Construction of an in vivo System for Functional Analysis of the Genes Involved in Sex Pheromone Production in the Silkmoth, Bombyx mori

Moths produce species-specific sex pheromones to attract conspecific mates. The biochemical processes that comprise sex pheromone biosynthesis are precisely regulated and a number of gene products are involved in this biosynthesis and regulation. In recent years, at least 300 EST clones have been isolated from Bombyx mori pheromone gland (PG) specific cDNA libraries with some of those clones [i.e., B. mori PG-specific desaturase 1 (Bmpgdesat1), PG-specific fatty acyl reductase, PG-specific acyl-CoA-binding protein, B. mori fatty acid transport protein, B. mori lipid storage droplet protein-1] characterized and demonstrated to play a role in sex pheromone production. However, most of the EST clones have yet to be fully characterized and identified. To develop an efficient system for analyzing sex pheromone production-related genes, we investigated the feasibility of a novel gene analysis system using the upstream region of Bmpgdesat1 that should contain a PG-specific gene promoter in conjunction with piggyBac vector-mediated germ line transformation. As a result, we have been able to obtain expression of our reporter gene (enhanced green fluorescent protein) in the PG but not in other tissues of transgenic B. mori. Current results indicate that we have successfully constructed a novel in vivo gene analysis system for sex pheromone production in B. mori

Causal Role of Neural Signals Transmitted From the Frontal Eye Field to the Superior Colliculus in Saccade Generation

The frontal eye field (FEF) and superior colliculus (SC) are major and well-studied components of the oculomotor system. The FEF sends strong projections to the SC directly, and neurons in these brain regions transmit a variety of signals related to saccadic eye movements. Electrical microstimulation and pharmacological manipulation targeting the FEF or SC affect saccadic eye movements. These data suggest the causal contribution of each region to saccade generation. To understand how the brain generates behavior, however, it is critical not only to identify the structures and functions of individual regions, but also to elucidate how they interact with each other. In this review article, we first survey previous works that aimed at investigating whether and how the FEF and SC interact to regulate saccadic eye movements using electrophysiological and pharmacological techniques. These works have reported what signals FEF neurons transmit to the SC and what roles such signals play in regulating oculomotor behavior. We then highlight a recent attempt of our own that has applied an optogenetic approach to stimulate the neural pathway from the FEF to the SC in nonhuman primates. This study has shown that optogenetic stimulation of the FEF-SC pathway is sufficiently effective not only to modulate SC neuron activity, but also to evoke saccadic eye movements. Although the oculomotor system is a complex neural network composed of numbers of cortical and subcortical regions, the optogenetic approach will provide a powerful strategy for elucidating the role of each neural pathway constituting this network

Experimental Study on Lateral Flow of Ground Due to Soil Liquefaction

A series of shake table tests is carried out on the lateral flow of the ground due to soil liquefaction during earthquakes. The model grounds are 6.0 m long, 0.8 m wide and their average height is 1.2 m. The slope of the ground surface and the lower boundary condition of liquefiable layer are varied, and the sinusoidal accelerations with a frequency of 2 Hz are inputted for 20 seconds. The deformation of model grounds, the excess pore water pressure of the liquefied layer, and the acceleration of the grounds are monitored. Based on the test results, the influence of the slope, the input motion and the thickness of liquefied layer to the ground flow is examined, and the fundamental characteristics of lateral ground flow induced by soil liquefaction are clarified experimentally

Evaluating the applicability of reliability prediction models between different software

Abstract The prediction of fault-prone modules in a large software system is an important part in software evolution. Since prediction models in past studies have been constructed and used for individual systems, it has not been practically investigated whether a prediction model based on one system can also predict fault-prone modules accurately in other systems. Our expectation is that if we could build a model applicable to different systems, it would be extremely useful for software companies because they do not need to invest manpower and time for gathering data to construct a new model for every system. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of prediction models between two software systems through two experiments. In the first experiment, a prediction model using 19 module metrics as predictor variables was constructed in each system and was applied to the opposite system mutually. The result showed predictors were too fit to the base data and could not accurately predict fault-prone modules in the different system. On the basis of this result, we focused on a set of predictors showing great effectiveness in every model; and, in consequent, we identified two metrics (Lines of Code and Maximum Nesting Level) as commonly effective predictors in all the models. In the second experiment, by constructing prediction models using only these two metrics, prediction performance were dramatically improved. This result suggests that the commonly effective model applicable to more than two systems can be constructed by focusing on commonly effective predictors

Transforming Growth Factor-β1 as a Common Target Molecule for Development of Cardiovascular Diseases, Renal Insufficiency and Metabolic Syndrome

Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a polypeptide member of the transforming growth factor β superfamily of cytokines. It is a secreted protein that performs many cellular functions including control of cell growth, cell proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis. In the cardiovascular system, TGF-β1 plays pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of hypertension, restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention, atherosclerosis, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In addition, TGF-β1 has been shown to be increased in adipose tissue of obese subjects with insulin resistance. Furthermore, TGF-β1 is a potent initiator of proliferation of renal mesangial cells leading to chronic kidney disease. Some currently available agents can manipulate TGF-β1 expression leading to amelioration of cardiovascular diseases. Thus, an understanding of interactions between chronic kidney disease and metabolic syndrome and the development of cardiovascular diseases is an important issue, and attention should be given to TGF-β1 as a crucial factor for regulation and modulation of those pathological conditions

Characteristics of aerodynamic sound sources generated by coiled wires in a uniform air-flow

This study deals experimentally with aerodynamic sounds generated by coiled wires in a uniform air-flow. The coiled wire is a model of the hair dryer\u27s heater. In the experiment, the effects of the coil diameter D, wire diameter d and coil spacing s of the coiled wire on the aerodynamic sound have been clarified. The results of frequency analyses of the aerodynamic sounds show that an Aeolian sound is generated by the coiled wire, when s/d is larger than I. Also the peak frequencies of Aeolian sounds generated by the coiled wires are higher than the ones generated by a straight cylinder having the same diameter d. To clarify the characteristics of the aerodynamic sound sources, the directivity of the aerodynamic sound generated by the coiled wire has been examined, and the coherent function between the velocity fluctuation around the coiled wire and the aerodynamic sound has been calculated. Moreover, the band overall value of coherent output power between the sound and the velocity fluctuations has been calculated. This method has clarified the sound source region of the Aeolian sound generated by the coiled wire. These results show that the Aeolian sound is generated by the arc part of the coiled wire, which is located in the upstream side of the air-flow

Trial of Brain Redox Imaging and Estimation of Radiation-Induced Redox Change in Mouse Brain

The in vivo T1-weighted contrasting abilities and signal decay behaviors of several nitroxyl contrast agents, which have been used as redox responsive contrast agents in several magnetic resonance-based imaging modalities, in mouse brain were compared. In addition, daily variations of redox behavior in mouse brain after irradiation of X-ray or carbon-ion beams (C-beam) were tried to estimate based on the in vivo reduction rate of amphiphilic nitroxyl contrast agents.Injection solutions of five types of five-membered-ring nitroxyl contrast agents, i.e. 3-carboxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-N-oxyl (CxP), 3-carbamoyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-N-oxyl (CmP), 3-methoxy-carbonyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-N-oxyl (MCP), acetoxymethyl-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolidine-N-oxyl-3-carboxylate (CxP-AM), and 4-(N-methylpiperidine)-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrroline-N-oxyl (23c), and a six-membered-ring nitroxyl contrast agent, i.e. 4-hydroxyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl (TEMPOL), were prepared. The nitroxyl contrast agent was i.v. injected to a mouse through tail vein. Then, the distributions and pharmacokinetics of nitroxyl contrast agents were compared based on the time course of T1-weighted MRI. The MRI experiments using CMP or TEMPOL were repeated for mice irradiated by X-ray or C-beam to their head on several deferent timings, i.e. 1, 2, 4, 8 day(s) after irradiation. C-beam was irradiated at Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC, National Institute of Radiological Sciences/ National Institutes for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology).The blood-brain-barrier (BBB)-impermeable CxP could not be distributed in the brain. The slightly lipophilic CmP showed slight distribution only in the ventricle, but not in the medulla and cortex. The amphiphilic MCP and TEMPOL had good initial uniform distribution in the brain and showed typical 2-phase signal decay profiles. A brain-seeking nitroxyl probe, CxP-AM, showed an accumulating phase, and then its accumulation was maintained in the medulla and ventricle regions, but not in the cortex. The lipophilic 23c was well distributed in the cortex and medulla, but slightly in the ventricle, and showed relatively rapid linear signal decay.Decay rates of MCP in mouse brain after irradiation of 8 Gy X-ray, 8 Gy C-beam or 16 Gy C-beams did not show marked clear changes, however relatively little decreasing were observed at day 1 and day 2 after irradiation. Decay rates of TEMPOL was increased 1 after irradiation then gradually recovered to the control level. MCP and TEMPOL showed opposite responses but the timing of redox change may be 1 or 2 days after irradiation.Nitroxyl contrast agents equipped with a suitable lipophilic substitution group could be BBB-permeable functional contrast agents. MR redox imaging, which can estimate not only the redox characteristics but also the detailed distribution of the contrast agents, is a good candidate for a theranostic tool. Irradiation of ionized radiation to head could cause alternation of redox status in the brain. Detail of redox mechanisms were still in progress.第7回国際放射線神経生物学会大

Striking Difference between Succinimidomethyl and Phthalimidomethyl Radicals in Conjugate Addition to Alkylidenemalonate Initiated by Dimethylzinc

We used dimethylzinc to develop a conjugate addition reaction of imidomethyl radicals to alkylidenemalonates using dimethylzinc, in which we observed a significant difference between succinimidomethyl and phthalimidomethyl radicals. This reaction provides new access to γ- aminobutyric acid derivatives, which often function as neurotransmitters