Identification and Validation of QTLs for Yield and Yield Components under Long-Term Salt Stress Using IR64 CSSLs in the Genetic Background of Koshihikari and Their Backcross Progenies

Unraveling the complex genetic bases and mechanisms underlying salt tolerance is of great importance for developing salt-tolerant varieties. In this study, we evaluated 42 chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) carrying chromosome segments from IR64 on the genetic background of Koshihikari under salt stress. Two CSSLs, SL2007 and SL2038, produced higher plant dry weight and grain yield than did Koshihikari under the stress condition. These CSSLs also showed lower Na+ and Cl- accumulation in the leaf and whole plant at the full heading stage, which might be related to the higher grain yield and yield components. To understand the genetic control of its grain yield and yield components, a SL2007/Koshihikari F-2 population was generated for quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Six QTLs for grain yield and yield-related traits were detected on chromosome 2. Using near-isogenic lines (NILs) from a SL2007/Koshihikari F-5 population, qSTGY2.2 was delimited to a 2.5 Mb region and novel qSTPN2 was delimited to a 0.6 Mb region. We also detected a novel QTL, qSTGF2, for grain filling, which was considered an important contributor to grain yield under salt stress in this CSSL. Our results provide insights into mechanisms conferring grain yield under salinity stress and new genetic resources for cloning and breeding

Individual Education Support System Using ICT for Developmental Disabilities

Children with developmental disabilities require special support to help them in different aspects of daily life, and individual educational support is a crucial part of such support. We developed a collaborative system for supporting children with developmental disabilities using ICT to be used by teachers, parents, and supporters. This chapter introduces this system, which provides close and immediate support through instantaneously sharing daily behavior information about the child between teacher-parent-supporters. In addition, storing the data in a highly secure cloud system facilitates passing information to children’s next educational level. Moreover, AI can match support needs and support services according to the characteristics of individual children by using ICF codes for suggesting immediate, dynamic support

Serum N

Background. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of serum N-glycan profiling for prognosis in hemodialysis patients. Methods. Serum N-glycan analysis was performed in 100 hemodialysis patients in June 2008 using the glycoblotting method, which allows high-throughput, comprehensive, and quantitative N-glycan analysis. All patients were longitudinally followed up for 5 years. To evaluate the independent predictors for prognosis, patients' background, blood biochemistry, and N-glycans intensity were analyzed using Cox regression multivariate analysis. Selected N-glycans and independent factors were evaluated using the log-rank test with the Kaplan-Meier method to identify the predictive indicators for prognosis. Each patient was categorized according to the number of risk factors to evaluate the predictive potential of the risk criteria for prognosis. Results. In total, 56 N-glycan types were identified in the hemodialysis patients. Cox regression multivariate analysis showed cardiovascular events, body mass index, maximum intima media thickness, and the serum N-glycan intensity of peak number 49 were predictive indicators for overall survival. Risk classification according to the number of independent risk factors revealed significantly poor survival by increasing the number of risk factors. Conclusions. Serum N-glycan profiling may have a potential to predict prognosis in patients undergoing hemodialysis

Hepatic screlosed hemangioma which was misdiagnosed as metastasis of gastric cancer : report of a case

A screlosed hemangioma of the liver is rare among hepatic tumors. A 75 years old male was referred to our hospital for gastric cancer and a hepatic tumor. The histological finding of gastric cancer was revealed to be well differentiated adenocarcinoma. The liver tumor was 1.1×1.0 cm in size and located in segment 8 of the liver. Computed tomography (CT) showed it to be a tumor with ring enhancement. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the tumor to have a low signal on T1-weighted and slightly high signal on T2-weighted images. Level of hemoglobin was 7.8 g/dl. It was thought to be persistent bleeding from gastric cancer. With diagnosis of liver metastasis from gastric cancer, chemotherapy is recommended. However, to control the bleeding from gastric cancer, we performed distal gastrectomy and wedge resection of liver (S8). The histological examination of the liver tumor revealed to be a hepatic sclerosed hemangioma with hyalinized tissue and collagen fibers. We report herein a case of the rare tumor which was misdiagnosed as a liver metastasis of gastric cancer

Polymer-Induced Phase Separation in Aqueous Micellar Solutions of Alkylglucosides for Protein Extraction

Aqueous micellar solutions of alkylglucosides were separated into two phases at 0°C upon addition of polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG) or Dextran T-500 (Dextran). One was an aqueous phase in which hydrophilic proteins, cytochrome c and peroxidase (horseradish), were retained, and the other was a surfactant-rich phase into which hydrophobic membrane proteins, bacteriorhodopsin and cytochrome b5, were extracted. A combination of octyl-β-D-thioglucoside (OTG) (or nonyl-β-D-glucoside (NG)) with PEG (or Dextran) was the best choice for extraction of hydrophobic proteins. Extraction yields (50-90%) and concentration factors (7-30) of the hydrophobic proteins were dependent on the types of nonionic surfactants and water-soluble polymers. Solubilization and phase separation in processing cell membranes could be made in a single step at 0°C. Hence the present method would be useful for the purification of thermolabile proteins

Equilibrium Study on Interactions between Proteins and Bile-Salt Micelles by Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography

Interactions between proteins and bile-salt micelles were evaluated on the basis of the binding constants, which were obtained from the migration of proteins in micellar electrokinetic chromatography. The binding constants, Kb=[Pb]/ ([Pw][B]), where [Pb] is the concentration of a protein binding with a bile-salt, [Pw] free protein concentration, and [B] the concentration of bile salt present in the micelles, were successfully determined from the slope of a linear curve of the capacity factor (k′) of the protein against [B]. The binding constants were almost identical to those obtained by a gel- filtration method. The value of Kb increased with increasing the hydrophobicity of the bile salt or that of the protein

Selective Solubilization of Microsomal Electron-Transfer Proteins with Alkylglucoside

A series of alkylglucosides (AGs) was examined for the solubilization of four microsomal electron-transfer proteins (cytochrome P450 (P450), cytochrome b5 (b5), NADPH-cytochrome P450 reductase (fp2), and NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (fp1)) in rat liver microsomes. Among the four proteins, b5 and fp2 were completely solubilized, and thus, almost recovered in the supernatant fraction after centrifugation, while P450 and fp1 were in the pellet. In particular, the solubilization yield of P450 was only about 10%. With a high ratio of alkylglucoside to membrane, along with a low ionic strength, a greater selectivity for b5 and fp2 could be obtained. Such high selectivity was not observed by the use of sugar ester, bile salt, and poly(oxyethylene) alkylphenyl ether types of surfactants. After re-solubilization of the pellet with sodium cholate, the supernatant fraction contained P450 free from b5 and the final recovery of P450 was about 40%. Thus, this two-step solubilization provides a simple method for the partial purification of P450 in microsomes

Aggregation of N-Octanoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine in Carbon Tetrachloride

The aggregation number of N-octanoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine (C8-PHA) in carbon tetrachloride was determined on the basis of the extraction equilibria of copper(II) chelate with C8-PHA between aqueous and carbon tetrachloride phases. According to the relation of the distribution ratio of copper(II) with its concentration in the organic phase, the formation of a reversed micelle consisting of approximately 13 C8-PHA molecules was deduced when C8-PHA concentration was greater than 0.1mol dm-3. The Karl Fisher titration results showed that one water molecule was included in the reversed micelle. The polar parameter (ET(1)) of the reversed micelle was determined to be 250kJ mol-1 by measuring absorption spectra of 1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2, 4, 6-triphenylpyridinium betaine (HPTPP) as a function of C8-PHA concentration in carbon tetrachloride. The ET(1) value was different from that in carbon tetrachloride, indicating the incorporation of HPTPP into the polar core region where the hydrophilic chelating groups are oriented inward in the reversed micelle. On the basis of the ET(1) values in organic solvents, the polar core region could be regarded as being an alcoholic medium