TRPC6 counteracts TRPC3-Nox2 protein complex leading to attenuation of hyperglycemia-induced heart failure in mice

Excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused by hyperglycemia is a major risk factor for heart failure. We previously reported that transient receptor potential canonical 3 (TRPC3) channel mediates pressure overload-induced maladaptive cardiac fibrosis by forming stably functional complex with NADPH oxidase 2 (Nox2). Although TRPC3 has been long suggested to form hetero-multimer channels with TRPC6 and function as diacylglycerol-activated cation channels coordinately, the role of TRPC6 in heart is still obscure. We here demonstrated that deletion of TRPC6 had no impact on pressure overload-induced heart failure despite inhibiting interstitial fibrosis in mice. TRPC6-deficient mouse hearts 1 week after transverse aortic constriction showed comparable increases in fibrotic gene expressions and ROS production but promoted inductions of inflammatory cytokines, compared to wild type hearts. Treatment of TRPC6-deficient mice with streptozotocin caused severe reduction of cardiac contractility with enhancing urinary and cardiac lipid peroxide levels, compared to wild type and TRPC3-deficient mice. Knockdown of TRPC6, but not TRPC3, enhanced basal expression levels of cytokines in rat cardiomyocytes. TRPC6 could interact with Nox2, but the abundance of TRPC6 was inversely correlated with that of Nox2. These results strongly suggest that Nox2 destabilization through disrupting TRPC3-Nox2 complex underlies attenuation of hyperglycemia-induced heart failure by TRPC6.Fil: Oda, Sayaka. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. SOKENDAI; JapónFil: Numaga Tomita, Takuro. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. SOKENDAI; JapónFil: Kitajima, Naoyuki. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. Kyushu University; JapónFil: Tomizaki, Takashi. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. Kyushu University; Japón. University of Tsukuba; JapónFil: Harada, Eri. Ajinomoto Co.; Japón. EA Pharma Co.; JapónFil: Shimauchi, Tsukasa. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. Kyushu University; JapónFil: Nishimura, Akiyuki. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. SOKENDAI; Japón. Ajinomoto Co.; JapónFil: Ishikawa, Tatsuya. Kyushu University; Japón. Ajinomoto Co.; Japón. EA Pharma Co.; JapónFil: Kumagai, Yoshito. University of Tsukuba; JapónFil: Birnbaumer, Lutz. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires". Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas; ArgentinaFil: Nishida, Motohiro. Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience; Japón. SOKENDAI; Japón. Kyushu University; Japón. PRESTO; Japó

A Multilingual Chat System with Image Presentation for Detecting Mistranslation

We have designed and developed a multilingual chat system, MCHI (Multilingual Chat with Hint Images), which is based on machine translation and equipped with a presentation function of images related to the contents of the messages by utterers so that listeners are able to notice mistranslation. MCHI accepts English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese languages. It uses the Google API to retrieve related images from the image posting site Flickr. As a result of evaluation experiment, we have observed that participants detected the mismatch of a translated message with its related image. According to the answers of participants for a questionnaire, it turned out that the usability of the MCHI system is good enough though the related images are not satisfactory

Development of Genome-Wide SNP Markers for Barley via Reference- Based RNA-Seq Analysis

Marker-assisted selection of crop plants requires DNA markers that can distinguish between the closely related strains often used in breeding. The availability of reference genome sequence facilitates the generation of markers, by elucidating the genomic positions of new markers as well as of their neighboring sequences. In 2017, a high quality genome sequence was released for the six-row barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivar Morex. Here, we developed a de novo RNA-Seq-based genotyping procedure for barley strains used in Japanese breeding programs. Using RNA samples from the seedling shoot, seedling root, and immature flower spike, we mapped next-generation sequencing reads onto the transcribed regions, which correspond to ∼590 Mb of the whole ∼4.8-Gbp reference genome sequence. Using 150 samples from 108 strains, we detected 181,567 SNPs and 45,135 indels located in the 28,939 transcribed regions distributed throughout the Morex genome. We evaluated the quality of this polymorphism detection approach by analyzing 387 RNA-Seq-derived SNPs using amplicon sequencing. More than 85% of the RNA-Seq SNPs were validated using the highly redundant reads from the amplicon sequencing, although half of the indels and multiple-allele loci showed different polymorphisms between the platforms. These results demonstrated that our RNA-Seq-based de novo polymorphism detection system generates genome-wide markers, even in the closely related barley genotypes used in breeding programs

Japanese language instruciton under MEXT 2008 course of study : Learning for developing students' universe of language through transactions with words of others

本研究は,学習者が自分のまわりの他者と出会いかかわり合うことをとおして,自分自身の言葉の世界を広げ,自らの学びを探究していくことができるようにするための効果的な指導法を開発していくことを目的としている。そこで,小学1年生と小学4年生において,他者の言葉として教科書以外のテキストを位置付け,言葉をとおしたかかわり合いの場を意図的,計画的に設定し,教科書本文との比較をとおして読みを深める実践を試みた。1年生では,教科書と絵本を比べることによって,共通点や相違点に気付き,物語の本質的なおもしろさに迫っていくことができた。4年生では,自分の読みをもたせることを大切にした結果,子どもたちは自分たちの考えと比べて感想や疑問を抱きながら本文を読み,主体的な読みを生み出すことができた。二つの実践をとおして,学年やねらいに応じて他者の言葉を設定することの有効性がわかった。その際,他者の言葉を吟味して選択するとともに,比べ方や比べる視点を明確にすることが必要であると感じた。今後は,他者の言葉として,テキストとともに学習者同士のかかわり合いを,授業の中に効果的に生かすことのできる単元づくりを試みたい

Análisis de las comorbilidades en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa: una herramienta para prevenir las exacerbaciones en casos de colitis ulcerosa

There have been previous studies, especially in Western countries and even in some areas in Asia, about extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs) and its link with the outcome of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD), and ulcerative colitis (UC). This link is crucial when discussing a patient’s prognosis and important when dealing with UC management. The aim of this study was to clarify the most common comorbidities associated with UC, emphasizing immunologic comorbidities in Japan. This study was a retrospective analysis performed at Nagoya University Hospital. The data collection started in March, 2019, and continued for two years. We retrieved the medical records of 105 patients with UC diagnosis, from which the data of 176 EIMs were extracted and analyzed. Results showed that EIMs with UC in the active phase accounted for 43.7% of total EIMs. Twenty-six patients with immune-mediated inflammatory disease frequently had an active phase (odds ratio [OR] 3.84, 99% CI, 1.44–10.27). Comorbidities showing an active manifestation of symptoms and UC in the active phase were significantly correlated in patients with immunological comorbidities, such as peripheral arthritis (r = 0.97, p < 0.01) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (r = 0.99, p < 0.01), as well as in patients with primary sclerosis cholangitis (PSC) (r = 0.98, p < 0.01). In conclusion, this analysis suggests the importance of having full comprehension of how immunological comorbidities affect the natural development of UC, which is of vital importance to prevent further UC complications and properly adjust the management of the disease.Se trata de un análisis retrospectivo que estudia múltiples comorbilidades de índole inmunológico que se da en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa. Este estudio se llevó a cabo en el hospital universitario de la Universidad de Nagoya. Se recolectó datos de 105 pacientes con colitis ulcerosa, de los cuales 176 comorbilidades extraintestinales fueron analizadas. Se encontró que comorbilidades con manifestación activa de síntomas y con colitis ulcerosa en fase activa fueron significativamente correlacionadas en pacientes con comorbilidades inmunológicas, tales como artritis periféricas (r=O.97, P<O.OI ), artritis reumatoide (r=O.99, P<O.OI ), así como pacientes con colangitis esclerosa primaria (r=O.98, P<O.OI ). En conclusión, este análisis sugiere la importancia de tener plena comprensión de cómo las comorbilidades inmunológicas afectan el desarrollo natural de la colitis ulcerosa, lo cual es de vital importancia para prevenir mayores complicaciones de la colitis ulcerosa y ajustar adecuadamente el manejo de la enfermedad.Japón. Ministerio de Educación, Cultura, Deportes, Ciencia y Tecnología (Monbukagakusho)Artículo de investigació

Effects of Visual Cues during Listening Comprehension with Chinese Learners of Advanced Japanese: An Experimental Study on Images and Key Words

Many studies have confirmed that visual cues provide considerable help to language learners in listening comprehension. However. no conclusion has yet been reached as to whether images or text are more effective as visual cues. The purpose of the present study was to examine and compare the different effects between verbal (text) and non-verbal (images) cues on listening comprehension. Twenty Chinese learners of advanced Japanese were divided into an image group or text group. Participants in the two groups were asked to examine related images or key words. while listening to the reading of three short articles in Japanese, each lasting around 1 minute. After one article was finished. the participants were asked to recall the content of the article in their mother tongue (LI) by writing it down immediately. They then answered true or false questions about the general ideas presented in the article. From a comparison of the test results of the two groups, the following conclusions were made. For these language learners who were proficient in Japanese. the image cues and text cues had almost have same effect in terms of listening comprehension. However. the image cues were clearly more effective than text cues in remembering the general ideas expressed in the article

Development of Genome-Wide SNP Markers for Barley via Reference- Based RNA-Seq Analysis

Marker-assisted selection of crop plants requires DNA markers that can distinguish between the closely related strains often used in breeding. The availability of reference genome sequence facilitates the generation of markers, by elucidating the genomic positions of new markers as well as of their neighboring sequences. In 2017, a high quality genome sequence was released for the six-row barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivar Morex. Here, we developed a de novo RNA-Seq-based genotyping procedure for barley strains used in Japanese breeding programs. Using RNA samples from the seedling shoot, seedling root, and immature flower spike, we mapped next-generation sequencing reads onto the transcribed regions, which correspond to ∼590 Mb of the whole ∼4.8-Gbp reference genome sequence. Using 150 samples from 108 strains, we detected 181,567 SNPs and 45,135 indels located in the 28,939 transcribed regions distributed throughout the Morex genome. We evaluated the quality of this polymorphism detection approach by analyzing 387 RNA-Seq-derived SNPs using amplicon sequencing. More than 85% of the RNA-Seq SNPs were validated using the highly redundant reads from the amplicon sequencing, although half of the indels and multiple-allele loci showed different polymorphisms between the platforms. These results demonstrated that our RNA-Seq-based de novo polymorphism detection system generates genome-wide markers, even in the closely related barley genotypes used in breeding programs

Protein kinase D regulates positive selection of CD4+ thymocytes through phosphorylation of SHP-1

Thymic selection shapes an appropriate T cell antigen receptor (TCR) repertoire during T cell development. Here, we show that a serine/threonine kinase, protein kinase D (PKD), is crucial for thymocyte positive selection. In T cell-specific PKD-deficient (PKD2/PKD3 double-deficient) mice, the generation of CD4 single positive thymocytes is abrogated. This defect is likely caused by attenuated TCR signalling during positive selection and incomplete CD4 lineage specification in PKD-deficient thymocytes; however, TCR-proximal tyrosine phosphorylation is not affected. PKD is activated in CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes on stimulation with positively selecting peptides. By phosphoproteomic analysis, we identify SH2-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1) as a direct substrate of PKD. Substitution of wild-type SHP-1 by phosphorylation-defective mutant (SHP-1S557A) impairs generation of CD4+ thymocytes. These results suggest that the PKD–SHP-1 axis positively regulates TCR signalling to promote CD4+ T cell development