Breadand Effervescent Beverage Productions with Local Microbes for the Local Revitalization

Local microbes such as yeasts fungi and bacilli, were isolated and used to apply for the food processing (bread making) and the production of an effervescent beverage (fruits kvass) for promotion of the local revitalization. Our yeast isolates could contribute to make the breads that can sell in alocal bakery shop.  Furthermore, the same yeasts could be used for making the fruit kvass (a Russian effervescent beverage which was fermented by yeast) with local fruit products (lemon, dry grape, mandarin orange and apple that were produced in Hiroshima prefecture in Japan). Development of merchandise having the local brand, which was made with only products of Hiroshima prefecture was attempted. Results of these activities demonstrate that the search of local microbes can help to establish the regional brand product related to its local area. They also showed that the local microbes have the potential ability to lead the local revitalization and the local brand product

Establishment of a new rehabilitation program using masticatory training food for jaw deformity patients

Background/purpose: Patients with jaw deformities may show a reduction in masticatory function as a result of postoperative hypofunction. This study aimed to establish a novel rehabilitation program using a commercially available masticatory training food for patients with jaw deformities after orthognathic surgery. Materials and methods: Nine patients with mandibular prognathism (the training group: n = 5, and the non-training group: n = 4) and 6 control participants with normal occlusion were included in this study. For the rehabilitation program with masticatory exercise, patients were instructed to chew the training food once a day for 60 days starting from 10 days after the surgery. The effects of the rehabilitation program were assessed by determining the maximum bite force (MBF) and the masticatory performance (MP). Clinical assessments were performed just before orthognathic surgery (Pre) and at 10 days (T0), 1 month (T1), 2 months (T2), and 3 months (T3) after surgery. Results: Compared with the non-training group, the training group showed a trend toward greater recovery amount of MBF from Pre to T3, and a significantly greater recovery amount in MP (p < 0.05) from Pre to T3. When the time-series change of MP was evaluated in both groups from T0 to T3, a significant difference was observed in the interaction terms (p = 0.03). This result indicates that the effectiveness of the training may be demonstrated by following the postoperative course further. Conclusion: The rehabilitation using this training food may become a useful method for postoperative hypofunction in patients with jaw deformities

Functional training after orthognathic surgery

Background/purpose: Even after surgical orthodontic treatment, the level of masticatory function in patients with jaw deformities is still lower than that of healthy subjects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of functional training program using gum chewing exercise after orthognathic surgery on masticatory function in patients with mandibular prognathism. Materials and methods: The study subjects were 16 patients with mandibular prognathism who underwent orthognathic surgery and 8 individuals with normal occlusion. Patients were divided into two groups (training group and non-training group; n = 8 per group). Functional training included gum chewing exercise and patient-education about masticatory function. The training; gum chewing exercise of 5 min twice a day for 90 days, started at 3 months after surgery. For each subject, electromyographic activities of masseter and temporalis muscles during maximum voluntary clenching (MVC) and jaw movement during gum chewing were recorded before and after surgical orthodontic treatment. Two parameters; activity index (AI: ratio of activity of masseter and temporalis muscles) and error index (EI: ratio of the number of abnormal chewing patterns), were used. Results: In the training group, the AI value during MVC increased significantly and the EI value during gam chewing decreased significantly after surgical orthodontic treatment (AI: p < 0.01; EI: p < 0.01), indicating the improvement of activity balance of masseter and temporalis muscles and conversion of the jaw movement from abnormal to normal pattern (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Our findings suggested that functional training using the gum chewing and patient-education exercise improved masticatory function in patients with mandibular prognathism

Treatment decision of camouflage or surgical orthodontic treatment for skeletal Class III patients based on analysis of masticatory function

Background/purpose: Surgical orthodontic treatment is recommended for patients with severe dentoskeletal discrepancies, while camouflage orthodontic treatment is recommended for patients with mild to moderate discrepancies. However, the decision as to which treatment should be chosen is complicated. The purpose of this study was to determine differences in masticatory function in patients who underwent camouflage and surgical orthodontic treatment for skeletal Class III malocclusion, as well as the usefulness of Wits appraisal in treatment decision based on masticatory functional analysis. Materials and methods: The study subjects were 45 patients with skeletal Class III malocclusion (15 cases with camouflage orthodontics and 30 cases with orthognatic surgery) and 12 individuals with normal occlusion. We analyzed the pre-treatment records of electromyographic activities of masseter and temporalis muscles and jaw movements. Results: There were no significant differences in various functional measurements between the camouflage and surgery groups. However, there were significant but not strong correlations between ANB and both masseter muscle activity (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) and expression ratio of abnormal chewing (r = −0.54, p < 0.01). Division of patients into two groups using a cutoff value of −6.0 mm for Wits appraisal showed a significant difference in masseter muscle activity between −6.0 mm or less group and the control (p < 0.01) but none between more than −6.0 mm group and the control. Conclusion: Camouflage orthodontic treatment is inappropriate for patients with relatively severe dentoskeletal discrepancies. Wits appraisal of −6.0 mm is a potentially useful parameter for treatment decision

〈研究発表論文〉吉野熊野国立公園の指定過程において評価された吉野の風景と社会的、文化的背景

Traces of human activities are abundant in Japanese national parks due to the zoning system. However, while the national park system has usually been focused on protection of natural sceneries and biodiversity, there is little discussion about assessment of the social and cultural dimensions of local societies. This research reviews the national park designation process of Yoshino, an area around Mt. Yoshino which is part of the Yoshino and Kumano National Park, to analyze how different landscapes of Yoshino were recognized at different stages of the process, and how social and cultural contexts, namely mountain worship called Shugen-do and local traditional forestry, were assessed. Resources related to the designation in the late 1920\u27s and 1930\u27s were used in the study, including minutes of the National Park committee meetings on the national parks selection, a document of a local request to the Imperial Diet, town history and journal articles. Traditional perception of Yoshino has highlighted Mt.Yoshino, with its well-known scenic beauty of cherry blossoms, associations with national history and its importance to Shugen-do. During the designation process, Yoshino was recognized as a much wider area and new values, such as the beauty of cedar forests,well-managed by the traditional forestry, were discovered. As a result, new landscape recognitions emerged. However, the forest areas were extensively reduced as the government responded to requests from the forestry sector. Finally, only the national history of Mt.Yoshino was emphasized in the designation, which justified unusual zoning separating Mt.Yoshino from major part of the national park, thus excluding other various social and cultural values of Yoshino

顎顔面形態別の最大咬合力に対するガム咀嚼訓練の効果

Development of the masticatory system is influenced by functional needs. Furthermore, masticatory exercise can improve masticatory function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential effect of the gum chewing exercise on the maximum bite force (MBF) in adult subjects with different facial morphologies. MBF was measured by a portable occlusal force gauge and lateral cephalogram was used for evaluation of craniofacial morphology in 19 individuals (7 males and 12 females) with a mean age of 25.4 years (SD ± 4.3). The volunteers underwent gum chewing exercise for 5 min twice a day for 4 weeks. MBF was measured before (T1) and after the 4‐week exercise (T2). The facial morphology of the subjects was classified into the brachy (n = 7), mesio (n = 7), and dolicho (n = 5) facial types. In all three groups, exercise was associated with a significant increase in MBF, though the percent increase was highest in the dolicho facial type. We conclude that gum chewing exercise can improve masticatory performance, especially in individuals with dolicho facial morphology

Evaluation of the reactivity and receptor competition of HLA-G isoforms toward available antibodies: Implications of structural characteristics of HLA-G isoforms

金沢大学医薬保健研究域薬学系The human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-G, which consists of seven splice variants, is a tolerogenic immune checkpoint molecule. It plays an important role in the protection of the fetus from the maternal immune response by binding to inhibitory receptors, including leukocyte Ig-like receptors (LILRs). Recent studies have also revealed that HLA-G is involved in the progression of cancer cells and the protection from autoimmune diseases. In contrast to its well characterized isoform, HLA-G1, the binding activities of other major HLA-G isoforms, such as HLA-G2, toward available anti-HLA-G antibodies are only partially understood. Here, we investigate the binding specificities of anti-HLA-G antibodies by using surface plasmon resonance. MEM-G9 and G233 showed strong affinities to HLA-G1, with a nM range for their dissociation constants, but did not show affinities to HLA-G2. The disulfide-linker HLA-G1 dimer further exhibited significant avidity effects. On the other hand, 4H84 and MEM-G1, which can be used for the Western blotting of HLA-G isoforms, can bind to native HLA-G2, while MEM-G9 and G233 cannot. These results reveal that HLA-G2 has a partially intrinsically disordered structure. Furthermore, MEM-G1, but not 4H84, competes with the LILRB2 binding of HLA-G2. These results provide novel insight into the functional characterization of HLA-G isoforms and their detection systems. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Targeted reversion of induced pluripotent stem cells from patients with human cleidocranial dysplasia improves bone regeneration in a rat calvarial bone defect model

BackgroundRunt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) haploinsufficiency causes cleidocranial dysplasia (CCD) which is characterized by supernumerary teeth, short stature, clavicular dysplasia, and osteoporosis. At present, as a therapeutic strategy for osteoporosis, mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation therapy is performed in addition to drug therapy. However, MSC-based therapy for osteoporosis in CCD patients is difficult due to a reduction in the ability of MSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts resulting from impaired RUNX2 function. Here, we investigated whether induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) properly differentiate into osteoblasts after repairing the RUNX2 mutation in iPSCs derived from CCD patients to establish normal iPSCs, and whether engraftment of osteoblasts derived from properly reverted iPSCs results in better regeneration in immunodeficient rat calvarial bone defect models.MethodsTwo cases of CCD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cells (CCD-iPSCs) were generated using retroviral vectors (OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC) or a Sendai virus SeVdp vector (KOSM302L). Reverted iPSCs were established using programmable nucleases, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas-derived RNA-guided endonucleases, to correct mutations in CCD-iPSCs. The mRNA expressions of osteoblast-specific markers were analyzed using quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. iPSCs-derived osteoblasts were transplanted into rat calvarial bone defects, and bone regeneration was evaluated using microcomputed tomography analysis and histological analysis.ResultsMutation analysis showed that both contained nonsense mutations: one at the very beginning of exon 1 and the other at the initial position of the nuclear matrix-targeting signal. The osteoblasts derived from CCD-iPSCs (CCD-OBs) expressed low levels of several osteoblast differentiation markers, and transplantation of these osteoblasts into calvarial bone defects created in rats with severe combined immunodeficiency showed poor regeneration. However, reverted iPSCs improved the abnormal osteoblast differentiation which resulted in much better engraftment into the rat calvarial bone defect.ConclusionsTaken together, these results demonstrate that patient-specific iPSC technology can not only provide a useful disease model to elucidate the role of RUNX2 in osteoblastic differentiation but also raises the tantalizing prospect that reverted iPSCs might provide a practical medical treatment for CCD

A comprehensive map of the influenza A virus replication cycle

BACKGROUND: Influenza is a common infectious disease caused by influenza viruses. Annual epidemics cause severe illnesses, deaths, and economic loss around the world. To better defend against influenza viral infection, it is essential to understand its mechanisms and associated host responses. Many studies have been conducted to elucidate these mechanisms, however, the overall picture remains incompletely understood. A systematic understanding of influenza viral infection in host cells is needed to facilitate the identification of influential host response mechanisms and potential drug targets. DESCRIPTION: We constructed a comprehensive map of the influenza A virus (‘IAV’) life cycle (‘FluMap’) by undertaking a literature-based, manual curation approach. Based on information obtained from publicly available pathway databases, updated with literature-based information and input from expert virologists and immunologists, FluMap is currently composed of 960 factors (i.e., proteins, mRNAs etc.) and 456 reactions, and is annotated with ~500 papers and curation comments. In addition to detailing the type of molecular interactions, isolate/strain specific data are also available. The FluMap was built with the pathway editor CellDesigner in standard SBML (Systems Biology Markup Language) format and visualized as an SBGN (Systems Biology Graphical Notation) diagram. It is also available as a web service (online map) based on the iPathways+ system to enable community discussion by influenza researchers. We also demonstrate computational network analyses to identify targets using the FluMap. CONCLUSION: The FluMap is a comprehensive pathway map that can serve as a graphically presented knowledge-base and as a platform to analyze functional interactions between IAV and host factors. Publicly available webtools will allow continuous updating to ensure the most reliable representation of the host-virus interaction network. The FluMap is available at http://www.influenza-x.org/flumap/