Effect of the D-glucose analog, D-allose, on the growth of Arabidopsis roots

Kato-Noguchi, Hisashi,Takaoka, Takuya,Okada, Kozue The Korean Society of Weed Science and The Turfgra 2011 Weed Biology and Management Vol.11 No.1

Although D-glucose increased the root growth of Arabidopsis seedlings, D-allose (a d-glucose epimer at the third carbon atom) inhibited the root growth at concentrations >0.1 $mmol\;L^{-1}$ and the inhibition increased with increasing D-allose concentrations. Allitol (a reduction product of D-allose) did not show any significant effect on the growth. The addition of D-glucose into the growth medium of Arabidopsis reversed the D-allose-induced growth inhibition, which suggests that the inhibition is not caused by the toxicity of the accumulation of D-allose and/or its metabolites in the seedlings. D-Allose is phosphorylated by hexokinase, using ATP and phosphate, to allose-6-phosphate, with no known capacity for further metabolism. The addition of phosphate into the growth medium did not affect the D-allose-induced growth inhibition and D-allose did not reduce the ATP level in the roots. These results suggest that the inhibition is not due to phosphate starvation and ATP depletion. D-Mannoheptulose, a specific competitive inhibitor of hexokinase, defeated the D-allose-induced growth inhibition. Hexokinase is known to have a sugar-sensing function and possibly triggers a signal cascade, resulting in the change of several gene expressions. Therefore, the phosphorylation of D-allose by hexokinase might trigger a signal cascade, resulting in the inhibition of Arabidopsis root growth. This is probably a useful model system for studies of the hexokinase-mediated sugar-sensing function and for developing new types of weed-control agents.

Time-resolved photoluminescence of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 thin films and temperature dependent current density-voltage characteristics of their solar cells on surface treatment effect

Jakapan Chantana,Takuya Kato,Hiroki Sugimoto,Takashi Minemoto 한국물리학회 2017 Current Applied Physics Vol.17 No.4

Influences of the surface treatments of Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGSSe) thin films, which are KCN, HCl, or thiuorea treatments, were investigated by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) and temperature dependent current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics of their solar cells. It is demonstrated that the KCN treatment optimized under 1 wt% leads to the significant increase in conversion efficiency (h) up to 19.21%. On the other hand, the h of the CIGSSe solar cells is in ranges of 13.70e15.51% and 9.86e10.70% with the HCl treatments (0.3e0.7 mol/L), and thiuorea treatments (0.5e1.5 mol/L), respectively, which are lower than 16.66% that of the reference solar cell without the surface treatment. According to TRPL measurements, the quality of near-surface CIGSSe is improved with the KCN treatment (1 wt%) owing to enhanced TRPL lifetimes, whereas that is deteriorated with the HCl and thiuorea treatments due to decreased TRPL lifetimes. In addition, according to the temperature-dependent J-V measurement, the interface recombination of the CIGSSe solar cell is decreased with the KCN treatment, while that of the CIGSSe solar cells is increased with the HCl and thiuorea treatments. Ultimately, 19.21%-efficient CIGSSe solar cell with the KCN treatment (1 wt%) at room temperature with the increased VOC of 0.692 V was obtained, which is around 15.3% relatively higher h than that of the solar cell without the surface treatment.

Comparison of the Efficiencies of Different Affinity Tags in the Purification of a Recombinant Secretory Protein Expressed in Silkworm Larval Hemolymph

Takashi Dojima,Takuya Nishina,Tatsuya Kato,Hiroshi Ueda,Enoch Y. Park 한국생물공학회 2009 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.14 No.3

Silkworms are useful bioreactors for heterologous protein expression when used in conjunction with the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid system. However, purification from silkworm hemolymph is difficult since it contains various kinds of proteins. In this study, we investigated an effective single-step method for the purification of affinity-tagged single-chain antibody variable region fragment (scFv) from silkworm larval hemolymph. A 5-fold higher expression level was obtained when scFv was fused with the His tag than when it was fused with the Strep II or GST tags. However, the His tag was inadequate for single-step purification since it led to the nonspecific binding of contaminants. The purification recoveries of GST-, Strep II-, and His-tagged scFvs were 91.8%, 43.7%, and 27.2%, respectively. The specific amount of single-step purified GST-tagged scFv was 2.2~2.7 fold higher than the amounts of the His- and Strep II-tagged constructs. The purities of Strep II- and GST-tagged scFvs in the eluent were 98.4% and 83.0%, respectively. Thus, both the short peptide Strep II and GST protein are suitable fusion tags for the affinity purification of proteins from silkworm larvae Silkworms are useful bioreactors for heterologous protein expression when used in conjunction with the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) bacmid system. However, purification from silkworm hemolymph is difficult since it contains various kinds of proteins. In this study, we investigated an effective single-step method for the purification of affinity-tagged single-chain antibody variable region fragment (scFv) from silkworm larval hemolymph. A 5-fold higher expression level was obtained when scFv was fused with the His tag than when it was fused with the Strep II or GST tags. However, the His tag was inadequate for single-step purification since it led to the nonspecific binding of contaminants. The purification recoveries of GST-, Strep II-, and His-tagged scFvs were 91.8%, 43.7%, and 27.2%, respectively. The specific amount of single-step purified GST-tagged scFv was 2.2~2.7 fold higher than the amounts of the His- and Strep II-tagged constructs. The purities of Strep II- and GST-tagged scFvs in the eluent were 98.4% and 83.0%, respectively. Thus, both the short peptide Strep II and GST protein are suitable fusion tags for the affinity purification of proteins from silkworm larvae

Successful onco-testicular sperm extraction from a testicular cancer patient with a single testis and azoospermia

Kuroda, Shinnosuke,Kondo, Takuya,Mori, Kohei,Yasuda, Kengo,Asai, Takuo,Sanjo, Hiroyuki,Yakanaka, Hiroyuki,Takeshima, Teppei,Kawahara, Takashi,Kato, Yoshitake,Miyoshi, Yasuhide,Uemura, Hiroji,Iwasaki, The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 2018 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.45 No.1

Onco-testicular sperm extraction is used to preserve fertility in patients with bilateral testicular tumors and azoospermia. We report the case of a testicular tumor in the solitary testis of a patient who had previously undergone successful contralateral orchiectomy and whose sperm was preserved by onco-testicular sperm extraction. A 35-year-old patient presented with swelling of his right scrotum that had lasted for 1 month. His medical history included a contralateral orchiectomy during childhood. Ultrasonography revealed a mosaic echoic area in his scrotum, suggesting a testicular tumor. The lesion was palpated within the normal testicular tissue along its edge and semen analysis showed azoospermia. Radical inguinal orchiectomy and onco-testicular sperm extraction were performed simultaneously. Motile spermatozoa were extracted from normal seminiferous tubules under microscopy and were frozen. Eventual intracytoplasmic sperm injection using the frozen spermatozoa is planned. Onco-testicular sperm extraction is an important fertility preservation method in patients with bilateral testicular tumors or a history of a previous contralateral orchiectomy.

Nonvortical Rashba Spin Structure on a Surface with_C1hSymmetry

Annese, Emilia,Kuzumaki, Takuya,Mü,ller, Beate,Yamamoto, Yuta,Nakano, Hiroto,Kato, Haruki,Araki, Atsushi,Ohtaka, Minoru,Aoki, Takashi,Ishikawa, Hirotaka,Hayashida, Takashi,Osiecki, Jacek R.,Miyamo American Physical Society 2016 Physical Review Letters Vol.117 No.1

Surgical Outcomes of Cervical Myelopathy in Patients with Athetoid Cerebral Palsy: A 5-Year Follow-Up

Kazuyuki Watanabe,Koji Otani,Takuya Nikaido,Kinshi Kato,Hiroshi Kobayashi,Shoji Yabuki,Shin-ichi Kikuchi,Shinichi Konno 대한척추외과학회 2017 Asian Spine Journal Vol.11 No.6

Study Design: Observational cohort study. Purpose: To assess the surgical outcomes of posterior decompression and fusion for cervical myelopathy in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy. Overview of Literature: Patients with athetoid cerebral palsy demonstrate involuntary movements and develop severe cervical spondylosis with kyphosis. In these patients, surgery is often performed at an early age because of myelopathy. A few studies have reported about the long-term outcomes of surgical treatment; however, they contain insufficient information. Methods: From 2003 to 2008, 13 patients with cervical myelopathy due to athetoid cerebral palsy underwent posterior fusion surgery and were included in this study. The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, neck disability index (NDI), C2–7 angle on radiography, and need for additional surgical treatment were examined at 1 and 5 years postoperatively. Results: The mean C2–7 angle was −10.5°±21.1° preoperatively and was corrected to −2.9°±13.5° immediately postoperatively. This improvement was maintained for 5 years. The JOA score was 9.5±2.5 preoperatively and 12.2±1.7 at the 5-year follow-up. NDI was 17±6.9 preoperatively and 16±7.5 at the 5-year follow-up. Patient satisfaction with surgery on a 100-point scale was 62.2±22.5 at the 5-year follow-up. Three patients needed additional surgery for loosening of screws. These results demonstrate good surgical outcomes for posterior fusion at 5 years. Conclusions: Posterior decompression and fusion should be considered a viable option for cervical myelopathy in patients with athetoid cerebral palsy.

Application of multi-buffer layer of (Zn,Mg)O/CdS in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 solar cells

Daisuke Hironiwa,Jakapan Chantana,Noriyuki Sakai,Takuya Kato,Hiroki Sugimoto,Takashi Minemoto 한국물리학회 2015 Current Applied Physics Vol.15 No.3

(Zn,Mg)O (ZMO) buffer layer has attracted attention for having the potential to control the conduction band offset of buffer layer and large band-gap (Eg) Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) absorber interface, where the ZMO layer is deposited by the sputtering. However, the solar cell efficiency is decreased with the ZMO layer as compared with the CdS layer. The decrease in conversion efficiency is attributed to the sputtering damage on the absorber and high light reflection from the surfaces of CZTSSe solar cells. To completely suppress the damage, a CdS layer with very thin thickness of 20 nm is inserted between the ZMO layer and the CZTSSe layer. In addition, MgF2 layers are deposited on CZTSSe solar cells as anti-reflection coating. Ultimately, the solar cell with multi-buffer layer of ZMO/thin-CdS is almost same level as that with the CdS layer. Therefore, the multi-buffer layer can be an appropriate buffer layer of the large-Eg CZTSSe layer.

A Practical Grading Scale for Predicting Outcomes of Radiosurgery for Dural Arteriovenous Fistulas: JLGK 1802 Study

Hirotaka Hasegawa,Masahiro Shin,Jun Kawagishi,Hidefumi Jokura,Toshinori Hasegawa,Takenori Kato,Mariko Kawashima,Yuki Shinya,Hiroyuki Kenai,Takuya Kawabe,Manabu Sato,Toru Serizawa,Osamu Nagano,Kyoko Ao 대한뇌졸중학회 2022 Journal of stroke Vol.24 No.2

Background and Purpose To assess the long-term outcomes of intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) alone or embolization and SRS (Emb- SRS) and to develop a grading system for predicting DAVF obliteration. Methods This multi-institutional retrospective study included 200 patients with DAVF treated with SRS or Emb-SRS. We investigated the long-term obliteration rate and obliteration-associated factors. We developed a new grading system to estimate the obliteration rate. Additionally, we compared the outcomes of SRS and Emb-SRS by using propensity score matching. Results The 3- and 4-year obliteration rates were 66.3% and 78.8%, respectively. The post-SRS hemorrhage rate was 2%. In the matched cohort, the SRS and Emb-SRS groups did not differ in the rates of obliteration (P=0.54) or post-SRS hemorrhage (P=0.50). In multivariable analysis, DAVF location and cortical venous reflux (CVR) were independently associated with obliteration. The new grading system assigned 2, 1, and 0 points to DAVFs in the anterior skull base or middle fossa, DAVFs with CVR or DAVFs in the superior sagittal sinus or tentorium, and DAVFs without these factors, respectively. Using the total points, patients were stratified into the highest (0 points), intermediate (1 point), or lowest (≥2 points) obliteration rate groups that exhibited 4-year obliteration rates of 94.4%, 71.3%, and 60.4%, respectively (P<0.01). Conclusions SRS-based therapy achieved DAVF obliteration in more than three-quarters of the patients at 4 years of age. Our grading system can stratify the obliteration rate and may guide physicians in treatment selection.

Internet Addiction and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Traits among Female College Students in Japan

Masaru Tateno,Yukie Tateno,Chikara Kamikobe,Ryunosuke Monden,Oji Sakaoka,Junichiro Kanazawa,Takahiro A. Kato,Takuya Saito 대한소아청소년정신의학회 2018 소아청소년정신의학 Vol.29 No.3

Objectives: Previous studies have reported that internet addiction (IA) is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) consistently. However, in terms of gender, there are controversial findings. We aimed to investigate the relation between IA and self-acknowledged ADHD traits among female college students in Japan. Methods: The study questionnaire consisted of questions about demographics, Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 Part A (ADHD screener) and Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT). When four or more items are more frequent than the cut-off on ADHD screener, the subject was categorized into students with a positive ADHD screen. We defined students with total IAT score of 70 and higher as IA. Results: A total number of respondents was 369 (mean age: 19.0±0.7 years). Seventy-seven subjects were screened positive on ADHD screener (20.9%). Students with a positive ADHD screen scored significantly higher on the IAT (54.2±14.2 vs. 42.5±11.3). The rates of IA in students with and without a positive ADHD screen were 18.2% and 1.0%, respectively. Conclusion: Results of this study demonstrated the relation between IA and self-evaluated ADHD traits among female college students in Japan. Appropriate education for students on how to use the internet properly will be necessary to prevent IA.