The Effect of L-Ornithine on the Phosphorylation of mTORC1 Downstream Targets in Rat Liver

Takeshi Kokubo,Shyuichi Maeda,Kyoko Tazumi,Hajime Nozawa,Yutaka Miura,Takayoshi Kirisako 한국식품영양과학회 2015 Preventive Nutrition and Food Science Vol.20 No.4

A non-protein amino acid, L-ornithine (Orn), has been shown to stimulate the urea cycle and tissue protein synthesis in the liver. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether Orn affects the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, which is involved in protein synthesis. Primary cultured cells isolated from Wistar rat liver were incubated in an amino acid-free medium, followed by addition of Orn for 3 h. The cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting to evaluate the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1, including p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. To assess the involvement of mTORC1 for the effect of Orn, the cells were pretreated with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin before the addition of Orn and the cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting. We next examined whether the effects of Orn were exerted in vivo. Orn was orally administered to 18 h food-deprived rats, the blood and the livers were collected at 1 and 3 h after administration for immunoblotting. Orn treatment for primary cultured cells for 3 h enhanced the phosphorylation of p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. In addition, rapamycin blocked the effects of Orn completely (p70S6K and S6) or partially (4EBP1). The oral administration of Orn to the rat also augmented the phosphorylation of mTORC1 downstream targets notably in S6 at 1 h. Our findings demonstrate that Orn has the potential to induce the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1 in the rat liver. This may be mediated by the augmentation of mTORC1 activity.

Evaluation of Preparation Methods for Scanning Electron Microscopic Observation of Plant Protoplasts

MAEDA,Eizo,SATO,Tadahiko,Oh,Chang Kwon,TANIGUCHI,Takeshi,MIYAKE,Hiroshi 東亞大學校附設遺傳工學硏究所 1996 遺傳工學硏究 Vol.- No.3

佐藤忠彦·權 五昌**·三宅 博·谷口 武·前田英三 (名古屋大學農學部·**韓國東亞大學校農科大學) 要 旨:ペチュニアとイネのプロトプラストを用いて, 走査電子顯微鏡の試料調製法の檢討を行つた. アルコ-ル脫水處理中に生じるプロトプラストの形狀變化を??減するための固定條件を調査した. その結果, 固定條件の違いにより, 脫水處理により生じゐプロトプラストの體積の減少にかなりの差が認められ, グルタルアルデヒド固定, グルタルアルデヒド·オスミウム固定, グルタルアルデヒド·タンニン酸·オスミウム固定の順に, 體積の減少が少なくなつた, グルタルアルデヒド單獨固定の場合に, ペチュニア葉由來プロトプラストの葉綠體の綠色は, アルコ-ル脫水により脫色した. グルタルアルデヒド·タンニン酸·オスミウムで固定すゐと, ペチュニアとイネのプロトプラストの良く保存された走査電子顯微鏡像が得られた. Preparation methods for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were studied with petunia and rice protoplasts. Fixation schedules to sustain protoplast size during alcohol dehydration were examined. When the different fixations were compared, the decrease in protoplast volume was observed to a variable extent during the dehydration process. The extent of volume decrease was reduced in order of glutaraldehyde, glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide, and glutaraldehyde-tannic acid-osmium tetroxide schedules. When fixed only with glutaraldehyde, the green color of the chloroplast in petunia leaf protoplasts was lost during alcohol dehydration. Well-defined scanning electron micrographs of petunia and rice protoplasts were obtained using a glutaraldehyde-tannic acid-osmium tetroxide schedule.

Development of an Active Micro Catheter using a Polymer Actuator

Takeshi Yokota,Kosaku Maeda,Kunitomo Kikuchi,Shigeki Tsuchitani 제어로봇시스템학회 2009 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2009 No.8

Basic technologies to realize an active micro catheter using polypyrrole (PPy) as an actuator are being developed. The catheter is composed of a resin tube, a thin metal film for polymerization of PPy, and a PPy deposited on the electrode. From a finite element analysis, it was proved that a silicone tube with a diameter of 0.5mm and athickness of 0.05mm is the best for our specification. Copper film for electropolymerizing PPy, was deposited by RF sputtering on the silicone tube. The copper film was patterned by a laser machining. PPy was polymerized on the copper film, which was deposited on the half side of the silicone tube. When a voltage of 1.5V was applied to the PPy vs. a titanium electrode in a NaCl solution, the tube bent with a radius of curvature of 12cm.

C60(OH)n-ASSISTED DISPERSION OF SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES

YUTAKA MAEDA,TAKAAKI KATO,JUNKI HIGO,TADASHI HASEGAWA,TAKAHIRO KITANO,TAKAHIRO TSUCHIYA,TAKESHI AKASAKA,TOSHIYA OKAZAKI,JING LU,SHIGERU NAGASE 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2008 NANO Vol.3 No.6

We demonstrate that C60(OH)n-assists the dispersion of SWNTs in aqueous and nonaqueous solutions, which effectively exfoliates large-diameter SWNTs. The SWNT dispersions are characterized by absorption and photoluminescence spectra.

Hydrothermal (K1−xNax)NbO3 Lead-free Piezoelectric Ceramics

Takafumi Maeda,Norihito Takiguchi,Takeshi Morita,Mutsuo Ishikawa,Tobias Hemsel 한국물리학회 2010 THE JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY Vol.57 No.41

As a lead-free piezoelectric ceramic, (K,Na)NbO3 is a promising material because of its good piezoelectric properties. In this study, (K1−xNax)NbO3 ceramics were synthesized from a mixture of KNbO3 and NaNbO3 powders prepared by using the hydrothermal reaction. The hydrothermal reaction enables the production of high quality powders for the ceramic fabrication process. To obtain (K1−xNax)NbO3 ceramics, the KNbO3 and the NaNbO3 powders were mixed and sintered together. X-Ray diffraction analysis revealed that the solid solution ceramic (K1−xNax)NbO3 was formed by the sintering process. The K/Na ratio in the (K1−xNax)NbO3 ceramic was optimized for the best piezoelectric properties. The optimized form was (K0.48Na0.52)NbO3, which showed the following piezoelectric properties: k33 = 0.56 and d33 = 114 pC/N. In addition, the ferroelectric properties Pr = 7.72 μC/cm2, Ec = 857 V/mm, and Tc = 420 ℃ were measured.

The Effect of L-Ornithine on the Phosphorylation of mTORC1 Downstream Targets in Rat Liver

Kokubo, Takeshi,Maeda, Shyuichi,Tazumi, Kyoko,Nozawa, Hajime,Miura, Yutaka,Kirisako, Takayoshi The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2015 Preventive Nutrition and Food Science Vol.20 No.4

A non-protein amino acid, L-ornithine (Orn), has been shown to stimulate the urea cycle and tissue protein synthesis in the liver. The purpose of the current study was to assess whether Orn affects the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 (mTORC1) pathway, which is involved in protein synthesis. Primary cultured cells isolated from Wistar rat liver were incubated in an amino acid-free medium, followed by addition of Orn for 3 h. The cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting to evaluate the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1, including p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. To assess the involvement of mTORC1 for the effect of Orn, the cells were pretreated with the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin before the addition of Orn and the cell lysate was subjected to immunoblotting. We next examined whether the effects of Orn were exerted in vivo. Orn was orally administered to 18 h food-deprived rats, the blood and the livers were collected at 1 and 3 h after administration for immunoblotting. Orn treatment for primary cultured cells for 3 h enhanced the phosphorylation of p70S6K, S6, and 4EBP1. In addition, rapamycin blocked the effects of Orn completely (p70S6K and S6) or partially (4EBP1). The oral administration of Orn to the rat also augmented the phosphorylation of mTORC1 downstream targets notably in S6 at 1 h. Our findings demonstrate that Orn has the potential to induce the phosphorylation of downstream targets of mTORC1 in the rat liver. This may be mediated by the augmentation of mTORC1 activity.

INTERACTION OF SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES WITH AMINE

YUTAKA MAEDA,MICHIO YAMADA,TADASHI HASEGAWA,TAKESHI AKASAKA,JING LU,SHIGERU NAGASE 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2012 NANO Vol.7 No.1

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have excellent mechanical and electrical properties that have led to the proposal of many potential applications. However, SWNTs are typically grown as bundles of metallic and semiconducting tubes. This prevents their widespread application. Therefore, it is technologically critical to disperse and purify SWNTs and separate metallic and semiconducting SWNTs effectively. Recent progress and advances have been made on dispersion, separation, assemble, and control of electronic property of SWNTs by the interaction of organic molecules. This paper presents a brief review of the interaction of SWNTs with amine.

EXTRACTION OF METALLIC NANOTUBES OF ZEOLITE-SUPPORTED SINGLE-WALLED CARBON NANOTUBES SYNTHESIZED FROM ALCOHOL

TADASHI HASEGAWA,TAKESHI AKASAKA,YUTAKA MAEDA,MASAHIRO HASHIMOTO,MAKOTO KANDA,TAKAHIRO TSUCHIYA,TAKATSUGU WAKAHARA,YUHEI MIYAUCHI,SHIGEO MARUYAMA,JING LU,SHIGERU NAGASE 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2007 NANO Vol.2 No.4

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) synthesized by catalytic decomposition of an alcohol were purified by extraction. The purified SWNTs were characterized on the basis of visible-near infrared (vis-NIR) absorption, photoluminescence and Raman spectroscopic analyses, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation, and thermal analysis. Selective extraction of metallic nanotubes was also achieved by the extraction condition.

A Safe Surgical Procedure for Old Distractive Flexion Injuries of the Subaxial Cervical Spine

Osamu Kawano,Takeshi Maeda,Eiji Mori,Itaru Yugue,Takayoshi Ueta,Keiichiro Shiba 대한척추외과학회 2017 Asian Spine Journal Vol.11 No.6

Study Design: Retrospective review. Purpose: To describe a safe and effective surgical procedure for old distractive flexion (DF) injuries of the subaxial cervical spine. Overview of Literature: Surgical treatment is required in old cases when a progression of the kyphotic deformity and/or persistent neck pain and/or the appearance of new neurological symptoms are observed. Since surgical treatment is more complicated and dangerous in old cases than in acute distractive-flexion cases, the indications for surgery and the selection of the surgical procedure must be carefully conducted. Methods: To identify a safe and effective surgical procedure, the procedure selected, reason(s) for its selection, and associated neurological complications were investigated in 13 patients with old cervical DF injuries. Results: No neurological complications were observed in nine patients (DF stage 2 or 3) who underwent the anterior-posterior-anterior (A-P-A) method and two patients (DF stage 1) who underwent the posterior method. It was initially planned that two patients (DF stage 2) who underwent the P-A method would be treated using the Posterior method alone; however, anterior discectomy was added to the procedure after the development of a severe spinal cord disorder. Conclusions: The A-P-A method (anterior discectomy, posterior release and/or partial facetectomy, reduction and instrumentation, anterior bone grafting) is considered to be a suitable surgical procedure for old cervical DF injuries.

Characteristics of Seven Japanese Native Chicken Breeds Based on Egg White Protein Polymorphisms

Myint, Si Lhyam,Shimogiri, Takeshi,Kawabe, Kotaro,Hashiguchi, Tsutomu,Maeda, Yoshizane,Okamoto, Shin Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.9

In this study, to examine genetic variability within a breed and genetic relationships between populations/breeds, we genotyped 606 birds from seven Japanese native chicken breeds at seven polymorphic loci of egg white proteins and compared those with Asian native chicken populations and commercial breeds. Genotyping of the Japanese native breeds showed that ovalbumin, two ovoglobulins and ovotransferrin were polymorphic, but ovomacroglobulin, ovoflavoprotein and lysozyme were monomorphic. The proportion of polymorphic loci ($P_{poly}$) and average heterozygosity ($\bar{H}$) within a population ranged from 0.286 to 0.429 and from 0.085 to 0.158, respectively. The coefficient of gene differentiation ($G_{ST}$) was 0.250 in the Japanese native chicken breeds. This estimate was higher than that of Asian native chicken populations ($G_{ST}$ = 0.083) and of commercial breeds ($G_{ST}$ = 0.169). Dendrogram and PCA plot showed that Satsuma-dori, Jitokko, Amakusa-daio and Hinai-dori were closely related to each other and grouped into Asian native chickens and that Tsushima-jidori, Nagoya and Chan (Utaichan) were ramified far from other Japanese native chicken breeds. The egg white protein polymorphisms demonstrated that the population differentiation of the seven Japanese native chicken breeds was relatively large.