Application of Synephrine to Grape Increases Anthocyanin via Production of Hydrogen Peroxide, Not Phytohormones.

Global warming has caused such problems as the poor coloration of grape skin and the decreased production of high-quality berries. We investigated the effect of synephrine (Syn) on anthocyanin accumulation. Anthocyanin accumulation in cultured grape cells treated with Syn at concentrations of 1 mM or higher showed no significant difference, indicating that the accumulation was concentration-independent.

Stereochemistry-Dependent Labeling of Organelles with a Near-Infrared-Emissive Phosphorus-Bridged Rhodamine Dye in Live-Cell Imaging.

The development of near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores that have both excellent chemical stability and photostability, as well as efficient cell permeability, is highly demanded. In this study, we present phospha-rhodamine (POR) dyes which display significantly improved performance for protein labeling. This is achieved by incorporating a 2-carboxy-3-benzothiophenyl group at the 9-position of the xanthene scaffold.

Grape cytochrome P450 CYP90D1 regulates brassinosteroid biosynthesis and increases vegetative growth.

Vine vigor or vegetative growth is an important factor related to berry quality and vinicultural training management, but brassinosteroid (BR)-induced molecular mechanisms underlying vine growth remain unclear. In this study, the hypothesis that the Vitis vinifera CYP90D1 gene VvCYP90D1, one of the genes for BR biosynthesis, plays a critical role in shoot elongation was tested. RNA sequencing analysis of shoots collected from the vigorous cultivar Koshu (KO) and the reference cultivar Pinot Noir (PN) 7 days after bud break showed higher expression levels of various genes in the BR biosynthesis pathway in KO than in PN.

Comparison of maximum joint angles during pole vaulting between male pole vaulters with and without lumbar disc degeneration or lumbar spondylolysis.

Background: Pole vaulting involves trunk flexion, extension, and rotation, which may place the lumbar spine under stress. Repeated pole vaulting may cause lumbar disc degeneration (DD) and lumbar spondylolysis (LS); however, this phenomenon is yet to be established.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the difference in the maximum joint angles of the shoulder, hip, and trunk during pole vaulting between male pole vaulters with and without lumbar DD or LS.

Diversity of endophytic bacterial microbiota in grapevine shoot xylems varies depending on wine grape-growing region, cultivar, and shoot growth stage.

Next-generation sequencing technology may clarify microbiota that are as yet poorly understood in the soil, the rhizosphere, and the phyllosphere of vineyards. To provide new information on the interaction between grapevine and microorganisms, we focused on the endophytic microbiota in grapevine. We performed endophytic microbiome analysis of the shoot xylems of four cultivars, Vitis vinifera cvs.

Combined effect of diazepam and polystyrene microplastics on the social behavior of medaka (Oryzias latipes).

The combined effect of microplastics and pharmaceuticals on aquatic organisms is an issue of concern. In this laboratory study, we evaluated the combined effect of polystyrene microplastics (2-μm diameter) and diazepam on the social behavior of medaka (Oryzias latipes) by using the shoaling behavior test with five treatment groups: solvent control, polystyrene microplastics exposure (0.04 mg/L), low-concentration diazepam exposure (0.

Ethylene Induced by Sound Stimulation Enhances Anthocyanin Accumulation in Grape Berry Skin through Direct Upregulation of UDP-Glucose: Flavonoid 3--Glucosyltransferase.

Global warming has resulted in the loss of anthocyanin accumulation in berry skin. Sound stimulation can be used as a potential method for enhancing fruit color development since many plants recognize sound vibration as an external stimulus and alter their physiological status in response to it. Sound stimulation (sine wave sound at 1000 Hz) enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in grape cultured cells and berry skins in field-grown grapevines at the early stage of ripening.

The prevalence of spondylolysis and intervertebral disc degeneration in male pole vaulters.

Background: The lower back is the most common injury location in pole vaulters, but the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis and intervertebral disc degeneration is not known.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of lumbar spondylolysis and intervertebral disc degeneration in pole vaulters.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Tokai area of Japan and included 21 pole vaulters (mean ± standard deviation [range]: age, 22.

Internal Risk Factors for Low Back Pain in Pole Vaulters and Decathletes: A Prospective Study.

Background: Pole vaulters and decathletes frequently experience several types of injuries to their lower back, often resulting in mechanical low back pain (LBP). However, the risk factors for the occurrence of LBP in these athletes have not been defined.

Purpose: To determine the physical factors that relate to LBP occurrence for collegiate pole vaulters and decathletes.

Injuries in Collegiate Track and Field Jumping: A 2-Year Prospective Surveillance Study.

Background: Athletes participating in track and field jumping events (long jump, triple jump, high jump, and pole vault) are exposed to ground-reaction forces on the takeoff leg that are several times their body weight. This can cause injuries specific to such activities.

Purpose: To determine the incidence of injuries in collegiate jumpers using the guidelines set forth by a 2014 consensus statement on injury surveillance during track and field events.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN AND PHYSICAL FACTORS IN COLLEGIATE POLE VAULTERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

Background: The low back is the most common injury location in pole vaulters, and low back pain (LBP) can easily become chronic. Therefore, knowing the physical characteristics of athletes experiencing repeated LBP may be beneficial for recovery and injury prevention.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the physical characteristics of pole vaulters with chronic LBP.

Genomic Characterization of the Japanese Indigenous Wine Grape sp. cv. Koshu.

sp. cv. Koshu is indigenous to Japan and used as a table and processing grape.

Crosstalk Pathway between Trehalose Metabolism and Cytokinin Degradation for the Determination of the Number of Berries per Bunch in Grapes.

In grapes, the number of flowers per inflorescence determines the compactness of grape bunches. Grape cultivars with tight bunches and thin-skinned berries easily undergo berry splitting, especially in growing areas with heavy rainfall during the grapevine growing season, such as Japan. We report herein that grape cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase 5 (VvCKX5) determines the number of berries per inflorescence in grapes.

Production of a tributyltin-binding protein 2 knockout mutant strain of Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes.

Tributyltin-binding proteins (TBT-bps), members of the lipocalin family, bind TBT in fish blood and are presumed to contribute to detoxification of TBT. Recent studies have shown that many fish species have TBT-bp genes, and that these genes are induced by stresses such as exposure to chemicals or fish pathogenic bacteria. However, the function of TBT-bps, and the mechanisms of their induction and detoxification activity are still unclear.

Exogenous allantoin improves anthocyanin accumulation in grape berry skin at early stage of ripening.

Anthocyanin accumulation in grape berry skin is a crucial determinant of red/black grape berry quality. Recently, viticulture has been hampered by the issue of global warming, which has led to loss of anthocyanin accumulation in berry skin. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of allantoin on anthocyanin accumulation in berry skins of field-grown grapevines and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of the allantoin-induced anthocyanin accumulation in the berry skins.

Detoxification roles of tributyltin-binding protein type 2 in Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to tributyltin.

Tributyltin-binding protein type 2 (TBT-bp2), a homolog of α1-acid glycoprotein, may contribute to both accumulation and detoxification of TBT in fish. In this study, we conducted acute TBT exposure tests using both wide-type (WT) and TBT-bp2 (KO) strains of medaka and compared their responses in survival time and accumulation of TBT. Deficiency of TBT-bp2 significantly accelerated the time to death of medaka and decreased the LC of TBT, indicating that the KO-strain is more sensitive to TBT.

The Risk Factors of Hamstring Strain Injury Induced by High-Speed Running.

Hamstring strain injury is a multifactorial and complex problem involving interactions among various factors. Information about risk factors for this injury is inconsistent among studies because the strong effects of confounding factors and injury situations are often ignored. We investigated the relationship between hamstring strain induced by high-speed running and intrinsic risk factors, including hip muscle morphology and function, by excluding the influences of confounding factors.

Vanillylacetone up-regulates anthocyanin accumulation and expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes by inducing endogenous abscisic acid in grapevine tissues.

We investigated the effect of vanillylacetone (VA) on anthocyanin accumulation with aim of improving grape berry coloration. Spraying Vitis vinifera cv. Muscat Bailey A berries with VA at veraison increased sugar/acid ratio, an indicator of maturation and total anthocyanin accumulation.

High Constitutive Overexpression of Glycosyl Hydrolase Family 17 Delays Floral Transition by Enhancing FLC Expression in Transgenic Arabidopsis.

glycosyl hydrolase family 17 (VvGHF17) is a grape apoplasmic β-1,3-glucanase, which belongs to glycosyl hydrolase family 17 in grapevines. β-1,3-glucanase is not only involved in plant defense response but also has various physiological functions in plants. Although expression is negatively related to the length of inflorescence in grapevines, the physiological functions of are still uncertain.

Mouse somatic mutation orthologous to MELAS A3302G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene confers respiration defects.

We searched for mtDNA harboring somatic mutations in mouse B82 cells, and found an A2748G mutation orthologous to the A3302G mutation in tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene reported in a patient with MELAS, the most prevalent mitochondrial disease. We isolated subclones of B82 cells until we obtained one subclone harboring >95% A2748G mtDNA. Cytoplasmic transfer of A2748G mtDNA resulted in cotransfer of A2748G mtDNA and respiration defects into mouse ES cells.

High-speed angle-resolved imaging of a single gold nanorod with microsecond temporal resolution and one-degree angle precision.

We developed two types of high-speed angle-resolved imaging methods for single gold nanorods (SAuNRs) using objective-type vertical illumination dark-field microscopy and a high-speed CMOS camera to achieve microsecond temporal and one-degree angle resolution. These methods are based on: (i) an intensity analysis of focused images of SAuNR split into two orthogonally polarized components and (ii) the analysis of defocused SAuNR images. We determined the angle precision (statistical error) and accuracy (systematic error) of the resultant SAuNR (80 nm × 40 nm) images projected onto a substrate surface (azimuthal angle) in both methods.

Selection of rodent species appropriate for mtDNA transfer to generate transmitochondrial mito-mice expressing mitochondrial respiration defects.

Previous reports have shown that transmitochondrial mito-mice with nuclear DNA from Mus musculus and mtDNA from M. spretus do not express respiration defects, whereas those with mtDNA from Rattus norvegicus cannot be generated from ES cybrids with mtDNA from R. norvegicus due to inducing significant respiration defects and resultant losing multipotency.