Gigantic photoresponse in 1/4-filled-band organic salt (EDO-TTF)2PF6

We report that the organic salt (EDO-TTF)2PF6 with 3/4-filled-band (1/4-filled in terms of holes), which forms an organic metal with strong electron and lattice correlation, shows a highly sensitive response to photoexcitation. An ultrafast, photoinduced phase transition from the insulator phase to the metal phase can be induced with very weak excitation intensity at near room temperature. This response makes the material attractive for applications in switching devices with room-temperature operation. The observed photo-induced spectroscopic change shows that this photoinduced phase transition process is caused by the cooperative melting of charge ordering assisted by coherent phonon generation.     

Protostar formation in the early universe

The nature of the first generation of stars in the universe remains largely unknown. Observations imply the existence of massive primordial stars early in the history of the universe, and the standard theory for the growth of cosmic structure predicts that structures grow hierarchically through gravitational instability. We have developed an ab initio computer simulation of the formation of primordial stars that follows the relevant atomic and molecular processes in a primordial gas in an expanding universe. The results show that primeval density fluctuations left over from the Big Bang can drive the formation of a tiny protostar with a mass 1% that of the Sun. The protostar is a seed for the subsequent formation of a massive primordial star.     

Actin polymerization-driven molecular movement of mDia1 in living cells

mDia1, a Rho effector, belongs to the Formin family of proteins, which shares the conserved tandem FH1-FH2 unit structure. Formins including mDia1 accelerate actin nucleation while interacting with actin filament fast-growing ends. Here our single-molecule imaging revealed fast directional movement of mDia1 FH1-FH2 for tens of microns in living cells. The movement of mDia1 FH1-FH2 was blocked by actin-perturbing drugs, and the speed of mDia1 FH1-FH2 movement appeared to correlate with actin elongation rates. In vitro, mDia1 FH1-FH2 associated persistently with the growing actin barbed end. mDia1 probably moves processively along the growing end of actin filaments in cells, and Formins may be a molecular motility machinery that is independent from motor proteins.     

Single-molecule speckle analysis of actin filament turnover in lamellipodia

Lamellipodia are thin, veil-like extensions at the edge of cells that contain a dynamic array of actin filaments. We describe an approach for analyzing spatial regulation of actin polymerization and depolymerization in vivo in which we tracked single molecules of actin fused to the green fluorescent protein. Polymerization and the lifetime of actin filaments in lamellipodia were measured with high spatial precision. Basal polymerization and depolymerization occurred throughout lamellipodia with largely constant kinetics, and polymerization was promoted within one micron of the lamellipodium tip. Most of the actin filaments in the lamellipodium were generated by polymerization away from the tip.     

Reliable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the determination of soybean proteins in processed foods

Among allergenic foods, soybean is known as a food causing adverse reactions in allergenic patients. To clarify the validity of labeling, the specific and sensitive detection method for the analysis of the soybean protein would be necessary. The p34 protein, originally characterized to be p34 as an oil-body associated protein in soybean, has been identified as one of the major allergenic proteins and named Gly m Bd 30K. A novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection and quantification of the soybean protein in processed foods was developed using polyclonal antibodies raised against p34 as a soybean marker protein and the specific extraction buffer for extract. The developed sandwich ELISA method was highly specific for the soybean protein. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) of the developed ELISA were 0.47 ng/mL (equivalent to 0.19 microg/g in foods) and 0.94 ng/mL (equivalent to 0.38 microg/g in foods), respectively. The recovery ranged from 87.7 to 98.7%, whereas the intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were less than 4.2 and 7.5%, respectively. This study showed that the developed ELISA method is a specific, precise, and reliable tool for the quantitative analysis of the soybean protein in processed foods.     

Pole and global shape of 25143 Itokawa

The locations of the pole and rotation axis of asteroid 25143 Itokawa were derived from Asteroid Multiband Imaging Camera data on the Hayabusa spacecraft. The retrograde pole orientation had a right ascension of 90.53 degrees and a declination of -66.30 degrees (52000 equinox) or equivalently 128.5 degrees and -89.66 degrees in ecliptic coordinates with a 3.9 degrees margin of error. The surface area is 0.393 square kilometers, the volume is 0.018378 cubic kilometers with a 5% margin of error, and the three axis lengths are 535 meters by 294 meters by 209 meters. The global Itokawa revealed a boomerang-shaped appearance composed of two distinct parts with partly faceted regions and a constricted ring structure.     

Effect of plant density on growth and yield of new soybean genotypes grown under early planting condition in southwestern Japan

Soybeans planted in early to mid-June (early) are less affected by rainfall during rainy season than those conventionally planted in early to mid-July in southwestern Japan. Also, narrow row cultivation is expected to increase soybean yield and save labor for inter-tillage and ridging. Field experiments were performed in 2014 and 2015 to test the effect of plant density (high, middle, and low) under early planting condition on growth, yield, and several agronomical traits of Sachiyutaka A1 and three new genotypes (Sakukei 155, Kanto 127 and Shikoku 15). Early planting was performed in mid- to late June, even though rainy season started in early June. Higher plant densities produced 13% greater yield than low plant density through an increase in biomass accumulation, especially at R5. Among yield components, only pods m^?2 was significantly and positively correlated with yield, indicating that an increase in pods m^?2 led to a greater yield with higher plant densities. The yields of Sachiyutaka A1 were relatively stable for two years, but the lodging resistance should be further improved. Shikoku 15 had greater yield potential and lodging resistance, but its resistance to damping-off disease should be improved. Sakukei 155 with medium plant density produced relatively high and stable yield with less lodging. Although the yield of Kanto 127 fluctuated between experimental years, this genotype showed higher yield potential in higher plant densities with less lodging in 2015. Thus, Sakukei 155 and Kanto 127 with high or medium density may be suitable for early planting in this region.     

Control mechanisms for producing antimicrobial factors in ruminant mammary gland

Mastitis, a symptom of inflammation in mammary tissue by infection with various kinds of bacteria, causes huge economic losses in the milk industry. One of the popular methods for treatment of mastitis is antibiotics, although this prohibits milk shipping and sometimes causes resistant microbes. Therefore, a new strategy to treat mastitis without antibiotics is eagerly required around the world. Antimicrobial factors belong to innate immunity and can start their function extremely early after bacterial stimulation. These factors have antimicrobial activity for a broad spectrum of bacteria. Elucidation of causal mechanisms and functions of antimicrobial factors in the mammary gland is thought to result in suitable methods for prevention and treatment of mastitis. Therefore, this review introduces traits of some antimicrobial factors and the mechanisms for expressing, producing and secreting them in the mammary gland. For antimicrobial factors, lingual antimicrobial peptide (LAP), S100A7, cathelicidin and lactoferrin are controlled in different sites and different time courses, suggesting that antimicrobial factors play different roles for local defense against bacterial infection in the mammary gland. These findings will contribute to the development of prevention and treatment methods for mastitis.     

Three-dimensional structural analysis of mitochondria composing each subtype of fast-twitch muscle fibers in chicken

In a previous study, the three-dimensional structures of mitochondria in type I and type IIb muscle fibers of chicken were analyzed. The study reported differences in the shape of the mitochondria and the distribution of lipid droplets. In this study, we three-dimensionally analyzed mitochondria and lipid droplets of type II muscle fiber subtypes IIa, IIb, and IIc of chicken lateral iliotibial muscle in the same field of view using correlative light electron microscopy (CLEM) and array tomography methods. The reconstructed images showed that the mitochondria of type IIa muscle fiber were thick and aligned along the myofibrils, and many lipid droplets were embedded in the mitochondria. The mitochondria of type IIb muscle fibers were intermittent, aligned along the myofibrils, and showed contact between adjacent horizontal mitochondria. No lipid droplets were observed in type IIb muscle fiber. In type IIc muscle fiber, we observed irregularly shaped mitochondria with small diameters aligned along the myofibrils. Lipid droplets not only were embedded in the mitochondria but also existed independently in some cases. The combination of array tomography and CLEM methods enabled three-dimensional electron microscopic observation of mitochondria in different subtypes of type II muscle fibers. The subtypes of type II muscle fibers differed in mitochondrial occupancy and morphology and in lipid droplet distribution, and characteristics that had been demonstrated biochemically were also demonstrated ultrastructurally.