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This paper examines the significance of reading two Korean American novels which address the issue of Japanese military sexual slavery (known as the "comfort women" system) in the context of Japan: Nora Okja Keller's Comfort Woman and Chang-rae Lee's A Gesture Life. I will explore how this act can facilitate the understanding of the militarized sexual violence in the present social and discursive context of Japan, where the issue suffers from a strong backlash. Lee's A Gesture Life with its critique of multiple militarized imperialisms challenges the Japanese revisionists' effort to deny the egregious wrongs of Japan's military sexual slavery; it also responds to popular criticism in Japan that Korean/Americans disregard the practices of Western imperial and military violence and only condemn Japanese war crimes. The paper in turn also reads Keller's Comfort Woman through the frame of Joy Kogawa's Obasan, a Japanese Canadian novel which remembers the internment and U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki. My aim here is to examine both the risks and possibilities which this reading can generate. While it can help us see the comparable acts of remembering war sufferings from the standpoint of diasporas, it can also erase the non-equivalence between the two histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND), caused by a toxin‐producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus strain, has become a serious threat to shrimp aquaculture. The need to regulate antibiotic use prompted the development of alternative ways to treat infections in aquaculture including the use of chicken egg yolk immunoglobulin (IgY) for passive immunization. This study evaluated the protective effect of IgY against AHPND infection in Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone). IgY was isolated from eggs laid by hens immunized with recombinant PirA‐like (rPirA) and PirB‐like (rPirB) toxins. Whole‐egg powders having IgY specific to rPirA (anti‐PirA‐IgY) and rPirB (anti‐PirB‐IgY) and IgY from non‐immunized hen (control‐IgY) were mixed with basal diets at 20% concentrations and used to prefeed shrimp 3 days before the bacterial challenge test. Survival rates of the challenged shrimp fed the anti‐PirA‐IgY, anti‐PirB‐IgY and control‐IgY diets were 86%, 14% and 0%, respectively. Only the feed containing anti‐PirA‐IgY protected shrimp against AHPND. Increasing the concentration of rPirA antigen to immunize hens and lowering the amount of egg powder in feeds to 10% consistently showed higher survival rates in shrimp fed with anti‐PirA‐IgY (87%) compared with the control (12%). These results confirm that addition of anti‐PirA‐IgY in feeds could be an effective prophylactic method against AHPND infection in shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare semen parameters between patients with testicular cancer and other malignancies using various cut‐off values, and to evaluate the correlation between semen parameters and intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively investigated semen parameters before cancer treatment in 117 patients with malignancies who cryopreserved sperm at Hirosaki University Hospital between November 1999 and May 2016. We compared semen parameters between patients with testicular cancer and other malignancies (non‐testicular cancer), seminoma and non‐seminoma, and stage I testicular cancer and stage II/III testicular cancer. The assessment of cut‐off values recommended by the World Health Organization and the total motile sperm count was carried out between the testicular cancer and non‐testicular cancer groups. The intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes in those using preserved sperm were assessed. Results: Of the 111 patients enrolled, 29 (26%) had testicular cancer and 82 (74%) had non‐testicular cancer. Patients with testicular cancer showed significantly lower total sperm concentration than non‐testicular cancer patients. The cut‐off value of total sperm concentration distinguished the patient proportions exceeding the cut‐off between patients with testicular cancer (41%) and non‐testicular cancer (66%). The comparison between patients with seminoma versus non‐seminoma and stage I versus stage II/III testicular cancer presented no significant differences in semen parameters. No correlation between pretreatment semen parameters and intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes was observed. Conclusions: Although testicular cancer patients show lower total sperm concentration, intracytoplasmic sperm injection outcomes are acceptable. Further studies on the fertility potential of testicular cancer patients are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We performed an in vitro elicitation test to de-termine the ability of different types of wheat-allergic pa-tients' IgE to induce humanized mast cell activation after the addition of various time-treated acid-hydrolyzed wheat pro-teins (HWPs). Methods: The reactivity of heat- and various time-treated acid-hydrolyzed glutens (acid-HGs) and com-mercial acid-HWP (HWP1), using serum IgE from wheat al-lergy accompanied by skin and rhinoconjunctlval sensitiza-tion to HWP1 in the facial soap, pediatric subjects with food allergy to native wheat, adult wheat-dependent exercise-in-duced anaphylaxis subjects, and nonatopic healthy subjects, was elucidated by dot blot and a luciferase assay-based in vitro elicitation test (EXiLE test). Results: Serum from sub-jects sensitized with HWP1 reacted only to acid-HGs (acid-HGs treated for 0.5-3 or 6 h), but not native gluten, in the results of the dot blot. In contrast, sera from pediatric sub-jects sensitized with native wheat reacted to native gluten more strongly and showed only slight reactions to 0.5- to 1-hour-treated acid-HGs. The results of the in vitro elicitation test showed that acid hydrolyzation of the gluten attenuat-ed antigen-induced luciferase expression in a time-depen-dent manner for sera from native-wheat-sensitized pediatric subjects. On the other hand, in the sera from HWP1-sensi-tized subjects, acid hydrolyzation of the gluten for 0.5 h dra-matically increased luciferase expression. Conclusions: Even after prolonged hydrolyzation, acid-HGs still retained the ability to activate mast cells in the case of HWP1-sensitized subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the significance of engaging in Asian American studies in Asia, with examples drawn primarily from Japan. It asks: what happens when this US-based racial minority studies is relocated to the place where Asians do not constitute racial minorities? The paper argues that, on the one hand, the intellectual encounter between Asia and Asian America encourages the US-based minority studies to examine their implications in American imperialism in their perceptions towards Asia. On the other hand, Asian American studies as the racial minority discourse forces ethno-racial majority Asians, with all our ethnic, national, and other differences, to reflect upon the racial, ethnic, and (neo)colonial relations in our own lands while critiquing the inequalities that are taking place in and across Asia. The paper looks at the forms of minority struggles in Japan, zainichi Koreans and Okinawans, in order to propel the US Asian American scholars to decentralize their work and perspectives. It is my hope that this new perspective generated from Asia-based Asian American studies will help construct a place of mutual learning, where we can engage in conversation to ask new questions, to challenge and transform Asian American studies as we know it. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: The buckwheat 16-kDa protein (BWp16), as reported in our previous study, is a major allergen in buckwheat; however, the IgE-binding epitopes of BWp16 have not as yet been identified. Methods: We screened candidates for IgE-binding epitopes on BWp16 by using arrays of overlapping peptides synthesized on activated cellulose membranes (SPOTs membrane). The mimotope method was also used to analyze IgE-binding epitopes of BWp16. Nine single alanine (Ala) mutants of BWp16 expressed in Escherichia coli were used to confirm the epitopes of BWp16. The IgE-binding activity of single Ala mutants of BWp16 was determined by ELISA with mouse anti-BWp16 polyclonal antiserum or ELISA inhibition with sera from buckwheat allergic patients. Results: The SPOTs assay identified amino acid residues 99–110, i.e. EGVRDLKELPSK, as a candidate for the linear IgE-binding epitope of BWp16. The mimotope method indicated that peptides similar to EGVRDLKE were candidate sequences for epitopes of BWp16. Ala scanning of rBWp16 revealed that all EGVRDLKE peptides containing a single amino acid mutation had weaker IgE-binding activity than rBWp16 WT. An ELISA inhibition assay for rBWp16 WT revealed the inhibitory effect of rBWp16 D103A to be less than that of rBWp16 WT. Conclusions: We identified the peptide EGVRDLKE as a very likely candidate for the IgE-binding epitope of BWp16, and Asp103 as the critical amino acid in BWp16. This is the first report on the identification of IgE-binding epitopes of BWp16. Our findings will contribute to the production of BWp16 hypoallergens, and to allergen-specific immunotherapy for buckwheat allergy. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Genetically modified (GM) foods must be tested for safety, including by allergenicity tests to ensure that they do not contain new allergens or higher concentrations of known allergens than the same non-GM foods. In this study experimentally developed EGFP-transgenic chickens were used and evaluated the allergenicity of meat from the chicken based on a serological and two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) analysis. For the serological analysis, a Western blotting with allergen-specific antibodies and a proteomic analysis of chicken meat allergens with patients’ sera, a so-called allergenome analysis, were used. The allergenome analysis allowed us to identify five IgE-binding proteins in chicken meat, including a known allergen, chicken serum albumin, and no qualitative difference in their expressions between the GM and non-GM chicken meat was found. Results of the 2D-DIGE analysis showed that none of the IgE-binding proteins in chicken meat were significantly changed in expression levels between non-GM and GM chicken, and only 3 of the 1500 soluble protein spots including green fluorescence protein were markedly different as a result of gene transfer. These above results showed that the combination of serological and 2D-DIGE analysis is a valid method of evaluating quality and quantity of allergens in GM foods. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: OHK cells, a human lymphoma cell line, are known to produce large amounts of hyaluronan. We investigated the effect of 4-methylumbelliferone, an inhibitor of hyaluronan synthesis, on the activity of matrix metalloproteinases in OHK cells. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 was detected on gelatin zymography as the main metalloproteinase excreted into the medium of cultured OHK cells, and 4-methylumbelliferone added to the medium decreased the activity of the enzyme in a dose-dependent manner. Addition of Streptomyces hyaluronidase to the medium during cultivation did not decrease the enzyme activity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that 4-methylumbelliferone markedly decreased the level of mRNA for matrix metalloproteinase-9 in cultured OHK cells. A similar decrease of the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-9 by 4-methylumbelliferone was also observed in cultured human breast and colon carcinoma cells. These results suggest that 4-methylumbelliferone suppresses the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in cultured cancer cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Ca2+-promoted Ras inactivator (CAPRI), a Ras GTPase-activating protein, is involved in the inactivation of mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. However, a precise role of CAPRI in immune responses is still unknown. Here we showed that overexpression of CAPRI suppresses antigen-induced degranulation and cytokine production in mast cells (RBL cells). Antigen elicited the translocation of CAPRI to the plasma membrane from the cytoplasm, which was concomitant with the increase in the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. The nuclear import of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) occurred after the re-localization of CAPRI to the cytoplasm in the mast cells, suggesting that the early phase of ERK2 activation is eliminated. A mutant of GAP-related domain, CAPRI(R472S), showed a feeble translocation to the plasma membrane but did not affect the degranulation, ERK2 activation, and cytokine production. The results suggested that the translocation of CAPRI to the plasma membranes regulates crucially cellular responses in mast cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The superoxide-generating NADPH oxidase, dormant in resting phagocytes, is activated during phagocytosis following assembly of the membrane-integrated protein cytochrome b558 and cytosolic factors. Among the latter are the three proteins containing Src homology 3 (SH3) domains, p67phox, p47phox and p40 phox. While the first two factors are indispensable for the activity, p40 phox is tightly associated with p67phox in resting cells and is suggested to have some modulatory role. Here we describe a systematic analysis of the interaction between p40 phox and p67phox using the yeast two-hybrid system and in vitro binding assays with recombinant proteins. Both methods unequivocally showed that the minimum requirements for stable interaction are the C-terminal region of p40 phox and the region between the two SH3 domains of p67phox. This interaction is maintained even in the presence of anionic amphiphiles used for the activation of the NADPH oxidase, raising a possibility that it mediates constitutive association of the two factors in both resting and activated cells. The C-terminal region of p40 phox responsible for the interaction contains a characteristic stretch of amino acids designated as the PC motif, that also exists in other signal-transducing proteins from yeast to human. Intensive site-directed mutagenesis to the motif in p40 phox revealed that it plays a critical role in the binding to p67 phox. Thus the PC motif appears to represent a novel module for protein-protein interaction used in a variety of signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomarkers are not available for monitoring the onset and progression of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a major risk factor for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. This study aimed to test for correlation between circulating anti-Sorting Nexins 16 antibody (SNX16-Ab) levels, CAD history and clinical parameters of patients with OSA. Sixty-four healthy donors, 82 adults with OSA, and 96 with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) were studied. Serum samples were collected at diagnostic polysomnography in the OSA group or at the disease onset in the ACS group. Serum SNX16-Ab levels were measured by amplified luminescence proximity homogeneous assay (AlphaLISA), and correlation between SNX16-Ab levels and clinical parameters was analyzed. SNX16-Ab levels and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were weakly correlated. Additionally, logistic regression analyses of OSA group identified that elevated SNX16-Ab level associated with the history of CAD. Circulating SNX16-Ab could increase during CAD pathogenesis in patients with OSA. Further prospective studies are required to prove the predictive potential of SNX16-Ab level in CAD onset of patients with OSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]