Neutrophil lactoferrin (Lf) was previously shown to act as a transcriptional activator in various mammalian cells. Here, we describe that Lf specifically transactivates the p53 tumor suppressor gene ...through the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and consequently regulates p53-responsive oncogenes. In HeLa cervical carcinoma cells stably expressing Lf (HeLa-Lf), expression of mdm2 and p21waf1/cip1 as well as p53 was greatly enhanced. Transient expression of Lf also markedly transactivates transcription of a p53 promoter-driven reporter and NF-κB-driven reporters in various mammalian cells. However, mutation of the NF-κB site or treatment with an NF-κB inhibitor abrogated the transactivation, suggesting that NF-κB should play an essential role in the Lf-induced transactivation. Increased binding activity and nuclear translocation of p65 in response to Lf strongly support these findings. Furthermore, Lf-mediated NF-κB activation is diminished in IKKα- or IKKβ-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. The activation of both IKKs and NF-κB by Lf is over-ridden by the expression of dominant-negative mutants of NIK, MEKK1, IKKα and IKKβ. Collectively, we conclude that overexpressed Lf directly relays signals to upstream components responsible for NF-κB activation, thereby leading to the activation of NF-κB target genes.
The reproduction and population dynamics of Portunus trituberculatus were investigated in 5402 specimens caught on the western coast of Korea, Yellow Sea, during three consecutive years between ...September 2003 and August 2006. The overall ratio of males to females was 1 : 1.08, although the sex ratio varied slightly from month to month and year to year. Over 90% of the females were in the maturing or mature stages in March-May, the gonadosomatic index was highest in April-May, and ovigerous females peaked in July. These results indicate that the main breeding season was between April and July. The frequency of crab larvae was highest in August, which is clearly supported by the breeding season. At sexual maturity, 50% of females had an estimated carapace width (CW) of 13.12 cm. The relationship between the number of eggs per brood (EN) and CW was ln EN = 3.04 ln CW + 6.83 for non-eyed eggs, and ln EN = 3.31 ln CW + 6.03 for eyed eggs. No brood loss occurred during the incubation period. The reproductive output was 0.34. The growth performance index showed that females grew faster and reached a larger size at the same age than males (L ∞ = 22.1 mm CW and K = 0.66 yr -1 for females, and L ∞ = 20.4 mm CW and K = 0.72 yr -1 for males). La reproduction et la dynamique des populations de Portunus trituberculatus ont été étudiées chez 5402 spécimens collectés sur la côte occidentale de Corée, mer Jaune, pendant trois années consécutives entre septembre 2003 et août 2006. Le rapport total mâles : femelles était de 1 : 1,08 même si la sex ratio variait légèrement de mois en mois et d'année en année. Plus de 90% des femelles étaient au stade de maturation ou matures dans la période mars-mai, l'index gonadosomatique était maximal en avril-mai et les femelles ovigères étaient les plus nombreuses en juillet. Ces résultats indiquent que la saison de reproduction se situe en majorité entre avril et juillet. La fréquence des larves de crabes était maximale en août, ce qui est clairement confirmé par la saison de reproduction. À maturité sexuelle, 50% des femelles avaient une largeur de la carapace (CW) estimée à 13,12 cm. La relation entre le nombre d'œufs par ponte (EN) et CW était ln EN = 3,04 ln CW + 6,83 pour les œufs non-oeillés et ln EN = 3,31 ln CW + 6,03 pour les œufs oeillés. Aucune perte de ponte ne s'est produite au cours de la période d'incubation. Le rendement reproductif était de 0,34. L'index de performance de la croissance a montré que les femelles croissaient plus vite et atteignaient une taille plus grande que les mâles au même âge (L ∞ = 22,1 mm CW et K = 0,66 yr -1 pour les femelles, et L ∞ = 20,4 mm CW et K = 0,72 yr -1 pour les mâles).
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Growth and reproduction of the Japanese mantis shrimp,
Oratosquilla oratoria
, were investigated in the Tongyeong, Korea from July 2014 to August 2015. A total of 2,621 samples (1,380 females and ...1,241 males) were collected during the study period. Females were observed more frequently than males. The mean body length (BL) was 128.5 ± 0.38 mm in females and 126.9 ± 0.42 mm in males. The mean body weight (BW) was 31.2 ± 0.28 g in females and 31.1 ± 0.32 g in males. There was a significant difference in the length-frequency distribution between females and males. The relationship between BL and BW was lnBW = 2.85 × lnBL - 10.43 for females and lnBW = 2.87 × lnBL -10.52 for males. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) varied on a monthly basis. The GSI reached a maximum in May and a minimum in November. The highest values of the GSI coincided with the spawning period of
O. oratoria
. Larger individuals of
O. oratoria
have their spawning season earlier than smaller ones. The size at sexual maturity of females was estimated as 96.5 mm. The Von Bertalanffy growth function parameters were BL
∞
= 184.5 mm, K = 0.72 year
−1
, C = 0.36 and WP = 0.45 for females and BL
∞
= 183.75 mm, K = 0.82 year
−1
, C = 0.38 and WP = 0.22 for males. The growth of males was slightly faster than females. The present study will help with the fisheries management of
O. oratoria
based on ecological parameters.
Abstract Juvenile Anoplopoma fimbria (mean length 16.8 ± 2.2 cm, and mean weight 72.8 ± 5.4 g) were exposed for 2 months with different levels of ammonia (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25 mg/L). ...Growth performances such as daily length gain, daily weight gain, condition factor, and hepatosomatic index were significantly decreased by ammonia exposure. Hematological parameters such as red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were also significantly decreased. In plasma inorganic components, calcium and magnesium were significantly decreased by ammonia exposure. In plasma organic components, there was no alteration in cholesterol and total protein. In enzyme plasma components, glutamic oxalate transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvate transaminase (GPT) were significantly increased. The results of this study indicated that ammonia exposure can induce significant growth reduction and blood biochemistry alterations of A. fimbria.
Background Previous studies have shown that cilostazol may not only prevent stent thrombosis, but may also have positive effect in the prevention of restenosis. However, the effect of cilostazol on ...restenosis after successful deployment of drug-eluting stent (DES) in patients with diabetes mellitus has not been evaluated. Methods and Results A total of 280 patients at 8 clinical sites were randomized. The patients (61.7±9.9 years old, 163 males) who underwent successful stenting were randomized to aspirin and cilostazol (group I, n=141, 61.2±9.6 years old) vs aspirin and clopidogrel (group II, n=139, 62.0±10.0 years old) after 1 month of aspirin, cilostazol, and clopidogrel combination treatment. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics of the groups. The type of DES implanted did not differ between the groups. There were no differences in angiographic and procedural characteristics of the groups. Major adverse cardiac events, including acute and subacute stent thrombosis within 1 month, did not occur in either group. Cases of angiographic late stent thrombosis were 1 (0.9%) in group I and 1 (0.8%) in group II. Follow-up coronary angiography was performed in 237 patients (84.6%). Mean follow-up duration was 7.1 months. The rate of angiographic restenosis (stent plus 5-mm borders) was 9 (8.0%) in group I and 20 (16.1%) in group II, p=0.041). The minimal luminal diameter at follow-up period in group I was 2.55±0.63 mm compared with 2.41±0.83 mm in group II (p=NS). Conclusions Combination therapy with aspirin and cilostazol for the prevention of stent restenosis is comparable or superior to that of aspirin and clopidogrel in diabetic patients who undergo DES implantation. (Circ J 2008; 72: 35 - 39)
The effects of the thermal discharge from a coastal nuclear power plant on the spatial and seasonal variability of nematode assemblages were investigated in the Gori coastal waters of the southern ...East Sea. Taxonomic and functional approaches were taken to describe the assemblage structure and relate it to the abiotic environment based on a sampling scheme involving three stations and four seasons. The analysis of the nematode communities suggested that heated effluent influenced the assemblage structure or the spatial distribution of the taxa studied. The abundance of the nematodes differed significantly among seasons and stations and the numbers of species also differed significantly between stations. The seasonal variation was greater in winter and summer than in spring and autumn. The numbers of species and their abundances were highest at station 3 (impact station), attributable to the increased bottom temperature. However, the functional diversity of the assemblages did not change notably between stations or seasons. Species such as Sabatieria sp. (34%), Linhystera sp. (18%) and Parodontophora sp. (11%) were usually dominant in all seasons and at all stations. Parodontophora sp. displayed a significantly negative correlation with the bottom temperature (P<0.05). These results indicate that the nematode species composition was significantly affected by the bottom temperature.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
This study investigated possible parasitic effects on growth, reproduction and external sexual characters induced by a bopyrid isopod Argeia pugettensis Dana, 1853, which parasitizes the branchial ...chamber of the sand shrimp Crangon hakodatei Rathbun, 1902 in South Korea. Total infestation rate was 5.7%. The sizes of infected female and male hosts were similar compared to those of uninfected hosts. A. pugettensis showed size-specific selection for hosts. The relationship between host and parasite length was significantly positive. Several effects of parasitization were observed on C. hakodatei parasitized by A. pugettensis. In female hosts, parasitic effects were observed in growth (increased growth), internal organ development (immature gonads) and external sexual characters (no breeding dress). In male hosts, parasitic effects were observed on growth (increased growth) and development of external sexual characters (smaller appendix masculina).
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Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Lobster muscles express a diverse array of myofibrillar protein isoforms. Three fiber types (fast, slow-twitch or S1, and slow-tonic or S2) differ qualitatively and quantitatively in myosin heavy and ...light chains, troponin-T, -I, and -C, paramyosin, and tropomyosin variants. However, little is known about the diversity of actin isoforms present in crustacean tissues. In this report we characterized cDNAs that encode twelve actin isoforms in the American lobster,
Homarus americanus: eight from skeletal muscle (Ha-ActinSK1-8), one from heart (Ha-ActinHT1), and three cytoplasmic type actins from hepatopancreas (Ha-ActinCT1-3). All twelve cDNAs were products of distinct genes, as indicated by differences in the 3′-untranslated regions (UTRs). The open reading frames specified polypeptides 376 or 377 amino acids in length. Although key amino residues are conserved in the lobster actins, variations in nearby sequences may affect actin polymerization and/or interactions with other myofibrillar proteins. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction showed muscle fiber type- and tissue-specific expression patterns. Ha-Actin-HT1 was expressed exclusively in heart (87% of the total; 12% of the total was Ha-ActinCT1). Ha-ActinCT1 was expressed in all tissues, while CT2 and CT3 were expressed only in hepatopancreas, with Ha-ActinCT2 as the major isoform (93% of the total). Ha-ActinSK1 and SK2 were the major isoforms (88% and 12% of the total, respectively) in the S1 fibers of crusher claw closer muscle. Fast fibers in the cutter claw closer and deep abdominal muscles differed in SK isoforms. Ha-ActinSK3, SK4, and SK5 were the major isoforms in cutter claw closer muscle (12%, 48%, and 37% of the total, respectively). Ha-ActinSK5 and SK8 were the major isoforms in deep abdominal flexor (31% and 65% of the total, respectively) and extensor (46% and 53% of the total, respectively) muscles, with SK6 and SK7 expressed at low levels. These data indicate that fast fibers in cutter claw and abdominal muscles show a phenotypic plasticity with respect to the expression of actin isoforms and may constitute discrete subtypes that differ in contractile properties.
We studied the reproductive biology of Argis lar from the East Sea of Korea, based on a total sample of 4172 shrimp collected over a 12 month period. The sample included 40 males (size range: ...9.91-24.11 mm carapace length, CL), 2797 non-ovigerous females (size range: 7.22-38.33 mm CL), and 1335 ovigerous females (size range: 19.70-37.43 mm CL); size differed significantly among the three groups. Ovigerous females occurred during every month of the year, in varying percentages, with a minimum abundance of 2.48% in August; the extended reproductive period indicates that multiple spawnings occur during the year. All ovarian stages were present in non-ovigerous females, whereas only spent ovarian stages were present in ovigerous females. Two modes were present in the abundances of females at each ovarian stage. In the first mode, females at the mature ovarian stage were most abundant in September (61.98%) and females in the spent ovarian stage were most abundant in November (32.52%). In the second mode, females at the ripe ovarian stage were most abundant in December (62.96%) and females at the spent ovarian stage were most abundant in March (66.00%). The gonadosomatic indices of non-ovigerous females and ovigerous females varied significantly by month. The percentages of ovigerous females with eggs at different stages of development were: non-eyed eggs, 32.06%; eyed eggs, 25.69%; and hatching eggs, 42.05%. Females with hatching eggs occurred from November to June. The relationships between CL and ovary weight differed significantly between ovigerous females with eggs in the non-eyed and eyed stages. Our results indicate that the highest indices of reproductive potential (IRP) occurred in females in the 29.1-31.0 mm CL size class (IRP = 405).
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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