Proteome driven re-evaluation and functional annotation of the Streptococcus pyogenes SF370 genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genome data of <it>Streptococcus pyogenes </it>SF370 has been widely used by many researchers and provides a vast array of interesting findings. Nevertheless, approximately 40% of genes remain classified as hypothetical proteins, and several coding sequences (CDSs) have been unrecognized. In this study, we attempted a shotgun proteomic analysis with a six-frame database that was independent of genome annotation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nine proteins encoded by novel ORFs were found by shotgun proteomic analysis, and their specific mRNAs were verified by reverse transcriptional PCR (RT-PCR). We also provided functional annotations for hypothetical genes using proteomic analysis from three different culture conditions that were separated into three fractions: supernatant, soluble, and insoluble. Consequently, we identified 567 proteins on re-evaluation of the proteomic data using an in-house database comprising 1,697 annotated and nine non-annotated CDSs. We provided functional annotations for 126 hypothetical proteins (18.9% out of the 668 hypothetical proteins) based on their cellular fractions and expression profiles under different culture conditions.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The list of amino acid sequences that were annotated by genome analysis contains outdated information and unrecognized protein-coding sequences. We suggest that the six-frame database derived from actual DNA sequences be used for reliable proteomic analysis. In addition, the experimental evidence from functional proteomic analysis is useful for the re-evaluation of previously sequenced genomes.</p

The Nishimura Family in the Kyoto Kimono Textile Industry between 1900 and 1944

Muromachi merchants in Kyoto have managed the kimono textile wholesale business for hundreds of years. The Nishimura family, one of the most enduring Muromachi merchants, started their business in the mid-16th century as hōe-shō (textile suppliers for Buddhist priests’ silk vestments) and stayed in business into the 21st century. Their long-standing family business was represented by a shop curtain, noren, where a family crest was imprinted.The environmental changes and technological developments after the Meiji Restoration (1868) brought an increasing number of consumers and an influx of competitions in the industry. While the traditional shop style turned into a company in the early 20th century, the Nishimura family led the industry by keeping the traditional business styles that prioritized good relationships among its shop owners, employees, and society.In this paper, two Nishimura family businesses, Chiji and Chikichi, in the first half of the 20th century are reviewed based on stories privately written by their business successors and Kyoto Chamber of Commerce archives

女子大学生の食事の満足感に与える要因の検討

本調査では､長崎県内の女子大学生384名を対象に食生活に関するｱﾝｹｰﾄ調査を実施し､L. Green ら1) の｢PRECEDE-PROCEED MODEL｣を参考に､準備要因､強化要因､実現要因､食行動､食情報､食事の満足感についての把握と食事の満足感を与える要因について検討を行い､以下の結論を得た｡(1) 準備要因､強化要因､実現要因､食行動､食情報､食事の満足感の各分野で望ましいまたは積極的な考え方を持つ者は､他分野でも望ましいまたは積極的な考え方を持っていた｡特に準備要因および食行動においてそれらの傾向が強くみられた｡(2) 強化要因､実現要因､食行動､食情報､食事の満足感において望ましいまたは積極的な考え方を持つことにより準備要因の食品選択行動のｾﾙﾌｴﾌｨｶｼｰおよび食行動のｾﾙﾌｴﾌｨｶｼｰに関しても望ましいまたは積極的な考え方を持つ傾向がみられた｡以上の結果より､食事の満足感を高めるためには､食情報に対して活用できる能力やｾﾙﾌｴﾌｨｶｼｰを高める食のｽｷﾙの向上を目指す教育の必要性が示されたものと考える｡A questionnaire was conducted on eating habits of 384 students at women\u27s colleges in Nagasaki Prefecture. The “PRECEDE-PROCEED MODEL” of L. Green et al was used as a reference to grasp predisposing factors, reinforcing factors, enabling factors, eating behaviors, food information, the feeling of satisfaction with meals and study factors that give the feeling. The following conclusions were obtained:(1) Those who had desirable or positive ideas about predisposing factors, reinforcing factors, enabling factors, eating behaviors, food information, and the feeling of satisfaction with meals also had desirable or positive ideas about other eating habits.(2) Desirable or positive ideas about reinforcing factors, enabling factors, eating behaviors, food information, and the feeling of satisfaction with meals tended to lead the students toward desirable or positive ideas about self-efficacy in such predisposing factors as food selection and eating behaviors.It is thought that the necessity of the education that aims at the improvement of the skill of food that improves the ability and self-efficacy that can use food information was shown to improve the satisfaction of the meal

Variations in amount of TSST-1 produced by clinical methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates and allelic variation in accessory gene regulator (agr) locus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Staphylococcus aureus </it>(S. aureus) is an important pathogen associated with both nosocomial and community-acquired infections and its pathogenicity is attributed to its potential to produce virulence factors. Since the amount of toxin produced is related to virulence, evaluating toxin production should be useful for controlling S. aureus infection. We previously found that some strains produce relatively large amounts of TSST-1; however, no reports have described the amount of TSST-1 produced by clinical isolates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Amounts of TSST-1 produced by clinical methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolates were measured by Western blotting. We determined their accessory gene regulator (<it>agr</it>) class by PCR and investigated whether TSST-1 production correlates with variations in the class and structure of the <it>agr</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found that 75% of surveyed MRSA isolates (n = 152) possessed the <it>tst </it>gene and that 96.7% belonged to <it>agr </it>class 2. The concentrations of TSST-1 secreted into culture supernatants by 34 strains measured by Western blotting differed 170-fold. Sequencing the entire <it>agr </it>locus (n = 9) revealed that some had allelic variations regardless of the amount of TSST-1 produced whereas sequencing the <it>sar</it>, sigma factor B and the <it>tst </it>promoter region revealed no significant changes.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The amounts of TSST-1 produced by clinical MRSA isolates varied. The present results suggest that TSST-1 production is not directly associated with the <it>agr </it>structure, but is instead controlled by unknown transcriptional/translational regulatory systems, or synthesized by multiple regulatory mechanisms that are interlinked in a complex manner.</p

A New Microarray System to Detect Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotypes

Streptococcus pneumoniae, one of the most common gram-positive pathogens to colonize the human upper respiratory tract, is responsible for many severe infections, including meningitis and bacteremia. A 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine is available to protect against the 23 S. pneumoniae serotypes responsible for 90% of reported bacteremic infections. Unfortunately, current S. pneumoniae serotype testing requires a large panel of expensive antisera, assay results may be subjective, and serotype cross-reactions are common. For this study, we designed an oligonucleotide-based DNA microarray to identify glycosyltransferase gene sequences specific to each vaccine-related serotype. Out of 56 isolates representing different serotypes, only one isolate, representing serotype 23A, was not detected correctly as it could not be distinguished from serotype 23F. Our data suggest that the microarray provides a more cost-effective and reliable way of monitoring pneumococcal capsular types

Developing the Ability to Think : From Debate to Essay

私たちが提案したいのは、誰でもできる小論文指導である。そしてここにいう小論文指導とは、小論文を書くための指導ではない。小論文を書けるだけの力を育てる指導を目指しているのである。小論文を書くには、資料収集力・分析力等々の様々な力が必要で、そうした力を磨くことが、思考を鍛えることにつながる。どのようにすればそれが可能になるか、今回の実践で明らかになったのは次の点であった。まず、生徒を中心に据えること。学習活動の各ステップ毎に生徒自身に目標を持たせ、運営を任せる。学習活動の中身とその流れを分かりやすい形で示せば、生徒自身で進めることは十分可能である。ディベート、小論文という具体的な学習活動を置いたのも、そのためである。また、評価は、生徒の相互評価を中心にする。子どもにとっても評価する側に立つこと、相互理解の深まり等において予想以上に効果的であったし、教員の負担も最小限ですみ、むしろポイントを押さえた指導が可能になった。次に、多様な教員による指導を総合学習に位置づけることが、現状ではベストであろうということ。テーマの多様さを指摘するまでもなく、ものの見方、考え方を育てるためには多様な集団での指導が望ましい。また継続的な取り組みが必須のこうした学習は、限られた教科の時間数では望むべくもないが、総合的な学習であれば可能になる。個々の教員の指導力に依存しない形でのこうした小論文指導こそ有効であるという感触を得られたことは、大きな収穫であったといってよかろう

遺伝子組み換え食品に関する日本の消費者意識に関する国際比較

BACKGROUND: Reports of food-related incidents, such as cows infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (2001) and the Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), engendered significant fear among Japanese consumers and led to multiple farmer suicides, even when no actual health damage occurred. The growing availability of genetically modified (GM) food is occurring against this backdrop of concern about food safety. Consumers need information to assess risk and make informed purchasing decisions. However, we lack a clear picture of Japanese consumer perceptions of GM food. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand Japanese consumer perceptions of GM food for risk communication. Consumer perceptions of GM food were compared among 4 nations. METHODS: A Web-based survey was conducted in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and France. Participants were asked about demographics, fear of health hazards, resistance to GM and breeding-improved products, perception of GM technology and products, and willingness to pay. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted, as were t tests on dichotomous variables, and 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests. RESULTS: Of 1812 individuals who agreed to participate, 1705 (94%) responded: 457 from Japan and 416 each from France, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The male/female and age group ratios were all about even. Some resistance to GM food was seen in all countries in this study. France showed the strongest resistance (P<.001), followed by Japan, which had stronger resistance than the United States and the United Kingdom (P<.001). Overall, females, people in their 60s and older, and those without higher education showed the greatest resistance to GM food. Japan showed stronger fear of food hazards than other nations (P<.001, odds ratio=2.408, CI: 1.614-3.594); Japanese and French respondents showed the strongest fear of hazards from GM food (P<.001). Regarding perceptions of GM technology and products, consumers in nations other than Japan would accept GM food if it were appropriately explained, they were provided with scientific data supporting its safety, and they understood that all food carries some risk. However, Japanese consumers tended to accept GM technology but rejected its application to food (P<.001). Of those willing to purchase GM food, consumers in Japan required a discount of 30% compared with about 20% in other nations. CONCLUSION: All consumers in our study showed resistance to GM food. Although no health hazards are known, respondents in Japan and France strongly recognized GM food as a health risk. Price discounts of 30% and GM technology may be communication cues to start discussions about GM food among Japanese consumers. Although education-only risk communication generally is not effective, such an approach may work in Japan to help consumers better understand GM technology and, eventually, GM food. The gap between accepting GM technology and rejecting its application to food should be explored further.博士（医学）・乙第1390号・平成29年3月15日Copyright © Keiko Komoto, Sawako Okamoto, Miki Hamada, Naoya Obana, Mami Samori, Tomoaki Imamura. Originally published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research (http://www.i-jmr.org/), 29.08.2016. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in the Interactive Journal of Medical Research, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://www.i-jmr.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included

アンケート ホウコク コウベジョガクイン コウトウガクブ 3ネンセイ ノ セイカツ イシキ ニ ツイテ

In October,1987,we surveyed 130 senior year high school girls at Kobe College concerning school life, future after gradution, views on career,marriage, men and women, and women\u27s life style by questionnaire. Here are some interesting findings. 1)Eighty percent of them were satisfied with high school life. 2)All of them wanted to pursue further studies after graduation.Ninety percent wanted to graduate from a 4-year college over. 3)Seventy percent wanted to pursue a career in which they could use their abilities the best. Forty percent did not know what career they wanted to pursue. The rest wanted to be teachers or research workers doing work that requires skill, a degree and experience which are evaluated highly. Sixty percent of the students wanted to be able to work equally as men without any sexual harassment. 4)Eighty percent considered marriage positively. The ideal marriage in their view was a marriage as a partner or friend. 5) The favored male and female views were drawn. Sixty percent of them were satisfied as to have been born female. 6) The most accepted blueprint for life was temporary leave from career and return(40%). and terminating career life with prospect of pregnancy(33%). This was followed by continuation without career interruption(30%). Nineteen percent concluded that they would like to continue working without marrying. Sixty-four percent considered raising children. Ninety percent of them wanted to pursue some kind of career after graduation. Thirty percent wanted to continue work for life