Forcing Culture of Limonium sinuatum Mil. Using Cutting Plants

With the aim of preventing devernalization of statice (Limonium sinuatum Mill.) during summer in order to force the production of cut flowers harvestable from autumn, plants of cvs. 'La Mer' and 'Sunday Pink' were propagated by cuttings in late spring to late summer. Flowering stock plants were cut back thoroughtly, and after 15 days newly emerged vegetative buds were divided individually and rooted under intermittent mist. The rooted cuttings were planted in plastic pots and raised for 30 days followed by transplanting into wooden containers (36×60×D 18cm), 5 plants a container. During the two month's period after propagation, all emerging flower stalks were removed to allow a vigorous vegetative growth of plants. Plants propagated on 16 May, 15 June and 15 July, produced cut flowers starting from October, unlike those that were propagated on 14 August which did not flower until December. However, cut flowers of higher quality were mainly obtained from those plants that were propagated on 15 July. In addition, when the young propagated on 15 July were raised in the open field and under trees or in a cool house system, starting from October they produced more cut flowers that were of even higher quality than those raised in a plastic house. Only the plants that received water stress treatment during the potting stage flowered from November. There, from this forcing culture using cutting plants, marketable cut flowers of statice can be obtained from October without the usual requirement of low/cool temperature treatment.スターチス・シヌアータ(Limonium sinuatum Mill.)は、耐寒性の強い宿根草であるが、日本では栽培上秋まき一年生草として扱われている。スターチス・シヌアータは春化型の植物であり、一定期間の定温に遭遇した後、花茎を抽台として開花する6,8)。その後高温に遭遇すると脱春化して開花しないか、著しく開花が抑制される。Shilloは高温で生育した株はロゼットが破れず開花しなかったが、幼苗期を低温で経過した株は開花が著しく促進されることにより、開花には低温が必要であることを報告した9)。藤田は展開葉10枚程度の苗を1～2℃で40日間冷蔵すると抽台・開花が促進されることを明らかにした4)。また、吾妻らは、スターチス・シヌアータの催芽種子を2～3℃で30日間処理すると抽台・開花が促進され、種子発芽の段階でも定温に感応する種子春化型植物であることを明らかにした2)。しかし、冷蔵した苗も低温処理した種子もその後の高温で脱春化する2,4)。そこで吾妻・犬伏は種子低温処理と冷房育苗とを組み合わせ、脱春化を回避して10月から採花する栽培法を開発した3)。著者らは予備実験により、7月頃にまだ催花状態にある株から芽を取って挿し芽し、小苗で夏を越させると脱春化しないで開花し続け、10月中旬からの採花が可能であることを認めた。本実験ではスターチス・シヌアータの挿し芽苗による脱春化の防止について検討し、その結果をもとに早期促成栽培への基礎データを得ようとした。まず、採し芽の時期による脱春化防止の程度について調査し、次に7月中旬挿し芽苗の育苗方法について検討した

高齢者における睡眠の質と夜間頻尿関連 : 在宅脳波データを用いた地域密着研究

PURPOSE: We objectively investigated the relationship between sleep quality/efficiency and factors associated with micturition using at-home electroencephalogram assessment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Participants were recruited from among those enrolled in the Fujiwara-kyo Study, a community based longitudinal evaluation that began in Nara Prefecture, Japan, in 2007. Included participants were men at least 65 years old who woke up in the middle of the night/early morning at least 3 times per week with the urge to void. We evaluated lower urinary tract symptoms using the I-PSS and subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Uroflowmetry and 3-day frequency volume charting measurements were also obtained. Electroencephalogram recordings were obtained during sleep to evaluate objective sleep quality. RESULTS: Final analysis included data from 47 participants. I-PSS-quality of life score and slow wave sleep time were independent predictors of good subjective sleep quality as determined by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. Nocturnal urinary volume was an independent predictor of greater sleep efficiency. Maximum flow rate was an independent predictor of longer slow wave sleep time. CONCLUSIONS: In elderly men with nocturia, sleep quality is associated with lower urinary tract function. Higher subjective sleep quality is associated with longer slow wave sleep time and less severe lower urinary tract symptoms. Higher objective sleep quality is further associated with a higher urinary flow rate and lower nocturnal urinary volume.博士（医学）・甲第669号・平成29年3月15日Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Re-Evaluation of the PBAN Receptor Molecule: Characterization of PBANR Variants Expressed in the Pheromone Glands of Moths

Sex pheromone production in most moths is initiated following pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide receptor (PBANR) activation. PBANR was initially cloned from pheromone glands (PGs) of Helicoverpa zea and Bombyx mori. The B. mori PBANR is characterized by a relatively long C-terminus that is essential for ligand-induced internalization, whereas the H. zea PBANR has a shorter C-terminus that lacks features present in the B. mori PBANR critical for internalization. Multiple PBANRs have been reported to be concurrently expressed in the larval CNS of Heliothis virescens. In the current study, we sought to examine the prevalence of multiple PBANRs in the PGs of three moths and to ascertain their potential functional relevance. Multiple PBANR variants (As, A, B, and C) were cloned from the PGs of all species examined with PBANR-C the most highly expressed. Alternative splicing of the C-terminal coding sequence of the PBAN gene gives rise to the variants, which are distinguishable only by the length and composition of their respective C-terminal tails. Transient expression of fluorescent PBANR chimeras in insect cells revealed that PBANR-B and PBANR-C localized exclusively to the cell surface while PBANR-As and PBANR-A exhibited varying degrees of cytosolic localization. Similarly, only the PBANR-B and PBANR-C variants underwent ligand-induced internalization. Taken together, our results suggest that PBANR-C is the principal receptor molecule involved in PBAN signaling regardless of moth species. The high GC content of the C-terminal coding sequence in the B and C variants, which makes amplification using conventional polymerases difficult, likely accounts for previous “preferential” amplification of PBANR-A like receptors from other species

高速溶媒抽出およびゲル浸透クロマトグラフクリーンアップを用いたホンビノス貝（Mercenaria mercenaria）中微量ピレスロイド系農薬分析法の検討

内分泌かく乱作用が懸念されるピレスロイド系農薬の環境生態系への影響を把握することを目的に、貝類中微量ピレスロイド系農薬の分析方法の開発を試みた。ホンビノス貝（Mercenaria mercenaria）を対象に5種ピレスロイド系農薬（ビフェントリン、ペルメトリン、シペルメトリン、フェンバレレート、デルタメトリン）を添加して、微量濃度における回収率（ホンビノス貝中各農薬濃度0.1ppm）および分析の迅速性、クリーンアップ処理の妥当性について検討した。農薬分析の前処理には高速溶媒抽出およびゲル浸透クロマトグラフクリーンアップを採用した。結果、ビフェントリン、ペルメトリン、シペルメトリン、フェンバレレートおよびデルタメトリンの回収率はそれぞれ67、86、76、82および79％であり、「食品中に残留する農薬等に関する試験法の妥当性評価ライン」（平成22年12月厚生労働省医薬食品局食品安全部長通知）に定められた回収率の目標値（70〜120％）のほぼ範囲内であった。また、高速溶媒抽出により分析時間の短縮等有効な抽出ができ、ゲル浸透クロマトグラフクリーンアップ法を取り入れたことでガスクロマトグラフ/質量分析時の夾雑物質による検出器等の汚染や定量感度の低下が解消された

Potent PPARα Activator Derived from Tomato Juice, 13-oxo-9,11-Octadecadienoic Acid, Decreases Plasma and Hepatic Triglyceride in Obese Diabetic Mice

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for development of several obesity-related diseases. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates energy metabolism. Previously, we reported that 9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid (9-oxo-ODA) is presented in fresh tomato fruits and acts as a PPARα agonist. In addition to 9-oxo-ODA, we developed that 13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (13-oxo-ODA), which is an isomer of 9-oxo-ODA, is present only in tomato juice. In this study, we explored the possibility that 13-oxo-ODA acts as a PPARα agonist in vitro and whether its effect ameliorates dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis in vivo. In vitro luciferase assay experiments revealed that 13-oxo-ODA significantly induced PPARα activation; moreover, the luciferase activity of 13-oxo-ODA was stronger than that of 9-oxo-ODA and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is a precursor of 13-oxo-ODA and is well-known as a potent PPARα activator. In addition to in vitro experiment, treatment with 13-oxo-ODA decreased the levels of plasma and hepatic triglycerides in obese KK-Ay mice fed a high-fat diet. In conclusion, our findings indicate that 13-oxo-ODA act as a potent PPARα agonist, suggesting a possibility to improve obesity-induced dyslipidemia and hepatic steatosis

A functional polymorphism in the epidermal growth factor gene predicts hepatocellular carcinoma risk in Japanese hepatitis C patients

Background: A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene (rs4444903) has been associated with increased risk of cancer, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the EGF SNP genotype and the development and prognosis of HCC, in a Japanese population. Methods: Restriction fragment-length polymorphism was used to determine the presence of the EGF SNP genotype in 498 patients, including 208 patients with HCC. The level of EGF messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression in cancerous tissues was measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The correlation between the EGF SNP genotype and prognosis was statistically analyzed in the patients with HCC. Results: The proportion of the A/A, A/G, and G/G genotypes were 5.3%, 42.8%, and 51.9%, respectively, in the patients with HCC, whereas in those without HCC, they were 8.6%, 35.9%, and 55.5%, respectively, revealing that the odds ratio (OR) of developing HCC was higher in patients with a G allele (OR =1.94, P=0.080 for A/G patients and OR =1.52, P=0.261 for G/G patients, as compared with A/A patients). In particular, when the analysis was limited to the 363 patients with hepatitis C, the OR for developing HCC was 3.54 (P=0.014) for A/G patients and was 2.85 (P=0.042) for G/G patients, as compared with A/A patients. Tumoral EGF mRNA expression in G/G patients was significantly higher than that in A/A patients (P=0.033). No statistically significant differences were observed between the EGF SNP genotype and diseasefree or overall survival. Conclusion: The EGF SNP genotype might be associated with a risk for the development of HCC in Japanese patients but not with prognosis. Of note, the association is significantly stronger in patients with hepatitis C, which is the main risk factor for HCC in Japan

The safety and usefulness of the single incision, transabdominal pre-peritoneal (TAPP) laparoscopic technique for inguinal hernia

Background : The safety and usefulness of the SILS-TAPP (transabdominal preperitoneal) procedure remain unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the safety and usefulness of the SILS-TAPP procedure compared with standard laparoscopic TAPP and TEPP (totally extra-peritoneal pre-peritoneal) procedures. Patients and methods : 85 patients underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs (TEPP, 30 patients ; TAPP, 20 patients ; SILS-TAPP, 35 patients) from 2007 to 2011. The operative outcomes of the three groups were compared. Results : There was no difference in the patients’ characteristics among the three groups. The TEPP Group had a longer operation time. One patient in the SILS-TAPP group had an intraoperative complication. One patient in the TAPP group had a postoperative complication, and one patient had ileus and one had an umbilical hernia in the SILS-TAPP group. The postoperative hospital stay was not significantly different among the three groups. There were no recurrences in the TEPP group, 1 case of recurrence (5.0%) in the TAPP group, and 1 case (2.9%) in the SILS-TAPP group. Conclusions : The present findings show that the SILS-TAPP repair is safe and feasible for the repair of adult inguinal hernia

りんごに塗布した５種ピレスロイド系農薬の残留性に関する評価―経時的観察および水洗・ふきとりによる除去効果―

りんごに５種ピレスロイド系農薬（ビフェントリン、ペルメトリン、シペルメトリン、フェンバレレート、デルタメトリン）を低濃度（残留基準濃度；0.5ppm）塗布後、室温・明所下で７日間保存した。保存１日後、４日後、７日後に可食部について残留農薬濃度を分析した。結果、Ⅰ型ピレスロイド（ビフェントリン、ペルメトリン）は保存１、４、７日後にそれぞれ0.26、0.12、0.06ppm、Ⅱ型ピレスロイド（シペルメトリン、フェンバレレート、デルタメトリン）は0.44、0.37、0.35ppmに減少した。１日間および７日間保存のりんごについて、果皮および果肉に分けて残留農薬の分析を行った結果、果肉は７日間保存の試料にだけⅡ型農薬（シペルメトリン、フェンバレレート、デルタメトリン）が微量検出され、果肉中農薬量／果皮中農薬量の割合は3.0～4.9％であった。　次いで、りんご果皮に付着している農薬の除去法について検討した。りんごに同様の低濃度農薬を塗布して、水洗およびふきとり操作を行った。可食部について農薬分析を行った結果、水洗操作では５種ピレスロイド系農薬の残留率は93～99％、ふきとり操作では22％～42％であり、水洗による農薬除去は期待できなかったが、ふきとりは農薬除去に有効であった

ヒダイショウセイ カンコウヘン ト シンフゼン オ トモナウ セイジン コウツウセイ インノウ スイシュ ニ タイシテ ツリアゲシキ LPECホウ オ シコウシタ 1レイ

We report Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure（LPEC）by lifting abdominal wall is safe and feasible for an adult communicating hydrocele with decompensated cirrhosis and heart failure. The patient was a７1-year-old man with communicating hydrocele. He has been treated for several years for alcoholic liver cirrhosis, diabetes and sick sinus syndrome. Preoperative laboratory examination showed a decrease in platelet count, liver dysfunction, hypoxemia, restrictive impairment and heart failure. Enhanced pelvic computed tomography scan revealed a continuous low density area in the right inguinal region from the scrotum. Outside of the right inferior epigastric artery and vein, the abdominal cavity and scrotum were communicated. Thus, right communicating hydrocele was diagnosed. To avoid complications due to pneumoperitoneum, LPEC with lifting abdominal wall was performed. There were no intra-and post-operative complications, and there has been no recurrence