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Highlights: [•] Vacuolar iron transporter gene (CcVIT) was identified from blue cornflower petals. [•] Amino acid sequence of CcVIT gene has a high similarity to AtVIT1 and TgVit1. [•] In the mutant-line petal with purple phenotype, mutated CcVIT mRNA was expressed. [•] The A236E replacement of CcVIT protein affect Fe3+ defection to reduce protocyanin content. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In hydrangea sepals, an aluminum complex of delphinidin-3- O-glucoside is responsible for the development of the blue color, and co-existing copigments mediate the solubilization and stabilization of the blue Al-anthocyanin complex which is localized in the sepal vacuole. In addition, hydrangeas are Al-hyperaccumulators and exhibit tolerance to acidic soils, in which the toxicity is due to soluble Al ion. Therefore, an Al-absorbing transport and storage system must exist in hydrangea. Recently, we cloned vacuolar and plasma membrane-localized Al-transporters, Hm VALT, and Hm PALT1, which are both members of the aquaporin family. However, Hm PALT1 was only expressed in the sepals, indicating that a different Al-transporter should exist for absorption and long-distance transportation in the hydrangea plant. Using genetic information and microarray analysis, we identified an additional aluminum transporter gene, HmPALT2, which belongs to a member of the anion permease. The transcript was expressed in all tissues of hydrangea plants, and a transient expression study indicated that the gene product is localized to the plasma membrane. The results of an aluminum tolerance assay using yeast cells showed that the Hm PALT2 is also involved in the transport of other metal(loid)s. The over-expression of HmPALT2 in Arabidopsis resulted in aluminum-hypersensitivity, suggesting that Hm PALT2 should work as an aluminum transporter into cells in planta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is tolerant of acidic soils in which toxicity generally arises from the presence of the soluble aluminum (Al) ion. When hydrangea is cultivated in acidic soil, its resulting blue sepal color is caused by the Al complex formation of anthocyanin. The concentration of vacuolar Al in blue sepal cells can reach levels in excess of approximately 15 mM, suggesting the existence of an Al-transport and/or storage system. However, until now, no Al transporter has been identified in Al hyperaccumulating plants, animals or microorganisms. To identify the transporter being responsible for Al hyperaccumulation, we prepared a cDNA library from blue sepals according to the sepal maturation stage, and then selected candidate genes using a microarray analysis and an in silico study. Here, we identified the vacuolar and plasma membrane-localized Al transporters genes vacuolar Al transporter (VALT) and plasma membrane Al transporter 1 (PALT1), respectively, which are both members of the aquaporin family. The localization of each protein was confirmed by the transient co-expression of the genes. Reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting results indicated that VALT and PALT1 are highly expressed in sepal tissue. The overexpression of VALT and PALT1 in Arabidopsis thaliana conferred Altolerance and Al-sensitivity, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the morphologic characteristics of the medial rectus muscle in patients with consecutive exotropia. Design: Retrospective, nonrandomized, interventional study. Participants and Controls: Eleven eyes of 10 patients with consecutive exotropia were studied. Thirteen eyes of 13 age-matched normal subjects were studied as controls. Methods: All of the patients underwent an advancement of a previously operated medial rectus muscle. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on the insertion of the medial rectus muscle: Normally recessed stretched scar, and slipped muscle. Main Outcome Measures: A comparison was made of the clinical findings, intraoperative findings, and distance from the limbus to the medial rectus muscle measured on magnetic resonance images among the groups. Results: The medial rectus of 4 eyes of 3 patients had normally recessed insertions and 7 eyes had abnormal insertions (3 stretched scars, 4 slipped muscles). The clinical findings were not different among the 3 groups. The magnetic resonance images showed that the medial rectus muscle was located closest to the limbus in the control subjects and most distant in the patients with a slipped muscle (P<0.005). The clinical findings in the patients with a stretched scar and with normally recessed were indistinguishable. Conclusions: Magnetic resonance images of the medial rectus muscles of the control subjects and operated groups are significantly different morphologically. A slipped medial rectus muscle has characteristic magnetic resonance findings that are distinguishable from the muscle with normally recessed and stretched scar. Financial Disclosure(s): The authors have no proprietary or commercial interest in any of the materials discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents an obituary for the Japanese economists, Michio Morishima.

Summary To acquire Fe from soil, graminaceous plants secrete mugineic acid family phytosiderophores (MAs) from their roots. The secretion of MAs increases in response to Fe deficiency, and shows a distinct diurnal rhythm. We used a microarray that included 8987 cDNAs of rice EST clones to examine gene expression profiles in barley roots during Fe-deficiency stress. Approximately 200 clones were identified as Fe-deficiency-inducible genes, of which seven had been identified previously. In order to meet the increased demand for methionine to produce MAs, Fe-deficiency enhances the expression of genes that participate in methionine synthesis, as well as recycling methionine through the Yang cycle. Of these 200 genes, approximately 50 exhibited different transcription levels in Fe-deficient roots at noon and at night. Northern blot analysis of time course experiments confirmed that five of these genes exhibited a diurnal change in their level of expression. The diurnal changes in the expression of these genes suggest that polar vesicle transport is involved in the diurnal secretion of MAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides a brief survey of the Japanese literature on Sraffa to explain the author's own theory of the microfoundations of Keynesian macroeconomics as influenced by Sraffa's theories. Emphasizes Azariadis's theory of implicit contracts to understand unemployment when viewing Sraffa's view of competitive markets.

Focuses on the natural rate of profit in the Smithian growth model. Creation of returns model of production of commodities by means of commodities; Effects of capitalists consumption and saving on the rate of profit; Effects of labor productivity on the rate of profit.

Purpose: To describe clinical presentations of acquired comitant esotropia and digital device use in children, adolescents, and young adults without neurological problems. Study design: Multicenter prospective observational study. Methods: Patients with acquired comitant esotropia, without intracranial diseases aged 5–35 years at the time of visit, who were seen at pre-registered facilities within 1 year of onset were enrolled. The duration from the onset of symptoms and the time of digital device usage approximately 1 month before onset and their lifestyles were surveyed. Visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and strabismus angles were measured. Data were analyzed in three age groups (Child: 5–12 years, Adolescent: 13–18 years, and Young adult: 19–35 years). Results: Between November 2019 and December 2021, 218 patients were enrolled from 55 facilities, and 194 patients (including 62 children, 69 adolescents, and 63 young adults) were analyzed. The child group spent the least amount of time using digital devices (children: 159; adolescents: 210; young adults: 267 min/work day, p < 0.05; (mean time in the same order below) 229, 338, 314 min/holiday, p < 0.05) and had the largest strabismus angle (mean strabismus angle at near: 30, 22, 18 PD, p < 0.01; at far: 28, 26, 21 PD, p<0.05). Conclusion: The clinical features of acquired comitant esotropia and hand-held digital device usage differed between children aged ≤ 12 years and older patients. This report gives the current clinical characteristics of young patients with acquired esotropia and digital device usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jejunal endoscopic submucosal dissection is feasible using the pocket-creation method and balloon-assisted endoscopy. Although endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is widely performed for the resection of superficial gastrointestinal neoplasms, performing ESD for jejunal lesions is challenging because of the thin muscularis propria and inaccessibility or insufficient scope maneuverability around the lesion. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: To clarify the actual status of strabismus surgery and botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy in Japan in the year 2021.Cross-sectional study.We conducted a national survey of strabismus treatment in 2021 using a questionnaire consistent with a previous 2013 survey, incorporating additional questions about BTX therapy.Among the 378 responding institutions, strabismus surgery or BTX therapy, or both, was performed at 185 institutions (49%; total cases, 10,767). In 151 (40%), 32 (8%), and 2 (1%) institutions, surgery only, surgery and BTX therapy, and BTX therapy only were performed, respectively. The distribution of institutions where strabismus surgery was performed consisted of 4 prefectures, accounting for 48% of the total, whereas no strabismus surgery was performed at any institution in 3 prefectures. Although the highest percentage of patients (23%) was aged between 10 and 19 years, 48.2% of the patients were aged 20 years or older, and 17% of them were aged 60 years or older. Exotropia (XT) was the most common type of strabismus (55%) followed by esotropia (ET) (24%). In terms of complex surgeries, 80.2% (more than 100 cases) were performed at institutions with more than 100 cases. Of the 34 institutions where BTX therapy was performed, 52% were performed at a single institution, and 18% were performed at 2 institutions where no strabismus surgery was performed. Patients with scarring in the extraocular muscles, such as thyroid eye disease, were the most treated, followed by those with ET, who were mainly given injection treatment.Institutions where strabismus surgery and BTX therapy could be performed were concentrated and limited.Study design: To clarify the actual status of strabismus surgery and botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy in Japan in the year 2021.Cross-sectional study.We conducted a national survey of strabismus treatment in 2021 using a questionnaire consistent with a previous 2013 survey, incorporating additional questions about BTX therapy.Among the 378 responding institutions, strabismus surgery or BTX therapy, or both, was performed at 185 institutions (49%; total cases, 10,767). In 151 (40%), 32 (8%), and 2 (1%) institutions, surgery only, surgery and BTX therapy, and BTX therapy only were performed, respectively. The distribution of institutions where strabismus surgery was performed consisted of 4 prefectures, accounting for 48% of the total, whereas no strabismus surgery was performed at any institution in 3 prefectures. Although the highest percentage of patients (23%) was aged between 10 and 19 years, 48.2% of the patients were aged 20 years or older, and 17% of them were aged 60 years or older. Exotropia (XT) was the most common type of strabismus (55%) followed by esotropia (ET) (24%). In terms of complex surgeries, 80.2% (more than 100 cases) were performed at institutions with more than 100 cases. Of the 34 institutions where BTX therapy was performed, 52% were performed at a single institution, and 18% were performed at 2 institutions where no strabismus surgery was performed. Patients with scarring in the extraocular muscles, such as thyroid eye disease, were the most treated, followed by those with ET, who were mainly given injection treatment.Institutions where strabismus surgery and BTX therapy could be performed were concentrated and limited.Methods: To clarify the actual status of strabismus surgery and botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy in Japan in the year 2021.Cross-sectional study.We conducted a national survey of strabismus treatment in 2021 using a questionnaire consistent with a previous 2013 survey, incorporating additional questions about BTX therapy.Among the 378 responding institutions, strabismus surgery or BTX therapy, or both, was performed at 185 institutions (49%; total cases, 10,767). In 151 (40%), 32 (8%), and 2 (1%) institutions, surgery only, surgery and BTX therapy, and BTX therapy only were performed, respectively. The distribution of institutions where strabismus surgery was performed consisted of 4 prefectures, accounting for 48% of the total, whereas no strabismus surgery was performed at any institution in 3 prefectures. Although the highest percentage of patients (23%) was aged between 10 and 19 years, 48.2% of the patients were aged 20 years or older, and 17% of them were aged 60 years or older. Exotropia (XT) was the most common type of strabismus (55%) followed by esotropia (ET) (24%). In terms of complex surgeries, 80.2% (more than 100 cases) were performed at institutions with more than 100 cases. Of the 34 institutions where BTX therapy was performed, 52% were performed at a single institution, and 18% were performed at 2 institutions where no strabismus surgery was performed. Patients with scarring in the extraocular muscles, such as thyroid eye disease, were the most treated, followed by those with ET, who were mainly given injection treatment.Institutions where strabismus surgery and BTX therapy could be performed were concentrated and limited.Results: To clarify the actual status of strabismus surgery and botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy in Japan in the year 2021.Cross-sectional study.We conducted a national survey of strabismus treatment in 2021 using a questionnaire consistent with a previous 2013 survey, incorporating additional questions about BTX therapy.Among the 378 responding institutions, strabismus surgery or BTX therapy, or both, was performed at 185 institutions (49%; total cases, 10,767). In 151 (40%), 32 (8%), and 2 (1%) institutions, surgery only, surgery and BTX therapy, and BTX therapy only were performed, respectively. The distribution of institutions where strabismus surgery was performed consisted of 4 prefectures, accounting for 48% of the total, whereas no strabismus surgery was performed at any institution in 3 prefectures. Although the highest percentage of patients (23%) was aged between 10 and 19 years, 48.2% of the patients were aged 20 years or older, and 17% of them were aged 60 years or older. Exotropia (XT) was the most common type of strabismus (55%) followed by esotropia (ET) (24%). In terms of complex surgeries, 80.2% (more than 100 cases) were performed at institutions with more than 100 cases. Of the 34 institutions where BTX therapy was performed, 52% were performed at a single institution, and 18% were performed at 2 institutions where no strabismus surgery was performed. Patients with scarring in the extraocular muscles, such as thyroid eye disease, were the most treated, followed by those with ET, who were mainly given injection treatment.Institutions where strabismus surgery and BTX therapy could be performed were concentrated and limited.Conclusion: To clarify the actual status of strabismus surgery and botulinum toxin (BTX) therapy in Japan in the year 2021.Cross-sectional study.We conducted a national survey of strabismus treatment in 2021 using a questionnaire consistent with a previous 2013 survey, incorporating additional questions about BTX therapy.Among the 378 responding institutions, strabismus surgery or BTX therapy, or both, was performed at 185 institutions (49%; total cases, 10,767). In 151 (40%), 32 (8%), and 2 (1%) institutions, surgery only, surgery and BTX therapy, and BTX therapy only were performed, respectively. The distribution of institutions where strabismus surgery was performed consisted of 4 prefectures, accounting for 48% of the total, whereas no strabismus surgery was performed at any institution in 3 prefectures. Although the highest percentage of patients (23%) was aged between 10 and 19 years, 48.2% of the patients were aged 20 years or older, and 17% of them were aged 60 years or older. Exotropia (XT) was the most common type of strabismus (55%) followed by esotropia (ET) (24%). In terms of complex surgeries, 80.2% (more than 100 cases) were performed at institutions with more than 100 cases. Of the 34 institutions where BTX therapy was performed, 52% were performed at a single institution, and 18% were performed at 2 institutions where no strabismus surgery was performed. Patients with scarring in the extraocular muscles, such as thyroid eye disease, were the most treated, followed by those with ET, who were mainly given injection treatment.Institutions where strabismus surgery and BTX therapy could be performed were concentrated and limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the surgical results for consecutive exotropia with or without insertion abnormalities on the basis of the position of the lateral rectus muscle at surgery. Methods: Patients with consecutive exotropia who had undergone medial rectus recession as a primary procedure or advancement of previously recessed medial rectus muscles from 2002 to 2012 were included in the study. The characteristics, postoperative courses, and final results were compared among 3 patient groups. The patients' characteristics including sex, refractive error, and age at the initial surgery were compared. The main outcome measures were the angles of deviation in the primary position and the average divergent drift per month after the exotropia surgery. Results: Twenty-four eyes of 23 patients were investigated. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to insertion status: with normal muscle insertion (4 men, 4 women), slipped muscles (9 women), and stretched scars (2 men, 4 women). The preoperative angles of deviation at near differed significantly between the slipped muscle group and the normal muscle insertion group ( P = 0.02). Only patients with normal insertions had significantly greater hyperopia in the nondominant eye (0.95 D) than in the dominant eye (0.53 D). The postoperative divergent shift per month was similar among the groups (0.3, 0.1, and 0.2 prism diopters per month in the slipped muscle, stretched scar, and normal muscle insertion groups, respectively; P = 0.70). Conclusions: Hyperopic anisometropia is an important factor in the natural course of outward drift. The postoperative course of advancement of the medial rectus muscle was equally stable in all 3 patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a hereditary connective tissue disorder caused by defects in type I collagen synthesis. OI is generally classified into four types (I to IV), and the clinical prognosis varies from a lethal outcome for type II and varying deformities for type III to a normal lifespan for the other types. We describe a female patient with biochemically confirmed OI caused by a novel mutation in the COL1A2 gene. Persistence of blue sclerae supported the diagnosis of OI type II. The case was complicated with obstructive hydrocephalus, for which endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) was performed. The ETV was transiently effective for the obstructive hydrocephalus. The patient subsequently developed brain atrophy, partly through ischemic events after the ETV, which appeared to contribute to maintenance of smooth circulation of the cerebrospinal fluid. We conclude that continuous and adequate medical care including ETV can facilitate long-term survival even in lethal OI type II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carthamin, a dimeric quinochalcone that is sparingly soluble in water, is obtained from the yellow-orange corolla of fully blooming safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) florets. Carthamin is a natural red colorant, which has been used worldwide for more than 4500 years and is the major component of Japanese 'beni' used for dyeing textiles, in cosmetics and as a food colorant. The biosynthetic pathway of carthamin has long remained uncertain. Previously, carthamin was proposed to be derived from precarthamin (PC), a water-soluble quinochalcone, via a single enzymatic process. In this study, we identified the genes coding for the enzyme responsible for the formation of carthamin from PC, termed 'carthamin synthase' (CarS), using enzyme purification and transcriptome analysis. The CarS proteins were purified from the cream-colored corolla of safflower and identified as peroxidase homologs (CtPOD1, CtPOD2 and CtPOD3). The purified enzyme catalyzed the oxidative decarboxylation of PC to produce carthamin using O2, instead of H2O2, as an electron acceptor. In addition, CarS catalyzed the decomposition of carthamin. However, this enzymatic decomposition of carthamin could be circumvented by adsorption of the pigment to cellulose. These CtPOD isozymes were not only expressed in the corolla of the carthamin-producing orange safflower cultivars but were also abundantly expressed in tissues and organs that did not produce carthamin and PC. One CtPOD isozyme, CtPOD2, was localized in the extracellular space. Based on the results obtained, a model for the stable red pigmentation of safflower florets during flower senescence and the traditional 'beni' manufacturing process is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used the resting-cell reaction to screen approximately 200 microorganisms for biocatalysts which reduce 3-quinuclidinone to optically pure (R)-(–)-3-quinuclidinol. Microbacterium luteolum JCM 9174 was selected as the most suitable organism. The genes encoding the protein products that reduced 3-quinuclidinone were isolated from M. luteolum JCM 9174. The bacC gene, which consists of 768 nucleotides corresponding to 255 amino acid residues and is a constituent of the badilysin synthetic gene cluster, was amplified by PCR based on homology to known genes. The qnr gene consisted of 759 nucleotides corresponding to 252 amino acid residues. Both enzymes belong to the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. The genes were expressed in Escherichia coli as proteins which were His tagged at the N terminus, and the recombinant enzymes were purified and characterized. Both enzymes showed narrow substrate specificity and high stereoselectivity for the reduction of 3-qui- nuclidinone to (R)-(–)-3-quinuclidinol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]