ORAI1 genetic polymorphisms associated with the susceptibility of atopic dermatitis in Japanese and Taiwanese populations

Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Multiple genetic and environmental factors are thought to be responsible for susceptibility to AD. In this study, we collected 2,478 DNA samples including 209 AD patients and 729 control subjects from Taiwanese population and 513 AD patients and 1027 control subject from Japanese population for sequencing and genotyping ORAI1. A total of 14 genetic variants including 3 novel single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ORAI1 gene were identified. Our results indicated that a non-synonymous SNP (rs3741596, Ser218Gly) associated with the susceptibility of AD in the Japanese population but not in the Taiwanese population. However, there is another SNP of ORAI1 (rs3741595) associated with the risk of AD in the Taiwanese population but not in the Japanese population. Taken together, our results indicated that genetic polymorphisms of ORAI1 are very likely to be involved in the susceptibility of AD.     

Detailed structural analysis of lipids directly on tissue specimens using a MALDI-SpiralTOF-Reflectron TOF mass spectrometer

Direct tissue analysis using a novel tandem time-of-flight (TOF-TOF) mass spectrometer is described. This system consists of a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion source, a spiral ion trajectory TOF mass spectrometer "SpiralTOF (STOF)", a collision cell, and an offset parabolic reflectron (RTOF). The features of this system are high precursor ion selectivity due to a 17-m flight path length in STOF and elimination of post-source decay (PSD) ions. The acceleration energy is 20 keV, so that high-energy collision-induced dissociation (HE-CID) is possible. Elimination of PSD ions allows observation of the product ions inherent to the HE-CID process. By using this tandem TOF instrument, the product ion spectrum of lipids provided detailed structural information of fatty acid residues.     

Development of an all-in-one inducible lentiviral vector for gene specific analysis of reprogramming

Fair comparison of reprogramming efficiencies and in vitro differentiation capabilities among induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines has been hampered by the cellular and genetic heterogeneity of de novo infected somatic cells. In order to address this problem, we constructed a single cassette all-in-one inducible lentiviral vector (Ai-LV) for the expression of three reprogramming factors (Oct3/4, Klf4 and Sox2). To obtain multiple types of somatic cells having the same genetic background, we generated reprogrammable chimeric mice using iPSCs derived from Ai-LV infected somatic cells. Then, hepatic cells, hematopoietic cells and fibroblasts were isolated at different developmental stages from the chimeric mice, and reprogrammed again to generate 2nd iPSCs. The results revealed that somatic cells, especially fetal hepatoblasts were reprogrammed 1200 times more efficiently than adult hepatocytes with maximum reprogramming efficiency reaching 12.5%. However, we found that forced expression of c-Myc compensated for the reduced reprogramming efficiency in aged somatic cells without affecting cell proliferation. All these findings suggest that the Ai-LV system enables us to generate a panel of iPSC clones derived from various tissues with the same genetic background, and thus provides an invaluable tool for iPSC research.     

Inference of the Protokaryotypes of Amniotes and Tetrapods and the Evolutionary Processes of Microchromosomes from Comparative Gene Mapping

Comparative genome analysis of non-avian reptiles and amphibians provides important clues about the process of genome evolution in tetrapods. However, there is still only limited information available on the genome structures of these organisms. Consequently, the protokaryotypes of amniotes and tetrapods and the evolutionary processes of microchromosomes in tetrapods remain poorly understood. We constructed chromosome maps of functional genes for the Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis), the Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), and the Western clawed frog (Xenopus tropicalis) and compared them with genome and/or chromosome maps of other tetrapod species (salamander, lizard, snake, chicken, and human). This is the first report on the protokaryotypes of amniotes and tetrapods and the evolutionary processes of microchromosomes inferred from comparative genomic analysis of vertebrates, which cover all major non-avian reptilian taxa (Squamata, Crocodilia, Testudines). The eight largest macrochromosomes of the turtle and chicken were equivalent, and 11 linkage groups had also remained intact in the crocodile. Linkage groups of the chicken macrochromosomes were also highly conserved in X. tropicalis, two squamates, and the salamander, but not in human. Chicken microchromosomal linkages were conserved in the squamates, which have fewer microchromosomes than chicken, and also in Xenopus and the salamander, which both lack microchromosomes; in the latter, the chicken microchromosomal segments have been integrated into macrochromosomes. Our present findings open up the possibility that the ancestral amniotes and tetrapods had at least 10 large genetic linkage groups and many microchromosomes, which corresponded to the chicken macro- and microchromosomes, respectively. The turtle and chicken might retain the microchromosomes of the amniote protokaryotype almost intact. The decrease in number and/or disappearance of microchromosomes by repeated chromosomal fusions probably occurred independently in the amphibian, squamate, crocodilian, and mammalian lineages.     

Importance and usefulness of evaluating self-esteem in children

ABSTRACT: The Asian College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ACPM) was founded as the Asian Chapter of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM-AC) in Tokyo on April 12, 1982.The first president was Hitoshi ISHIKAWA (Japan), the vice-presidents were Mahalingam MAHADEVAN (Malaysia) and Burton G.BURTON-BRADLEY (Papua- New Guinea), and the general secretary was Sueharu TSUTSUI (Japan).Five years previously, preparation for creation of the ICPM-AC was started at the 4th World Congress of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM) held in Kyoto, Japan, September 5-9, 1977.The First Congress of the ICPM-AC was held by the President Yujiro IKEMI in Tokyo on May 19-20, 1984. The main members in the early stage were Y. IKEMI, H. ISHIKAWA, S. TSUTSUI, Taisaku KATSURA, Tetsuya NAKAGAWA. Hiroyuki SUEMATSU and others from Japan and Hsien RIN (Taiwan), Seock Young KANG (Korea), M. MAHADEVAN. B.G. BURTON-BRADLEY and others from other Asian countries.Thereafter, academic congresses of the ICPM-AC, the 2nd to the 9th, were held approximately every two years, in Japan, India, Malaysia, Taiwan, Korea, and China. The name was changed to the Asian College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ACPM), and the 10th to 14th congresses were held in Taiwan, Okinawa (Japan), Australia, Korea, and China.The current president of the Executive Board of ACPM is Chiharu KUBO, the Director of Kyushu University Hospital.The next academic congress is the 15th ACPM and will be hosted by Tserenkhuugyin LKHAGVASUREN in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from August 24-26, 2012.Participating countries have expanded to include Asian-Oceanic countries such as Mongolia, Micronesia, Australia and Sri Lanka.The main themes of the congresses have focused on psychosomatic disorders, culture - bound syndromes, oriental medicine, etc... To date,"Health promotion"by raising the level of mental health based on psychoneuroendocrinoimmunomodulation has been very important. Prevention is also important in the Asia - Oceana area, from the viewpoints of both psychosomatics and culture.Above all, an awareness of existential, authentic health is a sure way to promote healthy longevity and psychosomatic well - being.To pursue happiness and well-being subjectively, objectively, and ecologically will be the most important purposes of ACPM in the future.     

Gα-gustducin is extensively coexpressed with sweet and bitter taste receptors in both the soft palate and fungiform papillae but has a different functional significance

To clarify the regional differences in the expression and functional significance of Gα-gustducin in soft palate (SP) and fungiform (FF) taste buds, we examined the coexpression of Gα-gustducin with taste receptors and the impact of Gα-gustducin knockout (gKO) on neural responses to several sweet and bitter compounds. Sweet responses from both the greater superficial petrosal (GSP) and chorda tympani (CT) nerves in gKO mice were markedly depleted, reflecting overlapping expression of Gα-gustducin and Tas1r2. However, although Gα-gustducin was expressed in 87% and 88% of Tas2rs cells in the SP and FF, respectively, there were no statistically significant differences in the CT responses to quinine-HCl (QHCl) and denatonium (Den) between gKO and wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, GSP responses to these compounds were markedly reduced in gKO mice with an apparent elevation of thresholds (>10-fold). These results suggest that 1) Gα-gustducin plays a critical role in sweet transduction in both the SP and the FF, 2) other Gα subunits coexpressed with Gα-gustducin in the FF are sufficient for responses to QHCl and Den, and 3) robust GSP responses to QHCl and Den occur in the SP by a Gα-gustducin-dependent mechanism, which is absent in the FF.     

Influence of dental treatment on physical performance in community-dwelling elderly persons

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00563.x
Influence of dental treatment on physical performance in community‐dwelling elderly persons Objective: The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of dental treatment on physical performance (muscle strength and balance function) among the elderly. Background: Oral conditions have been associated with physical performance. We hypothesised that improved oral conditions by dental treatment would lead to improved physical performance. Methods: A total of 154 persons aged 65 years or over were judged to be in need of dental treatment as a result of dental examination; of these, 121 persons underwent dental treatment. After 1 year, differences in each parameter of physical performance before and after the intervention were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed rank sum test. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was calculated to examine correlations between changes in self‐assessed masticatory ability (masticatory ability) and each parameter of physical performance, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using changes in each parameter of physical performance as the dependent variable and changes in masticatory ability as the principal independent variable. Results: Improved physical performance was not observed for the total study population with dental treatment; however, in subjects with improved masticatory ability, one‐leg standing times with eyes open increased significantly. A significant correlation was established between changes in masticatory ability and each parameter of physical performance. These relationships were not found in those without dental treatment. A significant relationship was also established for one‐leg standing time after adjusting for age, gender, dentition status and needs of dental treatments. Conclusion: Chewing ability may be a positive contributing factor to balance function among the elderly.     

Canonical Wnt signaling in the visceral muscle is required for left-right asymmetric development of the Drosophila midgut

Many animals develop left-right (LR) asymmetry in their internal organs. The mechanisms of LR asymmetric development are evolutionarily divergent, and are poorly understood in invertebrates. Therefore, we studied the genetic pathway of LR asymmetric development in Drosophila. Drosophila has several organs that show directional and stereotypic LR asymmetry, including the embryonic gut, which is the first organ to develop LR asymmetry during Drosophila development. In this study, we found that genes encoding components of the Wnt-signaling pathway are required for LR asymmetric development of the anterior part of the embryonic midgut (AMG). frizzled 2 (fz2) and Wnt4, which encode a receptor and ligand of Wnt signaling, respectively, were required for the LR asymmetric development of the AMG. arrow (arr), an ortholog of the mammalian gene encoding low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5/6, which is a co-receptor of the Wnt-signaling pathway, was also essential for LR asymmetric development of the AMG. These results are the first demonstration that Wnt signaling contributes to LR asymmetric development in invertebrates, as it does in vertebrates. The AMG consists of visceral muscle and an epithelial tube. Our genetic analyses revealed that Wnt signaling in the visceral muscle but not the epithelium of the midgut is required for the AMG to develop its normal laterality. Furthermore, fz2 and Wnt4 were expressed in the visceral muscles of the midgut. Consistent with these results, we observed that the LR asymmetric rearrangement of the visceral muscle cells, the first visible asymmetry of the developing AMG, did not occur in embryos lacking Wnt4 expression. Our results also suggest that canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, but not non-canonical Wnt signaling, is responsible for the LR asymmetric development of the AMG. Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is reported to have important roles in LR asymmetric development in zebrafish. Thus, the contribution of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling to LR asymmetric development may be an evolutionarily conserved feature between vertebrates and invertebrates.     

Assembly of synthetic locked phycocyanobilin derivatives with phytochrome in vitro and in vivo in Ceratodon purpureus and Arabidopsis

Phytochromes are photoreceptors with a bilin chromophore in which light triggers the conversion between the red light-absorbing form, Pr, and the far-red-light-absorbing form, Pfr. Here we performed in vitro and in vivo studies using locked phycocyanobilin derivatives, termed 15 Z anti phycocyanobilin (15ZaPCB) and 15 E anti PCB (15EaPCB). Recombinant bacterial and plant phytochromes incorporated either chromophore in a noncovalent or covalent manner. All adducts were photoinactive. The absorption spectra of the 15ZaPCB and 15EaPCB adducts were comparable with those of the Pr and Pfr form, respectively. Feeding of 15EaPCB, but not 15ZaPCB, to protonemal filaments of the moss Ceratodon purpureus resulted in increased chlorophyll accumulation, modulation of gravitropism, and induction of side branches in darkness. The effect of locked chromophores on phytochrome responses, such as induction of seed germination, inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, induction of cotyledon opening, randomization of gravitropism, and gene regulation, were investigated in wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana and the phytochrome-chromophore-deficient long hypocotyl mutant hy1. All phytochrome responses were induced in darkness by 15EaPCB, not only in the mutant but also in the wild type. These studies show that the 15Ea stereochemistry of the chromophore results in the formation of active Pfr-like phytochrome in the cell. Locked chromophores might be used to investigate phytochrome responses in many other organisms without the need to isolate mutants. The induction of phytochrome responses in the hy1 mutant by 15EaPCB were however less efficient than by red light irradiation given to biliverdin-rescued seeds or seedlings.     

Variability of tail length in hybrids of the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) and the Taiwanese macaque (Macaca cyclopis)

In primates, tail length is subject to wide variation, and the tail may even be absent. Tail length varies greatly between each species group of the genus Macaca, which is explained by climatic factors and/or phylogeographic history. Here, tail length variability was studied in hybrids of the Japanese (M. fuscata) and Taiwanese (Macaca cyclopis) macaque, with various degrees of hybridization being evaluated through autosomal allele typing. Relative tail length (percent of crown–rump length) correlated well with the number of caudal vertebrae. Length profiles of caudal vertebrae of hybrids and parent species revealed a common pattern: the length of several proximal-most vertebrae do not differ greatly; then from the third or fourth vertebra, the length rapidly increases and peaks at around the fifth to seventh vertebra; then the length plateaus for several vertebrae and finally shows a gentle decrease. As the number of caudal vertebrae and relative tail length increase, peak vertebral length and lengths of proximal vertebrae also increase, except that of the first vertebra, which only shows a slight increase. Peak vertebral length and the number of caudal vertebrae explained 92?% of the variance in the relative tail length of hybrids. Relative tail length correlated considerably well with the degree of hybridization, with no significant deviation from the regression line being observed. Thus, neither significant heterosis nor hybrid depression occurred.