The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19患者由来の血液細胞における遺伝子発現の網羅的解析 --重症度に応じた遺伝子発現の変化には、ヒトゲノム配列の個人差が影響する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-23.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

XVII th World Congress of the International Commission of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (CIGR) FOOD AND BIOMASS PRODUCTION IN SMALL OIL EXPRESSION FACILITIES CSBE100576 -Section IV: Rural Electricity and Alternative Energy Sources

ABSTRACT In this study, first, rapeseeds were separated; high quality seed for food oil and low quality seed for biofuels. Next, a laboratory-scale oilseed screw press was used to investigate the effects of choke opening and seed preheating on the rapeseed pressing performance and the quality of food oil and biofuels oil. As maximum pressure increased, oil recovery increased, but chlorophyll content of rapeseed oil was increased too. Especially, acid value of the rapeseed oil extracted from low quality seeds had high value. For the rapeseed pressing performance, the rapeseed heated by microwaves yielded more oil than that without heating. And the chlorophyll content of rapeseed oil extracted from the rapeseed treated by microwaves was higher than that without heating. The NEB ratio of microwave heating press with choke opening set at 8.0 mm is advantageous. And the oil extracted by this method was good and basically fulfilled the Codex Alimentarius requirements for edible oils

Gibberellic acid and trunk girdling effect on ‘rubi’ table grape clusters/ <br> Efeito do ácido giberélico e anelamento de tronco nas características dos cachos da videira ‘rubi’

This research was an attempt to compare the gibberellic acid and trunk girdling effect on some clusters characteristics of table grapes in the northwest of Parana State, Brazil. The trial was carried out in a commercial vineyard of a 5-year-old ‘Rubi’ (Vitis vinifera L.). A randomized block design with 5 treatments and 5 replications was used as a statistical model. Each plot was composed by 6 clusters. For gibberellic acid application, the commercial product ProGibb®, containing 10% of the plant regulator, was used. The following treatments were evaluated (dosis of active ingredient): Control (without application); b. 1,5 g/100 L; c. 3,0 g/100 L; d. 6,0 g/100 L and; e. Girdling. All treatments were applied 30 days after bloom. For treatments b, c and d, the plant regulator was applied on clusters using a manual sprayer until run-off, adding no spread sticker. Girdling (treatment e) consisted of removing a narrow ring of bark entirely round of the trunk using a double-bladed 3.1 mm knife, 1.5 m far from the ground. During the harvesting, the following production characteristics were evaluated: weight and size of clusters and; weight, width and total soluble solids of berries (TSS) (oBrix). It was not observed differences between treatments in relation to the weight and size of clusters, however, for weight and width of berries, the best results were observed for treatments c e e (dose 3,0 g/100 L and girdling, respectively). Girdling also provided higher TSS in relation to other treatments.O presente trabalho foi realizado visando-se comparar o efeito da aplicação do ácido giberélico e do anelamento do tronco sobre algumas características dos cachos de uvas de mesa na região noroeste do Paraná. O ensaio foi realizado em uma parreira da videira ‘Rubi’ (Vitis vinifera L.), conduzida com poda longa em latada, com 5 anos de idade. O delineamento empregado foi o de blocos ao acaso com 5 repetições e 5 tratamentos, sendo cada parcela composta por 6 cachos. Para a aplicação do ácido giberélico, utilizou-se o produto comercial ProGibb®, contendo 10% do regulador de crescimento. Os tratamentos estudados foram (doses do ingrediente ativo): a. Testemunha (sem aplicação); b. 1,5 g/100 L; c. 3,0 g/100 L; d. 6,0 g/100 L e; e. Anelamento do tronco. Os tratamentos foram aplicados aos 30 dias após o pleno florescimento das plantas. Para a aplicação dos tratamentos b, c e d utilizou-se um pulverizador manual, direcionando-se a calda somente sobre os cachos até o ponto de escorrimento, sem a adição de espalhante. O anelamento (tratamento e) consistiu na remoção da casca do tronco das plantas de aproximadamente 3-4 mm de largura, utilizando-se um incisor de lâmina dupla a uma altura de 1,5 m do solo. Avaliou-se, por ocasião da colheita algumas características da produção como: peso e comprimento dos cachos; peso e largura das bagas e total de sólidos solúveis (SST) (oBrix) das bagas. Não foram observadas diferenças entre os tratamentos quanto ao peso e comprimento dos cachos; entretanto, para o peso e largura das bagas, os melhores resultados foram obtidos pelos tratamentos c e e (dose 3,0 g/100 L e anelamento do tronco, respectivamente), sendo que este último apresentou também maior acúmulo de SST nas bagas entre os demais tratamentos

Taste Disorder As A Common Cause Of Enhanced Salt Intake In Dialysis Patients

Salt intake is a key, but hard-to achieve target of nutrition guidance in chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients. In this study, we examined the influence of hypogeusia on oral salt intake in 34 HD patients (mean age: 59 years old) with dialysis vintage over 15 years. Their salt intake was calculated by Kimura’s formula (Int J Artif Organs, 1988) with pre- and post HD serum sodium concentrations and body weight gain between dialysis sessions. Hypogeusia was evaluated by gustatory tests by filter-paper disc. Average estimated salt intake was 9.5+/−2.7 g/day (160% of recommended salt intake by Japanese CKD guideline). HD patients showed lower sensitivity for salt than normal populations. Scores for salty taste were lower in patients taking less than 10 g of salt (Group L) than those taking more than 10 g (Group H). There was no difference in BMI or protein intake between these two groups. More prevalent use of spices in cooking was confirmed by dietary survey in Group L than Group H. In conclusion, enhanced salt intake in HD patients is partly due to taste disorder (less sensitive to salty taste). It may be possible to decrease enhanced salt intake by appropriate use of spices

Evaluation of shoot growth and fruitful buds of ‘niagara rosada’ grape submitted to different units of pruning/ <br> Avaliação da brotação e da fertilidade de gemas da videira ‘niagara rosada’ submetida a diferentes intensidades de poda de frutificação

This research was an attempt to evaluate different units and dates of pruning for ‘Niagara Rosada’ grape produced out of season in the Northwest of Parana state, Brazil. The trial was carried out in a 5-year-old commercial vineyard budded on ‘Riparia do Traviú’ rootstock, located at Marialva city, PR. The vineyard was trained in a horizontal bilateral cordon and planted in a 2,0 m x 1,0 m spacing. The following treatments were evaluated according to the number os buds left on cane or spur: a. cane-pruning (6-8 buds) on january 5th, 2001; b. half-long pruning (4-5 buds) on january 5th, 2001; c. spur-pruning (1-2 buds) on january 5th, 2001; d. cane-pruning (6-8 buds) on january 19th, 2001; e. half-long pruning (4-5 buds) on january 19th, 2001; f. spur-pruning (1-2 buds) on january 19th, 2001. All treatments were applied after the harvesting originated from winter pruning made on July, 2000. A randomized block with 6 treatments and 4 replications in a 3 x 2 factor design (3 units of pruning x 2 periods) was used as a statistical model. Each plot was composed by 4 trees. The following parameters were compared through variance analysis: porcentage of shooting buds and porcentage of shooting buds with clusters. Spur-pruning treatments (1-2 buds) showed the lowest averages for shooting and porcentage of shooting buds with clusters, whereas the cane and half-long pruning treatments (6-8 and 4-5 buds, respectively) showed the highest averages for these paratemers, indicating that both pruning intensities are more appropriate for out of season production of this cultivar. There was no difference between the dates of pruning in relation to the evaluated parameters.O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a aplicação de diferentes intensidades e épocas de poda de frutificação para a produção fora de época da videira ‘Niagara Rosada’ na região noroeste do Paraná. O ensaio foi conduzido em uma plantação comercial de 5 anos de idade enxertada sobre ‘Riparia do Traviú’, localizada no município de Marialva, PR, conduzida no sistema de espaldeira em cordão bilateral em espaçamento 2,0 m entre linhas por 1,0 m entre plantas. Foram estudadas as seguintes intensidades de poda em relação ao número de gemas deixadas por sarmento ou esporão: a. poda longa (6-8 gemas), época 1 (05/01/2001); b. poda média (4-5 gemas), época 1 (05/01/2001); c. poda curta (1-2 gemas), época 1 (05/01/2001); d. poda longa (6-8 gemas), época 2 (19/01/2001); e. poda média (4-5 gemas), época 2 (19/01/2001); f. poda curta (1-2 gemas), época 2 (19/01/2001). Todos os tratamentos foram aplicados após a colheita originada da poda de inverno realizada em julho de 2000. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso, com 6 tratamentos e 4 repetições, em esquema fatorial 3 x 2 (3 intensidades de poda x 2 épocas de poda), sendo cada parcela constituída por 4 plantas. Foram comparados, através de análise de variância, os seguintes parâmetros: porcentagem de gemas brotadas e; porcentagem de gemas brotadas com cachos. A poda curta (1-2 gemas) apresentou as menores médias para porcentagem de gemas brotadas e porcentagem de gemas brotadas com cacho, enquanto os tratamentos onde empregou-se as podas longa e média (6-8 e 4-5 gemas, respectivamente), resultaram nas maiores médias para estes dois parâmetros, indicando serem mais apropriados para a produção fora de época desta cultivar. Não foram observadas diferenças entre as épocas de realização das podas para os parâmetros avaliados