Optimization of HITI-Mediated Gene Insertion for Rhodopsin and Peripherin-2 in Mouse Rod Photoreceptors: Targeting Dominant Retinitis Pigmentosa.

Purpose: Among the genome-editing methods for repairing disease-causing mutations resulting in autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa, homology-independent targeted integration (HITI)-mediated gene insertion of the normal form of the causative gene is useful because it allows the development of mutation-agnostic therapeutic products. In this study, we aimed for the rapid optimization and validation of HITI-treatment gene constructs of this approach in developing HITI-treatment constructs for various causative target genes in mouse models of retinal degeneration.

Methods: We constructed the Cas9-driven HITI gene cassettes in plasmid vectors to treat the mouse Rho gene.

Two Novel PLS-Class Pentatricopeptide Repeat Proteins Are Involved in the Group II Intron Splicing of Mitochondrial Transcripts in the Moss Physcomitrella patens.

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are RNA-binding proteins that function in posttranscriptional regulation as gene-specific regulators of RNA metabolism in plant organelles. Plant PPR proteins are divided into four classes: P, PLS, E and DYW. The E- and DYW-class proteins are mainly implicated in RNA editing, whereas most of the P-class proteins predominantly participate in RNA cleavage, splicing and stabilization.

Changes in Metabolic Profiles of Yellowtail () Muscle during Cold Storage as a Freshness Evaluation Tool Based on GC-MS Metabolomics.

We applied metabolomics to the evaluation of yellowtail muscle as a new freshness evaluation method for fish meat. Metabolites from yellowtail ordinary and dark muscle (DM) stored at 0 °C and 5 °C were subjected to metabolomics for primary metabolites based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). For the annotated metabolites, we created statistically significant models for storage time prediction for all storage conditions by orthogonal partial least squares analysis, using storage time as the -variable.

Taste Evaluation of Yellowtail (Seriola Quinqueradiata) Ordinary and Dark Muscle by Metabolic Profiling.

We performed metabolic profiling on yellowtail () muscle to develop an objective taste evaluation method for fish meat. Dark (DM) and ordinary (OM) muscle samples before and after storage were subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and taste measurements using an electronic tongue. The metabolites identified by the GC-MS analysis were treated as variables, and the taste values obtained by the electronic tongue were treated as variables.

Metabolic Profiling of Fish Meat by GC-MS Analysis, and Correlations with Taste Attributes Obtained Using an Electronic Tongue.

To evaluate the taste of ordinary muscle from white-fleshed fish, we used GC-MS metabolomic analysis to characterise the compounds therein, and correlated the obtained data with taste measurements from an electronic tongue. Prediction models using orthogonal partial least squares were produced for different taste attributes, and the primary metabolic components correlated with the taste attributes were identified. Clear differences were observed in the component profiles for different fish species.

[Report of a case of perforated giant gastric malignant lymphoma].

A 54-year-old woman was found to have a gastric ulcer on medical examination, but the course with normal medication was monitored. Nine months later, she was transported to our hospital. A huge gastric ulcer was revealed and biopsy specimen indicated MALT lymphoma.

Integration of cytogenetic and genetic linkage maps of Lotus japonicus, a model plant for legumes.

To construct a high-resolution pachytene chromosome map, we used the chromosome image analyzing system version 3 and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Two ribosomal RNA genes (45S rDNA and 5S rDNA), two major tandem repeat DNAs (LjTR1 and LjTR2), two major retroelements (LjRE1 and LjRE2), and 27 transformation-competent artificial chromosome clones were physically localized on Lotus japonicus (Miyakojima MG-20, 2n = 12) chromosomes. The distributions of heterochromatin and euchromatin along six chromosomes were compared based on the linkage map.

Similarities between simulated spatial spectra of scalp EEG, MEG and structural MRI.

Electrical dipoles oriented perpendicular to the cortical surface are the primary source of the scalp EEGs and MEGs. Thus, in particular, gyri and sulci structures on the cortical surface have a definite possibility to influence the EEGs and MEGs. This was examined by comparing the spatial power spectral density (PSD) of the upper portion of the human cortex in MRI slices to that of simulated scalp EEGs and MEGs.

[A case of retroperitoneal tumor successfully resected thanks to effective chemotherapy].

We reported a case of retroperitoneal immature teratoma with embryonal carcinoma. First, pathological diagnosis of sarcoma was made by fine needle aspiration, then secondary pathological diagnosis of suspected malignant schwannoma was made by a partial resection. The final pathological diagnosis by operation was immature teratoma with embryonal carcinoma.

Differential human serum-mediated neutralization of PERV released from pig cells transfected with variants of hDAF.

Background: Expression of complement regulatory proteins (CRP) on pig endothelial cells (PEC) is an effective means of avoiding induction of hyperacute rejection by human sera. However, pig endogenous retrovirus (PERV) from PEC transfected with CRP may acquire resistance to human sera. This study investigated a form of transfected CRP that is easily expressed on PERV particles.

Cloning and in vitro antiapoptotic effects of pig FLIPs.

Introduction: Cellular FLICE-like protein (cFLIP) inhibits death receptor-mediated apoptosis signal transduction, such as that induced by Fas and TNFR. The present study examined the role of antiapoptotic molecules to protect pig cells from human natural killer (NK) cells in vitro, as a model of delayed-type xenograft rejection.

Methods: Pig FLIPs were cloned using the TBLASTIN program to search for cDNA fragments of pig FLIPs.

Molecular cloning of pig Rad51, Rad52, and Rad54 genes, which are involved in homologous recombination machinery.

Background: The low rate of homologous recombination in somatic cells is considered to be an urgent issue. Therefore, we molecularly cloned three genes that relate to efficient homologous recombination.

Methods: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed to isolate candidate cDNA fragments from a pig spleen cDNA library with the corresponding primer sets deduced from multiple alignment analysis of other mammalian genes.

Isolation and sequencing of pig Blm and Ubl-1/SUMO-1 genes that relate to the recombination machinery.

Background: The gene knockout technique is important in xenotransplantation research. Herein we have described the molecular cloning of two genes that are candidates to overcome the poor rate of homologous recombination.

Methods: Candidate cDNA fragments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the corresponding primer sets deduced from a multiple alignment analysis of other mammalian genes from a cDNA library prepared from pig spleen tissue.

Investigation of multilevel amplitude modulation for a dual-wavelength free-space optical communications system using realistic channel estimation and minimum mean-squared-error linear equalization.

Fog is a highly dispersive medium at optical wavelengths, and the received pulse waveform may suffer significant distortion. Thus it is desirable to have the impulse response of the propagation channel to recover data transmitted through fog. The fog particle density and the particle size distribution both strongly influence the channel impulse response, yet it is difficult to estimate these parameters.

Investigation of cynomolgus monkey complement.

Background: The cynomolgus monkey is one of the most popular recipient animals in xenotransplantation experiments. However, studies of the cynomolgus monkey complement are rare. In the present study, based on the study that compared the hemolytic complement titer in cynomolgus monkeys with that in humans, the complement regulatory function of human decay accelerating factor (CD55) in both human and cynomolgus monkey sera was studied.

Polarized pulse waves in random discrete scatterers.

In recent years there has been increasing interest in the use of polarization for imaging objects in a cluttered environment. Examples are optical imaging through clouds, optical detection of objects in a biological medium, and microwave detection of objects in clutter. We extend previous studies of continuous-wave scattering to pulse-polarization scattering in discrete scatterers.

Time-of-Arrival Fluctuations of a Space-Time Gaussian Pulse in Weak Optical Turbulence: an Analytic Solution.

An analytic expression is derived for the long-term temporal broadening (fluctuations of arrival time) of a collimated space-time Gaussian pulse propagating along a horizontal path through weak optical turbulence. General results are presented for nominal parameter values characterizing laser communication through the atmosphere. Specific examples are calculated for both upper-atmosphere and ground-level cross links.

Optical diffusion of continuous-wave, pulsed, and density waves in scattering media and comparisons with radiative transfer.

We discuss several outstanding theoretical problems in optical diffusion in random media. Specifically, we discuss which of several diffusion theories most closely approximates exact solutions of the equation of transfer. We consider a plane wave impinging upon a plane-parallel slab of a random medium as a model problem to compare the diffusion theories with a numerical solution of the equation of transfer for continuous-wave, pulsed, and photon density waves.

Partial hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency due to a newly recognized mutation presenting with renal failure in a one-year-old boy.

We describe the case of a 1-year-old boy with partial hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) deficiency. At his first visit to the hospital, he was diagnosed with hyperuricemia and irreversible renal failure. The misssense mutation Asp185Gly (554A>G) was identified in exon 8 of his HPRT gene, and this mutation was inherited from the mother.

Role of soft bone, CSF and gray matter in EEG simulations.

Effects of soft skull bone, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and gray matter on scalp potentials were examined with highly heterogeneous finite element models of an adult male subject. These models were constructed from segmented T1 weighted magnetic resonance images. Models had voxel resolutions of 1x1x3.

A new phloroglucinol derivative from the brown alga Eisenia bicyclis: potential for the effective treatment of diabetic complications.

A new phloroglucinol derivative (1) and two known compounds (2 and 3) were isolated from the brown alga Eisenia bicyclis. These isolates exhibit inhibitory activity on glycation and alpha-amylase. Their structures were determined on the basis of spectroscopic data.

Numerical studies on time-domain responses of on-off-keyed modulated optical signals through a dense fog.

We present a numerical technique to simulate the propagation characteristics of an on-off-keyed modulated optical signal through fog. The on-off-keyed modulated light (a square wave) is decomposed into a finite number of harmonic components, and a numerical solution for the vector radiative transfer equation is obtained for each harmonic that corresponds to the modulation frequency. With this method we study the distortion and the pulse spread in the received signal due to attenuation and scattering.

Vector potential of cockroaches for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Objectives: The routes of human infection with Helicobacter pylori remain unclear. In the present study, we examined cockroaches as possible vectors for transmission of H. pylori.