Publications by authors named "Okochi M"

Multiple far-red light-adapted photosystem I (FR-PSI) reaction centers are recently found to work in oxygenic photosynthesis. They contain a small amount of a new type pigment chlorophyll (Chl ) in addition to the major pigment chlorophyll (Chl ). FR-PSI differs from the conventional PSIs in plants and cyanobacteria, which use only visible light absorbed by Chl , although the mechanism of FR-PSI is not fully clear yet.

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Elbow flexion is essential for the functional use of the hand. The reconstructive procedure may also change depending on the location of the sarcoma. The nonresected muscle may alter the function of the elbow.

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While the utility of supported metal and alloy clusters as catalytic materials is widely recognized, their precise synthesis remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate the precise synthesis of these clusters metallopeptides. This technique is characterized by its ability to be automated using Merrifield's solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS).

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Inhibition of dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) is an effective pharmacotherapy for the management of type 2 diabetes. Recent findings have suggested that various dietary proteins can serve as precursors to peptides that inhibit DPP-IV. Although several DPP-IV inhibitory peptides derived from food materials have been reported, more effective inhibitory peptides remain to be discovered.

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Background: Recently, consensus molecular subtypes (CMSs) have been proposed as a robust transcriptome-based classification system for colorectal cancer (CRC). Tetraspanins (TSPANs) are transmembrane proteins. They have been associated with the development of numerous malignancies, including CRC, through their role as "master organizers" for multi-molecular membrane complexes.

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Replicating the sense of smell presents an ongoing challenge in the development of biomimetic devices. Olfactory receptors exhibit remarkable discriminatory abilities, including the enantioselective detection of individual odorant molecules. Graphene has emerged as a promising material for biomimetic electronic devices due to its unique electrical properties and exceptional sensitivity.

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Migrasomes are extracellular vesicles that form on the retraction fibers of migrating cells. In this study, we report the formation of migrasome-like vesicles enriched in tetraspanin 4 and containing cytoplasmic components in response to hypoosmotic stress. When migrating cells were subjected to hypoosmotic stress, vesicles with a size distribution of 0.

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Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) has become an important target in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Although many DPP-IV inhibitory peptides have been identified by a general approach involving the repeated fractionation of food protein hydrolysates, the obtained results have been dependent on the content of each peptide and fractionation conditions. In the present study, a peptide array that provides comprehensive assays of peptide sequences was used to identify novel DPP-IV inhibitory peptides derived from bovine milk proteins; these peptides were then compared with those identified using the general approach.

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Although many free tissue transfers have been performed, free flap loss can still occur because of vascular compromise. To facilitate microsurgery, we invented the axial-view microscope (aMS), a new type of microscope that can axially visualize vessel stumps. The aMS was combined with an optical microscope, the so-called bird's-eye-view microscope (bMS).

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Background: Temporary hair loss at the recipient site after hair restoration surgery is called shock loss (SL). This study analyzed the risk factors for SL among patients who received follicular unit excision.

Materials And Methods: This study included 621 patients (554 males and 67 females).

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Article Synopsis
  • This case report details an adult man who experienced spontaneous regeneration of the fibula after a below-the-knee amputation, despite this phenomenon typically occurring in children.
  • The patient had a history of a severe leg injury from a traffic accident, leading to his amputation and subsequent use of a prosthetic limb.
  • Radiographic and pathological examinations showed the regenerated fibula was 7 cm long and composed of normal bone tissue, suggesting that factors like preserved periosteum and negative pressure therapy contributed to the regeneration process.
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CD81, a transmembrane protein belonging to the tetraspanin family, has recently been suggested as a therapeutic target for cancers. Here, we screened peptides that bind to the tetraspanin CD81 protein, and evaluated their inhibitory activity in cancer cell migration. To screen for CD81-binding peptides (CD81-BP), a peptide array membrane was prepared from the amino acid sequence of the EWI-2 protein, a major partner of CD81, before binding to fluorescently labeled CD81.

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The γ-secretase complex catalyzes the intramembrane cleavage of C99, a carboxy-terminal fragment of the amyloid precursor protein. Two paralogs of its catalytic subunit presenilin (PS1 and PS2) are expressed which are autocatalytically cleaved into an N-terminal and a C-terminal fragment during maturation of γ-secretase. In this study, we compared the efficiency and specificity of C99 cleavage by PS1- and PS2-containing γ-secretases.

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An olfactory receptor mimetic peptide-modified graphene field-effect transistor (gFET) is a promising solution to overcome the principal challenge of low specificity graphene-based sensors for volatile organic compound (VOC) sensing. Herein, peptides mimicking a fruit fly olfactory receptor, OR19a, were designed by a high-throughput analysis method that combines a peptide array and gas chromatography for the sensitive and selective gFET detection of the signature citrus VOC, limonene. The peptide probe was bifunctionalized via linkage of a graphene-binding peptide to facilitate one-step self-assembly on the sensor surface.

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Background: Amyloid-β peptide is well-known as a pathogen of Alzheimer's disease, but its precursor, amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP), remains unexplained 30 years after its discovery. APP has two homologues called amyloid precursor-like protein 1 (APLP1) and amyloid precursor-like protein 2 (APLP2), and shares a similar structural organisation with them and has partially overlapping functions. APP family proteins are essential for survival, shown by the crossbreeding analysis of knockout mice of APP family molecules, including APLP1 and APLP2.

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As an organizer of multi-molecular membrane complexes, the tetraspanin CD9 has been implicated in a number of biological processes, including cancer metastasis, and is a candidate therapeutic target. Here, we evaluated the suppressive effects of an eight-mer CD9-binding peptide (CD9-BP) on cancer cell metastasis and its mechanisms of action. CD9-BP impaired CD9-related functions by adversely affecting the formation of tetraspanin webs-networks composed of CD9 and its partner proteins.

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Gas sensing based on graphene field-effect transistors (GFETs) has gained broad interest due to their high sensitivity. Further progress in gas sensing with GFETs requires to detection of various odor molecules for applications in the environmental monitoring, healthcare, food, and cosmetic industries. To develop the ubiquitous odor-sensing system, establishing an artificial sense of smell with electronic devices by mimicking olfactory receptors will be key.

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 The scar alopecia after cranioplasty (SAC) may decrease the patient's quality of life. We have treated SAC using follicular unit extraction (FUE). The aim of this study was to discuss that efficacy of FUE and how much hair follicular unit (FU) should be transplanted intraoperatively for the treatment of SAC.

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This paper is the first report of a non-competitive fluorescence polarization immunoassay (NC-FPIA) using a peptide as a tracer. The NC-FPIA can easily and quickly quantify the target after simply mixing them together. This feature is desirable for point-of-need applications such as clinical diagnostics, infectious disease screening, on-site analysis for food safety, In this study, the NC-FPIA was applied to detect CD9, which is one of the exosome markers.

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Owing to increased environmental pollution, active research regarding microplastics circulating in the ocean has attracted significant interest in recent times. Microplastics accumulate in the bodies of living organisms and adversely affect them. In this study, a new method for the rapid detection of microplastics using peptides was proposed.

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Cancer immunotherapy is an emerging therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. Most of the immunotherapeutics approved by the FDA regulate the innate immune system and associated immune cell activity, with immune check inhibitors in particular having transformed the field of cancer immunotherapy due to their significant clinical potential. However, previously reported immunotherapeutics have exhibited undesirable side effects, including autoimmune toxicity and inflammation.

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Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are cell-to-cell communication tools. Migrasomes are recently discovered microscale EVs formed at the rear ends of migrating cells, and thus are suggested to be involved in communicating with neighboring cells. In cell culture, peptide scaffolds on substrates have been used to demonstrate cellular function for regenerative medicine.

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Bacteria display dynamically organized curved membrane structures, especially during cell division. The importance of membrane curvature-sensing (MCS) proteins for the recognition and regulation of biological membrane morphologies has predominately been investigated in eukaryotic cells. Recently, a technique for screening MCS proteins from solutions that contain peripheral membrane proteins was developed, and MCS protein candidates were identified from mammalian cells.

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Presenilin (PS) with a genetic mutation generates abundant β-amyloid protein (Aβ) 43. Senile plaques are formed by Aβ43 in the cerebral parenchyma together with Aβ42 at middle ages. These brains cause the early onset of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is known as familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD).

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During hospitalization, pediatric patients or their parents may feel stressed. If patients need to stay in the hospital with a cast, they are prone to feeling more stressed. Fixation using a cast is an important clinical option, particularly in the case of skin grafts wherein fixation of the foot and ankle is essential to ensure the survival of the graft skin.

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