on the dish surface. On the other hand, cancer cell lines of clear cell carcinoma, which belonged to the adhesive type, showed colony formation with adhesion on the mesothelial monolayer even 18 h after seeding. Invasive-type cell lines invaded into the mesothelial monolayer at various rates in vitro, and the degree of invasiveness showed good correlation with the degree of peritoneal dissemination in vivo after intraperitoneal injection of cancer cells into nude mice. Adhesive-type cells showed rather higher dissemination rates in vivo. Microscopic observation of in vivo peritoneal dissemination at one day after inoculation also revealed two patterns of peritoneal involvement similar to those in vitro. In the in vitro model, anti-integrin alpha 2- and beta 1-antibodies inhibited the infiltration of invasive-type cells into the mesothelial monolayer, but did not affect colony formation by adhesive-type cells on the monolayer, indicating that invasion by both cell types was mediated by different molecules. This in vitro model is thought to be useful for analysis of the molecular mechanisms of peritoneal dissemination.     

Distribution of ytterbium (Yb) in cells of Streptomyces sp. YB-1 which can accumulate Yb, and reusability of cells and cell membrane as bioadsorbent for Yb

The cells of Streptomyces sp. YB-1 adsorbed 4-6 mg ytterbium (Yb) per g dry weight. The Yb contents of the cell wall fraction, cell-free extract, and cell membrane fraction were 11%, 2%, and 87%, respectively. The Yb content in the cell membrane fraction was 20-25 mg per g dry weight. The adsorbed Yb could be quantitatively desorbed by treating the cell membrane fraction with 1 mM EDTA and 1 M HCl at 37 degrees C for 4 h. Treatment with 1 M NaOH caused Yb desorption to some extent. Treatments with proteinase K, lysozyme, 0.5% Triton X-100, 0.4% sodium dodecyl sulfate, and 1 M NaCl did not cause Yb desorption. Elemental analysis of Yb-adsorbed materials after removal of proteins and then extraction of lipids from the membrane fraction revealed that the molar ratio of Yb and P in the materials was about 1:1. The cells and the membrane fraction could be used repeatedly as a bioadsorbent for Yb.     

Development of service-oriented products based on the inverse manufacturing concept

To achieve sustainability, resource consumption and waste generation must be drastically decreased. For societal acceptance, preservation of both quality of life and corporate profits are essential. One promising approach is to shift the source of value from the amount of product sold to the quality of services the product provides. This paper describes the need for redesigning recycling systems from a manufacturing perspective and then discusses the possibility of this "servicification" of products, describing our experience with prototype development. We discuss development of product prototypes and their business, using consumer facsimile machines as an example of "service-oriented products". Traditional thought presumes that only products comprising new materials and components are valuable. Consideration of a service-oriented product can serve as a stimulus to revise this mode of thought and to control delivery and quality of disposed products. This paper also provides a life cycle simulation of the developed service-oriented business. Simulation results indicate that service-oriented business can potentially reduce environmental impact while extending business opportunities from the viewpoint of whole product life cycles.