Cross-presentation of glycolipid from tumor cells loaded with α-galactosylceramide leads to potent and long-lived T cell-mediated immunity via dendritic cells

We report a mechanism to induce combined and long-lived CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immunity to several mouse tumors. Surprisingly, the initial source of antigen is a single low dose of tumor cells loaded with α-galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) glycolipid (tumor/Gal) but lacking co-stimulatory molecules. After tumor/Gal injection intravenously (i.v.), innate NKT and NK cells reject the tumor cells, some of which are taken up by dendritic cells (DCs). The DCs in turn cross-present glycolipid on CD1d molecules to NKT cells and undergo maturation. For B16 melanoma cells loaded with α-GalCer (B16/Gal), interferon γ-producing CD8+ T cells develop toward several melanoma peptides, again after a single low i.v. dose of B16/Gal. In all four poorly immunogenic tumors tested, a single dose of tumor/Gal i.v. allows mice to become resistant to tumors given subcutaneously. Resistance requires CD4+ and CD8+ cells, as well as DCs, and persists for 6-12 mo. Therefore, several immunogenic features of DCs are engaged by the CD1d-mediated cross-presentation of glycolipid-loaded tumor cells, leading to particularly strong and long-lived adaptive immunity

２０世紀初頭におけるインターナショナル・ハーベスター社の農業普及活動

１８６２年のモリル法成立以降、アメリカ合衆国における農業教育は進展した。それと同時期に、アメリカの農業は発展し、農業機械は改良されてきた。本研究の目的は、２０世紀初頭において、農機具メーカーが農業普及にどのような活動を行っていたかを考察することである。インターナショナル・ハーベスター社を事例として、同社が設立したIHCサービス局と農業普及部門の活動から農機具メーカーによる農業普及活動を明らかにした。Agricultural education in the United States has progressed since the approval of the Morrill Land-Grant Act (1862). At that time agriculture has developed and agricultural machines have improved. The purpose of this study is to consider activities by agricultural machine companies for Agricultural Extension in the early 20th century. In this study IHC Service Bureau and Agricultural Extension Department and the Service Bureau of the International Harvester Company will be examined

地域の「稼ぐ力」を促進するDMOの在り方―米国カリフォルニア州ナパ・バレー DMO の事例から―

日本版DMO（Destination Management/Marketing Organization）候補法人の登録が開始されてから3年が経過した。DMOの役割・機能は非営利的な活動が主であるが、DMOが成果として期待されることは、観光を通じて地域の「稼ぐ力」を引き出し、地域に継続的な経済効果を産むことにある。また、DMOは、独立した法人としての自律的・継続的な活動のための安定的な運営資金を確保することが必要となる。そこで、本稿は、米国の先進事例として、米国カリフォルニア州ナパ・バレーのVisit Napa Valley（公式DMO）を取り上げ、その公表データにより概要と戦略を把握することを目的とした。Visit Napa Valleyは“プレミア”な地域としての有り様と目標を示しながら、ラグジュアリー・トラベラー（富裕層の旅行者）に対する戦略を行なっていること、地域のマーケティング活動などにかかる独自財源の安定的な確保する仕組みであるTID（Tourism Improvement District）で運営資金を確保し、同組織の活動の結果を広く公開して成果を明示していることがわかった。今後の日本版 DMOの方向性を示す指針となると考えられる

Genetic diversity and structure in the Sado captive population of the Japanese crested ibis.

The Japanese crested ibis Nipponia nippon is a critically threatened bird. We assessed genetic diversity and structure in the Sado captive population of the Japanese crested ibis based on 24 and 50 microsatellite markers developed respectively for the same and related species. Of a total of 74 loci, 19 showed polymorphisms in the five founder birds of the population, and therefore were useful for the analysis of genetic diversity and structure. Genetic diversity measures, A, ne, He, Hoand PIC, obtained by genotyping of the 138 descendants were similar to those of other species with population bottlenecks, and thus considerably low. The low level of genetic diversity resulting from such bottlenecks was consistent with the results of lower genetic diversity measures for the Sado captive relative to the Chinese population that is the source population for the Sado group as determined using previously reported data and heterozygosity excess by Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium tests. Further, individual clustering based on the allele-sharing distance and Bayesian model-based clustering revealed that the founder genomes were equally at population in total, and with various admixture patterns at individual levels inherited by the descendants. The clustering results, together with the result of inheritance of all alleles of the microsatellites from the founders to descendants, suggest that planned mating in captive-breeding programs for the population has succeeded in maintaining genetic diversity and minimizing kinship. In addition, the Bayesian model-based clustering assumed two different components of genomes in the Sado captive Japanese crested ibis, supporting a considerably low level of genetic diversity

Effect of Cblin and celastrol on muscle atrophy

Two novel reagents, N-myristoylated Cbl-b inhibitory peptide (C14-Cblin) and celastrol, a quinone methide triterpene, are reported to be effective in preventing myotube atrophy. The combined effects of C14-Cblin and celastrol on rat L6 myotubes atrophy induced by 3D-clinorotation, a simulated microgravity model, was investigated in the present study. We first examined their effects on expression in atrogenes. Increase in MAFbx1/atrogin-1 and MuRF-1 by 3D-clinorotation was significantly suppressed by treatment with C14-Cblin or celastrol, but there was no additive effect of simultaneous treatment. However, celastrol significantly suppressed the upregulation of Cbl-b and HSP70 by 3D-clinorotation. Whereas 3D-clinorotation decreased the protein level of IRS-1 in L6 myotubes, C14-Cblin and celastrol inhibited the degradation of IRS-1. C14-Cblin and celastrol promoted the phosphorylation of FOXO3a even in microgravity condition. Simultaneous administration of C14-Cblin and celastrol had shown little additive effect in reversing the impairment of IGF-1 signaling by 3D-clinorotation. While 3D-clinorotation-induced marked oxidative stress in L6 myotubes, celastrol suppressed 3D-clinorotation-induced ROS production. Finally, the C14-Cblin and celastrol-treated groups were inhibited decrease in L6 myotube diameter and increased the protein content of slow-twitch MyHC cultured under 3D-clinorotation. The simultaneous treatment of C14-Cblin and celastrol additively prevented 3D-clinorotation-induced myotube atrophy than single treatment

A novel efficient feeder-free culture system for the derivation of human induced pluripotent stem cells

Nakagawa, M.et al. A novel efficient feeder-free culture system forthe derivation of human induced pluripotent stem cells.Sci. Rep.4, 3594; DOI:10.1038/srep03594 (2014)

伝統的事業ｼｽﾃﾑの競争優位と課題 -堺･関･燕の刃物産業の比較より-

本研究は､伝統産業の1つである刃物産業に焦点をあて､その事業ｼｽﾃﾑの競争優位を分析することにより､さらになる成長を実現するためには何が必要かを明らかにしようとした研究である｡そのため､堺･関･燕の主として包丁を製造する企業や個人事業主にｲﾝﾀﾋﾞｭｰ調査を行った｡調査の結果､①堺は問屋を中心とした分業体制により発展してきたが､調整役である問屋の求心力が弱くなり､その体制が崩れてきたこと､②洋包丁の産地である関や燕は､合理性や柔軟性といった特徴が規模の経済と速度の経済､範囲の経済を発揮し､競争優位につながっていること､④各産地間では積極的にOEM生産が行われ､刃物産業全体の衰退を防いでいる可能性があること､⑤伝統産業は技術とﾌﾞﾗﾝﾄﾞが強みであるが､それが制約となり､成長機会を逃す可能性があり､企業の長期的成長を考えた場合､伝統と革新のﾊﾞﾗﾝｽが課題となることが明らかとなった｡This study investigates the competitive advantage of the business system of the kitchen knife industry, which is one of the most popular traditional industries, for their further growth. We had an interview with managers and owners of the companies producing kitchen knives in Sakai, Seki and Tsubame in Japan. The results of this research are below. (1)Companies in Sakai have produced Japanese style kitchen knives by using the system of specialization of manufacturers, which is coordinated by wholesalers. But this system has been disintegrating with a decrease of coordination power of wholesalers. (2)Companies in Seki and Tsubame, which have produced western style kitchen knives, have the rationality and the flexibility to achieve economies of scale, speed and scope, leading to their competitive advantage. (3)They use OEM(original equipment manufacturing)trade among their industrial clusters to avoid the decline of the knife and cutlery industry in Japan. (4)Although they have core skills and strong brands, they have missed an opportunity for growth because of their own strength. Thus, it is suggested that keeping the balance of tradition and innovation is the key to achieving long-term growth