Suzaku observations of the Hydra A cluster out to the virial radius

We report Suzaku observations of the northern half of the Hydra A cluster out to ~1.4 Mpc, reaching the virial radius. This is the first Suzaku observations of a medium-size (kT ~3 keV) cluster out to the virial radius. Two observations were conducted, north-west and north-east offsets, which continue in a filament direction and a void direction of the large-scale structure of the Universe, respectively. The X-ray emission and distribution of galaxies elongate in the filament direction. The temperature profiles in the two directions are mostly consistent with each other within the error bars and drop to 1.5 keV at 1.5 r_500. As observed by Suzaku in hot clusters, the entropy profile becomes flatter beyond r_500, in disagreement with the r^1.1 relationship that is expected from accretion shock heating models. When scaled with the average intracluster medium (ICM) temperature, the entropy profiles of clusters observed with Suzaku are universal and do not depend on system mass. The hydrostatic mass values in the void and filament directions are in good agreement, and the Navarro, Frenk, and White universal mass profile represents the hydrostatic mass distribution up to ~ 2 r_500. Beyond r_500, the ratio of gas mass to hydrostatic mass exceeds the result of the Wilkinson microwave anisotropy probe, and at r_100, these ratios in the filament and void directions reach 0.4 and 0.3, respectively. We discuss possible deviations from hydrostatic equilibrium at cluster outskirts. We derived radial profiles of the gasmass- to-light ratio and iron-mass-to-light ratio out to the virial radius. Within r_500, the iron-mass-to-light ratio of the Hydra A cluster was compared with those in other clusters observed with Suzaku.Comment: 16 pages, 15 figures; Accepted for publication in PAS

A Report on Overseas Teaching Practicum by Graduate Students in Elementary/Secondary Schools in the United States（Ⅺ）

This paper reports on the 11th overseas teaching practicum in the U.S. 12 students joined this year’s program and they observed and conducted lessons in English in three local public schools in North Carolina after careful and repeated preparation sessions in Japan. Many of them did lessons on crosscultural understandings and a few taught subject contents. Through the trail to convey messages in English, their foreign language, students learned the role of verbal and nonverbal language and the more universal way to explain topics to children who are unfamiliar with what re taught. And they also learned and noticed the cultural differences and similalities between the two countries. It seemed that students realized that the two countries share many things in common such as what chidren are like, teachers’ attitude toward children and challenges they are facing, and people’s kindness. These learning was no substitute experience for the participants and it is hoped that their experience will be passed to the next generation when they become teachers

遠隔地小規模校での学習支援連携の定着への課題 : 藤女子大学と厚田中学校による2年間の取り組みを振り返って

本論では、今年度で二年目を終えた藤女子大学の学生による石狩市立厚田中学校での学習支援(スクール・アシスタント・ティチャー:SAT)事業の現状と課題、そして将来的な展望を報告する。厚田中学校は、藤女子大学花川校舎から車で50分ほどの海岸部に位置する全校生徒22名の小規模校である。そこで主に教職課程を履修している大学生が、中学校教員や保護者と協力しつつ、数学や家庭科などの授業、学校行事の面で、生徒と触れ合い、多様な学習支援を行なっている。本論は、大学・中学校側のSAT担当教員だけではなく、実際に学習支援に参加した学生の視点から、今年度を振り返り、来年への展望を述べている。現状分析としては、1. 学校行事(学校祭・餅つき大会・卒業式)への参加、2. 地域との関わり(ピザ教室)、3. 学生主体の連絡調整が促進されたことが、今年度の成果といえる。その一方で、依然として、遠隔地域での学習支援という特色上、1. 厚田への交通手段、それに伴う2. 学生の時間の確保が課題として残った。しかし、来年度(2013年)は、厚田中学校での学習支援を経験し三年目の学生も4年生として在籍するため、SAT事業の継続性・発展性を視野に入れた、彼女たちの集大成に期待したい。なお、今年度のSAT事業は、石狩市教育委員会の予算と共に、藤女子大学QOL研究所からの補助金を通して、運営された。This paper aims to report the current conditions and future prospects of learning support partnerships (School Assistant Teacher: SAT) between Atsuta Junior High School and Fuji Women\u27s University. This program has been implemented by Ishikari City board of education with the university students. In this program almost ten students who want to become a teacher has involved in learning support for junior high school students especially in the subject of mathematics. This year is the second year of implementation of this program. Comparing to last year,our project promote university students the involvement in school events, relation with community and guardian of students,and university student\u27s autonomy in terms of coordination of this program. On the other hand we should challenge some problems such as transportation to Atsuta and obtaining the number of students to maintain the learning support in junior high school

Evaluation of adverse events in small‐breed dogs treated with maropitant and a single dose of doxorubicin

Abstract Background The recommended doxorubicin (DOX) dose for small dogs is 1 mg/kg. Recent data suggest that DOX‐induced gastrointestinal (GI) toxicosis can be reduced with maropitant treatment. Objectives To investigate the incidence of adverse events (AEs) in small‐breed dogs administered a single 25 mg/m2 DOX followed by administration of maropitant (DOX25). The primary aim was to assess myelo‐ and GI toxicoses for 2 weeks after DOX administration. The secondary aim was to compare the incidence and grades of AEs found in the DOX25 group with a historical control group (DOX 1 mg/kg without administration of antiemetic or antidiarrheal medications). Animals Nineteen small‐breed tumor‐bearing dogs. Methods A prospective, observational study of tumor‐bearing dogs, weighing 5 to 10 kg, administered a single 25 mg/m2 dose of DOX IV, followed by administration of maropitant for the next 5 days. Results Inappetence, vomiting, and diarrhea were found in 7/19, 2/19, and 6/19 of the DOX25 dogs, respectively. Neutropenia and thrombocytopenia was 12/19 and 3/19, respectively. Most AEs were grades 1 and 2, except for grades 3 and 4 inappetence and neutropenia in 3 and 4 dogs, respectively. Furthermore, febrile neutropenia occurred in 3/19 dogs in the DOX25 group. All AEs between the DOX25 and historical control groups were not significantly different. Conclusions and Clinical Importance Vomiting and diarrhea were deemed acceptable with 25 mg/m2 DOX followed by maropitant treatment in 5 to 10 kg dogs; however, additional supportive care might be needed for dogs with inappetence and neutropenia

Na, K-ATPase α3 is a death target of Alzheimer patient amyloid-β assembly.

Neurodegeneration correlates with Alzheimer's disease (AD) symptoms, but the molecular identities of pathogenic amyloid β-protein (Aβ) oligomers and their targets, leading to neurodegeneration, remain unclear. Amylospheroids (ASPD) are AD patient-derived 10- to 15-nm spherical Aβ oligomers that cause selective degeneration of mature neurons. Here, we show that the ASPD target is neuron-specific Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase α3 subunit (NAKα3). ASPD-binding to NAKα3 impaired NAKα3-specific activity, activated N-type voltage-gated calcium channels, and caused mitochondrial calcium dyshomeostasis, tau abnormalities, and neurodegeneration. NMR and molecular modeling studies suggested that spherical ASPD contain N-terminal-Aβ-derived "thorns" responsible for target binding, which are distinct from low molecular-weight oligomers and dodecamers. The fourth extracellular loop (Ex4) region of NAKα3 encompassing Asn(879) and Trp(880) is essential for ASPD-NAKα3 interaction, because tetrapeptides mimicking this Ex4 region bound to the ASPD surface and blocked ASPD neurotoxicity. Our findings open up new possibilities for knowledge-based design of peptidomimetics that inhibit neurodegeneration in AD by blocking aberrant ASPD-NAKα3 interaction

Ποιήματα ΙΙ

Τιμητικό αντίτυπο. Βέρα Κορφιώτη. Ταχ.Κιβ. 1020 Λευκωσία

Widespread transcriptional changes pre-empt the critical pelagic–benthic transition in the vetigastropod Haliotis asinina

Larval settlement is a vital transition period for marine invertebrates and can have far-reaching effects on the ecology and evolution of a species. To explore the molecular mechanisms of this critical process in a nonmodel organism, the abalone Haliotis asinina, we employed cDNA microarrays. By comparing gene expression profiles through mid- to late larval development and metamorphosis, we identified 144 genes as candidates for a role in competence and/or metamorphosis. Gene characterization indicates similar to 60% of these are significantly similar to known genes from other taxa, while similar to 40% are novel. A high 49.3% of genes are gastropod or abalone specific, but none appears to be Lophotrochozoan specific, even though metamorphosis is thought to have had a separate origin in this group. Differentially expressed larval and postlarval genes can be clustered into five categories that reveal strikingly different temporal transcriptional patterns occurring during this phase of development. Some gene activation is contingent upon exogenous cues and correlates with initiation of settlement. Importantly, there is also extensive gene activity associated with the endogenous attainment of competence, which occurs before, and independent of, the exogenous induction of settlement. Our results show that as the haliotid veliger larva matures, it requires coordinated regulation of temporally different batteries of genes involved in a wide range of physiological and developmental processes associated with benthic colonization. Although the signalling pathways operating at metamorphosis may be conserved across the animal kingdom, it appears they regulate the expression of novel genes specific to abalone, gastropods and molluscs during H. asinina metamorphosis