Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 29 in total

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  1. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Nematoda: Filarioidea) from Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma): description, molecular identification, and Wolbachia screening
    Uni S, Bain O, Suzuki K, Agatsuma T, Harada M, Motokawa M, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2013 Feb;62(1):14-23.
    PMID: 22926421 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2012.08.004
    Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. (Filarioidea: Onchocercidae: Onchocercinae) is described based on adult filarioids and microfilariae obtained from subcutaneous connective tissues and skin, respectively, of Japanese badgers (Meles anakuma) in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. No endemic species of the genus had been found in Japan. Recently, some filarioids (e.g., Acanthocheilonema reconditum, Dirofilaria spp., and Onchocerca spp.) have come to light as causative agents of zoonosis worldwide. The new species was readily distinguished from its congeners by morphologic characteristics such as body length, body width, esophagus length, spicule length, and the length of microfilariae. Based on the molecular data of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene, A. delicata n. sp. was included in the clade of the genus Acanthocheilonema but differed from two other congeneric species available for study, A. viteae and A. reconditum. Acanthocheilonema delicata n. sp. did not harbor Wolbachia. It is likely that the fauna of filarioids from mammals on the Japanese islands is characterized by a high level of endemicity.
  2. Allelic variants of acidic proline-rich proteins observed in Japanese, Chinese, and Malays
    Shintani M, Minaguchi K, Suzuki K, Lim KA
    Biochem Genet, 1990 Apr;28(3-4):173-84.
    PMID: 2383244
    Three new variants of acidic proline-rich proteins (At, Au, Aw) were found in human parotid saliva by isoelectric focusing and basic gel electrophoresis. Electrophoretic comparison of the purified proteins and their tryptic peptides suggested minor charge and size differences from other acidic PRPs. Genetic and biochemical studies indicate that the At and Aw proteins are allelic products of the PRH1 locus. Gene frequencies of the At productive allele (PRH1(6)) in Japanese, Chinese, and Malays were 0.008, 0.012, and 0.004, respectively. The Au protein was also found in Japanese (2 in 746 samples), Chinese (1 in 215 samples), and Malays (1 in 220 samples), however, the Aw protein was found only in one Japanese (n = 746). These three proteins were not found in 106 Indian subjects.
  3. Fulltext Asia prostate cancer study (A-CaP Study) launch symposium
    Akaza H, Hirao Y, Kim CS, Oya M, Ozono S, Ye D, et al.
    Prostate Int, 2016 Sep;4(3):88-96.
    PMID: 27689065 DOI: 10.1016/j.prnil.2016.03.001
    The Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP) Study is an Asia-wide initiative that has been developed over the course of 2 years. The A-CaP Study is scheduled to begin in 2016, when each participating country or region will begin registration of newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients and conduct prognosis investigations. From the data gathered, common research themes will be identified, such as comparisons among Asian countries of background factors in newly diagnosed prostate cancer patients. This is the first Asia-wide study of prostate cancer and has developed from single country research efforts in this field, including in Japan and Korea. The inaugural Board Meeting of A-CaP was held on December 11, 2015 at the Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, attended by representatives of all participating countries and regions, who signed a memorandum of understanding concerning registration for A-CaP. Following the Board Meeting an A-CaP Launch Symposium was held. The symposium was attended by representatives of countries and regions participating in A-CaP, who gave presentations. Presentations and a keynote address were also delivered by representatives of the University of California San Francisco, USA, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Australia, who provided insight and experience on similar databases compiled in their respective countries.
  4. Fulltext Chromosome-scale genome assembly of an acidophilic microalga Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 isolated from a tropical peatland in Malaysia
    Maeda Y, Hirakawa T, Suzuki S, Suhaimi N, Shamsol Anuar NS, Yoneda K, et al.
    Microbiol Resour Announc, 2024 Feb 15;13(2):e0081623.
    PMID: 38179908 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00816-23
    Tetratostichococcus sp. P1 shows an acidophilic phenotype which could allow mass-scale monoculture of this green microalga without severe contamination by environmental microorganisms. In this study, we report a chromosome-scale genome assembly for Tetratostichococcus sp. P1.
  5. Coexisting mechanisms of bacterial community are changeable even under similar stable conditions in a chemostat culture
    Abdul Aziz FA, Suzuki K, Honjo M, Amano K, Mohd Din ARJB, Tashiro Y, et al.
    J Biosci Bioeng, 2021 Jan;131(1):77-83.
    PMID: 33268319 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2020.09.009
    The coexisting mechanism of a synthetic bacterial community (SBC) was investigated to better understand how to manage microbial communities. The SBC was constructed with three kinds of phenol-utilizing bacteria, Pseudomonas sp. LAB-08, Comamonas testosteroni R2, and Cupriavidus sp. P-10, under chemostat conditions supplied with phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. Population densities of all strains were monitored by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the gene encoding the large subunit of phenol hydroxylase. Although the supply of phenol was stopped to allow perturbation in the SBC, all of the strains coexisted and the degradation of phenol was maintained for more than 800 days. The qPCR analyses showed that strains LAB-08 and R2 became dominant simultaneously, whereas strain P-10 was a minor population. This phenomenon was observed before and after the phenol-supply stoppage. The kinetic parameters for phenol of the SBC changed before and after the phenol-supply stoppage, which suggests a change in functional roles of strains in the SBC. Transcriptional levels of phenol hydroxylase and catechol dioxygenases of three strains were monitored by reverse-transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR). The RT-qPCR analyses revealed that all strains shared phenol and survived independently before the phenol-supply stoppage. After the stoppage, strain P-10 would incur the cost for degradation of phenol and catechol, whereas strains LAB-08 and R2 seemed to be cheaters using metabolites, indicating the development of the metabolic network. These results indicated that it is important for the management and redesign of microbial communities to understand the metabolism of bacterial communities.
  6. Fulltext Development of a P84/ZCC Composite Carbon Membrane for Gas Separation of H2/CO2 and H2/CH4
    Widiastuti N, Widyanto AR, Caralin IS, Gunawan T, Wijiyanti R, Wan Salleh WN, et al.
    ACS Omega, 2021 Jun 22;6(24):15637-15650.
    PMID: 34179608 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00512
    Hydrogen (H2) has become one of the promising alternative clean energy resources. Membrane technology is a potential method for hydrogen separation or production. This study aims to develop a new carbon membrane for hydrogen separation or production. Moreover, the permeation behavior of H2, CO2, and CH4 through a hollow fiber composite carbon membrane derived from P84 co-polyimide and with incorporation of zeolite composite carbon (ZCC) was also examined. ZCC was synthesized via the impregnation method of sucrose into zeolite-Y pores, followed by carbonization at 800 °C. Thus, this filler has a high surface area, high microporosity, ordered pore structure, and low hydrophilicity. The presence of zeolites in ZCC is predicted to increase certain gases' affinity for the membrane. Various heating rates (1-5 °C/min) were applied during pyrolysis to understand the effect of the heating rate on the pore structure and H2/CO2 and H2/CH4 gas separation performance. Moreover, gas permeation was evaluated at various temperatures (298-373 K) to study the thermodynamic aspect of the process. A characteristic graphite peak was detected at 2θ ∼ 44° in all carbon samples. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations revealed the void-free surface and the asymmetric structure of the carbon membranes. During the permeation test, it was found that gas permeation through the membrane was significantly affected by the temperature of the separation process. The highest permeability of H2, CO2, and CH4 was detected on the composite carbon membrane at a 3 °C/min heating rate with a permeation temperature of 373 K. The thermodynamic study shows that CO2 and H2 have lower activation energies compared to CH4. The transport mechanism of the membrane involved adsorption and activated surface diffusion. The permeation temperature has a large impact on the transport of small penetrants in the carbon matrix.
  7. Fulltext Dimensionality reduction reveals fine-scale structure in the Japanese population with consequences for polygenic risk prediction
    Sakaue S, Hirata J, Kanai M, Suzuki K, Akiyama M, Lai Too C, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2020 03 26;11(1):1569.
    PMID: 32218440 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15194-z
    The diversity in our genome is crucial to understanding the demographic history of worldwide populations. However, we have yet to know whether subtle genetic differences within a population can be disentangled, or whether they have an impact on complex traits. Here we apply dimensionality reduction methods (PCA, t-SNE, PCA-t-SNE, UMAP, and PCA-UMAP) to biobank-derived genomic data of a Japanese population (n = 169,719). Dimensionality reduction reveals fine-scale population structure, conspicuously differentiating adjacent insular subpopulations. We further enluciate the demographic landscape of these Japanese subpopulations using population genetics analyses. Finally, we perform phenome-wide polygenic risk score (PRS) analyses on 67 complex traits. Differences in PRS between the deconvoluted subpopulations are not always concordant with those in the observed phenotypes, suggesting that the PRS differences might reflect biases from the uncorrected structure, in a trait-dependent manner. This study suggests that such an uncorrected structure can be a potential pitfall in the clinical application of PRS.
  8. Fulltext Diversity of global rice markets and the science required for consumer-targeted rice breeding
    Calingacion M, Laborte A, Nelson A, Resurreccion A, Concepcion JC, Daygon VD, et al.
    PLoS One, 2014;9(1):e85106.
    PMID: 24454799 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085106
    With the ever-increasing global demand for high quality rice in both local production regions and with Western consumers, we have a strong desire to understand better the importance of the different traits that make up the quality of the rice grain and obtain a full picture of rice quality demographics. Rice is by no means a 'one size fits all' crop. Regional preferences are not only striking, they drive the market and hence are of major economic importance in any rice breeding / improvement strategy. In this analysis, we have engaged local experts across the world to perform a full assessment of all the major rice quality trait characteristics and importantly, to determine how these are combined in the most preferred varieties for each of their regions. Physical as well as biochemical characteristics have been monitored and this has resulted in the identification of no less than 18 quality trait combinations. This complexity immediately reveals the extent of the specificity of consumer preference. Nevertheless, further assessment of these combinations at the variety level reveals that several groups still comprise varieties which consumers can readily identify as being different. This emphasises the shortcomings in the current tools we have available to assess rice quality and raises the issue of how we might correct for this in the future. Only with additional tools and research will we be able to define directed strategies for rice breeding which are able to combine important agronomic features with the demands of local consumers for specific quality attributes and hence, design new, improved crop varieties which will be awarded success in the global market.
  9. Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Comamonas testosteroni R2, Consisting of Aromatic Compound Degradation Genes for Phenol Hydroxylase
    Azwani F, Suzuki K, Honjyo M, Tashiro Y, Futamata H
    Genome Announc, 2017 Sep 07;5(36).
    PMID: 28883136 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00875-17
    Comamonas testosteroni strain R2 was isolated from a continuous culture enriched by a low concentration of phenol-oxygenating activities with low Ks values (below 1 μM). The draft genome sequence of C. testosteroni strain R2 reported here may contribute to determining the phenol degradation gene cluster.
  10. Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Phenol-Degrading Variovorax boronicumulans Strain HAB-30
    Aziz FAA, Suzuki K, Moriuchi R, Dohra H, Tashiro Y, Futamata H
    Microbiol Resour Announc, 2020 Feb 13;9(7).
    PMID: 32054711 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.01478-19
    We report the draft genome sequence of Variovorax boronicumulans strain HAB-30, which was isolated from a phenol-degrading chemostat culture. This strain contains genes encoding a multicomponent type of phenol hydroxylase, with degradation pathways for catechol and other aromatic compounds. The genome sequence will be useful for understanding the metabolic pathways involved in phenol degradation.
  11. Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of Phenol-Degrading Variovorax boronicumulans Strain c24
    Abdul Aziz FA, Suzuki K, Amano K, Moriuchi R, Dohra H, Tashiro Y, et al.
    Microbiol Resour Announc, 2020 Sep 10;9(37).
    PMID: 32912906 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.00597-20
    We report the draft genome sequence of Variovorax boronicumulans strain c24, which was isolated from a soil-inoculated chemostat culture amended with phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. The genome data will provide insights into phenol and other xenobiotic compound degradation mechanisms for bioremediation applications.
  12. Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. LAB-08 Isolated from Trichloroethene-Contaminated Aquifer Soil
    Suzuki K, Aziz FA, Inuzuka Y, Tashiro Y, Futamata H
    Genome Announc, 2016;4(5).
    PMID: 27660772 DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00948-16
    Pseudomonas sp. LAB-08 was isolated from a phenol-fed bioreactor constructed with contaminated aquifer soil as the inoculum. Strain LAB-08 utilized phenol as a sole carbon and energy source. Here, we report the genome sequence and annotation of Pseudomonas sp. LAB-08.
  13. Fulltext Draft Genome Sequence of the Phenol-Degrading Bacterium Cupriavidus sp. Strain P-10, Isolated from Trichloroethene-Contaminated Aquifer Soil
    Suzuki K, Aziz FAA, Honjo M, Nishimura T, Masuda K, Minoura A, et al.
    Microbiol Resour Announc, 2018 Nov;7(18).
    PMID: 30533775 DOI: 10.1128/MRA.01009-18
    A batch culture was enriched on phenol with trichloroethene-contaminated aquifer soil as an inoculum. Cupriavidus sp. strain P-10 was isolated from the culture using a diluted plating method. Here, we report the draft genome sequence and annotation of strain P-10, which provides insights into the metabolic processes of phenol degradation.
  14. Fulltext Enhancement of astaxanthin accumulation using black light in Coelastrum and Monoraphidium isolated from Malaysia
    Kaha M, Iwamoto K, Yahya NA, Suhaimi N, Sugiura N, Hara H, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2021 06 03;11(1):11708.
    PMID: 34083633 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91128-z
    Microalgae are important microorganisms which produce potentially valuable compounds. Astaxanthin, a group of xanthophyll carotenoids, is one of the most powerful antioxidants mainly found in microalgae, yeasts, and crustaceans. Environmental stresses such as intense light, drought, high salinity, nutrient depletion, and high temperature can induce the accumulation of astaxanthin. Thus, this research aims to investigate the effect of black light, also known as long-wave ultraviolet radiation or UV-A, as a stressor on the accumulation of astaxanthin as well as to screen the antioxidant property in two tropical green algal strains isolated from Malaysia, Coelastrum sp. and Monoraphidium sp. SP03. Monoraphidium sp. SP03 showed a higher growth rate (0.66 day-1) compared to that of Coelastrum sp. (0.22 day-1). Coelastrum sp. showed significantly higher accumulation of astaxanthin in black light (0.999 g mL culture-1) compared to that in control condition (0.185 g mL-1). Similarly, Monoraphidium sp. SP03 showed higher astaxanthin content in black light (0.476 g mL culture-1) compared to that in control condition (0.363 g mL culture-1). Coelastrum sp. showed higher scavenging activity (30.19%) when cultured in black light condition, indicating a correlation between the antioxidant activity and accumulation of astaxanthin. In this study, black light was shown to possess great potential to enhance the production of astaxanthin in microalgae.
  15. Fulltext Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)
    Klionsky DJ, Abdelmohsen K, Abe A, Abedin MJ, Abeliovich H, Acevedo Arozena A, et al.
    Autophagy, 2016;12(1):1-222.
    PMID: 26799652 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356
  16. Fulltext Interspecies interactions are an integral determinant of microbial community dynamics
    Aziz FA, Suzuki K, Ohtaki A, Sagegami K, Hirai H, Seno J, et al.
    Front Microbiol, 2015;6:1148.
    PMID: 26539177 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2015.01148
    This study investigated the factors that determine the dynamics of bacterial communities in a complex system using multidisciplinary methods. Since natural and engineered microbial ecosystems are too complex to study, six types of synthetic microbial ecosystems (SMEs) were constructed under chemostat conditions with phenol as the sole carbon and energy source. Two to four phenol-degrading, phylogenetically and physiologically different bacterial strains were used in each SME. Phylogeny was based on the nucleotide sequence of 16S rRNA genes, while physiologic traits were based on kinetic and growth parameters on phenol. Two indices, J parameter and "interspecies interaction," were compared to predict which strain would become dominant in an SME. The J parameter was calculated from kinetic and growth parameters. On the other hand, "interspecies interaction," a new index proposed in this study, was evaluated by measuring the specific growth activity, which was determined on the basis of relative growth of a strain with or without the supernatant prepared from other bacterial cultures. Population densities of strains used in SMEs were enumerated by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) targeting the gene encoding the large subunit of phenol hydroxylase and were compared to predictions made from J parameter and interspecies interaction calculations. In 4 of 6 SEMs tested the final dominant strain shown by real-time qPCR analyses coincided with the strain predicted by both the J parameter and the interspecies interaction. However, in SMEII-2 and SMEII-3 the final dominant Variovorax strains coincided with prediction of the interspecies interaction but not the J parameter. These results demonstrate that the effects of interspecies interactions within microbial communities contribute to determining the dynamics of the microbial ecosystem.
  17. Fulltext Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity attenuates the detrimental effects of television viewing on the cardiorespiratory fitness in Asian adolescents: the Asia-fit study
    Kidokoro T, Suzuki K, Naito H, Balasekaran G, Song JK, Park SY, et al.
    BMC Public Health, 2019 Dec 27;19(1):1737.
    PMID: 31881869 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-8079-0
    BACKGROUND: Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and television viewing are independently associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. However, limited evidence is available on their combined effects, specifically of MVPA and watching television, on cardiorespiratory fitness in the young Asian population. Therefore, the present study examined whether MVPA can attenuate the detrimental effects of prolonged television viewing on the cardiorespiratory fitness of Asian adolescents.

    METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study on 9553 adolescents (aged 12-15 years) from 8 Asian metropolitan cities (Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, and Singapore). Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by using a 15-m progressive aerobic capacity endurance run (PACER) test. The time spent on MVPA and watching television was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form.

    RESULTS: MVPA was more closely associated with the PACER score than the duration of watching television. Compared with the reference group (i.e. those with the lowest levels of MVPA [

  18. Observation of Transverse Λ/Λ[over ¯] Hyperon Polarization in e^{+}e^{-} Annihilation at Belle
    Guan Y, Vossen A, Adachi I, Adamczyk K, Ahn JK, Aihara H, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2019 Feb 01;122(4):042001.
    PMID: 30768311 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.122.042001
    We report the first observation of the spontaneous polarization of Λ and Λ[over ¯] hyperons transverse to the production plane in e^{+}e^{-} annihilation, which is attributed to the effect arising from a polarizing fragmentation function. For inclusive Λ/Λ[over ¯] production, we also report results with subtracted feed-down contributions from Σ^{0} and charm. This measurement uses a dataset of 800.4  fb^{-1} collected by the Belle experiment at or near a center-of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV. We observe a significant polarization that rises with the fractional energy carried by the Λ/Λ[over ¯] hyperon.
  19. Physical activity and health-related fitness in Asian adolescents: The Asia-fit study
    Hui SS, Zhang R, Suzuki K, Naito H, Balasekaran G, Song JK, et al.
    J Sports Sci, 2020 Feb;38(3):273-279.
    PMID: 31774367 DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2019.1695334
    Purpose: The present study aimed to investigate and compare physical activity (PA) and health-related fitness in Asian adolescents, and to examine the associations between meeting PA guidelines and attaining fitness standards. Methods: A sample of 12,590 adolescents (Mage = 13.63 years, SD = 1.01) from eight Asian metropolitan cities completed measurements of PA, five field-based fitness tests, and covariates. The fitness test scores were further classified into Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) or Needs Improvement Zone (NIZ). Results: Findings showed that adolescents' levels of PA and fitness components differed by cities. City differences were also found in proportions of meeting PA guidelines and achieving the HFZs of aerobic capacity, muscular fitness, and body composition. After controlling covariates, meeting PA guidelines positively associated with being in the HFZs of aerobic and muscular fitness, but the association was not significant with being in the body composition HFZ. Conclusion: There was a large variation in PA and health-related fitness in adolescents across the eight Asian cities. Asian adolescents achieving PA guidelines were more likely to be in the HFZ of aerobic and muscular fitness. Prospective follow-up studies are warranted to gain better insights into the relationships between objectively-measured PA and fitness.
  20. Prevalence of Onchocerca japonica and O. takaokai infections in the Japanese wild boar, Sus scrofa leucomystax, and the Ryukyu wild boar, S. s. riukiuanus, in Japan
    Uni S, Fukuda M, Uga S, Agatsuma T, Nakatani J, Suzuki K, et al.
    Parasitol Int, 2021 Aug;83:102313.
    PMID: 33662527 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102313
    Reports of zoonotic infections with Onchocerca japonica (Nematoda: Filarioidea), which parasitizes the Japanese wild boar, Sus scrofa leucomystax, have recently increased in Japan. To predict the occurrence of infection in humans, it is necessary to determine the prevalence of O. japonica infection in the natural host animals. We investigated the presence of adult worms in the footpads, and of microfilariae in skin snips, taken from the host animals, between 2000 and 2018. Onchocerca japonica was found in 165 of 223 (74%) Japanese wild boars in Honshu and Kyushu. Among the nine regions studied, the highest prevalence of O. japonica infection was found in Oita, Kyushu, where 47 of 52 (90.4%) animals were infected. The ears were the predilection sites for O. japonica microfilariae. Adult worms of O. japonica were found more frequently in the hindlimbs than in the forelimbs of the host animals. Onchocerca takaokai was found in 14 of 52 (26.9%) Japanese wild boars in Oita. In Kakeroma Island among the Nansei Islands, both O. japonica and O. takaokai were isolated from the Ryukyu wild boar, S. s. riukiuanus. These observations could help predict future occurrences of human zoonotic onchocercosis in Japan.
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