Development of the Autofluorescence Endoscope Imaging System

It is a well known fact that light emitted at a specific wavelength induces fluorescence in the human body. This kind of fluorescence is called autofluorescence. The application of autofluorescence diagnosis, on the other hand, is a more complicated system designed to detect faint autofluorescence inherent in tissues/cells. We have adopted this autofluorescence diagnosis method and developed a new autofluorescence endoscope imaging system called the SAFE-1000. Normal mucosa emitting autofluorescence appears green on the monitor, while abnormal mucosa shows a dark image caused by the lack of autofluorescence

Creep Deformation Characteristics of Weathered Granite

Creep deformation characteristics of weathered granite were studied. While displacement of a structure on foundation rock is the main concern of foundation designers, the mechanical and especially the time dependent properties of weathered granite, which is being used recently as a foundation rock in Japan, have not been investigated so much. The test results show that the behavior of soft rock is very similar to that of soil. The time dependent deformation in soft rock can be predicted by a simple stress-strain-time function or rheological models. The time to failure under a sustained creep load was also discussed in relation to the strength of weathered granite

Strength Characteristics of Weathered Granite

Weathered granite, which widely distributed in Japan, was tested by a triaxial testing apparatus to investigate its mechanical properties in the consolidated-undrained condition. This rock, classified as a soft rock, causes much trouble in the construction of civil engineering structures. However, its mechanical behavior has not been studied enough to understand the strength characteristics. In this paper, it was found that the general behavior of the weathered granite was very similar to that of clay. The comparison between these materials has been discussed. The strength parameters were obtained from yield points which were defined by two different methods. The physical meanings of these yield points were also discussed

Hannaella oleicumulans sp. nov. and Hannaella higashiohmiensis sp. nov., two novel oleaginous basidiomycetous yeast species

滋賀県の土壌から新種の油脂酵母2種を発見 --日本の土壌微生物の可能性を開拓--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-10-04.Two-of-a-kind strike oil: Discovery of oil-forming yeast species boosts hope for reducing carbon dioxide emissions. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-10-04.Three strains of novel oleaginous yeast species were isolated from soil samples collected in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region and the D1/D2 region of the large subunit (LSU) of the rRNA genes indicated that these novel yeast species are members of the genus Hannaella. The results of molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that strains 38–3 and 8s1 were closely related to Hannaella oryzae. They differed by 10 nucleotide substitutions and one gap (1.77 %) in the D1/D2 region of the LSU of the rRNA genes and by 17–18 nucleotide substitutions and 10–11 gaps (5.45–5.85 %) in the ITS region. Strain 51–4 differed from the type strain of the most closely related species, Hannaella pagnoccae, by 26 nucleotide substitutions (4.46 %) in the D1/D2 region of the LSU of the rRNA genes and by 20 nucleotide substitutions and six gaps (5.42 %) in the ITS region. The names proposed for these previously undescribed species are Hannaella oleicumulans sp. nov. and Hannaella higashiohmiensis sp. nov

Proteasome-dependent decrease in Akt by growth factors in vascular smooth muscle cells

AbstractAkt is activated by growth factors to regulate various aspects of vascular smooth muscle cell function. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 activated Akt in vascular smooth muscle cells with a rapid reduction of total Akt protein that lasted for several hours. The downregulation of Akt required phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity, but not intrinsic Akt activity. The downregulation of Akt was abrogated by MG-132, a proteasome inhibitor, but not by inhibitors of calpain or cathepsins. Akt was found in ubiquitin immune complex after PDGF treatment. Proteasome-dependent degradation of Akt may provide a counter-regulatory mechanism against overactivation of Akt

Factors associated with the severity of childhood rhinoconjunctivitis

AbstractBackgroundAllergic rhinitis is one of the most common chronic diseases in children. Although it has a large impact on the patient's quality of life, little is known about the factors associated with its severity. The aim of this study was to assess the factors associated with the severity of rhinoconjunctivitis among children in the general population.MethodsA survey was conducted using an online research panel in 2012. Parents were asked to answer an International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood-based questionnaire to identify children with current rhinoconjunctivitis and evaluate factors associated with the severity of its symptoms. Severity was rated according to the degree of impairment caused by the symptoms in the patient's daily life.ResultsAmong 26,725 children aged 6–12 years old, rhinoconjunctivitis was defined in 5175 (19.4%), and of these, 688 children (13.3% of children with current rhinoconjunctivitis) presented severe symptoms. Living in areas with a high cedar and cypress pollen count and having concurrent eczema were associated with severe rhinoconjunctivitis [adjusted OR (95% CI): 1.21 (1.00–1.46) and 1.45 (1.20–1.75), respectively]. Further, a maternal history of asthma and allergic rhinitis was a significant risk factor for severe rhinoconjunctivitis [1.34 (1.04–1.74) and 1.30 (1.10–1.53), respectively]. However, living with fur-bearing animals (pets) before 1 year of age proved to be a protective factor against severe rhinoconjunctivitis [0.70 (0.52–0.94)].ConclusionsEnvironmental factors such as pets and pollen, together with comorbidities and a maternal history of allergic diseases, play an important role in determining the severity of rhinoconjunctivitis