β-Annulus peptides from tomato bushy stunt virus conjugated with DNAs (dA and dT ) at the C-terminal were synthesized. The DNA-modified β-annulus peptides self-assembled into artificial viral capsids with sizes of 45-160 nm. ζ-Potential measurements revealed that the DNAs were coated on the surface of artificial viral capsids. Fluorescence assays indicated that the DNAs on the artificial viral capsids were partially hybridized with the complementary DNAs. Moreover, the DNA-modified artificial viral capsids formed aggregates by adding complementary polynucleotides. Copyright © 2017 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Phytoplankton such as Euglena are constantly exposed to solar light which is used for photosynthesis. Although the solar ultraviolet (UV) induces DNA damage such as cyclobutane-pyrimidine dimers (CPDs), many kinds of living organisms can repair CPDs by photoreactivation (PR) utilizing the near-UV/blue light component in sunlight. Euglena cells are known to possess such PR activity. In the present paper, the formation of CPDs induced by UV-C exposure and the photoreactivation PR repair of these CPDs by UV-A are demonstrated. To clarify the adaptive responses prior UV-B irradiation on PR activity, cells were cultured in the dark or under UV-B light. When the cells were cultured in the dark for 3 d prior to UV-C exposure, PR activity decreased. When the cells were cultured under UV-B light, however, PR activity increased. These results suggest that exposing the cells to UV-B prior to exposure to UV-C induced an adaptive response towards DNA damage caused by UV-C exposure, and this UV-C induced damage was repaired through PR activity.

Apoptosis plays an important role in eliminating cells from populations when cells have been exposed to UV irradiation and damaged. Studies of cells in culture have provided some details of the mechanisms involved when stress response genes act after exposure to UV irradiation and other environmental stresses. However, little is known about the responses of intact sections of human skin growing in organ culture to UV irradiation. In the work reported here, it was found that the response of organ-cultured human skin after exposure to UV irradiation is different than the response of cultured cells. At wavelengths below 300 nm, the action spectrum obtained from organ-cultured skin samples showed a lower sensitivity than that observed at 300 nm, indicating that the overlying stratum corneum and upper epidermal cell layers had probably caused a selective absorption of incident UV radiation at some wavelengths. At 3 hours after UV irradiation, p53 was phosphorylated at Ser 15 and Ser 46, and accumulated in the cell nuclei, notably after exposure to 280-320 nm wavelengths. Accumulations of Bax, active Caspase-3 and cleaved PARP were detected in apoptotic cells at 24 hours post-exposure, along with a reduction of Bcl-2 levels, notably after exposure to 300-365 nm light. This difference in apoptotic responses may result from the characteristics of the different irradiation wavelengths used, and from details in the skin's structure. The data obtained in this study using an organ-culture system utilized direct measurements of the biological effects of different wavelengths of UV lights.

AimChronic abruption‐oligohydramnios sequence (CAOS), which is characterized by vaginal bleeding and oligohydramnios, adversely affects the lungs of fetuses due to bloody amniotic fluid and oligohydramnios. The criteria for termination of pregnancy remain controversial. This study aimed to examine respiratory function in infants within 3 years after birth and risk factors for respiratory prognosis, and to clarify the management of CAOS.MethodsThis study is a case series of patients with CAOS managed at our institution between 2010 and 2020. The clinical data of the patients and their infants within 3 years after birth were reviewed. The amniotic fluid volume was measured using the maximum vertical pocket (MVP).ResultsSix of 17 neonates (35.3%) used inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) to improve oxygenation. Women with longer periods of MVP <1 cm delivered more neonates using iNO; however, periods of MVP <2 cm were not associated with iNO use. Almost half of the infants required home oxygen therapy when discharged, regardless of amniotic fluid volume. At 18 months corrected age, only one child needed respiratory support, and the others discontinued. Two neonates, both born at 23 weeks of gestational age, died within 1 month after birth because of extremely preterm birth.ConclusionsThe amniotic fluid volume could predict the use of iNO in neonates, but it did not affect the child's respiratory function after the newborn period. Almost all children born to women with CAOS can improve their respiratory function as they grow up.

Background/Aim: In clinical practice, uterine lipoleiomyomas are variants of uterine leiomyomas, often found incidentally, and do not require surgical treatment unless patient&rsquo;s symptomatic. Therefore, these should be clinically differentiated from lesions that need surgical treatment. Conversely, hemangiomas, or blood vessel benign tumors, rarely develop in the uterus; however, many clinical complications such as abdominal pain and excessive vaginal bleeding result from a uterine hemangioma. Hemangiomas can occur at any age and primarily affect pregnant women. Materials and Methods: The oncological properties of uterine lipoleiomyoma and hemangioma in adults were investigated using molecular pathological examination on tissue excised from patients with uterine leiomyoma. Results: Through molecular pathological studies, which included potential biomarkers for uterine mesenchymal tumors, a differential diagnosis was established for this case of mesenchymal tumor. Herein, we report a 54-year-old non-pregnant woman who presented with vaginal bleeding and underwent hysterectomy after detection of a 140 &times; 100 mm intramural mass diagnosed as a concurrent uterine hemangioma and lipoleiomyoma after molecular histopathologic examinations. Conclusion: As far as we know, this case is the first patient of concurrent uterine hemangioma and lipoleiomyoma. Hence, such occurrence of several types of mesenchymal tumors must be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with abnormal vaginal bleeding.