World Markets of Vertically Differentiated Agricultural Commodities: A Case of Soybean Markets

Replaced with revised version of poster 07/21/11.vertical product differentiation, market power, GM, non-GM, soybean, Industrial Organization, International Relations/Trade, L1,

How Market Power Changes in Monopoly: Using Lau’s Hessian Identities

This research examines market power using Lau’s Hessian Identity relationships based on the empirical properties of duality theory. We compare the performance of the proposed dual approach using Lau’s Hessian Identity relationships with the simple traditional dual approach.Lau’s Hessian Identity, Monte Carlo simulation, Market Power, Monopoly, Marketing,

Measuring Bilateral Market Power in International Markets of Vertically Differentiated Agricultural Commodities

Citation: Yamaura, K., & Xia, T. (2016). Measuring Bilateral Market Power in International Markets of Vertically Differentiated Agricultural Commodities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization, 14(1), 33-42. doi:10.1515/jafio-2013-0020Two features of international markets of agricultural commodities are bilateral market power of exporting and importing countries and the coexistence of non-genetically modified (non-GM) and genetically modified (GM) products. The two features were not taken into account in most extant studies on market power in international agricultural commodity markets. This research develops a bilateral oligopoly model with the interaction between non-GM and GM commodity and conducts an empirical estimation for U.S.-Japan soybean trade. The estimation results show that U.S. exporters and Japanese importers are almost equally sharing the dominance of market power. The analysis in this research provides new measures of market power and improves the understanding on world soybean markets. © 2016 by De Gruyter 2016

Chemical Synthesis of Acetobacter pasteurianus Lipid A with a Unique Tetrasaccharide Backbone and Evaluation of Its Immunological Functions

Yamaura H., Shimoyama A., Hosomi K., et al. Chemical Synthesis of Acetobacter pasteurianus Lipid A with a Unique Tetrasaccharide Backbone and Evaluation of Its Immunological Functions. Angewandte Chemie - International Edition , (2024); https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202402922.Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell surface component of Gram-negative bacteria, activates innate immunity. Its active principle is the terminal glycolipid lipid A. Acetobacter pasteurianus is a Gram-negative bacterium used in the fermentation of traditional Japanese black rice vinegar (kurozu). In this study, we focused on A. pasteurianus lipid A, which is a potential immunostimulatory component of kurozu. The active principle structure of A. pasteurianus lipid A has not yet been identified. Herein, we first systematically synthesized three types of A. pasteurianus lipid As containing a common and unique tetrasaccharide backbone. We developed an efficient method for constructing the 2-trehalosamine skeleton utilizing borinic acid-catalyzed glycosylation to afford 1,1’-α,α-glycoside in high yield and stereoselectivity. A common tetrasaccharide intermediate with an orthogonal protecting group pattern was constructed via [2+2] glycosylation. After introducing various fatty acids, all protecting groups were removed to achieve the first chemical synthesis of three distinct types of A. pasteurianus lipid As. After evaluating their immunological function using both human and murine cell lines, we identified the active principles of A. pasteurianus LPS. We also found the unique anomeric structure of A. pasteurianus lipid A contributes to its high chemical stability

Effect of enhanced expression of connexin 43 on sunitinib-induced cytotoxicity in mesothelioma cells

AbstractConnexin (Cx) makes up a type of intercellular channel called gap junction (GJ). GJ plays a regulatory role in cellular physiology. The Cx expression level is often decreased in cancer cells compared to that in healthy ones, and the restoration of its expression has been shown to exert antiproliferative effects. This work aims to evaluate the effect of the restoration of connexin 43 (Cx43) (the most ubiquitous Cx subtype) expression on sunitinib (SU)-induced cytotoxicity in malignant mesothelioma (MM) cells. Increased Cx43 expression in an MM cell line (H28) improved the ability of SU to inhibit receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling. Moreover, higher Cx43 expression promoted SU-induced apoptosis. The cell viability test revealed that Cx43 enhanced the cytotoxic effect of SU in a GJ-independent manner. The effect of Cx43 on a proapoptotic factor, Bax, was then investigated. The interaction between Cx43 and Bax was confirmed by immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, higher Cx43 expression increased the production of a cleaved (active) form of Bax during SU-induced apoptosis with no alteration in total Bax expression. These findings indicate that Cx43 most likely increases sensitivity to SU in H28 through direct interaction with Bax. In conclusion, we found that Cx43 overcame the chemoresistance of MM cells

JeffJ_{\rm{eff}} = 1/2 Hyperoctagon Lattice in Cobalt Oxalate Metal-Organic-Framework

We report the magnetic properties of a cobalt oxalate metal-organic-framework featuring the hyperoctagon lattice. Our thermodynamic measurements reveal the $J_{\rm{eff}}$ = 1/2 state of the high-spin Co$^{2+}$ (3$\textit{d}^{7}$) ion and the two successive magnetic transitions at zero field with two-stage entropy release. $^{13}$C-NMR measurements reveal the absence of an internal magnetic field in the intermediate temperature phase. Multiple field-induced phases are observed before full saturation at around 40 T. We argue the unique cobalt oxalate network gives rise to the Kitaev interaction and/or a bond frustration effect, providing an unconventional platform for frustrated magnetism on the hyperoctagon lattice.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Changes in the expression of miRNAs at the pericentral and periportal regions of the rat liver in response to hepatocellular injury: comparison with the changes in the expression of plasma miRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in body fluids have received attention as potential biomarkers of organ damage because miRNAs that are highly or specifically expressed in a given organ are likely released into body fluids as a result of damage to that organ. We previously determined that the plasma miRNA profile in rats was dramatically changed due to acetaminophen (APAP)-induced pericentral necrosis and methapyrilene (MP)-induced periportal necrosis in the liver. The purpose of this study was to examine whether the expression of hepatic miRNAs is differentially modulated at different zones due to injury and to examine the relationship of the hepatic miRNA profile with the changes in the plasma miRNA expression profile. Through the laser microdissection of the periportal and periportal regions of the liver and TaqMan microRNA Array analysis, we found that 49 miRNAs are differentially expressed between the pericentral and periportal regions of control rats. In both APAP- and MP-treated rats, the miRNAs that presented decreased expression dominated in both the injured and non-injured areas compared with the miRNAs that exhibited increased expression. The changes in miRNA expression in each region of the liver were compared with those observed in the plasma. Of the 301 plasma miRNAs with expression that was changed as a result of APAP administration, only 21% were changed in the injured area of the liver. Of the 263 plasma miRNAs with expression that was changed due to MP administration, only 24% were changed in the injured area of the liver. Thus, the miRNA expression profiles in the plasma do not merely reflect the release of miRNAs from the damaged cells in the liver. This report provides the first demonstration of zonal miRNA expression in the liver and of the relationship of the miRNA expression profile in a tissue with the plasma miRNA profile. © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Plasma MicroRNA Profiles in Rat Models of Hepatocellular Injury, Cholestasis, and Steatosis

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that function to modulate the expression of target genes, playing important roles in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. The miRNAs in body fluids have received considerable attention as potential biomarkers of various diseases. In this study, we compared the changes of the plasma miRNA expressions by acute liver injury (hepatocellular injury or cholestasis) and chronic liver injury (steatosis, steatohepatitis and fibrosis) using rat models made by the administration of chemicals or special diets. Using miRNA array analysis, we found that the levels of a large number of miRNAs (121–317 miRNAs) were increased over 2-fold and the levels of a small number of miRNAs (6–35 miRNAs) were decreased below 0.5-fold in all models except in a model of cholestasis caused by bile duct ligation. Interestingly, the expression profiles were different between the models, and the hierarchical clustering analysis discriminated between the acute and chronic liver injuries. In addition, miRNAs whose expressions were typically changed in each type of liver injury could be specified. It is notable that, in acute liver injury models, the plasma level of miR-122, the most abundant miRNA in the liver, was more quickly and dramatically increased than the plasma aminotransferase level, reflecting the extent of hepatocellular injury. This study demonstrated that the plasma miRNA profiles could reflect the types of liver injury (e.g. acute/chronic liver injury or hepatocellular injury/cholestasis/steatosis/steatohepatitis/fibrosis) and identified the miRNAs that could be specific and sensitive biomarkers of liver injury