Utilizing the Effective Xanthophyll Cycle for Blooming of Ochromonas smithii and O. itoi (Chrysophyceae) on the Snow Surface

Snow algae inhabit unique environments such as alpine and high latitudes, and can grow and bloom with visualizing on snow or glacier during spring-summer. The chrysophytes Ochromonas smithii and Ochromonas itoi are dominant in yellow-colored snow patches in mountainous heavy snow areas from late May to early June. It is considered to be effective utilizing the xanthophyll cycle and holding sunscreen pigments as protective system for snow algae blooming in the vulnerable environment such as low temperature and nutrients, and strong light, however the study on the photoprotection of chrysophytes snow algae has not been shown. To dissolve how the chrysophytes snow algae can grow and bloom under such an extreme environment, we studied with the object of light which is one point of significance to this problem. We collected the yellow snows and measured photosynthetically active radiation at Mt. Gassan in May 2008 when the bloom occurred, then tried to establish unialgal cultures of O. smithii and O. itoi, and examined their photosynthetic properties by a PAM chlorophyll fluorometer and analyzed the pigment compositions before and after illumination with high-light intensities to investigate the working xanthophyll cycle. This experimental study using unialgal cultures revealed that both O. smithii and O. itoi utilize only the efficient violaxanthin cycle for photoprotection as a dissipation system of surplus energy under prolonged high-light stress, although they possess chlorophyll c with diadinoxanthin

Two cases of breast carcinoma with osteoclastic giant cells: Are the osteoclastic giant cells pro-tumoural differentiation of macrophages?

Breast carcinoma with osteoclastic giant cells (OGCs) is characterized by multinucleated OGCs, and usually displays inflammatory hypervascular stroma. OGCs may derive from tumor-associated macrophages, but their nature remains controversial. We report two cases, in which OGCs appear in common microenvironment despite different tumoural histology. A 44-year-old woman (Case 1) had OGCs accompanying invasive ductal carcinoma, and an 83-year-old woman (Case 2) with carcinosarcoma. Immunohistochemically, in both cases, tumoural and non-tumoural cells strongly expressed VEGF and MMP12, which promote macrophage migration and angiogenesis. The Chalkley count on CD-31-stained sections revealed elevated angiogenesis in both cases. The OGCs expressed bone-osteoclast markers (MMP9, TRAP, cathepsin K) and a histiocyte marker (CD68), but not an MHC class II antigen, HLA-DR. The results indicate a pathogenesis: regardless of tumoural histology, OGCs derive from macrophages, likely in response to hypervascular microenvironments with secretion of common cytokines. The OGCs have acquired bone-osteoclast-like characteristics, but lost antigen presentation abilities as an anti-cancer defense. Appearance of OGCs may not be anti-tumoural immunological reactions, but rather pro-tumoural differentiation of macrophage responding to hypervascular microenvironments induced by breast cancer

Molecular phylogeny of the higher and lower taxonomy of the Fusarium genus and differences in the evolutionary histories of multiple genes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Species of the <it>Fusarium </it>genus are important fungi which is associated with health hazards in human and animals. The taxonomy of this genus has been a subject of controversy for many years. Although many researchers have applied molecular phylogenetic analysis to examine the taxonomy of <it>Fusarium </it>species, their phylogenetic relationships remain unclear only few comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of the <it>Fusarium </it>genus and a lack of suitable nucleotides and amino acid substitution rates. A previous stugy with whole genome comparison among <it>Fusairum </it>species revealed the possibility that each gene in <it>Fusarium </it>genomes has a unique evolutionary history, and such gene may bring difficulty to the reconstruction of phylogenetic tree of <it>Fusarium</it>. There is a need not only to check substitution rates of genes but also to perform the exact evaluation of each gene-evolution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We performed phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequences of the rDNA cluster region (rDNA cluster), and the β-tubulin gene (<it>β-tub</it>), the elongation factor 1α gene (<it>EF-1α</it>), and the aminoadipate reductase gene (<it>lys2</it>). Although incongruence of the tree topologies between <it>lys2 </it>and the other genes was detected, all genes supported the classification of <it>Fusarium </it>species into 7 major clades, I to VII. To obtain a reliable phylogeny for <it>Fusarium </it>species, we excluded the <it>lys2 </it>sequences from our dataset, and re-constructed a maximum likelihood (ML) tree based on the combined data of the rDNA cluster, <it>β-tub</it>, and <it>EF-1α</it>. Our ML tree indicated some interesting relationships in the higher and lower taxa of <it>Fusarium </it>species and related genera. Moreover, we observed a novel evolutionary history of <it>lys2</it>. We suggest that the unique tree topologies of <it>lys2 </it>are not due to an analytical artefact, but due to differences in the evolutionary history of genomes caused by positive selection of particular lineages.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study showed the reliable species tree of the higher and lower taxonomy in the lineage of the <it>Fusarium </it>genus. Our ML tree clearly indicated 7 major clades within the <it>Fusarium </it>genus. Furthermore, this study reported differences in the evolutionary histories among multiple genes within this genus for the first time.</p

Tectonic Evolution of the Sambagawa Schists and its Implications in Convergent Margin Processes

The Sambagawa schists as high P /T metamorphic rocks are a member of Mesozoic accretionary complexes developed in the southern front of the Kurosegawa-Koryoke continent of Southwest Japan. The Mesozoic accretionary complexes are divided into four megaunits developed as nappes, Chichibu megaunit II, Sambagawa megaunit, Chichibu megaunit I and Shimanto megaunit in descending order of structural level. The Chichibu megaunit II consists of three accretionary units developed as nappes, late early Jurassic unit, late middle Jurassic unit and latest Jurassic unit (Mikabu unit) in descending order of structural level. The Chichibu megaunit I consists of five accretionary units developed as nappes, late middle Jurassic unit (Niyodo unit), late Jurassic unit, Valanginian unit, Barremian unit and Albian unit in descending order of structural level. The Shimanto megaunit, which just underlies the Chichibu megaunit I, is Cenomanian-Turonian accretionary unit and Coniacian-Campanian accretionary unit. The schists, which underlie the Chichibu megaunit II, all have been so far called the Sambagawa schists. These are divided into six units, Saruta unit, Fuyunose unit, Sogauchi unit, Sakamoto unit, Oboke unit and Tatsuyama unit in descending order of structural level, which show different tectono-metamorphic history and different radiometric ages from each other. The Sakamoto unit, Oboke unit and Tatsuyama unit have been assumed with reference to their radiometric ages and structural relations to belong to the late middle Jurassic accretionary unit of the Chichibu megaunit I (high pressure equivalent of the Niyodo unit), the Cenomanian-Turonian accretionary unit of the Shimanto megaunit and the Coniacian-Campanian accretionary unit of the Shimanto megaunit respectively in this paper. The upper member of the Sambagawa schists, Saruta unit, Fuyunose unit and Sogauchi unit, is therefore called the Sambagawa megaunit in this paper. The northern half and the southern half of the Sambagawa megaunit are intercalated as nappes between the Chichibu megaunit II and the Oboke unit and between the Chichibu megaunit II and the Sakamoto unit respectively. The constituent units of the Chichibu megaunit II, Sambagawa megaunit and Shimanto megaunit clearly show a downward younging age polarity, as compared with each other with reference to the oldest one of radiometric ages ( = metamorphic ages) of each unit. The Chichibu megaunit II and the Chichibu megaunit I show the same radiometric ages as compared between them with the same fossil age. The Saruta unit, Fuyunose unit and Sogauchi unit have therefore been assumed to be high pressure equivalent of Valanginian unit, that of Barremian unit and that of Albian unit of the Chichibu megaunit I respectively. These high pressure units were exhumed, separating the Chichibu supermegaunit into the Chichibu megaunit II and the Chichibu megaunit I and thrusting up onto the Chichibu megaunit I. On the basis of the growth history of amphibole in hematite-bearing basic schists of the Sambagawa megaunit, it has been assumed that the highest temperature metamorphism of the Fuyunose unit occurred, when it had been coupled with the Saruta unit which was exhuming, and that of the Sogauchi unit did through its coupling with the Fuyunose and Saruta units which were exhuming. In the subduction zone which was responsible for the formation of the Sambagawa megaunit, namely, the peak metamorphism of a newly subducted unit appears to have occurred when it had been coupled with previously subcreted units which were exhuming. It has been also clarified that the subduction of a new unit occurred mixing the lower pressure part of the pre-existing subcretion unit as tectonic blocks. There is a distinct difference in the oldest one of radiometric ages between constituent units of the Sambagawa schists, showing a downward younging age polarity. The oldest one of radiometric ages of each unit appears to approximate to the age of the ending of peak metamorphism and to the age (Eh age) of the beginning of its exhumation. Such the tectonics of the Sambagawa megaunit would be explained in term of two-way street model. Because the age (Sub age) of the beginning of the subduction of each unit can be assumed from its fossil age, the average velocity of the subduction and that of the exhumation of the Sambagawa megaunit in Shikoku have roughly been estimated to be ca. 0.9 mm/year and ca. 2.0 mm/year respectively. Deformation of quartz, whose style depends strongly upon strain rate, resulted in type I crossed girdle without conentration in Y even in the depth part of more than 10kb of the subduction zone, which was placed under temperature condition of much higher than 500°C, unlike the cases of magma-arcs where quartz c-axis fabrics with maximum concentration in Y are found in gneisses produced under temperature condition of lower than 500°C. Quartz deformation in the depth part of 15-17kb of the subduction zone appears to have occurred as dominant prism slip. The hanging wall of the Kurosegawa-Koryoke continent, which was placed at the depth of ca. 15-17 kb, thrust onto the Saruta unit at the depth of ca. 10-11 kb, accompanying intermingling of constituent rocks of the former and the latter and also mixing of various depth parts of the latter. The highest temperature metamorphism of the Saruta unit, which appears to have occurred under metamorphic condition of lower P /T than under that related to the formation of the general type of high P /T type metamorphic rocks, is ascribed to a contact metamorphism related to the overthrusting of the Kurosegawa-Koryoke continent. The thrusting of the Kurosegawa-Koryoke continent is ascribed to its collision with the Hida continent. The coupling of the previously subcreted Saruta unit with the newly subcreted Fuyunose unit occurred accompanying nearly isobaric cooling of the former. The great exhumation of the Saruta nappe (I + II) and Fuyunose nappe schists with great volume began together with the subcretion of the Sogauchi unit. The beginning age of the exhumation of the Sambagawa schists with great volume appears to coincide with that of the subduction of the Kula-Pacific ridge in Kyushu-Shikoku, which has been assumed by Kiminami et al. (1990). Namely, their great exhumation occurred with the progress of the subduction of the Kula-Pacific ridge with an eastward younging age polarity. The exhumation units, which were developed after the Mikabu unit, clearly show an eastward younging age polarity. Namely, these comparable with the Saruta unit, Fuyunose unit and Sogauchi unit are not found in central Japan and the Kanto Mountains. Rock deformation in the deformation related to the exhumation of the Sambagawa schists and their underlying schists appears to have commonly been of flattened type in mean strain. During the Ozu phase when the Kula-Pacific ridge subducted to the greater depth, the collapse of the Kurosegawa-Koryoke continent took again place, accompanying that of the pile nappe structures of the Sambagawa megaunit, Chichibu megaunit I and Oboke unit, and the thermal gradient along the plate boundary greatly changed, giving rise to medium P/T type metamorphism in the subduction zone (formation of the Tatsuyama nappe schists). The geological structures of the Sambagawa megaunit consist thus of two types of pile nappe structures, pre-Ozu phase pile nappe structures and Ozu phase pile nappe structures. The former is structures related to the coupling of the exhuming units ( = previously subcreted units) with the newly subcreted unit. The latter is structures showing the collapse of the former. The Ozu phase pile nappe structures are further divided into the pile nappe structures formed during the earlier stage (Tsuji stage) of the Ozu phase and these formed during the later stage (Futami stage). The former is disharmonic with reference to movement picture with the latter: The deformation related to the formation of the former, accompanying exhumation of the Oboke nappes, appears to contain a component of northward displacement, while that for the latter does a component of southward displacement. After the Ozu phase deformation the Sambagawa megaunit suffered the Hijikawa-Oboke phase folding, forming a series of sinistral en echelon upright folds. The relationship between the above-mentioned tectonic events of the Sambagawa megaunit and its surroundings and their radiometric ages is summarized as follows: [Original table is skipped. For more details, please refer to the full text.

Factors associated with recognition of the signs of dating violence by Japanese junior high school students

ObjectivesThis study investigated factors associated with the ability of Japanese junior high school students to recognize the signs of dating violence.MethodsDuring a period of 20 months (from June 2011 to January 2013), a survey was distributed to 3340 students aged 13–15 years in the second and third grades at 18 junior high schools in a Japanese prefecture. The survey examined gender, recognition of the signs of dating violence, knowledge of dating violence, self-esteem, attitudes toward sexual activity, attitudes toward an equal dating relationship, and relationships with school teachers. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of the ability of boys and girls respondents to recognize the signs of physical and psychological dating violence. Binary multiple logistic regression analysis was also performed to identify predictors of the ability of boys and girls respondents to recognize the sign of sexual dating violence. The Ethics Committee of Saga University Medical School approved the study protocol.ResultsA total of 3050 (91.3 %) students participated in this study (1547 boys and 1503 girls). Gender differences were noted with regard to the scores for some of the variables measured. The results indicated that boys who had more knowledge of dating violence, who focused on an equal dating relationship, and had a positive relationship with their teachers showed a greater ability to recognize the signs of dating violence. In addition, boys with a conservative attitude toward sexual activity showed a greater ability to recognize the signs of physical and sexual violence. Furthermore, girls with more knowledge of dating violence had a conservative attitude toward sexual activity, and girls who focused on an equal dating relationship showed greater ability to recognize the signs of dating violence.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that education programs to prevent dating violence should promote understanding about dating violence with consideration of gender differences and should foster better relations between students and teachers, as well as promoting the establishment of an equal dating relationship between boys and girls.Regular Articl

Optimizing the timing of 3.6 mg Pegfilgrastim Administration for Dose-Dense Chemotherapy in Japanese Patients with Breast Cancer

Perioperative dose-dense chemotherapy (DDCT) with pegfilgrastim (Peg) prophylaxis is a standard treatment for high-risk breast cancer. We explored the optimal timing of administration of 3.6 mg Peg, the dose approved in Japan. In the phase II feasibility study of DDCT (adriamycin+cyclophosphamide or epirubicin+cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel) for breast cancer, we investigated the feasibility, safety, neutrophil transition, and optimal timing of Peg treatment by administering Peg at days 2, 3, and 4 post-chemotherapy (P2, P3, and P4 groups, respectively). Among the 52 women enrolled, 13 were aged > 60 years. The anthracycline sequence was administered to P2 (n=33), P3 (n=5), and P4 (n=14) patients, and the taxane sequence to P2 (n=38) and P3 (n=6) patients. Both sequences showed no interaction between Peg administration timing and treatment discontinuation, treatment delay, or dose reduction. However, the relative dose intensity (RDI) was significantly different among the groups. The neutrophil count transition differed significantly among the groups receiving the anthracycline sequence. However, the neutrophil count remained in the appropriate range for both sequences in the P2 group. The timing of Peg administration did not substantially affect the feasibility or safety of DDCT. Postoperative day 2 might be the optimal timing for DDCT