Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B

Synthesis and Cell Adhesion of Poly(Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro)

Yukio IMANISHI, Shunsaku KIMURA, Yoshihiro ITO, Kazuo SUZUKI

1995 Volume 71 Issue 10 Pages 299-303
Published: 1995
Released on J-STAGE: October 13, 2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.71.299

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A sequential polypeptide containing a core peptide of cell-adhesion proteins, poly-(Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro), was synthesized. The monomeric peptide Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser-Pro had a regular secondary structure, which seemed to be β-turn. On the other hand, the polypeptide did not have a regular structure. The polypeptide inhibited cell adhesion and spreading on fibronectin-coated dish, to nearly the same extent as the monomeric peptide.

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Achievement of Solid-State Plasma Fusion (“Cold-Fusion”)

Yoshiaki ARATA, Yue-Chang ZHANG

1995 Volume 71 Issue 10 Pages 304-309
Published: 1995
Released on J-STAGE: October 13, 2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.71.304

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Using a “QMS” (Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer), the authors detected a significantly large amount (10²⁰-10²¹ [cm^-3]) of helium (⁴₂He), which was concluded to have been produced by a deuterium nuclear reaction within a host solid. These results were found to be fully repeatable and supported the authors' proposition1) that solid state plasma fusion (“Cold Fusion”) can be generated in energetic deuterium Strongly Coupled Plasma (“SC-plasma”). This fusion reaction is thought to be sustained by localized “Latticequake” in a solid-state media with the deuterium density equivalent to that of the host solid. While exploring this basic proposition, the characteristic differences when compared with ultra high temperature-state plasma fusion (“Hot Fusion”) are clarified. In general, the most essential reaction product in both types of the deuterium plasma fusion is considered to be helium, irrespective of the “well-known and/or unknown reactions”, which is stored within the solid-state medium in abundance as a “Residual Product”, but which generally can not enter into nor be released from host-solid at a room temperature. Even measuring instruments with relatively poor sensitivity should be able to easily detect such residual helium. An absence of residual helium means that no nuclear fusion reaction has occurred, whereas its presence provides crucial evidence that nuclear fusion has, in fact, occurred in the solid.

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Relationship between Respiration and Nutrition of the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

Kunikatsu HAMANO, Mihail PANAYOTOV, Weide SHEN

1995 Volume 71 Issue 10 Pages 310-313
Published: 1995
Released on J-STAGE: October 13, 2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.71.310

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The influence of the major kinds of energy sources, included in the artificial diet on respiratory quotient of the silkworm Bombyx mori was investigated. The respiratory rate of control (intact) silkworm larvae fed on a diet that contains three major energy sources (proteins, carbohydrates and fats), was compared with those of larvae grown on different artificial diets containing only one of the three major energy sources during the 5th instar. The rate of oxygen consumption of larvae fed on control or protein diets was higher than those fed on carbohydrate and fat diets. Larvae fed on a protein diet showed a higher rate of carbon dioxide output than that of larvae fed on carbohydrate or fat diets. The mean respiratory quotients (RQ) during the first 4 days of the 5th instar were 0.74, 0.87, 1.18, 0.92, for the control, protein, carbohydrate and fat diets, respectively. From this study, it was confirmed that the RQ value could be altered by composition of the diets.

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A Physico-Chemical Study of the DNA-Binding Domain of GATA1

Lucy CHOTHIA, Saburo AIMOTO, Tony JOHNSON, Masashi SUZUKI

1995 Volume 71 Issue 10 Pages 314-318
Published: 1995
Released on J-STAGE: October 13, 2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.71.314

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The structure and DNA-binding characteristics of the two zinc-binding units of GATA-1 were studied by using synthetic peptides. We show that both units bind to Zn²⁺ and Co²⁺ but neither of them to Fe²⁺, and that both units interact with DNA. Some results shown in this paper can be explained by dimerisation of the units.

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Crocin Improves the Ethanol-induced Impairment of Learning Behaviors of Mice in Passive Avoidance Tasks

Minoru SUGIURA, Yukihiro SHOYAMA, Hiroshi SAITO, Nobuyoshi NISHIYAMA

1995 Volume 71 Issue 10 Pages 319-324
Published: 1995
Released on J-STAGE: October 13, 2006

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.2183/pjab.71.319

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The acute effects of crocin and picrocrocin, major components of Crocus Sativus L., on learning and memory performances were investigated using mice in passive avoidance tasks. A single oral administration of crocin had no effect on memory acquisition in normal mice. Oral administration of 30% ethanol (10ml/kg) induced impairment of memory acquisition in step through and step down tests. Oral pre-administration of crocin (50 to 200mg/kg) improved the impairment of memory acquisition in both tests in a dose-dependent manner. Crocin (50 to 200mg/kg) also had beneficial effect on 40% ethanol (10mg/kg, p.o.)-induced memory retrieval deficit in step down test. Picrocrocin, the most abundant component in Crocus Sativus L., did not affect the impairment of memory acquisition and retrieval in step through and step down tests at 50-200mg/kg. These results suggest that crocin has preventive effect on the ethanol-induced impairment of learning and memory.

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