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Arabidopsis is well-known to the world's plant research community as a model plant. Many significant resources and innovative research tools, as well as large bodies of genomic information, have been created and shared by the research community, partly explaining why so many researchers use this small plant for their research. The genome sequence of Arabidopsis was fully characterized by the end of the 20th century. Soon afterwards, the Arabidopsis research community began a 10-year international project on the functional genomics of the species. In 2001, at the beginning of the project, the RIKEN BioResource Center (BRC) started its Arabidopsis resource project. The following year, the National BioResource Project was launched, funded by the Japanese government, and the RIKEN BRC was chosen as a core facility for Arabidopsis resource. Seeds of RIKEN Arabidopsis transposon-tagged mutant lines, activation-tagged lines, full-length cDNA over-expresser lines, and natural accessions, as well as RIKEN Arabidopsis full-length cDNA clones and T87 cells, are preserved at RIKEN BRC and distributed around the world. The major resources provided to the research community have been full-length cDNA clones and insertion mutants that are suitable for use in reverse-genetics studies. This paper provides an overview of the Arabidopsis resources made available by RIKEN BRC and examples of research that has been done by users and developers of these resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusion:High levels of IgG4-positive plasma cells were observed in tissue samples from ∼30% of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis who satisfied the comprehensive diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related disease. Detection of increased numbers of IgG4-positive plasma cells in the nasal cavity or paranasal sinuses might not be sufficient to make a diagnosis of IgG4-related rhinosinusitis, and a comprehensive evaluation is required. Objectives:This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of IgG4-positive plasma cells in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis. Method:This study examined nasal mucosal specimens from 35 patients and assigned them to high-IgG4 and low-IgG4 groups based on infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells. It compared the pathological characteristics of the two groups, including the presence of fibrosis, phlebitis, hyperplasia of the nasal glands and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Results:No cases of chronic rhinosinusitis showed storiform fibrosis or obliterative phlebitis. The mean number of IgG4-positive plasma cells in samples from all patients was 29.8 ± 40.3/high-power field. Eleven of the 35 cases (31.4%) were classified as high-IgG4. Hyperplasia of the nasal glands was observed significantly more frequently in the high-IgG4 group than in the low-IgG4 group (p = .03). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article highlights the successful transformation of adult human skin cells into embryonic stem cells (ESCs) made by two research groups in Japan and the U.S. It says that the new cells, called induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, were generated by using a retrovirus to activate specific transcription genes in the skin cells. James Thomson, senior author of the U.S. study, claims that their paper shows a method to make cells essentially identical to embryonic stem cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the factors relating to CD4 level at HIV diagnosis and HIV testing behaviour. Participants were newly diagnosed patients (n = 654) in Japan from 2000 to 2005. Around 75% of participants were diagnosed at hospital and clinics. Mean C04 counts at diagnosis through voluntary HIV testing, screening tests and testing due to concomitant sexually transmitted infection (STI) were 368, 336 and 316 cells/μL, respectively. In contrast, the mean CD4 count where testing was due to the presence of HIV-related clinical symptoms was 151 cells/μL (P < 0.0001). Compared with those diagnosed at their first HIV test, those who had undertaken multiple HIV tests prior to diagnosis showed CD4 counts that increased significantly (P < 0.0001) in relation to the number of tests undertaken: CD4 count at first test was 232 cells/μL, second test 346 cells/ μL and third or additional tests 439 cells/μL. According to our results, HIV testing policy that promotes HIV testing in medical settings and among STI patients is needed to facilitate earlier HIV diagnosis in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg2+ plays important roles in numerous cellular functions. Mitochondria take part in intracellular Mg2+ regulation and the Mg2+ concentration in mitochondria affects the synthesis of ATP. However, there are few methods to observe Mg2+ in mitochondria in intact cells. Here, we have developed a novel Mg2+-selective fluorescent probe, KMG-301, that is functional in mitochondria. This probe changes its fluorescence properties solely depending on the Mg2+ concentration in mitochondria under physiologically normal conditions. Simultaneous measurements using this probe together with a probe for cytosolic Mg2+, KMG-104, enabled us to compare the dynamics of Mg2+ in the cytosol and in mitochondria. With this method, carbonyl cyanide p-(trifluoromethoxy) phenylhydrazone (FCCP)-induced Mg2+ mobilization from mitochondria to the cytosol was visualized. Although a FCCP-induced decrease in the Mg2+ concentration in mitochondria and an increase in the cytosol were observed both in differentiated PC12 cells and in hippocampal neurons, the time-courses of concentration changes varied with cell type. Moreover, the relationship between mitochondrial Mg2+ and Parkinson's disease was analyzed in a cellular model of Parkinson's disease by using the 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+). A gradual decrease in the Mg2+ concentration in mitochondria was observed in response to MPP+ in differentiated PC12 cells. These results indicate that KMG-301 is useful for investigating Mg2+ dynamics in mitochondria. All animal procedures to obtain neurons from Wistar rats were approved by the ethical committee of Keio University (permit number is 09106-(1)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phages cause significant mortality of bacteria in aquatic environments and thus play an important role in biogeochemical nutrient cycles through biomass turnover. This study evaluated the frequency of phage infection to bacterial cells and resultant potential for mortality and lysis of bacteria in three soil layers in a Japanese rice field. The frequency of visibly infected bacterial cells (FVIC) was from 8.9% to 12.1% on average in these soil layers. This was significantly greater than the reported FVIC values in aquatic environments, and the estimated fraction of bacterial mortality from phage lysis reached far over 100% in every soil layer. The phage infection to bacterial cells tended to be more frequent for short-rod cells than for long-rod cells. The medians of phage-like particles in a bacterial cell (burst size) ranged from 12.5 to 16 particles cell−1 with the low and high quartiles of 7 and 27, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Prognostic analyses of thyroid carcinomas of follicular cell origin were carried out on patients treated at Kuma Hospital, Kobe, Japan. A new histopathological classification based on the prognostic evidence is proposed in this study, and it is applicable to the patients treated curatively. Major histological types of papillary carcinoma, follicular carcinoma and poorly differentiated carcinoma were combined into one single entity of follicular cell adenocarcinoma because (i) they have the same cell origin (follicular cell); (ii) clear-cut separation of papillary and follicular carcinoma is not always possible, and 10 year cause-specific survival was essentially similar when the patients were treated curatively; and (iii) poorly differentiated carcinoma usually has a background of either papillary or follicular carcinoma. This adenocarcinoma together with undifferentiated carcinoma was stratified into four prognostic groups using pure morphological criteria of the degree of cellular differentiation and histological grade. They are termed well-differentiated adenocarcinoma, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated carcinoma and undifferentiated carcinoma of the thyroid. The 10 year disease-free survival rates were 86.3–93.1%, 65.4–78.7%, and 43.0–53.8%, and 0%, respectively. The 10 year cause-specific survival rates were 97.2–100%, 91.5–97.4%, and 71.2–80.0%, and 0%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of dicyemid mesozoan are described from Octopus sasakii Taki, 1942, collected from Tosa Bay and Kii Strait in Japan. Dicyema shimantoense n. sp. is a medium-size species that reaches about 3,000 μm in length, and lives in folds of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized by having 22 peripheral cells, a conical calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the base of the propolar cells. Infusoriform embryos consist of 37 cells; a single nucleus is present in each urn cell, and the refringent bodies are solid. Dicyema codonocephalum n. sp. is also a medium-size species that reaches about 2,000 μm in length. It too lives in folds of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized by having 17-22 peripheral cells, an elongated calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the middle of propolar cells. Infusoriform embryos consist of 37 cells; a single nucleus is present in each urn cell, and the refringent bodies are solid. Dicyemennea pileum n. sp. is a medium species that reaches about 2,000 μm in length. It attaches to the surface of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized by having 23 peripheral cells, a disc-shaped calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the propolar cells. An anterior abortive axial cell is absent in vermiform embryos. Infusoriform embryos consist of 38 cells; 2 nuclei are present in each urn cell, and the refringent bodies are liquid. These are the first dicyemids to be described from Octopus sasakii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of dicyemid mesozoan is described from Sepiella japonica Sasaki, 1929, collected from the eastern area of Inland Sea, Osaka Bay, and Kii Strait in Japan. Dicyema sepiellae n. sp. is a large species that reaches about 4,000 μm in length. This species lives in folds of the renal appendages. The vermiform stages are characterized as having 24-29 peripheral cells, a conical calotte, and an axial cell that extends to the middle of the metapolar cells, but to the base of propolar cells in vermiform embryos. Infusoriform embryos consist of 39 cells; 2 nuclei are present in each urn cell and the refringent bodies are solid. This is the first description of a dicyemid in any species of Sepiella. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of 80% methanol extracts from frozen samples of 41 macroalgae and one sea grass collected in the Ise-Shima region of Japan were investigated on histamine release from rat basophile leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) sensitized with antidinitrophenyl (DNP) IgE and stimulated with DNP-BSA. Of the 21 brown algae, five green and 15 red algae, and one sea grass tested, only extracts from seven brown algae suppressed histamine release from RBL cells, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. When the cytotoxic effects of the seven brown algal extracts were investigated by Trypan blue staining, only Eisenia arborea and Sargassum thunbergii did not show cytotoxic effects. Therefore, we conclude that E. arborea and S. thunbergii may contain compounds that have antiallergic effects without inducing cell death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the promotion of lypolysis activity in mouse adipocyte cells by scallop shells extracts. A huge number of scallop shells in Hokkaido, Japan are just industrial wastes. The extracts of the scallop shells can be used as a cosmetic. It has the ability to promote lipolysis activity in adipocyte shells that can be used in cosmetics. It has the potential to be an antiobesity drug or food for obese people. In the article, a study is conducted to show the use of the extracts for cosmetics.

Presents a case of a Japanese woman with circulating lymphoma cells in the subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) in Great Britain. Clinical manifestations of SPTCL; Detection of erythematous subcutaneous nodules and tumors on the legs, abdomen, and right breast of the woman; Treatment administered to the woman.

The article reports on the success of scientist Yutaka Ito in solving a protein structure inside cell using an in-cell nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in Tokyo, Japan. It discussed how Yutaka Ito solved the high-quality structure of the small protein TTHA1718 from Thermus thermophilus using in-cell NMR spectroscopy. It is discussed that this is the first structure solved solely by the in-cell method without using any structural information from in vitro experiments.