Identification and Characterization of a Novel Polysaccharide Deacetylase C (PdaC) from Bacillus subtilis

Cell wall metabolism and cell wall modification are very important processes that bacteria use to adjust to various environmental conditions. One of the main modifications is deacetylation of peptidoglycan. The polysaccharide deacetylase homologue, Bacillus subtilis YjeA (renamed PdaC), was characterized and found to be a unique deacetylase. The pdaC deletion mutant was sensitive to lysozyme treatment, indicating that PdaC acts as a deacetylase. The purified recombinant and truncated PdaC from Escherichia coli deacetylated B. subtilis peptidoglycan and its polymer, (-GlcNAc-MurNAc[-L-Ala-D-Glu]-)(n). Surprisingly, RP-HPLC and ESI-MS/MS analyses showed that the enzyme deacetylates N-acetylmuramic acid (MurNAc) not GlcNAc from the polymer. Contrary to Streptococcus pneumoniae PgdA, which shows high amino acid sequence similarity with PdaC and is a zinc-dependent GlcNAc deacetylase toward peptidoglycan, there was less dependence on zinc ion for deacetylation of peptidoglycan by PdaC than other metal ions (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+). The kinetic values of the activity toward B. subtilis peptidoglycan were K-m = 4.8 mM and k(cat) = 0.32 s(-1). PdaC also deacetylated N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) oligomers with a K-m = 12.3 mM and k(cat) = 0.24 s(-1) toward GlcNAc(4). Therefore, PdaC has GlcNAc deacetylase activity toward GlcNAc oligomers and MurNAc deacetylase activity toward B. subtilis peptidoglycan.ArticleJOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY. 287(13):9765-9776 (2012)journal articl

Effect of the Sway Bed on Autonomic Response, Emotional Responses, and Muscle Hardness in Children with Severe Motor and Intellectual Disabilities: A Pilot Study

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the effects of being swayed in a sway bed on children with severe motor and intellectual difficulties by examining potential differences in their autonomic and emotional responses, as well as their muscle hardness, and by comparing them with “a control condition without any stimulation”. Children’s heart rate variability, rectus femoris hardness, and passive hip abduction range of motion (ROM) were measured in two xperimental conditions, differentiated by the presence of a 5-min sway stimulus. In each condition, the children’s faces were video-recorded and retrospectively rated subjectively by their homeroom teacher concerning the visible expression of eight emotions. Significant intervention-related effects were observed on the heart rate variability and the “Relax” item of the emotional response indicators but not on muscle hardness or hip ROM. Our findings provide evidence that using a motorized sway bed can promote relaxation in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities by influencing their autonomic response

Distinct effects of anterior pyriform cortex and the lateral hypothalamus lesions on protein intake in rats

Several specific locations in brain, including pyriform cortex and hypothalamus, are associated with regulation of food intake. Although lesions of these locations significantly alter food intake, their involvement in the selection of macronutrients is not well characterized. In this study, we examined distinct effects of anterior pyriform cortex (APC) and lateral hypothalamus (LH) lesions on protein intake in rats. The APC or LH of male adult rats were lesioned by treatment with kainic acid, and the rats were then given free access to two kinds of casein diets containing high (60%) and low (5%) protein. Total energy content of these diets was kept constant by changing the carbohydrate content. Following the APC lesions, body weight and food intake decreased, but returned to control levels on day 13 and day 4, respectively. APC lesions did not change the ratio of protein intake. In contrast, LH lesions disturbed body weight gain and the selection of a high protein diet for at least two weeks, although food intake returned to control levels by day 2. Our results suggest that LH, but not APC, may play an important role in the selection of protein intake in rats

Enhanced Recombinant Protein Productivity by Genome Reduction in Bacillus subtilis

The emerging field of synthetic genomics is expected to facilitate the generation of microorganisms with the potential to achieve a sustainable society. One approach towards this goal is the reduction of microbial genomes by rationally designed deletions to create simplified cells with predictable behavior that act as a platform to build in various genetic systems for specific purposes. We report a novel Bacillus subtilis strain, MBG874, depleted of 874 kb (20%) of the genomic sequence. When compared with wild-type cells, the regulatory network of gene expression of the mutant strain is reorganized after entry into the transition state due to the synergistic effect of multiple deletions, and productivity of extracellular cellulase and protease from transformed plasmids harboring the corresponding genes is remarkably enhanced. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that genome reduction actually contributes to the creation of bacterial cells with a practical application in industry. Further systematic analysis of changes in the transcriptional regulatory network of MGB874 cells in relation to protein productivity should facilitate the generation of improved B. subtilis cells as hosts of industrial protein production

抗ヒスタミン薬ケトチフェンの連日投与による体内時計位相調節

富山大学・富生命博甲第90号・AHMAD ALSAWAF・2017/03/23Sleep and Biological Rhythms,2016.1,14(1),117-120,doi: 10.1007/s41105-015-0021-yに掲載。富山大学201

ARDUINO およびKINECT を使用したフィジカルコンピューティングに関する研究

この研究は、人間の動きをモーションキャプチャーという仕組みで記録することが可能な装置「KINECT」を使用し、人間の動作や感覚を機械が記憶するインタラクティブで基礎的なメカニズムの制作、またそれを使用した作品の制作を目的としている。KINECT はゲーム用センサーであり、一般家庭に数多く普及した装置である。本体から赤外線を照射し、その反射を読み取り人間の骨格を認識し、手足や胴体や顔の位置や角度のデータを生成することができる。これらの生成された一瞬一瞬の人間のデータを連続的につなぐことができれば、時間的に変化する人間の「動作」をデータ化することが可能となる。そして人間の身体の動きを記録することが可能であるならば、記録したデータを再生することがその技術の延長として可能になる。またこの再生はリアルタイムに再生することだけではなく、「時間」と「空間」を移して再生することも考えられる。開発した基礎技術「KINECTaction recognition software」によって、現在ここで行われている人間の動作を、ロボットを使用して他の都市で再生することも、あるいは同じ場所において20 年後に再生することも可能となる。We conducted this study using a KINECT motion-capture device capable of recording physical movements to operate a very basic interactive mechanism to recognize human gestures and behaviours, which might then be used to control a creative work or project. The KINECT device is widely available for home use and often used as a sensor for electronic games. The unit sends out infrared beams, then reads the reflections so as to map a human figure and generate data for the position and angle of limbs, torso and face.Such data strings linked continually moment-by-moment can help render time-based digitized pictures of physical actions, which might by extension be recorded and replayed — not only in realtime, but also across great removes in time and space.Thus, we could conceivably use our KINECT-based system to have robots replay today\u27s immediate gestures and movements in a distant city or in the same location twenty years hence

インタラクションデザインの教育方法に関する研究/地域連携、企業連携、大学連携、学部・大学院連携を基盤とする実践的デザイン教育

本研究は、情報社会へと移行している現代における社会構造の変化と社会環境の変化に対応したこれからのデザインのあり方を研究し、その教育の基盤となるカリキュラムを開発、これを実践的に運営することを通して教育方法の構築を行うことを目的としている。　特に現代の情報環境において失われつつある人間の「身体」をテーマとして未来のデザインの枠組みを考えること、また「ポストデザイン」をテーマとしてこれからのデザイン領域の変化そのものを考えることを研究の中心におく。新しい教育方法の実践としては、国際ワークショップなどの開催、大学連携、企業連携を通じて教育方法の調査・研究を行う。また国内外のデザイン研究機関および教育組織と連携し、わが国におけるインタラクションデザインという新しいデザイン領域の教育研究拠点としての活動を行った。At IDI(Interaction Design Institute), we aim to investigate how design is to respond to contemporary society in transition to the post-industrial information age, to develop curricula basic to such learning, and to establish appropriate teaching methods through actual practice.One central theme of our research concerns the loss of "body experience" in today\u27s information environments and the shift from existing concepts of design itself to "post-design" ideas. Specifically, we have conducted man-machine experiments and published findings on robotic replication of movement using KINECT platform devices to visually collect and compile data on human motion.Likewise, another direction toward new educational practices involves holding international workshops in collaboration with IAMAS, the RCA in London and other progressive institutions both in Japan and abroad so as to share and improve methodologies across the field of design-related education