Wireless optogenetics protects against obesity via stimulation of non-canonical fat thermogenesis.

Cold stimuli and the subsequent activation of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) potently stimulate adipose tissue thermogenesis and increase whole-body energy expenditure. However, systemic activation of the β3-AR pathway inevitably increases blood pressure, a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and, thus, limits its application for the treatment of obesity. To activate fat thermogenesis under tight spatiotemporal control without external stimuli, here, we report an implantable wireless optogenetic device that bypasses the β-AR pathway and triggers Ca2+ cycling selectively in adipocytes. The wireless optogenetics stimulation in the subcutaneous adipose tissue potently activates Ca2+ cycling fat thermogenesis and increases whole-body energy expenditure without cold stimuli. Significantly, the light-induced fat thermogenesis was sufficient to protect mice from diet-induced body-weight gain. The present study provides the first proof-of-concept that fat-specific cold mimetics via activating non-canonical thermogenesis protect against obesity

Factors leading to differences in water availability and photosynthetic activity of High Arctic lichens

第6回極域科学シンポジウム[OB] 極域生物圏11月16日（月）　国立極地研究所１階交流アトリウ

The Heterochromatin Block That Functions as a Rod Cell Microlens in Owl Monkeys Formed within a 15-Myr Time Span

In rod cells of many nocturnal mammals, heterochromatin localizes to the central region of the nucleus and serves as a lens to send light efficiently to the photoreceptor region. The genus Aotus (owl monkeys) is commonly considered to have undergone a shift from diurnal to nocturnal lifestyle. We recently demonstrated that rod cells of the Aotus species Aotus azarae possess a heterochromatin block at the center of its nucleus. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the time span in which the formation of the heterochromatin block took place. We performed three-dimensional hybridization analysis of the rod cell of another species, Aotus lemurinus. This analysis revealed the presence of a heterochromatin block that consisted of the same DNA components as those in A. azarae. These results indicate that the formation was complete at or before the separation of the two species. Based on the commonly accepted evolutionary history of New World monkeys and specifically of owl monkeys, the time span for the entire formation process was estimated to be 15 Myr at most

High-pressure phase equilibria of tertiary-butylamine hydrates with and without hydrogen

Thermodynamic stability boundaries of the simple tertiary-butylamine (t-BA) hydrate and t-BA+hydrogen (H2) mixed hydrate were investigated at a pressure up to approximately 100 MPa. All experimental results from the phase equilibrium measurement, in situ Raman spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction analysis arrive at the single conclusion that the t-BA hydrates, under pressurization with H2, are transformed from the structure VI simple t-BA hydrate into the structure II t-BA+H2 mixed hydrate. The phase transition point on the hydrate stability boundary in the mother aqueous solutions with the t-BA mole fractions (xt-BA) of 0.056 and 0.093 is located at (2.35 MPa, 267.39 K) and (25.3 MPa, 274.19 K), respectively. On the other hand, in the case of the pressurization by decreasing the sample volume instead of supplying H2, the simple t-BA hydrate retains the structure VI at pressures up to 112 MPa on the thermodynamic stability boundary.Tomohiro Tanabe, Takeshi Sugahara, Kazuma Kitamura et al. High-Pressure Phase Equilibria of Tertiary-Butylamine Hydrates with and without Hydrogen, Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data, 60 (2), 222–227, February 12, © 2015 American Chemical Society. https://doi.org/10.1021/je500301

Photosynthetic responses to water and light of five Arctic lichens and their photobionts

第3回極域科学シンポジウム/第34回極域生物シンポジウム 11月27日（火） 国立極地研究所 ３階ラウン

Effect of entanglement on the decay dynamics of a pair of H(2p) atoms due to spontaneous emission

We have measured the coincidence time spectra of two Lyman-α photons emitted by a pair of H(2p) atoms in the photodissociation of H2 at the incident photon energy of 33.66 eV and at the hydrogen gas pressures of 0.40 and 0.02 Pa. The decay time constant at 0.02 Pa is approximately half the lifetime of a single H(2p) atom, 1.60 ns, while the decay time constant at 0.40 Pa is in agreement with the lifetime of a single H(2p) atom. It turns out that the decay faster than the lifetime of a single H(2p) atom originates from the entanglement in the pair of H(2p) atoms. We have demonstrated an effect of entanglement on atomic decayThe experiment was carried out under the approval of Photon Factory Program Advisory Committee for Proposal No. 2008G107. This work was partially supported by Grants- in-Aid for Scientific Research (C) (No. 19550011 and No. 22550008) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. T.T. wishes to acknowledge the financial support by a Sasakawa Scientific Research Grant from the Japan Science Society, T.O. that of the Matsuo Foundation and Reimei Research Promotion Project of the Japan Atomic Energy Agency, and N.K. that of Research Foundation for Opto-Science and Technology. The authors are grateful to Dr. Kouichi Hosaka of the Department of Chemistry, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Dr. Atsushi Ichimura of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, JAXA, and Dr. James Harries of JAEA/SPring-8 for their fruitful discussions

Cav2.3 (α1E) Ca2+ channel participates in the control of sperm function

AbstractTo know the function of the Ca2+ channel containing α12.3 (α1E) subunit (Cav2.3 channel) in spermatozoa, we analyzed Ca2+ transients and sperm motility using a mouse strain lacking Cav2.3 channel. The averaged rising rates of Ca2+ transients induced by α-D-mannose–bovine serum albumin in the head region of Cav2.3−/− sperm were significantly lower than those of Cav2.3+/+ sperm. A computer-assisted sperm motility assay revealed that straight-line velocity and linearity were greater in Cav2.3−/− sperm than those in Cav2.3+/+ sperm. These results suggest that the Cav2.3 channel plays some roles in Ca2+ transients and the control of flagellar movement