Altered Lignin Accumulation in Sorghum Mutated in Silicon Uptake Transporter SbLsi1.

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] has been receiving attention as a feedstock for lignocellulose biomass energy. During the combustion process, ash-containing silicon (Si) can be produced, which causes problems in furnace maintenance.

Spatial kernel models capturing field heterogeneity for accurate estimation of genetic potential.

According to Fisher's principles, an experimental field is typically divided into multiple blocks for local control. Although homogeneity is supposed within a block, this assumption may not be practical for large blocks, such as those including hundreds of plots. In line evaluation trials, which are essential in plant breeding, field heterogeneity must be carefully treated, because it can cause bias in the estimation of genetic potential.

Impacts of dominance effects on genomic prediction of sorghum hybrid performance.

Non-additive (dominance and epistasis) effects have remarkable influences on hybrid performance, e.g., via heterosis.

Dissecting the Genetic Architecture of Biofuel-Related Traits in a Sorghum Breeding Population.

In sorghum [ (L.) Moench], hybrid cultivars for the biofuel industry are desired. Along with selection based on testcross performance, evaluation of the breeding population is also important for the success of hybrid breeding.

Effect of salt tolerance on biomass production in a large population of sorghum accessions.

Salinity causes major reductions in cultivated land area, crop productivity, and crop quality, and salt-tolerant crops have been required to sustain agriculture in salinized areas. The annual C crop plant (L.) Moench is salt tolerant, with large variation among accessions.

Diversity of Bradyrhizobium in Non-Leguminous Sorghum Plants: B. ottawaense Isolates Unique in Genes for NO Reductase and Lack of the Type VI Secretion System.

Diverse members of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens, B. japonicum, and B. ottawaense were isolated from the roots of field-grown sorghum plants in Fukushima, and classified into "Rhizobia" with nodulated soybeans, "Free-living diazotrophs", and "Non-diazotrophs" by nitrogen fixation and nodulation assays.

Comparison of shape quantification methods for genomic prediction, and genome-wide association study of sorghum seed morphology.

Seed shape is an important agronomic trait with continuous variation among genotypes. Therefore, the quantitative evaluation of this variation is highly important. Among geometric morphometrics methods, elliptic Fourier analysis and semi-landmark analysis are often used for the quantification of biological shape variations.

Identification of Nitrogen-Fixing Associated With Roots of Field-Grown Sorghum by Metagenome and Proteome Analyses.

Sorghum () is cultivated worldwide for food, bioethanol, and fodder production. Although nitrogen fixation in sorghum has been studied since the 1970s, N-fixing bacteria have not been widely examined in field-grown sorghum plants because the identification of functional diazotrophs depends on the culture method used. The aim of this study was to identify functional N-fixing bacteria associated with field-grown sorghum by using "omics" approaches.

Transcriptional switch for programmed cell death in pith parenchyma of sorghum stems.

Pith parenchyma cells store water in various plant organs. These cells are especially important for producing sugar and ethanol from the sugar juice of grass stems. In many plants, the death of pith parenchyma cells reduces their stem water content.

Hand lesion after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair: Association with complex regional pain syndrome.

Background: It is known that complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) occurs after arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR); however, few studies have investigated this complication. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to evaluate CRPS after ARCR.

Methods: A total of 182 patients who underwent ARCR were enrolled in this study.

Heap: a highly sensitive and accurate SNP detection tool for low-coverage high-throughput sequencing data.

Recent availability of large-scale genomic resources enables us to conduct so called genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic prediction (GP) studies, particularly with next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. The effectiveness of GWAS and GP depends on not only their mathematical models, but the quality and quantity of variants employed in the analysis. In NGS single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) calling, conventional tools ideally require more reads for higher SNP sensitivity and accuracy.

High-Throughput Phenotyping of Sorghum Plant Height Using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle and Its Application to Genomic Prediction Modeling.

Genomics-assisted breeding methods have been rapidly developed with novel technologies such as next-generation sequencing, genomic selection and genome-wide association study. However, phenotyping is still time consuming and is a serious bottleneck in genomics-assisted breeding. In this study, we established a high-throughput phenotyping system for sorghum plant height and its response to nitrogen availability; this system relies on the use of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing with either an RGB or near-infrared, green and blue (NIR-GB) camera.

Cutoff value of Japanese Orthopaedic Association shoulder score in patients with rotator cuff repair: Based on the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder score.

Background: The Japanese Orthopaedic Association shoulder score cutoff values were calculated in patients with rotator cuff repair using the University of California at Los Angeles shoulder score.

Methods: Overall, 175 patients with rotator cuff repair were subjects in this study. The University of California at Los Angeles and Japanese Orthopaedic Association shoulder scores were evaluated before surgery and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after surgery.

Gibberellin deficiency pleiotropically induces culm bending in sorghum: an insight into sorghum semi-dwarf breeding.

Regulation of symmetrical cell growth in the culm is important for proper culm development. So far, the involvement of gibberellin (GA) in this process has not yet been demonstrated in sorghum. Here, we show that GA deficiency resulting from any loss-of-function mutation in four genes (SbCPS1, SbKS1, SbKO1, SbKAO1) involved in the early steps of GA biosynthesis, not only results in severe dwarfism but also in abnormal culm bending.

Enamel matrix derivative stimulates core binding factor alpha1/Runt-related transcription factor-2 expression via activation of Smad1 in C2C12 cells.

Background: Although enamel matrix derivative (EMD) can promote osteogenic differentiation of the pluripotent mesenchymal precursor cell line, C2C12, the molecular mechanism that underlies this phenomenon is unclear. The purpose of this study was to determine which molecules in EMD stimulate osteogenic differentiation.

Methods: C2C12 cells were cultured in 5% serum-containing medium to induce differentiation, either with or without the addition of EMD.

Effects of serum on hepatocyte growth factor secretion and activation by periodontal ligament and gingival fibroblasts.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/scatter factor is a paracrine growth factor secreted by mesenchymal cells, which exerts an effect on a variety of epithelial cell types. Our recent study revealed that periodontal ligament fibroblasts (PLF) and gingival fibroblasts (GF) cultured in the presence of serum which contains various stimulants produced HGF or HGF-like factor, a predominant chemoattractant for gingival epithelial cells, and suggested that it could be involved in epithelial down-growth in periodontitis.

Methods: To clarify whether serum in medium stimulates PLF and GF to synthesize or activate HGF, the effect of fetal bovine serum (FBS) on HGF production was determined by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), and its chemotactic activity for gingival epithelial cells was examined by modified Boyden chamber assay.