The FlaG regulator is involved in length control of the polar flagella of Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni cells have bipolar flagella. Both flagella have similar lengths of about one helical turn, or 3.53±0.

Function of the conserved FHIPEP domain of the flagellar type III export apparatus, protein FlhA.

The Type III flagellar protein export apparatus of bacteria consists of five or six membrane proteins, notably FlhA, which controls the export of other proteins and is homologous to the large family of FHIPEP export proteins. FHIPEP proteins contain a highly-conserved cytoplasmic domain. We mutagenized the cloned Salmonella flhA gene for the 692 amino acid FlhA, changing a single, conserved amino acid in the 68-amino acid FHIPEP region.

Review: advances in in situ and satellite phenological observations in Japan.

To accurately evaluate the responses of spatial and temporal variation of ecosystem functioning (evapotranspiration and photosynthesis) and services (regulating and cultural services) to the rapid changes caused by global warming, we depend on long-term, continuous, near-surface, and satellite remote sensing of phenology over wide areas. Here, we review such phenological studies in Japan and discuss our current knowledge, problems, and future developments. In contrast with North America and Europe, Japan has been able to evaluate plant phenology along vertical and horizontal gradients within a narrow area because of the country's high topographic relief.

Unmanned aerial survey of fallen trees in a deciduous broadleaved forest in eastern Japan.

Since fallen trees are a key factor in biodiversity and biogeochemical cycling, information about their spatial distribution is of use in determining species distribution and nutrient and carbon cycling in forest ecosystems. Ground-based surveys are both time consuming and labour intensive. Remote-sensing technology can reduce these costs.

Assembling flagella in Salmonella mutant strains producing a type III export apparatus without FliO.

The type III export apparatus of the Salmonella flagellum consists of six transmembrane proteins (FlhA, FlhB, FliO, FliP, FliQ, and FliR) and three soluble proteins (FliH, FliI, and FliJ). Deletion of the fliO gene creates a mutant strain that is poorly motile; however, suppressor mutations in the fliP gene can partially rescue motility. To further understand the mechanism of suppression of a fliO deletion mutation, we isolated new suppressor mutant strains with partially rescued motility.

Collaborational effect of heterolytic layered configuration for enhancement of microwave heating.

Microwave irradiation efficiently heats up the microwave-inert materials in the range of applied frequencies when two microwave-inert materials are brought into contact in the layered configuration. This heating is applied for annealing TiO2 nanoporous films for dye-sensitized solar cells achieving a one order of magnitude more rapid annealing process for comparable performances.

Total synthesis and structural revision of hericerin.

The total synthesis of hericerin, a pollen growth inhibitor from Hericium erinaceum, was achieved. We found that the reported structure of hericerin should be revised to be the carbonyl regioisomer.

[Case of secondary chronic necrotic pulmonary aspergillosis that developed after pneumococcal pneumonia complicated by lung abscess formation].

The patient was a 61-year-old man. From the end of May 2007 he suffered from pain in the left anterior chest, had fever and consulted our hospital on May 27. On admission chest CT revealed consolidation in the left lung.

Negative regulation of Chk2 expression by p53 is dependent on the CCAAT-binding transcription factor NF-Y.

The kinase Chk2 and tumor suppressor p53 participate in an ill defined regulatory interaction in mammalian cells. The abundance of Chk2 mRNA and protein has now been shown to be decreased by the induction of p53 in Saos2 cells. Ionizing radiation also triggered the phosphorylation and subsequent down-regulation of Chk2 in human colorectal HCT116 (p53(+/+)) cancer cells; irradiation of its isogenic mutant HCT116 (p53(-/-)) cells, which lack functional p53, induced Chk2 phosphorylation but not its down-regulation.