Two Devonian brachiopod species, Spinocyrtia sp. and Strophopleura notabilis (Kindle), are here described from the newly proposed Takaya Formation of Takaya, Bungo-ono City, Oita Prefecture, in the ...Kurosegawa Belt of Kyushu, southwestern Japan. This is the first record, with systematic descriptions, of Devonian brachiopods from Kyushu. The Takaya fauna indicates a Late Devonian (Famennian) age. The Takaya Formation is thereby correlated with the Famennian formations of the Kurosegawa, South Kitakami and Hida Gaien belts in Japan.
The identity of low-molecular-weight and minor protein spots, appeared in 2-DE patterns of human plasma, was examined. They were not obvious in the patterns of “Type-I” 2-DE (non-denaturing IEF ...followed by non-denaturing gel electrophoresis), but clearly detected in the patterns of “Type II” 2-DE (non-denaturing IEF followed by SDS gel electrophoresis) at pI 5.5-7.5 and apparent mass 8-40 kDa1). The spots were not obviously detected when the IEF gels were kept at low temperature (around 4°C) during electrophoresis, suggesting that they are the proteolysis products of plasma proteins. The minor spots were more obviously detected when human plasma was subjected to ammonium sulfate (AS) fractionation and the 0-35% saturated AS fraction was dialyzed and subjected to Type-II 2-DE. Then the 116 spots on the 2-DE pattern, detected at pI 5-7.5 and apparent mass 8-60 kDa, were excised and subjected to MALDI-MS measurements and the mass spectra were analyzed using the software of peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) Mascot and ProFound to assign the proteins. Many of the spots were assigned to contain fibrinogen α chain, especially those at pI 5.5-7.5 and apparent mass 8-40 kDa, suggesting that these spots are its fragments. The distribution of the MS-detected peptide fragments suggested that the molecular-mass heterogeneity might be caused by the cleavage of multiple sites on the α chain. Care must be taken to keep the temperature of IEF gels at around 4°C during electrophoresis, when human plasma proteins are subjected to non-denaturing IEF. The absence of the spots of fibrinogen fragments on Type-II 2-DE gels would validate the intactness of plasma proteins. The advantages of micro gel system for the analysis of intact protein mixtures are suggested.
Based on 137 specimens examined, the new species Commutia exoleta is characterized by a small, slightly scolecoid shape with 21 septa at a mean maximum corallite diameter of 6 mm (range 3 to 10.5 ...mm); a persistent inner wall, which encloses an aulos with a mean maximum diameter of 1.2 mm, formed during an early ontogenetic stage when the axial ends of the cardinal, alar and counter-lateral septa fused; short counter septa are lacking in the earliest stage of development. Corallites are highly variable. Characters exhibiting a wide range of variation are: size and shape of corallites, number of septa, diameter of aulos and the timing of its appearance, number of septa connected to the inner wall, and the septal arrangement in each growth quadrant. Combinations of these variable characters result in corallites that are each uniquely different. Variations of those characters are partly due to stressed environments, such as unstable, muddy substrates resulting in corallite rejuvenescence and redirection.
The effect of absorption enhancers on the small and large intestinal absorption of drug in rats was examined using an in vitro modified Ussing chamber method, and the results were compared with those ...from an in situ absorption experiment. Phenol red was chosen as a model drug, while the absorption enhancers used were sodium glycocholate (Na-GC), sodium taurocholate (Na-TC), sodium deoxycholate (Na-DC), EDTA, sodium salicylate (Na-Sal), sodium caprate (Na-Cap), diethyl maleate (DEM) and N-lauryl-β-D-maltopyranoside (LM), all used at a concentration of 20 mM. This modified Ussing chamber method showed that Na-DC and EDTA were the most effective absorption enhancers in the small intestine, whereas Na-DC, EDTA and LM were the most effective absorption enhancers in the large intestine. A good correlation exists between the area under the curve (AUC) (in situ loop model) and the cumulative amount of phenol red absorbed (in vitro medified Ussing chamber method). These results indicated that the in vitro modified Ussing chamber method can be used to evaluate the effects of various absorption enhancers in the intestine.
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