3D Reconstruction of Structures using Spherical Cameras with Small Motion

Sarthak Pathak,Alessandro Moro,Hiromitsu Fujii,Atsushi Yamashita,Hajime Asama 제어로봇시스템학회 2016 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2016 No.10

In this research, a method for dense 3D reconstruction of structures from small motion of a spherical camera is proposed. Spherical cameras can capture information from all directions enabling measurement of the entire surrounding structure at once. The proposed technique uses two spherical images clicked at slightly displaced positions near the structure, followed by a combination of feature-point matching and dense optical flow. Feature-point matching between two images alone is usually not accurate to give a dense point cloud because of outliers. Moreover, calculation of the epipolar direction with feature point matching is susceptible to noise with small displacements. However, spherical cameras have unique parallax properties allowing use of dense, global information. Taking advantage of this, the global, dense optical flow field is used. The epipolar geometry is densely optimized based on the optical flow field for an accurate 3D reconstruction. A possible use of this research could be to measure large infrastructures (bridges, tunnels, etc.) with minimal robot motion.

Oligonol promotes glucose uptake by modulating the insulin signaling pathway in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells via inhibiting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B

Himanshu Kumar Bhakta,Pradeep Paudel,Hajime Fujii,Atsuya Sato,박찬흠,Takako Yokozawa,정현아,최재수 대한약학회 2017 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.40 No.11

Insulin resistance and protein tyrosine phosphatase1B (PTP1B) overexpression are strongly associatedwith type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which is characterizedby defects in insulin signaling and glucose intolerance. In a previous study, we demonstrated oligonolinhibits PTP1B and a-glucosidase related to T2DM. In thisstudy, we examined the molecular mechanisms underlyingthe anti-diabetic effects of oligonol in insulin-resistantHepG2 cells. Glucose uptake was assessed using a fluorescentglucose tracer, 2-[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)amino]-2-deoxyglucose, and the signaling pathwaywas investigated by western blotting. Oligonol significantlyincreased insulin-provoked glucose uptake and decreasedPTP1B expression, followed by modulation of ERKphosphorylation. In addition, oligonol activated insulinreceptor substrate 1 by reducing phosphorylation at serine307 and increasing that at tyrosine 895, and enhanced thephosphorylations of Akt and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. Interestingly, it also reduced the expression of two keyenzymes of gluconeogenesis (glucose 6-phosphatase andphosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), attenuated oxidativestress by scavenging/inhibiting peroxynitrite, and reactiveoxygen species (ROS) generation, and augmented theexpression of nuclear factor kappa B. These findings suggestoligonol improved the insulin sensitivity of insulinresistantHepG2 cells by attenuating the insulin signalingblockade and modulating glucose uptake and production. Furthermore, oligonol attenuated ROS-related inflammationand prevented oxidative damage in our in vitro modelof type 2 diabetes. These result indicate oligonol haspromising potential as a treatment for T2DM.

Contribution of militarine and dactylorhin A to the plant growth-inhibitory activity of a weed-suppressing orchid, Bletilla striata

Sakuno, Emi,Kamo, Tsunashi,Takemura, Tomoko,Sugie, Hajime,Hiradate, Syuntaro,Fujii, Yoshiharu The Korean Society of Weed Science and The Turfgra 2010 Weed Biology and Management Vol.10 No.3

The methanol extract of Bletilla striata, an ornamental orchid in eastern Asia, exhibited plant growth-inhibitory activity. It was purified by continuous chromatography, based on the inhibitory activity against the growth of lettuce seedlings, resulting in two glycosidic compounds, militarine and dactylorhin A. The $EC_{50}$ values of militarine and dactylorhin A against the radicle elongation of the lettuce seedlings were 0.28 and 0.88 $mmol\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The amount of militarine and dactylorhin A in the methanol extract of the aerial part of B. striata was calculated to be 5.6 and 7.5 $mg\;g^{-1}$ fresh weight, respectively. The inhibitory activity of militarine and its content in the methanol extract revealed that the plant growth-inhibitory activity of the extract of B. striata was mainly related to militarine. The inhibitory activity of militarine against the growth of Italian ryegrass and timothy were of the same level as that of lettuce.

Inhibitory evaluation of oligonol on a-glucosidase, protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B, cholinesterase, and b-secretase 1 related to diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease

Jae Sue CHOI,Hyun Ah Jung,Himanshu Kumar Bhakta,Hajime Fujii,민병선,Chan Hum Park,Takako Yokozawa 대한약학회 2016 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.39 No.3

Oligonol is a low-molecular-weight form of polyphenol that is derived from lychee fruit extract and contains catechin-type monomers and oligomers of proanthocyanidins. This study investigates the anti-diabetic activities of oligonol via a-glucosidase and human recombinant protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) assays, as well as its anti-Alzheimer activities by evaluating the ability of this compound to inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and b-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1). Oligonol exhibited potent concentration-dependent anti-diabetic activities by inhibiting a-glucosidase and PTP1B with IC50 values of 23.14 lg/mL and 1.02 lg/mL, respectively. Moreover, a kinetics study revealed that oligonol inhibited a-glucosidase (Ki = 22.36) and PTP1B (Ki = 8.51) with characteristics typical of a mixed inhibitor. Oligonol also displayed potent concentration-dependent inhibitory activity against AChE and BChE with IC50 values of 4.34 lg/mL and 2.07 lg/mL, respectively. However, oligonol exhibited only marginal concentrationdependent BACE1 inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 130.45 lg/mL. A kinetics study revealed mixed-type inhibition against AChE (Ki = 4.65) and BACE1 (Ki = 58.80), and noncompetitive-type inhibition against BChE (Ki = 9.80). Furthermore, oligonol exhibited dosedependent inhibitory activity against peroxynitrite (ONOO-)-mediated protein tyrosine nitration. These results indicate that oligonol has strong preventative potential in diabetes mellitus and in Alzheimer’s disease.

Protective Role of Oligonol from H₂O₂-Induced Oxidative Stress in C6 Glial Cells

Ji Won Choi,Ji Yeon Choi,Takahiro Maeda,Hajime Fujii,Takako Yokozawa,Hyun Young Kim,Eun Ju Cho 한국식품영양과학회 2012 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2012 No.10

Protective role of oligonol from oxidative stress-induced inflammation in C6 glial cell

Jae Hyun Ahn,Ji Won Choi,Ji Myung Choi,Takahiro Maeda,Hajime Fujii,Takako Yokozawa,Eun Ju Cho 한국영양학회 2015 Nutrition Research and Practice Vol.9 No.2

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Natural products or active components with a protective effect against oxidative stress have attracted significant attention for prevention and treatment of degenerative disease. Oligonol is a low molecular weight polyphenol containing catechin-type monomers and oligomers derived from Litchi chinensis Sonn. We investigated the protective effect and its related mechanism of oligonol against oxidative stress. MATERIALS/METHODS: Oxidative stress in C6 glial cells was induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and the protective effects of oligonol on cell viability, nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis, and mRNA expression related to oxidative stress were determined. RESULTS: Treatment with oligonol inhibited NO and ROS formation under cellular oxidative stress in C6 glial cells. In addition, it recovered cell viability in a dose dependent-manner. Treatment with oligonol also resulted in down-regulated mRNA expression related to oxidative stress, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), compared with the control group treated with H2O2. In particular, expression of NF-κB p65, COX-2, and iNOS was effectively reduced to the normal level by treatment with 10 μg/mL and 25 μg/mL of oligonol. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that oligonol has protective activity against oxidative stress-induced inflammation. Oligonol might be a promising agent for treatment of degenerative diseases through inhibition of ROS formation and NF-κB pathway gene expression.

Platelet Reactivity in Male Smokers Following the Acute Consumption of a Flavanol-Rich Grapeseed Extract

Robert M. Hackman,John A. Polagruto,Heidrun B. Gross,Faranak Kamangar,Ken-Ichi Kosuna,Buxiang Sun,Hajime Fujii,Carl L. Keen 한국식품영양과학회 2007 Journal of medicinal food Vol.10 No.4

Epidemiological studies suggest that a high dietary intake of flavanols, a subclass of flavonoids, is associatedwith reduced risk of vascular disease. Clinical studies have also shown that the consumption of certain flavanol-rich foods(e.g., cocoa, tea, red wine), as well as intake of the individual flavanol (-)-epicatechin, can result in improvement in a num-ber of parameters associated with vascular disease, including improved endothelial function, reduced platelet reactivity, andreduced oxidative stress. The present study assessed the effects of a flavanol-rich supplement on platelet reactivity and plasmaoxidant defense in a group of smokers, a population at an elevated risk for vascular disease. Male smokers were randomlyassigned to a placebo (n . 10) or a flavanol-rich grapeseed extract (FRGSE; n . 13) group, and after an overnight fast, bloodsamples were collected before and at 1, 2, and 6 hours following consumption of the placebo or supplement. The FRGSE sup-plement, but not the placebo, significantly decreased ADP-stimulated platelet reactivity at 1, 2, and 6 hours following intake(P. .05) compared to baseline levels. Similarly, the supplement, but not the placebo, decreased epinephrine-stimulated plateletreactivity 2 hours following consumption. Plasma antioxidant capacity (total radical trapping antioxidant potential), lipid ox-idation (plasma thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), and serum uric acid concentrations were not affected in either group.Thus smokers may obtain some health benefits from the consumption of certain flavanol-rich foods, beverages, and supple-ments.