情報統括本部の発足、および、情報基盤センター改組にあたって

巻頭言prefac

wCloud＋BODIC.org＝ECU開発&運用プラットフォーム

第15回カーエレクトロニクス研究会 : 2014年7月14日 : 千代田区自動車会

Post-disaster recovery linked with pre-disaster land development and damage density of Typhoon Yolanda: Toward better land-use planning in Tacloban City, the Philippines

Coastal cities in Asia face increasing risks of extreme climate events and urgently need to develop risk-reduction plans to mitigate the harmful socioeconomic consequences of such events. In this study, we undertook geographical analyses and conducted interviews with stakeholders in the Tacloban City area, the Philippines, to investigate the relationships among building types, storm-surge inundation and post-disaster recovery after 2013 Typhoon Yolanda. Squatter settlements in low-lying urban and coastal areas were destroyed by the typhoon, but were rapidly rebuilt by squatters using debris from the typhoon. Government programs relocated some of the affected squatter populations to new socialized housing developments on safe higher ground that were some distance from the squatters\u27 former urban and coastal livelihoods, thus causing reluctance to relocation. Our GIS analysis of available geo-spatial data, coupled with extensive stakeholder interviews, showed that there were enough vacant lots within pre-existing housing subdivisions to house more than 7000 squatters and provide them with plots for urban vegetable farming that would provide their livelihood. Interviews with stakeholders suggested that this approach would not encounter excessive resistance. Thus, our study demonstrated that comprehensive GIS analyses and stakeholder involvement can contribute to effective land-use planning for community resilience

Comprehensive analysis of peptide-coding genes and initial characterization of an LRR-only microprotein in Marchantia polymorpha

In the past two decades, many plant peptides have been found to play crucial roles in various biological events by mediating cell-to-cell communications. However, a large number of small open reading frames (sORFs) or short genes capable of encoding peptides remain uncharacterized. In this study, we examined several candidate genes for peptides conserved between two model plants: Arabidopsis thaliana and Marchantia polymorpha. We examined their expression pattern in M. polymorpha and subcellular localization using a transient assay with Nicotiana benthamiana. We found that one candidate, MpSGF10B, was expressed in meristems, gemma cups, and male reproductive organs called antheridiophores. MpSGF10B has an N-terminal signal peptide followed by two leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains and was secreted to the extracellular region in N. benthamiana and M. polymorpha. Compared with the wild type, two independent Mpsgf10b mutants had a slightly increased number of antheridiophores. It was revealed in gene ontology enrichment analysis that MpSGF10B was significantly co-expressed with genes related to cell cycle and development. These results suggest that MpSGF10B may be involved in the reproductive development of M. polymorpha. Our research should shed light on the unknown role of LRR-only proteins in land plants

Group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 controls skin carcinogenesis and psoriasis by shaping the gut microbiota

Besides promoting inflammation by mobilizing lipid mediators, group IIA secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2-IIA) prevents bacterial infection by degrading bacterial membranes. Here, we show that, despite the restricted intestinal expression of sPLA2-IIA in BALB/c mice, its genetic deletion leads to amelioration of cancer and exacerbation of psoriasis in distal skin. Intestinal expression of sPLA2-IIA is reduced after treatment with antibiotics or under germ-free conditions, suggesting its upregulation by gut microbiota. Metagenome, transcriptome, and metabolome analyses have revealed that sPLA2-IIA deficiency alters the gut microbiota, accompanied by notable changes in the intestinal expression of genes related to immunity and metabolism, as well as in the levels of various blood metabolites and fecal bacterial lipids, suggesting that sPLA2-IIA contributes to shaping of the gut microbiota. The skin phenotypes in Pla2g2a–/– mice are lost (a) when they are cohoused with littermate WT mice, resulting in the mixing of the microbiota between the genotypes, or (b) when they are housed in a more stringent pathogen-free facility, where Pla2g2a expression in WT mice is low and the gut microbial compositions in both genotypes are nearly identical. Thus, our results highlight a potentially new aspect of sPLA2-IIA as a modulator of gut microbiota, perturbation of which affects distal skin responses

変わる組込みプロセッサアーキテクチャ 変わるカーエレクトロニクス

CEATEC JAPAN 2010 インダストリアルシステムセッションIS-07 : 2010年10月5日(火)-9日(土) : 幕張メッ

Complete response to pembrolizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with microsatellite instability

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has limited systemic treatment options and a poor prognosis. The immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab was recently approved for the treatment of solid tumors with microsatellite instability (MSI). However, its clinical utility for the management of HCC remains to be clarified. Here, we present a case of unresectable HCC with MSI that showed an impressive response to pembrolizumab treatment. A 64-year-old man with chronic HCV infection was diagnosed with a large HCC. His severe liver dysfunction and poor performance status prevented any treatment option other than sorafenib. However, sorafenib failed after a few days due to the rapid progression of the tumor. Based on the finding of MSI in a biopsy specimen, immunotherapy using pembrolizumab was initiated. A dramatic improvement in his general condition and a reduction in tumor size were observed after the initiation of pembrolizumab treatment. Among a cohort of 50 consecutive patients with advanced HCC who were refractory to standard systemic therapy, MSI was found only in the present case. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy induced prominent anti-tumor effects in HCC with MSI. Screening for defects in DNA mismatch repair function may be warranted in HCC patients despite the low frequency of MSI