Testing neutrino mass generation mechanisms from the lepton flavor violating decay of the Higgs boson

We investigate how observations of the lepton flavor violating decay of the Higgs boson ($h \to \ell\ell^\prime$) can narrow down models of neutrino mass generation mechanisms, which were systematically studied in Refs. [1,2] by focusing on the combination of new Yukawa coupling matrices with leptons. We find that a wide class of models for neutrino masses can be excluded if evidence for $h \to \ell\ell^\prime$ is really obtained in the current or future collider experiments. In particular, simple models of Majorana neutrino masses cannot be compatible with the observation of $h \to \ell\ell^\prime$. It is also found that some of the simple models to generate masses of Dirac neutrinos radiatively can be compatible with a significant rate of the $h \to \ell\ell^\prime$ process.Comment: 16 pages, 7 eps files, published in PL

Vitellogenin gene of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: Structure and sex-dependent expression

AbstractVitellogenin of Bombyx mori is a precursor of major yolk protein synthesized in the female fat body at larval—pupal ecdysis. The gene for B. mori vitellogenin is composed of seven exons interspersed by six introns. Developmental profile of the primary transcript of the gene indicated that the biosynthesis of B. mori vitellogenin is regulated transcriptionally in a sex- and stage-dependent manner in the fat body. The Arg-X-Arg-Arg sequence, which conforms to the recognition site of mammalian furin, occurs in a region just upstream of the putative proteolytic cleavage site of B. mori previtellogenin

糖尿病ラット脈絡膜における一酸化窒素合成酵素の生化学的解析

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系高血糖と脈絡膜NOSの関係を検討するため、Brown-Norwayラットにストレプトゾトシン(STZ)を腹腔内注射し、高血糖を確認後、経時的に脈絡膜NOS活性を測定したところ、STZ注射2週後では活性に変化はみられなかったが、6週後、13週後では、糖尿病ラットにおいて活性の低下がみられた。イムノブロットの結果、6週、13週では糖尿病ラットにおいてnNOSタンパク量が低下していた。また、STZ注射2週後より、4週間インシュリンを皮下投与し、血糖を正常化させると、脈絡膜NOS活性は正常化する傾向がみられ、可溶画分のnNOSタンパク量の回復がみられた。別の高血糖モデルである自然発症糖尿病ラット(Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty, OLETFラット)の脈絡膜NOS活性を生後約60週で測定すると、同週齢の対照ラット(Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka, LETOラット)に比較して低下していた。以上より、高血糖の持続と脈絡膜NOS活性の低下の関連性が示唆された。糖尿病脈絡膜における組織学的な変化を観察するために、STZ注射6週後のWistarラットを潅流固定後、脈絡膜一色素上皮を分離し、nNOSの局在を反映するとされるNADPHジアホラーゼ染色を行った。対照ラットと比較して、組織学的に顕著な変化はみられなかった。研究課題/領域番号:12771015, 研究期間(年度):2000-2001出典：「糖尿病ラット脈絡膜における一酸化窒素合成酵素の生化学的解析」研究成果報告書　課題番号 12771015（KAKEN：科学研究費助成事業データベース（国立情報学研究所））（https://kaken.nii.ac.jp/ja/grant/KAKENHI-PROJECT-12771015/)を加工して作

ラタノプロストの眼圧下降作用を規定する遺伝子多型の解析

プロスタグランジン関連薬であるラタノプロストは、眼圧下降薬として広く用いられているが、その眼圧下降作用には個人差があることが知られている。現時点では何が個人による眼圧下降作用を規定しているかは明らかではない。そこで、我々は健常人を対象に、ラタノプロスト点眼による眼圧下降作用と、ラタノプロストに高い親和性を持つプロスタグランジンFαレセプター(FPレセプター)遺伝子の多型(Single Nucleotide Polymorphism : SNP)に関連性があるかどうかを検討した。FPレセプター遺伝子のSNPを主にダイレクトシークエンスにより探索し、タイピングした。その結果10個のSNPが検出された。健常人100人に対して、ラタノプロストを片眼に1日1回7日間点眼し、7日後の眼圧下降率を他眼を対照として算出した。眼圧下降率はFPレセプター遺伝子のプロモーター領域のSNP(rs3753380)において、C/Cホモの眼圧下降率は20.3±1.5%(平均±標準誤差)(n=52)、Tキャリアー(C/T+T/T)は15.6±1.2%(n=48)と有意な差があった(P<0.05)。他の多型に関しては遺伝子型と眼圧下降率に有意な関連はみられなかった。しかし、眼圧下降率により被験者をロー-、ミディアム-、ハイ-レスポンダーと分類し、各遺伝子型と解析すると、第一イントロンにあるrs3766355と眼圧下降作用の間にも関連性が見出された。また、FPレセプター遺伝子のプロモーター領域を、ホタルのルシフェラーゼ遺伝子の上流に連結し、レポーターアッセイを行った。その結果、rs3766355がCでrs3753380がTであると、ルシフエラーゼの活性が低下した。以上より、FPレセプター遺伝子のプロモーター(rs3753380)と第一イントロン(rs3766355)の多型がラタノプロストによる眼圧下降の個人差を引き起こす一つの要因である可能性が示唆された。Latanoprost, a prostaglandin F2o analogue, is widely used to lower the intraocular pressure (10P) in patients with glaucoma although in some cases the response is unexpectedly weak. It is currently unknown what is responsible for the weak responses to latanoprost in different patients. We attempted to evaluate the relationship between polymorphisms of the prostaglandin F2n receptor (FP receptor) gene and the effectiveness of topical latanoprost treatment in normal volunteers.Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FP receptor gene were searched and the genotype was determined mainly by direct DNA sequencing. Ten SNPs were identified in this study. Baseline IOPs of both eyes of 100 normal subjects were measured at three time points. Latanoprost (0.005%) was applied to one eye once daily, for 7 days. Diurnal 10P was measured again on day 7. Response to latanoprost was evaluated by percent 10P reduction in the treated eye minus 10P fluctuations of the non-treated eye. One SNP, rs375 3380, was located in the promoter region of the FP receptor gene and was significantly correlated with the mean diurnal percent 10P reduction (%AIOP) (CC, 20.3 ± 1.5% (mean ± SEM); CT + TT, 15.6 ± 1.2%, P = 0.0316). The %AIOP was not correlated with other SNPs. We classified subjects by the %ΔI0P into 3 groups: low-responders (%ΔIOP <10%), medium-responders (10%<%ΔIOP <25%), and high-responders (%Δ10P<25%). When the category classified by the %oIOP was analyzed, not only rs3753380 but also rs3766355, a SNP in intron 1, were associated with the degree of response to latanoprost. A promoter assay with a reporter luciferase gene revealed that the C allele of rs3766355 and T allele of rs3753380 were found in constructs with lower transcriptional activity of the FP receptor gene.rs3753380 and rs3766355, SNPs in the promoter and intron 1 regions of the FP receptor gene, correlate with a response to short-term latanoprost treatment in normal volunteers. The genotype of these SNPs may be an important determinant of variability in response to latanoprost.研究課題/領域番号:17591826, 研究期間(年度):2005-200

Swelling-activated potassium channel in porcine pigmented ciliary epithelial cells.

Ion channels in the ciliary epithelium play critical roles in the formation of aqueous humor in the eye. The present study identified a novel, swelling-activated K(+) current in freshly dissociated porcine pigmented ciliary epithelial cells. Ciliary epithelial cells were freshly dissociated from porcine eyes. Whole-cell currents were recorded by the patch-clamp technique in pigmented and nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cell (PCE-NPCE) pairs or single PCE cells. The 0-current potential was -49 ± 13 mV in PCE-NPCE cell pairs (n = 97) and -52 ± 12 mV in single PCE cells (n = 30). Whole-cell currents in these cells were dominated by an outwardly rectifying K(+) current activated by potentials more positive than -90 mV, which never inactivated during prolonged depolarization. The K(+) current was significantly augmented by hypotonic cell perfusion. External Ba(2+) was a blocker of this K(+) conductance (IC(50) of 0.38 mM), but the conductance was insensitive to external TEA(+). Linopirdine, a specific inhibitor of KCNQ channels, effectively blocked the K(+) current in these PCE cells. Porcine PCE cells express a swelling-activated K(+) channel, which may be a member of the KCNQ/Kv7 channel family. This K(+) channel is active near resting potentials and could contribute to the regulation of cell volume and water transport via the ciliary epithelia

Association between Genetic Polymorphisms of the Prostaglandin F2α Receptor Gene and Response to Latanoprost

取得学位 : 博士（医学）, 学位授与番号 : 医博乙第1637号 , 学位授与年月日 : 平成19年11月21日, 学位授与大学 : 金沢大学, 主査教授 : 山本 博, 副査教授 : 吉本 谷博 , 加藤

Perceived eHealth Literacy and Learning Experiences Among Japanese Undergraduate Nursing Students

This study aimed to describe undergraduate nursing students\u27 perceived eHealth literacy and learning experiences of eHealth literacy in Japan and to clarify the relationship between these factors. We conducted a self-administered online questionnaire survey using a convenience sample of 353 Japanese undergraduate nursing students selected from three universities. Participants completed the eHealth Literacy Scale and questionnaires on learning experiences of eHealth literacy and some demographic factors. Participants had moderate perceived eHealth (mean [SD], 24.52 [5.20]). More than half the participants responded that they had no learning experiences of health or science literacy. We observed a positive correlation between the total mean eHealth literacy and learning experiences scores. Undergraduate nursing students in Japan had slightly lower perceived eHealth literacy than nursing students in other countries, hospital nurses, and even patients. Of the 353 participants in this study, 69.4% did not know “where to find helpful health resources on the Internet,” 80.2% of those lacked the skills “to evaluate health resources,” and 68.9% could not “differentiate the quality of health resources on the Internet”; few of the participants perceived themselves as having any experience in learning the six domains of eHealth literacy. Very few reported learning about health (43.3%) and scientific (21.8%) literacy. The low perceived eHealth literacy among participants might reflect lack of knowledge and confidence in eHealth literacy as well as their own low level of health-promoting behaviors; this might influence the quality of health education of clients and their families. Nursing educators should address the lack of eHealth literacy among undergraduate nursing students

Primary conjunctival follicular lymphoma treated with the anti-CD20 antibody rituximab and low-dose involved-field radiotherapy

金沢大学医学部附属病院眼科金沢大学大学院医学系研究