FK506 (tacrolimus) is a strong immunosuppressant: it has been approved as drug for liver transplantation in Japan, the United States, and Kingdom. One of its main adverse effects hyperglycemia. Thus, this study, we investigated mechanism reversibility hyperglycemia caused by FK506. did not affect glucose uptake insulin into rat strio-muscle cell line, but suppressed production insulinoma cells. Two-week oral administration at 10 mg/kg/day time-dependently transcriptional step pancreatic...

The present experiments were designed to study the effect of chronic ethanol consumption on endotoxin toxicity. intravenous injection produced a more pronounced increase serum AST and ALT activities in ethanol-fed rats, when compared controls. hepatic mitochondrial enzymes, succinate dehydrogenase cytochrome oxidase, also distinctly decreased by treatment rats. Consistent with these biochemical alterations, light electron microscopic examinations revealed severe liver injury after...

Many sacoglossan sea slugs utilize chloroplasts ingested from food algae for photosynthesis (functional kleptoplasty), and the extent duration of kleptoplast retention differs greatly among species. Although most recent studies focus on genetic, microscopic, or physiological mechanisms responsible this unique phenomenon, its effects life history traits sacoglossans have not been fully explored. To study light conditions survival weight retention, adult individuals two species, Elysia...

Sacoglossan sea slugs retain the chloroplasts from food algae in their cells (kleptoplasty) and obtain photosynthetic products, but capability of kleptoplasty differs among species. One evolutionary hypothesis for is that family Volvatellidae ancestral sacoglossan lineage which arose, this based on ambiguous phylogenetic relationships. To test hypothesis, we analyzed phylogeny concatenated sequences (approximately 4000 bp) nuclear (18S rRNA) mitochondrial (CO1, trnV, 16S genes 18 species,...

Rooibos is rich in flavonoids such as aspalathin, which a unique C-glycosyl dihydrochalcone, that used traditional herbal tea. This study was designed to evaluate the vitro xanthine oxidase (XOD) inhibitory activity of aspalathin-rich fraction (ARF) and purified aspalathin from rooibos. The hypouricemic effects ARF on hyperuricemic mice were also assessed. prepared aqueous extract unfermented rooibos leaves stems, it collected by column chromatography; content this 21.4%. inhibited XOD...

Fourteen new sesquiterpenes of the drimane series dendocarbins A−N (1−14) were obtained from ethanol extracts Japanese nudibranch Dendrodoris carbunculosa, together with two known compounds, isodrimeninol (15) and 11-epivaldiviolide (16). All structures elucidated mainly spectral data, most these found to exhibit cytotoxicity. In addition, (15), major sesquiterpene this animal, was have a sharp peppery taste.

In the past ∼155 years, professional and amateur malacologists have recorded ca. 90 described species of sacoglossan opisthobranchs in ∼25 genera on Japanese shores. addition, there are at least 20 to 40 undescribed or unrecognized sacoglossans also recorded. The extraordinary richness has been a source admiration as well vexation. Worldwide scientific excitement this group was largely due two pivotal discoveries by researchers: (1) acquisition retention functional chloroplasts Elysia...

Species of the genus Elysia Risso, 1818 have relatively few external characters useful for species identification, and features such as papillae and/or color markings on body surface are often used to classify identify species. atroviridis Baba, 1955 E. setoensis Hamatani, 1968, example, been described distinct based mainly characters. Close examinations 46 specimens identifiable either collected from nine localities in Japan revealed that many exhibited mixed two Detailed comparisons...

Marine specialist herbivores inhabiting Japanese rocky shores are significantly more diverse than in other biogeographical regions at comparable latitudes. The interaction webs of sacoglossans were investigated on the Pacific shore Honshu, Japan. host use small stenophagous sacoglossan opisthobranch Placida sp. ( sensu Baba, 1986) was association with green macroalgae Codium spp. Based field associations, attacked six congeneric algal species out eight (75%) and around Sagami Bay ten 20...

On low intertidal and shallow subtidal shores on the west coast of Okinawa, Japan, we investigated trophic associations sacoglossan opisthobranchs associated with Bryopsidalean green algae. During 11 short research visits (55 days total) from 2002 to 2008, recorded almost 500 specimens species. These sacoglossans include a new record for Japan (Caliphylla A. Costa, 1867), recent (Placida daguilarensis Jensen, 1990), two undescribed species Trinchese, 1876 Elysia Risso, 1818), one unnamed...

The multiarmed sea star Coscinasterias acutispina generally has 7-10 arms and 2-5 madreporites. It is known to be able reproduce by asexual fission, we have previously observed that this species also the ability sexually; however, there been no report until now of spawning in species. We succeeded establishing a long-term culture juveniles produced artificial fertilization. Twelve months after completion metamorphosis, three individuals had six same length madreporite. At time, fission...

An endoparasitic platyhelminth from six species of sacoglossan opisthobranchs was collected at several localities temperate to subtropical waters in Japan. Poecilostomatoid copepods (all Splanchnotrophidae and Philoblennidae) a few digenean flukes had been the only metazoans known for opisthobranch hosts. The newly discovered parasite 1 15 mm length no eyes, mouth, pharynx, or intestine. It external organs parasitic life (e.g. attachment organs) inhabited haemocoel host. When mature, it...

Because prion protein PrP-(23-98) was recently found to polymerize into amyloid-like and proteinase K-resistant spherical aggregates in the presence of NADPH plus copper ions, we tested determine whether calreticulin (CRT) inhibits aggregation vitro. The results indicated that CRT suppressed aggregation, CRT-mediated solubilization occurred aggregates.

Two different embryonic/larval development patterns were observed in an aeolid nudibranch species identified from external morphology as Cuthona pupillae (Baba, 1961). Specimens northern Japan (Oshoro Bay, Hokkaido) laid 150 µm diameter eggs that completed capsular 10 days (15°C) and hatched benthic juveniles. southern (Hojo, the Seto Inland Sea of Japan) spawned 90 typical planktotrophic veligers 3 (18°C) These larvae unusual amongst possessing eyes at hatching: this is not, however,...

Intermolt (hard shelled) female Thalamita prymna, including ovigerous females, were observed to mate both in the field (N=2) and laboratory (N=13). In laboratory, intermolt males females showed characteristic stalking maneuvering behaviors prior copulation, with copulation lasting 34.5±2.4 minutes (mean±SD). During a 20 month survey, no guarding behavior or sperm plugs which are of portunid soft-female mating observed. A reared isolation maturity over 6 period from an immature instar...

Recent studies have indicated that PrP23-98, an N-terminal portion of PrP, polymerizes into amyloid-like and proteinase K (PK)-resistant aggregates in the presence NADPH with copper ions [19], then CRT suppressed aggregation PrP23-98 also promoted solubilization [18]. As it is interesting to find out whether other chaperones can inhibit vitro similar CRT, this study was conducted determine BiP, Grp94, PDI Grp58 heat shock cognate protein70 (Hsc70) vitro. The present results Grp94 but could...

Flabellina ischitana, new species, occurs on sublittoral Eudendrium around the Italian island of Ishia Ishia. Mature individuals were smaller than well known F. affinis and had fewer subdivisions first ceratal peduncle, an unarmed penis (armed in affinis), generally smooth lateral radular teeth (strongly denticulate affinis). Comparative data are tabulated, based our observations published descriptions other Mediterranean flabellinids, together with southern African funeka, which, like...