Emergence of Benzimidazole- and Strobilurin-Quinone Outside Inhibitor-Resistant Strains of <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em> sensu lato, the Causal Fungus of Japanese Pear Anthracnose, and Alternative Fungicides to Resistant Strains

Japanese pear anthracnose (JPA) can cause severe tree defoliation during the growing season. Infected trees become weak and produce fewer flower buds the following spring. This economically serious fungal plant disease has affected cultivated pears in Japan since 1910. Initially, JPA was controlled by benzimidazole fungicides. However, benzimidazole-resistant pathogen strains emerged in the late 1990s, and the range of JPA has expanded in Japan. Since then strobilurin-quinone outside inhibitors (ST-QoIs) such as azoxystrobin and kresoxim-methyl became popular, but ST-QoI-resistant pathogen strains appeared. By 2005, JPA control became difficult once again. In this chapter, we outline the history of JPA fungicide resistance problems, assess advantages and disadvantages of available fungicide options, and develop JPA management strategies based on evidences we obtained from a series of field and lab studies

Canola and hydrogenated soybean oils accelerate ectopic bone formation induced by implantation of bone morphogenetic protein in mice

AbstractCanola oil (Can) and hydrogenated soybean oil (H2-Soy) are commonly used edible oils. However, in contrast to soybean oil (Soy), they shorten the survival of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHRSP) rats. It has been proposed that the adverse effects of these oils on the kidney and testis are caused at least in part by dihydro-vitamin K (VK) 1 in H2-Soy and unidentified component(s) in Can. Increased intake of dihydro-VK1 is associated with decreased tissue VK2 levels and bone mineral density in rats and humans, respectively. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of these oils on bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-induced ectopic bone formation, which is promoted by VK2 deficiency, in relation to the role of VK in the γ-carboxylation of osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein. A crude extract of BMPs was implanted into a gap in the fascia of the femoral muscle in 5-week-old mice maintained on a Soy, Can, or H2-Soy diet. Newly formed bone volume, assessed by three-dimensional X-ray micro-computed tomography and three-dimensional reconstruction imaging for bone, was 4-fold greater in the Can and H2-Soy groups than in the Soy group. The plasma carboxylated osteocalcin (Gla-OC) and total OC (Gla-OC plus undercarboxylated osteocalcin [Glu-OC]) levels were significantly lower in the Can group than in the Soy group (p < 0.05). However, these levels did not significantly differ between the H2-Soy and Soy groups. The plasma Gla-OC/Glu-OC ratio in the Can and H2-Soy groups was significantly lower (in Can; p = 0.044) or was almost significantly lower (in H2-Soy; p = 0.053) than that in the Soy group. In conclusion, Can and H2-Soy accelerated BMP-induced bone formation in mice to a greater extent than Soy. Further research is required to evaluate whether the difference in accelerated ectopic bone formation is associated with altered levels of VK2 and VK-dependent protein(s) among the three dietary groups

Lower FEV1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic subjects: association with smoking, annual decline in FEV1, total IgE levels, and TSLP genotypes

Few studies have investigated the significance of decreased FEV1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects. We hypothesized that a lower FEV1 in these subjects is a potential marker of an increased susceptibility to obstructive lung disease such as asthma and COPD. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 1505 Japanese adults. We divided the population of healthy adults with no respiratory diseases whose FEV1/FVC ratio was ≥70% (n = 1369) into 2 groups according to their prebronchodilator FEV1 (% predicted) measurements: <80% (n = 217) and ≥80% (n = 1152). We compared clinical data – including gender, age, smoking habits, total IgE levels, and annual decline of FEV1 – between these 2 groups. In addition, as our group recently found that TSLP variants are associated with asthma and reduced lung function, we assessed whether TSLP single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with baseline lung function in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects (n = 1368). Although about half of the subjects with lower FEV1 had never smoked, smoking was the main risk factor for the decreased FEV1 in non-COPD, nonasthmatic subjects. However, the subjects with lower FEV1 had a significantly higher annual decline in FEV1 independent of smoking status. Airflow obstruction was associated with increased levels of total serum IgE (P = 0.029) and with 2 functional TSLP SNPs (corrected P = 0.027–0.058 for FEV1% predicted, corrected P = 0.015–0.033 for FEV1/FVC). This study highlights the importance of early recognition of a decreased FEV1 in healthy subjects without evident pulmonary diseases because it predicts a rapid decline in FEV1 irrespective of smoking status. Our series of studies identified TSLP variants as a potential susceptibility locus to asthma and to lower lung function in non-COPD, nonasthmatic healthy subjects, which may support the contention that genetic determinants of lung function influence susceptibility to asthma

Strategies of Impoliteness in Japanese Spontaneous Talks

If, on the one hand, Japanese language, with its richness of marked allomorphs used for honorifics, has been considered one of the most attractive languages to investigate the phenomenon of politeness, on the other hand, a very small number of studies have been devoted to Japanese impoliteness, most of them limited to BBSs’ (Bulletin Board System) chats on Internet. Interestingly, Japanese native speakers declare, in general, that their language has a very limited number of offensive expressions and that ‘impoliteness’ is not a characteristic of their mother tongue. I tried to analyse some samples of spontaneous conversations taken from YouTube and other multimedia repertoires, in order to detect the main strategies used in Japanese real conversations to cause offence or to show a threatening attitude toward the partner’s face. It seems possible to state that, notwithstanding the different ‘cultural’ peculiarities, impoliteness shows, also in Japanese, a set of strategies common to other languages and that impoliteness, in terms of morphology, is not a mirror counterpart of keigo

Large scale genotyping study for asthma in the Japanese population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Asthma is a complex phenotype that is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Genome-wide linkage and association studies have been performed to identify susceptibility genes for asthma. These studies identified new genes and pathways implicated in this disease, many of which were previously unknown.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To perform a large-scale genotyping study to identify asthma-susceptibility genes in the Japanese population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a large-scale, three-stage association study on 288 atopic asthmatics and 1032 controls, by using multiplex PCR-Invader assay methods at 82,935 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (1^ststage). SNPs that were strongly associated with asthma were further genotyped in samples from asthmatic families (216 families, 762 members, 2^ndstage), 541 independent patients, and 744 controls (3^rdstage).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>SNPs located in the 5' region of <it>PEX19 </it>(rs2820421) were significantly associated with <it>P </it>< 0.05 through the 1^stto the 3^rdstage analyses; however, the <it>P </it>values did not reach statistically significant levels (combined, <it>P </it>= 3.8 × 10^-5; statistically significant levels with Bonferroni correction, <it>P </it>= 6.57 × 10^-7). SNPs on <it>HPCAL1 </it>(rs3771140) and on <it>IL18R1 </it>(rs3213733) were associated with asthma in the 1^stand 2^ndstage analyses, but the associations were not observed in the 3^rdstage analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>No association attained genome-wide significance, but several loci for possible association emerged. Future studies are required to validate these results for the prevention and treatment of asthma.</p

初対面二者間会話における話題導入と展開のプラクティス : 対話相手との年齢差・性差に着目して

Tokyo University of Foreign StudiesWaseda UniversityJapan Student Services Organization会議名: 第71回 言語・音声理解と対話処理研究会, 開催地: 神戸大学　国際文化学部　F棟4階401教室, 会期: 2014年9月15日, 主催: 人工知能学

Genetic association of the functional CDHR3 genotype with early-onset adult asthma in Japanese populations

BackgroundRecent studies have demonstrated that a coding SNP (rs6967330, Cys529→Tyr) in cadherin-related family member 3 (CDHR3), which was previously associated with wheezing illness and hospitalizations in infancy, could support efficient human rhinovirus C (RV-C) entry and replication. Here, we sought to examine the genetic contribution of this variant to the development of adult asthma.MethodsWe performed a candidate gene case–control association study of 2 independent Japanese populations (a total of 3366 adults). The odds ratios (ORs) for association of the A allele at rs6967330 with adult asthma were calculated according to age at onset of asthma. In addition, the effect of the CDHR3 genotype on the development of specific asthma phenotypes was examined.ResultsThe A allele was associated with asthma (OR = 1.56; Mantel–Haenszel p = 0.0040) when the analysis was limited to patients with early-onset adult asthma. In addition, when the analysis was limited to atopic individuals, a stronger association of the CDHR3 variant with early-onset asthma was found, and interaction of the CDHR3 genotype with atopy was demonstrated. Finally, a significant association of this variant was specifically found with a phenotype of asthma characterized by atopy, early-onset, and lower lung function.ConclusionsOur study supports the concept that the CDHR3 variant is an important susceptibility factor for severe adult asthma in individuals who develop the disease in early life. The interaction between the CDHR3 variant and atopy indicates that genetic predisposition to early respiratory viral infection is combined with atopy in promoting asthma

Role of Lung Function Genes in the Development of Asthma

Although our previous GWAS failed to identify SNPs associated with pulmonary function at the level of genomewide significance, it did show that the heritability for FEV1/FVC was 41.6% in a Japanese population, suggesting that the heritability of pulmonary function traits can be explained by the additive effects of multiple common SNPs. In addition, our previous study indicated that pulmonary function genes identified in previous GWASs in non-Japanese populations accounted for 4.3% to 12.0% of the entire estimated heritability of FEV1/FVC in a Japanese population. Therefore, given that many loci with individual weak effects may contribute to asthma risk, in this study, we created a quantitative score of genetic load based on 16 SNPs implicated in lower lung function in both Japanese and non-Japanese populations. This genetic risk score (GRS) for lower FEV1/FVC was consistently associated with the onset of asthma (P = 9.6 × 10−4) in 2 independent Japanese populations as well as with the onset of COPD (P = 0.042). Clustering of asthma patients based on GRS levels indicated that an increased GRS may be responsible for the development of a particular phenotype of asthma characterized by early onset, atopy, and severer airflow obstruction

An interaction between Nrf2 polymorphisms and smoking status affects annual decline in FEV1: a longitudinal retrospective cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>An Nrf2-dependent response is a central protective mechanism against oxidative stress. We propose that particular genetic variants of the <it>Nrf2 </it>gene may be associated with a rapid forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) decline induced by cigarette smoking.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 915 Japanese from a general population. Values of annual decline in FEV₁were computed for each individual using a linear mixed-effect model. Multiple clinical characteristics were assessed to identify associations with annual FEV₁decline. Tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the <it>Nrf2 </it>gene (rs2001350, rs6726395, rs1962142, rs2364722) and one functional SNP (rs6721961) in the <it>Nrf2 </it>promoter region were genotyped to assess interactions between the <it>Nrf2 </it>polymorphisms and smoking status on annual FEV₁decline.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Annual FEV₁decline was associated with smoking behavior and inversely correlated with FEV₁/FVC and FEV₁% predicted. The mean annual FEV₁declines in individuals with rs6726395 G/G, G/A, or A/A were 26.2, 22.3, and 20.8 mL/year, respectively, and differences in these means were statistically significant (p_corr= 0.016). We also found a significant interaction between rs6726395 genotype and smoking status on the FEV₁decline (p for interaction = 0.011). The haplotype rs2001350T/rs6726395A/rs1962142A/rs2364722A/rs6721961T was associated with lower annual decline in FEV₁(p = 0.004).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study indicated that an Nrf2-dependent response to exogenous stimuli may affect annual FEV₁decline in the general population. It appears that the genetic influence of <it>Nrf2 </it>is modified by smoking status, suggesting the presence of a gene-environment interaction in accelerated decline in FEV₁.</p

Association analyses of eQTLs of the TYRO3 gene and allergic diseases in Japanese populations

BackgroundTYRO3 is a member of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, MERTK) receptor tyrosine kinase family and functions to limit type 2 immune responses implicated in allergic sensitization. Recent studies have shown that multiple intronic variants of TYRO3 were associated with asthma, implying that genetic variation could contribute to errant immune activation. We therefore hypothesized that expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) of the TYRO3 gene influence the development of allergic diseases (including asthma and allergic rhinitis) in Japanese populations.MethodsWe performed a candidate gene case–control association study of 8 eQTLs of TYRO3 on atopy, asthma, and allergic rhinitis using 1168 unrelated Japanese adults who had GWAS genotyping. We then examined the genetic impact of rs2297377 (TYRO3) on atopy and allergic rhinitis in 2 other independent Japanese populations.ResultsA meta-analysis of 3 Japanese populations (a total of 2403 Japanese adults) revealed that rs2297377 was associated with atopy and allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.29 and 1.31; P = 0.00041 and 0.0010, respectively). The risk allele at rs2297377 correlated with decreased expression of TYRO3 mRNA. The gene–gene interaction between HLA-DPB1 and TYRO3 was not significant with regard to sensitization. The estimated proportion of atopy and allergic rhinitis cases attributable to the risk genotype was 14% and 16%, respectively.ConclusionsOur study identified TYRO3 as an important susceptibility gene to atopy and allergic rhinitis in Japanese