Proton Transport in the Outer-Membrane Flavocytochrome Complex Limits the Rate of Extracellular Electron Transport

The microbial transfer of electrons to extracellularly located solid compounds, termed extracellular electron transport (EET), is critical for microbial electrode catalysis. Although the components of the EET pathway in the outer membrane (OM) have been identified, the role of electron/cation coupling in EET kinetics is poorly understood. We studied the dynamics of proton transport associated with EET in an OM flavocytochrome complex in Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1. Using a whole‐cell electrochemical assay, a significant kinetic isotope effect (KIE) was observed following the addition of deuterated water (D2O). The removal of a flavin cofactor or key components of the OM flavocytochrome complex significantly increased the KIE in the presence of D2O to values that were significantly larger than those reported for proton channels and ATP synthase, thus indicating that proton transport by OM flavocytochrome complexes limits the rate of EET

Recurrent, Tumor Mutation Burden-High, Cutaneous Angiosarcoma of the Scalp Treated with Pembrolizumab

Introduction: Chemoradiotherapy with taxanes is well-recognized as a first-line therapy for cutaneous angiosarcoma (CAS), but second-line therapy for CAS is still controversial. Case Presentation: In this report, we described a 75-year-old Japanese case of recurrent, tumor mutation burden-high CAS on the scalp treated with pembrolizumab. Our present case survived for 1 year despite of taxane refractory CAS with mediastinal lymph node metastasis, though the administration of anti-PD-1 Abs alone could not fully suppress the tumor progression of CAS. Conclusion: Since various factors such as pro-angiogenic molecules are correlated with the tumor progression in CAS, the administration of anti-PD-1 Abs alone could not fully suppress the tumor progression of CAS. Further novel anticancer drugs are needed in the future for the treatment of CAS

A novel approach for the endothelialization of xenogeneic decellularized vascular tissues by human cells utilizing surface modification and dynamic culture

Decellularized xenogeneic vascular grafts can be used in revascularization surgeries. We have developed decellularization methods using high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), which preserves the extracellular structure. Here, we attempted ex vivo endothelialization of HHP-decellularized xenogeneic tissues using human endothelial cells (ECs) to prevent clot formation against human blood. Slices of porcine aortic endothelium were decellularized using HHP and coated with gelatin. Human umbilical vein ECs were directly seeded and cultured under dynamic flow or static conditions for 14 days. Dynamic flow cultures tend to demonstrate higher cell coverage. We then coated the tissues with the E8 fragment of human laminin-411 (hL411), which has high affinity for ECs, and found that Dynamic/hL411showed high area coverage, almost reaching 100% (Dynamic/Gelatin vs Dynamic/hL411; 58.7 ± 11.4 vs 97.5 ± 1.9%, P = 0.0017). Immunostaining revealed sufficient endothelial cell coverage as a single cell layer in Dynamic/hL411. A clot formation assay using human whole blood showed low clot formation in Dynamic/hL411, almost similar to that in the negative control, polytetrafluoroethylene. Surface modification of HHP-decellularized xenogeneic endothelial tissues combined with dynamic culture achieved sufficient ex vivo endothelialization along with prevention of clot formation, indicating their potential for clinical use as vascular grafts in the future

住民の精神障害者に対する意識調査

精神障害者が地域で生活するためには地域住民の理解と協力が不可欠である．精神障害者が参加する行事への住民の参加度と精神障害者に対する意識に加え，彼らとのつきあい方との関係を明らかにし，さらに，それによって精神障害および精神障害者に対する理解を促進するための住民への啓発方法を検討することが本報告の目的である．A県のB保健所の管轄区域の住民６００人を対象とした郵送法による質問紙調査を行った．回収率は４８．８％（２９３人）であった．地域住民のなかで精神障害者が参加する行事に参加した経験のある人は，１）精神障害への認識度が高かった，２）精神障害者の社会復帰のために「何か役に立ちたい」と思っている人が多かった，一方で３）精神障害者の社会復帰への支援に，協力できないと回答した人は全回答者の１割しかいなかった．精神障害者が地域で生活するために必要なものは「地域住民の精神障害についての関心と理解そして精神障害者に対する支援である」と，住民自らが感じていた．住民を巻き込んだ体験的啓発活動の実践が，精神障害者に対する理解や支援を拡大させることになるということが示唆された．Background : It is essential for mentally disabled persons who live in the community to be understood and cooperated by local residents. Aim : This study investigated the relationship between the participation of the residents to the event held in the psychiatric hospital and their attitudes towards mentally handicapped persons. The research objective is to find the method to the residents for promoting an understanding of mental disorders. Method : A mail survey was conducted in the area covered by the B health center in A prefecture. The candidate６００ residents（２．２％ of all residents）who live in B county were selected（age range : ２０-６０ y.o.）. Participants comprised ２９３ respondents（recovery ratio : ４８．８％）. Comparison was carried out by the respondents who joined or did not join the event held in the psychiatric hospital. Results : Their understanding of mental disorders is relatively high in the participants. Most of them are willing to do something for mentally disabled persons’ social rehabilitation. Ten percent of all respondents would choose ‘can’t go along with mentally handicapped persons’ social rehabilitation support’. Conclusion : The results suggest that the provision of the opportunity for personal contact with mentally handicapped persons are important for improving the educational activity of the public about mental illnesses and considered to be important measures for promoting the acceptance and support of the mentally handicapped persons by the local residents

Whole-cell circular dichroism difference spectroscopy reveals an in vivo-specific deca-heme conformation in bacterial surface cytochromes

We established whole-cell circular dichroism difference spectroscopy to identify the inter-heme interaction in deca-heme cytochrome protein MtrC in whole cell. Our data showed that the heme alignment of reduced MtrC in whole cell is distinct from that in purified one, suggesting the in vivo specific electron transport kinetics

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

High Sensitivity TSS Prediction: Estimates of Locations Where TSS Cannot Occur

Although transcription in mammalian genomes can initiate from various genomic positions (e.g., 3′UTR, coding exons, etc.), most locations on genomes are not prone to transcription initiation. It is of practical and theoretical interest to be able to estimate such collections of non-TSS locations (NTLs). The identification of large portions of NTLs can contribute to better focusing the search for TSS locations and thus contribute to promoter and gene finding. It can help in the assessment of 5′ completeness of expressed sequences, contribute to more successful experimental designs, as well as more accurate gene annotation.Using comprehensive collections of Cap Analysis of Gene Expression (CAGE) and other transcript data from mouse and human genomes, we developed a methodology that allows us, by performing computational TSS prediction with very high sensitivity, to annotate, with a high accuracy in a strand specific manner, locations of mammalian genomes that are highly unlikely to harbor transcription start sites (TSSs). The properties of the immediate genomic neighborhood of 98,682 accurately determined mouse and 113,814 human TSSs are used to determine features that distinguish genomic transcription initiation locations from those that are not likely to initiate transcription. In our algorithm we utilize various constraining properties of features identified in the upstream and downstream regions around TSSs, as well as statistical analyses of these surrounding regions.