The Effect of Acid Rain on the Defense Response of Pines to Pinewood Nematodes

京都大学Proceedings : IUFRO Kanazawa 2003 "Forest Insect Population Dynamics and Host Influences"., Scedule:14－19 September 2003, Vemue: Kanazawa Citymonde Hotel, Kanazawa, Japan, Joint metting of IUFRO working groups : 7.01.02 Tree resistance to Insects | 7.03.06 Integrated management of forset defoloating insects | 7.03.07 Population dynamics of forest insects, Sponsored by: IUFRO-J | Ishikawa Prefecture | Kanazawa City | 21st-COE Program of Kanazawa University, Editors: Kamata, Naoto | Liebhold, Nadrew M. | Quiring, Dan T. | Clancy, Karen M

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

Groundwater Dynamics near the Saltwater–Freshwater Interface in an Island of Seto Inland Sea

Groundwater dynamics near the saltwater–freshwater interface were investigated in an island of the Seto Inland Sea, using multiple tracers (δD, δ18O, Cl−, SF6, and 14C) at two coastal groundwater monitoring wells at depths of 10–40 m. The groundwater recharge area and age were also estimated using these tracers. Additionally, bedrock groundwater at a depth of 40 m at the 2.7 m altitude was brackish and considered to be near the saltwater–freshwater interface, and a mixture of seawater (2–3.5%) and fresh groundwater (97–98%) was estimated by the Cl− concentration. Based on the δ18O of fresh groundwater estimated from the seawater mixing ratio, the recharge area was estimated to range from near to above the summit; however, this region is unlikely to be the actual recharge area, as the groundwater may be old freshwater that was recharged during a previously colder period. Groundwater dating using SF6 and 14C suggests that the fresh groundwater originated during the last glacial period (assumed 20,000 years ago) and that the 40 m deep bedrock groundwater is a mixture of old water (0–28%), 30 m deep groundwater (76–100%), and stagnant seawater (1–3%)

Motion Vector Estimation of Textureless Objects Exploiting Reaction-Diffusion Cellular Automata

Conventional motion estimation algorithms extract motion vectors from image sequences based on the image's local-brightness differences in consecutive images. Therefore, motion vectors are extracted along the moving edges formed by moving objects over their background. However, in the case of "textureless" moving objects, motion vectors inside the objects cannot be detected because no brightness (texture) differences exist inside the object. Severe issues may incur in motion-related imaging applications because motion-vectors of vast (inner) regions of textureless objects can not be detected, although the inner part is moving with the object's edges. To solve this problem, we propose an unconventional image-processing algorithm that generates spatial textures based on object's edge information, allowing the detection of the textures motion. The model is represented by a 2-D crossbar array of a 1-D reaction-diffusion (RD) model where 1-D spatial patterns are created inside objects and aggregated to form textures. Computer simulations confirm the approach, showing the formation of textures over approaching objects, which may open applications in machine vision and automated decision systems

Distribution of atmospheric SF6 around urban area in Japanhttp : Impact for groundwater dating using SF6

To understand distribution of the atmospheric SF6 mixing ratio is vital for groundwater dating using SF6. Monitoring of the atmospheric SF6 ratios were conducted at three major metropolitan areas and one rural area, to clarify spatial distribution of the atmospheric SF6 in and around urban area in Japan. All the measured values exceeded Nor thern Hemisphere clean air levels. The average excess ratioswere 102% in Tokyo, 53% in Osaka, 30% in Nagoya and 15% in Chubu mountainous area. These excess causes an underestimate from 3 to 17 years in apparent SF6 age, suggesting that adjustment of the input air cur ve is necessar y when the SF6 method is applied to the groundwater dating in Japan.大気濃度の分布を理解することは，SF6による地下水年代推定の生命線である。日本国内の大気SF6濃度の空間分布を明らかにするために，東京・名古屋・大阪の三大都市と都市域から離れた中部地方の山岳地域において大気濃度の観測を実施した。すべての観測地点の濃度は北半球の清浄大気の濃度を超過していた。東京・大阪・名古屋・中部地方の山岳地域の平均超過率はそれぞれ103％，52％，30％および15％であった。これらの超過は3～17年の見掛けSF6年代の過小見積もりを生じさせるため，日本でSF6による地下水年代推定を実施するためには大気濃度の補正が必要である

Review and prospect of groundwater age dating using sulfur hexafluoride

水資源の質・量評価や持続的開発を行う上で，地下水の滞留時間情報は重要である。我が国における浅層地下水の平均滞留時間は数年から数十年とされ，その推定には六フッ化硫黄（SF6）をトレーサーとして用いる手法が最も有効である。本稿では，SF6を用いた地下水の滞留時間推定法に関し，原理，問題点，制限要因等を概説する。さらに代表的な研究事例を紹介しながら今後の研究課題を展望する。SF6の大気中濃度は将来においても単調に増加すると予測され，水文科学における本手法の有するポテンシャルは継続的に高まっていくと考えられる。我が国における地下水中のSF6濃度に関し，様々な場の条件下での観測を継続し，着実に蓄積することが重要である