Contribution of lactobacillus casei to the recovery from chemically induced skeletal muscle damage under chronic stress

Background: Regeneration of damaged skeletal muscle requires sufficient supply of nutrients. Fully functional intestine and colon assure sufficient supply of nutrients. Gut commensal bacteria are known to support intestinal function. Previously lactobacillus treatment of elite athletes was shown to be effective in attenuating fatigue and impaired performance. We hypothesized that Lactobacillus casei (L.casei) administration may facilitate recovery of damaged skeletal muscle when the gut function is suppressed under chronic stress in which muscle regeneration is compromised. Objective: To investigate contribution of L.casei under chronic stress to the recovery of damaged skeletal muscle in young and older adult mice. Methods: L.casei was given orally at a dose of 10-8 /day for 7days to 10 weeks old (young) and 45-55 weeks old (older adult) male C57BL/6J mice. Vehicle control mice received an equivalent volume of water for 7 days. On the eighth day, cardiotoxin (CTX) was injected to gatrocnemius muscle to induce muscle damage. Both groups were assigned 2 hours repeated-restraint stress everyday (chronic stress). On days 3, 5, 7, 10, 14 and 20 after CTX injection, mice were sacrificed. Excised gastrocnemius muscle was subjected to weight measurement and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: There were significant differences in both the recovery of muscle weight and the regeneration process of gastrocnemius muscle examined immunohistochemically between control and L.casei treated young and older adult groups. Especially, the expression of developmental MHC (dMHC), a marker of premature regeneration, was positive up to 3 days in older adult groups. The delay in the recovery of muscle weight was obvious in older adult mice regardless of the treatment. However, while the expression of dMHC was prolonged up to day 7 in the vehicle control, dMHC expression was notable only up to day 3 or day 5 in the L.casei treated. Therefore, in older adult mice L.casei treatment under chronic stress may have facilitated the maturation process of regenerating skeletal muscle. Conclusion: Our results suggests that L.casei favor under chronic stress favors the recovery of skeletal muscle from muscle damage. The maintenance of gut function by L. casei treatment may have facilitated the maturation process of regenerating skeletal muscle

Ornithine Decarboxylase Antizyme Induces Hypomethylation of Genome DNA and Histone H3 Lysine 9 Dimethylation (H3K9me2) in Human Oral Cancer Cell Line

Background: Methylation of CpG islands of genome DNA and lysine residues of histone H3 and H4 tails regulates gene transcription. Inhibition of polyamine synthesis by ornithine decarboxylase antizyme-1 (OAZ) in human oral cancer cell line resulted in accumulation of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (dcSAM), which acts as a competitive inhibitor of methylation reactions. We anticipated that accumulation of dcSAM impaired methylation reactions and resulted in hypomethylation of genome DNA and histone tails. Methodology/Principal Findings: Global methylation state of genome DNA and lysine residues of histone H3 and H4 tails were assayed by Methylation by Isoschizomers (MIAMI) method and western blotting, respectively, in the presence or absence of OAZ expression. Ectopic expression of OAZ mediated hypomethylation of CpG islands of genome DNA and histone H3 lysine 9 dimethylation (H3K9me2). Protein level of DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) and histone H3K9me specific methyltransferase G9a were down-regulated in OAZ transfectant. Conclusions/Significance: OAZ induced hypomethylation of CpG islands of global genome DNA and H3K9me2 by down-regulating DNMT3B and G9a protein level. Hypomethylation of CpG islands of genome DNA and histone H3K9me2 is a potent mechanism of induction of the genes related to tumor suppression and DNA double strand break repair

Practice for the Development of 21st-Century Academic Achievement by Subject between Cooperation in Junior High School : Through the Global Educational Exchange by Means of English and Art

本研究は中学校の英語科・美術科の教科担任がグローバル教育の意識を持って，単元・題材を接続させ，連続性のある指導をすることにより，生徒に習得した知識・技能を地域社会へ向けた実践に活用させ，21世紀型学力へ通じる通教科的な実践力の育成の在り方を明らかにすることを目的とする。広島大学附属三原中学校の１，２年生を対象に授業実践を行い，外部評価者としてアメリカのアートリンク担当者やショートステイ家族に協力を依頼した。結果としては，生徒たちは美術作品を描いたり，鑑賞したりすることによって，気づいたよさや美しさを外国の方に伝える方法を考えて実践している様子が見られた。The aim of this study was to improve students’ communication skills. We worked with English teachers and art teachers to develop a curriculum through practice force leading to 21st century academic achievement. We targeted the teaching practice to grades seven and eight in Mihara Junior High School in Japan, and cooperated with both the Art Link in America and short-stay family as external evaluators. As a result, the students could express their impressions to people in foreign countries

Long-term monitoring of the short period SU UMa-type dwarf nova, V844 Herculis

We report on time-resolved CCD photometry of four outbursts of a short-period SU UMa-type dwarf nova, V844 Herculis. We successfully determined the mean superhump periods to be 0.05584(64) days, and 0.055883(3) for the 2002 May superoutburst, and the 2006 April-May superoutburst, respectively. During the 2002 October observations, we confirmed that the outburst is a normal outburst, which is the first recorded normal outburst in V844 Her. We also examined superhump period changes during 2002 May and 2006 April-May superoutbursts, both of which showed increasing superhump period over the course of the plateau stage. In order to examine the long-term behavior of V844 Her, we analyzed archival data over the past ten years since the discovery of this binary. Although photometry is not satisfactory in some superoutbursts, we found that V844 Her showed no precursors and rebrightenings. Based on the long-term light curve, we further confirmed V844 Her has shown almost no normal outbursts despite the fact that the supercycle of the system is estimated to be about 300 days. In order to explain the long-term light curves of V844 Her, evaporation in the accretion disk may play a role in the avoidance of several normal outbursts, which does not contradict with the relatively large X-ray luminosity of V844 Her.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, accepted for PAS

Liver autophagy-induced valine and leucine in plasma reflect the metabolic effect of sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitor dapagliflozin

BACKGROUND: Sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are anti-diabetic drugs for type 2 diabetes that lower blood glucose levels and body weight. It is of special interest that SGLT2 inhibitors also improve liver metabolism and fatty liver. Liver is an important organ in regulation of energy metabolism, but the metabolic action of SGLT inhibitors in liver remains unclear. METHODS: We investigated the factors associated with the beneficial effects of dapagliflozin, a SGLT2 inhibitor, in the liver after confirming its glucose-lowering and weight loss effects using an obesity and diabetes mouse model. We also performed clinical study of patients with type 2 diabetes to explore candidate biomarkers that reflect the beneficial action of dapagliflozin in the liver. FINDINGS: In animal study, dapagliflozin induced autophagy in the liver (LC3-II to LC3-I expression ratio: P < 0·05 vs. control), and valine and leucine levels were increased in plasma (P < 0·01 vs. control) as well as in liver (P < 0·05 vs. control). Thus, increased plasma valine and leucine levels are potential biomarkers for improved liver metabolism. Clinical study found that valine and leucine levels were markedly higher in patients treated with dapagliflozin (valine: P < 0·05 vs. control, leucine: P < 0·01 vs. control) than those not treated after one week intervention. INTERPRETATION: Dapagliflozin improves liver metabolism via hepatic autophagy, and plasma valine and leucine levels may reflect its metabolic effect. FUNDING: AstraZeneca K.K., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), Novo Nordisk Pharma Ltd., and Japan Foundation for Applied Enzymology, and MSD Life Science Foundation International

Double migration of the endangered Tricyrtis formosana (Liliaceae) in Japan

別経路で二度来訪していた絶滅危惧植物 --世界遺産地域における生物多様性の成立過程--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2024-01-26.The Ryukyu Islands of Japan are a biodiversity hotspot due to geographical and historical factors. Tricyrtis formosana is a perennial herbaceous plant that commonly found in Taiwan. But only a few populations have been identified in a limited habitat on Iriomote Island, while populations of unknown origin occur near human settlements in an area on the main island of Okinawa. To better understand these populations of the phylogenetic uniqueness and intrinsic vulnerability, we conducted comparative analyses including (1) phylogeny and population structure with MIG-seq data, (2) photosynthesis-related traits of plants grown under common conditions and (3) transcriptome analysis to detect deleterious variations. Results revealed that T. formosana was split into two clades by the congeners and that Iriomote and Okinawa populations independently derived from ancestral Taiwanese populations in each clade. Photosynthetic efficiency was lowest in the Iriomote population, followed by Okinawa and Taiwan. Transcriptome analysis showed that the Iriomote population accumulated more deleterious variations, suggesting intrinsic vulnerability. These results indicate that each T. formosana population in Japan is phylogenetically unique and has been independently dispersed from Taiwan, and that the Iriomote population presents a high conservation difficulty with a unique photosynthesis-related characteristic and a larger amount of deleterious variations

日本における外国人持久走選手への栄養サポートの課題

実業団陸上部に在籍するケニア人選手の栄養状況を把握し、在日スポーツ選手のサポートに必要な食事や生活の支援について検討する基礎資料を得ること目的として、本研究を実施した。ケニア人の栄養代謝は日本人のそれよりも低いという研究結果もあり、また、主食となる食品にも違いがあることから、日本の食生活をそのまま選手の栄養サポートに取り入れることは慎重に行われる必要がある。今回実施した調査でも、日本人選手の方がケニア人選手より摂取エネルギー量が多く、ケニア人選手のインタビューからも、食事量が多いという主観的評価があった。そのため、定期的な身体計測や血液検査、パフォーマンスを確認し、食事の内容について評価を行い、ケニア人の体格や代謝に応じた食事が摂られているか、日本で生活を送る上での食生活に対するストレスをどのように発散しているかなど、今後、検討すべき栄養サポート内容を明らかにした

長崎県健康・栄養調査における食生活の自己評価と食習慣、身体状況、栄養摂取状況の関連

本研究は、長崎県健康・栄養調査の食生活習慣状況調査における食生活の自己評価と食習慣、身体状況、栄養摂取状況との関連を明らかにすることを目的とした。対象者は、平成28年度長崎県健康・栄養調査の対象者のうち590名を解析対象とし、食生活の自己評価により2群に分け、食習慣やBMI、栄養摂取状況を比較した。その結果、食生活の自己評価が高い者の特徴としては、年代が高いこと、食生活に関する意識が高いことが示唆されたが、対象者の自己評価と栄養摂取のコントロールには関連があまりみられなかった。その点から、自ら食をコントロールし、自己評価につなげられるように望ましい食生活について量などの具体的な知識の普及に関する健康教育を行い、食意識のレベルアップを図る必要がある

Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies multiple novel loci associated with serum uric acid levels in Japanese individuals

Gout is a common arthritis caused by elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels. Here we investigated loci influencing SUA in a genome-wide meta-analysis with 121,745 Japanese subjects. We identified 8948 variants at 36 genomic loci (P<5 × 10–8) including eight novel loci. Of these, missense variants of SESN2 and PNPLA3 were predicted to be damaging to the function of these proteins; another five loci—TMEM18, TM4SF4, MXD3-LMAN2, PSORS1C1-PSORS1C2, and HNF4A—are related to cell metabolism, proliferation, or oxidative stress; and the remaining locus, LINC01578, is unknown. We also identified 132 correlated genes whose expression levels are associated with SUA-increasing alleles. These genes are enriched for the UniProt transport term, suggesting the importance of transport-related genes in SUA regulation. Furthermore, trans-ethnic meta-analysis across our own meta-analysis and the Global Urate Genetics Consortium has revealed 15 more novel loci associated with SUA. Our findings provide insight into the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of hyperuricemia/gout