Properties of OV Spectral Lines in Ionizing and Recombining Plasmas

A collisional-radiative model for Be-like oxygen ions has been constructed for OV plasmaspectroscopy. The model takes into account recombination processes as well as collisional ionization, radiative transitions, and collisional excitation/deexcitation. Two sets of atomic data are used for comparison. We obtain OV line intensities as functions of electron temperature and density. The line intensity ratios of 2s3s 35 - 2s3p \u27Pr=o.r., are measured in LHD plasmas and are consistent with our models. The line intensity ratio of 2s2p 3P - 2p"P and 2s2 tS - 2s2p rP in recombining plasma is an increasing function of temperature and one measured in the LHD plasma indicates electron temperature less than 7eV. The ratios measured in steady-state phase are larger than I and difficult to explain with the current model

Insect-induced daidzein, formononetin and their conjugates in soybean leaves.

In response to attack by bacterial pathogens, soybean (Gylcine max) leaves accumulate isoflavone aglucones, isoflavone glucosides, and glyceollins. In contrast to pathogens, the dynamics of related insect-inducible metabolites in soybean leaves remain poorly understood. In this study, we analyzed the biochemical responses of soybean leaves to Spodoptera litura (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) herbivory and also S. litura gut contents, which contain oral secretion elicitors. Following S. litura herbivory, soybean leaves displayed an induced accumulation of the flavone and isoflavone aglycones 4',7-dihyroxyflavone, daidzein, and formononetin, and also the isoflavone glucoside daidzin. Interestingly, foliar application of S. litura oral secretions also elicited the accumulation of isoflavone aglycones (daidzein and formononetin), isoflavone 7-O-glucosides (daidzin, ononin), and isoflavone 7-O-(6'-O-malonyl-β-glucosides) (malonyldaidzin, malonylononin). Consistent with the up-regulation of the isoflavonoid biosynthetic pathway, folair phenylalanine levels also increased following oral secretion treatment. To establish that these metabolitic changes were the result of de novo biosynthesis, we demonstrated that labeled (13C9) phenylalanine was incorporated into the isoflavone aglucones. These results are consistent with the presence of soybean defense elicitors in S. litura oral secretions. We demonstrate that isoflavone aglycones and isoflavone conjugates are induced in soybean leaves, not only by pathogens as previously demonstrated, but also by foliar insect herbivory

Conception of Life Skills Education Program for Children and Family Life Supported by Community: Through the practice of "SEMORI" embroidery experience course for parents and children

This report is a practical report of a “SEMORI” embroidery experience program for parents and children, which was conducted envisioning a community-based family and child life skills education program. Participants in the two programs included 36 children, 30 parents, 31 high school students, and 12 university teachers and students. Most of the children who participated had positive opinions about the program, such as “I had fun” and “I want to do more.” Parents also shared positive feedback, such as “It was good to be able to concentrate” and “It was nice to be able to make it with the children.” As for the changes parents and children felt after participating in the first and the second program, the following answers were obtained: “I became to think strongly about my children,” “I had become more active in housework,” and “The number of conversations between parents and children had increased.” Therefore, the life skills education program could be expected not only to help acquire skills, but also to promote communication between parents and children, and make the former feel positive about childrearing and housework.本研究は，JSPS科研費JP20Ｋ02811（代表者 梶山曜子）の助成を受けたものである

Cyclin D1 activation through ATF-2 in Reg-induced pancreatic β-cell regeneration

AbstractRegenerating gene product (Reg) is induced in pancreatic β-cells and acts as an autocrine/paracrine growth factor for regeneration via a cell surface Reg receptor. However, the manner by which Reg induces β-cell regeneration was unknown. In the present study, we found that Reg increased phospho-ATF-2, which binds to −57 to −52 of the cyclin D1 gene to activate the promoter. The Reg/ATF-2-induced cyclin D1 promoter activation was attenuated by PI(3)K inhibitors such as LY294002 and wortmannin. In Reg knockout mouse islets, the levels of phospho-ATF-2, cyclin D1, and phospho-Rb were greatly decreased. These results indicate that the Reg–Reg receptor system stimulates the PI(3)K/ATF-2/cyclin D1 signaling pathway to induce β-cell regeneration

Mesalazine suppositories and their clinical application

Ulcerative proctitis (UP) is a prevalent condition associated with increased morbidity, and topical mesalazine (5-aminosalicylic acid [5-ASA]) is known to inhibit the inflammatory processes in UP. We successfully devised mesalazine suppositories, in which 250mg mesalazine was equally distributed and remained stable for at least 2 weeks. We evaluated the effect of using mesalazine suppositories twice a day (BID) on two UP patients. The results demonstrated that mesalazine suppositories were efficacious, well tolerated and safe for the long-term maintenance of UP remission

近位筋優位運動感覚ニューロパチー(HMSN-P)患者iPS細胞から分化した神経細胞はプロテアソーム障害を認める

Hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with proximal dominant involvement (HMSN-P) is caused by a heterozygous mutation (P285L) in Tropomyosin-receptor kinase Fused Gene (TFG), histopathologically characterized by progressive spinal motor neuron loss with TFG cytosolic aggregates. Although the TFG protein, found as a type of fusion oncoprotein, is known to facilitate vesicle transport from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to Golgi apparatus at ER exit site, it is unclear how mutant TFG causes motor neuron degeneration. Here we generated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from HMSN-P patients, and differentiated the iPSCs into neural cells with spinal motor neurons (iPS-MNs). We found that HMSN-P patient iPS-MNs exhibited ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) impairment, and HMSN-P patient iPS-MNs were vulnerable to UPS inhibitory stress. Gene correction of the mutation in TFG using the CRISPR-Cas9 system reverted the cellular phenotypes of HMSN-P patient iPS-MNs. Collectively, these results suggest that our cellular model with defects in cellular integrity including UPS impairments may lead to identification of pathomechanisms and a therapeutic target for HMSN-P