Subcellular Proteomics: Application to Elucidation of Flooding-Response Mechanisms in Soybean

Soybean, which is rich in protein and oil, is cultivated in several climatic zones; however, its growth is markedly decreased by flooding. Proteomics is a useful tool for understanding the flooding-response mechanism in soybean. Subcellular proteomics has the potential to elucidate localized cellular responses and investigate communications among subcellular components during plant growth and during stress. Under flooding, proteins related to signaling, stress and the antioxidative system are increased in the plasma membrane; scavenging enzymes for reactive-oxygen species are suppressed in the cell wall; protein translation is suppressed through inhibition of proteins related to preribosome biogenesis and mRNA processing in the nucleus; levels of proteins involved in the electron transport chain are reduced in the mitochondrion; and levels of proteins related to protein folding are decreased in the endoplasmic reticulum. This review discusses the advantages of a gel-free/label-free proteomic technique and methods of plant subcellular purification. It also summarizes cellular events in soybean under flooding and discusses future prospects for generation of flooding-tolerant soybean

Proteomic Contributions to Medicinal Plant Research: From Plant Metabolism to Pharmacological Action

Herbal medicine is a clinical practice of utilizing medicinal plant derivatives for therapeutic purposes. It has an enduring history worldwide and plays a significant role in the fight against various diseases. Herbal drug combinations often exhibit synergistic therapeutic action compared with single-constituent dosage, and can also enhance the cytotoxicity induced by chemotherapeutic drugs. To explore the mechanism underlying the pharmacological action of herbs, proteomic approaches have been applied to the physiology of medicinal plants and its effects on animals. This review article focuses on the existing proteomics-based medicinal plant research and discusses the following topics: (i) plant metabolic pathways that synthesize an array of bioactive compounds; (ii) pharmacological action of plants tested using in vivo and in vitro studies; and (iii) the application of proteomic approaches to indigenous plants with scarce sequence information. The accumulation of proteomic information in a biological or medicinal context may help in formulating the effective use of medicinal plants

Value Chain Analysis of Park Volunteers between Their Assessment to the Activity and Consciousness to the Region

This paper argues that park volunteer activities affect a sense of community of volunteers, based on covariance structure analysis. The adopted model shows that “scheme forinteraction between volunteers” positively affects “overall satisfaction of volunteer activities”and “human interaction” of a sense of community. Because variables of volunteer activities(“Scheme for contact with plants” “scheme for obtaining the skill and knowledge” and “schemefor social contribution”) have a chain reaction, volunteer activities improve social-capital consciousness of volunteers. This result indicates that park volunteer activities have ripple effects of both the expansion of human interaction with peers and the expansion of contribution to society, and have a potential to be a mean to trigger regional revitalization

Robot-Assisted Total Hysterectomy of Extremely Unusual Pelvic Anatomy: A Case Report and Literature Review

We report a case of robot-assisted total hysterectomy in a patient with extremely rare pelvic anatomy. Robot-assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy was performed for lobular endocervical glandular hyperplasia on the left side of the uterus. The sigmoid colon was present between the two uterine corpora of a uterine didelphys and was attached to the bladder via the mesentery and fat. During surgery, the surgeon left the console and confirmed the magnetic resonance images. The surgery was then completed safely after the surgeon understood the anatomy. The postoperative condition was good, and the patient was discharged on postoperative day 5. Robot-assisted surgery has various advantages, including a good field of view, accuracy of instrument movement, and ease of viewing information in the medical record by pausing the operation. Robot assisted surgery improves not only safety and operational precision but also intraoperative convenience. Further studies are needed regarding the specific anatomy seen in this case

〈研究ノート〉日本の戦時ペニシリン開発研究にみる「技術と文化」の相互性 : 複合的な「出来事」としてのペニシリンものづくり

日本でも第二次世界大戦中に抗生物質ペニシリンの開発研究が行われた。戦況不利になる中で研究資材が不足し、開発が先行している英米が交戦国であるために学術先端情報の入手も困難な状況にあったが研究開始の約9ヵ月後にはペニシリンの精製を得た。工場における大量生産試験開始以後は本土空襲が激化し、初期段階で終戦を迎える。本稿の研究目的は、天然物であるアオカビが産生する抗生物質を医薬品として安定供給する開発研究が未知の分野であったにも拘わらず、短期間で開発研究初期段階に到達し得た要因を「技術と文化」の相互性に関連付けて探ることである。研究ノートでは研究方法の特徴を報告する。戦火を免れて保存されていた一次史料と開発研究に従事した新田和男氏のオーラルヒストリーを用いて開発研究の過程を再現し、科学研究行政の視点による分析につなげる。非公開の一次史料は、科学動員主担当である陸軍軍医学校研究部編集の『年鑑』や科学研究行政の主務者である稲垣克彦陸軍軍医少佐による『研究部 業務日誌』を含む。新田和男氏は研究の中核となった伝染病研究所第7研究室で有効菌株の探索・培養・生成・抽出に従事し戦後は抗生物質および抗癌抗生物質の研究者となっている。官僚制の中の技術将校（陸軍軍医学校 稲垣少佐）と基礎医学（微生物学）・臨床医学・コロイド化学・統計学および推計学の学者である4人のブレーン（梅沢浜夫・鳥居敏雄・佐藤弘一・増山元三郎）が発揮した学際的研究支援のリーダーシップを「技術と文化」の相互性として読み解けると考えている。Japan carried out research and development (R & D) of penicillin, the amtibacterial agent, during World War II. Yet research materials for penicillin\u27s R & D gradually became insufficient due to adverse tactical situations. Advanced academic research information was difficult to obtain because Britain and the U.S., who were at the forefront in penicillin R & D. became belligerent. However,a bout nine months after starting the initial R & D, pure penicillin was obtained. Although mass production of penicillin commenced, the aerial attacks on Japan\u27s mainland intensified, and the war came to an end for Japan. The purpose of this research note is to discuss the relationship between technology and culture in the case of the development of penicillin. In particular, Japanese researchers strove to achieve a supply of penicillin, the natural blue-molded antibacterial agent, as a pharmaceutical agent. For the purpose of re-staging the process of R & D leading to the analysis of the R & D of penicillin from the viewpoint of collaboration among science-research-government in Japan at that time, this research note examines this unique research approach using primary documents concerning the R & D of penicillin. These valuable documents have escaped the war and are mainly heretofore unavailable primary historical sources, including an oral history provided by Kazuo Nitta. These primary historical sources include an Annual which was compiled by the research department of the Academy of Medicine Army that was involved in science mobilization, as well as the business diary of the research department which has been described by Katsuhiko Inagaki, who, at the time, was a major in the Academy of Medicine Army and a leader in the science-research-government collaboration. Analysis of the leadership of the interdisciplinary research support by Katsuhiko Inagaki described above and also the existence of four mentors-Hamao Umezawa, Toshio Torii, Kōichi Sato and Genzaburo Masuyama-contribute to clarifying the relationships between technology culture

Computational Model for Human 3D Shape Perception From a Single Specular Image

In natural conditions the human visual system can estimate the 3D shape of specular objects even from a single image. Although previous studies suggested that the orientation field plays a key role for 3D shape perception from specular reflections, its computational plausibility, and possible mechanisms have not been investigated. In this study, to complement the orientation field information, we first add prior knowledge that objects are illuminated from above and utilize the vertical polarity of the intensity gradient. Then we construct an algorithm that incorporates these two image cues to estimate 3D shapes from a single specular image. We evaluated the algorithm with glossy and mirrored surfaces and found that 3D shapes can be recovered with a high correlation coefficient of around 0.8 with true surface shapes. Moreover, under a specific condition, the algorithm's errors resembled those made by human observers. These findings show that the combination of the orientation field and the vertical polarity of the intensity gradient is computationally sufficient and probably reproduces essential representations used in human shape perception from specular reflections

Endometrial Cancer Arising in Adenomyosis That Could Not Be Diagnosed by Endometrial Biopsy: A Case Report

Uterine adenomyosis is an estrogen-dependent tumor and one of the most common benign diseases in sexually mature women. The frequency of endometrial cancer associated with adenomyosis has been reported to be 18%–66%. On the other hand, endometrial cancer arising in adenomyosis (EC-AIA) is extremely rare. EC-AIA is now considered a different entity from and has a worse prognosis than endometrial cancer with adenomyosis (EC-A). In the present study, we report a case of endometrial cancer with adenomyosis in which endometrial biopsy failed to provide a definitive diagnosis. A 63-year-old female patient presented with endometrial thickening. Endometrial cytology was positive, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed small lesions suggestive of endometrial cancer with shallow invasion and adenomyosis. However, an endometrial biopsy showed only metaplasia, and careful follow-up was initiated. Subsequent endometrial cytology showed enlarged and round nuclei, uniform chromatin distribution, no thickening of nuclear margins, and abundant cytoplasm appearing in a sheet-like arrangement, suggesting atypical cells of endometrial glands with metaplasia. Three suspicious positive results and one positive result were observed, but repeated biopsies did not lead to the diagnosis of malignancy. The patient underwent diagnostic hysterectomy 19 months after the initial visit. The postoperative histopathological diagnosis was stage IA endometrial cancer (endometrioid carcinoma G1). This case of endometrial cancer associated with adenomyosis was difficult to diagnose. Our findings demonstrate that EC-AIA should be considered even if no lesions were detected by endometrial biopsy

Accelerated telomere shortening in adrenal zona reticularis in patients with prolonged critical illness

BackgroundThe number of patients with prolonged critical illness (PCI) has been increasing in many countries, and the adrenal gland plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis during PCI. Chronic disease burden is reportedly associated with shorter telomere lengths in human tissues. Telomere shortening in human somatic cells is largely dependent on cell divisions, and critically short telomeres lead to cellular dysfunction and aging. However, the association between PCI and telomere lengths in human adrenal cells is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated this association to assess whether the burden of PCI could accelerate the aging process in adrenal cells.MethodsAdrenocortical tissues from patients who died after PCI usually show a diffuse pattern of intracellular cholesterol ester depletion (i.e., lipid depletion). This study examined near-normal adrenal glands obtained from autopsied patients who died suddenly (control group) and lipid-depleted adrenal glands obtained from autopsied patients who died after PCI (PCI group). The control group included 7 men aged 80 to 94 years (mean age: 85.3 years) and 7 women aged 84 to 94 years (mean age: 87.7 years). The PCI group included 10 men aged 71 to 88 years (mean age: 78.8 years) and 8 women aged 77 to 95 years (mean age: 85.6 years). By using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization, relative telomere lengths (RTLs) were determined in the parenchymal cells of the three adrenocortical zones (zona glomerulosa, zona fasciculata, and zona reticularis [ZR]) and in the chromaffin cells of the medulla. The number of adrenal parenchymal cells was determined by immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis.ResultsRTLs in ZR cells were significantly shorter in the PCI group than in the control group for both men and women (P = 0.0001 for men and P = 0.0012 for women). However, RTLs in the remaining three types of adrenal cells did not differ between the control and PCI groups for both men and women. The number of ZR cells was higher in the PCI group than in the control group for both men and women (P < 0.0001 for both men and women). The proportion of the number of ZR cells to the total number of adrenocortical parenchymal cells was also higher in the PCI group than in the control group (P < 0.0001 for both men and women). The Ki-67 proliferation index in ZR cells was higher in the PCI group than in the control group (P = 0.0039 for men and P = 0.0063 for women).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated ZR cell-specific telomere shortening in patients with adrenal lipid depletion who died after PCI. Our results suggest that the reactive proliferation of ZR cells accelerates the telomere shortening and aging process in ZR cells in these patients. The results of our study may contribute to the understanding of adrenal aging during PCI

Circadian regulation of intracellular G-protein signalling mediates intercellular synchrony and rhythmicity in the suprachiasmatic nucleus

Synchronous oscillations of thousands of cellular clocks in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the circadian centre, are coordinated by precisely timed cell–cell communication, the principle of which is largely unknown. Here we show that the amount of RGS16 (regulator of G protein signalling 16), a protein known to inactivate Gαi, increases at a selective circadian time to allow time-dependent activation of intracellular cyclic AMP signalling in the SCN. Gene ablation of Rgs16 leads to the loss of circadian production of cAMP and as a result lengthens circadian period of behavioural rhythm. The temporally precise regulation of the cAMP signal by clock-controlled RGS16 is needed for the dorsomedial SCN to maintain a normal phase-relationship to the ventrolateral SCN. Thus, RGS16-dependent temporal regulation of intracellular G protein signalling coordinates the intercellular synchrony of SCN pacemaker neurons and thereby defines the 24 h rhythm in behaviour