Degradation of agricultural product quality occurs hugely during the freezing process, since ice crystal formation with volume expansion and increased osmotic pressure between cell membranes damages ...their microstructure. Recently, it is studied a freezing accompanied supercooled state for the entire food product, which induces finer and more homogenous ice crystals and improved the quality of soy bean gels after thawing. In this study, texture, drip loss, and microstructural changes were measured in frozen-thawed strawberries prepared by freezing with supercooling. In addition, ice crystals were observed directly using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography in supercooled frozen strawberries. The results showed, although supercooled freezing has the potential to form finer ice crystals in strawberry tissues, the quality of frozen strawberries was not improved compared with conventional slow freezing. It assumed that a higher and momently ice nucleation caused by supercooling was promoted a drastic water migration and huge degradation on strawberry cells by osmotic pressure in the frozen strawberries.
mRNA decay systems control mRNA abundance by counterbalancing transcription. Several recent studies show that mRNA decay pathways are crucial to conventional T and B cell development in vertebrates, ...in addition to suppressing autoimmunity and excessive inflammatory responses. Selective mRNA degradation triggered by the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex appears to be required in lymphocyte development, cell quiescence, V(D)J (variable-diversity-joining) recombination, and prevention of inappropriate apoptosis in mice. Moreover, a recent study suggests that mRNA decay may be involved in preventing human hyperinflammatory disease. These findings imply that mRNA decay pathways in humans and mice do not simply maintain mRNA homeostatic turnover but can also precisely regulate immune development and immunological responses by selectively targeting mRNAs.
Disruption of some RNA decay pathways can result in certain inflammatory diseases and tumor progression in humans and mice.Exonuclease RNA decay pathways mediated by ZFP36L family proteins and the CCR4-NOT complex regulate quiescence, V(D)J recombination, and apoptosis during the early stages of mammalian lymphocyte differentiation.The RNA-binding protein families ZFP36, ROQUIN, and REGNASE are non-redundantly required to suppress inappropriate activation of peripheral T cell populations.Epigenetic N6-adenosine methylation of mRNA can regulate T cell homeostasis and differentiation and may link transcription with mRNA decay.
Gain or loss of appetite and resulting body weight changes are commonly observed in major depressive disorders (MDDs). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is broadly expressed in the brain and ...is thought to play a role in the pathophysiology of MDDs and obesity. Congenital loss of function of BDNF causes weight gain in both humans and rodents; however, it is not clear whether acquired loss of function of BDNF also affects body weight. Thus, we exploited mutant mice in which the
Bdnf
expression level is regulated by the tetracycline-dependent transcriptional silencer (tTS)-tetracycline operator sequence (tetO) system. Time-controlled
Bdnf
expression using this system allowed us to establish congenital and acquired loss of function of
Bdnf
in mice. We demonstrated that changes in
Bdnf
expression influenced body weight during not only the developmental stage but also the adult stage of mice. Although it is still unclear whether acquired
Bdnf
loss of function in rodents mimics the pathology of MDD, our findings may bridge the mechanistic gap between MDDs and body weight gain in line with BDNF dysfunction.
Jet-lag symptoms arise from temporal misalignment between the internal circadian clock and external solar time. We found that circadian rhythms of behavior (locomotor activity), clock gene ...expression, and body temperature immediately reentrained to phase-shifted light-dark cycles in mice lacking vasopressin receptors V1a and V1b (V1a⁻ / ⁻ V1b⁻ / ⁻). Nevertheless, the behavior of V1a⁻ / ⁻ V1b⁻ / ⁻ mice was still coupled to the internal clock, which oscillated normally under standard conditions. Experiments with suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) slices in culture suggested that interneuronal communication mediated by V1a and V1b confers on the SCN an intrinsic resistance to external perturbation. Pharmacological blockade of V1a and V1b in the SCN of wild-type mice resulted in accelerated recovery from jet lag, which highlights the potential of vasopressin signaling as a therapeutic target for management of circadian rhythm misalignment, such as jet lag and shift work.
Abstract
Administration of local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, in the perioperative period improves outcomes of cancer patients. However, its precise mechanism is still unresolved. The growth of ...human cancer cell lines, including HeLa cells, are suppressed by lidocaine treatment. We identified that growth differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) was commonly upregulated in lidocaine-treated cancer cell lines. GDF-15 is a divergent member of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily and it is produced as an unprocessed pro-protein form and then cleaved to generate a mature form. In lidocaine-treated HeLa cells, increased production of GDF-15 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) was observed and unprocessed pro-protein form of GDF-15 was secreted extracellularly. Further, lidocaine induced apoptosis and apoptosis-inducible Tribbles homologue 3 (TRIB3) was also commonly upregulated in lidocaine-treated cancer cell lines. In addition, transcription factor C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), which is a positive regulator of not only GDF-15 but TRIB3 was also induced by lidocaine. Lidocaine-induced growth suppression and apoptosis was suppressed by knockdown of GDF-15 or TRIB3 expression by small interference RNA (siRNA). These observations suggest that lidocaine suppresses the growth of cancer cells through increasing GDF-15 and TRIB3 expression, suggesting its potential application as cancer therapy.
Abnormal hair loss results from a variety of factors, such as metabolic dysfunctions, immunodeficiency, and environmental stressors. Here, we report that mutant mice having defects in liver function, ...develop alopecia. We have shown previously that in mice lacking a Cnot3 gene, which encodes an essential component of the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex in liver (Cnot3-LKO mice), the liver does not mature properly, resulting in various pathologies such as hepatitis, hepatic necrosis, and anemia. Unexpectedly, Cnot3-LKO mice start to lose hair around postnatal day 17 (P17). The region of hair loss expands all across their backs and symptoms persist until around P28-30. Afterward, hair re-grows, and Cnot3-LKO mice show complete hair recovery by P40. The phenotype is dependent on mouse genotype, indicating that hair follicle morphogenesis and cycling are influenced by abnormal liver development. By performing histological, quantitative PCR, and immunoblot analyses, we detected sebaceous gland (SG) hypertrophy accompanied by an increase of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Collectively, these findings suggest that paracrine signaling related to liver function influences hair growth, at least in part, by altering lipid metabolism.
•Liver-specific Cnot3 knockout (Cnot3-LKO) mice lose hair around 2 weeks after birth.•An abnormal hair follicle regression phase leads to hair loss in Cnot3-LKO mice.•Hair regrows during the first postnatal hair follicle growth phase in Cnot3-LKO mice.•Sebaceous gland hypertrophy accompanies hair loss.•PPARγ mRNA and protein increase in the skin of Cnot3-LKO mice.
The simplest global mapping method and dense data coverage for the global oceans by the latest observation network ensure an estimate of global ocean heat content (OHC) within a satisfactory ...uncertainty for the last 60 years. The observational database conditionally presented a level high enough for practical use for the global OHC estimation when applying bias corrections of expendable bathythermograph, assuming that the other severe observational biases are not included in the database. Uncertainties in annual global mean temperatures averaged vertically from the surface to 1,500 m are within 0.01 K for the period from 1955 onward, when only sampling errors are taken into account. Those in annual mean global OHC of an improved objective analysis for 0-1,500 m depth is 16ZJ on average throughout the period. Compared to previous studies, the new objective analysis provides a higher estimation of the global 0-1,500 m OHC trend for a longer period from 1955 to 2015, which is an increase of 350 ± 57ZJ with a 95% confidence interval.
Solid-state Li batteries containing Li(Ni0.5Mn1.5)O4 as a 5 V-class positive electrode are expected to revolutionize mobile devices and electric vehicles. However, practical applications of such ...batteries are hampered by the high resistance at their solid electrolyte/electrode interfaces. Here, we achieved an extremely low electrolyte/electrode interface resistance of 7.6 Ω cm2 in solid-state Li batteries with Li(Ni0.5Mn1.5)O4. Furthermore, we observed spontaneous migration of Li ions from the solid electrolyte to the positive electrode after the formation of the electrolyte/electrode interface. Finally, we demonstrated stable fast charging and discharging of the solid-state Li batteries at a current density of 14 mA/cm2. These results provide a solid foundation to understand and fabricate low-resistance electrolyte/electrode interfaces.
•Ice crystal in tuna meat frozen by the supercooled freezing was investigated by X-ray CT.•Ice crystals formed by supercooled freezing were parallel with the myofibers.•Ice structure was ...inhomogeneous regardless of the degree of supercooling.•Cell structure limited ice growth after nucleation from supercooled water in tuna meat.
Several studies have reported that freezing a homogeneous food such as soy bean curd with deep supercooling (supercooled freezing) results in the formation of many particle ice and homogenous ice structure. However, ice crystal morphology may be affected by the cellular structure of the food. In this study, the ice crystal structure in tuna meat, a cellular food, frozen by the supercooled freezing method was investigated by X-ray computed tomography and compared with ice structures in tuna meat frozen by conventional freezing methods. The results showed that rod-like ice crystals grew parallel with the myofibers, and inhomogeneous ice structures formed in tuna meat frozen by the supercooled freezing method regardless of the degree of supercooling, in contrast to the ice structure in frozen soy bean curds. These ice crystals linked with each other to form rod-like ice structures due to mobility limitations imposed by the cellular structure.
Background Rabies is a fatal zoonotic disease that is maintained in domestic dogs and wildlife populations in the Republic of South Africa. A retrospective study was conducted to improve ...understanding of the dynamics of rabies in humans, domestic dogs, and wildlife species, in relation to the ecology for three northern provinces of South Africa (Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and North-West) between 1998 and 2017. Methods A descriptive epidemiology study was conducted for human and animal rabies. Dog rabies cases were analyzed using spatio-temporal scan statistics. The reproductive number (R.sub.t) was estimated for the identified disease clusters. A phylogenetic tree was constructed based on the genome sequences of rabies viruses isolated from dogs, jackals, and an African civet, and Bayesian evolutionary analysis using a strict time clock model. Several ecological and socio-economic variables associated with dog rabies were modeled using univariate analyses with zero-inflated negative binomial regression and multivariable spatial analyses using the integrated nested Laplace approximation for two time periods: 1998-2002 and 2008-2012. Results Human rabies cases increased in 2006 following an increase in dog rabies cases; however, the human cases declined in the next year while dog rabies cases fluctuated. Ten disease clusters of dog rabies were identified, and utilizing the phylogenetic tree, the dynamics of animal rabies over 20 years was elucidated. In 2006, a virus strain that re-emerged in eastern Limpopo Province caused the large and persistent dog rabies outbreaks in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces. Several clusters included a rabies virus variant maintained in jackals in Limpopo Province, and the other variant in dogs widely distributed. The widely distributed variant maintained in jackal populations in North-West Province caused an outbreak in dogs in 2014. The R.sub.t was high when the disease clusters were associated with either multiple virus strains or multiple animal species. High-risk areas included Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces characterized by woodlands and high temperatures and precipitation. Conclusion Canine rabies was maintained mainly in dog populations but was also associated with jackal species. Rural communities in Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces were at high risk of canine rabies originating from dogs.
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