Knee stiffness is a major determinant of leg stiffness during maximal hopping.

Understanding stiffness of the lower extremities during human movement may provide important information for developing more effective training methods during sports activities. It has been reported that leg stiffness during submaximal hopping depends primarily on ankle stiffness, but the way stiffness is regulated in maximal hopping is unknown. The goal of this study was to examine the hypothesis that knee stiffness is a major determinant of leg stiffness during the maximal hopping.

Characterization of a sabinene synthase gene from rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri).

We previously isolated two putative monoterpene synthase genes, RlemTPS1 and RlemTPS2, from rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri) and showed that gene expression of RlemTPS2 was induced by microbial attack. The protein product of RlemTPS2 was obtained using a prokaryotic expression system, and GC and GC-MS of monoterpene synthesis by RlemTPS2 determined that RlemTPS2 encodes a sabinene synthase. Sabinene has antifungal activity toward Alternaria alternata.

[Evaluation of the anti-TP antibody latex agglutination immunoassay in routine testing and a clinical viewpoint].

We evaluated TP-LAIA (anti-TP latex agglutination immunoassay) and compared the results with those obtained using Serological Tests for Syphilis (STS), namely Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) method and Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) test. We also examined early-stage antibody reaction using rabbits infected with active pathogen, and analyzed early-stage syphilis patient serum with IgM class anti-TP antibody. Based on routine test results and case history reviews for possible syphilis infection, TP-LAIA showed high specificity, 0.

Continuous change in spring-mass characteristics during a 400 m sprint.

The purpose of the present study was to utilise a spring-mass model to (1) continuously measure vertical stiffness (K(vert)) and leg stiffness (K(leg)) over an entire 400 m sprint, and (2) investigate the relationship between leg spring stiffness (K(vert) and K(vert)) and the performance characteristics of mean forward running velocity (V(forwad)), mean stride frequency (f(stride)), and mean stride length (L(stride)). Eight well-trained male athletes performed a 400 m sprint with maximal effort on an outdoor field track. K(vert) was calculated from the subjects' body mass, ground contact time and flight time at each step.

Late toxicity after definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for thoracic esophageal carcinoma.

Purpose: To evaluate late cardiopulmonary toxicities after concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for esophageal carcinomas.

Methods And Materials: From February 2002 through April 2005, 74 patients with clinical Stage I-IVB carcinoma of the esophagus were treated with CCRT. Sixty-nine patients with thoracic squamous cell carcinoma were the core of this analysis.

Function of genes encoding acyl-CoA synthetase and enoyl-CoA hydratase for host-selective act-toxin biosynthesis in the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata.

The tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata produces host-selective ACT-toxin and causes Alternaria brown spot disease. Sequence analysis of a genomic cosmid clone identified a part of the ACTT gene cluster and implicated two genes, ACTT5 encoding an acyl-CoA synthetase and ACTT6 encoding an enoyl-CoA hydratase, in the biosynthesis of ACT-toxin. Genomic Southern blots demonstrated that both genes were present in tangerine pathotype isolates producing ACT-toxin and also in Japanese pear pathotype isolates producing AK-toxin and strawberry pathotype isolates producing AF-toxin.

Crawler, a novel Tc1/mariner-type transposable element in Aspergillus oryzae transposes under stress conditions.

A novel active transposable element, designated Crawler, has been isolated from an industrial strain (OSI1013) of Aspergillus oryzae as an insertion sequence within the niaD gene encoding nitrate reductase. It is 1290bp in length with imperfect terminal inverted repeats of 28bp and is flanked by 2bp (TA) target site duplications. It contains an open reading frame with no introns that encodes a putative transposase (AotA) of 357 amino acid residues, which is highly homologous to the transposase existing in impala, a member of Tc1/mariner superfamily class II DNA transposon from Fusarium oxysporum.

Specificity of splenopancreatic field abnormality in trisomy 13 syndrome: macroscopic and histological analysis in 21 autopsy cases.

Splenopancreatic field abnormalities were carefully examined macroscopically and microscopically in 21 trisomy 13 (TR13) subjects, and the results were compared with those of non-TR13 control cases. Of the 21 TR13 subjects, 12 had intrapancreatic splenic tissue (IPST) and 17 had fusion of the pancreatic tail and splenic hilus and/or accessory spleen (FPS/FPAS). All 21 had IPST and/or FPS/FPAS.

Alternative processing of proproteins in Aspergilli kexB gene disruptants under hyperosmotic conditions.

Disruption of the kexB gene encoding a subtilisin-like processing protease in Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus nidulans led to remarkable morphological defects, and these phenotypes were suppressed under hyperosmotic conditions. In this study, we investigated to determine whether non-KexB proteases might complement the in vivo function of KexB in the two Aspergillus kexB disruptants. Neither overexpression of opsA or opsB encoding A.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma of the kidney.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma (eAMLoma) is an uncommon renal mesenchymal tumor with malignant potential and is frequently associated with tuberous sclerosis (TSC). It is composed of polygonal large-sized tumor cells arranged in an epithelioid manner. Differential diagnosis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is often challenging because of its epithelioid morphology.

Functional analysis of a multicopy host-selective ACT-toxin biosynthesis gene in the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata using RNA silencing.

Alternaria brown spot, caused by the tangerine pathotype of Alternaria alternata, is a serious disease of commercially important tangerines and their hybrids. The pathogen produces host-selective ACT toxin, and several genes (named ACTT) responsible for ACT-toxin biosynthesis have been identified. These genes have many paralogs, which are clustered on a small, conditionally dispensable chromosome, making it difficult to disrupt entire functional copies of ACTT genes using homologous recombination-mediated gene disruption.

Endoscopic-assisted skin-sparing mastectomy combined with sentinel node biopsy.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) has been carried out as desirable choice for patients with early-stage breast cancer. However, many patients obliged to abandon BCS because of tumours accompanied by extended intraductal components or multiple tumours. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel endoscopic-assisted technique for skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) combined with sentinel node biopsy (SNB), followed by immediate breast reconstruction with mammary prosthesis.

Differences in lower extremity stiffness between endurance-trained athletes and untrained subjects.

An understanding of lower extremity stiffness is important for evaluation of sports performance and injury prevention. The aim of this study was to investigate whether stiffness regulation during hopping differed between endurance-trained athletes and untrained subjects. Eight endurance-trained athletes and eight untrained subjects performed two-legged hopping at 2.

Randomized phase II trial comparing amrubicin with topotecan in patients with previously treated small-cell lung cancer: North Japan Lung Cancer Study Group Trial 0402.

Purpose: Amrubicin, a new anthracycline agent, and topotecan are both active for previously treated small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). No comparative study of these agents has been reported. This randomized phase II study was conducted to select amrubicin or topotecan for future evaluation.

Genomics of Aspergillus oryzae: learning from the history of Koji mold and exploration of its future.

At a time when the notion of microorganisms did not exist, our ancestors empirically established methods for the production of various fermentation foods: miso (bean curd seasoning) and shoyu (soy sauce), both of which have been widely used and are essential for Japanese cooking, and sake, a magical alcoholic drink consumed at a variety of ritual occasions, are typical examples. A filamentous fungus, Aspergillus oryzae, is the key organism in the production of all these traditional foods, and its solid-state cultivation (SSC) has been confirmed to be the secret for the high productivity of secretory hydrolases vital for the fermentation process. Indeed, our genome comparison and transcriptome analysis uncovered mechanisms for effective degradation of raw materials in SSC: the extracellular hydrolase genes that have been found only in the A.

Cisplatin and weekly docetaxel with concurrent thoracic radiotherapy for locally advanced stage III non-small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: Our objective was to assess the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin + weekly divided-dose docetaxel in patients with stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: A total of 34 patients aged less than 75 years old with locally advanced stage III NSCLC were enrolled. The patients received intravenous infusions of cisplatin (80 mg/m(2); day 1) and docetaxel (20 mg/m(2); days 1, 8, 15), followed by a week's drug-free interval.

[Isolation of beta-lactamase non-producing ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae (BLNAR) and analysis of its PBP3 gene].

We analyzed the incidence of beta-lactamase non-producing ampicillin-resistance (BLNAR) Haemophilus influenzae in Showa University Hospital from June 2004 to March 2005. The ratio of BLNAR in total H. influenzae isolates was 44.

Codon optimization increases steady-state mRNA levels in Aspergillus oryzae heterologous gene expression.

We investigated the effect of codon optimization on the expression levels of heterologous proteins in Aspergillus oryzae, using the mite allergen Der f 7 as a model protein. A codon-optimized Der f 7 gene was synthesized according to the frequency of codon usage in A. oryzae by recursive PCR.

Combined efficacy of clarithromycin plus cefazolin or vancomycin against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms formed on titanium medical devices.

In this study, we investigated the in vitro efficacy of clarithromycin (CLA) combined with cefazolin (CFZ) or vancomycin (VCM) against Staphylococcus aureus biofilms formed on titanium devices in order to confirm the efficacy of eradication therapies against device-related infection. The distribution of CLA in muscle tissue surrounding bone was also investigated by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry in 10 orthopaedic patients. Biofilm formation and eradication of S.

PGE(2) induces COX-2 expression in podocytes via the EP(4) receptor through a PKA-independent mechanism.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-dependent prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) synthesis correlates with the onset of proteinuria and increased glomerular capillary pressure (P(gc)) glomerular disease models. We previously showed that an in vitro surrogate for P(gc) (cyclical mechanical stretch) upregulates the expression of both COX-2 and the PGE(2) responsive E-Prostanoid receptor, EP(4) in cultured mouse podocytes. In the present study we further delineate the signaling pathways regulating podocyte COX-2 induction.

Megakaryopoiesis and platelet function in polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia patients with JAK2 V617F mutation.

Patients with Ph chromosome negative myeloproliferative disease (Ph-MPD) have an increased risk of vascular complications. It remains controversial whether patients with the JAK2 V617F mutation (V617F) exhibit increased risk, while recent growing evidence has shown a critical role for V617F in clonal erythropoiesis in Ph-MPD. We studied 53 patients with Ph-MPD especially in relation to megakaryopoiesis, the thrombotic complications and the presence of V617F.

Silencing of NtMPK4 impairs CO-induced stomatal closure, activation of anion channels and cytosolic Casignals in Nicotiana tabacum guard cells.

Light-induced stomatal opening in C3 and C4 plants is mediated by two signalling pathways. One pathway is specific for blue light and involves phototropins, while the second pathway depends on photosyntheticaly active radiation (PAR). Here, the role of NtMPK4 in light-induced stomatal opening was studied, as silencing of this MAP kinase stimulates stomatal opening.

Aspergillus oryzae atfB encodes a transcription factor required for stress tolerance in conidia.

Using an Aspergillus oryzae EST database, we identified a gene encoding a transcription factor (atfB), which is a member of the ATF/CREB family. Expression of atfB was barely detectable during vegetative growth, but was readily detected during conidiation in solid-state culture. Microarray analyses showed that expression of many other genes, including catalase (catA), were downregulated in an atfB-disruptant.

Adenocarcinoma with epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutations in three siblings.

Sensitivity to an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase strongly correlates with EGFR somatic mutations in non-small cell lung cancer. These mutations are frequently found in patients with adenocarcinoma, never- or light-smokers, women, and East Asians. In this study, we show an aggregation of three non-small cell lung cancer cases with EGFR gene mutations in one family.