URBAN REDEVELOPMENT OF SHRINES IN TOKYO AFTER 1990 : A Spatial Analysis of Shrines in Tokyo and an Oral History of the Development Process

The purpose of this project is to examine the transformation of shrines that have progressed with re-urbanization and to discuss the issues of shrines at the turning point by clarifying the spatial change and development process through a survey of shrines that have been developed under the initiative of the private sector in Tokyo ward area. Through the research, it was clarified that the shrines have progressed due to the unique development, changes in visitors’ behavior, and the creation of new value. On the contrary, the relationship between the various powers surrounding the shrine was found to be unbalanced

Limulus factor D, a 43-kDa protein isolated from horseshoe crab hemocytes, is a serine protease homologue with antimicrobial activity

AbstractA glycoprotein (Mr = 43 000) from horseshoe crab hemocytes with antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative bacteria was purified. The internal peptide sequences coincided exactly with the deduced amino acid sequence of a cDNA clone, designated limulus factor D, which was isolated by screening a hemocyte cDNA library with an anti-human plasminogen antibody. The open reading frame codes for a precursor of factor D of 394 amino acid residues, including an NH2-terminal signal sequence. The COOH-terminal domain of factor D has significant sequence homology with the catalytic domain of mammalian serine proteases, in particular with human tissue plasminogen activator (32% identity), except for the substitution of Ser of the active site triad to Gly. Factor D has a unique NH2-terminal domain with weak sequence homology with part of the mammalian interleukin-6 receptor α-chain. Factor D is likely to have an important role in host defense mechanisms

Ascending Colon Cancer Associated with Dermatomyositis Which Was Cured after Colon Resection

A 76-year-old woman with muscle ache, weakness of the extremities, and skin rash was diagnosed with dermatomyositis (DM). Upon the diagnosis of DM, a systemic survey of malignancy revealed an advanced carcinoma of the ascending colon. The patient underwent right hemicolectomy approximately 2 months after the onset of DM. The symptoms and signs of DM disappeared after the surgery without additional therapy. DM is an idiopathic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by muscle ache, muscle weakness, and skin rash. In some cases, DM develops as paraneoplastic syndrome, and it is assumed that 30% of DM patients have cancer. Symptoms and signs of DM can be attenuated by treatment of the malignancy, and they reappear if the malignancy recurs. It is essential to perform a systemic survey of malignancy in DM patients, and treatment of the malignancy has to precede treatment of DM

Characterization of a Pseudomonad 2-Nitrobenzoate Nitroreductase and Its Catabolic Pathway-Associated 2-Hydroxylaminobenzoate Mutase and a Chemoreceptor Involved in 2-Nitrobenzoate Chemotaxis

Pseudomonas fluorescens strain KU-7 is a prototype microorganism that metabolizes 2-nitrobenzoate (2-NBA) via the formation of 3-hydroxyanthranilate (3-HAA), a known antioxidant and reductant. The initial two steps leading to the sequential formation of 2-hydroxy/aminobenzoate and 3-HAA are catalyzed by a NADPH-dependent 2-NBA nitroreductase (NbaA) and 2-hydroxylaminobenzoate mutase (NbaB), respectively. The 216-amino-acid protein NbaA is 78% identical to a plasmid-encoded hypothetical conserved protein of Polaromonas strain JS666; structurally, it belongs to the homodimeric NADH:flavin mononucleotide (FMN) oxidoreductase-like fold family. Structural modeling of complexes with the flavin, coenzyme, and substrate suggested specific residues contributing to the NbaA catalytic activity, assuming a ping-pong reaction mechanism. Mutational analysis supports the roles of Asn40, Asp76, and Glu113, which are predicted to form the binding site for a divalent metal ion implicated in FMN binding, and a role in NADPH binding for the 10-residue insertion in the β5-α2 loop. The 181-amino-acid sequence of NbaB is 35% identical to the 4-hydroxylaminobenzoate lyases (PnbBs) of various 4-nitrobenzoate-assimilating bacteria, e.g., Pseudomonas putida strain TW3. Coexpression of nbaB with nbaA in Escherichia coli produced a small amount of 3-HAA from 2-NBA, supporting the functionality of the nbaB gene. We also showed by gene knockout and chemotaxis assays that nbaY, a chemoreceptor NahY homolog located downstream of the nbaA gene, is responsible for strain KU-7 being attracted to 2-NBA. NbaY is the first chemoreceptor in nitroaromatic metabolism to be identified, and this study completes the gene elucidation of 2-NBA metabolism that is localized within a 24-kb chromosomal locus of strain KU-7

Wisteria floribunda Agglutinin-Positive Mac-2 Binding Protein as a Screening Tool for Significant Liver Fibrosis in Health Checkup

Chronic liver disease is generally widespread, and a test for screening fibrotic subjects in a large population is needed. The ability of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive mac-2 binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) to detect significant fibrosis was investigated in health checkup subjects in this research. Of 2021 health checkup subjects enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study, those with WFA+-M2BP ≥ 1.0 were defined as high risk. Liver fibrosis was evaluated using magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in subjects with high risk. The primary outcome was the positive predictive value (PPV) of WFA+-M2BP for significant fibrosis (liver stiffness ≥ 2.97 kPa by MRE). This trial was registered with the UMIN clinical trial registry, UMIN000036175. WFA+-M2BP ≥ 1.0 was observed in 5.3% of the 2021 subjects. The PPV for significant fibrosis with the threshold of WFA+-M2BP at ≥1.0, ≥1.1, ≥1.2, ≥1.3, ≥1.4, and ≥1.5 was 29.2%, 36.4%, 43.5%, 42.9%, 62.5%, and 71.4%, respectively. A WFA+-M2BP of 1.2 was selected as the optimal threshold for significant fibrosis among high-risk subjects, and the PPV, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity for significant fibrosis were 43.5%, 84.0%, 71.4%, and 61.8%, respectively. WFA+-M2BP ≥ 1.2 was significantly associated with significant fibrosis, with an odds ratio (OR) of 4.04 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-16, p = 0.04), but not FIB-4 ≥ 2.67 (OR: 2.40, 95%CI: 0.7-8.6, p-value = 0.2). In conclusion, WFA+-M2BP is associated with significant fibrosis and could narrow down potential subjects with liver fibrosis. The strategy of narrowing down fibrosis subjects using WFA+-M2BP may be used to screen for fibrotic subjects in a large population

DataSheet_1_High-progesterone environment preserves T cell competency by evading glucocorticoid effects on immune regulation.pdf

Progesterone (P4) and glucocorticoid (GC) play crucial roles in the immunoregulation of a mother to accept and maintain a semi-allogenic fetus. P4 concentration increases during pregnancy and becomes much higher in the placenta than in the other peripheral tissues, wherein the concentration of cortisol (COR), the most abundant GC and a strong immunosuppressor, remains uniform throughout the rest of the body. Here, we evaluated the effect of a high-P4 environment on pregnant immunity by comparing it with COR. Naïve T cell proportion increased transiently in peripheral blood of pregnant women just after delivery and decreased after one month. T cells stimulated with superantigen toxic-shock-syndrome-1 (TSST-1) in the presence of P4 stayed in the naïve state and did not increase, irrespective of the presence of COR, and reactive T cells could not survive. Treatment of T cells with P4 without T cell receptor (TCR) stimulation transiently suppressed T cell activation and proliferation, whereas the levels remain unaltered if P4 was not given before stimulation. Comparison of the engraftment and response against specific antigens using hu-PBL-NOG-hIL-4-Tg mice showed that P4-pretreated lymphocytes preserved CD62L expression and engrafted effectively in the spleen. Moreover, they produced antigen-specific antibodies, whereas COR-pretreated lymphocytes did not. These results suggest that a high-P4 environment suppresses T cell activation and induces T cell migration into lymphoid tissues, where they maintain the ability to produce anti-pathogen antibodies, whereas COR does not preserve T cell function. The mechanism may be pivotal in maintaining non-fetus-specific T cell function in pregnancy.</p