Biochemical properties of acid-soluble collagens extracted from the skins of underutilised fishes

Acid-soluble collagens (ASCs) were extracted from the skins of several underutilised fishes, namely dusky spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens), sea chub (Kyphosus bigibbus), eagle ray (Myliobatis tobijei), red stingray (Dasyatis akajei) and yantai stingray (Dasyatis laevigata). The yields of the ASCs from skins of dusky spinefoot and sea chub were about 3.4–3.9%, and from ray species were about 5.3–5.7%, on a dry weight basis. According to the electrophoretic pattern, ASCs consisted of two different α-chains (α1 and α2) and were classified as type I collagen. However, the molecular weights of α2-chain for ray species were lower than those of bony fishes. ASC from ray species contained a higher content of imino acids than those from dusky spinefoot and sea chub. The denaturation temperatures (T_d) of ray species were about 33 °C, which was about 5 °C higher than those of dusky spinefoot and sea chub. The high T_d of ray species suggested the possibility of its utilisation as a substitute for mammalian collagen.     

Periphyton contribution to nitrogen dynamics in the discharge from a wastewater treatment plant

To evaluate the importance of periphyton to nitrogen dynamics in the discharge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), we examined changes in total and inorganic nitrogen content downstream from a WWTP on the Kurose River in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. At 0.7 km downstream of the WWTP (point A), NH₄⁺?N was the dominant form of inorganic nitrogen, but concentrations decreased rapidly to 5 km downstream (point B). In contrast, no significant change in the [NO₂^?+ + NO₃^?]?N concentration was observed between the two points. Total nitrogen (TN) load decreased significantly between the two points, suggesting that sorption and/or denitrification occurred in the river channel. Potential rates of nitrogen sorption and transformation by periphyton were determined in a loboratory experiment in which changes in the nitrogen content of river water were examined in an acrylic chamber with periphyton. Nitrification and nitrogen removal occurred mainly in the periphyton. The contributions of periphyton activity to TN and NH₄⁺?N decrease in the field, as estimated from the results of the laboratory experiments, were 6–18% and 23–72%, respectively. These results suggest that periphyton plays an important role in decreasing NH₄⁺?N concentration in the discharge from wastewater treatment plants.     

Androgen Receptor Signaling Induces Cisplatin Resistance via Down-Regulating GULP1 Expression in Bladder Cancer

The underlying molecular mechanisms of resistance to cisplatin-based systemic chemotherapy in bladder cancer patients remain to be elucidated, while the link between androgen receptor (AR) activity and chemosensitivity in urothelial cancer has been implicated. Our DNA microarray analysis in control vs. AR knockdown bladder cancer lines identified GULP1 as a potential target of AR signaling. We herein determined the relationship between AR activity and GULP1 expression in bladder cancer cells and then assessed the functional role of GULP1 in cisplatin sensitivity. Androgen treatment in AR-positive cells or AR overexpression in AR-negative cells considerably reduced the levels of GULP1 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation further showed direct interaction of AR with the promoter region of GULP1. Meanwhile, GULP1 knockdown sublines were significantly more resistant to cisplatin treatment compared with respective controls. GULP1 knockdown also resulted in a significant decrease in apoptosis, as well as a significant increase in G2/M phases, when treated with cisplatin. In addition, GULP1 was immunoreactive in 74% of muscle-invasive bladder cancers from patients who had subsequently undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, including 53% of responders showing moderate (2+)/strong (3+) expression vs. 23% of non-responders showing 2+/3+ expression (P = 0.044). These findings indicate that GULP1 represents a key downstream effector of AR signaling in enhancing sensitivity to cisplatin treatment.     

Biodiesel fuel production from plant oil catalyzed by Rhizopus oryzae lipase in a water-containing system without an organic solvent

A new enzymatic method of synthesizing methyl esters from plant oil and methanol in a solvent-free reaction system was developed. It is anticipated that such plant oil methyl esters can be used as a biodiesel fuel in the future. Lipase from Rhizopus oryzae efficiently catalyzed the methanolysis of soybean oil in the presence of 4–30 wt% water in the starting materials; however the lipase was nearly inactive in the absence of water. The methyl ester (ME) content in the reaction mixture reached 80–90 wt% by stepwise additions of methanol to the reaction mixture. The kinetics of the reaction appears to be in accordance with the successive reaction mechanism. That is, the oil is first hydrolyzed to free fatty acids and partial glycerides, and the fatty acids produced are then esterified with methanol. Although R. oryzae lipase is considered to exhibit 1(3)-regiospecificity, a certain amount of 1,3-diglyceride was obtained during the methanolysis and hydrolysis of soybean oil by R. oryzae lipase solution. Therefore, the high ME content in the reaction mixture is probably attributable to the acyl migration from the sn-2 position to the sn-1 or sn-3 position in partial glycerides.     

A single-chip CMOS analog/digital mixed NTSC decoder

A single-chip CMOS LSI that integrates all analog-to-digital (A/D), digital-to-analog (D/A), peripheral, and digital signal processing circuits necessary for a digital National Television System Committee (NTSC) signal decoder is described. The LSI chip accepts composite NTSC video signals in analog form, digitizes them using the on-chip A/D converter, converts them to component RGB signals, and then converts the signals to analog form by using the on-chip D/A converters. The development of circuits that maximize use of the input digital data is discussed. A 6-b A/D circuit is used to reduce the circuit size. Circuits that help maintain acceptable picture quality despite 6-b resolution were developed. Besides analog NTSC signal input and RGB signal output, the IC can also input and output digital NTSC signals, Y/C (luminance, chrominance) signals, and RGB signals. Applications of the LSI are presented     

The extraction of anionic complexes of divalent manganese,cobalt, nickel and copper from aqueous thiocyanate solutions by tricaprylmethylammonium chloride

The extraction of divalent manganese, cobalt, nickel and copper-thiocyanato anionic species from aqueous solutions by tricaprylmethylammonium chloride (R₃R′NCl) in benzene has been investigated under different conditions. Both the aqueous and organic phases have been examined by spectrophotometry. Infrared spectro-photometry and measurements of water content, apparent molecular weight and magnetic moment have been applied to the organic extracts, and electron spin resonance experiments to the organic manganese(II)- and copper(II)-complexes. The mechanism of the extractions and the structures of the extracted complexes are discussed on the basis of the results obtained. As a result, it is found that although the extraction efficiency follows the order Co > Cu > Mn > Ni, the extraction of divalent transition metals is expressed as [M(NCS)₄]²-(aq) + 2R₃R′NNCS(org)→(R₃R′N)₂-[M(NCS)₄](org) + 2NCS-(aq) in which M = Mn, Co, Ni and Cu. The extracted species of divalent manganese, cobalt and nickel give a tetrahedral T_d symmetry, and the copper(II) species is in a distorted tetrahedron (point group D_2d symmetry). In addition the species of nickel (II) extracted at low aqueous concentration exists as a complex (R₃R′N)₂[Ni(NCS)₄(H₂O)₂] in an octahedral arrangement.