Conditions of a Multi-View 3D Display for Accurate Reproduction of Perceived Glossiness.

Visualizing objects as they are perceived in the real world is often critical in our daily experiences. We previously focused on objects' surface glossiness visualized with a 3D display and found that a multi-view 3D display reproduces perceived glossiness more accurately than a 2D display. This improvement of glossiness reproduction can be explained by the fact that a glossy surface visualized by a multi-view 3D display appropriately provides luminance differences between the two eyes and luminance changes accompanying the viewer's lateral head motion.

Human brain activity reflecting facial attractiveness from skin reflection.

Facial attraction has a great influence on our daily social interactions. Previous studies have mainly focused on the attraction from facial shape and expression. We recently found that faces with radiant skin appear to be more attractive than those with oily-shiny or matte skin.

Facial radiance influences facial attractiveness and affective impressions of faces.

Objective: Facial attractiveness has been reported to be influenced by visual features such as facial shape and the colour and texture of the skin. However, no empirical studies have examined the effects of facial skin radiance on facial attractiveness. The present study investigated whether types of skin reflection (i.

Differential Responses to a Visual Self-Motion Signal in Human Medial Cortical Regions Revealed by Wide-View Stimulation.

Vision is important for estimating self-motion, which is thought to involve optic-flow processing. Here, we investigated the fMRI response profiles in visual area V6, the precuneus motion area (PcM), and the cingulate sulcus visual area (CSv)-three medial brain regions recently shown to be sensitive to optic-flow. We used wide-view stereoscopic stimulation to induce robust self-motion processing.

Human cortical areas involved in perception of surface glossiness.

Glossiness is the visual appearance of an object's surface as defined by its surface reflectance properties. Despite its ecological importance, little is known about the neural substrates underlying its perception. In this study, we performed the first human neuroimaging experiments that directly investigated where the processing of glossiness resides in the visual cortex.

Aftereffect of motion-in-depth based on binocular cues: Effects of adaptation duration, interocular correlation, and temporal correlation.

There are at least two possible binocular cues to motion-in-depth, namely disparity change over time and interocular velocity differences. There has been significant controversy about their relative contributions to the perception of motion-in-depth. In the present study, we used the technique of selective adaptation to address this question.

Motion aftereffect in depth based on binocular information.

We examined whether a negative motion aftereffect occurs in the depth direction following adaptation to motion in depth based on changing disparity and/or interocular velocity differences. To dissociate these cues, we used three types of adapters: random-element stereograms that were correlated (1) temporally and binocularly, (2) temporally but not binocularly, and (3) binocularly but not temporally. Only the temporally correlated adapters contained coherent interocular velocity differences while only the binocularly correlated adapters contained coherent changing disparity.

Effects of head motion and stereo viewing on perceived glossiness.

Many of the previous studies on glossiness perception have focused on glossiness from a single stimulus image. However, the essence of glossiness perception should be the estimation of the surface reflectance properties, which can be estimated computationally from luminance obtained at multiple viewpoints. Thus, the human visual system could also compute glossiness based on retinal images at different eye locations, which are caused by the observer's head motion and stereo viewing.

Clarithromycin inhibits progeny virus production from human influenza virus-infected host cells.

In vitro effects of macrolide clarithromycin (CAM) on influenza A virus-infected cells were examined using plaque reduction assay by treating cells either before or after viral adsorption. The significant inhibitory effect on influenza virus infection was detected only when the cells were treated with CAM after viral adsorption. The predominant inhibitory effect was observed during 4-7th hour after viral adsorption using viral production assay.

Identification and characterization of carbohydrate molecules in mammalian cells recognized by dengue virus type 2.

The interaction between cell surface receptors and the envelope glycoprotein (EGP) on the viral membrane surface is the initial step of Dengue virus infection. To understand the host range, tissue tropism, and virulence of this pathogen, it is critical to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the interaction of EGP with receptor molecules. Here, using a TLC/virus-binding assay, we isolated and characterized a carbohydrate molecule on mammalian cell surfaces that is recognized by dengue virus type 2 (DEN2).

Revised structures of epohelmins A and B isolated as lanosterol synthase inhibitors from a fungal strain FKI-0929.

The structures of epohelmins A and B isolated as lanosterol synthase inhibitors from a fungal strain FKI-0929 were revised to be 1 alpha-hydroxy-3alpha-(4'-oxoundec-(5' E)-enyl)-pyrrolizidine and 1beta-hydroxy-3 alpha-(4'-oxoundec-(5 'E)-enyl)-pyrrolizidine, respectively, by comparison with spectral data of synthetic compounds.

Inhibition of human lanosterol synthase by the constituents of Colocasia esculenta (taro).

Ethanol extracts of lyophilized vegetables were tested for inhibition of human lanosterol synthase (hOSC) in order to find the compounds to suppress cholesterol biosynthesis. Of 130 samples tested, twelve samples showed significant inhibition. Among them, Colocasia esculenta (taro) showed the highest inhibition (55% inhibition at 300 microg/ml).

Synthesis of digalactosyl diacylglycerols and their structure-inhibitory activity on human lanosterol synthase.

Digalactosyl and monogalactocyl diacylglycerols (DGDG and MGDG), which were identified as anti-hyperlipemia active components in Colocasia esculenta (Taro), were synthesized. The inhibitory activity of DGDG, MGDG and related compounds on human lanosterol synthase was evaluated as anti-hyperlipemic activity. DGDG with two myristoyl groups at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions and with an oleoyl group at the sn-1 position showed the most potent activity.

Epohelmins A and B, novel lanosterol synthase inhibitors from a fungal strain FKI-0929.

From a fungal strain FKI-0929, two compounds designated epohelmins A and B, were isolated as new natural products with inhibitory activity against recombinant human lanosterol synthase. The crude extract from the whole broth of this strain was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography and HPLC to afford two isolated inhibitors. Detailed spectroscopic analyses led to the identification of their structures.

Molecular cloning, expression, and characterization of adenylate isopentenyltransferase from hop (Humulus lupulus L.).

A cDNA encoding adenylate isopentenyltransferase (AIPT) was cloned and sequenced from cones of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) by RT-PCR using oligonucleotide primers based on the conserved sequences of Arabidopsis thaliana AIPT isozymes (AtIPT1, AtIPT3, AtIPT4, AtIPT5, AtIPT6, AtIPT7 and AtIPT8). A full-length cDNA contained a 990-bp open reading frame encoding a molecular mass of 36,603 Da protein with 329 amino acids.

Mechanism and stereochemistry of enzymatic cyclization of 24,30-Bisnor-2,3-oxidosqualene by recombinant beta-amyrin synthase.

Recombinant beta-amyrin synthase from Pisum sativum converted 24,30-bisnor-2,3-oxidosqualene into a 3:1:0.2 mixture of 29,30-bisnor-beta-amyrin, 29,30-bisnorgermanicol, and 29,30-bisnor-delta-amyrin. Further, enzyme reactions with [23-13C]- and [23,23-2H]-labeled isotopomers demonstrated that the cyclization did not proceed through formation of a lupanyl primary cation with a five-membered E-ring, but an electrophilic addition of the tetracyclic C-18 cation on to the terminal double bond directly generated a thermodynamically favored pentacyclic secondary cation with a less-strained six-membered E-ring.

Enzymatic cyclization of 22,23-dihydro-2,3-oxidosqualene into euph-7-en-3beta-ol and bacchar-12-en-3beta-ol by recombinant beta-amyrin synthase.

Recombinant beta-amyrin synthase from Pisum sativum converted 22,23-dihydro-2,3-oxidosqualene, a substrate analogue lacking the terminal double bond of 2,3-oxidosqualene, into a 4:1 mixture of euph-7-en-3beta-ol and bacchar-12-en-3beta-ol. This is the first demonstration of the enzymatic formation of the baccharene skeleton with a six-membered D-ring. In the absence of the terminal double bond, the proton-initiated cyclization first generated the tetracyclic dammarenyl cation, followed by a backbone rearrangement with loss of H-7alpha leading to the formation of euph-7-en-3beta-ol, while D-ring expansion to the baccharenyl cation and subsequent 1,2-hydride shifts with H-12alpha elimination yielded bacchar-12-en-3beta-ol.

Flavonoids from the seeds of Sphaerophysa salsula.

Two new flavonoids, named sphaerophyside SA and sphaerophyside SB, together with 15 known flavonoids were isolated from the ethanolic extract of the seeds of Sphaerophysa salsula (Pall.) DC. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated mainly on the basis of the 1D and 2D NMR data.

Lanopylins A1, B1, A2 and B2, novel lanosterol synthase inhibitors from Streptomyces sp. K99-5041.

From an actinomycete strain, Streptomyces sp. K99-5041, lanopylins A1, B1, A2 and B2 were isolated as new natural products that inhibited the reaction of recombinant human lanosterol synthase. The crude extract from the whole broth of this strain was fractionated by silica gel column chromatography to afford an active fraction that showed a single spot on TLC.