BPG4 regulates chloroplast development and homeostasis by suppressing GLK transcription factors and involving light and brassinosteroid signaling

葉緑体の発達を適正に制御する新しい因子を発見. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-01-23.Chloroplast development adapts to the environment for performing suitable photosynthesis. Brassinosteroids (BRs), plant steroid hormones, have crucial effects on not only plant growth but also chloroplast development. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms of BR signaling in chloroplast development remain unclear. Here, we identify a regulator of chloroplast development, BPG4, involved in light and BR signaling. BPG4 interacts with GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) transcription factors that promote the expression of photosynthesis-associated nuclear genes (PhANGs), and suppresses their activities, thereby causing a decrease in the amounts of chlorophylls and the size of light-harvesting complexes. BPG4 expression is induced by BR deficiency and light, and is regulated by the circadian rhythm. BPG4 deficiency causes increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and damage to photosynthetic activity under excessive high-light conditions. Our findings suggest that BPG4 acts as a chloroplast homeostasis factor by fine-tuning the expression of PhANGs, optimizing chloroplast development, and avoiding ROS generation

A study on the optimization of teaching materials for art appreciation

学校教育の限られた授業時数にあって，改めて鑑賞教材を精査し直すことは重要な教育課題である。しかし，これまで美術鑑賞教材の適正化に関する研究はほとんどなされていない。９年間の発達段階に応じた適正な鑑賞教材とは何かを探るため，この調査を行った。方法としては，児童・生徒に異なる３つのタイプの絵を見せ，一定時間内にできるだけ多くの気づきを書かせ，それを基準に基づいて分析するというものである。書き出された気づきを量と質の両面から分析した結果，各発達段階において児童・生徒はどのような認知の傾向を示すのか，またどのようなタイプの絵が適正な鑑賞教材となり得るのか，ある程度の知見を得ることができた。An important subject in the study of education is which teaching materials should be used to facilitate art appreciation during the limited time available in school. Few studies have focused, however, on the optimization of teaching materials for art appreciation. For this reason, we undertook a study to find out what kinds of teaching materials are appropriate for each of the nine developmental stages in education. In the study, we showed three different kinds of pictures to students and collated the feedback that they provided, analyzing the information from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. The results provided us with insights into the cognitive tendencies of students in relation to art materials at each developmental stage as well as the kinds of teaching materials that are appropriate for art appreciation in school

Community-acquired, hospital-acquired, and healthcare-associated pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

We describe three types of Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia. Case 1. P. aeruginosa was isolated from the blood and sputum of a 29-year-old male non-smoker who developed severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Piperacillin was initially effective, but fever and lobular pneumonia with cavities developed seven days after discharge. Intravenous piperacillin/tazobactam and tobramycin were administered for four weeks, followed by oral ciprofloxacin for two weeks. He finally recovered, but developed recurrent CAP due to P. aeruginosa despite appropriate antibiotic therapy and immunocompetent status. Case 2. P. aeruginosa was isolated from the blood and sputum of a 57-year-old woman with renal cancer who developed hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) after surgical treatment. She recovered after meropenem administration for four weeks. Case 3. A 67-year-old woman with systemic sclerosis and malignant lymphoma who was followed up on an outpatient basis underwent immunosuppressive therapy. Thereafter, she developed pneumonia and was admitted to our institution where P aeruginosa was isolated from blood and sputum samples. Healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP) was diagnosed and effectively treated with tobramycin and ciprofloxacin. P. aeruginosa is not only a causative pathogen of HAP and HCAP, but possibly also of CAP