Zinc transporter ZnT3/Slc30a3 has a potential role in zinc ion influx in mouse oocytes

Zinc is an essential trace element for various physiological functions, including reproduction. The influx/efflux of zinc ions is regulated by zinc transporters (Zip1-14 and ZnT1-8, 10). However, the precise roles of zinc transporters and zinc dynamics in reproductive functions are unknown. In this study, ZnT3/Slc30a3 gene knockout (KO) mice were used to analyze the role of ZnT3. In ZnT3 KO mice, intracellular zinc ions in oocytes/zygotes were significantly reduced compared to those in controls, and free zinc ions did not accumulate in the oocyte cytoplasm. However, fertilization of these oocytes and the average litter size were comparable to those of control mice. Our results suggest that ZnT3 plays an important role in the accumulation of zinc ions in oocytes but not in the developmental ability of mice. ZnT3 KO mice will be useful for examining zinc dynamics in oocytes and other tissues.journal articl

駐車場所－駐車時間選択行動への離散－連続選択モデルの適用と駐車料金施策分析

In the central city area, the vehicles queuing to the parking lot and/or illegally parked on-street cause serious road traffic congestion. This study develops discrete-continuous choice model of parking location and duration in order to better understanding drivers’ parking behavior. We apply a simultaneous estimation technique to overcome an inconsistency of a conventional estimation result, and apply WESML estimator because of choice-based sample obtained from mail-in survey. As a result of the analysis concerning the parking price discount measure for reducing the illegal parking on-street, it was shown that the results with a discrete-continuous choice model were greatly different from those with a usual MNL model and a regression model.journal articl

Improved Search for νμ→νe Oscillation in a Long-Baseline Accelerator Experiment

journal articl

The effectiveness of sensitivity training focusing on emotional attunement to infants and children : for graduate students of clinical psychology

Training institutes, including graduate schools for clinical psychology have been producing qualified and skilled clinical psychologists in society. In order to become good clinical psychologists, the candidates need to have not only knowledge and skills in the subject area but should also have personal characteristics such as sensitivity, empathy, and introspection. In this study a sensitivity training program, which focused on emotional attunement to infants and children, was developed and its effectiveness was investigated using three questionnaires : the perceived coding ability scale, the interpersonal sensitivity measure, and the non-verbal sensitivity scale. Out of 60 graduate students, 18 participated in this program once a week at a nursery school for a period of 5 months. The results showed that the scores of the perceived coding ability scale were significantly increased for students who participated in this program but there was no difference in the scores of the other two scales. The results also showed that there were significant differences between the scores of students who participated in the program and those who did not, with respect to the perceived coding ability and interpersonal sensitivity scales. Students who participated in this program showed higher sensitivity scores even before participating in this program. Therefore, we concluded that the program needs to focus more on emotional attunement and the selection process must change such that all students participate in this program.departmental bulletin pape

明延錫鉱採鉱計画

東京帝国大学工科大学種別:卒業論文thesi

Additional file 1 of Causal associations between hand grip strength and pulmonary function: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Additional file 1: Supplementary Figure S1. Scatter plot of the association of hand grip strength with pulmonary function. Supplementary Figure S2. Forest plot of the association of hand grip strength with pulmonary function. Supplementary Figure S3. Leave-one-out sensitivity analysis of the association of hand grip strength with pulmonary function. Supplementary Figure S4. Funnel plot of the association of hand grip strength with pulmonary function. Supplementary Table S1. Baseline characteristics of hand grip strength and pulmonary function. Supplementary Table S2. Single nucleotide polymorphisms used as instrumental variables in the Mendelian randomization analysis of right-hand grip strength. Supplementary Table S3. Single nucleotide polymorphisms used as instrumental variables in the Mendelian randomization analysis of left-hand grip strength. Supplementary Table S4. SNPs of RHGS excluded from Mendelian randomization analysis. Supplementary Table S5. SNPs of LHGS excluded from Mendelian randomization analysis. STROBE-MR checklist of recommended items to address in reports of Mendelian randomization studies

Molecular Mechanism of Oocyte Activation in Mammals: Past, Present, and Future Directions

During mammalian fertilization, repetitive intracellular Ca2+ increases known as Ca2+ oscillations occur. These oscillations are considered crucial for successful fertilization and subsequent embryonic development. Numerous researchers have endeavored to elucidate the factors responsible for inducing Ca2+ oscillations across various mammalian species. Notably, sperm-specific phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) emerged as a prominent candidate capable of initiating Ca2+ oscillations, particularly in mammals. Genetic mutation of PLCζ in humans results in the absence of Ca2+ oscillations in mouse oocytes. Recent studies further underscored PLCζ’s significance, revealing that sperm from PLCζ-deficient (Plcz1−/−) mice fail to induce Ca2+ oscillations upon intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Despite these findings, observations from in vitro fertilization (IVF) experiments using Plcz1−/− sperm revealed some residual intracellular Ca2+ increases and successful oocyte activation, hinting at potential alternative mechanisms. In this review, we introduced the current hypothesis surrounding oocyte activation in mammals, informed by contemporary literature, and probed into the enigmatic mechanisms underlying mammalian fertilization-induced oocyte activation

Conformational variation of the translocon enhancing chaperone SecDF

The Sec translocon facilitates transportation of newly synthesized polypeptides from the cytoplasm to the lumen/periplasm across the phospholipid membrane. Although the polypeptide-conducting machinery is formed by the SecYEG-SecA complex in bacteria, its transportation efficiency is markedly enhanced by SecDF. A previous study suggested that SecDF assumes at least two conformations differing by a 120° rotation in the spatial orientation of the P1 head subdomain to the rigid base, and that the conformational dynamics plays a critical role in polypeptide translocation. Here we addressed this hypothesis by analyzing the 3D structure of SecDF using electron tomography and single particle reconstruction. Reconstruction of wt SecDF showed two major conformations; one resembles the crystal structure of full-length SecDF (F-form structure), while the other is similar to the hypothetical structural variant based on the crystal structure of the isolated P1 domain (I-form structure). The transmembrane domain of the I-form structure has a scissor like cleft open to the periplasmic side. We also report the structure of a double cysteine mutant designed to constrain SecDF to the I-form. This reconstruction has a protrusion at the periplasmic end that nicely fits the orientation of P1 in the I-from. These results provide firm evidence for the occurrence of the I-form in solution and support the proposed F- to I-transition of wt SecDF during polypeptide translocation.journal articl

Additional file 1: of Anti-obesity and Hypolipidemic effects of garlic oil and onion oil in rats fed a high-fat diet

Table S1. The raw data on body weight evolution which is a supplement to Table 2. (XLSX 19 kb

スラスト滑り軸受の油膜の乱流遷移に関する研究

Experimental investigation of the illstability in the fluid film of thrust bearings are presented. Flow between a stational and a rotational disk of 180 mm and 80 mm diameter are used as a model of fluid film of thrust bearingS. The gaps between two disks are varied from 0.15 mm to 4.0 mm. Water is used as a working fluid. In order to visualize the flow, two types of fine particles are used. One is the powder of barium sutfate and the other is aluminum powder. Under appropriate lighting, the flows are observed and taken a photo. Photographs show that the three types of instability patterns are observed. The first one is the spiral vortex generating in high Reynold's number region and the voltex lines are nearly concentric. The second one is a series of wave like pattern generating in middle Reynold's number region. This pattern seems to be the one called viscous instability or type II instability. The third one is cross pattern. This is observed only in narrow gaps and low Reynold's number region. These three types of instability are summarized by the relationship between the Reynold's number and Ekman number respectively.rights: 社団法人日本機械学会 rights: 本文データは学協会の許諾に基づきCiNiiから複製したものである relation: IsVersionOf: http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110002384186/textapplication/pdfjournal articl