Control of Oscillation Patterns in a Symmetric Coupled Biological Oscillator System

A chain of three-oscillator system was constructed with living biological oscillators of phasmodial slime mold, Physarum polycehalum and the oscillation patterns were analyzed by the symmetric Hopf bifurcation theory using group theory. Multi-stability of oscillation patterns was observed, even when the coupling strength was fixed. This suggests that the coupling strength is not an effective parameter to obtain a desired oscillation pattern among the multiple patterns. Here we propose a method to control oscillation patterns using resonance to external stimulus and demonstrate pattern switching induced by frequency resonance given to only one of oscillators in the system

Functional characterization of the diatom cyclin-dependent kinase A2 as a mitotic regulator reveals plant-like properties in a non-green lineage

Background: Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are crucial regulators of cell cycle progression in eukaryotes. The diatom CDKA2 was originally assigned to the classical A-type CDKs, but its cell cycle phase-specific transcription at the G2-to-M phase transition is typical for plant-specific B-type CDKs. Results: Here, we report the functional characterization of CDKA2 from the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Through a yeast two-hybrid library screen, CDKA2 was found to interact with the G2/M-specific CDK scaffolding factor CKS1. Localization of CDKA2 was found to be nuclear in interphase cells, while in cells undergoing cytokinesis, the signal extended to the cell division plane. In addition, overexpression of CDKA2 induced an overall reduction in the cell growth rate. Expression analysis of cell cycle marker genes in the overexpression lines indicates that this growth reduction is primarily due to a prolongation of the mitotic phase. Conclusions: Our study indicates a role for CDKA2 during cell division in diatoms. The functional characterization of a CDK with clear CDKB properties in a non-green organism questions whether the current definition of B-type CDKs being plant-specific might need revision

A Study of Recovery-oriented Care in the Psychiatric Care and Welfare Area

名古屋市立大学博士 (看護学)doctoral thesi

Ruxolitinib altered IFN-β induced necroptosis of human dental pulp stem cells during osteoblast differentiation

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the role of ruxolitinib in the interferon beta (IFN-β) mediated osteoblast differentiation using human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs). Design: hDPSCs from five deciduous teeth of healthy patients were stimulated by adding human recombinant IFN-β protein (1 or 2 ng/ml) to the osteogenic differentiation induction medium. Substrate formation was determined using Alizarin Red staining, calcium concentration, and osteoblast marker expression levels. Ruxolitinib was used to inhibit the Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway. Apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and necroptosis was detected using propidium iodide staining and phosphorylated mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (pMLKL) expression. Results: In the IFN-β-treated group, substrate formation was inhibited by a reduction in alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Although the proliferation potency was unchanged between the IFN-β-treated and control groups, the cell number was significantly reduced in the experimental group. TUNEL-positive cell number was not significantly different; however, the protein level of necroptosis markers, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and pMLKL were significantly increased in the substrate formation. Cell number and ALP expression level were improved in the group administered ruxolitinib, a JAK-STAT inhibitor. Additionally, ruxolitinib significantly suppressed IL-6 and pMLKL levels. Conclusion: Ruxolitinib interfered with the IFN-β-mediated necroptosis and osteogenic differentiation via the JAK-STAT pathway

iCOD : an integrated clinical omics database based on the systems-pathology view of disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Variety of information relating between genome and the pathological findings in disease will yield a wealth of clues to discover new function, the role of genes and pathways, and future medicine. In addition to molecular information such as gene expression and genome copy number, detailed clinical information is essential for such systematic omics analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In order to provide a basic platform to realize a future medicine based on the integration of molecular and clinico-pathological information of disease, we have developed an integrated clinical omics database (iCOD) in which comprehensive disease information of the patients is collected, including not only molecular omics data such as CGH (Comparative Genomic Hybridization) and gene expression profiles but also comprehensive clinical information such as clinical manifestations, medical images (CT, X-ray, ultrasounds, etc), laboratory tests, drug histories, pathological findings and even life-style/environmental information. The iCOD is developed to combine the molecular and clinico-pathological information of the patients to provide the holistic understanding of the disease. Furthermore, we developed several kinds of integrated view maps of disease in the iCOD, which summarize the comprehensive patient data to provide the information for the interrelation between the molecular omics data and clinico-pathological findings as well as estimation for the disease pathways, such as three layer-linked disease map, disease pathway map, and pathome-genome map.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>With these utilities, our iCOD aims to contribute to provide the omics basis of the disease as well as to promote the pathway-directed disease view. The iCOD database is available online, containing 140 patient cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, with raw data of each case as supplemental data set to download. The iCOD and supplemental data can be accessed at</p> <p><url>http://omics.tmd.ac.jp/icod_pub_eng</url></p

Assistance for Learning Keyboard Instruments in the Elementary School Teacher Training Program

The focus of this research is learning support for those students in elementary school teacher training programs learning to play the keyboard. In teacher training, the piano is regarded as an essential element in the curriculum for elementary education. Applicants for teaching positions are often required to sing while playing the piano or organ, or to play the accompaniment to songs that are compulsory content in elementary schools. However, there are various abilities required for instruction in music classes, and the skills required to play the keyboard in teaching are different from those for casual players. A report by the Central Council for Education (2015) suggests that the content of each subject should be acquired together with the teaching methods in the curriculum of teacher training courses. Therefore, we will examine the scenarios in which a teacher’s skill in playing the keyboard is required, discuss possible obstacles, and suggest some options to improve their learning processes. In addition, we delve into ICT and electronic devices for students who have difficulty practicing by themselves. These measures could allow students to utilize the keyboard as an instructional tool. In acquiring abilities for music instruction with various tools, students should also become conscious of their learning processes so that they can then independently improve their skill level

Microglia in Alzheimer's Disease: Risk Factors and Inflammation

Microglia are resident immune cells in the central nervous system (CNS) that originate from myeloid progenitor cells in the embryonic yolk sac and are maintained independently of circulating monocytes throughout life. In the healthy state, microglia are highly dynamic and control the environment by rapidly extending and retracting their processes. When the CNS is inflamed, microglia can give rise to macrophages, but the regulatory mechanisms underlying this process have not been fully elucidated. Recent genetic studies have suggested that microglial function is compromised in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and that environmental factors such as diet and brain injury also affect microglial activation. In addition, studies of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2-deficiency in AD mice revealed heterogeneous microglial reactions at different disease stages, complicating the therapeutic strategy for AD. In this paper, we describe the relationship between genetic and environmental risk factors and the roles of microglia in AD pathogenesis, based on studies performed in human patients and animal models. We also discuss the mechanisms of inflammasomes and neurotransmitters in microglia, which accelerate the development of amyloid-β and tau pathology

Familial Case of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) with Similar Onset and HLA Analysis

Subjects: Cases are two patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), with the characteristic relationship and onset situation. Case 1 is 46-year-old daughter and case 2 is 69-year-old mother. They have been living apart and they rarely meet together. Twenty-two months after the onset of T1DM case 1, case 2 also developed T1DM. They did not notice clinical manifestation of upper respiratory infection, or they did not have any stressful matters before the onset of T1DM. Results: Their data in case 1 vs 2 were as follows: BMI 21.3 vs 19.8, HbA1c 10.3% vs 9.8%, anti-IA-2 antibody (IA-2 Ab) 2.1 vs 6.0 (<0.4), anti-GAD antibody (GAD Ab) 24 vs 10000 (<1.5), HLA-DR type DR9 / DR13 vs DR4/DR13. Discussion and conclusion: These 2 cases have characteristic mode for the onset of T1DM. In Japanese race, DR4 and DR9 have rather high sensitivity for T1DM, DR15 (DR2) has resistance for T1DM and DR13 has unremarkable influence. From these, HLA-DR type would be possible involved in the onset of T1DM, and further investigation would be expected

Effective Xultophy administration to stable blood glucose profile by Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) need adequate diet, exercise and pharmacotherapy. Authors have continued diabetic practice and research on low carbohydrate diet (LCD), calorie restriction (CR), continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), and so on. The case is 50-year-old female patient with T2DM for 10 years. She has received insulin treatment with recent HbA1c 7.4 – 8.7%, then her glucose profile was studied on CGM by FreeStyle Libre. Treatment was changed from Glargine 15 units (until day 5) to Zultophy10-12 doses (after day 6), then her glucose variability showed remarkably improved. The average blood glucose on day 3, 5, 6, 8,10,13 was 174, 164, 125, 111, 101, 98 mg/dL, respectively. FreeStyle Libre showed estimated HbA1c as 6.2% and 44 mmol/mol

Daily improvement of glucose variability by Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) has been recently applied in the clinical diabetic practice. Authors have continued research of glucose variability. In this study, 51 year-old female patient with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) was investigated. She has given multiple daily insulin injection (MDI) for long and her recent daily glucose profile was unstable. After applied with FreeStyle Libre, her blood variability was improved with the average glucose from 222 mg/dL to 135 mg/dL, which was partly from her motivation for better diabetic control. Thus, CGM may become a trigger to give beneficial influence for regular lifestyle of the patients