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This study demonstrates the effect of fermented botanical product (FBP) on Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum -induced bacterial wilt disease and unravels its action mechanism. Soaking with diluted FBP solutions (0.1%-0.5%) significantly suppressed bacterial wilt in tomato plants, and FBP-treated tomato plants grew well against R. pseudosolanacearum infection. Growth assays showed that FBP had no antibacterial effect but promoted R. pseudosolanacearum growth. In contrast, few or no R. pseudosolanacearum cells were detected in aerial parts of tomato plants grown in FBP-soaked soil. Subsequent infection assays using the chemotaxis-deficient mutant (Δ cheA) or the root-dip inoculation method revealed that FBP does not affect pathogen migration to plant roots during infection. Moreover, FBP-pretreated tomato plants exhibited reduced bacterial wilt in the absence of FBP. These findings suggest that the plant, but not the pathogen, could be affected by FBP, resulting in an induced resistance against R. pseudosolanacearum , leading to a suppressive effect on bacterial wilt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As methane fermentation is inhibited by ammonia derived from organic waste, anaerobic microbial communities tolerant to enriched wastewater with high concentrations of ammonia and salt must be obtained for methane fermentation. Therefore, acclimation cultures were prepared in bottles for 60–80 weeks with artificial wastewater medium added every 2 weeks, using three types of sludge from wastewater treatment plants in food factories. These cultures were maintained without substantially decreasing methanogenesis and gradually increasing NH4-N and salt concentrations to 5 and 34 g/L, respectively, via the accumulation of ammonia and salt through anaerobic digestion and direct addition. The culture did not show the severe inhibition of methanogenesis or the accumulation of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetic and propionic acids. The analysis of bacterial consortia in the acclimated sludge based on the 16S rRNA sequence showed that hydrogenotrophic methanogenic bacteria of the genus Methanoculleus were dominant among archaea, whereas bacteria from the orders Clostridiales and Bacteroidales were dominant among eubacteria. Further, VFA-assimilating bacteria, including synthetic acetate-oxidizing bacteria coupled with hydrogenotrophic Methanoculleus to convert methane from acetate, were present to prevent the excessive accumulation of VFAs in the acclimation culture. The proposed acclimation process can enhance the anaerobic digestion of wastewater for methane production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords: circadian; biological clock; sleep; FASPS; depression; Arntl; Bmal; Mop; Per; Clock; AANAT 330 Genetic Differences in Human Circadian Clock Genes among Worldwide Populations SAGE Publications, Inc.200810.1177/0748730408320284 Christopher M.Ciarleglio Department [...]

In this study, we measured the physical quantity of light (irradiance) in several wavelength bands at eye and wrist level for 8 h under laboratory conditions simulating daily life. Twenty-two healthy male participants (mean age ± SD, 29.95 ± 8.13 years) were able to move freely, and eye-level data were compared with irradiance data obtained at the wrist. We estimated circadian phase shift from the differences of DLMO before and after light exposure while considering natural drift. In addition, we investigated the influence of activities and body positions on light exposure and validated the effect of irradiance on circadian phase response. We found lower average irradiance at eye level compared with wrist level in all three RGB bands. The blue light irradiance measured at eye level was significantly correlated with circadian phase shift, possibly because the irradiance at eye level more accurately reflected its effect on the biological clock than did the measurement at the wrist. It follows that quantitative measurements of wavelength spectra at eye level are necessary to assess the effect of ambient light on the human biological clock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Some people can subconsciously wake up naturally (self-awakening) at a desired/planned time without external time stimuli. However, the underlying mechanism regulating this ability remains to be elucidated. This study sought to examine the relationship between hemodynamic changes in oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) level in the prefrontal cortex and sleep structures during sleep in subjects instructed to self-awaken. Results Fifteen healthy right-handed male volunteers with regular sleep habits participated in a consecutive two-night crossover study. The subjects were instructed to wake up at a specified time (“request” condition) or instructed to sleep until the morning but forced to wake up at 03:00 without prior notice (“surprise” condition). Those who awoke within ± 30 min of the planned waking time were defined as those who succeeded in self-awakening (“success” group). Seven subjects succeeded in self-awakening and eight failed. No significant differences were observed in the amounts of sleep in each stage between conditions or between groups. On the “request” night, an increase in oxy-Hb level in the right prefrontal cortex and a decrease in δ power were observed in the “success” group around 30 min before self-awakening, whereas no such changes were observed in the “failure” group. On the “surprise” night, no significant changes were observed in oxy-Hb level or δ power in either group. Conclusions These findings demonstrate a correlation between self-awakening and a pre-awakening increase in hemodynamic activation in the right prefrontal cortex, suggesting the structure’s contribution to time estimation ability.

Abstract Metabolic, physiological and behavioral processes exhibit 24-hour rhythms in most organisms, including humans. These rhythms are driven by a system of self-sustained clocks and are entrained by environmental cues such as light-dark cycles as well as food intake. In mammals, the circadian clock system is hierarchically organized such that the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus integrates environmental information and synchronizes the phase of oscillators in peripheral tissues. The transcription and translation feedback loops of multiple clock genes are involved in the molecular mechanism of the circadian system. Disturbed circadian rhythms are known to be closely related to many diseases, including sleep disorders. Advanced sleep phase type, delayed sleep phase type and nonentrained type of circadian rhythm sleep disorders (CRSDs) are thought to result from disorganization of the circadian system. Evaluation of circadian phenotypes is indispensable to understanding the pathophysiology of CRSD. It is laborious and costly to assess an individual's circadian properties precisely, however, because the subject is usually required to stay in a laboratory environment free from external cues and masking effects for a minimum of several weeks. More convenient measurements of circadian rhythms are therefore needed to reduce patients' burden. In this review, we discuss the pathophysiology and pathogenesis of CRSD as well as surrogate measurements for assessing an individual's circadian phenotype.

We have demonstrated that chemotaxis to l -malate facilitated motility of Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum MAFF 106611, a causative agent of bacterial wilt, to plant roots. Here, we evaluated the assumption that the disruption of chemotaxis to l -malate leads to inhibition of plant infection by R. pseudosolanacearum MAFF 106611. Chemotactic assays revealed that chemotaxis to l -malate was completely or partially inhibited in the presence of l -, d -, and dl -malate, respectively. Moreover, l -malate served as a carbon and energy source for R. pseudosolanacearum MAFF 106611, while d -malate inhibited the growth of this bacterium. In the sand-soak inoculation virulence assay for tomato plants, the addition of l -, d -, and dl -malate to sand suppressed the plant infection. We concluded that supplementation of l - and dl -malate suppresses tomato plant infection with R. pseudosolanacearum MAFF 106611 by disrupting its chemotaxis to l -malate, while d -malate suppresses it by both the disruption of l -malate chemotaxis and inhibition of growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-Hydroxypropionic acid (3-HP) and 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) have tremendous potential markets in many industries. This study evaluated the simultaneous biosynthesis of the 2 compounds using the new psychrophile-based simple biocatalyst (PSCat) reaction system. The PSCat method is based on the expression of glycerol dehydratase, 1,3-propanediol dehydrogenase, and aldehyde dehydrogenase from Klebsiella pneumoniae in Shewanella livingstonensis Ac10 and Shewanella frigidimarina DSM 12253, individually. Heat treatment at 45 °C for 15 min deactivated the intracellular metabolic flux, and the production process was started after adding substrate, cofactor, and coenzyme. In the solo production process after 1 h, the maximum production of 3-HP was 62.0 m  m. For 1,3-PDO, the maximum production was 25.0 m  m. In the simultaneous production process, productivity was boosted, and the production of 3-HP and 1,3-PDO increased by 13.5 and 4.9 m  m , respectively. Hence, the feasibility of the individual production and the simultaneous biosynthesis system were verified in the new PSCat approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas protegens CHA0, known as plant-growth-promoting rhizobacterium, showed positive chemotactic responses toward proteinaceous L-amino acids. Genomic analysis revealed that P. protegens CHA0 possesses four putative chemoreceptors for amino acids (designated CtaA, CtaB, CtaC, and CtaD, respectively). Pseudomonas aeruginosa PCT2, a mutant defective in chemotaxis to amino acids, harboring a plasmid containing each of ctaA, ctaB, ctaC, and ctaD showed chemotactic responses to 20, 4, 4, and 11 types of amino acids, respectively. To enhance chemotaxis toward amino acids, we introduced the plasmids containing ctaA, ctaB, ctaC, or ctaD into P. protegens CHA0. By overexpression of the genes, we succeeded in enhancing chemotaxis toward more than half of the tested ligands. However, unexpectedly, the P. protegens CHA0 transformants showed unchanged or decreased responses to some amino acids when compared to wild-type CHA0. We speculate that alternation of expression of a chemoreceptor may affect the abundance of other chemoreceptors. cDNA: complementary DNA; LBD: ligand-binding domain; MCP: methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein; PDC: PhoQ/DcuS/CitA; PGPR: plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria; qRT-PCR: quantitative reverse transcription PCR Four chemotaxis sensors for amino acids in PGPRPseudomonas protegens CHA0. Amino acid chemotaxis can be enhanced by overexpression of the genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We have previously shown that endochondral ossification is finely regulated by the Clock system expressed in chondrocytes during postnatal skeletogenesis. Here we show a sophisticated modulation of bone resorption and bone mass by the Clock system through its expression in bone-forming osteoblasts. Brain and muscle aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 ( Bmal1) and Period1 (Per1) were expressed with oscillatory rhythmicity in the bone in vivo, and circadian rhythm was also observed in cultured osteoblasts of Per1::luciferase transgenic mice. Global deletion of murine Bmal1, a core component of the Clock system, led to a low bone mass, associated with increased bone resorption. This phenotype was recapitulated by the deletion of Bmal1 in osteoblasts alone. Co-culture experiments revealed that Bmal1-deficient osteoblasts have a higher ability to support osteoclastogenesis. Moreover, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3]-induced receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand ( Rankl) expression was more strongly enhanced in both Bmal1-deficient bone and cultured osteoblasts, whereas overexpression of Bmal1/Clock conversely inhibited it in osteoblasts. These results suggest that bone resorption and bone mass are regulated at a sophisticated level by osteoblastic Clock system through a mechanism relevant to the modulation of 1,25(OH)2D3-induced Rankl expression in osteoblasts. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess circadian preference with a score, the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ) has been used for more than 3 decades now. More recently, the Munich ChronoType Questionnaire (MCTQ) was developed: it asks for sleep-wake behavior on work and free days and uses the midpoint of sleep on free days (MSF), corrected for sleep debt accumulated during the work week as an indicator of chronotype (MSFsc). In this study, we developed a Japanese version of the MCTQ by using a translation/back-translation approach including an examination of its semantic validity. In a subsequent questionnaire survey, 450 adult men and women completed the Japanese versions of the MCTQ and MEQ. Results showed that MEQ scores were significantly negatively correlated with mid-sleep parameters assessed by the MCTQ, on both, work and free days, as well as with the chronotype measure MSFsc ( r = −0.580 to −0.652, all p < 0.001). As in the original German version, the strongest correlation was observed between MEQ score and MSF. A physiological validation study using dim light melatonin onset as a circadian phase marker ( N = 37) showed a high correlation between chronotype as assessed with the MSFsc ( r = 0.542, p < 0.001), and less so for MEQ score ( r = −0.402, p = 0.055). These results demonstrate the validity of the Japanese MCTQ and provide further support of the adequacy of the MCTQ as a chronotype measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Melanopsin-containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) play an important role in non-image forming responses to light, such as circadian photoentrainment, light-induced melatonin suppression, and pupillary light response. Although it is known that there are some single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the melanopsin (OPN4) gene in humans, the associations of the SNPs with non-image forming responses to light remains unclear. In the present study, we examined the associations of melanopsin gene polymorphisms with pupillary light response. Methods: Japanese university students (mean age: 21.0±1.7 years) with the genotypes of TT (n = 38), TC (n = 28) and CC (n = 7) at rs1079610 (I394T) located in the coding region participated in the present study. They were matched by age and sex ratio. Dark-adapted pupil size (<1 lx) was first measured. Then steady-state pupil size was measured during exposure to five lighting conditions (10 lx, 100 lx, 1000 lx, 3000 lx, 6000 lx in the vertical direction at eye level). Results: Significant interaction between the genotype of I394T (TT versus TC+CC) and luminance levels was found in pupil size. Under high illuminance levels (1000 lx, 3000 lx and 6000 lx), pupil sizes in subjects with the C allele were significantly smaller than those in subjects with the TT genotype. On the other hand, pupil size in subjects with the C allele under low illuminance (<1 lx) was significantly larger than that in subjects with the TT genotype. Percentages of pupil constriction under high illuminance levels were significantly greater in subjects with the C allele than in subjects with the TT genotype. Conclusions: Human melanopsin gene polymorphism I394T interacted with irradiance in association with pupil size. This is the first evidence suggesting a functional connection between melanopsin gene polymorphism and pupillary light response as an index of non-image forming response to light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Sleep debt reportedly increases emotional instability, such as anxiety and confusion, in addition to sleepiness and psychomotor impairment. However, the neural basis of emotional instability due to sleep debt has yet to be elucidated. This study investigated changes in emotional responses that are elicited by the simulation of short-term sleep loss and the brain regions responsible for these changes. Subjects and Methods: Fourteen healthy adult men aged 24.1±3.3 years (range, 20–32 years) participated in a within-subject crossover study consisting of 5-day sessions of both sleep debt (4 h for time in bed) and sleep control (8 h for time in bed). On the last day of each session, participants underwent polysomnography and completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Profile of Mood States questionnaires. In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted while performing an emotional face viewing task. Results: Restricted sleep over the 5-day period increased the activity of the left amygdala in response to the facial expression of fear, whereas a happy facial expression did not change the activity. Restricted sleep also resulted in a significant decrease in the functional connectivity between the amygdala and the ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vACC) in proportion to the degree of sleep debt (as indicated by the percentage of slow wave sleep and δ wave power). This decrease was significantly correlated with activation of the left amygdala and deterioration of subjective mood state. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that continuous and accumulating sleep debt that can be experienced in everyday life can downregulate the functional suppression of the amygdala by the vACC and consequently enhance the response of the amygdala to negative emotional stimuli. Such functional alteration in emotional control may, in part, be attributed to the neural basis of emotional instability during sleep debt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The results of neuroimaging studies have indicated that viewing emotional stimuli can lead to activity increases in brain regions associated with processing actions. We hypothesized that observation of actions involving the potential for harm (i.e., risk-taking actions) would activate emotion-and pain-related processing. Methods: We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the changes in neural activity during the observation of safe and risk-taking actions in 34 healthy participants (14 females, 20 males; mean age: 23.4±3.7 years). Results: Observation of risk-taking actions elicited significantly stronger neural activation in the inferior frontal gyrus, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, superior frontal gyrus/frontal pole, inferior parietal lobule, middle temporal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, lingual gyrus, cuneus (including the calcarine sulcus), insula, and amygdala, than observation of safe actions. Interestingly, we observed significant activation of affect-related brain areas (ventromedial prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and insula), thought to be implicated in various aspects of emotion regulation during the observation of risk-taking actions. No brain regions exhibited greater activation during observation of safe actions than during observation of risk-taking actions associated with risk. Discussion: Our results reveal that the risk-related content of the observed actions in the video clips elicited activation of a network of visual input and processing regions, including the action observation network, that appears to encode the meanings of observed actions as well as the reflective or retrospective monitoring of their outcomes. These findings suggest that risk-taking situations may increase cognitive load on the entire action perception system, and may command more attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]